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Friday,
February 7, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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Rewarding defection Changing social reality
HARI JAISINGH |
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A will and a way
Making space a tourist destination
Bad breath due to stomach infection
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Rewarding defection Those who quit the Congress in Uttar Pradesh recently have been duly rewarded by Behen Mayawati with ministerial berths. All seven of them who first formed the Akhil Bharatiya Congress Dal (ABCD) as a transit arrangement and later joined her Bahujan Samaj Party have been given ministerial cars and kothis. The message is loud and clear: defection pays. Sarkari carrots are still dangling tantalisingly before the rebels in the ranks of the Congress as well as other parties. There is no upper limit on the size of the ministry and the jumbo can always be expanded to the size of a dinosaur. After all, the Chief Minister does not have to pay their pay and perks from her own pocket. It is the taxpayer’s pocket which is ripe for picking. Such manipulations have been done in the past by various other leaders also and as such not many eyebrows are raised over this brazen promotion of the “Aya Ram Gaya Ram” culture. The lesson that has been learnt by all and sundry is that once a precedent has been set even in the case of blue murder, you are very much within your right to quote it and repeat history. Words like morality exist only in the dictionary of fools or armchair dreamers. What a pity! Curse it as a brazen stretching of democratic norms, but her manipulation is a political masterstroke. She has reduced the Congress to a stump with just a handful of legislators. What a fall for the party in a state which was once its pocket-borough. With the latest fragmentation, the dreams of Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav to topple the Mayawati government with the help of Congress MLAs also lie shattered. Not only that, the BJP, which is the coalition partner of the BSP in Uttar Pradesh, is shell-shocked. Ms Mayawati had not revealed her cards to them and they do not know how to react to the unexpected development. Coupled with the POTA rope around the neck of Raja Bhaiyya, the latest move is a none-too-subtle message to them that they should not take their own importance for granted. She has been able to “achieve” so much because ministers and legislators of the BSP are no more than pawns in her hands. Had so many ministers been dropped or demoted by the Chief Minister of some other party, there would have been a major revolt. But there is not even a murmur in the BSP. In the Indian setting, the dictator stature of a party leader seems to be a necessity. Right or wrong, the leader is always right. It is another matter that an unchallenged leader tends to be more often wrong than right.
In an order which goes against the traditional view of a matrimonial home, but is in keeping with the changing social profile of the country, the Supreme Court has stayed the decree of divorce granted to a man who refused to live with his better-placed wife. The Mumbai-based man sought divorce from his wife, a teacher in a Gujarat school, on the ground of desertion as the woman did not agree to his proposal to quit her job and live with him in Mumbai. According to newspaper reports, the man earns Rs 1,400 a month and has no independent house of his own in the metropolis. The woman, Geeta J. Mangtani, is a teacher taking home Rs 10,000 a month. The couple has a nine-year-old son who lives with his mother. Geeta refused to give up her school job and instead asked her husband to quit his job and join her in Gujarat. The husband first moved the trial court for divorce which did not accede to his request. He then approached the high court, which granted a decree of divorce to him. The aggrieved wife knocked at the door of the Supreme Court, which stayed the Gujarat High Court order. The Hindu Marriage Act has not defined the words “matrimonial home”, though traditionally a woman leaves her home to stay with her husband. Her counsel argued the case thus: “If the wife is earning more and if the husband has no sufficient income to maintain the wife, she can refuse to go to the house of the husband and such refusal cannot be a ground for the grant of divorce.” A division bench of the Supreme Court comprising Justice Y.K.Sabharwal and Justice H.K.Sema seems to have accepted the view that the woman can look after the family better than her husband and admitted her application for hearing. This is an interesting and significant case in more than one way. With women increasingly excelling in education and consequently finding better avenues for employment, the social equation between the husband and the wife is changing fast. The husband is traditionally expected to be a provider and if his economic position does not allow him to play that role, his fragile male ego is hurt. Emotional problems crop up that put strains on the
marriage. On the other hand, the parents of a bright girl, who struggles and secures a high-paying job on the strength of her merit, are often hard pressed to find a boy who is intellectually and financially on a par with, if not better than, their daughter. In a marriage in which the husband earns less than his wife or is unemployed, it takes a lot of effort and maturity on the part of both partners to withstand social pressures. Years ago, the Amitabh-Jaya starring Hindi film “Abhimaan” effectively dramatised the husband-wife conflict arising from a mismatch of talent. If the wife is more talented, the husband has to put up with a great deal of inner and outer pressures. Divorce, of course, offers no solution. Today’s educated woman is boldly rejecting the male-scripted role in society and is asserting her own identity. In the process she has to be sensitive to the male ego. Both the husband and the wife have to realise and accept the changing social reality, and accordingly overcome emotional conflicts to enjoy the marital bliss and ensure for their children a happy, secure future. |
Aftermath of Columbia tragedy The Columbia space tragedy cut short a brilliant career of an India-born astronaut, Kalpana Chawla. She lives among us to symbolise Indians’ success stories in the USA. She also tells us how opportunities, merit criterion and professionalism can make a difference to the growth and standing of a nation. The moot point, however, is: will our politicians and bureaucrats ever learn from the others’ failures and successes? Looking at their track record, I would wish to keep my fingers crossed. There is a lot for Indian leaders to learn from the ill-fated space shuttle. The US authorities took no time to stop all space missions till the inquiry into the disaster is completed. They have broadly identified three problem areas. One, structural failure. Two, the damage that might have resulted from foam insulation to the left wing of the shuttle during the January 16 launch. Three, control failure resulting from excessive heat in the wake of the loss of the heat shields. Michael Anderson, one of the seven astronauts aboard, stated in an interview before the journey: “When you launch in a rocket, you are not really flying that rocket. You are just short of hanging on. You are really taking an explosion and you are trying to control it. You are trying to harness that energy in a way that will propel you into space. And you are very successful in doing that. But there are a million things that can go wrong.” And the million dollar question today is: what went wrong and why? Eminent Indian scientist Prof Yashpal has told The Tribune that “appropriate docking facilities, and timely application of mathematical simulation modelling techniques” could have prevented the tragic crash. Possibly, he is right. Meanwhile, three independent expert committees are inquiring into the disaster. In the first place, the US Congress through the Science Committee of the House of Representatives will go into different aspects of the tragedy and overall space operations. Second, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) will carry on its own probe. Three, experts from the US Air Force, the Navy, the Transportation Department and other Federal agencies will critically look at varied technical areas of failures. This is professionalism par excellence as far as the response to the disaster goes. The three enquiries will have to be finally seen in an integrated and coordinated manner and the right conclusions drawn for safer space missions. Interestingly, some US experts had earlier referred to certain lapses in oversight, budget allocation and safety measures followed in NASA’s aging fleet of space shuttles. The core issue, of course, is safety management. Why adequate attention was not given to certain critical areas of the Columbia shuttle will be known once the experts complete their probe. Technical snags could suddenly upset human calculations at any time and in any situation. Such happenings could be seen as part of life and destiny, especially in the sophisticated zone of space adventure. What is important in handling problems and lapses in adverse situations is technology-driven responses. What has often disturbed me is the lack of professionalism in our country. Equally disquieting has been the absence of accountability and responsibility at the official level to set things right. The callous attitude and the growing insensitivity to men, matters and issues have thoroughly exposed the system and shattered the people’s confidence in the persons at the helm. What a shame for an ancient country like ours which has miles to go to acquire the status of a developed nation! Take the MiG crashes recurring at a regular frequency. Whenever such a tragedy takes place, the official effort is invariably directed at covering it up with one excuse or the other. No one cares to ground the faulty aircraft with a view to identifying the snags and initiating followup action. Who protects whom and for what purposes? Why can’t we take the right decisions boldly and in time? Why are we so casual even in sensitive areas which have a bearing on national security? A day after the 22nd military aircraft crashed last November, Chief of the Air Staff S. Krishnaswami reportedly regretted the long delay in taking decision and “the overall lax environment prevailing in this field”. How correct is this statement coming from the Air Chief! Committees after committees are set up. Still, everything remains on paper while one tragedy follows the other and one inquiry leads to another. This is how Parkinson’s Law operates in India officially. Though the IAF chief did not explicitly say so, the implications of his observations are clear: the biggest “indifference” shown by the decision-makers has been towards the Indian Air Force’s request for a modern supersonic trainer. The hunt in this regard has been going on since the eighties without any decision. As an ad hoc response some aircraft were converted into trainers with in-built hazards. This is adhocism par excellence, Indian style. We seem to be the “least sensitive when it comes to machines”. It is a different matter that we are equally insensitive to human sufferings. Several examples can be cited which speak poorly of the safety environment in the country’s critical areas of governance. The problem here is not of resources but the absence of technology-driven solutions. Most crashes are explained away officially under the general label of human error. It will be worthwhile recalling Kalpana Gadgil’s remarks who having lost her son in the MiG 21 crash nearly one and a half years ago would still like to know why these “flying coffins” continue to go down with such tragic regularity. No less than 40 MiG 21s have crashed since her son died in September, 2001. Still, Defence Minister George Fernandes claims that “so far they (expert teams) have not been able to pinpoint any defect which could be the cause of accident(s)” Fine. But the question often raised is: why cannot, meanwhile, such doubtful aircraft be grounded and quick decisions taken for their replacement according to the needs of the IAF today? The official response continues to be tardy and elusive. The people are not told the truth. But then precious lives of IAF officers cannot be a matter of official secret! The people have the right to know. They must get the right answers and quick decisions. What is true of military aircraft tragedies is also true of road and railway safety. The problem here is that safety provisions are not given due priority and importance. Even the posting of an officer in the safety department of the Railways is considered punitive in nature. For that matter, safety officers are seldom taken seriously because of the existing bias against them. No wonder, the crisis of credibility persists. It is necessary to abandon the existing “punish and forget” attitude. By mere transfer of an officer in the area of the accident does not solve the problem of safety. We ought to go deep into the reasons of every disaster and take remedial steps to set things right. Remember the Gujarat earthquake that struck the land of Mahatma Gandhi on January 26 two years ago. Along with the images of devastation, the earthquake brought a deluge of resolutions and promises — from insurance cover to disaster management plans. But then what happened to those promises? If the people have forgotten the lessons drawn from the tragedy, so have the persons in power. The nation badly needs urgent correctives at all levels of governance so that technology-driven responses are put on the right course. There is too much of politics and manipulation in every area of operation. Professional management, secrecy-free atmosphere, a proper response system, transparency, accountability, efficient working and team work alone can make a difference to the quality of governance in all situations, especially when faced with disasters. |
A will and a way I
met an IPS officer at a railway station with a commando in toe. We were waiting for the same train. I looked at the officer and realised that he was trying to recognise me. For a moment he seemed lost. Then his face brightened up. He said: ‘‘Oh! happy birthday Sir’’. ‘‘Thank you very much’’ I replied astonished. I could not place him. Realising my predicament, he said, ‘‘Twenty years ago I met you in a train on this very day. You remember ‘Boonda Bandi’ station’’. I laughed and appreciated his memory. ‘‘Sir, let us have tea’’, he invited me. I took a sip. A close look at his face took me 20 years back in time. I was going to Lucknow with my friends by train. At that time steam engines were in vogue. As we entered the compartment, I saw an eight-year-old child sitting with his mother. The mother was teaching the child. Normally I would have looked away but when I saw Sacred Heart Convent School, Ludhiana, embossed on the cover of the book, I became curious. I started talking to the child while my friends got busy playing cards. ‘‘Where do you study’’? I asked the child. ‘‘Sir, I study in Sacred Heart Convent School and Sister Heliema is our Principal’’ replied the child. I laughed because he had told me about his Principal even before I asked him. ‘‘Doctor sahib, this child was delivered by you in your nursing home’’, said the mother. I gave her a smile beaming with pride. ‘‘Doctor sahib’’, the mother said, ‘‘I want to make this boy an IPS officer, but it is beyond my reach’’. I told her that mother’s love and wishes are very pious and God always fulfils them. I assured her that her prayer would be answered. God will definitely help you in achieving the goal. Then turning to the boy, I said: ‘‘You must fulfil your mother’s dream. Work hard, and you will surely become an IPS officer. Where there is a will, there is a way.’’ It reminded me of my mother’s efforts and desire to make me a doctor. As I was engrossed in a conversation with the child, I could hear my friends saying: ‘‘We must celebrate’’. As I looked at them, the compartment started echoing with the sounds of Happy Birthday. I thanked them for the greetings but they wanted a party. I showed my helplessness. The young child who was sitting in front of me said: ‘‘Doctor uncle, you only said ‘Where there is a will, there is a way’. So find out the way’’. ‘‘Boonda Bandi’’ station came. They went to the ticket collector. He told them that the train would stop for 20 minutes. They talked to the engine driver and told us that they were going to get some snacks and beer. Before I could tell them not to do so, they ran out of sight. The shop was approximately a kilometre away. I started sweating and thought of getting down with bag and baggage. The guard gave a whistle and showed the green flag but my friends were nowhere in sight. I went to the exit of the station and started looking outside. Sensing my restlessness the engine driver, who was also standing there, said: ‘‘Please don’t panic, sir. The train won’t move an inch without them”. The guard was informed that ‘‘abhi engine mein paani aur daalna hai’’. Suddenly there was a commotion and the driver shouted, ‘‘Aa gaye - aa gaye’’. I felt relieved. The train whistled and the journey started with the grand celebration of my birthday. Suddenly, the strapping youth’s voice brought me back to the present. ‘‘Sir, you have not finished your tea yet. The train has come. Let us go’’, he said. I wished him well and bade him goodbye. I realised that a mother’s sincere wish and efforts never go waste. She is the main architect of the life of her children. Her blessings are the most powerful additive to their hard work and efforts. |
Making space a tourist destination Driven by this dream, Kathuria has pumped in millions of dollars into Mir and is a principal investor in MirCorp, run by a capital fund by the name of Gold and Apple Investment. Born in Delhi, Kathuria moved to the USA with his parents when he was eight months old. His academic training is as diverse as his business interests. After earning his bachelor’s degree in science and an MD from Brown University, he obtained an MBA and a master’s in public management from Stanford. The seeds of entrepreneurship were sown early in his life with both his father and grandfather being successful entrepreneurs in their own right. Growing up in Chicago, Kathuria started his career from his native land where he worked as a manager for investment bank Morgan Stanley and played a key role in setting up the firm’s India operations. Today, his business interests range from providing health services from the Internet platform to mobile telephony in India (he has co-founded Koshika Telecom which provides cellular services in UP, Bihar and Orissa) and not to talk of his pet space commercialisation project. In his words, he loves India “very much” and visits Delhi and Chandigarh “often” (once a month) and seeks to combine business with pleasure during these trips. Woman banker par excellence To her credit, Mrs Kumar’s unconventional style of functioning may have been partly instrumental in arresting the slide. For one, she was successful in inculcating a strong sense of belonging towards the bank among its employees by breaching the gilt-edged heirarchical divide. Clearly, as one of her colleagues admit, nobody could have imagined that branch managers would be sharing lunch with board members in the Chennai-based bank. Mrs Kumar, who took over in June, 2000, as the Chairperson, knew very well that it was important to carry along the trade unions in achieving her task. And one of the first things she did after taking over was to enter into an agreement with the trade union that it would not interfere in operations. For transparency, Mrs Kumar ensured that the minutes of the monthly meeting of senior executives were circulated among all employees. Mrs Kumar, an accomplished Kathak dancer and married to a Hyderabad-based north Indian businessman, says that being a woman does not have any disadvantage or advantage. What is important is commitment which can be found in abundance in her. |
Bad breath due to stomach infection Have a bad breath? Well, take it seriously as researchers at the Baskent University have now linked it to stomach infections, according to report in the European Journal of Internal Medicine. The researchers discovered that persistent bad breath or halitosis was one of the most common symptoms in patients diagnosed with Helicobacter pylori infection. They now hope that halitosis “may be a valid indication” that a person has H. pylori infection. Halitosis could act as an early warning signal, which will help doctors to speedily prescribe drugs to eliminate the bacterium. Researchers found that bad breath is a “frequent but treatable symptom” of H. pylori infection. The most well-known symptoms of H. pylori infection are pain, bloating or indigestion.
ANI |
The results that are unattainable from penances, yoga and samadhi can be easily obtained in Kaliyuga by the whole-hearted singing of Lord Krishna’s sacred name. —A popular Sanskrit quote
*** The man who goes alone can start today but he who travels with another must wait..... and it may be a long time before they get off. —Henry David Thoreau, Walden. |
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Indian American entrepreneur Chirinjeev Kathuria is building a flight to fantasy — literally. A physician by academic training, Kathuria is creating his own space in the technological orbit by developing on the idea to make space accessible to ordinary citizens. In other words, his project involves making outer space a tourist destination. As per present cost considerations, a trip to Mir, the Russian space station, costs approximately $ 20 million per person — an astronomical sum for the common individual.
For 57-year-old Ranjana Kumar, turning around the beleagured Indian Bank was perhaps the biggest professional challenge she had faced during her long banking career. Two years later, Mrs Kumar, a Kashmiri by descent, can clearly boast of achieving her mission. If not anything else, her peers in the trade vouch for the fact and acknowledge that she has turned around the bank and put it on the high road of recovery.