Is Customer Always Right?

The short answer is “Yes?”. Your customer is the reason you’re able to stay in business, especially in these tight times. This does not, however, definitively mean that “the customer is always right”. Harry Gordon Selfridge, founder of Selfridges department stores in the UK in 1909, is credited with coining the phrase “the customer is always right”. Mr. Selfridge likely did not intend to be taken literally. Rather, he used it to change the psychology of his customers and employees. Customers would, perhaps, feel that a company cared for them. Employees would be continually exposed to the notion that a customer could not be wrong. Presumably, this would result in a prevailing attitude among employees to treat customers positively, regardless of how the customers treated employees.

The unfortunate thing is that customers have latched onto a widespread disposition that they cannot be wrong. Even more unfortunate, as a privately held, small business, we are not able to afford the Nordstrom customer service model. We have customer complaints. But, we were unable, financially, to accommodate every customer request. It may sound terrible to think that a company would take the stance that the customer isn’t always right, but it’s true. Please do not misunderstand. We love our customers and we absolutely want everybody to be delighted with their shopping experience. However, there are situations where a customer’s expectations are not met, but we have made every effort to build clear expectations for the customer before they buy.

I’ll give you an example. A customer buys a valve with low profit margin from PlumberSurplus.com without contacting our customer service team, thinking that the valve will work with their existing plumbing. The specifications for the valve are clearly stated on the product detail page. The customer must read and agree to our web site’s terms of use, including our returns policy, before they are able to create an account or place an order. The customer receives the valve that they ordered in good condition and their plumber tells them that this is not the right valve. The customer immediately contacts PlumberSurplus.com and tells us that they received the wrong product. In researching the issue, we discover that the product that the customer ordered was the product that was sent. The customer simply did not order the correct valve. No problem. We are able to accept the product in return. However, the customer feels that PlumberSurplus.com should make it more clear that the valve does not support all types of plumbing and does not want to pay to ship the product back to PlumberSurplus.com or pay a restocking fee. The customer has already read and agreed to the returns policy which makes both clear. PlumberSurplus.com has made every effort to stipulate what type of plumbing this valve will accommodate. So we say “No. Your order is subject to the policies that you agreed to upon buying”.

The customer then files a dispute with their credit card company. PlumberSurplus.com is charged a processing fee for the dispute that is greater than the profit margin of the valve. PlumberSurplus.com ultimately wins the dispute and we receive our money for the sale, but we still have to pay the processing fee for the dispute. You may ask yourself, “Why don’t you just change the returns policy?” We thought of that. The cost to pay to return the item to PlumberSurplus.com and the cost associated with processing the return is potentially even greater than the cost of the credit dispute processing fee! Either way, we lose. On the flip side happy customers come back and we may be able to make up the costs then.

So, to recap, we set an expectation of what product the customer was buying and how the customer would have to return it, should they elect to do so. The customer agreed. The customer changed their mind when they discovered that they made a poor buying decision and asked PlumberSurplus.com to pay for the mistake. In this case, the customer was not “right”. At this point, PlumberSurplus.com has to evaluate whether or not it is valuable to lose money on this customer. For various reasons, it may be valuable to lose money on a given customer, but not “always”.

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Who are these Gujjars and Meenas, what is their problem and who created it?

Till a few weeks back, probably most of the people living in this country, especially in the south and the east, had no knowledge that there is a community called gujjars (or gurjjars). And now in the last week or so, probably no one who follows the media would be unaware of their existence.

It has been a traumatic week for this country to witness what started as an issue of reservation turning into a bloody caste conflict, between the gujjars and the meenas, over the former's demand for inclusion into the scheduled tribe list. For a long long time this country has not witnessed the kind of open caste clashes as we are seeing in the last few days.

Who are these gujjars? Some historians trace their roots to the Huns dynasty from central Asia, while some others link them to the Georgians and Chechens, but all agree that their origin is from Central Asia. Once they landed here with the Huns ( Hunas) they established small kingdoms in the areas around modern Rajasthan and Gujarat. They are also found in Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, where they already "enjoy" the status of the scheduled tribe.

Famous scholar, K.M.Munshi, a gujjar himself says that the Pratiharas, Paramaras and Solankis in Gujarat were imperial gujjars. During the British rule, they had spread to areas around Meerut, Bulandshar, and present Noida and Greater Noida as well as East Delhi, and it is recorded by the Britishers that during the first war of independence in 1857, the gujjars along with the Muslims proved to be their "most irreconcilable enemies".

Incidentally gujjars are both Hindus and Muslim, and the Muslim gujjars had shown dissent against the British in Ludhiana in Punjab. In the process of rebelling against the British, they were known to have committed several dacoities and robberies of the British garrisons, which might have been the reason for the imperial authorities to classify them under the criminal tribes.

One wonders whether it is this sense of historical injustice to them, which has also contributed to their present violent mood.

Meanwhile the meenas or minas, the community that is now arraigned against the Gujjars getting the ST status, also have an interesting history. Though unlike the gujjars who are spread out in north-western India, Meenas are a tribe whom you would find only in Rajasthan. A land-owning class, historians say they were the ruling class in the ancient Matsya (modern Rajasthan) and were even seen as kshatriyas, like the gujjars in the earlier times. However their origin is still not clear as historians differ about whether they had a Central Asian origin like the gujjars or are an indigenous community.

The similarity between the gujjars and the meenas appear over the way in which the British treated them. Like the Gujjars, British found this community also as a thorn in their flesh, and one British chronicler even called them "revengeful and blood thirsty". And like they did with the gujjars, this community was also denominated as a criminal tribe. It may be seen that both gujjars and the meenas who had belonged to a much higher caste order were relegated into criminal tribes during the British times.

However, post-independence meenas, who are economically better off being landowners however managed to be classified in the 1960s as a scheduled tribe, while the economically inferior gujjars atleast in Rajasthan, however got the OBC status.

The gujjars were quite reconciled to this status, after their demand in the seventies to be included in the ST category had been rejected. However, their problem began in the late nineties when the NDA government led by the BJP with an eye on the Jat votes in Rajasthan, before the 1998 elections to the Assembly promised them an OBC status. When this promise was fulfilled in 1999, the gujjars suddenly found themselves at a disadvantage as the more economically and socially as well educationally powerful Jats started cornering the OBC share.

Again the BJP came into the picture and in the run-up to the 2003 assembly polls, its present Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje Scindia promised the gujjars that if she came to power, she would recommend their inclusion in the ST list to the Centre. It is this unfulfilled demand, which has erupted into violence, unrest and caste clashes, in Rajasthan and is spreading to Delhi, UP and Haryana also.

Politicians always play games and a similar game was played in Karnataka in the late 1980s when former Prime Minister H.D.Deve Gowda had championed the cause of the Nayakas to be included in the ST list. Despite opposition from many quarters, Gowda had used his clout with the short-lived Chandra Shekhar Government at the Centre in 1990 and included the Nayakas in the ST list. Result: Population of the STs multiplied and when the fresh delimitation of Assembly and Lok Sabha constituencies are finished soon, seats reserved for ST in the Karnataka Assembly will zoom up to 15 from 2 and for the Lok Sabha from none to two.

In Rajasthan also, the seats reserved for STs are expected to go up, and one of the major casualties will be the Dausa Lok Sabha seat, considered as the only gujjar stronghold. A seat represented by late Rajesh Pilot for long and now held by his son Sachin, it is likely to be reserved for STs. Similarly a few Assembly seats held by the gujjars are also likely to face extinction, as far as the gujjars are concerned.

It is this lurking fear which has also ignited the kind of rage among the gujjars. The resistance of the meenas for the inclusion in the ST list is directly related to their apprehension that their almost unchallenged dominance of this category will be a thing of the past, if the gujjars, like the Nayakas in Karnataka, enter the list.

One suggestion to overcome this dangerous deadlock, suggested by an expert is to categorise the OBCs like in Karnataka and Kerala, and create a quota within the quota. This may solve the problem when it comes to sharing seats in education and jobs; however, this is unlikely to allay the apprehensions of the gujjars about the political loss they would suffer, following the fresh delimitation process.

It is therefore imperative in such a complicated situation that all political parties put their heads together and find an amicable solution to this crisis, which has the potential of creating unprecedented caste wars across northwestern India. The unscrupulous politicians have opened a Pandora's box and only they must find a solution.

The Centre’s laxity in fighting Maoists has emboldened other groups

India’s Maoist experience has turned into a very predictable and monotonous narrative. Except that one cannot predict the exact death toll and value of resources to be destroyed in the Naxalites’ next attack. They strike with impunity, kill security personnel and/or civilians, bomb police stations, high-tension towers and houses, destroy public infrastructure and return to the jungles, minus a few comrades at the most. Sunday’s attack on the Greyhounds motorboat in Orissa’s Malkangiri district, that resulted in the death of almost 40 people, was just another demonstration of how Naxalite operations have spread over almost a quarter of the country and how emboldened the rebels have become. Till the middle of June this year, over 320 people had already been killed in Maoist-related violence; and now joint operations have been targeted in their infancy. While the Maoists can sink boats carrying elite strike forces or raid jails to free hundreds of rebels, the police personnel of the affected districts are a pathetically demoralized lot, with neither the resources nor the will to end the crisis.

None of this surprises, however, since the home minister, Shivraj Patil, continues to be the UPA cabinet’s most distinguished non-performer. He has long blamed the Maoist insurgency on socio-economic problems. Then the Union government decided to rechristen it as a law and order issue — a state subject. Reducing the status of Naxalite violence to that of a mere law and order problem absolves the Centre of its responsibility and ensures that the State keeps surrendering ground to the rebels. The Naxalites don’t respect state boundaries and battling them calls for joint inter-state operations. This is where the Centre has to play the role of coordinator. And this is precisely where it has failed. The home minister should be a political leader-cum-administrator and a strong one at that. He doesn’t run the ministry of meekness. In fact, in its four years in power, the UPA has shown a total lack of political direction and will in handling the Maoists. One has to only remember the Centre’s intervention in Andhra Pradesh that allowed top Naxalites to go scot free. The result of such laxity has been an explosion of extra-constitutional tactics adopted by several groups fighting several causes — Gurjjars, Gorkhas, Dera Sacha Sauda, etc.

Thus it doesn’t surprise one to find the police forces demoralised. They certainly need state-of-the-art weapons, lodgings and vehicles to combat the Naxalites. But they also need a psychological boost from the home ministry. Dispatching Central forces and forming joint units for combing operations will not help otherwise. And since the Supreme Court has questioned the constitutionality of the Salwa Judum, the government must offer state forces which protect civilians and remain omnipresent in the troubled areas.


Taken From Indian Express

Shinji a poor girl's case

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has taken strong exception to ‘insensitive’ behavior of judges appearing on TV reality shows, and is working on guidelines to restrain them from subjecting the contestants to humiliation on national television.

“Public humiliation of the contestants will not be tolerated. There should be a code of conduct for the judges too. We are working on guidelines which will state what and how much they can say on TV,” said Sandhya Bajaj, member, NCPCR.

Six members of the committee are working on the guidelines which will be submitted to the commission in three months’ time. The exercise started last month after a directive from the Minister for Women and Child Development (WCD), Renuka Choudhry.

The recent case of 16-year-old Shinjini Sengupta, who allegedly suffered partial paralysis after being humiliated by the judges in a TV reality show, has made the commission even more concerned on the subject. “We were already working on the guidelines. Shinjini’s case has made us speed up the process,” said Bajaj.

Shinjini, a class XI student of a reputed Kolkata school, allegedly lost her speech and ability to move after May 19, when she was ousted from a reality show. Till a month ago, Shinjini was a fit girl, shooting for tele-serials and had also appeared in a Bengali film. According to her parents, Shinjini never recovered from the shock after being publicly chided by a judge on the show.

The NCPCR on Monday summoned Shinjini’s parents and asked for details in the case. “If we discover that the involvement of parents added to the pressure on the teenager then we would certainly question them. Over-expecting parents are equally responsible for such conditions of a child. The parents should teach the child to take failure in the right stride,” Bajaj said. The commission will also send a letter to the producer and director of the serial in this regard.

Sebi exempts certain investors from mandatory PAN condition

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has exempted certain categories of investors from mandatory requirement of Permanent Account Number (PAN) for transacting in the securities market. The market regulator has said that PAN may not be insisted in the case of central government, state government and the officials appointed by the courts like official liquidator, court receiver etc for transacting in the securities market.

However, SEBI has said that intermediaries should provide sufficient documentary evidence in support of their claim for such an exemption. SEBI has advised stock exchanges and depositories to make necessary amendments to the relevant rules for the implementation of the above decision. Stock exchanges and depositories have been asked to inform member brokers and depository participants to put up the information on their website.

Sarkar of Mumbai

Sahebancha aadesh aahe (Boss has ordered)”. Officials in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) heard these three words that can actually make them give it their 100 per cent.

It seems the Thackerays feel civic officials have not done a 100 per cent job of ending the mosquito menace at Kala Nagar in Bandra. Sources say the family is apparently unhappy with the fogging in the area and have demanded a more effective solution.

So, the BMC has decided to fumigate the area again, this time with the new vehicle-mounted machines that are yet to be deployed.

Mayor Dr Shubha Raul is to launch the machines on Saturday morning, along with Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray.

“We have got several complaints from Kala Nagar residents, as it is close to the creek. Let’s see if the new machines help them,” said an official in the insecticide department.

But local corporator Bala Sawant insisted the Thackerays were not the only ones who are facing a problem. “The entire Bandra (east) faces a major problem of mosquitoes. We have a problem of street dogs too.

Uddhav did mention about the mosquito problem but it is not only the Thackeray family that is suffering. In fact, he has instructed all Sena corporators to keep their areas clean and green.”

Sawant said the 250 constables on duty in and around the Thackeray resident too have requested him ‘to do something’. “We get private parties too to carry out fogging but it doesn’t help,” he says.

According to Dr Tushar Jagtap, a resident of Kala Nagar, “We have been complaining since a fortnight. The problem has increased this year because drains in the area have been left uncovered, providing a suitable ground for mosquito breeding.”


• The Thackerays were unavailable for comments.

80/20 principle in indian context

You know how sometimes you suddenly keep hearing the same phrase over and over again? It’s been that way for me this week with the so-called “80/20 rule.” I keep stumbling over it in the media, and yesterday my friend even mentioned it over coffee. (Actually, she may have been talking about her favored ratio of java to milk, but still — those same numbers again! It was eerie, I tell you.)

Anyway, as you may know, the 80/20 rule is a principle (sometimes called the Pareto Principle) that holds that 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes. In other words, 80 percent of your revenue comes from 20 percent of your customers. 80 percent of your work is done by 20 percent of your employees. Could be that 80 percent of your calories are coming from 20 percent of your food intake (damn you, blueberry cheesecake!) And so on.

It got me thinking: Is there a way to leverage the 80/20 rule to make yourself more productive or efficient? Turns out I’m not the only one to wonder. Tim Ferriss writes:

80% of your desired outcomes are the result of 20% of your activities or inputs. Once per week, stop putting out fires for an afternoon and run the numbers to ensure you’re placing effort in high-yield areas.

Scott H. Young says you can use the 80/20 rule on the personal side as well:

Get rid of activities that don’t have a high payoff. Stop spending time in relationships that don’t create enough value. Stop wasting money on investments that aren’t giving you a greater quality of life.

And Andre Kibbe describes how 80/20 eating can improve your health:

Being too lazy to maintain a real diet, I asked myself, “What are the 20% of foods that are causing 80% of my excess weight?” It took about three minutes to realize that they fell into two categories: candy and pastries. I was surprised by how simple it was to drop these from my eating routine…In six weeks I lost 11 pounds, with nothing to analyze or track.

More than anything, thinking in 80/20 mode can help you focus on what’s trivial and what’s not. Figure out what 20 percent of your tasks drive 80 percent of your results, focus on those, and trim back the nonessentials. It’s another way of streamlining and prioritizing. And hey, now you can hop on the 80/20 bandwagon, too.

Richest 5 of India In Loss

Companies run by India's five richest, including the two Ambanis, have lost a whopping Rs 5 trillion in market value in the current bear phase that began early this year.

The cumulative market value of companies belonging to the groups led by five wealthiest of the country, Ambani siblings Mukesh and Anil, real estate magnate Kushal Pal Singh, software czar Azim Premji and telecom tycoon Sunil Mittal, on Monday fell to about Rs 8.5 trillion.

Among the five groups led by the five richest Indians, the one led by the wealthiest of them, Mukesh Ambani, has recorded the maximum value erosion of about Rs 1,71,000 crore. Mukesh emerged as the richest person in India in March this year with a net worth of about Rs two trillion.

Mile Sur Mera Tumhara

Ek Sur (One Tune) (Hindi and other languages of India). This Indian national integration video was created in 1988 by Lok Seva Sanchar Parishad, promoted by Doordarshan (then India's sole TV broadcaster) and India's Ministry of Information. It quickly captivated millions in India, gaining near anthem status.

The objective of the video was to instill a sense of pride and promote unity amongst Indians, highlighting the different linguistic communities and societies that live in India. The video featured people from different walks of life, big and small, singing in their own language or miming to someone's voice, but all saying the same thing, 'mile sur mera tumhara' meaning 'if you and I sing the same tune, then the tune becomes ours, making it indistinguishable'.

The song ends by fading into the final notes of the Indian National Anthem.

It featured some prominent figures, like singers Bhimsen Joshi, Mangalampalli Balamuralikrishna, Lata Mangeshkar; sports - Narendra Hirwani, Venkataraghavan, Prakash Padukone, Arun Lal; film stars - Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Hassan, Mithun Chakraborty, Jitendra, Waheeda Rehman, Sharmila Tagore, Shabana Azmi, Hema Malini, Tanuja; tv stars - the entire cast of "tamas"; movie makers - Mrinal Sen and others, artist Mario Miranda etc.

Mile Sur was telecast for the first time during the Independence Day Prime Minister's speech telecast from the ramparts of the Red Fort.

Even today, this video brings nostalgia to the young and middle aged Indian public, who have grown up listening to it. With the advent of cable TV, and numerous channels, Doordarshan channel gradually lost large part of its viewership, and the video gradually faded into oblivion, no longer to be broadcast. But on occasions like the 26th of January i.e India's Republic Day, the song is played many a times. It is even played on the 15th of August.

DASAVATARAM

Mr Kamal hasan, we all know you are very well talented and know everything in the universe. we are just common people..movies are just a entertainment for us.

I really like your movie Anbe Sivam. But, please don't torture us like giving one more Alavanthan.

I really pity for you.. you are in the cinema industry for more than 30 years, but still you were unable to give a good screen play.

You were talking sorry blabbering about world class movie Right? Do you think wearing n number of masks will make a movie different?

If you want to show your talents everything and want to prove you are only and only great star,better make video and upload it in you tube. Don't fool around with video games as a Movie.

Positives
The opening of the movie with Nambi, RAW Officer character , dalith leader character & Asin



Negatives
Mallaika AND Rest of all the characters

To Mr K S Ravikumar..
I know you must be puppet to this highly talented ulaga nayagan. I thought at least you would have saved this movie. but finally ... YOU DISAPPOINTED US.

To Mr Ravichandran

You already ensured about your returns , releasing movie in record number of screens and fooling around peoples with lavish music open ceremony and calling Chief Minister of tamilnadu Mr Karunanidhi.

Its better to avoid this movie.. don't expect anything in this movie ,. its again one more Alavanthan from ulaga nayagan. Nothing more than that.

Inflation Issue In India

Fridays have become nightmares for the current UPA government. No points for guessing why. The weekly inflation numbers in India are out every Friday. The last thing the government would have wanted was a double digit inflation rate. The number last week was a whopping 11.05%. Though the sudden spike is largely due to the base effect, the fear of outcome of this inflationary trend can't be allayed.

The seemingly obvious reasons for inflation like food shortage, dollar depreciation and the skyrocketing crude oil prices have been discussed in enough detail by various columnists and bloggers. So I don't want to delve upon these reasons. I somehow feel that the cause of the current global inflationary trend is a little more fundamental and profound.

One thing that we have been noticing for the past couple of decades is that emerging nations like China and India are not allowing their currencies to be completely market determined. In fact China as we all know keeps its currency artificially very much low against the dollar. This can be easily noticed by observing the huge difference between GDP at market price and GDP at PPP(Purchase Power Parity)of these nations. The reason is not difficult to guess. This is one good way to boost export led growth and hence increase employment opportunity within your own country. Apart from the currency front, governments take many other measures like creation of Export Promotion Zones (currently known as SEZ in India), resorting to deficit spending etc.

You might artificially create watersheds to store water, but in accordance to the fundamental principle of Physics water seeks its own level. When water is bound by creating water sheds, it develops a potential energy and if the energy is strong enough to break the watershed, then the potential energy is converted into kinetic energy and water seeks its own level, by breaking the barrier. This principle is very much valid in all sciences and economics is no exception.

The same thing is happening in the world economy. The emerging countries like China have artificially created watershed by means of artificially keeping its currency low for quite a long time. What it does in the long run is that it increases the domestic prices (akin to potential energy) leading to what I call as embedded inflation, where inflation gets embedded into the economy. You might ask if inflation is bound to occur, why this is this suddenly showing up now? Well, the looming current financial crisis, food shortage and crude fears are just the triggers. When water blocked by watershed is disturbed by some physical phenomenon like a mild tremor, it is highly likely that water may break the barrier and that’s what is happening now. But we don’t know how intensive the current tremors (read trigger) are.

If you ask me is this artificial depreciation wrong, I would not say so. We create watersheds to preserve water and also save villages. Similarly such monetary measures have definitely boosted the growth of these emerging countries and that's what we have been witnessing for the past decade. But there are no free lunches. The exuberant growth has come at a cost of an embedded inflation which is showing up big time now. The ideal monetary policy is to balance growth and inflation. One might think, forget monetary policy and all the sauce, let market determine every thing; let free market prevail. But we are not living in Utopia where everyone is equally wealthy and capable. About a quarter in India do not enjoy one full meal a day. Inflation less inclusive growth is what governments should aim at. The outcome need not always be optimal (Remember Pareto Sub-optimality!)

So what’s the solution? I would say that in the short term, allow the domestic currency to appreciate to cool the prices. Might be a 25 basis point interest rate hike is on the cards and it is acceptable. The Fed might keep the rate unchanged leading only to an increase in the interest rate spread between the US and India. This might lead to more dollars flowing in and RBI should not resort to buying dollars through MSS. Allow the domestic currency to appreciate. This would automatically cool the inflation (Imports become cheaper and supply within the nation increases)

Let market determine the exchange rate and in the long run once we attain a little more depth and breadth in our financial markets, full Capital Account Convertibility should be the panacea. This is a part of the cycle. The emerging world has come a full circle. Countries like China should not anymore resort to artificial depreciation of the local currencies for the sake of export led growth. I would like to reiterate here that there are no free lunches whatsoever be the context.

PS: It has been 3 years, 3 eventful years since I started blogging. It was on the same day back in 2005 when I had started this blogging journey. Looking back it gives me a feeling of great ecstasy that I have survived. I have learnt a lot in this journey, got a lot of new friends who have appreciated bold and really crazy thoughts of mine. Though I have been not very regular in this journey I have tried to make sure that I don’t present clichéd content in my blog. I sincerely and heartily thank all my readers and wish for greater support in my forthcoming blogging journey.

Kapil And Team To Receive Felicitation Today At Lords

Indian Cricket's greatest captain Kapil Dev's serving to the country will never be forgotten. Its been 25 splendid years since Indian Team won its first ever World Cup in 1983, on 25th day of June under the captaincy of Kapil Dev. Todays historic day when India clinched the Prudential Cup final will be remembered in a special way. At Lords the then Indian Team will be felicitated and the star cricketers of those times will assemble altogether once again.
Clive Lloyd, then West Indian captain also couldn't stop himself from praising Kapil's efforts.
Kapil Dev was very excited on the eve of the day and remembered his old memories of the dressing room and his interaction with the players. He felt quite emotional to be honest.
We hope that this moment comes again and again in the Indian Cricket as no one is bigger than the game itself.

Dhoni Wants To Do A Kapil Dev For India

LONDON: Mahendra Singh Dhoni wants his Dazzlers to emulate Kapil's Devils at Lord's next year by holding the Twenty20 World Cup aloft the 1983 champions who are now celebrating the silver jubilee of their historic triumph.

Dhoni said he would like to become the first India captain after Kapil Dev in 1983 to lift a trophy at Lord's.

"I would love to do that. It's the team that makes a good captain and I would like to distribute the pressure and responsibility around the whole team. It would be a dream to lift the trophy at Lord's..," Dhoni said a day before tickets are to go on sale here for the championship

Dhoni said his team will carry a lot of expectations of the people in India as his team are the defending champions.

"For us, of course, the last year's world championship in South Africa was memorable and it was a great feeling to lift that trophy. We had gone into it as underdogs -- no one really expected us to win it as we had barely played one Twenty20 International match before the tournament."

"It was a great tournament and one of the things I will cherish for the rest of my life."

Dhoni said they would be looking for support from the large Indian community in England.

"We are lucky because it seems wherever we go we get a lot of support. In South Africa last year, especially in Durban, there were crowds of India supporters and I know that there is a huge Indian community in England too."

England captain Paul Collingwood said he was looking forward to what should be a thrilling tournament.

"Already, Twenty20 cricket is massive. It's great to play in it and from a player's point of view it is obviously a shortened form of the game but it is very intense and every single ball matters."

1983 India Clinches The World Cup

It has been 25 years since India celebrated its glorious win against West Indies in the lands of Lords. Though i was not born at that time, I cannot comment that cricket match exactly. I remember the amazing catch of Viv Richards took by our Indian Captain Kapil Dev by running backwards which i have seen in most of the highlights of that match. India ended up with only 183 runs on their board eventhough they had a 60 over match at that time. Our Tamilian, Kris Srikanth made the highest score of 38 and most of them got out under 30s. But the Indians bowlers struggled a bit initially especially Madan Lal. It was added by Amarnath bowling figures of 3 wickets for 12 in 7 overs. Indians were ablt to bowl out the West Indies for 140 runs. We the indians must proud of that emphatic win against west indies which happened 25 years ago. Unfortunately, a majestic 175* knock by Kapil Dev in the league stage with Zimbabwe was not captured on camera and its rare to see those significant memories. Its one memory we have to cherish with. Hope India might win in 2011.

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New Threat To The World

Cargill - Evil Unleashed

While millions of people around the world face severe hunger, the handful of agribusiness corporations that dominate the global agricultural market are seeing huge profits. One of the key players in the global food market, Cargill, is profiled in a new report released today by the national consumer group Food & Water Watch. The report, entitled Cargill: A Corporate Threat to Food and Farming, details Cargill’s vast influence over international trade and how the company threatens consumers, family farmers, workers, the environment, and even entire economies around the world.

“Cargill is making enormous profit from the international trade system that is causing all this food instability around the world,” stated Food & Water Watch Executive Director Wenonah Hauter. “This corporate behemoth is behind almost every aspect of the worldwide agricultural system with no accountability for consumer health, the environment or human rights.”

The name Cargill largely goes unnoticed by many consumers, yet their products appear on shelves in grocery stores and in menus at fast–food chains across the world. According to the report, Cargill has gained control over huge swaths of the world’s agriculture processing, storage, transport and trade, operating numerous business sectors and divisions. Cargill produces and markets chicken and egg products to McDonald’s in the United Kingdom and Western Europe, in addition to Pizza Hut, Burger King, and school cafeterias in the United States.

Cargill’s meat and poultry divisions are just a fraction of the products they control. The company deals with oilseeds, wheat, corn, biofuels, oils, lubricants, salts, health and pharmaceutical products and animal feed and fertilizers –– products that have contributed to environmental degradation both in the United States and abroad.

The report details the numerous threats Cargill’s operations pose to air, water and rainforests. Cargill is responsible for spilling toxic chemicals into the San Francisco Bay, releasing hazardous compounds into the air, and clearing South American rainforests to expand its production of soy and palm oil.

And it is not just controversies over global trade or environmental impacts that surround the company. Cargill is also linked to questionable food technologies such as irradiation, genetically modified foods, and the use of carbon monoxide to artificially enhance the color of meat long past its expiration date.

The report recommends action by Congress and regulators to rein in this agribusiness giant, as well as telling consumers how to opt out of Cargill’s model of industrial meat production.

To view the report Cargill: A Corporate Threat to Food and Farming, visit: http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/food/pubs/reports/cargill

Legends Of India Subramaniya Bharathi

Mahakavi Subramaniya Bharathi was born on 11 December 1882. He died on 11 September 1921. In a relatively short life span of 39 years, Bharathi left an indelible mark as the poet of Tamil nationalism and Indian freedom.

Bharathi's mother died in 1887 and two years later, his father also died. At the age of 11, in 1893 his prowess as a poet was recognized and he was accorded the title of 'Bharathi' at Ettiyapuram. He was a student at Nellai Hindu School and in 1897 he married Sellamal. Thereafter, from 1898 to 1902, he lived in Kasi.

Bharathi worked as a schoolteacher and as a journal editor at various times in his life. As a Tamil poet he ranked with Ilanko, Thiruvalluvar and Kamban. His writings gave new life to the Tamil language - and to Tamil national consciousness. He involved himself actively in the Indian freedom struggle. It is sometimes said of Bharathi that he was first an Indian and then a Tamil. Perhaps, it would be more correct to say that he was a Tamil and because he was a Tamil he was also an Indian. For him it was not either or but both - it was not possible for him to be one without also being the other.

Bharathi often referred to Tamil as his 'mother'. At the same time, he was fluent in many languages including Bengali, Hindi, Sanskrit, Kuuch, and English and frequently translated works from other languages into Tamil. His said “among all the languages I have known, I do not see any of them”, any as sweet as Tamil, was his moving tribute to his mother tongue. That many a Tamil web site carries the words of that song on its home page in cyber space today is a reflection of the hold that those words continue to have on Tamil minds and Tamil hearts.

Bharathi was a Hindu. But his spirituality was not limited. He sang to the Hindu deities, and at the same time he wrote songs of devotion to Jesus Christ and Allah. Bharathi was a vigorous campaigner against casteism. He wrote in 'Vande Matharam' :

We shall not look at caste or religion; all human beings in this land
- whether they be those who preach the vedas or who belong to other castes - are one

Bharathi lived during an eventful period of Indian history. Gandhi, Tilak, Aurbindo and V.V.S.Aiyar were his contemporaries. He involved himself with passion in the Indian freedom struggle. His 'Viduthalai, Viduthalai' was a clarion call for freedom from alien rule. He saw a great India. He saw an India of skilled workers and an educated people. He saw an India where women would be free. He expressed the depth of his love and the breadth of his vision for India.

He participated in the 1906 All India Congress meeting in Calcutta (chaired by Dadabhai Naoroji) where the demand for 'Swaraj' was raised for the first time. Bharathi supported the demand wholeheartedly and found himself in the militant wing of the Indian National Congress together with Tilak and Aurobindo. Aurobindo writing on the historic 1906 Congress had this to say:

"We were prepared to give the old weakness of the congress plenty of time to die out if we could get realities recognized. Only in one particular have we been disappointed and that is the President's address. But even here the closing address, with which Mr.Naoroji dissolved the Congress, has made amends for the deficiencies of his opening speech.

He once more declared Self-Government, Swaraj, as in an inspired moment he termed it, to be our one ideal and called upon the young men to achieve it. The work of the older men had been done in preparing a generation which were determined to have this great ideal and nothing else; the work of making the ideal a reality lies lies with us. We accept Mr.Naoroji's call and to carry out his last injunctions will devote our lives and, if necessary, sacrifice them." (Bande Mataram, 31 December 1906)

Bharathi served as Assistant Editor of the Swadeshamitran in 1904. In April 1907, he became the editor of the Tamil weekly 'India'. At the sametime he also edited the English newspaper 'Bala Bharatham'. He participated in the historic Surat Congress in 1907, which saw a sharpening of the divisions within the Indian National Congress between the militant wing led by Tilak and Aurobindo and the 'moderates'. Subramanya Bharathi supported Tilak and Aurobindo together with 'Kapal Otiya Thamilan' V.O.Chidambarampillai and Kanchi Varathaachariyar. Tilak openly supported armed resistance and the Swadeshi movement.

These were the years when Bharathi immersed himself in writing and in political activity. In Madras, in 1908, he organised a mammoth public meeting to celebrate 'Swaraj Day'. His poems 'Vanthe Matharam', 'Enthayum Thayum', 'Jaya Bharath' were printed and distributed free to the Tamil people.

In 1908, he gave evidence in the case which had been instituted by the British against 'Kappal Otiya Thamizhan', V.O.Chidambarampillai. In the same year, the proprietor of the 'India' was arrested in Madras. Faced with the prospect of arrest, Bharathi escaped to Pondicherry which was under French rule.

From there Bharathi edited and published the 'India' weekly. He also edited and published 'Vijaya', a Tamil daily, Bala Bharatha, an English monthly, and 'Suryothayam' a local weekly of Pondicherry. Under his leadership the Bala Bharatha Sangam was also started. The British waylaid and stopped remittances and letters to the papers. Both 'India' and 'Vijaya' were banned in British India in 1909.

The British suppression of the militancy was systematic and thorough. Tilak was exiled to Burma. Aurobindo escaped to Pondicherry in 1910. Bharathi met with Aurobindo in Pondicherry and the discussions often turned to religion and philosophy. He assisted Aurobindo in the 'Arya' journal and later 'Karma Yogi' in Pondicherry. In November 1910, Bharathi released an 'Anthology of Poems' which included 'Kanavu'.

V.V.S. Aiyar also arrived in Pondicherry in 1910 and the British Indian patriots, who were called 'Swadeshis' would meet often. They included Bharathi, Aurobindo and V.V.S.Aiyar. R.S.Padmanabhan in his Biography of V.V.S.Aiyar writes:

"All of them, whether there was any warrant against them or not, were constantly being watched by British agents in Pondicherry. Bharathi was a convinced believer in constitutional agitation. Aurobindo had given up politics altogether... and Aiyar had arrived in their midst with all the halo of a dedicated revolutionary who believed in the cult of the bomb and in individual terrorism."

In 1912, Bharathy published the Bhavad Gita in Tamil as well as Kannan Paatu, Kuyil and Panjali Sabatham.

After the end of World War I, Bharathi entered British India near Cuddalore in November 1918. He was arrested. He was released after three weeks in custody. These were years of hardship and poverty. (Eventually, the General Amnesty Order of 1920 removed all restrictions on his movement). Bharathy met with Mahatma Gandhi in 1919 and in 1920, Bharathy resumed editorship of the Swadeshamitran in Madras.

This was one year before his death in 1921. Today, more than seventy five years later, Subaramanya Bharathy stands as an undying symbol not only of a vibrant Tamil nationalism but also of the unity that is India.

Legends Of India Thiruvalluvar

There was a man in the first century B.C. in Tamil Nadu, in a place named Poompuhar on the banks of the river Cauvery. He earned a living by weaving cloth and selling it. In the same place there was a rich man whose son was a naughty boy. This lad came to the weaver and asked what was the price of the sari he was selling. The man replied, "Three rupees (the price in those days)". The lad tore the sari into half and asked what was the price of the half of the sari. The weaver relied, "A rupee and a half." The lad tore it again into two and asked what was the price of the torn piece. The man replied, "It is worth twelve annas" (The three fourths of a rupee). The weaver did not get angry at the lad’s behavior. He was calm and unruffled. The young lad was astonished. He asked the weaver, "How did you acquire the quality of forbearance (Kshama)?" The man replied, "Forbearance is truth. It is right conduct. It is non-violence. It is a source of great joy. It is heaven itself. It is the summum bonum of this world. There is nothing greater than forbearance in this world."

The weaver was Thiruvalluvar and the numerous poems he composed were Thrukkural: “Thiru” plus “Kural”. The word “Thiru” denotes Kural’s sanctity (sacredness), and “Kural” means the short verses (couplets). Thirukkural, meaning sacred couplets, is considered equivalent to the Vedas of the Hindu Scriptures and “the Bible of the Tamil Land”. It is evident from the Kurals that Valluvar had plenty of opportunities to talk to people from abroad and to know their different cultures and religions. He has taken the best from all cultures and religions and put them together in Kural form. All the 1330 couplets portray the simple human pictures of life. The sacred verses deal very much with political and social affairs of life.

St. Thiruvalluvar, the author of THIRUKKURAL was born about 30 years before Jesus Christ in Mylapore, the village of peacocks (Myl in Tamil means peacock), the present day Chennai, at a time when the Tamil Land was rich in culture, vivid in its life and adventurous in its commerce. Valluvars were the priests of outcaste people at that time. Tamilians take cognizance of the birth of Thiruvalluvar as a basis of Tamil calendar according to which we are now in the year 2032 of Thiruvalluvar Aandu (Year). Thirukkural is regarded as a renowned work, eulogized as a directory of code of conduct and ethics to humanity. The revered poet not only deals with the general administration, but also codified clear-cut directions to the mankind on how they should behave and act in a social, political, religious and family circles.

Thiruvalluvar used to keep by his side, when he sat for meals, a needle and a small cup filled with water. Once, his host asked him as to why he insisted on having these two placed by the side of the plate. He said, "Food should not be wasted, even a grain is precious. Sometimes, stray grains of cooked rice or stray pieces of cooked vegetables fall off the plate or away from it. While I eat, I lift them off the floor, with the help of this needle and stir them in the water to clean them and eat them." What a great lesson this is for those who waste more, than they consume in today’s consumerist society!

As Emmons White has said, Thiruvalluvar was a kindly, liberal-minded man and his poetry is a kind of synthesis of the best moral teachings of his age. In the words of Dr. John Lazarus who has made an English translation of the Kural, “It is refreshing to think of a nation which produced so great a man and so unique a work. The morality he preached could not have grown except on an essentially moral soil.” This classical work in Tamil has been widely translated in over 60 languages of the world. Nearly 300 years ago, the Italian Jesuit missionary, Constantius Beschi (known as Veeramamunnivar in Tamil) who came to Tamil Nadu in 1710, translated the Thirukkural into Latin. Rev. G U Pope who hailed Thiruvalluvar as “the Bard of Universal Man” translated the Kural and printed the it first in English. Many European missionaries have made translations into English between 1820 and 1886. Freedom fighters and statesmen, C Rajagopalachari and VVS Iyer have also translated the Kural into English. Barring perhaps the Bible and the Koran, the Kural is the most translated work.

India To become the 2nd largest player in mobile market

We've already covered India's mobile phone market in the past and they keep growing like crazy. That being said, they are about to reach somewhat important milestone to become the second largest mobile phone market in world, trailing only China.

At the moment, China leads the world with 540.5 million subscribers and is followed by U.S. and India which have 260.5 and 250.9 million wireless users, respectively. However, according to Telecom Regulatory Authority of India that's expected to change this April, when for the first time, India will overtake U.S. in number of mobile phone users.

In February, U.S. added 2 million, while at the same time India scored a whopping 8.53 million mobile phone users.

[Via: TelecomTiger]

A Short Story on Indian Reservations

I will tell u the true story of reservations

You must have heard a very old tale of the ant and the grasshopper. The story went like this : The Ant works hard in the withering heat all summer building its house and laying up supplies for the winter. The Grasshopper thinks the Ant is a fool and laughs & dances & plays the summer away. Come winter, the Ant is warm and well fed. The Grasshopper has no food or shelter so he dies out in the cold.



Now comes the true story. The changed story. The story of India as it is today.
It goes like this:

The Ant works hard in the withering heat all summer building its house and
laying up supplies for the winter.

The Grasshopper thinks the Ant's a fool and laughs & dances & plays the
summer away.

Come winter, the shivering Grasshopper calls a press conference and
demands to know why the Ant should be allowed to be warm and well fed
while others are cold and starving.
NDTV, BBC, CNN show up to provide pictures of the shivering Grasshopper
next to a video of the Ant in his comfortable home with a table filled
with food.

The World is stunned by the sharp contrast. How can this be that this poor
Grasshopper is allowed to suffer so?

Arundhati Roy stages a demonstration in front of the Ant's house.

Medha Patkar goes on a fast along with other Grasshoppers demanding that
Grasshoppers be relocated to warmer climates during winter .

Mayawati states this as `injustice' done on Minorities.

Amnesty International and Koffi Annan criticize the Indian Government for
not upholding the fundamental rights of the Grasshopper.

The Internet is flooded with online petitions seeking support to the
Grasshopper (many promising Heaven and Everlasting Peace for prompt
support as against the wrath of God for non-compliance).

Opposition MPs stage a walkout. Left parties call for 'Bengal Bandh' in
West Bengal and Kerala demanding a Judicial Enquiry.

CPM in Kerala immediately passes a law preventing Ants from working hard
in the heat so as to bring about equality of poverty among Ants and
Grasshoppers.

Lalu Prasad allocates one free coach to Grasshoppers on all Indian Railway
Trains, aptly named as the 'Grasshopper Rath'.

Finally, the Judicial Committee drafts the ' Prevention of Terrorism
Against Grasshoppers Act' [POTAGA], with effect from the beginning of the
winter.

Arjun Singh makes 'Special Reservation ' for Grasshoppers in Educational
Institutions & in Government Services.


The Ant is fined for failing to comply with POTAGA and having nothing left
to pay his retroactive taxes,it's home is confiscated by the Government
and handed over to the Grasshopper in a ceremony covered by NDTV.

Other ants who survive are fined by levy of taxes like education cess which is used for giving education to these grasshoppers. These grasshoppers eat & live on the education they got out of the ants' money. And they leave no stone unturned to destroy these ants.



Arundhati Roy calls it ' A Triumph of Justice'.


Lalu calls it 'Socialistic Justice '.


CPM calls it the ' Revolutionary Resurgence of the Downtrodden '


Koffi Annan invites the Grasshopper to address the UN General Assembly.




Many years later...


The Ant has since migrated to the US and set up a multi-billion dollar
company in Silicon Valley,


100s of Grasshoppers still die of starvation despite reservation somewhere
in India,


.
..AND




As a result of loosing lot of hard working Ants and feeding the
grasshoppers,

.
.
.
.
India is still a developing country…that too due to the efforts of the foolish ants who stay back and appreciate the mirage of this country being their own.

Traffic In India According To A Dutch Person Who Spent 2 years In India

For the benefit of every Tom, Dick and Harry visiting India and daring to drive on Indian roads, I am offering a few hints for survival. They are applicable to every place in India except Bihar, where life outside a vehicle is only marginally safer..

Indian road rules broadly operate within the domain of 'karma' where you do your best, and leave the results to your insurance company. The hints are as follows: Do we drive on the left or right of road? The answer is 'both'. Basically you start on the left of the road, unless it is occupied. In that case, go to the right, unless that is also occupied. Then proceed by occupying the next available gap, as in chess. Just trust your instincts, ascertain the direction, and proceed. Adherence to road rules leads to much misery and occasional fatality. Most drivers don't drive, but just aim their vehicles in the generally intended direction.

Don't you get discouraged or underestimate yourself except for a belief in reincarnation; the other drivers are not in any better position. Don't stop at pedestrian crossings just because some fool wants to cross the road. You may do so only if you enjoy being bumped in the back. Pedestrians have been strictly instructed to cross only when traffic is moving slowly or has come to a dead stop because some minister is in town. Still some idiot may try to wade across, but then, let us not talk ill of the dead.

Blowing your horn is not a sign of protest as in some countries. We horn to express joy, resentment, frustration, romance and bare lust (two brisk blasts), or just mobilize a dozing cow in the middle of the bazaar. Keep informative books in the glove compartment. You may read them during traffic jams, while awaiting the chief minister's motorcade, or waiting for the rainwater to recede when over ground traffic meets underground drainage. Occasionally you might see what looks like a UFO with blinking colored lights and weird sounds emanating from within. This is an illuminated bus, full of happy pilgrims singing bhajans. These pilgrims go at breakneck speed, seeking contact with the Almighty, often meeting with success.

Auto Rickshaw (Baby Taxi): The result of a collision between a rickshaw and an automobile, this three-wheeled vehicle works on an external combustion engine that runs on a mixture of kerosene oil and creosote. This triangular vehicle carries iron rods, gas cylinders or passengers three times its weight and dimension, at an unspecified fare. After careful geometric calculations, children are folded and packed into these auto rickshaws until some children in the periphery are not in contact with the vehicle at all. Then their school bags are pushed into the microscopic gaps all round so those minor collisions with other vehicles on the road cause no permanent damage. Of course, the peripheral children are charged half the fare and also learn Newton 's laws of motion enroute to school. Auto-rickshaw drivers follow the road rules depicted in the film Ben Hur, and are licensed to irritate.

Mopeds: The moped looks like an oil tin on wheels and makes noise like an electric shaver. It runs 30 miles on a teaspoon of petrol and travels at break-bottom speed. As the sides of the road are too rough for a ride, the moped drivers tend to drive in the middle of the road; they would rather drive under heavier vehicles instead of around them and are often 'mopped' off the tarmac.

Leaning Tower of Passes: Most bus passengers(students) are given free passes and during rush hours, there is absolute mayhem. There are passengers hanging off other passengers, who in turn hang off the railings and the overloaded bus leans dangerously, defying laws of gravity but obeying laws of surface tension. As drivers get paid for overload (so many Rupees per kg of passenger), no questions are ever asked. Steer clear of these buses by a width of three passengers.

One-way Street: These boards are put up by traffic people to add jest in their otherwise drab lives. Don't stick to the literal meaning and proceed in one direction. In metaphysical terms, it means that you cannot proceed in two directions at once. So drive as you like, in reverse throughout, if you are the fussy type. Least I sound hypercritical, I must add a positive point also. Rash and fast driving in residential areas has been prevented by providing a 'speed breaker'; two for each house. This mound, incidentally, covers the water and drainage pipes for that residence and is left untarred for easy identification by the corporation authorities, should they want to recover the pipe for year-end accounting.Night driving on Indian roads can be an exhilarating experience for those with the mental make up of Genghis Khan. In a way, it is like playing Russian roulette, because you do not know who amongst the drivers is loaded. What looks like premature dawn on the horizon turns out to be a truck attempting a speed record. On encountering it, just pull partly into the field adjoining the road until the phenomenon passes.

Our roads do not have shoulders, but occasional boulders. Do not blink your lights expecting reciprocation. The only dim thing in the truck is the driver, and with the peg of illicit arrack (alcohol) he has had at the last stop, his total cerebral functions add up to little more than a naught. Truck drivers are the James Bonds of India, and are licensed to kill. Often you may encounter a single powerful beam of light about six feet above the ground. This is not a super motorbike, but a truck approaching you with a single light on,usually the left one. It could be the right one, but never get too close to investigate. You may prove your point posthumously

Nerve Of USA

I have voted in every election available since I was 18. The first few years were very discouraging. I voted for people who I saw as people who could make the world a better place, whether they were running for school board or the Presidency. First there was Regan who decided that folks on Welfare were there by choice and not necessity. George the I stood by watched the economy sink. Then Bill Clinton was elected and I was overjoyed. President Clinton was able to stimulate a sinking economy, the middle class were actually doing well, our country was moving forward.

8 years went by and the American people seemed to forget what had happened during the Regan revolution. George the II was elected. He was a c student, with a sketchy personal and professional history, but he had Daddy’s machine placing him in the Presidency. Now 8 long years later he has ruined our foreign policy, been responsible for the deaths of over 3000 young men and women, taken our civil liberties way, attack the middle classes with an unfair tax burden, will leave to middle east more unbalance than in other time in history, an election process that rivals any third world country, destroyed the American economy, raped the land and moved American into the energy crisis….this is the legacy of George the II.

I believe Mr. Obama is the only man who can take us as Roosevelt did to a Newer and better Deal , or as Kennedy did into realizing the only thing we really fear is fear itself, or to a newer and Greater Society in the style of Lyndon Johnson. Mr. Obama can give us our New Day! He can be the one who strikes out and changes politics as we know it to ensure……… We the People………of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

That is why I will vote for Barack Obama…………..

from http://my.barackobama.com

Congratulate Obama on the success through sendgiftsto.com

Indian NGOs: Learning to Walk the Line between Social Responsibility and Commercial Success

In rain-starved villages in the remote interiors of India where subsistence farming has long been the norm, farmers have been driven to debt and death by the vagaries of the weather. Uncertain monsoons have forced many farmers to choose between migration and abject poverty.

Muniyappa was one such farmer. Maintaining his 1.5 acre banana farm in the rural districts of Bangalore was becoming a struggle, one he was ready to give up for urban life. What changed his mind was a product called KB Drip, an irrigation system that ensured controlled and year-round access to water. The product was developed by IDEI, the New Delhi-based Indian arm of International Development Enterprises, a non-profit in Lakewood, Colorado, that aims to use “market principles” as it works to help rural farm families improve their agricultural productivity.

Sumita Ghose, founder and CEO of Rangsutra, a Gurgaon company that focuses on livelihood issues of rural artisans and farmers, started the company 15 years ago as a non-governmental organization (NGO). But over time, she decided the NGO model didn’t work best for Rangsutra and turned it into a business. Says Ghose: “Ownership is a very big motivating factor, and we decided to start a company with artisans and farmers as shareholders.”

IDEI and Rangsutra are part of a growing breed of nonprofits and other Indian entities working for the underprivileged that have become business-savvy and embraced modern management methods.

India has always been a fertile ground for social issues of all hues. Its rampant poverty, unemployment, disease and illiteracy have drawn voluntary organizations and financial support from philanthropists, charities and religious trusts.

That old order is changing. Social commitment is no longer the preserve of voluntary workers. Conventional business and management metrics are being bundled into a package with unconventional means of finance to provide unique solutions for large social problems. Knowledge@Wharton spoke to NGOs and their financial sponsors who are making the transition from a “charity mode” to a professionally run model in an attempt to grasp the nature and extent of the changes underway. In the emerging NGO landscape, scale is important and so is sustainability. And both depend on an innovative and steady flow of funds.

IDEI produced a Bollywood-style film to promote the $30 KB Drip and convince farmers about the benefits of drip irrigation. It has so far sold innovative irrigation products to more than 85,000 farmers in India. It is one of the many companies backed by Acumen Fund, a global non-profit venture fund based in
New York City, and part of the Fund’s $1.4 million “water portfolio.” Varun Sahni, the Hyderabad-based country manager of Acumen Fund in India, says his fund chose to back IDEI because, “we look [to support] ventures that are going to have lasting social impact.”

Life as a corporate entity is proving to be more bountiful for Rangsutra. Its artisan shareholders invest an initial Rs. 1,000 each ($22) and have a say in the company’s operations. In its first year (2005-06), Rangsutra managed to break even with revenues of Rs. 26 lakh ($56,500). “We are planning to go over Rs. 1 crore this year ($218,000),” says Sumita. Rangsutra is supported by Aavishkaar Venture Funds, which is described by its CEO Vineet Rai as a regular commercial fund that “wants to invest in businesses that make money with a social commitment.”

The lines between for-profit and non-profit ventures are beginning to blur. The focus everywhere, not just in
India, is on building sustainable development models. There is also an increasing realization that the traditional models have had a limited impact on the problems they sought to resolve.

A glaring example in India is the education sector. Over the years, there has been sustained government intervention through programs like the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (mass literacy movement) that aim to put every child in school. Lots of NGOs have been working in the sector for decades. And even though there are instances of remarkable achievements by individual NGOs, observers say these efforts have yet to translate into a significant nationwide impact.

A survey conducted in 2003 by Pratham, a Mumbai NGO active in the city’s slums and backed by Indian private bank ICICI Bank, is revealing. The survey says the percentage of children in the country who can read nothing and those who can read only the alphabet is about 52%; 40% drop out before completing primary school; and 11% of the children do not enter school. “We realize that a single experiment is not going to make a difference,” says Usha Rane, director-curriculum at Pratham Resource Centre. “At Pratham, we think like the government. We think mass.”

Scale Matters

The majority opinion within the social development sector is that it is not enough to create isolated models of excellence. As Rane explains, “It is necessary to create a mass movement.” Pratham operates out of 14 states. In the 10 years of its existence, it has developed reading and mathematics kits that are being used to teach the basic concepts to unlettered children. Nearly 1.6 lakh children have benefited from the program in the last three years.

Like Pratham, many NGOs are working scale into their operations. Muthu Velayuthan who has been involved with migration and livelihood issues in the villages of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, has set up a rural production and retail network under the brand “Aaharam.” He says that his work in the villages showed him the tremendous potential that is locked up in the Indian rural framework.

He developed Aaharam as a supply network that organizes small self help groups into a federation and links that to a producers’ cooperative. That cooperative in turn processes the agricultural produce into a range of agro products such as spices, pulp and juice. It also retails these in the rural market.

In its first year, Aaharam reached out to 1,000 families and created an inter-state platform of 160 federations. Its current monthly turnover is over Rs. 3 lakh ($6,500), and it is expanding its network of states and federations at great speed. “Our mandate,” says Velayuthan is “to promote traditional markets.”

Aaharam, like several such organizations, walks the line between social responsibility and commercial success. It applies corporate marketing and business strategies to further the interest of a marginalized population. And in the process, it builds economies of scale into its operations.

Devashri Mukherjee, the Mumbai-based director of venture programs at Ashoka: Innovators for the Public, a global association of social entrepreneurs based in Arlington, Virginia, points to another example: Nidaan, a company run by Arbind Singh in Bihar. Singh focuses on the very poor and marginalized sections of society in one of India’s most backward states. He organizes them into co-operatives and links them into a marketing group that not only protects their rights but also guides them to making financially sound decisions with respect to sales and production.

What emerges from these experiences is an innovative chain of scale, professional management and funding support that links these organizations in a web of sustainable growth. Scale increases the bargaining power of groups. A professional management team sharpens focus and enhances efficiency. And finance works in two ways: as a catalyst that helps build the other links in the chain and as a growth pill that creates sustainable models out of small beginnings.

Clicking on the Right Links

Traditionally, fund support has been a key imponderable for NGOs. Since most NGOs were — and many still are — primarily dependent on grants and donations, they faced the constant threat of their money resources drying up.

There are two ways in which the sector is getting around this problem. One is through the well documented rise of micro finance institutions (MFIs). Micro credit has had its successes and failures, but MFIs have helped significantly increase awareness and interest in the rural sector. The other development is the emergence of social venture funds such as Aavishkaar and Acumen and the development of organizations that link donors to NGOs such as Give Foundation of San Jose and Kiva of San Francisco — both are active in
India.

Exploring New Organizational Models

On the one hand, these developments have deepened the financial market for the social sector. On the other, they have forced NGOs to break out of the traditional charity models that they were built upon. Says Vinay Somani who has set up Karmayog, a Mumbai-based B2B for NGOs, “Outside funding agencies bring in best practices, force NGOs to become more transparent and lead the entire sector to a system where self sustainability becomes a specified goal.”

Finance, along with scale and professional management practices, is creating a network of sustainable organizations. The Aaharam network is illustrative. Velayuthan experimented with other forms of social intervention before he decided on a group-based income generation model that according to him “seemed to be the answer to rural poverty and migration issues.”

Velayuthan was not the first to try out this model, but he designed it with commercial and contemporary management practices. He used money from microfinance institutions to set up a company, set specific production and sales targets (for example: the amount of mango pulp to be sold in a month) and ensured that the company scaled up within a given period of time. He also worked to build strong managerial skills among his team by organizing monthly meetings and routine interactions with private industry.

Aaharam’s goal is to address food, nutrition and income security of producers from resource-poor areas. It largely works with rural women, taps into their expertise to make a wide range of agro products, and helps them market these through a company within a specific district or zone. “We wanted to stop migration [out of rural areas], and the only way to do that was to create reliable income sources during lean agricultural months,” says Velayuthan, whose initial funding came from MFIs. “We looked at five broad areas where this expertise could be used, and classified these as neem, tamarind, medicinal plants, traditional crafts and charcoal.”

Velayuthan says he faced his biggest hurdle in setting up the company; next came the first milestone of breaking even. Aaharam charges its members a fee. This serves as working capital for the company. It also seeks out marketing and retail tie-ups that would bring in funds for expansion and business development. It already has a tie-up with the Mumbai-based Parle group for the sale of mango pulp and has recently entered into a contract with Bharat Petroleum for producing fuel pellets from agro-waste.

Aaharam is only one of the instances of the work being done in the rural sector. Says Vineet Rai of Aavishkaar, “The entire rural space has come alive in the past few years. There is a huge pipeline and we can’t respond to all of them.” When he started out in 2002, things were very different. “There were not many projects that we could invest in at the time. We used to get about two applications a month then. We are now getting an application a day.”

Forming Networking Platforms and Communities

Rangsutra is a company that Aavishkaar supports. It has, within a year of being set up, established a small export market and a link with urban retailers such as FABIndia for the linen and hand embroidered clothes it makes. Says Sumita Ghose, “It is a difficult process, but we have learned to get out of the NGO mindset. Managing cash flows was a unique experience, but it has helped us focus and think our strategies through.”

Another example is LabourNet. Run by Solomon J. P., it started out as an organization that looked after the rights of construction workers. It has evolved into a complete database of construction workers in and around Bangalore that links industry and laborers and facilitates training programs targeted at the construction workers. “We charge a fee from the company and the workers. We also offer our services to companies that want to train the workers, and that becomes a steady revenue stream.” LabourNet helps the workers get medical and other workplace benefits and works with the companies to enhance productivity.

The network has tremendous community contact, which opens other doors. LabourNet has won contracts with Bosch to market the latter’s tools to construction workers; with microfinance companies; and with a waterproofing company that wants construction workers to use its products. Says Solomon, “Workers get these products cheap because they are buying in bulk; the water-proofing company benefits as it gets bulk orders, and we get the funds to run our network.”

The Individual Makes Way for the Organization

Most of these organizations are also developing professional management teams to run their daily operations. That is vastly different from the earlier NGO model of centralized decision making that was usually dependent on a charismatic founder or a committed charity organization. This is partly due to the nature of the projects being planned and the increased volume of funds flowing into the sector. Says Varun Sahni of Acumen, “We don’t invest in an individual. We look for an organization.” Acumen representatives are part of the beneficiary organization’s management board and participate in the decision-making.

Professional participation is welcomed by people from within and outside the social sector. Says Karmayog’s Somani, whose portal aims to connect NGOs with those who want to fund, help or seek their help, “We want to ensure that the NGO sector has access to trained and educated professionals.” For instance, Karmayog has been working on civic issues in the city of
Mumbai and has effectively used systematic networking between lawyers, academics and engineers to initiate dialogue between citizens and the local municipal corporation.

Several donor agencies are also driving NGOs to inject professional management approaches. Says Venkat Krishnan of GiveIndia, part of Give Foundation, “For us, the driving force is empowering both NGOs and donors. By allowing NGOs to state what they want support for, we are allowing them to focus on their missions and strategies the way they wish to. And by allowing donors to choose which projects they want to donate to, we are ensuring that there is an automatic ‘market pressure’ to encourage efficiency and effectiveness.”

The Flip Side of Getting Business-like

While these are sound and logical arguments, there is of course a flip side. Professional management, scale and sustainability may well be the way to go for the social sector, but not all socially relevant projects lend themselves to a market-oriented rigor.

India does not have a social security network like many developed countries. It often falls upon the voluntary sector to look after the marginalized sections of society such as abused children and women, the poor, the mentally challenged and other underprivileged sections of society. Funds are hard to come by for these projects as they do not fit the new mold. The challenge going forward is for this segment of the social sector to redefine the rules.

Source : http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/

This entry was posted on February 3, 2007 at 12:59 pm and is filed under Corporate Social Responsibilty, Human resourse development, Indian NGO, Rural Development. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Populism in Indian politics

Assume Mr Average-Voter, a resident of Prosperity land, is offered the choice between two electoral alternatives — a school building or a road connecting the neighboring village. Now imagine the same Mr Average-Voter, living in Populism land, and facing a choice between another two voting alternatives — a cellphone or a television set! Much as Mr Average-Voter would covet the cellphone or the television set, the prospect of a school building for his daughter or a road to transport his agriculture produce would appear more attractive. But unfortunately, our polity increasingly resembles Populism land and it remains a formidable challenge to formulate policies that emulate Prosperity land.

It is widely perceived by political parties that providing individual benefits is the surest way to win over voters, especially the poor. This perception is in accordance with our political tradition that is directed more at the individual voter than interest groups. Indian politics is replete with numerous examples of political parties competing in promising individual benefits such as social welfare pensions, loan waivers, housing, Rs2 rice, free power, etc. This list is now expanding rapidly to include modern consumer durables such as television sets, cellphones and refrigerators.

Such individual-centric promises are a natural progression from the well-documented practice of purchasing votes by allurements of liquor and cash. Political parties now see an opportunity to formalize and institutionalize such allurement and regard the median voter as a commodity to be purchased in the political marketplace. The result is an increasing trend towards competitive populism, targeted at the individual voter and pandering to the lowest common denominator, which threatens to engulf our polity like cancer.
Political commentators and opinion makers express righteous indignation and anger at competitive populism, and demand putting an end to it. Economists despair about its consequences on the fiscal balance. But it may be facile to assume that populism can be eliminated.
Competitive populism is a well-established strategy through which political parties signal their intent to voters. Just as supply and demand in a regular market facilitates price discovery, the dynamics of competitive populism operating in an open political marketplace helps in efficiently allocating votes among competing parties.
Much like the market in goods and services, the political marketplace, too, cannot be regimented through something similar to command and control policies, which seek to outlaw populism. The challenge is to incentivize populism to benefit the common good.

Taken From
Gulzar Natarajan
www.livemint.com

Petrol Hike The Fuss

The recent hike has promoted the people and political parties to call for the bandh. But let us see who's to be blamed and what can be done to tackle the situation

Aam Aadmi

Every one is panicking about the recent hike in petrol prices but it does not come off the blue moon. We all have been a part of it adding drop by drop to what is now an Ocean. The vehicles that run on alternate fuels have always been met with cynicism in our country. The manufacturers of these vehicles have been put to test both by the public and policy makers alike.

The need for green fuels and hybrid vehicles battery cars and bikes have been propagated by the NGOs from several years. But who cares! Akshay Khanna made a fool out of himself according to the film critics when he endorsed the not so popular Electric car REVA. It is still not late switch to electric bikes and cars. switch to alternate fuels to give the next generation a brighter and greener tomorrow.


Political Parties

What is really wrong with the opposition parties in the country? Just 10% hike is the oil prices is causing them to come up in arms against the government. One should remember that during the reign of BJP the Major Opposition Party the prices of petrol soared by almost doubled in 6 years. The other parties(Which are either UPA allies Or The erstwhile NDA allies )are no saints.

We know that the sales on petrol are taxed at two levels one at the Union Level(central government) the other at the state level. Many of the parties which are leading protests are ruling parties in their respective states. If these parties have such a great commitment for the public then they should cut down the Taxes in their states, but they would not since they know that the state economy would doom if such a step is taken.(Let me just remind you that taxes on fossil fuels alone add to 3-5% of the total state revenue.) Let us hope that in BJP ruled states the petrol will be the same specially the oil sucking petrol.

International Issues

The crude oil prices have been jumping by leaps and bounds from 2000, in the oil markets. This is partly triggered by the sudden surge in the consumption by the countries like India and China. The BRIC countries and G8 nations alone consume about 80% of the total oil.

The oil prices have increased by about 25% from the past 4 months in USA, doubled in China from past one year, 60% increase seen in many countries in past two years. So one can see that the present day govenment is not to be blamed much for the increase.

Bidar Dairy

The country's economy might be racing at 9% but the lives in many districts doesn't seem to have changed after independence. Many people still live in utter dankness, without even knowing how the world is progressing. Traveling in Northern Karnataka taught me few facts about the country and changed the way i look at things.

Bidar

The district of Bidar, which has a very rich past is in utter crisis. I always imagined this place to be flourishing with its world famous handicrafts and prosperous artisans. But, the situation is shockingly different! The district has very poor irrigation facilities when compared to the Southern Karnataka. The roads are horrible. The drinking water in several villages is tantamount to ambrosia. One can even bet the medical facilities wouldn't have improved after the independence at all. The schools are struck up in the middle ages. There are no institutes of worth mentioning.

Bidri Art

The bidri art work which is world renowned is not being taken up by the younger generation. The reason being the fact that even the localites have little or no interest in purchasing the art pieces. its a plight that such a skillful art should meet this fate.


The newly formed state government should take action to develop this district.

Aarushi

Truth in Aarushi's case will never be known now and whatever will ever be known for truth will always remain suspect, more or less. Every piece of information disclosed or unearthed will always remain in the shadow of doubt, and we’ll always have half-baked versions of relative truths.

By now there are so many theories, so many conceptions and so many pictures etched in the minds of the people that no one picture is correct. So, finally we’ll have no fixed picture at all.Unfortunately, the character assassination of little Aarushi is complete and nothing can reverse it.

Several women and child welfare associations have demanded for Capital Punishment to Mr. Talwar even before he is found guilty. Some also said that the Mrs. Talwar is equally responsible for having not fulfilled the role of a mother.

But, the question is no longer whether there could be any justice in Aarushi’s case. The only question is as to how far can the injustice be undone. Or, worse still, how far could further injustice be prevented, for there is certainly no way we could do any ‘justice’ to the little girl any longer. The media defamed the little girl with so many baseless theories that soul can never rest in peace.

IPL T20

An Amazing cricketing season has come to an end. Powerfully struck Shots (read as Slaps) and Poorly directed Team anthems have come to an end. The tournament was won by Rajasthan Royals, who were commented as one of the worst teams before the season. The favorites Chennai Superkings ended as runner ups causing slight disappointment.

Winners And Losers

The end of the season means time for reconsideration about their business acumen to both Sharukh Khan and Vijay Mallya. They both learnt a hard way that the Publicity is not a substitute for the Performance. One has to consider the Return On Investment (ROI) before pouring in Millions.Bhajji also has also things common with the above two. The fate of this doosra king lies in balance due to his conduct on the feild.

The fate of the small town kid Yusuf Pathan took a new turn as his place in the upcoming series is confirmed. Kunal Dasgupta(S-Max Channel) is a happy man as he made fortune during these 59 days. 10 sec ad space costed about a million rupees during the end of the season.

Ethics And Morals

The issue of moral values in India was again on headlines because of the skin show by the cheerleaders. Alyque Padamsee and feminist leaders debated on television channels about the Ethics. The right wings of the country took advantage of the situation and successfully dominated the Prime time of news channels. With the deluge of criticism and threats from the right wings, the organizers were forced to control the skin show.

IPL Ki Side Effects

IPL also meant a low season for bollywood, all the movies relesed during the season ended up as flops. T20 also delayed the release of Southern Star Kamal Hassan's Dasavataram, which is getting delayed from past 1.5 years due to some reason or the other.

One thing i would like to add is the way IPL changed the way the Indian "Galli Cricket". Other day when i was passing by a lane, i have seen two 6-7 year old kids dancing on the 9 year old "batsman" hitting a shot!

Caste and Politics In India

Mayawati represents the exact anti-thesis of how I want a leader to be. Yet, she spearheads a political party that gives political power to the untouchables of India. Should I be sad or should I be happy that we have such a leader?

Indian lower caste groups act in two contradicting ways when it comes to dealing with their caste identity vis-à-vis India’s upper castes.

As groups, they continue to fight the upper caste and hence would like to identify themselves as different from the upper caste. In this respect, they would like to play the victim card to bargain for the maximum number of sops and benefits to uplift the lower caste. But as individuals, they like to move up the social and economic scale, and this apparently means emulating and behaving more like upper castes.

At an individual and family level, as Indian lower castes become prosperous, they would start becoming more like upper castes of India. Their rituals become similar to upper caste Hindus. Though the leader of untouchables, Ambedkar, urged them to renounce Hinduism to take up Buddhism, the present generation of Dalits would like to upgrade themselves to look and feel more like upper caste Hindus. The lower caste families that are well-off now start going to the Hindu temples, become extremely devout, invite the priest to conduct their rituals, and have deities at home the way an upper caste person would have. They would go through the same ceremonies that were denied to them for ages, with aplomb and satisfaction. At an individual level, a lower caste Hindu is trying to become upper caste though he denies that accusation at a group level.

India has a history of castes moving up and down the hierarchy. The founders of Maurya dynasty were lower caste, but once they became the rulers, they were given the status of upper caste. In the course of Indian history, many kings and noble families have moved up the hierarchy and thus elevated their own groups ranking.

The same trend continues, but now, there is a vested interest for lower caste to remain lower caste, at least in the legal system – because of sops like reservations, scholarships, etc. Therefore the lower castes will retain their lower caste labels, while the individuals and families will compete against each other to act and behave more and more like upper caste. Not all caste groups move up at the same time. Not all groups wield power and access to opportunity the same way. There is a race amongst these different lower castes on who is going to get to the upper caste status first. We will see different lower castes behaving differently during their upward mobility.

Caste-based Political Parties

When the lower caste parties, who woo their lower caste vote banks, come to power they start behaving exactly similar to other political leaders who preceded them. One cannot see the difference between the two. They start acting like the very masters they toppled.

Once the points on their victim card start running out, in an attempt to consolidate their position and to garner more votes, they affiliate with most unlikely caste groups. For example, in UP, we see lower caste groups in alliance with Brahmins and Rajputs, the very upper caste masters they came about to topple.

Emancipation of lower castes of India is a long journey. It may take few generations. It will involve many mechanisms and tools – it will involve reservations, sops, scholarships, free meals, and also the major social movements including formation of political parties dominated by caste affiliations. This is a journey for all of us, from an origin which is quite distasteful, surfeit with ill treatment of fellow human beings, discrimination, ostracism, persecution to a destination which promises utopia, where a man is judged not by his caste but by his character.

One of the sad aspects of such journeys is that it will throw up leaders who are not actually qualified by their character, but more by their affiliation.

One of the outcomes of these journeys is a future when each caste group would have almost similar access to political power (and hopefully opportunity). In theory, it is a time when every group is equally capable of coming to power.

I hope that such events and trends, not going the wrong way, would help Indians come to an understanding that we are all equal. Once we reach a stage where almost every group is represented adequately, our people may start looking for certain traits in a leader other than the mere affiliations to a certain group or identity. Hopefully, we may then learn to choose those leaders who are not just symbols of our identities but capable of delivering on basic expectations of equal citizens.

Indian middle class

Indian upper middle class and the elite news and media abhor and detest leaders like Lalu and Mayawati. When they do that, they are apparently scorning that lower caste Indian who these leaders represent. Such distancing and abhorring will in fact help these leaders in their cause. It’s exactly what these leaders want – a disapproval from the elite society of India. Their popularity soars because they will show to their vote banks once again that they are victimized by the elite and upper caste (not very different from how Narendra Modi plays his sympathy card that he is being targeted by the mainstream media and secular parties).

Lower caste will behave like upper caste

My observation is that with upward mobility, more and more of the lower caste would become equals to upper caste in terms of political and social power. While that is being achieved, the families and individuals of the lower caste will start behaving more and more like upper caste Hindus- even if that means going against the same tenets that actually spurred their revolution.

This also means they will identify more and more closely with upper caste Hindu behaviors and sentiments. They will detest and decry conversion of their fellow lower castes (who are poor) to other religions. They will identify themselves more with Vedas, the grand Indian history, and will try to seek their own place in that pantheon of ancient achievements. If needed, they will reinterpret the events of the pasts to condone the extremities meted out to them with some flawed and distorted logic.

They will make a U-turn to oppose and criticize the reservations-based-on-caste because it reminds them of their lowly origins. They would like to detach and disassociate with all the crutches and helping hands, special provisions and sops, the way a cripple who got a new leg would spurn his erstwhile crutch. They like to roll back those reservations which helped their fathers to get a jumpstart. They would like to deny these benefits to others who have not yet received them yet.

They will fight for preservation of Bharat Sanskruti more vehemently and vociferously – by joining the parades to denounce Miss Universe pageants and Valentine Day celebrations. In effect, they will become more ritualistic, superstitious and irrational just to prove to themselves (and others whom they are competing against) that they are equal to upper caste Hindus.

This would also mean a resurgence of Hindutva Movement on an unprecedented scale, where the middle class now comprises a huge lower caste community, where neoconverts are actually more fanatic. The enemies – Muslims, Christians, Communists, the intellectuals - would be hated with more fervor and passion.

These are some of the trends I disapprove of. Now, just because the upward mobility of lower castes of India would lead to resurgence of the movements I dislike, should I discourage that upward mobility?

Of course not!

That brings me back to Mayawati. Am I happy or sad? I am both happy and sad looking at leaders like that. But I would not stop her from taking up her cudgels against those who she thinks are her masters. If she wants to topple her masters, let her do it, in her own way. I may not subscribe to her methods, but as long as they are legal, and within the framework of Indian Constitution, I am not against her.