- We Indians know that the right side to drive is the left side. But here in Canada, they think it’s their right to drive on the right and that’s the right side to drive.
- We put in the key to unlock a lock and turn the key clockwise. Guess what happens.
- I searched the whole house for a 3-pin socket to insert my electrical equipment, but I never found one. Later I discover that the circular pin is on the lower side, hidden by the contours of the socket
- You go to a restaurant – they give you a check which is really a bill and they expect you to pay bills (cash).
- If you are late for class, the professor won’t question, you can eat in class, laze (sometimes sleep) but nobody cares. While answering a question you don’t need to stand, and the most difficult thing is, that you address the professor with his/her name
- Interrupting or jumping in while the other person is speaking is considered normal here, in fact, if you do that, the teachers think you are actively participating.
Ok then the door knobs are reverse, keys go in upside down, screws get fastened when I try to unscrew them, and so goes the list.
It’s funny how it hits us when routine things change, isn’t it? We take many things for granted and this little experience has taught me to pay attention to them. Extending this to the business world, I think it’s quite likely that our assumptions could turn into contradictions without us being aware of it. Maybe two people having radically different perspectives on the same issue should think about this.
I’m trying to call my friend, but his cell phone is unreachable for past 2 days. I call his home and they tell me he is in office, and that he has carried his phone too. Why is he unreachable then? Finally I send him e-mail, asking him to call back. He does.
Excerpts:
Me: Where the hell are you?
Friend: eh?
Me: I’m trying to call for past 2 days, you are unreachable.
Friend: ah! Yes I know. I switched my cell phone off. Sorry!
Me (puzzled): Why?
Friend: Ok listen to this. 3 days back, I updated my resume on a couple of online job portals (such as naukri.com, jobsahead.com, monsterindia.com, timesjobs.com, jobsdb.com). Ever since I did that, I’m continuously getting phone calls from several software companies. Gauge this: In morning alone I got 8 lucrative offers. I’m unable to focus on my work anymore.
Me (stunned): huh!
Friend: And these are not emerging companies, these are the big boys. You know that software companies are on expansion spree and they are frantically grabbing every bit of talent they can. Apart from the phone calls, I’m also getting more emails that I can read – not just from Mumbai but from the other software hubs too: Pune. Hyderabad, Bangalore and Chennai. I’m simply deleting them.
Me: oh my god!
Friend: Frankly I’ve lost count, I don’t know who wants to hire me for which position and responsibilities.
Me: err.. ummm… ugh… zzz…
Friend: That’s why I switched off my cell phone. I’m not prepared to handle this.
(translated into English from a mix of Marathi, Hindi and English)
This is a real situation. If I stand on the street today and announce ‘I don’t have a job’, ten people will gather around and place handsome offers. For those who are working in booming sectors like software, BPO’s, Engineering and Construction etc, you are offered a job even if you are not actively looking for one.
Today, a student graduating from any engineering college, having passed the entrance test is assured of a high paying job for a long time. However, few of these freshers or trainees stay in the company for over two years. They are easily lured away by promising job offers, one after another. The average time an employee spends in a company has declined to alarming limits, and the HR (Human Resources) team is fighting a losing battle to retain the talent.
Attrition has been a major problem of the IT (Information Technology) and ITES (Information Technology Enabled Services) since past several years. Giants like Infosys, Wipro, TCS etc complain of steep attrition rates haunting their companies. This trend has silently crept into sectors other than IT too. The salaries may not be as high, but the supply – demand ratio is a miniscule fraction. How do you get out of this?
You can’t. Can you?
So where does this take us? (To be elaborated in another post.)
The problem of plenty is real. And not all of it is a healthy sign in the long run.
Understanding Indian politics is not simple.
Left front (CPI, CPM and other communist parties) constitutes a significant chunk of the ruling UPA alliance governing the centre. Right wing BJP led NDA is the main opposition party. The role of the opposition party is to keep the policies of the ruling government in check and question 
the basis of all decision making. At the same time, the opposition raises a stand on various issues and debates with the government before the parliament agrees on a proposal. A weak opposition will result in irresponsible governance. Parliamentary democracy gives importance to both – the ruling and the opposition.
Of late the Left parties have taken over the role as the main opposition. BJP is tied up trying to cope up with the mess in its own house. It does launch token protests, but they are out of sync and don’t reflect a firm stand of the party on any issue. Latest example is the issue raised by NDA over the proposed disinvestments in NALCO. While in power, it was the NDA government who proposed offloading equity from this profit making PSU. Now it’s the same NDA, which is opposing the proposal bitterly. Another example was the meek protests few weeks back over fuel price hike. 
I remember the previous NDA government defending the price rise when it raised the fuel prices.
The Left on the other hand has been consistent with its policies; I’m not judging right or wrong (that will be another post). They are against liberalization and disinvestments in profit-making PSU’s. They are against passing the rising oil import costs to the consumer. They oppose FDI in retail and want to stick to protectionist labor laws of the 60’s. It’s a different story that the Leftist government in West Bengal under Buddhadeb Bhattacharya is running with a capitalist agenda.
Yet, the stand taken by the communists is steady, while the BJP is in a state of complete disarray. Remember Indira Gandhi’s gesture of sending Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the leader of opposition to UN back in 1971, which has become a shining example of Indian democratic setup and role played by a responsible opposition?
Part of the government itself is playing the opposition today, which was anyways inevitable, because the Congress is more similar to BJP than Leftists! Where is the real opposition today?
Jet Airways – Air Sahara and Congress – Samajwadi party
News is officially out that the Jet – Sahara deal is off the shelf. Many reasons have been cited for the breakdown of takeover by Jet airways, including political ones. While the economic considerations could be valid reason for scrapping deal, the political games that are played behind the scenes will definitely hamper growth stories, such as this.
Air Sahara owned by Sahara group is known for its proximity to the Samajwadi party. Samajwai party – another one among the pool of political parties with lost objectives – has publicly declared its stand against the Congress party in the state of UP, although it currently supports Congress led UPA at the center. The merger is seen to have been beneficial to the Lucknow based Sahara group, therefore to the Samajwadi party too. With elections in UP drawing close, the rabid race to grab power in Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state (and also illiterate, backward etc.) is growing bitter. Yesterday’s friends are pitted against each other and they are leaving no stones unturned to ensure the defeat of the enemy – by direct or indirect method. It is therefore speculated that the Jet Airways – Air Sahara merger deal was scuttled under the pretext of ‘security clearance’ by the central government on the directive issued by the ruling congress party. Why? So that Samajwadi party is not benefited.
If this story is really true, it speaks volumes about the shortsightedness and selfish motives of Indian politicians, whom I consider the filthiest creatures on earth. It is noteworthy that despite the politicians, India Inc continues to grow and is set to strengthen brand India.
Remembering the martyrs: Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Rajguru.
Today on 23rd Mar 1931, with ‘Inquilab Zindabad‘ (Long live the revolution!) on their mind, these three youngsters were hanged to death. These revolutionaries were sentenced to death by the British for anti-British activities and were executed a day prior to the scheduled date. Their trial brought awakening among the masses and the eventual death saw massive protests and spark in revolutionary action against the British.
Amitabh Bachchan, a film star of worshipped by millions lands in a hospital one day. Media bosses, deprived of news are overjoyed and soon the event is at the center stage of prime news feeds and front page of newspapers. People tired with the over reporting of Abu Salem, the don extradited from Portugal, initially welcomed this change. No sooner than the TRP’s of news channels began rise, so overfed the masses were with Amitabh (big B) that the newspapers report a drop in the number of people watching Kaun Banega Crorepati 2, one of the most watched TV show in India hosted by Amitabh Bachchan.
Why the film stars in our country are treated like gods and goddesses is a question not difficult to answer. In this overpopulated country filled with individuals fighting for their survival, watching the heroes in movies, the ones who rise from ordinary situations to become rich and popular, becomes the hope and idol for the most. Mythological figures of Indian culture and the deities worshipped in India have stories filled with their heroic deeds, and it is not difficult to relate them with the movie stars.
Contemporary movies are more real-life stories and are based on practical fiction. There is a lesser element of ‘supernatural’ or ‘emotional’ heroism by the lead actors. Consequently, I believe today’s film stars, although glorified or iconized, are not treated like gods. In fact some of them the mainstream stars are performing the hitherto unspeakable roles, such as ones depicting homosexuality.
Renaissance in Bollywood, the largest film maker in the world will lead to drastic increase in viewership and boosting of box office collections overseas. Entertainment industry is poised to demonstrate the fastest growth in coming decade.
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