Baba Ramdev, born in 1965, is among few highly influential Godman in India. He has been credited with bringing a Global revolution in Yoga and Ayurveda. It is he who ensured Yoga reaches to every house. It was Baba Ramdev who showed the power of Yoga to the world. Many diseases got cured only because of his Yogic treatments. The Anulom-Vilom, Bhramri and Kapalbhati have done wonders among every Indian. Every Indian can be seen rubbing nails and fingers in leisure time, to take care of falling hair problem.
Corruption, like HIV, in India is like an incurable disease with no cure. From bribing a Traffic Police at Street to bribing Ministers and MP’s at Parliament, every office is infected with this disease. Politicians, Aristocrats, Businessman, Underworld, everyone looted a common man in all possible ways. The trillions of money got stashed away by various means and deposited in various banks in US and UK and other EU countries. Baba Ramdev thought to bring a cure to this disease also.
Politics is like a double faced sword, or say a venomous snake with two mouths. You never know which face will attack. Every country has politicians and every politician plays politics. Sometimes politics are played on International level, sometimes on National level. The recent example of international politics was shown by Americans. How they effectively used it against Pakistan and now after killing top 3 militants, Osama, Iliyas Kashmiri and Azhar – gave a breather to Pakistan by giving clean chit to Tahawwur Rana in 26/11 conspiracy. India was about to nail Pakistan, suddenly India came on back foot. The recent example of National politics was shown by Congress led UPA government. On day ZERO, top 4 cabinet Ministers goes to airport to receive Baba Ramdev and indulge in close room talk. On day ONE, Baba announces 99% of demands are accepted verbally, only deadline is to be given by government. Suddenly, in evening, a chit appears and flashed out by one eminent Minister and Baba gets exposed. He got trapped completely, so he announces fast unto death against this cheating and demands all promises in writing. On the wee hours of day TWO, five to ten thousands of police force appears, fires Tear shells, conspires Laathi charge in evacuating Ramleela Ground, Delhi. Government tries everything to kill or seriously injure Baba Ramdev and his allies. Baba gets the get-up of woman and somehow come out from police barricade.
Aam Aadmi, as I always tell, is only for getting used as tools and tackles. It is used for casting vote every five years, sometimes earlier. Aam Aadmi is for calling to National and State capital to stage Dharna. Aam aadmi is there to be brutally beaten by Police forces. Aam Aadmi is for mass killing by militants. Aam Aadmi is for paying heavy taxes to government. Aam Aadmi is used by one politician against other. Aam Aadmi is like chicken and lambs. They are feed to ensure they will give good value at times to come. They are there to be killed and added into menu. As Chickens and Lambs cannot raise its voice, so an Aam Aadmi cannot raise. Government has made a beautiful law in its favor. Article 144! Impose it when you feel Aam Aadmi is waking up or Aam Aadmi is gathering somewhere for demanding genuine demands. Once Article 144 is imposed, police is free to take strict action- can even kill to ensure PEACE. Aam Aadmi is like a Condom! Kept at most safe place till unused. Once used, it is thrown into dustbin or sewer.
It happened that Aam Aadmi gathered at Ramleela Ground on 4th June for a genuine cause of eradicating corruption, spearheaded by Baba Ramdev, who could foresee Corruption as a curable disease and tried to find solution for this disease. Within one week of the herculean task he initiated, Baba Ramdev is hospitalized and is on the verge of going into Coma. Many of his followers staging Satyagraha are hospitalized, thanks to the mass Laathi charge. Sometimes I doubt if Police Forces are human. They are some remote controlled instruments or robots without feeling. Congress has alleged that Baba Ramdev is a RSS man, backed by BJP and other communal forces. Government has asked Enforcement Directorate to check the property Baba Ramdev has accumulated. It has a single point agenda. Defame Baba Ramdev. I think the single point agenda was eradicating Corruption. Bring back the trillions of Indian money stashed away by some handful of Indian people. As usual my inquisitive mind started racing for the reasons of such behavior by Government. I started dissecting everything.
UPA is led by Congress and has Trinmool Congress and DMK as major support. TMC cannot say anything, as it is busy celebrating a huge win against Left front. They have come into power for the first time, since Independence. Now, in order to re-structure Bengal, they need central support. Obviously they shall be tight lipped. DMK has three of its key persons involved in corruption cases! A Raja and Kanimozzi are in jail. Dayanidhi Maran is next! They have lost the ground at Tamilnadu. They have no option than to live on mercy of Central Government. Other members of UPA are powerless. Practically UPA is all Congress. Now, somewhere Corruption and Congress are linked. If the disease is attacked, somewhere Congress has to face the heat of the disease. Rahul Gandhi was arrested 10 years back, at an airport in USA by NYPD, with a bag containing millions of money. Where did this money come from? A normal person is detained and put into Jail. He was released and all charges were cleared. How come? Since freedom, Congress has governed the nation for 60 years. Obviously, a minimum of 60% of stashed money must belong to congress men. How can they allow the names to become public? How can they allow trustworthy and Pet Congress Dogs to become beggar in a single shot? In parliament, how can they clear the bill? Will you sign on your suicidal note? With this nationwide agitation against corruption, congress has realized that sooner or later, they’ll have to act against corruption and Black money. But the credit will be taken away by Baba Ramdev and his team. On the other hand Anna Hazare and team were also pressurizing Lokpal bill formation that was making PM office accountable for all activities. So congressmen played a very political game. Baba Ramdev was cheated in closed room, and made naked in front of Common man. The public image of Baba Ramdev was hanged till death. Congress killed three enemies in a single shot. Baba Ramdev was crushed. BJP and RSS was blamed for putting country on stake! And the Civil society members drafting Lokpal Bill were given a strong message – follow government or be ready for consequences! What a Rajnikant Shot!
Monday, June 13, 2011
Indian Brands: Are they responsible for lagging behind their counterparts?
Lately it so happened that I switched to Sanskaar and Aastha Channel. Baba Ramdev was giving his speech on Bharat Swabhimaan and Swadesh. He was in the best of his enthusiasm and convincing mood. I too got motivated and charged up enough! The patriot in me woke up, and decided to use products made solely by Indian Brand. Shahrukh Khan once said “Itni Siddat se maine tujhe pane ki jurrat ki hai… ki saare zamane ne tujhe mujhse milane ki shararat ki hai” The other day I got a mail from friend, listing all Indian products in daily use. A blind needs two EYES! I took the printout and pasted on the front wall of my room. The co-operative shop was in front of my apartment. Charged up with Patriotism, I went inside the Co-operative shop and purchased Blades, Soaps, Detergent, Tooth paste, Shaving cream, face cream, etc. all from Indian Brand. With the same motivational charged up state of mind, I started using them. But you know, there is a difference between ‘being passionate’ and ‘being experienced’. An old man is always called wise and obeyed than an emotionally charged youth. Once the fever of nationalism was down, I started comparing the products I purchased, with their MNC counterparts. The Supermax and Topaz blades I took, was no way compared with Gillete and 7’Oclock blades. The Indian bathing soap has now become toilet soap. Somehow surf came out good, so I am still using it. I am heck of the taste of toothpaste, but the 200 g has to be consumed. Couldn’t help it still consume, in the name of taking value for the money spent. Shaving cream- though I wanted to throw out of window, but couldn’t do, so gifted it to security guard. Face cream that I used did a lot of happening on the face. So I decided to use it rather as skin cream. Similar was the fate of other products. You can very well ask why I didn’t throw them out when they were so bad. Answer is simple. I invested money on that! Have to recover it either way! I am not like sons and daughters of Jindal’s or Tata’s or Birla’s. I earn money and know the value of a single penny. I wish I could have billions of dollars in Swiss banks!
Now that the patriotic fever is gone and I tore that paper pasted on front wall, the inquisitive me started thinking of reasons behind such a big gap in brands. Why MNC’s and their brands are more successful and effective in giving what they promise. Why Indian brands are failing? We have companies like Tata. Dabur, Himalaya, Jyothi Laboratories, etc. who are successful in keeping the quality and brand value, but major Indian companies fail to deliver what they promise. After a great self brainstorming, I concluded on three reasons.
1. Lack of proper R&D facility,
2. Loss of focus from customer’s requirement and
3. Greed for quick money.
Most of the companies fall in all three categories. Investment on R&D and product development is called a future investment. Some intentionally bypasses R&D investment to increase profit margin. Some do keep R&D division as a functionary to save various taxes, but don’t do actual R&D activities. On the other hand MNC’s have good money, so they invest good amount on R&D activities to ensure bringing new products for market. Also a high level of expert team is there to project the demand and to understand customer’s requirement. A new trend is coming up. MNC’s are brilliantly pushing new products into markets and provoking its demand among customers! Some examples are After Shower, Mouth Wash, Face wash, Revive, Chocolates, Cold Drinks, Hair Colors etc. Such products are not in necessisity list, but MNC’s market it in such a beautiful way, it creates its place among every house. I must say TV’s and Cricket/Bollywood Stars are helping a lot in ensuring millions USD profit for these MNC’s. Who is a sufferer? Common Man! A common man is a victim of anything and everything. A common man works hard and earns money. On the money he earns for himself and his family, he pays a direct tax to government for its own safety (payment to all government officials) and welfare (infrastructure and other developments in society and nation). Story doesn’t end here. A common man has to pay Tax for Entertainment, Food, Medicine, Purchase, Travelling, Road, Water, Education, VAT etc. in the name of Indirect Tax. If all taxes are calculated, a common man pays 60-70% of his/her money in tax. What he/she gets? Nothing! Some mental satisfaction and happiness for family – that too for some time only! Jokingly I say sometimes, if ‘Fair and Lovely’ is so effective, A Buffalo could be converted into Cow! If not White Buffalo, at least a Grey Buffalo! If skin creams are so effective against Sun, it should be distributed in African countries! Cosmetics have entered in such a big way; it looks like all FEMALES have become a slave of it. They can’t take a single step out of her house, without applying cosmetics!
Indian Companies seems, have lost their identity in the RAT Race! They always live in the fear of ‘big fishes eating smaller fishes’. So they cater into low end market. Every business has a single motive – PROFIT. So, in the struggle of survival, Indian companies do forget to cater and deliver the quality. They intend to utilize cheaper resources to cut down cost. Suffice to say, they forget to see the long term consequences, in the tug of war of survival. The short vision and short term goals lead to inferior quality, and slowly throwing them out of competitions.
Problem doesn’t end here. Government of India cannot shed its responsibility. Unless Indian Start-ups and companies are supported by Government’s assistance- financially/R&D support/Policy revisions etc. they cannot compete with MNC’s. Government keeps a close eye on Indian companies, and willingly allows MNC’s to grow. MNC’s fund their election rallies. MNC’s provide them best of facilities, why would they think of Made in India products and common man? So it's a complex issue for breaking head. So ultimately I decided to be partially patriotic. Made in India by Indian companies Products which are of good quality and cost competitive will get my thumbs up. But I won’t compromise on quality! After all, I too want to glow like Shahrukh Khan and smell like John Abraham! It’s my bad luck, they give their time and energy for branding foreign companies products!
Now that the patriotic fever is gone and I tore that paper pasted on front wall, the inquisitive me started thinking of reasons behind such a big gap in brands. Why MNC’s and their brands are more successful and effective in giving what they promise. Why Indian brands are failing? We have companies like Tata. Dabur, Himalaya, Jyothi Laboratories, etc. who are successful in keeping the quality and brand value, but major Indian companies fail to deliver what they promise. After a great self brainstorming, I concluded on three reasons.
1. Lack of proper R&D facility,
2. Loss of focus from customer’s requirement and
3. Greed for quick money.
Most of the companies fall in all three categories. Investment on R&D and product development is called a future investment. Some intentionally bypasses R&D investment to increase profit margin. Some do keep R&D division as a functionary to save various taxes, but don’t do actual R&D activities. On the other hand MNC’s have good money, so they invest good amount on R&D activities to ensure bringing new products for market. Also a high level of expert team is there to project the demand and to understand customer’s requirement. A new trend is coming up. MNC’s are brilliantly pushing new products into markets and provoking its demand among customers! Some examples are After Shower, Mouth Wash, Face wash, Revive, Chocolates, Cold Drinks, Hair Colors etc. Such products are not in necessisity list, but MNC’s market it in such a beautiful way, it creates its place among every house. I must say TV’s and Cricket/Bollywood Stars are helping a lot in ensuring millions USD profit for these MNC’s. Who is a sufferer? Common Man! A common man is a victim of anything and everything. A common man works hard and earns money. On the money he earns for himself and his family, he pays a direct tax to government for its own safety (payment to all government officials) and welfare (infrastructure and other developments in society and nation). Story doesn’t end here. A common man has to pay Tax for Entertainment, Food, Medicine, Purchase, Travelling, Road, Water, Education, VAT etc. in the name of Indirect Tax. If all taxes are calculated, a common man pays 60-70% of his/her money in tax. What he/she gets? Nothing! Some mental satisfaction and happiness for family – that too for some time only! Jokingly I say sometimes, if ‘Fair and Lovely’ is so effective, A Buffalo could be converted into Cow! If not White Buffalo, at least a Grey Buffalo! If skin creams are so effective against Sun, it should be distributed in African countries! Cosmetics have entered in such a big way; it looks like all FEMALES have become a slave of it. They can’t take a single step out of her house, without applying cosmetics!
Indian Companies seems, have lost their identity in the RAT Race! They always live in the fear of ‘big fishes eating smaller fishes’. So they cater into low end market. Every business has a single motive – PROFIT. So, in the struggle of survival, Indian companies do forget to cater and deliver the quality. They intend to utilize cheaper resources to cut down cost. Suffice to say, they forget to see the long term consequences, in the tug of war of survival. The short vision and short term goals lead to inferior quality, and slowly throwing them out of competitions.
Problem doesn’t end here. Government of India cannot shed its responsibility. Unless Indian Start-ups and companies are supported by Government’s assistance- financially/R&D support/Policy revisions etc. they cannot compete with MNC’s. Government keeps a close eye on Indian companies, and willingly allows MNC’s to grow. MNC’s fund their election rallies. MNC’s provide them best of facilities, why would they think of Made in India products and common man? So it's a complex issue for breaking head. So ultimately I decided to be partially patriotic. Made in India by Indian companies Products which are of good quality and cost competitive will get my thumbs up. But I won’t compromise on quality! After all, I too want to glow like Shahrukh Khan and smell like John Abraham! It’s my bad luck, they give their time and energy for branding foreign companies products!
Rain, Beach and Me…
Mumbai is famous for sea shores and beaches, though one won’t get feelings of Goa. Nariman Point, Marine Drive, Walkeshwar, Juhu, Aksa, Arnala, Worli Sea face etc. to count a few, are among few sea beaches/ shores for ‘good time’. Band Stand is famous, not for houses of big bollywood stars like Salman Khan, Rekha, Shahrukh Khan – rather it is famous for non-stop kissing and other scenes around the sea face. This location is so crowded that you need to be lucky to get a seat, and ‘do what you want to do’! Most of the Mumbai’s sea face are famous or say ill famous for ‘lovemaking in public’. Added advantage is when it rains! I am still searching a convincing answer for one question: Is it that people get romantic at sea shore, or that they are already romantic, only find sea shore as a safe haven for doing ‘everything’!
It was June 11, 2011, one among few lucky Saturday’s when I do sleep for long hours. Thanks to the headquarters policy, we get two additional holidays every month. Monsoon has arrived to Mumbai before the expected time. May be it came on time, our prediction was wrong. So as expected, Mumbai has become a slum. Water logging everywhere, late running trains, buses, and flights are common. Anytime and anywhere, it rains. Timing of rain is also very peculiar. It rains to ensure you get disturbed for hours especially during office hours! Sometimes I feel that raincoat and umbrella makers must have paid a huge bribe to Almighty to ensure hours of non-stop rain. It makes them rich. Whole four billion populations in Mumbai are required to buy either Umbrellas or Raincoats. Think of the business they will have. If one umbrella costs Rs 150, one has a potential business of 600 billion INR businesses. That too in One month only!
So I woke up at 11 AM and decided to have breakfast. Well rain hampered my plans. After much of brainstorming I decided to drench myself, and came out in shorts and T-shirt. After roaming around for quite some time, on the roads connecting Siddhivinayak Temple, I decided to head for Arabian Sea. For a change, I chose to go to a less famous Prabhadevi beach. The intention behind choosing a sea shore for killing time was my inquisitiveness of watching Sea’s behavior when it rains. For three hours, I was wetting myself on sea shore and walking around. Miles of the beach were full of dirt, plastics, cloths, and waste materials. Thanks to the nature of Ocean. It gives back what you throw in it. The question is- why we throw these things in it? May be because these are safest havens to throw, may be oceans don’t charge any penalty to people to throw waste in it. People tend to forget the very basic fact that air originates from Ocean. The direction of airflow is decided by the ambient temperature and water evaporation rate from Oceans. If dirt and pollutants are thrown into it, it shall bring contaminated odours with microbes (bacteria n viruses) in the originating air. Oceans never remain partial with anyone. It gives back what is given to it, either directly or indirectly. Anyways, more than 30 couples were searching a ‘suitable’ place to sit near the sea face. Struggling inside a small umbrella, they were trying hard to warm each other. Most of the people I could see were wet; still they wanted to be under umbrella. Don’t know why! Another interesting thing on sea shores! Condoms! I was confused whether it was used here and thrown or used somewhere and thrown here? Anyways the good thing is people have learnt to use it. Stones pelted on sea shores were full of algae and seed shells. Since it was raining and I didn’t want to get injured, I gave up the decision of rock climbing and rock sitting. Out of curiosity, I decided to go into the ocean. The soil below the sand was completely soiled. The reason might be the sewer line and waste water pipes and tunnels that open into sea. I could experience black mud all around. Seems Mumbaikar’s have decided to kill the very serenity of Shores.
The water pipes and tunnels were pumping out gallons of water into ocean. Since it was raining, I assume 99% of the water pumped out was rain water. I wish municipality and government could have done something on rainwater harvesting, or could have made some reservoir to store these rain waters. Mumbai is known to have huge water cuts in the month of April and May. Let us hope, someday these highly pure rain water would be utilized properly in Mumbai.
It was June 11, 2011, one among few lucky Saturday’s when I do sleep for long hours. Thanks to the headquarters policy, we get two additional holidays every month. Monsoon has arrived to Mumbai before the expected time. May be it came on time, our prediction was wrong. So as expected, Mumbai has become a slum. Water logging everywhere, late running trains, buses, and flights are common. Anytime and anywhere, it rains. Timing of rain is also very peculiar. It rains to ensure you get disturbed for hours especially during office hours! Sometimes I feel that raincoat and umbrella makers must have paid a huge bribe to Almighty to ensure hours of non-stop rain. It makes them rich. Whole four billion populations in Mumbai are required to buy either Umbrellas or Raincoats. Think of the business they will have. If one umbrella costs Rs 150, one has a potential business of 600 billion INR businesses. That too in One month only!
So I woke up at 11 AM and decided to have breakfast. Well rain hampered my plans. After much of brainstorming I decided to drench myself, and came out in shorts and T-shirt. After roaming around for quite some time, on the roads connecting Siddhivinayak Temple, I decided to head for Arabian Sea. For a change, I chose to go to a less famous Prabhadevi beach. The intention behind choosing a sea shore for killing time was my inquisitiveness of watching Sea’s behavior when it rains. For three hours, I was wetting myself on sea shore and walking around. Miles of the beach were full of dirt, plastics, cloths, and waste materials. Thanks to the nature of Ocean. It gives back what you throw in it. The question is- why we throw these things in it? May be because these are safest havens to throw, may be oceans don’t charge any penalty to people to throw waste in it. People tend to forget the very basic fact that air originates from Ocean. The direction of airflow is decided by the ambient temperature and water evaporation rate from Oceans. If dirt and pollutants are thrown into it, it shall bring contaminated odours with microbes (bacteria n viruses) in the originating air. Oceans never remain partial with anyone. It gives back what is given to it, either directly or indirectly. Anyways, more than 30 couples were searching a ‘suitable’ place to sit near the sea face. Struggling inside a small umbrella, they were trying hard to warm each other. Most of the people I could see were wet; still they wanted to be under umbrella. Don’t know why! Another interesting thing on sea shores! Condoms! I was confused whether it was used here and thrown or used somewhere and thrown here? Anyways the good thing is people have learnt to use it. Stones pelted on sea shores were full of algae and seed shells. Since it was raining and I didn’t want to get injured, I gave up the decision of rock climbing and rock sitting. Out of curiosity, I decided to go into the ocean. The soil below the sand was completely soiled. The reason might be the sewer line and waste water pipes and tunnels that open into sea. I could experience black mud all around. Seems Mumbaikar’s have decided to kill the very serenity of Shores.
The water pipes and tunnels were pumping out gallons of water into ocean. Since it was raining, I assume 99% of the water pumped out was rain water. I wish municipality and government could have done something on rainwater harvesting, or could have made some reservoir to store these rain waters. Mumbai is known to have huge water cuts in the month of April and May. Let us hope, someday these highly pure rain water would be utilized properly in Mumbai.
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