Manmohan Singh & Mahendra Singh Dhoni have two things in common. Their maiden name starts with ‘M’ & they both have the surname ‘Singh’. Their connection with the media (which also happens to start with M) is quite interesting. Both were not considered as natural leaders at the beginning of their leadership tenures. While Dhoni became an instant hit as captain after winning the T20 championship in 2007, it took Manmohan Singh 5 years to prove his mettle as the effective political leader of India.
When Manmohan Singh was picked up by Sonia Gandhi as the Prime Minister in 2004, the media called him the wrong choice. The general view point was that Manmohan Singh was reputed & an amazing economist but he lacks the ability to lead a country. Through out his first tenure as PM,he was constantly referred as a ‘weak’ prime minister who was following the directions of 10 Janpath (Sonia Gandhi’s residence). The turn around came in July 2008 when Dr Singh threatened to step down as PM if the nuclear deal bill was not passed. He got full support from Sonia Gandhi and eventually he did manage to achieve the most important goal he had set out in his first tenure as PM. Post the nuclear deal suddenly the media started regarding Dr Singh as a good leader. Congress named Dr Singh as the official prime ministerial candidate for 2009 elections & a direct battle with LK Advani was set (the official PM candidate of the NDA). The media thought he lacked the oratory skills of Advani & would lose a head to head contest. But election 2009 was the turning point for Manmohan Singh’s image. Suddenly he emerged as the darling of the media. In the last few months, many media houses named him as one of the best prime ministers ever!! These are the same media houses which laballed him as the weakest ever just a year back. His opinion amongst the masses saw a dramatic turnaround. Suddenly he was referred as the man who can lead as stronger India in the future. He officially earned the title of ‘Singh is King’.
MS Dhoni had a much easier time becoming the heartthrob of the same media. His 183 against Pakistan brought him under the lime light. But he achieved super stardom by captaining India to a spectacular victory at the T20 championships in 2007. The media declared him as the uncrowned ‘King of India’ after the one day victories in Australia and Sri Lanka and the comprehensive Test victory against Australia. He was proclaimed as the best captain of India by the media in a span of 1 year. But one series changed it all for MSD. The loss at T20 championships in England last month transformed his persona overnight. From ‘Captain Cool’ he became ‘Captain Fool’& ‘Arrogant Dhoni’. Some media channels that use to carry his promotional campaign till a few days back, now wanted him to be dropped as the T20 captain.
These two cases clearly reflect the inconsistent approach of the media. Certain sections of the media have played a very irresponsible role, especially in the case of MSD. Yes, we all are disappointed that India lost and above all played miserably. But that does not mean that they can carry a malicious campaign against a particular individual. One victory cannot discount the 2 years of tremendous leadership that MSD has displayed. Cricket thrives on passion in India and makes a good story for any media house. But when they add more fuel to fire by questioning the ability of an individual based on just 5 matches then it can only be termed as ‘obnoxious journalism’. Similarly the same media had arrived at the conclusion that Manmohan Singh is a weak PM even before he took the oath. One has to give time to a person to prove his calibre. Just because one politician is so unlike his counter parts by not indulging in only lip service but instead believes in doing genuine work with utmost honesty, he cannot be termed ‘weak’. In Dr Singh’s case one thing that has emerged very clear, is that actions speak louder than words.
The media has to be more responsible. It’s a section of the media which creates and twists people’s image day to day based on the event. Like no one series can determine a good captain, similarly certain traits (like ordinary oratory skills) cannot undermine an individual’s potential. Manmohan Singh & MSD both have contributed substantially in their respective fields. Obviously their fields can’t be compared but their commitment & intentions can never be doubted. People & specially the media should be more forth coming and practical. Winning all the time is not possible and cannot be the bottom line all the time. A curious defeat at times is a much bigger victory.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Thursday, June 4, 2009
IPL Vs IPL
The summer of 2009 was truly special for televison viewers. The two biggest television events of India took place at the same time. The Indian Premier League in South Africa & the Indian Political League (Elections 2009) kept the audience enthralled from April to May. What made this even more interesting was the fact that, there was a huge clash between the two in March, which saw IPL shifting to South Africa due to security concerns. There was a huge debate on whether it was the right decision to move IPL out of India. It was interesing to see both the reality events clash with each other on the small screen. But who won this battle?
To judge the winner of the television battle would be tough, if we go by the day to day data for both the events.But if we pick up the two most important days for both the events- 16th May, the day elections results were announced & 24th May, the day IPL 2 final was played, then it would be a fair comparison. There are broadly two parameters to judge the success of a event/program on television- 1) Total viewership – the total number of people that tuned in to catch the event & 2) TVR ( Televison Viewership Rating)- This also includes the ‘amount of time spend’ by the audience watching the event. From a commercial perspective, TVR is more important for an advertiser than the total viewership.
The total viewership for Election 2009 results on 16th May, according to, TAM Peoplemeter System (Televison Viewership Agency) was 60 million. Close to 45 million watched the coverage on Hindi news channels, while the remaining 15 million witnessed the political drama unfolding on English news channels. On the otherhand, the IPL 2 final on 24th May, according to aMap (Televison Viewership Agency) was 11.7 million. This was higher than last year’s IPL final.
The TVR for Election 2009 final (16th May) was 10% on Hindi channels & 1.08% on English channels. The combined total for both Hindi & English news channels comes up to 11.08%. Now, the TVR for IPL 2 grand final was 8.3%, slightly lower than last year’s IPL final.Surprisingly for many, Election 2009 emerged as the clear winner in the television battle.
Though one major difference between the two remains that, Elections 2009 threw one clear winner, in the form of UPA. IPL 2, on the other hand had two winners- Deccan Chargers & Lalit Modi (Thanks to the moolah IPL 2 earned).
Published on - http://behindindia.com/india-news-stories/article/ipl-03-06-09-1.html
To judge the winner of the television battle would be tough, if we go by the day to day data for both the events.But if we pick up the two most important days for both the events- 16th May, the day elections results were announced & 24th May, the day IPL 2 final was played, then it would be a fair comparison. There are broadly two parameters to judge the success of a event/program on television- 1) Total viewership – the total number of people that tuned in to catch the event & 2) TVR ( Televison Viewership Rating)- This also includes the ‘amount of time spend’ by the audience watching the event. From a commercial perspective, TVR is more important for an advertiser than the total viewership.
The total viewership for Election 2009 results on 16th May, according to, TAM Peoplemeter System (Televison Viewership Agency) was 60 million. Close to 45 million watched the coverage on Hindi news channels, while the remaining 15 million witnessed the political drama unfolding on English news channels. On the otherhand, the IPL 2 final on 24th May, according to aMap (Televison Viewership Agency) was 11.7 million. This was higher than last year’s IPL final.
The TVR for Election 2009 final (16th May) was 10% on Hindi channels & 1.08% on English channels. The combined total for both Hindi & English news channels comes up to 11.08%. Now, the TVR for IPL 2 grand final was 8.3%, slightly lower than last year’s IPL final.Surprisingly for many, Election 2009 emerged as the clear winner in the television battle.
Though one major difference between the two remains that, Elections 2009 threw one clear winner, in the form of UPA. IPL 2, on the other hand had two winners- Deccan Chargers & Lalit Modi (Thanks to the moolah IPL 2 earned).
Published on - http://behindindia.com/india-news-stories/article/ipl-03-06-09-1.html
Saturday, May 23, 2009
WINNER & LOSER : ELECTIONS 2009
Election 2009 was special for more than one reason. In this blog, I am listing out the biggest winners & losers of this election. The winners are those , who will have a enduring impact in Indian polity. And the losers are those, who had very high stakes & have suffered a major setback
THE BIGGEST WINNERS OF ELECTIONS 2009
Manmohan Singh
SINGH IS KING: Election 2009 was the mandate for Manmohan Singh. His honest and decent image, along with the unshakable stand on the nuclear deal, made him emerge, as one of the best prime minister ever. He is the face of reforms & progress that can give India a better future.
Rahul Gandhi
THE SAVIOUR: He has emerged as the messiah of the poor & youth. The youth wanted a leader who was forward looking and could lead them in the future, while the poor wanted a leader who can fulfil their needs and aspiratons. Rahul Gandhi is that leader. His decision of going alone in UP was the turning point for the Congress.
Sonia Gandhi
THE UNDISPUTED LEADER: This election puts to rest, as to who is the strongest leader of this great nation. The manner in which she held the UPA coalition together was nothing short of remarkable. Her faith in Manmohan Singh as the prime ministerial candidate & Rahul Gandhi to lead the Congress campaign paid huge dividends. The Congress has been revived, thanks to her relentless efforts.
Nitish Kumar
THE PERFORMER: In an election that saw the power of regional leaders emaciating, he emerged as the strongest regional leader. His performance as the chief minister of Bihar has won him accolades across party lines and his popularity has surged across North India. His success underscores the fact, that people want development over caste & communal politics.
Mamata Banerjee
THE REBEL: Finally after 3 decades the ‘Left’ hegomony in West Bengal has been broken. Not only has she challenged the future of the 'Left' in their strong hold, but has also emerged as the ‘Voice of Bengal’.
The Indian Voter
THE KING: The Indian Voter has emerged as the King maker and chosen its own destiny. By choosing a secular, stable & strong government, it has proved that India is not only the biggest but the most powerful & vibrant democracy of the world.
Election Commission
THE UNSUNG HEROS: The most under-rated people of this election. Election Commission has proved that in this complex country, beset by terrorism & dirty politics, it is still possible to hold free & fair elections. The EC’s meticulous planning and execution is remarkable. A round of applause, for the team, that made this excercise a resounding success.
THE BIGGEST LOSERS
L.K Advani
END OF THE ROAD: His dream of becoming the prime minister crashed. The milestones of his great political career included the formation of BJP & the ‘Ram Mandir’ campaign which bolstered his popularity among the Hindu harliners. But he lacked the charisma and acceptability that Vajpayee enjoyed.
Narendra Modi
THE FAILED CHARMER: Many thought that the BJP had found the charismatic personality in him which was missing post Vajpayee. But his charm & magic was restricted to Gujarat. The star campaigner of the BJP failed to garner any extra support outside his stronghold. His unacceptability among other NDA parties, may dash his hopes of becoming the prime minister.
J Jayalalitha
OVER CONFIDENCE: Her overconfidence before elections was one of the biggest factors for not posting an impresssive performance. People were incredulous about the promises she made with regards to the ‘Tamil’ issue in Sri Lanka. Even a strong pre poll alliance could not help her to register a huge victory.
Mayawati
DELHI IS FAR AWAY: This election was a reality check for Mayawati. She still has a long way to travel, before she reaches Delhi. During the UP assembly elections, her ‘social enginneering’ earned her a thumping victory. But her failure to live up to their expectations, led to a disappointing performance this time around
The Yadavs (Mulayam, Lalu Prasad & Ram Vilas Paswan)
NO WHERE TO GO: Their selfish and arrogant aprroach pre elections has cost them dearly. Not only did they loose badly, but also lost out on an opportunity, of becoming a part of a stronger government at the centre. With all three out of power both at the centre & state, the future looks bleak.
Prakash Karat
BROUGH T TO THE GROUND: His dogmatic attitude and ideology, which is out of tune with reality has brought him & his party to the ground. His stand on the nuclear deal, which he potrayed as ‘anti- national’ and continous blackmailing during the UPA regime back fired. The masses taught him & his party a lesson.
Published on http://www.behindindia.com/india-news-stories/slideshows/election-winners/manmohan-singh.html - 21st May 2009
http://www.behindindia.com/india-news-stories/slideshows/election-losers/l-k-advani.html - - 21st May 2009
THE BIGGEST WINNERS OF ELECTIONS 2009
Manmohan Singh
SINGH IS KING: Election 2009 was the mandate for Manmohan Singh. His honest and decent image, along with the unshakable stand on the nuclear deal, made him emerge, as one of the best prime minister ever. He is the face of reforms & progress that can give India a better future.
Rahul Gandhi
THE SAVIOUR: He has emerged as the messiah of the poor & youth. The youth wanted a leader who was forward looking and could lead them in the future, while the poor wanted a leader who can fulfil their needs and aspiratons. Rahul Gandhi is that leader. His decision of going alone in UP was the turning point for the Congress.
Sonia Gandhi
THE UNDISPUTED LEADER: This election puts to rest, as to who is the strongest leader of this great nation. The manner in which she held the UPA coalition together was nothing short of remarkable. Her faith in Manmohan Singh as the prime ministerial candidate & Rahul Gandhi to lead the Congress campaign paid huge dividends. The Congress has been revived, thanks to her relentless efforts.
Nitish Kumar
THE PERFORMER: In an election that saw the power of regional leaders emaciating, he emerged as the strongest regional leader. His performance as the chief minister of Bihar has won him accolades across party lines and his popularity has surged across North India. His success underscores the fact, that people want development over caste & communal politics.
Mamata Banerjee
THE REBEL: Finally after 3 decades the ‘Left’ hegomony in West Bengal has been broken. Not only has she challenged the future of the 'Left' in their strong hold, but has also emerged as the ‘Voice of Bengal’.
The Indian Voter
THE KING: The Indian Voter has emerged as the King maker and chosen its own destiny. By choosing a secular, stable & strong government, it has proved that India is not only the biggest but the most powerful & vibrant democracy of the world.
Election Commission
THE UNSUNG HEROS: The most under-rated people of this election. Election Commission has proved that in this complex country, beset by terrorism & dirty politics, it is still possible to hold free & fair elections. The EC’s meticulous planning and execution is remarkable. A round of applause, for the team, that made this excercise a resounding success.
THE BIGGEST LOSERS
L.K Advani
END OF THE ROAD: His dream of becoming the prime minister crashed. The milestones of his great political career included the formation of BJP & the ‘Ram Mandir’ campaign which bolstered his popularity among the Hindu harliners. But he lacked the charisma and acceptability that Vajpayee enjoyed.
Narendra Modi
THE FAILED CHARMER: Many thought that the BJP had found the charismatic personality in him which was missing post Vajpayee. But his charm & magic was restricted to Gujarat. The star campaigner of the BJP failed to garner any extra support outside his stronghold. His unacceptability among other NDA parties, may dash his hopes of becoming the prime minister.
J Jayalalitha
OVER CONFIDENCE: Her overconfidence before elections was one of the biggest factors for not posting an impresssive performance. People were incredulous about the promises she made with regards to the ‘Tamil’ issue in Sri Lanka. Even a strong pre poll alliance could not help her to register a huge victory.
Mayawati
DELHI IS FAR AWAY: This election was a reality check for Mayawati. She still has a long way to travel, before she reaches Delhi. During the UP assembly elections, her ‘social enginneering’ earned her a thumping victory. But her failure to live up to their expectations, led to a disappointing performance this time around
The Yadavs (Mulayam, Lalu Prasad & Ram Vilas Paswan)
NO WHERE TO GO: Their selfish and arrogant aprroach pre elections has cost them dearly. Not only did they loose badly, but also lost out on an opportunity, of becoming a part of a stronger government at the centre. With all three out of power both at the centre & state, the future looks bleak.
Prakash Karat
BROUGH T TO THE GROUND: His dogmatic attitude and ideology, which is out of tune with reality has brought him & his party to the ground. His stand on the nuclear deal, which he potrayed as ‘anti- national’ and continous blackmailing during the UPA regime back fired. The masses taught him & his party a lesson.
Published on http://www.behindindia.com/india-news-stories/slideshows/election-winners/manmohan-singh.html - 21st May 2009
http://www.behindindia.com/india-news-stories/slideshows/election-losers/l-k-advani.html - - 21st May 2009
Thursday, May 14, 2009
POST DIVORSE, ITS MARRIAGE TIME
With the last leg of campaigning for the elections getting over, the season of marriage proposals begins. Unlike a normal marriage, Indian politics is about divorse followed by marriage. Congress & the Left were at loggerheads for the past one year. Left was responsible for bringing the UPA government on the brink of collapse last year. It was a bitter divorse which ended on a highly sour note. But one year down the line, Congress is playing the role of the groom and trying to woo the probable bride. The only difference this time around is that there are multiple brides which it is trying to woo. The kind of vibes the groom (Congress) has been sending over the last few days does not reflect any vestige of the rocky marriage that the Left and Congress shared for the past 4 years. But the proposal is not restricted only to the Left. The Congress also wants Jayalalitha & Nitish Kumar to be a part of this marriage.
The biggest advantage the Congress has at this junction is that it is the most viable option for most regional parties. But the biggest negative for the Congress is that if it wants AIADMK & JD (U) to join its allaince, then it will have to break ties with its close associates of the UPA- Lalu Prasad’s RJD & Karunanidhi’s DMK.Barring Nitish led JD(U), no party would be comfortable alligning with the BJP due to it’s communal image. Even for the Left the biggest problem is that it cannot form a third front government without the Congress’s support.
In all likelihood which ever alliance comes to power, the two most practical marriages possible are- 1) A Congress led government at the centre along with the Left, where Congress is the groom and Left is the bride. 2) A Left led third front government with Left as the groom along with various brides (smaller parties) & the Congress plays the priest’s role by blessing the marriage (support the government from the outside). Given that there is going to be a fractured mandate, Congress & the Left will have to work together in some way or the other to keep the BJP out of power.
The other probable marriage which no one is talking about at the moment is between the BJP & Mayawati. This couple might just shock everyone by tying the knot. As Manmohan Singh says ‘Politics is the art of the possible’. This possibilty could just underline Dr.Singh’s statement.
Published on- http://www.behindindia.com/india-news-stories/article/election-2009-01.html
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
THE GRAND OLD PRIME MINISTER OF YOUNG INDIA
Elections 2009 are around the corner, setting the buzz as to who would be the next Prime Minister of India. L k Advani is the prime ministerial candidate for the BJP lead NDA, while Dr. Manmohan Singh is all set to be projected as the Prime Ministerial candidate of the Congress lead UPA. It won’t be fair to conclude that these elections will be Advani V/S Manmohan, as Indian elections are not about personalities but diverse issues spearheaded by a plethora of political parties. And in the age of coalition politics, the 3rd name that has emerged as the possible contender for thePrime Minister’s post is Mayawati, the undisputed leader of the Bhahujan Samaj Party and the front runner to be the prime ministerial candidate of the BSP-Left lead third front. In this blog I won’t be elaborating on how much chance does each candidate fancy of occupying the most important political portfolio, but want to throw light at the age profile of the primeministerial candidates.
Dr.Manmohan Singh is going to be 77 in 2009. No doubt he has been an honest leader, argubly the most qualified leader in the world to lead a nation. In 2004, when this humble ex-finance minister of India, went on to become the accidental prime minister, he was 72. This was around the same time when the India rising wave had started making noise across the world. And during his tenure, India made its presence felt across the globe like never before. The biggest nations of the world went on to appreciate that India would surely emerge as the ‘Super power’ of the 21st century along wit China. This would also mark the end of US dominance and European pseudo super power.The main reason attributed for India to attain this new global status was because of its ‘youth’ power.
LK Advani is 5 years older to Dr Singh. He will be completing 82 this year. If Lk Advani does become the Prime Minister this year, he will go on to become the oldest politician to be elected as a leader of a country and the 2nd oldest leader in the world. If one looks at the list of oldest leaders of the world, there are only ‘two’ legitimate elected leaders- 1)Abdoulaye Wade, President of Senegal , who is going to be 83 this year ( he was elected in 2000 at the age of 74 and re-elected at the age of 81 in 2007)and 2)Dr Singh who is 77. Mayawati is probably the only young face among the three candidates aiming for the top post. She could become the Prime Minister at the age of 53. But she can’t be considered a candidate yet because she has no official support yet from any party. So that leaves us with two official candidates running for the top government post of the country.
Ironically, as mentioned earlier, India’s youth power is considered as its USP to become a super power. The 20th century super power USA’s population age is ‘65’. By 2030 1 out of every 5 Americans would be 65 and above. And yet they elected Barak Obama who is 47.Much younger than the current population age projected. He went on to defeat John Mcain who is 72. If we look at the other major global leaders, they all are much younger than their Indian counterparts. E.g. Gordon Brownof Britain is 57, Nicolas Sarkozy of France is 54, Angela Merkel of Germany is 54 etc. In India 54% of the population is below ‘35’ and yet the average age of the top two leaders is ‘80’!!!!
The last time India had a Prime Minister below the age of 60 was in 1989, when VP Singh became the prime minister at the age of 59 for less than a year. Rajiv Gandhi can be considered as the only young Prime Minister this nation got.He won a landslide victory (Post Indira Gandhi assassination) in 1984 and became the prime minister at the age of 40. At a time when majority of the countries are electing young and dynamic leaders to tackle the contemporary global issues, the probable super power of this century might go on to elect the oldest prime minister ever!!!
The average age of an Indian MP is 53. 14% of the MPs are above the age of 65, while only 6.5% are below the age of 35. A country with 54% of the population below the age of 35 has only 34 MPs of the same age group in the parliament. The root of the problem lies here, of not having young politicians contesting elections. Its easier said then done because not a single party encourages young people to contest election unless he/she comes with a political lineage.So forget getting a prime minister below the age of 35, getting more MPs and more people young people contesting election is the most fundamental way to inject some youth in Indian politics. Lack of dynamic leaders is another problem that parties are not able to project young leaders who can match the average age of an Indian MP (53). In BJP there is already major infighting between the second generation leaders. After Advani ,Narendra Modi who is touching 59 is considered the favorite to lead the party in the next elections. But here again without venturing in the personality issue, he too by the time become a prime ministerial candidate would be in his mid 60’s.
Pragmatic thinking and given the dimensions of Indian politics there are only two scenarios in which India can get a young prime minister in the near future. One if Mayawati with help of small minded parties comes to power. She at the age of 53 will be considered a young prime minister. But this whole Old V/s young issue is not merely restricted to the age factor. A‘Young leader ‘is asscociated with newer ideas and a fresh outlook, which I am afraid Mayawati lacks completely. She hasn’t displayed an iota of new age ideologies, but instead new age electoral politics which focuses on social engineering.
The second possible senario,for India to get a young prime minister in the immediate future is Rahul Gandhi . For the up coming elections, a faction of the Congress (sycophants) were demanding that he be named the prime ministerial candidate. But Sonia Gandhi’s faith in Manmohan Singh to lead for one more term along with giving Rahul Gandhi more time to gear up for the major role, delayed this declaration. Without deviating from the main point, the irony remains that the only way India can get a young leader with some amount of faith and credibility in the next few years is through ‘dynastic’ politics. People won’t have a major problem in accepting him as a prime minister since he is educated and comes across more sincere, but the problem is that this reiterates the fact that only power, money, political lineage and years of sycophancy can lead one to rise the ladder. This leaves not much scope for a free, liberal and fresh young thinking politican to rise to the top post in this country without any political lineage or divisive political ideology.
Janagran and Tata have initiated an awarness campaign asking younger people to sign up for voting. It’s a valiant effort and appreciative one also. It’s a good start to involve youth in todays political system. India does not need just one ‘Obama’ type personality to resurrect the political inclination in today’s generation. For that to happen Indian polity requires new faces and fresh ideoligies clubbed with new ideas that they can relate to. It needs leaders who can connect with this set of audience and raise new issues, not the ones we have been hearing for the past 6 decades. And if the steps are not taken soon, the average age of an Indian MP will remain the same for years to come. And we would still be choosing leaders for the top post with an average age of 80.!!!While Janagran would have launched a new campiagn called ‘jawan pradhan mantri chahiye’ abhiyan, there would still be many of us without voter id cards....
Published on - http://www.behindindia.com/india-news-stories/article/election-2009.html
Dr.Manmohan Singh is going to be 77 in 2009. No doubt he has been an honest leader, argubly the most qualified leader in the world to lead a nation. In 2004, when this humble ex-finance minister of India, went on to become the accidental prime minister, he was 72. This was around the same time when the India rising wave had started making noise across the world. And during his tenure, India made its presence felt across the globe like never before. The biggest nations of the world went on to appreciate that India would surely emerge as the ‘Super power’ of the 21st century along wit China. This would also mark the end of US dominance and European pseudo super power.The main reason attributed for India to attain this new global status was because of its ‘youth’ power.
LK Advani is 5 years older to Dr Singh. He will be completing 82 this year. If Lk Advani does become the Prime Minister this year, he will go on to become the oldest politician to be elected as a leader of a country and the 2nd oldest leader in the world. If one looks at the list of oldest leaders of the world, there are only ‘two’ legitimate elected leaders- 1)Abdoulaye Wade, President of Senegal , who is going to be 83 this year ( he was elected in 2000 at the age of 74 and re-elected at the age of 81 in 2007)and 2)Dr Singh who is 77. Mayawati is probably the only young face among the three candidates aiming for the top post. She could become the Prime Minister at the age of 53. But she can’t be considered a candidate yet because she has no official support yet from any party. So that leaves us with two official candidates running for the top government post of the country.
Ironically, as mentioned earlier, India’s youth power is considered as its USP to become a super power. The 20th century super power USA’s population age is ‘65’. By 2030 1 out of every 5 Americans would be 65 and above. And yet they elected Barak Obama who is 47.Much younger than the current population age projected. He went on to defeat John Mcain who is 72. If we look at the other major global leaders, they all are much younger than their Indian counterparts. E.g. Gordon Brownof Britain is 57, Nicolas Sarkozy of France is 54, Angela Merkel of Germany is 54 etc. In India 54% of the population is below ‘35’ and yet the average age of the top two leaders is ‘80’!!!!
The last time India had a Prime Minister below the age of 60 was in 1989, when VP Singh became the prime minister at the age of 59 for less than a year. Rajiv Gandhi can be considered as the only young Prime Minister this nation got.He won a landslide victory (Post Indira Gandhi assassination) in 1984 and became the prime minister at the age of 40. At a time when majority of the countries are electing young and dynamic leaders to tackle the contemporary global issues, the probable super power of this century might go on to elect the oldest prime minister ever!!!
The average age of an Indian MP is 53. 14% of the MPs are above the age of 65, while only 6.5% are below the age of 35. A country with 54% of the population below the age of 35 has only 34 MPs of the same age group in the parliament. The root of the problem lies here, of not having young politicians contesting elections. Its easier said then done because not a single party encourages young people to contest election unless he/she comes with a political lineage.So forget getting a prime minister below the age of 35, getting more MPs and more people young people contesting election is the most fundamental way to inject some youth in Indian politics. Lack of dynamic leaders is another problem that parties are not able to project young leaders who can match the average age of an Indian MP (53). In BJP there is already major infighting between the second generation leaders. After Advani ,Narendra Modi who is touching 59 is considered the favorite to lead the party in the next elections. But here again without venturing in the personality issue, he too by the time become a prime ministerial candidate would be in his mid 60’s.
Pragmatic thinking and given the dimensions of Indian politics there are only two scenarios in which India can get a young prime minister in the near future. One if Mayawati with help of small minded parties comes to power. She at the age of 53 will be considered a young prime minister. But this whole Old V/s young issue is not merely restricted to the age factor. A‘Young leader ‘is asscociated with newer ideas and a fresh outlook, which I am afraid Mayawati lacks completely. She hasn’t displayed an iota of new age ideologies, but instead new age electoral politics which focuses on social engineering.
The second possible senario,for India to get a young prime minister in the immediate future is Rahul Gandhi . For the up coming elections, a faction of the Congress (sycophants) were demanding that he be named the prime ministerial candidate. But Sonia Gandhi’s faith in Manmohan Singh to lead for one more term along with giving Rahul Gandhi more time to gear up for the major role, delayed this declaration. Without deviating from the main point, the irony remains that the only way India can get a young leader with some amount of faith and credibility in the next few years is through ‘dynastic’ politics. People won’t have a major problem in accepting him as a prime minister since he is educated and comes across more sincere, but the problem is that this reiterates the fact that only power, money, political lineage and years of sycophancy can lead one to rise the ladder. This leaves not much scope for a free, liberal and fresh young thinking politican to rise to the top post in this country without any political lineage or divisive political ideology.
Janagran and Tata have initiated an awarness campaign asking younger people to sign up for voting. It’s a valiant effort and appreciative one also. It’s a good start to involve youth in todays political system. India does not need just one ‘Obama’ type personality to resurrect the political inclination in today’s generation. For that to happen Indian polity requires new faces and fresh ideoligies clubbed with new ideas that they can relate to. It needs leaders who can connect with this set of audience and raise new issues, not the ones we have been hearing for the past 6 decades. And if the steps are not taken soon, the average age of an Indian MP will remain the same for years to come. And we would still be choosing leaders for the top post with an average age of 80.!!!While Janagran would have launched a new campiagn called ‘jawan pradhan mantri chahiye’ abhiyan, there would still be many of us without voter id cards....
Published on - http://www.behindindia.com/india-news-stories/article/election-2009.html
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Life = Phases + Free advises
Life is full of phases and advises. There are two types of phases one goes through- 1) Some of them arrive unannounced and mostly surprise us. 2) The second type the ones which we know will be heading our way but leaves us wondering as to what it will have in store for us. I will be going by the second type, that I can broadly divide into various phases of life, which are funny, pleasant and even intimidating at times that ones goes through. I am sure most of us have encoutered these situations in life. And the best part is that each of us is made to believe that every such phase at that moment is the most critical junction of life. Advises can be best defined as ‘unwanted piece of mind/suggestion which on most occasions comes from people who indulge in advicing with out any pragmatsim. The best advices come from people who are practical and speak from experience.
Phase 1- is when a child starts going to school. I believe it’s from this point that a human’s problem starts and comes to an end only on his/her demise. The moment you pick up your books to go to school; it’s the beginning of the real world.
Phase 2- This stage comes when one writes his/her 10th class exam. There is nothing unusual about this class. The spelling and the literal meaning of the word ‘Exam’ also remains the same. But the only problem is that it’s not like any other class exam but the child’s first ‘board’ exam. And board in our country means ‘War for life’. The hype that’s build around this exam is like one has to score well if you in order to ensure a bright future. If a child fails to score above 85%( Or even more in some cases), his life is over. There is no purpose to live and his/her career is over for eternity.
Phase -Once the results are out then the child has to make the next ‘critical’ decision of choosing a stream (Science, Commerce, Arts) that would decide the track for the life ahead. I vividly remember choosing science with the enthusiasm of becoming a computer engineer. I guess even I got entised by the most so called cool profession of that time which was ‘computer enginnering’. I managed to score a distinction is science, which was not outstanding, but not bad enough to continue with science.
Scenario 1- If your results are good, the pressure starts building up for your next big ‘Exam’ that’s the 12th board which is another 20 months away. The 10th board exam becomes irrelevent, because the version now changes. The new version is that the 10th exam was like a warm up, the real battle or rather war is the 12th board exam, which would determine one’s destiny. If you had scored well in your 10th exam after all the pressure, it is unfortunetely forgotten very soon. As if all the lectures and advices one got from almost every second person one met was in last century, and times have changed, where 10th exam doesn’t matter anymore. That leaves ones wondering, ‘Wel all the hard work I did for those marks really don’t matter, but if I don’t score in the next big one (12th board exams), all the merits and achievements in school becomes immaterial.
Scenario 2- If you end up scoring less than 85%, meaning you don’t fall in the ‘bright students’ category. This marks the beginning of the ‘You are good for nothing’ period. People around you give a look as if you have commited a huge crime, which makes you feel like you have failed in the ultimate purpose of life for which you were born And after a few days by the time everyone around assimilates the reality, of the person not scoring enough to make their parents proud to make them walk with their heads high in society. The series of lectures and advices starts yet again, but the objective remains the same but yes the repuccusions get severe. ‘Score 85% in your 12th exam’, but the slogan changes.This time around its ‘Do or Die’ or ‘Make or Break’. This is your last chance to have a bright and stable future, otherwise it’s all over. Life has given you a second and the last chance to do well. The ironly remains that the last time around also the message decoded was the same, but it seems people tend to forget what they said the last time rather quickly. And finally one start’s on the mission of his/her life, to score the magic marks, which would ensure a dignified life and above all a secure future. Along with that keep preparing for the entrance exams. So the presssure is doubled, not only score well in exams, but also give an impeccable performance in all the entrance tests. Specially the one’s sitting for professional courses like engineering or medical, have only IIT, AIIMS resonating in their mind.
Phase 3- This one starts in college. And more importantly the course one chooses. If you have cracked IIT or a medical college than your problems for the time being are settled. If not than the new issues emanate. Two things matter a lot, the college and the course. In many houses or societies the course one chooses is instrumental in predicting the future. If one belongs to a small town, and has not chosen any thing other than Enginnering, Medical, than one is really considered insignificant. The next question that follows ‘So you have plans to do MBA after the course you are doing’. One barely starts going to college and if it is not a profesional course one is doing than people either start lecturing you to start preparing for MBA or remain quite, thinking that he/she is like anyother mediocre student. By the time the final year of college starts, even more questions start poping up ‘So how is your prepartion for CAT going’? And if by chance you are not interested in doing your MBA, than most people have a disillusioned expression on their face, as if you have decided to take sanyaas from life or you are not serious about your future. Till one enrolls for graduation, he/she is bound to go through this turmoil
Phase 4- This phase again has two scenarios
Scenarios 1- If you have enrolled yourself for a post graduation, than people look at you with a different perspective all together. Here again though the college from where you are pursuing really matters. If it happens to be from any other institute then IIM, then the next question that follows is’ How are the placements’. But on the whole the next two years are not that bad. One would encounter questions like every 2nd day, ‘When are you finishing your course’? When will I be seeing you working??’ You must have barely completed 2 months in the new course, but yeah you can’t evade this question. Till you don’t get a job, one is beset by the same question again and again.
Scenario 2- And if by chance you happen to work after your graduation, people will appreciate you, but at the same time keep asking you (Unless you are a engineer or doctor) ‘ So when will you do your post graduation’. No matter if the person is doing well and enjoying the job, the same question will be repeated in different voices and tones.
Phase 5- This phase begins the day you start working.And I have recently entered this phase. Well, in my case since I happen to be a journalist working for a news channel (which is yet to go on air). People keep asking me ‘So when will we be seeing you on Tv’. Yeah that’s right the day you appear on a TV channel, all those people who kept lecturing you in the form of the free unwanted advice and gave you a startled look when you expressed your desire to become a journalist, would now be telling everyone else around, that this boy is my x, y, z etc. Yes, for them coming on TV means fame and celebrityhood. Well, if coming on TV was such an easy task, I guess then majority of us would have been doing that till now. There is a lot one has to learn before you go on air. It’s a process which encompasses various stages. Now the next question that will keep emanating again and again would be’ When will I c you on TV’ till I make it. And if I don’t, than I rather change my profession, because for many, news channel means you have to be on air.
Well I don’t know whether this career move would be good or bad. But the advises will be keep flowing, come what may. The only difference this time would be that it would come from proffesional and senior people. And thank god atleast these can be taken seriously as they come from experience people, unlike those who themseleves might have failed utterly, but leave no chance to lecture others how to succeed.Advising is not the problem, but imposing it is wrong. And undermining the other person’s decision making ability is even more annoying. I think all individuals are wise enough to take critical decisions on their own as long as they are given the space and freedom to take them on their own. Thinking the other person is directionless and knows nothing is the biggest stupidity.
These are phases I have gone through. I am sure there are many more such phases waiting to arrive along with the advices. But in retrospect I have learned one thing, no one stage decides the course of our life, it’s a series of small decsions and steps that go on to shape our destiny. Life will go on full of phases and advises well one can’t stop them come what may….
Phase 1- is when a child starts going to school. I believe it’s from this point that a human’s problem starts and comes to an end only on his/her demise. The moment you pick up your books to go to school; it’s the beginning of the real world.
Phase 2- This stage comes when one writes his/her 10th class exam. There is nothing unusual about this class. The spelling and the literal meaning of the word ‘Exam’ also remains the same. But the only problem is that it’s not like any other class exam but the child’s first ‘board’ exam. And board in our country means ‘War for life’. The hype that’s build around this exam is like one has to score well if you in order to ensure a bright future. If a child fails to score above 85%( Or even more in some cases), his life is over. There is no purpose to live and his/her career is over for eternity.
Phase -Once the results are out then the child has to make the next ‘critical’ decision of choosing a stream (Science, Commerce, Arts) that would decide the track for the life ahead. I vividly remember choosing science with the enthusiasm of becoming a computer engineer. I guess even I got entised by the most so called cool profession of that time which was ‘computer enginnering’. I managed to score a distinction is science, which was not outstanding, but not bad enough to continue with science.
Scenario 1- If your results are good, the pressure starts building up for your next big ‘Exam’ that’s the 12th board which is another 20 months away. The 10th board exam becomes irrelevent, because the version now changes. The new version is that the 10th exam was like a warm up, the real battle or rather war is the 12th board exam, which would determine one’s destiny. If you had scored well in your 10th exam after all the pressure, it is unfortunetely forgotten very soon. As if all the lectures and advices one got from almost every second person one met was in last century, and times have changed, where 10th exam doesn’t matter anymore. That leaves ones wondering, ‘Wel all the hard work I did for those marks really don’t matter, but if I don’t score in the next big one (12th board exams), all the merits and achievements in school becomes immaterial.
Scenario 2- If you end up scoring less than 85%, meaning you don’t fall in the ‘bright students’ category. This marks the beginning of the ‘You are good for nothing’ period. People around you give a look as if you have commited a huge crime, which makes you feel like you have failed in the ultimate purpose of life for which you were born And after a few days by the time everyone around assimilates the reality, of the person not scoring enough to make their parents proud to make them walk with their heads high in society. The series of lectures and advices starts yet again, but the objective remains the same but yes the repuccusions get severe. ‘Score 85% in your 12th exam’, but the slogan changes.This time around its ‘Do or Die’ or ‘Make or Break’. This is your last chance to have a bright and stable future, otherwise it’s all over. Life has given you a second and the last chance to do well. The ironly remains that the last time around also the message decoded was the same, but it seems people tend to forget what they said the last time rather quickly. And finally one start’s on the mission of his/her life, to score the magic marks, which would ensure a dignified life and above all a secure future. Along with that keep preparing for the entrance exams. So the presssure is doubled, not only score well in exams, but also give an impeccable performance in all the entrance tests. Specially the one’s sitting for professional courses like engineering or medical, have only IIT, AIIMS resonating in their mind.
Phase 3- This one starts in college. And more importantly the course one chooses. If you have cracked IIT or a medical college than your problems for the time being are settled. If not than the new issues emanate. Two things matter a lot, the college and the course. In many houses or societies the course one chooses is instrumental in predicting the future. If one belongs to a small town, and has not chosen any thing other than Enginnering, Medical, than one is really considered insignificant. The next question that follows ‘So you have plans to do MBA after the course you are doing’. One barely starts going to college and if it is not a profesional course one is doing than people either start lecturing you to start preparing for MBA or remain quite, thinking that he/she is like anyother mediocre student. By the time the final year of college starts, even more questions start poping up ‘So how is your prepartion for CAT going’? And if by chance you are not interested in doing your MBA, than most people have a disillusioned expression on their face, as if you have decided to take sanyaas from life or you are not serious about your future. Till one enrolls for graduation, he/she is bound to go through this turmoil
Phase 4- This phase again has two scenarios
Scenarios 1- If you have enrolled yourself for a post graduation, than people look at you with a different perspective all together. Here again though the college from where you are pursuing really matters. If it happens to be from any other institute then IIM, then the next question that follows is’ How are the placements’. But on the whole the next two years are not that bad. One would encounter questions like every 2nd day, ‘When are you finishing your course’? When will I be seeing you working??’ You must have barely completed 2 months in the new course, but yeah you can’t evade this question. Till you don’t get a job, one is beset by the same question again and again.
Scenario 2- And if by chance you happen to work after your graduation, people will appreciate you, but at the same time keep asking you (Unless you are a engineer or doctor) ‘ So when will you do your post graduation’. No matter if the person is doing well and enjoying the job, the same question will be repeated in different voices and tones.
Phase 5- This phase begins the day you start working.And I have recently entered this phase. Well, in my case since I happen to be a journalist working for a news channel (which is yet to go on air). People keep asking me ‘So when will we be seeing you on Tv’. Yeah that’s right the day you appear on a TV channel, all those people who kept lecturing you in the form of the free unwanted advice and gave you a startled look when you expressed your desire to become a journalist, would now be telling everyone else around, that this boy is my x, y, z etc. Yes, for them coming on TV means fame and celebrityhood. Well, if coming on TV was such an easy task, I guess then majority of us would have been doing that till now. There is a lot one has to learn before you go on air. It’s a process which encompasses various stages. Now the next question that will keep emanating again and again would be’ When will I c you on TV’ till I make it. And if I don’t, than I rather change my profession, because for many, news channel means you have to be on air.
Well I don’t know whether this career move would be good or bad. But the advises will be keep flowing, come what may. The only difference this time would be that it would come from proffesional and senior people. And thank god atleast these can be taken seriously as they come from experience people, unlike those who themseleves might have failed utterly, but leave no chance to lecture others how to succeed.Advising is not the problem, but imposing it is wrong. And undermining the other person’s decision making ability is even more annoying. I think all individuals are wise enough to take critical decisions on their own as long as they are given the space and freedom to take them on their own. Thinking the other person is directionless and knows nothing is the biggest stupidity.
These are phases I have gone through. I am sure there are many more such phases waiting to arrive along with the advices. But in retrospect I have learned one thing, no one stage decides the course of our life, it’s a series of small decsions and steps that go on to shape our destiny. Life will go on full of phases and advises well one can’t stop them come what may….
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
My blog, My freedom
Little was i aware til a few days bak, that blogging epitomises the absolute 'freedom' of a individual. We, Indians brought up in a nation that celebrates freedom as a birth right have often failed to define 'absolute freedom'. Yes, we are a indepenedent country where we are allowed to practice any religion, speak any language, subscribe to any ideology, campaign for any political outfit and not to forget excercise the right to vote from the age of 18. The various points mentioned are some of the key ingrdients of freedom. No doubt India ranks high across the world when compared on a democratic scale even against some of the biggest super powers of the world ( e.g. Russia, China). But is this really absolute freedom... have to rethink about it.
If the above mentioned factors were enough to consider ourselves as absolutely free society than what would one say about the millions of ppl suffering due to poverty and wit no one to hear them, or the innocent youngsters who r sufferin for being alleged to be involved in terrorist activities without any proof, or the millions ragging a clamour in east India but all falling on deaf years with the media also not paying much heed, or thousands of domestic workers suffering without making a single noise, or the thousands of helpless gals been sexually molested across the country with no idea who to turn for help as most of the culprits r within the families, or the thousands who get slaughtered in riots which have taken place after regular intervals of time, or the Men in khakhi the so called protectors of the society- the police who themselves commit the most horrendous crimes which has appalled the country...The list can just go on...One thing common in the above mentioned list is that none of these ppl have a medium to fall upon and express themselves. For them the only way to express is through police, family, society etc unfortunately all these are a part and parcel of the whole crime cycle that runs in full circle...Media which is considered the fourth estate or referred as the watch dog of the society also has some blood on its hand.Its selective reporting and sensational driven brand of journalism has further distanced the actual victims to be heard Not only has it distanced from them but even vitimized ppl ( Khurana case- victim of a sting operation).
Blogging is one such medium which restricts no individual from expressing anything...The space is completely yrs with no one to censor or curb you from writing yr thoughts, pain, happiness, sufferings etc...there is no family, police, media, court, etc to scritunized as to wat one wants to say....I know the idea of blogging as the ideal form of absolute freedom is highly remote as hardly a few millions have access to the internet and a fraction of them actively blogs...but atleast a beginning has been made....it might take time...but one day hopefully every individual irrespective of his/ her religion,caste, gender, sexual orientation, financial status wil be able to excercise absolute freedom and be heard genuinely thro blogging...
I have realized that freedom was a notion for me till now , but blogging might just break that.
My blog is my freedom, my blog is me...
If the above mentioned factors were enough to consider ourselves as absolutely free society than what would one say about the millions of ppl suffering due to poverty and wit no one to hear them, or the innocent youngsters who r sufferin for being alleged to be involved in terrorist activities without any proof, or the millions ragging a clamour in east India but all falling on deaf years with the media also not paying much heed, or thousands of domestic workers suffering without making a single noise, or the thousands of helpless gals been sexually molested across the country with no idea who to turn for help as most of the culprits r within the families, or the thousands who get slaughtered in riots which have taken place after regular intervals of time, or the Men in khakhi the so called protectors of the society- the police who themselves commit the most horrendous crimes which has appalled the country...The list can just go on...One thing common in the above mentioned list is that none of these ppl have a medium to fall upon and express themselves. For them the only way to express is through police, family, society etc unfortunately all these are a part and parcel of the whole crime cycle that runs in full circle...Media which is considered the fourth estate or referred as the watch dog of the society also has some blood on its hand.Its selective reporting and sensational driven brand of journalism has further distanced the actual victims to be heard Not only has it distanced from them but even vitimized ppl ( Khurana case- victim of a sting operation).
Blogging is one such medium which restricts no individual from expressing anything...The space is completely yrs with no one to censor or curb you from writing yr thoughts, pain, happiness, sufferings etc...there is no family, police, media, court, etc to scritunized as to wat one wants to say....I know the idea of blogging as the ideal form of absolute freedom is highly remote as hardly a few millions have access to the internet and a fraction of them actively blogs...but atleast a beginning has been made....it might take time...but one day hopefully every individual irrespective of his/ her religion,caste, gender, sexual orientation, financial status wil be able to excercise absolute freedom and be heard genuinely thro blogging...
I have realized that freedom was a notion for me till now , but blogging might just break that.
My blog is my freedom, my blog is me...
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