Yes, that’s what CAT2009 can be termed as!
Known for its consistency in throwing surprises year after year, this year CAT had peanuts to throw at the aspirants.
As there was no hint of surprise…the candidates had no apprehensions pertaining to surprises, all they had was fanatical fear. Hence crashing of servers, shut down of the testing centres was all expected.
CAT2009 began with a declared surprise: that it was going online. There were no two ways about it. Now, after developments in disasters during the first 3 days, educational experts are suggesting a return to the paper-based format. So, this might be the most un/favorable surprise in store for us.
Mass cheating, blurring of screens, virus attacks are consistently being a part of this hysteria. Instances of questions being repeated in the 2nd and 3rd day sessions have also been reported. There has been no marking scheme released as yet. The entire process which garnered trust of students, the educational fraternity and the recruiters is far from being transparent and agog with discrepancies and ample mistrust. What big a question mark will this chain of events create on the IIM 2009-11 batch students is another issue for contemplation.
The CAT this year has generated more questions offline:
• How are the IIMs going to account for all these glitches?
• Are they even going to give a statement of assurance to the bewildered students??
• Was such great a reliance on an international firm justified, that the IIMs could allow them to conduct the maiden round of exams without any trials?
• Are they ever going to being questioned on having dared to mess around with a career defining exam for the elite class of students of India?
• Is a paper based re-test on the cards??
The entire episode is reduced to a farce. The credibility of the students going to enter the premier B-schools of India is on absolutely slippery grounds.
My sincere wishes to all the students taking this test. This year we are being tested for our patience. Intelligence; yes even that!!..it just got forsaken in this rut!
Monday, November 30, 2009
Thursday, August 13, 2009
When the air smells of flu
You don’t have to be attractive to make heads turn in a crowd. One untimely sneeze and you became the epicenter of public attention!! Some eyeing you with suspicion, some praying to god to disallow the air-borne virus from entering his/her system and a few benevolent souls praying for your health and vitality.
Gone are the days when one would swell in pride announcing the arrival of their NRI relatives to homeland for a vacation. Now, they are better off in their foreign abode. Indian hospitality now includes not just the ‘tika’ and ‘arati’; but also screening and frisking in its antecedent levels. Amidst the bleak picture, one finds solace as the awareness of personal hygiene is steadily rising in the city.
All this, thanks to one pig that got it all wrong for itself and the rest of the world!
So, what does one do when he/she sneezes? (besides praying-an option invalid for an atheist)
1. Do not press the panic button and declare yourself as an unfortunate victim of swine flu.
2. Realize that common flu and common cold is still in vogue; and so sneezing is not that off-seasonal.
There are other things to worry about. With hospitals circulating mismatched reports, it makes sense to first consult your family physician than just rush to Kasturba. People are selling the N-95 masks at twice or thrice the amount of its listed maximum retail price. Indians that we are, making the most (profits) in every situation, adversities included. I am no medical practitioner to advice people on the current pandemic. But common sense tells that it is better to understand and identify the symptoms of the disease. These include high fever and difficulty in breathing. We also need to take the preventive measures (listed by newspapers, internet portals and TV news channels) and consume a wholesome diet. Nutritionists have said that an intake of Vitamin C can be effective in building immunity. Using masks, which necessarily need to be sterilized after every usage; strictly eating home-cooked food should be a routine exercise.
The flu is here to stay for atleast two more months and a complete reliance on government measures can prove to be fatal. A preventive vaccine can be expected in future, but at the same time we must realize that the projected number of swine flu victims will be showing a steep rise in the subsequent months.
Swine flu has probably come as a respite to Pakistan’s bureaucracy, as Indo-Pak peace talks take a relative backstage. The PM’s B-statement also seems to be forgotten. Pranab’s efforts to dilate the tax slabs are less appreciated. As Indians, and moreover as students, we have a platter full of worries; swine flu just adding to the same.
At this juncture, all we can do is, take care…
Gone are the days when one would swell in pride announcing the arrival of their NRI relatives to homeland for a vacation. Now, they are better off in their foreign abode. Indian hospitality now includes not just the ‘tika’ and ‘arati’; but also screening and frisking in its antecedent levels. Amidst the bleak picture, one finds solace as the awareness of personal hygiene is steadily rising in the city.
All this, thanks to one pig that got it all wrong for itself and the rest of the world!
So, what does one do when he/she sneezes? (besides praying-an option invalid for an atheist)
1. Do not press the panic button and declare yourself as an unfortunate victim of swine flu.
2. Realize that common flu and common cold is still in vogue; and so sneezing is not that off-seasonal.
There are other things to worry about. With hospitals circulating mismatched reports, it makes sense to first consult your family physician than just rush to Kasturba. People are selling the N-95 masks at twice or thrice the amount of its listed maximum retail price. Indians that we are, making the most (profits) in every situation, adversities included. I am no medical practitioner to advice people on the current pandemic. But common sense tells that it is better to understand and identify the symptoms of the disease. These include high fever and difficulty in breathing. We also need to take the preventive measures (listed by newspapers, internet portals and TV news channels) and consume a wholesome diet. Nutritionists have said that an intake of Vitamin C can be effective in building immunity. Using masks, which necessarily need to be sterilized after every usage; strictly eating home-cooked food should be a routine exercise.
The flu is here to stay for atleast two more months and a complete reliance on government measures can prove to be fatal. A preventive vaccine can be expected in future, but at the same time we must realize that the projected number of swine flu victims will be showing a steep rise in the subsequent months.
Swine flu has probably come as a respite to Pakistan’s bureaucracy, as Indo-Pak peace talks take a relative backstage. The PM’s B-statement also seems to be forgotten. Pranab’s efforts to dilate the tax slabs are less appreciated. As Indians, and moreover as students, we have a platter full of worries; swine flu just adding to the same.
At this juncture, all we can do is, take care…
Thursday, July 2, 2009
All’s GAY that ends well!
All’s GAY that ends well
Times are changing for sure. So, the age old-sayings need some alterations. Alterations that will definitely lead to altercations.
The Delhi HC ruling comes as a respite to gay activists fighting a legal battle for over 8 years now. Discrimination on the basis of sexual preference is depriving a person of his/her basic civil right, and the verdict has rightly put an end to it. Now we can expect more people ‘coming out of the closet’ and boldly declaring that we are ‘Gay and proud’; incidentally at the same time. Yet, in a multi culturist society, a state of acceptance is more important than mere provisions. If the professed gays are shunned by the ‘normal’ people, then their freedom becomes too limited. So that calls for another law to be passed which terms ridiculing or disrespecting the gays of the society, a punishable offence. Hence, the acceptance of certain people showing an ‘unnatural’ sexual orientation by the society at large will be reflective of the success made by the latest judgment.
The conservative religious and cultural groups term this verdict as an unfortunate. But the government cannot please all the sections of the society at the same time. Nevertheless, this historic amendment which is bound to have far-reaching implications is a laudable gesture by the government taken towards establishing a state of utopia.
Jai ho!
Times are changing for sure. So, the age old-sayings need some alterations. Alterations that will definitely lead to altercations.
The Delhi HC ruling comes as a respite to gay activists fighting a legal battle for over 8 years now. Discrimination on the basis of sexual preference is depriving a person of his/her basic civil right, and the verdict has rightly put an end to it. Now we can expect more people ‘coming out of the closet’ and boldly declaring that we are ‘Gay and proud’; incidentally at the same time. Yet, in a multi culturist society, a state of acceptance is more important than mere provisions. If the professed gays are shunned by the ‘normal’ people, then their freedom becomes too limited. So that calls for another law to be passed which terms ridiculing or disrespecting the gays of the society, a punishable offence. Hence, the acceptance of certain people showing an ‘unnatural’ sexual orientation by the society at large will be reflective of the success made by the latest judgment.
The conservative religious and cultural groups term this verdict as an unfortunate. But the government cannot please all the sections of the society at the same time. Nevertheless, this historic amendment which is bound to have far-reaching implications is a laudable gesture by the government taken towards establishing a state of utopia.
Jai ho!
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
The Name-Game
The name-game
Finally, the Bandra-Worli sea link opened to commuters. And what better way to celebrate this than to fire a controversy over the ‘naamkaran’ of this ‘setu’!
It is indeed an engineering marvel which took about 4 more years or some couple of hundred crores more, than the stipulated period and amount. As India struggles with its first sea-link, China in the same period is said to have come up with 6 sea-links. So, this scenario presents the Indian bureaucracy with a subject for contemplation as to what caused the delay. Can the delay be attributed to the fisher folk and the Green lobby only? Is Rs. 1200 Cr not an alarming figure which has been taken out from the pockets of the city’s tax payer? A city which has to necessarily rely on its share of tax payers only as it gets no relief funds from other states or unions; but is known to have been shifting its monetary resources to the centre for years together (and then reclaiming it later in form of Developmental Funds/Grants from the capital). Now, that the sea-link has emerged after a 10 year battle with the Indian administrative system, we have the politicians debating on topics like: in whose regime (NDA or UPA) was the tender for the project signed and what on the earth should this engineering wonder be called!!
Certain ‘visionaries’ see this bridge to not only ‘bridge’ the gap between Bandra and Worli, but also between the NCP and Congress. Whether it will really solve Mumbai’s traffic woes is a question that less bothers the politicians. Yesterday the polls conducted by the Marathi news channels showed that a majority of the maharashtrian public wanted this bridge to be named after an honorary person belonging to the state. Surely, Rajiv Gandhi was a visionary, but the state is not deprived of the same. While every fourth turn on Mumbai’s roads is dedicated to the Gandhis and ports and sanctuaries named after the Nehrus ; a christening of a different kind for the bridge will go about to show that the country does have great men who belonged to a dynasty other than the Gandhi or the Nehru.
The commuter is well aware of vote-bank politics. It’s the time and cost of fuel that bothers him more than the name of the bridge on which he may go for a drive. The vernacular news channels have given the verdict as to what the local population desires. . It must be remembered that the sea-link is one of its kind not only in the city but also in the country. Hence, a special sense of belonging felt by the Marathi population is thoroughly justified. It’s up to Sonia and Pawar saheb, to take a call. Though the Congress has recorded a historic win at the Lok Sabha elections, they will definitely not like to lose ground in the state by hurting the sentiments of the Marathi voters, with the assembly elections just round the corner.
While the controversy continues, let us hope that we have more of such infrastructure projects to add a global dimension to our beloved city.
Finally, the Bandra-Worli sea link opened to commuters. And what better way to celebrate this than to fire a controversy over the ‘naamkaran’ of this ‘setu’!
It is indeed an engineering marvel which took about 4 more years or some couple of hundred crores more, than the stipulated period and amount. As India struggles with its first sea-link, China in the same period is said to have come up with 6 sea-links. So, this scenario presents the Indian bureaucracy with a subject for contemplation as to what caused the delay. Can the delay be attributed to the fisher folk and the Green lobby only? Is Rs. 1200 Cr not an alarming figure which has been taken out from the pockets of the city’s tax payer? A city which has to necessarily rely on its share of tax payers only as it gets no relief funds from other states or unions; but is known to have been shifting its monetary resources to the centre for years together (and then reclaiming it later in form of Developmental Funds/Grants from the capital). Now, that the sea-link has emerged after a 10 year battle with the Indian administrative system, we have the politicians debating on topics like: in whose regime (NDA or UPA) was the tender for the project signed and what on the earth should this engineering wonder be called!!
Certain ‘visionaries’ see this bridge to not only ‘bridge’ the gap between Bandra and Worli, but also between the NCP and Congress. Whether it will really solve Mumbai’s traffic woes is a question that less bothers the politicians. Yesterday the polls conducted by the Marathi news channels showed that a majority of the maharashtrian public wanted this bridge to be named after an honorary person belonging to the state. Surely, Rajiv Gandhi was a visionary, but the state is not deprived of the same. While every fourth turn on Mumbai’s roads is dedicated to the Gandhis and ports and sanctuaries named after the Nehrus ; a christening of a different kind for the bridge will go about to show that the country does have great men who belonged to a dynasty other than the Gandhi or the Nehru.
The commuter is well aware of vote-bank politics. It’s the time and cost of fuel that bothers him more than the name of the bridge on which he may go for a drive. The vernacular news channels have given the verdict as to what the local population desires. . It must be remembered that the sea-link is one of its kind not only in the city but also in the country. Hence, a special sense of belonging felt by the Marathi population is thoroughly justified. It’s up to Sonia and Pawar saheb, to take a call. Though the Congress has recorded a historic win at the Lok Sabha elections, they will definitely not like to lose ground in the state by hurting the sentiments of the Marathi voters, with the assembly elections just round the corner.
While the controversy continues, let us hope that we have more of such infrastructure projects to add a global dimension to our beloved city.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Black or White
Black or White…
THRILLER passes into HISTORY. A disturbing headline to start the day, which unfolded to reveal that death can’t be less devastating. Yesterday it was news; today every fan of this musical genius terms it a personal loss. Michael Jackson, the virtuoso, spent 40 golden years of a short span of 50 years of his lifetime as a beloved performer.
His life remained a mysterious saga of sordid affairs, so does his death. His life was haunted by lawsuits and controversies; and death unveiled a massive debt of over $500mn. Multiple face surgeries, alleged vitiligo, child abuse and now death as a result of misuse of prescription drugs, were all a part of his bizarre lifetime. Yet, the artiste prevailed over all other antics. As an entertainer, he was impeccable. 750mn record sales are just a testimony to the same. It is wisely quoted that ‘he was precocious as a child and childlike as an adult’.
He screamed “I’m Bad”, yet the fans never stopped loving him. He exhorted to ‘Heal the World’ and even seductively suggested ‘Don’t stop 'till you get Enough’. Remember the Time, Thriller, In the Closet, Billie Jean, The way you make me Feel, are some of my personal favourites. It has been a long journey for MJ. From Jackson 5 to Thriller, to Dangerous and Bad, he created HIStory and seemed INVINCIBLE. His rage was infectious and awesome.
He showed the world how a video looked with 50 people dancing in the background, a trend which still lives on in Bollywood. He redefined smoothness when he effortlessly MOONWALKed. One is at a loss of words while trying to define him. What will you call a singer, a dancer, a music composer and a lyricist? Let’s term him a ‘perfectionist’. An entertainment package, so multidimensional is made once in a millennium at God’s mercy.
It hurts to learn that he spent his last days in depression and anguish. An early death just led to curtains falling on the final world tour of the legendary artiste. A death which prevented his global audience from gasping and crooning as they watched the ‘King of Pop’ perform for one last time. Yet, what we have bequeathed is an immortal musical legacy; just goes about to prove that a legend has so much to give even in his death; that death is just another act of philanthropy. Let his soul rest in peace. As I pray, I assure myself that dear MJ will continue to live for years; in form of memories, in form of his music; reminding generations to come of the HIStory he once created…..
THRILLER passes into HISTORY. A disturbing headline to start the day, which unfolded to reveal that death can’t be less devastating. Yesterday it was news; today every fan of this musical genius terms it a personal loss. Michael Jackson, the virtuoso, spent 40 golden years of a short span of 50 years of his lifetime as a beloved performer.
His life remained a mysterious saga of sordid affairs, so does his death. His life was haunted by lawsuits and controversies; and death unveiled a massive debt of over $500mn. Multiple face surgeries, alleged vitiligo, child abuse and now death as a result of misuse of prescription drugs, were all a part of his bizarre lifetime. Yet, the artiste prevailed over all other antics. As an entertainer, he was impeccable. 750mn record sales are just a testimony to the same. It is wisely quoted that ‘he was precocious as a child and childlike as an adult’.
He screamed “I’m Bad”, yet the fans never stopped loving him. He exhorted to ‘Heal the World’ and even seductively suggested ‘Don’t stop 'till you get Enough’. Remember the Time, Thriller, In the Closet, Billie Jean, The way you make me Feel, are some of my personal favourites. It has been a long journey for MJ. From Jackson 5 to Thriller, to Dangerous and Bad, he created HIStory and seemed INVINCIBLE. His rage was infectious and awesome.
He showed the world how a video looked with 50 people dancing in the background, a trend which still lives on in Bollywood. He redefined smoothness when he effortlessly MOONWALKed. One is at a loss of words while trying to define him. What will you call a singer, a dancer, a music composer and a lyricist? Let’s term him a ‘perfectionist’. An entertainment package, so multidimensional is made once in a millennium at God’s mercy.
It hurts to learn that he spent his last days in depression and anguish. An early death just led to curtains falling on the final world tour of the legendary artiste. A death which prevented his global audience from gasping and crooning as they watched the ‘King of Pop’ perform for one last time. Yet, what we have bequeathed is an immortal musical legacy; just goes about to prove that a legend has so much to give even in his death; that death is just another act of philanthropy. Let his soul rest in peace. As I pray, I assure myself that dear MJ will continue to live for years; in form of memories, in form of his music; reminding generations to come of the HIStory he once created…..
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Order Now!!
Order Now!!
Those are precisely the words that flash on your television screen, and not to forget the loud vocals in the backdrop, announcing “early bird” prizes for the first 20 callers. “So what are you waiting for??? Abhi phone uthaiye aur number ghumaiye”.
Dear folks, this is tele-marketing for you. Welcome to the world of super-attractive products like “Cat – Eye Taveez” and “Maths Guru”, which constitute the latest offerings by the Home Shop 18 or may be SHOP 24*7 or may be some Sky Shop, aahh…kindly forgive me….cant recollect the agency’s name. Nevertheless, their products have never ceased to be less than mesmerizing.
Let’s delve into the details.
“Cat – Eye Taveez”- It promises to ward off the evil ‘nazar’ stymieing your success and bring you truckloads of happiness and prosperity. It can help you flourish in business by elevating your profits. So now, you can give your overworked managers a break and gift yourself the priceless “Cat – Eye Taveez”. If all the sensible as well as the nonsensical stuff on television has exasperated you, then this breed of advertising belongs to a different genre promising unadulterated entertainment. The strategic mind of the ad maker inspires awe. The portraying of evil ‘nazar’ is no cake work. It is presented as two powerful beams emanating from the eyes of the evil-doer, casting its ill-effects in the aura of your workplace. This vandalizing beam is fluorescent green in color; the color emphasizing its strength. Once cast, your days of struggle begin. No efforts bring you back the past glory. A despondent you, sees this life-changing advertisement and without further delay, grab this miraculous yantra. And lo behold! Once you wear the “Cat – Eye Taveez”, the malicious beam debilitates under its impervious aura; and you are protected from all the negativity in the world and can now safely reach out for unfettered success.
“Maths Guru” is magical. I don’t have the words to express its salient features. I’m sure by now you would have left your computers to switch on the television. So, get to know what “Maths Guru” is all about. Scores of other treasures (includes “Dr. Tea” for slimming purposes) are on sale on Home Shop 18 or may be SHOP 24*7 or the same Sky Shop. For all this free promotion, I deserve a share of commission from these agencies.
So when you register your order, don’t forget to give me a special mention to their executives. Happy Shopping!!
Those are precisely the words that flash on your television screen, and not to forget the loud vocals in the backdrop, announcing “early bird” prizes for the first 20 callers. “So what are you waiting for??? Abhi phone uthaiye aur number ghumaiye”.
Dear folks, this is tele-marketing for you. Welcome to the world of super-attractive products like “Cat – Eye Taveez” and “Maths Guru”, which constitute the latest offerings by the Home Shop 18 or may be SHOP 24*7 or may be some Sky Shop, aahh…kindly forgive me….cant recollect the agency’s name. Nevertheless, their products have never ceased to be less than mesmerizing.
Let’s delve into the details.
“Cat – Eye Taveez”- It promises to ward off the evil ‘nazar’ stymieing your success and bring you truckloads of happiness and prosperity. It can help you flourish in business by elevating your profits. So now, you can give your overworked managers a break and gift yourself the priceless “Cat – Eye Taveez”. If all the sensible as well as the nonsensical stuff on television has exasperated you, then this breed of advertising belongs to a different genre promising unadulterated entertainment. The strategic mind of the ad maker inspires awe. The portraying of evil ‘nazar’ is no cake work. It is presented as two powerful beams emanating from the eyes of the evil-doer, casting its ill-effects in the aura of your workplace. This vandalizing beam is fluorescent green in color; the color emphasizing its strength. Once cast, your days of struggle begin. No efforts bring you back the past glory. A despondent you, sees this life-changing advertisement and without further delay, grab this miraculous yantra. And lo behold! Once you wear the “Cat – Eye Taveez”, the malicious beam debilitates under its impervious aura; and you are protected from all the negativity in the world and can now safely reach out for unfettered success.
“Maths Guru” is magical. I don’t have the words to express its salient features. I’m sure by now you would have left your computers to switch on the television. So, get to know what “Maths Guru” is all about. Scores of other treasures (includes “Dr. Tea” for slimming purposes) are on sale on Home Shop 18 or may be SHOP 24*7 or the same Sky Shop. For all this free promotion, I deserve a share of commission from these agencies.
So when you register your order, don’t forget to give me a special mention to their executives. Happy Shopping!!
Monday, June 15, 2009
The new hues of Journalism
The new hues of Journalism
A few days ago, I read about Pulitzer and his concept of the revolutionary “Yellow Journalism”. It was a form of aggressive, severely competitive, at times even manipulative and exaggerated journalism. This concept, albeit suitably modified, has been applied to Indian journalism today.
DNA – Daily News and Analysis, brought the first all-colour 40 page daily to Mumbai city. So, our news didn’t just look “yellow” like those which appeared in Pulitzer’s “New York World” but had every shade to make them look attractive and sound digestible. In our market, gauged by the IRS rounds and Neilson Survey, TOI immediately refurnished its copy of Bombay Times to an appealing new all-colour format and HT decided to keep it short by cutting the crap. Regardless of the competition, the brand new shades were here to stay.
Most of us are in a habit of sipping the morning tea while glancing at the headlines or closing in with a round-up of the day’s events. The all-colour format has made this daily experience a lot more delightful. Gone are the days when the cartoon strips looked blurred. Reading the news has become convenient as it no longer requires an effort to guess the identity of the photographed person. The sports section never looked so attractive. It is now guaranteed more prominence and space. It is illustrated with clearer images of not just the presentation ceremonies at sport events but also of the superb dives and sharp cuts; straight drives and splendid goals; and all the action on the field captured by the finest lenses of the world, is brought to us by the modernized Technicolor printing. Pictures of Sharapova, Graeme Smith and Button can well be a part of the Collector’s Edition. The sordid affairs, the Page-3 parties never looked as scintillating as they now do! At the same time crime and terror stories looked gruesome than ever. But that’s “capturing the reality in its authentic form”. Sadly this reality is ghastly and brutal and its images traumatizing and spine-chilling. On a lighter note, I wish to point out that even Lalu Prasad and Sonia Gandhi looked charming in the digital images and Prabhakaran, less intimidating!
The media by and large portrays the truest picture of the society. What better than have the true colours to its aid! Journalism has gone beyond the realms of meager reporting of facts. It has extended its horizons to explore the power of photography which has instilled life and soul in the mundane reports. It has matured to realize that an attractive format has the power to garner more readerships. It can even make up for the lackadaisical reporting exercised by the media at times. Yet, the revolution is limited to the English dailies only. Majority of the vernacular media is still characterized by ineffective black carbon ink. While journalism as a career and profession is seeing massive growth and revolution today, hope that even Navbharat Times sees the “yellow” light of the day!
A few days ago, I read about Pulitzer and his concept of the revolutionary “Yellow Journalism”. It was a form of aggressive, severely competitive, at times even manipulative and exaggerated journalism. This concept, albeit suitably modified, has been applied to Indian journalism today.
DNA – Daily News and Analysis, brought the first all-colour 40 page daily to Mumbai city. So, our news didn’t just look “yellow” like those which appeared in Pulitzer’s “New York World” but had every shade to make them look attractive and sound digestible. In our market, gauged by the IRS rounds and Neilson Survey, TOI immediately refurnished its copy of Bombay Times to an appealing new all-colour format and HT decided to keep it short by cutting the crap. Regardless of the competition, the brand new shades were here to stay.
Most of us are in a habit of sipping the morning tea while glancing at the headlines or closing in with a round-up of the day’s events. The all-colour format has made this daily experience a lot more delightful. Gone are the days when the cartoon strips looked blurred. Reading the news has become convenient as it no longer requires an effort to guess the identity of the photographed person. The sports section never looked so attractive. It is now guaranteed more prominence and space. It is illustrated with clearer images of not just the presentation ceremonies at sport events but also of the superb dives and sharp cuts; straight drives and splendid goals; and all the action on the field captured by the finest lenses of the world, is brought to us by the modernized Technicolor printing. Pictures of Sharapova, Graeme Smith and Button can well be a part of the Collector’s Edition. The sordid affairs, the Page-3 parties never looked as scintillating as they now do! At the same time crime and terror stories looked gruesome than ever. But that’s “capturing the reality in its authentic form”. Sadly this reality is ghastly and brutal and its images traumatizing and spine-chilling. On a lighter note, I wish to point out that even Lalu Prasad and Sonia Gandhi looked charming in the digital images and Prabhakaran, less intimidating!
The media by and large portrays the truest picture of the society. What better than have the true colours to its aid! Journalism has gone beyond the realms of meager reporting of facts. It has extended its horizons to explore the power of photography which has instilled life and soul in the mundane reports. It has matured to realize that an attractive format has the power to garner more readerships. It can even make up for the lackadaisical reporting exercised by the media at times. Yet, the revolution is limited to the English dailies only. Majority of the vernacular media is still characterized by ineffective black carbon ink. While journalism as a career and profession is seeing massive growth and revolution today, hope that even Navbharat Times sees the “yellow” light of the day!
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Mumbai meri jaan!
Mumbai – The City Of Dreams.
To the tourists of the World, welcome to a land called Mumbai, share the experiences of the City, you will love to make your Homeland. It can be referred to as the First City of India, the Urbs Primus of Indus , a city that is discussed internationally with fervour for its cosmopolitan taste, its traditional roots , its resilient economy, the rich heritage and legacy it bequeaths. Being the Financial Capital of India, the city is accounted in international summits and arguments with much zest as comparable to London or Paris. The real estate here is more precious than even New York and Tokyo, as of today.
So, step out to feel the essence of Mumbai, grab its beauty, let the city grow on you and take back home those memories to treasure till the time you come to visit it again!
The history……
Following the first war of Independence in 1857, the East India Company was accused of mismanagement, and Bombay reverted to the British crown. It is an archipelago of seven islands. The city initially belonged to the fisherfolk – the ‘Koli’ Community. The community survived trading and living along the vast coastline. The archipelago was ruled by Hindu Rajas until 1401, when the Muslim rulers ( known as the Sultans then) invaded their territories and conquered the lands. The Muslims further surrendered to the Portuguese in 1534. They coined the name “Mumbadevi” after the local deity of the city. It later came to be called as Mumbai, the British referred to it as Bombay. The city is called upon by both the names even to this day.
Places to visit……
The city offers you plenty of options in terms of places to visit par you preferences. We begin with:
Gateway of India
This 26 metres high stone archway is the first landmark of Mumbai a visitor sees when arriving at it by the way of the Arabian Ocean. Designed by Writtet in the 16th century Gujarat style, it was built to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary to India in 1911.
Chowpatty Beach
A popular beach where celebration of festivals such as Coconut Day and the Ganesh Chaturthi immersions take place. It also stands a host to a number of kiosk selling the local chat – namely sev puri, the preferred pani puri and kulfi.
The Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus
This is the city-structure which sports the Gothic architecture which is the legacy left by the British Raj. The most exquisite Railway Station that the Nation beholds.
Nehru Science Center
This Centre upholds the scientific aspects and the technological dimensions of the city. It is located at Worli.
Malabar Hill
This plush area of Mumbai, the Malabar Hill has attractive residences, including the Chief Minister's house and a palatial state guest house. Here also, are the ruins of Walkeshwar temple build sometime between 810 and 1260 AD. Hence, it is also known as Walkeshwar even today.
Rajabhai Tower
Built in the19th century Gothic style on the university campus, the 79 metres high clock tower commands a fine view of the city. The tower also houses the university library.
Mahalaxmi Temple
An important Hindu temple dedicated to the goddess of wealth. Devotees throng this temple to seek her blessing.
Best time to be here…..
The Mahalaxmi Race course hosts its racing season during the months of November to April. As an international city, Mumbai boasts of the Mumbai Festival every year in the month of January. This year the extravaganza which portrays the art and culture of the metropolis, attracted huge crowds during the span of 15th – 31st January. The ongoing Kalaghoda festival sports the exuberance of the city. The vintage car exhibition during this period is a must watch for avid car lovers.
The winters in the city are cool and romantic. As a visitor it would be preferable to avoid the rainy season which starts from mid-June to September months. Lord Ganesh being the city’s beloved diety, Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated with pomp and splendour. The city then showcases its religious dimension in the most beautiful fashion. The festive season reaches an acme during Navratri and Diwali. The New Year is welcomed with great enthusiasm. So, the best time to be in the city would be during the winter months.
Art and Culture…
Mumbai boasts of a cosmopolitan culture and upholds the values of fraternity and brotherhood. The people here refer to themselves as “Mumbaites”.
The city is a connoisseur of artistic subjects. The Prithvi Theatre displays the best talent on-stage while Jehangir Art Gallery exhibits the artistic genius dwelling in every Mumbaite. The city is home to the Indian Film Industry. Yes, Bollywood has seen its birth and development in this very metro. The Filmcity at Goregaon, Kamal Amrohi studios and R.K. Studio is where all the “Lights, Camera and Action” takes place.
How to get here….
Access to Mumbai is easy and well – defined over the airways, roadways and the railways. Mumbai has an international airport. Air India and several international airlines operate flights to connect Mumbai to various cities of the world. Indian Airlines and many private airlines domestically connect Mumbai . Being the headquarters of the Central and Western Railways, regular trains link Mumbai with all major cities like Aurangabad, Bangalore, Calcutta, Delhi, Goa, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Nagpur and Trivandrum. Mumbai is well-connected to major tourist locations in the countries by means of Expressways.
Food……
While Mumbai boasts of Hilton and The Taj, roadside eateries will give you the authentic spice of the City food. The “Vada-Pav” is something you cant afford to miss. Old fashioned foot and cycle tiffin carriers ( called as the “dabawallas”) bear the lunch for the working class of the city. There are also plenty of gourmet speciality restaurants.
The city has been ripped by terror attacks and its lifeline has been blasted several times in the past years. Yet, the city awakes. Let’s not take its resilience for granted. Let’s hope and pray that the city becomes an enjoyable destination for the globetrotters and a safer abode for the locals. This city truly deserves applause for its immense fortitude.
For the tourist, the best way to feel the city is by breathing the same air that 14 million of its population breaths, criss-crossing their paths as they hurry to their workplaces at distant suburbs and return home trying to keep up to the pace of the city.
You can’t help falling in love with the city; the magnanimous city will draw you to her charms.
To the tourists of the World, welcome to a land called Mumbai, share the experiences of the City, you will love to make your Homeland. It can be referred to as the First City of India, the Urbs Primus of Indus , a city that is discussed internationally with fervour for its cosmopolitan taste, its traditional roots , its resilient economy, the rich heritage and legacy it bequeaths. Being the Financial Capital of India, the city is accounted in international summits and arguments with much zest as comparable to London or Paris. The real estate here is more precious than even New York and Tokyo, as of today.
So, step out to feel the essence of Mumbai, grab its beauty, let the city grow on you and take back home those memories to treasure till the time you come to visit it again!
The history……
Following the first war of Independence in 1857, the East India Company was accused of mismanagement, and Bombay reverted to the British crown. It is an archipelago of seven islands. The city initially belonged to the fisherfolk – the ‘Koli’ Community. The community survived trading and living along the vast coastline. The archipelago was ruled by Hindu Rajas until 1401, when the Muslim rulers ( known as the Sultans then) invaded their territories and conquered the lands. The Muslims further surrendered to the Portuguese in 1534. They coined the name “Mumbadevi” after the local deity of the city. It later came to be called as Mumbai, the British referred to it as Bombay. The city is called upon by both the names even to this day.
Places to visit……
The city offers you plenty of options in terms of places to visit par you preferences. We begin with:
Gateway of India
This 26 metres high stone archway is the first landmark of Mumbai a visitor sees when arriving at it by the way of the Arabian Ocean. Designed by Writtet in the 16th century Gujarat style, it was built to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary to India in 1911.
Chowpatty Beach
A popular beach where celebration of festivals such as Coconut Day and the Ganesh Chaturthi immersions take place. It also stands a host to a number of kiosk selling the local chat – namely sev puri, the preferred pani puri and kulfi.
The Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus
This is the city-structure which sports the Gothic architecture which is the legacy left by the British Raj. The most exquisite Railway Station that the Nation beholds.
Nehru Science Center
This Centre upholds the scientific aspects and the technological dimensions of the city. It is located at Worli.
Malabar Hill
This plush area of Mumbai, the Malabar Hill has attractive residences, including the Chief Minister's house and a palatial state guest house. Here also, are the ruins of Walkeshwar temple build sometime between 810 and 1260 AD. Hence, it is also known as Walkeshwar even today.
Rajabhai Tower
Built in the19th century Gothic style on the university campus, the 79 metres high clock tower commands a fine view of the city. The tower also houses the university library.
Mahalaxmi Temple
An important Hindu temple dedicated to the goddess of wealth. Devotees throng this temple to seek her blessing.
Best time to be here…..
The Mahalaxmi Race course hosts its racing season during the months of November to April. As an international city, Mumbai boasts of the Mumbai Festival every year in the month of January. This year the extravaganza which portrays the art and culture of the metropolis, attracted huge crowds during the span of 15th – 31st January. The ongoing Kalaghoda festival sports the exuberance of the city. The vintage car exhibition during this period is a must watch for avid car lovers.
The winters in the city are cool and romantic. As a visitor it would be preferable to avoid the rainy season which starts from mid-June to September months. Lord Ganesh being the city’s beloved diety, Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated with pomp and splendour. The city then showcases its religious dimension in the most beautiful fashion. The festive season reaches an acme during Navratri and Diwali. The New Year is welcomed with great enthusiasm. So, the best time to be in the city would be during the winter months.
Art and Culture…
Mumbai boasts of a cosmopolitan culture and upholds the values of fraternity and brotherhood. The people here refer to themselves as “Mumbaites”.
The city is a connoisseur of artistic subjects. The Prithvi Theatre displays the best talent on-stage while Jehangir Art Gallery exhibits the artistic genius dwelling in every Mumbaite. The city is home to the Indian Film Industry. Yes, Bollywood has seen its birth and development in this very metro. The Filmcity at Goregaon, Kamal Amrohi studios and R.K. Studio is where all the “Lights, Camera and Action” takes place.
How to get here….
Access to Mumbai is easy and well – defined over the airways, roadways and the railways. Mumbai has an international airport. Air India and several international airlines operate flights to connect Mumbai to various cities of the world. Indian Airlines and many private airlines domestically connect Mumbai . Being the headquarters of the Central and Western Railways, regular trains link Mumbai with all major cities like Aurangabad, Bangalore, Calcutta, Delhi, Goa, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Nagpur and Trivandrum. Mumbai is well-connected to major tourist locations in the countries by means of Expressways.
Food……
While Mumbai boasts of Hilton and The Taj, roadside eateries will give you the authentic spice of the City food. The “Vada-Pav” is something you cant afford to miss. Old fashioned foot and cycle tiffin carriers ( called as the “dabawallas”) bear the lunch for the working class of the city. There are also plenty of gourmet speciality restaurants.
The city has been ripped by terror attacks and its lifeline has been blasted several times in the past years. Yet, the city awakes. Let’s not take its resilience for granted. Let’s hope and pray that the city becomes an enjoyable destination for the globetrotters and a safer abode for the locals. This city truly deserves applause for its immense fortitude.
For the tourist, the best way to feel the city is by breathing the same air that 14 million of its population breaths, criss-crossing their paths as they hurry to their workplaces at distant suburbs and return home trying to keep up to the pace of the city.
You can’t help falling in love with the city; the magnanimous city will draw you to her charms.
Monday, April 20, 2009
The Divine Connection
The Divine Connection
What good is the body without the soul? It is like prayers without devotion or loving without emotion. Spiritualism allows us to communicate with the inner soul, the subconscious mind or the supreme power which lies within oneself. Many people believe that such power cannot be in the possession of the mortals, it remains under the ownership of the Divine, the Almighty, who we generally refer to as ‘God’.
I believe in every human does rest the eternal prowess. The inner soul needs to be awakened as it waits for your call. Only then will it be able to guide your actions. Once enlightened, the soul has the Divine message which helps the naïve human lead a purposeful life. Such an enlightened being, never hurts the fellow soul. He upholds the virtues of humanity, is serene and composed under pressure. He can never go wrong, because he has complied with the divine message. He will not hate his enemy, but will unconditionally love his kin. He knows no malice; he will pardon the wrong-doer and commit no sin. He will be the ‘One’, who you and I with all reverence call God. It hence follows that god lies within each and every one of us. The futility of the human being lies in the fact that he keeps looking for his God, which dwells in himself.
In our past paced lives, we fail to invoke the soul, who keeps waiting for our call. Hence, our actions are guided by the mind and not the soul. This perhaps explains why we cannot feel one with the lord, or one with our own self. They say, “To err is human, to forgive is Divine”. Probably the biggest mistake made by the human was to demarcate himself from the divine. He failed to recognize the inherent divinity bestowed on him by his creator. He never realized that he was worthy to be called as the God’s child. He allowed the mind to take control of his action, which was guided by treachery, vengeance, lust and malevolence. He began hating the fellow human. The consequences of this hatred are dire. The world today is a victim of terrorism. The virtues of brotherhood serve no purpose as the mind here is not emancipated. We live in a world where we are subjected to break-neck competition. Every individual is an arch-rival; we have to out-do him to survive. The definition of living has changed. Life has become a measure of ones success. Our mottos are defined by our flamboyant aspirations. We seek no solace, but wealth; in the pursuit what we lose is not just sleep but our health. When character can be our biggest possession, we chose to count on our riches. We are never satiated with what we have. We are driven by lust of power and greed.
In the transit, man lost his connection with his lord. Hence, he resorted to religion which defines the form of the lord, lists a set of prayers to recite and hymns to chant. Then this religion further fragmented. People took pride in calling themselves Hindus, Christians or Muslims. Constitution of many countries gives to its citizens the ‘Right to exercise any Religion’. But in this process, man differentiated the Lord, single entity which guards the world. Every religion preaches of love and affection for a fellow human being, upholds the values of tolerance and emphasizes on having faith in goodness. The purpose of every religion is to allow its follower to lead a life of serenity and good deeds. Still, we have terrorism in the name of ‘Jihad’ and vote banks for the sake of ‘Hindutva’. No religion speaks of violence as a means to make ends meet. Yet the naïve human chose to trust his ignorance and in the process has committed one sin after the other. He has exploited the very existence of his creator. He fails to realize that his every action is accounted for and one day he will have to pay the price as well as bear the fruits of each kind of his deed.
We live an era when the budget of a country allots large funds for its defence and security. The security system of a country fails due to repeated attacks of terrorism, communal riots and dastardly acts all committed in the name of religion. Religion today does not remain an instrument to seek the divine connection; instead it has become a deterrent in the path of human evolution. It has allowed the human to drift away from his inner soul, which had been the very purpose of instituting it.
In times when the world is ravaged by war, where hatred and evil persist, it is imperative to enlighten the inner soul and follow the divine commandments; for these alone will allow us to be a part of one world which practices the religion of Humanity; a world which is not torn into fragments by religion and extremist philosophies. If mankind still fails to realize the futility of war in the name of religion, he will soon build a path for self destruction and a day will soon come when the very existence of the human being would be questionable.
What good is the body without the soul? It is like prayers without devotion or loving without emotion. Spiritualism allows us to communicate with the inner soul, the subconscious mind or the supreme power which lies within oneself. Many people believe that such power cannot be in the possession of the mortals, it remains under the ownership of the Divine, the Almighty, who we generally refer to as ‘God’.
I believe in every human does rest the eternal prowess. The inner soul needs to be awakened as it waits for your call. Only then will it be able to guide your actions. Once enlightened, the soul has the Divine message which helps the naïve human lead a purposeful life. Such an enlightened being, never hurts the fellow soul. He upholds the virtues of humanity, is serene and composed under pressure. He can never go wrong, because he has complied with the divine message. He will not hate his enemy, but will unconditionally love his kin. He knows no malice; he will pardon the wrong-doer and commit no sin. He will be the ‘One’, who you and I with all reverence call God. It hence follows that god lies within each and every one of us. The futility of the human being lies in the fact that he keeps looking for his God, which dwells in himself.
In our past paced lives, we fail to invoke the soul, who keeps waiting for our call. Hence, our actions are guided by the mind and not the soul. This perhaps explains why we cannot feel one with the lord, or one with our own self. They say, “To err is human, to forgive is Divine”. Probably the biggest mistake made by the human was to demarcate himself from the divine. He failed to recognize the inherent divinity bestowed on him by his creator. He never realized that he was worthy to be called as the God’s child. He allowed the mind to take control of his action, which was guided by treachery, vengeance, lust and malevolence. He began hating the fellow human. The consequences of this hatred are dire. The world today is a victim of terrorism. The virtues of brotherhood serve no purpose as the mind here is not emancipated. We live in a world where we are subjected to break-neck competition. Every individual is an arch-rival; we have to out-do him to survive. The definition of living has changed. Life has become a measure of ones success. Our mottos are defined by our flamboyant aspirations. We seek no solace, but wealth; in the pursuit what we lose is not just sleep but our health. When character can be our biggest possession, we chose to count on our riches. We are never satiated with what we have. We are driven by lust of power and greed.
In the transit, man lost his connection with his lord. Hence, he resorted to religion which defines the form of the lord, lists a set of prayers to recite and hymns to chant. Then this religion further fragmented. People took pride in calling themselves Hindus, Christians or Muslims. Constitution of many countries gives to its citizens the ‘Right to exercise any Religion’. But in this process, man differentiated the Lord, single entity which guards the world. Every religion preaches of love and affection for a fellow human being, upholds the values of tolerance and emphasizes on having faith in goodness. The purpose of every religion is to allow its follower to lead a life of serenity and good deeds. Still, we have terrorism in the name of ‘Jihad’ and vote banks for the sake of ‘Hindutva’. No religion speaks of violence as a means to make ends meet. Yet the naïve human chose to trust his ignorance and in the process has committed one sin after the other. He has exploited the very existence of his creator. He fails to realize that his every action is accounted for and one day he will have to pay the price as well as bear the fruits of each kind of his deed.
We live an era when the budget of a country allots large funds for its defence and security. The security system of a country fails due to repeated attacks of terrorism, communal riots and dastardly acts all committed in the name of religion. Religion today does not remain an instrument to seek the divine connection; instead it has become a deterrent in the path of human evolution. It has allowed the human to drift away from his inner soul, which had been the very purpose of instituting it.
In times when the world is ravaged by war, where hatred and evil persist, it is imperative to enlighten the inner soul and follow the divine commandments; for these alone will allow us to be a part of one world which practices the religion of Humanity; a world which is not torn into fragments by religion and extremist philosophies. If mankind still fails to realize the futility of war in the name of religion, he will soon build a path for self destruction and a day will soon come when the very existence of the human being would be questionable.
Marred by Death
Marred by Death
After a tiring day of submissions and tests at college, I reached home late in the evening. Just then my phone screamed to life resounding the doleful number- “I still”. On line was a friend who trembled as he informed me of the death of a common friend. I felt my reflexes go weak. “Are you sure you know what you are saying?” I feebly repeated. By the end of a minute or two I was convinced that she was really gone…….. gone forever…….never to return……..in the laps of eternal sleep……never to wake up again……
Why, when, how…….I never asked anything, just pondered over the fact that something so dire can also await a twenty year old. The tender age when your eyes look starry when you think of that special someone, they swell with ambition when you dream to reach the stars and are jubilant every time they see the dear ones who can identify the dreams captured in them. How can those eyes be shut so abruptly? How can those dreams be marred by something as brutal as death?
It was just a year or two ago when I had last seen her. She was so full of life! We were standing in the same queue to collect our forms to complete an admission process. She looked pretty, any stranger would turn back to notice her. We shared the same bench in school, played scrabble in the vacations. She had lots of toys, dolls and a two-storeyed bed. Her brown eyes had shone with delight when she got selected to be a part of the dancing troupe in a bollywood film. She was a graceful dancer. She was a pampered child but not really spoilt for choices….and today she was gone.
This brought me closer in understanding the finality of death. Death comes as one fatal blow; it never gives you another chance. How can you console her parents? They have not lost their daughter; but lost all their aspirations and dreams associated with her. What words of condolence would you offer her mother who would have harboured images of her daughter looking her best as a bride, ever since she turned twenty? Can one imagine the grief of a father who is always biased towards his daughters? How can it really happen that a person who brought cherished memories to them for twenty innocent years just walk out of their lives? Why was she blessed with just twenty years of life? Did god decide to not show her the darker side of a mature life? Was “He” really justified in taking this decision?
My grief had turned into fear. What if life just runs out of my soul? There are so many impending decisions to be taken, so many expectations to be met. A few more moments would not serve my purpose. I need many more years to face the challenges that “life” will offer me. I am really afraid of death. I would hate to call myself unfortunate if things don’t really work out the way I wanted, because somewhere I know I am luckier than ‘her’, because I can still breathe, still dream and still live! I cried incessantly. I was not left with much to do. I prayed to god so that her soul rested in peace, begged Him to give her parents and kin enough strength to face it all and thanked him earnestly for giving me a brand new life, every single day!
After a tiring day of submissions and tests at college, I reached home late in the evening. Just then my phone screamed to life resounding the doleful number- “I still”. On line was a friend who trembled as he informed me of the death of a common friend. I felt my reflexes go weak. “Are you sure you know what you are saying?” I feebly repeated. By the end of a minute or two I was convinced that she was really gone…….. gone forever…….never to return……..in the laps of eternal sleep……never to wake up again……
Why, when, how…….I never asked anything, just pondered over the fact that something so dire can also await a twenty year old. The tender age when your eyes look starry when you think of that special someone, they swell with ambition when you dream to reach the stars and are jubilant every time they see the dear ones who can identify the dreams captured in them. How can those eyes be shut so abruptly? How can those dreams be marred by something as brutal as death?
It was just a year or two ago when I had last seen her. She was so full of life! We were standing in the same queue to collect our forms to complete an admission process. She looked pretty, any stranger would turn back to notice her. We shared the same bench in school, played scrabble in the vacations. She had lots of toys, dolls and a two-storeyed bed. Her brown eyes had shone with delight when she got selected to be a part of the dancing troupe in a bollywood film. She was a graceful dancer. She was a pampered child but not really spoilt for choices….and today she was gone.
This brought me closer in understanding the finality of death. Death comes as one fatal blow; it never gives you another chance. How can you console her parents? They have not lost their daughter; but lost all their aspirations and dreams associated with her. What words of condolence would you offer her mother who would have harboured images of her daughter looking her best as a bride, ever since she turned twenty? Can one imagine the grief of a father who is always biased towards his daughters? How can it really happen that a person who brought cherished memories to them for twenty innocent years just walk out of their lives? Why was she blessed with just twenty years of life? Did god decide to not show her the darker side of a mature life? Was “He” really justified in taking this decision?
My grief had turned into fear. What if life just runs out of my soul? There are so many impending decisions to be taken, so many expectations to be met. A few more moments would not serve my purpose. I need many more years to face the challenges that “life” will offer me. I am really afraid of death. I would hate to call myself unfortunate if things don’t really work out the way I wanted, because somewhere I know I am luckier than ‘her’, because I can still breathe, still dream and still live! I cried incessantly. I was not left with much to do. I prayed to god so that her soul rested in peace, begged Him to give her parents and kin enough strength to face it all and thanked him earnestly for giving me a brand new life, every single day!
Friday, February 13, 2009
Personal Finance
Personal Finance
The global economy is in shambles, so is the state of our national finances. The Centre has ‘monetised’ Rs. 66,946 crores this year due to the rising gap between revenue and expenditure. In simple terms, the UPA Government is facing falling tax revenues and huge election expenditure this year. Hence, it is printing currency notes like crazy – Rs. 66,946 crores to bridge the gap between revenue and expenditure.
During my attempt to understand the current situation, what I could retrieve is that with so much money sloshing about in the economy, the net result is often higher inflation after a lag. So, the dramatic drop in inflation from nearly 13% in August to over 5% now will not be a reason to celebrate. The inflation dragon has presumably gone into hibernation and will return with an enormous thud.
At this juncture, the investment avenues for a salaried person have drastically reduced. The real estate companies have posted their worst quarterly results in December, 2008, with an aggregate 71% fall in net profit. The sector has declared that the old projects are not selling, new ones will bring cash only next year. This provides with us with limited returns in the infrastructure sector.
It is necessary to understand that money has a time value. The notion that a rupee today is preferable to the same rupee in future is intuitive enough for many to grasp. This brings in the concept of “prudence”. The simplest tools in finance are often the most powerful. It is imperative for an individual to feel financially secure at any stage in his life. A simple question like, how perfect is your financial planning will raise eyebrows of many. Majority of the working youth don’t have investments, savings or planning on their priority list. The banking and finance sector, though suffering a sub-prime crisis offers a plethora of investment vehicles: Mutual Funds, Stocks and online Trade, Debt instruments, Fixed Deposits and Personal Insurance.
The basic purpose of investment is to ensure that your money grows at a rate greater than that of inflation, that’s how you can create wealth. An investment choice is made by taking into account the considerations on the basis of which is evaluated your risk profile:
If you belong to the age group of 25-30 years, your risk taking capability is relatively higher than the others. Your areas of investment can be Equity, Stocks and Mutual Funds. These sectors require taking a high risk but provide for higher return on your investments. In general, the formula governing an individual’s share of investment in the Equity sector is:
% Equity = ( 100- age of the investor )
It is advisable to get a Pension Plan in the very first year of you permanent job. This ensures accumulation of a corpus which will meet your monetary requirements post the retirement age. When you start investing early, the accumulation ( or vesting period ) phase of your money increases. The second phase of a Pension Plan is Annuity, wherein you start receiving the accumulated amount as per your choice i.e. in the form of monthly or annual installments.
If you are a novice in the investment market, refrain from stock trading without proper guidance. Mutual Funds can be a relatively safer alternative to predict the capricious stock market. A Systematic Investment Plan ( S.I.P ) is the best choice to begin with. In the recent times, MFs come with an insurance cover and don’t charge any entry load ( the fees to enter the trade market ). Hence 100% of your investment goes into buying the units of the Company as per the NAV ( Net Asset Values ) which differs every month. MFs are generally open-ended i.e. an investor can enter the market any time. In the close-ended schemes, the Company declares the NAVs of the units and declares a deadline for the investors to file in their folios. The investor is granted a fixed number of shares / units as per the Company’s discretion. These schemes are also called as Initial Public Offerings ( IPO). If you have a limited corpus, then opt for mid-cap fund as compared to small or large-cap.
For a person above 30 years of age, children’s education, family, health becomes a priority. Hence, the risk-taking capacity is substantially reduced. An insurance is now recommended at this stage. It is again of two types:
1. Traditional Plan: It assures guaranteed low returns ( about 8% ) and premium payment commitment for the entire tenure in which insurance cover is provided.
2. Unit Linked Insurance Plan ( ULIP ) : they are similar to Mutual Funds except that they come with an insurance benefit. They serve the dual purpose of security + investment. Yet, various charges ( Premium Allocation Charges, Fund Management Charges (FMC), Mortality Charges ) are something to watch out for. A company provides for various under funds under this scheme in which the investor can invest his annual premium. The funds vary in the percentage investment option of the investor in sectors like debt and equity. The premium payment term is generally for 3 years and the insurance cover can be sustained over a longer period as per the selected tenure on the payment of yearly charges.
Health, Children’s Education and Pension Plans are available under the ULIPs. Premium can be paid as a singly or as yearly installments for the fixed tenure.
Insurance also gives you the advantage of tax-rebates at the time of filing your IT- Returns. The revised slabs for annual taxable income are :
Females : above Rs. 1,35,000/-.
Males : above Rs. 1,00,000/-
Senior Citizens : above Rs. 1,85,000/-.
The tax rebate is applicable under section 80C.
It is important that you have an access to your money in the time of need. This brings in the concept of “Liquidity”, wherein assets are converted to cash. Gold is a preferred liquid asset for its time-value. MFs and ULIPs also offer you flexibility as far as withdrawals are considered.
To conclude, I would say that financial planning needs to personally undertaken by every individual. It provides us the much needed security during crisis. My only suggestion to one and all – invest wisely and live well!
The global economy is in shambles, so is the state of our national finances. The Centre has ‘monetised’ Rs. 66,946 crores this year due to the rising gap between revenue and expenditure. In simple terms, the UPA Government is facing falling tax revenues and huge election expenditure this year. Hence, it is printing currency notes like crazy – Rs. 66,946 crores to bridge the gap between revenue and expenditure.
During my attempt to understand the current situation, what I could retrieve is that with so much money sloshing about in the economy, the net result is often higher inflation after a lag. So, the dramatic drop in inflation from nearly 13% in August to over 5% now will not be a reason to celebrate. The inflation dragon has presumably gone into hibernation and will return with an enormous thud.
At this juncture, the investment avenues for a salaried person have drastically reduced. The real estate companies have posted their worst quarterly results in December, 2008, with an aggregate 71% fall in net profit. The sector has declared that the old projects are not selling, new ones will bring cash only next year. This provides with us with limited returns in the infrastructure sector.
It is necessary to understand that money has a time value. The notion that a rupee today is preferable to the same rupee in future is intuitive enough for many to grasp. This brings in the concept of “prudence”. The simplest tools in finance are often the most powerful. It is imperative for an individual to feel financially secure at any stage in his life. A simple question like, how perfect is your financial planning will raise eyebrows of many. Majority of the working youth don’t have investments, savings or planning on their priority list. The banking and finance sector, though suffering a sub-prime crisis offers a plethora of investment vehicles: Mutual Funds, Stocks and online Trade, Debt instruments, Fixed Deposits and Personal Insurance.
The basic purpose of investment is to ensure that your money grows at a rate greater than that of inflation, that’s how you can create wealth. An investment choice is made by taking into account the considerations on the basis of which is evaluated your risk profile:
If you belong to the age group of 25-30 years, your risk taking capability is relatively higher than the others. Your areas of investment can be Equity, Stocks and Mutual Funds. These sectors require taking a high risk but provide for higher return on your investments. In general, the formula governing an individual’s share of investment in the Equity sector is:
% Equity = ( 100- age of the investor )
It is advisable to get a Pension Plan in the very first year of you permanent job. This ensures accumulation of a corpus which will meet your monetary requirements post the retirement age. When you start investing early, the accumulation ( or vesting period ) phase of your money increases. The second phase of a Pension Plan is Annuity, wherein you start receiving the accumulated amount as per your choice i.e. in the form of monthly or annual installments.
If you are a novice in the investment market, refrain from stock trading without proper guidance. Mutual Funds can be a relatively safer alternative to predict the capricious stock market. A Systematic Investment Plan ( S.I.P ) is the best choice to begin with. In the recent times, MFs come with an insurance cover and don’t charge any entry load ( the fees to enter the trade market ). Hence 100% of your investment goes into buying the units of the Company as per the NAV ( Net Asset Values ) which differs every month. MFs are generally open-ended i.e. an investor can enter the market any time. In the close-ended schemes, the Company declares the NAVs of the units and declares a deadline for the investors to file in their folios. The investor is granted a fixed number of shares / units as per the Company’s discretion. These schemes are also called as Initial Public Offerings ( IPO). If you have a limited corpus, then opt for mid-cap fund as compared to small or large-cap.
For a person above 30 years of age, children’s education, family, health becomes a priority. Hence, the risk-taking capacity is substantially reduced. An insurance is now recommended at this stage. It is again of two types:
1. Traditional Plan: It assures guaranteed low returns ( about 8% ) and premium payment commitment for the entire tenure in which insurance cover is provided.
2. Unit Linked Insurance Plan ( ULIP ) : they are similar to Mutual Funds except that they come with an insurance benefit. They serve the dual purpose of security + investment. Yet, various charges ( Premium Allocation Charges, Fund Management Charges (FMC), Mortality Charges ) are something to watch out for. A company provides for various under funds under this scheme in which the investor can invest his annual premium. The funds vary in the percentage investment option of the investor in sectors like debt and equity. The premium payment term is generally for 3 years and the insurance cover can be sustained over a longer period as per the selected tenure on the payment of yearly charges.
Health, Children’s Education and Pension Plans are available under the ULIPs. Premium can be paid as a singly or as yearly installments for the fixed tenure.
Insurance also gives you the advantage of tax-rebates at the time of filing your IT- Returns. The revised slabs for annual taxable income are :
Females : above Rs. 1,35,000/-.
Males : above Rs. 1,00,000/-
Senior Citizens : above Rs. 1,85,000/-.
The tax rebate is applicable under section 80C.
It is important that you have an access to your money in the time of need. This brings in the concept of “Liquidity”, wherein assets are converted to cash. Gold is a preferred liquid asset for its time-value. MFs and ULIPs also offer you flexibility as far as withdrawals are considered.
To conclude, I would say that financial planning needs to personally undertaken by every individual. It provides us the much needed security during crisis. My only suggestion to one and all – invest wisely and live well!
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Civic Duties
CIVIC DUTIES
They form a set of “do’s” and “donts” which are conveniently ignored by a majority of citizens. The attitude is a result of the current generation never being exposed to captivity and bonding. They have over the years breathed the free air and thoroughly exploited the privileged rights delineated by the Constitution. The efforts required to turn overleaf and understand the basic and the simplest of duties, were never put in.
At this juncture, when the lapses of the Government, breakdown in Parliamentary and Constitutional machinery are so evident and coming to the forefront, its easy to realize that youth awakening is the need of the hour. As citizens of the nation, as members of a Constituency ( assuming that many of us have bothered to get ourselves enrolled and are going to exercise the less exploited “Right to Vote” ) , it is duty to repay the society which allows us to live freely ( though not securely, kindly forgive me for the pun ). Now, there is no need brooding over security lapses which are inevitable in a country which houses a substantial fraction of the world population.
“Easy” Steps that we can take for the betterment of a Nation, so worthy of our love and concern, are enlisted below:
• The most important one, forgive the Government. Stop cribbing about its policies, price-hikes, politics, etc.
• Voice your opinion and make sure you are heard. The media is at your disposal – press, radio, the blogosphere and Viewspaper ofcourse!
• Vote for the impending elections. Atleast get your documents ready to procure your voter-identity card; so that you don’t miss out on voting for the elections henceforth.
• The next time you see over-zealous / jilted lovers painting the walls with their love in vermilion red ( scribbling heart shapes with arrows to depict pain), kindly stop them. Request them to exhibit their art-work in their homes, so that even their parents get to know of the same! Let your city walls and city-transport look clean and enviable.
• Be a diligent traveler. If you find anything suspicious about a fellow passenger, do inform the security personnel. The helpline numbers are on display in most of the public places.
• Take the efforts to register police helpline numbers in your phonebook.
• The government has empowered you to stop a fellow from spitting or littering on roads. P.S. This stunt to be performed only if the fellow in question is not more that three times your size and you are not held off-guard!
The next set comprise of “duties” which can be graded as moderate on a scale of difficulty.
• Casting your vote doesn’t serve your purpose completely. Pat your back for realising the importance of voting. But now its time to pass on this realization and create awareness. Spread the word of “duty” by joining public rallies and online forums.
• As an educated individual, understand the importance of learning. Be a part of community service programmes undertaken by various Non-Governmental Organizations. They train college students to take lessons in BMC Schools.
• Donate blood and save lives. Blood donation can be done by a healthy individual over 18 years of age, once in every three months. The Government recognizes this noble action of yours and certifies you for the same.
• Take tuition classes for your maid’s child. Donate books, clothes and toys to the underprivileged children of the society.
• Close that tap when you are done with brushing your teeth. Switch OFF the lights when not in use. It is not that difficult! Just realize the need to contribute to power saving when we are facing a crisis in the supply of the same.
Having successfully performed the above set of duties, it will be easy for you to execute these most arduous tasks.
• Respect every fellow being in the society, be gentle person in the truest sense. But do raise your voice against violence and injustice.
• Help your needy neighbour.
• In this world ravaged by war, hold out your hand to embrace the philosophy of brotherhood and fraternity.
• Practice the religion of Humanity; and I assure you that the world will be a better place to live in!
If the above duties are thoroughly performed by majority of the youth today, we will realize that we are a part of an alert and responsible township. Taking the strings of the governing system in your able hands is the next best step to be taken.
The list of duties is amended greatly to answer the hour’s calling.
Dear Citizen,
Perform these simple duties.
Be a part of the Renaissance.
The Nation beckons you……
They form a set of “do’s” and “donts” which are conveniently ignored by a majority of citizens. The attitude is a result of the current generation never being exposed to captivity and bonding. They have over the years breathed the free air and thoroughly exploited the privileged rights delineated by the Constitution. The efforts required to turn overleaf and understand the basic and the simplest of duties, were never put in.
At this juncture, when the lapses of the Government, breakdown in Parliamentary and Constitutional machinery are so evident and coming to the forefront, its easy to realize that youth awakening is the need of the hour. As citizens of the nation, as members of a Constituency ( assuming that many of us have bothered to get ourselves enrolled and are going to exercise the less exploited “Right to Vote” ) , it is duty to repay the society which allows us to live freely ( though not securely, kindly forgive me for the pun ). Now, there is no need brooding over security lapses which are inevitable in a country which houses a substantial fraction of the world population.
“Easy” Steps that we can take for the betterment of a Nation, so worthy of our love and concern, are enlisted below:
• The most important one, forgive the Government. Stop cribbing about its policies, price-hikes, politics, etc.
• Voice your opinion and make sure you are heard. The media is at your disposal – press, radio, the blogosphere and Viewspaper ofcourse!
• Vote for the impending elections. Atleast get your documents ready to procure your voter-identity card; so that you don’t miss out on voting for the elections henceforth.
• The next time you see over-zealous / jilted lovers painting the walls with their love in vermilion red ( scribbling heart shapes with arrows to depict pain), kindly stop them. Request them to exhibit their art-work in their homes, so that even their parents get to know of the same! Let your city walls and city-transport look clean and enviable.
• Be a diligent traveler. If you find anything suspicious about a fellow passenger, do inform the security personnel. The helpline numbers are on display in most of the public places.
• Take the efforts to register police helpline numbers in your phonebook.
• The government has empowered you to stop a fellow from spitting or littering on roads. P.S. This stunt to be performed only if the fellow in question is not more that three times your size and you are not held off-guard!
The next set comprise of “duties” which can be graded as moderate on a scale of difficulty.
• Casting your vote doesn’t serve your purpose completely. Pat your back for realising the importance of voting. But now its time to pass on this realization and create awareness. Spread the word of “duty” by joining public rallies and online forums.
• As an educated individual, understand the importance of learning. Be a part of community service programmes undertaken by various Non-Governmental Organizations. They train college students to take lessons in BMC Schools.
• Donate blood and save lives. Blood donation can be done by a healthy individual over 18 years of age, once in every three months. The Government recognizes this noble action of yours and certifies you for the same.
• Take tuition classes for your maid’s child. Donate books, clothes and toys to the underprivileged children of the society.
• Close that tap when you are done with brushing your teeth. Switch OFF the lights when not in use. It is not that difficult! Just realize the need to contribute to power saving when we are facing a crisis in the supply of the same.
Having successfully performed the above set of duties, it will be easy for you to execute these most arduous tasks.
• Respect every fellow being in the society, be gentle person in the truest sense. But do raise your voice against violence and injustice.
• Help your needy neighbour.
• In this world ravaged by war, hold out your hand to embrace the philosophy of brotherhood and fraternity.
• Practice the religion of Humanity; and I assure you that the world will be a better place to live in!
If the above duties are thoroughly performed by majority of the youth today, we will realize that we are a part of an alert and responsible township. Taking the strings of the governing system in your able hands is the next best step to be taken.
The list of duties is amended greatly to answer the hour’s calling.
Dear Citizen,
Perform these simple duties.
Be a part of the Renaissance.
The Nation beckons you……
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