Pushing Forward

Nitya, a 27 yr old housewife with 2 kids living in suburbs of Mumbai. If she has anything to be proud of, that would be by being a wife to a self-made husband or being a mother to lovely, intelligent kids. Having eveything placed before her, she never had to decide anything for herself. Her school, college, branch were all decided by her parents. Definetely marriage couldn't be an exception, her life partner was matched consulting matchmakers with kundli. She never felt out of power or rather she is indifferent of being powerless all her life. Is she had any hope of ever 'being free', that soon vaporised as her husband was equally pressy and determined to guide family life. She never complained, nor was their a need to as things were always happening for good.

This is not just story of Nitya, but of many in this world, feeling powerless as if fate is truly written on forehead. But what happened to Nitya later happens only to few unlucky or rather not so unlucky as you would feel later. Her husband met with an accident on express highway and was critical. To her bad luck he soon slipped into coma and all their savings were fed to the hospitals coffers. She was helpless, felt the world cheated her and her children. It took time but she eventually fought back, started working and took great care of her children and ran the family singlehandedly. This transition is also found in many peoples lives. These are times when people realise that they are in the driver seat of their lifes and not in passenger seat they used to assume. "One's destiny is in one's own hand." " I am master of my fate".

Such push or crisis is a fact and at times a necessity for a person to realise one's own potential. It is true that people realise their true powers and capabilities in difficulties. One should also note that even good can inspire one, to push ahead towards realisation. A genuine concern to be a responsible citizen, to give back, to share, to better, to help all guide people to that realisation. But as this article starts with and often stories tell, movies depict it is those that are distinct, different, contrasting situations that often gain attention. Further clarifying definetely we are in drivers seat of our life, but one should also remember that there are co-passengers, there are other vehicles that we come across, about whom everyone should be responsible for. This irony at one hand being master and at other hand being responsible is something that we have to live it, a fact of life.

On a different note but in similar lines I ask "What is it being truly free?" Should I say I am free right now writing this article? If the answer was yes, then am I free if I were writing this in China? Am I free when I have no responsibilities? If the answer is yes, then I have no responsibilities now. No demands from my employers, all expenses paid by parents, no girl friends to soothe, nothing. But I don't feel free. As German philosopher puts it, "To be free is nothing. To become free is heavenly".

'Becoming free' are those moments which Colin Wilson puts it as peak experiences where you feel free, where you feel lucky and all powerful. It is because your thoughts have made you feel such, you become free and feel free.  Those euphoric moments are always cherised and loved where you realise that power you have. Then it just the question "How great would it be if I have those peak experiences many times?" or 'maximise Satva' as I prefer to call it. The answer is in the thoughts which are root of every living action and outcome. Swami Vivekananda briefs it wonderfully “We are what our thoughts have made us; so take care about what you think. Words are secondary. Thoughts live; they travel far.” So I say

Push ahead, Push forward, break chains, realise yourself, your power, for the world is yours; you are the world.

Note: This is a note, a summation of my thoughts, showing you various way of realising yourself and telling you of situations we generally are.

The Foot Factory

This is the story of one man whom I know as long as I can remember, who has always been by my side and about whom I am very proud of . . . my "father". His jounrey is as remarkable as that of Will Smith's 'Pursuit of Happiness'. Having tried his hands on multiple businesses and hsving net only partial success, things turned around for him when he had an additional responsibility, me. His priority at that time was not just to meet daily needs but also to be concerned about my education and future. These needs made him push his boundaries by migrating to a small booming city Vijayawada.

As the journey typically goes, young lads from villages come to towns and cities working and learning from their already settled relatives. My dad was quick to learn and he also had capital. The story goes on smoothly until due to some feuds, my dad was kicked out of his job. He had his second child coming, an extra responsibility in uncertain times. He was forced to start a new business from scratch with no outside support because of the power the former yielded. Going through all these difficulties, my dad did fare wonderfully. He started his own manufacturing unit of women's footwear. He put all his savings to get proper education for us. His honesty, modesty, hard-working nature brought him to the place where he is today. Respected for his courage to fight all odds, he is a man who can be proud. Hope we stand up to his abilities and capability to move forward with all responsibilities.

Vijaywada, 3rd biggest city in Andhra Pradesh has always been a commercial hub. Good irrigational and driking water fascilities, well connected by train, road and air. It is a place to all those who want to start a business. It is also a huge centre for footwear manufacturing. A cluster with many players catering to various needs and demands from across India. Skilled and cheap labour, interesting designs, good transport fascilities, many investors and cluster advantages are the reasons for its growth. Here's how the story went through times.

I used to suggest different ideas, designs for footwear whenever I got an opportunity. My dad and his friends had a standard reply, "No one will buy from us, we make what they (wholesalers) buy from us". I do not deny that they do experiment and create new desings. What I am concerned is that they almost always limit themselves to a quadrangle of present demand and fashion. They imitate and re-design those which are selling good and are of craze. The ideas that they imitate are mostly from either big-city firms or international brands. The advantage that we have is the cost. They make good models with very low cost, a manufacturing hub just like what china is. Here they almost always shirk to make disruptive designs. 

Things were going fine like this for many years. They do create few new designs but most of innovation part is left for others do it. Because of the close knit bussinesses; ideas, models are replicated quite quickly. But recently they are faced with challenges that they have never faced. Their market share is being eaten away from all sides. The cost advantage they used to have before is watered down beacuse of too heavy competition existing between them. People in towns and cities have become brand conscious, so they are forced to move the products to smaller towns and villages. Added to this, they have huge inflows from places like Delhi, Thailand, which are much cheaper and desings different and hence attractive. The once booming industry has now many drop-outs and failures. Only big players have survived the onslaught. Is this a point of no return? I don't think . . . 

What they always lacked is innovation and the propensity to take risk. They hate "risk". They always tend to focus on guaranteed returns with minimum risk. The solution that I suggest, is not just applicable to this cluster but every cluster in India. These clusters I feel are successful owing to their advantages in labour - cheap and skilled, mostly involves imitation and cost advantages. But these are not something that are sure to stay for a long time. Every industry will face tough and new competition as more and more players join, competition from bigger firms and international brands and markets. If they are to stay in the field, they need to innovate. Innovation in designs, in products, in supply chain is the necessity. They should explore previously unexplored markets, unmet needs. They should use their cluster brand value for marketing their products.

"Co-operate, Innovate and make it big" should be the call.

The Innovation Invictus

One would be appalled by the number of articles being written in op-eds, editorials on how to revive America and its growth story. People debating on contradictory stands, some  forecasting doomsday and others shoving off any pessimism in its capabilities. It is also not surprising to call "Policy Paralysis" of India, the latest fashion in newspaper reports being used everywhere for everything. The parallels of both countries have to end here i.e growth story, revival of economies and growth rate. The content is widely different and poles apart.

While world intellectuals point out to the Chinese dragon and limits of Capitalism as reasons to doom, the American intelligentia defends showing its infrastructure, mature and stable markets and competitive environment. They go on suggest that if US was to fall in line and reclaim its lost torch it should harness its 'innovation' potential and financial markets to further the growth. All their suggestions can be broadly boiled down to work better, ask people to innovate and invest in profitable and novel ideas. Our Indian counterparts are very modest and 'populist'. They never blame or even call for action from people, they always and inevitably blame the government for all wrongs in this country. It is but irony that these very intellectuals champion that the development that happened is outside the government but still want everything to be done by government.

Though I might have made overly simple in showing the differences in American and Indian imagination, the difference is stark and truth. We were and are always comfortable in blaming others for mistakes but taking credit ourselves for success. Why don't they ask people to start new business? Why don't they fight to harness the innovations? Why don't they debate on business environment for Micro,Small and Medium enterprises? All the newspaper discussion is centred around people and business with deep pockets and lengthy balance sheets, who could any way get things done. We complain there are no Zuckerberg or Steve Jobs here. They started small and grew big, they innovated and succeeded. But these small start-ups, innovations are never part of main-stream discussion. All we seem to care about is FDI from US, Korea, Europe, Japan etc. I feel its high time that we start caring about ourselves, start introspecting where we lack and what are our plus points. I feel INNOVATION is the key.

I wouldn't restrict innovation to its general application in technology and business. I seek to see innovation in thinking, in ideas, in applications, in models, in processess. There is a huge scope for innovation in industries, in universities, in businesses. There is a need for innovative thinking for public policy and its working at various levels, in our approach for inclusive development and economic growth. Innovation should also be in how we look at ourselves and this country. People shouldn't be restricted to the existing paradigms but explore new avenues. Innovation is the solution to the pressing challenges of this country, which is on its journey to greatness. I would prefer to build base and utilise peoples power than worry of Gods at the top.

' "Disturb the Pattern, Introduce Anarchy" in innovation'

GS : Goldman Sachs or Greg Smith

When whole world is talking about the spectacular exit of Greg Smith,  an executive of one of the world's largest investment banks Goldman Sachs; I cannot but write something on this to satisfy myself. So here's the journey of the "GOLD" man's tale.... (Original Article :http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/14/opinion/why-i-am-leaving-goldman-sachs.html)

As a newbie or rather a freshie into the walls of IIT, we would hear names of McKinsey, Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs more than traditionally expected Google, Microsoft, Sony. Fat pay packages, recruiting best of students and promise of a bright future; this wonderland combination is truly hard to ignore. Secretly quite many times I considered working there ( I mean try !! ).

Did I know what these banks do? I had no clue. This quest was answered by " The Inside Job", an Oscar winning 2010 Documentary film that I hit upon. True to the award, this movie is a wonderful watch summing up on the 2008 Global ( or to be precise American) economic crisis. The way GS and other banks played with customer confidence, betting against what they were selling as safe, was to me shocking and disgusting. What went wrong?? What is the problem??? Here I try my hands on.....

1) Bonus :-

Having been to classes of Organisational Behavior, I chanced upon what motivates workers, what brings in new talent to the organisation of which "Bonuses" are a part. But with this younger generation in pursuit of money ( yet movies show Happiness) are excited and motivated by bonuses. With this culture becoming the norm from deep pocketed finance companies to start ups that come to recruit interns, it is not hard to imagine the change that happens in work culture.

Bonus depend on your performance for a certain period of time. The better you perform the more you get. Bonus is technology companies where things can be tested immediately is fine but what about financial sector where nothing is for certain, where fortunes melt in minutes ( $2.2 Bn loss for GS due to GS - Greg Smith). The employees looking for short term profits which are judged by number of contracts or financial instruments they sell, amount being made by the company etc are the weighing factors for Bonus. GS was clear to this point by qouting the words "axes" and "muppets" in the open resignation  letter. This is exactly what happened during 2008 crisis, now with the GS episode and what is happening with Wall Street all along. This culture of bonus is to be questioned

2) Stock Market :-

I needn't give any info about it, being one of the best ways of earning fortunes ( atleast that's what we hear). It is a wonderful place where companies can raise funds and achieve their goals, earn profits with the generated capital. But with the advent of technology like high-frequency trading, financial innovations like derivatives, speculative futures; more and more people are fighting over short term profits. Companies are not safe from this. They have got to show good Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4 results, each year otherwise their share price crashes, competitors win. This vicious quest is making people forget the long term strategies, commitments and responsibilities

55% of households in US hold stocks where as it is 11% in Japan and 7% in Germany. This shows how dependent US economy is on volatile stock markets. A small bubble, an insider trading, a cheating case, a copyright infringement, the whole economy crashes. You can understand why India with just around 5-10% has stood strong though Sensex crashed. We are not dependent on this casino ( :P ) playground. This economic model is to be questioned.

3) Money:-

Few of you might have observed that my above two start with money, profits. So it becomes necessary to question this also. Pursuit of Money or Material wealth doesn't necessarily lead you to path of happiness. But this world is blessed to assume so. The economics we so cherish, with dreams all becoming the American dream, the great stress and importance given to material  things which all boil down to money should be looked upon carefully. Even Michael Douglas retracted by saying "Greed is Bad" from "Greed is Good", valuing family relationships over money and profits.

I am doing a lot of injustice by limiting the article to these few points, but then I am not qualified enough to state more than what I could comprehend as salesmen do. I with this article would request you to think about what is said here. Critically review, comment, discuss and help me and you get a good picture of where we are heading. 

Question, Reason, Think, Review...............and ACT

With love,

Vishnu.

College Life...........

There wouldn't be an end to discussions that one has on their experiences and memories of LIFE @ IIT. Or to be more general their college life. It is celebrated, cherished by all and for ages. What sets it apart from this long journey of life, it its distinctiveness. 

It is distinct because of its rich social life. It is distinct because of our friends and teachers. It is distinct because of the joyful and fun situations that we have been and that we chose to be. And finally it is distinct because hardly people have that kind of charm in them later.

People who know that I am still in college, would wonder why he is describing this as something long lost. Well I agree with them, but what I am trying to, is to raise few important questions that might find some meaning here..... Life @ IIT. I prefer to call it a true social life. Why? We play, we dance, we party, we sing, we study, we act, we beat, we get beaten, we watch, we listen, we fight, we facebook, we gmail, we tease, we cry. we laugh...all facets of life packed into this small period of life.

And what is even more special with IIT is the opportunities that it provides to grow. Pick your interest, there is a group already working towards it and if not there people willing to join you. Say you wanna break a record, there will be hundreds supporting and participating. Call for a protest, there are thousands ready to march, shout and stand for hours together. Share your idea, there will be scores of peers, professors willing to guide you. Life here is heaven until you realise or miss it.

Why all the charm and liveliness goes behind the curtain once you step out of this world? Why the pursuit of happiness after college life is so unhappy? Why people become so pressured, depressed and life so challenging that people loose all the solace? Why people become so self centered? My description of college life given above might be too juicy for some. But,

Life here has its own dark times. We have quizzes, project submissions, presentations, interviews, intern's. It isn't that we don't have competition here. We have one of the best minds in country competing. The difference is that here, there are people who are supporting you, willing to give a helping hand, ready to share and care. Why is it absent outside? We do have a great share of sad times, we get scolded by parents, GF's, we get rejected by girls(boys), professors, staff. But then it isn't same outside, as we have people(actually loads) willing to guide us and help us out. 

Few might shout, "You do not have responsibility!!". I disagree. We have as much responsibility as anyone can. We have to study, we have to get good interns, we need to get fat pay packages, we need to care our friends, family and maintain relationships. All these might sound silly, but how different are they from what we all do later. We take care of children, we maintain relationships, we work to get good salary, we take care of family, friends. What I am pointing to is the difference in approach and conditions that surroundings provide.

These observations point out to the fact that we essentially loose our social life as I describe it above, when we go out in to the so called "real world". As if it isn't so now. Many people end up being self-centered, loosing friends, not knowing neighbors, always looking in terms of  'I, my, me, mine'. If it is that all those that trouble us in "real world" don't trouble us in college life. They do. We too are at times self-centered, at times competitive but then these are not the guiding principles. We live here in a dynamic balance of private and social life, a balance in competition and co-operation, a balance in love and hate.

This dynamism and balance is absent outside, its too one-sided. Where does the fault lie? I feel it is in social structures, the behavior that people develop and  that "cities" groom. This isn't the case in places rich in social life, like villages, IIT's etc. One should question, reason out if technology and the modern model of capitalist development are the causes. Their stress on individualism, competition, efficiency and standardization, I feel is the cause....

This is the aim of my article, to point out to the ills of the so called modern yet self-destructing society. Question, Reason, Argue, Discuss........and ACT

With love,

Vishnu Vardhan

I know many of you are already bombarded with arguments, opinions, analysis on FDI in retail. I understand the hangover of it but I do have something to say not on crazy studies or opinion polls but on personal experience.Not many of you might know that our government has allowed 51% FDI  in single brand retail, cash & carry wholesale trading back in 2006 itself. We(my family) hailing from Vijaywada in Andhra Pradesh were blessed enough that Bharti-Walmart opened a "Best Price" store there. I got an opportunity to visit to that wonderful store.

The journey is filled with lots of surprises. First is to come at the entry itself where few rules and guidelines were put.

1) Only those who are registered allowed. -- Registered means those who have a business of their own.

2) Maximum of 3 people per card allowed.

3) These goods are not meant for personal use and are for resale.

4) Minimum of Rs.1000/- bill

I was once again lucky that my dad happened to run a business and he got card required for entry. I was wondering that if goods sold here are only for resale, why was my mother so insisting on going there. The second shock was soon to come as I stepped into the store. OMG! Never have I watched something so magnificient and huge in a wholesale store. Huge 15+ metres cuboards, cranes moving here and there, crowd in numbers surprising for a wholesale shop.

Secrets are soon revealed as I moved around the store putting things my mom selected in trolly. What the store is selling is no different from what a retail store sells or a small wholesaler. But the point is that goods that are sold here are straight from factory (which you can see in top racks of pic). The prices are sometimes Rs 15/- below the M.R.P making it very attractive for house-wives like my mom and retailers alike. The customers that come here are mostly poeple like my family. We in India have considerable population self-employed. I mean we have many many businnessess of all forms running at all places. Here all of them are eligible to enter Walmart and buy. So the Rule 3 that goods are meant for resale is hardly followed because all are buying for personal needs.They are selling refrigerators, TV's, cell phones, vegetables etc which are mostly for personal consumption along with other goods in the name of re-selling.

I will not draw grand conclusions from here but what point I wished to drive home is that "My mom did not buy this month's share of goods from a KIRANA store that she used to buy for many many years".