New US Sanctions Vs Reliance Industries

US imposes Sanctions on various countries to retain its internal interests. This is very common ever since the super power wanted to curtail terrorism, money laundering and on the other side hiding its own insecurities. The current lever is not to let Iran become a nuclear power superseding the interests of United States and the only way they can achieve this objective is to curtail business opportunities with Iran by the other countries.
Reliance industries have the world's largest capacity of refining the worst crude oil in its Jamnagar facility. This gives Reliance an edge of refining almost 30% of Iran refined gasoline and boosts Indian economy by bringing in a major portion of export revenue. Now under the new sanctions levied by US, Reliance along with other major oil giants like British Petroleum, Vitol and Glencore can either trade with US or with Iran and not both. This will be a major bottleneck for Reliance Industries who are experts in oil refining industry world wide. Being one of the world leading supplier of refined petroleum products to Iran and other countries, Reliance now has a wider challenge in hand. There is no other super power in the world that dares to levy such sanctions that can curtail business with US for what so ever reasons and this is the advantage for United States.
The only wish is that this will not be another game plan like what happened with Iraq. In the pretext of anxieties of US on Iraq thought to be provoking a biological war and Geo-politics, US war on Iraq only proved to be a major failure, killing millions of people and losing thousands of US soldiers resulting in no bigger difference to the rest of the world. Iran being one of the world's largest producer of crude oil, may now take up a strategy of improving its refining capabilities as a response to US new sanctions. Such a step would only be a win-win situation for Iran and No profit-No loss zone for US. The loser in this gamble will be Indian Economy losing its major share of oil export business to Iran and of course, our dear Reliance Industries.

Coalition Government - A Tamasha Selection Beyond General Elections

The actual drama of the outcome of the upcoming Loksabha General Elections will unfold after the election results. Its is not easy like Obama calling in United States saying that we are not Red States or Blue States but United States. The dirty negotiation of buying winning constituencies is the actual time when the game begins. Elections is just a democratic formality and a false way of selecting the government. No more we can keep singing the song of "Socialist, Secular and democratic republic'". Yes we are right. We are still secular. Each state is having its own color and religion. Divide and Rule policy is gaining momentum in its own right.

There is a famous joke, that an tourist visited India and later when he went back to his country, he described India as a great country with vast heritage, beautiful tourist destination and various food and dress habits. There was no mention of his interaction with any Indian. When he was asked the same, the answer is that he met a Tamilian, Gujarati, Marati, Bengali, Delhiwalla, Mumbaiwalla, but he never came across an Indian. How true and how disgusting.

On every road today I find colourful flags flying high. Black and Red, Green, Blue, Orange, White, and even some pink and yellow ones. One moment I thought I found the one I was searching for, one with saffron, white and green. Yes, I found but with a hand in between and not my Ashoka Chakra. India as a Nation fails to bring in the significance of the National flag in the minds of all Indians. From the time we step out of the country, we will find the National flag of other countries flying along side the regional flags what so ever. Here what remains is only the divided India in the same of regional parties, national parties, different impractical election manifestos to woo the voters who are later forgotten inadvertently :-)

These once in five year elections is just a waste of money and time for all of us. Who ever is dynastic ally controlling or politically (monetarily strong) correct still rules. The Indian General Elections is no place to expect a Obama-way or a kind of change that we dream for.

As the Nation is ripped by the neighbouring unrest with Taliban Vs Pakistan, Moists Vs Nepal, LTTE vs SriLanka Army, our borders are insecure along with the fact that internal naxals play their part. Yes, we cannot appreciate our Army and Soldiers...because we are busy watching IPL, where the Modi's and Khans and Shetty's making crores at the cost of time and energies.

There is no security in the country. Tourism is haunted by the attacks in Varanasi, Mumbai and Delhi. But we are not worried about it. We will fast and protest now for a neighbours internal issue because its time for some show of concern. We are worried about the devastating human conditions of civilians in our neighbouring State but did we ever have a statistics of our own slums and poor who do not have a roof over their heads. Nearly 70% of India do not have proper or adequate access to health care and education. But we are not concerned

Acres of land is under construction, bridges are getting laid, and millions of rupees are invested in the infrastructure growth of my Nation. I am happy. I am excited that tomorrow my rural India will grow to that extent where I can find malls, shopping complexes and costliest educational institutions in villages. Wow Change. But where is my food. Where is the land to cultivate rice and grow vegetables. Today my one kilo rice costs me Rs 36, may be after 5 years, I will not be buying rice anymore as its a luxurious commodity. Can i keep eating my shopped branded stuff and not my staple food? I don't know.

God, give me one boon that I should die without being in a hospital. Yes, I mean it. Health care in India is a total divided area. I am OK if I am in government hospital or a reputed medical institution. Anything in between is not mine. But affordability to the common man. I cannot imagine. Today we talk about Research and development, advanced medical transplants, improved pharmaceuticals and growing availability of health care. I feel like puking when I think about the government hospital. Burnt patients laid in corridors, women struggling to give birth in the common dormitory because labour wards are full and worse that the mortuaries are full with unclaimed bodies. Gosh, it is stinking atmosphere. Why can't we change this?

Education, Training, Nuclear Sciences, Advanced studies, Agricultural revolution, Forestation, Mineral wealth, Indigenous industries, Small scale cottage industries, construction and infrastructure, manufacturing, allied and ancillary industries and lot and lot of things need an overall acceleration. But does any of the elections manifestos talk about this? A forgotten growth. we want to build temples if we come to power. That is our agenda of National Secularism you see. Disgusting.

Women Empowerment is just another myth. I am not proud having a woman president for my country for the simple reason I do not know what she is capable of. Only 3% of Urban Women fall under actual empowerment. What about millions and millions of women still suffering in this nation in the name of marriage, dowry, unemployment, sickness, parenting and domestic violence. Where is an end to this? Did any time the 33% provision given by constitution for women in Parliament fully utitlised. Why the hell someone fixes our ratio even?? Why can't we see more women leaders coming up genuinly breaking the glass ceiling????

OK, I think I am getting emotional, feeling bad and getting sick now. Let me wait like all of you for the Tamasha Phase 1 to get over and the final and phase 2 Tamasha of the Actual Indian Elections begin. Till such time, I will wait and watch like any of you. I will not vote for this false elections anyway!..

Ride the Recession

The title of the post is the programme on NDTV this weekend with Dr Narayana Murthy of Infosys. The half hour interview could have been a one hour session giving more inputs from the Technology guru. There was meaning in every word he said and truth in the way he was explaining things. This recession is worse and it can get worser. But how much we are prepared for this is a big questions mark. Leave alone individuals or the corporate gaints, the unpreparedness is everywhere including in the way government machinery can tackle an economic tsunami. India with around 22 lakh people directly working in the IT sector is a no-nonsense segment providing huge export revenue to India. There are millions of others who are working indirectly wheeling the IT industry. The IT industry has changed the face of the Nation in the global platform. Indians with the intellectual brilliance had brought in a wider recognition for the country on the world map. Today we are not just a brown community, but a strong empowered group of intellects who can manage the world satellites, control the economy, create vast business empires and emerge as people who can bring in a tolerance and growth of the Nation. Except of the lakhs of NRI's residing abroad over 70's and 80's there wasn't a bigger recognition to Indians on the gloabl scenario till 90's when the IT industry changed the framework of accepting Indians all over. Today,the recognition is vital and predominant. Its not just the cheap labour or the exchange rate benefit that brought in export revenue to the country, but the hardwork, persistence and quality of deliverables, products that aim at customer satisfaction and quick turnaround and devotion to work is recognised. Economies played a major role and at the same time, value for the money paid made the western world depend on us. Today it is not just the economy of a nation in trouble, but this is a vicious circle where one economic downturn impacts the neighbouring economies as well. At the same time, the fall of the US economy did not destablise the Indian economy inspite of the impact being high on global revenues for the basic fact that the banking and financial fundamentals are strong and nearly 70% of the economy is dependent on the non-IT sectors. The only way to combat such a huge downturn and global crisis is to make indegenious products for self-sufficiency by every state to make the best out of the worst times. At the same time, keeping the global concepts as a add-on accelarators to the growth and revenue of any economy. The old adage "Make Hay while sun shines" still holds good for the fact that for every up there is a down and vice versa. Its time to wait for the other side....

Medical Emergencies in Schools????

Akkriti Bhatia's death has raised another most depressing issue that is existing in the society today. Schools being not equipped to handle medical emergencies. As a parent whose teen is in school, I have all concerns of wanting to know how far my kid's school is equipped to handle medical emergencies. It can be of any kind, accidents, unexpected illness, allergy or a critical emergency. Just at the starting of the annual exams, my kid called me to inform that one of her classmates had fits and teachers rushed him to the nearby hospital. It is the common sense and presence of mind that saved the 10 year old. Had the school waited with an usual call to the parents, and then the parents rushing from their work place and then take a call whether to rush to a hospital, would have costed the child's life like in Akkriti's case. I appreciate the immediate action taken by St. Brito's Academy Velachery in taking a swift action to save a child in a medical emergency.
Policies of not letting kids go out of the school without all required approvals, or parents coming in personally to take their wards home in times of sickness can all be considered based on the kind of emergency that is in hand.
Few things that can avoid such incidents to happen:
1. Train all teachers and staff of schools on how to handle medical emergencies - Approach the Organization ALERT which trains on handling such tiring situations
2. Have first aid medical kits in every class room.
3. Ensure proper ventilation and fresh air in classrooms.
4. Easy the processes in case of medical emergencies and the school vans can be used to rush the child to a nearest medical help
5. There should be a doctor on call or a equipped medical room with a nurse to manage situations in schools which do not have hospitals in the closest proximity
6. Sports and Games sessions to be avoided in hot sun and soon after lunch intervals
7. Periodical medical checkups to be conducted by schools and parents - In fact, I am happy that Brito's does that.
8. In cases where a child has a history of some ailment, the basic necessary support like inhalers, or a insulin tablet or an aspirin or what ever is relevant to be made mandatory available in the child's school bag.
9. School management should take responsibility of handling a medical emergency till the parents arrive.
10. Every teacher should realise that every student is a child to some parent like them.
Unless and until the schools and parents equally understand the importance of not getting panicked but instead are aware to handle an medical emergency, am sure such incidents will not happen. As long as we give importance to the "One Golden Hour" that is crucial, and on how we will handle those few moments we have to save a life, we can save lives
Please look into the website "http://www.alert-wecare.org/" and approach the volunteers in case your school needs a training on basic first aid practices and emergency response that can save lives.

Sri Lankan Civil War

From the time my memory began, one tragedy that makes me whine is the ongoing civil war in Sri Lanka. War is the last thing that should be happening in the civilized society and the modern world. When negotiations fail and deliberations begin, there is no end to the human anger. When this anger is outgrown beyond imagination, what breaks is not just a Nation but the entire humanity. What ever be the reasons of the war, the repercussions are devastating riping the Nation apart. Who ever may be the winner of this war, what remains is the scars of civilization that got devastated with blood shed and embroiling empathy less human factor.
In the urge of a National divide, a communal segmentation and fragmentation of the society in the name of language, religion, caste and creed makes us fail to realise one fact that all of us are human beings. Suffering to the very existence of the mankind is nothing but gruesome. Killing thousands of civilians, losing soldiers who fight for a cause found relevant to them and government stubborn decisions to withdraw ceasefire and the whole world gazing at the ongoing tragedy as a spectacular live show is a shame on humanity.
Children, women and men who lost families, homes and with bleakest future look into the skies ravaged by war. The end may be near today but it would emerge a new way of protest again. For the roots of the issue are necessarily forgotten for what so ever reasons. Its pathetic to let one fraction of the global community suffer. It could be a country's internal issue. Agree. But no country or a government or a rebel organization has a right to make the normal people die for the sake of war. Every person born in this world has a right to live till his or her natural death. But when the same is curtailed because of a impeding war that strikes their day to day lives and makes living a miserable thing, it is a shame to the mankind.
End of the day, what as a single individual can live is a maximum of 100 years in this world as a human being. In between the two shores of a human live, we are crossing the bridge called life. When we start burning the very bridge we need to cross, there makes absolutely no sense. Conflicts, terrorism, and rebellion forces would wipe away the world very soon if we do not aim at peace and a global harmony. The world is failing as a whole if some portion of it is also getting devastated. People with broken bones, thrown skin and raw flesh out of the war wounds stand as a testimony to the way mankind can hurt its own self. God, is there not a way out for this to come to an end and stop such things around the world! With prayers for all those suffering in midst of the war in Sri Lanka and praying hard for the end of unwanted human suffering. God bless my world!

Tulip Festival - Holland, Michigan

Memories of the fragrance, the beauty of nature, the mesmerising winds of the beautiful auro of the weeks when tulips bloomed to bring in a life long happiness with its memories. We just loved watched the multi coloured, multi layered heaven of flowers on earth a year ago. A Snapshot