An evening at the Wagah Border

What was once just one portion of the thousands of kilometers long border that India and Pakistan share has over the years evolved into a place almost of pilgrimage…….for both nations. I am not sure whether the name Wagah comes from some village or bit of land on ‘our’ side or ‘their’ side but there it sits right bang on the Grand Trunk Road,in the middle of the fertile Punjab fields that are planted with the same crops by farmers of both sides at the same time, creating a seamless green carpet.

I first visited this border post in early 1972 as a child. The war had ended just a few months earlier and my dad was working at a place just about 25 kilometers from the Indo-Pak border in a small place called Khasa.

These were days when the signs of the just concluded war were everywhere: from the bunkers in our front and backyards to the pieces of exploded bombs that we used to collect as souvenirs. The memories of those many spy dramas that we enacted with our friends in those very real bunkers will forever be amongst my fondest memories. Next year we were also to witness the return of Pakistani prisoners of war. We stood for hours peering through the coils of barbed wires as the prisoners in newly issued shorts, vests and sneakers collected near the Khasa station to await their turn to be sent back to their country.

Getting back to the border, we were shown around the border post by a Sikh officer of the Border Security Force. It was evening time and the sun was about to set. The lowering of the flag was about to take place and the Indian soldiers blew the bugle, marched to the gate and in a flurry of dramatic steps and salutes lowered the tri-color. The Pakistani soldiers came next but minus the fanfare and took their flag away quietly. We were told by the officer that because Pakistan had surrendered to the Indian forces, as per international convention, only India was allowed to lower the flag each evening ceremoniously. I do not remember how long this state of affairs lasted because on all subsequent visits I saw the two sides lowering their flags in the same manner with equal fan fare.

The Wagah border, back then, was just a couple of gates with the no-man’s land in between. On either side of the gates there was barbed wire for some 500 meters and then just plain fields looking on both sides. That these were two (often hostile) countries face to face across an international border was brought home only by the small stone markers with some numbers written on them.

The farmers on both sides continued their informal friendships and carried on their barely concealed small scale exchange/smuggling of some goods like betel leaves and onions etc There calm atmosphere made one almost forget that guns and bombs had created a cacophony there just months ago.

Wagah continued to exist in near anonymity, not known to many outside the army and BSF personnel and the people of the state. On subsequent visits in the seventies I saw Wagah become a more relaxed place and in the evenings the people of both Lahore and Amritsar would throng to it to watch the flag ceremony and to gape at and occasionally wave to each other. In those days the people were allowed to come right up to the gates once they were shut and people would shout out greetings to each other in a language they both share. While the women dressed the same way on both sides the men on the Pakistani side mostly dressed in the Shalwar Kameez that was labeled “Awami suit” during the rule of Zia-ul-Haq and was made almost compulsory.

Now, 21 years later I visited the Wagah again and that too on the Independence Day, this year. It would be an understatement to say that things have changed. What was once a laid back border post is now a tourist destination that attracts hundreds of visitors each day. A virtual cottage industry has sprung up around the growing ‘fame ‘of Wagah. The evenings have the atmosphere of a village ‘mela’ with everything from ‘aaloo tikki’ to popcorn being sold from make shift stalls. There are stalls selling the usual touristy items like T-shirts, caps, key chains and pictures of the Wagah border post.Al this is haphazard development with very little attention paid to the issues of public facilties like parking.

All this is about 250 yards away from the actual border but the proverbial Indian entrepreneurial skill can be seen even at the new visitor’s galleries that have been built some 50 yards from the main gates. Small boys, some as young as just 8 can be seen moving briskly amongst the visitor’s selling pictures and CDs of the flag ceremony. What the gullible visitor pays Rs.100 for during the ceremony can be bought for just Rs.10-15 later further away from the gates. Needless to say that I was in the gullible category

These changes were a surprise for me because I have seen the Wagah in its earlier peaceful avatar. But the bigger shock for me was the manner in which the Retreat ceremony itself has changed over the years into a virtual war dance of confrontation. In what are obviously well choreographed moves the soldiers, on both sides, march right up to the gate to face each other. Then the BSF personnel make some very distinct hand and feet movements that leave no doubt in the mind that this is saber rattling of another kind.The same is then done by the Pakistani Rangers.

Each side tries to out do the other in the ferocity of their steps and salutes and I am told that each side now has men that specialize in the whole sequence. They try to bring their own unique style to the ceremony and the whole thing is now nothing short of a spectator sport. In earlier days the Indian soldiers would be towered over by the taller and sturdier Pakistani rangers but now India is up to speed and posts mostly exceptionally tall men here. I must confess however that the Pakistanis are still outdoing our men in the moustache department!

Because it was the Independence Day (the Pakistanis had celebrated theirs on the previous day, August 14) special arrangements had been made to have entertainment programs that ranged from a band singing patriotic songs (from what else but Bollywood films) to troops of school children dancing and waving the Indian flag. Occasionally they would move in groups towards the gate in an excited rush and raise the slogan Bharat Mata Ki Jai. This of course is then matched by similar groups shouting Pakistan Paiendabad from the other side. The whole point of the evening was to drown each others din by ratcheting up the volume on your side. This was filmy patriotism but with a barely concealed undercurrent of hostility. Men on microphones exhort the crowds to a fevered frenzy by asking them to clap in rhythm and make sure the Pakistani slogans are drowned out by our own. The same happens on the other side.

Both sides tried their best but the Indians being masters of mass Bollywood style entertainment were certainly leagues ahead, at least on this evening. The Pakistani side was more muted with very few women in the stands. The school girls that danced on the Indian side with total abandon had their counterparts on the other side in school girls wearing head scarves and waving flags demurely.

The irony of the division of British India into two countries is driven home when the Indian side proudly plays the song, “sarey jahan se achha, Hindustan hamara” penned by the poet Iqbal(1877-1938) who was later to be known as the national poet of Pakistan. The Indian side followed it up by playing a song from the film Naya Daur that sings of India as the land of brave soldiers, pretty Heers and handsome Ranjhas. Technically these legendary lovers were from the Punjab that is with Pakistan now and the tale of their tragic love was celebrated by the poet Waris Shah ,born in1722-98 in Jandiala Sher Khan, District Sheikhupura, Punjab (Pakistan), in his famous poem Heer.

Mingling with the teeming crowds were tourists of many western countries who joined in the carnival like atmosphere but commented that they knew of no other border between hostile neighbours that could boast of such colourful and musical drama.

Although I was spell bound by the whole show that the soldiers put up I could not help wondering at the aim behind encouraging such strong emotions against each other at a border post. There has been enough enmity for 61 years and if the scale of that has to be lowered then surely this is not the way to do it.

I later found out that the whole show that goes with such precision and co ordination is the result of the soldiers of both sides working out the whole routine together. I found it amusing that the soldiers who put on this modern day version of a war dance actually work together behind the scene to ensure that the whole thing goes about without a move out of place. Similar shows on a lesser scale can now be seen on the Ferozepur border also.

Sitting in the VIP gallery just 100 yards away from the Pakistani crowds I could not help but wonder about all those places that my family members of the previous generation left behind to make their way to safety on this side in 1947.None believed at the time that they would not be going back and all clung to their memories and stories till the end of their lives. I wondered if, sitting in the crowds on the other side, someone else was wondering the same about his/her relatives who had trudged across to the Pakistani side in that tragic year. I wondered, too, about this whole notion of identity. What makes up identity? Does it come from a shared religion or a shared language or from the shared cultural experiences, stories, songs and collective memories of a people? Or is it defined by borders and boundries?

When there was a lull in the music I could hear the Pakistanis singing their song, ‘Jeevay, jeevay, jeevay Pakistan’ and the memories of hours of watching Pakistani television in childhood came back and unknowingly I started humming along till I was politely reminded by my brother that I could possibly be lynched by the crowds for sitting on this side and singing a song wishing Pakistan a long life. The irony of it all brought sobriety back and I joined the crowds in singing lustily, “mere desh ki dharti sona uglay, uglay heeray moti.”

P.S: As I got up to leave the stands I could not help noticing that, probably in an assertion of their Arabic (real or imagined) roots, the Pakistani side has named the grand stand on their side Bab – Azadi (Arabic for gateway of freedom) rather than Azadi Darwaza in Urdu. That has been the struggle for Pakistan: to find an identity for itself, distinct from it’s larger and more diverse neighbour. In this effort many there live in the belief that their history starts in the 8^th century with the invasion of Sindh by Mohammed Qasim and not 5000 earlier with the Indus valley civilisation, not with the blooming of Buddhism or the ethos of Hinduism.

While the Indian side was festooned with lights and flags for the Independence Day, atop the Bab-Azadi, on Pakistani side, was a crude model of the Pakistani missile (Ghazni or Ghouri, I think). It seemed so out of place atop the graceful gate way made in the Mughal style. The events of the months since my visit make it seem even more misplaced. With the threat to Pakistan emerging from its northern borders(Taliban and Al-Qaeda) and from home grown Islamic radicalism, I wonder if they would be placing that silly model of the missile atop the gate again next year.

A lot can actually happen over coffee

A lot can happen over a cup of hot coffee, say researchers, who have found that people judged others to be more generous and caring if they hadjust held a warm drink in their hand.

The study led by Yale University psychologists suggests that simply handling a hot cup of coffee can change one's attitude toward a stranger. "The basic scientific implication is about exploring the link between the physical world and the psychological world," said CU-Boulder Assistant Professor Lawrence E. Williams.

"It's at the same time subtle and very powerful, a repeated association of physical warmth that is learned over a lifetime," he added. Psychologists have long noted the importance of warm physical contact with caregivers in developing healthy relationships as adults.

Williams and John A. Bargh, a professor of psychology at Yale and co-author, decided to test the impact of warmth on the perceptions of adults.

During the study, the researchers casually asked that the undergraduate test subjects briefly hold either a warm cup of coffee or iced coffee as they wrote down information. The subjects were then given a packet of information about an individual, and asked to assess his or her personality traits. The participants assessed the person as significantly "warmer" if they had previously held the warm cup of coffee rather than the iced cup of coffee.

In a second study, they showed people are more likely to give something to others if they had just held something warm, and more likely take something for themselves if they held something cold.

The participants held heated or frozen therapeutic packs as part of a product evaluation study, and were then were told they could receive a gift certificate for a friend or a gift for themselves. Those who held the hot pack were more likely to ask for the gift certificate, while those who held the frozen pack tended to keep the gift.

"It appears that the effect of physical temperature is not just on how we see others, it affects our own behaviour as well," said Bargh.

"Physical warmth can make us see others as warmer people, but also cause us to be warmer – more generous and trusting – as well," he added.

WORDS WOMEN USE MOSTLY

FINE
This is the word women use to end an argument when
they feel they are right
and you need to shut up. Never use "fine" to
describe how a woman looks -
this will cause you to have one of those arguments.

FIVE MINUTES
This is half an hour. It is equivalent to the five
minutes that your
football game is going to last before you take out
the trash, so it's an
even trade.

NOTHING
This means "something," and you should be on your
toes. "Nothing" is usually
used to describe the feeling a woman has of wanting
to turn you inside out,
upside down, and backwards. "Nothing" usually
signifies an argument that
will last "Five Minutes" and end with "Fine"

GO AHEAD (With Raised Eyebrows! )
This is a dare. One that will result in a woman
getting upset over "Nothing"
and will end with the word "Fine"

GO AHEAD (Normal Eyebrows)
This means "I give up" or "do what you want because
I don't care" You will
get a "Raised Eyebrow Go Ahead" in just a few
minutes, followed by "Nothing"
and "Fine" and she will talk to you in about "Five
Minutes" when she cools
off.

LOUD SIGH
This is not actually a word, but is a non-verbal
statement often
misunderstood by men. A "Loud Sigh" means she thinks
you are an idiot at
that moment, and wonders why she is wasting her time
standing here and
arguing with you over "Nothing"

SOFT SIGH
Again, not a word, but a non-verbal statement. "Soft
Sighs" mean that she is
content. Your best bet is to not move or breathe,
and she will stay content.

THAT'S OKAY
This is one of the most dangerous statements that a
woman can make to a man.
"That's Okay" means that she wants to think long and
hard before paying you
back for whatever it is that you have done. "That's
Okay" is often used with
the word "Fine" and in conjunction with a "Raised
Eyebrow."

GO AHEAD!
At some point in the near future, you are going to
be in some mighty big
trouble.


PLEASE DO
This is not a statement, it is an offer. A woman is
giving you the chance to
come up with whatever excuse or reason you have for
doing whatever it is
that you have done. You have a fair chance with the
truth, so be careful and
you shouldn't get a "That's Okay"


THANKS
A woman is thanking you. Do not! faint. Just say
you're welcome.


THANKS A LOT
This is much different from "Thanks." A woman will
say, "Thanks A Lot" when
she is really ticked off at you. It signifies that
you have offended her in
some callous way, and will be followed by the "Loud
Sigh." Be careful not to
ask what is wrong after the "Loud Sigh," as she will
only tell you "Nothing

Asia's top 10 budget airlines

The aviation sector is going through a very turbulent phase in India and abroad.

In India, domestic air traffic has plunged to a five-year low, as traffic crashed by 19 per cent in September 2008.

As airlines face mounting pressures of a recession, fall in traffic and huge operational costs, how are low cost airlines faring?

So here's a look at the best budget airlines in Asia. Smart Travel Asia, an online travel magazine, rates these airlines on the basis of cheap tickets, reliable schedules, decent service and route network and access. While Air Asia tops the list, Air Deccan and Spicejet also make it to the top 10 list.

1. AirAsia Berhad

Topping the list of low cost carriers is AirAsia. Asia's largest low budget airline is based in Kaula Lumpur and flies domestic & international flights. AirAsia was the first to introduce low cost travelling in Asia. The airline started operations on 18 November 1996.

It was founded by the government owned DRB-Hicom. However, the airline ran into rough weather and incurred huge losses. Former Time Warner executive Tony Fernandes took over the company and revived it. "Before a business can grow, it needs to have its costs under control. It must be cost-efficient and profitable, and it must create value," Fernandes believes.

The company under his leadership scaled new heights. AirAsia introduced its low fare, no frills concept in December 2001. AirAsia is also now a public listed company on the Malaysia Stock Exchange. The airline now flies to over 60 destinations. It has a fleet of 69 aircraft.

The AirAsia group, has carried over 35 million passengers. AirAsia also plans to start low-cost flights to India soon. According to Fernandes, the revenue for the quarter ended June 2008 increased by 41 per cent to RM608 million as the airline carried 20 per cent more passengers to 2.8 million with 16 per cent higher fares. 'Now everyone can fly' says AirAsia Berhad's tagline.

2. Jetstar Asia

Jetstar Asia based in Singapore is ranked second among the budget carriers in Asia. The airline first took off for Hong Kong on 13th December, 2004. Qantas and Temasek Holdings (Private) Limited jointly own more than 80 per cent of Jetstar Asia.

Jetstar Asia Airways merged with Valuair on 25th July 2005. Both airlines operate out of Singapore and fly to major cities in South-east Asia. The airline boasts of a brand-new fleet, great destinations and friendly crew and affordable experience. It has a fleet size of 10 aircraft.

The company, has seen a 20 per cent jump in revenue and 4 percent rise in passenger load factor to more than 75 per cent for the year ended 31 March 2008. Jetstar Asia is headed by chief executive officer Chong Phit Lian

While fuel accounts for 40 per cent of the group's expenses in the previous year, Jetstar Asia is confident that it is on the path to sustainable growth, according to Chong.

In the Skytrax Airline of the Year survey for 2006, Jetstar Asia was awarded the best low-cost Airline for both the Asia and South-east Asia categories. In 2007, it was ranked as the world's best low cost airlines by SkyTrax.

3. Nok Air

Nok Air based in Bangkok is the third best budget airline in Asia. The 'Nok Air' brand was first established on 10th February 2004 under the company Sky Asia Co. Ltd. NoK Air means 'bird' in Thailand.

On January 15th, 2006, the company name was changed to 'Nok Airlines Co. Ltd'. The airline was established in December 2003 and started operations on 23 July 2004. A subsidiary of Thai Airways International, Nok Air plans to add several international destinations to its route.

Known for its innovative measures, the airline also introduced 'Book Online Pay Offline' scheme to help make reservations online without using credit cards. The pre-reserved ticket can be paid at the airline counter services and ATMs. Patee Sarasin is CEO of Nok Air. 'We fly smiles' is the company's tagline.

4. Tiger Airways

Tiger Airways offers one of the lowest possible airfares in the market. Tiger Airways first flew from Singapore in September 2004 with two aircraft in its fleet and three routes in its network.

After 3 years, Tiger Airways now flies to more than 25 destinations across 9 countries in Asia-Pacific on a fleet of brand new Airbus A320 aircraft. Tiger Airways recently ordered 50 brand new Airbus A320s to grow its fleet to 70 Airbus aircraft.

Tiger Airways based in Singapore has also launched a new route between Singapore and Bangalore. The Tiger Aviation Group consists of Tiger Airways Singapore and Tiger Airways Australia, both 100 per cent owned by the Tiger Aviation Private Limited. Tony Davis is the CEO of Tiger Airways.

5. Cebu Pacific

Cebu Pacific based in Philippines started operations on March 1996 and pioneered low coast flying in the country. CEB launched its international operations on November 2001 and now flies to Bangkok, Guangzhou, Ho Chi Minh, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Kaohsiung, Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur, Macau, Osaka, Pusan, Shanghai, Seoul, Singapore, and Taipei.

It operates a fleet of 21 aircraft, the youngest fleet in the Philippines with a fleet age of 1.8 years.

CEB offers the lowest year round 'all-inclusive' fares for its domestic sectors. It was first local airline to introduce e-ticketing and booking through SMS in the Philippines.

It is known for on-time performance, schedule reliability, and comfortable flights. Lance Gokongwei is the director, president and CEO of the airline.

6.Virgin Blue

Founded by British businessman Richard Branson's Virgin Group, Virgin Blue took off on 31 August 2000 with just two aircraft. Virgin Blue launched the first low fare airline in Australia.

Today, it is recognised as an innovator and leader in the global aviation industry known for good service, on-time performance and value for money. It is also one of the world's most profitable airline groups incorporating Virgin Blue, Pacific Blue (Aust), Pacific Blue (NZ), Polynesian Blue and V Australia.

Virgin Blue was listed on the Australian Stock Exchange in December 2003. Virgin Blue and its international carriers Pacific Blue and Polynesian Blue currently operate a fleet of 60 aircraft.

With more than 31 per cent of the domestic market, Virgin Blue Airlines currently operates over 2100 flights a week to 24 Australian cities and 8 international destinations.

Virgin Blue's total annual passenger numbers exceeds 15 million travellers. Virgin Blue has been named the 'Low Cost Airline of the Year' (Asia Pacific) in the Budgie$ Best in Class Awards.

7. Air Deccan

India's first low cost airline, Air Deccan launched by Captain G R Gopinath, operated its first flight on 23rd August 2003 from Bangalore to Hubli.

The airline revolutionized air travel in India by offering tickets for as low as Re 1, making flying a possibility for every Indian. However, the good times did not last for long. Vijay Mallya acquired 26 per cent stake in the airline.

With the Kingfisher logo on all the aircraft's, the airline has a totally new identity and fares are no longer affordable for all. With its main base at Bangalore, Deccan Airways operate 350 flights to more than 65 cities a day within India.

In 2007, the airline was awarded the '2007 Frost & Sullivan Company of the Year' award in the area of Indian commercial aviation, and its managing director, G.R Gopinath was honored with the 'Frost & Sullivan CEO of the Year' award.

8. SpiceJet

SpiceJet started flying in May 2005. By 2008, it became India's second-largest low-cost airline in terms of market share. Based in New Delhi, SpiceJet was earlier known as Royal Airways, a reincarnation of ModiLuft.

It was promoted by Ajay Singh, Sanjay Malhotra and the Kansagra family. Rising fuel costs and increasing competition resulted in SpiceJet posting a loss in the first quarter of 2008-09. In July 2008, billionaire Wilbur Ross announced that he would invest about Rs 345 crore (Rs 3.45 billion) in the airline.

SpiceJet started offering fares at Rs 99, which attracted a lot of travellers! Amidst all this turbulence, SpiceJet still offers fares at Rs 99 in some sectors.

SpiceJet was voted as the best low-cost airline in South Asia and Central Asia region by Skytrax in 2007. SpiceJet operates 94 flights daily to 16 cities across India and has a fleet size of 21. SpiceJet was recognized as Best Low Cost Airline for 2007 by TAFI (Travel Agents Federation of India).

SpiceJet voted the Best Low Cost Airline by a reader's survey conducted nationally by India's leading travel magazine Outlook Traveler(Feb 2008).

9. Viva Macau

Viva Macau from China was founded in 2004. The airline gets its name from 'Macau' which is a cosmopolitan city on the southern coast of China and 'Viva' which in Portuguese means 'Hurray'.

Viva Macau currently operates a fleet of modern Boeing 767 wide-body jetliners and operates non-stop service in Asia and abroad. It has fleet size of about 15 aircraft. As of July 08, the airline was flying to Sydney, Ho Chi Minh and Jakarta.

The airline also operates a number of charter flights to Japan, including Tokyo. It's likely that their routes will be expanded in the near future. It has plans to fly to Australia. Con Korfiatis is Viva Macau's chief executive officer.

10.Hong Kong Express

Hong Kong Airlines Limited and Hong Kong Express Airways Limited were established in 2001 and 2004 respectively. The two sister airlines provide services between Hong Kong and over 30 cities in Asia.

As of April 2008, the fleet comprises 13 Boeing 737-800 aircraft and is expecting to reach over 20 in the near future. Hong Kong Airlines and Hong Kong Express Airways have employed a fleet of all-new Boeing 737-800 aircraft, the average service time of which is one year.

Hong Kong Airlines and Hong Kong Express Airways provide short haul flight services to leisure destinations in Asia.

In the past few months, Hong Kong Express Airways has launched direct scheduled services to Beijing, Shanghai, Osaka, Okinawa, Kagoshima, Manila, Phuket and Bali. More new routes are expected in the near future. Kalid Razack is the chief executive officer of Hong Kong Express Airways.

Creation of world-class universities is essential

The government will create 12 Central universities, adding to the existing 18. This is a mammoth undertaking, for which Rs. 3,280 crore (about $73 million) has been allocated from the budget. Earlier in the year, India announced that it would create 30 “world-class” universities, eight new Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), and seven Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) in the coming five years. On the recommendation of the National Knowledge Commiss ion, the Centre is planning massive investment to upgrade and expand higher education. Other plans include enhancing the salaries of college and university academics — by as much as 70 per cent.

This prospect is welcome news since India lacks world-class universities according to international rankings, and Indian academics, compared internationally, are rather poorly paid. Students also suffer an immense shortage of places in top academic institutions and throughout the higher education system. India today educates only half as many young people from the university age group as China and ranks well behind most Latin American and other middle-income countries.

India exhibits a special problem at the top of its higher education hierarchy. With the notable exceptions of the IITs and the IIMs, and a small number of outstanding non-university research and training institutions — such as the All India Institute of Medical Sciences — top-notch schools are rare. Indeed, none of India’s 348 universities is ranked among the top 100 in the world. Generally, when India wanted to innovate in the higher education sector, it has sidestepped the universities and started entirely new institutions such as the IITs.

However, if India invests large amounts of money and human capital in academic improvement and expansion without undertaking strategies to ensure that the investment yields results, resources will be wasted and failure assured. Despite a discussion on organising some of the new universities based on the American model, so far neither the funding nor the ideas seem adequate.

A newspaper reported an official as saying: “The view was that there should be no hierarchy or disparity in standards amongst universities, and the reforms and changes suggested for world-class universities should be applied to all universities.” This attitude shows a complete misunderstanding that the American system institutes a significant hierarchy among the public universities.

Just pumping money and resources into a fundamentally broken university system is a mistake. Establishing new universities, especially those intended to be innovative, requires careful planning and an understanding of the weaknesses of the current system. Let us outline some of the problems that need fixing before resources are given.

Great universities need to be located on friendly soil. In general, the best universities worldwide are in or near major urban centres or in places with intellectual traditions and strength. While it is entirely appropriate to have a good university in each State, the idea of a truly world-class university (an institution that can compete with the best in the world) in cities like Guwahati or Bhubaneswar is simply unrealistic. It would be extraordinarily difficult to attract top professors or even the best students, and the “soft” infrastructure, such as most cultural amenities, is missing. High-tech industry is also absent in these locations and would be difficult to lure. No amount of money will guarantee the establishment of a world-class university in such places.

Indian academics deserve higher salaries, and the move to dramatically improve remuneration is a positive step. It would be a serious mistake to simply give more money to the professoriate without, at the same time, demanding significant reforms in the structure and practices of the profession. Indian academics are rewarded for longevity rather than productivity, and for conformity rather than innovation. The most productive academics cannot be rewarded for their work, and it is almost impossible to pay “market rates” to keep the best and the brightest in the universities. World-class universities require a salary structure that rewards productivity.

Indian universities are enmeshed in a culture of mediocrity, with little competition either among institutions or academics. Universities are subject to the whims of politicians and are unable to plan for their own future. Academics are seldom involved in their leadership and management. Bureaucracy governs everything and holds down innovation. Without essential and deep structural changes in the way universities are governed and in the culture of the institutions, there is little possibility for improvement. An additional challenge is that some of the world-class universities are to be created by improving existing State universities. This will be extraordinarily difficult since these institutions, with very few exceptions, are mired in mediocrity and bureaucracy, and are hardly amenable to change and improvement even with the carrot of additional resources.

An element of corruption exists at many levels of the higher education system, from favouritism in admissions, appointment to faculty positions, cheating in examinations, questionable coaching arrangements, and many others. Damaging at all levels, corruption destroys research culture and makes a world-class university impossible.

World-class universities are deeply meritocratic institutions. They hire the best professors, admit the most intelligent students, reward the brightest academics, and make all decisions on the basis of quality. They reject — and punish —plagiarism, favouritism in appointments, or corruption of any kind. Much of the Indian academe, unfortunately, does not reflect these values. Some of the problem is structural. The practice of admitting students and hiring professors on the basis of rigid quotas set for particular population groups — up to 49 per cent — however well-intentioned or justified, virtually precludes meritocracy. Deeply ingrained in Indian society and politics, the reservation system may well be justified — but to have successful world-class universities, meritocracy must be the primary motivating principle.

World-class universities are research intensive. All highly-ranked universities in the world exhibit this characteristic. India faces several problems in developing a research culture. It is fair to say that today no Indian university, as an institution, is research-intensive. India’s universities can claim a small number of departments that have a high level of research — and many highly accomplished professors work in the system. And some institutions, such as the IITs and some non-university agencies like the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research and AIIMS, produce impressive research and are respected internationally. The creation of a research-intensive university is mandatory to achieve world-class status.

Rs.3,280 crore for the 12 new Central universities, plus the other impressive amounts announced for related projects, sounds like a lot of money. In fact, it is very inadequate. A world-class research university that can play in the best international leagues is an expensive undertaking — to establish and then to sustain. As an example, one large research-intensive new Chinese university cost around $700 million to build and has a total annual budget of close to $400 million.

Conclusion: The challenges facing the creation of world-class universities are daunting. Indeed, if India is to succeed as a great technological power with a knowledge-based economy, world-class universities are required. The first step, however, is to examine the problems and create realistic solutions. Spending large sums scattershot will not work. Nor will copying the American academic model succeed.

Appeal to India: Stop Genocide, Save Tamils

The Indian Government is not just a passive spectator of the Sinhalese majoritarian state’s genocidal war to wipe out the Tamils from the face of the island. On the other hand, New Delhi supplies weapons, radar devices, financial aid, and military training to Sri Lanka thereby aiding and abetting the genocide of the Tamils. We urge the Indian Government to immediately withdraw its military support, technical help and radars. Sri Lanka had unilaterally withdrawn from an internationally-monitored ceasefire, therefore, we also call upon India to pressurize Colombo to announce an immediate ceasefire to stop the bloodshed on the island. We request the Indian Government not to indulge in hoodwinking the Tamil people, but help the Eelam Tamils by sending them supplies of food, clothes, medicine and blood not through the Sinhalese Government, but through the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) so that it shall reduce the suffering of the war-ravaged people. We further request the Indian Government to allow the Tamil Nadu people to humanely contribute such relief supplies through the ICRC without any hindrance whatsoever.

List of MBA Entrance Tests in India

Common Admission Test (CAT), IIMs

Joint Management Entrance Test (JMET) , IITs

AIMS Test For Management Admission (ATMA)

Gujarat Common Entrance Test (GCET)

XAT (XLRI Admission Test)

IRMA , Anand institute

IBSAT, IBS

Combined Aptitude Test , Karnataka

The Karnataka MBA Common Entrance Test

All India Entrance Test For Mba , Maharashtra

All India Management Entrance Test (AIMET), Maharashtra

Common Entrance Test (CET) For MBA/MMS Admissions , Maharashtra

Symbiosis National Aptitude Test (SNAP) , Pune

Management Aptitude Test (MAT)

OMAT , Orissa

MET/PAM-CAT For Admission To MBA , Punjab

National Entrance Test (NET) , Rajasthan

Consortium Of Self-Financing Professional, Arts & Science Colleges , Tamilnadu

Tamil Nadu Common Entrance Test (TANCET) , Tamilnadu.

U.P.Technical University State Entrance Examination (SEE) , Utter Pradesh

UPMCAT (U.P.Management & MCA Combined Admission Test) , Utter Pradesh

Uttranchal Joint Entrance Test UAJET , Uttranchal

Government Of West Bengal JEE For MBA (JEMAT), West Bengal

National Institute of Management Calcutta (NIMC) , West Bengal

Legalising live-in relationships

Two proposed changes in our laws could change Indian society forever. One is the the law criminalizing homosexuality which has been with us since British Rule. It’s good to hear that it might finally be scrapped. Today the government will argue the case in the High Court.

The second proposal, to make maintenance necessary for a woman abandoned after a steady live-in relationship, has been mulled over for some time now and is more controversial. Last year women in live-in relationships were legally protected under the domestic violence act and in January 2008, the Supreme Court validated long-term live-in relationships as “marriages”. I am not sure what that is supposed to mean, but I think it means that the Supreme Court is taking a moral stand as bigamy is illegal in India (except for Muslims) and there is certainly no proposal to make bigamy legal.

Since then the National Commission for Women (NCW) has “sought a change in the definition of ‘wife’ which deals with maintenance” and has recommended that women in live-in relationships “be entitled to maintenance if the man deserts her”.

And now, in Maharashtra at least, the state cabinet has given “its green signal to protect the pecuniary interests of the other woman. If the Centre okays this proposal, this will become law. There is bound to be a cascading effect on other states.

There has been outrage against this proposal as it is thought to be inimical to women, although the intention is just the opposite. Some believe that it will encourage people to go in for such relationships as there will be a legal sanction. The CWC (Child & Women’s Welfare) on the other hand feels that it will protect the financial interests of abandoned women.

About the protests against this new proposed law, I am not sure what the protesters are against…live-in relationships from the moral point of view or live-in relationships from the angle of financial damage caused to the legal wife. I suspect the outrage is against both, although I think it is important to make a distinction between the two.

Today more and more couples from the upper classes are choosing to live without marriage. Usually such couples are both single, working, and are financially independent. The fact that they are choosing to live without marriage usually means that they have chosen to defy society and if a relationship like this breaks up it is unlikely that the woman will be in dire straits. I do not think that an educated, financially independent woman needs financial protection in case she is ditched, although she certainly needs acceptance from society, during and after such a relationship. But if the protesters feel that the proposed law will encourage these relationships and are outraged, well, I don’t have much sympathy with this point of view.

The second type of live-in relationship is when a man keeps two or more “wives”. This was a common practice in ancient times but today these relationships have gone underground. In many such cases all the “wives” are financially dependent on the man. It is one thing for a financially independent woman to go in for a live-in relationship (whether as a second woman or first), and quite another for a financially dependent woman to do so. I feel sorry for any woman who has got into a second “marriage” or live-in relationship thinking that it could well be a permanent arrangement…but when it comes to bestowing on her financial rights I am not comfortable with it.

I would prefer it if the court decides these incidents of abandonment on a case-to-case basis because some women deserve maintenance if they are thrown out after living with a man for years. There have been cases where the courts have ruled in favour of the other woman when it comes to maintenance and I have no discomfort with that. To make a blanket law is another matter.

There are arguments that this proposed law could be misused. Law experts have said that such a law “would enable the ‘mistress’ to get the status of a legally married wife in all matters, including share in property, inheritance, maintenance”. This is certainly not the intention of the law and in fact it the proposed law has a good intention - to help thousands of financially dependent abandoned women.

So while this law may be “revolutionary” and attempts to get live-in relationships out of the closet, it could cause harm to the legal wife. I have not heard of any other country in the world which makes bigamy illegal but allows for maintenance of a live in partner.

There is another criticism of this proposal - that it will encourage men to stray and will overall encourage live-in relationships as it gives a legal stamp of approval to the whole thing. Well, I think the only worry would be in those cases where men go in for a second “wife.” Will the law affect a man’s behavior when it comes to mistresses? Well, men have been keeping them from the beginning of time and will continue to do so, regardless of the law.

But I wonder if such a law could make a man think twice about living with a woman as his wife because now he would have to pay for her upkeep even after they break up? Just as men might hesitate to jump into marriage knowing the financial commitment involved, they might think twice before committing themselves to a long-term “live-in” relationship if they have to support the woman (and children). So while I am against such a law, I cannot help but wonder if such a law will discourage men from keeping mistresses or getting into long term live-in relationships? If it is so, it is certainly good for the first wife if there is one, but it is hard to decide whether indeed there will be such an effect.

A Working Mystery

Unless you are a qualified professional or an IT person in India; chances are you can identify with what I am just about to say.

You begin job hunting – you’ve spent a fair sum of money obtaining a higher education, a bunch of degrees, you’ve been a good and dedicated student and an active participant in extra-curricular activities. By no means are you a blithering idiot or a fool and therefore you feel entitled to a well paying job.

Now here’s the problem- every job you look for and feel qualified for will state minimum requirements along the lines of “5 to 8 years experience”. If students are busy getting qualified how are they supposed to have that kind of full-time experience? Unless of course they are expected to also work while studying, which is against collegiate law in most full-time university courses.

Higher education is supposed to qualify you to handle jobs that simple graduates cannot- which I gather is why people spend time and money doing it. If you emerge from a higher degree and still find the job market biased towards a decade of experience how are you supposed to deal with it? Simply put, where do students get this decade of experience? If no one wants to pay or hire articulate, young and bright yet inexperienced people - how do they become the ‘experienced’ people these companies want?

One solution is the ‘internship’ idea which works remarkably well in some cultural and national contexts, for example, in America. The only reason it works is because potential employers are willing to consider internships in lieu of full-time working experience. Most times they do; they also carefully consider waitress experience, window-washer experience and even the experience of planning a wedding!

A career counselor in Washington asked me rather quizzically why the ‘internships’ on my resume were simply not put-down as ‘work-experience’. I had a hard time explaining that in India internships are not generally acceptable as quasi work-experience qualifications; at least employers don’t see it that way. In my lifetime - I am yet to see an Indian company hire a data quality person who has McDonald’s on their resume.

So we have a problem. One plausible explanation is that Indian internships, except at premiere institutions, are simply not ‘good enough’. Employers demand such exorbitant years of experience because candidates with lesser experience are simply not good enough.

This however seems like a fairly poor explanation to me two counts; the first one is best explained by an analogy to Indian sports (think Beijing Olympics) — how is it that a billion people seem to be able to produce only three world-class sportsmen? In a similar vein, what is it about the Indian education system or the job market that makes the vast majority of college graduates unemployable? The second reason for my skepticism is simply that the explanation is not intuitive enough to be true.

The truth seems to be mid-way and is really an economic phenomenon. Increasing the ‘experience required’ section narrows the pool of applicants which makes an HR person’s job much simpler. Just as most of the hiring in any company is done first through network exploration and lastly through the Internet.

Understanding this simple truth is like crossing a huge ice filled river with deep dangerous crevices to arrive upon a gigantic smoking sausage and a cup of hot chocolate. Strangely enough most job seekers begin their job searches on the Internet and turn to their networks last. In my case which I suspect is rather ‘normal’ this has more to do with self-esteem than extreme stupidity.

In India reducing the HR executive’s load is a vital exercise mostly because we turn out a huge number of potential employees from educational institutions, who are at the very least ‘formally qualified’. Reducing the number of applicants is therefore one way of reducing huge transaction costs and makes things easier.

Unhappily for a job-seeker, the incentives too are designed to make this system work and sustain itself. Because people are seldom paid what they deserve and even less so in response to the amount they actually work; there is a fairly large pool of people with a decade plus of experience who will work for peanuts. My network mostly consists of such people, which, explains the bit about self-esteem.

There are other powerful incentive structures in place to skew the job market and the economics of hire-and-fire. One of the more apparent of these is the simple fact that by hiring people with ‘at least half a decade or more of experience’ companies bypass training costs for their employees. A new recruit is almost always more costly than a more experienced one, especially in a situation where jobs are fewer and farther in between than there are people to claim them. By increasing the amount of experience required of potential candidates employers offset training costs to themselves at the expense of a prior company who actually invested in the recruit when he/she was new.

This, of course, is of no consequence whatsoever to the average job-seeker who jumps at the opportunity of a marginal pay raise in a new company. There is nothing surprising about this sort of behavior. Indeed a systematic study of the resumes of people ‘forty and above’ versus ‘thirty or below’ will reveal similar truths.

The vast majority of those who started working before higher-education exploded (which is vaguely linked to the arrival of the computer generation in India and the persistent presence of the government in higher education) have changed as few as three companies in their entire career spans, the more eccentric of these get to five. Contrast this with the BPO happy crowd and you will see a plethora of companies all over their resumes, a vast majority of these companies don’t even make it to the candidate’s CV thanks to space concerns and a ‘job-hippy’ tag.

Why does this happen? I reckon this has to do with the fact that job loyalty has hardly any benefits in India. This too is a consequence of the large pool of candidates companies can choose from. The costs of re-hiring, conventionally known as ‘menu-costs’ in economics, in the whole scheme of things are now negligible.

Little wonder then that more and more young people desperate to beat the ‘experience barrier’ fake everything from degree divisions to references and now increasingly ‘experience’ on their fancy templated resumes written on pirated versions of Microsoft Word. You have to admit the temptation to do so is strong - so strong in fact that there is unlikely to be a better man-made designed incentive structure to get people out of their beds and to work every single day of the week.

Companies are now moving towards investigative firms that do ‘background checks’ - which is all rather pointless given the incentives for these companies to ‘fake’ background reports themselves is astronomically high. India will have yet another informal information market functioning in the blink of an eye and it will be perhaps be one of the most effecient prototypes the world has seen so far.

Intresting facts about Blood Donation

• Only 5 percent of eligible donors across the nation donate blood, but the number of transfusions nationwide increases by 9 percent every year.
• Blood donors can donate as frequently as every 56 days. A benefit from donating this often is that you receive a mini-physical once every two months.
• Each whole blood donation can help as many as three people. One unit is divided into three parts: red blood cells, platelets, and plasma.
• About 133,700 units of blood products are transfused at Mayo Clinic annually.
• Whole blood donation only takes approximately 45 to 60 minutes.
• We offer free parking for all donors in Mayo parking lots.
• We offer childcare during your donation.
• We now offer mobile blood drives for donor convenience.
• On average, a hip replacement typically uses one unit of blood, a cardiac bypass 2 units, a heart transplant 2 units, and a liver transplant 10 units!
• The blood you donate with the Mayo Clinic Blood Donor Program stays right here in our community.
• Blood cannot be manufactured. It can only come as a gift from people.
• The need for blood increases during holidays and summer months. People are more apt to be traveling and active during these times and thus are at an increased risk for accidents.
• Statistics show that 25 percent or more of us will require blood at least once in our lifetime.
• The Mayo Clinic Blood Donor Program has to buy nearly a quarter (25%) of its blood products from the American Red Cross to help meet the needs of our patients and to prevent postponing surgeries.
• You burn about 650 calories by donating one pint of blood.

India, Japan sign pact on security

Reaffirming their commitment to fight terrorism and transnational crimes, India and Japan on Wednesday signed a joint declaration on security cooperation that will intensify interaction between their militaries and expand the scope of strategic dialogue between the two Asian powers.

Cooperation between coast guards, defence dialogue, coordination on issues relating to disarmament and non-proliferation and disaster management are some of crucial elements of the security cooperation pact signed here by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Japanese counterpart Taro Aso.

According to the joint declaration, mechanisms will be concretised whereby there will be a strategic dialogue at the level of foreign ministers, the defense ministries and periodic consultations by the national security advisers of the two countries.

The coast guards in the two countries will cooperate in maritime security and safety. Bilateral consultations will be intensified to enhance cooperation in the crucial area of counter-terrorism. Japan has also agreed to help develop a tsunami disaster map in India.

There will also be cooperation between the Indian Space Research Organization and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency in the field of disaster management.

An action plan with specific measures to advance security cooperation in all these areas will be presented to both prime ministers soon.

Something to cheer

Festivals are the best time to receive gifts, money and all kinds of goodies. Have you thought about it being the best time for giving too?

A book called Three Cups of Tea, written by mountaineer Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin, is one that you really must read. It is a true story about Mortenson who, exhausted, sick and desperate for help, wanders into a village in the Karakoram mountains. There, he is nursed back to health by the poor but generous-hearted villagers. As he recovers, Mortenson is appalled that the village has no school, no teacher and therefore education for the kids. He promises the villagers that he will help build a school there. This happened in 1993.

So far, Mortenson, and the Central Asian Institute (CAI) that he set up with the help of a Swiss Physicist, Dr. Jean Hoerni, has helped build 64 more schools, especially for girls, in the remote, forbidding mountainous regions of Central Asia. And, helping him in his mission are children. Through a programme called Pennies for Peace, school children collect pennies (each penny is about 45 paise!) and the money is used for building more schools in the remote regions of Central Asia, buying books and stationery and paying the teachers their salaries.

There is a reason why I am telling you all this. It is a season of festivals and there is going to be a lot of merry making and partying. It would be wonderful if like Greg Mortenson, some of you got together and put aside just a little of the money and do something for other kids who may not be having as much fun as you in life.

Some ideas:

- Collect a packet of fireworks from each friend, put it into a big basket and gave it to kids who do not have. - Deny yourself that one box of sweets, one packet of fireworks, or one extra pair of shoes, and with the money saved, buy story books for a child inan orphanage, or for the children’s ward in a government hospital.

- Visit a poor school in your neighbourhood and find out what it costs to keep one student in notebooks, textbooks and other stationery.

- Chip in for a black board, pencils and erasers, charts, dictionaries or anything that might be useful.

- You don’t even have to collect money. Contribute one book from your vast collection. These books can be sent to the needy children. Try it this festival, or any time at all. On birthdays, instead of distributing sweets in class, donate a book. When you have collected a healthy number of books, cart them off and spread some joy in someone else’s life.

These are just suggestions. You may have even better ideas. So, what are you waiting for? Remember, when Motenson decided to help out, he thought he would save a little money himself and send it to these people to build their school. But, his large-hearted gesture caught the imagination of thousands of others. Do you know how much money your neighbourhood poor school needs? Find out.

Braving the odds in IT sector

Despite the present economic slowdown, the IT industry is open to those who constantly sharpen their skills and update themselves with emerging technologies, say experts.

With global stock markets groaning under the financial crisis, these are uncertain times. Newspapers blaze with headlines of retrenchment and recession. The campus recruitment figures in the IT industry paint a gloomy picture. What does this scenario mean to a student aspiring for a career in the IT industry? The Hindu EducationPlus spoke to those in the industry to find out.

“In the long-term perspective, the outlook for the IT industry is very much positive. We as an industry are very much matured,” assures Viswanathan Venkatasubramanian, Senior Manager, Talent Acquisition from Wipro Technologies. “It is a temporary phenomenon,” he says.

But the slowdown will change things in the industry. Customers of the IT industry will expect more, which means, employees will need to perform better. “Those who can make a difference, those who come out with more innovative solutions developed at low cost will provide the customer more value. So, we need to be more productive and provide more value,” he says.

Srinivas Kandula, Global Head-HR, iGATE, concurs. “Given the current slowdown scenario, organisations will take bold steps to weed out inefficient people. However, there is no need to worry or panic. There is an assured long-term career in the IT industry as long as they [students] are sharpening their skills and are in touch with emerging technologies,” he says.

What this implies is that the industry will focus sharply on quality, instead of quantity. So, good software engineers are assured of a seat in the industry. But what makes a good software engineer?

“The real problem in the industry is the general apathy or inability of the people to upgrade their skills,” says Mr. Kandula. “A large percentage of the people in the IT industry do not take proactive interest in their own learning and growth. Given that the software tools get revised and change every year, it is important for them to focus on improving their skills, on an ongoing basis,” he says.

This translates to a lifelong commitment to learning.

Mr. Kandula says, “Employees should plan their work and career not just for the present but also for the future and that they should have a long-term career perspective. It is important for them to understand the kind of skills they need to acquire and the ways in which they can acquire those relevant skills in their area of expertise.”

Go that extra mile

One mantra that always works during tough times is hard work. Karthikeyan Vijayakumar, a young entrepreneur who started his own firm, Excedos Market Services, says that companies will definitely work with someone who is willing to go that extra mile. He adds, “Not getting a job in a big company is definitely not the end of the road. You can join a smaller firm. But, make sure that the company has enough revenue to sustain the downturn.”

He says, “In a small firm, you get a lot of freedom. If you put in a lot of time and effort, then at the end of two years, you would have built the skills to negotiate a higher salary. And, working in a smaller firm means you get to interact with people at the top closely, who have more experience. So, you learn more. But, you need to be passionate about what you do.”

So, a deep-seated interest in what you do will hold you in good stead, which makes it important to ensure that your choice of career coincides with the area of your interest.

“There is always a mass phenomenon,” says Mr. Viswanathan. “Everyone takes up engineering, so others take up engineering. You should understand whether you have the attitude and the aptitude. So, what it means is you should have interest, instead of just following everyone else. This is because, only those who have the attitude and the aptitude will survive.”

When fear stalks the night

Cashing in on the BPO boom and globalisation, laws have been made flexible so that more women can work nights. If governments and companies had showed the same concern for the security of working women, perhaps then night shifts would not have become life-and-death adventures and tragedies like the death of Soumya Vishwanathan could have been averted.

Adventure was probably the last thing on television journalist Soumya Vishwanathan’s mind as she stepped out of her office at around 3 a.m. Soumya was driving home on a deserted road and what happened to her has sent shock waves across the country. Like the rape and murder of Pratibha Srikantamurthy, an HP GlobalSoft employee in Bengaluru in December 2005, this incident has brought back the focus on women and security. Since then there have been other equally heinous crimes against women BPO employees. Candle light vigils, protest marches, meetings and petitions have been raising the question of justice for Soumya and demanding more security for women. While Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit has been rightly castigated for her remarks that Soumya was “adventurous”, the important issue is that Soumya’s employers are equally responsible for what happened to her.

Post-liberalization, in a bid to cash in on the BPO boom, laws have been made flexible to permit women to work nights. While there is a clear sense of purpose in attracting more women to the workplace, the question is, what is the safety and security policy companies have in place to ensure even a semblance of protection. Media houses which employ many women also have to ensure that their employees reach home safely if they stay late. It is only when a woman is raped or murdered that the whole country sits up and starts thinking about what went wrong and there is a clamour for justice. If the government has modified laws to encourage more women to work, then it must also have in place stringent norms which make the employers liable for the safety of its workers, whether they are male or female.

No universal law

Susan Abraham, lawyer, LC Associates, points out that that there is no universal law on the issue of women and security. It’s the law of the jungle, especially for television journalists, points out another labour activist. There is nothing in the law for working journalists too (which only covers the print media) that they should be dropped home safely. It is the custom in various offices to do so. While the Sexual Harassment of Women at the Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redress) Bill, 2006 is yet to be made into an Act, the question of women and physical safety is not really addressed.

While the Shops and Establishments Act in the States restricted the employment of women at night, the newspaper industry got an exemption to permit women to work night shifts, says journalist and activist Geeta Seshu. The exemption ensures that the companies have to either provide rest rooms for women to stay back at night or they have to be dropped home safely. She said the governments of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu were the first to create special provisions to allow women to work on night shifts after the BPO boom. The Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1961 was amended in 2002 to empower the State government to exempt any establishment of Information Technology or Information Technology Enabled Services from the restrictive provisions of the law relating to employment of women during night. This is subject to the condition that the establishments provide facilities of transportation and security to such women employees. This is also the reason the Supreme Court, in February 2008, said that Som Mittal, the former chief executive officer and managing director of HP Global Soft and now president of National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) can be prosecuted for the case of rape and murder of Pratibha Srikantamurthy. The apex court clearly indicated that the head of a company was responsible for the safety of its employees.

Changing laws and guidelines

In May 2005, the Factories Act was amended to allow employment of women workers between 7.00 p.m. and 6.00 a.m. An official statement in the Rajya Sabha said that this has been done on the demand of women’s organizations and in tune with the present economic globalization. This flexibility would be available to all manufacturing units including the apparel sector. However, the amendment also provides that the employer has to ensure occupational safety and adequate protection to the women workers.

The main thrust of these amendments was to ensure that women were provided security. Even if there are no specific laws on the safety of television employees, in Soumya’s case, the company has to obey the law of the land and is duty bound to ensure she had security. A case in point is a newspaper office in Mumbai which drops both men and women home after night shift. Last year, women staffers filed a complaint after one night shift, that they were being followed by a car full of drunks. The next day, the office provided a female security guard who accompanies them till this day. Some newspaper offices do provide transport and even rest rooms for employees but here too there is discrimination with some organizations leaving the women to fend for themselves.

As Ms. Abraham says, “Companies cannot outsource their responsibility towards the security of their employees.” Companies cannot evade their liabilities by saying the woman has her own transport or that a driver picked her up. Taxi services need to be under strict surveillance and some companies in Bengaluru and other cities are already using GPS systems to track their routes. In the past, unions and collectives fought for safety and security measures in workplaces. Post-liberalization, with the system of contract work and the dilution of labour laws, there are no strong unions and companies get away with murder. Even the Contract Labour Act ensures that the liability rests with the principal contractor, so there are clear indications on the law of the land.

The media boom too has attracted a number of women and work necessarily entails late hours. If anyone is “adventurous” it is the employers or companies who clearly lack a sense of responsibility and liability towards their staff. The Supreme Court nod for Som Mittal’s prosecution has set a clear precedent. Instead of waiting for another horrifying incident, it is time the security of women workers specially is taken seriously.

Indian Idol 4... The Legacy Continues

It has started again. This time with newer flavor and colour as two new judges are introduced. Anu Malik and Javed Akhtar who featured in the third season continue to rock the show and with the inclusion of Kailash Kher and Sonali Bender Behl. They say that their quality and expectation bars are raised this time around and they will allow none but the best. And this was exhibited during the auditions when many good-looking voices were rejected and not given the chance to perform in the theater round.


This time Indian Idol goes International. The auditions were also held in Great Britain and in Dubai apart from several Indian cities. Thousands of young, enthusiastic and talented people participated in the auditions and exhibited their skills. And that's not all. The participants of final Gala round from Indian Idol 3 shared hands with the judges and chose the deserving voices from various small cities through mini auditions. Those selected were further invited to the main auditions in the nearby big city.


And their efforts clearly show that this time they are not leaving any stones unturned. They are trying to bring more and more genuine talent which resides in the Indian masses and is desperate to unwind their wings and fly in the glamorous sky of stardom and fame. Although I did not have any objection on the judgment of Javed Saab and Anu (but Alisha Chinay in Season 3 was just for time pass show piecing), this time true and sincere comments from Kailash and Sonali (she is here for personality judgment) further scrutinize the voices.


They invited 157 out of thousands for the theater round and after that 76 out of them were shortlisted for the next round(till date). The competition goes tougher and tougher as the show progresses and by the time it ends, many hearts will be broken, many eyes will be filled with tears and many hands will be pleading for one more chance. But the ultimate reality of this "Mother of all reality shows" is that it has given a chance to some people to see and live their dreams, those otherwise would never dare to even think of pursuing their dreams in the ugly world out there.

Trip to Jantar Mantar with freinds....Me, Prabodh, Aishwarya, Arpit.

..


Empty metro train of delhi..




Mine best friend Prabodh Prakash...




Me and Prabodh in a khopcha....Can anone imagin how could we have reachde at that height withot having any ladder!!!!..






Jantar Mantar....





Prabodh and Aishwarya..





The Great Mradul Bansal.....





Again PP..





This is the Image of mine shadow.....






Ye hai Aishwarya ka Tashan....
Piche hai Arpit..





He is Airpit Agrawal..







PP, Aish, Arpit in a trio....






We 4....





Waiting for aish to come n sit on the next one....





Nice Frame na....






Ye hai mera Tashan...







We All 4 in a row....








PP in a tense mode....






Seeing him aish also started thinking of some one he loves...






After seeing both i also started thinking of one of mine old friend....






We 4 in metro...






Me, PP, Arpit...




Me and PP(Mine best friend of all time)....

Thousands of Merrill employees to lose jobs

Thousands of employees of battered financial services firm Merrill Lynch will lose their jobs after the firm is taken over by Bank of America, a media report says.

The Financial Times quoted Merrill Lynch chief executive John Thain as saying that thousands of employees would lose their jobs when the company is taken over by Bank of America and the jobs would be lost in the corporate and services sectors, such as information technology.

Thain, speaking in Dubai while on a regional tour, added that Bank of America's (BofA) acquisition of Merrill's investment and wealth management businesses would be completed by the end of the year, the report added.

According to estimates from New York City comptroller, William Thompson, New York is bracing itself for the loss of up to 35 thousand jobs in the banking sector.

The majority of the job losses are the result of the collapse this year of Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers. Furthermore, when the Merrill Lynch-BofA deal was announced last month, the merger was expected to result in seven billion dollars of savings, including redundancies.

Given the economic slowdown, Thain further said he expected consolidation in the financial sector. "There will be smaller institutions that need to be recapitalised or acquired," the report quoted him as saying.

Thain also said that the Middle East would not escape the global slowdown, however, the regions large accumulated capital reserves could also be mobilised to invest outside the region.

Earlier this month, John Thain was named as president of global banking, securities and wealth management at BofA following completion of Merrill Lynch's merger with the bank.