A new perspective !!!

I had been going thru a strange phase in my life where I had been carrying a lot of things that should have been let go sometime back. I was sticking to those very things which were dragging me back and was being destructive. I was rather enjoying the pain and felt comfy playing the victim. Mainly due to the the fear of what lies beyond if I let go and partly due to my unbrideled optimism.

It was an unusual spectacle that brought me back to my senses . The route which I used to take to office has a couple of railway over bridges. On one of them, everyday as soon as a train passed over , the entire traffic would come to a stand still. All because of the open loo's the bogies had. Since the Railway station itself was close, there wouldnt be a rain of shit, but a drip irrigation of piss. All these was sometime back i.e a year or so back.

Later the Railway Authorities covered the underbelly of the bridge so that the passing motorists dint get the shower. I had switched to a different route and I forgot all about the over bridge.

Sometime back I went through the same old route. As I approached the over bridge, I noticed that as soon as Train passed over the bridge, people still waited for the train to pass over. You could see the entire underbelly of the bridge covered. But still people waited for the train to passover. There was nothing to fear for, but still everyone held on to their belief that they had to wait for the train to pass.

Suddenly I realised I was no different from any of those waiting for the train to pass. I was holding onto things which no longer held good for me. There were opportunities lying beyond but I was more focussed on things which were holding me back.

I made a decision, I decided to let go of these things which were probably causing me more harm than good. I felt relieved, i felt light. I somehow guided my vehicle to the fore of the traffic snarl. While others waited for the train to pass, I dint, I crossed the bridge. The train was still thundering overhead. Nothing dripped from above. I found the road ahead, empty, an opportunity to speed up. I speeded up, crossed the traffic lights. Others saw me and dared to cross over. Nothing happened to them tooo...

As soon as I crossed the traffic lights, it turned red. The others had to wait for the green to comeon. It was better late than never. I felt good, and the road ahead looked smooth.

Lalu comes to IIM-A with new image

An article on Laloo Yadv and his turnaround of the railways. This was on Rediff.com
The link


Union Railway Minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal president Lalu Prasad Yadav wants to do something that even Amitabh Bachchan cannot do: an image makeover.

Lalu wants to cleverly manipulate the perception of him outside his home turf of Bihar.

The master tactician of Indian politics is embarking on a difficult assignment, of changing his brand-image, in the middle of his political career, but more interesting to note is that, so far, he has been somewhat successful.

No, this is no Lalu Joke, the railway minister is dead serious. He wants the media and the political class to leave behind the administrative mess he created within Bihar during his 15 years of rule. Lalu's confidants are requesting the media to stop equating him with a buffoon and take a fresh look at the latest statistics from the railway ministry under his leadership.

His PR advisors want the media to acknowledge him as Lalu Yadav, Master of Business Administration.

The new venture, starring Lalu Yadav, has been scripted by himself and produced by his political ambition.

After losing power in Bihar and humiliated and humbled, Lalu doesn't want to remain outside the public domain.

To keep getting attention from the rest of India, Lalu is participating in an institution where even a few months ago his presence would have been considered most unlikely: the premier Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad.

Today, at 2 pm, in a class-room in IIM-A, 16 students of the post-graduate programme in management for executives (PGPX) will present a PowerPoint debating Lalu Yadav's various management decisions in the railway ministry.

Lalu is 'material for case study' because Indian Railways, which defaulted in paying dividends worth Rs 1823 crore in 2001, is today profitable with its treasury boasting of a Rs 12,140 crore turnover.

IIM-A students have examined the issue of "turnaround" of a monstrously big organization like Indian Railways under Lalu's leadership on the basis of a 120-page long document prepared by IIM' professor G Raghuram, chairman of PGPX.

Professor Raghuram told Rediff.com, "Lalu Yadav has energized Indian Railways. His consistency of direction has played a role, yet at the same time he is staying away from interfering at the operational level of decision-making."

In Lalu's presence, Professor Raghuram and his students will debate if the turning around of a loss-making Indian Railways into an impressive success story is for real or hype.

Professor Raghuram, who has studied the functioning of Indian Railways thoroughly, believes, "The railways' turnaround is not hype because the net revenues have increased from Rs 5000 crore to Rs 8000 crore.

"By increasing 'axle-loading' of wagons and combining it with a market-oriented approach, Lalu has contributed in the success of Indian Railways."

According to a member of the core group in the top railway management, "Lalu Yadav has so far believed that people don't care for development as much as they do for emotions. His voters told us, Swarg nahin swar diya (Lalu gave them voice to them if not heaven). But now Lalu thinks it's time for him to change and take up developmental politics."

The railway top brass are talking about how Lalu is shaping his leadership with a human touch. Recently, Lalu was presiding over the farewell function of a retiring senior railway employee, and found the officer a little depressed. He asked him why, and the employee said since he married a little late in life his financial responsibilities towards his family are not yet over and after his retirement there would be no income.

Lalu on the spot asked the chief of Railway Board J P Batra to give a job to the retiring employee's elder son. Needless to say, the event turned emotional and Lalu gained.

His senior officers claim that Lalu has for the first time changed the approach and mechanism of supervision of the regions by the head office.

Indian Railways is divided into 16 zones, each headed by a general manager. The 16 zonal headquarters have 67 divisions headed by a Division Regional Manager. In addition, it has nine production units.

Previously, railway ministers were close to the Board which is excessively powerful body. But Lalu is now making the head office closer to GMs and DRMs, thereby improving the supervision of GMs' performance, making them more responsible and accountable.

Another important factor is that Lalu Yadav's team is reclassifying the management of goods transport.

According to an IIM study, the railways have increased the freight volume but now the maximization of the use of wagons is making a huge difference to the bottom-line.

It may be difficult to believe, but Lalu as railway minister has changed wagon management entirely by reducing corruption with the help of new benchmarks in administration.

Since the last many years the goods wagons would carry a load of around 20 tonnes per pair of wheels. A wagon with, say, three pairs of wheels would thus be carrying 60 tonnes.

This gave scope to a multi-million rupee scam. Per wagon an excess of around 15 tonnes of unaccounted goods was being transported, and the money went to the dubious nexus of railway managers and private contractors. But Lalu took a decision to increase 'axle loading' (the permitted limit of weight carried by each wagon), which left no scope for excess goods.

In typical style, Lalu has popularized the delightful slogan to carry forward his message.

He says, "You have to milk the cow, otherwise she will become sick.

The railway wagons are giving profit but that's not enough, you have to maximize the use of wagons."

Lalu says railway wagons are like "a cow ready be milked."

Not only has he increased the permissible weight limit to 22.5 tonnes and bringing in more money, he has also forced more rounds of wagons every month. Previously unloading of goods at destinations was done only during office hours but now unloading is done round the clock. Previously each wagon used to travel four to five trips per month but now wagons make eight to 10 trips.

Also, Lalu has put more resources in geographical areas where more traffic and revenues are being generated.

However, Lalu cannot shed his political colours entirely.

He has ensured that his constituency Chapra in Bihar gets a big pie of the railways' development projects. A railway wheel factory and loco manufacturing projects are planned for Bihar.

Thus Lalu's road-show will not end at IIM-A. He has also been invited to lecture at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in Mussoorie. A French think-tank wants to do 'research' on him, and Jeffrey R Immelt of GE and the Suzuki chief are seeking an audience with him.

Harvard University, reportedly, is planning a seminar in Delhi to hear Lalu's views on management and the economy.

And, his advisors tell the media that with the Congress not improving its grass-root infrastructure and the Bharatiya Janata Party facing an acute leadership crisis, who knows what would be the outcome of the next general election!

Who can rule out that Lalu Yadav, the great grass-root politician, has a lot of potential in the uncertain Indian political environment created by the weaknesses of the two major political parties?

Steve Irwin is dead

He was killed in a freak accident in Cairns, police sources said today.

It is understood he was killed by a stingray barb that went through his chest and reportedly into his heart .

He was swimming off the Low Isles at Port Douglas filming an underwater documentary when the tragedy occured.

The Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) was called about 11am (AEST) and an emergency services helicopter was flown to the crew's boat on Batt Reef, off the coast near Cairns, with a doctor and emergency services paramedic on board.

Irwin had a puncture wound to the left side of his chest and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Irwin's body is being flown to Cairns.

Tasmania Police this afternoon confirmed his wife Terri was travelling in the state at the time of the tragedy.

A spokeswoman said police had made contact with Mrs Irwin and "passed on a message relating to the death of her husband".



The Irwins have two children - a daughter, Bindi Sue Irwin, eight, and a three-year-old son, Robert (Bob) Clarence Irwin.

Steve Irwin - known worldwide as the Crocodile Hunter - was famous for his enthusiasm for wildlife and his catchcry "Crikey!".

In an sad twist, it has been reported that his new documentary was aimed at demystifying the stingray.

Irwin's Crocodile Hunter program was first broadcast in 1992 and has been shown around the world on cable network Discovery.

He has also starred in movies and has developed the Australia Zoo wildlife park, north of Brisbane, which was started by his parents Bob and Lyn Irwin.

Tributes have already started pouring in for the larger-than-life character.

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer, who used a photograph of his family at Australia Zoo for his official Christmas card last year, hailed Mr Irwin for his work in promoting Australia.

Irwin was heavily involved in last year's "G'Day LA" campaign.

"The minister knew him, was fond of him and was very, very appreciative of all the work he'd done to promote Australia overseas," a spokesman said.

A Tourism Queensland spokeswoman said the death was shocking and paid tribute to Irwin's "enormous contribution" to his adopted state.

"I don't think we could even estimate how much he brought us through his personality and his profile and his enthusiasm about Queensland," she said.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,20349888-2,00.html

Only the gods can save India

This article dwells on the kind of political leaders our Student communities are producing offlate. Post-muder of the Professor in Ujjain, this article dwells on the future of politics in India if these kind of people are allowed to rule India. This article appeared on rediff.com

http://in.rediff.com/news/2006/sep/01flip.htm


Prakash Karat damns the Election Commission for 'bias'. Every Congressman is secretly convinced that he can do a better job as prime minister than poor Manmohan Singh -- if only Sonia Gandhi listens.

The BJP condemns the Speaker for his prejudiced views, and Somnath Chatterjee thunders back that he will resign if he is not respected. Meanwhile, the Lok Sabha descends into chaos as MPs from the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Janata Dal (United) engage each other physically.

Watching all this from afar I raise my eyes to the heavens, praying that our current crop of leaders lives long. Ask me why, and I can only invite you to consider the alternative...

Several of the top guns in politics arose from student unions. The list of luminaries includes Arun Jaitley of the BJP, Lalu Prasad Yadav and Sharad Yadav, and Marxists such as Prakash Karat and Sitaram Yechury. It is a fair assumption that some of tomorrow's leaders shall arise from the student unions of today. Can you, honestly, contemplate this future without shuddering?

Professor Nishi Pandey of Lucknow University complained of being harassed by student leader Ram Singh Rana last year after she tried to stop him from entering the women's hostel. This year, the Samajwadi Party has made Rana its candidate for president of the Lucknow University Students Union.

In Delhi, Jamia Milia Islamia University shut down in July after students went on a rampage against the vice-chancellor and the proctor. They were supported by the National Students' Union of India president Nadeem Javed, who promised to take up their case with Union HRD Minister Arjun Singh. (The fact that the vice-chancellor in question is the renowned historian Mushirul Hasan did not get him any support from his leftist friends.)

But all this pales into insignificance beside the tragedy in Ujjain, where Professor Harcharan Singh Sabharwal died of injuries after he was assaulted, allegedly by activists associated with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad. This has been denied both by the ABVP and by the BJP; the spokespersons of both pointed out that the television footage does not show any ABVP member hitting Professor Sabharwal.

You know what? I don't care, the footage that I did see was damning enough!

I saw Vimal Tomar, organising secretary of the ABVP in Madhya Pradesh jabbing away at Professor M L Nath of Madhav College in Ujjain. I saw him mouth offensive words at the assembled faculty, abuse that the television channels prudently bleeped out. I heard him say something to the effect, "You have called us goondas, now we shall teach you a lesson!" We also had the 'privilege' of watching Shashiranjan Akela, president of the Madhya Pradesh unit of the ABVP, argue vehemently with his teachers.

Even if you can lay aside the assault on Professor Sabharwal -- and I for one find it absolutely unpardonable -- how can you explain away the fundamental lack of decency exhibited by the likes of Vimal Tomar? There may not be any evidence of ABVP members assaulting Professor Sabharwal, there is plenty of proof of their vulgarity against the other teachers. For this alone, they should be drummed out of the university, and kicked out of all political activity as well.

Lawyers will argue endlessly whether Professor Sabharwal's death was 'murder' or 'manslaughter'. Investigators certainly have their work cut out to see whether there was any NSUI involvement given that the Congress-backed body was just as unhappy with Professor Sabharwal as the ABVP itself. But if there is a moral dimension to politics, then Vimal Tomar and Shashiranjan Akela are guilty of creating an atmosphere where violence against teachers could flourish.

Let me quote from the RSS web site: 'Devotional worship of the Guru is one of the most touching and elevating features of the Hindu cultural tradition. The relationship of Guru-shishya is one unique symbol of our Hindu Dharma.'

The RSS takes this so seriously that one of its great annual events is Guru Purnima, when every member is expected to make some token offering to the Guru. I can remember seeing the likes of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L K Advani perform Guru Dakshina even when they were in high office.

Why, given this tradition, weren't Vimal Tomar and Shashiranjan Akela drummed out of the ABVP the moment they were seen insulting their teachers at the gates of Madhav College? Does Guru Purnima hold any meaning any longer, or is it empty ritual?

The ABVP was formed when M S Golwalkar was the Sarsanghachalak. The 'M' in his name stood for 'Madhavrao', and he himself was affectionately known as 'Guruji'. What irony if the centenary year of his birth is marked by insulting Gurus in the precincts of an institution named 'Madhav' College!

Will anybody emerge with clean hands from the Ujjain tragedy? When last heard, over 20 NSUI members had been arrested in Ujjain -- on the basis of a list of offenders given to the police by the principal of Madhav College. Sanjeev Jain, of the Nationalist Congress Party's Disha Kisaan Sangathan, also surrendered to the police in the same case. With associates of the BJP, the Congress, and Sharad Pawar's NCP named, fears of political interference are bound to grow.

And these are the people from whose ranks India's future leaders may arise. Ponder over that.

I read that GMP Dwivedi, who is heading the Criminal Investigation Department team, started the probe after praying at the Mahakaleshwar temple in Ujjain. I understand exactly how he feels. When politics vitiates the atmosphere in temples of learning so much that students insult their teachers, well, only the gods can save India.