Fatima's Story

Recently came across this heart touching story. Read the below link:

http://harirhk.sulekha.com/blog/post/2007/06/pani-puri-funds-infosys-dreams.htm

India is land of hard struggle. In order to get simple things in life, one has to struggle hard.On one hand this makes people tough and strong to bear and live in this global world and on the other hand exposes the brutal reality of trials and tribulations that one has to go in our society.

Imagine how hard would have been for Salar to manage mind boggling Rs 60,000 for first two years of education. Credit is always for non needy.Poor is always hit hardest. Considering her background being a Muslim girl,married to a street hawker that too a at early age and living in non livable surroundings, achievement is unfathomable,incredible and superb.

Indeed, It must have been of proudest moment for fathima and Salar when she would have entered sprawling Infosys campus.

Hope, this struggle ends one day for millions of Indians

Infrastructure Bottlenecks

Twenty years back,"India-land of snake charmers", the idea used to popup in people's minds about India...

But now thankfully, if some knowledgeable American has to say something about India-It will be IT, Call centre and Poor Infrastructure.

I have been hearing Infrastructure debates since last 10 years.But sadly nothing substantial has happened.
Some Indians especially BJP leaders might take pride in Golden Triangle Highway Project, But truth is that all the things that have been done on Roads is drop in ocean.

Recently, I was listening to GE CEO's interview with Prannoy Roy. His message for Indian leaders was to focus only on Infrastructure for next 10 years. According to him, this measure alone is sufficient to bring revolution and sustain 10% GDP growth.

Infact in my personal conversations, I have found this is major lacunae that people identify India with.The chaos and mismanaged traffic, and not to mention crowded and poor roads that they see become a point of ridicule.

Indian community in US has a strong sense of appreciation for US Infrastructure and the same time they are grossly pessimistic about Indian infrastructure especially roads.

Urban, Metro Indian now relate Infrastructure with Roads.But what about Electricity,Ports,Airports,Railways?????

Still 6.5 lakh villages haven't experienced what electricity is even after 60 years of Independence.Poor electricity conditions exist in whole of India. Mass Transmission and Distribution losses, Inefficiency of State Electricity Boards are prime reasons for poor electricity infrastructure.

Urban elite especially in Metros have kind of forgotten how sad the story in rest of India.There has been same talks since post liberalisation about electricity sector but hardly anything has happened.....

Millions of Indians are still deprived of basic human needs.How can we grossly ignore plight of 1/6th of humanity?
Let's talk about Roads..."The most talked about topic among Indians in US as far as infrastructure is concerned"

The problem is India is we haven't made it as top priority in spite of recognising it as major bottleneck in her growth.

We are still talking about Golden Triangle which is in fact past now...I haven't travelled on GQ Highway hence, i will not talk about it. But what about 100s of National Highways and 1000 of state highways????
GQ fell into purview of Central Government, hence it was achievable by a central body like NHAI. But how will we expect upgrading of state highways into 4 to 6 lanes which come under purview of bankrupt state governments????

Indians are now touted as most talkative people in the world by looking at figures of time spent on cell phones..Same distinction can be achieved for Roads sector.The kind of economic factory bythat will get built Road and Travel Industry is unimaginable.

We constantly hear about Unemloyment rates in US and Europe.. But If I ask what is unemployment rate in India? Hardly any body would be able to answer.
Infrastructure is key to mass unskilled and skilled job creation.We can seriously kill all birds with single stone called as "Infrastructure".

How can w claim to be a super power in making if we are not willing to solve the gross problems??People always compare India and China.But infrastructure part, China has taken a big lead and where are we?

Take Airports,hardly India, with a Billion+ people have 35-50 airports with most of them below world standard except 4-5 airports which are kind of OK.
Hardly 20 million people travel by flights.We don't have enough airports and enough flights for all 1 million plus cities...

if you happen to be in Mumbai or Delhi Airports, you will find them to be shabbiest Airports in the world....What face do we show to foreign travellers??

what we people, who are neither into administration nor Infrasture sector can do???
I find, there is lack of solid concern about sorry state of affairs in India.
We should at least be conscious and concerned about problems and solutions,discuss, debate the issues.

Do you share same opinion??? Let me know your thoughts................

Ugly nexus

Amitabh Bachhan is slowly become synonymous with controversies....

He was one of the charismatic actors who had fair public image.
A year back, when He was admitted to Hospital, whole country's attention was focused on his health.

Here is an article which captures the ugly nexus between the Super Star and Politicians..

http://www.rediff.com/news/2007/jun/12nazar.htm

Can any one imagine, Amitabh with such great personality to be associated with petty politicians like Amar Singh and Mulayam Singh?????

A Comparison between USPS and India Post

I recently went to US Postal Service Office and was curios to see how US Post office is different than Indian Post offices and hence, was busy noting the differences....

Immediately I noticed, Big Building,Clean entrance and blue colors, symbolic of USPS.USPS has long legacy. In its 200 years of existence,USPS has evolved alot. See its history below::
USPS History

It's a Government organisation with financial and business autonomy. People call it semi governmental org.

Interactive website ,Online label,shipping and tracking functions,Stamp Vending machines placed in post offices and retails stores like Walmart ,Operations in lines of carriers like UPS and Fedex( while trying to retain distinction of a Government org), huge technological spend, strong linkages with mail stream companies like Pitney Bowes http://www.pb.com separate USPS from its Indian counterpart.

USPS has a monopoly on letters and cards delivery. Federal govt granted this exclusivity to reserve some business in which USPS doesn't face any competition, while cross subsidizing USPS's obligation to serve rural areas and hinterlands.

If you enter Indian Post Offices premises, you will immediately find decrepit Betel coloured walls.You will go inside and will see crowded counters.Crowd is obvious if you happen to be in India.

There were lot of people on that day on my Post office visit. Everybody was lined up in a disciplined manner.All the stationery was properly placed that can hardly be expected in India(because orderliness is not to be expected if you are in Indian Offices)

You can expect Indian Post offices humming with noise, with sad, tired,unfriendly and ungrateful looks on employees. I noticed that USPS staff was greeting everyone with a friendly smile and a customer friendly greeting, What Can I do for you Sir/Madam?

Has anyone ever received a greeting like this in Indian Post offices??

I tendered my envelope, paid fee and got a computerized receipt.If I would do same in India, I will get either a paper receipt with rounded black stamp or a dot matrix generated small receipt containing bare minimum information.

Americans disparage USPS for being a slow decision maker and bureaucratic. I think they haven't experienced what bureaucracy and slow decision making is.

Serious and strong measures are needed to modernise Indian Post offices offering best services to customers and to make a strong, vibrant, agile entity.

India Post is in desparate need of Business and Financial autonomy. The Indian Govt. should corportise Post office functions, infuse technology in systems and focus on customers.The deficit financing can still be achieved as it is being done today but commercial objectives should drive India Post to achieve world class standards.

One Billion people expect much more than what they have got from thousands of outlets of India Post.

How long do we need to wait to see the transformation??????????????????????????