A flight over Chowpatty that made history - The Times of India

In 1895 an Indian pioneer flew what is said to be the first Indian plane in the air. The centenary year of the first successful flight, by the Wright brothers, was celebrated from December 17, 2003. But our own pioneer from Mumbai, Shivkar Bapuji Talpade, made an aircraft and had flown it eight years earlier. One of Talpade’s students, P Satwelkar, has chronicled that his craft called ‘Marutsakha’(Friend of the Winds) flew unmanned for a few minutes and came down. (via A flight over Chowpatty that made history – The Times of India).

Claims … and reality

Western claims to superiority over the Rest usually include their record in ‘innovation and invention’. This record is brandished as proof of Western superiority – of Western attitudes, institutions, society, polity, media and academia, values, et al.

Technology – a function of funding

What is usually never mentioned or understood is the funding of technology. Technology is a quantitative function of funding. Western funding of its technology quest was underwritten first by conquest (of the Native American by the Spaniards), followed by slavery (of the Native Americans and Africans) followed by colonialism. It were these forms of exploitation which created a continuous flow of resources (funds, patrons, technology, raw materials) which enabled this technology output.

If …

As this news item points out: -

1. The Indian pioneer could not obtain funds. Another newspaper report (reproduced elsewhere) points out how the British Raj influenced the Maharaja Sayaji Rao Gaekwad of Baroda from support to Talpade’s research.
2. On the other hand, the Wright Brothers were supported by the US Army to the extent of US$25,000.

These reports are linked to an intriguing Sanskrit technical manual, the ‘Vymanika Shastra‘. Some level of critical examination has happened in the last few years. What makes this claim worth investigating is the fact that this manual in Sanskrit came out in India – from a man who had little exposure to technology being developed on the opposite side of the world. While original dating of this document is not yet done, its authenticity as a technical document in Sanskrit, within a few years of Kitty Hawk makes the ‘ripoff-theory’ baseless.

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Global economy’s dialogue of the deaf- Opinion-The Economic Times

First, the frequency of meetings should be increased, especially in times of crisis, and the level of a few of these meetings enhanced. So, for example, two meetings a year at the head-of-government level and quarterly meetings at the finance-minister level would provide ample time for dialogue...

Second, the IMF’s permanent Executive Board should be abolished. Important decisions should be vetted by the IMFC and others delegated to IMF management ...

Third, the obvious secretariat is the IMF. Unfortunately, the Fund is not regarded as being impartial, especially by countries that have been seared by its past conditionality. (via Global economy’s dialogue of the deaf- Opinion-The Economic Times).

I dont know if Raghuraman Rajan is going for a verbal charade - and at the last minute, spring the BRIC currency. What RRR is suggesting is not going to happen - is clear.

Foreign education takes a hit

Out of the around 93,000 students in Australia, over 40 chose to fly back in the wake of the racially motivated attacks. International education is the third largest source of overseas earnings for Australia, generating around US$12 billion in 2008 and supporting more than 125,000 jobs in the country. (via Foreign education takes a hit).

This one hurts ...

After all, which self-respecting, WASP (‘White, Anglo Saxon, Protestant’) Nation would like to be dependent on us dirty and crass Indians!

Bad feeling, huh!

Some people do think that that Indians are of no ‘use to Australia in industry or as a market’. Education happens to be the third largest revenue stream for Australia – after raw materials and tourism. And Indians, by the way, are significant consumers for Australian raw minerals and tourism also.

Anyway, such concerned people should let their Government know about these ‘new found facts’. Because the Australian Government is trying its best to attract Indian tourists to Australia – just like they tried to attract Indian students.

Will Indian industry engage Bharat?

Indian entrepreneurs are capable and talented — the best in the world — and have emerged from the pains of competition and globalisation with confidence and competence. They are the envy of most countries and are the pride of India. They can also be respected, trusted, and cared for — but, they are not, as of now by government, NGOs and the public.

And, this is sad because Indian corporates have, and are, contributing to social development through affirmative action; skills development; micro-finance programmes; women empowerment; primary education initiatives in rural areas; supporting healthcare; building infrastructure in villages; setting up low-cost housing; reconstructing villages ravaged by natural calamities; planting trees and helping the environment agenda, etc. India is the only country where industry has set up care and treatment centres for HIV/AIDS affected persons (ART Centres) — this is an outstanding example of social action. (via Will Indian industry engage Bharat?- Opinion-The Economic Times).

Mr.Das you surely know this ...

A favorite scam in the Indian mobile phone industry is to activate services that the customer has NOT asked for - and start charging him for it. It then becomes the customer responsibility to discontinue these services. If the customer does not pay the bill, his name gets reported to CIBIL, a credit bureau - which will make it difficult for the customer to access other credit services in future.

If he pays the bill , the teleocm has succeeded inthe scam. The effort required for discontinuing these services is in may cases, is seemingly higher than the charge for these services - about Rs.20-30. (40-50 cents per month). The scam becomes outrageous when you multiply this amount with the number of subscribers - at last count nearly 40 crores (400 million).

The Mobile Recharge Scam

The same scam makes an appearance in mobile recharges. Customers have no way of knowing how and where their money has gone. Hiding behind a walls of call centres and IVR machines, telecom companies in India are looting ciustomers. In the mobile recharge system, an additional victim is the retailer. 2%-4% of pre-paid recharges never reach the consumer. The retailer refunds the money to the customer - and the telecom company in most cases never reimburses the retailer. What is the retailer commission for these recharge services. 2.5%-4%. What are the number of recharges which dont reach the customer - 2%-4%. Basically the retailer subsidizes the mobile phone companies by providing these services to the telecom customer.

A similar story is playing out in credit card businesses, banking and unsecured loans.

Big business and Big Government

They are both on the same side. Fighting the two goliaths is equally impossible for Desi Ram or Indy Joe. The outrage against these scams is building up - and will damage the faith that the Indian has in Indian business.

A word of advice

Stop giving gyaan to the Government. Look at members in your association. They are working hard to lose the trust that the average Indian has for Indian corporates. Stop all these wasteful CSR swill and propaganda - and just get your members to work their businesses cleanly. That itself will be a big enough CSR for Indian industry.

I doubt if India needs more from its businesses - BIG or small.

Dealing with bow and arrow in Lalgarh

Clearly, it would be extremely difficult for the largely urban and Western-educated ruling class—the current UPA government has the largest number of MPs who studied in American and British universities — who are also among the richest in the country (300 crorepatis in the Lok Sabha, mostly businessmen) to relate to axe-wielding women who seek justice and honour in the rough backwoods of the country. And it matters little what the political persuasion of the rulers is. States ruled by parties as different from each other (or perhaps not) as the Congress, the BJP, the CPI(M) or the BJD are all struggling with the problem of alienation and extremism. (via Latha Jishnu: Dealing with bow and arrow).

For nearly 40 years, India's Naxalite problem is known, recognized - and unresolved. This extract above by Latha Jishnu in Business Standard, summarizes the problems and hsitory well - and connects to this interesting document from India's Planning Commission.

These are the Santhal tribesmen, who made the British Raj look weak in the knees. These are frugal people who have little to lose - and they will not let anyone take away what little they have.

The Big Government in India and the Big Business in India are cosying up to loot these poor tribals. Indian media is so besotted with English speaking politicians and 'phoren educated ministers, that they fail to notice the disconnect between India's poor and non-Westernized masses, who will not submit.

When so many women come out in the open, with bows and arrows, one thing is clear.

There are more where they come from.

BRIC demands more clout, steers clear of dollar talk - Yahoo! Philippines News

"The summit of the so-called BRIC nations of Brazil, Russia, India and China ended with a short statement by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and a communique that demanded more power for developing nations in international financial institutions and the United Nations.

'We are committed to advance the reform of international financial institutions, so as to reflect changes in the world economy,' the BRIC countries said in a joint communique.

'The emerging and developing economies must have a greater voice and representation in international financial institutions,' it said. 'We also believe that there is a strong need for a stable, predictable and more diversified international monetary system.'

"We will not do without additional reserve currencies," he said, adding that a new supranational reserve currency was also an option as the IMF's SDRs gained a bigger role.

The initial response from the developed world to Russia's initiative came from Japan, where Finance Minister Kaoru Yosano reiterated his view that the dollar will remain the world's key reserve currency. (via BRIC demands more clout, steers clear of dollar talk - Yahoo! Philippines News).

This was predictable

The 2ndlook posts and the Quicktakes on the events in the unfolding global financial crisis have been pre-casting these developments. This meeting was good news. This meeting could not have happened earlier – with elections in India being the delaying proposition.

The meeting has happened. Some old and tired cliches have been shopped out for waiting media. Greater role for BRIC in UN and IMF … is not even old wine (turned vinegar) in a old cracked bottle.

What’s gonna happen

The Chinese and Russian decision to increase holdings of their each others currencies was good development. The greater role for ‘IMF-SDR’ is eye wash. The BRIC leaders know well enough that the West will not let go of the IMF and the UN. But the charade is possibly required – and they are going through it.

The real developments will happen more quietly. After all, the final outcome is something that they, The BRIC nations would like to reveal with fanfare and celeberation.

We live in exciting time ... or is this a dangerous time?

Gypsies face Northern Ireland ethnic violence

Police said the racist attacks started last week, with gangs smashing house windows and attacking cars. The violence flared again on Monday when youths hurling bottles and Nazi salutes attacked an anti-racism rally called to support the migrants.

Belfast City Council press officer Mark Ashby said the majority of the victims were Roma, or Gypsies, from Romania.

Marian Mandache, from the Romanian Gypsy NGO Romani Criss, said the Northern Ireland violence was the latest in a disturbing trend of attacks across Europe.

"Starting with Italy in 2007, there have been waves of ... racist attacks against Roma," said Mandache. "Afterwards, there were attacks in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia and Romania." (via Gypsies face Northern Ireland ethnic violence).

Hitler was never alone

Hitler's biggest mistake - he lost the war.

The genocide with which his regime was charged with was also carried out against the Native Americans in the USA, the Australian aborigines, in Congo by the Belgians. Post colonial Governments in Kenya and India have ignored the cover-up of the millions killed by the colonial rulers - in the Mau Mau operations in Kenya or the 1857 War in India.

The Romani Gypsies Sinti have been a favored European target for the last 500 years - by the Vatican, by the Protestant Church, by monarchies and by Republican Governments. In war and and in peace.

Their crime. They civilized (?) Europe. No less.

Why does Europe continue to demonize and persecute the Roma

Despite the immense contribution by the Roma Gypsies to European culture and life. Is it because: -

1. They have a different lifestyle – which is migratory and frugal. They do not wish to have permanent homes, too many possessions or jobs. They prefer living in wagons, with skills and trade that they possess.


2. They have not ‘integrated’ into the White, Christian, European social system. They wish to remain ‘different’.


3. They stick out like sore thumbs – in a Europe where the Jews have been annihilated, where descendants of the African slave populations have been exterminated and the Islamic population (past and present) is not tolerated. In such a situation, the Roma Gypsies have not only survived, but have regrown (after Hitler’s concentration camps killed them by millions).

Since when, are these qualities a crime.

Recent history

A few months ago, the Italian police started a campaign of racial profiling and persecution of the Roma – based on an isolated murder of an Italian.

This disproportionate response against a community, to a crime (I am making an assumption of guilt) by a Roma individual, smacks of persecution, racism and pogroms. After all, this is how Hitler and Mussolini too started their campaigns.

In Northern Ireland, the Roma Gypsy number less than 1000. What threat, what problem could they be to the nearly 2 million people of Northern Ireland?

Team Manmohan crammed with A-listers - The Economic Times

Manmohan Inc’s team would be any multinational corporation’s dream. Resume for resume, its key members are in a league of their own.

The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) council of ministers, led by the 78-year-old Cambridge-educated economist, has at least 14 ministers who have graduated from Ivy League universities like Harvard, Wharton, Stanford, MIT, Carnegie Mellon, and of course, Oxbridge. There are also Cabinet members who have degrees from US universities. (via Team Manmohan crammed with A-listers- Politics/Nation-News-The Economic Times).

More than 60 years after the departure of the British, Indian media at least seems to adore 'phoren' educated politicians. A few days, another journalist was effusive when Azhagiri took oath of office in 'faultless' English.

Today, the same media finds merit just because these ministers are 'phoren' returned. While Indian Universities have become recruiting grounds and supply centres to the West for trained and qualified manpower, Indian media thinks that only 'phoren' educated and returned are good enough.

English language media in India is still in its colonial haze – and to see such decadent, colonial ideas, 60 years after the British were thrown out, boggles my imagination. To approve of a politician, because he has English-language skills, or their 'phoren' education seems so important to these journalists, who seem to be wagging their 'colonial' tail with such approval - and vigor.

These journalists instead should have been worried that 60 years on, Indian Universities dont seem to be meeting standards. And looking at the (seeming) failure of these Universities.

This (mixed record) of Indian Universities can largely be laid at the doorsteps of the faulty educational policies that Indian Governments have been following. For one, why is the State increasing its role in education. For another, why is the State supporting English language education with thousands of crores of subsidies - while Indian language education languishes.