A Single Group with Double Identity

 

 

                           A Single Group with Double Identity

                                          By A V. Raman

(Author’s Note. To many in the North, the word Madrasis means people from the South without any regard to the geographies like Andhra, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. Big cosmopolitan cities like Delhi and Mumbai have huge numbers of such Madrasis. I have lived as a Madrasi in both cities and observed the difference in their attitude and outlook.  With due apology to George Bernard Shaw**, I would say that Delhi’s and Mumbai’s Madrasis are the same as a group but widely divided in their respective lifestyle and attitude.    If Delhi’s are more bureaucratic, Mumbai’s are more entrepreneurial.

Delhi's Madrasis

 I have lived in Delhi for nearly three decades, from 1950 to 1980 as school and college student and as a junior government official. My maternal uncles and other relations were all government servants, some living there from the 1920s and used to move between Delhi and Shimla and back as the British government shifted its offices likewise. In Delhi the high-ranking officers lived close to the Central Secretariat in large bungalows with spacious lawns, hall, bed rooms with attached baths, and three or four servants’ quarters.  Lower rank officers like superintendents etc.  lived in smaller bungalows while officials like office assistants, stenographers, and Clerks lived in smaller quarters consisting of one or two rooms, kitchen and a bathroom with the latrine at the rear end of a court yard.

      

With many Subramanians and Ganesans for their names, distinction was made either with reference to the Ministry where they worked or in the Square where they lived, like Finance Subramanian, Defence Ganesan or Wilson Square Ramasubban and Lawrence Square Sivaramakrishnan. If two Sethuramans were in the same Finance ministry, then the distinction was based on the Wing/ department, such as Expenditure Sethuraman versus Controller of Capital Sethuraman.  Another distinctive clue was their pastime or leisure activities like Bhajana Samaj Krishnan or Karnataka Sangeetha Sabha Ramamurthy and these persons had high titles like Additional Secretary, Joint Secretary, etc. in their respective organisations... And in addition, there were also nicknames given and recognised by the whole community, like Bonda Srinivasan, Typhoid Krishnamurthy, and Driver Devarajan, and so on.

 

    When it came to their career in government, all Madrasis earned the unenviable reputation as honest, sincere, hard- working, efficient and with absolute integrity. The price that was paid for such appreciation was the neglect of leisure time happiness on holidays with family and friends. Many of them would have spent decades living in Delhi but had not had the time to see the Kutb  Minar, the Red Fort, Purana Qila and other historical monuments which abound in Delhi.

 

     The institutions that united them were The South India Club, The Madrasi School, The Karnatak Sangeetha Sabha, The Vaishnava Siddhantha Sabha, The Saturday Bhajana Sabhas, The Navaratri Golus and of course the Irwin Road Pilliar Koil and the adjacent Hanuman Mandir and the Baird Road Kali Koil. Apart from mutual family visits, inter-family communication was through the Tamil Vadhyar group to which the families belonged when a Sastrigal of that group came to announce the important religious events of the month and collect the monthly subscription. Integration with other communities was next to nothing for most of the Madrasis, although they collectively enjoyed the confidence of the Punjabi grocers, clothiers and other shopkeepers who gave them credit facilities liberally without question.

 

    Among the uniting institutions mentioned above, the Madrasi School occupied a predominant position as it was here that the children of all Madrasis, irrespective of the status of the parents, whether a Joint Secretary or an Upper Division Clerk, or the child of a Sastrigal or a cook, came for studies. Those were days of no dress code or uniforms, and yet all children studied in an environment of equality and fraternity The teachers, both male and female, were exceptionally devoted to their profession, took avuncular interest in each student, and were kind-hearted. Till the fifties, there was only one school on Reading Road. Even when there was no bar for students from other regions or linguistic groups for admission, the Madrasi School remained exclusively a Tamil school. Ironically, when it became a multi-branch Tamil school in its name in the sixties, called The Delhi Tamil Education Association School (DTEA), it now has both students and teachers from other parts of the country. Today the School has many branches spread across New Delhi and its suburbs and celebrated its centenary.

     The Madrasis were a powerful group in the Central Secretariat. Their network was strongly knit and mutually helpful. Any special attention or facility in AIIMS, Safdarjung and other government hospitals was arranged by a Madrasi Jt. Secretary in the Health Ministry, while a Madrasi officer in Civil Supplies Department took care of additional allotment of sugar and Maida for a Madrasi wedding. Acquiring of land and construction of the many temples in the sixties and seventies in New Delhi was mainly because of the initiative and strength of this network.  

 

     Most of the Madrasis of my time in Delhi have retired, while some continue to live in Delhi in their retired lives in housing colonies in faraway places bordering U.P and Haryana, their post- retirement life and interests are confined within these areas mainly centring the local temple. They re-live their experience recalling some happy and. A few have gone back to their native towns or villages in South India to a quiet life.   Only a few of their next generation have opted to be government servants and continue to constitute Delhi’s Madrasis. The Tamil population in Delhi is around 10 lakhs now lakhs comprising sizable numbers employed in private sector companies, as self- employed professionals, as traders and service providers etc.  Yet, there is still a lot many of them working in or retired from public - sector organisations like banks, insurance companies, STC, MMTC, Delhi State government offices, etc. So, the Delhi is still a government city by and large and smells bureaucratic Delhi Madrasis are, at heart, Sarkari animals. They populated the ministries of Shastri Bhawan and the corridors of the UPSC. Success to a Delhi Madrasi is defined by three things: a permanent government pension, an allotment of a Type-IV quarter, and a daughter who cleared the Civil Services. The Delhi Mama speaks in files, notifications, and protocol. He has mastered the art of looking incredibly busy while doing absolutely nothing, a crucial trait absorbed from his Punjabi colleagues. His cynicism is sharp, intellectual, and masked behind a polite, bilingual

Mumbai’s Madrasis

The Mumbai Madrasi has a very different story. He did not arrive with government postings but with ambition, relatives and one address in Matunga or Chembur scribbled on paper. Mumbai transformed the Madrasis into bankers, restaurateurs, railway employees, Udupi hotel owners, accountants, tuition masters, and eventually IT professionals.

The Mumbai Madrasi’s real university was not IIT but the suburban railway but Mumbai gave something Delhi never fully could: social blending. The Mumbai Madrasi became part-Marathi, part-Gujarati and part-Mumbaikar. He learnt to eat vada pav without betraying dosa ancestry. His Tamil acquired Marathi punctuation. His children spoke in a linguistic khichdi that linguists may someday classify as an endangered dialect. A typical Mumbai Madrasi of yore would take one look at the local train map and claim Matunga and Chembur as his holy land. Here, space is a luxury. The Mumbai Madrasi lives in a flat so small that if Mama does his morning Sandhyavandanam (prayers) too vigorously, his elbow hits the neighbour’s kitchen.

The legendary Chembur Mama is a creature of the private sector—either a chartered accountant, a bank manager at Nariman Point, or a statistician.  He values efficiency over status. He doesn't care about government bungalows; he cares about his local train first-class pass and the current valuation of his mutual funds. He is completely stripped of the Delhi snobbishness. He will argue with a vegetable vendor over two rupees of coriander, save fifty thousand rupees on his income tax through complex legal loopholes, and then donate a lakh to the local temple without batting an eyelid.

 Mumbai Madrasis too have unifying institutions like the Shanmukananda Sabha, South Indian Education Society and its schools and colleges, the Fine Arts Society in Chembur, and the Bhajana Samaj and temples in Matunga and in suburbs like Mulund with heavy Madrasi population and last but not least the ubiquitous Kamat and Shetty restaurants all over the metropolis. The Onam celebrations and the associated Sadia feasts are other uniting factors. Mumbai Madrasis are financially practical. They tracked mutual funds while complaining about coconut prices. Mumbai gave them freedom. The city cared less about where you came from and more about whether you paid rent on time. A Madrasi in Mumbai could reinvent himself. The son of a railway clerk could become a banker, actor, entrepreneur, or software engineer. Mumbai’s cosmopolitan chaos diluted rigid identities. And unlike Delhi, Mumbai never freezes South Indians during winter.

The Second-Generation Revolution

Today’s younger generation of Madrasis, both in Delhi and Mumbai, has evolved dramatically: they eat sushi without guilt. They speak English more fluently than their mother tongue. They know Spotify better than Thyagaraja. They debate startup funding instead of Carnatic ragas.

Conclusion: Two Cities, One Filter Coffee

Delhi’s Madrasi became disciplined, intellectual and institution-oriented. Mumbai’s Madrasi became adaptive, entrepreneurial and socially blended. One mastered bureaucracy. The other mastered survival. One conquered ministries. The other conquered local trains.

Top of Form

Bottom of Form

The Verdict: Who is the Real Madrasi?

To compare the two is to compare a vintage, slow-moving government file with a high-frequency algorithmic trade.

· The Delhi Madrasis won the battle of space and status. They got the large flats, the green lawns, the administrative clout, and a vocabulary that allows them to stand up to a volatile Delhi autowallah with a calm, bureaucratic stare.

· The Mumbai Madrasis won the battle of survival and soul. They stayed closer to the coastal air, mastered the art of financial independence, and learned to find absolute bliss in a two-minute cup of kaapi standing on a crowded footpath while the monsoon hits the city.

One looks up at the corridors of power; the other looks down at the bottom line of the balance sheet. But should you ever place a perfectly crisp idli and a bowl of steaming hot, uncompromised home-made sambhar between them, the geopolitical borders vanish instantly. Both will forget the city outside, click their tongues in unison, and exclaim: Nothing to beat filter coffee

(**England and America are two countries separated by a common language-GBS)

  

 

Women’s Day Musings

The 8^th  of March each year   is   observed  globally as Women’s Day  in  honor of   women for their qualities of courage ,compassion, and resilience and in recognition of their rights to equal opportunities, education, and respect . Women leaders like our own Indira Gandhi, Margret Thatcher, Sirimavo Bandaranaike inspired awe and fear in men including their male counterparts . Indira Gandhi was even called the only Man in her cabinet which in my opinion is not acceptable. Such description puts  man   on  a higher status for the woman to  break the  glass ceiling to claim equality - a notion  very antithesis of the spirit underlying  Women’s Day

My adoration of women began early in my life and lasted  till  I married one. For most married men,  a  sense of fear of the wife develops affecting their relationship.  Even the most courageous husband appears  afraid of  his better half.  Incidentally,  the phrase better- half  for the wife seems apt because the  man’s other half is filled only with fear for her.  Mythology is silent about Gods who have their spouses in half their bodies referring to them as better halves.

Most  husbands who  outside their homes  act and roar like  lions become meek and weak like  lambs  in the presence of their wives.   There is the famous story about a  queue of men outside the Pearly  Gate waiting for admission to Heaven when the person managing the queue asked those who feared their wives to stand in one line and the others in another line. All lined up in one line  except one man  who stood alone in a separate  line. When  asked whether  he did not fear his wife, he answered that that his wife had told him not to stand in the same line with others!  Or the other one about a man who avowed before the idol of Ganesha that he would break a hundred coconuts if the journey he was going on with his wife would be safe. At this  the wife was furious with rage and gave him a look with her  eyes brimming fire. He shivered and hid his face from Ganesha with a hand and whispered to her that it was only a “Jumla”  

In Bharat , we had followed the principle of  man  superior, pun unintended, at home till the radical, worldwide second wave feminist movement in the late 1960s through the 1980s alerted  us about equality of genders, not merely for voting but also in house chores like washing, cooking and baby- sitting, etc. However,  governments  in Maharashtra , Bihar, Tamil Nadu etc.  do not seem to be  convinced by this equality argument. They pay  cash,  provide free ride in Buses and Metro only to women.  Are they too afraid of women ?    

Try as I might to get my wife treating me like husband of  yore, I confess I have failed. In the formative years of our married life, I would follow the laissez faire policy, which in one of my books on political science, was explained as “let the sleeping dogs lie” policy. But not anymore,  after nearly sixty years, I now gather some courage to air my opinion on  domestic, national, international issues and  topics ranging from local vegetable prices in APMC market in Mumbai, MeToo campaigns in Mollywood and elsewhere, destruction and construction of places of worship, global warming, water seepage seen on the Taj Mahal and other miscellaneous matters like Chandrayan, the comment of our PM that the  present era is of peace and not war and yet two of his friends have not heeded leading to the ongoing Iran-US-Israel War.

While I willingly share all my opinions with my wife, she more often than not turns a deaf year and lo and behold, shows deep scorn.  This has led me feel total disappointment since even the one closest to me fails to acknowledge my extensive wisdom and all  the good qualities I possess and exhibit.  While I was in service in semi-government offices and later as faculty in management training/education institutions, I used to receive,  expectedly of course,   encomiums about my intelligence and oration from  my subordinates and  students respectively. Now even the group of senior citizens  I meet in our Cooperative Housing Society  have stopped  praising  my erudition in Hindi despite  being a Tamil.

All the above notwithstanding,  what disappoints me the most is that  my wife  does not appreciate  my astute political analysis vis -a -vis Karnataka elections or my insightful interpretation of the New Education Policy 2020 or NCERT’s rationalization of school syllabi or  my profound musical heritage. The last talent extends to all forms of music ranging from classical Carnatic to Hindustani to film music and  even the  jingles in TV advertisements  like the one on Rajasthan’s march of progress.      

During our morning ritual of sipping coffee  at the dining table when the social distance between us is narrow, the wife sits like Rodin’s statue ”The Thinker”. The invigorating coffee sets me narrating to her one or the other of my virtues. Nothing moves her and  she sits there as if to prove the old adage that No Man is a hero to his Woman. At the most,  her response on these occasions is confined  to listing my  tasks for the day such as cutting the sturdy 2 kg yam for making chips,   buying groceries including broomstick and mop cloth or getting the Society electrician to repair the non-functional geyser switch in the bathroom.  As if this was not bad enough, she would point out to  my dhoti slipping often and chide me to tie and secure it firmly  so that I don’t walk like Mammooti and Mohandas in Malayalam films  holding one end of the dhoti.

Like the Feminist Movement, I wish there was a Movement of Anguished Husbands to secure for them dignity, acknowledgement, and forbearance of their qualities of peaceful co-existence with their respective wives.

 N.B. This blog issues with my wife’s permission!

 

The Two Sides of Cricket

This week, there were  two  unique cricket-related news. One was the victory of the Indian side in  the match against Pakistan in a  World Cup engagement and the other was the  joint appeal signed by some of celebrated cricketers of the world  demanding that  the Pakistan government treat the imprisoned former Pakistan cricket captain  Imran Khan with basic dignity and provide him urgent medical care.

Thes two news represent the two sides of generational change in cricket. The first news relates the absence of the time -tested  handshake by the two captains at the end of the game a la what happened  in the final of the Asia Cup  match in Dubai a few days ago. Then too the Indian captain walked away without shaking hands with Pak players or their captain. It was thought  that this  cricket win  against Pakistan is the fittest reply and true decider of Operation Sindhoor against Pakistani terrorists.  A win or loss in a cricket match,   like in any other game,   is a  test of skill of the players. It has nothing to do with a country’s relations with another country.  By repeating the cold and unfriendly gesture of not shaking hands once again in a T20 World Cup match, the Indian team has set  a legacy of enmity not just with the players of the other side but also  the country they represent. . In any match the two playing sides are merely  rivals for the duration of  the game . They are not enemies by any standard. Players are influencers of public perception and  opinion. It was therefore no surprise that GenZ spectators were heard saying , like a war cry, ”crush / destroy the enemy”. The  Sports correspondent of The Economic Times captioned  his report “Another emphatic victory, another missing handshake- history may judge Suryakumars’s India unkindly……Surya , the captain is winner, but as a leader he stands diminished”. On the same note, I ended my  blog on the Dubai game,  “In Dubai, we won a game of cricket  but lost its spirit. “

In the second case ,  14 former celebrated cricketers spanning six decades of the game and from every cricket playing country have in a joint appeal for treating Imran Khan with  dignity and humaneness The Appeal mentions their understanding ,as cricketers , of the values of fair play, honour and respect governing their behaviour in and out of the field  and states “ A  person of Imran Khan’s stature deserves to be treated with the dignity  befitting a former national leader and a global sporting icon ……….Our shared history on the field  reminds us that rivalry ends when the stumps are drawn – and respect endures” . It is imperative to note the sentiments of respect and humanness expressed by the former players for another  player who might have even captained a rival team against them. This s points out the other side where  past players have exhibited humane sentiments for a player serving his term.  

The two news may also be seen as representing  the change in the characteristics of the game of  cricket  form  the  5 -day Test  to the present  T20 game lasting just a little over 3 hours.  The Test match reflected patience and artistry like the batters scoring through elegant off -drives , late- cuts and leg -sweeps and the pace  bowlers using  speed and swing and spinners  employing  deceit of hand and wrist and the googly. On the other side,  the T20 game  reflets  the batter’s aggression, the swing for the helicopter shot  and spooning  of the bat  over the wicket keeper’s head.  They may provide thrill for the generational change in spectators but it is not cricket  as the saying goes.

Let us make cricket a Gentlemen’s game again.

 

The famous Shakesperean quote " Brevity is the soul of wit" is appropriate if followed  in a comment on a long-winded recital of something by someone. Even so, as an additional precaution, we do not   convey to her in order  to maintain good relations. But in today’s world of  social media, like Whatsapp or Facebook, emoticons are extensively used in place of words. 

Say, you are sending the message about your unopposed election as Secretary of the local music  sabha to your group in WA/FB. You expect replies congratulating you  and adding a few lines about your musical instincts and how deserved you are for that post. But how would you feel if they use the emoticon  or. Take another case, you send your friends details of the 50th  wedding anniversary you and your wife and all that you get in reply is,. To a long narration of your friendship with a person extolling his timely help and expecting him to say in aptly chosen words not to mention that  etc, you see a .

Okay, we live in a busy world where time is the most precious of our possessions, but to say your feelings using emoticons, however appropriate, is  , sorry , I  mean sad !

 

Institutions are no  Roses 

Opened in 1985 by the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, the Nehru Science Centre in Worli, Mumbai was created as living memorial to India’s first Prime Minister , Jawaharlal  Nehru. It is  a fantastic Museum offering   a wide variety of interactive exhibits, including a planetarium, 3 D shows  and hands -on experiment covering topics like  physics, astronomy and the human body. It is one of the major tourist attractions  for  Indian and foreign visitors to Mumbai. On holidays, children  throng  to see the marvels of science and technology hands on.

Names are profoundly important for both individuals and institutions. In the case of institutions, the name is often the touchpoint with the public. It tells a story about its identity and purpose. A carefully chosen name can communicate the core values, and mission so as to attract the right type of customers. Nehru’s deep and lifelong interest in science was crucial for him since he believed that it was the only way to modernize India and eradicate poverty. He was instrumental in establishing a chain of scientific research establishments, some of which are world renowned like ,for example,  the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre in Mumbai.

Judged by these standards, the name of the Worli science museum as Nehru Science Centre is very appropriate. However,   the headline of a news  item in today’s The Indian Express reads ”Nehru’s name goes missing from Worli Science Centre Metro station “. The report under this headline includes the  photograph of a sign board reading Science Centre Metro Station .  This  has caused considerable  consternation among people who lived in  Nehru’s life time and were  influenced by his core values of democracy and scientific temper

It may be according to a government’s policy to rename  the monumental buildings, institutions, public gardens etc., The raison d’etre for such change  is to erase  names associated with colonial  he past and other foreign rulers . It  appears that the opinion of the public who for ages have known and identified them with their original names was  not important .

 In this context, I wish to share my experience regarding an attempted  change of name of a religious centre in Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu.  As many would know,  Kanchipuram is one of the Mutts established by Adi Shankarachrya . Its premises is located on a road and over a period of time has come to be called Matam Road by  residents , devotees,  and others  like taxi,  autorickshaw drivers, etc., Any one arriving  at Railway/ Bus Stations, to visit the Kanchi Sankaracharya has only to say Matam for his destination and he would be dropped there.

I paid a visit to Kanchipuram   in 2003 to have the darshan of Sri Jayendra Saraswati , who then was  of the reigning  Swamigal of the Matam. In my pre-retirement job was in an organization linked to government operated bus transport undertakings.  I was known to many of their managers , including Shri. Killi Valaven, Bus Depot Manager in Kanchipuram, who enjoyed the privilege as an important local official like the SP, the Collector etc.  Thanks to him,  I had  an easy  personal audience with the Seer.

The Seer asked me  if  I knew a particular incident in Killivalavan’s   official life which was immensely appreciated by one and all. He then narrated about the political pressure exerted on Killivalavan directing him  that the destination boards on the buses operating from Railway  and Bus stations should not be lettered as Sankara  Matam as it denotes a place of importance of only a particular religion. Killivalavan stood firm that he would not in his life change it  from  Sankara Matam , which alone is known to all devotees  coming from far and near to Kanchipuram and  that if a change is made , public will be  put to great inconvenience  coming  to  see the Sankarcharya in his abode.

Today,  many changes  have been made to  institutions, public  buildings, roads and avenues, with new names . The public who too  are stakeholders have had no chance to be taken into confidence. .  

 Places and institutions are  not roses .  The famous Shakesperean quote  “What’s in a name? That which we call  a rose/ by any other name would  smell as sweet” does not hold good.

 

 ”

 

 

 What Was Won and  Lost in Dubai

After India’s convincing win over Pakistan in cricket in Dubai yesterday , The Indian Express today  carried the front-page headline “ India wins hands down over Pak, skip the handshake: For Kin of Pahalgam victims, Armed Forces “  The sports correspondent’s  report  mentions that at the end of the game the Indian captain walked away without shaking hands with Pakistani players or their captain . Obviously, one cannot shake hand with one’s  hands down!

 Yes,  the mood of the team and that of most in  the country is that this cricket win is the true decider of   Operation Sindoor against Pakistani terrorists,  which after  four days of hostilities ended with  both armies agreeing to a ceasefire , notwithstanding  President Trump’s repeated claim that he  brokered  this  ceasefire.

The question arises  why  the winning in a sporting event  should be considered  to decide the winner  in the case of  conflicts between nations over issues like terrorist attacks, border disputes,  etc,.  The Government of India and the BCCI  were not against India playing Pakistan in Dubai; only a faction of a regional political party and some members of the victim of Pahalgam massacre protested against the match. Even  after a major shift in India’s relations with Pakistan  marked by significant tension and hostility after Pahalgam, the diplomatic relations between the two countries have only resulted in  a limited presence of  staff in their respective embassies and   not a total abandonment

There is a famous  saying that the Battle of Waterloo was won on the playing fields of Eton, implying that the discipline, leadership, and values earned by British officers in public schools like Eton provided the foundation for their victory in the Napoleonic wars.

With reference to sports, it  may be said that apart from the above qualities,  a team’s respect for the overall  aim and purpose of sports and observance of courtesy and etiquette on the field is as important  if not more  than winning.  Nations use  sports  and sportsmen as ambassadors to promote goodwill and friendship . This alone represents the spirit of playing the  games and the reason why the late Jawaharlal Nehru exhorted the sportsmen to play the game in the spirit of the game.

 

Before the advent of ODI and T20 formats  cricket  matches  were of 5 days duration and  called TEST Matches as they were considered the ultimate test of a cricketer’s skill, endurance and temperament.  Implied were also the players’ gestures of friendship, empathy and mutual respect. Cricket was called a Gentlemen’s game  for features like accepting the Umpires’ decision as final, a dress code of white flannel for players and some rare cases of foul language.  A shining example of  concern and extraordinary empathy was that exhibited  by the West Indies captain Sir Frank Worrel and his team mates when the  Indian cricket captain Nari Contractor sustained a severe head injury while facing a bouncer from Charlie Griffith in 1962 .

In the past, India’s win over Pakistan in cricket  were  celebrations merely as a sports victory and not for  any    other reason.  

In  Dubai ,  we won a game of cricket  but lost its spirit.

 

 

 

Finally, the Cat is Out of the Bag

In my last blog titled  A Nation of Ungrateful Citizens, I wrote, “In the wake of the  announcement last week  of the new GST rates,   full - page by  advertisements  are appearing in  newspapers, mostly by the automobile industry,  joyfully thanking our Hon'ble Prime Minister for the visionary GST reforms turning this moment into a nationwide celebration”.

I thought that this was a spontaneous and unsolicited response by a grateful automobile industry expressing its delight at the reduction of the GST rate in their case. But in today’s edition of The Economic Times, in the Just in Jest” column, the cat has been let out of the bag. For it says, and I quote,

 “ The Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) has reportedly asked carmakers and 2-wheeler makers to display posters showing a comparison of pre-new GST and post-new GST rates at all dealerships. That makes obvious good sense.
After all, who doesn't like being overtly told about things getting cheaper than before. But another interesting 'suggestion' made by the ministry is that these before-after posters carry the photograph of Narendra Modi.

Auto execs are now apparently getting posters designed and sending them to the ministry for approval before display.

The prime minister as a car salesman-which is essentially what such posters will amount to-is nifty marketing. As prime influencer, his face should also serve as a quality control marker.”

One would think that at some point this trend will appeal to other sectors as well, spilling over to include posters carrying the photos of chief ministers too. White goods and FMCGs carrying pictures of popular political leaders is a ready-made solution to pick up pre-Diwali consumption.

 

Refrigerators at Lucknow stores with Adityanath's photo; real estate hoardings in Kolkata with the looming image of Mamata Banerjee; coaching centres across the country with Shashi Tharoor's visage adorned with the curvature of mirth.

MHI has certainly unleashed a heavy idea that can appeal to a Neta-friendly nation.”

 

What next to expect after PM’s photo in free ration bags in UP, in Covid vaccine certificates and now in car advertisements?

A Population of Ungrateful Citzens

 In the wake of the  announcement last week  of the new GST rates,   full - page by  advertisements  are appearing in  newspappers, mostly by the automobile industrry,   "joyfully thanking our Hon'ble Prime Minister for the visionary GST reforms turning this moment into a nationwide celebreation". The " love's labour lost"  of the esteemed GST Council comprising the Central and State Finance Ministers and others has gone without a word of appreciation and thanks . Even the common citizens, the ultimate bearers if this indirect taxation and who have been greatly benefitted in the reformed regime of GST have not expressed a word of gratitude. They may not have a representative  organisation like industry associations or ferderations or adveertisement budget to afford full page advertisements , but they could atleast have let their gratitude published as  Letters to Editor in newspapers.  

Briefly,  the 0%reformed rate  "ensures basic necessities and critical services remain affordable and accessible to ALL  CITIZENS", while the 5% rate is  "designed to keep everyday items affordable and accessible for the "GENERAL POPULATION" . This is somewhat confusing . For instance,  if  one buys fresh milk attracting 0 % GST, he/she  is a citizen but when the same person  buys a tube of toothpaste at 5%  does he/ she become just one of the general population?  Which of the two is inclusive of the other  ?   

As a wag in my group of senior citzens remarked with his tongue in cheek that the date of commencement of  the  reformesd rates of GST has been carefully chosen as 22nd September marking  the passing of the ongoing Pithru Paksha, a period not condusive for good events! 

 Victory Beyond Boundaries: South Africa’s Test Championship Win and the Power of Unity

South Africa's triumphant victory in the ICC World Test Championship is not just a sporting milestone — it’s a moment of profound historical and cultural resonance. For a nation that once stood divided by the cruel lines of apartheid, today’s victory is a stirring testament to how far South Africa has come, and a beacon of hope for the world.

Decades ago, South Africa’s name was synonymous with racial segregation and systemic injustice. The apartheid regime institutionalized discrimination, denying opportunities and dignity to millions based on the colour of their skin. Sport, like all aspects of life, was strictly divided. Non-white athletes were marginalized, excluded from national representation, and robbed of the chance to shine on the world stage.

Fast forward to today, and we see a different South Africa — one that strives, with all its imperfections, toward inclusivity and unity. The national cricket team’s win is symbolic not just for the trophy it brings home, but for the diversity and togetherness it represents. This was a team led with conviction by a non-white captain — a powerful contrast to a painful past — while a non-black batter stood out as a star performer. It was not race or religion that defined their roles; it was merit, teamwork, and the shared dream of excellence.

The victory becomes a celebration of more than just cricket. It is a living, breathing example of what a nation — and indeed, what humanity — can achieve when it chooses unity over division, and inclusion over prejudice. The pitch became more than just a field of play; it became a field of hope.

This South African team shows the world that greatness has no colour, talent knows no race, and leadership transcends historical divides. In their unity, they send a message far beyond the boundaries: that a just, equal, and harmonious society is not only desirable, but possible.

At a time when many corners of the globe still grapple with discrimination and division, this victory offers a lesson: the strength of a nation lies in the diversity of its people and the fairness of its systems. Sport, as always, remains a powerful mirror — reflecting not only our struggles but our most promising potential.

Let this win be more than just a statistic in cricket history. Let it be a reminder — that when we set aside prejudice and embrace each other as equals, we all win.

Promoting Sale of One's Book - A Strategic Approach

 

 

Promoting Sale of One’s Book  – A Strategic  Approach

 

In 2021, I published my Memoir*.  What prompted me to undertake this venture was  the pressure on me by a long -time friend and colleague who had published his Memoir, saying that only this will reveal to  his children and grandchildren his family history and legacy though this was not the reason in my case since I belong to a  closeknit family.

 The difference between an auto-biography and a memoir is while  the  former is a comprehensive account of one’s entire life,  the latter focuses  on a specific aspect, theme etc., that profoundly shaped the author. I chose the Memoir mode since my life and career took some unexpected turns.

A few copies were sold soon after publication, with Amazon taking the lion’s share of the sales  revenue and leaving with me very little . My book had a Foreword written by a retired IAS officer and ex-CEO of Prasar Bharti who later was also  an MP. A few lines of praise by two highly respected Professors of Mumbai University and a leading Management Institute respectively were also printed on the back cover. However,  its brand value and sales  did not pick up. Therefore,    I introspected and concluded that  those who  did not buy the book    knew me well enough to desire to know anything more about me,   while those who did not know me   thought perhaps  that I was too insignificant a person to  know about .

It was then I hit upon the following strategy to promote my book and increase its sales.

As said earlier,  I belong to a large family with siblings, their spouses and children and grand children both on my maternal and paternal sides. They are mostly blessed with at least three living generations including extended family members like my co-brother- in - laws’ son -in -law and his parents and siblings and so forth. As a close-knit family from even my parent’s lifetimes,  we would   gather  on every conceivable event like marriages, 60^th , 70^th and 80^th birthday celebrations, Griha pravesams, Valaikappu / Seemantham  ( rituals during first pregnancy), Mudi irakkal ( first tonsure of the child)  , Kaadu Kutthal, ( ear -lobe piercing) , wedding anniversaries etc.  to mention just some examples. Even 13th day funeral obsequies would serve as a good  reason to assemble!  On such  occasions,  there will be  exchange of gifts between the hosting family and the attendees. Some gifts are obligatory  by tradition and custom like the maternal uncle’s gift to the  niece on her marriage or the groom’s gift to the bride’s brother who helps him Pori-Edal  ( puffed rice consigned to holy fire) at weddings.

My strategy concerns the return gift from the host. It is always a pair of Jarigai Veshti ( gold threaded laced Doti) for the male and Pattu Pudaivai (silk saree) for the female relative . Although one’s presence is a must to receive the return gifts,  sometimes ,as in our case with  age deterring  travel, the gifts are  sent per messenger. Over the years we  have collected about  dozens of  Veshtis and  sarees. . Our use of these gifts has long since ceased and they occupy much space and require maintenance . No matter how much we try to palm them off  to other  relations and friends visiting us,  the stocks are  not depleted. There is also the risk of some being returned  to the very persons we got  from!

I have therefore thought of asking my relations and friends  inviting us to their  functions not to burden us with  return gifts of dhotis and sarees. Instead,  they   buy as many  copies  of my Memoir,  costing the equivalent of  their budget for our dhotis and sarees,  and distribute them to the guests at the functions. This will  boost the  sale of my book and also save the   expenses on our  hotel accommodation  and transportation if we were to attend.

This strategy is not my original and patented idea. So far as boosting the sale of one’s books is concerned, two eminent persons have preceded me with this strategy.  One was a Governor of a State who in his capacity as Chancellor of a University in the State asked that several  copies of his book be bought and distributed   to the delegates attending some Convention. The University could not refuse payment to the publisher presented the bill  .The second forerunner of this strategy is the noted Economist who served as Chief Economic Advisor to the Government of India. He ordered a public sector bank to buy two lakh copies of his book at a cost of Rs. 7.25 crore for  distribution  to customers and others.

What is good for the goose is good for the gander .  

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*Accountant to Academic- An Unmapped Journey- A Memoir- A.V.Raman ; Publishers Notion Press; Available with Amazon and Flip cart

War and Peace

 Yesterday evening when there was discussion in our group of senior citizens on Ukraine’s drones downing about 40 fighter planes inside Russia , a member wondered how Russia would respond with its known military power including nuclear weapons. In a flash I asked should the response be confined only to a military action and is not Peace  a response  to war. 

What follows is my article taking assistance from Chat GPT

                                       Peace as a Powerful Response to War

In the face of ongoing conflicts like Israel-Palestine and Russia-Ukraine, it is easy to assume that war must be met with war, force with force, and aggression with retaliation. But history offers a different truth—peace is not just a moral ideal, it is a powerful and effective response to war. Far from being a sign of weakness, the pursuit of peace often demands greater courage, deeper vision, and stronger leadership than war itself.

While violence may yield temporary control or revenge, it rarely leads to lasting stability. In contrast, peace—when built on mutual understanding, compromise, and justice—can transform societies, heal deep divisions, and create a future free from the cycles of destruction.

The Power of Peace: Lessons from History

1. Egypt and Israel: From War to Peace (Camp David Accords, 1978)

After decades of hostility and multiple wars, including the Yom Kippur War of 1973, Egypt and Israel stood at a crossroads. Instead of perpetuating the cycle of conflict, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat made a bold move—he traveled to Jerusalem and addressed the Israeli parliament, a dramatic gesture of reconciliation. This led to the Camp David Accords, brokered by U.S. President JimmyCarter .

Outcome: Egypt became the first Arab nation to officially recognize Israel. In return, Israel withdrew from the Sinai Peninsula    pact: Though controversial, this peace has lasted for over four decades. It proved that even the most entrenched conflicts can be resolved through dialogue and compromise.

2. South Africa: Peace Instead of Civil War

In the early 1990s, South Africa was on the brink of civil war. The apartheid regime had created a deep chasm of racial injustice and violence. But leaders like Nelson Mandela and F.W. de Klerk chose a different path: peace through negotiation.

Strategy: The dismantling of apartheid, establishment of democratic elections, and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Impact: South Africa avoided a bloody civil conflict. The peaceful transition became a global model of how forgiveness and justice can go hand in hand.

3. Northern Ireland: The Good Friday Agreement (1998)

The conflict in Northern Ireland, known as “The Troubles,” spanned over 30 years and claimed more than 3,500 lives. Yet in 1998, through multi-party negotiations and the involvement of international actors like the United States, the Good Friday Agreement was signed.

Key Elements: Power-sharing government, disarmament of paramilitary groups, and reforms in policing and civil rights.

Impact: While not perfect, the agreement drastically reduced violence and brought a measure of political stability to the region.

4. France and Germany: From Bitter Enemies to Partners

After centuries of warfare—including two world wars—France and Germany chose reconciliation instead of rivalry. Through the creation of the European Coal and Steel Community (the precursor to the European Union), these former enemies became economic and political partners.

Outcome: Instead of conflict, Europe witnessed an unprecedented era of peace, prosperity, and integration.

Lesson: Economic cooperation and shared interests can overcome even the deepest historical animosities.

Reflections for Today's Leaders

Israel and Palestine

Decades of violence have not resolved the core issues of land, security, and identity. A peaceful resolution, likely involving a two-state solution or a shared governance model with international support, would demand painful compromises. Yet only peace offers a future where both Israelis and Palestinians can live in dignity and security.

Russia and Ukraine

The war in Ukraine has devastated cities, taken thousands of lives, and destabilized global politics. A peaceful settlement—based on sovereignty, borders, and mutual security—would be complex, but it is the only path to preventing perpetual conflict in the region. Post-war reconstruction and reconciliation, as seen in Europe after World War II, is possible if the will for peace prevails.

Conclusion: Peace Is Strength

History is clear: wars may end through victory, but peace lasts through wisdom. Leaders who choose peace are not capitulating—they are investing in a future beyond destruction, beyond hatred. They are building bridges where others build walls.