And the Bharat Ratna goes to.........

Come Republic Day and all eyes are focused on the award ceremony, the Padma awards and the most coveted Bharat Ratna. It has been seven years in a row that nobody has been conferred this prestigious award.
Why is the question ? This question has been haunting the mind of every individual who keeps an eye on the Indian polity. Has there been no man of achievement in India in the last decade or the government is looking for a superman.It is pretty difficult to decide.

I am also thinking that is it necessary to give this award every year?
If YES, then to whom and what should be the method and criterion of selection and if NO then let's abolish this award. There is no point in keeping everyone guessing and more importantly , as these blank years are passing the bar for selection is rising automatically. I am desperate to know who breaks the lull in this decade.He must be a real HERO.

Anyways,let me try my level best to answer these questions.To decide it,first have a look at the names of the past recipients of this award. Dr. Radhakrishnan , CV Raman , JawaharLal Nehru , Indira Gandhi, APJ Abdul Kalam, Pt. Ravi Shankar , Lata Mangeshkar, Satyajit Ray, BR Ambedkar, Amartya Sen , Satyajit Ray and the list goes on.....Wow....that list is something. These people have one thing in common. They are the role models for the current Indian generation. Each of them has not only done something extraordinary in their field but also has worked for the development of the people. They look to be the kind of people to which Bharat Mata can come personally and embrace them . She can definitely say ...Son, it could have been millions of places where you could have been born in this universe but I am proud to have you.You are my Ratna...You are the Bharat Ratna.

Is it the definition of Bharat Ratna ? A person who stands out from the crowd and on whom the Bharat Mata can be proud of ?

Wait for a moment, I have figured out something else. Most of these people have either been involved in the Indian Freedom Struggle or were the FIRST in their fields.

A Chinese proverb aptly says "May you live in interesting times".
Here,interesting times represent difficult situations. This proverb can be used as a blessing as well as a curse ; for interesting times may either ruin you or it can bring the best out of you. For these people,it got the best out of them.

The question for eligibility becomes even more difficult when I consider that this award has also been conferred to Nelson Mandela , a non Indian but a propounder of Gandhian Principles.Now, I am confused.Is an Indian actually required for Bharat Ratna or propounding Indian principles in world is required for Bharat Ratna?
Let's not delve into this aspect of the problem for the sake of simplicity. :)


I feel the criterion , whatsoever it may be, has to change for this current scientific world. The work is now more technology oriented then setting up and exploring the basic things.At the time of Independence we had several Brave Hearts who needed recognition but now we have used up our pool of awardees and probably that's why we are now facing this dearth of heros. I feel this award should now be given once in a decade. This will not only preserve the quality of the award but also give enough time to the heros to mature and show their skills.Most importantly, it will keep all the controversies at bay.


One request....please don't make it the FilmFare award that has to be given every year irrespective of preposterous theme of Indian films , films whose ever declining standards is now changing the definition of a good movie in the minds of people.

Another thing that comes in my mind is how should a Bharat Ratna be chosen. Mind it!!!! the award is Bharat Ratna not the Indian Idol ( as it literally translates to).I have no problem with SMS and Junta polling, the only problem is that only the urban population participates in SMS polling . The rural people are only the spectators, so it won't help. Bharat Ratna is different in this regard that the chosen one is the Ratna of the majority and not of the minority.

The current system is also fine with the states sending nominations to the Centre and a committee evaluating the candidate on the basis of his service done to the country.No problem at all.Let's ensure one thing: the choice must be unanimous , no simple majority is allowed here.

As an ordinary Indian, I am deparately waiting for the chosen one . My ears are eager to listen...."And he Government of India has decided to confer the highest civilian award Bharat Ratna to........".

Sensex on steroids

The past year had the Indian bulls roaring. People who were patient enough to keep their shares intact for last few years reaped the benefits.The BSE Sensex looked to have taken steroids and kept soaring every fortnight. Though, I don't follow Stock market closely but this news kept catching my eyes. 20K is a huge number for an index which had barely touched the 5K mark five years back. Theoretically, Sensex is the barometer of economy but I am still not convinced that this is real and reflects the state of Indian economy. To me it's the inception of yet another bubble.

There are many reasons for me to get skeptical.The definiton of Sensex is basically causing me the trouble.As per very simplistic definition , Sensex is an index based on 1978-79 price levels when that index was set to be 100. The rise and fall of this index defines the state of Indian economy. If this number becomes 200, it simply implies that the size of economy has doubled.In 1990 , it touched 1K mark ....Agreed it was due to better monsoon harvests to the predominantly agricultural Indian economy. Around, 1995 , it touched 4K mark.....Agreed ...it was due to market friendly policies of Manmohan Singh and Congress Govt....but the recent surges are frenetic.A jump of 1000 points in a day, a drop of 600 points a day....I can't comprehend these. It's not possible that the Indian economy is swinging in this way.
This has to be artificial. A lot many people say that this is due to increased FDIs FIIs in India but let me warn you : FII money is "hot money" in sense that it can be pulled out any minute that might lead to collapse of the Sensex.It's the job of FIIs to invest in stock market of countries and sell their shares when the Sensex soars.A lot many people are speculating when the Stock market is going to collapse . I have been reading the articles of several analysts on Rediff regarding it. People are putting their numbers in this great rush.Milind Karandikar, a neoWave analyst and one of the most famous analysts of this time, has set up a number around 27K from his theories. He can be correct but for me only GOD knows when this is going to happen.

Another aspect that makes me suspicious is the poor Human Development Index of India. India still ranks close to 120 out of 170 odd countries surveyed. If the Indian economy is growing at such a fast pace why aren't the Indian living conditions like life expectancy,average income, literacy improving ? Why is India standing close to its South Asian neighbours whose political and economic conditions are in tatters?I don't find an convincing answer to these questions and this makes me even more suspicious.

One of more terryfying consequences of the growing Sensex is the strengthening rupee.It looks proud when the rupee touches the 38-39 mark against the almighty dollar but let us don't forget that in current scenario a significant proportion of employment is provided by US based companies which are not here because of Indian brain but because India can prove to be a low cost center.Now, as the costs are rising , it's quite possible that they can revert back. Our infrastructure is still not powerful enough to support such a huge population.Who knows what's in store for our country?

Is it the Edwardian summer of Indian economy, where everything is looking fine but actually it is not !!!!!!! May be , I don't know that for sure but for the day let's play in our casino and double our money. 20K is my bet...now it's your turn....

Aha...I have started blogging. It's a nice and refreshing feeling as far as I am concerned.I have always thought that I would start blogging but for some reasons always postponed it for the next day. Maybe , my aspiration of writing a good and meaningful blog deterred me but today I am feeling a bit elated so I have decided to finally get this blog rolling.

It's a different day today. I am feeling very relaxed and calm . Why is the question ? A partial answer to this question is that I have just completed the design of a current reference circuit. One of the few and rare days of my professional life when I am satisfied by the day's proceedings. Still, something is haunting me. Am I really happy is the question?

Today, while I was introspecting myself, I suddenly realized that I have tons of pending works in life, works I always wanted to do , goals I wanted to achieve, places I always wanted to go. It's not that I am not trying for it or I don't have a well defined goal in my life but somehow at every step failure is holding me back. My life today is standing in front of me and asking for it's meaning. Neither can I answer it nor do I know what am I doing wrong. Few of my friends who have known me since long can't help wondering why am I touching new lows everyday. Everyone is flummoxed. I have a tendency of learning from my mistakes and keeping my head high after each and every failure but now I desperately want the dawn of success. It's getting tougher everyday. The only thing I have right now with me is hope and never say die attitude. I pray to God to keep things intact with me. It's just the beginning of my long career and let me not get fazed by these seemingly unending failures. Afterall, hope is a good thing , if not the best of the things.
A few good things of this world have always helped me out in turbulent times.
The poem "If" by Rudyard Kipling is one of them. Here it goes, have a look.


If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
But make allowance for their doubting too,
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream--and not make dreams your master,
If you can think--and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings--nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much,
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And--which is more--you'll be a Man, my son!

--Rudyard Kipling

A nice poem ...isn't it. I like the lines that I have marked in bold and treat them as the guiding principles of my life.

Yeah..., once again I am on crossroads of life but let me start afresh in my life ; with loads of smiles and vigour; with a determination to achieve my goals; with zeal and enthusiasm but O Lord ! show me light . Let me know my mistakes ; help me out but this time I would be victorious, I know it.