New TV Channel

 New TV Channel

C Channel India inauguration was to start in a short while.  At the stroke eight the EBC test card disappeared and a bright montage started appearing on the screen.  The Alps, the US one hundred dollar bills, gold coins, façade of Swiss Banks and a crisp white Gandhi cap figured prominently in the montage. In the background was the exciting music that was fused with the sound of coins pouring out of slot machines. For a moment the screen went blank and then appeared the gold moulded logo of CC India. The imposing logo disappeared and what was seen on the screen was a posh office cabin with a huge executive table and the CC India Chairman sitting behind the same. He got up from his chair, waved and started walking towards the camera. He stood under a spotlight, paused for a moment and started his inaugural speech. He emphasised the need for his channel. He vouched that he is the pioneer to start such channel. He mentioned that there are large numbers of channels dedicated to different interests and activities. The Chairman continued, ‘switch on the TV and you have channels from news to nature, from fashion to food, from sports to spiritualties, from monks to money. You name it and you have a dedicated channel. But CC India is different, it’s the first of its kind in the world to have a dedicated C channel. It’s for the C that has become an integral part of daily life of every Indian. It’s this C without which no Indian can ‘see’ the desired. This C has not only survived the odds but also had a spectacular growth.

Yes, this C stands for corruption. Nowhere in the world has corruption had such magnificent growth as it has in India. Corruption has successfully blunted the conscious in all strata of our society. What was done in the past infrequently and for few rupees is now a routine and involves billions and billions of rupees. With globalisation the rupee has become convertible (partly officially and fully unofficially) and found a solace in form of USD in Swiss Banks. Corruption is no longer limited to taking bribes in Indian Rupees. Wine and Women are rampant but relatively insignificant in today’s corrupt society. These are still the stepping stones for the multibillion dollar scams that are here to stay. The vision of CC India is to make every citizen well-versed about corruption. We need to teach our citizens to effectively practice corruption. We will telecast interviews of prominent personalities who successful practised this art. In fact we plan to station OBVs in Tihar and similar jails for instant and better coverage. We also have in mind talent search programmes and reality shows for showcasing innovative ways of corruption. We will on grand scale organise the award presentation ceremony for corruption practices in different fields. We would call for nominations, though the process will not be immune to the corruption.  CC India also plans to have a management school for the post-graduate diploma programmes in Corruption Management and Corrupt Practices. E-corruption will be offered as super specialisation. We have a long list of eminent faculty for this. We feel those who graduate with this diploma will have an edge over others in government jobs. The details for this programme will be available soon.

Broadly we will have dedicated programmes like talk shows, quiz etc on corporate corruption, political corruption, household corruption. Corruptions in service sector will have priority and will include banks, insurance, hospitals, sports, schools etc. Our focus will be on younger generation. We have already bribed the school authorities to show our programmes to them as these are our building blocks and will take India to newer and unsurpassable heights in corruption. May the demons bless us for success. Long live corruption” The Chairman concluded.

Fortunately there was a power failure and TV went blank. Perhaps CC India missed out on bribing the power distribution company.

Disclaimer: This is a fiction and there is no resemblance with any living or dead person or with any institution. If any then it is just a matter of coincidence.

This blog aims at creating awareness to curb corruption. The blog is a part of a fiction written by the author. Those who desire to read full story may electronically request the author.

Father's Day

Father’s Day

For me as a father, frankly it sounded very strange, when many years back, I heard of Father’s Day for the first time. The concept did not fit well into my traditional orthodox thinking. In those days all that I could relate Father’s Day, was with the concept of Shrāddha (श्राद्ध) in Hinduism. The performance of Shrāddha (श्राद्ध) apart from other associated concepts is also in a way expression of our gratitude to the departed soul. In our society parents did not expect a formal ‘Thanks’ from their offspring. And I am sure the same might be true even today.  I feel all that I did for my children and for that matter whatever I might be doing even today for them is my responsibility as a father. Be it helping them to learn or to help them practice what they have learnt, or even to worry about their problems and welfare is all part of my responsibility. I do it and I don’t expect a formal expression of thanks for shouldering my responsibilities.

As a son my father did not expect formal ‘Thanks’ from me. He did everything for me that he could do. He never complained that he is being stretched, even if he was. There was always a smile on his face for having satisfyingly fulfilled his responsibilities. I find it extremely difficult to take a stock of what I got from my father. What I am today is because of him and his teachings. The list of what I gained (not got) from him can be endless. If I really have to sum up, I would say that he provided me good education and endowed with good Sanskars (संस्कार). Both these have been of great importance in my life. In isolation either of these two would not have helped me as much to accomplish what I have today. This has been my inheritance yet I thank God, rather than my God like father for this. Not that I didn’t want to thank him, but he wouldn’t have liked that. He might have felt aggrieved. But not expressing my thanks has in no way affected our relation. For the first time I formally expressed my gratitude to him was when I performed his Shrāddha (श्राद्ध).

I am not against the Father’s Day celebration. My children wish me on Father’s Day. We spend great moments together, but these are in addition to the great time we have all through the year. Father’s Day is bonus for us even though it’s a formalised one. It’s an expression. I realise expressions are important. Saying ‘Thanks’ is an expression, giving a rose or gift is expression, sending a card or even an e-card is expression, but the expression has a strange relation with expectation. If you expect then the expression carries a different and variable meaning and if you don’t expect then the expression has different dimensions. My generation is sure to debate on this.

The value systems are undergoing rapid changes in our society. In future the word father may not necessarily be confined to biological father. During my school days we made fun of a fellow student when his tongue slipped while telling the class about his father. He said ‘méré ék pitā achchhé doctor hai’ (मेरे पिता एक अच्छे डॉक्टर हैं)  instead of ‘méré pitā ék achchhé doctor hai’  (मेरे एक पिता अच्छे डॉक्टर हैं). This may be a reality in the future in our society. The Western society experiences this for long. The proclamation of Father’s Day was in USA in 1924. Well that may be the time when the American fathers started expecting a formal ‘Thanks’ from their children.  I don’t know if that expectation has crept in our society and if yes then how and why. Let this day be there, no problems, but let there be Father’s Day celebrations on Guru Pournima  (गुरु पौर्णिमा) or on Teachers Day also. For me I take my father as my first Guru (गुरु).

Management Students

Admission to B-school is a matter of choice for some students while for others there was no other choice. Whatever it may be, once you are in B-school, you are a future manager, a future CEO, may be an successful entrepreneur. It’s a matter of time. In the B-school when I meet my new students for the first time, I always ask them to take pride in what they have opted for. If you are to be a Manager, then you have to act like Manager from day one in your chosen professional programme.  Your attitude, thinking, actions, approach, attire must all be in tune with your choice. Look at the  Medical students who in their white apron proudly display their attitude and behaviour. Same is the case with Pharmacy students, even catering students. All those who are in professional programmes can be easily recognised from their attitude, behaviour and appearance, unfortunately with exception to management students. That’s my observation and I won’t mind if someone proves me wrong. I wish a person on the street after looking at you should be in a position to guess that you are a Management student. To achieve this, the three A’s Appearance, Attitude and Approach are going to matter. Please think about this. Have a burning desire to excel in the field of Management.

Be India the chosen destination in search of world class Managers. Best luck