Maalika mugal .....................................

As a school going kid, I hero worshipped Bjorn Borg, the Tennis Maestro. His ice cool demeanour on the court, his legendary low pulse rate, him not showing any emotions on the court, his impeccable behaviour on the Court (as compared to the tantrums of McEnroe or Connors) nearly made him inhuman and god-like for an school going child. When he retired at the age of 26, I was shell shocked and just couldn't understand it. The shock turned to total confusion when his post retirement loose (that is putting it mildly) and wild life-style made him the centre of the news for all the wrong reasons. He also managed to squander away all his immense wealth and couple of broken marriages later, he was bankrupt. It was sad to see him trying to make a both ends meet. I just couldnt fathom, how such a successful athlete could end up a disaster in personal life. There was profound grief. And I still dont have an answer as to which was the real Borg.

Though not to the same extend as Borg, another sportsperson whom I adored was the pretty, and again impassive Chris Evert (nee Lloyd). I cheered her against the muscular Martina, and felt despondent when she lost to Martina (which was more often than not in the later part of her rivalry). Like Borg, Chris also had a more colourful personal life which was in total contrast to her on court demeanour.

Now, it is the turn of Tiger Woods. Here was a guy, who was the quintessential perfect man. All his life was going on as if being programmed. 14 majors, the tag of being the best golfer ever, a happy family with 2 kids, billion dollar endorsements, impeccable sportsmanship - life couldn't have been better. Now the scandal out of the blue. His numerous affairs, sexual escapades described in vivid details and now him taking an indefinite break from Golf - it is almost as if these guys have split personalities.

The question to be asked is whether the Sportsmen management system that includes trainers, sponsors, stake holders are creating immense pressure on the talented sportsmen forcing them to wear a mask that is alien to them.

Should we feel sorry for them. Should we judge them only on their skills on their chosen sports? My personal opinion is that we should. But success and money brings with it responsibilities and ethical living. One cant shirk it. Tiger knows that. No advertisements featuring him has been on in USA since November 28th and the Tiger Brand has taken a severe beating. Many used him to endorse their products because of the kind of person they thought he was. Continuing with him after his image has been washed like dirty linen and hung out to dry is expected to create collateral damage to the products he endorsed.

'Maalika mugal eriya manante tholil maarappu thookunnathum bhavan'

Adieu, my friend!

The first two wheeler in the family was a second hand Vespa 150 bearing registration number KLG 141, sandalwood colour. Father bought it so that he can go from Palghat to Chittur, 15 kms away, to where he was transfered. This was in 1975, and immediately after the first oil shock. We already had our beloved beetle in the house, but petrol has become dearer in 1975. Father learned two wheeler driving in 1975 and really struggled to travel the 15 kms, but bravely did for 3 years.

When we moved to Chittur in 1978, the Vespa was swapped for a second hand German motorbike, DKW. My brother had just completed his college and he had a fancy for bikes. You have to remember that the only bikes those days were the Bullet, Yezdi (Jawa) and the Rajdoot. Even they were few and far. Brother taught me driving on DKW at the age of 14, but the bike was heavy for a puny 32kg boy.

When brother moved to Delhi on getting a job, we sold off the trouble giving DKW with a brand new Vijay Scooter. Those days Bajaj was the leading Scooter manufacturer that had two products, Chetak (you needed Rs 2500 of Foreign Exchange to book Chetak which was basically being exported) and the Bajaj Super 150 ( you had to pay Rs 500 and book a Super. You will be given a random number that will tell you when it is likely that you will get the Scooter, normally it took 5-8 years). Of course the vehicles were available for a premium in the grey market. The premium was as high as 100% the cost of the vehicle.But since Vijay was available across the counter, I settled for one. Driving the navy blue Vijay to the college as one of the three students who owned a Scooter was the high point for a 17 year old boy, studying in a mixed college comprising of 2000 plus girls.

But my eyes were rivetted firmly on Bajaj. It was the ultimate machine. Though the engine was mounted on the side, quality wise Bajaj was far far superior to Lambretta or the Vijay. One of the main reason was that while Lamby and Vijay used the Chain system for transmission, Bajaj had a direct transmission, enhancing its pick up. Also, Bajaj was virtually maintenance free. Perhaps it was the first vehicle manufactured in India that had a world class quality and the vehicle was known for its reliability in an era where the norm was to offer Indians shoddy products. Also, Bajaj Scooter could be categorised as the first Aspiration product in the two wheeler market. In fact, grooms used to demand Bajaj scooter as part of the dowry those days. Chetak and much later the Super were launched in 1970s, and were the right product at the right time, as the decade felt the tremors of two oil shocks in 1974 and 1979. Driving a gas guzzler Ambassador was no longer an option in the inflation ridden 1970's and the fuel efficient Marutis will become popular only in mid 80's. Bajaj had a free run, and exploited it to the hilt.

Father, understanding my desire, managed to get Rs 2500 foreign exchange through a family friend who was in Dubai, and booked a Chetak. Even then, I had to wait nearly 2 years for the vehicle to be allotted. I remember, taking a bus to Coimbatore (50 kms away) and collecting the vehicle from the Cross Cut road distributor and driving back to Chittur. It might sound silly to those driving swanky bikes of todays, but the feel of driving a 150 cc Chetak on the NH 47 was something great those days. The Scooter was extremely smooth.

By then I was about to finish my MBA and moved on in life. Somehow, the Scooter remained in my parents house till 1989 and sparingly used (father had stopped driving two wheelers by then). I was driving it whenever I came home during weekends. I took it with me to Coimbatore when I was posted there in HPCL and used it for about 8 months till I bought my car. Much later the scooter was sold.

All these nostalgic memories flooded back when I read the news item that Bajaj has finally decided to phase out Scooters from its product line and shall concentrate only on Motorbikes. The largest seller of Scooters in the world once, who went with the much popular tagline 'Hamara Bajaj', are barely able to sell only 200 scooter a month, a steep fall from one lakh plus in a month couple of decades ago, with a waiting list that spawned nearly 5-8 years. In fact, Bajaj was a late entrant to the 100 cc bike market and their initial product Kawasaki-Bajaj was a mild disaster. It took a generation change in the top management, with Rahul Bajaj's son taking over the reigns, for Bajaj to focus all their energy on the Motorcycle market, where they aim to displace Honda as the largest producer of motorcycles in the world.

But like many of my generation, we will miss our dear Bajaj Scooters. Adieu my friend, you were a great companion.

Calling one's bluff

I have never been a great believer of Gandhiji's satyagraha, especially the fast unto death ones. It perhaps would have worked against a particulary opposition (The British) at a particular time (independence struggle). And, sometimes I have wondered whether the efficacy of the Satyagraha as a tool, even for Gandhiji, has been magnified and exaggerated as years passed by.

These thoughts again flashed through my mind at the fast unto death of Telengana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) leader K Chandrasekhara Rao. Poor guy! He started the fast 10 days ago demanding a separate Telengana State, quite an emotional issue in Coastal Andhra Pradesh. That he hardly did anything during his tenure as Minister under UPA government 1 is public knowledge. Rao, looks like started the fast on the understanding that Government will come up with something within 24 hours and he could end the fast. He was arrested promptly, and there were reports that he broke his fast the next day, as planned. That is when the script was changed for the poor fellow. His TRS youth were furious and saw through his game. They demanded that he continue the fast pending major concessions from the Government. The fast has entered the 10th day, Rao's health condition is critical, but he is in no situation to stop it on his own. And he has no clue as to how to get out of this with a face saving formula.

This is known as 'calling one's bluff'

I wish many more politicians, many such bluffs are called by the people to teach them a lesson

Dimensions of Gunas

The Guna framework is drawn from the Sankhya school of Indian philosophy. This philosophy states that the entire physical universe, including the human mind, is composed of three basic constituents (Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas) termed Gunas. Dr.S Radhakrishnan explained the 12 dimensions of Gunas as below,

1. Faith: The faith of each individual corresponds to his or her temperament. Sattva makes one worship gods and thus value all godly tendencies; Rajas shows inclination towards power and wealth, and Tamas towards ghostly spirits.
2. Food: Sattvic people like food that increases their vital force, energy, strength, appetite, and health. Such food is juicy, soothing, savoury, fresh, and agreeable. Rajasic people prefer food that is violently bitter, sour, salty, hot, pungent, acidic, and burning. Such food causes pain, bitterness, ill health, and distemper of mind and body. Tamasic people take pleasure in food that is stale, tasteless, cold, insipid, putrid, rotten, and impure.
3. Sacrifice: Sattva dominates when people offer sacrifice willingly as a duty without desire for fruits thereof. Rajas inspires sacrifice that is performed for outward show and in the hope of divine reward. Sacrifice that is performed without faith and with complete disregard to scriptural instructions is driven by Tamas.
4. Austerity: Austerity guided by Sattva is three-fold—of body, of mind, and of speech. Austerity of body makes one revere gods and scholars and practice straightforwardness, harmlessness, physical cleanliness, and sexual purity. Austerity of mind withdraws one from sense objects and inspires integrity of motive, serenity, sympathy, and meditation. Austerity of speech inspires spiritual study and use of words that do not hurt others and are true and agreeable. Austerity guided by Rajas is practised for ostentation and for gaining praise and honour. It is fleeting and unstable. Austerity driven by Tamas is practised with foolish obsessions of torturing oneself or hurting others.
5. Gift: Gift given as a matter of duty, without expectation of any return, at a suitable place and time, and to the deserving person is said to be inspired by Sattva. Gift that is given either with the hope of receiving in return or with a view of winning merit or grudgingly is driven by Rajas. From Tamas comes the gift that is given to an unworthy person at the wrong time and place disdainfully, without regard to the feelings of the person who receives it.
6. Obligatory work: Sattva is dominant when one does obligatory work with a sense of duty, abandoning attachment to the outcomes. Rajas makes a person shirk from difficult work from fear of pain or bodily trouble. Tamas leads to total abandonment of one’s allotted task due to delusion.
7. Knowledge: Knowledge guided by Sattva enables one to see the underlying oneness in all things despite the superficial diversities. Knowledge guided by Rajas makes one see various entities of distinct kinds and many souls in different beings. Tamas shrouds all knowledge rendering one incapable of seeing either the different souls or the underlying oneness.
8. Action: Sattva prompts one to act with non-attachment. Rajas makes one act with self-conceit for want of fruits thereof. Such action involves much dissipation of energy. Tamas makes one act in delusion without assessing one’s capabilities to perform the same and be heedless of harm to others.
9. Agent: An agent who is free from attachment, non-egoistic, endued with fortitude and enthusiasm, and unaffected by success or failure is inspired by Sattva. Likewise, agents in Rajas are passionate, greedy, malignant, impure, and easily elated or dejected. Those under Tamas are unsteady, vulgar, arrogant, dishonest, malicious, indolent, despondent, and procrastinating.
10. Intellect: People whose intellect is guided by Sattva know the path of work and renunciation, right and wrong action, fear and fearlessness, and bondage and liberation. When Rajas dominates, the intellect decides erroneously between right and wrong and when the conscience is so thickly wrapped in ignorance that it mistakes wrong for right and sees everything distorted, then it has the nature of Tamas.
11. Determination: Determination inspired by Sattva never wavers. People with this kind of determination gain control over their mind, vital energies, and senses. Rajas-inspired determination makes one seek wealth or do duty looking for reward and personal advantage. Determination inspired by Tamas is nothing but obstinacy. It makes a person stubbornly refuse to shake off dullness, fear, grief, low spirits or vanity.
12. Happiness: Sattva drives happiness that is experienced through realization of the ultimate reality. Such happiness may be attained after strict self-schooling and toil; such realization is not easy, but once achieved, it gives deep delight. Happiness in Rajas arises from the contact of objects with senses and is short-lived, ultimately graduating into pain. Bred from Tamas is brutish contentment in stupor and sloth and obstinate error. Such happiness begins and results in self-delusion.

Bereft of topic

Bored and bereft of topics to blog.

See you tomorrow

Indian market as waterloo

Indian market has been the waterloo for many of the MNC's who tried to cash in on the post reform boom. Most of them misread the market potential and the cultural under currents. The myth of 1.1 billion indians eager to swallow 'phirangi' products and the burgeoning middle class with purportedly unlimited purchasing power and pent up demand made these companies enter the market without adequate research. This resulted in them having to incur losses and reorient after licking their wounds. Let us look at some classic cases.

Citibank targetted only the high income earners as an entry strategy, but to their horror realized that they had to take the mass banking route if they were to succeed in India.

Coca Cola reentered the soft drinks market more than 2 years after Pepsi. Instead of setting up their own bottlers and network, Coca Cola acquired Parle Soft Drinks which was holding nearly 60% of the market share through Thumbs up, Limca and Gold Spot brands. The idea was to phase out the Parle brands through cannibalizing them with Coca cola brands. But they were in for a surprise. Customers refused to swichover from Thumbs up to Coke. And for a soft drinks manufacturer, Cola is the segment to win or lose. It took considerable effort, time and money for Coke to overtake its own brank Thumbs up. A case of being too clever by half.

Whirlpool did not try to understand the indian middle class psyche and launched their bigger capacity refridgerators with much fanfare, only to see to their horror that Indians were not keen on buying anything that had a higher capacity than 165 Litres.

Many US brands mistakenly thought that the American tastes were universal. Domino's pizza found this out the hard way. They started replicating American offerings to the Indian market and that too only in metros. When the sales refused to pick up, they were forced to localize the offerings through 'panneer' and 'chettinadu chicken' toppings. The moral of the story - it is tough to change the taste buds that were developed over a period of few centuries.

Mercedes Benz, in 1995 set up a plant in India to manufacture E class sedan. The target market was the upper upper class. But the market just refused to pay a premium for what they considered was an outdated model. In a couple of years the plant was running at about 10% of the capacity and were looking at export market to break even.

How insensitive!!

Today is the 25th anniversary of the Worlds Worst Industrial Disaster - Bhopal Gas Leakage.

15,274 people died and 5,74,000 people were affected on December 2, 1984, when deadly methyl iso cyanate gas leaked from the Union Carbide factory.

Many say Union Carbide got away very easity by paying a meagre $ 470 million (Rs 715 crore) as damage. Each affected person was paid Rs 25,000 and the dead Rs 1 lakh, and that too more than 10 years after the disaster.

Many victims were denied justice as Union Carbide, the NGO's and the Government together did everything they could to get a fair deal for the vicims.

It is a moot point how much Union Carbide would have had to pay as actual damages and punitive damages were the accident to have happened in USA. Third world lives are indeed cheap.

The disaster is significant for the apathy shown by successive governments. The past 25 years have seen governments under Rajiv Gandhi, VP Singh, Chandrasekar, PV Narasimha Rao, IK Gujral, Deve Gowda, Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh. But none of these worthies have done anything to bring the culprit to justice. The cries to extradite the then Union Carbide Chief Warren Anderson has fallen on deaf years. No one has been punished and the compensation has been meagre by any yardstick.

Now to add insult to injury, the MP minister has requested the Centre to sanction Rs 116 crore to build a memorial for the victims. How insensitive!!!