Was inspired by an old newpaper article (ht cafe Aug 8, 2009) on the status of public websites on mumbai. It basically concluded none of them are user friendly but the information exists!

My take on that – forget user friendly, inaccessible is what I would say. I am sure there are lot companies / young college studies who will do a great job on a voluntary basis. Anyway, given the fact that only 50 million indians access internet once a month and possibly 1 million daily, I guess thats not their priority …

Listing the sites

• http://maharashtra.gov.in/ (doesn’t work!) Then tried http://www.maharashtra.gov.in/ Eureka. Guess what has no search box. Seems list a good assortment of websites that are useful.
• http://www.mmrdamumbai.org/ – Pretty informative about the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority. Surprisingly you think you would find some maps and pics of construction project but its just information.
• http://bestundertaking.com/ – good site. Got to know I could hire a BEST bus! pretty affordable rates. Also about Advertisements on Buses and Electricity. Right to Information Act also given.
• http://www.trafficpolicemumbai.org/ – No search here again! The display of data sucks. I check about my area Colaba and the rules. I am immediately given a word document with lots of tables and some 170 traffic regalation with no reference to maps! I think people have kind of lost it. Lots of animated gifs and my eyes are going left, right and center I thought traffic was all about focus and direction! Good look at the traffic offences and fines.
• Momentarily I shifted direction and went to the convential ‘wikipedia’, great information – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mumbai . Makes you wonder why the government cannot make sense by some concerned people are able to bring information together in a simple + effective way.
• Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM)’s website – http://www.mcgm.gov.in/ – again no search but the display is pretty neat and good. Lot to improve
• http://mumbaipolice.org/ – unhappy to say the search doesn’t work. You think phone number and you get lost looking at the list which one to call! Says its designed by http://www.bcwebwise.com/ – very surprised at the crappy work these people are so proud to do. There needs to be a public entity that looks in the quality of these websites if they are outsourced

Anyway, enough of cribbing. Somehow what I noticed was all the websites are caught in the old way of ‘html’ way of designing web content. No one seems to using content management systems like drupal or wordpress. No search boxes. Wish things become better soon!

SHANTANU GUHA RAY’s (Tehelka) article – The Philanthropy Conundrun – has an amazing take!:

The fab four are part of the Forbes top 10 list. Forbes notes that Ambani produces oil, gas, petrochemicals and textiles; younger sibling Anil runs a clutch of companies in sectors as diverse as telecom, power and financial services; Mittal owns the largest steel conglomerate in the world, Sunil Mittal controls India’s largest telecom company.

Philanthropy doesn’t exist in India. The IPL showed that Indian companies have the money (look at the amounts the Ambanis or liquor baron Vijay Mallya spent in acquiring stars for their respective teams) but would not spent on malnourished children,” says social commentator and author Jerry Pinto, who expects the divide between the rich and poor to grow manifold in India. “The poor have lived with it for long and do not expect anything. Perhaps that’s the reason why I do not see any resentment among the poor, no class wars,” he says.

Time magazine’s Africa bureau chief Alex Perry talks of the unjust distribution of wealth all over the world in Falling Off the Edge: Travels Through the Dark Heart of Globalization. The author finds out that while 1.63 million have found outsourcing jobs in India, there were 40 million unemployed, 900 million earned less than $2 a day and 380 million earned less than a dollar. This is the world without a middle class, says Perry, in which — he has 2006- 07 statistics to back him up — one percent of the world’s adults own 40 percent of all global assets. And those figures get even more rarefied as you climb the money pyramid: the richest 10 percent own 85 percent of the assets, while the poorest half own less than one percent.

But then, perhaps for the uber rich, charity really begins at home.

Just read ‘Death of a salesman and other elite ironies: Tarun Tejpal‘ – a pure logical thought provoking writing. One of the few ‘mass’ writing by the ‘mass media’ that is intellectually stimulation and emotionally moving. The link unfortunately has ‘ads moving’ all over the page His writing strikes a true chord with my dis-illusioned state I find myself after 3 years of moving back to india + various experiences (rich, vivid and exhausting!).

What strikes me the most is what he says in the end : India’s elite should start getting its hands dirty so they can get a clean country. My thoughts on that: True, very true. But guess what most of the elites feel they have worked ‘hard’ to be elites and feel its time to take back from the country (non-diplomatically translated as exploit and show-off!) Then we come to ‘true’ elites – they are trying in their own way. We need a system thats brings it together i.e. collective action. Not downplaying the whole thing – we need ways to structure in the ‘whole’ thing to see impact!

Have some of the writing in quotes for my personal archive.

What the Indian elite is discovering today on the debris of fancy eateries is an acidic truth large numbers of ordinary Indians are forced to swallow every day.

The system does not work, the system is cruel, the system is unjust, the system exists to only serve those who run it. Crucially, what we, the elite, need to understand is that most of us are complicit in the system. In fact, the chances are the more we have — of privilege and money — the more invested we are in the shoring up of an unfair state.

For too many decades now, the elite of India has washed its hands off the country’s politics. Entire generations have grown up viewing it as a distasteful activity. In an astonishing perversion, the finest imaginative act of the last thousand years on the subcontinent, the creation and flowering of the idea of modern India through mass politics, has for the last 40 years been rendered infra dig, déclassé, uncool. Let us blame our parents, and let our children blame us, for not bequeathing onwards the sheer beauty of a collective vision, collective will, and collective action. In a word, politics: which, at its best, created the wonder of a liberal and democratic idea, and at its worst threatens to tear it down.

We stand faulted then in two ways. For turning our back on the collective endeavour; and for our passive embrace of the status quo. This is in equal parts due to selfish instinct and to shallow thinking. Since shining India is basically only about us getting an even greater share of the pie, we have been happy to buy its half-truths, and look away from the rest of the sordid story. Like all elites, historically, that have presided over the decline of their societies, we focus too much of our energy on acquiring and consuming, and too little on thinking and decoding.

Let’s track one causal chain. The Congress creates Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale to neutralise the Akalis; Bhindranwale creates terrorism; Indira Gandhi moves against terrorism; terrorism assassinates Indira Gandhi; blameless Sikhs are slaughtered in Delhi; in the course of a decade, numberlessinnocents, militants, and securitymen die. Let’s track another. The BJP takes out an inflammatory rath yatra; inflamed kar sewaks pull down the Babri Masjid; riots ensue; vengeful Muslims trigger Mumbai blasts; 10 years later a bogey of kar sewaks is burnt in Gujarat; in the next week 2,000 Muslims are slaughtered; six years later retaliatory violence continues. Let’s track one more. In the early 1940s, in the midst of the freedom movement, patrician Muslims demand a separate homeland; Mahatma Gandhi opposes it; the British support it; Partition ensues; a million people are slaughtered; four wars follow; two countries drain each other through rhetoric and poison; nuclear arsenals are built; hotels in Mumbai are attacked.

In each of these rough causal chains, there is one thing in common. Their origin in the decisions of the elite. Interlaced with numberless lines of potential divisiveness, the India framework is highly delicate and complicated. It is critical for the elite to understand the framework, and its role in it. The elite has its hands on the levers of capital, influence and privilege. It can fix the framework. It has much to give, and it must give generously. The mass, with nothing in its hands, nothing to give, can out of frustration and anger, only pull it all down. And when the volcano blows, rich and poor burn alike.

And so what should we be doing? Well, screaming at politicians is certainly not political engagement. And airy socialites demanding the carpet-bombing of Pakistan and the boycott of taxes are plain absurd, just another neon sign advertising shallow thought. It’s the kind of dumb public theatre the media ought to deftly side-step rather than showcase. The world is already over-shrill with animus: we need to tone it down, not add to it.

The first thing we need to do is to square up to the truth. Acknowledge the fact that we have made a fair shambles of the project of nation-building. Fifty million Indians doing well does not for a great India make, given that 500 million are grovelling to survive. Sixty years after independence, it can safely be said that India’s political leadership — and the nation’s elite — have badly let down the country’s dispossessed and wretched. If you care to look, India today is heartbreak hotel, where infants die like flies, and equal opportunity is a cruel mirage.

Let’s be clear we are not in a crisis because the Taj hotel was gutted. We are in a crisis because six years after 2,000 Muslims were slaughtered in Gujarat there is still no sign of justice. This is the second thing the elite need to understand — after the obscenity of gross inequality. The plinth of every society — since the beginning of Man — has been set on the notion of justice. You cannot light candles for just those of your class and creed. You have to strike a blow for every wronged citizen.

And let no one tell us we need more laws. We need men to implement those that we have. Today all our institutions and processes are failing us. We have compromised each of them on their values, their robustness, their vision and their sense of fairplay.

Look around. How many constables, head constables, sub-inspectors would risk their lives for the dishonest, weak men they serve, who in turn serve even more compromised masters?

I wish Rohinton had survived the lottery of death in Mumbai last week. In an instant, he would have understood what we always went on about. India’s crying need is not economic tinkering or social engineering. It is a political overhaul, a political cleansing. As it once did to create a free nation, India’s elite should start getting its hands dirty so they can get a clean country.

Amar Ali Jan’s words say it all according to me:

The job of the media is not to spread the elite’s version of patriotism. Its job is to educate the masses through objective facts and objectivity cannot change with one’s own association with a geographical location.

The above image (pic of a bus stand opposite to this picture) made be smile … taken close to 60 hrs after the event started and an hour after National Security Gaurds declared everything is over (albeit temporarily). The entire collection of the pictures I took during the event can be seen on flickr. The statement in the advertisement ripped from the shards of grenades says

peace of mind. Gauranteed. sms PEACE to 5888*

I wonder what * means! I am sure, people like me around the place felt extra alive for those 60 odd hours which started with two loud bangs and gunfire. Easily close to 10,000+ people will have double thoughts on MEETING LIFE. in other words METLIFE.

I chanced about reading Rachel Chitra’s post Morality or the Woman’s womb. After first reading I was very tempted to critically comment But then I said to myself, I think I shall reserve my critical views for sometime if and when we meet in future! However, I glanced About me section, turns out she is a journalist from my home town and so is her husband! That made me think about the quality of the writing and the points she makes (I expect better Chitra?). For the moment, I shall just hide behind the ‘I am not a journalist window’ and pepper my immediate thoughts in line …

For women with great power to procreate comes great responsibility to safegaurd it. The Indian society, has somehow lacked the ability to talk openly and make people understand the different changes their body undergoes. Hopefully in the decades to come with more information awareness, things will change for the better. And also technology aided birth prevention (condom, contraceptive pills and abortion) comes to rescue to bring balance into the equation of man & women.

And yeah, I kind of strongly disagree with her view of “In India, people also have the disgusting habit of holding a grand function in which all friends & relatives attend, when the girl attains puberty. I don’t see anyone celebrating a boy’s attainment of puberty in India. “

Its a immature to conclude it as a disgusting habit. I see it as a celebration of the girl child and her maturity. Also a very grand way to convey the message to the community of her puberty. Southern traditions are laden with such rituals equally among the girl & boy child. Seemandham (Baby Shower) couple of months before child birth. The thread ceremony being something equivalent for the boy?

From what I have understood, all the traditions had some thought behind when they were put in place. Over periods of time, the reason people think has changed in similar ways the mis-interpretation of BiBle, Quran and Gita. Agreed some of the traditional tradition may not be needed or re-looked. Kindly note that my understanding has been self observed & objective one (and yeah I don’t believe in the concept of God!). Anything specific you don’t agree, I would love to engage in a constructive dialogue if you need.

Will open this post for comments. I have closed my comments on the blog due to mega spamming. Trackbacks are appreciated ;P

Ghani Zaman one of my flickr contacts is deeply involved with the North East India Project. He sent me an volunteer trip itinerary last year and has sent me one this year too. I couldn’t take it last year due to lack of time and this I am afraid I will not be able to join as I am on break entire this month and last (July and Aug). If all the stars, matched I would have definitely gone (I may still go though!).

I am blogging this just in case anyone of you would like to explore and take time off to fully understand atleast Nagaland (Northeast India). What better way than spend some time in a village (Yimjenkimong Village) and help in various projects like:

• Low cost Housing / Building.
• Health Education
• Water Resource Management
• Scholastic Education
• Computer Training
• Commerce and Eco-Tourism

1. Arrive at Kolkata on 30th Nov 2008 morning. Take plane, afternoon flight or train. 
2. Train leaves at 3PM from Howrah from Kolkata to Guwahati. Train – Saraighat Express. Arrival time 9AM Train cost approx Rs.2100 AC 3tier. Plane difficult to say at the moment till prices stable.
3. At Guwahati meet the team at the Rly station to travel on the overnight Intercity train up to Amguri in Assam.
4. At Amguri the team hires vehicles to go into Nagaland via Tuli. Amguri to Tuli is approx 25 kms. Vehicle cost to be shared by passangers- Rs.2000 + by 3 passangers. From Tuli it is a very rough up hill drive for a couple of hours.
5. At the village you will be allocated a home to stay @Rs. 600/ per day for food and lodging. We are going to stay for 10 days helping in the construction of a community centre and other activities as mentioned in the announcement earlier.
6. We all leave on 10th Dec. back to our on places.

For more details do feel free to contact Ghani Zaman ( ghanizaman _at_ gmail . com ) So, Guys if you want to take a vacation – I think this would be an ideal one . Any sponsors for me

Am subscribed to the Nature Knights mailing list after the river rafting trip and got the following links in one of the mails. I think people who are into trekking in India should take a look at them for birds, flowers n bugs . I am giving the links of the sites I likes with my one line comments

• Birding.in – a verbose site with images. Avid birdwatcher might find it interesting
• Birds of India – Mashup of google maps and where birds are present
• Nerdy Birders – Group Website of three photographers + Bird enthusiasts. Lovely first hand pics of birds and butterflies.
• Collection of links by Vivek Tiwari, a Princeton Indian Graduate Student
• India Nature Watch – nice collection of images by category
• Whatsthatbug.com – Amazing concept. Check it out!
• Bug Guide – a bit too scientific. US and Canada specific. Intensive forum pages also
• Indiabirds.com – Didn’t find this site very user friendly
• Flowers of India – Interesting site with a discussion forum

This post was coming for sometime but never got around to write. My value add in this post is close to zero, just wanted to list again what Puneet compiled on Incubators in India. Its just a bit more detailed (lazy to write the entire post – Just putting it up for my reference!). But I guess I will have actually find out what they have to offer – need to do some research. If you really have any first hand knowledge about them do add in your comment.

• IIM A: CIIEIndia
  

• IIM B: NSRCEL
  

• IIM Lucknow

• IIM Kozhikode

• IIM Calcutta

• SP Jain Institute of Management and Research

• BITS Pilani

• IIT Kharagpur

• IIT Madras

• TENET – IIT Madras

• IIT Bombay

• IIT Kanpur

• IIT Guwahati

• IIT Delhi

• Nirma Labs

• FMS Delhi

• Entreprenership Development Institute of India (EDI), Ahmedabad

• K.J. Somaiya Institute of Management Studies and Research, Mumbai

• The ICFAI Center for Entrepreneurship Development, Hyderabad

• Mudra Institute of Communications, Ahmedabad (MICA)

• Wadhwani Center for Entrepreneurial Development, Hyderabad

• JSS Institutions

• NITIE

• Erasmic

• NIT Trichy

• Technopreneur list