Friday, November 19, 2010

To dearest of them all, with love

Five years is such a long time and still I remember the first time I saw you. I was late to your home (my first visit). I do not know how I actually walked the steps and reached your drawing room. Maybe my parent told me. You were reclining on the sofa, sufficiently made up and resting there. As soon as you saw me you ran into the house. you were taller than my expectation. You were and have always been thin, bordering on frail. That is when I decided that it will be a very good idea to spend rest of my with you. The informality and the grace of your movements and attitude really struck me. That was the first quality that killed me then. It was one of my many impulsive actions that I decided that this is that and I told you so as well when we went to my college. Your have always been what cynics call a "low maintainance wife". But actually that was the only thing I watched. You were very comfortable eating at a nondescript place, going to the place where I spent my most importnat four years of my life till then. The place which changed me completely. This really meant that you were different, which was not as important as the fact that you actually matched me at some plane of existence. Though at other multiple planes we are as different from each other as possible. And thankfully that was one of my decisions that I never (mostly :) ) regretted. There were troubling time, there were discords and slightly different expectations and aspirations. I tried to take care of aspirations which I thought should be long term and viable. We had terrible fights for those which we thought should be trivial things or some thing wrong. I have been moving from my roots and in a completely different environment every ten years now. I moved from my small town Udgir to the district place, Latur. I moved from LAtur to my hostel. From my hostel I moved to Wipro. From Wipro I moved to Subex. Each of the move changed my life completely. So I know that it is very difficult to change things completely and start over. For you it was even more difficult. This was because you were in the same town and same place all the time. Things never changed for you. They changed drastically with a new family to stay with in a new town. You really did splendid to cope up with all that and do more :).
And while all this was happening we have our first born almost immediately. I think one of the most important and interesting things that happened to us together. Ojas ensured that our debates and fights that occur seldom do not tear us apart the way it is doing others at this moment. But that was just the side effect. Our life has been converted from the usual and run of the mill to the extra ordinary because our son is there in it. If in last five years giving birth to him is the only thing we did, we would still come out successful for first five years. But we did many more things. Apart form the really apparent physical prosperity (if you notice our income is almost double of what it was when we got married, we own a small flat of our own and a four wheeler), I think the most important thing we have is that we can still enjoy life and be happy without all these. Being detached from all the gains actually makes us worthy to go for more. And this is where I appreciate your contributions. This makes you very unique in my eyes. If there was any body who would have matched my way of thinking by actions, it is you. That is why I love you more than a husband loves a wife OR a father loves the mother of his loved children. Without you, I would not be living the life I wanted. Without you, I would not be so balanced and so free to do the stuff I like. Without me life would not hold me and give new meanings to every day. Without you I would not have the shine of my eyes, Oju and Aaroh. Without you life will be very less interesting and boring. I am lucky to have you as my wife for last five years and for the rest of my life. Thank you for everything and I love you for so many years.

Red Rose || Rote Rose

Saturday, November 13, 2010

The stranger: his hiding place

This is where I first saw him: http://sweet-kandy.blogspot.com/2009/06/stranger-part-1-introductions.html

And he has this habit of disappearing for long stretches of time. Like he did, it has been almost an year now. I am sure the sand and pond were there always, I some times might even have walked over there, though I am no so sure now. Actually not so sure of any thing. But definitely the wet conspicuous green smell of the still waters and the sand squishing and squirming under my feet is some thing I seem to have felt pretty often. But I have not seen him again for a year now. I almost completely forgot that he was there in the shadows near the pond, lurking harmlessly but intently in the darkness. Scavenging on the garbage of emotions I leave behind. Feelings, good and bad, mostly bad. I again saw him yesterday. I was doing my own thing, playing volley ball not specifically well and enjoying it. I had run five miles earlier the day and spend almost the whole day lazing about with piles of work awaiting me. I especially like avoiding work the more important it is and if it is going to have a wider impact, it eggs me on even further.
So it went pretty cloudy and dark and somebody asked to switch on the flood lights. The powerful flow of sliver light shone momentarily blinded me. when I opened my eyes, I found that it was reflecting sharply on the waters of the pond. I felt almost relived to find that this place still exists, though I would definitely like to see it during the day time. Now I am almost a regular visitor here and most probably I am the only visitor, but it is not very fair on the pond's part to seem lazy, moody, dark and unnecessarily mysterious. I think it is unbecoming and slightly vain to be so. And when two entities are so near and integral to each other, won't a little more transparency and openness help? Hell, even the management books say so. I have always found them as silly as books of so many religions though. But they definitely have their own addiction and may be the lotus eater inside me likes both these exactly for the same reason.
So with the lights shining in my eyes and me now wondering on the shores of the farm, it was cue enough for him to appear in some dark corner. And he being so near to me, promptly missed this cue. Damn you, I thought, you miss your cues so regularly and effortlessly that you do not know how much more similar to me you are. Even more than you actually are and definitely even more than you actually try to show.
But his absence there was a kind of strange satisfaction and I felt relieved. This is a similar feeling I have when I run away from people who are analyzing me and approving OR disapproving of my approaches and actions. He has always thus effect on me. Without even saying a word he watches me so intently and quietly that it always looks like he is going to make some severe comment or another. I do not have any hope of him understanding my actions or the reasons for it. I am pretty sure what he is thinking. He is saying, you idiot, you could have actually avoided that. In fact you could have done so many different things and would have done these better. Should have thought different, thought better or should have thought at all. You should have been more caring and loving. Should have understood people more. Should have understood yourself more. Should have been stricter with yourself. Should have been nearer to the people you love.
But now that he is not there, I am strangely relieve. I stroll around that place for sometime, watching our of corner of my eyes of any signs of him. But other wise very tranquil and quiet and content. We should move their sometime when every thing else is done and dusted. But then I smirk at the futility of the thought. Why should I move there when it is always moving with me. It is near me and I go there. I go there despite my choice and some times more abruptly and at uncomfortable times than I like but I own it. It will the last thing I should think about moving to when I am done with every thing what ever I am doing. In fact, it is not a very good idea at all.
This was a very good and quick trip of the pond, strangely for the reason that I expected to find him there and did not. But I was sure that he was watching me from some forsaken corner and I was sure that I will see him in due course of time.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Obama In India- Part III : The Future; near and far

As put earlier, Obama has got what he wanted while giving very less and promising a lot. He came here on the back of a big set back domestically. He had to show some thing short term that he gained. The problem was dealt with properly and he gained what he started with in his mind. A new business of tens of billions of dollars and jobs for tens of thousands of American workers is the bargain he had come with. Hopefully this will ensure that he has some breathing space at home. Even this relief looks temporary. The Grand Old Party has him in a death grip now and will keep squeezing it as they want for next two years. This may make Obama more belligerent and try to do extra ordinary things to break out of the grip. We can use this more and make use to gain more from him. I think helping him in his pull out from Af-Pak is the next important thing we can do. Once he is out of Af, we can deal with Pak on a one on one basis. With out any body else's strategic interests being hurt. I think one more split Pakistan will make India more stronger. Baluchistan and other tribal areas which are now any ways partially autonomous can become an independent country and they can be our very good friends. This looks like a fantastic thought right now but can be reality and will definitely be a good thing. We can use the capital we put in by helping Obama. Right now he has got away with what he wanted but we can definitely give him and America more. This will ensure that we will get back some thing other than just empty words.

Even if these are just empty words, this is also enough coming from the leader of the most influential nation on earth. We definitely have some thing tangible at hands short term. We can put this to better use. We can use the short term advantage to get some thing long term. May be increase out influence in Sri Lanka or Nepal. Right now it looks like we are tongue tied and are not comfortable with our strength. This also some times means that others are not comfortable with our strength. Right now the Man Mohan government is too dovish for my liking. We have tied our own hands in knots. We can improve on this by being more hawkish and being more transparent.
As Obama mentioned our power gives us some moral responsibilities and give us some rights as well. We should work as big brother in most of the conflicts. We need not be completely on one side always. For example, dealing with Burmese Junta and Aang San Su Ki, we should ensure that we let the Burma know that even when we are supporting them, we want slow and steady improvement in the situation. And Obama is right in this sense. This is where America has also faltered historically. They have always gone for short and mid term goals without being aware of the rights and wrongs. If we use our power considerately, we can get what we want along with making the world a better place.

The problem is that historically we have been used to the responsibilities more and not made good use of the rights and opportunities. This is a tight rope walk and the balance is very difficult to maintain. It is even more difficult to show that the balance is optimal. But this is what foreign policy is all about.
Obama's visit and his promises has definitely given us a new status. We should get used to the new status, even if it is short lived. We can make it more long term by doing some thing wiht a great impact pretty quickly. We can use this to solve some domestic problem OR use it to solve some problem with our neighbors. Our mid term goal is to stop the terrorist training centers in Pak which work against us. Even the congress needs to get his done so that they have some thing spectacular to show for the next elections. Civil Nuclear deal, a permanent seat at the security council, and stopping the terrorist camps in Pak as a stretch goal can be very good as a foreign policy achievement the congress can take it to the people in the next elections.

In my opinion these can be very formidable achievements.   And these can take us further down the path of being a responsible super power.  We can use it to get some things done that we wanted.

P.S. This is how I felt while writing this: http://750words.com/entries/share/367723

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Obama in India–Part 2 : There is no re course to good strategy and honesty

 

Continuing from my last post: Here’s how I felt writing this Smile http://750words.com/entries/share/365045

 

India and United States have always been more of unnatural enemies than natural allies. We have always been distrustful of each other. Though their a very sizable population of India who has always been in awe of the United States. Some times for these people this country is their life's destination and destiny. Even with this for the fist fifty years or some thing of Indian independence, America has always been wary of India and Indians. Despite many times acting against India’s interests, Indians have always been pro US. This is in stark contrast with the rest of the world.

image

 

 

Very few times we see eye to eye. Whenever there is a chance of having the same point, the prevalent situation has always been such that we could not be on the same side. Latest example being Afganistan. (Read India's Afghanistan dilemma)

  However India wants to involve in Afganistan more actively, the domestic politics does not allow India to do so.

In case of Burma, I think Indian intelligence has some under handed and shady dealing with the military Junta OR has failed miserably in the policy of intervention and wants to keep its hands off the east. It again can be a tactical necessity. Similarly in Bangla Desh war and India - china war, United states has been very actively on the other side  OR a silent spectator respectively. We definitely would have liked to do more. India by leading the non Aligned Movement and being inclined to the Russians has always sowed seeds of doubt in US's mind. So successive presidents have been wary / ignorant of India or did not care much for it. where as Pakistan has always been the blue eyed boys. image

 

But things have changed quite drastically in last fifteen to twenty years. India's emergence in the world economy has been slow and steady .

image Indian economy does not have the explosive growth of a Japanese OR a Chinese economy. Though it is strong in its own. By not growing too fast we have avoided going bust the Japanese way. (see chart)
India has the biggest middle class who are getting away from the normal spend thrift ways of Indians and is ready to splurge its income in the way it fits good. In parallel, United States has been losing its grip and lead as an economic power house. A unipolar world economy where Us is the only strong leader and director has numbered days . US needs to sell things to countries of it has to continue being the caller of the stakes, and which country if not India with its ready made set of middle class buyers. As indian economy is growing, India's other needs in infrastructure and industries is also growing. This is where U.S. can earn its next share of pie. With the emergence of the Indian middle class, we are going to be world's consumers. US is going to do any thing to ensure that it has favorable access to this group. This can involve giving in to some long term strategic demands like Security Seat and talking down Pak.

The danger there is that most of the late presidents (from Clinton to Obama) who have had an eye on Indian middle class do not still consider India as a trusted ally. India's centrist politics is one of the reasons for it. Indian leaders' non strategic ideas and moves can be another reason for it. We rarely do any thing for long term at least when foreign policy is concerned. We are too enamored with our two enemies China and Pakistan. We could influence the world more but we get embroiled in only these two countries. Manmohan two successive terms have been trying to change that but it always comes back. We are not planned enough to ensure that we progress despite these oppositions. We have always allowed other countries to gang up against us and then we have played the martyr. The benefits given by last three presidents, Clinton-Bush-Obama have been pretty substantial. But to me , the things offered by Obama look the most superficial of them all. We can not do any thing more with a permenant seat in the security council than we can do now. Similarly, the indemnity given to US companies is a cause for concern. So most of the times there is a thought that we are getting trivial pursuits OR empty promises and we are giving away more than we are getting in the bargain. So, the qeustion is The Obama gifts, are they  Trojen Horses? to me it looks more like the right of the Lord of The Rings. It has immense power but it comes with its own problems. We would want it as dearly as we can. But the problem is that it is going to tie us and make us a slave to its power. Hope fully our leader ship will pay heed to the state of Pakistan who has latched on to the US tit for last fifty years and majorly because of this is turned into a Mandalik state of it. It can not have any strategic position in the world as it has to pay US back the favors that the US did.
Though in short term, Pak can milk the Al Queda and US presence in Afgan and earn billions of free dollars, it is always a different case when you earn your dues through long term strategy and hard work rather than being at the right place for your master.

image

Tuesday, November 09, 2010

Obama in India–Part I–Tu hi aashiqui hain

 

Today I would like to talk about Obama and his visit to India. Foreign policy and strategies being my most interesting arm chair pastimes, I think I am entitled to my opinions. And all of these opinions are hundred percent right ones. As a warning, this may be affected by my political standings which is center – left to center.
The thing that struck me (again) about India is the importance we give to authority. We were going out of our way to please Obama. This does not include the hospitality that we are famous for but it does include the giving in of every thing you have to gain some thing more. I remember there was a controversy regarding "Jan Gan Man" being targeted to Geroge Fifth and not to the people of India. Similarly there was a song sung for him "Tu hi dil hain .. Jaan bhee hain ... Tu khushi hain .. Aaasaraa bhee hain". This really jarred. Who ever has chosen this song is the one to blame. This of course does not represent our national position and is just some lowly official trying to get exceptional rating from his superior but this is how it started.
The more important things that happened were most of the times expected and some times the unexpected were mostly pleasant. First let's discuss the expected things. I think depending on the importance of the president and the hope good part of the world has pinned on him. Being the harbinger of hope and a riding knight in shining armor, we should have enough belief in him. At least we should try and allow him to fail and give him room and time to do all this. And to be sympathetic to him, I think we should go out of our way to accommodate and honor him.
So apart from two things, one where some body low screwed up and another where the prime minister took a very good decision out side of the protocol, things went more or less on the accepted lines.
The reaction of Bharatiya Janata Party was expected and it is really sad to see the depth it has sunk to. Along with their criticism on the interlocutors to Kashmir , this was once again that they have been foolish and short sighted. They definitely do not look like a party who is expecting to come to power the next time and want to keep things as they are and in continuity. I think in matters of national importance, it is always important to have all parties either signed in before hand OR they ensure that their reactions are muted enough not to reflect our country badly in front of others. BJP failed in both the counts.
Other expected thing was that Obama will speak like a merchant. I think it is important for him to take back what he has earned, especially after his debacle in senate.
So he comes in as a messiah of hope and has to talk like a businessman working in a small margin business. This meant that he has to fill in the gap with him charm. He can not give away any thing else. Giving away some diplomatic advantages to India just because he is not behaving according to the perceptions is too much to lose. The only other option he has was to turn on the charm. Which both he and his wife are really good at. So he walked the tight rope easily, did not talk about controversial issues. Came across as genuine and charming, made the points back home by being business like and by winning a number of business deals.
I think the most important things are the ones that are discussed behind closed doors. But these will be apparent only in due course. If there is a drastic change in the attitude and stands taken by India in next four to six months, we can safely assume that we have sold it to Obama and he has agreed to our steps.
It is highly unlikely that any thing will change. But if it does, it is a pleasant surprise again.

To be continued: Here is the analysis of this post of mine in 750 wordsSmile:

http://750words.com/entries/share/363422