Son - be an unabashed admirer of America, but always remain truly in romance with India

Son,

You are going to the same college where your grandfather had studied. I am proud that you are also going to the University of Michigan !

I am reminded of my day, when I left on a journey for America to purse my education.

As I look back, I feel that at some level, nothing has changed and yet at another, everything has.

I read a joke recently : A Cuban, Russian, American & an Indian met on the upper deck of a ship. As expected, they begin to show-off.

The Cuban threw his expensive Cigar after just one puff & when Q'ed said "No problem, plenty of cigars in my country"!

Not to be out done, the Russian threw his expensive Vodka after just one sip & when Q'ed said "No problem, plenty of Vodka in my country" !

The American could not think of anything to boast about & so is at a loss, saying "Plenty of Indians in my country" ...he pushed out the Indian  ;-)

Plenty of Indians !

There are Indians all over USA & today, far from being thrown out, they have actually climbed up the ladder & are now into the main stream life in America - from senators to corporate honchos to hotel owners to Hollywood stars !

In my times, we had none of that. In fact the place where I went for my freshmen year, in Iowa - I was the first Indian there. An inquisitive lady who had never seen an Indian before had Q'ed me if - I was a white guy with a great tan or a black guy with straight hair !  

What has not changed though, is that I too, as an Indian teenager, had aspired to live a life like that of those "cool Americans". Sporting Nike shoes, sipping Coco Cola, playing video games, chewing Wrigley gum, dancing at the disco to pop music and off course visiting Disneyland & Hollywood ..all had taken a grip over my teenaged imagination. It was that soft power of America that attracted us to it & continues to do so even in your generation.

For India's sake, besides textbook & classroom education, that's what I want you to discover when there - how does one attract, so much & for so long ! What’s their secret sauce?

One Dr. Nye at Harvard defines soft power of a nation ( can be any entity ) as the intangibles that attracts others to it & in fact it's ability to even alter others’ behavior.

I would guess a teenager wanting to abandon his or her style of dressing and wear torn or patched American jeans, eat American food, listen to American music or even alter his or her accent to adopt an American one - just to assert a supposed superiority, are examples of soft power.

Sticks & carrots are the other ways. One can be coerced or incentivized to change, but soft power is the cheapest method & is as effective in the long term.

Dr. Nye observes what makes the soft power of a nation, it happens when :

1) It's dominant culture is aligned to the global majority's trends - democracy, pursuit of open global trade, fair judiciary, woman's empowerment, pluralism, etc are examples.

2) It's grand culture is effectively communicated - is not opaque

3) It shows results - uplifting of its citizens

Armies of the world cannot stop an idea, whose time has come. I believe India's time has come & when in USA, I want you to be an ambassador of India. When people ask you about India, I would like you to think of some of the things that matter - that are so Indian.

In an international college like University of Michigan, where students will come from all over the world, just like the Russian, Cuban, American & Indian that met on the upper decks in my joke above & began to boast - such a session of bragging is inevitable. Search for greatness of your nation & do communicate that effectively.

In fact, ask them how do they define greatness? Our past MP & former ambassador at the UN Mr.Shashi Tharoor in his book 'Pax Indica' gives us a clue. If they say that the parameters of measurement are :

Population - we are largest in the world. 
GDP size - we are 3rd largest in the world in PPP terms.

GDP growth - ours is among the highest in the world.

Army - we have the 4th largest.

Nuclear Arsenal or missile programs - we are in the top five. 

Space program - we are in the exclusive club.

IT, cell phones & knowledge sourcing or TV channels - we are # 1

But those are tangibles. As Einstein once said - all that counts, cannot be counted and all that can be counted, need not count.

Our intangible soft power is, in spite of having so many cultures, regional languages, religions & sects that pull us in all directions, we are still able to work as a united country & thus we have often punched above our natural economic might. If we have not done so even higher, it is because we do not effectively communicate our largeness to the world. We remained a tiger, but an elusive one - not seen by the world.

Consider the foll, we are also the wise elephant :

• After independence, we did not hold any grudge against the British. We decided to make peace with our past & moved on & today we enjoy good trading ties with them. And as a reactivate measure to our neighbor Pakistan, that also became independent in parallel, we gladly did not become a Hindu nation, when they became the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Even today, that nation pretty much defines itself as all things 'opposite of India'. We define ourselves for what we truly are & that is 'soverign, secular, democratic republic'. We are very accommodative & it is said that when George Bush Jr. introduced our former PM Manmohan Singh to his wife, he said "Mr. Singh comes from a land which is still free of Al-Qaeda, even when India has over 150 Million Muslims".

• Israel is a friend of India and helps us enormously in agriculture & military technology. Yet when they abuse the Palestine, we openly vote at UN against Israel. This, is in spite of the fact that many Muslim nations wish ill against India wrt the Kashmir issue. We go only by merit of the case. Speaking of Israel, ours is the only country where there is no case or history of anti-Semitism.

• Before you were born, the world was divided between the USSR & America. One had to define themselves as to which side were they aligned in the warring giants' "cold war". We remained neutral & as a leader of sorts of the non alignment movement, we sought security from the Soviet and business from USA. It is only after Pakistan attacked us & simultaneously embraced USA, we were compelled to show a mild shift towards the Soviets. Nevertheless, we remained very sovereign in most of our post independence adaptations, so while our politicians went to Moscow, our business community went to New York!

• Unlike Pakistan, we largely remained a self-reliant ( non-dependant ) and thus no sanctions will ever work on India. The same has come to be tested in the past; when we exploded our nuclear devices at Pokhran, the Americans were quick to impose sanctions on us. Soon they realized that they had more to lose than India & unilaterally removed the imposed sanctions on India. Amazing then became astounding, when even without our signing the nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty, we still got the Americans on board & their nuclear suppliers group to accept our nuclear program and eventually work with us. Even a right wing president like Bush Jr had to sign the nuclear deal with us. We on our own, asserted & declared that our program was for self defense only & we adopted the "No First Use" doctrine.

• That too was severely tested. Even when provoked by Pakistan in what later was known as the "Kargil misadventure" by Pakistan - we remained maturely restrained and postured defensively only, pushing them out of our occupied territory. FYI, Kargil war was choreographed by their military chief Musharraf as Indian PM Vajpayee waz engaging with their PM Nawaz Sharif for friendship & same was not digestible to the military establishment of Pakistan. Post Kargil, in a coup, Musharraf deposed Nawaz Sharif & took over. Musharraf later was still invited to visit India at the "Agra Summit", offering him a 2nd chance to redeem himself. Peace is in our psyche.

• In the American led "coalition army" against Iraq called "Operation Desert Storm" the world's powerful nations fought against Iraq. India showed independent foreign policy and did not join that but instead boldly pushed for talks. It remained out of the entanglement as Iraq had been a friend that had supported India on Kashmir. Today Iraq is in shambles as an out come of that war & American economy badly bruised.

• We did not ever annex or attack any nation. Bhutan is a landlocked tiny Himalayan kingdom in our neighborhood & very dependant on India. We could have easily absorbed it by force at any time. PM Modi, in fact made it the first nation to visit after his coming to power, to pledge even more support to it. In fact, we have stood by it at all times, including recently, when China showed aggression in it’s Doklam region.

• It is Sikkim that on its own become part of India in the 70s, as it was afraid that Nepal or China may swallow it. Such a volunteerism has almost never happened. And when the monks of Tibet faced a Chinese threat, they saw India as a natural refuge. We support them for the cause of spirituality even when there is no political or economic mileage. It is a gesture that is enshrined only in kindness. After takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban, our assistance to Afghan refugees in the past & recent gesture of assistance in rebuilding that ravaged nation is also not out of any imminent economic considerations.

• Even recently, in our vote at the WTO, we found ourselves opposing almost the entire world's view on need for food security. Well, we know that for our tragedy, we must adopt only our own strategy. Not withstanding the the wise words dispensed by those seated at the head table, we asserted & prevailed to have the right to stockpile food, as a back-up to a possible failed monsoon. Alas, Ethiopia once learned through drought & famine that surely the kind world does wake up to help, but not before she become completely helpless. On the other hand, only strength respects strength & so even after the unpopular vote by us, there is a huge India centric investment rush !

• Prime Minister Modi travelled to Washington & Moscow, to Tehran & Riyadh, to Jerusalem & Ramallah – all warring each other in hot or cold, but warmly welcomed him to an open armed embrace, making Modi the most unique leader in the world. He could do that because even when some call India a "soft state" & others "politically un-savvy" one for not taking the sides for immediate national gains; to me India represents a country that is truly sovereign, one that decides for itself, very independently & for the long term. Further, even when India has achieved much in terms of hard strength, it regularly finds itself on the side of humanity & fairness without fear or favor.

Christopher Columbus had come searching for India but had instead discovered America. Like your grand father who also studied in America, I too, enamored by the American soft power, went to look for America ... but instead from far away, discovered India ! 

 It is only after going there, I realized what India meant to me.

When I went there, the things that I took for granted here, became very dear - the masala chai & masaledar nashta - how I missed them. From long distance, I started to appreciate India - it's warm climate & people. Don't get me wrong, America was comfortable - like a great 5 star hotel, but it was not home.

I recall vividly, I used to phone India & in the background I would hear the street vendor lady screaming "Bolo limbu, methi, palak, bhajiii...iiiye". I had once actually told my mom to keep the phone receiver facing the window for better clarity. The sounds coming in from the window was music to me. America had become a standardized super market, my India is a wonderfully chaotic bubbling bazaar ! 

It is said that education must be rooted in ones culture but wedded to one's growth. This country has nourished your roots, do not forget them as you pursue higher education to secure your future growth. As you spread your branches, do note that in the long run - deeper the roots, sweeter will be the fruits. While there, you will be America's student but remain a soldier of India.

Son - be an unabashed admirer of America, but always remain truly in romance with India.

All the very best.

Love

Dadzi Pop

Of facts, fiction, frogz & fun !

@ Home

Before I had gone soft spoken in voice, I recall it had gotten hoarse & that's when my tale had begun. 

I recall vividly, my wife had given me that look & said in that all too infamous old wives' tone "You're not like before".

Oh-o now what? - I had thought.

I had raced my mind to figure out my next old husbands' move. As a response, should I put on that 'Hey, what  are you talking about?' child-like innocent look OR should I just confess?

Well, eventually I'll anyway be found out- I recall I had concluded.

I had decided to own up.

Boys aspire to look like their dads but that day, I had reversed the order, just to borrow my sons innocent looking face.

I had taken a deep breath, shut my eyes & opened my mouth to tell it all with a : "Ahm...actually....er...you know...I umm ...no honey I umn". Hen pecked that I was, I had found myself completely speechless.

Before my 2nd attempt, my son had interjected "Yes dad you are not like before - your voice sounds like a croaking frog" !

FROG? I had pondered with an inverted-u-smile.

Phew, anyway topic had got changed .....or had it?

Anyway, I had lived to tell a another tale. 

---

@ Work

You all well knew that slowly my voice had gone from croaking like a frog, to that sound of a teenaged tadpole.

And so since over a month, each of you had been escaping my screaming & shouting - no matter how much indiscipline you had put on display.

As if that was not enough, I had been further troubled by the fact that when some of you came to my office & I spoke softly to you, you also had respond back to me softly.

Why?

I had wondered if you were also having a problem with your vocal chords or was mine a contagious disease or to add insult to injury - you were making fun of me by imitating me. To add ouch to my agony, when I was in excruciating pain & couldn't even speak softly, I was compelled to just whisper. The response I had got was a soft counter whisper - forcing me to ask "What...what?". 

I had suspected that maybe I also had an ear problem.

When I used to write on a note pad, your answers were also in writing - just because your handwriting is better than mine eh?

Anyway, I had lived to tell a another tale.

---

@ Doctor's

I had gone for a check-up & had told the doc my problem in a very faint voice. He, in an equally whispery soft voice had responded back "You can't speak?". 

No kidding! I remember, I was fuming at being made fun of by this so called noble profession guy.

Sensing that I was getting upset, my wife had taken over and she had explained my 'case of the disappearing voice'. I think he looked a wee bit extra delighted as she had narrated the events.

The doctor had eventually understood that I was a patient loosing patience.

Finally, he had began his business with his standard operating procedure.

"Any history of blood pressure or diabetes or heart problem?" he had asked without any emotions of sympathy. I recall I had shook my head into a no-no-no, as I had remembered Akbar, Chandragupta Maurya & Mrs. Sita Kumar my history teacher in school.

Then after the expected "aye, ee, ii, oo, uu, ... ahhh" that the doctor had made me do with my tongue completely out ( pls try it right now - it's fun ) he had looked at the nurse from Kerela and used big big medical words. I knew about these nurses from south of India, I was told they believe that - doing service to mankind is doing service to God. I had indeed felt safe as she had nodded an Indian nod ( shaking head side to side-wala ). But then the Doc had looked at me and uttered the the great grandfather of big words that made me feel unsafe - "We need to do a nasolaryngo-scopy on you".

I had also nodded without any understanding, resembling that nurse and turning instantly Hindu, as they have 86 lakh ( +/- 10% ) Gods & I had prayed to all of them at once. I waz as half scared as half excited :

Scared as that grandpa of a big word had just confirmed to me that - invoice to recover a lost voice, would be huge  :-(

The exciting part was, maybe once this 'Go Larry's-nose go' thing was done, we could put that in our company profile, in the 'Management Leadership' section under my name as a qualification passed :-)

He had then asked me to lie down on the couch & had dropped a few drops into my nose. I recall well that I was tickled & spooked - "Problem is in my throat sir, not nose" I had said loudly, almost. The doctor had got startled at the sudden awaking of my voice and had shhhh-ed me into a silence. After a few seconds, I had felt that I was not breathing at all and was bewildered as to how I was still alive?

To confirm, I had asked.

The Doc had ignored me; the kind God's nurse had explained that he had just administered local anesthesia & as the drops trickled down my nose and reached my throat, they left behind a trail of numbness. Dumbness I had thought - at least he should inform me before doing this to me. Indian Doc that he was, his eloquence was in his stern silence.

Anyway, he had then pulled out a tube camera to insert into my left nostril.

I remember, I had posed.

He had slowly pushed it in, much to my horror ( though I was not embarrassed, there were no road blocks ) and slowly the tube must have reached my voice box, deep in my throat. After about 20 second he had removed the tube and watched the movie that he had recorded ... sans any popcorn.

At least he had finally found his voice again "Ahhh" he had exclaimed. Not fair, I thought ... he had taken a short cut to good luck, as he had skipped the other vowels that he had made me utter.

"There is a problem" the pleased Doc had said. He then had explained to me at length without big words but had still managed to scare me "Imagine a two door window. To shut it tight, we must close both the doors. However in monsoon, sometimes we experience that the wood gets swollen and then the window does not shut but remains ajar. Same has happened to your vocal chords that act like the two doors of a window; one of them is swollen for some reason". 

I had reasoned myself to never keep my mouth open in any future monsoons.

He had said that he could laser-cut my swelling and fit it all back to size. I was scared of operations, so I had asked him if he knew of any alternative methods. 

Bewildered the Doc had asked "Like what"?

My turn. I had happily dispensed advise to the doctor "You know no cutting fitting, why not do like just how those tantric fellows do - they make the patient chant some chants & its sorted"

"Chant" the angry Doc had said in a loud voice ( much to my jealousy ) & had continued "No tantric, the only trick - is to shut up ... & be that way as much as possible" as he had walked out of the room.

I had promised myself to never see him again. Well destiny had other plans for me. 

Nevertheless, I had left from there. ..quietly of course.

Anyway, I had lived to tell a another tale.

---

@ Being silenced

During that frustratingly quiet period of no talking, by chance, I met myself a bit more intimately. I had actually realized what it was to be a handicap - sure makes me a more sensitive person now.

When in a group, I am regularly that guy that rants at the top of hiz voice, seeking and soaking in disproportionate attention.

But due to my forced silence, I had actually begun to wait for an accidental eye contact with someone to signal my message, as I was being ignored in a group. Alternatively, I would take advantage of that sudden and unplanned momentary hush that tends to just happen every once in a while between humans in conversation. That pregnant pause, that occurs between talks for no apparent reason, would make a 'normal' persons feel a bit awkward, but to me, it was 'my moment' to grab & whisper out a short message in between.

In a world where 'survival of the fittest' is a mantra, it must be heart wrenching for some, to be just a mute spectators.

Anyway, I had lived to tell a another tale.
 

---

@ The dead of the night

Well, I had then learned of a freak advantage in that indisposed state.

In agony & unable to take it any longer, I had gone to the same doctor's late one night. Surprisingly, hiz wife saw me from the window, I had inquired in the softest of voice "Is the doctor home?"

She it seems had taken me a wee bit too seriously. She excitedly looked around to see if any of the neighbors were watching. On confirmation that none were, in a hush hush voice had replied with a mischief in one eye & a wink in the other, as if to beckon me invitingly inside her abode & said with a smile "No he is not" !

Just then, the doctor had returned home ....damn.

Anyway, I had lived to tell a another tale.

---

 @ God knows where

I came, I saw & they put me to sleep.

I was in a timeless zone. However, I could still see them all peering over me. They were examining me. They would touch me but I could not feel them.

Some looking at me in awe and some thought me to be awful. Some nervous, some pretending to not be and yet some genuinely interested. Some were fearful of me. However, I felt no glee nor glum, no emotions at all. Just then someone got out a dissection blade. 

I woke up, I saw and I came to my senses.

Anyway, I had lived to tell a another tale.

---

@ Being me again

What? ...I was not a frog in a bio lab being examined by students ! I am a patient just operated upon for my vocal chord nodules. My general anesthesia had just worn off.

I could still see them all peering over me, they were doctors; including my favorite one !

It was 15th Nov 2014. The operation had gone off well, thank you.

I had instantly realized that I shall soon be able to speak normally once again i.e. humanly ... until my darling gives me that next dose, in that old wives' tone & makes me speechless again !

Bolo Bharat Mata Ki Jai Indeed !

It is said that - 'If there is anything ever true about India, its opposite is also true'. Thus, India with it's vagaries and complexities & over the years bloated bureaucracy, is a very difficult country to govern. Yet within just 18 months under Narendra Modi, things have changed for the better. 

India is supposed to be a thriving democracy & yet like in a monarchy, most of the political parties that operate here are like family owned private limited enterprises. On assuming power, one of the 1^st thing that Mr. Modi had done or rather undone was, he disallowed for more than one family member from holding a position of power in his government.

Before I give my assessment on Mr. Modi, it would be appropriate for me to tell you a bit on the kind of world that we live in.

The 5 things that are undoing the global order & society at large are: 

1) De-globalization i.e. due to the global recession, once again the self-centric trade agreements, imposition of non-tariff barriers and political & ideological alignments among nations is undermining institutions like WTO, UN & even the relatively newly formed G20.

2) Partisan political stalemate & acrimony is preventing even basic progress in many Democratic nations. 

3) Innovation in finance & monetary policy like Quantitative Easing in developed nations & artificially kept low interest rates, brings with it an expected long term volatility in the markets. 

4) China is slowly becoming a leader with no followers, rise of the ISIS brand of terrorism & it's asymmetrical ways of war and the American political fatigue gives no real direction to the community of nations. 

5) Last & the loudest - aggressive media, including social media today allows fastest distribution of misinformation & wrong influence and so compounds some of the above issues even more. Media, supposedly the 4^th pillar of Democracy is severely compromised. Today it no longer reports, it takes sides. Let us understand this, it has transmuted into a profit making business, hence doesn’t deserve nobility. The "No news is good news" axiom was never more appropriate, than now.

Now coming back to Mr. Modi, for his supporters, I think - Mr. Modi is more of a metaphor for 'change' than a person.

As a student of leaders, I can say with conviction that Mr. Modi has made himself the national agenda, an entire government has been personified & rechristened after him i.e. now dubbed as Modi Sarkar. He still attracts the Indian diaspora crowds in different corners of the world, inspiring & energizing them to not only receive him with an unprecedented pomp & also spontaneously erupting into a ‘Modi-Modi’ chant in chorus.

All this, even when he belongs to the "lowest pedigree" i.e. is a politician vs. being a star in the field of sports, cinema or music. Mr. Modi is a rock star !

Suddenly India has arrived on the world stage & now every world leader is found to be accommodating to Mr. Modi's agenda !

His rise is half the story, where he started from, gives the true picture & I am not even talking of the fact that he is the son of road-side tea seller.

His vilification by the Indian media, including by reputed international & otherwise sanguine sounding magazines like The Economist, who did not endorse him - had an unprecedented impact. They painted Mr. Modi as an Islamophobic individual & that even influenced the mighty America - who wrongly banned an elected representative, untried in any court, the Chief Minister of an important state of India from entering into America ( for the record, Mr. Modi is now found cent percent innocent ). The national & regional parties that were traditionally opposed to each other, had singled him out & had launched a united front against this man.

Today the Modi-man is on the top of the world & screaming - Bharat Mata Ki Jai.

As if being led by the conductor of an orchestra - the rating agencies, the IMF & World Bank are all echoing his words in unison. They are viewing India as an upward moving nation. Obama penned a note on the Modi-man, in the world famous TIME magazine.

Till 2008, 114 nations were growing at a rate of 5% plus, today less than a one handful are. With such strong head winds, India turning around as a country with the highest large-nation growth rate, is a miracle in itself.

GDP growth which was retarding for last 5 years & is now moving in the opposite direction - inflation is tamed, including on non-oil dependent items; fiscal deficit is brought under control; forex reserves have risen to an all time high & balance of payment situation is comfortable; unlike most currencies that have tumbled against the American dollar, the Indian rupee has relatively held ground; natural assets are being sold through auction in the most transparent manner & are fetching higher than expected revenue; there is direct transfer of cash to the account of the qualified poor; e-Governance is finally taking shape to reduce procedures, hurdles & middle men; and among other things, corruption as a national menace, has been dealt with a severe blow !

There is an expectation from the Modi-fied government & managing that can be a deemed 'problem of the plenty'. However, contrast that with the fact that, till recently, most felt that they must attempt to grow in spite of & not because of the government.

It is sad that the media is focusing more of what is yet to be done, rather than the wonderful work in progress. The focus of the media is also so naive.

Are the foreign trips' duration important or what he achieved in those trips more important?  Besides huge FDI investment line up, MOUs for unfettered uranium supply, technology to make fighter planes & nuclear reactor in India are just some of the achievements that Mr. Modi made. In fact, he has done more than what any expert commentator had predicted before the trip & still remains absolutely unpredictable - his suddenly landing in Pakistan to wish the PM there on his birthday, being the latest coup.

The media accuses Mr. Modi of being a one-man-band who chokes his ministers. In the UPAs scam era, we had so many self-appointed PMs that called their own shots in contempt of the PMO and the real PM himself was one remote controlled mute spectator. Now when I listen to the likes of say, Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley, Suresh Prabhu, Venkaiah Naidu, Piyush Goyal, Smriti Irani, Ravi Shankar Prasad, etc, they talk of Mr. Modi with so much reverence - I wonder on the media's motive. 

While business balance sheets were already too stressed from past era's permission pains & delays & so many projects are stalled. Banks are not in a position to lend them more due to past defaults. Here too, the government is trying to resolve the issues. Mr. Modi's handicap is that he does not have the numbers in the Rajya Sabha to pass bills & Congress has fallen so low, that it has nothing to lose. It has coalesced with former enemies to block the most essential GST & Land Acquisition bills, both required for new jobs to go on the ground & foreign investments to go off the ground. The same too shall be resolved as such unity among opposition members for a poor cause seldom lasts.

Finally, contrary to the RaGa-baba's claim & backed by media created perception that it's a "suit boot ki sarkar"; the cash rich business houses, are learning to go through the slow but sure due diligence process by this regime, as under table "speed money" is becoming worthless.

Have faith, be patient - India under Mr. Modi will do you proud. Not one or two years, Modi Sarkar is working for the next decade.

BTW, not withstanding the media's adulterated agenda, Mr. Modi is still among the most popular world leaders and according to a recent survey, he enjoys over 70 % popular rating within India.

Bolo Bharat Mata Ki Jai Indeed !