It is natural for anyone to delight at the success of his/her offspring. That’s what happened to me when one of my own words – FIFOL – made it to the pseudo-dictionary (http://www.pseudodictionary.com/word.php?id=21412). I had used this word for the first time in an article entitled ‘Evolution of Mankind – Is it over?’ which I wrote almost five years back and also published at http://www.indianest.com/opinion/0066.htm. With its elevation to the pseudo-dictionary now, I have hopes that it would eventually make it into the English language.
Many scientists believe that life began somewhere on the face of the earth in a hydrocarbon mixture exposed to lightning. But nobody has mentioned what was the first organism that got life. By defining a word for that first form of life, whatever be its shape, size and color, I have only attempted to close a linguistic gap. All our holy books are in agreement with Science about how universe began with a sound. Thus the first form of energy was sound. And now FIFOL provides an identity for the first form of life.
I had gone much further with FIFOL in my above article. Deviating from the current theories, I had proposed that life began in the Mariana Trench in Pacific Ocean at -40 degree Centigrade and 10,000 bar. I believe that FIFOL evolved into all the other forms of life as it ventured into higher temperatures and rarer atmospheres. The undersea beginning of life goes very well with the evolutionary beliefs in all the ancient civilizations and religions of the world.
The new word also offers tremendous opportunity for the current tsars of hi-tech cinema. Highly imaginative minds of Night Syamalan or Lucas or Speilberg can run riot in a movie entitled FIFOL. The size, shape and features of the first form of life can be anything according to the technology and budget at hand. I can only hope that nobody attempted such a theme so far for want of the word FIFOL.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
SERVANTS OF INDIA
When Prof. Gopal Krishna Gokhale started the Servants of India Society in 1905, he would not have imagined a situation when servants from India would flood the world. All the imperial powers that ruled India at one time or other have left behind enough traits that make Indians the preferred servants everywhere. English (or Arabic) speaking, cheap, culturally flexible and servile to the core are some of the factors that make all Indian servants the best cost effective option anywhere in the world. House maids who can double as any other requirement of the masters, qualified nurses who can be forced to do even menial works and technicians who are ready for any work are the real images about expatriate Indians. The much acclaimed influx of highly qualified Indian software professionals to Europe and USA has not brought about any substantial change in the overall image. On the contrary, such hardcore professionals do not get the value and treatment they deserve from the hosts when they happen to hold the same passport as the servants at their homes.
India as a nation has made unbelievable progress in its comeback trail (to its old glory) ever since the unleashing of its potential once again during the Rao regime. The diffidence and depression that had accumulated during centuries of rule by foreign nations and foreigners have been overcome to a large extent by the opportunity thrown open by knowledge industry. From time immemorial, Indians have excelled in knowledge and unparalleled expression emanating from unfettered freedom. No other nation or culture would have produced as many literature works toying with ideas and concepts as diverse and complex as in India. Philosophers and scientists could express their complex theories and ideas in precise and concise Sanskrit verses, many of which remain un-deciphered even today. Writers and poets glorified, praised and even condemned arrogant rulers in words of immense erudition. Even God could not escape the scholarly dissertation of genius men who enjoyed their freedom of expression found nowhere else in the whole universe. Yet when we came out of the clutches of British in 1947, the psyche of common man in India had a deep imprint of servility.
Ubiquitous Servility
Indian nation has started looking taller and taller among the world nations. But servility still remains the hallmark of Indians everywhere and it is more so among pravasi Indians. Language skills, hardworking nature and ability to adapt may be the key elements that have contributed to the success of Indians as expatriates. But the single most important feature of pravasi Indians that is being silently appreciated (and misused) by all foreigners is their servile attitude. This servility is all pervasive and expresses itself in all our activities. Whether it is cultural, religious, social, official or personal, Indians are willing to concede and tend to be accommodative in all spheres of life abroad. An average Indian on the streets of Dubai or Singapore or London or New York is easily identifiable by the fear on his face than anything else. And it is this fear that makes him the most pliable worker in his workplace.
Reasons are aplenty to explain our ubiquitous servility. Indian nation never resorted to war and killings to colonize for centuries now. And even in the best or worst of our times we never had slavery as a social institution. The practice or tendency of individuals to terrorize and rule over others was never a need at any time in our civilization and culture. Thus the ‘gene of terrorism’ has always been absent or dormant in the Indian psyche. On the contrary, we had always glorified those who surrender everything and take to penance. In spite of repeated prodding by the likes of Lord Krishna and Swami Vivekanand, we could never abandon our suicidal preference for giving up rather than fight to death for a righteous cause. The successive waves of colonization, cultural subjugation by English and missionary education have only made our condition worse. But we can and we shall overcome if we make a determined move. Centuries of programmed subjugation can be easily overcome in a few decades, if there is a similar programmed action plan and a will to do it.
Rich Responsibility
It was no surprise that the latest list of richest people in the world contained an ever increasing number of Indians. And a determined set of Mittals and Murthys will continue to take over almost all the big conglomerates in the days to come. There is a clear ray of hope for India and Indians in this direction. Money can break barriers and more money can buy anything including respect. All that is required is a little more ‘being Indian’ in all that is being owned by the Indian rich. Simple and symbolic gestures by the rich Indian owners can go a long way in getting the due respect for all Indian employees everywhere. Instead of aping the Western ideas in everything, the rich Indians must start looking and talking like Indians. Give the western employees their forks & knives and sticks to the Chinese ones, but why not clean bare hands for the Indians in a company party? For those in doubt, I suggest a study tour among the richest Arabs in their oil rich countries and companies.
Along with symbolic gestures, there is need for solid action in selective areas. India must put an immediate end to the export of house maids and servants to the outside world. It is easier said than done because of acute unemployment and dire economic reasons. But a determined nation can always find the will and wealth to provide alternate employments for our mothers, sisters and daughters than allowing them to get bashed in alien lands. One of the main reasons for Europeans and Americans getting respected everywhere is the absence of European and American servants outside their countries. It is definitely not because there is no poverty in these countries but because their national psyche has got so adjusted thanks to determined policies of their governments and society. If the richest Indians can root for this cause, it will be one of the best they can do for themselves and all Indians.
Strength respects only strength and no Indian can talk from a strong platform in foreign countries when servants from India are one of the most pitiable sights around. A huge GDP and a double digit growth rate will not make any nation a superpower. We have to do much more before we can get others recognize us as one. And some of the basic things that needs to be done are symbolic than substantial. We must get over the era of Indian servants and ubiquitous servility before we can aspire to be at the very top of world nations once again.
India as a nation has made unbelievable progress in its comeback trail (to its old glory) ever since the unleashing of its potential once again during the Rao regime. The diffidence and depression that had accumulated during centuries of rule by foreign nations and foreigners have been overcome to a large extent by the opportunity thrown open by knowledge industry. From time immemorial, Indians have excelled in knowledge and unparalleled expression emanating from unfettered freedom. No other nation or culture would have produced as many literature works toying with ideas and concepts as diverse and complex as in India. Philosophers and scientists could express their complex theories and ideas in precise and concise Sanskrit verses, many of which remain un-deciphered even today. Writers and poets glorified, praised and even condemned arrogant rulers in words of immense erudition. Even God could not escape the scholarly dissertation of genius men who enjoyed their freedom of expression found nowhere else in the whole universe. Yet when we came out of the clutches of British in 1947, the psyche of common man in India had a deep imprint of servility.
Ubiquitous Servility
Indian nation has started looking taller and taller among the world nations. But servility still remains the hallmark of Indians everywhere and it is more so among pravasi Indians. Language skills, hardworking nature and ability to adapt may be the key elements that have contributed to the success of Indians as expatriates. But the single most important feature of pravasi Indians that is being silently appreciated (and misused) by all foreigners is their servile attitude. This servility is all pervasive and expresses itself in all our activities. Whether it is cultural, religious, social, official or personal, Indians are willing to concede and tend to be accommodative in all spheres of life abroad. An average Indian on the streets of Dubai or Singapore or London or New York is easily identifiable by the fear on his face than anything else. And it is this fear that makes him the most pliable worker in his workplace.
Reasons are aplenty to explain our ubiquitous servility. Indian nation never resorted to war and killings to colonize for centuries now. And even in the best or worst of our times we never had slavery as a social institution. The practice or tendency of individuals to terrorize and rule over others was never a need at any time in our civilization and culture. Thus the ‘gene of terrorism’ has always been absent or dormant in the Indian psyche. On the contrary, we had always glorified those who surrender everything and take to penance. In spite of repeated prodding by the likes of Lord Krishna and Swami Vivekanand, we could never abandon our suicidal preference for giving up rather than fight to death for a righteous cause. The successive waves of colonization, cultural subjugation by English and missionary education have only made our condition worse. But we can and we shall overcome if we make a determined move. Centuries of programmed subjugation can be easily overcome in a few decades, if there is a similar programmed action plan and a will to do it.
Rich Responsibility
It was no surprise that the latest list of richest people in the world contained an ever increasing number of Indians. And a determined set of Mittals and Murthys will continue to take over almost all the big conglomerates in the days to come. There is a clear ray of hope for India and Indians in this direction. Money can break barriers and more money can buy anything including respect. All that is required is a little more ‘being Indian’ in all that is being owned by the Indian rich. Simple and symbolic gestures by the rich Indian owners can go a long way in getting the due respect for all Indian employees everywhere. Instead of aping the Western ideas in everything, the rich Indians must start looking and talking like Indians. Give the western employees their forks & knives and sticks to the Chinese ones, but why not clean bare hands for the Indians in a company party? For those in doubt, I suggest a study tour among the richest Arabs in their oil rich countries and companies.
Along with symbolic gestures, there is need for solid action in selective areas. India must put an immediate end to the export of house maids and servants to the outside world. It is easier said than done because of acute unemployment and dire economic reasons. But a determined nation can always find the will and wealth to provide alternate employments for our mothers, sisters and daughters than allowing them to get bashed in alien lands. One of the main reasons for Europeans and Americans getting respected everywhere is the absence of European and American servants outside their countries. It is definitely not because there is no poverty in these countries but because their national psyche has got so adjusted thanks to determined policies of their governments and society. If the richest Indians can root for this cause, it will be one of the best they can do for themselves and all Indians.
Strength respects only strength and no Indian can talk from a strong platform in foreign countries when servants from India are one of the most pitiable sights around. A huge GDP and a double digit growth rate will not make any nation a superpower. We have to do much more before we can get others recognize us as one. And some of the basic things that needs to be done are symbolic than substantial. We must get over the era of Indian servants and ubiquitous servility before we can aspire to be at the very top of world nations once again.
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
REAL RDX
Whenever we think of terrorism the first image that crosses our mind is that of an explosion and the word explosion invariably brings up RDX. The three lettered word has become so much synonymous with terrorism and terrorists that any suspected terrorist caught without a few kilograms of RDX in his kitty is not worth his salt. But what is RDX? And what is real RDX? Cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine may be the chemical that makes up RDX, but the real RDX is definitely not that. More dangerous than the chemical are the circumstances or environment that make people do such dastardly acts. In that sense, it would be more apt to expand it as Radical Doctrinism or Relentless Discrimination. Both are terrible concepts that lead susceptible people to kill innocents just for attracting public attention to their legitimate or illegitimate cause.
Just as many people are susceptible to clumsy ideologies that promise incentives for doing wrong, there are an equal number who are adamant in whatever they come to believe. What both of them forget is the vast amount of knowledge that is lying outside their realm. They do not want to accept the simple fact that even the most intelligent man who ever lived could have imbibed only a fraction of the total knowledge that is available in his or her area of interest. What we do not know always far outweighs what we know. This is true at any point of time in anyone’s life. Self-designated intellectuals, religious supermen and people who are susceptible to radical indoctrination are all making the same mistake with regard to what they have. Their knowledge and capabilities are superior only in a limited sense and that too in a limited crowd. For every celebrity known there are at least a hundred unknown who are equally (if not more) capable.
Radical Doctrinism
Man is a rational animal and he must live like one. Those who are easily deceived by ideologies and idealogues are not living like humans. Seeing is not always necessary to believe, but it is a must to satisfy one’s own conscience to believe in or accept anything. But are we always doing that? A majority of the believers and followers of any ideology are essentially born into it. Then they live with it for fear of disturbing the status quo. Slowly and steadily some of them develop the unwanted and dangerous trend of indoctrinating the ism they have inherited as the best in the whole universe. What started off from the false pride of a few develops momentum as more money, manpower and muscle gets pumped into it by vested interests. The original intent of the ism fails and it develops into a radical doctrine that brings tragedy to those who happen to be in its way.
It is very easy to indoctrinate certain type of people. All those whose ‘windows of mind’ are closed and not open to ‘winds of knowledge’ fall easy victim to the evil designs of evil teachers. It is there in every man the rationality to weed out chaffy isms for himself or herself and understand the eternal truths that have always existed. Instead of fulfilling their lives by discovering the eternal truths for themselves, many humans fall easy prey to the dubious isms and its evil teachers. To a large extent all these are due to the circumstances and environment into which we are born. But the sad thing is that it is no more the case with all cases. Many of the victims of radical doctrinism are willing guinea pigs from the upper strata of our society. What else can be more threatening for our existence than the sight of highly educated young men and women with belt bombs shouting to the whole world that they have found a solution to our problems?
Relentless Discrimination
Another sure recipe for encouraging and nourishing terrorism is relentless discrimination. Any form of negative discrimination is bound to result in revolt and breeds terrorism. This is not only true of nations but also of ideologies. In the case of nations, it is almost a certainty if there are no provisions for relief valves in the political system. If there are ways and means for the victims of any form of relentless discrimination to air and vent their grievances, chances of an explosive revolt are limited. It is not because there is a lack of resistance against the relentless discrimination, but because the heat stirred up by the leaders gets dissipated in the other avenues available. The British were the past masters in this ‘revolt dissipation technique’ during the height of their colonial era. It is not mere chance that A.O. Hume who is considered the founder of Indian National Congress is a British. They had developed the technique of appearing to run with the hare and hunting for the hound which was later perfected by the Missionaries for harvesting souls.
The devastating revolt against relentless discrimination can have a multiplier effect if it is coupled with ideologies which are exclusive in nature. Indoctrinated with beliefs that reject everything else, the anger among sufferers can take very ugly turns. Victims of relentless discrimination in such scenario are not only suffering political imprisonment but are additionally aggrieved by the fact that it is happening due to people who are outside their exclusive beliefs. Nationalist leaders using religious symbols to flare up revolt against relentless discrimination in political arena are clever users of this human tendency. The simple fact that almost all those who form part of such bloody revolts forget to notice the irreligiousness of the same leaders is an eloquent testimony of their vulnerability. The clever but insincere leaders encourage the ordinary to detonate when the leaders themselves have bullet proof vests on.
Though man has discovered and invented solutions to various problems, a foolproof antidote against the real RDX is not at all in sight. Democracy and dialogue are the oft suggested solutions, but are not always found successful. The other extreme option of a world policeman also cannot assure success. Perhaps there is no single solution to such problems universally applicable anywhere in the world. Like the problem, the solution must also come from within. One thing is certain – if mutual respect between adversaries arise out of a clear understanding about the impending mutually assured destruction, a solution is very much possible to any conflict arising out of Real RDX. Until that respect comes about, the violence and destruction will continue.
Just as many people are susceptible to clumsy ideologies that promise incentives for doing wrong, there are an equal number who are adamant in whatever they come to believe. What both of them forget is the vast amount of knowledge that is lying outside their realm. They do not want to accept the simple fact that even the most intelligent man who ever lived could have imbibed only a fraction of the total knowledge that is available in his or her area of interest. What we do not know always far outweighs what we know. This is true at any point of time in anyone’s life. Self-designated intellectuals, religious supermen and people who are susceptible to radical indoctrination are all making the same mistake with regard to what they have. Their knowledge and capabilities are superior only in a limited sense and that too in a limited crowd. For every celebrity known there are at least a hundred unknown who are equally (if not more) capable.
Radical Doctrinism
Man is a rational animal and he must live like one. Those who are easily deceived by ideologies and idealogues are not living like humans. Seeing is not always necessary to believe, but it is a must to satisfy one’s own conscience to believe in or accept anything. But are we always doing that? A majority of the believers and followers of any ideology are essentially born into it. Then they live with it for fear of disturbing the status quo. Slowly and steadily some of them develop the unwanted and dangerous trend of indoctrinating the ism they have inherited as the best in the whole universe. What started off from the false pride of a few develops momentum as more money, manpower and muscle gets pumped into it by vested interests. The original intent of the ism fails and it develops into a radical doctrine that brings tragedy to those who happen to be in its way.
It is very easy to indoctrinate certain type of people. All those whose ‘windows of mind’ are closed and not open to ‘winds of knowledge’ fall easy victim to the evil designs of evil teachers. It is there in every man the rationality to weed out chaffy isms for himself or herself and understand the eternal truths that have always existed. Instead of fulfilling their lives by discovering the eternal truths for themselves, many humans fall easy prey to the dubious isms and its evil teachers. To a large extent all these are due to the circumstances and environment into which we are born. But the sad thing is that it is no more the case with all cases. Many of the victims of radical doctrinism are willing guinea pigs from the upper strata of our society. What else can be more threatening for our existence than the sight of highly educated young men and women with belt bombs shouting to the whole world that they have found a solution to our problems?
Relentless Discrimination
Another sure recipe for encouraging and nourishing terrorism is relentless discrimination. Any form of negative discrimination is bound to result in revolt and breeds terrorism. This is not only true of nations but also of ideologies. In the case of nations, it is almost a certainty if there are no provisions for relief valves in the political system. If there are ways and means for the victims of any form of relentless discrimination to air and vent their grievances, chances of an explosive revolt are limited. It is not because there is a lack of resistance against the relentless discrimination, but because the heat stirred up by the leaders gets dissipated in the other avenues available. The British were the past masters in this ‘revolt dissipation technique’ during the height of their colonial era. It is not mere chance that A.O. Hume who is considered the founder of Indian National Congress is a British. They had developed the technique of appearing to run with the hare and hunting for the hound which was later perfected by the Missionaries for harvesting souls.
The devastating revolt against relentless discrimination can have a multiplier effect if it is coupled with ideologies which are exclusive in nature. Indoctrinated with beliefs that reject everything else, the anger among sufferers can take very ugly turns. Victims of relentless discrimination in such scenario are not only suffering political imprisonment but are additionally aggrieved by the fact that it is happening due to people who are outside their exclusive beliefs. Nationalist leaders using religious symbols to flare up revolt against relentless discrimination in political arena are clever users of this human tendency. The simple fact that almost all those who form part of such bloody revolts forget to notice the irreligiousness of the same leaders is an eloquent testimony of their vulnerability. The clever but insincere leaders encourage the ordinary to detonate when the leaders themselves have bullet proof vests on.
Though man has discovered and invented solutions to various problems, a foolproof antidote against the real RDX is not at all in sight. Democracy and dialogue are the oft suggested solutions, but are not always found successful. The other extreme option of a world policeman also cannot assure success. Perhaps there is no single solution to such problems universally applicable anywhere in the world. Like the problem, the solution must also come from within. One thing is certain – if mutual respect between adversaries arise out of a clear understanding about the impending mutually assured destruction, a solution is very much possible to any conflict arising out of Real RDX. Until that respect comes about, the violence and destruction will continue.
Sunday, March 04, 2007
AGENDA FOR NAIRS
Example is better than precept. For Malayalees, there is no one who has demonstrated it more convincingly than one of our own ex-Chief Ministers viz C. Achuta Menon. Days after relinquishing office as the Chief Minister of Kerala there were many who could see him circling Trichur round as one among us. He was one of the longest serving Chief Ministers of Kerala and he happened to be in power during the dubious Emergency era. Yet there is no one who hates him and bears any grudge against him. What was the reason for this uniqueness, especially in a politically volatile state like Kerala? Was it because he was erudite and an institution-builder who initiated the Centre for Development Studies, Centre for Earth Sciences and Sree Chitra Medical Institute? Yes, partly. But his greatest contribution to the public life of Kerala was definitely not that. It was his unique ability to call it a day from active politics when he knew it is time. Prof. Sanu is yet another exemplary example of this unique quality in public life. It is really unfortunate that these icons could not become role models for many others of our present generation.
One of the biggest and greatest institutions in Kerala that has been badly affected by the absence of Achuta Menons is the Nair Service Society (NSS). If there is any one institution that has stagnated so badly for the last 25 years, it is the NSS. The greatness of this institution is well known to almost all Malayalees, whether he or she is a Nair or not. It is perhaps the only community organisation in the whole world whose founding fathers swore that their efforts to uplift their own community shall not affect the well-being of any other community in any manner whatsoever, in the inaugural oath itself. It makes all the Nairs (whether member of NSS or not) proud about the greatness of their tallest leader viz. Mannathu Padmanabhan. NSS has contributed so many leaders to Kerala’s public life in later years. But now the society is moribund and its future looks challenging for even the most optimistic of its members. To make matters worse, most of the trumpeted activities of its leaders are aimed at destroying the reservation benefits being enjoyed (legitimately or not) by brethren communities.
Reservations are the bone of contention in almost all parts and spheres of India. It is foolhardy to expect everyone to realise and acknowledge the advantage and legitimacy of reservations on the basis of economic status in such a situation. It would take another 50 years for the ‘reserved’ communities to realise their mistake and the poorest of poor among them will see to it that it happens. But the paramount question for the leaders of ‘unreserved’ communities is to ask themselves whether it is worth wasting time fighting the communal basis of reservations. Instead, organisations like NSS can do quite a lot of positive work to better the conditions of poorest among their own community. Those who need direct help in the community must be identified and necessary help (not in terms of cash alone) must reach the deserving within a reasonable time. In this twenty first century, the identification process must be IT enabled and the skill development part shall definitely have an element of Agriculture, which is our traditional trade. To make this happen, the powers-that-be in NSS must constitute two task forces viz. NairsIT and NairsAgri without any further delay.
NairsIT
There are hundreds from the community who have made it big in the IT Industry and many are willing to help out in this. What we need is the infrastructure and manpower to constitute and maintain a database of almost all the members of the community. If possible it should be a world-wide one. A brilliant model for this exercise is the social security database in Belgium called CIMIRE (Compte Individuel Multisectoriel – www.cimire.be ). Millions of records are maintained in an Oracle database pertaining to millions of people in a very cost effective manner. There should be a similar setup at the NSS HO in Perunna at the earliest. The extent of details can be unobtrusive and minimal but the coverage must be maximum possible. Advantage of such a database at HO is priceless and is well understood. News and views can be broadcast to those who should know it in no time and help can be channelled from where it is available to where it is required. I am cent percent sure that a Mannam Memorial Medical College would have come up at Pandalam if only we had such a database and the authorities had utilised it to collect $2000 each from just 25000 Nairs world-wide. The power of a live website and database for a community is simply beyond words.
NairsAgri
Agriculture is essentially the culture of all Malayalees and it is more so with Nairs. Whatever be the advancements we may make in any other fields it is absolutely essential to maintain the ground if we are to survive as a community in Kerala. The pressure on Real Estate Kerala is unprecedented and nefarious designs are already in force to capture the lands. The only way to encourage current owners of land to retain it is to make agriculture remunerative. NSS must take the lead in this by providing information, technology and financial aid, if needed, to diversify and make a living out of agriculture. More and more retired employees from other fields can return to agriculture and keep our agricultural culture alive. It must become remunerative and fashionable again to own agricultural land. Only a community effort can achieve this. Many other communities are proving it in Kerala right in front of our eyes. We should open our eyes at least now.
Lastly, it is of utmost importance for NSS leadership (and all others of Hindu fold) to remind themselves repeatedly that Nair community is NOTHING, if it is not an integral part of the Hindu society in Kerala. And Hindu society in Kerala is one of the most endangered now. The signs in Kerala society (be it politics or education or health or industry or administration or social) are very obvious and ominous now. Until and unless the dividing issues are kept aside and there is a united attempt to counter the onslaught from various local and foreign quarters, there will be only insignificant number left in the community within Kerala by 2050AD. Kerala Hindu Society is like a wall on which all of us can read the various writings. But if the wall itself is destroyed, we may not even get a chance to read the writings on the wall. Consequences of inaction and indifference will be unexpectedly devastating.
One of the biggest and greatest institutions in Kerala that has been badly affected by the absence of Achuta Menons is the Nair Service Society (NSS). If there is any one institution that has stagnated so badly for the last 25 years, it is the NSS. The greatness of this institution is well known to almost all Malayalees, whether he or she is a Nair or not. It is perhaps the only community organisation in the whole world whose founding fathers swore that their efforts to uplift their own community shall not affect the well-being of any other community in any manner whatsoever, in the inaugural oath itself. It makes all the Nairs (whether member of NSS or not) proud about the greatness of their tallest leader viz. Mannathu Padmanabhan. NSS has contributed so many leaders to Kerala’s public life in later years. But now the society is moribund and its future looks challenging for even the most optimistic of its members. To make matters worse, most of the trumpeted activities of its leaders are aimed at destroying the reservation benefits being enjoyed (legitimately or not) by brethren communities.
Reservations are the bone of contention in almost all parts and spheres of India. It is foolhardy to expect everyone to realise and acknowledge the advantage and legitimacy of reservations on the basis of economic status in such a situation. It would take another 50 years for the ‘reserved’ communities to realise their mistake and the poorest of poor among them will see to it that it happens. But the paramount question for the leaders of ‘unreserved’ communities is to ask themselves whether it is worth wasting time fighting the communal basis of reservations. Instead, organisations like NSS can do quite a lot of positive work to better the conditions of poorest among their own community. Those who need direct help in the community must be identified and necessary help (not in terms of cash alone) must reach the deserving within a reasonable time. In this twenty first century, the identification process must be IT enabled and the skill development part shall definitely have an element of Agriculture, which is our traditional trade. To make this happen, the powers-that-be in NSS must constitute two task forces viz. NairsIT and NairsAgri without any further delay.
NairsIT
There are hundreds from the community who have made it big in the IT Industry and many are willing to help out in this. What we need is the infrastructure and manpower to constitute and maintain a database of almost all the members of the community. If possible it should be a world-wide one. A brilliant model for this exercise is the social security database in Belgium called CIMIRE (Compte Individuel Multisectoriel – www.cimire.be ). Millions of records are maintained in an Oracle database pertaining to millions of people in a very cost effective manner. There should be a similar setup at the NSS HO in Perunna at the earliest. The extent of details can be unobtrusive and minimal but the coverage must be maximum possible. Advantage of such a database at HO is priceless and is well understood. News and views can be broadcast to those who should know it in no time and help can be channelled from where it is available to where it is required. I am cent percent sure that a Mannam Memorial Medical College would have come up at Pandalam if only we had such a database and the authorities had utilised it to collect $2000 each from just 25000 Nairs world-wide. The power of a live website and database for a community is simply beyond words.
NairsAgri
Agriculture is essentially the culture of all Malayalees and it is more so with Nairs. Whatever be the advancements we may make in any other fields it is absolutely essential to maintain the ground if we are to survive as a community in Kerala. The pressure on Real Estate Kerala is unprecedented and nefarious designs are already in force to capture the lands. The only way to encourage current owners of land to retain it is to make agriculture remunerative. NSS must take the lead in this by providing information, technology and financial aid, if needed, to diversify and make a living out of agriculture. More and more retired employees from other fields can return to agriculture and keep our agricultural culture alive. It must become remunerative and fashionable again to own agricultural land. Only a community effort can achieve this. Many other communities are proving it in Kerala right in front of our eyes. We should open our eyes at least now.
Lastly, it is of utmost importance for NSS leadership (and all others of Hindu fold) to remind themselves repeatedly that Nair community is NOTHING, if it is not an integral part of the Hindu society in Kerala. And Hindu society in Kerala is one of the most endangered now. The signs in Kerala society (be it politics or education or health or industry or administration or social) are very obvious and ominous now. Until and unless the dividing issues are kept aside and there is a united attempt to counter the onslaught from various local and foreign quarters, there will be only insignificant number left in the community within Kerala by 2050AD. Kerala Hindu Society is like a wall on which all of us can read the various writings. But if the wall itself is destroyed, we may not even get a chance to read the writings on the wall. Consequences of inaction and indifference will be unexpectedly devastating.
Thursday, March 01, 2007
THANKLESS JOBS
Job satisfaction is a myth and at best only an illusion. At one time I used to envy the tennis professionals because I thought they are earning millions of dollars for doing something they enjoy most. But soon I realised that it happens only during a brief period at the very beginning of their careers. Playing Tennis soon becomes a high earning job for them rather than a game to enjoy. The associated expectations and shortfalls make it just as worse as any other job. They will soon start looking at winning and losing games in terms of millions of dollars. Dissatisfaction, delusion and demoralisation set in. A game for pleasure becomes yet another reason for his or her BP to go up. The job in hand becomes a thankless one and turns out to the main reason for grievance, rather than self-gratification.
When we look at any job, there is always another entity that is at the other end viz. the employer. If it is an individual we are totally at the mercy of his or her whims and fancies. But most of the time it is impersonal in the form of a company or a corporation. None of the employees own the company but all the employees have a stake in it. And all those who hold company positions are only temporary occupants doing their part in the running of the institution. The character and characteristics of the individuals do matter in the company operations, but what will matter most with regard to satisfaction of employees would be the company policies and tradition. That is why we find very enthusiastic employees in medium companies making minor profits and highly unsatisfied ones in giant companies making huge profits. Let us take two typical scenarios in which employees, especially the white collared ones, find themselves most of the times.
Record and Remuneration
In an impersonal setup the individuals are not very important and there are companies with their policies exactly in line with this. In such companies you and me are just ‘identified working bodies’ in the company records. Our roles and responsibilities are well defined and we are expected to know our bosses, sub-ordinates, colleagues. Our attendance is recorded and our performance is recorded in terms of our output against expected work. Records are maintained for efficiency and productivity. Our bosses assign works to us and our subordinates expect the same from us. All these efforts jointly make up the company records for a period of profits or loss. And all employees are paid remunerations for the efforts they have put in.
Any remuneration is actually a compensation for the losses incurred. If employees are paid monthly remunerations, it means that the employer is acknowledging the ‘losses’ incurred by them. What can be the loss of an employee other than his or her time that could have been employed in more enjoyable but un-remunerative efforts? The employee is continuing to be in company records out of compulsion rather than liking. It is definitely not a case of criminal exploitation but one of tying down the individual in the records of a company. He or she is not enjoying the work but has no better alternative to earn a living. Or the individual is too timid to upset the status quo and explore better avenues.
Recognition and Rewards
The other extreme in an employer-employee relationship is that of recognition and rewards. In place of recording the presence and actions of employees, it is possible to recognise their presence and actions. Such concepts and companies may be utopian, but there is plenty of scope for experimenting with newer types of organisational structures for making impersonal companies much more personal. The olden trusteeship concept of Mahatma Gandhi and ultra modern virtual companies that can be operated on the net offer enough food for thoughts on organisational structures that can be run on the basis of recognition and rewards. The crux is on recognising the contribution of individual elements and rewarding them.
Rewards invariably mean recognition and that is what makes it nobler than remuneration. The same amount given to an employee as remuneration or reward will bring about totally different effects on performance. Companies that reward their employees for their contribution in addition to remuneration for their efforts are the best that can survive any threat. The multiplier effect of reward on top of remuneration can reach exponential levels. Many of us must have watched the effects of token rewards on our children. The results will be as good, if not more, if the same technique is played on us by our own employers, provided it is a little more money in addition to the remunerative salary
Any cursory look at the companies in our neighbourhood would easily lead us to the conclusion that most of them follow the ‘record-remuneration’ model. The reasons are very simple – robots are easier to manage than humans who need motivation and rewards for performance. Bigger and more established a company is, chances are higher that it follows only a record-remuneration policy towards its employees. It is enough that the individuals in such set-ups do only what is expected of them. There will not be recognition for attempting anything positive outside one’s scope and chances of a punishment cannot be ruled out also. In such a scenario, it should not be surprising to realise that most of us are doing thankless jobs and that too for companies that are too impersonal and insensitive to the welfare of the employees.
When we look at any job, there is always another entity that is at the other end viz. the employer. If it is an individual we are totally at the mercy of his or her whims and fancies. But most of the time it is impersonal in the form of a company or a corporation. None of the employees own the company but all the employees have a stake in it. And all those who hold company positions are only temporary occupants doing their part in the running of the institution. The character and characteristics of the individuals do matter in the company operations, but what will matter most with regard to satisfaction of employees would be the company policies and tradition. That is why we find very enthusiastic employees in medium companies making minor profits and highly unsatisfied ones in giant companies making huge profits. Let us take two typical scenarios in which employees, especially the white collared ones, find themselves most of the times.
Record and Remuneration
In an impersonal setup the individuals are not very important and there are companies with their policies exactly in line with this. In such companies you and me are just ‘identified working bodies’ in the company records. Our roles and responsibilities are well defined and we are expected to know our bosses, sub-ordinates, colleagues. Our attendance is recorded and our performance is recorded in terms of our output against expected work. Records are maintained for efficiency and productivity. Our bosses assign works to us and our subordinates expect the same from us. All these efforts jointly make up the company records for a period of profits or loss. And all employees are paid remunerations for the efforts they have put in.
Any remuneration is actually a compensation for the losses incurred. If employees are paid monthly remunerations, it means that the employer is acknowledging the ‘losses’ incurred by them. What can be the loss of an employee other than his or her time that could have been employed in more enjoyable but un-remunerative efforts? The employee is continuing to be in company records out of compulsion rather than liking. It is definitely not a case of criminal exploitation but one of tying down the individual in the records of a company. He or she is not enjoying the work but has no better alternative to earn a living. Or the individual is too timid to upset the status quo and explore better avenues.
Recognition and Rewards
The other extreme in an employer-employee relationship is that of recognition and rewards. In place of recording the presence and actions of employees, it is possible to recognise their presence and actions. Such concepts and companies may be utopian, but there is plenty of scope for experimenting with newer types of organisational structures for making impersonal companies much more personal. The olden trusteeship concept of Mahatma Gandhi and ultra modern virtual companies that can be operated on the net offer enough food for thoughts on organisational structures that can be run on the basis of recognition and rewards. The crux is on recognising the contribution of individual elements and rewarding them.
Rewards invariably mean recognition and that is what makes it nobler than remuneration. The same amount given to an employee as remuneration or reward will bring about totally different effects on performance. Companies that reward their employees for their contribution in addition to remuneration for their efforts are the best that can survive any threat. The multiplier effect of reward on top of remuneration can reach exponential levels. Many of us must have watched the effects of token rewards on our children. The results will be as good, if not more, if the same technique is played on us by our own employers, provided it is a little more money in addition to the remunerative salary
Any cursory look at the companies in our neighbourhood would easily lead us to the conclusion that most of them follow the ‘record-remuneration’ model. The reasons are very simple – robots are easier to manage than humans who need motivation and rewards for performance. Bigger and more established a company is, chances are higher that it follows only a record-remuneration policy towards its employees. It is enough that the individuals in such set-ups do only what is expected of them. There will not be recognition for attempting anything positive outside one’s scope and chances of a punishment cannot be ruled out also. In such a scenario, it should not be surprising to realise that most of us are doing thankless jobs and that too for companies that are too impersonal and insensitive to the welfare of the employees.
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