Shrikant’s Blog

Smart Vote an Organization started by professionals of varied background to educate and inform voters. The website was launched yesterday along with an exhaustive program on TV9 to discuss various issues about the program. Smart Vote group is also available on facebook.

A cockroach is a rare species that survives a nuclear attack. Daily, I try and look for companies that have not been affected by the global meltdown, which in my mind is an extraordinary recession. A serious correction in action, incorrectly referred by many as a recession. Discovered couple of companies that continue to do well.

Netflix : It’s official. Netflix (Nasdaq: NFLX) isn’t just recession-resistant, it’s recession-magnetic.  It  passed the 10-million-subscriber mark. It’s a lofty milestone and a refreshing surprise. The DVD rental giant started out the year with just 9.4 million members. >>>

Indigo Airlines : The last of low cost airlines to start a pan-India operation. ccording to the Business Standard, “Not only has the airline wrested the third largest position from Kingfisher, it has also replaced Kingfisher Red as the largest LCC. At the start of the year their MSS was 10% and now they have about 15% of the total business in India. Those who fly Indigo will appreciate why their business continues to grow.

There is more choice for playing Golf in Bangalore. The latest addition to Golf Courses in Bangalore is Clover Greens. For more details visit www.clovergreens.com

Finally got to see the movie yesterday. Enjoyed the movie, story, direction and everything about it. I would like to capture some of the comments before and after I saw the movie.

“The movie is a very ordinary Indian movie, Rahman’s music is very average, but because it is directed by a foreigner, it has got lot of publicity and awards.”

“Indian movies which project Indian misery are acknowledged abroad, look at Satyajit Ray.” ” Western audiences gobble up our poverty greedily”

“Technically a great movie, but the contents are very biased. It projects that every Indian is corrupt and a child abuser”

My take, it is a movie and not a documentary. Anybody has the right to tell a story. There is truth in every aspect of the movie, the system is always against you, everyone is assumed to be dishonest not honest, the corruption, the child abuse, manipulation and the reality of slum life.

There are many messages that come from the movie, that one can be so happy with so little, Mumbai is probably as energetic and lively as New York but at lower prosperity levels. If you love what you do, there are many pleasant bye-products to it.

There are couple of articles that narrate some unique messages.

It is roots and linkages that many Indians now seek to shed, and many Americans now seek to reclaim. And that may be the silent allure of “Slumdog Millionaire.” It is a tribute to the irrepressible self, filmed in a society now realizing it has given the self too little, watched in a society now realizing it has given the self too much. >>>

Boyle has exposed this underbelly in a manner that makes one squirm, cringe, reject and reluctantly accept – Mumbai is not for the faint hearted. Neither is this film. And if you can’t stomach some of the scenes – too bad. Don’t flinch. Don’t look away. This is Mumbai meri jaan. >>>

Don’t let the movie mislead you: there are no fairy-tale endings for most of India’s street kids. I was one of them myself. >>>

I will definitely see the movie one more time, must watch for those who have’nt and request the government to make it tax free.

(via Iht) The recent election was won by a candidate who is self-made but did not position himself that way; he spoke instead of roots and linkages. Now, he claims a mandate for the largest program of collective government action in decades.

It is roots and linkages that many Indians now seek to shed, and many Americans now seek to reclaim. And that may be the silent allure of “Slumdog Millionaire.” It is a tribute to the irrepressible self, filmed in a society now realizing it has given the self too little, watched in a society now realizing it has given the self too much. >>>

On April fools day in 2006, posted an article real estate bubble ? a curse. The most visible victims of this curse are none other than the Raju’s of Satyam, headquartered in Hyderabad. I am exposed to Hyderabadis, because my mother hails from there and must say their love for land, property, etc. defies all logic. Competence of families and individuals, is not bench marked by what they can produce or achieve, but the property they own. Still remember when my cousin was  to be married, casually enquired what does he do ?, “he has lot of property” was the quick reply, nothing else mattered.

Ramalinga Raju for what it is, built a fantastic franchise, which was the 4th largest software company in India with 53,000 employees. He had a golden goose, which was laying a golden egg every year, equivalent to 1000+ crores in cash. But this was not enough to catch up with the Jones of Hyderabad, the GMRs, GVKs etc whose land banks were appreciating 100% + per year, constantly confronting social perception, you are nothing, if  not in real estate. Forgetting the story of the golden goose,  he got his son B Teja Raju to start a infrastructure company and started diverting (or siphoning) funds from a public limited company to grow the new company. The father liked real estate but the son was even more crazy about it. This is what Indian families don’t understand, delinking family relationships with business or politics. To promote the family, they deprive both company and country. Raju, could well have given the best education to his son and asked him to prove himself in life, but this does not come naturally to Indians.

We owe a good environment, education, guidance and advice to our children as they course correct in life. The wise will not keep accumulating wealth and assets to underwrite their children’s life. Ramalinga Raju could have had a plan to disengage with Satyam and focused on better things in life. But he got caught in this vicious spiral, to out perform his city neighbours or even caste rivals, forgetting a good adage ” if you compare you will perish”

Kabir, in the 13th century used to preach that if your children are good, don’t waste your time saving money and assets for them. If they are useless even more reason not to do so. But who is listening anyway.

India has probably had one it’s worst years in the last 25 years, terrorist attacks, sudden slow down in growth, loss of jobs and an uncertain future for many. The 26/11 attacks in Mumbai made me sad, and worry for friends and family.  I am very sad, but not surprised, because the policeman is waiting to see where he can make the next 100 rupees to fund his evening drink and non-veg, a lower level government official is collecting bribe to buy his wife some extra gold, laptop for his sun or a family vacation. Do you think the interest of the country is even present in the minds of people who have the responsibility to make it a better place. Does this country or society really care for its people ?

If it takes me 7 months to get a passport, do you think there is any kind of intelligence that is available to detect the next attack. For good security, you need judgement, one needs to be good to the genuine, tough with the suspicious and be “smart enough” to differentiate between the two. Judgement is a complex molecule made up of intelligence, experience, exposure and finally good character.

Sub standard equipment that our police has to deal with is not a bad choice but a greedy choice, because the purchase decision maker has to get his cut and the supplier has to  make a profit to survive. I was told recently informed by a farmer who grows potatoes, that all the green or inferior produce is all bought by the army to feed young jawans. Is this what they deserve because they protect the country. It is a known fact, that  rations bought by the army is all 3rd grade because the managers of army canteens lack knowledge and character. When you are on a budget and corrupt then quality suffers. I am involved in the food business and have first hand experience, but am pretty sure, it is also the case, when our country buys arms, equipment, etc we put the country at risk.

I have finally concluded, what we lack is character. I was told in school that always tell the truth to your teacher, lawyer and doctor. All I can say today is that these three professions today represent the lowest levels of commitment and character. In the coming days I am going to give many examples from society where lack of character, is gradually poisoning our society to levels far below medicority.

I was brought up in the pre-liberalization era (pre 1991), also many times referred to as the ration economy. Naturally, lot of our value systems have evolved out of scarcity rather than abundance.

(via IHT) in an article for tips on frugality, look to india. American behaviour is changing. The alien idea of sacrifice is becoming more prevalent. Mothers are forgoing personal shopping to spend on the family, and, according to Consumer Reports, pet owners are depriving themselves before shortchanging their pets. Fourteen percent of Americans are making gifts, not buying them…. read more >>>