Too good to be true

You all have heard my rantings about the Indian government organizations and the systems which do not work etc. so it is only fair that I let you all know about an incident which left me impressed and  pleasantly surprised!

I was due a tax refund from the 2009-10 filing cycle. It had been quite a few years and nothing had happened about it. I really thought that it was a gone case. I thought that it was some thousands of rupees and the effort was not worth it. However on checking again I found out that the amount was substantial and could not be just left.

With help of my Dad I found in CA and requested him to follow up about the refund a few months back. The person was useless - coming up with excuses after another and nothing to show for weeks / months. Out of exasperation, I went to the Bangalore Income Tax office website and wrote an email with the relevant details. Within half an hour I received a response from the office stating that the matter will be pursued. Wow! response to an email from a government office and that too in 30 mins. I was impressed there itself but still i did not expect anything to happen further. I checked with the person who responded by when should I follow up and I got the response in 2 weeks. A person in a government office was talking to me....!!!!!!

After 2 weeks I checked again by sending another email and I got the response that the matter is under review and I need to check with a specific ward. My skepticism kicked in again - there starts the ping-pong match I thought and left it that. But to my surprise within 2 days I got an email requesting me to provide my bank details. I initially thought that it was a scam and googled the name of the person who was claiming to be the ITO. The Bangalore IT website confirmed him to be the ITO of my ward. I provided the bank details but did not hear anything after that. My hopes had arisen now so after a gap of 10 days I decided to check again. I sent an email requesting further update and I got the number of the ITO who I was requested to call and find out the progress. However before I could call him a cheque for the refund was received at home.

No running around, no bribes, no under table money exchange - a complaint, a few emails and follow up -> job done. Yes this was a government office. Hats off Bangalore Income Tax office! You impress!

The grey area

Talking about corruption is fashionable isn't it? After all we are one of the most corrupt countries in the world and we don't need any UN or any other international agency to come and tell us that. It's the system we all deal with all through our lives on a daily basis which proves it us.

However we all do want to change this. We want a revolution, we want the system to be changed, we want corrupt to be brought to book, we want accountability etc. and this is all fair. We deserve it. This change desired by so many is big news. This is the India on the move, this is the Indians taking matters into their own hands and ensuring that what has carried on for years will not go on.

I think we as people have become insensitive to the news of the corruption scandals but we do want to know what is being done to bring the corrupt to books and ensure that the stealing should not go on in the future. Since the politicians have lost all credibility the media, civil society and the judiciary has taken up the cudgels on behalf of the normal people to clean up the mess. So we start hearing terms like the media overreach, judicial overreach but the question which comes up is who is policing the media and the judiciary. Who ensures that when media goes to town with a story it is truly conforming to the journalistic ideals or when the judiciary is acting then there are no vested interests are involved.

At the same time there were two comments on NDTV over the last couple of days which brings out the helplessness of the politicians -
- Maharashtra CM talking about the fact that any government official is afraid to procure anything due to the fear of being pulled into a corruption scandal. This means that CCTV cameras needed for additional security have not been procured for Mumbai.
- Arun Shourie recounts an anecdote from his time as a central minister where he was hesitant to act on certain matters as he was sure that he would be pulled into corruption quagmire if he did.

How do we deal with this grey area? Are all politicians corrupt? Is all media and judiciary honest? Are we hampering our progress because of this "fear" of being called corrupt? How do we deal with that anybody can come up and say "tum chor hu" and then one is deemed corrupt unless proved otherwise?

Nano drive

During my last trip home I actually got the chance to drive a Nano and I jumped onto it. The first impression as soon as I opened the door was – not bad, this is not so small inside as it looks from outside. The interiors were functional and simplistic, nothing fancy but the plastic quality for the controls as is usually the case with cars in India could do with improvement. The car started promptly at the first crank and the controls lit up some kind of bluish-greenish hue…reminded me about the Indica, Sumo console…after all the car is from the same stable. We were 4 grown adults and all sat comfortably. The driver position is upright and one gets a good view of the road. My biggest surprise was the drive quality – the engine was responsive, suspension handled the potholes better than some other cars which I have driven and it is nimble. I did not get a chance to try the AC and hence don’t know if the engine response suffers when the AC is switched on. However on the roads I did get psyched out when I saw big vehicles coming from the opposite side. I also didn’t get the feeling of safety sitting inside. Nit picks aside safe to say that I was impressed with the small wonder. Make it electric and voila it gets more interesting…

I am Anna! No I am not

Yes I support Anna's movement but can I proudly say "I am Anna!"? No I cannot. For one to say "I am Anna" I believe that one needs to be a principled person who has not just supported but also fought against corruption. I unfortunately, am not that person.

I have had my share of facing corruption and have buckled in face of it - yes I got a driving license for motorcycle, car and truck at a time when I didn't know how to drive a car and even now don't know how to drive a truck. I had to pay Rs. 800/- to get my passport delivered. I had to pay Rs. 100/- to lodge a police report when my mobile phone was stolen. I advised S to pay Rs. 200/- to the thullah on the road when he pulled us up for driving on the wrong side etc. So yes I am not Anna but maybe the start of my redemption is to support him. Anyways, there can be only one Anna Hazare.

However, keeping the emotions out of the discussion I believe that a policy framework against corruption will be a big step in starting the march towards eradication of corruption in our country. I am not a romantic to believe that a Jan Lokpal Bill will kill this beast but I do believe that if properly instantiated and implemented this could act as a catalyst.

Everyone in the country is not corrupt and probably majority don't want to be corrupt but its the "system" which defeats everyone. Its the corrupt few who ensure that others have to conform to this "system". There are also arguments that what can we expect our government workers to do considering the fact that they are not paid sufficiently and with rising living costs they have no other option but to buckle to the lure of the easy but needed money. Yeah! I guess that argument applies to the babus in the municipal corporation or the transport office or the electricity office or the police station. How can on the other hand we justify the Bofors scandal, the Commenwealth Games fiasco, the 2G spectrum, the Fodder scam - the list just goes on....Corruption can be small and it can be big but that doesn't change the fact that in our country it really pays and anybody who is not corrupt is considered stupid or naive. This needs to change!

I cannot even try to analyze the problem or suggest solutions but maybe in addition to the Anna's effort it would be helpful if all of us do introspection and think what can we do from our side.

I do hope we get the Jan Lokpal Bill but even after that can we proudly say "I am Anna" in the future? If all of us can...then we probably would have achieved a real change.

Surreal...fairytale

On the 2nd of April the dream of 1.2 billion Indians came true. 11 men achieved the collective aspirations of a nation. Yes ... India won the Cricket World Cup. The wait of 28 years was over. Many still considered the victory of 1983 a flash in the pan but this victory has proved again that we belong at the top of the world cricket.

At the end of the excruciating day when MSD hit the famous six to win the tournament I just sat in shock for a few seconds and then burst out in crazy whoops...jumping up and down with S....before calling home....calling friends....and then celebrating in a quiet way in a country where they don't know the sport.

It was probably the first time that I literally cried over a match and even a couple of days later all the replays of the fabulous achievement are making my eyes moist. Just to see that Sachin has finally achieved what was his due gives me goose bumps. What a man...what a sportsman...and finally a set of team mates who did it for him.

1983 was a blur for me as I was a little kid when Kapil's Daredevils humbled the WIs but this victory will live on with me always.

Guess who...

Want another hint?











I am sure you would have an idea - no he is not back from the dead. He is very much around. He has just decided to do some other things. He has stopped trying to analyze and understand what was going on those many years ago and just trying to enjoy himself now.
Yes, he is Robert Plant who played at the Palais des Sports de Paris in the summer this year with his Band of Joy.












Sure it was not the Madison Avenue, it was a small indoor arena seating ... yes seating around 5000 people but it just helped to make a more personal setting to see the God of Rock perform himself. What was remarkable was that Live he is so much different from all the stories we have heard about him and the Led Zepplin. So much humility, so much affection and so much of an attitude - "am i really that good? you all have come to hear me?" I am sure it had to do lot with age and having seen it all. If I had not read the books or seen the movies I could not visualize him as the hell raiser.











There was no hell raising in this show. He started off with the songs from the new album which all had a folksy and bluesy feel to them. The first note with that inimitable voice just brought back thoughts of what I missed - Led Zepp Live in the 70s. Yes he did perform some of the timeless classics - Tangerine, Gallow's Pole, Houses of the Holy, Rock and Roll, Tall Cool One, Misty Mountain Hop etc. and all of them gave me goosebumps. The songs brought the crowd to life but I could recognize that without Jimmy Page the spark was missing. Maybe it was my wishful thinking or just plain greed - now that I had got to see Plant I wanted to get to see the whole jingbang.One is never satisfied I guess. Plant sang most of the songs mid tempo in a relaxed atmosphere but considering the setting it was appropriate.

They played -

• Down to the sea,
• Angel dance
• House of cards
• Please read the letter
• Misty mountain hop
• Twelve gates to the city/Wade in the water
• Tangerine
• Somewhere trouble don't go
• Satisfied mind
• Move up
• Satan your kingdom must come down
• Central 2-o-9
• Monkey
• Houses of the holy
• You can't buy my love
• Tall cool one
• Gallow's pole

ENCORE

• Harm's swift way
• Rock n roll
• We bid you goodnight.

It was one magical night which I didn't want to end.

The theme was LIVE

Whatever 2010 was or wasn't it was definitely a sporty year for me. LIVE sports that is.
The year's first big event which I was fortunate enough to watch ( sure I did pay a ton for it :-) ) was the French Open final. Roland Garros on a nice summer evening with Rafa and Soderling playing for the title of the clay court season was an experience which I would love to repeat. The thing which stood out for me was the fact that the stadiums / arenas seem so much bigger on TV. I was concerned that I would not be able to see the players or the ball or the shots good enough but we had fabulous seats and I could catch each and every clinical stroke with which Rafa became the undisputed king of clay. Even as I write this I cannot believe that I was at the French Open final this year. Would have loved a 5 setter humdinger of a match but Rafa was just too good that day. Soderling didn't stand a chance. Hopefully next year Roger keeps the date. I am being greedy :-)
The next one which stands out was the F1 at Hockenheimring. WOW! that was an experience. Completely unsustainable sport but the adrenalin rush - one has to experience it to believe it. The first race where Schumacher drove in front of the German fans after his comeback and the double treat - Vettel in awesome form. Yeah in the end Alonso won but frankly I didn't care. To just be there was worth it. And yes I had goose bumps when I saw Force India keep up with the pace. Maybe next year they do win a race - the Delhi one. Icing on the cake, I say.
We did visit Wimbledon too. The hallowed center court, the temple of tennis - I was just in awe to see the court. Again it looked really small real time but the history is big enough. Sadly couldn't get tickets for the championship but it is on the list for 2011.
The second half of the year football took center stage. The World Cup excitement was palpable and with Germany doing well there was a definite buzz here. The fan arenas were throbbing and we were part of the fun all through.
We rounded the year off by watching Hoffenheim play Leverkusen in the Rhien Neckar Arena ( Bundesliga ). A "small" stadium of around 35000 capacity but the one where I experienced a Live football game for the first time. We were on the 1st row and almost could touch the players. It was a 2-2 draw - 4 goals in my 1st game..not bad :-).
However the best was kept for the last. I did manage to accomplish what I had always dreamed of doing. Watching ManU play a game at Old Trafford. And that to against Arsenal. We got the red carpet treatment courtesy the steep ticket price but man! was it worth it? or was it worth it? A stadium steeped in history, 75367 people in attendance and when as one they roared United! United! no team stood a chance. The only thing which could come closer to that was Eden Gardens chanting Sachin! Sachin! ManU won 1-0, the goal was scored right in front of where we were sitting. Just our luck that it was the day that the club officially sent off Ole Gunnar Solskjær. One of the 3-4 players I have really loved. That's a promise, I need to do this again.
One a side note in the middle of all this I did finish my 1st half marathon.
Let us see what 2011 has in store....