BPOs do we really need them??

Glitz glamour money…. Voila welcome to the present world of earn hard and party harder… The BPO brigade of earning the fast buck has been caught on by many a young Indians… easy money without much ask on the qualifications… what else could the youth ask for..

But is it really all that hunky dory?? I don’t think so!!

Its really sad to see young India being wasted on these call centre jobs… many of them barely out of college and a few others still struggling to wrap up their graduation… what a pity to see those bright little minds that could have helped India rise in numerous fields ending up sitting in front of computers and trying to please rude foreigners satisfying their whims and fancies.

Is this what every parent dreamt for their child? Yes I agree that many a times financial constraints do force kids to go for this but really is that right? I mean forget about just the education back-lag… think about the health issues that arise thru this…

Statistics say that people as young as 20 are suffering from heart attacks and diabetes… wow! I mean can you imagine a college pass out suffering from an illness which was earlier taken as an old age issue? Is that what we want to get into... Soon we will be having kindergarten kids complaining of back problems…
And really is earning 15 grand a month worth a human life???


I agree things have speeded up…but honestly we do most of that speeding up…. Its our fault that we go for such jobs and glamourise it so…

And really by the end of the day…is there any BPO guy who can truly say that they are satisfied with the job they do??

Just to wrap up the whole issue id say that kids these days need to weigh their pros n cons before jumping into this quicksand…the money lure is defiantly attractive.. but really one needs the health to actually freak out with those bucks.

Naval tests - the current need to counter terrorism.

Ridiculous! Yes I guess that’s the word I am looking for at the moment. I mean come on for a thing like testing warships, which would finally benefit our own country, what is the point in stopping or opposing it? First the nuke deal and now this, simply brilliant! Ok many gave reasons of slowing down or rather delaying the testing simply because of the ongoing debate of the nuclear deal. Hahaha right CPM! As if questioning the nuke deal is also something for the benefit of our country. I mean aren’t you doing the same thing again, questioning the growth of India.
Here at one end India has the chance to test its warships along with super powers like the US and Japan. They want to boost their military relationships with us, isn’t that good for everyone. I won’t deny that the US will see its own benefit as it of course looks more into that factor. But totally opposing a growth prospect for the country is ridiculous.
Now as for China getting scared. Well frankly I don’t know why China fears an attack from us. I mean we are doing all this to basically be prepared to counter terrorism. Why the hell does that bother another country? Why is the UPA so adamant about what China would go through if we go ahead with the tests?
I am absolutely glad of the fact that our PM has taken a stance against these opposing parties. This is case of both the nuke deal as well as the warship testing.
A very valid reason for these tests is the fact that terror attacks could easily occur through sea. And as a sub-continent with a border surrounded almost 3/4th by water we need these testing and fast.
The above points are solely on the selfish concept of our country’s very own protection. But there is yet another addition for being pro to these tests. The fact is that we are now totally committed. We must realise that we are not the only ones involved here. The whole world needs these tests to follow. Many ships have almost reached now and it wouldn’t be feasible to them to back off. As Indians we have always stuck to our words, so why be any different here?
In essence I feel that this is something our country as well as the whole world needs badly to counter terrorist attacks. Also, what happens in case of the nuke deal should not at all affect the tests (which incidentally it isn’t and that’s heartening) as the faster we are prepared the better for us in every way.

Respected sir....!!!

"Sir,
It is a sad state of affairs that there is an unholy nexus.........."

"Mr Editor,
Could we have a more incompetent......"

"Sir,
I would like to know..........."

"Sir,
Is there any criminal offence..............."

Yeh well I better stop here and explain eh.. Frankly this is like the minutest of a sample from the overflowing reader's opinion we get. Guess that was too fast. So let me start from the beginning. I work in an online journalism section of a company where readers in response to articles send their opinions. The quotes I posted way in the beginning are just a small percent of the lot we get. Which usually start this way.
So?? There doesn’t seem to be anything wrong there does it??..lol...yeh well really it isn’t your fault either... that’s the way most of us are conditioned right?

ohk ohk....wont uphold the suspense anymore.....the thing bugging me here is the beginning of each sentence. Why is it always SIR or MR. EDITOR??....is it coz the editor is really a male??.. not quite...my boss..rather boss’s boss is a female..a brilliant one at that.
so really the Sir came as a conditioned response than knowledge...a pity don’t you think...women have done wonders in almost all fields and yet when one thinks about a doctor or a lawyer the "HE" or male factor comes in doesn’t it. just be honest for once. And hey this isn’t an attack on only the males...female members of our society are just as guilty of this.
In fact, just before ending this i'd like to add a question my psychology proff. asked us in our first year of grad. She told us this incident and asked us to give an answer to the puzzle…….i’ll try and frame the question as well as I can:

One stormy night, a father and a son were traveling in a car across a forest. Here they met with a deadly accident where the father died on the spot. The son was badly injured but a few people who were accidentally passing by took the kid straight to the nearest hospital. There the doctor in charge immediately operated on the child and then went straight to the people and said…”Thank you. You have saved my son”.


Hmm now if you haven’t figured out the answer I just might be a bit surprised. But even if that is the case the answer is simple……….. The doc was the child’s mum. Easy is it??

Not quite usually people never figure it out. The answers I get to this question varies from the doc being a church’s father to the ghost of the father entering the doc to thank the people. Rather amusing aint it?? But truly speaking it’s a tragic thing. Nothing of harm mabbe. But all things evil or good start with the thought behind it. They start with the attitude and aptitude of a person towards a certain thing. And if that is negative God forbid a lot of negativities would come out of that.

Think about it!!!

Oh grow up!!!

Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen was attacked in Hyderabad during a book launch. A totally barbaric act, to say the least. I wonder what exactly do people want to prove through such behaviour? I have yet to read her new novel “Shodh”, which incidentally was the book she was launching but I am sure it would be as amazing as her previous work, “Lajja”.

Does India have to always do this? Why don’t we learn to accept our faults and let them be portrayed as they are? Why is it that hypocrites get the advantage by simply being stronger, physically and monetarily? Art for the sake of art has never been taken well here. Look at Deepa Mehta. A lady of great courage she used her talent to showcase some ills in our society. But for that she had to flee from her own people. What a pity!!

At one point we say we are a growing nation. Then why not for once grow up and learn to accept that we were not all that perfect and that most of us have been foolishly following age old traditions. I am not blaming everyone. Yes I know things are changing and not everyone is involved in such shameful acts. In fact many times those who are just never wanted to do that but were rather forced. Can’t anything be done about this? Can’t the powerful maniacs be bowed?

Of course!! The general public has done it before. It is possible to save art for arts sake. But for that we need to fight against the only drawback viz. learning to appreciate and admit our past mistakes. It would only then be possible to fight whole heartedly and win against such wretches. Let’s try and not let another Nasreen case occur and embrace such great visionaries with open arms.

Let’s just show the world how much of a truly developing nation we are! :)

Curse me....... I am crippled!!

Many a times I have tried to imagine the anguish the crippled have to go through in their life. I mean, are they ridiculed?? Are they always sympathised or is it that they are always protected?? How does it become different if the crippled one is a boy or a girl?? I have wondered a lot. Never knew anyone like that. But recently read about one such girl. As Cuckoo in an earlier post had promised me about it, she wrote about this friend of hers Indu: This is her story. And that forces me to vent out my anger here.... yes am angry - at fate, at her parents, at the society, at... god knows what.. but i guess everything that makes life for such people a hell!!

"Hello reader, I am the crippled girl. Umm... can't place me?? Doesn't matter. I'm used to being ignored. You see I was born normal, but then nature struck and I was crippled for life. I have been trying to study you know, but my family rarely helps in that. I always get hand down books, not that I mind, just that why never a new one?? I have always worn the cheapest of dress you'll ever find. Not that I mind, but can I have a nice dress for birthday please?? I really want to look as pretty as the other girls in class. Just one that's all!!

Oh!! There's Tom and Jerry on television, but I never get to watch it... unless someone else is watching it. By the way, can i have that sweet please Daddy?? Sister had it yesterday. No you may not. I'm not wasting money on you. You see that's how my Dad treated me..... my mother was no better. It was years before she acknowledged the fact that I'm developing into the woman and need more than just a cloth. I was never taken out to parties..... always saw pictures of my family smiling away at some wedding or some luncheon..... I was never there. Did I ever exist for them?? Or was I ghost in my own house?? Frankly I don't know, nor would I ever find out.

Friends... ummm........... now that's a rare thing you know. Even if someone tried to be my friend my sibling would ridicule them so much, for fear of their own social image they would disown me as if I were a disease. Not that I really did mind that, but I could have done with a true friend, who would care for me, wipe my unshed tears, me the source of my strength!!

Anyway, I struggled through college.... went to the most decrepit one for my parents refused to pay more, though I made it to the best in the city on merit. Is being meritorious wrong?? I thought it was OK... they are my parents and have the best interest in mind... and I was used to have my dreams squashed, you know. But I knew how to smile!! Oh yes.. I smiled!!

And then I met him..... The one person, who loved me for what I am. Life seemed perfect. I believed I could fly now. I was on cloud nine. But, reality has a way of catching up with you. His parents met me one day.... and I was rejected and asked to get out of his forever... for I was crippled. I never told my family about him. And he is now history married to a beautiful girl and has a happy family.

My parents decided to get me married. He was a nice man, just a widower, and 14 years older to me. Not much of a problem with him except a drunkard at night. Was a man of great social standing and moral ethics, but just asked for a dowry of 20 lacs. My parents adored him for he had agreed to marry me..... their crippled daughter. I wasn't sure... am i supposed to be happy?? Or should I be sad, for my dream guy never turned up?? Or by being a cripple I had to forfeit all rights for having normal dreams and aspirations?? I don't know. And guess I was beyond the point of caring. I took my vows.

Life after marriage was bliss. I never realised when I ended up with a swollen eye, or a cut lip?? Oh never quite realised the day I lost my virginity. Was it supposed to be pleasurable or just pain?? Never mind... I am not normal!! And then I became a mother...... But then i never heard my baby cry.... For now I can only see.... But cannot breathe... cannot feel. I can only tell you my story..... but I wonder if you can hear it!! I can cry now......... But can you see it!! It's now that my angst wants to seep out and say.................. Curse me........ I am crippled!!"

The account is written from a female's perspective because may be I am still under the effect that Indu's story ahd on me. But this can be true for guy too........ Is being crippled a crime?? Do you have to forfeit your right to lead a normal life??

What do moms want...?? Scholars in Diapers

Language in the third month, encyclopedic knowledge from the sixth month and maths from the ninth month. Bingo! Your infant becomes a scholar within a year.

Hmm think about this. Delhi folks who read “Metro Now” would’ve seen this in their newspapers today. I was always worried about the children in today’s world but these stats are alarming I mean for heavens sake, is this what you want for your child? Just coz a few kids are born geniuses you cant force your tot to be the same can you?

Yes its always good to start nurturing your child’s skills early and channelise his thinking but coz of this admission competition today little children are forced to start moving at a faster pace than in the normal course should be taken. Poor Dears!

Don’t you think we are repeating something our forefathers did? Yes there are many career options in this world today and well all spheres are opening up but just coz a child shows interest in music parents shouldn’t start focusing him in toto onto the same (reminds me quite of the classic “Another Brick in the Wall”). And by ‘child’ I mean kids of around 3 years.

What happened to overall development? What happened to letting a child bask and enjoy his childhood? Just because of a Sania Mirza or a Dhoni or a Kartikeyan many kids today are being forced to play seriously. Sports which were supposed to be something of a stress buster have suddenly become serious business. In fact as far as I recall a case had come up where a father was accused by his wife of torturing their son to death in the craze of making him a tennis star.

Every child is unique and frankly each has his own gift. It might be true that he/she enjoys writing but that doesn’t mean that they would be the next Rowling or Kiran Desai. It might be that writing is just one part of the child’s interest. Who knows he might also love logic or has a hand in designing. But, to realize that, he should be able to get a chance to do everything. Incidentally that also does not mean that he should be sent for classes for all of them. Let your kid be. Teach him what you can at home first. Let the kid enjoy his innocence.

By the way, think about it, aren’t you being a tad bit selfish. Recall your childhood for once. As far as I was concerned I think most of us in that era had a dreamy childhood. Member the days we used to spend playing “langdi taang” “unch neech” “pitthu” etc etc… Don’t you think we learnt things from those games? Don’t you think what we are today a bit of the credit goes to those seemingly silly things we did as children?

We weren’t forced to play those games. They came to us coz we enjoyed them. And don’t you think we have done well. Our generation today has done wonders, hasn’t it? Well then why make the world more fast paced than what it already is. Make your kids work hard when they attain the right age not when they are supposed to have fun. In fact many a times creativity comes when one isn’t “expected” to do something. Its true even when we are in our 20’s 30’s right. Laugh as you may but sometimes the best ideas come in your visits to the loo when your mind isn’t occupied in the nitty gritty’s or deadlines.

Frankly I don’t think I stuck to the topic in total (lolz..as usual) and that it’s still unpolished. Yet, all I hope is that what I DID intend to say I could get it across to you all. I know there is a lot more to add in this subject and I hope to see your comments on the same.

Womanhood...... Is it a curse??

"Newly wed bride found dead in her room."

"8 year old raped. Culprit roams free."

"20 year old dies of marital rape."

"Woman tortured and paraded naked in the village."

Do you read something like this regularly in the papers?? Or may be a variation of this??

If you are living in the Indian subcontinent you are probably too used to it. I mean, like from the time that you have been able to understand the world around you, news like these have been pouring in. Same here. But, somehow I never got used to it. Don't know what is it that drives me wild when I listen to stuff like this. It always makes me ask as to why is the society nothing but a bunch of hypocrites masquerading as civilized people? I mean, like, the ancient scriptures say so many things exalting the status of a woman, but how much of it does the society really follow?? huh?? Zilch!! Nothing, I say. And if the so called holy books say that a woman can't perform the holy rituals, I say junk it!! I have heard of this temple where women are not allowed?? Why?????????? Why such double standards??????

Dowry, Sati, Child Marriage..... the list I suppose is endless!! These practices are still prevalent in India. And mind you, it's not only the uneducated class, but also the so called educated elite people who can be found guilty of the same crime. Surprised?? Don't be. That's the naked truth. Quite often I have come across something like, a marriage getting called off out of the blue because the bride's family couldn't satisfy the groom's demands. or may be they accept the girl into their fold but then torment her for her family didn't pay enough dowry. That's gross!! Oh... you wanna know the results of such torture??? Let me put it bluntly......... DEATH.... by poison, by burns, by suicide.... name it and you will get it.... check the annals of dowry deaths!!

God knows how many women are subjected to sexual harassment, from the mildest form to the most heinous acts...... how many of the culprits actually are brought to book? Even if nabbed, how many are actually punished??? Just a few?? They say things are changing may be they are, but the count still remains alarmingly high!!

Oh!! I can't write enough on this matter... so may be I'll break things into different posts...... but would like to highlight certain things:

1. 21 yr old girl married off to a man 14 years older to her. The fellow is a drunkard and tormented the girl beyond imagination. The girl spent night after night awake just so that she can cater to his whims and fancies else, there might be hell to pay. And they said he was an eligible bachelor??? I wonder!! The girl fought back..... She's undergoing her divorce proceedings now. Her painful stay with him lasted for about 45 days..... Supported by her friends and family she now lives a life where she knows how to smile and enjoy!!
2. Check out this post by fellow blogger Cuckoo "Whose Gain, at What Cost - I"
3. Cuckoo again "Whose Gain, At What Cost - II"
4. Check out this link of domestic violence on women in India "Domestic Violence"
5. Sample this poem Aurat by Adi from Delhi . The bitter pill..... hard to swallow, but it must be taken!! Take it!!

In the end can someone defy this statement by a girl repenting the sad state of affairs for women in India:

"I guess, God is definitely male. That's why all the pleasures are for men, and the pains are for women."

The truth in this statement leaves me speechless........... Numb!!

Uncomfortably Numb!!

Excuse me!!

Meaningless!! yeah!! That's the only word I can think of when I think about all the racket being raised over the Richard Gere - Shilpa Shetty issue. I mean, India is a democratic country in it's proper sense, right? Or is it so only on paper?? And in reality is nothing but a cnation fullof self-righteous who have a holier-than-thou attitude towards others. According to them they knwo the Indian culture inside out and and would anything to protect it.

Excuse me!! But, is it Indian culture to remain locked in a time warp?? Is it the Indian culture to show intolerance towards minor religions?? Is it the Indian culture to demolish monumnets of religious importance as a mark of supremacy of one religion over the other and god knows what other reasons?? Is it the Indian culture to burn innocent lives to death?? Was it the Indian culture that caused the death of Graham Staines?? Is it the Indian culture to try and remove socio-economic disparity by introducing reservations on the stupidest of criterias??

If this is Indian culture or even part of it, then these factors are enough for me to denounce this culture. I'd rather be a person for whom culture seems to have no definition!! But, then I believe all these are not part of the Indian culture. They are rather dieases that ail our nation.

And frankly I believe, it's not upon the powers that be to guide this nation!! Nopes...... I consider them good for nothing!! Nah!! The NRIs mostly are doing no good....... I mean, there are a section who doing more than just their share..... but then can one end up compensation for 100?? It's humanly impossible!!

The responsiblity is with us............ the youth.......... each and every action worth condemnation should be condemned........ Vocally......... Express....... Write......... Follow the law......... Stop bending it for a change......... Want to stage a rally?? Do so by all means, but not by disrupting normal life (a la Bengal!!). I can write............ I've chosen that path........... I can talk, may be I'll take that up too.......... But then I will write, till I can think........ And you have to read it........... Gear up guys............ It's our country.......... Our life......... Our culture......... Our Society........ Our Inheritance......... It's upto us to keep it clean.. and remove the unwanted elements..... those which tarnish our very image...........

As I believe I heard in the movie "Rang De Basanti" - "If you believe something is wrong, then do something about it, shoulder your responsiblity...... Never sit back and talk!!" May be I've changed it as per my views..............

Silence is not the means!! Never was.. never will be................

The power is YOURS!!