Corruption - could this be India's 'Arab Spring'

Anna Hazare, the daring 74 year old social activist's anti-corruption crusade is gathering momentum and is now one of the biggest uprisings in decades for the ruling Congress party. If the situation is not contained does the country risk sparking India's 'Arab Spring' ?

Hazare has become a 21st century Mahatma Gandhi, inspiring millions of people who are fed up with rampant corruption, red tape, inadequate services and no safe resort or respite against politicians, law and order, unruly gangsters who are in cahoots with the law and politicians both, all of which is watched and reviled by an aggresive private media freed by technology's open gates of information sharing. Strangely, all this exists despite India showing near-double digit economic growth over almost a decade.

Hazare's arrest was the last straw. People of every creed, class and economic status raised a united voice, one of solidarity. In recent years a growing, more prosperous middle class is finding ways to exert more influence.

India's huge rural population, sidelined but subsidised are also running out of patience, gathering up their frustrations to brave the curse of endemic graft.

Indian Spring or not, Indians will prevail and bring about a sea change in much of the nation, more so in Indian politics.

KASHMIR

The so-called Kashmir problem came into being almost with the independence of the country. Through 64 years have passed, the problem still remain unsolved. Kashmir still remains the most important source of friction between India and Pakistan.

The British withdrew from India on 15th august, 1947. The princely Indian states were given the option either to (a) accede to India; (b) accede to Pakistan (c) become independent. No serious difficulties arose in the case of the other states. But the position of the Kashmir is unique. It is contiguous both with India and Pakistan, so it could accede to either of them. Both desired it, for the state is not only a ‘heaven upon earth’, it is so far reaching significance from the military point of view. While it was ruled by a Hindu Maharaja, its population was predominantly Muslim. In this fact, lay the real problem, Pakistan claimed it as its own, for it has a predominantly Muslim population.

The Hindu Maharaja was still hesitating whether to join India or Pakistan, when Pakistan encouraged her-war like tribes to enter the state. They were supported by regular Pakistan army. Having no other option left to him, the Maharaja acceded to India and urgently requested for help. The accession was endorsed by the popularly elected constituent Assembly of Kashmir. Indian armies were flown over to Srinagar immediately, and the invaders were pushed out of the Kashmir valley. They could not be thrown out of the rest of the state territory, for to do so would have meant bombing of military bases in Pakistan. As India wanted to avoid an all out war, it complained to the Security Council against Pakistan. A cease-fire was declared immediately, as a result of which Pakistan remained and still remains, in illegal possession of a part of the state which is called “Azad Kashmir” by Pakistan.

The U.N.O. then made various efforts to settle the dispute peacefully. The true facts thus came to light, and Pakistan was accepted by both the countries. The resolution provided that (1) Pakistan would withdraw all its forces from the state. (2) That the Azad Kashmir government and its forces would be disbanded, and (3) when conditions permit, India too, would gradually withdraw her forces. Time passed, but Pakistan did not withdraw her forces nor did it disband the Azad Kashmir Government. Every year it complained to the U.N.O. that was India was oppressing the Kashmir Muslims and the Islam was in danger. On countries occasions, she was guilty of violations of the cease-fire line. Power polities of the big powers also came in the way of a just solution of this dispute.

The rules of Pakistan took to the war path. When the U.S.A. did not encourage them in their war-like actions, they turned to China for help. Encouraged by China, they sent infiltrators into Kashmir in Sep., 1965. This led to an all out war between India and Pakistan. The Pakistan army was badly defeated and its armory destroyed. However, late Mr. Shastri’s statesmanship enables the two countries agreed not to use force, but to solve the Kashmir problem by peaceful means.

The position at the present is that the armies of the two countries still confront each other along the cease-fire line. While Pakistan continues to demand Kashmir, India declares that the only problem is that the aggressor should be asked to vacate. Both countries are spending huge amount over their armies in Kashmir. No solution of the problem seems to be in sight in the near future. The relations of the two countries continue to be bitter and hostile. Even the crushing defeat suffered by Pakistan in the Indo-Pakistan war of Dec. 1971, has fail to make that country see reason. Efforts were made through the Shimla Agreement to normalize relation with Pakistan, but not too much avail.

In more recent times, there has been considerable deterioration in the situation in Kashmir. The Pakistan trained subversives have infiltrated into the valley in large numbers. One slogan, “Independent Kashmir” has been used to misguide the people. Pakistan has tried its best to politicize the problem and win international support for its point of view. It seems that the two countries were on the very brink of war. However, good sense prevailed and the danger of war receded. But violence still continues, life in the state is still insecure and thousands have migrated from the valley into Jammu, Delhi and other parts of the country. Kashmir problem is the most serious problem that India faces today.

Welcome Speech for Fresher’s day

Good Evening Friends,

I am Siddharth – student of BBM, second year.

When I was climbing up the stairs to this podium, my friends asked me to speak something really motivating. Friends, I find no motivating words for you.

To give my speech a Bollywood touch, “teen saal, teen saal hain tumhare paas, shyed tumhare zindagi ke sab se khaas teen saal”. But I won’t really say that...  (I am bad at mimicking, I know!)

Even if I say that, I won’t be entirely wrong – these three years are the deciding three years of your life. This is a new start, a beginning to something new.

These three years give us an opportunity to become someone we never were … for perhaps we can never be... but at least we can try to.

We all have with us, our set of dreams, this is the time to let free and chase your dream... not forgetting our core mission – studies!

We are in this college, primarily to study, and this mainly forms the base of whatever we do. None the less, explore yourself, extend your limits, challenge your capabilities… take part in as many activities you can, meet as many people you can… express yourself... spread your wings of freedom. But in this endeavor, be responsible, don’t loose your track, remain the kind of person, your friends wish you to be.

I wish you happy 3 years, 3 deciding years of your life... wishing you luck with your dreams...work hard and live your dreams!! Have fun.

And ya… as an elder brother... On behalf of the entire Alliance Family, I welcome you all to the family.

Thank You.

Watch my latest film!(Railway Station)

The life of an Indian Cricket fan

There are fans and there are fans. Everywhere the Indian cricket team goes, they are followed by the full range of fans – from Heckler to Hero-Worshipper.

It takes a cricketer of great equanimity to understand this and at the other end, a fan of a patience, greater than the contemporary attention-span, to stay loyal to the team in what must be India’s worst performance in a decade.

Cricket in England is watched with often a respectful silence that helps umpires hear snicks and cricketers hear jokes cracked at their expense. Just after losing the second Test, particularly, one 'fan' in Northampton took it upon himself to pursue Praveen Kumar around the field and call names. Stewards moved the man away from the stand where Praveen was fielding and he strolled around the largely open ground and found his way back to wherever the fielder was to be seen on the boundary line. The man then returned after the game, as the players were leaving the ground and getting into the team bus. He leapt up to hammer on Praveen's window and continued shouting abuse at the cricketer. At one stage Praveen decided to confront the man, and had just got off the bus before he was hauled back inside by the team's security guard and Suresh Raina. According to one member of the touring party Praveen, “did not get to within 15 feet of the guy.” There were other versions of this story whirring around the internet, yet no photograph of the incident could be found. 

What has remained consistent throughout England is that fans have turned up everywhere the Indians have; tickets have been sold out for all the first four days of the three Tests as well most of India's two-day game, fans travelling from outside the county and some from outside the United Kingdom itself. Some sections of the crowd may hurl abuse particularly when strengthened by alcohol, others silently fret over the cost of their now not-so-happy holidays while the rest continue to dream of the turnaround. “What is the matter with them?” they will ask each other. “Why aren't they fighting?” Long after the Indians had left Edgbaston, a group of more-than-tipsy Indians remained in the ground, tunelessly singing schmaltzy film songs (“Yeh dosti” from the Bollywood film Sholay) and drowning their sorrows. It is a painful double life: Indians living in England don't want their bosses mocking them about the cricket: “Don't they know how we feel?”

The morning after the Test ended quicker than Lord's and Trent Bridge (is that a portent for The Oval?), a young man waited outside the team hotel. He was seen standing outside the Marriott when the players left and when they returned, he was still there - just a short distance away from main porch of the hotel for three straight days, doing nothing, just standing around the stone steps. He waited for players to step out of the hotel. Whenever they did, they were greeted with respect, words of commiseration and a handshake and then asked to sign an autograph book or a photograph. Every exchange would not have lasted longer than a few minutes and still the young man, a student of international business management, he said, waited for the next one. It is an inexplicable allure, detached from the humdrum reality of the fan's own life or the Indian cricket team's fish bowl. Yet it is very much a part of it.

The Advantages of Social Networking

It's great to have friends but you have to admit that there are certain interests you or they have, which neither is not interested in. When this happens, it is time to expand our circle and that is just one of the advantages of social networking.
Social networking enables people who share the same interests to hang out together and this simply means that you are able to make new friends. If for example you are interested in basketball, no one there will get tired of talking about the players or the game which occurred last night or several years ago.
Since most social networking is done over the web, you get to meet individuals from other countries and learn about their culture. How many people do you know keep in touch with someone across the Atlantic or the Pacific? Given that you share something in common, you get to communicate with that person regularly that is very similar to hooking up with your friends after work or school.
From a business point of view, the first two advantages of social networking enable you to meet new clients and expand your business because most of these sites allow you to customize your webpage and provide links to your personal website.
Just to give you a few examples, there is Multiply, MySpace, Friendster, FaceBook and Classmates. With so many around, you won't have a hard time looking for a social network that you like. You can even post ads here so you can inform other members of an event that you are hosting.
The best part about becoming a member of a social network is that majority of these is free. This means that you don't have to pay any fees. All you have to do is sign up by filling up the form and then activating the link when this is sent to you via email. Now that you are a member, you can invite other friends to join and look at other profiles.
The advantages of social networking will allow you to make new friends, promote your business and best of all, won't cost you a thing. But there are some social networking sites that will require you to pay a fee. Before you sign up, consider if this value for your money.
Will social networking sites ever replace meeting people in social events and other gatherings? Of course not because all this medium does is give you more exposure. It allows you to put your best qualities out there especially when first impressions last.
When you join a social networking site, never post any private information about yourself unless you are ready to have people get in touch with you. You shouldn't also put anything embarrassing about yourself because some people have been denied employment because of the information posted.
If there are "privacy" settings in your social networking site, you are advised to use it so you can control who has access to your personal information.
A lot of experts say that social networking is here to stay so we have to take advantage of it. When you do join a social networking site, keep an open and see if this is exactly what you wanted. If not, cancel your account until you find the one that you like.

Ooty Trip with Friends

The latest destination I visited was Ooty. Ooty is a hill station in South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, nearly 270 kms. from Bangalore. It is a heaven place full of greenery & beauty of nature. It was a pleasant season in the months of August, which turns a little chilly as you move to altitudes. It shows the beauty of the forests, tea gardens on the hills as it takes you through them at a slow pace.

We stayed at a resort in the outskirts & not in the city as it makes you come more closer to the nature. Our resort was beautifully placed on the steps of a hill which showed the tea cultivation around. As you enter the balcony, you can really get swayed away by the beauty of the climate & nature around. The places to visit are Botanical garden, a zoological park & a water park 'Black Thunder' as your retreat from the hills.

Its fun to be in Ooty!

By - Siddhu

My College (ASM)

After considerable research I found that "Alliance School of Management" stood out amongst the colleges I had short-listed.

I can confidently say that the college has exceeded my expectations. The friendly people and the exciting social life have left me spellbound. The college played its part by assisting me every step of the way in finding a place to stay.

Right from the Meet and Greet service to arranging various industrial trips , the college has done everything possible to help students like myself feel at home.

Siddharth

Degree: BBM

Show Dravid Some Respect

It's been two long years since Dravid's last ODI and a lot seems to have changed. Team India has achieved heights that it hadn't seen hitherto, including the World Cup triumph. But nothing seems to have changed for Dravid. Once again, the young Indian batsmen have failed the test of bounce and swing in England, and selectors have gone back to Dravid. It's beyond doubt that he'll score runs. But I wonder if he'll be treated differently this time. Or would he be used and dumped again?

Dravid has given his heart and soul to Indian cricket; it's about time that we give him the respect he deserves. We can do at least this much for him.

'MSD will lose respect if he doesn't perform'

Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni will need to play well in order to keep respect that he commands from his teammates intact.

I feels that a captain do himself a world of good if he addresses his batting and wicketkeeping problems at the earliest for his team's sake.

The moment the captain's performance starts to fall down, that's when he starts losing command and respect in the dressing room and that's where he needs to look at not just his batting but also his keeping.

Dhoni's poor captaincy, shoddy glovework and atrocious batting has been one of the primary reason for India's disastrous show during the first two Test matches.

Dhoni has so far scored 49 runs in the four innings so far with a highest score of 28 and an average of 12.50.

The worst part has been his keeping as on innumerable occasions he has failed to cleanly gather regulation balls.

Exam Stress

Learning something in general and studying for an exam are two very different things.
When you study for an exam, the goal is generally to pass the exam - not to master the subject. Thus, to path of least resistance is to pick the brain of the professor, tailor your answers to his expectations, and cram all the necessary info into your short term memory.
Such an approach will ensure you pass the exam, but it won't help you retain much useful information in the long term. A big part of exam stress is caused by confusing the long term goal (mastering the subject) and the short term goal (passing the exam) - clarify your priorities.
To reduce exam stress, relax as much as you can before studying (both physically and mentally). Your goal is too run as much data through your brain as you possibly can. Your subconscious mind is better at retaining mass amount of data - put it to work. In the long term conscious understanding converts data into information, but in the short term questioning unclarities and inaccuracies might interfere with presenting your knowledge to others in the form it is expected of you.
The key to handling exam stress is to understand the process, do all you can, and not worry or even care too much. Stressing out reduces your mental capabilities and is counter-productive - be confident in your abilities.