Yeh Hai Amrika

This was my first trip to America after almost 12 years - during which I made multiple wonderful trips to Europe, visiting Spain, France, Portugal, the Nederlands, Italy, Switzerland, and the UK. For the first time in over a dozen earlier visits to America, I did get a chance to really get out into the country, away from the they-all-look-alike downtowns. From the majestic snow-clad Yosemite National Park, to the beautiful Pacific coast, and the vineries of Napa Valley, this trip was really about seeing a much more palatable America.

However, some things haven't changed at all. A profusion of fast food chains have only deepened the obesity crisis, and you have to actually see it to believe it. It's like a different species of humans altogether, and I guess 300 Kgs no longer gets eyeballs in the US. Pull over at highway stops, or walk through downtown looking for some grub, and all you can see are Pizza Huts, Taco Bells, McDonald's, Burger Kings and Starbucks. Yes, there are the odd restaurants, of course, but I'm a foodie, and after 8 days in the US, I have only ONE meal to reminisce about. I miss the street side cafes, the mom and pop ice cream stores, and the wonderful and varied cuisine that's an absolute delight no matter what restaurant you walk into in Europe.

The small talk continues. Whether the receptionist at the hotel, or the lady at the spa, and it's not just the weather that's fair game. Not that I mind it, but when you are on a 350 km drive back after a long day, sometimes you really don't want to listen to incessant, irrelevant chatter between the tour bus driver and everyone else on the bus! Europeans are a lot more reserved (expect the wonderful Spanish!), Indians have no respect for peace and quiet in public spaces, and the Chinese never ever talk to you, but the Americans - well, they are a different breed right? :)

The cops. Where are they, America? I mean, in a whole week in the States, I must have seen like 5 or 6 cop cars on the streets (and 2 of them pulled over where I was having pizza to grab some grub)! In contrast, especially in continental Europe, major cities look like they are at war with heavily armed soldiers and armored vehicles at every nook and corner. Aah, the luxury of being surrounded by oceans, and the freedom to lecture the world without having to face it yourself. Jealous!

Some things have definitely changed. I saw a lot more gloom and negativity all around. Dozens of homeless men in the streets, something I never noticed in the US a decade before (also very rampant in mainland Europe now). And the TV ads. OMG. Even on news channels like CNN, half the ads are from legal services, encouraging you to sue someone or the other, on some pretext or the other! And the other half are equally depressing - mortgages, insurance, old age care - at low cost. No energy, no smiles, nothing about living your life! Compare it to Indian television, and the contrast is so amazing!

The news channels are the same, though. So many petty discussions on Trump, a distinct shift from reporting real news and analysis, and instead, pandering to their biases. CNN, for one, desperately needs a revamp to stay relevant as a news channel - it's starting to feel more like a anti-Trump tabloid! And we are talking about the legally elected President of the world's oldest democracy, not a dictator in a 3rd world country!

A decade back, I used to gawk at the 10 lane highways, the fast cars, the subway systems and the infrastructure in general. But that's another thing that has changed. India has seen a dramatic change in its infrastructure, and roads like the Pune Mumbai expressway (not to mention the Yamuna Eway) can beat many US highways for surface quality. Yes, a lot more needs to be done about road discipline, and pollution and smog is a serious problem (so obvious when you come back to India!) that will take at least a decade to tackle. But we are getting there!

And maybe it's just in my mind, but I felt distinctly uncomfortable when white men asked me where I was from. Maybe it was the Trump effect. But I have never felt as insecure and unsafe as I did this time in the US. Now that's a trend that desperately needs to change.

It's Getting Scarier

CM AK is on a dharna today, defying Sec 144, exhorting the thousands of policemen deployed there to defy their bosses and join the agitation. Comimg from a person occupying a constitutional position, and the CM of the state of Delhi, how more dangerous can you be? Armed forces are meant to be the ultimate in discipline and respect of authority. What message are you passing on to them?

Is there really no end to this damn activism and vigilantism, this complete disregard for law and order and every constitutional authority? Do we really want the lawlessness of the central African states, the total anarchy that we see in unadministered Waziristan and Afghanistan, the civil wars that tear nations apart, in our own country, in the name of "aam aadmi rule"?

And all this for what? To force the Central government to suspend officers who refused to toe the Law Minister's line and enforce the writ of the "aam aadmi", subverting process and law?

Really?

Yes, we need a strong anti-corruption law, we need security and safety, we need honest policemen and efficient politicains. And we all sat up and applauded when the citizens of Delhi voted AK to power, delivering a strong message to the political parties that it was time for change.

But for god's sake, we DO NOT want a dictator who thinks he knows every thing, and every democratic institution, legal framework and constitutional authority in this country can go to the dogs!

Vigilante Justice?

Yet another set of disturbing incidents in Delhi - ministers and their aam aadmi supporters administering on-the-spot vigilante justice, demanding the police break down doors, arrest foreigners and make women undergo medical examinations - all at night, under "suspicion" of illegal activities, without warrants or credible proof, but based on suspicions and allegations of the "aam aadmi".

And now, the CM threatening to sit on a dharna demanding the suspension of officers who refused to toe the minister's line.

Coming close on the heels of the law minister publicly rubbishing the decision of the CBI court which had admonished and reprimanded him for trying to influence a witness, in his immediate past life as a lawyer, I am extremely concerned at the total disregard Kejriwal and his aam aadmis seem to have for the law, and all formal institutions that have served this democracy and prevented us from degenerating into chaos like every neighbour that surrounds us.

Yes, I want a secular, peaceful, and corruption-free India - but the thought of a rag tag motley crew of self-serving "aam aadmis", with a sickening sense of self-righteousness and contempt for everyone and everything else, is truly disturbing.

I am gonna vote this time for sure, just because I am scared shit at what this might be leading us to.

Scary Beginning - What Does It Mean for LS 2014?

The chinks are beginning to show - and not too small at that! The promises are beginning to sound like deceptions - and I start to wonder, are we also going to be used in a manner similar to how Anna was, before being discarded, once the motive is accomplished?

The photo op of travelling in metros and autos done, it's back to government vehicles for commute. Nothing wrong in that at all - just that it's not what was so grandly promised and demonstrated on day one. 2 five bedroom bungalows isn't exactly "aam aadmi accommodation" - again, nothing wrong in it, that's what ministers need. But then you promised not to go for it, right?

The policies seem even more worrying - waiving off power bills since March? At whose cost? And why?  Is this how you govern? By promoting anarchy?

Setting up a junta darbar on the road, needing to bring in the SSB to control the stampede, and then running away and taking cover behind the safe confines of the Secretariat - it would have been funny if it wasn't so depressingly immature. You really didn't expect this to happen? For someone who has the reins of the capital city, and aspires to lead the nation, this is the kind of vision, understanding, planning and maturity you exhibit?

But my real worry is regarding the core promise - action against corruption. Asking every citizen to be a "stinger" - what about the rule of law? Tomorrow, will we also have people's courts? Post the video on YouTube and Facebook, count the number of likes, and summarily sentence the "offender" via polls? Isn't that almost what the maoists do? Isn't this the kind of anarchy that's sweeping countries like Egypt, where it's all about "rule of the aam aadmi", haven't we seen where this leads the country to?

And by joining hands with the same "monster", have you compromised on your own morality and ethics? It's been a decent time now to kick off an investigation into CWG, and book Sheila Dikshit, right? But last I read in the papers, the ball had been firmly thrown in the BJP's court, suggesting that they should provide all the evidence against Sheila Dikshit before Arvind could act against her!

Meanwhile, the government goes after the aam aadmi himself, the small fry - some peon and clerk in the water department, some hawaldar in the police force! Really? And for that, we needed a countrywide movement? 

We really have high hopes from Anna and the anti-corruption movement. Sadly, in a very, very short time, the disappointment is setting in - and more worryingly, it's actually starting to look really very scary!

India is really looking forward - to growth, to resurgence in manufacturing and economic activity, to taking its place at the head of the table of world leaders. Modi may have his flaws, and the Congress may be corrupt. But let us not forget, they have the experience, the vision and the capabilities. I do not think a mass movement of disgruntled aam aadmis with a broom can really deliver this country of 1.2 billion people what it deserves and needs at this time!

India & The World This Week

A maid brings the two biggest democracies on the warring path. Baigiri takes on dimensions bigger than the fights with our Western and Eastern neighbours!

The aam aadmi votes for the second time in as many weeks... no, not on Bigg Boss Saath 7, but to convince Annaji's estranged jodidaar to take on the CM's job in Delhi. Heard the cat at the party whisper that the next vote is gonna be on whether we should be paying our electricity bills. Aam aadmi decides, you see! If you believe this rumour, send SMS YES, else SMS NO. Oh, and yes, standard rates apply, unless you vote to make this SMS free of charge!

The Indian babies and babas on the field hand a strong one back to the naysayers, the critics and the experts on the sidelines, who predicted their balls would be bounced off the field. 8 wickets away from a historic test win against SA in SA, for a die hard Indian cricket fan, times do look rosier than the cheeks of the flustered and embarrassed Proteas.

Or maybe they have been rattled with the sad demise of Madiba. So sad, in fact, that only mere handfuls turned up along the long, lonely 40 km ride from the airport to the final resting place of the SA leader, mindless of the TV commentators who were forced to ack the thousands of (invisible) mourning South Africans lining the streets! Those who did turn up were celebrating noisily and joyously the fact that Mandela had given them their freedom. True, that! But wasn't that years back? Wasn't this the time to shed a quiet tear for the departed soul? Or at least, pay your tribute in silence?

Back in India, the politicians showed a rare urgency and excitement in passing the Lokpal - while Annaji finally declared his agitation complete, his split from his protege final, and plans for the next big battle. We can now all rest in peace. Life is back to normal. Adarsh has been buried, Lalu is back out of jail and in a truck with the elated Congress, and the nation can now worry about much more serious issues like unnatural sex and salaries of the bais in firang consulates.

Political Cacophony

Times Now, Headlines Today, CNN IBN and NDTV - since morning, my daughter has been begging me to turn down the volume to keep the screaming and screeching anchors and politicians from invading our home.

The only welcome exception - Prannay Roy on NDTV. Dignified, gentle, incisive, and extremely effective.

After all these years - the magic of our first real current affairs commentator is unparalleled.

Exciting Days Ahead - Has Indian Politics Changed Forever?

It's been a very exciting Sunday so far... with results of the four state elections pouring in, the big question is, has Indian politics changed forever?

First, the stunning debut of Arvind Kejriwal and his AAP in Delhi - decimating the Congress and it's 4th time hopeful Sheila Dixit. Results are still coming in, but it is clear the Congress will get no more than 7-8 while the BJP seems to have managed to pull off a wafer thin lead over AAP, and is expected to win around 33-34, with AAP accounting for around 28-30. Stunning developments, given that AAP brings in a completely different angle to our political spectrum - fighting on an anti-corruption plank, being pan religion, pan caste and pan region. With AAP refusing to ally with Cong or BJP, Delhi might just get a hung assembly, with a follow up elections in 6 months - but the question is, will AAP be able to replicate its success in the rest of country?

The BJP has swept MP, Rajasthan and while it has been a see saw, looks like they will also bag Chhattisgarh, where the Congress was hoping to ride a major sympathy wave after its top state leadership was wiped out in a deadly Naxal attack a few months back.

The Congress is quick to point out that this failure shouldn't be attributed to Rahul Gandhi, while at the same time, they are pointing to why this isn't really a Modi wave, and that the country will vote very differently when it comes to the LS elections.

And while I have my doubts on AAP's ability to govern and make practical policies, to stay clean, one needs to stand up, salute, and support him! And like one of the esteemed panelists on one of the TV channels rightly pointed out, while Anna is part of history, Arvind is the future.

One thing is certain - with the youth of the country's capital rejecting caste and religion based politics, and voting for change, for a clean up, AAP's success will hopefully have a lasting impact on not just LS 2014, but in the decades to come - getting professionnals and clean politicians elected, and changing this country for the better. Much better.

Was Rahul Right?

As I write this blog, the news coming in on TV is that the Congress Working Committee has advised the government to withdraw the controversial ordinance providing protection to convicted politicians. While the nation is heaving a sigh of relief at the turn of events, a lot has been said and commented on about Rahul's role, and the style and manner in which it was done.

First of all, what's the ordinance all about? An ordinance is the route chosen by the government to push laws that haven't been ratified/passed by parliament - this is generally done when the government needs to take some emergency measures and does not have time to go to parliament with it. And what does this ordinance propose? It aims to protect convicted MPs, MLAs and MLCs from losing their seats automatically when convincted, in contravention to the ruling of the Supreme Court. And why the urgency? Primarily because Lalu Prasad's convinction in the fodder case is on the table, and the Supreme Court judgement would mean he would get immediately disqualified and barred from elections for a long, long time! While a bill to achieve this protection is already in parliament under discussion, the government chose to promulgate the ordinance because Lalu needed it in an emergency.

However, when the ordinance was sent to the President, he summoned ministers to ask for clarifications, instead of signing it. And then Rahul put the nail in the coffin going public in a press conference, calling it nonsense, and worthy of tearing it up and throwing it away.

Now most people criticize Rahul for the manner in which he opposed the ordinance. Why do this in public, instead of fighting it in the cabinet meetings? Why do it when the PM was abroad? Why shame the PM and the government? Why make it look like one person is bigger than the government?

And while a lot of this seems fair to ask, let me ask some questions. Can we be sure that Rahul did not question his "seniors" in the cabinet? Can we be sure that the alliance partners like the SP and NCP, which have already opposed withdrawing the ordinance, did not ignore him and instead threaten the government? Was Rahul's word maybe ignored in the cabinet meetings, leaving him with no choice but to go public?

Sometimes, the end justifies the means, and if there was ever any situation in which that applied, this is it!

For that, Rahul, you have my support!

State Of Affairs

Three big news dominating the newspapers today.

Modi formally got annointed as the BJP PM candidate for 2014, sidelining the original lohapurush and 85 year old patriarch of the party, LK Advani, and ensuring he will always be remembered as the wrong person at the wrong time. Will the senior leaders of the Modi-fied BJP now rally around him, or will folks like Sushma Swaraj continue the bickering and harm their party's prospects at the elections? Time will tell! But one thing is sure. Not in my lifetime has there been such a groundswell of support for one man - from the common man, to the industry honchos, everyone hopes and wants to see a strong administrator at the helm, and for that, they are willing to forgive him for the 2002 riots, which undoubtedly, have been a big blot on his career.

The Nirbhaya rapists and murderers were handed death sentences yesterday by the Saket fast-track court, to cheers and impromptu dances by the crowds gathered. With one accused dead in jail, and the juvenile sentenced to 3 years in detention, one hopes this swift trial and the justice handed out proves to be some deterrent in the escalating crimes against women in India. One should also praise the police and the judiciary for showing that when they want to, they can be really good and effective. From arresting the accused quickly to building a water tight case and then ensuring conviction, Delhi Police did an admirable job, when under pressure to deliver. A similar awesome performance also by Mumbai Police, who arrested the accused in the Shakti Mills case in a matter of hours. In a city like Mumbai with its teeming millions, with none of the hi tech infrastructure and crime fighting equipment that westerm police forces are flush with, hving to rely only on human intel and some smart policing, they definitely deserve an applause.

And finally, the BCCI handed out life bans and long sentences to the tainted RR cricketers. With the IOC also gunning for the corrupt officials of the IOA, one hopes a round of clean up of sports is just around the corner.

Truly, every cloud has a silver lining! Or is it the other way around?

Poster Boy Or Master?

"He will come back to us within 3-4 months". That's the voice of a master assuring the press that the poster boy of his team, who has just left, disgruntled, disillusioned and upset, will be back soon.

The twist?

The man making the statement is Kejriwal, and the "poster boy" here is Annji himself.

Role reversal? Or was this how it was always? A simple, true crusader played by a cunning and egoistic team who used him and then discarded him, and is now confident that he has no other option but to come back to their fold?

India had one big chance at ridding itself of corruption, and sadly, a handful of people have managed to hand the initiative back to the politicians!

Turning Point

With every successive elections, Indian democracy is showing its maturity and coming of age. No longer can politicians get away with doling out cash and booze on the eve of polls, no longer will corruption be accepted, no longer will the people vote for mandir or masjid, and if you do not deliver growth and development, you can get out.

Results in the 4 key states (ignore Pondicherry for now) of TN, Assam, Kerela and West Bengal, with around 150m people involved in the exercise throw up some exciting new developments for the country, which cannot be ignored.

The Left has been decimated in WB by Didi's Trinamul Congress, and though it rallied in Kerela under Hindu votes, is without power any where in the country now. After the washout in the LS elections, which was attributed by the politburo to Karat's stand on the US Nuclear deal rather than a popular vote against the Left itself, this defeat clearly signals the end of the Left, and with the sex appeal of the Marxists on a major downturn, it remains to be seen if the Left ever recovers from here. Karat will have tough questions to answer to, especially since the only little success they have had recently is in Kerela, which can only be attributed to VS Achutanand, who Karat wanted out. Although it is unclear whether anyone will care enough to want to hear his answers!

The DMK is in deep trouble too. While anti-incumbency has always played a role in TN, it is the huge margin and 5/6th majority Amma got in TN that makes the difference. The people have clearly been disgusted by the 2G scam, and last minute attempts by the DMK to buy out voters fell flat. Amma isn't known to be generous to her rivals, and with the Congress facing tough questions over its stand on corruption, it will now feel emboldened to take on Raja, Kanimozhi and others in the 2G scam, to give it some breathing space in next year's polls. This can only be very bad news for Kani and her band of scamsters.

Assam showed that anti-incumbency is not a rule. Tarun Gogoi's huge vistory and hat-trick shows that when local leaders are allowed to focus on development, it pays back handsomely. Tarun joins other stalwarts like Modi and Nishit, who have learnt to drop communal and populist agendas and instead focus on real growth and development, and have been heavily rewarded. The Congress would do well to learn from Tarun and encourage more such leaders.

The Congress would be unsure of which side they find themselves on after this election. Good news for them in West Bengal, where Didi has welcomed the Congress in the government, and her need as CM to have a helpful center will buffer them a bit against her demands. In TN, they suffered heavy collateral damage because of the DMK, but there is always a of tying up with Amma, and the DMK's loss definitely frees the Congress to take strong action and redeem itself in the 2G scam. In Kerela, they have managed to win albeit by a thin majority, with the Left rallying well primarily due to VS Achutanand's clean image. Assam is great news, but the loss in Pondicherry will be disappointing.

However, Rahul Gandhi's experiments of intra-party democracy and focus on youth, most forcefully implemented in Kerela have bombed miserably, with most of his hand-picked "Amul babies" losing convincingly at the polls. For a 125 year old party, I guess it's too early to change!

Oh, and yes, the Congress lost even the security deposit in the Andhra (Kadapa) LS by-election to YSR's son Jagan Reddy who contested as a rebel and won by a margin of almost 6 lakh votes, and while one can attribute this to sympathy and dismiss it as a one-off, Jagan's next steps and rise in Andhra can be pretty scary for the Congress, which has a substantial number of MPs from Andhra at the center.

And finally, the BJP. The BJP who? In a 5 state election with over 150m voters involved, the BJP did not even have a shadow of relevance. Desperate times for the party, which finds itself increasingly ditched by its allies (now down to barely 5 from a one-time 22 in the NDA), irrelevant to voters, leaderless, and without an agenda except maybe the "sensational" piss-in-panipuri episodes in Thane!

With the Left front no longer viable, the BJP toothless, and the possibilities of a Third front becoming increasingly remote, the future elections are expected to be about the Congress, how it takes on regional parties, and the coalition it can cobble together at the center.

Irrespective of how the landscape changes from here on, corruption and populism has lost, development and sincerity has won, and Indian democracy comes through yet another election, a shining example to the rest of the world. Especially when in contrast to the mess around our boundaries!

Democracy?

A few months back, the world looked on amazed as the power of a people's movement brought down the powerful Mubarak regime. Just a few days later, Libya erupted against Gadhaffi, and it seemed the rebels would overthrow the dictator in a matter of days, even as Nato brought in its jets to shoulder whatever hardware the regime could use against the civilians. Iran, Bahrain, Tunisia, Syria, Oman, even China seemed to be caught up in the "Internet driven democratic movement".


But reality is now hitting back. Egypt recently saw protestors back in Tahrir Square, this time protesting against the same "heroic" army they were counting on as their country's saviour a few months back. Gadhaffi is still bombing his civilians, killing them when the misguided Nato bombs don't. Democracy is still possible only in a parallel virtual reality, whose time has not yet come in this world.

Indian democracy seems to only get stronger, day by day, though. Anna brought the powerful political class to its knees through a simple Satyagraha that found tremendous support from an usually vocal and concerned urban middle class, that is waking up to its responsibilities.   The Lokpal might be the beginning of a serious crackdown on corruption, and Raja, Kalmadi and their cronies will not be breathing easy for a long time. Terrorism has failed to achieve any of its goals, and recent elections in Kashmir, and the way life has moved on in cities like Mumbai and Pune show that bombs can kill the body, but never the spirit and soul of this nation.

Indians need to be proud of themselves. Self-sufficient villages, powerful castes and joint families decide how the country governs itself, not an all-powerful political class, and therein lies the true essence of our successful democracy!

Peace Prevails

Back in late September, I had written this post on the taxing times ahead for the security forces with the Mumbai visarjan, CWG and the Ayodhya verdict coming up in quick succession, providing our misguided friends from across the borders (and many from within!) the perfect platform for a grand attack aimed at destabilization and chaos. Frankly, even the die-hard optimist in me was apprehensive of trouble, and the hope was that it would be contained locally, and damage limited.

I do not think anyone truly believed it would all pass by so peacefully, with not a single incident reported from any where - in either of the three events.

A truly remarkable feat by our security forces, something that deserves a huge round of applause and gratitude.

The Audits Begin

The games have ended, and the world's athletes and media have admitted, sometimes grudgingly, that this was a spectacular example of the great Indian wedding... chaos in the run-up, but it all comes together beautifully in the end. The CWG was a turning point for India's social psyche, coming closely on the heels of the Ayodhya verdict - two events that clearly heralded the emergence of new Indian thinking - intolerance of politics of division in the name of religion, and a belief in  ourselves and our ability to conquer new frontiers.

This is also a golden opportunity for the country to undergo another long overdue makeover and grow an intense aversion and intolerance to corruption. The PM has already ordered an all-encompassing investigation into the money laundering and kickbacks, led by  the CAG with all agencies from the CBI to the ED working together in tandem. Here's hoping that all muck will be cleared in a transparent and just fashion under our legal frameworks, and that the Indian common man will also deliver his own punishment to the guilty at the next hustings.

Kalmadi

All said and done, I think Kalmadi deserves a standing round of applause - he pulled off the impossible. Yes, the accounts should be audited and some wrongs need to be righted - but at the end of the day, it's the results that matter, and for that, Kalmadi and his team gets a 10 on 10.

Beijing or Delhi?

I keep hearing about Mumbai needing to be like Shanghai, and Delhi needing to better Beijing.

No, I don't want to live in Beijing or Shanghai. I don't want my shanty towns razed by bulldozers overnight to show the world how clean the city around our stadiums are. I don't want our armored tanks to come and crush me and my friends when we want to protest against our government. I don't want to have to worry about whether the government is reading my blog.

I want to go to bed each night knowing I am free.

I want to be Indian. I do not want to be Chinese. Please don't wish that for me!

80-20

The 80-20 rule applies every where. That is why, in a city like Mumbai, you will find a lot of litter on the streets - 20% of the population is a large number in Mumbai, compared to your favourite American city, and when they litter, the result shows. 20% of corrupt officers or politicians are more than enough to give a bad name to the whole creed. That is why, as your company grows, you find more non-performers on your team.

So, stop fretting about those 20%. You have no choice.

Getting Off Facebook

Been thinking of getting off Facebook for quite some time now... after having gone off Orkut and Twitter. I will tell you why. First, Facebook has too many people, everyone sending you friendship requests, which are difficult to avoid, unless you are ruthless abour hurting people. Secondly, more disturbingly, most of the updates people post nowadays are completely irrelevant to the world, or, obviously fishing for compliments. Worse, the world quickly responds with compliments and "likes". And so on to the next update. Are you sharing your life, your feelings, or are you creating an online persona aimed to please? And then there is the deluge of "must see" videos, or endless Farmville updates.

So, while I wil retain my profile for some more time, just like my Orkut and Twitter profiles are still around, Facebook too is getting the boot.

India - A New Age

As the CWG enters its second half, Indian sports too is entering a new age. While maintaining its dominance in sports like wrestling, archery and (unlikely for a poor country) shooting, Indian athletes are also providing reason for cheer in hitherto weak disciplines like swimming and gymnastics. Credit goes to all the individual sports federations and governing bodies who are working hard to grow our capabilities in these areas. In a country crazy for cricket, another heartening fact is that these successes are coming from those countless small towns and villages dotting the country, not just from the swanky metros. Undoubtedly, the road to Olympic glory passes through our heartland.

Most youngsters today might not get what the big hullaboo is all about, but anyone who grew up in the 80s and early 90s will understand. As a kid, the only shot to sporting glory was when India had its rare cricket victory - when we were not losing to Pakistan, whether it was due to the Sharjah effect, or Miandad's last ball six. That was before a young captain named Saurav Ganguly decided enough was enough. Before Vish redefined the equation Chess = Karpov + Kasparov. Before an excited Paes partnered with Bhupathi, before names like Sania and Saina brought cheers to the Indian fan.

Just as I write this, a 16 year old Ranchi girl hits three consecutive bulls eyes to win an Archery gold against her more sophisticated English opponent, while another small towner wins his wrestling encounter in a record 5 seconds.

Indian IT has so far enabled businesses and governments around the world, but now is creating opportunities within too. The Aadhar (UID) project is creating opportunities for the millions of India's rural poor. DRDO is working on our own OS (Operating System) to prevent hack attacks, while pushing dozens of indigineous satellites into space to keep a watch on our not-so-friendly neighbours, and providing the eyes and ears for our defensive missile batteries.

And while all this is happening, tax rates are going down!

New India

Somewhere in rural Maharashtra, far away from the hustle and bustle of the cities, a new India quietly emerges...