Whenever, the narrative about development is written it is always the rural poor which is focused upon.  The narrative often forgets that there is something as the urban poor which live in the flavellas of Rio to the slums of Dharavi. Slums in global megapolis’es are the economic engines of those regions. These are the areas which serve us. The domestic staff, factory labor and the minimum wage staff all live in urban shanty town’s. The inner cities are the heart of our cities really. Social Enterprises (or simply SE from now on in the article) mostly cater to the rural folks in selling artisan products or bringing skills training. Or the success story of Microfinance in Bangladesh brings credence to the story in circulation. Grameen and BRAC are both case studies in their own right because of their spectacular success. Microfinance is unique not only to the rural poor but also to the urban poor as credit access is limited by lack of identity proof and hence there is no question of credit history in this regard.  Singapore based  Microfinance SE Milaap is reaching poor urban communities in southern India in their quest for better life for the borrowers.

We can see in a Singaporean context that SE’s or Social Enterprises in short can fill up a niche, which is hard to bridge either by corporate s or by the Government. Old School is an educational SE that serves people who dropped out of formal public education early on. Or a World Toilet Organization which spreads the ‘good word’ about sanitation across developing countries globally. In Mumbai, India Ambulance 1298 is providing emergency access to ambulances during the ‘golden hour’, which saves lives. Embrace, a Stanford D School based SE is providing affordable non power based incubators for infants. In the developing world, power cuts are the norm rather than the exception even in urban spaces. As the world is getting more urbanized with China already crossing the psychological threshold of more residents in cities than in the rural areas, SE’s are the way ahead in building sustainable communities, one at a time complimenting local civic governments.

Dear Friend

Its Valentines day yet again!! This is one day that single guys like me post status messages, especially funny ones to heal the   burden of being, well what else but the fact of being single! Its almost been ages for me on this planet, observing the festival of love being celebrated in three different culturally distinctive regions of Asia. From the conservative to the liberal, call it globalization, neo-liberalization or Americanization; V Day is a global metaphor for celebrating the emotion of love, of being wanted, the irresistible feeling of being cherished and to cherish someone special. Whether it is  youth of Meerut (Or any other Tier 3 town) in India calling it ‘Pyaar ka Teohar’ or the festival of love, this day has evolved in to a life of its own divorcing itself from the traditional religious baggage.

Films such as Pyaar Ka Panchnama show the frailties of being in a relationship and all the emotional complexities that a young guy in a relationship goes through.  It is true to a large extent that relationships are hard to maintain. It is a work in progress and takes effort. But if two souls are willing to create magic then the magic is certainly present. And as always the best relationship advice comes from a friend who is perennialy single 🙂 Relationships have power dynamics but start off with the chemistry which is ethereal and magical. Lets celebrate the magic once again on this day.

This is one day where either we feel the sense of relief that our wallets are not being lightened or we want to feel that moment, which is truly priceless, even if the credit card statement for the next month is going to give one a bad financial hangover. Card Shops, Eateries and Coffee Chains make a killing on this day. Cannot find a decent place in a restaurant this evening for sure as love soaked birds would be sharing a wonderful time together. Well this makes me feel even better 😦

The World requires more days of Love, or celebrating, acknowledging the sanctity of love than strife and conflict. How many days in our globalized calender do we remember which glorifies strife. Media channelized new content is predominantly bad news, or gossip which is meaningless. How many days of our lives do we consciously  make a effort to demonstrate an act of kindness. This day is filled with symbolism, and symbolism is per say not bad if the essence behind the razzmatazz and hype is worth it.  Every day is worth living and loving to the full, every second of it. This is what creates the energy to live in the darkness around us. We need nodes like V Day in our lives, to channelize the emotion of love and bring the heart back in the mind-space instead of dry rationality that envelops us.

Most of my V Days since the past few years, are spent at School (Grad School) doing assignments, readings, meetings. In short its a normal day, very normal.  But the buzz around is special, that what makes it a special day. This year too will be no different, as my sing my favorite Adnan Sami Track – Kabhi To Nazr Milao to glory over Green Tea!

Have a Great V Day Friend, even if you are in a relationship with some one, or in a relationship with life itself, such as me:)

How can you know my madness till you become mad with me ?

With Love

Change Thinker

A few days ago while exchanging pleasantries with a friend of mine on Twitter, i had ‘favorited’ his post, and bang the reply came that i had extended the nation of the virtual like from Facebook on to Twitter. Yes, i was taken aback with the extent that Facebook-ization has enveloped my life and the legion of social media addicts. We engage with friends, acquaintances and online pals on a regular basis, and have translated one to one human interaction on the language on online space. The vocabulary of online interactions has exponentially increased certainly, with a dis-like button on You Tube, to express dissatisfaction. May be a kiss (with Valentine’s Day around the corner) and a slap is on the way (a very needed button indeed), with the ‘poke’ already around. We can like a comment, and now a like, does not really mean that we have to like, like it but it is just an acknowledgement that the comment has been well, acknowledged, received and read.

Social Media has about a billion users around the planet, with local languages expanding the reach further. This is changing how we interact in a highly connected, but disconnected generation. We might not know our next door neighbor very well in person, but we chat on Google Talk everyday saying Hi or Salaam. Has our quality of interaction bettered over the years? Or are we doing social media because some friends are on it.  We are chronicling our lives online, every event is being recorded in pictures, tag in to a place or simply status updates. The Cool Factor is certainly contributing to the buzz. We feel good at the end of the day when we get a like or a comment, and even better a meaning one on our thoughts that we have shared. This can even be a conversation initiator in the real world, the next time when we catch up with a friend.

I get to read some of the most amazing stuff posted by my friends on Facebook and Twitter and also the equally absurd content.  We the ‘Like’ -o-philic generation, we get to like stuff miles away from the actual event, share some insanely creative stuff.  Technology is like a kitchen knife, it can cut veggies as well as can be applied to heinous ends. It is the values which matter behind the technology and not the technology itself. Facebook is well on its way to create a lot of wealth for its shareholders through its IPO, well, thats something to ‘like’ about!

I was horrified today morning  by watching an emotionally soaked ad of Vedanta on an Indian News Channel, talking about the rhetoric of development. This is the same organization that has run in to controversy with the tribals in Orissa state in India over mining leases. This has even lead to protests by tribals. Similarly, savvy corporate communication strategists wean over any bad publicity by conning the general public with elegant media campaigns. Corporates have green washed their way through by tying up with non profits in exchange for some loose change in the form of grants. Academics are not untouched too. The Climate Change skepticism is fueled by the lobbies in America, fund research to discredit Climate Change such as the Koch Brothers. Climate Change is a meta phenomena which impacts poor, vulnerable communities from the Maldives to Tuvalu every single day. Media is also driven by advertising moolah, its role is implicit in the contamination of the narrative.

Green washing can help only so far. Sincere efforts are around, but they are few and far in between. The lust for money can lead to intellectual infidelity and professional devaluation. This is not un-natural as there are families to feed and bills to pay, but in such circumstances the moral and ethical entrepreneurs of our society have to brought to audit as well.  Think Tanks and Global NGO’s are driven by vested interests. Capitalist fodder drives them. The developmental narrative is hence not immune too.  Corporate Social Responsibility has a strategic social risk management value, and shared value can indeed be created, but the soul of development seems to be eroded. The MBA-ization of the development sector is impertetive but how much of the donor dollar is actually reaching the intended recipient is a different issue altogether. It seems, that neoliberal agenda rebrands its old wine in new skin every generation, the spirit of capitalism should be relived in its original avatar.

I have been an expat most of my life and have come across many from the sub-continent over the years who come to a phoren country to work or study with dreams in their eyes and hope in their breath. Many of them take student loans, mortgage property and valuables and then come overseas in the hope of a better future. Firstly, many anticipate a land of milk and honey which turn into the despair and misery for millions. Dreams crushed to rubble. Most are scared to go back as they will have to confront failure, condemnation and social shame. Students are economic migrants too but they come to a foreign country early in life to study and to make their career. They are focused on creating value for oneself and their family. Not all succeed in reaching the peak and create success stories to be recited in local village schools but at-least are able to garner a better life financially.

People become immigrants because they do not find the right platform, jobs or opportunities to shine in their own backyard. No one migrates out of pleasure as changes and struggles are enormous. States in India such as Punjab and Kerala specialize in migrant workforces, although many a time social bullying plays a substantial role in triggering the desire to go overseas. The ‘catching up with the jones’es’ is a major driver. In short its greed and desperation that are the catalysts. migrant labor are the underbelly of globalization and the veins of global capitalism. From Chinese traders in Guyana to Nigerian folks in Guangzhou, world has indeed come full circle.  Illegal human trafficking is the dark side of  this pathetic human story. Overseas workers are underpaid and exploited everyday in sweatshops and construction sites across the globe.  For one success story there are countless many, who did not make it….

It is indeed time that we re-assess the need of migrating overseas vis-a-vis staying at home to crave a future, sometimes there is sadly none to fall back upon…..

I am an engineer, an environmental engineer and more than half the time i have the dubious honor what is exactly the domain as an electrical or mechanical engineering is more mainstream. It is usually confused with environmental or life sciences and its identity is usually muddled up with chemical and civil engineering. In lay man’s terminology it is related to pollution control and conserving nature via tech solutioneering. Recently a colleague, mentioned that it is not a high paying job, yes its operational jobs are paid as low as senior technicians and most of the day it is with government agencies, and consulting offers saves the day for many of my fraternity financially. Environmental researchers are saving the world metaphorically, but the job opportunities are few and far in between. Prior to Environmental Engineering and NUS, I majored in Industrial Biotechnology in my undergrad in Oman, a hotpotch semi science, semi engineering degree that is a good for nothing degree apart from being a good launch pad for a  research career in the life sciences as it had a broad based curriculum ranging from chemical engineering to cell biology.  I wrote all my undergrad research papers and publications in technology policy and business as my wandering mind was never satiated with science.  I am an accidental engineer at best, as a good Indian boy I was fulfilling my mother’s desire to have an engineer son!

In retrospect, I was’nt a miserable engineer as I knew my stuff. I undermined my technical abilities considerably. I loved bioprocess engineering and molecular biology during my undergrad, and air pollution control and risk assessment during my masters. My passion for public policy made apply for my second masters in sociology and here at NTU i work on the social elements of an exciting infrastructure project.  Politics, History, Society have been hobbies which i plan to convert to a career via writing, teaching and consulting. Academic transitions have been emotionally brutal and my present endevour in sociology is a labor of love, as I do not have the academic skills of a sociology major but I can definitely see the applications of the theoretical grounding in real life incidents, having had a diverse academic canvas.

I share the sentiment of Prof. Tommy Koh, the Ambassador at Large of the Singaporean Foreign Ministry and senior academic that right opportunities opened up at the right time even if I am not a straight A student, which certainly I am not. I am only an intellectual explorer, (not an academic fanatic), in search of new frontiers to create synergistic value, and trying to be of some good to the community around me rather than going away with warming the pews of the Church of life, which would be quite sad. I do not know which direction i am heading next professionally but I do expect a fascinating journey ahead. The end might not be as productive as the journey, but is productivity everything in life?   naah ….

Wishing all readers a very Blessed 2012! I had my year end annual vacation with a trip back home to Muscat, Oman recently where I have lived for a significant part of my life. Muscat, is serene, beautiful Arab City with the laid-back charm ideal for a family life. Gross National Happiness indicators for Oman must be really high!  Meeting old friends, teachers and Church folks along with going to my favorite places in Muscat, having the best of food, at home and at restaurants was the best stress buster i needed from academics. The Old Muscat Shiva Temple, Marina Bandar, Shatti Beach, the buzzing Ruwi area never fail to rock my socks! I realized one important lesson from this trip, time is precious and we spend too much of time planning on the future rather than relishing and savoring the moment that we live in today.  The Bollywood film Zindagi Milegi Na Dobara exemplifies it, and i completely agree that in order to achieve our goals for the future we abdicate the present. Hrithik  Roshan’s character in the film is a financial broker who has had a tough childhood and he prizes money more than anything else, even to the extent of losing his girlfriend. There is certainly a grave importance for future planning but fanatical zeal for reaching the top and losing everything else is not worth it simply. You do not take your bank balance to the grave, we remember the fulfilling moment when we die or are sick. The character of Gopal in Chetan Bhagat’s Revolution 2020, is a boy who failed to be an engineer but went on to be a engineering college owner, just to prove to his object of affection, that he is ‘Big’ in front of her IITan idealistic Boyfriend. But he ultimately loses her as succumbs to temporary lusts.

In the pursuance of the Rat Race called Life, we lose our sanity, health and basic peace. Most of the time we are catching up with the IIT-IIM passout neighborhood school topper, who is horrible looking but is dating the prettiest girl . This rat race burns us out. Its about priorities ultimately. Competition is good, predatory competition is cruel. Its time that we be ourself, listen to our hearts instead of the ‘aunties’ yapping about their child’s 20 lac annual package or their swanky new car. Its the time now to live a meaningful life for us and the community at large, and start with a ‘me’.

 

 

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 1,900 times in 2011. If it were a cable car, it would take about 32 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

Agriculture, seems to be the most neglected sector in India. It employs millions, its the largest employer formally and informally and is the bedrock of the ‘social economy’ of our nation. Civilization wise, India has been a grain basket-self sufficient in food grains ever since the green revolution ofcourse with some help from USAID. In recent years, agriculture is the sick man of our economic ecosystem, with no structural reforms as have taken place with the financial and the telecom sectors. There has been all talk and no action. People are deserting agriculture as a means of sustenance, as they see no future in post-liberalized India.  The result of this is catastrophic in nature, India has started importing food grains on a large scale from the international market which is contributing to inflation for the ‘aam admi’. The commodity trading has impacted prices for the end consumer and also the farmer with the traders making big bucks.

Futures trading in essential food items is criminal as steep fluctuations in food prices drive even more vulnerable poor into poverty. Millions were driven into destitution when corn prices sky rocketed with the agri feed-stock being diverted from the plate to the pump in the avatar of biofuels. Running SUV’s are far more important than feeding undernourished kids. This Ethical Poverty leading to dehumanistic behavior. It is implicit slow murder of people.  There was civil unrest in Mexico and Philippines in 2008 with price rise. Every society is three skipped meals from a revolution as Marx said, poverty and price rise of food grains were the catalyst for Tahrir in to blowing out of proportion into an inferno.

Then there are climatic vagaries to deal with as Indian agriculture is mainly subsistence in form. Climate Change is making things worse. And then we do not have an integrated strategy to deal with the impacts of Climate Change on agriculture while our agriculture minister is more interested in running the global body of Cricket from Dubai and pandering to Western Maharashtra districts- his pocket Burroughs  rather than dealing with thousands of farmer suicides. An one off loan waiver such as in Vidharbha  can win an election but cannot prevent more from committing the same act one again.

Food prices can rock the electoral boat, onion made the BJP led Delhi Government to cry, as onion is a staple of the North Indian palate. The congress is fearing this in 2014, hence has brought in the Food Security legislation like RTI, Jan Lok Pal and NREGA to save the day. An admirable legislation, for millions of destitute and poor; it is sure to drill a hole into the finances of this regime, although India spends a lot more on defense. A electorally driven bill, the social security net in terms of food being given by this framework is good on paper, it is the implementation with the adequate structural support with a faltering Public Distribution System, a hornets nest of graft is not ideal. Although corruption should not be an excuse for not providing food to the people of the country. India is a rich country, an additional cess or a cut in unwanted spending on defense would foot the bill.

Its time for a second green revolution , otherwise the time is not too far when people will be protesting for food instead of corruption at Azad Maidan.

 

This year, the United Nations Development Program’s Human Development Report is on the theme of ‘Sustainability and Equity’, which is very apt topic in the light of the run up to the Millennium Development Goals deadline of 2015, as finally Sustainability has got the attention that it deserved as a developmental matter. It is a community focused issue, and in its finality boils down to livability and quality of life. Social variables of Equity, Gender, Race are crucial in playing out the Sustainability discourse in the grassroots. When we discuss environmental protection issues, such as clean water, air and land, we are conversing regarding the resource commons. Lots of communities in the developing world live on the environmental resources. Fishing, agriculture and forestry are regular vocations which   millions engage in, for their livelihood in the developing part of the world. Environmental Sustainability is a social issue, as much as it is a technical construct. Technological Determinism will enable us to have the tools to combat ecological degradation but to implement it is another matter altogether, as it is at the end of the day people groups who would use it.

Sustainability is the current discourse, is used in the environmental context, but for sustainability to impact communities, businesses and governments to be incorporated in the everyday functioning, would mean that this dimension needs to be scaled up. Sustainability needs to move beyond its ‘environmental limitations’. The social dimension is recognized but not fully manifested in the  meaning and functioning of the construct.  In order for the social dimension to bloom in its entirety, political and institutional dimension should be made a component of sustainability. Environment and Society are not decoupled but very much integrated, and politics as is demonstrated by the COP 17 talks, makes or breaks any good work carried out by the scientific community towards achieving environmental sustainability. Climate Change for instance is a very politically and ideologically supercharged issue.

Metrics of Social and Political Capital should be factored in to the assessment of sustainability, as without political backing and social well-being there can be no ‘sustainability’ even if all the environmental parameters are ideal. All the environmental actions will come to a big zero, if we do not have functioning communities with ‘strong leadership’. Healthcare too needs attention in this conversation. Unhealthy people make for unhealthy communities, low productivity and cohesion, hence low on social sustainability. Simple is’nt it?

Environmental degradation has a negative externality of health associated with it.  Climate Change alter disease patterns as well, along with pollution which makes people sick from vector borne diseases and smog, all boiling down from economic development and our notion of modernity and what constitutes progress. Does a sick, dirty society constitute to be a successful one even if it is clocking high GDP figures and great bottomlines for a company?

We need to rethink what truly makes us Sustainable, beyond the buzz…..