US and Pakistan starting to behave ..

India has managed to get the US govt to behave and act impartially in containing terrorism in any part of the world, even if t is from one of its strongest allies... 

In a hard hitting interview given by David Mulford, the US Ambassador to India, to the media, where he plainly accuses Pakistan complicity in the Mumbai terror attacks, ( he has spoken just short of Pakistani govt complicity in Mumbai terror attacks), the US govt has indicated to be impartial in its fight against terrorism.

It will fight the Mumbai terrorists and has finally promised to help India to get the terrorists from Pakistan soil.

Joe Biden ( Obama VP elect) is in Pakistan on his first visit and hopefully carries Obama's mind to be strict on containing terrorism and terror training camps in Pakistan,

It was a bitter sight to see Pak PM Gilani complying with the requirements of the International community and talking in few words of the findings of the internal probe into the contents of the Mumbai terror dossier supplied by India. This is a big blow to the belligerent stand of Pakistan and its dreams of living by constant denials. Earlier it had rejected the same dossier as not being enough proof to indict any Pakistani complicity in Mumbai terror. Now having to eat his own words, this is indeed a strong diplomatic victory for India.

India is slowly managing to get Pak to behave without the use of the "awe and surprise attacks". Without firing a single bullet, India has managed to get the US and Pakistan to toe the Indian line and help India on the terror issue. India's restraint in the first instance is finally bearing fruit. 

We have learnt from the bitter lessons of the past that bullets and bombs can only bring more bullets and bombs. We have used diplomatic initiatives to settle the issue before  thinking of using force against Pak. ( though some quarters in US would have wanted a war between the two neighbouring countries to rescue the drowning US economy..)

If only US had shown the same wisdom and restraint after 9/11 ...  Can we expect anything else from the perpetrators of Marias, Camp Grant and Wounded Knee massacres on the native and original owners of America ?

george..

Prof Ram Mohan Rao quits as Dean of ISB, Hyd., Satyam fallout ..

It was just surprising to hear of Prof Ram Mohan Rao quit Indian School of Business, Hyderabad as its Dean.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mendu_Rammohan_Rao 

Armed with a PhD in Industrial Admin from CMU, he has taught at Stern School of Business and Uty of Rochester and retired as Professor Emeritus from IIM Bangalore.

He was an independent Director of Satyam Computers and had quit his Directorship three days back along with Vinod Dham and Prof Krishna Palepu of Harvard Business School (  who incidentally teaches Corporate Governance and Ethics at Harvard..!!). 

Maybe this incident at Satyam is an example to show that in reality you do not practice what you preach. (American style) Preaching is only to earn your bread and butter. There is no better way for Prof Krishna Palepu to teach ethics to his students and admirers from across the world..

All three of them were party to the decisions taken by the Director Board on approving the fudged Balance sheet and other records of the company during their tenure as Directors.

The quitting however, does not absolve them of their responsibilities and duties and will face the legal procedure. He also was on the RBI panel to recommend the new RBI Deputy Governor and had quit from the panel two days back.

Prof Rao was a cool person, composed and always down-to-earth. Very humble, it is very difficult to see him boast of his academic credentials.

How fate changes and the speed with which is does so ..

ge...

The gloom at Satyam HQ and around, the day after ..

This morning, 8 Jan 09, I went to see what was happening at the Satyam campus headquarters in Electronic city, Bangalore, India, which is just 100 m from where I stay. 

Some snaps are included..  Their majestic headquarters was mostly deserted with skeletal staff manning operations for their major clients. A pall of gloom has descended on the campus ...

The employees were scattered three to four in a group, right under the trees outside the main gate, discussing with fear and trepidation of their future. I stopped right in front of the campus ( did not take photographs, I would have enraged a few of them..) and took a tea from the roadside stall. 

The chaiwalla ( tea vendor ) was telling me how his business has reduced to less than 50 %. No taxis, no vans and very few buses .. From about 40 - 60 buses, the skeletal service of 10 to 20 only is running now. A snap of the deserted road is ample proof of the ground reality. On the right of the road is th Satyam campus, a big one with palatial buildings and well maintained gardens, and on the left is the GE campus.

I was talking to the friendly nearby bakery owner, where I frequent often, he was telling how from Rs 4000 a day, his business has dwindled to less than 2500/-. The roads which usually had cars and buses plying upto 11 PM in the night, now is deserted by 8.30 PM. Even if a murder happens nobody will realise that till the next day morning.. Slowly turning into a ghost town ??

India IT is under a process of accelerated loss of glamour and sheen in these times of recession and fraud.!! Reduced pay packets and perks, has resulted in hotels frantically scouting for customers, roadside vendors endlessly waiting for customers and cloth / stationery / fancy stores getting deserted.. 

People have learnt  a hard lesson, spend wisely in these times of stress and gloom.. No extravaganza, else repent...

ge..

Satyam Computers goes down ...

In Order to cover up the poor performance of the company, Satyam Computers Chairman Ramalinga Raju had shown bloated balance sheets and inflated profits, in all a scam involving Rs 7000 crores.  After his efforts to get the valuation right by acquiring Maytas Infra failed in the Director Board meeting, it did not take much time before the scam got exposed.

Ramalinga raju has resigned and has owned up to the wrongdoing, ready to face the legal implications thereof. ( upto ten years in prison could be the max punishment, 1 year for 700 crores..!)

The auditor Price WaterHouse Coopers has found itself in deep shit after its very poor unethical showing ..

The whole of IT industry in India will need to sit back and take a look at whether its assets and operations are overvalued, balance sheets are bloated and profits are inflated ....

This will also be a golden opportunity for the Indian IT industry to do an introspection and cleanse itself of any wrong doings and for the wrongdoers to be extra vigilant...

ge..

Pakistan, a failed, terrorist and rogue state .. ??

Indian media is full of reports of evidences of Pakistani complicity in the Mumbai terror attacks. The Indian PM has even accused it if using terrorism as a state policy in its dealing with other countries. 

Pakistan is in a constant state of denial to whatever proof is provided of Pakistani complicity in Mumbai terror attacks by India, US and UK. What can India and the civilized world do to help Pakistan come out of it's state of fear of being exposed.. The fear of being labelled a rogue state is constantly haunting Pakistan. That fear is preventing it from accepting facts and truths and reforming itself.

Pakistan is first and foremost afraid of being exposed as a failed state. The rule of law does not work on terrorist organisations who use Pak territory for training recruits to violent ways and terrorism. 

It is afraid of being exposed as a terrorist state. Its citizens are actively involved in terrorist activities now in Mumbai as also in earlier occasions in other parts of the world. The Indian PM was blunt in stating that Pakistan is the epicentre of global terrorism.

It is afraid of being labelled as a rogue state. It acquired all its missile and nuclear capability clandestinely either from China or North Korea. If and when this illegal route of proliferation gets blocked, Pakistan will cease to exist as a country. It would have disintegrated on its own domestic disparities and conflicting stances.

Instead of accepting that there are terrorist elements operating from within Pakistan and containing them would do good not only to improve its image internationally and with India, Pakistan by remaining in a state of denial is missing out on a golden opportunity to reform its society and take the country forward economically and socially and earning for itself respect in the comity of nations.

Hope good sense prevails upon its leaders.. 

Pakistan is a glowing example of how religious fundamentalism can prove the unmaking and disintegration of a country .. Comparing with India, it is nowhere.. It has some importance because it is working together with US  in the war against terror and with China to contain India. It is definitely a big nuisance value to India, but not a threat at all. It hopes India will react to its war cries, illogical accusations and constant denials..

It is totally mistaken ..

ge..

What can India do if Pak does not react ??

If Pak does not react and take cognisance of any proof provided by India as regards the terrorist attacks on Mumbai on 26 November, what can India do ?

The more proof India supplies, the more Pak goes into denial mode, either saying the proof is not good enough, or it won't work in Pakistan ( we know Pakistan is a country where rule of law is so very strictly followed..).

Closing its eyes on such naked aggression of another country's sovereignty by Pak citizens, does it bade well for Pak itself in the long run? Is it a sense of helplessness as it has no control over the non-state players or is it trying to get the upper edge on India through belligerant statements or denials, instigating India to aggression, I do not know what is forcing Pak to remain quiet and silent.

India is exercising utmost restraint in this case. It knows its hands are tied. It needs support from other countries of the world to fight this war against terrorism. Violence will bring in violence and will polarise countries, who are presently neutral to their camp. India can ill afford that at this instance.

India should try to mobilise international opinion to contain the threat of violence and terrorism emanating from any country of the world, not only from Pakistan. With the world opinion building up against Pakistan, pressurising Pak to transfer its so called non-state actors to India for being tried in terrorist violence is the only option.

We cannot afford to waste our resources fighting a useless war with Pak, which is not going to end any sooner. We are witnesses to the lessons learnt by US in its hurried response to the attacks on WTC. Against Al Queda, against Afghanistan , which is nothing compared to US, it is a battle which is taking it nowhere. US has to spend trillions of dollars fighting the Taliban, Al Queda and to keep its reputation. It is continuing to aid countries supporting terrorism in the name of containing terrorism. 

While the US has divine powers to attack any country supporting terrorism when its actions affect US, it advises other countries not to attack and exercise utmost restraint.

America needs to understand that the fight against terrorism cannot be biased, it has to be unbiased attacking the roots of terrorism.

India can learn from the US bitter experience in Afghanistan and Iraq. Some restraint is only going to reduce the damage and improve its image in the comity of nations as a peaceloving country.

From our limited positions and areas of influence wherever in the world we are, we as peaceloving Christians, can build up opinion in favour of our yearning for peace, if that is the least we can do for our country to bring peace in this part of the world and hence of the world.  

Rachel conducting the choir at St Johns, Jumbala..

Jumbala, Rachel again...

http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=4OJhf1O4dps