GIVE YOURSELF A TRY "TO BE BUDDHA"

THE HONEST ALWAYS STAND ALONE!

19 May 2005 3 Comments

RAJANPosted under 1

We don’t need no education?

25 Aug 2011 Comments Off

RAJANPosted under 1

Recent HRD ministry statistics show a significant decline in national primary school enrolments. Given Indian demographics, where the number of children is increasing every year, the results are even more shocking. This is despite all the noise about right to education for every Indian. While we may choose to forget this statistic for the next sensational news item, this is an extremely disturbing development.

If India’s population is not trained to face the globalised world – and primary education is the first step in that training – we will become a nation of servants and clerks. Given our highly educated, ex-educationist prime minister is of late more interested in covering up scams than education, it doesn’t seem likely that our top leadership cares. Still, if enough citizens care, maybe politicians will take notice. It is with this hope that i try to analyse the possible reasons for this decline, what will happen if we don’t address it and what we can do to actually fix it.

There are five main reasons why enrolment could have dropped. One, the most obvious reason is that the schools are terrible. If you ever visit a village school, you will realise how everything is low quality, from the classrooms to the desks to the quality of teachers. Why? Don’t villagers deserve good schools for their children? One may say the schools are subsidised so quality cannot be there. Well, maybe we need to spend more money then. Maybe we need more private partners. Maybe we need to redesign the traditional model of a school, perhaps using technology to impart learning. The education may be at the primary level, but it still needs to be high quality. Low quality education is not really education at all.

Two, the curriculum in our schools is obsolete. How much has the professional world changed in the last 30 years? How much has our curriculum changed? Who sets our curriculum? Do they revise it from time to time keeping in mind the needs of industry and the services sector? One big reason poor people send their kids to school is that they will learn skills to make more money. If schools don’t give them those skills, why will they bother? Advanced concepts like education to satisfy curiosity, or learning for learning’s sake, do not apply to people with no money. A hungry person does not watch Discovery channel. Surveys show a person with decent English language skills can increase earning power by 400%. Why don’t we teach our poor people English? Why do government schools start teaching it so late?

Three, the massive inflation rate has made life extremely difficult for people with low incomes. Every pair of hands on the fields is now more valuable than sending a child to a substandard school for several years, the benefits of which are unclear.

Four, there isn’t enough money being put into education, to make more schools or improve existing ones. Tax collections have seen high double-digit growth rates for several years now. However, much of taxpayers’ money is used to fund scams and mass bribery type subsidies or to pay interest (often on borrowings made to fund past budget extravagances). If 2G auctions were done properly, or the Commonwealth Games didn’t waste so much money, we could have had a lot more schools. If instead of NREGA we provided villagers the right skills to modernise, enhance farm income and increase job eligibility, maybe we would generate wealth rather than burn it.

Five, a controversial, sinister reason: the hidden benefits of illiteracy to politicians. Illiterate people are useful when it comes to maintaining vote banks and keeping scam parties going. If everyone were well-educated, would the government get away with so many scams? Even today, our PM’s biggest defence is: ‘People vote for us, hence our actions are justified’. The DMK still has a solid support base in Tamil Nadu. If every Indian really understood what happened, could the loot continue? So while there may not be a deliberate strategy to keep people illiterate, there is no burning passion or political incentive to make India educated either. And politicians only work on incentives, not on the goodness of their hearts.

This problem won’t go away. It will get worse. If today millions aren’t being educated well, how will they get proper jobs tomorrow? Won’t the education crisis translate into a far scarier job crisis in a few years? Or are we happy for our kids to be poor forever?

This can be fixed. Primary education has to be so vast in scale and scope as to be seen as a utility – such as power or telecom. The most modern techniques, thinking, strategy and execution are needed on a massive scale to educate our people. Ideally, just as with a few power utilities, the effort should be privatised, maybe on a semi-subsidised basis. In any case, if the education is worth it, people pay for it.

Course materials have to be brutally revamped to make them in sync with the modern world. Rural schools need net connectivity, even more than big city ones. These are things we should demand from the leaders of our country. They don’t seem to care much. But we, the citizens, have to be the strict teachers who tell our leaders that they have a lot of homework to do.

An Open Letter to Sonia Gandhi On February 13, 2011

25 Aug 2011 Comments Off

RAJANPosted under 1

From Chetan’s Blog

Hi All,

For this Sunday’s column, I did an open letter to Sonia Gandhi. As always, welcome your comments and suggestions, and encourage you to read others’ too. Columns have word limits, and thus, comments help in expanding and aiding the discussion. Besides, you never know who is reading!

If you prefer reading on the TOI website, the column link is here.

Chetan

Dear Soniaji,

I’ve never been much of a fan of open letters. After all, why make public something meant for one person. However, I don’t have your email ID; you don’t seem to be on Facebook (and certainly not on Twitter). Regular mail will never get past your sycophants and reach you. Hence, this seems to be the best option. Also, i don’t speak only for myself. It’s something a lot of young Indians currently feel. However, we don’t know the right channel to express this and get it addressed. The issue is simple: India must get rid of corruption. Whatever the solution, you will have a pivotal role in implementing it. I don’t think you would have a personal interest in being corrupt. Money would hold little significance for you at this stage of life. Neither do you come across as someone who aspires to a lavish lifestyle. Yes, the compulsions of running a political party require vast amounts of funds. This brings in cronies and moral compromises, which have become part of any Indian politician’s life. In recent times, however, there have been too many of these compromises. Amounts have reached levels that cannot be computed on a digital calculator. Scam after scam (and these are only the unearthed ones) show how we have created a monster of a system that rewards the evil and threatens the dream of India becoming a “first world” country. Recently, your son spoke about how corruption prevents the benefits of globalization from reaching the common man. This is absolutely true. In fact, it not only cuts existing benefits, it cuts out future opportunities for the young. Corruption is worse than terrorism. Terrorists blow up existing infrastructure such as roads, airports and power plants. Corruption prevents such infrastructure from being made in the first place. Terrorists take innocent lives. Corrupt politicians prevent hospitals from being built, which means innocent lives that could be saved are not. You say corruption is a disease. But that sounds a little defeatist. A disease is something inflicted upon us by nature. Corruption isn’t caused by little bugs falling from the sky. Corruption comes from unchecked power. Take the example of electric power, a wonderful invention that brings light and comfort to our homes. But, before this power reaches us, it is kept under control at various sub-stations to limit voltage and current. If electric power is unchecked, it can burn our homes. Political power is unrestrained in India. Like little kings, our MPs roam around with their sycophants, blocking traffic, openly defying quotas and doing anything and everything possible to exploit their power. If you want to fix this ‘disease’ —and you can do it – you need to pass a ‘political accountability Bill’ in Parliament. Also, an independent council against corruption needs to be set up. It should not be under the control of politicians and should have the power to prosecute politicians (almost all “first world” countries have this). Without these changes, no matter how many wonderful speeches are made, the disease will remain uncured. Mechanisms to punish errant politicians are one aspect. It’s equally important to understand why so many politicians err in the first place, and the reforms required to prevent that. Some of your party’s ideas seem well intentioned – particularly the massive push to bring young people into politics. Your son has travelled across the country to spread this message. But, i want to ask -—what happens when a young man joins Youth Congress (or another party’s youth wing). To do well, he will need to spend most of his energies serving the party. Parties do not have a formal stipend or salary system, so how is the young man expected to survive except through petty corruption? This is how a fine young man is forced to take small steps towards becoming corrupt. In such a scenario, would you advise educated, intelligent young people to join politics? Instead, if a proper stipend system were put in place, strong performers would have a mechanism to rise and contest elections and you would have a whole new class of talent in the profession of politics. Unless these reforms happen, including youth in our politics will be nothing but one of the specialties of our politicians – empty talk. Other nonsensical rules in Indian politics include the Rs 25 lakh limit on electoral campaigns. The actual average spend, my MP friends tell me, is around Rs 6 crore per constituency. Where does this unaccounted money come from? Obviously, one stands little chance if one is not corrupt. Can we not remove these impractical and outdated limits? Why not define legitimate fundraising methods? If we do that, many good people would enter politics and change the face of this nation. As a nation we have enormous expertise in covering our backs and not rocking the boat. Right from school, Indians are taught to shut up and not question anything. Thus, even though some of the above things are obvious, nobody important will sit up and say ‘We need to change things’. It isn’t easy to change things but it needs to be done. And you, of all people, have the best chance of taking this archaic bull by the horns and showing it the right direction. The question hundreds of millions of young people are asking is: Are you up for it?

Respectfully,

Young India

Is it necessary!

16 Oct 2010 Comments Off

RAJANPosted under 1

All good thoughts will come from the best people of our planet?

Is it just a thought!

09 Oct 2010 Comments Off

RAJANPosted under 1 Tags: I Said it!

“The one who can’t compromise with his principles and thoughts” He has his own prophecy!

Dalai Lama

04 Oct 2010 Comments Off

RAJANPosted under 1

Ultimately, humanity is one, and this small planet is our only home. If   we are to protect this home of ours, each of us needs to feel a vivid sense of universal altruism. It is only this feeling that can remove the self-centered motives that cause people to deceive and misuse one another. If you have a sincere and open heart, you naturally feel self-worth, confident, and there is no need to be fearful of others.

Revolution Based On Love

04 Oct 2010 Comments Off

RAJANPosted under MY VOICE Tags: Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

I bring you an excerpt from interactions in  Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, September 15-17. School student:What is the significance of spirituality in our lives?

Three dimensions cannot be ignored. They are: spiritual emotions, mind and body and a healthy environment. We are committed to celebrating life, to plant more trees and to preserve and protect the environment. We face so many challenges today. The youth, particularly, face many situations that tend to create confusion and stress.

Member of Parliament: How to avoid stress and ward off depression?

Life is a celebration, so why should you feel depressed? Youngsters have so much enthusiasm and energy. You can get spiritually elevated by practising deep breathing and by meditating. Think positive. Fill your hearts with joy. These practices have helped reduce corruption, alcoholism and school dropout numbers and spiritual practices have helped students to improve their academic performance. Spiritual elevation is brought about by regular meditation practice. Science and spirituality have come together – they were always together but today science acknowledges the role of spirituality in enhancing the quality of life.

Olympics gold medallist boxing champion Badar-Uugan: How can sportspersons benefit from spirituality?

Sportspersons like you need lots of energy, a quick reflex and presence of mind. Dynamics of breath plays a very important role in raising or affecting your metabolism. Centring your mind helps you to enhance your presence of mind. Spirituality makes you flexible and you are then easily in rhythm with nature.

Visitor: Do your followers have to convert to Hinduism?

There is no such thing as conversion in Hinduism – only embracing everything; no rejection. Conversion implies rejection rather than adoption. Anger and rebellion was the basis of the Russian revolution, for example. Yet, it did not help us find answers. Nor did it last. Why not we make revolution based on love and compassion for all time to come? It’s all about connecting with the universe, with divinity that’s not out there somewhere but right within you and me.

Visitor: How would i know that i am connected to divinity?

When your mind is calm and collected you know already that you are connected. When we are connected, language doesn’t matter because we are talking heart-to-heart. We convey a lot just through our presence.

A teacher: I find it difficult to ignore those who speak harshly. They exude so much negativity…

If someone has negative tendencies, don’t take it inside you. Understand that roses have thorns, too. So life, too, has problems. We do have the strength to overcome them; just tap into your inner energy. See problems as opportunities. The more spiritual knowledge we share, the more we spread happiness and joy. When you deal patiently with a person who is angry, you will have a calming effect. Your intention is what makes the difference.

Art of Living student:While meditating, i feel really good. How do i ensure that the feeling lasts?

Keep doing it; do satsang, motivate yourself. You have to water the plant till it becomes a strong tree. We talk of global economy – what we need to do is to globalise wisdom. I would like Mongolia to establish an international university with modern facilities here, where wisdom from ancient cultures and traditions can be shared and people benefit from that; take the best of the East and West.

www.artofliving.org

DO GIVE A THOUGHT

24 Sep 2010 Comments Off

RAJANPosted under MY VOICE

“LOVING HUNDRED WRONG PERSONS MAY NOT EVEN AFFECT YOUR LIFE, BUT HATING ONE RIGHT PERSON MAY DISTRUB YOUR HEART FOR WHOLE LIFE”

The Royal Path

17 Sep 2010 Comments Off

RAJANPosted under 1

The life of an individual is like an iceberg floating in the ocean of cosmic existence – only a small portion is visible at any given time. We become frustrated, disappointed and depressed because we identify ourselves with the small portion of ourselves that is visible, the trivial matters of day-today life. Every pleasure and pain, success and failure, loss and gain affects us. Thus we are tossed about by experiences that are not particularly significant in the larger scheme of things.

We are happy one moment, cranky the next. We forget that birth, death and all the experiences in between are only a ripple in the eternal stream of life. We forget that life has a higher purpose. Yet in the depths of our hearts we yearn to reach that place where we are free from the cycle of birth and death, and we know the greatest loss is failing to reach that place before the body returns to dust.
In the depths of our being, we know true happiness comes only from the realisation that we are free. But on the surface, we busy ourselves with trivial concerns we live in two different worlds with no way of bridging the gulf. While living in the outer world, we forget about our spiritual goals, and while attempting to live in the inner world, we find ourselves distracted by worldly concerns. The failure to remain in the company of our best friend, the inner soul, creates a sense of loneliness and alienation. This is the source of our misery.
Raja yoga, the royal path, gives us the tools to overcome our misery. It bridges the gulf between the outer and the inner world of the soul. This is the path of balance and integration, a path so broad and all-embracing that each of us can follow it at our own pace no matter our capacity or background. Raja yoga is the ancient art of holistic living. Its foundation consists of practising 10 simple principles – non-violence, truthfulness, non-stealing, moderation in sense activity, non-possessive, cleanliness, contentment, self-discipline, studying the scriptures and faith in a higher truth. In addition, raja yoga offers practices for making the body strong and healthy, the breath deep and even, and the mind clear and one-pointed.
Working with the mind is the core of raja yoga. Ordinarily the mind has a habit of running from one object to another, yet no one with a scattered mind can be successful in either the outer or the inner world. The methods of concentration taught on the path of raja yoga help us make the mind calm and one-pointed. As the mind clears and becomes focussed, we begin to perform our actions in the outer world skilfully, selflessly and without clinging to their fruits. We become more familiar with the larger, eternal aspect of ourselves that lies unchanged below the turbulence of daily life.
As we do, our identification with the part of ourselves that is eternal and ever free deepens and solidifies. We find ourselves floating on the ocean of cosmic existence instead of being tossed about by the trials and challenges that are an inescapable feature of the outer world. Then we come to experience the true meaning of yoga.

Do You Love ur country?

12 Sep 2010 Comments Off

RAJANPosted under 1

If you do love your country do join me in this revolution, call me on 9810516616.

Tools ‹ RAJAN SINGH

09 Sep 2010 Comments Off

RAJANPosted under 1

http://www.indyarocks.com/music/live_radio.php

Becoming One With the World Speech given at the HT Leadership Summit Delhi, November 21, 2008 © Chetan Bhagat

04 Sep 2010 Comments Off

RAJANPosted under 1

Good afternoon Ladies and Gentlemen. Thank you for the opportunity to speak at the leadership summit – the first of its kind for me.

I am no leader. At best, I am a dreamer with perseverance to make dreams come true. As I have made my own dreams come true already, I am tempted to think we can make my country’s dreams come true. And that is why I am here.

Before we become one with the world we have to become one with ourselves. If we get our own house in order we don’t have to make an effort to be one with the world. The world will want to be one with us. Everyone wants to be friends with happy, rich, thriving neighbors. Nobody wants a family festered with disputes.

A lot is wrong in my country. There are too many differences. The question is not who we blame for this. The question is how do we fix it? Because to do anything great, you have to become one first. Two generations ago, our forefathers came together to win us Independence. It isn’t like we didn’t have disputes then. Religion, caste, community have existed for centuries. But Gandhi brought them all together for a greater cause – to get the country free.
Today, we have another greater cause. To get India its rightful place in the world. To see India the way the younger generation wants to see it. To make India a prosperous, developed country, where not only the spirit of patriotism, but also the standard of living is high. Where anyone with the talent, drive and hard work alone has the ability to make it. Where people don’t ask where you come from, but where you are going. We all know that India, as we have all dreamt of that India.
There is a lot required to be done for this, and it doesn’t just start and end by blaming politicians. For in a democracy, we elect the politicians. If our thinking changes, our voting will change and the politicians will change. And since I have made a nation that didn’t read, read, do I believe people’s thinking can be changed.

To me there are 3 main areas where I think we need to change our thinking – leaders included. And I’m not just saying we need to do it because it is morally right/ ethically correct/ or because it sounds nice at a conference. We need to do it as it make sense from an incentives point of view. These three areas are changing the politics of differences to the politics of similarity, looking down on elitism and the role of English.

The first mindset change required is to change the politics of differences to the politics of similarity. I’ve been studying young people in India, not just in big cities but across India for the last five years.
They are the bulk of the population – the bulk of our voter bank. Yet, what they are looking for is not what politicians are pitching. It is not too different from the old school Bollywood where they think item numbers, big budgets and tested formulas work while the biggest hits of the year could be Rock On and Jaane Tu. Yes, times have changed.
Here is what the politicians are pitching – old fashioned patriotism, defending traditions, being the torchbearer of communities, caste and religion. Here is what the youth wants – better colleges, better jobs, better role models. Compared to the talent pool, the number of good college seats are very limited. Same for good jobs. These wants are the biggest similarity that we all share. We all want the same things – progress. I see a huge disconnect in the political strategies of existing politicians vs. what could work for the new voters.
I think broad based infrastructure and economic development will satisfy the young generation’s needs. It isn’t an easy goal to attain – but it is the great cause that can unite us. Today a dynamic politician who takes this cause can achieve a far greater success than any regional politician. And the slot is waiting to be taken.
Another aspect required to convert the politics of differences to the politics of similarities is a strong moderate voice. When someone tries to divide us, people from the same community as the divider have to stand up against him. If person A is saying Non-Marathis should be attacked, then some Marathis need to stand up and say person A is talking nonsense. If a Muslim commits terrorist attack, other Muslims should stand up and condemn it, as Hindus are going to condemn it anyway. This moderate voice is sorely missing but is critical in keeping the country together. And the youth want to keep it together, as we want to be remembered as the generation who took India forward, not the one that cut India into two dozen pieces.
I hate telling people what to do, but the media does have a role in this. I agree that media is a business and TRPs matter above anything else. However, there are ethics in every business. Doctors make money off sick people, but it doesn’t mean they keep people sick and not heal them. If you find a moderate voice, highlight it as soon as a divisive voice appears. And don’t take sides, argue or debate it. Don’t validate the ridiculous. Focus on the greater cause.

The second mindset we need to change is that of elitism. From my early childhood days, to college, to professional and business life, and now in the publishing and entertainment circles, I have noticed a peculiar Indian habit of elitism. Maybe it is hard to achieve anything in India. But the moment any person becomes even moderately successful, educated, rich, famous, talented or even develops a fine taste, they consider themselves different from the rest. They begin to move in circles where the common people and their tastes are looked down upon. This means a large chunk of our most qualified, experienced, connected and influential people prefer to live air-conditioned lives in their bubble of like minded people. Naive people who elect stupid politicians – that is the bottomline for all Indian problems, and they want nothing to do with it. But tell me, if the thinking of the common people has to be changed, who is going to change it? What is the point of discussing solutions to Indian problems if there is no buy-in from the common man? Just because it feels good to be around like-minded, intelligent people? What is the use of this intelligence?
If you switch on the TV, seventy percent of the time you will see Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore. The reason is the media is centered in these cities. However, ninety percent of India is not this. Unless we represent these people properly, how will these people ever come with us?
Again, I am not making these points as a moral appeal. I think understanding India and being inclusive makes massive business sense. And trust me, it doesn’t take any coolness or trendiness away from you if you do it right. Look at me, I am the mass-iest English author ever invented in India. My books sell on railway stations and next to atta in Big Bazaar. I have an Indian publisher who operates from the bylanes of Darya Ganj. And yet, on orkut the most common words associated with my name are coolness and awesomeness – tags given by my wonderful readers. I think it is cooler to know how people think in the streets of Indore and Raipur than who’s walking the ramp in South Mumbai. You may have planned your next vacation abroad, but have you visited a small town lately? Have you shown your kids what the real India is like? Don’t you think they will need to know that as they grow up and enter the workforce. Yes, I want people to look down on elitism and develop a culture of inclusiveness. If you are educated, educate others. If you have good taste, improve others taste rather than calling theirs bad.

The last aspect where we need to change our thinking is our attitude to English. We have to embrace English like never before. Not England, but English. This point may sound contradictory to my previous one, but I am not talking about confining English to the classes, but really taking it to the grassroot level. English and Hindi can co-exist. Hindi is the mother and English is the wife. It is possible to love them both. In small towns, districts and even villages – we need to spread English. India already has a headstart as so many Indians speak English and we don’t have to get expat teachers like China does. But we must not confuse patriotism with the skills one needs to compete in the real world. If you are making an effort to start a school where none existed, why not give the people what will help them most. I can teach a villager geometry and physics in Hindi, but frankly when he goes to look for a job he is going to find that education useless. English will get him a job. Yes, I know some may say what will happen to Hindi and our traditional cultures. I want to ask these people to pull their kids out of English medium schools and then talk. If you go to small towns, English teaching classes are the biggest draw. There is massive demand for something that will improve people’s lives. I have no special soft spot for this language, but the fact is it works in the world of today. And if more English helps spread prosperity evenly across the country, trust me we will preserve our culture a lot better than a nation that can barely feed its people.

We are all passionate about making India better, so we can discuss this forever. But today I wanted to leave you with just three thoughts – politics of similarities, less elitism and more English that we need to build consensus on. If you agree with me, please do whatever you can in your capacity to make the consensus happen. It could be just a discussion with all your friends, or spreading these thoughts in a broader manner, if you have the means and power to do so. For the fact that we are sitting in this wonderful venue means our country has been kind to us. Let’s see what we can give back to our nation.

“Every generation imagines itself to be more intelligent than the one that went before it, and wiser than the one that comes after it”

“MY LIFE MY VOICE”

21 Feb 2009 Comments Off

RAJANPosted under Uncategorized

SHOULD WE LOVE THOUGHTS!

31 Aug 2005 Comments Off

RAJANPosted under 1, MY VOICE