From the desk of Sanskriti Club head….!!!

There has been an elephant which was mocked in

past for its mammoth size, the mud and dust on its
body, slow speed and huge consumption by
entire jungle and mainly by agile animals. One
day it shook its body, jumped into the river
of self improvement, shrugged the dust
and mud of orthodoxy off, and started
sprinkling the water of success on whole
of its body.

It started running far and wide in entire forest and

the all animals, big or small, observed the pearl,
biggest and the brightest, on its forehead. They realized its
unique value, ability to contribute to growth and power to break
any obstacle or enemy.

Now the world has lined up to its door and even those mocked it the most
claim to be its all time friends.

No gift to guess that this elephant, full of dignity and on success path, is our INDIA. This is why with this
issue of the TATVA you will find yourself on a journey of exploring RISING INDIA and CHALLENGES
AHEAD by travelling with many stories and articles.

With scrolling down the pages you will be first introduced with Young Face of India by Ali Z zaidi and
Rahul Yadav will let you peep from the window of recent data to see the beautiful face of National
Growth. Doa has urged to preserve National Treasure through her article while Nasir has played a fine
square cut on India 20-20 Cricket.

The journey does not end here and Saumya, Sonal, Suneet, and even Sibtain Jafar and I will be
welcoming you at different stations with the bouquets of articles comprising beautiful flowers of
thoughts full of vivid and vibrant colours but with same smell of Indian intellectual.

So when Rising Sun is becoming a symbol of not only INDIA but also LUMBA, the Sun is setting for
Ritika Mathur and me on the sky of TATVA, with our journey is reaching to an end and we are going to
vacant driving seats. But soon we will be with our TATVA team in new avatar.

Good luck for new and young leading faces of TATVA. And to all our LUMBA family members and
readers “JUST ENJOY READING TATVA”

Shyam B Gupta

Head of Sanskriti Club

(LUMBA)
India has always been a land of paradoxes. It is not just languages and culture that corroborate this fact; it is also
evident in its social structure. Opulence is seen coexisting with destitution as we see an elite class of citizens
indulging in extravagance, while a million others still struggle to make ends meet. The young ones of the affluent
are seen driving to school in flashy vehicles, while the children of the less fortunate are forced to earn their living
on traffic signals. So, we ask...What is the way ahead for India…??? Which way are we destined to go. The truth is
that we can never know what the future holds, but we do know who holds the future. It is the average young
citizen of the country, who holds the power to bring a difference. Clearly, things are not perfect in our
country; in fact they are far from perfect. But then, which nation is perfect?? Being a cynic is easy, but
cynicism is not an argument, it is an attitude which clouds your vision with prejudices. What we require are
not cynics but drivers for change, who can see the country beyond the paradoxes and negativity and bring
about a revolution. It is with the aim to give expression to such daring and enterprising individuals, that we
bring to you the 2nd edition of TATVA, with the theme “India –The Way Forward”. We return this time, with
the thoughts and ideas of young thinking individuals who believe in breaking new grounds with their ideas.

Before I present the magazine to its readers, I’d like to take a moment to thank you all for your overwhelming
response to the first edition. Buoyed by the readers’ commendation and appreciation we have tried to put in
even more efforts into the magazine this time. I hope you will like it even better than the last one.

This second edition also marks the last one for the current editorial team. As the editor of the magazine, it’s
hard for me to let go of something that has become an integral part of my thinking process. It would be
difficult for me to not remain a part of this magazine anymore. However, I have more than enough faith in
our succeeding team. I was lucky to have a team of such highly enthusiastic and talented members. Doa,
Sibtain, Prashasti, Murtaza, Sonal, Soumya, Divya, Sarosh , have all been my pillars of strength. I can’t imagine
TATVA without these guys. I thank them fervently for making TATVA happen, and hope that they take this
magazine to unprecedented heights. Of course, a special mention to my friend Shyam for trusting me with
this responsibility. I appreciate his support which has been absolute and unwavering all through this journey.

So, dear readers, we present to you the 2nd edition of TATVA. We hope that as you browse through the pages,
a thought process is initiated, because thinking is the beginning of everything meaningful that transpires in
one’s life.

Happy reading..!!

Ritika Mathur.
Editor- TATVA
India is often considered to be the paragon of equality. A country, which is free from the shackles of gender
differences, which gives equal rights to its men and women, where women are respected and eulogized. This
rosy picture is, however, tainted and tarnished with unsightly hues. The ugly truth is that since time
immemorial, women in India are being subjected to innumerable acts of violence, degradation, and
debasement. It is indeed disheartening to say that even though India, as a country, is growing from strength to
strength with every passing year, yet atrocious acts of molestation, eve teasing and rape are being reported
from every corner of the country.
There have been numerous cases, when women have been ill-treated, within the four walls of their homes, by
cruel and licentious husbands, inebriated fathers and frustrated uncles. These cases of domestic violence often
do not come out into the open for the fear of embarrassment in public and no action is thus taken against the
perpetrators.
When will women realize that it is not their moral responsibility to be at the receiving end of such diabolic
acts? When will they muster enough courage to voice their protest against domestic violence? It is time that the
Indian woman realizes her right to freedom and right to a happy and prosperous living. Why is it that women
are targeted for all plausible crimes taking place in the city? It definitely looks like the ‘fairer sex’ is fast
becoming the ‘weaker’ or the ‘vulnerable sex’ of the state!
Whether it is an act prohibiting us to wear jeans in colleges (on the pretext of avoiding an ‘invitation’ to eve-
tease) or the innumerable discussions on whether or not we should wear a burqa (which is the so-called ‘sign
of subjugation’), women are becoming the focus of every debate going on in the country. It will, therefore, not
be wrong to leap to the conclusion that there is a certain set of individuals who seem to be having a problem
with everything that is related to women- be it their clothes, their attitude, their freedom of religion or even
their fundamental right to live in peace! The recent declaration by a famous Muslim cleric that a woman should
not take part in politics and should rather stay at home, taking care of children, just adds fuel to the fire.
Politicians guffawing over the fact that women in the Parliament would be mere eye-candies and they would be
whistled at, gives us a clear idea of what goes on in the minds of a person who holds the reins of power in the
country.
And as if these speculations were not enough, we have another (larger) set of insatiable cowards who are not
getting enough of eve-teasing, raping and molesting. It is ironical that the custodians of law and order of the
country, the police-officers themselves, are becoming the perpetrators of such barbaric and brutal acts. Who,
then, should we rely upon for justice? It is time to take a stand against such dastardly episodes. Strict
disciplinary action should be taken against such nefarious elements of the society. Proper vigilance is a must.

By
Doa Naqvi
It's a man-made miracle in God's own country.
Turning the Tide
When even die-hard Socialists seem to be
reconciled to letting perennially sick public
sector units (PSUs) being either privatised or
left to waste away, Kerala is showing another
way. The state is not just propping up
haemorrhaging PSUs but is pulling them out of
the red; some are even making decent profits. A
surprise silver lining in the generally lacklustre
three-and-a-half years of the LDF Government,
this has been achieved without compromising
on the policy of not liquidating or privatising
PSUs or retrenching workers.

The number of profit-making units of the 42 PSUs under the Industries Department
climbed from 12 in 2005-06 to 24 the next year, reaching 29 in 2008-09. The department
expects to turn 32 companies around by 2009-10. While all the 42 PSUs posted a combined
net loss of Rs 69.49 crore in 2005-06 when the new Government came to power, the very
next year saw them making a net profit of Rs 91.43 crore. The last financial year witnessed
the figure climbing to an impressive Rs 169.45 crore. The period also saw the combined
value of production from these companies grow from Rs 1,383 crore to Rs 1,770 crore, and
f

How did the magic happen? State Industries Minister and chief architect of the
turnaround This was the result of a conscious plan for revival of PSUs which would
justify our commitment towards the public sector. Only when we prove the viability of
PSUs can we continue to oppose the attempts to liquidate or privatise them.Even the
Left's opponents nod in approval.This is a remarkable achievement.
Call it an incredible in a politically fragmented Kerala. As many as 11 of the 25 PSUs
listed to be closed down or privatised by the previous United Democratic Front (UDF)
government on the basis of recommendations of the Enterprise Reforms Committee have
been revived during the past three years. Modernisation projects worth Rs 281.52 crore
are being executed in 14 PSUs. Even three sick textile mills closed for long have been
reopened in the last three years.

The Government's budgetary support for revival and rejuvenation of viable PSUs was one
of the first steps as Rs 161 crore was allocated in the last three years for purposes like
onetime settlement with banks, settlement of VRS dues, modernisation, restructuring
and providing working capital.
Another key policy initiative was to make it mandatory for government departments to
buy from PSUs. United Electrical Industries of Kollam was one of the country's first to
manufacture electricity house meters in collaboration with Aron Meters of England.
The LDF Government asked the SEB to enter
into an agreement with the company to buy
its meters, which alone was enough to help it
move back into black. "Helping us in the first
two years has now made us stand without
crutches. This year we got an order after
competing with others and quoting the
lowest price. We have orders from other
SEBs and have the best product," says
managing director, A. Devakinandanan.
Kerala State Drugs and Pharmaceuticals is
another PSU which, with a little help, turned
around and has now launched a Rs 33-crore

Bringing professionalism into management was another major step. "For the first time a special
selection board was constituted to interview and appoint chief executives. No appointment was
made on the basis of political recommendations," says T. Balakrishnan, principal secretary,
industries. Last year, the industries department trebled CEO salaries and perks from about Rs
45,000 to Rs 1.25 lakh per month.
"Today we have a flood of applicants, even from the private sector," beams Kareem, who has
insisted on receiving daily functioning reports of all the PSUs under his ministry. "For two years
now, every department has to daily present a detailed report of the previous day's functioning.

This has increased efficiency and cut costs substantially," says C.J. George, executive director,
Kerala Minerals and Metals Ltd, which made the highest profits--Rs 71 crore--among the 42
PSUs in 2008-09, up from a paltry Rs 9 crore last year.

Wages were revised at all levels and more than 1,100 fresh appointments were made in last three
years across PSUs, ending an eight-year-long freeze. In Keltron, the country's first public sector
electronics manufacturer which was in the red for long, wage revision was implemented last year
after 16 years.
The only sector which has not yet produced any major result is of textiles.

A noted change has been the unusual collaboration between fierce political rivals, the CPI(M)-led
state and the Congress-led Centre. This led to strategic collaborations and equity participation
between some state PSUs and Central PSUs. The relationship between Antony and Kareem has
been called the AK-EK alliance and is quoted by many as the only way ahead for the state to
industrialise. "AK has been exceptionally considerate to Kerala, which had been neglected for
long by the Centre for investments," says Kareem. Antony returns the compliment by calling him
a "strategic partner".

By:
Sonal Trivedi
 I ND I A AS A N E ME RG I NG N ATI ON
In late 90’s when United States denied technological
support to India for developing Super Computer, it was
then India by its own effort developed its first Super
Computer named ‘Param 1000’. It kick started the
emergence of IT sector in India with visionary support of
then prime minister of India Mr. Rajeev Gandhi.
As per Som Mittal (NASSCOM’s Chief) India’s IT sector is
to see double digit growth by 2010. The economic activity
in the country is apparently speeding up, the technology
companies are hiring again and acquisition and merger
are on the carder. The Information Technology (IT) Sector
in India is to grow by 4%-7% this fiscal and is expected to
attain a double digit growth in the next fiscal starting
from April 2010.
NASSCOM’s latest findings states:
Indian IT-BPO sector grew by 12% in FY 2009 to reach US$
71.7 billion in aggregate revenue of this, the software and
services segment accounted for USD 59.6 bn.
Global IT giant IBM plans to scale up its business process
outsourcing operations in the country and looks to recruit
5000 people to support the expansions.
Now coming on some big deals:
• HCL technologies has entered into a 5 year deal
with media conglomerate NEWS CORP for
managing its data centers and IT across British
newspapers. The deal is pegged to be in the
range of USD 200 –USD 250 mn.
• HCL technologies has also received a contract
worth USD 50 million from UK base defense
equipment maker MEGGIT for providing
engineering services.
• WALMART has selected 3 IT vendors in India –
INFOSYS technologies, COGNIZANT technologies
solutions and USI global for multi-year contracts
worth over USD 600 mn.
Coming on government’s front it has set up the National
Task Force on Information Technology and Software
Development with an objective of framing a long-term
National IT policy for the country. Indian government
enactment of the Information Technology Act which
provides a legal framework to facilitate electronic
commerce and transaction.
Indian Information Technology Sector continues to be
one of the sunshine sectors of the Indian Economy
showing rapid growth and promise.
According to a report prepared by McKinsey for
NASSCOM, the export components of the Indian Industry
is expected to reach USD 175 bn in revenue by 2010,
likely to bring USD 225 bn in revenue.
Contributed By
Rahul Yadav.
They have run their race! The good old warhorses should now be
brought back and rested. Time is ripe for the young and agile,
smart and unconventional, positive and fresh, futuristic and
optimist leaders to take over the reins of the country.
What India needs in the present era are young and smart
shoulders that can carry it to the path of overall development. The
last election has brought many such promising young politicians to
the fore. The likes of Rahul Gandhi, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Sachin
Pilot, Agatha Sangma and many more definitely bring a whiff of
fresh air and a lot of enthusiasm in not just the Parliament but the
entire nation as well. This Parliament on one hand has the vast
experience of the stalwarts, the big names and thinkers and on the
other these young politicians who have the zeal and show a lot of
passion to change the course of politics in this country. This is a
good amalgamation of experience and fresh thoughts showing a
more balanced picture of the Parliament.
The young politicians mix-up with the common man and hence
are able to connect with the masses easily. These leaders bring a
lot of approachability with them. People find these leaders very
accessible and believe that they will be able to understand their
problems in a better way as compared to their predecessors.
People believe that this younger generation of leaders will be
working towards the betterment and welfare of the masses not
just on paper but in real terms. They are expected not to just make
empty promises but to deliver what they promise; their actions
should speak for their words.
This younger lot of politicians seem to be more actively involved
in public affairs. A few months back we read the news of a very
popular young member of the cabinet spending a day in a village
with a British diplomat. He met the villagers and gave an ear to
their problems. However this was not a one-off incident as this
gentleman likes to spend time with the common man, the average
middle class. He is perceived as the “aam aadmi” leader by the
people of India. Then again he visited the state of Maharashtra to
meet the people, travelled in local trains and even stood in
queues. All these trips to various part of the country to meet
people are just not a publicity gimmick as opposed by the critics
but an example that gives out a very strong message that this
young brigade of politicians is set out to change the way politics is
done in this country. Even the people of the country are
appreciating these new personal interactions they are having
directly with their leaders.
A greater percentage of the Indian population is below the age
of forty and this means that the youth of the country holds its
future. And this younger population now needs a leader who
thinks like them, feels like them and is equally passionate and
ready to fight tooth and nail in their endeavour to take India to the
heights it should have reached much earlier.
Change is the need of the hour and this current young
Parliament of India has the right kind of change elements who can
bring about a paradigm shift in the politics of this country.
Youngsters are rallying behind these leaders, go go go!
Contributed By-
Ali John Zaidi
INDIA-20-20 refers to the fast growing India; we have been a lot better from our past. Time is
coming when a rapidly developing India will become a developed India.

We Indians love our country and call it as our Motherland so we are responsible to shape our
country and build a powerful India. Today with younger population in India we as young citizens
must lead India to vision 2020 as the idea proposed by our former president and Scientist Dr.APJ
Abdul Kalam in his book. He has thrown light upon many sections which should be developed like
Education, Healthcare, Information and Communication Technology.

Let’s talk about most dominant way of communication The Entertainment Media Industry and
Sports or to say telecommunication with all glamour portion in it and yet distinctly effective.The
two most exposed and hyped sections but plays an important part in leading India are Sports and
Films and with no wonder these two are fast growing sections/industries in India.

For a sporty event of Cricket, which is a popular all over the world both sportsmen and Film
Stars/Businessman came together on a platform to entertain as well as to bring the whole world to
India. This should be taken as achievement because we Indians have found a platform to evince our
talents and tell the whole world what we can do. Now we have World’s richest man from India, Man
of Booker prize from India and lot more of this kind will become in Future.

Another achievement of India is the organization of Commonwealth Games in our country. These
events make India proud and help us to lead as when the people from other countries come here
and see our talent, participate in it and interact with us, build the communication which affects
their perspectives about us. One very important thing to notice and analyze here is the spread and
knowledge of Our National games Like Hockey these are our Prestige we must promote it as well,
we are lagging behind just because we don’t heed our National Games if we don’t regard the sport
originated in our country which are now popular in other country but not in our country we can’t
be called as developed nation.

Some foreigners have said that World’s best education is in India, best tournaments are held in
India and Indians got more talent then anyone in the world, that’s why many Indians are giving
tough competition to the westerners even, working in their country.

Sportsmen and the Actors are very popular among the common people so their approach is very
positive and prevailing, their popularity and winning has made India proud before and will make
us more proud when it helps us to become a developed country. Padam Vibhushan and Padam shri
awards in these fields awarded to Virender sehwag[cricketer], Aamir Khan[actor], AR
Rahman[Oscar winner musician] and Vijender singh[Boxer].These people and many other
awardees will affect the young generation and boost their confidence to spread the name our
nation and civilization of India around the Globe.

By

Murtuza Nasir Saeed

 EVOLVED MARKETING FOR AN EVOLVED CONSUMER
A demanding consumer will ensure that advertising
no longer remains discreet and polite. Overt
comparisons with rival brands may well become the
norm.

Hindustan Unilever Ltd. (HUL) has done the

unthinkable. It resorted to an overt comparison of its
brand Rin with the leading brand of its brand
market competitor-P&G’s Tide – on national network
televisions for days together till the Calcutta High
Court stepped in.

What HUL did with its “ambush-marketing” act was

unprecedented. Ever since this controversy hit the
headlines, there has been a ragging debate on
marketing ethics. HUL has been pilloried by many
marketing and non-marketing people for the
“unethical” practice of being “direct” in its
comparison.

The Indian consumer is much evolved today. Indian

marketing is also evolving with the times. At the
vanguard of this evolutionary process have been the
two FMCG giants, who are now pitched against one
another in this battle of the brands.Infact, globally,
including India, these two companies have heralded
almost every marketing innovation we have seen in
recent decades. In many ways, these two companies
are, and have been, the opinion leaders in
advertising. Companies that have pushed the
envelope and led the way. Even in a conservative
marketing society like India, they have been trend-
setters. Hence this “in your face” brand of
advertising can be yet another new phenomenon that
will become acceptable in the Indian market
gradually. HUL has only begun it.

HUL, in many ways, has shown that it has kept pace

with the changing mindset of the Indian consumers.
By making an overt comparison, HUL actually
does what the consumer does. Compare overtly.

Brands have over time used every strategy in the

book to promote themselves. In the beginning, it was
all about a superior product that washed well. Then,
the focus shifted to a product-based USP.

There is much change foreseen in the rules of the

advertising game. A time in advertising expected
which will go one step beyond in this “consumer
integrity” game. In this entire market-evolution
process, old definitions of what is right and what is
wrong are bound to be questioned. The days of polite
and discreet advertising may well be over. The
consumer will love this integrity in advertising.

The bottom line: If the consumers demand more

straightforward advertising, so be it. Give it to them!
By

Soumya Thakur
Business Leadership (What world can learn from us?)

Surely the day is still in our memory of violent terrorist attack on India’s Economic Capital in
November 2008. The brutality played its three-day long ghastly play ended with the death of
more than 170 people, including 28 foreigners, the chief of city’s antiterrorist squad and the
Chairman of Yes Bank.

Are you puzzled why I am telling this, a so well known to you also, through this column? It’s
important to discuss when current theme of Tatva is India the way ahead so I am digging
deeper to find and present before you the unique character of Indian Business Leadership,
which can teach any country some great lessons.

Anil D Ambani not only cancelled his proposed U.S. visit on prime minister’s urge as a sign of
stability but also jogged in Mumbai Marathon organized at one of the scenes of the carnage
just hours after it had been secured. A newspaper called the act "a symbolic display of the
resilience for which Mumbai is widely admired." Perhaps this was the only reason when
Secretary of State (U.S.) Hillary Clinton visited India six months after the terrorist attack; she
arrived first not to New Delhi, the political capital but to Mumbai, the business capital.

In India we have a way of doing business that brings together business leadership with national
leadership and societal leadership. Many heads of business are deeply involved in matters from
climate change to child nutrition, and they find it entirely appropriate and even necessary to
make their views on such matters public.

Some of this has to do with a need for development. The heads of many Indian businesses
believe that national growth is essential for their own profitable expansion. Also, we have a
long-standing tradition of business largesse, with many companies committed to social
betterment through philanthropic giving and investment in infrastructure near their facilities.
But the melding goes well beyond private profit and public charity. Indian leaders care as much
about national purpose as about financial results.

Look at the Infosys co-chairman and former C.E.O. of Infosys Technology, Mr. Nilkeni who
accepted national call to direct UID, an instrument to make prosperity and effective delivery of
social services dance at the door of poor. No matter it is HUL’s effort to create sales force in
some of the most remote regions of India through “Project Shakti” by using tool of
microfinance or number of community hospitals, grade schools and virtual universities across
the country (like TISS), all are examples of social face of business leadership.

When we explore we find the leaders of largest firms of India, those are exceptionally
successful and truly global, are so because these leaders make the critical decisions at the most
important companies, including the strategic choices that have helped define India's distinctive
approach to business.
The essence of the India Way is best expressed by those business leaders themselves. We
"think in English and act in Indian," observed R. Gopalakrishnan, the executive director of Tata
Sons, the holding company of the Tata Group. The Tata Group comprises some 98 enterprises
that employ 290,000 and book annual revenue equal to 3.2% of the nation's GDP.

The beauty of Indian managers and business leaders is that “our intellectual tradition is Anglo-
American, but our action vector is in the Indian ethos. Articulation, Analytical power,
Unconventional business intelligence, Devotion and Dedication of Business Leaders are the
magical seeds which will grow the crop of successful global leadership position in the field of
future.”

So here are the distinctive elements of our business leaders:

1. Holistic engagement with employees. We see our firms as organic enterprises, where
sustaining employee morale and building company culture are critical obligations and the very
foundations of our success. People are viewed as assets to be developed, not costs to be
reduced.

2. Improvisation and adaptability. It is the heart of Indian way. Our success despite of volatile
environment and maddening red tape shows our ability to rely on our wits to circumvent the
innumerable hurdles we recurrently confront.

3. Creative value propositions. We have learned to be highly creative in developing our value
propositions, delivering entirely new products and services with extremely high efficiency.
Remind yourself NANO if you don’t agree.

4. Broad mission and purpose. We place special emphasis on personal values and on having a
vision of growth and strategic thinking. In addition to serve the needs of stockholders we also
stress broader purpose of family prosperity, regional advancement and national renaissance.

The integrity of these principles constitutes a distinctly Indian way of conducting

business, one very different from other countries.

So the world is not only knowing it that the INDIA is rising up to regain its position of
“VISHWA GURU” but also learning from us. Friends! Be the part of this. Come on......

JAI HIND

Shyam B Gupta
MBA IV SEM

*Give your feedback at shyamgupta1984@gmail.com.

National Treasure
1411- A number that spells doom for the country. feed. Therefore, the presence of tigers in the forest is an
A number which is symbolic of man’s ruthless pursuit of indicator of the well-being of the ecosystem.”
environmental devastation. A number which represents Indeed, it is this sustenance of ‘nature’s equilibrium’ that is a
how the degradation of wildlife is taking a toll on the life of key to the development of the future of humanity.
several innocent creatures, who have as much right to stay If the tiger (or any other carnivore for that matter) goes
alive as any human being. extinct, the entire system would
1411 is the number of tigers left in collapse. There would be an
the country. It is an indicator of just increase in the number of
how desperate the efforts to save herbivores, which in turn would
the national animal, from becoming effect the forest vegetation and
part of history should be. crops. Therefore, this gracious
The tigers await their end, in the carnivore should be saved from
dense forests of the country, even as extinction, in order to maintain
the world frantically grasps onto the fragile “balance of nature”.
whatever little is left of them. In this The question that arises in the
silence of the wilderness, current scenario is that ‘What
surrounded by dark shrouds of action, can we, as citizens of the
shadows and solitude, the tiger country, take in order to protect
merely purrs helplessly rather than our national animal from
roaring with confidence and pride. extinction?’ Innumerable
‘Once upon a time there was a …Tiger’
The tiger is an enigmatic creature. It campaigns have been launched to
has the most alluring demeanor; its captivating charisma save the tiger. These campaigns can be effective only when
has been discussed in almost every nook and corner of the enthusiastic volunteers come to the forefront and join hands
world. Apart from being a striking mix of sophistication and to make a worthwhile contribution.
suavity, the tiger plays an important role in safeguarding Taking a pledge to save the national heritage, just because it
the ecosystem. sounds “cool” is not going to serve any purpose. One should
As WWF-India website says, “The tiger is a unique animal truly believe in the cause and work sincerely towards it. One
which plays a pivotal role in the health and diversity of an should break all the shackles of slothfully sluggish stances
ecosystem. It is a top predator and it keeps the population and become an active participator in such initiatives. Each
of wild ungulates in check, thereby maintaining the one of us can make a difference just by pledging to do
balance between prey herbivores and the vegetation upon something constructive, because, as the saying goes, “Better
which they to live one year as a tiger, than a hundred as a sheep.”

Contributed By:
Doa Naqvi
 American Dilemma
With the meltdown on Wall Street and financial markets in the
doldrums, with billions of dollars feeding an unending war, and housing
and employment stagnant, the upcoming American presidential election
pits two very different world-views against each other.

For voters, it is a tough choice, between change and continuity, a choice

between two very different leaders—Democrat Barack Obama and
Republican John McCain. The 2.6 million-strong Indian-American
community seems to be voting in line with the mainstream.

A new study released in Washington D.C. suggests that Indian-Americans are

indeed leaning towards Obama, and that their votes could be the pivotal swing that
decides the outcome of the race.

According to the 2008 National Asian American Survey (NAAS), conducted by researchers in four
American universities, 41 per cent of Asian-Americans are likely to vote for Obama, while 24 per cent
support McCain.

In battleground states, Obama leads with 43 per cent of the Asian-Americans supporting him and 22 per
cent favouring McCain. The key component is the 34 per cent undecided Asian-American voters, a hefty
number compared to the 8 per cent in the general electorate.

Karthick Ramakrishnan, an associate professor of political science at UC Riverside and one of the
researchers of the study, points out that with such a high proportion of undecided voters, Asian-
Americans are a critical source of potential votes.

Obama has successfully wooed the community

After the Latinos, Asian-Americans are the fastest-growing population in the US, making up 5 per cent
of the US population today. Among Asian-Americans, those of Indian origin constitute 0.9 per cent of
the total, followed by the Chinese with 1.2 per cent.

According to the NAAS study, Asian-Americans will play an important role in battleground states such
as Virginia, Nevada and Washington, where they account for five per cent or more of the population.
Even in states such as Colorado, Ohio and Florida, where they are less numerous, Asian-Americans may
provide the cutting edge of victory.

The survey indicates that Indian-American voters are even more pro-Obama: 53 per cent of the Indian-
Americans surveyed favour Obama with just 13 per cent rooting for McCain. These figures are not
surprising as Indian-Americans have generally tended to vote for Democrats, and as the second
generation has come of age, the community is playing an ever-increasing role in civic life.

It's a much more layered community, much more diverse.The change has happened because new
organisations with many younger people have come up.

The younger generation is pushing the envelope and there is a new maturing of the community.The
NAAS study says the majority of Asian-Americans who voted in the primaries supported Hillary
Clinton over Obama by nearly 2 to 1, but Clinton supporters now overwhelmingly plan to vote for
Obama.
I think the Indian-Americans are strongly behind Obama,says Subodh Chandra, an Obama delegate who
has served as Cleveland law director and was a candidate for attorney general of Ohio. McCain reaches
out

People feel very strongly that the economy is in tatters, that America's standing throughout the world,
including South Asia, has diminished and only someone with Obama's intellect and vision can redeem
the situation.

Both parties enjoy strong contingents of Indian-American donors and fundraisers. As the business
coalitions coordinator, K.V. Kumar of Arizona is the highest-ranking Indian in the McCain campaign.

Powerful Republicans have come together in the Indian-American Republican Council (IARC) which is
chaired by Dr Raghavendra Vijayanagar, and there are newer organisations like Indians for McCain,
founded by Kishan Putta.

Many Indian-Americans are appreciative of the Bush administration for the civilian nuclear deal.Senator
McCain and Congressional Republicans were solidly behind the US-India civilian nuclear agreement.

While the Democrats smear India with their claims on outsourcing, the facts are different. With
investments and acquisitions in the US, India has actually insourced more jobs here, than what has been
outsourced.

The Obama campaign has Indian-American staffers at every level-paid field organisers and
communication people, veterans from several states and countless volunteers. Obama's Asian American
Pacific Islander Leadership Council includes Preeta Bansal, Rajen Anand, Vinod Khosla and Swadesh
Chatterjee.

Obama has raised a record-breaking $400 million during this campaign, but this amazing success story
includes big donors as well as many first-time donors who contributed only five dollars. Bansal, who is
the former solicitor general of New York and was a special counsel in the Clinton White House and the
Justice Department, is a senior policy adviser to Obama.

Contributed By
Sonal Trivedi
.
As Civilization Advances, Culture Declines….!!!
Have you ever tried to contemplate the paradox of our
times in history? If the answer came yet, witness some of
these billion reality bites- we are living in a world where
we have made taller buildings but shorter temples, wider
freeways but narrower viewpoints. We have fancier houses
but broken families, more conveniences but less time. We
tend to spend more but treasure less. We are busy
collecting more knowledge but less judgement. We have
more experts, more problems, more medicines but less
well being. Doesn’t it sound eerie that we are moving up
to higher living standards and decline in life standards
concomitantly?
We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our
values. And what could be more absurd that we have been
all the way to the moon and back but have trouble in
crossing the street to meet a new neighbour. We are too
busy conquering the outer space and ignore the inner
space completely. By now some people might want to
argue what is the point behind this contemplation or
more specifically what have all these things to do with
culture and civilisation? Simple, all of these instances
allude to a basic fact that in process of civilisation, we
have forgotten our roots, the higher goals of life and most
importantly the cultured way of living. To make the
matter more cogent lets have look as to how culture and
civilisation are related to each other.
Civilisation can be viewed as the process of civilizing or
becoming civil and it connotes the betterment of ways of
living, making nature bend to fulfil the needs of
humankind. It includes organizing societies into well-
defined groups working collectively for improved
conditions of life in matters of food, dress,
communication, etc. Thus a group considers itself as
civilized, while others were looked upon as barbarians.
This has led to wars and holocausts, resulting in mass
destruction of human beings. Therefore, civilization by
itself can’t be the goal of life; on the other hand ‘culture’
refers to the inner man, a refinement of head and heart.
One who may be poor and wearing cheap apparel may be
considered ‘uncivilised’, but he or she may be the most
‘culture’ person. For ‘culture’ concerns itself with the
inner refinement of a person. This includes arts and
sciences, music and dance and various higher pursuits of
human life. One possessing ostentatious wealth may be
considered as ‘civilised’ but he may not be cultured.
While better ways of living socially and politically and
better utilization of nature around us may be turned
civilization, they are not enough to be a cultured
individual. Only when the deeper levels of human
intellect and consciousness are brought into expression
can we call a person ‘cultured’.
Looked at in this perspective, modern man may at once
be called civilized, but not cultured, but cultural
expressions in art, music and literature are there. But if
culture in a deeper sense had penetrated the human
psyche, the modern world would not have had to witness
two world wars besides innumerate smaller ones. To add
to this whole communities have been wiped out in vast
genocides. All this destruction can’t be called expressions
of culture, though they are, to be sure, characteristics of
modern civilization.
So, can we say that we have reached the point where we
have modern civilization minus culture? Or what lies in
the future if the present appears so bleak? And if you are
still unsure, here are some more paradoxes that more
often than not we encounter in our daily lives: - today
making money is the most important thing and how you
do it is not as important. MATERIALISM RULES. We
spend too recklessly, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up
too late, read too little, pray too seldom, and hate too
often. There are the times of fast food and low digestion,
steep profits and shallow relationships, throw away
morality, one night stands and pills that do everything
from cheer to quite, to kill clearly, the list is never ending.
A famous philosopher once said, “The biggest irony of
our age is that we have added years to life but not life to
years.” And going by the ironic status qui of our times
where civilization has nearly eclipsed culture, it is quite
approximate to say “as civilization advances, culture
declines!!”.
Contributed By:
Suneet Saxena
As Civilization advances, Culture declines.
Ever since the dawn of human history – two words
have always intrigued the greatest thinkers and
scholars of all times – Civilization and Culture.
They have become an integral part of the
evolution process of human beings. Time has seen
the advent and egress of myriad civilizations, each
with distinct cultural virtues and flavors. The
civilizations are found to be evolving, merging and
transforming into new ones throughout the timeline.
This process can be traced back from the
Neanderthals (cave people) to the Sumerians of
the Ur valley, or the Babylonians of Mesopotamia,
the Egyptians in the Valley of Thebes, the Mayans
of Machu-pichu, the Incas, the Greeks, the Romans
and the Indus valley civilization.
These different
civilizations are
the epitome of
evolution process
of the human
beings. The
wheel that has
been set in
motion with the
realization of
intelligence
within the
human species has never been halted for once. The
process of evolution or advancement is going on in a
continuous fashion just like the movement of heavenly
bodies in the space.
If we search for the definition of civilization we will find
that it has been described as ---
“Civilization is the process of civilizing or becoming civil.
“Civilization" is often used as a synonym for the
broader term "culture" in both popular and academic
circles. Every human being participates in a culture,
defined as "the arts, customs, habits... beliefs, values,
behavior and material habits that constitute a people's
way of life"
--Wikipedia.com
So we can infer that Civilization and Culture are two
sides of the same coin. Both show the complete
picture of human existence. Culture determines the
ways of civilization, whereas civilization preserves a
culture. So in this way both
are complementary to
each other. We cannot
separate a civilization from
its culture and in the same
manner no culture can
exist without its
relationship to its parent
civilization.
Every civilization has a
unique way of life. The
people of a particular
civilization show distinct patterns of behaviors that are
attributed by the virtue of their being a part of a
particular civilization. They have their different
lifestyles, which translate into their own culture. When
people in a particular group start showing similar
patterns of thinking, acting and behaving, it gives way
to a civilization. So we can see that it’s like walking in a
circle where the two ends will always meet. If you start
developing a culture you will end up with a civilization
and when you are a part of a civilization you will have
its culture engrained in your way of living.
As we have seen that we are in a state of evolution and
advancement, so the state of our existence is ever
changing i.e. to say – Change is the law of Nature and it
is the only permanent thing. Past Civilizations changed
into present ones and present ones are going to
transform into some futuristic civilization. So
everything is dynamic except the process itself i.e. the
Change.
With the advancement in human intelligence, we
always have a change in lifestyle, behavior, or in the
way of doing things. For e.g. before the existence of
language, humans used gestures, cave paintings and
hand symbols to talk or to convey our message but
after the conception of symbolic language, we started
talking and writing in a hieroglyphs. Then with the
invention of printing press, we had a world that was
full of texts and books.
A whole new breed of educated people resulted
because of Gutenberg’s printing press and now with
the better advancement in technology we changed our
ways of communicating. Today we SMS, email, scrap
and tweet.
The point that I want to emphasize upon is that
whenever there is advancement in civilization, we
change or rather adjust our ways according to that
change.
But does adjusting mean declining?
Can you say that we declined in our culture when we
started conveying our message through hieroglyphs
instead of hand gesture, or our culture exterminated
with the invention of printing press because it gave
way to a different way of interacting and
communicating? Are the ways of modern day
communication process like email, sms, or tweets the
epitome of cultural deterioration?
If you feel that the answer is ‘yes’… then in that case
our culture exterminated at the very moment when
the realization of intelligence dawned on the human
mind because it was that particular moment when the
wheels of civilization advancement were set in motion.
The problem that we should focus is not whether
civilization advancement leads to cultural deterioration
rather we should focus on whether our understanding
of that civilization advancement is on the right track or
not. We should not take any change or advancement
as a synonym to cultural decline. Change is not the
problem –What matter is, “HOW” we interpret the
change.
If this civilization advancement was really adverse to
the human culture then by now we would have
become a plague on the face of this earth. But in
reality, with each passing day we are touching new
heights of scientific success, technological, medical,
and academic breakthrough. We are evolving towards
a better life, towards a better future.
This is not the decline of culture. This is our adaptation
to new ways of living. To a better world that will
translate into a new civilization- a better one because a
new version of anything comes only when all the
glitches and drawbacks of the previous versions are
removed. In the same way the coming civilization will
be free from the ills or weaknesses of this present one.
We should welcome the change. It should not be
tagged as cultural decline rather it should be seen as a
progress of human species. We cannot allow ourselves
to stagnate in the name of cultural decline. A way for a
new and better future should be made.
So the crux of the whole matter is that civilizations are
always in a process of advancing and with these
evolutions our ways of behaving i.e. our culture is
bound to change. If we don’t allow that change to
happen in our patterns of behavior, our culture, we
will lose pace with the present times.
Thus we can say that as Civilization an advance, Culture
does not decline…it is refined…!!!
Contributed By –
Sibtain Jafar
 And the hardest part
Was letting go not taking part
That Was the hardest part
And the strangest thing
Was waiting for that bell to ring
It was the strangest start

I have heard Chris Martin crooning these lines a million times before,
but as I sat back today listening to these words in his heart wrenching voice, suddenly my throat was
all thick. Memories-that I never know even existed in my subconscious –suddenly came fluttering by
me, and for the first time in my life I realized, how utterly difficult it is to let go. To let go of the
golden phase of your life, the sweetest memories of fun and frolic. As I think back of the years of my
life as a student, a smile spreads across my lips, as tears well up in my eyes. As the time slithers by
me, I want to seize it. But I see the sand slipping in the hourglass, and I realize that I cannot hold
onto it. Such are the inscrutable ways of life, you have to break free someday..you have to let go,
even if it the hardest part.

As I gather the strings of my thoughts and memories, I realize that the most vivid of them all are the
times I spent in this campus. It seems only yesterday, that we were attending the orientation session
that stretched for 3 days..!!! The orientation session clearly underlined for us that we were in for
some real hard work here. All those who joined MBA under the impression that it would be a
cakewalk, were in for a rude shock. And predictably, the 1st year was a killer. All the subjects, that
were Greek to most of us, were supposed to be mastered in a span of few months, a feat that was
made even more daunting by the never ending pile of assignments which we were expected to
deliver in no time. However, as time passed, and we entered the 2nd year of MBA..our work and
willingness to work , both declined substantially. While tottering piles of books and notes were the
identifying features for a first year, the 2nd years could be identified as loitering in the campus and
around the Kishori’s tea stall.

But it’s more than just academics that form an MBA. If I speak for myself, I believe that times I spent in this campus have been my most
formative moments. I grew from being a naive college grad to being a more mature adult. The life outside the four walls of the classroom
taught me about the most important resource that a manager needs to handle…It taught me about people. Something that I’ll carry with
me all my life.

Apart from all the learning; we had our share of fun as well at the campus. I will never forget our ethics classes, where Professor Bajpai
tirelessly tried to instill some sense of “dharma” in his seemingly uninterested students. Not even our nonchalance could perturb him,
and however hard we tried to duck out, he always made sure that we were made to listen. Outside the classroom, kishori’s tea stall was
our permanent hangout spot. His chai and samosas, delivered to us by “Poppy” served to literally spice up our usually insipid routine. It
makes me smile to remember the moments of insanity that we spent by that tea shop.

Now, as things are drawing to a close, I do not know how to write the parting note. Emotions clutch me tighter, as I try to let go. But I
know that I have to, because I am ready, as ready as I’ll ever be, to step into a new world. It’s time for all of us to put into action what we
have learnt in theory. So, with a heavy heart I bid goodbye to our alma mater, with a fervent hope that we shall all meet again someday
to muse over the times we spent here, remember the laughs we laughed, the tears we shed and the lessons we learnt.

My iPod plays a different tune now..and my eyes are wet again..as I hum along with Westilfe..

So I say it in a breath
Hope my dreams will take me there
Where the skies are blue
To see you once again
All the seas go coast to coast
Find the place I love the most
Where the fields are green
Signed.
To see you once again
Ritika Mathur