PRASHANTH SATHU'S OPINIONS

My Opinion on Nuke deal, Crude price & Bish Factor

2008-06-29T10:26:00.001+05:30

It has been quite some time since I had blogged. But do not think I am not writing… IT IS Connect and Cognizant Speaks @ Coimbatore (E-Magazines in Cognizant) keeps me occupied as a writer. This blog is for many of my friends who asked me why I have not blogged for a long time. True..!! It is indeed a long time.. This time it is a serious issue.. But dont think I am getting too scientific or political (have made it very simple for understanding :) ).. Just wanted to share: MY STAND ON NUKE DEAL. Read on…

June 5, 2008:

As I am about to leave home for office, my brother shouts to me "Hey Prashanth, fuel price hike decision today!! The increase may range from 5 to 10 bucks a litre.. You had better be wise today". I smiled to myself, thanking him for reminding me. For the first time in my life I filled it "Full tank"!! As I ride my Pulsar to my office at MVC, Coimbatore , I started brooding on what the prices will be in the next few years. There it all started…

Crude Price:

Over the last few years fuel price has sky rocketed from $60 to $120 a barrel!! We curse the UPA government for the price rise. One might also wonder why petrol is highly priced than diesel when both are extracted from crude oil, which is naturally occurring, inflammable mixture. The Petroleum Act of 1934 made a clear discretion of the fact that several public transport vehicles run on diesel and pricing them at par with petrol can be unaffordable and hence the higher price of the petrol. In keeping with the rising prices due to the change in the global economy one also needs to understand that with the current usage of petroleum products across the globe, we may not sustain more than 30 years with the existing reserves. India, its worse given the scope of exploration and fuel reserves sustenance for 10 years could be a herculean task. Thought provoking…

The 123 Agreement:

Months earlier when Bush had visited India, a gargantuan deal was on cards. The reason for the clairvoyant confidence of India being, Bush when quoting the Indo-Pak relationship talks, referred to India as a "responsible nuclear power". When Bush arrived in India the UPA government (Sonia at the helm ) took a strong stand in cementing an agreement favourable to India. This agreement was termed an "epoch agreement" by leaders and politicians as it catapulted India's pride at a global level favouring its foray into the G8. The conservative left parties were skeptical of the deal being passed at the parliament citing security reasons that could harm the people should Nuclear operations start in India. Now the 123 agreement is on hold…

Gas Pipeline:

Not to forget the agreement India made with Iran on the gas pipeline!! A lot of issues lay at stake in the crossroads with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, President of Iran. Murali Deora is in the verge of speeding up the pipeline deal with Iran. Iran was and is under the scrutiny of George Bush, President of the US. When Bush is at the helm of affairs nothing will or can happen against his wishes unless the leaders are ready for a bomb being dropped or a war being declared on them. When International Atomic Energy Agency - IAEA(made a puppet by Bush)annoyed Iran by announcing its decision to check their region for possibility for clandestine Nuclear power development which Ahamadinejad strongly disagreed. An angry Bush ordered a poll being conducted for countries endorsing his views and the Manmohan Singh government had to stoop to Bush's ideals and announced their stand to oppose Iran's plans. A blow again..!! Big blow to India's pipeline deal after this announcement.

Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty:

The Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty : popularly known as the NPT signed by several countries of the world including the US, the UK, Russia, China and France (permanent members of the UN) plays an important role. As the name says this treaty is signed with the aim of preventing countries from proliferating use of Nuclear power. India and Pakistan that are not signatories of the NPT, flexed their muscles by the way of nuclear power tests (Pokhran test - During Vajpayee government). Since then, both the countries are under the scrutiny of the IAEA and with Bush addressing India as a "responsible nuclear power", countries across the world suspect things could go haywire. One such country is Australia!! Australia has refused to export enriched Uranium (fissile material for producing nuclear energy in fast breeder reactors) citing reasons that India is not a signatory of the NPT. We are in a fix..

The Road ahead…

With the Lok Sabha elections round the corner and constant pressure from the Left parties to withdraw the deal the Manmohan Singh government is keeping its fingers crossed to get the deal through. The Left's approach being conservative and the tantrums they play does not look strong for the very fact that Baradhan a CPI(M) leader states "When you can wait for so long for the US to agree, why not let us take our time to sign the agreement for the 'go-ahead' ". The meeting between Prakash Karat and Karunanidhi might be a prowess for a better insight into the deal as the DMK announced its stand with the Congress on the civilian nuclear deal. With time immemorial nuclear energy being a source of power generation can be assured without any doubt, keeping in mind the fact that fossil fuels can get depleted soon.

Assuming the Left parties agree for the civilian nuclear deal, the US would embrace India for an epoch agreement. This would obviously mean Uranium from can be imported from Australia without any hassles. India stand in world economy would catapult to greater heights and with better understanding the Gas Pipeline deal with Iran can be maneuvered to suit the requirements of India. Fuel price rise can be controlled to a larger extent if production of crude oil is increased in Iran. Everything is momentary… A deal will trigger a chain of events… For a better nation and a better world…. and Better Living..

It's the question of time… When…???

More to come..!! Wait n watch!!

SUCCESS- The sweetest nectar??- A dedication…

2008-01-08T12:27:00.000+05:30

I dedicate this blog to my Gran pa who passed away this Christmas. My humble blog as a token of love for being the man who taught me how to read a newspaper and inculcated the reading habit in me… Miss you Gran pa..!!!

"Nothing succeeds like success" they say, if so can there be a person who can treat success and failure the same?? Rudyard Kipling says in his poem "If" , " IF you can meet with Triumph and Disaster, And treat those impostors just the same"- meaning that success and failure are the two strangers who need to be treated the same. Do not get carried away by a success nor let a failure let you lose hope in your endeavours. This blog is my opinion about what success actually is? Is success a relative term or a constant term across the world? Does success really succeed like success?? ……. Read on…

To me success is a relative term. What success is to you need not be the same to me and the vice versa.

For an amatuer sprinter winning a single sprint event can be success, but for an athlete winning gold medals in olympics is success.
For an amatuer cricketer playing a match for India is success, but for a pro winning world cups with back to back victories is success.
For some winning elections is success, but for a Theodore Roosevelt or a Lincoln carving a niche and a place in the world history is success(Though they never claimed so)

Believe me nothing fails like success. I don't know whether you will agree to this. Success once tasted may make you headstrong, may breed complacency, may make you over confident. You will tend to forget the small things that made you successful. Those extra miles you walked… Be it your project or in a society..

Never take success close to your heart… Don't mistake this to be not cherishing it… But just take it as a small token of encouragement for your hardwork (or) smartwork. Do not cling on to the old laurels that you have earned. Know why I am saying all these? Many a times an associate after winning an award clings on to the laurels that he/she doesn't see to that they win the award again and again. You become a genius only when you stay on top consistently, perform consistently, innovate consistently.. Winning is not a one time affair but has to be a life long habit.. Yes a habit.. As someone once said, "Number one is not just getting to the top, but staying on top".

I am sure some may be skeptical about this blog… Let me put across few instances… Most often we do see movie directors who churn out block buster hits then a series of flops and then go unheard of. Why?? The block buster hits have gone into their heads. Then they start blaming thier numerologists, astrologists and we people say cine industry is all about luck. Funny isn't it??

The more successful you are, the higher you climb up the ladder try being humble… NO!! BE HUMBLE!! Being humble doesn't mean not telling anyone what you have acheived but to remember its only a phase and not an eternity.. Its as simple as that!!

You think otherwise.???? Put across your opinions in the comments!!!

HAts off!!! More to come..!! Wait and watch!!

GOD n RELIGION- MAN MADE OR REALITY??

2007-11-09T23:35:00.001+05:30

Ever wondered why there are births of so many religions, cultures, creed and caste and not to mention the amount of bloodshed and hatred that have been associated in the name of religious war and the bellicose patriotism that has found place as a cause of all these?? Let me not beat around the bush to deliver this point to you. "Religion is lame without Science and Philosophy is lame without Religion". The rest is all what I have in my mind to share my "stuff" with you.

Hinduism, Christianity, Islamism, Buddhism and the list goes on.. As time immemorial man devised new ways to bring together people with similar beliefs and thoughts. I always tell my friends its better to have an open mind than to have an empty mind. An empty mind accepts anything it receives, to the contrary an open mind knows what to accept and what not to. In short the one with an open mind receives ideas and suggestions and knows how to iron out the differences between the right and the wrong and form the correct opinions. Keeping in mind the fact that we are living in a country that boasts about "Unity in Diversity" my opinions about God and religion are quite different .

Religions have existed through centuries and man actually created religion for his own purpose and intentions. Hailing from a typical Indian family who are God fearing I was taught discipline and "good" habits in the name of God. Sharing an incident in my life would give you a better insight to my point….. I was about 5 years old when the day came I had graduated from my Kindergarten to the Primary Level. The first day to my primary school was special but definitely a different one- Expecting my teacher to hand me a few toys or asking me play in the sand was all that was running through my mind.Alas, everything was not as how I had expected it to be.. The first hour of the day was moral science, the teacher read out from a book and I vaguely remeber these sentences…" Good children…. Dont lie to others.. Good children… Dont steal… Good children…..???….???". Then it's the usual story of a school going kid.

One day my friend who sits next to me had brought a brand new PEN-PENCIL(A pencil with the graphite tip fixed on a white plastic material, which can be removed and inserted at the bottom of the pencil so that the sharper tip pops up). Young as I was and more innocently I had fallen in love with that pencil with a "difference". Innocent at that age I offered my friend a NATRAJ PENCIL in exchange for the Pen-Pencil he had. Little did I expect him to give me the pen-pencil when he reluctantly pushed the pen-pencil to me. Overjoyed by successful exchange that I had made I decided to keep the pen-pencil in my pencil box safely…!!!

THE NEXT DAY WAS THE MOST DISASTROUS DAY THAT I HAD FACED IN MY LIFE

As soon as I entered the class I was escorted to the Principal's room. Going to the Principal's room was like a pushing a harmless goat into a Lion's den- everyone knows what'll be left over. Situation looked rather grim inside. A woman quite shabbily dressed in a red crumpled saree was standing near the principal's desk. She was fat, a huge bulky figure with a big red bindhi on her forehead and her hair worn into a bun had a small space enough to seat a bunch of woven jasmine flowers. I was taken in for a surprise to find my friend Babu who lent me the pen-pencil the previous day.

The Principal a grim looking woman in her late forties with a horn-rimmed glasses eyed at me rather suspiciously.Silence in the room broke when she finally asked "Prashanth Sathu what's your telephone number?". "Ma'am my daddy does not have phone at home" I replied honestly in a childish voice. She was signaling to the peon and all I could make out was that she is giving orders to him. I smiled vaguely at Babu who didn't respond to my smile, rather he looked at his mom with a raised brow.

Silence prevailed and minutes later at a distance I saw a woman who looked like my mother. Slowly the door opened. A confused and a rather perplexed woman entered the room. Both the Principal and the burly woman smiled at her sarcastically. Little did I know I was the reason for the pained look in my mom's face. "Your son has robbed my son's COSTLY pencil", shouted Babu's mother. My mom was in for a complete shock, and for a mother who adored her son more than anything these words ripped her heart.The Principal chipped in,"don't you teach manners to your son???". On hearing that my mom slapped me hard and my face went pale. The rest was an altercation between my mom and the burly woman. My mom succumbed and said sorry on my behalf and asked me to return the pen-pencil. She again slapped me hard in front of everyone and shouted " Why did you lie to me?".

Strange as it sounded the rest of the day was rather a gloomy one with my peers looking at me at the corner of their eyes. That evening my mom was waiting at the door step and I knew I was in for another round of spanking. As I entered my mom stared at me coldly. Tears rolled on my cheeks and I was sobbing continuously. My mom interpreted my tears to having realized my mistake. She wiped my tears and said,"GOD WILL POKE YOUR EYES IF YOU STEAL OTHER PEOPLE'S PENCIL OR RUBBER OR SHARPENER OR ANYTHING!! GOD WILL TORTURE YOU IN HELL IF YOU LIE TO OTHERS". But my CONSCIENCE told me that nothing will happen to me- because I had not lied nor had I stolen the Pen-pencil. ON that day I inferred that borrowing is equivalent to stealing and not having the integrity to tell your parents even the smallest thing that you do is equivalent to lying.

Today I am an agnostic, quite skeptical about the existence of God. I would not argue that God does not exist rather I would drive home the point its only a supreme power that controls the Universe. I don't believe in idol worship rather say there only one super power in the name of God. My belief is that God is a name used to teach discipline and good habits. To have a control over the conscience of the inner self man created God. A paradox as it may sound that is the opinion I have about God and religion. Never have I borrowed a penny until I was matured enough to understand what to borrow and what not to. Never have I missed out on the integrity factor in my life!! Thanks to that day when my mom corrected me in the name of God and today I am an agnostic. A simple concept….. When we were 4 years old we were taught sun rises in the east and sets in the west… when we were 8 years old they taught us Sun does not move but it's the earth that revolves around the sun. SAME CONCEPT BUT DIFFERENT WAYS OF EXPLAINING. Thats the age we are living in now. We should now know more clearly that God was only a concept created to have a control over your conscience. In short if you are true to your conscience you are divine. The DIVINITY is within you. You have to find the soul within you.

As John Milton said " Thy serve Him best who bear His mild yoke". Very true indeed. Life through the toughest times of your life and you are a MAN. Service to humanity and Mankind is the shortest way to attain divinity.

ANBE SIVAM!!!

Signing off…….. Wait and watch…..

FLIRTING IS MARKETING

2007-04-11T17:32:00.000+05:30

It is often known that people in this world try to impress someone or the other at least at one point of time in their life, be it a guy or a girl. I once received a mail where a Professor in Marketing explains the concepts and tactics of marketing in a rather interesting way. Here it goes......

You see a gorgeous girl at a party and you go up to her and say " I'm rich!Marry me"- That is Direct Marketing
You see a gorgeous girl at a party and you get her telephone number. The next day you call her up and say " I'm well off! Marry me!"- That is tele-marketing.

My earlier blogs were mostly on serious issues like GLOBALIZATION and ENTREPRENEURSHIP and I thank my friends and critics for giving both positive and negative criticisms and encouraged me to think on other issues as well. Hats off!!I have now chosen to blog on a much lighter topic for a change... I have used the male gender for the ease of writing..... It goes here............

"Its the first time that frightens" said George Bernard Shaw in his play "Pygmalion" when Eliza Doolittle, a Covent Garden flower girl with a cockney accent is transformed into a counterfeit aristocrat and ascends the kerbstone to prove her competency in front of a panel of judges who hail from the aristocratic families. On similar lines any guy would have had his heart beating fast when he had to approach his so called "crush" for the first time. From time immemorial the fear of "approaching" fades away when we reach our adulthood and this holds true with most people.

I have often suggested my friends and peers that one of key ways to improve one's English is by flirting with a girl who has excellent communication skills in English. Jokes apart!! It has worked out for most people successfully and that is the reason I am blogging on the same. The key factor behind the success is that every person speaks in English with the opposite sex firstly to impress them. Secondly to exhibit their competency in the language and thirdly to show their vocabulary. In the process of flirting his partner the person carefully picks up the word he uses and in course of time he attains a fine command over the language (at least to some extent).Though reading books and editorials helps to a good extent the above said technique have struck a cord with most people who don't read much.

In the process of flirting one tends to explain his character, his strengths, his weakness and that helps him analyze himself properly. If you have noticed that guys who have a girlfriend are far more confident than those without one. They have a proper analogy of their personality (unless you are single and have taken the MBTI).Flirting also helps people.

The word flirting may be a kind of a "bad word" or a "bad man's way of approach" for most people, but according to me its a strategy of self marketing. People in Coimbatore (most of them) for that matter think it is wrong if a guy and a girl go out or flirt. That is preposterous. I would say that the guy knows how to market himself to the world at large. There would have been the "first time" fear among most people but it vanishes the moment you overcome the small hurdle.Flirting in not mere way of approaching but also an art that one has to master in his lifetime.When a guy tends to hone this art an enhancement in his personality is observed- sense of dressing changes, etiquette improves and so on.

Imagine a guy Karan who has mastered this art to some extent and another guy Vivin who has not and they work in a firm owned by a shrewd female !!!! Phew!!Both work on a project having 6 modules and have completed 5!! When called on the carpet for not finishing the task on time, Vivin in most cases will have a small face and blink like the smiley of Yahoo Messenger.The boss gets pissed off and slams the report on the desk and asks him to bugger off!! Now comes the turn of Karan who has mastered the art. Dressed in a tailored beige trouser and copper red shirt he makes entry to the executive office. The young boss scans him from head to toe and her temper comes down like the raging fire that is humbled by a fire extinguisher. Like any other female boss she looks at him menacingly and before she utters a word," Hmmmm, Boss where in this world did you get such a wonderful perfume?" exclaims Karan sensing the mood of his boss."I guess you have used Donna Karen's Be Delicious Red Perfume " though she has used Light Blue by Dolce & Gabbana, " and the Tequila colored suit accentuates your finesse!!" says Karan with a flashing smile.Her fiery mood is now in ashes. " Boss the module shall be completed in another 3 hours" informs Karan with an imploring look in his eyes.Flattered by his approach she acknowledges him with a rather sensuous smile and he goes scot free much to the astonishment of his colleagues.

Flirting shall come in handy in most of the tough situations, if you have mastered the art!!Now you may agree that flirting is Owner's Pride and Neighbour's Envy!!Guys n gals use this art positively, you can market yourself effectively and you can go places. When misused it will back fire at you!!The book "Street Guide to Flirting" by Andrew Bryant and Micheal Lia Lewis will help you master the art. Try reading it!!
More blogs to come!!!
Wait n watch!!

INDIA GOING GLOBAL

2007-02-12T21:33:00.001+05:30

"Sun never sets in the British empire", the British once boasted of their empire when they were on the colonialization spree. On similar lines,"Sun never sets in for the Indian youth". Well you might be wondering what I am talking about. I am referring to the ambitious Indian youth who "burn the midnight lamp" in the IT and ITES.In short the section of today's generation who work in the BPOs and Call-centres.

It is an oft argued issue whether the foreigners are exploiting our men by paying a five figure salary(which is high in Indian currency) which they cannot afford to do in their countries.We must understand the very basic fact that it is not such an easy job for a graduate to work in night-shifts during the most exciting period of his life missing the light of the day. Leave alone the hazards of working in night-shifts which ends up in several physical and mental stress. This again brings in a question whether working in night shifts should only be a temporary career?? Well the answer could be depending on the individual's mindset who should very well know to iron out the opportunities and threats in this particular field. At times I wonder whether "colonialization" has taken a new form??

It is an irony that in spite of the above mentioned weakness of this field it has several advantages too. Looking at the current scenario of the growing economy of our country with a GDP(Gross Domestic Product) of above 8% and most likely to go above 9% this year, foreign investments are required to keep our economy stable. In the recent past we saw the TATAs acquiring Corus, Hindalco Industries acquiring Novelis and Mittal Steel acquring Arcelor and not to mention the number of tie-ups and MOUs signed by various industries. These are perfect instances to talk about our economy growing on a global scale.

Any major nation's success depends on its receptivity to the concept of Globalization. A country which tries to claim it can exist independently without the interdependency of other country will be shunned by the world. Today globalization is "interdependency of the independent countries". This is the basic idea behind the various outsourcing processes coming into our country. India's strength is its man power whose talents and potential are recognized worldwide. On the other hand India has its own threats of this talent pool being unemployed. The concept of globalization is one of the best ways to overcome this problem. Opportunities will continue to soar in the IT and ITES providing more employment. Call-centres and BPOs are indeed a boon for those craving for a job. Also more and more enterprises come up, providing employment and also greater opportunities for people who aspire to become entrepreneurs.

Thus we should see the global scenario and act locally depending upon the strength, weakness, opportunities and threats of our country. Every individual should grab his opportunity to make his best. This is the peak time for our country going global in various sectors. Youths, now its our time!!!Let us make hay when the sun is shining!!!!!JAI HIND

Entrepreneurship!! What should educational institutions do???

2007-02-03T23:13:00.000+05:30

Our honourable President A.P.J.Abdul Kalam always stresses on the need for grooming new age entrepreneurs in every address of his with the budding citizens i.e the students of today's generation and the citizens of the future.These thoughts of his has inspired me to think more and blog on the same. Any ordinary man will wonder why entrepreneurship is needed to overcome unemployment problems of our country... But the real fact remains that grooming new age entrepreneurs is the best way to overcome the problems.

With our country having educational institutes like the IITs which produces world-class engineers and the IIMs which boasts about producing the best managers and CEOs, are they really producing entrepreneurs in spite of having the so called "cutting-edge techology"? These premier institutes can do much more than what they are doing!! Every year lakhs of students take the "tough entrance exams" conducted by these institutes and a less than 10% make it into these institutes!!In the final year or mostly in the pre-final year students are absorbed by the top MNCs which offer a six figure salary much to the happiness of the Indian students who don't think beyond this six figure salary they are offered.The rest is history wherein the IIT or IIM passout is transferred to some foreign country which is the apt example for brain drain!!! Why don't our youth think beyond these.... Do they think of starting their own enterprises (atleast at some point of time) rather than being an employee throughout their lives? Very few poeple start their own enterprises. What about the rest who are trained so meticulously in every key area? Perhaps the scenario should change for the good where the passouts think of entrepreneurship on a long term basis.I personally would say that the IITs and IIMs are successful only if 65% students of a particular batch start off their own companies giving employment to atleast 10 people in the beginning stage.

Is it the mistake of the students who don't become entrepreneurs?? Certainly not!The very basic fact remains that students need to be taught about the need for entrepreneurship in their early stages of life. Every mother asks her child whether he wants to become a doctor or an engineer or a lawyer but never an entrepreneur!! Yes, every mother is proud when her son or daughter graduates as a professional. Whose success is that? An individual graduating out of a professional college pens a success story only for him and his family, but an individual who provides employment carves his own niche in the society.He is a saviour for those in need of a job.

All premier institutes should not only provide quality education but also produce net worthy individuals who have entrepreneurial qualities in them.They should be aware of the impending needs of the country. They should have value based education which streses on the awareness of the individuals' strength, weakness, opportunities and threats. Institutions should start their own club or a network that can actively create awareness about entrepreneurship. Every student of this nation should aspire to develop world class industries in various industrial sectors!!!

More postings to come on various topics!!!Wait n watch!!