A Fistful of Salt

seeking sense within all this noise

Ratan Tata & the 26/11 terror attack on the Taj

Posted on November 23, 2024 by SV Rao

Ratan Tata passed away in the late hours of the 9^{th of} October, 2024. The heartfelt sense of public grief and the profound sense of loss across the country was unprecedented. Social and print media, TV anchors, corporate honchos, political leaders and especially the common people bowed their heads in tribute. A social phenomenon unlike any other, akin to the emotional reactions after the sudden demise of Dr Abdul Kalam on the 27^{th of} July 2015. Eminent scientist, author, teacher and the most distinguished President India has ever had.

On the late evening of the 26^{th of} November 2008, 10 terrorists landed on the Mumbai shores via the Arabian Sea. They belonged to the terror group- Lashkar-e-Taiba-sponsored, supported and trained by the Pakistani Army and ISI. Other than The Taj, the targets were the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Oberoi Hotel, Cama Hospital, Leopold Café, Chabad House, and Nariman Lighthouse, for which recce had already been done. The terrorists split up to wreak havoc and terror. 2 entered the Taj, and two more joined later. Out of 1700 people at the hotel, over 1600 escaped safely; 34 died, including 17 staff members.

At around 10.45 pm, Ratan Tata reached the Taj after getting a call from RK Krishna Kumar, Director of Tata Group. For him, the hotel resembled a venerable old lady. Built in 1903 by Jamshedji Tata in defiance of the British for barring Indians from their hotels. In an interview with Fareed Zakaria (CNN), he admitted that he was truly emotionally overcome by the sight of the rather beautiful building going up in flames. He could hear the sounds of gunshots and exploding grenades from inside the hotel and felt ‘tremendously helpless.’ The fact that there were hundreds of people trapped in a life-or-death situation caused him extreme anxiety. But as Thomas Mathew writes in his book ‘Ratan Tata- A Life’ ‘for him, it was not just an attack on a hotel belonging to his group but on the nation.’ For 3 days the Chairman of the Tata Group (then 70 years old) stood at the Colaba end of the hotel. When it was all over, he was found at the back of the hotel feeding street dogs, which were distressed.

On the 21^{st of} December 2008, the Taj reopened its doors. As the corporate doyen remarked, ‘We can be hurt, but we cannot be knocked down.’ Religious leaders of all faiths said prayers and performed healing ceremonies. The names of all 1700 Taj employees were read out to highlight their dedication to the Group philosophy. 540 employees who were on duty on the fateful days and could attend the function walked proudly through the lobby on a red carpet. Exactly one year after the horrific event, Ratan Tata unveiled a 12 ft high memorial with the heading- ‘for now and forever you will inspire us’- and there were etched the names of those who were killed in the terror attack. Just 21 months after 26/11, the Taj was restored to its former iconic glory.

Within hours, five outreach centres were set up by the Tata team to provide food, water and first aid to all affected across Mumbai city. In the days after, Ratan Tata & Senior managers visited all the injured at the hospitals to inquire about their well-being and pledge support. The Corporate Icon attended funerals and offered deep condolences and full support to the bereaved families. The families of the martyred employees were flown or driven to Mumbai and put up at the Taj President for 3 weeks at Company cost. He met 80 family members personally to share their grief and show his support. When his team came up with the rehabilitation package for each family, he kept saying, “This is not enough.” The Taj Public Services Welfare Trust (TPSWT) was set up. Ratan Tata broke all limits of empathy and generosity. Spouses or parents of Taj employees who lost their lives were awarded a compensation package of Rs 36 lakhs to Rs 85 lakhs. The spouses became eligible for full salary for their lifetime. The Company paid full educational fees for the children of the deceased and extended full medical facilities for the whole family for the rest of their lives. All loans and advances taken by the deceased were waived. The children who had lost a bread-winning parent were given an open offer of employment at any of the Taj Group of Companies of their choice. Plus, a counsellor was appointed for each bereaved family and for the Staff who survived the ordeal for any post-trauma stress disorder.

Listen to the story of Sunu Verghese (widow of Taj hero Thomas Varghese) meeting Ratan Tata, Krishna Kumar & Raymond Bickson, MD of India Hotels; when she cried and told Ratan Tata, “I have lost everything and we will go home now (to Kerala).” And Ratan Tata’s response, “We lost one of our golden employees in Thomas, and till you die, The Taj will take care of you.” In an interview with author Thomas Mathew, she tearfully said, “I have not seen God. But that day, I saw God in him. God was in front of me.” She was a housewife earlier but now works for the TPSWT. The Institution extended generous support and help to all those who were affected by the terror attack in Mumbai. Beneficiaries included police personnel, commandoes, railway employees, firefighters, pedestrians, and street vendors. TPSWT identified the 168 people who died and their families became beneficiaries of the Tata generosity. Even street hawkers who had lost their wares in the commotion were given brand-new handcarts. Amazing!!

Shaunak Chemburkar, a bell captain at Oberoi Trident, lost his life. TPSWT reached out to his widow, Anjali, and sponsored her beautician course. The whole family, including the paralyzed father and the Alzheimer-stricken mother, received medical and financial support. The Tata Trust stood steadfast with Karuna, a janitor at GT Hospital, and her 3 children. On 26/11, her 29-year-old husband Waghela was having dinner in their tiny house when a gun-wielding Ajmal Kasab knocked on the door. After 2 glasses of water, he sprayed the host with AK 47 bullets. Shyam Sunder Chowdhury, a pedestrian, was paralysed when a taxi full of RDX exploded as he crossed the road in Ville Parle. The Company where he worked did not offer any relief. TPSWT sends a monthly pension to Shyam and sponsors his children’s education. The Trust gave his wife and sister Skills training, and they are now working and earning for the family.

Whilst we salute the many brave-hearts amongst the Mumbai Police, Anti-Terror Squad and the Commandos who made the ultimate sacrifice for the Megapolis and the Nation, let’s highlight some of The Taj’s heroes. The General Manager, Karambir Singh Kang, remained in the hotel and took charge of the rescue operations during the 3-day siege. His wife and 2 children were in a 6th-floor suite, but he did not walk away from his duty calls to take them to safety. Tragically, his family perished due to asphyxiation as fire engulfed the floor. He had promised his father, an Indian Army Officer, that if the ship goes down, I will be the last man there. Kang calls Ratan Tata ‘a corporate saint’ but adds that he ‘is at his strongest when cornered.’

Mallika Jagad, a 24-year-old banquet manager, was managing the dinner conference hosted by Uni Lever. As soon as she heard the gunshots, she locked the doors and switched off the lights. She and her team told the 60 guests to move away from the doors and windows and quietly hide under the tables. They were asked not to use their mobile phones. The staff moved the food trollies to block the doors but continued to serve food and water to the terrified guests. Leena Iyer, the HR Head at Uni Lever in a Survivors- TV Interview marvelled at the young manager’s admirable presence of mind and the calm composure in the nerve-wracking situation right up to their rescue by fire brigade officials and commandoes. Mallika had only this to say, ‘I may have been the youngest in the room, but it was my responsibility.’

Incredibly, even staff who had been evacuated came back to their station later, such as the all-women’s team of The Taj’s telephone operations. They stayed back the whole night, guiding the guests on how to stay safe and escape. They softly advised the guests in the rooms to stay quietly, switch off the TV and power, and even remove the entry pass card to delete the ‘Occupied’ sign.

Thomas Varghese, a 48-year-old senior waiter, acted instinctively when alerted to the terror attack. He herded the 50-odd guests from the Japanese restaurant down to the kitchen area. When he got the all-clear, he got his juniors to take the guests down the stairs in batches of 5. An active trade union activist, he chose to be at the tail end to ensure that his team would lead the guests to safety. Sadly, the terrorists shot down and killed the final batch of guests and Thomas Varghese. A butler, Sudharshan Thevar, also demonstrated extraordinary courage in rescuing a Swiss couple in their 70s from the 6^th floor. He remained in their room and barricaded the door with the bar cabinet and luggage items. As acrid smoke started coming in, he broke the glass windows and took the couple to the ledge. However, as the fire brigade was not able to reach up, he rushed the couple down the stairs just clear of the engulfing flames and finally got them out by crawling out of an AC duct near the ground floor. He later, in a choked voice, recalled meeting Ratan Tata at a function at Taj Chambers where the British Consulate officials had come to thank the Taj Staff. As he walked up to shake hands, all he heard the Chairman of the Tata House say other than a sincere thanks was, ‘May God give me the strength. I wish to do more.’

The most intriguing aspect of the 26/11 attack on The Taj was that all the 600 employees at the hotel remained at their duty stations. Many were young, and many were the sole breadwinners. The natural human instinct would have been to escape, and they were all aware of all the backways and exits. They all stayed back with the single goal of taking all the guests to safety. Why?! It has been the subject of much discussion in academic circles, newsrooms, and multiple TED Talk shows. As Ratan Tata himself had said,’ there were no manuals, no instructions as to what to do in such a situation. These were civilians from the hospitality industry, not Armed Forces or para-military personnel.

How did they defy the psychological stereotype? Prof Rohit Deshpande from Harvard University, who has done extensive research on The Taj attack, came up with 3 theories. ‘Athithi Devo Bhava’ or ‘The Guest is God’ is an enduring theme of Indian culture. In those desperate times, the Staff did not hide or flee but chose to become protectors of the guests and lead them to safety. Plausible. A more reverberating explanation was that because of their humane culture, the Tata Companies evoked a deep sense of loyalty and responsibility from their employees. But the most revealing insights came when the Professor sought to understand the staff’s behaviour through the lens of The Taj’s recruitment process, training and rewards & recognition program. The Taj recruited employees from Tier 2/3 cities and towns where the old-world values still prevailed. Respect for Parents, Elders, Teachers, and Guests. The Tata team recruited for ‘character’ and not high grades. They looked for Integrity, Respect, Empathy & Responsibility. In the customer-centric hospitality industry, they want to delight customers with kindness and attention. The training system at the Taj was to create leadership and ownership from below. The front-line employees were ambassadors of the Guests, the voice of the Customer. Also significantly, even though The Taj was at par with other big name hotel chains on monetary compensation and incentives, they were far ahead on the appreciation and recognition quotient. Within 48 hours of a complimentary remark or comment from a happy customer, the said employee would be applauded not only by her/his department but by the entire hotel management & staff. (Sourced from Thomas Mathew’s book and Prof Rohit Deshpande’s Ted Talk)

Ratan Tata’s steely resolve, indomitable spirit, and his extraordinarily compassionate response to the victims of the 26/11 terror attacks on Mumbai and The Taj has no parallels in the history of India or of any country in the world. Leaving the last words to the biographer, ‘In having responded the way he did to the crisis, he may have left behind a parable for the ages.’

Teflon Trump 2.0 & Its Implications for India

Posted on November 13, 2024 by SV Rao

Reuters reported that ‘a convicted felon is elected as the 47^th President of the USA.’ Yes, convicted on 34 felony counts. The only US President with 2 Impeachment trials against him. Acquitted for abuse of power and obstruction and later for the incitement of the 6^thof January Insurrection and attack on the Capitol. A corrupt, venal person, a bankrupt billionaire and 78, the oldest person to stand for the Presidential elections. A true democracy would have barred him from contesting for the highest office in the land. He has brushed aside everything for a second term at the White House. Truly remarkable. Nothing sticks to him. Teflon Trump.

What has shocked the left-liberal elite is that Trump has rallied against the odds and won the mandate emphatically in a democratic way. He has won the popular vote against VP Kamala Harris by almost 5 million votes. His electoral college votes stack up to 312 vs 226 for Harris. 46% of women voters have supported him despite his anti-abortion stance and misogynist comments; Latino votes surged to 45%; young blacks signed up for him, and Evangelicals thronged up in large numbers. Many of the latter viewed the failed assassination attempts as a Divine Call of Destiny.

The Liberal/Woke meltdown is a seminal lesson for those living in a bubble; it’s also a wake-up call for genuine liberals as their potent ideology has been diluted and contaminated by an influential coterie of self-serving people. Elite Hysteria- we have been betrayed by the people. The educated elite cannot believe that everyone doesn’t share their beliefs and views. They have created a partisan and ideological echo chamber – an environment where they encounter only opinions and thoughts that coincide with their own, and alternative ideas are simply shrugged away. Their take on Identity Politics is that minorities and ethnic groups will only vote their way; their condescending attitude referring to Latinos as Latin X; the gender quotient with women voters inevitably lining up for Kamala Harris; that nationalism and patriotic politics are past tense. That it remained a potent force manifested in the fear of unchecked immigration. Legacy media houses have shown their total disconnect from ground realities. One cannot find a more liberal person than Senator Bernie Sanders who lashed out at the Democrats after the defeat saying that ‘they abandoned the working class which led to the working class abandoning them.’ He acidly pointed out that 60 % of the American workforce lived from paycheck to paycheck and that 20 million workers did not get even a livable minimum wage. It all boils down to the quote: “It’s the economy, stupid.’ Trump said that He would Fix It. A big takeaway for the Indian Government also. Focus on Development & the Greater Good. In the visceral hatred that was shown to Trump by the mainstream media, it was conveniently ignored that in the first term of the Trump Presidency, the USA was not involved in or did not instigate any wars. Strange for the military-industrial complex that is the USA; strange that the leftist, liberal Dems have been pro-war when it suits their agenda; strange that a liberal, woke party has abandoned the working class. Selective Agenda. Selective Narrative. Selective Outrage. We also see this being played out in India. With our Left, Liberal brigade and their colonial and ideological hangovers- for whom the BBC remains the Voice of Truth, the New York Times as the Words of Truth.

The USA has been revealed as a polarised and flawed democracy. Indian democracy and institutions come off better in comparison. Please watch the National Geographic documentary- The Great Indian Election, to appreciate the sheer magnitude and scale of the democratic exercise and how effectively it is conducted by The Election Commission of India. The Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) work effectively with Opposition protests only when they lose the election. Another pillar, the Supreme Court of India, shines when compared to SCOTUS, a rigged, corrupt institution where appointees have lifetime tenures. Kamala Harris could not become the first US women President; India already had 2 women Presidents and a strong Prime Minister in the late Mrs. Indira Gandhi, who held office for almost 16 years. It’s high time for us to shed our mongrel attitude-constantly deriding and undermining ourselves as Indians.

Millions of Indians are rejoicing at Trump’s phenomenal come-back. CAUTION. One cannot project one’s preferred outcomes on such an unpredictable personality. Trump 2.0 will disrupt the Global Order. His protectionist economic policies with higher tariffs will adversely impact Indian exports. Hopefully, things will turn out well for Indian-born green card aspirants. It is highly likely that Indian students will continue to be welcomed at US colleges, and so will be skilled Indian professionals. Trump is also expected to pull back on global commitments, and we don’t know how this will play out. However, a Trump Administration can ease things for India regarding national security, national interests, and strategic autonomy. Also, India and its companies may not be sanctioned for buying oil or armaments from Russia or doing business with them.

The Trump win may pay other dividends for India on the geopolitics and national security front against covert, subvert warfare by foreign parties. George Soros, a hedge fund manager, played a major role in triggering the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis. He bet against the Malaysian currency and ruined the economy and also made huge profits by betting against the Thai Baht. The South Korean Won and Indonesian Rupiah were also targeted with dire results; this led to currency devaluation, large outflow of capital and years of political instability. Earlier in 1992, he became famous as the man who broke the Bank of England by betting against the British pound and making a billion dollars for himself in the process. Cut to 2023 when Hindenburg Research, a forward trading investor, made allegations about questionable financial dealings through offshore entities connected with Adani. Some months later, The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), funded by the Soros Open Society Foundation, alleged that Adani had engaged in stock manipulation and accounting fraud and channelized large funds to fronted offshore accounts. Old habits die hard. Adani shares tanked, and about a dozen unknown entities profited from the spoils. The Soros plan was to kill two birds with one stone. Sure enough, Rahul Gandhi and the Congress started screaming about Crony Capitalism and Corruption. Name-calling and allegations of corruption are the norm -whether it is the USA or India. The 2024 elections were around the corner. It’s the insidious, clandestine foreign meddling which is deeply disturbing. The Opposition did not join the chorus as expected and for a simple reason. Adani already had a gas-line project in the DMK-led Tamil Nadu; the Communist Government in Kerala had awarded the business house the contract to manage, operate and maintain a large port; Adani had built a major port in Naveen Patnaik’s Odisha; even the Congress-led Rajasthan Government had awarded the largest hybrid power project to the Corporate.

The Hungarian American billionaire Soros has been the largest donor to the Democratic Party for many years. Suggest to please read the book ‘Shadow Party’ by David Horowitz and Richard Poe- about how the Clintons and Soros and the 60’s radicals took over control of the Democratic Party. A NYT article eulogized him as a protector of democracy, an anti-communist, an anti-nationalist, global liberal. Soros’s clandestine influence extends to liberal media, Ivy League colleges, and established Think Tanks & NGOs, which enables him to manipulate societies and even destabilise governments. Alternate media in the US have talked about his dark side- controlling society without interfering with legislation but by controlling how laws are enforced. Thus, creating chaos and undermining the power of lawful authority.

With a Trump White House, Soros and his influential minions will be on the back foot. Especially with a powerful Elon Musk to contend with. Hopefully, it will provide India with respite from malevolent foreign interference—some examples. In 2018, Soros Open Society backed NGO -Sherpa Association filed a corruption complaint with the National Financial Prosecutor in France against the 36 Rafale aircraft deal. Connect the dots. Rahul Gandhi, Congress and the Opposition screamed ‘Scam’, and this was amplified by our Left, Liberal media in the run-up to the 2019 General elections. Frustrated that his plans had not worked out, at the 2020 Davos Conference Soros openly slammed the PM Modi Government ‘as the biggest and most frightening setback for the survival of Open Societies’ specifically mentioning CAA & Kashmir. Move to the prolonged farmer’s agitation (mainly from Punjab and in part from Haryana) in 2020-21, funded by Soros and Canadian Khalistan outfits. Please recall celebrities like Rihanna and Greta Thunberg (environmental activist) and some from Bollywood butting in.

The shadowy power of Soros. Reuters Alessandra Galloni, whose quote started this blog, is on the Committee to Protect Journalists, funded by Soros—likewise, NBC’s Lester Holt & Associated Press’s Julia Pace. CNN’s Christiane Amanpour is on the Board of Centre for Public Integrity, another Open Society venture. On a prime-time TV show she spoke of PM Modi in the same breath as Xi Jinping, Putin and the Dear Leader from North Korea. Really!! The glowing tribute of a book, ‘The Philanthropy of George Soros’ is written by Chuck Sudetic, a NYT columnist who now works for the Open Society Foundation. Economist Sanjeev Sanyal hits the bulls-eye when he says that there is so much anti-India stuff around that if AI or Chat GPT had to submit an India report, our democracy , human rights record, and governance would be shown in a starkly negative light. So, to Rahul Gandhi’s Cambridge University visit a few years back. He waved a copy of ‘The Guardian’ with the headlines, ‘Indian democracy in danger.’ It’s amusing to note that after Trump’s election, The Guardian offered counselling & therapy services to its staff and reporters.

Let’s talk about the recent events in Bangladesh. Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League are overthrown in a well-orchestrated coup by so-called student leaders—an Islamist, extremist+ the Soros signature – an anarchist movement. The Chief Advisor to the interim government is none other than Muhammad Yunus- the esteemed ‘Banker to the Poor’ through the micro-finance Grameen Bank. He is also a Nobel Laureate, winning the Peace Prize in 2006. With humungous support from former President Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton and who else… George Soros. The Anti-Corruption Commission acquitted him of the graft charges of misappropriating $ 2 million from the Grameen Telecom Workers and Employees Welfare Fund. The Soros heir, Alex Soros, visited him in Dhaka on the 2^nd of October to reinforce his support. In 2016, Yunus contributed generously to Hillary Clinton’s Presidential campaign fund. Trump’s upset win left him ‘shattered and barely able to speak or breathe.’ He dismissed it as a ‘solar eclipse’. Trump’s return to the White House has left him writing a long, rambling congratulatory message. This was surely not anticipated by ‘the Deep State.’ It is a relief of sorts for India with another hostile neighbour appearing on our borders. A point to ponder. Candidate Trump before the Election date condemned the attacks on Hindu places of worship in Dhaka and Chittagong. The Nobel Peace Prize winner has remained silent.

Although India and China have already entered into a border cease-fire agreement, the US election results will help in dousing the dragon fire to an extent. With economic problems and the threat of high tariffs for Made in China products, Emperor Xi Jinping and the CCP will have to reset their priorities. If nothing else, the uncertainties unleashed by Trump will keep them guessing. But you never know with Trump. The Saudi Prince made him dance with a sword and followed up by bailing out his son-in-law Jared Kushner from a financial crisis. If China confers him with the Ancient Order of the Dragon or invites him to grace a throne on the Great Wall, one never knows. It’s certainly bad news for Pakistan. They badly need bailouts from the IMF and the World Bank which are controlled by the USA. Also, Trump’s acknowledgement of India as a major power and the apparent Trump-Modi bonhomie will alarm the Pak Army-ISI Establishment.

Justin Trudeau will be unnerved by The Donald’s comeback. Trump had called him ‘two-faced’. The USA is Canada’s big brother, and 75% of the nation’s exports go there. He has called Khalistan Canadians celebrating the assassination of PM Indira Gandhi as ‘just exercising freedom of speech’. I sometimes wonder why the grandson and daughter-in-law are not up in arms as they should be. The unsubstantiated allegations against the Indian Government of killing Nijjar have taken a heavy toll on diplomatic relations. The attacks on Hindu temples and devotees have further undermined his hollow narrative and exposed his hypocrisy. It’s all vote-bank politics to secure his political future. Thus far, the Biden-Harris administration has played along, claiming that there was an imminent threat to another guy called Pannun. Knowing that his cosy days in the US are over, Pannun has moved to Canada and threatened to attack Hindu temples this month, including the Shree Ram Temple at Ayodhya on the 16th/17th of November. Justin Trudeau represents the white, woke icon who has self-destructed over the last few years. As regards the Sikhs, they are a hugely respected community in India for their contributions to society and the country. (Trivia- the convicted assassin of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman – Captain Noor Mohammad- has been enjoying the good life in Canada for the last 3 decades and more. Just so that you get the big picture.)

Liberal philosophy is, in its essence, a progressive philosophy. But anything good, if taken to the extreme, becomes counterproductive. Unfortunately, this humane ideology, which was primarily meant to uplift the disadvantaged and focused on human welfare, rights, freedoms and values, has been hijacked to suit the personal ambitions and agendas of some powerful people. Disconnected from the problems of the common folk and from ground realities. Many, many others have been misled, lured and trapped in this Elitist bubble. India is on track as the world’s largest, functioning democracy. However, it is a work in progress with issues of criminals in politics, corruption, unemployment, long-pending structural reforms of the judiciary and police, tax reforms and societal fractures around caste, creed and community yet to be addressed effectively. The Trump re-election will put on hold the subversive warfare launched against India to halt its progress and growing global structure. It also has many lessons for our Government and political leaders- to listen to all sections of society & to focus on innovative, inclusive development for The Greater Good.

Movienomics

Posted on October 21, 2024 by SV Rao

The trending news from Bollywood is that Reliance Jio Studios is in the final phase of discussions for buying the major stake in Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions. Earlier talks with Mr Sanjiv Goenka’s Saregama Group fell through because of valuation issues. Founded in 1976 by Mr Yash Johar with a resounding hit ‘Dostana’, the Company has produced 63 Hindi films with 3 on the floors. So why is this such a big deal.?! Karan Johar represents the centre of the elite and entitled Bollywood club; an omnipresent mover and shaker; other than his films, there is the much-watched, controversial TV show, fashion walks and his celebrity Emcee avatar at all the glittering film awards functions. His considered decision to offload much of his stake (90.7%) and his mother’s stake (9.3%) starkly reveals the tumultuous state of the Hindi film industry.

Listen to his comments also. How has the Mumbai film industry run itself to the ground? First, the stars demand high fees, but the films open poorly, creating unstable economics for producers. The budget structure is skewed so heavily in favour of stars (50%) that there is little left for the technical crew. Simply put, if A-listers cannot generate hits, how do they justify their high fees?! Saif Ali Khan has responded that movie stars should not charge exorbitant fees but…shrug…. shrug, this is a part of the economics of the industry. (Read- Dharma Productions itself is complicit in creating this unbalanced structure.)

The Bollywood mogul has also ranted about the high-ticket costs and F&B charges which have driven audiences away from cinemas. His take is that the average cost for a family of 4 works out to Rs 10,000/. Visits to the cinema have plummeted from 8-10 a year to just one or two. The Multiplex Association of India (MAI) has responded that cinema prices are dynamic and flexible depending on location, day of the week, seat zone, film format and star hype. Higher ticket prices also prevail in the first week, weekends and holidays and even night-shows. MAI has said that the average ticket price at PVR-INOX (1700 multiplex screen leader) is Rs 258/. Plus Rs 132/ as average cost for food and drinks- total expenses of Rs 1560/- for a family of 4. Methinks, the IMA has halved the normal expense for a family movie outing at a multiplex. Mr Ajay Bijli of PVR has said that only 14% of the tickets are priced at Rs 350/ with the rest between Rs 180/- and Rs 200/-. Experience suggests otherwise. The ATR for All India Theatres in 2023 was stated at Rs 130/.

Let’s shed some light on Mr. Vashu Bhagnani’s plight. He became Producer No 1 in the 90s with his rollicking David Dhawan- Govinda movies. His recent release, ‘Bade Miyan Chote Miyan’ made on a whopping budget of Rs 350 crores sputtered to a lifetime collection of Rs 64 crs at the BO. Mr Bhagnani had made tall claims of Rs 1000 crs collections at pre-release events. Alas, the film disaster has reduced him from Bade Miyan to Chote Miyan. With Rs 200 crores of debt he is selling his Juhu Office to, he says, redevelop the building into a luxury residential tower. The film’s director, Ali Abbas Zafar, has sued the producer for non-payment of Rs7.3 crs; accusations of unpaid wages to crew members are also doing the rounds. So, what about the 2 lead male stars, Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff? With reported paychecks of Rs 80 crs and Rs 40 crs they are laughing all the way to the bank.

Let’s delve into the Indian cinema ecosystem. We produce the largest number of films in the world- 1500 to 2000 every year- in 20 languages. Our huge country has only 9742 screens as compared to 65,500 in China & 35,280 in the USA. Hindi, Telugu and Tamil are the leading film industries, with Malayalam, Kannada and Marathi cinema also punching above their weight. In 2023, South Indian cinema surged ahead of Bollywood with 47% BO market share against 44%. South India also houses 47% of the cinema theatres. According to researcher Mr Hemant Chaturvedi, the number of single screens in India has declined from 25000 in 1990 to less than 6000, with many of them not operational. End of an Era. With the rising cost of real estate, many have been converted into malls and commercial complexes. Even a smaller theatre costs Rs 5 lakhs for monthly upkeep and maintenance plus the pressure of keeping the projection room, sound system and screen in the best condition. The GST on cinema tickets is 18%, but most States levy an additional entertainment tax of 20% to 30%, the highest tax ratio for any sector in India. Business uncertainties add to the gloom.

The Hindi film industry traditionally had 6 territories, which are now defined as 11 circuits. The profit-sharing ratio generally for a single screen owner/ distributor is 25:75; sometimes, it is 20:80 or even 30:70. The Multiplex owners have all the heft and clout—Week 1 is 50:50, Week 2 is 60:40, and Week 3 is 70:30.

For the Producer, the cost of the film is Budget + Promotion and Advertising expenses. They also sell OTT rights to streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hotstar, Sony Liv… to help recoup their investment. Earlier OTT contracts were pre-sold, and even if a film performed poorly in its theatrical run, the contract was adhered to. This proved to be the lifesaver for the Kartik Aryan film, ‘Shehzada’ which mustered only Rs 32 crores at the cinema counters against a budget of Rs 70 crs. Reportedly, Netflix had paid Rs 40 crs for the streaming rights. Trade analyst Karan Taurani says that now there are clauses in the streaming deals regarding the theatrical performance of the film-where streamers say that only when a film reaches a certain threshold in theatres will the overflow or agreed additional amount be given.

It’s the distributor who takes significant risks when they purchase the rights to distribute a film. They hedge their bets by acquiring the satellite and music rights for the movie. T Series bought the audio rights for Pushpa 2-The Rule for a staggering Rs 65 crs. SRK’s Jawan’s rights had earlier been bought by T series for a record-breaking Rs 36 crs. Tamil-Nadu, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh have a large and passionate fan base for film music. Film songs become chartbusters and are played on a loop on FM stations and streaming platforms like YouTube, Spotify & Rasso. Flashback to the Iconic film ‘Sholay’. In 1975, its dialogues album sold 500,000 copies. By 1979, the platinum 1 million mark was crossed. The film exceeded its Rs 1 crore budget 3X. It grossed Rs 35 crs worldwide and brought in another Rs 35 crores in re-releases. Adjusted for inflation the box-office figures exceed Rs 3000 crores.

The ‘Adipurush’ disaster saga is a cautionary tale for distributors. People Media Factory bought and backed this Rs 550 crs budget film confident of a pan-India hit because of the Prabhas factor; the director Om Raut had delivered a hit with ‘Tanhaji’; plus the fact that it was inspired by the Epic Ramayan meant nothing could go wrong. Superficial performances, shallow storyline, poor VFX and cringeworthy dialogues scripted a mega-disaster. The character, ostensibly inspired by Lord Hanuman, was spouting tapori-style dialogues. Social media was outraged, and the distributors were looking at Himalayan losses of over Rs 150 crores.

The financial challenges for the Indian film industry have been cited as a big drop in audience footfalls, rising cost of production and the growing popularity of OTT platforms offering many options. The Covid lockdown has opened the eyes and sensibilities of audiences to better and more engaging cinema from all parts of India and worldwide. Reliance Jio Studios already holds stakes in Balaji Films and Viacom 18. The phenomenal success of the horror-comedy film Stree 2, which they co-produced with Maddock Films, must have propelled them on. The biggest Hindi film hit of all time with net collections of Rs 600 crores plus and riding on a budget of just Rs 40 crores. The lead actors Rajkumar Rao & Shraddha Kapoor don’t fall into the celebrity guest profile for’ The Koffee with Karan Show.’

Content has become the King. The Vijay Sethupathi-helmed film ‘Maharaja’ is a stellar example. Made on a budget of Rs 20 crores it closed its theatrical run at Rs 107 crores. This masterpiece is jointly produced by The Route, Think Studios, and Passion Studios. Many large and mid-budget films are now following this joint production template. This highly emotional action thriller is a case study in moviemaking. Impactful performances, master-class direction, great screenplay and editing with jaw-dropping twists and turns, real dialogues and photography that make the visual experience so intimate. Since being released on Netflix in July 2024 and with an IMDb rating of 8.5, it has become the most-watched Indian film of 2024. Content is King. Whether it is the true, relatable and inspirational story of ‘12^th Fail’ or the real survival and rescue thriller Manjummel Boys. It is the biggest Malayalam hit film ever without marquee names like Mohanlal or Mammootty. The Marathi classic ‘Tumbad’ became a cult film on OTT and is drawing large audiences on its theatrical re-release.

The assembly line productions of Akshay Kumar films- wrapped up in 40 days- no longer work at the BO. One of the greatest duds from the house of YashRaj Films is ‘Pruthviraj Chauhan’ where this star is said to have charged a whopping Rs 60 crores. Many shows were cancelled due to zero attendance. The film fans went hoping to see a glimpse of Samrat Pruthviraj; all they got was Akshay Kumar in every frame. The audience has become unforgiving; social media can influence the fate of a movie on the first weekend itself.

The Soft Power of Indian Cinema is immense. But again, it’s all about the quality of content and the entertainment quotient. Stories with human appeal and emotional connect, catchy music or well mounted large screen spectacles. RRR rode high at the Japanese Box office on all counts. In China, Aamir Khan’s ‘Dangal’ and ‘Secret Superstar’ minted Rs 1400 crores and Rs 810 crores—mind-boggling numbers. Strong storylines created social, cultural & emotional phenomena.

It’s time for Bollywood (and the Indian film industry) to acknowledge their self-inflicted problems. It’s time for them to recognize that good films are created out of collaborative teamwork – where writers, editors, cinematographers, music directors, production designers, and VFX specialists – all play a significant role. They must be recognized and rewarded for their creative contributions. It’s also time to acknowledge that audiences today will flock to the cinema halls in large numbers only if they feel that both their money and time is well spent.

Paris Olympics & India’s Medal Hopes

Posted on July 15, 2024 by SV Rao

The original Olympic motto of Faster-Higher-Stronger has a new word added to it by the International Olympic Committee (IOC)- Together. The addition in the motto acknowledges the unifying soft power of Sports and the critical need for solidarity in a troubled world. There are 206 countries in the IOC, and each will be represented by at least one athlete at the Paris Olympics. Remember that the 2020 Tokyo Olympics reached out to a global broadcast audience (TV+ Streaming) of more than 3 billion people. Only the football WC at Qatar 2022 caught more eyeballs- the finals by 1.5 billion people and the FIFA tournament by 5 billion-plus.

Let’s take a ‘dekko’ at India’s medal prospects at the Paris Summer Olympic Games. Our highest medal tally of 7 was achieved at the last Games. Now, with a 113-strong contingent led by flagbearers two-time Olympic medalist PV Sindhu and 42-year-old veteran TT player Sharath Kumar, can we hope for some memorable performances? Smaller nations like Australia and South Korea have consistently achieved much more medal-winning glory.

First, the Indian men’s hockey team has won 8 gold medals, starting with the Dhyan Chand glory days in Amsterdam in 1928. Sadly, the last gold medal was won at the Moscow Olympics in 1980, followed by the agonizing, interminable wait till the bronze place finish at Tokyo 2020. We owe a lot to Naveen Babu and the Odisha government for funding, sponsoring, and supporting the men’s and women’s national hockey teams. A balanced team with experienced stalwarts gives us hope. Captain and defender Harmanpreet Singh is a penalty corner specialist and one of the best drag flickers in the world. PR Sreejesh is lauded as the best goalkeeper of his generation. The key is to win the earlier matches and grow in the rhythm and confidence for the knock-out stages. Belgium and Australia are strong contenders in our group. With redoubtable sides like England, Netherlands, and Germany to take on later. Interestingly, PR Sreejesh recently shared that Rahul Dravid had once told him, “The importance of being patient and waiting for your moment.” Talking about the cricket T20 WC win, our hockey star had this to say: “The biggest thing I learned is that I don’t celebrate before the last ball.” Will our hockey team dominate the astro turfs and climb up the top podium? Will we hear our national anthem being played for victory in a sport long considered our national game?

The golden boy is indisputably Neeraj Chopra. At the last Games, he became the first Indian track and field athlete to win a gold medal at the Olympics. If he does an encore in Paris, he surely deserves the Bharat Ratna. He is also the World, Asian, and Commonwealth champion. His best javelin throw in 2024 was 88.36 meters at the Doha Diamond League competition, where he came second. Competition comes in the shape of German Max Dehring, who has cleared 90 meters. Also, happily in the form of Kishore Kumar Jena, the silver medalist at the Hangzhou Asian Games with a throw of 87.5 meters. Fortunately, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and the Athletic Federation of India have pulled out all the stops for our entire contingent of athletes. No expenses have been spared to provide the best training, equipment, and facilities. Neeraj Chopra’s last many months have been spent in training and conditioning camps in South Africa, Turkey, and Switzerland.

India’s final medal haul largely depends on the performance of the shooters. An unprecedented 31 have qualified across rifle, pistol, and shotgun events—flashback to Athens 2004 when Capt. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore won the country’s first individual silver medal in the men’s double trap event. Then, we went to that momentous moment in our sporting history when Abhinav Bindra clinched the gold medal in Beijing in 2008 at the ten-meter air rifle event. Sift Kaur Samra, who holds the current world record in the Women’s 50-meter rifle three-position event, is our best bet to bite the gold medal. The National Rifle Association of India has spent more than Rs 50 crores for 45 shooter camps and drills at locations in France, Italy, and Europe. 13 foreign coaches, sports psychologists, and data analysts under a High-Performance Director have worked around the clock with the shooters. The rifles, pistols, and ammunition have been tested in Austria and Germany. It’s time to bury the ghosts of Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 when the much-hyped squad returned empty-handed.

Nikhat Zareen—a two-time world flyweight champion—and Lovlina Borgohain- welterweight bronze medalist at Tokyo 2020—lead the Indian punch in the boxing rings. Although this is her first Olympics, Nikhat’s strong technique and regimen are her forte; Lovlina has transitioned smoothly from the 75 kg to the 69 kg category. These champs and three other teammates have been training at Saarbrucken in Germany for the past month. Let’s hope they pack a real punch.

In the weightlifting discipline, Saikhom Mirabai Chanu, who won the silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics, lifted our national expectations. However, she spent half a year recovering from a hip injury at the Hangzhou Asian Games. She is currently training at La Ferte Milon commune in France, accompanied by two coaches and a physio, with all expenses paid under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS). IOA Chief Nutritionist Aradhana Sharma and her team have spent over three years with our medal hopefuls, especially with the boxers, weight lifters, and wrestlers, to keep them in prime health and fitness.

In wrestling, there is considerable excitement about the prospects of Aman Sehrawat, who was the gold medalist at the Asian Wrestling Championships and bronze medalist (57 kgs) at the 2022 Asian Games. Vinesh Phogat, the first Indian women’s wrestler to win gold at the Commonwealth & Asian Games, can make the country proud at the Paris Olympics. They are both supported by a non-profit Foundation called OGQ (Olympic Gold Quest) founded by billiard maestro Geet Sethi and Prakash Padukone and managed by former Indian men’s hockey captain Viren Rasquinha. It is heartening to see the growing ecosystem to boost & support our sportspeople beyond cricket.

The Indian compound women’s archery team recently achieved a hat trick by securing their third successive World Championship gold. Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Aditi Swami, and Parneet Kaur are favored to hit the bull’s eye at the Paris Olympics in the team events. Jyothi, the world no. 3 archer who has shown fantastic focus and presence of mind, is expected to win multiple medals.

Two-time Olympic medalist PV Sindhu can add further laurels to her already stellar badminton career. Satwik Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, world badminton doubles No.1, have a proven record in major tournaments to serve India a possible gold medal. Satwik’s recovery from a shoulder injury is the point of concern.

So, finally, we go to the actual track and field. Milkha Singh finished fourth in the 400-meter Rome Olympics (1960), missing the bronze by a whisker. Even with the Indian Army providing support, it must have been a case of ‘Bhaag Milkha Bhaag’- a herculean, individual effort. The same story continued in the 1984 Games, with PT Usha clocking 55.42 seconds in the 400-meter hurdles and missing the bronze medal by 1/100th of a second. At the World Athletic Championship at Budapest 2023 (4X 400 men’s relay), Muhammad Yahya, Amoj Jacob, Muhammed Ajmal, and Rajesh Ramesh placed 5th at 2,59,05. The US team won with a time of 2,57,31. Is India going to celebrate its first-ever track medal at the Paris Games?!

At the 2028 LA Olympics, our national obsession, cricket, will become an Olympic sport. Great for the game and its popularity. But it’s high time we appreciate and revel in India’s achievements at the highest levels in other sports, athletics, and other disciplines. Success at the Olympics is the epitome of international recognition in many ways. Wouldn’t it be divine if Arjuna and Karna were to inspire our archers to hit the wooden bird’ eye repeatedly without shifting focus from the target?! Again, in the Mahabharata, the javelin was used as a weapon for close-range duels and to hurl in the distance to keep enemies at bay. What are the odds that Neeraj Chopra and Kishore Kumar Jena occupy the top 2 spots on the victory podium?! Yes, indeed!! If the Indian Olympic contingent can return from Paris 2024 with a haul of 12+ medals (including at least two golds), it will be a triumph of Epic proportions.

Head Coach Gautam Gambhir will have to climb THE WALL

Posted on July 10, 2024 by SV Rao

Gautam Gambhir, the new Head Coach, has big shoes to fill. In a sense, he will have to climb up The Wall to make his impact felt. He does have an impressive resume. He played for India in all game formats from 2003 to 2016. World Cup trophy winner with the T-20 squad in 2007 & ODI team in 2011. A big match player- remember his match-winning 75 from 54 balls in the 2007 finals against Pakistan & the resilient 97 out of 122 balls in the WC 2011 finals against Sri Lanka. He captained KKR to the IPL titles in 2012 and 2014 and mentored them in 2024. A strong, outspoken personality, he will be taking over a champion Indian cricket team, which has been two years in the making and with complete focus on the ICC Champions Trophy and World Test championship in 2025.

GG is an ardent admirer of Anil Kumble, India’s spinning legend. He regards him as the best captain he has played under, with his honesty and impeccable dedication to the cause of Indian cricket and The Men in Blue. The same Anil Kumble was sacked as coach in 2017 because of differences with Captain Kohli, who replaced him with his man, the flamboyant Ravi Shastri. Interestingly, Head Coach Gambhir will have a big say in the appointment of the Indian captain, too.

Let’s talk about Rahul Dravid- The Wall. What makes him such an Icon across the cricketing world? He is one of the most incredible batters of all time (Tests & ODI), and he also holds the record for the most catches in Test cricket history- 210 in 164 matches. When he went out to bat, one could see the Indian tricolour fluttering behind him. Navjot Sidhu famously said,’ Rahul is a person who will walk on broken glass if his team wants him to.’ Brain Lara has declared that ‘if I have to put anyone to bat for my life, it will be Kallis or Dravid.’ In today’s times when aggression is all about pumping fists or cussing opponents listen in to Mathew Hayden, ‘all these things going around is not aggression. If you really want to see aggression look into Dravid’s eyes.’ ++ the Gentleman Cricketer. Ganguly has hailed him as ‘a champion at everything. I am very impressed with the way he approaches life.’ As Brett Lee has wryly observed,’ If you can’t get along with Rahul Dravid, you are struggling in life.’

His contribution to Indian cricket has been immense. Head of cricket with National Cricket Academy (NCA), Coach of India U-19 and India A teams. He has groomed and mentored many of India’s current cricket stars. Tendulkar has called him ‘the perfect role model for youngsters.’ So the spontaneous chorus from Ganguly, Sehwag, Tendulkar, Irfan Pathan, and Laxman…of ‘ Win the WC for Dravid’ is not surprising at all.

The serene drive of Dravid plus the calm, grounded passion of Rohit Sharma made for a great partnership since Feb 2022, when the latter was made captain across all formats. Their deep rapport is shown by the fact that the Skipper persuaded the Coach to stay on after the 19^th Nov 2023 debacle- a call acknowledged with gratitude by Dravid after the recent T20 WC Redemption win. The Hitman has been a remarkable leader. Think of the position after 15 overs. South Africa batting with six wickets in hand and 30 runs to get in 30 balls, and India had a 3.35% chance of winning. Bumrah, Hardik and Arshdeep all rising to the occasion and not panicking under intense pressure. The Indian fielders totally living in the zone. Bumrah revealed that the Indian Skipper gave his players a lot of freedom. ‘Rohit Sharma has been absolutely phenomenal. Even in the previous World Cup, you know he has been proactive; he gives a lot of freedom to his players, and he lets them express themselves.’ A selfless, fearless captain for whom personal milestones and records don’t matter. Everything for Team India and the Nation. Nasser Hussain sees his leadership as ‘Iron Fist in a Velvet Glove.’ Everyone knows who is in charge, but he is a Big Brother, too, especially for the younger players. Rohit Bhai! Rohit Sharma imitated the Messi Walk as he went up to receive the trophy, which rang so true. Two champion sportsmen so desperate to win the big one for their countries and their teams. (inspired by the video Ric Flair of WWE with the same music in the background).

His cricketing sense also comes through, with the well-thought-out selection of the team (with Head Coach & Ajit Agarkar and the team of selectors) and an astute reading of the wicket, conditions, and the state of the game. Remember his comments about bowling a line where the batter has to hit against the winds in the Caribbean islands? Remember his captaincy when the Bazball- high-adrenaline English Test team came to India to conquer The Last Frontier and stumbled badly. The Hitman’s final mission is winning the World Test Championship to be played at Lords in June 2025.

Cricket is a Team Sport, and the recent T20 WC championships showcased Indian cricket at its best. From the camaraderie and defining roles in the dressing room to the indomitable team spirit and clinical execution on the cricket field. The head coach and support staff play integral roles. So, you have King Kohli, who had a disappointing run in the tournament, coming up with a classy, match-winning 76 when it mattered the most ;Axar Patel’s critical 47 of 31 balls with 4 sixes to keep India in the game. Arshdeep Singh ended up as India’s top wicket-taker with 17 wickets. The same Arshdeep was viciously trolled for dropping a catch against Pakistan at the Asia Cup just 2 years back. Bumrah, with 15 wickets, deservedly became the Player of the Tournament (the first to do so without scoring a single run)—a genius of his craft. An extraordinary defensive-attacking bowler, he was not only exceptional in cutting the flow of runs but also a relentless wicket-taking threat. Michael Vaughan has called him ‘the greatest white ball bowler ever.’ This T20 WC will also be remembered for Hardik Pandya’s stirring comeback after months of booing and trolling for replacing Rohit Sharma as MI captain. He had a forgettable IPL season where his team finished at the bottom. Sanjay Manjrekar heard him ‘say something to the effect of having risen above results and losing the fear of failure.’ Kudos to Hardik for showing such tenacity and resilience and to him and Arshdeep for vanquishing the troll armies by performing on the biggest stage. However, Pandya’s resurgence in form also speaks volumes of the warm bonding in the dressing room. Something for him to imbibe and take forward. Surya Yadav, Kuldeep Yadav, Rishabh Pant, and Axar Patel have had their days and moments. Kapil Dev’s catch to dismiss Viv Richards in the 83 WC has become part of Indian cricket folklore. I hope Surya Yadav’s amazing, game-changing catch will also be celebrated by replays on sports channels and TV videos for months to come.

Gambhir is very forthright in his views. Very refreshing. He talks about how every Team India player in the dressing room is essential and how broadcasters and media influencers build up one or two cricketers into brands by overshowing them to the detriment of other performers and national team members. The majority of the Men in Blue end up in the shadows. The broadcaster justifies this for TRP, advertising revenues, and social media outlets to mobilise followers and monetise the podcasts. So, this celebrity culture has made some cricketers bigger than the game of cricket itself. Think about Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni and King Kohli. Underplayed are champions like Yuvraj Singh, R Ashwin, Anil Kumble, Sehwag and even ‘The Miracle Down Under’ series under Ajinkya Rahane’s captaincy.

He is also bang on about cricket in India being all about batters. Heavy bats, smaller boundaries, and flat tracks present arduous, uphill tasks for the bowlers. GG wants the white ball change after 25 overs in ODI’s to be reversed as it undermines wrist spinners. It’s really heartening to watch a top Indian batter ask if we as fans know and appreciate that Zaheer Khan took 21 wickets in 9 matches to contribute to India’s triumph in WC 2011. I sincerely hope that Zaheer Khan becomes the new bowling coach. He has a sharp cricketing brain and is respected by the players. One of the memorable features of the T20 WC has been the intense bat-ball contest. So, will Boom Boom Bumrah ever get the massive cult following of Virat Kohli? I seriously doubt it. In our country, batters are the real heroes. All others are just the supporting cast.of actors. It doesn’t really resonate that Shami took 23 wickets in just 6 games to take us to the final of the 2023 ODI WC final. Our sports channels and pundits will spend one episode on such an achievement and then jump back onto the gravy bandwagon. Sad! A Murali and Malinga are still revered in Sri Lanka; a Wasim Akram and Shoaib Akhtar are still feted in Pakistan.

Moreover, despite his vote for the IPL as a resounding success story for Indian cricket, Gambhir is emphatic that it all boils down to the Indian cricket team dominating all formats of the game and winning the ICC silverware. Hence, even with IPL throwing up some talented players for the shortest format, selectors will look at domestic cricket performances like the Ranji Trophy for Test cricket and the Vijay Hazare and Syed Mushtaq Ali for white-ball tournaments. To win the Indian cap and jersey, aspiring players must go through the grind to the extent the cricket schedules and injury lay-offs allow. It won’t be easy for IPL-fixated cricketers looking for easy money, glamour, and a green channel route to the national side.

A big Thank You to The Wall & The Hitman for putting Indian cricket on the right track and lifting a WC trophy after a hiatus of 11 years. It remains to be seen whether Rohit Sharma remains the Test and ODI captain. I sincerely hope he does. He has fuel in the tank for another year of international cricket. An interesting change at the Coach level will be the change in approach. Rahul Dravid lived and breathed the spirit of The Gentleman’s Game. The hardnosed GG has his own take on playing hard within the laws and rules of the game. Hopefully, with Gambhir and his chosen support staff, exciting and winning times will be ahead. Indian cricket should be hailed as a superpower not only because of immense financial clout and a humongous fan following but also because our cricket team consistently wins major ICC trophies and bilateral series, especially on SENA tours (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia).

You can also read: Management Learnings from ‘The Hitman’- Rohit Sharma

The Real Dance of Indian Democracy

Posted on June 14, 2024 by SV Rao

A finger of a new woman voter on the Indian flag with voting sign of India in 2019 Indian general election or Lok Sabha election at Kolkata.

The Lok Sabha elections of 2024 have been riveting. The BJP-led NDA alliance seems to have snatched defeat from the jaws of victory despite forming the government at the Centre for the third time in succession. The Congress-led INDIA bloc has transformed itself into a resurgent Opposition. Amusingly enough, there is now no talk of tampering of EVMs (Electronic Voting Machines); and no allegations that the Election Commission of India is a lackey of the Modiji government. Indeed, the fact that elections have been efficiently conducted in 7 phases with minimal disturbances and in acute heat wave conditions is a remarkable achievement—a triumph for democracy.

This election is a Reality Check for the overconfident BJP Netas and party functionaries. At 240 seats- losing a significant 63 from the 2019 tally of 303. This is a huge wake-up call for those living in the bubble-hype of ‘is baar, 400 ke paar.’ (More than 400 this time around.) However, on the other side, the entire INDIA coalition of parties secured 234 seats with the Grand Old Party at 99 seats. The BJP vote share in 2019 stood at 37.4 % and in 2024 at 37.37%. The big setbacks came in Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. In the Hindi heartland State, the Samajwadi Party stunned Yogi Adityanath’s government by winning 37 seats. The BJP lost 29 seats from their erstwhile tally of 62 seats. The INC performed creditably with 6 seats. The party’s Ayodhya candidate (a done deal, what?) lost big by stoking fears with his irresponsible comments about changing the Constitution after the elections were over. The old Muslim-Yadav bloc which had voted in significant numbers for the BJP in 2019 consolidated into an anti-BJP force. Other local factors also created resentment. Economic corridors, highways and projects are all good to see but the affected locals did not benefit. They got a few lakhs for their lands and kutcha houses but saw the privileged stakeholders minting crores of rupees. In this era of omnipresent social media, no political party can take its eyes off the ball. In Maharashtra, the break-up of the NCP, seen to be engineered by the BJP, was regarded as an act of betrayal of their Saheb by his nephew not only by the Marathas but by many Maharashtrian voters. After 10 years in power, the BJP had lost its strongest asset- the ear-to-the-ground approach with disciplined cadres providing their leadership with critical ground information. In Delhi, the very same party swept all the 7 Lok Sabha seats even with Mr. Arvind Kejriwal playing his victim card with full support from the Opposition parties and even international media. The Delhi CM’s stint in jail was played out as the death of democracy.

The BJP’s ‘Big Brother’ persona has also cost it dearly. In Andhra Pradesh, it gained some traction because of the tie-up with Mr Chandrababu Naidu’s TDP. Likewise, if they had continued their partnership with the Akali Dal, it would have paid dividends in Punjab. If they had the sense to continue with their pact with AIADMK in Tamil Nadu at least 10 MPs would have joined their team. With Mr. Annamalai at the helm and in just 10 months their vote share in the State is more than 11%. But their obstinate refusal to play second fiddle demonstrates their short-sightedness. In the eyes of many Tamilians, the BJP remains a Hindi heartland party. They don’t have local leaders who are either well-known or well-respected to take on the DMK. A return to the healthy coalition strategy with established regional parties is the only sensible solution. Plus, the BJP national leadership seems oblivious to the fact that genuine respect and appreciation of India’s regional languages and cultures, traditions and customs is the only way to win hearts and minds across the country. For instance, if Tamil and Bengali… (Major Scheduled Languages) are taught as optional subjects in 5 years of middle school in Central and Government schools in North India it will be a game-changer and strengthen and consolidate the Union structure of India.

Mr Suresh Gopi, the National Award-winning Malayalam film actor, won BJP’s first-ever Lok Sabha seat from Thrissur- Kerala. My Malayali friends tell me that thousands of non-BJP supporters voted for him because of his humanitarian work over the years. Likewise, Dr. Manjunath, a respected cardiologist, defeated a Congress heavyweight for the Bengaluru Rural seat simply because of his reputation as a caring, soft-spoken professional. Request all political parties to throw away the oft-used Congress playbook of Money, Muscle, Caste, Creed and Political lineage whilst selecting their candidates. The BJP should also conduct an L&D workshop on Soft Skills and Communications for their Parliamentarians and Legislators. Movie Star Kangana Ranaut is going to cause unnecessary controversy with her immature remarks. The BJP candidate from Ayodhya lost simply because of reckless fear-mongering. Yes. Millions of faithful will queue up for the Divine Darshan at the Shri Ram Temple- from India and the rest of the world. But on a day-to-day basis, the average Indian citizen hopes for a glimpse of the true Ram Rajya.

After 10 years we will have a legitimate Leader of the Opposition in Mr. Rahul Gandhi. It’s also a situation of not who won (Modi 3.0 is in place) but who made the most gains. The Congress, Samajwadi Party, DMK and TMC are the big winners with Akhilesh Yadav’s party stealing the show. We all know that the new Lok Sabha bills like the Uniform Civil Code and One India and One Election will be put in a deep freeze. However, it will be interesting to see how the MPs react to a critical bill on Police Reforms which has been gathering dust despite a Supreme Court directive in 2006. Most politicians, across party lines, want the police to keep doing their bidding. Good Economics is the Best Politics. Hopefully, India’s economic growth story will continue unhindered. Not only by becoming the 3^rd largest economy in the world but by getting our per-capita income to jump into the top 30 in the next 10-15 years. The Government and Opposition should also work together to ensure that India’s geo-political ascendancy remains resolute and on track, with no compromises on national interests or national security.

National Security. Mr Rahul Gandhi will become the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. But I am very relieved that he is not the Prime Minister of the country. He will likely become a puppet in China’s hands; he will also play along with the Pakistani establishment. Few will remember that in August 2008 the INC and the Communist Party of China (CCP) signed an MOU that the 2 parties would consult each other on bilateral, regional and international matters. Really.!! Another Himalayan Blunder waiting to happen. Is this the reason why the INC (not just the Comrades) does not say a word about the cruel persecution of Uyghur Muslims and the demolition of thousands of mosques in Xinjiang province of China? Please also recall Mr. Gandhi repeatedly speaking about the Chinese Army taking over 2000 sq km of Indian land, categorically denied by India’s Generals. Foreign intelligence agencies rebutted the same and spoke about clashes where the Indian Army gave the PLA a bloody nose. Remember Mr Digvijay Singh, a senior Congress Leader, releasing a book ‘26/11 an RSS Conspiracy’ with Dr Zakir Naik just 2 years after the Mumbai terror attack orchestrated by Pakistan, which had been validated by international intelligence agencies and from Pakistan itself. Just imagine if Kasab had not been caught alive.?! Or take the case of the Khalistanis in Canada celebrating the assassination of the late PM
Mrs. Indira Gandhi. No outrage from the daughter-in-law or the grandson of one of India’s most formidable political leaders. They are happy with the Canadian PM taking potshots at the Indian PM. It’s up to the Modi government to assert before the Trudeau government that such hate speeches and demonstrations cannot be passed off as’ freedom of expression.’

Another intriguing aspect of the 2024 General Election is the global dimensions it took on. China’s State media, which soft-pedals elections elsewhere for obvious reasons, waded into Indian democracy. China Daily- ‘Stunning Blow to Modi’s Image.’ Global Times- ‘Economic Reforms will slow down.’ The West also jumped onto the bandwagon with the German broadcaster DW- ‘A victory that feels like a defeat.’ Bloomberg- ‘Modi just learnt that hype can carry you so far.’ The NYT headline in the run-up to the election- ‘Modi’s Temple of Lies’ in an insidious reference to the Ayodhya Mandir. Such rantings with vitriolic Op-eds penned by Indian intellectuals and media people (you know their names) have been the norm for many years. During a talk at Cambridge, Mr Rahul Gandhi waved a newspaper whilst talking to the students. The same-day headline in The Guardian read- ‘India’s Democracy in Danger.’ Please connect the dots. Some readers may not know that Hinduism is not recognized as a religion in 24 out of 26 EU countries. Little wonder that some Ivy League college publications have dismissed this Ancient Faith with 1.2 billion followers as ‘pagans’ and ‘uncivilized.’ The fact that in the last decade, India has shed its mongrel attitude and started giving it back to the White Man is not going down well with them. Guess why Harvard has nothing to say about the brutal repression of a million Uyghur Muslims in China. The esteemed University has received $ 1 billion from China over 10 years mainly as gifts.

India’s rise as an independent global geo-political power has rocked the boat- like buying cheaper oil from Russia and Iran. How can India even think about it!! Shifting from being a major importer of military hardware to a growing exporter of arms and ammunition has rattled the military-industrial complex in Washington and other capitals. So, we have Christiane Amanpour on CNN talking about the Indian Prime Minister in the same breath as the Chinese and Russian dictators. Both of whom have anointed themselves as lifetime rulers. As for the Leader of the Free World, a convicted felon may well be the next President. The UK has seen 4 PMs in the last 8 years and is now shipping out undesirable immigrants to Rwanda and beyond.

The George Soros-affiliated Omidyar network (which has just exited India) with close links to the INC has funded money for propaganda, fake news and fear-mongering. Billionaire Soros who had publicly declared war on PM Modi at Davos many years back is known to have backed regime change in some nations. Chinese money has also poured in to boost well-known media outlets and YouTube influencers to spew a particular narrative.

The churning in Indian politics is all for the good. The strong comeback of the Congress and its Allies is welcome. With the caveat that if the Congress-led front comes to power at the Centre we will see a more competent and dependable Messrs Sachin Pilot or Shashi Tharoor or Mallikarjun Kharge as the Prime Minister. Beating the 2X anti-incumbency factor and with 292 seats in the Lok Sabha, the BJP-led NDA has to settle into its 3^rd term. It will have to work and focus on The Greater Good. ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas’ (Everyone’s support, everyone’s development, everyone’s trust) cannot be an empty slogan but an inspiration for good inclusive policies and efficient governance and administration. However, as of now Modi 3.0 has prevailed not only over a rejuvenated Opposition but over myriad forces and powers from across the world.

Three Aces

Posted on February 29, 2024 by SV Rao

The 3 Aces- Ace of Clubs- Yashashvi Jaiswal, Ace of Hearts- Sarfaraz Khan, Ace of Spades- Dhruv Jurel

The ongoing Test series between India and England has been a humdinger. Enthralling cricket, ebbs and flows, high drama, scintillating performances with bat and ball, and the emergence of some special young talent. India’s 3-1 victory is one for the ages. On par with the 2001 series 2-1 win against an Aussie side at the top of their game and especially remembered for VVS Laxman’s epochal 281 at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata. Come to think of it the present bilateral Tests have some parallels with India’s ‘Miracle Down Under’ another 2-1 triumph under Rahane’s captaincy in 2021. The Men in Blue scripted the greatest comeback in Test match history with Kohli returning home after the first Test defeat. No Shami, no KL Rahul, and injuries to Bumrah, Jadeja, Umesh Yadav, Ashwin and Hanuma Vihari. The current India squad has no Kohli, KL Rahul, Shami and Rishabh Pant. The visitors also lost their spinner Jack Leach through a knee injury in the first test at Hyderabad.

The term Bazball is coined after England Team Coach Brendon McCullum’s nickname ‘Baz.’ It refers to the aggressive style of batting by English batters. It has worked well for the McCullum–Stokes partnership- 14 Test wins, 7 losses, 1 draw thus far. Remember they beat Pakistan 3-0 in Pakistan. England’s run rate in Test matches touched 4.76 per over, never matched in the history of the game. The Indian tour was seen as The Last Frontier for Bazball and obviously, it has come apart. Social media has gone crazy with ‘RIP Bazball’ & ‘Bazball meets its Waterloo’. After the 4^th Test Indian fans had a field day, ‘Haar gaya Bazball, Jeet gaya Bat-Ball’ (Bazball loses, Bat-ball wins). But I salute McCullum- Ben Stokes for stoking life into Test cricket. It has become exciting again with twists and turns every session.

Now to the Three Aces. Their humble backgrounds, struggles, challenges, and sensational success have added an emotional and inspiring dimension to this Test contest. The cricket field has verily become their ‘Karmabhoomi.’ The 22-year-old Yashashvi Jaiswal’s (Ace of Clubs) tale has been aptly captured by the Forbes India headline, ‘From battling hunger to developing an insatiable hunger for runs’. A remarkable rags-to-riches story of a 10-year-old from a small town in UP relocating to Mumbai in search of his cricketing dreams. He first worked and stayed at a dairy shop but was fired because he was obsessed with the sport. Then he moved to one of the tents in Azad Maidan, Mumbai, and lived with the groundsman. He sold ‘pani-puri’ in the evenings to make ends meet. His parents repeatedly told him to come back home but he had marked his guard. In a 2018 interview with News 18, his mother Kanchan shared his response, ‘Main maidan mein he rahunga to sab kuch asan hoga. Subhe uthe he meri samne cricket hota hai’ (If I stay on the ground everything will be easy. As soon as I wake up I see cricket in front of me.).

Another challenge the boy had to face was the canard that he was over-age and had fudged his real age. Clubs and teams stayed away. Providentially, he was spotted by Jwala Singh who not only decided to train him but provided him with food and accommodation. The mentor/coach himself said in interviews, ‘I wanted to help him because his story is similar to mine. I also came from UP to Mumbai to play cricket so I know the kind of struggle he faced.’ In 2019, he became the youngest cricketer to score a List A club double century, then became the leading run-getter at the U 19 World Cup in 2020. He was then purchased by the Rajasthan Royals at the IPL auction for ₹ 2.4 crores which has now been bumped up to ₹ 4 crores.

In his debut Test Match against the Windies in 2023 he hit an elegant 171. In the ongoing Test series, he has scored 618 runs with two majestic double-hundreds. In the Vizag Test at 94, he walked down the track and lifted the ball over the long-on boundary. With the Dharamshala Test coming up he stands a good chance of beating Kohli’s series record of 655 runs on the England tour of India in 2016-17. His idol Sachin Tendulkar celebrated his Vizag century celebration picture with the caption, ‘Yashashvi Bhava’ meaning may you see a lot of success.

This Test series is also flavoured with spicy tit-bits- one such served by Ben Duckett who smashed a masterful century at Rajkot in just 88 balls. The Indian opener Jaiswal dominated with an unbeaten 214 and equaled Wasim Akram’s world record of 12 sixes in a Test innings. Duckett claimed ‘that England deserved some credit for Jaiswal’s knock as his batting style followed ‘Bazball’. Commentators, pundits and social media went berserk. Joe Root’s reverse scoop of Bumrah which got him out was discussed ‘as the worst shot in England’s cricket history’. (Sky Sports)

Sarfaraz Khan’s (Ace Of Hearts) has been a long, gritty journey to his Rajkot Test debut. After he received his India cap he rushed to his Abbu and his wife who were cheering for him. He handed over the cap to Naushad Khan who kissed it. All were teary-eyed. A lump-in-the-throat scene straight out of a movie. Naushad Khan had played competitive cricket for Mumbai but could not make the national team. He was living his dreams through his son Sarfaraz. The jersey number of the debutant Test cricketer read 97. Say 9&7 separately in Hindi and you hear the father’s name. The latter is now a cricket coach not only to his sons Sarfaraz and Musheer but also to several aspiring youngsters at the Maidans. Young Sarfaraz was made to work on fitness, batting, bowling, and fielding. From early morning drills to specific diet plans he had to follow strict schedules. Naushad Khan has even set up a synthetic turf around his home in Kurla so that his sons don’t miss practice during monsoons.

At age 12, he scored a record-breaking 439 runs from 421 balls in the Harris Shield-Mumbai’s premier school tournament. He played for India u-19 in 2014 and was second highest scorer in the WC U-19 in 2016. He joined RCB in 2016 at a base price of 20 lacs and played some cameo innings. But questions about his fitness and body weight started doing the rounds. Unfortunately, he missed the IPL 2017 season because of an injury. He shifted to UP to play Ranji trophy and went off the radar. He became one of the many other domestic circuit players.

But the father-son duo didn’t give up. A flood of runs in the Ranji Trophy-928 in the 2019-20 edition and 982 runs in 20-21 with an average of 82.83 still did not resonate with the national selectors. With some injuries in the Indian camp, Sarfaraz finally got a call to join the Indian squad for the current Test series. Critics were still talking about his body weight. His 50 of 48 balls in the first innings silenced them and his run-out at 62 because of a mix-up with Jadeja became a huge talking point. The star all-rounder was trolled on social media for denying the debutant his maiden Test century. He apologized to both father and son. Drama and more drama. The aggressive 68 in the second innings also facilitated India’s massive win at Rajkot.

The India cap eluding them for years did not break their spirit. Naushad Khan gave it a beautiful, philosophical spin during his interview with Akash Chopra and several news channels,’ Raat ko waqt do guzarne ke liye, suraj apne he samaye par niklega.’ Translated as ‘let the night pass at its own pace, the sun will rise at the set time.’ Destiny had planned a perfect time for Sarfaraz’s dream to come true. He has also thanked Surya Kumar Yadav for insisting that he be physically present for the Rajkot match- a once-in-a-lifetime experience- if his son padded up for India. The only downside for this exciting batter is that for IPL 2024, no side bid for him at his base price of ₹ 20 lakhs. But hope still remains that with Shreyas Iyer and another player struggling with injuries, KKR may reach out to him.

The Third Ace. Ace of Spades. Ranchi Test. England 353. India struggling at 177 for 7 and is likely to be bundled out for under 200. England with a big lead wraps up the match and it’s 2-2 before the final Test. Dhruv Jurel in only his second international match scores a match-defining 90 and with Kuldeep Yadav keeps England’s lead down to 46. The rest is history. On reaching 50 he raises his hand in salute to his father Nem Chand Jurel, a retired Army Hawaldar and a Kargil war veteran. His humble background comes through in this story narrated by his father.’ He wanted a cricket kit bag but it was very expensive- some ₹6,000. “I said ‘Mat khelo, Itna paisa nahin hain’. (Leave the game. I don’t have so much money). But his mother decided to pawn her only gold chain and we managed to buy his kit bag.”

At the age of 14 he found his way alone to a cricket academy in Noida and to coach Phoolchand. The boy from Agra played for UP across age groups and became the vice-captain of the Indian team for the U-19 WC2020. By playing for his state in the Syed Mushtaq Ali tournament- India’s no 1 domestic T-20 championship- he caught the eye of the IPL scouts and was picked up by Rajasthan Royals in 2022 for a base price of 20 lakhs.(increased to Rs 50 lakhs for the 2024 season). He got his IPL breakthrough in 2023 and scored 152 runs at a strike rate of 172. His range of shots and ability to play under pressure brought him into the spotlight. The youngster himself says, ‘Hard work is a big thing. I am a big fan of manifestation and visualization.’ Hard Work!! The Rajasthan Royals Performance Director, Zubin Bharucha has revealed that before his Test debut Jurel batted for over 4 hours a day on different surfaces at the Rajasthan Royals High Performance Center at Nagpur. Coming in at No 8 in the 3^rd Test he scored 46 runs.

Just reflect. His IPL SR of 172 and his Ranchi Test innings of 90 & 39 not out under immense pressure SR of 60.40 and 50.64. Calmness, composure, and temperament. Joe Root, his team-mate at RR has this to say, ‘His ability to strike cleanly and blast the ball to all parts is impressive. But to be able to transfer skills to the Test format means he has a very good technique. He is going to be a very good player for years to come.’

With just 15 first-class matches and not all of them as keeper, Jurel has been a revelation behind the stumps. Diving down the leg side, jumping high, or standing up to the stumps his dexterity and reflexes have stood out. Sunil Gavaskar was reminded of ‘a young MSD’ On a lighter note, Jamie Alter posed this question on a cricket podcast, ‘I ask that a wicket-keeper batsman playing at Ranchi and with close connection to the Indian Army, wins the Man of the Match award -which cricketer will come to mind.’ MSD of course. Also, listen in to Ben Stokes, ‘His keeping was something to watch. I think Ben Foakes (England keeper) has a little man crush on him there. There has been a real talent that has emerged in this Test Series and Jurel is one of them.’ England spinner Shoaib Bashir is another with his 8 wickets at Ranchi and a match-winning future ahead.

Cricket is the ultimate winner after these thrilling 4 Test encounters. Nasser Hussain, ‘That’s one of the things I have enjoyed most about this series from both sides. There has been a lot of character on the show and it has made for gripping cricket.’ Leaving the last word to Virat Kohli- his special message for Team India on X, ‘YES!!! Phenomenal series win by our young team. They showed guts, determination, and resilience.’

In a Tarot Card reading, Three Aces symbolize multiple new beginnings, opportunities, a fresh start, or a new environment. It also signifies a dramatic energy shift. May Test cricket regain its charm, popularity, and appeal! This will enhance the entire aura of the game across formats.

Bharat Ratna

Posted on February 23, 2024 by SV Rao

The Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award in the country, was instituted in 1954. It is awarded in recognition of exceptional service/performance of the highest order in any field of human endeavour. No formal recommendation for the award is necessary. This is made by the Prime Minister himself to the President. The number of awards is restricted to 3 annually. On conferment of the award, the recipient receives the Sanad (Certificate) and a Medallion from the President. The award does not carry any monetary grant (Ministry of Home Affairs site- mha.gov.in).

The medallion is designed in the shape of a peepal leaf with the obverse having the Bharat Ratna inscribed in Devanagari script under the image of a sun. The reverse side has the motto, ‘Satyamev Jayate’ written under the Emblem of the State. The emblems, the sun and the rim of the medal are made of platinum whilst the inscriptions are in burnished bronze. The awards are created at the Kolkotta Alipore Mint along with the prestigious Padma awards and the Param Veer Chakra. The award is worn around the neck by a white ribbon. An interesting fact is that the Bharat Ratna cannot be used as a prefix or suffix with the recipient’s name( India Today).

Let’s look at the subject in the context of the highest honours conferred in other democratic nations. The Presidential Medal of Freedom was established by President Kennedy in 1963. There have been 647 recipients and whilst it is a civilian award it can also be awarded to military personnel and worn on the uniform. An equivalent honour is the Congressional Gold Medal presented by the United States Congress. Thus far 184 individuals and institutions have received this prestigious prize since 1776. If institutions also are considered for our highest award, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will be a leading candidate.

The Legion of Honour is the highest decoration in France and is divided into 5 categories with the Grand Croix (Grand Cross) at the highest. This was instituted by Napoleon Bonaparte in the year 1802. On average 2000 French and 300 foreigners are decorated each year. And here lies the rub. Around 3000 French citizens have received the Grand Cross since inception averaging around 14 per year. The current French population is around 7 crores. India has 140 crores. We are also 4X of the US population. The fact is that the Bharat Ratna and even the Padma awards have literally been rationed out.

70 years after the first awards were conferred; we have only 53 recipients of our highest civilian award. The limitation of a max of only 3 awards per year has brought us to this ridiculous situation. This limit has been breached by 4 awards in 1999 and 5 awards in 2024. Another big disappointment is that the Bharat Ratna was not awarded between 2020 and 2023. The award doesn’t need to be given every year.

Controversies related to the Bharat Ratna are all about political colour and affiliations. A few of the names in this ultimate roll-call of honour may make your eyebrows rise. Dr Radhakrishnan was conferred the honour in 1954 as a sitting Vice President. Sardar Patel, India’s first Home Minister and Deputy Prime minister, credited with the seminal achievement of preserving the Union of India was honoured posthumously only in 1991, four decades after his demise. PM Nehru was a recipient in 1955 with the Congress supporters and Nehruvian followers insisting that the President presented it to him suo-moto. Again, Smt Indira Gandhi was the Prime Minister in 1971 when she received the top honours. Earnestly hope that such an event does not happen again in the next few years. In 1992, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose was awarded the Bharat Ratna reigniting controversies regarding his death. This was the only instance where the award was announced and withdrawn. This historical wrong should now be corrected.

There is no formal provision that the decoration be given only to Indian citizens. It has been conferred on a naturalised Indian citizen, Mother Theresa in 1980, which begs the question as to why it has not yet been conferred on the Dalai Lama. The two foreign recipients are Abdul Ghaffar Khan, born in British India, but a Pakistani citizen at the award ceremony in 1987; the other being the iconic South African leader and President Nelson Mandela. Whilst the Pakistani national received India’s highest honour, Dilip Kumar got the Nishan-e-Imtiaz (Pakistan’s highest civilian honour) in 1998. Here’s hoping that India’s first ‘Method Actor’ Dilip Saab moves from the Padma Vibhushan award in 2015 to a richly deserved Bharat Ratna, albeit posthumously. Surprise, Surprise!! Morarji Desai remains the only Indian honoured with both the Bharat Ratna and the Nishaan-e-Pakistan (the second-highest civilian award in Pakistan).

The one Mega film star to make this august list is M G Ramachandran (MGR) who also became Chief Minister of the State of Tamil Nadu. But overlooked is his Telugu counterpart N T Rama Rao, ‘the God of Telugu Cinema’ not only because of his stirring portrayals of Lord Ram and Lord Krishna but also of several inspiring historical characters. His huge following also made him the Chief Minister of the then Andhra Pradesh. Dr Rajkumar was the colossus of the Kannada film industry- an accomplished playback singer, the SuperStar in more than 200 hit films and a social-cultural symbol in the State like none other. Vara Nada (Gifted Actor) and Bangarada Manushya (Man of Gold) for his legion of fans. The top civilian award also eluded Sivaji Ganesan, hailed as Nadigar Thilagam (Prince of Actors) in the Tamil film industry. His versatility and brilliance in over 280 films have made him the inspiration for generations of Tamil and Indian actors after him. The venerated Mohanlal and Manmooty from Malayalam cinema should also make the shortlist for the Bharat Ratna awards.

Winner of the first National Award in 1967 for Best Actor, Mahanayak Uttam Kumar is the most successful and influential actor in Bengali film history. His name will add lustre to the top national honour. As will that of the consummate actress Suchitra Sen who co-starred with him in many memorable films. Another name that readily comes to mind- the accomplished actress and dancer from Hindi films, Waheeda Rehman.

No case needs to be made for Amitabh Bachchan, ‘The Star of the Millenium’. A real anecdote will suffice. In the 1980’s when his stardom was at its peak, the stunned Egyptian film industry came up with the decree that no Indian film should be allowed a consecutive run of more than 4 weeks. The Soft Power of Indian Cinema was first exemplified by Raj Kapoor whose films ‘Awara’ ( 1951) and ‘Shree 420’ ( 1955) captivated audiences across the Soviet Union and China. The celebrated Satyajit Ray remains the only filmmaker in the list of 53 recipients thus far. Guru Dutt the maker of internationally acclaimed films like ‘Pyaasa’ and ‘Kaagaz Ke Phool’ has also been ignored. Let recognition be delayed, but not denied. Rajamouli Garu and Mani Ratnam are also staking their claims for this highest accolade. But are the powers- that- be paying any attention?!

Lata Mangeshkar’s golden voice floated in the air when the award was conferred on her in 2001. Classical Maestros like Bhimsen Joshi, Bhupen Hazarika, M S Subbalakshmi and Ravi Shankar have also been so honoured. But surely cherished household names Mohammad Rafi Saab, Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhosle do not have to prove ‘ their performance of the highest order’ in their artistic space. The sublime voice of S P Balasubramaniam has not only captivated South Indian film audiences but also those of popular Hindi cinema. Kerala’s iconic singer KJ Yesudas has sung mellifluously in multiple Indian languages and bagged 8 National Awards. Tabla maestro Zakir Hussain after 3 Grammy Awards is again knocking on the door.

In 2014, Sachin Tendulkar became the youngest recipient and the only sportsman to make the honour list. You may well ask- what about Sunil Gavaskar who scored tons of runs against the dreaded West Indian fast bowlers without wearing a helmet?! Or Kapil Dev, lifting the World Cup at Lords in 1983, which remains to this day the most seminal moment in Indian cricket history. Five times World Champion Vishwanathan Anand’s name does not make the honour list – shocking in a country which invented the game of chess in the 6^th century Gupta period. To a forgotten hockey hero Balbir Singh Sr part of the Olympic gold medal winning teams in 1948, 1952 and again as captain in 1956. Eligible for the Bharat Ratna- a no-brainer one would think!! Mary Kom, bronze medallist at the 2012 Olympics and the most successful boxer in the history of the World Championships also deserves the highest civil recognition in India,

A welcome news has been of the late PM Narasimha Rao being awarded the Bharat Ratna for opening up and liberalising the Indian economy in the early 1990s. Surely his partner in arms Dr Manmohan Singh, Finance Minister and architect of critical economic reforms in a major crisis situation deserves the same laurels. Jan Nayak and ex-Bihar CM Karpoori Thakur’s belated recognition also raise hope that Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik gets his place in the sun. The hugely popular Naveen Babu’s administration (+ NDMA) handling of recurrent cyclones has been highlighted as the model for disaster management globally. His initiatives have pulled his State from its acute poverty and Naxal insurgencies and made it an attractive FDI and Domestic investment destination. Add to this the sponsoring of the Indian men’s and women’s hockey teams till 2033 and it remains for the Honourable Prime Minister to take the right call.

The socialist/leftist mindset that prevailed for over 5 decades ensured that only JRD Tata received the Bharat Ratna award as a hugely respected business leader. Ratan Tata has followed in his footsteps through generous philanthropy, especially in health care and education and the Tata Group is now valued at $370 billion which is more than the current GDP of Pakistan, estimated at $341 billion by the IMF. Azim Premji at Wipro and Narayana Murthy at Infosys ushered in the IT revolution in India. Nandan Nilekani, a co-founder at Infosys, is also known as the father of the Aadhar Card (Unique Identity for Indian citizens) which along with the digital revolution and Unified Payments Interface (UPI)I has been the ultimate game-changer for the economy, trade and business and for e-governance. Capitalists and Business Houses are not the derisive words as bandied around in the license-raj times from the 1950s to the late 1980s. All these gentlemen are now seen as role models and champions of a resurgent India.

Also missing from the list of awardees are extraordinary personalities like the late Ela Bhatt, labour lawyer and organiser par-excellence, who formed SEWA- Self Employed Women’s Association- a trade union for women workers in India’s huge informal sector. What about Verghese Kurien, the architect of India’s ‘white revolution’, which transformed the country from an importer of dairy products to the world’s largest milk producer through a system of farmer’s co-operatives – pushing out the middlemen. Another hero who deserves the highest laurels posthumously is Dr Govind Venkataswamy, the founder of the Aravind Eye Hospital, Madurai. Internationally reputed for its high quality, high volumes and low-cost service model. Do these worthies come up to the criteria of ‘exceptional service/ performance of the highest order’?! –the key requirement for the Bharat Ratna award.

‘Extraordinary contribution in any field of human endeavour.’ If you are the Prime Minister will you recommend Salim Ali, India’s celebrated ornithologist and naturalist- known as ‘the Birdman of India.’ Or Kailash Sankhala noted wild-life conservationist, whose passionate efforts virtually saved the Indian tiger from becoming extinct. Or Rajendra Singh, who renewed traditional techniques for storage and conservation of water in hundreds of villages in Rajasthan and made them inhabitable again.

The above is merely a wish-list of some richly deserving individuals who have been overlooked. You will have your own opinions and your own choices. Respect. The bottom line is that the entire process and dimension and scale of evaluating India’s most prestigious award needs to be revisited and revamped.

Restricting the Bharat Ratna to a quota of 3 awards per year beggars disbelief in a nation of 140 crore Indians. 15 awards annually, including posthumous recognition, is the least correction to be made. Having a jury of 12 upstanding and accomplished citizens from various walks of life to recommend 30 deserving names to the Prime Minister for his final review and selection will greatly enhance the aura of the awards. Let’s celebrate the extraordinary achievements and influence of this unique group of Indians- without distinction of race, caste, creed, occupation, position or gender. Let’s celebrate the Naya Bharat.

Ram Janma Bhoomi- An Epic Saga

Posted on January 6, 2024 by SV Rao

On the 22^nd of January 2024, Ayodhya will resonate with the euphoric chants of ‘Jai Shree Ram.’ The Pran Pratishtha ceremony leading up to the installation of the Ram Lalla idol, followed by the first Aarti will be performed by the Prime Minister-guided by Hindu Pandits- with 7000 special guests invited by the Temple Trust in attendance. The Consecration ceremony will illuminate and reverberate not only across our vast nation but also with millions of devotees across the world

Flashback. In 1885, Mahant Raghubir Das filed the first suit to build a temple on the land adjacent to the mosque. Denied permission by the District Magistrate, Faizabad. In December 1949 a Ram idol was found in the mosque and the faithful started offering prayers. The Indian Government declared the site ‘a contested area’ and locked the gates. The following year permission was granted by the Faizabad Court to conduct pooja for Sri Ram Lalla but only in the minor courtyard with the main gates remaining closed. In 1961, the UP Sunni Wakf Board filed a suit seeking possession of the Babri Masjid and demanding the removal of the Hindu idols.

It was in 1984 that the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) started the Ramjanmabhoomi movement as we know it now. BJP leader Mr LK Advani took the reins of the campaign. In 1986, the Babri Masjid Action Committee (BMAC) was formed as the opposing party. In the meantime, the Shah Bano case made headlines with the Supreme Court (SC) ruling in favour of the elderly, divorced Muslim woman- that she gets monthly maintenance from her re-married husband. This was contrary to Muslim Personal Law and to appease the conservative elements in the community, the Mr Rajiv Gandhi government with 400+ MPs in the Lok Sabha overturned the SC judgement by amending the law itself. In this balancing act political drama, the Government in 1986 allowed the Hindus to do Pooja and have darshan after opening the gates. A tipping point of sorts happened in November 1989 when the VHP was permitted to perform Shilanyas (lay foundation stone) near the Masjid.

On to the Rath Yatra led by Mr Advani in September 1990 from Somnath (Gujarat) to Ayodhya ( Uttar Pradesh). The movement mobilised huge public support leading to the 6^th of December 1992 – when Hindu karsevaks demolished the Babri Masjid and left behind a makeshift temple. More than 50 of this violent mob were killed in police firings. Communal riots broke out in many parts of the country. More than 900 died in the Mumbai riots of December 1992 and January 1993. Culminating in the deadly Mumbai serial blasts of March 1993, orchestrated by Dawood Ibrahim from Dubai. To control a volatile situation the Congress-led government passed an ordinance to acquire the ‘contested land.’

All the suits related to the Ayodhya land title dispute had been transferred to the Allahabad High Court in 1989. The needle moves to 2003. The Court authorises the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to excavate the land and give its findings with evidence. The 574-page report was submitted in August 2003. The only public takeaway was that ‘of a very large structure that considerably pre-dated the Babri Masjid’. In September 2010, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court split the land 3 ways- Ram Lalla Virajman, UP Sunni Wakf Board and Nirmohi Akhara (a Hindu order of warrior saints who managed many temples in the region).

Finally on the 9^th September 2019, when a full bench of the Supreme Court of India ordered the Government of India to create a Trust to build the Ram Mandir and to form a Board of Trustees within 3 months. The entire 2.77 acres of disputed land was passed to the custody of the Trust. 5 acres of land was allotted to the UP Sunni Wakf Board at a suitable place within Ayodhya to construct a mosque.

The commonly accepted narrative is that the first Mughal Emperor Babur ordered the demolition of the Ayodhya temple in 1528 and got the Masjid built on its ground,( hence the Babri Masjid). During the arguments in the SC a reference to Babur’s visit to Ayodhya (as mentioned in Baburnama- a book by Babur) was brought up. However, the Advocate for the opposing side clarified that 2 pages of the Baburnama were missing (whether about the Ayodhya temple remains unclear). Kishore Kunal, former IPS officer, in his book ‘Ayodhya Revisited’, is of the firm opinion that the temple was not destroyed in 1528 but in 1660 by Fidayi Khan, a governor appointed by Emperor Aurangzeb. This timeline seems to be in sync with the accounts of English travellers William Finch (1608-11) an English merchant with the East India Company (EIC) and Captain William Hawkins (EIC Ambassador) who both landed in Surat in August 1608 and spent more than 2 years at Emperor Jahangir’s court. Finch visited the fort in Ayodhya where Hindus believed Lord Ram was born and mentions it in his accounts. Hawkins also refers to the sacred town of Ayodhya in his travelogues (William Foster’s book “ Early Travels in India’- accounts of 7 English travellers in India).

Perhaps, most significantly, Austrian Jesuit missionary Joseph Tiefenthaler suggests in his works that the Ram temple was demolished by Aurangzeb. This European geographer came to India in 1743 and visited Ayodhya in the 1760s.’ He refers to a particularly famous spot called Sita Rasoi- or table of Sita- the revered wife of Shri Ram. He states that Aurangzeb demolished the fortress and erected a mosque in its place to prevent heathens from practising their ceremonies. However, they have continued to practice their religious ceremonies knowing that they have been to the birthplace of Ram by going around it 3 times and prostrating on the ground. On the left is a square box called Bistar palana (cradle) where Ram (Vishnu) and his 3 brothers were born. In the month of Chaitra, a large number of people gather together to celebrate the birthday of Ram, extremely popular throughout India.’

The Ayodhya Kanda Recitation was recorded in writing by Mr Robert Montgomery after the 1857 Uprising or Mutiny as he calls it. He was the Chief Commissioner of Oudh or Avadh in 1858-59.

In 1975-76 Mr B B Lal, Director General ASI and his team started excavating the Archaeology of Ramayana- Ayodhya, Bharadwaj Ashram, Nandigram, Chitrakoot, Shringverapur In his 2008 book, ‘Rama- His Histrocity, Mandir and Setu’ he states that ‘attached to the piers of the Babri Masjid there were 12 stone pillars which carried not only typical Hindu motifs and mouldings but also figurines of Hindu deities. It was self-evident that the pillars were not an integral part of the Masjid but were foreign to it.’ Another eminent archaeologist Mr K K Muhammed who was part of the team reveals in his book, “An Indian I Am” that he found the remains of the temple on the western side of the mosque. The 12 pillars were constructed with Hindu symbolism including Ashtamangala signs (8 auspicious objects as per Hindu practice and astrology.) They also found terracotta figurines of humans-men and women- and animals.’ Mr Muhammed clearly states that ‘his findings were suppressed by Marxist historians like Prof Irfan Habib who was very powerful and influential with the Indian Council of Historical Research and with many leading newspapers’. Irfan Habib and his powerful supporters even spread the lie that Mr KK Muhammed had not been a part of the ASI excavation team at Ayodhya. This coterie also went all-out to tarnish the image of the ASI after they submitted their 2003 report to the Allahabad High Court. In the early 1980s also the ASI was under tremendous pressure to play down and not to reveal the excavation findings. Recommend that you read Mr Muhammed’s book as a tribute to his passion, courage and integrity as a professional and to learn about his other interesting digs and excavations.

The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) clan led by Irfan Habib had 25 influential intellectuals including Dr Romila Thapar. They hyped up the narrative that the legendary Ayodhya of the Ramayana was a purely mythical city and was not the same as present-day Ayodhya. However, they fumbled with the name Saket which historically is one and the same as Ayodhya. Their overwhelming influence with the powers that be and the Sunni Wakf Board ensured that there could not be any out-of-court compromise solution as some moderate Muslim leaders recommended. Former Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) Chancellor Lt General (Retd) Zameeruddin Shaikh said that the Muslims should take the initiative of handing over the land to the Hindus and facilitate a harmonious out-of-court settlement. In November 2019, before the Supreme Court judgement the then AMU Chancellor and Professor Tariq Mansoor cautioned the students against false propaganda. They should accept the decision of the highest court with maturity, respect and restraint.

The Nay-Sayers and Obstructionists were in for a shock when during the demolition of the Masjid in 1992, 3 inscriptions on large stones were found. The most important was the Vishnu-Hari inscription of 20 lines in the Nagari script on a 1.10m by 0.56m stone. Shri Ajay Shastri, Chairman of the Epigraphical Society of India examined the inscriptions and observed, ‘Line 15 clearly tells us that a beautiful temple of Vishnu-Hari built with heaps of stones and beautified by golden spires, unparalleled by any other temple built by earlier kings was constructed. This wonderful temple was built in the temple city of Ayodhya situated in the Saketmandala ( Saket district). Line 19 describes God Vishnu as destroying Bali and the 10-headed personage.’ Prof Meenakshi Jain again exposes Irfan Habib who first dismissed the inscription as from a private collection and then alleged that it was stolen from the Lucknow museum and surreptitiously placed at the site. In fact, the Lucknow museum inscription was the ‘Tretha ka Thakur’ one –another Ayodhya temple demolished at Aurangzeb’s orders. The Director of the Lucknow Museum refuted the canard spread by Habib and displayed the inscription in the custody of the museum.

After the Supreme Court judgement, it was decided by the Sunni Wakf Board and the Management Committee that the mosque would be constructed on a 5-acre land at Dhannipur, around 25 km from the temple. It will be named after the Holy Prophet of Islam- Mohammed Bin Abdullah Masjid. Top clerics from several countries would be invited including the Honourable Imam, who leads the prayers at the Grand Mosque of Mecca. It will be the largest mosque in India and will have the world’s biggest Quran- measuring 21ft high and 36ft wide.

It is imperative to see the Ram Janmabhoomi saga in the global context. In 2020, the Erdogan-led government in Turkiye converted the famous UNESCO-declared heritage site and cultural museum, Hagia Sophia, into a mosque. It had earlier been a Christian Orthodox Church and Mosque and a Museum since 1934. The Icons of the Virgin Mary and the Infant Christ were covered by fabric curtains. Since 2017, the authoritarian Chinese Communist Party has destroyed or closed down hundreds of mosques in Xinjiang province (North-West) and Ningxia and Gansu provinces in the North – where the majority of the Muslim populace live. Total silence from our Comrade intellectuals. Going back to 1490- the Spanish Crown ordered all the Muslims to convert to Christianity. Over the next 100 years 3 million Muslims fled from Spain to North Africa. The last of the Moors adhering to Islam were expelled in 1610. The Iconic Cathedral of Cordoba, dedicated to Santa Maria, had been a mosque till the 13^th century. Unfortunately, world history is replete with such events. Hark back to the cautionary words attributed to Spanish-American philosopher George Santayana,’ those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it.’ Discussion, Reconciliation and even some Compromise may be the only way out through difficult, divisive situations.

So on the 22nd of January, Ayodhyanagari will rejoice to the traditional sound of the conches and bells; the melodious bhajans and kirtans; the overwhelming fragrance of fresh flowers and incense. At night time, there will be thousands of lamps on the banks of the river Sarayu. In the months after the temple inauguration, around 1 lakh pilgrims each day are expected at Ayodhya. Hotels, Hostels and homestays will be full to capacity and beyond. Buses and cabs will be on demand 24/7. Restaurants will have stand-and-eat tables and nukkad chai shops will struggle to keep pace with the relentless sipping of the beverage. Flower sellers and general merchants will be constantly stocking up their wares. The ancient town of Ayodhya, whilst retaining its spiritual core, will transform into a bustling city with a classic airport and railway station and with all the amenities.

The economic boom will be humongous for lakhs of local people in the city and the neighbourhood- transcending religion and communities.

The Uttarkashi Miracle – 41 Lives at the End of the Tunnel

Posted on December 23, 2023 by SV Rao

In the early hours of the 12^th of November 2023, the under-construction Silkyara tunnel in the Uttarkashi region of Uttarakhand collapsed. For the next 17 days, the nation was transfixed by the humongous rescue efforts to bring out the 41 trapped workers alive and safe. Non-stop coverage on TV channels and on social media brought this intense story into every home. What made the entire experience so riveting and inspiring was the human heart-beat which throbbed right through. Plus the back-stories of the heroes who put their own lives at risk, and the experts and professionals who worked day and night at the site without rest or sleep.

Rat-hole mining was banned by the National Green Tribunal in India in 2014. It was the process of digging employed in Meghalaya and North East India to extract coal. It was a procedure that involved digging manually wherein the workers had to crawl and burrow in and out of a narrow passage or tunnel. The ban was due to the very high-risk working conditions and for causing damage to the environment. The technical and rescue teams at the disaster site were out of their depth as the state-of-the-art Auger horizontal dry drilling machine broke down more than 10 meters short of the 60-odd meter passage to the trapped workmen. The list of the heroic rat miners who cleared the final stretch to reach the workers reads as Munna Qureshi, Devendra, Monu Kumar, Feroze Qureshi, Wakeel Hasan, Nasir Khan, Rashid Ansari, Irshan Ansari, Ankur, Surya Mohan… Our heroes worked with Companies involved in contractual jobs with the Public Works Department and Municipal Corporations primarily in Delhi. They cleaned nallahs before monsoons, kept the sewer lines operational, and dug narrow tunnels and underground ditches for utility pipelines. Earning Rs 300/ to Rs 600/ per day for 12-hour shifts. Surya Mohan had this to say to a news channel, “We can squeeze ourselves and stay in that position longer than any normal and flexible person. We can work in holes with foul smells for 2-3 hours at a stretch. We can operate in conditions where oxygen levels are low. This is not an expertise but skills gained through practice since childhood.” Devendra Kumar, who was the first to reach the trapped workers and embrace them elaborates, “We can squat on our haunches and rest our body weight on our toes for 3 hours at a stretch. We can work like this in as little space as 2 feet and that is what we did as we sat in the pipe at Silkyara tunnel to clear the blocked portion. We held the drill machine right in front of us vertical to our chest with the heavier part where the motor is fitted touching the ride side of our chest.” Leaving the final word to Feroze Qureshi, “We expect nothing. We were so happy to save and help 41 fellow workers.” Real Heroes!!! Whilst hopefully some worthy financial rewards and honors will come their way it is refreshing to see that these saviors are being feted and applauded on prime TV shows like ‘Indian Idol.’

‘Rat miners surprised the world with their unique capability to bore around 13 meters and to fix and weld steel pipes- all this after cutting and extracting broken Auger parts.’ Lt General (Retd) Syed Ata Hasnain cited in his articles later. Local media and social influencers hailed it as a win for Indian Jugaad.

In an interview with the Free Press Journal, tunnel foreman Gabbar Singh Negi talked about how the 41 workers survived the 17 harrowing days without sinking into depression or hopelessness. Many workers later spoke about how he had kept them calm by practicing yoga and meditation and leading them on a morning walk of the 2000-meter stretch available. Negi, a local of Uttarakhand, rose to be a true leader for his team from Bihar, Odisha, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Assam, and Himachal Pradesh by motivating them to regroup as a unit for those long nerve-wracking days.

Australian Professor Arnold Dix became a national hero after all the workers were rescued unscathed. A geologist, engineer, and lawyer, he answered the SOS from the Indian Government and reached the site on the 20th of November. He inspected the collapsed tunnel, co-ordinated with all the Agencies on the ground, and suggested technical solutions to overcome challenges through the rubble. He was always on the forefront whether advising the rat mining operations or the final rescue mission by the NDRF (National Disaster Response Force). In a conversation with Business Today he talked about, “How keeping them warm and connected, providing proper food, and having all the emergency services around helped a great deal.” Prof Dix was also seen praying for the safe evacuation of the 41 workers and even performing Pooja at a small temple in the vicinity. He remains the most loved Aussie in India after the Australian cricket team broke a billion hearts by beating India in the WC ODI cricket final on the 19^th of November.

Lt General Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd) as a Member of the NDMA (National Disaster Management Agency) stands out as another hero in this multi-agency, multi-approach, multi-options rescue mission. In his articles in the Indian Express and First Post, he lauds the Government of India’s dictum that “Every life is precious including those engaged in the rescue efforts. On a virtual war footing, no expense or effort was spared to save all the 41 lives at stake. A unique and outstanding example of how teamwork facilitated from the highest to the lowest levels. Bureaucratic hurdles were thrown aside. Perfect coordination between the Centre, the Uttarakhand Government, and other States left nothing to chance.”

The Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) reached the disaster location immediately and quickly estimated that the end-to-end distance of debris to reach the workers at approx. 58-60 meters. The NDRF quickly deployed 2 teams to the tunnel site. They conducted contingency drills to take out the workers in improvised stretchers with wheels using ropes. An 80-metre long, 900 mm wide steel pipe was used for the mock drill. Alongside, the Madras Sappers (Army Engineers) prepared for a side drift technology option and did all the fabrications on the spot.

In the initial days, a 4-inch compressed pipeline became the lifeline for the trapped workmen. Survival rations like almonds, dry fruits, chickpeas, and medicines were pushed through by compressed air. Around the 8th day, a 6-inch pipeline facilitated the supply of water, oxygen, cooked food, fruits, and communication lines. The conditions of entrapment revealed that the power cables had not snapped and there was some light inside the tunnel. BSNL set up a landline facility and with walkie-talkies, the workers could speak with their close family and friends. And perhaps for the first time in India, psycho-social advice was given to each worker in their own language by qualified professionals who were flown to the site. After the rescue many workers expressed their heartfelt thanks to the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami, General VK Singh (Retd) Minister of State of Road Transport and Highways, and the Principal Secretary of the PMO (Prime Minister’s office) for their concern and for regularly boosting up their morale.

The scale of the operation can be gauged by the fact that the Indian Government reached out to Norway’s Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI) and the Thailand cave rescue team. Micro-tunneling expert Mr Chris Cooper, already a consultant on the Rishikesh –Karnaprayag rail project was specially flown in on the 18th of November. A nationwide hunt for large drilling equipment led to Odisha, MP, and Gujarat. Gigantic machines were dismantled and loaded onto IAF C-17 transport aircraft, flat-bed railway rolling stocks, and huge trucks. Green corridors were provided for surface transport. State authorities in Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh effectively coordinated with the National Disaster Management Agency ( NDMA) and the nodal IAS officer of the Uttarakhand Government. The huge Auger machine was air-lifted from Delhi using two Hercules 130 planes, brought to the spot in 3 parts, and assembled without any delay at all.

A ward with 41 oxygen-supported beds was ready at the Chinyalisaur Community Health Centre -30 km from the collapsed tunnel. Medical personnel and psychiatrists and a fleet of ambulances were on the alert. Arrangements had been made to airlift workers to advanced hospitals if required.

However, this is also a wake-up call. A 2021 research project by the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology revealed that half of Uttarakhand including Uttarkashi fell into the high to very high landslide-prone zone. There is talk that a landslide triggered the collapse. Another cause may be water seepage through loose patches of rock. The NHAI (National Highway Authority of India) preliminary report refers to geological faults and fractures – Shear zones. There are different types of rocks in the region some hard and some soft contributing to an inherently unstable region. The Himalayan mountain region is considered relatively young and growing and evolving. Mr RK Goel (former Chief Scientist at the Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Research) talks about terrain-specific technical solutions. Small shear zones can be addressed by fore poles and rock anchors. Already known shear zones be incorporated into the designs. If not known through survey, advance protection terrain-specific measures should be used. He also adds that tunnel-building technology, if correctly applied, poses minimum damage to the environment.

However, the challenge of construction on the Himalayan landscape will remain despite conducting a thorough assessment, seismic and geotechnical studies, and putting extensive safety measures in place. Please note that a leading German-Austrian engineering and consulting firm Bernard Gruppe has been on board the Silkyara tunnel project since 2018. The NHAI has now ordered a safety audit for all the 29 under-construction tunnels in the country.

The 4.5 km tunnel when completed and operational will save the general public, the Armed Forces, and the 4 Dham pilgrims -26 km of treacherous roads.

Till then, let us celebrate the heart-warming and courageous tale of what the Union Government and State Governments, various National Institutions and agencies, and the Aam Heroes are capable of in a national emergency or crisis. If only we could somehow tap into this huge potential and harness the immense positive synergy in normal times.