Global Ethic vs National Interest

Current Affairs 17th June 2011

17 June:

• Pakistani human rights activist Ansar Burney a key role in negotiations with the Somali pirates for safe return of captured maritime professionals.
• Russia China sign deals in oil, nuclear, coal, electricity and renewable energy. The prices disagreement over gas didn't let the Gas supply (from Russia to China) deal be signed.
• India to extend assistance in constructing a cultural centre in Jaffna. China has helped for constructing a national centre for performing arts.
• Current round of India & Pak Foreign Secy talks do NOT include Terrorism. They include: J&K, peace and security, promotion of friendly exchanges.
• Kayani is fighting to keep his job and is facing seething anger from Generals since Abottabad raid. Taliban has also gotten bolder in Pak raid.
• Iran hopes India will revive Peace Pipeline aka IPI Pipeline. It argues that TAPI passes through not just Pakistan but also Afganistan making it less safe for gas transport. It also argues that nuclear energy plans have taken a hit after Fukushima and fossil energy has become even more important!
• Zangmu project on Brahmaputra is a run-of-the-river hydroelectric project and thus is not a matter of concern for India: SM Krishna.
• India in SCO: Terrorism from Af & Islamic extremism, Af situation after ISAF withdrawal in 2014, Economic deliberations (RIC), Linking SCO with Arabian Sea, Platform to talk and cooperate with Pak with less hesitation because of regional format, garner support for J&K's terrorism, another platform to link with China (apart from Climate change), counter US hegemony in Central Asia. SCO 10th Summit: Astana (Kazak capital). India's bid for permanent seat is on the table since 2010. Pak since 2006. Iran excluded because of SCO clause to keep out nations having UN sanctions. SCO current members: 6, observers: 4, dialogue partners: 2 (Belarus & SLanka)
• LiDAR stands for Light Detection and Ranging. Its the transverse equivalent of SONAR.
  
• Read Nepal's peace process report card:
  http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/article2110362.ece
  
• Read P. Sainath's "The discreet charm of civil society":
  http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/columns/sainath/article2110433.ece

Environment Quiz

WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY QUIZ

TIEA and DTAA

However, in the absence of a bilateral treaty with Liechtenstein, India cannot seek any administrative assistance or details on Indian clients of the LGT Bank. If it goes for a TIEA, information would be exchanged relating to a specific criminal or civil tax investigation or civil tax matters under investigation. In DTAA, on the other hand, there are agreed rates of tax and jurisdiction on specified types of income arising in a country to a tax resident of another country. India has completed negotiations of 10 new TIEAs with Bahamas, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Isle of Man, Cayman Islands, Jersey, Monaco, Saint Kitts & Nevis, Argentina and Marshall Islands out of 22 identified jurisdictions.

Negotiations with four countries are under progress and the response is awaited from another four, who want to sign DTAA instead of TIEA.

India has DTAAs with 79 countries. It has initiated process of negotiation with 65 countries to broaden the scope of article of exchange of information to include exchange of banking information. Negotiations and re-negotiations of DTAAs with 23 countries have been completed.

Should read in General Studies-Prelims

Coastal Zone Regulation/Management
Biosphere, O2, N2, H2O etc cycles, Food Chain, Ecosystem basics.
Climate Change, Ozone depletion, Smog, Acid Rain, Pollution & its types
Vision and lens & mirrors, latest Nobel Prize related basics, Common sense logical understanding of Light, sound and other waves.

Some particular diseases & their causative agents, symptoms and carriers etc. which include:
Vector borne- Malaria, Filaria, Kala Azar, Japanese Encephalitis, Dengue, Chikungunya.
Vaccine preventable- Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Polio, Measles and Tuberculosis.
Others- Leprosy, various Influenza (eg: Swine Flu, Bird Flu)

Bioethanol, biodiesel- their plants etc
Economic Survey- Poverty, Social, Human Development related chapters + Industry, Commerce, Economic Data
Fundamentals of the Economy- Fiscal & Monetary Policy
WTO, IMF, World Bank &WBGroup, UN Agencies, recent UN resolutions, FATF, EU, ASEAN, SAARC, APEC, GCC, Arab League, African Union, BRICS, BASIC, IBSA, RIC, BIMSTEC, NATO, CIS. [Read atleast the wikipedia pages of these organizations and on that atleast the data in the table on the right of the page and the background.]

Egypt. Libya. Yemen. Sudan. Somalia. Tunisia.

Vitamins, Organ Systems (only basics and not ultra-deep nomenclature) especially Digestive, Nervous, Respiratory & various hormones, proteins, fats & fatty acids, lipids, carbohydrates, minerals.
Photosynthesis, agricultural plants- their required climatic & soil conditions, and their GM or hybrid varieties that have been in recent news, Hybridization.

World Heritage Sites especially in India. New additions, if any.
Buddhism (especially because Tibetan Buddhism was in news this year), Jainism, Indus Valley Civilization.

Conventions & Protocols:
Ramsar, CITES 1973, Bonn, Montreal, Cartagena, UNFCCC, Kyoto, Copenhagen, Cancun, Basel, REDD & REDD+, Nagoya, Doha Development Round, Rotterdam, Stockholm, Vienna, CTBT, UN Conventions that have been making news eg: UN Convention against Corruption which was ratified by India in May 2011.
visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_international_environmental_agreements

Biosphere Reserves in India-those that are of international importance, National Parks, Project Tiger & Tiger Reserves, Project Elephant. Read about endangered species of India and their locations.

India's Military Exercises of the past year.
ISRO's recent launches & activities.
Defence - New achievements, missiles etc.

Some peak events in Sport in the last year, especially Tennis Opens. Records broken. Indians performance at different events. Indian sportspersons names who won medals in the last year, especially those that grabbed attention or created history. Arjuna Awardees.

Chemical & other such things the recent news. eg: Endosulphan, BT cotton, BT brinjal. Go into the basics that connect these to everyday life apart from technical stuff & the factual aspects.

Polity- Election Commission, Judiciary, 243-243ZG, FRs, DPSPs, Duties, Emergencies of different types, CAG, CVC, CIC, CBI, Lokpal, Recent Bills/Acts/Amendments.

Schemes of the Govt especially those of the last few years and the Flagship schemes.

Geography- River Systems, Vegetation, Soil types.

Wildlife in India and National Parks

About 80 National Parks and 441 Sanctuaries have been created to protect this life from the onslaught of urbanization and rapidly increasing population.

Wildlife Sanctuaries, National Parks

There are a number of wildlife sanctuaries, and National parks all over this vast country which are well preserved. They cover hundreds of square kilometres and the varied wildlife can be observed here in their natural habitat.
Apart from this, the Government of India initiated Project Tiger in 1973. This has helped in increasing the numbers of tigers, over the years.


Some of the major wildlife sanctuaries and national parks in India are located in Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Assam, Bihar, Goa, Daman & Diu, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.

Mount Harriet National Park in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands hosts the Andaman wild pig, saltwater crocodile, turtle and robber crab. The best time to visit is January and February. There is also the Saddle Peak National Park famous for bird and the Andaman teal. Best time to visit is November to April. The Andamans also have Marine National Park.

Kaziranga National Park in Assam is famous for the one-horned rhinos, of which the park has a sizeable number. Apart from this, there are tigers, wild buffaloes, elephants, barasingha, hog deer, wild boars, leopards and leopard cats, and a large variety of birds. The best time to visit Kaziranga is October to March.

Hazaribagh National Park in Bihar showcases the tiger, leopard, sambar, chital, and wild boar and the best time to visit is October to March.

Palaman(Betla) National Park in Bihar, is also a Tiger Reserve and is best between October and May. It was once the homeland of the now extinct Indian cheetah, but you can still view the tiger, leopard, wolf, wild dog, jungle cat and the barking deer, here.

Bhagwan Mahavir National Park spread across Goa houses the gaur, sambar, mouse deer, barking deer, flying squirrel, and porcupine. Best time to visit is October to March.

Spreading over a large area in Gujarat, the Gir National Park (also a Lion Sanctuary) is best visited from October to June for a view of the Asiatic lion, panther, sambar, and the four-horned antelope.

The Velavadar National Park also in Gujarat hosts the blackbuck and the wolf. Best time to come here is October to May.

The Nal Sarovar Sanctuary in the state of Gujarat is known for its flocks of flamingoes and other birds which abound from October to February.

The Great Himalayan National Park in Himachal Pradesh houses the snow leopard, mountain goat, yak cranes, and brown & black bears. The best time to view them are from April to June and from September to October.

The state of Jammu and Kashmir has two national parks namely Dachigain and Kishtwar. While Danchigam is famous for its endangered Kashmir Stag called Hangul, it also has the Himalayan black bear, brown bear, leopard, hill fox, jungle cat, Himalayan weasel, and long - tailed marmot among others. The best time to visit in August to December. The Kishtwar National Park is best visited from May to October and includes snow leopard, antelope,wild yak and the Tibetan ass.

The Bandipur National Park, adjoining the Madhumalai sanctuary in Karnataka welcomes you all the year round with its inhabitants comprising the tiger, elephant, gaur, chitals, wild dog and sloth bear.

The Nagarhole Park also in Karnataka welcomes visitors all the year round and has a host of elephants, tigers, panthers, chitals, sambars, sloth bears, and the gaur.

The small state of Kerala has three major national parks:
The Eravikulam Park is open throughout the year and houses elephants, gaurs, sambars, lion-tailed macaque, and the famous Nilgiri tahr.
The Periyar Park has a large number of elephants, gaurs, wild dogs, sambars and can be best viewed from September to May.
The Silent Valley National Park houses elephants, wild boars, panthers, sambars, and the lion-tailed macaque which can be seen from September to March, best.

In the state of Madhya Pradesh there are three national parks namely Bandhavgarh, Kanha and Pench and the best time to visit them is November to June.
The Bandhavgarh Park spreads over 32 hills and is one of the best places to white tigers, and panthers, apart from the chitals, gaurs, sambars and the nilgai.
The Kanha park spreads over 1,945 sq. kms and is famous as the tiger land. Apart from the tiger it is home to panthers, barasingha, black buck, barking deer, mouse deer, nilgai, wild dog, chital and sambar.
The Pench National Park is also a good place to watch the tiger, panther, gaur, chital, sambar and nilgai.

Orissa also has three major wildlife habitats, out of which one is a National Park and two sanctuaries. While Chilka is an all year round destination, the Similipal National Park and Satkosia gorge sanctuary are best visited from November to May .
Spreading over 900 sq. kms of lakes, shore and hinterland, Chilka is part of a large lagoon, separated from the Bay of Bengal by a strip of sand. It is India's largest salt lake and home to a large number of migratory and other birds like flamingoes, duck, bar-headed goose, sandpiper, plover, ruddy shelduck, gulls, terns, and white-bellied sea eagle.

The Similipal Park, best time between November and June, is home to the tiger, elephant, gaur, leopard, mouse deer, flying squirrel, and the mugger crocodile.

The Satkosia Sanctuary houses the gharial, tiger, sloth bear and the leopard.

Rajasthan boasts of four National Parks.
The Desert National Park shelters the stately Great Indian Bustard. Apart from this are the Blackbuck, Chinkara, wolf, desert fox, hare, and desert cat, and is open all the year round.

The Keoladeo Ghana National Park welcomes tourists round the year for viewing its inhabitants which comprise as many as 350 species of birds including its winter visitors from Central Asia and Siberia. The rare Siberian crane traverses more than 6000 kms every year to reach here in winters. The best time to watch birds here is early morning or late evening. Some of the major species spotted here apart from the Siberian crane are, the cormorant , egret, heron, painted stork, spoonbills, ibis, pelican, barheaded goose, etc.. The mammals found here include the wild boar, sambar, chital, blackbuck, fishing cat, mongoose, and also the python and monitor lizard among the reptiles.

Nutrient Based Subsidy

The new nutrient-based subsidy policy is finally effective from April 1, 2010. The subsidy will be admissible for the three macro nutrients — nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P) and potassium (K) — one secondary nutrient — sulphur (S) — and two micro nutrients — zinc and boron — on actual weight of the nutrient in the fertiliser. The scheme will be applicable on controlled fertilisers other than urea, but including diammonium phosphate (DAP), monoammonium phosphates (MAP), triple superphosphate (TSP), muriate of potash (MoP), ammonium sulphate, single superphosphate and 12 other complex fertilisers.

Earlier, the heavy subsidy on urea led to its overusage and smuggling to neighbouring countries.

The objective of shifting from product-based subsidy (PBS) to nutrient-based subsidy (NBS) regime was to restore soil health by addressing the nutrient imbalances of NPK and the lack of secondary and micro nutrients through use of fertilisers on specific soil-moisture conditions and crop needs. Also, price decontrol is supposed to incentivise innovation in fertiliser products. The NBS regime, like the earlier PBS regime, does not address the government's fiscal concerns if the issue price of fertilisers to the farmers is to be maintained. The NBS regime, as notified, seems to be old wine in new bottle. It is administered, and not market determined, and, therefore, will fail to ensure nutrient use as per soil health and crop requirements. Cheap urea will continue to be overconsumed. Deficiencies of other nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, chlorine, copper, iron, manganese and molybdenum remain unaddressed.

But in the last one year since the start of the NBS scheme last April, there were huge increases in the global price of non-urea fertilisers . That has meant increased pressure on urea, a controlled fertiliser and therefore the cheapest and most used by farmers. Not freeing up its farm gate price for any longer will mean higher reliance on already high priced imports to the immense disadvantage of domestic units, something a government already struggling to get the math right on soaring subsidies right, can ill afford. But this remains a politically sensitive issue.

It will also defeat the very basic objective of balanced fertilisation espoused by the NBS. Under the nutrient-based subsidy regime, fertiliser companies will get the freedom to set prices on nutrientbased fertilisers leaving the government to decide a fixed annual per tonne subsidy on nutrients.

A Toast to Y7@Aquatics IITK

They gathered together...from Hall 3, Hall 2, Hall 5 and still more. For 4-5 years the pool's walls roared. They lined up against one another and relished this a lot....a rainbow of colors together for sport. They sprinted, they shot, they jumped, they shouted and sometimes got hustled...somehow they seemed to work it all out. They smiled, they laughed, they learned life's lessons....respected one another regardless of differences. Their big and small arguments put together now seem awkward...but amazingly enough they pushed them forward. Now they've packed up the balls, and rolled up the towels.....soon they'll put on their best suits and the finest of hats...will wave goodbye...come this 28th May...and celebrate one another in a hell of a way. I imagine this and think..when this is all over, its as good as it gets....a lifetime of memories with zero regrets. A truckload of Cheers to you!

The Measure of a Man.

These battered hands are all you own

This broken heart has turned to stone

Go hang your glory on the wall

There comes a time when castles fall

And all that's left is shifting in the sand

You're out of time, you're out of place

Look at your face

That's the measure of a man

This coat that fits you like a glove

These dirty streets you learned to love

So welcome back my long lost friend

You've been to hell and back again

God alone knows how you crossed that span

Back on the beat, back to the start

Trust in your heart

That's the measure of a man

It's the fire in the eyes, the lines on the hand

It's the things you understand

Permanent ties from which you once ran

That's the measure of a man

You've come full circle, now you're home

Without the gold, without the chrome

And this is where you've always been

You had to lose so you could win

And rise above your troubles while you can

Now you can love, now you can lose

Now you can choose

That's the measure of a man

Survivor

Risin' up, back on the street

Did my time, took my chances

Went the distance, now I'm back on my feet

Just a man and his will to survive

So many times, it happens too fast

You trade your passion for glory

Don't lose your grip on the dreams of the past

You must fight just to keep them alive

It's the eye of the tiger, it's

the thrill of the fight

Rising up to the challenge of our rival

Face to face, out in the heat

Hangin' tough, stayin' hungry

They stack the odds, still we take to the street

For the kill with the skill to survive

Risin' up, straight to the top

Had the guts, got the glory

Went the distance, now I'm not gonna stop

Just a man and his will to survive.

The Fighter Within.

Some things are worth fighting for....Some feelings never lose their sheen,

I am thinking of what it was....I am thinking of what else could it have been.

We are not indestructible...we must better get that straight,

I think its unbelievable...the things that can happen in a battle of fate.

There's no easy way out...there's no shortcut around,

In such a mighty situation...its not all wrong to break down.

I am not asking for another chance...and don't want to pull you down,

All I am saying is...not everyone everywhere gets a chance for a rebound.

Some things are worth fighting for...some feelings never die,

Don't let it pacify...this fire that can make you try.

The fever is rising high...the moment of truth draws near,

I'm burning with determination...the rules have no more meaning here.

Some things are worth fighting for...some passions run down deep,

Lacking courage to face such odds...only makes you become obsolete.

I feel like a boy...who while playing 'snakes & ladders' might hit a 99,

So near yet so far...but won't give up until I cross that line.

Life is like a one way street...in a car with the windscreens gone,

If you can't see the road ahead...you'll still have to tag along.

Instead of going down an endless road...not knowing if you're dead or alive,

Some things are worth fighting for...some things deserve more than a try.

There's always hope...I believe tomorrow will be better than today,

It's when the chips are down...that the heroes rise to save the day.

The meaning of a flame of light...is found in the darkest night,

Some things are worth fighting for...no dark can quell your bright.

Not all can go wrong...I believe in this fate,

There is always room...boy you are never that late.

And in my final lines that I'd like to tender here,

In the fighter's code there is no surrender there.

Some things are worth fighting for...and I am an offender found rare.

Luck, Hardwork and Passion.

Luck, Hardwork and Passion were three friends,
Luck and Hardwork fought as if there were no other ends.
Passion alone stood in the corner,
watching it all with little to bother.
They fought and fought with no result,
blaming one another for no fault of the other.
Hardwork complained in success that Luck stole his credit,
Luck vetoed seeking an apology for failure leading to his discredit.
To help solve it needed someone else's nod,
so with Passion alongside they sought the help of God.
Luck thought that now he had an upper hand,
Having forgot that God didn't favour anyone's stand.
God said, "I am supreme of'em all,
Who then for success is the cause?"
Luck and Hardwork roared, "It must be us",
as they made God who he was.
God asked again, "I am supreme of'em all,
Who then for failure is the cause?"
Both stood still as they didn't want the blame,
but up rose Passion the hero that he was.
Passion said, "Its me who is to blame,
failure comes to those whose passion does not flame".
God smiled and replied, "To revel in success is everyone's ask,
but to burden the failure is a more difficult task."
Luck and Hardwork had now understood,
the story is not complete had Passion not withstood.
--
Pawan
All credit to Chetan Taneja for the original story of the 3 friends.

Quotes and Thoughts.

Smile.
If someone said that you've wasted your time...that you've not gained any practical knowledge in this time...that reading, hearing or studying theories doesn't really help much in real life situations. The best response to that someone would be to smile and appreciate the difference of opinion. What reading, studying and discussing can do. A freedom fighter in our independence struggle had first read, studied and discussed India for more than a year before joining the movement. He went on to become 'Mahatma' Gandhi. He created a new weapon the world had never seen before...a weapon that alone could have united us in the Movement...the weapon of Non-Violence. All this because he had read, studied and discussed. In the end it is you yourself who defines what constitutes a waste of time for you, the views of nobody else should matter or make you angry. That learning if you have come to acquire would constitute true Wisdom.


We Will Prevail.
Our stay on earth, if we place it with the timeline of the universe or for that matter even earth's existence, is smaller than a needle in a haystack...or a dot we make on that line. Given this, why don't we all try to create something that lasts long after we are gone. We have been fighting over petty issues in this scheme of things. I mean how can we place "Climate Change" and such other issues on the back burner. I address you today as a citizen of humanity. We are faced with the very gravest of challenges. We know this could very easily be the end of all things. And for the first time in the history of the planet, a species has the technology to prevent its own extinction. The human thirst for excellence, knowledge; every step up the ladder of science; every adventurous reach into space; all of our combined modern technologies and imaginations; even the wars that we've fought have provided us the tools to wage this terrible battle. Through all of the chaos that is our history; through all of the wrongs and the discord; through all of the pain and suffering; through all of our times, there is one thing that has nourished our souls, and elevated our species above its origins, and that is our courage. The dreams of an entire planet should be focused now. Every one counts. Make yourself that one among everyone. And may we all, citizens the world over, see these events through. God bless us, and good luck to you for being that one.


It is an irony that even when most people think and assume themselves and their thoughts and actions to be the most rational, moral, ethical, intelligent, educated, integral, sincere and honest still we somehow as a species are the most selfish, conniving, unethical, immoral, irrational, dishonest and corrupt. There is something seriously wrong somewhere and no one seems to be man enough to either point it out to us or if is man enough then gets the opportunity to affect such change. God! please give us what is necessary to heal as humankind or we will choke in these solitary spaces we have created for ourselves believing it to be otherwise.


Life is a interwoven sequence of emotions. Courage, fear, joy, sorrow, confidence, diffidence, love, hatred, honor, shame etc all emotions, plain and simple emotions. Every emotion can be intentionally generated at will and you alone are their master. You, therefore, my friend have all the power required to change all that you want about yourself or your life. You, therefore, are the master of your destiny.

As one journey ends...another begins. So is college, so is a job, so is life.

Forrest....life is a box of chocolates....you never know which one you'll get.

Failure in life is inevitable...it teaches you that you have stronger will than you had imagined...it brings you in touch with your true priorities...it makes you humble...it teaches you, inspires you, strips away the inessential, gives you a fresh new platform to build upon...and those who say they haven't failed are either dumb or have lived their lives so cautiously to not have lived it at all.

http://siddheshagashe.blogspot.com/2011/05/tragedy-of-being-25-in-indian-bschool.html

Its not what you do under pressure...its what you do when you are free that defines you.

Insaan bhi ajeeb cheez hai....har cheez ki aadat bana sakta hai!

Why isn't it allowed to marry oneself? I mean people marry each other and they marry God too (nuns, devadasis etal)..the only one you can't actually marry is yourself! Now, that's demeaning...It's like saying you aren't even good enough for yourself. Isn't it ? :P

Why isn't everything as simple as it was when I was a child?

A history here..a mystery there...everything is 'disclamatory' everywhere. A world desires...someone conspires...someone perspires...but eventually everyone retires. To a better tomorrow...no more of this sorrow...we believe in hope before someone pulls the rope. And that's all it has been or will be....like a history here...a mystery there...everything is 'disclamatory' everywhere.

I've come to believe that there is good in every heart. There is a joy in everyone's smile. A friendly hello in everyone glance. There's passion in everyone's eyes. And for the first time we can relate and appreciate each other. That's all it takes. That's where it starts...because I know if I do this then you'll do this...and all the rest is easy.

Zinda rehne ke mausam bahut hain magar jaan dene ki rut roz aati nahin.

Do pal ruka khwabon ka kaarwaan. Fir chal diye tum kahan hum kahan.

Don't drink and d(e)rive :D

I've always wondered why someone would like me!

We judge this world through the prism of our eyes...some things get refracted and some coloured...giving everyone their own version of reality. It takes wisdom and empathy to see what lies in the alternate paradigms of reality others live in...and as these are virtues not easily found still we wonder why things confound?

Life is Beautiful :)

His judgement cometh...and that Right soon.

I love you.

The greatest simple cause of a poor self-image is the absence of unconditional love.

Zarre zarre me chhupa hai hausle walon ka josh,
Paida hote hain issi mitti se hi Sarfarosh...

Urdu is such a beautiful language. I wish I knew it well enough to write it.

Afraad ke haathon main hai aqwaam ki taqdeer ,
Har fard hai millat ke muqaddar ka sitaraa . . .(courtesy Abid)
Translation:
In the hands of each man lies the destiny of a people ,
Each man therefore the guiding star of a nations future . . .(Abid)

Zindagi ke dorahe per chalte chalte baaz dafa aise lamhat bhi aate hain jab insaan ko apne jazbat ko kuchal kar doosron ke jazbat ka aitraam karna padta hai. Yehi woh manzil hai jahan insaniyat takmeel pati hai.

Zindagi ki asli udaan abhi baaki hai,
Zindagi ke kai imtihaan abhi baaki hai.
Abhi to napi hai muthi bhar zameen humne,
Aage abhi saara aasman baaki hai.

It is in the darkest hour that a ray of light gets its meaning. A single candle can light up thousands of others without losing a single minute of its own life...and all the darkness of this world cannot extinguish this single candle.

The feeling of contentment seems scarce in this bizarre rat-race leading us nowhere. Somehow the shallow consumerism and "social esteem" has eroded the much deeper humanity. Celebrating ourselves has been forgotten....I guess I miss a friend.

Yunan, Misr, Roma sab mit gaye jahan se.
Phir bhi magar hai baki, namo nishan hamara.
Kuchh baat hai ki hasti mitati nahin hamari,
Sadiyon raha hai dushman, daur-e-zaman hamara.

Everything could have been anything else, and it would have just as much meaning.

True love is only when u can clean the shit of the person when he/she is bedridden by bad health or age.

Facebook brings your friends close....but your enemies closer. I guess it serves the purpose!

My A.B.C of life: Accept, Believe, Create. Amazingly it fits everywhere :)

On the surface life is only a play of words. Beneath the surface, well...this frontier still remains unexplored.

Words can change everything. Everything! And anything can change the words.

“Ask what you have done for your country, not what your country can do for you” [JFK]
I guess an individual can make a big difference, Anna Hazare being the most recent such role model.

Its better to create history than quote it.

The power of a Sport was felt over the World yesterday, unprecedented in human history. It united Indians at home & abroad, forcing them onto the streets as much in Melbourne or Miami as in Mumbai, celebrating with otherwise strangers, transcending the barriers of age, ethnicity & gender making one another a proud Indian. A salute to the humble Little Master & the Team which gifted it to him and the nation.

(After India won the Cricket World Cup 2011)

"That which has no existence in the beginning and in the end,must be merely illusory in the interim,and shall not therefore be allowed to have any influence upon the mind"....Verse 28,chapter 2 [Geeta].

The Goddess.

The Goddess

Kolkata it was. The City of Joy. The City of Bongs. The City of many more things that he, our protagonist, Shaan Ved, an MBA graduate, recently recruited into a small start up-firm, had heard of during his internship days at a factory in Durgapur. Born and brought up in Delhi, he was a ‘Delhi’ite at the core of his heart. When he first came to know about his posting at Kolkata, he was devastated. But, he did not – or rather could not – complain because for the campus interviews, he had very conveniently and mindlessly memorized one statement, which he repeated at every chance that he got – “I can tell you why you should hire me. Everyone would want and love to work for a start-up firm like yours, just for the sake of experiencing work in its truest sense. But, I have something more to offer. It does not matter what salary you give me or what job location you decide for me or how many hours you make me work daily. If it’s in the firm’s interest, it’s in my interest.” Asshole!

The last 10 days of Booze parties with parting friends had made him forget the forthcoming lonely chapter. Finally, it was time. With a heavy heart, he boarded the Rajdhani. He felt as if everything was falling apart. He was never so sad, never so dejected, ever in his life. He was so depressed that till half an hour after boarding the train, he was not aware who was sitting to his immediate next. All of a sudden, his state of inactivity was broken when he saw a figure climbing down from the upper berth.

It was momentary; the exchanging of glances. He felt as if she had looked at him a fraction of a second longer than normal. Just then, he started feeling better; he didn’t know why. She came back after washing her face. He just could not stop staring at her. Everything about her was mesmerizing, just too perfect – her hair, her sharp facial features, her curvy body, and her voice, when she answered a call from probably her mother.

One of his friends, during one of those several job treats, had said, “Shaan, you are an introvert! The Kolkata job is an opportunity, a challenge. Make the most of it. Meet new people. Make new friends. I am sure you will have a good time.” He decided. The girl was very pretty. He had to talk to her.

She was already talking to someone sitting beside her, and he could be her husband, her brother, her cousin brother, basically someone who is accompanying her to wherever she is going. They were talking very intently to each other, and more importantly, they were talking in Bengali. He could not just cut in.

Idleness makes you think and do crazy things. Shaan had had several casual flings but had never entered into a relationship. He thought, “Can’t she be the one? She’s a Goddess. What if that guy is some random person she’s talking to? Let me talk to her, and for long. And finally when we are just about to reach Kolkata, I will ask her out for dinner over the weekend.” He did not even spare day dreaming, about all the good things that can happen to him if something materializes. It was love at first sight.

Just when he was thinking to ask if she had some magazine or newspaper to kill time, she said, “Hi. My name is Anisha. Going to Cal?” “Thank God!” he thought “that guy cannot be her husband”. He initially stammered, “Sorry? … Err… Hmm??... Yeah”

“Oh Great! I am also going to Cal. Was in Delhi for the weekend attending a friend’s marriage. Do you work in Cal?”

He was perplexed. Was it really happening? “No. I mean yes. I have recently got a job offer there. Joining tomorrow. What do you do?”

“Cal’s my hometown. I am a fashion designer.”

“Oh cool! It’s not at all hard to believe – your chic top, the small tattoo behind your neck, the fashion magazines in your bag, and in general, your stylish poise.”

“OK. That’s a compliment. Very flattering. And, I must say you have a sharp eye. Which firm are you joining?”

“I am joining Capillary Technologies, in the Sales and Marketing division. Its product portfolio includes some of the latest technological breakthroughs, like Automated Customer Relationship Module which is very popular among the high end retail giants, and ….” She cut off.

“Oh shit! I completely forgot. Had to make an urgent call. Please excuse me.”

He thought, “What? I am such a loser. Why the hell would I have to talk about my job description? Great. I pissed her off. Now who the hell is she talking to over phone?”

“Hey Hi. I should reach Cal by 5. You are coming, right?”…. “Ok. Dinner at your place?” …. “Oh…. You are a sweetheart. I cannot believe we are going to La Cucina.”….. “Movie should be fine tomorrow”

“Shit! She has a boyfriend. She visits his place for dinner, and probably stays over. They go to nice restaurants. They go to movies. They have a lot of fun.”

He could not bear that. He got up and went out to wash his face; he returned after five minutes, to find her still on the phone. 5 more minutes, and she was done.

“Sorry. What were you saying about your company? What do they do?”

He was not interested anymore. “Han? Yeah. They develop some cool products which are technologically advanced.”

“Ok. I think I broke your line of thought. By the way, that was my sister. She has come from the States after 2 years. And, she has already made all the arrangements. I have a rocking week ahead.”

“Why do I always have to jump to conclusions? Stop being judgemental”, he said to himself. And, he was back on track, with all his energy, focusing on one single thing. “Oh really? That’s good. What does she do there?”

“She’s an Assistant Professor in the University of Illinois. She’s there since last 7 years”

That conversation went on for a while, and then, they started running out of topics. After a pause of 5 minutes, she asked, “What are your hobbies?”

Before thinking of an answer to that question, he thought, “Wow! She’s totally into me. She just cannot stop talking to me. This is my day. I am too good.”

“I like reading, and, at times, writing.” There was a pause. “But one thing I am really passionate about is dance”

She almost yelled, “Seriously? I am crazy about dance. I am an Odissi dancer. What kind of dance are you interested in?”

“I do Western Hip Hop. Add to that a bit lock-pop, a tad crumping, some B-Boying. And what you get is me”

“Wow! That sounds so amazing. Have you joined any dance group?”

“Oh no, no. I just do it for fun. Was in the dance club during college. You know what, we have won many inter-collegiate competitions. But I have never really thought of joining a professional group“

“You should join one. You can find many in Cal. I am in the “Nupur Dance Group”. Heard of it?”

He thought, “God is great. Everything is going just in the right direction. Dance, one of the closest things to my heart, is going to unite us. What more can I ask for?” “Oh, who hasn’t heard of Nupur Ma’am.? As far as I know, they also conduct international stage shows, right?”

“Yeah they do. I haven’t got a chance, but I should, some day.”

“Hmm. Nice. Dance is probably the purest, truest and noblest form of human expression.”

“Yeah…. It is. Rohan always says this. He is the one who made me join Nupur Dance Group, long back when we had started dating.”

He was thunderstruck. And, speechless. He wanted to ask, “Are you still dating him? If not him, then do you have any other boyfriend? Are you interested in me? Remotely?” He just managed to say, “Ok.”

“I suffered a huge setback when my father passed away four years back. I was not being able to concentrate on anything. Rohan was the one who lend me support. He did not show sympathy, he inspired me to move on. He spent a lot of time with me; that was the time when I actually started liking him. He is a Bharatnatyam dancer, but knows a bit Odissi too. We have performed together in many stage shows.”

“Hmmm” And then, it was a deafening silence. He could not bear her sight. Something made him feel that she was still thinking about her boyfriend. After about half an hour, he said, “I am so sleepy. I will go wash my face”, and got up and started walking towards the compartment door. He looked at himself in the mirror. His face looked weary. He pulled the outer door open, stood at the edge, to feel the blowing air past him, to feel the air zoom past his ears making it impossible to hear anything else; this somehow brought him pleasure, in his state of oblivion, after being drubbed by some guy named Rohan.

When he went back to his seat, she was on phone. No prize for guessing who was at the other end. They kept on talking for a long time. Finally the call ended; she did not hang up, the network failed. Shaan said to himself, “That lucky bastard. So what if I don’t have her. I will have someone better. I will ……… do this, do that …….. ” He kept on blabbering to himself.

She said, “Just called Rohan. Good news for you. His girlfriend is directing the next stage show to be held in Mumbai. They need one dancer, someone who can do hip hop. I suggested your name. They have a few other options; so they will hold auditions that might happen anytime next week. Will you be free?”

‘His girlfriend’ – he didn’t take notice of anything else that she spoke. That was enough to bring him back on track, again.

“Will you? Will you take part in the auditions?”

“Han? What auditions?”

“Are you even listening to me?” She repeated what she had said, to which he replied affirmatively.

The smile on his face couldn’t be more childlike, more innocent. He again prepared himself to dive into the ocean of hope, the ocean of love.

It took a while for the moment to sink in. But soon, he was restless to start chatting with her again.

Yet again, it was she who broke the silence, “So, do you have any friends in Cal?”

He wondered, “This is not luck. There is no such conception. The lady is as fascinated by my presence as I am by hers. And she is as anxious about knowing more about me as I am about her” He had two friends who were in IIM Calcutta and one friend who worked with ITC. But, something made him victimize himself so that he is projected as a lonely, poor soul in Kolkata who would need to make new friends. Probably then, he could invite her to a movie the next weekend.

“Absolutely no one.”

“Oh that’s sad. How do you plan to spend your weekends? Oh. But it’s always fun making new friends. I love making friends….. By the way, are you, by any chance, planning to put up in Salt Lake?”

“Yes. My office is located in Sector 5, Salt Lake. So, most probably, I will look for a place in Salt Lake. I will be staying in a Guest House in Salt Lake for 2 weeks.”

“Fantastic! I also live in Salt Lake. Sector 1. Hmmm …. Let me plan something. How about dinner at my place coming Sunday? I’ll also invite Rohan, so you can meet him before the auditions and inquire about what exactly they are looking for.”

He was being invited for dinner by her, the Goddess. There were many such instances during the conversation when he felt like pinching himself to ensure that everything that was happening was real, and hence irreversible.

“Yeah. Sure. Why not? I shall keep myself free on Sunday….. And what is there in Salt Lake for recreation?”

“Oh there are a hell lot of things to do. If you are interested in sports, then there is a Tennis Club, a swimming pool, and the Sports Authority of India complex having various sports facilities. The City Centre mall is very big and is the best place to hang out. You can find many good restaurants. And there are CCDs, Baristas, Subways. Night life is also buzzing with 4-5 lounge bars and discotheques. Do not worry. You will have a rocking time.”

“Oh she is so beautiful”, he thought, “I have to ask her out. Should I wait for the dinner at her place and then invite her for a movie, or is now the right time? The train would reach Kolkata tomorrow early morning. Oh yeah. I will ask her tomorrow. Just when we step down, I will say, ‘Anisha. It was nice meeting you. Would you want to meet me again at the CCD?…. The one in Salt Lake?’ What a train journey it has been! I hope I can get some sleep today.”

He woke up several times in the night, had a quick peek at Anisha, soundly asleep, each time. He wondered whether she was dreaming about him.

The train was scheduled to reach at 7. It was 6:30 when he woke up. All the other people had woken up. He quickly got up, went out to freshen up, and by 6:45, he was sitting in front of her thinking of some small talk to start with. They had just exchanged polite smiles. And they did just that. It was 7, and the train had slowed down, and soon it hit the platform. Suddenly, his heart was beating faster, his palms were moist, and he couldn’t maintain eye contact with her. “All the while during the journey, she was the one who broke off the silence”, he thought, “why was she not saying anything now? Was yesterday’s dream a nightmare? Is she expecting me to take it forward from now on, to be a man, to ask her out?” As each second passed by, he was growing more nervous.

Finally the train stopped. He was looking at her constantly now, gulping every now and then. All the while walking through the aisle towards the door, he was looking at her; her fanciful tattoo, her shiny hair, a little frizzy, though, from a night’s sleep, her beautiful hands struggling to lift her big suitcase. When they stepped out, she turned to him and said, “So, you have my number and address. Will see you on Sunday then.” He was blank. He just could not recollect anything of what he had rehearsed the day before for this big moment. There had been many situations during the journey, when he had almost lost her; he cannot lose her now. He had to do it.

He said, “Err … yeah …. Sure. Hey can I ask you something?” He froze. “Err … I was thinking …. If you … errr …. If I could help you carry that suitcase till the Taxi”

“Oh. Don’t bother. My husband should be here any time. Oh there he is”, she said, pointing away behind him, “Heyyy …. darling, missed you so much…. By the way, meet Shaan”

“Hey. I am Vishesh.”

He was looking at him, through him, past him. He just smiled, and said, “Hey. Hi. See you guys on Sunday then. I must hurry up to catch the Pre Paid Taxi queue”, turned and started walking. He never called her again. He never met her again.

My UPSC Civil Services Personality Test Interview. Dated: 25th March 2011

Name: Pawan Kadyan

My interview was the 1st of the day, the 1st to begin among all candidates of all 8 boards. Every board has 5 members for UPSC Civil Services Personality Test. I was not told the name of the board (I asked but the personnel dealing with our documents refrained or replied that they didn't know themselves). I saw it on the door of the board's room when I reached there about 20 seconds before the interview began. It was Dr. K. K Paul's board. He is a retired Indian Police Service Officer who held the post of Commissioner in Delhi Police, a PhD in Chemistry and has a more than 20 papers published in respected journals. (I am worried that he might give me less marks because I have filled IPS as my third preference in the Services after IAS and IFS). A senior of mine had appeared in his board last year and ended up getting very low marks! From the feedback that I have gathered about the K.K Paul board I have come to know that he is asking a lot of factual questions from all candidates. The average time of his interview is less than 20 minutes! He is treating every candidate strictly. My interview lasted 35-40 minutes. The escort opened the Board's room's door. The room had the fragrance of agarbatti & dhoop. The Chairperson and the members were seated looking away from the door, ie their backs towards the wall that ran parallel to the door that was opened. I asked permission to enter from the Chairperson. He replied, "Come in, have a seat". There was one Ma'am among the board members. I wished the Chair, Ma'am and the Sirs in that order (I did not wish her earlier as it didn't feel correct with the continuity of things as I had already asked permission from the Chairperson to enter). I consciously did not let my back become visible to anyone in the room as I walked to my seating location. The Chair that I was to sit on needed to be adjusted & pulled out of the table. It made the noise a chair makes when you move it across the floor, when it did so I said, "Please excuse me". Outwardly I was confident with a firm body language and/or smiling face, as applicable, throughout the interview but never got comfortable inwardly to express better, think better or be my usual self. I fumbled sometimes and didn't construct some of the sentences too well which cannot be judged by this write-up as it is a matter of tone. I have although tried to reflect that to the best possible extent here. I, although, felt an undercurrent of them not liking me much throughout the interview (maybe because they gave very negative vibes and didn’t let me become comfortable). (I will mention the interview questions here forth. It so happened that a big majority of them were factual in nature! Usually in most of the boards the questions are not so factually oriented and even if they are their share is very small and it usually doesn't matter much whether you know their answers or not unless they form the heart of a particular analysis, they only want to test whether you admit your mistakes or try to bluff, the questions that are focused upon are usually analytical or opinion based because they want to know the candidate and not test his rote memory! as it is very difficult to judge a personality from his memory!). And so it began:

Chairperson (He assumed a very stern look throughout the interview; did not positively intervene or show support at any instance even while the other members asked questions):

1. What is your name?

2. What is your date of birth?

3. You worked somewhere for more than a year? What was that? Where is it located?

4. What does it manufacture? (I figured that I not reply with the word "polymer as that would open up a Pandora’s box to ask questions.)

Sir, it manufactures different varieties of polythene, like High Density Polythene and Low Density Polythene.

5. What is the procedure involved in the production? Give the chemical reaction steps. (I could not recall the exact reactions! I was not in a plant, rather in Central Engineering Services not working around the machines undergoing these reactions and am also not a chemical engineer. But I had to answer)

Sir, I know the basics. The detailed reactions would be in the domain of chemical engineering. I am not exactly familiar with them. (I didn't know at the time that K.K. Paul was a PhD in Chemistry else I would probably have directly told what I knew)

6. You are an engineer. You should know about things happening around you. (I kept smiling like I was doing earlier with a slight head nod). If you are uncomfortable then I would not ask questions on this. (He had a smirk on his face.)

No Sir, I would like to elaborate. It involves the cracking of ethene, butene and other unsaturated hydrocarbons, where they undergo processing with catalysts, pressure etc to give the end product of HDPE or LDPE. (I gambled with this answer as I could not elaborate any further! but maintained the smile nonetheless. At the moment it seemed like it worked.)

7. What is the use an electrical engineer in such a place then? (He looked as he was going to kill me if I won't know this one. I smiled as I thought that now he the territory I am more comfortable with. The other members were all gazing at me. I appreciated 2 of them by eye contact while answering this question.)

Sir, an electrical engineer is required at all such installations because the driving energy comes from electricity. The diagnostic testing, protection systems, control systems etc have to be maintained and troubleshooted whenever needed.

8. What do you mean by 'balance academics'? (My hobby section had an entry regarding a programme "Student Athlete" which was aimed at achieving better performance in academics, sports & extra-curricular activities for the teammates in the Aquatics Team at IITK. The first line ended in 'balance academics' but the Chairperson didn't read the complete sentence continuing to the next line and thus this clarification.)

Sir, (humbly) it was a programme to improve upon the teammates capacities in the arenas of sports, extra-curriculars and academics by honing their skills, confidence and through better time management.

9. What is S-band? Where is it used? What is Ku-band? Where is it used? Give frequencies. (He had a different look in his eyes as if I would know about the S band considering the recent scam but not the Ku band. I kept smiling.)

Sir, S-band is a part of the electromagnetic spectrum ranging from 2GHz to 4GHz. It is used in wide range mobile communication, and radar surveillance in ships and submarines apart from other uses. The Ku-band is also a part of the electromagnetic spectrum used for the purpose of Satellite Television. Its frequency range is 8 to 12 GHz.

10. The Ku band frequency is 11 to 15 GHz.

Thank you Sir, for correcting me. (I leaned about 5 degrees forward while acknowledging this, the smile there on my face.)

11. Ok. You mentioned submarine. Where does the exhaust go from a submarine?

(I was cursing myself to have used the word 'submarine' as I didn't know this. I had to get out of this as I had created this situation myself and thus had to guess. I felt like guessing also because I often rely on my intuition to answer things which more often than not has given me positive results.)

Sir, the submarine exhaust would either be stored temporarily or operated on battery or discharged into the sea using appropriate pressure valves. I am not exactly sure.

12. Elections are about to be held in some states. Name them.

Sir, they are Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam and Pondicherry. Pondicherry is not a state Sir, it is a Union Territory.

13. What are EVMs? How do they operate? Who was the designer engineer? What PSUs are involved in their manufacture?

Sir, EVMs are Electronic Voting Machines. They are now a part of all public elections in India. Their operation is through a simple push button. I do not know the electrical circuit involved as I believe that is confidential information. I am sorry Sir; I do not know the design engineer of EVMs. The PSUs involved are BEL and..(I am thinking)..I do not recall the other PSU involved Sir. (I kept smiling through the answer)

The Chairperson told me the name of the other PSU ie ECIL, and the name of the design engineer which I do not recall even now.

Thank you Sir. (leaned a little forward, smile pasted on the face, to acknowledge his input)

14. How many UTs (Union Territories) are there in India? Name them.

Sir, there are 7 UTs in India. They are Delhi, Chandigarh, Daman & Diu, Dadar & Nagar Haveli, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Pondicherry. (I had not kept count while naming them and blurted :) Am I through? (and gave a smile. He said "OK".)

15. What is the difference between a UT and a State?

Sir, A UT has the direct role of the Govt at the Centre is atleast some of the issues of its governance whereas it doesn't in case of a State. A UT does not have a separate Cadre for Civil Services and are clubbed into one cadre of AGMUT unlike most states. UTs are not a part of the federal structure. There is no Governor of a UT unlike States, although Chandigarh's Administrator is a post always held by the Governor of Punjab. (My tone was dipping as I could not recall other differences. He may have observed this and left it there.)

He now shifts his burden to Member 1 (his face was expressionless like that of a robot) who asked:

1. You mentioned Delhi as a UT. What is Delhi, a UT or a State?

Sir, Delhi is a UT with some special provisions.

Are you sure?

(Firmly and confidently) Yes Sir, I am sure (and smiled)

2. What is UID?

Sir, it means Unique Identification. (I paused, but sensed that he was expecting more, therefore continued further.) It is a programme launched by the Govt of India to give identity to every individual in the country. It is being headed by Nandan Nilekani.

3. How does it assist anything?

Sir, (confidently & reassuringly) an identity is the first step of bringing unity, I mean inclusiveness, as it forms the basis of one’s existence. It helps better targeting as we are able to identify the target and it helps to indirectly link many sectors to individuals, thus, affecting their living standards etc.

4. What is Earth Hour? Has it gone?

Sir, it is a special hour celebrated every year since 2007 on a particular date at its peak electricity consumption hour in late March when people across the globe voluntarily switch off all their lights and electrical appliances to conserve energy for a greener earth. I read about it in the newspapers a few days back on the (with a look as if asking a question) 23rd of March (I suddenly recall that no it wasn't the 23rd of March, and correct myself immediately). It is not celebrated on the 23rd. I am not sure whether it has gone or not Sir. (After the interview I recalled that it’s the 26th of March 8:30pm to 9:30pm).

5. What is nuclear energy? Is it safe?

Sir, nuclear energy is the energy generated by nuclear fission or fusion. It is a clean source of energy. It is unsafe only if one is exposed to radioactive waves from it. By using appropriate safety precautions it can be made safe.

6. Do you know about the Chernobyl incident? How did it happen? What were the technical reasons?

Sir, the Chernobyl incident was a case of nuclear meltdown. It happened on the 26th of April, 1986 because an unauthorized attempt was made to improve the efficiency of the reactor in which the chain reaction went out of control.

7. What was the famous incident of this nature in the USA? How did it happen?

Sir, it is the incident on the Three Mile Island. It happened on the 28th of March, 1979 because of human error and technical design problems. I am not exactly sure of the exact technical problem Sir. (The smile appeared intermittently on my face during the answer.)

8. A Hollywood movie was based this incident of USA. What is the name of the movie? ('Watching Movies' was nowhere on my hobbies list in the Mains application form I had filled but he asked the question nonetheless!)

Sir, is it the movie by Al Gore (Chairperson interrupts me here and says: No, no. Not that one. This was a movie of Jane Fonda. Do you know the name?)

Sir, was the movie named "China.." something? I do not recall the exact name Sir. I am sorry. (I smile again.) (Chairperson: It is "China Syndrome") Thank you Sir. (lean forward to acknowledge this with a smile)

Now the baton passes to Member 2 (He had an appreciative look on his face which helped me think better apart from calming my nerves as till now things seemed to be like a rapid-fire round in which if I were to give the wrong answer then would be eliminated soon after):

1. What is the number of IITs in India? Do we need to increase the number?

Sir, there are 15 IITs in India. The number has been recently increased from 7 to 15. As of now, the number seems to be sufficient. If the need arises the number can be further increased.

2. What is the difference between IITs and NITs?

Sir, the major difference is in the brand image. Also there is a difference in the governance structure. There are some infrastructural differences between some IITs and the NITs. Some humanities courses aren't taught at NITs unlike IITs. The quality of engineers that pass out of IITs and NITs are of a similar calibre though.

3. Shouldn't the Govt increase the number of colleges of Humanities and Social Sciences? Isn't it biased towards technical education?

Yes Sir, increasing their number would be a welcome move. Education needs to be holistic and also impart human values. It cannot only purely be technical. The Govt is putting its best efforts to impart holistic education.

4. You mention that you devised and popularized a game "Touch Rugby". What is that and how & why did you do that?

Sir, Touch Rugby is an amalgamation of Waterpolo & Rugby. We at IIT Kanpur could not play waterpolo in the winters because of low temperatures and needed something to inculcate team spirit, game sense & sportsmanship. Popularizing it was important to generate (I paused to think of an appropriate word here to continue the sentence. The pause was a little long I felt, of about 3-4 seconds, in this silence could feel my confidence decrease, but I recollected and continued) interest towards Waterpolo and Aquatics at IIT Kanpur among the student community and harvest some talent for it too.

5. What is the difference between Touch Rugby and Rugby?

(Much more reassuringly than the last part of the previous sentence I spoke. A smile returned on my face.) Sir, Rugby involves tackles whereas Touch Rugby involves a mere touch. It does not require the muscular effort to change possession. It has minimal chances of turning violent. You cannot pass the ball forward in Rugby whereas you can do so in Touch Rugby. The scoring system is also different. (I moved my hands instinctively a little to demonstrate touching. Then I felt Oops! and hoped he didn't mind.)

6. Name the prominent countries that play Rugby.

Sir, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, England. (I stop. There is silence for 2-3 seconds. I do not break it by saying the name of any more countries. I kept looking into the eyes of the Member and kept smiling with confidence.)

7. Who is the fastest person on earth?

Sir, Usain Bolt. (He corrects my pronunciation of "Usain")

8. What are his 100m and 200m timings?

Sir, (confidently) 9.6 seconds for 100m and 19.2 seconds for 200m. (I hope I was correct)

9. Do you know about Ben Johnson? What is the controversy related with him?

Sir, Ben Johnson was an athlete. He won golds in sprints in Olympics 1988. The controversy is related to..(I pause to think. I feel it is doping, I look at the Chairperson who is watching every muscle move in my body. I say the next sentence with a smile & humility) I am sorry Sir, I do not recall right now.

The Chairperson passes things on to Member 3 (He was a Sikh and sat not more than an arm's distance from me. He stared deeply and fiercely at me with a condescending look (if I can categorize such a look). I kept smiling to the best of my ability under such gaze from such proximity):

1. The Govt is opening up FDI sector in India. What are the routes of FDI in India?

Sir, there are two routes for FDI in India- the direct route & the FIPB route. There are differential caps on different sectors. Like there is a 26% FDI cap on the Insurance sector, whereas, 100% FDI is allowed in the Telecom Sector initially.

2. What is FIPB?

Sir, it is the Foreign Investment Promotion Board which looks into granting clearances to foreign firms trying to enter different sectors after looking into their details. It also sets guidelines for foreign investment. (The smile was probably not there on my face right now but I was confident. He kept looking at my hands because I was moving a finger or two beneath the table during the explanation, he was inspecting my whole body it felt with that cold stare of his, I stopped doing so and locked the fingers of the two hands together which is considered more formal too.)

3. Do you know about the concerns over FDI in Retail? What is your opinion about it?

Yes Sir, I am familiar with them. Today 96% of the Retail in India is done through Kirana shops. The biggest concern is that they might lose jobs when these foreign wholesale investors open up joints in India. The other concern is that they might decrease the competitiveness of the domestic producers. It could also change our retail shopping habits and thus our way of life. (I could not recall the 2nd question he had asked, and asked him :) Sir, did you ask for my opinion on the issue? (He nodded in the affirmative but was not at all pleased that I didn’t even remember the question asked. He looked at the Chairperson with this look. I nonetheless continued) Sir, I support the opening up of the market towards FDI in Retail. It would not result in the loss of jobs because the Kirana shop owners would either be employed by these Wholesale retailers themselves, or the Kirana shops would act as disbursement joints for these Retailers. Also this would increase the farm produce and returns to farmers giving them a fair price for their produce apart from sustainable productivity through investing in corporate farming, thus, benefiting a majority of our population.

4. What are the negatives of FDI in Retail? Which countries have not allowed FDI in Retail? Shouldn't India learn from them and follow suit?

The negatives could be the loss of jobs (He said that I had countered this myself. I replied..) Sir, it is a concern and we can't be entirely sure about how it would pan out. It could result in cash farming that could lead to a decrease in food-grain production. It could bring adverse social change and also could have political and policy repercussions. (I basically repeated the points that I had said earlier partly. He didn't seem satisfied. I continued) The Kirana shops cater to the specific needs of the local population and tailor themselves as asked of them, they are located very close to homes and are open even in early mornings and till late at night. Such informal adjustments and flexibility is not possible with Wholesale retailers as they would have a professional approach and be located far away from the city.(He still didn't seem satisfied, or probably because of the beard & turban I could not judge his emotions well. I was thinking the English for "udhaar" but under his gaze I couldn't think of the word "credit", such was the pressure he was trying to exert. I had paused for about 3 seconds and finally decided to use "udhaar" in my sentence) Sir, they can give goods on "udhaar", please excuse me for the Hindi word. The countries apart from India that have not permitted FDI in Retail are concerned because of their own reasons. Every country has a different way of life and India should not look into their reasons rather should focus on its own. They are some of the European countries -Sweden (I paused to think of more, but couldn't. I hope Sweden was right as it came to my mind spontaneously. I continued) I do not recall more countries Sir, I am sorry (I spoke this sentence with a smile & humbleness. He still was not satisfied! I am not sure what points did I miss out on :(... He looked at the Chairperson, who asked Member 4 to ask further questions.)

Things passed on to Member 4 (She was the lady member and had a receptive body language towards me while I gave the answers. She even corrected me once in one of the questions she asked):

1. You are an electrical engineer. Are we self sufficient in power generation? Give figures.

Our present power installed capacity is 1.7 lakhs. As of 2010-11 we have a deficit of 11% Sir (Oops! I immediately apologized with a childlike smile. She didn't seem to have heard the word or didn't mind me having said it. She asked, 1.7 lakh what? I replied "MegaWatts, Ma'am" affirmatively).

2. What are the percentage of different types of power generated to the overall power profile of India?

Ma'am, (confidently) the thermal power generation contribution is 65%. The hydel power contributes 25%. The nuclear power contributes roughly 3 %. Biomass 2-3 %. Wind energy has an installed capacity around 10,000 MW amounting to about 5 % and we have minute contributions from solar energy. We have targeted an installed capacity of 1000 MW in solar power recently. (I hope I gave the correct figures. I kept smiling nonetheless).

3. Has India met the targets it had set for power generation earlier? If not, then why did it set such targets in the first place?

Ma'am, India has not met the targets it had set in terms of power generation. But (confidently with optimism) that is because we set targets optimistically planning for normal circumstances but as all contingencies and future scenarios cannot be predicted, so even if we are not able to achieve them, we can continue to strive for betterment. The targets have not been met because of many reasons like losses, pilferage, theft, leakage etc.

4. What are the losses in power sector at the instant they reach the consumer?

Ma'am, India's transmission & distribution losses by the time power reaches the customer, consumer are of the tune of 30%. They are the highest in the world. I am not sure of the exact breakup between transmission losses & distribution losses. There are other problems of illegal tapping & theft too.

5. What are the projections for the power sector in India by 2020?

Ma'am, India's power demand is growing rapidly. In view of this, the Prime Minister in 2008 launched NAPCC which has 8 Missions ranging from Solar Energy, Energy Efficiency to many other areas. The targets for Nuclear Energy by 2020 are 20,000 MW. I know the targets for other power generation avenues for 2030, which can be retracted for 2020. For Solar Energy we have targeted 20,000 MW. For Renewable Energy especially Biomass we have targeted 62,000 MW. For Coal, Gas and Oil we have targeted 80,000 MW (I wasn't sure of this figure but didn't let it show). For Hydel Power we have targeted 84,000 MW. We are also targeting an increase in energy efficiency by 20% in the NAPCC. (I stopped. She nodded affirmatively. I may have given 1 or 2 figures a touch incorrect)

6. What are the provisions of the recent Act regarding to SEBs (she didn't mention its complete form ie State Electricity Boards) operations?

Ma'am, these provisions were a part of the Electricity Act 2003. It states to deconstruct the SEBs into Coordination joints and use the private sector capacity for resource mobilization & efficiency. It also mentions to setup State Electricity Regulation Commissions with appropriate Appellate Authorities. (I tried to recall further. The "thinking look" on my face prompted her to look at the Chairperson while I was still thinking about further clauses. He took over.)

Back to Chairperson, who said:

Thank you Pawan. You may go.

(This made me think that the interview had not gone well or that he wasn't interested to know me further. They hadn’t asked opinion based or analytical questions, my strong suit in my opinion, yet. How could the interview be over without such questions? I didn’t want to finish this way! All this crossed my mind in a split second and) I said, "Thank you Sir; thank you Ma'am; thank you Sirs” (got up from the chair. Pushed it back in a little, and went out of the board room with a smile on my face and while closing the door behind gave a thankful nod to Ma'am again). I felt that the questions were passed to the next Member when I didn't know the answer either partially or completely. I simply said, "Sorry Sir, I do not know" or "Sorry Sir, I am not exactly sure" with a smile.

These are the questions that I recall now. I am not sure how many questions I answered correctly or incorrectly. Things definitely could have been better. Your comments & feedback about the errors and their corrections and in general would be deeply appreciated. Thanks for your the time. :)

Good Luck to all the other candidates :)