The Business of Business is Business

There has always been a debate on whether art depicts life as it is now or whether it influences the way that life will be in future. The former presupposes a static view of art as a reflection of current reality while the latter places it on a much higher plane. In India today as I see it, there are 5 major ‘art’ forms that have a bearing on our society. Regrettably, none of them are related to true creativity for the sake of it. Unfortunately for us, we are a mundane society that is far more influenced by materialistic creative renditions than by poetry, literature or painting. These 5 commercial art forms, for want of a better word are:

·        Advertising

·        Television serials and shows

·        Movies

·        Television news

·        Newspapers

While each of these has the power to influence society and public behaviour in varying ways, the purpose of this blog post is to focus on the first only i.e. Advertising and it's bearing on business.

There are several features about Advertising as a medium of expression. However, the critical point is that someone pays for it. It has a commercial objective as indeed most of the others referred to above also have. There is one important difference, however. Advertising is usually paid for by commercial enterprises. There is a direct and straightforward linkage between the medium and the fact that someone is using it to further his commercial objectives. Newspapers and some of the other media have at least a semblance of a social objective. “All the news that’s fit to print” implies a degree of selectivity (whether that is good or bad may be debated) that may have some bearing on what is good for society. Movies and serials have a creative life of their own. They may be produced for making a profit but the act of production itself has a creative genesis. Somewhere, somehow the writer, director or producer may be doing it as he genuinely wishes to showcase his creative skills rather than to just make money.

Advertising has none of these covers. It exists to sell products, services or create an image. It has no pretences of having a social objective. In the ‘70s when Hindustan Lever first came up with Fair and Lovely it was initially sold as a technically advanced cream that could incidentally make you fairer. The campaign had little impact and for several years the brand languished with poor sales. Subsequently Hindustan Lever management realised that Fair and Lovely was selling very well in UP and Bihar and the reason appeared to be that parents of prospective brides realised that the product could help in getting better bridegrooms for their daughters. Levers ran a cinema campaign (there was no TV then) with this theme delivered in a hard hitting commercial and sales zoomed. There was also a public outcry against the advertising by women’s groups and other concerned people which only helped to accelerate sales further. The ethical question that arises about whether Fair and Lovely was right in doing what they did still rages. The marketing man’s argument is straightforward. The desire to be fair or to marry a fair bride is deeply ingrained in our society. Levers only produced a product (Fair and Lovely) that met that requirement and was able to market it very effectively. That is the cornerstone of every marketing strategy taught in every textbook. What did they do wrong? Why should Levers be responsible for shaping social attitudes? What is the business of business?

The aftermath is even more interesting. Hindustan Lever pioneered the development of fairness creams and developed the technology in-house. A lot of marketing Gurus in India and overseas felt that the need for fairness was uniquely Indian and that there would never be a demand for such a product from Asia or anywhere outside the subcontinent. The fact is that as of now every major multinational company including L’Oreal, Nivea, P&G and a host of others markets fairness products all over Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Clearly the product fulfils a deep-seated need not only in India.

The question that arises is that should marketers attempt to lead social change? Tata Tea came up with a social awareness campaign: ‘Jago Re’ that talks about the responsibility of voters to exercise their franchise. In the same vein Tata Steel ran a campaign of how much they do for their employees and the community ‘We also make steel’ Is this sort of advertising useful and effective? Shareholders of these companies may argue that money is being wasted as a direct correlation between such campaigns and sales is difficult to establish. Whereas Tata loyalists will see the campaign as strengthening the brand image of the Tatas as ethical and socially responsible industrialists. But does that help to sell more tea or steel? What is the business of their business?

My own take on this is perfectly clear. Commercial enterprises exist to meet the objectives of their shareholders. In most cases this would translate into being profitable over the long haul. It is necessary for them to remain within the legal frameworks of where they operate. They should pay their taxes and treat all stakeholders as the law of the land requires. It is not incumbent on them to change, modify or ‘help’ society. Their contribution rests in providing employment and income for their direct and indirect employees. Anything else is presumptuous and a waste of time and money. In that context I question the recent legislation that requires companies to spend a percentage of their income on CSR. Such a law will only spawn a legion of freebooters as companies look for ways to spend the enormous sums involved. The Government cannot outsource their social responsibilities to the Private Sector. They should focus on governance and leave the business of business to business.

  

Patriotism

In a general sense, patriotism refers to a "cultural attachment to one's homeland" - Wikipedia or simply put "a devotion to one's country"

In 1995, a research project called the World Values project ranked India No 4 amongst several countries on a patriotism score that basically comprised of a graded response to the question "Are you proud to be an Indian" or American etc as the case may be. As an aside, in this survey, Germany was near the bottom of the list in spite of the obvious progress made by the German economy and their excellent quality of life. Germany stood near the top before World War 1 in patriotism surveys but has declined steadily since then. In an emotional sense, Germany never really recovered from the reverses of World Wars. Equally, material prosperity does not equate to pride in one's country.

So Indians are proud of their country. Most people would be justified in wondering why. After all, on many parameters such as economic development, civic consciousness, honesty and integrity, the physical quality of life and so on India would be ranked close to the bottom of the heap. Yet it would be a rare Indian who does not get a lump in the throat when Lata Mangeshkar sings 'Ai mere watan ke logon' or share a blissful moment of pride when you see a patriotic film like 'Border' or 'Haqeeqat'

So is our patriotism linked to a military ideal? India is generally a pacifist country with non-violence enshrined in our creed and constitution. Why then do we get moved by militarism? Or is it the mythical ideal of a self sacrificing hero, who lays down his life for the motherland that moves us? The idea of sacrifice is deeply embedded in the Indian psyche. Starting with Ram, there are dozens of heroes in Hindi movies who are ready to sacrifice everything for a friend. Is patriotism therefore really defined by sacrifice and military jingoism? If so, the spurt of feeling and the the unforced tears that accompany it are very transitory. Perhaps we reserve them for the two days in the year when it is permissible to wear your patriotic heart on your sleeve.

And yet perhaps our patriotism has a deeper shade than the obvious strains of military jingoism. Perhaps is stems from the comforting knowledge that we belong to what is arguably the oldest civilization in the world. Who gave mankind some of its most profound and uplifting spiritual thought. Who in spite of years of enslavement as a colonial underdog today aspires to regain its rightful place amongst the leaders of the world. We can be justifiably proud of what we were and what we can become.

It is very easy to get bogged down with fragmentary thinking in India. To give in to despair that the Indian ideal of unity in diversity is lost forever in the fractious politics of everyday life. It is in this context that Tagore's uplifting poem is so relevant today.

Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high 
Where knowledge is free 
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments 
By narrow domestic walls 
Where words come out from the depth of truth 
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection 
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way 
Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit 
Where the mind is led forward by thee 
Into ever-widening thought and action 
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake 

Benign Neglect

The British had a phrase for their strategy in Afghanistan in the 19th Century during the time of the 'Great Game'. They called it 'Masterly Inactivity'

There are many other phrases that express similar sentiments. The thought is not new. It centres around the view that active intervention is not always the best policy. The Indian Government has, of course, mastered the art perfectly. The only question is whether it is by accident or by design.

There are several good examples of the great Indian art of 'taloing' if I might use a Hinglish expression. In the '60s, the Indian Government had sparked violent protests in South India because of their insistence on the primacy of Hindi. There was deep and widespread dissatisfaction in South India and for a while it looked as if the policy could actually lead to secession (or something close to it). Fortunately the Government backed off under pressure and gradually the threat abated. In the interim years great changes have occurred. There is far greater social mobility these days, communications have improved to an unimaginable extent and most of all the universal appeal of Bollywood has led to a revolution of sorts. On a recent visit to rural Tamil Nadu, the changes were apparent. Most of the younger women and girls were dressed in salwar kameez and almost everyone spoke a smattering of Hindi. A good example of 'Benign Neglect' if I ever saw one!

A related concept is of  'Time the great Healer'. In the '90s, the Khalistan problem in Punjab looked like spinning out of control. Here again, the Government chose to view it as a law and order problem rather than a significant political statement. I feel that that approach was beneficial in the long run. By containing the violence and the rhetoric, the core of the movement eventually fizzled out. Over time the immediacy and anguish also fade. This is not to minimise the horrific actions that occurred as a fall out of the Khalistan movement but only to comment on a strategy that knowingly or otherwise was adopted by the Indian Government. The fact that it does not always work is exemplified by Kashmir where the fire of militancy is stoked by external elements. I have a strong feeling that left to themselves the valley would have settled down and integrated better with the Indian mainstream. Indeed the North East is a case in point. Today there are literally thousands of North Eastern youngsters who study, live and work in all parts of India even in the smaller cities. This interaction ultimately leads to better understanding and a softening of attitudes.

In the main, the aggregate behaviour of any population is not extreme. By definition, extremist elements get weeded out and what remains is the moderate majority. Their views may get coloured by extraneous factors as in the case of Kashmir but eventually pacifist and middle of the road behavior will win through. In our pluralistic, chaotic country where the idea of democracy is only 60 years old a pacifist non-confrontational approach is indeed the best. If this is perceived to be an overly optimistic view about Indian governance so be it. As I said earlier, whether by accident or design, our rulers have stumbled upon the happy mean.

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Democracy Quo Vadis?

Wikipedia defines democracy as "a form of government in which all eligible citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Democracy allows eligible citizens to participate equally—either directly or through elected representatives—in the proposal, development, and creation of laws. It encompasses social, economic and cultural conditions that enable the free and equal practice of political self-determination."

Many countries that follow a democratic form of government feel that they are innately superior to more autocratic or totalitarian regimes. India is no exception. Indians are inordinately proud of their colourful, noisy, pluralistic and generally chaotic democracy.

The fact is that in reality, most Indians live in systems that are anything but democratic.

At birth, Indians step into their place into the 'Indian Family'. This is hardly democratic! There is either a stern, old fashioned father who is a terror and a domestic despot or a mother whose word is law. The child's first exposure to the world is to an autocratic system which has strict rules of precedence, respect and obedience.

At around 5 or 6 years of age he enters school. Again a totalitarian state to say the least! The Principal is God incarnate and the teachers enforce discipline with an iron hand. The class prefect or monitor represents authority that cannot be transgressed. He has to conform to the rules and has very little control over his own destiny. A far cry from democracy!

After school there is a faint glimmer of hope. He goes to college where discipline and enforcement are relatively lax. Here is is first chance to 'rebel' and to look for opportunities where he can express himself. Unfortunately the respite is all to short.

Within a few years, he takes up a job. Whether it is in the Public Sector, Private Sector or even the Government, there is a strict hierarchical system. Rules of procedure, convention and deference to one's seniors have to be followed diligently. Deviation is frowned upon. Again the environment is hardly democratic.

Given this structure, it is perhaps surprising that there is such a maudlin longing for democracy in public affairs. In reality, elections and the will of the people are just a means to the end. Politicians, power brokers and others in the murky world of public governance use democracy only as a cover. Vote banks are bought and sold and the final structure that emerges is just as autocratic and centrally driven as any totalitarian regime.

The fact is that Indians are uncomfortable with true democracy. We have not lived in democratic structures and it is unlikely that a cleansing of the political system will happen anytime soon. We are searching for a 'strong' leader - is that merely a euphemism for an authoritarian set up?  

The Lady doth Protest too Much

We saw a movie the other day called Jolly LLB. The title seemed to suggest that it would be a humorous film, perhaps because of the name or word 'Jolly'. In reality it turned out to be a serious piece of work about justice, corruption and coming of age. The seemingly ludicrous judge, typified by the way he looks, eats and behaves turns out to be the real hero. As he phrases it - he waits in his courtroom for real proof to be presented but invariably an 'understanding' takes place and what finally reaches him is a watered down, confused apology for evidence. When he does receive real proof he rises to the occasion and delivers the right verdict in-spite of various kinds of pressure that is being applied on him.

In the ultimate analysis life is about real people and their choices. It is not about some mythical 'system' that has been set up, presumably by unthinking and cruel aliens, that oppresses us and allows us to justify our failures and misdemeanors. Most Indians complain too much about the 'system'. Indians living abroad are particularly scathing. Perhaps they have encountered a less intrusive and heavy handed bureaucracy in their new homes. Perhaps like the 'naya mussalman' they feel obliged to uphold their new homelands. In any case, all of us, Indians and NRIs  'protest too much' like the lady in Hamlet. 

In my earlier post 'Corrupter or Corruptee' I have tried to establish that the Corruptee is more culpable than the Corrupter. The issue hinges on morality and choices. The Corrupter is certainly bad but the one who succumbs to temptation is far worse. Very often it involves misuse of one's official position or worse. The case for not complaining about 'the system' is similar. I am not a legal or constitutional expert but whatever views I have heard about India's legal system and constitution are uniformly positive. It is to our credit that we have survived as a parliamentary democracy for so many years. Admittedly, the administration and implementation of our laws and the Police system leave a lot to be desired but the 'system' as it stands is not too bad. Those of us who have had  long careers here know the pitfalls of dealing with the Indian State. From petty bureaucracy like getting a driving licence made, to land registration, school admissions, factory permissions - everyone has a horror story to relate. However, when you probe this, you realise that all of these people drive cars and have legitimate licenses, they have bought property and their children went to the best schools! How did this miracle happen? If you were to listen to them you would feel that nothing works in India!

The fact is that the Indian 'system' however archaic and moribund does work and it's getting better. In the recent past I have done several things without paying a penny to anyone and in a reasonable time frame:

1. Renewed a driving licence
2. Set up a company
3. Paid property tax on line 
4. Filed tax returns on line
5. Sold property
6. Registered a lease deed
7. Obtained an 'Aadhar Patra'

I'm sure that there are many people in India who will disagree as they have not had similar experiences. It would be great to hear from you. But as far as I'm concerned 'The Lady doth Protest too Much'

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The Death Penalty

Capital punishment in India is meant to be applicable in the 'rarest of rare' cases. In reality there have been only four hangings in India since 1995. Clearly the definition of 'rarest of rare' is very rare indeed. As it stands today, the death penalty can hardly be considered a deterrent. The likelihood of being hanged, no matter what you do, is so low that I doubt if any perpetrator of a heinous crime stops to think that he may be hanged if he is caught and found guilty.

Voices against the death penalty hinge on two arguments:

1. In the event that there has been a miscarriage of justice an innocent person would have lost his life due to a mistake.
2. The death penalty is inhuman and out of step with modern society.

Both these arguments are fallacious. The Indian penal system has enough checks and balances to ensure that a criminal who has been condemned to death has had enough opportunity for legal review including an appeal to the President for clemency. The chances of a genuine miscarriage of justice are quite low and cannot serve as a reason for doing away with capital punishment. It is said that the punishment should fit the crime. I not a believer in archaic and Biblical punishments like 'an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth' or stoning to death or cutting off a criminal's hands. On the other hand savage acts such as what happened in the December rape case in Delhi deserve punitive punishment. There is a need for stern and sure action including capital punishment.

By soft pedaling on implementation of the death penalty we have give free reign to a variety of malcontents. India has the dubious distinction to having the highest number of murders in the world. The figure for 2011 was 42,923.  For punishment to be effective, it has to be a deterrent. Apart from punishing the perpetrator of the crime it should set a frightening example of what can happen to someone else who wishes to break the law. It is here that the Indian state has failed to deliver. Even if we apply the 'rarest of rare' criteria to such a large figure one may argue that at least 1% of murders may fall into this category. By that logic the Indian state should have hanged 400 murderers in any given year. Certainly at that level the fear of being hanged for one's wrongdoings would have a significant deterrent value. As of today, there is no such thing.

Apart from the extent of capital punishment the other deterrent is the speed at which punishment is carried out. As of now if a criminal is found guilty of murder and awarded a death penalty by the lower court there is every chance that he will not be hanged for a very long time. Rajiv Gandhi's killers and Afzal Guru are a case in point. It would be useful to set a time limit for carrying out an execution after all appeals have been exhausted from the point of being found guilty initially. If the state is unable to operate within that period it would be fair to commute the sentence to life imprisonment.

The purpose of this post is not to make a case for a blood thirsty or arbitrary legal system. I am sure most of us would agree that the degree of lawlessness in India is increasing day by day and the spate of rapes and murders have shaken civic society. There is a need for stern, swift and uncompromising justice. Increasing the focus on the death penalty will go some way towards achieving that objective.



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Honesty Indian Style

A few years ago I was returning to India on a flight from Amsterdam. The flight landed late at night in Delhi and I got into a cab for going home after picking up my bags. On the way I got a call from my house. Someone had called from the airport saying that they had found my portfolio in a luggage trolley. It contained my passport, traveler's cheques and a fair bit of cash. Apparently, I had dropped it while boarding the cab and it had been found by an airline employee. He had found my contact number from my passport and had called home. I called his mobile phone to thank him and to tell him that I would turn back and pick up the portfolio from him. He said that he had already left the airport to come to my house. Finally, he did just that. He came over home at 3 am and returned the portfolio with all its contents intact to me. I was overwhelmed by his honesty and tried to offer him a reward. He refused to accept anything and left me with a warm glow about the innate goodness of human nature.

This is not an isolated instance. Yesterday a similar incident occurred while we were on tour in Lucknow. My colleague lost his briefcase while we were working in the market. Again, a good Samaritan found the bag and returned it himself later in the evening.

I am sure that a lot of us have had similar experiences. What I wonder about is whether there is an underlying truth about such events. Are Indians fundamentally honest? It would certainly not appear so if we were to see the level of corruption, fraud and cheating that occurs in our country. Is it mere probability that we were lucky to have come across two examples of honest people in a sea of crooks? I doubt it. Do Indians behave differently when faced with individuals as opposed to an organisation, specifically the Government? Does their behaviour pattern change? Perhaps we can discern the germ of an explanation in that last thought.

Many Indians do not think twice about evading taxes. It's quite OK to cheat the government. In fact it almost feels like a pleasurable game and there is certainly no guilt attached to it. The 'government' is faceless and amorphous and somewhat hostile. Of course it's OK to avoid pernicious taxation! It's almost a duty! However, to cheat an individual is different. The same tax evader may feel morally uplifted if he returns a bag that he found on the street.

An interesting parallel could also be drawn with Indian attitudes towards hygiene  In most cases, Indian houses would be clean and well kept on the inside but the residents would have no concern about dumping their garbage right outside. After all that is not 'their' land. It is government property and the government has to figure out how to keep it clean!

So, all in all, the Indian public has an adversarial relationship with the Government. The government makes progressively more complex rules to govern an unruly public while the public comes up with increasingly inventive ways to beat the system. While all this is going on, at the individual level Indians are fairly honest and helpful to others. A strange cocktail indeed!


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“Beautiful depiction of Hills & life in North India in the ‘60s” – Chandra Srivastava

“The story flow was as smooth as silk and the narration so vivid, real and engrossing that I couldn't put it down....I finished the book in one sitting” – KK Sridhar

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Wisdom of the East

There was a time (just prior to independence and for some time afterwards) that India could justifiably lay claim to a moral high ground. Our culture, history and society was of a higher order than the materialistic West (or so we thought). Nehru was a leader of the non-aligned movement and our political leaders had stature and statesmanship. This happy state of affairs lasted for some time as India meandered along at the Hindu rate of growth through much of the 50s, 60s and 70s. Regrettably the stature of our leaders and the quality of our politicians declined steadily. Our cultural underpinnings were confined to Gurus like Maharshi Mahesh Yogi who provided a convenient cover for disillusioned western youth seeking an escape from toil and war in their own societies.

Perhaps the most scathing view about India was held by China. From the late 19th Century, Chinese thinkers regarded India as the 'lost country' who had been enslaved by foreign invaders for the last 1000 years and more. This view found expression in the negative treatment meted out to Tagore on his trip to China in the 30s. He was regarded as the quintessential eastern sage, out of touch with modern progressive society, advocating a quaint and laughable 'return to the classic period'. Gandhi and his views about the utopian village republics was met with equal scorn. This attitude found its culmination in the war in the early 60s where the Indian army was brushed aside by the Chinese.

The independence movement and its immediate aftermath offered a brief interlude when the average Indian could hold his head up with justifiable pride as outlined above. However, the path we chose of building up the public sector, central control over the economy and so forth was nothing short of disastrous. It was also utopian and dangerously out of touch with global realities.

The fact is that our impoverished millions demand economic progress today. The world has no time for moralising. Realpolitik is the only policy and national self interest the only mantra. It is here that India's leaders have really failed. We have rapidly and gleefully abandoned all pretence of stature and statemanship. Unfortunately, instead of replacing the 'Oriental Wisdom' of Radhakrisnan or Gandhi with the hard headed realpolitik and business sense of a man like Sardar Patel we have fallen between two stools. Indian policy still tries to hang on to a vestige of independent thought as in the non aligned movement and succeeds in exasperating even our few friends. Our economic policies yo yo between spurts of liberalisation after which a beleagured governement licks its wounds inflicted by the militant left and other moonies. There is only one way forward. Our great classical civilisation, our wonderful eastern wisdon and all the rest of it need to take a break. We need to move on the economic front and we need a hard headed, no nonsense driver to steer the ship. The world will not wait for the Indian elephant forever.

Corrupter or Corruptee

When I was thinking of a title for this post I realised that both the words that I was planning to use were actually not words at all. However the sense of what needs to be conveyed is brought out clearly enough.

The question that I want to address is: who is more culpable? There is an ongoing case in India right now where a very senior retired Air Force Officer has come under a cloud. This is, of course, nothing new and there are literally hordes of people in power who have been accused of various kinds of wrong doing at different points in time. On the other side there is a spider web of corruption. Money in unimagined quantities, women and all sorts of blandishments abound.

I have often speculated on the nature of corruption. There is a famous (very likely apocryphal) story of George Bernard Shaw and an actress. When GBS asked the actress if she would sleep with him for a million dollars she said yes! Afterwards he asked her whether she would sleep with him for a hundred dollars to which she replied indignantly - "What do you think I am". GBS's inimitable reply was "Madam we have already established your profession. We are now merely negotiating the price." The story, of course, reiterates that every man (or woman) has his price and is hence corruptible. It is this kind of thinking that leads down the slippery slope to a morally corrupt society.

The fact is that corrupters and tempters are as old as Satan. They have (to use a Biblical term) sold their souls for material benefits. Their belief is to trade long term discomfort in a possibly mythical purgatory for current pleasure. While such men are dangerous and a menace to society they are at least predictable. One expects a loan shark to arm twist people to recover his money or a pimp to make money out of women. Or even a commision agent to pursue men in power with his bag of goodies. What they are banking on is that like GBS demonstrates in his apocryphal story that every man has his price.

What is truly despicable and difficult to understand is persons who abuse their positions of power (which they have presumably reached through genuine hard work and brilliance) for narrow, selfish ends. Temptations will always abound and the more senior the posts you hold the larger the potential rewards of corruption. But there is no excuse for people who fall a prey to such temptation. Truly, Corruptees are worse than Corrupters.


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The Awful Indian

Rama Bijapurkar's book - "We are Like that Only" captures a colloquial truth about India. However there is a complacent ring about it. "Accept us as who we are, don't try to change us, we are the best" and therein lies the rub. I have mentioned in these pages before that there is much about India, Indians and Indianness that is less than desirable:

1. Manners - Indians generally display the worst public manners out of many countries that I have experienced. Breaking queues, personal hygeine (peeing in public, spitting), rudeness (don't you know who I am), shouting at hapless subordinates and so forth.
2. Attitude towards Women - Enough has been said in the recent past about our patriarchal society and the awful treatment of women.
3. Corruption - this seems to have seeped into our bones. There is nobody and nothing that is not for sale. Ordinary work is impossible without bribing a long list of people.
4. Violence - The attitude of  "Main tumko dekh loonga" and "Jante nahin main kaun hoon" has been extended into a feeling that disputes can be settled by violence. Perhaps it also symptomatic of the lack of faith that ordinary Indians have in the Police and the Judicial System. We are being increasingly pushed to take the law into our own hands.
5. Work Ethics - Are we really a hardworking people? I don't think so. We always find a way to weasel out of hard work or "beat the system". Aspirations have gone up manifold but there is no commensurate work ethic to justify higher salaries and benefits. A related issue is lying and cheating. We are not above making money or misrepresenting facts to suit our ends if we can get away with it.
6. Poor Management - Many of our big ticket public works and even smaller projects in both the public and private sector suffer from poor management. We claim to have good technical and management education but it does not manifest itself in the work we do.

This is a depressing list but it is reality. One of our failings is that we find it difficult to face upto facts and choose to hide behind platitudes. Accepting faults is not a sign of weakness. On the other hand it lays the foundation for improvement. It is time that we stopped considering ourselves as the heirs of a glorious civilization and instead started focusing on our faults and how to improve them.


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An Exercise in Futility

India has tried engaging with Pakistan in various ways. Inspite of 4 bloody wars we have continuously tried to engage with our fractious neighbour. There has been 'Track 2' diplomacy, people to people contacts, cricket - where we have graciously lost as generous hosts recently, Aman ki Asha and a host of other initiatives other than the ones undertaken through official diplomatic channels.

In return we have received a cacophany of muddled signals. From well meaning civil society activists who try to equate Islamic terror with Hindutva to hard line Talibanists who argue for an intensification of aggression leading to a dismemberment of India. In between there is an ineffectual political leadership and a menacing army.

A section of people still believe that there is much in common between India and Pakistan. By and large such people are over 80 years old and have some links with undivided Punjab. Frankly, they are in a dwindling minority now. The fact is that even before partition there was very little in common between the average resident of what is now Pakistan and anyone outside North India. In particular, the commonality was really restricted to Punjab. In the intervening 65 years the neighbours have grown steadily apart. Increasing fundamentalism, Arabization and basic differences in civic society have ensured that Pakistan has taken a divergent path from India.

India too has changed especially in the last two decades. We are a young country that has little recollection of a joint heritage. Our dreams and aspirations are wedded to a globalised world and we are more linked with the Western Democracies than with the Islamic Middle East. Increasing prosperity and the lifting of millions out of poverty has created a large middle class whose main exposure to Pakistan is the periodic horror unleashed by its cohorts on innocent Indians such as in the Mumbai attacks.

So why do we need to engage with Pakistan? The fact is that there are no clear answers. Any relationship should have a mutual benefit for it to prosper. In this case it is truly hard to think of any benefit that India can get with a deeper engagement. It has often been said that one does not know whom to engage with in Pakistan. If you deal with the elected Government you have the shadow of the Army looming large over the process. Sometimes we are told that the Army is now is now on board with the engagement and then a horrific incident happens such as the beheading and mutilation of two of our armymen. Secondly, dialogue should show some progress or improvement for it proceed. With Pakistan it has always been a case of one step forward and two steps back and it has been going on for 65 years!

Perhaps there could be an economic reason for engagement. Pakistan may provide a market for Indian manufacturers and vice versa. However such a situation can only happen when there is a significant improvement in the relationship. The tail cannot wag the dog.

It may be better to simply ignore Pakistan. Active attempts to take the dialogue further are clearly not working. Perhaps the time has come to let them manage their affairs in whatever way they want and just put all engagement into a deep freeze.

Journey to the Hills and other Stories

Journey to the Hills and other Stories is the first book by Divyaroop Bhatnagar The book is a presented as a collection of short stories set in the '60s in Mussoorie, a hill station in North India. Here is a description of the time and place in which these stories are set:

Named after a Himalayan flowering bush commonly found in these hills, Mussoorie was established in the early part of the 19th Century. Largely shunned by the British aristocracy, Mussoorie society in the 19th Century comprised of English businessmen and Box Wallahs with Indian princes and wealthy merchants thrown in for good measure. Things began to change after independence in 1947. The British left and many of their larger mansions were bought by wealthy businessmen from Calcutta and Bombay. Smaller houses were also bought by professionals from UP and Delhi. These stories are largely set in the Mussoorie of the 1960’s and are based on the experiences of one family during their summer holidays. The British had long gone but many of their traditions and institutions still lingered. An army band played in the evenings at the Band Stand near the public library. Miss Mussoorie contests were still the highlight of the season though the contestants were no longer the white ‘missy log’ . The schools – Waverly Convent, St. George’s, Woodstock and many others were thriving. Families still took long summer vacations and there was no television and hectic activity to disturb the quiet flow of life. So, dear reader, enjoy the gentle charms of a forgotten time.

The stories are nostalgic reminiscences of a more gentle,peaceful and less hectic time. The book has been very warmly received around the world and the Facebook page has got more than 11000 likes. Here are some reader's reviews:

"A great read for those from that era. Also a great read for anyone who enjoys learning about another time and place. You may see a bit of Jim Corbett or V.S. Naipaul or perhaps Ruskin Bond in this little book." 

"This book is a must read for anyone who has lived in that part of India, and for anyone else who is curious about the way of life in the days past."

"Debu has a wonderful style of telling stories......the story flow was as smooth as silk and his narration so vivid, real and engrossing that I couldn't put it down....I finished the book in one sitting......there are many nice pieces in the book.....I found the "Ida Villa" story particularly intriguing.....and the bit about getting Miss Johnson to come for the wedding after several years was very touching.....It is a fantastic read...and I have no doubt that even if one has not been to Dehradun or Mussoorie, one can relate to it well and visualize the place and story setting......"

"Debu Bhatnagar's first book of short stories "Journey to the Hills and Other Stories" is a wonderful collection of stories all centred around a family vacationing in Mussoorie in the mid sixties. Though presented as a collection of short stories, all of them present a ensemble of characters that you recognize as you go through the book. A reader can pick and choose individual stories or can treat the whole book as one novel and go through it in one sitting. What is really remarkable about the stories is the gentleness with which the author treats each of the characters in the book. The author paints a beautiful picture of a bygone era when hill stations were full of interesting characters, and were really used as 'summer head quarters' by the affluent families. Once you start reading, I guarantee that you will finish all the stories in one sitting. A wonderful maiden effort. A must read for all of us who have had our share of summer vacations with our grandparents! A must read." 

This post on Facebook has received 85,000 likes, 663 comments and 1300 shares. I hope you like it too!

Written in a shaky hand obviously in a state of high excitement Susan confirmed that she had indeed been a ladies maid to Miss. Williamson. She had come to India with her in 1918 just after the Great War. It had been difficult to book a passage but Miss Williamson was a determined lady as the children had already discovered. They had traveled directly to Mussoorie from Bombay where they had docked and had stayed at the Charleville Hotel. The ‘missus’ used to write a great deal of letters and used to travel down to Dehradun quite often. Finally the construction of Ida Villa had been completed. They had already decided the furnishings. “Ordered straight from a big shop in Calcutta. No expense spared” was the way Susan put it. They moved in, mistress and maid and the initial years were happy and contented though lonely and sometimes frightening especially when it was a “thunder night and the clouds were a comin’ into the house”. Miss Williamson would visit the graveyard everyday and take flowers to a grave in the second or third level below the road. “She never told me what she was doing and it was not in my place to ask”. But this idyllic existence was not to last. Barely two years after they had moved in into Ida Villa the masterly Miss Williamson fell gravely sick. Dr. Mathews came down from St Mary’s Hospital to see her but is was obvious that she would not last too long. Susan was terrified, being in a strange land with no money of her own. But the missus told her “You don’t have to worry my girl. You have stood by me when I needed you most and I will take care of you” As she sank Miss Williamson began to have strange nightmares. She would cry out and thrash around in her bed. Finally, one day, very near the end she called Susan and told her that she wanted to tell her the whole truth. In turn Susan felt that she had to pass on the story as “I’m getting on now and who knows how long I will last.”

In the end it was a common story. A young girl, ardent and in love with a dashing army officer who had conveniently forgotten to tell her that he was married already. The girl was from a very rich family who shipped her off to India when they discovered that she was to have a child. She lived with old family friends in Mussoorie where Ida was born. For a time she was happy as any young mother would have been. But then Ida died and the distraught mother buried her darling in the Mussoorie graveyard. She returned to England but her heart was in Mussoorie. She never married and would later join her daughter in the same graveyard. The children were really shocked but also touched by the story. They often wrote to Susan after that who always exclaimed “I never thought you was just children. All grown up you sounded in your letter.” She went on to tell them many more details about her stay in India and Miss Williamson, whom she worshiped to this day.


They told the grownups about it and they were amazed at what the children had been up to. Next year the whole family went down to the graveyard to lay flowers on the graves of Amy and Ida. It seemed that their long history had come to a peaceful end

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Happy Reading

Debu Bhatnagar