Shuhaib ShariffThe Dark Knight… Yeah, Right!

Former President APJ Abdul Kalam called him a ‘true scientist’. Mitticool, a clay refrigerator that works without electricity had turned the world’s attention to its creator Mansukhbhai Prajapati, a craftsman based in Gujarat:

http://business.rediff.com/slide-show/2010/jun/10/slide-show-1-fridge-that-runs-without-electricity.htm

IMHO: India’s not short of talented innovators. I’ve seen similar ideas (different products) that never really take off … due to lack of financial & marketing support. Wish we had America’s zest for backing talent & celebrating success!

Yesterday, the 31st of March was the last date of our Corporate Income Tax eFiling. Procrastination is a divine virtue Im blessed with … and I pushed this important task (tax filing) to the very last day.

As luck would have it, we faced some issues uploading the tax returns to the Indian income tax website. My CA was overloaded with work (too many last minute filings) and asked me to head out to the regional Income Tax Office to get this issue sorted out… time was of essence.

Now, I’ve heard of some horror stories of people and their interactions with the Indian Income Tax department. Especially when you are not accompanied by your CA … there is a tendency to harass and treat even honest tax payers suspiciously or so, I was told (As a friend says “Shak, Shak, What the **CK”)

Anyways, the job had to be done and I landed up at the IT office near Indian Express. Had sufficient documentation in hand, just in case …
Met the PRO and he asked me to meet the IT Officer in the computer section. The Officer, surprisingly was courteous and patiently heard me out. At that very instant, the Income Tax website was offline (maybe due to the load) so he did not have access to our records. He asked me not to take the trouble of coming again and gave his office number. “Please call in 2 Hrs and we’ll help you with your issue”, he said. All this, while his phone(s) were ringing incessantly.

I went back delighted that our public servants are not the villains they are made out to be… not all of them at-least.

I called a few hours later, but could not speak to the concerned officer. I was asked to provide the company details and also my mobile number, the operator at the other end said they’ll get back as soon as possible. I sort of thought … gosh its not going to solved today and I’ll have to go back tomorrow … after the due date

Guess what, I got a call an hour later from the Officer and my issue was resolved. The officer patiently waited on the phone for me to login and check if all was well. Too cool Macha!

Moral of the story: Things in India are not as bad as they are made out to be. Sure, they can be better … but its not beyond repair. So keep the faith!

Pt. Nehru’s famous speech:

At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance….. We end today a period of ill fortune, and India discovers herself again

It is said that ‘A nation that forgets its heroes is a nation destined to be forgotten‘ . Spare a thought for those who made it possible for us. Spare a thought for the martyrs of the freedom movement.

Aye Mere Vatan Ke Logon
Zara Aankh Mein Bhar Lo Paani
Jo Shaheed Hue Hain Unki
Zara Yaad Karo Qurbaani

We celebrate our Republic Day today… its an overwhelming feeling watching the R-day parade on TV. India has truly arrived!

For the first time in our history an Indian Prime Minister has missed the R-day celebrations. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is recuperating from a bypass surgery at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

A lot of Indians do not understand the significance of Republic Day (26-JAN). Wasn’t India a FREE country on 15-AUG? Why do we celebrate Republic Day then?

Well the short answer is:

We gained our Independence (from the British) on 15-AUG-1947 and Pt. Nehru became our first Prime Minister.
However, the symbolic head of the Indian state was King George VI

On 26-JAN-1950 the symbolic head of state changed to our first President: Mr. Rajendra Prasad. Also the Indian Constitution came into effect on this day.

Thats enough gyan for today!

Mr. Lal Krishna Advani, currently the leader of Opposition in the Indian Parliament has been projecting himself as the Prime-Ministerial candidate of the NDA, should they come to power.

In his recent interaction with Rediff readers, he is claimed to have said:
“I can humbly claim that I can lead the country”
Link here: http://specials.rediff.com/news/2009/jan/22slid1-advani-chat-transcrip.htm

Mr. Advani, save your humility for another cause. A Young India does not need an 82-year old Prime Minister, a man with no past achievement  (positive) to speak off, and a man with no vision. Quit projecting yourself as a statesman… if you were one, you would have *atleast* made way for a younger leader, somebody who can lead the Country and do it in style.

India needs new energy, new focus & new direction.
We need a leader in his forties, somebody at his prime… willing to go that extra mile to make a difference.We need somebody who we can look upto, somebody the world can look upto.

We live in the Present, and would like to plan for the Future. My fear is Mr. Advani, your brand of politics will take us back to the Past.
I can’t understand why people are frightened of new ideas. I’m frightened of old ones.