Author Archives: Rahul Dayama, Edited by Deepti Rao

Wrapped in Controversies: London Olympics 2012

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The London Olympics 2012 is witnessing a fresh controversy as a medical group is calling for a sponsorship review. Many groups have lashed out against some of the key sponsors like McDonalds, Coke and Cadbury.  British doctors say it’s sending out a wrong message in a country where obesity is ballooning.

The Academy of Royal Medical Colleges (which represents over 2,00,000 health professionals) has asked the British government to restrict advertising of the controversial sponsors during the Olympics games to be held in London from 27th July to 12th August.

This is, in fact, not the first time that the London Olympics has generated news because of its controversial sponsors. Touted to be ‘the greenest game ever’, it’s indeed ironical that three of the official sponsors namely Dow Chemicals, BP and Rio Tinto have rightly come under attack from environment and human right activists. The companies are currently embroiled in lawsuits over alleged commission of large-scale environmental harm.

If you are still wondering why the sponsors are receiving criticism, read on to know more about the five controversial sponsors of the summer Olympics 2012!

McDonalds

Quite famous for being unhealthy, McDonalds will open the world’s largest restaurant at the London Olympics park with a seating capacity of 1500 and will be the only restaurateur allowed to sell branded food at the games. The ‘official’ restaurant will be rolling out over 50,000 big Mac burgers and 1,80,000 portions of fries to Olympic spectators! (I wonder if athletes will also indulge in the junk food)! The fast food chain is blamed for contributing to the obesity problem of many developed countries!

Coca-Cola

The soft drink giant is also receiving a backlash by the medical fraternity for spreading unhealthy habits among youngsters and then choosing to sponsor games that are meant to be celebrate healthy living!! It further faces allegations of poor treatment to African laborers harvesting oranges in Italy. Having spent millions on sponsorship, Coke will have exclusive rights to sell non-alcoholic beverages in Olympic stadiums.

Dow Chemicals

It is perhaps the most controversial sponsor of the Olympics. Human right activists have protested against its inclusion because of its ties with Union Carbide, the company that was responsible for the inhuman Bhopal gas tragedy of 1984 in India.

Considered the world’s worst industrial catastrophe, it’s killed an estimated 15,000 people and lakhs of people continue to suffer with physical defects. The Indian government had also urged the organizers to drop the chemical corporation, but the IOC (International Olympics Committee) decided to stand by its decision. The Olympic stadium will drape in a cover sponsored by this very controversial company.

British Petroleum

In 2010, this multi-national oil and gas company’s oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico drew global outrage but it still chose to tag itself as a “sustainability partner” for the London Olympics .The oil spill was the largest marine accident in the history of the petroleum industry and adversely affected marine life and the ecology. It’s rather amusing that British Petroleum (BP) hasn’t still cleaned up the leak but is spending millions in re-branding its image by being the official oil and gas partner at the 2012 Olympics (reasons enough to outrage activists, don’t you think?).

Rio Tinto

Another multinational mining corporation is in the news for all wrong reasons. Rio Tinto, a mining company, is providing metal for the medals of the Olympics. However, reports reveal that the ‘medals’ (signifying victory) will carry with it stories of environmental abuse. The metal will come from its mines in Utan and Mongolia; both of which have had allegations of environmental harm. The company is also facing human right abuses at mines in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. It’s a question if the company’s presence at the games helps in promoting Olympics as ‘environment friendly’.

Let’s not forget the Olympic Games are a big business and countries shell out billions to host them. Top sponsors pay at least $100 million each. The London Olympics organizing committee had estimated the costs to be $ 5 billion but the expenditure is now over 15 billion dollars. No wonder the organizers choose to defend all the controversial sponsors!

Protests against them is so intense that critics of Dow Chemicals, BP and Rio Tinto, in particular, have decided to label them as ‘worst corporate sponsors”. A campaign called ‘Greenwash Gold 2012’ (link: http://www.greenwashgold.org/) is asking people to vote online for the most unethical sponsor.

It’s highly unlikely that the Olympic committee will now drop any of its sponsors but raging controversy has done enough harm to the spirit of the games!

What do you feel about the controversy? Should companies with unethical records be allowed to sponsor the Olympics? Feel free to share your views with us.

Wah!! Railway Journeys through India

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When you travel by train, the journey itself is part of the pleasure. I just got back from my vacation to Jaipur and having spent nearly 4 days traveling in trains, I still can’t get over my fascination with the Indian railways and the profound experiences it offers to millions everyday.

If you have ever taken a long distance travel by the Indian Railways, you must know that the ride offers much more than you pay for: a magical experience! The tea sellers’ welcome cry of ‘chai, chai, garam chai’, the colors and scenery of ever-changing landscapes (farmlands, rivers, forests, to cities), varied fellow travelers (some obnoxious, some over-friendly), stations of small towns with funny names, vendors selling yummy refreshments, and the pleasure of observing populace of different parts of the country – a train ticket offers you this and much more!

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Traveling by rail is part of the escapade which gets going the very moment you step into the station and get lost in the crowd of passengers. In fact, getting to your seat amidst heavy bags of luggage can be quite a challenge!! If the journey is a long one, it’s no surprise that some fellow passengers enquire about every bit of your history and share a lot of information and discuss topics ranging from politics to universe. Sometimes, friendships strike and people are soon seen sharing food and snacks! (Yes, Indian hospitality is part of train journeys too).

In fact, delicious food and train journeys are part of each other. Sometimes, it gives the impression of a pursuit between the food and the journey – which would end first. Many prefer to carry food and snacks from home (sometimes enough to feed an entire village), while for others the train pantry offers many appetizing options. Also remember, every station has its own local cuisine specialties often leaving people battling with choices. If you are a foodie, there’s no better way to relish food from different parts of the country! Sounds fun isn’t?

Mind it, the Indian Railways doesn’t just help people commute. If you desire luxurious travel experience, the Golden Chariot and Royal Rajasthan on Wheels (to mention a few) are excellent means to explore tourist hot spots of Karnataka and Rajasthan. The Darjeeling ‘toy’ train (from Calcutta to Darjeeling) is another must-travel experience for every traveler as it provides breath-taking views of foot hills of Himalayas and is also a UN World heritage site . :D

Check this out to know the best train journeys in the world. Surprise, it features Indian trains too!

Indian railways being the third largest rail netwok in the world is the life line of the country connecting about 7500 stations and ferrying nearly 20 million people to their destined places every day. It’s also the most affordable way to commute in the country and is the largest employer in India with over 1.4 million employees.

The best way to experience a thrilling journey is the local rail networks in cities like Mumbai. They are known to be the one-of-a kind in the world, being heavily crowded but are generally the fastest and cheapest way to get around the city. It’s quite a task to get in to the train of your choice and then alight at the right station, all this requiring super adjusting skills (it has the highest passenger density in the world !)

The saga of train journey never fades. India’s railways has intrigued authors, inspired filmmakers and entranced dreamers, luring the nostalgic and tempting the curious. The

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connection between romance and train journeys is also very dear to Bollywood. How could we ever forget the role of ‘trains’ in electrifying romance! Right from ‘Dil wale Dulhaniya Le Jayege’ to ‘Jab we met’, trains continue to be an integral part of many Bollywood releases.

Sometimes the not-so-good things on train journeys could be unclean toilets and dirty stations. It’s also a sad plight to see passengers throw trash through windows polluting vast tracts of land. Whatever the case, there’s surely no better way to discover India than a train journey. For city dwellers it can be quite a revelation to witness the ‘Real India’ that resides in far flung areas untouched by various development projects. The railways are the place to understand the divide, the two extremes between well developed cities and the smaller towns and villages that are far from being developed.

It became clear to me why the railways have earned its name as the lifeline of the nation, the bloodstream that keeps the country’s heart beating.  If you haven’t experienced a long distance train journey in India, you have surely missed out on one of the most exciting experiences of life.

Rest apart, the traveling experience can be quite enchanting for first timers! If you are planning to embark on a train journey soon, these tips on theblueindian may be of use.

Do you have some unforgettable memories from train rides? Why not share and cherish them now! :D

Lokpal Bill, a Distant Dream?

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Last week Delhi’s historic Jantar Mantar made news again. This time Baba Ramdev and Team Anna were protesting against corruption and black money. Another protest leading the cause nowhere!  Ever wondered what happened to the much debated Lokpal bill that was to wipe out corruption from our country?
In spite of the huge nationwide support the bill has not been passed by the parliament while the nation desperately awaits its only hope against massive corruption scams.
If you didn’t know, Jan Lokpal Bill is an anti-corruption bill drawn up by prominent civil society activists seeking the appointment of an independent corruption investigation body in India. The bill aims to effectively deter corruption and punish corrupt people (a much needed law considering India ranks 95th in the global corruption index). It’s indeed deplorable that the bill has been turned down 8 times by the parliament since 1968.
Flash Back
Not many knew about the Lokpal bill until Anna Hazare made it a national movement in 2011. We had accepted corruption as part of our everyday life until anti corruption activists (Team Anna members in particular) came together to formulate a citizen’s version of Lokpal called Jan Lokpal. Public support grew with the Gandhian’s indefinite fast. Nationwide protests were held, people were out on streets and the media helped it turn into a national movement! (The role of social media in mobilizing youth was phenomenal too).
Many in fact compared it to Indian’s struggle for Independence!
Short-lived Success
After much public outcry, the government agreed to the demands of Anna Hazare and promised an effective anti-corruption law .What followed was a series of negotiations between Team Anna and the UPA government. Finally, the controversial Lokpal and Lokayukta Bill 2011 was passed by Lok Sabha in December 2011. The nation rejoiced not knowing the bill was weak and ineffective.
The new government-drafted bill is applicable only to 5% of government employees (only group A employees) and is heavily controlled by the government. Surprisingly, the proposed Lokpal cannot even receive complaints from general public and has no prosecution powers at all, making it a completely powerless institution!!
Issues including the restriction of Lokayukta powers at the state level and the exclusion of CBI and Judiciary from the bill remain unacceptable to Team Anna. They even termed the bill ‘anti-people’ and ‘dangerous’ for the country. The same bill was later tabled in Rajya Sabha only to be dramatically turned down by various parties for more amendments.
Though cleared by Lok Sabha, the bill awaits Rajya Sabha’s nod. The passage of the anti-corruption bill has been further delayed as the government has referred the controversial bill to a select committee of Rajya Sabha. The bill now cannot be expected before the monsoon session in August. It’s all a hazy picture because once approved by Rajya Sabha, it will go back to Lok Sabha for approval again. A long and unpredictable process!
Lose of Faith
After the confusing tactics of the government, people seem to be losing faith in the fight against corruption.  Dwindling numbers at protest venues are a clear indicator. Corruption allegations against popular Team Anna members like  Kiran Bedi, Arvind Kejriwal and Shanti Bhushan have further damaged the positive opinion people had about the movement.
Critics are slamming the internal rift in Team Anna members and are blaming the political inclinations of the movement for it’s decline in popularity. (Team Anna recently alleged that PM Manmohan Singh and 14 cabinet ministers are corrupt). The never ending struggle and unpredictable outcome of the bill have further dampened the spirits of people. Don’t you think that many citizens who passionately campaigned for the cause are now clueless about it?
The Way Ahead
Anna Hazare has announced to go on a nationwide yatra once the dates for India’s general elections of 2014 are decided. Meanwhile, the anti-corruption movement has seen a dip in zest!  So what can really bring back the force and vigor to the Lokpal movement? Well, an attempt to revive the campaign has been initiated by Kiran Bedi . Apparently, Poonam Pandey (a famous model who stripped for KKR’s win recently and tops the chart of search engines) has been approached to be part of the campaign to attract youth back to the cause.
It needs to be seen if this helps in drawing crowds back!
Until the lokpal bill is passed there are other innovative ways to fight corruption, websites like the “I paid a bride” is one such platform. You can share your bribe paying experiences, mention names and departments of people you have paid a bride for the whole world to know! :)
Also tell us what you think can be done to fight corruption and revive the campaign for a strong Lokpal. You never know which ideas start a revolution again :) !

Mind it, Chai is not your Ordinary Indian Beverage!

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If you are an Indian, then in 2013, every sip of tea or chai might induce more patriotism in you! Why, you may ask, if you have not read about Montek Singh Ahluwalia’s (Chairman of the Planning Commission) recent declaration. Montek ji has declared that by April 2013, tea will be honored as India’s national drink!

If you are a south Indian who cannot survive without a shot of filter Kaapi (every couple of hours), you ought to know that 83% of Indians drink tea! In fact, India consumes 70% of the tea it produces and the tea industry contributes 4% to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). It also employs the largest number of workers in the organized sector, a majority of which are women!

So are these reasons enough to make tea the national drink? There are indeed varied views on the issue with equal supporters and rivals. Tea associations say that the national tag will make tea a bigger brand in global markets and increase local consumption, while critics feel that the government is just trying to thrill the people of India’s north-eastern states (where maximum tea is produced).

The fact that chai is the preferred national drink has upset some sections of the Indian society. These varied, anti-tea, groups are debating on why milk, coconut water, coffee, lassi, and even nimbu paani deserve the national symbol status more! :)

Apparently, the origins of India’s beloved chai cannot be confirmed! A Chinese legend attributes its origins to Emperor Shan Nong, while an Indian legend attributes the origin of tea to a Buddhist monk called Bodhidharma. So, which country has the honor of calling tea its own, remains unclear!

Tea in its basic form is relished by pouring hot water over tea leaves (of the Camellia Sinensis plant) such that flavors from the leaves permeate into the hot water. The Chinese have established an entire tradition of preparing and pouring tea. Here is a short video of the Kung Fu tea ceremony:

There are four major types of tea: White, Green, Oolong, and Black. Interestingly, all these teas come from the raw leaves of the same tea plant, but the method of processing these leaves are different.

Koi doubt mat rakhna that India’s masala chai, cutting chai, etc, is made from black tea. Numerous studies have revealed that tea (especially green tea) cuts the risk of cancer and reduces stress.  It also aids in longevity as its antioxidants help eliminate toxins from the body. It’s said that tea also increases immunity (enough reasons for that extra cup, don’t you think )!

National drink or not, chai is going to be the hot favorite with the monsoons approaching! Do you think that the mazaa of sipping tea can be altered if it gets a national drink tag? Write to us and let us ponder over a cup of chai :) !

IIT-JEE Results Out, Super 30 Shines Again!

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The results of the highly competitive IIT JEE (Indian Institute of Technology Joint Entrance Examination) exams were announced recently. Over 5 lakh aspiring students from all over the country waited with bated breath to know if they had made it to their dream institute – the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)! Arpit Agarwal of Delhi topped the national exam, but the news from Patna’s Super 30 cannot be missed!

If you are still wondering what Super 30 is, it’s time you read about this inspiring story. Anand Kumar, the founder of Super 30, is an Indian mathematician and columnist. This brilliant mathematician secured admission into Cambridge University, but could not join the reputed institute due to poverty! Having had to accept the bitter defeat of his dreams at the pangs of poverty, he founded ‘Super 30’ (an IIT coaching institute) in 2003.

About Super 30

Super 30 identifies 30 (as the name implies) meritorious students from economically weak sections of society. The institute provides free lodging, food, and most importantly coaching to these students who aspire to crack the difficult IIT-JEE exam. In 2012, 27 of Super 30’s thirty have cracked the exam.

Since its inception, the institute’s success rate makes news annually. The humble institute has sent over 263 students from poor families to the premier institutes of engineering, making their expensive dreams achievable. An inspiring story of hard work, success, and  magical realization of dreams! :)

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This at a time when private coaching industry in India is valued at over Rupees 4,000 crore! Did you know that most IIT-aspirants in India, pay Rupees 2 to 3 lakhs as fees to private coaching institutes?  What’s more, these aspirants prepare for the entrance exam from school and only one in 50 finally makes it to IITs!!

This is not the case with Super 30. Only those students who have completed secondary school, and are in their 12th grade, are eligible for the institute’s entrance test. Among the thousands who write the entrance exam, only 30 are selected for rigorous coaching that spans a year. These ambitious students study for at least 16 hours per day at the institute in Patna. In return, Anand Kumar expects no fees but shapes the course of  30 ambitious and hard-working lives. Amazing, don’t you think?

Acknowledging the institute’s success, both government and corporate tycoons have offered financial support, but Anand Kumar has always turned down the offer! Super 30 is funded by the income generated from his Ramanujam School of Mathematics.

It is thus not surprising that Kumar’s initiative has drawn international accolades! Time magazine selected Super 30 in the list of “Best of Asia” in 2010. Another reputed magazine Newsweek listed it among the top four innovative schools in the world! (And we thought India cannot figure on any such list ).

In fact, the institute is widely popular in Japan through documentaries and books. The success of the institute was also telecast by Discovery channel. Anand has won national and international awards for his selfless service to uplift talented minds from poor backgrounds. It’s no wonder that he has even delivered lectures at IITs and IIMs!!

There’s also news that famed director Anurag Basu is planning a movie on the institute and its founder . Apparently Anand’s connection with movies doesn’t stop here. He helped Amitabh Bachchan in preparing for his role in Prakash Jha’s film ‘Aarakshan’ which was based on commercialization of education by private coaching institutes. (No wonder the movie had AB tutoring poor students free of cost like Anand does at Super 30! )

Super 30 is Inspiring!

This story proves that with proper guidance and teaching, students from poor families and rural background can indeed contribute towards national growth.

33% of India’s population is below the poverty line and the recently passed RTE (Right to Education) Act works towards bridging the inequality in education by reserving 25% of seats (free of cost) in private schools for economically poor students.

Yes you got it right; kids from poor families can join any private school in their neighborhood from this year. It’s shocking that many aren’t even aware of the new act and the government is doing nothing to publicize it either! Application forms for enrollment are available at http://202.138.101.21/schregrte/default.aspx and also at schools.

Share this piece of information with people around you! You may change a kid’s life just like Super 30 does! :) You can do your bit too!

Are Pilots Crash Landing Air India?

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For the last nine days, Indian media and aggrieved passengers are tirelessly following the strike by Air India (AI) pilots. About 200 AI pilots have reported sick to retaliate against unpaid salaries and ensure that they test fly the newly purchased Boeing 787 Dreamliner planes!

Reports of stranded Air India passengers and their woes are making headlines every now and then. Many passengers are not only stranded, but have also not been offered flight transfers. As a result, most of these aggrieved Air India passengers are paying exorbitant flight tickets to ensure that their travel/business plans do not go awry!
Blame it on the striking pilots, did you say? Well, a surprise statement from Indian Pilots Guild (IPG) president stating that “the government should at least begin preliminary talks. We are ready for talks but they should formally invite us for talks to resolve the issue,” leaves many confused about who is to blame! Over the last nine days, a Delhi high court order declaring the pilot strike illegal, a promise to hear out the grieving pilots unconditionally, and a “last chance” warning; have had zero impact on the pilots! Consequently, in the last nine days, the airline has incurred a 150 crore debt, that is denting Indian aviation’s reputation locally and globally.
Most of Air India’s cancelled flights are international and about 20 out of 50 of these flights have been affected. Before we get into the details, here is a quick overview about Air India.
Flash back: JRD Tata founded Tata airlines in 1934, India’s first leap into the sky. It was in 1946 that it became a public limited company and was named Air India. It grew rapidly and became a symbol of India’s pride and glamour until tragedy struck. Yes, now Air India (fondly called maharaja) is silently breathing its last sigh. Its market share has plummeted from 60 per cent (when India’s aviation sector opened to private competition) to just about 17 per cent now. Air India has managed to steadily lose out on its passenger and cargo traffic over the years. A systematic failure of the airline!
This is the worst in its 79-year history. So how did the airline that reaped profits until 2005, manage to go on ventilator support sponsored by the tax payers money? Well, all this mess started with one wrong move of the government!
The government in 2007 decided to merge Indian Airlines (IA) with Air India (AI). The whole idea behind a merger is to achieve economies of scale, increase revenues, and cut expenses.
In this case, the merger did the opposite! Debts and losses soared, employees of AI and IA clashed over pay scale differences, losses mounted, union strikes increased, and the erstwhile pride is now unimaginable! A clear case of a marriage gone wrong, don’t you think?

What’s more, the carrier is passing through turbulent weather. It’s not a nuclear secret anymore that the government managed airline is running in debts to the tune of 42,000 crores with financial losses amounting to nearly 8,000 crores for 2011-12! Further, you would be shocked to know that the Comptroller and Auditor General of India has blamed the decision of the aviation ministry to buy 68 new Boeing aircrafts priced at over 40,000 crores as one of the major causes of the debt troubles in Air India in 2005.

So now that the problem is out in the open, what needs to be done to resolve it is yet another puzzling question. De-merging the airlines would only induce more disorder and the government has denied privatizing AI. In return, the government has surprisingly fueled the sick Maharaja with a 30,000 crore revival package! Will the taxpayer’s money bring the Maharaja back on its toes?
So how can Air India really come out of this mess and start rebuilding its image and brand loyalty? A major restructuring of the top management with civil aviation experts, coupled with a sincere attempt to foster good employee relations may help in improving the financial situation. It will require a lot of effort to improve the dented image of AI among the helpless flying class who are at loss every time the airline faces a strike.

Please spare a moment to pray for the sick Maharaja :) ! Tell us what you think can be done to save it from crash landing. Share your comments below. You never know who’s listening!

IPL 5’s Top Entertainer, Chris Gayle!

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If you ask me ‘what’s best about IPL’, it is not just the spicy mix of entertainment and sports, but also the fact that it has got a whole lot of international cricketers to play for India and on Indian soil. Irrespective of nationality, IPL audiences have roared with equal zeal every time a cricketer hurled sixes or took wickets. After all, its IPL boss and unlimited fun is guaranteed!

In between all this hoopla, there’s this one cricketer who’s slowly winning hearts and emerging as a phenomenon for the Royal Challengers Bangalore IPL cricket team. Yes, you guessed it right, it’s the flamboyant opener Christopher Gayle (Chris Gayle).

Let’s accept it, RCB’s performance wouldn’t be the same without the imperative presence of Gayle’s swirling bat!

Chris Gayle in IPL 5 has amassed 250 runs in seven matches with an average of 41.66 runs and an amazing strike rate of 152.43 runs this season. If you didn’t know, he also won the orange cap in the last IPL season.

In IPL 5, Gayle’s  five, successive, electrifying sixes against Pune Warriors India remains unforgettable! If you haven’t seen it yet, here is the link to the Youtube video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyz3aUCeaVQ

These sixes were not just great cricketing shots, but one of them unfortunately landed on an 11-year-old girl’s nose leading to a fracture (a clear case of fun landing you in trouble)! Gayle always known as the dangerous, stylish, batsman; revealed his soft-hearted side soon after!

Chris visited the young, injured, cricket fan and (you won’t believe) presented her the medal he won at the match!! He also invited the girl to watch the remaining matches from the VIP lounge. Lucky girl we must say! Now, don’t be shocked to see many more little girls and boys (and even grownups :p)  flocking the stadium, hoping to come in the way of Gayle’s sixes! :D

Not many know that the big West Indian southpaw has suffered from a congenital heart problem and even underwent surgery in Australia in 2005. He is still nursing a groin injury. Perhaps that explains why he does not bother with ones and twos and relies purely on those massive hits that boom from his Gun and Moore cricket bat and go sailing out of the ground! Well it’s working wonders for RCB!

The latest news from the RCB camp is that the batting powerhouse is ready to roll his arm over and chip in as a bowler. The team is 7th on the IPL 5 points table and Gayle’s decision may well lead the team to the play-offs. We also suggest that Mr Mallya hire him as the brand ambassador for his sinking Kingfisher airlines. He may turn fortunes for them yet again since he shows remarkable capability to entertain off the field also!

Yes, Gayle enjoys grooving to Bollywood numbers. It’s not surprising then that Mr Gayle is seriously considering a career in Bollywood in the near future. He was quoted as saying that he plans to ‘take Bollywood away from Salman Khan’. Voila, we don’t know if he will succeed in Bollywood, but we may soon see Chris dancing with desi actors in a full-fledged masala entertainer ;) ! That’s exciting news for all Chris fans.

Well, it’s time we sit back and see what this cricket champion has to offer! One can safely assume that we will see a lot more fireworks emanate from his cricket blade.  Keep the sixes raining Mr Gayle, we are loving every bit of it!!

Aamir Khan Believes Truth is Invincible!

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I was in for a pleasant surprise when I accidentally saw an advertisement featuring Aamir Khan on a popular TV channel. I first mistook it for a social awareness campaign, but the advertisement was about Aamir’s “oh-so-secret” TV show called “Satyameva Jayate”.

Aamir Khan, who is known as “Mr. Perfectionist”, has left no stone unturned in mystifying his debut on Indian small screen. The promos of the show, shot at his (Bandra) home, are refreshingly natural but don’t give much away about the nature of the show.

Here are some of the advertisements :

These teasers indicate that Satyameva Jayate is definitely unconventional in nature, which apart from entertaining viewers, will also manage to touch the deepest chord of human emotions. As Aamir says in one of the teasers, the name of the show should be “Dil Se Dekh Kar Dekho”.

Satyameva Jayate meaning “truth is invincible” seems to be about issues that concern and affect ordinary people. Dealing with “real people and real-life situations”, Satyameva Jayate has made Aamir traverse the length and breadth of the country. It is scheduled to be broadcast in eight languages, and is estimated to reach out to a cumulative audience of 400 million — a first for Indian television!

What’s intriguing is that Aamir has ensured that all brands he endorses (Tata sky, Samsung, Toyota, Parle, and Mahindra) don’t associate with the program. Apparently, he does not want to dilute this issue-based show with business interests!!

Did you know that the ‘3 Idiots’ star has supported many social causes before including Polio awareness, Aathithi Devo Bhava campaign, and Narmada Bachavo Andolan. He also actively acknowledged Anna Hazare’s protest for Lokpal Bill. This is an indication that Aamir feels strongly about social causes and that the show is just an expansion of  his personality!

After heavy doses of manufactured, reality, TV programs; this “Aamir Khan Productions – Star TV” collaboration is hopefully a breath of genuine, fresh, air. The show sets out to reveal an India that lives in far-flung villages and is rarely noticed through a headline in newspapers! Your TV viewing experience may just get better, thanks to Aamir! :)

The show is likely to hit the idiot box in June . It’s a long suspense filled wait until then. I am excited, are you?

Is that the Real Indian Youth in Reality TV?

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Do you want to take revenge on your ex-boyfriend/girlfriend, convince your parents about your love relationship, or shout abuses at people? Call up a TV channel (MTV, UTV Bindass or Channel V, in particular) and you may be the star of a reality show!

Yelling, pulling each other’s hair about trivial issues, silly arguments, public displays of emotion, and manipulative thoughts, are the nitty-gritty of many of India’s reality TV shows. A significant part of MTV Roadies, Dare to Date, Axe Your Ex, and Emotional Atyachaar episodes contain beep sounds that block “innovative” and “out-of-the-box” abuses!! These are the basic ingredients that go into the making of most (so-called) prime-time, reality, shows and an even bigger mockery of Indian Youth!

After the huge success of Indian Idol in 2004 and Roadies in 2005, Indian reality television has made it big and most of its programs target the youth.  From how to flirt, to how to axe you former lover, a plethora of shows are up and blaring on TV for the entire nation to watch (and raise eyebrows perhaps).

What’s startling amidst all of this interesting drama is the routine stereotyping of youngsters as violent, loud, obnoxious, and unethical individuals! A completely misleading portrayal of Indian youth, don’t you think? It’s not common to see every other youngster slapping others, shouting lewd abuses, engaging in physical scuffles and doing things that are (ahem) not worthy to be written of! If you think we are exaggerating, you have not watched “popular” TV shows like Emotional Aatyachar, Roadies, Dadagiri,  Dare 2 Date, Splits Villa, Love Net, Supestud and Love Kiya Toh Darna Kya!

Here are a couple of upsetting clips from these shows:

Soon, you begin to wonder if it’s all part of a larger campaign to malign the image of Indian youth! We seem to live in a world of twisted realties. Judges, hosts, and participants all get together to put up the grand reality ‘Drama’ (remember we Indians are known for it :p )! Industry insiders and participants say that every program, and every single action of each participant is planned or adjusted for riveting footage. What’s more, it is then carefully edited to create the “best entertainment” value for us. A slap on our face and we have accepted it with a big cheerful smile!

What’s alarming is that the huge commercial success of these shows is attributed to the money earned from viewer votes (thanks to mobile network collaborations) than to the advertising moolah!!

Now think of where all this is leading to – a generation that is self-obsessed with appearance, fame, and money! It is undisputed that the actions of most reality shows influence the views, actions, and desires of viewers. Studies show that as more children watch violence, they become less sensitive and thus create insecurities for themselves.

Why then do youngsters queue up in large numbers to audition for reality TV?  Most end up taking part only to ‘experience’ thrill and excitement. Instant fame and money are an added bonus (The fact that they fizzle out after the show is a sad irony in itself)!!

Ever wondered why we don’t have a regulatory body for television like the Censor Board for films? You see, TV reaches a much larger audience and has a greater impact than any other entertainment medium! The government will NOT take action until a controversial ‘reality show scam’ maligns Indian television.

Isn’t Rahul Gandhi now free (rather jobless) after the debacle at UP polls? Why not approach the ‘Youth Icon’ and give him a chance to take up the cause of bad youth portrayal on Indian television? What say folks?

 

 

Facebook Users: Like it or not, it’s the Timeline!

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Tick, tock, tick – time is running out and quite literally! Get your online life in order or Facebook (FB) will do it for you!

If you are a FB user, you have already either migrated to its new profile called Timeline or have probably heard and seen it! If you have not changed your vanilla profile to the Timeline, then in some weeks, over 800 million (many fuming) Facebook profiles will automatically transform into Timelines, worldwide!

What is unfair is that you cannot re-activate the older but simpler, user-interface that made FB such a popular social networking site! If you have not changed your profile to the Timeline already, here is what is new and important.

An unnervingly, large, cover photo, occupies the top of your profile page. This photo cannot be hidden by any degree (so, avoid a close up picture to scare away people :) )! Then, the Timeline also features social applications (apps) that help you list hobbies – cooking, eating, traveling, running, reviewing movies, etc – and create updates!

The most exciting (yet painful element) of the Facebook Timeline is its infinite memory. Until recently, previous posts and updates that were older than a week vanished (you thought it got deleted, didn’t you?). You were probably thankful that the photograph of you in that awkward moment is no longer visible, but that is soon going to change! FB has insensitively decided to dig up your past and will automatically put it up on your profile, if you don’t migrate to the Timeline and take action before FB does! OUCH that could hurt!

The reactions to the Timeline have been extreme! FB loyalists who like the change feel that there is no need to panic and that the privacy settings are great and will ensure safer online experience. They argue that change is inevitable!

On the other hand, many Facebook fans are expressing their distaste for the Timeline on online forums – FB is forcing them to go public about their life, they say! They also argue that the Timeline makes their profile  slow and takes forever to load!

These extreme reactions could hit Facebook’s popularity! Could this mean that Myspace and Google+ get preference as a mark of protest?

For the time being, FB is ‘free’ and the number one social networking site. We have no option but to accept its Timeline and move on! No one would like saying a ‘NO’ to FB. Would you??