Nehru’s Two Greatest Achievements:
🙏Ramu🙏8/1/2022

On the afternoon of 27th May 1964, as the news of Jawaharlal Nehru’s death spread through New Delhi, one of the people it reached was an American Graduate student, Granville Austin.

Austin was writing a thesis on the making of Indian Constitution, and thus had a more than ordinary interest in what Nehru stood for.

He made his way to Teen Murti House, there to join an already large crowd of mourners.

Among the VIPs was Dr Syed Mahumud, a veteran freedom fighter who had been with Nehru as Cambridge and in jail.

Austin saw a weeping Mahumud given helping hand by Jagjivan Ram, a senior congress minister.

Austin wrote : “This was truly ‘scene symbolic of Nehru’s India : a Muslim aided by an Untouchable coming to the home of a upper caste Hindu.”

“Had Nehru shown the slightest weakness, these communal forces would have turned this country into a Hindu state in which the minorities and untouchables could not have lived with any measure of safety or security.”

Thus Austin concluded his essay saying, Nehru’s Greatest Two achievements are :

(1) The creation of a SECULAR STATE.

(2) The granting of EQUAL RIGHTS TO UNTOUCHABLES.

Secularly yours,
🙏Ramu🙏

Dear Suresh,

I use your 50th birthday opportunity to express my feelings about you frankly since we have met in 2009.

I am of the person who have used to get inspired and attracted to most as I always find, they’re better than me (at least multiple times) in every aspects and it’s true too.

However, I never get attracted towards any of the businessmen, as in my opinion, all previous generations’ businessmen including you are too shrewd to capitalize the arbitrage opportunities arise in the market frequently and they used to have disdained look towards knowledge seekers like me and you too may be no exception.

I have changed my opinion about present day start up entrepreneurs and they’re combination of both.

So, the persons whom inspired me most are knowledge seekers and great bureaucrats and CEOs globally.

Here too, you’re exception in my portfolio of inspirers and another anomaly is, you’re the one who have made me *”AWE”* around a decade ago in one of our group meets conducted @TOT, Sam Square and till date, you have never allowed me to become tired of that *”AWE”* feeling for a decade or so.

Throughout my life, whomever I get inspired during initial days by multiple times more talented than me in all aspects have made me tired as over a period of time, that multiple times get dwindling to just 1.1 or 1.2 times, but it’s not the case with you in one aspect.

*POWER OF COMMUNICATION.*

Even today, I maintain the feeling that I could never reduce the gap between you and me from multiple times to even 2 or 3 times.

Communication skills have two sides and most of them including our great Gurus have been masters only at DELIVERY and EMPATHY.

In my view, the most critical factor in communication, is grasping the UNTOLD STORIES from the TOLD stories.

In my view, YOU ARE MASTER AT IT and you are one of the rarest of rare in my close vicinity of friends.

This skill won’t come naturally and it can come only through voracious reading, keep on observing people and analyzing their thought process.

My envy about you, is how come you have mastered that art, though you’re not a voracious reader but very good observer and analyzing people.

You may not be aware off, how many times, you have bailed me out during our group meets, when I couldn’t articulate my views and get stumbled upon, you have lent your hands by comprehending the UNTOLD words, otherwise, I would become laughing stock.

I expected lots of interactions with you in our group meets, so that at least I can mimic and reduce the gap from multiple times to single digits say, 2 or 3.

You are exceptional in empathizing with lower strata of people starting from how you take care of Vijay, your maids and drivers and I observed so many times in your talk, how much you have been soulfully grateful towards your driver’s, maids, etc…

I may surrender at your feet, if I can inherit these two exceptional skills of yours in few years viz..

(1) Grasping and comprehending the UNTOLD words from TOLD words and empathize with his needs.

(2) Exceptional quality of being grateful towards lower strata of people who help you run your family from driver’s to maids and lower office staffs.

Really you’re great Suresh and the simple evidence is I have maintained my the same CHARM towards you for over a decade.

I wish you, Radha, Ashush and another boy having glorious new year as well as your Happy Birthday Suresh.

Yours ever getting inspired,
🙏Ramu🙏

’83 MOVIE – Nostalgia
🙏Ramu🙏29/12/2021

Two quotes from two great books would summarize the movie watching experience.

*Quote #1:*

Arunthathy Roy, in her award winning novel, was narrating her experience of watching, “KATHAKALI”:

*”It didn’t matter that when the story had begun…, you can enter anywhere and inhabit comfortably.”*

*”The secret of the great stories is that they have no secrets.”*

*”The great stories are the ones you have heard and wanted to hear once again.”*

“They don’t deceive you with thrills and trick endings.”

*”They are as familiar as the house you live in.”*

*”You know how they end, yet you listen as though you don’t.”*

*”In the great stories you know who lives, who dies. And yet you want to know again.”*

*_”That’s their mystery and their magic.”_*

*Quote #2:*

Book from SHOE DOG – Phil Knight.

*”Like books, SPORTS give people sense of having lived other lives, of taking part in other people victories and defeats.”*

*”When the sports are at their best, the SPIRIT of the FAN MERGES with the SPIRIT of ATHLETE, and in that convergence, in that transference, is the ONENESS that mystics talk about.”*

My thoughts from ’83 players shoes:

(1) When the WC was won, Sachin might have been just 4 or 5.

(2) Ranveer Kapoor might not have been born at all.

(3) During ’83 prize money was just ₹25,000 for the entire team.

(4) During ’83, players were not even wearing good shoes and they’re bound to wash their clothes on their own.

(5) Today, even the last to last chosen IPL player might have been wealthier than all ’83 players put together.

(6) No need to calculate how much Sachin and Ranveer Kapoor made money, even the calculator may burst off.

(7) It’s the irony of life as similar as BAJAJ electricals and Havels might have made more money than THOMAS ALWA EDITION himself.

*Joyfully as well as melancholy yours,*
🙏Ramu🙏

Life is IRREVERSIBLE: No OLD NORMAL; Always SETTLE for NEW NORMAL:
🙏Ramu🙏26/12/2021

My wife and I visited one of the Presidency college retired professors cum author’s residence last evening.

Last night, my wife appreciated me saying,

“You always have something to say that put the listeners either into contemplating mode or into provoking mode.”

When I prodded her for more, she had recalled my conversations with the Professor as follows.

The Professor was concerningly told me, …

“The present day youngsters have not been reading good contents and good books and they’re indulging into light readings that too through social media only.”

I told him categorically,

“the way Shakespeareian’s English language has no place in present texts…

and people have been migrating towards….

“y r u? hw r u? and gr8”,

…hereafter the present day generations would never turn into voluminous books.”

I have come across so many classics such as,..

Sapiens, 1984, Animals Farm….
get converted into GRAPHIC NOVELS to lure the present younger generations into READING.”

“Thus, if the authors like you couldn’t think and present your contents in the form of GRAPHICS, they’re bound to be OBSOLETE.”

He argued, “Do you think, the graphic novels would give the same pleasure of reading “Mohamull (மோக முள்)”?

I told him, “this comparison is only for you and I.”

“The present generation has never tasted the “Mohamull’s” original format which you and I had read…

…. and thus they’d never feel, they had missed something.”

Then I concluded and it seemed he too agreed with my line of argument….

“Life is an IRREVERSIBLE process. When the concept of “Joint Family had broken and the new concept of Nuclear Family emerged” few decades ago,….

….all the old generations had helplessly shouted from the roof that Nuclear family concept would break one day….

Of course, they may be right from their view points to certain extent….

…Even few of the present generations might have realized their ancestors were right…

However, the hard facts are, the world and life would never turn to OLD NORMAL but always MOVE to NEW NORMAL.

Even if the Nuclear family concept gets pathetically failed in the near future,….

It’s foolish to expect they’d turn to OLD Joint family concepts…,

….that would never happen…

but to migrate towards New NORMAL such as ….👇👇

“Living together, living single, Gay, ….” and never turn in to old normal.

Irreversibly yours,
🙏Ramu🙏

Nehru Vs Patel: Final conversations – Part 3 – End
🙏Ramu🙏16/12/2021

Nehru wrote to Rajaji, “All my instincts tell me that I have completely exhausted my utility both in the Congress and government.”

“I’m feeling tired out – physically and mentally.”

Statesman Nehru:

After two weeks of contemplation, September 1950, he issued a statement to press deploring the fact that “the communalist forces have openly expressed their joy” at Tandon’s victory.”

“Unlike Pakistan, India was a secular state. We have to treat our minorities in exactly the same way as we treat the majority”.

“Indeed, fair treatment is not enough; we have to make them feel that they are so treated.”

“It’s our responsibility to make the Muslims in India feel secure.”

Patel the Statesman:

Patel knew that the destruction of their party might very well mean the destruction of India.

Patel Told, “Congress members who visited him TO DO WHAT NEHRU SAYS and to pay no attention to any controversy.”

On October 2, while inaugurating a women centre, he had affirmed his loyalty to Nehru.

He described himself as he’s merely one of the non-violent soldiers in Gandhi’s army.

“Now that the Mahatma was gone, Jawaharlal Nehru is OUR LEADER.”

“Bapu appointed him as his successor. It’s the duty of all Bapu’s soldiers to carry out his BEQUEST.”

“I don’t want to be a disloyal soldier of Mahatma.”

Both STATESMEN @ WORK:

A week later, Nehru visited Patel at his home as he’s sick.

Patel said, “I want to talk to you ALONE when I get little strength.”

Patel said to Nehru, “I have a feeling that you are LOSING confidence in me.”

Nehru patted Patel and answered with moistened eyes ,

“I HAVE BEEN LOSING CONFIDENCE IN MYSELF.”

Three weeks later Patel was dead.

My dear Friends,
My eyes too get moistened not only while reading, even now again.

Tearfully yours,
🙏Ramu🙏

Jawaharlal Nehru Vs Vallabhabhai Patel: – Part 2
🙏Ramu🙏15/12/2021

Boxing – Round #1:

In late 1949, both had a major disagreement. In the New Year, India would transform into a full-fledged Republic.

Nehru had assured Rajaji that he would be the President as obviously Rajaji was the governor General.

But, much to his annoyance and embarrassment, Patel got the Congress rank – and – file to put Rajendra Prasad forward who was close to him.
Round #1 – Patel had WON

Boxing – Round#2:

A few months later, Round #2 commenced, the battle for the presidency of Indian National Congress – INC.

For this post, Patel had put forward Tandon, veteran, who was ideologically opposite to Nehru.

Tandon was a personification of ‘anti – Muslim and pro – caste Hindu’.

Tandon addressed a conference of refugees and spoke of revenge against Pakistan.

India believed Nehru needed healing touch, a policy reconciliation between Hindus and Muslims.

Nehru felt, the election of Tandon, as the president would send wrong signals.

In August 1950, Tandon won comfortably.

Round #2: Patel had WON.

After two weeks of contemplation, Nehru had decided to submit RESIGNATION.

—- continued—–

Irritatingly yours,
🙏Ramu🙏

*Jawaharlal Nehru Vs Vallababai Patel:*
🙏Ramu🙏15/12/2021

I keep on Wondering about these two great personalities who have ever lived ….

….after Gandhi and *.. built our nation literally from debris and ashes.*

*_My eyes got moistened automatically when I had read these both gentlemen’s final conversations._*

In the first few years of freedom, the ruling congress party faced threats from more on “with in”.

One Madras veteran journalist put it, *”in the post Gandhian war, the first casualty is decency.”*

However, the most portentous of the clevages was between the two biggest stalwarts, Nehru and Patel.

Despite Ghandhi’s death made them come together again, 1949 and 1950 the differences surfaced again.

*Contrast personalities:*

Nehru was foreign educated, hailed from upper caste Brahmin, loved good wine and food, appreciated fine art and literature and traveled widely abroad.

On the other hand, his deputy Patel was from a farming caste, a descendent of a sepoy mutineer of 1857,  non-smoker, vegetarian, teetotaler, and on the whole a ‘hard task master’ with a little time for play.

*Similarities in personalities:*

Both had a daughter as their house keeper, companion, and chief confidante.

*Both were politicians of a conspicuous integrity and were fierce patriots.*

*Political contrastness:*

Patel was friendly with capitalists, more inclined to support the West in emerging cold War, and *more forgiving of Hindu extremism and harsher on Pakistan.*

Nehru believed in state control economy, and *he was harsher on Hindu extremists.*

*First round of Boxing between the two:*

😜😜 *….continued….*😛😜

*Intriguingly yours,*
🙏Ramu🙏

Proud of India : Indian Constitution Vs Japanese Constitution:
🙏Ramu🙏13/12/2021

We are all aware of the fact that We, India and Japan had been resurrected and toddled together in becoming democracies.

One being set free from century old British colonial rule and the other being resurrected from World War – II.

We both nations had been started together their respective nation building process from the scratch – Constitution drafting.

Japanese Constitution document process had been started in early February 1946 with 24 individuals – all of them were Americans.

This was then presented to the local political leadership, who were translated to “Japanize”, local tongue.

The draft was discussed in Japanese Parliament, but every amendment, it had to be approved beforehand by American authorities.

The striking contrast case was, our Constitution drafting process.

No modern nation ever has rested on a more alien Constitution except India.

#

Japanese Constitution was written in the utmost secrecy.

Ours was drafted and discussed in the full glare of the press.

#

Japanese was finalized at breakneck speed and written by foreigners.

Ours was written wholly by natives and emerged from several years of reflection and debate.

#

In fairness, both constitutions were in essence, liberal humanist credos.

#

One reputed American historian Granvile Austin, who had been observing the both the nations’ constitution drafting process since beginning keenly…

….claimed that…

the framing of the Indian Constitution was ‘perhaps the greatest political venture since that originated in Philadelphia in 1787’.

Last section of his book proclaims, “The outlining of a set of national ideals, and of institutional mechanisms to work towards them was a ‘gigantic step’ and the ‘whole credit goes to Indians’.

Proudly yours,
🙏Ramu🙏

*Dr. Ambedkar’s 3 WARNINGS:*
🙏Ramu🙏12/12/2021

(Excerpts from India after Independence by Ramachandra Guha)

On 25th November 1949, the day before the Assembly wound up its proceedings, Ambedkar made a moving speech summing up his committee’s work and ended his speech with 3 warnings.

*Warning#1:* There’s no place for bloody revolution, and of course, *there’s no room for Gandhian methods such as civil disobedience, non-cooperation, and Sathyagraha either.*

Under an autocratic regime, there might be some justification for them but not now, when constitutional methods were available.

*Warning #2:* It’s concerned the unthinking submission to charismatic authority.

In India, Bhakti or what may be called the path of devotion or hero worship plays a part in its politics unequaled in magnitude.

*Bhakti in religion may be the road to salvation of a soul.*

*But in politics, Bhakti or hero worship is a sure road to degradation and to eventual dictatorship.*

*Warning #3:* He’s to urge Indians not to be content with “mere political democracy”.

India had got rid of alien rule, but it’s still riven by inequality and hierarchy.

*It’s going to enter a life of contradictions. In politics, we will have equality and in social and economic life, we will have inequality.*

*In politics, we will be recognizing the principle of one man, one vote and one vote one value.*

In our social and economic life, we shall continue to deny the principle of one man one value.

*How long shall we continue to live this life of contradictions?*

How long shall we continue to deny equality in our social and economic life?

*If we continue to deny it for long, we will do so only by putting our political democracy in peril.*

(What a wise man he’s!!! and his forecast prevails even today.)

*Greatly (inspired by his wisdom,)yours*
🙏Ramu🙏

*Change your Mental Accounting Grammar to CARVE a Niche for yourself among the world full of MEDIOCRES:*
🙏Ramu 🙏11/12/2021

There’s the First birthday party of my 4 decades old friend’s grandson.

I was invited and I politely denied by attributing to OMICRON.

Over a year, I have refrained myself from various parties, functions, unproductive meetings, etc..

*###################*
*Before saying YES, I used to ask myself mentally, “Shall I be happy and energetic when return from the party or meetings or gatherings…?*
*###################*
*95% of the time, answer is NO.*
*###################*
*Say NO to 90% of gatherings and stay SOLITUDE is an awesome experience and it’s only way to GAIN EDGE among our PEERS.*
*###################*

*My mental accounting grammar has got changed* since the First lockdown in early 2020.

*(1) Now a days, to me 2 hours is equivalent to 1 FULL DAY.*

*(2) Now a days, to me 15% of the salary is equivalent to 26 days × 22 hours.*

If one wants to be healthy for lifelong, then 7 to 8 hours of sound sleep and 1 hour some form of exercises are mandatory.

*(1) Accounting: How 2 hours is equivalent to 1 full day?*

Sleep = 9 hours (including afternoon nap, and preparation for sleep)

Exercise = 1 hour

3 times meal, 2 tea excluding office hours = 1.5 hours.

Ablution + dressing = 1 hour.

Work + commute = 10 hours.

*Total = 22.5 hours or say 22 hours.*

This above 22 hours, is common for all professionals in this entire planet, starting from any Tom, Dick, Hari to Mr. Modi to Mr. Joe Biden, *who so ever has been aspiring to be a thorough professional and honest in delivering his duties to his employer.*

It means, we are left out with just *only 2 hours for our OWN PERSONAL LIFE* for enjoyment….

….and *that same 2 hours is supposed to act a catalyst for us to work for next day, week, year, …*

To remind you, that 2 hours per day is meant for all including medical emergencies, Whatsapp, FB, chat with lovable friends, and of course for our GROWTH too.

*(2) Accounting: how 15% salary is equivalent to 26 days X 22 hours?*

It is highly immaterial how much might be your salary, may be few lakhs or few thousands….

What matters is *what’s your savings and how much is going for wise investments out of your salary?*

After 30% tax deductions, after mandatory expenses to survive, to showcase, to socialize, and finally whatever is left is going to play for our future life.

So, *if one can save only 15% of gross, then to save and invest the same wisely for gaining time in the future…,*

*… one has to TOIL @ OFFICE for 26 days x 22 hours, irrespective of Tom, Dick, to any professionals in this entire universe.*

So before writing a cheque or swiping a card, one has to REMIND himself, ….

.*…it’s not X amount, but it’s actually X/15% = 7X*

It means, *one biriyani is not costing you just ₹400 but it’s 7 times 400 = ₹2800.*

If one can realize 2 hours is equal to 1 day and 1 biriyani is costing ₹2800 his money and then

*###################*
*his time shall convert…*

*..FROM SPENDING TO INVESTING WISELY.**

*Gaining as much individual time as for ourselves is the key to gain edge over the world full of mediocrity.*

*savingly yours,*
🙏Ramu🙏