Nowadays I'm more at Twitter than Blogger. There are more half-written drafts than posts. Is is just a phase or a phenomenon?
Sunday, November 11, 2007
at
3:14 PM
Friday, September 28, 2007
at
4:55 PM
Indian Economy: Where is the reform ladder?
It is not a question of doubt now. Everyone wants a stronger India. Stronger India means, the India, where the standard of living is higher than ever; where the industries perform more than what was forecast; where the money markets get stronger and stronger every day; where financial stability brings prosperity. So, exactly, how is Coalition Politics an answer to the grand success of our nation?
Just the last couple of years have seen an enormous growth in Indian economy. I can recall, Sensex, the benchmark index of the Bombay Stock Exchange, rallying at a level less than 7000 points. And now, the sensex rallies just above 17000 points, the last 1000-point improvement happening in just 5 days. Yes, indeed there are some pitfalls in the sensex and how it relates to the growth of Indian economy. Sensex is just a small sample of the total volume and diversity of stocks traded at the Bombay Stock Exchange. It is too small a sample with only 30 stocks in the index. Even though, the index is diverse and dynamic as SEBI removes the non performing stocks and adds the most performing stocks, it is still too small a sample to gauge the mood of the economy. It is high time, the index gets expanded to 100 or at least 50 in the medium term. Very simply, the Indian economy has grown to a enormous extent in the last few years, that the rudimentary 30-bourse Sensex seems as though it is very outdated.
There are other changes that has to be done. Economic growth has to be sustained while the inflation is controlled. Calculated lending has to be supported. The Rupee has to be made free.
Just the last couple of years have seen an enormous growth in Indian economy. I can recall, Sensex, the benchmark index of the Bombay Stock Exchange, rallying at a level less than 7000 points. And now, the sensex rallies just above 17000 points, the last 1000-point improvement happening in just 5 days. Yes, indeed there are some pitfalls in the sensex and how it relates to the growth of Indian economy. Sensex is just a small sample of the total volume and diversity of stocks traded at the Bombay Stock Exchange. It is too small a sample with only 30 stocks in the index. Even though, the index is diverse and dynamic as SEBI removes the non performing stocks and adds the most performing stocks, it is still too small a sample to gauge the mood of the economy. It is high time, the index gets expanded to 100 or at least 50 in the medium term. Very simply, the Indian economy has grown to a enormous extent in the last few years, that the rudimentary 30-bourse Sensex seems as though it is very outdated.
There are other changes that has to be done. Economic growth has to be sustained while the inflation is controlled. Calculated lending has to be supported. The Rupee has to be made free.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
at
12:37 PM
Howard's Election Year Debacle
Say the word "Terrorism" and the world goes haywire. We know things went wrong for Bush, yet, sadly, Howard could have learnt some lessons from that. He didn't. And things went haywire so badly, to the extent that it may even be one of those defining moments that would bring an end to Howard's stint as Australia's Prime Minister.
Living at Gold Coast, Australia's Tourism Capital, gives an aura of fun and nothing else. I've heard people say, they didn't like Gold Coast as much as they liked Brisbane, Sydney or Melbourne. But it is the vibrant environment, propelled by the tourism industry, that helps us get along with our daily lives in a relaxing way. In a city where its seasons are defined by the tourists, no-one would have believed that this city could serve 'bed n breakfast' to terrorists planning to topple the peace in the world.
On July 2, a doctor of Indian origin, working and residing just a couple of kms away from my place was arrested on his way home to meet his new born baby. It came as a shock to me and my friends, one because, it happened in a place which I've been calling home for the past two and half years, and two, because, he was of Indian origin. We wondered, what it would do to the image of the Indians in this multi-cultural community and what it would do to the prospects of our immigration into Australia.
Contrary to the predominant belief that Australians are rude and racist, one would be surprised to find that this city accepts, a person of any origin as its own, be it Indian, pan-American, Middle-Eastern, Chinese, other-Asian, or Japanese. We live as a multi-cultural community; we work as a multi-cultural community to serve the multi-cultural tourist community. We see people come and go, and so are their cultures. Having lived here for nearly two-and-half years, I can gauge the pulse of this city over different inflow of tourists. In summer, the beaches glisten with sand, sweat, surf and skin. It is indeed a gorgeous summer. The sounds of the revving V8 Supercars reverberate our walls in October. It is the racing Autumn. Winter on the other hand sees a swarm of black with tourists from the middle-east. The season drapes the city with a pleasant aroma of middle-eastern perfumes, sweet accents of English and Arabic, and furls of curly Arabic signposts. We read from right to left for a few months. Tourists come and go, their cultures come and go, and I've seen this city adapt to each and every one of those cultures. I've also seen this city learn newer fashions from every culture as seasons pass by.
And even the peaceful community can go through stages of emotions inflamed by brutal acts brought upon by the unwanted. In the last few weeks, I've seen people wonder and discuss the happenings aloud and in whispers. The good and the ugly, both sides of views. Such things create an uneasy qualm within you and amongst everyone. Wary eyes boring into you, and you just walk past hoping this would get over soon. It did got over soon. What has been flamed by the government, in haste, in the end seemed as though it was done very immaturely. Even as the courts granted bail on the accused, the immigration minister, revoked the visa, citing failure to pass character test.
Then on one fine day, the blow came for AFP (Australian Federal Police). The crucial evidence wasn't how it was shown to be after all, which led to the case being dropped dramatically at the courts. Less than four weeks, and John Howard's idea of trial by media backfired and blew up on his face. This may just spell an end to his stint as PM. And people like me lay our fears to rest, slowly, in the days to come. It would only be apt for him to give an apology not only to the person whom the government wrongly accused in the month of July 2007, but also to the community, whose feelings he had hurt by doing so.
Read more: The prisoner may go free, Sydney Morning Herald, 28 July 2007.
Living at Gold Coast, Australia's Tourism Capital, gives an aura of fun and nothing else. I've heard people say, they didn't like Gold Coast as much as they liked Brisbane, Sydney or Melbourne. But it is the vibrant environment, propelled by the tourism industry, that helps us get along with our daily lives in a relaxing way. In a city where its seasons are defined by the tourists, no-one would have believed that this city could serve 'bed n breakfast' to terrorists planning to topple the peace in the world.
On July 2, a doctor of Indian origin, working and residing just a couple of kms away from my place was arrested on his way home to meet his new born baby. It came as a shock to me and my friends, one because, it happened in a place which I've been calling home for the past two and half years, and two, because, he was of Indian origin. We wondered, what it would do to the image of the Indians in this multi-cultural community and what it would do to the prospects of our immigration into Australia.
Contrary to the predominant belief that Australians are rude and racist, one would be surprised to find that this city accepts, a person of any origin as its own, be it Indian, pan-American, Middle-Eastern, Chinese, other-Asian, or Japanese. We live as a multi-cultural community; we work as a multi-cultural community to serve the multi-cultural tourist community. We see people come and go, and so are their cultures. Having lived here for nearly two-and-half years, I can gauge the pulse of this city over different inflow of tourists. In summer, the beaches glisten with sand, sweat, surf and skin. It is indeed a gorgeous summer. The sounds of the revving V8 Supercars reverberate our walls in October. It is the racing Autumn. Winter on the other hand sees a swarm of black with tourists from the middle-east. The season drapes the city with a pleasant aroma of middle-eastern perfumes, sweet accents of English and Arabic, and furls of curly Arabic signposts. We read from right to left for a few months. Tourists come and go, their cultures come and go, and I've seen this city adapt to each and every one of those cultures. I've also seen this city learn newer fashions from every culture as seasons pass by.
And even the peaceful community can go through stages of emotions inflamed by brutal acts brought upon by the unwanted. In the last few weeks, I've seen people wonder and discuss the happenings aloud and in whispers. The good and the ugly, both sides of views. Such things create an uneasy qualm within you and amongst everyone. Wary eyes boring into you, and you just walk past hoping this would get over soon. It did got over soon. What has been flamed by the government, in haste, in the end seemed as though it was done very immaturely. Even as the courts granted bail on the accused, the immigration minister, revoked the visa, citing failure to pass character test.
Then on one fine day, the blow came for AFP (Australian Federal Police). The crucial evidence wasn't how it was shown to be after all, which led to the case being dropped dramatically at the courts. Less than four weeks, and John Howard's idea of trial by media backfired and blew up on his face. This may just spell an end to his stint as PM. And people like me lay our fears to rest, slowly, in the days to come. It would only be apt for him to give an apology not only to the person whom the government wrongly accused in the month of July 2007, but also to the community, whose feelings he had hurt by doing so.
Read more: The prisoner may go free, Sydney Morning Herald, 28 July 2007.
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