Over the last few days, there has been so much of attention given to Satyam, Ramalinga Raju, his admission, his arrest etc.  The entire corporate world is speaking their heart out against Satyam and its founder.

One aspect that received less attention is the Corporate Political nexus.

This is very evident in the Satyam saga.  Although the politicians ,the Naidus and the Reddys of the world,  are trying their best to stay away from the Rajus, it is a well known fact that Satyam’s progress and the awarding of the various contracts in Andhra Pradesh and the other parts of the country could not have been  possible without  ”Under The Table” dealings.

A controversy not so long ago in rewarding the Hyderabad Metro project was brought to everyone’s notice and Mr.E Sreedharan had quite famously said about the rewarding of the contract as

“Making available 296 acres of land to BOT to Maytas consortium was like selling the family silver”

It is a known fact that without the politicians, the corporate honchos are helpless in getting contracts after contracts. And without the contributions from the corporate, large scale spending on elections and self progress can never be achieved. 

While it may be extremely difficult to prove, given the fact that everyone connected to the Satyam scam would have washed off their hands and destroyed all or any of the remaining evidence so, the existence of relationship between big businesses and the politicians can not be denied. This nexus has only seen the common man suffer.

So who are these sufferers?

The worst sufferers are definitely the employees and the shareholders of the company. 

Spare a moment also for the hundreds (if not thousands) of future entrepreneurs who would not even dare to start a venture in India, knowing very well what they will have to compromise on their ethics and morality to be rewarded contracts.

How often do you see the likes of a Narayana Murthy or an Azim Premji emerge victorious without actually paying heed to the politician’s demands.  And if you dare to be different from the rest, you are often harassed mentally and in some cases physically until you succumb to the political pressures.

Given such environment to do business, it will be indeed surprising that how many small businesses and entrepreneurs will be able to make it big in India.

A dream will remain a dream if the lawmakers in India do not make exclusive provisions to severely punish those politicians and the corporate who indulge in unfair practices. There has to be a fear for the law of the land.

Last decade saw India leaping after the economy liberalized.  Now that some of the moles are out, the government should take extreme measures to ensure that the future years will be profoundly remembered as an age of trust, honesty and transparency where a rejuvenated India will emerge and a common man can dream…and dream big!

Popularity: 17%

I will see the world the way I am…

Of course, what else did you expect? There is harmony in diversity, the Yin and Yang, the Good and the Bad. Hold on!  What happened to the Ugly, huh?

Ah ! If only people would listen – listen to understand, the world would be so much a quieter place. So much energy being wasted, if only we could harvest it

Have you ever wondered what colour means to a blind man ? 

Stop! Take a deep breath, close your eyes and make your way around your house with your eyes closed. Don’t you suddenly listen more? Doesn’t it change things for a minute? Now imagine colour.

How many times have I reminded myself that I will not do onto my kids what I didn’t like as a kid- and how many times have I failed, said that I will keep a personal commitment and forgotten all about it. Promised to feed a hungry dog and did not even bother to drop that Rs.10 bill into the blue cross donations box. This is not about guilt it is all about feeling good. Feeling good about things that I want to and subconsciously, that’s why I did that. In either case I need to listen – listen to myself!

And back again. Honestly is this what my kids want from me? Why did I make a commitment if I couldn’t keep it? Does that dog really want food or does it also want to be loved? That unfortunately is the second part. Am I listening to what I really should be?

Life is full of choices. Every decision we make, the one thing missing is perhaps an undo button. And thankfully so.

We make these decisions because we believe so strongly in what we see and/or feel. When was the last time we took decisions that were not on the basis of the way we saw the world? Really it is not so hard. Every good salesman can sell his “sight” to you – in person, in the news, in the papers, in the books – everywhere. In this sight lie our beliefs, our feelings and our decisions.

If we can listen to strangers and see what they see, why is it that we cant do this more often with a lot less resistance? More so with people we already trust?  

The world is a big place. Pretty big! Devote that extra second and reap a minute. Slow down. Do not underestimate the power of good positive thought. Respect that thought from someone. He/she may not be the most intelligent but may just want to be heard.

I’ve been trying to slow down, listen more. It is not easy, not one bit. Honestly, I haven’t achieved much in the last year but as a person I have improved a tiny bit. But alas! this is just the start. I’m still bad – but I sure am not ugly

Maybe someday, I will see the world the way it is. Not the way I am.

Popularity: 7%