Five Reasons why Idealism is still relevant in this world?

Over the last 18 months, I have been reading a lot of books, mostly about business, self help and autobiographies. Autobiographies and life stories of people have left the deepest impact on me and changed my thoughts a lot. The books which have had the most impact on me are “Go Kiss the World” by Subroto Bagchi, “The Story of My Experiments with Truth” by Mahatama Gandhi, “Losing your Virginity” by Richard Branson, “Principle Centered Leadership” by Stephen Covey, “It’s not about the bike” by Lance Armstrong, “A Better India, A Better World” by NR Narayana Murthy and “Banker to the Poor” by Mohammad Yunus (am still reading the last two). Over the last six months or so, I have also met a lot of people in Bangalore and elsewhere who are living amazing and ideal lives. I have never had this inspiration from anyone in my entire life (apart from my parents).

All this exposure has changed my thoughts and way of approaching things a lot. Recently when I was in Delhi and meeting a few friends, one of them remarked “You are talking too much idealism, in reality these things does not happen”. Back in Bangalore, I met another friend and the conversation again came to my “idealist thinking” and ignoring the real world. The “Idealism vs Reality” question often pops in many of our daily conversations. It could be about not giving a bribe to a corrupt official. Or it could be challenging the age old customs of dowry, or other stuff women are supposed to do for the happiness of men in his family. Why not embrace the “Equality of Man and Woman” totally rather than talking about it in conferences and then forgetting about it. Recently there was an article in Tehelka, “The Danger of Being Good” which I liked a lot and would recommend everybody to read it.

Idealism makes superheroes tick

Idealism makes superheroes tick

I want to give some reasons as to why idealism thinking still matters to us, and I mean all of us, not just those who talk about it. I want to give some reasons why we need idealist thinkers in our society despite of all the poverty, corruption, negativity floating around everywhere. I want to give some reasons why we are still idealists deep inside our hearts, irrespective of whether we speak about it or not. Here are 5 reasons why I believe we are still idealists in some way or other.

Idealism-

  1. Gives us Hope – Hope is why we fall in love. Hope is why best friends exist. Hope is what makes us try one more time after we fail in the first attempt. Hope is what makes people invest money in stock markets even after losing money previously. Hope is what makes people look forward to the next day, next week, next year. The Hope for Love. For Friendship. For Success. For Profit. The Hope for a Better Tomorrow.
  2. Is why we like happy endings in movies. Our eyes still lit up and lips smile when a movie reaches its happy ending. This shows us that there is still the yearning of idealism inside us. It makes us want the happy endings in our lives. Idealism is what makes us study at night, work harder for the next job, or surprise someone special by a sudden gift or party.
  3. Is why we care about our loved ones. We might not care about the whole world out there, but we care for our family. Idealism makes a girl present her younger sister with a teddy bear! Idealism is why we come together on festivals and weddings. Idealism makes a sister tie a rakhi on his brother’s wrist on Raksha Bandhan. Idealism is why parents make sacrifices for their children. We want to make our loved ones happy. Why? Because that makes us happy..
  4. Is why we like heroes. Be it the comic book heroes like Superman, Spiderman, Batman, or real world heroes like Kiran Bedi, Dhirubhai Ambani, we read and watch their stories because of idealism. Somewhere deep down, we want to be like them. Or we aspire to have the values they represent. Idealism is why we tell stories about people like Ratan Tata, Narayana Murthy and Kiran Bedi to our kids. Idealism is why we feel a rush of adrenalin when we read their stories of struggle and achievement. We want to live in a world that they represent.
  5. Is why we crib about corruption, it is why we like it when the Supreme Court proclaims a minister or bureaucrat guilty. Because we want to live in a just society. Idealism is why our heart melts when we see the face of a poor hungry young kid by the roadside. Because we want to live in a world without poverty. Idealism is why we trust people. Idealism is why it hurts when somebody betrays our trust. Idealism is why we pray to God. Idealism is why we dream!!

We might have forgotten it. We might not say it. We might not hear it much. But deep down, we all are Idealists. We all live for an ideal friend, an ideal partner, an ideal job, and an ideal society. Because deep down, we are all Humans. And human beings laugh, cry, love and fight because the hope in their hearts is the pillar that holds up the world. The world will be a sad place without idealism.

Update – See some amazing pics for proof of idealism in this article

My weekly tweets archive for the week ending 2011-03-14

  • The drowning man is not troubled by rain. -Persian Proverb #
  • I will say again, India are wasting two players, Kohli and Raina by playing three openers. #
  • Dandi March II – Bengaluru, India route details updated. We are marching 11km covering important landmarks during… http://fb.me/CxmpRf2d #
  • Women who strive to be equal to men lack ambition. -Anonymous #
  • Bharat desh me rahne ka matlab http://fb.me/x5lnrGC4 #
  • "Without danger you cannot get beyond danger." – George Herbert #
  • Judge nothing, you will be happy. Forgive everything, you will be happier. Love everything, you will be happiest. -Sri Chinmoy #
  • dada in commentary box, atleast one reason to watch this match #
  • Watched this movie yesterday… Loved it!! Highly recommended http://fb.me/V6PcQyKp #
  • "A hundred men may make an encampment, but it takes a woman to make a home." – Chinese Proverb
    Happy women's day… http://fb.me/T7BQHpu7 #
  • And a new look http://www.sumit4all.com is live, comments / suggestions / feedback invited 😉 http://fb.me/J0vM3G1J #
  • Only a few hours more… 😉 #
  • Visit http://www.dandimarch2.org to know about the Dandi March II happening across the globe. Contact me for the… http://fb.me/UA19j4p1 #

What is Jan Lokpal Bill?

Update on 18 Oct – I have tried to answer some commonly asked questions about this movement, and also written about what all it will take to become an Anna Hazare..

I thought it right to write a post describing what Jan Lokpal Bill is and why is it needed. To give a brief history, Lokpal Bill was first introduced in parliament in 1968. It has been brought in parliament on eight times on later occasions, but has never been passed by the parliament. It is a bill that is supposed to give powers to citizens to sue the people responsible for corruption. A similar kind of independent agency disappeared corruption from Hong Kong a few decades ago.

The government is again thinking of introducing a Lokpal Bill in parliament this year, and the National Advisory Council (NAC) chaired by Sonia Gandhi is considering it. But as it stands today, the bill is riddled with loopholes, defeating its very purpose. Social activists have remarked it to be a toothless bill and not at all acceptable. An alternative bill, the Jan Lokpal Bill has been drafted by Justice Santosh Hegde (Lokayukta of Karnataka), Prashant Bhushan and Arvind Kejriwal after series of consultations with public and social activists. This bill is supported by Kiran Bedi, Shanti Bhushan, Anna Hazare, etc.

The Dandi March 2 event and the subsequent ‘fast unto death’ by Anna Hazare from April 5 and Aug 16 were in support of this ‘Jan Lokpal Bill’. The activists have already sent the bill to the PM and all CMs but there has been no response. After the ‘fast unto death’ was announced by Anna Hazare, he was invited for talks by the PM, but the response was bad as the PM said the government has no time for corruption till May 13. This after the numerous corruption scams like the Commonwealth Games, Adarsh Society, 2G scam being uncovered in the past months.

The Zero Rupee Note - Stop Corruption

The Zero Rupee Note - Stop Corruption

The present system to fight corruption in India can be described in some points as below –

  1. The Anti Corruption Branch and CBI comes under the government. Despite having evidence, it is very difficult to convict people as they have to take permission from the same bosses, against whom the case has to be investigated.
  2. No corrupt officer is dismissed from the job because Central Vigilance Commission, which is supposed to dismiss corrupt officers, is only an advisory body. Whenever it advises government to dismiss any senior corrupt officer, its advice is never implemented.
  3. No action is taken against corrupt judges because permission is required from the Chief Justice of India to even register an FIR against corrupt judges
  4. The functioning of CBI and vigilance departments is secret and hence it promotes corruption.
  5. Weak and corrupt people are appointed as heads of these institutions by the government.
  6. Citizens face harassment in government offices. Sometimes they are forced to pay bribes. One can only complaint to senior officers. No action is taken on complaints because senior officers also get their cut.
  7. Nothing in law to recover ill gotten wealth. A corrupt person can come out of jail and enjoy that money.
  8. Small punishment for corruption- Punishment for corruption is minimum 6 months and maximum 7 years.

As you can see, in the present system, there is no deterrent for any public official to engage in an act of corruption. Some of the salient features of the Jan Lokpal Bill are –

  1. An institution called LOKPAL in the centre and LOKAYUKTA in each state will be set up. These institutions will completely independent of the governments, just like the Supreme Court and the Election Commission. No minister can influence their investigations.
  2. Investigation in any case will have to be completed in one year. Trial should be completed in next one year so that the corrupt officer, or politician goes to jail in two years max.
  3. The loss that a corrupt person caused to the government will be recovered at the time of conviction.
  4. If any work of any citizen is not done in prescribed time in any government office, Lokpal will impose financial penalty on guilty officers, which will be given as compensation to the complainant. So, you could approach Lokpal if your ration card or passport or voter card is not being made or if police is not registering your case or any other work is not being done in prescribed time. Lokpal will have to get it done in a month’s time.
  5. Election of Lokpal officials – What if government appoint corrupt and weak people as Lokpal members? That won’t be possible because its members will be selected by judges, citizens and constitutional authorities and not by politicians, through a completely transparent and participatory process.
  6. What if some officer in Lokpal becomes corrupt? The entire functioning of Lokpal/ Lokayukta will be completely transparent. Any complaint against any officer of Lokpal shall be investigated and the officer dismissed within two months.
  7. What will happen to existing anti-corruption agencies? CVC, departmental vigilance and anti-corruption branch of CBI will be merged into Lokpal. Lokpal will have complete powers and machinery to independently investigate and prosecute any officer, judge or politician.
  8. The punishment would be minimum 5 years and maximum of life imprisonment.

Please read my two poems “Fast with Anna” and “Messenger of Hope” and join in this fight against corruption. We must remember Anna and others on fast are fighting for US and OUR India

What is Dandi March 2?

Dandi March II

Dandi March II

For all those who can recall their history lessons in school, Dandi March was a 24 day, 240 mile (390 km) march to produce salt without paying the tax. It is also known as Salt Satyagraha, led by Gandhi from his Sabarmati Ashram to the sea coast near Dandi. Dandi March was a very important part of the Indian Independence Movement. It was a non-violent protest against the British monopoly of salt in India, and it triggered the Civil Disobedience Movement later. It was done from 12 March to April 6, 1930.

Now, 81 years have passed as I write this today on 11 March 2011. We have been independent for over 63 years now, and economically independent for 20 years (since the 1991 economic reforms). But we are still not free socially. We are still not the India that Gandhiji dreamt of. An India without poverty and hunger, an India where everybody has equal opportunity to lead the kind of lives they want. We are still not free from corruption, which is one of the most menacing problems India faces in the 21st century. The Adarsh Society scam, Commonwealth Games scam and the 2G scam have rocked the nation in the recent months, causing the loss of over 60 billion dollars.

Dandi March 2 is a march organized by a group of NRIs living in the United States of America inspired by the original march by Gandhiji. It is a 240 mile walk in the US against corruption in India from 12 March to 26 March 2011. Starting at Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park, San Diego, California March 12, “Dandi March II” goes through Los Angeles and ends March 26 at Gandhi Statue, San Francisco. The dates coincide with the dates Gandhi did his historic march in 1930. Every major city in US, 10 cities in India and 8 other countries are organizing support events on 26 March to extend their support for the full 240 mile walk in US. The agenda is to push the government to enact Jan Lokpal Bill which is drafted to free India from the clutches of corruption by social activists like Kiran Bedi, Anna Hazare, Arvind Kejriwal, etc.

The 240 mile Dandi March was done in 1930

The 240 mile Dandi March was done in 1930

The support events on 26 March are being organized in cities like Bangalore, Coimbatore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kakinada, Kolkata, Nagpur, Mumbai, Varanasi and Ahmedabad. In the US, Indians are walking in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, New Jersey, Washington DC and Seattle, apart from the main march from San Diego to San Francisco. Internationally, support marches are happening in London, Singapore, Finland, Germany, etc. More information about the event can be found at http://www.dandimarch2.org. The route details for the full march can be found here and all the event details for different cities can be found here.

The facebook page for the march is http://www.facebook.com/DandiMarch2?sk=info where you can find all the important information about the march. The Bangalore support march on 26 March can be seen at http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=194657080556635 Accept the event invite to do your bit for a corruption free India. We are walking around 15 kms in Bangalore, join us for 1km, 2km, 5km or whatever is comfortable to you.

Dandi March 2 has already gathered the attention of media and some media coverage links are below –
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/142306/now-dandi-march-us-against.html
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/et-cetera/now-dandi-march-in-us-against-corruption-in-india/articleshow/7609505.cms
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/international/dandi-march-us-against-corruption-india-023

4 Lessons from the movie “Groundhog Day”

There are movies which are good, then there are movies which are wonderful, and there are a few movies which touch and move your soul. You can watch these movies any number of times and find something new each time. These are movies which aren’t just movies, they have deep lessons buried in them, only for the viewer to find out. Some of such movies (on my list) are Groundhog Day, Pursuit of Happyness, Rocky, Peaceful Warrior, etc. Today, let me share with you four lessons I got from watching Groundhog Day. But first, lets recap what happens in the movie.

In the movie, the main character, Phil Connors is trapped in a recurring day — a freezing February day in Punxsutawney. The town never changes; the events and the people never change. Only Phil can change. It is impossible for Phil to have any control over the external world. Every morning he wakes up and it’s the same day again. He is compelled to find how best to survive and prosper, and decide if this is a curse or maybe a blessing. Now for the lessons –

Living in the Moment
This movie, more than anything else, shows us how to live ‘every‘ moment of our lives. Living every moment means not worried by what happened in the past neither by what is going to happen in the future. Living in the moment means giving yourself totally to ‘this‘ moment, the ‘only‘ moment you actually have, whether you are doing your job, playing with your kid, or washing dishes. And this movie shows that the same moment keeps repeating unless he totally surrenders to it. In a way, that is true in everybody’s life. Same experiences, of repeating moments kind of get stuck with us unless we surrender to them and “get it“. Totally living every moment of our lives is the ultimate act which will lead us to beyond anything we have ever imagined.

Groundhog Day

Groundhog Day

Unconditional love and compassion for ourself and others
When Phil ‘got it‘ and started to live his never-ending day as the best he can, he starts giving his unconditional love and compassion to himself and to others around him. He didn’t bother to see people as friends or strangers, good or bad, and so on. What he realizes that while whatever he ‘actually’ wanted and have been striving for all these years have never given him the kind of happiness living one day out of compassion and love has given him. Similarly, in life, we too often tie our efforts with results. We say “I will put in more effort if you pay me more”, “I will help you if you help me” or “I don’t trust you because you don’t deserve it”. All our actions are driven by some past results or future expectations. When we learn to give our love unconditionally to others “now“, without waiting for the right moment, we will realize, like Phil did, that the life we were waiting for all this time will actually come and knock at our doors.

You have to change your view about the world, not the world itself
What has been shown so beautifully in this movie is that every day, the world is exactly the same. The only difference that is there is because of Phil’s own actions, because his own actions are the only thing he has control over. If we pause to look at our lives, every day is not ‘literally’ the same, but it is almost the same day after day. The only thing that can change is our views about the world, how we look at it and how we act. Groundhog Day shows how we can all change the world outside into a wonderful one, by just changing our thoughts and attitudes. Inner change is the key to happiness and personal growth and this movie is the best example of this.

We all live like Phil’s first Groundhog Day
In the movie, when Phil lived through his first Groundhog Day, he was just waiting for the day to get over. He was tired, indifferent, angry, and bored at different times. If we look at our lives, that is how we live. We wait for something to happen, a new job, or an important milestone or goal in work, thinking at after that life will be happy and fulfilling. But in doing so, we miss the current moment. Any happiness we tie to some goal or moment will give us some satisfaction for a few days at best, then we come again to the same phase, busy for the next goal. Going from destination to destination but missing the journey in the process.