Monday, January 26, 2009

Different matters

The ‘mumbling’ Sikh

In a comment on my post Mumbai disaster: a need for centralized and coordinated crisis management, ‘Anonymous’ (what else!) refers to Dr. Manmohan Singh as the ‘mumbling Sikh’. What ‘Anonymous’ apparently does not realize is that when this dignified man ‘mumbles’ the world leaders listen. That is the kind of stature the gentleman has.

It is indeed good news that Dr. Manmohan Singh’s bypass surgery was successful. The nation prays for his quick recovery.

Strange bedfellows

According to media reports posters are appearing on the walls in Kottayam, Kerala, exhorting the CBI to stop victimizing the three accused in the Abhaya case and Pinarai Vijayan, the Kerala State General Secretary of the CPI(M)! The latter has been implicated in the Lavelin corruption case.

‘Pakal Manya Samithi’ (Daytime-gentlemen group) claims the responsibility for the notices. Obviously it is a dig at the left leader, reportedly by rival group within his party.

In the meanwhile the State Home Minister has stated that the case would be fought politically.

Moral policing

Shocking news is that five young women who were quietly having lunch at a pub in Mangalore, Karnataka, were badly beaten up by a self appointed group of moral police. Two of the injured girls are in hospital.

Their crime? They were allegedly offending Indian culture! From the TV footage showing the girls being attacked and rolling on the pavement to escape the assult, they appeared to be decently dressed. The attire was jeans and T-shirt. No skirts to roll up the legs. There is no known law in the country barring ladies from having food (or drinks for that matter) in a licensed pub.

It is reported that the Karnataka police have arrested 10 people in connection with the incident. I hope the culprits are given some lessons in morals and Indian culture.

For senior citizens, those nearing retirement, and their close relatives

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Republic Day

India is a great country. Let us resolve to keep her that way.

Happy Republic Day.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

CV of the mumbling Sikh !

EDUCATION /Qualification:
1950: Stood first in BA (Hons), Economics, Panjab University, Chandigarh - 1952; Stood first in MA (Economics), Panjab University , Chandigarh, 1954; Wright's Prize for distinguished performance at St John's College,Cambridge, 1955 and 1957; Wrenbury scholar, University of Cambridge , 1957; DPhil (Oxford), DLitt (Honoris Causa); PhD thesis on India's export competitiveness

Working Experience [Teaching]
Professor (Senior lecturer, Economics, 1957-59; Reader, Economics, 1959-63; Professor, Economics, Panjab University, Chandigarh, 1963-65; Professor, International Trade, Delhi School of Economics,University of Delhi , 1969-71; Honorary professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University,New Delhi, 1976 and Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi,1996and Civil Servant

Working Experience [INTERNATIONAL ASSIGNMENTS] : 1966: Economic Affairs Officer 1966-69: Chief, financing for trade section, UNCTAD 1972-74: Deputy for India in IMF Committee of Twenty on International Monetary Reform
1977-79: Indian delegation to Aid-India Consortium Meetings
1980-82: Indo-Soviet joint planning group meeting
1982: Indo-Soviet monitoring group meeting 1993: Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting Cyprus 1993: Human Rights World Conference, Vienna

Working Experience [Government Positions]: 1971-72: Economic advisor, ministry of foreign trade
1972-76: Chief economic advisor, ministry of finance 1976-80: - Director, Reserve Bank of India; Director, Industrial Development Bank of India; - Alternate governor for India , Board of governors , ADB; - Alternate governor for India, Board of governors, IBRD - November 1976 - April 1980: Secretary, ministry of finance (Department of economic affairs); - Member, finance, Atomic Energy Commission ; Member,finance, Space Commission
April 1980 - September 15, 1982: Member-secretary, Planning Commission 1980-83: Chairman, India Committee of the Indo-Japan joint study committee September 16, 1982 - January 14 , 1985: Governor, RBI. 1982-85: Alternate Governor for India, Board of governors, IMF 1983-84: Member, economic advisory council to the Prime Minister 1985: President, Indian Economic Association
January 15 , 1985 - July 31, 1987: Dy Chairman, Planning Commission
August 1, 1987 - November 10, 1990:Secretary-general and commissioner, south commission, Geneva December 10 , 1990 - March 14, 1991: Advisor to the Prime Minister on economic affairs
March 15, 1991 - June 20, 1991: Chairman, UGC June 21, 1991 - May 15, 1996: Union finance minister
October 1991: Elected to Rajya Sabha from Assam on Congress ticket June 1995: Re-elected to Rajya Sabha 1996 onwards: Member, Consultative Committee for the ministry of finance August 1, 1996 - December 4 , 1997: Chairman, Parliamentary standing committee on commerce March 21, 1998 onwards: Leader of the Opposition, Rajya Sabha June 5, 1998 onwards: Member, committee on finance
August 13, 1998 onwards: Member, committee on rules Aug 1998-2001: Member, committee of privileges 2000 onwards: Member, executive committee, Indian parliamentary group June 2001: Re-elected to Rajya Sabha Aug 2001 onwards: Member, general purposes committee
2004: Prime Minister of India

BOOKS:
India's Export Trends and Prospects for Self-Sustained Growth -Clarendon Press, Oxford University , 1964; also published a large number of articles in various economic journals .

ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
Adam Smith Prize , University of Cambridge, 1956 - Padma Vibhushan , 1987 - Euro money Award, Finance Minister of the Year, 1993; Asia money Award, Finance Minister of the Year for Asia , 1993 and 1994

We are proud of you sir...!

Anonymous said...

In Triumph and in Tragedy,
One Nation indivisible under God,
We pledge allegiance to the Flag of our Motherland,
and to the Republic, for which it stands,
with Liberty and Justice for all,
United we Stand.

Vande Mataram!

RAJI MUTHUKRISHNAN said...

Bravo! Yes indeed.

Ashvin said...

Nothing for or against the mumbling Sikh, but I know that quite a few if not all of his former colleagues in the RBI who were seconded to NABARD do not share such wonderful opinions about him, his integrity and commitment to his words.... and they have their reasons not to.... don't want to go into detail here.