CEAT: Launch Strategy in USA

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Find below the link CEAT's Launch Strategy in US- OTR market



http://www.slideshare.net/snehalmadne/tri-us

My Vote

So this is the first Lok Sabha elections I am eligible to vote and luckily will be voting too.

All these years I have been debating in school/college on how people themselves are responsible to have chosen wrong government, how they don’t utilize power to vote etc. And now it was my time to vote! As such I am not a very political person but when it comes to voting we must take a stand after rational evaluation of all parties. We are all caught in a vicious circle. Because we don’t vote responsibly, we have a bad government and because we have a bad government, we don’t vote so responsibly. I am a strong believer of democracy and know the power of my vote. It would really be prudent of us to contemplate before voting than accusing anyone later. Just as many others I see two options for voting, congress obviously was out of question. It is needless to justify I am sure ;) So now conundrum was only between Modi & Kejriwal. Till the very last moment I was a fence sitting voter :D 

Frankly speaking when someone says ‘Modi’ what comes mind is his enormous fan following on social networking sites, the Gujrat Development model; whereas when one says AAP then the concept of clean politics lures the mind. Believe me, most voters, on the basis of overheard information, news channels, social networking trolls, form some opinion and go ahead and vote. This attitude is very irresponsible. It’s like marrying a guy seeing number of likes on his facebook DP. Would you ever do this in ur own life? Sane people definitely won’t. Then why don’t we go ahead, come out of social networking sites and pay visit to ECI official websites, see affidavits of all candidates, read their background, income, history records? Or study what actually Gujrat model is? Whether Kejriwal really has pragmatic solutions to the grave issues country is facing today? Or at least scrutinize the manifestos of all parties? I see many people on social networking sites who are constantly endorsing one particular party and I wonder if they really see other side of it! There are some who are strong supporters of AAP and I am doubtful if they have been good observant of Modi’s strong leadership in Gujrat and there are also ones who are strong supporters of Modi and I wonder if they don’t want clean politics! This was a difficult choice to be made.

In the field of public service I feel literacy is not the same thing as Education. In fact, literacy can be a very narrow way of judging a man when it comes to leadership. Its possible for a functional illiterate to be highly educated (Dhirubhai Ambani) and for highly literate people to be totally uneducated (much of the current congress trash). Having observed the public personas and histories of Narendra Modi and  Kejriwal closely, I would say that they are equally but very differently educated. They have a very different perspective from each other based on their own experiences. Narendra Modi and Arvind Kejriwal are the agents of change who are riding the wave of democracy and are being propelled towards power. This was a difficult choice to be made because we all know Modi's govt won't be 100% clean and that’s the only reason we make a choice to vote AAP but they what if this so young party betray us? But this thought is immediately dismissed by very obvious fact that why would dignitaries like Kejriwal, Meera Sanyal , V Balakrishnan join politics just for money when they have bright career, high level posts in their respective organisations & are all crorepatis! Resolute social activists like Medha Patkar are a strong points of AAP that lets us entrust AAP easily. So there is no doubt that AAP is a clean party and would bring clean government in country. But another thing that makes me skeptical about AAP is the leadership qualities of AAP. Modi is known for strong leadership (at times dictatorship :P) qualities whereas we have seen Kejriwal going to citizens for an opinion and going on Dharna inspite of being the CM of the state. There are serious dictatorial tendencies in Modi and we all know that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Its necessary to keep him in check and the only man today who has the stature, mass base and courage to be able to take on Modi head on is Arvind Kejriwal. Kejriwal has no ideological baggage to carry and that makes him a dear to the liberal-minded people, including the youth. The methods of simplicity and populism are Kejriwal's biggest assets with which he has managed to win the media's focus as well. Modi, on the other hand, is more of a prisoner of an ideological camp and had to do a lot of hard work to get over it to present himself just as an administrator who believes in development and objectivity. Modi has reached the stage of taking off, unless there is some unpredictable roadblock ahead. He has prepared the ground with his positive image of an administrator, tactician and an alternative leader of the nation. It is difficult to imagine that his supporters will suddenly desert him in favour of a yet-to-be-tested Kejriwal. Modi has given a bigger alternative vision to the people than Kejriwal and it has been made possible by his long stay in administration. He has more anecdotes to offer to the people than Kejriwal, who has just come to power and is still dependent on idealistic talks. But Kejriwal isn't a polarising figure like Modi since he has not been a politician. Modi's pro-market administration is also an advantage over Kejriwal's statist economic visions in the long run. Modi's emergence has been benefitted by a negative mandate against the Congress's inefficiency. But Kejriwal's emergence, although was on a negative mandate initially, but gradually symbolised a positive vote in favour of a change. This is a crucial difference between the cases of Modi and Kejriwal.

I was to vote in 188, Panvel constituency. To vote Modi I had to vote a Shiv Sena candidate. I am aware Shiv Sena & Balasaheb Thakre have done a lot for Mumbai. Many big projects such as Bandra- Worli Sea-link, Mumbai Pune highway, Sion Panvel highway and many more have came to reality because of them. I respect Balasaheb’s sacrifice of great career abroad for the Maharashtra State, joining politics, establishing aggressive political party & yet never contesting election makes him a man to be revered in politics. However Shiv Sena's stand on migrants from north in the city doesn’t make them sound very sensible. That’s not a fair way of handling over population & thus mismanagement issue in Mumbai. Similarly for the MNS, we are proud Marathis because of noble scholars like Babasaheb Ambedkar, majestic Artists such as Dadasaheb Falke, Lata Mangeshkar, Madhuri Dixit & awe-inspiring sportsman such as Sachin Tendulkar. There are plenty marathis who have achieved magnificent success in respective fields and that’s what makes us proud and not the Marathi patis (plates) on the shop written out of terror of MNS violence. Marathi language & culture is backed by great ancient heritage & victorious heros & we don’t need people to respect our language out of fear. Both MNS & Shiv Sena workers have extraordinary potential, young voters & flowing enthusiasm that needs to be backed by liberal, broad minded decision making body. Thus due to differences in our ideologies Shiv Sena & MNS candidates were voted out. Another candidate from my constituency was Maruti Bhapkar, Aam Aadmi Party. The 43 yr old has had great contribution in anti-corruption movement, has been whistle blower in multiple scams such as Lavasa Scam. In my constituency SKP & NCP candidates are touted as strong candidates. And voter would like to vote the likely to win candidate. Modi has undoubtedly bright chances of winning elections. I would rather be happy for that but skeptical too. Modi needs a man like Arvind Kejriwal to keep him in check. Modi as PM & Arvind in opposition would be very healthy combination for our country’s growth. Moreover Arvind’s AAP can be tested in respective won constituencies than impatiently making him PM and then experimenting with country’s future. 

Ask my conscience whether I want to vote Modi & feel the guilt to have a share in making not-very-clean government win or vote the liberal & clean party & be satisfied to have them opposition. With all this thought process in mind I reach the booth, excitement to vote first time as well as sense of responsibility to vote the right one. There I go , a wide smile spreads on my face & I select my candidate. I come out of booth with a proud feeling. Bhapkar Maruti. AAP. I cast my first vote. :)

Dr. APJ Kalam's Letter to every Indian

Why is the media here so negative?
Why are we in India so embarrassed to recognize our own strengths, our achievements?
We are such a great nation. We have so many amazing success stories but we refuse to acknowledge them. Why?
We are the first in milk production.
We are number one in Remote sensing satellites.
We are the second largest producer of wheat.
We are the second largest producer of rice.
Look at Dr. Sudarshan , he has transferred the tribal village into a self-sustaining, self-driving unit.. There are millions of such achievements but our media is only obsessed in the bad news and failures and disasters.
I was in Tel Aviv once and I was reading the Israeli newspaper. It was the day after a lot of attacks and bombardments and deaths had taken place. The Hamas had struck. But the front page of the newspaper had the picture of a Jewish gentleman who in five years had transformed his desert into an orchid and a granary. It was this inspiring picture that everyone woke up to. The gory details of killings, bombardments, deaths, were inside in the newspaper, buried among other news.

In India we only read about death, sickness, terrorism, crime.. Why are we so NEGATIVE?
Another question: Why are we, as a nation so obsessed with foreign things? We want foreign T.Vs, we want foreign shirts. We want foreign technology.
Why this obsession with everything imported. Do we not realize that self-respect comes with self-reliance?
I was in Hyderabad giving this lecture, when a 14 year old girl asked me for my autograph. I asked her what her goal in life is.. She replied: I want to live in a developed India . For her, you and I will have to build this developed India . You must proclaim. India is not an under-developed nation; it is a highly developed nation.
..
YOU say that our government is inefficient.
YOU say that our laws are too old.
YOU say that the municipality does not pick up the garbage.
YOU say that the phones don't work, the railways are a joke. The airline is the worst in the world, mails never reach their destination.
YOU say that our country has been fed to the dogs and is the absolute pits.
YOU say, say and say.. What do YOU do about it?
Take a person on his way to Singapore . Give him a name - 'YOURS'. Give him a face - 'YOURS'. YOU walk out of the airport and you are at your International best. In Singapore you don't throw cigarette butts on the roads or eat in the stores. YOU are as proud of their Underground links as they are.. You pay $5 (approx. Rs.. 60) to drive through Orchard Road (equivalent of Mahim Causeway or Pedder Road) between 5 PM and 8 PM. YOU come back to the parking lot to punch your parking ticket if you have over stayed in a restaurant or a shopping mall irrespective of your status identity… In Singapore you don't say anything, DO YOU? YOU wouldn't dare to eat in public during Ramadan, in Dubai .. YOU would not dare to go out without your head covered in Jeddah.
YOU would not dare to buy an employee of the telephone exchange in London at 10 pounds (Rs..650) a month to, 'see to it that my STD and ISD calls are billed to someone else.'YOU would not dare to speed beyond 55 mph (88 km/h) in Washington and then tell the traffic cop, 'Jaanta hai main kaun hoon (Do you know who I am?). I am so and so's son. Take your two bucks and get lost.' YOU wouldn't chuck an empty coconut shell anywhere other than the garbage pail on the beaches in Australia and New Zealand ..
Why don't YOU spit Paan on the streets of Tokyo ? Why don't YOU use examination jockeys or buy fake certificates in Boston ??? W

We are still talking of the same YOU. YOU who can respect and conform to a foreign system in other countries but cannot in your own. You who will throw papers and cigarettes on the road the moment you touch Indian ground. If you can be an involved and appreciative citizen in an alien country, why cannot you be the same here in India ?
In America every dog owner has to clean up after his pet has done the job. Same in Japan ..
Will the Indian citizen do that here?' He's right. We go to the polls to choose a government and after that forfeit all responsibility.
We sit back wanting to be pampered and expect the government to do everything for us whilst our contribution is totally negative. We expect the government to clean up but we are not going to stop chucking garbage all over the place nor are we going to stop to pick a up a stray piece of paper and throw it in the bin. We expect the railways to provide clean bathrooms but we are not going to learn the proper use of bathrooms.
We want Indian Airlines and Air India to provide the best of food and toiletries but we are not going to stop pilfering at the least opportunity.
This applies even to the staff who is known not to pass on the service to the public.
When it comes to burning social issues like those related to women, dowry, girl child! and others, we make loud drawing room protestations and continue to do the reverse at home. Our excuse? 'It's the whole system which has to change, how will it matter if I alone forego my sons' rights to a dowry.' So who's going to change the system?
What does a system consist of? Very conveniently for us it consists of our neighbours, other households, other cities, other communities and the government. But definitely not me and YOU. When it comes to us actually making a positive contribution to the system we lock ourselves along with our families into a safe cocoon and look into the distance at countries far away and wait for a Mr.Clean to come along & work miracles for us with a majestic sweep of his hand or we leave the country and run away.
Like lazy cowards hounded by our fears we run to America to bask in their glory and praise their system. When New York becomes insecure we run to England . When England experiences unemployment, we take the next flight out to the Gulf. When the Gulf is war struck, we demand to be rescued and brought home by the Indian government. Everybody is out to abuse and rape the country. Nobody thinks of feeding the system. Our conscience is mortgaged to money.
Dear Indians, The article is highly thought inductive, calls for a great deal of introspection and pricks one's conscience too….. I am echoing J. F. Kennedy's words to his fellow Americans to relate to Indians…..
'ASK WHAT WE CAN DO FOR INDIA AND DO WHAT HAS TO BE DONE TO MAKE INDIA WHAT AMERICA AND OTHER WESTERN COUNTRIES ARE TODAY'
Lets do what India needs from us.

Education System in India

    Being a final year now, talks of future plans are in the air. To my surprise, most of my friends seemed inclined towards MS in US and sounded skeptic about Indian Education System. This trend clearly gives an indication and makes us think; Does Indian Education System lack somewhere? What education is really meant for?

   Education – the gathering of knowledge and understanding- enables one to make meaningful contribution in spheres of human activity and is crucial for development in humans, and humanity at large. As stated by Nelson Mandela “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

   Education is most meaningful when it is able to recognize the inherent and basic capabilities in people and help them build their own areas of proficiency and expertise, where they would be most effective and valuable in their contribution to human activity. Education system needs to be designed while keeping in mind that the individuals differ from each other in what they inherently have and what they develop.

   However, this is where our educational system lacks. Life being difficult and competitive in country like ours, only aim in the minds of most parents and educators is that children gain comfortable occupation or employment. Only few world class organizations and very less seats availability adds to the competition. Students writing CAT were 2 Lacks for less than 3,000 seats, 12 Lack people appeared GATE for seats less than 500 in prestigious IITs! Here ‘comfortable employment’ is only defined by package and security. Not much thought is given to what ‘comfortable’ is. They seek to provide this by equipping children with the kind of standard learning that bulk employers need- not accounting for individual inclinations and strengths. As a result creativity gets sidelined and blunted, and children end up doing what the ‘herd’ does, doomed to the rat-race and a life of mediocrity.

   We need to look at the roots of educational system in order to eradicate the issues it has, Education is delivered and received in both formal and informal ways. Informal way is nothing but what the child learns in family, parental instructions, knowledge sharing through personal and situational relationships, and so on. Formal systems such as institutions of different types, planned curriculums, organized testing methods and defined parameters of proficiency. Both of them have similar objectives- the promotion of proficiency and capability in individuals.

   Government plays key role in our education system. Government organizations such as UGC, AICTE, DTE look after most of our educational systems. Teacher- student ratio, balance between academics and extra-curricular activities, rote based teaching, skill development are the areas they need to work on. Education field is marred with issues like fees and funding, private participation and degree of control, limited job opportunities. Only 7% students completed graduation and of them 75% technical graduates are unemployable and 85% general graduates are unemployable.
   Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, Right to Education, Mid-day Meal are some of the policies government has launched to promote education. With the literacy rate of 74%, India falls below average literacy rate of 84% of the world. The government has spent lot of money on literacy but to not much avail. The policies are misdirected- Education- not literacy should be target. The government has main focus on literacy and employment. Quality of education is far a neglected concept by government. It is said that – “In first place God made idiots, that was for practice. Then he made school boards” – Mark Twain. Government is required to also improve quality of education. Also the policies mentioned above are all famous for corruption and controversies. MGNREG is famous for corruption and mid-day meal scheme was in the light recently for its pesticide contaminated meal tragedy that killed 23 students in Bihar!  

   Government needs to take serious actions on our education system as it forms the basis of the nation. At the same time informal means of educational system needs to be transformed. The ‘comfortable’ should actually mean a sense of belonging, competence and achievement. This can be gained only when children have the choice to follow their creative inclinations with pride, and develop related proficiencies in the confidence that contributions through these are valuable too. Parents, society, and educators need to recognize this truth, and systems need to incorporate such choices, so that inspiration, energy and dynamism- the three traits that have brought humankind this far- are not lost in the next generation of our country.