Quotes on Quotas

The Union Cabinet Minister, Mr. Arjun Singh, has finally confirmed my suspicion. I was scekeptial whether my friends would agree to me or not. Now, after the latest Quota fiasco, I reckon, everyone would agree that Mr. Singh heads Hopeless and Reckless Department.

It has been around six decades since we have been indepedent. Indepedent Thinking, unfortunately, has not evovled in the minds of the politicians. It seems as if their minds are so slaved to the reins of power, that they can't even afford to be labelled as Representatives. They want - or rather demand - to be lauded as Politicions. A breed of individuals, who are blinded by the clout.

The essential purpose of bringing Democracy in this land of Raja-Maharajas and Riyasats was to subside with the anomaly of absolute power being enjoyed by a ruler and distribute it to the common man. As this would consequent into a chaos; every individual defining rules to his convinience and need; the decision making power was limited to a group of individuals who would effectively represent the entire subject of the state.

Being Alone

Always in the childhood, the Civics teacher reiterated, year over year, the definition of a Human Being, viz. A Social Animal. We recited, mugged and forgot it. I reckon, the teacher was right, atleast in this case.

I joined NTPC Limited on August 8, 2005. My first venture outside my home. Never had a dearth of love and affection from the family and the friends. Everyone caressed. I, however, never looked over my shoulder, to see who all are in the backdrop to assure I was happy. Then came the bolt from blue; NTPC. I had to pack my bags and get going. The initial happiness of being selected in such a giant seemed miniscule in front of Aai's face. She was not happy leaving me out of her brood. I could see that. Explicitly she didn't say it, didn't express it. It just got expressed; from the wet corner of her eyes.

I joined. Honestly, for the first time I felt alone; stranded in the midst of people who cared about one thing- themselves. It was a scorching welcome. I had expected just a warm one. The HR need not be blamed. The culprit was within me. I was desparate in the quest of someone, who would parent me. I knew very well that I have to stride alone, still the mind was adamant. Mind; a lethal weapon.

As the time moved sluggishly, I made new relations at a commensurate speed. I don't know whether I was reluctant or the others. Nevertheless, I started feeling safer. The network grew. Hostelmates became Colleagues. Then tranformed from Colleagues to Friends. Some even mutated from Friends to Buddies. It took nine months for all this to happen.

Nine months; interesting coincidence. A women wombs a baby for this period, after consummating. On the day when the baby ventures into the world, she bears the labor pains. An epoch, witnessing painful ending of a sacrosanct relationship and at the same time, dawn of a new relationship revered as, Mother. Similarly, at the culmination of our nine months training, when all the buddies left away, it pained me.

I felt alone.

The best part is, the other relationship must have begun.

I am discovering it.

Overload

Overload is a fiction novel by Arthur Hailey. He is known for portraying a comprehensive image of the domain, on which the novel is based. In fact, the reader can get an free Induction Tutorial about the domain, while enjoying the novel.

Overload is about Power Industry in America. The period is set at 1970s. The basic theme is that the protagonist, who is the top level management of a Premier Power giant, envisages a major Power Crunch in the coming years. He proposes a explosive plan for expansion by erecting new Power plants of diverse types viz. the traditional Coal based, Gas based, Hydro and a venture in the upcoming Nuclear sector.

However, there are few who are opposition to this expansion. A subset of these are environmentalist who are opposing for the usual and typical craziest environmental reasons. Another subset is of those who want to bring down the company for personal rivalry, under the fictitious slogan of misuse of public money.

How the protagonist wades through all this is the story of Overload. However, there is one thing that etched me a lot. Haiely has had maintained a reputation of being a quality novelist, who talks no-nonsense. In Overload, somehow I found him out of sync. The portrayal of the protagonist as the one boozed with sex was unnecessary. The fact that he messed up in maintaining Work-Life balance could have been well depicted otherwise.

Nevertheless, the novel was successful in showing the scenario of Power industry. Being a part of the industry, it was a delight to read the technical part of it. Also, it was interesting to note that bureaucracy is a plaguing development in the most developed country of the world. It was worth to note how clout helps in subverting decisions for those who have it and those who suffer the plight, in lack of it.

Overall, Overload was a great novel. As always, a reader's paradise from Haiely, with a slight hiccup of sex overdo. Never mind that.