Something, finally

Was extremely busy during Chaos, but had a great time too. I hope to write something about the week soon. I have fallen prey to the sleeping sickness though - slept at midnight yesterday, yet am slightly sleepy now :)

I will write about a long-awaited and welcome step though. After endless political wrangling and diversions, the Bombay and Delhi airport modernisation projects were finally awarded to two private consortia today (GMR-Fraport for Delhi and GVK-ACSA for Bombay). I have never been abroad, but everyone seems to feel that Bombay's airport pales in comparison to those in even cities like Shanghai and Bangkok, let alone those in Singapore and HK. I, of course, always dream of Bombay being the best city in the world. A world class airport, and perhaps a new airport in New Bombay, could match the splendour of yesteryears when the Gateway of India greeted passengers arriving at Bombay harbour. Here's to a splendid airport in 2010!

Today's decision was larger than just the modernisation of two airports though. As the Indian Express editorial commented, this is the first serious attempt by the UPA government at reducing the state's role in the economy. The Left and AAI employees fought this proposal tooth and nail, delaying the awarding of the contracts by many months. If they had succeeded in scuttling the project, a signal would have been sent out that nothing that antagonised PSU employees/trade unions would be implemented by Singh's government. Praful Patel needs to congratulated for shepherding the project through. I suppose the PM had an important role to play too.

I hope I'm not being too optimistic in assuming that everything is set in stone. There are reports that Anil Ambani's company, whose bid was rejected, has protested. AAI employees have threatened to go on strike. The Left will surely launch into a lecture on the evils of privatisation.

The government must see this through though, whatever the course required. The two-year mark is closing in, and save for the introduction of VAT, Singh and Chidambaram have nothing to back their reputation as the Dream Team. The current sunny environment may not last very long, if reforms are not carried further. More sectors have to be liberalised, foreign investment has to be made easier, oil prices have to be decontrolled, cities have to be made habitable, and human capital has to be developed. The airport modernisation project is an indicator of more substantial changes which will affect the lives of people, rich and poor, in urban and rural India. If the Congress hopes to come back to power in 2009, Sonia and co better think about what they want discussed on TV screens and newpapers - a gleaming airport in Bombay and 6-laned highways in Rajasthan or court rulings denouncing unconstitutional behaviour in Bihar and illegal colonies in Delhi.

Treats galore!

January still hasn't entered old age, and I have already gone out for dinner or lunch 6 or 7 times. In term 1, I remember going out four times, and eight times in term 2. Records are surely going to be broken. And they say that term 3 is a really hectic time. It sure has been hectic visiting different restaurants in odd corners of the city, lazing around in CT at midnight chatting with friends, and listening to the Beatles in my room. Hate to think of what my grades will be like, but can't seem to care enough.


Moti's birthday on the 20th was a much-awaited event. All of us had to resolved to pay him back for all the pain he's inflicted on us since June. Chhedi, Prostee, Oka, Lala, Jolly and me worked on the presentation for over 5 hours on the evening of the 19th (I was only properly involved from 9 onwards). After making quite an effort, we came up with a novel invite which was appreciated by one and all. Prostee's very impressive voiceover in chaste Hindi and Moti's interesting predicament made the slideshow a bit hit. Then, the birthday party was attended with considerable enthu by the section and Moti was kicked around a bit. Frankly though, he got off lightly, as we were taken in my his acting. Moti is now surely plotting for Chhedi's birthday on July 1.

Mission to Pluto

If all goes well, the world's first ever mission to Pluto will be launched in a matter of hours. If all goes further well, the NASA satellite will reach Pluto in July, 2015. Where will I and my friends be then?

In 1997, I remember thinking similarly when Cassini was launched for a mission to Saturn and Titan. I was in 8th standard then, and a bit more melancholy than I am now. Cassini was to reach Saturn in July, 2004. I wondered then what my life would be like in 2004. As it turned out, I was in a pretty good state - about to enter the last year of my engineering course and generally enjoying the days with my friends.

Where will I be when New Horizons (the name of the Pluto mission) reaches its destination? Hopefully I would have completed reading Shakespeare. Bombay will probably remain my home, and perhaps have a metro rail system. Don't know where I'll be working. I wish I would be facing the sea, writing on politics, history or economics. But I fear that I would be sitting in an office, typing memos or something in a banking type firm. I wonder if Moti would have started working on his dream movie. What a way to waste the mountains of money he would have accumulated by then! Or if Kammo would have visited Tibet. I'm sure Chhedi would have wandered further around and outside India. And Titli would have added atleast a dozen countries to the already long list of ones she's visited. Oka would be a world famous wielder of the humorous pen. Can't seem to picture Prostee - perhaps he would be a sidekick in Moti's movie (kidding - I'm sure he would assist Moti in scripting the movie).

Sid and Manas would have done MBAs in the US and realized their utter intellectual uselessness (the MBA courses', not their own). Matka would have made a killing on the stock markets and mock at the ilk of us who are into I-Banking. And Megha and Irwan would have children who would be perennially confused between who/which was better - Dravid or Ganguly, Bombay or Delhi.

Vrisha would be 13, perhaps beginning to be brainwashed into dreaming of getting into WIMWI. But WIMWI is not so bad, after all.

Don't think the PGP course would change at all - 9:00 am to 1:10 pm would remain the drill.

Will this blog remain? Let's see.

BTW I eagerly look forward to the New Horizons mission for its own sake. Learning more about Pluto and its satellite Charon will be really exciting.

Election fever

After Chhedi's vote, I had imagined I would never be involved with an election except as a voter for the foreseeable future. Yet, here I was, pitching for votes for the post of dorm placecommer two hours ago. Focal and I were the two contenders for the post. The pitching was short and there was no need for a campaign. But the vote was quite close. We did not think that the vote would be that close, and in fact did not bother to arrange for one or two of the eligible but absent voters to cast their ballots. But after the counting, the result stood at 6-7 against me. Hence the two voters were contacted and a repoll was arranged. One by one, Khajoor read the votes - both of us were neck and neck - finally we stood at 7-7, with one vote to go. Focal got that vote. Even someone who is as habituated to riding his luck as me has to face occasional disappointment :) But the close finish made for a rather exciting meeting.


All the 11 PGPs from D-18 will have international exposure by the end of 2006! Six are going for summer internships abroad, and today the other five chose schools in Europe and Canada to study in during the fifth term next year. Hurray for D-18, especially the facchas!

Chhedi is Chaos Co-ord (Miracles do happen!)

Back to this blog after a very long time. Spent the loveliest of times during my 7 day stay in Bombay. I met with over two dozen of my friends from school and college. Went on a shopping splurge with my sister, continuing with my out-of-all-bounds spending. Spent Dec 31 night dancing to some good Bollywood music with my college friends till 4 am. Also finally went to the Town and walked around Fort and Marine Drive and was taken in by the breathtaking buildings and views, all over again. What a lovely place Bombay is! And after the chilly mornings in Ahmedabad, it felt good to be able to go around at night without sweaters and the like!

I went to some colleges on that same trip to distribute brichures for Chaos, WIMWI's cultural extravaganza. One of the colleges was Xavier's. As I walked around the corridors, I wondered about Pratibha Naithanni - the culture cop from the college who has filed many PILs in the Bombay HC over the years regarding adult content on TV. She's the kind of person I do not like much. And suddenly, I glanced over my shoulder and walking next to me was the woman herself! The feeling of aversion that spread into me then was rather strong, and I actually thought that I should try to have a word with her! But I did not. Don't know if I'll ever have that opportunity again.

Will write more about my first few days of term 3 later. But today was the cumulation of an exciting and also wearisome week of elections in WIMWI. Elections here are a happy mean between those in Bombay University, where as far as I know, students elections are non-existent, and those in places like Delhi University, where, my friends tell me, campaigning often degenerates into violence. Elections are very structured and myriad rules restrict campaigning (for example, there is a ban on distributing pamphlets or other printed material).

There were 36 candidates for 12 posts in all, ranging from sole candidate Joel for Cultural Secretary, to 4 candidates for Gen. Secretary. From my dorm, only Chhedi was standing - for the post of Chaos Secretary. As the week between filing of nominations and the actual voting passed, I was distantly involved with two campaigns - Chhedi's and Prostee's (for GS). It was fun to sit with them and watch them prepare their manifestoes and pitches. Even though I was not doing any substantial actual work, the elections were a good excuse for me to stop studying and build up a backlog of readings in the first week of classes itself. I paid for it on election day when I was sitting alone in the library studying on a Friday evening :(

This being my first involvement with an election campaign, I was rather anxious about the process and the results. I was to be Chhedi's polling agent, 'counter' in WIMWIan lingo. After the voting, counting began postwise. Chaos Secretary was the third in line. As I went in (Khajoor was Chhedi's counter too - there were two for each candidate), my anxiety levels rose and perhaps I was more nervous than Chhedi himself! As the votes were counted and it become clear that Chhedi was going to win, I uttered a little cry of joy and relief. Kevin, one of the election monitors, actually had to tell me to not get ahead of myself! But Chhedi had indeed won. As Oka later said, for someone who had fooled WIMWI's professors and TAS recruiters, unsuspecting facchas were a simple task :)

Election night was even otherwise a memorable affair. There were surprises, even though most of the results were on expected lines. Congratulations to all the winners and here's to excellent student governance next year.