Daak Ghar

 Indian Postal System was created by the British. For a very long time the country depended on the 'Dakiya', to bring letters. In the yesteryears, the romance of handwritten letters had been celebrated in literature and art. In today's day and age of internet, email, zoom calls and mobiles, it's hard to imagine that people once wrote letters to communicate with each other. 

I have seen posts coming to the house in my childhood, the yellow postcard, the blue inland letter, and the envelopes with colorful stamps, the birthday cards, the diwali and kshmapana cards. I have written several letters from the age of 9 or 10, to friends, cousins, my brother studying engineering away from us, even to some of my teachers, I still have some favorite letters that I received, one of them from Sir N.C.Sharma, the Principal of my school. I will always keep them. 

One of my friends had a pen friend in Cyprus. I used to enjoy communicating with her pen friend, because mostly, I would write the draft of the letters, but she paid the money for the stamps etc. There was excitement when a letter came, all of us sat together and read them. In those days, when my friend went for physics and chemistry tuitions to prepare for her pre-engineering exam, her pen friend back in Cyprus had a boyfriend who was involved in guerilla warfare fighting for the country. She sent her photographs and wanted to have one of my friend's too. I had suggested that we cut out a picture of another classmate of ours who looked like a model, from a group photograph, and send it, to create a good impression. Can't remember whether she actually did that or not. Those were the days of anonymous pen friends in faraway countries. you could never cross-verify people from facebook, instagram profiles. 

As a management student, I was always fascinated with the supply chain created by post offices across India. Every small village in India had access to the post from a nearby post office. Every nook and corner of the country covered by the postal department. This is perhaps the biggest network, which has now turned irrelevant, as we leapfrog to satellite connectivity. 

I have pondered over various uses of this huge infrastructure. How about converting every post office into a primary health center? How about converting them into computer-AV center for self-learning, done through distance digital learning? A commercial company would perhaps lap up the opportunity to convert post offices into convenience stores, local fitness centers, food joints....... the thoughts go on.

But is a postal chain irrelevant? If for some reason we have a satellite blackout, no emails, mobiles, video calls, or if one doesn't have a phone number or email ID, just an address........................... can a post be sent out for communication? 

I created an experiment. I have sent out a post to an address I know. If it gets delivered and received in time.... postal system is still relevant. If not........ I should write a detailed blog on enhancing health infrastructure through post offices.

Meanwhile....... after ages, sent a birthday card ................. by post. :) 

Happy Birthday Jesus !

 Wish you a very Happy Birthday !

This year please send Santa to make people realize ...

That happiness lies in living those small, ordinary moments of life !

That humanity is beginning to pay the price for the so-called economic growth,

That we do not need much to have a good life,

That we need peace in this world.

I am sending you good wishes by post !

We witnessed the Chandrayaan landing ......

August 23rd 2023, 8 PM

We witnessed a historical moment today. Chandrayaan 3, landed on the moon at 6.04pm. Very soon, the Pragyaan rover will roll out from Vikram lander and will start its journey on the south pole of the Moon. This journey will last for 14 days, to be precise, Half a day of the moon, and 14 days of the earth. If someone spends a day on the moon, from sunrise to another sunrise, it is 27 days on the earth and if someone spends the time from sunrise to sunset, that will be 14 days. So, Pragyaan will try and study the surface of the moon, by taking a stroll on its wheels, for half a moon day. 

Chandrama, or moon was created some 4.5 billion years ago when the earth collided with another planet, and a big mass started revolving around the earth, and thus the 'chandamama', was born. Tiny humans living on the earth, looked at the moon, and created several stories, until 1969. After 1969, when Mr Armstrong had already landed on the moon, all the poetic references to a beautiful moon were negated. Moon wasn't as beautiful as it seemed from the earth. 

If someone lived at moon, would they see an earth rising, in the same way as we see a moon rising? No, the moon always keeps the same side facing the earth. The period of rotation of moon is the same as the revolution. So when the moon spins, every degree it turns around the earth, it turns a degree around itself, so the same side faces us. In the outer space, there are many big and small balls rotating and revolving, the moon and the sun, amongst them. Well, the sun is a ball of gas, but moon is solid. 

So Pragyaan will study  the thermal conductivity and temperature through chaSTE;  seismicity around the landing site with ILSA; Plasma density and its variations through LP, and lunar laser ranging studies from a NASA instrument. Navigation on moon will be made possible by a software prepared by a Noida based startup, Omnipresent robot technologies. More details about what new they find on moon will be made available in the coming days. 

August 24th 2023, 9.30 AM

I slept yesterday night and woke up today to the news that Pragyaan has started taking a walk on the moon. In the Indian astrology, the moon is supposed to affect the 'mann'. Thus, moon is responsible for the mood swings, mental health ailments, personality disorders, etc. Suicides, statistically estimated, happen the most on a new moon day. Moon also signifies intelligence and creativity. In my experience, I have found this 'moon' and 'man' connection to be true. An afflicted moon causes some of those problems mentioned above. Looking at the sky, at night, I have often wondered - 'Is this silver ball responsible for my good humor?' I was born at the eve of 'dev-deepawali'. Moon is supposed to emanate its life supporting energies the best on the day, in the entire year. But astrology is probabilistic, not deterministic. Human potential is indefinite.

Science is definite. And thus we will learn new things from Pragyaan, in the coming days. There is a definite gratitude that I want to express towards the ISRO scientists. They work on government salaries, some of them, the finest brains in the country. Many of them sacrifice international careers to contribute to the country. The cost of Indian space mission is far lesser than the similar missions of other countries and the prime reason for that is - the scientists at ISRO are paid much lesser than their counterparts in the rest of the world. They are motivated by idealism - service for the country, and a love for pure sciences, their discipline. ISRO, also functions on merit. There is no reservation policy for ISRO recruitments. 

Idealism exists in today's world. ISRO is an example. Indian astrological tradition also says that a bright shining full Moon provides Idealism to humans. Ideal, isn't it?

Congratulations to all Indians for Chandrayaan 3!

'Goodbuy' 2022 !

 December is a month of reflections. 2022 was an unusual year, which forced us to reflect many times during the year, and will force us to reflect for many years to come; about the futility of wars, the irrelevance of some of the things we chase, the utility of the structures created for the modern world to function - political, economic, social and organizational, the essentials that make life beautiful and happy, the chaos - both internal and external, the life itself - transient, infinite, squared, fluid........

What happened in 2022 will shape the way we live in future. I see both the possibilities; of a life that could be the most beautiful that a human can create OR of a prolonged misery arising out of destruction that a human does. 

2022 also made the world realize, for one more time, the simplistic, cliched maxim -  there is enough for everyone's need, but not enough for anyone's greed. All the economic and political philosophies driven by greed, lead to destruction. One of my students, who works for a big multinational medical equipment supplier, met me recently, who came to Jaipur to establish a neuro-surgical facility, told me - 'I am paid to be greedy.' The discussion was about rising healthcare technology costs, reducing shelf lives of the equipment, and a large amount of taxpayers money or social cost booked in it. What he could easily do for fifteen lacs, he is trained to ask thirty lacs for it, so he explained. 

'Ma'am, you are on the other side. You look at health as a means to make life beautiful, businesses don't.' Unfortunately, the discussion can't end here, as it did in our case. For this leads to a complete destruction - 2020 to 2022, we have had an illustration. 

2022, also brought home the fact that I have lived for about half a century. I want to be hopelessly-hopeful for the next quarter. For I believe that the generations after me, the young people, look at the world with a new perspective, be it a candor about the organizational learnings they have, or a clarity about life and the world around them. 

When they are forced to reflect, they will think the right things! Looking forward 2023 !

At the crossroads of destruction and creation........

Nord Stream are subsea pipelines, which run under the Baltic Sea, to export gas from Russia to Europe. The twin pipelines can export 110 billion cubic meters of gas from Russia to Europe at least for 50 years. The length of the pipelines is 1224 kms. The second pipeline of the two was completed in 2021. 

Nord Stream is a symbol of human endeavor. The entire progress in the modern world has been a result of relentless efforts by billions of people, for years, to create a safe, happy, and comfortable life for a human being. 

Recently, there have been blasts in the pipeline. Experts say that they were planned and well-orchestrated. It was speculated that UK was involved in the blasts, to refrain France and Germany to get an uninterrupted access to gas from Russia, owing to political concerns. There have been many theories, about who orchestrated the blasts, and which country stood benefitted by them. The leaks in the pipeline did bring up a scenario of a chilly winter in Europe. 

It's not important who caused the damage. 

What is important is the fact that a human destroyed what has been created by massive human endeavor. Nord Stream sabotage is a point at which the world stands at the crossroads - of massive destruction or unprecedented creation. 

Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Heavy Engineering, Sustainable Energy, Internet of things and a lot more, the technologies of future bring about a promise of making life beautiful, bountiful, and comfortable on a sustainable basis, like it has never been in history. In the next thirty years, there is a promise that life would change, no one in the world would be sad, hungry, or impoverished. 

The other path is one of war, massive destruction, and death. 

Unfortunately, those who are in a position of power, those who are responsible for making rational, wise choices, have become lunatic. 

One nation which has attained a position of power, will go to any extent to maintain the same. If that means war, massive destruction or death, there is unscrupulous indifference to it. Some of the most powerful leaders of the world have absolute power. Some nations in the world think that they can retain a position of power forever. 

Life is transient, 70-80 years. When life itself is transient, it is impossible to keep an entity forever in the position of power. 

What humans have created; the humans can destroy. At micro or macro level, the lunatics, holding the position of power, in today's world, are unfortunately, very strongly driven towards destroying - pipeline, buildings, organizations, entities and nations. 

Nord Stream blasts are symbolic of a great and wide-spread fear of massive destruction, that has forced me to write this post. 

There are so many who have this fear today. All of them need to voice their opinion. 

A global voice against war and destruction. A global voice for creation !

The world is at crossroads. 

The economy of War...

 Today, I stumbled upon a rather interesting report - Firearm and Ammunition Industry, Economic Impact report 2022, for United States. The report states, 'America’s firearm and ammunition industry is a critical component of our nation’s security, public safety, and economic wellbeing'.' Somehow, I was stuck with these words, the use of nation's security, public safety and economic wellbeing in the same sentence. The report further states, 'the economic growth of America’s firearm and ammunition industry experienced in recent years has been nothing short of remarkable and has been driven by an unprecedented number of Americans choosing to exercise their fundamental right to keep and bear arms. This includes an estimated 5.4 million new gun owners in 2021.' 

There has been an ongoing protest in the US on gun rights, for years. We keep reading about several incidents of gun shootings in schools, shopping malls and other public places. The report discusses at length, how 'manufacturers of firearms, ammunition, and supplies, along with the companies that sell and distribute these products, provide well-paying jobs in America and pay significant amounts in tax to the state and federal governments, the tax proceeds being used in wildlife conservation.' Protests against gun rights are irrelevant, thus for an economic reason. 'Sporting' firearms is what the report produces economic numbers for. In 2021 the firearm and ammunition industry was responsible for as much as $70.52 billion in total economic activity in the US. 

The global military expenditure in 2019 was around 1.97 trillion $. Financial value of the global arms trade for 2019 was at least $118 billion, however the true figure is likely to be higher, because the governments do not give the exact data. United States has a major share in this market at 39%, followed by Russia (19%), France(11%), China (4.6%) and Germany (4.5%). The other major exporters in the world are UK, South Korea, Spain, Israel, Holland, Sweden, Canada, Turkey, Italy and Ukraine. It is said to be a highly competitive market. The market segment includes Small Arms, Rifles, Machine Guns, Portable Explosives, and other weapon types; explosives, tanks, antitank weapons, fighter aircrafts, missiles, defense systems etc. Fastest growing market in this space is Asia Pacific and the largest market is US. The companies that dominate the market are  - BAE Systems plc, General Dynamics Corporation, Kalashnikov Concern JSC (Rostec State Corporation), MBDA and Raytheon Technologies Corporation. 

The size of global food and grocery retail market was 11.7 trillion $ in 2019 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.0%. At of end-2020, the total global pharmaceutical market was valued at about 1.27 trillion U.S. dollars, the global automotive manufacturing market was sized at about 2.7 trillion U.S. dollars, the size of the global dairy market was US$ 827.4 billion in 2020 and the global real estate market size was valued at $6.8 trillion in 2018. The GDP of the top six economies in the world in 2021 was  - United States: $20.89 trillion, China: $14.72 trillion, Japan: $5.06 trillion, Germany: $3.85 trillion, United Kingdom: $2.67 trillion, India: $2.66 trillion.

Most of the commodities in the world are produced because they are consumed. If the development of civilization happens to an extent that arms and ammunition is kept in showcases or warehouses, for display, not for use, CAGR figures for this market will be 0. Till then, the wars will be responsible for the economic wellbeing of certain nations. Some parts of the world stuck in war, will increase the defense expenditures of the rest of the world, for the fear of a possible war in their region. Fear invokes self-defense. 

The war brings destruction in one part of the world, but is supposed to bring economic well being in the other parts of the world. There is a reasoning to wars.

The problem with destructive forces is  - they plan of small scale destruction for potential gains, consoling themselves that the amount of gains would be bigger than the extent of destruction planned, but when the destruction actually happens, the magnitude of destruction is in nobody's control. 

I might write another blogpost on - 'which economies benefitted the most from COVID19'. BUT, I have to endeavor to get together, my broken spirit, and that sense of extreme hollowness in the heart, resulting from what I have written so far. 

New hope for 2022.......

 At the end of 2021, something that Sadhguru said in one of his talks stuck in my mind. He said that the western civilization is like a manicured garden, beautiful but needs a lot of maintenance, while it should be like a self-sustaining forest. 

In order to create civilization as beautiful as the modern world is, we need lots of resources. That much is not available on earth. So we need to develop a model of a beautiful civilization, that requires just the resources that are available. Enough resources to let a human being live with dignity. Enough to sustain a modern life, of mechanics, information, and mobility. 

2021 showed us the futility of having a non-sustainable manicured garden. 2022 will embark upon the process of self-sustainable development. A sum total of intelligent choices at Micro and Macro level, between sustainable and non-sustainable is how the future society, economy, and culture will be defined. 

Making intelligent choices is an easy thing to do, for citizens, nations, and the world. All complexity of sorting algorithms is eased if the selection variable is sustainability. 

Equal education to all helps people achieve social mobility. Equal health to all let them live a dignified life. A world where everyone claims equal resources may be a utopian world. Equal Health and Education is realistic. 

The Sun of 2022 will shine bright above all clouds. Hopefully !

Happy 2022 !