The debate has cooled. The media's glare has turned away. Everyone returns to more pressing issues. But, the verdict has long been announced - The IITs and IIMs are not living up to the global standards we expect of them. Why? Because the number of research publications coming out of these places are paltry compared to the MITs and the Ox-Bridges of this world. Heck, even Tianjin produces more publications from China. While we are at it, the teaching faculty sucks as well.
Disclaimer:
My only association with any of these universities was during a 2-year M.Tech program at IIT, Bombay. I have never set foot in an IIM or for that matter any other IIT. Nor have I checked out the other institutes that are deemed "world-class". I shall therefore focus my point of view only through my brief interaction with IIT Bombay.
Mission IIT
The process of conception of the IITs had started prior to Independence, and as noted on Wikipedia the intention of foresighted leaders was indeed to pursue technological and research prowess for a newly independent nation. The model however was one where a Council of Scientific Research would be at the forefront of the scientific pursuits, while institutes like the IITs would produce a trained workforce to man these laboratories. The Indian Parliament also declared these institutes as "Institutes of National Importance" that would train engineers for the massive infrastructure development and related projects a new-born nation would naturally need to undertake.
The emphasis therefore was on producing engineering graduates primarily through the now famous B.Tech program. The other programs basically mushroomed from this system that was for so long completely funded by the government. To say that the Masters and Doctoral programs were simply step-children to begin with would not be an overstatement.
Train, Drain
Under-graduate students are typically not motivated to pursue painstaking research, and pursue problems that require patience and endeavour. The IITs sought only the smartest young students to join their B.Tech program, and these were funneled through the rigorous and well-renowned Joint Entrance Examination (JEE). One can bump into some of the brightest minds, a few of whom are indeed even over-achieving for their age, on a casual stroll through the campus. Yet, mysteriously for some, these bright minds do not result in an over-arching number of research publications and innovation coming out of these famed institutes.
The reasons are varied, but sometimes plain to see. So many of these brilliant kids hail from the remotest parts of the country and come from families that are barely middle-class. These kids are highly ambitious, but their priorities are naturally more inclined toward stepping out into a financially secure way of life. They are well aware that the "IIT stamp" is a game-changer, and one of the single biggest influences in their careers. This career pursuit might involve a job right out of B.Tech or moving on to an MBA from an IIM. A few will undoubtedly yearn to move into advanced research, but they quickly conclude that this is not what the IITs were primed to help them do, and fly westward. I personally know some bright prospects, who even landed medals at Physics and Math Olympiads, that settled for plum jobs right after B.Tech. I do not blame them, but the fact of the matter is that in our country a career of research is not yet perceived as a financially stable choice.
In a way, the B.Tech program is indeed delivering what it was designed for - brilliant engineers. Whether we truly reaped all the benefits is debatable.
Shouldering the burden
The burden of research in the IITs then falls to Post-Graduates and more importantly to those who decide to further carry their work into a PhD. Most Post-Graduates can primarily be defined by the attitude - "I wished I could crack the JEE, but I will get into an IIT through the GATE anyway". The IIT stamp is simply irresistible. You cannot test for an inclination toward research in a candidate. You can only hope to entice or motivate them to pursue greater goals.
While some M.Techs will publish a paper or two on the way to a cushy technical job, a handful will actually be motivated to take their research forward and ensure it bears fruit through a PhD program. The professors are not incompetent, and many have previously taught in prestigious universities in the US. They work through pressures of having to meet stringent research goals set by the administration while simultaneously dealing with the problems of landing dedicated, research-minded students to work with.
Remember, that all this while, these researchers are working with barely any investment from the industry. In my 2 years, I only saw one keen investor in the research pursued by our Computer Vision and Graphics lab - Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The Indian industry has only just moved on to innovation, and we should see more technology tie-ups with the IITs in the future that pump money behind research. Until then, the research carried out at the IITs is mostly driven by the faculty and students' individual interests and can very often be fruitless.
Research is an attitude
While it helps to have brilliant minds to solve difficult problems and innovate, innovation, especially one that requires a lot of research, is often more about discipline and perseverance. You will require flashes of brilliance to leap over what seems improbable, but you will also need the will and rigor to help you through the rough patches where you seem to have run into a wall. Most B.Techs, and many of the M.Techs, do not possess this rigor. Their minds are already set on the IIT-degree-fueled career path (which is not wrong in itself). Why do we expect them to contribute to academic innovation?
Yet, there are shining examples that I had the pleasure of working with myself, who have contributed handsomely to that meager research and journal publication count that Jairam Ramesh is using to conk the IITs. Biswarup Choudhury has published in the world's leading computer graphic and animation journals - something that has never been achieved before in this lab. Where are the opportunities to fund further innovation? Not here. He has had to continue his work at ETRI, Korea. Aniruddha Joshi took up the problem of reviving the ancient Indian diagnostic system of "Naadi Nidaan" - studying the pulse to diagnose ailments - when he was still doing his Bachelors in Engineering. He converted this passion to develop a digital system based on the ancient methods into a full doctoral research problem, and went on to present his work in a number of internationally acclaimed conferences. His research is supported by CSIR, Pune, in the true spirit of how scientific innovation was first envisaged by the founding leaders of our nation.
Give it time
The IITs are barely 50 years old (except for the first of them - Kharagpur). It is not fair to compare them to the MITs, Harvards, Stanfords, Ox-Bridges of the world that have watched centuries switch on the calendar. Not yet. These institutes also have the unique co-location of innovative industries ready to fund all interesting research. India is only warming up to innovation after a nationalistic surge of freedom after independence, followed by the lull of the socialist policy era. It may not even be wise to compare this to the Chinese universities, where an autocratic iron will can force nationalist agendas through without opposition. Yet, it is inevitable that the Chinese output will indeed be the first benchmark we will aim to achieve, in due course of time.
More India-centric innovation, more IITs, more industries sprouting around the IITs, and a larger aspiring middle-class to contribute innovative researchers to these institutes - the stage is quickly getting set. How far can the future be?
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Sunday, May 22, 2011
IP Quell
"How long will this circus go on?", I ask for the umpteenth time.
"Another week", comes the reply.
"Sigh"
"Who would name their club team Indians?", I try to amuse myself again.
"Franchise team....."
"Whatever. It is akin to a football club in my mind. I don't know a football club named 'Versaille Francaise' or 'Dartmouth Brits'. Yet, here it is - Mumbai Indians."
"Dude, Sachin picked that name. He is obviously deeply patriotic. He always plays with the love for this country in his heart. Didn't you see his emotions overflow on winning the World Cup? What would you know....foreign returnee. Football fan."
"Sachin might be God when it comes to batting. But, I am now almost certain he didn't name his kids. Or else they'd be named Bharat and Indu. Are all the players in his team Indian? Malinga sounds much like Kalinga, but I have my doubts about Symonds and Pollard."
"They can play upto 4 foreigners in each game".
"Ok, so they are NOT Indians".
"Stop being an idiot. You think Sehwag is a Daredevil? Wait......in a way, he really is. Ok, here's another one....you think Yuvraj is a Warrior? Wait....he does sound like a warrior. Ok, this one surely...you think Gambhir is a Knight Rider?"
"Haha, that is most definitely the most imaginative name I've ever come across. Knight Riders! That totally killed the buzz I had stowed away in the back of my head about the cool 80s show - crime buster in a dark black car. One dark black car. One and only crime buster. Now suddenly there are 20. And they wear purple and gold. Buzz-kill."
"There is no buzz killing with Shah Rukh at the helm of their affairs. I have no doubt his creative self picked that uber-cool name."
"Please, it's not like Kolkata is to Knight Rider, what Gotham City was to Batman. I thought this was the INDIAN Premier League. Whatever happened to picking names and themes that go with the culture? How about Kolkata Rossogullas? Or just Kolkata Gullas? Ok, I know I suck at this, but there surely is a more Bengali-sounding name? It doesn't need to be Bengali either. Like I appreciate the choice of the name Tuskers - one of the things you associate with Kerala is the Elephant, thanks to the 'Mile Sur Mera Tumhara' video that was bludgeoned into our young heads."
"Enjoy the game. What's in a name?"
"A name is meant for me to tell things apart and to set a context in my head before I appreciate the object that the name belongs to. I can't believe 2 teams are 'Royal' and 2 others are 'Kings' in a league of 10 teams. Seriously, who pays these people for creativity?"
"The creativity is in the stroke-play. In the field setting. In the master class bowling efforts in these torrid situations. I know you can't appreciate that. You are probably still looking for the goal behind long leg and wondering why there are 11 goalkeepers."
"Please, I know my cricket! I used to day-dream for years that I was the Indian Shane Warne, except I was also a hard-hitting middle order batsman. And I basically played the role Yuvraj did when India won the World Cup. In my dreams of course. But, even so, don't insult my cricket-crazy past! I simply bring new perspective."
"Did you just compare Shane Warne to Yuvraj?"
"No, I compared myself to them both. Thank God there is only one Yuvraj!"
"Yes, there is only one. India could do with another for the next world cup."
"Apparently, all it takes to become a Yuvraj-like Warrior is Revital. Which reminds me...when Pune won a franchise for 2011, I was so sure they'd pick the name Pune Peshwas. It just sounds so fresh and revitalizing. Also, so culturally appropriate."
"Peshwas used to live there in the old days. You think there are still Peshwas around?"
"Old is the new new man. Everyone wants Indianized Sanskritized names, except Indians! Seriously, if one team calls itself Kings, and another says 'Kings ah? We are Super Kings!' doesn't it remind you of yourself when you were 3 years old?"
"How do you know the names were picked in serial order and not disclosed simultaneously? You are from Chennai. You should know that there is only one affirmative qualifier used there - Super. It fits perfectly."
"I also lived in Hyderabad. I do remember seeing buffaloes in the Dairy Farm next to our home. I can see how "Chargers" fits Hyderabad now."
"You lived next to a Dairy Farm?"
"It was in the 80s man. Don't read anything into it."
"OK. The 8PM match is starting now. So, stop filling my ears and let me enjoy this encounter."
"A 2nd game? 2 games every day?"
"There are 10 teams now. More games. Now hush."
"When does this circus end again?"
"Another week", comes the reply.
"Sigh"
"Who would name their club team Indians?", I try to amuse myself again.
"Franchise team....."
"Whatever. It is akin to a football club in my mind. I don't know a football club named 'Versaille Francaise' or 'Dartmouth Brits'. Yet, here it is - Mumbai Indians."
"Dude, Sachin picked that name. He is obviously deeply patriotic. He always plays with the love for this country in his heart. Didn't you see his emotions overflow on winning the World Cup? What would you know....foreign returnee. Football fan."
"Sachin might be God when it comes to batting. But, I am now almost certain he didn't name his kids. Or else they'd be named Bharat and Indu. Are all the players in his team Indian? Malinga sounds much like Kalinga, but I have my doubts about Symonds and Pollard."
"They can play upto 4 foreigners in each game".
"Ok, so they are NOT Indians".
"Stop being an idiot. You think Sehwag is a Daredevil? Wait......in a way, he really is. Ok, here's another one....you think Yuvraj is a Warrior? Wait....he does sound like a warrior. Ok, this one surely...you think Gambhir is a Knight Rider?"
"Haha, that is most definitely the most imaginative name I've ever come across. Knight Riders! That totally killed the buzz I had stowed away in the back of my head about the cool 80s show - crime buster in a dark black car. One dark black car. One and only crime buster. Now suddenly there are 20. And they wear purple and gold. Buzz-kill."
"There is no buzz killing with Shah Rukh at the helm of their affairs. I have no doubt his creative self picked that uber-cool name."
"Please, it's not like Kolkata is to Knight Rider, what Gotham City was to Batman. I thought this was the INDIAN Premier League. Whatever happened to picking names and themes that go with the culture? How about Kolkata Rossogullas? Or just Kolkata Gullas? Ok, I know I suck at this, but there surely is a more Bengali-sounding name? It doesn't need to be Bengali either. Like I appreciate the choice of the name Tuskers - one of the things you associate with Kerala is the Elephant, thanks to the 'Mile Sur Mera Tumhara' video that was bludgeoned into our young heads."
"Enjoy the game. What's in a name?"
"A name is meant for me to tell things apart and to set a context in my head before I appreciate the object that the name belongs to. I can't believe 2 teams are 'Royal' and 2 others are 'Kings' in a league of 10 teams. Seriously, who pays these people for creativity?"
"The creativity is in the stroke-play. In the field setting. In the master class bowling efforts in these torrid situations. I know you can't appreciate that. You are probably still looking for the goal behind long leg and wondering why there are 11 goalkeepers."
"Please, I know my cricket! I used to day-dream for years that I was the Indian Shane Warne, except I was also a hard-hitting middle order batsman. And I basically played the role Yuvraj did when India won the World Cup. In my dreams of course. But, even so, don't insult my cricket-crazy past! I simply bring new perspective."
"Did you just compare Shane Warne to Yuvraj?"
"No, I compared myself to them both. Thank God there is only one Yuvraj!"
"Yes, there is only one. India could do with another for the next world cup."
"Apparently, all it takes to become a Yuvraj-like Warrior is Revital. Which reminds me...when Pune won a franchise for 2011, I was so sure they'd pick the name Pune Peshwas. It just sounds so fresh and revitalizing. Also, so culturally appropriate."
"Peshwas used to live there in the old days. You think there are still Peshwas around?"
"Old is the new new man. Everyone wants Indianized Sanskritized names, except Indians! Seriously, if one team calls itself Kings, and another says 'Kings ah? We are Super Kings!' doesn't it remind you of yourself when you were 3 years old?"
"How do you know the names were picked in serial order and not disclosed simultaneously? You are from Chennai. You should know that there is only one affirmative qualifier used there - Super. It fits perfectly."
"I also lived in Hyderabad. I do remember seeing buffaloes in the Dairy Farm next to our home. I can see how "Chargers" fits Hyderabad now."
"You lived next to a Dairy Farm?"
"It was in the 80s man. Don't read anything into it."
"OK. The 8PM match is starting now. So, stop filling my ears and let me enjoy this encounter."
"A 2nd game? 2 games every day?"
"There are 10 teams now. More games. Now hush."
"When does this circus end again?"
Saturday, May 14, 2011
A Chance for Chennai
Ever since I decided to move back to Homeland and give a career in Chennai a chance, I have been assessing that decision every now and then - not the moving back part, but the choosing Chennai part. Chennai was the obvious choice given my parents decided to retire here. What better place to return to than Home?
However, as I started settling down, I started picking holes with everything around me - the people, the services, the weather, the surroundings - everything except my mom's food! It turned out to be one of those "better than thou" ranting phases every returnee from a foreign land goes through when settling down back at home. I mistook it for a personal vendetta against Chennai (yes, I often "mistake" myself), which it was not. But, it forced me to look closer at the observations I had been collecting in the back of my head about this city and the feedback of other folk about this city. At the risk of annoying a few people, I hereby declare that what follows is the personal opinion of the author, and has deep ties with this blog, but not with Blogger in general.
Another disclaimer - I have lived 17 years of my life in Mumbai, making me Mumbaikar at heart. 7 years were spent in Hyderabad and 2 in Pune. Having warned you, I will now attempt to throw some perspective into some of the more common reasons I have stumbled upon regarding why folks seem to dislike Chennai.
Too Hot!
How hot is too hot anyway? Isn't it all relative? Some find Tikka Masala "tikka", while some others call Mirchi ka Saalan bland. When the mercury hit 40C last week, I was grumbling aloud. That was until I visited Delhi (42C with a Loo) and Varanasi (45C with Loo++). For reference, every degree beyond 40, feels like 10. The Loo in Varanasi was more like "Waterloo" - sucked out all the water you gulped 5 minutes ago.
No Speak Hindi (aka Tamizh TeriMa)
Ever been to Russia? Me neither. But I wish to generalize. They "No Speak English" there as well. Yes, they might understand when you speak to them in English. But, they don't have to respond back in English. It is the same with some Tamizhians and Tamizh - they are proud of their language. Yes, this pride has no place in a sovereign, secular, united country like India. Ever try telling that to the strictly Marathi speaking bus conductor in Pune? "Pudhe chalaa...Aikat naahi kaay tula?" Or is that because Marathi is accidentally closer to Hindi?
If one were to really argue for this pride, you don't need to look beyond a Wikipedia page on the language - Tamizh dates back to an age earlier than even Sanskrit, let alone Hindi or Marathi or English. If the world were ending tomorrow and one had to choose to preserve 2 ancient Indian languages over all else today, the linguist's choice would be Tamizh and Sanskrit. Thankfully, the world only ends in December 2012.
I agree that this blind pride in the mother tongue seems to sometimes slam doors shut on non-Tamizh-speaking people willing to blend into Chennai. It is often seen as prejudice against "naarthies", and at other times interpreted as expressing a lack of friendliness in the people in general. While the former can be explained by following the dynamics of the political movements (read Dravidian Self-Respect Movement) of the region since independence, the latter simply is way too simplistic. Humans in one region of the world cannot be more or less friendly compared to another region. That argument is a non-starter. I tried it against Strangelandians myself, and it failed to stand the test of time.
We visit Germany for a short working stay and strive to learn German. We indulge in English from kindergarten so we can work with the English speaking world (UK+US+Australia?). (Also, so that we can write blog posts in English when we grow up). But ask me to pick up some Tamizh in Tamilnadu or Telugu in Andhra Pradesh and I shall call it blasphemy! "YOU need to adapt to ME and not the other way round". We are better to aliens than to our own countrymen.
Rice is NOT a food group
Neither is corn a food group in Mexico. Nor is fish a food group in Thailand. Geography - one of those subjects in school we never cared for - will explain to you why some regions are more inclined to making some staple food item centric to their diet. When in the US, vegetarians struggle to find meat-free diets on a daily basis, and resort to cooking for oneself. That is too far to go when in another region of your own country. In fact, scratch that. There are simply too many restaurants in Chennai that serve decent non-Rice fare to make this argument relevant. More decent than the fare served in desi restaurants abroad.
Roads are dignified spittoons
Yes they are. I have no clue what makes people spit on the road and then urge others to walk on the same roads. While the spit here down South is white in color and vanilla flavored (disclaimer - I haven't tasted any but my own), move further north and the color turns orange or bright red, is paan-flavored (see previous disclaimer) and leaves a bigger spit-print on the roads. You prefer.
Rude Auto Rickshaw Drivers
Auto Rickshaws don't use the meter in this city, and the price is fixed before you board the vehicle like dowry is agreed upon before a girl gets married. Smartly dressed and looking affluent? Haggling starts at double the normal rate. Speaking anything but Tamizh? Rs.25 foreign language surcharge to communicate with you. Yes, you need immense negotiating skills if you are to ride in an auto at a fair price here.
The awesome side-effect though is that now you get to Save The World. Go Green. Use public transport. This is the secret agenda behind the state government promoting rude auto drivers.
In a hurry and really, really need to take an auto? Use a "Call Taxi" instead. Rude auto-drivers are exactly the kind of extreme adversity that leads to brilliant innovation. We have "Call Taxis" thanks to someone being really keen on solving (making money) off this problem.
Filthy
Pan-India problem. Next.
Big moustaches
Sign of a hero warrior. Next.
Moustachioed heroes
Bhagat Singh anyone? Anil Kapoor? I know, I give up.
Rajnikanth
Dei! Don't make this personal!
However, as I started settling down, I started picking holes with everything around me - the people, the services, the weather, the surroundings - everything except my mom's food! It turned out to be one of those "better than thou" ranting phases every returnee from a foreign land goes through when settling down back at home. I mistook it for a personal vendetta against Chennai (yes, I often "mistake" myself), which it was not. But, it forced me to look closer at the observations I had been collecting in the back of my head about this city and the feedback of other folk about this city. At the risk of annoying a few people, I hereby declare that what follows is the personal opinion of the author, and has deep ties with this blog, but not with Blogger in general.
Another disclaimer - I have lived 17 years of my life in Mumbai, making me Mumbaikar at heart. 7 years were spent in Hyderabad and 2 in Pune. Having warned you, I will now attempt to throw some perspective into some of the more common reasons I have stumbled upon regarding why folks seem to dislike Chennai.
Too Hot!
How hot is too hot anyway? Isn't it all relative? Some find Tikka Masala "tikka", while some others call Mirchi ka Saalan bland. When the mercury hit 40C last week, I was grumbling aloud. That was until I visited Delhi (42C with a Loo) and Varanasi (45C with Loo++). For reference, every degree beyond 40, feels like 10. The Loo in Varanasi was more like "Waterloo" - sucked out all the water you gulped 5 minutes ago.
No Speak Hindi (aka Tamizh TeriMa)
Ever been to Russia? Me neither. But I wish to generalize. They "No Speak English" there as well. Yes, they might understand when you speak to them in English. But, they don't have to respond back in English. It is the same with some Tamizhians and Tamizh - they are proud of their language. Yes, this pride has no place in a sovereign, secular, united country like India. Ever try telling that to the strictly Marathi speaking bus conductor in Pune? "Pudhe chalaa...Aikat naahi kaay tula?" Or is that because Marathi is accidentally closer to Hindi?
If one were to really argue for this pride, you don't need to look beyond a Wikipedia page on the language - Tamizh dates back to an age earlier than even Sanskrit, let alone Hindi or Marathi or English. If the world were ending tomorrow and one had to choose to preserve 2 ancient Indian languages over all else today, the linguist's choice would be Tamizh and Sanskrit. Thankfully, the world only ends in December 2012.
I agree that this blind pride in the mother tongue seems to sometimes slam doors shut on non-Tamizh-speaking people willing to blend into Chennai. It is often seen as prejudice against "naarthies", and at other times interpreted as expressing a lack of friendliness in the people in general. While the former can be explained by following the dynamics of the political movements (read Dravidian Self-Respect Movement) of the region since independence, the latter simply is way too simplistic. Humans in one region of the world cannot be more or less friendly compared to another region. That argument is a non-starter. I tried it against Strangelandians myself, and it failed to stand the test of time.
We visit Germany for a short working stay and strive to learn German. We indulge in English from kindergarten so we can work with the English speaking world (UK+US+Australia?). (Also, so that we can write blog posts in English when we grow up). But ask me to pick up some Tamizh in Tamilnadu or Telugu in Andhra Pradesh and I shall call it blasphemy! "YOU need to adapt to ME and not the other way round". We are better to aliens than to our own countrymen.
Rice is NOT a food group
Neither is corn a food group in Mexico. Nor is fish a food group in Thailand. Geography - one of those subjects in school we never cared for - will explain to you why some regions are more inclined to making some staple food item centric to their diet. When in the US, vegetarians struggle to find meat-free diets on a daily basis, and resort to cooking for oneself. That is too far to go when in another region of your own country. In fact, scratch that. There are simply too many restaurants in Chennai that serve decent non-Rice fare to make this argument relevant. More decent than the fare served in desi restaurants abroad.
Roads are dignified spittoons
Yes they are. I have no clue what makes people spit on the road and then urge others to walk on the same roads. While the spit here down South is white in color and vanilla flavored (disclaimer - I haven't tasted any but my own), move further north and the color turns orange or bright red, is paan-flavored (see previous disclaimer) and leaves a bigger spit-print on the roads. You prefer.
Rude Auto Rickshaw Drivers
Auto Rickshaws don't use the meter in this city, and the price is fixed before you board the vehicle like dowry is agreed upon before a girl gets married. Smartly dressed and looking affluent? Haggling starts at double the normal rate. Speaking anything but Tamizh? Rs.25 foreign language surcharge to communicate with you. Yes, you need immense negotiating skills if you are to ride in an auto at a fair price here.
The awesome side-effect though is that now you get to Save The World. Go Green. Use public transport. This is the secret agenda behind the state government promoting rude auto drivers.
In a hurry and really, really need to take an auto? Use a "Call Taxi" instead. Rude auto-drivers are exactly the kind of extreme adversity that leads to brilliant innovation. We have "Call Taxis" thanks to someone being really keen on solving (making money) off this problem.
Filthy
Pan-India problem. Next.
Big moustaches
Sign of a hero warrior. Next.
Moustachioed heroes
Bhagat Singh anyone? Anil Kapoor? I know, I give up.
Rajnikanth
Dei! Don't make this personal!
Saturday, February 05, 2011
Where To Indian Football?
Last month, there was the small matter of the AFC Asian Cup held in Qatar, where the best of Asian football compete with each other to be heralded the best in Asia. We know very well that the world is watching keenly to see how Asians emerge after decades of slumber from the shadow of the West, in all fields of global interest including sports. I was personally very excited because the Indian football team had qualified for the AFC Cup for the first time since 1984. To my dismay however, the Indian media largely ignored this great achievement, to underline how far behind football has fallen to the alluring plague of cricket and the unstoppable financial might of the BCCI.
Forgotten History
Lest we forget, Indian footballers, and football in general, weren't always the pushovers they are today. Like cricket, football was one of the popular sporting cultures imported by the British during their reign over this country. Indeed, if anything, football has a longer history in India compared to cricket, with the Durand Cup being one of the oldest football tournaments in the world - third only to the English and Scottish FA Cups. The Mohun Bagan - East Bengal derby games can be traced to as far back as 1925. The Salt Lake City football stadium in Kolkata which plays host to this historic derby is the 2nd largest such stadium in the world in terms of capacity.
The Golden Decade
The period from 1951-1962 is widely regarded as the finest few years Indian football has ever witnessed, under the watchful eyes of the legendary coach Syed Abdul Rahim. This was a team known widely around the world not only for their raw talent, but also for the fact that they mostly played bare-footed. India won 2 Asian Games golds, besides finishing 2nd and 4th in the other two Asian Games during this period. But, the highlight really was finishing 4th in the 1956 Olympics after becoming the first Asian team to make it to the semi-finals. By the time they came runners-up in the 1964 Asian Cup, Indian football had begun its decline.
Inept Babus Missing the Professional Leap
As with most other sports in the country, football fell victim to unwarranted political clout. People with no association with the sport, or for that matter any sport whatsoever, suddenly grasped power in the highest echelons of the AIFF. Instead of promoting professional football leagues, they kicked off a series of power and money struggles that saw a spinning Roulette of coaches and a lack of investment in youth academies for the next generation of stars to arise. Politicians like Priya Ranjan Das Munshi held president positions for 20 years without contest. Alongside his many distractions, Praful Patel today controls the strings of the AIFF.
Underdogs Win Hearts
The final nail in the football coffin was hammered in when an Indian cricket team carried an underdog team to triumph in a remarkable 1983 World Cup against a seemingly invincible West Indies team. A depressed nation desperately seeking succor readily embraced these overnight heroes and cricket has never looked back since. Unlike football, even though the BCCI attracts a number of politicians like bees to a honey-pot, there has been little government interference and it has been run like a private company sincerely interested in ensuring the commercial success of the sport. Without the BCCI, cricket as a sport that attracts a billion viewers is simply unimaginable.
Football Today
Indian players today are starved of quality opposition due to a combination of a poor league setup and a low FIFA ranking. They end up playing a number of friendlies with clubs in Europe simply to gain much needed exposure. I remember watching a friendly between then Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven and India 10 years ago. It was a bitter lesson for the defence that day, as twice the whole back-line stepped up as one to play the offside trap, but left 4 attackers free to pick who will tap in the goal. Fast-forward to the AFC Cup 2011, and I saw a shocking repeat of the same against Bahrain as Abulatif gleefully tapped in past a hapless goalkeeper in a game where he scored 3 other goals as Bahrain won 5-2.
The AFC Cup qualification itself was a wild-card entry. India won the AFC Challenge Cup, which is a tournament for emerging nations, similar to the ones that are organised by the ICC in cricket, giving them a direct entry to the AFC Cup finals. Think of Indian football in the AFC Cup as the Dutch cricket team in the ICC World Cup. While any draw would have been tough, Group C in the AFC Cup was the worst India could hope for, with recent World Cup participants Australia and South Korea, besides Middle-East powerhouse Bahrain for company. It predictably ended in 3 defeats, with scores reading a dismal 4-0 (Aus), 5-2 (Bah), and 4-1 (Kor). Nevertheless, there was no lack of spirit, and a few notable young stars hold much promise.
Young Stars
The most notable performer is the outstanding custodian in goal - Subrata Pal. Athletic, agile, and brave, he single-handedly ensured the scores weren't more humiliating than they already look. Clearly the only one close to being world-class, one hopes he gets the chance to ply his trade in stronger leagues. Sunil Chhetri is however the only one currently registered with a foreign team. I say registered because the Kansas City Wizards don't seem to want to play him in the MLS in the USA. However, this diminutive striker is a wizard by Indian standards and has pace and trickery to go with neat finishing skills. 21 goals in 43 appearances for the national team are proof that he should easily surpass Baichung Bhutia as the top goal-poacher in Indian history.
The only other notable performers are center-back Gouramangi Singh who won the AIFF player of the year 2010, and the aging left-winger Renedy Singh, who scored the stunner against Bahrain that was awarded to Chhetri. The pressure of being labeled "The Indian Beckham" clearly told on Steven Dias as he followed one disappointing delivery with another.
The Future
The future really is not in the hands of these players above, nor in those of the perspiring and inspirational manager Bob Houghton. Each defeat in the AFC Cup was followed by an interview in which Houghton desperately called for the Indian authorities to notice the hardwork the players are putting in and to invest in infrastructure - stadiums, competitive leagues, youth academies. It is not as if we can't find fans amongst a billion people. The English Premier League has witnessed a remarkable growth in the number of Indian viewers in recent years. What the fans want is a competitive league with quality players and quality stadiums to watch them in.
The league has been restructured, but the only thing that stands out is its cool new name - I-League. The noteworthy addition to this league however is that of the Indian Arrows - a team meant to breed young talent. It was formed when it was noted that most teams in the league sign up youngsters but are wary of blooding them too young.
The only way I can see fans flocking back to the stadiums is if the style of play switches from the archaic hoof-ball English tactics to the style that Syed Abdul Rahim pursued during the Golden Decade - possession football with neat passing and switch of play. It is the most attractive style of play that even spectators who are new to the sport instantly enjoy, and is followed like a religion by top European clubs like Barcelona and Arsenal. Spain's World Cup triumph and the recent World Cup runs of South Korea and Japan are completely down to an investment in this kind of football.
It needs a lot of skill, not just to complete passes, but to keep possession under
pressure. The players can develop that. What they cannot develop are stadiums with lush green fields that are conducive to this kind of play. If the organisers give them rough, shoddy lawns to play in where the ball won't roll past a few meters, who wouldn't be tempted to lump it forward hopefully?
As more fans are attracted to the global allure of football, one can only wonder how long will it be before someone pumps in the money BCCI style to tap into the one enviable wealth we hold as a country - a huge bulging middle-class population with money to spend on entertainment.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Yours Faithfully
As humans, we have great fun applying labels on each other, including ourselves. Indian! American! Left-centric. Socialist. Gooner. Red Devil. On-Facebook. Not-on-Facebook! Hindu. Muslim. Christian. Monotheist. Atheist. Agnostic. Believer. The list is endless, and we discover new ones to label ourselves with each day. But, perhaps the one labeling that has stood the test of time is the one related to one's belief in God. The Wikipedia page on Theism presents one with the remarkable array of labels one can apply on a "believer".
Let me define the terms of engagement briefly, as I see them.
Theist: Believes in at least one God, most often a personal God, that has been accepted as the creator of the Universe and as the one responsible for its governance or maintenance.
Atheist: Believes that there is no need for a God entity to explain the Universe, and that rigorous logical analysis (Science) satisfactorily answers all questions the human mind can raise about the world around us.
Agnostic: Believes that they do not have sufficient knowledge to choose sides and perhaps even admit that they may never have an answer to questions regarding the Universe.
Once you try to dissect these terms however, it is remarkable how all the arguments seem to sound similar, except in the final mental image they seek to achieve.
Fundamental Basis of Belief
It would be difficult to deny the fact that what category we fall under when we try to label ourselves with one of the 3 labels listed above has much to do with how we were brought up and what kind of influences affected us through life. There is absolutely no link between education levels and a lack of belief in God. It is wrong to say atheists are usually highly educated. and vice-versa. I have met physics majors, deeply involved in Quantum Theory, who are devout Christians at the same time.
If one has parents that actively practice some religion, it is but natural that they will be introduced early into a life surrounded by theories about God and related religious beliefs. In families where reasoning and questioning is encouraged, children seem to grow up free of any imposed religious beliefs, but this does not imply they couldn't be affected by an influence later in life - a book, someone wise whom you respect, a tragic event. Ultimately, it all comes down to what you believe in. Some idea forces itself into your head, and you mull over it long enough to actually start believing it.
I Believe in Science
To the atheists who claim - "I believe in Science, and Science has proven there is no need for an entity named God to explain the Universe and human creation. You give me a question, Science will find an answer - Evolution, Big Bang, Gravity." - I ask, do you really understand as much of Science as you believe in? Do you really understand how Gravity works? Do you really still think matter is made up of spheres with revolving electrons and a sun-like nucleus in the middle, and by dissecting these "particles" someday we will know what the "God particle" is? Have you heard of Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle, and how it throws a spanner in the works of any "scientific" observation or experiment? Or is it that you believe that the scientists are smart and intelligent, and you would rather hedge your bets on such intellects compared to the medieval saints who "meditate and levitate".
Ask any established Physicist, and they will tell you that Physics has hardly made any significant breakthrough in the last 80 years. The problems have become a lot harder than the ones we started out with - observations have not answered all our questions, but have instead thrown forth new and much more difficult ones. The very essence of Quantum Theory screams "I am not sure, but I can give you deterministic probabilities". It doesn't surprise me that so many Physicists eventually realise they may not get an answer in their lifetime, and try to seek solace outside Science at the same time as they pursue their research.
I Believe in a Supreme Force
It's hard to put forth examples about the hollow and shallow nature of religion as a whole without hurting particular sentiments, so I must desist from doing that. One thing is clear though - if there was a God, my God would not have to be superior to yours. Most of what we call religion can be summed up as a really "dumbed down", generally applicable abstract of what their founders meant for it to be, and too focused on "rules and practices" for a reasoning human to accept freely. When children ask their parents about some peculiar practice they notice during a festival or worship, we scold them for asking, instead of realising we are following something we do not understand nor dared to question ourselves. Reasoning and questioning are the most precious gifts we have inherited as humans, and what can be more insulting to the God one prays to, to forgo the gifts He has bestowed upon us?
One respects their parents and having been born in a family where both parents practice one religion with faith, one was bound to end up following in their footsteps. Another heard a preacher at a time when they were going through immense personal upheaval, and heard a bell ring and answered the calling. Yet another was preached by someone who they deemed to be morally and spiritually superior, and out of fear of retribution by said God decided to accept the prescribed religious ways.
To all Theists I say - "Have you understood what your religious founders really set out to preach? Or do you think they were preaching trivialities (like Heaven/Hell) that everyone thought they understood, and there was no need for any further inquiry? Which of the human problems - fear, wars, hatred, greed - has any preacher of God been able to overcome yet? Or did you think the problems are all because we don't all believe in the same God? Is that even possible? If I asked you to describe the qualities of God, which is ultimately an image developed and embedded in your head over time, do you think everyone else would use the same qualities to describe God as well?"
I Believe I Must Believe
The last category of agnostics, at least put up a humble front when faced with the problem by throwing their hands up and saying "I am open to more information, but I doubt I can ever reasonably come to a conclusion". The other categories label them as weak, indecisive. The one appreciative quality agnostics portray is an inquisitiveness regarding everything. They realise they will likely never get all the answers, but they regard the reasoning ability of humans to be the essence of what they want to base their lives on. Yet, in believing they can never get an answer, they find comfort in the belief that life cannot give you all the answers. It may sound to be a weaker belief, but once again, man hasn't escaped the comfort and security of believing in something.
The great philosopher Adi Shankaracharya, is known to have furious debates about Advaita - non-dualism - with other theists and atheists of his time. It is hard to get away from the fact that this was also based on a personal belief - albeit perhaps one that was reasoned by a questioning and ruminating mind after dwelling for years on ancient manuscripts.
We would all love to have answers for all the questions our minds throw up each day. It is possible there is an answer - one answer for all questions. Or there may be none that we can stumble upon in our lifetime. No matter which bracket you fall into, it may be worth considering not to ever stop questioning or reasoning. To betray a reasoning mind, is to betray yourself, the very essence of who you are. For if Shankaracharya, Budhha and other similar philosophers are right, with sufficient introspection we can arrive at a mental state where there is no past, no future, no time, no space, and all problems melt into the one consciousness. I wish you all the best in finding your personal God!
Let me define the terms of engagement briefly, as I see them.
Theist: Believes in at least one God, most often a personal God, that has been accepted as the creator of the Universe and as the one responsible for its governance or maintenance.
Atheist: Believes that there is no need for a God entity to explain the Universe, and that rigorous logical analysis (Science) satisfactorily answers all questions the human mind can raise about the world around us.
Agnostic: Believes that they do not have sufficient knowledge to choose sides and perhaps even admit that they may never have an answer to questions regarding the Universe.
Once you try to dissect these terms however, it is remarkable how all the arguments seem to sound similar, except in the final mental image they seek to achieve.
Fundamental Basis of Belief
It would be difficult to deny the fact that what category we fall under when we try to label ourselves with one of the 3 labels listed above has much to do with how we were brought up and what kind of influences affected us through life. There is absolutely no link between education levels and a lack of belief in God. It is wrong to say atheists are usually highly educated. and vice-versa. I have met physics majors, deeply involved in Quantum Theory, who are devout Christians at the same time.
If one has parents that actively practice some religion, it is but natural that they will be introduced early into a life surrounded by theories about God and related religious beliefs. In families where reasoning and questioning is encouraged, children seem to grow up free of any imposed religious beliefs, but this does not imply they couldn't be affected by an influence later in life - a book, someone wise whom you respect, a tragic event. Ultimately, it all comes down to what you believe in. Some idea forces itself into your head, and you mull over it long enough to actually start believing it.
I Believe in Science
To the atheists who claim - "I believe in Science, and Science has proven there is no need for an entity named God to explain the Universe and human creation. You give me a question, Science will find an answer - Evolution, Big Bang, Gravity." - I ask, do you really understand as much of Science as you believe in? Do you really understand how Gravity works? Do you really still think matter is made up of spheres with revolving electrons and a sun-like nucleus in the middle, and by dissecting these "particles" someday we will know what the "God particle" is? Have you heard of Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle, and how it throws a spanner in the works of any "scientific" observation or experiment? Or is it that you believe that the scientists are smart and intelligent, and you would rather hedge your bets on such intellects compared to the medieval saints who "meditate and levitate".
Ask any established Physicist, and they will tell you that Physics has hardly made any significant breakthrough in the last 80 years. The problems have become a lot harder than the ones we started out with - observations have not answered all our questions, but have instead thrown forth new and much more difficult ones. The very essence of Quantum Theory screams "I am not sure, but I can give you deterministic probabilities". It doesn't surprise me that so many Physicists eventually realise they may not get an answer in their lifetime, and try to seek solace outside Science at the same time as they pursue their research.
I Believe in a Supreme Force
It's hard to put forth examples about the hollow and shallow nature of religion as a whole without hurting particular sentiments, so I must desist from doing that. One thing is clear though - if there was a God, my God would not have to be superior to yours. Most of what we call religion can be summed up as a really "dumbed down", generally applicable abstract of what their founders meant for it to be, and too focused on "rules and practices" for a reasoning human to accept freely. When children ask their parents about some peculiar practice they notice during a festival or worship, we scold them for asking, instead of realising we are following something we do not understand nor dared to question ourselves. Reasoning and questioning are the most precious gifts we have inherited as humans, and what can be more insulting to the God one prays to, to forgo the gifts He has bestowed upon us?
One respects their parents and having been born in a family where both parents practice one religion with faith, one was bound to end up following in their footsteps. Another heard a preacher at a time when they were going through immense personal upheaval, and heard a bell ring and answered the calling. Yet another was preached by someone who they deemed to be morally and spiritually superior, and out of fear of retribution by said God decided to accept the prescribed religious ways.
To all Theists I say - "Have you understood what your religious founders really set out to preach? Or do you think they were preaching trivialities (like Heaven/Hell) that everyone thought they understood, and there was no need for any further inquiry? Which of the human problems - fear, wars, hatred, greed - has any preacher of God been able to overcome yet? Or did you think the problems are all because we don't all believe in the same God? Is that even possible? If I asked you to describe the qualities of God, which is ultimately an image developed and embedded in your head over time, do you think everyone else would use the same qualities to describe God as well?"
I Believe I Must Believe
The last category of agnostics, at least put up a humble front when faced with the problem by throwing their hands up and saying "I am open to more information, but I doubt I can ever reasonably come to a conclusion". The other categories label them as weak, indecisive. The one appreciative quality agnostics portray is an inquisitiveness regarding everything. They realise they will likely never get all the answers, but they regard the reasoning ability of humans to be the essence of what they want to base their lives on. Yet, in believing they can never get an answer, they find comfort in the belief that life cannot give you all the answers. It may sound to be a weaker belief, but once again, man hasn't escaped the comfort and security of believing in something.
The great philosopher Adi Shankaracharya, is known to have furious debates about Advaita - non-dualism - with other theists and atheists of his time. It is hard to get away from the fact that this was also based on a personal belief - albeit perhaps one that was reasoned by a questioning and ruminating mind after dwelling for years on ancient manuscripts.
We would all love to have answers for all the questions our minds throw up each day. It is possible there is an answer - one answer for all questions. Or there may be none that we can stumble upon in our lifetime. No matter which bracket you fall into, it may be worth considering not to ever stop questioning or reasoning. To betray a reasoning mind, is to betray yourself, the very essence of who you are. For if Shankaracharya, Budhha and other similar philosophers are right, with sufficient introspection we can arrive at a mental state where there is no past, no future, no time, no space, and all problems melt into the one consciousness. I wish you all the best in finding your personal God!
Sunday, December 12, 2010
The Human Face of Climate Change
Another year goes by and another UNFCC summit on Climate Change comes to an end with semi-promises agreed to and hesitant agreements made in the name of progress. Cruel, hard facts still stare at us - none of this is going to prevent temperature rise by 2C in the next 40 years - yet global leaders, expected to be strong-willed and seeking the benefit at large of their national society, cannot look beyond petty short-term gains and bargains. After the delegates have all flown home in jumbo-jets, thus adding a few more tons of CO2 each to the atmosphere, the bitter truth stares us in the face - humans cannot solve this problem until they stop being humans.
Let me point out a couple of the human aspects of this problem, as I see it.
Greed
The hunger to have more, when one already has more than enough, is something most humans can see, but cannot always act against. All around us, especially in a socially lopsided country like India, we see greed build a billion dollar mansion standing up against the slums. The rich know how to get richer, working through the system until they become the system itself, blind to any adverse effect it may have on the poor.
I wholly agree with the Bolivian president Evo Morales when he says capitalism, with its guiding principles always feeding individual greed, can never solve the world's problems - including tackling climate change. Yes, it makes the rich richer, and the poor a little less poor over time, albeit a lot slower than you can get richer. But, at what cost? Those same rich are desperate to hold on to their riches, built by burning gigatons of coal, millions of barrels of oil, chopping down forests with abandon and dumping waste where no one questions them. And so they deny climate change. Spread hoaxes to brain-wash those who are now so used to the comforts of always available cooling and heating, as well as personal transport. Lobby governments that depend on their investments not just to keep the economy moving, but also to fund political campaigns. The result, corporate greed screws the poor farmers and jungle foragers that make up more in numbers than the corporate class, but have a smaller voice of opinion.
Selfishness
At the global round table, selfishness really becomes nationalism - a more aggregate form of selfishness. Yet, the results are the same. The developed nations fail to look beyond the loss of economic advantage and a potential drop in the so-called "standard of living" to acknowledge other nations have more severe problems to deal with. The developing nations are caught in the trap of seeking justice, for the "right to pollute" as much as the others have for decades. The poor countries, who cannot even pollute if they wanted to, are left to negotiate over the remaining scraps.
It will be no surprise to watch a few islands disappear while other nations fail to look beyond this self-focused view of the world. Poor countries like Bangladesh, Nepal, nations in Sub-Saharan Africa will soon face devastating bouts of drought where they will struggle to save lives. Yet, the Americans will count how many Americans are affected, while the Indians will do the same. It is here where Jairam Ramesh's departure from the staid stance of waiting for the developed countries to act in the name of justice, seems so mature. The "status quo" is not good enough, and it is not too hard to realise this.
What would Gandhi do?
It is hard to guess what the Mahatma would have done today, but it would have involved sacrifice, of individual good for global welfare. He would have passionately asked Indians first to consider the choices they have - a life where they might live with all the comforts they can afford today, where they may never have to face an unnatural natural disaster, but their children will have no such choice. He would have asked those who believe that their short life isn't as important as the health of the Earth, the mother who rears us all in her womb without a sigh, to follow him. He would have then led them to sacrifice these comforts, sacrifice the security of a capitalistic economy, and work together to show the world how to live within one's means, in harmony with nature, and yet live a full and satisfied life.
He would have hoped the other nations notice this act of mass sacrifice, and Gandhis sprout up all around the world, against the oppression of the corporates who are now losing their massive markets as more people give up unnecessary comforts. Eventually, just like the whole Indian nation rose up against the British Raj, perhaps most of the world will rise up to the corporate bullies, and let the real human nature - one where we care about everyone, do not distrust other nations, and work for a collective good - shine through to solve this unique problem.
Is this just Utopia? Can humans, who have never been able to see past their petty differences for a million years, suddenly rise and solve this problem we have created for ourselves? Or are we condemned to be extinct soon, like dinosaurs, except that the dinosaurs weren't stupid enough to kill themselves.
Let me point out a couple of the human aspects of this problem, as I see it.
Greed
The hunger to have more, when one already has more than enough, is something most humans can see, but cannot always act against. All around us, especially in a socially lopsided country like India, we see greed build a billion dollar mansion standing up against the slums. The rich know how to get richer, working through the system until they become the system itself, blind to any adverse effect it may have on the poor.
I wholly agree with the Bolivian president Evo Morales when he says capitalism, with its guiding principles always feeding individual greed, can never solve the world's problems - including tackling climate change. Yes, it makes the rich richer, and the poor a little less poor over time, albeit a lot slower than you can get richer. But, at what cost? Those same rich are desperate to hold on to their riches, built by burning gigatons of coal, millions of barrels of oil, chopping down forests with abandon and dumping waste where no one questions them. And so they deny climate change. Spread hoaxes to brain-wash those who are now so used to the comforts of always available cooling and heating, as well as personal transport. Lobby governments that depend on their investments not just to keep the economy moving, but also to fund political campaigns. The result, corporate greed screws the poor farmers and jungle foragers that make up more in numbers than the corporate class, but have a smaller voice of opinion.
Selfishness
At the global round table, selfishness really becomes nationalism - a more aggregate form of selfishness. Yet, the results are the same. The developed nations fail to look beyond the loss of economic advantage and a potential drop in the so-called "standard of living" to acknowledge other nations have more severe problems to deal with. The developing nations are caught in the trap of seeking justice, for the "right to pollute" as much as the others have for decades. The poor countries, who cannot even pollute if they wanted to, are left to negotiate over the remaining scraps.
It will be no surprise to watch a few islands disappear while other nations fail to look beyond this self-focused view of the world. Poor countries like Bangladesh, Nepal, nations in Sub-Saharan Africa will soon face devastating bouts of drought where they will struggle to save lives. Yet, the Americans will count how many Americans are affected, while the Indians will do the same. It is here where Jairam Ramesh's departure from the staid stance of waiting for the developed countries to act in the name of justice, seems so mature. The "status quo" is not good enough, and it is not too hard to realise this.
What would Gandhi do?
It is hard to guess what the Mahatma would have done today, but it would have involved sacrifice, of individual good for global welfare. He would have passionately asked Indians first to consider the choices they have - a life where they might live with all the comforts they can afford today, where they may never have to face an unnatural natural disaster, but their children will have no such choice. He would have asked those who believe that their short life isn't as important as the health of the Earth, the mother who rears us all in her womb without a sigh, to follow him. He would have then led them to sacrifice these comforts, sacrifice the security of a capitalistic economy, and work together to show the world how to live within one's means, in harmony with nature, and yet live a full and satisfied life.
He would have hoped the other nations notice this act of mass sacrifice, and Gandhis sprout up all around the world, against the oppression of the corporates who are now losing their massive markets as more people give up unnecessary comforts. Eventually, just like the whole Indian nation rose up against the British Raj, perhaps most of the world will rise up to the corporate bullies, and let the real human nature - one where we care about everyone, do not distrust other nations, and work for a collective good - shine through to solve this unique problem.
Is this just Utopia? Can humans, who have never been able to see past their petty differences for a million years, suddenly rise and solve this problem we have created for ourselves? Or are we condemned to be extinct soon, like dinosaurs, except that the dinosaurs weren't stupid enough to kill themselves.
Sunday, September 05, 2010
Remember, Remember, Teachers in September
It's the 5th of September today - a day we were never allowed to forget back in school because it was the day we had to shower love and respect on our teachers, even if, in some cases, we didn't particularly like them. Celebrated on the birthday of one of India's most scholarly Presidents ever - Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan - Teacher's Day was the day the "class monitor" was supposed to pool money and buy roses for all the teachers. Indian culture has always required us to revere our Gurus as ones who enlighten our paths and guide us to knowledge. Perhaps, when school days are a distant memory, the ones who still live on within us and bring a smile to our faces when we think of them, did really impress our hearts and minds. Here's an ode to the ones I can still remember.
Pre-primary School
Heck, I barely remember my primary school. What chance then of me remembering any of my pre-primary teachers? If Hindi movies were a guide to my memory, I am certain they were pretty and adored children!
Primary School
"A good teacher is like a candle - it consumes itself to light the way for others." - Anonymous.
Mukhtar madam, my Math teacher from Vidyodaya High School, springs to mind instantly. She would literally sweat profusely within the melting walls of the hot Hyderabad school, trying to shove concepts about Algebra into little heads. We loved her because she was brutally honest and dedicated, and the boys loved her because there was no favoritism to girls! You could see pride light her eyes up when one of us solved a problem she would pose for us on the board. I recollect the many times she clearly wouldn't be in the best of health or would be fatigued by the fasting month of Ramzan, but would keep going with sheer determination. We always respect someone who is clearly trying harder than ourselves. And as Indians, we adore those who let us ask personal questions like - "Happy Birthday Ma'am, how old are you today?", "Are you really not married? Why?". While others got roses, we would get her a tea-set.
My favorite part was when we were preparing for our 7th standard Board Exams (yes, kids have it easy these days!) - she would call out some 10 names and make them stand up in class, and lecture them on how she expects them to get a 100 in Math. When the results were out, and I was shy of a 100 by some 25 marks, I was lucky my dad got transferred to Bombay and I did not have to face her blazing eyes of disappointment.
Secondary School
“The test of a good teacher is not how many questions he can ask his pupils that they will answer readily, but how many questions he inspires them to ask him which he finds it hard to answer” - Alice Wellington
The first name that would spring to mind for any of my friends who studied at Poorna Prajna High School in Mumbai when asked to remember their teachers would undoubtedly be of Diana madam. I can't even remember if she was good at what she taught, probably because history and social studies always felt like subjects where there really wasn't much to learn. But, her openness to stupid questions and general student banter made her an instant hit with everyone. Her example made it clear to me how a good teacher must be - friendly and approachable, and always having the ability to encourage and deal with all kinds of questions. Respect developed this way, as opposed to fear-induction, has a lasting effect.
High School/Junior College
Classrooms of size 120, pretty girls everywhere, sweating with low self-esteem, worrying about catching the rush-hour train home that is less crowded than the others, the stench of chemicals from the chemistry lab below and the air-conditioned refuge of the 2 hours of Computer Lab time. No teachers ever registered I guess.
Engineering
"A teacher who is attempting to teach without inspiring the pupil with a desire to learn is hammering on cold iron." - Horace Mann
The less said about the quality of teachers in the average Engineering college in India, the better. If this were meant to be a reverse list, I could fill it up with 4 years of teachers barely covering 25% of the syllabus, giving more assignments than lectures, and clearly peddling their coaching class stints over regular classes. The Math teachers were again impressive, but maybe that's because I felt an affinity for Math back then. The only other teacher that stood out was Mrs. Rekha Ramesh, once again for the qualities I always admire - open to questions, and something lacking in my college back then: a determination to cover as much of the syllabus as possible in her lectures. The one thing that stood out was the fact that she always appreciated if someone corrected her, and when she would say "I will answer that in the next class", she always did.
Masters
“Tell me and I'll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I'll understand.” - Chinese Proverb.
If there was a complete opposite of my Engineering experience, it would have to be doing Masters at IIT Bombay. It is perhaps because of the shambles we face during engineering that this experience looks so much brighter. It's hard to pick one professor out of the many who taught us. However, Prof. Abhiram Ranade is probably the most inspiring of them all to me personally, most likely because of his calm and assured demeanor. He taught us Algorithms and Complexity, and his course structure and presentation style are unmatched with any other professor I ever encountered. Even the assignments were actually fun to solve, and led to much discussion and debate on our hostel floors. What I loved most was his personality though. He always smiled at each student he passed in the corridor, spoke softly and succinctly, wore a simple shirt that was never tucked in but always neatly ironed, and carried a humble cotton bag. He loved it when students asked questions and was most approachable with any other problems as well.
Now that his lectures are on YouTube, everyone can enjoy them.
“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” - William Arthur Ward.
Here's hoping that the students of today find more such inspiring teachers in their path to knowledge.
Pre-primary School
Heck, I barely remember my primary school. What chance then of me remembering any of my pre-primary teachers? If Hindi movies were a guide to my memory, I am certain they were pretty and adored children!
Primary School
"A good teacher is like a candle - it consumes itself to light the way for others." - Anonymous.
Mukhtar madam, my Math teacher from Vidyodaya High School, springs to mind instantly. She would literally sweat profusely within the melting walls of the hot Hyderabad school, trying to shove concepts about Algebra into little heads. We loved her because she was brutally honest and dedicated, and the boys loved her because there was no favoritism to girls! You could see pride light her eyes up when one of us solved a problem she would pose for us on the board. I recollect the many times she clearly wouldn't be in the best of health or would be fatigued by the fasting month of Ramzan, but would keep going with sheer determination. We always respect someone who is clearly trying harder than ourselves. And as Indians, we adore those who let us ask personal questions like - "Happy Birthday Ma'am, how old are you today?", "Are you really not married? Why?". While others got roses, we would get her a tea-set.
My favorite part was when we were preparing for our 7th standard Board Exams (yes, kids have it easy these days!) - she would call out some 10 names and make them stand up in class, and lecture them on how she expects them to get a 100 in Math. When the results were out, and I was shy of a 100 by some 25 marks, I was lucky my dad got transferred to Bombay and I did not have to face her blazing eyes of disappointment.
Secondary School
“The test of a good teacher is not how many questions he can ask his pupils that they will answer readily, but how many questions he inspires them to ask him which he finds it hard to answer” - Alice Wellington
The first name that would spring to mind for any of my friends who studied at Poorna Prajna High School in Mumbai when asked to remember their teachers would undoubtedly be of Diana madam. I can't even remember if she was good at what she taught, probably because history and social studies always felt like subjects where there really wasn't much to learn. But, her openness to stupid questions and general student banter made her an instant hit with everyone. Her example made it clear to me how a good teacher must be - friendly and approachable, and always having the ability to encourage and deal with all kinds of questions. Respect developed this way, as opposed to fear-induction, has a lasting effect.
High School/Junior College
Classrooms of size 120, pretty girls everywhere, sweating with low self-esteem, worrying about catching the rush-hour train home that is less crowded than the others, the stench of chemicals from the chemistry lab below and the air-conditioned refuge of the 2 hours of Computer Lab time. No teachers ever registered I guess.
Engineering
"A teacher who is attempting to teach without inspiring the pupil with a desire to learn is hammering on cold iron." - Horace Mann
The less said about the quality of teachers in the average Engineering college in India, the better. If this were meant to be a reverse list, I could fill it up with 4 years of teachers barely covering 25% of the syllabus, giving more assignments than lectures, and clearly peddling their coaching class stints over regular classes. The Math teachers were again impressive, but maybe that's because I felt an affinity for Math back then. The only other teacher that stood out was Mrs. Rekha Ramesh, once again for the qualities I always admire - open to questions, and something lacking in my college back then: a determination to cover as much of the syllabus as possible in her lectures. The one thing that stood out was the fact that she always appreciated if someone corrected her, and when she would say "I will answer that in the next class", she always did.
Masters
“Tell me and I'll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I'll understand.” - Chinese Proverb.
If there was a complete opposite of my Engineering experience, it would have to be doing Masters at IIT Bombay. It is perhaps because of the shambles we face during engineering that this experience looks so much brighter. It's hard to pick one professor out of the many who taught us. However, Prof. Abhiram Ranade is probably the most inspiring of them all to me personally, most likely because of his calm and assured demeanor. He taught us Algorithms and Complexity, and his course structure and presentation style are unmatched with any other professor I ever encountered. Even the assignments were actually fun to solve, and led to much discussion and debate on our hostel floors. What I loved most was his personality though. He always smiled at each student he passed in the corridor, spoke softly and succinctly, wore a simple shirt that was never tucked in but always neatly ironed, and carried a humble cotton bag. He loved it when students asked questions and was most approachable with any other problems as well.
Now that his lectures are on YouTube, everyone can enjoy them.
“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” - William Arthur Ward.
Here's hoping that the students of today find more such inspiring teachers in their path to knowledge.
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