Free the land for people

Well you would say the sky & the land are already for the people! The world, led by India, puts enormous stress on the supply of land for human use. The land prices in India have risen exponentially in last decade due to many reasons  including non economic ones too. When we are designing the office spaces it has been observed that large square meters of expensive estate has to be left for passages, approach road and parking etc on the ground level. Most often office buildings & surrounding landscapes fail to look pretty & attractive due to the people crowding the narrow pathways.

Let me suggest a solution to maintain the beauty of the building complex while providing a high position to the people using the building! How about building a system of steel bridges to connect various buildings with the parking & reception area? Think of an building complex wherein you park your car in designated area and climb onto a steel bridge that would take you to the destination. Imagine how much better you would feel walking above the building to go for work? This would free the land on the ground for other uses.  Secondly such bridges would allow better crowd control during emergencies too. I am waiting to see such university complex designed by a bright architect coming up sooner which would free the sky for the people.

Anna Live show: a ripple effect of WC cricket advertising rupees

Sometimes the wise cynical guys could be right in saying 'Money makes the mare go'! Why not apply the underlined wisdom of the phrase to understand the phenomenal success of Anna Hazare's crusade for the LokPal? Was it pure coincidence that such continuous media coverage was given to the small NGO protest against corruption? Was it a coincidence that the fast coincided the normal religious observation of fast by majority of Hindus on Navratra? Was it also a coincidence that it happened next day of the world cricket cup in India? There are other many 'whys' that seek answers. Let us try understand the polemics of the chain of events as how the ripple effect advertising from WC led to invention of Anna Hazare live show?

India is a secular socialist republic working as a parliamentary democracy where people can effect change to the constitution through or enact a law by electing their representatives to govern the nation on their behalf. Then whats the need to subvert the established institution ? If all politicians are corrupt then how come one on the side of Anna Hazare is a holy cow? Is Mr Shanti Bhushan better placed than Mr Manmohan Singh on the parameters of honestly & ability? There are many serious questions that are looking for answers.

The media has recently made a pile of advertising revenue from World Cup. Believe me our media is doing a disservice to the nation by promoting cricket for their selfish profit motives without regard to the harm it does to other sports in India. Cricket is a all day sport that gives media eye balls to run the advertisements to rake in money. Media do not share the advertising money earned from WC cricket with promotion of sports in India. This time industry had changed its media buying strategy to game by game basis from the earlier bulk deals. Therefore with the India's victory at the event there were large scale advertising funds looking for an opportunity to get promote themselves. Consequently the marketing departments of the media companies may have persuaded the editorial guys to create a mass event culminating in focus on the fast of Anna Hazare to make it a rolling event for advertising needs.  

You wonder that just a few days ago, a similar event led by Gandhian Seva and Satyagraha Brigade, an all-India NGO of Gandhian persuasion, was organised at same place but it did not got covered in electronic media. Ask Arnab goswami why did he not cover it? What was his motive? It was appalling to see media anchors churning out tasteless commentary as if the entire India has been involved.

Some people say media is getting back at the government to keep it under pressure from allowing entry of foreign media into India. Also many media companies have 'treaties' with large number of business houses therefore media has to keep those company stock prices in good shape to earn profits. Despite Government of India's appeals our media continues to portray a negative image of India abroad. What national purpose they are serving is beyond the imagination of ordinary citizens. Radia tapes has exposed the unholy nexus of media & politicians in promoting corruption in India and the same media is shouting hoarse over the corruption in India. Why?

Election forecast 2011

Market research in India faces many hurdles due to size, literacy, culture, & economic factors that lead to trust deficit which is difficult to manage statistically.  Political parties must go for long term behavior research to arrive at more accurate findings about the voting behavior of the citizens. But we have attempted a preliminary research through students in 5 states going for polls and the outcome looks like the following;

1. Left-wing parties would be voted out from Kerala & WB
2. Congress would remain in Assam & Puducherry
3. DMK has close contest but would get more seats than AIADMK
4. TMC would win WB

Voter Mobilization in State Elections

Five states are going for polls in April-May 2011 in India. Once again we shall see different pattern of voters turn out. Many believe that a high voter turn out during elections confers greater legitimacy to election results but specialists have different opinions about the subject.  In a first pass the pole system freedom to vote becomes a major issue than the percentage turn out.

Lower strata of society in India generally votes in greater numbers as compared to the other. There are many reasons for this, including ease of  management in getting these section out to vote. Middle class in villages tend to vote in larger numbers than in urban areas. Stake holders and experts feel satisfied with a turnover of around 60 percent in India. Though assembly elections generally have greater turn out than the general elections for the parliament.

Tamil Nadu would have higher turn out amongst the states. Let's not miss the point that dictators produce higher turn out in their countries during elections whereas democracies have moderate turnouts of around 50-60 percent.  Despite average age getting lower due to the demographic characteristics of India political parties still prefer to put greater stress on meetings & road shows as against mass media advertising.

Mass media adverting & marketing has the potential of changing the landscape of results in elections but no party gives prime priority to the use of marketing concepts & tools during elections. Political players still swear by traditional micro management of the elections despite drastic change in the profile of the voters.

Therefore we are deprived of great election advertising that could set a more consumer oriented agenda for the parties. Political players do not wish to change their feudal outlook and archaic behavior even in a youthful India of 21st century. They must be prepared for shock results in elections. The voter profile has changed and elections management has not which results into unexpected outcomes in elections. Its necessary for political players to give prime priority to marketing & advertising to get a desired outcome in elections.

Most election pundits have written an obituary  for the left parties rule in West Bengal but the results could be different. It would be a very close contest. scene is TN is no different, despite so much focus on corruption DMK alliance may get another chance to form a coalition government. AIADMK has nothing new in its plate for the voters, which could seriously hurt its chances. Challenger parties must offer new promises to attract voters to approve their agenda. Old agendas pandered about by equally ancient leaders would have limited appeal in a mass market. A party with sound core strategy built around 'New Promise' would attract greater number of fence sitters in an elections.

Car Ventilation system -First time in the world

Cars come with air conditioning that works in running condition only. We have not bothered to create hot air ventilation systems for cars for the markets having hotter climes. Particularly those people who commute to work in car and who have to park the car in an open parking lot in hot summer conditions like India it becomes very difficult to get in the car in the evening. The car feels like oven and that also damages the seat fabric and plastics used inside the car.

A simple ventilation system can do the trick to keep the car cool during parking and it sure can become a selling feature for the new launches. I have a design ready with me and discussing with few auto companies to use this gadget in the cars. It costs around 2000-3000 depending upon the variant and keeps the car and the people in great comfort.  I am looking for advice for global patent for this idea and design of the devise. If you are interested please join me in bringing this innovation to the masses.

Home Atta Kneader

This region has many appliances companies selling food processors & juicers etc, but i have not come across an independent Dough Making machine for Indian kitchens. Though majority of India prefers rice over wheat, but large number of households in north can't do without Paraonthas & Chapttis as main part of the diet. There is enormous scope for Dough Kneader appliance in Indian kitchen to relieve the drudgery of soiling hands and avoiding hands free operations in kitchen.

A stand alone dough Kneader prices around INR 2500 with a capacity of upto 1 kg load as basic design could fly off the shelves faster than the water purifier or the food processors. I have a design ready for the machine that's based on year long research. I am looking for a partner appliances major to join me.

You shut up - Budget 2011

If you ask me to describe the budget in one sentence, I would say it could well be described as a ‘you shut up budget’. Budget 2011 has left opposition & media both bewildered & weak to find the kinks to criticize it from some angle. The budget proposal may not be great, but it certainly has virtually shut up the blaring media hollering which is nothing but a honking in the parking area. Good job Pranab babu!

Indian political parties have large number of journalists & advocates at the helm of affairs. Wonder if we have many doctors, engineers & professionals active in any political party for shaping the future of our poverty stricken, superstitious, divided and underdeveloped society. Although, as a ground rule in India, every parent dreams of making his child into a doctor or engineer and those who fail to study hard end up in other careers, some of them make it into the field of politics. Consequently, our political & media scene is dominated by empty talks and directionless speeches about the state of affairs in the nation. It’s only in last couple of decades that we have started to make any progress towards achieving out national goals.

It’s generally said that if you happen to fall sick in India, you will have more prescriptions than the visitors. And most of the visitors would tell you that the doctor knows nothing as compared to their expertise in the medicine. Well a similar scene pervades our national life too. Semi literate journalists know all experts & self appointed Gurus take it upon themselves to occupy news studios and pontificate over serious national issues. Baba Ramdev thinks that he knows more than Manmohan Singh about economics and leading the country, what a joke?

Budget 2011 is a smart political budget that shows the great political management by the Congress party & UPA. The FM has carefully tried to keep the ship in the same direction which has served them politically in last elections too. The opposition has to devise a new agenda focused away from the middle class, to convince the large numbers of people that come out in large numbers to vote.

Media needs to shed its traditional old fashioned role of an anti-government critic for democratic functioning of our society. Media would do well by taking a balanced view wherein it highlights good work done by the government and criticize it for what more could be done. Similar treatment shall be given to opposition parties. The unsavory & unintelligent attacks by media on Manmohan Singh’s comments during the press meeting happen to accentuate the lack of maturity on the part of media. PM’s remarks were quoted out of the contest and twisted meaning that lay in the mind of media was ascribed to his clear statements. Manmohan Singh is respected globally for nothing. He is a gentleman and India is lucky to have him.

The constant harangue of nailing the corrupt could only upset the corrupt in our midst. The media & BJP may first set its own house in order. Secondly how can you arrest someone without any proof? And if BJP & sections of media has proof against the guilty why don’t they approach the courts to nail the guilty? Just to inform you that despite large scale fraud in Banking & financial sector in USA, no one has yet been punished as the process of law is going on.  The UPA government has taken strong measures by throwing out a CM, a Cabinet Minister Etc, which is unprecedented. Let’s strengthen them by supporting them rather than annoying them with pot shots and innuendoes.