Category: Interests

Discrimination

As lot of discussion is going on regarding racial discrimination, thought of documenting my feelings and experiences and share it with you. This blog is dedicated to everyone who were discriminated in any form.

I am grateful for having a diverse experiences in life; my roots in Kerala (a state in India), childhood in Telangana (a state in India), education in Karnataka (a state in India), Germany and China, personal and professional trips across countries and cultures as well as being married to a partner from a different faith and region. All along, there were lot of incidents where I was treated differently; in a good way for eg. in Japan, China, South Africa.  In some cases, I was treated differently in a bad, insulting way and intentionally too (across the world), for color, religion, region, food habits…DISCRIMINATION. A few examples are:

  1. During my high school  & college days, I was called names because of my faith by fellow students and teachers
  2. My family was settled in a different state and were asked several times to go back to our home state and a few even challenged us for owning property
  3. In the UK following the July 7th bombing, I have experienced how all the Asian men were treated as potential terrorists by some of the Brits
  4. Being a foreigner in Germany, it was a challenge to get a fair deal while looking for a property to rent/buy

Most discrimination I have experienced is by Indians, in India and abroad. For those Indians who are feeling furious, please keep emotions aside and retrospect rationally.

When I look back, I did feel bad during a few incidents but never carried any hard feelings. However, what made me wonder was, how can one say or do something mean to other humans and be happy inside. I still don’t understand. Best part is that the same people who discriminate others expect a fair treatment, when they are in a similar situation.

Such behavior could be a result of beliefs, fears, prejudices, superiority complex, etc., It is normal to have such emotions/feelings, however it is the reactions based on those feelings, that needs to be checked. Most of the older generation (60+, I might be sounding discriminative here) were not exposed to globalization during their prime years, hence it might be challenging for them to overcome the cemented beliefs. But what is wrong with the younger generations? I do not have s solution, however from what I have seen, I believe such reactions are part of our human DNA, hence cannot be eradicated completely. However we can reduce the incidents and its impact. To achieve that education alone is not sufficient. Key is awareness and to create a fundamental and non-negotiable idea of humanity, thrive towards zero discrimination of any form and advocate fearlessly.

Talking about fearlessness. My daughter shares how some kids in her kindergarten talks about her brown skin and black hair, sometimes even making fun. I tell her that we all are the same but different and no one is superior. Have also asked her to respond back to the kids and say that they are “WHATEVERCOLOR” in the similar tone and make fun if required. Do not want any kid to feel inferior for any reason! Hope, as the kids grow, they will be more informed and will not repeat the mistakes of previous generations. 

Apart from a few incidences, I am blessed to have met best of people across the world. Thank you for sticking along!! In case I have discriminated against someone, here is my unconditional apology.

Let us remember that we all are in the journey of LIFE with same destination. Why not we share all the ups and downs while enjoying the journey TOGETHER.

Bon Voyage!

Boycott – Not a solution

Recently, I was listening to a fight (not physical) between my daughter and one of her friends in the neighborhood. As a result, their birthday party guest list got reduced by one kid, regular gift exchanges will be stopped as well as playing together will be soon be a thing of the past. After a while, my little one backed-off and took a break from her friend and realized how important the friendship is (loss-gain), especially during the Corona times. Following the break they changed the tactic and were ready to reconcile, which they did by apologizing and playing together again. In such harmless exchanges, I do not interfere and encourage my little one to deal on her own and conclude. For me it was interesting to see, how five year olds bring ideas to the table and change the tactics. After such exchanges, a postmortem does follow to understand the thought process and to give feedback as well as to learn.

The above incident has similarities to the videos and messages that I have been receiving to boycott “Made in China” products/services for reasons such as Corona and for creating tensions at its borders. Thinking on the same lines as the kids did, I could not see a gain through this boycott calls. A few lines from my thought process:

  1. In the current landscape where cars, planes, smartphones consists of components from various countries, it is highly impossible to boycott any major industrial country and its goods. The list of items should not stop with just some LED lamps, fireworks & apps, but should include most of the cars including Daimler Benz (10% shares owned by Geely), Apple products (made in China or electronic components are from China), Nike, etc.
  2. Advocating and inciting the public (in some cases for personal mileage) to boycott a country or race, is not the solution. We should look into the root cause. Is it the trade agreements or is it the common people like you and me, who look for cost effective deals, letting companies/governments make compromises. Potential solutions would be to renegotiate the deals or build/create local solutions/products to meet customer expectations. These will not happen overnight!
  3. In my opinion, calls to boycott products from a particular country is same as calls to reduce/avoid foreign workers in Western world (Indian IT engineers in USA). It is both discriminatory and not sustainable in the long run.
  4. Moreover such an action/call can backfire, given that China is a big market for several non-Chinese companies; Porsche, Infosys, Tata.
  5. China is not only primary source for various raw materials but also very cost-effective sourcing destination for various components, which is used by various companies across the world, including Indian companies. Finding alternative source locally and having to reduce the product margins, will not be smart, especially when the economy is struggling to reboot due to the pandemic.

Such a boycott call will lead to a loss-loss scenario in our modern world, again leaving the people to suffer. Let us take a leaf out of little ones and make a smart judgement, while looking for solutions, preferably collaborative ones. It is OUR call!

Pandemie

Like most of you, it is the first time, I have stayed home for such long period of time. Though it was a major change, I got used to it, as there was null alternatives, unlike several options in our phones and computers. “DELETE” has been the mostly used option/key in recent weeks to remain sane from all those hand-washing videos, root cause explanations and remedies. Though I was irritated with most of those forwards (I had an easy way out…DELETE), I was more disappointed to see some influential people, asking “commoners” to stay home and at the same time bombarding with their videos of cooking, work-outs, showing how cool their lives are, without imagining what it means for those commoners to forgo their wages and stay home and stare at starvation, especially in countries like India. Really hope the support provided by the Governments is reaching the people.

There is just too much information out there and to improve awareness, the message needs to be structured and focus on the “ultimate goal”, which according to me is to minimize the casualties, till we have a vaccination. So the privileged ones like us should spread messages and do the needful in our capacities (moral, emotional, help with local/online chores, food and financial) to people who are suffering the most. I can think of elderly, migrant workers, illiterate, foreigners, differently abled and less privileged. In my opinion, Corona virus is with us and will remain, also I have no doubt that we HUMANS will not let a virus win over us and change everything we are used to, though we will be probably following a new set of glocial (global-social) etiquette.

Recently I realized that we have been living for some years with another pandemic which needs more awareness and immediate actions; it is hatred, discrimination and inhumanity. Recently, I have been following the developments in India on Corona and I was surprised to see how so called “journalists” have been spitting venom and spreading misinformation, creating divide among us people during the time of crisis. Surprisingly, no big stars or influential people in the society has condemned that. Kept wondering whether all our souls are mutated with pandemie of hatred. Searching further I got lucky, there are a few brave ones, who focus on bringing the real stories. According to me, journalism like medical profession, has power to create progressive societies, however looking at some of the insensitive journalists, I believe they are doing injustice to their profession as well as to the societies.

Let us thank all the medical professionals around the world for their sacrifices to save us humans from the Corona pandemic. Now we all humans need to reject all sorts of discrimination, misinformation, biases and let us use the most powerful tool we possess – HUMANITY.

Let us help each other to help ourselves. Stay safe!

If interested in unpaid news which puts efforts to bring real stories, please check NewsLaundry .

A (re) visit to Land of Dragons

When my manager was asked to lead the team to perform GENBA at our suppliers in China, I was disappointed primarily for not able to visit one of my favourite countries again. However, my energy with the preparations worked and my manager entrusted the job to me, inside I was like a kid who just won a candy bar at a carnival.

My love for China began when I travelled for a few MBA modules, spread over two years. Its growth story, hospitality, passion and drive among the people as well the food that I would die for, are the things which impressed me the most.

So early October this year, before I landed in Shanghai, was thinking about what changes I expect to see in China; there were so many options to choose from; more high rises, electric cars and increased pollution. But my gut feeling was that there will be some surprises.

Unlike previous visits, this time I spent most of the time in small cities and towns. After travelling around 2200kms within the country, in a span of eleven days, I have realized that there is more diversity than I expected. Be it dialect, food or landscape. But one thing was common everywhere, hospitality; all went an extra mile to ensure that we had no issues, be it mobility, food or stay. They even took time to shows us around after dinners, prioritizing us over their family. Such an extent of hospitality cannot be expected in Germany.

Being from Germany, I was fascinated to see possibilities of non-cash payment systems such as AliPay, WeChat Pay. As I am informed, one can buy from a candy to a house using such payment systems. These systems, which have simplified transactions, have received wide scale of acceptance in the society and making such concepts a success.

As my team and I reached Shanghai for the weekend, I felt the city during the night was darker than earlier. The fancy lights were less to be seen and the lighting at “Bund” is turned off at 10PM (was 11PM back in 2012). This is a surprising and an important change. Surprising as I was not expecting a mighty country which has been spending a lot money to showcase its might to the world, would work to reduce electricity consumption. Important as this could potentially delay the extinction of resources.

Another positive development that I noticed for the first time is that the leftover food at restaurants is being packed and taken home. Irrespective of hierarchical position, food was shared among the team as . This trend is such an achievement for two reasons. Firstly, in countries like China and also India, there is social stigma at upper middle class and above to carry the leftovers home, it can be overcome only as a society together and governments can help the process by guiding with incentives to restaurants or educating value preposition (could take longer). In China I see that the upper layers of the society has overcome the stigma and has accepted the trend for good reasons.

Secondly, as food will be scarce and countries are fighting for agricultural land across borders, for eg. in Africa where European and Chinese are growing crops to feed their citizens back home. In such a scenario, it makes sense to use what we have efficiently, which could potentially push out food scarcity a little further. Hope other countries in the world will follow the path. If required we should not shy away from having a law to reduce waste and save resources.

Being a food lover and advocate of not wasting food, it was good to see that change. I am in the process of making my daughter (4 yrs) understand that there are so many kids out there, who are starving and food that we waste could save or make someone’s life. We all can make a difference!!

Staying with the topic of food, I had a feast for 11 days, enjoying everything that made it to the table; hotpots, Beijing duck, snails, crabs (luckily, I didn’t have to do the dissection), chicken feet, snake, variety of fish and vegetables. Of course, not to forget Qingdao beer, rice wine (@53% alcohol, it was more like spirit than wine).

As it was the first trip to China for the team members, I am glad that I ensured that the team experienced all that the Chinese cuisine and culture had to offer.

Special thanks to all our hosts, who made the trip hassle free, memorable and professionally successful.

Till the next time zài jiàn

Reflect to Correct

While growing up in India, I was passionate about solving problems; used to solve the mathematical problems in the news papers, repaired air-coolers (used during Summers in India), fixed ceiling fans (kinda miss that in Germany), tried my hand on my dad’s scooter, disassembled stereo players & juicers and majority of the times put them back together to work.

Back in 1992, one rainy day, I fell off from my dad’s scooter and skin from my hands & legs were peeled off by the road – it was no fun under the rain. Then I was wondering why could’nt the scooters n bikes be covered to improve safety and avoid getting wet.

In the following years, I have had several ideas to solve problems common people are facing every day, be it lunch-box for Indian students in Western countries or a tuk-tuk calling service to help elderly Indians get their rides to their door step (in 2010 registered a domain Autobulao which means call a tuk-tuk) but was never courageous as I used to be as a kid to get out there and just do it.

I am sure there are several reasons for such a transition. Whatever those reasons are, now I am taking some to time to reflect and trying to bring back my instincts to just go for it. Maybe I can take some inspiration from my little daughter.

As I am breaking my shackles and writing my first blog, I dedicate this post to my daughter and my wifey!!