Monday, June 26, 2017
Monday, January 18, 2016
THE IMPACT OF UTTAR PRADESH PRAVASI DIWAS ON INDIAN DIASPORA
By Vincent
Van Ross
The youngest chief minister of the most populous state of
India, Akhilesh Yadav, inaugurated the first ever three-day Uttar Pradesh
Pravasi Divas (UPPD) earlier this month.
This mega event is a joint venture of
the NRI department of Uttar Pradesh government and the Federation of Indian
Chamber of Commerce and Industry based on the weeklong Pravasi Bharatiya Divas
celebrated by the Government of India in January every year.
The underlying idea of UPPD is to rekindle and consolidate
the bonding of Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs)
whose roots can be traced back to Uttar Pradesh and to encourage them to treat
Uttar Pradesh as their preferred destination for investment in business. With this
Akhilesh became the first Indian chief minister and Uttar Pradesh became the
first Indian state to enlist the co-operation of Non-Resident Indians (NRIs)
and Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) from the state for investment in the state on the lines of
Pravasi Bharatia Diwas celebrated by the Government of India since 2003. His
inaugural speech was laced with emotional appeals to stir the deep-rooted
sentiments of NRIs and PIOs from Uttar Pradesh.
The Uttar Pradesh government signed 13 Memorandums of
Understanding (MOUs) with international organisations headed by NRIs or PIOs on
the very first day of the celebration. Business
proposals have poured in from far and wide. These include Global Organisation of
People of Indian Origin; South Pacific University and Indo-Canadian Chamber of
Commerce; Indian Trade Exhibition Centre in Sharjah; Dubai-based Indian
Business Council, India Association of Japan;
UP Association of North America; and, World Trade Centre among others.
India is known to the outside world as the ‘Country of the
Taj Mahal.’ But, the “City of the Taj’
is in Uttar Pradesh. Akhilesh Yadav’s
decision to host the UPPD in Agra instead of Lucknow had something to do with
the lure of the Taj and he thought that it would attract more delegates to the
UPPD. The gamble paid off and it turned
out to be a pleasant surprise even for chief minister Akhilesh Yadav.
The UPPD drew over 200 delegates and the NRI department had
to close the registration of delegates before the opening day of UPPD as the
venues could not accommodate more delegates along with government officials,
media and security personnel needed to keep the arrangements in place. That is
a huge draw for a single state considering the fact that the number of
delegates attending Pravasi Bharatia Diwas celebrated by the Government of
India is around 1,800.
UPPD did not happen overnight. Akhilesh Yadav had the vision
to set up a separate NRI department in Lucknow way back in July 2014. The NRI
department is engaged in creating an exhaustive database of NRIs and PIOs from
Uttar Pradesh settled across the world, through Indian embassies in those
countries.
Akhilesh Yadav inaugurated a website for the NRIs and PIOs
from Uttar Pradesh http://www.upnri.com in
January 2015 and issued UP NRI cards to facilitate smooth processing of
business proposals of NRIs and PIOs from Uttar Pradesh. Subsequently, the Uttar Pradesh government
established a Migrant Resource Centre in Lucknow which is the nodal agency for
the NRI department in the Uttar Pradesh government. The NRI department functions from its head
office in Lucknow under its Principal Secretary, Sanjiv Saran. Regional centres
of the UP NRI department are likely to be established at Varanasi, Gorakhpur,
Kanpur and Noida to improve facilitations to the Indian diaspora. The thrust areas for NRI investment are
infrastructure and development projects, education, finance, tourism etc.
UPPD was a three-day affair.
It opened with an interactive session between the UP government and the
NRI investors after which the UP Chief Minsiter AKhilesh Yadav inaugurated an exhibition highlighting the achievements
of the Uttar Pradesh government in its development agenda and focusing on areas
of interest for investment by NRIs and PIOs.
Sixteen NRIs were awarded UP Apravasiya Bharatiya Ratna Puraskar in
recognition of their outstanding performance in the fields of their choice in
foreign lands and for their contributions to the development of Uttar Pradesh.
Since Akhilesh Yadav took over reigns of the Uttar Pradesh
government in 2012, Uttar Pradesh has made significant investments in
development projects. These include
Agra-Lucknow expressway which is an extension of the Yamuna expressway from
Noida to Agra to connect Lucknow with Delhi, and, Poorvanchal expressway; metro
rail projects in Lucknow, Noida, Ghaziabad, Agra, Kanpur, Meerut and Varanasi;
development of IT city in Lucknow; power sector and alternative energy resources;
education and health etc. In the last
few years, the growth rate of Uttar Pradesh has far exceeded the growth rate of
India as a nation.
In the evening, renowned playback singer Rahat Fatah Ali
Khan, entertained the guests with his mellifluous songs and kawwalis. On the second day, the delegates were
escorted to the Taj after which chief minister inaugurated the project for
development of the Agra city as per international standards. This will include a Mughal Museum, Agra
Street Café, Agra Heritage Centre and a Taj Orientation and Interpretation
Centre. Later in the day, panel
discussions were held on a variety of topics.
On the second day, six panel discussions were organized to
engage the Indian diaspora on a variety of themes such as (i)
Ummeedon-Ka-Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh with special focus on investment
opportunities in Uttar Pradesh; (ii) Engaging Diaspora for Development; (iii)
Building on Ummeedon-Ka-Pradesh with special focus Services, IT and Solar
Energy in Uttar Pradesh; (iv) Trace Your Roots; (v) Partners in Growth with
special focus on Health and Education; and, (vi) Uttar Pradesh the soft power
with special focus on Art, Culture and Tourism in Uttar Pradesh. The delegates
were offered opportunities for networking between sessions.
The evening saw a dance recital by the disciples of the
Kathak maestro Birju Maharaj. The third
day was devoted entirely to a conducted tour of Agra, Mathura and Vrindavan for
the delegates as tourism is also a major thrust area for Uttar Pradesh besides development
projects.
While UPPD was designed to attract investments from NRIs and
PIOs of Uttar Pradesh, the proposal from the Abu Dhabi based Keralite NRI Yusuf
Ali to invest rupees 1,000 crore to open
a hotel and a retail chain in Uttar Pradesh employing over 3,000 employees took
everyone by surprise. Overshooting
expectations, this has enhanced the scope of investment through UPPD beyond the
borders of Uttar Pradesh.
If the Uttar Pradesh government follows up on its promises
of infrastructure development, simplification of procedures for starting
business for Indian diaspora and creates a conducive atmosphere for business
projects in the state, this may mark the beginning of substantial fund flows
from NRIs and PIOs into the state. If
that happens, it may encourage the chief ministers of other states to follow
suit.
Friday, January 8, 2016
UTTAR PRADESH PRAVASI DIWAS A BIG HIT WITH NRIs OF UTTAR PRADESH
With the celebration of the Uttar Pradesh Pravasi Diwas (UPPD) in January 2016 Uttar Pradesh became the first Indian state to tap investments from Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) from Uttar Pradesh in the state on the lines of Pravasi Bharatia Diwas celebrated by the Government of India since 2003.
The Uttar Pradesh government
signed 13 Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with international organisations
headed by NRIs or PIOs on the very first day of the celebration. These
include Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin, South Pacific
University and Indo –Canadian Chamber of Commerce among others.
In his inaugural address, Akhilesh
Yadav’s managed to stir strong sentiments among the NRIs were made to feel that
they are still an important part of Uttar Pradesh. His commitment to see the
NRI projects through without hassles went down well with the Indian diaspora.
India is known to the outside
world as the ‘Country of the Taj Mahal.’ But, the “City of the Taj’ is in
Uttar Pradesh. That is what induced chief minister Akhilesh Yadav to host
the UPPD in Agra instead of Lucknow. He felt that the lure of the Taj would
attract more delegates to the UPPD.
The UPPD turned out to be such
a big hit that it surprised even the chief minister Akhilesh Yadav. It
was attended by over 200 delegates and the NRI department had to close the
registration of delegates before the opening day of UPPD as the venues could
not have accommodated more delegates along with government officials, media and
security personnel needed to keep the arrangements in place. That is a huge
draw for a single state considering the fact that the number of delegates
attending Pravasi Bharatia Diwas celebrated by the Government of India is
between 1,500 and 2,000.
UPPD is the result of the
initiative of the Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, who happens to
be the youngest chief minister of India, in setting up a separate NRI
department in Lucknow way back in July 2014. The NRI department is engaged in
creating a database of NRIs and PIOs from Uttar Pradesh settled across the
world, through Indian embassies in those countries.
Akhilesh Yadav inaugurated a
website for the NRIs and PIOs from Uttar Pradeshhttp://www.upnri.com in January 2015 and issued UP NRI cards to facilitate smooth
processing of business proposals of NRIs and PIOs from Uttar Pradesh.
Subsequently, the Uttar Pradesh government established a Migrant Resource
Centre in Lucknow which is the nodal agency for the NRI department in the Uttar
Pradesh government. The NRI department functions from its head office in
Lucknow under its Principal Secretary, Sanjiv Saran. Regional centres of the UP
NRI department are likely to be established at Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Kanpur and
Noida. The thrust areas for NRI investment are infrastructure and
development projects, education, finance, tourism etc.
UPPD was a three-day
affair. It was inaugurated on January 4, 2016 by throwing open an
exhibition displaying the achievements of the Uttar Pradesh government in its
development agenda and highlighting areas of interest for investment by NRIs
and PIOs. Sixteen NRIs were awarded the UP Apravasiya Bharatiya Ratna
Puraskar in recognition of their outstanding performances in the fields of their choice in foreign lands
and for their contributions to the development of Uttar Pradesh.
Since Akhilesh Yadav took over
reigns of the Uttar Pradesh government in 2012, Uttar Pradesh has made
significant investments in development projects. These include
Agra-Lucknow expressway which is an extension of the Yamuna expressway from
Noida to Agra to connect Lucknow with Delhi, and, Poorvanchal expressway; metro
rail projects in Lucknow, Noida, Ghaziabad, Agra, Kanpur, Meerut and Varanasi;
development of IT city in Lucknow; power sector and alternative energy
resources; education and health etc. In the last few years, the growth
rate of Uttar Pradesh has far exceeded the growth rate of India as a nation.
This is what infuses confidence in the NRIs and encourages them to view Uttar
Pradesh as a preferred destination for their investments.
In the evening, renowned
playback singer Rahat Fatah Ali Khan, entertained the guests with his
mellifluous songs and kawwalis. On the second day, the delegates were
escorted to the Taj after which chief minister inaugurated the project for
development of the Agra city as per international standards. This includes
a Mughal Museum, Agra Street Café, Agra Heritage Centre and a Taj Orientation
and Interpretation Centre. Later in the day, panel discussions were held
on a variety of topics. The evening saw a dance recital by the disciples
of the Kathak maestro Birju Maharaj. The third day was devoted entirely
to a conducted tour of Agra, Mathura and Vrindavan for the delegates as tourism
is also a major thrust area for Uttar Pradesh besides development projects.
While UPPD was designed to attract
investments from NRIs and PIOs of Uttar Pradesh, the proposal from the Abu
Dhabi based Keralite NRI Yusuf Ali to invest rupees 1,000 crore to open a
hotel and a retail chain in Uttar Pradesh employing over 3,000 employees took
everyone by surprise. This has enhanced the scope of investment through
UPPD beyond the borders of Uttar Pradesh.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
A DOLLAR ECONOMY
By Vincent Van Ross
Like many other curious tourists, it was the thousand year old temple complex that drew me to the land of the Khmers—Cambodia—Siem Reap to be precise. Spread across some 20 kilometers, Angkor Wat boasts of one of the most ambitious and magnificent construction projects of that period comprising an incredible cluster of nearly 200 temples.
About forty minutes after we departed from Bangkok, the Airbus started descending. And, there was an announcement that we should fasten our seat belts as the Bangkok Air flight was coming to a close. I looked out and the Siem Reap Airport came into view. I looked around as I pulled out my pocket camera. I could not locate the Angkor Wat temple complex from air. Before I could carry out any further survey, the plane landed and taxied on to embarkation area. I felt sad that I could not capture an aerial view of Angkor Wat in my camera.
Siem Reap is a very small airport by international standards. But, this small airport handles an amazing number of tourists. After, emigration check and baggage clearance, I was heading out of the airport. Suddenly, I realized that I needed some local currency to pay the cabby who would take me to my hotel. I turned around and went back into the Airport.
I was surprised beyond measure when the airport staff told me that I did not need to exchange dollars…that I could spend dollars in the city. Now, that was something I was not prepared for. “What about the cabby?” I asked. “Dollars would work,” they told me. I was a little confused. I thought they were pulling a fast one on me. All the way from the Airport to the Hotel, this thought kept bothering me. “What if the driver refuses to accept the payment in dollars?” I thought. “If worst comes to worst, I would exchange dollars at the hotel and pay him,” I decided.
As the cab pulled up at the Hotel porch, I opened the door and stepped out quickly and spent some anxious moments as the cabby offloaded my luggage and walked over to me. I pulled out a 20 dollar bill from my wallet and handed it over to him. And, he readily accepted it and returned 5 dollars. I couldn’t believe it in spite of the prior warning! “He is a cabby. He moves around. So, he should be able to exchange the dollars,” I thought.
I got up early next morning and rushed to Angkor Wat to view the main temple at Sun rise. I peered into the ticket counter and asked the gentleman seated there: “How much for the ticket?”
“Twenty dollars for one day; forty for three days and sixty for a week,” he responded.
I stared at him in disbelief as he printed out my ticket. But, my eyes popped out when he opened his cash box to put in the 20 dollar bill I gave him. It was full of dollar bills! The whole day I traveled from one temple to the other shopping in between. I purchased books, picture post cards and a fan from street venders; I bought coconuts, juice and souvenirs from shops and I had breakfast and lunch at restaurants. All of them quoted in dollars and gladly accepted dollars in payment and returned the change!
The next morning I settled my hotel bill in dollars and made for the Airport. At the Airport, I discovered that I had to pay a departure tax as it was not included in my ticket. “How much for departure tax?” I enquired.
“Twenty five dollars,” replied the lady with the beaming face.
I checked into my return flight and went through the immigration. I sank into a sofa in the departure lounge and pondered over the events of the past two days. Suddenly, I realized that I had spent three days and two nights in Cambodia and I had not seen any Cambodian currency.
I walked up to a security guard and asked him: “do you have Cambodian currency?” He was a little surprised because he was the one who was supposed to be asking questions—not I. He appraised me from head to foot.
“What you want?” he quizzed in a puzzled way.
“You have some Cambodian currency notes? I want to see Cambodian currency.”
He gave me a queer look and pulled out a 1000 riel bill from his purse. For the first time in my trip to Cambodia, I saw Cambodian currency. I wondered why it was not in circulation. I have not visited other cities in Cambodia. But, I suppose it must be the same everywhere. In fact, I learnt that it is the same in Laos and some African countries.
As my flight took off, I pulled out my camera again to shoot the aerial view of the Angkor Wat. Again, I could not locate the Angkor Wat temple complex from the air. The aerial view of Angkor Wat eluded me again.
I realized that I was sitting on the wrong side! But, then, so is Cambodia. “How can any country let the currency of another country be used as legal tender? Is Cambodia trying to save on printing its own currency by letting the dollar prevail? Does the government of Cambodia realize the repercussions of this short cut? What will they do when they need to control the flow of currency in the country? How will they do it? That is a million dollar question. After all, it is a dollar economy!
Like many other curious tourists, it was the thousand year old temple complex that drew me to the land of the Khmers—Cambodia—Siem Reap to be precise. Spread across some 20 kilometers, Angkor Wat boasts of one of the most ambitious and magnificent construction projects of that period comprising an incredible cluster of nearly 200 temples.
About forty minutes after we departed from Bangkok, the Airbus started descending. And, there was an announcement that we should fasten our seat belts as the Bangkok Air flight was coming to a close. I looked out and the Siem Reap Airport came into view. I looked around as I pulled out my pocket camera. I could not locate the Angkor Wat temple complex from air. Before I could carry out any further survey, the plane landed and taxied on to embarkation area. I felt sad that I could not capture an aerial view of Angkor Wat in my camera.
Siem Reap is a very small airport by international standards. But, this small airport handles an amazing number of tourists. After, emigration check and baggage clearance, I was heading out of the airport. Suddenly, I realized that I needed some local currency to pay the cabby who would take me to my hotel. I turned around and went back into the Airport.
I was surprised beyond measure when the airport staff told me that I did not need to exchange dollars…that I could spend dollars in the city. Now, that was something I was not prepared for. “What about the cabby?” I asked. “Dollars would work,” they told me. I was a little confused. I thought they were pulling a fast one on me. All the way from the Airport to the Hotel, this thought kept bothering me. “What if the driver refuses to accept the payment in dollars?” I thought. “If worst comes to worst, I would exchange dollars at the hotel and pay him,” I decided.
As the cab pulled up at the Hotel porch, I opened the door and stepped out quickly and spent some anxious moments as the cabby offloaded my luggage and walked over to me. I pulled out a 20 dollar bill from my wallet and handed it over to him. And, he readily accepted it and returned 5 dollars. I couldn’t believe it in spite of the prior warning! “He is a cabby. He moves around. So, he should be able to exchange the dollars,” I thought.
I got up early next morning and rushed to Angkor Wat to view the main temple at Sun rise. I peered into the ticket counter and asked the gentleman seated there: “How much for the ticket?”
“Twenty dollars for one day; forty for three days and sixty for a week,” he responded.
I stared at him in disbelief as he printed out my ticket. But, my eyes popped out when he opened his cash box to put in the 20 dollar bill I gave him. It was full of dollar bills! The whole day I traveled from one temple to the other shopping in between. I purchased books, picture post cards and a fan from street venders; I bought coconuts, juice and souvenirs from shops and I had breakfast and lunch at restaurants. All of them quoted in dollars and gladly accepted dollars in payment and returned the change!
The next morning I settled my hotel bill in dollars and made for the Airport. At the Airport, I discovered that I had to pay a departure tax as it was not included in my ticket. “How much for departure tax?” I enquired.
“Twenty five dollars,” replied the lady with the beaming face.
I checked into my return flight and went through the immigration. I sank into a sofa in the departure lounge and pondered over the events of the past two days. Suddenly, I realized that I had spent three days and two nights in Cambodia and I had not seen any Cambodian currency.
I walked up to a security guard and asked him: “do you have Cambodian currency?” He was a little surprised because he was the one who was supposed to be asking questions—not I. He appraised me from head to foot.
“What you want?” he quizzed in a puzzled way.
“You have some Cambodian currency notes? I want to see Cambodian currency.”
He gave me a queer look and pulled out a 1000 riel bill from his purse. For the first time in my trip to Cambodia, I saw Cambodian currency. I wondered why it was not in circulation. I have not visited other cities in Cambodia. But, I suppose it must be the same everywhere. In fact, I learnt that it is the same in Laos and some African countries.
As my flight took off, I pulled out my camera again to shoot the aerial view of the Angkor Wat. Again, I could not locate the Angkor Wat temple complex from the air. The aerial view of Angkor Wat eluded me again.
I realized that I was sitting on the wrong side! But, then, so is Cambodia. “How can any country let the currency of another country be used as legal tender? Is Cambodia trying to save on printing its own currency by letting the dollar prevail? Does the government of Cambodia realize the repercussions of this short cut? What will they do when they need to control the flow of currency in the country? How will they do it? That is a million dollar question. After all, it is a dollar economy!
Monday, August 18, 2008
THE CORNERED SWEET SHOPS
By Vincent Van Ross
It is a unique phenomenon. I found it in Delhi for the first time. Then I found this phenomenon being replicated in other north Indian cities. I feel certain that it exists in other parts of the country. And, I am sure this phenomenon would be carried to other countries of the world as well. Aggarwal sweet shops are found in this corner and that corner in the market. And, they are always called Aggarwal Sweet Corner!
I am yet to come across an Aggarwal sweet shop in the middle of a market. That is not to say that there are no sweet shops in the middle. Usually, if you find a sweet shop in the middle of the market, it may not be owned by an Aggarwal!
In Munirka, for instance, there is an Aggarwal Sweet Corner at each of the two corners of the market.
Aggarwals are a business community from northern India. While their business activities extend far beyond sweetmeats (mithai), a good number of them are engaged in the sweet business!
These sweet shops no longer deal only in sweetmeats. They have diversified to salty preparations (namkeens) and fast food. Their product line ranges from Ladoo and Burfi to Son Papri and Chum Chum; from Samosa and Tikki to Golgappa and Dahi Bhalle; from Aaloo Chat and Namak Parre to Chole Bhattorey and Chow Mein. And, there is Kulfi Falooda, Jalebi, Fruit Juice and a whole lot of other goodies in between. The list is almost endless.
While some of them claim that it is a good omen to have their sweet shops in the corners, I think there is a business angle to it. If the shop is in the middle of the market, you have a very small opening at the front. But, if the shop is in the corner, you can have two sides open.
With two sides open, a corner shop may have several counters which open directly in front of the shop. So, the shop keepers can segregate and deal with customers, who come for different kinds of products, at the same time. In fact, the customers need not even enter the shop to buy or eat these products. They could do that standing outside the shop. That reduces the crowd inside the shop who come to buy sweetmeats.
Now you know why the Aggarwals have cornered the corner shops for Aggarwal Sweet Corner(s)!
It is a unique phenomenon. I found it in Delhi for the first time. Then I found this phenomenon being replicated in other north Indian cities. I feel certain that it exists in other parts of the country. And, I am sure this phenomenon would be carried to other countries of the world as well. Aggarwal sweet shops are found in this corner and that corner in the market. And, they are always called Aggarwal Sweet Corner!
I am yet to come across an Aggarwal sweet shop in the middle of a market. That is not to say that there are no sweet shops in the middle. Usually, if you find a sweet shop in the middle of the market, it may not be owned by an Aggarwal!
In Munirka, for instance, there is an Aggarwal Sweet Corner at each of the two corners of the market.
Aggarwals are a business community from northern India. While their business activities extend far beyond sweetmeats (mithai), a good number of them are engaged in the sweet business!
These sweet shops no longer deal only in sweetmeats. They have diversified to salty preparations (namkeens) and fast food. Their product line ranges from Ladoo and Burfi to Son Papri and Chum Chum; from Samosa and Tikki to Golgappa and Dahi Bhalle; from Aaloo Chat and Namak Parre to Chole Bhattorey and Chow Mein. And, there is Kulfi Falooda, Jalebi, Fruit Juice and a whole lot of other goodies in between. The list is almost endless.
While some of them claim that it is a good omen to have their sweet shops in the corners, I think there is a business angle to it. If the shop is in the middle of the market, you have a very small opening at the front. But, if the shop is in the corner, you can have two sides open.
With two sides open, a corner shop may have several counters which open directly in front of the shop. So, the shop keepers can segregate and deal with customers, who come for different kinds of products, at the same time. In fact, the customers need not even enter the shop to buy or eat these products. They could do that standing outside the shop. That reduces the crowd inside the shop who come to buy sweetmeats.
Now you know why the Aggarwals have cornered the corner shops for Aggarwal Sweet Corner(s)!
Sunday, August 17, 2008
MOSQUITOES ADD TO OUR ECONOMIC GROWTH!
By Vincent Van Ross
Sting operations are nothing new to mosquitoes. They have been doing that for ages! Unlike television journalists, they announce their arrival through their war cries before launching their sting operation.
Mosquitoes are no different from human beings. That is why they work in shifts. Some work during the day. The others are active at night. Some of them really love their night life! The mosquitoes that do the night shift pack up and are ready to leave at the sight of the first rays of Sunlight. That is why you find them battering against your window panes in the morning.
As I said, mosquitoes love the dark. Black is their favourite colour. If you are gossiping with your friends and happen to be wearing black clothes, you would find most of the mosquitoes hovering around you. If you stand under a lamppost at night, the colour of your hair—black—attracts the mosquitoes most. That is why you find them hovering over your head. In fact, wearing black is the best way to attract a swarm of mosquitoes.
Mosquitoes have wings but they are not birds. They are not birds because they are insects.
I consider mosquitoes as the tiniest nuisance of the animal kingdom! If there are smaller nuisances, they are not so much in contact with human beings. That could be the reason why I don’t know about them.
Mosquitoes have gained a reputation as blood suckers. But, they were the ones who taught us the science of blood transfusion! Mosquitoes not only suck blood but also inject it into the blood streams.
Man has domesticated many animals. But, he is yet to train mosquitoes. Just imagine how useful mosquitoes could be!
If we could train mosquitoes to suck blood from blood donors and inject it into the veins of recipients, we could do away with the services of doctors and nurses with regard to blood transfusion. Mosquitoes know where to inject blood. It is a matter of instinct for them. They can be trusted not to miss the vein!
In fact, we could use mosquitoes for other injection assignments as well. By doing that, we could also save on the cost of syringes. But, as of now, they are dangerous because they may be sucking blood from birds and animals and injecting them into your veins.
If you have the magnanimity to let them inject blood into your bloodstream, you could count on them to deliver the choicest of viruses along with that for free. They consider human blood a delicacy and they keep sucking till their bellies are ready to burst. Sometimes, they suck so much of blood that it makes them unwieldy in flight. If you hit them when they are blood-laden, their bellies burst and blood spurts in all directions.
The Chinese have developed several martial art forms around animals. But, they missed the smallest and most effective stinger—the mosquito. However, India produced the world’s smallest jet fighter and named it ‘Gnat’ which is another name for mosquito.
We curse mosquitoes day in and day out. But, the numerous mosquito-related products must be making manufacturers and traders happy. They may even be making offerings to god to help them bring about an explosion in the mosquito population! Some of them may be secretly worshipping them. You never know, someday the mosquito may even be worshipped as a deity!
Out of 2,700 species of mosquitoes in the world, fewer than a hundred are known to transmit diseases. Arboviral Encephalitides, West Nile Virus, Malaria, Dengue Fever and Yellow Fever are prominent among the many diseases they are believed to carry. But, that is enough to keep so many industries in business. However, it must be admitted in their praise that they do not carry the HIV+ virus that causes AIDS.
In normal times, electric mosquito repellent machines using perfumed mats and liquid vaporizers are used. These call for frequent replacement of mats and liquid refills. And, then, there are mosquito killer bulbs and electronic insect killers. These gadgets consume electricity on a regular basis. These gadgets engage the power sector as also our electric and electronic industries.
Some people prefer to use mosquito nets since they have no side effects. And, they do not need any refill. They need not be replaced until they get torn. So, the demand for mosquito nets is increasing day by day. Some others use incense sticks to drive away mosquitoes. They benefit the textile and handicrafts industry.
There are some who use mosquito repellent creams. Those who use creams need to wash their face and body with soap when they get up in the morning. That helps the cosmetics industry.
As a preventive measure, DDT is sprinkled on the breeding colonies of mosquitoes that are scattered over water-sheets of different sizes and descriptions though it has become more or less ineffective. And, then, there is mosquito spray which is a petroleum-based aerosol insecticide. In some cases, kerosene is used to prevent mosquito breeding on stagnant water such as the water found in water tanks and desert coolers. So, that ropes in the petroleum and chemical industries.
Just one mosquito droning over you can give you sleepless nights. They say mosquitoes could infuse alertness even in the laziest of lazy bugs! Some people take sleeping pills to snatch some sleep. And, there is quinine and a whole assortment of medicines that are prescribed for diseases transmitted by mosquitoes that host the backbone of our pharmaceutical industry. And, don’t forget the meshed doors and windows we install at our homes to keep the mosquitoes away!
But, if you don’t want to use any of these, you can just apply soap on your palms and swat the mosquitoes with your hands. Even if you manage to barely touch the mosquitoes while you are swatting, the mosquitoes will stick to your hand!
Mosquitoes have created vacancies for a variety of positions in clinics, dispensaries and hospitals. They have also created employment opportunities in health centers and municipal bodies. There is so much of medical research going on because of diseases transmitted by mosquitoes. There are so many shops selling medicines. These provide employment to medical scientists and chemists.
Mosquitoes have singlehandedly generated a lot of employment, income and business. It is because of them that so many of our industries are in business. We may not appreciate this and our finance ministry may not attach too much importance to this. But, mosquitoes make a significant contribution to our Gross Domestic Product (GDP). In short, they contribute to our economic growth!
Sting operations are nothing new to mosquitoes. They have been doing that for ages! Unlike television journalists, they announce their arrival through their war cries before launching their sting operation.
Mosquitoes are no different from human beings. That is why they work in shifts. Some work during the day. The others are active at night. Some of them really love their night life! The mosquitoes that do the night shift pack up and are ready to leave at the sight of the first rays of Sunlight. That is why you find them battering against your window panes in the morning.
As I said, mosquitoes love the dark. Black is their favourite colour. If you are gossiping with your friends and happen to be wearing black clothes, you would find most of the mosquitoes hovering around you. If you stand under a lamppost at night, the colour of your hair—black—attracts the mosquitoes most. That is why you find them hovering over your head. In fact, wearing black is the best way to attract a swarm of mosquitoes.
Mosquitoes have wings but they are not birds. They are not birds because they are insects.
I consider mosquitoes as the tiniest nuisance of the animal kingdom! If there are smaller nuisances, they are not so much in contact with human beings. That could be the reason why I don’t know about them.
Mosquitoes have gained a reputation as blood suckers. But, they were the ones who taught us the science of blood transfusion! Mosquitoes not only suck blood but also inject it into the blood streams.
Man has domesticated many animals. But, he is yet to train mosquitoes. Just imagine how useful mosquitoes could be!
If we could train mosquitoes to suck blood from blood donors and inject it into the veins of recipients, we could do away with the services of doctors and nurses with regard to blood transfusion. Mosquitoes know where to inject blood. It is a matter of instinct for them. They can be trusted not to miss the vein!
In fact, we could use mosquitoes for other injection assignments as well. By doing that, we could also save on the cost of syringes. But, as of now, they are dangerous because they may be sucking blood from birds and animals and injecting them into your veins.
If you have the magnanimity to let them inject blood into your bloodstream, you could count on them to deliver the choicest of viruses along with that for free. They consider human blood a delicacy and they keep sucking till their bellies are ready to burst. Sometimes, they suck so much of blood that it makes them unwieldy in flight. If you hit them when they are blood-laden, their bellies burst and blood spurts in all directions.
The Chinese have developed several martial art forms around animals. But, they missed the smallest and most effective stinger—the mosquito. However, India produced the world’s smallest jet fighter and named it ‘Gnat’ which is another name for mosquito.
We curse mosquitoes day in and day out. But, the numerous mosquito-related products must be making manufacturers and traders happy. They may even be making offerings to god to help them bring about an explosion in the mosquito population! Some of them may be secretly worshipping them. You never know, someday the mosquito may even be worshipped as a deity!
Out of 2,700 species of mosquitoes in the world, fewer than a hundred are known to transmit diseases. Arboviral Encephalitides, West Nile Virus, Malaria, Dengue Fever and Yellow Fever are prominent among the many diseases they are believed to carry. But, that is enough to keep so many industries in business. However, it must be admitted in their praise that they do not carry the HIV+ virus that causes AIDS.
In normal times, electric mosquito repellent machines using perfumed mats and liquid vaporizers are used. These call for frequent replacement of mats and liquid refills. And, then, there are mosquito killer bulbs and electronic insect killers. These gadgets consume electricity on a regular basis. These gadgets engage the power sector as also our electric and electronic industries.
Some people prefer to use mosquito nets since they have no side effects. And, they do not need any refill. They need not be replaced until they get torn. So, the demand for mosquito nets is increasing day by day. Some others use incense sticks to drive away mosquitoes. They benefit the textile and handicrafts industry.
There are some who use mosquito repellent creams. Those who use creams need to wash their face and body with soap when they get up in the morning. That helps the cosmetics industry.
As a preventive measure, DDT is sprinkled on the breeding colonies of mosquitoes that are scattered over water-sheets of different sizes and descriptions though it has become more or less ineffective. And, then, there is mosquito spray which is a petroleum-based aerosol insecticide. In some cases, kerosene is used to prevent mosquito breeding on stagnant water such as the water found in water tanks and desert coolers. So, that ropes in the petroleum and chemical industries.
Just one mosquito droning over you can give you sleepless nights. They say mosquitoes could infuse alertness even in the laziest of lazy bugs! Some people take sleeping pills to snatch some sleep. And, there is quinine and a whole assortment of medicines that are prescribed for diseases transmitted by mosquitoes that host the backbone of our pharmaceutical industry. And, don’t forget the meshed doors and windows we install at our homes to keep the mosquitoes away!
But, if you don’t want to use any of these, you can just apply soap on your palms and swat the mosquitoes with your hands. Even if you manage to barely touch the mosquitoes while you are swatting, the mosquitoes will stick to your hand!
Mosquitoes have created vacancies for a variety of positions in clinics, dispensaries and hospitals. They have also created employment opportunities in health centers and municipal bodies. There is so much of medical research going on because of diseases transmitted by mosquitoes. There are so many shops selling medicines. These provide employment to medical scientists and chemists.
Mosquitoes have singlehandedly generated a lot of employment, income and business. It is because of them that so many of our industries are in business. We may not appreciate this and our finance ministry may not attach too much importance to this. But, mosquitoes make a significant contribution to our Gross Domestic Product (GDP). In short, they contribute to our economic growth!
COFF-TEA TIME!
By Vincent Van Ross
I must have been about 15 years old when I took my first train ride. I traveled from Delhi to Trivandrum. I was traveling by Jayanti Janata Express. It was a three-day train journey. That was a great learning experience.
For the first time, I saw the fleeting images of beautiful India passing through the windows of my compartment. I was perpetually peeping out of the window and enjoying the scenery and the people of India to the accompaniment of the music produced by the moving train on rails. That was not only my first train journey but also the beginning of my journey of observation.
I cannot remember which railway station it was, but going by the landscape, it was a station in Madhya Pradesh where the train was scheduled for a long halt—some 20 to 30 minutes. Scores of wheeler dealers rushed to the train as it pulled up at the platform. All of there calling out the description of the items they were selling along with their prices. With them, two boys came running. They were trying to sell tea and coffee.
“Chai-Coffee (chai is the Hindi word for tea)…Chai-Coffee…Chai-Coffee…,” the two boys were calling and they had a tray in which they had about 24 cups of tea and coffee.
I asked for a cup of tea. I had a gulp. It didn’t taste like tea. It was awful. I dumped it. After some time, the duo returned with a fresh refill in their tray. I thought I would try coffee for a change. I had a gulp. Again, it didn’t taste like coffee. I dumped that as well.
I decided to take a stroll in the platform which was lined with stalls after stalls selling different items. I found a tea stall there and I decided to have a piping hot cup of tea. It was nice. As I sipped tea from my cup, my eyes fell on the two boys who had returned for a refill of their tray.
I found them filling all the cups from the same dispenser. And, off they went calling Chai-Coffee…Chai-Coffee…Chai-Coffee… I was shocked. Some of the passengers were asking for tea and the others were buying coffee. And, all of them were getting the same thing!
No wonder the tea and the coffee tasted so awful. It was neither tea nor coffee. It was probably a mix of both! When you sip tea, you have a certain flavour in your mind and when you sip coffee you have different flavour in your mind. When the tea or the coffee does not match that you feel bad.
If they hand out the same thing to all the passengers, how do they keep the account? After all, coffee was more expensive than tea. As if in answer, I found the older boy handing out what was purportedly coffee and tea as the younger boy scribbled with a chalk piece under each window 2C+3T or 1C+4T and so on and so forth!
So, when they returned to collect their cups, they knew how many cups and how much money to collect from each window. Smart guys, these!
My only regret was what they were selling as tea and coffee was neither tea nor coffee. As I said earlier, it was probably a mixture of both. I would have liked them to be more honest and share the truth with the passengers.
May be they could have made “Double taste in a single cup” their USP! They could have told the passengers that what they were selling was a blend of coffee and tea. I wish they had renamed their new concoction and sold it as ‘COFF-TEA!”
I must have been about 15 years old when I took my first train ride. I traveled from Delhi to Trivandrum. I was traveling by Jayanti Janata Express. It was a three-day train journey. That was a great learning experience.
For the first time, I saw the fleeting images of beautiful India passing through the windows of my compartment. I was perpetually peeping out of the window and enjoying the scenery and the people of India to the accompaniment of the music produced by the moving train on rails. That was not only my first train journey but also the beginning of my journey of observation.
I cannot remember which railway station it was, but going by the landscape, it was a station in Madhya Pradesh where the train was scheduled for a long halt—some 20 to 30 minutes. Scores of wheeler dealers rushed to the train as it pulled up at the platform. All of there calling out the description of the items they were selling along with their prices. With them, two boys came running. They were trying to sell tea and coffee.
“Chai-Coffee (chai is the Hindi word for tea)…Chai-Coffee…Chai-Coffee…,” the two boys were calling and they had a tray in which they had about 24 cups of tea and coffee.
I asked for a cup of tea. I had a gulp. It didn’t taste like tea. It was awful. I dumped it. After some time, the duo returned with a fresh refill in their tray. I thought I would try coffee for a change. I had a gulp. Again, it didn’t taste like coffee. I dumped that as well.
I decided to take a stroll in the platform which was lined with stalls after stalls selling different items. I found a tea stall there and I decided to have a piping hot cup of tea. It was nice. As I sipped tea from my cup, my eyes fell on the two boys who had returned for a refill of their tray.
I found them filling all the cups from the same dispenser. And, off they went calling Chai-Coffee…Chai-Coffee…Chai-Coffee… I was shocked. Some of the passengers were asking for tea and the others were buying coffee. And, all of them were getting the same thing!
No wonder the tea and the coffee tasted so awful. It was neither tea nor coffee. It was probably a mix of both! When you sip tea, you have a certain flavour in your mind and when you sip coffee you have different flavour in your mind. When the tea or the coffee does not match that you feel bad.
If they hand out the same thing to all the passengers, how do they keep the account? After all, coffee was more expensive than tea. As if in answer, I found the older boy handing out what was purportedly coffee and tea as the younger boy scribbled with a chalk piece under each window 2C+3T or 1C+4T and so on and so forth!
So, when they returned to collect their cups, they knew how many cups and how much money to collect from each window. Smart guys, these!
My only regret was what they were selling as tea and coffee was neither tea nor coffee. As I said earlier, it was probably a mixture of both. I would have liked them to be more honest and share the truth with the passengers.
May be they could have made “Double taste in a single cup” their USP! They could have told the passengers that what they were selling was a blend of coffee and tea. I wish they had renamed their new concoction and sold it as ‘COFF-TEA!”
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