"Cleantech" The Greatest opportunity for India.

What is CleanTech?

Clean tech encompasses a constellation of environmentally-sustainable technologies spanning multiple value chains in four primary economic sectors - energy, water, materials and transportation. Individually, these technologies are focused on the optimization of natural resources. Collectively, they are the basic elements of a broader systemic response to the systemic challenges of sustainability. The following taxonomy provides a basic snapshot of the core technologies that define the cleantech space:

Energy Generation
Energy Storage
Energy Infrastructure
Energy Efficiency
Transportation
Water & Wastewater
Air & Environment
Materials
Manufacturing/Industrial
Agriculture
Recycling & Waste

Clean tech has also been defined as:

“Clean tech is a diverse range of products, services, and processes that harness renewable materials and energy sources, dramatically reduce the use of natural resources, and cut or eliminate emissions and wastes . . . [which are] are competitive with, if not superior to, their conventional counterparts.”

–Clean Edge, Inc.

Its widely believed that cleantech is the single biggest investment opportunity of the 21st century. As far as market size is concerned, if you add up energy and transport sector, that’s $6 trillion worldwide. That is massive; it dwarfs sectors like IT. But that does not mean you will have hundreds of companies with billion dollar market caps immediately. The risks and hurdles are also big. The biggest hurdle is obviously that you need more capital.

The 1-2-3 factors driving investors to cleantech are -A Global Conseus on the menace of climate change, followed by a early shape to global policy on carbon pricing & volatile swings of fossil fuel pricings.

Cleantech is not a theory, and people have made money in India. Perfect example is Suzlon which has reported revenues of more than $1 billion. Like India made IT services industry hugely strategic 10-15 years ago, I think the country has a fantastic chance of making cleantech strategic too.

The biggest problem for the country is infrastructure.Mainly energy and transport. We have massive scarcity of power.

India did a complete quantum leap in telecom.We didn’t make investments in wire line, we went straight to wireless. We skipped a generation of technology. Why won’t you do the same thing in energy? Why would you go to 50-60 year old technology of coal and natural gas, when you can go to something new in energy business.

The thought of desalination of sea water for the ever scarce drinking water problem in chennai has been there for some time now. The government needs to create a viable atmosphere for private players to invest in this area as water is going to be all the more scarce with climate change rendering monsoons unpredictable.

India is one of the fastest growing automobile markets in the world.Like in telecom we can afford to skip several manufacturing & engineering bottle necks and leap frog into battery powered auto mobiles cutting down emission dramatically. Think about the opportunity of coding intelligent software to manage power grids and battery hubs from a SW lab at Hitech City @ Cyberabad.

It would be a right step forward if the government assigns a minister of state for Cleantech to channelize investments. Recognizing this sector as a separate industry is a huge step forward. A visionary move that the UPA government will take which can create as many jobs as the IT sector has given the nation. This may not get them the vote bank as did the 60000 cr loan waiver but will surely create greener pastures for a Green Global India as a hub of cleantech source.

It’s a huge opportunity India & the world has to benefit from in a hurry !

New WORK is to THINK

The new "WORK" is to think ! From workers to thinkers ! Knowledge economy will be powered knowledge workers who dont merely sift tera bytes of data in excel , adobe & word sheets but who think posibilities & solutions by thinking through the data templates.Data are the means to the productivity purpose for the thinkers who energise the economy with their intellect.

But then what are leaders there for..here's the prescription..

Leaders are like conductors of a Symphony @ an Orchestra. Orchestrating the thought streams with meaningful macro templates. Intellect at the knowledge workers end & emotional blend at the leadership end will blend in to a fine brew of way forward.

Way forward to change avenues is critical in many ways.the fundamentals of business it seems today increasingly weighed in cutting costs.Cutting cost most certianly in most cases meant slashing work force. At cases a near nil in intake of new blood to rejuvenate the system.

The balancing act was always the forte of the corporate leaders from the finance,marketing , sales quaters.But the seasons initiative & reins should be with the Human Capital managers for more reasons than one. They have the locus standi to shape the culture,make good of the asstes they took in & transform them. Its a cost that corporates need to invest instead of writing them off as write offs. Thats the kind of leadership which will reinstate the faith in the world economy that its all about peoples business & not that of manchines & raw balance sheet datas.

Tha onus of managing , orchestrating & blending the new & freash talents to grew a refreshing culture is with the the Human Capital head. For starters he is entitled to take charge as the tile is already in place.

Next Giant Steps!

Putting a man on moon was Kennedy's vision to levitate human endeavor. The next giant steps must be walked in our minds impacting the citizens of the globe. Bringing the Berlin Wall was a great mini next step. International borders need to be more porous than they are now.. The borders serve only the purpose of mindless defense spending drained at protecting man made barriers which man kind is better off without.

Instead the next giant steps should be to build impregnable walls of immunity against killer epidemics& pandemics. Thats building with purpose serving a cause of sustaining life.

Moon is still far off. Before which lets secure our ozone layer, the snow peaks. We must realize global warming is just a tip of the iceberg. I am sure there are lot many more natural barriers and more sinister human barriers constituting of global terror & religious fundamentalism which impede & stumble us from moving ahead.

Even as we celebrate 40 years of man stepping his foot on world , the most lasting impact is the beautiful picture of blue earth brought home by the crew. A step forward then would be to keep planet earth as beautiful as it was with its multi hues & myriad uniqueness.A vision of a New,Clear globe!

Decisive Verdict ! Winning Trivia and All !

Decisive VERDICT!

Manmohan Singh summarized the mandate succinctly “ People of India have spoken and spoke with great CLARITY”

Singh and Rahul were the men of the Circa 2009 General Elections !COMBO - A great blend of the ebullient youth and the rich experience!

Thats one of the reasons that the Akshay Kumar magnum opus "Singh is King" leads track upstaged the AR Rehman Oscar winning "Jai Ho" at all media shops and celebrations.

Jai Ho it was and Singh is King all the way !

A journey into the next five years well begun with Pro Incumbancy and one which in my view will end due to mindless Rahul Ghandhi Sycophancy by Congress Men.


"Rahul Gandhi can become Prime Minister when ever wishes" - Shivraj Chouhan - Senior Congress Leader.

It is in many ways a historic verdict for India. I see this as coming of age of the Indian voter. A mandate decisively won by Congress who contested the election on a broad plank comprising some significant issues such as 1.Secularism; 2. Development; and 3. Populist Agrarian Schemes.

All of these poll plank pillars seem to have connected with the masses that saw the sincerity in execution of the United Progressive Alliance winning them a clear majority.

A clear majority is such a relief to many who always wished not to be in the mire of the convoluted maze of a fractured mandate. A fragmented mandates brings in opportunistic regional parties to the great bazaar of coalition mess in the past.

For the next five years, politically speaking “It is an unbridled long right hand drive on a clear road ahead”; some thing that the UPA government last time was constantly bridled by left and other ever opportunistic deal makers.

A Secular Government is in many ways a harbringer of a Secular Bull Market.

Many passed the electoral test and came through victorious and vindicated.

• Manmohan Singh - Singh Is King!
o Only a second thus far after Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru winning a mandate after a 5 year term. While Jawaharlal got reelected the Sardar got reselected.

• Weak Prime Minister freshly operated with a strengthen heart pumping secular politics and functional, stable economic governance in an unstable world.

• A “Loha Purush” and Prime Minister in waiting will finish as the one in waiting even as he decided to relinquish the pole position of leader of the opposition after the defeat.
o Now, I doubt if he now call for a debate on national television?

• 123 - Nuclear agreement with US was right and left was wrong in pulling the plug from a coalition which was forced to realign with SP to complete the last leg. A nuclear deal which worked for congress and hopefully for India in the long run.
o Left will realize that the pin they pulled from the coalition grenade exploded in Kerala and Bengal.
o Left left behind UPA with Trinamool. Karat and Buddha are no more dada and mamatha is the new didi “mano ya na na NANO”
o The goodies such as NREGA and pro poor policies of the Left influenced UPA benefited the likes of YSR at AP and DMK.

• Rahul – Paving way for the Congress in the largest state influencing the 15 crore Indians there to vote outside caste and communal agendas for pro development.
o The rampaging BSP Elephant, cowed down for now.
o The lawns of SP mowed down, cutting them to size at grass root level.

• The tiger at west is upstaged by it own cub MNS weakening the Shiv Sena and its principal partner BJP.
• Modi’s Gujarat political landscape is modi-fied by a sure stepped UPA. This is one bastion Rahul will love to consolidate. Khemcho ! NAMO !

• Pawar’s quest for Power at IPL 2009 general elections remains unquenched. For Now. He is confined and contended to wielding his clout at IPL-2.

• Winning Bihar with good governance is Nitish Kumar “Chatur Chlaloo” ; Vanquished Lalu will have to settle with the taste of Railway canteens “Samose Mein Aalu” . This too if Madam Sonia ordains so!

• You may ban him from cricket for guilt yet to be proven but the public have voted him into limelight as a part of the success story in Rahul Gandhi’s UP surge. Like his career in cricket Azharuddin has made an impressive debut.

• While Jaya Lalitha finished a close second; Jayaprada and Jayasudha come in as impressive firsts against all odds.

• Severing anti secular ties helped Naveen Patnaik quell the ghosts of “Khandamal”

• Impressive it was indeed for Shashi Tharoor. Transition, transformational from the tall tables at UN to sipping tea at Trivandrum with party workers on campaign trail. What if he can’t speak fluent Malayalam, Malayalees have handed him a thumping 50000 margin victory.

• Lastly Gowda is no God! Jaffer is no Jack! BJP prevailed at Karnataka, the legacy matters of congress and JD flattering to deceive then mattered more than thrashing of women at Mysore.

• Delhi is securely in Congresses belly!

• In Punjab! It turned out sad for SAD  . Not sad at all for Navjyot Sidhu.

• Chiranjeevi failed the screen test! PRP bombed at ballot box office. But opened his counter as a humble beginning at least for now.

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Watch this space ..after the initial euphoria dies down , i shall upload pointers dechiphering the verdict and attempt to explain the begenning of an imminent decline of the Congress due to servile flattery of congress junta clamouring for higher post for Rahul. A bane that is a malignant in the form of Sycophancy of Rahul Baba !

Jaago re Maximum City Mumbaikar !

I was traveling overnight by train from Bangalore to Hyderabad on a chilly 26th November 08 and the train screeched to a grinding halt before time in the wee hours of the morning before day break. Sooner I reached home I happened to switch on TV to see unprecedented video clips of a police vehicle shot at out side the Taj Mahal hotel. A scribe shot at with bleeding hands and a telecast to unfold visuals of smoky clouds bellowing from the historic Taj Mahal.

Soon I sunk into my bean bag with a hot cup of filter coffee only to be confined at the edge of the beanbag as several heart rendering moments unfolded the next full week. Marathon coverage of all leading TV news channels aired the angst of the Mumbaikar aside heart felt tributes paid to some of India bravest officers on police and military duty whose sacrifice in the hour of crisis of the nation unforgettable.

Every Indian in my view would have wept a silent tear and suffered a broken heart bleed considering the enormity of the attack killing so many civilians and brave men guarding the nation. A certain Shobha De kicked of a rhetoric of “Enough is Enough” which unleashed a smoldering hate wave on politicians. Add to it the politicians one after one flabbergasted one an all with their suicidal speak and audacious acts only to add petrol to an already blazing flame of smoldering anger.

I was certain that the Mumbaikar and every other Indian was instigated enough to turn his anger into a wave of sweeping change at the upcoming elections. So many candles burnt and so many abuses hurled on the politicians, it was a forgone conclusion that Mumbai Indians were charged to exercise their adult franchisee and this time for a better person to guard them against dastardly attacks like 26/11 voting a resolute government with the resolve to quell terror in a city ravaged by attacks regularly in the past.

Alas on 30th April 156 days hence, it seems “Enough wasn’t Enough” a long weekend was sufficiently luring for the Mumbaikar to get out of the city for a blast at the sun kissed beaches of Goa. Or it was sufficiently cozy at home to flick TV channels and dig into the hot doorstep delivery of a sizzling vada pav, may be watching highlights of IPL “Mumbai Indians” blaze away against Kolkata Knight Riders.

Only the pigeons at Taj seems to have fluttered leaving their feathers ruffled.Many a stains of the brave blood still remain as scars on the freash wounds of the martyed souls family. Seems like 56 % of Mumbai kars werent moved to wake up to the call of social consiousness..:-(

When every one yelled Vote Kar Mumbaikar, when there was Bomb by the Bay 156 days ago; when time to vote came over half of the population were MuM Bhai! Voting yesterday was a potent chance for you to voice in change. On this Labor Day this is a severe labor pain of a still born democracy. Only 43 % voter turnout is adding insult to 26/11 injury. May be we must heed to the AD vani of making voting compulsory!
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The Great Abraham Lincoln once opined that “The Ballot was stronger then the Bullet” and yet when all of Mumbai was up in arms lighting candles post 26/11 crying change and accountability from the politicians they elected last time why 57 % percent citizens of the most vibrant and bustling city stay home muted at a time they should have been voicing their vote for change.

“Discontent is the first step in the progress of a man and a nation” – Oscar Wilde.


Why haven’t Mumbaikars channalised the unprecedented discontent into powerful vote bank ringing in change that you so desperately want? Are only 43 % of the citizens of Mumbai owning up to the responsibility for electing the next responsible government?

Has the compassion for the fellow citizens orphaned or widowed and seething anger against the terrorists of the Maximum City dwellers melted away along with the candles in their hand which they lighted with such great purpose weeks after 26/11?

One of India’s best cities and the one aspiring to be the next Shanghai, Mumbai is integral and far too important to the nation to sulk in an attitude of non participants in the democratic process so vital to nation building.

The Financial Hub of the country wails in protest every time goons from MNS thrash north Indians or when self appointed moral police attack women , pub culture and valentine day celebrations. The voter forgot that this very sainiks and goons hardly squeaked on 26/11.

Mumbai to India is a potent and highly visible example and such abysmal voter turnout will certainly mire the urban consciousness in other parts of the country. For now I am relieved and happy that down south of India at Hyderabad the turn out was 70 %!

Candle Light Vigil may be symbolic, but stepping out and respnsibly voting with 100 % turn out is a REAL way to show support to a terror struck maximum city ! Else soon it many become a minimum place of hope !

So next time we go to vote! Let’s usher in a few changes to bring in viable change on deciding who works for us at Parliament.

· Making voting compulsory in India.
· Allow negative votes so that the criminals don’t get in to govern in the first place.
· Don’t hold elections in summers.
· Experiment with casting of voting from home with bio informatics enabled internet voting. ( So much for the sophisticated urban lazy bones)
· Postal voting.

Lets Hope !

aravindan umashankar: Audacity of Malice

aravindan umashankar: Audacity of Malice

Audacity of Malice

“The Beauty of a man lies in the way he wields his tongue amongst masses”

“Say not what the other man dint accomplish but what you will when voted to power”

“Berating the opposition leader personally may neither belittle his stature nor elevate yours” but sure does ensure that you stoop low enough to get sullied by the muddle under your feet.

“Barack Obama won an impossible mandate with “An Audacity of Hope” Lal Krishna Advani is failing with “An Audacity of Malice”

This General Election there is an unsavory slug fest engaged between two of the largest national parties, even as the great pageantry of election in the largest democracy braces to a climax. It seems like the anointed leader of the BJP has trained his guns not on the ruling Congress or the UPA in power....but

But ..but on an assuming economist, professional , banker turned politician who has recently added to his rich basket of successful experiences as an able governor of reserve bank, chair of the planning commission , finance minister an assertive prime minister who staked his reputation on line to sign a historic nuclear agreement with the United States.

Asrani Vs Advani :

Which is why I am reminded by the “Seepahio..attention !!!“ line famously delivered by the noted yesteryear comedian Asrani in the legendary bollywood flick Sholay. In Asranis case at least his screen stars took him seriously by standing in attention.

Advani on the other hand hardly has any one faling in line ; no one including the party president Rajnath Singh or chief election strategist Arun Jaitely seems to heed to his decree. Remember the famous tantrum thrown by his disciple and protégé Uma Bharati during the 2004 BJP party meeting?

There are people taking sides in a hurry with in BJP projecting the fire brand Namo! (Narendra Modi) as the next prime ministerial candidate and face of BJP.

Advani has nurtured his prime ministerial aspiration for a long while now. By continuing his vituperative tirade at every opportune occasion at the Sardar he has turned himself into a spectacle and may damage the BJP’s standing as a responsible national party. On the other hand Mr.Singh aside being a thorough gentleman exercised amazing restraint untill now.Mr.Singh is also the present Prime Minister of the Nation. The least one could do is accord minimum courtesy & show respect if not reverence.

Even in spectacle Advani is upstaged by his wards at the BJP. How else can we contend the “Budiya/Gudiya” jab at the Congress by the saffron Namo? How about the night watchman comment by Arun Jaitely?

Namo conveniently forgot that his party’s Prime Ministerial nominee Advani is just a shade younger that the age of the Congress party. Calling Congress a budiya and alluding to Sonia as a budiya; Namo has brazenly attempted to drench himself and his octogenarian leader in the fountain of delinquent youth hood. He is swift as well to defend his sacrilege following a Priyanka comment classifying the Congress party as a “Gudiya”. If not for the clever alliteration it “Budiya/ Gudiya” will not even cheer as a slap stick humor mongering rural masses. Priyanka rightfully on her part refused to be a part of the Budiya /Gudiya tit for tat retort and prevailed to focus on Rahul and Amethi. Sensible isn't it !

As to Arun Jaitley’s remark of “Night Watchman” | Sardar not only managed to score a six with the nuclear deal by also completed five full years at office. Some thing akin to a triple century by today’s challenges of coalition compulsions. A Sardar who has scored several power play wins in the highest tables of global diplomacy and economy? India stands as a stable nation economically, a credit he can partly claim along with your last party leader Atal Behari. Even before the bloodied stains and stitches oh his chest could come off , he is off to G 20 making assertive overtures to world leaders in a fast changing global order of economy. His erst while comrades from the left too seem to agree with his effective persona apart from his foriegn policy.

By the way Arun Jaitley – Who in your view was the night watch man defending?

I am in agreement with Pranab Babu that a Prime Minister isn’t going to contest in a wrestling match? Hence he being weak isn’t a matter of concern as much as his need to be assertive. Some thing he displayed in right proportions during the nuclear issue.

Our democratic frame works also allows the Prime Ministers office to act and work in concert with several state governments, cabinet ministers and coalition partners. Decisiveness then is a consensus forging leadership activity and not a dictatorial plank to asset oneself unilaterally.

The growth of Advani as a leader has been waning. It is little surprise that the Congress does not even consider him as a worthy contender as a candidate. They may be right after all. In the midst of the ragging controversy 5 years ago Sonia Gandhi may well have asserted her self to usurp the seat of the most powerful office in India. An office that Advani so desperately craves that his ranting are almost child like. He may be well served to be reminded that Sonia elevated her self to a standing higher than most when she declined to take up the office when it was hers for the grabs.

Dare the opposition bring up the Italian connection , Quotorocchi and Bofors issues again ? Those insipid remarks of her lineage not being Indian ????

That’s the contrast we talking about Lal Krishna Advani. You keep running after the office and it keeps eluding you. Your ineffective role of a leader of the opposition during last 5 years is proof enough of your capabilities. You conceded every opportunity to engage in a meaningful debate at the floor of the parliament and yet seek a public debate akin to an American Presidential caucus. You seek an angrezi practice when you seek Swaraj from the present Raj. When you were home minister you lead the field to score self goals when you were a mere spectator of your cabinet colleague who hand delivered a wanted terrorist like a father sending off his daughter after marriage. Now that’s what I call “Being Decisive as a mute spectator”

The altar of Indian ballot tests every one and most have a possibility of being a Prime Minister.

The contenders are one to many Manmohan Singh for a second term, Mayawati, Pawar, Nitish Kumar, Prakash Karat or Yetchury, Biju Patnaik or some one else from the third front. You too shall have a chance. Until then do please focus on wooing the citizens for your vote on governance, development and fight recession and terror. Deriding g Manmohan will neither elevate your status as a contender or will win you elections. It will only diminish your aura to a pale shadow of promotion of a personal aspiration of leading India. Time that you realized the great potential of leading with out title Mr. Prime Minister in waiting.

Time you realized this and step aside and there are worthy young turks in the waiting to shore up the fortune of the second best national party. Indian democracy need a decent opposition on the floor of the assembly. Else the opposition will be fragmented in to multiple fronts threatening the very fabric of our democracy being able to throw up decisive mandates from its citizens.

Hope you will do your bit to preserve the Democracy christened by our freedom fighters and your crediting Nehru for strengthening the same !