The Outsourcing industry came to India almost way back in the 1980s with some European airlines bringing their back office operations to India. In the last two decades the industry has seen an unprecedented rise and is providing employment to almost millions in the country yet there are some who are still deciding if its advent has been for the good or the bad. The rise of outsourcing in India is often associated with the death of its rich culture and values however it’s not fair to single out the industry.

Over the years India has been changing and the outsourcing Industry has only been a part of this change. No outsourcing organization has an induction program aimed at training its employees on consumption of drugs, extra marital affairs, casual sex or the likes. The availability of high disposable income in the hands of the youth may account for such activities. In India where poverty has been an issue for years and continues to be, the outsourcing industry came as a huge relief. It provided employment opportunities to even those who could not complete their education after their twelfth standard. It came as a ray of hope in the lives of retired personnel from the armed services, women with no vocational background or formal degrees and physically disabled people. Its advent gave business and increased avenues in the supporting industries like catering, training and development, transport vendors and security agencies. The role of outsourcing in the progress of the Indian economy can be substantiated by the fact that the government is planning to initiate a separate ministry for it.

The prime reason for the outsourcing industry to be categorized as the Indian value killer is that men and women work together in odd shift timings. Then again, which industry doesn’t? The hospitality industry does, the manufacturing industry does and the hospitals run round the clock as well, so why are these not branded? The youth is moving away from our values and culture because their thinking and outlook towards things are undergoing a drastic change. The influence of the West is at its all time high and it has nothing to do with any industry. The lifestyle and ideologies of an average college student in a metro may not be any different from a young outsourcing employee, so are we saying that there’s something wrong with our education system as well? This debate has been going on for a long time and will probably go on forever however it is for us to decide if we look at the right side of things and work on the wrong or look and highlight the wrong side of things and ignore the right.

Via: TNJN
Image: Labnol

Our ‘Right to Freedom of Speech and Expression’ once considered a very blessed right is being gravely misused by all and sundry these days. There are people shouting from their rooftops claiming their rights however they are the ones who conveniently ignore that others have the same ones too. With the media industry flourishing like never before it often works as the perfect catalyst to ignite issues further. If the Indian team wins (after losing repeatedly) they are treated as heroes while when the hockey team loses (after reaching the qualifying finals) they are treated as losers. Why are there extreme approaches to every thing and why can’t we have a balanced approach instead?

The role of media, whether print or television, is to spread the facts just the way they are and not to sensationalize a tiny detail as ‘breaking news’. Getting out on the streets and protesting and causing harm to public property for the pettiest of issues seems to be the national time pass these days. A South Indian actress wears clothes you don’t approve of get out on the streets and protest till she makes a public apology, a bus kills a child get out on the streets and cause damage to 40 other buses, a politician makes anti North Indian remarks get out on the streets, burn taxis and create havoc. How does that really help to resolve any issue? It only causes further unrest and damage to the society and media’s part in it doesn’t really help to soothe things down. Protests are justified if the cause is genuine and there’s no harm caused to anyone or anything.

While there are millions trying to take the nation a step further towards progress every day, every such incident takes the nation ten steps behind. It is high time that there is some regulation on the content used by the media and a check imposed on the statements made by people in public gatherings. The role of regulatory authorities should not be restricted to banning and lifting off bans on channels like Fashion TV and AXN but to regulate the news spread through various forms of media to the common public. Let’s hope the action is taken before we have a few buses and taxis left.

Via: Mutiny
Image: The Hindu

For thousands around the world who dream of lounging in the sandy beaches of Hawaii, Goa has been the perfect substitute for years. However, with a number of incidents emerging into the limelight in the past couple of years, the latest one being the killing of a 15 year old British teen, Scarlett Keeling Goa is soon losing its tag of being a paradise. Goa has always been known for its idyllic lifestyle, yet that’s not the attitude one would expect from the local police. Most cases of deaths are dismissed as random incidents and only pressure from the family of the deceased proves it otherwise.

In the case of Scarlett Keeling as well, her death was initially written off as a case of drowning until her mother demanded a second autopsy and it was revealed that she may have been raped but definitely murdered and have even arrested three suspects. Families with similar cases of mysterious deaths of family members are now keen to unravel the real cause and suspect foul play.

Though the prevailing lifestyle of casual sex and where getting drugs is as easy as buying your groceries is not something to rave about nothing justifies the deaths. Goa, always known as one of the safest places is showing its evil side now and this bring no good to anyone. What can only be hoped is that people are more cautious with whom they interact with and the Goa Police pulls their socks up before the loss to the image of Goa is irreparable.

Via: Times Online
Image: ABC News

Millions of Indians who prayed that the talks of the impending price hike remained just that were gravely disappointed as their prayers remained unanswered. Prices of Petrol and Diesel were raised by Rs. 2 and Re. 1 respectively with effect from midnight on Thursday night.

A huge furor has risen in the political circuit over the hike in fuel prices as this is the fourth time that the prices have increased during the rule of the United Progressive Alliance Government. The hike is being condemned by the Left Parties and the BJP and the pressure is mounting on the government to withdraw this hike with protest rallies being held across the country. Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh justifies that the hike is a result of the increase in global crude oil prices. However this is countered by the other parties by stating that hike could have well been avoided by reducing the excise duties and VAT.

What scares the common man is the fact that it doesn’t just end here. The ever increasing inflation swells further, transportation costs increase making all commodities dearer. The only hope that the common man has is that the last budget from this government would bring in some good news from them.

Via: The Hindu

Love her, hate her but you definitely cannot ignore her. Not with the innumerable billboards of her staring down at you the minute you land anywhere in Uttar Pradesh. That’s Mayawati Naina Kumari for you. One lady who’s always in the news and if she isn’t, then she makes sure she is. Whether it’s about making her birthday a national holiday or about the self proclaimed death threats, she ensures that she’s talked about. Though constantly embroiled in some controversy or the other like the Taj Corridor scam, there’s no missing her popularity in the state.

Not a lady of few words, she rose to power by endorsing her Dalit status. When she realized that it wasn’t good enough to sustain her position as a Chief Minister she had to tweak her strategy. This time, her target audience was the masses – the lower as well as the upper caste and then there was no stopping her rise to the throne. Through this mass appeal she could transform her regional party (BSP) to a party of national status. She’s definitely come a long way from being a teacher to a diamond jewelry laden national figure. However, she’s not taking a back seat and has her eyes set on Delhi. She has begun her rallies from Jammu and Kashmir to Karnataka and the way she’s going Delhi doesn’t seem too far after all!

Via: BBC

Image: IBN

Fortunately there’s a rising consciousness amongst the Indian youth about BO. However, we have a long way to go, as sweating is considered as a natural phenomenon esp. in a country with a climate like ours and most people are unaware of the problem. This oblivion can cost them losing out on friends and colleagues avoiding them like the plague.

The commonly known causes of BO are strong medication, being overweight, fungal infections, hot weather, exercising, intake of spicy food and most importantly lack of hygiene. We may notice that various parts of the body tend to have a distinctive odour.

Fight Body Odour:

Though not much can be bone about the bacteria, we can tackle BO by practicing the following:

o Give hygiene the utmost importance in your daily routine. While taking a bath use an anti bacterial soap and ensure that you thoroughly clean the odour prone areas.
o Wear clean clothes.
o Avoid wearing synthetic clothes. Wear cotton as cotton tends to absorb the sweat better.
o Limit your intake of food that is either spicy or has a pungent smell, like garlic.
o Change your undergarments and socks everyday.
o It is important for both men and women to remove the hair from their armpits.
o Drink plenty of water and eat healthy food that contains lots of fiber, wheat, proteins and green leafy vegetables.
o Use of deodorants and perfumes is highly recommended.

If body odour persists after all your efforts at fighting it, it is a good idea to consult a doctor. There are drugs and treatments available that help tackle it.

Body odour is one of the biggest anti social element and if someone you know who has excessive body odour make them aware of it so that they can tackle the issue. To think of it you only stand to gain in the end.

If Mumbai is only for the ‘Marathi manoos’ what happens to the innumerable taxi drivers from Bihar carrying thousands of Mumabikars around the city, keeping the life flowing through the lanes? What happens to all the Kapoors, Khans and Kumars who’ve placed Mumbai on the global entertainment map? What about those Gujratis who have contributed towards making Mumbai as the financial capital of India? And is Maharashtra willing to take back all the Marathis spread across the nation?

How can a cosmopolitan claim to belong to anyone in particular? Isn’t it a sign of a progressive nation where people irrespective of their differences harmoniously work towards a successful society? What does it say about India then where our leaders are busy creating differences? So reminiscent of the British policy of divide and rule.

What further annoys is the way people are falling prey to Raj’s game plan. North Indians are being attacked and assaulted in Mumbai, effigies of Raj Thackeray are being burnt in Bihar and there’s a feeling of unrest in the country as a whole. Once again while the biggies (Amar Singh and Raj Thackeray) battle it out, it’s the common man who is paying the price for their idiosyncrasies.
That only makes me wonder; Whose Raj is it anyway?

Is it my slave driver of a boss or is it true that there’s absolutely nothing on TV other than run of the mill soap operas or reality shows. Reality shows which at time are the perfect display of melodrama that can give the drag queens of soap operas a run for their money.

Shows that begin like a breath of fresh air like Dill Mill Gaye and the likes soon turn bleak enough for us to make a grab for that remote. With so many new channels coming up one may expect that there may be an influx of new ideas and shows and we are gravely disappointed yet again.

Let’s not even get to the soaps as I am still struggling to figure out which one is one as its like watching mirror images. The good ones are all waering designer sarees (even when they are struck by poverty and have lost out on their fortune of a few hundred crores), the vamps have the same make up and even the background songs are the same! To top the confusion chart they all begin with the letter ‘K’!

The new mantra to boost the TRPs are the music reality shows where you have nobodys to celebs displaying their finest acting skills and singing and asking for votes. If the grapes turn sour in one of these reality shows u can always blame it on the rigged voting system and be even more popular than the ones who actually win!

After all this cribbing and channel surfing I have finally found a solution to my problems. I turn into the hindi news channels for the total entertainment package. Its got everything from action, drama, music, romance and when they run out of all of this they just add some snippets of national and international news here and there.

Tune in to believe it!