Thursday, July 21, 2011

[ZESTCaste] Bhagavad Gita

Friends,

An editorial in Indian Express and my comments sent to them is reproduced below.

May be some of you would like to know.

Thanks!

Dr. K. Jamanadas

Thursday, July 21, 2011

------------ original editorial of INDIAN EXPRESS -----------------

Thu, 21 Jul 2011

A lesson in values

The Indian Express Tags : editorial, indian express Posted: Thu Jul 21 2011, 00:15 hrs

The Bhagavad Gita is like the sun. I think that it is the duty of every Indian to respect the Bhagavad Gita like they respect other elements surrounding them. I strongly feel that if someone does not respect it, they have no place in India. They should leave the country and settle abroad."

That was the line of argument offered by Karnataka's minister for primary and secondary education, Vishveshwar Hegde Kaggeri, after his controversial suggestion, that the Gita be taught for an hour every day to the state's schoolchildren, was resisted. Kaggeri's cultural chauvinism has caused a major furore, with the opposition and representatives of minority groups demanding his dismissal.

Apart from ignoring the constitutional injunction against introducing religious material in public schools, Kaggeri has displayed the worst instincts and rhetoric of the right, publicly stating that those who disregard a certain Hindu religious text do not belong in India. In fact, instances like this, of people playing politics with culture and wielding them in ideological battle are the very reason these texts are scrupulously kept out of the curriculum. Some might argue that important texts, from across religions, should not be disqualified knowledge, that they can connect us better to our cultural history and provide an "equipment for living", in Kenneth Burke's memorable phrase. However, it is the politics represented by people like Kaggeri that make that project impossible, and remind us how important it is that our state schools remain faith-neutral. The Karnataka government has said that it did not sponsor the Gita-learning programme, and merely asked schools to cooperate with it — arguing, as the MP government recently did when it was hauled up for introducing Gita lessons, that these lessons were not about religion, but values. However, that explanation will not wash — public schools are the crucibles of secular citizenship, and should stay aloof from any religious/ spiritual mission.

Kaggeri's words are a reminder of the still-real danger of those who would shape education to their own ends, and they undermine one of India's founding values. If anyone has a problem fitting into this plural and secular nation, it is people like him.

-------------- end of editorial --------------

My Comments

To,

editpage@expressindia.com

This refers to your editorial July 21, 2011, "A lesson in Values"

I think Gita must be taught to all Indian students, specially those who call themselves as Hindus. Let them know that it was Gita, which strengthened Chaturvarnya, the base of Caste system, while it was about to disappear after revolution by the Buddha. Let the students – the future citizens of India – understand the ill effects of caste system on Indian history in making it a slave country for centuries. Let them understand that Gita is mini Manu Smriti. Let there be general debate in the country, so that the OBCs know what Gita says about them, the Shudras. That might prevent their support to those who like to change the Indian Constitution.

Dr. K. Jamanadas, 'Shalimar', Main Road, Chandrapur- 442 402

Tel: 07172-276980

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[ZESTCaste] 'Govt failed to fulfil conditions laid down by SC'

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Govt-failed-to-fulfil-conditions-laid-down-by-SC/articleshow/9304075.cms

'Govt failed to fulfil conditions laid down by SC'
TNN | Jul 21, 2011, 04.12am IST

JAIPUR: The Rajasthan High Court observed that the reservation
benefit, which was provided under Article 77, could not be allowed in
Rajasthan since the state government failed to fulfil the conditions
laid down by the Supreme Court in the M Nagraj case of October 2006.

The high court order was upheld by the Supreme Court in its order
dated December 7, 2010.

As the non-reserved categories' employees built pressure on the
government to implement the court order, a committee was constituted
to look into the matter.

The reserved category employees, on the other hand, demanded that the
government fulfill the conditions, especially collecting a
quantifiable data showing SC/ST's representation in the state
services, required to allow the reservation benefit in promotions.

The Samata Andolan Samiti, however, moved the contempt petition
alleging that the state government was allowing reservation benefit in
promotions to the SC/ST employees in violation of the February 2010
judgment.

Besides demanding that the judgment be enforced and the reserved
category employees be reverted, the Samiti sought for fresh seniority
lists of the state employees with their 'regained seniorities' from
June 17, 1995.

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[ZESTCaste] No freeships to SC/ST students despite Bombay high court order

http://www.dnaindia.com/academy/report_no-freeships-to-sc-st-students-despite-bombay-high-court-order_1567806

No freeships to SC/ST students despite Bombay high court order
Published: Thursday, Jul 21, 2011, 3:42 IST
By DNA Correspondent | Place: Mumbai | Agency: DNA

The government has withdrawn concessions and freeships offered to
students belonging to the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes,
making it difficult for them continue their education. Demands are
nowbeing made that the government continue providing aid to such
students.

Even though a Bombay high court and supreme court order stated that
the government should continue giving freeships to students who come
from an SC/ST background, schools allege the government is yet to give
them proper funds. In fact, a Dharavi school, Shree Ganesh Vidya
Mandir, is on the verge of closing down its primary section since it
cannot keep up with expenses without government aid.

A committee appointed by the government had recommended that the
government pay Rs100 to Rs350 onwards of a child's fees from Std 1 to
10 and the rest can be paid by the parents. However, school
authorities say that Rs100 is too small an amount. "If the fees are
Rs500, then the government must still pay Rs400. The parents work as
construction labourers or auto drivers, and cannot afford such fees,"
added Yadav.

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[ZESTCaste] Cong forms sub-panel on Dalit agenda

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Cong-forms-sub-panel-on-Dalit-agenda/820336/

Cong forms sub-panel on Dalit agenda

Three days after the All India Congress Committee (AICC) made Salman
Khurshid in-charge of the Congress election manifesto committee in UP,
the state Congress has decided to form sub-committees for identifying
the region and community-specific issues that can be included in the
party manifesto for the 2012 Assembly election.

The first such committee was formed today to decide the issues related
to SC/ST communities in the state. Former Governor of Arunachal
Pradesh Mata Prasad was apppointed chairman of the committee, which
will include former Union Minister Ram Lal Rahi and former BSP leader
Raj Bahadur, along with two former IAS officers, Ram Krishna and
Prabhu Dayal, as members.

"We have decided to start the process of preparing the manifesto.
While the members of the main committee are yet to be named, it has
been decided that this SC/ST committee would hold meetings and
identify all issues that can be included in the manifesto as the Dalit
agenda of the party in the state," said a senior leader.

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[ZESTCaste] Cabinet approves 50% reservation for women in Panchayats

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Cabinet-approves-50-reservation-for-women-in-Panchayats/articleshow/9310439.cms

Cabinet approves 50% reservation for women in Panchayats
PTI | Jul 21, 2011, 03.30pm IST

NEW DELHI: The Cabinet on Thursday approved the proposal for enhancing
reservation for women in Panchayats from the present 33 per cent to 50
per cent with the provision being applicable to all seats filled
through direct election, office of chairpersons and of offices
reserved for SC/ST.

"The Cabinet approved the proposal for moving an official amendment to
the Constitution (one hundred and tenth amendment) Bill, 2009 for
enhancing reservation for women in Panchayats at all tiers from 1/3 to
at least 50 per cent," information and broadcasting Minister Ambika
Soni told reporters.

The amendment bill, which was introduced in Lok Sabha on November 26,
2009, will incorporate one change suggested by the standing committee
on rural development that the word "rural" be added before the word
"population" wherever it occurs in the draft legislation.

The intention behind adding "rural" before "population" is to reflect
appropriate demographic representation of categories of population for
Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes for whom reservation is made.

The provision of reserving half the seats for women in Panchayats will
apply to the total number of seats filled by direct election, offices
of chairpersons and seats and offices of chairpersons reserved for SCs
and STs.

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[ZESTCaste] Govt can’t alter reservation rules in all-India services: SC

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Govt-can-t-alter-reservation-rules-in-all-India-services--SC/820079/

Govt can't alter reservation rules in all-India services: SC

Reservation rules for general and reserved candidates in all-India
services like IAS and IPS cannot be altered by the government as it
may violate the Constitution, Supreme Court has said.

A Bench of Justices R V Raveendran and A K Patnaik said the roster
system for general, SC, ST and OBC candidates should be adhered to and
reservation in excess of the prescribed quota limit is illegal and
unconstitutional.

"The roster system ensures equitable treatment to both general and
reserved candidates and hence cannot be bypassed on some ground or the
other which may result in unfair treatment to either general
candidates or reserved candidates in violation of their right to
equality under Articles 14 and 16(1) of the Constitution," Justice
Patnaik observed.

The apex court passed the ruling while dealing with the petition of G
Srinivas Rao, an IPS officer and a general candidate, challenging the
Centre's decision to allot him the Manipur-Tripura Joint Cadre on
October 27, 1999, instead of his home cadre Andhra Pradesh.

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[ZESTCaste] BJD MP bats for Dalits' entry into shrine

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhubaneswar/BJD-MP-bats-for-Dalits-entry-into-shrine/articleshow/9302621.cms

BJD MP bats for Dalits' entry into shrine
TNN | Jul 21, 2011, 03.54am IST

BHUBANESWAR: BJD MP Mohan Jena on Wednesday said it was time upper
caste Hindus shed their inhibitions and welcomed people of all races,
colours and creeds to places of worship. This would not only
drastically reduce religion-related tensions in the society but make
Hindu religion truly universal, he said.

Addressing a media conference here, the ruling party legislator said
though Hinduism per se did not believe in discrimination amongst
people, the religion for some strange reasons continued to be misused
in the hands of some people thereby losing its dignity and global
appeal. "Despite the Orissa Temple Authorisation Act 1948 in operation
and campaigns undertaken in the past by such personalities like
Mahatma Gandhi, B R Ambedkar, Ram Manohar Lohia and Jayaprakash
Narain, the practice of treating people as untouchables persist in the
country and Dalits are not allowed entry into temples at many places,"
he remarked.

On his party leader Pyari Mohan Mohapatra's suggestion that non-Hindus
should be allowed entry into the Puri Jagannath temple in order to
boost tourism in the state, Jena said: "Before talking about people of
other faiths no one should forget the kind of treatment meted out to
Dalits belonging to Hindu religion itself on the matter of gaining
entry into religious shrines."

He said it was surprising that upper caste people prefered to engage
Dalits in "different kinds of services of the deities" but would not
tolerate their entry into the temples and see the Lord. "If Dalits are
not allowed to the temples then the Mukti Mandap and Puri
Sankaracharya should declare them as non-Hindus," the Jajpur MP said.
He also expressed surprise that the Puri Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha
Deb and the Sankaracharya had so far remained "silent" on the issue.

The BJD MP said the Ambedkar-Lohia Bichar Mancha, an organization
working for Dalit rights, would organize a mass dharna in Bhubaneswar
during the ensuing Assembly session to highlight the issue. The Manch
is also planning to move the court seeking its intervention for making
all Hindu shrines accessible by Dalits.

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[ZESTCaste] Dalits separated by wall at colony

http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/tamil-nadu/article2266854.ece

SALEM, July 20, 2011

Dalits separated by wall at colony
R. Ilangovan

Dalits of Gandhi Mahan street in ward-42 in Salem demand a 20 metre
wall to be demolished. Photo: E.Lakshmi Narayanan
The Hindu Dalits of Gandhi Mahan street in ward-42 in Salem demand a
20 metre wall to be demolished. Photo: E.Lakshmi Narayanan

The 20-metre-long and 10-feet-high brick wall was put up about 20 years ago

A 20-metre-long and 10-feet-high brick wall of near two decades old
here separates 200 Dalit families from others.

The wall, called by them as the 'untouchable wall of Salem' is
separating Raman colony where they, all Arunthathiyars, are living
from VOC Nagar located on the other side of wall where many, a
majority of them caste Hindus, are residing. The wall, running
parallel to a drainage channel along Gandhi Mahan Street, has shut an
easy access to main road on the other side.

The Dalits allege that the controversial wall was constructed some two
decades back by a private person 'to prevent the overflowing drainage
waters from the adjoining colony to enter into his land.'

"We are told that the wall was erected on both patta and porombok
lands for which we need a resurvey," demand Dalit youths who have
taken up the issue with support from Democratic Youth Federation of
India (DYFI).

They allege that their children have to take a circuitous route to
reach the main road to go to schools.

"The sick and elderly are suffering the worst. It is constructed on
poromboke land," said Pon Saravanan, urban secretary, DYFI. Many
vouchsafe the same. As the sewage water gets stagnated, the entire
area is stinking with scores of pigs roaming freely.

M. P. Kandasamy, a 70-year-old Dalit, said that the wall has been put
up for about 20 years. "It should be demolished and a way for us must
be opened," he insisted, while 40- year old Devakani said Salem
Corporation had taken no steps so far to improve the colony's sanitary
conditions. "We are boxed in with wall on one side and pools of sewers
on other side," she claimed.

But those who are living in VOC Nagar on the other side of wall said
they had purchased plots and constructed houses after spending their
hard-earned money. "We are here to live peacefully in a good and
hygienic environment and we are against any discrimination. We have
not constructed the wall," said a resident.

A majority of them have moved in recently there.

Salem Tahsildar D. Kumaresan told The Hindu that he was asked to
conduct an enquiry into the claims on the disputed wall.

"I will visit the spot tomorrow and after surveying it, I will submit
a report. Many claimed that the wall could have been constructed on
both private and porombok lands. I have called for land records and
accordingly we will act," he said.

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[ZESTCaste] Dalit woman beaten up

http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/dalit-woman-beaten-up/759401.html

Dalit woman beaten up
PTI | 11:07 PM,Jul 20,2011

Jajpur (Orissa), July 20 (PTI) A dalit woman was beaten up today by a
group of youths who were against her nomination in the members list
for a anganwadi centre food committee.Satyabhama Mallik was seriously
injured and was rushed to SCB Medical College Hospital in a critical
condition, police said. According to an FIR filed by her brother
Ramesh, the woman was brutally assaulted by about 10 alleged
antisocials of Manpur village in Jajpur district while she was
teaching children at the anganwadi centre.The FIR said Satyabhama's
was nominated at a meeting held at the village yesterday and attended
by government officials. The 10 alleged attackers had objected to it
and walked out of the meeting, he said.�I have asked a DSP rank
officer to investigate the matter,� said Deepak Kumar, Jajpur
superintendent of police said.Meanwhile, dalit leaders have demanded
strong action against the attackers of Satyabhama.

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[ZESTCaste] Censor Board rejects dalit panel's demand to be shown 'Aarakshan' before release

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Censor-Board-rejects-dalit-panels-demand-to-be-shown-Aarakshan-before-release/articleshow/9305821.cms

Censor Board rejects dalit panel's demand to be shown 'Aarakshan' before release
Himanshi Dhawan, TNN | Jul 21, 2011, 06.32am IST

NEW DELHI: Concerned that a film which addressed the controversial
issue of reservation for backward castes be sensitively handled, the
Censor Board had set up a five-member examining committee to preview
Prakash Jha film 'Aarakshan'. The Amitabh Bachchan-starrer hit
headlines last week when the National Commission for Scheduled Caste's
(NCSC) demanded that it be shown the film before it was released.

Sources said the Censor Board rejected the commission's demand, citing
that the Cinematography Act did not allow such action but relented by
setting up a committee with members from the backward community. The
committee cleared the film on Tuesday without any cuts, giving it a
'Universal' certificate.

In a letter to the commission, Censor Board CEO Pankaja Thakur
explained that while CBFC appreciated the concerns of the NCSC, there
was no precedence of involving a statutory body in film certification.

In fact, director Prakash Jha said he was not required to respond to
any board of people who want to sit in judgment. "As a filmmaker who
has been making films for about 30 years, I am well aware of the
procedure I have to follow to get clearances for the release of the
film. I will be following the due procedure," Jha said in a statement.

The panel wants to make sure that the film has not misinterpreted the
constitutional provision for reservations in government jobs and
educational institutions for the socially backward classes.

The committee included Nandu S Bansode, Rajaram Tanawade, Jayashree
Kamble and Laishram Mema. Dalit activist Ragini Tilak and retired
Justice Mukul Mudgul were also asked to assist the committee.

The film is scheduled for release on August 12 and stars Bachchan,
Saif Ali Khan, Manoj Bajpai, Pratiek Babbar and Deepika Padukone.

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[ZESTCaste] The rise of Dalit enterprise: Pravin Meshram

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/et-cetera/the-rise-of-dalit-enterprise-pravin-meshram/articleshow/9306082.cms

21 Jul, 2011, 07.10AM IST, Tapash Talukdar,ET Bureau

The rise of Dalit enterprise: Pravin Meshram

For five years, Pravin has been waiting for a final clearance from the
Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) to build a petrol pump near Amravati Road
in Nagpur. The company allotted the pump to Meshram's mother under the
scheduled caste quota, and Meshram has bought the land and completed
all formalities. "People from upper castes who applied with us are
running their outlet," says the 32-year-old.

"Since we are backward class, they don't pay attention to our
request." When they had applied, in 2004, Meshram was banking on the
pump for sustenance. He had gone through a series of business
failures, and the pump held the hope of income stability. Now, more
than economic value, its value is symbolic. Between his application
and now, Meshram has built a Rs 20 crore business manufacturing
electrical transformers, and he doesn't need the pump. "If it comes
up, I will be happy for my mother," he says.

FROM STRUGGLE...

Meshram grew up in an lower middle-class family in Nagpur. From a
young age, he wanted to have his own business rather than work for
another. As soon as he earned a diploma in mechanical engineering from
Nagpur University, in 1998, he set off on that pursuit. "My father had
a small electrical-repairing shop and I wanted to build it," says
Meshram. He joined the shop.

It's where he mastered electrical repairs and equipment installation,
and formed relationships that would shape his business. One of the
shop's clients was the Maharashtra State Electricity Board (MSEB),
which outsourced small repair and installation work for its plants and
offices. Meshram started repairing fans and lights, and doing part of
the installation work of generators, at the MSEB offices. The jobs
fetched him Rs 100-1,000. He asked MSEB for bigger repairing projects,
but was turned down. "Later, I realised my mistake was that I was born
to poor parents," he says. It was a hand-to-mouth existence as the
shop was the only income for the four-member family. Once, Meshram
recalls, he worked for 18 hours at a stretch to finish a small
project. "Had I not done it, my family would not have been able to
cook," he says. He wanted more. So, starting from 2000, Meshram
started looking at other businesses along with his brother, Rahul
Meshram , who is now 29. Between 2000 and 2007, the duo hurtled from
one failure to another. They booked advertisements for publications;
they dispatched plastic boxes for nearby factories; they tried their
hand at trading. After the last failure, Meshram went to work as an
electrician with a local firm, at a salary of Rs 2,000. "It was a big
struggle for me," he says. ...

TO TRANSFORMATION

Meshram still wanted his own business. This time, he chose something
he understood: electricals. In 2006, he happened to visit a
transformer factory run by a friend's relative. He worked parttime
there for six months, and understood the manufacturing process and the
business. He came to know that the MSEB bought transformers from three
manufacturers in Nagpur who had been around for decades.

In late-2007, he borrowed Rs 2 lakh from his father and Rs 1 lakh from
a friend to start a small transformer-manufacturing unit on the
family's ancestral land near Amravati Road in Nagpur. The first
transformer built by Bharat Electricals was rejected by MSEB. "That
helped me," he says. "I got their approval after two months. I was
thrilled that my family might have some security." The first
transformer he supplied to MSEB was of 25 kilovolts (Kv). The company
makes each piece by hand. "It gives jobs to a few people and they take
good care in every part of the process," he says. Within a year,
Bharat Electricals had crossed Rs 1 crore in turnover. Gradually, the
orders from MSEB became bigger, in transformer capacity and numbers.

In 2009, he procured orders worth Rs 10 crore from MSEB for
transformers of 200-650 kv. "Initially, people did not take me
seriously as they thought I would return to my repairing work. It took
years to build our reputation," he says. "And, trust me, it is not
easy." Today, on his one-acre plot, Meshram has the capacity to
manufacture 3,000 transformers of 25-1,000 kv capacity. About 80% of
this is supplied to the MSEB, and the remaining to the SEBs of
Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. His current order book stands at Rs
25 crore. "He delivers on promises," says AD Sahare, executive
engineer, MSEB, Chandrapur testing division, Nagpur. Meshram has two
immediate goals: foreign travel for his parents and a Rs 100 crore
turnover for Bharat Electricals.

The second goal is taking shape just behind the current factory. Over
an area of four acres, Meshram is setting up capacity to make larger
transformers, of 2,000-5,000 kv, which could potentially take his
revenues to Rs 50 crore in two years and deliver higher margins. It
could also add another 100 jobs. Meshram wants the new recruits to
come from the backward class and is even willing to train them.
Meshram is also talking to a Chinese company to partner him on this
project. While he handles strategy, and product development and sakes,
younger brother Rahul takes care of administration. "We are trying to
rebuild our fortunes," says Rahul. That, today, is an understatement.

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[ZESTCaste] The rise of Dalit enterprise: Ashok Khade

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/et-cetera/the-rise-of-dalit-enterprise-ashok-khade/articleshow/9305952.cms

21 Jul, 2011, 06.52AM IST, KRUTTIKA NADIG,ET Bureau
The rise of Dalit enterprise: Ashok Khade

He speaks animatedly, accentuating his words with hand movements that
make his gold and diamond rings sparkle. "My father worked as a
cobbler in Mumbai. You can still find the tree he planted and plied
his trade under near Chitra Talkies."

For a businessman, Udyog Ratna awardee Ashok Khade has an incredible
repertoire of childhood stories to tell. His story is compelling: from
extreme poverty to heading one of the most sought-after offshore
fabrication companies in Mumbai: DAS Offshore Engineering.

DAS is the biggest employer among dalit-owned companies - with 4,500
employees - and is credited with building Mumbai's first skywalk at
Bandra. The company specialises in doing fabrication work on offshore
platforms for energy and infrastructure companies.

Khade's beginnings in his native village Ped in Sangli district were
humble. He was a bright student despite limitations like lack of
electricity and inadequate nutrition. Teachers, he says, particularly
admired his neat handwriting, proudly displaying the fine strokes on
the yellowing paper of notebooks he has carefully preserved.

Hunger was an everyday reality for Khade and his five siblings. He
asks if we know what it is to sleep on a hungry stomach. "Once, I went
to get flour from the mill during the rains, but dropped it in the
water. When I got home, my mother said there was nothing else to eat.
I can never forget that incident." There are many other remembered
snatches: how, for instance, the siblings would sleep in an embrace
for warmth on winter nights.

Khade may be an overachiever, but he has his quirks too. He has been
twirling a green fountain pen, which is now revealed to be the same
pen with which he wrote his SSC exam 40 years ago. "Babloo", as he has
affectionately nicknamed the instrument, cost him a precious Rs 3.50.
"And yet," he opens a drawer, "only Babloo would make the cover of my
autobiography," and casually scatters on the desk half a dozen Mont
Blanc pens collectively worth .`5 lakh.

THE BUSINESS DOCKS

Khade's circumstances however were far from being amusing or romantic.
He recalls how his background was a stumbling block in his education.
The Brahmin boys in his class had an edge over him in Sanskrit because
of the rituals they followed at home, while his struggling family had
no time for poojas. He eventually topped his class 10 Sanskrit exam.

He also met some good samaritans along the way. During the famine of
1972, he was "adopted" by a man who gave him food, and one of his
teachers bought him a new set of clothes after he showed up for an
exam in torn trousers.

After finishing high school, Khade came to Mumbai to live with his
uncle. He ended up working at Mazagon Dock when financial constraints
cut short his desire to pursue medicine. "I went crying to the docks,"
says the future ship designer. He worked at Mazagon from 1975 to 1992,
building a career as well as an enviable network of contacts and
well-wishers, along with brothers Datta and Suresh.

The stint would bring new experiences into Khade's life. He was sent
to West Germany in 1984 for an assignment related to submarine quality
control, and married shortly after returning home. He also managed to
complete a part-time diploma in mechanical engineering alongside his
job. In 1992, Khade's uncle died leaving behind four unmarried
daughters. This sudden tug on the family's pockets was the trigger
that activated Khade's entrepreneurial ambitions. DAS Offshore - named
after the initials of the three brothers - was established in 1995
without an ounce of external capital, according to Khade.

SELF MADE

Their first project came from Mazagon Dock, their former employer. A
contractor had abandoned a project halfway and bids were invited.
Captain PV Nair, a retired Indian Navy officer and former chairman of
Mazagon Dock, recommended DAS for finishing the job, and so they were
awarded the contract worth Rs 1.82 crore. "I got all my supplies on
credit from people I had worked with," says Khade. Nair, who now acts
as advisor for DAS, says that Khade is "determined, hardworking, and
will take the work to its logical conclusion."

Having battled against both financial and social odds, one might
expect a dalit entrepreneur to favour positive discrimination towards
his ilk. Khade, however, is a staunch believer in merit, and rejects
the idea of giving more weightage to aspiring employees or vendors
from his caste. Less than 1% of his employees are dalits. "I believe
in quality control," says the man who once refused a job to an
underqualified nephew.

Dalit vendors, he says, are given a chance to match the competition's
price. As far as encouraging talent goes, DAS's capacity-building
programmes have trained over 1,000 employees so far. Das posted a
turnover of Rs 130-140 crore in 2010-11 and has an order book of Rs
550 crore. Khade says DAS does not have any investors and did not take
bank loans to start. Most of the funds, he says, came from
acquaintances and relatives because of the brothers' high performance
ratings. This is partly explained by Khade's

SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST

DAS Offshore's clients notably include ONGC, Leighton Australia,
Essar, Hyundai and British Gas Exploration & Production India. DAS has
developed a strong relationship with ONGC. NV Subramanium, executive
director of ONGC, who has known Khade for seven to eight years, says
DAS has a good reputation.

DAS is currently handling a sub-contract for ONGC's ongoing Jeevan
Heera reconstruction project, for which Essar is the main contractor.
Subramanium says that although there was a round of bidding for the
sub-contract, DAS was "indirectly suggested" by the main contractor
because of its track record. When asked if there is any caste
preference, Subramanium is as clear as Khade. "Caste is not even a
consideration when awarding contracts." The Khade brothers have their
respective strengths.

Khade says that he looks after quality control because of his
experience and skill in design drawing. Younger brother Suresh handles
labour issues, while elder brother Datta oversees goal management. In
a business like this, it is survival of the fittest. Khade admits he
has an advantage over the competition because of Suresh, a BJP MLA.
"Competitors try to strike just before a contract is awarded. It is a
cat and mouse game. Sometimes I am the cat and sometimes I am the
rat," he laughs, while admitting that he is extremely competitive.
Turning serious, he adds that honesty, hard work and love for one's
country are indispensable ethics for business. Prakash Malvankar, CEO
& vicepresident (projects) of Dolphin Offshore Enterprises , a rival,
concurs. "I have met Ashok Khade at conferences and we have regard for
each other. The DAS Offshore leadership is technically sound and
follows fair business practices."

Last year, DAS deployed 1,760 workers at Bombay High and finished the
work without LTI (loss of time or injury). The company has also
completed the skywalks at Sion and Ghatkopar, in Mumbai, and is
currently building two more in the city, at Airoli and Kurla.

GIVING BACK

With a Rs 3,000 crore project for ONGC recently wrapped up, DAS has
big plans. Its Sharjah office is nearly up and running. Khade plans to
launch the company's initial public offering (IPO) in 2012. In
addition, Khade has purchased 140 acres of land near Murud-Janjira,
where DAS is building its own jetty fabrication yard, India's first
private yard, projected to be operational by the end of the year.

The yard will employ 2,500 workers at peak hour. Khade also intends to
build a school, hospital and engineering college there. He has also
bought 100 acres of fields in his native village, where his mother
used to work as a farm labourer. When asked whether it was a business
decision or a personal one, he merely calls it a "cycle of nature" and
denies that any sentiment was involved. While Khade does not give a
preference to dalits in his work, his family gives back to their
community in different ways. One of his brothers arranges for the
wedding trousseau of each new bride in their village, regardless of
caste.

Khade has also renovated a temple in his village that used to stop
dalits at the gate - a promise he had made to his mother. He is a
devout man who visits Alandi and Pandharpur every month, and sports a
black thread from Tirupati around his wrist. A temple door covered in
55 kg of silver bearing his mother's picture has been installed at
Alandi - another tribute from her son.

Although he does not like to quantify, Khade estimates he has given
about Rs 50 lakh to his community. Reclining in his BMW 530, Khade
indulges in two minutes of nostalgic soul-searching. "You know, I once
met Mother Teresa at an international airport. I kept in touch with
her, and she called me Ashok. I was there at her bedside after she
passed away..." With that, Khade drives away, full of memories from
his meteoric journey.

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[ZESTCaste] Remove BSP "agent" officers for fair polls: opposition to EC

http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/remove-bsp-agent-officers-for-fair-polls-opposition-to-ec/759306.html

Remove BSP "agent" officers for fair polls: opposition to EC
PTI | 08:07 PM,Jul 20,2011

They also demanded a ban on paid news in newspapers, besides
advertisements of BSP government in leading newspapers and TV
channels. They said there should be no difference in voters list
available to parties and ones at polling stations.They also demanded
removal of names of Bangladeshis from electoral rolls.The EC
delegation would hold a meeting with district magistrates and
divisional commissioners tomorrow to review poll prepardness.

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Thursday, July 21, 2011

A lesson in values

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