Wanna know how our Porcupine couple did their Anniversary shopping in 2030?

SHOPPING ONLINE CALLS FOR AN EBAY CHECK - Click here.

Future of shopping - Imagination of shopping in 2030

(Blog entry for eBay contest - Future of Shopping in 2030)

Hystricid vowed to himself that he will somehow make his wedding anniversary the most memorable one. He is married to Ereth 4 years now and being a Porcupine with a shorter lifespan, he was wondering whether he will be alive for his next anniversary.

So, he wanted to make the most out of the anniversary that fell on 16^th Sep 2030. Earlier, shopping was always a nightmare due to the stories he heard from his grandfathers & great grandfathers, particularly when it comes to anniversary and important events. However, Ereth, coming from an educated Porcupine clan in North America tried to change his perception by introducing him to ebay.in. Hystricid’s experiences with ebay.in had changed his entire perception about shopping.

1. Those days, selecting a favourite Mobile or Tablet was not that easy.  
   
   One has to read lot of reviews, take opinions from friends etc before zeroing in on the right choice. But now, the ebay app loaded in Ereth’s mobile was able to make patterns out of her mobile usage, analyse the features she frequently used and suggested the best mobile model that was available. Since her health condition doesn’t allow her to use Wi-fi, the model best known for its FG (Future generation) capability was suggested. It even kept track of their family bank balance to suggest which mobile was available for their budget. Thanks to social media linkage, reviews of friends and friends of friends were automatically considered for such suggestion.
2. For shopping Fashion items these days, they couldn’t even think of going to an showroom or shop, checking sizes or using the trial room.
   
   Both Hystricid & Ereth had their profile stored in ebay site whereby on a click of a button, they could see how they look in a particular outfit. The info of clothes previously tried (soft try!!) was stored and it was used to suggest latest trending fashion. So, they go to ebay site, choose a dress, see how they look in that, make custom changes in colour, design etc and just order online. Images can also be posted in social media sites to take opinions of friends before ordering an item. Whats more, ebay site also came with the feature of auto size determination which was collected based on the data captured during annual medical checkup. 
3. When they set up their new house last year, they had to purchase quite a lot of Audio & home Entertainment devices.
   
   But for ebay, they would have really gone mad. The design made by their architect was fed into ebay site which was used to consolidate the options into a handful few. Based on the house size, colours chosen, wood work, construction material etc, all the devices were suggested viz., LED TV, home theatre, audio, video etc. Even the gaming console was chosen based on their daughter’s age and ebay was thoughful in offering games that a girl will like. To top all of these, ebay was very useful in selecting the security system that was required for the risk level persistent in their locality. The motto of ebay was simple – tell me how, where & what your home is, we’ll take care of the rest..
4. Cutest part of ebay was they hadn’t need to worry about replacing furniture, kitchenware or other Home appliances.
   
   Once these home & living items become aged, ebay gets an automatic trigger and will approach its customers with possible replacement choices. Same was the case with music instruments (provided you originally bought one) and items like lamps, fans etc. Even the well-educated Ereth used to wonder as to how ebay gets info about fused light or broken piano or the need for a new fitness instrument. ebay used to know about the abnormality even before the household members. Later she realized that ebay had invested a lot in technology & communication, tied up with medical stores etc that they were able to retain their customers even amidst heavy competition.
5. When so much technological advancements being possible in all these items, it was so simple even for a dumb mind like Hystricid to understand about trends in shopping Data storage items.
   
   It was just some fifteen years back that concepts like Cloud, SaaS were kicking on. Ebay became the pioneer shopping giant to cash on that and it has helped the whole world both in terms of savings as well as containing e-wastes. The storage of almost all possible systems were so interconnected such that more than 90% of the data storage devices that got produced was being consumed without much wastage. In simple words, one never need to worry about data storage, they can use some memory available somewhere in this universe, but just pay based on usage.
6. All kudos to eBay in making Jewellery and diamond items available to all. Ebay learnt that there were only 2 ways of making a product affordable – increase supply or reduce wastage in its cost of sales. Since supply was an external factor, ebay worked on reducing the costs involved in its production to consumption.
   
   By making the manufacturer directly speak with the consumer & in making the consumer decide exactly what is wanted, the cost was kept at the lowest point. The image capturing technology used for apparels was used in jewellery as well enabling Ereth & Hystricid to choose the perfect jewellery they wanted. Being socially responsible, ebay even tied up with customs authorities & the central banker in assisting them to manage their policies & regulations better. That’s why Hystricid was never worried about satisfying Ereth with her favourite jewellery as he knew ebay is the Go-to place for the best and affordable jewellery.
7. In spite of various options available, Hystricid had decided what to surprise Ereth with in this anniversary – Yup, he wanted to gift a latest and coolest camcorder. Again, thanks to ebay’s collection of Cameras.
   
   To ensure that the buyer zeros in on the right model, ebay had the “Social media mining” utility which was very unique and a patented one. It involved consideration of 5 factors to suggest the best model – (a) usage level of shooting devices by Hystricid & Ereth, gathered from their data storage for photos & videos (b) their photo graphical abilities as seen in the quality of photos uploaded in social media (c) budget based on income and debt (d) reviews of models fitting the first 3 parameters; and (e) based on age, valentine shopping, adventure trip bookings & gynecological visits, ebay could reasonably guess forthcoming occasions and hence, could suggest a model based on that. 
8. It was no wonder that ebay could bring in revolutions in the above categories which were in its core portfolio. 
   
   Even shopping of Groceries became simpler with the RFID technologies & consumption capturing techniques of ebay. Just add the items to be covered under automatic replenishment and allow ebay to analyse the usage pattern. As and when the stock reaches reordering levels, at a set periodicity, the groceries will be shipped to your houses. Based on the confirmation of receipt, automatic payment will also happen to the shipper. Those days grandparents of Hystricid & Ereth used to fight about who will shop groceries, but with this technology, that activity itself was completely eliminated.

OK readers, now that we got so much enlightened reading the luxurious world that Hystricid & Ereth live in, shouldn't we wish the couple too??

Please join me in a wishing a happy wedding anniversary to them !!!

TA exam questins - Aug 18 2013

Disclaimer: I'm not sure whehter it is allowed to post the exam questions here, in a public forum. Though I havent confirmed anywhere that the questions will not be made public, if anyone / any authority has concerns in publishing these, I shall have it removed.

Exam pattern..
Section 1, Part A: An essay for about 300 words in any of the given topics. Total 30 marks, min pass mark - 12 (40%)
Section 1, Part B: 10 questions in Objective type nautre, each carrying 1 mark. 5 questions based on a paragraph & 5 questions on finding Antonym for a given word in the sentence. Total 10 marks, min pass mark - 4 (40%)
Section 2, 60 Objective type questions each carrying 1 mark. Total 60 marks, min pass mark - 24 (40%)
Qualifying mark is an agreegate 50 marks in all these sections put toghether. No negative mark for incorrect answers.

Section 1 - Part A - Essay options. Choose 1 & write an essay for 300 words (30 marks)
1. Role of Indian Army in the rescue work in Uttarkhand post the flood & calamity situation there.
2. Election in Pakistan
3. Penalty levied on Ranbaxy by US
4. Stand off between China and India in Lakadh border
5. Coal allocation methodology & related reports from CAG

Section 1 - Part B for 10 marks, Questions not detailed here.

Section 2 - 60 Objective type questions with 4 answer choices, each question carrying 1 mark (60 marks). Order of questions are not in the same order as they appeared in the exam.
1. In which state is Guly of Mannar located (TN / Andhra / Karnataka / Kerala)
2. Quit India movement was started in which year?
3. Doldrums ....?
4. Which lens is used in Periscope (Concave lens / Concave miror / Plane mirror / None of these_
5. Rain shadow effect is associated with? (Orygraphic rainfall / Conventional rainfall / Cyclonic rainfall / Frontal rainfall)
6. KWH (Kilo Watt-hour) is an unit of measuring (Electric Power / Electric Energy / Option 3 / Option 4)
7. Metail constitutent of Chlrophyil?
8. First indian to circumnavigate world solo in a sail boat?
9. Which one of these is NOT a true fruit? (Apple / Dates / Grapes / Plums)
10. Kovvada Nucler power plant is in which state (Karnataka / Andhra / Tamil nadu / Odisha)
11. Oral rehydration therapy is given for which disease (Tuberclosis, Tetanus, Typhoid, Cholera)
12. Ancient Buddhist literate is in which language (Sanskrit / Pali / Brahmi / ???)
13. What is the nick name of the tiger found in the mascot of Indian National games (shera / ??? / Raju / Ammu)
14. In which year did India win its first ever Olympic gold medal?
15. Dada Saheb Palke award is given for excellence in which field (Cinema / Dance / Literature / Art)
16. Arya Bhata lived in thh courtf of (Ashoka / Vikramaditya / Harsha Vardhana / ???)
17. Raja Rammohan Roy formed which movement (Arya Samoj / Brahma Samoj / Theosophyical society / ???)
18. Who was the first Governal General of free India (Mount Batten / Rajagopalachary / ??? / ???)
19. What are the lines that connect places with equal rainfall called as (Isobars / Isotherms / Isohytes / Meridian)
20. Where is metabolic waste urea collected in ur body (Lievr, Kidney, ???, Pancreas)
21. Action of bile jucie upon fats is known as
22. Nature of nerve impulse is
23. Which country does Lance Armstrong belong to?
24. Which country does Marin Luther King belong to?
25. Angkor Vat, a Vishnu temple is located in which country (Cambodia, China, Japan, Ceylon)
26. In which year did India play its 1st ever test cricket match?
27. No. of gold won by PT Usha in 1986 Seoul Asian Games (1/2/3/4)
28. Who was the leader of Reformation movement?
29. Which planet is known as the Evening Star - Mercury, Mars, Pluto, Venus
30. Capital of Ice land
31. Paris is situated in the bank of which river (Thames / Siene / Danube / ???)
32. Volcano Kilimanjaro is located in which country (China / Japan / Kenya / Tanzania)
33. Mac Mohan line is the border line between which two countries?
34. Saurav Ganguly made his first ODI debut on which date/year?
35. Amarnath shrine is in which state?
36. Sodium is kept under which substance (Petrol / Kerosne / Alochol / Water)
37. Who won the Best actor award in National films festival in 2012?
38. Which of these countries is not a permanent member in UN Security council (France / Germany / China / Russia)
39. Who came as runners up in ICC world cup Mens (2013)? (India / England / West Indies / Sri Lanka)
40. Which of the below devices is used to measure air pressure (Hydrometer / Anemcometer / BArometer / Thermometer)
41. Which device is used to watch from being in a submarine?
42. Who is the Chairman of Planning Commission ?
43. Which of these is not a mammal (Whale / Shark / Dolphin / ???)
44. Who takes oath for a President (Vice President / CJI / Speaker / ???)
45. Which state is connected to China by Nathula Pass?
46. Largest producer of Coffee in India (Karnataka / Assam / Tamil nadu / Kerala)
47. Red soil is fertile to cultivate which crop (Wheat / Cotton / Jute / ???)
48. Which is the highest award in India for dance, art and literature (Bharat ratna / Padma awards / Gallantry awards / None of these)
49. Which of these is not a Rabi crop (Wheat / Cereals / Pulses / Maize)
50. Which of these is an example of PIL (Judicial activism / Judicial review / Judical intervention / Judicial xxx)
51. On which date did Indian constitution come into force?
52. Milk is not a good source of which of the following items (Protiens / Carbohydrates / Vitamin C / ???)
53. Some question of how soap is able to remove dirt
54. Waves that are capable of creating heat energy (IR rays / Microwave / Gamma rays / ???)
55. White revolution refers to what?
56. Which of these about South Sudan is not correct (Capital is Juba / It is the first African post-colonial nation / some river passes thro sudan, enters Egypt before going into med sea / indian peacekeepers are stationed there)
57. Some question on PH7, how it turns acedic when aerated
58. Some question on Indian freedom movement
59.
60.

Hu-Man and the Masters of the Universe

Hu-Man and the Masters of the Universe

While the whole world was happily celebrating the 12th new year of Twenty Third century, the participants of this unique kind of conference could not get a reason to cheer. It was really sad that inspite of the conference completing its 9th consecutive day, there was no meaningful direction to move forward. The options tabled for consideration reached a whopping count of 1980, but all of them lacked in one aspect or the other. Though all of the participants were immensely knowledgeable and none other than powerful Gods worshipped by people of different religions, a logical decision point was not coming through. Apart from Gods of major religions viz. Christianly, Hinduism and Islam, it had representations from religions such as Judaism, Baha'i Faith etc, which made the conference very special and unique.

The last such conference was held more than quarter million years ago and it resulted in the evolution of modern humans from Homo sapiens (aka moneys) during the Middle Paleolithic era. All further transformations in mankind post that were just an offshoot, including the changes in the human mind-set during Upper Paleolithic period and the beginning of cultural variations. The current task before the participating Gods was to find ways and means to make the human race take on the threat facing the world. While quite a few human prophecies from various sects were certain of global destruction by 2012, there was no manuscript predicting the next big threat in the ongoing 23rd century. As per the divine bye-laws, a massive manmade destruction was to happen by the end of the current century solely contributed by supernatural factors and this conference was aimed at avoiding such a catastrophe.

In line with Mayan civilization and the prophecy of Kalki, mother Earth faced the wrath of an enormous Gamma Ray Burst (GRB) in 2012, caused by the star WR104 some 7,000 light years away from earth. Though GRBs are the most powerful explosions that could occur in the universe, the mighty Gods had then joined together and it became an easy decision for the consortium of Gods to reduce WR104’s impact and shield the earth. The situation is quite different between 2012 and now as the control they had over natural forces cannot be deployed to combat the manmade calamities waiting to occur. Given that most countries possessed nuclear bombs and the twin super-powers – China & India capable of detonating Hydrogen bomb, a war threat was very much in the cards. Hence, the Gods wanted to find some novel way to make the mankind self-sufficient so that they can adapt themselves against the potential turmoil.

Some of the wish lists presented by various Gods over the last 9 days were in fact promising and even chosen for third and fourth rounds of discussion. However, they were subjected to the compulsion that only one of the proposals could be implemented. Some prominent ones among them were…

“You are all aware that around 71.29% of earth’s surface area is made up of water, with around 25 Million sq.km coming under water just in the last couple of centuries due to Global warming and other factors. Firstly, thanks for the confidence bestowed upon me in increasing my scope of operations and I now wish to make these water bodies livable and breathable for humans, thereby assisting them in case of an exodus” – Lord Poseidon, Greek god, # 291

“My contribution in our combat against the killer GRB - WR104 in 2012 may be recalled at this moment and the immaculate performance rating and other incentives I got then. For the current crisis, I can provide a set of wings to all humans and also impart them with a crash course on flying.” – Garuda, Hindu god, # 1508

“Let us not think primitively like how we were taught in our childhood days. Humans have improved a lot and the time is not far when they will come and occupy our place also. The most critical pieces in that are Externet, micro-mobile, thumb-pad, Mindbook etc which have made telecommunication an integral part of their lives like food and water. If we were to make them go up few notches higher, we should design them with inbuilt communication facilities so that they can speak with anyone anywhere thro telepathy without the use of any device.” – Sarasvati, Hindu Goddess, # 244

“I’ve been successful in controlling epidemics and pandemics in most part of the world and my track record has successfully improved over the centuries. For the current threat, I can make people possess extraordinary health conditions, which could even withstand nuclear radiations.” – Hotei, Japanese Shinto god, # 1609

“I’m of the opinion that the threat before us could not be a war involving Weapons of Mass Destruction, but shortage of food and water for the 20 billion people population. We can make the people capable of eating things beyond the presently edible ones and thus, save them from hunger and starvation. I once fed 5,000 people with just five barley loaves and two fish, and still had 12 baskets of loaves and fish left. Even the mortals the same thing down under; local governments out there print fresh currency if they are not able to do anything meaningful to bridge the demand - supply gap.” – Jesus Christ, # 888.

“When we had to protect the people in 2012, we just had planet earth to shielf, but now the case is different. We have people living even in other planets such as Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn and in addition, the moons of Earth, Jupiter and Saturn as well, making our tasks further difficult. Given all these complexities, let us create livable planets outside Solar system so that people can move there. I suggest that the planets and comets in and around Kupier belt, which is under my direct control, can be used for this purpose, considering its proximity to earth.” JaMaMa, Modern Goddess, # 9

Thoughts like the above kept on flowing, but none of them could get the required majority for being concluded. When radiation proof health was proposed, few participants raised doubt on its practical possibility quoting the multiple epidemics that were witnessed in the world’s history. Some even sought apologies of the concerned health minister in whose regime 30 million plus deaths occurred due to HIV/AIDS, until a cure for this disease was invented in 2019 by an Indian scientist. When Lord Poseidon proposed Water bodies as a place to live, it was termed as an ineligible place to live citing the Tsunami risks they are prone to. For the proposal of moving people out of Solar system into a different terrestrial body, JaMaMa was vetoed out with an allegation that she was attempting to create market for her huge unsalable real estate holdings in Kupier Belt.

At this crucial juncture, came the voice of Allah, who cannot be seen in any meetings, but can only be heard and presence felt. Instead of the Gods deciding how to make the humans combat the unknown, impending danger, Allah wanted the final selection from within the tabled proposals to come from humans themselves quoting that they might know what they want better. This was well accepted by almost all the participants and the only question that remained was how to get a human for a discussion on this. Doctrine of Divinity charted soon after the resurrection of Jesus explicitly prohibits involvement of humans in any matters related to celestial issues. After a small debate, it was decided to call upon a knowledgeable soul currently serving in heaven so that they are within the boundaries of Doctrine of Divinity. It didn’t much time to select such a person and it turned out to be a multifaceted person, who was an aerospace engineer, professor, scientist, served as a senior government functionary, involved in developing warfare, author, poet and received various awards and honours. He had been granted direct entry into heaven, somewhere in the first half of 21st century after leading a long satisfying life in earth, where he was known as Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.

Having heard the subject matter of the conference and the various proposals tabled, Dr. Kalam spent some time in understanding each one of them. When he started speaking, there was wide spread keenness among the participants as they were eager to know which one of their proposal will get selected. He thanked the Gods for their efforts in saving the human race and said he wanted to approach the issue differently.

“Without any doubt, each one of these proposals can save humans from the impending danger and pave way for future generations. But, what is the surety that there won’t be yet another danger to be encountered after this? Humans have indeed enriched their knowledge and reached heights which were not possible during my times. However, at the end of the day, we have lost more than what we achieved. Our communication facilities are top class, but we are not able to sit and speak with our parents and family when it is really needed. The seven course meal we eat today may give better nutrition and taste than what we used to get earlier, but the happiness and peace we had while eating then is not available today. Present day computers possess high levels of Artificial Intelligence and are capable of doing most human functions of their own, but they come at the cost of depleting all the native powers of human brains. Average life of humans which was at 67 during my days has grown to 85+ now with the advent of modern powerful medicines. We didn’t have all these medical facilities earlier, but a healthy lifestyle with lesser pollution levels ensured a happy life without medicines.

While you’ve made all living creatures with just desire for their basic necessities such as hunger, thirst, shelter and love, why is that humans alone come with all possible needs? No other species will get happiness by killing fellow species for mortal benefits, except humans. If you, mighty Gods would allow me to offer my suggestion, kindly do not add anything more to humans, but just remove the greed part in them. They will be happier and safe in the planets you’ve created by leading a simple self-content life functioning cordially nature with nature and fellow human beings.”

There was complete silence in the hall when Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam finished his speech and stood with closed hands and bowed head. Though no word was uttered amongst them, everyone was aware that the lengthy conference had received a meaningful and logical answer for them to work upon.

Territorial Army Exam held on 10th Feb 2013

This is a recollection of whatever questions I could remember from the Territorial army exam that I attended on 10th Feb 2013. Am not sure whether it is legal to showcase the question set here. But since I didn't agree or was instructed to otherwise, I choose to put it up for the benefit of TA aspirants. If in case, there is any objection raised to publication of these contents, this blog post will be removed.

Exam format - 100 marks divided into 2 sections. Section A has got two parts & Section B one part. A pass would require 40% in each of the parts & 50% in aggregate. There is NO negative marking.

Section A - Part 1 (30 marks) - Essay on 300 words on any one of the following topics (topics given in brief):
a. Short note on FDI, covering FDI in Multi brand retail
b. Kudangulam project & the activities of NGO around it
c to e. There were 3 other choices, which I couldn't remember.

Section A - Part 2 (10 marks): An essay in English was given and 10 questions based on the essay. the questions would test your English ability, interpretation, reading skills etc.

Section B - Objective type questions with 4 answer choices (60 marks): (Order of questions not as given below)

1. Who invented Mercury thermometer
2. Convert 30 degree Celsius in Fahrenheit
3. Who was the first woman president of Indian National Congress?
4. Who is the Supreme commander of Armed forces
5. Who is the current Chief of Army Staff of Indian Army
6. For which two disciplines did Marie curie get Nobel Prize?
7. Which dynasty was ruling during French revolution?
8. Tehri dam is on which river?
9. How many nominated members does Rajya Sabha have?
10. Lack of immunity in caused due to deficiency of what in blood?
11. What is Currency devaluation?
12. Which one of these is biodegradable (Paper, DDT, Polythene, xxx)
13. Constitution of India was enacted based on which Act?
14. Which one of these is a macronutrient?
15. Coin dropped in pond will look slant due to which phenomenon?
16. Which of these processes is like Desalination of salt water?
17. Where was INSTC meeting held in 2012?
18. Which of these is not an official language in UNO?
19. Which of these is a metal metal/element?
20. People with Colour blindness cannot see which of these colours?
21. What is the national bird of India
22. Which mosquito causes malaria?
23. First European country to have trade settlements in India?
24. Who was rated as most powerful Indian woman in 2012
25. Who founded Hindu college in Kolkata?
26. Who wrote the book "A life in politics"
27. Blood pressure measures the pressure of blood in which part?
28. How many bones are there in human skeleton?
29. Who won the Orange cup on IPL 2012?
30. What is Greenhouse effect?
31. Indus valley civilisation belongs to which period?
32. Which was the script used in Indus valley civilisation?
33. Who started Khilafat movement?
34. Ornithology is study of what?
35. RH factor was first observed in which race?
36. Saka era is associated with which ruler?
37. Count of vertebrates in human skeleton?
38. What is the white fibre that connects muscles & bones?
39. Who topped the medals tally in winter youth Olympics 2012?
40. When was Delhi made capital of India?
41. What are the major raw materials for making soap?
42. Which one of these is used for Galvanisation of iron?
43. Leading tobacco producing state in India
44. Who won Sultan azlan hockey cup on 2012?
45. Which discipline did Sir Sherwood Rowland, who died in 2012 belong to?
46. Who completed the construction of Qutab minor?
47. Who was the first Mughal invader into India?
48. Author of the book "Pakistan on the Brink: The Future of America, Pakistan, and Afghanistan".
49. What are those carrying disease spreading viruses called?
50. What is suffrage?
51. What is the effect of an external force hitting an object?
52. Who coined the term / used the theory "Survival of the fittest"
53. Author of the book "Anna: 13 Days That Awakened India".
54. Effect of open fridge being kept open in a closed room
55. Which country was termed as the Most failed state in 2012?
56. Which of these are Kharib crops?

Balance 4 questions on nutrients, proteins, metals, elements, pathogens, diseases etc.

All the best!!!

Cheers,

Gowrishankar.

Highway Project

Sunil ordered masal dosa for himself & one plate roti-curry for Priya without even asking her preference. More than 20 months of closely knit friendship helped them understand each other & some of these minute details went without saying. Sunil and Priya were working on Digital IIR filter project as part of their 5^th semester completion in BTech course. Sunil liked each single moment of being with Priya and he had in fact already proposed her around 3 months back. On the occasion of her birthday, he gifted a latest version of iPhone and its wallpaper contained the text “I LOVE YOU”. She didn’t turn down his proposal, but wanted some more time to think, leaving him in an extended pause mode.

It was quarter to 10 when they finished their day’s work which included a procedural dinner and got ready to leave. Being off semester days, there was no college transport, forcing them to take some other public transport. As they left the campus gate to get a cab, there was a gentle collusion of their little fingers, a display of friendship, yet to blossom as love. They wouldn’t have waited long for getting an auto and they commenced their auto journey back to hostel. Even after boarding the auto, Priya’a conversions were on IIR filters project and she was narrating the huge advantages it had over FIR filters. Sunil had to try a little hard to make her break the topic and discuss something outside college & project. Just when he felt successful about his feat, a bitter surprize awaited them as the auto ran out of fuel. Criticising the auto driver for his inefficient professional conduct, Sunil had to pay part fare and wait for an alternate mode of transport.

The hour hand in the screensaver clock of Sunil’s iPhone was leisurely drifting from 10 & he enjoyed the blessing in disguise of being with her all alone in that highway. The auto driver had already left carrying a 2 litre bottle to get some petrol before the bunk closes. Multiple thoughts ran in his mind by the virtue of the loneliness and freedom that night offered. Every passing second seemed like a preciously carved fire bed for Sunil. Sunil was staring at her which was promptly face-read by her making her to respond with blushing eyes. It was not a planned event, but Sunil made use of the stage well set under the amorousness of new moon and proposed his love once again. Unlike the previous occasion where he had proposed, there was no element of surprize or shock in Priya. There was a brief smile in her lips and heads went down a few degrees to hide the shyness that had crept in.

Not allowing much time for any romantic move to happen, a MUV passed them and halted. It was a transport cab contracted to Macrohard Technologies for offering pickup  drop to its employees. These kinds of chartered cabs carrying general public during off duty hours were a common sight and it supplemented the already existing transport options. Learning that the vehicle was headed towards to the vicinity of their hostel, Sunil & Priya found it convenient in boarding it rather than waiting for auto. The vehicle already had 4 people in it, presumably other passengers wanting to reach their homes at the earliest. Having settled in their seats, Sunil looked at Priya whose face seemed glowing even in the vehicle’s darkness. Within the next few minutes, their hands got intertwined, as an off-shoot of the re-proposal from Sunil few minutes back.

The silence of the romance filled cab journey was interrupted when Sunil noticed that the vehicle was going in a different direction. He immediately alerted the driver that he was taking a detour, but he didn’t bother to heed to the concern raised. Ultimately, it was another passenger who responded, but his trajectory of concern was entirely different. This inquisitive passenger turned towards Priya & enquired whether she was comfortable in her tight outfit made up of tees & jeans. Surprized to note some unknown stranger commenting about her, Priya started howling at him for his indecent behaviour. Irked by her reaction, one other person who was in the cab quizzed her decency levels when she was prepared to roam around in the night with a boyfriend. The person who spoke this was none other than the auto driver with whom they travelled few minutes back. Sunil & Priya were shocked to see him in the cab and smelled some foul play going on.

Before even they could realise what was going on, the vehicle came to a stop in a corner of that remote road and a hand from back started pulling Priya’s pony tail hair. Realising the trap they got into and in the intention of protecting her, Sunil prepared to get down along with Priya. As he kept his hand in the side door, it was forcibly stopped & a cricket bat landed with an impactful blow on his head. To add to the blow, he was overpowered by them and wound to the rear seat restricting his movement. When Priya tried to reach out to her mobile to call for help, her phone was plucked and they targeted her to perform what they had planned for the evening. It was a very quick plan that was triggered when they got a call from their auto driver friend around an hour back, who called them on seeing a young couple in the highway.

In a matter of few minutes, the young couple were under siege and Sunil was unable to display any kind of protest. In the midst of this high drama, Priya suddenly started shouting “Kavey Inimicum” repeatedly. The perpetrators of crime started laughing and wondered whether the girl they caught was a lunatic in modern dress. Sunil has heard this word and it was a magical spell appearing in Harry Porter series, used to strengthen an enclosure from enemies. Sunil was also puzzled whether Priya was expecting some magical power to some and save them. When Priya got exhausted and stopped shouting, her phone started ringing. The enemies in the cab who had then finished their laughing at her lunatic behaviour didn’t care about the ringing phone and got ready to make the most of their time. Sunil was almost drowsy due to the violence leashed out on him while Priya was protesting to her level best to protect herself.

It was exactly 7 minutes after this commotion when a siren sound was heard from a distance. Assuming the siren sound as that of an ambulance, the perpetrators concentrated at attacking their prey. The vehicle came closer and it happened to be a Highway patrol police vehicle. Half a dozen armed police guards rushed out and broke open the MUV cab to halt the mishap that was almost in its final stages. Sunil and Priya were rescued from the vehicle and taken into safe protection by the police personnel. The 5 molesters in their early twenties were arrested and they couldn’t believe at the sudden turn out of events. They had selected this place as it was a remote area and out of complete reach of public or police. The police inspector called the control room and proclaimed that a major crime had been successfully averted.

Back in the hospital where Sunil and Priya were taken for treatment, their condition was termed to be safe. Admitted in nearby beds, Sunil apologised to Priya for not being able to help her. Priya smiled and uttered that it was him who had actually saved both of them. Continuing her smile at Sunil’s confused face, she explained that the saviour was the SOS app that came in-built in the iPhone 9 he had earlier gifted. A pair of words can be coded in the app, which when uttered 4 times continuously will send SOS messages to police control room. She had coded the Harry Porter spell “Kavey Inimicum” as the code word. The app working in background had GPS facility as well to transmit the phone’s exact coordinates for directing the police to the spot. The 2012 Delhi rape episode had become a sensational event prompting Apple to come up with this SOS app in close tie-up with law enforcing agencies across the globe. Sunil was thrilled to hear all these and more importantly, at her presence of mind. Beaming with pride, Priya stretched her hands and gave the phone to him. The first thing that Sunil noticed in the phone was its background image. It was not the one which was there when he gifted. It now read “I LOVE YOU TOO”.

RIP Rape

Hue & cry everywhere for a speedy trial in the Delhi gang rape issue. Inspired by the film she last saw (The life of Pi), apparently the victim tried to overcome her fate, but in vain. Everyone wants the 6 accused to be shown gallows asap. Quite interestingly, the Chief Justice of India has commented that a speedy trial should not be at the cost of fair trial. Government is fully convinced of a fast track court to complete the trial & to ensure justice for Amanat alias Nirbhaya alias Damini. Ajmal Kasab was able to lead a high profile, costly life for about 4 years, but we shall not give even 4 months for these accused.. No doubt that whatever she underwent is unimaginable & simply barbaric. But, will convicting & “killing” all the accused ensure similar incidents will not recur?

Aren’t we missing the bigger picture? Shouldn’t we put in systems & checks to avoid a repeat of what happened?

1.  After watching the film, the duo couldn’t get any public transport to reach their place. It was not a very odd time in the night & they are in the country’s capital. In our country, public transport is a meant only for the poor. When will government make public transport a preferred mode of transport & a reliable one?
2. They couldn’t even get an auto-rickshaw to reach their place. Whatever autos that came also, didn’t agree to take them. As per the registration conditions of an Auto, the auto driver is supposed to ply to any place within the registration limits at the prescribed tariff (guess, off-duty is the only exception). But in our country, we need to request the auto driver & we are at his mercy.. When will government concentrate on implementing their rules, rather than just spending time in passing?
3. Chartered bus – some of you may not know what it means. If a vehicle, say bus or maxi cab runs for a company, the vehicle will get something called “Private Service Vehicle” permit whereby it can only run for that company. If it is for general public, it will be termed as contract carriage & regular route buses will get Stage carriage permit. To maximize their revenue, it is a general scene that in almost all cities, chartered buses which are supposed to run only for their customers will take general public during off duty hours. This practice is so rampant & they are so cold-blooded to solicit passengers even in front of traffic police. Leave aside the huge revenue loss the government incurs in this out of road tax, permit fees, income tax, loss of revenue to government transport corporation etc. Safety, insurance etc are totally missing in such transport modes. In our rape case, this was the major reason & no one even seems to stop this menace of chartered buses taking general public. This issue is linked to point 1. Since the government is unable to provide adequate public transport, people go for other modes. If the accused had killed both of the victims & disposed off their bodies, maybe the deaths would have got added to the numerous “non-traceable” cases..
4. Just before the rape episode happened, a carpenter boarded the same bus & was looted. Am not sure whether he reported it to police or not. If he hadn’t reported, doesn’t it show the lack of confidence he has on the police? If he had reported, shouldn’t the bus be caught in the next junction? The bus had crossed so many police check posts before the entire rape scene was completed. More than speedy trial, isn’t speedy prevention of crime important?
5. Beyond all, what makes the culprits to commit this heinous crime? Are they psychopaths? NO. Are they habitual offenders? NO. It is not that a person who is committing a crime is ok for 7 years rigorous imprisonment & not okay for death penalty.. Should we blame it on our education system? I don’t know. But, we all will definitely agree the growing economic disparities between the powerful few & the disgruntled majority. Highly indirect effect, but nevertheless the future looks quite dangerous..

An item which is so abundant will not have any value & same is the case of people’s lives in our country. Being the second populous country, value for human life has become so cheap. Value for human life is not displayed by sending her to Singapore for treatment, deploying thousands of para-military men for security & by having VVVVIPs waiting in the airport to receive the body. Our Indian cities score much poor in the global liveability report published by various agencies (one solace is that the points are on rise, & score better than our east & west neighbours). Are our politicians & bureaucrats goaled on items like livability index, safety quotient, crime incidence, corruption levels etc? Didn’t our forefathers advocated democracy to ensure all of these stuff?

For the “Breaking news” hungry & competitive media, it was a good opportunity to increase their TRP & circulation. Just like the Anna Hazare episode, this too shall end after couple of months. Many of you will remember the fire incident in a school in tamil nadu where some 40/50 children were burnt to death & the carton towers fire in Bangalore, kolkatta market fire etc.. Are the reasons that caused these incidents addressed now? There are handful schools even in my own locality, which are not so safe, but what can we do? We choose to apply probability and say “it won’t happen to me”. We fail to address the root causes after these kind of issues & switch over to the next topic when we get bored. As usual government’s job is to make rules & our job is to flout them by feeding the hungry power holders. Maybe the accused may eventually say good bye to the world, but when will we be able to say good bye to rape incidents & other forms of crime?

I want to end this note with a highly controversial topic. What is rape? It is some kind of bodily pleasure which a person of 1 gender finds in the other against the wishes of the victim. Normally the person who motivates someone to perform a crime should get tougher punishment than the person who actually commits. The entire action of raping is due to god gifted hormones that gets added to the person’s ill-laden mind. Thus, is the crime having the urge to have sexual pleasures or the action of having forceful sexual pleasure? Definitely the latter, as the former is nothing but nature. So, if there are legal ways to satisfy the urge, wont it avoid the crime of rape? If you give rice or wheat at a cheap price, why will someone want to steal? May look indirect, but is very much direct. There is a positive correlation between legalising prostitution & reduction in incidence of rape. You may check in goggle about this, but believe me, it is a fact. My point here is to have prostitution in a controlled & legalised manner, which in addition to reducing rape cases will also help overcome spreading of STDs. Inspite of having rules against prostitution, we all know that is happening everywhere & we also know who is gaining out of that. Instead of having ineffective rules, we can as well slightly relax the rules & enforce whatever is really possible.. (when I spoke this topic with my wife, she was totally against it & I guess so many will do the same)..

Cheers,

Gowrishankar.