A Government of India Undertaking ...

Ever heard of the term "A Government of India Undertaking ..."! Yeah - government establishes such companies and leave it onto the company management to fetch for itself through the ups and the downs of the market. It is quite different from government firms where in the government actively looks into the financials of the company. 

Hindustan Antibiotics Limited, HA in short, is (can any day become was) one such Government of India Undertaking to manufacture and supply penicillin and many other drugs. It had the monopoly in manufacturing first-crystal of penicillin until 1990. Private pharmaceutical companies, who used to create other products using penicillin, were not permitted and were not capable of manufacturing this first crystal of penicillin. Investment wise also it was too much for them. HA, during that period, taking advantage of this monopoly used to sell penicillin at around four thousand a kilogram. Public companies ruled during the so called License Raj (more on this in my earlier blog "Forgotten Ratna - P. V. Narsimha Rao").

With 1991 reforms came the end of License Raj. Private pharma companies were now allowed to manufacture penicillin. Apart from that there was cheap penicillin imported from China (costing Rs. 700 per kilogram - about 1/6th the price quoted by HA then) and of best quality. It is said that HA's penicillin was hard and in the form of lumps; whereas China made penicillin was free flowing. China's packaging of the penicillin was also far better than shabbily packed and hand sealed bags of HA's penicillin. With time a Netherland based company, known as Max-GB, took over HA's heart - penicillin manufacturing unit was leased out. They did not survive either - but at the same time left HA in far worse condition than it was when it took over that too in just a couple of years.

Where did things go wrong for HA?! Nehru along with government manufacturing factories also allowed worker unions. These worker unions are headed by politicians themselves or those who head worker unions turn to become politicians. These unions are still in place. They strengthen the employees. Some employees get full pays without being present in and around the company for a single day. Those who attend either sleep off their working hours or have laid back attitude. Where in the world do such companies prosper!

Second, HA had to manufacture penicillin and other drugs and supply it at cheap rates to government and military hospitals. When raw material is costly one has to bear the loss - but after all it is governments duty to serve the nation - but at whose cost! 

Third, HA being a government undertaking, government funds are pumped in only if new machines are procured or new plants are setup within the company. Repairs do not make the management rich! Prefer new machines over small repairs becomes the policy!

Fourth, there are a set of protocols that are followed. If penicillin or any drug as such drops to the ground -  discard it! Simple it is and has t be followed in a pharma company! Is it followed in private pharmas - all private pharmas? I have heard for instances wherein workers collect it, clean it and pack it. It happens in Indian private pharma companies. So they prosper and HA does not!

Fifth, HA has a big work force - there are two people hired where one would have worked. Heavy overhead!

Sixth, very sluggish research and development team!

To sum up its sorry story - it is whose-father's-what-goes (kiske baap ka kya jaata hain) attitude. Who is the winner and who is the loser?

"I'm getting closer!" - Andy Murray

It was the clash most of the world was waiting for for the last couple of days! Almost all of UK was closed, centre-stage all packed with ticket rates on the last day soaring to 42K UK pounds, all gathering at large screens setup in various parts of the country and this all to support their own, Andy Murray (25), in Wimbledon final against one of the titans and champion of grass court, Roger Federer (30).
Roger Federer, world number three and already six times Wimbledon champion, was to battle for his seventh title the second time after losing to Rafa in 2010. Roger, having beaten world number one Djokovic in semis, was in great form to take the Brit by his horns. For Andy, though it was his first Wimbledon final and he needed more luck than Roger.

Andy, after beating Roger in the first set 6-4 - it looked as if Andy was going to sweep it off. He really tested Roger in the second set. It was really more than tennis that Roger stood there and came out victorious. It was the test of his nerves. Sometimes I wonder how much these sportsmen are tested - more so in individual sports where you are all by yourself. One point, one game, one break has so big an effect (what would have been 3-3 from 2-3, can very well turn out to be 2-4). It was very tricky situation for Federer and breaking the service was the crux of it. 
Federer having won the toss, chose to serve in first three of the four sets they played. Only in the last set he thought of taking advantage of pressure built in after winning two consecutive sets and so put Andy in. Second and third set saw a really big games, one almost 11 mins and the other almost twenty minutes of relentless rally - both were to break Andy's service. There was no looking back for Federer - having beaten Andy 7-5, 6-3 in second and third sets. The last one was the easiest of them all, with Andy losing 4-6.
Federer, after equaling legend Pete Sampras's record of seven Wimbledon wins and after regaining world number title, was ecstatic. But it was Andy who got all the cheer, more so because he is a local boy. It was unlike the famous ABBA song - the winner takes it all, the loser standing small! Here the loser got quite a bit in return from the crowd for all his efforts and dedication. When invited to say a few words for his supporters, he was so much emotional that every sigh of his got the crowd to cheer. He knew and he said it that it was going to be tough to utter a word, he was avoiding to look at the corner where his girl friend sat - who probably supported him the most. He said, and said it right, that he is getting closer - closer to his destiny - that someday he will win it for all his supporters, for his country the much sought Wimbledon title.

Forgotten Ratna - P.V. Narsimha Rao

Nehru had a dream, a socialist dream! Inspired by Soviet Union, Nehru showed the socialist path to India. He invested then limited funds in government founded enterprises - few among them are known to be the Nav-Ratnas (the 9 diamonds) of Indian industrial revolution. With that he also went on to put heavy restrictions on private investments in many of the sectors during this period, which is infamously known as the License Raj. During License Raj, private players could manufacture goods only with official license and quantity of goods manufactured was also decided by the government. Industrialist like Birla had to opt for other countries like Indonesia / Europe to setup their business instead of just knocking onto politicians  and bureaucrats door for as long as ten years to setup an industry.
By and large, the decade after independence was very crucial, as that decided the path India would take and as always changing an established system is always difficult - if not impossible. If License Raj was not enough, Nehru also promoted worker unions, who had their own set of rules. India being democratic country unions got employee friendly and went against the employers - going on strike being their ultimate weapon to turn on any argument in their favor. This made already inefficient and corrupt government establishments more inefficient and Nehru's dream more distant satellite.

In July 1991, it was P.V. Narsimha Rao's government who ended this License Raj and allowed 51% foreign direct investment in India. It was Narsimha Rao who with help of his team - including Manmohan Singh and P. Chidambaram - liberated India from the clutches of License Raj. There were some compulsions to do this as well (India was economically in very bad shape then and India had to pledge huge amount of gold in foreign market), but Narsimha Rao dared and did majors economic reforms in just 2 days (which actually continued until 2 years). Though this credit goes to Rajiv Gandhi, with Rao himself declaring that it was Rajiv Gandhi's undone work that he is completing, it was part of 1991 Congress election manifesto that was written under Narsimha Rao's leadership.
So to speak, greater portion of this credit should go to P.V. Narsimha Rao, whose bold decision gave India the much needed economical reforms. This more so because former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was much against this liberalization for government might lose control. But today after 21 years of end of License Raj, P.V. Narsimha Rao's work in still undone and economic reforms are still a way to go. This clearly puts Narsimha Rao in spot light in the history of Indian economy and makes him a true Bharat Ratna, though this award hasn't come his way as yet. His contribution is forgotten and there are hardly any government schemes by his name - more so the newly inaugurated airport in Hyderadad, Rao's home state, was named after Rajiv Gandhi.

References:
India Unbound by Gurcharan Das

Sach is his colour!

Sach is his colour! Sachin Tendulkar showed his true colours the other day when he gave this - never before kind of - interview in Mumbai. Having dodged the question on his retirement for so long, Sachin Tendulkar finally kind of acknowledged his intentions to represent India in World Cup 2015!
It is selfish to retire when at the helm of things is what the so-called little-master says. Maybe he means it! He continues to say that he does not play for records, but playing naturally all the records came into existence. So called God of Cricket thinks so! Man Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar, if only one person is to be blamed for India not reaching Asia Cup-2012 final, it is you and you alone. Nobody these days plays out maiden over in ODI, that too with so many wickets in hand - it is criminal!
Sach is his claim! Critics - a person who criticizes Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar - hasn't brought him into cricket - Team India, so critics should not be the one who decides when he should quit! What kind of logic on earth is this, Mr. Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar? You are playing for India, India is my country, I am a proud citizen of India and on that basis I have all the rights to raise my concerns if nations pride is at stake! Inclusion or exclusion should be merit based, historic performance should not be the basis of current selection process (only current form and recent past should be considered) and no single person should be given outright freedom to do as he wishes!
I guess one record that Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar may be eying is to have father-son duo playing for India in one team! Other things does not matter as Sachin Tendulkar, says bad performances are forgotten by the crowd after one good performance - no matter the frequency of good performance!

I can focus on matches now : Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin, after his 100th ton, holding Indian flag high up!

Finally, another milestone is behind Sachin Tendulkar. Sachin, so called God of cricket, can focus on matches now! This is what he said after getting his 100th ton. Though I understand the pressure he might have been through, but had he not cared about milestones, that pressure would not have built!
Is that putting oneself before the nation? "I don't play for milestones. I play cricket. I want to enjoy cricket." said Sachin in an interview after he got his 100th ton. Sachin, you seriously mean it? I remember the controversy created by you, when you were at the crease with 194 not out, in 2004 Multan test against Pakistan after Rahul Dravid, then captain of India, declared the innings putting nation ahead of yourself. John Wright,  India's then coach, in his book India Summers has acknowledged the tense moments Indian camp had been through then. Sachin, you still say that you put nation ahead of milestones?
When is he going to vacate his place for the younger generation? Sachin says "I'll let you know when I decide to retire, please don't worry"! I am worried about about India, India's position in world cricket, India's readiness for next world cup to be played in 2015! For Sachin it is the last thing, because he is enjoying cricket, as if others do not! Will Sachin be fit at 42 to play for India in World Cup 2015, and will he be better than others who would have worn his shoes had he retired after WC 2011? I guess, he should have learnt something from Imran Khan.
He couldn't help India when India struggled in England and Australia. Come Bangladesh's flat pitches, he achieved the unachievable! Though India lost the match, Sachin's individual feat was far more greater than the nation, was it not Sachin? Thank you for all your services to mother India! Like you said, Sachin, it was the opposition who played well, sometimes we need to give opposition credit of their win! After your 100th ton, you can focus on matches now! Well said, Sachin!

Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson - a riveting combination!

Recently I read Steve Jobs, biography by Walter Isaacson. Biography becomes interesting depending upon whom you are reading - whose biography it is and the author! But what if it is Steve Jobs's written by Sir Isaacson, the combination is terrific - made for each other!
It was early in the summer of 2004, that Steve Jobs approached Walter Isaacson asking him to write a biography on himself. At that time Steve Jobs was 49 years old, though his cancer was detected in October 2003, as his character goes - had not accepted it and had long way to retirement and he, as he is known to be, approached Walter Isaacson, who had just published Benjamin Franklin's and Albert Einstein's biographies, to write a biobraphy on himself! So to say, it was Steve Jobs's idea and as his other products - this turned out to be the best biography of 2011!
With snow white cover and super clear picture of Steve Jobs's on it, it is as if he himself has designed it! Yeah, Steve had chosen the photographs to be published in the book, but it was designed by Walter Isaacson's, who, after writing the biography, exactly knew how Steve Jobs would have liked the book to be. But Steve Jobs knew that he would not embrace truth (as he was known for his reality distortion field), he himself refrained from reading Steve Jobs!

Steve Jobs always wanted to leave an impression on this world and he did only what he believed in! Unlike Bill Gates, he was a strong believer in end-to-end user experience and so hard-wired hardware and software; believed in closed systems, rather than being open to change. With this philosophy he had to compete with IBM and Microsoft early on (Windows against his Macintosh) and later on against Google (Android against his iPhone)! His journey from Apple I, through Pixar, to iPad, his reality distortion field, his practiced unforgiving stare, his characteristic to look at the everything in binary - true or false - a piece of shit or the best of the world, is something that keeps you riveted all through!