GREAT INDIAN RESERVATION: UNITING PEOPLE BY DIVIDING THEM SINCE 1950

“Breathe in, breathe out. Calm down. I’m sure you’ll get into a good university!”

It was the second round of CET counseling. I was just reassuring him to get his mind off reality.

“Yeah, easy for you to say that now, considering that you already got into one.  Where is this amazingly good university that I’m going to get into? Please tell me Abhi, I’m waiting.” (Sarcasm overload)

“Trust me, okay? We’ll figure something out. I’m sure you’ll get into a good one.”

“Yeah, once I’m done shooting everybody who has a reservation, my turn will come. That I’m sure of!”

All I could do was blankly stare at the message.

So, this was during the sunny April and May of 2014 that my batch of 12^th graders appeared and tested their luck in the entrance exams. It’s amazing how nobody cares if they are lucky enough to get decent marks to crack these entrance exams anymore. What matters is if you are lucky enough to be born under the right caste. Yes my folks, we are talking about the ‘Great Indian Reservation: Uniting people by dividing them since 1950’

After what seemed like a very long wait, the aspirant engineers and doctors finally received a token of love from the universities, in the form of ‘CET’ and ‘AI Rankings’. I remember this one incident very clearly because nobody had seen it coming! A friend of mine gave her IIT entrance tests, and she did not get in. She was one of the smartest people I had known in my life! Apparently, there were around 10,000 people smarter than her (not to make it very obvious, let’s say her ranking was 13,000). In the same class, was another student, smart; not smart enough though, who appeared in the same exam. His ranking was 19,000. Today, he studies in IIT Madras. If “Oh, wait, what just happened?” was the thought that flashed into your mind, then don’t be surprised, this isn't the case of one or two people, but thousands in this country. Isn't it evident when people from general category cannot make it to their dream college or job, but they see their ‘very good’ friend sitting right there, happy, even with lower grades, or job experience? Oops! No longer a very good friend!

Welcome to India.

The caste system isn't something new in India. It has been there ever since Aryans set their foot on this side of the continent, and that was around 1500 BC; a long time ago. But out of everything history has contributed in enhancing our rich culture (which includes the Vedas, the Puranas, the amazing town planning from Indus Valley, which we desperately need today!) caste system is the only ‘contribution’ that has dug its roots deep into our soil, like a weed that just can’t be plucked out. Every year, hundreds of seats get reserved for SC, ST and OBCs, which I agree isn't a bad thing. What really bothers me about this entire set up is the fact that even though the majority of the people in India belong to general category, the numbers of seats are just not enough. Let’s take a very small example. What if a student who has scored 68% and has an AI ranking of 19,000 comes from an extremely rich family which can afford any college in the country, manages to get a seat (free of cost at times) because he has a reservation, but a Brahmin boy living next door with limited means, who has scored 90% and has an AI ranking of 9,000, doesn't get a seat, because hey, it’s the problem with the caste he was born to (a factor that he clearly can’t control), isn't it fair? No, it isn't fair.

What seemed like a boon once, to be born to a higher caste, seems like a bane now. How is it logical for the government to promote equality by dividing us? If the backward sectors of the society have to be treated equally, then why not treat every category as the general category? When did the definition of ‘equality’ change to ‘favoring the select few”?

The government needs to amend its laws as the times change, because the mentality of the society changes with every generation that adds up, or goes extinct. Reservation should be given based on the economic background of a person, that the caste he was born to. Knowing that India has a huge sector of the population below poverty line, it might seem impossible for this to happen, but doesn't it seem logical that a person is valued and judged based completely on his knowledge and ability than the caste which he was born into, which isn't even in his hands?

To throw more light on the fact that reservation doesn't show its glory only over the education system (even if my article hovers over it), but also over other fields, here are some statistics that might help us understand this better.

Public sector jobs are divided into 4 categories: Group I (or A), II (or B), III (or C) and IV (or D). In 1959, out of all the people who took up jobs in the public sector, approximately 1% were SC in group A jobs, around 2% in group B, 9% in group C and 17% in group D. Explicitly, very less number of high profile jobs were taken up by SC and their proportion increased with jobs that require lesser qualification or skill. With reservation tightening its grip over the Indian society, the numbers mentioned above rose to 10%, 12%, 16% and 21% till 1995. Clearly, this was a positive change, a change towards equality in terms of caste. But do we still live 1959? Are our thoughts still on the same path as in was in 1959? The answer is clear, no. Today, with reservations dominating the country, general category faces the threat of unemployment or poor education, not because they are not skilled enough, but because their skills don’t matter.

Reservation wasn't a bad idea, after all, looking at the above data, but the way reservation is being implemented now is terribly wrong. Do we need to reserve seats in an organization which already has limited seats, where people without reservation have to suffer? Can’t our government simply increase the number of seats or colleges which provide admission to all sectors based on merit? Can’t the reservation be implemented based on the economic background of an individual? Who is truly benefiting from such a system? Clearly, no one.

Reservation in itself is a way to enhance caste inequality in India. Filled with irony to the brim, it focuses on eradicating caste system by implementing it indirectly, poisoning the minds of kids born in this generation who can look beyond caste, creed, and gender. We have spent enough time concentrating on the pleas of the reserved class of the society, isn't it time to take action before general category becomes the new “reserved”? Just something to think about.

IF IT IS WORTH A DREAM, IT IS NOT WORTH A COMPROMISE

My semester exams are just a few days away.

Am I anxious? Worried? Excited? Am I nervous? Yes. But for the first time in my whole life, I am not anxious because I need to score marks. I am not worried that I will mess it up. I am not nervous about what my parents think. For the first time, I am excited about writing the exam itself, more than how much I might score in it.

Just this afternoon, I wasn't.

Before I start off with my sad story, let me tell you, I have immense respect towards Science and Science students. My point is that not everybody wants to be a Science student. This might seem like a clichéd article, but trust me; it’s going to take a long time for our society to accept that fact. A few days before my 12th-grade board exams, I sat with my parents and told them that I wasn't sure if I would pass Math. Obviously, they freaked out, and the next thing I knew, I was in 2 different tuitions, slogging 12 hours a day on Math, but not a single minute of it was helping. I had to switch my brain with the smartest kid in class to understand a year’s portions in 2 weeks. It was impossible. No, I wasn't born stupid or something, I've had my share of proud 100/100’s in Math too, but high school changed everything. I have an overachieving cousin, who performed excellently well in his engineering exams. An aeronautical engineer, that’s what he became. And I had no idea what it was all about in 8^th grade, but I was fascinated by the way my family was treating him, and boom, I decided to become an aeronautical engineer. But was that what I really wanted to be? No. From a very young age, I have always had an inclination towards Arts; towards language and literature, towards current affairs, towards politics, towards fashion. But I was unsure about it- not that I would dislike it in the future, but unsure because I was not used to seeing people around me opting for anything other than engineering or medical science. It’s a well-known fact that in India if you want to be anything other than an engineer or a doctor, it is literally considered a crime. Something that is just not acceptable. And believe me, I know the feeling. The time finally came when I had to choose what I would specialize in, in high school. I sat and spoke to my parents about it, about my interest in Arts, and I should tell you, I am blessed with parents who would support me with my decisions and not force something upon me, even if they do not appreciate my decision. They told me they were okay with anything, and this made me think even more. “Would my friends choose Arts?” “What if I wake up someday and suddenly realize that I want to be a doctor?” “Wouldn't Science be a safe option? I mean, I can still switch to another stream whenever I want to, right?” I asked myself the same questions every day.

Then I chose Science.

The very first day of my 11^th grade began with a physics class, and that was the exact moment I realized I wasn't meant for Science. No way! I couldn't concentrate for a single minute and all I could think of was, “what did I do to my life?” I went home, I cried myself to sleep. I cried in front of my mom (who suggested that I should switch my stream, but I didn't want to because I’d spent 3000 Rupees already on reference books for IIT and NITs. And it was still the 1^st day of school. I know right?), I cried in front of my dad (who told me I would like it eventually, and that life would be amazing if I became an architect and joined him. He is a Civil engineer.), and I cried in the park. I cried till I just couldn't cry anymore. I had no friends, they’d all chosen to steer clear from the CBSE board, and I knew none of my teachers well. I thought I had no choice but to be an architect. In 11^th grade though, luckily, I got chosen to give the welcome address in the investiture ceremony, and believe me when I say I had never been praised so much in my whole life. Not once! My English teacher, who happened to be one of the biggest influences for my choice today, told me I was meant for the media when I got down from the stage. And obviously, for a 16-year-old, that was everything! It got engraved in my mind. I began giving more speeches, I started demanding for them. I had been scared of public speaking all my life. I was scared of anything that had to do with ‘public’ basically. They would call it ‘stage fear’. Even during my school elections, I had barely managed to complete my speech, before I thought I would pass out in front of the crowd if I stood on the stage for a minute more! (I won it though, thanks to my campaigning skills! I could be the next Modi!) But as time passed, I was no longer afraid of the crowd. It was like a drug, it was addictive. What I felt on stage was probably the most beautiful feeling in the world. It still is. That feeling of liberation, that freedom, nothing can replace it. The crowd became my scale for judging my own oration skills, and comments became my tool to improve myself. I started inclining even more towards media skills and creative writing. My liking for arts began to increase. Everybody understood this. I wanted to pursue Arts. This is what they did not understand. Why would I want to make a career out of this, out of Arts, and not out of science? Why would I want to ‘waste’ my life? My interest towards science began to drop drastically. Numbers and equations, I just couldn't get it! I barely managed to pass 11^th grade.

12^th grade, midterm exams, Mathematics- 2/100.

Yes, that was my marks in the Math exam. I never told my parents, I still haven’t. I lost all hope in my education, and I gave up. I started going to classes for the sake of it. I stared at the board from 9 am to 4 pm, with absolutely nothing in my mind. Nothing except fear- that I would end up nowhere. Nothing except doubts about my own purpose in life. I know these questions seem too philosophical or stupid now, but I can assure you I am not the only one who went through this. As board exams started nearing, I started freaking out. I stared at the textbooks like a dyslexic child, because I knew nothing. There was one month to go, and I knew nothing. That is when I was forced into math tuition.

I've never studied like I did in that one month.

12^th grade is life changing, that’s what they say. ‘You need these marks, or you are doomed’, that’s what they say. But let me tell you, your 12th-grade marks are very important (VERY, if you want to get into a good engineering or a medical college), but not as important as they are portrayed to be. Life won’t stop if the marks you get don’t end up the way you expect them to be. Time won’t freeze. Once you enter college, nobody even bothers to ask you how much you scored in the board exams. You could be sitting next to a person who scored 97%, or you could be sitting with a person who scored 63%. It doesn't matter. Life goes on.

I completed my exams, with Math exam being the last one, and came back home crying. I had no hopes of passing Math. My parents were disappointed. I was disappointed. But it didn’t stop there. My parents knew I wanted to pursue Humanities, but made me appear in more entrance exams for engineering and med school than they did for Arts. I cleared them, but my board results weren’t announced yet. I fought with my family, my friends, my neighbors and defended my decision to take up Humanities. I refused to take up anything else. 4 days before the results, my dad walked into my room and sat next to me. “Pa, what if I don’t pass?”

His answer changed my whole life.

“You know, if I didn't know that you had the potential to do well in what you are interested in, I would be disappointed in you. But, I know you aren't meant for this; for science. Abhi, if you flunk math, I would be disappointed, obviously. But please remember, that isn't the end of the world. You have another chance to clear it, to get it over with and to move on in life. Shit happens, you can’t help it, but you can choose for yourself; if you want to dwell on it, or find a solution and move on. I've always wanted to see you an architect, and I still do, but this is your life. This is your decision. You need to design your life in the way you imagine it, but you need to put your best effort into that. This is your life and your dream Abhi, never ever give up on it. Few things in life are worth fighting for, even if it means fighting against your father or your own family. And your passion is one of them. Never lose hope, and never give up.” My dad, who I never thought would agree on what I wanted to pursue, ended up being my biggest support. My parents will be the biggest support I have in my life.

Surprisingly, I passed Math, I got a decent percentage, I ended up convincing them, and I got into one of the best media colleges in the country. Didn't I tell you? Life works out in its own way.

But not all kids are lucky enough to get parents who understand them. Not all students are brave enough to pursue their dreams. If you are one of them, then know that by letting go of what you don’t like, you are not letting go of your dreams. You are letting go of someone else’s dream. If you don’t follow your own dream, someone else will use you to follow theirs. Be brave; be true to yourself, because it all works out in the end. Fight for it because it deserves to be fought for. 

Now, when I study, I don’t study to pass. I don’t care about getting good grades. I don’t study to stay in the 90% range. I don’t study to top the class. I study to understand. I study because I enjoy the subject. I study because I know that even a C grade would give me a reason to just study more. I study because I love it; I study- not for the grades, but to understand the beauty of the subject.

This afternoon, I wasn't sure. But now, I am; of myself, of my dream.

After all, if it’s worth a dream, it’s not worth a compromise.

THESE SCARS WILL STAY FOREVER

“SHE WAS RAPED AND THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO. THESE SCARS THAT STAY FOREVER HELP ME FORGET THAT.”

Never give in to self-harm. Always ask for help.

Long walks help.

Especially if you've had a bad day, and you enjoy your own company, then take a long walk alone. That’s what I do. Keep your phone away; keep that iPod on your table. Go out, empty handed, and look around. Think. Or don’t think, it’s up to you. But long walks help. Few change your mood. Few change your day. Few change your opinions and judgement forever.

It wasn't a very warm day, as it usually is in Manipal. The rains had lowered the temperature noticeably, and I decided to do what I do very often. Take a walk alone. After what seemed like an hour or so, I ran into one of my friends from college. No, she was not a friend at that time. I did a quick math in my head, if I should acknowledge her presence or not. Usually, I wouldn't think so much. I’d just wave at the person and walk past them if I recognized them. If I knew them well, maybe I would stand and talk to them for a while. But I didn't want to do either when it came to her. I don’t think anybody did. What was so weird about her? I had asked myself the same question few times; I’d asked the others the same question too. “She seems to be a bit… off? Don’t you think?” was the usual reply. “She’s a creep!” was the other reply, which was a bit rarer. So, being one of the people who considered her a bit “off”, I decided to ignore her. I walked two steps ahead, maybe three, and I heard a voice call out my name. It was her. “Hey, oh wow, hi! My eyesight sucks! What are you upto? Going somewhere?” I blurted out (God, the random things that came to my mind out of guilt), quite surprised because this girl qualifies to be an introvert, very silent, very shy. “No, not going anywhere bee! (That’s what they call me!) Too lazy, join me?”

Oh no, please, not her. “Sure”, I managed with a smile and sat next to her on the pavement.

“How’s life bee?”

“Not all that bad! Manageable! What about yours? And hey, why have you been missing classes? You’ll run low on attendance and the semester’s gonna get all fucked up!” (Now this was what I have to tell my classmates and fellow college goers. I am one of the representatives, and it was my ‘duty’, but frankly, I enjoyed the responsibility, and I do care.)

“Yeah, about that, I've been sick, so, I guess I’ll just try to find a way out of it!” She said, fidgeting.

My gaze automatically went down to her hand, and I noticed something. Something I just couldn't ignore. “What’s that? Have you been cutting yourself? Hey if there’s anything you need to talk about, anything at all, I’m here!” I said, shocked that this girl, who seemed to act all strong when spoken to, was actually a victim of self harm.

“It’s nothing. Don’t tell anybody, I beg of you! Please!”

“Are you mad? Of course I won’t tell anyone, but why this?”

And she began. She had been missing all those classes because she had to visit a shrink every other day. To erase all those memories and to get rid of those nightmares, she went. When she was not even old enough to know what ‘rape’ meant, her mother was raped. And what’s worse, she was raped by her husband, in front of this girl. You and I can probably never imagine how horrific that moment must have been for her. Marital rape is still not considered ‘rape’ by a lot of people in our country, because the husband has ‘rights’ to use his wife if and when he wishes to, according to them and vice-versa. But that isn't true. Marital rape is a serious crime that needs to be spread awareness about, more in the rural areas than in the urban. Nobody has the right to force themselves upon a person; emotionally or physically. Nobody can violate your privacy without your consent, please remember that. If you are a victim of any abuse, then talk to somebody about it. Get help. Remember, you deserve better than that. At the age of 11, her father left. He left his two daughters, and his unemployed wife, and went to live on his own. In such a situation, her mother had to come up with an immediate alternative to support the family, and she started off as an assistant tailor in one of the small Boutiques in the city. Seeing her mother being mistreated by her husband, by her family, by the society and by her own sister, she never had anybody to confess to. She slipped into depression by 10^th grade, and became a victim of self harm by 12^th grade. Not just self harm, but suicidal attempts. And this change in her emotional capacity has actually scarred her for life, and the truth is that she will never be able to get over it. Every minute, every second, someone becomes a victim of self harm. Someone is fighting a battle with themselves, but what they don’t know is that they will never win against it. These scars, which are supposed to relive them from pain, are marks of those memories that they want to forget, but how are they forgetting it, when they are carving it on themselves forever? Anybody who is reading this post, who is going through this, remember that you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem to be, and smarter than you think you are, and that things will be okay if you talk to someone about it. If she hadn't told me her story that evening, she would still be the “creep” whom I wanted to ignore. We often judge people so easily by how they appear to us and not by how they actually are. We classify them into good or bad, sane or insane, fun or boring the very first time we speak to them. That is a fact about them. But not all facts are the truth. Every person has a story. Every person is fighting a battle of which we know nothing about. Every person has something to show, and a lot more to hide. And everyone has something good about themselves, just waiting for us to notice it. Be kind.

Go on long walks, look around and you’ll see things. See them even closely, and you’ll notice them. Notice them to find something different. Let that difference influence you. Let that influence change your perspective. Let that perspective change your way of life, and let your way of life change the world.

Lean in; maybe you’ll hear her whisper. Maybe that’ll change your life.

THE KISS OF ACCEPTANCE

PDA is not a crime. It's high time we accept it.

I am a South Indian.

No, that is not how I introduce myself to others. That is what the people around me take into consideration, just a second or two before they judge me. “Traditional/Conservative/Madrasi/an alien!” Or the most frequent statement, “You can’t be a Southie, you’re fair!” (Like, what?) And I don’t deny their judgement, partly because it is a wee bit true. Mostly, because I study in a university situated in South India, but filled to the brim with North Indians. One basic “college” survival skill is to ‘never go against the majority’! Coming from a South Indian family, not a very conservative one, but not very liberal either, it was a culture shock when I first decided to take a walk in the campus- my first day alone in the university. Why? I had never ‘ever’ in my entire life, seen a couple stand and kiss on the road. Not that I hadn't seen a couple kiss before (I had to drag my friend a million times from the basement of our school, interrupting the holy exchange of saliva with her boyfriend, because we were getting late for math class), but in public? Whoa. No friggin way! With my bad eyesight, and my temporarily ‘out of service’ brain, I took some time to realize what was happening, and turned away to look at something else. Anything else! My pace increased. I walked away and found myself in another road. The next thing I knew, I had called up three of my friends back home, in a span of 10 minutes, and burst out- like a motor mouth- about what I’d just seen. Oh believe me; I do not come from the 1990’s version of India. I’m talking about the society today.

What I noticed after I stepped into this university is that society changes from place to place. Back home, I studied in the same school for 14 years. I went in the same van to school for 14 years, played with the same people and shared food with the same ‘forever hungry’ group of friends. Went to the same places, and came back to my home, which is located in the same place for 15 years now. Nothing around me changed, except the size of my clothes, shoes, and a few oldies near my home that passed away. Yup, they died. The way my parents treated me changed slightly- maybe, but not much. And the neighborhood I stayed in, oh my god, it was probably one of the most conservative areas in Bangalore. Just because the non conservative kids had exported themselves to other countries and their conservative parents from the 50’s had stayed back, now retired, with a pet or two, scolding every kid who even uttered the word “play” on the road. Forget about kissing on the road, we maintained a fair but not very obvious distance from the opposite gender when they were around; sometimes even when they weren't around. Now let me make this very clear, not all parts of Bangalore are like that. The neighboring locality itself isn't like mine. Of course, we all have our share of childhood crushes, relationships, holding hands, first kisses (not me), a lot of kisses that followed (still not me), broken hearts and a lot more. But one thing that refused to happen in public was the kissing, the affection, the “PDA” basically. Public display of Affection.

As I finished my high school, my long summer- packing things, my goodbyes to a lot of people, I finally ended up in college, and all of a sudden, I was kicked out from a timid, conservative society to a ‘bang on, young and energetic, youthful’ society! Students, students everywhere! The humans above the age of 30 in this town either work for a bank (which serves the students) or as a faculty member in the university. That young a town it is. Let me be very frank. Eventually, I felt very awkward looking at a couple kissing in public. They were there everywhere! Maybe if I grew up in an environment like that, I would've been used to it, but I wasn't, and I didn't know what to do, except ogle at them like a retarded idiot. Once a person steps into college, they obviously want to experiment with everything that was denied to them before. It’s a fact. And that’s how I ended up in a club. A shady club. Being the only sober kid in the group, I sat back and started to look around and observe people with whatever amount of light was available there. The same thing happened again; showers of kisses. Couples, drunk kids, random kids, everybody. That is when I realized, I had to change. My views had to change, because the world wouldn't stop for me. The time zone I lived in wouldn't freeze for me, and with the generation moving forward, with every new step towards the future, only I could help myself by accepting this and moving on. The next day, I saw a couple making out. I didn't feel a thing. Nothing. It was almost as if I had seen it so many times, like seeing flowers grow on the footpaths, like seeing leaves on trees, like seeing something as ordinary as that.

Often, we don’t consider such actions common or normal in our society. We have the police barging into every rally, every protest and every campaign that supports PDA. We have the conservative class looking down upon PDA. But what is wrong in showing love and affection to a person? If we can fight in public, if we can show wars and its effects on television, broadcast it to the world, why can’t the Indian society accept peace, love and affection? If I could change my views, I am sure anybody else can too. By seeing PDA, one may get disgusted for a day or two, maybe a week. But after that, it just becomes a part of his daily life. I came across this beautiful quote, “Normal does not exist. What may seem normal to a spider, may be destructive to a fly”, and that explains the current situation and the mindset of our conservative society. What may seem normal to them, may be suffocating to the present generation, who dwell on freedom, liberty and openness. Yes, I agree, few thing think it is against our culture, but hey, aren't we the people who belong to the land in which there were people who carved out those beautiful sculptures in the Khajuraho temple? Sculptures, that were carved not a decade or two ago, but around 950 to 1050 AD. Now that, my folks, is a very long time ago. If PDA wasn't seen as an offense that time, by our own culture, why now? Not only in the south, which is considered to be 'conservative', but the north too. Why, in this country, is it considered an offence? 

We can only hope that this small whisper reaches them, and maybe… just maybe ring the same question in their minds.

Lean in; hear me whisper now, for we can only hope. 

LEAN IN (A new journey unfolds)

WHISPERS 

"Did you hear that?"

“No, what was it?” 

“Nothing, I just thought I heard something”.

What you heard there, was a whisper. A whisper, that stood the test of time, which was passed through eras, that was carried through the earthly elements, that reached you. A whisper, which holds the universe within itself, brushed past you. A thousand secrets. A thousand memories. A thousand dreams and even more sorrows. These whispers hold the stories of people we never met, stories of events we never witnessed, moments we never shared, memories that were never made. But if you listen, just listen very carefully, maybe they’ll share a dream. Maybe you’ll hear a story. Maybe they’ll ask questions. Maybe you’ll find answers. Maybe it'll change your life. Maybe you’ll find nothing, which will leave you feeling hollow; you’ll want more. 

So just let yourself go, listen to them. Lean in, hear them whisper.

Lean in, hear me whisper.

TECHNOLOGY: A BOON OR A BANE? (1)

The impact of new technology, especially in the developed world, is apparent all around us in the way we communicate, present ourselves, run business and understand the world. Basically, technology has changed the way we live or make a living. Sometimes though, we use technology so much, that we get so busy making a living out of it— that we forget to make a life.

Here are two stories, which show us both sides of technology and how it has altered the lives of people through the ages. And maybe this will change your opinion about technology, forever.

HOW TECHNOLOGY MADE MY LIFE EASY:

Mr. Sudhakar Shetty, working in the cyber he owns.

Mrs. Malathi Shetty, 34, knows it’s not easy to be a mother of three. While running a business in Mangalore with her husband- Sudhakar Shetty, and maintaining a family, Malathi knows that life without technology would be more hectic than it already is. Sudhakar and Malathi Shetty run a cybercafé in Mangalore city. A well settled family now, Malathi looks back at the path she’s walked with her husband. “We were agriculturalists. For a family of 5, including my kids, frankly, it hasn't been an easy journey. I got married in 2001, early 20’s… Yes, I was 21. I didn't have much knowledge about how the world worked, neither did I care. Not once had I thought about my educational qualification, because I thought marriage would fix everything. And it did. My background wasn't all that great. My parents were agriculturalists too, and I attended school till 10^th grade, soon after which I was pulled into the family occupation- farming. So, when I married Sudhakar, I thought I knew it all. Initially, we were economically stable. Growing rice was feeding us well. Even when my first child- Aanand- was born, nothing changed. Responsibilities increased, but economically, we didn't face issues. It was a small family- manageable. But as Aanand started off with his schooling, Sudhakar realized that something was going wrong, because the money he earned wasn't enough. We had to think twice before spending. We had to cut down on our meals, what can I say? We had to cut down on everything. Just when we thought we were getting used to this lifestyle, planning on trying to increase the yield, the twins were born. Today, I’d say my kids are the best thing that ever happened to me. But back then, we were in a crisis. Everything new seemed like a bane. What were we to do? Feed ourselves? Feed them? We didn't know. Sudhakar decided to increase our production, and invested more into that year’s yield. This was in 2008. This was where all our plans failed. The crop had started turning white and no pesticides could save them. I don’t know what it is called in English. But it was bad.” The crops had caught Bacterial blight. “We incurred major losses that year. No food, loans to pay and nobody to help. Family is an important thing, and one should help another at the time of need,” says Malathi, “or you’ll never know when you’ll face the same situation in life. Nobody from our family agreed to help us, telling us that giving us money is the same as throwing it in to a river. Thankfully, Sudhakar’s friend, Manju Saab, he gave us the idea of a cyber. He also gave us some money, which wasn't enough, but something was better than nothing. We sold our lands and rented a small shop in Mangalore. Initially we had just 2 computers. And zero knowledge about it! My nephew helped us set them up, promote the business, and also run it! He still does. He’s from the city Madam, he knows. After computers came into our lives, things began to change. Such technology attracts the present modern generation. They used it to type their projects, or send mails, or ask if they could get printouts. But we didn't have a printer, so we got one. That way, we made reasonable amount of money every month and invested it back. Business started flourishing because this did not catch diseases, and also didn't go out of fashion. It wasn't a trend Madam, it was a revolution. And believe me, there will be no death to it. Today, if Sudhakar and I can feed ourselves and our kids, and send them to English medium schools, it is because of what technology blessed us with. We also rented another shop- next to ours, to expand business Madam!” she says happily, pointing at the new computers. When asked what technology means to her, she didn't think twice before answering, “It was a boon Madam. I don’t know what we would do without it; it’s our living and our life. Technology came into our lives in a time nobody else did, and it changed our lives, forever.”

*Names changed on request.

TECHNOLOGY: A BOON OR A BANE? (2)

Mr. Lingappa, lost in thoughts about his life

“2011; worst year of my life, I lost everything”, said Mr. Lingappa Rai*, 52, a waiter in one of the coffee shops of Mangalore. “Madam, it’s so simple for you isn't it? Write something. What is there to interview people about all these? Technology and what not? What are you getting out of it?” asked the irritated Rai, waiting to leave, when he was approached initially. After a minute or two, he calmed down and explained why he loathes ‘technology’. “Not a lot of bad things happen every day Madam, and I am not saying that technology is a bad thing, it has helped a lot of people, but sadly, I wasn't one of them.” Why? “Madam, everything has two sides to it. Too much of anything is not good. ‘Jaasthi aanda amruthala visha aapundu’ (too much of immortal elixir will also turn into poison), and that is what happened with me.” What happened? “Ah, have you heard of online betting and lottery games, madam? It is like an addiction! I don’t know what happened to me in my 50’s. Daughters got married, I had money. I didn't know where to spend it, and this seemed like a good way. After all, what’s there forever? Enjoy life, because we will all die someday. My wife warned me not to do it. But I don’t know why I did it. I went and registered myself to this. I always had a craze for lotteries, and this was faster, cheaper, better! Initially I won few lotteries! Petty ones madam, but I won them no? I felt motivated. I told my wife that there is big money in it. Online lottery is extremely addictive, because the offers that came everyday kept pulling me towards it.” Was it controlling you? “Yes, of course it was controlling me! You think I’m mad to put in all my savings in it otherwise? Eventually I began to lose everything. Situation became worse madam. I was in debt and I had to sell my wife’s jewellery. Because of this my daughters stopped talking to me. Even now, they don’t talk properly to me. I lost my job. I used to work in a departmental store, but they fired me. Now, to clear debts, I found this job madam. Surprisingly, this pays more than my previous job. It is a nice hotel!” said Rai, waving at the counters serving coffee; hopeful. How are things at home now? “That’s what madam, it’s ruined. It was my mistake- I agree, but what to do madam, technology changes lives… that’s what you said. See mine? It changed to the bad. I used it in the wrong way, but without technology, my life would have been much simpler. See our parents madam; they are still living such a happy and peaceful life. I lost my family and respect because of it. Now tell me, did it do good or bad to me? Bad.” What does technology mean to you now, sir? “It will be the end of us madam. Now we won’t realize it, but it will replace humans, and it will gobble their minds up. We rely too much on technology that we forget the basic necessities of life, and we lose our common sense. It is destruction!” said Rai.

“Good luck with your project madam. And mark my words; it will be the end of mankind” said Rai- cheerfully in fact- as I turned to leave.

*Names changed on request.