Five Myths About India


India's 7.9% economic growth in the third quarter of 2009 vividly illustrates a dramatic transformation in the country's image, from a land of elephants and snake charmers to that of an IT powerhouse and an emerging economic giant. While both sets of perceptions are valid, they hide far more than they reveal. Indeed, when it comes to the Indian economy, what most people believe to be true contains more fiction than fact. We highlight below five common myths about India and discuss why the reality on the ground is quite different.

Myth No.1: The information technology sector has been the primary driver of India's economic growth.

India is indeed a global powerhouse in information technology and IT-enabled services. Yet the IT sector is little more than a tiny, though highly visible, niche in the Indian economy. The total revenue of this sector added up to $72 billion in 2008. Translated into value-added terms, the IT sector contributed only about 4% to India's gross domestic product last year. Its contribution to employment is even smaller: About 2 million people are directly employed, and an additional 8 million jobs are created indirectly. Those are tiny numbers in a country with a labor pool of 700 million people.

The fact that India's IT sector is just a niche is actually a blessing rather than a curse. Notwithstanding IT's annual growth rates of 25% or more, the bulk of the recent growth in India's economy has come from manufacturing and other services. Only the manufacturing sector has the scale to create jobs for hundreds of millions of people, most with relatively limited education. If India is to realize its potential as an economic superpower, it will have to keep following China's path by becoming one of the world's factories. The IT sector gives India a good brand image, but most Indian jobs will have to come from manufacturing.

Myth No.2: India is decades behind China.

Most visitors to India and China form their impressions about these countries by comparing such cities as Mumbai, New Delhi, and Bangalore with Shanghai, Beijing, and Guangzhou. The difference between the two countries' urban centers is truly stark. China's top cities now look more modern and sleeker than New York or London. By contrast, India's premier cities are still vivid examples of the third world. Yet most people overlook the fact that, even though China is clearly ahead of India, the former looks stronger than it is while the latter is stronger than it looks.

In 2008, China's GDP was just a bit more than three times that of India. If India's GDP grows at 8% to 9% a year over the next decade—a reasonable prediction based on analyses by Goldman Sachs (GS), the U.S. National Intelligence Council, and other analysts—India's GDP in 2020 will be almost the same as China's in 2008. Of course, China would have powered ahead by then, but the fact remains that India's economy is about 12 to 14 years, not decades, behind China's. This is exactly the difference from 1978, when Deng Xiaoping launched China's reforms, to 1991, when India jumped onto a similar train.

Myth No.3: India's democratic politics will prevent a rapid build-up of the country's infrastructure.

Given its fiercely democratic political system, any Indian government will find it impossible to relocate quickly a few million people from a city's center to make way for gleaming office towers and elevated expressways. Note, however, that infrastructure consists of more than beautiful roads and buildings. It also includes ports, airports, power generation and transmission systems, telecommunications, airlines, and railways.

The only aspect of infrastructure that India's democratic politics hinders in a major way is the beautification of cities. The number of people who need to be relocated to build interstate highways, intrastate expressways, and most other infrastructure components is minimal and thus largely unconstrained by democratic politics.

From 1995 to 2007, China spent about 8.5% of GDP on infrastructure. During this period, India spent only about 4.2%. Today, though, the situation is radically different. India is currently spending about 8% of GDP on infrastructure and has plans to increase the figure to about 9%.

Ugly and crowded cities, while an eyesore, are unlikely to derail the ongoing manufacturing revolution, which needs interstate highways and intrastate expressways far more than easy-to-navigate city centers. In short, given its political system, India is more likely to become a manufacturing power long before its cities begin to look modern.

Myth No.4: Uncontrolled population growth is a major burden for India.

China's one-child policy has clearly achieved a major reduction in birth rates and population growth. In contrast, when one thinks of India, the enduring picture is one of cities overflowing with poor and teeming masses. Hence the question on many people's minds: How can India sustain uncontrolled population growth?

Notwithstanding the utter inability of India's democratic political system to impose any type of birth control policy, it is critical to remember that, as people become richer and better educated, they choose to have fewer children. Fertility rates (i.e., average births per woman) in India are declining rapidly—from 4.65 in 1980 to 3.25 in 2000, to 2.68 in 2007. A similar steep decline has occurred in the population growth rate—from 2.15% a year during the 1980s to 1.5% a year from 2000 to 2005 and 1.35% a year since then. If current trends continue, as is almost certain, fertility rates in India should drop to about 2.0 within the next 10 years, and the population's annual growth rate should fall to about 0.6% a year, similar to China's today.

In short, population growth in India is a self-correcting problem that is getting addressed on its own at a rapid rate. In any case, in a democratic country such as India, it is far easier and wiser for the government to focus on how to make the economy grow at, say, a 9% rather than an 8% rate. Over 10 years, that can be as effective a mechanism for population control as any other.

Myth No.5: India's education system is world class.

In launching the "Race to the Top" fund for educational reform in the U.S., President Barack Obama encouraged schools to develop internationally competitive standards so that American students can take on "folks in Beijing and Bangalore." President Obama is right on the money in noting that, in today's era, labor markets are global and that kids in Los Angeles are competing against not just their peers in Chicago but also those in Beijing and Bangalore. It would, however, be incorrect to conclude that India's education system is anywhere close to world class.

India is not just a large country but also one of the world's most diverse, with extremely high levels of income and educational disparities. The elite engineering and business schools (the Indian Institutes of Technology and the Indian Institutes of Management) are tougher to get into than Harvard or MIT and have produced a disproportionately large number of CEOs and senior executives for some of the world's biggest corporations.

Yet one cannot overlook the fact that adult literacy in India runs at only about 61%, far below the 91% figure for China, the 90% figure for Indonesia, and the 89% figure for Brazil. During the past five decades, China has placed far greater emphasis on primary and secondary education. In contrast, India has placed far greater emphasis on tertiary education. The manufacturing revolution, which is now in full swing and must continue, will need high school graduates and vocationally trained people far more than highly trained engineers and scientists. As in the U.S., transformation of the educational system and rapid upgrading of the infrastructure will be two of the most desperate needs for India's economy over the coming decade.

Courtesy to: Srini Pallia

Test Cricket is Still Alive

Since the T20 big shows i.e. ICL, IPL, Worldcup introduced to world cricket many cricketing fan including me would have saw end of Test cricket in few years time. T20 was short format and everyone started falling into it. After few months I started realising its not cricket which I had been following for 18 years.
Even though longest version takes your valuable time but it has own beauty. Its not just playing few good shots and becoming hero or blowing fews overs.
Recently finished two test matches caught my attention and again proved, why 5 days format of cricket called as toughest. First was Pak vs Aus.. Pak couldn't believe they are going to win test match in downunder and bundled in 4th inning. The reason was test matches is not only about your technical skills, it also checks your mental strength, your ability to be compose and concentrate on goal for 5 continous days. I tell you no other sports in this world demand such kind of ability from a sports person.
Secondly I saw End vs SA.. each day of this match was bringing new excitment. SA was fighting to level home series and Eng was for clinching it. What else you can ask from a test match where result was not decided untill Styne bowled last delivery and Swann defended that to draw.
I sure to see more such matches and keep enjoying it!

"The Golf Balls" - Set priorities of life

When things in your life seem, almost too much to handle,
When 24 Hours in a day is not enough,
Remember the mayonnaise jar and 2 cups of coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him.
When the class began, wordlessly,
He picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls.

He then asked the students, if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly.
The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.

He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar.
Of course, the sand filled up everything else.
He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous 'yes.'

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

'Now,' said the professor, as the laughter subsided,
'I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.
The golf balls are the important things - family, children, health, Friends, and Favorite passions –
Things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, Your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, house, and car.

The sand is everything else --The small stuff.

'If you put the sand into the jar first,' He continued, 'there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls.
The same goes for life.

If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, You will never have room for the things that are important to you.

So ... ...

Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.
Play With your children.
Take time to get medical checkups.
Take your partner out to dinner.

There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal.

'Take care of the golf balls first --
The things that really matter.
Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.'

Economics: The Great Shift of 2009

I was thinking from while now to write something on so talked world economics, got some thing interesting. Every once in a while, we stumble upon a chart or table that says it all… here’s one hot off the press:





Oh my, where do we begin? So many to talk, lets put in points

1. Obviously, Wal-Mart is no longer No. 1. That title now goes to Royal Dutch Shell. The American consumer is out, and a global oil conglomerate is in… ’nuff said
2. There’s a clear sea change in American business. AIG, Lehman and Bear Stearns fell off the list from 2008-2009. Nike, Google and Amazon moved up
3. The world is increasingly less Amero-centric. An American company is not No. 1 for the first time in over a decade. In the whole list for 2009, 140 companies are American, the lowest number on record
4. The world is increasingly more Sino-centric. Look at China National Petroleum and Sinopec. Both Chinese companies are by far the biggest movers up from 2008-2009. Sinopec, an oil and gas company, also marks China’s first foray into Fortunes’ top 10. China now has 37 companies in the list of 500, its largest presence ever
5. Oil is still where it’s at. In spite of all the price drama over the last year, seven of the top 10 firms are oil companies
6. In the face of the worst global economic environment of our lifetimes, the world’s biggest companies are still making lots of money. The 2008 top 25 pulled in $4.88 trillion in revenue. This year, they made $5.38 trillion
7. And GE… what a black box. The world’s producer of everything was one of very few companies to retain the same position from 2008-2009. And despite the infamous GE Capital, the finance arm that apparently threatened to torpedo the whole company, GE ended up increasing revenues by nearly $7 billion.

MMS... A Weak PM ??

Since the day Mr. ManMohan Singh become PM, a tag of "Weak PM" is following him. Opposition parties, specially BJP, keep targeting as an then but Mr. PM never respond until couple of days back. Why so late? Is he really weak? Was PMO driven from 10 Janpath? At some extend Yes.
He is great economist no doubt about that but not a grt politician. During last 5 years, we hardly seen him standing solidly on any initiative always under Shadow of Mrs Gandhi. Does that looks strong? FYI.. Mr. Singh never contest any election so far, all the time he was member of upper house(I call that as back door entry to be in Govt.). Why don't he go in middle of people and face them. Unless you wont feel our real problems, you can not resolve.
When asked why you not accepting Mr. Adwani's chellenge for open debate, he said I do not like to talk loud. Being citizen of India I like to see how my next PM will address the current issues, same way here in US how Obama n McCain did. Whats wrong in that.. again is this his weakness?
You decide on this.....

iND vs nZ 2009

A historic cricket tour it was!! Series win in both ODI n Test had never been easy task in Newzeland. Congrats Dhoni n team.... beginning of tour we lost T20 matches, was it over confidence, could be.. yes we are world champs but it doesn't mean we will play whatever way we want to be... Dhoni is a smart captain n he understood this very quickly...
we played sensible and attacking cricket in ODIs, result was 3-1 series win. Sachin showed he has lot of cricket left in him with an inning of 163, tht was truly amazing; n another landmark record was Shewag's fastest century from India. Same time we again missed clean swipe, reason could be again over confidence. In this area Dhoni has to work on.
Moving to Test matches without any practise match.. I was praying for team india.. it was first NZ tour for most of squad member including Skipper.. hats of team.. the way they played entire series. apart from couple of session each one in all three test were dominated by us. Again it was superb Sachin in 1st test. We saw another wall(Gambhir) in second test... wht was tht.. single handed he saved tht match. We again played excellent in 3rd match but i was disappoint with captaincy.. why 617 runs target.. in 125 year none of team ever chased 500. Dhoni was happy to win series by 1-0, he did same wht Dravid did in England test series.. we are still not mature enough to take high risks. End of day we won and that what important for every one.. me too happy.
Both Delhites(viru n gauti) openers are key for India's success in all format.
Sachin was undoubtly in grt touch, Dravid n laxman came with experience whn required most, harbhajan n zaher were impressive through out series.
Series over.. lets get ready for Modi's IPL-2 saga

XML transfer between two interface( like: Sharepoint to SAP )

Some time back, I got a requirement in my project. We need to send a xml file from sharepoint to SAP system and get response back from them. Note: This transaction can be done between any two application.
I thought what would be easiest and best approach. Hmmm, lets try with basic HTTP Post/Get method to do that. As in sharepoint I can use compile .NET code so no problem for me to go for it.

.NET Code to do that:

WebRequest req = null;
WebResponse rsp = null;
try
{
string fileName = @"D:\Projects\abc.xml";
string uri = "http://localhost/sap/test/test.htm";
req = WebRequest.Create(uri);
//req.Proxy = WebProxy.GetDefaultProxy(); // Enable if using proxy
req.Method = "POST"; // Post method
req.ContentType = "text/xml"; // content type
//If end user doesnot has rights to update than pass required credential explicitly
req.Credentials= CredentialCache.DefaultCredentials;
req.Credentials = new NetworkCredential("abc", "xyz");
// Wrap the request stream with a text-based writer
StreamWriter writer = new StreamWriter(req.GetRequestStream());
//read the xml file
StreamReader reader = new StreamReader(fileName);
string ret = reader.ReadToEnd();
reader.Close();
// Write the XML text into the stream
writer.WriteLine(ret);
writer.Close();
// Send the data to the webserver
rsp = req.GetResponse();

//Get response from server; ex: two parameters is passed from receiving server
string strContents, strContents1 = "";
strmContents = rsp.Headers["test1"].ToString();
strmContents1 = rsp.Headers["test2"].ToString();
}