CWG: Kalmadi Kaleidoscope

Deccan Herald: Saturday 18 September 2010
CWG scam: A mirror to official sloth, corruption and opacity by Rajdeep Sardesai

Mani Shankar Aiyar has probably not read Dale Carnegie’s best-seller, ‘How to win friends and influence people’. A few years ago, in a St Stephen’s alumni book, former external affairs minister Natwar Singh wrote, "I am what I am because of the college." Prompt came Aiyar’s rejoinder: "Why blame the college!"

Politics though is not a college campus. The ready wit and pungent sarcasm which might earn applause in a debating society is deemed as offensive in the real world. Lost in the process is the bank of knowledge that often informs Aiyar’s writings and speeches. Which is why when he chose last week to express the hope that the Commonwealth Games would collapse with the rains, there was instant anger at what was deemed as an ‘anti-national’ remark, especially coming from an MP who is still a member of the ruling party and was sports minister not too long ago.

Ironically, a few days later, the tables have rather dramatically turned. Aiyar is now a chuckling soothsayer, Suresh Kalmadi is seen as a bumbling villain. As a slew of corruption allegations hit the Games, there is almost a self-congratulatory note among the Commonwealth nay-sayers for whom the event is a waste of tax-payers’ money.
That with less than 60 days to go for India’s biggest sports competition, there is still a fierce debate over the necessity for it to be held in the first place only confirms our status as the world’s premier squabbling democracy. Could anyone imagine a similar debate in China ahead of the Beijing 2008 Olympics?

Unfortunately, the debate itself has been wrongly posited as ‘national pride’ versus ‘national shame.’ Tying up the successful organisation of a sports event to ‘nationalism’ has a distinct Soviet-style ring to it. Cold war Soviet Union could see staging the Moscow Olympics in 1980 as symbolic of their ‘superior’ ideological system. Communist China perhaps viewed the Beijing Olympics as a ‘coming of age’ party.

Even South Africa, a republic which is still less than two decades old, could view the soccer World Cup as an opportunity to parade its credentials as a ‘rainbow nation’.

The Commonwealth debate needs to be shorn of the ‘Games as nationalism’ tag. A high-pitched battle between those who see every stadium leak as a disgrace and those who believe that a beautified national capital will be a source of pride will serve little purpose. Instead, we need to focus on what is really the root of the present controversy: a prevailing culture which is rooted in sloth, corruption and opacity. The Commonwealth Games are not the problem; they are only a symptom of the wider crisis that confronts new India.

Unrealistic expectation
In the euphoria of over 8 per cent growth, we sometimes forget that we are still ranked a lowly 84th in the transparency international corruption index. When a society is steeped in corruption, it would be unrealistic to expect that a Rs 40,000 crore event will be above it all, especially when its organisational set-up is a hydra-headed monster led by an army of babus and multiple authorities.

Moreover, the belief that the end of the licence-permit raj would usher in transparent procedures has long since been proven bogus. Instead, it has only bred a form of crony capitalism that revolves around handing out largesse to friends and relatives. Sports has been a particular sufferer in this regard.

Every sports federation is run like a mini-empire by warlords and their henchmen, with virtually no checks and balances. Kalmadi has been heading the athletics federation for more than 20 years, the Indian Olympic association for 14 years. In the process, Olympic sport in this country has become Kalmadi’s playground, an event like the Commonwealth Games providing the perfect stage for him to distribute patronage to the chosen few.

But why single out Kalmadi? What is the accountability of the government of India whose senior bureaucrats are on various Commonwealth committees? The prime minister appointed a core group of ministers to supervise the games, should they not take some responsibility? The CVC report is a damning indictment of every civic authority in the urban development ministry and Delhi government, should they not be also brought under the scanner?

In a sense, the parallels between the Commonwealth Games and that other sporting circus, the IPL, are uncanny. In the IPL, the sleaze showed up the frailties of corporate India which tried to run the event like a private members club. In the Commonwealth Games, it’s the soft underbelly of the Indian state which is being exposed.

In the IPL, a single individual, Lalit Modi has been held responsible for the corruption even as the other board and governing council members appear to have got away. In the Commonwealth Games too, the focus seems to be on Kalmadi when it should be on every government department that has benefited from the bonanza. Maybe, that’s why its called the Commonwealth games: the wealth has been commonly shared!
(The writer is editor-in-chief, IBN 18 network)
CWG scam: A mirror to official sloth, corruption and opacity by Rajdeep Sardesai

Military World Games
MWG were hosted by Indian armed forces under the aegis of International Military Sports Council (CISM) in Hyderabad and Mumbai from October 14-21. Of the 6,000 athletes who participated in the Games from more than 100 countries in 17 disciplines, 25% were Olympic medal winners. The Andhra Pradesh government, the army’s Pune-based Southern Command and the Mumbai-based Western Naval Command were also in charge of the event.

CAG pointed out that the ministry of defence (MoD) had sanctioned Rs50 crore by March 2007 to Services Sports Control Board (SSCB), which sought Rs19 crore more. This money was made available by defence public sector units on the direction of the department of defence production. As per rules, projects exceeding an outlay of Rs100 crore need cabinet approval, but in this case sanctions for Rs138 crore were granted at the ministry level.

The Andhra government was paid in advance with no formal agreement and could not provide bills or details of services provided. CAG observes that Rs4.76 crore received on account of charges realised from extra CISM contingents was diverted to non-public funds between September 2007 and June 2008.

MWG estimated cost Rs 138 crores Vs CWG Games anticipated cost Rs 40,000 crores: Degree of corruption in 2 years escalates four hundredfold!
Commonwealth Games corruption has a rival

Chennai Girl from OTA becomes first woman to raise sword of honour

Divya Ajithkumar of Chennai made all women proud by being the parade commander. She is the first lady cadet to receive the "sword of Honour" from the Army chief
Chennai woman officer to get top honour at OTA
Express News Service First Published : 17 Sep 2010
CHENNAI: Chennaiite Divya Ajithkumar will receive the Sword of Honour, the first-ever woman to snaffle the laurel, awarded to the best trainee at the Officers’ Training Academy, ever since they started commissioning lady officers in 1992.

Army Chief Gen V K Singh, who will review the passing out parade of 244 cadets at the OTA in Chennai on Saturday, would decorate her with the Sword of Honour.

Divya, who also claimed three gold medals in academics at OTA, said the award would prod her to reach more milestones. 'Receiving the award from Army chief himself is an honour. It should inspire me for bigger feats,' she told Express on Thursday.

The 21-year-old felt the strenuous training at the OTA had toughened her up, mentally and physically. 'We were not exempted from any routines during the 11 months of training and treated on par with our male counterparts. The training has enabled us to take up more responsibilities in future,' she said.

The youngest daughter of Ajithkumar and Beena, the Choolaimedu resident completed her schooling from Good Shepherd Convent and BCom from Stella Maris College. An elated Ajithkumar said: 'She was always an outdoor person. She is sincere in whatever she does.' Her parents never imposed their will on her. 'She sets her goal and we encourage her to achieve it. As I was mostly away, my wife groomed her,' he said.

Apart from academics, in which she has an impressive record, she represented her school basketball team at various levels.

She was also into athletics, such as marathon and discus throw. A Taekwon-Do (she started practicing at the age of two) black belt (second Dan), she is a national-level bronze medallist.

Besides martial arts, she learnt performing arts. Divya practised Bharatanatyam and Carnatic music, apart from being an accomplished drummer.

She had represented Tamil Nadu in the Republic Day Parade 2008 and had the rare double honour of being awarded both the All India Best Cadet and All India Best Parade Commander for leading the parade of NCC cadets. She got a commendation from the then Chief of Army Staff.
Chennai Woman Officer to get top honour at OTA
Slideshow: Passing out Parade OTA- Signs of Change

Why I Still Serve to Defend the Nation: A Soldier's Lament

The poem below amply, subtly and truly portrays the predicament of ESM battling for Pension Parity and campaigning for One Rank One Pension... equity, honour and justice for the Retired Military Personnel.

Major Gaurav Arya said...
Dear Bandita,
Thank you for your kind words. I wrote this a long, long time back... and got into a lot of trouble with the army top brass for my sins. I read your blog too... you write very well, I must say. Do keep it up.
I have given up writing... actually I pledged my soul to the devil. I would give up what I enjoyed and he would give me money. As with all deals with the devil, this one fell through... too. So, I dont write and the promised gold is nowhere in sight.
Best wishes... and keep writing,
Gaurav Arya
Randomised Rainbow: click here to read the original post

Why Do I still Serve You? ... Please read it and ponder...

How you play with us, did you ever see?
At Seven, I had decided what I wanted to be;
I would serve you to the end,
All these boundaries I would defend.
Now you make me look like a fool,
When at Seventeen and just out of school;
Went to the place where they made ‘men out of boys’
Lived a tough life …sacrificed a few joys…
In those days, I would see my ‘civilian’ friends,
Living a life with the fashion trends;
Enjoying their so called ‘College Days’
While I sweated and bled in the sun and haze…
But I never thought twice about what where or why
All I knew was when the time came, I’d be ready to do or die.
At 21 and with my commission in hand,
Under the glory of the parade and the band,
I took the oath to protect you over land, air or sea,
And make the supreme sacrifice when the need came to be.
I stood there with a sense of recognition,
But on that day I never had the premonition,
that when the time came to give me my due,
You’d just say,’ What is so great that you do?’
Long back you promised a well to do life;
And when I’m away, take care of my wife.
You came and saw the hardships I live through,
And I saw you make a note or two,
And I hoped you would realise the worth of me;
but now I know you’ll never be able to see,
Because you only see the glorified life of mine,
Did you see the place where death looms all the time?
Did you meet the man standing guard in the snow?
The name of his newborn he does not know...
Did you meet the man whose father breathed his last?
While the sailor patrolled our seas so vast?
You still know I’ll not be the one to raise my voice
I will stand tall and protect you in Punjab Himachal and Thois.
But that’s just me you have in the sun and rain,
For now at Twenty Four, you make me think again;
About the decision I made, Seven years back;
Should I have chosen another life, some other track?
Will I tell my son to follow my lead?
Will I tell my son, you’ll get all that you need?
This is the country you will serve
This country will give you all that you deserve?
I heard you tell the world ‘India is shining’
I told my men, that’s a reason for us to be smiling
This is the India you and I will defend!
But tell me how long will you be able to pretend?
You go on promise all that you may,
But it’s the souls of your own men you betray.
Did you read how some of our eminent citizens
Write about me and ridicule my very existence?
I ask you to please come and see what I do,
Come and have a look at what I go through
Live my life just for a day
Maybe you’ll have something else to say?
I will still risk my life without a sigh
To keep your flag flying high
but today I ask myself a question or two...
Oh India... Why do I still serve you?