Birthday, Bihar Trip, Books and Deadlines
A blog post after almost two months does not indicate my diminishing passion for blogging but highlights the hectic professional life I had in last 2-3 months. A marathon writing session, boring sessions of number crunching and perusing some serious statistical concepts.. These things took so much control of my free time that I did not even manage a ‘happy birthday post’ on my birthday. Yes, I celebrated my birthday last month and this was my first birthday as a minimalist and guess what.. I had to treat my friends in a five star hotel 
In between I had an eventful trip to my home state Bihar. Spent almost 48 hours in car and travelled more than 900 kms. I was accompanied by an intern, a british girl of Indian origin who was having her first trip to Bihar. Bihar was facing a drought like situation when I started for Bihar but the rain welcomed us as soon as we moved out of Patna and it poured heavily for next two days. The result: we were driving on water clogged Bihar roads, and it was a tough task for the driver to negotiate the water filled potholes suddenly appearing under the wheels. Fortunately the new Bihar government has made tremendous change to road conditions in Bihar and we could still manage to reach our destination. Though it was itneresting the see expression on my co-traveller’s face while the driver negotiated the rough weather and bumpy roads. The highlight of the trip was our car breaking down around 11 pm on a deserted road and rain pouring down heavily. Imagine someone having the first trip to the ‘notorious’ Bihar and being in this situation. I must say that my co-traveller was really a courageous girl to take that trip considering the image she construed from the different books and media clips.
Meanwhile I finished the second book in Millenium trilogy ( a best-selling series translated from Swedish), The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson. I must say Lisbeth Salander rocks. She is the most intriguing, sensuous and engrossing charachter I have came across in recent times. 
Bihar Flood – How to help ..
There are three ways you can support the flood relief activity.
1) By sending your donation to below account numbers. The funds collected will be used to purchase necessary items (Our team working at ground zero keep sending us list of items which they need for flood relief work). Items thus purchases are send to Chandan who is leading the efforts from Patna.
Online –Transfer your donations to ICICI bank
Name: Ashok Kumar Sharma,
A/C Number: 005301022273,
Branch: Jayanagar/Bangalore
Please mention flood relief and your name in remarks section while transferring funds
Also mention your name in the comments (will help us track).
After transfer send an email with the transfer details to ashok.1857@gmail. com
We will send you a confirmation for the same.
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Sending donations through NGO (Prayaas).
Institutional Donor and as well as individual can donate via our Sister NGO PRAYAAS
http://www.prayaas. org/
PRAYAAS Contact No: 91-80-28441463
Please mention flood relief and your name in remarks section while transferring fund.
Mention your name in the comments (will help us track)Send an email with details to:Amitesh.Bharti@ in.bosch. com
make a CC to: ashok.1857@gmail. com
Account in on the name of: M/S Prayaas
Current Account No. : 10447347087
Bank Address : State Bank of India, Indiranagar, Bangalore
Bank Code : 3301
Routing Number (Swift No.) : SBI NIN BB 147A
MICR number : 560002021
Prayaas Official Address:
Mr. Amitesh Bharti,Prayaas( r),
C1-201, GreenWood Regency,Doddakannah alli village,Carmelaram
PO, Adj. Wipro,Sarjapur Road,Bangalore – 560035, India.
If you want to send a cheque/DD:Please send the crossed A/c Payee cheque in favour of,”SBI, A/c Prayaas, Current A/c No. 10447347087“
Donar seeking Tax exemption under section 80G, please donate via PRAYAAS
The certificate & the receipt of your contribution will be dispatched by Prayaas. To get the certificate & the receipt of your contribution, Please email your name and address along with detail of your contribution to Amitesh at Amitesh.Bharti@ in.bosch. com
make a CC to: ashok.1857@gmail. com
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2) We keep updating our blog for the list of items which are required at ground zero. You can buy those items and send them directly to Chandan and his team.
You can find the contact details of our team in the blog. Feel free to ask them how you can send relief materials directly to Chandan and his team.
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3) Sending money directly to CHIEF MINISTER RELIEF FUND.
Bihar Chief Minister Relief Fund
Write a cheque to
A/C Name: “Chief Minister Relief Fund, Bihar”
A/C No: 10839124928
Bank: State Bank of India, Secretariat Branch, Patna.
Put your Phone number, name and address on the back of the cheque.Deposit the cheque to the nearest State Bank of India cheque drop box
Disaster relief State Control Room Number:: 91-612-2217305/ 2215027/6452572
************ ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* *
NOTE: Kindly note that any left over money (In case we are not able to spend donated money) will be send to CM Relief fund. All donors will be updated accordingly when we decide to send money to CM Relief Fund.
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Please check the following blogs for more info..
http://biharflood.wordpress.com
http://biharfloodrelief2008.blogspot.com/
http://biharfloodrelief2008.blogspot.com/2008/09/for-those-who-want-to-donate-cloths.html
Bihar Flood
Bihar is facing one of the worst floods and millions of affected people require every possible help to cope with the hellish situation. Any bit of help in form of donations/participating in rescue work would mean a lot for these people. Those who want to contribute/help people there can visit this site for more information.
Why does our PM needs to visit the flood area and then announce for the relief package? Was he not aware of the severity of the flood? Please stop playing political move at the expense of innocent lives….
Hamara Bihar
A girl who made to IIT, could not join as she was not financially capable of paying the admission fee, and none of the banks offered admission loan to her. Read the Story Here.
Nothing new in this considering the banking system and bureaucracy in Bihar. I faced the same problem four years ago, after making it to one of the better known B-Schools, I tried to fund it through Education Loan, and after running to almost all the options, I could not get. I emailed Finance Minister and got a reply from FM office that the issue would be looked into. Nothing happened.
This recent issue made me ponder once again (Earlier, when I tried I knew that I have a very bleak chance to get that, nonetheless I wanted try it.) over my state, My Bihar. I really felt bad. The state government has ordered enquiry into that. The most predictable response from an Indian Governance Body with predictable outcome. A report which will gather dust for eons and the issue will die and slip into oblivion, the person/people in question witnessing their dreams turning into perpetual unfulfilled dreams.
I want to do something, probably start an organization which can at least take the voice to the right people, ensure that talent does not suffer. I know there are many who would like to help these people. But in most cases, you do not know whom to approach. How to proceed ahead?. At least we can mobilize resources, guide these people. I want to do a lot. But lets take the first step.
Visit to my provenience
After 5 years, I got time and opportunity to visit my ancestral place and my provenience. I have spent my early years in this place, which is located 9 kms from GT Road, near UP-Bihar border in Bihar. It is so close to UP that my Hutch SIM was not on roaming though I was in Bihar, it was still communicating through a tower in UP.
The occasion of visit or principal reason for visit was my sister’s (cousin) marriage. First marriage in my family in last 20 years. And also, probably first time in last 10 years I saw all member of my extended family together.
Since my last visit (which was for one day at time of my grandmother funeral), the village has changed substantially. Though still not properly accessible by road (You cant reach this place by small cars as the roads are glaring example of corruptions and fund embezzlement.), but the work for new road is going on, hopefully next time I would visit this place it would be a pleasant journey from GT Road to my native village.
I had planned to move around my village (which I had not done since I left the village way back when I was studying in Class 3.) and first thing I wanted to see was my school. It used to be a two room building with no sitting arrangement for students as all the furniture we had was a couple of chairs for teachers. We had to carry empty Cement bags, which we used to spread on ground and study on that. The school was surrounded by mango orchard where in lunch break everyone used to visit if it is mango season to try one’s luck, if one can find one delicacy from the orchard.
The school has change
d as it has a new building ( but of two rooms only, they built the new building in place of the old rooms, see the picture) and I heard that they have got bench and desks for the students. But the attendance is thin, due to a new private school a couple of kilometers from my village (which charges Rs. 50 per month) and most of the upper caste people (only those who think that education can be of any use, and believe me they are in minority) are now sending their wards to this private school. I enquired about the old teachers, none of them are currently there, the school is manned by recruitment done under Shiksha Mitras (who get Rs. 4000 per month as salary).
In evening, when we were sitting with fellow villagers and guests who had come to attend my sis marriage, my father told us that there is some fight going on in the village. He told us that there was some noise coming from the nearby mohalla. We were still speculating what is the reason, then one of my cousin came and told that that was not a fight but the policemen were beating a lady. I asked why? It was not very surprising for me, I have witness the policemen’s atrocities and attitude when they visit villages. He told me that somebody has filed complaints against the lady’s husband and they came to arrest the husband and the lady protested and started abusing the policemen. It was disgusting. I have seen these policewala, they act as if they are god when they visit villages and take undue advantage of illiteracy and ignorance of these simpleton villagers. They are not aware of their rights and safeguards available, and even if they are aware of them, they fear the retaliatory action from the other policemen.
Bihar-Gatha
Bihar, whenever I utter this word to non-biharis (here the non biharis = those who belongs to other states than Bihar, UP and Jharkhad), the reactions and expressions are something to relish.. I can recall many incidents… A couple of years back, I was in Mumbai for an interview. At the interview center I met a guy, nattily dressed (in jeans and t-shirt, with “a wisdom quote”) with gelled hair, looking anxious, as I got to know later that his interview was scheduled next days. To making himself ready for the interview. He approached me, as I was coming out after the interview and after my dose of recently got knowledge and expert opinion on how to face that interview board and what to prepare for, he asked me for my email id. I took out my visiting card (I was working for a Computer Education Center) handed to him. A glance at the card, he was looking at me, like he was seeing Michael Jackson in Dhoti Kurta or for that matter, Adnani Sami doing break dance.. . Are you from Bihar ? Yes. And you have internet connection in Bihar ?? I just looked at his face there was no sign, which can indicate that he was going to disgest a positive answer..
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