Going out to throw away flowers offered to Buddha in Summer Rain

As I was reading the lines mentioned in the title of this posting while I was in Japanese Embassy in New Delhi reading Haiku of Busan......then I was just thinking about my journey to Tokyo.

Also I reflected upon the following:
"Mark of execellent man is that he writes easily in an acceptable hand, sings agreeably and in tune and though appearing reluctant to accept when win is presses on him, is not a teetotaler.....man may excel at everything else but he has no taste for lovemaking one feels something terribly inadequate about him, as if he were a valuable winecup without a bottom."
These are the lines I read from 'Essays in Idleness' writtent by Kenko a twelth century Japanese philosopher or sage, we can say.
Then he goes ahead,"The pleasantest of all diversions is to sit alone under the lamp, a book spread out before you."

The programe of United Nations University is about one core subject of Pressing issues ahead of United Nations System and optional being 1)International Peace and Human Rights, 2)Global Change and Sustainibility and 3)International Development and Cooperation

Dealing with development, progress and evolution of change in International Organisations, starting lecture elaborated on significance and role of international non governmental and business organisations in influencing the local governments in affecting the policy and other institutional changes during this globalised consultation about different grave issues; 'Cliamate Change' being the most debateable!!!

Tracing the genesis of the formation of United Nations System, Prof. John Groom, Emiretus Prof. at University of Kent elaborated on the significance of Idea of UN and how it got generated over the decades. Governance of any international organisation is subject to power dynamics between different nations. He talked about the century starting from 1814 to 1914 when very less international instituions existed. Then, within the time frame of 1910-1940 nearly about 5, 000 organisations came into force. Thereafter, this number has been increasing rapidly and it reached upto 20, 000. These are seriously dedicated organisations whose credbile work is surpassing the initiatives of institutionalied nation-state to find sustainable solutions.

"Formation and later failure of 'League of Nations' contributed a major direction in regard to development of functional character of negotiation. United Nations emerged in late fiftees from the rubrics of military alliance of Britain, U.S.A and Soviet Union after the discussions at Teharan, Malta and Kairo. United Nations Charter is living political document and we cannot ignore this fact of the moment. Only thing to remember is that the document is far more flexible to accomodate the wills and wishes of the people of the member countries."

Different agreements framed from time to time(UNFCC and many other), formation of different international business associations (ITU e.g), different organisations evolved (International Court of Justice for instance) makes us realise that this world is moving away from conflict to resolution seeking approach but this initiative has to be more participative, transperent, responsible and representative.

So, new Policy making at the international podium is all about accomodating the diverse view- points Civil Society represents. This is evident by different meetings the world is having with lot of Civil Society representation in talks ranging from Rio Conference in 1992 to the coming Copenhegan meet in December 2009. This was easy to understand from Prof. Groom`s point of view that excessive nationalism in twenteeth century Europe has ruined the cooperation possibilties which were later materialised after second world war. I was lucky to witness birthday of Ravindranath Tagore on my journey day on 9th May to Tokyo who was assertive in his opposition to idea of Nationalism in solving the pressing issues ahead of the world upto his death in 1941 i.e. high time of second world war.

2008-2009 => Celebrating One Year in JNU......

“Whenever I will lay my body to rest, I should be buried
in the nearest University ‘frontyard’ where students debate,
creativity thrives, poetry germinates, movements originate,
research dominates, scholarships rule and beauty blossoms.

Despite the fact of my being a proud Hindu, I should be
buried because I want myself to remain in the
fragrance of Tulips of the Botanical Gardens of the University
where couples dance in company with each other, where dreams
nurture their souls, youth exercises, wisdom meditates,
literature is worshiped, ideals are idolized and legends are immortalized
in statues…!!!

I want to be remembered for my love for the University
rather than my writing influenced by kiss of the lips of my
sweetheart.

Let the landscape of University be my hill-station of
honeymoon after my death…Let everyone praying for peace
walk on my tomb ... let everyone realizing value of love cry
with me… let everyone trying to devote itself to nation
contemplate with me…let everyone forgetting similarity
between duty and beauty argue with me …Let me live for each
second forever even if I will be no more!!!

Some one after my death may say that "I was rascal of first class, loafer of second class,
academician of third class" but this university inspired me to say that I want to be super class human being by having my bone marrows decomposed in organic soil
of tranquil garden of knowledge.

Come share with me your dreams, your agony and your
joy. Because your every past will be having future in my novels.

You will be having every answer to your every question in my
books I will write. I am not the angel to rescue but I am
definitely a mortal compass to guide you to walk towards path
leading to light house of excellence.

Please, stay with me. Don`t go away. Allow me to write
something to transform someone`s life because I believe, my
pen is certainly mightier than the sword by all definitions
except the potential to shed the blood.

I have no regrets except one:
Burn me, not my writing! Hate me, not my poems!
Kill me, not my thoughts! Jail me, not my attitude!

I will be atomic, I will be electronic and I will be neutron,
proton, and quark in this great laboratory of University!!!

Salam-Namaste!!!”

Future of Indian Democracy largely depends on the ability of the society to create new knowledge

Founders of Indian Republic believed Future of Indian Democracy largely depends on the ability of the society to create new knowledge. This is true about Higher Education Reforms in India.

An interim draft report ‘Renovation and Rejuvenation of Universities’ which was prepared by committee headed by Prof. Yashpal, Chancellor, Jawaharlal Nehru University came up for wider informal consultation here in JNU today. This committee was established under the mandate to review, assess role of UGC & AICTE in providing institutional leadership to the emerging demands of access, equity, relevance and quality of higher education/technical education and the university system.

Hon. Vice Chancellor, Dean of various faculties, number of Professors and large number of students actively participated in the discussions about this report which originally aims to address in the problem in management of higher education sector in India. It was observed by all the dignitaries that there has been colossal neglect of higher education in last thirty forty years. A report which culminated after cumulative documentation and analytical discussion across the four regions of the country certainly provides a major opportunity for thinkers, policy makers stakeholders and decision makers to introspect what failed higher education remarks in India.

The mood in the committee was very energetic as more and more people wished to participate and record the suggestions by making the observations on institutional anomalies. Report confesses that the absence of institutionalized and well structured research on different aspects of higher education in India has lead to situation where many different kinds of perceptions and prescriptions are articulated without any supporting data and research. (Recently National Council of Applied Economic Research has come up with some significant surveys and reports which throw light on the plight of higher education systems.)

National Knowledge Commission through it`s submissions of letters and reports to Prime Minister has identified three main structural problems with Indian system, they are: lack of Access, Excellence and Expansion. Structural issues addressed by this report are holistic nature of education, curricular renovation, autonomy of academics in general and institutions in particular and desirable regulatory processes.

Emerging areas:

Opening of new, technology based work areas has created a huge demand for the training of youth on a mass scale in these fields. Indian system was not prepared for that. Report castigates both public and private educational institutions as former turned into mere certifying agency and latter becoming narrow commercial entity with very low quality. Across the forum, the manner in which hurriedly passed Act of new central universities was implemented was criticized. The consensus was that a model of JNU which is still considered best in terms of the home work done to establish a central university is not paid attention.

Small is Beautiful:

Impoverished undergraduate education was debated in details. A university must stand for both research and teaching. An efficient researcher is potentially capable teacher. This needs to be underscored with the realization that teacher makes progress when they are exposed to the inquisitiveness of the undergraduate students. As report emphasizes, “By not exposing oneself to UG level teaching, university faculty, especially senior faculty, deprives itself a rejuvenating pedagogic experience.” Prof Yashpal complements this by saying that we have to redefine the pattern of discourse.

Devil’s advocate and UGC:

Over the years the role of UGC has emerged as phenomenally distinguished to influence the progress of the higher education system. People are increasingly identifying functioning of UGC with intrusive bureaucracy, mindless regulation and commercial pressures. Report recommends establishing Higher Education Commission, a preeminent body which will look into all the issues of regulation, promotion and implementation of expert forecasting which will act as a preventive measure to avoid the crisis arising out of mismanagement.

Free and Clean Air:

Autonomy is fond word of the argument whenever higher education is debated. Report believes, ‘Autonomy ensures freedom in research and training and it is expected that the governments and the society would respect this fundamental principle. Freedom also involves autonomy to university faculties to develop their own curriculum.

Thus this new initiative regarding the creation of new model of higher education recognizes the need of enrichment and development of cultural, scientific and technical resources which is expected to be achieved in centers of culture, knowledge and research.

Committee asserts that “the need is to ‘lighten the load’ of the state universities affiliating many colleges. This can be done by freeing the better and large colleges to become independent of the university processes.

Where the monster lies: Problems of Indian Higher Education System

Prof. Yashpal was very categorical in his criticism of coaching institutions. These privately owned coaching institutions have destroyed the creativity amongst the students who are obsessive participants of the rate race of the competition prevalent to enter into some of the first class educational institutes like IITs and IIMs.

The much praised interdisciplinary method of teaching and learning is not being used upto efficient level because the lack of dialogue between different people working in diverse areas. The role of higher education in creating an institutional space for dialogue and liberal is well recognized but it`s seldom appreciated in the context of establishing norms of democratic behavior and exchange.

In a major indictment of the current execution of the administration report observes, “Outdated structures of governance have led to centralization of decision-making and low involvement of faculty and students in most policy decisions.”

With reference to increasing disparity and growing demand of quality education from vast population of country new educational institutions have to adhere to the creative and non obvious ways of teaching and learning.

Anger over Deemed Universities misusing section 3 of UGC Act.

Across the spectrum of speakers, a deep anguish was observed about the manner in which mushrooming of the deemed universities was allowed to take over the compulsions of Indian citizens aspiring for quality and affordable education. Despite admonition about the deemed universities playing the second fiddle to profiteering corporatisation rather that disseminating education to larger masses, there were some voices in the deliberation which asked the question there should be some reason how come deemed universities managed to fill the vacuum in higher education in a way created by public funded universities.

Eventually, I cite the top five priorities identified for the proposed Higher Education Commission:

• Future Directions: Developing global benchmarks on performance, research directions, articulation of needs of Human Resource Development.

• Accreditation Management: Independent system providing annual feedback to universities and organizing workshops in this regard.

• Funding and Development: Define approaches to new funding patterns, developing corpus and endowment management, loan and scholarship programs for students

• New institutions and Incubation: Cumulative training of top level officials of accounting, investment strategy, communication skills, negotiation and managing the relationship with vendors, human resource management etc.& finally

• Information and Governance: Focusing on managing data needs of commission, display of information related activities in universities with a eye on achieving accreditation

.

Entrepreneurship of Japan and Green War between Exxon Mobil & BP

"Environmentalist alone will not be able to solve the problems of environment because they do not hold the leavers of power." With these landmark observations of Mauris Strong who precided over the Earth Summit in 1992, Dr. Simone Pulver started her talk on "Greening Oil Companies: An analysis of corporate climate change strategies." She is currently Assistant Professor, Environmental Studies University of California, Santa Barbara.

Realising that the heart of climate change elicited divergent climate policy responses from the world, the response from oil multinationals. must be understood because this may provide where the strategic geopolitics is going.

She focussed her talk tracing the events beginning in 1997, when the oil industry was rent by a split between two breakaway companies, British Petroleum and Royal Dutch/Shell, who advocated for precautionary action on climate change. Amog the rest, including ExxonMobil, Chevron, and Texaco persevered their denial of the climate problem and opposition to international and domestic greenhouse gas regulation.

The issues discussed by her were having much larger canvas of form and functions of corporate globalisation. While doing this she classified pollution causing climate change in two categories-- Pollution from industrial processes and pollution from industrial products. Also, she tried to understand climate change debate focussing on hard and soft technologies contributing to the GHGs.

While throwing some light on corporate decision making patterns, she treated Economic models and Social models distinctly. In former, market pressure plays vital role while in latter uncertanlty of the future and informal networks plays a major role.

A comparative analysis of ExxonMobil, British Petroleum and Royal Dutch/Shell`s climate policy decision-making reveals that oil company interests on climate change were not dictated by operational characteristics and market forces. Rather the climate policy split in the oil industry was a result of the different scientific, regulatory, and societal networks in which the companies` leaders were embedded. This suggests the importance of information strategies in greening corporate behavior.

The war between these two corporate giants has clue to our bigger question that how far it will take to complete the promises the world has given in Quoto summit. The extent of lucrative, but pollutive resources of fossil fuel, the government regulatory policies and pressure built up by NGOs and civil socities will play a major role in coming days to create the much needed driving force to influence the cliamte change progress ahead.

Another lady who arrested the minds of JNU students in last twenty four hours is Dr. Janet Hunter who is currently Professor of Economic History in London School of Economics. She resonated our minds with the tune of 'Industrial Economy of Japan before and after first-second worrld wars.' This was primarily sketched by narrating the Japan and it`s relationship with it`s erstwhile colonies, Taiwan, Korea, parts of Manchuria etc.

Japan was heavily dependent on it`s colonies for the natural and other resources. When all the world banned the trade with it during and after the world war II, the colonies helped to sustain Japanese economy. After world war II, during the decade of 1970s Japan started to jump in it`s economic strength such that it began to influence the policy making of other countries due to it`s shear power inherent in economic aid and trade surplus.

The interesting revealations from Dr. Jenet came when I asked her about the sources of entrepreneurship in Japanese people. She contemplated for a while and then said that primarily after the end of the world war, Japanese society was strongly eyeing for indegenous development of technology and production leading towards wealth creation.

Eventhough it is true that, nationalist and altruistic spirit has contributed to the entreprenuerial spirit of Japanese citizens, but it should not be denied that adverse natural condition and strong urge of economic incentives also paid the role of driving force behind creating new age of innovative life.

She also said that polciies of occupation by US forces for many years after world war paved the way for greater economic and intellectual cooperation between these two countries. She cited legendary example of Dr. Deming who was great Statistian of that age, and was instrumental in establishing the Total Quality Management techniques in Japanese planning and management practises.

She concluded by saying that "Entrepreneurship interests me greatly, and Japan's ability to provide it historically remains conspicuous."
It was sweet coincidence, The Economist in it`s fresh issues has published a special report on Entrepreneurship.

The link is http://www.economist.com/specialreports/displayStory.cfm?story_id=13216025

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My Entry for National Knowledge Commission Essay Competition

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Title:

Need to Explore, Innovate and Communicate for realising vision of Entrepreneurial India...!!!

Link:

http://knowledgeportal.in/contests/node/321

Subject:

How can India can unleash it`s innovation and entrepreneurial potential?

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Intellectual Property Journalism: Proffession of Future

"We should increase the capacity to innovate because concept of wealth and poverty is changing all over the world. We should foster the culture of creativity. The role of media is crucial because the people have right to know. This right to know comes from our basic right of freedom of expression. Therefore journalists must try to understabnd complex, critical IPR issues in order to educate people by seperating news with views. This will definitely lead towards the upgradation of knowledge." These were the guding remarks by N.R. Madhavan Menon, founder Director of National Law School, Bhopal narrated the contemporary situation in brief. He was speaking at one day seminar organised by FICCI and DIPP in New Delhi yesterday.

Seminar started with welcome remarks by fresh Controller Geenral of Indian Patents Office P.H. Courian who narrated the progress of the Indian Patent Office. He expresses his concern that despite increase in patent filing (35, 000 last year) 80% of it was from abroad. Still it is happy development that patents filing is growing at 20%, TradeMarks at 40 % with Geographical Indications reaching 110 mark.

Continueing his very learned guidance on this issue, Dr. Nair said, "IPRs are crucial because it`s effect on scale of knowledge economy, growth and distribution of technology and it`s relation to Law and Jurisprudence. Therefore it should be remembered that IPRs with power of ICT are going to rewrite the rules of Justice in coming days. That is why the post DOHA round TRIPS negotiations are very crucial. Considering the fact that legislation as expression of public opinion, journlaist should try to evolve a debate around how IPRs can serve people`s interests. The competitive scenario after product patent regime came into force, it is compulsory for us to look ahead to the creating the mechanism of granting Utlitiy Patents. This should be done in the national interest."

" You may remember a line from Anna Karenina by Leo Tolostoy that "Happy home does not make story but broken home does !!! "Journalists are oftent found to make pitch to the editor with her reported story and sometimes due to biased sources or due to pressures of market they try to sell their story without understanding basics of Intellectual Property Rights." This was well judged observation of Pravin Anand, Managing Partner, Anand & Anand.

In his talk Mr. Pravin Anand said, "Sometimes very tall claims are made without considering the implications of the news on judiciary and policy makers. The content regulators have great responsibility because after the brainwash effect of media, people do not want to study on their due to established credibility of media platforms." He suggested new age of Innovation Journalism is needed with spotlight on success stories across the rural-urban areas.

He continued, "The children hold great potential so we should reach out for schools in a search of new ideas just like Anil Gupta has discovered six lakh ideas by his grass roots innovations. Unless and untill we respect the creative attitude and inventors there will not be a incentive to people who are coming out with new ideas. So job of Innovation Journalism is to communicate the steps between Protection, Branding, Marketing and Tie ups for greater commercialisation benefits. Eventhough many media houses lack seperate cell on Science-Technology houses, the need to write more and more on IPR issues will force them to create some kind of specialised team in coming days at the level of association of media houses."

Many issues were discussed in this seminar. One of the rare presentations was by Alka Chawla on Copyright issues. Teaching IPR in Delhi University. Alka focussed her talk on copyright issues. "Journalist are creators of their own work. Therefore it is very necessary to realise while entering into any kind of agreement following issues: a) Time Period of Agreement, b)Territory of execution c)Medium of operation ....."

She cited famous cases Anil Gupta V Kunal Dasgupta (2002), Indian Express Group V Dr Jagmohan (1985). In copyright issues of Journalist, she said many times it is not literary merit or quality of work which matters but the quantum of the work published. Ownership is on expression of ideas. In case of Journalist is in full contract then their will be split copyright of both employee and employer. In other then newspaper print media, copyright rests with the employer alone.

She expressed her concern over Section 17 of the Copyright Act being very descriminatory making Employer the first copyright owner. She appealed all the Journalistic Community to move forward for repealing of this section 17 because it is responsible for violating Right to Equality inherent in Article 14. So basically many times copyrights issues in media and publishing industry is one element of power equation in influencing opinions and market shares.

Dr. Vidya Sagar in another very forward looking presentation visualised why IP Journalism is the call of the future. Therefore to become proficient in IP related issues, a curious journalist should always keep her eyes on market developments, ongoing pathbreaking research in various fields, legislative developments(amendments), international conventions regarding technology & IPR, judicial pronouncements, implications of IPRs on specialised beats or niche areas of reporting, major controversies in patentability issues and much much more...

Eventually, there was a presentation on Commercial Aspects of IPRs in sport. This was given by Pratibha Singh. Players/athletes, manufactureres , proffessional leagues, teams, governing bodies, sport event organisors, broadcasters are involved in the game of sports using different IPRs for proffessional contracts, agreements. Players have right to publicity with their name, personality and likeness having some value associated with it. There may be conflicts between player`s brand and team`s brand. She referred to many controverses in broadcasting related issues. She also explained how ambush marketing and overriding of trademarks happens during the competitive world of sports.

Some of the cases referred by her are:
Tolley Vs. Fry (1931)
Edmund Irvine & Ors Vs Talksport Ltd (2003)
ESPN Star sports vs. Global Broadcast News Ltd (2008)
ICC Development Vs. Evergreen Service
Seven Network Vs. News Interactive

This seminar was very significant in recognising the importance of Journalist and their capactity to influence the course of Policy making.

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We are dealing with the world which is less literate in science

Background:

Last night Vijay Jawandhiya, the leader of Farmers Movement in Vidarbha was in JNU for an informal interaction with students. He along with Hon. Proffessor of . Economcs Utsa Patnaik described various reasons behind current plight of the farmers and the policy of successive governments being responsible for it.

A to Z reasons of agriculture crisis listed by Utsa Patnaik and Vijay Javandhiya last night:

a) Food Procurement Policy

b) Import and Export Duty Structures

c) Farm Credit Policies

d) Availability of wage labour to farmers

e) Class and caste divisions in farmer’s struggle movement

f) When actually suicides started and why only after entry to WTO

g) Pricing Mechanism

h) Regional disparity

i) Bias towards non-irrigated farmers

j) Flawed norms of farmer’s debt relief package

k) High ignorance of leadership about international trade patterns and provisions in treaties

l) Reversal of social contract between farmers & government which was functional upto 1990

m) No lobbying, pressure group of farmers in national policy making institutions

n) Collapse of farmer’s leadership in national political framework

o) Much needed Government intervention to protect domestic production is lacking

p) No solidarity in farmer’s community about the issues of each other

q) Capital supply in agriculture is decreasing

r) Refusal to understand that the suicides are not 'only crisis' but 'symptom of larger crisis'

s) No educated youth want to move towards agriculture

t) Subsidies given in developed world damaging the competitiveness of our farm products

u) Agriculture is state subject but all the major decisions are taken by central governments

v) Despite enormous manpower, why industrialisation of farming by GM-Biotech happening

w) Farmers are selling lands and investing in less valuable, perishable commodities

x) Rich farmers are not building physical capital out of agriculture earning

y) Bias towards unorganised class of labour and farmers

z) Lack of informed decision making

Scene cuts here...

...12 hours later

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Challenges before Biotechnology and the world are increasing and so seem the opportunities. Amidst fierce resistance across the continents as well as volume of gradually increasing success stories, the debate about viability of biotechnology as an efficient alternative to contribute to the problems of the world is entering into meaningful interaction of University level.

The venue was School of Life Sciences in Jawaharlal Nehru University and the person speaking was Clive James, Chairman and Founder of ISAAA; a organisation claiming itself a not-for-profit organization delivering the benefits of new agricultural biotechnologies to the poor in developing countries.

In a desent way of engaging humour coupled with his assertive takes on oppositions to Biotechnology, James tried to project the development agenda dominated by Biotech experiements being done across the world. According to him, public interest in biotech arrives because of a) It`s potential to provide affordable food, feed and fibre; b) It`s strength to mitigate climate change & c) To ensure global food security and hunger reduction.

He was emphasising on the need to understand difference between 'contribution' and 'solution.' Explaining it a bit further, "We have to promote knowledge based decision making. But at the same time we should remember that person in front of us has every right to take their own decision. Here word 'contribution' differes from solution".

While submitting that, Biotech is not golden bullet but at the same time he asserted the advancements done due to biotechnology all over the world during last few years due to Biotech crops:

a) Food security has achieved by increase in production of 32 million tonnes

b) Biodiversity Conservation by saving forests to the tune of 10 million hectres

c) Alleviation of poverty by empowering life of 12.3 million farmers, 90% being marginal farmers

d) Mitigation of Cliamte Change, GHG & reduction of Environmental footprint by decreasing use of pesticides by 77,000 Metric Tonn

e) More effective biofuels- 12.2 miliion Hectres in US in 08

f) Sustainable economic benefits of $ 10 billion to developing and developing countries` farmers

He presented the voyage from entry of commercial biotech industries in past, linking towards achievement of Milleium Development Goals throgh the current growth across the world. Adoption around 1996, it`s impact in contemporary world leading towards future upto 2015.

It was mandatory for him to discuss the arguments which in principle responsible for opposition of Biotech.

1) Food Safety, Labeling and Tracebility of threats

2) Gene flow, conservation of Biodiversity and Coexistence

3) Effect of non-target organisms citing example of Monarch Butterfly

4) Management of BT resistance when durability is in question

5) Restricted access and control of GM technology

6) Role of private sector and issues of IPRs

7) Ethical Considerations

8) Impact of international Trade

Although he highlighted the grey areas, his obvious emphasis on achievements and progress of Biotech agriculture was insulated from any serious discussion in detail on the criticism of this techology. He tried to visualise the future opportunites in Rice crop because majority of worlds poor population are living on rice as a dietary habit. These new varities which will drought resistant, high quality in yield, speedy breeding, faster response to more severe and rapid change are undergoing research and development in colloboration of Monsoanto, The African Agriculture Technology Foundation (AATF), The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) and The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation etc.

"When the world is drowned in information and starving of knowledge", Jones persisted by saying that future needs to have continous e flow of new and improved biotech crops with informed political will and support. Expressing concern over the complacency to oppose biotech he said, "We are dealing with the world which is less literate in science."

PostScript: France banned genetically modified crops recently.

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