Ramakanth is a 62 year old man who has been fighting a case for his land for the last 17 years. The case is still on – but he is too weak to fight now. Too weak in body and too weak in spirit. He is seriously unwell and is not sure if the case will see closure during his lifetime. His family is also clueless of what will happen.
Ramakanth is not alone. Actually he is one of 3.5 crore Indians who have a case pending in court.
Consider this.
The average time to resolve a case in India is 15 years!
There is a backlog of 3.56 crore of cases – 50,000 in the Supreme Court itself – the highest in the history of our country. And increasing by the hour.
There are millions of under-trials languishing in our jails – just waiting for their case to come up to be heard – even though many maybe innocent. Many stay in jail much beyond what the maximum sentence for their crime would be (if convicted).
Our judicial system is creaky – just like the rest of our infrastructure.
Now consider this.
If you see the Supreme Court’s calendar for 2010 on their official website, there are 137 official holidays for 2010!!!! That amounts to 4.5 months of vacation in 2010 - even my 9 year old daughter seems to put in more hours at school than our esteemed courts!!! Unbelievable. And so what if crores of fellow Indians are languishing – waiting for our judicial system to show up.
Plus our courts work “court hours” – that means our country’s judicial infrastructure is idle for almost 2/3rd of the time – just a 33% utilization! What a gross under-utilization of precious national asset – specially with such a huge backlog which is increasing by the hour.
But wait, there is more.
Apparently, we have only around 14,000 appointed judges – as opposed to a sanctioned number of around 19,000 – so we are a whopping 5000 judges short – even though we have the budget to hire these! Forget about actually increasing the 19,000 number by another 10,000 to catch up with the backlog problem. Various state governments have brushed aside increasing this strength – citing paucity of funds! This is not on anyone’s priority. Wouldn’t it be good if our states and governments would compete to top on this front as much as they compete for financial investments.
I think if there was an Olympics gold medal – India would definitely be the undisputed leader in this category. Or a Nobel award. Or any award for that matter.
For an aspiring emerging super-power and the world’s largest democracy, our judicial system is in shambles and needs a serious re-haul – urgently. Our country definitely deserves better. Interestingly, our enterprising media does not report or push this stuff strongly – it does not seem to be on anyone’s agenda.
Our Law Minister Mr. Moily has certainly been making the right statements around judicial reforms recently and I sincerely hope he succeeds in doing whatever he says he is planning to do. But as always, there is always a slip between cup and lip – specially in politics – and very specially in our Indian politics.
Mr. Moily has been talking about reducing the pendency of cases from 15 years to 3 years.
He is talking about establishing 5000 additional courts and working in 3 shifts – which is a great idea. Of course, I hope he can find money from our esteemed Finance Minister to fund these. In India, we seem to have a very siloed approach to “planning” (anything) – like for example, the Bangalore airport got ready but our planners forgot about getting decent connectivity and roads in time! That is “another project” altogether! And of course, in our country, everyone can get away with this kind of stuff.
Mr. Moily is also talking about ramping up hiring of judges – not only back-filing the vacancies but hiring additional numbers.
And also mandating a time limit for judges to give verdicts – so cases cannot just drag along for the flimsiest of reasons.
He is also pushing the use of technology like laptops and video conferencing etc.
He is also focused on more transparency and accountability of the judiciary – more disclosures and clearer impeachment procedures in case of taints.
All great thoughts and ideas – simple and potent.
20 years ago, Dr Manmohan Singh unleashed our economic reforms in 1991 – and that changed our country forever. 20 years later, Mr. Moily has a chance to do an encore on the judicial front!
Our country definitely deserves much better than what we have today.
We need you to make this happen Mr. Moily Sir!
“Aaal is not well”.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Monday, February 8, 2010
The Decade of the Khans
Last week, I was on my way to Denver for a client meeting. I would have to travel about 60 hours for a single 60 minutes meeting! But that's life.
Due to the short notice, I was booked on Emirates (not on my customary Lufthansa:-)). This was the first time I was flying Emirates and also flying via Dubai. As I settled in my business class seat it was very apparent that this was best in class. The entertainment options were the best that I have ever seen. Plus food was also great. Service was great. There were a plethora of Indian newspapers and Indian magazines as well. I saw one which had Amir Khan's picture on the cover and said he was the greatest star - his last 5 movies grossing more than 500 crores - which is unprecedented.
We landed in Dubai at very odd hours and I started walking groggily to find my way to my next flight. Dubai airport is a very interesting airport - I had heard quite a bit about it before I saw it. I could not see my flight listed and it directed me to go to some other gates for all other flights (mine being one of the "all other flights"). As I walked from one screen to another I found my flight and my gate. Then I dragged myself to that and had to cross security.
I stood half sleepy in the security line and there was a guy right next to me in another line - just about 2-3 foot away - a guy who strangely seemed very familiar. I loooked at him - half sleepily and couldnt place him. He was a little shorter than me, wore a cap and had a jacket on - very fair and good looking. Suddenly I found that I was just looking at him and and he kept looking back - it was becoming awkward but my eyes were locked and my mind was trying to debug. Then enlightenment stuck. I just smiled sheepishly at the guy and said "Hi". Amir Khan smiled back and said "Hi". That was it. We stood side by side for about 10 minutes or so. No words exchanged. No glance exchanged. And then we went our way.
And I thought about the 500 cr guy. What a story! Being an avid movie guy, I wondered what is it about the Khans that made them dominate the movie industry -the last decade is clearly the decade of the Khans. But who is my Khan of the decade? A very difficult choice to make given the classy stuff that these guys have dished out to die-hard movie buffs like me.
Lets start with Amir. Dil Chahta hai (2001) was a cult movie. I have seen it a zillion times and it still has class and freshness that is umparalled. One of the all time best movies that I have seen. Then came Fanaa (2006) which was also racy and crisp. Kajol was fabulous. And also Rang De Basanti (2006) which was fabulous - great star cast and great music and crsiply done. Tare Zameen Par (2007) got everyone raving - and while I liked the movie, there was something that I didn't like. Don't know what - but there is. Ghanjni (2008) was interesting and a huge hit - but I didn;t quite like it - not my kind. Of course 3 Idiots (2009) is an all time great. No words can describe it.
Amir has a golden touch recently in picking his movies. Everything is meaningful. And he has had unprecedented sucess at the box office. But I cannot help but think that Amir cannot carry off a movie all on his own. He needs a supporting cast which is fabulous. Dil Chahta hai had the classy Akshay Khanna and Saif. Taare Zameen Par really belonged to the little boy. Rang De Basanti had a great star cast - and Amir was one of them - not even necessarily the best. Ditto with 3 Idiots - all other performances were equally strong. Fanna had Kajol coming out much better than Amir. So to me, Amir's success is more about choosing great scripts but he needs a lot of support to pull it through. Think about the last solo Amir Khan movie which was a huge draw. Its always a team effort. Nothing wrong with it. Just an observation.
Then Saif Ali Khan - a very interesting decade for him too. He has clearly cast himself a niche - which nobody else can occupy. Hum Tum (2004) was a cult movie - one of the all time bests and Saif was fantastic in it. He was also very impressive in Omkara (2006) in a role which was very contra to what he normally does - but he carried it off very well. And then Race (2008) was fantastic as well - but more of a director's movie than anyone elses. And I simply loved Love Aaj Kal (2009) - and I know most people don't find too many takers for it. Don;t forget he was one of the three in Dil Chahta hai as well. Kurbaan tanked - but Saif was very restrained and cool. To me Saif will only become better as time goes on. He has found himself and seems to be a lot more sure about himself now than he ever was. Plus he has also turned producer. I personally like him a lot.
Salman Khan - the less said the better. Stuff like Partner and Wanted are beyond me. All the other movies that he does are totally mind boggling and further beyond me. But he has a tremendous fan following which is again beyond me.
That brings me to SRK. He was cool in Devdas (2002) and was spectacular in Swades (2004) - in my opinion one of his best efforts. He totally rocked for me in Don (2006) - although Don was more of a Farhan Akhtar movie than anybody elses. Kabhi alvida Na Kehna (2006) - love it or hate it - I would simply pass it. Om shanthi Om (2007) is hard core bollywood and I just loved it. One of my all time favorites. Of course it was as much the other Khan;'s movie as well - Farah Khan. That was followed by Chak De (2007) - a cult movie and to me Shah Rukh's best. Totally awesome. Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi was a big hit in India and I cannot understand why - to me its one of the worst movies that SRK has done. I am looking forward to My Name is Khan.
All said and done, this has been the decade of the Khans. From a pure numbers perspective, Amir Khan is king but then as Farhan Akhtar says in Luck By Chance, "Numbers are for accounts, I am an actor". So Numbers are for accounts, I am a diehard movie fan - and for me the Khan of the Decade, in the decade of the Khans is Shah Rukh. He tugs at our hearts in a way that nobody else does (in my opinion).
And the number two for me is actually Saif!
Due to the short notice, I was booked on Emirates (not on my customary Lufthansa:-)). This was the first time I was flying Emirates and also flying via Dubai. As I settled in my business class seat it was very apparent that this was best in class. The entertainment options were the best that I have ever seen. Plus food was also great. Service was great. There were a plethora of Indian newspapers and Indian magazines as well. I saw one which had Amir Khan's picture on the cover and said he was the greatest star - his last 5 movies grossing more than 500 crores - which is unprecedented.
We landed in Dubai at very odd hours and I started walking groggily to find my way to my next flight. Dubai airport is a very interesting airport - I had heard quite a bit about it before I saw it. I could not see my flight listed and it directed me to go to some other gates for all other flights (mine being one of the "all other flights"). As I walked from one screen to another I found my flight and my gate. Then I dragged myself to that and had to cross security.
I stood half sleepy in the security line and there was a guy right next to me in another line - just about 2-3 foot away - a guy who strangely seemed very familiar. I loooked at him - half sleepily and couldnt place him. He was a little shorter than me, wore a cap and had a jacket on - very fair and good looking. Suddenly I found that I was just looking at him and and he kept looking back - it was becoming awkward but my eyes were locked and my mind was trying to debug. Then enlightenment stuck. I just smiled sheepishly at the guy and said "Hi". Amir Khan smiled back and said "Hi". That was it. We stood side by side for about 10 minutes or so. No words exchanged. No glance exchanged. And then we went our way.
And I thought about the 500 cr guy. What a story! Being an avid movie guy, I wondered what is it about the Khans that made them dominate the movie industry -the last decade is clearly the decade of the Khans. But who is my Khan of the decade? A very difficult choice to make given the classy stuff that these guys have dished out to die-hard movie buffs like me.
Lets start with Amir. Dil Chahta hai (2001) was a cult movie. I have seen it a zillion times and it still has class and freshness that is umparalled. One of the all time best movies that I have seen. Then came Fanaa (2006) which was also racy and crisp. Kajol was fabulous. And also Rang De Basanti (2006) which was fabulous - great star cast and great music and crsiply done. Tare Zameen Par (2007) got everyone raving - and while I liked the movie, there was something that I didn't like. Don't know what - but there is. Ghanjni (2008) was interesting and a huge hit - but I didn;t quite like it - not my kind. Of course 3 Idiots (2009) is an all time great. No words can describe it.
Amir has a golden touch recently in picking his movies. Everything is meaningful. And he has had unprecedented sucess at the box office. But I cannot help but think that Amir cannot carry off a movie all on his own. He needs a supporting cast which is fabulous. Dil Chahta hai had the classy Akshay Khanna and Saif. Taare Zameen Par really belonged to the little boy. Rang De Basanti had a great star cast - and Amir was one of them - not even necessarily the best. Ditto with 3 Idiots - all other performances were equally strong. Fanna had Kajol coming out much better than Amir. So to me, Amir's success is more about choosing great scripts but he needs a lot of support to pull it through. Think about the last solo Amir Khan movie which was a huge draw. Its always a team effort. Nothing wrong with it. Just an observation.
Then Saif Ali Khan - a very interesting decade for him too. He has clearly cast himself a niche - which nobody else can occupy. Hum Tum (2004) was a cult movie - one of the all time bests and Saif was fantastic in it. He was also very impressive in Omkara (2006) in a role which was very contra to what he normally does - but he carried it off very well. And then Race (2008) was fantastic as well - but more of a director's movie than anyone elses. And I simply loved Love Aaj Kal (2009) - and I know most people don't find too many takers for it. Don;t forget he was one of the three in Dil Chahta hai as well. Kurbaan tanked - but Saif was very restrained and cool. To me Saif will only become better as time goes on. He has found himself and seems to be a lot more sure about himself now than he ever was. Plus he has also turned producer. I personally like him a lot.
Salman Khan - the less said the better. Stuff like Partner and Wanted are beyond me. All the other movies that he does are totally mind boggling and further beyond me. But he has a tremendous fan following which is again beyond me.
That brings me to SRK. He was cool in Devdas (2002) and was spectacular in Swades (2004) - in my opinion one of his best efforts. He totally rocked for me in Don (2006) - although Don was more of a Farhan Akhtar movie than anybody elses. Kabhi alvida Na Kehna (2006) - love it or hate it - I would simply pass it. Om shanthi Om (2007) is hard core bollywood and I just loved it. One of my all time favorites. Of course it was as much the other Khan;'s movie as well - Farah Khan. That was followed by Chak De (2007) - a cult movie and to me Shah Rukh's best. Totally awesome. Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi was a big hit in India and I cannot understand why - to me its one of the worst movies that SRK has done. I am looking forward to My Name is Khan.
All said and done, this has been the decade of the Khans. From a pure numbers perspective, Amir Khan is king but then as Farhan Akhtar says in Luck By Chance, "Numbers are for accounts, I am an actor". So Numbers are for accounts, I am a diehard movie fan - and for me the Khan of the Decade, in the decade of the Khans is Shah Rukh. He tugs at our hearts in a way that nobody else does (in my opinion).
And the number two for me is actually Saif!
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