Friday, November 12, 2021

Power Trip

Is this a power trip? 

Wall Street Journal reporter wrote an article about Indian Bureaucracy. I think in the year 1990. I am not sure about the year. That reporter interviewed many Indian government employees. 

One of them was an Under Secretary in the Finance Ministry. This is what he told the Wall Street Journal reporter. I paraphrase: 

“I am an Under Secretary in the Ministry of Finance. I live in R. K. Puram (Rama Krishna Puram). I go to my office by bus. I don’t have money to buy anything after the 22nd of the month. I have to wait till I get paid on the 1st of the month. But I am proud, in my office, I can make J.R.D. Tata wait outside my office for 15 minutes."

Is this a power trip? What do you think? 

There are 2 words. I don’t know if they are Sanskrit words or Tamil words.  

Janma Saabalyam. Meaning Life Accomplishment/purpose. 

So, that Under Secretary attained his Janma Saabalyam by making JRD Tata wait outside his office for 15 minutes.

19 comments:

  1. It's all about what one think is accomplishment or power.
    I guess this person is deriving cathartic satisfaction from his "power" which sort of compensates for the lack of his financial resources.

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    1. Thanks for your comments Pradeep. Today, I learned a new word from you. Cathartic.

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  2. A perverted way of looking at one’s power..

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    1. Thanks for your comments Mr. KP. Yes. perverted way.

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  3. Power, Money, Fame... all these are addictions. People seek excess of these when they realize their inability to control their (and perhaps others') destinies. Besides, they also try to use these give a purpose and meaning to their lives...

    Destination Infinity

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    1. Thanks for your comments Rajesh. You are correct.

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  4. Its definitely not power trip, he is honest and loyal to his work... Question is if he said he can make JRD tata wait....did he actually or was he trying to make a point that .... he cannot be bought by money....

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  5. Is this Power trip? - I think so. But, I pity him. :-)

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    1. Thanks for your comments Ajeya. I also pity him.

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  6. I guess it depends on what one considers as an achievement....
    Some would deem the sincerity and honesty of doing his job a sufficient measure...

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    1. Thanks for your comments Dwiti. Yes, sincerity and honesty is definitely considered as an achievement.

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  7. I think it is Janma Sandosham (Life long happiness). Lucky JRD did not get blows from Under Secretary. Because Under Secretary is Delhi-ite and JRD is Mumbai-ite.
    The same thing will not happen with Marwaris. Under Secretary would Pochhai Mudiruppan (Covered his arse).
    Marwaris are marwaris. Always better.

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    1. Thanks for your comments Kirtivasan. I was brought up in California almost all my life. Therefore, I am not that familiar with the Indian social politics. And, don't get the meaning of a some tamil words.

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  8. Nice post. Rare are such topics. Twice I commented over this. So is the deletion.

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    1. Thanks for your comments Sarala. You said it correctly.

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