Statistics, arithmetic and economics of living in modern world- Part 1

We lived in the simple world in eighties and  nineties not to stress ourselves with the figures, we were simply enamored of the figurine and Hollywood was opening for the Indian diaspora with the advent of Satellite TV. We grew up in the days of knowing each other personally in the real world unlike today when connecting in the virtual world that matters.

80's -The decade that was

We literally lived with the aphorism that each one of us were equal when a cagey political divided whole of India with Mandal commission, the first statistic of our adolescent years was disgraceful, the idea was first mooted in the constitution but the intention was  diabolical. 49% reservation, first time in our life we came to know some of our friends as SC, ST, OBC, Creamy layer and General. The heart was divided and the distinction was excruciating. The facade of friendship has the underlining of realization of the constitutional status of an individual, it fostered antipathy. Hail the chief wrecker of who made me realize the inequality among the equal.

India winning the 83 world cup cricket, Moscow Olympics game gold in hockey and the permanent space that the "Idiot box" carved for itself, many of us seeing the TV for the first time when parent bought it to see live telecast of the funeral of Ms. Gandhi

90s- The pendulum of hope, despair

The early 90's introduced us to the term called "economic liberalization" only to later know that it benefited the crooks and the the politicians alike with little accountability, the growth and any such coexistence of the notion and intention were mere hearsay. Harshad Mehta wrecked havoc by stock manipulation in collusion with banks and some politicians, around a sum of Rs 4000 crore was mulcted. We also learn to drive our first Maruti 800 and Hero Honda CD SS, the petrol rose from Rs 12 to Rs 30 as a result of the gulf war, the words like pasta and pizza were the new appendages to the euphemism of embracing the notion of global citizen sans its true value.

Those were days when I first came to know of IIM graduates who became the blue eyed boys of the corporate world, their 6 figures pay packages were the subject matter of many a great debate, envy and veneration but they were like to stay the the top of the curve and thus began the story of great Indian middle class. Their aspirations drove the marketing and sales policy of several companies who tailored their product and services to the burgeoning urban populace, the cities exemplified the myth of prosperity and financial jurisprudence. 

This post of mine does not provide solution to any specific problem but more emblematic of our lives through decades of unprecedented changes in Indai; hence it is Indiacentric. This posting is good read and if any of you wish to post questions to me specific to problem, challenges and otherwise at your home or workplace, you can share the same here. Sometime people are lot more analytical, forthcoming and offer better practical judgement than the books, the choice is yours, until then happy reading as I prepare the second and concluding part of this post.