Thursday, February 01, 2007

couple of additional views on tata-corus

jan 31st, 2007

the indian investor has said a loud 'no!' to the acquisition, beating tata steel stock down 11%, no doubt troubled that tata paid too much. which may well be true. bidding wars are bad business.

http://news.independent.co.uk/business/comment/article2204149.ece

but tata steel has come through some seriously rough times mostly based on the fact of tata's integrity and sense of purpose. they have got the employees -- in almost japanese style -- to get with the program and be partners rather than the usual striking malcontents steelworkers are often stereotyped as.

i think the jury is out on this one, although tata was forced to pay a very hefty premium indeed. for a conservative company, this is a big one. the benefit is that it got tremendous brand exposure, although that may or may not be something they wanted. if it falls flat on its face, the tata brand will survive, but it will have some egg on its face. however, we had doubts about tata's ability to build a small car, and they sure showed us, didn't they?

i have a lot of respect for tata's ethics and integrity. this is one good company. and the good guys do win now and then.

something more general about the rise of india

http://news.independent.co.uk/business/comment/article2204135.ece

3 comments:

Kalidasa said...

Whoever sent it to me is right. Our TV Channels don't know what to prioritize? may be the Public wants JUICY / SPICY news about Bollywood. Now a days (even after three days) media is covering only one news that is "Ash - Abhishek pre-engagement Ceremony".

Read it and kindly forward it to as many Indians as possible. Let us at least publicize this news, which our famed media failed to do.
Major Manish H Pitambare, we are really proud of you. We salute your braveness which will make us live in peace in the future.

Star versus 'Star'

The body of Major Manish Pitambare, who was shot dead at Anantnag, was cremated with full military honours at Thane on Wednesday
On Tuesday a news swept across all the news channels 'Sanjay Datt relieved by the court'. 'Sirf Munna Not a bhai' '13 saal ka vanvaas khatam' 'alhough found guilty for possession of armory, Sanjay can breath sigh of relief as all the TADA charges against him are withdrawn'
And then many experts like Salman khan saying 'He is a good person. We knew he will come out clean' Mr. Big B 'Datt family and our family have relations for years he's a good kid. He is like elder brother to abhishek'. His sister priya Datt 'we can sleep well tonight.it's a great relief'
In other news, Parliament was mad at Indian team for performing bad; Greg chapel said something ...; Bomb scare in gorakhpoor express; and Shah Rukh Khan replaces Big B in KBC and Sonia asked PM to consider reducing petroleum prices (I wonder who's the PM .anyways that is not the topic so leave it.) But most of the emphasis was given on Sanjay Datt's "phoenix like" comeback from the ashes of terrorist charges.
Surfing through the channels, one news on BBC startled me, it read, Hisbul Mujahidin's Most wanted terrorist 'Sohel Faisal' killed in anantnag, India. Indian Major leading the operation lost his life in the process. Four others are injured.
It was past midnight , I started visiting the foolish Indian channels, the ones who are 'Sabse TEZ', but Sanjubaba was still ruling. They were telling How Sanjubaba pleaded to the court saying 'I am the sole bread earner for my family' 'I have a daughter who is studying in US who will look after her'. And then they showed how sanjubaba was not wearing his lucky blue shirt while he was hearing the verdict. Also how he went to every temple and prayed for last some months. A suspect in Mumbai bomb blasts, convicted under armory act...was being made into a hero.
Sure Sanjubaba has a daughter; sure sanjubaba did not do any terrorist thing as in bombing some place or hijacking an airplane etc. Possessing an AK47 is considered too elementary in terrorist community and also one who possesses an AK47 has a right to possess a pistol so that again is not such a big crime; Sure sanjubaba went to all the temples; Sure he did a lot of gandhigiri but then..., people. please read on...
Major Manish H Pitambare got the information from his sources about the terrorists' whereabouts. Wasting no time he attacked the camp killed the Hisbul mujahidin's suprimo and in the process lost his life... To the bullets fired from an AK47..
He has a wife and a daughter (just like sanjubaba), age ...18 months.
Major Manish never said 'I have a daughter' .before he took the decision to attack the terrorist hide out in the darkest of nights?
He never thought about having a family and he being the bread earner
No news channel covered this since they were too busy hyping a former drug addict, an actor in real and reel life, a suspect who's linked to bomb blasts which killed hundreds. Their aim was to show how he defied the TADA charges and they were so successful that his conviction in possession of armory had no meaning. They also concluded that his parents in heaven must be happy and proud of him..
Parents of Major Pitambare are still on this earth and they have to live rest of their lives without their beloved son. His daughter won't ever see her papa again.
Finally, to my generation there is no greater hero than one who laid his life in the name of this great nation.

Kalidasa said...

Rajeev,

I havent been actively readin and saw this email from a friend aptly titled "Is Indian media Sleeping"

It is a sad thing - are we turning out to be a nation of imitators and impostors?

When will information like this become mainstream? Whne will the heroes be sung?

iamfordemocracy said...

I am glad someone has noticed the part the media is playing in killing the national ethos. In fact, some media houses are doing worse than just blocking out some news items. Readers of this blog might be familiar with the Maoist menace and some of Arun Shourie's articles about the same. It seems MP and Chattisgarh government initiated the Salwa Judum (essentially, these camps provide safe roofs for the tribals terrorised by Maoists) scheme to thwart the Maoists. NDTV now seems to be carrying out an
active campaign to show Salwa Judum in poor light by showing malnutrition is rampant in those camps.

This is what my friend saw (and noted down) a few days ago. Reportedly, one viewer of NDTV sent this text.

Quote Malnutrition is a social issue. This is the result of the Hindu Social Order. This has been exploited for thousand years. We have to get to the root of the problem and the results will follow Quote.

This is a classic example of throwing mud on the one who ventures out to help the poor souls trapped in political crossfire. Also, NDTV continues its emotional blackmail by showing some or other Kashmir civilian who suffered at the hands of officials/police/military.

We fools keep watching NDTV and STAR increasing their revenues and aiding our future killers. The Shilpa Shetty episode has introduced to us the power of public opinion. Will we ever be able to allign ourselves and teach a lesson to some of the clearly anti-national and antisocial media channels?