2 months ago I went to visit the house I grew up in Malleshwaram,Bangalore. With few changes, the locality was still the quintessential middle class extension of Malleshwaram that nourished the dreams and aspirations of many like me, albeit now with a new name. The new name, ‘Sudhindra Nagar’ from a few years ago, is Indian all right, but for many residents–past and present, it couldn’t be more alien. It’s anglicized predecessor ‘Swimming Pool Extension’ is still dear to many — me included.

Why was this called ‘Swimming Pool Extension’ ? Not many have a clue and I am no exception. The closest water body to the extension, a ‘Dodda Mori’(Big Sewer) near the Dattatreya temple road is no pool ! The nearest public swimming pool being miles away in Sadashivnagar and a different variety of a pool, for donkeys if you will — a dhobhi ghat, in Vyalikaval could not be the sources of inspiration either. Whatever the reasoning, it was called ‘Swimming Pool Extension’ and few had issues with it.

As I look back to the days I spent in the locality learning the ropes of life, I cannot but question the renaming to ‘Sudhindra Nagar(a)’. In Malleshwaram, be it ‘Raman’s Corner’ or ‘Chowpatti’ or ‘Veena Stores’, you went there as it had a niche specialty in cuisine ; ‘Venus Dresses’ on 8th cross was right opposite another divine named cloth shop — ‘Bhagwan Stores’. ‘The Coconut Avenue road’ and ‘Mill Corner’ did not thumb their noses at Kannada named ‘Kodandaramapura’ and the ‘Gutthalli’ they bordered. The anglicized names have never been a problem for most people as they do realize that it is a part of the city’s history and growing up. But realization comes with thought, and thought needs grey matter. You would be hard pressed to find much of grey matter beneath those neta topis ! Brown is more what you would find. And we let these dimwits insult us by letting them tell us why this needs changed ?

In many cases of city renamings, the ‘new’ names are simply the names by which these cities have always been known in the native language : Bangalore was always Bengaluru in Kannada. So why the change in recent years ? In many other instances of renaming, people just ignore the new name while gleefully continuing to use the old names — some, like me, on purpose as a mark of protest. This attempt to re-write history just tantamounts to insulting the local history in the bargain. But it seems foolish to expect the netas to understand and respect local history.

Let’s play devil’s advocate and argue for the renaming. I will stick with Bangalore as it’s name change is still pending. Per the most popular anecdotal origins of Bangalore’s naming, a poor old woman served a starved Veera Ballala (the Hoysala king) boiled beans. The grateful King named the city “benda kaal-ooru“–city of boiled beans. Since, need for brevity combined with colonialism morphed the name to Bangalore. Let’s set aside the name for a minute and dwell on the story. A King and a stranger felt welcome in the meager environs of the old woman’s hut ; he was so touched by the hospitality that he named the city thus. When I think of that story, I am compelled to think how often would such a thing happen today ? No, I’m not asking you to imagine Wodeyar eating ‘raagi mudde‘(raagi balls) in a tenement, but how often does someone look around them, see an opportunity to make someone feel better, and follow thru ? More importantly, the netas, having sworn themselves to public servitude should grab the opportunities.

The government can apply itself and make the Bangaloreans feel better and proud of their city like no renaming can. But, they are content forgetting the essence of the story and latching onto a name that has changed since. We are losing Bangalore to a systemic decay and all that we can do is latch onto to is a name ? Sure, ‘Bangalore’ is different than what was originally christened, but is trying to push the hands of time a sensible feat ? Not to mention the cost(manpower & financial) of the renaming which would have been of better service to save many a problems that plague the city. Then there’s the hidden agenda — votes and 15 minutes of fame.

In this era of one-upmanship, thanks to U R Ananthamurthy’s suggestion, Bangalore and 10 other cities in Karnataka, and a horde of localities, sub-localities and roads are being renamed while little else changes. That’s a stupid attempt at rural vote bank appeasement. The perpetrators of that stupidity : Politicians trying to extract mileage, and a Jnanapith laureate who is inventing ways to be in the limelight are hardly opposed. The Union Ministry that is to ratify the same can stop it; but may not. Given that, one might argue it’s a day late and a dime short for opposing. It isn’t. The future will usher a new wave of renaming as well and a strong opposition may help.

I had to send a few cards for the new years recently. I did, with ‘Bangalore’ and ‘Swimming Pool Extn’ emblazoned and they reached just fine. I’m in no mood to refer either by their Ananthamurthy and ilk coerced name. It may seem futile and useless, but I’m not gunning for much sans being able to look myself in the mirror. It’s a start, and my way of saying (respectfully) ‘Mr.Ananthamurthy & gang, go to hell …’.

Since the rupee to dollar conversion provides a multiplication factor circa 40, a dollar saved is 40 rupees saved ; hardly anything you did not already know. The factor is similarly attractive in some other foreign currencies as well. This has been a strong reason for Indian nationals, and companies alike, being interested in overseas markets — yours sincerely included. I offer no other altruistic, untrue reason that intends to side swipe this gospel truth. None is needed in my opinion, for it is not a crime to pursue your dream while being rooted deeply with the mother ship. Far from jeering, NRI baiters may have a reason to thank me and my ilk. If you think this is another bored to death NRI spinning a tale. No, I’m not about to spin a tale, I sit on my tail thank you.

…get this India’s FDI(2007)-$16 billion ; NRI remittances-$29 – translating to $90 billion…

India is rising and the world is taking note. India’s ‘Foreign Direct Investments(FDI)’ has witnessed a startling surge. As compared with $16.5 billion over the whole of the 1990s at an annual average of $2.2-3.2 billion, the FDI for 2005-06 was pegged at $5.5 billion. In 2006-07, it touched $11.19 billion and for 2007, by Oct-2007, it was at $15.7 billion and climbing. It is downright stupendous when your current year investment(2007) is as much as the whole investments in the last decade pre-millennium(1990s).

In another seemingly unrelated yet relevant news, Western Union, on Jan-14 proudly opened it’s 50,000 th Agent location in India. Western Union, a provider of global money-transfer services facilitates cross-border money transfers. According to the Reserve Bank of India, India is one of the largest receivers of remittances. How much is it anyway ? And shall we compare that with the FDI we are so proud of ? Sure, how does 200% of FDI sound ? There is no typo there, the remittances were in the excess of $26.9 billion for 2006-2007. Now contrast $29+ billion with India’s 2006-07 defence budget as the fourth largest military on the planet : $20 billion. By the time you have collected your jaw from the floor to retort about the urban rural disparity in the flow, let me tell you that Western Union’s 50,000 Agent locations in India span over 5,000 cities, towns and villages. This includes more than 8,500 post offices and more than 14,000 branches of leading banks. That’s clearly not just your major metros ? And it gets even better, $30 billion is more like $90 billion !

“If the world bank is correct, every dollar remitted contributes 3 dollars to the GDP growth – which means that NRI’s are contributing to growth of almost a $ 90 billion to India’s rural economy…”

–Shekhar Kapoor the noted film maker who pursues much of his dreams overseas as in India.

Per above, the NRI funds seem to disseminate better into the rural areas than many a fancied FDIs.The common man being left out card doesn’t hold water either. Yes the IT boom and the ‘going abroad’ becoming a commonplace has created an economic imbalance. But the same has also led to the vast upwardly mobile bludgeoning middle class that has a better quality of life. Per above the myth that this boom has not helped the poor, is well, a myth at best. The McKinsey group’s detailed study takes a realistic note of the ground realities, the above included.

Relevant Excerpts from McKinsey :

“Contrary to popular perceptions, rural India has benefited from this growth: extreme rural poverty has declined from 94 percent in 1985 to 61 percent in 2005, and we project that it will drop to 26 percent by 2025..”

“The Indian middle class has already begun to evolve, and by 2025 it will dominate the cities. By then about three-quarters of India’s urbanites will be part of the middle class, compared with just more than one-tenth today….”

I have great respect for people who are driven enough to pursue their ambition, and go where it takes them. Likewise, I have profound respect for people who are grounded enough to seek those dreams from their home soil. If you will be the former vs. the latter, is more often than not, a matter of circumstance with a million other influences. To say one is, in any way better or noble compared to the other, is myopic and naive. In times when the world is getting flattened and global sourcing is an accepted norm, we need to get past the denial and onto acceptance.

When was the last time you picked up something that did not have a foreign collaboration slapped to it ? From the Colgate that starts the mornings to Suzukis-Mazdas-Volvos that ply you to software parks that cater to a largely foreign customer base via the HP-IBM-DELL desktops running Microsoft’s Windows to the Pepsis-Cokes to the the Lays chips to the ipods, you are more of a global citizen today than ever before. It is no secret that, given a sliver of chance, very many of these critics and jeerers would only be too happy to pack their suitcases and line up at the embassies. That notwithstanding, remaining germane to the issue, if ‘Foreign Direct Investment’ and ‘Non Resident Indian’ investments are key to India’s growth, and NRIs, apart from re-investing in India do influence the FDI flow as well, we ought to treat them better ? $90 billion is no chump change, and a similar phenomenon is not happening in China that is oft compared to India, and China has a bigger expat population.

NRI Indians have a very strong sense of bonding with the mother ship and this helps India. If the remittances cannot make a believer out of you, just look at any popular site’s sitemeter. The diaspora that checks in is not all domestic traffic. Nostalgia, sense of belonging or longing, sardarji jokes, Rakhi Sawant or Deve Gowda, all of the above that gets them there, is pure Indian. From the bollywood movies to the temples-mosques galore, the Indian diaspora has kept in touch with the Indian culture, despite being away and in their own way.

The above is just my view point. I’m sure there are interesting, constrasting thoughts on both sides of the sea. Let’s hear them….

Much has changed since 2004-05, when the IT Czars threatened a pullout. Not only did they come back to the city, they now have major expansion plans as well. The cultural tension between the locals and the non-locals, still exists ; but people have found a way around it. Bad infrastructure and politics, is endured — albeit grudgingly. Was there some magic pill for all the ill ? Yes, money. Apparently there is nothing like the sound of money. Despite the problems, the city has seen an un-abated flow of foreign equity investments. With it, the IT giants realized they cannot afford to not have a major presence in Bangalore. The jobs are still abundant, the local economy is booming, malls and restaurants are sprouting everywhere. Despite the glaring issues, Bangalore is working — very well at that, and the doomsdayish predictions from 2004-05 have abated and the death knells halted.

Of late, there are other new developments among locals — a new wave of outspoken, at times brash youngsters, who, affected by the changes they saw, are vociferous about their presence. In these youngsters, there is a palpable sense of linguistic pride and Kannada usage. Changes are elsewhere too : the once defunct Kannada movies is seeing a golden run — probably not seen since the glorious days of Puttanna Kanagal ; Kannada TV serials have iconic following ; art expos like ‘chitra santhe‘ have sprouted ; FM stations have a mixture of offerings, Kannada included ; when pushed back by non-Kannadigas, the local youth is fighting back — was not the case 5-6 years ago. This is seen as a much needed antidote to the city that has endured the BYTE’ing. Among the locals : veterans, youngsters and everyone in between included, seem to approve of this quasi-cultural awakening.

The Kannada awakening, culminating with outspoken demeanor : Orkut groups like ‘Gaanchali Bidu Kannada Maatadu‘ have created a sense of realization in the non-Kannadiga populace. They seem to get the need to blend in. Many cities would cringe with a 70% non-local population and Bangalore is no different. Bangalore has always had the reputation of being a cosmopolitan city ; it still is, else, it would not have been hospitable to the massive influx (and we are far from seeing the end of it).

Dwelling on the cultural/linguistic rift, why does it exist ? When threatened by a loss of identity in their own backyard, local populace views non-locals as outsiders thus forcing the local culture to stand up and show spine. That’s what is happening in Bangalore. Increased and vocal dis approvals, many rightly so, as in the case of Railways conniving to stack it’s offices in Karnataka with Biharis, and some, not rightly so, like reservations in software sector for locals (quite rightly rejected by the Czars), have increased. There is a definitive shift in the status-quo.

When a culture opens it’s doors, voluntarily or by the compulsions of economics, the onus is on the emigres to acknowledge the gesture, blend in and be a part of it’s success. Most countries mandate that. Why should it be any different when it is between states of India, where the cultures-language-cuisine is so different as in say, two European countries ? When you decide to come live in a different culture, is it too much to expect that you blend in and not stick out like a sore thumb ? If you do stick out, and more so as a group unto itself and hence a clenched fist rather — not just a sore thumb, with scant disregard for the host’s feelings, it is bound to stress the cultural fabric, no matter how venerable or how evolved the culture is. You see these fissures in Karnataka-TN or Maharashtra-Gujrat or USA-Mexico. Hence the quote, when in Rome, be a Roman..

There is no doubt, the non-locals ought to do more in Bangalore : blend in, learn the basics of the new culture, treat this as their home and not a pit-stop/alien land. Some signs of that happening are evident. We Kannadigas can do better as well. The Kannada awakening was much needed and is good. But we need to control the tone of it. I would much rather say ‘Jamba bidu Kannada Maatadu’(discard the false pride, learn Kannada) than a ‘Gaanchali Bidu Kannada Maatadu’(discard the arrogance, learn Kannada — though seemingly innocuous, gaanchali is oft used with prefixes that makes it potent, hence the disdain..). We are better than that.

Yes, there are changes, some for the better, some for the worse. But change is the only thing that’s constant. I believe most people in our country are fair and, are cognizant of the fact that, they, have a mutual stake in the success of one another. Given the above inevitability, there is an underlying dormant sense of camaraderie that needs tapped. Once done, it furthers individual development while contributing to the growth of our nation. We Bangaloreans, locals and non-locals included, have been the beacons of change in Software, Hardware and Bio-tech arenas. We can, again, be the change that unfurls the melting pot of India — Bangalore, and, be proud of it. All of this, without losing our identity or individuality – The whole being greater than the sum of parts.

Passing the baton, the short-lived ‘peak hour’ bustle, would lead into a warm mid morning calm. As the postman did his rounds, retirees perused the newspapers on their patios, soaking in the morning’s tender sun. Ladies bartered sugar, coffee and gossip standing across the compound walls in the shade of the omnipresent coconut trees. Selling his interesting wares, a hawker or two would often lead to an emergency session of the street Parliament — cartels formed, deals negotiated, decisions made and the news of a good buy reaching the other end of the street in seconds ! Life was easy. The whistle of the pressure cooker, often the spoiler of such fun, ushered the lunch hour. Fresh cooked anna, saaru, palya would fill the noon air. Bon-Appetite. Lunch made way for a calmer afternoon good till the kids came running home.

Evenings were never dull either : kids playing at street corners ; teenagers chatting away endlessly at the front gates ; walks on Sampige or Margosa roads ; idyllic meetings of seniors in Jayanagar-4th block complex; savoring panipuriat Ramakrishna Ashram or Seshadripuram ; the street market bustle of Malleshwaram 8th cross or Gandhi Bazaar, evenings had their share of simplistic fun before a staple of TV and dinner. There was much to be happy about in this predictable, chaos free simplicity.

Though a generalization, Bangaloreans have always loved simplicity. They take great pride in their simple happiness pursuits. Simple, polite, family oriented are some qualities that are a commonplace in Karnataka as the Bisibele Bhath, Kodubale and Akki Rotti. Do not let the unassuming simplicity fool you, for quite a few successful people hail from Bangalore — after all, the software boom did not happen by itself.

Even in the most famous of it’s sons, Kannadigas have a sense of obeisance to an inner discipline and simplicity. To me, a prime example is Anil Kumble : while playing, he is one of the more grittier and determined cricketers our country has seen (remember his fractured jaw strapped into place by a thick bandage, an injured Kumble, returned to claim Lara’s wicket in the Windies tour of 2002 ), while off the field, he is possibly the nicest, most unassuming person you will meet. Kannadigas bring that attitude and charm to what they do.

The non-stoic stance, the welcoming nature, beautiful weather, abundance of scientific brainpower and the cost arbitrage to outsource led to a steady flow of traffic — of software companies. MNCs and software companies, people who wanted to be in these companies, their vehicles and their baggage in tow(emotional & cultural), made a beeline for Bangalore — cumulatively changing it for ever. This influx led to the software wave, crowning Bangalore as the numero-uno of the Indian software hubs — ‘The Silicon Valley of India’. This gold rush had not gone unnoticed and there was a huge stream of people trickling into Bangalore from various parts of India. Local businesses and non-local job aspirants alike benefited from this growth and wealth. Seemed like a win-win situation — till it got out of hand. With the crown and the wealth, came woes : uncontainained traffic, soaring real estate prices, failing infrastructure and, last but not the least — a melange of people.

Per reliable estimates, only 30 per cent of Bangalore’s residents speak the local language, Kannada, today. The last decade of IT boom that put Bangalore on the global map, also made it a city dominated by non-localites. There is, of course, no justification for saying that any region of India be inhabited by members of one linguistic community only, in case of Bangalore, the Kannadigas(and all it’s flavors). But often the reality is too twisted to be framed to such idealistic frameworks.

Very many of the new entrants did not do much to help the situation either. For most parts, they chose to live in their own groups, often not blending with the locals or picking up basics of Kannada ; thanks in part to a lack of need for it and, in part due to a misguided sense of linguistic pride — picking up Kannada tantamounting to reduced allegiance to their mother tongue. When in a new city, there is hardly any bad in seeking people who hail from your hometown — it is almost second nature. The problem started when these groups became vocal and abrasive to the extent that it made the locals feel unwelcome in their localities.

Early 90s set the stage for the future things to come when the discontentment poured into the streets during the Cauveri water disputes . The water dispute was the last straw and a reason. Violence marred the city. Chennai returning the favor, just added to the fire. The tension is very much alive even today and flows in the moment water levels in Cauveri recedes.

Like I have stated, many a times : ‘Politicians are like diapers — almost always full of crap ; if not, it’s just a matter of time’. Among these politicians, Karnataka is blessed with the worst of their ilk. Add to this, the woes of traffic congestion, rising real estate prices, bridges and flyovers built where one was not needed and eventually ending up impeding the traffic flow (after construction dragging on for years), IT Czars threatening to walk out on the city and the state. It was chaos.

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Was it just chaos or, was it the sound of Bangalore’s death knell ? Is Bangalore BYTE’ing the dust? Read on in part-2 ..

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