Harvard's hot destination

Indian breed of politicians are a class apart, with unique character traits.

Harvard University, that hallowed, most sought after destination for students from across the globe that produces Nobel Laureates with unfailing regularity seems to have widened its horizons in its perpetual quest for knowledge and pursuit of excellence.

India appears to be a hot destination for students and researchers from Harvard to conduct on the spot studies in areas like team management, logistics, economics etc.

First to attract their attention was the perfection of Mumbai’s Dabbawallas who deliver thousands of lunchboxes to office goers everyday. Collecting the boxes from the houses, sorting them out at central locations, transporting them across the megapolis by the local trains and delivering them at the correct location with stunning precision. The entire flow was a practical lesson to the students for ‘supply chain management’.

Next it was the Indian Railways that saw Harvard brains wondering at the turnaround in the fortunes of this behemmoth. Under Lalloo Prasad Yadav’s ministrations, the railways, not unlike the cows in Lalloo’s house, with bovine obedience and placidity, started yielding profits that left it with a cash surplus.

And now, it’s the Kumbh Mela. This  largest congregation of human beings anywhere on earth, with its mind boggling logistical arrangements and economic fallout will be seeing Harvard study groups descending on India.

To keep this stream of interest in India alive and in full flow, another area of possible focus for Harvard suggests itself, particularly in areas like human psychology, brain mapping, mass hypnotism and public relations. It is the behavior of Indian politicians.
No, politicians are not the same everywhere. The Indian breed is a class apart, with certain unique character traits. Maybe it is some genetic malfunction, like convoluted chromosomal placements. Its makes them so ravenous for publicity that they see an opportunity even in death.

A religious leader passes on and the whole city is plastered with ‘Bhavapurna Shraddhanjali’ posters, with the images of the local politician and his bunch of followers proclaiming to the world their grief. What’s the use of weeping alone? The world must know about this deluge, mustn’t it? What are festival times, if not for sharing happiness? ‘Subhashayagalu’ acquires a special flavour, especially, if a ‘white and white’ politician, starched khadi shirt’s first button open to reveal a gold chain thick enough to tie up an elephant, with matching bracelet, white footwear, forehead blazing with religious marks and wrist teeming with holy threads, stylishly striding with his I-Phone held aloft greets you from that poster. There they pose alongside Swami Vivekananda, exhorting us to follow his ideals, never mind about their own ‘Viveka’.

‘Ananda’ is more important. They lead, we follow. They wave their hands and weave their magic to create heaven on earth for us. No Harvard Nobel Laureate can do this. Politicians must be seen and heard, that is all that matters. This is one study that is sure to see Harvard’s brains gape in awe and amazement!