Generational modifications in money

I asked one of my cousins who is five years old – where does money come from? She replied, from the ATM. This is a too obvious an answer because kids these days hardly get to see lumps of notes at home, or inside wallets. People have stopped conducting transactions in physical cash as electronic cash offers way more advantages in the digital world that we are in today. We do not know what a thousand rupee note looks or feels like. It is just a number.

Technology has certainly made our life easy. We get to live in a more relaxed environment than before. We hardly go to the bank to transfer money or to e-sevas to pay our bills. One touch and everything is done in the blink of an eye. Online banking, mobile banking, wallets and related applications make our lives terribly simple and relegate paper money into the background. Sometimes I feel that my generation does not value money like the previous generations did. “If you can transfer money with the click of a button, where is the value?” Counting cash makes you reminisce over the hard work it took to earn the money, but since we only transact virtually we miss out on a tangible relationship with the money, and we end up spending it without giving a serious thought.

Few years ago, taking a loan or being indebted to someone was considered a bad sign. Now people hardly live without a credit card or a personal loan. Taking loan for a purpose is valid but I am still sceptical about credit cards. (Credit cards allow us to purchase expensive merchandise by giving us an option to divide the payments into monthly instalments charging some amount of interest). Undoubtedly, it increases our purchasing power but how far this power is necessary is questionable.

This is my memory of money - The clinking of coins in the piggy bank was one of the happiest achievements of children in my generation. It used to take years to fill the piggy banks. For today’s children it’s not the coins that they get to put in, but notes which would usually contain a three digit number.

These days we see many browsing every available option to invest and grow money — from stocks to mutual funds to what not. Earlier people used to invest only in banks. “Why the risk? You should always play safe with money,” – an old pensioner suggests.

So the way we play with money has changed and it’s both good and bad.

Even 'SHE' Can!

“The pain of discipline is far less than the pain of regret”. 

According to me both men and women are capable of perfecting equally but the biggest limitation to this factor is that we see and hear lot of discrimination, stereotyping and prejudice which is affecting the performance of women not only in sports but also in every sphere of life. 

 Few years ago, people had a fixed perception of women that they possess qualities which are subtle in nature. They were considered emotional and sensitive so they were not allowed to play anything which needs strength or aggression. Often people even argue that the biological processes that happen in a woman’s body makes it impossible for them to perform well in sports which requires lots of physical strength. Yes, I do agree with this argument, but biological factor is not the only major thing on which one should decide about women’s performance in sports. More than biological processes concentration, hardworking and willpower play a major role which am sure even a woman can have and that too a strong one compared to men.


‘The women’s game in sports is simply not as fast and exciting as the men’s game. Who would rather watch it? It’s just the way it is. Hard to create marketing to get fans to watch a slower game’- replied by a man when asked about buying a ticket to watch women’s football. It’s a confirmation that we are in man’s world. Less publicity is given to women doing anything (other than fashion). Often the coverage which a woman star receives either concentrates on their feminity or a debate on their dressing (especially in India when it all happened on sania Mirza), or they are rather treated as sexual objects. Praise and encouragement on their sportsmanship is shown in very few cases. If more people sit and give time to watch women’s sporting events they would surely realise their talent and skill (like what was shown in Chak De India. It is absolutely right!)

Female athletes work as hard as their counterparts, yet they are never as popular as men. Most women sports stars are not offered the same endorsements as their counterparts receive. The paper and media should devote more space to women’s sports in order to let the world know that they are no less.

Men can choose sports as a profession and can dream of a living out of it, but the same is not possible with women (though law provides for equal increments). We need men who are supportive and are willing to show world that women have just as much talent as men do.

Many statistics prove to the fact that females involved in sports do much better in school and have higher self-confidence and self-image than males. But when they come out of the school females are made fun of for playing a male- oriented sport. In order to show such people their superiority women should not be ashamed of doing something they the world can truly understand equality if a team is made based on best sports persons rather than making it a gender based team.

People say women who do well have attitude, maybe they do, but I think they should. We have to believe in ourselves when no one else does- that makes us a winner in this male dominated society. Winners like Sania Mirza, , M. C MaryKom, Saina Nehwal ,P.T Usha, Karnam Malleshwari , Anju Boby George, Jwala Gutta, Pv Sindhu (and many more) proved their talent and carved a niche in sports world by showing their courage and strength. Let’s all be proud of them and support the right talent.





-insights have been taken from various other articles.

Clean India

“Cleanliness is next to Godliness.” When few of my friends returned back from US they started cribbing about how unclean our streets are and that they are never taken care of by the local government.( In India, it’s the duty of the local government to keep the streets clean). So where is the problem coming when the responsibility can be clearly seen? Is the government fulfilling its duty rightly or is it the citizens who are unable to foresee the efforts made by the government?

We Indians take pride in keeping our houses clean, but in the public places we behave in a pathetic manner. Temples are supposed to be one of the holy places. I have noticed many temples courtyards revolting with filthy dirt. Our heritage sites are also facing a threat due to littering by the tourists. The sites are getting a very ugly look as the plastic covers lie all over the place. 

This is the situation of India gate the capital's landmark site from where Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the 'Clean India Mission.

 If we cannot keep our holy places and heritage sites clean, how can we dream of changing our neighborhoods? Its high time that people change their attitude and support a good mission for a better cause.

The other day I was travelling by metro and bought a real juice can, after consuming it I had to hold it for a couple hours to find a disposal tin. This is a very common situation where citizens like me do not like littering on the streets. The new government has promised many waste bin on every street but I am yet to see them. This is the situation of a poor man – “At present we clean and put the waste in front of the door. There is no other place where we can take it. No dust bins provided, no places earmarked. Few years ago there were large waste bins. Government has removed it. So after sweeping and cleaning, where to put the waste?” One should know where to reach when hurdles come.

Our prime minister has launched a mission ‘Swacch Bharat Nirman’ which has brought a hope among citizens to dream about clean India again. (I hope it does not disappear into the air like the Ice bucket challenge.) Our health and tourism will definitely improve our nation`s GDP only if public understand that the success of any mission depends on our own efforts. It is our responsibility to maintain hygiene first and then our surroundings.

Prostitution - A new profession?

Prostitution had reduced sex to a commodity meant to be traded. Women have been pushed to treat their bodies as commodities for survival, left with no option but to make sex their profession. Legalizing prostitution in India -a supportive approach sounds encouraging nevertheless there are certain social aspects which stand as a hindrance for its progress. Indian society is not yet ready to increase its level of maturity and understanding on prostitution and it is perceived as a stigma and remains the dark side of society. We are advancing by launching Mangalyaan and are proud about it, but our thinking is still lagged behind and the society is not ready to accept the choice of minority thinkers.

 There are a number of young girls waiting for a break and willing to go to any lengths in the film industry. Few taste success but in order to maintain the glamorous lifestyle they have become accustomed to when they are left with no other option but to indulge in this ‘dhanda’.

In our society porn stars are called and are made divas, people die for actresses who sell their flesh for luxury and when an established actress is caught a huge scandal is made out of her life. Sunny Leone, popularly known for her pornographic films, has been given many projects in Bollywood and regional movies and is given all the respect in the media.

Shweta the girl who caught the nation’s attention with her award winning performance in the movie ‘Makdee’ was indicted for running a prostitution chain. She received exclusive coverage from the media but none of her clients received the same amount of media attention, they still hide behind the cover of anonymity. If selling an illegal substance is a crime then buying it is also a crime. When you punish the seller you have to punish the buyer for encouraging the seller to sell. The whole episode of her being involved in prostitution came into light as some media channel conducted a sting operation. Why can’t the same operation be conducted on corruption, scams etc?

She did not ask for sympathy, but rationally explained the root cause of her actions. There are many men who also break the same law, but nobody questions them. Why this dichotomy? Situation drives people to such compromise.

Being a Corpo'rat'e

Life has its own way of making one learn things. The feeling of being in an office excited me from the very first day. When I entered the corporate life it was completely different from what I had imagined. ‘Life is a race, if you do not run fast you will fall’ is the first dialogue that entered my mind. The race started the moment I sat in the cab which was meant to take us to the office. Every person in the vehicle wanted to be dropped first. An argument ensued and it was only when we settled it that we reached office building. Waiting for me at the office was another race – getting a spot in the lift. 8 lifts are never sufficient in the morning hours for the large number of employees pouring into the building. Spending maximum number of hours in a day in the closed building makes one feel like an innocent thief in the jail. After you enter your respective departments the list of races you must undertake is endless.

 Taking up a challenge is different from being in a race. A challenge is judged on its completion but a race can never be completed. When I was a child my parents always told me to top in school examinations, I did. Then they told me boards are the first check points, I did. ‘If you graduate from the top institution you will never have to bother about your future, everything will be automatically in line’ they said. I graduated from India’s no.1 college and got placed in one of the top companies in the world and I thought finally the race is over. But gradually I realized that the actual race had just started. Education is important aspect of our life. But, do your degrees give you the kind happiness you have been craving for since your childhood? From some yes, but for most of them a, resounding No. Few people do not have any option but to work for their living. But why can’t the same living be earned from doing what you like? Is it really important to push somebody in order to grow? These are the questions which are raging in my mind with two months of experience in the corporate world.

 I want to live my life with joy and passion. I do not feel burdened with my responsibilities as I have learnt to cope up with my new adult life. But, the fact is that regardless of whether you come from a top institution or a mediocre one you will still have to run the same rat race irrespective of the post you hold.

Women Diaries (Part 2)

A housewife who has done her graduation from a well reputed college in Mumbai and holds posts like vice president and secretary in various clubs like Maheshwari and Lions Club, had to change her life and give up on her dreams after marriage. Here is her story...

 ‘Though I live a happy life I still regret not being able to complete my studies. Life with my husband and children keeps me busy all day due to which I let go of many things. My dad supported me till my graduation and I wanted to study law after graduation but my parents got me married. After marriage I had to shift from Mumbai to Erode (a small town in Tamil Nadu) with my husband. Initially life was difficult but now when I visit Mumbai I miss Erode because that’s where my heart is.

Gender discrimination and me

I was in a co-educational college in Mumbai, which was a hot topic for my family members. They tried to dissuade my parents from letting me study in an environment where I was exposed to guys who could coerce me into making wrong decisions. It was due to my father and his faith in me that I could finish my graduation. I was married right after my graduation without an option. After marriage I started doing CA with my husband’s support but had to discontinue it as I got pregnant with my first child. I prayed for a girl but was given a male child both the times. I feel bad about it, unlike my husband who is quite happy. As a home maker I am expected to keep the kitchen clean and do the household work. From dawn to dusk I am caught up in household activities which leaves me no time for my clubs. I started a club named ‘Prerna’ – a women’s club but had to abandon it due to time constraints.

Why the schism, I would ask

We live in a male dominated society whereby any activity on our part requires the permission of our husbands. Even though a lot of women are bringing down the barriers in various fields it is still a male dominated society. Children should be brought up to respect women. And women should not feel obligated to sacrifice all the time. They should know their priorities as an individual and know what to sacrifice and what to hold on to. When a husband hits his wife she does not complain because she does not know whom to trust. The basic problem in India is that women do not support each other. Only when they are united can they change the society and its roots. I would like to tell girls to wear anything and everything that suits their body structure. Rapes do not happen because of clothes they happen because of the mindset that derives pleasure out of subjugating women.

According to me all husbands in the country should support their counterparts and encourage them to learn and study after marriage. They should help them achieve the goals that they would have attained had they not been married. Every family should make sure that women are respected and the same is taught to their kids. Sacrificing for love is a great thing but it should not be relegated to the realm of responsibilities that a women has to fulfil, men also need to learn to sacrifice for the relationship. Women should be united and stand for a cause and bring about changes. If a guy hits his wife his mother should be in a position to make him realise his mistake and stand in support for her daughter in law.

Women diaries (Part 1)

This is the story of Ashwini Rajpoot , student of Delhi University. She is an English hons. student who in her words ‘is still trying to figure out how to turn her degree into a lucrative and only moderately boring career’. Her favourite pastime is reading books and is a happy go lucky girl.

 ‘I credit my success and achievements to my parents. They have held my hand and supported me in every phase of my life. They have always been very proud of being blessed with two daughters and make every attempt to help us acknowledge our dreams and to fight and strive for them.

 Gender Discrimination and me

 When I was young I played with my cousin brothers and they were not concerned about what gender I belonged to. Playing cricket and climbing trees with them was accepted, even encouraged. But once we started growing up they started looking at things differently. They started imposing upon me activities that were gender specific and expected me to display qualities that a ‘girl’ is supposed to posses. I could no longer climb the tree and pluck the guava myself. They thought they were taking care of me but in reality they were abstaining me from doing all that I liked. Our relatives made things worse by ‘pitying’ my mother for not bearing a male child.

Why the schism, I would ask.

 What I have grown to realise is that even though the same kind of things are taught to both the genders, the manner in which they are taught is distinct. Girls are brought up to like purses, dresses and encouraged to see beauty as the paramount attribute. On the other hand, boys are forced to enjoy outdoor activities and strive for physical strength and intellect. When the society has conveniently created this rift between the two, they create stereotypes and gender specific boundaries to force people into satisfying them. So, when jokes are cracked about girls being obsessed with fashion and boys not being emotional, it is not about their inherent traits but the acquired from of being, a form imposed upon them by the society.

According to me all the parents in India should be like these parents who supported their kid irrespective of her gender and who feel proud about her success in life. Society should change its perception on teaching things to the younger generations keeping in mind that goals and dreams should not be allowed to be gender specific.