Not Just An Accountant - Vinod Rai

Once after reading "The Accidental Prime Minister" by Sanjaya Baru I decided to read Indian writing(Political) category book. When I was searching for the next book to read in this category I had options to choose one the the two books  "Not Just An Accountant" by Vino Rai and "One Life is Not Enough" by Natwar Singh. I chose the former one and after reading it I felt my choice was perfect.

I have to admit that I had no idea about the working of CAG. I heard and read that "some report was submitted by CAG" here and there but never read any of their full report. This book really is an eye opener for me. Kudos to the author for his simple language in explaining the process. It will definitely help many to understand CAG as a institution.

The book starts with brief account of his earlier life as a bureaucrat and how he managed to overcome many of the obstacles thrown at him. There is not much discussed about his personal life which we can understand as he discusses five major scams that rocked India in recent history. The five scams are :

1) 2G spectrum allocation

2) Commonwealth Games 2010

3) Coal block allocation

4) Gas Exploration (Production Sharing contracts & NELP)

5) Civil Aviation (Air India's deals to purchase flights)

Except the fifth one , I had read and heard many essays and debates in media. But the author being an insider gives blow by blow account of each of the above mentioned scams.  Most of the above scams have been debated and written about extensively but I was really shocked to find the details of  Air India scam, just outrageous. The civil aviation minister's response and behaviour was disgusting. I do not know whether CAG overreached in these scams or not but their findings were remarkable.  I do have some questions regarding omission of some of the schemes like  Universal Health Insurance Scheme (UHIS) or Aam Aaadmi Bima Yojana for auditing.

Narrative is straight forward with neat explanations though there are many legal jargon. I felt that the author would have delved lit bit deep into some of the events happened during those scams.I think through this book the author has answered all those who questioned him and the institution. He backs himself powerfully with facts and figures.  One disappointing thing about the book is that most part of the book is like a report! But one can not deny the allegations of corrupt practices in various government ministries and agencies.

We can not just point out  CAG as a hurdle to the progress instead the government can use their reports to implement the rules and regulations strictly and pre-empt all the problems before auditing new schemes.The author gives excellent advise on excellence, accountability and probity in the last chapters, hope many will read and pursue these things.

A good book to know more about the working of an excellent institution.

 

6174 - Sudhakar

My first Tamil 'historical' science fiction novel. I should say I thoroughly enjoyed it. I came to know about this book through Jeyamohan's list of top 10 novels in 2012 or 2013 in some magazine.

This is the story of saving the earth from a catastrophe.A mixture of number and word games along with the use of modern technology. This is the story of two groups - one group fights the other to save the world. As expected these are secret groups most of the members do not know each other and their roles. They are instructed to do certain things and wait.  The two main protagonists are Ananth and Janaki. Ananth is a specialist in Chrystals and Janaki is a mathematical genius specializes in diagrammatic puzzles. These two along with Sampath and some of their classmates needs to find the pyramid and deactivate the energy flow before their enemies .

Who is their enemies? What is their plan? - I think its better to read and find it. Because there are so much information on Pyramids , Lemuria, Crystals , Numbers etc. I do not want to spoil the thrill and suspense by giving those details. I heard very little about Lemuria before but while reading I searched and understood many things, interesting.The explanation given by Janaki for drawing Kolam everyday was surprising (Fibonacci numbers!!)

One can easily see the great effort put by the author even for small details , this is what makes this novel different from other detective pulp fictions.Also the creativity of the author should be appreciated because nowadays one can not write something and escape the public scrutiny but this author because of his hard work and proper explanations overcome these things.

The big positive of this novel is the very clear explanation of the scientific concepts, from satellites to warships, from satellite phone to X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometer , from  Kaprekar's constant to Fibonacci kolam,Harshad Numbers, very happy to read these explanations in very simple Tamil. Kudos to author. Another good thing in the story is there is no so called 'hero'. And there is no heroism unlike some other novels of same genre.

The problem with this story is it falls into  a 'typical'  template. I was able to guess most of the next course of actions and also able to guess one among them will be a mole. Still, I enjoyed reading it. The writing was fluid and pacey.

Pivotal Point
Mingun Unfinished Pagoda
Coelacanths

18வது அட்சக்கோடு - அசோகமித்திரன்

No other Tamil novel in recent times gave me the pleasure of reading like this one. I read Asokamitran's "Ottran" long time back. But this book is something entirely different. I heard about this book long time back but did not find the book anywhere I searched. Also most authors listed this book in their must read Tamil books. Atlast thanks to Flipkart , bought this book 6 months back.

Three points :

• The beautiful description of places in and around the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad . 
• The raw human emotions
• The politics and history

I knew most part of Secunderabad, as the story progressed I felt my presence there. The author highlights how a normal man behaves when he encounter the unexpected. Chandrasekaran who was interested in cricket , did not involve in any fights ,always listened to his parents, faced with terrific situation when he encounters a girl who took off her dress and ask him to "take me , leave my family", was shattered. The above scene is the climax of the novel. But for me the essence of the story lies in these scenes. 

அவன் வழ்க்கையில் அவன் முதன் முதலாக நிர்வாணமாகப் பார்த்த பெண் அவனைச் சிதற அடித்து விட்டாள். அவனைப் புழுவாக்கி விட்டாள். அவள் வீட்டாரைக் காப்பாற்றத் எவ்வளவு இழிவு படுத்திக் கொண்டுவிட்டாள்! அவள் இன்னும் ஒரு குழந்தை. இந்த உலகில் உயிர் காப்பாற்றிக் கொள்ள ஒரு குழந்தை கூடஎவ்வளவு இழிவு படுத்திக் கொள்ள வேண்டியிருக்கிறது? அதற்கு அவனும் காரணமாகி விட்டான். இந்தக் கறையை என்று எப்படி அழித்துக் கொள்ள முடியும்? இதை அழித்துக் கொள்ளத்தான் முடியுமா?'

One need to understand the political situation in years just before and after 1947.  Hyderabad Princely state wanted to remain under British or join Pakistan but not to India. Though majority of the Hyderabad population was Hindus but it was ruled iron handedly by the Nizams. The story happens in these period of time.  There was tension everywhere but until it reaches personally to Chandrasekaran he did not believe it. A story of lower middle class Tamil family living in Muslim ruled state of Hyderabad.

Chandrasekaran has all the problems of a typical teen, the author beautifully tells these through various events happening in and around his neighbours and in college. Slowly Chandrasekaran's day to day activities changes once he started participating in events organized to bring Hyderabad under Indian Union. All his belief vanishes when he experience the hatred of Muslims first hand. Exactly opposite happens when Indian Army surged ahead and Nizam decided to cede his reign , riots broke out between Hindus and Muslims.

The surroundings of lancer barracks was detailed enough that on the middle of the story itself I sensed that 'some horrible' things will happen. The author slowly and surely leads the reader to 'problematic' world - a world which Chandraskearan never thought exists. The 'normal' tension (arguments regarding cow and water)between the Muslim neighbours and the role reversal after the riots were very clear indication of the situation in the state. The author beautifully mixes an ordinary man's life along with an important historical event , both completely different but meets at a point which changes everything.

காந்தி நிஜமாகவே செத்துப் போய்விட்டாரா? இருக்காது அவர் நூற்றியிருபத்தந்து ஆண்டுகள் இருக்கப் போவதாகச் சொன்னாரே? இப்போது யாரோ புரளி கிளப்பி விட்டிருக்கிறார்கள். ரேடியோவில் கேட்டதாகத்தான் சொல்கிறார்கள். ரேடியோவில் ஏன் பொய் சொல்லியிருக்கக் கூடாது? யுத்த காலத்தில் ரேடியோவில் சொன்னதெல்லாம் பொய்-ஜெர்மன் ரேடியோ பிரிட்டிஷுக்கு பொய், பிரிட்டிஷ் ரேடியோ ஜப்பானுக்குப் பொய். இப்போதுகூடப் பொய்யாகத்தான் இருக்கும். காந்தி எப்படிச் சாக முடியும்? எவ்வளவு முறை பட்டினி கிடந்திருக்கிறார்? இருபத்தொரு நாள் உபவாசம். இதோ செத்துக் கொண்டிருக்கிறார். இதோ செத்துப் போய்க் கொண்டிருக்கிறார். இதோ, இதோ, இதோ – அவர் பிழைத்து வந்திருக்கிறார்.

Through out the story so many questions raises for example when the organisers not asking the people who came in car to join the protest:

‘அப்படி என்றால் வாழ்க்கையில் தத்தளித்துக் கொண்டிருப்பவர்களுக்கும் திருப்பிப் பதில் தரமுடியாத சாதுக்களுக்கும்தான் சத்யாகிரஹமும் பள்ளி மறுப்பும்: அவர்கள்தான் அவர்களுக்கென்று இருக்கும் சிறிதையும் தியாகம் செய்துவிட வேண்டும். அப்படிச் செய்யாவிட்டால் அவர்களைக் கேலி செய்யலாம், நிர்ப்பந்தப்படுத்தலாம், பலவந்தம் செய்யலாம்'

And when Chandrasekaran saw poverty and religion's part in riot:

‘அழுக்கும் நோயும் சர்வசாதரணமாகிப்போன வாழ்க்கை. இங்கே மதத்திற்கு என்ன வேலை? ஆனால், இம்மாதிரி இடங்களில்தான் மதக் கலவரங்கள் நடக்கும்போது வீடுகள் கொள்ளையடிக்கப்படுகின்றன, மண்டைகள் உடைகின்றன, உடைமைகள் கொளுத்தப்படுகின்றன.’


As writer Jeyamohan said "நான் ஏதும் செய்யவில்லை. ஆனால் இவை எல்லாவற்றுக்கும் நானும் கூட்டுப்பொறுப்புள்ளவன்’" - that was exactly what Chandrasekaran's character says.

Must read...!! I will not forget the climax of this story that much easily in my life..!!

Amulet - Roberto Bolano

I came to know about Bolano 5 years back. I bought his monumental "2666" first , then "The Savage Detectives", then "Nazi Literature in the Americas" and at last " Amulet". I started reading "2666" last year , read some pages then I thought it was better to read it continuously so I stopped reading. Then some poems and stories by Bolano. Last week I took this book and I read continuously for two days and finished the book.

First striking thing about this book is time. The description of time at various points itself makes you hallucinate.  This novel is a convergence of politics and literature. This is the story of Auxilio Lacouture who is trapped for 12 days in a lavatory on the fourth floor of the UNAM.  She is the mother of Mexican poetry. i.e she works for various poets at various times, listen their conversation etc. "I could say I am the mother of Mexican poetry, but I better not" . In stream of consciousness she started telling her stories.Another important character in this story is Arturo Belano, Chilean poet and friend of Auxilio, who after returning from the war and live his life on his own.I think he is the real narrator of the story or its his story.

The story is based in the true events which happened during 1960's as mentioned in the book. The Mexican government sent troops to quell student protest. Bolano uses this event in his work. The author brings the realities of the life in Latin Americas.  The first line sets the story "This is going to be a horror story,".  There are lots of real and imaginary characters like León Felipe, Pedro Garfías, Bonifaz Nuno and even Che Guevara pops up.

After the roller-coaster ride , the end is very sad as the "ghost children" marches towards the abyss. The final pages are moving For the author literature is important and he celebrates good books and writers and contempt others. The writing is fluid , very rich in description and easy to read. I don't think so it's a classic but definitely worth reading.

Serious Men - Manu Joseph

I can easily say this book is the one which made me to laugh a lot this year.  I really enjoyed reading it. Kudos to the author.

This is the story of overeducated Brahmins and undereducated Dalit. Ayyan, who lives with his wife Oja and son in a BDD chawl works under higher caste  Brahmin Arvind Acharya. He eavesdrops all of Acharya's conversation , makes others to wait and read all his letters. He is cunning.To take revenge on the higher caste who are responsible for his caste's degradation and to bring little cheer to his wife and son,he devise a plan and make his son a 'genius'. He creates all sorts of news around his son and make him popular. The eleven year old too interested in the 'game of secrets'. "An ordinary man wants his wife to feel the excitement of life" - this sums up the reason behind Ayyan's game.

'A man cannot be exactly the way he wants to be and also dream of keeping his wife'

 Arvind Acharya on the other hand fight his own office politics daily. Brahmins fighting against Brahmins (Ayyan shows so much interest in it!!!). He is arrogant but smart. He hates SETI and Giant Ear project team. In turn SETI team hates him and waiting for the opportunity to bring him down. Everything happened through a girl named Oparna who is in charge of Astrobiology department. Arvind and Oparna fell in love and had sexual relationship after Arvind's wife leave for her hometown. After his wife's arrival he dumps Oparna. In turn Oparna make false acquisitions against Arvind and with the help of Nambodri  wins it too. I think the office environment portrayed in this story is very common in many institutes and offices around India, more prevalent in government offices.

'Of all human deformities genius is the most useful'

'Just because there is a problem, it does not mean there is always a solution.' 

There are three main female characters in this story - Oja, Lavanya and Oparna. Oja and Lavanya are depicted as a typical housewife but in different stature of society. Oja , also an dalit hopes and prays for good life for her son and accept the life as it is and believes everything Ayyan says. Lavanya is grounded but she too accept her life after she came to know about Arvind's affair. Oparna was introduced as modern and independent fell in love with the old Aravind. But her behaviour towards Aravind to revenge him is not of modern girl. And this plot looks flimsy.

'Wives of an age are like evicted hawkers.They return in time.'

As I expected at the end  the low caste Ayyan helps good Brahmin Arvind against evil Brahmin Nambodri to get back his job as well as name.The author beautifully portrays the life of the slum with its unique customs and settings.Two things stood out in this story- the satire on caste system and the blind reverence to the science and the scientist who themselves do not understand it.

'The Vatican wanted a beginning and the Big Bang provided one.'

In this satire , the author targets many, sometimes it confused me, Brahmins and Dalits, marital relationship, family and love, and interesting scientific community and its inner workings. The authors observation and witty sarcasm made this book one hell of a book.I should specially mention about the 'Thought for the day' quotes, I laughed so much.Just brilliant. Some of it below:

"It's a myth that Sanskrit is the best language for writing computer code, Patriotic Indians have spread this lie for many years - Bill Gates"

"If ancient Indians were really the first to calculate the distance between the Earth and the Moon, why is it that they were not the first to land there? I look at the claims of old civilizations that they have done this and that with great suspicion - Neil Armstrong"

"Reservations for the low castes in colleges is a very unfair system. To compensate, let us offer the Brahmins the right to be treated as animals for 3000 years and at the end of it let's give them a 15 percent reservation- Vallumpuri John"

"If you want to understand India, don't talk to Indians who speak in English- Salman Rushdie"

"If souls are indeed reborn as the Brahmins say, then what accounts for population growth? Rebirth is the most foolish mathematical concept ever - Issac Newton"

A good  read!