My Experiments with Kitchen:

In this season of Corona, am left with no option but to try my   hand in the Kitchen.

My experiments have taught / given me following insights. Hope it helps each one of you at some stage of your life or at least to try your hand in this unique skill called Culinary arts!!

1.      Cooking needs Uncommon sense:

One must decide first what is the exact color of the final dish one wishes to have. Once that cardinal decision is taken, you will only find spices/ ingredients to that make it happens – Make in Kitchen!

2.      To be Geo Tagged:

       All you need to know is the exact name of the spice/ ingredient. Along with the name, be  sure about the exact location too.

3.      Non-Discriminatory:

Unlike women, men don’t have that Discriminatory mind set against any spice.  Everything has a place and believe that every spice can add something to every dish. Very universal, harboring no exclusivity at all.

4.       Name it as you wish:

The output is unique and first time ever, so   name it as you wish. Never ever you have to fight a patent case, I guarantee.

So, be bold guys, we need to stop this monopoly of Kitchen. As in business and life, monopolies don’t survive for long nor serve customers well. Frankly, how long can a talented person sit out?

The Economy & Governance – Post Corona (PC) Era

Looks like in the PC era, more people are going to be conservative in many ways. People are likely to postpone a purchase if not avoid it all together, at least for the immediate future.  We are likely to become more  doubtful and that will delay decisions.  These are the natural behaviors in any uncertain situation. So, Gold may turn golden again as a safe bet; but that is no good!

 Shed Conservatism and Spend our way out.

Such conservatism is counterproductive. Everyone hopes that someone else will spend and that would help the revival of the economy. So how to shed that conservatism and motivate people to loosen their purse strings? While for white goods and many luxury goods, the supply side issues can be addressed rather easily, it’s the demand side issues which need higher focus and attention from the government.  It is not possible for the government to address and manage all the areas.  Government must prioritize life of millions and weaker sections of society. Therefore, there is a responsibility for the ‘economically well-off population’ of the country to shed the natural tendency to be conservative.  It is said that twenty-one days are good enough to acquire new habits, this lockdown would have made us conservative in many ways including spending. So, a conscious behavior change is needed post lockdown. We may have to buy a few things just to support the economy – car, bike, fridge or even a new dress. Government can support such activities with both monitory and fiscal benefits. Government too must shed its conservatism on fiscal deficit.  This is classic Keynesian economic situation, let’s join the government with our might to keep the money flowing- digital or cash, it doesn’t matter now.  Bring it on ………. Let’s spend our way out.

Trust, it can move mountains.

In times like this, we are likely to be more doubtful if not suspicious of all our business interactions with people.  Again, that is not going to help the economy or our social harmony.  Sadly, we don’t see trust being exhibited much these days and that is causing more problems in finding a solution for the Corona virus issue. In business, leaders must go out of the way to ‘Exhibit Trust’ with all the stake holders – be it suppliers, vendor, partners, employees and even government. This will help to get the speed and to minimize cost. That is one way to be efficient - saving time and cost.  Of course, trust, but reserve the right to verify!   Getting the economy out of this lock down is nothing short of a Herculean task, though Hercules never moved any mountains. With mutual trust we can, so be armed.

Build Capacity, the next one is around the corner.

It’s very unlikely that the mankind may face another nuclear war. With the stockpiles we have an accident can’t be ruled out. So governments must relook at their priorities in the  AC era. As warned earlier, health issues can cripple the world as we are experiencing now. National heath is national wealth.  So, what is our long-term Capacity building plan?  How are we going to spend our scarce resources? These questions need answers after thorough analysis. Not just governments, private citizens and business leaders also must think deeper. It’s likely that a pandemic like this will be as certain as our general election. Do we have any institution like Election Commission to deal such a situation? So, it’s time to have PC - Pandemic Commission to prepare ourselves. The last mile delivery of service is a   challenge equally for business and governance. We need to learn from each other’s experience.  In cricketing terms, one should not get bowled around the legs more than once! 

(first posted in Linked in on April 26, 2020)

Kerala was not built in a day!

The efficacy of the “Kerala Model” is the result of many decades of societal change.

With the spread of Covid-19, the fault lines in world politics, economy and especially in the health care sector lies starkly exposed. One narrow strip of land that stands out in this crisis is the southern state of Kerala, extolled in travel brochures as ‘God’s Own Country’.  The world has taken notice and is lavish in its praise of the state, its people and leadership. Whilst many  ‘developed countries’  are still struggling to contain the fear and chaos unleashed by the Virus, this small state of about 3.5 crore ( less than 3 % of India’s population) has managed to restrict the number of Covid-19 cases to about 400 and  with deaths kept  to  3 (as of April 15, 2020) since the virus first appeared in the state some time in January 2020.

How did Kerala manage to contain the pandemic? While it may be a matter of mystery to many, for a Keralite (Malayali) it is not. They realize it is the result of steady consistent hard work spread over more than a century. The Malayali considers this achievement only as a work in progress and is fully aware that the state has miles to go.

Swami Vivekananda toured Kerala in the 1900s and called it a ‘Lunatic Asylum’. It was the prevailing  caste system and  social/economic structure that made him make the comment. But to the credit of Malayalis, they took that comment on their chin and worked diligently on many aspects of society and made considerable progress.  A good nine decades later, in 1989 Kerala proclaimed itself as “God’s Own Country” as part of its efforts to attract tourists.  And in the age of Corona virus , the world is acknowledging that the place is indeed “God’s own country”.  A transformation indeed!

This journey of nearly a century is an amalgamation of both reformation and renaissance. It led to considerable societal transformation which has helped Kerala face the virus head on and come out on top. Success has many fathers and the truth is that many fathers can claim credit for this successful child called Kerala. The enlightened erstwhile rulers of Travancore, the missionaries and the communist have all played critical roles in making this transformation.  The remarkable visionary legislations related to social reforms, education, land reforms and health care have  contributed in bringing in change.

The model of assimilation and equality

Adi Shankara, the celebrated saint who proposed the Advaita Vedanta (non - duality) came from the land of Kerala around 800 AD(Exact time is still being debated).  From here the philosophy travelled across the globe.  Kerala coast (also called the Malabar coast) had a long maritime history. The monsoon wind pattern made the travel from West to East rather easy bringing in traders from the Roman Empire to the Kerala coast for its spices.  Kerala is believed to be the place where St. Thomas, the doubting disciple of Jesus, landed in 52 AD. So, some form Christianity was established in Kerala from the first millennia itself. When the Jews faced persecution in their lands, they were welcomed and in fact Cochin has the oldest Jewish synagogue in the Commonwealth countries.  It was built in 1568 on a piece of land donated by the rulers next to a Hindu temple. The Cheraman Juma Mosque in Kerala is the oldest mosque in India is said to have been built in 629 AD. Thus, it’s clear that local people and rulers welcomed outsiders which brought prosperity and more importantly, new ideas and thoughts.

Social reformers like Sree Narayana Guru, led the social transformation of Kerala. Although the Advaita philosophy was in currency for a longtime, a practical manifestation of it had to wait till 1900s when Narayana Guru installed a mirror in a temple, in place of the deity. The idea was to see oneself – in line with the Upanishad saying – Tat Tvam Asi (You are that) and Aham Brahmasmi (I am divine). His fundamental teaching– “One Caste, One Religion, and One God” was a path breaking approach to change the society to a more egalitarian one.

These teachings and exposure to people from foreign lands enriched the society. The openness to   diverse  religions and cultures developed the culture of Kerala without the erosion of its basic foundations.  As Mahatma Gandhi said “I do not want my house to be walled or my windows closed, I want the culture of all lands to be blown about my house as freely as possible. But I refuse to be blown off my feet”. One can see the actualization of that dream in Kerala.  All these contributed to the 1936 legislation by the Travancore kings which declared the free entry of Dalits into temples  which  could possibly  be the first such legislation made  by local rulers in India.  Thus, social transformation has been a long journey and the destination where we have reached was literally built on wisdom and determination.

Education and reforms led the way

The missionaries brought with them pen and paper too. The printing press got established in Kerala in 1821, much ahead of many other parts of the country at Kottayam. No wonder Kottayam went on to become the first place in India to be fully literate in the year 1989.  When Sanskrit was the language of the privileged and education was restricted to select few, Fr. Kuriakose Chavara established a Sanskrit school for the locals and admitted girls and even children from the so called ‘untouchable’ members of the society, challenging the prevailing social norms.  In 1864, Bishop Bernadine Baccinelly issued a circular which was unprecedented and transformative that mandated that each parish or church should establish educational institutions. This led to new schools (Pallikudams) coming up next to every church in almost all villages which  made education easily available to every child in the vicinity.    

Midday meal is such an important policy tool in the hands of governments today to drive primary education.  It is said that Fr. Chavara started midday meals in the schools way back in 1850s to get more children enrolled.  Maharani Gauri Parvati Bayi sanctioned the establishment of a full-fledged college at Kottayam and supported it with land and handsome donation which became functional in 1815.  Maharaja Swathi Tirunal Rama Varma opened the first public free school at Trivandrum in 1834.  With such a long history of royal support and dedication, it was little wonder that in 1991, Kerala was declared 100 % literate, the first state to achieve the feat in India.  Many other personalities also played significant roles over the years in the field of education. Even with such efforts and focus it   took Kerala over a century to be fully literate.

Even after the independence of India, feudal agrarian system continued in many parts of India and Kerala was not an exception. The first general election after the state formation in 1957 threw up a communist led government. The social reforms, widespread education and higher literacy levels all played a part in spreading communist ideology in the society. It is believed that the EMS Namboothiripad led government of 1957 was the first democratically elected communist government anywhere in the world. That government sowed the initial seeds of land reforms. These efforts finally culminated in the historic land reforms act of 1969 under another communist led government. The slogan ‘land for the tillers’ was a shock treatment for the society. But with the benefit of hindsight, it can be said that it was justified and has paid rich dividends for the overall development of the state.  The state swallowed that bitter pill  and is healthy today! However, the state is not able to feed all its people and that is a matter to be addressed on priority.

Health is wealth

In the age of Corona, the focus is squarely on the health sector. In 1865, a vaccination department was established in Kerala under the leadership of Diwan Raja T Madhav Rao.  A full-fledged general hospital with inpatients became functional in 1886.  Ten years later an exclusive hospital for women and children was established. Now we are familiar with Swachh Bharat mission and efforts to achieve ODF.  A sanitary department was established by the rulers in Kerala in the year 1895.

Collaborative effort between the rulers and missionaries led to the arrival of eight qualified nurses from Switzerland to Kerala in 1906 who were assigned to hospitals in Trivandrum, Quilon etc.  This helped the local population to get exposure to modern medical practices. Nurses from Kerala are recognized for their work across the world. The first nursing collages were established in the year 1920 at Quilon and Kottiyam. These saplings which were planted about 100 years back are bearing fruits for the state, country and the whole world.  There are over 100 medical colleges spread across Kerala.  While the WHO norm is to have a doctor for 1000 people, Kerala is ahead with one doctor for about 520 people. The state boasts about one of the lowest child mortality rates comparable with any developed world. The life expectancy is the highest in the country at 75 years. Thus, the medical infrastructure and capacity has been built over a long period of time with focus and dedication.

Emulate but moderate expectations

These days the ‘Kerala Model’ is touted as the way to address and manage the health crisis. It is an easy proposition to make. But not many are aware of the amount of work, consistent planning and societal transformation which has gone into making the sweet sounding two words – “Kerala Model”.   Others are welcome to implement the model, but expectations should be nuanced and moderate. Culture, habit and capacity building are long term work and in the age of instant gratification not many are willing to do that heavy lifting.

Kerala stands out for all these factors. Is it a perfect state? No way, in fact far from it. But Kerala is miles ahead and has miles to go before it can put its leg up and take a break. It’s very much a work in progress and we don’t wish to break this chain! But when the going gets tough, the tough gets going. Kerala is putting in the tough miles, but no one should ever imagine that Kerala, God’s Own Country, was built in a day.

Tony Augustine 

(An edited version of this artcle apperaed first in the editorial page of Deccan Herald News paper on April 24, 2020)