Why I go back to Upanishads!

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Paul Krugman used the word "useful idiots" and earlier one novelist too coined it to show how good respected socially acclaimed role models are to be influenced not by material gains or riches, but by making them perceive they are righteously pursuing a very noble agenda . But actually hidden agenda if the perception management company  is to get desired outcome to maximise own profits in sector of his corporate interest.

Most of us reasonably qualified and generally considered as intellectuals by quite a few, are vulnerable to fall in to the trap and become useful idiots for some hidden corporate interest.

Unions, officers and Rly Bd all have vested interests in continuing business as usual. Profit is assured and lifestyle comforts managed. A change is traumatic.

Funny thing is word change is what immediately triggers the defence mechanism .

But if this word is avoided then change without calling it as change, can be effectively allowed to happen once the stakeholders are made useful idiots.

I practiced it. I had my ulterior motive that the standard Rly attitudes shd not enter KR.

Never used word I am changing the system. When computerisation of such large scale , integrating teatime operations to normal management information systems, accounting or personnel matters into one relational database , centralised but still decentralised for redundancy and 24/7 availability and reliability, I merely brushed aside Rly Board serious concerns in the beginning ,saying that I was buying only a few computers and no serious changes planned.

Staff easy to manage because they felt elevated and work load actually reduced. Data enters only once in system at the point of activity and no further need to keep on entering at different points of time or place.

And entire design development was in house. My table. No foreign contract or agency used.

So it was quiet , no ripples . Only Tata Unisys I took into confidence.

And all railway codes and practices are used in formulating the processes. But rules are in built. 

HODs were actually the most resisting lot because their power of blocking information and tyrannical harassing opportunity was getting denied.

But I tackled saying same Rly codes be implemented and they were constantly squirming in seats.

Now why I tell you the story?

You see you cannot cause change from outside! It has to happen within.

Finally you have to be the change. Gandhi ji summed it beautifully;  be the change yourself. 

You have to make Unions useful idiots. they have to be the change themselves. that is why for Swach Bharat, I wrote to Suresh Ji how to proactively empower the staff in charge of house keeping and even authorize them to impose fine. Instead of one pair of eyes then you have thousands of them with own stake involved to keep station clean.

all my suggestions in 20 pages covering practically all aspects like privatization of manufacturing to train running are made in the sense that we are actually not changing anything but empowering the stakeholders to have better life...that includes the unions. Their perception that something will happen to deny them existing life style or profit eliminated is removed and replaced with a feeling that their benefits are reinforced and enjoy more empowerment! But in fact they end up taking more responsibility and work load.

My Konkan Railwayman in my days enjoyed identity as if he was MD, and when I was Chief Engineer Goa, every field working junior engineer enjoyed feeling that he was Chief Engineer---merely because of the empowerment to decide on his own work time and also meet resource requirement by his own choice! Without breaking railway financial norms that public money cannot be frittered away but spent as carefully as if it is your own, these results achieved. Controls existed by way of gift of trust being the carrot which could be with drawn when breach of trust occurs. amongst peers the fear of losing empowerment was more powerful tool than the fear punishment with too many checks and balances and working as dis trusted employee.

Why Upanishads? You know the first two slokams of Isovasopanishat, I am sure. Apart from Vijayalakshmi Ji, I respect you for your knowledge and eudition.

My life followed and Bhaja Govindam summarises the approach I adopted. Humans are the best resource as well obstruction depending on character.

Character matters. Greedy are in majority in market driven economy. perceptions must be created that greedy gain,  for you to get through any measure supported. 

We do have more serious problems with the educated who are least educated in Upanishats.

For me to understand the world which could not appreciate that planet can generate entire energy needs from gravity ( my papers scientific community reviewed and published, Dr Kasturi Rangan too), the suspended derailment free-high speed metro rail (skybus: elevated or subway system) providing point to point connectivity proven and supported by Abdul Kalaam apart from other scientist engineers and even PM Malaysia)  or the artificial intelligence based anti collision and further integrated train control systems eliminating fixed signal systems, I seek answers in Upanishads. The collective stupidity of humanity is astounding. And I am a lowly thinker. All my ideas are of 12th standard physics level. Even those produced technologies which prove too in field as per international norm, but still Railway Board Chairman one fine morning overrules all previous 6 Rly Board decisions and parliament too and dumps with support of one Minister whose agenda world knows! 

Collectively we have intellectual community which is no better than mafia, blind and dumb!

You know Satyam, Vignaanam, Mati, Shraddha, Nishta, Kriti, Sukham, Bhuma are the ultimate eight forms of our supreme one and the only one supreme power Sri Lakshmi Narayana swarupa for contemplation by us humans, as per what Sanatkumar taught  Narada in Chandogyapanishat.

Depending on our capacity and competence we dwell and attain to varying degrees the above dimensions and perhaps in our nation and in particular Railways , the collective consciousness seem to have developed in to negatives of the above parameters?