It was a routine meeting with some visiting Bank officials to have a look at our solution for technology leveraged Financial Inclusion. Having quickly finished the primary round of introduction about the company and its activities and the present clients, the discussion took off in real earnest to showcase how we have addressed the needs of availability, scalability and flexibility of the solution. It transpired that the visiting officials were looking at Inclusion only from the point of view of Credit Portfolio enhancement and not Inclusion. It is one of the most vital points obstructing the aim of Financial Inclusion. For ages, people have been kept away from the organised Financial Services so that they can remain in the control of the money lending hawks. And now, when there is a talk of Including the people for Structured Financial Services, there is a new avatar of the money lending hawks who are trying hijack the campaign to suit their ends of enhancing Credit Portfolios. It seems the wizards of Credit Risk Management have overlooked the fact that for innumerable excluded people taking credit is a risk rather than an opportunity. In these circumstances, the first need is to build an adequate confidence in the target customers on the system and then educate them how to convert a credit opportunity into a gainful activity and eliminate the risks involved. What does the structured financial system do to help the customer reduce his risk and the perception of the risk in taking a credit facility.

Rahul Dravid in a press meeting talked about the balance of the team and opportunity for younger players and coming to a decision about the final team that would get a ticket to World Cup 2007.
The hobnobbing with the team, it seems, would not come to a stop despite the fact that the so called ‘experimentation’ has actually brought the team to the brink of defeat in almost all games. The two ODIs that were won were so close that the team and especially the team management would have felt very uncomfortable despite the wins.
Sehwag has been overlooked. But why is the management unwilling to talk about Sachin. The evident unease displayed by Sachin during the last few innings has possibly failed to register in the minds of the management and they are deliberately avoiding the question of the demoralizing effect that his failures have on the rest of the team and especially the younger players who have grown up viewing Sachin as a role model. Sachin was given rest for the Ranji Trophy match before the Windies series but he still is in the team when the likes of Dhoni are rested. Is it an indication to Dhoni that he is now not the indispensible Dhoni that he became in the recent past just because of the new found Kartik? If Sreesanth was rested in the Cuttack ODI what has changed since the Nagpur ODI that makes him suddenly more desirable than Zaheer? Powar getting three wickets in the Cuttack ODI suddenly makes Harbhajan dispensable for the Chennai ODI. Sourav, of course, has been an object of misuse for more than a year and it does not surprise anymore if he is finally being driven to underperform. What better way to stall and disturb his rhythm and focus than to ask him to rest. The players who have been exposed to playing rigorous matches every alternate day do not perhaps need “rest” , what they need is more confidence.
Perhaps Rahul would wonder why cricket lovers like me would be so interested in the way things are being managed by the Cricket team. Well, while I was writing this piece I overheard one of the enws channel say that Vengsarkar has confirmed that Ganguly would Open in World Cup. That eventually makes one question – Is the Chief Selector now a part of the Team Management and has taken the reins over from Chappell and Dravid?

While the nation is poised to become the second most powerful economyin less than four decades, the Nithari Killings and the publicbacklash at Ghaziabad yesterday have left an impression that perhapsthe nation could become the most barbaric state by the time it emergesas an economic superpower. The saddest part of the entire episode wasnot at the place of incidence. It was at the virtual sound board ofIndia's emotions- The Media. Almost all channels went for a quick pollon whether the viewers felt the attack to be right or wrong. Thelandslide victory was in favour of the disgraceful act of beating theaccused. Media trial has been a hallmark of the past couple of yearsand this one is the latest example of people passing judgement on whathas been shown by the media and not on the facts of the case. On theeve of the Republic day the entire nation was craving for "blood forblood" civilisation in a state which had won its independence throughthe exemplary, unprecedented and unparalelled non-violence.

We have just been exposed to another of those selection exercises thathave always eluded the logic of consistency, performance and fairness.The team for the next two one dayers has been announced and there hasbeen unceremonious departure of two players one of whom was not given achance and the other one was given one chance to play ( the "appeaer tobe fair" syndrome) and shown the gate. While the exit of JoginderSharma may not be contested, what needs to be contested is the basis onwhich he was selected at the first instance. If it was performance inthe domestic cricket that led to his selection, then why is it that thesame basis became irrelevant for granting a second chance?There are innumerable questions that are facing the BCCIadministration, the selection committee, the Players and the viewersregarding the state of affairs in Indian Cricket.What precaution has it taken to preserve, promote and protect theInterests of all the stakeholders of this game in India? Is there anydocumented policy for public view? Is there a review mechanism tovalidate the progress in all these areas? Why is it that the BCCI doesnot have a website and why does the Board not think it necessary tomake public the information regarding its Revenues and Expenses, thePlans and the Audit Results.Millions of viewers were deprived the opportunity of seeing livetelecast of matches that are being played in India. The game that hasbeen progressing on the strength of viewer support some where down theline has lost sight of the viewer altogether.The BCCI does not have any structured rating system for the State Teamsand their players. Their is no database from where the public could seethe performance statistics of the players in the domestic andInternational matches. Absence of a structured rating system allows theBCCI as well as the Selectors to be arbitrary to their approach inselction of teams. While there have been several youngsters who arepromising and dedicated the selection revolves around the ones who havebroken into the 'Recognition Circle" of the BCCI, selectors and themedia. Why do we not have a rating system?Yuvraj Singh has been out of the team and suddenly on physical recoveryhe is given a straight entry into the team without playing a singledomestic match? Sachin holds a place that perhaps some other youngerand talented players could have filled with much greater aplomb. WhenSachin came into the side as a young boy of 17 he replaced some one whowould have been a great player. But today, no one regrets that Sachinreplaced him. Is it possible that we are overlooking some talents onlyto keep an ailing and declining Sachin and in the bargain are on ourway to loose the talented youngsters who could have been great too.Finally, the question for the viewers. What mechanism is there for theviewers to unite and demand a better treatment for the lovers of thegame. The better treatment would essentially come when fairness inselection, adherence to international standards ( if, there are none atpresent then create a set of standards through ICC) for pitches andother infrastructure requirements, Transparency of Administrativeaction would be there.