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Category Archives: Media


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Satyamevajayathe – #SMJ – Aamir Khan

Dear Aamir Khan,

Splendid effort yours of trying to talk about issues of importance through television on Sundays at 11 a.m., thus getting attention of millions of public.  Kudos! Like your idea of reaching out to as many people as possible through a powerful media, and make them take notice – and most importantly – to influence them to take action in their own life and sphere related to those issues.  SatyamevaJayate is a sure hit!

Personally, I have not seen the program for the past two weeks due to my commitments. I do hear a lot of good feedback from folks through Twitter.  There’s a lot of Twitter activity when its about to be 11:00 AM on Sunday, during the program, and an hour after the program, and then, silence…

Not that you are not aware of it – anything nowadays in media has a very short attention span of public.  They talk about it for a while, and then conveniently forget it.  I don’t blame them. They have tons of information to process, and actions to take.

So, subjects of importance – like child abuse, pesticide levels in drinks & food – have to linger in their thoughts for a while, so that they can munch it, chew it, and then swallow it – and then, the action will follow.  You are not here to just raise a little bit of noise, right?  I presume you are here for a long haul, so that some action is seen on these issues based on your program.  If that’s your intention, then it is not sufficient to have just one program for each topic once in a week and move on to the next.

After you introduce the public to an issue, you should also introduce an ‘issue ambassador’ for each issue.  They should carry your name, face, brand, your message, and do followup programs on each topic – during separate timeslots, so that the messages get follow-up attention and sink into the minds of the public.

These followup programs can then start getting public opinions – so that solutions can be thought through about these issues.  Web pages can be introduced where discussions related to the topic can take place – in Facebook, Twitter & other social media networks, so that public can get involved.  Signature campaigns can be started based on these discussions and taken to office bearers to urge them to take action on pressing issues.

I guess only then, a program like SatyamevaJayathe can be successful in creating an impact and change in the society.  Right now what I see is arm-chair philosophers tweeting about it over a cup of tea once in a week, and then conveniently forget it.

Would you think about it ?


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Do we have enough human beings in this planet ?


A lot of emphasis has been put in the media today towards many things that are not significant, or at least not even remotely linked to well-being and wellness of living of people around the world.

The foremost problem that we need to address as a human society today is population.

We are 7.5 billion now throughout the world, and 1.25 billion just in India. This is alarming. Consumption or human aspirations cannot be controlled or limited – so there’s a surge of utilization of energy, water, real estate, consumables, education, job demand, food. Market players see this as a potential opportunity to sell their products and services. If you closely observe this from a human survival standpoint, you will realize this is a disaster already.

A study recently shows that the amount of oxygen available for a human being is reducing drastically, and in 10 years we will have 40% less oxygen that what we have now.  That’s 5 breaths approximately less in a minute for a human being.  Does that ring a alarm in anybody’s minds?

The census data taken in India recently in 2010 shows the alarming facts.  There is a disturbing trend in the rural areas to have babies just for labour power to support the family, especially in North Indian states like Uttar Pradesh, and in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.  Data clearly shows that these states are where the population tend to explode in the upcoming years.

India’s previous generation has the traditional, old mindset which does not suit the existing reality.  Our grandparents and parents keep telling us to have more babies – first baby – need to have to carry on the wealth, second baby – to give company to the first baby.  Please note these previous generations have a fear psychosis in their mind because they were from the ages of famines – when children died because of mal-nutrition and disease.  Today, we have plenty of food and medicine to take care of the children, so why still have more and more babies ?

On one side, children in the rural areas still don’t have a proper meal everyday.  They are under-educated or not educated at all, and on the other side, in the affluent families, we are having baby showers, just because of the itch to have a child or the emotional connection one feels by having the baby.  Is it not time to shower the existing babies and feed them – who cannot afford a single meal, rather than having baby showers ?

So, now, let’s look at the solution.  While urban folks have the means and reachability to adopt instead of having biological babies, the rural population has to stop having kids for labor power.  Means to economic prosperity in the rural areas without depending on their wards need to be implemented.

How are we going to make people do this?   One way is to bring laws to restrict childbirth – reward who don’t have babies, and punish who have babies. In a country as large and diverse as India, it’s going to take time, and to reach a consensus among all is going to be difficult. While efforts towards these can go in parallel, we need to start creating awareness among the public right away, as we are running out of time.

Fortunately, we have a very powerful tool, if properly used, can bring a great change in people’s mindsets. And that s media. Media has accomplished what bureaucracy, political power or money has not accomplished in the past 5 years.

Movies, our prime source of entertainment, and to a greater extent among the lower class masses an iconic symbol of someone saving the world – can be greatly leveraged to send the message.  People will follow. Actors and actresses – can give public advertisements stressing the message with data and glamour.  People will listen.  Online social networks – Facebook, Twitter and such.  Focussed ambassadoring for the cause will create awareness through people who have large number of followers. Cables, short films, skits that can be shown to people in rural areas – there’s so much that can be done.

Can we consider this and take action to make this happen ?

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