Author: Sayee Challapally

COVID-19: “The Global Crisis that United the World”

/ Sayee Challapally / Leave a comment

We are all in this together.

During times when people were deeply divided on almost every issue, and every debate was being stretched to silly extremes and dangerous arguments, resulting in rampant polarization, not just in this country, but almost as a worldwide trend, I have often wondered, if only everyone in the world could take a pause, and relook at life, in a fundamental way.

Little did I know or imagine, even as recently as a couple of months back, that it would take an invisible microscopic virus, to stop the world in its tracks, and cause an existential rethink.

Today, as the world fights the global pandemic COVID-19, everyone is compelled to slow down, and take the time to reexamine their perspectives and priorities in life. It has given the time for people to reassess and reset their goals, and the opportunity to realize that there is so much more that unites us, than divides us, as human beings.

I hope this unprecedented crisis ends soon, and reboots the world in such a way as to usher in a brand new era of deeper realization, maturity, thought synergy, empathy and understanding, unparalleled cooperation, and everlasting peace and harmony, for the whole world. I hope that posterity sees COVID-19 as “The Global Crisis that United the World.”

Capitalism with a heart

/ Sayee Challapally / 3 Comments

Over the past few decades, it has been a globally well established fact that free market capitalism and globalization have given the world many benefits in terms of driving innovation and entrepreneurship, bringing new products and services to the market, fostering global competition, lifting millions of people from poverty and into the middle class, and generating wealth all around.

Yet, possibly as an unintended consequence and side-effect, we are undeniably seeing unprecedented levels of income and wealth inequality and also a growing trend of protectionism and nationalism worldwide, with many now, even questioning if free market capitalism can ever bridge the gap caused by rising inequality. What is more telling, is that this view is not just coming from the socialists or the so-called left, but even from those that have touted capitalism for long and have benefited from it.

 

 

I recently came across the views of three eminent people who have addressed this issue and I briefly list them below:

  1. Philip Kotler the renowned marketing and management guru wrote a book “Confronting Capitalism” in which he lists 14 shortcomings of capitalism as he sees them, and suggests several remedial strategies. He believes that “capitalism is better than any other system”, but advocates that we fix its shortcomings, to balance things up. I read this book and found it to be insightful to say the least. ( http://www.confrontingcapitalism.com )
  2. Raghuram Rajan, the Economics Professor at University of Chicago, former Chief Economist of IMF, and former Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, has recently published a book called “The Third Pillar – How Markets and the State Leave the Community Behind” in which he essentially says that capitalism may have done great things for the Markets and the State, but may have left out the third pillar the Community. From the sleeve notes on the book – “As markets scale up, the state scales up with it, concentrating economic and political power in flourishing central hubs and leaving the periphery to decompose, figuratively and even literally. Instead, Rajan offers a way to rethink the relationship between the market and civil society and argues for a return to strengthening and empowering local communities as an antidote to growing despair and unrest.” (https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/566369/the-third-pillar-by-raghuram-rajan/9780525558316/ )
  3. Ray Dalio, the Founder and Chairman of Bridgewater Associates, one of the largest hedge funds in the world, and a man whose net worth is $16 Billion, wrote a two-part article recently titled “Why and How Capitalism Needs to be Reformed.” He too believes that “capitalism is a fundamentally sound system that is now not working well for the majority of people, so it must be reformed to provide many more equal opportunities and to be more productive.” I read this article and would suggest that those interested in this topic definitely read up his views. (https://economicprinciples.org/Why-and-How-Capitalism-Needs-To-Be-Reformed/?utm_medium=adwords&utm_source=GS&utm_content=341819909261&utm_campaign=60minutes-search) 

Whether one agrees with them or not, these three luminaries do make us pause and ponder over the issue. I guess there may be many more who concur with them in principle, even though they may differ on the details. To be clear, they are not advocating that capitalism be abandoned. They have just highlighted the flip side of it, and have voiced their educated opinions on how it may be addressed and reformed.

Perhaps just as everything in life is cyclical, a prolonged trend might invariably give rise to a diametrically opposite trend over time.  Perhaps it is time to not dwell only on one-sided views of capitalism, but to consider a balanced approach to chalk out a good path forward that consistently produces equitable growth to more people across the world. Perhaps it is time for capitalism with a heart.

 

 

Music, Religion, and Identity

/ Sayee Challapally / 4 Comments

Music can make us feel so many emotions, move us to tears of sadness and joy, stir us to dance and rejoice, cause us to pray and meditate, and give us peace and happiness.

It is said that music is the universal language of mankind. It is the same set of twelve musical notes and octaves that are available for everyone in the world, regardless of their race, religion, gender or nationality. And these notes have given us diverse systems and genres of beautiful music that touch and inspire people in so many different ways.

Yet, one wonders how one ethnic group’s music sounds so sweet to them, but sounds like cacophony to some others! People often say, “I can occasionally appreciate Rock and Heavy Metal but my music is Country, or the Blues, or Classical.” What is it about different genres of music that makes people identify themselves so much with one, but not with the other?

In the west, many musical genres convey myriad themes like love, heartbreak, and even sex, drugs and rock and roll.  In India, popular songs and soundtracks in movies, cover many common emotions but they are a totally different world, when compared to the traditional Carnatic music art form that has lived for hundreds, or perhaps even thousands of years.

Carnatic music (South Indian Classical music), has been synonymous with prayer and worship, with Bhakti (Devotion) as its central theme. Almost all compositions are about Hindu Gods, with lyrics using mythological tales, devotion and philosophy to form some of the main themes. Even some lullabies may be about Rama or Krishna, and the lighter form called ‘Jaavalis’ are typically about Krishna’s romance. Most South Indian music fans perceive Carnatic Music as something very sacred. To them, it is inextricably coupled with prayer and worship and any deviation from this purpose, is deemed to be sacrilegious, by many.

This musical idiom is so deeply intertwined with religion, that using this genre to compose and sing about any other religion, feels so alien to the native style, and stirs up strong emotions and mixed feelings for many, as we have seen in the recent controversy that roiled some classical musicians, fans, and commentators in India.

One of the key contentions is that the classical singer Nithyashree apparently sang a song for an album on Jesus, whose lyrics were allegedly plagiarized from saint composer Thyagaraja’s lyrics, and replacing Rama’s name with Jesus.

Eminent musician Ravikiran has looked into this and denied this claim and has also fully supported Nithyashree. In some songs, some words traditionally used to describe Hindu Gods, may have been used to describe Jesus, and there ends the matter for some, but that is where the controversy begins for many others.

While some artistes and fans may see this as nothing more than an innovative way to use Carnatic music to sing about Jesus, and perhaps foster communal harmony, some opponents to this, see it as yet another blatant attempt sponsored by the Church to usurp Indian culture and distort its indigenous and sacred art forms to preach and convert Hindus to Christianity.

Hinduism has survived many onslaughts, and one could argue that a mere song or album could not convert people to another religion, and dismiss it as nothing more than rabble rousing by the opponents, but the real issue is far deeper for its opponents.

In India, there are several news reports alleging that the Christian missionaries in India have become aggressive in their conversion campaigns in neighborhoods, public places, outside schools, and even outside temples in holy cities. There are reports that many churches actively condemn Hinduism in their sermons and encourage more conversions. Many Hindus see this as an annoying practice and are incensed by what they see as constant attempts by the Church, to discredit and insult their religion and also to convert Hindus into their fold.

Also, recently there have been attempts to take the classical tunes of sacred hymns and Vedic intonations in Hinduism and replace the lyrics with those praising Jesus! This would be akin to how some Christians may feel, if for example, some Hindus took the tunes of a hymn like “Ave Maria” or the popular Christmas Carols, and use the same tunes to sing in praise of Hindu Gods!

Not only does it sound absurd, it also raises questions in the minds of the opponents, on the intent of the evangelicals in India, in trying to usurp these traditional art forms.

Just as in Christianity, some people may not be able to imagine or accept, using the Gospel style of choir singing to praise another God from another religion, many in India cannot imagine or accept using Carnatic music to sing praise of other religions or prophets. While it is perhaps technically possible, purely from a musical point of view, it may feel quite unnatural and unwarranted.

If you mix religious sentiments and politics, the issue cascades with accusations, insults and retorts and deteriorates into an unproductive war of words. Fanatics from all sides take over and not only distort the issue but also add fuel to the fire with their abusive and even intimidating comments.

Therefore, in the wake of the Indian Church’s persistent efforts to proselytize, some Hindus are currently not in any mood to look the other way, and are clearly making efforts to define the boundaries of what is acceptable to them, and what is not, and they may be well within their rights to do so.

Having said all that, nobody should be intimidated for expressing themselves through their art. In the same breath, the creative folks should also perhaps consider how various people may perceive sensitive things, and use their discretion and better judgment in deciding whether something may be appropriate or inflammatory.

One hopes that freedom of expression and creativity are always used responsibly, and that music always remains the magical force that touches people’s souls and brings them together.

Tennis – Player Compensation – Men Vs Women

/ Sayee Challapally / Leave a comment

On the eve of the men’s final at the French Open in Paris, where the reigning 10-time champion Rafael Nadal is slated to meet with Dominic Thiem, an interview that apparently Rafa gave to an Italian magazine, made news for a different reason.

When asked if men and women players should get equal pay, he replied: “It’s a comparison we shouldn’t even make. Female models earn more than male models and nobody says anything. Why? Because they have a larger following. In tennis too, who gathers a larger audience earns more,”

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This once again has triggered a longstanding debate in the tennis world, that has not yet found a way to solve this sticky conundrum. John McEnroe said something similar in the 80s, and so did Novak Djokovic last year.

At this issue’s core, are two important factors, one being the principle of “equal work, equal pay” and the other being the business model, where prize money is presumably being determined based on whether men or women players, are attracting larger crowds and revenues.

Some argue that since men play 5-set matches that are longer in duration (compared to the 3-set matches that women play), they are giving the fans, more tennis for their money, and therefore they invoke the ‘equal work, equal pay’ principle and insist that men should get paid more. “Let the women play 5-set matches and earn equal pay” goes their argument. Additionally, they also argue that since men’s tennis draws more fans, ticket sales, sponsors, and merchandise sales, they should naturally earn more. In their view, there is no gender discrimination, and they feel that this compensation model is the result of simple logic and math.

This debate nose-dived last year when Raymond Moore, the CEO of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells in California, said that the women tennis players ride on the “coattails of the men” adding a comment saying “If I was a lady player, I’d go down every night on my knees and thank God that Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal were born, because they have carried this sport. They really have.” Needless to say, these controversial remarks caused quite an uproar and Raymond Moore apologized later. While many agree that the statement may have been in poor taste, some of them also feel that it probably reveals the harsh reality of the flow of money in the sport, which is perhaps directly responsible for the manner in which the players’ compensation is structured.

However, those who believe that women players should get equal pay, claim as they did in this Time magazine article, that women work just as hard as men, contest some myths about viewership and even claim that the women’s matches get more viewership than the men’s matches, compare the pay in Tennis with other sports that apparently pay men and women equally, and lament about the vicious cycle of various factors, that affect women’s sport in general, and make their case for equal pay in Tennis.

This issue has been a tough one to resolve for quite some time now. Men and women are equal and should be treated equally. There is also the hard reality of business, where money commands its own logic and dictates its own flow.

Tennis fans are hoping that players, sponsors, administrators and governing bodies, sit down together to discuss equitable compensation models and arrive at a win-win solution, that resolves this issue in the best possible manner.

Happy 1st Birthday, Molly!

/ Sayee Challapally / 13 Comments

I never once thought that I would bring home a dog someday. I was nervous about them, and I used to avoid entering a room if there was a dog in it. Growing up as a boy, I had seen one in my grandma’s home and had also seen a couple of other dogs, in my cousins’ homes, but I had never spent any meaningful time to bond with those dogs, and at the time, they did not cause any interest in me, or make me yearn for one.

It wasn’t an easy decision, and was indeed, quite a journey for me to get there. My wife Usha had grown up with a dog and she always wanted one. My daughter Varsha had wanted one too, around the time that she was in middle school. However, after taking a long and hard look at our own busy schedules and commitments, the long winters in Chicago, and the chores and responsibilities that go with having a dog, we didn’t see how we could possibly bring one home, and do justice to the experience. So we decided against it, and even thought that we will perhaps never consider it again.

Once Varsha left for college, our home felt empty and boring, and Usha and I gradually felt like bringing one home, and of course there were some friends who gently nudged us every now and then to get one. And so, after much discussion and debate, we finally took the plunge last year, much to the pleasant surprise of Usha and Varsha, and several in our family and friends, and brought home our very own Golden Retriever, a breed that was our instant and unanimous choice.

Molly was born on May 20th 2017, but it wasn’t until the mandatory first 8 weeks were over, did the breeder give her to us, and we brought her home in mid July, last year.  Our life hasn’t been the same ever since! Yes, there are more chores and responsibilities now, and we need to plan for her care in advance, every time we step out of our home, but undoubtedly there is also a quiet and simple joy in having such a beautiful, fun, friendly and loving animal at home, that cannot talk to you, but at the same time, can express herself so well, and convey so many things so beautifully, enriching our lives, with every little act of hers.

And I never thought that someday I would write a sincere page, talking about how nice it is to have one at home! Today, on Molly’s 1st Birthday, I am reminded of a nice quote that I read recently:

“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened!” – Anatole France, Author and Poet.

I think he’s right!

Happy 1st Birthday, Molly!

Speak up, Moderates!

/ Sayee Challapally / 8 Comments

Polarization is rampant everywhere, on every single issue. Media amplifies it and social media regurgitates it endlessly. Freedom of speech is good, and passion is great indeed, as long as the discussions and debates are civil, positive and constructive.

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The people who are taking the extreme positions are so noisy and vitriolic on all the sides, that trying to talk sense and bring about balance, feels like a Herculean task.

There are perhaps more moderates in this world, than those that take extreme positions, but their problem is that they are silent, perhaps not wanting to risk getting hurt and bloodied, in this senseless war of diatribes and invite a deluge of unsolicited hate mail and despicable comments.

Moderation is certainly the need of the hour, and we need more empathy and understanding on all sides. To some extent, compromise is needed to facilitate people to come to the center and carve out a path ahead, together. Yet, it is often portrayed as surrender, or a sellout, by those who are firmly entrenched in their extreme positions, thereby hampering progress. And if we allow politicians on all sides to fan hatred, instead of fostering mutual understanding, respect and peace, the problem is immensely exacerbated.

Unfortunately, the first casualty in any argument seems to be facts. People have a strong sense of identity that stems from their language, religion, gender, education and upbringing, and they perceive things differently, form their own opinions without verifying facts, and cherry pick only those ‘facts’ or some ‘dimensions of facts’, to corroborate their opinions, and indulge in selective praise or outrage, depending upon their position on any issue.

How can we change this sad and destructive trend? It is possible only if more moderates come forward to break their silence and speak up firmly, and reason with facts and figures, with an abundance of patience and perseverance, and bring people together.

It is perhaps easier said than done, but it is much-needed today, for civility and sanity to return to public discourse and debate.

Women’s Day – 2018

/ Sayee Challapally / Leave a comment

To all the women I’ve been blessed to know – my late mother, wife, daughter, aunts, cousins, teachers, colleagues, artistes, family and friends – Happy Women’s Day to all of you – and here is my sincere attempt at Verse, for all of you!

Women’s Day – 2018

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Some women are celebrated everywhere,

And are part of history and folklore!

But I think it is the everyday women in our lives,

Who ought to be celebrated more and more!

 

Women leaders, achievers and winners,

Please do celebrate all of them for sure!

But don’t forget to celebrate the women,

Who make our lives so pristine and pure!

 

Mental fortitude, quiet determination,

We learn a lot of that from you women!

Resilience, courage and conviction,

And a lot more, that we really owe to you women!

 

So many women are true role models,

Whom we should always respect and admire!

As they juggle multiple roles with ease and aplomb,

And yet, never fail to smile and inspire!

 

As you endeavor to make this world a better place,

Wishing a very Happy Women’s Day to all of you!

And my gratitude and respect is not just for today,

But will always be there, for all of you!

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My simple prayer for the world in 2018

/ Sayee Challapally / 4 Comments

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Dear God, please bless and enable all of us to:

Discuss and debate, rather than fight and argue.

Build each other up, rather than tear each other down.

Find solutions for problems, rather than more obstacles.

Have the sense of responsibility to check for facts.

Be discerning enough to differentiate between fact and opinion.

Stop the spread of misinformation, both mischievous and malicious.

Seek truth and clarity amidst all the information overload.

Fight against divisive rhetoric and hate speech, regardless of where it comes from.

Ensure civility, peace and harmony, even when we disagree…especially, when we disagree.

Understand that notoriety is not fame or greatness.

Spread intelligence, rather than ignorance.

Share love and respect, rather than bile and hatred.

Work together to defeat darkness, and bring in the light.

 

SPB Vs. Ilaiyaraja – a teachable moment!

/ Sayee Challapally / 4 Comments

The open disagreement between the legendary singer SP Balasubrahmanyam (SPB) and the genius composer Ilaiyaraja has caused an emotional outpouring of views and opinions from fans worldwide. People care deeply about a subject so personal as music, and when a controversy erupts involving great personalities, it is perhaps the perfect setting for such an avalanche. This issue is quite complex, and I am not going to pretend to be an expert on solving this.

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Without taking sides on this particular issue, I wanted to share some thoughts in general. In fact, this may be a great opportunity to address and fix some longstanding business issues that have plagued the creative world in India for long, causing immense and frequent heartburn to artistes, musicians, composers, poets, authors, playwrights, actors, cinematographers, record labels, studios, and others in that ecosystem.

Even after 25 years of globalization, it seems as though, in the creative arena, the awareness on copyright laws is still quite low, the implementation quite indifferent, and the hypocrisy, quite high.

It is also ironical that some fans who don’t hesitate to upload and download stuff illegally from the Internet, or copy-paste something from somewhere, are outraged and are even pontificating on this topic! And despite their good intentions, some fans who do not fully understand the various components of the copyright process and the complexities involved therein, are giving their opinions, often with a lot of emotional hot air and very little logic. This is perhaps the sad and universal truth today, whatever the issue may be!

Historically, many in the earlier generation were not aware – or never bothered – about these legalities. They were so deeply immersed in the joy of their own creativity and many even perceived such issues as unnecessary distractions, or probably had nobody to work on it for them. Some were even quite content just to take a remuneration and think nothing about distributing and monetizing their much adored and widely acclaimed work. And due to various social, religious and cultural reasons, these issues were further complicated by a general aversion in Indian society to openly discuss legal affairs and money, for fear of being dubbed and ostracized as “business like” and “money-minded”. As such the culture of copyrighting one’s own work and standing up for one’s own rights was almost non-existent, for the most part. Also, in an industry fueled by black money, big risks, gambling instincts, larger-than-life personalities and egos, almost everything went (and still goes on apparently) on verbal agreements, trust, and taking care, ‘not to offend the powers that be.’

Although things may have improved over time, as per Copyright laws, the process to get a Copyright registration can still be quite time-consuming, as this flowchart may indicate. And in the “in the moment”, “adrenaline-rush” world of creativity, not many bother to go through a regulatory process to make sure everything is well documented and copyrighted properly.

From a policy maker’s point of view, the subjectivity around creative aspects can be quite confusing to draft a fair and balanced policy. From the point of view of creators, performers, technicians, studios, distributors, the sharing of credit and revenues can be quite complex to define and agree upon. Since some aspects of the Copyright Act of 1957, were becoming old and perhaps obsolete, there have been amendments in 2012 and rules enhancements in 2013. Hopefully, better collaboration, proper understanding, and wider adherence will improve things for everyone.

Even in USA, copyright is quite a complex issue, although it is a lot more rigorous in its implementation, and gets more scrutiny and respect from all the stakeholders.

Regarding SPB and Ilaiyaraja, people must ensure that they discuss and debate the issue without insulting either of them. Let us not forget that both are supernovas who have enthralled us for several decades and we must give them both, the due respect that they richly deserve. We ought to give these old friends the courtesy, time and space (and also support if needed) to help them resolve this issue amicably.

Perhaps a good way forward, is to ask them to come together along with wise and eminent policymakers, lawyers and judges for a wider public debate to ensure clarity and fairness, and also to help shape guidelines and policy for the benefit of future generations. That would certainly be a positive outcome from this teachable moment!

(PS: Photo courtesy – from Hindustan Times – and I don’t know who owns these and where they got these from!)

 

“Somebody else’s babies” Rep. Steve King? Seriously?

/ Sayee Challapally / Leave a comment

Last July, Representative Steve King (Iowa, Republican) had questioned “other sub groups” and their “contribution to civilization.” I had shared my thoughts in my blog post on it, earlier. Obviously he seems to be on the path of discovering new lows for himself, with his distasteful declaration in a recent tweet – “We can’t restore our civilization with somebody else’s babies.”

When the media asked him to clarify, he reiterated his stance and added, “If you go down the road a few generations, or maybe centuries, with the inter-marriage, I’d like to see an America that is just so homogenous that we look a lot the same,” he said.

 

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“Homogeneous”? Seriously, Rep. King?

I know that facts may not mean much to you, as we now live in this Trumpian, post-facts era. Nevertheless, let me try to present just three, with the vain hope of educating folks such as yourself.

According to some studies out there:

To me, it is quite obvious that the dire need right now, is to protect and restore civilization from your hateful ideology. And I therefore propose that if you have the ability to do so, please realize your responsibilities as an US Congressman. Please strive to foster and celebrate unity in diversity. Please ensure a civil and harmonious discourse in society, and nurture egalitarian ideals. Please try to bring people together and encourage them to leverage each others’ strengths and complement each other, to make this world a better place.

If you cannot do that, please step aside. Perhaps “somebody else’s babies” should try.