The two eyes with a smile and nothing else !!

I was recently discussing about the Mayurbhanj experiment with an old school friend of mine with whom I had  lost touch for almost a  decade. Discussion somehow took a distinct turn as it was difficult to make any new person understand  " what it takes to build community enterprises" and he very affectionately asked me "jab wahan log hindi nahin samajhte achche se and tum oriya bol nahin paate toh tum unhe collective enterprise banane ke liye convince kaise karte ho".(when people there don;t understand hindi fully and u cannot speak oriya, how do u convince them for forming collective enterprise). I wanted to explain him poverty statistics and other stuff why this area needs an intervention and how we are attempting it but then looked at my watch and told him and that i'll call him in the evening with little more time at my disposal.

Evening I returned back and as always "those two eyes with a smiling face" were waiting for me at the varandah of my landlord. I was somehow in different mood because of problems with the cooperative and I tried to ignore the presence "those two eyes with smiling face" and marched straight way upstairs to my room.  She started beating the varandah mini gate. I continued my flight upstairs, removed the lock and by that time it appeared as if mini door at the varandah will break down if she is not taken to my room. Her request or rather order was obeyed and finally there she was in my room, giggling  as if she is now in heaven , opened my bag, struggling with pen to become Oscar Wilde on my notebook, taking out the laptop charger and inserting the opposite end in the USB port and finally when she didnt find me taking note of any of her mischiefs, she was there right in front of me. She  started uttering something which even best of the best language translators cannot decipher, dont know why but I heard her very patiently. Those cluttered words spoke vividly how eagerly she was waiting for my arrival, how angry she was when I ignored her and didnt bring to my room and how happy she was when she could get the chance to play around with my stuff.  I took her outside and showed the traditional "chanda mama",a "bhow bhow" and narrated some kindergarten poem and  she responded with a sweet smile as if she understood everything I spoke.

Now there it was ....answer to my friends query. This girl who is barely year and a half who perhaps doesn't understand her mother tongue oriya leave apart hindi feels so happy and waits for a person who is very knew to her and listens and speaks a language which neither of us understand..but then there is a bond which is beyond things called rationality ...which perhaps makes people "feel" that this person is a friend of mine and is speaking something which is good and closely related to me..perhaps there are words which resonate a conviction, a faith and trust..perhaps there is something in the eyes which translate the intentions and a smile which bridges the gap of language. I clearly remember Prof Channiwala said, during one of our evening walks around the college campus, "Beta, if this innocent child like smile can be preserved till death bed, we have lived a successful life". I am not too sure whether that 'innocent child like smile" is still preserved but then whenever in village meetings or now with representative body meetings I speak, I feel a connectedness in the eyes of the people there,  now when I have started understanding Oriya and started inserting oriya words in my hindi sentences this connectedness is further improving. Ofcourse to satisfy the rationale thinker, I ensure that after I speak, one of the field staff's translate the stuff in Oriya as well.

Oh yes..."The two eyes with a smile and nothing else" !!

Lost for Winning !

Very often life brings us at terminals where many roads end and in turn bend into multiple directions each taking a unique look. Gujarati's call those terminals as 'chaukdi', Oriya call as 'chak' and hindi speaking belt designate it as 'chauraha'. Whatever name people might give it, effect remains the same. It perplexes human mind, more so when the decision is not for self but for 500 odd families associated with that one decision.

As shared in last post , authorities responsible for grant of license for the mahua flower trade to the cooperative  have delayed it beyond the limits of delay. Perhaps or may be with this sentence 'perhaps' is not required, they are looking for bribe for grant of license. Ethically I am against doing anything if that comes through corrupt route, but here produce at stake is not mine but of 500 odd poor families who on our insistence and persuasion had come together and didnt sell the produce to the local trader. They were assured that collectively with 'time utility' they will be able to fetch a better price for the produce of their efforts. However as it was decided that entire working capital has to come from them and therefore price of the produce will be given only after 'collective sale' happens. This was done to ensure their 100% stake in 'their business'.

They 'innocently' followed the advise and in the member preference card, they had marked when and in what quantities they will like their produce to be sold. However due to inordinate delay in the license, this process couldn;t be properly followed by the cooperative. Now Cooperative stands at two choices, either give bribe and take the license at the earliest or violate the first principle of 100% working capital contribution by members which was the most unique aspect in the Mayurbhanj Expeirment. In both choices objective remains same, members must not be left unpaid as they have completed their promise of holding back the produce.

Today we had cooperative's representative body meeting. May be due to my inclination towards not giving bribe, board members unanimously agreed for the second choice. Cooperative has decided to advance loan for 50% of the produce and pay back the members upto 1 quintal at the last highest market price. With this members will get a breathing space and will be able to support some of the expenses for the ongoing paddy cultivation. Some of my friends have agreed to advance 'no interest' loan which cooperative will repay back by January 2012.

With this one decision Marshal Cooperative has perhaps lost the unique model which it wanted to portray that poor can do business with 100% working capital contribution from their end. But then this 'chauraha' of life had two tough choices, we thought it was better to let the 'innovation' aspect die down instead letting our morals down. Neverthless even if 'innovation' will not be visible on balance sheets but in spirit all members and representative body recognizes that members had fulfilled their 100% working capital contribution criteria and its the systemic delay which has forced us to advance payments.

Not too sure, management case studies might treat this has 'Lost' but we at Mayurbhanj experiment call this "Lost for winning' because ......
ना  हार  से  ना  जीत  से
बस  केवल  एक  उम्मीद  से
वक़्त के पन्नों पर कुछ लिखता मिटाता हूँ
गीत नया गाता हूँ 

Tensed -yes I am, Lost-not yet

When people talk about pollution in the air, I sometimes wonder more than Green house gases, gas of corruption is afloat in the air along with oxygen that we breath in. The fight for getting registered copy of COIT without paying bribe was successful. Now stands another fight in waiting....

Marshal Cooperative's application for license is lying with the authorities since last one month. They perhaps have failed to understand that because of the delay which they are exercising for granting license is causing problem for members of the cooperative. Request made by board members of the cooperative have fallen on dear ears. As a last effort of request made by Prabhakarji, one of the field staffs, Excise department have called the field staff and board members tomorrow in their office.  As field staff shared authorities have not granted license because cooperative has not advanced 'the green paper' which has Mr. Mohandas Gandhi's image printed on it along with the application for license.

Should we bow down and let the board pay the bribe and get hold of license so that poor members start getting the remunerative price for the produce or should we continue the fight with the legal process. I don't have an answer..I am tensed..not lost faith on the ethics yet but how long can I ignore call from members for sale of produce? 

क्यूँकी राह में धूप तो होगी

स्वप्न देखा नहीं जाता महसूस किया जाता है

इसमें शब्दों का खेल नहीं वरन रक्त और पसीने का मेल किया जाता है 

ऐसा वक़्त भी आता है जब गिरने पर दर्द को भी दर्द का भान नहीं होता

कई बार हारने पर भी जीत की उम्मीद छूटने का ज्ञान नहीं होता 

मौत खडी हो लक्ष्य के दरमियाँ फिर भी सांस नहीं रूकती

परिस्थितियाँ कहते थक जाएँ पर 'एक बार फिर' कोशिश  करने की प्यास नहीं बुझती 

और तुम कहते हो की हम रुक जाएं

क्यूँकी राह में धूप तो होगी 

स्वप्न महसूस करना कोई जज्बात की बात नहीं

ये तो खुद की खुद से जंग है कायरों को मिलने वाली सस्ती सौगात नहीं 

व्यापार  में लाभ हानि तो व्यापारी  देखते हैं 

सपनों के लिए लड़ने वालों को व्यापरी के तराजू में नहीं तौलते हैं 

धूप छाँव क्या चीज़ है ये तो सूरज के अस्तितिव को भी नहीं पूजते है 

जो अपने स्वप्न के लिए जीते हैं वो जीवन का मृत्यु को भी रीझते है

और तुम कहते हो की हम रुक जाएं

क्यूँकी राह में धूप तो होगी

Will we actually 'owe' it ?

While most of us mourned death of innocent people in Mumbai blasts and criticized the government for its "non-intelligent intelligence' which seldom succeeds in getting information about terror attacks, I was more terrified by an incident; which perhaps will never appear (Atleast on front page) on newspaper and news channels 

Today we had meeting of subgroup of the cooperative and I got to know that meeting cannot be organized because Grandson of one member of the cooperative is seriously ill since last 3 days. We went to her home and saw the the kid. This kid is less than one year old and was looking pale. We inquired and got to know that they had taken the kid to nearby community health center (CHC) but there was no improvement in the health and therefore they decided to use their traditional/spiritual method for treatment.We somehow convinced them to again consult the doctor and took the kid along with her grand mother. Upon reaching the CHC, we showed the kid to the doctor on duty, he said this child is seriously malnourished and immediately needs to be referred to Cuttack Hospital. He asked for earlier prescription and then we got to know that 3 days back when they had shown the kid to the doctor he had also advised same thing but they had not adhered to it. Nevertheless the doctor  instructed us to get saline to be put before ambulance was arranged. 

Till now everything for me was normal, but perhaps God wanted me to witness something which I'll never forget.

After getting saline, when nurse was about to put in the injection, she saw marks of burning on the kid's hand and then saw it on legs and neck too. The community here doesn't believe in modern medicine, quite possible that only out of someone;s force that they had visited doctor earlier but then as they didn't believe in it they didnt follow the instructions of the doctor and the kid;s condition further deteriorated.  Like most of you who are reading this post, I was unaware of how traumatic this traditional treatment is. Now what the traditional treatment is, they believe that people become ill only when some evil soul enters the body and for removing this evil soul we need to torture the body and so they burn the body with hot iron and this less than one year kid had those marks!!!

I am not going to blame NIA or CBI for this. Perhaps even FBI or Interpol also cannot detect the terror which that kid and many alike him go through (let them be spared for mumbai attacks). But yes I am certainly going to ask questions to the learned , to the doctors, to the engineers and and to my other 'relatively' well off friends can we give sometime and try to remove out this 'terror'. It need not be in Orissa, could be any where. Ofcourse Dr. Manmohan singh and his brigade or for that matter anyone else in his position can be put to blame for the 'terror' which I shared but still somewhere we all 'common people' owe a responsibility.

Will we actually 'owe' it ?

Relation between my Roti and Dr.Manmohan Singh

 Finally after rice, dal and sabji I was forced to venture into cooking the last item-Roti as the nearby eatery stopped preparing chapati for me.

I thought it would be an easy task but somehow gave many feelings which perhaps only Dr Manmohan Singh can sense while managing the affairs of this vast nation. Process started with mixing water in the wheat flour. It was as if many regional parties need to be brought together and form UPA so that well balanced flour is set in. Initially I poured less water, perhaps the way Dr. Manmohan Singh wanted to keep left and 'behenji of north and amma of south' out of the coalition but soon found to my dismay that flour will not set in unless more water is poured. Therefore following Dr. Manmohan singh I added more water, but as he was inexperienced at handling 'more parties' my flour became wet like  a liquid paste. Neverthless 'manthan' continued and while accommodating different corners, added more flour after learning from dear Prime minister to create more ministerial berths. With some pushes and pulls with the 'liquid paste' and additional wheat flour, flour started giving a well balanced look. However as time proved to Dr. Manmohan singh that this 'apparent' better look was nothing more than 'apparent'. Once I started rolling it into small round pieces, I realized that there was not enough elasticity and Mamtaji forced to get Railway Ministry. Moment it was put on 'chauki' A Raja started his show. South South came together and Roti started taking shape of India. At one corner I had Jammu and Kashmir where as at other end there was North east joined by a very small connecting route to the 'hindi' mainland. Neverthless efforts continued to take the map as a 'unified' but still a 'federal' nation. However there came a turning moment. Erstwhile Andhra Pradesh in the roti brokeout and Telangana supporters got separated, your own MP's resigned . Finally Dr Manmohan singh sent his most reliable people to pacify the matter ofcourse as a patch work. I too added some paste of flour in the adjoining Andhra Pradesh and tried to form a Telangana. This made first raw 'roti' but not sure whether even formation of Telangana will make this roti and my nation look better from development perspective. All the while my mother kept instructing me on phone and I kept following as you do obediently to UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi

Journey however was destined at something else. Perhaps Dr. Manmohan singh is not destined for peaceful life. Moment Chapati was put in 'tawa' it got divided into three parts. One appeared representing foreign diplomacy policy towards USA for terrrorism, other representing inflation with rising petroleum prices and third civil society anguish against corruption. With time "tawa' was getting hot and cooking the three pieces together was becoming difficult. While Dr. Manmohan Singh focussed on foreign policy, civil society representative Anna Hazare started his anshan and this part got 'roasted to black', third part was left unattended and remained raw. After doing some 'ulat pulat' for 10-15 min, I took out all the three pieces assuming them to be still one Roti.

Wish it was one Roti. Neverthless I was happy with the first roti, immediately called back home and shared this success story to my father. However much alike supreme court of India, he didnt believe that I could prepare first roti of my life. May God bless Dr. Manmohan Singh.
Dear Prime Minister I don't appreciate you but I do sympathize with your situation . you are perhaps still better among the worst available options as eatery had stopped preparing chapati and in all possible cases it's better to eat raw/burnt roti than sleeping without food !

That Kid: Interval between thoughts

There are moments in life, when everything and almost everything seems to get blocked. We get locked in situations where nothing seems possible. Things take so much bad shape that taking a step forward appears ruining the purpose of the entire journey covered till now. And its not just one or two or three things which appear to bother us but almost everything we are connected to seems to get chained up by series of circumstances. These circumstances make us feel that nothing is possible. Nothing can be done. It's all over.

Perhaps its not. Perhaps it can never be all over. It's just a moment may be a minute long, an hour long, a day long or some years long but it can never be all over. Recall the cast of a kid you were, you could just mumble few words , could walk  few steps and make limited set of expressions which either were considered as smile or tears but still you made sure that you could make your parents and elder siblings understand your needs. You made sure to force them to give you a horse ride, you could force them to get chocolate of your choice. Under all circumstances your ability to come out of situations is not constrained more than that what you had then as a kid. 

When you feel its all over, its just because you have lost the 'kid' within you who was eager to en-route the entire world when he just learnt the little steps, you have the lost the 'kid' within you who wanted to speak all the words in all the possible languages when he just learnt to say Ma, you have lost the 'kid' who strongly believed that his innocent wishes once made made they will be fulfilled under all circumstances and if not he'll ensure no one else in the family sleeps without making those wishes complete. That kid is no one else, its you, its the fighter within you, its the fighter who again has to rise up and make sure that the wishes, the dreams are fulfilled irrespective of what happens outside.

Will that kid rise again ?

15 min and 58 days

'Title of the post' might surprise a bit because normally smaller unit follows the larger unit but here days are following the minutes.

Today is another important day of my life. Nothing special, just that I could get the registered deed of the 9th experiment COIT which was hanging with Sub-registrar's office since last 58 days and these 15 minutes again reaffirmed my faith on strength of 'ethics and integrity'.

My friend's father who stays in Bhubaneswar had been following up with the sub-registrar's office, however everytime the 'responsible (?)' person/s were either not available or made claims that deed registration is not completed yet. Last time when he visited he was told that deed is lost by the office.

Perhaps the root lied in my approach for registration. I didn't use any of the agents sitting outside the registration building who take commissions, part of which goes to 'transparent' registering officials. I had prepared the deed on own and applied for registration. I knew the path was going to be tough. I knew they will delay the process. I knew that delay might hamper my beloved Mayurbhanj experiment as contributions coming for the experiment from friends and professors will not reach the trust account as without registration I cannot open the trust's bank account. But I knew one thing, since I am following up the legal and ethical process I'll get it done.

Today I visited the office again perhaps like "Angry young man" of 1980's films. Requested the authorities for 5 minutes and as usual the response/s varied from one official to other that registration of deed is not complete yet ...........to deed is lost. And then I returned back to seat one and told the official that I am now giving 10 more minutes and if I don;t get my registered deed I am going to file the RTI and approach the Collector as I have recorded all the versions of reply from different officers on my cell phone. Then came the turn around. This official appeared worried, immediately left his seat and asked me to follow. We entered other room and requested second official in the computer room to give my deed and this second person said that concerned 'responsible' person is absent and so I cannot get deed today. I reiterated my sentence in simple hindi and added that whatever he said is also recorded in the audio file (meanwhile first official briefed him about my stand). And this second official immediately left his seat, took my receipt and checked my acknowledgement number and said your registration was completed 50 days back and your file is lying in the "old files" record. It will be difficult to trace it, you should have come earlier. I just smiled and said now 3 more minutes are left, tell me whether you can trace the deed. Both of them went to third official, had some discussion and COIT's trust deed was taken out from 'carefully' kept almirah. So finally I could get the 'glimpse' of the registered deed with numerous seals and signature. I thought the struggle was over and I'll get the deed. However came another turning moment. One more official came and told me, this deed has been lying with us for 58 days and so you to pay rent for it. I said I am ready to pay all the rent, provided you give me the receipt of the rent. Officer looked puzzled and said in broken hindi 'is rent ki receipt nahin milta' (you cannot get receipt of this rent). I told him fine,  I am not going to pay this rent without receipt and I am recorded your request for rent and this will be soon shared with the media. I was about to leave the place. Other 3 officials came around  hurriedly and  told me to that I can take my deed without any rent.

And thus after 58 days and 15 minutes I got what 'constitution of India' entitles me to get in 7 days and 'constitution of bribe" in 2 days. May be this exercise was futile. May be this was just a waste of time and energy which perhaps could have been invested in the Mayurbhanj experiment. May be this will not change the way "sub-registrar's" office works or for that matter any other government department with authority to give license/registration works. I know I cannot play likes of Anna Hazare or Baba Ramdev and struggle to get corruption removed across the nation. What I know is I am still uncompromised on my stand that my path will remain clean and I am within ambit of the vow that I have till date not given a single paisa as bribe. I know that whatever little road I walk on I will ensure the foot prints never smell unethical. I don't intend to clean the entire system, I am perhaps not capable of . When I see condition of Dr. Manmohan Singh, I wonder if a honest PM like him cannot do, it would be next to impossible for a feeble common man like me. I know and understand that being a common man I cannot change everything. And therefore I have decided to do what a 'common man' can do. I don't intend to sit and blame others for non performance of the extra bit which this society, country and world as a whole needs. I can do small constructive things and with God's grace I am doing. But at the same time I also understand my responsibility that those "small constructive things" must be done "ethically". Wish this common man stands truthful in other similar "58 days tests" and enforce those "15 minutes" across all the experiments.

Good or Bad perhaps doesn't emanate from top, it has its roots at the bottom and bottom in all cases is occupied by 'common man' like us. We need to stop corruption at our individual levels from TC in train to traffic policeman on road, and we need to stop 'just' blaming government for whatever problems we see, perhaps only then we may create a much better society. It pains when I hear crores of rupees being siphoned off by xyz ministers, but it certainly pains more when I see individuals like us paying 100-200 bucks to get our work done. Reason is simple, common man on street never goes for applying for 2G license but he definitely goes for getting a ticket , a driving license... and that is where we the relatively bettor off's create a 'bribe system' which he/she might not be able to afford. This is where I intend to strike in whatever path I am traversing through. It's simple 'every man is Lokpal'.

Tomorrow I'll try to get the bank account of COIT opened and with that perhaps the long wait for many of my friends who wanted to support the Mayurbhanj experiment will be able to perform their 'common' bit!

Cooperatives are a failure story !

Yesterday I was having telephonic discussion with a close friend. Arguments shifted towards cooperatives survival and their real effectiveness. He confidently argued that cooperatives across the world are a failure story!

Well so is democracy! But should we do away with or try to see what makes cooperatives not achieve the real intended benefit to the member (farmer or primary producer). What makes them a "poor social collective business proposition".

Some statistics which people arguing 'for' cooperatives often quote

#Colombia's second-largest employer is a health-care co-operative.

#In Kuwait, 80 percent of retail sales are run by co-ops.

#In Bolivia a quarter of all savings are held by a single co-operative credit union.                                                                      #Within India we find the "Amul" which recently touched 2 billion $ business. 

#And perhaps we cannot forget Mondragon Cooperative Corporation, Spain's major business enterprise.

Critics might argue that these are exceptions. Yes they indeed are and  the successful with failed ones constitute 750 million people around the world as member of cooperatives. We need to understand that Cooperative at the end of the day is a "business", business supposed to be run collectively by hundreds or thousands of 'primary producers/workers", owned by them and surplus to be shared according to the labor contributed and not on the basis of capital. We need to understand that Cooperative being a business of the poor, poor not just economically but socially as well; needs special attention. Cooperatives unlike private counterparts cannot be made success in a day. There is a huge transaction cost which comes into picture when we attempt to form a collective enterprise. This transaction cost includes mobilizing people, stictching the diverse interest in a common fabric and above all ensuring that 'business' atleast becomes 'business like' in local rural conditions. This is a like 'threshold energy' binding electron within the atom, once that is crossed, once "cooperators" ensure that members start taking 'ownership' of the cooperative, there is nothing else which can stop the cooperative from being a success. Most of the "Amitabh Bacchan's" of development film tend to take it too fast. It cannot happen this way.

We need to remember that PV=nRT exists only for understanding, in real life specially in social settings which are occupied with century old backwardness only practical form available is
 
When I argue so 'stubbornly' for cooperatives, its not a fanaticism for "cooperative" but for a belief that rural poor have the ability to circumvent vicious circle of poverty. Only thing hindering them is their limited resources which with little external 'catalytic' support can be enhanced by bringing them together as a  collective business.  I, in person don;t see any other development paradigm which can make them better off without compromising on issues of 'equity' and 'parity'. If we don't believe in their ability, we have perhaps gone too pessimistic in ascertaining the worth of God's most intelligent creation.

Yes I Plead Guilty

When I had started this blog, had an intention of keeping my life a transparent open book where thoughts whether good or bad, actions whether good or bad and finally experiments whether good or bad will get reflected across. Time to plead guilty!

Was returning back from field on bike when a person on a bicycle suddenly crossed the road. Tried avoiding a direct hit but still the cycle got touched in the rear and the men with his son fell down. Nothing odd in this, accidents are called accidents because they happen unplanned with mistake from either side. What I felt bad was emergence of a thought that I should move ahead without bothering to see the status of the man and his child as I was getting late. Surprisingly this thought turned into action as well and  I moved about half a kilometer. No one would have caught me, but somewhere deep within the incident pinched  and I returned back. It further added to my guilt when I found that the child was physically challenged. Person had a minor injury on the knee perhaps while saving his child from falling down. Took the person and his child to nearby hospital and got some pain killers for them. Dropped him to his home and gave  my phone number to let me know if pain doesnt subside and further medication is needed.

God saved me from committing this moral blunder.
 Still I plead guilty for the 'thought' of moving ahead after the accident.

Monsoon enters Orissa but .....

Its so serene to view the dark clouds outside pouring rain drops. Perhaps some of us must be enjoying this with old melodies "Rimjhim gire sawan..." with a cup of tea.
But then comes a thought about a fellow member of Marshal Cooperative in Mayurbhanj, for whom entry of Monsoon must be filled with two opposing thoughts. One hand he must be happy that sowing on fields will start and at other end, there must be worry of keeping his produce preserved in the hut with rain water seeping from the thatched roof. Yes this dichotomy in thoughts is true for any rural poor.

But there is a difference in the current context, there are 500 families who happen to be member of the cooperative experiment in Mayurbhanj. These families don't seek your help for repairing their thatched roof. They neither want space in your house for the rainy season. They have a bigger dream. They want to reach to a level where they can repair their house from their own earnings. They want to ensure that their children have a better life. They no longer want to be sympathetically addressed as 'poor' and that is the reason they have come together as a collective which we see as "Marshal Cooperative".

While this is true, like a child envisaging its first walk, it needs to be supported in the endeavor of doing business together for gaining the real share from the value chain. They need to be facilitated in adding more families as members of the cooperative for reaching "threshold volumes" so that they can cost-effectively sell their produce and earn what their efforts mean to them. They need to be facilitated in setting up the production unit so that they can earn  more by value addition to their produce. One hand they have agreed to put in their limited resources for 'working capital' of the collective business, but on other hand they find their resources limited for supporting salary of two field staff's who are doing social mobilization in other villages. One of them has agreed to give 2 acre of land for the production unit but they don;t have sufficient resources to actually set the machines.

Will you help them?  http://www.coit.in/cexperiment.html

The 9th Experiment

What do we do when our dreams receive a major set back and we are on the verge of leaving that dream? We perhaps give a last try and approach our near and dear ones . Mayurbhanj Cooperative experiment was no exception! With presence of caring friends and beloved professors the experiment is still on

Sometimes solution of problems make us realize that we cannot remain selfish. When we have received help in the hour of crises for our dreams, we must ensure that we extend a small hand for supporting others who perhaps might be in similar situation. Now its time to expand this zone to other similar experiments where plausibly network of such caring friends and professors doesn't exist  and those dreamers have to leave their dreams of serving the community halfway . The 9th Experiment "Community Owned Initiative Trust" (Coit) comes into formal existence now.  Coit  is born to support similar initiatives which are left stranded due to lack of institutional funding as would have happened with Mayurbhanj experiment if friends had not come forward. This trust will seek support from individuals in small amounts and work only with "Community Owned Organizations". 

 Mayurbhanj experiment-Marshal Cooperative will  be now onward institutionally managed by Coit as its first assignment.  More details about Coit can be seen here http://www.coit.in/index.html . We seek your help in spreading the word about Coit.

And the Big news

This day perhaps marks one the biggest milestones for the Mayurbhanj Cooperative experiment. Mayurbhanj Cooperative experiment was based on slightly different premise. Conventionally in Cooperatives, cooperative purchases the produce from members and then sells it at a later stage (with or without processing) for better returns to members. This necessitates the need for high cost working capital for purchasing the produce which is mostly borrowed from market or taken as grant from a funding agency.  Essentially this means that members sell 'to' the cooperative instead of 'through' the cooperative. When we began the experiment, we had some fundamental questions in mind

a) Can cooperatives (which are essentially business of the poor) be run without single paisa borrowing from market? This is not say that borrowing for business is bad, but more because poor are vulnerable and high cost working capital in case of loss can put them in vicious poverty cycle. Moreover when Cooperatives or for that matter any business begins, all external loaning agencies are reluctant to give loan and this puts cooperatives at back foot with regard to the volume they cater in their foundation years

b) If cooperative is business of the poor, can people not pool in their resources in cash and kind and run it for better returns from the market? Essentially this means that Cooperative truly becomes their business and they don't sell 'to' the cooperative but 'through' the cooperative

We are yet to explore the firm and final answers but first glimpse of the color after end of 'titration' shows that approach as worked. After collectively selling 96 quintals at village cooperative level for meeting immediate cash needs, the 'contributed' produce close to 100 quintals being sold today at almost double the current market price and without single paisa loan taken from market. More is yet to come, but the preliminary results presents before us a new approach to community enterprise building with small resources which villagers already have.

I am personally indebted to those who had helped us from falling down and leaving the cooperative experiment in the April turmoil. Specially thanks to Prof DP Mishra (IRMA) and Prof J. Banerjee (NIT Surat) and my close buddies Ashirbad, Suman, Ajita, Robin, Nirav, Bhavishya, Rachana, Ankur, Parthav, Abhishek, Sudhin, Avinash, Durgesh, Digyavijay, Sworen (&team), Sunayana, Vinay whose suport both moral and financial has kept the experiment going.  Many thanks to the onces whose good wishes have kept the confidence up in the midst of the shaking period.

Perhaps God gave us the 'possibility' and our task is to make it 'possible'

The interval between thoughts

True that when v follow our dreams, path is tough, often lonely and most importantly no roads to guide to the destination but its equally true that when v do that monday morning's never remain post weekend blues, there is a twinkle in the eyes even in the midst of problems, there is a bubble within which propels us when there is a steep slope to climb, there is a different level of energy which pulls out when rationality says its not possible, there is different time dimension which never lets us feel when we were at work and when at leisure, even if small but v get a different team which doesn't work 10-6 and for the pay cheque they receive at month end but for the shared goal, even when there are not big resources there are small helping hands who share their small savings with care and trust, there is an enlightened intuition to make new roads when there are no roads for traversing across to the destination and most importantly a faith which transcends conventional wisdom and creates an entirely new set of values for the society .

But the question is: then why most of us don't opt for it?, No this question is not right, we all opt for our dreams at some or the other point in life, only error we all do is we ourselves don't persevere for it. Perseverance is the price this twinkle in eyes, this bubble, this different level of energy, this different team, this new resource, this enlightened intuition seeks.

The question therefore is
Will the faith on our dreams continue, 'next time'?

What's there in d name ! Mayurbhanj Coop experiment

Efforts in the Mayurbhanj Cooperative experiment have started yielding results. Results not just at the physical and financial level but to the larger objective of creating true ownership of poor over their business.

Existing 'promoters' board of Disha Cooperative didn't allow the villagers board to take over, therefore with community decision a new federation 'Marshal Cooperative' is legally set in with democratically elected 11 member board. All 15 functional village level cooperatives have joined in the Marshal Cooperative. So here on experiment of Mayurbhanj will be recognized as "Marshal Cooperative" .(Surprised at hearing an English word given by village members, wait....its a Santhali word meaning 'Ojaswi' (enlightened).

First patronage distribution (profit over and above market price) was given over to the villagers in Gaipani Village. This was on the 10% amount sold at village level, 90% is scheduled to go to Godown for much higher returns to primary collectors. Though this amount of patronage share was not very high, but symbolically its very important as it marks the first strike on the existing market mechanisms which feels that poor cannot do business and claim their share in the value chain. I felt so happy, moments of "Manthan" and"Mamuliram" movies showed during induction at IRMA came out vividly!

Forest department has consented the efforts with the Marshal Cooperative, have asked us to prepare a detailed report for production unit, they'll try to support machineries to the tune of 5 Lakh. On other front one member has contributed his 2 acre non cultivable land at token fees for the production unit cum  "Hut Office". The place is very serene surrounded on two sides by forest, perhaps very much suitable for an Ashram if  Mohandas Gandhi was alive today.

Expansion to new villages will begin towards month end. I thank one and all specially my Professors at IRMA who have come forward, believed in the experiment when Institutional support was withdrawn.  Perhaps God wanted it to be a truly people's initiative.  Wish to facilitate creation of a 'mini Anand' in Mayurbhanj !

दूसरा सिरा

जिंदगी के इस मोड़ की कहानी सुनाऊं कैसे 

चरखा भी है धागा भी है फिर भी सपनो की चादर बनाऊं कैसे 

चादर आधी बन ही पायी थी की धागा उलझ गया

उलझा ऐसे जैसे दूसरा सिरा कहीं गुम  हो गया

दूसरा सिरा नहीं मिला फिर चरखा चलाऊं कैसे

आधी चादर फिर से खोल पहला सिरा लाऊं  कैसे

इस उलझे धागे की उलझन में पड़े मन को समझाऊं कैसे 

सपनों की चादर बनाऊं कैसे 

जिंदगी की इस उलझन के दोराहे पर बैठा वो सोच रहा था 

कभी चरखे कभी उलझे धागे को देख रहा था

तभी उस उलझे धागे ने दी पुकार 

जीवन के धागे की नियति है उलझना बार बार

इसकी उलझन पर जीवन का चरखा न रुकने देना मेरे यार

सिरा न मिले दो धागा तोड़ कर नया सिरा बना लो कहीं 

क्यूंकि कोई चादर बिना धागे के टूटे और जुड़े बिना बनती नहीं  

धागे की उलझन को तोड़ चरखा चलाओ दिल  से 

सपनो की चादर बनाने लग जाओ फिर से 

 

Hearing ear to Heart

Life often brings us at  a juncture, where we are left stranded by the ones who have promised to help and ones who even initiated steps along with us for the common goal, the goal which some of us call as the dream and  some passion. This inflexion in the curve of life perhaps cannot be captured by any polynomial equation derived by even the best of the best mathematicians of the era. We stand with two choices, either to leave the dream and passion because the major supporting hands are gone or to move ahead and make another try.

This is where lies the truest test of  our belief on our own dreams, belief that god will either give us a pedestal to hang on or will teach us to fly, belief that even if the door of opportunity has closed and there is no sneaking possible from the opaque window, there is something called 'hope' which sees beyond the wall of hurdle, belief that if there are great people and best institutions who can leave us in between there are at the same time common friends and teachers whom we have perhaps forgotten but who still believe in us and believe in our dreams, belief that there is a greater picture in making which just needs drawing a small dot by us and once that dot is put on the paper the picture is complete.

This belief is very special, special because no test of rationality will ever testify it has true, special because no logical arguments for or against will ever be conclusive and even more special because it comes only when we give a "hearing ear to the heart".

Are we hearing!!

Sharing the dreams

Perhaps last few days had been the toughest phase of my life in person and as development professional for the cooperative experiment in Mayurbhanj. Sudden resignation from the organization I was employed with, retrenchment of the two field staffs from their existing set up, arranging salary for them and looking for some suitable job to hang on.


As they say, whatever happens happens for a reason and its always for our wellbeing. Things have started settling down. Friends, batchmates, juniors, seniors and Professors supported the initiative and while I was thanking each of them one reply which touched me to the core was
"

me: thanks for coming out for help at this crucial time dear

10:34 AM Robin: this is not help dude...

  this is sharing the dream ... n we are doing the easiest part :)

  God is with you...we are nothing ..

10:35 AM me: :)"
Perhaps this makes it truly the people's initiative where on one hand villagers pool in small money and produce to get better returns from the market mechanisms and at other end individuals from their small savings contribute so that facilitation of this first time process happens smoothly.
 I was just thinking over what Robin (my batchmate in IRMA) said "Sharing the Dream". Should we not take this beyond. I was blessed to have wonderful agents (read friends) of God who supported me and pulled me out of this odd situation. I would have definitely quit if this support hadn't come. I am sure there would be many such initiatives going on elsewhere and its quite possible that the facilitators there might not be having such network and caring friends. I was discussing with few of my friends and will soon register a trust fund which will be "by the community and for the community owned initiatives". This fund will not work with NGO's but directly with initiatives owned and controlled by community (example cooperatives, producer company etc.). It will have a clause whereby community initiatives which are left stranded due to gap in donor funding will be supported directly and once the community owned enterprise/organization stabilizes they can contribute back to this community fund so that it can be used again by a new set up. This fund will also be accompanied by professional assistance to the community owned institutions.
This trust fund will assist Marshal Disha Cooperative as its first experiment and will gradually try to evolve across geographical areas of the country. Just initial thoughts, will decide something firmly soon!!
ना  हार  से  ना  जीत  से
बस  केवल  एक  उम्मीद  से
वक़्त के पन्नों पर कुछ लिखता मिटाता हूँ
गीत नया गाता हूँ

Not Jobless but Salary-less !!

Not Jobless (Disha moves on) but definitely Salary less:) -Resigned from Winrock!!

It was 30th May 2007 when I had put papers with General Motors to take on career in the development sector . Yesterday took another baby step towards the objective. With Winrock deciding to discontinue its support for the Cooperative experiment,I decided to discontinue from Winrock. Thanks to one and all who have and who are supporting the Mayurbhanj experiment in this transition phase.

The Saga at the backdrop!

               Last 4-5 days I had been travelling across all the villages where village cooperative branches are formed. I interacted with them, shared with them that I might have to return back to Delhi towards month end due to some official reasons. 11 villages out of the 15 villages, out-rightly said that they want to continue with the collective movement as they have started seeing the benefits at the village level collective sale itself and now they have realized how they can collectively do the business but since this is a new path, they need support for a year atleast. One person commented “we were potential seeds lying in deep mud created by existing market systems, and now your team has taken us out of mud, cleaned the seed and now when we are ready for plantation, you cannot leave without putting us in soil and watering us till we are capable enough to face the wrath of nature on our own as a new plant”.

My professional ethics was in question. I was in dilemma if organization has decided will I be able to continue the work?. But Will it be morally and professionally right on my part to leave these villages in between? Should I not give a last try? Should I leave just because the person from Mayurbhanj who had requested me to stay here, 4-5 months back has backed out  due to reasons which to my understanding are unjustified and immoral (if I had bowed to the request of that person it would have been the biggest wrong I would have done to the cooperatives)? Will my escape  not mean that I am also no different from the lot who just performs the “said” work even if s/he feels that there is a need of extra bit for the people for whom we claim to work for? Should I care only for my ‘career’ and take very ‘safe’ decisions? If I take a decision which is good only for self, do I have a right to stay and work in the development sector? Lastly Will I ever be able to call myself a true IRMAn, if I escape?

I didn’t have an answer and  in such situations I often get back to  “guiding statement” of Mr. M.K. Gandhi which I had used when I decided to leave the promising career with General Motors. The statement says “"I will give you a talisman. Whenever you are in doubt, or when the self becomes too much with you, apply the following test. Recall the face of the poorest and the weakest man [woman] whom you may have seen, and ask yourself, if the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him [her]. Will he [she] gain anything by it? Will it restore him [her] to a control over his [her] own life and destiny? In other words, will it lead to swaraj [freedom] for the hungry and spiritually starving millions? Then you will find your doubts and yourself melt away."

As I had shared  at the time of my relocation to Mayurbhanj that I don’t claim that experiment will necessary be successful but I don’t want it to become unsuccessful because of reasons which Almighty has bestowed within my control.  And I think things are still in the domain where I can and I must give a try. I have decided to continue with the experiment of Mayurbhanj.

Some of my friends and professors have offered financial support through which I can meet the expenditure of the two field staff, till any institutional funding comes in. I am looking towards some suitable job in bhubaneswar/kolkata/jamshedpur (nearest towns to Mayurbhanj) so that I manage my expenses on my own and on weekends come down to Mayurbhanj and support the two field staff.

इरादा मन में ठान कर रखना, 

दुआओं का दामन थाम कर चलना,

ऊंचाई से गिरकर जमीन तक आने में जो वक़्त मिलेगा ,

उस वक़्त में गिर कर टूटने से पहले फिर एक नयी उड़ान पर चलना.

फिर एक नयी उड़ान

इरादा मन में ठान कर रखना, 

दुआओं का दामन थाम कर चलना,

ऊंचाई से गिरकर जमीन तक आने में जो वक़्त मिलेगा ,

उस वक़्त में गिर कर टूटने से पहले फिर एक नयी उड़ान पर चलना.

मकसद मिलेगा इस उम्मीद का दीपक जला कर रखना,

आंधी तेज चले फिर भी छोटे से हाथों में  दीपक बचा कर रखना ,

बुझना और जलना जीत के दीपक की नियति है, 

जीत का दीपक बुझ जाए फिर भी उम्मीद के दीपक से नयी लौ को जला कर रखना .

डगर नहीं होगी आसान ये जान कर रखना,

कर्तव्यों की लड़ाई होगी घनी ये पहचान कर रखना,

डगर यदि नहीं छूटी कर्तव्यों की लड़ी नहीं टूटी,

तो इतिहास के स्वर्णिम  पन्नों पर अपनी पहचान को पहचान कर रखना .