17 November 2008

Global Crash....implications?

Purely from a point of view of a small person in this huge monetary game..... read on.

I received this supposed 'joke' as a forward. I guess it is more of reflective types of this economic slump. Decide yourself!!

2007: Raju: Chacha kaise ho ???
Chacha: ab kya batau....
Bada beta share broker hai...
doosara beta Jet Airways mein hai
teesara software mein aur

sabse chhota ruk gaya PAN WALA banke...

2008:
Raju: Chacha kaise ho ???
Chacha: Ab kya bolu...
bus ab chhota hi ghar chala raha hai,
uske vajeh se toh hum zinda hai.... :)
Raju: @#$!#$#$@$$

Well.. It is not uncommon now a days. Isn’t it? This 'joke' reflects what we see in papers everyday.



Now read this 'real' story:


Sharath (name changed), is a young achiever. He joined an MNC straight after the college. He had set himself few tough targets in life, and he achieved one by one of them in style. His high paying job was also going great.

Once he 'settled' in his job, he took his parents to live with him in the city, deserting their village home. All was well, and his brother too joined them in city for higher education.


He shifted jobs to make sure that his ever growing economic expectations were met, just like any of his classmates. And he did good in every place he went. People were envy of him, and why not!

One fine day he was offered a trip to the client place in USA, which he agreed to handle. He had a US dream since a long time, and that was fulfilled.

Three full months he stayed there before coming back to India. He was awe struck at the way westerners lived their lives. He started complaining about India, crib about almost every thing here, just like any other young man. He was itching to go back there, and make more money.

The dollar dreams were too much to bear. His parents, satisfied with his position in life, found a suitable bride for him, and he got married to a beautiful young lady in no time. It all happened as if in a dream, and it was fabulous.


He was just back from a satisfyingly wonderful honeymoon at Bangkok, when he heard of a consultant who would help him find a job in the US. He was thrilled at his luck.


The consultant processed his Visa, and supported him to land in California. He told his wife to wait for a month or two before he found his job and 'settle' down there.


Initially it was tough for him since there was no satisfying offer he was getting. After some three months, and just when his savings were wearing out, he got an offer of job from his college time dream firm! His joy found no bounds.


Four months down the line, he took his wife to live with him. His earning of the first few months was spent to show his wife the country. He bought a car on EMI and roamed around the dream country in it. The couple had their second honeymoon with pomp in this great country.


In the meanwhile he was getting awards every quarter for being a superior performer in the company. His talents were widely appreciated; the way he handled a difficult project and lead the team to perfection in delivering it on time was hailed even by the CEO. He was a happy man.


One fine day his manager calls him and says that he felt sorry to be informing Sharath that the company needed him no more! Sharath was shocked. Manager also said that the company was proud of Sharath's achievements, but since the company was thru a rough patch in terms of its economic holdings, he had to take this extreme step. He also stated that the company in last two weeks lost two of its mega budget banking projects, and he had no other option but to down size its strength.


He was immediately relieved, Sharath was given no option but to leave. He had ignored a few clauses in his employment offer, which was used against him now. He was not to be given any notice to terminate and he would not be entitled for any company benefits, what so ever! He was not even given a relieving letter, since he continued to be a consultant!


Shattered Sharath comes home and looks depressed. His unsuspecting wife tries to soothe him, which doesn’t help. Sharath is a worried man, he hides the emotions from wife, until it becomes unbearable. His wife joins the worried wagon now.


The families back home are unaware of what is happening there, and they are satisfied with their usual online chats and occasional calls with these NRIs. But back there, Sharath and Sumalini think a lot about what is in future for them.


The consultant offers to pay him for another month and he was encouraged to find another job in that time, or return home with whatever he had earned. Wherever he went, his belief of an economic turn over was slumped. He failed to get a good job, and his Western Dreams are almost but over!


One fine day, after a couple of months, families back home were treated with switched off cell phones, and full memory answering machines. Worried them, logged in to gtalk to see them off line.

A week later, the families got together and lodged a complaint at the police out there. When the Police barged in to their apartment, they recovered two decayed dead bodies, which had consumed poison, a week before!

The shocked parents, demanded justice, and the police were helpless too. The parents could not get hold of the dead bodies too since the un-American couple had commited suicide, and their EMIs and loans were unpaid for a long time then!

Parents could not accomodate such an astronomical sum of money to get the bodies. Their hopes of at least a respectable creamtion for the bodies was shattered; and they were left in a state of depression.

The bulging EMIs, overflowing credit card limits and eroding financial resources forced the couple to take this extreme step. A jobless punter couldnt return to India thinking of the shame he had to undergo at a crunch time in the global market. He was not sure of getting a job back home as well, for the same reasons. Meaning, all the doors were closed for him, and he had to take this extreme step.

Forget about money, think about the social implications of a 'loser' in such circumstances. Quiet depressing. What Sharath did, seems to be the only way for thousands of immigrants out there, in the midst of such a huge economic recession.

Every day we get news of Stock markets crashing, banks shutting down, insurance companies announsing bankruptcy, software companies reducing head counts.... what not!

And the implication of all these things on the tender minds of deleted employees is irrevocable. No one is safe now a days, and like Sharath, no one can bear a straight humiliation. Where is a way to escape from that? And how long would that stay?! How many more Sharaths be martyred in the game of a few rich investors and some directionless banks.

I think we will get an answer in a short time to come, and till then we need to be patient enough and remember that "Huttisida devaru hullu meyisodilla" (God will always be with us and he would not leave us hungry)!

5 comments:

ರಾಜೇಶ್ ನಾಯ್ಕ said...

very very good post.

Srik said...

More 'joke's
During a Campus interview:

HR: Suppose I select you, where do you see yourself in 3 years from now?
Student: At home, waiting for a joining date....

:)

Srik said...

Another:

'The financial situation at the moment is so bad that women are now marrying for love' ..

Srik said...

One more:

Quote by a Bank CEO.....

"last week was wrose than divorse...
I lost half of my net asset......
but still have my wife"

#$$#@$#@%$#%

Veena Shivanna said...

Srik,
Is this a real story? My GOD..
The first half of the story make me feel, how can one be so courageous in getting into debts?

--Veena