UIDo or UIDont - Concerns on Aadhar

Yet another Card - a wildcard or a joker?

Government after government, citizens have been bombarded with a new series of cards. All these cards in the past had a similar proposition - being able to serve as a one point identity. We had ration cards, voters cards (where we looked like goons, to match the faces of the people we elect, beyond our own recognition), PAN card (a single identity for financial transactions).

And now a new baby - UID. What's different though is that this time around the government has a celebrity endorsement for it.. Mr. Nilekani.

Benefit state - whats the benefit for the working middle class?
The UID promises jobs, health insurance and freebies for the poorest of the poor.. nice.. perhaps it would help the government implement archaic steps like caste based resevations too!


But what's in it for the people who pay for all these free candies through their nose?  And with most of the time benefits flowing out like a fish served daily, rather than teaching the person to fish.


If you were to closely analyze, there is hardly anything for those of us who form the "source of income" for the government. It may infact help the govt to exploit us further by levying as many types of taxes as possible and targeting it to the exact demographic.

A govt. that has a reputation of so many scams can not be trusted to be noble enough to handle our data quite well, even with a pin-up poster-boy Nilekani.

 How serious is the government on this project?

Article link: UID project faces big cut this budget - The Times of India - Feb 2011

The article explains it all that the UPA has done a budget cut of over 50% to fund ministries held by its coalition partners... Ahemm.

A do-it-yourself reality check.. Visit the UID website - www.uidai.gov.in

With the project gone live, any citizen being able to find his nearest registration centre deserves a government reward. To cut the riddle short, you will find an ambitious link out there saying "How to get an Aadhar?" and here is what it reads as on 21 May 2011

How to get an Aadhaar?

The process to get an Aadhaar will be circulated by the local media upon which residents need to go to the nearest Enrolment Camp to register for an Aadhaar. The resident primarily needs to carry certain documents which will be specified in the media advertisement.
Upon registering for Aadhaar, residents will go through a biometric scanning of ten fingerprints and iris. They will then be photographed and given an enrolment number upon completion. Depending on the enrolment agency, residents will be issued an Aadhaar number within 20 to 30 days.

 Can you really trust a department that cannot manage a database of its registration centers on their own website to really manage a mammoth database of its citizens?

That brings us to the main concern----

How safe is my identity with the Bharat Sarkar?

Nandan Nilekani may have been handpicked to form the face of the project, bypassing the usual IAS babudom factory. However vendors and partners are still chosen by the tendering process, where vendors that find favors in the government stand a good chance to grab the project rather than a competent company. Even with stretched pricing, which is a prerequisite of the tendering process (add to that the goodies that need to go back in cash) - the best of the companies would be forced to cut corners.

There have been headlines earlier of certain government websites, where registered user details including user names and passwords were available through a public URL.. (sigh! even hackers would feel frustrated since they need not hack)

With our friendly neighborhood countries wanting to use Cyber attacks (read China's new art of war) to destabilize the country, there is a lot at stake. It would take just one unscrupulous govt employee to even sell the data to telemarketers and spamsters.


There is hope still .. since thankfully the government has kept registration as a purely voluntary process... UIDo or UIDont is purely your choice. :-)

Wait! Before you damn the Social Network

It is the heart throbbing buzzword of the day.

Its way beyond the dreams and imagination of those who started electronic communication, even those closer in history who started the world wide web

It is certainly an enigma that has kept many behavioral experts baffled

Marketing researchers and media experts too are left in bewilderment, trying to gauge its impact and future course.

Unlike the rocket science advancements of yore, "The Social Network" is an up-close-personal reality of our over-communicated and over-connected lives. Its proliferation has gone beyond the realms of the modest desktop or laptop computing devices, to the omnipresence of mobile devices. However, with the growth of its usage, and more importantly the way it has become a close part of our lives, we do find amongst us certain negative trails. Trails from the lagging edge of the double edged sword of technology.. as always..

The dark streets of social networking

It is not uncommon to find amongst us a feeling of paranoia about what we should and shouldn't be doing on our social media presence. In few unfortunate cases, there have been unpleasant experiences leading from embarrassment to even suicides, as an aftermath of something uncalled.

I have had friends seeking counselling from me, narrating how their addiction or affairs on facebook messed up their life. Some of them who were new to the online connected world were confused and scared by daisy-chaining applications asking them to be a "mafia lord" or getting friend requests from total strangers.

Way out of the dark streets

In wild woods it is prudent to stick to the beaten path, unless you are game for an adventure at your own risk.

So is killing your presence on facebook or twitter an answer to end your paranoia? Maybe a temporary answer.. but thats not a solution. So what could be a way out.

The answer begins by understanding what the social network is in the first place.

Social.. and Network

These two words have been in existence for a very long time.. much before they have been used together in a strong context to name the big wave sweeping us.

Social Networks have been in existence much before our devices got wired and wireless connected. We have been calling it different names... clubs, Society, Social Circle, alumni groups, interest groups.. and different ways through which we bonded.

So what makes this new Social Network driven by technology so scary?.. If we analyze deeply..

The problem lies in our own tendency to let our own hair free and loosen our clothes, and go blabbery blab till we realize the weight of the first word out of the two... Social.. and that the new and improved ... Network.. makes things spread as wildfire.

The Social in social networking is there for real.. Being tempted by the "non-physical" nature of the medium can lure you into enjoying a self-proclaimed freedom.. But yes, the rules of a SOCIETY.. apply here too.. There are certain norms each society has... You are free to rebel, you may be applauded.. but be prepared to be backbitten with twice the speed as the real world.. thanks to the faster NETWORK.

The next time you feel you are being trapped by the Social Network.. ask yourself these questions .. and you will find your solution..

1. What does being Social mean to me? Does it mean a right blend of being cordial informal, and at the same time knowing the distance to maintain?

2. Am i applying my knowledge of being social... on my social network? 

That means certain terms like.. Not accepting friend's request from strangers without knowing the risk associated with it. Using privacy features of each social networking platform whether it is twitter, facebook or youtube.. to help maintain the demarkation between your private and public life.. even online.

3. Just like in a real society locking oneself up in a dark room is not a solution, can staying away from the social network keep me away from its benefits derived from prudent use? - Same old Dad's principle.. Running away from a problem doesn't solve it.

The answers to surviving in the inevitable onslaught of social media and modern day networking lies in being prudent and self-disciplined individuals of the online society. Any deviation from this has its own risks.. and possible pitfalls. However, that doesn't negate or superceed the potential of the medium to do immense good to our lives when used with diligent moderation.

From Amazon:
The Social Network (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
Get Connected: The Social Networking Toolkit for Business
The Lawyer's Guide to Social Networking: Understanding Social Media's Impact on the Law

Graduating as a Prof

The weekend thats about to end in few hours, marked two very memorable events. Apart from the launch of Balaji Seva Samiti website, there was one more event which was very special and unique in its occurence - the convocation ceremony at NMIMS University, where my first batch of students passed out. Around 140 in all across three classes - all decked up in their convocation gowns.

Its been three years since i got the wonderful opportunity as a visiting faculty at the prestigious institution, adding a new facet to my life (read weekend life) at large. The greater privilege was being given a chance to address students who were no less than a panel of experienced professionals from various reputed organizations, who sweated out their evenings and weekends to get their masters degree. Being a part-time MBA myself, makes me totally empathize with the amount of sacrifice and tight-rope balancing needed during the course through a bermuda triangle of - Family, Profession, and Studies.

The Reminder

I was at work when i got a call from Mr. Dharmendra Kumar, my student and a seasoned professional from the Pharma industry. He informed me about the convocation ceremony and asked me if i could be a part of the event by invoking Saraswati Vandana - a Prayer to the Goddess of learning. He was entrusted the task of getting someone with a classical music background, and it was kind of him to remember me. I pounced at the offer and readily agreed for the event that was scheduled in two days time.

At The Venue

Bhaidas Hall was abuzz with activity of the post graduates passing out, but what surprised me further was familiar faces at the entrance.. These were students of my first batch! "Its been 3 years already!"  I thought with glee to myself. My students and i had pleasant exchanges. Was totally humbled when some of them introduced me as their prof to their family members. One of the elders even blessed me with a caring hand over my head.

I told them that i was giving them a surprise .. as i left for the backstage :)

Backstage -- Frontstage

I was introduced to the compere of the evening who briefed me about the flow of the event and my entry and exit. The curtains opened and the crowds cheered to the young and beautiful compere, in many more decibels than the applause to any other guest for the evening.. ahemm!

The convocation parade comprising of senior faculty and distinguished guests marched to a ceremonial tune of bagpipes and lit the ceremonial lamp. I was called upon the stage where i sang the Saraswati Vandana i had learnt in my college. I was humbled when my name was mentioned in the vote of thanks for the tiny participation in the prestigious event marked by its achievers.

My students got their degrees and felicitations... and i Got mine when they reciprocated my surprise stage appearance for them .. and Goddess Saraswati :) 

Felt like i was convocated 140 times for each of my students passing out... ..A feeling that had never hit me before. My students got their degrees and i got mine in my joy filled heart.

Icing on the cake



When i was having my dinner (actually high tea) with my students, a senior visiting faculty walked up to us, congratulated me for the 'degree' and wished me all the best for the future.... He thought i was a student :-D. I was reminded:


" Life is a university that admits you in the Womb, and graduates you in the Tomb"

Many Smiles ... scaling... Many Miles