Anuraag's Blog

Hacking is Good!

noreply@blogger.com (Anuraag Rai Kochhar) — Mon, 15 Jan 2018 11:46:00 +0000

It's a battle between Code Makers and Code Breakers

The Background

When I say, “Hacking is Good”, what I really mean is “Ethical Hacking”. This topic assumes greater significance in recent times in the Indian context. Last year, there was a fierce debate that got ignited after reports emerged in the press that the EVMs (Electronic Voting Machines) can be hacked [one such news from BBC]. Quickly two sides emerged on expected lines and with obvious inclinations, the government and Election Commission (EC) [link] in defence and the opposition in accusation.

A fact that India proudly touts itself as the largest democracy in the world and lot of this credit goes to our EC which as an institution is solely responsible for this proclamation and rightly so. EC switched from paper ballot to EVM voting around 1999 [link]. This has been one of the most significant achievements of our democracy in holding free and fair elections in our country. There have been numerable studies done on the impact of Electronic Voting in India [one such paper published by Department of Political Science, University of Rochester].

More recently, there have been reports of the “Aadhaar” database hacking and citizen’s data being stolen. Now this is equally as serious as the EVM hacking, if not more. Aadhaar in hindi means Identity. The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) [link] owns and maintains the database of citizens and residents of India, one of the largest of its kind in the world. The database stores a person’s identification information such as photograph, address, phone, date of birth, figure prints, and retina scan. Steeling this information is a very serious matter more so when the government is insisting on linking one’s Aadhaar number to their bank accounts, mobile numbers, mutual funds, so on and so forth. The misuse of such information is unfathomable by any means.

Given the seriousness of the problem and its consequences, why is the government and the respective authorities making it an ego issue? It is totally bizarre that a police case was filed against the journalist who broke the story of Aadhaar hacking [one such news from NDTV]. This is a clear case of shooting the messenger.

Ethical Hacking

What would a sane person do when it is brought to his/her notice that there is a leakage in their tank? The obvious and most practical answer would be to thank the person who brought this to their notice and plug the hole. Ethical Hacking is exactly this.

A professional field exists around ethical hacking, from training programs to job profile which command high salaries [here’s an article to this effect in Huffington Post]. There is an entire Ecosystem built around Cryptography and its ancillaries, ethical hacking being one such field. Companies around the globe such as Visa, Mastercard, American Express to name a few, readily employ the services of ethical hackers to pinpoint loopholes in their systems.

The goal of ethical hacking is threefold;

Pinpoint possible breaches and vulnerabilities in technological infrastructure before it happens.
Premeditate and predetermine how a mind of a hacker would work in steeling valuable data and resources from an organisation.
Propose, design and implement remedial measures to plug the loopholes in the technology infrastructure.

Code Makers and Code Breakers

The battle between Code Makers (programmers) and Code Breakers (hackers) is as old as Cryptography, a science, rather an art, by which information is concealed (encrypted) using a Cipher mechanism that can only be Deciphered (decrypted) by someone who is in possession of the Key (code maker) or someone who can figure out (reverse engineer) the Key (code breaker). The early evidence of Cryptography predates to 1900 BC where inscriptions were found carved in the main chamber of the tomb of the nobleman Khnumhotep II, in Egypt [link]. Over the years, Cryptography has evolved with newer and more robust Cipher techniques using complex math.

To say or assume that my Cipher (or system or technology infrastructure) is unhackable is not only naïve but an unpardonable and careless assumption. As the computing power grows, it is not a question of if the Cipher will be hacked, but when. The goal of a Code Maker should not be to make the code unhackable, but to make a code that makes the process of hacking so very expensive that it is no more lucrative for the Code Breaker to hack into.

Conclusion

It is in this context, the government, the EC and the UIDAI, all of whom have greatest of responsibility and accountability to the people of India, should hire professional hackers and reward freelancers who are able to pinpoint the vulnerabilities within their respective systems. The greatest beneficiary will be they themselves who will ensure that a robust mechanism is in service of our democracy. More and more organisations should encourage such activities.

As someone has wisely said, “A critique is your best friend”. So “an ethical hacker is the best critique of any technology system or infrastructure”.

PS. I hope you found this article valuable. This marks my return to blogging after about 9 years and highlight my interest in technology and cryptography. I hope to write more such articles which highlight application of technology in today’s context.

On this day, last year...

noreply@blogger.com (Anuraag Rai Kochhar) — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 10:23:00 +0000

August 16^th 2011

It was the day after India celebrated her 63^rd Independence Day. I woke up to an eerie feeling. My mother was not doing too well since a couple of months and her condition was deteriorating by the day. I met her just few days back when I visited Delhi on business trip. I had extended my stay in Delhi for another day to be with her. I am so glad that I did. I left her with a promise that I would be back soon to be with her for few more days. She nodded with a smile, a smile that would be etched in my memory for a lifetime.

That fateful morning of August 16^th 2010 I received a call from my sister, telling me that mom had to be rushed to the hospital at 3:00 AM due to breathlessness. Though her visits to hospital were becoming more and more frequent, but they were mostly for her diabetes and rheumatic arthritis. But a visit for breathlessness gave me a feeling that something serious was going on insider her. I immediately called up my dad to inquire about her condition. They had just returned home at around 6:30 AM from the hospital. While my dad was telling me that mom was slightly better, I heard my mom talking in the background, perhaps to the maid. She seemed irritated with something. Her tone was not her usual. There was a strange feeling that ran through my spine. I perhaps knew that it was the last time I was hearing her voice. That afternoon around 1:00 PM she again developed the symptoms of breathlessness. She was again rushed to the Army hospital where this time she was admitted to the ICU and on a ventilator support. I can imagine that she would have hated the oxygen mask affixed to her face so tightly. I was constantly in touch with my father and my uncles who were with my dad inquiring about her condition minute by minute. Her immune system had weakened so much that she developed pneumonia in her lungs.

My sister who had just return a night before after spending a few days with my mother, decided to return to be with her again. I decided also to reach Delhi and be with her and support my dad. I started winding up at work and started setting up a backup plan so that I could be away for a few weeks.

However while I was doing that, I received a call from my Tauji (dad's older brother) at about 6:30 PM or so. The inevitable had happened. My mom had passed away at around 10 minutes earlier. It was so shattering that I simply can't describe what went on inside me.

Next morning, my wife, my daughters, and I along with my niece and brother-in-law reached Delhi. It was so strange a feeling this time walking into our home. I had walked in on innumerable occasions, during breaks while studying engineering, during vacations while we lived abroad, and on our yearly trips to Delhi from Bangalore, each time to be greeted and hugged by my mother. This time she wasn't going to there.

The moment I hugged my father, both of us broke down. A feeling that I can't describe, but these moments will never fade away from my memory. After meeting all my relative, my father and I with my uncles went to the morgue to claim the remains of my mother. She was pulled out from a large drawer of a freezer. She was so still and cold. I realized that she always liked openness. How could she lay there in a claustrophobic compartment for so many hours? But I guess death is the ultimate equalizer of life where everything becomes so calm and so still.

We brought her home and kept her in that state for few hour for all the grieving relatives to take a last glimpse. My wife and my bhabhis (cousin brother's wives) prepared her for her last rites. She looked so beautiful and graceful as she always did. Finally the moment arrived when we had to take her to the crematorium. We made arrangements for her to remain in the building parking lot for all fellow residents of Som Vihar to pay their last tributes. Som Vihar was her home since 1991, where she made some wonderful friends.

At the crematorium we laid her on a stack of dry wooden logs. The pandit (priest) led me to start the rituals as per Hindu traditions. After chanting various mantras, finally the moment came when I was to pour honey and ghee on her face and then cover with a cloth. That was my last glimpse of her. I will never forget those moments. She was going away forever, never to return. The pandit led me to offer the holy fire so that she could begin her journey to heaven.

With her demise, came an end to a family of Late Shri Kedar Nath Dutt and Late Smt. Raj Kumari Dutt (my grand parents), of whom my mother was the only daughter. Their only son had laid down his life during the 1962 Chinese aggression (a story to be told another time).

In memory of my mother, written on August 16^th 2011 to commemorate the day exactly a year ago.

Swine Flu and Homeopathy

noreply@blogger.com (Anuraag Rai Kochhar) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 19:20:00 +0000

It has been a while since I wrote a blog. This seems to be an apt topic to pen down my thoughts. Well swine flu is all over the news these days, to an extent that it is doing full justice to its status as described by World Health Organisation (WHO), pandemic, causing panic amongst media and public alike. I have my own worries and concerns. So I decided to do my own research on the web about the seriousness of this strand of flu (H1N1). The purpose is not to reproduce bunch of information already available on the web. In fact the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website has very useful information that everyone must read and understand. The main idea for this blog is to find answers from a different perspective to two main questions that come to my mind. Is the swine flu deadly enough to cause panic? And are there any alternative/natural preventive measures and/or cures available that can complement the prescribed treatments?

Is swine flu deadly enough to cause a panic? Well as per generic information on the web, it sure isn’t a panic like situation but people should be concerned and aware about the symptoms and possible course of action. Most cases are mild in nature and are cured even without any (or minor) medical treatment [Ref. link]. We also know that the current mortality rate is close to 1% [Ref. link]. In any case it is not estimated to be more than 10% based on few available historical facts [Ref. link]. Generally there are two categories, the low or medium risk category are those who lead normal healthy life with reasonably strong immunity. The other is high risk which are people which includes people 65 years and older, children younger than five years old, pregnant women, and people of any age with certain chronic medical conditions. In effect people who have chances of lower immunity. Thus deadliness is a relative term. Nevertheless we need to be cautious but no cause for panic.

But based on above information, common sense would say that you can lower your risk by increasing your immunity. In my most humble and very personal opinion, allopathic way of medicines is only good for symptomatic treatments and perhaps best in its diagnostic capabilities. For prevention, there are alternative forms of medicines that far exceed allopathy in their capabilities. It is well known fact that antioxidants like Vitamin C/E boosts immunity [Ref. link].

This would bring me to my second question, are there any alternative/natural preventive measures and/or cures available that can complement the prescribed treatments? My intrinsic trust in homeopathy lead me to information that is not only startling but also very enlightening. Homeopathy was very successful in dealing with 1918-19 flu pandemic [Ref. link]. It is estimated that close to 50 to 100 million perished in that pandemic. During that epidemic the mortality rate for allopathic treatment was 28.2%, while that of homeopathic treatment was 1.05% [Ref. link]. This information has reposed my faith in homeopathy. The famous 5 Phos (Phosphorus, Ferrum Phosphoricum, Calcarea Phosphorica, Kali Phosphoricum, Magnesia Phosphorica) homeopathic tonic is occasionally given to children and even adults to boost immunity and general health. The article by Dr. Manish Bhatia gives very good information on possible preventive and curative treatments available in homeopathy for flu. It must be noted here that these homeopathy treatments have never been formally tested on swine flu, but going by historical facts, they provide reasonably a good chance of prevention/cure against swine flu. Please consult you doctor for future course of action. Moreover it is claimed that homeopathy does not have side effects and it can be complement to other forms of treatment [Ref. link]. Thus I do get my answer that homeopathy can be a very viable complement to allopathy.

Disclaimer: These are opinions and thoughts expressed in this blog article are author’s views and are not intended to be any medical advice. Readers are advised to consult physicians and/or homeopaths for further course of action.

Finding a Gem…

noreply@blogger.com (Anuraag Rai Kochhar) — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 10:31:00 +0000

There has been a lot of debate on Obama’s inaugural speech, on words that he spoke. There was high expectation from him to deliver a punch line that would become iconic for generations to come. Something like what JFK delivered in his inaugural speech on January 20th 1961, words that have become symbolic world over, “ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country”.

Many seem to have been left disappointed. They couldn’t find any Gem that they were looking for. But in my opinion, there were plenty of statements in his address that are worthy candidates of being called a Gem. My personal favourite that should become iconic is the following line from his ‘To the Muslim world…’ paragraph (reference text of Obama’s inaugural address on BBC).

“Know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy.”

In my opinion this is perhaps one of the most powerful statement coming from a world leader during these times. It has a very deep meaning and apt for our western neighbour J

Bush, Bushism Gone!

noreply@blogger.com (Anuraag Rai Kochhar) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 08:08:00 +0000

As I rise this morning, after watching Obama’s inauguration on television last night (and I must admit getting engrossed in Obama-mania that has gripped the world over last so many months), I can’t help but spare a thought about now ex-President of America, George W. Bush. He has been perhaps the most unpopular leader on earth in my recent memory at least. There have been news, views, blogs, articles, media reports, social discussions; you name it, on his now infamous unpopularity. Even on Facebook I came across a group named something like “50 million People Who Hate Bush” where I saw perhaps a billion members!

Reasons of this hatred may be valid. There is anger over his economic policies that has made affluent and underprivileged alike, left vulnerable like never before, his so called war on terror that has made no one safer, if not worst, than they already were. Let alone the possibility that it may have created plenty of the kinds that in the first place this war was intended to eliminate. Even if he may have done something for some good cause, it is totally eclipsed behind a sea of blunders on his part, at least for now.

But I wonder why do or why should Indians have any aversion to him? Which American President in the history of independent India had done what this man did during his tenure for India? In my humble opinion, the legacy of Bush-Manmohan Nuclear Deal, that also mostly on India’s terms, is the greatest achievement of these two leaders which we may not realize today. Our leftist and alike may not agree because they think they have a moral responsibility to hate America for what it has done or does in places like Iraq, support to Israel, etc, etc… But why do we have to be so moralistic, why can’t we be nationalists for once? Anyway this has been debated and will continue to be debated around. For now let us bid farewell and wish luck to a friend who has left his position.

On a lighter note, I will most miss is his Bushism! But I am looking forward to the Barack J

Cricket Australia Downhill???

noreply@blogger.com (Anuraag Rai Kochhar) — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 19:54:00 +0000

Recently South Africa beat Australia by 6 wickets chasing 414 runs which is second highest successful run chase ever in the history of cricket. Well, there are reasons apart from its historical significance, that this match has generated interest amongst cricket enthusiasts like me. It all goes back to the infamous Sydney test match in the beginning of this year that will be remembered as the most controversial ever. Which cricket lover will ever forget Monkey-gate involving Symo and Bhajji?

To me that match, despite Australia’s victory, was the defining moment that marked the beginning of the End of Australian cricketing supremacy. Perhaps Australia’s has been the longest era of dominance in the history of cricket (three straight world cups). But as they say, everything that goes up must come down; in my opinion Australia is on its way down. Like a cricket ball howsoever high it may have been thrown, hits the ground with a thud and bounces a few more times with lesser heights attained each successive time before it finally settles flat on the ground. After attaining height of supremacy, they came down with a thud when they lost to India at Perth soon after Sydney. Australia's is perhaps second bounce (their victory over New Zealand), but with lesser height, followed by another thud in their defeat to SA now. After that infamous victory in Sydney they may have won a few more (none to India though). They may win a few more before their supremacy fades into history. Only two teams had the ability to displace them from their mantle, and I am glad that it was India that started the avalanche. This SA victory is just another nail.

India has not done this for the first time. Remember the mighty West Indies in the 70's and early 80's. After their loss to India in 83 world cup final, they did manage to maintain their supremacy for few more years. Eventually they were lost into the oblivion. If you ask a youngster today, they will most probably not know of the West Indian heroics of yester years.

This blog entry would be incomplete without me sharing some thought on how Indians managed to overcome the mighty Australians. Was it that the Australians had superior cricketing skills than that of other cricket playing teams? Perhaps yes, but certainly not to the extent of maintaining supremacy for so long. The answer is that the Australians had mastered mind games both in and out of field. What Indians did was they gave them back in the same coin. This the Australians couldn't handle. They caved in. What Bhajji did was to speak to them in their own language when he confronted Symo. That was too hot for them to handle. That incident shook their foundation. This reminds me of a military strategy, wherein if you have to destroy a dam on a river, you don't bomb the structure, but you bomb its foundation. Once the foundation is shaken, it is only matter of time before the dam will give way to the massive reservoir of water behind it.

Well this is just a game of cricket, so without reading too much into the politics of it, the key lesson that can be derived, perhaps applied in other areas of international politics, is to hit the opposition with a weapon that they are masters of and hit them where it hurts the most, the foundation…

Time for Covert Operations

noreply@blogger.com (Anuraag Rai Kochhar) — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 18:54:00 +0000

On 26/11, India saw an act of terror; an act of ghastly proportions that many claim to be India’s 9/11. In days that have followed, media and intelligentsia have analyzed each and every detail with utmost precision. There has been public anger, and outrage towards our western neighbour and frustration at India’s failure on many fronts to ensure the safety of its citizens. In some case, western media has also been critical of the manner in which our elite forces have handled the hostage crisis. In the ensuing chaos, there have emerged countless stories of bravery, valour, courage and heroism.

A lot has already been said about the Terror in Mumbai on 26/11 and lot will continue to be analyzed and perhaps done to ensure that a repeat doesn’t happen. I thought of penning down my views here and not get into debate on what is being already discussed in the media.

Is this the most deadly and frightening acts of terror that we have ever witnessed in India? My answer is ‘no’, but certainly this is an act that has woken up many. There have been acts of similar proportions on Indian soil, if not in greater proportions. It was Mumbai in 1993 and 2006, Parliament in 2001 to name a few. The only reason this has attained such media scrutiny and world attention is that perhaps for the first time, foreigners are involved. There is also a direct stake of world because of economic influence that India has come to command in recent years. From Indian perspective, citizens have had enough. I hope public pressure can force the present government or subsequent governments to act against perpetrators of such acts of terror. We have seen in recent past that public pressure does work, just as in case of Jessica Lal, Nitish Katara, and Priyadarshani Matto cases.

Before I make my point on what India should do with our western neighbour and its terror puppets, I would like to spare a thought on the people responsible for letting this slip past our defences. Is it our politician, the intelligence agencies or the armed forces which includes the police? Perhaps a little bit of all, including us as citizens. Though there are a few in the political class that put our heads in shame, but then there are a few others in the same class who have ensured that this act received its due attention at world stage because they have made us an economic power house. To some extent their diplomacy has also ensured that the world opinion is leaning towards India’s point of view. The intelligence agencies may be accused of failing to read this coming, but we must appreciate that despite their handicap in terms of resources, they do from time to time thwart incidents that don’t come to media or our attention just because they never happened. The armed forces may have taken 62 hours to overpower 10 terrorists, but they may possibly have saved countless lives that perhaps would not have survived if there was pressure on them to get on top at a faster pace. They were perhaps successful in avoiding, what in military terms, is called ‘collateral damage’. Instead of pointing fingers, let us move forward.

What can or should India do? Launch punitive surgical strike on terror camps inside our western neighbourhood or launch a full blown conventional attack on the State Sponsor of Terror? It would be naive to even suggest that there would not be an equally strong reaction from them, even a nuclear strike. The point is not if we can sustain such a strike. I have no doubt that any reaction, whether conventional or nuclear, will be dealt with appropriately by our armed forces and eventually we will prevail. But the point is, is it really necessary to push us back by few years, if not decades, economically and militarily because this face off will not be without a very high cost involved. Then what should we do? Sit and display our impotency? The answer is an emphatic NO.

In my most humble opinion, the answer lies in a three pronged approach for long term. We must enhance our intelligence gathering capabilities. We must be diplomatically proactive. And build a capability to give them a taste of their own medicine. How do we enhance our intelligence? The answer is to build a world class, state of the art intelligence network to support our armed forces. Such should it be that even a bird can’t fly into India without its knowledge. Even if a terrorist sneezes anywhere in the world, the echo should be recorded on our intelligence seismograph. Learn from Israelis, partner with them and other western powers as this is perhaps the best time for them to understand us. How should we be diplomatically proactive? Instead of pleading with the US for a ‘State Sponsor of Terror’ tag for our western neighbour; we should lead the world in launching a ‘diplomatic’ war on terror. Reverse all confidence building measures as there is no confidence left between us and them. That brings me to my final point; how do we give them a taste of their own medicine? The answer lies in launching covert operations to neutralize the terrorists in their ‘safe heavens’. This capability will require both political will and time to establish. The best examples are the Israelis. Let us look towards them. It won’t make us small in accepting that we have lot to achieve in these three areas.

Our political establishment must understand that economic might is meaningless without military might. We must get on with the task of making our citadel impeccable. The time to begin is now.

India's Nuclear Freedom

noreply@blogger.com (Anuraag Rai Kochhar) — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 02:59:00 +0000

A lot is happening on the nuclear front for India in past few years, perhaps for the first time since India detonated in 1974. What the Manmohan Singh government has achieved with Indo-US nuclear deal has been phenomenal, but there has been a lot of opposition from both the left and right front within India. On the face of it, it may appear that the left opposition is merely their anti-US stance and the right opposition is just an example of bad opposition. However yesterday's news on leak of a secret letter from Bush to the US Congress has raised lot more questions on India's nuclear freedom than ever before. It has put some weight into the opposition to the Indo-US nuclear deal. I have tried to capture my thoughts in this blog post. My position is that this deal is good, in fact very good, for India, if and only if, it does not compromise our Nuclear Freedom.

It is a fact that no intellectual can deny that India needs energy security given the growing size of its economy. The question is at what cost; certainly not at the cost of our freedom to test and without guaranteeing fuel supply security. Let us look at these two contentious issues.

Can India sign off its solemn right to test a nuclear device? Being surrounded by two hostile nuclear powers, even an insane would say NO. Pro-deal lobby may say that India has tested enough to maintain deterrence. But how can we be so sure that India will never need to test ever in future. Even if in remote possibility of India never needing to test ever again, signing off a right to test will be foolhardy. Agree that neither 123 agreement, nor other drafts explicitly state the India cannot test, but there seems to be many implicit conditions that would not be conducive to India's nuclear freedom. That brings us to the question of perpetuity of nuclear fuel supplies. The text in 123 agreement does guarantee nuclear supplies only for reasons not in India's control. Well, testing a device is very much in India's control. So does this mean that there is no perpetuity in case India tests? I am not an expert to comment on that but there is enough doubt raised by Bush's letter and Hyde act that India will loose supplies in case it tests. And no one seems to be answering the question as to what would be the economic impact if the fuel supplies are cut off. India may have achieved deep economic dependence on nuclear energy by the time India needs to test. Does it mean that we will have to give away all that we acquired in terms of fuel and technology?

Given these facts, I feel it is not worth the risk that we as a nation can take and should take. Let the government not make this as a personal issue and persist with it. Manmohan will always be remembered for his efforts to bring India to this position at the nuclear world stage. Let this deal be left to future governments.

I am for nuclear deal, but only once the doubts raised by recent developments are cleared and our right to test and fuel supplies are guaranteed both implicitly and explicitly.

Reflections

noreply@blogger.com (Anuraag Rai Kochhar) — Fri, 23 May 2008 10:52:00 +0000

I was attending a workshop on “Assertiveness”. There was an exercise on REFLECTION SHEET (I guess it was inspired from the book “The Monk who sold his Ferrari”). All participants were asked to leave the room one by one. On the way out before the exit, there was a long mirror (in which we could see ourselves from head to toe) kept at the door. We had to spend a minute in front of that mirror in quietness and then after moving out we were to write our thoughts on a piece of paper. We were to remain in solitude for ten minutes before returning back into the room. On our return the same mirror was now kept outside before the entrance. We had to spend a minute in front of that mirror before moving into the room. Then we were to pen down our thoughts again on a piece of paper.

This is what I wrote…

When I went out…
… I saw someone who is I, ME, MYSELF
… I saw someone who has great potential, but not realized
… I saw someone who is spiritual at heart, but does not practice
… I saw someone who has a creative mind, but not fully used
… I saw someone who has a loving nature, but shies away from showing it
… I saw someone who is child at heart, but no time to play
… I saw someone who is I, ME, MYSELF

When I came in…
… I saw someone who is I, ME, MYSELF
… I saw someone who will realize his full potential
… I saw someone who will practice spirituality
… I saw someone who will explore his creative side
… I saw someone who will give love to the world
… I saw someone who will find time to be a child again
… I saw someone who is I, ME, MYSELF

My First Published Photograph

noreply@blogger.com (Anuraag Rai Kochhar) — Thu, 01 May 2008 14:22:00 +0000

One of my photographs was recently published in the Schmap East Coast Second Edition. Following is the photograph that was published;

The web version of Schmap East Coast Guide:

Email from Managing Editor, Schmap Guides

from Emma Williams <editor@schmap.com>
to arkochhar@gmail.com,
date Sun, Apr 27, 2008 at 6:50 AM
subject[Flickr] Schmap East Coast Second Edition: Photo Inclusion

You've been sent a Flickr Mail from Emma J. Williams:

------------------------------------------------------------

:: Schmap East Coast Second Edition: Photo Inclusion

Hi Anuraag,

I am delighted to let you know that your submitted photo
has been selected for inclusion in the newly released
second edition of our Schmap East Coast Guide:

Liberty State Park
http://www.schmap.com/eastcoast/parks/p=238470/i=238470_16.jpg

If you like the guide and have a website, blog or personal
page, then please also check out the customizable
widgetized versions of our Schmap East Coast Guide,
complete with your published photo:

http://www.schmap.com/guidewidgets/p=12455233N03/c=SG3306328

Thanks so much for letting us include your photo - please
enjoy the guide!

Best regards,

Emma Williams,
Managing Editor, Schmap Guides
------------------------------------------------------------

My Philippines Diary

noreply@blogger.com (Anuraag Rai Kochhar) — Thu, 01 May 2008 07:12:00 +0000

Philippines as a place is nice and interesting, well, first country I have visited whose currency is weaker (does it really matter?) than India’s (1 INR = 1.2 PHP approx). Local currency is called Peso. The place where I was staying is called Makati City which is a suburb of Metro Manila, the capital. Makati City is perhaps just like any downtown in a US city, but is highly polluted (suddenly Bangalore feels lot cleaner with the greenery around). A walk from office to home would render my shirt collars black! Outside Makati City, in the main Metro Manila area, it as bad as India or even worst some places. I have seen slums like Dharavi in Mumbai next to a filthy drain, where some kids playing in dirty water. Traffic wise, it looks to be a distant cousin of India (including lot of honking!!)

People are very friendly and warm. Largely Catholic Christian population, English is very well spoken; even taxi drivers will speak decent English. Percentage wise, probably English is more widely spoken here than in India. There is very strong American influence on their culture, society, governance, etc. It was a Spanish colony for 300 years and followed by US colony for 50 years. After their independence, probably around the same time as India, there was an American military base until 1991 when a Volcano eruption caused them to move out (lot of Volcanoes here, both active and dormant). Still there are lots of expatriates from the US living here. Population is around 91 million. The most popular local language is Tagalog (scripted in English characters). A man is referred to as ‘Filipino’ and a woman is referred to as ‘Filipina’ (don’t know why that difference!!). Surprisingly, there are very few historical landmarks from even the Spanish era. Apparently they were all destroyed in WW II. Manila was the most heavily bombed city. The only major landmark is a 16th century church called St. Augustine church.

Weather wise, it has a very hot and humid tropical type of climate. They say temperature wise; it gets really hot and occasionally hotter. Geographically, this is a country of islands, many of them. Not much as typical Filipino food, it is a sad scene. Rice is served with anything and everything. Even McDonalds will serve chicken nuggets with rice. Nevertheless most American food chains are present.

BPO is a booming industry (but doesn’t seem to a threat to Indian dominance yet), I guess because of large English speaking population. Other than that I could not guess what their main economic activity is.

I had an interesting experience once when I shook hands with the US Ambassador to Philippines. It so happened that a friend invited me to see some fireworks on the occasion of the US Independence Day celebrations. It was a small gathering. The US Ambassador after her customary address was going from table to table and meeting with people. She came to the table I was sitting on and thanked me for being part of their celebrations (I guess I looked different!!).

I also got a chance to see a fashion show organized by FHM and sponsored by my company amongst others. Being the sponsors, our team got a chance to be seated in the VIP gallery. It was an experience looking at lingerie clad good looking models.

My only tourism adventure outside the city was a visit to a small town called Tagaytay, an hour and half drive from Manila. This city is home to the ‘Taal’ volcano (reputed to be world’s smallest volcano), which probably exploded last in 1962. There is a lake called Taal, and between there is an island with this volcano. A boat ride from the shore will take you to this edge of the island. From there a hike of about 2 KM will take you to the top of this volcano from where you can see inside the crater. You can still see the volcanic tar from the last eruption on the edges of the water lake formed inside the crater. At places you can see sulphuric smoke rising from the ground. They say that in this region of 200 sq km, there are 33 most active volcanoes perhaps in the world. If one explodes, there will be a chain reaction and probably will engulf even the Manila city.

A nice place to do business, but perhaps I will not opt to stay here for long. For tourism, I would look for other destinations. In summary, unless you have no other option or if you are over adventurous (like me ;-) try out other places!!

I wrote these memoirs after my return from Philippines in September 2007. I was based in Makati City for three months on a business assignment. I decided to write these memoirs for my colleagues, but never sent the drafted mail. It remained saved in the drafts all this while. Now that I started blogging, perhaps an opportune place to start with.