Author: X.T.M

Who knows I ended up marrying a Pakistani in the end! Of course I did tell Vidhi she should be a little more partial to Pakistan considering that she’s one of us.

Of course Sindhi Bhaibands have their ancestry from Punjabi Khatris (Sikhs & Hindus) who migrated down the Indus in the late medieval era. So the heartland of the Sindhi Hindus is really the Indus Valley..

Thankfully and more importantly Vidhi’s only has a slightly increased risk for celiac disease but thankfully as a South Indian born & bred she prefers rice to bread.

It is interesting though just how “Pakistani” the Hindu Indus people are in their culture; very extroverted etc. That’s why Sindhis love Dubai so much; reminds them of their lost homeland, Karachi.

https://www.facebook.com/drewbinsky/videos/1826918140678440/?comment_id=1827859613917626&comment_tracking=%7B%22tn%22%3A%22R9%22%7D

I was offended by the use of “chaotic” to refer to India & China.I also dislike the way the massive ethnic displacement of Nepali migrants in Bhutan is casually airbrushed. I called Drew out on that and it sparked a mini-thread on the column.

I do think the “third” world must enact a “mirroring” policy, which replicates visa processes on a reciprocal basis. Passport privilege is the last and most pervasive privilege as it is protected by law.India, China, Pakistan and other such countries should make sure that Western nationals have the same visa processes that they’re citizens have in going to the West.

I deeply dislike some of the casual and condescending comments I see Westerners make about the East (I should really write on the AlphaGo movie I saw at ICML but again that’s deep thinking that doesn’t suit my social mediaesque surface level observations – I leave deep thinking to my wife). Diasporas are in fact deeply unhealthy and I admit that I am a member of a diaspora.

If I had been resident of either Pakistan and/or Iran or even India; maybe my relative progressiveness would have helped my society. Of course the fact that there is a Western option means that a good chunk of the sub-elite (the layer above the middle classes but below the ruling classes) will evaporate to the West.The “sub-elite” is an important constituency because they aren’t as hide-bound as the middles but not nearly as powerful as the ruling castes of the third world.

When they disappear because of migration they take with them thoughts, ideas and sometimes irreplaceable skills. I must sound like a complete hypocritical since I’m a Briton of foreign extraction and I do benefit from the various privileges that accrue from it. I do think though that for a more equitable world that we must go “back home” and effect reform. Continue reading Bhutan

It’s been a fairly hectic week since I was Vidhi’s +1 at ICML (international conference of machine learning). It took place in Sweden and I wanted to share some intelligent thoughts about it but as always it’s difficult to go deep when on the move.

Being married to a Sindhi scientist is quite amusing but it leaves me little time to blog.I was really moved by the above post by Ali Zafar; Pakistan shouldn’t be as f*cked up as it is and really needs to do better. Croatia’s spirited play at the World Cup hints at a very cohesive nation state; Pakistan must avoid the fate of Yugoslavia..

I’ve been tracking the movement of the Sharifs and I must say I’m very very impressed by their decision to go back to Pakistan; it’s a rare moment when Punjabi politicians stand up to the Punjabi establishment. The army has overplayed its hand when it’s lost my support; I don’t like the hypocritical singling out of the Sharifs especially when Nawaz is pro-business, pro-India and pro-peace…

Continue reading South Asia becoming more like the Middle East (in different ways)

I took some time out from BP after the torrid comments section. I had deleted the WordPress app off my phone and that was that. But everything seems to have arranged itself quite nicely in my absence so it’s a good time to dive right back in. England of course are likely contenders to win the World Cup and if so – we will have a very good Brexit.

It’s also been a very humid July and I’ve reflected on why Social Media silently murdered the Blogsophere. The winning quality of Social Media is that one is interacting with individuals whereas on Blogs it’s scattered thoughts in the wind. There is no context or real depth to a comment thread because of the anonymous factor, which I think really detracts from conversations.

Other than that I spent some time sprucing up my Twitter. I left Twitter after the June 2017 elections because they refused to give me a blue tick (vanity upon vanities). After the link are a few excerpts of my recent Twitter threads. I want to eventually expand them into posts but the good thing about a Twitter thread is that it suits my “stream of consciousness” writing style.

Continue reading Twitter Thoughts

The Arab Powers have “Black Gold”; Pakistan now contributes with Green Gold.

https://www.facebook.com/moveon/posts/10155543349245493

 

In 2015, Indian-American Vijay Chokal-Ingam, brother of actress Mindy Kaling, went public with his story of posing as a black man to benefit from race-conscious admissions policies at medical schools. He claimed in a CNN story that affirmative action “destroys the dreams of millions of Indian-American, Asian-American, and white applicants for employment and higher education.”

Chokal-Ingam applied to 14 schools and was admitted to just one, St. Louis University. He only applied using his false “black” identity, and although he never applied as an Indian-American, he assumes that he got into St. Louis University because he was “black.”

https://www.facebook.com/Remezcla/videos/10156749372239267/

The major news in American politics is the upset victory in the Democratic primary by Ms. Ocasio-Cortez. I’m sharing her video here without comments since I think this is a huge advance for “brown” people worldwide. I read somewhere that the classical world had a penchant for a variety of colours (maybe related to paganism – India is very colourful and Roman sculptures were painted, perhaps even garishly) but that the modern Anglo-Western scheme is very black and white.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: Millennial beats veteran Democrat

In some ways that reflects our current Anglo-discourse where things are very binary. I remember in the London Olympic Opening Ceremony, there was so much attention dedicated to the Black experience in Britain (Windrush etc) and none given to the Asian one. When we think diversity in Britain we still think Black rather than Asian, especially in the entertainment sector.

It’s a rather striking phenomenon that in the finance industry a huge array of the junior recruits will be diverse and Asian but as they climb towards seniority they start to become stale, pale and male. It’s not to say that Asians are underrepresented, in fact they may very well be overrepresented, but the rate of attrition in the rise to seniority is quite noticeable. This is because the top ranks like to replicate themselves (subconsciously) and you would rather go for a drink with someone who looks and feels like you.

I echo Ms. Ocasio-Cortez that it’s not about identity politics but more about getting a seat in the table. Good job and Good luck.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10156545499846563&set=p.10156545499846563&type=3&theater

https://www.facebook.com/ajplusenglish/videos/1054194608055379/

Representation is so important and Mr Kejirwal should be applauded for his bold & unorthodox decision.

South Asia is probably the most diverse society when it comes to skin tones since every range is pretty much featured. However the systematic colour bias will only come undone when we reflect the society at large.

I’m reminded of my cousin who wanted to buy some cream in South East Asia. Every cream there had skin lightening formulas so it proved impossible in the end.

Clear and tanned complexion is the optimal type for any race; that look emerges in LA a fair bit since there is so much sun and it’s a prosperous society with lots of focus on aesthetics.

Of course Miss India this year is noticeably dustier than the previous ones so the aesthetic is definitely changing.

https://mobile.twitter.com/scribe_it/status/1009297667569012737

 

Erdogan has consolidated his power in yesterday’s election. This post was sparked by a Facebook friend’s (Indian Muslim) comment “why do Muslims in India hate Modi but love Erdogan.” Shashi provides some context here:

Comparisons are generally invidious, especially when they involve political leaders from different countries. But, while Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan rose to power 11 years before Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, there is much about their personal and professional trajectories that makes comparison irresistible.

Both Erdogan and Modi come from humble, small-town backgrounds: Erdogan sold lemonade and pastries in the streets of Rize; Modi helped his father and brother run a tea stall on a railway platform in Vadnagar. They are self-made men, energetic and physically fit – Erdogan was a professional soccer player before becoming a politician; Modi has bragged about his 56-inch (142-centimeter) chest – not to mention effective orators.

Both Erdogan and Modi were raised with religious convictions that ultimately shaped their political careers. Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) and Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have both promoted a religiously infused, nationalist creed that they argue is more authentic than the Western-inspired secular ideologies that previously guided their countries’ development.

History has definitely not come to an end; Turkey and India (Israel/Hungary) seem to be on the vanguage of nationalistic revivals. Thankfully none of these countries border each other.

Related: Modi believed Vajpayee’s wooing of Muslims in 2004 was a fruitless exercise

Ps: All comments welcome except abusive or overwrought ones. Tone and tenor of any conversation (on my posts at least) must be calm and measured.