Most of you know that from June 11 till July 11 the worlds most important event takes place, the Soccer World Championship in South Africa.

While I was researching the important matches and trying to fit that somehow into our India schedule, I realized that India does not participate in the World Championship. I was stunned, should this country of 1.2 bln have no decent soccer players? I mean even North Korea (not exactly known as a soccer super power) somehow qualified. So, where is India?

I was even more surprised to learn, that soccer is extremely popular in India even outnumbering cricket and hockey. It is extremely popular with the lower and middle class. The Yuba Bharati Krirangan Stadium in Calcutta is the second largest Stadium in the world, and the 120.000 seats are sold out on games of the Indian premier league.

So even though there is a large population of soccer fans and soccer player the Indian national team (aka The Bhangra Boys) never qualified even once for a soccer world championship. However, in 1950, for political reasons some team withdrew, and India moved up, and was invited to play in the world championship. Surprisingly the All India Football Federation decided to pass because the FIFA required all players to wear shoes, an unacceptable infringement on the liberties of the Indian team, which was known to play without shoes but with bandages.

Let’s see and wait what happens in 2014.

- Vitus Holzner

Sources:

http://www.taz.de/1/sport/artikel/1/der-wecker-ist-gestellt/

http://www.footage-magazin.de/index_ndim536.php

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indische_Fußballnationalmannschaft

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fußball-Weltmeisterschaft_1950

After Dr. Carr posted a link for Joe Wong, and Chase asked about stand-up in India- I’m inspired to share Russell Peters with the group. His ‘Be a Man’ routine is funny as heck.

Youtube Video

Like Joe Wong, Mr. Peters creates an environment that is safe to laugh at ourselves. We should send comedians as foreign diplomats. “Common, be a man! Do the right thing!”

- Kirk Story

As most of you know, India has one of the largest clandestine economies in the world. A major part of this revolves around the recycling and reusing of trash collected in junkyards and dumps. The city of Moradabad, located in northern India, receives about half of the total electronic waste (e-waste) generated by India. In its slums, thousands of people live off e-waste. More specifically, they use various techniques to extract different metals from circuits found in phones, televisions, computers, monitors, keyboards, remote controls, radios etc.

In Moradabad, also known as peetal nagri , the brass city, different families are specialized in different steps of the process: some use blow torches to heat the circuits until the soldering breaks down and different parts separate, some dip the pieces in acid, while others simply burn them. Needless to say, the process is hazardous and can be very dangerous, but a day’s work will earn a family around 300 Rupees, which is enough to attract thousands.

However, last April the Indian Government announced a new law that will aim to regulate the e-waste clandestine market in order to reduce pollution derived from such waste. Their goal is to only allow officially licensed facilities to treat e-waste. This could have strong implications for these people as they could be forced to find a new means to subsist, most likely having to migrate elsewhere. According to MAIT, an organization regrouping several large electronics companies, and GTZ, an organization whose purpose is to promote sustainable development on a global scale, over 90% of e-waste generated in India end up in clandestine markets.

Many international companies also look to India when deciding how to rid itself of old electronic equipment. Some do it through said licensed companies to promote a environmentally-responsible image, while others deal with the clandestine market to cut-down costs.

If this law is effective, it should significantly reduce pollution derived from e-waste, but many families will have to find a new way to make ends meet. Ultimately, this will take some time to take effect and many are skeptical in regards to the government’s ability to implement the law and effectively funnel all activities to licensed entities.

- Michael Harroch

In response to Fred’s post about the man who has not eaten in more than 70 years, I thought I would share my own thoughts on miraculous powers that Indian wise men may possess. I recently read a book by the famous author Michael Crichton in which he mentioned that he had always had a certain fascination for the unexplained events that he experienced during his childhood as well as during his tenure in medical school at Harvard. He described in detail the capacity that people have to heal despite overwhelming odds and die from the most trivial illnesses, to the point where it seemed like they simply decided to die. During the filming of one of his movies, he experimented with a group of psychics in London. Despite his best efforts to completely control the situation by wearing the same clothes, saying the same neutral things and revealing as little of himself as he could, he was impressed by the psychics’ capacities to understand others and know their character, experiences and guess what the future held in store. This book, in combination with Fred’s post, made me want to look up some other strange talents that Hindu gurus may have.

I was intrigued by this in particular because my mother, who is also a doctor has told me a series of vivid stories about the experiences she had in the presence of young Buddhist Monks from Tibet who came to visit her college. She described them levitating, fasting and holding contests of meditation by walking out into the below freezing Wisconsin winter. Wearing only a single thin towel, they would meditate with such fierce intensity that after only a few minutes, they had melted into the snow drifts upon which they sat and were sweating profusely, despite the extreme cold. The winner was the one whose towel contained the most sweat. I was very skeptical until I began to read that other religious or meditative practitioners had similar powers. To put it into context, I was fortunate enough to take a class on the physiology, thermoregulation and homeostasis while in college, which led me to believe that staying warm like the monks did was entirely possible. I later saw shows on the Discovery channel that confirm humans have a surprising capacity to control their bodies.

I now had some evidence from a variety of sources that led me to believe in some kinds of mind over matter powers, namely body temperature control. But what about the Indians who claim to levitate? Hindu siddha gurus are supposed to have the power to do so, ostensibly through the mastery of meditation and yoga. Yogi Subbayah Pullayar supposedly levitated a couple of feet for several minutes in front of 150 people. Other yogis have levitated while asleep. Buddhist levitators include Tibetan monks, Siddhartha himself, and the yogi Milarepa, who is a Vairayana Buddhist.

So what about the evidence? Most people chalk it up to some kind of illusion or group hypnotic suggestion, saying that all other evidence is scientifically invalid. However, some physicists have postulated that human beings are able to use cognition to tap into quantum zero point energy. An example of this energy would be the Casimir Effect, where tiny inter and intra molecular forces cause two metal plates to attract each other with significant force in a vacuum and without the presence of any external field. The tiny amounts of ambient energy in the plates cause a small electromagnetic force between the plates that are about a micrometer apart, attracting them with a force similar to atmospheric pressure.

My thoughts on this are simple: science is young, and religion, meditation and culture are old. There are many things out there that we do not have an explanation for and many things that are more complex than they seem. I suspect that in time, science will find a way to explain these powers that people have, whether it means understanding the physics of meditation or debunking charlatans. What do you think?

- William Ary

Of the companies we are going to visit in India, the one I am most excited to see is Maruti Suzuki. The reason for this (besides being an automotive enthusiast) is that I will get an opportunity to see a car that is making its triumphant return back into the United States; the Suzuki Swift. The Swift began life in 1983 as a rebadged Suzuki Cutlass for some markets, including ours in North America. It was a remarkably fuel efficient vehicle, with decent pick-up speed due its light weight. However, it struggled in the U.S. market due to a lack of interest in subcompact cars and poor interior quality. This led to the Swift leaving our market in 2001.

Since its departure, both the U.S. automotive market and the Swift have changed greatly. The market for subcompacts has expanded significantly, with five of the six largest automotive companies in America offering subcompacts. The Honda Fit and Mini Cooper have also shown that people in our market are also willing to pay significantly more for subcompacts with the luxury features of larger vehicles. This marketplace bodes well for the Suzuki Swift, which has become a vastly different vehicle than its forbearer. The cheap interior and boring styling that marred the old vehicle has been replaced by a clean, well finished interior and decidedly sporty exterior. In addition to these esthetic improvements, the Swift has also received a Euro-tuned suspension and a host of more powerful, fuel efficient engines.

These improvements have been noticed by the markets the Swift is currently in. The Swift is Maruti Suzuki’s second most popular car in India and is the fifth most sold car in the country. The vehicle was so successful that Maruti Suzuki saw a 64% rise in Q1 profits in the first quarter the Swift was sold. This is in-spite of the fact that it is one of the more expensive cars in its class and not within the most popular class of vehicles in India, the minis (the next size smaller than subcompacts).

Due to its enormous popularity in the markets it is currently in, Suzuki plans on reintroducing the Swift to the U.S. market as replacement for the lackluster Reno. With the significant improvements it has received, will the Swifts return to our market be successful?

- Matthew Perez

As I was writing a detailed response to Jay’s post on dentistry in India, I realized that I had enough questions to write my own post! Now, I’m nowhere near the dental expert or enthusiast that Jay is, but the Internet is a wonderful thing!

The video that Jay posted was absolutely disgusting (check it out and you will know why) but it did bring some questions to the forefront like, what education do these street dentists have? Do they go to dental school or are they self-taught? Also, for the dentists who are educated, what are the standards for education? Is the education comparable to the United States and are the standards similar?

Well, my research showed some insight on this topic. Apparently dentists coming from India to the United States have to take additional classes to earn their D.D.S. or the D.M.D. Additional classes don’t sound so bad until you hear about how few of these foreign dentists get into medical school in advanced standing in the United States. Ultimately, they have to mostly repeat their degree, which took five years to complete in the first place. Indian dentists earn a Bachelor in Dental Surgery (BDS), which takes four years, plus an internship for an additional year. They do have the option to specialize in an area of dental surgery, which takes three additional years to earn a Masters.

As Jay can probably tell you in his sleep, it’s a slightly more complex process in the United States, which can start all the way in high school with the type of science classes you choose to take. High school is followed with a Bachelor of Science in a natural science like Biology or Chemistry. THEN, after perhaps a short one-year MBA program (not required), you head off to dental school for four years. Give or take a year of school here and there, you are sitting in a classroom for at least eight years (not including high school). Compare that to the India education curriculum, and the United States at the very least wants more of your money and more years of your life.

Ultimately, the India BDS is equivalent to the Doctor of Dental Surgery here in the United States. Eight years of education compared to only five just to practice dental surgery! However, the street dentists don’t even go through the education process to practice. Many learn the practice from their parents and several, if not most, don’t have their dental licenses. This is actually very illegal in India. These street dentists still continue to practice however, offering dental services to those who can’t afford the alternative.

It’s interesting to see that the education standards are quite different from country to country. The question now is if the quality is equivalent, and if so, are so many years of dental school are even necessary to be an effective dentist?

- Danielle Steussy

Sources:

http://www.jdentaled.org/cgi/content/full/69/4/461

http://www.educationindiainfo.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dentistry_throughout_the_world#Dentistry_in_India

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Street_dentistry

While following the debates over health care reform in the U.S., and revisiting my own personal use of tobacco since re-enrolling in academia (after an 8 year hiatus of both school and tobacco), it got me thinking about the role of tobacco in India. What I learned about tobacco, in India, out and out shocked me.

According to WHO (World Health Organization), India has high smoking rates across the board:

Smoking rates in men is over 56% in the 12-18 year old range, and plateaus at 72% by the smokers 40’s. Smokeless tobacco (chew) in women is hard to gauge but estimates are as low as 15% (still very high when compared to U.S. chewing) and as high as 60%. Smoking rates among 13-15 year old school children range from 3% in Goa to over 60% in Nagaland (http://www.whoindia.org/LinkFiles/Tobacco_Free_Initiative_Executive_Summary.pdf).

Contrary to what many may think, this isn’t necessarily due to the burgeoning middle class in India. India has a long history of tobacco use, as Portuguese traders first brought tobacco to India in the 1600’s. In the early 20^th century India was second largest producer of tobacco, behind the U.S. And in fact, in the U.S. a popular and traditional method of tobacco consumption in India is becoming more and more popular stateside, as hookah bars pop up in trendy neighborhoods of major metro areas.

Apart from the hookah smoking, Indians’ use tobacco in a variety of ways. 42% of tobacco consumption is via Beedi smoking. Beedi’s are similar to cigarettes except they are tobacco rolled in another plants leaf, and must be puffed continuously to stay lit, like a cigar. They smoke cheroots, which are simply a loosely rolled tobacco leaf, also similar to a cigar. Indians also chew a couple of different forms of smokeless tobacco. Paan and paan masala are powdered tobacco with a variety of nut extracts and flavors. (Wikipedia)

Considering what we’ve seen recently in the U.S. in regards to health care reform, and what we’ve learned about the apparent bureaucratic processes of Indian governments, what will the economic impact of tobacco related illnesses in India be, as the population that can afford to use tobacco grows? Should they be concerned about the massive costs of health care for a society that heavily uses tobacco? Could you possibly conclude that newer, relatively healthier methods of tobacco use, such as modern cigarettes, should be pushed as means of tempering the unhealthier methods like beedi smoking.

- Chase Janvrin

If any of you have ever spoken to Hemanth Kundeti, or most any other native Indian about Cricket in India your gut-reaction to this question is most likely a definitive NO.  The fact is, Cricket is the de facto national sport of India.  While it is not the nation’s official national sport - a distinction held by field hockey - it is by far India’s most popular sport.  Part of the reason for the sport’s popularity, I can only deduce, is not only the creation of the Indian Premier League, but also the fact that the Indian International Cricketing Squad has given the sport some of her greatest international players, and victories, resulting in the sport’s rich history in India.

Basketball, on the other hand, while considered one of the widely played sports in India, is far less popular than Cricket.  Basketball started its journey in India during the first half of the 20th century, and has steadily grown in popularity since.  The sport is played in most Indian high schools, colleges, and universities.  The younger generation appears to be the main catalyst for Basketball’s adoption in India.  Basketball in India is run and managed mainly by the large number of national and state level associations, spread all over India, but India’s contribution to the sport’s international talent pool has gone mostly un-noticed - until now that is.

Basketball players Sim and Tanveer Bhullar, a pair of brothers from Indian descent, will most likely be the next big thing in college basketball, and then professional basketball.  Sim is only 17 years old and stands 7-4, 285 pounds.  His younger brother Tanveer, is only 15 years old, and stands 7-2, 260 pounds.  Both are described as having “solid skills,” and “developing quickly on the court.”  The Bhullars dwarf the last notable pair of 7-foot brothers to play basketball together on the high school level - Brook and Robin Lopez, both of whom have had a great deal of success since attending Stanford, and entering the NBA during the first round of the 2008 draft.

Also in their favor, the Bullhars are now being coached by a man who has coached at various Division 1 schools, as well as in the NBA.  Freedman’s background allows him to not only develop his players, but also to prepare them for the recruiting process that lies ahead.  Both of these talents should prove invaluable to the 7-foot brothers of Indian descent, as schools such as Kentucky, Florida State, LSU, Penn State, Pittsburgh, USC, Stanford, and Texas have already expressed interest in both brothers.

Do you think that Basketball can overtake Cricket as India’s most popular sport?  Do you think that the Bhullars will reach the level of success many are expecting from the gifted duo?  Why do you think that of the 36 countries and territories represented in the NBA this season, the world’s second most populous nation is not included?

- John Barry

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India_national_basketball_team

http://www.indianetzone.com/5/basketball.htm

http://highschool.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1087336

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cricket_in_India

As I prepare for our trip, I reflect on the language barriers that await us. We’re lucky that English happens to be one of India’s many official languages, but I still expect to face challenges in communicating. I recently flipped through an Indian phrase book (Click Here) that included “Hinglish” slang, Hindi words and phrases and many other examples (i.e. Urdu, Tamil, Tulu, etc). It is amazing how many of the words that we use in our everyday language have Indian roots. Some of the best examples of our shared expressions are catamaran, thug, bungalow, dinghy, veranda, bandana. Ok, so maybe you don’t use all of those words everyday, but I bet you wish you lived in a beautiful bungalow with a shady veranda and a stunning catamaran out at your dock!

I want to share some of the more relevant words and phrases I came across in an effort to expand our vocabulary. I hope you enjoy!

From the first adaab (hello), to the last chalta hoon (goodbye; literally “I’ll walk”), this is going to be a memorable trip. I anticipate these few weeks of traveling will end with some great stories and solid friendships between us Cal Poly yaars (buddies). One of the best aspects of yatra (travel) is getting to fill your pet (stomach) with amazing food. I can already envision the group of us walking down the marg (road) eyeing the vendors with their curries and chutneys and mangos and teas and coffees. When drinking tea or coffee, it is important to remember to leave a baaki (remnant/last of drink) in your cup. After our long days, I am sure we will be more than ready to kick off our chappals (sandals) and climb into bistar (bed)… except maybe on June 26. That Saturday night is purnima (full moon). We all know what craziness can ensue when the chand (moon) is full. The 26^th will be our last day of company visits, so I am guessing there will be some celebrating as our trip begins to wind down. Luckily the next day, June 27, is a day of sight-seeing. Hopefully this trip is a memorable learning experience that boosts our international business knowledge, confidence, and overall odds of finding a job… cause none of us want to come home and be vela (unemployed)!

-Catherine Kristensen

Music is a cultural artifact that spans this entire globe. Every culture has a form of music for which it means many things. Music can be a form of storytelling, keeping ancient tales alive. Music can be a form of entertainment. Music can change listener’s emotions and can inspire. Indian culture is rich in musical history and traditions. The basis for Indian music is “sangeet”.  Sangeet is a combination of three art forms: vocal music, instrumental music and dance. Over time, they have evolved into very refined and individual entities.

The most notable Indian instruments include the Tablas (thank you Emily), the Sitar, the Shehnai, and the Sarangi. These instruments have been part of the Indian culture for ages and have evolved over time to be used in multiple musical genres. Emily went into detail about the Tabla, however I would like to focus on the other instruments, and how they have found their way into mainstream music culture.

The Sitar’s early origins date back to the 13^th century and the instrument has remained virtually unchanged since then. The sitar is most closely related to a modern guitar. It is comprised of a neck (Dandi), a base (Kadu), strings (Tar), and frets (Parda). The sounds that this instrument makes are beautiful and sometimes haunting. Please follow this link to listen to the Sitar. One of the foremost Sitar players from India is Nikhil Banerjee, click here. The Sitar has become more popular over time and one famous band found ways to incorporate it into their music. Check out “Across the Universe” by the Beatles.

The Shehnai is the northern Indian term for a flute like instrument. Its southern Indian name is the Nadaswaram. This instrument can be found on any sidewalk being played by professionals or peddlers. The origins of this instrument cannot be perfectly placed. The Shehnai is a wind instrument that is played with your mouth. The holes in the body of the instrument help to create the sound you hear. It is popular for snake charmers to use this instrument to entertain for a fee. Uslah Bismillah Khan is a professional Shehnai player; here is some of his work. Khan plays the instrument in a classical fashion, and the sound can be compared to the sound Dave Mason made in the Rolling Stones song “Street Fighter Man” from 1968.

Lastly, the Sarangi is an instrument that didn’t become main-stream in Indian music until the 18^th century. It is the instrument whose sound is said to most resemble the human voice. The Sarangi is a bowed and string instrument and the use of two hands is necessary to making the correct sounds. A traditional rendition of the Sarangi can be found here. In 1997, the band Aerosmith included the Sarangi in their song “Taste of India”.

Indian musical instruments have had a great impact on the evolution of Indian music, Rock and Roll, and lately American popular music. Today we hear Indian instruments in many songs and now Indian musical artists are making headway in the American music market. Panjabi MC has collaborated with rapper/business mogul Jay-Z in the song “Beware of the Boys”. A.R. Rahman has made a name for himself in America by making the Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack a hit with songs like “Jai Ho” and “O Saya”.

I hope that everyone will listen to some Indian music before we head overseas. Music allows an individual to experience the sounds in their own way. I find Indian music to be ancient, mysterious, relaxing, and entrancing. I hope that everyone gets to experience this kind of music and the sounds that these instruments make.

-Jason Silver