910 At last, Spectator.co.uk published this down-to-earth reality article by Ms. Carol Sarler

Here is a beautiful link to a Spectator.co.uk article by Ms. Carol Sarler, on the issue of Celebrities employing publicists to boost their image. The title of the Article is "The famous persons do not need personal publicists". Click here to go to Spectator.co.uk. to study Ms. Carol Sarler's Article, in depth. This article can also be read at DeccanChronicle.Com. You can see this on page 11 of their Print Edition dated 22nd Feb. 2017, Wednesday. The context of the Article is, the leakage of Emails sent by Mr. David Beckham, Famous UK Footballer, to his publicist, which have something to do with Knighthood for the footballer. In her article, Ms. Carol Sarler, made a brilliant observation:--

"... Whatever calamitous infelicities David Beckham did or did not email to his publicist, few will doubt that he has lived to rue the day. Nevertheless, I'll bet teeth that he is pointing his ruing in the wrong direction: that he is tormented by the moment he pressed 'send' — but not similarly kicking himself for hiring a publicist in the first place. It will be left to thee and me to wonder what was the point. When you are already richer than God, you are one of the sporting legends of your generation and your face would be recognised by a yeti in the wastes of Siberia — why might you ever want to fork out gazillions to a man who describes himself as 'managing David Beckham's global communications strategy’, which translates as ‘making him even more famous’? ..."

ybrao-a-donkey's views which are not intended to be imposed on others

Two things may have to be considered: 1. Whether publicists, also undertake the work of 'lobbyists' for getting the expected awards/honors/titles such as knighthood?

2. Whether the results of efforts of the publicists can be mathematically measured? Can they be tangibly estimated? E.g. say, in the case of Mr. David Beckham, what were his publicity levels before employing the publicist? What are his publicity levels after employing the publicist? The number of Twitter followers, Facebook Followers, Likes, etc. do not appear to be dependable indicators for these measurements.

3. Why do the names of only some SELECTED CELEBRITIES- such as politicians, cricketers, film stars, doctors, lawyers, business tycoons, etc. appear in the Press and Electronic Media frequently, and in a favorable tone, whereas several others who have equally credible performances and talents are ignored? What are the roles of the publicists employed by such high profile celebrities, in ensuring such larger-than-life publicities? Are the Publicists creating snake pits from mole hills?

Question: Do Indian Celebrities appoint publicists for Media Glaze, and lobbyists for Awards Chase?

Ans: It appears so, but more evidence and research is needed. Let us hope that India's Media does it, some day.

Whom can we include here? We need not mention individual names of India's who is who. Almost all the film stars seem to have personal publicists, including the Great Three Khans, Big B (this word itself seems to have been coined by Publicists), all the top Cricketers. It is also difficult to say whether this is a trait of the 21st Century or the 19th and 20th Centuries.

It is difficult to pin-point any particular Celebrity as the one who has depended on crutches provided by publicists. It might have started with Late Ms. Indira Gandhi, the Third Regular Prime Minister of India, who succeeded the First Regular Prime Minister of INdependent India, Late Jawaharlal Nehru, and the Second Regular Prime Minister Late Lal Bahadur Shastry. The cotere surrounding Ms. Indira Gandhi, tried to depict Ms. Gandhi, as the Savior of India, with "Amma" (Mother) image. A Congress President of Her days, Dev Kanth Baruva, called her "Indira is India, and India is Indira".

Ms. Indira Gandhi, Late Rajiv Gandhi, et al needed some type of prop-ups because, they have nothing significant such as Educational Accomplishments, Literary Creations, Contributions of Journalism, etc. to coo about, except their belonging to Nehru Dynasty and occupying the Prime Ministerial Chair (गद्दी సింహాసనం) through succession, either by their own volition or per force, pushed by sycophant politicians who wanted to use the scions of Nehru Dynasty as tools to serve their own vested interests.

When it comes to Late V.P. Singh, the Prime Minister who succeeded Late Rajiv Gandhi, it might have become difficult for his publicists to find out a niche to magnify him. They found Late V.P. Singh as a prolific painter and tried to present him as such. Actually, Late V.P. Singh didn't need any such prop-ups, because he was already Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, and earned some sort of reputation as some one who was not very particular about his power, post, and position.

There were, there are, and there will be many scientists of great accomplishments in India, who contributed greatly to India's Scientific progress, and India's Defence Preparedness. Yet, Late A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (I do not want to belittle his scientific accomplishments) received special publicities right from the days he was Head of DRDO in Hyderabad, and the processes went successfully to such levels that he received the attention of both the Congress and BJP Top Leaders, who might have found him as an acceptable minority face to occupy the Chair of the President of India. I do not wish to say that Late APJ Abdul Kalam was ill-qualified to be the Rashtrapati. But, there were/are many others who were/are equal to him in several respects, but yet, they did not reach their zeniths, or get opportunities.

DANGERS OF VAGARIES OF FORTUNE BECKONING SOMEBODY EITHER AT RANDOM OR IN SOME OTHER MANNER / COURSE

The main problem with this type of somebody getting lifted to top by quirk of luck, or what I do not know, results, at least in one fall out. Ambitious bureaucrats, politicians, film stars, cricketers, even doctors and lawyers, judges, start trusting astrologers, and tantrics with a hope that they will turn-around their sluggish-not-so-fast-raising fortunes. India has several God Persons, astrologers-tantrics-God-persons who receive patronage from bureaucrats, politicians, who suffer from an erroneous belief that the miracle-makers can change their future.

The following paragraph from the article of Ms. Carol Sarler, linked to above, is very very important:

"... Make no mistake: the personal publicist has nothing in common with the traditional PR machine that has always played midwife to the launch of a book, play, film or sporting event. The machine concentrates on the project before the person; an interview with, say, the leading actor is only part and parcel of the wider aim to nudge interest and consequently ticket sales. Few, indeed, hold the personal publicist in greater contempt than the more experienced public relations expert. ‘We don’t share the same DNA,’ sniffs one such. The personal publicist gives small damn for the bigger picture. Unlike an agent or manager, who works for a percentage of earnings and thus is invested in the long-term success of the collective project, the personal publicist is paid a fee to concentrate on the individual, even at a cost to the rest. ..."

In the above paragraph, Ms. Carol Sarler has clearly brought out the subtle distinction between the "Public Relations (PR)" Staff and the Publicists. In Indian Government Departments, Corporations, Institutions and Organisations, this tribe of who are known as "Public Relations Officers" and "Liason Officers" are very common. IN my last birth as a "Public Sector Bank Officer", I have seen some such creatures. Bosses seem to use them less for their own personal publicity tasks. The PROs and Liaison Officers seem to be used for some tasks which the Boss (bureaucrat/politician/Corporate Head, or whoever it may be), himself would hesitate to do personally on behalf of the Organisation, even if he-she has time.

Example: Booking Air-Tickets from an Airline, for Bigger Bosses, at the last moment, jumping the queue.
Booking Guest Houses owned by Corporate Clients, for use of Bigger Bosses and their families.
Sending sarees, suits, silver and gold articles to the Bigger Bosses and their families, as gifts.
Sending booze bottles/giving booze parties to Journalists, Government Officials, to get publicity or to get favors. etc. etc.

Govt. / Public Sector / Private Sector Corporate Bosses consider these tasks as menial, to do themselves personally, and somebody has to be entrusted with this delicate work.

INDIVIDUALS, AND PRIVATE ORGANISATIONS CANVASSING FOR GOVERNMENT AWARDS SUCH AS BHARAT RATNA, PADMA VIBHUSHAN, PADMA BHUSHAN etc.

Like the United Kingdom, United States, France, in India also, lobbying for Awards, Fellowships, Rajya Sabha Memberships, Foreign Jaunts etc. is quite common. If some publicists help the wannabe with props-up, such appointments and services also get respectability.

ARRANGING FACE-BOOK LIKES, TWEETS AND RE-TWEETS, HASHES TO PROMOTE INDIVIDUALS AS GREAT STARS, FUTURE PRIME MINISTERS, PRESIDENTS, CONDUCTING INTERNET SURVEYS

These things, even when carried on magnitude of millions, yet do not attract criticism. They are all accepted as STATE OF THE ART, and PART OF ARTS OF LIVING.

To continue adding /deleting / modifying सशेष, ఇంకా ఉంది.

662 Do we need this IFR 2016 extravaganza of Rs. 10 billion? हमे एक दस बिलियन के ऐऎफआर् दुबारा होना क्या. మనకి ఈ రూ ౧౦ బిలియన్ల ఐ ఎఫ్ ఆర్ దుబారా జాతర కావాలా

International Fleet Review 2016 of Indian Navy, saluted to by President of India Mr. Pranab Mukherjee, and the Prime Minister of India, Mr. Narendra Modi, has at last been completed. But ybrao-a-donkey's mind is deeply agitated about the cost of this extravaganza. I estimate it at Rs. 1,000 crore (Rs. 10 billion) minimum.

Who said that India is a poor country? If anybody sees the IFR 2016 which was completed recently at Visakhapatnam, either in person or on TV, the dazzling lights, fireworks, the moving ships and submarines, dances, trumpets, drums, special aircrafts bringing VVIPs, police force employed, photos and videos, this and that, --all the hallucinations of living in a poor country like INdia, in which people walk miles to fetch a pot of water to quench their thrist, will vanish into thin year. After the IFR 2016, India may not be viewed as a Nation of Snake Charmers! But then India is what-Charmer?

Question: you seem to be negatively motivated. You are a cynic and a pessimist. You can't see this country topping the world.

Answer: First thing to be kept in mind is: "All that glitters is not gold". And then, "Glitters do not last long."

Appearances of India's growth are nothing but swellings, and not real strengths. When population of a country goes up from 36 crore to 130 crore, automatically demands for necessities, comforts and luxuries go up. It is the reason, why India's Markets have become the second largest in the World after China.

Question: When population rises, the purchasing power should fall, or the total purchasing power of the Nation should remain STATIC. How is it that India's Markets remain dynamic, when the entire World is reeling under depression? .

Answer: Consequent to opening up of Indian Stock Markets to both institutional and individual speculators abroad, India has sold out controlling interests in its Corporates which own swathes of valuable land, and Real Estate. These Corporates also control the supply of goods and services to Indians. In other words, what East India Company could do in three Centuries using "guns and treacherous conspiracies", the Investing Foreign Corporates have done in just 24 years (1991 to 2015), with just mouse-clicks.

In early 90's there was serious scarcity of foreign exchange to meet payment of imports, and India had to export and mortgage gold in London, when Mr. Chandra Sekhar was Prime Minister. Did India's exports cross its imports since then? No, not. By selling shares in our Corporates, we are getting some Foreign Exchange. We are spending such Foreign Exchange Reserves lavishly on non-productive ventures, without any foresight that the Foreign Investors may withdraw them in future.

Question: How can you say that organising a Great Fleet Review of Navies of 50 countries is a lavish non-productive ceremony? You are ignoring that this IFR will build a great glorious prestigious image for India. After viewing our Navy's strengths, countries like China will be hesitating to attack us through Oceans.

Answer: If China attacks us through Oceans, how many Navies of these 50 countries are going to come to our rescue is a question for military experts to answer.

2. Can we at least say, that India is going to get some orders from South Asian countries for building commercial or war ships?

3. Will our neighbors, hereafter, trust that India is not a baron or boss of the area, but a dependable helpful neighbor?

TAIL PIECE धूमकेतु తోక చుక్క

"I will give you a talisman. Whenever you are in doubt, or when the self becomes too much with you, apply the following test. Recall the face of the poorest and the weakest man [woman] whom you may have seen, and ask yourself, if the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him [her]. Will he [she] gain anything by it? Will it restore him [her] to a control over his [her] own life and destiny? In other words, will it lead to swaraj [freedom] for the hungry and spiritually starving millions?

Then you will find your doubts and your self melt away."

--A 1948 quote of Mahatma Gandhi.

Telugu Language: నేను నీకు ఒక తాయత్తును ఇస్తున్నాను. నీకు అనుమానం వచ్చినపుడు, నీలో స్వార్ధం మితిమీరినపుడు, ఈ క్రింది పరీక్షను చేసుకో. నీవు చూసిన వారిలో అత్యంత నిరుపేద వ్యక్తి లేదా అత్యంత బలహీనమైన వ్యక్తి ముఖాన్ని గుర్తుకు తెచ్చుకో. నిన్ను నీవు ప్రశ్నించుకో. "నేను చేయబోయే ఈ పని వీళ్ళకి ఎలా ఉపయోగపడ బోతున్నది. దీని వల్ల వీళ్ళ కేమైనా ప్రయోజనం కలుగుతుందా. వాళ్ళ జీవితాలు, వాళ్ళ జీవన గమ్యాలపై, వారికి ఏమైన నియంత్రణను పునరుధ్ధరించ కలుగుతుందా. ఒక విధంగా చెప్పాలంటే, ఆకలితో ఉన్న వాళ్ళకి స్వరాజ్యాన్ని తెచ్చిస్తుందా. మరియు ఆధ్యాత్మికంగా ఆకలిగొని నకనక లాడుతున్న వాళ్ళకి ఆధ్యాత్మిక స్వరాజ్యాన్ని తెచ్చి పెట్తుందా ? ".

ఇవి ౧౯౪౮ లో మహాత్మా గాంధీ గారు అన్న మాటలు గా ప్రచారంలో ఉన్నాయి.

ybrao-a-donkey's humble comments. वैबीराव एक गधे के विनम्र राय . వైబీరావ్ గాడిద వినమ్ర వాణి. You have every right to differ with me. I respect your right. आपको मेरे मत से भिन्न राय रखने के संपूर्ण हक है। मै उस अधिकार को परिपूर्ण रूप से गौरव देता हुँ. మీకు, మీ భిన్నమైన అభిప్రాయాన్ని కలిగిఉండే సంపూర్ణ హక్కు ఉంది. దానిని ఎంతో నేను గౌరవిస్తాను. However, pl. examine this donkey's views also. परन्तु एस गधे के दृष्टिकोण को भी अनुशीलन कीजिये. కానీ ఈ గాడిద దృష్టికోణాన్ని కూడ ఓర చూపుతో కంటజూడుమీ, క్రీగంట జూడమీ.

1. Mr. Narendra Modi and Mr. Pranab Mukherjee ought to have kept their duplicates (It is said that in United States and Europe, for security reasons, very often, dupes are used to confuse and mislead assassinators and conspirators), in the Salute-Receiving Chairs, and gone in disguise to some nook and corner of Srikakulam or Koraput / Raigadh, to see for themselves the bleeding heart of India. There the disguised Mr. Narendra Modi could have wiped some tribal child's running nose, and assured it that there is going to be a real dawn in the horizon. They ought not to have left this work to Maoists or, the Christian Missionaries who are on a conversion spree.

అమెరికాలో, యూరోప్ లో చాలా దేశాలలో, భద్రతా కారణాల వల్ల అధ్యక్షులు, ప్రధాన మంత్రులు తమ డూప్ లను కొందరిని కార్లలో పంపిస్తుంటారని ప్రతీతి. వందనాలను స్వీకరించటానికి కూడ ఆయా దేశాల నేతలు డూప్ లను వినియోగిస్తే ఆశ్చర్య పోనవసరం లేదు. మన శ్రీ నరేంద్ర మోడీ వారు, శ్రీ ప్రణబ్ ముఖర్జీ వారు కూడ ఈ నేవీ వందనాలను స్వీకరించటానికి తమ తమ డూప్ లను వినియోగించుకొని, మారు వేషాలతో అలా ఏ శ్రీకాకుళం లోనో, కోరాపుట్ లోనో, రాయ్ గడ లోనో ఏదైనా మారుమూల గ్రామానికి వెళ్ళి, అక్కడ చీమిడి ముక్కు కారుతూ ఉండే ఒక కుర్ర వాడి గుడిసెకు వెళ్ళి , భారత్ యొక బాధా తప్త హృదయాన్ని పలకరించి, వాడికి ఇంక దిగులు పడాల్సిన అవసరం లేదు, అఛ్ఛే దిన్ రాబోతున్నాయి అని, అతగాడి ముక్కుచీమిడిని తుడిచితే బాగుండేది. మోడీ ముఖర్జీలు అలా చేయకుండా, ఆ పనిని ఏమావోయిస్టులకో, మతమార్పిడుల వ్యాపారం చేసుకునే క్రైస్తవ మత ప్రచారకులకు వదలి వేయటం, ఎంత వరకు సబబు ?

What is the use of pinching Akshaykumar's son's ears? సినీ స్టార్ అక్షయకుమారుడి కొడుక్కి చెవి నులిమితే ఏమి వస్తుంది ?

I hope that Mr. Narendra Modi is not going to believe that he need not visit Koraput or Bolangir or Raigad till 2019? శ్రీనరేంద్ర మోడీ గారు ౨౦౧౯ వరకు మనం కోరాపుట్ గానీ, బోలాంగిర్ గానీ, రాయ్ గడ గానీ వెళ్ళనక్కరలేదు అని అనుకోటం లేదని నేను ఆశిస్తున్నాను.

2. It is a matter of GREAT GREAT GREAT shame that Indian Navy depends on filmy and sporty guys such as Akshay Kumar and Kangna Raunat, as guests of honor for the Fleet Review to get cheap popularity or attracting crowds !!! It could have invited the surviving eldest / Seniormost some Army Chief / Navy Chief / Air Chief / some Atomic Energy Man / some ISRO Man to be a guest of honor. They could have enlightened us with brief narrations of their experiences.

2. Telugu: చాలా చాలా చాలా విచారకరమైన విషయం ఏమిటంటే, భారత నేవీ వంటి ఎంతో ఉదాత్తమైన సంస్థ, తమ ఫ్రీట్ సమీక్ష వంటి మహోదాత్త ఫార్మల్ కార్య క్రమానికి గౌరవ అతిథులుగా పిట్టల దొరల లాంటి సినీ నటులను, నటీమణులను పిలిపించుకొని వాళ్ళతో ఫొటోలు దిగటం. వాళ్ళకేమీ డబ్బులు ఇవ్వలేదని నేవీ ప్రతినిథి వారు అన్నారనుకోండి. వాళ్ళుకూడ డబ్బు కోసం కాకుండా దేశభక్తి కోసమే నౌకాదళ విన్యాసాలకు వచ్చారనుకోండి. అయినా కూడా వసుదేవుడు వెళ్ళి గాడిద కాళ్ళు పట్టుకున్నాడు అనే సామెత గుర్తుకు రాక మానదు. కుంజర యూధంబు దోమ కుత్తుక జొచ్చెన్ అంటే ఇదే. ఆహ్వానించాలనుకుంటే, నేవీ వారు వయో వృధ్ధులైన / లేక అత్యంత సీనియర్లు అయిన ఆర్మీ ఛీఫ్ లను లేక నేవీ ఛీఫ్ లను, లేక విమాన దళాధిపతులను, గౌరవ అతిథులుగా ఆహ్వానించి ఉంటే, వారు తమ అనుభవాలను ప్రజలకు తెలియచేసి ఉండే వాళ్ళు. వాళ్ళ హృదయాంతరాళాల్లో, మస్తిష్కాంతరాళాలలలో, ఎన్ని స్మృతులు , వాళ్ళు మెమోయిర్లను వ్రాసుకోకపోతే శిథిలమై ఇతిహాసపు చీకటి కోణంలో కలసి పోతాయో. వారు అవన్నీ ఈ సందర్భంలో బయట పెట్టుకుంటే , భారత రక్షణ దళాల చరిత్రను బలోపేతంగా నిర్మించుకునే అవకాశం కలిగేది. సినీ నటుల మట్టి బుర్రల్లో ఏమి ఉంటుంది. ఈ సందర్భంగా మనం ఒక ఆంగ్ల నటితో జార్జి బెర్నార్డ్ షా గారు చేసిన సంభాషణను గుర్తుకు తెచ్చుకోవచ్చు. ఒక నటీమణి షా గారితో మనం ఇద్దరం వివాహం చేసుకుంటే మనకు పుట్టే పిల్లలకు మీ తెలివి, నా అందం వస్తాయి కదా అందిట. దానికి షా గారు, అలా కాక నీ తెలివి, నా అందం వస్తే అని అడిగారుట. నా అభిప్రాయం సినీ నటీ నటులు వాజమ్మ లని కాదు. వాళ్ళవి ట్యూన్ డ్ బుర్రలు. అవి ఏమి ఆలోచిస్తూ ఉంటాయంటే ఈ కాలును ఎక్స్పోజ్ చేస్తే ఎన్ని కోట్లు వస్తాయి. రెండు కాళ్ళూ ఎక్స్పోజ్ చేస్తే ఎన్ని కోట్లు వస్తాయి. ఆ భంగిమలో డాన్స్ చేస్తే మన సినిమా అమెరికాలో బాగా అమ్ముడుపోతుందా. అక్కడి నుండి ఆహ్వానాలు వస్తాయా.



3. Mr. Pranab Modi and Mr. Narendra Mukherjee should not forget their pasts. Mr. Pranab Modi was selling teas in Ahmedabad. Mr. Narendra Mukherjee's was eating food on floor, as evidenced by this quote of Mr. Kuldip Nayyar, a very Senior Journalist of INdia in his book.

"...I recall his phone call to the Statesman when I was resident editor, requesting me to have tea at his house. He held no government office then. We three, including his wife, sat on the floor and sipped tea.... They had very little furniture and no servant.... His wife was a struggling dancer seeking to gain recognition. When he requested me to give her publicity, I realised why he had invited me. I met the same Mukherjee some years later during Emergency. His house exuded opulence...the sitting room was cluttered with stylish furniture, plush carpets and sparkling silver. He was then commerce minister. ..."

4. Last but not least, Mr. Narendra Modi ought to have gone to Mehsana, Gujarat, met Ms. Jashoda Ben, expressed his regrets and apologies for his Government's failure to give her legitimate due of a Passport, wiped her tears of joy, and pinched her ears in public, as a reparation for all his neglect of the 21st Century Sita /Draupadi of India.

Telugu: ౪. చివరిదే అయినా, ముఖ్యమైనదే. శ్రీ నరేంద్ర మోడీ గారు, మెహ్ సానా, గుజరాత్ కు వెళ్ళి, ౨౧వ శతాబ్దపు సీతా ద్రౌపదీ దమయంతీ తుల్య నారీమణి అయిన జశోదా బెన్ గారికి, తమ ప్రభుత్వం ఆమె యొక్క న్యాయమైన హక్కు అయిన పాస్ పోర్టును ఇవ్వ లేక పోయినందుకు కేంద్ర ప్రభుత్వం తరఫున తన విచారాన్ని, క్షమాపణలను తెలియజేసి, ఆమెకు ఈ ఊహించని క్షమాపణల వల్ల తజ్జనిత ఆనంద బాష్పాలను తుడిచి, అందరి ముందూ ఆమె చెవిని మెలేసి ఉంటే, ఎంత సత్యం , శివం, సుందరం గా ఉంటుంది ?

To continue and revise this, with more proof.. सशेष. సశేషం.