February 23, 2007

Thanks to Dhirubhai Ambani...

If not for his dream of "mobile phone for every Indian", the rates wouldnt have dropped so much, that a cell phone has become an almost essential commodity in people's lives today in India.

Thanks to Dhirubhai Ambani again. But for him, I can't get to watch the scenes like below:
  • A lovely couple holding their hands fondly, looking into each other's eyes with romance and affection, sitting opposite to me in an electric train towards Chennai Beach and each one talking in their respective cell phones to their own friends
  • 21G bus driver casually crossing a RED signal, in a speed not so suitable for that road, all the time handling the steering wheel with one hand and talking on his cell phone to someone
  • A tie-clad executive in an adjacent bike in a traffic signal, extolling the virtues of a lifetime-free-credit card on a hands-free phone - a very animated sales call indeed
  • 3 folks from our office on a conference call in their mobile phones, without even looking up to see that they are seated in 3 different corners in the same cafeteria

Thanks once again Dhirubhai ji.

By the way, I dictated this post on my mobile phone to my wife's mobile. She sitting at home, transcribed and posted this.

PS: The previous paragraph is a lie. I have not sacrificed my personal space so much for a mobile phone

1 comment:

Vidhya said...

This piece reminds me of the vegetable vedor who begged and pleaded with me to but some tomatoes that I already had in abundance at home. She reasoned that if she is able to sell the lot she had, she would be able to cook at home, since she was all out of cash.

I was almost contemplating on buying a kilo, just out of compassion, when she stopped her pleading and pulled a a mobile from the box below the push cart and began speaking to someone.. quite an animated discussion it was! She saw my quizzical look and quickly added that she had no money to recharge and she only received incoming calls.. which were free..!!

Vidhya