LIMITED PLACES. REGISTER NOW. FREE. (For citizens of India and members of the global Indian diaspora.)

Event: Citizen brainstorm -- online group discussions (e-seminars). 10 am India time onward, every Sunday. Freewheeling, open-ended.

Our call to action

Register now to participate in our Sunday Zoom sessions (online group discussions). Demonstrate that you are an action-oriented Indian with a mature mind, a sharp intellect and a functioning conscience. Showcase your heart that beats for India. Show you are keen on contributing your bit toward nation-building, unlike crooked politicians who just build grand religious structures for votes. Let us see that you can cooperate and collaborate with your fellow non-elite, "ordinary" citizens (aam aadmi / aurat). Expect to be invited to join our project as a stakeholder. Expect to be entrusted with a potentially life-transforming role. Expect to be assigned with responsibility and bestowed with power. Expect to enrich yourself, your fellow Indians and the nation in every conceivable way, in a win-win way.

Introduction to Sunday Zoom sessions

This FREE series of ongoing online seminars is for action-oriented Indians with sufficient intellectual bandwidth, can-do spirit and can-be-done confidence (NOT for talking heads and hotheads).

This introduction-cum-invitation is deliberately long, to test whether or not you can patiently (and with focus) wrap your mind around matrix-like complex issues. The numerous hyperlinks below are intended to sensitize you to a myriad of issues and topics we shall debate.

If you have a short attention span, or if you are an impatient sort or just the curious type with no intent to be an action-oriented stakeholder in community/society, our Sunday forums are probably not for you.

What we actually do

We think, talk, discuss; we dissect problems; we figure out urgent solutions; we chalk out plans to implement solutions on a war footing by strategically converting them into doable community projects, thereby redefining the power and purpose of networking and socializing; we seek to overcome any possible obstacles by unleashing the "extraordinary" power of collective brain power and resources of the majority "ordinary" citizens. Our goal is to reap the multi-realm rewards collectively as well as individually.

We encourage you to assume responsibility and learn how to wield associated power. Stop being powerless and helpless. Actualize your full potential by learning to rein in your "ego", your dark side, your lower self, your inner mad dog/wolf, your inner saboteur. Cast aside and overcome your indifference, apathy, scepticism, negativity, lethargy, selfishness, self-centredness, narrowmindedness, aloofness, shyness, 'domain-centricness'. Plug into the power of collective positivity.

How does it work?

Well, it's pretty simple, elegant and intuitive, really. We converge online first. We discuss, analyse and dissect, topic-wise, various problems facing us as a society, economy and nation.

Here, "problem" could mean anything from lack of amenities or facilities at a hyperlocal or street/lane level to the longstanding, vexatious issues at the macro level of society, nation, economy, humanity, climate and planet. (Mind you, and make no mistake about it, we the ordinary people are all facing existential threats from multiple fronts at the same time. Our very survival is at stake. Capitalists, especially Big Tech advocates, are out to use/abuse technology in ways that would harm societies and ordinary people. And nearly 18% of the world's population are citizens of India.)

That's not all. We focus attention even on problems faced by Indians in terms of personal growth, career growth, personal finance, relationship issues, mental health, the caste-community-religion triad, and the challenges related to globalization in the context of 21st-century evils like Big Tech, Big Pharma, Big Oil and so forth.

Next, we brainstorm potential solutions to each problem. Then, we agree on a specific solution (or a creative combination of solutions) as an innovative remedy to be implemented within a time-frame and within the bounds of constitution and existing laws.

(But where antiquated, outdated, ill-conceived or anti-people laws themselves are a hindrance to effective solutions for the larger good, we explore potential innovative solutions, including, but not limited to, action and putting pressure for amendments to laws or for enacting new laws.)

Participants are informed well in advance about the topic to be discussed on each Sunday. They come prepared with relevant information, views, data (facts and figures) and ideas. They are free to even make PowerPoint presentations or deliver short talks.

Once we zero in on a solution, we move on to finalizing the implementation plan for executing the solution, which typically involves well-thought-out pooling of various arguably unlimited (or infinite) "resources" that the vast majority of "ordinary citizens" command, possess or own at a personal (individual) level. By “resources”, we mean the following: time, energy, knowledge, talent, skills, ideas, attention, dedication, material, machinery, equipment, gadgets, technologies, money and so forth.

Each solution is treated as a mini project, piloted by dedicated teams formed from within our rapidly growing community of conscientious and courageous citizens, mostly “ordinary people”. The vast collection of such mini projects is expected to unleash a virtuous cycle, potentially transforming our lives in our own lifetime.

Cooperation and collaboration are our mantras. Action-oriented, constructive and time-bound approach for measurable results is our motto. Consistent, sustained and committed effort is the way forward.

Two most important questions

1) Have you ever considered the idea that ordinary people's intellectually lazy, seldom-reviewed, almost unexamined decision to continue to outsource everything to elites, even in 21st century, is the root cause of all of our problems?

Think for a moment. We the "ordinary people" continue to outsource the following: a) governance, power and authority to crooked, corrupt charlatan politicians, policymakers, bureaucrats and men (and women) behind institutions of State; b) discovery of knowledge to a compromised sci-tech community; c) thinking and wisdom to manipulative influencers, opinion-makers, religious mafia and fake spiritual gurus; d) digital pursuits to unethical 'Big Tech'; and e) finance/capital to utterly depraved, ruthless, unethical, heartless businesspeople and capitalists.

We never seem to realize that the elites have failed us and let us down time and again, that they have exploited, degraded and disempowered us, that they are actually incompetent and incapable of performing those functions properly. We have done so even when the current system is crumbling and not delivering the right results; we continue to do so even when those five groups of elites have created an all-round, almost inextricable mess, an existential crisis as it were; and, it seems, we will continue to do so even when the elites are out to get us, to push us quietly toward our own destruction and eventual extinction.

2) Have you ever considered that ordinary people, particularly educated people with reasonable levels of knowledge and other resources, and with a firm grip on material-realm desires and wants, can co-create, through cooperation and collaboration, a completely different, better, happier, harmonious and environmentally friendly world on this planet, by disempowering the elites?

To fully understand the scope, potential and effectiveness of our approach, we recommend two steps: i) read up and digest the content on nrinatter.com ; ii) register for our Sunday Zoom sessions and witness the magic for yourselves.

Meanwhile, share/forward the link to this webpage with others who might be interested. Let them know that a wholly innovative, unprecedented ordinary people's movement (totally non-aligned to any political party, religion, ideology or business interests) has sprouted and is growing rapidly, heralding Big Change within our own lifetime.

Click the hyperlinked words below for background information.

Who should consider joining our forum?

If you fit the following profile, you should consider joining us. YOU ARE:

• an "ordinary" citizen of India or an "ordinary" member of the great Indian diaspora worldwide -- aam aadmi/aurat -- aged 18 or above;

• a potential or aspiring agent of positive, disruptive and transformative change at the 'big picture' level;

• conscientious, courageous, civic-conscious, cooperative, collaborative, cultured (mature and sophisticated in thought and conduct), community-minded;

• an action-oriented stakeholder in larger society who is not afraid of asking tough questions, making tough choices and being a tough non-conformist (maverick);

• NOT part of the minority elites (filthy rich, powerful, influential, self-serving or corrupt politicians, bureaucrats, officials, business community, industrialists, capitalists, celebrities, gurus, mafia, religious zealots, etc); you don't belong to, or hail from, or not related to, or not associated directly or indirectly with such 'big' people

• articulate, knowledgeable, insightful, spirited and a believer in the power of networking, cooperation, collaboration for constructive action at the ordinary citizen level that can rebuild India that is Bharat.
  
  (Age, gender, occupation, caste, religion, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, sexual identity, gender, educational qualifications ... none of that matters, by the way. If you are of sound mind, mature intellect, functioning conscience, and with no criminal record or personality disorder, you are welcome to register.)

Why should you participate?

To actualize and unleash your full potential and reap a myriad of associated benefits.

Well ...IF YOU:

- are frustrated with the current flawed system and institutions;
- see yourself as a potential change-maker (not just an empty talker);
- wish to associate with a purpose-driven platform of like-minded “ordinary people” who can drive BIG change;
- want to see the long-elusive positive change in your own lifetime;
- are keen or desperate to contribute to, or even help shape, phenomenal transformation of a great nation;
- are confident of performing in a potentially historic, life-transforming role that also comes with tremendous responsibility (and a tremendous opportunity to enrich your personality that can also ‘enrich’ you and your nation in a win-win way) ...

... then you have come to the right place.

People who should skip or avoid our events

Allow us to clarify the kind of people for whom our events, project, initiative and movement may NOT be appropriate:

• If you are a "Millennial" or a member of "Gen Z" who is just happy drowning in social media, short video apps, livestreaming, videogaming, esports, etc, with acutely short attention span, silver spoon in the mouth and zero love for knowledge and conscious living, then our events are NOT for you. Go away.

• If you are a middle-class fellow totally immersed in securing material goodies, living a selfish, self-centric life full of greed, ego, lust, fear, insecurity, hatred, envy, jealousy, cockiness, vulgar and senseless pursuit of Mammon, then our events are NOT for you. Go away.

• If you are a new-age professional like, say, "software engineer" working for so-called blue chip companies (but are essentially a glorified "coding coolie" with nil socio-political consciousness or community spirit), or if you are, say, a finance/accounting "expert" working for big banks but know not efficiency and customer service outlook, then our events are NOT for you. Go away.

• If you are a "techie" who is working in, say, the "AI" industry, and naively assume that artificial intelligence, big data, metaverse, cloud and the like (including biotech, new materials, space explorations) as they exist and are 'progressing' today, are wonders or marvels that will uplift, elevate and transform humankind and have no ulterior motives or risks at all, then our events are NOT for you. Go away.

• If you are just a monthly salary earner trying to make both ends meet somehow, and see yourself as a rat who has to run the "rat race" and win the race by hook or crook, then our events are NOT for you. Go away.

• If you consider yourself a dynamic, enterprising or "entrepreneurial" Indian but all you have done (or want to do) is chase investors to back your idiotic, smart-alecky, valuation-oriented startup that makes largely useless products or serves up wasteful, fancy or dangerous/harmful service, tech or content (like trivial dog-cat-dance-food-city-travel youtube videos), then our events are NOT for you. Go away.

• If you are a retiree who just spent decades working in a boring, lifeless, salary-producing job or helped yourself to ill-gotten wealth coasting on a corrupt system, and now whiling away time in purposeless, indulgent tourism or shallow pilgrimages or fake spiritual pursuits, then our events are NOT for you. Go away.

• If you are a sycophant buttering up local leaders or capitalists, or a shrewd 'smooth operator' angling for this or that position of prestige or power (like a president or secretary of this or that local association/chamber), then our events are NOT for you. Go away.

• If you are a university scholar, or someone doing master's or doctoral (PhD) thesis or research on this or that subject, which eventually amounts to nothing (in the sense that it does not serve society in any meaningful way nor advances fundamental knowledge, except advancing your own career at taxpayers' cost, or advancing your corporate sponsor's vested interests that will likely degrade society and ravage planet eventually), then our events are NOT for you. Go away.

• If you are an employee in a private- or public-sector organization, stuck in some mid-level position and for long have been trying to climb the hierarchical ladder or craving job promotion or pay hike, or if you are a trader/merchant, or a middleman/agent/broker, and don't really bother about developing a sense of history or cultivating a vision for the future, and your universe includes no more than your job, family, home, and excludes community, larger society and the environment (which you treat as just means to your ends or incidental or "necessary evil"), and your main concern is just increasing your income somehow, then our events are NOT for you. Go away.

• If you are a "homemaker" (housewife) who assumes the purpose of your life is to manage home, feed husband and kids, maybe earn a second income, manipulate spouse and kids, save and splurge on fashion, jewellery, makeup, accessories or on big-ticket assets like land, property, "furniture, fittings and furnishings", vehicles, investments, or "premium" education for kids, then our events are NOT for you. Go away.

What we believe in and stand for

Not for nothing is our organization called "TTW". That is, "Think, Talk and Walk (the talk)". We shall make you think first, then talk (quite a bit), to be followed by efforts to make you, others and all of us walk our talk together. For, talk without matching action is just hot air.

Well, we don’t care if people think our project concept is audacious, idealistic, utopian or even unrealistic. Our grand goal is to solve every conceivable problem through our utterly imaginative, simple, elegant and implementable project. You’ll probably wonder why this has not been done yet.

We have conceptualized our project painstakingly over years. We are now finding the right ways, means and people to implement it.

(A hint: solutions to all of our problems lie on the "demand side", and not on the "supply side", which we typically tend to blame always. Another hint: We are living in a new age, which requires new thinking, new systems, new institutions; the old template needs to be outgrown and discarded. It's time to embrace a new form of global "citizenship"; it's time for “ordinary people” to overcome dependence on elites; it's time to envision a new type of modern society. Final hint: "Ordinary" citizens are the majority; they have immense, even infinite, potential; collectively, they can command infinite resources of all kinds as well, provided they learn how to cooperate and collaborate for win-win outcomes, and realize that the evil elites had designed age-old, antiquated systems and institutions to impede the growth and evolution of “ordinary people").

We believe the time has come for "ordinary people" to do the following:

a) take back control of our own lives;
b) disempower the currently powerful elites so that they could no longer enact anti-people laws, enforce authoritarian and dystopian regulations, dictate capital flows, determine the direction of evolution and deployment of science and technology, abuse modern sciences like psychology to control and manipulate people's minds, aspirations, perceptions, socioeconomic growth and physical and mental health;
c) envision a completely new society and co-create it, based on our experiences so far and knowledge gathered so far, so that "ordinary people" could play a more hands-on, direct role in governance, vigilance, development, personal growth, legislation and stop being victims of make-believe, deceptions of politicians, bureaucrats, policymakers, sci-tech community, capitalists and mass media.

Our three main goals every Sunday

Owing to hectic, stressful and distraction-ridden lives, the majority “ordinary people” seldom realize the tremendous strength they embody and the unimaginable resources they can command with a little bit of imagination, cooperation, collaboration and constructive, focused action. Without a clear overview, right insights and a proper perspective, it would thus be impossible to overcome problems and repair our society and nation.

Our Zoom sessions online every Sunday have three main goals:

• sensitize ordinary citizens to the wonders they can co-create together;

• provide a platform for brainstorming sessions that can educate and enlighten, to make sense of what’s going on, and to figure out how evil forces in society misinform, mislead, deceive, cheat, delude, distract, degrade, disempower and zombify “ordinary people” and hide dark truths;

• channel creative energies of “ordinary people” for concrete, cooperative and collaborative action based on insights gained for win-win outcomes.

We believe if we don’t do this on an urgent basis, our future, both at individual and collective levels, would be doomed.

COVID-19 has exposed India’s rotten core inside out. Yet, with 2024 upon us, it is clear nothing has been fixed, no real solutions to longstanding problems have been found.

Instead, people’s minds that are already bedeviled by everyday stresses and strains, are sought to be further saturated with useless content like “news” and misinformation about political circus, cricket, movies, celebrities, or distracted with things that induce fear, uncertainty, insecurity, greed, lust, envy, hatred and so forth.

Going beyond the surface for insights

What do IPL 2024 auctions and recent (Dec 2023) state election results tell us about India’s future?

In late 2023, India hosted the cricket World Cup. The entire nation appeared to be obsessed with the tournament. What has come of it eventually?

Does winning a World Cup in any sport, or hosting a World Cup or a similar event, really make any real difference to a nation or its economy, beyond the rosy portrayals in media coverage? Here, we are talking about real difference, not made-up or make-believe stuff like media rights, brand-building opportunities, venue ticket sales, advertising revenues, travel and hospitality gains, construction activity, so forth. They all do create revenues, even temporary jobs, etc, but who benefits the most?

Look at Greece that hosted the 2004 Summer Olympics. Look at Lionel Messi-led Argentina that won the 2023 soccer World Cup in Qatar. Why, look at India. After the 1983 cricket World Cup win, India emerged as the leading force in the global "cricket economy", eventually creating IPL in 2008 that led to mushrooming of monster stadiums everywhere today. But, the crucial question is, has India progressed as a nation, as a modern society? Again, GDP growth may put India in the fifth place in the global rankings, but the crucial question still remains, and haunts us during times like COVID. Check out all the links at the end of this essay to understand what we mean.

Look at societies and nations that have consistently figured in the top three of Olympic medal tables. Do you really believe they are healthy? The reality about this should help you to realize the truth that make-believe and feel-good spectacles do not make societies progressive, nations stable and their economies crash-proof. In fact, they distract us from reality, from real priorities and from key tasks like nation-building.

Since we are now in a catch-22 situation, our Sunday online conversations on Zoom focus people’s attention back on nation-building, which is a vital task that can’t be outsourced to the elites of politicians, bureaucrats, policymakers and the like alone anymore.

If we don’t break the vicious cycle, we the "ordinary people" will again likely find ourselves facing a crisis like COVID and even more severe authoritarian regimes or draconian measures. On top of that, we will likely be told to do even more silly things like clapping hands, lighting lamps and ringing bells (thaali maaro, diya jalaao aur ghanti bajaao).

Reality check

On the eve of Republic Day (Jan 26, 2024), the BBC published a report on the "job crisis in India".

Earlier, instead of procuring Covid vaccines, or using vaccination budget to research and develop new vaccines, or create new medical infrastructure, or at least improve/upgrade existing woeful facilities, India's health ministry returned the allocated budget to the finance ministry.

Not a single fundamental problem has been resolved. Not a single long-term vision statement has been enunciated. Not a single people-oriented project has been implemented and sustained to world-class standards. Not a single deep-rooted socioeconomic fissure has been fixed.

The much-hyped startup ecosystem, which everyone said will transform 'India that is Bharat', is in doldrums. Some even say it's coming undone, coming apart, imploding.

New Delhi remains the worst polluted national capital. Other pollution-ridden states ban Diwali firecrackers. People are sought to be fooled regularly with this or that campaign like Mission LiFE. Will that really save us and the planet?

Make no mistake, the impact of COVID mayhem is still on in the background amid joblessness, cricket escapism, addiction to movies, net, apps, TV shows, shopping malls, food courts, and rosy projections and bluster about GDP growth prospects.

Budget after budget, it's becoming clear that the nation has no vision, no clear narrative about what is its goal, what it is striving for, where it is headed, what it is trying to achieve, even as comparable countries appear to be progressing full speed ahead with solid vision and clear-cut long-term plans. But, in India, much is made of fake statistics, GDP mania, digital hype, rise of home-grown startups/apps.

Ordinary people continue to wait for vaccines, jobs, development, welfare, subsidies, stability, safety, security … They yearn for luck to turn; they look for a miracle; they continue to hope (against hope) that some rescuers – avatars, messiahs, saviours, mahatmas, saints or intellectual giants – will suddenly appear and make everything better once again.

We believe the time has come for ordinary people to reimagine society, redefine citizenship and wrest control of their own future.

The first step in that direction is to dispel certain myths that our leaders would like us to believe:

• "India is the greatest civilization"

• "India is home to the world's most syncretic, most cosmopolitan, most secular modern culture"

• "India is the greatest, largest democracy"

• "India is the greatest technology / IT superpower"

• "Indian brains are the most brilliant ones on this planet"

• "Indian startups are about to transform India and make the nation the world's next economic superpower."

• "India already leads the global 'cricket economy'. Franchise-based sports leagues showcase modern India. Entertainment industry encapsulates India's vibrancy. Malls, cineplexes, food courts are ubiquitous. 'India is shining'."

Why do even 'educated', relatively well-settled middle-class people indulge in such self-deceiving escapisms, feel-good fantasies and delusions of grandeur rather than boldly facing the bitter truths about today's India? Pray, what are those "bitter truths"? Remember that old story about the Emperor's New Clothes?

Formal invitation on email to participate, our attention and communications about Zoom meeting ID and password are for only those who register here and answer the accompanying questionnaire at checkout (during registration) FULLY and SINCERELY.

MEANWHILE: Click / tap here to watch a video on housekeeping rules for the online event. Click / tap here to download a PDF on housekeeping rules for the online event.

10 am IST onward, every Sunday, throughout 2024 and 2025. Very convenient, online, on Zoom.

FREE event! You don't want to miss this. Register NOW to receive log in details and other info. Thank you.

EXTERNAL LINKS

(to gain a quick overview of where we were not so long back and what's going on in the background):

Process of Self-Discovery: How a middle-class Indian can "know thyself" in 2024-25

Simply put, India has been in a state of complete disarray

Jan 2024: Job criris engulfs India yet again

April 2023: Rural to urban migration for almost non-existent, mirage-like jobs

Oct 2022: India's Serum Institute to produce Ebola vaccines for Uganda

Fire at Serum Institute proves fatal for five in Jan 2021

When all sense of civility, dignity and community evaporates

Joblessness in India is scary as of January 2022

Rural hospitals in India are unable to cope as virus spreads

Desperate wait for vaccines gets even longer in India

India's vaccination campaign hit by chronic shortage

Why the crackdown on social media amid COVID rampage, oxygen shortage?

Shameful, scary record in COVID-19 infections

Virus is swallowing Indian people whole as crematoriums overwhelmed

Bungling of oxygen cylinder plant bids

Paying costliest 'price' for inaction over oxygen cylinders

Why second coronavirus wave is devastating India

India sees world's highest daily cases amid oxygen shortage

Non-stop cremations cast doubt on India

The very relevant old story of the Emperor's New Clothes

How India failed to prevent a deadly second wave

Vaccines for all adults? But, where are the vaccines?

Can India's middle-class people become gamechangers?

Are India's middle-class status-quoists? Can they embrace Big Positive Change?

"System has collapsed. India has descended into COVID hell."

"India's middle-class has a selfish attitude."

Urban India has responded selfishly to migrant worker crisis

After migrant workers, India's middle-class will face the brunt of COVID

Neither tokenism nor panic can help counter this unique crisis

COVID pushes India's middle-class toward poverty

India's COVID surge affects the entire world

Desperate Indian patients turn to black market for COVID drugs

India's second COVID wave almost certainly the worst unofficially

Middle-class at risk during second wave, says official