How Microsoft kills its Competition Silently?: Business Strategy Case Study : On May 18, 1998, the U.S. Department of Justice and the Attorneys General of twenty U.S. states sued Microsoft for being a monopoly and illegally kill its competition in the computer market!
…and what followed next was one of the most historic case in tech history which lasted for 2 decades! and fast forward to 23 years later, even today, Microsoft is still killing its competition right in front of our eyes which could result into yet another historic law suit!
The question is How did Microsoft kill its competition? What was their business strategy that turned Microsoft them into such a powerful company and most importantly, what are the lessons that we need to learn from this iconic case study ?
4) continued…
5) Courtesy : Think School
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Maj Gaurav Arya speaks to Former DGP of UP Police Mr. Vikram Singh, who spent decades witnessing both the rise & fall of the crime rate in India's densely populated Uttar Pradesh.
Sh. Vikram Singh Ji takes us back to the dark days of Uttar Pradesh when Mafia & Bahubali culture was at its peak. Talking about the Bahubali culture, Vikram Singh Ji narrates a tale of Gangster Atiq Ahmed that will really shock you.
Then he talks about his job postings, death threats, and how he was accused of murder. He also mentions Prashant Kumar, the current DGP of UP Police, and praises him for his leadership skills. Sh. Vikram Singh Ji gives a deep insight into the role of STF and the new gangs operating in UP. How UP Police is preparing to deal with future threats.
Sh. Vikram Singh Ji discusses in detail about the Uttar Pradesh crime, Mafia culture, Bahubali culture, Atiq Ahmed, Gangster tales, Dark Days of Uttar Pradesh, Death threats, Special Task Force, Current DGP of UP Police, Law enforcement, Gang operations in UP, Police strategy, Crime rate in UP which makes the conversation between the two really interesting.
Birth and Journey of Vitasta – Mother River of Kashmir….
Bhasha Sumbli, an Indian actress and theatre artist who is best known for playing the lead role of Sharda Pandit in the Hindi film The Kashmir Files (2022), which is based on the forced exodus of Kashmiri Pandits in 1990. She is also the daughter of Dr Agni Shekhar and Kshama Kaul, both writers and activists from the Kashmiri Pandit community. Her Sumbli surname from the Sumbal area of Kashmir explains the entomology.
Using Sanskrit literary texts, excerpts, shlokas and descriptions from ancient India, Bhasha ji slowly weaved the connection that Kashmir (Sharda Desh) has with the Indic / Vedic Civilisation. It was thrilling to hear Mahakavi Bilhan being mentioned, as was Queen Bontha Devi. Bhasha ji’s immense knowledge of her roots, and ancient lore, substantiated with texts started stirring things inside as the talk progressed. This was a rooted, grounded Kashmiri woman, who owned her past, was firmly motivated in the present and had meaning in her life for the future.
The audience, mesmerised, was taking in the never or little-heard-before knowledge. The high point in the talk was when she asked the audience to come to Kashmir not only as tourists but also as pilgrims, because of the importance Sharda Desh has for Hindus across the subcontinent — being the Sarvagya ‘peeth’ of Hinduism. Peeth is a Sanskrit word that means “seat” or “throne”. In Hinduism, it refers to a sacred site or a monastery that is associated with a particular deity, tradition, or teacher. Kashmir (Sharda Desh) has the reverence of all the Shakti peeths important to Hinduism, hence the reason why Adi Shankaracharya, the great reformer and philosopher in the 8th century did not establish any ‘peeth’ there.
Bhasha ji explained how changing the nomenclature of place names in Kashmir hinders the staking of claims by Pandits/Hindus, how Jhelum is Vitasta, the Neelam is Krishenganga, the Dal is Sureshwari Dal and many such ‘conversions’ that the Islamic invasions, conquest and proselytising did to the region. She elaborated on the Kheer Bhavani temple in Tulmul and its connection to the Ramayan. Bhasha ji emphasised the legend of how the southern door of the Sharda Mandir was opened for Adi Shankara because he was the ultimate devotee. Throughout the discussion, the two-way connection between the South and North of India especially Sharda Peeth was established. My favourite landmark of Srinagar, known as the Gopadari parvat in ancient times, was named after the Shankaracharya and retains its name, except for the Intifada factory literature which insists on the Islamised name of Takht-e-Sulaiman.
Interestingly, since Kashmir was a centre of learning and spirituality in ancient India, Adi Shankara was inspired by the beauty and culture of the region and composed the Ananda Lahari and the Soundarya Lahari — two parts of a Sanskrit poem. The Ananda Lahari, meaning “waves of bliss”, consists of 41 verses that describe the mystical union of Shiva and Shakti, the supreme deities of Hinduism. The Soundarya Lahari, meaning “waves of beauty”, consists of 59 verses that praise the goddess Shakti in her various forms and aspects. The poem is considered a masterpiece of devotional and tantric literature, as it contains profound insights into the nature of reality, the power of mantras and yantras, and the methods of worshipping the goddess. Bhasha ji had many such trivia interspersed in her session and I found myself getting emotional at how proud she was making our ancestors like Abhinavgupta, Ksemendra, and the iconic Lalleshwari.
Bhasha ji, finally talked about ‘exile-consciousness’, and this motivation to assert, awaken (chetna) and reclaim what was stolen, what was occupied, falsified and attempted to be destroyed forever. She mentioned the legend that even we Muslims grew up with - the vanquishing of the demon Jalodhbhava, from the Nilmat Puran, a valuable source of cultural and religious history of Kashmir. The Nilmat Puran is an ancient text from Kashmir that contains information on its history, geography, religion, and folklore. It was used by Kalhana, a 12th-century historian, as one of the sources of his history of Kashmir. The Nilmat Puran describes the origin of Kashmir as a lake that was drained by the sage Kashyapa, and the various tribes and deities that inhabited it. It also narrates the legends and rituals associated with the goddess Kheer Bhavani, who is the patron deity of Kashmir.
(Picture : Kheer Bhawani temple at Tulmul, Kashmir 2022 — the waters are reflecting good times as the legend goes…)
The Story Begins
Soon after the colossal loss in the general elections, in 2015 Indian National Congress (INC) Vice President Rahul Gandhi went away to Southeast Asia for 60 days. He was mocked by the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) for running away from the election loss. It was an immature assumption. While away, most significant parts of his stays were spent in two China-friendly countries, Myanmar — 21 days and Cambodia — 11 days.
Myanmar is completely under the Chinese grip while in Cambodia they threw out the United States (US) military proving the mettle of Chinese influence in the region. There is no record of who Rahul Gandhi was meeting and discussing with, in those countries. Despite being an SPG (Special Protection Group) protectee he allowed the SPG to accompany him only to Bangkok. This further proves that INC didn’t want his schedule and activities to be disclosed through any source.
In June 2015 he visited the United Kingdom (UK) and in September 2015 the US and the UK. In June 2016 he visited Turkey and in September 2016 once again the UK. In March 2017 he visited Italy and in July 2017 the UK. Between 2015 to 2019 Rahul Gandhi made 257 trips to foreign lands while the IT cells of BJP were busy making memes and videos to make him look unfit for Prime Ministership. Even his mother Mrs. Sonia Gandhi made 27 foreign trips to undisclosed destinations during the same period. Modus Operandi was similar, SPG was notified just 5-6 hours before the departure making it impossible for them to provide the cover.
However, finally, the Indian security agencies got alarmed when Rahul Gandhi met with Chinese envoy Luo Zhaohui in July 2017, forcing the BJP to question his intentions. What was their matter of discussion? This meeting took place at the peak of the India-China Doklam standoff. Soon thereafter Rahul Gandhi met the Bhutanese envoy. What did he convey to him is anyone’s guess?
In March 2023 Rahul Gandhi visited the UK and launched a vicious attack on the BJP. He also urged the US and the UK to intervene in restoring democracy in India. He spoke with students from the University of Cambridge and held meetings at the Grand Committee Room of the House of Commons painting India in a bad light. This infuriated the ruling party in India. On the contrary, after getting thrown out of power Rahul Gandhi’s grandmother and India’s former prime minister, Indira Gandhi also visited the UK in November 1978. She was frustrated but remained much more responsible and avoided painting India in a bad light in a foreign land.
In May 2023 Rahul Gandhi once again visited the US. In September 2023 he visited the European Union’s headquarters in Brussels followed by France and Norway. In October 2023 he visited Uzbekistan. Even in December 2023, just months before the general elections Rahul Gandhi was planning to visit Brunei, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, and Vietnam. The trip was canceled at the last moment, but the question remains, what was the urgency?
The Narrative Building
The above-mentioned hundreds of foreign jaunts were not all public gatherings. Rather, most of them were closed-door meetings. Every visit was followed by a barrage of anti-India articles across the world but especially in the West. Articles with similar agenda:
“Will the outcome of India’s election increase intolerance” – Deutsche Welle
“Modification of India is almost complete” – TIME Magazine
“India’s election: fixing a win by outlawing dissent damages democracy” – UK Guardian
“Is India’s BJP the world’s most ruthlessly efficient political party?” – Financial Times
“Narendra Modi Is Preparing New Attacks on Democratic Rights” – Jacobin Magazine
“With democracy under threat in Narendra Modi’s India, how free and fair will this year’s election be?” – The Conversation, Australian Research Council
“Progressive South Is Rejecting Modi” – Bloomberg
“Billionaire Raj Is Pushing India Toward Autocracy” – Bloomberg
“India’s Voting Machines Are Raising Too Many Questions” – Bloomberg
“Modi’s Sledgehammer Politics Are Battering Indian Democracy” – Bloomberg
“The ‘mother of democracy’ is not in good shape” – Financial Times
“Modi’s Temple of Lies” – New York Times
After Rahul Gandhi’s March 2023 visit to the UK, the BBC came out with a documentary where it was depicted as if there was a Muslim genocide taking place in India. The documentary referred to the Gujarat riots that took place 21 years ago and had no relevance to the present governance. The frustrated government, unable to stop such anti-India propaganda made the cardinal sin of sending Central agencies to investigate the BBC India offices, adding fuel to the fire.
Foreign media understands the fault lines in Indian society. Therefore, exploiting the history of communal riots and division in society in India was a soft target. While at the topic, let us have a look at the exploitation of this fault line by the British colonizers. Following is a comprehensive list of riots under the British Raj: Mumbai 1832, Mumbai 1851, Broach & Mumbai 1857, 1874, Salem 1882, Peshawar 1910, Shahabad 1917, Saharanpur 1918, Malabar 1920-21, Bengal, Punjab, Multan 1921-22, Kohat 1924, North India 1924-25, Kolkata, Mumbai, Gujarat 1925-26, Delhi, Bengal, Mumbai 1926-27, North India 1927-28, Nagpur 1927, Mumbai & Punjab 1928-29, Mumbai 1929-30, Bengal & Mumbai 1930-31, Kanpur 1931-32, Varanasi, Kanpur, Lahore 1933-34, Firozabad 1936, Panipat 1936, Varanasi & Kanpur 1939, and Bengal 1946.
Out of the above-mentioned list most disturbing was the Malabar rebellion of 1920-21, where the forcible Hindu conversion and genocide took place. The genocide killed over ten thousand, displaced over a lakh while hundreds of women were raped. From the above, it is also evident that there was nonstop communal tension in India and the British Raj was the sole benefactor of those riots.
In independent India under the Congress government, over ten major communal riots took place. Ahmedabad 1969 (512 deaths), Jalgaon 1970 (100), Moradabad 1980 (1500), Bhiwandi 1984 (146), Delhi 1984 (2733), Ahmedabad 1985 (300), Bhagalpur 1989 (1161), Delhi 1990 (100), Hyderabad 1990 (365), Surat 1992 (152), and Mumbai 1993 (872). Three major disturbances took place under the President’s rule while the Congress party was ruling at the center — Assam 1983 (1819), Kanpur 1992 (254), and Bhopal 1992 (143).
Compared to this under BJP’s ten-year rule, only the Northeast Delhi riots took place in 2020 when US President Donald Trump was visiting India. 54 people lost lives in the anti-CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act) protests-related riots. Who instigated those riots during a foreign dignitary’s visit is another topic altogether. However, this allowed the Western media to publish a barrage of articles on how under the fascist Indian government humanity was under threat.
However, the same publications were mum on Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman, who never accept any refugees. They were mum on the role of Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic who outright refused asylum seekers on the grounds of threat to law and order. They were mum on China where state-sponsored genocide was taking place in Tibet and Xinjiang, under the guise of re-education. The media refused to talk about how in 2023 Australians had roundly rejected greater rights for Indigenous citizens and in New Zealand how 180 years old dozen policies that provide for Māori were under threat. Above all none of the publications talked about the genocide of Indigenous people of Canada.
Rashtra Sevika Samiti started in 1936 at Wardha by Va. Lakshmibai Kelkar (Mousiji).
The woman is the nature itself, the primordial power of the universe. Whatever is visible in this whole world, it is reflected in the influence of the same divine power, therefore it is consciousness. We consider this supremacy as Mahalaxmi, Mahasaraswati, Mahakali and the power of that Parabrahma. Indian culture has flowed with inspiration from this concept that every woman is part of that Shaktityatva.
The formation of Indian society is seen as a part of the Brahma Chaitanya Shakti, which is woven around the existence of women. In the Gita, Lord Shri Krishna is believed to be the basis of the dormant powers of women for social perception. We see that power is intermediate in every work. Awakening the power of that power, uniting the power, the unique goal of putting it into the nation-building work is the unique. Mousiji established the Rashtra Sevika Samiti for the purpose.
The founder and Aadya Pramukh Sanchalika, who was the capable personality, who has taught the great mantra of the organization by not only lighting in India but also in the hundreds of thousands of women living in different countries of the world, through the light of Hinduism. She had been a supernatural personality, who inspired motherhood to nationalism and realized that a Rashtra Sevika Samiti is seen today with respect to the world.
Rashtra Sevika Samiti prayer is a beautiful expression of hope, aspirations of the Indian woman. There has been a human tendency to pray since the beginning of life. Due to the values of which India could achieve the glorious sanctuary high status, it is necessary to get proper strength (physical, mental, spiritual) to keep them safe, uninterrupted. Manikaanchan Yoga will be called as a human grace along with divine grace. Therefore, we are not helpless in expressing our heartfelt humility in front of superior power, because we believe it will fulfill our divine power. It is impossible to disclose (naturally) this relationship of words with utterance.
The purpose of prayer can vary according to individual. Someone only prays for austerity, for the attainment of some power, then one prays for happiness. There is devotion also in devotional prayer. With such a prayer, there is a belief that life will be stunning in the development of the Sukshatakans in life. All religions and sects have an independent place of prayer. It is a prayer to utter words with your mind or with emotional words in front of your devotion. Prayer is necessary to keep in mind that the Dhruvatar of the goal is to remain constant in front of a continuous vision and to reach us there.
The prayer of the committee is collective. The hope of the society can lead to immense change in the enormous power situation that is being created aspiration. The collective prayer leads us to the enormous enormity of the humanity from the narrow boundaries of personality. We all are one in the collective prayer of the strength of creating such a sensation. To reach us, collective prayer is essential to reach us. Whatever you want to ask for, for your society, for your nation, for your nation. Entry into the vast periphery of the mass from the narrow range of personality is accessible for this reason. Such was the rise of national prayer.
This modern concept is not about great fun. Our forefathers had a collective prayer in Vedic times by keeping the same objective in front of the sage monks, for the benefit of Bahujan Hitiayas.
Anushka Jagtiani is in conversation with Mr Suhel Seth, founder and managing partner of strategic brand marketing consultancy firm, Counselage India. He is a marketing guru and brand expert who is also a bestselling author, columnist, actor and TV personality. Suhel is a very well known face on national television specially now during election season. In this episode he talks about branding from the political perspective and Modi ji’s marketing skills. He talks about the importance of creating strong individual brands in politics and about the rising stature of India internationally.
Suhel talks about Modi Ji’s achievements, his outreach and good relations with all Islamic nations, he’s also the only Prime Minister who has visited Israel. He speaks about Modi as a brand, the respect he commands and he’s too smart for the opposition.
The change that is required is that when are we going to get people who love the country into politics like Modi does??
Justice for all Bharat nyay laws are the biggest reform in 160 years…!!!
As the sun finally broke through the clouds on a foggy winter morning in Delhi, we walked into the sprawling residence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, undeniably the country’s second-most powerful politician after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for an interaction.
Q/ How do you assess the 10 years of the Narendra Modi government?
A/ Before Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power in 2014, there was despondency, especially among youth, about the country’s future. Corruption was rampant in every sphere. Internal and external security was lax. Women felt unsafe. India’s economy was lagging behind. Everyone felt the India story was over. Policy paralysis was visible.
Now, look back at ten years of the Modi government. We have become the fifth largest economy and the world expects India to become the third largest economy by 2030. The success of the G20 summit, with the unanimous Delhi declaration that came in the midst of diverging global opinions, is a big victory for PM Modi’s diplomacy.
Internal and external security has strengthened manifold. Forty new policies have been brought in, including the new education policy, which will take the country to greater heights in the next 25 years. PM Modi’s slogan of Viksit Bharat has been adopted by the citizens as their own; 23 crore people have come above the poverty line; 80 crore have got houses, electricity, drinking water, toilets, ration, health facilities and respect.
We are marching ahead, with digital revolution and cooperatives boosting rural economy. The collective self-confidence, which hit rock bottom before 2014, is at its peak today and the entire world looks at us with hope.
Q/ What are the main achievements of the Union home ministry?
A/ Under the guidance of Prime Minister Modi, a lot of work has been done in the home ministry in the last 10 years. We have adopted a zero-tolerance policy against narcotics and, in next 3-4 years, we will have full control over the menace. The three main terror hotspots—Kashmir, the northeast and left-wing extremism have seen 68 per cent decline in violence. More than 9,000 armed militants have surrendered in the northeast, left-wing extremism is breathing its last, and the backbone of terrorism is broken in Jammu and Kashmir.
J&K witnessed hundreds of stone pelting incidents in 2010, but not even one in 2023. The tourist footfalls are the highest in Kashmir. The Muharram procession was carried out after nearly 30 years in Srinagar. Cinema halls have opened and investments are coming.
Since 2019, several changes have taken place, like removal of the colonial laws, strengthening of anti-terror laws like UAPA, and repeal of Article 370. The passage of the three new criminal laws in Parliament in 2023 to create a new Indian criminal justice system sheds the vestiges of the colonial past and is the biggest reform in 160 years.
Q/ How will the new criminal laws ensure speedy delivery of justice?
A/ The objective of the three criminal laws is to achieve justice as envisaged in the Constitution. As PM Modi said, these laws are framed with the spirit of “Citizen first, dignity first and justice first”. It brings an end to the slave mentality brought by the British Raj, and the police will work with data instead of dand (punishment).
We have adopted a three-pronged approach to ensure speedy delivery of justice and timelines have been added in 35 sections of the new laws at various stages of police investigation, prosecution and judiciary. Timelines have been set for investigation, arrest, chargesheet, proceedings before magistrate, plea bargaining, appointment of assistant prosecutor, trial, bail, judgment, punishment and mercy petition.
Use of technology and forensics has been given thrust to ensure transparency, accountability and to improve the quality of evidence during police investigations. Under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, a complaint received through electronic communication will be taken on record as FIR within three days. There will be audio/video recording of the evidence, which will be produced before the magistrate immediately. From FIR to case diary, chargesheet and judgment, the entire process is digitised. Forensic evidence collection on the crime scene has been made mandatory in offences attracting a jail term of seven years or more. This will ensure the prosecution has scientific evidence, which in turn will speed up the entire process.
I would also like to point out that in cases related to sexual assault, it has been made mandatory to submit the medical examination report within seven days. Similarly, in all criminal cases, within 45 days after the hearing is complete, judgment has to be delivered.
I am confident that once the new laws are completely implemented, any citizen who lodges an FIR will be able to get justice within three years. Delays in the criminal justice system will become a thing of the past.
THE BACKBONE OF TERRORISM IS BROKEN IN JAMMU AND KASHMIR. J&K WITNESSED HUNDREDS OF STONE PELTING INCIDENTS IN 2010, BUT NOT EVEN ONE IN 2023. THE TOURIST FOOTFALLS ARE THE HIGHEST IN KASHMIR.