GHMC Birth Certificate Process

I'm sure many of those residing in Hyderabad would wonder what the process is to get a Birth Certificate. I'm penning few of my experiences so that they might benefit anyone.

The typical process flow for a GHMC birth certificate is as follows:

1. Births at hospital (which is most of the cases unless u trust a mid-wife more than a obstetrician) are reported by the hospital based on a form you fill before getting discharged. You do not need to mention the child's name in the form, although it is said that speeds up the process. If you're like most Indians unprepared for whether the child is a boy or a girl, you're likely not to have a name handy before discharge. Thats perfectly fine.

2. The hospitals are required to send the details to GHMC within a stipulated time and then it is entered into the Birth Register for the year. The Circle and Ward of GHMC where the birth took place is mentioned. You would need to get that from the hospital so that ists handy during rest of the process.

3. Once the birth enters the Birth Register, it is ideally then updated in the computer records so that it is visible in E-Seva website. This can sometimes take as long as 5 weeks (if you're unlucky like me) until which the only birth certificate you can obtain is a non-computerized version issued by the SUB-REGISTRAR. This requires you pay a visit to the Births & Deaths office of the Health & Santitation Dept within the Circle.

For Fernandez Hospital, this was Circle-8, Ward 4A and the births & deaths office is near Osmania Medical College, Putlibowli. Looks more like a warehouse than a proper GHMC office.

P.S.: The birth certificate issued by the Sub-registrar although on official GHMC stationery and seal and signature, is NOT accepted for issuing a Passport. I had to return from the Tatkaal counter after a horrendous wait. Will write a separate blog on that ordeal.

4. Once the E-Seva records show the birth details, you have to first ascertain if the child's name is updated. The only way this can happen already without requesting for it, is either you mentioned it in the hospital or if you requested a birth certificate from the Sub-Registrar at which point the name was mentioned. If its neither case, then a form needs to be filled for "Child Name Inclusion" signed by both parents and submitted at E-Seva. This is an obvious pre-requisite before the birth certificate can be issued. I'm not too sure if this can be clubbed along with the request for birth certificate.

5. There is an online payment option to request the birth certificate using a net banking/credit card option. This will be couriered to the address provided. Alternately, you could apply at designated E-seva centres where the certificate needs to be collected on arrival.

I applied at the e-seva near Miyapur on 13-Sep and it arrived on 18-Sep, which was better than my expectations.

P.S.: Not all E-seva centres provide birth certificate service. Only the major ones where Passport applications are accepted typically process Birth Certificate requests. The list of e-seva centres accepting Passport applications can be obtained from here. The rest of the "mini" E-Seva's, including the cybercafes in the nukkad, just do utility bill services.

25 years of Bhopal Gas Tragedy

Its been a long while since I wrote anything on my blog, but I must say that the 25th Anniversary of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy psuhed me to making my views public in the hope that some of us might read them.

Its been 25 years and hardly a sign of justice. Successive governments have failed to request the extradition of Mr. Warren Anderson, the then chief of Union Carbide at the time of the disaster, and he lives a luxurious life in the US. Greenpeace managed to trace his residence at New York in 2002 but despite an international warrant against him, the US thought little of extraditing him to face charges of culpable homicide in the world's worst industrial disaster.

But what hurts me the most is the callous attitude of Indians. Indian government fears that foreign investment would be hit if it requests for Warren Anderson. Not every CEO coming to India would do what Warren did and it should come as no surprise to any US industrialist that criminal negligence is punishable for they very well know what punishment they would get within US for a similar incident.

On the other hand, Indians still buy Eveready and Energizer products and nobody has called for a boycott of their products despite the fact that the same company was responsible for the Bhopal Disaster. The single biggest action that would bring Dow Chemicals to its knees is the total boycott of all Eveready and Energizer batteries by Indians.

Lets join hands and resolve never to buy Eveready and Energizer batteries again!

Conversions and the brouhaha

As a Roman Catholic who has a lot of relatives as missionaries in UP, Delhi, West Bengal and other parts of India, its a mixed feeling of shock and amusement at the way conversions are being portrayed in the media and by the Hindutva brigade. There are several myths about conversions, Christian missionaries and the Christian ideology on the issue on the whole that I feel necessary to dispel from people willing to lend a patient ear.

• All Christians belong to one religion

Myth: The term "Christian" refers to a member of any denomination that is based on the belief in Christ. But there are so many different denominations and sects that it is necessary to discern the mainstream from the fringe groups. Roman Catholics who come under the pope(religiously and not politically as the Hindutva brigade puts it) are the largest group followed by Protestants, Orthodox, etc. There are several fringe groups whom the Catholic Church condemn and their members are consider no more true Catholics as they do not espouse the same ideology that the Catholic Church espouses. These include the New Life, Seventh Day Adventists, etc. Some of these may have an extreme ideology but it would be as wrong to generalize it a Christian ideology as it would be to call all Hindus extreme for the actions of a few.

• People convert to Christianity.

Fact: People can convert to a particular denomination of Christianity by getting baptized and they still do so. It certainly isn't done in the manner and purpose described by Hindutva forces, but the option still exists and people can exercise it as much as any Christian can convert to other religions. But no one can convert anyone as they can only convert themselves. Most common reasons for conversion are mixed marriages when a couple decides it is best for children to have a uniform ideology at home rather than a mixed one.

• The mission of missionaries is to convert people

Myth: Mission refers to serving the poor and downtrodden and not conversion. If Christians were indeed interested in serving people only to convert them, why do we find christian schools, hospitals and orphanages even in cities, in Christian majority states like Nagaland and not just in tribal areas? Why does a Hindu child who enters a Christian orphanage grow up to be a Hindu adult, after all they are the most easy to convert? Why has the Christian percentage in India dropped from 1991 to 2001 as the census shows it? As already mentioned, people who truly believe in Christ are free to convert themselves to Christianity. But that doesn't mean that if a person doesn't convert, he would not be served.

• Christians believe that only Christians will go to Heaven

Myth: As already mentioned earlier, there is no single Christian ideology given the diverse nature of several religions that call themselves true followers of Christ. I can talk of the Catholic viewpoint. After the Second Vatican Council, the Catholic doctrine propogates that baptism isn't the only course to salvation. Christians and even non-Christians, if in life they respond positively to the grace and truth that God reveals to them through the mercy of Christ may be saved. On the other hand, a baptized Catholic in grave sin, committed through full intent and without repentance shall not be saved. This essentially defeats the motive as alleged by the Hindutva forces that Christians convert to "save Pagans". As mentioned above, being a Catholic doesn't guarantee salvation and not being one doesn't guarantee damnation. It is one's actions that decide one's salvation.

• Christianity speaks evil of other religions and is hostile towards them.

Myth: To explain the Catholic doctrine, the Catholic Church has beliefs that it is aware do not conform to the beliefs of other religions and vice-versa. Every religion being diverse would have such beliefs. But as much as it exhorts its own followers to abstain from such beliefs because it doesn't represent the Catholic doctrine, it doesn't espouse hatred or coercive force against the non-believer but suggests prayer as a means of bringing about a change of heart. Violence, hatred and revenge are fundamentally non-Christian traits and are universally condemned, even when directed towards non-Christians.

• Several statements in the Bible, especially the Old Testament, condemn Gentiles/non-believers, espouse violence towards them and are highly provocative. This means Christians practice these statements as a directive from God.

Myth: The Bible should be looked at as a history book, a collection of statements made by different individuals and God Himself. Not every statement in the Old Testament conforms to Christian doctrine. Christ himself has made several statements condemning them in the New Testament. One big example is the prohibition on consumption of pork in the Old Testament. Christ however said that nothing from outside can make a man impure but what comes from within man's mind and heart (vices) makes him impure. So Christians themselves don't follow a prominent rule of the Old Testament.

Therefore, quoting Biblical statements out of context in a bid to make it sound like something Christians practice, is an attempt by Hindutva groups at promoting enmity.

• If Christians really believe in service and not conversions, the right thing to do is to stop conversions considering the tensions prevailing between the 2 communities.

Myth: As already mentioned, the decision is solely that of the person wishing to convert. Just as the Church cannot forcibly prevent any Christian from converting to another faith, we legally cannot stop non-Christians from converting themselves to a Christian denomination as well. That also amounts to forced religion.

• Conversions are illegal in India

Myth: Conversions are legal as part of Freedom of Religion enshrined in the constitution of India. However, conversions under force, duress or inducement are not allowed.

• Christians indulge in forcible conversions using their good work as inducement.

Myth: As already mentioned, Christian service organizations also operate in areas where one cannot expect conversions to happen, such as Christian-majority Nagaland. Considering the census figures suggest that the percentage of Christians in India ( 2%) is on the decline whereas Christian institutions are running since centuries is proof of the fact that the agenda is service and not numbers. Moreover, no individual has come forward stating that he/she has been forcefully converted. Neither has any Christian missionary been found guilty under the Anti-Conversion laws of even BJP-ruled states. This is despite the violence and threats wielded by Hindutva groups to convert back. If anything is being forced in the name of religion, it is being carried out by Hindutva fanatics.

The reason why many seem to agree with this argument of Hindutva groups is because if we leave out conversion, there isn't any wordly vested interest that can explain why priests and nuns dedicate themselves to a life of celibacy and serve the poorest of the poor. The average citizen in his quest for personal profit cannot believe or accept that such selfless individuals still exist today who were inspired by others and continue to inspire others towards a path of self-sacrifice and good to others. Christ asked everyone to love others as they love themselves. Love, Service and humility even at a high personal cost is a highly-prized virtue in Christianity and men and women opt for the vocation in order to attain this pinnacle of virtuosity. The Bible talks of great rewards for those dedicating their lives to the service of humanity and makes no mention of conversion apart from a change of heart. Spreading the "Good News", as Christ puts it, is to spread the message of love and brotherhood and not plain statistics.

Now to answer some FAQs.

• If we were to assume that Christian missionaries are innocent, then why do the Hindutva groups hate them?

Hindutva organizations have a socio-political motive behind the animosity. Politically, Gujarat has demonstrated that a polarised society is a hands-down victory for BJP. By forcing the electorate to take sides based on religion on the grounds that the secularists are destroying Hinduism, BJP cannot lose an election. On the other hand, several rich lords in backward areas who thrive on the ignorance and backwardness of the poor now feel challenged because the people they once exploited have been uplifted through education and other measures provided by Christian missionaries.

• Can the Bajrang Dal, VHP, etc. be branded terrorists?

If you ask me, YES. What does a terrorist do? A terrorist targets innocent civilians to send a message for a selfish cause. He indulges in arson, damage to life and property of innocent civilians, does not believe in the legal and constitutional framework of India and takes law into his own hands. He tries to disturb communal harmony between sections of various communities and thereby destroys the unity and integrity of the country. Bombs and explosives alone don't define terrorism, but its the manner in which mindless violence is orchestrated that is the highlight of terrorism. The means may be different, but the end result is the same.

I'm sure the ISI, LeT and other folks across the border are laughing at us wondering how a situation that they spent tremendous time, money and lives of their own cadre, to create in India is being created by our own people who call themselves "true nationalists" and "patriots". Unless we Indians rise to the challenge and identify the termite eating into our furniture from within rather than focus all our attention only on external threats, India as a nation will do itself an irreparable damage much worse than what has been wreaked thus far.

Jai Hind.

Hard choices made M.K. Gandhi a Mahatma

The Mahatma, as I prefer to call Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, born 1869 and immortalised in 1948, is the most misunderstood Indian today. There was a time soon after independence when the nation adulated him and granted him a demi-god status. And then there's today when most feel he's not relevant. Some others also feel his role in the freedom struggle was nothing great. Well he doesn't appear the Mel Gibson of Patriot definitely, but he certainly fought although many might find it difficult to comprehend the invisible yet extremely powerful force in his actions.

"Gandhi.....powerful? Nah!"
What many of us don't realise is that power isn't tested by its ability to render the opponent hurt but by the ability to make him concede or accept to what is right. In my opinion, the Mahatma may not have fought for India's independence had he not felt it was right. It was never his aim to harm the British because to him it was as wrong as it was for the British to rule us. Non-cooperation stifled the British, eroded their support base and damaged their image of a powerful force. Having ruled half the world, it was rather astounding that a man with hardly a dagger could bring an empire to its knees. Embarassment, Helplessness and Isolation were feelings in the enemy that his weapons gave rise to and not pain, death or destruction. The latter would have led to the former, but he was brilliant and noble enough to achieve the former without the latter. Thats all that mattered anyways.

The choice of penury over wealth
The Mahatma was no pauper; nor was he a direct victim of the British rule. In fact, he had everything to benefit from it before he took the plunge. A salary of 5000 pounds annually as a Bar-et-Law in Britain in the days when a pound could buy 3 grams of gold! Thats 1.5 crore rupees per annum today as per gold inflation!

Have we ever thought that in this situation of extreme advantage, how big a personal sacrifice it was to leave it all for the sake of the nation; to take up cudgels against the very master he served and would have benefitted from immensely? To lower himself to the status of the millions of poor and homeless and empathise with them....Gandhi's strength came from the extreme and powerful conviction that good must be done at any cost, even personal...This was his rationale behind non-violence, his fight against every evil - social, political, economic and religious. He was not bound to a philosophy but sought to take what was good from each.

Hard choices at a big personal cost but of great value to the nation is what today's patriots need to make. Regionalism, populism, fanaticism - these are extreme, narrow-minded interpretations of patriotism that many find it easy to follow because they satisfy some of the raw human instincts that are not governed by choice of right over wrong but by that of profit over loss. The Mahatma, and rightly called so, could rise above these petty impulses because he was willing to sacrifice personal profit for the larger good and justice.

Showers of Blessing, for me and my friends atleast!

It was 6:30 in the evening and I was just out of a matinee show in the heart of Hyderabad. Wondering what to do next, the first thought that crossed my mind was to watch the 7:15 PM laser show at Lumbini Park. Not that I hadn't watched it earlier but a couple of my friends who were with me hadn't.

We were on our way there when we saw it raining and one of my friends suggested that the show could be cancelled due to the rain. How much the rest of us are now indebted to our friend who made that "incorrect" conclusion is anybody's guess considering the blasts that day at that very place. I had even retorted I wouldn't mind going there and checking out. In hindsight, a decision that was fortunately never made.

The next time, when you think being wrong can never be right, think again!

Is Politics Bad?

Picture this!

1. Our beloved President of India, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam was shown on television interacting students visiting the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Just before departing, he asked them: "How many of you want to be politicians?" All he could get was a peal of laughter. They probably thought he was just kidding. I am sure he was left disappointed.
2. If a friend walks up to you and says, "I'd like to join politics". You'd either probably think he's too naive or consider him getting too greedy.
3. If a politican does good, the most common reaction would be that he's just being populist and playing to the vote bank. If a NGO does the same, we say why can't our politicans be like them.
4. If an NGO has been acquitted in a legal case, we say they have been vindicated. If its a politician, we say he's manipulated the system.

There are so many more examples which brings us to the question, "Is Politics Bad?"..... This is a question that I find most people today answer in chorus.....YES. After all, the media has exposed many a scam and that has made most of us agree that politics is bad and nothing good can come out of it today. In the last decade or so, with the overzealous penchant for showing the "truth", the media has actually portrayed only one aspect of the Indian political system, although I do agree that it constitutes the majority of it.

I, for one, would like to differ a little...not with what the media has exposed but with the general perception that has been created. No human is born a criminal and no system is without black sheep. It is the men and women from our own society that make up the political class and therefore they are just one amongst us. When we have good and bad in society; so should there be in the political class. That the political system lures many into doing what we think all of them do is true to some extent; but we must also realize that there are many individuals, men and women, out there who are very much part of this system and are striving to achieve what we all dream to achieve, a developed nation. They are the ones that the media only goes as far as to mention that they have a "clean image", a phrase which implies that it is just a notion. This is in stark contrast to the judgements they read out on the politicians of the other kind with utter conviction. What a great disservice we do to those individuals, however few we may think they are, is obvious.

Then why does the average Indian think that no good can come out of Indian Politics? Is it a feeling of relative righteousnees that one gets by showing others in bad light? Or is it a habit to take things at face value and find simplistic causes for the problems we face? Whatever be the reason, the repercussions of such extreme cynicism are extreme in itself; The average Indian today has written off every single politician, We see summary trials of politicians without evidence and a defamation of a career option that provides the maximum power to an individual to do good simply because he/she is chosen by the citizens to do so and is at their mercy. It is this ability that makes Politics a noble profession. If anyone is bad, its the politician and to be precise, a certain number of them. Politics in itself is a noble profession by its sheer ability to do good, if an individual wishes to.

But alas, we have destroyed many a good man and woman in the system who have withstood the lure against all odds, by this mentality. After all, who would want to do good even after being branded a bad guy. Its similar to awarding a marks card to a student saying, "Anyways I know you're not going to make it, so here's your fail certificate before you take the test". Or a manager telling his resource " Well, here's a new project. I am certain you are going to ruin it". How motivated do you think that employee would be after that comment?

1. What is even more dangerous is the trend it has now created.
   The media, in a way, has "educated" the bad-doers about the illegitimate benefits of being in politics. I wouldn't be surprised if we actually do a study and find that most criminals actually entered politics after the media picked up a random case and portrayed that as being the norm.
2. The good people are staying away from it for the fear of being called bad; its a thankless job and many think they simply cannot do any good. The only men and women who would want to enter politics today are those who wouldn't mind being called bad since they already are, after all they have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Ironically, we are ending up creating the very scenario that is being falsely overexaggerated. If this trend isn't arrested, the politics of India is going to degenerate in this vicious cycle to a point of no return because the endangered species of good politicans are being hunted by us to the point of extinction. If we don't act soon enough, we eventually wouldn't have any good people left in the system.

Hello World!

Well, the blogger to me always represented a person whose views were open for all to see, interact if they wished, or spy if the conspiracy theorists would like us to believe. After all, what a blog essentially reflects is the state of mind of the blogger, his schools of thought, his bent of mind, unless of course the blogger is just playing to the gallery.

But what struck me recently is the power of the blog to preview one's thoughts and actions. It gives one the ability to put forth one's viewpoints and see the response of the blogging world to it, providing an invaluable critique that one would normally get in the real world only after having executed those thoughts into actions. But by then there would hardly be any scope to amend.

Anyways, here I am....open to constructive criticism for anything I utter with the aim to refine and be more holistic.