Interview with Blogger Mani Narayanan

By The Pakistani Spectator • Apr 25th, 2008 • Category: Interviews • (2,748 views) • No Responses

Would you please tell us something about you and your site?

I am a retired Chemical Engineer ,aged 60 yrs, and I am a free person enjoying leisure and ready to take up some assignment if it comes on my way.My family consists of my wife, son and his wife. To keep myself busy, I just opened my web site only on 21st April,2008 and I have very limited experience about web site related matters.

Do you feel that you continue to grow in your writing the longer you write? Why is that important to you?

As I have noted above, I don’t have much experience but I hope I would develop and grow in knowing more things about the world and the people. Gaining more knowledge makes a man wiser and happier than money can relate to wisdom and happiness.

I’m wondering what some of your memorable experiences are with blogging?

I have not much to share except the wonderful experince of receiving your mail with in few minutes of posting my views on Democracy and Freedom.

What do you do in order to keep up your communication with other bloggers?

I am a novice in communicating with bloggers and I am confident I will spread my wings soon to capture the best of blogging.

What do you think is the most exciting or most innovative use of technology in politics right now?

Technology has already reached the common man in the form of mobile phones and internet and information is becoming the property and necessity of everyone in every walk of life starting from Industry,agriculture to entertainment,sports and politics. Political parties can collect abundant data on varied topics relating to people and can use the data to thebenefit of the people and in turn to themselves.
With the revolution in Information Technology ,application of innovation and creativity becomes a must in all the fields of human endeavour and politics is not an exception.Nowadays,politicians employ consultants to create awareness among the public about the good works done by them throught the year and especially during election years.Juat see what happens in America for the Presidential election that is scheduled to take place in November 2008. Awareness creation and publicity is mandatory in every walk of life and more so in politics.Therefore,adoption and application of innovative technology in politics is inevitable but truth alone triumphs ultimately.

Do you think that these new technologies are effective in making people more responsive?

Yes.Definitely.Things are changing rapidly and people can no longer be fooled and taken for a ride. People are wise and they wait for oppotunities/elections to teach lessons to the erring politicians and none of the politicians can escape the alertness of the public,irrespective of their image built over the years.

What do you think sets Your site apart from others?

I want to give my opinions and thoughts in original ,though the ideas/ideals may sound diametrically opposite to the views of others.I want to express my ideas in original and not biased by anyone irrespective of their stature in the past or in the present.I keep my opinions close to my heart and make it universal and not individualistic.Anyway,let me strive hard to achieve something in due course of time.Nothing more specific to quote right now.

If you could choose one characteristic you have that brought you success in life, what would it be?

I have not tasted big success in my career as a chemical engineer because I have never wanted to become something big either in position and power. But,what ever I am today, I will attribute it to the hard work and willingness to take responsibility (without any publicity.) I have immense satisfaction and no regret whatsoever , eventhough I have not reached any high position in life or not amassed big fortune/wealth for myself or to my legal heirs. I have a strong sense of feeling and goodness that I have done my duty all these years in my service life.So no regrets.
The short answer for my success(though very little) is hard work and sincerity ,diligence and dedication.

What was the happiest and gloomiest moment of your life?
Happiest moment: When I became a father and got blessed with my first son on 08.10.1975.
Gloomiest Moment: When I lost my first son on16.01.1999 at his prime of youth and when he had became a fully grown up adult ready to contribute his might to the society and to the family.The loss was/is irreparable to my family and especially to me.

Do you think [the use of Twitter and other social networking tools by politicians] is bandwagon jumping or what?

With the rapid advancement of communication and technology,people can no longer be fooled by the use of Twitter and other networking tools by politicians and I think people care more and measure their deeds rather than they care about their words.

If you could pick a travel destination, anywhere in the world, with no worries about how it’s paid for - what would your top 3 choices be?

Miami(USA), Paris(France) and London(UK)

What is your favorite book and why?

Complete works of Shakespeare because it contains all twists and tribulations of human life and fate one may face at some point of time during the long journey of life in the path hurdled with thorny bushes and green shady plants and trees.

What’s the first thing you notice about a person (whether you know them or not)?

Trying to find out how humane he or she is and his or her concern for the fellow human being.

Is there anyone from your past that once told you you couldn’t write?

No. Basically I am not yet a writer of any standard on any topic but I think I am capable of scribbling something on everything.
One of my writer friend used to encourage me to write in his journal but I have not started writing so far. I am a chemical engineer or I have no skill in writing on any topic which may be of any use to any one in the society.This is my current thinking and one needs to read a lot and one must put in more hard work to digest the information gathered before making it available for public consumption and I think i am not yet near that requirement of a writer so far.I feel like writing but not immediately to any magazine of repute.Writing in future as a pass time or as a freelance writer is a distant vision and not yet a mission.

How bloggers can benefit from blogs financially?
I have no idea.I would be happy to hear from you or from others.

Is it true that who has a successful blog has an awful lot of time on their hands?

True to some extent.It is more true with me.

What are your thoughts on corporate blogs and what do you think the biggest advantages and disadvantages are?
I have no idea. The advantage is that one can know more about the corporates way of functioning but one has to be careful in analysing the information before believing them in total.

What role can bloggers of the world play to make this world more friendlier and less hostile?
Right now,the bloggers make a microscopic group of the majority and as such they can not make any big impact on any subject.But,let us hope and make a beginning and may be in another 5 or 10 years appreciable group of the population will join the bloggers to make any impact.

Who are your top five favourite bloggers?

No idea pl.

Is there one observation or column or post that has gotten the most powerful reaction from people?

I really can not answer this as I am quite new to blogging.

What is your perception about Pakistan and its people?
Pakistani people are intelligent,hardworking,healthy,well built ready to live peacefully like any other nation on earth but political instability taken a big toll in making big progress as an industrialised nation in comparison with any developed nation.

Have you ever become stunned by the uniqueness of any blogger?

No idea.

What is the most striking difference between a developed country and a developing country?
In a developed country, infrastructure in water,power,transport(land,sea and air) ,education,and health care are well developed and people do not face much problems. In a developing country people face difficulties in every field and find living a burden especially with the bureaucratic set up of very slow action and progress in Government and public sector organisations .

In a developed nation a citizen enjoys certain previleges but in a developing nation the citizens are uncared for and left to the one and only care and mercy of all Gods of the world.

In a developed nation Technology and politicians rule .In a developing nation people are at the mercy of politicians for the present.

What is the future of blogging?

I hope it will grow for the betterment of society.