Before each show I try to plan out what my views are for my appearance. These notes are the based on the first draft & not reflective (!) of what will eventually go out ‘live’.
I’ll try and put up the show & should really promise to blog more as its been a while!

What is your view of what happened in London last week ?
I believe it was a mix of opportunism and wasted energy, coupled with an underlying development of gangs that have become prevalent without the mainstream realising their surge.

If you look at the profile of some of those who took part some looked like they just ‘jumped on the bandwagon’. However, others have serious mob/gang mentality based on a possible lack of confidence or the need to exploit.

They are also street savvy! Using free social media to mobilise their forces and agendas.

Have we become a society that is too orientated on self propagation?
I believe that the emphasis in mainstream reporting on celebrity, accumulating possessions and attachment to worldly goods takes us away from a spiritual path.

In Sikhism we believe that there are five major weaknesses of the human personality at variance with its spiritual essence. They are: Lust, Rage, Greed, Attachment and Ego.

Do you have any worries for communities?
I worry about the need for disaster recovery strategies and the need for places of worship to connect to local authorities. Are systems, communications and early warning procedures in place. Are those in-charge, including the Police able to stay one step ahead of those hell bent on venting rage?!

How can we motivate our youth to do good?
Maybe our politicians need our help to suggest new ways of connecting across the world and harmonising economies.

Markets bounce about and yet people still die in Africa !? Why? Why are there have nots, haves and have yachts? I’m not suggesting that people should not enjoy life, maybe we’ve forgotten to share in bringing joy to others. Somebody once said to me that in some parts of the world people live for themselves, in others people live for each other. Maybe its the latter we need to move towards.

Moment of Reflection.
At the beginning of the week I bought a shiny new pair of shoes that I wore to a couple of long business meetings.

Unfortunately, by Wednesday as sometimes new shoes do, they started hurting my feet and I began to regret that I had not worn them in or maybe I should have used shoe stretchers to help!

Last week the nation looked on initially as bystanders in shock as the actions of a set of gangs and possibly disenfranchised youth from all walks of life embarked on trashing our towns and cities. After a few days many communities established a stance of protection and mutual support.

My new shoes today are like the gangs in that they attempted to hurt. What we need today is to help understand how we can make them comfortable with life. How can we stretch our future generation to accept that by being part of a community you can have a better life by helping others.

In Sikhism we believe that there are five major weaknesses of the human personality at variance with its spiritual essence. They are: Lust, Rage, Greed, Attachment and Ego.

Maybe our politicians need our help to suggest new ways of connecting across the world and harmonising economies. Humanity needs to come now together to work for common good by establishing formal ways of recruiting people to serve in other nations to prevent starvation, poverty and nationally to counter local deprivation.

When I was at school one of our reading books was To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harpers Lee. Since it was first published in 1960 it has never been out of print. One of the key scenes in the book is of Lynching – This is a term described as an extrajudicial execution carried out by a group in order to punish an alleged transgressor…

At a recent public discussion shown on TV it was suggested that maybe Bin Laden had lost his human rights as he (Bin Laden) had denied others the right to life. Its an interesting perspective as should we do onto others what others do to us? Should we show a higher degree of morality? One of the main problems with what Bin Laden eventually lead others to do is that it resulted in such devistation, shock and horror. Human emotion will move towards revenge. The other issue is the aftermath, what can be done to prevent him from becoming idolised. If he had been captured and put on trial, that too would have taken years. However, a trial could have been useful to expose the extent of penetration of his network or influence.

As a society we need to be careful about how we communicate what took place, explore the reasons why his supporters continue to be driven to terrorise. Dialogue with murderers is hard but when they see the light of sense to stop with our help, maybe that is a better long-term solution.
How close are we to getting to the root cause of all the issues. Or, are we too late and some people will never change?
We can only hope that staying one step ahead will avoid the loss of innocent lives.

Its been a while since I posted to my blog. Part of the reason is that there is so much going on in the world and I tend to be Tweeting more (@DrSavi). A guess apathy is another reason. All these reasons are not really justified as I believe to blog is to share ones view point, suggest debate and seek verification of ideals. Tweeting is good but it could be supported by greater depth of discussion through an attached link.

As I said, there is so much happening in the world. My last posting was in February and at the time we all saw the pace of change sweeping North Africa. Since that post date Libya and Syria are centre stage in the demand for change and greater freedom.

I was recently fortunate to be a guest on Radio 2′s Aled Jones Good Morning Sunday. In my moment of reflection, I pointed out,

‘As we sit in our armchairs watching from a distance I wonder if we ever thought about why it takes so long to demand change.’

The full transcript is shown below, together with a link to the audio:

We’re all watching the news and almost hourly developments of people close to Europe & further afield struggling to free themselves from their current rulers and injustices. Everyday it seems that more lives are lost or put at risk in the hope for an outcome that will result in a new and fairer way forward for a country.
As we sit in our armchairs watching from a distance I wonder if we ever thought about why it takes so long to demand change.

Maybe its because often people with power want to hang on to it. Or, could it be that the public have adopted an apathetic approach to life as their survival depends upon it. People can also be unknowingly conditioned to accept the status quo.

In mid April 1699 the 10th Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh established the Sikh identity called the Khalsa. Its establishment continues to assure defending the defenceless, honest living and equality. Guru Gobind Singh lost his father, mother and children in the struggle for freedom.

The Sikhs succeeded in creating fighting for freedom. In some countries and societies the challenge continues.

I should also point out that at the time Sikhs not only fought for the freedom, liberty and justice, they were defending the defenceless. India today enjoys an environment of religions living side-by-side, however, communal violence and manipulation by extreme groups such as the  RSS continues and in many cases on a covert basis.

The question posed in this article is really one of what drives change? Is it a case that oppression by a selective few can only last for so long until just before a camels back is broken. Or, does a sense of revolution come when all else has failed. Maybe achieving change is harder in the 21st century as there is a need for:

1. The correct environment – enough support
2. Infrastructure abandonment – i.e: supports of a regime know that the ‘writings on the wall’ and its ‘time to switch sides’!
3. Only with the latter taking place, weapons turned on the people asking for change can be turned off.
4. Media Vs Propaganda Vs the revelation of truth

As both Syria heats up and the Libyan situation is developing into a turf war (both sadly with the loss of lives), when will the desire for change be concluded. Will it be a positive outcome for all? Maybe it is up to the leaders to view that forced and violent suppression will further condem them (leaders) and they have an opportunity to demonstrate that they care for a positive outcome.

In terms of my statement about apathy, maybe I really meant to say that sometimes we are too accepting of regimes. A case in point being Libya and the appeasement by the West over the years, including the sale or weapons. The latter is clearly from a country management to country management perspective. However, inside a country acceptance is ‘safe’ as it secures milk to babies and infrastructure continuity. Maybe its only a revolution that really achieves change and there is no half-way house.

We continue to live in a world where there is inequality or as George Orwell implied in Animal House, ‘All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others’. We marvel (including media frenzy) at the spectacle of regal ceremony but on the next corner accept that poverty is inherent in our global reach.

True change comes from within with a passion to exercise and drive it through but the conditions must be right for it to be lasting and worth it.

We’re all watching the news and the unfolding almost hourly developments. Everyday it seems that more lives are lost or put at risk in the hope for an outcome that will result in a new way forward for the country.

As we sit in our armchairs watching from a distance I wonder if we ever thought about why it has taken so long for the demand for change.
Maybe it is because often people with power will want to hang on to it. Or, the public have adopted an apathetic approach to life because their survival depends upon it. People can also be unknowingly conditioned to accept the status quo.
I watched the following video and saw the emotion in the mans voice and expressions.

Click here to view the embedded video.

It is hard for us to know the true facts of today and the political alliances of the past. With regard to the latter, why have Countries not said anything in the past. Such countries could consider voicing opinions as intefering with internal affairs. It is interesting that some countries are left to their own devices?

I only hope for a peaceful outcome. The current leaders in Egypt will show true progress if they can meet, respect each others views and not resort to killing.

Here is a copy of the letter I sent to both BA and BAA, regarding the treatment of my father. Clearly, you will note that has been no adherence to protocol. If a person has become sick on-board, then common-sense suggests that it is the duty of cabin crew and ground staff to do everything in their power to help and save a life.

At the time of going to print on my blog, he is still in an Intensive Care Unit in hospital and we hope he will recover.
I still await a reply from the organisations involved in this apparent shambles.

Ref: Passenger Mr P S Arora Medical Alert
21st January 2011

Dear Sir/Madam,

It is now 4 weeks since my father arrived back from holidaying in India. His e-Ticket number was: xxxxxxxxxx and reservation number was: xxxxxxxxxxxxx (BA0256)

Since his arrival on Christmas Eve 24th December 2010 he has been in ITU – The Intensive Treatment Unit. The reason for writing to you is to outline what happened on the flight and subsequent disembarking. This is what happened:

• The flight arrived at 5pm and at 5:10pm a member of the BA Cabin Crew, a Mr Singh called my home and spoke to me about collecting my father from the arrival gate at terminal 5.As we live close to Terminal 5 we arrived at approx 5:40pm
• My daughter and I ran between the ground and 3rd floor to find the BAA passenger assistance desk and I left my son standing at arrivals to wait for my father there.
• By coincidence we met 3 of the BA cabin crew near one of the lifts and one of them spoke to us as noticed we were asking people the location of the BAA passenger assistance desk.
• The BA crew member said he had called me and that my father had been on Oxygen for the past 6 hours. He further said that he was behind arrivals.
• When we did eventually find a BAA person, after 50 minutes they placed a Public address call out to the wheelchair attendant to find my father.
• All in all it took an hour to locate my father.
• His condition worsened when we managed to get him brought out by BAA from the baggage area behind arrivals. He had apparently been left there and ignored?!
• Mr Depak, the BAA duty manager assembled some of his staff and organised some portable curtains as my father was in deep medical distress, slumped forward in the wheelchair, with his eyes rolled up and hands and feet frozen.
• We stressed to BAA that they call an ambulance immediately. NB this should have happened far earlier – BAA claim no request was made by the cabin crew. Surprising as my father was on Oxygen for 6 hours.
• Within 10minutes, the time now being past 6pm an ambulance arrived and my father was rushed to hospital.
• Upon arrival to hospital we were told by 2 Doctors that my father could die and that one lung had stopped functioning. He has
  been on a ventilator ever since suffering from severe Pneumonia.

We are hoping he will recover.

Why did the BA cabin crew not contact the medics on the ground? Why was the BAA wheelchair attendant contractor not proactive- My father was best described as in a comatose position. BAA claim (the main person that organises the medics to be called out) that no call was received from the plane/cabin crew for medical assistance. Is this not against the protocol of both organisations and BA training, especially as a passenger was on Oxygen for 6 hours and clearly in medical distress?

What will you be doing to investigate this matter, fully audit responsibilities and ensure that this never happens again? Will you please find out about the facts as a persons life has been compromised by what appears as a collective lack of communication or responsibility.

It is likely that my fathers condition was also comprised further by lack of Oxygen for a further 1 hour causing a complete white-out of his right lung. I would appreciate a call to discuss this ASAP.

I hope that my father recovers.

Dr Savi S Arora

Lets hope somebody writes back to me soon. Or, do I have a legal case here?

Merriam-Webster  announced that “austerity” saw more than 250,000 searches on the dictionary’s free online tool. This was probably due to greater coverage of the international debt crisis. Therefore, it was announced by the company as Word of the Year for 2010. Runners-up also included “pragmatic,” “moratorium,” “socialism,” and “bigot”. For example, the latter possibly motivated from the public use by former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown! see: http://www.saviarora.com/gordon-brown-bigot-comment/

Austerity, is a 14th century noun defined as “the quality or state of being austere” and “enforced or extreme economy,”

Does this mean that people look behind the meaning of words? Or, could it be that the public wish to verify their use, checking-up on those who potentially should know better? I will always remember the words from the Reverend Jesse Jackson when I interviewed him a few years ago (see http://www.saviarora.com/rev-jesse-jackson-and-the-rainbow-push-coalition/). He suggested (paraphrasing)  that it is interesting some banks were quick to lend. However, now that there is an issue, they need to show both Corporate Responsibility and justice.

Now is the time for creative solutions to ensure that people, all who are hardworking can manage their existence and dreams.

Although nations in 2010 have focused on Austerity measures, have they:

• Identified their own areas of waste,
• Found potential investment in renewal strategies,
• Shown courage to support small businesses,
• Revisited private firms/contracts and associated procurement strategies
• Limited bankers bonuses (see: http://www.saviarora.com/bankers-bonuses-do-they-deserve-it/) and
• Started to seriously invest in youth based projects to give them hope rather than fueling their debt and despair?

I hope 2011 will be a year of creative renewal rather than a year of deepening crisis.

The BBC sports coverage team have a lot to answer for. Sometimes I feel that on the whole the BBC are a private club. I’m not doubting the abilty of the presenters to present edited highlights. Certainly, the crew that put together the ending sequences for the Wimbledon championships are skilled. My gripe is the lack of inclusiveness for many of the main events covered.

Poor Sports reporting
Take for example the 2010 Commonwealth games. Initially, to create sensationalism the staging was criticised. Maybe this was in an effort to ‘big up’ what the BBC may feel is an ‘also ran’ set of events.

In my view the BBC contradicted the nature and sense of the games. There is simply too much focus on the performance of UK home teams. I remember seeing one of the UK running teams finish 4th. Crazily the interviews were held with the latter and losing relay team and in the background the team that finished first were celebrating – you could see them in-shot in the background!?

At times during the coverage of the Commonwealth Games, there was an air of ‘how can the Indians be better than us’.
It was good that Michael Johnson put some of the presenters in their place. I remember it well.
It was after a winning run by an Indian runner. He suggested (paraphrasing) that this is what the games was all about.

However, it was sad to hear that this is what could be achieved at this time for the athelete and at this type of tournament. In my view reporing should include an element of inspiring others and celebrating in success.

Is this poor, biased or assumed reporting? Actually, all three could apply.

• Poor reporting means lazy researching and reporting. The knock-on impact is that it fails to inspire a nation or personalities from different background.
• Biased reporting means that analysis and feedback is only given to one side of a performance. We see this in patronising comments about a non-British team. It is easy to pick-up with the undertones of the commentator.
• Assumed reporting means that the editors feel that they know what is best for the public. Or, are they simply fueling their own interests.

With the Olympics approaching in 2012 will there be a change? At this moment I have no confidence in the editorial or presenting teams.

The need to change focus at the BBC

The BBC need to revisit their aims as a broadcaster. They need to remember the pledge of their charter, especially Section 4: item (e):

The Public Purposes
The Public Purposes of the BBC are as follows—

• (a)sustaining citizenship and civil society;
• (b)promoting education and learning;
• (c)stimulating creativity and cultural excellence;
• (d)representing the UK, its nations, regions and communities
• (e)bringing the UK to the world and the world to the UK;
• (f)in promoting its other purposes, helping to deliver to the public the benefit ofemerging communications technologies and services and, in addition, taking aleading role in the switchover to digital television.

The growth of reality TV also doesn’t help. The BBC should be spending our money on reporting personal development and motivational stories and not on countless programmes based on property. For example, everyweek daytime TV allocates hundreds of hours on home improvement, purchasing, movement and antiques! Why? They also seemed to be lost in a world of reality TV, like every other channel.

OK, lots of criticism but the BBC cannot be beaten on fantastic technical work, the innovation of the iPlayer and the multitude of radio channels (albeit that I wonder what the true figures are for listeners)

Unfortunately, most of us eat what we are fed, rather than shout for change.
The public broadcasting service needs to be revisited. The channel needs to be reporting for the people and not at the people!

In both 2009 and 2010 I was honored to be elected Chair of the Interfaith Youth Trust (IFYT). The Trust is registered with the Charity Commission. The working name is the Inter Faith Youth Trust.

The Trust (Alma Royalton-Kisch Trust) is the only UK charitable trust solely to fund inter faith projects for young people. Alma Royalton-Kisch kindly left us funds to establish and promote the education of children and young people about the religions of the world.

These funded projects bring together young people of different faiths to improve collaboration and understanding.

Since it first started, some of the funded projects have included:

• A Youth Project for workshops involving young people of Christian, Muslim, Sikh, Hindu and other faiths.
• Moroccan Women’s Project for exploring identities of Muslims and Christians.
• An arts festival in London for different faiths.
• A youth journal for publishing articles by young people about their faiths.
• A youth club to produce a mural showing “spirituality in the city”.
• A drama group for multi-faith after school activities.
• A residential for Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist and Christian young women.
• A cemetery clearing project for Christians and Jews.
• An Eid-Christmas workshop.
• A youth inter-faith action guide involving young people from the Baha’i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jain, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh and Zoroastrian faiths.

2010 has been a significant year for IFYT as the trust have:

1. Changed focus to maximise our energies around Interfaith week.
2. Continued with developing our links with the Department for Communities- especially as the current financial climate brings us challenging times!
3. Worked together, bringing out our individual strengths
4. Reviewed the way we work and are grateful for the administrative support now available
5. Maintained our web presence
6. Continued to award funds for many organisations through the Interfaith week

It is great to see people trustees from different religions and humanists working together to help understand each other.

I remember when I was a child at infant school and how at that age there appeared to be no issues about who we were in our own diverseness. Unfortunately, as we get older the media influences us in terms of our views. I hope that working a youth level is a good place to start to retain common good.

In September 2010 we were happy to learn that we won 3rd place at this year’s Sikhnet Film Festival. The festival is in my view both innovative and inspiring. It is one of those initiatives that hopes to motivate people to get  their cameras out  and communicate who we are.

Back in 2008 I recorded a film that focused on the need for Sikhs to create their own media so that Bollywood would do not get away with distortion or dilution of the Sikh Identity and its principles. Although recently actors have ‘don a turban’ to take on roles and some of the storylines have improved – Rocket Singh was a nice film, they are still largely commercial and there is a dearth of documentaries, both audio and video based.

I suggested (btw so nice to be quoted recently!) that:

If Sikhs do not create their own media, then somebody else will do it for them.

At the end of another film I made entitled, ‘The Power of Media‘ I tried to take a positive perspective by suggesting that there is so much heritage and interconnection with the influence of Sikhs in areas such as technology, sport and service that unless we record these in a humble way we cannot get people to stop cases of mistaken identity and instead start  understanding the contribution that Sikhs have made globally.

The only way we can do this is by setting up funds for film foundations, competitions and using new and social media channels. Funding requires courage and commitment from those who have ‘our’ funds…

Earlier in the year I was astounded to learn how difficult it was for one film maker to get funding regarding a film exploring the Sikh contribution during last century’s world wars. It is not as if the money is not there, it is simply the need to trust that money spent will be beneficial in another way.

In recent weeks I too have been frustrated over the extent of a small investment in some software that I have developed for media channels. I’m questioning myself over charging for its development. Surely Satellite transponder owners and people like SkyTV are not compromised or subject to a period of long contemplation over their service payments or investment.

I’m beginning to wonder if my technology insight is too early? I suggested to the media channels in question that they should take the opportunity to engage with youth using new media and mobile Apps as after all that is mode that they (the youth) are native to.
Sadly, I still wait but am hopeful that someone will wake-up and smell the roses. Interestingly, collectively and internationally we can build wonderful buildings but we also need to establish good libraries of content.

In summary, unless we keep ‘pushing’ for change, it is not going to happen. We need  to demand relevant content rather than be simply fed it.

Here is the film that we put together. Thanks again, Sikhnet:

Click here to view the embedded video.

I wrote these notes as I watched tonights episode of BBC1′s Remembrance: The Sikh Story.

Firstly, as per normal it’s ridiculous that programmes of such calibre and importance are shown at such a late hour. I’m also not sure how much it was advertised. It’s a credit to some of the people who I know who sent text messages to get people to watch it.

At the beginning of the programme there was a categoric mistake. NB The 5 K’s of the Sikhs are not all military based! Maybe time was an issue but there is no excuse to not delve deeper into the spiritual and scientific importance of Sikh symbols.

It was good to see where Sikhs had fought, for example, France, Burma and Italy… Actually, the book and film, ‘The English Patient’ also documents the contribution of Sikhs.
I suggest that the French need to see this documentary so that they can realise that Sikhs helped to free them. Maybe it could help them stop their stance on discriminatory action on religion.

It was good to see such fascinating pictures and the audio was truly amazing.

Midway through the programme revealed the shooting of innocent lives in Amirtsar in 1919. That was an event ironically conducted by General Dyer. Incidentally, the Programme forgot to mention that Sikhs were also the largest community who gave their lives for the freedom of India as part of the Quit India campaign.

As previously suggested with such rich content the BBC really needed to show this at peak viewing hours so that today’s generation can understand the rich heritage that we all share. Just as the Programme mentioned, maybe its political to keep the contribution hidden to aid a alternative view of patriotism for the general population.

On the whole, the programme was well put together. There is also a hidden message for SIkhs. We need to take advice given at the end by one of the interviewees, I.e As we sadly see the passing away of Sikh Soldiers, we urgently need to document their brave efforts for everyone to see and remember their sacrifices.