January 16, 2011

Indian made rocket! (Product Obsolescence)

NASA had outsourced its rocket production. The company to bag the contract was an automotive company from India. That company executed the project in time and sent the rocket to the NASA centre in USA. 

On the day of the launch to the utter dismay of the scientists the rocket never lifted off. Dismayed at the turn of events the NASA officials phoned the Indian automotive company. The production chief laughed and said "Sir the solution is very simple. The rocket that you have is an Indian rocket. You need to bend the rocket shake it vigorously so that the fuel is evenly mixed and then straighten the rocket and fire. The rocket would surely get launched”. The NASA officials did what they were told and the rocket got launched. Finally it was a happy ending. 

Jokes apart why is that we Indians have been using defective and shoddy products for many decades? The old and wily Ambassador car is a 1954 Phillip Morris model. This dinosaur of a car is still is found on the roads and more so in Kolkata. Toyota off loaded its Indonesian old model called Kijang (1977-1980) on the Indian public. As Indian did not have a choice they lapped up the old model and made it a huge success.

Why was it that the old faithful Indian scooters did not work unless they were bent every day in the morning and shaken vigorously? The inconvenience of wrestling with a heavy scooter every morning was the reason why the Kinetic Honda and later Honda Activa became popular with the Indian middle class and with the women.

Same is the case with the mopeds in India which gave a screeching sound when braked. It was heart wrenching to hear the agony of the brakes. More than the rider the person riding next to the moped used to have a heart attack hearing the wail of the anguished engine! Wake up Indian manufacturers, give us the latest and the most innovative products and we will give you the moon literally. We Indians have the most money in the world and the youngest population in the universe!
 

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