Here is a story in the New York Times about a guy I drank beer with while listening to Pink Floyd at full volume, whom I played football and won the gold medal with in business school, and who danced at my wedding. To summarize, I know Mr Sumit Sapra well. The New York Times wrote a story on him, and his photographs in a variety of poses to portray him as yet another get rich quick Indian immigrant. They do need to sell more copies of the tree destroying paper edition, but even the online edition got it wrong.

New York Times Article

INDIA, Suddenly Starved for Investment

(Ajay-  starved is a term to show affinity third world has for starving- maybe the Chinese get dip in investment but India gets starved)

Sumit Sapra is a member of that ambitious, impatient generation of young Indians who rode the crest of the global economy. In five years, he changed jobs three times, quadrupling his salary along the way. Even when satisfied with his position, he kept his résumé posted on job sites, in case better offers came along. And he splurged. In three years, he bought three cars, moving up a notch in luxury each time. For weekend jaunts, he bought a motorcycle.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/05/business/global/05rupee.html?_r=1

Sumit’s Rebuttal

http://saprasumit.blogspot.com/

Five years, three jobs, seems wild, doesn’t it? What they conveniently forgot to mention is that a few of these changes were due to circumstances and the need to make a livelihood. Most of us post our resumes on to various recruiting channels like websites, consultants, etc. when we are looking for a job. Those resumes stay there even after we find a job, does that imply that we are constantly on the lookout for another one?

And more

The article talks about the fact that I bought three cars in three years, though I bought four and not three! – "In three years, he bought three cars, moving up a notch in luxury each time." It fails to point out that all of these were used cars, bought at about one third of their original price and also that I am an automobile enthusiast and I do this primarily because of my love for cars. In fact a few of these cars were bought at prices lower than what I sold my previous car for! If you can call buying a USD 8-10k car splurging on luxury then what the heck, I did splurge! the piece de resistance of this article is that it talks about me buying a motorbike for weekend jaunts, not realizing that this is India, not the United States, where people buy motorbikes to commute and not for fun. I’ve had this so-called "weekend jaunt" motorbike for more than 3 years, I bought it before I could afford to buy a car, you see and I didn’t see the need to sell it.

and to a common ex Employer I also started my analytics career with.

Despite being laid off, at some level I also feel sorry for my ex employers, General Electric Co. as even they have not been spared by these sensation seeking merchants, or so called journalists. Yes, things are bad and I am the first one to realize that the going is not as good as it used to be, but that does not give the license to anyone to go around the world proclaiming doomsday is around the corner. As a wise man once said, "With great power, comes great responsibility", though to be honest I have heard this in a movie, I guess most of you know which one!

I have read the New York Times since the age of 19 till 32. And Mr Friedman, the mustached Pulitzer  Pulverizing actually stole the term “ The World is Flat” from Nandan Nilekani ( who said the world is getting flattened).

The New York Times has portrayed India in a semi sarcastic light before- read here my earlier response to a very sensitive portrayal of India after terrorists attacked us (before the MUMBAI Blasts Note the date)

India RATTLED by Blasts

NYT thinks India is rattled after the blasts

Ajay Ohri on August 13th, 2008

Sent to The NYT Editor- After a headline that said ” India rattled after blasts” to describe a series of blasts that killed 60 people in two days of consecutive blasts.
Subject: Unsolicited Submission From an Unknown, Unrattled Indian
Dear NY Times.com  Editor,
I am glad you used the word rattled to describe India, a nation of 1
billion

 

May the Good Lord above forgive the New York Times it’s sins. They know not what they were doing. Having bankrupted themselves fighting a general election on O’s behalf , they trust Mexican Carlos Slim for loans but not American money (even from a Warren Buffet), And the Indians – Weren’t the Indians the guys who drive the taxis there?

 

Please help save the New York Times from itself by joining the Facebook Cause “Save the New York Times” here

 

http://apps.facebook.com/causes/170855/8347178

Saving the New York Times from itself

Ajay Ohri on May 2nd, 2009

The iconic newspaper New York Times, flagpole for progressive, liberal and communist thinkers (depending on where you stand) is under attack again.
It is under attack from the stupidity of its old school old fashioned presses, who believe cutting thousands of trees every year to make loss making newspapers is better than just putting the News […]

 

As for my old friend Sumit Sapra who has been laid off by General Electric, brother you deserved this article. Next time play Russian music while we sip vodka as Beer, Pink Floyd and Buying Old Cars is too much for these New Yorkers to bear. They have had a grudge with anything named Indian ever since the Indians beat The Yankees 14-0