2 Jul 08 - Political Leader

[Fergal]

For your chance to win $7 today, please reply to this thread to tell us who is your favourite political leader and why.

We will chose the winner tomorrow morning. However, the competition will not close until we have valid entries from at least five different members.

To qualify for the contest you must make at least one other post on Business Advice Forum during the 24 hours of the competition.

Thanks for your participation!

[Nazreen]

My answer to this competition's question is quite easy and I don't even have to think twice about it. My favorite politician would be Lee Kuan Yew. He is considered by many as the founder of modern Singapore.

If you try and look at a map, you will see that Singapore is no more than just a speck or dot in the map with very limited natural resources. But today, the economic success of Singapore is admired by most South-east Asian nations as well as in Europe. This is all thanks to Mr. Lee.

Before Mr. Lee became the country's first Prime Minister in 1959, one magazine has described Singapore as being a "cesspool of squalor and degradation". But if you look at our country today, our per capita income is second only to Japan. Also, we don't have any foreign debts.

For those not in the know, in Singapore we mainly have three races: the majority are Chinese, second would be Malays and third would be Indians. Aside from the economic success of Singapore, what I liked most about our government is that it stresses the importance of maintaining religious tolerance and racial harmony. Any threat that might incite ethnic and religious violence, will be dealt with severely by the law. This again would all be attributed to Mr. Lee. Without him, I couldn't even imagine what condition our country might be in today.

[dahlia84]

First of all, I am from India and so my favorite political leader would definitely be someone from India! I was not even born when the great political leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru were helping out India by means of freedom struggles to make our India become Independent! I still like them but from what I have read, I could say they were great humans and the best freedom fighters! Talking about Political leaders, my most favorite person would be Dr AP J Abdul Kalam.

He was the former president of India, serving the nation from 2002 to 2007. Not only that, he is also a leading Indian Scientist. Even though he was the eleventh president of India, he is the first scientist to become a president! I don't really think there are any other countries that ever had nor has a scientist as its president! I am a proud Indian, in that way!

I personally think political leaders should not only be able to handle the people but also have an in-depth knowledge and good understanding on the various factors like the current situation of the nation, how to develop a nation and make it progress further in the future. The progress should happen both in economical and technical aspects of a country. That is what Dr AP J Abdul Kalam did.

I here would like to tell you all about some of the facts and achievements he brought for us:


Dr AP J Abdul Kalam was born on 1931 in a district called Rameshwaram (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rameshwaram)who's father is a boat owner. (You see, great people like AP J, Abraham Lincoln are from the middle class or low class families. Wish my dad was a cobbler too Lol)
He served India as a president in an unconventional working style where he interacted a lot with the people, given seminars for aspiring engineering students and even the school kids. This is the reason for why he as also called as "People's President". (Can you point me one single president like Dr AP J who went to school and colleges just to give seminars and plant the motivation in students to make their country a developed one? He rocks man. This is why I say well educated scholars should be made as political leaders". The word "politics" will never give a pessimistic look then)
He was awarded Bharat Ratna (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bharat_Ratna) award for his work and contributions on Defense Research and Development Organization (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DRDO)
There is also a dedicated site for him AP J Official Site (http://www.abdulkalam.nic.in/) where you can see his profile, the books he has written, the motivating quotes he mentioned to the budding Indian kids and aspiring students, his message to the students, political parties and Lok Shaba in the Central hall of Parliment house (New Delhi, India).
As an engineer and scientist, his contributions to the development of India's first indigenous Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-III) were predominantly significant.
When he was working as a Chief Executive in Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP), his contributions and the role he played in development of man missiles including Agni and Prithvi were tremendous.
On the political front, he wrote a book called India 2020 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India_2020) in which he elaborated his views on certain issues faced by India along with an appropriate solution to them. It is sad that none of his solutions have been implemented yet. In that book, he strongly advocates an action plan to develop India into a knowledge superpower and a developed nation by the year 2020.
AP J must have been the only president who got enormous amount of support even from the business leader of great IT companies like Infosys (also called as Infy), Wipro, etc. His emphasis on the cultivation of scientific temper and entrepreneurial drive mixed up with the nation's development is one of the vital reason for this.
He always tells the students and children "Dream dreams because dreams lead to thought and thought leads to action". But I feel in his case it has always led to extraordinary action :) You can read more of his inspirational quotes here (http://thinkexist.com/quotes/abdul_kalam/)
I have even read long before in the news papers that, Dr AP J is considered as one amongst the India's greatest presidents. This India's Best President poll was conducted by the news channel CNN-IBN.


I wish he continued to be an Indian president even further but as there is a saying, "good people will not last longer in the political industry because politics is just not their cup of tea". However, I am glad and proud for having him as our former president and Indian will cherish his period and his contributions for the generations to come.

Last but not the least; I would request you all to read the way how he addressed to the nation on the eve of Independence Day (http://www.indianembassy.org/president/aug_14_02.html). No hurries, you can read it at your leisure :) You will see for yourself what an awesome president he was!

[Fergal]

Three more entries required before this competition can be closed.

Please note that it is not necessarily the longest post that wins.

[DEADMAN]

I would like to go for the Political Leader of my own country because if he wasn't there then our country, Nepal would still be same as stone age. However, he was strict in his policies and rules but he gave the chance to our country to introduce with different Human essential basic needs. The name of the person is Jung Bahadur Rana and most of the achievement was achieved during The Rana Regime he created and during his followers like Chandra Shumsher, Judda Shumsher, Bir Shumsher. They ruled more 104 years in Nepal and brought drastic changes in Nepal when Nepal lied in stone age. He showed a new path for bright Nepal.

Jung Bahadur Rana was in touch with the Royal palace of Nepal from the early days. So due to his diplomacy, he was able to handle the supreme power of Nepal in his hand and he was also able to throw Kings from the power and run the administrator himself. If he didn't started his Rana Regime although he was strict, the country couldn't have made much success and also his followers couldn't have made excellent works. During his ruling and his followers ruling, they made many and following main chances:

Administrative Achievements
Jung Bahadur Rana, upon his return from Great Britain in 1906 B.S, put into force the first written law called "Muluki Ain" which he publised in the name of King Surendra Bikram Shah in 1910 B.S. thus a uniform law was enforced throughout the kingdom. This law has the importance in bringing the legal uniformity in the country.

Social Achievements
Jung Bahadur was able to remove some of the social problem in the society to some instance. From past, Nepalese society was based on traditionally backward customs, rites and culture. He therefore helped to reduce bad social customs in the society likewise "satiprata" (living unmarried for whole life when hustband dies) when legally and he tried to discourage it. Bir Shumsher also tried to discourage it and lastly, it was abolished by law in 1977 B.S. There was slavery system also in Nepal. Attempts were made to discourage this slavery system. Bir Shumsher also tried to abolish slavery system and Dev Shumsher sent a team of surveyours to collect data of male and female slaves in Kaski and Lamjung to remove slavery system. He made a rule whereby no one can compel anybody to become a slave and none can behave inhumanly with a slave who had already been a slave. Later, Chandra Shumsher abolished the slavery system. The slaves were set free with the amount of Rs. 36 Lakhs and 70 thousands drawn from the trust of Pashupatinath.

Agriculture
Attemps were made to diversity the agriculture crops during the period of Rana Regime. The tea cultivation was started in Illam and Soktim of Nepal, By Jung Bahadur at the time of his prime ministership.

Irrigation and Electricty
The first big irrigational canal constructed during the the time of Chandra Shumsher, the follower of Jung Bahadur Rana. The Chandra Nahar was taken out from the river Trijuga of Saptari. Later, Juddha Nahar was constructed from the Manusmara river of Rautahat during his period. Similarly the first hydropower station with the capacity of electricty of 500 kw was installed in Pharphing during the time of Chandra Shumsher. Lately, in the time of Juddha Shumsher, the Sundarijal power station, with the generating capacity of 900 k.w was installed.

Industry
The Rana rule (from 1936 to 1950 A.D or 1993 to 2007 B.S) is regarded as the important period for the developemtn of Industry in Nepal. Nepal Bank Limited was established. Biratnagar Jute Mills was first to get established in 1936 AD under the Company Act of Nepal. After the Juddha Match Factory was established in Birgunj. Nepal Kapada (clothes) and Gharelu (Homely) Ilam Prachar Aadda was established for the first time in Nepal during the period of Juddha Shumsher.

Trade
Wood, leather, herbs and foodgrains were exported from Nepal in large quantities during the Rana Regime. The trade balance was in favor of Nepal. The raw materials of Nepal used to reach up to Europe through Calcutta port in India.

Forest Resources, Development of Settlements/Industrial use
The Great Majesty the King Pritivinarayan Shah had considered forest resources as the basis of security of the nation. So he has laid emphasis on the conservation and protection of the forest. But due to the policy of pimire minister Jung Bahadur Rana for developing the settlements and towns, the destruction of the forest resource continued. In one hand, development of cities took place and in another forest even thou forest were destructed, they were used for Industrial purpose.

Health, Education, News
Jung Bahadur established Durbar School at Tripathali Place in 1910 b.S to impart English education to his family members, this was the way where English Education frist time entered to Nepal. Later, Bir Shumsher tranferred that school after constructing a building in front of Ranipokhari. Dev Shumsher started the publication of the Gorkhapatra and opened some primary schools. Chandra Shumsher established dozen of schools at various places of the country and Tri-Chandra college in Kathmandu. Many schools were established in the various part of the country during the time of Juddha Shumsher. A separate arrangment of SLC Board Examination was made during his period. The female education was encouraged during the Padhma Shumsher. The schools like Kanya Mandhir and padma Kanya were established during his lifetime. Bir Shumsher established Bir Hospital and Bridhara, etc whereas Chandra Shumsher constructed Army Hospital, Health centre at Tokha and a power house at Pharphing.

So, my favorite political leader is Jung Bahadur Rana. If he hadn't rule over the country, then he and his followers wouldn't have been able to benefit Nepal and develop it. In their absense, kings used to rule and they would rule and seriouly, after the death of Nation Builder and Great king of Nepal, PritiviNarayan Shah their were no kings who were as strong, diplomatic and brave as him. So, country was going at ruin and undevelopment and economic crisis had occured. And Jung Bahadur Rana saw the weak condition of King and over-thrown him with his diplomacy and gave Nepal new development and achievements.

That's all.

[Fergal]

Only two more entries needed. There doesn't appear to be great interest in this particular competition.

On second thoughts I will close it tomorrow morning even if we don't get the required entries.

[Fergal]

Today's winner is DEADMAN, please PM me with your PayPal email. Congratulations!

Thanks to everyone who participated.

[Nazreen]

Congratulations DEADMAN!

[DEADMAN]

Thank you everybody and especially Fergal!

I knew I was to win this competition. :)

Once again, thank you all.