Missing in Action

It's finally official, there are only a handful of active associations in

North India. In an exhaustive story that our sister publication, The DQ Channels

has done in its latest issue we spoke to almost 24 associations who are said to

operate in the region. And guess what? We could only come up with three who

could be classified as 'active'. We took the member activity figure from

presidents, executive secretarys and most often while they insisted that the

association was very much active but the work spoke otherwise.

A member of one association that I spoke to insisted that the executive

committee had spent almost 70-80 hours on working for the benefit of the

community, but was at fail to cite one notable achievement. Associations across

UP and there are many, have just re-energized because of the government

implementing excessive tax on them else they have been almost comatose. Take for

example the Uttar Pradesh Computer Dealer's Welfare Association that was formed

with much fanfare. It was supposed to be a state level body, but it has been

almost comatose this year, not doing anything. So why is it that such a

situation arises only in North and not in other regions?

Shivangi Yadav

The problem in my view is that many channel associations in North are headed

by much revered people who are considered leaders in the community. So when an

association is formed in that region, they are the obvious choice to lead it or

be a part of the executive council. They start with much fanfare, promising a

lot and trying to roll out various measures but the initial enthusiasm quickly

gives way to disdain.

When business interests clash with community work, the association goes for a

toss. The larger channel base at that moment is left high and dry but there is

little that they can do. The president and the committee have been elected for a

period of minimum one year, so the rest of the members keep quiet. When election

are not held on time, many in community question it but not openly lest to

offend. So what is the net result? An inactive association, a body that should

ideally be working for their benefit, is comatose. But does anyone complain,

very rarely and even when they do it is off-the-record.

Is there a solution? Yes, there certainly is. Ideally if the person who has

been elected president or even a member of the executive council is finding it

hard to dedicate time for association activities, then they should quit. There

are, I am sure people out there who would like to take up the challenge, after

all other associations across the country have managed to find such people. I

have a firm belief-when people are given a challenge and they accept it they are

likely to ensure that they see it to its logical end in contrast to people who

have gotten a leadership thrust on them.

For them it becomes a personal challenge and no one likes losing. So

associations in North should probably try it-after all what have you got to lose

now?

shivangiy@cybermedia.co.in