RAJAT GUPTA AS “HUMPTY DUMPTY” !!
Here is my original letter to BUSINESS STANDARD in response to the article titled :””Good behaviour may cut Gupta’s two-year jail term” (BS dated 26th October 2012).
Dear Sir,
This refers to your news item titled :”Good behaviour may cut Gupta’s two-year jail term” (BS dated 26th October 2012).
This episode reminds one of following famous quotes :
“It takes many good deeds to build a good reputation, and only one bad one to lose it” – Benjamin Franklin.
“Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.” -Abraham Lincoln
It is indeed a sad story about an icon who has fallen from grace and his pedestal.Media reports in coming days will be full of news about strategies and counter strategies by both the parties to this most (in)famous case related to insider trading and readers will lap it up like an un-putdownable racy novel ! Business Schools will discuss the case and many case studies will be prepared. Legal luminaries will debate its pros and cons over cups of Starbucks Coffee (now that the first Starbucks outlet has opened ). What is more important is to know what lessons we should learn from this entire downfall of the poster-boy of Indian diaspora.The speed with which US courts have moved in this matter can teach our Indian courts how to fast track such cases and avoid the oft quoted cliche :”Justice delayed is justice denied”. Many white-collar offenders in India still roam free due to slow and tardy pace of hearing of cases here.
Rajat Sharma’s episode compels the funny bone in me to compose the following doggerel (with apologies to the creator of the famous Nursery Rhyme on Humpty Dumpty ):
Rajat Gupta the insider,traded on the Wall,
Rajat Gupta the icon,had a shameful fall !
All his advocates,well-wishers and friends,
Could not prevent his prison sentence !!
This refers to your news item titled :”Good behaviour may cut Gupta’s two-year jail term” (BS dated 26th October 2012).
This episode reminds one of following famous quotes :
“It takes many good deeds to build a good reputation, and only one bad one to lose it” – Benjamin Franklin.
“Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.” -Abraham Lincoln
It is indeed a sad story about an icon who has fallen from grace and his pedestal.Media reports in coming days will be full of news about strategies and counter strategies by both the parties to this most (in)famous case related to insider trading and readers will lap it up like an un-putdownable racy novel ! Business Schools will discuss the case and many case studies will be prepared. Legal luminaries will debate its pros and cons over cups of Starbucks Coffee (now that the first Starbucks outlet has opened ). What is more important is to know what lessons we should learn from this entire downfall of the poster-boy of Indian diaspora.The speed with which US courts have moved in this matter can teach our Indian courts how to fast track such cases and avoid the oft quoted cliche :”Justice delayed is justice denied”. Many white-collar offenders in India still roam free due to slow and tardy pace of hearing of cases here.
Rajat Sharma’s episode compels the funny bone in me to compose the following doggerel (with apologies to the creator of the famous Nursery Rhyme on Humpty Dumpty ):
Rajat Gupta the insider,traded on the Wall,
Rajat Gupta the icon,had a shameful fall !
All his advocates,well-wishers and friends,
Could not prevent his prison sentence !!
J S BROCA, NEW DELHI
An edited short version has been published in today’s (30th October 2012) as under :
Letters :Gupta as Humpty Dumpty
Business Standard / New Delhi Oct 30, 2012
This refers to the report “Good behaviour may cut Gupta’s two-year jail term” (October 26). The Rajat Gupta episode brings to mind Benjamin Franklin’s famous quote, “It takes many good deeds to build a good reputation, and only one bad one to lose it.” It is indeed a sad tale of an icon’s fall from grace. This compels the funny bone in me to compose the following doggerel (with apologies to the creator of the nursery rhyme, “Humpty Dumpty”):
Rajat Gupta the insider, traded on the Wall,Rajat Gupta the icon,had a shameful fall
All his advocates, well-wishers and friends,Could not prevent his prison sentence!
J S Broca, New Delhi
KEEP SMILING …..
Dear Readers,
HERE IS THE LINK TO MY LETTER IN BUSINESS STANDARD :
http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/letters-gupta-as-humpty-dumpty/491041/
J S BROCA
NEW DELHI
30TH OCT 2012
Dear Readers,
Another version of my letter has been published in today’s (2nd November 2012) FINANCIAL ESPRESS as under :
Our own Rajat Guptas?
This refers to the news story “Rajat Gupta gets 2 years in jail for fraud” (FE, October 25). This episode reminds me of the famous quote by Benjamin Franklin: “It takes many good deeds to build a good reputation, and only one bad one to lose it.” It also reminded me of a quote by Abraham Lincoln: “Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.” It is indeed sad that an icon has fallen from grace. Media reports in the coming days will be full of this (in)famous case related to insider trading. Business schools will discuss the case and many case studies will be prepared. Legal luminaries will debate its pros and cons. But what is more important is to know what lessons we Indians should learn from all this. The speed with which US courts have moved in this matter can teach our courts how to fast track such cases. Many white-collar offenders in India roam free due to slow and tardy pace of hearing of such cases in India.
JS Broca, New Delhi
Here is the link to enable you to read it on FE :
http://www.financialexpress.com/news/letters-to-the-editor/1025332/0
J S BROCA
NEW DELHI
2ND NOV 2012
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