What’s new??

September, 2022

Dear Friends

Saraswathi, the Goddess of Learning is invoked during Navaratri (9 days). Coincidentally, in this 280th issue of Samhita (1st issue was published in 2009) we are starting a new column “Books – Best Buddy”, featuring books of different genres, recommended by readers. Infact the suggestion came from one of our readers, Hyderabad based Santhosh who is a Company Secretary turned International Ventriloquist. It reflects the ethos of Samhita – light the lamp of knowledge and dispel the darkness of ignorance !

The inaugural column features an Amazon best-seller “You Just Got Cheated – Understanding white collar crimes” by my good friend, Dr. Sibichen Mathew, Commissioner of Income Tax (CPC), author, professional speaker, film maker, all rolled into one. This book is the culmination of over 6 years of research into various white collar crimes across the globe.

The name reveals it all – how you and me, common man get cheated day in and day out by all kinds of fraudsters. Right from a car servicing centre to a sham innovator to a ‘promising’ scheme to large corporates to food chains to politicians to NGOs – at different levels and scales we are cheated and we are almost oblivious to it. We think white collar crimes do not affect the common man. We think the so-called ‘system’ will take care of itself. Or wish that it will not repeat again.

Sadly, this is not true. ”History reveals that crimes travel across the globe in time as criminals learn from each other for their criminal indulgences” says Dr. Sibichen. The book does throw light on many cases where scamsters have been nabbed thanks to either public proactiveness or societal angst and action. More often than not the regulators wake up after the crime is committed and try to bolt the horse after it has run out of the stable – tighten the rules and regulations as a reaction rather than as a response ! As evidence shows, by then the criminal is out on the streets, having escaped to a safe haven with the booty. It is you and me who are left stranded as victims, with empty wallets, lost jobs, dead families, failing health and a bruised economy that has an adverse long-term effect on society.

The book is a treatise on the ‘why, how, and what of the WCCs from the perspective of victimology’, rather than revealing the gory details of various kinds of scams alone, which it does in any case. All from a hitherto unexplored, victim perspective to shake us out of our slumber. To create awareness. To call for concerted action. To make us responsible global citizens. To leave the world as a better place….!!

Awareness and action are a result of the awakening within. 9 days of Navaratri is a celebration of Shakthi – an embodiment of Energy, Abundance & Knowledge. It is a time to transit from ‘tamas’ to ‘rajas’, to awaken the energy within us, to come out of our comfort zones, to break the shell of lethargy, to change, to transform, to ACT. So that ABUNDANCE abounds !