Who are the Findians?

 There appears to be a discussion going on in Oulu about who are Annikki and Jacob. This question appears to be troubling some people!

I do not understand why, as we consider ourselves to be Findians, a term we coined in 1967.

My first book, which is a science fiction novel but based on real life experiences in India and Finland was written during our visit to Finland in 1975.

As we did not especially like non-fiction, we have held back publication of this book for almost 50 years. 

Maybe there will be a time for this as it covers an interesting polymer science phenomena which has practical significance.

We have in our three blog entries covered our close association the the Findians culture. 

1967-1975

Findians Part 1 -

1975-1984

Findians Part 2

1984-2024

Findians Part 3

However we have a very traditional history of association with Finland and India which is not covered by these blog enrries.

In Annikki’s case her stand against corruption in India has been most dramatically covered in her book “…for the hour of his judgement is come;…”.

Although Annikki was brought up as a Christian, she was never a part of the church in Finland as she had a strong belief that she was not ready to commit herself to life in the church. 

It was only after her episode in Bangalore in 1984 that she joined a church. 

When she returned to Finlandv in 1984 she had to visit by the Magistrate’s Office to officially take her name off the Finnish church register where she was added when she was born in Finland in 1944!

It shows how strong her faith is, not something that a normal Lutheran Finn would follow.

Similarly, I too left the church and took to my own version of Christianity after a sharp reaction to certain church practices in 1969.

This behaviour related to the prilncipes that we adhere to in our personal life. 

We are not concerned by what people think as we must abide by our principles.

One of the first questions that people from the Indian community in Finland ask on meeting me is where I am from. 

My answer is always the same - "I am an Indian.”

I relate a story from 1970 when S. M. Krishna, then Indistrues Minister inKarnataka, made the famous “Sons of the Soil" Policy in the Karnataka Assembly.

Shortly after that he visited Madras and he was staying at the Surgicak Insttumrnts Factory Guest House in St. Thomas Mount. We were staying in Defence Officer's Colony, about 500 metres from where he was put up.

We had a common friends, Gaythri and Raghunath Reddy and Raghu was with S. M . Krishna on that visit.

During that visit I asked Mr. Krishna which son of the soil I belonged to. All my grandparents were from Kerala. My maternal grandfather, K. C. Mammen Mappillai, was a doyen of Kerala. My paternal grandfather joined the Mysore Administration of the MysoreMaharja and became the First Member of the Privy Counvil of the Maharaja as was titled Raja Matra Praveena Dewan Bahadur Kuriyan Matthan.

In fact, his name was held in the highest respect in Mr. Krishna’s constituency, Mandya District because it was he who challenged Dewan Vishveshraya on the building of the Kishmsagar Dam and changed the face of districtt to become the food bowl of the state.

Many tens of years later I was being held in the highest respect in Mandya Disttict, not of my own doing, but because of the respect to Mysore Matthan.

All the sons ofv Mysore held high positions in their subsequent lives and they all associated with being Kannadiugas.

I was born in Vani Vilas Hospital near City Market in Bsngalore.

My father stood on his principles and resigned from the Mysore Electricity Board because a difference of opinion with the Chief Minister, Hanumanthaiya and moved to Bombay, to become Chief Engineer of the Bombay Electric Supply and Transport. 

We children moved ftom Bishop Cotton's School in Bangalore and joined the Cathedral and John Connon School. But our roots in Karnataka did not vanish as even today I am proud to stand behind cricketer Mayank Agarwsl who is fron Bishop Cotton'ss School.

But living 7 years in Bombay we watched the bifurication of Bombay to Mahashtra and Gujarat, living directly opposite the Bombsy Sachivaliya and with the bullets flying from the building to our house on Cooperage Rosd with thousands of protesters taking refuge in our compound!

We became Maharashtrians in thought word and deed and even today our web pages and blogs about Cathedral School are references for hundreds of my alumni who recognise us as their fellow Maharashtrians.

I was then fortunate to get admission to St. Stephen’s College of Delhi Univrrsity. I was the first and only 2nd year student to be elected as President of the rrsidents of the College. 

I became a Delhi-ite in thought word and deed with my bad  Delhi Hindi, which I even speak today.

I was fortunate to share this sopace in Delhi with such personalities as former Indian reprsentative to the UN, later High coimmissioner 5to the UK ands later Cimmonweaqlth Secretary, Kamlesh SAharma, former Planning Commissioner Chairperson, Montek Singh Alhuwalia, brothers Mani Shankar Aiyar and economist and journalist Swaminathan Aiyar, brother Ambassadfor Aftab Seth and Roshan Seth of "Gandhi" movie fame, Late Rahul Bajaj and Ashok (Tony) Jaitly, Magsaysay award winner journalist Arun Shourie wo was my hockey captain, Ambassador Sidarth Singh, and many hundreds of Sterphanians who even tyoday visit ther Kooler Talk wreb page which was glue which held them together for many years. Many policians of later day as 68er Kapil Sibal - Minister ofTelecom, 72er Ashwani Kumar - Minister of Law & Justice, Rajya Sabha (Parliamentary Affairs), 73er Salman Khurshid - Minister of External Affairs, 74er R. P. N. Singh - Minister of State  Home, 76er Shashi Tharoor - Minister of State of Human Resources, 97er Sachin Pilot - Minister of State of Corporate Affairs and 90er Joyti Scindia Minister of State for  Power were my juniors as also the present Minister of ExternalAffairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankars.

I have never minced my words in criticising these alumni!

57th Wedding Anniversay of The FINDIANS

 28th January 3024 is the 57th Wedding Anniversary of Annikki snd me.

I have, for this occasion, scanned a few colour pictures, previously unpublished, of our wedding in 1967. 

(Yes, I managed to get my new slide and negative scanner to work despite several hiccups.)

I may have aged a bit but my dear wife is still as beautiful and happy as on our wedding day!

Annikki & Jacob with Best Man T. J. Joseph  (Josey)

Annikki with bridesmaid

Annikki and Jacob replying to the Wedding Toast

Jacob, Annikki, Aino, Anil, Marion,
Thangam, Ranjit, Barry, Erkki

Oulu January 2024

Susanna with Jacob

Susanna with Annikki

Finland-Kerala, India: A Deep Dive into Cross-cultural Engagement

Nirmala Sitharaman, the Finance Minister of India released this video.

A Kerala based personal tution company, INTERVAL, from Areekode in Malapuram District. has been selected to be part of the Finnish Talent Boost Project.

Boost

Map locating Areekodde in Kerala

What is the Finnish Talent Boost Project? 

It is a project to  promote Global Competitiveness Through Talent Attraction and Retention

In an increasingly globalized and interconnected world, countries are recognizing the crucial role that talent and human capital play in economic growth and development. Finland, a nation renowned for its innovation and expertise, has embraced this concept through the implementation of the Finnish Talent Boost Project. This  introduction delves into the aims, strategies, and impacts of this project, which seeks to attract and retain international talent to enhance Finland's global competitiveness.

I. Aims:

The primary objective of the Finnish Talent Boost Project is to attract and retain highly skilled professionals from around the world to alleviate skill shortages and boost economic growth. By doing so, Finland aims to position itself as an attractive destination for foreign talent, thereby enhancing its competitive advantage in key sectors such as technology, research, and entrepreneurship. This project focuses not only on attracting talent but also on integrating foreign professionals into Finnish society and ensuring their long-term commitment to the country.

II. Strategies:

To achieve its goals, the Talent Boost Project deploys a range of innovative strategies that facilitate the recruitment and integration of international talent. One such strategy is the implementation of streamlined visa procedures and a comprehensive online platform for potential migrants, providing necessary information and support services. This simplifies the process of relocating and working in Finland, encouraging highly skilled individuals to consider the country as a viable option.

The Talent Boost Project engages in proactive marketing campaigns to promote Finland's welcoming and inclusive environment, highlighting its high-quality education system, research opportunities, work-life balance, and strong emphasis on sustainability. These initiatives aim to create a positive image of Finland and attract talent from diverse backgrounds who can contribute to the country in various sectors.

III. Integration and Retention Measures:

Attracting talent is only half the battle; the Talent Boost Project also focuses on fostering an environment that enables foreign professionals to integrate successfully into Finnish society. The program provides language training and cultural orientation programs to help foreigners adapt to their new surroundings and interact effectively with locals. Additionally, the project collaborates with employers and universities to create internship programs and job opportunities for international graduates, facilitating their transition from education to employment.

The Finnish government offers support systems such as career coaching, mentorship programs, and networking events to help foreign professionals build professional connections and develop their careers within the Finnish job market. These measures play a crucial role in ensuring the long-term commitment of international talent, as they increase job satisfaction and provide opportunities for continued professional development.

IV. Impact on Competitiveness:

By implementing the Talent Boost Project, Finland has witnessed several positive impacts on its global competitiveness. Firstly, the influx of international talent brings fresh perspectives, diversity of thought, and cross-cultural collaboration, which stimulate innovation and enhance productivity within Finnish industries. This talent infusion has played a significant role in bolstering the country's reputation as a center of excellence and attracting global investments.

Secondly, the project has helped bridge skill gaps in critical sectors, particularly in technology and research, where a scarcity of experts was previously a concern. By attracting highly skilled professionals, Finland can ensure the sustainable growth of its knowledge-based economy.

In conclusion, the Finnish Talent Boost Project reflects Finland's commitment to attracting and retaining international talent to enhance its global competitiveness. By implementing innovative strategies to attract individuals and fostering an environment that promotes integration and retention, Finland not only benefits from the diverse skills and perspectives brought by foreign professionals but also secures its position as a thriving hub for innovation, research, and entrepreneurship. This project serves as a model for countries seeking to leverage talent attraction and retention as a means to drive economic growth and stay competitive in the global landscape.

Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland

Viva la Kerala in having a company which was able to enter this arena in a country considered to be the premier in education.

Our 40 years of fighting to modify the Finnish system has finally resulted in this one more breakthrough. 

(Hope you will read through a few of the over 2000 blog entries in Jacob’s blogs and our other 18 blogs to see how much we have strived for an impact like this. Nothing happens overnight!)

Jacob with HE K. P. Fabian at 

University of Oulu (1988)

Jacob with HE Thangkima Cherpoot at 

Oulu University  (1991)

Jacob with HE Ashok Sharma at 

Oulu International School (2015)

Jacob with HE Raveesh Kumar

on his first visit to Oulu (2021)

Important contributions along the way have been made by HEs K. P. Fabian, Thangkima Cherpoot, Om Prakash, Ashok Sharma, and our present ambassador HE Raveesh Kumar, the last three from my alma mater, Delhi University)  I must also name top researchers as Vamsi Krishna Palakuru, Sebastian Malladil, and Jobin Verghese who followed my tenure in the Microelectronics and Material Physics Laboratores, )

The first breakthrough came in 1988 when  Indian Ambassador HE  K. P. Fabian’s and myself, also more than theoretically a Mallu, had the first tie up between University of Oulu and the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru. (I must not forget the great contribution of the late Brig Sharma, who came as later in the 1980s as the professor of Optoelectronics in the Computer Science Laboratory of Oulu University after the initial groundwork had been laid by my wife, Annikki, and me. I must also mention other leading lights as Prof. Ajeet Mathur, Isaac Sunderajan, Abhay Bulsari, Radha Krishnan, Sulochana Meyer, Mahesh Somani, Atul Mahajan, Heramb Kulkarni.) 

The foundations we set  over the years are deep and we now see the results in different spheres of commercial (eg. Codenomicon, Elektrobit, Net Hawk, Nokia, State Research Centre of Finland VTT, Valmet, Vaisala, Wärtsilä, etc.) and education life in Finland (Helsinki, Jyväskylä, Kuopio, Läpeenranta, Oulu, Tampere, Turku  Universities).  The work of Prof. Ajeet Mathur in Helsinki and Tampere Universities,  Sulochana Meyer in the Oulu International School and Heramb Kulkarni in Tampere stand out in the latter sphere.

I am rather surprised that the Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman  has chosen to push this positive news about Kerala! 

Hard and dedicated work pays off - but all credit to INTERVAL for cashing in on this 30 years down the road.

Vikings Invade Järvisaari - August 1975

JACOB MATTHAN

scene.

(This article was originally written on August 16th 1975 as we sailed from Järvisaari to Kapellskär. The pictures for this blog entry were added from our personal files. We wrote to the Managing Director of Viking Lines but got no acknowledgement or reply. The official enquiry covered up the facts and no action was taken, and no compensation was paid to the passengers!)

It was past midnight. Friday the fifteenth day of August 1975, the Independence Day of India, had arrived. Most of the weary travelers had finished their traditional Viking repast, and in true Scandinavian style they were lazily enjoying their schnapps and foamy Danish beer.

In the still of the night, where the quiet drizzle beating on the deck sounded like little children playing softly, and the steady beating of the ship's engines was like a heartbeat, a shrill call from the bar, of indistinguishable content, broke the quietness.

A few seconds later the heartbeat stopped but the ship moved on. 

Passengers looked up, wondering what had happened. 

Moments later there was massive crunching sound which seemed to come from the very stomach of the massive vessel.

There seemed to be a desperate effort to restart the boat in reverse, but it was too late. The curtains from one of the windows dropped on a happy group of English youths returning home from the Land of the Midnight Sun.

Panic prevailed as seamen, relaxing in various parts of the boat, rushed to their stations, taking the narrow steps three and four at a time. Passengers, realizing that something dramatic had happened, reacted in multifarious ways.

À young Finnish couple rushed down the corridors to their cabin, to wake their children. Fear marked their faces as they struggled with the gleaming double lock. Elderly couples who had retired early to bed, had left their cabins still in their night clothes, some pulling on their bulky life jackets.

A young German mother waited expectantly at the door of her cabin. Drunks had sobered down remarkably quickly. Nobody knew where to go or what to do, and rumors spread like a forest fire, clutching people in its wake.

In the steady hum of voices, two bells suddenly sounded, followed by a loud calm voice, instructing an officer to ring forty-five. 

Then again the silence as passengers were stilled by the voice. A minute later the bells struck again. The calm voice this time talked to the travellers, first in Finnish, then in Swedish and then in English. 

There was no cause for panic, the situation was well under control, the ship had run into shallow water

The tense passengers, by now realizing that they were not going to be thrown into the rude night, had settled down to easing their emotions by talking. 

Friendships blossomed. Some of the more enterprising ones had rushed to their cabins. to collect their cameras.

Just as normalcy was returning the tinkling bells sounded again. Eager ears waited for reassuring news. 

This time, however, a curt voice ordered all seamen on deck to man the lifeboats.

Hearts beat faster as the passengers started for their cabins to collect their valuables, as if to abandon ship. Just as the fears were mounting bells sounded again. It advised the passengers not to worry as the seamen were going out in the lifeboats to see if there were leaks from the ship.

Quiet again as the people gradually returned to their cabins, not knowing what to do or what to say. 

Some stayed at the gambling machines, others walked around aimlessly. Some walked around the ships decks to observe whatever could be seen in the darkness.

The ships lights lit the waters, through the rain, for about

50 metres. Clearly visible not more than 30 metres away were the grey pine trees. 

Yes, indeed there was island not far away. From the bridge of the ship the sight was even more amazing, for right in the ships spotlights, on both sides, was the rocky beach of an island. The ship was firmly wedged on the rocky shore of an island, the Järvisaari.

The sight was comic as well as stupid. The ship had been steered straight onto the beach. Was it really possible - was it the case of a sleepy navigator or a drunken driver? 

The official enquiry will undoubtedly reveal the truth, but to an onlooker it was a ridiculous sight. 

Flashing beacons could be seen everywhere,

and warning lights lit every difficult position.

Frightened passengers waited for news which never came. The lifeboat going around the ship broke the stillness with its chattering motor.

Sleep came for most as they relaxed from the tension. Before long, day broke and revealed in even greater magnitude the stupidity of the incident.

Nearby islanders came in their boats to view the Viking. 

Motorboats hummed around the ship. In the distance one could see the approaching tug almost as green as the islands around the scene.

It was around seven o'clock, and again the bells tolled. The pleasant refreshed voice told the passengers that they would be on their way to Kapellskär within the hour 

Passengers crowded onto the decks to see the approaching tug and watched the seamen throw their line across to the stranded Viking. The heavy steel wire rope was pulled aboard and knotted around the black capston. 

The Naantali moved slowly away to test the firmness of the rope, but as the tension grew the strands of steel snapped one by one till, suddenly, it snapped altogether and flew hopelessly into the waiting waters. 

The tug moved away and the captain of the ship was informed of the situation.

A few minutes later, the captain, dressed in his finery, arrived at the scene and surveyed the damage. 

It did not take him long to decide to send out three heavy nylon ropes from the ship to the tug. 

In came the Naantali again, and as the Vikings threw the heavy green cords, the able Finnish seamen aboard the tug dragged it aboard and firmly attached it to their swinging hook. 

Again the tug moved out to test the tension.

Hundreds of passengers crowded the decks, waiting to see the blast-off. The captain reappeared, this time in shirt-sleeves, crisp and white, surveyed the tense ropes, nodded in approval and returned to the bridge. 

The shop's engines started, furiously throwing the still waters away. Slowly the tug started to do its job, pulling gently but firmly.

The ship's engines roared and thrust. Oil spread across the waters. The ropes were holding. The ship slowly began to move, first a millimetre and then a metre and as suddenly as it had occurred, the ship was out in the middle of the waterway.

The Naantali quickly loosened the ropes, dropped them in the waters and then sailed away, back to home, carrying with her the quiet blessings of hundreds of passengers from Finland, Sweden, England, Germany, America and India.

The passengers looked thankfully at the departing vessel, it's days job done.

Cameramen rushed around trying to get the best shot of the point of impact on the beach.  Others surveyed the rocky beaches. 

Some slept, oblivious of the happenings outside. 

The captain tested the engines. A lifeboat boat watched as the ship gently moved back and turned into the correct stream.  And then forward. 

The captain  signalled to the lifeboat and it quickly returned to the mothership, attached itself to the hoist, and was gently hauled upwards. 

The waiting patrol boat watched till all were safely aboard and then signalled to the captain, turned and sped away.

Islanders examined the shores where the ship had struck. Just then a beautiful blue four-mast yacht smoothly sailed past the ship. 

As it passed, the ship also gently moved into its course and headed towards Kapellskär. 

It was half-past eight in the morning, thus ended the dramatic eight hours aboard Viking 1.