Agneepankh

Letter worth Imbibing

2008-04-12T07:41:00.000-07:00

Abraham Lincoln was a person extraordinaire, not only was one of the greatest American President but also a thinking human being. Below is the reproduction of Abraham Lincoln's letter which he wrote to his son's teacher:

"My son will have to learn I know, that all men are not just, all men are not true. But teach him that for every scoundrel there is a hero; that for every selfish politician, there is a dedicated leader. Teach him that for every enemy there is a friend.
It will take time, I know; but teach him, if you can, that a dollar earned is of far more value than five found.
Teach him to learn to lose and also to enjoy winning. Steer him away from envy, if you can.
Teach him the secret of quiet laughter. Let him learn early that the bullies are the easiest to lick.
Teach him, if you can the wonder of books, but also give him quiet time to ponder over the eternal mystery of birds in the sky, bees in the sun and flowers on a green hill-side.
In school teach him it is far more honorable to fail than to cheat. Teach him to have faith in his own ideas, even if everyone tells him they are wrong.
Teach him to be gentle with gentle people and tough with the tough. Try to give my son the strength not to follow the crowd when everyone is getting on the band wagon.
Teach him to listen to all men. But teach him also to filter all he hears on a screen of truth and take only the good that comes through. Teach him, if you can how to laugh when he is sad. Teach him there is no shame in tears.
Teach him to scoff at cynics and to beware of too much sweetness. Teach him to sell his brawn and brain to the highest bidders; but never to put a price tag on his heart and soul.
Teach him to close his ears to a howling mob… and to stand and fight if he thinks he is right. Treat him gently; but do not cuddle him because only the test of fire makes fine steel. Let him have the courage to be impatient, let him have the patience to be brave.
Teach him always to have the sublime faith in himself because then he will always have the sublime faith in mankind.
This is a big order; but see what you can do; He is such a fine little fellow, my son."

Kashmir-A Forgotten Cause

2008-04-07T00:51:00.000-07:00

I simply avoid writing on the topic for my views on totally different as the rest of you. I might sound cynical to an extent, let it be so since I firmly believe in what I think and what I feel about the land where I was born and raised. Kashmir is history for me, land where I was born and raised initially; I am no longer attached to it. I don’t consider it more than a past chapter of my life. I will always be nostalgic about it as I have lot many memories which I will cherish till eternity and may be share with my children but I am no longer interested in reclaiming the Kashmir which we left behind in the early 90s. I just want to take things as they come and let me make it clear that it doesn’t mean that others must not do anything about it. I know that all Kashmiris will disagree to what I think and write and hence they will do whatever possible and let me wish them all the success and hope they achieve what they strive for.

Exodus of Kashmiri Pandits is not a recent phenomenon and if my memory doesn’t fail me there is a written account of Kashmiri Hindus migrating from Kashmir as early as in year 1320, when a Turk general wrought havoc on non-Muslims. Since then we as a community have moved out of the valley many a times to return back when the things were to return to normal.

Let me put it across very bluntly that we are not emotionally attached and bonded to the land where we were born and raised, the land where our forefathers lived and died. The recent militancy in the valley was not an armed uprising against Hindus; it was an uprising against the Indian Law and Order. It was really unfortunate that many innocent Hindus were targeted and exterminated. And when such events started occurring across the state, the rest packed their bags and left lock, stock and barrel while some of us were unfortunate in this too. We sought an easy way out, we could have chosen to stay and die. Let’s face and realize the fact that Hindus are not and can't be Jews. I can safely and surely assume that out of all Kashmiri men & women there is no David Ben Gurion and Golda Meir. We are made up of different genotype. True but my point of contention is that perseverance and the basic human instinct to live and survive isn’t a genetic trait, it is a fundamental human character which everybody is born with. It is now we realize that the Kashmir valley to us is like the Forbidden Land of Jerusalem is to Jews. How opportunistic as community can we get?

Various apolitical organizations claim to represent the cause of Pandits. Do we really need a political organization when each Kashmiri Pandit as an individual is a party in himself/herself? We might not possess anything but one thing is for sure that we possess a political opinion. What are we fighting for? Are the aims of so called organizations in sync with the ground reality and the modern times? For me reclaiming the valley for Kashmiri Pandits is a secondary issue, there are issues which are far more important and far more mandatory. Even if we reclaim the land by some means, who is going to be there; with whom will our affiliations lie? Will we pledge our allegiance to India whose apathetic attitude bothers us everyday. We are not patriots; we are pseudo-patriots, all of us. There are very few of us who possess that fire in the belly and that zeal in the heart to live and die for our motherland India.

What are the primary issues that I mentioned above? This writing will be incomplete if I don’t write above them. For me the primary concerns is being strong and powerful, not on individual basis but on collective basis. We have spent an exorbitant amount on building ashrams and temples, which doesn’t make any sense to me. How a community can spend money on building temples and ashrams when the people of the same community are living in deplorable condition? It is such a shame. We don’t own and run schools, charitable hospitals, colleges, age-old homes; we have not encouraged entrepreneurship. How many of us are in Civil Services or decision making or in the who’s who in the financial sector or Planning Commission. I won’t be surprised that one fine day we find some other community coming along and driving us out from the places where we are currently residing. We are a small cog in a big wheel (India) whereas the need of the hour is to be a big cog in a big wheel. I believe in one thing that if we are strong as a community, we can turn any land into the valley and then lay claim to the original valley. I rest my case.

To be contd.

Jai Hind

Bharat Ratnas

2008-01-06T04:26:00.000-08:00

This article has been written in response to a blog written on CNN-IBN(www.ibnlive.com), Who is a Ratna? Are cricketers Bharat Ratnas? by DP Satish and the comments that have been posted by the readers in general. I am posting the url to the article:-

(http://www.ibnlive.com/blogs/dpsatish/237/3465/who-is-a-ratna-are-cricketers-bharat-ratnas.html)

First and foremost we must honour the people that have been already conferred with this award rather than casting aspersions on their contribution to the people at large and the nation. If my memory doesn't fail me Dr Zakir Hussain was an academician par excellence, he was an educationist who gave a new direction to Aligarh Muslim University when it was going through a turbulent phase of partition. He even earned admiration from his arch political rival, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, for his untiring efforts in keeping the University afloat during the most testing times. I believe and do so very strongly that Dr Zakir Hussain very much deserves this award like the others who have been conferred with it.

Now the million dollar question is 'Who next?' Our problem lies in the fact that when we as a country fail to come up with a true jewel, the buck either stops at Film Stars or at Sportsmen. Is it really true that this country is faced with the shortage of real Ratnas and we have to create one so that this award may be conferred on them? Do any of the film stars or sportsmen from any part of the country deserve to stand in the list that has the name of legends, luminaries like Dr Radhakrishnan, Dr Rajendra Prasad, Rajaji, CV Raman, Jawahar Lal Nehru, GB Pant, Dr Kalam and many other stalwarts? And if the answer is Yes, then by all means we need to go ahead and confer the same on the best of the lot. And if the answer is No, then we need to think about the same.

Let me throw two names from two different fields altogether and I will try to justify why. Given a choice to nominate a sportsman for this award I can't think of anybody but Pullela Gopichand. To me he is the real champion, we all know his exploits on the badminton court but of the court too he is a Ratna. In the modern day, only a gem can refuse a lucrative endorsement deal from one of the Cola companies. He refused the endorsement offer and instead wanted to endorse Coconut water. How many sportsmen in India would do that? I don’t think there are many, unless you are somebody like Pullela Gopichand. The other name that comes to my mind is somebody of the caliber of Harivansh Rai Bacchan or may be the writer duo of Dominique Laiperre and Larry Collins. They not only have written beautiful books but at the same time have done some substantial work for the less privileged and less fortunate people in Calcutta and the victims of Bhopal Gas Tragedy. Harishvansh Rai Bacchan’s contribution to Hindi language on the whole and his writings for Freedom Fighters during the Freedom Struggle needs no introduction.

Am I a Terrorist?

2007-12-23T07:06:00.000-08:00

It came to me as a shock when an Apartment owner told me that he is wary about leasing his apartment to me on rent for I came from the state of Jammu & Kashmir. What was more shocking was that the statement came from a resident in Mumbai. I know it is an isolated incident and I need not blow the same out of proportion. The only thought lingering in my mind is that are all Kashmiris terrorists or we have a free license to view every Kashmiri with an eye of suspicion. I was wondering who is being questioned me as an individual or Kashmiris as a community? Why is there a doubt in the mind of people that Kashmiris are separatists and our affiliations lie somewhere else? Are we in a position to say that a Marathi is better than a Kashmiri or a Punjabi is better than a Marathi and so on, which race is superior and which is not?

Accused Before the Trial

2006-11-11T00:08:00.000-08:00

I have been keenly watching the proceedings of the Jessica Lall, Priyadarshini Mattoo and Nitish Katara cases, especially the Priyadarshini Mattoo case maybe for the fact that we belong to the same native place. Somehow when the judgment in the case was delivered with the accused Santosh Singh to be hanged till death I somehow found something amiss, unlike many of my friends who were ecstatic about the judgment I deep down felt that something is not right. I felt uneasy the way events have taken place in these cases.

I completely agree that the accused in this case has committed the most gruesome and the heinous crime one can think of and he must be punished for the same by the rule of the land. Now that he has been sent to the gallows, the much awaited judgement has been delivered though I am amongst those few people who believe in the fact that capital punishment is not the way to bring down the crime rate but that’s a different story. But what I feel is wrong is the fact that we as a country and country-men at time allow sentiments to rule us and the fact that our thinking ability and the ability to reason takes a back seat and the popular sentiment takes command of us. In this situation, the same thing has happened, before the judgment was pronounced by the Honorable High Court of India, the people were hell bent on sending the guilty to the gallows. The processions, dharnas and morchas demanding that the accused be damned to death made it very evident that the people have lost faith in the judicial system of India and they were hell bent on taking the law into their hands. I have no hesitation in saying that Santosh Singh was denied a chance of a fair trial in this case. I have no sympathies for him but all accused (even if he has committed the gruesomest of the crimes) have a right to fair trial and in this case I believe that he was denied of the basic fundamental right.

I don’t know how many Priyadarshini Mattoo’s die a premature death, aborted when they are in the womb, raped and killed, burnt alive for dowry. There are many such cases pending with the various courts in India awaiting justice. How are these cases different from this case? I don’t see any difference and I believe that it is impossible to decide the severity of a case in the sense a rape and murder case is the same whether it has happened in Delhi or in some tribal area in a remote corner of India where it is almost impossible to detect. What do we do about it? We take out morchas, processions, send smses to the news channels that the accused if found gulity be hanged……..It can have dangerous repercussions which we won't realise at this moment. I don't want to elaborate on that since that would be a deviation from the this issue.

I am a strong believer that rather than sensationalizing cases on singular basis, lets work towards the strengthening of the system. I have full faith in the judicial system of India, though it has its own weak areas;but no system is perfect, whether it is India or for that matter any other country (I so love Rang De Basanti, thanks to Rakeysh Mehra for incorporating this dialog in the movie), the onus is on us to work towards making that system near to perfect if not perfect. How we are going to do it? Don’t ask me…..Not because I don’t have an answer but for the fact that it has to be one’s individual calling and an individual has to realize how he can add value to his country, his motherland. We as a nation don’t need a preacher for answers, we don’t need leaders to tell us what to do in life and how to move forward, all we need is some introspection and believe me we have an individual capacity, each one of us to make a difference.

Jai Hind

PS:- I have a few lawyer friends and I am more than certain that I will face brick bats from them, so I have to beware and hone my arguing skills.

The Pipeline Story

2006-10-12T23:41:00.000-07:00

The views presented below are totally mine and it may not be shared by the others and I carry no intention to hurt anybody's sentiments. This has been written in close association with pals like Harsh Nema and Avinash Kamath who were kind enough to bear a person like me during my stay in Pune.

Once upon a time in the far off jungles of a Software Park, there lived a fine and majestic Tiger with his beautiful Tigress. They were deeply in love and lived in a den which they fondly called the "Cubicle".

One fine morning, the couple were in a romantic mood and the things were getting started for the Tiger and all of a sudden a Dog appeared from nowhere and started barking outside their "Cubicle" . The Dog hurled choicest of the abuses at the Tiger. 'Hey you @#&%$# of a Tiger’, he thundered. “What are you doing in the cave? Come out and be a man errr...be a Tiger, you pussy cat.” The Dog went on and on, barking and abusing the Tiger and challenging his supreme authority.

The Tiger, though irritated by the incident, put the whole thing behind him and tried to get his, hmmm..., act together and concentrated hard on his lovely Tigress. She was taken aback at her husband's cold response and how he tried to underplay the whole incident. Visibly shaken, she turned to her husband and said, "Honey, why don't you just go out and kick that little ba#$%@ arse". The Tiger gave her a patient hearing and asked her to forget the whole thing and rather concentrate on the amorous game.

The next day the Dog returned and started from where he had left the previous day. This totally frustrated the Tigress and she thundered, "You dumbass of a pussycat. You are the king of the jungle and cannot control a stupid,barking hound? You are good for nothing" The Tiger at first tried to pacify the Tigress but she did not relent, losing his cool, he finally growled and said,"You slut of a Tigress, just keep your mouth shut and do what you are told. Don't even get me started on the Dog."

The Dog did not relent and went on and on with his mud-slinging activity. The Tigress could take it no more, she cursed her husband and took after the Dog to teach him a lesson. Seeing the Tigress in hot pursuit, the Dog ran for his life and straightaway headed into the jungle with the Tigress right behind his heels. The territory was completely unfamiliar to the Tigress. The Dog ran until he came across a construction area where the pipelines were being laid. The Dog ran into the pipe owing to his small size and the Tigress without thinking twice followed him. But alas!the Tigress got stuck pipe in the entrance of the pipe, the pipe was too small to accommodate a Tigress. She was half inside and half outside, stuck in the opening of the pipe, totally helpless. The Dog on the other hand wriggled out of the pipe and approached the Tigress from behind. With such a tight and beautiful opportunity available, the Dog merrily banged his way to eternal bliss.

This went on for days till the Tigress went weak and was finally able to wriggle out of the pipeline. Worn and torn by this painful ordeal, the Tigress returned back to her "Cubicle". Seeing Tigress in such a pathetic condition, the Tiger chuckled. It was a totally uncalled for reaction on part of her husband and she least exoected it at that time. The Tigress was amused and asked the Tiger why was he smiling at her. He said, " You slut...Now that you have finally returned...I warned you in the very beginning not to pay heed to the barking Dog and to mind your own business. But you did not listen and ran behind the Dog without thinking twice....So how does it feel to be banged and screwed by a Dog???? He has done this to me many times in the past and this has made me bit wiser. I don't want to get into any pipeline any more"
Moral of the Story: Don't run after a barking Dog without thinking twice and there is nothing in the pipeline, better stay away from it.

Lesson for people like me in IT Sector

There are lot many jungles (read Software Companies and IT Parks) which are full of pipelines(There are "ALWAYS" projects in the pipeline .....)

Once upon a time I too lived peacefully in a beautiful jungle in Pune with my friends. Alas!! There was no female for company. I was at peace with myself, though there were some intermittent phases of discontent but that’s all right. I believe that we all face these intermittent phases of discontent and frustration. Then one fine day an IT- HR guy came and dangled an offer in front of me which I could not resist.He then lured me into an unknown territory of the jungle. People told me not to follow him but I did not listen. I ran after him and he showed me the pipeline and the projects in it. I was forced into the pipeline and like the Tiger I got stuck at the entrance. Before I realised, it was too late. The rest of the story you know....I'm still undergoing the painful ordeal!!!!!!!!

Dream India

2006-07-28T03:40:00.000-07:00

I dream of India:-

Where Priyadarshinis, Jessicas and many others don’t have to wait for justice.
Where one is not fanatic about ones religion but is fanatic about ones Karma.
Where men are are born equal, no bias on the basis of caste, creed, colour, region or sex.
Where all have access to education, health care, drinking water, food and pure air.
Where donkeys don’t rule men.
Where people are full of compassion.
Where everybody is childlike.
Where women are respected for their contribution to our lives.

I ask myself what have I done till now to realize the above dream but alas I have to search for an answer. All I can say is that all along I have been self-obsessed and ego-centric; never thought beyond myself and my problems. I have all along been selfish and I still am one. Am I trying to be a preacher for that I have received some divine gyaan under the Bodhi Tree or in my sleep. Is it that I have become more sensitive and started thinking beyond myself and the bigger problems that plague us and our country? Well, it is neither of the two. The only reason why I am putting all this down in writing is that I have heard that admission makes one feel light; so here I am admitting to my follies. All this while I have been timid to accept this, thinking that I might be an object of ridicule for my near and dear ones. It is high time that I realize that people around have better things to do in life rather than think about nobody like me.

I am a proud Indian, proud of my roots its rich and vibrant culture & heritage, values and above all the diversity. I believe and believe so very strongly that ours is a divine land created out of some divine intervention, I don’t want to sound chauvinistic nor do I want to belittle the other lands spread across the globe. I say so because the diversity in terms of culture, religion, language found here is unparallel and yet there is something that binds us together as a nation. The legacy left behind by our forefathers is richer than all the gold in the Solomon mines.

It seems that we are moving away from our glorious past, it no way means that we need to stick to our past but what I mean is that our actions need to be in tune with the Indian philosophy and ethos. It is tragic to see that our nation is plagued by violence, hatred, communal tension and many more. It is ironic that the land of saints and sages who have taught the world the lessons of non-violence is faced with all these troubles. Ours would be a much better country minus all these problems. We have the potential to be the greatest country in the world and for that we as a land of billion people need to make a concerted effort. What is lacking a bit more sensitivity and compassion? We need to come out of our egoistic moulds and spend a few minutes thinking about others, provide a helping hand to others. Most importantly spending most of the time in introspection, thinking how one can help build a better India.

Maxim

2006-06-24T03:32:00.000-07:00

I solely take credit for this because it is my thinking, totally mine and nobody else was involved. I hit upon it some what spontaneously:

"If you are married you love a Woman, If you are'nt you love Women."

Makes a lot of sense, doesn't it?

Crap Interview

2006-06-23T00:03:00.000-07:00

Sometimes feeling of writing more often overwhelms me, but then I find myself lacking in ideas. First of all I am not a regular writer, I need ideas which are close to my heart and secondly I am a very selfish writer. I say this because I write about things that concern me, my feelings and my thoughts but today I am about to break that because of an article in the newspaper, rather an interview with an actress which I found disgusting, so disgusting that I couldn't stop myself from writing about it.

I came across this interview of Pooja Bhatt published on the front page of the Times of India insert. I don't agree at first place that these filmstars are superstars or some kind of special people, it is we people who put them on a high pedestal and make them feel special and wanted. Firstly, Ms Bhatt proclaims openly that she has no qualms about being a 12th Standard dropout as she has not missed out on much. Dropping out of college is her personal choice and I don't hold a right to comment on that. But being a celebrity are you supposed to send this kind of message and that too on a medium which is read by one and all?

Further she says that since her childhood she dreamt of being an Astronaut but she figured out that she could not realise her dreams in India. The satellites that India was trying to put in orbit came crashing down into the sea. Ms Bhatt, I can't see how a 12th Standard dropout can be an Astronaut at first place. You did not have enough courage to finish your education, leave aside the dream of being an Astronaut. Let me remind you that Rakesh Sharma realised this dream when the word astronaut would have been alien to you. Talking about the satellites crashing into the sea, yes they did but I don't see that as a deterrent in one's path to becoming an Astronaut. A country can't gain capacity to place satellites in orbit overnight. You gave up your dream of being an Astronaut just because India faced a few roadblocks in the space program is just like a director giving up the thought of making movie just because the bollywood is not doing well.

I found your comments atrocious and unwanted. You have dismissed the efforts of so many brilliant minds involved in the high end research across the various labs in India. Your comments about India's incapacity to place satellites in orbit is just an excuse to hide your lack of conviction on your part to dream and fulfill your dreams.

PS:- I reckon Times of India no more than a tabloid, it is all glossy with no substance. Being a national daily, it has some responsibility towards the readers of this country. How can they publish an interview of a celebrity who seems to be cynical about her own country and coutrymen.

Agneepankh

2006-06-05T23:37:00.000-07:00

I admit that 'Agneepankh' is an unusual name for a blog of this kind. I also admit that it's a Hindi translation of "Wings of Fire" by Dr Kalam. At times this title has been a laughing matter, people can't really associate this name with this blog. I adopted the name for I consider Dr Kalam as my idol, this one of the reasons but not the only reason.

Agneepankh is about dreams, imagination and creativity . It is about the fire in the belly that drives man to create wonders. It is about doing unthinkable, stretching oneself to the limits. It is about human endeavour to bring to life those dreams. This blog is for myself, my frustrations, my joys, sorrows, feelings,desires and other emotions that I go through. Whatever little creativity or imagination I posses, I try to express it in words through this blog. And that is Agneepankh.

Internal Rumblings

2006-06-03T10:42:00.000-07:00

Why is that I'm not born as somebody on the roadside or the young boy whom I see everyday on the road trying to make his two ends meet is not born as me? Why is so much of a socio-economic difference? I know I'm sounding like a philosopher, which I am not; but I really can't help thinking about these things. Why is that I don't have to beg for my living and the guy on the streets don't earn a fat pay-packet?

These things may come across very stupid at the face value; but are they really so stupid. I am seeking answers to these questions. Anu says that it is because of the error of birth; mistiming of the parents. That's quite an answer, I must say innovative answer on the lighter side. I am afraid to discuss this with my friends because I fear that I might come across utterly stupid. I am aware that I am afraid, afraid of being not accepted on these issues. These feelings are mine and I don't want to discuss them until I don't find someone who can answer these questions.

Karma Yogi & Identity Crisis

2006-05-31T02:46:00.000-07:00

My mom tells me "Be a karmayogi", it is the highest form of yoga where an individual meets divinity through his deeds or karma. Mom, does being on a bench in a software company fall under the perview of karma, if it doesn't then there needs to be an ammendment in the divine rules and laws. Not only that spending time in the canteen, checking/sending emails,taking umpteen breaks, all these activities too must be acccounted for being a karmayogi. I was told "Love thy work" but what if I don't have any work?

At time when I look back, I feel my decision to quit from my previous job was a hasty one. Earlier people could identify me by my name (after taxing their brains), I had an honour to talk to people like CFO, Head HR, COO and many more...... Now I have landed in a sea, which is so full of people that my identity is reduced to a mere number; Employee Number 58146

Hypocrisy of the Hypocrites

2006-03-06T20:15:00.000-08:00

Statutory Warning:- The views below are mine and people need to agree with the same. I'd be very grateful if you add your comments to the same.

Not many times I have been critical about my breed but then there are times when you are made to think otherwise. Last night Anu(Anuradha) and I exchanged some SMSes, let me give some details about the same:-
Me: It is late and like a good gal you better go to bed now.
Anu: Who told you that I am good.
Me: Well I like gals who are not so good. Good it out bad is in.
Anu: It always was like that
Me: I don't agree with you on that. I believe that our breed wants someone who can respond to their desires; sinister or otherwise. But when it come to taking the same person home they want her to be a sati- savitri, always proper.
Anu: I would say your breed is afraid to look at the truth into its face when it comes afront..they are not able to able to believe that women have similar wants as they.
Me: I guess its more to do with our upbringing, since childhood a clear demarcation is drawn between a guy and a gal. Girls are supposed to be all that goodie goodie.....
Anu: Right very true...Typical male.....Blame it all on on your upbringing and not your lack of ability to reason and find what's right and what's wrong.
.
.
It has never occured to me that women are also in the same league as men, they have their share of strengths and weaknesses. Assuming that they can only don the role of glamorous dolls with little or no feelings would be foolishness and utter stupidity.

We expect women to perform roles ranging from say a girl friend to mother and grandmother. Today, men prefer working women but not at the cost of their homes and that simply means that women have to perform a balancing act between the domestic chores and the office lives. We simply ignore the fact that they have feelings of their own, they too have desires, wishes; after all they too are made of flesh and blood.

Ironically,our society has laid down rules and rules and most of the rules apply to women whereas men are allowed to roam scot-free. It is ok if men oogle at women but then the woman is characterless if she even smiles at some guy even if it happens to be an acquaintance. To be very honest, it is men who belong to the fairer sex and not women. But it is our ego that prevents us from accepting this fact. We are weak in the sense that we can't accept the fact that a women can excel and leave them behind. It is high time that we realize this, otherwise our breed will be caught in a conflict within and we would be left behind,something like cave men.

PS:- Thanks Anu, for making me realize that I too am one amongst them, will definitely try to be a bit more sensitive.

What I miss.....

2006-02-28T04:10:00.000-08:00

Pune has been like a home away from home. I was so fed up of the place that I started to detest it, but now I realise the fact that it was such a nice place to live. I was in a comfort zone with all buddies around and most of the things I took for granted, I knew that there were people to take care of the same. The lst few days in the city were simply awesome, with all the freaking out and creating a ruckus with Prashant and Saini, the partners in crime. Alas, Ramu was not there. He was pressed in some other important engagements. Saini getting sentimental for not making it on time and then creating a huge chaos on the road. Going to Scream and then realising that "Stags not allowed". Waiting outside the 'Le Meridien' gate, trying to ambush some single girls so that we could gain access into the disc. Finally managing to get hold of two women who were more than helpful in letting us accompany them inside the disc. Dancing along with guys on the dance floor, at the same time trying to avoid the prying eyes of the others. There was a hidden question in the glares that the people around gave and the question was loud and clear " Are you guys gay?" . Finally, Saini and Prashant managing to dance with the gals mentioned above. What was I doing by the time, paying visit to the bar for a tequila shot and at the same time checking out on some interesting prospect, which I did find and unfortunately lost in no time; courtesy my dear friends. Well the party ended on the high note, when the trio hugged each other on the dance floor. The guys bade goodbye to the gals, maybe blew a kiss or two. In the meantime, revenge was on my mind as the two good for nothing friend could not keep tab on my prospect which I located after a lot of prospecting. How I triend to take my revenge is a different story but I partially succeeded because of paucity of time as I was leaving the next day. But all said and done, Pune simply rocks. Thanks a lot Pune guys. Tambi, bro miss you a lot. Ramu, Saini and Prashant you guys really made my life in Pune amazing. Kathy dear I miss you too a lot. You have been a great friend and I can't forget our visits to Baristas, CCDs and Apache. Thanks a lot guys!

PS:- There are many more who made my stay in Pune worth it but I thought that it is really important to mention somebody who been an amazing pal. Even though she's straight forward, tomboyish character but still she is a real charming babe. Thanks GPD, thanks for being there.

Genesis of Names

2006-01-22T23:32:00.000-08:00

The intention is not to hurt any sentiments but to bring back those sweet memories that we will carry till eternity.

Life on a B-School is definitely tough; at the same time it has its own sweet moments too. Moments that brings a smile to one's face when one goes down the memory lane. The nighouts, singing sessions at the top of voice, fighting against the deadline for submitting the assignements, cases and all, cramming for the exams and many more. This is what life at a B-School is all about. I was lucky enough to be a student on a B-School from 2003 to 2005. Ours was a dream batch;'Dream Batch 2005' the vision shared by our former director whom we fondly called "Baap". God has gifted everybody with a wonderful father but our batch and those preceeding ours were endowed with two of them. Our director wasn't only Baap but he was "Baap Re Baap".We had our own share of fun and masti on campus but one thing that we will cherish from the B-School would be nicknames that we received and I bet that they'll remain with us forever.

Let me start with myself, I was Moti to my friends. The name was a distorted construction of my real name. People would mistaken my nick for a dog's.

'Dhuddu' undoubtedly the most famous nickname on campus. I am not really sure about the origin of this but thanks to Manu Paaji (Patiala Bouncer/ Hawa Mein Udhne Wala Safedh Rang ka Bola Bala Panchhi ) for making the name a rage on campus. It was the hottest brand around and poor Abhishek Dube, he was at the receiving end from every Tom, Dick and Harry for the whole of two years of MBA.

'Chilka' Another case of appropriate branding. Well there was absolutely no difference between a chilka and Abhinav Prakash. Poor Aditi Shah for that day onwards she was 'Chilki' . Although for me Prachi Garg was original chilki for her physique.

'Machine Raj' His swagger reminded us of the machine which has lost all nuts and bolts and which is about to fall apart piece by piece and bit by bit any moment. Poor Manish Raj, he thought that his swagger was similar to that of Brad Pitt's. He was grossly mistaken; it was far far away from it.

'Jaadu' A popular nick again, I again plead guilty for not being aware of the origin of this name. But one incident which I can't really forget when all the inmates of the hostel were waving at Jaadu who was standing in the fields behind the hostel with his so called girlfriend and that too when he left the hostel on the pretext of paying obeisance to the deity at the temple. Poor Vikas Sharma, he was not knowing that hawk eyes were following him and his every moment.

'Monkey' He took to this name rather others started calling him Monkey after his song Monkey Man was an instant hit on campus. Poor Anshuman Singh, by the way he had company on campus 'Chimpu' (Sumek Singh). Chimps and monkeys share same genus.

'Sabu' Undoubtedly the undisputed king of the software industry. Software industry? What am I talking about? Take clue from the recent bollywood flick Kalyug. Does it ring any bell?

'Bali Omar' Well what can I say more about him? I am groping for words. Those who are in awe with bollywood might know what this nick means.

'Jojo' His Americanised accent and he yelling 'Hey People' in the microphone while anchoring the cultural programs on campus. You were damn good Soumik De.

'Pandu' His nick originated from his name. He in real life is Abhinav Pandeya. A good lyricist though his singing qualities were and are debatable. Hats off to you Abhinav Pandeya for the beautiful batch anthem.

'Dobbie' His name I guess had to do with his big ears. I am unsure about that. By the way Karthik Natrajan liked being called by that name. He reminded us of Captain Spoch from Star Trek.

'Ramu' or 'Ramu-The Naukar' Vyom Krishna had just come back to campus from a trip to Goa where he had his head tonsured. I heard that Dobbie had tricked him into doing that. Well, when he landed on campus AOE (Age of Empires) was a rage on campus and some said that he resembled a villager in the computer game.

There were many other nicks which I really can't recollect, may be my batchmates can be of some help in helping me out.

Lets shift the attention to the sixth floor, the most happening floor on the campus in the first year. We had 'Jungle' who resembles an apeman from some bygone era. He munches mangoes like apples and not to mention the body hair which reminds me of the tropical forests of Congo that I saw on television. There was 'Dixcy' or 'Sasti Masti', poor Vivek Dikshit, I don't know why he was branded that way by Manu. Then we had 'Chunni', nothing to do with Chunnilal of Devdas, but Sanjeev Agarwal loved being referred to as Chunni. 'Tambi' or 'Maloom' he was always trying to save the world. Anand Shankar, one would always find him on volley ball court, cricket pitch or participating or organizing any function.

I had to bear with 'Chubby' or 'Chubbazah' who made our life miserable by making us listen to his select few songs over and over again. One of the saongs being Chura Liya Hain Tumne. Ashish Jain I can't stand that song again. That leaves to very likeable, bald headed err...hairless 'Kotler' or 'GG', I swear I never understood his marketing fundas. I am not sure about others, but I safely assume that they are no better than me in this regard.

There was some others too who belonged to other floors but were mostly found idling on the sixth floor 'Phukshat' or 'Gyaani Babu' or 'Paparazzi', Akshat Gupta was the grapevine of the campus. He had all the information not only about the happenings on the campus but also about the personal lives about the people on campus. The only hitch being the reliability of the information. The reliability of the information was totally unreliable. We also had a character called 'Chichu' which happens to be the abridged form of Chichora, Manish Kothari, from being a CA(Chartered Account) to a mere chichora, quite a journey.

PS:- There is one common thread that binds most of the names, our very own Manu Paaji. He is the creator of all these brands, way to go Manu Paaji.

PS:- PS:- I am extremely sorry, I aoplogize to Joydeep Dutta for I forget to mention him. Let me take this opprtunity to introduce Jenaab, Maalik, Maalik Magarmaach, Baby and many more; I may not be aware of them. He happens to be the Benagli- Sardar of Batch 2005. And of late he has become an avid fan of apna Himesh Reshammiya and I am sure on his return from London we defnitely would be treated to Himesh's songs.

Work is life rest all are mere details

2006-01-19T22:55:00.000-08:00

Lesson No. 1: A leader is not made in heaven
Lesson No. 2: How to handle power
Lesson No. 3: Grace under fire
Lesson No. 4: Sharing the limelight
Lesson No. 5: You needn't be flashy to succeed
Lesson No. 6: Work is life and the rest is mere details

These are the management lessons not from any management guru or any corporate honcho but from the new Captain Cool of the Men in Blue (Indian Cricket Team), Rahul Dravid. He is a perfect example of a silent assassin, never ever have I seen him being physically aggressive on the field but he has the guts and the nerves of steel to demoralise the best in world by his steely resolve. He has always been the silent performer even though his performance is overshadowed by somebody else but he is there doing his duty with full dedication and devotion. He is the dependable crisis man and at this juncture the whole team India is rallying behind this man who recently assumed the role of the captain. He has evolved over time as a player and as a person. One can make out the dedication and the devotion of the game by the punchline on his T-Shirt,"Cricket is life rest all are mere details". Are the guys in the corporate world listening?

Dal Chawal and Taste for Life

2006-01-16T23:13:00.000-08:00

Prologue

I got to know Arshish a few days back and I like him for his give-a-damn or carefree attitude. He has rightly assessed me by pointing out that I let small and trivial things affect me and he is so right. Arshish, Sudhanshu and me got together over a cup of tea in the garden were we got down discussing things about our lives, workplace and so on. It seems that everybody's life out there is in a quagmire, the difference being that some conceal those feelings and make a compromise and others can't really come to the terms with the situation and hence an internal conflict and turmoil. Past few months have been turbulent and I am still not able to cope up with the situation and then small incidents in the office bring out the rebellious side of me. It is a different story altogether that I don't express that side of mine in open; though there are some people who notice that (lately Arshish being one of them).

Dal Chawal Story

What's Dal-Chawal go to do with all this? At times I wonder how often we wish for our lives to be simpler, but it is we people who make our own lives difficult. Dal-Chawal being a metaphor for simplicity, and I have seen people ridiculing others for having a liking for dal-chawal. At times, you really wonder whether there is something seriously wrong in you or it is just that you are a round peg in a square hole. Sudhanshu put it across in better words. He said it is like hordes of people coming and saying to you on your face "You suck". Rightly said Sudhashu, I too get this feeling when I wonder that is it that I really suck. This was where Arshish simply retorted by saying "I am good at it". Hahahaha.....well said Arshish,that's what I call a carefree attitude. You give a damn to what others think.

I Was Born Intelligent But Education Ruined Me

2006-01-12T19:10:00.000-08:00

I saw this graffiti written in bold on the T-Shirt of a carefree guy and he seemed to be flaunting it very proudly. At first I just ignored it, taking it as another funky statement but then a little more thought made me realize how true it is.

Scene 1:-

I was walking through the corridor of my company when a man in his thirties in grey uniform stationed at the end of the corridor opened the gate for me to pass through. His duty is to open the gate for the visitors. He has a chair by his side but he can't quite afford to sit. Scorching heat, rain or cold, it hardly matters, he is there by the gate all the time.

Scene 2:-

In the canteen, people from Hospitalit Department are constantly serving food, tea and other eatables for us (including me) to fill our bellies. One invariably finds them running here and there to ensure that people like me have their food and other snacks on time.

Confused??

Why the hell am I stating something which is obvious? And how are these scenes connected to the main heading?

My Dilemma:-

These guys standing in the corridor, cafeteria or at any other place may have received very little formal education. They may not have gone to the best engineering colleges or MBA Schools; they may not have degrees that many of us strive to achieve througout our lives yet these guys make me envy. More than that my respect for them has grown manifolds over the time. These guys with little formal education who make our lives simpler in office, know exactly what they are supposed to do in the organization. They may not be carrying KRA (Key Responsibilty Areas ) sheets but they exactly know how they contribute to the organization. On the other hand there are people like me who make tall claims of having degrees and degrees, claim to be educated but still so unsure; unsure about their roles in the organization and how do we contribute to its growth. What an irony? What is the use of education then if it can't bring clarity into someone's life or for that matter in my life.

Walk Alone and Walk Far

2006-01-11T01:51:00.000-08:00

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

Whose woods these are I think I know,
His house is in the village though.
He will not see me stopping here,
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer,
To stop without a farmhouse near,
Between the woods and frozen lake,
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake,
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep,
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

-Robert Frost

I simply would have killed Robert Frost, how come he can pen down thoughts so beautifully. This poem may not be something landmark in the English poetry but then it is something which is so simple but yet so profound. Similar thoughts were echoed by Gurudev Tagore in his poem, it goes like:-

If they answer not to thy call, walk alone;

If they are afraid and cower mutely facing the wall,

Open thy mind and speak out alone.

If they turn away and desert you when crossing the wilderness,

Trample the thorns under thy tread,

And along the blood-lined track travel alone.

If they do not hold up the light when the night is troubled with storm,

With the thunder-flame of pain ignite thine own heart,

And let it burn alone.

-Rabindranath Tagore

There are times and these time come very frequently in my life when I am unsure about my destination and I simply feel like in wanderness but then I don't feel like stopping. I just don't want to stop but carry on, on and on till my legs don't give up. When I share these feelings with my near and dear ones they console me that it is not important to have a destination in mind, all that matters is the willingness to walk and then the courage to undertake that journey. I would reach a destination if I am destined to otherwise I am just like a nomad. But how long? How long can I afford to be aimless in life? I am so unsure as to what will bring about happiness and satisfaction in my life. Until I don't find such thing(s), I have to continue on with my nomadic journey.

Essence of Being a Woman

2006-01-09T21:11:00.000-08:00

It is impossible for a man to think about the various roles that a woman plays and the kind of sacrifices she makes. Being a man, I know that for most of the men, women are a toy which they can use according to their convenience but it is high time that women be given their rightful position. There is this beautiful song by Billy Joel and it is my all time favourite, it is a tribute to the womanhood which very few in this man dominated world can feel and understand.

She's Always a Women to me

She can kill with a smile

She can wound with her eyes

She will ruin your faith with her casual lies

And she only reveals

What she wants you to see

She hides like a child

But she's always a woman to me

She can lead you to love

She can take you or leave you

She can ask for the truth

But she'll never believe you

And she'll take what you give her as long as it's free

She steals like a thief

But she's always a woman to me

Oh she takes care of herself

She can wait if she wants

She's ahead of her time

Oh and she never gives out

And she never gives in

She just changes her mind

She will promise you moreThan the Garden of Eden

Then she'll carefully cut you

And laugh while your bleeding

But she'll bring out the best

And the worst you can be

Blame it all on yourself

Cause she's always a woman to me

Oh she takes care of herself

She can wait if she wants

She's ahead of her time

Oh and she never gives out

And she never gives in

She just changes her mind

She is frequently kind

And she's suddenly cruel

She can do as she pleases

She's nobody's fool

But she can't be convicted

She's earned her degree

And the most she will do

Is throw shadows at you

But she's always a woman to me

2005 Year Ending on a Special Note

2006-01-02T22:17:00.000-08:00

My visit to Goa was a memorable one in lot many ways. It taught me how important it is to unwind at times, leaving beind all miseries and worries, even temporarily, the importance of letting go the leash on oneself, indulging in fun/frolic and sensual pleasures..........One single day in Goa and I am ecstatic.....full of energy and vigour and ready to take challenges head on as they come.. I am sure that Ramu, Saini and Sabu feel the same way. Anyways let me cut short this gyaan session out here and come to the point straightaway.

My landing in Goa was special in many ways. . I was in no mood to waste even a second and wanted to live my day in Goa to the fullest. After a seemingly never ending, bumpy ride in the sleeper bus with Ramu and me cosying up(hey....hey........hang on...let me make it clear.....we are straight....it had to do more with the chilling wind that was coming in from the bus window rather than anything ele) we finally made it to the heaven of 3 Bs (Beaches, Booze and Babes; not necessarily in that order). No sooner did we get down from the bus I tried calling up Sabu; but he did not respond to our call on his cell phone. We thought that he must have tired himself quite a bit the previous night (for this you have to wait as this story too will appear soon) and we were considerate for not disturbing him any more with our calls. Without any further delay we boarded a rickshaw to Baga Beach; Sabu had conveyed to us the previous night that the flat that was rented out was overlooking the beach. With an expert navigator on our side(who else but Ramu) we managed to reach the Baga beach. Now it was time to call Sabu, so that we could zero on to the exact flat; again no response on Sabu's side, now the frantic calls started from our side followed by curses and abuses #%^%???@# but still no reponse.............

Our navigator then disappeared in to a hotel by the name Congo, those who know Goa might be knowing that this hotel is in the same road that runs parrallel to the road that leads to Tito's, the famous and the landmark pub in Goa on Baga Beach. Again, Saini and my heads turned in the direction of hotel and we forgot for the moment that we were on a lookout for Sabu as two phirang babes in bikinis were approaching the swimming pool in the hotel, nimble footed babes with long legs...Bondi(Famous beach in Australia) would have been an appropriate name rather than Congo which reminds of primitive bushmen. What do you say Saini? Anyways, coming on to the main point, our expert navigator came out and pointed towards a flat and said in a baritone that reminded me of Mr Bacchan Sr, that is where Sabu is staying. I was made the scapegoat to knock at the door and enquire. I walked straightaway to the flat and knocked at the door as I was getting frustrated since I thought that we were wasting time.

After a couple of loud knocks on the door, I heard somebody from inside approaching the door from inside to open it. As soon as the door opened, my eyeballs popped out as if they were about to fall on the floor. I was there standing still on the door, motionless with a blank face; unsure what my next move must be. That was the most beautiful scene I had ever scene......A woman in her 20s, must have been 5'5"-5'6", flawless skin which was glowing in the morning light, with streaks of golden in her hair which were dishevelled, black piercing eyes, sweet voice like a cuckoo with a flawless accent standing totally naked in front of me. I did not know how to react and what to say. I am sure that she must have understood my dilemma and that's why for the rest of the conversation she hid behind the door. The rest of the time in Goa was spent in thinking about her. I saw so many beauties on the beach but then that woman in the flat had a strange kind of attraction about her. I regret not telling her that she was beautiful, really beautiful. I wish I meet her again somewhere to convey my feelings to her..............

Musings from Goa

2006-01-01T22:04:00.000-08:00

Sky Lark@ Baga Beach

A trip to Goa was something which I always wanted to make. Infact, had been planning this trip for quite sometime but finally the day came though pretty late but as they say " Its better late than never". A whirlwind tour of sorts "Ramu-The Naukar"(Vyom), Saini(Mohit) and Me(Mohit) from Pune, we were joined by Sabu (Rohit) and Blonde Bombshell aka Bhurri aka Whateva(Arti) and Sabu's friends from Mumbai. Ramu, Saini and me all of a sudden decided that we would be leaving for Goa to join Sabu and his gang for a New Year's bash. The ride to Goa was funfilled with Ramu, Saini and Me sharing light moments all along the way. Ramu and me getting into one bunk of the sleeper bus and Saini had to settle down with a stranger. What an irony that I had to sleep with Ramu and not any babe :(...Finally reached Goa at 7 am and I was fortunate to have a brush with the Goan life that very morning when I knocked at a cottage while on a lookout for Sabu. That's another story.

Finally, made it to the accomodation courtesy Sabu and we were in no mood to waste time and we straightaway headed to the Baga Beach(Our flat was overlooking the beach). Had a gala time swimming and splashing water all over and the coloured life on the beach added some extra flavour to our fun 'n' frolic activities. After spending a good time in water, we headed for breakfast at a beach side shack called Sky Lark. The food was great and stuffed our stomachs to the full.

Round II of the water splashing. We again headed to the sea, this time we were joined by Sabu's friends. Saini and I decided that we wanna ride the Jet Ski. Had a great time riding the ski and never felt so much of thrill and excitement before. I was at the helm of controls, specifically made it clear to the instructor that we want to ride the boat and not him. Finally, the instructor had to give in and take the rear seat. We then headed for lunch and had some good rounds of Pool and Beach Volleyball.

Most of the time we spent at the Skylark. In the evening, we had a quick shower and were all ready to party. Saini and I were keen on checking out the FTV Beach Party. We hoped on to the bikes and made it to the Candolium Beach to return disappointed as we could not locate the venue of the party. Finally we reached back to the Baga and at Edge we had our dinner and after which we saw a good display of fireworks. It was earlier decided that we would spend the rest of the night at the Tito's. The place was full and the prices were exuberant so we said that it was not worth the money. Finally I wanted to take a stroll in the night but I was joined by Sabu and Blonde Bombshell. We went to the beach for the coffee but there was no sign of coffee amidst alcohol, grass and god knows what other stuff. I decided to stay back on the beach alone but then the crowd out there was rowdy and there was no point in staying back. With a heavy heart I had to leave the beach. Was so tire that I slept like a log. Saini in the meantime had got back to the flat disappointed as he could not gain entry into Tito's but he was happy too as he checked out some cool babes out there. He had no regrets of not making it to the Tito's. I got up very early in the morning, much before the break of the dawn. Dressed fast and hoped onto my favourite Yamaha RX 100 dropped in at CCD for an early morning coffee. I made it to the beach and to my surprise found quite a number of people out there still in the party mode. With all the drunken revelry last night that we witnessed, I thought that not many people would turn up but I was wrong. I could manage a good couple of hours on the beach all by myself just staring at the sea reflecting on things.

By the time I was back in the flat, Saini and Vyom had got up, we went out for breakfast which was followed by the final stroll on the beach. We packed our stuff and headed for the Railway Station with a heavy heart but with a resolve that we would come back soon. The return journey was quieter and lacked the enthusiasm that we carried on our way to Goa. Honestly, I definitely want to make another trip and that too very soon but one thing is for sure that I won't be planning that trip because everytime I plan something it turns out to be a disaster and one last thing.....this trip was not at all planned.

Things to do

2005-12-19T03:10:00.000-08:00

I never believed in the New Year resolutions because I could never keep them.... But in the coming year I thought that let's give it a one last attempt....So here I present the list of Things to do in 2006 :- (not necessarily in the order given below)

A trip to Goa and spend a moonlit night on a lonely beach all by myself. Just me, the beach, the moon and the stars and nobody else.
A new job.......Gosh I am so desperate to make a shift from my current job.
Read a whole lot of books from Kafka to Anurag Mathur, there is a long list of books that I want to finish off in the coming year.
Take some time off and go for bungee jumping and white water rafting.
Go for swimming often....One activity that I really miss after graduating from the B-School.
Save some money.
Be connected to my friends.....At times I take them for granted because I know that they are there always for me.
Thank heavens more often.

Creativity

2005-12-13T03:09:00.000-08:00

I am always intrigued when somebody talks about Creativity and Innovation. Are they one and a same thing. If they are the same then why the hell are there two words in the English dictionary. What are the factors that lead to craetivity or innovation; is there in your DNA inherited from your parents who in turn inherited the same from theirs or is it that it can be nurtured within you by careful thought and perseverance.

A dotcom recently caught my fancy while I was just browsing about. You either like it or you don't but you just can't ignore it like any other dotcom.

www.dontclick.it

The Visit to Hyderabad

2005-12-12T19:31:00.000-08:00

Vibs and Me Dancing away to glory( that too when I am no good at dancing)

Crazy Pooh

SCMHRD Gang @ EAT STREET

Wow! Am back after a whirlwind tour to Hyderabad! It was a long overdue and I finally decided that it was high time that I take a break from Pune. I left on Friday and was back on Monday morning. Before I realized what Hyderabad was all about the trip was over but then the duration of the trip is not directly proportional to the enjoyment and the satisfaction one may derive from a trip. 'You may live a lifetime in a second or you may decide not to live for the whole of your life.' Had a great time visiting places like Charminar, Laser Show at Lumbini Park,Hussain Sagar, Dinner on the roof-top of Eat Street, Hi-Tech City and a lake there err....I forget the name....It was nice to see fellow SCMHRDians out there busy with their lives. It was really nice to see good old Niyogi Dada. It seems that time hasn't brought about much change in him; whatever change has happened is for good. I could seem him ooze with a lot of hope and optimism. He still is a gem of a person at heart and hats off to him for that. Niyogi Da, I wish you all the very best in your life and the kind of grind that you got through was worth everything.

Thank you to all the people out there in Hyderabad for making my trip a memorable one.

PS: Niyogi Da makes an amazing cuppa tea.

Day Before Yesterday

2005-12-06T23:39:00.000-08:00

Life never ceases to amaze me. At every turn it throws up something suprising. Surprises over the course of time have been used with pleasant feelings but in my case that's not the case always. Surprises at times are really surprising when you really can't hold that chuckle back, at times they are depressing but you can't really help wondering at them.

During the course of my education I thought that I am the only aimless vagabond ( I know that it is inappropriate to use aimless and vagabond together but then at time you can't really help). Rest of my batch seemed to be eloquent about their future plans, dreams, ambitions as if they had seen their future life in a 70 mm Coloured Movie. They seemed to know the year when they would be getting married, when they would be having kids, when they would be switching jobs, when they would be CEOs, CIOs and CFOs. The other day after a brief discussion I was surprised(evoked no reactions but just a chuckle) when after a brief discussion with my friends I found that I am not the only one who is marooned in this ocean of uncertainity. Feels good when you have company.

MBA Gas

2005-12-06T23:13:00.000-08:00

Management education in India, I believe, still has a long way to go. Education in India is a lucrative business and management education is all the more thriving. Out of the 1000-odd so called B-Schools only a handful offer you which can be termed as world class.

In most of the B-Schools the concepts are not properly imparted and that's where the root cause of all problem lies. When the fundamentals are weak one can't expect a strong superstructure. This problem then snowballs into something worse; poor application of concepts in the work life.

The B-Schools raise the expectations of students to such a level that they forget to walk on the ground and tend to lose the connection with the reality. Furthermore, they bloat the bellies of students to such an extent that they no longer can hold it back for more than 2 Years. Once they step in the corporate life their bloated bellies release something dangerous call the 'MBA Gas'.

Rendezvous with Solitude

2005-12-05T00:15:00.000-08:00

Past few week have been turbulent, can't handle my mood swings. I feel depressed at times and at times I am back to my normal self. There seem to be too many loose ends hanging which need to be attended to but at the moment I really can't single out a cause(s) that is responsible for such a behaviour. The other day, Ramu(Vyom), my roomate and I went for a movie; we thought that would be a constructive way to spend the Saturday night. For me it offered a chance to keep aside my worries for sometime; unfortunately the movie remedy too did not work.

"Misery begets misery"; similarly "Frustration begets frustration"......All of us seem to be like a rudderless ship, we know that we have to set sail but what we don't know is our destination. "What do I want in my life?" What is that would bring satisfaction and happiness back into my life?" I am unable to answer these questions because I really don't know and hence I try to evade these questions....My motto in life nowadays seems to be very simple 'When in doubt I quit'.

What Should I Do With My Life?

2005-11-23T05:26:00.000-08:00

An amazing book by Po Bronson. I was going through this book and thought that I also have faced this question, time and again and the best way I could answer the same was by either avoiding it or simply by ignoring it and every time I would console myself that time would set things in order but now I really feel agitated from within as to what is it that I want in life.....What is it, where I want to reach ten years down the line or say twenty years from now? The more I think the more hazy my thought process become, this time again I am trying to answer this question maybe simply by dumping it again for the time being.

Agneepath

2005-11-18T01:48:00.000-08:00

An amazing piece of creation by Late Harivansh Rai Bacchan:-

Agneepath Agneepath Agneepath,
Vriksh ho bhale ghane, ho ghane ho bade,
Ek pat chhav ki mang mat, mang mat,
Agneepath Agneepath Agneepath.

Tu na thakega kabhi, tu na thamega kabhi, tu na mudega kabhi,
Kar shapath, kar shapath, kar shapath,
Agneepath, Agneepath, Agneepath.

Ye mahaan drishya hai, chal raha manushya hai,
Ashru shwet raqt se lathpath, lathpath, lathpath,
Agneepath, Agneepath, Agneepath.