Dreams Unlimited

Is envy good?

2011-05-29T02:04:00.004+05:30

The words "envy","jealousy" often have a negative connotation. It is called the green eyed monster as people believe that it can ruin friendships, relationships and marriages.It can create enemies out of friends. And more often than not, a person jealous of you; resents you silently, tries to find illogical flaws in everything you say or do, and will never let go of any opportunity to put you down.

I used to believe that envy is something to be stayed away from as it destroys you in the end. But in a book that I recently read, there was a statement that said,"If we envy someone for all the right reasons, we're half way to wisdom." This forced me to rethink my stand on envy. If you think deeper, you don't envy a person on the face of it, you envy certain traits and behaviors that a person possesses. And more often than not, the reason for your envy is that you don't have those traits or behaviors but would like to have them.

Admiration is a positive manifestation of envy. In both the cases there is some underlying trait that we wish we had. Perfect understanding of our jealousy leads to admiration and if channeled properly may even lead us to modifying our behavior to achieve what we desired in the first place.

In the same book there is another statement that says, "Jealousy, like the flawed love that bears it, has no respect for time or space or wisely reasoned argument. Jealousy can raise the dead, with a single, spiteful taunt, or hate a perfect stranger for nothing more than the sound of his name." In a way it is true. Envy can be the most unreasonable and illogical of things.

Like anything else in life, envy can be good or bad for us. It all depends on our perspective and our attitude and that can make us the person that we are or the person that we will eventually become.

Is honesty really the best policy?

2011-05-29T00:46:00.004+05:30

Our Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, or Bapu, as he is fondly called, created a revolution in many minds with his principles of honesty and non violence, so much so that, even today, the POTUS, Barack Obama and many other influential and key people talk about Gandhian ideals and principles. Since childhood, we have been taught that we must always be truthful and forthcoming irrespective of the consequences and have been told stories where the truth is always rewarded.

But sadly that's not the way things work in real life. I was reading Shantaram, wherein, he tells a man- who, even after very bad multiple injuries, was miraculously alive- that he didn't stand much of a chance. The color faded off that man's face almost immediately and he passes away shortly. Reflecting on it later, he said, "Of the hundred things that I wish I'd never said or done in my wicked life, that quirk of honesty is right up there, near the top of the list." Hope was the only thing that man was holding onto and that too had been taken away from him. He would have probably survived if Lin wouldn't have been so blunt with him. So where should be draw the line with our honesty?

Even in the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, being honest is associated with the righteous while being dishonest is associated with the evil. It has been ingrained in us to accept this definition of right and wrong. According to the Johari window, there are many things about an individual that others are aware of but one oneself is not aware. Some of these things are too painful for one to accept, and for those specific things, ignorance is bliss indeed. We have no right to disturb this arrangement and ruin some one's peace with the truth. The truth can be the most lethal weapon at times.

Just imagine what would happen if everybody went around speaking their mind and being completely honest about everything. We won't only expose their side they are not aware of, but also burden them with our expectations and prejudices. We might lose all our loved ones because the ironical part about the truth is that no matter how much people claim to love it, it hurts, and it hurts real bad. We must change our perception, and learn to use honesty judiciously, each case on its own merit. In the face of this, diplomacy seems like an art we must all master.

The best thing in the world

2011-04-28T17:26:00.006+05:30

I was reading Shantaram, wherein Karla, the female protagonist, asked everyone on the table @ Cafe Leopold, what according to them was the best thing in the world. Some of the answers were- power, money and freedom. Each person talked about the thing that they valued the most.I thought about it a lot and a zillion things came to my mind- I couldn't pinpoint one single thing that I really desired and valued. After analysing my thoughts I realised that, for me, sleep is the best thing in the world.

Sleep has been glorified in many mythological tales and fairy tales too. In Ramayana, Ravana's brother, Kumbhakarana, slept for half the year and was awake for the remaining half. This was because, he was so gigantic, that the Gods feared that if he would be awake for the entire year, he might just eat up all the livestock, food supply and may be even human beings! And even though he may have not liked the fact that he was sleeping for half his life, it was a boon to everyone else around him. In Sleeping Beauty, Princess Aurora goes into a deep slumber when she pricks her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel (in accordance with the curse by a wicked witch). And then, her Prince Charming comes on a white horse, falls in love with her, and his kiss awakens her from the slumber. Even in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Snow White, on eating an apple, poisoned by her evil step mother, falls into a death like slumber. She is kept in a transparent, crystal coffin, by the dwarfs. And her prince comes, falls in love with her, and love's true kiss brings her back to life. So sleep is a very important element- be it in romantic fairy tales or highly dramatic mythological tales.

Even when someone is ill, the first thing the doctor advises is to get a good night's sleep. Sleep is our ultimate goal. We do or refuse to do certain things so that our conscience is clear and we can sleep at night. Very often, we hear people telling someone who does something wrong, "How do you even sleep at night?" - a very common and popular dialogue used in most movies. "He slept like a baby"- is a phrase with a highly positive connotation. It is said that people who work hard all day sleep very well at night. A happy person, with a clear conscience, sleeps well. So the union of many states that we desire lead us to sleep.

You can dream only while you are asleep. Sleep opens for us the window to our subconscious mind. Very subtle details about ourselves are revealed to us during our sleep. When we are stuck while thinking over a complex problem, or when we can't seem to find our way out, we always sleep over it. It clears our mind and brings things into perspective.

When we are tensed, anxious, depressed, sad, worried- we lose sleep, get dark circles, become morose and lose interest in the things around us. People then try different things like a visit to the psychiatrist, sleeping pills, or even mood enhancing medicines. It is said that the best way to die is to die in your sleep and ironically many people have died/killed themselves by an overdose of sleeping pills.

Sleep is our gateway to a new start. Nothing beats the feeling of waking up after a restful sleep, feeling all fresh and ready to face the day and the challenges that it brings with it, forgetting the previous day's defeats, mishaps and sadness.

Death- our final destination, is also a form of sleep, a very very long sleep from which we will never wake up. And most of us do good deeds, to accumulate good karma so that our final sleep will be peaceful.

Clean Mumbai Green Mumbai

2011-04-26T14:25:00.001+05:30

I grabbed a frappe at Churchgate station in the scorching heat of Mumbai and headed to board the local to Santacruz. After I was done with my coffee, I looked for a dustbin at Churchgate station, but sadly, I couldn’t find one. I then held on to the paper glass, resolving to put it in the bin after alighting at Santacruz. There was no waste paper basket in sight in Santacruz station either. Don’t worry, I told myself, there is a long stretch of skywalk to negotiate on the way to the main road, it will most definitely have a series of dustbins lined up. And I distinctively remembered the innumerable campaigns undertaken by the Brihan Mumbai Municipal Corporation to promote the idea of a clean city. Satisfied, I started towards the skywalk. If you call heaps of garbage garnished with the distinct red paan spit a dustbin, both the sides of the skywalk were by default dustbins. At least that’s what the common man had assumed. I was very frustrated by then and lost all hope from the skywalk – there was not a single dustbin in view. All the installed ones had either been removed or stolen. I was extremely tempted to put my paper glass onto the heap of garbage. No, I told myself, this is the kind of mentality I want to change; I will not yield to this temptation. I got off the skywalk and decided to drop it in the next bin on the road I see. Alas, there was none in sight. I finally reached home and put the glass in my dust bin. I’m sure that anyone else with lesser patience would have just littered, cursing the authorities.

Really sorry state of affairs. The government is trying its best to upgrade infrastructure levels in the country, but even the best infrastructure when not used well gets dilapidated very soon. The very recent skywalk looked very shabby and presented a very sorry sight. Littering is a habit with most Indians and the authorities should assume that people will litter as the norm rather than the exception. If they want people to stop littering, the enforcement must be effective as without a punishment for breaking the laws, the law is highly ineffective. And, for starters, they must install bins at regular intervals, so that people who do not intend to litter have a place to put their waste in. Also, the bins must be such that they cannot be removed or stolen. The problems are well known, it is high time to stop cribbing and take action- work around the problem. Just making slogans is not enough, implementation is the key.

Tom and Jerry

2011-01-23T23:32:00.006+05:30

Was just flipping channels when I came across Cartoon Network, the channel that has been highly neglected ever since I entered my teens. But it looked just the same as far as I could remember and Tom and Jerry was on - Tom still chasing Jerry and Jerry trying to outwit Tom- nothing had changed from the looks of it. At the end of the episode when Jerry frustrated Tom to the point when Tom decided to leave the place, Jerry too realized that he would not enjoy without Tom and left.

As a child, I would have taken all this with a pinch of salt. But, now I started drawing analogies with real people. There are some people whom we love to hate and it almost becomes a passion for us. I read Kane and Abel, a long time back in which both were arch nemesis and whose life's only aim was to destroy each other. In the end, you'll realise that they actually had deep care, affection and respect for each other- but they chose to show it in different ways. Sometimes your rival is all you have and lends purpose to your life.

Some say you are known by the company you keep. But I believe that it is the rivals, competitors, nemesis that you have that speak a lot about you. Even in the corporate world, there are some well known pairs, not because they are very good as a team but because they compete tooth and nail. Pepsi and Coca Cola, HUL and P&G - these are a few examples. They have come out with brilliant advertising campaigns, focused greatly on consumer perception and created such strong brands that others fear to enter the industry as they don't stand a chance. All this wouldn't have happened if they didn't have to constantly protect their territory from someone constantly watching every move they make and waiting for them to make a single mistake. This is what drives companies to excellence- it also makes the journey thrilling and exciting for the managers and employees involved.

Who can forget the landmark ad in which HUL for the first time in Indian advertising history directly compared Rin with Tide, a higher end brand of P&G. It made for an interesting watch.

Who knows, without competitors, you might just fade into oblivion. So keep your friends close and your enemies closer!

Roadies 8 - Shortcut to Hell

2011-01-23T22:22:00.002+05:30

I diligently follow Roadies every year. I have recently gone through a gruelling placement process at my college and I couldn't help but draw comparisons between the two.

The most difficult part is getting in. There are many candidates. You have to prove your worth. There usually is a group discussion followed by a round or two of personal interviews. Sometimes the interview is a stress interview sometimes it is relaxing. The same panel can take either interview depending on the person they are interviewing. Then finally, based on certain internal parameters, a few candidates are selected, which is usually a very small proportion of those applied.

Once you are in, it is not like the end of the road. You have to prove yourself every single time. In a company its a performance appraisal whereas in Roadies it is a vote out that keeps you on your toes. And in both cases, it is not just your effort ,that counts-you have to be well networked, you must have a lot of friends at the right places and most importantly you must be able to endure all the politics that goes around.

A lot of good people end up leaving the organisation/show. They may end up doing really well for themselves elsewhere. They might also be reinstated later as the company feels that they actually add value or Roadies feel that they increase TR P's or are good performers (the latter is rarely the case)

The only difference is that Roadies has a winner at the end but organisations don't. You may be a star performer for 10 years, but if you perform really badly for even one quarter, you will be kicked out. That's life for you. Roadies, match that!

My experience in traffic

2011-01-23T21:47:00.006+05:30

I was coming home from my hostel when I got stuck in a horrendous traffic jam! Well, one might feel that traffic jams are an integral part of life in Mumbai. But interestingly, the traffic jam was not due to the traffic but due to a traffic police officer. That's right, the person responsible for managing traffic was causing a great deal of agony to many on the road. For one, he refused to let us pass, despite there being a green signal at his own whims. He did this not once, not twice, but five times- five full times. Then he finally decided to show some mercy and let us go. In addition to this arbitrary behavior, he was extremely mean to other vehicle drivers, actually, mean is an understatement for his behavior. He made some drivers go straight despite them wanting to take a right just because they attempted to overtake another vehicle, and was abusing people for no apparent reason.It sure frustrated me and made me think.

This is the state of our system. Anyone and everyone with even an iota of power comes up with ways and means to make other's lives miserable. This is more commonly observed at the bottom of the pyramid or at the middle level- because that is where we commoners interact with the system. Complete misuse of authority! I want someone to listen, I want to complain, but I don't know where to go.

Multiple Personalities

2010-10-26T01:32:00.002+05:30

Modern science considers people having multiple personalities to be suffering from 'Dissociative Identity Disorder' and urges one to get help from the psychiatrist. But human beings are too complex to just be the same person all the time. In fact over time, we might undergo so many transformations that the future us cannot recognize the present us and the present us cannot relate to the past us. To borrow Ted's language from HIMYM, we all become doppelgangers of ourselves as we evolve.

Even if we discount the time factor, we behave differently with different people and in different circumstances. How much ever people may claim to be what they are, the truth is we are ultimately human and we mirror the actions and behavior of the person we are interacting with. A lot also depends on the comfort level we share with others, our own mood swings, the vibes we get from a person and a host of other factors. Then it brings to focus a pertinent question, "Who really are we?".

Experiences make us what we are. They develop what we call "intuition". They provide requisite insights into human behavior that compels us to change our own. We pick some habits because it is socially acceptable and some subconsciously. We develop notions by what we observe and that gets further rooted into our minds. We make judgments based on the benchmarks set by us- which is again highly flexible and can quickly change from one extreme to another. The entire process is dynamic. We learn to adapt. We realize perhaps subconsciously that everything in life cannot be looked at with the same glass. We need varied perspectives. Each thing needs to be tackled differently. There is no panacea to everyday life. We learn by living every moment and the degree to which we absorb determines the extent of our learning.

I personally believe that having multiple personalities is a sign of growth and progress. Moreover multi-dimensional personalities makes a person more holistic. In that case, there should be a single personality disorder for people who measure everything by the same yardstick and remain themselves all through their life. It simply implies that their experiences do not add any value. They just exist without living. The whole purpose of life is then lost. Change is always welcome and it makes living worthwhile.

A Visit to an Old Age Home

2009-10-13T22:03:00.002+05:30

In India we have a rich tradition of treating our elders with the highest degree of reverence- we seek their blessings before embarking on an important mission and take their advice on all important matters. But somehow in this age where a nuclear family is the norm rather than an exception this tradition seems to be losing its foothold. The growing number of old age homes and the rising cases of harassment and domestic violence against senior citizens bears testament to the fact that they are treated as a burden to society.

I got an opportunity to visit an old age home in Khadavali as a part of the Social Cell initiative in SIMSR. We left for the place early morning from Ghatkopar station. The entire journey took around 1.5 hours after which we took a rickshaw to the place. It is a beautiful place overlooking a river which is very clean.

The home is unlike the tall rises in Mumbai-it has small blocks scattered in the compound.There are separate blocks for the ladies, the gentlemen and some for couples also. The caretaker greeted us with a lot of enthusiasm despite us showing up without prior notification. We first visited the mess area- we were told that there were separate timings for men and women. It was a tidy place that appeared clean and hygienic.

We then proceeded to meet all the residents. We first encountered a group of jolly old men who were taking a walk. They bantered away- one of them tried to humour us with his ‘shayari’ and jokes. I got to know that he was quite a story teller. Later we went to the block which housed the women- it was a one story building. As we entered, the sight of an array of beds greeted us-just like the general ward of a hospital. We interacted with the people who were awake. Some of them were attempting to get us to purchase the handicrafts they prepared. We could learn a thing or two about sales and tactics from them. We bought a couple of items to display on the kiosks and maker a larger audience aware of their products. They were usually provided with the basic necessities, but they made these handicrafts so that they can buy things they like.

It was great interacting with them. The story of one woman bought tears to my eyes. She had been in an orphanage as a child. She just had one daughter. When her legs were rendered useless, she was forced to leave her house. A doctor offered to treat her and got her admitted to the old age home. He pays her yearly fee and comes to visit her as often as possible. She said that as much as she tried to focus her energies on other activities, the memories of her daughter continues to haunt her and triggers a wave of sadness. We all were deeply moved. Each of them had a sad, vacant look on their faces, their eyes devoid of home and acceptance of their unfortunate fate.

The block which housed couples was very spacious- each room was beautifully decorated and well maintained. I presume it commanded a higher rate for the privilege. I learnt that the care taker also lived in one of those rooms with her husband. I also happened to encounter a woman who seemed very learned. She had a very pleasant disposition. She was an avid reader. She spoke at length about how the younger generation lacked general knowledge as they didn't take to books. She also narrated her experiences in life and showed us a lot of pictures.

Before we knew it, it was time to depart. With a heavy heart we left the place, promising them to come back soon.

Karzai's Selfishness

2009-08-17T22:51:00.012+05:30

I was deeply saddened when I heard that the 'rape law' for the Shia family has been legalised by Hamid Karzai, the Afghan President. Even before the law was enacted, women were ill treated in Afghanistan (by using the word ill treated, I'm grossly under stating the facts), but now they will be tormented by people who will believe that it is their legal right to do so and will actually take pride in all this.

Islam is a beautiful, pure religion. It treats everybody with a lot of love and respect. The Quran does not advice men to take on many wives and treat them as sex objects. Many teachings are taken out of context and manipulated for personal gain. There are innumerable examples of non Muslims converting so that they can take a second wife. But there are many who have converted to Islam because of their sheer faith and belief like Muhammad Ali(previously known as Cassius Clay), the world renowned boxer and back home, A.R. Rehman, the music genius.

Every individual needs to be treated with respect and given freedom to live life on their own terms and do what they wish do do. Everyone has a right to dream, to pursue their dreams and to fulfil their desires. Such freedom should not be curtailed unless it poses a serious threat to society. Treating a certain section of society with utter contempt, reducing them to a level where they are not considered as people with feelings and behaving as if they are just there to satisfy your whims and do your bidding is barbaric. And, a leader of a nation, indulging in such acts to ensure a strong vote back is absolutely shocking, immoral and inhuman. It just goes to show that power crazed people can stoop to any level. But what he does not realize is that he is leaving behind a legacy of hate and discrimination. History will remember him as the president who failed in his duties, failed his country and couldn't protect the interests of everybody in the country.

On humanitarian and ethical grounds, we do have a responsibility towards the oppressed women who need permission to get educated, to go to work and who are mistreated at every step. I sincerely pray that their condition improves soon and that they enjoy the same privileges as you and I. I hope Karzai realizes his duties towards his country and works for the betterment of society and does not push them further backwards by such draconian laws. And may be I'm being too positive but I also wish that even though the law has been passed, better sense will eventually prevail.

On Facing The Truth

2009-08-17T00:00:00.011+05:30

A couple of months back, while watching 'The Moment of Truth' in my living room, I confidently declared that this is one show that will never be customised for the Indian audience as however much we might swear by our morality and uprightness, there are many skeletons in our closet that we would never want revealed, and especially not on national TV. But I had to eat my words when 'Sach ka Saamna' was launched. Note to self: Never say 'NEVER'.

Actually about a month before the show was launched, I received a call from Star Plus inquiring if I would be interested to be a contestant on the show. I thought that it would be a way of making some quick money as I didn't have much to hide. But after questioning me on my life for about five minutes, they must have also guessed the same thing. They would get back to me, but they never did. So it wouldn't be far fetched on my part to say that they were specifically looking for something scandalous, something that could increase their TRP's.

In spite of the rejection, I feel that there is some potential in this show. They must be very bold and courageous to push the envelope to such an extent in a country which is highly sensitive to even the minutest of slights-actual or perceived, where even non existential issues become the bone of contention for legal suits, riots etc. and even the slightest provocation has the capability to snowball into a huge dispute replete with the antics, drama and all.

We Indians consider ourselves to be self righteous with all our morals and values in place. We have strong principles which we claim to uphold under any situation. We strongly believe in the institution of marriage. We say that we respect our elders and value our family. We point fingers at the West and blame them for polluting our culture. But on a basic level are we actually the people we project ourselves to be? Or are we just living a dual life? The latest show raises all these fundamental questions to which we would rather not know the answers. Or perhaps we do know the answers in the deepest recesses of our minds but prefer to not bring it up as it causes a lot of unpleasantness.

Truth is truly liberating. As children we are taught to always tell the truth irrespective of the consequences. We are told stories with morals like "Truth always triumphs" and stories in which the liar has to suffer a lot. But as we grow up these lessons get lost as we realize that the real world is completely different from the idealistic, fairytale world. Here good guys don't always win. And lying is an easy way out of many situations. So we come up with the concept of white lies, diplomacy and sensitivity to make ourselves feel at ease. As time progresses we keep slipping and get sucked into the vortex of lies and deceit. We can no longer stay true to our character so we try and shove things beneath the carpet and hope that no one finds out. Many a times there is a clear disconnect between the way we conduct ourselves in private and the way we behave in public as image, prestige and honour take a front seat.

Sometimes, telling the truth is not the hardest part, being able to take it is. It is not easy for a parent to hear that his child does not respect him or for a friend to hear that his friend doesn't think much of him or for a husband to find out that his wife has lost interest in him. They would rather live in their bubble and continue believing things that make them happy. As the truth has tremendous power and sometimes leaves behind emotional scars that no amount of money can heal. Sometimes, telling the truth is just not worth it.

So probably telling the truth is overrated. We like to be truthful only as long as it's convenient.And probably it is for the better good that we are not truthful at all times. However much we appreciate truthful people there are times when we would prefer people to reinforce our beliefs no matter how far away from the truth they may be. I would like to conclude using James Woods' dialogue from the American TV series,Shark,"Truth is relative. Pick one that works."

Life@SIMSR-Impressions'09

2009-07-28T22:57:00.007+05:30

There are always loopholes in each and every system. Ragging is banned by law. But that does not mean that our seniors did not rag us. Instead they formulated a two week long event to rag us in a formal and systematic fashion. Thus, IMPRESSIONS’09 was born.

WEEK 1:- We were all given the task of searching for our ‘buddy’(person who had the same roll no. last year) and doing whatever assignments would be given by the ‘buddy’. The searching part was simple. We just got hold of last year’s attendance sheet. The assignment part was a little tedious for some. While some took extra interest and did it with the same dedication that they would if it were their final exam, others did it half heartedly , secretly cursing the whole idea. Luckily, my buddy turned out to be super chilled.

WEEK 2:-We were required to find out inside information about some of our seniors and make a presentation on them and also prepare either a dance, fashion show or musical skit. The finale was in the auditorium in which we had to present whatever we had prepared. The event was truly entertaining and everybody enjoyed it thoroughly. I realized that each one of us is a powerhouse of talent. We just need to be more proactive and willing to experiment with anything that comes our way. Special thanks to our seniors for prodding us all to do this and for bringing out this side in us. Friends who have known me since a long time would be surprised to know that my group won the first prize in dance and I actually received compliments on my dancing skills. I’m dreading the moment when people realize that I have two left feet.

Our inventions- firstly, ‘Happy Dance’ (a dance in which you jiggle your butt and hands in tandem), invented by Monty and branded and marketed by Pataka. 'Happy Dance' soon became a rage and even the seniors joined in. Secondly, launching ‘Brand Handa’ in which Handa is venerated by one and all by catchy phrases and slogans.

Learnt a lot of things from my experience at this event. Firstly, anybody can achieve anything if they put their mind to it. In life, NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE. Secondly, get out of your comfort zone. You will discover more about yourself and will know your capabilities and limitations better. Finally, enjoy every moment. Time never comes back. If you live each moment to the fullest you won’t regret anything you do.

Schadenfreude

2009-07-26T18:51:00.003+05:30

Standing on the crossroads of life
I know not which way to go

Sharp , black eyes on me at all times
Taking pleasure each time i stumble

They win or lose, it doesn't matter
What matters is how i do

The worse i do the better they feel
I blame them not, for that is just the way they are

In the deepest recesses of their minds
They display emotions hard to describe

Life@SIMSR-The Journey Begins

2009-07-25T22:19:00.007+05:30

I have been meaning to write this one since a very long time but somehow never got down to actually doing it. Today on a Sunday afternoon, at home after eons, in front of the television (watching TV after a very long time), I am finally writing this. So here goes.

The first time I saw the Somaiya campus I fell in love with it as I had never seen such a huge campus in Mumbai. The campus of my previous educational institutes were almost non existential. I was absolutely delighted but never in the wildest dreams had I imagined that I would be a part of it one day. But as they say,'Life is what happens to you while you are busy making other plans'.

After facing a zillion rejections, when I finally got accepted at SIMSR, my happiness knew no bounds. That's when I realized that once you achieve what you desire-how you achieved it, what all failures you faced in the path, whether you deserve more or not-nothing matters. It's just pure, unadulterated happiness. At that moment,I just somehow knew that I was going to take it up.

The sight that greeted me as soon as I entered college was that of baggage, suitcases and people milling around. I got my keys and proceeded to my room to settle down. After the initial euphoria died down, my room mate and I went on a cleaning spree and got down to cleaning every nook and corner of our room. It was the first time we were doing it but we did a pretty good job. We were also amongst the first people to use the laundry. We gave our curtains for dry cleaning on the first day itself.

On the first day I woke up pretty early excited about what lay ahead, knowing that this was my first step into something new. After amicably deciding on the shower arrangements, we proceeded to the mess for the breakfast before going to class. We began the day with a prayer and were told that this was how we would begin our day, everyday. It reminded me of my school days. The remainder of the day was breezy with lots of interactive sessions.

The induction programme was light and fun filled. Getting to know my batch mates was absolutely delightful, entertaining and informative. My class has a variety of people- in terms of where they belong, their backgrounds, their experiences, their maturity levels- everything.There are people from various parts of India, with education ranging from B.A to B.Com to B.E to B.Sc to B.M.S and work experience ranging from 0- 13 years. Quite a diverse mix. Sometimes my first impressions were bang on and at times they were quite the opposite.

Overall, it was quite a fortnight. I had developed an inexplicable attachment to my hostel and friends. When I go home on weekends I actually miss my hostel, my room and my friends. It has become more of a home than I care to admit. I am looking forward to my two years here.

Au Revoir, Accenture

2009-06-01T12:49:00.000+05:30

Saying a final good bye-be it to a person or a place evokes a lot of mixed emotions and generates a feeling of nostalgia. The entire journey you had with that person or entity flashes before your eyes. You want to treasure every moment you spent, even though it might have appeared insignificant at that time. You want to hold on, not let go, even though you know you must. And letting go is all the more difficult if the entity in question is a significant part of your life- like the first organisation you worked in.

The image of Tiger Woods playing professional golf with panache in the face of obstacles was my first encounter with Accenture. I was really apprehensive about entering the corporate world and trying to match up to every one's expectations. There were various stereotypes stuck in my head like a nasty, demanding boss who would spend every waking minute trying to make your life a living hell and colleagues who would forever be scheming against you, looking out for the smallest mistakes you make and attempting to take credit for your work. I never knew how I would fit in, or even whether I would fir in or not. All these stereotypes were thankfully shattered in a short span of time.

When I first entered Accenture, I was in awe of everything-the huge building, the reception, the people walking around with a sense of urgency, the people working in their respective bays. It made me feel as if I was in some other world. With time, I got used to it. The best part I liked about the whole thing was that each individual was treated with a lot of respect and we had to address everyone by their first names irrespective of their seniority. Initially it was a little difficult as we were fresh out of college and were used to saying "Sir" and "Madam".But we got a hang of it later on.

The first few months were spent on training. The schedule was rigorous and we had tests at regular intervals-tests we had to clear or else face termination of employment. I studied harder in these tests than I had studied for any of my engineering exams. During this time I got a chance to interact with people from various parts of India. My batch had an interesting mix of people. Each of them was unique in their own way, highly talented and most importantly very good human beings. I realised that I could never consider them as colleagues, because they were my friends- people whom I trusted and enjoyed being with and not people whom I was forced to work with.

After the training we were all benched. That was my golden period in Accenture. We considered it as a reward for all the hard work we put into the training. Some were eager to get on to a project while others just wanted to go with the flow. There was also a fear that we would be laid off as were not assigned any tasks. But we were regularly assured by the senior management that the company was not planning to lay off people. Amidst these fears, we enjoyed every moment of our time. We used to sneak out at times to go for a short shopping trip, for a recently released movie or even just to go home early at times.

Then as projects started coming in, the number of people started dwindling and the remaining people were sent to different locations. Divide and rule. I guess. That's when the frustration started setting in. But we kept ourselves busy with trainings, online courses, certifications, asset works and job jars.And we always kept in touch via AIM and silly forwards.

In the midst of all this, I got an admit to a B-school and I decided to take it up. So that was when I put in my papers. Wherever life takes me now, Accenture will always remain in my mind, after all it was my first brush with the corporate life. It has taught me a lot. I have significantly grown as a person since I joined Accenture.

My last working day finally arrived. I checked my mails for the last time, sent a couple of forwards and chatted with my friends. I called all my friends telling them that it was my last day and personally bid everyone good bye. By evening, my mail account, windows log in was all disabled. Before my access card could be disabled, I swiped it for one last time. After completing all the formalities, my friends escorted me out of the building. I left with a heavy heart knowing that I was no more a part of Accenture.

Yes to Outsourcing

2009-05-09T18:55:00.001+05:30

'Bangalored' is the new term for outsourced in the diction of the US President, Barack Obama He is determined to make outsourcing an unattractive proposal by imposing stricter tax norms. He is unhappy with the fact that American firms are preferring the Indians or the Chinese over natives just to lower their operating costs, have a higher profit margin and avoid paying taxes on the higher return by reinvesting offshore. But it is not completely true that the US stands to gain nothing from outsourcing.

The companies that have offshore offices expand their business as they now reach a wider section of society and compete with local businesses also. These companies don't hire people only because labour is cheap but because they are talented and meet their standards. So it is because of outsourcing that these companies generate the revenues they do. Obama's new policy will just enable other global players to gain a competitive edge.

In this era resorting to protectionist or populist measures wont help anyone in the long run. It will increase unemployment in the outsourced country to a degree but it will not do the outsourcing companies much good and in turn the US economy will suffer again. It's a vicious cycle.

The view point of the outsourced country is rarely considered. 'Brain-drain' is a very serious issue. The Indian Government invests highly in the educational sector by subsidising primary education, regulating the fees of various educational institutions and even providing education loans at lower interest rates and with tax exemption. Despite all these measures, rather than contributing to the growth of the country, people prefer to work in these MNC's as they allegedly offer more exposure and monetary gain.

The emergence of the BPO industry in India, which mostly hires the youth, tempts them with easy money. Hence they prefer to work in a call center sometimes even at the cost of their studies. Here they are taught to fake an accent, talk cheerfully even if they are in the worst of moods, listen to all the abuses hurled at them...All this plays havoc with their physical and mental health. And the point here is that do all this for another nation who keeps accusing them of stealing their jobs.

If anybody should be complaining, it should be India. Thanks to outsourcing, we are getting robbed of our talented, educated youth. All our investments are paying dividends to someone else. Is this fair?

The Big Picture

2009-05-05T22:13:00.000+05:30

I am currently working in an IT firm, my first experience in the corporate world (more details in coming blogs). In a recent interview(not a job interview, but one to pursue higher education...in times of recession switching jobs is not a good idea), i was asked to name the CEO of the company whose tools I'm currently working on. This simple question stumped me. I realised i had absolutely no clue regarding the management of the organisation whose tools I use with elan and regarding which I claim to have significant knowledge about. Any ways, the point being that i failed to see the larger picture and was content with just playing my part.

This incident triggered a chain of thoughts in my mind. Why is it that we just focus on the task at hand and put all our efforts towards accomplishing a goal without knowing where our ambitions and mundane tasks fit into the larger scheme of things? A possible explanation could be that we are not the omnipresent, omniscient being called the Almighty One. But we don't need enlightenment to realise all this. A more sensible answer is that we are conditioned to act in the way we do. And all this begins from childhood. As children, we are encouraged(forced would be the more appropriate word) to study. But we were never told how important it is, how it can shape our lives, our thoughts and who we are. The sad truth is that we are never taught to think for ourselves. Children are much smarter than we give them credit for. In fact they are the quickest learners who are receptive to all kinds of ideas. Looking beyond the visible impact of our actions is an art that must be cultivated at an early age. It is only then that we can realise what we want out of life and channelize all our efforts in that direction. Nothing in life must be done just because everyone is doing so and you feel that you will be left behind if you don't conform. This has led to every second person wanting to be a doctor, engineer, lawyer... Most of them are not satisfied with their jobs and that is one thing that is really important at the end of the day. Those that want to create their own paths are laughed at and derided. Thank god we still have some who have the guts to stick to their convictions and choose the road less travelled. These are the people who truly rule the world. Their journeys is the stuff success stories are made of. People with herd mentality can be followers and nothing more. They can never achieve anything extraordinary because they never put in that extra bit.

We have the power to shape our destiny and we wont have much to look forward to if all we do is do what everyone else is doing. We must dare to be different. We can seek meaning in even the most ordinary task. All we have to do is unleash the power of our actions.

Future Addicts

2009-05-04T22:02:00.000+05:30

The future is one thing we obsess about and the one thing we can never be certain about. I was recently watching the movie Next wherein the protagonist could see into the future. He made attempts to change it for the better. But what he realised at the end of it was that even though he succeeded in altering the course of events, his actions caused the future to change in unforeseeable ways. He aptly summed it up as "You can never see the future, because everytime you see it, it changes"

Humans, by nature, are curious beings. We are not satisfied in knowing the present, we want challenges and there is no bigger challenge than knowing the unknown. Perhaps thats the reason for the time machine being the heart of many sci-fi stories and movies. (Love Story 2050 has other factors to blame). That is why there is such demand for the astrologers, tarot card readers, witches(yes, black magic is followed world over) and other such professionals. The common man blindly believes these people, who can supposedly see the future, and is willing to go to any lengths to make his future better. He will do things that range from amusing, silly to those that are dangerous and clearly horrifying. Wearing a ring, changing the spelling of your name, changing your signature, matching horoscopes are practices commonly adopted to turn the wheels of fortune. That is acceptable, ridiculous but acceptable. But commiting incest, sacrificing a human to appease a God or taking a life crosses the line. And any "human" being would not stoop to this level. But alas, some people(i dont know if i should call them that) in a bid to enrich the quality of their lives commit such heinous crimes at the instigation of the wicked, self proclaimed seers.

We all have a beautiful life. Obstacles are a part of it. Instead of trying to find out our future we must focus on our present, focus on what we have and try to make the most of the situations that come our way. Take every day as it comes. Every experience in life teaches us something. We must take the lesson and move on. Live in the present moment and live to the fullest.

Bravo, Mumbai

2009-04-30T23:04:00.000+05:30

The citizens of Mumbai have finally spoken. They came out in large numbers to vote, to make a difference, to participate in the decision making process. Their commitment is really strong. Their interest did not dwindle with the passing time. They have shown that they still care. After all who would have thought that the voter turnout in Mumbai after the 26/11 carnage would be a whooping 43.5%. All that was expected was just a 15% increase in the turnout compared to the 47% turnout in Mumbai five years back in 2004. Must say, this city never fails to surprise me. Way to go!!! After all, which individual with all his senses intact would choose to stand in long tortuous queues in the sweltering heat just to press a button when they can clearly spend the long weekend with their family holidaying somewhere or even perhaps relaxing at home. How many times do we overworked, underpaid, underappreciated (as we believe) Mumbaikars get a mandatory paid holiday? Very rarely, right. So why waste it on something as trivial as voting when you can do a host of other activities.

We are hedonists, narcissists to the core. Of course it should be all about us. When there is a problem, a calamity, a terrorist attack we want answers, we expect accountability, we crib that our country is going to the dogs. We want to know what is happening with our hard earned money that we pay as taxes. We claim that the government is corrupt. But when it comes to choosing our representative, to taking a step in the right direction, to shouldering our responsibility we step back. Then the next day we continue cribbing and whining. As Newton aptly puts it in one of his laws "To every action there is an equal and opposite reaction". We dont care about the political system and neither do they care about us. It is mutual. So why blame them. We are asking for whatever we are getting. You cant have the best of both worlds.

We cant blame the politicos and say that they did not motivate us to vote. If even after 26/11 we need motivation then god save us!!!! Are we so self centered that anything we believe does not affect us directly is relegated to the back burner? Have we forgotten history so soon? Forgotten our freedom fighters? The people who gave up their lives to empower us to partcipate in the decision making process? What a shame! And this time around we have really good candidates. People who genuinely care and want to make a difference. They have clear agendas and action plans. And there are a number of independent candidates, well educated ones at that, willing to contribute. It sure appears as a lot of sincere effort on their part. Even celebrities have been pleading with people to exercise their right to vote. Even South Kashmir, where the Separatists have called to boycott the elections have shown tremendous increase in the voter turn out. May be that's because due to all the tensions out there those people have realised the significance of having the privilege to vote. We need to learn a lot from them. What more do we need to make us relise that doing nothing is not going to solve anything. We need to take affirmative steps if we want things done.

After 26/11 many Mumbaikars gathered outside the gateway to protest with a candle in their hands. They made a lot of promises, showed a lot of hope. Probably they are just like our politicians, may be even worse. How can we accuse our politicians then of hypocrisy. Arent they just a reflection of us. Scary thought!

Election Time!!!

2009-04-30T16:37:00.000+05:30

Today is the day that Mumbai votes and this year's election is special as the 26/11 attacks have been a wake up call. Many citizens have realised that apathy is not helping, they need to do something. So strong was the feeling in some that the number of independent candidates contesting have risen. And they have not chosen to contest against the weak. They want to defeat the best. And according to me it is a very smart thing to do. It is a win-win situation either ways. If you win then your victory will be hailed, for you have defeated the best and even if you lose, you gain respect because you had the guts to pick such a strong opponent, not to forget all the publicity you would garner-it would ensure that you have a strong foothold and you can definitely come back again-this time against a candidate you are sure to defeat. Brilliant strategy!!! And my bet is that most of these independents will try again next year with renewed vigor(if they dont win that is). My wishes to them. But it sure requires gigantic amounts of guts and courage to leave your steady, well paying job and enter into the "dirty" world of politics. And surprisingly it is the women who have made it to the headlines.
Meera Sanyal, the Chairperson and Country Executive for ABN AMRO Bank one day decided that enough is enough. If she wanted things to change it should begin with herself. Thats when she threw in her name in the political ring. Being a banker, Im sure that she must have have thought it through and managed her risks well. But according to me, she could have done a lot more. A lot of people consider a "memsaab" who is elite and cannot connect to the aam junta. She needs to correct that impression if she is to advance further in politics. You need to appear tough for people to take you seriously and by tough I mean a display of aggression and passion (a lethal combination) and not bullying peopleand giving hate speeches.
If you have noticed none of the parties have strong ideologies or a gameplan or strategies. They change their opinions at the drop of a hat depending on the situation so that things work in their favour. I cannot say as of today how a political party will react to a given event or opportunity. If they are in power, they will "try" to set things right, but the opposition party whose actual job is to check that the governing party is doing their job will just oppose even if something could work in India's favour. They have somehow understood that to be in the opposition party means to oppose-no matter what so that the incumbent government does not get elected again-not because they are not capable but because they were just not given enough power. And coalitions have sure made it tougher. They only see their interest and care a damn about evrything else. Their favourite ploy is to threaten the government of withdrawing. Always works!!!( except in the case of the nuclear deal...kudos to Manmohan Singh for that...and for those people who call him "weak", try doing what he did, then you'll know who is weak). And admist all this India suffers.
But now the youth is waking up. They realize that the first step they can take towards helping India is by voting. They dont want politicians who seek to divide us based on religion, class, caste or creed or any other factors nor do they want "leaders" who buy their votes- all they want are a bunch of honest, determined and hardworking politicians who are willing to dedicate themselves to development and improving the standard of living. The time of the "Divide and Rule" philosophy is over. Noone is buying it. Education has empowered people to think for themselves and thats what a corrupt politician fears the most. He wants weak minded, submissive people whom he can easily fool and dominate. But we have got news for you mister. Better buckle up and start performing or else......
Today was the first time I voted. I was visibly excited. I had mailed all my friends urging them to vote after doing proper research on the candidates from their constituency. I did mine. Internet has made our lives so much simpler. Sites like jaagore and mumbaivotes made my work so much easier. After much research I decided to vote for Priya Dutt. Her body of work and experience is impressive and from a young age she used to assist her Dad. I sure hope she wins. Btw i asked the people at the booth if I had the option to not vote for any of the candidates. They gave me an incredulous look and said I should have sat at home if I wanted to do something like that. They are clearly not aware that such an option exists. Guys at the EC-WAKEUP!!!. Your people itself are not aware what do you expect of the commoners.
I would like to applaud the efforts of Aamir Khan, Karan Johar and all the actors who decided to urge India to vote and make a difference. Great work, guys!! Anyways Im really happy now. Showing off my finger to anybody and everybody. Jai Ho!!!!

Try try till you succeed

2009-04-29T22:55:00.000+05:30

Life has a way of throwing surprises when you least expect it. A disastrous event can spoil the flow of things or one positive incident can make you forget even the most difficult phase in your life. Success is a very relative term and so is happiness- some think they know what they want and the smart ones know that even if they want something it is just a temporary phase. Once you get what you desire you no longer want it and crave for something else. Sometimes you can surprise yourself specially when you do something you never imagined yourself capable of. Thats when you taste true victory.
I was reading "Its Not About the Bike" by Lance Armstrong.His is a classic tale of overcoming all obstacles and set backs to achieve the impossible- he won Tour de France(7 times),the most rigorous and competitive cycling tournament after battling cancer. Many people wrote him off long back. but he fought back. He proved them all wrong. The only thing that he kept saying to himself was that "I will NOT quit". Because everytime you try something you become a little more better(even if it is just 0.00001%).
After reading this book I felt highly motivated, positive and very good about myself. I sat wondering how the story of another person could affect me in such a strong way. Thats when I realised why we as people need such things to happen around us-we need hope, we need to know that each of us has the ability to survive despite all odds. It is so truly said" We are not because of our circumstances but because of our reaction to them".
In life we all face ups and downs. Sometimes the low points are so fatal that they lead to depression also making us contemplate suicide. It is at those moments that we need to believe in ourself and give ourselves another chance. That is why we need hope- to believe that yes,we can do it.
The article in Times Life about PFMI Pooja Chopra's mother bought tears to my eyes. To think of it, in India where society doesnt accept women who are separated from their husbands, she had the guts to walk out of her marriage to take care of her daughters all by herself. Now her youngest daughter will compete for the Miss World crown. I say she totally deserves every bit of what she is getting today. Hats off to you woman!!!This comes as a respite admist reports that parents commited suicide after killing their children-all this at the first signs of misery. The tolerance level has gone real low and the smallest of incidents act as triggers to commit henious acts like mass murder(shooting of people at random and then killing yourself), suicide etc.
Life not well lived is life not lived at all. So go enjoy life. Take each day as it comes. Most importantly spend time with your family and friends for they are the ones that matter the most. Never have regrets. Enjoy life to the fullest!!!!