यादृच्छिक THOUGHTS!

Troubles and Opportunities are TWO sides of the same coin!

Revelation!

As promised my last post in this blog regarding my class. This post would have the names of the people whom I have included in earlier posts.

Mr. Champion : Anukool Revoo(also the guy doing masti in my september blog post)
Rani Lakshmi Bai : Pooja Puri
Mr. Fumble : Pratik Ravjiani
Mr. Tumble : Farzad Behruzi
Mr. Humpty : Rohit Ahaley
Mr. Hand of God : Gaurav Bhagat
Mr. Showman : Rahul Singh
Kaccha Limbu : Mousokhi Saha (also the girl whose slippers were passed in my sept blog post)
Certain Group of Three : Irfan, Sarfaraz and Hasan
Topper in Class : Mandar Narkar a.k.a. BABA
Certain Pair of guys Jumping in Air : Divyesh & Sarfaraz
Earnest Helping Guy : Abhishekh Samant
Jugaad Guy : Nikhil Kalgutkar a.k.a. DAYA

& Last but not the LEAST

Mr. Charming : Ritesh "THE" Vaidya

Inspiring Character!

Ok, so this should be the penultimate blog on my class and felt that the apt way of writing this (consider special) post should be by writing who inspires me in this class of 2011.

Thought a lot about it, thought even when I have a viva coming up in less than 48 hours, another viva in less than 10 days, another Viva cum Book Checking (yeah believe what you read!) in less than 2 weeks and when I suck in each of these I sat down to think who is the most inspirational character in the class.

The first day came back to my mind, all those who came ahead and introduced themselves to me, the following days when the trend continued and thereafter when the cricket began, followed by the masti! So who's inspirational? The class would be the most diplomatic answer but diplomacy isn't the word in this post.

Lets for the moment call him Mr.X. I really don't recollect when did I actually start talking to Mr.X but the guy is quiet different than most. What is outstanding is his quality to be cool and calm even at trying times! He is funniest when it comes to jokes and infectious when it comes to laughter. Even when he is irritating, I am sure the opposite sex find him adorable! Arrghhh that's a quality which not many can have, take my word! (My jokes got branded and became famous as "Vipin's" all thanks to my ex. but yet she roared with laughter and I loved that!) He is suave with his words and actions and rarely leaves anyone unhappy with their conversation. He makes the person very comfortable to converse with his own style of making you feel important with his rapt attention. He gels well within any group (even if he has his own) and hops from one place to another in no time, before the lecture starts you would see him at one place and immediately the next moment he might vanish!

With what it looks, he seems to be a pretty organised fella but yet doubts himself sometimes. Infact this "sometimes" syndrome makes him stop most of the times even if he's confident about something to answer in class. Somehow he still manages to get his work done because he very well knows his weaknesses and plays well to his strengths. He likes taking responsibilities and initiatives but sometimes lacks the fire to give that extra push! However I am sure with time he will learn this as well and then no one would be able to stop him from achieving some/many great things in his lifetime. His quality, to be not just with his grades but also make the presence of the fun, felt in his life puts him in a different league. He never fails to learn from his opportunities and fights with all that he has, to survive.

Unfortunately his boyish looks and his "keeda" makes people take him lightly even when he knows to switch modes. Infact to put his qualities in a few words is his "ability to balance" I am sure it's this ability of his that will take him a long way.

All the best Mr. Charming, I am sure you'd keep inspiring me forever!

Gladiators in College!

An interest flowed in, off lately, regarding the blog and everyone wanted to know who the nick names were. I wouldn't know that, neither would I name, or else how would the "guessing" factor remain?

As days passed since the first time I stepped in PG I've been trying hard, not to allow my lazy past to set its foot into my education life, once again. Alas, I see the signs of it already with self delayed projects and assignments. If other colleges give pressure situation to their students, I wouldn't want to be left behind and so the self induced pressure."Whatever" said my life, to my so called rationale thought!

So to keep up the good work of self induced pressure, I watched a movie last night. GLADIATORS! Yeah so many years after its release and having broken quiet a few of the Box Office records, I finally managed to watch it.

I knew that it's a motivational movie and I was completely geared up to watch and get inspired for the coming week filled with projects and presentations. Dhan Ta Dhan! The movie starts and the main protagonist is walking down the sidelines of the war field and inspecting his troops when I suddenly hear a word, "huzur" Aying! Is my mind doing instant translation of the English words? Ok maybe I just need to relax. "Huzur" again it said. I adjusted the volume, even though it was at the maximum (lowered it first and then increased it again :p ) "Shakti aur..." Now this one was too real to be my imagination, so I FF (Fast Forward re duh!) the movie and to my sweetly inspired mood I found that I would be watching the "Hindi" version of Gladiator! Thankfully they were still called Gladiators throughout the movie. :-)

The movie was still inspiring I felt and especially the scene in which players played as a team against their enemy on Chariots in their first game of death! The way they protected the team and consequently self was the perfect example of what team work is, and then striking the enemy when the right moment comes. This is the perfect recipe of success! The movie got over and I wouldn't want to sit and do any review about it, because I liked everything in it. So, I sat down to give a thought if I see GLADIATORS in any of my classmates? A class filled with people who have just passed or would have at the maximum a year back, could it have GLADIATORS? A term which still stands to valour, truthfulness and ability to perform, is that there in the kids around me?

My first thought was to analyse the groups in the class. My next thought was to understand each of them. So the ones whom I didn't know were out of the fray and so the filteration provided me with a group who have it in them to become Gladiators. Or is it? The Gang of Dudes!

Mr,Fumble the perfect team man, who is ready to do anything for his team. Someone who is exuberant and who is charged up always. I wonder at times, where does he get this bundle of energy? Loud and lavish with his emotions he is always truthful. Infact his pranks are contagious!

The next in line is Mr.Hand of God! Extremely calm and composed, he is. Rarely have I seen him talking unless required! He chooses his words and emotions for the right moment but at the same time never fails to live the moment. Fantastically gifted, Mr.HOG, I feel is the silent backbone of the group. His silence is his strength as it helps the group for some well needed opinion at times, unnerving. I think its got to do with his love for music and arts!

Now its time for Mr.Humpty! Towering personality, that's what comes first in my mind when I think about him. Soft spoken most of the times but when the moment comes he can really stick to a point, with an authoritarian voice. The best part about him is that he asks Questions and even though all his Questions might not be on target but that doesn't shy him away from asking them again! That indeed is a quality which few posses, to question and get an answer. They say Good Questions make Good Answers and Mr.Humpty surely is on his way!

While everyone in the group is silent and questioning and ennergetic there's one who seems to be always lost, Mr.Tumble. He keeps tumbling with his thoughts but believe you me, is creatively sharp! Infact his doped looks forces you to mistake his abilities and so did I! Whenever he opens his mouth, he is a laugh riot, knowingly or unknowingly! But, undoubtedly, his best point is that he doesn't stop doing, what he cannot, just because he cannot do it!

That brings me to the final Gladiator, Mr. Showman! He is always there, everywhere! That makes him sound like a Superman but I shall keep that one for a future day. Mr. Showman, is good in Networking and at the sametime is lovable! He has the knack of pulling around people (guys & girls alike) when required. He loves taking initiatives in activities where the geeky type wouldn't want to and he puts his best into it, always! Full of expressions, he never fails to emote his feelings to just anyone! Mr.Showman lives each day as it comes and always loves being there and doing that!

Together, they form a nice group (Touchwood) but have to realise their true potential as yet. I did see them collecting study material once before a test and that was indeed nice as together they are a formidable force. Their strength is their Unity. Their strength is their belief in each other. Their strength is in their truthfulness to one another. Their strength is in their desire to do things together. Their strength is, to bring together everyone in the class. Their strength is in enjoying each moment without fail, it's as if their motto! Their strength is their infectious attitude! Their strengths will continue to keep flowing in with time, INSHALLAH!

Kudos guys! Keep rocking GANG OF DUDES!!

Random Thought...

Another Random thought...

If you conquer your fear of something, you would be in love with it forever, later in life!

Phir se wahi hasssiiii!!!!!!!!! :D

"Nikhil yaar, pak raha hain aaj kal college aane ko! No one seems to be interested in college these days!" Little did I realise that just minutes after I said that to my friend (who is also known as "C.I.D. ka Daya" )I would walk into the lecture of my life, atleast MBA life.

Presentations were always known to be stress creators, especially 15 minutes before the actual. But in M.E.T. we dare to bust that MYTH! Yeah hell! Come on! Presentations could really be fun if its the way done in my class, all fun and really no one interested to listen, unless it's a certain Mr.Bond!

The class ventured into a "paper fight" as the professor sat in the front row to grade the presentation. Paper Fight after long (oops does that make me sound too old)made the class go berserk to say the least! The obvious aim of the perpetrators was Mr. Fumble, but once he left it was Mr.Champion. For a while it was also Mr.Charming who was targeted but he immediately with "chance pe dance" move, took a seat right behind the professor!!!

Back to the masti, what was surprising was this charge was being led by a lady! I have never seen that sight in my life, a lady leading the charge to do masti in a classroom! Usually ladies/ girls are supposed to be coy and "superficially" respectful to the professors, but here is a lady who was leading as fearlessly as similar to, probably, Rani Lakshmibai on the battle field. And battle field it was, the way it looked towards the end of the lecture.

It was raining paper missiles left, right, up & down for Mr. Champion who occasionally opened the book to shield himself. He looked like a street thief who was being mauled by the passerby's! So what does Mr.Champion do to save his reputation, especially in front of ahhmmmm....., he gets up and picks an empty mineral water bottle! huh? Dude! Are you in your right senses was the question each of the perpetrators asked, as they immediately stopped showering him with the paper. Mr. Champion was stunned and you could see it through his bespectacled eyes, as he sat down. That moment , that very moment as he sat down he was immediately showered with missiles once again! Yes once again!! That spontaneity of the perpetrators can never be matched! That very moment gave birth to another something, my laughter, which I wouldn't have had in a while. This time it was the same as the one, I remember, I had during engineering. It was difficult to control, to keep the sound low and even more difficult to stop. It was HEARTY!

The day, mentioned here, can be matched only to an engineering lecture which I can never forget in my life and "yours truly" was "THE PERPETRATOR" then! In one of the drawing lectures, the seniormost professors at K. J. Somaiya was teaching us, as the attendance (the love of my life for which I attended lecs in Somaiya, if I did) sheet was moving around the classroom. I happily put my name in the sheet for the first time,which others were signing for the 5th time! (But I do have the record of not missing my name on even a single sheet!) As the sheet completed its duties and responsibilities it was happily kept on the first bench by a studious geek, under his PENCIL BOX! I asked for it, on the pretext of checking my attendance. The girl ahead, gave me a stare which was self explanatory, "Dude, are you really serious?" it said. Nevertheless she realised it was better to pass me the sheet as that would keep me occupied in the otherwise not so enterprising lecture. As I scrolled through the sheet I don't know how and why that "keeda", as they say, just wouldn't let me sit idle! I picked up the pen and immediately added another name to the sheet; "Digen Verma" If people remember, this was an Ad by Frooti in which they created this fictional character "Digen Verma" and started shouting,"Digen Verma ko bhi Frooti pasand hain!" to create the wave! Yes, it was that Digen Verma whom I had got into my classroom and the laughter in the class and mine too is something which I can still not forget! It was the same yesterday as well and I have no doubts when I say this, that it's "one of the memorable laughter's".

All thanks to my classmates!

Phir se Wahi Hasssiiii!!!!!

Back to the Game!

So its college life and what a way to live. Every alternate day it’s the game of Cricket which brings together around 12 bright young minds to play on the college grounds under the sweltering heat! What gain would it have, nobody knows and nobody cares as long as we play and enjoy!

It’s amazing to see how much power the game has in getting the guys on to the field and a certain girl on to the sidelines. Feel bad sometimes that we cannot take her in the game even as a “Kachha Limbu”.

It’s also heartening to see some of the guys playing to impress on their passing (girl) classmates. His friends wouldn’t want to be left behind and join in to appreciate the so called shot, even if the poor guy is fielding. After all that's what friends are for, "pehle maar ne ka, phir marva ne ka!" :))

The game also managed to pull a certain group of three who generally don’t mix in with the class and what a player one of them is! His shots clear the ground by miles! Immense power and timing something on the lines of an "in form Dhoni". Sweet timing and immense power which gets maximum results most of the times! It also produces the sweet sound when it comes right from the middle of the bat.

The game also pulled in the topper of the class. The sad soul is called by that name ever since he scored above others in a certain class test. He has almost vowed never to repeat that performance of his but he just cant get his vow right! Infact I guess coming to play was a blessing in disguise for him, as he could remove the mask of studiousness from his face with some princely shots and an excellent catch! His shorts are perfect cricketing ones, unlike most of the others. The problem with him is that he underestimates himself a lot and should do things, he fears, more frequently to get rid of them. His passion is his strength, if only he believes in it as much as I do in his ability.

The game is played in utmost spirit of sportsmanship and is played to enjoy equally. There was a point during todays match when the bowler himself declared a ball as wide, this inspite his team mates protesting. Camaraderie is at its best when some wickets fall, like a certain pair of guys jump in the air and give hi-fives! It’s serious fun like they say.

Fumble and tumble are the entertainers! Fumble a certain able-well-built guy is a weak player. So weak that the guys sometimes jokingly act to have selected the girl ahead of him! Tumble on the other hand, tumbles all over the place whenever he manages to connect the ball to the bat, like the way he keeps tumbling with his thoughts! They are nothing short of the entertainment which cheerleaders provide to T20, not in the sense of their sensual appeal but purely in terms of their entertainment. Infact in todays match they were sorely missed. Nevertheless both the matches played today went down till the last ball. It was the exceptional efforts of the batsman in the first match and the bowler in the second which won their respective teams.

The game has a charm which can never leave a true Indian, irrespective of their age. That’s the reason I went ahead to play it even though I had never ventured on to a cricket ground ever since I was 14 years old!

If I look at it from the perspective of a management student, there are still a lot of loopholes in the whole way the team plays. Encouragement from team mates isn’t consistent. It helps a lot to hear your team mates clap for you and the whole team shouting your name in support. There is an adrenaline rush which comes and helps you to make a productive contribution. But nevertheless they still are a great company to be with, the Cricketing group!

Sadly the studies are going to take prominence over this game and the whole fun of playing it. I am sure, when I pass out this would be one of those memories which I would treasure FOREVER and EVER!

Bus ek wajah...

Har khushi main kuch kum hain,
Har lamha, yeh aankhen num hain,
Har khushi hain baygaani kal se,
Har lamha tham gaya ho jaise,
Bus ek wajah se,
jisne badal di is zindagi ki har rah,
Bus ek wajah,
jisne mitta di sari chah,

Aaj phir woh sham ayi jab hum mile,
Aaj phir woh sham aayi jab hum bhoole saare shikwe aur gillay.
Par is rah main ab humain aur chalna hain,
Is rah main humain aur joonhjhna hain.
Bus us ek wajah ke liye jisse humain ek khwaab sa dekha hain,
Bus us ek wajah k liye jisse Khudda ne bhi kabhi nahi roka hain!

Random Thoughts Once Again

Just thought to post/share another random thought which came whilst making a project. Here it goes...

"Life always lets you have an option, that’s the best part about life, but how to make use of that option depends on how best you could make use of that opportunity.
One of the ironies of life is that if you don’t make the best use of the option it always makes you pay for it."

A New Experience

I ventured out of home with a sick body to carry out an initiative in college called MET-NAG (News Analysis Group). All through my way I was confused as to what would I present to the group and finally I found a topic or rather an article on education which I could speak about.

As soon as I entered the classroom I was glad to see 10% of the class sitting and discussing/ analysing the news. But in between the discussion I came to know abot STORMET Marketing activities to be held in less than an hour. Brand Charade and Case Study on Virgin Mobile. Wow Case Study and that too Virgin Mobile, sounded cool! So I followed a couple of my classmates to the computer lab.

Start Google! Start Wikipedia! Start everything that could help me gather news about Uncle Richard! Looked to be an interesting case as I started guessing what could be the issue they would want us to present on. Branding / Communication / strategies, what could it be? Why haven't they succeeded? What on earth could be the actual topic of discussion?

I gathered as much info as possible and was moved to the venue. I was greeted with scenes of people working on laptops. Discussing the financial numbers, the reach of the advertisements, the everything and anything that I didn't search for. Nevertheless it wasn't the time to sit and analyse what you didn't have and rather consolidate your position. So I settled down with my group members and we started sharing our data. I was completely geared and raring to hit the audience with my thoughts and ideas.

Volunteers started moving around with pieces of folded paper which had the group number. We picked one and announced that we were the second group. I was glad as we would be able to present our ideas sooner than later and all that initial enthusiasm would not die. Wow!

Finally the organiser stood in front of us and started speaking out the rules & regulations. Ok! Now this is new but maybe could be some innovative rules for a case study. Maybe? Suddenly the organiser says, you cannot point out at objects in the classroom. Pointing at objects for case study? WTF? Aren't we supposed to present case study? What does pointing at objects have to do with case study? I finally gathered my courage to call one of the volunteers and asked him, "how would it affect if I point at any object in between a case study?" To my shock and disbelief I was told," the case study was cancelled just 10 mins back and you're the second group for brand charades!"

WTF!

Now I sit here trying to guess what people intend to say about brand names and their tag lines! Huh? I never played this game in my entire life not even when I was bored to death! So hmmmm I'm sitting here and guessing and trying to understand what exactly the "F" is it when you pull your ear lobe, what's it that you indicate when you hit your elbow, what do you convey when you stamp your fist? What the hell is it?

But what I did learn is that communication does happen without words and with minimal actions, with a lot of vigour and excitement which makes verbal communication not so exciting in front of this medium. :-)

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Another week in the B-School.

Body gave up last evening in its fight against traveling to college and the ever fluctuating weather. Lying on the bed, listening to music since morning, the one thing that I feel good about is that thoughts haven't stopped trickling onto my BlackBerry. (Wow! I'm learning IBA - In Blog Advertising :P)

The last one week has been a good time observing classmates and trying to understand their behaviour towards each other.

Camouflaged or how real? Slowly and steadily the gossips, likes and dislikes are coming out. The frustrations are being thrown out in the open. People who looked from one side as level headed and extremely knowledgeable turned out to be very self-centred. Would it mean that the countdown to groupism have begun? I wouldn't know (maybe I'm avoiding truth) and hope not.

In all this there are two classmates who really caught my attention. Both from outside Maharashtra. Both too casual. Both crowd pullers. Both athletic. Both with lots of enthusiasm and energy. But one is more on the calmer side and the other a bit too impulsive.

The calmer guy is more like a visiting faculty and does things with a certain amount of confidence. He also has a knack of becoming teachers pet. Somehow he manages to create a niche for himself in every ones mind.

The impulsive fellow is very regular to the class. Always participating in the right ways. He has confidence which can take him places and is very promising in terms of capabilities.

So would that mean that the rest of them don't really come under that bracket of "would-be-great" people. Definitely not! And I'd be the last one to judge someone like that but these two are people who leave their marks whenever they go somewhere, besides they dare to take the walks which others would be a bit reluctant to take initiative about. Like the calmer guy is a hit among seniors and the peer group alike. While the impulsive has gone ahead and become a part of the debating society. Two things which define a person in college are; how well you can interact with your seniors and how well you could debate with them to put your points. Both help to shape your thought processes. These two have ventured into each of these territories individually but still I would rate them as the most promising in the class because to be successful you need not be a part of everything around. It is all about playing to your strengths and not letting your weaknesses out, which I see in both of them.

I have hit off with a few people around me and I enjoy their company as well. Besides there's this group of dudes who are also a great company, a group which keeps the class lively. Infact the Group of Dudes and the Group of the Impulsive guy had lunch together, yesterday and it was indeed a nice sight seeing so many people bonding together! Makes me feel proud of the place I am. :-) There have been certain surprises too,like a really sweet but quiet looking girl making an excellent, confident and clear voice pitch during her I.T. for Management Presentation. But yeah she has got a long way to go.

The one sad part is that there's no representation in our class from the North East. I would really have been happy to see them, especially since they are music freaks. It would have been a perfect setting of a Mini-India. That's one thing that I would be looking forward to, interacting with people from different parts of India. The course has to open up minds for things which are not referred in the syllabus of Mumbai University.

But I'm sure looking & interacting with specifically these two classmates atleast for the next two years I would be able to open my mind and learn more about North Indias two most powerful places; Jammu & Delhi.

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Indian Youth

Not a great day to start with, reasons enough to have another bus trip to some unknown destination. Unfortunately this time I had to overlook that option as I had college.

Thankfully the first lecture got cancelled and I had time enough to reach college. I was glad to catch up with some rest as I hadn't slept last night. Luckily Anoop was there to drop me in college. I wasn't sure if I would reach college today but I did and I did almost an hour and a half earlier than the next lecture. Finally when the lecture began I almost fell asleep.The subject was Organisation Behaviour. My drowsiness continues till the first break and for a little time of the next part of the lecture which was,until I got the shock of my life. A photograph shown on the screen showed the faces of some National Leaders camouflaged in another picture. An observant student immediately jumped to answer the obvious question as to how many faces could he see;which was 10. The answer was correct but what was sad was,he didn't know the names of all these 10 leaders! That was a shocker for me! Where are these generation heading if they don't know who are their National Leaders? I wondered if this was indeed India Shining? It was sad to say the least.

Later on I moved towards my favourite stress busting hang out; Chembur Barista. The ambience here (I'm writing this blog from Barista) somehow,for some unknown reason works for me. For company I had a laptop too. So as I sat here I saw a life, through the glass window, which many of us still are trying to come in terms with even after so many years of existence. As my eyes wandered from one racing car to another it stuck to a roadside urchin crying. She was wailing and initially I thought she was just trying to create a scene. A little while later I could see a teenage couple talking to that lady and that's when I realised that she had hurt herself and was crying asking for some medicines. This couple immediately and got some first aid. There were so many well dressed & not so well dressed, educated & not educated human beings passing by but they didn't do anything better than giving a second look at the teenage couple. It was atleast a good sight that someone went ahead to answer to the wailing lady.

Atleast there is hope that the young teenage generation do care and take initiative even if they might not get their National Leaders names right.

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Thoughts

A few days back I got up early morning at 3 & was feeling restless for some unknown reason! A few hours later I could pen the following thoughts;



"A look out of my window actually shows how calm everything is when it's dark. The irony is we humans just cant see when it is dark but calm and rather prefer to search for everything when there is light and noise during the day. I guess it's because we fear to do something in darkness,just because we cannot see it. It's so unfortunate that we lay so much importance to seeing things and doing rather than feeling! "





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By Vineet Venugopal

These following few words are written by my younger brother, Vineet. I normally do understand what he writes but on this occasion it was no way close to understanding. "Over The Top"

"If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
but make allowance for their doubting too,
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
or being lied about,don't deal in lies,
or being hated,don't give way to hating,
and yet don't look too good,nor talk too wise.
If you can dream and not make dreams your master,
If you can think and not make thoughts your aim.
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
and treat those two impostors just the same.
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools
or watch the things you gave your life to,broken.
And stoop and build'em up with worn out tools.
If you can make one heap of all your winnings and risk it all on one turn of pitch and toss, and lose and start again at your beginnings and never breath a word about your loss
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
to serve your turn long after they are gone,
and so hold on when there is nothing in you
except the will which says to them"hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
or walk with kings-nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving foes can hurt you;
If all men count with you but none too much,
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
with sixty seconds worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything thats in it!
And which is more you'll be a Man,my son!"
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Personal Collection 6

Work In Progress.

United We Stand, Divided We Fall!

Another Perfect Setting.

A traditional Temple Enterance in Kerala.

Teen Darwaaza at Ahmedabad.

Personal Collection 5

Stripped!

I fell in love with this place on the Konkan route!

Larger than Life!

The Nawabs Mahal.

A Mosque of religious importance, down South in Kerala.

Personal Collection 4

Mesimerising.

I don't know what do I name this, any suggestions?

Innocence Personified!

History.

Guided!

Personal Collection 3

Golden Waters.

Freedom!

Feedback cum Advertising!

Everything has to end one day, including the day.

Colourful!

Personal Collection 2

Despair!

Courage.

Colourful beliefs.

Complementing each other; the beauty & the beast!

Ideas half thought never see the light of the day!

Personal Collection 1

At peace!

A Private beach at Alibaugh which made me believe that some of the natural beauty which is left in India, if the Govt.cannot manage or conserve them, should be given to private players.

A breathtaking place, where I am sure you could sit for hours together just watching the water flow.

A Structure outside Ahmedabad Railway station. Heritage fascinates me always and this one did steal my heart!

A foot into the PG World!

So finally it has been a week since I joined Mumbai Educational Trust's Institute of Management at Bandra for my M.M.S.(which for layman is the MBA Degree awarded by Mumbai University.)

Week 1 was good. I really enjoyed most of my lectures except the but obvious Finance Tutorials. It's not that the prof is bad but I have a weaknees and that's Finance. I really need peace and tranquility equal to attaining Bliss to understand Finance, so now you know what I mean!

Most of the professors are really good when it comes to delivering lectures and probably that's the reason why I'm enjoying it. I read this on Captn.C.K. Gopinath's Tweet today,""The mediocre teacher tells.The good teacher explains.The superior teacher states.The great teacher inspires." William Arthur Ward " It speaks the best of what I want to say.

To come to the point of my classmates, people with whom I would be spending most part of my day, I should say it has been a mixed reaction (sort of 80-20) 80% of them are good and 20% not bad. I liked the way they all gelled and jumped on the day of the photoshoot! It was terrific to be in that experience, sitting there and watching everyone make noise, jump, smile and click! It was an experience which really helped me sit back and soak the environment I would be in, for the next 2 years. I liked a few of them, a certain guy from a Market Research Agency, got good brains I should say but I only wish he opens up too often. That's something which I felt in this class, that they are scared inspite of the fact that they have been in college now for more than 3 weeks! It reminds me of what my undergraduate prof had said, "Speak, Open up. Even if you make a fool of yourself it's better to make that here in front of your classmates rather than in the Board room." I guess they should start adapting this policy. They will I guess in a matter of time. Some of the guys are helpful, like one who earnestly came forth and explained me the groups and the projects. Another one did some "jugaad" and got me into his group. They are nice, nice people! Some couples already exist in class I guess and of the two that I assumed, I liked the pair! Fantastic they look together! :) I hope I guessed it right.

Masti during lectures is full on, even during some really serious lectures. Like the other day during the Accounts lec by one of the noted professors of the city, Prof.Chopade, a guy actually had the gutts to do mischief by passing the slippers of his partner (as in person sitting next to him) to the person sitting next to the door. The facts to note are 1) he was sitting at one end of the class and the door guy was at the other end. 2) the girl (the partner) was oblivious to all of this until forced by habit she wanted to put on her slippers, after a while. I still cannot forget the "SHOCK" on her face on realisation and the other moment which I cannot forget is the way she clenched her fist and thumped her legs on the floor to drain her frustration! "LOL" was the word of that moment!

I just pray and hope that as the course draws more seriousness all this camarederie isn't lost, all this spirit of being classmates doesn't evaporate and this oneness remains forever keeping the spirit of education!

Khush Raho...

Received this from a very dear person today and felt it was worth posting and sharing with everyone.

"Zindagi hai choti, har pal mein khush raho...

Office me khush raho, ghar mein khush raho...

Aaj paneer nahi hai, dal mein hi khush raho...

Aaj gym jane ka samay nahi, do kadam chal ke hi khush raho...

Aaj Dosto ka sath nahi, TV dekh ke hi khush raho...

Ghar ja nahi sakte to phone kar ke hi khush raho...

Aaj koi naraaz hai, uske iss andaz mein bhi khush raho...

Jise dekh nahi sakte uski awaz mein hi khush raho...

Jise paa nahi sakte uski yaad mein hi khush raho

Laptop na mila to kya, Desktop mein hi khush raho...

Bita hua kal ja chuka hai, usse meethi yaadein hai, unme hi khush raho...

aane wale pal ka pata nahi... sapno mein hi khush raho...

Haste haste ye pal bitaenge, aaj mein hi khush raho

Zindagi hai choti, har pal mein khush raho"

A Question Unanswered!

So it's Onam today and yeah it has been a good day so far! Actually to think about it, this auspicious day has followed a day which has been my best in 2009! Owing to certain uncertainties I still cannot talk about it but yeah it was my best day and I am continuing to live a gifted day!

Onam celebrations are full on for every Malayali. Infact they say that even if you have to sell your house, a Malayali has to celebrate his Onam with grandeur!

I got up early today morning not because it was Onam but just got up unknowingly at 5 am!I have been trying hard to get up at that hour of the day but somehow wasn't successful in it. Today when I woke up at 5am I allowed myself the liberty to decide in the next half an hour if today had to be the day to go for a morning walk! Gosh! For some reasons "neend" still eluded me and I decided to just kick the blanket and get out of the bed. So off I was!

I have a habit of checking my mails every morning as soon as I get up and this one I don't compromise until I am in a jungle.So every house which doesn't have an internet I call it a jungle! I went through my inbox and suddenly felt the urge to write a mail to someone special on Onam and yes I did mail her, a motivational mail. (I hope it is one.)

As I went for my walk it felt good. I didn't want to exert myself and hence concluded to have a 30 mins walk. When I came back and completed my daily chores I was asked to go and give some Onam Ashamshgal (Onam Wishes in Malayalam) to Mami, Mythili Mami. I love her simply because she is soft spoken and I have never seen her without a smile.

On reaching her house, with some typical Southie gifts which include the Banana Chips, some South Indian Banana's, Coffee powder and a few add ons, I realised that it didn't look like any celebration around. Mami stays alone in her one room flat at a distance of 15 mins from my house. She had a son whom she and her husband slogged to make a doctor. On the night of his graduation, while returning from a party they lost him in an accident.A few years later Mami lost her husband as well! I saw today that she still has the house name plate on her son's name which proudly declared his name as "Dr. ....." I gave her the gifts and just couldn't think about what do I talk to her. All that I could ask her was if she had breakfast and what about her lunch. I didn't quiet like the fact that she doesn't have breakfast and her reasoning pushed me almost to tears,"What breakfast do I make for just one person? I have some food by 11:30 and then in the evening if I feel I have a glass of Kaapi (coffee) and finally end the day with a bit of food." I got up to thank her for the blessings not knowing what do I tell her. Was it really a Happy Onam for her? Nevertheless I had to leave as I was almost getting choked with emotions there.

I got into a rick and thought about the 10 mins that I was with her. She was still smiling. Infact as I sat and thought about it, it reminded me of another such a strong person whom I know having a similar experience in life. A teacher from my school lost her only son 3 days after his marriage, while he was on his honeymoon. Her husband suffered a paralytic attack and she had brought their son on her own but she was a lady with high principles! Some of my friends and me, tried to help her but she refused and never budged from her decision. unfortunately she too lost her husband a few months back.

The rick journey had now ended but my fight had just began in search of an answer, "What do people celebrate for when they loose everyone they love?" I don't mean they turn Devdas or in the case of Mami and my teacher they don't stay in touch with anyone (infact they are still very active) but what really inspires them to move on with everyday, what helps them celebrate the occasions? What makes them smile always?

What is it that makes them celebrate? I still search.......

To Poo Ma'am & Shu Sir! ( :p )

Wooohoooo!!!! New Post so soon, but this one is for my Ma'am, Pooja Ma'am!

The only way you would have found her number on my "once-used" SMART PHONE (btw I always love to flaunt it,ahhmmm it was a Nokia E71) would be if you typed "BESTEST MA'AM" and today I have decided to write her an open letter,when I got to know that she's committed!

To Dearest Ma'am & Sir,

Sasssshhhtang Pranam!

Well ma'am, today as I write this one letter specially for you & Sir, let me confess I was wrong when I told Anoop the first time you took a lecture, that you are a novice and just another professor! I was, I am and I would always be completely wrong for that statement!

As days passed and became years, the student-teacher bonding was not something which I had expected from my first opinion. Ma'am, you actually became a guiding light for me and truly one of the most influtential people to have shaped up my life.

Today as I completed my previous blog entry and you pinged me on gtalk, I was thoroughly surprised and happy to find you around as I was back into my mood to joke & as you know,with you I could just joke the usual Vipin's(as put by my ex.) I was about to drop a Vipin's when you dropped a Pooja's (that shows the competition between the two of us :p, right ma'am?) which read to my interpretation as "I got married!" I was close, you had got engaged.

Engaged?????????????????????????????????
OMG!!!!!
Ma'am got engaged!
Yippie!

These were my first few reactions! Honestly, I am sure all those who know you, would definitely be happy to know that you got engaged and their reactions would be so similar to mine but I would still love to believe that mine was the best because I am your biggest fan, among your "houn-haar" students.

On a Serious note, ma'am as you enter into this new phase just one away from marriage, I wish that you and sir have a fantastic life ahead. Finally you get a different kind of CKP don't ya?(Gosh! I can't be serious with you for too long! Let me still try!) I wish you good luck as you enter this phase of life in which there is lots of love, care, affection, responsibility and respect. A phase where everyone wants to be in life but only a few deserve to be and I am sure you two are one among the deserving! A phase where relationshipa are cemented on trust and understanding and without failing, the word "HOPE". I am sure there would be Great Days, Good Days, Ordinary Days, Not-so-great days and Terribly-not-so-great-days as well(every love story has different classification of days and this is out of mine) but what lasts is the relationship and it's memories. Infact I would say it becomes stronger with each of these days! There will be small moments which would take your breath away and larger moments which could just bring a smile, but it is those moments which keep you going for life long!

The "moments" point reminds me of something I saw yesterday. An old Gujju couple, as usual the man in a white kurta pyjama and the lady as "dhakchick" they could get dressed. Yellow Sari! Can you believe that??? Anyways that's not the point, my point is the moment and the duration of the moment:5 seconds! While I stood at the bus stop waiting for the bus, I saw these two elderly couple crossing the road. The lady (as usual among women) was a bit sceptical and slow to cross, but the man took the lead (though he didn't hold her hands thinking Zamaana Kya Kahega? GOD! I hate such people as I am from the Pyaar Kiya Toh Darna Kya types) and covered the lady when the traffic was coming from his right and when he crossed half the road,did the same by going to the other side. I know that this ain't a really really really romantic moment but for romantic loosers like me who keep looking around, these are enough to judge the love between the two. It wasn't that the lady wouldn't cross the road and it isn't that the traffic in Mumbai is so "un-gentle" that they wouldn't slow down on seeing an old lady cross, but it is moments like these that re-assure your partner that you are there whether small or big. You cover them up as they face something hard! Right? Oh ok so the point behind this is that I hope Sir,(if you're reading) you take care of ma'am exactly the same while crossing the road,after all mera MBA baki hain & I would still have doubts about financial statements and balance sheets!

There I drop a Vipin! :P

Happy Life Long Relationship!

Regards,
-Vipin Venugopal

P.S.: Chotti Mu Badi Baat k Liye Kshama Madam! And BTW that POGO thing didnt work sadly, do you think you could change Sir's name to start with "GO"? I shall gift you a name book on your marriage :P Vipin again!

A Journey of Experience.

How my day was is something I would struggle to answer, especially the ones when you remember somethings from your past. Today was no different. On an otherwise fine day, tears shed as memories took the front seat to drive my emotions! In an instant & impulsive decision I walked out of home to just get into a bus (yeah you read that right a bus, seems like it has become an integral part of my stories, like Sooraj Barjatya's stories have dogs/birds etc!)

I hadn't planned which bus I would take or where I would be going, the bus that takes me out of Mulund would be the one I would take first. I waited for half an hour to get the bus. I got into 303 which would take me to Bandra Terminus. I was back into the mode which I love, I was back on the road which I once frequented while going to office & returning. I was back on the road where I had seen a lot of people every morning while I went to office for days days together. I was back on the road which did have some memories I guess I would never forget in my life.

The bus ride would stand out for two factors
1) It was my first bus ride without thinking about the destination
2) The driver was the most awful one I had ever come across in my life!

The route is one of the most busiest in Mumbai called the L.B.S. Marg. It passes through L.B.S. Mulund-Bhandup-Vikhroli-Ghatkopar-Kurla and then gets into BKC and from there to Kala Nagar and Bandra East Station and finally Bandra Terminus.

I really didn't know why I had taken this bus but as I sat down I thought it was high time I set some things straight in my life. Decide a few things. Conclude a few things. Completely close a few things. Deal with all these few things! But as I settled into the journey my eyes wandered onto the roadside to see people around and also the way they existed. People with different kind of actions and reactions are there on the road. People on different vehicles travel. Some in urgency, some with neglect and some without anything decided like me. The one thing that came to my notice immediately is that people weren't celebrating like how it used to be earlier during Ganpati. I don't know if it is the medical effect or the financial effect which has brought down this Celebration Sector. I wonder if ET/FT would carry some news article about the up/down sale of Pooja articles. I always thought they were for sure recession proof because divine powers is something for which people wouldn't shy to spend especially in a religious country like India. So is this industry still shining amidst all the downfall?

There was a point when the bus reached quiet close to Shreyas Cinema,opp.Maruti Showroom on LBS, just before the Ghatkopar Junction. It was a predominantly Muslim area and I saw kids playing by the roadside. I was happy to see some girls playing with plastic toys. It is really gladdening when I see kids especially girls being able to enjoy their childhood. But the same thing changed as soon as the bus entered on it's last lap, a lap I had never visited in my 27 years of existence in Mumbai because I never had the need to. My perception about India developing and shining and progressing was put on a serious doubt mode when we crossed Kala Nagar and entered the road to Bandra (E) station. The area had filth covered all around and in between that I could see vegetables and fruits being sold. Why cannot the Municipal Corporation have a proper cleanliness program in such areas? I know they are not educated and changing habits are the most difficult in the two extremes of the society but if there are dust bins which are kept at more frequent intervals and if vans to clear these are sent more frequently would it take time to instill faith in these uneducated people? What the BMC lacks today is faith like every other Government machinery but who is to be blamed? BMC and without failing the common man too. But I am a firm believer that if you take 1 step ahead for some purpose the person opposite would take 2! The BMC wouldn't succeed in the first go and maybe they would suffer losses in terms of the dustbins being stolen but a persistent effort on the importance of cleanliness would help to improve situation at such places. Who doesn't want to live in a clean environment?

Even more disheartening to see was the way the children were neglected in these areas. Kids, hardly 4/5 y.o. walked freely on the road with their shirt buttons open and walking in a manner that reminded me of the central characters in some underworld movies. Isn't that an easy guess that they have been influenced by the people who live aroung them? Why would it be so difficult for the Government to formulate a team/ group to have a Project Shiksha implemented for the Urban Poor as well. I know it is existing in certain Urban Municipal Schools but why not do it for each chawl? Why not do it for each city? How much would it cost the government?I don't think anything related to education should be seen as a cost, it's after all an investment! If it wouldn't have been for education how would the IT sector have looked today? what would the financial sector have looked today? Would there have been so many Indian led start ups in silicon valley? Would we have seen a certain
"Bhat"the co-creator of USB as the lead model in an advertisement of an IT Giants? If the government is putting emphasis on IIT's and IIM's it is sad that nothing is being done for the Urban Poor in the form of education. (Well I started writing this post on 25th and spilled over to the 26th of August but guess what I found on twitter PritishNandy: Where are the green shoots? Urban poor in Maharashtra to rise 11% to 146 lakh, India's highest! All India figures to rise 18%. )

I got down at Bandra Terminus and decided to check what options I would have but alas nothing to go to Bandra (W) neither to V.T./Churchgate nor Mulund(apart from the bus that I just came in). I wanted to still wander, for some unknown reason and decided to start walking back the way I had reached Bandra terminus and check out my options on the way.

As I walked I noticed how small the roads were. Some part of the road was used to parking. Some part of the road was used by people to releave their body wastes. Some part of the road was used by animals like goats, dogs etc to wander. Some part of the road was used to accomodate the speading vehicles and whatever rest was left was for the pedestrians. Walking on such roads was a full fleged war with my concentration. Kids came on the way in between, running after one another. It was chaos to say the least. Thankfully my mind was diverted for sometime from the topic which made me leave home impulsively.

I walked further only to turn and look behind to find a bus to Anushakti Nagar. I quickly jumped in and since the bus was empty I could choose my seat. Having made myself comfortable I started my next journey towards Chembur.My final stop this time was Diamond Garden in Chembur where my plan was to sit in Barista and age old healing centre for me when I am in deep shit. Somehow the place even though, now, noisy used to help me relax and gives me strength to come out of the mess that I would be in. Probably it has got connections with my failures during engineering and coming out of it confidently.

The bus struggled to come out of the area due to the narrow roads and the occasional fights with the other self declared owners / Maharaja's/ Shahenshah's/ Emperor's of the road. This one was terrible too, thankfully only the bus! It made such noise while on top speed that you feared if one nut is loose the whole bus would come down and maybe you would be riding on the seat in open air!

It passed through quickly with some earlier accquainted areas of Urban poor, Dharavi. For some reason these places looked much better than the ones I had seen outside Bandra (E). One of the other reasons why I feel these initiatives of the BMC would succeed is because these places have enormous unity. Yes I agree they are also the breeding grounds of communal conflicts but then doesn't it make sense to start an education program right at the place where it matters the most? Why doesn't Mumbai have something like Project (something like) Hole in the Wall (I hope I got it right) started in Delhi? Research shows that crime rates decline in these areas and there is social upliftment.

My bus reached Chunnabhatti in no time. I had never ever come to this side of the city as well. But there was a stark difference in the way people lived here. There were old buildings and was traditional way of living in the city and I loved what I saw. The roads were small but yet it was clean. Oh and I also encountered the old style railway track crossing where you see the vehicles waiting till the trains crossed! Ah my heart gets happy whenever I see an existence of old things!

We made our way back to the highway and reached RCF and drove into Chembur, the same route through Vivekanand College. ah my KT exam centre! Gosh! I would have visited this place more than my engineering college. :P

Chembur was again the more affluent cousin among the others in the Suburbs. But what was standing out was the way the transition took place. From a place outside Bandra Terminus, I cannot get out of mind due to the neglect, to BKC which has the highest per sq.ft. cost for commercial space in India, to the largest slum in Asia called Dharavi, to a typically middle class area called Chunnabhatti and reaching Chembur an upper class area in most of its parts! The diversity of these places were just too difficult to avoid. Infact it made me think about a particular incident when my ex-girlfriend asked me "Why does he have to do that job jaan?" when she saw a man on the Kurla-Kalina Road searching for something in the gutter. And it was a terrible sight. Probably that answer to her would best suit this moment. God really wants everyone to value what you have. If you just have something without knowing how it would if you don't have it, then probably you would never value what you have in life. That is God's way of balancing life.

I got down from the bus even before Diamond Garden had come. I didn't need to go there to find an answer for my current crisis. I had found my answer as I got down at Fine Arts and walked all the way to Amar Mahal to catch a cab.

A journey which began with impulse uncertainty had been completed with a journey of realisation.

Today I face, whatever I do, so that I realise what it is like when you don't have something, so that whenever I have something I realise it's value and respect it.

Inspiring once again!

Came across this article in todays (25th August 2009) TOI, Mumbai. I am sure that many more than these examples would be there in India but can something be specifically be done for such kids?


Nothing can impair his zeal to study
13-Yr-Old Deaf-Mute Boy Travels 120 Km To Ahmedabad School, Is Class Topper
-Prashant Dayal

While the rest of the world was bursting crackers to celebrate Diwali, silence had descended on the home of signboard painter in Dhandhuka, Khurshid Hussain Malik. He had just realised that his son, the third of five children, was unaffected by the loudest crackers going off around him. While other children were scared, Jan Nisar did not even flinch. Malik took him to a doctor, who confirmed that his son suffered from hearing and speech impairment. Jan Nisar would never hear a sound or utter a word. Life was already hard, feeding a large family with his meagre earning and now he was saddled with a son who needed special attention.
That was nine years ago. Today, Jan Nisar is 13. And his father no longer sees him as a burden. “He was the source of maximum worry,” says Malik. “Now, he is a source of pride.” This transformation has been brought about by Jan Nisar’s zealous drive to overcome the silence around him through academic excellence. The lengths this boy goes to just to attend class can shame an able-bodied adult.
Jan Nisar leaves home at 8 am, boards a train and travels 120 km from Dhandhuka to Ahmedabad. He then treks 1.5 km on the railway tracks to reach his school and then catches a train back home. He has been doing this every day for the past four years. That is not all. He is among the top three rankers in his class.
Jan Nisar is admitted to the School For The Deaf-Mutes Society. Initially, he stayed at the school’s hostel but did not like the arrangement and convinced his father to allow him to commute between Dhandhuka and Ahmedabad. Malik agreed but railway officials refused to issue a pass for such a young boy. But such was his zest for studies that even the officials relented. Punjabhai Gamara, social worker from Dhandhuka, says, “This is the birthplace of Acharya Hemchandracharya who had a big role to play in spreading education in Gujarat. Little Jan Nisar seems to have taken inspiration from him.”

Inspiring!

Came across this news on CNN-IBN website (www.ibnlive.com) on 17th August 2009 and found it damn inspiring. I strongly feel that this should be replicated by schools across the country.

"Chandigarh: Business honchos, take note. In times of recession, a company floated and managed by school children in Chandigarh has given a dividend of 900 per cent to its shareholders.

'InsPirated' - the company that is inspired to succeed and calls itself pirates by choice - run by the students of Chandigarh's Vivek High School has notched up a revenue which is over 36 times its original capital of Rs 8,000 and has a profit of over 11 times - making them business tycoons in their own right.

The company, which is part of the Junior Achievement (JA) company programme, is the 13th company in Vivek High and the only one to have had such a high revenue and dividend.

The company sold food products under the brand names Ccap-o-corn and Ccap-o-king, did bookbinding, sold paper products and even made chalk to generate revenue. The products are sold within the school where the company does not have a monopoly and faces competition from the school canteen.

Run entirely by select Class 11 students with the help of the commerce department teachers of the school, the group of 33 students - 20 of them girls - have had their first shot at business management. All student members are on the board of directors (BoD) of the company.

Started in October last year with a capital of just Rs 8,000 - 800 shares of Rs 10 each distributed among schoolchildren, teachers and staff - the company had a gross revenue of nearly Rs 290,000. The profit alone was over Rs 90,000 before the company was officially liquidated at the end of the term.

"These children have done wonderfully with the company. You have to see their enthusiasm in doing things all by themselves to manage the company - right from production aspects to making financial reports," said School Principal Daman Duggal.

InsPirated President Sahil Chopra said, "Coming in at 5 am, even in peak winter, and doing everything ourselves has been a great experience for us. Joining the company is voluntary for students."

Against 400 shares offered initially, there were 1,200 applicants from among school students, teachers and staff. Finally, 800 shares were allotted with fixed limits for the BoD, principal and staff.

"The company hires staff from other classes on daily wages and pays them according to work done. One kg of capsicum cutting fetches Rs 2 per student," said its Vice-President Personnel,Vineet Dhadly.

The company has its full hierarchy of top management, including the president, vice presidents for finance, personnel, production, sales, marketing and inventory, managers and even a company secretary.

"We prepare performance reports every week. All entries of purchases, stocks used and sales are made as in any big company. All records are computerised," said the company's Vice-President, Finance, Kunwarbir Singh.

"The company means a lot of hard work and effort. Food products account for most of our revenue (worth about Rs 230,000). We get complaints sometimes and look into them immediately. Company members who report late are penalised. Our parents have been very supportive with this concept even though we have to come very early and go back late from school," Vice-Presidents Muskan Bajaj, Chandrika Ahuja, Priya Arora, Harsimar Kaur and Abir Saraon and Company Secretary Arushi Ahluwalia pointed out.

Principal Duggal said the concept was started in 1995-96 from a similar JA programme in the United States.

"JA -India was launched last year only and one school (in Mumbai) and a college are part of it. Vivek High has been doing it for over 13 years. The companies have evolved over the years," said Commerce Department Faculty Member and Teacher-in-charge of the JA company.

Duggal said, "The school has a licence from the JA -India to run the company. Our children have made presentations to KPMG and HSBC. The experience that these children have gained will be counted by the corporate sector when they enter the corporate world."

With 'InsPirated' being liquidated after a successful run in a slowdown year, stakes will be high for the new company to be floated this year by school students. "We will bully them to show results," the outgoing team laughs off."

Had been to the information seminar of Duke University's Fuqua School of Business. It was hosted by the Regional Director Mr. Vinoo Urs.

The school (I had already done a bit of research) is indeed a nice place to go. What I liked about them was the fact that they take in students with 3 years of education and if the profile is good then they also take students with 0 (zero) years of work ex! This is precisely what I used to keep telling my friends, building the profile is important! But one thing is for sure, they won't let you in the easy way, so get ready for the grill! Besides they also have a very friendly loan availing facility which really is something that all the other B-Schools should follow.

All in all a very informative seminar.

I came back home to meet a childhood friend of mine, Dr.Rahul Chivate, who briefed me about the media hype about H1N1. What I came to know from him is that, the medical fraternity feels that the State Govt.has done a good job to tackle with the Virus.

The points which put me into thoughts were when he qouted figures which said that "EVERYDAY in India" people die many more times because of Malaria and diabetes, than that due to H1N1 then why is it that those deaths are not highlighted???

It gives us some food for thought, when on our Independence day we sit and ask if we are making right use of the freedom given to us, perhaps it is the apt time to ask even the media!

Happy Independence Day! Jai Hind!

My last two months!

Completed a little more than 2 months of my self induced break from work. I had considered it to be my time of healing. A time wherein I would get myself back on track in life, pick up some bits and pieces which just fell while running to match up with the pace of life. At the end of 2 months where do I see myself?

Honestly speaking, I haven't really thought about what I would be writing for an answer to the above question which would be the topic for this latest blog.

Let me start by recollecting what I did in these two months :

1) Played badminton for close to a week, all thanks to my KT Buddy Omkar Malvankar. It really gave me a rude awakening that I have a terrible back problem. So the next thing in my latest "to-do" list is to honestly make an attempt to pull down my weight (please note that it doesn't read like, "I want to become thin")
2) Read the book which I wanted to since long. I had this book called Shantaram by Gregory Roberts David.(It belongs to my ex-girlfriend)I was having this book since long time and it was now that I got the time to read it. I read it in breaks because I loved the story and didn't want it to end, especially the central character and his mentor Khadar Bhai. I would rate it as the only book which I wouldn't mind reading again and I am sure each time I read it, it would be as fresh as the first time. That doesn't mean that I would keep reading only one book.
3) Cut down all my unnecessary expenses with the unnecessary coffee's and burgers. It has brought me closer to realising why saving is important in life.
4) Understood the importance of a "to-do" list. When I used to work, I always had a "to-do" list which used to guide me. Now that I am on a break I didn't maintain it and as a result many a few things were accomodated for the next day which never actually came and the worst that happened was I would be having to pay a penalty for my credit card bill for late payment! :-(
5) Decided to pursue an MBA but was hit by the harsh realities of a lot of things associated with it.
6) Restarted research on foreign universities offering MBA. Understood a lot more of facts about the same.
7) Understood that time flies and you have to start moving atleast to get into the groove. It is the work of memories to keep you at one place but it is your responsibility to pull it along with you. Memories could make you determined, if made to move with you and on the contrary if memories hold you at a point, standstill it is trouble! So even though each day I wake up with memories, I sit down immediately to start some work or the other. Hmmm....so I learned to handle myself with memories.
8) Managed to live without mobiles. Now that I don't have one, I am not in touch with MANY of my friends. Some great friends, Some good friends, Some old friends, Some new. I was always in touch with everyone but now I am in touch with only a few. It gives me a breather of time to sit and think about various important.
9) Got back with photography, even if for a small period I enjoyed it and plan to take it as a serious hobby once I could get a DSLR. :-)
10) Understood that whenever I planned I always landed in not reaching there. So from now on I would just leave my life and allow it to take it wherever it takes me while I do things that I am responsible for.

What I couldn't :
1) Keep up the habit of getting up early. Hoping to rectify that once I get an alarm clock, since I don't use a mobile now. Get up early in the morning and go for a walk. I've got a nice jogging track below my mom-dad's new house, that should be helpful.
2) Use some of the softwares of photo editing.
3) Had hoped to join a dance class but alas! The back pain after the badminton just ruined all my plans.
4) Stop listening to sad songs! :)

So all in all, even though it looks good but still it isn't as much as had planned it to happen. But I guess that's how it is, right, when I plan everything right from Love to Life it has always been that the love looses it's life or life just isn't loved anymore!

It all boils down to realisation and acceptance! I have realised what all I could do and accepted what I couldn't!

Cheers to the next new journey!

Interesting news article

Came across the following news article on Yahoo News and thought of posting it here.


London, July 30 (ANI): Singing while wearing a swimming costume might land you in trouble if you're in Florida, and in Switzerland, one is barred from flushing the lavatory after 10pm-these are just some of the foreign laws mentioned in a new guide for holidaymakers.

Sunshine.co.uk, an online travel agent, has launched a guide that warns travellers about the dos and don'ts in many foreign cities.

The guide has been launched after a string of cases involving holidaymakers getting arrested abroad.

Sunshine.co.uk has said that it had seen an "influx of inquiries" from worried holidaymakers about the rules and regulations of their chosen destination.

"Aside from the more serious rules, such as showing affection to a non-marital partner in public or walking around in swimwear in Dubai, there are many outdated rules around the world that people should be aware of," the Telegraph quoted a spokeswoman as saying.

Here is the list of examples of which holidaymakers should be aware:

1. In Milan it is a legal requirement to smile at all times, except during funerals or hospital visits.

2. In Massachusetts, taxi drivers are prohibited from making love in the front seat of the car during their shifts.

3. In Denmark, people are legally obliged to honk the horn and check for small children underneath the car.

4. In Thailand, it is illegal for anyone to leave a building without wearing their pants.

5. In Michigan, anyone planning on bathing in public must have their swim suit inspected by a police officer.

6. In Florida, any unmarried woman who parachutes on a Sunday could be jailed. Singing while wearing a swimming costume is also prohibited.

7. In Portugal it is unlawful to urinate in the sea.

8. In Hong Kong the wife of a husband who commits adultery is legally entitled to kill the mistress in any manner desired, and the husband with just her bare hands.

9. In Switzerland flushing the lavatory after 10pm is illegal.

10. In Canada if you are arrested and then released from prison, it is a legal requirement that the felon is given a handgun with bullets and a horse, so they can ride safely out of the town. (ANI)

Untitled!

Vishwajeet was quiet excited! He had just opened his new office, his third in a span of one and a half years and this time it was in Nepal! “Aye Shaabji!” he said before attending every single call, in the typical Nepalese accent.

29 years old that was his age! A second generation entrepreneur who had decided to skip his ,family run business and start something on his own. He had his “chaddi-buddy” Aakash for his company in his business. They were both friends since more than a decade. Aakash & Vishwajeet both knew each other in and out. Some called them brothers who were born in separate families!

They found the Nepalese market a good enough place for some of their premium clothing brands which they manufactured in India. They anyway used to make for their European clients, so the thought of using some of the same designs in Nepal crossed their mind. But Mumbai was where the heat of the action lay.

Vish & Aakash had their main office at Nariman Point in Mumbai. Vish had always wished to have a sea facing office when they grow big and Aakash never had any objections to that because he too wanted the same. They still recollect a day when they were out with Subhash and Snighda, a few years back, and Vish was looking at a building when Aakash said, “We should start our office here, kuch jugaad kar na!” and Vish looked at him and said, “Chal estate agent k paas!” They all burst out in loud laughter! Today that memory keeps coming to them and they would still laugh out loud!

The flight touched the Mumbai airport a good 45 mins. late. “Holy Cow! It is damn hot in Mumbai!” exclaimed Aakash. “Let us run to the car.” Vish just smiled. They got into the car and both of them immediately took the newspaper. They were cut off from the world since the last 2 weeks due to their trip to Nepal. “Vish, do you think this news is alarming, the one regarding the Lehmann Brothers?” Vish looked at the news and looked at Aakash,”It is alarming if the companies keep spending like them. They have more than a few unnecessary expenses which they didn’t plug in when required and now they are paying a cost for that. We should not be too affected with that. By the way did you hear from Mr. Lopez about the order for the 100,000 t-shirts that he had verbally placed. I tried calling him the other day but he kept disconnecting the phone.” “No Vish, I haven’t heard anything from him as yet. I shall try his number when it would be morning there.”

“Hey people! How’s it going?” Vish asked his designers as soon as he entered the office with Aakash. “Hey! It’s going good! Fantastic! We have some very good designs for the latest collection which would really interest you guys!” said Hemal their designer. “Ok then get it to the conference room, in half an hour. “said Aakash.

“Vish I just received a mail from Lopez. He has asked us to stop production. What the hell is he upto? He told us he required it soon and asked us to just go ahead with the production so that he could get it early and now look what he says!”

“Yeah Aakash I did see his mail. Should we call him?”

“Vish do you think this was the reason he wasn’t picking our calls earlier because if it were then he wouldn’t pick our calls even now!” said an alarmed Aakash.

“Whatever it is Aakash we need to have a word with him. Incase this is some kind of a temporary problem we could try and hunt for some solution because we are in a mess if this order get our of our hands. You understand that right? We are as good as doomed! What would be the time now in London? Wow!”

“What happened now? Did the time give you some good reason as to why he ain’t picking the calls?”

“No Aakash, it’s 4:20 in the evening and I looked at the watch yet again!”

“Salle tu ek din issi time pe marega! Yaad hain, Naaz tujhe kehti thi tu 420 hain isiliye 4:20 ko tu time dekhta hain!” and they both roared to laughter!

“Yeah and when we broke up it was actually 4:20 pm” and they both burst into laughter again to forget the pain.

“Chal lets call him, it would be nearing 12 pm there now. But it’d be better if you call & talk to him cuz I might just loose my cool”, said Vish. Aakash agreed and dialled Lopez.

“Hello Mr. Lopez, this is Aakash here from AV Textiles. Hope I am not bothering you. Is it the right time to talk to you?”

The voice at the other end must have agreed for the conversation at that time because Aakash continued.

“Well Mr. Lopez we were out for some work for the last two weeks and couldn’t access our mails. We were wondering what exactly went wrong in that last order for which you dropped us a mail.”

Aakash’s face grew from worried to more worried to tensed to really tensed! Vish was another nervous wreck who also had a short temper which is the reason he used to keep himself away from the negotiations table.

“Ok fine then I guess I shall call you in a weeks time.” Aakash said as he kept the phone.

“What is it? What did he say?” pounced Vish as soon as Aakash kept the phone.

“Vish I think we have some crisis coming our way. He said that they are reviewing the order once again and that he isn’t too hopeful that this order would be processed.”

“But he was the one who asked us to go ahead making it right? Then why this u-turn? There is so much money that we have put in the new factory expecting them to give us business. They are as good as our bread & butter! What would we do if they don’t take this order?”

“Hey guys the designs are ready and the team is waiting in the conference room.”, interrupted Hemal.

“Yeah Hemal, we would be there in a minute.” said Aakash and looked at Vish, “Vish, I am sure we would be able to take out someway or the other. We can think about it today evening. Let us now go to the conference room and check our designs.”

“Cool. Yeah we shouldn’t let it bog us down. Chal lets go and check out the designs.”said Vish.

That evening as they headed home, Vish asked, “Do you think this could be a ploy as he has got someone else to do the job?”

“No Vish, it didn’t sound like that when I spoke to him. I feel it is something serious but nothing to do with business rivals.”

“Ok. But then what do we do now? How do we manage to get our creditors extend time? We also have to give our banks the money they have lent to us. All this wouldn’t help us at all. Do you see a way out Aakash?”

“Vish relax. We don’t need to press the panic button as yet! We should see where else we could sell this to?”

“Ten Thousand pieces Aakash isn’t easy and more importantly that would mean that we would require additional time from our creditors!”

The sun set behind the ocean and they just let silence prevail between them as they drowned themselves in their worries.

The next morning they started on their way to office and Vish decided to get down midway. Aakash was a bit confused but didn’t say anything and let Vish just be! Vish walked down the road and decided to adopt the Mudra of connecting the pointing finger to the thumb and try to forget / concentrate on something. It is said that this particular mudra helps you in doing that. He believed that more so because Naaz his ex-girlfriend had taught him that, so it had to happen. Even till date, after 8 years of separation Vish still loved her and today he decided to hold the tip of his finger and the thumb the way Naaz had taught him to and kept telling himself, “Remove the negatives from your mind.” People often think that miracles don’t happen and infact Naaz was one amongst them. When she broke up with Vish, he asked her, “Don’t you believe some miracles could save this relationship” and she had replied negative. But Vish was always a firm believer of the thought that if you want something, honestly, then no matter what even if it has to be a miracle it would definitely happen for you! That is what exactly happened! His phone rang and the callers name flashed on the screen! Radhika Patel! His friend during his Graduation days. Radhika was also into the same business as Vish & Aakash. They weren’t the bestest of best friends but had a mutual respect for each others ability and capabilities which was the reason why they were in touch even after more than a decade of graduation.

“Hey Radhika! What a blessing!” Vish said to Radhika’s amazement!

“What’s it Vish?” asked Radhika.

“Well I was in between some mess and was searching for some way to get myself out of it. I guess maybe you could help me.” Saying that Vish stopped to hear something from the other end. He had never asked help from Radhika except when she was launching her own Vish wanted to attend the photo shoot which she happily obliged!

“What is it Vish, let me see if I could be of some help.”

“Well Radhika, I was in talks with this European client who verbally gave me an order for Ten Thousand pieces of mens wear. Now he has backtracked. I was wondering if that would be of any help to you. I know you deal exclusively for some select sizes only but do you see some way of helping me out of this?”

“Vish, I too am in a similar mess and I was hoping to get some help from you.” Radhika said to Vish’s bewilderment!

“Wow! What’s it Radhika, why is this happening? Is there some problem in the market which we are unaware of ?”

“No Vish, the world has got a visitor in name of credit crunch! My buyers in Europe are not getting any additional credit for their business and their existing stores, not all of them are doing well! As a result they are now concentrating on getting their inventory off before they could place any additional orders and my take is that the orders henceforth also wouldn’t be as huge as the earlier ones which means that our productions would take a hit and since they would not be in bulk I guess our percentage margins would also trim!”

“ Oh Lord! Just today morning Aakash was mentioning about the Lehmann Brother incident and I just laughed off saying that they were fools who didn’t know to manage their money well!”

“I guess Vish, you would soon need to include all of us in that league too!” replied Radhika.

“Well then in that case, lets hope that we manage to atleast break even with whatever stocks we have as of now. One sec Radhika I am getting another call. Can you please hold while I check.” said Vish who hated when people continue staying on the line for you to answer even if they know that you are on another call! He didn’t pick the call of Dhansukh Bhai his raw materials supplier! In no time he got his call once again and the patter continued! Now Vish was irritated! “Radhika I will have to get back to you, I am getting a second call since long from one of my suppliers. Let me just have a check at what he wants.” He said that and bid good bye to Radhika.

Vish checked the phone and he had seven missed calls of which 2 were from Dhansukh bhai and the others were from Aakash! Is there some good news or is there something worse to listen, wondered Vish. He reluctantly dialled Aakash’s number. “Why weren’t you answering my call?” asked Aakash.

“What’s the matter Aakash? You are sounding too worked up.”

Vish just listened to the voice at the other end and immediately called a cab. It took him a good 45 minutes to reach office and find his colleagues sitting there worried.

“I guess we should all meet in the conference room. Shall we?”

Everyone proceeded to the conference room. “Ok So I guess we are facing some crisis because we decided to concentrate on a selected few clients. These are teething problems which I am sure we would be able to overcome.”

“Yeah Vish but what about the money that we have to give our creditors? Dhansukh had called and he said he wouldn’t supply anything until we clear off the 5 lakhs that he was due for last month!” retorted Aakash.

“Fine! Fine! Let us think about it! I am sure we would be able to find some way out.” said Vish with an air of uncertain confidence.

They deliberated on options and the ways in which they could change their existing condition but couldn’t get any solution!

Finally as they called the day the next day looked bleak. By the time Vish & Aakash left office they weren’t sure about how many of their colleagues would return the next day as the markets already were facing a tough time and it was spreading to every industry like a wild fire.

A week passed and with each passing day the employee attendance thinned with the thought that more than the markets it was a bad timing of the company which had put it in a mess. So while the wise actually stuck to their jobs the over zealous just jumped from one established company to some other without knowing that a few weeks later they would be shunted out from there too on accounts of cost cutting.

All this while the overheads dipped for AV Textiles but the debts were still to be taken care of. Orders which had come weren’t honoured by the same clients who had asked for them! New orders dried up! There was no work!

Vish & Aakash decided to try some other way out. They tried to get in touch with some other markets across Europe which had it’s faith on the work outsourced to India. Afterall the job that was done was 100,000 pieces of Man U t-shirts which has acceptance in some of the other parts of Europe as well but unfortunately it was too late.

Everything looked bleak, with all the possibilities having ended. The moment had come when they decided that even if they couldn’t make the profits with the order, which had put them in a soup, they would at least want to have a break even.

Things weren’t just shining or rather things weren’t just looking anything close to bright. But that was the best part about Aakash & Vishwajeet! They had been with each through the worst of times. They both pumped in the confidence into each other when they thought they were pushed against the walls! This was another test for them but only time would tell if it were “THE” test.

“Where do you think we should now go? We have approached every market possible, we have done everything thing within our limits to do.” said Aakash.

“ I don’t know why but I really feel that this time too we will make it as we have done in the past. We just need to keep our cool and think for a way out. Remember how I used to say, we just need to put our foot forward and the rest comes to us and this yet again would be one more case. I think we have done a lot of get our position a bit safe but the right time wouldn’t have just arrived. We need to have patience. I know it is easier said than done but still we need to push ourselves.”

Just then, there came a beep on Vish’s mobile and it was Radhika Patel’s message: “ Hi Vish trying to reach you since long but somehow I am not able to get through your number. Call me when you get this message!”

“Ah! This network sucks! Radhika just messaged and she asked me to call her.” Said Vish as he dialled her number.

“Hey Radhika! How’s it going? Oh that’s nice! Ahha! Ok we will be there tomorrow with the sample. Thanks Radhika!”

“Well! I don’t know if we should count our chicken before it hatches its eggs but Radhika has a client who came to her for some women clothing and he is looking out for some sporting t-shirts. She says maybe he wouldn’t give you the same money which you were getting as he is small player but atleast it helps you to liquidate the stocks and get that burden off your head! So we need to reach there tomorrow morning”, Vish said with a voice filled with relief.

“Oh! That would be tough for me as I have a meeting tomorrow lined up with that Lemon Tree guy. You go ahead and get this one for us!” said Aakash looking more confident now.

That day they went home more relaxed and this time they could happily sip their coffee and tea at their favourite joint.

“Hemal get me some samples. I need to take them to a buyer today. Make sure there’s not problem with the pieces.”said Vish as he got into his lunch break. “I have only half an hour to leave.”

Vish started on his way to Radhika’s office. It was one long drive. His heart pumped fast as he passed each place. The deal was a very important one and the thought kept visiting him again at timely intervals but somewhere he felt positive about the whole thing.

He got into Radhika’s office and got into the conference room to meet everyone! He had reached there just in time.

“Hi Vish, I need you to meet Mr. Lewis a client of mine from London. Mr. Lewis this is Mr.Vishwajeet, we call him Vish.”


They exchanged the hellos and sat down for discussion. “ Mr. Vish, I hear that you are into making jersey’s of EPL teams. Which teams do you have as of now?”

“Well Mr. Lewis at the moment I just have the jersey’s of Manchester United. We wouldn’t mind making the jersey’s of teams as required by you.”

“Well let me just have a look at the sample and could you kindly give me your quote too?”said Lewis.

Vish immediately passed the requirements.

“Well Mr. Vish, you should give us a days time and we should let you know how it could go for us. How many of these do you have, ready?”

“Well Mr.Lewis we have 100,000 such pieces readily available.”

“Fine then Mr.Vishwajeet, we will definitely get back to you within a day.” They all got up and left.

“I think it was good enough a meeting and I have taken the risk of quoting a little less that whatever we had originally quoted so that even if he asks for discounts we could pass it to him, in worst case scenarios. How is it going with Nimbu ka Jhaad” asked Vishwajeet mocking the name of the company whom Aakash was currently meeting.

“It’s going ok but you know how they are, you cannot just trust them even if they are saying something good about the project. All we can do now is have faith and keep our fingers crossed. Anyways I will catch you in office. I will get lunch for you while I come. ”
Vish got engrossed in his work when Hemal came in and asked him for lunch.

“Thanks Hemal but I am waiting for Aakash. You go ahead.”

Vish got up to look through his window, the lunch time saw many office goers get out of their work space. Everyone was in their own world. Just as he was about to get moved with his thoughts he heard his mobile ring and it was Radhika. “Hey Radhika! Tell me.”

“Guess what the Mr. Lewis is interested to buy all of your 100,000 pieces. So when do you treat me for this one, huh?”

Vish just couldn’t believe him and convinced Radhika to join him and Aakash for a lunch immediately! Now it was time for a surprise for Aakash , “Dude don’t get lunch, we would have to go out immediately so just rush in here and pick me. We need to go to meet someone.”

“Oh good you called me immediately because I was almost at the restaurant beliw our office. So come downstairs and we will go where you want to. But what is it and where are we going, I am hungry and it is past 4 pm!”asked Aakash.

“Well that is a surprise, just wait across the road. I will be there.”said Vishwajeet making sure he wasn’t showing too much excited.

Vish just couldn’t stop himself from running to the lift. He ran as if he was running for his life. As soon as he reached down he located Aakash right across the road. His happiness knew no bounds as they had yet again managed to get past their hurdles in life. His head was filled with a lot of ideas of getting things in shape now that this deal was through. His overheads weren’t high now but whatever his inventory was it would be down now and their debts would also be trimmed to a huge extent. No was a time when their business could be run with much more care, the money could be put to much productive use. This time they wouldn’t commit a mistake. This time they would be more wise than opening new offices too early.

There was a screeching noise followed by a “Thud!”

Vish had missed to see an approaching B.E.S.T.bus and lay on a pool of blood. There wasn’t even a sign of life in him but that didn’t stop Aakash & the other passerby’s to make an effort to reach him to the nearby hospital. In a few hours from then Vish’s death certificate was given to Aakash and it read the time of death as 4:20 pm! Miracles do happen but so do certain obvious indications. He never tricked anyone in life but like how Naaz, with a little change, Maut ne Vish k saath kar di char so bisi!

The bad time had passed but that moment didn’t leave Vishwajeet!