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!
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
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.
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.”
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.”
Monday, August 17, 2009
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."
"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."
Sunday, August 16, 2009
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!
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!
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
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!
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!
Saturday, August 1, 2009
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)
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)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)