Happy & Prosperous Diwali

Wishing all Friends Family Followers & Readers of this Blog, a Very Happy & Prosperous Diwali!!! 

P Please have a safe and eco friendly Diwali and let the lights be stronger than sound

Are we Minorities in India?

Are literate middle class and upper middle class minorities in India? You may be amazed but that’s the fact. Don’t you think well educated, cultured responsible tax payers of the country minorities? Think Again!!! For me we are, else why do we not agree with most of the unfortunate things that happen in this country?  Be it Nano from Singur, to MNS in Maharashtra, I just cannot believe that we are so politically unsecure and power hungry that we want to divide the country in all ways from religion, to caste, to domicile and the ever green rich and the poor!!

Today’s paper though inspiring to see that India, joins the league of “Moon Mission” countries, but on the other hand, it is MNS chief, who gets bails after creating so much trouble in the name of Maharashtra and its people. I fail to understand, their political stand, beating up poor taxi wallas form UP, condemning celebrity like Mr Bachchan, criticizing "Chat Puja" and Lalu Prasad Yadav, and now bashing up people at an exam center of railway recruitment board in Maharashtra. How does it help and what is the connection of outsider (non maharashtrian) bring to the state if he wishes to select his exam centre in Mumbai or Maharashtra. 

The parliament debates “Terrorism” and its cause, effect and consequences, signs Nuke deals for a “so called” prospering country like India, but do they sit back and think about the people for whom they are doing this? Are these fanatic nomads worthy of such progress when they are out to spread terrorism in the name of state, caste creed and religion? All this at whose expense? Our Own!!

Are we moving towards the days when we have forgotten our own definition of our own country? My civic book & the constitution of India defined " India a Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic Republic Country"

Are we moving to the days when we need visa to visit other states in our own country?

Are we moving to a day when we shall not have 28 states within India, but 28 new countries in the world map?

Are we moving to a day, when we no longer clap for Sachin Tendulkar, when he plays in Kolkata or Bangalore?  Oh sorry the question of clapping will come, when we have him play for the Indian team, cos there may not be one that time!!

If you & me think the same way and echo similar sentiments, then please consider your self minorities in this country, cos the majority does not think that way!!

On the contrary, we are also responsible for being Minorities in our own country, because we are educated, socially established, have a status, pay our taxes, and apolitical in thought. We do not exercise our fundamental rights of voting. We are not bothered about what happens with our money that goes as Tax. All we do is Crib Crib & adopt!! I know this may be hurting, but if I am pointing one finger at you, four is pointing at me, cos I belong to the same class.

People can argue that if we are aware, why do not we contest and join the political band wagon, the answer is simple, “who’s gonna get into the mess”. Do you think, a middle class families parents without any political back ground, ever motivate his children to be a politician. Gandhiji and Chacha Neheru, may be icons, but it is sad to say that they remain icons in the history books.

Though we have a constitution which was made in good faith, people have construed its weak links in their own favor. I ask, if there is an age barrier to indulge in small pleasures of life and with moral policing all over (thanks to Ramados), be it the right to vote, or hold a drink, or get married, why there is no basic qualification and character required to contest an election? Why there is no entry barrier for people who wish to take up the role to rule the country. If the state secretaries need to go through such grilling procedure to qualify for IAS positions then why not the Minister or an aspiring MP or MLA?

All this leads to one Question  will this country, its people, its law and the judiciary system ever stand up to a cause and ACT  fast to protect “Brand India” and its “Reputation Risk” which gets flaunted by any and every body in the name of democracy?

Will “We” be able to ever come out of our own pleasure and stand up to fight this “political mockery” of the people, for the people & by the people?

One Up!! - India Vs Australia 2nd Test Mohali 08

India registered their thumping victory over arch rivals Australia by 320 runs to conquered Mohali!! 

This test match was one of those magical ones which went all in favor of India. Except the first session on day 1, when India was struggling for 174 for 5, the Sachin & Sourav, the good and bad boy of Indian cricket rose to the occasion to steer India out of the first session debacle. 

In this effort, Sachin made history by breaking Brain Lara's world record of 11953, and also became the 1st man in the history of cricket to cross 12000 test runs. Dada crossed his 7000 run mark the 4th Indian, in the history of Indian cricket to do so. He went on to hit his 16th century and his critics were silenced with the determination he played. 

Dhoni, the stand-in captain, who can rechristened himself as Mahendra (victory) Singh Dhoni, rose to the occasion and slammed the ball across the park to put up a good score for the mighty Aussies.  The debutant Amit Mishra, proved the selector and announced his arrival in the world of googly with a 5 wicket hall to bowl out Aussies for a mere 268 runs. 

India, registered its lead with the Daredevil duo, Sehwag & Gambhir, putting up a cracking run rate ont he board and making the Aussies run around the park. Gambhir, scored his century and with Sehwag departing, Dhoni shouldered the responsibility to keep up the pace and promoted himself to number 3 to thrash the otherwise ordinary bowling of Aussies. 

Declared the innings with 500 + runs to chase for victory, Aussies got stuck, with Bhajji's spining his webs with googlies.  Ishant took the cake on 4th day with a beauty to take away his bunny Punter for a mere 2 runs of 11 balls. Aussies were nailed to defeat in the 4th day it self with 140 for 5 on the board. Today, it was Zaheer's magical spell, which removed the tail and Mishra taking the bottom 2 to bring up his wicket tally to 7 for the test match. 

The game went to India, and coincidentally Dhoni, took away the kudos and man of the match for his formidable batting in both the innings and excellent captaincy through out the test. With 2 test as captain and victory in both, against the 2 best teams in the world, speaks a lot about this man and his Midas touch. Dhoni with a T20 world cup, Beating Ausies Down under and now with his test captaining record, its just a matter of time & formality when he shall hold the reins as countries cricket captain in all form of the game, as we shall wait to see Jumbo pulls down the curtain to his fantabulous career as a cricketer!!!

Kudos to the Indian Team & Are we close to witness the end to Aussie dominance in world cricket??? 

Sachin: God of Cricket!!

Sachin finally reaches the magical figure of 11953 runs to announce himself the King of Cricket!! Today at Mohali against our latest arch rivals Australia, Sachin breaks legendary Brian Lara’s record. It was remarkable to see Sachin achieved this in front of one of his most adorable former captain “Dada” who saw his "ChotoBabu" achieve this long due record for such close quarters that too in his final series of his career. This little master, who made started his career in 1989, has come a long way and achieved to be the highest run getter in Test Cricket crossing the legendary Brain Lara in his 152 nd Test match of his life... 

 Some of his Test Career Highlights!!

 ·        Holds an International record for most runs in test cricket

·       Has registered most centuries (39) in Test Cricket.

·       Has recorded most centuries (23) away from home.

·       Only player to aggregate 6000 runs away from home

·       Shares the Indian record for most Player of the series awards (4) for India with Anil Kumble and Kapil Dev.

·       Holds the record for most Man of the match awards (10) for India.

·       Youngest to play for India in a Test match at the age of 16 years 205 days - vs Pakistan at Karachi on Nov 15, 1989.

·       Youngest to post a hundred for India at the age of 17 years 107 days - 119 not out vs England at Manchester in August 1990.

·       Has aggregated 1000 runs in a calendar year four times - 1997, 1999, 2001 & 2002, an Indian record he shares with Sunil Gavaskar, who had also achieved the feat four times.

·       Best year in terms of run-aggregate - 1392 (ave.55.68) in 16 matches in 2002. Only Sunil Gavaskar has amassed more runs than Sachin in a calendar year for India - 1407 (ave.54.11) in 17 Tests in 1979. 

 The country, the game and the fans bow to this hugely talented and humble gentleman of International cricket for this achievement!! 

 Sachin's Centuries: 

His first century came after an year his presence in international cricket against England, and there after it was no stopping for this man who even holds the record for maximum test centuries (39) in the world.

Sachin took 19 tests to reach his first 1000 runs, but there after he paced his game and today holds the record of most test runs (12027) ever scored by any individual in the history of test cricket. 

Sachin holds the record in the shorter version of the game and he is the first man to cross 10000 ODI run in an international career is no mean feat. 

The only thing missing from this extravanagant cricketing career is a triple hundred in first class cricket, but he has achieved the same in school cricket tournament with his buddy Vinod Kambli for a record partnership of 600 plus runs. 

Personally I am not a die hard fan of Sachin, but there is no denying that he is one of my favourites. It was a pleasure watching him always, but in terms of biased affinity towards him at times was little dissapointing for me. This doesnot take away any credits from him and he aptly said "People throw stones at you and you turn them to milestones" 

Sachin is a true phenomena and a household name in Indian cricket. Playing for the country for 19 years at a stretch is an achievement by itself and that commands of all the hard work and dedication along with discipline one has to put forth to achieve this in ones life time.

 It is easy to idolize and also be jealous of the money he makes or attention he gets, but this has not come in one day, there is a thorough discipline and hard work which people like you and me cannot commit to ourselves, and that is why his son Arjun once said “My father is God” and today the entire cricketing nation considers him the “The God of Cricket”!!! 

Didi Strikes Again… Are we making West Bengal; Waste Bengal….

A SMS wishing Shubho Bijoya is doing rounds today and it goes like this…

Chaturthi te Nano gelo, 

Ashtami te Sourav,
Eke Eke Hariye geche, 

Bangla’r Shob Gourob
Aar kichu Maa na niye tui, 

tule ne shudho “Mamta” ke
Notun kore baachbo mora, 

Bachabo ei bangle ke..

Meaning, on the 4th day of Navratri we lost Nano (Tata) and on 8th day Sourav,

One by one Bengal is loosing its Garav (Pride)

Maa Durga, if you can take something, please take with you our didi “Mamta”

In new hope Bengal relives, and protect the state of Bengal.

An interesting thought, but not so interesting for Mamta Banerjee and her Krishi Bhoomi Baachao Andolan though, but this make me rethink that a State like West Bengal, which has everything from fertile land, coast, access to minerals and intellectually stimulated people, fail to progress like other states. 

It was not long back that I had been to pujo in Kolkata in 2005 and I was thrilled to see CPM government promoting industrialization in the state, with putting up motivational lines on industry and the progress attached with industry, and today after 3 years, this pujo we loose our face to one of the biggest name in global industry setter Tata on their most prestigious Tata Nano, car project for the people to make it by the people.

Looking back at Bengal and the entire Singur issue, I feel we lost it because of our attitude, on one had the attitude of being over confident where the government did not handle a project and investment of such scale effectively, without protecting all risks associated with the project. As a risk management framework says we have 3 types of risk; Risk from People Process and System, and I guess we failed miserable in managing all three efficiently. If not so, then our land acquisition process should have been effective, effective awareness of people on this project and the benefit one can expect personally and for the state would reduce the risk from people, and finally a system which could take swift decisions & actions and not keep it open for so long assuming that it will die naturally could have made Bengal a better place. 

On the other, it is people and their attitude for accepting change, led by emotional politicians who feel an opposition’s role is to oppose whether it’s for good or bad. The basic common sense of people has taken a back seat and it’s the attitude that speaks that we shall live and die like this and not progress and if given a chance will not let others progress as well!! 

Being poor in Bengal is fashionable and gives them self proclaimed right to oppose to progress of any sort, which they willingly or unwillingly tag them as “rich” who do not understand the pains of the poor. It is this difference and attitude which has led to the downfall of Bengal. 

I still remember my parents joking about Madrasee’s (invariably all south Indians in Kolkata as proclaimed as Madrasees) in Kolkata that when they come to Kolkata looking for job some 20-25 years back, they used to send 3 telegrams back home. First was “Reached Safely”, second “Got a Job” third “Send brother”. In the same light, Bengali’s who came out of Bengal who went elsewhere also sent 3 telegrams back home. One “Pouche Gechi” (Reached Safely); second was “Bhalo Lagche Naa” (not feeling well / missing home”; third was “Pherot Aaschi” (coming back). And this was absolutely true. 

Today I have been out of Bengal for more than a decade and I have seen Bengalis out of bengal prosper more than Bengalis in Bengal. All top companies executive boards and top management are represented by bongs. But the question is will these people be able to go back to Bengal and survive. The straight forward answer may be “NO”. The reason may be completely demographic or lack of competitive environment or the basic attitude of people. 

Thus going back to Singur, I feel, the loss has to be attributed to the attitude of the people in Bengal, and with Tata’s leaving; it is a big jolt to the overconfidence of the Government & people of Bengal and a reality check for Mamata, who never thought Tata’s would take such drastic measures after progressing so far; an example of lack of vision and think big attitude. 

Didi, are we turning West Bengal to Waste Bengal??? Jobab dao Jobab Chai!! 

Durga Puja - Nostalgia!!

Kolkata Pujo has always been an event by itself and specially our pujo at Lake Gardens East Association. Sadly this year I am missing it for a straight 3^rd time. Life today has become a trade off and for a person like me, who hate to trade of pujor chutti with anything else previously; is trading off with it today. Blame it on job commitment, laziness or the distance, there is actually no excuse for missing it.

Today, is Shoshti and in this afternoon, when I would have been in Kolkata, deciding what to wear and when to go to the pandal to have a glimse of Maa Durga, sit back in my Bangalore home, look out to the gloomy weather and write this nostalgic piece of revisiting Durga pujo back in Kolkata and specially our para pujo in Lakegardens. Read On..

“Spandan” – my newsletter experience

I have been off my blogging space for sometime and that has been because the time I devote to write, has been clogged with my effort to start a newsletter for our campus I stay in. This is probably my first effort to conceptualize and deliver a newsletter in any form. I had my first share of experience of being a sub editor of my college magazine, long time back, but this has been special.

A community of more than 1000 flats and around 750 families, I was kicked with the idea of start a community knowledge management, and the first logical step was to start a news letter. The basic idea was to keep people informed about what is happening in the campus, not just in terms of events and classified but more to empower people as “their campus” and not believe that since we adhere to “rules” and pay their “bills”, the responsibilities end here, and thus have the right to get everything perfect.

This news letter was aimed to know each other. Networking is so important today. With a society like ours, we may have all our solutions amongst the people in the campus, and to believe that we need to know everyone and have their experiences.

Technically it was not too difficult. We hit the drawing board to conceptualize the newsletter, the section, the key concept and worked out the outline of the newsletter. We wanted to put it online, but I guess the timelines we decided to roll out the 1^st edition was too little to identify a team of web developers to do so. I tried my hands on googlesite, but finally decided to stick to good old pdf.

The launch was great and on time. Feedbacks were positive and people volunteered to help us with the following editions. It was over whelming to have a good response and hope to continue with the team we have now to go from strength to strength!!

A sneak peak to Spandan

PS: I wrote this before… but never got time to post it and then I got hit with the Rock On bug ;-) 

Rock On ~ Continues….

The end credit of the movie leaves a message “Do not download the music, Buy it!!”, and that’s what I did last evening. A long time… when I bought a CD, and head banged alone after all slept off. 

The music is superb!!! I never related it when I used to listen it on promos and radio, but its simply rocking. The title track “Rock On”, is not my favorite though. I loved the “Pichele Saat Dino” number more retained as “Mere Laundry ka Bill” and ofcourse the turning point “Tum Ho tho” number!!

As I write this I have “Humari Tumhari Baatein” which is a sweet song. The album must be special for Shankar Ehsan & Loy, especially for Ehsan & Loy, who look more rock star than music composers. Shankar, one of my fav, is a class apart with his variation on music. A person, who sings sargam with similar ease, to fusion with Shakti and now a rock album, with credits of cutting it so fine on the voice of Farhan.

Farhan, & Javed Sahib, suprises me completely, with such enthusiasm to sing and the lyrics are so good. Imagine them coming from Javed Sahad is amazing. Over all a great album to have in a long time!!! Rock On!! 

Rock On ~ Bang On!!

Rock On is Bang On; a film on those little moments of life, which we say “Cherished Moments”. A great movie, well made, well though well positioned and well performed. We see Faran Akthar is a new genre of an Actor & Singer, and believe me is great and did a fantastic movie. Read On

Flavors of India!!

Food is my passion, and being a hardcore foodie, I can appreciate the varied flavors that are available in my country India. Having travelled most of the country, and tasted local food, I could not resist my self in putting us this amazing collection of Indian food associated with its state I found through a friend. If you are foodie… u need to read on or click the image to view!!

Divine Intervention!!

A long day, 17 hours out of home, 580KM of driving, 3 hours for darshan, more than 3 hours of night driving on highway, it was a worthy divine intervention, last week, on our trip to Balaji Darshan!!! Read On

A B C of Sales!!

Stepping into my 8^th year of Sales, I have not had too many privileges of attending Sales Training, but yes I have attended a few, but good ones. Honestly, for any sales professional training is just a way of reinstating ones beliefs in the way one thinks or approaches sales. Its either you Got it in you, or Can never make it. Training or formal education in sales helps to refine thought and gives you a direction of thinking on approaching an account or product. Sales is a passion, an addiction, like smoking cigarettes, you can never explain a non smoker, what you achieve from those dreaded puffs.

In this space, I would bring out few tips of Sales which I have gathered and learnt over a period of time. This shall be a collection of such thoughts which are not originally mine and but been presented in an original compilation. Read On

Advertisement: Kal Aaj aur Kal !!

With a buyers market, and customer being the king, today marketers are looking at new avenues to sell and promote their products. Gone are the days when consumer use to wait for years to get their hand on to their scooters from Bajaj, or wait in que, tolerate the wims & fancies of the babu’s to withdraw their hard earned money.

I may be few fortunate or unfortunate ones born just before the so called “Gen Y” and “Youngistan” to experience this and thus today may be able to take you through “Kal Aaj Aur Kal” of advertisement!! Read On!!!

Compulsions to Passion!!!

I just finished the book “the 3 mistakes of my life”, by Chetan Bhagat, the 3^rd one from the pen of this writer, and it took me 3 days to finish it. Guess the fastest one!! A 200 pager; Rupa publication gripped my attention and occupied my evenings with a bollywoodish, story of a young business man, his friends, his passion and his mistakes!!

It was a good read, no high funda stuff and I enjoyed reading it, which I picked in between reading a Khaled Hosseini’s “A Thousand Splendid Sun”, a book with a sorrow story of truth and emotions. It was a nice breather and change in my otherwise stress Sales life.

Books have not been one of my greatest passions, though all through my life, I have been reading, but not passionately though. Unlike my father and my wife, who are passionate readers, me and my mom, has picked up the interest lately.

Like all young boys, my parents instilled a reading habit from my childhood, but I guess, unlike the time when kids of my age indulged in reading passionately, I was more of a crap reader. Comics were my first love, be it an “Amar Chitra Katha”, or “Tintin” or “Astrix”, I have been there done that!! Enid Blyton’s and Hardy Boys was a craze during school, but I never actually got indulged in them, though I admit, I claimed to have read them all when I was in school. Peer pressure I guess ;-)

I read a few of them, but never created an urge to read the first one in school. My first novel which I indulged was “Kane and Abel” a classic story by Jeffrey Archer. I grew up to more to "Comics" and "Feluda", a classic detective series penned by the great Satyajit Ray.

Being in an ICSE board, English and reading Shakespeare, was something which I could not have escaped. I was passionate to the language, and more in the writing part, than reading them all. And I owe it to my mother, as she always inspired and saved for buying me books and novels to read. She being from a Hindi medium, guess had understood the importance of English which shall be a prerequisite to existence in the 21^st century’s corporate world.

Next I owe it to my English tutor, who created the passion for the language, and specially writing which I realize it today. He used take tuitions once a week, but made me write 3-4 essays as homework for the week. That’s how; I could put my thoughts in as many words. I cursed him, when I wrote them, but I adore and thank him today.

As I grew to be a management graduate, I read biographies and management books on brands, strategy, self development etc. They inspired me. Be it a Steve Jobs or a Bill Gates, they bought me back to books and reading them bought changes in my thought and attitude towards life and business.

I had almost given up reading fictions, comics though were still a passion, and I found solace in “Dilbert” and “Calvin & Hobbes”. One gave me the insight to the corporate world and other brought back memories of a naughty imaginative kid. I loved them, and I have seen a lot of envy eyes, trying to get hands to my collections on these to comic epics.

Today, I run a busy schedule, and still not a passionate reader, who shall not get up without finishing a book. My attention span to books is still poor. But with inspiration from, Aditi, my wife, and I thank Chetan Bhagat to give me his first two books, I started reading, and today I am also self inspired to write my thoughts in my page we call Blog!!!

I still do not recollect when my compulsion to write became my passion. I used to write, at time diaries, my experiences in college, at times my frustrations, but today I am happy to keep the promise to myself of writing regularly. Not as regular as a celebrity blogger, but when ever I have a thought and wished to type it down (who writes today, thanks to technology!!) I do it!!

A thought just crossed my mind, with my passion for writing and Aditi’s for reading, do we have the fortune to be proud parents of a future “Amitava Ghosh” or “Jhumpa Lahiri”!!

Just a thought!! Amen!!

Bill Gates: End of an Era?

June 27, 2008 will go down the history books, as one visionary woke up from his dream to lead an ordinary life and cherish a new dream of “Helping the World”. I say a dream because being worth $58 billion, 13 consecutive years topping “The World Richest List”, touching the lives of almost 90% of Computing Professionals with his technology in his lifetime of 52 years of his existence and then bowing out at the peak of his career, Mr. Willam (Bill). H. Gates wakes up from his dream run to be a Philanthropist!!

I am not here to write a biography of Mr. Gates, as there are many available, and a space too little to write about his achievements. Honestly he has been an inspiration, and a challenge in my life.

Mr Bill Gates & his Microsoft entered my life as early as my first computing days in school. The very first thing I learnt about a computer that it needs to be booted with MS-DOS to start working on it. At school, we used to get 30 min a week to have computer practices, and we spent almost 10 min booting the machine, and then flipping pages to recollect the right MSDOS prompts to start any program, or do the simplest of things like finding out my last saved basic program which I wrote or do a copy paste.

I was never the wiz-kid computer guy in my class, but my enthusiasm in learning computers and trying new technology has still been my passion. I guess I had my first email id (that too a hotmail) in my friend circle; I was one of the first to promote computer and the power of software to my friends, most eager to do a final year engineering project using computer program, introduce my friends to the internet, most of the time the good part of it, but unlike young teenagers, there were friends who loved the “porn” part of it!!! And today some of those guys are some of best programmers I know and doing great for themselves!!

That’s beside the point, but intrusion of this man Mr. Bill Gates, into my life has been very early, and continues till date and I guess rest of my life. But all this could have changed, when one day a bunch of young grads from BSchool, wanted to take Mr. Gates Head On!!! I was one amongst them.

Paying for Licenses to use Microsoft Windows, Office and Internet explorer and that too for a product, which was not free from virus and hanged every now and then made us think! We were a bunch of techies, loved the open source, and worked on Linux and Unix platforms. One amongst us was a visionary and he came up with the revolutionary idea of creating a multilingual operating system based on Linux and dreamt of taking computer to every house of an Indian family.

The dream remained a dream, but I would not say that we kept our vision till drawing boards; some of us took some bold decisions and started on the project, and made quite a bit of progress in build the system. But with the dot com burst, and may be the idea of taking Mr Gates by his horns, did not get us venture capitalist, to fund the projects.

Thanks to Mr. Gates and his Windows revolution, which made us think otherwise and gave me some of the best learning of my life during this ad-venture. His high profile launch of “Project Bhash”, a multilingual windows OS, was the last nail in our coffin of language computing!! With No money and Only Gyan, we were even smaller than the David to challenge the mighty Goliath named Microsoft!!

Disheartened, I packed my bags to get back to my full time job, and then one day, I joined the world largest enterprise database company!!! I was happy there to find there were liked minded people at the top, who hated Microsoft and even found some posters of Quentin Tarantino’s movie “Kill Bill”!! I didnot get the message, but later did and smiled to myself. I even heard stories that we did not upgrade Windows Licenses to 99 or 2000 for a long time, as we did not want Microsoft to be richer!! Unfortunately, I had to go back to Windows and Office, but used Mozilla & Firefox as my browser and email client!! May be a small way of Kill Bill!!

Here, I learnt the power of 16 digits. Yes the power of licensing. The power of being compliant to those 16 or 20 digits which are exchanged with dollar$!! All licensed software we used had some digits to prove its originality and that was same for our product as well. I saw people chase deals; bring in million dollars, in return of those 16 digits, which we shipped with some CD’s. That was the power of being a product company!!

Bill Gates and his Microsoft, today rules my world of computing. Starting from MS DOS and writing “Hello World” using BASIC at school I almost live on Microsoft, from OS to Office to Mails even to my mobile phone, and that’s same for so many of us in this world, and that so many is as many as 90 % of computing population of the world. Bill always said, “Never doubt the power of software” and he has shown us the power and vision that today operating system and windows are synonymous.

I guess Bill has been thinking of picking up the tag of “Been There Done That”, for a long time and he has been in search of a right work life balance, but I guess he failed to find one and decided to move on!! He made an effort, and you can watch it on You Tube.

Today, this historic day, Mr. Bill Gates, moves on as a full time employee of Microsoft, which he has been since the age of 17, to follow his dreams at Bill & Melinda foundation, to be a philanthropist, to touch our lives with another “soft” hand to make it a better place. I wish him all the best and thank him for touching my life as an inspiration and competition in whatever degree it may be!!

News or TRP Generator???

Inflation & Crime hits the front page of every news paper and news channels today. In probably last couple of months we have seen enough news items in the subject I started writing today. From 7% to 11.05 % or a never ending crime in Delhi and adjoining places have made headlines all through the last 30-45 days.

Arushi double murder, where the channel ripped apart a 14 year old dead girls character based on some base less investigation by the Noida police, or broad daylight murder stories up north of the country have taken me by surprise, and our media through the television channels have all lived up to making our days begin with inflation and end with crime stories.

Indian media has changed a lot with time. With the evolution of Cable TV networks and Satellite television, Indian media has take a toll with its news so called “all day” news channels. I would not disagree on the fact that the reach of such media has helped in getting attention of small trivial things happening around us, whether it is farmers dying, people conning, or human rights being denied, but with this we also see some news clips which are disheartening and foolish.

Every other day, there are news and analysis of people being put to death by domestic help at home, giving full analysis, of what happened, what mistakes were made, what could have been done, and what our police did. Too much detailing, provides enough feed for the channels to pull up a 20 min news slot, and keep ahead with their competitors but do they realized that they also open up ideas, opportunities and influence people who may be tempted to commit crimes through this news items. Do you feel secured to ask your children’s to watch news channels for their over all development as our parents use to?

I know, this may be a topic of debate, but what I would like to draw your attention, which tempted me to write, is 2 instances.

One incase of Arushi’s murder case, new channels first ripped the police, and provided information on the loop holes in the investigation and verdict of Noida Police, later believed what the police said and ripped the 14 year old dead girls character on national television, without investigating the truth of the verdict of the same Noida police, whose each verdict they were hell bent to prove wrong few days back.

Another was a recreated version and play act of how crime may be committed using a Chinese gadget over telephone which can misguide a person on the other end of the phone to recognize a male’s voice as female and vis a versa. The news channel showed how some one can call and inform some emergency like an accident to urge a person to run to a particular place and then be a victim of a crime. The way its was presented will surely catch eyeballs, but the message of warning a person of such misguiding gadget was lost in between; all it gave was a thrilling story & ideas to use it.

Do you think, if I use that gadget and call the same news reporter who drafted the news piece, to inform of an emergency, will he or she be in a mental state to judge if it was true or a misguiding call for some planned crime? I am sure the answer will be NO. If so, then why publicize such gadget in a national news channel?

And in Arushi’s case it was a perfect story of infidelity, scandals and morality of a father killing a child which had all the masala to catch the eyeballs and increase the TRP’s. Is this something we like to see? We need to ask ourselves!!

The onus of such stories being broadcasted also lie on us. The media shows what we like to see; after all they are in the business of making profit as well, apart from social responsibility. It again comes back to packaging and consumer demand, and I am not excluding myself from the same.

To this I also feel “Can we not have a sensor board for new channels as well?” If there can be people to censor “creativity & imagination” so that it does not go overboard in the name of influence and morality, why not for news channels which is an everyday phenomenon and reports truth (dramatized) and not imagination!!!

Today you ask any individual between the age group of 25 – 40, to name the current health minister, it’s a bang on answer, but same if asked about past 3 health ministers, they score a big zero and so do I. This is because Dr Ramadoss, has used the media to its advantage. He has picked up the most happening celebrity SRK as his pedestal to shift the arc lights on him. I question, if he is so concerned about “Smoking” has used his allocated ministry funds to run a campaign in colleges to make them smoke free? Can he confirm that any hang outs in and around colleges have been made to stop selling cigarettes? Has he made an attempt to stop illegal selling on cigarettes on railways stations in India? Has he set an example by punishing railway employees / contractors working in the pantry or supplying bedding's not to smoke in trains?

Indian media has supported in his lust for fame and supplied fuel to his campaigns on hitting at celebrities. This is because; we love to see “who the hell dares to do moral policing against King Khan” Is Dr Ramadoss actually bothered of seeing SRK quit smoking or his mission of writing his name in the minds of aaum janta as a health minister may be to a capitalize it for his next elections fulfilled?

Customer is the King!! And it is true in all walks of life. People are in a fast track life with enough disposal income, and thus the game of demand supply is well poised in such markets. We show what you like to see!!! We make what you like to buy!! And thus even if we crib and debate about moral and social responsibility of journalist and journalism, I think I am and We are to be blamed for such news which is immoral and irrelevant!!!

Industry Interaction @ IBS Bangalore

“When America sneezes the world catches cold”, is a famous saying which speaks volumes of the American supremacy on world economy.

It was 11^th June 2008, I was invited to be one of the industry representations for an Industry Interaction session, organized by IBS Bangalore. It was a pleasure being there, as it gives me an opportunity to network and also an opportunity to learn from such eminent discussions.

What we were there were to hear and discuss about three topics which challenges India today? Our very own and global “Inflation and US recession – Advantage India”, the “Gen Y sectors of tomorrow” and “Opportunities in Management Education”

There were a panel of one industry representation and one faculty each to present this topic and then have some interaction with other industry person and students. The panel was of eminent industry people from director of a global MNC, an entrepreneur and ex Managing Director of an Indian consumer durable, a VP of an education society.

I was looking forward to a power packed evening which started with opening speech by our dean IBS Bangalore, by setting the tone with some tough facts and figures on the giant screen. Figures talking about inflation at 8.24 on that day (today 11.05%), crude oil at $139 per barrel, other economic conditions, recession in US etc.

To follow it up was an eminent economic faculty from IBS, who started with fact throwing presentation, neither making the presentation interesting nor bringing out any inference from the submissions made through the presentation.

With some heavy weight presentation, I was looking for some breather, and it was turn for an industry speaker to make his point on Advantage India, and as an eminent speaker, he started with a bang, created a curiosity of a ticker which was going on while he presented.

Packaged well with facts and substance and his submission that India is bound to grow and be one of the economic superpower in the years to come. Other speakers came and went, submitting their thoughts that even with inflation and oil prices going up, still India is well poised in the global market and development in India shall sustain and grow.

The seminar went by as it should be, and with some question and answer and hurrying up at the end with lack of time, as usual we closed the evening on a high note and conclusion that, “When America sneezes atleast India will not catch cold”,

The evening was followed by cocktail and dinner. I quickly had a light dinner and spent some time networking. With the clock ticking towards an important fixture at the Euro cup, I excused myself and headed home.

While driving back I though to my self, amongst all the presentation, the best presentation came from the industry people. The first presenter with the ticker used all the tools and techniques of a good presenter should use in a forum like this. He had jazzy presentation, packaged well with images and facts, kept the audience guessing on few opening statements & tickers he showed at the start of the presentation. He was able to capture eyeballs and connect with the audience at the very beginning and presented things which people could understand, relate and feel proud on his submission that India is well poised.

On the contrary, the faculties with due respect; put up things which we could have read on Economic times.

It had content but no color. It had gyan but no gain!!

It was idealistic but not practical. It was monotonous and not spontaneous.

To this I felt, is this the reason for “Packaging” in 7 P’s of marketing?

Today industry wants good packaging. Whether it’s a Job or a Marriage proposal, people are looking at good packaging. They are in search for smart workers, with go getter attitude, knowledge and above all great communication skills. I guess the corporate world is also moving towards T20, work hard party hard and keep the run rates going.

This is the reason, why we have so many finishing schools coming up, where people learn to present themselves, conduct themselves in a forum and carry them well which makes them more saleable in the job market. Communication is the key, what is the use of knowledge if it cannot be communicated well.

And this belief was reinforced, with my meeting with Mr. Angshik Chaudhuri – Executive Director Globalization Operations at Cisco Systems India, the first industry presenter; an eminent speaker and visionary, who had a modest start to his career being a facility manager at Oberoi, attain such great heights of excellence today in such short span.

His ticker keeps me reminding even today that in his 20 minutes presentation, India has moved few steps toward urbanization, and I guess with every such minute ticking, India takes a bigger step in being one of the economic superpower of tomorrow!!!