Ahana - My Daughter!!

Its really been a long time that I started writing, but its not by choice but by events that had caught me busy in these couple of months. I was blessed with a daughter on 10th Feb 09 and we named her Ahana. This is my lifes most eventful happening till date and I am tell you nothing brings more smile than holding that tiny winy piece of life in your arms. 

She is a bundle of Joy, you can spend hours just watching her and holding her. Her smile, her way of knowing people, her ever growing wisdom, be it in communicating, knowing people and understanding comfort. 

Today she is in Kolkata I Miss her very much.

Laptop Fiasco!!

It was horrifying at the Delhi Airport!!! 

Apart from the dreaded thought that flights get cancelled due to the fog during this time of the year, it was more to what I had expected!! Long ques to get boarding passes, even longer ques to check in, and it smeemed everybody in airport is in a hurry to miss the flight, and above all this when you realise that some one else as taken your laptop and left your at the X-ray table at the security check in is one's wildest nightmare!! I just experience it last weekend. 

In midst of all the confusion, and to figure out the process to raise an incident log, I missed my flight. Imagine a person, lifting a HP laptop instead of a Dell, how ridiculous it can be? Announcements were made, heafty security personals ran here and there, without knowing what was the next step!! The laptop had NO identification!! Luckily I had one in mine, and the only source to get it back was some one would call me when he saw it. 

My boarding pass was cancelled, and I was horrified to go through the entire "QUE" process again. Had to raise some voice, to get some assistance and importance, to skip through the process quickly to board the next flight back home. Meanwhile I handed the Dell laptop to the Airport terminal manager, and left my contact details, incase some one enquired. 

Boarded the flight in hope that some one would call me soon enough and I would have to figure out a way to get back the laptop. What worried was not the cost of the stuff, but the importance of it. Huge data and scheduled meeting and presentations next week kept me worrying. 

Next day at 11AM, I got a call and boy o boy, my lappy was partying in Goa!! It was in safe hands and they promised to give it back on Monday . Some one carried the same from Delhi and I went to the airport to collect it. 

Lessons Learnt 

- Always have a name tag on your laptop. Companies to insist and they have a reason for it. 

- Always have a power up password. Thats important. 

- Keep data back ups and also encrypt important information on your laptop. 

Happy New Year 2009!!

The new year started with a bit of strange dreams!! I am still trying to interpret them, but unsuccesful, rather not able to remember them completely!! May be a Gajhni Syndrome or a New kind of hangover!!??!!

The way a new year starts, I had a similar one, from the time I woke up. Replying to SMS's and calling up near & dear ones to exchange wishes. Quick bath and a rush to RamKirishna Mission. Thats a tradition, I have been following for sometime now. 

Three Things I did today 

- Dished out a nice prawn curry

- Created a cover page for our campus newsletter 

- Wrote my 1st one this year at aRgHaYa's!! 

Wish you all a Very Happy Safe and Prosperous New Year!! 

Keep Reading!! 

Reputation Risk – How critical is it today?

Reputation Risk, protecting your brand and the fear of loosing ones credibility is one of the most important aspect of today's business. With the advent of technology, Internet, and the so called information age has opened the doors for information to flow freely. In a way, it brings in transparency, with the business fraternity in terms accurate news and information on the other, it brings with itself the Risk of letting out too much. 

To find out my reading of India Inc and their thought on risk management. Read On

Introducing a New Blog!!

With ever changing business scenario and my every day interaction with senior people in the business of different companies, experiencing new phenomena, new learning, and then pondering over them to see what my take and thought on them are. I understand that my thoughts may not matter ... but may be this can atleast keep me thinking and posting!! I named my blog "The funny world of Business" 

Happy Reading at http://funnyworldofbusiness.blogspot.com/

Tum Chalo to Hindustan Chale ....

This is an interesting video by TOI Lead India.... the campaign was good, whats the outcome??

Candle March & Posters - Then what?

On 3rd of December, young and old India, concerned India, awakened India, joined hands to fight terror, and collectively marched for the souls who died, saluted the braves and condemned the politics and politicians for this country. People thronged at Gateway of India (Mumbai), India Gate (Delhi) Cubbon Park (Bangalore) and other places in Hyderabad & Kolkata, in One Voice "Enough is Enough" 

It was overwhelming to see so many people, youth, old and concerned stand unitedly. One of the poster that caught my eyes said "Terrorists United Us, while Politicians Divided us" ; media was there and common people were being questioned, and they came with frustrating answers against the politician, the system and of course our neighbours. Few made sense, few were showing outflow their emotions, few were rude, and few cynical. One said, "Yes our system is a failure, our politicians are a failure, but we cannot blame only them, it is US who have elected them, so the onus is US also." I endorse it. 

I was asking to myself, good that people are out, people are aware, people are angry, but does this population make any difference to those politicians, whose vote banks are NOT Us. They may be sitting in their couch, and laughing at us.  Is 80000 people at Gateway of India, an answer to lakhs of people they have in their rallies. 80000 in a country of 1Billion is 0.08% of the population. We need much more to make things happen....

Lot of us will have similar sentiments and it was so annoying to know, where our corruptions have gone. Other day I saw a report, that low quality bullet proof jackets were supplied to armed forces, even when they failed the tollerence test!!???!! Are we so low, so cheap, so hungry for money, that we are not even ashamed to give the right kind of instruments to protect us. There may be a handful of politician at the top, who have "been there done that" and has a will to lead correctly ... but most of them below are just awaiting there chance even if it is to hold the post for a year, month or days.  Two things I can think of where we can ourselves contribute is ..

Awareness should be our 1st priority; if we need to make things happen in this country. We should form a citizen forum, take help of media, to have a detailed profile of each nominee standing for election, do background verification and then decide to vote. If our employeers can do background verification when we are selected for employments, we as employeers of these public servant we should enforce a similar rules. Educated the mass and bring the change.

Accountability, that should be our next objective. Make people accountable and start it at the grass root level. You cannot start at a PM or Home minister level, clean it at the bottom. No bribes, No chai pani, no babugiri for whatever work we need to get done at government depts. I know we are challenged for time, but our employeers should cooperate in either facilitating clean transaction or sanction leaves in a year to deal with this mess. Once the mess stops at the bottom, it shall stop at the top. 

There may be many like me who feel the same, but are directionless.  Let us join hands, let us bring change!!

Yes We Can... 

Terror!! What here after?

I hate it when the news coverage say “India’s 9/11” to me it sounded, that we have been outsourced the job of facing terror. I agree that 9/11 was one of the worst days of terror on this planet earth and so was 26/11, then why do we Indians fancy having tags which are so western or has a western symbolization.  
As a country we have faced enough terror and just by adding adjectives what do we want to prove to us and others!! To me Mumbai Terror of 26/11 is something aghast, cruel and an incident of shame for its government, its politicians, its security agencies, its people and above all India as a country. But are we up against doing something?

 Are we happy with..

  -          Peace March, candle march?
-          Talking of Mumbai’s Spirit. What is that Spirit? Minding our own business?
-          Drinking to Lepold Café reopening ceremony?
-          Politician’s offering resignations?
-          Politicians trying to politicize these issues and make a political agenda for election?
-          Four NSG hubs being created?

 What are we happy with?  For me they a good for bytes and median news but will this solve the problem at large? Can we for once think of a solution?

 For me, solution is a Change and this will not happen

  -          Unless we people demand and accept the change,
-          Until we demand and show aggressive stance,
-          Until we stand up and show them “we are the people” amongst “by the people”
-          Unless we ask tough questions to our local politicians
-          Until we come out of the mindset “Mein kyon is jhamele mein padoo”,
-          Unless we spread the word, make people aware
-          Unless we demand quick justice and change the judiciary system
-         Unless we demand for changes in the “Constitution” making crime free and minimum educational qualification background for people in power.

Till then politicians will separate us, terror will rule us and we shall live and die like non existence rodents and minorities in this country.  We shall be happy watching so many debates and TV shows where eminent people come together and speak, and we shall echo most of the sentiments, which shall make us proud. It is good to discuss, and finally the debates end, “we know, but what to do, people like you and me cannot change such a big country”.

The question here to ask is can we take up the leadership? Leadership for me here is not standing in election, joining a party or participating in Lead India initiatives. Leadership for me is to adopt good governance and make people adopt it, create awareness, literacy, casting your vote and be counted!! 

I stand for it… Do you?

26/11 Mumbai on War!!

I finished my meetings at the World Trade Centre in South Mumbai and I came out to find my cab had been towed away from cuffe parade. The driver perplexed, requested we went to church gate to get our cab back. Finishing the formalities I asked the driver to drive me around South Mumbai. It is always a pleasure to see this part of Mumbai, tall buildings, iconic structures, and million dollar business happening, may be with very tide lashing the marine drive.  From structures and property worth billions, to road side shopping at the fashion street, to the iconic café’s or a sandwich walla’s, or our own dabbawalla’s it is a pleasure sight and hustle bustle around this place is very enjoyable.

But who knew the fate of this place in another couple of hours, when it transformed into a battlefield. The lashing waves bought some unwanted people to the city, who took over this place, its buildings, its people, held up guest at Mumbai’s most prestigious hotels and created chaos and rampage for the last 40 hours and still counting.

It was in the morning, when I started from my hotel near the international airport for a meeting in South Mumbai, and spent most of the day around here and headed back to my office at Prabhadevi and then to the airport for a late evening flight. I left the city, with fond memories of a family function, some good meetings and an eagerness to be back with family after a week, only to know about the horror that started in Mumbai once I reached home. The feeling of being there just few hours before, was itself scary imagine the horror innocent people and our braving soldiers went and are going through even when I write this!! My family is happy to have me back home, but I fail to get answers to how? why? & what for?

The answers to this may be a long silence, but what we lose in midst of all this is reputation as a nation, innocent people like Maloy Banerjee, who happens to be a known face to my inlaws and was getting married after a week & above all few brave sons of the soil like Karkare, Salaskar & Kampte, one of the best men we had in our ATS & police forces. These brave men stand up and face the music when it comes to real war, and sadly, they are same men who gets bashed, condemned and humiliated through our dirty politics when ever these men do their job honestly.

Today the brave of the brave politicians are numb. Where his Raj Thackrey and his band wagon of goons, always standing up for Mumbai and its people, or is it that since its foreign nationals, they have shoved up their bravery. With country facing one of the worst terror strikes, with operations happening over 40 hours, the home minister Mr. Shivraj Patil has not opened his mouth. Is he waiting for some kind of a political agenda to speak up, and I guess his time for speaking up is over, he should own up and resign immediately. I have lost count of terror attacks in last few months.

I fail to believe that such a large scale of activity from teens terrorist is not a one day affair. It is a planned activity and carrying it out in such secured place and in such iconic buildings is sheer lack of negligence or involvement of people within. It is a planned attack. I was surprise to find the Maharashtra CM giving excuse that people could come from sea route is because they do not have speed boats to do vigilance around the dock area. He claims it is under approval. I fail to understand such security issues being “under approval” status co.

Today we all are wishing, it comes to an end, but is it really the END. Have we become so used to such events or become so complacent that today we only wish for our safety, our family, our state, our caste, our religion and hindsight to problems at large. I am sure; our media will unearth more masala out of this issue, and our politician will try to gain mileage and point fingers at each other, but do we realize that all this points at Us, after all we are still democrats, remember By the People, For the People, Of the People.

May Peace Prevail and payers for all affected in this unfortunate incident. 

“Dada, we’ll Miss you” …

If Anil Kumble was the colossus, Sachin Tendulkar the champion, Rahul Dravid the craftsman, VVS Laxman the sorcerer, then Ganguly was the inspiration. These were the words described in an article I read in CricInfo and so true are these…

Sourav Chandidas Ganguly, proudly know as “Dada” by Indian fans “Maharaj” in Bengal and “the God of offside” in the cricketing fraternity took a bow yesterday from International Cricket. This mans greatness and hunger for success reflects in his own way of loving the sport. With a fine gesture from MSD, who allowed him to lead the side the very last time in the last minutes of the game, still reflected that this man is not over yet, and he responded to the gesture with same passion as he captained India in his prime.

Dada, in his career has been loved and hated by so many in the same breath, and in this cricket fanatic country, with so impatient & ungrateful fans, and amongst the political clout of BCCI, having played 113 test match and scoring 7000+ runs with an average of 42; is a great career for any cricketer who aspires to play for India.

I have been a Dada fan, from the very beginning, and he was the one who raised the bar of Indian cricket as a team, which at one point was dominated by individual performance, to a level, where these boys were hungry for success, and just not playing to gallery or record books. He infused that passion, that killer instinct, and the conviction that India could take bold decision and live up to it.

There were many, who misunderstood “dada”; be it his team, critics, selectors, or we as fans. It was disheartening to see people commenting and writing him off every time his bat did not click or his game plan back fired. I hope we as fans where so impatient and fanatic with our government machinery and politics, rather than just Cricket. I remember taking “dada’s “ side every time discussions came up, and the funny part was people always spoke about cricketing averages and numbers for all players except dada, who basically ran into an emotional quotient of his fans and critics which oozed out emotions which may or may not be logical!!

For everyone’s clarifications, here are some of his stats, you may like to revisit.

These figures were the least referred figures probably in his charismatic career, while speaking in context, and his antics were more popular all through his life. Be it his “shirt off” antic at Lords, or his “not so good running between the wicket”, or his “fitness” or his “dadagiri” as a captain but end of the day it was this man who taught us how to win abroad, and a great person like Kumble approves of that. It was this man who believed in his few good men and groomed them to be pillars of Indian cricket today. It was this man, who led a team which came so close to repeat the heroics of 1983.

Today when he goes, he leaves a vacuum in the international cricket, he may not leave too many records behind for people to chase, but he surely leaves a legacy in cricket and is an inspiration to many individual from various walks of life, not just cricketer with his fighting spirit and never say attitude.

For me he was an enigma who shall be missed on the international cricket, and I salute this great man of Indian Cricket and wish him the best!!

“Dada, we’ll Miss you” … 

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”!!!