Friday, June 26, 2009

7 months down and still waiting.......

As I was casually walking along the empty roads after dinner today, my friend exclaimed "Today is 26th June. Exactly 7 months back, 26/11 happened. Do you think anything has changed in the last seven months?? Are we safer than before??"

I soon got lost in thoughts. Looking back at what happened 7 months back and all the events that have taken place in succession, I still am not confident about where we have headed. The roots of our financial capital were shaken, many lives were lost, a few important heads were rolled, a big inquiry was initiated, the lone terrorist caught alive was tried in the court. But still nothing major has really happened. Some laws were passed in the Parliament against terrorism.

But lets analyse the situation today. Life in Mumbai, which people claim, has this indomitable fighting spirit, where trains will still be running on parallel tracks even if a bomb blast occurs on one, has just moved on. Some gallantry medals have been bestowed on the dead warriors and they too have been forgotten. Diplomatic pressure was mounted on the Pakistan Govt for a few days and then God alone knows the status. We still do not know whats happening with the Kasab trial. The Chief Minister who lost his job, is now a minister at the centre. So nothing major has really happened.

The other day, I was shocked to read an article in the newspaper which said out of 44 X Ray scanners in the Mumbai International airport, 34 failed to detect arms. Isnt that shocking? Thats not all. All the security checks wherever they happen, are only for the sake of formality. The metal detectors generally beep for every passing person and nobody really bothers about the intensity of the beep. There was a case in a mall in Hyderabad, where an armed civilian, crossed 11 metal detectors before being caught. In a posh 5 star hotel in Delhi, one person carried ammunition inside his car, just to check how prepared are we for any such emergencies. If you really want to check, then do a thorough check. What use is all these tamashas for?

Having said that, do we as responsible citizens, co-operate while a check is being done? We crib if we are asked to pass through a metal detector. We get angry if someone asks us to open our car. We get freaked up when someone wants to frisk us. "How can someone doubt a well educated and a civilised person like that?" is the general reaction. But we fail to realise that anyone intending to do any crime, will of course not portray himself like a terrorist with masks and guns. When he wants to plant a bomb or an explosive, he will come in the outfit which makes him as close to the "civilised and educated" person. As citizens, we should realise this and co-operate whenever some security check is going on. We need to understand that it is for our benefit only.

All said and done, two wrongs do not make a right. The Govt. cannot blame the civilians and have to do something about national security. Unless something is done about that, we will continue to see the 9/11's and the 7/7's and the 26/11's.

Thursday, June 25, 2009

People living in glass houses should not throw stones at others!!!

There seems to be no end to the attacks happening on the Indian students in Australia. But the bigger point to be wondered is whether the way Indians are protesting against these attacks are justified.

You simply cannot go and block the traffic or shout slogans and protest as it happens in India. No country would tolerate any outsider coming there and protesting against it. The Australian Government has time and again said that they are in the process of providing security and protection to the Indian students, but most of it is still going in vain. Every morning, we get to read of "just another one off attack" on an Indian student. Yes, we get angry. We get frustrated. But going and protesting like this is not a solution to the problem.

We find racism everywhere. Even in our own country, look at the way foreigners are treated. Molestation, rape and even murder in some cases are not new in India. You can hardly forget a Scarlett Keeling who was raped and murdered on the beaches of Goa not so long ago. Nor can you forget a couple of German tourists molested in Mumbai. So its not that we are all gentlemen. Why talk about foreigners? Have we really been able to get over what Raj Thackeray and his MNS has been doing to Biharis and UPites in Mumbai? Isn't that a sort of a racial discrimination?

Having said that, I do not say that we should keep mum. The best way to solve the Australian issue is to build diplomatic pressure on Australia to do something "effective". We all agree that Australian Government is doing something. But we want results. The attacks should stop. They should realise that if that does not happen, people would stop considering Australia as a destination for higher education. Currently, Australia is the second largest country after the US of A which attracts 36000 Indians every year for higher educations. If things do not change, it won't be long before UK or Germany may take over that coveted position. One more thing that can be done is boycotting Australian products. Do not buy their products. Protest in this way. In fact I was glad to note a couple of days back, a wine shop in Mumbai openly protesting against the attacks by not selling the Australian Fosters beer.

Though much more needs to be done and the onus solely lies on the Governments, both Indian and Australian, I can surely say that violent protests are definitely not the way! As they say, people living in glass houses should not throw stones at others!

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Never give up!!

"Failure is only when you give up trying; till then its only that you have not succeeded".


These words may seem very heavy and philosophical at the top of the page. But lets just ponder over it. I came across it in one the book of success stories of IIM A graduates - Stay Hungry Stay Foolish. I had put this up as my tag line in gtalk and one of my friends asked me if i really believed in this words. I spent no time in shouting "Yes, Of course!!" Somehow we could not debate much over it. But then, I started pondering over it.


I recently came across the address by Apple CEO Steve Jobs' Commencement Address to the MBA graduates at Stanford a few years back. I have recently finished reading autobiographies of Lee Iacocca and Lance Armstrong. Why go so far? Take the case of our very own NR Narayanamurthy. All of these have not become so successful just by chance. And its not only hard work. Its much more than that. More than anything, these people had a strong will to succeed
.

Steve Jobs was fired from Apple, the company he had founded. But he came back strongly, founded a new company, and forced Apple to take it over and now he is again a part of Apple. Lee Iacocca, was the CEO of Ford. He was fired from that coveted position by Henry Ford because of some differences. He went on to become the CEO of Chrysler and lifted it out of bankruptcy. Lance Armstrong, battled testicular cancer which had spread up to his chest, recovered from it and went on to win 8 Tour de France titles from then on. NRN needs no introduction to us Indians. The hardships faced by him and his team in the early days were simply innumerable. Compare it to what Infosys is today!


All the people have only one thing in common. They never gave up when situations were tough. They never quit trying. They led by setting examples and that is why they are all role models and icons for millions of people all over the world today.


This quality is all the more important for leaders. Because they have a huge number of people following them. Here I can give a classic example of what I have closely seen. When I was working, we had launched a new vehicle which failed to meet our expectations. Moreover, we were entangled in a legal battle with a competitor over some IPR infringement, which we lost in the interim injunction. As a result a lot of us were disappointed and demotivated. But our MD, never gave up. He asked the R&D team to change the design and come up with an alternative till such time that the final order of the court came. Because of this perseverance, the R&D team came up with a modified design in record time. If the MD had given up, the top management too would not have taken much interest. The field team was anyway demotivated. And if this continued, the dealers and vendors would have totally lost confidence in us. And the competitor would have achieved his objective.


So I still stand by whatever I have written. Because I am a strong believer in the words, "If everything is going fine in life, enjoy. It is not going to last long. If things are not going fine, even then enjoy, they aren't going to last long either"

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Test of patience!!!

Student to faculty advisor.

S: Sir, I wish to apply for finance specialisation. Will there be any test for it?
F: If the number of applicants exceeds the number of seats available, then a test will be conducted for screening the people.
S: Sir, was the test conducted last year?
F: Yes, it was.
S: Sir, will it be onjective type or subjective?
F: Last year it was objective, so it may be objective this year also.
S: Sir, will it be computer based or on paper?
F: Last year it was on paper, it will be on paper this year also.(Whats this guy up to ????????)
S: Sir, do we have to use pen or pencil?
F: You can use anything (He is definitely gonna kill me!!!)
Now this is getting on the nerves of the professor
S: Sir, do we have to tick the right answer or shade the circle?
Professor gets mad and escapes!
Incidentally, in our college the maximum number of seats offered for finance is 45. So if there are more number of people opting to take finance specialisation, there will be a test conducted followed by an interview to filter and select the 45.

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Tip of the ice berg!!!

I just saw the tip of the ice berg today!! Yes, little did I think when I woke up this morning that the day was going to be so hectic. In fact, as it was a weekend, I thought the classes may get over soon and we may get some time to relax. I was even expecting a couple of free hours here and there. But in what turned out to be an anti climax of all sorts, we had classes till 8:30PM.


The biggest test of the day, was a run against time. A Case was handed to us at 9:00 AM in the morning supposed to be analysed and solved in a particular format and submitted before 4:30 PM in the evening. And all this in the midst of classes that were going on except for a couple of hours which we could dedicate for the case. The biggest irony here was the non availability of enough number of PC's to sit and work on. Somehow we managed to do it all, but in the end, the satisfaction of a job well done was lacking. This was more so because of the periodic disturbances in the form of other classes we had because of which we were neither able to fully concentrate on the case nor the classes. I frankly believe that such short deadlines do not serve any real purpose, because with the pressure of submission hovering over the head consistently, its actually more difficult to do a fair justice to the case. The quality of the analysis is most likely to suffer. I really am not experienced in this matter, so this may just be the initial fears!!


Most of us missed the lunch for the first time today. And as time passed on, hunger caught up with us. That's when we learnt a precious lesson. Always carry some food item in your bag which you can simply gobble up in a small break here or there. You never know when you'll have to skip lunch or dinner or both.


We are all still waiting for our laptops. We were told initially that the university will strike a great deal with the vendors. When that was not seen happening, the IT team volunteered with a deal. As the details of the deal are still yet to come, most of us are waiting with our fingers crossed. As the IT lab doesn't have enough systems to cater to the entire batch strength and moreover the timings are not too suitable, I wonder how we are going to cope up with the further pressure. As I said, this is just the tip of the ice berg. 90% of the drama is yet to be unfolded. But there is a definite ray of optimism. We at least have a fully functional IT Lab, which our seniors did not have. In spite of all this, if they have managed so well, there is no reason why we should not be!!


Monsoon has finally arrived at Lavale. The breeze is very strong and I am sure we will get to see a lot of umbrellas turning into buckets in the coming days. Moreover the climate is very cool and serene. The evenings are even more awesome. Moreover, the great part is that the clouds are almost passing through our windows. As a result, the outside view is more beautiful than ever before. The sunsets are awesome with the faint tinge of orange over the horizon clearly visible. How I wish I had an SLR!!


Till my next post, cheers!!! Have a great weekend!!!


Thursday, June 18, 2009

Qoutable Quotes!!!

Following are few of the quotable quotes that I have come across in the first few days of my rejuvenated college life. No offence meant against anyone. And special thanks to all my friends who have helped me compile this.

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"My volume is very high, both in loudness and my size". Professor trying to explain that he has a loud voice as well as his build.

“One degree makes the difference.” Trying to explain the importance of the one step that makes the difference. Water at 212˚F is just water, but one more degree of temperature rise makes it steam and steam has the power to run a locomotive. I agree with this statement, but there is another controversial version I have heard. If I am trying to break a log, and it breaks on the 100th blow, it’s not the 100th one which did it, but the previous 99 blows which did it in. Anyways, not bad for a start.

“Duniya ka sab se bada rog, kya kahenge log!!” referring to the inferiority complex people have.

“Paalicy is paalicy”, referring in a typical Tamil accent what was told to him by his manager about the necessity of having an MBA degree in order to be due for the next promotion.

“Apna Punja…..ab!!” speaking in a typical Punjabi accent. On his way, he went on to draw comparisons between how a typical Punjabi and a typical Mallu differ in their behavior while buying a bike.

Pun jabi: “Vaddi gaddi honi chaiye!!”

Dlr: But a big vehicle will mean more cost.

P: “Koi gall nahin!!! But everything has to be big. Shock absorbers, tyres, headlamp everything. Everything should look enormous!!!”

Dlr: But a bigger wheel would mean more friction, and more fuel consumption. Which means more running costs.

P: “Arre, koi gall nahi!! Par gaddi vaddi honi chaiye!!”

A typical Mallu will react entirely differently to the same vehicle selection situation. He would have done a lot of research on the same before going to the dealership. A Mallu is as it is wearing πr2h. When he has to sit on the bike it become πr2h/2 People actually wonder why he has to ride a two .wheeler.

A Mallu typically goes to a ‘koalage’ to zimbly gain ‘kNowlage’.!!!

Mallu in typical mallu accent: “With this 18” radius, how is this vehicle able to get so much of torque?? Please call your technical manager.”

Dlr: Sir please look at the vehicle first.

M: “No No!! Its oll mass produced!! I have seen on the road.”

He goes on to enquire all other details like EMI of finance option, and all other things and asks loads of questions, which atleast would frustrate the dealer and make him feel agonised!!

When the prof visited USA long back, he came across a person in the local transport who asked him, where he belonged to. When replied, “India”, he was asked “Do you speak Indian”

Prof: ” That was my first experience with American foolishness.”

In the early 70’s Americans had the image of Indians that they are all undernourished and hunger is prevalent all over the country. So when our prof first went there and was at the immigration counter, the lady at the counter asked him, “Are you hungry??”. Prof happily said, “No. I ate in the flight!!” He was greeted by a weird look. In retrospect, the prof realised that he had infact confirmed the suspicion of the Americans!!

Talking about Arabs, as the richest people in the world but having no real knowledge and skills. “The Sheikhs will donn Rolex watches worth lakhs of rupees. He will even have his hand movements in such a way as to show off. But if you ask him the time, he will still take out a digital clock from his pocket and tell you the time!! He does not know to read analog clock!!”

“Kerala survives only on tourism and gulf income. If you remove the gulf income, the GDP of Kerala is lesser than that of Manipur”, taking the Left Front to task for making scant development over the last few decades.


“West Bengal is Waste Bengal. People don’t know what they want and rulers don’t know how to rule. And because of the Communist Rule, there will be strike every second day, and the agenda for the strike will be decided later!!”

“Mujhe pain deejiye”, someone asking for a pen in a Marathi accent.

“You cannot show me your molars!!” to a student caught yawning in the class.

“I appreciate your compliments, but for God’s sake, I am not a machine!!”. Prof explaining his days in France where he had to undertake frequent tours to Portugal. Those days, Portuguese were totally against contraception and condoms were banned due to religious sentiments. As a result people used to smuggle these things from outside and Prof once incidentally happened to carry 800 pieces on one of his tour. His wife suspiciously asked him, “Honestly tell me, what your business is??”

“Exceptions are not examples!!”


Tuesday, June 16, 2009

The first week!!!

More than a week has passed since I have got adjusted to this new home of mine for the next two years. And these days have been definitely eventful.

First of all, the campus is simply breathtaking. If Manipal is paradise, Lavale is a bigger paradise. Situated in the midst of the Sahyadri ranges, at an altitude of 2200 ft above sea level, I am sure everyone will enjoy every moment of their stay here. For all the obvious reasons, its all the more beautiful with the monsoons just on the verge of setting in.

The hostels are totally well planned and designed meticulously to the last detail. All the things have been taken care of. I could correlate it to my previous stay during my undergraduate days, and could find a hell of a difference here. Though any comparisons of any sort would not be fair, I am pretty much satisfied about the hostel and the facilities. We have two seater as well as three seater rooms with attached baths. I have been allotted a two seater on the extreme top of the building. Peep out of the window and you overlook a huge golf course (supposedly owned by Jackie Shroff!! Dont really know how far it is true!!). And as a special privilege, I alone have the opportunity to walk all the way to the terrace of the Boys Hostel and enjoy the mystic and serene surroundings in the early mornings and late evenings!! The mess is also decent enough, serving a variety of food. Though the quality is not so great, it still is edible. It only makes sure that noody stretches beyond their limits in eating. My room is on the third floor, and a few trips up and down daily, will definitely ensure that I'll end up losing a few pounds here over the next few months!!!

The main academic block houses the SIU office, and academic blocks of two institutes other than ours. Commonly known as the North Block of the campus, its close to a km away from the hostel blocks, referred to as the South Block. Midway is the mess and the not-so-developed shopping complex. The great part of the campus is there are army cycles placed at the North, South and the Central blocks, which can be used by any students on campus to commute between these points. The campus has been decided as a "Pollution Free Zone" and no motor vehicles are allowed on campus. Though this rule is not strictly enforced, it still is a good way to start. People bringing their vehicles have to park it outside and can use it only to commute outside the campus.

The campus is close to 20 kms away from the heart of the Pune city. There is no public transport to anywhere near the campus as it is located in an isolated area. As a result, the campus runs buses to the city and from the city to the campus 5 times a day at convenient intervals. Really appreciate the efforts taken by the administration. Though a personal vehicle would definitely help, this effort is definitely laudable.

Another icing on the cake is the recreational facilities available on campus. There is a full fledged gym, aerobics and yoga with qualified trainers, badminton and squash courts, table tennis and carrom, a swimming pool (where I chill every evening!!!). Added to this is the 36" Plasma TV(was a pleasure watching Fedex complete a career slam). I really am in love with this campus and want to make the best use of the facilities available over the next couple of years.

Coming to the academic part, the first four days were full of gyaan sessions. People briefing about Symbi, the college, the new campus, the facilities, the rules and regulations, the opportunities, the statistics about the past performance of the institute etc etc. Though, a few of the students found them boring and useless, I thought those were important, as we need to be aware about the happenings in and around and the facts about where we are studying. More so because, we are all the brand ambassadors of our college, and inability to answer simple queries regarding the college would reflect directly.

Towards the weekend, we were taken for an Outbound Training program. Most of them, took it as an opportunity to start their "batting" careers. The "bowlers" here are definitely good and the collective group of them are far better than any team I have seen anywhere so far. But on the whole, we were all made to play small games and the learning from each game, was very much clear on the wall. Though very obvious, we tend to forget the small and minute details, which contribute very much towards good and efficient decision making and team work.

On the whole, the first week was good and memorable. Moreover, now that regular classes have started, it remains to be seen how I can manage my time. I'll try to post the pics asap. Till then, Cheers!!! Keep rocking!!!!


Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Three days & three big jokes!!!!

Its been three days since I have re-started my formal student life after a brief hibernation for 3 years. The three days have been more than eventful. Like the Fake IPL Player, I am in sorts, posting this, in a sort of a hurry. I promise to be back as soon as possible. But till then, I'll share with you three of the biggest jokes I have heard on campus in these three days.

  • "There was a time when Pune was called the Oxford of the East. With our ambitious plans of expansion and going global, there will come a day when Universities will yearn for the title Symbiosis of the West!!!" - Principal Director of SIU on their ambitious expansion drive - Too ambitious I say!!!
  • "SNAP is better than CAT" - Director, trying to draw comparison on the number of students taking the exam per college considering the exam score. CAT 2008 was taken by 2.75 lakh people and CAT score is considered by close to 130 institutes whereas SNAP 2008 was taken by 1.2 lakh students and SNAP score is considered by only 13 institutes. - Wow!! Some people in the audience might really have taken your words!!!
  • "In the US of A, you must know where to rape!!" - Professor who was stressing on the importance of understanding the geographical and political systems in various regions in the world and their necessity for emerging business leaders and managers. The fine for rape, incidentally varies from state to state in the USA - "Well that session on a whole, was definitely interesting!!!"

Well, I am still in the first week with Induction Formalities going on. We are scheduled for an Outbound Training program on 12th and 13th. Promises to be interesting. Regular classes are going to start only from the 15th. Till then, probably I can afford to relax!! The campus is really beautiful. Especially the sunrises and sunsets over the hills in the durrounding, the pleasant weather, the facilities on the campus (really enjoyed watching Federer complete the career grand slam on a 36" Plasma TV) all add up to the ambience. I would also reserve my comments on the mess for a couple of weeks!!

Till my next post (hopefully coming soon), cheers!!!