Indian Heroes for you

80 years back --- Bal Gangadhar Tilak,Gopal Krishna Gokhale
50 years back --- Nehru,Mahatma Gandhi
Today ----------- Dhiru bhai Ambani,Premji

This is the story of the heroes and how their face has changed.Today, the people who are the role models for the youth of our generation are not political leaders but people who matter more in business.This shows the changing mentality in the Indian Middle Class.

Wishing to see more Phoenix rising from nowhere !!!

Is saal ka winner kaun ??

Well, this question was raised by Bhatti on 21st December.The question is ki ,who is that person ,jisko we can call winner of the year from KNIT 2005 batch.

Nomintations invited for all years after 2005..
Some possible winners :-
2005
Ashwani Tyagi - NTPC Electranix ka pehla ladka jisne PSU mein jhande gade
2006
Ratnakar Srivastava - Fair Issac mein highest package from batch
2007
Anay Agarwal - Batch se pehla IIM
Bhavna Kaushik -IES Rank 11 .Electronics
2008
????

If anyone from KNIT parivaar (Batch 2005 )is interested in nominating themselves or nominating someone else ,please post your comments in the blog.

"The Day you cease to learn, is the day you cease to exist..."

Found this line somewhere, not sure where.
But it has lots of gyaan stuff about it.

Our existence is to learn something or the other daily.
Still trying to learn and unlearn things of life.

The Magic of Gurcharan

These Days, I have got hold of a book called .'India Unbound'..The Book is written by a former CEO of P&G ,India - Gurcharan Das.The best part of the book is the presentation.Just like his articles in Sunday Times ,the book has a personal touch about it.This makes topics on India's triumph and failures to be looked upon with a different perspective.
As of now , one thing that I will like to share after reading the first 100 pages is the story he mentions of Porus and Alexander.
All know the history stuff that Porus lost to Alexander in the war.Once Alexander asked him as to how should he be treated, Porus replied "As a King treats another King".
But his learning from this story is from a managerial point as well as Indian Psychology.Porus lost because his infantry strength was low and the support that he received from his cavalry got hampered by Alexander's strategy.In the end , his elephants were killing his own foot soldiers.
What the author mentions here is that although , there was no caste lines in those days in the army , there were still some divisions due to which the infantry never got the desired support.Same has happened in the Indo -Pak and Indo-China wars , though not a larger basis.

Another point that I got from his learnings was that Indians esp. males are not team players (its not in our blood).It all starts with the bride getting married.She has immense pressure to get a male heir for the family.Once the son is born , he is a pampered lot.All his wishes are fulfilled. No doubt about this.
Once he grows up ,all this plays an important part in developing his ego.That way ,he either gets arrogant and never becomes a team player or he gets subdued and frustrated.Hopefully , with more working mothers , this situation might also be resolved for better.

Winning by small margin

A victory is a victory ..a Loss a Loss..
But what about winning by small margins ??
Its more of a reflection for the victor that the opposing strength was just too good to move things till the end .The game could have gone either ways.
Similarly, the loser can take pride in having ended with a good show.
But what about the Victory on the edge.
It is the ultimate heart breaking moment for both the sides. (e.g. Indo-Pak T 20 Final).

Victory is sweetest when you've known defeat.
Malcolm S. Forbes


Saluting all the victors and losers , because the ultimate winner is the spirit that guides them.

IF

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise;
If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build ‘em up with wornout tools;
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on”;
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And - which is more - you’ll be a Man my son!

- Rudyard Kipling

Today's fortune: Versatility is one of your outstanding traits

Ye orkut waale bhi nahi maante.
They write same fortune for the world.I had seen a fortune in my scrap book and after some days , it was in my friend's scrap book.

If fortune were to be one and the same for all ,then the world will be a boring place to live in.

D-Days

Well it takes a long wait when finally a D-Day arrives.
1 of them came last week in the life of around 10k ppl in India.
10k because out 2.3 lakhs aspirants,only 10k are really serious and put their heart and soul for the toughest of all exams.

Still the winners of these events rock and rock too much in the minds of the whole country.

Hoping to be a winner some day :)

The Quiz

Think of quiz and my mind first goes to the days when we had a Quiz show -- BQC on AIR..and the lively Derek O'Brien as its host.
Somehow those memories got captured in the Landmark Quiz this Thursday.

The winning moments for me in the Quiz were :-

* Seeing Derek O'Brien ,in the show, in person.
* Shwetank working out 'Blooks' -- Blogs on Books or Books on Blogs ..whichever way you call it.
*One uncleji recognizing the 'Grace' connection with great grace
* Seeing a team called XX Saints comprising former lady school teachers ..making through the prelims.
* Seeing a granny leading charge of team that came 2nd.
* School Kids of 8th ,9th getting more than 20 correct /40 questions in prelims.
* Finally the deserving winners Q.E.D. and the attitude/passion/zeal shown by them towards Quizzes.


Offcourse there were few more sensational things that happened there..but that's a different story.

But the quiz was less abt. trivias and more on 'work that out' funda.

Think that I was just a small frog in Shaktinagar waters...during schools..
Kids here know the entire Rock and Pop Gurus which will put many enthusiastic buffs to rest.

Trust Me , I am a Liar

I saw this T-shirt punch line and somehow remember it after 2 hrs.
Kahaan dekha - ghar ka khaana mein
kab dekha -- lunch time..
kisne pehna tha-- hoga koi IT industry ka maara
kyon dekha -- saamne baith gaya tha..bhagaa nahi sakta tha..mujhe bhi khaana tha
kaise dekha--abhi aankehin thik hain..unhi se dekh liya

Now the main theme after I have somehow done my SWOT on this :)

All these silly quotations reminds me of the questions that are asked by IT junta companies to check someone's reasoning ability.Maybe that's the reason these geeks think so much into what they wear.

Kaash meri ability kam hoti..aise post ke baare mein sochta bhi nahi..

Dussehra days !!!

A festival which is most nostalgic to me other than any is the magic Dussehra days...
Let me try to capture it in chronological order :-
* Came to know of Dussehra through the mega hit TV serial of the 80s - Ramayana
* So that meant going to watch the Durga Puja celebrations and Ravana's effigy bonfire ,cracker works at Central School..Shaktinagar..most of the time.
*Pehli baar gas wala balloon yehi se liya tha (hmmm...remember so much)
*Have never been lucky to watch a Ram leela for a long time in person
*We used to have many half yearly exams in school ending by Dussehra.So this was a big break after the slog overs :).College mein to koi exam ..exam lagta hi nahi tha...it was more of funtime.
*Navaratri concept---came very late..but still if u r getting delicious food to eat and respected so much..that's the best part of it
*Went to Patna once at Durga Puja time.Person from a small town going to a city.Was the same with me.Patna delighted with so many kind of pratimas ..from the regular ones..to a maakhan ki pratimaa (that was kept in AC so that it didn't melt) ,tel ki pratima (strong in concept) ,sabun ki pratima,mom ki pratima (ab koi cheez to rehne do )
*Miss.... Benaares days and durga puja there..Ramnagar ki ramleela is world famous..(sab fame ki peeche hi hain)
*Went to my native village once.Again got awed by the small town guy going to ur village.Was a great experience to see my roots and the rituals.
*Went to Nepal once,new country ,new customs there..some of which might not be heard of.
*Tanda ramleela..typical of UP style ones and the way ravana's effigy is burnt with the help of basket ball stand's support(the jugaad)
*Sultanpur days..gr8 days..ghar jaane ki jaldi after midsems
*Mysore days..watt lagi thi...generic compre pass karni thi
*Bangalore days..yahaan to koi festival josh se manaate hi nahi hain..ajeeb shahar hai..its more on style and theme than anything...

But still I am happy, for the Good always wins ...

The Attitude

Lots of people have lots of things to say on your attitude.
Your attitude towards thing was correct/wrong.
One thing that we have noticed recently is the attitude of Indian Cricket team and its Attitude man --Sreesanth...
Music Industry and its attitude man---Himesh
Indian Politics already has a PM with attitude - Manmohan...sorry ..if it never appeared to anyone :)
But he really had guts to bring liberalization in 91 and all that was a real attitude stuff those days.

Well positive attitude to anything does a great deal of good than having no reaction or a smaller tinge of negativism.
But the attitude that I am trying to light up here is more in terms of confidence than anything...Be confident with your views and forget the rest...

Now thats a no nonsense attitude.

Morning Raaga

Every morning is a hectic one ,after I have entered the officedom part of my life.
School days were fun..mummy used to wake u up , help u to get ready ...and somehow used to reach school by 7:30.
All changed in College.. classes at 9 or 10 were meant to be bunked.Practicals never happened in the right spirit.

All this changed after I joined a company...
They were strict that u reach for trainings by 9 or lose ur leaves..Even leaves had quota that were very strict.
Suddenly all the Final year college folks who used to seldom have any class were forced to attend each and every class.

After the trainings , although the rules are relaxed , the practice hasn't.
Onsite calls in the services company and all the crap that u do has to be planned and done ASAP.There is no scope for lethargy anywhere ,else u r caught easily by the system.
This has led me to leave home by 8 to 8:15 on a daily basis.Some ppl who come from far leave for office at 6...That's crazy stuff..but well ppl do wake at 4..

Even I used to wake at 4:45 for one month..reason ..some tennis camp.Never in my life have I woken up before 6 except for few exams.I confess.. I love sleeping and can be hungry even till 1PM and sleep off..

ये पागल पेट न होता ,
में सारी रात चैन से सोता !!

The mornings , i have a 1KM walk to catch the bus...so many things happen around.

Most noticeable are the school buses and school children catching them.
Noticing so many small children with their parents ,grandparents just reminds me of my one school days.They were far better ...no tension , no worries..just a happiness to spend time with friends ,teachers, the atmosphere was electric at times..
those prayers,march past,PT days,things that made u disciplined..those are the moments..one surely cherishes.

Things haven't changed much,its the perspective and the vision ,the growth of the being that has..
Many more things to learn out still.

Creativity

Just like tatoos and paintings ..writing blogs,displaying Orkut profiles,making movies,taking decision etal are all creative things.

Yes... I am writing of a latest flick on Sports --Chak De.India
Something that caught the entire nation by storm.
Suddenly people started to look out for heroes among common things and events.
Your orkut profiles/friends will have a Chak de moment atleast for once.

Well a Chak De moment happens in everyone's life...Waiting for mine to happen..

Winners Rock

Thanks to Bangalore Times.. I have got a new life and a new blog name for my blog.
Last week has been one of the inspirational weeks in the life of many Indians.
Just like every Bollywood flick ,they have proved that cricket underdogs are also capable of doing miracles.

Talk of miracles and well we did have one today ,when rain gods of Bangalore saved India from what looked to be a tough situation in the match.
It had not rained for the past 2-3 weeks here , but it started to rain in the evening suddenly when one of the cricket gods Sachin got out.

So much for the miracle and gods that we all believe in...
We always forget the same gods if they loose out a couple of series and term them as uncapable.Remember the same people did to Dhoni's house after the world cup debacle.

Books worth reading

Big Read Top 100 list (and some)
The BBC released a list of the UK's 100 best loved novels.
Since then, it seems, the list has been circulating the blogosphere as an ever-evolving 'books-I-have-read' list, with people adding three extra titles onto the list as they go,
which means the list has ended up being over 400 entries long, further meaning I just can't be bothered going through them all and ticking them off.
Here then is the much more concise top 100, in its original form.
Rules...
Bold those you've read.
Italicize started-but-never-finished.
Underline those you own but haven't gotten to yet.
Add three of your own.
Post to your livejournal.

1. The Lord of the Rings, JRR Tolkien
2. Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen
3. His Dark Materials, Philip Pullman
4. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams
5. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, JK Rowling
6. To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee
7. Winnie the Pooh, AA Milne
8. 1984, George Orwell
9. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, CS Lewis
10. Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte
11. Catch-22, Joseph Heller
12. Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte
13. Birdsong, Sebastian Faulks
14. Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier
15. The Catcher in the Rye, JD Salinger
16. The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame
17. Great Expectations, Charles Dickens
18. Little Women, Louisa May Alcott
19. Captain Corelli's Mandolin, Louis de Bernieres
20. War and Peace, Leo Tolstoy
21. Gone with the Wind, Margaret Mitchell
22. Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Philosopher's Stone, JK Rowling
23. Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets, JK Rowling
24. Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban, JK Rowling
25. The Hobbit, JRR Tolkien
26. Tess Of The D'Urbervilles, Thomas Hardy
27. Middlemarch, George Eliot
28. A Prayer For Owen Meany, John Irving
29. The Grapes Of Wrath, John Steinbeck
30. Alice's Adventures In Wonderland, Lewis Carroll
31. The Story Of Tracy Beaker, Jacqueline Wilson
32. One Hundred Years Of Solitude, Gabriel Garcia Marquez
33. The Pillars Of The Earth, Ken Follett
34. David Copperfield, Charles Dickens
35. Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl
36. Treasure Island, Robert Louis Stevenson
37. A Town Like Alice, Nevil Shute
38. Persuasion, Jane Austen
39. Dune, Frank Herbert
40. Emma, Jane Austen
41. Anne Of Green Gables, LM Montgomery
42. Watership Down, Richard Adams
43. The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald
44. The Count Of Monte Cristo, Alexandre Dumas
45. Brideshead Revisited, Evelyn Waugh
46. Animal Farm, George Orwell
47. A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens
48. Far From The Madding Crowd, Thomas Hardy
49. Goodnight Mister Tom, Michelle Magorian
50. The Shell Seekers, Rosamunde Pilcher
51. The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett
52. Of Mice And Men, John Steinbeck
53. The Stand, Stephen King
54. Anna Karenina, Leo Tolstoy
55. A Suitable Boy, Vikram Seth
56. The BFG, Roald Dahl
57. Swallows and Amazons, Arthur Ransome
58. Black Beauty, Anna Sewell
59. Artemis Fowl, Eoin Colfer
60. Crime And Punishment, Fyodor Dostoyevsky
61. Noughts And Crosses, Malorie Blackman
62. Memoirs Of A Geisha, Arthur Golden
63. A Tale Of Two Cities, Charles Dickens
64. The Thorn Birds, Colleen McCollough
65. Mort, Terry Pratchett
66. The Magic Faraway Tree, Enid Blyton
67. The Magus, John Fowles
68. Good Omens, Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
69. Guards! Guards!, Terry Pratchett
70. Lord of the Flies, William Golding
71. Perfume, Patrick Susskind
72. The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists, Robert Tressell
73. Night Watch, Terry Pratchett
74. Matilda, Roald Dahl
75. Bridget Jones's Diary, Helen Fielding
76. The Secret History, Donna Tartt
77. The Woman in White, Wilkie Collins
78. Ulysses, James Joyce
79. Bleak House, Charles Dickens
80. Double Act, Jacqueline Wilson
81. The Twits, Roald Dahl
82. I Capture The Castle, Dodie Smith
83. Holes, Louis Sachar
84. Gormenghast, Mervyn Peake
85. The God Of Small Things, Arundhati Roy
86. Vicky Angel, Jacqueline Wilson
87. Brave New World, Aldous Huxley
88. Cold Comfort Farm, Stella Gibbons
89. Magician, Raymond E Feist
90. On The Road, Jack Kerouac
91. The Godfather, Mario Puzo
92. The Clan Of The Cave Bear, Jean M. Auel
93. The Colour Of Magic, Terry Pratchett
94. The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho
95. Katherine, Anya Seton
96. Kane And Abel, Jeffrey Archer
97. Love In The Time Of Cholera, Gabriel Garcia Marquez
98. Girls In Love, Jacqueline Wilson
99. The Princess Diaries, Meg Cabot
100. Midnight's Children, Salman Rushdie