The Politics of the Nano

We have all heard of leveraging market opportunities that will propel India into the next phase of its economic growth. Pundits have opined that India will be one of the superpowers of the world sometime during this century. And I strongly believe, that the Tata Nano project, at the start of this century is one of those key market opportunities that reinforce our presence on the global map. However, the politics of the Nano has ensured that this massive economic opportunity be stunted in its intent even before it takes off.

The likes of Ms. Mamta Banerjee have tried to justify the social stigma that the Nano project would create, in terms of depriving farmers of their land. Nobody is disputing that claim. Her voice alone, not to mention her highly dramatised hunger strike, have been definitive ways of telling Mr. Ratan Tata that the Singur plant will never see the light of the day in the state of Bengal. However, what I fail to understand is, where was this protest when the approvals for the Nano were on? Why is it that no other state in the country has a problem in hosting the Tatas for this prestigious project? Why is it that Bengal digs its own hole by holding up one of India’s most ardent projects? Why are we not able to identify the potential or even catch a glimpse of more forward-looking Bengalis like their current Chief Minister?

If one is to read the context of the Singur project in the light of Bengal’s history with industrialization, there possibly isn’t anything bigger than the Nano project that has crossed the drawing board in the state. However, the conservatives and the socialists of Bengal are far too concerned about the poor farmers (and only them, as it were) who would be deprived of their land, at the cost of the Nano. Fair point. But, what they fail to see is the larger possibility of a Nano being able to accommodate these very deprived souls at a future date. This would provide these farmers far greater economic prosperity than a one-off settlement against their lands would. This politicization of the Nano does not have the larger picture in its view i.e. the Tata is one of India’s largest conglomerates and is one of the most socially affable companies ever seen in the country.

I find it hard to digest that these politicians are so disconnected on the singular theme of a dream car from India, hitting global markets - an future Indian brand that has caught the attention of every discernible automobile consumer, manufacturer and government in the world. It is so tragic to see the Bengal Chief Minister trying to pacify the likes of Mamta Banerjee and Ratan Tata – the former being the root cause of this obstacle to the Nano dream, and the latter, a visionary who has given the country the chance to catapult India on the global automobile map. Not only that, scores of suppliers and other stakeholders related to this project will reap the benefits of this dream. Kinetic Engineering is a case in point and there will be numerous other companies and other establishments that can build strong business plans for their future growth, based on the Nano rollout. There are other benefits too – employment, industrialization of a state that hardly anyone takes seriously, opportunity for exports, development financing and so on.

In all this, I strongly believe that its time that the communist approach of some of the key influencers in Bengal, take a leaf out of their Chief Minister’s book. Mr. Buddhadeb Bhattarcharya. He was fighting a lone battle in balancing Ratan Tata’s vision in Singur and Mamta Banerjee’s firm resolve to boot out the Nano from Bengal. I am not Bengali, but I am an educated Indian. And I strongly feel that the educated folks in Bengal are possibly not able to rake in a collective voice that would drive some wisdom into the politics of the Nano. People opposing the Nano have not been able to gauge the message that future investors in Bengal would have – Bengal has eventually paid the price for its narrow-mindedness. I just hope, as a forward-looking Indian, that this the last time they falter. Else, Bengal will have to reconcile with the fact that the rest of the country will power ahead in the modern era – far beyond what the current Bengalis can even fathom.

The assignment of the project to Gujarat, should have hopefully sent out the message to the conservatives of Bengal, that India is a progressing nation. And the likes of Ratan Tata, have alternatives and will not (and I dare say, need not) succumb to the conservative & antiquated views in Bengal.

Credibility matters

I have been thinking a lot about this lately. And the more I think about it, the more I am convinced about it. It has got to do with credibility of an individual. I am increasingly beginning to believe that this is the one attribute of a human being's personality that can make or break a large part of his life.

All of us work exceptionally hard to make a career and try and reach out highest aspirations. Dreams are no longer just dreams as people have begun to find ways to realise those dreams. A vast majority of our pursuits in life have tended to become extremely materialistic. That, is more a function of the opportunities that our generation is providing us with, more than anything else.

But, in between all this, I am quite convinced that the few who go far in life are folks who are not only self-driven, but are people with a high sense of self-esteem and credibility. Why is it that a Bjorn Borg, despite going bankrupt after his tennis career, returned to Centre Court Wimbledon and handed out the trophy to Federer (when the latter equalled Borg's record?). Why and how is an Amitabh Bachann revered even in the twilight of his career? Why are folks such as Dr. Singh and the like looked upon so highly? Why is Kotler the last word in marketing? Why is Peter Drucker still the guru of management? How is it that we have only one Warren Buffet? And surprise, surprise, why have we never managed to create more Tendulkars?

Maybe, I am getting biased by the famous people that all of us know. However, if I were to stop for a minute and think of people who would make more sense in the context of my life - I find many such people. You know, people with courage of conviction, sticking their neck out, being respected for their achievements, and people with immense credibility. And I know quite a few senior citizens, who once held positions of power, and are STILL sought after for the expert opinion etc. Their pedigree is not a function of their age or of the Indian tradition of respecting older folks. These are people who genuinely have credibility. I know a chartered accountant with 25 years experience, who still calls up a retired corporate banker from a public sector bank asking for his opinion on valuation, finance. I know a very, very, senior MP who once told this same corporate banker that his word is good enough if the bank cannot give his firm a loan. I also know a GM of a public sector bank who once told the MD of the same bank, that if this gentleman had refused a loan, he would not override that decision. IF that is not credibility, what else is!

Look at the new found respect for Ratan Tata - the Nano is just the ammunition or the tool. The bigger picture is his vision, his credibility, his courage of conviction, his dream for all of us and his dream that might inspire many of us to dream bigger. Also, why is it that people do not ever associate any unethical behaviour by the Tata group? Credibility, is my humble guess!

And the point is, we have many such people - bankers, industrialists, consultants, accountants, lawyers etc. But, not too many of them enjoy credibility. If a person makes a name for himself, that might be the easier part of his journey; the toughest part is to systematically reinforce it to himself & stakeholders concerned, that he did not make it to his position/place, just like that. That needs serious credibility. People do get found out in no time; the one big differentiator and key ingredient that can help a person (even if he is not financially well 0ff - say Borg after his retirement!), is keeping his/her name intact. The value of a person’s credibility and goodwill is beyond measurement. I am happy that I have learnt this so early in my life! Might as well be remembered as a good human being who stood for his/her own values in life (rather than as a poor, middle-class or rich guy or whatever – with all the transient materialistic bliss).

As they say in cricket, take care of the runs; the dollars will take care of themselves. I might just risk saying, take care of your beliefs and self-esteem; everything else follows. Nothing else is more important – losing one’s name is more damaging than going bankrupt.

A visit to the KSCA India vs Australia Day 4

It was my customary visit to a test match being played at home (Blore!). And for once, it was in the stand right next to the pavilion stand(as against the usual top floor above the Pavilion that I have been going to) - which means, I had a 70-degree view of the proceedings. Good fun though!

What added to the flavour was the nostalgia of going to watch test match cricket at the ground with dad - since he is a die-hard sports fanatic! I felt so happy to have managed 2 tickets in a very good stand with a great view, and bring some serious happiness to him in his retired life! I felt so happy!

Anyway, back to the day at the ground. It was actually a day that had riveting test match cricket - not the usual slam-bang masala of the shorter versions of the game. Possibly, for the first time in my various visits to the KSCA, today was a gripping day of hard fought equations, with no team ready to give the edge to the other.

The day started with Zaheer Khan completing his second test match 50 (much to the delight of the crowds here). And, I for one, was particularly fascinated to see the famous Brett Lee action in person - sure is exciting to see that gigantic structure steam down his run-up, hurl bouncers, fume at batsmen, and add to the drama by bending down on his knees and appealing at the top of his voice!


The Indian team folded up for 360, falling 70 short of the Aussie first innings total, with Zaheer Khan the highest scorer (55 not out). The Aussies came out to face a fiery Zaheer and it wasn't long before Hayden was back in the tent. But the biggest roar was for Ricky Ponting (in terms of booing him out of the ground!). And the time that Ponting was at the crease was possibly the time I enjoyed one of the most beautiful days of test match cricket. Reason -that classical battle between a young rookie (Ishant Sharma) trying to prove his point yet again, against at veteran of 10000 test match runs (Ponting). The seamers, in-dippers, the swingers, the ones going away, the dot balls, the various appeals for LBW - were sights to behold i.e. a famous batsman struggling in the cauldron of test match cricket, against a bowler who is increasingly getting the better of him. The standout was the manner of Punter’s dismissal: well articulated, brilliantly planned and magnificently executed, courtesy, a quick catch by the special VVS at mid-wicket. Ponting's dismissal, brought a thunderous roar in the stadium, and I was out of my seat in a jiffy, cheering the Indian team on!


Things settled down a wee bit after that, with the Aussies scoring runs. But, they lost Clarke (after he hit a cover drive in his first ball - great shot!). And, the Aussie nemesis, Harbhajan Singh, got into his elements - terrific off spin bowling, capitalising on the spite in the pitch, putting pressure on the Aussies with close-in fielders et al. He possibly did not get the adequate returns, in terms of number of wickets, for the brilliance he displayed in his art today.


And then, that proud cricketer - Anil Kumble. It was hard to believe that this gigantic, yet gentle legend is playing his last test match at home. He has become a bit of a role model for me - with his conduct, poise, ability to answer all critics with his performance, and immense dignity and pride of playing for India. I will never forget a moment in this test match, in fact, right at the toss - Ravi Shastri was doing the usual TV stint of covering the toss. Once the toss was done and he had finished speaking to Ponting, it was Kumble's turn. And I distinctly noticed a tremendous amount of respect and regard in Ravi's eyes for Kumble at this particular toss. Maybe I am reading too much into it, but I really sensed a tremendous amount of "Wow, Anil. You are in your last match at home. You have been a great servant for your state and country. All the best for your final game at home". I think, I have watched enough cricket in my life to see that much of regard, even if momentary (at a toss!). Such is the pedigree of Anil. I zoomed my binoculars time and again, to get a final glimpse of this legend in action - be it while he was setting the field, or while he was bowling (albeit with an injury).


Anyway, the match is brilliantly poised. I enjoyed my day at the stadium with daddy. Especially since, it was replete with good, old-fashioned, battle for dominance and with both teams still in the hunt. And, a draw, is still a possibility. I just wish tomorrow were a holiday since it is going to be a fascinating final day at the KSCA.

There were some terrific moments during the day, where I was almost left wondering about the kind of life these sport stars live. The number of times Ganguly, Harbhajan and Tendulkar were cheered every time they took their positions near the boundary lines was something else. I mean, imagine turning around and walking to you position on the field and at least 5000 people roaring your name in unison, and about 200 people clamouring for space near the boundary line to get your autograph. This happened all day. And I dare say, that is just a shade of the lives that these guys live - perennially in the limelight. Possibly, that one comment in the newspapers, where kids were flocking around the Sunny Gavaskar - though he had retired by the time these kids were even born, was testament to the man's contribution to Indian cricket and the fan following that he enjoys, 22 years after he retired.

I guess I will sign off by saying that I saw another member of the 10000 runs club today - Allan Border. And I will just say, wow!

Saurav Ganguly - a lesson in faith!

I always end up writing something when a famous cricketer retires. I wrote on my blog when Shane Warne hung up his boots and I am doing just that today, right after Ganguly has announced his retirement. I don't know why I do this, but these guys send a non-stop message of inspiration in life to me. I am sure, I will write more when Sachin, VVS, Dravid and Kumble retire as well. If there was blogging in the 1980s' and 1990s, with such high-speed internet, I am pretty sure I would have made my blog an "inspiration blog" on some truly phenomenal sportsmen(not just cricketers).

Anyway, getting back to the moment - its the last month of international cricket for Dada. Gosh, that man is somebody I have just admired ever since I saw him play first in 1996! What a spirited fella! Ever ready to take on the system head on and be so confident than come what may, he is good enough to pound the best in the business. Australia, England, Pakistan, Sri Lanka - all the cricketing nations in the world, who did not fear him so much for his smashing hits as much as they did for his attitude. Very few Indian cricketers have been able to look at their international counterparts in the eye and let them know that they are not there for gardening or just facing chin music! Dada was different for me - he taught me aggression; incredible self-confidence; a deep passion for the game(that was so sadly abused by the powers-that-be). I don't know him personally, but I strongly feel that he only meant business and was not there in the game for just the adulation(he deserved it though!).

And that super-arrogant, straight talking Greg Chappell, unfortunately had the powers; else, I am pretty sure, Dada would have ensure that Chappell never enters our country again. Alright, he may have been a great Aussie cricketer in his heyday; but remember, he was one of the meanest and cheapest players(figuratively), by devising the under-arm bowling option in an ODI against New Zealand. Dada never resorted to such trivial measures - he played the games by the rule, and played it hard(eye to eye with the opposition). Go home, Greg Chappell - we don't need you!

What about the inspiration Dada gave to newcomers? Half of the current talent in the best 16 in the country - Harbhajan, Yuvraj, etc etc, owe it to Dada's unrelenting encouragement for the youth/new players. I strongly feel that Dada's captaincy is a lesson in management - how to lead in the most adverse and severe conditions. Look at the balancing act he had to do i.e. get his career going when the selectors were out to nail him, let the opposition know that he was no pushover, and stand like a man of steel for rookies who had no clue about the pressures of international cricket. That sort of a balancing act, in a situation where Dada's head was always on the line, is not easy. And it comes to great leaders;people with gumption, courage of conviction and immense concentration and passion. Those are my biggest learnings from this great Bengali.

It is not a joke to score nearly 20,000 international runs in an era that had some of India's batting stalwarts - the Fab Four as people call them. And to be counted amongst that elite and inordinately superior crowd is a special thing in itself. Hats off to you, Saurav! You taught Indian sportsman (across genres) and people like me at the start of their professional careers, what it means to win. And win, against all odds!

Wish you a very, very, very happy retired life, Dada! If ever I see you as a commentator, I'd be glued in to listen to the brain behind that aggressive attitude. All the best!

My first month at SAP

I just finished one month of working life in SAP. And its been something else. I had only heard of software companies being places of immense employee pampering. After having seen traces of this pampering, I now know why people flock into this industry. And absolutely no regrets, I am so happy to be in this truly legendary company!

The people in the office seem to be quite relaxed, without the pressure of finishing things in a hurry. There is always a consensus to everything; everybody's opinion is taken. And I have distinctly noticed that things are questioned in the realm of what works for a customer, rather than sitting and making counterpoints. Quite a constructive environment to work in, and something that challenges the intellectual capacity.

Of course, the free food and the free shuttle service from home to office & back are the added luxuries. I have also seen a bunker room of sorts, where people literally draw up big blankets and go to sleep! And I am told that this room needs advance reservation, as its perennially choc-a-bloc!. Not to mention the salsa dance that happens in the evening, or the table tennis room that is full all the time. Plus, in addressing the needs of the extreme fitness freaks, SAP has a full-fledged gymnasium - what with tread mills, state-of-the-art equipment etc. And people ensure that they make use of it - every time I cross the gym, its full (with some interesting faces around too!).

Talking of interesting faces, there is no dearth of them in the company. The advantage of being a truly great MNC and such a top brand is that it attracts a wide variety of people from all over the world. That can only add to the colour around the office, you see!

Good place, I must say- has a happy feel about it.

New shuttle and food vendor in the office

Two major changes in life today - one to do with transport to office & back, and the other, related to food. We have two new vendors managing these 2 aspects of our lives in the office today.

It was an interesting debut with the transport vendor this morning. To begin with, he arrived at our regular Malleswaram 18th cross bus stop, 10 minutes late. There were about 7 of us waiting in the early morning, half-sleepy mode; waiting to grab a quick 45 min/1 hour nap on the way to office. But all such dreams were down the drain the minute the bus arrived - we were more people than the number of seats available to sit! So much for planning, estimation of headcount on our route and all other sophisticated systems & procedures of having an RFID etc in the bus, when the basics went wrong. Anyway, I managed to squeeze into the seat right next to the bus driver, only to be greeted by a bright sun staring down the big glass window, and into my face. Groan - all dreams of my quick nap, gone out of the window!:(

Finally, some sense was restored when the 20 people who were standing for part of the route to office hopped onto another mini van mid-way near Ulsoor.

The other highlight of the day was this new food vendor. I reached office and ran up to the canteen for my regular breakfast, only to be greeted by an empty counter at the billing machine. There is usually a billing guy in charge of things, and he was nowhere. Suddenly, a man dressed in a new uniform(not in the attire of the usual vendor) came up to me and pointed to another counter. Only then, did I realise that there was a new vendor in place for food from today, and that there were already new systems in place - so much for lack of communication about this change. Groan, again!

Anyway, the rest of the day went off the usual way- meetings, calls, deliverables et al. The good thing is, tomorrow is a public holiday - I have never loved Mahatma Gandhi more, thanks to him, we definitely have a holiday in the middle of the week; a much needed one!

Of terror strikes, falling i-banks and India

A number of epitaphs of leading i-banks have been doing the rounds in the press over the last couple of weeks. The US economy and the debacle on Wall Street in particular, are front page headlines for the wrong reasons. Job losses, impending recession, depleting business confidence, lower spend, changes in sales forecasts of various companies/industries, pall of gloom and what have you is all that one gets to see in these times. As if this wasn't enough, the endless terror strikes all over India are yet another area for the media to feast upon.

In all this, I am wondering if there is any room for hope at all for anyone. The more I try to think about it and see if there is anything left to look forward to, the harder I find it to narrow down to. Maybe, I am getting influenced by all this a wee bit too much- after all, I am human! But, no. The fact that I am human means that I am different. It means that the single biggest differentiating factor as a homo sapien is my ability to rationalise, hope and look forward to a better tomorrow.

So what if the financial crisis is eroding my net worth? So what if the terrorists have decided to kill ever discernible Indian in every corner of the country? So what if the government of the day is busy negotiating nuclear deals, and not doing too much to safeguard its people?So what if the stock markets hit new lows at the end of every trading session? So what if every other thing happening around me is negative. I think, there has never been a more opportune time to be positive than now.

If courage of conviction is ever needed in life, I think it is now. The famous Indian resilience of getting out of the house and going to the same spot where a bomb exploded the next day after such an event made headlines is enough cause to celebrate. The fact that Indian banking insitutions and financial systems have not been hit as severely as that of the their global counterparts is yet another reason to be happy about. More than anything else, the vision of our public policy planners of the 1950s need to be commended for coming up with the concept of the public sector in the country- had it not been for that system, we might have yet had a collapse like none other. So, that's another reason to celebrate. And beyond all these tangibles, we are still the biggest hope on this planet - of being the future superpower of this world. Why let up on that dream because of such events, that are bound to happen again and again in our journey to success? Somebody out there (read, terrorist), does not like our growth. I am also quite confident that he does not like the good things happening to us. But, I think the best way to answer him is to be resilient and happy in our minds and look at how we can build a greater nation than what we already have.

Hell, its the spirit of being a human being that is more important than succumbing to these extremely powerful forces that beckon us. I am going to be positive and happy; let me see if there is anybody there who can stop me from being so. Its ONE life, and nobody - be it i-banks or terrorists or anyone else - has a right to damage it.

Jogging and its charms

After having come back home in the last month or so, I have gotten back to a lot of my old ways. Given that I have more time to myself, and given the fact that there is a social structure in place, I guess there is room to navigate around oneself and do things that one genuinely loves(but never had time to do, earlier!).

One of these charming things that I have regularly started doing are my weekend jogs. There is this beautiful, big park cum waterway + sidewalk near home - Sankey Tank. This is usually the haven of numerous walkers and other fitness freaks. But it provides a fantastic stretch to jog right around the 2 km stretch. Three rounds around this massive park cum waterway/lake makes me feel so refreshed.

And there are a variety of people that I get to see during these one hour jogs. People who are very serious about reducing their weight;folks who just want to stroll around this huge park on a weekend;young lovers/boyfriends-girlfriends/couples walking around the park hand-in-hand, oblivious to the outside world and lost in their love;fitness freaks;casual/irregular walkers;older folks/couples catching up with each other and having a laugh together in the twilight of their lives and looking at the sunset together(wow!) and so on. I also think that the quality of the girls around this park is very good and scores very high on the "attractiveness-quotient"! I guess that in itself is a motivator to go around jogging every weekend!

But jokes apart, I just wish I had more time on weekdays to make this lovely experience of jogging and feeling refreshed, a more regular affair. Not only does it keep my ever-increasing midriff in check, but also contributes immensely to my mental framework. There is great sense of satisfaction in the sweat that beats down my body at the end of my jog on weekends - though I am tired, I feel so refreshed and ready to take on the world for the whole of the coming week. Just wish I could do this everyday, so that I feel even more refreshed every single day.

The highlight, of course, is the beautiful and incredibly satisfying hot water bath that I have after returning home and cooling off. Sunday evenings are even better - after I get back from my jog and am waiting for my body to cool off, I get a good 30 minutes or so on the phone to catch up with my old friends, who would generally be free and available for a chat at this time of the week ( given that most of us have no life to speak of during the weekdays!).

I hope to expand this beautiful, new-found(yet, old habit) of jogging to extend the happiness quotient in my life. Exercise sure can be fun - always knew it; have just begun to experience it in full steam.

Rakesh Jhunjhunwala..wow!

More often than not, he comes as the specialist on prime time TV shows about stock markets. In India, people reach out to him first for an opinion on any minor variation/misbehaviour of the stock market. His word is almost the last authority for many a stock broker starting out on a career in investment management. He goes to business schools and charitable organizations and talks about how wealth creation is not at all a bad idea, as long as it is used for the greater development of the Indian race. He is flamboyant - sporting the latest gadgets in the world etc. But, I think, he has earned it. And from what I make of him (though I don't know him), I think he has earned it the very hard way.

I am talking of Rakesh Jhunjhunwala here- India's very own Warren Buffet!

Are we the instant era?

All of us in the current generation have grown up hearing about how our ancestors had some harrowing times in building their lives, economies and indeed countries. A large part of their efforts has resulted in the modern generation that we have today.Their sacrifices have significantly contributed to the goodies that all of us enjoy today.

But, I have been wondering for a while, whether that concept of a dream job actually exists? I mean, this whole concept did not even exist in previous eras, when most people were just about finding ways to meet 2 ends meet. They were unable to (completely because of circumstances) look at things beyond the concept of their lives (to a large degree - you have exceptions everywhere). But, look at us now. We are part of the instant generation - instant coffee, instant tea, instant career, instant relationships, instant policies, instant solutions, instant preferences, instant(read impulse) purchases, instant publicity, instant "sporting greatness", instant jobs, and so on. We are obviously a result of the generation that we find ourselves in, where we want everything in the span of time that we find ourselves on this planet.

But, in all this, that concept of building something over a very long-term, seems to be a rare phenomenon these days. Of course, I am equally to blame - as I belong to the modern era. I am however, in awe of people who have managed to do that. I mean, look at that thing called Google - it did NOT exist right up till1997. And how it has transformed our lives - including giving me this chance right here to blog! There are so many other things that have become instant.

I do not expect the long-term horizon too much these days, but that is the core part of what I learnt in my MBA(but never applied it!). Companies want instant results, bosses want instant answers, clients want instant solutions, customers want instant gadgets that does everything & so on. That concept of strategising, building something long-term & sustainable seems so rare these days. And having lived in Bangalore all my life, I can tell you that the IT revolution has its immense ramifications, right up to the matrimony market. What I mean is, if one is a non-IT pro in Bangalore, its considered a cardinal sin! I just don't know why the aunts/uncles, and "downtown/market" conversations revolve around, "Oh, my son is going onsite to the US!". This invariably leads to the cliched response from a passer-by, "oh, where?"..and so on! Its IT, that rules the roost - instant "marketeability" of the prospective candidates, you see!

And when very recently, the one man in India, Dr, Singh(he sure is King in my books!) did something that will sustain India's energy problem for the next 4-5 decades maybe, you have these jokers from CPI-M, with their pre-historic notions calling things the way they want to. And the so called opposition party, trying to score points that it was when they were in power that they had the vision to initiate the process of India going nuclear. Again, instant publicity!Why!


Or, that "honourable" human being called Mamata Banerjee, who will do all she can to stop India from creating the next revolution in the car industry. Poor Ratan Tata, from hero to a nonity, in no time, thanks to the 15 minutes of fame that Ms. Banerjee wants. And she is taking on a man with a Cornell degree, for Christ's sake, and someone who has so much of vision in his life and for the country's auto sector! Again, the instant

Having seen all this and having been a victim of the instant mania myself, I am beginning to think that we are not the modern set of folks in this new century. I think, we should be remembered as the instant era - just like we had the neolithic era et al!

How I beat the Bangalore traffic now!

I had been hearing of the Bangalore traffic whilst I was away from home in the last 5 years. Of course, I had tastes of this traffic during my vacation trips. But, now that I am back home for good, I have to negotiate this traffic on a war-footing, everyday! Its a mix of a nightmare, test of skill and indeed the ability to stay focused on achieving a goal i.e. reaching office in the morning and returning home in the evening!:)

In the first fortnight of my sojourn from home to office & back, I have learnt the variety of ways to tackle this 24 km stretch. And there are variations to the duration that I spent on the road to office i.e. morning is quite easy to negotiate in a span of 45 minutes, but ht evenings seem to behave in sync with the stock market fluctuations - at times taking 45 minutes and on other days going anywhere between 2-2.5 hours!

Now that I have so much of time on my hands, all to myself - with complete disconnect with the world (save for the wi-fi on my comp & my mobile - bad enough, I guess!), I see a good opportunity to spend things on myself during these trips.

There are a bunch of things that I think I can do during these long drives to the office. Some of the things that readily occur to my mind (and already have been implemented!) include reading books (finished a Jeffrey Archer novel recently & started on a Chetan Bhagat book - light reading you see! Of course, my new iPod is a very handy companion on these rides everyday - listening to songs that transport me to a different zone, prepare me mentally to gear up for a long day at the office, not to mention, make me forget all the worries in the world. So, music and books are a good starting point on these long rides everyday.

And I am getting newer and newer ideas as to how this can be remembered as "time well spent". One option is possibly professional development - you know, registering for yet another professional course and equipping myself to face the future! But, that needs some serious motivation, which, in the honeymoon period of a new job is not very forthcoming!

Other options (which seem more appealing!) include, engaging in an active dialogue with comrades who accompany me on these rides. There are a couple of interesting faces in these shuttles, and maybe, just maybe, they are wondering who is going to make the first move as well. I have however noticed, that these interesting faces have the same interests as I do - reading a book, listening to music!:)So, that's a good starting point maybe i.e. asking them first about what they are reading, what the story in the book is about, before getting on to more interesting stories!:). Who knows, a duet may be right around the bump that our shuttle negotiates!:)

And given that I usually drive down to office on Fridays, rather than using the shuttle, maybe I could administer some “car-pooling”, based on the “negotiations” of these shuttle rides in the rest of the week!

So much for thoughts on using transit time...!:)

My first taste of an IIM education-even if for 3 hours!

It was sudden, and happened even before I realised it. It started off as a quick conversation between my boss and I, early in the morning. He briefly mentioned about a workshop on organization behaviour by an IIM - B professor, and whether I would be able to join in. It was the first time ever that somebody had offered me anything to do with the IIMs, in terms of the latest management thinking in the premier institute. I automatically said a yes - after all, how can I forget those endless nights when I struggled to bell the CAT, but never made it anywhere close to a tier I school (no regrets, though, but I know I tried way too hard!).

This session was by a leading authority (infact my boss's former prof - wow, howzzat for connections!) on organization behaviour. And this prof in particular had even more impressive credentials - IIT Madras and a Kellogg P.hd! Whoa!!

The audience for this session was the set of Managers & above, in my organization. I expected a good session, but never in my wildest imaginations did I expect an eye-opening session! Yes, it was academic, but it was also replete with practical examples and real-life scenarios. The prof was brilliant in his presentation, not to mention his terrific ability to keep the audience engaged at all times with his quick-wittedness. At times, I felt that the man was a lot younger than he looked - that's the kind of connect he had with all of us (young managers).

There were numerous angles to the session. While organization behaviour was the overall theme, the sense of direction and vision that the session threw up, just made me feel great. I saw, for the first time in my life, why an IIM professor is as good as he is claimed to be - he did not necessarily tell me things that I did not know. But the manner of his presentation, the way in which his slides were constructed, his diction and oratory style, the live examples that were embedded, and last but not the least, the ability to engage with the audience were some of the most appealing things that I saw from an IIM prof for the first time.

If the presentation was terrific, the content in the presentation was exemplary. It had a bit of theory - as is to be expected from folks in the academic world - and, it had some videos. The first video was for 30 minutes, and had a leading global authority on organization behaviour talk about positive frame of mind, vision and the need for it etc in an all-encompassing manner i.e. not restricted to the corporate world alone, but extending to all walks of life. It had shots of beaches, Athens, war fronts, studios, offices, academic layouts, corporate setting et al, to drive home the point of being positive in life. The second video was closer home, and talked about a man, who, after his retirement, pioneered a legendary hospital in the south of India, that was aimed to provide the solution to blindness in the world. This video gripped me and sent me into a tizzy of thoughts, leading me to believe (yet again), that man is limited by his thoughts and ability to visualise. Rest, is a question of fighting all odds. Terrific, terrific video! Made me feel proud as an Indian! Do check out the Aravind Eye Care Hospital in Madurai, when you get the chance - it is one of those places that has put India in the medical world map!

So, that was my first taste of an IIM education. And, I can only thank my boss for inviting me over to this session. I think I will remember those 3 hours of today afternoon for the rest of my life.

Change in office cultures

Its amazing how life can change. And change with a degree of difference, that it is almost tough to believe that the change has happened to you. I write with reference to the change in the culture of the new organization that I have just joined. This is the first time that I have moved out of the research and consulting world and joined the mainstream industry - the IT industry, to be specific.

The changes are manifold:

- The degree of pressure is different

- The stakeholders are radically different

- The end-user/client needs are different to the extent that it is taking me time to adjust to the new job with a new lens. Every project requires a lens that is something unique and different to what I have used in the past. And that way, its a phenomenal learning experience for me!

- The timings are different - people leave office at a sane hour i.e 530/6 pm - unlike my previous firm where 2 a.m, was more the norm than the exception. Thank GOD, I got out of that rat hole and have some sane timings going for me now. People who have not seen that world of 2 a.m. on a daily basis, will fail to appreciate the essence of leaving office early in the evening/on time/within the stipulations of the official working hours.

- The approach to work is different i.e. there is no quickfix system here. In this industry, (or, may be its in this firm that I am in), people take their time in defining the problem area, identifying possible alternatives to crack the problem, assess what might work best in the given scenario, and then finally go about implementing things(after long rounds of discussion). There is no rush to finish things in a jiffy, like it used to be in my earlier roles. I find this system of measured output - after evaluating different scenarios to be better

- Mode of discussion. This is a striking factor for me. There is so much of collective knowledge in my team & in many other teams, that people sit down to discuss things, analyse various perspectives, learn from each other, cross-question each other in the spirit of discussion & not so much in the spirit of pin-pointing inaccuracies. I have already learnt so much in my first few days here and am excited to be a part of the great learning curve in the years ahead.

- Duration of tenures is so much longer. In my new firm, people stick. There is no rush to change jobs every year; there also seems to be a fairly long-term view of things, in that, careers are shaped over a period of time and there is no quickfix method to jump levels, or change designations, in order to be more marketeable. Things seem to be measured here in terms of the content of work and level of contributions made. That, I think, has shaped many a career in the firm I am in. I have met quite a few people with tenures of 4 -5 years. And some really senior folks have been around for 10 years!Howzatt! And we are actually talking about the IT industry, which is traditionally regarded as one of the most unstable verticals for people's careers!

- Learning curve is steep. Like I mentioned above, in every project that people undertake, there seems to be a lot of thought, discussion and overall evaluation done, in terms of the full context. I have not seen too many half-measures as yet, and from the indications given in the induction programme itself, it appears that we need to do things right, even if it takes time. That is so different from the previous world that I was in, where, "anything" close to what the client needs is ok.And in hindsight, it appears that it was all quickfix! Nothing against what I did in the past - I did learn to work under extreme chaos in my last firm - but, the personal learning in my last job was close to NIL.

Well, that is a snapshot of what I feel about my new firm, and the differences I notice being on the client side of things now, rather than in the side of analyst firms/consulting houses, that I was earlier associated with. Not to disregard my previous stints, as I got my current job purely on the basis of what I built earlier - but I think, real learning happens in an industry. And it need not be the IT industry alone. It could be telecom, automobile, retail, banking or any other industry.Maybe, that is where the reality is - I will know in times to come. And I am hoping that this hypothesis is right!:)

Apple Inc - fascinating!

I so regret not having learnt more about Apple Inc., in the past. I so regret not having used Apple's products in the past. Man! What a company! What a portfolio! And what class in the way its products look (and feels)!

I have always used the good old Microsoft products - for lack of other options, low awareness and the easy availability of pirated versions of MS products, contributing to my usage. But, Apple is something else. I have been reading a lot about this fantastic Silicon Valley company for the last couple of years and am increasingly in the process of migrating my computer usage with Apple's products - be it an iPod or its web browser, Safari.

More than the products, I am fascinated by the manner in which the Apple folks think about their market, think about their customers, and try to identify newer and newer areas where Apple loyalists can become even more loyal. And, in the process, they have managed to get me more than intrigued by what they have to offer to me as an IT user. Phenomenal thinking!

I just got an iPod, and that possibly triggered my very gradual migration to Apple's products in the last couple of weeks. Simple concepts of using software to meet a human being's day-to-day needs - look at that harmless little gadget called iPod. It sure has become my companion in my drives around town, and has become the source of great entertainment when I am stuck in traffic and need to listen to some old favourites of mine, that will de-stress me in that strenous (and pollution-filled) environment. It looks good too - to be sporting that white cord on my eardrums and drive around town - quite different from the regular noise of the FM radio!! Ok, I love the radio (but have just become an Apple fan, in a big way!).

I came across Safari today, Apple's web browser. And even there, the level of thinking in can be offered to a consumer is mind-blowing. The layout, the functionality, the tabs, the search options, the speed of the browser, the great design, the ease of use, the behaviour of a browser not hanging/misbehaving (I have been suffering that with MSFT for so long now!) etc.

A few months ago, a good friend of mine bought the iMac- that white, classy laptop. The first glance I had at that machine, made my heart skip a beat. And a couple of weeks ago - when my NRI brother-in-law came to India with his Apple laptop- I actually touched it (the laptop, I mean!). I wonder if that's the same feeling (thrill) that one would experience, if one were to touch a girl - I don’t know, am single you see! What a machine! What features! What clarity in operation! What a range of things to do & still be left with so much to do!:)

Man, the Apple is becoming my apple pie (IT darling!), by the day. And given that there is no human darling to write home about in my life (ok, not meaning that in a depressing way at all, but only tongue-in-cheek!), I think the set of Apple products is going to play a greater part in my life, slowly & steadily!

I need to seriously look at the iPhone now - though it costs a bomb!

A sporting revelation for India - Beijing 2008

Reams and reams of paper have been used to eugolise the achievements of the 1983 World Cup cricket team from India. Over the last 25 years', Kapil's Devils have reaped the rewards of a phenomenal and well-deserved life, for their miraculous deeds at Lords' on June 25, 1983. This date is etched in any Indian's memory ever since he/she was old enough to understand dates/history et al.

What Kapil & his team did on that sunny summer afternoon in London is nothing short of legend. That famous win against the mighty West Indies has often been ranked as the most unparalleled and supreme achievement by Indians in any sporting arena. And this praise, is well-deserved, and has further context to it i.e. India was not the liberalized economy that it is now; in those days, anything foreign or imported was considered superior to anything created within the country;anybody owning a cellphone or even importing a car made a headline;one had to wait for a few months to get hold of a landline connection;studying abroad was nothing more than wishful thinking;there was political turmoil in the country what with the terrorist-hit state of Punjab and the turmoil of a tough political environment. There were many such more complicated situations during the early 80s' in India.

But, Kapil & his team believed in themselves. Their victory tasted sweet, indeed, victory in itself always tasted sweet - but the situation that the country found itself in at that time, only made this victory supremely tasty. And has since been the first course, main course and the dessert on any diary that captures India's sporting ethos. Hats off to Kapil's devils for giving us such a unique, rare and incredibly fulfilling moment in our lives! They made us believe that India can be a world-beater; they made us believe that self-belief is the greatest virtue - we never had infrastructure and capital pumped into any sport during that time(unlike the conditions now!).

It was an achievement in severely adverse conditions- and to this date, the strands of hair on both my elbows, simply straighten as soon as I recall/see/visualise that moment when Kapil ran back 25 yards to take the rare catch that Viv Richard's offered that afternoon in London. For me, it is the moment of that World Cup - passion, desire to win, going after it, killer instinct, a mindset of winning, going against all ods, you name it. And of course, that image of Kapil holding the Prudential World Cup of Cricket on the famous Lord's balcony is part of Indian folklore now. Wow, what a moment!

I want to pause for a moment here and bring in Abhinav Bindra. Here is a man - who is perhaps 2 years older than what Kapil was in 1983, and has single-handedly brought the Indian sporting hopes alive after nearly 2.5 decades. Yes, the conditions are vastly different now in India - we get the latest gizmos in the corner marketplace in any city; we are a liberalized nation;we are able to take on the world;we have a say in corporate policy making;we have a presence in many facets of world affairs; we are counted as one of the most aggressively growing regions of the world; the average Indian owns vehicles of his own now; we are more global than we ever were in our entire lineage. And, we have our very own Olympics Gold Medal this year! Wow, what a moment!

Abhinav Bindra is a phenomenon no less than what we had of our legendary cricket team in 1983. While the win in 1983 opened the floodgates of talent in cricket across the country, Abhinav's Olympic gold has the potential to open innumerable opportunities in various other sports. We have people talking of the potential and talent that subsists many sportspersons in different parts of the country, who are otherwise unable to make progress. Abhinav's achievement has the potential to tap into that talent base, nurture them, train them, provide them the right form of training and build the long-term vision for sporting excellence. What happened in cricket was a natural phenomenon i.e. it was the most televised sport and got all the attention. Nothing wrong with that - the 1983 team were champions, make no mistake about it! But the growth in cricket was not necessarily structured till the various zones, Ranji Trophy and other regional cups got some form or shape to them.

But, Abhinav's victory here has the potential for India to look ahead in a structured format. This victory should alert the officialdom in the Sports Authority of India, the Indian Olympic Committee and numerous other regional, state and national authorities related to various other sports, to take up Sports Policy Making & Vision. Something like a corporate vision & mission. Abhinav's gold medal winning effort has the potential for us to go about our future plans for Olympics gold in an incredibly systematic manner. For that to happen, we need to first chart out what the goals are i.e. which games do we have the greatest talent in right now? How is their current situation?What sort of gaps are crippling the system from progressing?Where is the funding going to come from?How does corporate sponsorship tie in with India's Olympics' dreams for the future?And so on...we need to use this opportunity to be incisive, analytical, critical and incredibly ambitious(with a world-beating levels of killer-instinct), if we are going to reach anywhere close to future gold medals on the world stage for India.

Abhinav has given us the impetus. He will alone not be able to do it. We need a collective effort from various stakeholders.

There are many other people who can be included in this effort - and they are world beaters in their own right. Infact, World Champions! The unassuming Prakash Padukone who came back home in 1979, with the All England Club title under his belt - this is nothing short of sporting excellence on a world stage; Viswanathan Anand, a man who has single-handedly put Indian chess on the world map- again, a World Champion, that too twice! Geet Sethi - an unbelievable 8 world titles in snooker and billiards. These are legends - alive and still available with concrete ideas for India's sporting development. And they are people who came into their own in a generation when there was no sporting ethos in the country. Let's use their expertise and world-beating abilities/insights to drive home the advantage for the country in the future.

I hope that Abhinav Bindra's incredible victory spawns a dedicated Olympian culture in India. Hope we have many more such iconic moments in the future!! Cheers, Abhinav and to all the other champions that I have mentioned in this piece - simply admirable and inspiring human beings!Makes me proud to be an Indian - yet again!

Food-filled Saturday & a mini re-union

As my lovely vacation reaches its final leg, the momentum in the degree of fun that I am having is picking up. The day started with a wake up call from an old friend - one of 2 people I was going to have breakfast with, at our old, favourite joints around town. Got up, refreshed myself and reached the famous Veena Stores at 8 a.m. sharp, to be greeted by these 2 tall, ex-colleagues turned wonderful friends. It was a mini re-union of sorts for the 3 of us - Sharat, Vijay and I - to be back in Bangalore after such a long time and to be visiting these old, famous and favourite restaurants/food joints.

Kicking off the breakfast menu with the legendary idly/vada-chutney combination, we moved up the "value-chain" with khara baath, sauvige baath and sweet pongal at Veena Stores. My stomach was already full by the time we finished these, but these two pot-bellied, tall guys around me were in their elements & all set to continue the feast at 2 other famous places. Of course, their tongue-in-cheek of why I am so puny and slim(ok, that was my interpretation!), as against their pot-bellies, was one of the many jovial moments of the morning.

As we trudged down the near-empty street, on a a cloudy and lazy Saturday morning in Malleswaram, we caught up on each other's lives and had nice, long conversations of cultures, languages, et al. Typical, re-union chat, but a little more realistic & not the least bit flashy or ornamental. Good, old-fashioned friendship!

We reached CTR (Central Tiffin Room, now renamed as Shri Sagar) and dug into the ultra-famous "benne masala dosai". The only disappointment of the morning came at CTR, what with the Mangalore bajji and Maddur vadai, not available at that time. Sigh! I was choking, by the time I finished eating the full dosai. But, my counterparts were even more enthusiastic! We walked down to Janata Hotel - this place is usually known for its fantastic masala dosai, but not just me, but even my tall, pot-bellied friends were unable to even consider digesting it. We tried a slightly lighter alternative -kesari baath, which was the second sweet of the morning, in less than an hour, across 3 restaurants!:) This was awesome! And the weather and the quality of our conversation was immensely engaging!

By the time we came out of the Janata Hotel, Sharat, Vijay & I were pooped/tired - and tired because of the effort that went into consuming all these delicacies in one go!:) Anyway, we strolled down the street back to a basketball court(called the Beagles Court!) near Veena Stores and had a long, engaging conversation for the next couple of hours. It was actually so nice to be sitting down with 2 old friends, watching kids practice basketball on a Saturday morning, a stiff breeze blowing across our faces occasionally et al.

Finally, at around 10.30 a.m., calls from one of our local headquarters (read home), prompted us to trudge out of Beagles and head back home.

I was so pooped and full that I wanted to just crash into my bed for the rest of the day. But, I had a bunch of errands to finish and also had to watch a set of finals in the Olympics. Did all that, and skipped lunch!

In the middle of the afternoon, I left home for the Forum mall in Koramangala with 2 other folks and came back home by 7 pm. Of course, this was not before I endured 25 kms of driving in nightmarish traffic, literally moving, bumper to bumper! God help the roads in Bangalore, not to mention the traffic sense of people who drive:(. Managed to chip in with a McDonald's burger, french fries and coke in between, in the mall, amidst a maddening crowd on a Saturday evening in this mall.

In the evening, my bro-in-law was feeling rich, and took 2 of us - my cousin and I , to the Windsor Manor! It was the first time ever I had entered this particular star hotel in Bangalore, and lined up a beautiful dinner by the poolside!:) Wow, good place, awesome ambience, and obviously the other extreme of the spectrum compared to a Veena Stores or a Janata Hotel or a CTR!

Am pooped and tired - of eating. Am going to sleep now. I need a break, as this vacation is "tiring", but am not complaining!!:)

Legends and the premium on longevity

I have long been fascinated by veterans that I have either seen on TV or have met in my life. I used to have this old theory that these people are not necessarily the best people, in tune with the changing times etc - not all, but a few of them. I also used to feel that many of them have been with one organization and may not have necessarily seen the world in other places.

My thoughts on these things have changed over the years as I have myself changed organizations, cities and roles in my 7-year career. And I am now convinced that there is a tremendous amount of premium on durable people, and folks who can last it out – like the ones I have mentioned above. Read on to understand the theory of my case, so to speak!

I personally know of people in industries such as banking, automobile & manufacturing in general, and consulting, who have spent their entire lives in one organization. All of them share a common theme - they now hold/have held extremely senior positions in their respective industries, and are known by their first name by the newest entrants into these industries. These are people who have built such a long innings in their careers in one firm -by the sheer dint of their merit, hard word, sweat, blood and toil.

Yes, there are the biased views that these senior people did not necessarily have the multitude of opportunities that we youngsters are perennially faced with today. But, what these veterans managed to achieve in their environment was truly legendary -. they did not have the various opportunities of today, during their time; yet, they used their careers in building some very core capabilities and skills that make them the legends that they are today. This is so unlike the numerous fly-by-night, short-term, job-hopping careers that many of us in the current generation are possibly guilty of.

These veterans command respect not merely by the titles/designations they hold, or the positions they currently hold/have held in the past. If anything, they command respect for what they are, for what they know, for what they have contributed, not to mention, for their personal credibility. I personally know of one of the senior most banking executives in India, whose word was law in commercial banking i.e. if he refuses a term loan to a company, most executives in many other banks would refuse loans to that company (despite their individual due diligence teams) - such is the credibility of this banking legend that I am talking about. Amazing man! This banking giant is now retired, but enjoys so much credibility that people in his industry still recall his contribution over a 3.5-decade career, as one of the legendary performances seen in Indian banking history.

Similarly, I know of a legend in consulting - in fact my first, big boss - who can literally pick up the phone and speak to the who's who of corporate India today. But the man never misuses his position, is an extremely down-to-earth individual, has his head firmly on his shoulders, and is a person in front of whom, I stand speechless - not because I am scared of him or anything, but purely because I am amazed and inspired at how one individual can achieve so much in a span of 30 very hard-working years. I remember how stunned I was, when he recalled my name and spoke to me for 5 full minutes at Bangalore airport, a year ago, when we crossed each other on our way to our different flights. I mean, a man who consults with people who decide things in corporate India, actually remembered me – possibly, the youngest consultant/trainee he had ever encountered in his life & to remember me by my first name! Stupendous!

At the end of it all, I have decided that it pays to stick it out in the middle, despite the challenges, despite the limitations imposed at various points in time. What is durable is vision, the sense of looking at times to come, the ability to see the larger picture, and to guts it out in the middle. Whether there are bouncers, yorkers, seam-up, spin or full tosses, it takes a combination of all these (if not more), to achieve personal credibility in an industry and be called as the last word in your area of specialisation. Infact, it makes me feel very proud that we have such people in our midst; people, who have proved to me what it means to build an innings and last it out.

The other common thing with all these 3 legendary people is that they are exceptionally committed, sincere and hard working people, who have risen the ranks from being a nobody. All of them were not born with a silver spoon and grew in their careers (and in the eyes of people who know them), by the sheer dint of their individual performance and capabilities. It is actually quite spectacular that they were able to tide over such tough market conditions such as the license raj of the 1980s, adapting well to the changing dynamics of liberalization in India, after 1991 etc. For e.g., these are people who are any day more comfortable making calculations in their native language; or any day more comfortable in writing out a business plan on paper and thinking through the various steps; any day, more comfortable in building systems and processes using good, old-fashioned manuals/process documents etc. That is because their fundamentals were strong and their learning curve was steep. But, they adapted to information technology; to jazzy presentations; to videoconferencing; to conference calls; to jet-setting lives etc. And given a choice, all 3 of them, prefer their simple lives, outside the premises of their respective offices.

And the one final thing in common amongst these 3 veterans is the variety of hats that they donned within the same organization in their careers. They joined at the junior-most levels in their firms and joined with absolutely no backgrounds suited to those industries back in the 60s and 70s. They learnt the very hard way -people may have been there to teach them, but these people had to grind it out. And it was harder than we think it is - no free market economy, highly regulated markets etc. For e.g., I know of one such case, where importing a computer needed permissions from at least a handful of ministries, not to mention the steep customs duty involved. Interestingly, today, all these legends know so much about their industry, that they are called to campuses and internal training centres in their firms, to deliver lectures about their industry at large - not just specific to their company! Of course, all these people worked/are working in gigantic firms within their industry, which in itself, gave them the room to navigate across different roles, functions, departments, locations and types of work.

I am also convinced that their humility and acceptance of the fact that they did not know anything about their industry when they first started, helped them in shaping their careers i.e. learning at every step of their career, in whatever position they may have held, be it a specialist position or a general management position.

Amazing folks, and people who are truly inspirational! After having changed a few jobs in my life, I am more than convinced that its better to don different hats in one large organization and build that personal credibility over the long-term. Not that this is not achievable in a start-up or in a smaller firm - but just that, the certificate of credibility is a bit more over-powering when such a background is built in some of the better known firms.

Hats off to these 3 people I know - the automobile genius, the consulting magician and the banking legend that I have talked about here. They have made me realise the value of durability in its very essence. And having seen it, I can easily say, that it is worth being known as a credible, honest, sincere and good human being. That's the bottom line, rather than flashy designations and quick money.

Thrilled to be back!

Home sweet home! Back after nearly 4 years! Away from the razzmattazz of the mad world outside, into the sweet and safe confines of home.

Back to life of zipping around in my car all over town listening to my favourite FM radio channels (and sweet voices of the RJs!):). Back to my old friend's circle. Back to my active social life of enacting dramas, watching plays, going to live recitals and shows. Back to the roots of some cultural ethos and reinforcing my old belief that while modern outlook and growth in life is a must, so is the need to retain old values, traditions and ethics.

Back to my favourite food joints in town - especially the ones near home such as the legendary Veena Stores or the CTR or and Janata Hotel, not to mention the evening chaatwala on 8th cross! Back to getting drenched in the rain without having to worry if there are dry sets of clothes at home or not.

Back to times where I can catch up with old friends and just be myself and have some serious quality time together with people who have mattered for a long time in my life! Back to parents and being a support structure for them in the latter phases of their lives - its never hit me harder that they are the 2 greatest individuals I have ever met & the number and quantum of sacrifices they have made in bringing me up is something I genuinely treasure. Time for me to take care of them and be there for them now!

Back to life where there is time to write in my blog and think of newer ways to keep myself engaged. Back to the times when I can stroll down MG Road and Brigade Road on a Saturday evening and enjoy the sights, sounds and colours around!:).

In a nutshell, back home!!!!

Why its important to stay away from home for sometime...

I never expected to be writing on this theme. But having gone through this phenomenal experience in my life, I couldn't hold back from expressing it.

The context for this particular blog piece is that I have been away from home for over 4 years and just got back to my lovely Garden City a few days ago. Of course, I have been making periodical visits during these last 4 years, but the feeling of being back in the place where I belong is something else. It’s hitting me quite hard and I also see this place so differently now. I mean, the old landmarks are the same, the roadside corner shops are still the same, the tree-lined street near my house is still the same, the sense of familiarity and happiness while cooping up in my old bed is still the same (if not, enhanced due to the home factor!). Yet...there are changes.

The changes are in the way I view my lovely hometown now. Bangalore is not what it used to be. It no longer is the pensioner's paradise that it used to be. Reams of paper have been spent in writing about the growth of this silicon city of India. But for a local like me, the change is apparent - growth has both its pluses and minuses. And more importantly, having been away from home for a while, I view home differently now.

Quite differently, actually. There is a great sense of appreciation for home. There are a few million things that I had to do all on my own in the last 4 years in the different places I stayed in - all of which are just taken care of down here at home. No need to run around in paying bills, no need to hunt for a house, no need to save up extra cash, no need to pay rent, no need to hunt for a reliable servant...the list is endless. And these are the charms of life back home that I have begun to appreciate even more than I did before. Possibly because, I had to not only manage my career, bosses, clients, teams, what have you, in the last 4 years, but also had to manage my own self and things associated with my life outside of a career.

But, those experiences of having struggled through the last 4 years and having been through my own set of unique experiences, has taught me the value of going through that phase. It has convinced me that everybody needs to have a stint outside of his/her home, in order to learn about many things in life. It is not that these things cannot be learnt sitting at home, but the learning curve is steeper and faster, if one moves out of one's comfort zone. There are experiences, which maketh the individual and contributes to the shaping of a personality. Staying away from home has taught me many things - while the list is quite long, the ones I immediately recall are that I have learnt to manage myself better; staying away from home has taught me to manage my finances; it has inculcated the good habit of saving for a rainy day; it has made me learn the meaning of investments; it has made me extremely self-reliant; I have become very, very confident to tackle life; staying away has made me learn that everything in life is not offered on a platter & that one needs to work hard and literally, "earn" one's living; staying away has taught me that the world is full of inequalities and imbalances and imperfections; that situations are circumstantial; that things change at the rate of knots; that there are things one can exercise control over, and there are things that one can do nothing about.

In the course of staying away from home, I have learnt to speak to people from different backgrounds. I have tried to see how different people approach life; how their backgrounds, compulsions and experiences contribute to the way they see the world. The simplest example, I can think of, is the assumption I had of laptops and computers being the ‘common-est’ thing possible. But no, there are places and people, who find it hard to get a phone and manage it. There are people who don't know English (another thing I had thought to be the most common thing possible). There are people who are uneducated. There are people who cannot afford the luxury of even a budget airline in the country...like I said, staying away from home has taught me many, many things - the list is truly endless.

I grew up in the comfort of my parents' abode, where we had all the facilities in the world, thanks to my dad's employment in good positions in India's biggest bank. There were so many things I took for granted - car, driver, servant maid, good houses, great campuses, access to facilities, etc - am not saying that I was a spoilt child, but I did not necessarily understand that there is a world beyond this where there are millions of people who are deprived 2 square meals a day. That is what I have learnt, having stayed alone for the last 4 years - I mean, I always knew it, but having survived and having fended for myself, I now know the meaning of hard work.

Having been through all this, in the first quarter of my life, I am convinced that each individual needs to see life in its elements for himself/herself - and staying away from home is one of the greatest ways to learning all that. Not everybody can do that - some people come from the privileged race and may not necessarily be accommodating of the lesser privileged (am not generalising here, but just stating that such people exist). Others, may not be able to do it i.e. stay away from home, due to compulsions in their lives. But, it is important to see the world. It is important to know that there is a big world out there, full of imperfections and things that many of us just assume to be so normal. For me, at least, staying away from home for 4+ years, was an eye-opener. I am a much improved person now in terms of my ability to understand things and look at alternative opinions and feelings.

I am extremely tempted to join the Teach India initiative that the Times of India has started. I don't think I want to let the hard lessons learnt in the last 4 years, go wasted.

A famous weekend at Kasauni, Uttaranchal - Part I

It was one of the greatest weekends of my life and most definitely the best weekend trip I have made during my life in north India. We were a gang of 14 - young, vibrant, enthusiastic, self-driven (read, charged) people, who just wanted to scale the world. We almost did - we got to the edge of the Himalayas! This was at the place that Mahatma Gandhi famously called as the Switzerland of India - its called Kasauni in the state of Uttaranchal.

The trip was immensely enjoyable by the sheer fact that the 14 of us gelled like a fantastic unit. The frequency of thought, the wavelength of reactions to each other was something else altogether. The trip started off at a pulsating rate for me, as I barely managed to reach the railway station at Delhi. I was stuck in office on a client deliverable till 8.40 pm, while our train was scheduled to depart at 10.00 p.m. What a life, I thought to myself - that too on a Friday night, when 13 others had banked on me while planning this trip! Nevertheless, I ended up taking things in my own hands and told my boss that things were done and we will continue the effort on Monday. She obliged and I managed to eke out of office at 8.40 pm.

The office cabbie gave me a hard look when I told him that I need to reach Delhi railway station in 45 minutes (the usual duration is 1.5 hours!). He then told me, "We'll do it and you will be there in 30 minutes flat. All you have to do is, sit in the front seat, lower the window (let's not use AC), and leave the rest to me". I knew that I was in for the ride of my life, as it were, in the next 30 minutes. But that cabbie was phenomenal! We missed 3 pedestrians, 2 cyclists, sped past 2 police vans, did not stop at any of the red lights, nearly scraped the vehicle against an autorickshaw, and eventually got to the station in 28 minutes flat! One helluva ride, I must say! But kudos to that cabbie - whatever the risks may have been, the guy had the skill to navigate through the Friday evening traffic in a city like Delhi and get me to the railway station (usually, the most crowded area in any city), in such a short time.

When I got to the station and called up the others who were joining me on the trip, they could barely believe that I was there. One of them said, "Are you serious? We just got here ourselves!". And they had left office at 7.45 p.m.!

Anyway, I finally ambled along to the railway restaurant and met the thriving 13. We had dinner together, and there were a couple of new faces in the gang that I noticed - only to be introduced to them much later by the respective "stakeholders"! Once our tummies were amply full, we got into the railway station - religiously using the, "Do Not Enter" doorway - and headed towards the platform where our train was supposed to depart from.

The platform was choc-a-bloc, what with folks like us with tough clients and bosses to handle during the week, seeking this sort of a weekend getaway to picturersque Kasauni and surrounding areas. However, it was very hot in the platform as we awaited the train, and the sultry weather did not help matters either. I must have gotten my handkerchief damp in less than 5 minutes after we set foot on that particular platform - very oppressive conditions there.

The tempo of things to follow over the next 2 days was set, right on the station platform itself. All 14 of us began to enter a robust sense of ease and pull each other's legs. This was the start of a few memorable moments that were to follow in the next 48 hours.

The train eventually made its way into the station and we hopped onto the bogie. That's when the the power of one of our "leads" came into the picture, with support from a couple of others. The problem in where we were seated was that,the 14 of us were distributed across 2 ends of the same bogie. And in order for us to eventually sit together as a group, we had to shift other passengers in the bogie to our current location. This needed powers of negotiation, incentivisation, cajoling, perseverance and many other man management skills before we achieved our end objective of being seated together. And once we were seated together, the party began in full gusto. People's opinions, freewheeling conversations, card games, leg-pulling, a perennial set of jokes with one following the other, et al,flowed. Junk food came into its own and that marked the start of a variety of cuisine that we would end up consuming over the next 2 days.

In the middle of the night, one of the guys in our troop came up with this brilliant idea of playing a card game called, Killer. The rules of the game were such that each person in the gang is given 1 playing card each. Of the 14 folks around,3 people are marked out - 2 as policemen and 1 as a thief. The "objective" of the game was to deceive the policemen at all costs i.e out of the 14 people in the game, the thief had to outsmart 2 cops by winking at the remaining 11 people in the game (who were neither cops nor thieves). Every time one of the 11 members figured out who the thief was, he/she had to proclaim himself, "I'm dead". This would give hint after hint to the cops as to who the thief might be and they would have to narrow down their search to the actual thief to a handful of people in the end. Of course, there were eminent tricks of the game that were widely used, such as folks who were not thieves winking at each other, in order to fool the cop even more! I had the time of my life in this game, when I was the thief in one such game, and one of the cops happened to be a lovely young girl who kept staring at me. I very automatically remarked, "Its been many years since any girl looked at me non-stop & for so long". That created one of the loudest moments of the trip with all 14 of us in splits for the next few minutes! This was an exciting game that kept a lot of people engaged, and it was one of those rare occasions when girls winked at guys in a train! Whoa! Life couldn't get much better than that, could it?:) . Killer, for sure!

After a few hours of this game, a few dreary eyes started stretching. There was a particular railway station in the middle of the night where the train stopped and most of the 14 got down to take a stroll; a handful of them, stepped out to grab a hot cup of tea in the wee hours of the night. That break tilted the scales for the really tired folks to hit the sack. And before we knew it, the train got moving again, and all 14 of us eventually retired for the day.

Most of us managed no more than a few hours of sleep and before we knew it, daylight struck. The fresh oxygen in the air and the surreal surroundings of a hilly region beckoned. Many of us were awake even before 6 a.m. a feat rarely achieved on a Saturday morning for the best part of the last decade, at the least. The first railway station that the train stopped at,first thing in the morning, got the feet moving for most of us, what with early morning strolls, hot tea, cigarette breaks setting the tone for the day ahead. A couple of them were in an adventurous mood upfront with their cameras in hand and clicking photographs away to glory (they claimed they were enjoying nature, but you never know with photographers, do you?).

The entire sequence of non-stop laughter from the previous night caught on greater momentum from this railway station. People were fresh & awake with renewed energies and an entire weekend beckoning them. The thrill of being in natural environs was an experience by itself - a far cry from the dirt and mudpots of pollution in Delhi.

The train finally reached its destination - Kathgodam station (I ended up calling it the 'station with the godown'). My jaw dropped the minute I alighted from the bogie and got on to the platform. I was awestruck by the fantastic sight in front of my eyes - there were huge mountains right behind the station and it almost seemed that the train had stopped right where the track ended/where the mountains began. It almost felt like the mountains will take care of the entire folks standing at the station, a big motherly facade to it and the sheer greenery of it all just added to the touch. Phenomenal sight - just the start of more mesmerising sights that we would see later.

After the initial photographs on arrival at Kathgodam, we walked out of the station in search of suitable cabs at affordable tariffs, that would accommodate this huge, energetic team of 14. We were lucky in that we were chased by a cabbie who had a huge van that would accommodate exactly 14 people. We took turns examining the vehicle and sizing up the leg space et al, before getting into negotiations with the cabbie on the routes to take, the spots to visit, and the eventual rates that we were willing to pay. Some sort of a middle ground was achieved at the end of this negotiation and we started crawling into the van, one by one. Not before a couple of guys had finished yet another round of puff, puff (read -cigarettes) and others had gulped down bottles of water and eaten a pack of wafers! By the way, the sales of the top 3 brands in the wafers industry last weekend in Uttaranchal state, must have skyrocketed - purely driven by the revenues they generated from the 14 of us!

The fun that we had is way too much for me to capture in this single blog. I am going to break it up into 2 parts - read on for the main part of the trip in Part 2 of this blog, that follows.

When bad times have befallen...

Its true that good and bad are a part of life. But, when the economic slowdown across the globe comes around to hit you and retards all personal plans that you make, life can get suffocating. Very, very suffocating.

I mean, people make plans - a number of them - in their personal lives, based on some calculated risks, or measurements that they believe will work out for them. But, when none of their risks or when none of their attempts every fructify, despite putting in one's heart & soul into it, life can get way too depressing. The old excuse of, " I did my best, but things did not work out", is exactly that - an excuse.

This phase of endless disappointments is like hitting your head against a hard wall that shows no signs of cracking, let alone breaking down. I just hope that we gather the courage of conviction, build the necessary temperament to tide over this ridiculous recessionary economy. Many of us need to maintain our sense of balance, poise and indeed in many other cases, find ways to recover from downfalls.

Judgement calls - about jobs & references

There have been times when companies have recruited people for specific positions, purely on the basis of the references that the prospective candidate brings. There are other times, when candidates refuse companies based on the feedback that they receive from their reference - either direct or indirect. In each case, the role of the referee becomes critical for either the candidate or the new company.

But, there are instances, when one should never ever listen to references. And these instances are the toughest to handle i.e. you know the credibility of your referee, you know him/her for a long time, he/she wishes the best for you - but at the end of it all, the choice that you make, could completely backfire. It is not the fault of the referee per se, nor is it the fault of the candidate who makes the move to join the new firm. There are other elements involved - the whole fitment issue, the cultural adjusment, the softer and deeper nuances of the firm, the ruthlessness of the top bosses in the new firm, the ridiculous working hours in the new firm, the bad orientation to bend head over heels to clients etc - which the new candidate may never believe in and find may find hard to adjust to.

The role of the referre becomes even more pronounced, if he/she knows both about the firm where the reference is being made, and, the candidate himself/herself. It is important to present both the pros and the cons of the new firm so that candidates can make informed decisions. This, is something I am going to do whenever I refer somebody to a firm, especially when I know the goings-on within that firm.

The predictability of the American language

Before I write this, I would like to put in a disclaimer that this article is not an attempt to make a dig at the US or its citizens or its constituents. I have some seriously wonderful friends all over the US and I have tremendous respect for them and indeed folks in that country. This article should be read in its spirit of joy, humour and indeed sensitivity! Just tongue-in-cheek and no more! Here goes:

Over the many years that I have been interacting with US clients, colleagues, bosses etc, I have learnt of their mannerisms, their way of life, their approach to work, their professionalism and indeed about the immense weight they place on work-life balance. But, this article is not about any of that. It is about their way of speaking and the terms they use in normal, day-to-day conversation.

We've all grown up watching a Santa Barbara or a Bold & the Beautiful or have been keyed in to Oprah Winfrey shows. More recently, the fame and popularity of the Friends' series, or Sex & the City and others, have exposed us to a wide array of things about the American way of life. But, in my experience, a casual conversation with an American can actually be pretty predictable and indeed, test the point of being "templatized". Read on!

Let's take the scenario of people from India dialing into a conference bridge number and addressing an American. First things first - the American will call it out upfront and ask you, 'Is it a good time to talk?” This has kept me nonplussed for years now - I mean, the call is a scheduled call; we sent the American on the other side of the planet as it were; there is an advance notification of the call; we set up the bridge numbers and sent him he conference call details via email; and still, he asks us,” Is it a good time to talk?"!! Huh!:). OK, I know they are confirming any last minute changes, but it beats me no end, that EVERY American asks this question - a handful of them asking this question is still understandable, but not every single one of them!

Or, at the start of the call, the customary statement of, "Let's make this call as interactive as we possibly can. As I run through this presentation, feel free to stop me at any point if you have any questions. I'd be happy to address them and draw the best possible outcome from this call".

Of course, the legendary, "sounds good" is the epitome of the American way of professional conversation. If they like your suggestion, or like a particular agenda, or like the hint of a particular scheme of things that look plausible, they will invariably appreciate it with their standard remark, "sounds good".

Another part of the legendary terms that the average American uses is, "Really appreciate it". And I have heard this term used in a wide variety of settings, some serious, some not so serious. Here are a few such scenarios - if you just set up a call and share the bridge numbers, if you chip in with an idea, if you cover for a bad client situation, if you send in regular updates and interim deliverables and so on.

There are set of other predictable terms that you come across while speaking to Americans -
1. Works well for me
2. Do you have a sense of the time it is likely to take to accomplish this? - The keyword, is the term, "sense", and is used in multiple ways i.e " My sense is...", "Do you have a sense of....?", or a more measured version such as, "I get a sense that the client is trying to test our skills...".
3. Am out on vacation - even if it is just a day's leave of half a day's leave! By the way, they do not necessarily understand the word leave in the context of a holiday!
4. I'm good - rarely have I come across an American who has told me that he/she is fine!
5. Thanks for your time. I really appreciate your taking time out to discuss this
6. Let's think through this situation. What is it that we are really trying to achieve here?

One of the most unique phrases that I have heard Americans use is, "I need to do a better job of...”. This is a pretty serious remark actually i.e. they are conscious that they did not do something well and are quite particular about not repeating whatever caused them to make that statement in the first place. As a related point, if they are not particularly happy with somebody's performance, they are extremely polite about it(usually). You will never hear (at least, I haven’t) an American boss tell you, "What the hell is happening?" etc. They get upset if you don't perform, but let you know in very clear and polite terms, "Is there a way you can fix this?", or , "Can you please take another look at this and get back to me?", etc. This should be indication enough that something in what you did or did not do, is not up to their expectation. Of course, they are masters at recording this in feedback sessions and performance appraisal discussions, when it hits the most!

They are also masters of casual conversation. This is true when they speak to you about your country, your culture, your background etc and is also true in situations where they are speaking to prospective clients. I personally know of 2very senior folks in the US, who actually take turns to do the following i.e. one person joins the call 2 minutes late, in order to facilitate idle talk by the first person with the prospective client & set the tone for the meeting. Amazing practice, if you ask me!

The term "great" is something one would have to get accustomed to really fast, when working with Americans. They use the word great at the drop of a hat, in situations that don't even warrant it. Great job, great work, great team, great manager, great analyst or hell, just great guy or 'this is great, thanks'!!

Net-net, I'd say they are fun-loving people who value their lives beyond an office. While there may be outsourcing et al, some of them are cognizant of the work/life imbalance that exists in many parts of India today. But then again, they are the most approachable and informal set of people that I have ever interacted with. These phrases mentioned above are (I repeat), only meant to be tongue-in-cheek, and is not meant to be derogatory.