He taught us values, not just English

The world lost one of its greatest minds on 15 October 2021 with the demise of Mr. G.K. Govinda Rao (Link). The man was famous for his impeccable credentials as a thespian, thinker, and a political activist. But, he showed a privileged set of young, impressionable minds about 28 moons ago, a facade that will be treasured for those of us who experienced his class (literally & figuratively!). He was our English teacher when many of us from different schools in Bangalore city were beginning to find our feet in the early years of our college life. The fact that one can even dare to attempt penning a few lines about the great man, is testament to the impact he had on some of us. 

My earliest memory of GKG sir is that of a person with deep, piercing eyes with rimmed glasses and a baritone voice that engulfed our classrooms with supreme command over the English language. The first time I saw him was in 1993, when I entered college and saw him walk from the old staff room, climb up the old flight of stairs and make his way to the desk earmarked for teachers in the classroom. He wore coats (a rare phenomenon in that era) which seemed like they belonged to the English movies from yesteryear. But that was part of his personality i.e. the coat and the facade of the great man used to make me feel, ''boys and girls, I have seen life and its elements. Care to listen to what I might have to say, beyond your textbook?''. Not in as many words, but such was his presence and persona. Of course, his old-fashioned western coat blended perfectly with English, which is as western as it can get to begin with!

Beyond his outfits, his voice, his eyes and his glasses, I distinctly remember how quickly he demonstrated the essence of values and principles to many of us. A tad old-fashioned maybe, but I am very thankful that our batch belonged to an era that grew up without a gadget. We were able to concentrate on learning about human values from the great man, and those values continue to be meaningful to this day.

Yes, GKG sir taught us English as prescribed by our university. But, the manner in which he transformed our classroom atmosphere from a regular session to an imposing, highly charged, and extremely opinionated set up in a debate environment, is unforgettable. I do not remember most of the chapters from my English textbook. But I do remember how masterfully he nurtured our minds to think beyond the book, at a tender age of 15-16. Little did we realise that he was preparing us to think for ourselves.

A typical classroom debate had its cast of characters. Mainly, the toss up was between the last 5 rows (the intellectuals!) and the rest of the classroom. Most debates started with the least possible trigger i.e. a normal class would start with a chapter from our standard English textbook. But before we realised it, the atmosphere would transform itself into a high intensity, high decibel (yet polite!) and highly charged zone of its own. Back in 1993-94, it was unfathomable for any student to stand up to his/her teacher and debate. Or, even dare to have a point of view on anything. That was not the GKG style. He would actively participate in these debates and encourage us to discuss topics threadbare. These sessions were far more riveting than the textbook we had. 

The great man had a brilliant way of steering the class away from the standard script of our textbook and wringing in current affairs, politics, sports, drama/theatre, Indian history and so on, into the discussion. Remember, we were all at best 15 or 16 years old at the time and he impressed upon us, how to develop independent thought and opinion at that early age. Further, this enormously healthy but heated classroom environment was configured in a country that was not used to having any opinion on anything at that time. Most of us in the class barely had any exposure, experience or knowledge about the things in the world. And here was a man positively influencing teenagers to take a stance on the greatest challenges of that era! If that is not being far ahead of your times, I do not know what else is.

The all-time classic was the Mahatma Gandhi debate in 1994 - from the back of the class to the front, we would watch GKG sir's piercing eyes making a stronger point than his baritone voice did. He would up the ante and be even more wax eloquent than he normally was, when students took an opposite stance to his on M.K.Gandhi. Worth watching!

It helped immensely that he was by that stage of his life, running a parallel career as a thespian i.e. we saw his magnificent dramatic skills weave its magic with fantastic voice modulation, eye contact, and cheeks that would turn crimson when he made his point vociferously. In a college classroom, not at the drama school! It was a true masterclass that had a complete package of how to present oneself to a group with force, clarity, diction and enormous passion. None of this was from our textbook. But many of us learnt a lot more than what our textbook had to offer. To say that it was pulsating or gripping to watch, is an understatement.

Long before we entered first B.Com, we were told about GKG sir's mastery over Julius Caesar and his command over the life's work of William Shakespeare. Our seniors used to tell us that he made these all-time classics relatable to the world that we were living in. He sure did live up to that reputation. With the same, old-fashioned coat too! Ours was the last batch he taught in his year of retirement. Though I don't remember much of the content, I am eternally proud that I did not bunk even one of his classes!

I often think of the famous poem by Robert Frost, 'The Road Not Taken'. And I ponder over its famous opening lines, ''Two roads diverged in a yellow wood'' - those lines (and the poem) personify life. The poem teaches us that the paths of our lives are uncharted and we need enormous strength to navigate these paths. Some of those paths will diverge into realms of unimaginable proportions and with extreme intensity (positive/negative). We may/may not be equipped to handle the crossroads that emerge. The divergence and the degree of such divergence, can shake our core beliefs or reinforce them and thereby have lasting impact either way. Thing is, when we enter a path, we have absolutely no clue what is in store. Or, even the fair idea that we think we have, can change drastically (positively or negatively).

In all likelihood, that is what GKG sir would want us to do - learn and understand our own paths to the best of our abilities and our emotions, become strong enough to navigate those paths and work towards building a better tomorrow. Thank you, sir. It was a privilege to be in your classroom. You and your lessons will long be remembered and treasured. RIP.

Neighbour's Envy, Owner's Pride

For many of us, our growing years (depending on the country and culture we grew up in), has one key theme that is generally common i.e. living up to other people's expectations. What gets displaced in this notion, is the inability to understand our self-worth. Severely.

For years, we are told that we need to grow up to be this or that. Or, that ambition is the greater driver of success. Or, the environment or societal structure around us automatically infests us with comparability against peers. Nowhere in any of these demarcations is the ability to track, appreciate and reward an individual for his/her own individual worth. It almost appears that the definition of success is already prescribed, pre-written and one has to largely learn the rules to demonstrate the so-called Neighbour's version of your success (see last paragraph).

The definitive demarcation of class divide (in this respect, and not otherwise), is in the grading system that automatically indicates where a student may stack up, long before he/she has understood his/her own potential. Other indicators of this self-inflicted societal damage i.e. other person's opinion about you, include cars and brands that one uses, lifestyle choices on display, and the like. Most people who 'view' this success of the 'other', hardly ever check the liability side of the balance sheet of life. Sadly, that is how physical assets are by nature! If only goodwill and innate skills were measured with equal gusto and fanfare! But I guess they are not visible.

And that is the key - success is directly proportional to the 'visibility of success'. Like they say in the legal world, justice should be delivered, and equally so, justice should be seen to be delivered. It is extraordinary, in the times that we live in, that the other man/woman's certificate carries so much of weight in defining life choices and one's perceived measurement of success. 

For example, if a tennis player or any sportsperson were to measure his/her success against say, a Roger Federer, or a Rahul Dravid, or a Don Bradman, or a Pele, the player is going to be disappointed. Not because the current player is not as good as those folks. But the disappointment is more on account of the baseline that is set even before a match begins. What most people simply forget is the individual brilliance of a select few (like the names mentioned) that shone through and made them household names in their sport. It is impractical, and near impossible for others that follow, to be seen in the same grade. At best, the next group that follows the prior group, can build on top of what was done earlier. 

It is precisely here, that the templates of 'visible' success I refer to above, falls flat on its face i.e. the broad rules of success get rewritten in every era. Sadly, societal behaviour and perception, take a longer time to evolve.

I recently learnt of an incredible real-life story of a gentleman (who I do not know) in Netherlands. Here was a person who was brushing shoulders with the who's who of the corporate world globally, had access to most things that commoners could only dream of, flew in his own private jet etc. Living the dream, as the say.

After many years, this person decided to leave the corporate world and live in a remote part of Netherlands. In one instance, an Indian friend of mine (who was in the executive's team earlier), called him asking for guidance on travel options and sigh-seeing places in Netherlands, for somebody who was visiting from India. In particular, the enquiry was about a couple of places not frequented by international travellers.

Upon hearing this, this former corporate hotshot apparently told my friend that the visitor from India can contact him and he would be glad to take the visitor on a tour. My friend was surprised to hear this, as it is generally not reasonable to expect an ex-corporate biggie to be so generous with his time. It was then that this former Dutch corporate executive indicated to my friend that he was now a local tourist guide, and that he was enjoying it more than the old corporate job. Going back to where I started this article, did this gentleman live up to people's expectations? Or not? Or, did he define his own version of what he thought right and just. And arguably, enjoyed himself the most.

As the old Indian TV brand, Onida, had in its tagline, Neighbours Envy, Owner's Pride. Perhaps, the focus should be on Owner's Pride i.e. the neighbours will form their opinion of the owner, any which way. Might as well focus on one's own definition of living up to one's own expectations.

Ostracisation is the greatest punishment, when alive

In many ways, death they say, is the ultimate truth (maybe, taxes are the other close competitor!). But, for as long as man has known the world, the end to a human being's life is considered death. I have however, often wondered, what may be the end of the world, while a human being is still around. Based on whatever little I have seen of life till date, I am inclined to believe that ostracisation or the act of deliberate exclusion of a human being from a social circle or a group that he/she was otherwise a regular part of, is the ultimate piece of agony that one can experience when alive. I am convinced that COVID-19, is having the exact same effect on many of us, as ostracisation does. 

There are certain elements associated in getting ostracised that clearly demonstrate its extremity. And those elements are innate to how human beings are configured. For starters, man is a social being and is a function of the associations he/she has with people near and dear to him/her. This social interaction and innate ability to form, develop, nurture, and eventually cherish deep associations with near and dear ones, has a supreme effect on a person's psyche. Generally, they are positive. Such associations are a part of a person's mental configuration, symbolises the types of associations he/she cherishes, and has positive vibes which enter a sub-conscious level.

However, the act of ostracisation, defeats all the above innate elements of a person's social and psychological framework i.e. ostracisation is deliberate, intentional, and extremely pointed. It is akin to a part of a human being's life being taken away, when still alive. This act has immense implications that are highly underrated. Here are a few that I have observed over time:

• The human psyche is not used to disassociation i.e. the social elements of a human being's make up, is not wired to handle disconnection from other humans. 
• The mental make-up of a person finds it hard to justify not being included, or more specifically, excluded by intent in a social group/setting that he/she was always a part of. This usually becomes harder to handle if the ostracisation comes from quarters that a person cherished the most.
• Reasons for getting ostracised are never communicated directly by the party that is engaging in that act. Usually, the ostracisation is done in style, with an extremely polite or impersonal tone, that the aggrieved party (one being ostracised) does not process well at the time.
• Very specific disassociation by a select few, leading to further disassociation by other related parties, tends to impact the psyche even more i.e, a few people may choose to ostracise you for reasons best known to them. But there may be others who see that and extend the same courtesy to you, for reasons not known at all!
• There is absolutely no room for communication, negotiation, discussion, or your point of view being heard, when you are ostracised. It is generally a statement by the party that eliminates you from a group, which has the effect of, 'I am done with you, deal with it!'. Sounds like a movie dialogue, but this tends to be the case, more often than not!

Usually, being ostracised by one's nearest and dearest is what causes the greatest harm on one's psyche. It may be circumstantial. However, the act of ostracisation itself is done with the view to make the dismissed person, feel miserable with his/her life. This is a condition that the human psyche is simply not configured to handle. And the typical response is anger, or retaliation, or some such aggressive act.

Interestingly, no aggressive counteracting measure by the person who is ostracised, is going to help the aggrieved party or anyone else. If anything, aggression is the last thing an ostracised person should to. One needs to be calm, measured, considerate and extremely patient. Diversion of spare time (that would have otherwise been spent with the erstwhile cherished group that one was a part of) into more productive areas is a clear act of coping with ostracisation. Getting busy with life is another clear act of dealing with the excruciating feeling of ostracisation from one's social circle/group. Developing new approaches or interests to life helps cope with being dismissed. 

These options are easier to write about, than to do. But, since one cannot and does not control what other people do on this planet, the only option left is to control oneself and find coping mechanisms to deal with ostracisation. I am not entirely sure about seeking medical help, but that perhaps depends on the extremity of the impact on a person from such ostracisation.

In the last 15 months of extreme and deliberate disconnect from the real world, I have come to realise that ostracisation has its many forms. The post COVID-19 world is a hyper-connected world. But, even now, the human psyche is not configured to replace social interaction or social inclusiveness, with a gadget or an app. That, should explain what the impact of ostracisation in normal times or in extreme times, may mean.

The race for the external certificate

We clearly live in a world of hyper-competitiveness, when most people are trying to prove that he/she is the best in the world. Fair enough, but I often wonder if being number one is the only metric that matters. It is the race for this external certificate that has created a risk in the modern world, which most of us need to guard against. 

In a world of 7+ billion people, living across ~195 countries, it is but natural for people to want to stand out from the crowd and get noticed. It is almost inevitable that the front pages of media magazines get the most attention. And it is nearly impossible that in such a competitive world, anything except being numero uno, will get noticed.  With short attention spans, number one draws the maximum attention.

But, in my eyes, the race for this external certificate is a massive man-made disaster in the making. It creates divide. It creates class differentiation. It can easily have a negative effect on the folks who did not make it to the top. That title of number one can easily work to the detriment of a human being. Sadly, many of us have seen this happen way too often - let's examine a few examples.

Somebody gets passed over for a promotion, despite trying their hardest. Or, somebody else makes it to a top university while the other who might have tried equally hard, did not. Or, somebody gets to scale heights unimaginable in their profession, while others, who may be equally talented and deserving, do not get there. In other instances, class rankings and highest grades are another instance of the same risk.  Winning a debate or quiz competition creates divide. It's endless, the way we create this divide.

The root cause in each of the above examples, is the validation of an external certificate or recognition for an effort. Outcomes proven to the world. Great achievements, for the folks who made it, but it really has an enormous impact on many others. I am not psychologist, but there has to be a scientific/psychological reason for this. i.e. what do we get, by proving that someone or something made it to the top? Is it the only measure of success? Shouldn't we aspire to have a more balanced world, with greater equanimity, equality, equal distribution of wealth and power, more informed dialogue, or more peace? What does any external validation of someone being numero uno, ever contribute to any of these world outcomes?

Think of the same competitive spirit manifesting itself in the world of sport. It is understood so differently there. Even before a game starts, the viewer knows that one of the teams/players will win, and the other won't. Thus, when we see post-match interviews, one absolutely understands the emotion of the team/player that did not win the game on the given day. Just as we equally celebrate the winner! This is acceptable, understood and even expected, in the world of sport. We have all watched a game or two where the vanquished was celebrated for his/her herculean effort to win. Bjorg-McNroe Wimbledon finals in 1981, the South Africa v Pakistan cricket world cup semi-final in 1999, or the New Zealand v England final in 2020, to name a few. What I have failed to understand is, how the same mental conditioning is fundamentally absent in our minds, when it comes to other spheres?

Getting to number one is a sign of many things coming together such as hard work meeting opportunity, getting the appropriate recognition, and the supreme ability to be at the right place at the right time. Given the number of such elements that have to work in tandem in order for anything or anyone to succeed, it is almost natural for these elements to align themselves to a select few human beings. And therefore, it is of no consequence for any of us to feel inferior to anyone. The stars are aligned, as they say, only for a select few. But that is not permanent either.

Times change, circumstances change. And what is number one today will not be number 1 tomorrow. Let's drill into this a bit, mathematically.

The root of the competitiveness of getting to number one is just that i.e. there is only one spot at the top. It therefore means, by sheer probability and mathematical logic, that only one thing, entity or person can be numero uno. And such a spot is earned by a combination of the many elements described above, and that combination will not land on all 7+ billion people in the world. How I wish it did! Therefore, the only reasonable possibility for any human being is to try to be the best version of what they can be.

In closing, number one is a man-made definition of success. It overrides any other metric known to mankind. But, let us remember, that human evolution is a series of experiments by numerous other people, who never made it to number one. In this harsh corona-world, let us learn to appreciate each other for what we are and what we can do. Rather than, measuring another person purely based on the world's perception or definition of his/her success. As in sport, let us try to be the best version of ourselves. I am confident than it will help in human and world progress.

Success vs. the Perception of Success

For the longest time that I can remember, success was directly correlated to the title a person had. However, over time, the most important lesson for me has been learning to differentiate between success and the perception of success.

In terms of pedigree, one generally tended to get hooked on to the fancy newspaper headlines that carried the front-page news of top business school graduates landing plum jobs in different companies. That sure was convincing and had a drawing power that has its way of playing on the mind of people in their most impressionable age (teens). 

I have been a victim to these fancy headlines too (in my teens). More than anything else, these headlines made one believe that the definition of success was highly correlated to making those headlines. And doing anything else or anything less, is not going to be good enough. Or, for that matter, someone who went overseas early in life and got into some place with high pedigree was the be-all and end-all of a career. Absolutely nothing wrong with those outcomes and one is genuinely happy for the folks who get there, except for one thing.

These fancy headlines or great pedigrees do not provide an assessment of what you are good at, individually i.e. the difference between success and the perception of success.

In my experience and understanding (after many trials & tribulations), success is actually the exact opposite of what one sees in these newspaper headlines i.e. success is innate, personal, very individualistic, extremely arduous, and can never be a replica of someone else. The greatest design deficiency with the newspaper headlines and the fancy pedigrees that one sees all around is that there are no measures or indicators of whether they are cut out for your individual profile. Or, for that matter, whether that success that we see or are sold, is our definition of success i.e. what is good for someone else, need not be true for you. There is a fairly deep level of analysis, self-introspection, judgement and balance that is barely captured by the media.

To a large extent, I believe that success can only come to a person if one identifies one's areas of strength,, can hopefully get corresponding opportunities to match those areas of strength, and work harder than anyone else to maximize that opportunity. That is easier said than done and is a time-consuming process. There are so many things that need to fall in place for this thing called success to even occur in the way that you define it (and not somebody else's!) - opportunity, skill development, timing, good orientation, mentoring, patience, the incredible ability to digest failure and not fall by the wayside, learning, unlearning, and not repeating fundamental mistakes. 

We are generally not geared to handle all those things all at once. Hence, the folks who grab the newspaper headlines (i.e. perception of success) are not an indicator of what you can do. At best, one can (and should), draw inspiration from success stories, and see what attributes one can apply into one's own sphere.

For e.g. Rahul Dravid, my inspiration/role model (and arguably the greatest no.3 cricket batsman ever), once famously said that he enrolled for the Indian Chartered Accountancy (CA) programme as a back-up to his cricketing career. As soon as he opened the first chapter in his book, he redoubled his efforts in cricket! More importantly (and this is the crux), once he identified what he was absolutely a champion in, he gave it his all. And the results are there for the cricketing world to see! If only more number of us were able to synthesize our skills and definition of success as magically as the great man did!

One of the greatest quotes I have read also comes from the great Dravid. He once said, 'I  think we judge talent wrong. What do we see as talent? I think I have made the same mistake myself. We judge talent by people's ability to strike a cricket ball. The sweetness, the timing. That's the only thing we see as talent. Things like determination, courage, discipline, temperament, these are also talent'. That should seal the debate on what is success and what is the perception of success.

I genuinely wish this area of differentiating between success and perception of success is taught in school and college. The pain of wrongfully interpreting the perception of success as real success has a vast impact on the psyche, mental balance, overall personality and potentially one's outlook towards life. I have even seen folks go through depression when their perception of success did not happen in their career. Reorienting oneself to our strengths and opportunities on a constant basis, is one of the most enduring pillars of succeeding on one's own terms. That is barely taught in our younger days. 

No wonder we see the emergence of mental health as a complete new industry these days. That needs a separate blog of its own at some point.

The natural simplicity of being a Bangalorean!

For a while now, I have been living in other locations and internationally, as a part of my professional journey. Some of these journeys were planned, most of them were unplanned. But the more I live in places apart from home, the more I understand how much Bangalore shaped me - and, that is not restricted to professional skills alone. 

Bangalore always taught me to have a simple life and be simple at heart. And simplicity was a part of everyday life, without having to make an effort. To begin with, the extraordinary charm of breakfast options at some of the most iconic local vendors in my neighbourhood is just one example (fancy hotels are no match!). Or, indeed celebrating my birthday with only a samosa, a piece of a cake, a Pepsi (perhaps the most modern drink back then!) and a few friends around, in a traditional place like Nilgris! Or, discussing with friends about the cricket columns in The Hindu newspaper by that fabulous sports journalist R. Mohan, or, the tennis columns in the same newspaper by Nirmal Shekhar. Or, writing (and receiving) very long letters to (from) cousins and a couple of very dear friends. Still remember the time when I received an international mail, and the postman told me that there is a foreign stamp on it for my collection! Or, having an hour long conversation with friends, after class on campus. 

Simple, quite simply, was the essence all around and part of everyday life. I am convinced that it was also because of the time available at that time, which allowed many of the above experiences. Not to mention the fact that there were very few distractions that were available, which enabled simplicity so naturally. Progress is phenomenal, but wonder if simplicity is as natural as it used to be - a bit unsure.

Bangalore also taught me how people from so many walks of life can co-mingle and co-exist peacefully. That may be true of other places too, but one felt a certain warmth, affinity, and inclusiveness in Bangalore. To some extent, and in a very strange yet significant way, this peaceful co-existence and affinity was possibly because of the nature of that era in Bangalore i.e. our generation is the last generation that grew up without a gadget in our hand. We, therefore, have that innate ability to converse. Deep, engaging conversations with people who matter to us, irrespective of any irrelevant, man-made classifications. Half-jokingly, the ability to have long conversations is a lot like Test cricket - deep, impactful, memorable, and truly treasured for the ages! :) Call me a connoisseur ;)

It is hard to explain this natural simplicity in a modern world of WhatsApp/Signal messages or Zoom calls for virtual bonding. And the sheer variety of regular places that offered this natural simplicity in their character and design i.e. one hardly thought of ambience, customer experience, discount coupons, or any of the commercial freebies of today. Places that immediately come to mind are - India Coffee House, CTR, Lalbagh walks, Nilgris, Corner House, Vidhyarthi Bhavan, Chit Chat, a walk along the boulevard at MG Road , Rangashankara, Ravindra Kalakshetra, Chowdiah Hall, etc! I once entered a newspaper office (Deccan Herald/The Hindu - don't remember exactly), and I thought I had been transported back a 100 years looking at those office layouts! But they had some of the most celebrated journalists you can think of, who wrote, deep, meaningful articles - aah, how I miss the Sunday edition of The Hindu and its supplement! Class apart!

There is one other angle about Bangaloreans of my time that goes relatively unnoticed. We are the last generation that were fortunate to see the last leg of the traditional, laid back, pensioner's paradise/garden city. Long before the tectonic changes arrived and the meteoric rise of the city as a global technology hub hit us. But, clearly, to this day, I am convinced that having our roots in that old guard, and having seen the changes in the city unfold right before us, makes me highly appreciative of how this great city shaped my fundamentals for life ahead. And helps appreciate the values of being simple, forever!

Will always be a simple Bangalorean at heart! Quite no place like home!

Perform, to keep people quiet

For eons, I have been told about the million things that I am incapable of doing. In the 'expert' opinion of people who offered this free, unsolicited advise, either I am not talented enough, or at other times, I am plain lazy and not committed enough. My only response to these people (and there are more than a handful of them), has been a combination of sheer rage inside of me, followed up by that famous word in the modern world - performance.

I have lost count of the number of times I was told, are you a real accountant? When my answer initially was that of a finance professional (MBA-Finance), and later on, a Cost & Management Accountant, I was told those are not good enough. Sure, I fully understand that those qualifications are not certified by the Government of India as authorized signatories to financial statements, as statutory or external auditors are. But what did people mean when they said that I was not a real accountant? Did they care testing me on any of my subjects? Did they operate on hearsay? Most of them were non-finance people, who knew precious little about what it takes to do any of those excruciating professional programs. But, the barrage continued and was endless. I was luckily self-motivated enough and fortunate enough to go and do a US CPA. And become the only Indian with a US CPA in a global department of 150 people across 45 countries - the other 5 who have that CPA are Americans (see last 3 lines of this blog too). Now, the same people who had their freebie-opinions about me earlier, had nothing to tell me. The only way to close the gap between their lips, is to perform. 

At other times, I was told by some people, 'why are you struggling in India and not going abroad'? This was in my early 30s, when I had about a decade's work experience.  In my mind and heart, I was perfectly ok in India, around my own ecosystem, experiencing an economy that was growing at 8%, getting varied opportunities in every part of the country (Gurgaon, Noida, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai) and actually seeing growth for myself. Further, I am truly Indian at heart and completely Bangalorean by configuration/design. I loved every second of my time in my own place. Obviously, some people did not like that. One senior citizen even told me this, 'It is rare to see youngsters love India these days, refreshing to see you' (I guess that was a rare compliment!). Yes, in another blog, I had written that my US MBA plans bombed, but that never meant I was not ok in India. But, the unsolicited opinions continued to flow, and I did not respond for a long time. Until, there was a point where it pays to have young blood in your veins and I unleashed what was on my mind to those people. And in no small measure. Have never seen them since (thankfully so!). 

To their credit, the people who were asking me about why I wasn't abroad yet, were influenced by their trips to different countries, as a tourist. They appeared to be eminently dazzled by the foreign land. But, what I found (and still find) ridiculous is how and why people are incapable of understanding that a young person is fully and eminently capable of loving his own country. Also, none of those people had the fundamental understanding that an opportunity needs to present itself to go abroad. Their children went abroad in the late '90s - good for them. Why was I wronged to be in India, to love India and to indeed be at peace and live happily in my own place? And, for added measure, I do not belong to the 'fraternity of people' who spend lakhs of rupees on immigration consultants to emigrate. Yet again, performance was my greatest friend. I got transfers - to the US and later to Germany. And for my own pride, I was sent abroad in a world-class IT MNC (not a random shop) i.e. I did not ask for a transfer. And no, I did not need any immigration consultant to 'make my documents' - I was given the professional opportunity to gracefully emigrate, with 100% company-sponsorship. Perform, and grab the chance when you get it, based on your merit.  It will automatically close the space between the lips of people who talk needlessly.

Undoubtedly, my greatest friend has been performance and focus. It has not and will not be an easy professional ride, and has not or will not be perfect either - whether at home or abroad. But, I have learnt that the only way I can keep noise out of my life, especially when it is unsolicited, is to perform with laser focus. Try to do what I know and what I think I know, to the best of my ability. And leave the rest to destiny. As Dravid said, 'I am not as talented as other cricketers, but I can work harder than anybody in the game'. And like in test cricket (which is the framework for my life), put in the hard yards, stay at the crease, and the runs will flow. Do not target a triple century, just do your job. In doing this, if you are wearing the India jersey, whether you are in Bangalore, or in Philadelphia,  or in Frankfurt, you are doing your country proud! That is an irresistible and exhilarating feeling, that is unmatched. Let the unsolicited advice keep flowing i.e. I can keep feeling exhilarated of being Indian, wherever I am!

Social media is omnipresent, but its roots are from an offline world!

As a social being, man has a natural orientation to interact, love, befriend, associate and engage with other human beings in his/her circle. But, in the last few years, I have almost always noticed how people have deliberately chosen to disassociate on a personal basis, simply because of the advent of social media. The more hyper-connected we are digitally, the less connected we have ended up, socially.

There are tons of virtues in social media. It can connect so many things and people not thought of before. Nobody ever possibly imagined social media to become commercial entities running real businesses. But what social media completely misses, despite its virtues, is the sheer inability to replace the in-person connection i.e. the root of human's psyche. Maybe I am old school, but there is a certain charm that is experienced with in-person interaction, that almost remains unmatched to this day. 

When I was in school and college, the greatest joys of life were in the bonds of friendships that were forged on campus. This is not pre-historic, but part of recent history i.e. within the last 20+ years. Some of my greatest times in life, were in school and college. Back then, diversity in opinion was welcome. There was old world charm of deliberately spending quality time with friends talking about studies, life, girlfriends, relationships, career ambitions, dreams et al. Having lunch with each other was good fun. There was no app anywhere at the time either. 

Of course, it was not picture perfect and obviously friendships from that time had its ups and downs too, like with everything else. But, one forged wonderful memories based on real bonhomie, which till date, does not take too long to rekindle. There was hardly ever a discomforting public embarrassment that I remember, which is such a common thing on social media now. Equally, I remember many an instance, when many of us did not have the best of days, some of us experienced personal tragedies, and were physically present to lend a shoulder of support. In as much as social media can connect anyone, it will never have the ability to create such real bonds with people. E.g. what is this virtual, digital hug all about? I for one, have never gotten my head around it! ;)

Interestingly, the same generation that I grew up in, seamlessly migrated to the digital world. But, whenever there is the opportunity for an in-person interaction, we are equally at ease in putting down our gadgets, looking into one another's eyes, and talking to each other (instead of sending smileys!). Real, powerful, meaningful, and deep conversations. And the rest of the time, we continue to be connected digitally. What is uniquely distinct though, is that the digital conversations surprisingly hover around topics of mutual interest that has its roots from what we had framed 20+ years ago! Be it discussing cricket, or chatting about a other friends, or world views on education or politics, or plain banter. Thankfully, at least to my generation, social media has not destroyed a real conversation. Our roots are actually from the offline world!

There is a common, and notoriously mischievous phrase called WhatsApp University these days, which will transmit information faster than what the news channels can. But WhatsApp is an extension of precisely what we have all done offline for years i.e. to converse, to engage, and to stay connected. Social media is only taking off from that fundamental human trait, but has a structure and presentation which is perhaps different. There can be no WhatsApp, if nobody wants to be in touch with one another. 

But, what is it that the offline world has, which WhatsApp might never have? It is knowing the person behind the digital message. E.g. I have had the fortune of having intelligent, non-judgmental WhatsApp group chats with many of the same folks, all of whom, never had a phone on campus. Therefore, any opinion now cited on WhatsApp, is not judged. Simply because, the people receiving the WhatsApp message have known the sender in person, long before WhatsApp came along. That is the power of personal connectivity. No amount of digital connectivity is going to replace that!

The most impersonal thing that I find on social media is greeting a person on an occasion (birthday, wedding anniversary, or any other special day). A modern day birthday typically has a flood of WhatsApp or Facebook messages. Festivals have enough and more graphical designs to greet each other (impersonally!). When was the last time any of us received a WhatsApp or phone message starting with the words, Dear ___(your name), followed by the message? How many of these messages are a function of people genuinely remembering your birthday, and how many of those messages are a function of automated birthday reminders, is a moot question. These are so impersonal, almost robotic at times.

There are ways to tackle such robotic greetings! I have seen 3 of my most cherished friends who stay away from being impersonal/robotic. All 3 of them have done the same thing (none of them know the other!). One of them (a fabulously talented girl from Bangalore), switched off the birthday reminder feature on her Facebook account. The only people who greet her are the ones who genuinely remember the occasion. Similarly, she will never send me a forwarded message on WhatsApp, but we talk to each other over video for an hour+ easily, in every call. I was once boarding a flight on her birthday and had no way of calling her internationally then. It was the only occasion in my life I sent her a WhatsApp greeting and it was so odd! 

Or, my two other friends (both tall, charming, nice guys and C-level executives now), who do the exact same thing, but stay in touch wherever they are in the world. Even now when we meet, we have so many options to consider - go for a walk, board the local train and walk on Marine Drive, eat at our old neighbourhood eateries in Malleswaram, play badminton or watch cricket, have a long conversation etc - there is no gadget around at all! This is not a statement against social media, but it is an expression of how to retain personalised, real connect in a hyper-connected world. Having digital around is a bonus, but not a necessary condition to regale in the wonderful friendship that I have with all 3 of these fabulous people!

Of course, there are some characters who have conveniently ostracized me, despite being hyperactive online - per the alerts one gets due to common connections. But that ostracization is not because of social media, but more because of the intent of the person who chooses to disassociate. In these instances, the intention not to have a personal connection with somebody, overrides the ability of any social media that can help engage with others. I guess, social media will never find a replacement for this either i.e. human intent to disconnect or disengage. To that extent, human beings will still control the world!

It has been a fascinating ride from an offline world to a digital world. Interestingly, we are the last generation that even saw the offline world, a mere 20+ years ago. And many of us, though now fully adapted to digital, still appreciate our original association in an offline mode. Call it old school, but those are experiences that are genuinely cherished. Having a real conversation whilst sitting with a dear old friend at his/her house (or vice-versa), with a cup of tea in hand, or staying overnight to watch a late night cricket match together, or sitting in a train on a long journey with a friend with the deepest of conversations, are human experiences that can never ever be replaced. May it long continue, despite social media continuing to distract us, overpower us and trying to control our time.

The nonsense of comparisons

For as far back as I can remember, comparisons have been a part of my life. What is worse, I never actually knew that I was quite affected by it, till I decided never to be crushed by that force.

And what a force it was. Comparisons of exam scores of friends in school, comparisons of cousins who went abroad, and so on. It was an endless spree of comparisons, almost anywhere I went or anyone I met early on. Sadly, despite fully understanding the incredible power of comparisons to crush a person's psyche, I never did anything about it for a long time.  

Comparison no.1 - the earliest comparison that I experienced was people in the late '90s/early 2000's, telling me to move to the US. Nobody gave me a basis as to why I needed to go abroad when I was perfectly fine and happy at home. Nor did I analyse further. The closest to receiving any basis back then, was that my sister had married and moved to the US. So, it is only logical that I should get there too. It never occurred to anyone (or me) engaging in these comparisons, that my background, my interests, my professional profile, and indeed my stage in life at the time, was tremendously different from hers. I ended up applying to top US MBA programmes, only to discover that not one of them ever gave me an interview call.  I drowned in confidence. I despaired. I even didn't know what else to do. This US MBA was supposed to be the passport to a glorified life. Little did I realise, that my skills were never in doing those fancy MBAs. Hell, it was so bad that I left my Chartered Accountancy course, to go after the pipe dream of a US MBA, without ever analysing my own strengths. It took me a circuitous route to get into my own area (currently, internal audit), and in a different way I am happy I touched strategy, consulting, research and analysis and other areas before landing up in my own core domain. Lesson learnt - listen to advise, and ignore them if they have no basis (doesn't matter WHO is giving you that advise). 

Comparison no.2 - it is important to do well in life and become somebody. While this may sound tremendously motivating and inspiring, it is the tone in which this line is stated, that makes a difference. When done professionally, with the right intent and with the true spirit of excellence, I don't think anyone has a problem with such lines. But, when the same thing is stated with the subtleties of sarcasm, or is embedded with laces of comparison that you are a nobody, or has some level of underlying judgement that you are currently not good enough, the same line takes a complete different meaning. Sadly, for me, I faced the latter, from multiple people. It needed a tremendous amount of distilling of the intent of such advice to learn who meant well, and who didn't. Lesson learnt again - distil advise, but more importantly read tone of such advise correctly - not everyone means well.

Comparison no.3 - I did my ICWA and then my US CPA much later in life, when I was 35+. I never had an issue with it. My wife and parents motivated me more than I ever could ask for. I almost didn't have to do it, as I had the so-called good job in hand, was travelling countries, had an international assignment etc. Looks good from the outside, right? But, I was the only one on the planet who knew that I never should have written those US MBA exams in my 20s and only ever did it because of the nonsensical comparisons around me. I knew I always had wanted to do the top most accounting and finance professional qualifications out there. But the questions continued well into my 30s - why ICWA and CPA now? Isn't it late? What benefit will it give you? The people who compared, kept saying the same things, albeit in a more circumspect way, as I was now 35+ and supposedly adult. But, their underlying tone was as constant (and this time, discernible), as it was in the late '90s. Thankfully, this time, I did not bother listening to any advise. Lesson learnt - do things for the sheer passion of doing it, especially if the only certificate you ever want is the certificate to prove things to yourself and to keep your head high. Really, nothing else matters in professional life.

After all these experiences (there are many, many more), I am convinced that comparisons are the greatest bane to a person's confidence. What one person can do, is never a template for what any other person can do. The only possibility is for one to learn from the other, even if the other is better than oneself - absolutely nothing wrong with that. But, to deviate from the fundamentals of who you are, that too professionally, and listening to the nonsense of comparisons, will only work to one's detriment. I can only think of my idol, Rahul Dravid who said in an interview, 'It is easy to be dazzled by Tendulkar at the other end of the pitch and to see what he does, but one should not forget what one can do'. Or, as Harsha Bhogle famously said, 'I cannot do what Tendulkar does and he cannot do what I can do'. I am thankful I suffered the nonsense of comparisons in my 20s, and had time to fix it - more a necessity than anything else. Lessons learnt for life - listen to advice, but if it makes no sense, do not bother.

Talent dazzles, but faith sustains

The recent tragic death of the iconic footballer, Diego Maradona, is a huge loss for the sporting world. Of the many things that the great man did, the one standout attribute that is universally acknowledged, is the talent he had and displayed to the rest of us. I have been thinking about the following - what is it about talent that dazzles most of us to this degree? Why are we just awestruck when such phenomenal talent finds ways to express itself in whichever sphere it may relate to? I am not a psychologist or an expert analyst, but a few pointers come to mind. Let me start with some examples, and then illustrate my pointers.

Many of us have been dazzled by the sheer magical powers of a sportsperson displaying his or her skills in the middle of a sporting arena. Be it the famous Wimbledon final between John McEnroe vs Bjorn Borg, or the iconic Boris Becker shaking off traditions at the All England Club by diving around in Centre Court, or the magic of Sachin Tendulkar or the Sir IVA Richards on the cricket field - there are umpteen examples of how talent has dazzled us. There are more examples from other walks of life too - Harsha Bhogle (a classy cricket writer and a commentator who actually started the profession for people with non-cricketing background)), SPB (the most divine singer in the last 30 years who was not a trained singer) and so on.

Talent has a way of showing the rest of us the art of the possible. It has its own language which is unscripted and has no parallel. Talent also dazzles us because it shows us versions and expressions that are potentially not seen before, even if it is from the same field. E.g. a Gavaskar vs a Sehwag - both opening batsmen with different styles, and both effective in their own unique ways. 

The other thing about talent, is that it dazzles us with the incredible charm of seeing human ability in action. There is a lot of talent around, but it means nothing if not expressed and if not met with its counterpart i.e. Opportunity. It is only when talent is met with opportunity, can any of us even have a chance of seeing what talent can do. That is precisely where the breakdown happens and many a talent is lost to the world or is never seen. Imagine a world where sportsmen, musicians, writers, actors, dancers, people in creative arts, journalists, and many others that we have seen, had not gotten an opportunity. 

Talent clearly pushes doors open and creates ideas that were not seen before. It has a way of demanding opportunities to create new vistas. I am always reminded of the famous Indian newsmaker, Dr. Prannoy Roy, who struck such a chord when he launched world news in our TV rooms in India in 1989 - I am of course referring to the famous The World This Week on Friday nights. He was talented, and by his own admission, perhaps struggled to get an opportunity to showcase his talent. But, when the final outcome presented itself, we entered a world of 24 X 7 news channels. That is what talent can do - open frontiers that did not exist earlier.

Which leads me to another point. Talent is not restricted to the world of creative arts, sports, or such professions which lend itself to more expression than others. Talent exists everywhere and in every field. The absolute key, is for talent to chase opportunity with the faith that the marriage will sustain. Only when raw talents that are harnessed and sustained over a long periods of time, will the audiences will continue to be convinced. Expression of talent, therefore, almost needs a certain form of serenity, concentration, focus, practice and training. That is how perhaps, big names are made i.e. not just by the slew of advertisements that we see. One needs tremendous diligence behind the core talent, in order for conviction and repeated opportunities to set in. After all audiences do have short attention spans. 

One can think of so many examples where such sustained expression of one's talent has dazzled so many of u. And they are not the easiest stories, behind the flash. E.g. MS Dhoni, Viswanathan Anand, A.R. Rahman, the Bansals of Flipkart, Dr. Verghese Kurian (Amul), the fingers of Dr. Zakir Hussain, Pt. Ravi Shankar, Prakash Padukone, SPB, or radio jockeys, art museums, the masons who built the Taj Mahal, your class topper, the amazing professor who can simplify the most complex subject and make it engaging. After all, what will an ad man do, if the very core that is advertised, is not good enough?

Back in my high school, we had a motto that was ingrained into us - Faith and Toil. That is perhaps the root of how talents can emerge. And be remembered. It is almost a given that talent will diffuse after a point and one has to keep it alive with tremendous amount of effort and diligence. Sachin Tendulkar did that and show us how it is done. He fundamentally taught an entire nation what one can do with one's own talent. I guess they told us the same thing in my school, but I perhaps, didn't grasp its essence! ;)

Lastly, I am convinced that talent is one of the core pillars for the progress in this world. What would this world be, if not for new talent emerging in every generation and taking the world a tad forward? We would all be stuck in Stone Age, otherwise!

While Diego Maradona dazzled us with his skills on the football field, it is time for the world in 2020 to define, identify, and nurture the talents we need for the next century. COVID-19, will come and go. Some other disaster may strike us again, who knows. But, we should not stop dreaming of what talent,  faith and toil, can do for this planet. Talent eases us, pleases us, and even makes life pulsating and energetic. Perhaps, that is what we are missing right now. Let's keep the faith for a better tomorrow, as no epidemic or disaster can stop human talent, which is far more powerful than the enemy (whether known or unknown).

Just remember Maradona's talent, though it is sad that he is not with us anymore. But if what he showed us on the football field is anything to go by, here is still hope for a better tomorrow.

MS Dhoni - the art of the possible!

This is a timestamp that will be recorded for posterity - 1929 hours on the 15th of August 2020. At the potential peak of the COVID-19, and on India's 73rd Independence Day, an iconic cricketer, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (MSD) announced his retirement from international cricket. The mightiness of this extraordinary cricketer simply lies in the narrative he changed, both today and when he played for India. As a cricket fan, there are a few things that I learnt from MSD that indicated the art of the possible.

He changed the narrative in the initial days of his career itself, with his long hair, pulsating strokeplay lower down the batting order, only to be matched by extraordinary glove work behind the stumps. That combination alone had not been seen on a cricket field before. We never knew about anything called a helicopter shot before he played it, either! MSD  proved to us that being unorthodox, creating your own brand of cricket, and yet sticking to the high standards of the game are perfectly capable of co-existing with each other.

Needless to say, his iconic rise to global stardom from small town India is now part of cricketing folklore. That aspect of his great career alone, made many subsequent Indian cricketers and Indians from various walks of life to believe that their skills could also matter on the world stage. He taught us to dream, and to dream big for a better tomorrow, to be recognised for your skill and for who you are.  His hometown, Ranchi, which was considered an after-thought as a cricketing venue, got one of the greatest sporting facilities in the country and a pavilion named after MSD! Clear impact of the man and what he delivered as a cricketer!

In the context of the world entering the great financial crisis, in 2008-09, with many people losing hope, MSD offered hope. Simply because, he showed us the ability to bounce back. The Indian cricket team did not qualify for even the quarter-finals in the ICC World Cup in 2007 and that is considered a huge setback for the team of that time.  From that disappointment, the team went on to win the coveted trophy on that famous April night in 2011 in Mumbai. The photograph of MSD's supersonic six off the Sri Lankan bowler, Kulasekara will be etched in the Indian sporting memory forever. What is even more interesting is that MSD was hardly seen in the post-match celebrations and he left the stage for the other cricketing icon, Sachin Tendulkar, to own his moment. MSD, will be known for that winning strike, but he will be remembered even more for his leadership in Indian cricket, especially on that night. 

That's the endearing aspect of what MSD did. Yes, he was the captain of the Indian cricket team for nearly 6 years of his career. But, he never looked (from the outside) to be asserting himself on players, seemed to back many cricketers, created and gave small town boys the opportunity to express themselves on the world stage, and build a team that exhibited its skills well. And he was such a quiet man, per media reports. Which tells you a thing or two of how well he must have engaged with the team for them to believe that the decisions he took as a captain would be in their best interests: Another abject lesson of how leadership should be!

Interestingly, his first big win in the T-20 World Cup in South Africa in 2007, was perhaps a pre-cursor of things to follow. The greatest evidence of that accomplishment was the emergence of the global brand called IPL. He was one of the key players who has changed the narrative for 20-20 cricket in the last 13 years. There are endless number of games when MSD kept us on the edge of our seats, in nail-biting finishes in IPL cricket! But what was even more impressive, was the way he was universally accepted by audiences all over India, even though everyone knew that he was the captain of the Chennai Super Kings team. Hardly have we seen a cricketer whose name is chanted in a cricket stadium, when you know that he is the opposition captain. MSD allowed us to celebrate him, as we were cheering our national cricket captain, even though he was playing IPL club cricket! Universal acceptance, is another great thing he taught us. 

I have often pondered, what is it that this incredible cricketer did, which many others with gifted backgrounds sometimes fail to do? While I have never had an opportunity to meet the great man, as a keen follower of cricket, I am convinced it is the sheer hunger to maximise his skills and find solutions to construct the art of winning, is what fundamentally made MSD reach where he did. And that, to my mind is an extraordinary lesson he gave us - find a solution with what one has and can utilize, to win, in any given circumstance.

Nowhere else is this hunger better manifested than in the title of the greatest 'finisher in limited overs cricket' that he earned. Realistically, before him, limited overs cricket did not have too many considerations for the art of winning games from impossible, and nearly losing positions, in a cricket match. Till the time MSD was at the crease, clearly, opposition captains and bowlers would never be able to estimate if they even had a chance of winning. Why and how MSD made them feel that way? That is where I believe the power of his mind to think of solutions to win a game, from any situation, was limitless. A lesson for many of us.

Obviously, as is well known, his temperament is increasingly taking on the flavour of becoming a great case study in psychology and management of emotional intelligence. We are all used to hearing EQ being more important than IQ, when one is at the highest level or at any given level in an organisation. In the case of MSD, to have played his brand of cricket with free expression and an uncluttered mind, with such extraordinary balance and poise, is truly a hard act to follow. It may well be in the realm of a psychological case study on how to stay calm, and maybe he could contribute to some pioneering research in that sphere alone!

In conclusion, MSD is a legacy that will stand the test of time and will be cited as a fantastic example of cricketing greatness. Future generations of cricketers will undoubtedly be advised about the MSD school of cricket, which is hard to replicate and incredibly unique. We must take a moment to recognise that we have in our midst a champion cricketer, who cascaded into our homes with a smile, led the country's cricket team to unimaginable heights, and showed us the merits of free expression of talent and poise. Difficult to get such a combination again. 

Thank you, MSD! You will be missed!

10 years in SAP!

It is a true landmark in my life as I complete 10 years in SAP. As cliched as it may sound, it has been a nice, long, memorable experience.

I came into SAP with the knowledge that it was the world's number 1 ERP company and that it was one of the leading companies in Germany. Part of that knowledge was based on my prior experience as an Industry Analyst where I wrote market reports on the Indian software industry and the performance of leading lights such as SAP. It was only after joining this technology major did I realize how little I knew about this entity from the outside.

My first foray into this gigantic German corporation was in the Competitive and Market Intelligence (CMI) team in India, within the overall Corporate Strategy group. That role gave me the first taste of what it means to be a Global Lead and to take ownership in every aspect of work that mattered to a global stakeholder group. In as much as it was about solid content and delivering quality performance, it was equally about understanding the dynamics of working in a global corporation. Performing on the job, understanding the company culture, picking up the organization dynamics, and learning to operate globally were all part of the job description in the initial years. Those lessons hold me in good stead to this day, and continue to evolve.

To put things in a business context, the SAP group revenues were €10B globally in FY 2007, with about 43,000 employees worldwide. The group is now €23.4B in revenues, with over 85,000 employees. The stock price on the day I joined was €38 and has reached €106 today. I guess that’s what it means to more than double the business! And it has changed complexion completely, as I explain further.

Over the last 10 years, there has been a massive transformation in the technology sector, of which SAP has been a major catalyst.  Be it the move from traditional on-premise to the cloud, or the more recent shift to digital and intelligent solutions, the market has expanded into areas that did not exist a decade ago. And to adapt, learn, grow and develop a series of career opportunities in such as fast-paced environment is a rare privilege.

In the last 10 years, I have been bestowed with opportunities that I thought were unthinkable earlier. This diversity in roles, the nature of the projects, the rich interaction with extremely senior executives in the technology industry, have offered me vast, enriching opportunities with new learning and growth. Not to mention a horizon that I did not have earlier. I quite simply did not know so much about the technology market a decade ago. And in a large measure, it is the quality of the people that reside here who have helped shape that knowledge capital over the years and continue to do so. More on that, in just a bit!

This was the place where I learnt the true meaning of the term ‘truly global’. I travelled to countries that I had only seen on the world map before. There were opportunities to work on projects with global leaders that you could otherwise never access, or who would never know of your existence. Other interesting experiences included changing portfolios and opportunities to learn new things every few years. Even within regular projects, one had a learning curve on various topics and new angles of analysis that have been intriguing and enriching at the same time.

More importantly, it has been nothing short of dazzling for me to interact and work with the some of the greatest talent in the world. Never in my life did I think that I would get to work with people from Germany, Singapore, China, Australia, Taiwan, Japan, Indonesia, UK, France, Netherlands, Russia, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, and many other countries.  The sheer diversity in talent and the rich knowledge capital that resides with them, the interesting personalities, the amazing coffee corner and networking conversations, and the differences in cultures and backgrounds of people, have all made it tremendously worthwhile. These experiences have convinced me that in general, people wish well and hope for a better world.

There have been some unique personal experiences too. Once when the SAP General Manager of a global business met me for the first time at a Miami offsite and asked me if I was vegetarian (aboard a team boat cruise that had ~100 other people around vying for his time). I was spellbound! Or, another instance in Germany where another General Manager translated a German menu at a restaurant into English for me amidst 10 top executives. Or when that group's Chief of Staff took care of my transport in Germany personally in an Audi sports convertible (@180-200 kmph on the autobahn!). And during that same trip, I was given the rare opportunity to present on stage, my vision on what that business can do by 2020 – I was standing in front of leaders at a leadership offsite with seniors who had 30 years’ experience, at least! I was left speechless. Or, when a colleague dropped me back safely at the SAP guest house after a team dinner, when I didn’t have local transport at that hour (again in an Audi car @200 kmph, which was slower than the colleague’s regular speed of 240-260 kmph!). And many other such memories!

Sure, there have been challenges along the way. Many of them, in fact. Be it adapting to newer lands, or sitting through hard technology sessions with limited technical background, or to understanding roles, responsibilities and expectations of multi-cultural managers and adapting to their styles, etc. Such challenges are only to be expected in a 10-year journey, in any case. But, challenges have demonstrated that one can always bounce back. After all, there are no shortcuts in becoming and staying as the number 1 enterprise software company in the world.

SAP has been an identity, a culture, an endless ocean of learning opportunities, and a remarkably international group that has shaped my personality in many ways. I have learnt many things about myself – positive and negative. I learnt to experiment, to try, to learn from failures, to adapt, to learn about the world and its different cultures, to understand that one need not know it all and that there are many others who are far better in areas that I may not know anything about.

More than anything else, this German giant has genuinely taught me to try and be the best version of myself. Or, can possibly be. That goes far beyond anything that I will ever learn about any technology.

Thanks for the last decade, SAP! You have given me something to treasure forever. Look forward to greater times ahead!

The constant lessons from sport

Every time I experience something euphoric or good, I always think of how a sportsperson would feel upon winning a championship for their club or country or the team he/she is representing. It really must be an unparalleled joy to see victory and reap the benefits of hard work. Equally so, every time life puts me in my place, I turn to sport for inspiration and lessons. And even when things are going as per routine, I end up looking at sport to teach me the discipline in keeping normalcy going. 

Of course, my bias is towards the greatest sport I relate to i.e. cricket. But, I appreciate all other sports and the the lessons they offer. In all my growing years, I was mesmerised by the iconic impression that the cricket had on me. For many years, I watched it as just a game. But, in the late '90s and in the first decade of this century, I realised how much of what sportsmen go through could well relate to many of our lives.

While I have never been a sportsman worth mentioning (played street cricket, at best!), I have always wondered why I turn to this amazing phenomenon of human expression to help me in my life. What is it about sport that helps me continuously try and see parallels in my life? How is it that I look to sport, in my toughest of times, for inspiration? Perhaps it is the emotion of sport that helps one understand the emotion of success and failure in life. Or, perhaps it is the ability of sport to offer reason for success or failure. Maybe, it is the combined effect of emotion and reason, along with the circumstantial and hard facts, that illustrate why something in life happened, or did not happen? Or, maybe it is the mystical aspect of sport that can be translated into life itself i.e. some things can never be explained. I have thought about this for a long time and wanted to pen this down today.

Firstly, I am convinced that sport is a manifestation of life itself. The ups and downs of sport are a reflection of what many of us experience over our lifetime. But what I have come to appreciate the most, is the magic of temperament that sport teaches us. I personally do not know of any other university that teaches us the importance of temperament better. Be it in good times, or even more importantly, in bad times, it is the attitude and temperament demonstrated in various situations that differentiates our own interpretation or response to that situation. As we have seen, sport is about handling different scenarios - running well between wickets, getting the opposition out, scoring big runs, helping your team mate, practicing hours on end in the nets, working out in the gym, controlling life outside the ground, or acknowledging that the opponent is better than you on the day, and so on.

Secondly, as I was growing up in sublime Bangalore, I never realised that sport can be the greatest teacher possible. Sure enough, I learnt from human beings who were great teachers in school and college. And I grew up with friends who taught me a lot. But sport taught me things that transcended anything I ever learnt from a book or a person i.e. the importance of digging deep to improve one's skills, the art and science of practicing what one wants to be good at, the discipline and the commitment in not wavering from goals, the ability to see ambition as a far greater package of life that goes beyond monetary benefits, etc. It is the world's most fascinating university that has taught me life skills.

Thirdly, sport has taught me that tomorrow is another day. One needs to try harder than today in order to make the future better. This may mean working harder, or may mean sacrificing current times for a greater tomorrow. Sportsmen do this. All the time. The regimen of their lives is never fully understood, given the fanfare that is seen in the media. What is never shown are the long hours at the gym, or the strict diet, or the timeliness in their sleep patterns, or the overall discipline to become the best that they can be. While all that they do is not directly transferrable to everybody's life, I do believe that the ingredients that go into making a great sportsman are eminently usable in the pursuit of improving one's own life.

Fourthly, watching sport over time has taught me that the greatest of sportsmen have ambitions and dreams that go far beyond what their fans have of them. Having never been a sportsman, it may be hard to explain, but I understand the sentiment. I look no further than Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, or a Roger Federer, who demonstrated this in recent years. While Sachin was born to decorate the sport with his career, Rahul had to continuously prove his worth in order to succeed. Sachin once said that he never felt the pressure of expectations of a billion+ Indians when he played for India, because his own expectations of himself were far higher than the collective expectations of his fans. And Rahul, on another occasion said that he spent a long time in trying to be the best version of himself that he could be, on the cricketing field. What a way to think!

Fifthly, some things in life never really happen, despite our best efforts. Even there, sport teaches us to believe. It teaches us to constantly keep at it and to regularly believe that change will come. Improvement will happen. That the future will shift in our favour. That nothing really is permanent. What seems difficult today, may seem plausible tomorrow. The greatest education that sport has given me is to never let go. Keep trying till such time the doors open. It may take a long time to open, but if the effort and mindset are sincere, the doors will open. This is marvellously illustrated by what the great Indian opening batsman, Sunil Gavaskar, who once famously said, "If the doors don't open, score more runs and the break the door open such that the selectors are forced to select you to play for your country". This was in reference to cricketers playing first-class cricket and who harboured dreams of playing for the Indian national cricket team. Wise words!

Lastly, I was recently watching the story of that iconic gymnast from yesteryear, Nadia Comaneci, on YouTube. What a sublime story of raw talent reaching the greatest of sporting heights (a perfect 10 in gymnastics in the 1976 Montreal Olympics) at a young age, only to be followed by tremendous tests in her real life in later years. While I don't know the great champion, I am guessing that having been a sportswoman might very well have helped her cope with the many difficulties that she had to face later in life. I think sport has the ability to teach us that i.e. treat victory as a part of life, and ensure that one builds the heart and temperament to handle failure. Easier said than done!

Sure enough, sport is about winning. But, even more so, it is about excellence and maximising one's skills. I think almost all of us have the intent to do better and to excel in our area of our choosing. Sport has taught me why the dream of achieving excellence is a far more sustainable and fulfilling outcome, than just winning. We always remember hard fought victories of our favourite teams. We always recall great players who won games for their teams/countries when their backs were against the wall. Much of this, I think, is the process that has gone into building their skills i.e. achieving excellence. And the pursuit of that excellence will make all of us go through a series of successes and failures in our lives, just like sportsmen do. Undoubtedly, it will have phases of self-doubt, and incredible uncertainty along with periods of success that one may have thought was unattainable. But, what is incredibly critical, is that sport creates avenues for self-belief. And teaches us to stay balanced, come what may.

Sport is one of the greatest joys in our lives and is perhaps needed even more in modern times, where anything except winning is considered second-grade. What we need to remember is that, there is only one winner in sport, on a given day. But, the ones that do not win today, might have a chance of winning tomorrow if they learn the right lessons. That is what I choose to always remind myself about, come rain or sunshine. Thank you, sport! You are my greatest life coach!

Change in psyche - technology analyst to internal auditor

One of the big changes in my professional life happened on the first of July this year, when I changed from being a technology analyst to an internal auditor. It is a change that I imagined would happen at some point in my life and I am happy that it has happened. But, what I underestimated (in a positive way) was how my thinking could change, once my work profile changed. 

For starters, I have a background of a decade and a half looking at the external market as an industry analyst. Suddenly, I have the wonderful opportunity to do the exact opposite i.e. work as an internal auditor and look at the internal perspectives within a company. That is a radical shift and in fact needs an altogether different approach and thinking. As opposed to finding market opportunities earlier, I now need to think about how to improve things internally. Or, from looking at how a company can maximise an industry trend in my earlier job, to now looking at minimising risks. 

The opportunity to be an internal auditor is unique. It is one of those unique professions that provides an in-depth perspective into every aspect of a business and interface with executive management. The role, based on what I have understood in a week, is not only dramatically powerful but also incredibly useful to a company's inner workings. There is so much to learn, there is so much that one does not know in a new profession. And that's why I believe that my thinking is already changing, as I see the kinds of possibilities in this new profession. 

Sure, I am going to be challenged severely by veterans in internal audit. I am not the first to enter this profession, nor the last. But, the sheer challenge of learning something new, or of proving to myself that I can get out of my comfort zone and do something as well as I possibly can, is one of the most exhilarating professional feelings that I have experienced in a while.

In the last one week, I have learnt to see how my previous job is a wonderful starting point for this new job. To begin with, one has to understand the market realities before investigating how the company in question can improve. So, I have a solid starting point. And from that point on, as an internal auditor, I get to dig deep into various aspects of the internal workings of the company. 

I could not ask for a better combination than this to change my thinking. It's different, it’s a natural transition from external to internal roles, and hopefully provides a well-rounded perspective of both external and internal business conditions in a few years. 

It is amazing how thinking can change within 1 week of a new job, nay, a new profession in this case. Analyst to auditor may seem very radical at most times, but it makes far more sense to me now than it did a few years ago. Look forward to the journey!

The beauty of learning about the Bengali life

I have been lucky to meet, befriend and get to know a bit about the Bengali way of life. Over time, I have made some truly fascinating friends from the great city of Kolkata (prefer calling it Calcutta). Though I have had Bengali friends since school, it was only when I left home for my MBA and later in my working life that I got to know a lot about Bengalis. They are one of the most interesting creed of people that I have ever known. 

My first taste of Bengal was back in school at the famous K.C.Das restaurant in Bangalore. I still remember the few evenings when my dad used to bring back a pot full of rasagolla (I later on learnt that it is roshogolla!). Gradually, I picked up the other wonderful savouries that the Bengali had to offer, for desserts - mishti dohi being an all-time favourite. But, my interesting association with Bengalis went far beyond food. I got to meet some really interesting people from that part of the country.

The one thing that has stood out for me, always, is the sheer amount of time that Bengalis seem to have in their lives. I have never understood it, but, they just seem to have that much more time for everything in life. Time to study more. Time to discuss a topic more. Time to admire the charm of nature, a bit more. Time to immerse oneself into the depths of a subject. Time to remember the famous verses of a Tagore. Time to watch the timeless classics of Satyajit Ray, starting with Pather Panchali. Time to start talking about a subject in the evening and still talk about it well after dinner. It’s amazing, how they just seem to have that extra bit of time, compared to others. Maybe, I am biased, but that really has been my standout experience in all of my interactions with them.

The other unique thing about every Bengali that I have befriended, is their eyebrow. It is thick, period. And, all of them, without exception have thick eyebrows. Is it because of the amount of fish they eat? Or, is it because of anything else that they do, which others don't? The size of their eyebrows becomes even most pronounced when a brow is raised, or if there is a quizzical look, or if enter into a debate with you. That's the first thing that I observe about their facade.

Talking of facades, their women are so good-looking. Be it at C.R. Park in Delhi, or Park Street in Calcutta, or the Bengali community in my lovely city Bangalore, all the women that I have ever befriended just look stunning. Added to that is their intellectual horsepower, which makes it an even more engaging proposition. I think, that really seals the issue of the Bengali charm - the sheer combination of intellect combined with beauty. Over time, I have reached the conclusion that the Bengali woman knows that she is very, very good-looking and hence perhaps goes out of her way to look good.  

There are other things about the Bengali life that I have loved. The interiors of their houses are so tastefully done. There is always place for a classy gramophone, or a violin, or a guitar, or sitar. Most of them will ensure that there is some form of a library, or at least a bookcase to store/showcase some of the choicest books written in the history of mankind. Not to mention, the Bengali choice of colours - quite breathtakingly unique. There is always a brush of one colour interspersed with the other. For example, the sofa may be brown or purple, while the gramophone sitting alongside it will be shining golden with a Tagore record player soothing an audience on any given evening. 

Tagore reminds me of the other thing that I truly cherish about Bengalis, their interest and choice of music. It is quite amazing how they manage to learn that much about music of different kinds and also manage to build a collection based on their individual tastes. After all, it was the Bengali community that gave us a timeless legend called Kishore Kumar, who I am a very, very big fan of. A talent like no other, and a man who has a song for me, raised in the south of India, for every mood and occasion or situation of life. Genius!

Of course, in all my interactions with my wonderful Bengali friends, I have hardly heard them mention about a certain Sourav Ganguly or about the closely related priceless jewel, the Eden Gardens. That pride with them is a given, though, not all of them have talked to me about it. I experienced the sheer passion for these two truly iconic symbols of Bengal in 2008, when I visited Calcutta for the first time. The acres and acres of the cricketing maidans and the quality and competitiveness of club cricket there was an eye-opener. I had only heard about English county cricket, or at best, Mumbai league cricket being that competitive. But, I saw true passion for sport on the maidans of Calcutta. Those places are so well-maintained too. And for a person like me, having grown up in the south of India where information technology rules, I found it fascinating to see a universal adulation of that great ex-cricket captain of India and sport overall. He really is the prized sporting possession of Calcutta, and indeed, all of Bengal. It is understandable why. That man showed the entire country what it means to be aggressive - a trait that you generally would not associate with most Bengalis. 

Few things in Calcutta are as iconic as their famous yellow Ambassador taxis. It was an experience of a life for me to travel nearly 30 kilometers in one of those iconic vehicles during my trip to Calcutta in 2008. The vehicle has its own speed of movement, the drivers seem to enjoy owning one of Calcutta's pride, and there is always music playing in these vehicles. The driver can also be an engaging conversationalist. And the minute he realises that you are not local, he will start showing you Calcutta's famous landmarks. You needn't be a formal tourist to see that city. A normal taxi ride will do.

All in all, I have loved the Bengalis. Their celebration of the Durga Puja is a celebration like no other. But, my only grouse is, Bengalis don't easily seem to understand vegetarian, except a few. I was lucky with vegetarian food just once when two absolutely lovely Bengali girls from work, were kind enough to host me and made specific vegetarian food for me. However, I did not find vegetarian food easily when I visited Calcutta. Thank god, I knew about mishti dohi and roshogolla, before I landed there!

To all the lovely Bengali friends that I have, I just want to say one thing. Your culture and way of life has fascinated me for as long as I can remember. And I just love spending the time I did with you. As much as I like learning about new things and meeting new people, the charm of an evening spent with a Bengali friend is something to treasure. Like I said earlier, their taste, intellect and ability to hold a conversation, not to mention their good looks (not that it’s essential, but helps), has provided some terrific memories of terrific conversations. I can now say that I do know a few things more than roshogolla and mishti dohi...!