Politicos above all !

Even their tremendous fame and truckloads of money could not save the Bollywood bad boys - Sanjay Dutt and Salman Khan - from jail. A lot of people are claiming this as the ultimate proof that the judiciary is above everyone in India. I am not entirely convinced about this. To me, the judiciary will not be omnipotent until they are above the one class that rules them all- the political class. To this date, i cannot recall a single account of a top politician being sent to jail for a reasonable amount of time. Lalu Yadav, Shibu Soren et al have been in Jail for some amount of time but surely that timespan is not reflective of the crimes they were supposed to have committed.

politicos are above the law - and that is true not just in the lawless hinterlands of UP and Bihar - but also in cosmopolitan and urbane Mumbai. I don't need to take names for the politicos who are still at large inspite of aiding in heinous crimes. In many cases, the cases are dropped for lack of "evidence" or lack of "witnesses". Honest Police officials who are getting too close for comfort are transferred. Cases go on interminably. The reasons are aplenty.

While Judiciary is one of the few offices having some sort of honesty, i will not believe it is omnipotent until the policians are brought to justice.

Display Piece

One of the things that really bugs me is the use of display pieces in cellphone showrooms. I have changed mobiles more times than i care to remember, but i can recollect only one or two occasions where the salesperson showed me an actual working piece of the handset before buying the cellphone. Why can i not see the actual piece before i pay the money.

consider this: you go to buy a TV in a showroom. Will you ever buy a TV just because a salesperson has told you that it gives you the best pictue and awesome sound. No. You would want to see and hear it in actuality. We will insist on doing so for a TV which might cost us less than 10k. Then why not so for a cellphone which may cost in excess of 10k?

I need to feel the phone, check out its user interface, see how fast it is. Every user has one or two requriements which must be present in his cellphone. If I am switching brands, i need to see if the same functionality is provided by the new brand. I dont want to buy a piece and then see that it does not provide that functionality. That is why i dont want a dummy plastic piece but an actual working phone to test it out.

I would probably have settled for a dummy piece if the salespersons were any good. But 99% of cell salesmen have very little knowledge other than stock quotes like "Nokia battery is the best", "Motorola has good sound". I have been a sony ericsson user for long and can definitly attest that its battery is much better than a nokia. Yet the salespersons persist with such idiotic cliches. In fact, i fancy that i will teach these guys a thing or two about cell phones.

I guess it is upto us, the consumers to insist that we will not buy a phone unless we are shown an actual working piece. I do that now and if the shop does not agree walk out of it, even if it offers a less price. I urge you all to do it.

The Exam

Rrrrrrrrin ! Rrrrrrrring ! The harsh sound of the alarm brought Ram out of the dream where he was happily watching American Girls go by in an All American University.It had been Ram's dream since time immemorial to go for an M.S in the US of A. All through his graduation he had worked towards it. He was good with words and numbers. He had aced all the mock GREs. There was just one teeny-weeny problem. He had, inexplicably, failed to get even a decent score in GRE . His scores were so miserable that he dared not apply to any of the top 50 universities.

Today was his 3rd and last attempt at GRE. There was no way his father could afford another exam or the endless coahing classes. He had at last regained his lost confidence and was reasonably confident of making it this time. The exam was at 10:30 . He better hurry or he will be late for the exam. He got ready and drank the fresh Coffee made my his father. Ram had no mother. She had passed away when he was 9.

Ram decided that today he will take a rickshaw. After all, it was important that he reach the venue on time. For some reaosn, every auto that he stopped seemed to be averse to the idea of going in the direction of his exam centre. At long last, an auto, more out of pity than need, stopped for him and agreed to take him to the destination. It was already 10 am. However, he was sure that he will reach the venue with at least 10 minutes to spare.

As he neared the venue, he saw that the road was blocked. A commotion was taking place and as usual a crowd had gathered. He was irritated. He could not afford to get late for the exam. It was his dream. Ram waited in the Auto till 10:15. He realized that if he waited any longer, he might not make it. He started to move forward by skirting the crowd. But his curiosity got better of him and he peeped through the crowd. What he saw chilled his blood. A middle aged woman was lying in a pool of blood. She was apparently no dead, as her bosom was still heaving. She needed to be taken to hospital, but none of the onlookers was doing anything about this. PErhaps, people were afraid of the complications. Perhaps, they just did not want to help. Ram too did not want to get involved . He wanted to move. It was already 10:20 and he would get late if he delayed any longer. To his chagrin, his feet were rooted to the ground. His eyes were fixed at the horrific spectacle. But this spectacle was not taking place today. It was 14 years earlier. In place of the middle aged woman was his own mother. Ram was also covered in blood. The smashed kinetic lay to the side. The Truck which had rammed into them was nowhere to be seen. Ram saw himself plead with onlookers to take his mother to hospital. He saw his own desperate efforts to drag his Mother. He saw himself looking in disbeleif at his mothers blood soaked body which had become very still.

It was 10.23 .He will mosrt certainly miss the exam if he delayed any longer. Suddenly, Ram ran forward throught the crowd . He ran to the still alive woman . He picked her up and ran to the auto he had just abandoned. He ordered the Auto to go back to the hospital. The Auto did a quick U-turn and sped to the hospital. The doctor later informed him that 5 minutes late the woman would not have made it. She was now sleeping peacefully in her room surrounded by her children and husband. Ram had not left the hospital . GRE Exam had long since finished.

Ram started to move out . He had a smile on his lips. Today he had passed the exam. Today he had given life to a person. Today he had saved someone's mother, someone's wife. Today he had passed the sternest test of all, the test of character. Oh yes , he was smiling, GRE be damned .

The Kiss

The storm was at its fiercest. Cacaphonous lighenning and misty rain were playing hide and seek. We were holding hands and walking. Two hands that were becoming one with every step. Hearts that were coming closer with every step. World that was becoming farther with every step. The wind in her hair and the tornado in my heart were coming together in a strange symphony. The hair blew onto her face, leaving only a mesmerising glimpse of her eyes. They were sparkling with the brightness of newly lit love. They were speaking in a language which only lovers understand.

The tenderness of the touch belied the raging storm within. The softness of her hand was but a decoy for the passion of her heart. The wind changed direction, her hair blew away. She looked at me, face slightly raised. A single strand of hair caressing her cheeks. The face adorned by tiny little droplets of water. A tiny droplet was making its way along her glowing cheeks. Her eyes conveyed a longing, a desire to be loved. I turned towards her, all doubts in my heart now dispelled. Putting an arm around her waist, i pulled her closer. She closed her eyes. We closed our worlds. Now it was just me and her inside the comnforting embrace of the rain. As we came closer, the sounds became farther. The silence was comforting. Our lips touched, our hearts fused, and our love came alive !

I am Back and How !

Long Long Hiatus from blogging. There are several reasons for it but lets not delve into that. Here is the big News !

I AM GETTING ENGAGED TO MY SWEETHEART ON APRIL 1st !!

Inspite of the varied insinuations of the date, it is true and confirmed. Our five and half years of courtship is finally culminating in happiness. Yes I'm on seventh heaven and couldn't care less if India come last in World Cup :).

And yes......Blogging is on full steam now !

Avenues – the beginning

This is a post which underlines my experiences of working for Avenues 2006. A bit senti, but what the hell......this is my blog :). Read on ....

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Hostel beds had never looked so inviting. After a month of sleepless nights, hectic schedules, impossible deadlines, and innumerable difficulties, Avenues 2006 had finally culminated successfully. But for all of us, sleep was not easy. As we looked back to the two days of Avenues, each of us, with our own memories, was contemplating how Avenues had changed us. Starting from scratch, with no previous experience of organizing such a big event, we had surpassed numerous odds to make the event a success.

When the preparation for Avenues started this year, we had little idea, how much this event would demand from us, and at the same time how much it would contribute to us. Establishing teams, conceptualizing events, running for sponsorships, publicity campaigns, logistics issues and every minute detail to make sure that everything was done in perfect co-ordination; nothing could go wrong on D-Day.

“Avenues” was not any other event, it was our endeavor to build a brand name for our school, to showcase the talents at SOM and create a perfect platform for the interaction of students from engineering colleges and B-schools and corporates as well.

They say “Work expands to fill time available for completion”. Quite ironically for us, the expansion in the work was complemented by the fast shrinking time. Everyday was the genesis of a new task. Every endeavor threw new challenges. Confirmations and cancellations; disagreements and conflicts; nothing stood still. Except; perhaps, the burning desire in our hearts to make this event a success.

It’s hard to describe those everlasting memories of Avenues!

The endless meetings which ate into our sleep and leisure time;
The euphoria when another company decided to collaborate and support Avenues;
The sense of achievement when a game was developed completely in-house;
The endless calls we made for workshops, talks, and PR;
The valuable contributions; help and support of both batches;
The night before the first day of Avenues, when we stayed awake till 5 am to ensure that everything was ready;
The joys of seeing people from B-Schools across the country come to be part of Avenues;

The satisfactions of making a dream come true!

“Avenues” was all of this, and much more. A kaleidoscope of memories which encompassed the entire gamut of human emotions: joy, sadness, happiness, anxiety, anger, ecstasy, surprise, fear, but above all satisfaction. If there is one emotion which towers above everything else, it must be satisfaction.
The satisfaction of realizing a dream!

The theme of Avenues 2006 “Winning Matters” truly justifies our ecstasy. We have won in every sense of the word. But the victory is not complete yet. Avenues 2006 is just a beginning. It lays the foundation on which a much stronger brand can one day be built. It needs to grow from strength to strength over the next few years until it is recognized as the best B-School Fest in the country. And this is what forms the motivation to better each year’s effort.

As Robert Frost said, “The woods are lovely, dark and deep, there are miles to go before I sleep”. Be there at Avenues 2007 to be a part of this historic journey. You will not be disappointed.

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A big thanks to all the people who made Avenues possible . We have been part of a terrific journey , memories of which i will cherish forever.

One line reviews !!

Some movies i saw recently :

Don : Watch it if you are a SRK fan. But please don't compare it with the old and the much superior Don

Jaan-e-Mann : Great movie. Novel way of story-telling, great picturization of songs, great acting, and above all, the always stunning Preity :) .

Dor : A poignant and touching tale. A simple story but told in an engaging way . Watch out for another smashing performance by Shreyas Talpade .

I have got a Job :):)

Yes it is true . I have been offered a Place at Marico India limited (the same company where i did my summers ) and i have decided to accept it. I would be joining in June 2007. So that leaves approx 8 months of Freedom for me :). going through the B-School courses is just incidental :). As my posting is mostly going to be in Mumbai, here is one more addition to the ever increasing population of Mumbai :)

Blogging Break

Wow , had this real huge break. I have been really busy over the past month with the B Fest that we are organizing : Avenues 2006. We are starting the Fest all over again with a new format and new look. There were loads of things to be done and I don't think i have ever worked harder for any other event. The finals of the event would be held on 28th and 29th October and I really hope that it goes off well. You can visit the website here

Musings........

Is five years really a long time ? I was 19 5 years ago . Was it the right decision to take a decision which was going to change my life. At 19, I was just into college. Still finding my feet . Life was no hassles . College, fun , timepass , studies, cricket and movies were the only thing i cared about . Where was the place for a relationship . What did I know of relationships . What it takes to make a relationship happen . I did not have any idea . And yet , i committed . Committed to a life with one girl . I was as much reponsible to her as I was to me . She trusted me . She loved me . And i guess that was enough .

Today , As I stand on the threshold of starting a new life, i look back on that fateful day and try to imagine what my life would have been without that moment of madness . And frankly, it is unimaginable . It is as if the past five years have been written in indelible ink, which i cannot rub off nor can ignore for even one moment. For me , it is life till 19 and the life from 19 to 24. Till 19 , I was alone and happy . Since then, I am with her and satisfied. There is no doubt in my mind that I would do the same thing again if I had to go back 5 years . Probably, do it earlier. As i look at her smile , the love in her eyes, the only thing which comes to my mind is to thank her for making my life so wonderful . And I am sure as long as I can see that smile, that trust, my life will be wonderful .

I cannot describe how falling in love means. It is something that cannot be explained. It , well, just has to be experienced . Even today i wonder what is love. Is it the fact that her smile can make my day , or her words can cheer me, or her touch can electrify me , her tears can kill me . My sucess can be hers, her failures can be mine . Silence can speak a thousand words, eyes can convey a lot . Is it the longing i feel to meet her . Well love is all of this and none of this. Experience it and you will understand what I am talking about.

On Cloud 9 !!

I am on cloud 9 today . I cant write the reason right now. But will be doing so soon. Really really happy :)) .

Lage Raho Munnabhai...simply Amazing

There are movies that bring a tear..there are those that bring a smile. Never before have i seen a movie which does both.....in such a simple way. Simplicity.is what drives Munnabhai....no complicated fundas...no drama......no rich people in their pretty houses. Yet, everyone who was coming out of the Theater had a Big smile on his face.....Munna and Circuit had won again . I cannot remember a movie which got a standing ovation in the theater. Lage Raho did get.....and it fully deserved it. Watch it....if you want to smile :)

The Birthday

The cars kept coming . Mercedes, Porsche, BMW you name it ! The kids alighted, all of them resplendent in gleaming Nikes, Benettons , Polos . They stepped on the carpet lest their shoes get dirty. The party was already in full swing . Raj's 10th Birthday was a matter of extreme Joy to his parents and they had spared no money to display their Joy . Cooks had specially flown in from Delhi, Decorators from Autralia had made the home into a mini Hogwarts . The cake was a stupendous 10 feet high marvel. They had hired City's topmost DJ to entertain the kids, a livery of servant were on call .

The kids blew kisses in a poor imitation of their parents. They danced, ate, shrieked, chatted on Cellphones, and made merry. But there was one kid who was not making merry. He was staring wide-eyed at the spectacle. This was the first time he had seen such a big house. Back in his village, they used to have just a single room hut . It was only yesterday that he had come to Bombay for the first time. His mother was one of the scores of servants hired especially for today's party. He stared at their clothes, their cellphones , their gifts with disbelief. He wished he could also get expensive gifts like this. He had only 2 pairs of clothes, one of which (the one which was least torn) he was wearing today. His mother had washed him and applied soap, a luxury for him . After all, it was a very special day.

He suddenly saw something shining infront of me. It was a gold chain. It must have fallen off somebody. He picked it up in order to search for its owner. Just then one of the guests saw him and started yelling "Thief ! Thief" . The boy was stunned. He just stood there, paralysed. The kids started laughing at his shabby clothes . The owner of the house stepped forward and was about to slap the boy, when his mother came forward.

"Stop Sahib !!" , Said She, "I have stolen the chain and gave to him to keep"

The owner got very angry and slapped the mother very hard several times. He then instructed the Guards to throw both of them out.

Out on the street, the mother broke down. She could not stand and collapsed. The boy, too, now in tears, embraced his mother. He tried to explain that he was not trying to steal.

"I know", Said the mother between sobs, "I know you were not stealing "
"Then why mother, why did you do it " , Wailed the child.
"Its your birthday Chhotu", She said, " I could not let anything bad happen to you on your birthday" .

It was then he remembered that it was his birthday too, why his mother had cleaned him, why she had taken him to the city for the trip. He realised that he did not want any of those expensive gifts. He had got the best gift of all, his mothers love ! He just hugged her and smiled. She too smiled back . One bond had just gotten stronger !

Chaos at the Oval

A farce of amazing proportions at the ENgland Pakistan Test match at the Oval. Whatever might be the reason, the sequnce of events is plain unbeleivable . Read it here

Cola Wars....A ground reality ??

In response to my previous post, i got a mail from a class 10th student, Anupama from Kerala. She has written about the plight of the Villages where Coke has setup their factory . Read on -

I am Anupama.Studying in 10th.From Kerala.I have got much work to do than write an email to someone I don’t know.But you must know trhe truth.
Today when I read your opinion about Kerala government banning cola,I was absolutely shocked.

I used to drink cola-till a few years back.
One day ,a middle aged man with a white beard came to our school.He told us about a place called Plachimada.The coca cola plant is situated in plachimada.

The company promised jobs for the villagers[mostly adivasis].But only a few got jobs.
The company dug 16[or 60] borewells.
The water table depleted.Within 1 year,the wells there dried up.Even if there was water,it was salt water.The villagers started a protest in front of the company.
The company gave the waste matter to the farmers saying that it was a good fertilizer.But the trees were destroyed and the once green village is now barren.
The women have to walk 5 kilometers every day for water.They have to buy drinking water.

Our school went there with a group of students[I included] to support their protest.
Our teacher wanted to go to toilet.The man of the house said,we don’t have enough water,since we have to buy it.So please use it carefully.
Our sir was touched and he paid the price of one bucket of water[60rs]

The next time we went ,it was an international conference.We had food from there by the organisers.But we could hardly wash our hands because there wasn’t enough water.

We stopped drinking cola
-not because CSE found pesticides in it
-not because government banned it
-not because we wanted to show-off

But because we were touched by the plight of the innocent villagers.
Later media & politicians used the chance to their advantage by banning cola.

The local newspapers carried reports of even solid waste in cola bottle[my friends have the paper cuttings]

In UP too there is a plant and the villagers are suffering.
Wherever the company has spread its tentacles,protests broke out.

PLEASE GIVE A SECOND THOUGHT BEFORE YOU OPEN THE BOTTLE.

BECAUSE,THE LIQUID INSIDE IS MADE FROM THE TEARS OF THOSE VILLAGERS…..
THE SIZZLING SOUND IS THE VOICE OF THEIR PROTEST……..

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A really passionate plea from a young girl . I myself am ambivalent about the issue. I am concerned about the exploitation and yet somehow i cant bring myself to stop drinking colas . Dont know what to do about this