Getting it right

Are you running,... I am too!. At what speed.......Oh!, I need to lap up then. You think you can win and whats your score..?? Are you one, constantly interrogating others. Sadly, you are a victim of rat racing. Once entrapped, it gets difficult to get out of it. In today's fast paced life, such comparison is easy to set in because of rigorous competition and pressure cooker environment. With such a mindset, success is often snatched than earned. Eventually, it becomes a way of life, thereby loosing all enthusiasm of the process.  Individuals, most vulnerable to rat racing tend to possess an insecure mindset. Their concern is more on other's status of achievement than their own issues. Though externally they might fabricate their views  'of being competitive' ; deep within they are in capable to face failures. It could be a tough task to manage and work with such personalities because of their doubting nature and their great ability to give excuses. There is a...

It was delightful to watch Prime Minister Modi being so well received and hosted by USA and now Australia. That these economically developed nations are keen on investing in India and India too reaching out in a new and improved fashion , is a good sign for our country's future. With mounting expectations, it certainly appears that the Government is slowly but surely moving in the right direction, at least on the diplomatic front. Several promises and resolutions have been made in these diplomatic and NRI meets. I would like to dwell a little on the much talked 'Swach Bharat' Mission. Cleanliness and Timeliness has always been an issue with us,especially at the Public level. According to me, lack of correct policies and measures to punish the wrong doers, is the major problem. Also, to succeed in this mission fully, attitudes need to alter first. Else this process will always remain a temporary one failing to create a grass route impact and achieve fruition. Common sc...

The lifestyle that once was - The Hindu Rekindle those old days

Can we assess our conscious and sub conscious emotions for a moment by totally distancing ourselves from technology, particularly mobile phone.Would isolation from technology creek us and create a huge vacuum or have cellphones stitched themselves with our lives so much that, not owing one would leave us far behind. It hit me, when I recently planned a luncheon with my friends and started feeling helpless due to constant botheration by my phone. When someone would share a thing or ask an opinion, the phone would prompt for attention .It kept my mind occupied more than my conversation with my pals. Eventually though, I found similarities all across my table. Each of us, though physically present, managed to chatter along without any significance to our daily lives.Well, it always feels good to catch up with your friends, I still wonder the core purpose of our meeting. The very piece of instrument that helped us organize this meet, ultimately kept poking and popping at frequent inte...

You ask to sing, I sing to you; you ask to dance, I dance for you You’re the master and the creator As mere actors we dawn the stage, And perform as scripted by thy When swayed from the scene, disturbing the drama To our rescue, you come, oh Rama! As thoughts overwhelm my mind and stink it with ego I ask you to interrupt and stop the flow Take me, caress my thoughts, refresh and renew it With a breath of fresh air, you awaken our wounded minds Can it regain the state of oneness or dance to other desires, who can tell! Stay with us and illumine us at every wrong step taken or bad thought arisen Take us to your world oh dear Rama .

MSD just became India’s most successful test captain. If one has to analyze him as a subcontinent captain, I believe, India is lucky to have someone of MSD’s character and personality.  He is someone, who is always on the lookout to set new precedents, almost uncannily. Purely cricket wise, he has always been unorthodox. Being so, it takes guts and immense determination to back oneself and accomplish such achievements. By no means has he finished. His verbatim always point and give us an indication that he has good control of mind, actions and emotions.  There are various examples of small town Indian cricketers creating buzz on entry and then bombing badly, only to disappear.  Despite great highs and some lows, MSD has managed to hang in there and create unique cricketing records for India. He has always baffled viewers and commentators alike with his unique on field decisions. Some work, some don’t, but in his case, he has this ability to pull the rabbit out at th...

 It is always your neighbor who will respond to your call or plea first, than any distant relative or friend, no matter how closely connected you are with them. A neighbor probably has a sense of every movement and happening resulting at your place. He keeps knowledge of your eating and style preferences, frequently visited places, people and many other things. His might not be the greatest suggestion on earth, but there is no way to dodge or get away from him as he is going to stare into you every possible day. One can ill afford to have a ‘face off’ relationship, as it would serve nobody’s purpose. Raising tempers, constant bickering not only creates a bad impression, it also would make life miserable. It always pays to give in and act cordial not matter how bad or arrogant your neighbor is. Your turn will certainly arrive, as what goes around also comes around. There certainly will be occasions where your help would be sought by him; therefore he’ll have to show equal under...

In an era of dominance through the 90’s until recently, there have been few blips in America’s super stardom. Keeping aside the political controversies at a national and international level, the United States of America have always fascinated the world. Be it fashion, music, education, sports, movies, it has always tried to be ahead of others. The drama surrounding the recent US elections personifies this phenomenon. Despite all issues, in a general sense, people of my generation in India, have always wanted to realize the Great American dream by making a visit at least once in a life time. We’ ve have always wanted to do what America does, dress like them, eat their food and so on. But this great American phenomenon is fast waning due to rapid Globalization and emergence of other economies, notably China. I am quite confident in my mind that America will rise again and become competent, but I am not quite sure if it becomes the dominant force it was. And dare I say that! ...

With the mandate on CSR, the Government has clearly given an indication that, its resources are too short to reach the needy and desperate in our country.  I am certainly not in favor of this initiative. It is not like saying that a ‘Corporate should do only so much’; as, an organization has to do its bit to support and bring inclusiveness. But mandating activities like CSR upon its financial numerical is hard to fathom. I have always believed that giving is different from sharing. Corporations give, they don’t share. This giving can be more impactful without any strings attached by the Government. If the Government is thinking of poverty eradication through CSR, I am afraid it isn’t going to succeed.  In addition to employment generation and direct contribution to the economy, I feel the Government is asking for too much through this mandate. In turn the Government should consider making effective use of taxpayer’s money. It should look for means to improve the existing...

It’s a time of the year when the festive spirit is on its rise. Come August, almost with dwindling rains, people in Mumbai, gear themselves for a host of celebrations and gatherings. With several public holidays lining up, the second half of the year is a kind of period where numerous plans are laid out. The wholesome change in the mood that these festivals bring in is unmatchable. Kids love it and the mature yearn for it. Divinity entwines with custom and tradition, but the heartthrob of the celebration has always been the customary visits by relatives, friends, exchanging of gifts and eateries etc. All your worries are sidelined and your mind constantly oscillates on that incredible moment of meeting and feasting. FMCG companies start formulating means and ways to capture the consumer mood and produce schemes that try and make direct entry into their homes. Not wanting to be left behind, the tourism industry comes out with a variety of packages. From the perspective of commerce and e...

As the Indians get vociferous and buoyant about tabling the anti –graft bill, the resonance of the crusade is assured to be ingrained in the minds of the current and an upcoming generation. A nation that has had its fair share of problems (domestic and international); that is being ruined by petty politics and wrecked by middle men in possibly every sphere of life; this is the hour to crusade and fight for the right. With a majorly young population, the movement is going to be a revelation. Most of us have only read history books or learned from our elders about the Indian uprising or how the father of our nation stirred the nonviolent movement against the British. No matter whom the enemy is ,the principle value of non violent protest is being replayed to fight injustice. And that is why I say it’s heartening to see young Indians join the fight. As much as the cause and magnanimity of the fight is crucial, so is the role of the youngsters in the movement. Being corrupt is con...

With a ranking of No.1 in Tests and ODI’s, the recently crowned world champions should have gone for more glory and greatness. Half way through the tournament, the followers of Indian cricket are unhappy and clearly disappointed with their team’s performance. The inevitability of the result would have subsided ,had there been a more spirited display by the Indian boys. It could have been injuries, could have been niggles, but failure to compete once the line is crossed isn’t something the fans like seeing. Fanatics would have tore seat covers on such a shoddy showing. As players, it is imperative for Dhoni & Co to forget the results of the two matches’ and quickly gather the positives that came briefly. But the real cause for such a misery can be traced to the poor planning or rather no planning from the BCCI. It’s a known fact that Indians are slow starters when it comes to acclimatization to overseas conditions. Add that to the high quality fast bowling that was eagerly wai...

Life ain’t short, it ain’t long; a will to behold and be strong can help gather panache Clichéd life is just existence, Buttress it with smile; polish it with gusto, to make it a living Bite your sorrow, swallow your despair; Guise yourself with vigor, renew your energy and happiness will gush down Failure is temporary and success isn’t permanent Demean the result and enjoy the process, for below your breath, life is only an undercurrent.

In case you missed the month long madness in South Africa, you’d have to chance it four years later in Brazil. Sixteen years back, when an apartheid torn South Africa, were wielding ways to emerge from the despair, it would have required a magnanimous effort to wash the wrong doings. For those of the Mandela era would have been absolutely proud to watch the universal sport decorate its wonderful continent. As in any pre-event drama, FIFA were cautious of the preparedness of South Africa and its ability to provide ample security to the delegation. Though there were a few blips outside the arena, the security was top class. Over the few years, South Africa has fast emerged as world’s sporting and entertainment corridor. If anything, this event was grand and immense in many aspects and truly lived to its expectations. Watching the action, mostly from home, one thought kept running in mind; when would India ever play in a FIFA World cup, will it ever happen in my life time? It's a thou...

Isn’t there an uncanny parallel between the way Indian Hockey and West Indies cricket have conducted themselves over the years? One can evidence each any every move made by the Indian Hockey to have already been made by West Indies cricket. What did they achieve in doing that is the inference the Indian Hockey should have made a long time ago. The National game is clearly in a state of shambles. While the recently concluded World cup has ignited some level of lost interest, it is only for the sport and not for the Indian players. It was an absolutely terrible performance by the entire staff of Indian Hockey. Clearly they looked out of sorts and were found wanting. It's a deep rooted problem that the sport is facing in India. It’s not that we are starving for skill and talent. It is the shortage of refinement techniques and inability to mould the talent into skill. And where can we find the refinement and the moulding tools. It’s at the grass root levels; in schools and colleges. An...

Was 2009 a year to be forgotten? Downfall, allegations and acquisitions, were the adjectives that underlined the corporate world. A corporate house having its name synonymous with truth threw out its forgery to an already bruised economy, opening the year to many unexpected shocks. Adding to the pain of cricket lovers were the Lahore bullet beamers, Agassi’s taste for different type of medicines and his book launching tactics and Tiger’s manly acts. As the year unfolded, many sceptics felt that the year is going to be different. Predictions, speculations and suppositions went whizzing through our ears. Most of us wanted to stay put where we were. Risk became the buzz word. None of us could find the word trust that got lost amongst the bushes of sham and deception. Gradually, the air started to clear giving way to a bright sunshine of hope and optimism. Longing for a fully elected Government, India wanted to press ahead, the world’s powerful democracy got its first black President. The...

Consistently, in the recent past, India is being bracketed as an emerging economy and a deemed super power. The reason for this is manifold. It’s out there in the media, all economical forums, everywhere, about India’s success and achievements. Slowly but surely this country is making its presence felt at every platform. I have always been of the opinion that India’s road to becoming a world leader shouldn’t be judged purely on its economical and financial results. Where any country would love to ride on economical successes with sustained financial performance, it is the all round capability of a nation that makes it stand apart from the others. Innovations in science, astronomy, automobile, environment care, sporting successes are very important when adjudicating a country as supreme. Well, China, with its back ground and style of ruling should be out of comparison and that there are very few nations to be compared with, when considering the entire strata of things, we need to carve ...

I thought India vs Australia series is over, with India emerging victorious. But who would have thought that the Australian back lash would be of such form. Over the course of few years, there has been something about the two nations. Be it trade, tourism, sports, commerce, education etc. Both countries feel that the need for one other is more than ever before. With this backdrop of comradeship and friendliness, the current happenings were totally uncalled for. Smashing your guests at your home, speaks a lot about your character. It reveals a picture of hypo critic mind set. It says that, what ever we tell is not always true, but we’ll still say it out. To my mind the reason for the rage is beyond just the job capture. India is growing and is voicing its presence in many sectors. Well it may be true that, the cost of labour may be less and affordable in comparison to that of Australia, USA etc.. but this is no reason for hatred. Who is the ultimate gainer here? It’s both. In a Globa...

Sadly, the rule of service says that Human beings are rendered productively inefficient post 60 years of their life. Candidly put they mean to say they are utterly useless. I stand to defy this thought, for I think they can be major contributors for general upliftment of the society. Running on 60, one generally feels a sense of achievement, or probably a grief of underachieving for some. But at the end of all, with a touch of nostalgia, working professionals feel relieved of their individual offerings. What after that? A retiree has all the right in the world to relax, unwind, spend time with grand children, do things which otherwise they missed doing, walk around the park etc. Nobody can take away this basic right of theirs. Thinking progressively, the years of experience and abundant knowledge should be put to right use. Today in India the age group of 16-35 form the major portion of the total population. Such a young country potentially can achieve the unachievable. With such a cop...

You many have a zillion friends, but siblings are irreplaceable. Having scribbled a few lines on the substance of friendship already, I stand to distinguish the thin line between the two wonderful relationships. For starters, both are very important to me and I hold immense regard for both the associations. For all those people out there, who think friends are greater than brothers and sisters, please continue to do so, I am not here to do a conversion. Most of us treat our siblings as punching bags. How often can you yell at your friends, kick them, and boss them around. My study says that the frequencies of the above actions are much more with your brothers & sisters than with your friends. Secondly, how often do you heed your sibling’s suggestion, advice or requests, my points would go for friends in this instance. All this and more... By virtue of a common childhood, common room and of course common parents, our blood bonds are taken as contracted. Without discounting their imp...