InterFACE!!

No one killed Jessica - review

2011-01-12T12:36:00.000+05:30

The movie (dis)claims to be a mix of fact and fiction. They didn't tell me the ratio, but it must have been 10:90. Otherwise, what else can define the liberty taken in portraying the characters not the way they are in real life, specially when you have direct references available and that itself could make for great cinema.

Story is of a murder, of jessica, by a rich and powerful lad because she refused to serve him a drink. Its also about the legal fight fought-lost-reopened-and-won by the deceased's sister with help of media.

I found the movie oversimplified and caricaturesque. Not a bad movie, considering the performances and music (specially the music including background score by amit trivedi, which infuses soul in the scenes, delhi has been painted with music). But it fell short of what it could easily have been, had it avoided the card board characters (like that of murderer's mother who had just three lines in the movie (kuchh bhi ho jaaye, mere monu ko kuchh nahin hona chahiye)). Sabrina is a very strong woman in real life. She has wrongly been shown timid and at the mercy of media in the movie. NDTV didn't do all that (as has been shown in the movie). It was Tehelka, not NDTV. And the positive portrayal for Barkha Dutt immediately after radiagate smells fishy. Its good cinema, but not great cinema. There were moments when it touched (the honest police officer investigating the case telling Sabrina that he had taken Rs. 70 Lakhs just for not raising his hand on the accused and the expression of sabrina (vidya) after hearing this; or the one when the accused's parents visit sabrina's home and put a wreath on jessica's photo and jessica's parents, instead of asking them to get lost, ask for tea.) But these moments were far and few between.

All said and done, bringing this contemporary story to life, in a format which appeals commercially, is remarkable. I feel the liberties that the director Rajkumar Gupta took are because he wanted the film to a commercial hit. I don't doubt his (or ronnie screwala's (the producer's) intent). But the execution could have been better. Better than this, atleast.

But that doesn't mean that this movie is bad cinema (likes of housefull or laaga chunri mein daag). It is notches above the crap that indian cinema has seen (except for the small budget wonders like do dooni chaar and phas gaye re obama). And one must go and see it, just to pass on the message that this kind of cinema is supported not less than Housefull or Khatta Meetha.

Why this fuss?

2010-12-11T21:44:00.000+05:30

Read the article here.

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/117685/little-support-rajdeep-sardesais-defence.html

My comments:

I feel the defence of Rajdeep Sardesai and barkha Dutt are justified. The tainted journalists seem to be listening to their sources and getting the NEWS, but nowhere it is indicated that they actually acted as mediators or got something for their own from the either side. It is not what it seems like, there is no corruption involved the way it is being looked at. Why have the tapes surfaced now, why are they targetted at Tata, Barkha Dutt, Vir Sanghvi (people who are very very powerful but have unblemished public image). Who made the tapes surface in public? Is there any motive other than what meets the eye. I feel something is fishy abt this. The other day, i was listening to barkha dutt's panel discussion on the same issue. She had invited all the concerned, including Vinod Mehta of Outlook, for an open debate. He refused to participate. I might agree to someone's error of judgment (that they could have reported the story of some PR agent trying to broker deals between political parties). But what where is the corruption in this? I see none. I haven't heard the tapes of Prabhu Chawla and Vir Sanghvi, but for Barkha Dutt, the case seems simple. She reported her facts in the news broadcast without allowing her mind to become biased because of her "source". What she didn't report is not important. Question should be, did she hide anything to benefit someone, or did she broker the political deals? Answer is, No, she didn't. That should rest the case. Rajdeep, U are right.

Tsunami Diary

2010-01-07T14:50:00.001+05:30

Here are few memories drawn from the diary that I maintained during my stay at Nagapattinam in Jan-Feb 2005. - Anshul

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25th January 2005: Arrived at Nagapattinam today afternoon at three. While coming here, was expecting to see some sign of tsunami ravages. But nothing suggests that the place was so badly hit by the killer waves only a month ago. Except for a bridge connecting Karaikal (Pondichery) and Nagapattinam (Tamilnadu). It was broken, and Indian Army was repairing it. The state transport bus had to take a circular route avoiding that bridge.

Reached the NGO co-ordination center (NCC) directly. Sarat, Niloufer and Sachin had reached there in the morning itself (from Ahmedabad).

The NCC is situated in two parts-A tent on the right hand side of the district collectorate building (within the campus) and the first floor 5-computer enclosure in the collectorate office. Met few very interesting people acting as volunteers with the NCC. Mr Rammohan from Bangalore, a very senior development professional, has headed national level interventions, and now heading NCC for the last ten days and is with us till 28th. Ms. Latha Vasudevan, who lives in California and is from Chennai, has come out as a volunteer from Bhumika India, taking care of the front desk at the NCC. Ms. Archana, TISS alumnus and FES staff, has done good job in last 20 days and is now leaving tomorrow, taking care of demand aggregation and procurement at NCC. Ms. Achamma, from Canada, a senior finance executive and a documentary producer, cousin sister of Arundhati roy, and mentioned as little Sophie mall in God of small things, taking care of finance and logistics at NCC.

The rescue phase is over here. The rehabilitation phase is on. Temporary shelters are being built, provisions have been distributed, demands for left out items- women undergarments and fishermen's tiffin carriers- is now coming from villages.

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27th January: Today we went to Tharangamwadi village. We four didn't know Tamil, and Lata akka acted as translator for us. Tsunami had caused 400 deaths in this village. The habitation starts 30 meters from the sea. The houses, the huts as well as those built of brick and cement, have been washed away. Few stronger ones that have been ravaged but not fully destroyed have watermarks at human heights, signifying what level the tsunami waves reached on 26th. The sand at beach was not visible. The mortar and brick layered it fully. A half standing wall at the other end of the village had the other half swept away 100 meters away in the form of a boulder lying near the beach.

This is a SIFFS village. SIFFS has built 267 temporary shelters (@ Rs.8000 per shelter) and is repairing the boats in its newly constructed boat-repairing center at the village entrance. Government has also been very professional and efficient in responding to the disaster, and has put up 272 community sheds (@ Rs. 1 lakh per shed, one shed for 20 families) as temporary shelters. The ration (50 kg of rice and related eatables) and the Rs. 4000 per family compensation has been distributed. The list of deceased for compensation of 1-lakh has been finalized.

The destruction was mammoth and total. However, people seem ok, not complaining much. They have been provided with utensils, mats, clothes, and they have faith in the future- better shelters, better equipments. They are putting up brave face, but that's only a mask.

While talking to shelter number 103 (There was a child of eight or nine years saying something in Tamil to me. On enquiry, I got to know that he was saying "I live in shelter 103". I don't know what he meant. He belonged to a joint family and has lost his aunty and the cousin sister. Perhaps he identifies with his shelter number.), we got an insight of how difficult it is for them to do the daily household chores. There is a small enclosure of 12 feet by 12 feet for each family. No separate space for cooking, toilets ten for the whole village, one drinking water spot with three taps. Water supply is two hours a day. Only one donated pot for water. No place to take bath. Etc……………………………

A group of children were playing near the shelters. Sarat and Niloufer joined them. A small girl came near me and asked for one of my two pens. I gave her one. In two minutes time there were ten more children asking for the only pen left with me. I refused and walked towards the community shed.

The community shed is used for community prayers or meetings. I met there with two counselors from Sri Ravishankar's Art of Living Foundation. They informed me "The shock is very deep with people. But fishermen are very proud people. They will bear brave face in front of outsiders and will come as people that are not much affected. But each of them is deeply hurt, disturbed and desperate. Unlike the other disasters, tsunami doesn't leave many people physically injured. But their mental agony, people who understand what a bank is, won't be able to understand. These fishermen don't have any fall back option, and everything of theirs has been washed away. If it were an easily detectable depression, its treatment and handling would have been easy. But this silence of theirs is more disturbing. Since we realized the very nature of fishermen society, and understood that they won't feel comfortable in sharing their individual agony, we have started organizing the ma prayers two time in a day, in the morning and evening."

Nagapattinam has 73 such affected villages, and the number of NGOs working in tsunami hit villages had crossed the 400 mark.

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6th Feb: A Mr. Shyam from Software firm Delphi, Bangalore called me (he visited the site tsunami-india2004 and got the number) a week ago.

He wanted to help in any way that the NGO co-ordination center will be willing to take in software or database management. He wanted to be there at Nagapattinam for a day or two and design few things if needed. He sounded like those many calls that we were receiving from the compulsive but less serious volunteers. After consulting Vivekanandan sir on this issue, I got back to him saying 'no thanks'.

He said that was ok, and we can ask for him if the need arises.

Exactly a week passed, and yesterday (i.e. saturday evening) when I was coming out of the meeting organized for all the NGOs on the issue of construction of permanent shelter, this individual was waiting for me at the NCC tent. "Well, I felt that I sounded less serious, and in order to make up for the tone, I felt the need to come up and see for myself if the call that I made from my ITPark office in B'lore was a bit away from reality" is how he put it. We were happy to receive him.

I was taking care of the database at NCC, and with help from the programmer from SIFFS (Pradeep) I showed him how we were managing the database their. Surely, there were problems and inefficiencies. He stayed for a day, removed many bugs, and offered further assistance in web site management. Today he went, quietly back to Bangalore.

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8th February 2005: Visited the tsunami hit areas with subhash today.

Subhash is a Nagapattinam born engineer working in Singapore. When he heard of the tragedy, left his job at Singapore and rushed back home.

For initial days he lived in tsunami hit village 5 kilometers from Nagapattinam, slept in the verandah of the only home left standing in the village. Then he heard of the NCC and volunteered his services.

Raman, the American born Indian volunteering with NCC and taking care of the front desk queries and documentation, was also supposed to come. However, he was not feeling fine and went back to the hotel in the afternoon.

The beach here again was only 25-30 meters from sea. The port at Nagapattinam is hardly 3 kilometers away. The household with whom subhash was living shared their experiences with us. There is a bridge that connects the village with the city. When tsunami wave struck for the first time at 9:30 AM on 26th December, the bridge got obstructed.

The big trawlers (looked like steamers with capacity to carry more than 200 people) were flown in tsunami over the bridge and thrown five kilometers inside the fields. It came in a flash, with few minutes only. One trawler was thrown just across the bridge, preventing people to cross it. Thankfully, there was the parallel bridge under construction and the concrete has been put only a week ago. More than 3000 people took refuge on this weak concrete structure, few with the dead bodies of their dear ones in their laps. The second wave came at 9:50 and brought with it scores of dead bodies. But these bodies were of foreign tourists, swept away from the port few kms away. The dead bodies of people from this village were later found five or six kms down the sea. The third wave came after half an hour, bringing in more dead bodies. There was no connection from outside world even two days after the disaster. The whole habitation has been flattened and turned in to rubble. People, fearing outbreak of disease, dug up trenches near sea for bodies to be cremated or burnt. The water level in the area, because of proximity to sea, is hardly eight to ten feet, and hence the pit thus dug up was only of man height. Later, the low depth became a problem. The sea waves during the tide would come till the place and will bare the bodies or bones. The street dogs will take them out and eat. The street dogs had also become very ferocious and had bitten many since then. The district administration had to take out the bodies and recremate them. The health commissioner also ordered for all the street dogs to be poisoned (killed).

We met a small boy who goes to school in the near by town. He is a creative boy, and showed me few new sketches of his, three to be precise. Small hands had drawn three versions of his badi (colony)- immediately before the tsunami, during tsunami wave one, and after tsunami wave two. He says that people died in first wave as they were caught unaware. But destruction was caused more by wave number two.

Oscar to Gulzar and Rahman

2009-02-24T00:12:00.000+05:30

Two geniuses of our times - Gulzar and Rahman - have won the coveted and most famous award in the world of Cinema - Academy Award (Oscars) for their song Jai Ho! in Slumdog Millionaire today (22nd Feb 2009 in US, 23rd Feb 2009 in India)....... I am so happy!! here is the lyrics of song that won them the award.

Jai Ho!

Aaja aaja jind shamiyaane ke taley
Aaja zari waale neele aasmaane ke taley

Jai Ho!
Ratti ratti sachchi maine jaan gawayi hai
Nach Nach koylon pe raat bitaayi hai
Ankhiyon ki neend maine phoonkon se udaa di
Gin gin taarey maine ungli jalayi hai
Eh Aaja aaja jind shamiyaane ke taley
Aaja zari waale neele aasmaane ke taley

Baila! Baila!
(Dance! Dance!)
Ahora conmigo, tu baila para hoy
(Now with me, you dance for today)
Por nuestro dia de movidas,
(For our day of moves,)
los problemas los que sean
(whatever problems may be)
Salud!
(Cheers!)
Baila! Baila!
(Dance! Dance!)

Jai Ho!
Chakh le, haan chakh le, yeh raat shehed hai
Chakh le, haan rakh le,
Dil hai, dil aakhri hadd hai
Kaala kaala kaajal tera
Koi kaala jaadu hai na?

Aaja aaja jind shamiyaane ke taley
Aaja zari waale neele aasmaane ke taley
Jai Ho!

Kab se haan kab se jo lab pe ruki hai
Keh de, keh de, haan keh de
Ab aankh jhuki hai
Aisi aisi roshan aankhein
Roshan dono heerey hain kya?

Aaja aaja jind shamiyaane ke taley
Aaja zari waale neele aasmaane ke taley
Jai Ho!

Movie Review - WALL E

2008-09-01T11:41:00.000+05:30

WALL – E is an abnormal story of warmth-filled silence (film has hardly any dialogue), animated, on an earth which is uninhabited except for a cleaning-robot called WALL-E and his sidekick (a cockroach).

You hardly have any hook if you just hear the story before viewing it. But my god, even the machines can espouse emotions and that’s when you realise you are getting interested in the whole affair hardly 30 seconds in to the movie.

Pixar, the makers of this animation, show how real the animation can go, when you realise that the vast angles shown of earth and its sky scrapers are animated schenes and not the real life photographs/ videos. How the movie carries on with its narration despite no characters and no dialogue is a new chapter in movie making. A must watch for those who like feel-good movies.

The movie is a love story of Wall-E with another cute robot Eva. Premise is pre-posterous, of two machines falling in love, but not at all unbelievable the way it has been portrayed.

Anything from Pixar next time, and you will surely be tempted to see what new frontiers have they conquered. Wall-E is a defining effort.

Review - Rock On - the Hindi Movie (genre: musical)

2008-09-01T11:30:00.000+05:30

I have seen two movies in last two days – ROCK ON and WALL-E.

'Rock on' ke baare mein kya kahoon! It’s a wonderful musical, lekin who music rock hai is baare mein shak hai mujhe. Music behad acchha hai, kahani ko aage badhata hai aur film ki jaan hai, lekin pop-music ki tarah sunayi deta hai aur mere ROCK jaanane waale dost kahte hain ki electric guitar use kar lene se aur drum ke sounds highlight kar dene se koi music rock nahin ban jaata.

Criticism aside, the film has got something that keeps you engaged (depsite its slow pace), mixes emotions in to stories and songs to good effect and when the film credit rolls you can see everyone humming one or two lines from one of the 6 songs……….. lyrics are ajeeb – pedestrian but unique and hence its difficult to decide whether its lyricist’s genius to write such simple and well meaning lyrics or its one of those ‘chance’ products. Farhan, Arjun Rampal, Luke Kenny and Purab are top-class performers – on stage and in acting. All said and done, one of the rare musicals made in India that really shall find its place equal to “once” or “singing in the rain”.

DARK KNIGHT - Moview Review

2008-07-23T15:22:00.001+05:30

I saw the movie "Dark Knight" yesterday at a multiplex. The movie is too good, but I am confused about the genre I should place it in. It is a superhero movie, action movie, thriller, social drama, great face-offs through dialogues, great photography, great acting, moral drama where characters play mind-games (see Heath Ledger to know what the evil looks like. One of the promos for the movie said for the character played by him "Joker" – "Joker doesn't have any shades of Grey. He is absolute.")

One of my colleagues who watched the late night show said to me next morning that he couldn't sleep because Joker's slurping face came before his eyes the moment he closed his eyes. Such is the effect this character has on mind. So much so that even superhero Batman finds it difficult to understand his motivation and hence find a way to corrupt him. In one of the scenes, Joker burns all the money that whole of underworld had as parallel black economy saying that "Crime because of money is petty. All present day crop (of convicts) is sub-standard. Gotham city needs better grade (of criminals), of those who do not do it because of these petty gains." He, in another scene, questions "You do good, that is good, but what is good. That's a good question. I mean, if what I do was labeled good, you would have felt good in doing this as well. Its about everything going as per plan. If I blow a lorry full of soldiers, you won't feel a prick, because its acceptable in world's sinister plan. But if I kill a single poor Mayor after announcing that I will kill him, your world topples over its head because its not what the plan is. I do not plan, but make sure to demonstrate that no plan succeeds." Well, others have done their part very well, including Christian Bale as Batman. Special effects are top class, so is specially-done photography with new-gen camera with INOX experience (didn't know what it means, till I saw it and it looks spectacular). But no one comes close to what Joker stands for – pure evil, who is surprisingly convincing.

Are TV serials barometer of societal paradigms?

2008-07-13T00:50:00.003+05:30

What precedes what - TV content or socially popular/ acceptable norms? Its a classical debate just like "Do films affect society or society gets reflected in films?" If saas-bahu serials are famous and have lot of viewership, does it make the content "in-vogue". Logically, YES.

There will always be people who will have a niche liking for specific content. And there will be a choice of masses. Many a times, the short-tenured fashion (fad) lives like a tornado - momentarily powerful and just that. The bitchy programs are perhaps like that. It was attempted earlier too - in 2001, Neena Gupta presented "Kamzor Kadi Kaun", a game show with participants eliminating by group vote the one they all feared was most likely to succeed, thus increasing individual's chance in next round..... and the program was a flop, signifying perhaps that India was not ready for such a show then. But it seems to have changed now, with Raodies, Big Boss, Get Gorgeous, Splitsville and many other shows capturing/staging the acrimony between participants/ mentors to enhance their TRPs.

High viewership for such programs do reflect achange in Indian choices, even if they may be limited to a specific section of population (read youth). There will always be alternate programming available for arty/ serious/ moral/ traditional/ cultural viewers and its possible that many choices of their are not "mass choices". But so be it.

Guruji of Adilabad

2008-03-21T01:29:00.007+05:30

Dec 2002: I was at Adilabad for two months. It’s a tribal area of Andhra Pradesh, very close to the Maharashtra border. Ashish, my senior from IRMA, introduced us to Ravindra Sharma (fondly called Guruji). This man, in such a place, spoke to me in a Hindi that put me to shame "Aapki dincharya kya hoti hai? Aapke shodh ka vishay kya hai? Iska prayojan kya hai? Aapne vishraam kiya na! Agar sihran ho to mutthhi baandh lein, thand muthhiyon mein band ho jaayegi!!!!"............

http://pa-jugalbandi.blogspot.com/2007/10/besaba-baat-badhaane-ki-zarurat-kya-hai.html

What he remembers well is Rama's story in Awadhi, and his knowledge of languages is intact....... his cow's family has grown now to three, and NIFT students are now taught by tribal supervisors....... He still speaks to Ashish in the same SHUDHH HINDI.

He signed off a recent conversation by saying, "Ye purabiya log (people from Bihar and West Bengal) sangeet ke rasik hote hain. Maine desh bhraman ke beech dekha, unke jeevan ki har lay mein ek geet hai, har kartavya mein ek sur mila hua hai, har kadam mein taal ki anubhuti hoti hai. Isliye hi wahan chinta nahin hoti....... desh mein kuchh bhi ho, garibi kitni bhi aaye, baadh aapki saari jama poonji baha ke kyun na le jaye.... agli subah wo phir muskura denge. Samaaj ka dhancha wahan mazboot hai, saahitya sabal hai, aur shayad isliye arthvyawastha kamzor. Woh geet nahin suna - O ram-e-ram, saiyaan daaru pee-ke unghalad khet mein....... naayika roti hui apne sasur se keh rahi hai ki mere pati ko dhund laaiye. Sood bahut chad gaya tha, to saahukaar ne hal waapas le liya........ Acche log hain ye purabiya, unke jaisa nazariya rakho to jeevan mast hai, sahal hai, sulajha hua hai."

Chicken Soup for the soul - In Hindi. Nahin!?

What makes music soothing?

2008-03-21T01:17:00.002+05:30

What is it in music that makes for good listening, and, at a higher plane, for soulful relaxing. Perhaps its "naad", a sanskrit word meaning "origin of sound", which generates this experience of sound, thus words, and thus songs - giving human existence an exalted position in universe. Perhaps its because music has rhythm, a flow, which helps human atoms synchronise itself with his/ her surroundings. Like a magnet helping electorns in iron bar straigtening themselves, giving them power hitherto unknown to them to attract metal henceforth. Music does it with our heart....... giving a sense of belonging to otherwise chaotic and unattached existence.

Just watched "Music and Lyrics " starring Barrymore and Grant. Genre was musical, but what I loved was the way words unfolded the story, in themselves evolving but helping the progression in an easy flowing manner. And, at the end was the question that i asked at the start of this piece - What is it in music that makes for good listening, and, at a higher plane, for soulful relaxing.

Amrita and Imroz

2008-03-11T20:54:00.004+05:30

Amrita and Imroz...... its almost a decade since I first read about them. Since then, have read or heard quite many times of their unique relationship which is difficult to define in terms of social or familial ties but not that difficult to understand.

Amrita Pritam is one of the famous punjabi-Hindi writer from 1950s, imroz is an impressionist who sketched for the publishing house that published Amrita's novels. Amrita was from present day pakistan, she was a rebel of sorts. First married when she was a teen, she took divorce and started living in Delhi. There she met imroz first in late 1960s.

Imroz is a very good artist. I have seen his published work. Amrita is a good writer, specially when she writes about herself and her surrounding. Her autobiography "raseedi Ticket" - The revenue stamp - is a masterpiece in Indian literature. Her creative writings are not as good. But this book alone places her on the top.

Imroz is younger to Amrita by some 6-8 years. Amrita moved with him with her children. They never lived like couple. They were soul-companions. Their collection of letters I read at piyush's place last week at pune. It rekindled life, a part of it, inside me. Its intensity touched me. Amrita writes for Imroz - mere mehboob, my letters are like 800 kms long hands of my love reaching you. On women, she had views that you can't term feminist. She says: Any civilisation will be termed evolved when a woman is able to say no to any physical advances made against her wish. Amrita was criticised for her exressions in Punjabi literary circles, but she was much liked in hindi. Imroz paved that way by being there, caring for her, being more than a friend and almost like a soulmate, except for physical intimacy.

They lived with it, made their life the talk of folk lores. Their love and friendship is an example, not only of mitigated differences of religion, language and cultures, but also of intensity, dedication and companionship.

Where u can touch clouds bare-handed!!

2008-02-23T21:02:00.003+05:30

Saw the natural beauty strewn in post below. This is how I responded.

Is this Heaven!! I bet it is. It’s so beautiful, it almost seems like a fake. Another way of saying – too good to be true. But I have known atleast one place as beautiful and tranquile as this – Jharipaani – near mussuorie. I almost lost myself there…….. clouds would cut-across you when you walk on thin rounding aisles on mountainous roads. The mist woould be all-pervading, yet one felt a clarity. A connect with the surroundings. It was as if you can extend your hand and touch the beauty all around. And I was fearful if I raised my fingers I will destroy the equilibrium. So, I sat, for hours, looking at the picturesque scene, not moving, just observing – a pony carrying load of grocery, another carrying box of cold drinks (huh!! Pepsi in so cold a region, who will drink it??)…….. a farmer ploughing his –stair-cased field…. a car moving on the road, appearing on each upward bend for a split second and taking another 5 minutes to reappear on even upper one again, thus keeping me engaged and thinking………

Koi kah de mujhe aake, ja raho tum pahadon pe
Khush ho-oonga ja rahunga, prakriti ke nikat jaake.

Sorry, flow mein bah gaya zara. Never mind.

Rainbow at Elam Bend - Missouri

2008-02-23T20:49:00.006+05:30

Disclaimer - I received this as a forward, but didn't change the first person account.

On this day a rare February Rainbow was seen here in Northern Missouri at sunset. This rainbow was visible over much of the area and was noticed by many people. It was seen as a partial bow in some areas and completely full and even double in others depending on where the rain was falling. The photos on this page were taken at the Elam Bend Conservation Area near McFall, Missouri.

As I pulled the truck up next to one of my favorite trees I looked over my left shoulder and there sat the most vivid rainbow that I had ever seen. It appeared to me to be about a 100 yards away or maybe even closer. I was unable to get a great shot at first. I couldn't get out of the truck with the camera because it was still raining fairly hard. I didn't want to get water on my lenses. notice that the sky inside of a rainbow is much brighter than the area outside

As the rain moved on and the rainbow dissipated the view was still picturesque to the east. Notice that a small portion of the rainbow (primary and secondary) is still visible on either side of the tree paralleling the trunk

Five at Five: Welcome 2008

2008-01-01T15:29:00.000+05:30

Not till now I have welcomed a dawn like this.

Five of us (Amit, Kiran, Hafsa, Ananda, and I) welcomed turn of an year at midnight at Restaurant 5. Sitting till 5, sipping hot cappuchino at Barista, we rejoiced in randomness. Thoughts flew like cotton wisps, all bright and light all around.

Ananda told us, in single breath, how the hollywood classic "Fistful of Dollars" was made in to masterpiece and how Ms. X (of KMBL) was qouted out of context to be depicted as a lone desperate woman appearing in Agony Aunt Column. Kiran spoke about Mandal and politics of caste, and also how his favourite dance step is of Govinda's partner sequence. Hafsa and I dreamt of a magazine called View Points, to which amit Added "RVP" or random view points. Amit parodied few famous songs, and also told us how Pakistan fears disintergation due to Baluch-NWF-Sindh-Punjab divide and threats from destructive forces.

It was 4 when we actually realised that we have sat through night, chatting and gossipping as if there will never be another day. It reminded all of us our PG days when such events of not sleeping through night was common.

In the morning Amit has gone back to Bangalore, sleepy eyed but smiling. Ananda told me aroudn noon why he felt good. He said that we spoke for such a long time, without pulling anyone's leg and discussing everything under the sky. This doesn't get any better these days.

Year has started on a positive note. Work is half done. And I do not feel sleep-deprivwed despite the late sessions. Good for me. Touch Wood!

Grandma experience - addition by my sister

2007-12-02T20:56:00.000+05:30

Tumhara blog padhe. Dr. v ke bare me pahle bhi padha tha, sach aise log isi duniya me hai jankar achcha lagta hai. tumhara dusra blog trishul wala logo ko padhna achcha lagega.

Waise ek bar aisa kuch hum bhi face kar cuke hai. indu phua ki sas ur ma hamari dadi ur nani yad hai tumhe? ramayan mahabharat ke kaphi salo bad ramanad sagar ka krishna deta tha. hamare yaha koi bhi regular nahi dekhta tha use. anni hi kabi kabi dekti thi. ek sunday ko dadi ur nani subah me 9 baje hamare yaha tv dekhne aayi per ussamay tv band tha. une bahut nirasha hui ki hum bhagwan krishna ke darsan ke samay tv band karke baithe hai.

khair tv khola gaya. sabse pahle dadi ne do agarbatti manga ur jalakar tv ki puja ki. phir tv ke uper hi stand lagakar use rakh diya gaya. phir wo dono jamin per baith gayi humne bahut request ki uper baithne ke liye per nahi mani.ulta hume hi phatkar pari ki puja ke samay upper baitha jata hai kya. lastly mat per jameen per hi baithi. sath sath hume bhi baithna para.

pure ek ghante dono hath jore tanmayta se tv niharti rahi. bich bich me unka facial expression dekhne layak tha. kabhi aankhe khushi ke aasuo se bhar jate to kabhi dust rakchsh ke uper gusse ka bhav. tv se jyada aanand to unhe dekhne me tha. ye silsila kai hufto tak chala. darasal light ki wajah se koi rukawat na ho isliye wo yaha chali aati thi. humne apni dadi ko to dekhne ka jyada mouka nahi mil paya per enhe hi dekhkar bara achcha lagta tha.

Bottom of the Pyramid - Aravind Eye care System

2007-11-29T17:23:00.000+05:30

In his famous book titled "fortune at the bottom of pyramid", C K Prahlad enumerates with help of case studies how fortune can be made by serving people at the bottom of economic and social pyramid (BOP). He pools in examples from developing countries across the world to show case the strength of business innovations in making seemingly unattractive consumption group of poor yield unthinkably high profit. To quote him, "The problems at BOP are not new. However they represent a new challenge….. the solutions must be affordable, easy to use for low literacy, and available."

Innovations cold be in terms of processes, procedures or product (and its delivery). He has included more than two dozen examples from India. One of the most successful such innovations is Aravind Eye Care system, which provides gift of vision to more than 12 lakh patients every year at costs 100 times less than developed world, and does all of with a profit which even the best hospitals in India do not make.

Aravind Eye care system, which was established by Dr. G Venkataswamy (fondly called Dr. V) in 1976 at Madurai (TN, India), treats more than 13 Lakh patients and conducts more than 2 Lakh surgeries every year through its series of 3 hospitals and around 1500 rural camps. Its standard of medical care certified as top quality by independent bodies like UK Health survey puts it in the league of best in world (some say it is best in world). It is speedy (minimum 10000 patients per day); efficient (each doctor does around 25 surgeries in half day), and dirt cheap (Cost wise it is 1/100 th of a similar surgery in USA). To top it all, it is hugely profitable (Rs. 21 Crores net profit in 2005 achieved with no grant money involved).

Productivity per Medical Officer of Aravind Eye Care system is at least six times more than other doctors working with Public or private clinics/ hospitals in India, and perhaps highest in the world. There are colleges and research centers of the institute doing cutting-edge research in ophthalmology. All this achieved while serving with a simple mission – of eradicating needless blindness, first in the state of Tamilnadu and then in India.

The book tells us two main factors lying behind success of the system are– its inspirational leadership and ability to constantly innovate. Dr. V, a Padmashree awardee, has been a constant source of inspiration for all staff. Innovation at Arvind Eye Care has come in area of processes (screening off at camps, and parallel operations by single doctor), product delivery (quality paramedics trained inhouse, low cost but scientifically designed movement system for patients cutting the time and space requirements), and quality (improvements in higher end products and medical procedures, reducing aftermaths).

In another case study on leadership published by ICFAI, leadership style for business and social ventures has been put into three categories – Charismatic, Hands on, and Inspirational. The case writer had put Dr. V under the last category of leaders, and narrated an anecdote to explain his point.

Dr. V worked like there won't be any tomorrow. He had a senior member called Dr. Bala responsible for all rural camps. One day, Dr. Bala came back suffering from fever and infection from a far-off rural camp. It was morning time when surgeries are started. No doctor can afford to take leave from this responsibility at Arvind Eye Care. Dr. V, as was usual at the day-start at 7 AM, was taking round of hospital. He saw Dr. Bala, who was supposed to be getting ready for surgery, lying on a bed herself. Dr. V asked what happened to her. She answered she caught infection and had fever at the rural camp and was taking rest. Dr. V said, "I have fever of 104° F. How much is yours?" She got up and performed that day so many successful operations that she made a world-record. She has fever of 102° F. Dr. V was aged around 80 years then.

BoP captures few other similar stories. These anecdotes have woven a culture of purpose, ethics, respect, and excellence at the hospital. Attitude to serve is given highest weightage and no deviation to the rule "speak with patients in soft tone" is tolerated. Girls from big joint families and specially those who have had the experience of taking care of their younger siblings or children of relatives are considered better candidates for nursing jobs. These, and many other such native wisdom has helped the hospital to grow organically, remain profitable and excel in its continuous delivery of quality medical care to all. Around 40% of its patients are given free treatment, but the hospital doesn't do it as charity. It earns profit on rest 60% and cross-subsidizes the BoP. It is the world's largest, most respected, and most productive system of eye care that boasts of world class outcomes. But what is the most satisfying of all this to its founders is the fact that the clientele it serves comes from Bottom of the Pyramid. The fortune, not only monetarily but in terms of social capital as well, has been successfully incubated and delivered under this system, concludes C K Prahlad.

My Grandma, Trishul, and Amitabh Bachhan

2007-11-29T00:55:00.000+05:30

My grandmother was born in 1911, the year Delhi was chosen over kolkata to be India's capital. She lived through many important historic events, and died two years after Indira Gandhi's Death in 1984. Incidentally, Indira was born in 1919.

Grandma was a good cook. That defines how my mother knows to make world class pickles so well. Grandma was a hard task master, my father and my uncle (who is 7 years younger to my father) tell me. I have seen little of her (I was small when she passed away). From limited of what is left of her remembrances, I knew her to have weak memory (which my father confirms is untrue), to have skin full of wrinkles (which my eldest aunt tells is as big a change as can come to any person - basically she means that my grandmother had the best skin in the world). I knew her to be a religious person, someone who always used to carry a hand-fitted pouch carrying garland with 108 beads. she will rotate it regularly for hours between her middle finger and thumb, chanting silently the name of Shiva with rotation of every bead. She was rather sharp and alert for her age, and our attempts to take out anything from kitchen use to be a waste if she was in the kitchen. We tried even when she was in her prayers. Failure met us.

My father was, and continues to be, very fond of Amitabh Bachhan. In the story of my grandmother the fact just mentioned shall not matter. But it did.

My grandmother was, being from a pre-cinema era, not exactly in sync with what cinema was about. "Perhaps few evil images playing here-n-here" she use to lament. But it changed one day. She heard that Shyam cinema hall is playing "Trishul" in four shows. My father, who was in college and was a keen follower of whats happening in which hall, came and informed all-n-sundry his plan of watching the movie on sunday that week. My grandmother asked what he was talking about. My father said it was about trishul. She said she will also come to watch. Huh!

Preparations started. My mother - her trusted lieutenant - was given responsibility of arranging the accompaniments. As per instruction, a prayer plate and candles, incense stick, flowers, sindoor (vermillon) and small shiva-linga were araanged neatly in a dolchi (bamboo carry bag). A rikshaw-puller was ordered to take the ladies. Since so pious a ceremony was planned, it was thought better that the rikshaw-driver drives the rikshaw bare-footed. He obliged.

So, Trishul (starring Amitabh Bachhan) was watched over, very religiously and with anticipation of Shiva's arrival in every next scene. Alas, that was not to be. The candles were kept ready, the prayer-plate decorated and the shiva-linga washed and dried - all to be bowed to. My grandma waited. When the film came to an end, she said - "look, I told you na! Indeed the evil images playing here-n-here".

Bachpan ke khel - 3

2007-10-23T01:05:00.001+05:30

My Sister's addition to Bachpan ke khel:

Bahut maja aaya padhne me. Sachmuch bachpan me pahuch gaye the. Kitne achche the wo din. Tumhari memory bhi kamal ki hai itni chije yad kaise aa gayi. Hope kai din lage honge sabko sanjone me. Jo bhi hai good job. Jab se padhe hain to jo chijein chhoot gayi hain unhe yad karne ki koshis kar rahe hain. Kuch khel to yaad bhi aaye hai jaise:

1. Rang rang - rang rang rang tujhe kon si pasand bolo kaisa rang. kuchh yaad aaya . raja ke bataye rang ko pakarna hota tha nahi to pakre jate the.

2. Sikkar - jisme pakre gaye log kari me jurte jaate the.

3. Chor sipahi - jisme do group hota tha ek choro ka ur dusra sipahiyon ka. Tum ur niraj leader hua karte the aur hum sab tumhare subordinates hawaldar ya phir chota chor. Kagaj ki dunali banduk yad hai jo sirf tumhe hi aati thi banani.

Baris ke dino ke hamare indoor games

4. Kona kona - hamara baraamda (verandah) kitna perfect tha is game ke liye, kona kona kaun kona? anshu kona haaaa.........

5. Chor sipahi raja mantra - Yeh to yaad hi hoga

6. Panch gotiya - Paanch patthar ki gotiyon aur ungliyon-hatheli ka khel. Ladkiyaan acchha khelati thin, ladke nahin kar paate the woh sab.

(Shilpa Bhardwaj's addition: Tumhara blog Dekha Anshul, Bada pyara hai. What about "Gitte"? Wo jo 5 gitte khelte hain, ucchaal ke pakadte hain? Yaad hai?)

7. Aur wo benaam khel jo lichi ke beejon se khelate the hum.

Bachpan ke khel - 2

2007-10-14T20:41:00.000+05:30

KUCHH KHEL BACHPAN KE:

1. Aais paais / Dhappa - sau ki ginti tak sab bachhon ke chhupane ka intezaar, phir khoj, dikh jaane pe aais-paais, peeche se koi bacchha peeth pe haule se 'dhappa' kahe to phir se chor.

2. Denga-paani - Denga pe dono paanv to surakhshit, paani mein khatra. Agar chor ne paani mein chhoo diya to aap chor

3. Vish-amrit - baaith gaye to bach gaye. Khade hue aur chor ne chhoo diya to aap chor. Aap baithe hue se khade tabhi ho sakte hain jab koi aapko amrit de (sar pe dheeme se chhooke).

4. Ghar- ghar, Mummy-papa - Domesticity in childhood

5. Budhiya kabaddi/ langadi kabbadi – kabbaddi, when you are allowed only on one leg

6. Nua-ghariya/ Kit-kit – played with a small clay-goti, on floor or ground. You have to cross few intercrossing lines without stepping on them.

7. Pitto / bum-pastic – Pitto is played with clay-goti and ball. You have to unstuck the gotis with ball, and restack them before opposition hits you with the ball again.

8. chidiya-ud-kauwa-ud-gaay-ud-pakde gaye-out – self explanatory with exapmle. Put your finger on table, raise only if the object being spelt out can actually fly. Otherwise, you are out.

9. statue – The classical game…… sab jaante hain na.

10. dash-kosh-single-bulbul-master – Main bhool gaya ki kaise khelate the. Bas ye paanch shabd yaad hain.

Aur bhi yaad aayega, to batore laaoonga yahan.

Bachpan ke khel

2007-10-14T20:12:00.000+05:30

Bachpan khelon mein guzra. Masoom khel, bina taam jhaam wale khel..... Saabhaar un 'unsung creators' ko jinhone mere bachpan ke kitne pyaare pyaare pal mujhe diye.... Thanks to all such poets.

Neeche kuchh yaadein sameti hain maine. Padhiye aur bataiye kuchh yaad aa raha hai ya bhool gaye sab.

1. Motu seth sadak pe late
Gaadi aayi Phat gaya pate
Gaadi ka numbertwenty eight
gaadi pahunchi India gate
India gate mein the sipahi
motuseth ki hui pitaai

2. Poshampa bhai poshampa
Daakiye ne kya kiya
100 rupaye ki ghadi churayi
50 rupaye ki rabdi khayi
Ab to jail mein jaana padega
jail ki roti khani padegi
jail ka paani peena padega
-ek-do-teen-

3. Machhali jal ki raani hai
jeevan iska paani hai
Haath lagao darr jayegi
Bahar nikaalo mar jayegi

4. mama mama bhookh lagi
kha le beta moong phali
Moongphali mein daana nahin
hum tumhare mama nahin.

5. phholmati- phoolmati, Khol de kiwaad
Saaton bhaiyaDu-a-re thhaar

Phoolmati- phoolmati, na khol kiwaad
Dusht rak-chhasDu-a-re thhaar
(Courtesy: My late NAANI)

6. Jhooth bolna paap hai
nadi kinare saanp hai
kali maiyya aayegi
tumko utha le jayegi...

7. aaj somvar hai, chuhe ko bukhar hai
chuha gaya doctor ke pass,
doctor ne lagayi sui, chula bola oiii

8. aalu-kachalu beta kaha gaye the
bandar ki jhopdi mein so rahe the
bandar ne laat maari ro rahe the
mummy ne paisa diya has rahe the
Baba ne daant lagaayi ro rahe the
Papa ne laddoo diya ga rahe the

9. titlee udi, ud ke chali
phool ne kaha
aaja mere paas
titli kahe
main chali aakas

10. chanda mama door ke
puye pakaye gud ke
aap khaye thali mein
munne ko de pyali mein
munna gaya rooth
thaali gayi phhoot

11. Akkad-bakkad bambe-bo
Assi nabbe poore sau
Sau mein laga taaga
Chor nikal ke bhaaga

12. Atkan chatkan dahi chatakan
............... (kya hai yahan pe, yaad nahin aa raha)
bar phule barela phule
saawan mein karela phule

13. Okka bokka teen talokka
Laau laathi chandan kaathi
chandana ke naam ka
Puchuk- (sound produced when you hit your blown up cheek)

14. Baithe baithe kya karoge
karna hai kuchh kaam
Shuru karo antakhshari
leke hari ka naam

15. ekai ke chakdum
makai ke laawa
ek laawa ghat ge-e-l
bachwa ulat ge-e-l

Aur yaad aaya to likhunga.

Rajnish Pankaj is no more !

2007-10-10T16:00:00.000+05:30

The first time I met him, he was in his second year (2006) at IRMA. I was visiting campus after a gap of one year and went to see my rooms. I lived in my first year in Block F- Room No. 34 (F-34) and in second year at F-28. Co-incidentally heoccupied both rooms in similar fashion. We connected, instantly.

Having qualified as Company Secretary and taken Chartered Accountancy tillmid-course, at the age of 23 he got interested in management education. Hejoined IRMA by selecting it over other management institutes. He said in one of his meetings with me, "IRMA is quite in fit with my nature and outlook".What he meant was, perhaps, his amiable nature, his attitude towards
his unassuming attitude towards life. He was finance whiz-kid of his batch, a good teacher for pre-exam awakers, and a die hard IRMA-mess regular.

Last time we met was during MILAAP (Jan 2007). He was then with ICICI Bank at Mumbai. As was usual for someone who felt strongly for IRMA, he took leave and attended the program all throughout. He was looking after risk management in ICICI bank, and shared with me what and how he plans to improve the risk modeling of assets in the Bank. He formed part of the risk team there with another IRMAn (Sreekanth from PRM21) and was doing quite well.

He had a small built, but was quite energetic. I, for all interactions I had with him, never had any reason to doubt his health. So, when Mathuranand (PRM25 and my colleague) broke the sad news, I thought he is mistaking the identity. I wish I was correct.

It is difficult to believe that he is gone; not because he was dear one, but because the way it happened is so unbelievable. I have read he was checked at the airport and was cleared for boarding by the medical team there. Post-mortem has not revealed any further. Was there anything that we could have done to avoid what happened! I have no clue.

My ears ring with his parting remarks at Milaap, "My train leaves few hours early. No problems. We will meet again soon. Bye" Alas, that never happened. His train has left quite early. May his soul rest in peace.

- Anshul (PRM22)

Jagjit, Bhades-ism and Saturday evening

2007-10-06T20:19:00.000+05:30

Its really after a very long time that I am relaxing on a saturday evening, alone, with Jagjit's ghazal playing in background.......

Gaanth Agar lag jaaye to phir, rishte ho ya dor
Laakh karein koshish khulane mein waqt to lagta hai

Don't be surprised, I am in office..... but no body else is. The last man left around an hour ago. My home is hardly 10 minutes from here, and no body is there waiting. So, I give a hoot to where I am. Its an amazing feeling to listen and relive best days of my life (rings: hotel california.....)

Gulshan ki faqat phoolon se nahin kaanton se jeenat hoti hai
Jeene ke liye is duniya mein gham ki bhi zarurat hoti hai

Ai waiz-e-nadaan karta hai tu ek kayamat ka charcha
Yahan roz nigahein milti hain yahan roz kamayat hoti hai

Rajan se shaam ko baat ho rahi thi. Wo bhi acche mood mein tha. Humne apni bhojpuri-vajjika ke shabd-saamrtya ko tatola aur flying colours se pass hue. Some examples:

Anthiyana (ignore), bitta (measure of finger-length), dhanmanana (unstable walking), kankanaana (shiver), chharapana (to climb over a wall), chhardewali (boundary-wall), ballu-ballu (you know), belchatta (bald), dharkna (to flow, to come down), bila jana (to get lost), dhahat-dhimlhat (getting ok, somehow), tagharna (when drops come one by one) ....... chalo, baaki ke kabhi alag se post karunga.....

Abhi ke liye itna hi. Meri pasandida gazal aa rahi. Don't want disturbance.

Koi dost hai na rakeeb hai
Tera shaher kitna ajeeb hai

Main kise kahoon mere saath chal
Yahan sabke sar pe saleeb hai

Yahan kiska chehara padha karun
Yahan kaun itna kareeb hai......

Meaning in English:

No friend for me, no enemy
Your city is stranger to me

Whom to ask to walk along
everybody's head Cross is on

faces tell no story, or writing is so fine
I can't read, they are so alien

- Anshul

I am writing again. But differently.

2007-09-03T00:58:00.000+05:30

Its one thing that I have started writing again (poems, I mean). Its another that their nature and range has changed. Now, I write more trivenis (a couplet followed by third line with a twist) and less poems. I write more chhote-sher (small couplets) than long rhymes. Its good to try and use less words to convey more. Like one of piyush's triveni (waqt khusq tha, aankhein nam....... khat ne bataya)....... but, u lose the beauty of language that comes from being verbose (remembers Jeeves and Woosters of P G wodehouse....... "and that is how I have been all my life. Ask any cat with whom I have had dealings what sort of a chap I am cat-wise, and it will tell you that I am a thoroughly good egg in whom complete confidence can safely be placed......."

U can blame it on many things. Time compartmentalisation. Life Style change. Professional-acclaimatization of thinking-style. Changes due to age/ period. Changes that technology has brought. The way I have evolved. The language that I communicate in today. All of it.

What you do, you become!

2007-09-03T00:29:00.000+05:30

I read quite a long back that what one does one becomes. I mean, the personality is shaped by your profession. So, it is safe to stereotype a salesman as a talker, a restaurant owner to be hospitable, an accountant to be calculative, a store manager to be bin-counter, a banker to be money-minded, a teacher to be patient and instructive, a share-broker to be intuitive (or impulsive).........

Why this topic on my blog. Because I have seen two phases of my professional life - one with Bank, other with Development Agencies. Both have defined my personality in distinctly identifiable way. And the latest one, the bank, seems to be doing it rather ferociously and perhaps long-lastingly. Good or bad is a matter of being judgemental, and me being the subject, I am unable to be. However, Objectivity tells me that the shaping up process is for my good. Fingers crossed till a next change, after which I will look at this phase dispassionately and weigh it with what I had, what I got and lost, and what I kept for posterity.

Hmm..... Balance sheet analysis, very banker-like.........

You got my point, I hope.

First play at Prithvi, Mumbai

2007-09-03T00:26:00.000+05:30

Today went to see a play at Prithvi Theatres in Mumbai. The play was named "One small day" (directed by Jayant Kriplani) ..... the experience of watching the live performance was good. Play was moderately average, if that much could be said about it. Overall, I will remember the experience because of the theatre...... which is a really nice one...... Not the play. Next time I want to go to NCPA, Mumbai.......

Thinking Big vs Not thinking at all

2007-08-28T01:49:00.000+05:30

I have wondered how the exposure to higher and better world leaves one with a sense of expanse..... I still know of people (my acquintance form school and college) who think of a 9-to-5 secured job as be-all and end all. Most content to a be a primary school teacher or a panchayat cleric they are. And I have few of my friends thinking of floating companies, employing big reosurces, generating employment and being what I call an alter ego of people of first group. Surprisingly, similar kind of education and environment gave birth to both types. Probably the seed was same, the manure seems to be making difference.

Food Processing and its problems - Litchi

2007-07-23T22:57:00.000+05:30

Food Processing can be highly simple or technical depending upon

- Basic volatality and preservation problems seen in many agri commodities,

- Complexity of processes involved,

- Quality of man power required to control processes,

- Amount of invetsment required for providing controlled environment,

- Maturity of marketing channels involved in the value-chain, and

- Evolution of market.

Lets take an example to test these out. I come from Muzaffarpur, place famous world over for its exotic fruit Litchi.

Litchi is a plantation crop. Its plantation resemples mango orchard, and fruit is similar to strawberry in look. But its taste.... is like no other. If you ever lay your hands on Shahi Litchi (the royal variety of fruit), you will know what god had in mind when he designed nectar.

Well, seems like exaggeration. Taste it to know that I am not lying.

This fruit is so good..... and like all good things/ persons, it doesn't last long. It has an yearly fruiting cycle of only two weeks. When it is plucked from tree, it is green going red. Within 36 hours, it grows full red and you can have it. In fact, thats the only time you can have it, because in few hours (in 48 hours) it will turn purple and will start going bad.

Now, lets list out food processing challenges with this fruit and test my hypothesis given at the start.

- Basic volatality and preservation problems seen in many agri commodities

Litchi has this problem in abundance. You can't put it in cold storage as it has a pulp and a cover that doesn't sustain too cold a temperature. Its shelf life is maximum of two days. Equity analysts habituated of having comfort of price barriers in stock market and matured commodity markets will go mad if they are told of litchi price-graph in a short span of 2 months and probably at the same time but in different markets. Price at the start of fruiting season at Muzaffarpur is around Rs. 20 for 100 litchi fruits (or 0.50 Dollars). Around 15 litchi fruits make 1 Kg (i.e. 1000 Grams), hence one Kg of Litchi costs Rs. 1.30 at Muzaffarpur. When the same licthi is sold in Mumbai, Delhi or Hyderabad, price could be anything between Rs. 30 to Rs. 100 per Kg. Can anyone tell me RoE and RoI in this case. Or will the calculator return infinite as result?

There are few more issues but crux of the matter is - Preserving litchi is not easy. The market is imperfect, hence price fluctuations are erractic and unmanageable. Because of such high volatality, the producers either sell too cheap or bear the brunt of downward trends (if they wait).

- Complexity of processes involved,
How will you preserve a fruit with shelf life of 48 days? Do some mixing, chemical bleaching, do something with its pulp, and add preservatives so that it lasts in your stock for future processing and conversion in to different products. Sounds simple but is very difficult. Government of India as well as many corporates have identified this challenge and have set aside a committed fund to solve this issue. Scieintific community is also engaged deeply, looking at option, testing out new methods and evolving newer commercially viable presrvatives. Success still eludes in a techincal sense, few bright spots along the journey suggest that they are on right track. Enough on complexity of processes involved.

- Quality of man power required to control processes,

If the best politicians, administrators, scientists and industrialists are involved at grand scale, quality of human intervention is easy to acknowledge. When industry matures, the complexity of processes involved will decide which quality of man power will be required to man the operations of a jelly-mixing unit or a juice-extractor or a wine brewer (possible uses of Litchi, i dream of!).

- Amount of invetsment required for providing controlled environment,

Need to say a wine brewer will need continuous supply of litchi. That will need a good preserving unit. That will need good technology. Good technology costs.

A pulp making and preserving unit needs scientific intervention first to make it happen, and a commercial sense to make it feasible. Anywhichway, it costs.

The plantations are perennial, but the fruiting cycle is so short and the land availability so fastly reducing that any future plantation will carry a pay-off analysis. The productivity enhancement attempts are already underway, and better species are round-the-corner (not literally. It may take another year or so, or perhaps years, till we jump into red-revolution).

How much money will it take India to reach there? very many, I believe.

- Maturity of marketing channels involved in the value-chain

Think of tetra pack juices, high quality wines, delicious jams, crunchy biscuits....... think of Mega malls, retail stores, grocery stalls, market places with bill boards, trucks transporitng goods, trains carrying boxes and crates......... Corner shop selling cigarettes and biscuits, vegetable vendors delivering your order at your door step........ ok, enough.

That is dream. Reality is - the market for lithci products are not as established as, say, for grains, instant food, coffee, tea, and soaps. Its a premium product which many people haven't even heard of....... So, maturity of marketing channels is low. We have farmers as plantation/ orchard owners, and small time vendors and vetetable shop owners which double up as commission agents. And then there are small retailers and finally consumers. Really simple. No complexity involved. No value addition, hence not much need for marketing (hey, its a big statement and almost defines why marketing is needed).

But we need to move on and create that market. So, complexity goes up directly (or probably exponentially)!

- Evolution of market

point well taken. Same logic as above.

Now, you see. I am a fool who wants to take a plunge.

I am not alone. This world is full of such fools.

Success is anybody's guess.

Food Processing and Entrepreneurship

2007-07-19T01:23:00.000+05:30

Food Processing as an industry is signified by few factors:

1. Medium to High Capital Investment
2. Robust procurement channel
3. Sufficient and efficient storage
4. High tech and technically proficient processing technique
5. Sufficiently advanced machinary
6. Forward market linkage
7. Economies of scale
8. Sufficient points of sale

As an entrepreneur with low capital support, it is difficult to have any of these conditions fulfilled right at the start.

Does it mean no start ups will be seen in food processing industry? No, not at all. It only indicates possibilities (and hence opportunities). Each of above stated factors are so independent and viable as business activity that they can actually be taken up by the entrepreneurs independently based upon their skill set and capital available. Once one stage is perfected, the enrepreneur will move upward or downward in value chain.

Blood Diamond - conflict zones and the economics of precious commodity

2007-04-07T01:26:00.000+05:30

While watching Blood Diamond, which is about global forces running Diamond Industry in African backyard and their effect on Diamond trade, I couldn't stop myself from relating how SURAT (and hence India) is an important link in this bloody chain. All of us have heard about sierra-leone and liberia and such other places facing rebellion. Ever wondered how much of this is INTERNAL (and about tribal group fighting the one-up-manship games and aboutattempts to control boundaries) and how much of is EXTERNAL (and about maintaining links for continued trade with outside world even if it means applying illegal means and killing lakhs of innocent people). The film defines what conflict-diamond means, how it represents the ugly face of human race, of colonialism and how macro business interests destroy existence of communities at micro level.

Leonardo Di Caprio has shown tremendous maturity in designing progress of his film career by selecting meaningful roles throughout since Titanic (1996). He is superb again as the Diamond mediator-cum-smuggler who had a troubled life so far and seems to have lost ability to be humane. There is a lady journalist who starts by pursuing him for story (on blood diamond). She so beautifully and subtely falls in love with the smuggler that audience is left with just the emotion and not the fact (that she loved him, and which was reciprocated) when the film comes to an end. Haven't seen many hollywood movies being so expressive without being displayful.

Blood diamond is story of Solomon, the african fisherman who loses touch with his family when diamond rebels attack his village and makes him a captive labour in diamond-mines. He is pursued and later helped by Diamond racketeer (colonel and his mark-man, played to perfection by leonardo) in search of a diamond stone which Solomon had hidden during his work at mines. Everyone is after it beacause it is perhaps the biggest diamond till date. The journalist helps Solomon in his search for his family. Among many twists and turns, there are issues of human tragedy, migration, peace forces, food programs, refugee camps, human emotions, upbringing, greed, faith, love, betrayal, fear, good, evil, economics and power; all of this interwoven in a storyline which is pacy, activity driven, in-the-face, and comprehensive.

When the viewer comes out of the theatres, no doubt is left about what will they ask the next time they go to buy a diamond ring or necklace. "Please tell me/ certify that this piece of diamond doesn't come from a conflict zone". If the film does that on a sustained basis, it would have done much more than what other mediums of advocacy could. A film that I will place alongwith Syriana, a film on Oil Diplomacy which has taken equally nasty and bloody turns in last four decades of our present day world.

NAMESAKE - Uprooted we feel! Canvaas changes, characters too!!

2007-04-04T02:15:00.000+05:30

For the fact that she was able to capture and make significant a simple action of naming a child into a story having bearing on how one defines his/her personality and life, I must congratulate Meera Nair. Acknowledgements are due for her sensitive and well controlled portrayal of Gangulies, Gogol and Nikolai Gogol (who as a name itself was a character in the storyline, and had good capacity to define course of movements).

So, what happens when you are born in a surrounding which is perhaps natural to you but your parents had invested their prime in adjusting to it. What happens when a family migrates, settles down and sees their children grow with mixed identities of belonging to both and none.

I think we all who have experience migration in some form or other can understand the above mentioned paradox, albeit in varying degrees. We (professionals) move around the country, contributing to the overall economic development, and in the process realinging-n-expandig our cultural-linguistic-culinary-religious identities to incorporate the local understanding. Do we feel uprooted. Or we belong somewhere? Nature has space and value for all kinds of germplasm - for banyan and grass/ flower alike. Roots may seem important for one specie (Banyan), and not for the other (Grass). Being not able to root oneself can also be seen as feeling uprooted. But there is also a situation wherein the need for finding root dies down, and one is happy being grass. the grass just grows on surface, spreads not deep down the soil but through air and upper soil.

NAMESAKE brought the conflict out, beautifully. Gogol, in reply to her wife's remark (perhaps being bengali was not enough for both of us) says, "Thats not the reason why I love you."

Defining remark found on the book authored by namesake gifted by his father many years ago frees GOGOL's spirit. It reads "To you whose name was modelled on his name, given by someone who brought you with a name." The films is smooth, easy flowing, compact, and touches you with its nuggets - you question the narrator's sensibility and try to understand whether its american or indian. And at times you forget the comparison because it could not be anything but indian. Zoom to the scenes.
1. In a hep hair cutting saloon, Gogol getting his head shaved after his father has died. When, later, tabu replies it wasn't necessary, he says he felt it was.
2. Maxy leaves crying, masima remarks "Don't cry, we all are pained at his (Mr. ganguly's) loss". And Maxy looks blankly.
3. Tabu understands whom her daughter-in-law is talking to even tough she doesn't know french.
4. Mr Ganguly tells gogol the other reason behind him being named such. Gogol asks, is this what he remembers each time he calls his name. Mr. Ganguly replies, "No. It makes me remember everything that took place every day after that. Each day has been a gift since then."

Jhumpa Lahiri must be happy to found a sensibility that is equal in measure, and has an interpretation which is as original as fiction could be. After all, what we feel gets translated. Finding an identity is definitely a worthy endevour for this journey.

Kal Penn(Gogol), you traslate the imagery well. Keep it up.

Significance of Woman's Day

2007-03-17T00:10:00.000+05:30

I asked few women (acquaintances/ friends) on the eve of International Women's day "whats its significance for you?" Here are few answers I got.

1. It reminds that I have presence in society. For the first time I am greeted for being a woman. There is a lot to be done so that it no longer remains a conscious decision by anyone. - Archana Singh, AKRSP-I
2. Let girls be born, let women live. - Nupur Basu Das, CINI
3. Thanks a load. It does not have any significance becasue every day I celebrate being born a woman. Woman! So beautiful yet (and) so strong. Hmm... - Monica Whangaham, Packard Foundation
4. Thank you very much. The significance it carries for me is that this day is for being myself. The woman who is really an important part of world is given respect and honour and that is why this day is celebrated (and you don’t see men’s day being celebrated). - Janaki Iyer, BPO
5. I am happy that I am a lady and we have a day to celebrate unlike men! feminist, Huh! – Annie, KMBL
6. Hi. Thanks. Nothing special about the day. Just one more regular day. Tell me if you have got interesting answers from others. – Hafsa, ICICI Bank
7. The significance is in the fact that it results in enlightened men (like you) to remember us and our worth. – Rashmi, Intellicap
8. Not much need till men like you are there. – Rupa, Kolkata
9. It helps me purposefully remember women of great strength and character, and inspire me to do a bit more than what I am already doing. - Nimisha, Ace Pharma
10. When was it? - Dr. Deodhar, Ex-AKHSI.

Move - from here to there

2007-03-16T01:00:00.000+05:30

How shall one judge what other person wants and what (what all) he/she will be ready to forego to get it. How to negotiate?

My organisation would like me to move. That costs - at personal level, and in monetary terms. Monetary part will surely be taken care of. Hopefully the personal cost can be paid off by professional gains. And i share the flat with one of my best friends there. Lets see.....

Somethings on personal front need to be cleared/ settled before i move. It includes obvious ones like rentals and fees, and belongings to be moved from here to there; and few non-obvious but rather crucial one's - real personal choices.

Good Cinema is possible without great story.

2007-03-01T02:18:00.000+05:30

How difficult it is to manage telling an interesting story...... balance of fun and sensibility that Hrishikeshda achieved while doing so was marvellous. I wondered if that kind of cinema has gone out of fashion.... but last few years in the industry have been so good, touch wood. Dil Chahata Hai, Hum Tum, Taal, Munnabhai, Jhankaar beats, Dor, Iqbal, and today - Honeymoon travels Pvt. Ltd. Had a good time, and also had few questions added to the existing confusion of life and love.

The stereo types are so convenient, they help us live conveniently without questioning the status quo. And many times, if they are not too bad, their re-inforcements help us relax and relate. Remember, we all luaghing out when partho remarks - democracy abhi khatam nahin hua hai.

How Indians are like?

2007-02-13T19:26:00.000+05:30

We Indians are like this only. So true , so very true .........
--------------------------------
1. Everything you eat is savored in garlic, onion and tomatoes.
2. You try and reuse gift wrappers, gift boxes, and of course aluminum foil.
3. You are Always standing next to the two largest size suitcases at the Airport.
4. You arrive one or two hours late to a party - and think it's normal.
5. You peel the stamps off letters that the Postal Service missed to stamp.
6. You recycle Wedding Gifts , Birthday Gifts and Anniversary Gifts.
7. All your children have pet names, which sound nowhere close to their real names.
8. You talk for an hour at the front door when leaving someone's house.
9. You use plastic to cover anything new in your house whether it's the remote control, VCR, carpet or new couch.
10. Your parents tell you not to care what your friends think, but they won't let you do certain things because of what the other "Uncles and Aunties" will think.
11. You buy and display crockery, which is never used , as it is for special occasions, which never happen.
12. You use grocery bags to hold garbage.
13. You keep leftover food in your fridge in as many n umbers of bowls as possible.
14. You carry a stash of your own food whenever you travel (and travel means any car ride longer than 15 minutes).
15. You live with your parents and you are 40 years old. ( And they prefer it that way).
16. You don't use measuring cups when cooking.
17. You can travel only if there are 5 persons at least to see you off or receive you whether you are traveling by bus, train or plane.
18. You make long distance calls only after 11 p.m.
19. If you don't live at home, when your parents call, they ask if you've eaten, even if it's midnight .
20. You call an older person you never met before Uncle or Aunty."
21. When your parents meet strangers and talk for a few minutes, you discover you're talking to a distant cousin.
22. You have bed sheets on your sofas so as to keep them from getting dirty.
23. It's embarrassing if your wedding has less than 600 people.
24. All your Tupperware is stained with food color.
25. You have drinking glasses made of steel, not of glass.
26. While bargaining, you will start by quoting a floor price of Rs. 100 for a hanging art with quotation of Rs. 800.
27. You have really enjoyed reading this mail.
28. You are an Indian, by birth or by heart.
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Source: Fwd by http://in.f322.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=vinodnatesan@yahoo.com&Subj=

Rajkot One Day/ Bihar and Litchi

2007-02-12T21:52:00.000+05:30

In the last three overs if you have four wickets in hand and 18 runs to get, very few teams will engineer their way to defeat. India did. Yesterday. At rajkot. I was, with my sisters, a witness to it. But the things changed so quickly that very few of the 25000+ crowd could understand before it happened.

For appi-anni, the high time of watching their first international cricket match came when Sachin and Ganguly managed to steer india to a comfortable situation with their fifties. Dhoni and Karthik also provided spectators with display of some solid batting. But the good catches by Srilankan players and some poor play by Indian tail-enders led India to defeat.
---------------
Bihar is under developed as compared to Gujarat. With downward spiralling effect of lack of infrastructure - financial, support services, processing and marketing- its agriculture is heavily based upon mercy of rain-gods (flood et al). But Bihar has good soil quality to support Litchi, Mango, and Banana.

Monsanto says Bihar and Jharkhand is the best market for its non-cotton hybrid seed (Jowar, Paddy, Wheat, Corn, etc). Cargill has its special focus on Bihar as emerging market.

Muzaffarpur has a National Research Centre on Litchi supported by Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) working on the scientific improvement in production and processing techniques of Litchi. It is also working on establishing/ improving the commercial positioning of the place and the commodity.

Just for records, Muzaffarpur produces 72% of world's production of SHAHI Litchi, the best known variety of this seasonal and very delicate fruit.

White vs Black!!

2007-02-09T21:10:00.000+05:30

The art of appraising a credit request is quite tricky. There are simple premises that need to be defined. For example, what u consider as income available for repayment - the present or the projected income? What shall be given priority - the track record of the borrower or the valuation of security being offered for mortgage? The declared income or the undisclosed inflows....... And the payoff is majorly defined in terms of overall picture emerging out of combination of all these factors.

We have an interesting case - A borrower with more than sufficient cash flow - he has cash worth Rs. 400 Lakhs with him, but all in black. Now, he needs to repay installment on our loan (Rs. 4 Lakhs only). He says he can't, till he gets some white entry. He is offering to pay penalty, but we will have to be patient.

What do the CAs do, if the black market is omnipresent and perhaps bigger than white market economy!!

What the moral of that story is?

2007-02-09T02:06:00.000+05:30

An ex-colleague of Mine at CINI, Kolkata experienced this.... She is from US and was on one year internship in India. (margarette is her name). As she says, Don't know whats the moral of the story? Read for urself.
----------------------------
So I’ve been holding off on writing this because I know a certain number of people will begin to fear for my safety, while certain others may feel the desire to assault the man in the story. Before people get huffy I ask two things.
1-Remember this happened back in October 2006. So there is no reason to get upset now
2-Read the whole thing before you pass judgment.

When I arrived here and was still staying at the field office/campus I placed my extra USD, Passport and Plane tickets home in the safe at the safe there. Around Mid-October I had run out of my stipend and needed to cash my travelers checks and since the CINI office people take their jobs very seriously and wouldn’t allow anyone else who was going between the two offices to bring my things, I was forced to make a mid day journey out and back.

To get to Poilan (where the CINI I campus is) One generally has to walk up to the main intersection of Gariahat (about a 5-7 min walk), take an auto-rickshaw to the Behala bus stand (about a 20-30 min ride) then take a bus to Poilan (another 30 min ride or so) and finally walk down the block to the CINI I campus. Or at least this the way I tend to go in the mornings, there are several other stops and buses one could take, but I prefer a minimal amount of changes. There are also 2 buses that run the whole way (76 and GL-3), but their running times are difficult to predict.

So I jump into an auto and (as always) turn on my shuffle and settle myself for the long ride. The back seat of the auto is about the size of a small loveseat and three people generally sit there. I generally wear Salwar Suits or a Kurta and trousers to the office, but when I’m going toward the field I definitely make an effort to dress more traditionally. I get less attention that way. But I hadn’t really planned to be at Poilan I was dressed fairly western, a full-length flare skirt and a t-shirt.

So I’m sitting in this auto and there’s some guy next to me who I’m pretty much ignoring. Then I realize that there is a hand on my breast that is not mine. As the auto is pretty cramped I give him the benefit of the doubt and re-cross my arms so that my hand serves as a barrier. At which point he re-adjusts so that he is again touching my chest and starts caressing me. I, not trying to make a scene, re adjust so that my hand is between his and my chest. So he decides to hold my hand. Just as I’m about to be loud and call this guy out. The auto arrives at Behala and we get out.

I take out my wallet hand the driver a 20-rupee bill and wait for my change a bit agitated and still kinda pissed at the audacity of the guy next to me. As I’m waiting for my change I see the bus that I need starting to leave. So I grab my change and my skirt and bolt after the bus. I do the characteristic Kolkata leap onto the bus while it’s still rolling and find a place to stand inside. At that point I look down at my wallet and realize my license, my other Ids and anything that was in the outside two sections of my tri-fold are gone. Because my wallet was open everything fell out while I was running to the bus. Someone handed the conductor two of the things from my missing pockets and they turned out to be my CINI-ARC card and a card from one of the food courts here.

Slightly upset but counting my blessings (My ATM cards were in the middle section and survived the run), I began to try to figure out how to go about getting new Ids. Suddenly the bus stopped and the creepy guy who was next to me in the auto gets on the bus and hands me all of my Id’s and cards that I dropped. He saw them fall, collected them and then ran to the next stop so that he could give them back to me. He gave a sort of wave and got off the bus again.

So I proceeded to CINI I got my things out of the safe and got back to CINI-ARC with no further adventure.

I’m still not sure what the moral of that story is. - Margarette J Shegogg.

How long does it take for KLI Policies to break even?

2007-02-09T01:28:00.000+05:30

Natukaka Had Invested Rs. 3 Lakhs in March 2006. Now, his portfolio is valued at Rs. 3.12 lakhs. Investment in policies with 27% load and expense factor. Return of 4% p.a., on the overall investment (borrower's point of view). Returns were 42% (31 on 73, total returns 104)-fund manager's view.

Borrower, if at this moment, is not explained the intricasies, may opt out. But if he stays put, a return of 42% (conservatively 20%) awaits him.

Fresh Start

2007-02-09T01:12:00.000+05:30

Its after six months that I am writing again.

Bought a new Laptop, and have broadband connection at home. Hence, am able to.

===============

A cash Credit facility of Rs. 2 Crores @ 10.50%, against security of Life Insurance Policies. The commission on policies is Rs. 10 Lakhs. What will be the IRR for one year period?

Answer: 15.77%

A new E-magazine called "EnterFace"

2006-08-23T22:37:00.000+05:30

I am thinking of starting an e-magazine. I have tentatively named it "EnterFace". Idea behind the magazine is to project (write about, and enter) those everyday faces which have something to tell. We all have a story, a story of our own. And in the aapa-dhapi of life, we seldom pause and read these stories. (Yahan Kiska chehara padha karun, yahan kaun itna kareeb hai!!). Many of us write about the issues that we face today- terrorism, reservation, love, hate, cricket, poverty, development, career, ....... I want to write about people, the people I laugh with, people I cry with, people I work with, people I travel with, studied with, go to film with, take grocery from, buy vegetables from, eat food cooked by, wear clothes ironed by, drink water brought by, repair bike at, ...... I want to write about the small things that is important in their life- our life. An attempt to 'enter a face' as an interface between big world with inner world- a duniya that is ours and yet we forget to pause and think about it.

Am i getting in flow. Perhaps. But this magazine won't. It will be positive, it won't talk about pain. It will talk about the brighter side of our life...... I will define and refine the purpose more in future. But writing it and sharing it does help. Please post ur comments. - Anshul

Anshul's Diary: An alternative to reservation

2006-05-25T16:48:00.000+05:30

Anshul's Diary: An alternative to reservation

An alternative to reservation

2006-05-25T16:12:00.000+05:30

The idea of helping the backward classes is admirable and must be followed. But rReservation is a bad way of putting it. If the incentivisation is done bsed upon the perceived weightage of backwardness, it might help. But reserving the seats totally may not. Let me explain.

The reservation means dividing the seats in parts, wherein select candidates from General Category (GC) can not compete for specific seats. So, it is reverse discrimination. The discrimination becomes anti democratric when the seats remain unavailable even if the candidates from other than GC are found unsuitable for the reserved seats. The seats will go vacant, but won't be filled in by any other.

Now, consider an alternative. The reservation is not given on seats. Instead, the candidates will be given additional marks based upon their social (Caste and religion), economic (economic status), geographical (accessible and inaccessible areas), physical (physically challenged), gender (girl/ boy) and cultural background (tribes). Everyone competes for each seat, with few who belong to backward community getting additional marks for their backwardness. The main examination may carry 80% weightage, with 20% coming from the background.

So, if I am a well-to-do physically-fit brahmin boy from Delhi I will get zero additional marks. If I am a poor physically challenged tribal girl from Bastar I will get 20 marks (other will lie in between). If the boy gets 61 out of 80 marks in main exam, and the girl gets 42 marks, the girl qualifies. If girl gets 40 marks, the boy qualifies. There is no reservation of seats, just an incentive provided for cross-nullifying the effect of reductory factors in one's background.

Another argument is- If reservation is brought to 50%, does it mean that rest 50% goes to GC. NO, it is not so. The moment a non GC candidate gets qualifying marks equal to a GC candidate, he/ she moves on to occupy a non-reserved seat. This is nothing else but punishing the talent.

More on reservation in next blog.

How Banks do credit? Ahmedabad

2006-05-25T14:57:00.000+05:30

Banking, and specially credit is a specialised function. After having worked on around 15 proposals in last 40 days I can say with confidence that when the non-bankers find it hard to grasp what banking is all about, we must sympathise with them. I mean, Banking has been made so jargon led and regulated that a lay man will get in to the trap.

For example, a person undertands simple interest rate and compounding interest rate. One can also make sense of flat interest rate. But what is "interest rate at monthly rests"? It is a mix of simple interest rate and compounding interest rate. In otherwords, it is the simple interest rate compounded monthly.

Another example- There is something called processing fee and file charge. The borrower bears one or both in each case (in case of term loans, there may not be such income for bank in case of cash credit proposals, but that depends on client's profile). So, customer pays 1-2% as processing fees/ file charges. Then comes the valuation report and title clearance expenses, which may be anywhere between Rs. 20,000/- to Rs. 50,000/-. This is also borne by the borrower. Last one is the mortgage registratioon charges, which fluctuate between 0.25% to 1.50%, depending upon the state statutes.

If the loan is disbursed (i have doubts, and keep the reservation intact till the time payment reaches the borrower), there will be Pre-EMI generated by the SYSTEM. Then there will be late charges on registration fee, the cheque bounce charges if something goes wrong (like, if there is an extra dot in the signature, if account is under funded, etc etc - please note that ETC means end of thinking capacity). God forbid if the borrower is late in repaying installment, there will be penal interest charged @36% per month. There is generally a pre-payment charge also, charged @ 3% of the prepaid amount so that the borrower is discouraged to repay in advance.

So, Banks take care of every way that the borrower can default and have put some restrictions by way of financial charges.

Will write more on the way I am being modeled in looking at credi proposals in next blog. On the personal front, I am working with Kotak mahindra Bank, Ahmedabad. I came to this city on 10th April 2006 and I am staying with Harsh and Gandhiji.

At KMBL Mumbai

2006-01-30T21:45:00.000+05:30

Back at Mumbai after two years. Three weeks since joined Kotak. Will be posted at Ahmedabad after a month's time. Til then, at mumbai- learning the ropes.......

Kiran was here when i joined. He is presently at Kottayam. Prannoy has joined as a colleague too.

I am staying at Chummery (company managed bachelor accomodation).

Finidng the work environment good. Feel at ease.

Lerning credit at fast pace. Just did a CC case of AL Traders. Majedaar hote hain yeh financial management ke tarike- there are two firms running from the same premises, and the proprietor is same. Based upon the mood, availability of book, and bank funding, the sales are booked into one or the other.

Today the KMBL team has gone for campus recruitment at IRMA. Expected to pick two-three.

Last week at CINI, kolkata

2006-01-20T12:11:00.000+05:30

Today is a very busy day, and i have fixed a lot fo work for myself. Have to organise files and folders, have to settle the accounts with ARC accountant, and have to collect CA material, and then have to go and attend a meeting with Philips at 3 pm at CCRC. Chandreyee wants me to take some cash and drop it at CINI Reception counter. So. lets see how much of it can be done.

Lost My Mobile- Nokia 6030- at Kolkata

2006-01-18T11:46:00.000+05:30

I have lost my Nokia 6030 mobile four days ago (in a bus). As soon as i come to know of it, I called my number from a co-passenger's mobile, but no body picked up, and i couldn't hear the ringtone also. That meant that the instrument was not in the bus, and I have lost it while getting in to the bus.

I quickly registered the case with the nearest police station at Behala (kolkata). I also tried calling my number, but the call went blank. There was a ray of hope when some one on the other side picked up, but only to put it off. I contacted my service provider and got the calls blocked.

One of my colleagues said that the Nokia phones come with an insuarnce cover, but on enquiry i found that the insurance was offered in 2004, and the heavy rush of demand made nokia withdraw the offer.

Now, I am buying a new one again, and the service provider (AIRTEL) is giving me the SIM (for same number) free of cost.

Resignation accepted at CINI Kolkata

2006-01-17T16:52:00.000+05:30

Today i received the acceptance of my resignation from CINI. Also had a meeting with Priya from HR Department of ICICI Bank. She has sent me an URL where i am supposed to take a pshychometric test. Once that is done, she said she will complete the formalities within a week.

I am thinking which one to choose between Kotak Mahindra Bank and ICICI.