DARK KNIGHT - Moview Review

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.

Guruji of Adilabad

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?

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

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!!

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.

Five at Five: Welcome 2008

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

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.

My Grandma, Trishul, and Amitabh Bachhan

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

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

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

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 !

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

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.

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!

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.

Fresh Start

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%

An alternative to reservation

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.

At KMBL Mumbai

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

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

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.