Before 1970, information was a scarce resource and the underlying potential of facilitating decision making with information was a distant dream to the managers. The fact that information can be captured and distributed across the organization for generation of competitive advantage was evident only during mid-seventies. Information Age lasted approximately for twenty years. Information was not a scarce commodity after that; but the movement of taking the information to knowledge level started around 90s and it still continues to be.
The knowledge economy is also a network economy treating knowledge as a commodity and suggesting that professionals need to work with ideas, information and creativity and new knowledge play the parts of raw materials. Value in this economy does not mean something that the company adds to its shareholders but something that is done in favor of the customer. The performance dimension addresses the degree to which professionals collaborate with others to realize benefits. In this economy, orgnanization combine the main factor of production, human asset in an innovative way to make a profit and the central planners decide how assets are used to provide for maximum benefit to all.
Everyone has to understand value in the new perspective of knowledge economy. Value helps customers produce gain benefit. The right value proposition eliminates price as an objection; it helps in curtailing competition. It is the responsibility of the knowledge professionals to understand and develop his value from the perspective of his customer. Customer actually takes this value to customers' customers to gain profit from open and competitive market. Any activity towards the development of professionals in any organization has to be based on this philosophy. If customers don't get value that is useful to his customers, then the value the professional is now offering to his customers is not valuable to the market in future. Without properly spelling out the value, a price war has to be fought by all.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Bidding Farewell
I have lived this moment
a million times before it came.
What would I do,Where would I go
When you are gone.
I imagined a soulful poem
Each word a shred of my heart
Each full stop, a wishful sigh.
For words not said,Deeds not done.
But now that we are here,
There is only hollow silence.
No pain for the loss,
Of the loss of feeling.
May be you wanted it this way,
To see happy faces
as you turned back to wave.
So good bye it is.
Be strong, I will be too.
I see you melt into the dusk.
But I know you are smiling now.
a million times before it came.
What would I do,Where would I go
When you are gone.
I imagined a soulful poem
Each word a shred of my heart
Each full stop, a wishful sigh.
For words not said,Deeds not done.
But now that we are here,
There is only hollow silence.
No pain for the loss,
Of the loss of feeling.
May be you wanted it this way,
To see happy faces
as you turned back to wave.
So good bye it is.
Be strong, I will be too.
I see you melt into the dusk.
But I know you are smiling now.
Review of laaga Chunri Mein Daag!
Laga Chunari Mein Daag or “My dress got stained” is not about Monica Lewinsky and Bill Clinton and that white stained dress which almost brought down the American Presidency. No indeed it is not. So what is it then? Well I would characterise Pradeep Sarkar’s latest offering as nothing but the cinematic equivalent of taking that brown-with-age banana that has been sitting on the refrigerator top for ages, cutting it up, putting some fancy ice cream on top and serving it to your mother-in-law while saying with a glittering smile “Look ma, this is a special dish I made just for you.”
There used to be a popular,or should I say done-to-death formula in Bengali movies and also “jatras” (rural open-air theatre) through the 50s to the 90s which would, with minor variations, go something like this. Ailing retired honest father. Evil uncles out to get every last penny. A crumbling palatial house in the village. An always-crying mother doing some kind of repetitive menial work to make ends meet (stiching mostly). And supporting the whole family like a weepy Hercules would be a God-like “elder brother” (best played by that high tension wire of emotions by Sukhen Das who, in the course of the movie, would sacrifice everything to get his younger brother educated or younger sister married (this sacrifice usually entailed making money by pushing brick-laden carts while running a 104 degree fever or some other similar act of heart and body-breaking endurance). Ultimately, due to misunderstandings caused by evil uncle/tartar wife of younger brother/some other agency, he would get denounced by all those whom he had helped by his blood and toil till one day he makes the ultimate sacrifice (usually donation of certain vital organ or death through untreated malady) at which the whole family ultimately realizes his value and amends are made at the deathbed, but not before gallons of tears have flown through the flood-drains.
In “Laga Chunari Mein Daag” we have a similar serially heart-attacking, wallowing in self-pity father played by Anupam Kher (where is Alok Nath when you need him?) while greedy brother’s family tries to dispossess him of his crumbling ancestral house. True to formula, there is the poor mother (Jaya Bachchan) who specializes in sewing petticoats and most of all, in being highly melodramatic. There is the younger bright sister played by Konkona Sen Sharma all “chulbuli and “bulbuli” and towering above them all, is the all-sacrificing Rani Mukherjee playing a female version of the Sukhen Das character. Telling her father “beta chahte the na aap to beta banoongi” (You wanted a son so I will become a son) she comes to the big bad city and no she does not have a sex change operation and become Bobby Darling. Very soon,(actually after just one week of struggle), she realizes that the only way a girl can survive in Mumbai is to sell her…emm…. purity, something poor Sukhen Das could never peddle no matter how much he tried, having to pawn instead a kidney, a liver and a testicle to just get by.
The rest of the story of “Laga Chunari Mein Daag” may be slightly different from the Sukhen Das formula as detailed above but it never ever comes close to a point where you would say “I did not see that coming”. Instead it choses to follow a predictably overwrought path of elevated emotion and beatific saintliness. Hoary (not whorey) cliches abound—- the innocence of the village girl (Banaras being a village is a slight stretch) who, even after becoming a city-dweller, still recites the Hanuman Chalisa with great zeal, the evil of the big city where people are heartless (and horny), the golden-hearted working woman whose body may have become a receptacle of the sins of the moneyed classes but whose mind is still ethereal .
Of course, in keeping with the tastes of the multiplexes, the cliches are wrapped in a Gen Next wrapper: the “Aaao babuji Banaras ki teekhi paan pesh karti hoon aap ke liye” proposal of the kothewali madam as she hands over the reluctant belle to the client with a garland wrapped round his hand being replaced by a more contemporary aesthetic of Harsh Chaya, a call center boss, saying to the innocent heroine: “I am a lonely man and why don’t you stay the night with me?”
Of course a normal director would have left it here. But Pradeep Sarkar, being a top-class proponent of the celluloid art makes things more symbolic: as the lusty Harsh Chayya makes the sexual proposition he is shown playing with a Newton’s cradle where the balls oscillating in simple harmonic fashion is not without deeper significance in the context of the scene. Similarly pregnant in meaning is when Harsh Chayya and Rani Mukherjee’s act of coupling is intercut with scenes of Jaya Bachchan sewing hard. Mention must also be made of the sequence in which Harsh Chaya, topless and in full cry, is seen looming in front of the camera saying “You are so beautiful”. As his lips descend to kiss the lens, even the most heartless of us are forced to turn our eyes away from the screen, stung by the anguish of the poor dear caught in the headlights of Harsh Chaya’s exposed nipples.
However my favorite moment of “Laga Chunari Mein Daag” is when in a passage of searing melodrama, Konkona Sen Sharma tells her mother “Jee bharke ro” (Cry to your heart’s content).
It was then, that as a member of the audience I totally connected with the movie, coming this close to shouting out in Anupam Kherian anguish “Yes yes crying to my heart’s content is exactly what I have been doing ever since the goddamned movie started”
There used to be a popular,or should I say done-to-death formula in Bengali movies and also “jatras” (rural open-air theatre) through the 50s to the 90s which would, with minor variations, go something like this. Ailing retired honest father. Evil uncles out to get every last penny. A crumbling palatial house in the village. An always-crying mother doing some kind of repetitive menial work to make ends meet (stiching mostly). And supporting the whole family like a weepy Hercules would be a God-like “elder brother” (best played by that high tension wire of emotions by Sukhen Das who, in the course of the movie, would sacrifice everything to get his younger brother educated or younger sister married (this sacrifice usually entailed making money by pushing brick-laden carts while running a 104 degree fever or some other similar act of heart and body-breaking endurance). Ultimately, due to misunderstandings caused by evil uncle/tartar wife of younger brother/some other agency, he would get denounced by all those whom he had helped by his blood and toil till one day he makes the ultimate sacrifice (usually donation of certain vital organ or death through untreated malady) at which the whole family ultimately realizes his value and amends are made at the deathbed, but not before gallons of tears have flown through the flood-drains.
In “Laga Chunari Mein Daag” we have a similar serially heart-attacking, wallowing in self-pity father played by Anupam Kher (where is Alok Nath when you need him?) while greedy brother’s family tries to dispossess him of his crumbling ancestral house. True to formula, there is the poor mother (Jaya Bachchan) who specializes in sewing petticoats and most of all, in being highly melodramatic. There is the younger bright sister played by Konkona Sen Sharma all “chulbuli and “bulbuli” and towering above them all, is the all-sacrificing Rani Mukherjee playing a female version of the Sukhen Das character. Telling her father “beta chahte the na aap to beta banoongi” (You wanted a son so I will become a son) she comes to the big bad city and no she does not have a sex change operation and become Bobby Darling. Very soon,(actually after just one week of struggle), she realizes that the only way a girl can survive in Mumbai is to sell her…emm…. purity, something poor Sukhen Das could never peddle no matter how much he tried, having to pawn instead a kidney, a liver and a testicle to just get by.
The rest of the story of “Laga Chunari Mein Daag” may be slightly different from the Sukhen Das formula as detailed above but it never ever comes close to a point where you would say “I did not see that coming”. Instead it choses to follow a predictably overwrought path of elevated emotion and beatific saintliness. Hoary (not whorey) cliches abound—- the innocence of the village girl (Banaras being a village is a slight stretch) who, even after becoming a city-dweller, still recites the Hanuman Chalisa with great zeal, the evil of the big city where people are heartless (and horny), the golden-hearted working woman whose body may have become a receptacle of the sins of the moneyed classes but whose mind is still ethereal .
Of course, in keeping with the tastes of the multiplexes, the cliches are wrapped in a Gen Next wrapper: the “Aaao babuji Banaras ki teekhi paan pesh karti hoon aap ke liye” proposal of the kothewali madam as she hands over the reluctant belle to the client with a garland wrapped round his hand being replaced by a more contemporary aesthetic of Harsh Chaya, a call center boss, saying to the innocent heroine: “I am a lonely man and why don’t you stay the night with me?”
Of course a normal director would have left it here. But Pradeep Sarkar, being a top-class proponent of the celluloid art makes things more symbolic: as the lusty Harsh Chayya makes the sexual proposition he is shown playing with a Newton’s cradle where the balls oscillating in simple harmonic fashion is not without deeper significance in the context of the scene. Similarly pregnant in meaning is when Harsh Chayya and Rani Mukherjee’s act of coupling is intercut with scenes of Jaya Bachchan sewing hard. Mention must also be made of the sequence in which Harsh Chaya, topless and in full cry, is seen looming in front of the camera saying “You are so beautiful”. As his lips descend to kiss the lens, even the most heartless of us are forced to turn our eyes away from the screen, stung by the anguish of the poor dear caught in the headlights of Harsh Chaya’s exposed nipples.
However my favorite moment of “Laga Chunari Mein Daag” is when in a passage of searing melodrama, Konkona Sen Sharma tells her mother “Jee bharke ro” (Cry to your heart’s content).
It was then, that as a member of the audience I totally connected with the movie, coming this close to shouting out in Anupam Kherian anguish “Yes yes crying to my heart’s content is exactly what I have been doing ever since the goddamned movie started”
Monday, October 29, 2007
Confused Men!
First I wanted a fair oval face,
Black silken hair to run my fingers through,
Soft lips to caress, a smooth neck to kiss,
Deep eyes that compelled poetry.
But she wasn't the woman for me.
Then I looked for the talented kind,
One that would sing like a nightingale,
Solve calculus in a jiffy,
Discuss with passion, Keats and Dante
But no, she wasn't the woman for me.
Then I went the practical way,
And looked for a wife,
A housekeeper and cook
A good mother for my children to be,
But she still wasn't the woman for me.
Now in my long unending quest
I am tired, spent and forty.
What a perfect woman looks like
I still have no clue.
And frankly, any woman will do.
Black silken hair to run my fingers through,
Soft lips to caress, a smooth neck to kiss,
Deep eyes that compelled poetry.
But she wasn't the woman for me.
Then I looked for the talented kind,
One that would sing like a nightingale,
Solve calculus in a jiffy,
Discuss with passion, Keats and Dante
But no, she wasn't the woman for me.
Then I went the practical way,
And looked for a wife,
A housekeeper and cook
A good mother for my children to be,
But she still wasn't the woman for me.
Now in my long unending quest
I am tired, spent and forty.
What a perfect woman looks like
I still have no clue.
And frankly, any woman will do.
Saturday, October 27, 2007
The Lass
Far away in the woods,
In a long ago time
I loved a pretty lass
Oh! She was mine.
Her eyes were two endless pools,
Lips pure honey.
You could not buy a smile like hers
For all the king’s money.
She walked fearless, nimble,
With wild curls and unbraided hair
She was nature’s daughter
I a mortal, mere.
The birds flocked to her
When she set a tune on the hill
I was a city cad,
But she loved me still.
Why she favoured me so
I never quite knew.
She was life and she was blood
And my talents sadly few
Perhaps she loved my books,
The clever talk and smart ways.
She clapped her hands at my poor jokes,
How sweet and happy were those days.
But a fool was I
Nothing could still my mind.
Doubt wrapped like black plague
No reason could it bind.
How she could love
A man such as me,
When princes and nobles of many lands
Could hers surely be?
And what if I was a village bum
With nothing bright to say,
Would she love me still?
She laughed and teasing me, ran away.
With distrust I recoiled
When she gently touched me now
Strange questions I asked her
My good lass, I troubled her how.
Slowly darkness set in those happy eyes
They grew sad and deep.
At my curious madness,
They could only sigh and weep.
At last I broke her heart in full.
And the magnificient dame
disappeared into the woods
The way she came.
Before she left,
She laughed sadly and said,
I did not love your smile,
Or your hair as you loved mine.
I did not love your books,
the way you loved my looks.
I did not love your wit
The way you loved my dimple pits.
My poor, unhappy lover.
I loved you for you!
Far away in the woods,
In a long ago time
I loved a pretty lass
Alas! She was almost mine.
In a long ago time
I loved a pretty lass
Oh! She was mine.
Her eyes were two endless pools,
Lips pure honey.
You could not buy a smile like hers
For all the king’s money.
She walked fearless, nimble,
With wild curls and unbraided hair
She was nature’s daughter
I a mortal, mere.
The birds flocked to her
When she set a tune on the hill
I was a city cad,
But she loved me still.
Why she favoured me so
I never quite knew.
She was life and she was blood
And my talents sadly few
Perhaps she loved my books,
The clever talk and smart ways.
She clapped her hands at my poor jokes,
How sweet and happy were those days.
But a fool was I
Nothing could still my mind.
Doubt wrapped like black plague
No reason could it bind.
How she could love
A man such as me,
When princes and nobles of many lands
Could hers surely be?
And what if I was a village bum
With nothing bright to say,
Would she love me still?
She laughed and teasing me, ran away.
With distrust I recoiled
When she gently touched me now
Strange questions I asked her
My good lass, I troubled her how.
Slowly darkness set in those happy eyes
They grew sad and deep.
At my curious madness,
They could only sigh and weep.
At last I broke her heart in full.
And the magnificient dame
disappeared into the woods
The way she came.
Before she left,
She laughed sadly and said,
I did not love your smile,
Or your hair as you loved mine.
I did not love your books,
the way you loved my looks.
I did not love your wit
The way you loved my dimple pits.
My poor, unhappy lover.
I loved you for you!
Far away in the woods,
In a long ago time
I loved a pretty lass
Alas! She was almost mine.
Pearls
It is no place for tears
Where not prized.
Oh no, do not waste those precious pearls
On a waste land dry.
In hope there might bloom a flower some day.
For a land barren
Will stay thus sans rain.
And it has no use
For a few drops of salt.
Where not prized.
Oh no, do not waste those precious pearls
On a waste land dry.
In hope there might bloom a flower some day.
For a land barren
Will stay thus sans rain.
And it has no use
For a few drops of salt.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Strangers
Tell me dearest,
If we were strangers all over again
Could we go back to the beginning,
Forget the pain?
To that time, when you looked at me
And I pretended I did not care.
Did you know how long I stared at the road
Once you were gone from there?
Or to that time when you stood hours
for a glimpse
Knowing that the wait
was only deliberate.
To that time when I wet your chest,
With the storm in my heart
And thanked heavens
For your warm shoulders.
My only anchor and relief.
Could we walk slowly this time?
And avoid the dark potholes
On this rugged road?
Check our basic urges
and curb the bitter words we once uttered
Could we really save us from ourselves?
May be it is worth a try and how!
Because could we be any more strangers
than what we are now?
If we were strangers all over again
Could we go back to the beginning,
Forget the pain?
To that time, when you looked at me
And I pretended I did not care.
Did you know how long I stared at the road
Once you were gone from there?
Or to that time when you stood hours
for a glimpse
Knowing that the wait
was only deliberate.
To that time when I wet your chest,
With the storm in my heart
And thanked heavens
For your warm shoulders.
My only anchor and relief.
Could we walk slowly this time?
And avoid the dark potholes
On this rugged road?
Check our basic urges
and curb the bitter words we once uttered
Could we really save us from ourselves?
May be it is worth a try and how!
Because could we be any more strangers
than what we are now?
Easy Love
She paints you a picture and you say wow!
You long to touch her heart and how!!
Oh I know how!!!
You talk of her and I listen resigned
How each time,
You walk those holy stairs
To bow your head at her shrine.
And there are always a few more to climb
A few more steps to climb.
The path is long and unending,
Yet you hear her laughter sublime.
Distant as in stormy seas, the elusive beacon,
And hopeful, you prod on.
On and on.
She’s an enigma, she dances like a dream,
Her face is an angel, eyes lit with crazy gleam.
She’s the woman you want, the woman you cannot get.
And yet,
She is the woman for you, you bet!
So I sit lonely by my stairs,
And draw circles in dirt.
With a broken twig
Eyes cast down to hide my hurt.
This is all I can draw,
I cannot sing or rhyme.
But look into this true heart of mine.
I have wood for feet, I cannot dance
But won’t you give me a single chance?
But you know I love you
And I love you free.
You know I am easy.
And no one loves an easy lover.
Is that why you don't love me?
You long to touch her heart and how!!
Oh I know how!!!
You talk of her and I listen resigned
How each time,
You walk those holy stairs
To bow your head at her shrine.
And there are always a few more to climb
A few more steps to climb.
The path is long and unending,
Yet you hear her laughter sublime.
Distant as in stormy seas, the elusive beacon,
And hopeful, you prod on.
On and on.
She’s an enigma, she dances like a dream,
Her face is an angel, eyes lit with crazy gleam.
She’s the woman you want, the woman you cannot get.
And yet,
She is the woman for you, you bet!
So I sit lonely by my stairs,
And draw circles in dirt.
With a broken twig
Eyes cast down to hide my hurt.
This is all I can draw,
I cannot sing or rhyme.
But look into this true heart of mine.
I have wood for feet, I cannot dance
But won’t you give me a single chance?
But you know I love you
And I love you free.
You know I am easy.
And no one loves an easy lover.
Is that why you don't love me?
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Congratulations!!!
Team India has done it at last!!! It was a treat watching the World Cup Final (So what if its a smaller version, T20 and all that, I still prefer to call it World Cup!) And what a match it was! After a long long time, we really saw the Indian team play the real game - true cricket and a true team work. Not one Sachin hitting a century and others going for a duck, but each and every member of the team contributing towards the success of the team, not in one or two matches, but consistently, be it against Pakistan, or Australia or any other team!!! Thanks guys! you have brought back the passion I once had for cricket, which was missing long time. I have started enjoying cricket once again...its for Dhoni and his team, I will not fight with my husband anymore for watching cricket and not letting me watch the stupid "reality" shows on T.V, shows which are not "real" at all! I would rather sit besides him and watch the Men in Blue in action!
A couple of discoveries I made during this World Cup, dont know whether everybody will agree to me on them. Would love to get comments on my discoveries though.
Its time for the young guys to rule, reminds me of the TOI camp... With due respect to seniors in our cricket team, guys your time is up. You have given us some great and rare moments of glory, which no Indian can ever forget, but its time for you to pass on the hurdle to the younger lot... You can try out commentry, am sick and tired of Harsha Bhogle. Sachin and commentry, well am not quite sure, but Sachin can definitely start cricket coaching and camps and help us build our Cricket Team for 2020? Rahul, with his cute looks (ah I jus love him for everything else other than his game) can stick to commercials, and even try out acting in Balaji Serials. And our Dada can become a coach, or do consulting for the captains of our team, because I truely believe he has been one of the greatest captain India has ever had. But whatever it is, not more playing on the field please!
Dhoni as a captain rocks! He is as cool on the field as his hair style. And his dare bare show reminded me of Dada again. History repeats itself... n thank God it does!
This World Cup saw the rise of the two sub continent teams... our next door neighbour, and the country we love to hate and hate to love, Pakistan and India. Just a wild thought... If India and Pakistan gets together someday ( and I jus hope it does, in my lifetime), we are going to be the super power of the world. Any game that this two countries play, be it hockey or cricket... we are going to be the world champs! Our deadly combination of the world class batsmen that India has, and superb bowlers that Pakistan has... ah its a Dream Team, which no Australia, or South Africa can ever defeat! Our respected political leaders of both the countries... r u guys listenning?
Shall end with an ode to the Men in Blue. Keep it up guys. You have made us proud and you can do it in the future as well. Looking forward to the series in Australia. Please dont disappoint us. You win or lose, play the game in the true spirit and play the way no one ever forgets... Chak De! India.
Cheers@
A couple of discoveries I made during this World Cup, dont know whether everybody will agree to me on them. Would love to get comments on my discoveries though.
Its time for the young guys to rule, reminds me of the TOI camp... With due respect to seniors in our cricket team, guys your time is up. You have given us some great and rare moments of glory, which no Indian can ever forget, but its time for you to pass on the hurdle to the younger lot... You can try out commentry, am sick and tired of Harsha Bhogle. Sachin and commentry, well am not quite sure, but Sachin can definitely start cricket coaching and camps and help us build our Cricket Team for 2020? Rahul, with his cute looks (ah I jus love him for everything else other than his game) can stick to commercials, and even try out acting in Balaji Serials. And our Dada can become a coach, or do consulting for the captains of our team, because I truely believe he has been one of the greatest captain India has ever had. But whatever it is, not more playing on the field please!
Dhoni as a captain rocks! He is as cool on the field as his hair style. And his dare bare show reminded me of Dada again. History repeats itself... n thank God it does!
This World Cup saw the rise of the two sub continent teams... our next door neighbour, and the country we love to hate and hate to love, Pakistan and India. Just a wild thought... If India and Pakistan gets together someday ( and I jus hope it does, in my lifetime), we are going to be the super power of the world. Any game that this two countries play, be it hockey or cricket... we are going to be the world champs! Our deadly combination of the world class batsmen that India has, and superb bowlers that Pakistan has... ah its a Dream Team, which no Australia, or South Africa can ever defeat! Our respected political leaders of both the countries... r u guys listenning?
Shall end with an ode to the Men in Blue. Keep it up guys. You have made us proud and you can do it in the future as well. Looking forward to the series in Australia. Please dont disappoint us. You win or lose, play the game in the true spirit and play the way no one ever forgets... Chak De! India.
Cheers@
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Human Resource or Human Asset
There is an established function known as "Human Resource Management (HRM)" in every organization which manages the human resources of the organization from the perspective of growth and development. The philosophy of this function is pretty clear, making use of professionals as resources with a view to achieve organizational goals. This is quite a successful formula to develop professionals in any enterprise management framework where the enterprise bound by limitations has very little scope to offer to professionals beyond the scope of the organization. However, professionals in knowledge economy have the freedom to think beyond obvious. They can contribute to the industry in any manner they want. When there is a win-win situation, both the organization and the professional have synergic effect. However, many a times it is evident in production centric environment that organizational demand gets priority over the expectations of the professionals. In this process, professionals have to compromise and forego many of their dreams for the sake of 'organizational spirit'. Knowledge economy has put the professionals ahead of the organization. The contribution of the organization is very much dependant on what the professionals can offer. In the process, a professional uses the organization as a channel to reach the customers who are located inside an industrial framework. A typical HRM framework fails to address this space. These three separate entities, the professional, the channel and the Industry are required to be continuously monitored for the assessment of the growth of any 'human resource' aspiring to become an 'human asset' . The level of priority of each creates various combinations for a professional to develop his career path.
Any person has to create his own capability to survive in any growing business situation. When the capability is acceptable by the benefactor, a customer, the initiation process for development of a human asset starts. However, at the initial stage, he needs a channel to reach the customer in the form of an organization. His capability and organizational requirement have to match for such combination to work. The customer is an entity who gets benefited by the knowledge of the professional and the organization gradually becomes a secondary entity to the customer.
Any person has to create his own capability to survive in any growing business situation. When the capability is acceptable by the benefactor, a customer, the initiation process for development of a human asset starts. However, at the initial stage, he needs a channel to reach the customer in the form of an organization. His capability and organizational requirement have to match for such combination to work. The customer is an entity who gets benefited by the knowledge of the professional and the organization gradually becomes a secondary entity to the customer.
Knowledge Economy
Who am I? Why have I come to this world? What role I need to play in life? At times all of us have to answer these questions raised by our own mind. Spiritual world has answers to all these questions. But I have no intention of giving you the insights of the spiritual world. Since our childhood our parents have taught us all that we need to know as a human being. I am trying to peep into the mind of a professional when he tries to seek the answers to these questions. A professional has the ability to earn his living by trading knowledge of his domain. Knowledge has a journey path. Information technology domain has a different story to tell when it traces the evolution of knowledge from data and information. Data is an entity which has otherwise no meaning to anyone unless it is converted into information e.g. a shirt hanging in a departmental store. Information is what we hold after we make a meaning out of data e.g. price of the shirt is $30, 100% cotton. We do not take any action on this information. Knowledge evolves when we digest information and take action on that, e.g. we compare the prices and purchase the one we like the most. Knowledge is taken to one step further when the shirts of the neibouring departmental store are compared with the one we have full information of. That is called intelligence. Information technology has given us the opportunity to convert knowledge into intelligence. Let's now look at ourselves when we call us 'knowledge professionals'. What is our role in the knowledge economy when communication band-width is made available to us by information technology world?
An economy is called 'knowledge economy' when information is freely traded in order to derive knowledge out of it. Here the word 'trading' has a different connotation; it means 'digestion'. Knowledge economy has provided us the opportunity to create information out of data and digest it as knowledge. As a professional, we started our preparatory work in the schools and colleges. We aspired to become someone who would like to make use of all the information coming to us as understanding; would process the information and make a decision out of that. A few walk extra steps to move in a different direction in search of intelligent decision-making. In this process, all our dreams are transformed into reality. Whatis the dream we generally have when we step into the advance stage of academic journey? We need to create something that no one else has ever thought of. We prepare ourselves for that; we sincerely listen to the discussion in the class and try to look beyond the subject for securing the dream. Some people always do it for scoring high marks in the examination. I have no intention to introspect that state of mind. I am only talking of those who want to make a difference in their professional life and our own role in the knowledge society to give them the right opportunity.
With the knowledge that we acquire in the school and colleges, we enter in the professional world and look for opportunities to convert dream into reality. Earlier in the production economy we had to find capital and skilled labour to manufacture something as a product of our choice. In knowledge economy, the product equivalence is intellectual assets. We can claim that asset as ours; we can trade that asset sitting in our drawing rooms. Band width has given us the opportunity. We can acquire any amount of knowledge from the rest of world; search engines are the magicians who throw us anything from the empty box. Are we all aware of our potential in the modern economy? Our religion as a professional in knowledge economy is to realise our potential into productivity using the band width.
I earlier started this article with three questions. Who am I? Why have I come to this world? What role I need to play in life? We need to understand the fact of our own life intelligently. We are not mere puppets in the hand of organization which would satisfy its profit-making goal by trading us as commodities and would provide us no opportunity to trade our knowledge for the creation of intellectual assets. No amount of money can lure us. In the Maslow's theory of hierarchical needs, money loses its charm after some time. When that time comes to your life, you would feel homeless. Our home as a professional is shattered by then. The prayer room seems to have done nothing in our professional life inspite of the fact that knowledge economy has given us more power to show our potential to the industry at large. Organization has only one role to play in knowledge economy; it acts just a medium for us to relise our potential to productivity, helps us reaching our dream home, the industry. An organization is a mute spectator in the whole game of transition where I am the giver and industry is the receiver. We have to understand this hard fact of the professional world around us.
An economy is called 'knowledge economy' when information is freely traded in order to derive knowledge out of it. Here the word 'trading' has a different connotation; it means 'digestion'. Knowledge economy has provided us the opportunity to create information out of data and digest it as knowledge. As a professional, we started our preparatory work in the schools and colleges. We aspired to become someone who would like to make use of all the information coming to us as understanding; would process the information and make a decision out of that. A few walk extra steps to move in a different direction in search of intelligent decision-making. In this process, all our dreams are transformed into reality. Whatis the dream we generally have when we step into the advance stage of academic journey? We need to create something that no one else has ever thought of. We prepare ourselves for that; we sincerely listen to the discussion in the class and try to look beyond the subject for securing the dream. Some people always do it for scoring high marks in the examination. I have no intention to introspect that state of mind. I am only talking of those who want to make a difference in their professional life and our own role in the knowledge society to give them the right opportunity.
With the knowledge that we acquire in the school and colleges, we enter in the professional world and look for opportunities to convert dream into reality. Earlier in the production economy we had to find capital and skilled labour to manufacture something as a product of our choice. In knowledge economy, the product equivalence is intellectual assets. We can claim that asset as ours; we can trade that asset sitting in our drawing rooms. Band width has given us the opportunity. We can acquire any amount of knowledge from the rest of world; search engines are the magicians who throw us anything from the empty box. Are we all aware of our potential in the modern economy? Our religion as a professional in knowledge economy is to realise our potential into productivity using the band width.
I earlier started this article with three questions. Who am I? Why have I come to this world? What role I need to play in life? We need to understand the fact of our own life intelligently. We are not mere puppets in the hand of organization which would satisfy its profit-making goal by trading us as commodities and would provide us no opportunity to trade our knowledge for the creation of intellectual assets. No amount of money can lure us. In the Maslow's theory of hierarchical needs, money loses its charm after some time. When that time comes to your life, you would feel homeless. Our home as a professional is shattered by then. The prayer room seems to have done nothing in our professional life inspite of the fact that knowledge economy has given us more power to show our potential to the industry at large. Organization has only one role to play in knowledge economy; it acts just a medium for us to relise our potential to productivity, helps us reaching our dream home, the industry. An organization is a mute spectator in the whole game of transition where I am the giver and industry is the receiver. We have to understand this hard fact of the professional world around us.
Insight and Innovation
Insight is the capacity to grasp hidden nature of a situation in an intuitive manner.
The worth of a professional is enhanced only when he develops a deep, thorough, or mature analytical ability based out of the power of acute observation. Insight allows professionals to command esteem or respect from the market place; it reveals how the information leads to a state of knowledge and intelligence. Innovation, on the hand is the act of introducing something new. Innovation is the process of making changes to something established by exploiting a new idea, method or device; the outcome is developing a new dimension of performance perceived by customer. There are differing magnitudes of innovation.
Insight emerges into consciousness with a sense of discovery. It can be a slower, more gradual process where the professional undergoes a simple but intellectual comprehension. Concepts constructed in a problem solving environment is replaced by deeper insight that leads to a transition to opportunity creation state. There is continuous interaction between insight and innovation. The result of any innovation can be an insight in the form of new or improved value. Again, for innovation to occur, sometimes insight of the problem situations is required more than the generation of a creative idea.
Innovation is the basic driving force behind maturity of service delivery. A human asset has to extend normal service delivery with a new idea that has not previously been explored. Ideas with regards to internal systems and processes are the fuel that keeps a human asset grow in the potential chain. An idea can originate from anywhere at anytime but the organisation owns the responsibility of turning the ideas of human assets into reality. Innovation is still a necessary first step for professionals to succeed in knowledge economy. Successful business organisation innovate continuously in order to create and sustain a source of competitive advantage.
The worth of a professional is enhanced only when he develops a deep, thorough, or mature analytical ability based out of the power of acute observation. Insight allows professionals to command esteem or respect from the market place; it reveals how the information leads to a state of knowledge and intelligence. Innovation, on the hand is the act of introducing something new. Innovation is the process of making changes to something established by exploiting a new idea, method or device; the outcome is developing a new dimension of performance perceived by customer. There are differing magnitudes of innovation.
Insight emerges into consciousness with a sense of discovery. It can be a slower, more gradual process where the professional undergoes a simple but intellectual comprehension. Concepts constructed in a problem solving environment is replaced by deeper insight that leads to a transition to opportunity creation state. There is continuous interaction between insight and innovation. The result of any innovation can be an insight in the form of new or improved value. Again, for innovation to occur, sometimes insight of the problem situations is required more than the generation of a creative idea.
Innovation is the basic driving force behind maturity of service delivery. A human asset has to extend normal service delivery with a new idea that has not previously been explored. Ideas with regards to internal systems and processes are the fuel that keeps a human asset grow in the potential chain. An idea can originate from anywhere at anytime but the organisation owns the responsibility of turning the ideas of human assets into reality. Innovation is still a necessary first step for professionals to succeed in knowledge economy. Successful business organisation innovate continuously in order to create and sustain a source of competitive advantage.
Monday, September 3, 2007
A nation's journey through 60 years: What's next
For an individual 60 years would mean a lifetime experience of love, friendship, betrayal , death and the other shades of the spectrum of life. For an organization 60 years would mean the mature time when it sees itself propelling towards future based on the momentum gained during the growing past years. But what would 60 years mean for a nation ? It’s too short time in the pages of history where a decade is dedicated at the most a chapter or two.
As a nation we carry historical baggage dating from the Gupta era when Hinduism shaped itself distinct from the prevailing Sanatan religion of the Aryans, absorbing incessant attacks from Western frontiers and ultimately absorbing its attackers into its fold that reached its peak in the glory of the Mughals to the last 200 years of colonial rule. So even before 1947 when India declared itself to be an independent nation its characteristics traits were shaped long back in history. Only thing that was in suspense was how we would carry our heavy luggage down the lanes of future.
Looking back at the last 60 years as a nation we seem to see almost all. As they say in detective stories follow the money , if we see the nations economic history it has seen the Nehuruvian socio-economics, the license raj of Indira to an IMF scripted turnaround by opening itself to the world and suddenly finding itself amongst one of the largest growing economies. Indian IT industry pioneered the emergence of Indian companies which was reflected in the manufacturing and service sector as well. Some of it was an outcome of a conscious effort and some of it happened because it was destined to happen.
In our growing years of democracy we saw the fading importance of rule by a political party with a national base. We saw the black emergency years when Indian democracy choked itself in the same hands it was supposed to be freed. Luckily the situation didn’t prevail for long. Slowly the emergence of regional parties brought about the concept of coalition government. In an utopian situation this scenario would have been applauded as regional agendas would be weighted with the same importance as the national one. Unfortunately in India politics is meant to be largely vote bank based. And if the largest section of the voters are illiterates then democracy is dragged down to be a mere comedy of arm-twisting and ass kissing.
During these journey we saw ourselves engaged in war too with our neighbors. Fortunately nearly every time we were able to maintain our sovereignty although the costs were sometimes too high. But the in-depth analysis of the weaknesses and preventive as well as remedial actions are still in the to be done list.
The last 60 years is also marked with partionist and communal movements ranging from demand for separate states to separation from the state as well. Most of them started within the foray of parliamentarian politics and later emerged as a battle against the state. Gradually they lost the very essence of their cause and everybody interpreted the cause with their own understanding and resorted to terror tactics. A part of the fuel to the fire was supplied by international war-mongers in pursuit of future of weapon business. The net result is that till date India has been the biggest sufferer in the era of global terrorism. What started from neglected north-eastern backyards to the over-protected valleys of Kashmir reached the heart of the nation. Now we are used to the fact that the next big bomb blast could happen anytime.
Each of the last six decades of our national life had its own flavor, unique aspiration, characteristic problems and their solutions. The next decade could be marked with the undomitable aspiration of being big. But that aspiration would be hindered with fighting terrorism home and abroad and the growing disparity of the rich and poor , the gap which will be widened day by day of these non-uniform progress. All these will go parallel with the obvious degeneration of the politicos until someday somebody decides to do something very very drastic.
But one thing will never change. What started as a dream to reach for the skies and was minimized to a mere survival was able to turn around and is now being looked by the remaining world as the probable next big thing. The promises the nation holds to its future citizens will manifest themselves in reality is still the big question. But the momentum has already given the extra push in the inertia. Only if we could ride on and propel the acceleration in the right direction another decade from now on another prouder Indian will be writing about even glorious seventh decade of the nations history.
As a nation we carry historical baggage dating from the Gupta era when Hinduism shaped itself distinct from the prevailing Sanatan religion of the Aryans, absorbing incessant attacks from Western frontiers and ultimately absorbing its attackers into its fold that reached its peak in the glory of the Mughals to the last 200 years of colonial rule. So even before 1947 when India declared itself to be an independent nation its characteristics traits were shaped long back in history. Only thing that was in suspense was how we would carry our heavy luggage down the lanes of future.
Looking back at the last 60 years as a nation we seem to see almost all. As they say in detective stories follow the money , if we see the nations economic history it has seen the Nehuruvian socio-economics, the license raj of Indira to an IMF scripted turnaround by opening itself to the world and suddenly finding itself amongst one of the largest growing economies. Indian IT industry pioneered the emergence of Indian companies which was reflected in the manufacturing and service sector as well. Some of it was an outcome of a conscious effort and some of it happened because it was destined to happen.
In our growing years of democracy we saw the fading importance of rule by a political party with a national base. We saw the black emergency years when Indian democracy choked itself in the same hands it was supposed to be freed. Luckily the situation didn’t prevail for long. Slowly the emergence of regional parties brought about the concept of coalition government. In an utopian situation this scenario would have been applauded as regional agendas would be weighted with the same importance as the national one. Unfortunately in India politics is meant to be largely vote bank based. And if the largest section of the voters are illiterates then democracy is dragged down to be a mere comedy of arm-twisting and ass kissing.
During these journey we saw ourselves engaged in war too with our neighbors. Fortunately nearly every time we were able to maintain our sovereignty although the costs were sometimes too high. But the in-depth analysis of the weaknesses and preventive as well as remedial actions are still in the to be done list.
The last 60 years is also marked with partionist and communal movements ranging from demand for separate states to separation from the state as well. Most of them started within the foray of parliamentarian politics and later emerged as a battle against the state. Gradually they lost the very essence of their cause and everybody interpreted the cause with their own understanding and resorted to terror tactics. A part of the fuel to the fire was supplied by international war-mongers in pursuit of future of weapon business. The net result is that till date India has been the biggest sufferer in the era of global terrorism. What started from neglected north-eastern backyards to the over-protected valleys of Kashmir reached the heart of the nation. Now we are used to the fact that the next big bomb blast could happen anytime.
Each of the last six decades of our national life had its own flavor, unique aspiration, characteristic problems and their solutions. The next decade could be marked with the undomitable aspiration of being big. But that aspiration would be hindered with fighting terrorism home and abroad and the growing disparity of the rich and poor , the gap which will be widened day by day of these non-uniform progress. All these will go parallel with the obvious degeneration of the politicos until someday somebody decides to do something very very drastic.
But one thing will never change. What started as a dream to reach for the skies and was minimized to a mere survival was able to turn around and is now being looked by the remaining world as the probable next big thing. The promises the nation holds to its future citizens will manifest themselves in reality is still the big question. But the momentum has already given the extra push in the inertia. Only if we could ride on and propel the acceleration in the right direction another decade from now on another prouder Indian will be writing about even glorious seventh decade of the nations history.
Friday, August 31, 2007
Soul Mates
Somethings in Life never change,
Sometimes in Life you don't find reasons,
Some moments in life aren't forgotten,
But may be, Sometimes you lose hope...
When time rolls by, you try to forget
What holds you on...
Some people in life are a part of you,
And when you let them go,
You never lose them.
Because...
You find them living in YOU.
Sometimes in Life you don't find reasons,
Some moments in life aren't forgotten,
But may be, Sometimes you lose hope...
When time rolls by, you try to forget
What holds you on...
Some people in life are a part of you,
And when you let them go,
You never lose them.
Because...
You find them living in YOU.
My thoughts!
Glaciers of the moonlight
Shinning on my shoulders bright
My locks trickling
I fail to manage
My scurf is unruly
But I am not worried
Rather I am puzzled...
Nor by the uncontrollable winds
Neither by the waves of sadness
All alone I am moving
Thoughts take a walk
Ahh it’s an endless rambling
As it never reaches the shore
Nor it touches the crown of the mountains
But it’s too high
The thoughts are too soft
Moving like flakes of ice
But there is no shivering
All there is endless tears
And they never freeze.
Shinning on my shoulders bright
My locks trickling
I fail to manage
My scurf is unruly
But I am not worried
Rather I am puzzled...
Nor by the uncontrollable winds
Neither by the waves of sadness
All alone I am moving
Thoughts take a walk
Ahh it’s an endless rambling
As it never reaches the shore
Nor it touches the crown of the mountains
But it’s too high
The thoughts are too soft
Moving like flakes of ice
But there is no shivering
All there is endless tears
And they never freeze.
Friday, August 17, 2007
Day before yesterday, we proudly celebrated our 60th Independence Day. A lot have been written about this day, and other related issues/concerns, a lot of debates n discussions happening in every "adda session", leave aside dailies, news paper, magazines etc. Some, being optimistic, are looking at the positive aspect of our evolution path, some are just criticising anything and everything that happened in India during the last 60 years, and some are just indifferent about everything. But, whatever be the attitude, we all are expressing our thoughts!
If last year, it was Amitabh Bacchan leading the TOI Independence Day campaign, then can Shahrukh be far behind? No, he cant, hence this year, it was him! And the public was in a "Yeh Dil Maange More" mode. A lot of hype (please excuse me for using this word) is being placed on the generation "Z" (I think we have already done with Gen-X, and Y. Wonder what comes after Z??? Generation A, or as I would like to term it, "Back to Square One"??? Think about it) The youth of today... how special or different they are from their predecessors. Traditionally how have we deviated over the years (Oposhonskriti!!!), etc etc.
In the last couple of days, I have received many patriotic e-mails and sms es... that indeed makes me proud as an Indian! They talk about the great achievers and path finders of India, the Nobel Laureates of India, and the rich and glorified past of our Nation!!! Indeed that makes me proud. Some extracts of our gloden past, follows as below:
1. India never invaded any country in her last 1000 years of history.
2. India invented the Number system. Zero was invented by Aryabhatta.
3. The world's first University was established in Takshila in 700BC. More than 10,500 students from all over the world studied more than 60 subjects. The University of Nalanda built in the 4 th century BC was one of the greatest achievements of ancient India in the field of education.
4. According to the Forbes magazine, Sanskrit is the most suitable language for computer software.
5. Ayurveda is the earliest school of medicine known to humans.
6. Although western media portray modern images of India as poverty striken and underdeveloped through political corruption, India was once the richest empire on earth.
7. The art of navigation was born in the river Sindh 5000 years ago. The very word "Navigation" is derived from the Sanskrit word NAVGATIH.
8. The value of pi was first calculated by Budhayana, and he explained the concept of what is now known as the Pythagorean Theorem. British scholars have last year (1999) officially published that Budhayan's works dates to the 6 th Century which is long before the European mathematicians.
9. Algebra, trigonometry and calculus came from India . Quadratic equations were by Sridharacharya in the 11 th Century; the largest numbers the Greeks and the Romans used were 106 whereas Indians used numbers as big as 10 53.
10. According to the Gemmological Institute of America, up until 1896, India was the only source of diamonds to the world.
11. USA based IEEE has proved what has been a century-old suspicion amongst academics that the pioneer of wireless communication was Professor Jagdeesh Bose and not Marconi.
12. The earliest reservoir and dam for irrigation was built in Saurashtra.
13. Chess was invented in India .
14. Sushruta is the father of surgery. 2600 years ago he and health scientists of his time conducted surgeries like cesareans, cataract, fractures and urinary stones. Usage of anaesthesia was well known in ancient India .
15. When many cultures in the world were only nomadic forest dwellers over 5000 years ago, Indians established Harappan culture in Sindhu Valley ( Indus Valley Civilisation).
16. The place value system, the decimal system was developed in India in 100 BC.
Now these are proven facts, aren't they? And dont they make us feel proud? But observing closely, I find, that all these date back a long time in the pages of History! Are we to bask on the glory of our ancestors and keep feeling proud of our Nation ONLY!!! Doing nothing to retain that glory, forget enhancing the same???!!!
When we say India has advanced a lot, whom do we keep in mind? Whom do we project as developing and evolving Indians? The urban lot! The educated and sophisticated, polished, urban lot! The emerging upper middle class, the creme' of the society! When we talk of growing economy, whom do we talk about? The emerging IT Industry? The software professionals, who on average expect a 20-25% increment every year? The Mall and the Multiplex culture? But, can anybody tell me, what percentage they constitute of the total Indian population?
On an average, tell me, how have you spent your Independence Day this year? I will tell you... please do let me know if I am wrong, but first and foremost, you all were looking forward to this Independence day, isn't it??? Am sure, you did, because "fortunately" this year Independence day fell on a "wednesday" and it was a welcome break from your daily hectic schedule, isn't it???
You were probably making plans to celebrate this day "your" way, from a week before (n thats minimum, i can guarantee!). Some of us were planning to laze around (many of my friends told me "saradin pore pore ghumiyechi"!!!). Some of us planned outing with friends and/or families. Thanks to "Pantaloons Grand Sale" many of us have spent the whole day shopping!!! My dear male friends (that includes my dear husband as well) were so calculative that they even bought and arranged for their quota of alcoholic drinks in advance since Independence day is a "Dry Day"!!! Now thats what I call, planning in advance. And if you are really "patriotic" then before executing your plan for the day, am sure you must have attended some "flag hoisting" ceremony somewhere! And that too, am sure, many of us were cribbing because it was pretty hot (in Kolkata) that day, and you had to stand for 15-20 mins(on an average) under the sun for the flag hoisitng ceremony!!! Am sure this one sacrifise that you made for your country on the Independence day this year, you will remember for quite some time to come.
Independence Day is over for this year. All the patriotic song CDs are kept safely tugged in your CD shelf, rest assured that they will not be in use for atleast 5 more months! The FM radio channels have also stopped bothering about those CDs, they will be played again on 26th jan'2008. The tri color flag (incase u bought one this year, is washed, n ironed and kept in your cupboard). We have paid our homage to our Mother India for the year. Over and out. Rest, the debates, discussions, the public display of fights in our Parliaments still continue...
Jai Hind!
If last year, it was Amitabh Bacchan leading the TOI Independence Day campaign, then can Shahrukh be far behind? No, he cant, hence this year, it was him! And the public was in a "Yeh Dil Maange More" mode. A lot of hype (please excuse me for using this word) is being placed on the generation "Z" (I think we have already done with Gen-X, and Y. Wonder what comes after Z??? Generation A, or as I would like to term it, "Back to Square One"??? Think about it) The youth of today... how special or different they are from their predecessors. Traditionally how have we deviated over the years (Oposhonskriti!!!), etc etc.
In the last couple of days, I have received many patriotic e-mails and sms es... that indeed makes me proud as an Indian! They talk about the great achievers and path finders of India, the Nobel Laureates of India, and the rich and glorified past of our Nation!!! Indeed that makes me proud. Some extracts of our gloden past, follows as below:
1. India never invaded any country in her last 1000 years of history.
2. India invented the Number system. Zero was invented by Aryabhatta.
3. The world's first University was established in Takshila in 700BC. More than 10,500 students from all over the world studied more than 60 subjects. The University of Nalanda built in the 4 th century BC was one of the greatest achievements of ancient India in the field of education.
4. According to the Forbes magazine, Sanskrit is the most suitable language for computer software.
5. Ayurveda is the earliest school of medicine known to humans.
6. Although western media portray modern images of India as poverty striken and underdeveloped through political corruption, India was once the richest empire on earth.
7. The art of navigation was born in the river Sindh 5000 years ago. The very word "Navigation" is derived from the Sanskrit word NAVGATIH.
8. The value of pi was first calculated by Budhayana, and he explained the concept of what is now known as the Pythagorean Theorem. British scholars have last year (1999) officially published that Budhayan's works dates to the 6 th Century which is long before the European mathematicians.
9. Algebra, trigonometry and calculus came from India . Quadratic equations were by Sridharacharya in the 11 th Century; the largest numbers the Greeks and the Romans used were 106 whereas Indians used numbers as big as 10 53.
10. According to the Gemmological Institute of America, up until 1896, India was the only source of diamonds to the world.
11. USA based IEEE has proved what has been a century-old suspicion amongst academics that the pioneer of wireless communication was Professor Jagdeesh Bose and not Marconi.
12. The earliest reservoir and dam for irrigation was built in Saurashtra.
13. Chess was invented in India .
14. Sushruta is the father of surgery. 2600 years ago he and health scientists of his time conducted surgeries like cesareans, cataract, fractures and urinary stones. Usage of anaesthesia was well known in ancient India .
15. When many cultures in the world were only nomadic forest dwellers over 5000 years ago, Indians established Harappan culture in Sindhu Valley ( Indus Valley Civilisation).
16. The place value system, the decimal system was developed in India in 100 BC.
Now these are proven facts, aren't they? And dont they make us feel proud? But observing closely, I find, that all these date back a long time in the pages of History! Are we to bask on the glory of our ancestors and keep feeling proud of our Nation ONLY!!! Doing nothing to retain that glory, forget enhancing the same???!!!
When we say India has advanced a lot, whom do we keep in mind? Whom do we project as developing and evolving Indians? The urban lot! The educated and sophisticated, polished, urban lot! The emerging upper middle class, the creme' of the society! When we talk of growing economy, whom do we talk about? The emerging IT Industry? The software professionals, who on average expect a 20-25% increment every year? The Mall and the Multiplex culture? But, can anybody tell me, what percentage they constitute of the total Indian population?
On an average, tell me, how have you spent your Independence Day this year? I will tell you... please do let me know if I am wrong, but first and foremost, you all were looking forward to this Independence day, isn't it??? Am sure, you did, because "fortunately" this year Independence day fell on a "wednesday" and it was a welcome break from your daily hectic schedule, isn't it???
You were probably making plans to celebrate this day "your" way, from a week before (n thats minimum, i can guarantee!). Some of us were planning to laze around (many of my friends told me "saradin pore pore ghumiyechi"!!!). Some of us planned outing with friends and/or families. Thanks to "Pantaloons Grand Sale" many of us have spent the whole day shopping!!! My dear male friends (that includes my dear husband as well) were so calculative that they even bought and arranged for their quota of alcoholic drinks in advance since Independence day is a "Dry Day"!!! Now thats what I call, planning in advance. And if you are really "patriotic" then before executing your plan for the day, am sure you must have attended some "flag hoisting" ceremony somewhere! And that too, am sure, many of us were cribbing because it was pretty hot (in Kolkata) that day, and you had to stand for 15-20 mins(on an average) under the sun for the flag hoisitng ceremony!!! Am sure this one sacrifise that you made for your country on the Independence day this year, you will remember for quite some time to come.
Independence Day is over for this year. All the patriotic song CDs are kept safely tugged in your CD shelf, rest assured that they will not be in use for atleast 5 more months! The FM radio channels have also stopped bothering about those CDs, they will be played again on 26th jan'2008. The tri color flag (incase u bought one this year, is washed, n ironed and kept in your cupboard). We have paid our homage to our Mother India for the year. Over and out. Rest, the debates, discussions, the public display of fights in our Parliaments still continue...
Jai Hind!
Monday, August 6, 2007
Testing Times
Life is always not a bed of roses, n even if it is, roses come with thorns. There are times, when we often wonder, why me? Nothing seems to go right at times, and to make matters worse, all the wrong things happen simultaneously. You have a deadline to meet in the office, your son falls sick and needs to be taken to the doctor, your maid calls it a day off for reasons best known to her and so on... Things get serious at the same time, and eeach and every circumstance demand your attention and intervention at the same time, with the same magnitude of seriousness.
The last two weeks had been pretty hectic for me. My mother was not well and had to be operated immediately. My daughter had her school examinataions which required my attention and intervention immediately, the project am in now required me more than ever and I had a tough time dividing my attention amongst these various aspects of my life. The only time I got for myself was when I was commuting to and fro various destinations (and the destinations were home-office-hospital), and if you are a resident of Kolkata or have any experience of driving in Kolkata traffic, then you would know that, I would be telling a lie if I say that I have enough time for myself and my thoughts while I am driving, because if at all it was a truth, I would not be alive to blog and let the world know of that! So practically, I had no time for myself for the last almost two weeks.
This obviously resulted in sulking and cribbing and led to depression (after all now I had valid reasons for them!) but at the same time, these two weeks taught me a lot of good things. Now when I look back at them, I realise that these two weeks made me more efficient, more patient, and helped me evolve as a better human being.
When I saw my mother walking with the help of the walker, taking one step at a time after the successful surgery, I was so happy!!! Now can relate to my mother's happiness when she had seen me take my first steps as a child! History surely repeats itself! Not only that, when back home I was helping my daughter do her studies even when my own thoughts were pretty disturbed with my mother's illness, I realised the balancing act every woman needs to do every time. We dont realise these petty things unless and until we go through life's small crises.
Now I know, the hard times in life are not only our testing times, but they are there to help us become better in every possible way. Its His way of teaching us and ensuring that we evolve as winners in the process. Like after every examinatin in our school days, we had a better time ahead, similarly after each testing time in life comes a happy enlightened phase, when you grow rich with knowledge and evolve as a better human being. All we need to do is keep our patience and trust Him, and do our responsibilities with utlost sincerity. And we shall emerge a winner, no matter what situation we are in.
The last two weeks had been pretty hectic for me. My mother was not well and had to be operated immediately. My daughter had her school examinataions which required my attention and intervention immediately, the project am in now required me more than ever and I had a tough time dividing my attention amongst these various aspects of my life. The only time I got for myself was when I was commuting to and fro various destinations (and the destinations were home-office-hospital), and if you are a resident of Kolkata or have any experience of driving in Kolkata traffic, then you would know that, I would be telling a lie if I say that I have enough time for myself and my thoughts while I am driving, because if at all it was a truth, I would not be alive to blog and let the world know of that! So practically, I had no time for myself for the last almost two weeks.
This obviously resulted in sulking and cribbing and led to depression (after all now I had valid reasons for them!) but at the same time, these two weeks taught me a lot of good things. Now when I look back at them, I realise that these two weeks made me more efficient, more patient, and helped me evolve as a better human being.
When I saw my mother walking with the help of the walker, taking one step at a time after the successful surgery, I was so happy!!! Now can relate to my mother's happiness when she had seen me take my first steps as a child! History surely repeats itself! Not only that, when back home I was helping my daughter do her studies even when my own thoughts were pretty disturbed with my mother's illness, I realised the balancing act every woman needs to do every time. We dont realise these petty things unless and until we go through life's small crises.
Now I know, the hard times in life are not only our testing times, but they are there to help us become better in every possible way. Its His way of teaching us and ensuring that we evolve as winners in the process. Like after every examinatin in our school days, we had a better time ahead, similarly after each testing time in life comes a happy enlightened phase, when you grow rich with knowledge and evolve as a better human being. All we need to do is keep our patience and trust Him, and do our responsibilities with utlost sincerity. And we shall emerge a winner, no matter what situation we are in.
Monday, July 16, 2007
The Bong Connection...
Yesterday I saw this movie. Pretty well made, well edited, well enacted, well scripted and a crisp movie. No, am not here to give a review of any sort, I dont think I will be doing justice that way, because I cannot differentiate a "Aap ka Suroor" from "Anurodh". I think I am a true fan of our Hindi Film Industry (Amitabh Bhacchan hates the term "Bollywood" and so do I!), and enjoy watching films, good, bad and ugly with the same kind of spirit and enthusiasm.
Before watching this movie, I had read an article about this movie on TOI, which said, Anjan Dutta had a satirical take on Bangalees in the film! But honestly, I couldnt find the satire at all... wonder where my IQ level is going?!
The story is of two characters, both bangalees (thats one of the major similarity between the two), two young guys who are born and brought up in two entirely different situations and society, and who chase their dreams and end up in a land which is totally unknown to them. One of them (people who know me, know how miserably bad I am with names, and hence shall stick to the actors' real names rather than the screen ones, please excuse me for that), Shayan Munshi plays the character who is an NRI, born and brought up in the US of A! He is highly inspired by Bengali music "baul geet" and wants to pursue his music career in Bengal. His grandfather is a great musician of the past, and he intends to learn music from him. This guy, despite being born and brought up abroad, is very much close to his grand father and his love for bangla gaan is something which honestly shocked me! Long live these kind of real life characters, if they exist at all!
The other guy, played by Parambrata, is an academically bright young guy who has never stayed out of Kolkata in his entire life so far, but lands up with a million dollar job in USA in pursuit of his dream, or rather shall I say, in order to realise his dreams.
And then the story unravels how these two guys try to cope up with the alien society they end up being, how they get familiarise with this new society despite not being able to completely adjust to the "norms" of that society, how they work towards adopting themselves to the norms of the new society. Their experience, their likes, their dislikes, their heart breaks, and how at the end of the day, they return to their root! Shayan returns to USA and Parambrata returns to Kolkata.
And thats what I liked the most about the movie. This movie is not about whether you are a Bengali, or a Marwari... its all about returning to your root. No matter if you are a Bengali, Punjabi or an English, you belong to where you are born and brought up! If you are brought up in USA, lets face it, you grow up to be an American, thats where you belong, thats what you are accustomed with. ABCD, or American Born Confused Desi, is a term which is created by us, to show them in poor light, but lets face it, I can site many real life examples of how the young generation in India is aping US culture. Only day before yesterday, I happened to go to Camac Street/ Parksreet pretty late at night, and was shocked to see the way guys and girls, who are probably till in their teens, roaming around, they were drunk, their dresses were not worth mentioning. My point is if its a concern, then its a global concern, why single out those who are born abroad. And honestly, if you stay in a place for long, and particularly from your childhood, then you imbibe those things that the society offers you. You cant expect a bong child brought up abroad to be very "Bangalee" in nature. You cannot and shoudnot impose "Bangaliyana" on him. And if you do that as parents, or very worried Mashi, Pishi, Mama, Kaka, then the outcome will be a confused person, a confused identity... now whether you call him ABCD or WXYZ is upto you!
The movie showed the bangalees in US, and termed them as happy and confused "second class citizen" but then they are the older generation. The present generation is quite confident of their status. And thats what I appreciate about this present generation. Whatever you are, be proud of your identity. Be flexible in your attitude, be ready to accept your flaws if somebody points that to you (actually you are lucky if you have someone who can honestly point your flaws), and be ready to work on them. Thats what I appreciate the most about this generation. They are open minded, may be a bit spoilt and pampered ( but its definitely not their fault!) But they call spade a spade, and they are ready to accept their flaws. They are not apprehensive of saying "sorry" if they realise they are wrong. And we call them ABCD? No way! They are more like global citizen. They are not confused at all. Bangalee or not very Bangalee...how does that matter?
Before watching this movie, I had read an article about this movie on TOI, which said, Anjan Dutta had a satirical take on Bangalees in the film! But honestly, I couldnt find the satire at all... wonder where my IQ level is going?!
The story is of two characters, both bangalees (thats one of the major similarity between the two), two young guys who are born and brought up in two entirely different situations and society, and who chase their dreams and end up in a land which is totally unknown to them. One of them (people who know me, know how miserably bad I am with names, and hence shall stick to the actors' real names rather than the screen ones, please excuse me for that), Shayan Munshi plays the character who is an NRI, born and brought up in the US of A! He is highly inspired by Bengali music "baul geet" and wants to pursue his music career in Bengal. His grandfather is a great musician of the past, and he intends to learn music from him. This guy, despite being born and brought up abroad, is very much close to his grand father and his love for bangla gaan is something which honestly shocked me! Long live these kind of real life characters, if they exist at all!
The other guy, played by Parambrata, is an academically bright young guy who has never stayed out of Kolkata in his entire life so far, but lands up with a million dollar job in USA in pursuit of his dream, or rather shall I say, in order to realise his dreams.
And then the story unravels how these two guys try to cope up with the alien society they end up being, how they get familiarise with this new society despite not being able to completely adjust to the "norms" of that society, how they work towards adopting themselves to the norms of the new society. Their experience, their likes, their dislikes, their heart breaks, and how at the end of the day, they return to their root! Shayan returns to USA and Parambrata returns to Kolkata.
And thats what I liked the most about the movie. This movie is not about whether you are a Bengali, or a Marwari... its all about returning to your root. No matter if you are a Bengali, Punjabi or an English, you belong to where you are born and brought up! If you are brought up in USA, lets face it, you grow up to be an American, thats where you belong, thats what you are accustomed with. ABCD, or American Born Confused Desi, is a term which is created by us, to show them in poor light, but lets face it, I can site many real life examples of how the young generation in India is aping US culture. Only day before yesterday, I happened to go to Camac Street/ Parksreet pretty late at night, and was shocked to see the way guys and girls, who are probably till in their teens, roaming around, they were drunk, their dresses were not worth mentioning. My point is if its a concern, then its a global concern, why single out those who are born abroad. And honestly, if you stay in a place for long, and particularly from your childhood, then you imbibe those things that the society offers you. You cant expect a bong child brought up abroad to be very "Bangalee" in nature. You cannot and shoudnot impose "Bangaliyana" on him. And if you do that as parents, or very worried Mashi, Pishi, Mama, Kaka, then the outcome will be a confused person, a confused identity... now whether you call him ABCD or WXYZ is upto you!
The movie showed the bangalees in US, and termed them as happy and confused "second class citizen" but then they are the older generation. The present generation is quite confident of their status. And thats what I appreciate about this present generation. Whatever you are, be proud of your identity. Be flexible in your attitude, be ready to accept your flaws if somebody points that to you (actually you are lucky if you have someone who can honestly point your flaws), and be ready to work on them. Thats what I appreciate the most about this generation. They are open minded, may be a bit spoilt and pampered ( but its definitely not their fault!) But they call spade a spade, and they are ready to accept their flaws. They are not apprehensive of saying "sorry" if they realise they are wrong. And we call them ABCD? No way! They are more like global citizen. They are not confused at all. Bangalee or not very Bangalee...how does that matter?
Friday, July 6, 2007
Love
There is no difficulty that true love will not conquer; No disease that true love will not heal; no door that true love will not open; no gulf that true love will not bridge; no wall that true love will not throw down; no sin that true love will not redeem...
It makes no difference how deeply seated may be the trouble, how hopeless the outlook, how muddled the tangle, how great the mistake. A sufficient realsation of love will dissolve it all. If only you could love enough, you could be the happiest and the most powerful being in the world.
It makes no difference how deeply seated may be the trouble, how hopeless the outlook, how muddled the tangle, how great the mistake. A sufficient realsation of love will dissolve it all. If only you could love enough, you could be the happiest and the most powerful being in the world.
Prayer for You, My Friend
I said a prayer for you, today,
And I know God must have heard-
I felt the answer in my heart
Although He never spoke a word!
I didn't ask for wealth or fame,
I knew you wouldn't mind-
I asked him to send you treasures
Of a far more lasting kind!
I asked that He would be near you,
At the start of each new day-
To grant you love and blessings
And friends to share your way!
I asked for happiness for you,
In all things great and small-
But it was for His loving care
I prayed the most of all!
And I know God must have heard-
I felt the answer in my heart
Although He never spoke a word!
I didn't ask for wealth or fame,
I knew you wouldn't mind-
I asked him to send you treasures
Of a far more lasting kind!
I asked that He would be near you,
At the start of each new day-
To grant you love and blessings
And friends to share your way!
I asked for happiness for you,
In all things great and small-
But it was for His loving care
I prayed the most of all!
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
As long as you follow...
Now I know I can't lose
As long as you are there for me to follow
I'm gonna win (I'm gonna win)
I'm gonna beg, steal, or borrow
Yes I can live today
If you give me tomorrow
As long as you are there for me to follow.
As long as you are there for me to follow
I'm gonna win (I'm gonna win)
I'm gonna beg, steal, or borrow
Yes I can live today
If you give me tomorrow
As long as you are there for me to follow.
I am in love with you Stranger...
The bleary eyed mornings of dream filled nights.
My closed eyes and you in retina color.
In the green fields, in the blue rain.
In the whirl of the night,
Laughing loudly, smiling softly.
On your lips. In my kohl lined eyes.
I think…
I think…I am in love with you stranger.
Waiting for a beep on the cell phone all day.
Running home to write shards of life in an email.
I think…
I think...I am in love with you stranger.
Blue China plates and lovers kissing on a bench,
Whiff of perfume, headlamps on a dark winding road.
An old song on the radio, jogging into a new day.
I think…
I think...I am in love with you stranger.
Colored curtains on suburban windows,
Unlocking the front door at day’s death.
Walking gingerly on wooden footboards,
Car spotting on lonely intersections.
I think…
I think...I am in love with you stranger.
Driving past beautiful cottages, with quaint names
Promising to knock on the doors, with you by my side.
I know...
I know...I am in love with you stranger.
My closed eyes and you in retina color.
In the green fields, in the blue rain.
In the whirl of the night,
Laughing loudly, smiling softly.
On your lips. In my kohl lined eyes.
I think…
I think…I am in love with you stranger.
Waiting for a beep on the cell phone all day.
Running home to write shards of life in an email.
I think…
I think...I am in love with you stranger.
Blue China plates and lovers kissing on a bench,
Whiff of perfume, headlamps on a dark winding road.
An old song on the radio, jogging into a new day.
I think…
I think...I am in love with you stranger.
Colored curtains on suburban windows,
Unlocking the front door at day’s death.
Walking gingerly on wooden footboards,
Car spotting on lonely intersections.
I think…
I think...I am in love with you stranger.
Driving past beautiful cottages, with quaint names
Promising to knock on the doors, with you by my side.
I know...
I know...I am in love with you stranger.
Me...
He always said, I was weak. He always said I could never take a stand.
I never believed all of that.
I took great decisions at work. Under pressure I solution like a man on fire. It just happened the other day, we had a resource utilization issue. My manager was perplexed, lines on his forehead, he was pouring over the figures. I saw the problem, I figured the end, and I had the mean. It's normal. It's so natural. It isn't even an effort.
I just "see" the solution.
No lengthy deliberations, just a clear clear mind.
But now, as far as life goes - I think he was right. I never did take a stand. I followed the straight and narrow. I followed the routine, the obvious. I wallowed in the perplexity. I savored irony. I celebrated inaction. Self deludingly believed the middle path to be the hgh ground.
In retrospect, the work days were never twelve hours plus, the clients' demands were never that worrisome. The next role change was never that critical.
I realize now, I was never a workaholic. I realize now, I was just a refugee. I realise now, I was just trying to "impress" others and thus deviating from "Me"
I never believed all of that.
I took great decisions at work. Under pressure I solution like a man on fire. It just happened the other day, we had a resource utilization issue. My manager was perplexed, lines on his forehead, he was pouring over the figures. I saw the problem, I figured the end, and I had the mean. It's normal. It's so natural. It isn't even an effort.
I just "see" the solution.
No lengthy deliberations, just a clear clear mind.
But now, as far as life goes - I think he was right. I never did take a stand. I followed the straight and narrow. I followed the routine, the obvious. I wallowed in the perplexity. I savored irony. I celebrated inaction. Self deludingly believed the middle path to be the hgh ground.
In retrospect, the work days were never twelve hours plus, the clients' demands were never that worrisome. The next role change was never that critical.
I realize now, I was never a workaholic. I realize now, I was just a refugee. I realise now, I was just trying to "impress" others and thus deviating from "Me"
Is the Child You were, proud of the Man You are?
Are you playing with the child
Making him count
Are you taking him on a sunny day out
Are you playing him a song
Letting him draw
Stubbing crayons orange blue lemon
Are you giving away candy
Sweatmeat floss
Are you watching him jump
Giggling with laugh
Flying balloons for him
Holding his hands
Rocking on laps
Telling fairytales to the bedtime lad
And there’s a baby
It moves down the memory lanes
Knocks on the door
That’s dingy and dark
He crouches on mud floor
Tugs your shirt sleeve
You leave him lorn
And he quivers in weakly
Out out
You shout
And baby disappears
And you never find him
While playing with the child
The child of us
He’s peering meekly
Don’t spoil him with a rod
He’s on the road
He’s on the move
Just shying away
Away from you
He’s the child who play with you.
Making him count
Are you taking him on a sunny day out
Are you playing him a song
Letting him draw
Stubbing crayons orange blue lemon
Are you giving away candy
Sweatmeat floss
Are you watching him jump
Giggling with laugh
Flying balloons for him
Holding his hands
Rocking on laps
Telling fairytales to the bedtime lad
And there’s a baby
It moves down the memory lanes
Knocks on the door
That’s dingy and dark
He crouches on mud floor
Tugs your shirt sleeve
You leave him lorn
And he quivers in weakly
Out out
You shout
And baby disappears
And you never find him
While playing with the child
The child of us
He’s peering meekly
Don’t spoil him with a rod
He’s on the road
He’s on the move
Just shying away
Away from you
He’s the child who play with you.
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