su·per·star

Yet another living person is celebrating his birthday today. Actually an entire industry - the entertainment industry is celebrating his birthday today. His birthday is a monetizing event for agencies. Hundreds of people work to celebrate his birthday. In that sense he has created jobs every year. The whole industry looks to him when he makes a statement. Who is he? Where did he come from? How is he doing all this? There are several questions like this and trying to find answers to these questions would lead me to write a book on him. But, I cannot do it right now coz I am hungry and I am going to fill my stomach. So, I re-post what I had previously written.

According to Dictionaries, Superstar mean;

• 
  1. A widely acclaimed star, as in movies or sports, who has great popular appeal.
  2. One that is extremely popular or prominent or that is a major attraction.
  
  • noun an extremely famous and successful performer or sports player
  
  A widely acclaimed celebrity, such as a star of motion pictures or music, who has great popular appeal and is prominent, or who is a major attraction. These celebrities may include actors, actresses, musicians and athletes.

For the people in Tamilnadu, a southern state in India, Superstar means one single person - rajinikanth. Rajinikanth is not the real name of that person, still if u ask anyone in the state "Who is superstar?", there will be a prompt answer. I am actually trying to understand how this unreal name of that person has become almost a household name. I will be using both the names Superstar and Rajinikanth exchangingly because I too hail from Tamilnadu, the state which knows Superstar means Rajinikanth & Rajinikanth means Superstar.

Rajinikanth is a cine star in Tamilnadu for over 25 years. He has a huge fan following which almost considers him as demigod. His potrayal in films was of an angry man fighting for justice, standing up for honesty, devotional son to mother, honest lover boy, affectionate brother mostly. He was doing the same kind of roles for 25 yrs. That was a reel image of his, which has gained him such admiration from his fans.

I am also doing the same kind of activities, same thought process for past 15 yrs.

Ok..Ok.. Cool down.. Was jus kidding..

BTW, apart from his reel life, he is admired by the industry people much as like as his fans. Now, he acts in 1 movie in a year or two. Still, that movie will be the biggest hit in the box-office in the history of Tamil Cinema. Rajinikanth himself has returned the losses occurred to the distributors who had immense faith in his films. He has also acted in few films without any remuneration.

I am a die-hard fan of his characters in films. On his real life I like the simplicity, respect and his style in doing things. One of my friend had a experience working with him closely during Baba. He is usually humourous in sets and keeps everyone cool everytime, a keen lover of solitude, does not expect hi-fi provisions for his proceedings and so on.

Superstar after his tenure of 25 yrs in the Cine Industry attributed his success to co-star Kamal Haasan saying "If u think I am successful in the field for all these years, its all because of Kamal". He uttered this statement in front of over 10000 people on stage. I dont think no other big shot will rememeber the good old days. Such is his modesty. As his dialogue in a movie goes "I do what I say, I say what I do", he is a man of deeds.

All the above mentioned characteristics of his are not to highlight the traits of the person. All these are the base behind the charm, a brand called Superstar. Its a brand now. A trustable, lovable, admirable brand.

"Superstar yaarnu kaetta, Chinna kozhandaiyum sollum"

This recent photograph of Rajinikanth inspired me much to write this article.

He is seen enjoying a speech on stage during the release of Ilaiyaraja's Thiruvaasagam.

125th Anniversary

If you think there are people who can make me write about them at the early hours of a working day that too on a Monday, when my boss is around me asking for reports and I dont listen to him and keep on writing...YES, there are... 1 living and 1 dead... I would rather say this way, out of those two, the living will die when my memory dies, the dead will never die.

Jesus died pinned to the cross;
Krishna by a swift arrow;
Even Rama yielded to death by water;
But I shall not die, 'tis certain

These are the words from the one whom I mentioned as dead. The words are live and so he lives and will never die. I am speaking about Subramanya Bharathi, the fearless fiery whom the world thought as a fanatic. He never bothered about the world and kept going with his beliefs which the present world is still finding difficult to adopt. His 125th anniversary today is celebrated by people around the world. His funeral was attended by just 14 people. :) WHAT A WORLD!!! Its like the verse "Pagalile kalakkal vaaramal Iruttile kannadich Enna Payan" meaning what is the point in serving water to the dead.

I thought I would listen to some songs of Bharathi which I havnt heard before. One such is "thikkuteriyaatha kaattil". Few lines from the song;

aNNA unadhadiyil vIzhvEn enai

anja kodumai solla vENdAm piran

kaNNAlam seidhu vitta peNNai undhan

kaNNAR pArtthidavum thaghumO?

Edi! sAtthirangaL vEndEn undhan

inbam vENdumadi kaniyE!

mUdi kirukkudhadi thalayai nalla

mudhai pazhaya kaLLai pOlE

I am extremely sorry for those who cannot follow the language. I tried my best in breaking my head to translate those lines, but unfortunately I am less proficient with Tamil. Will try to do that ASAP.

Yet another 125th anniversary to come for him...LONG LIVE BHARATHI

P.S: If someone is not able to follow this post, it's your disinterest in the post.

GURU

The MASTER is back and so I am back to my blog(Jus luk how the image blends with my blog: ). But, you have to wait one more month. Till then, brush up your senses, liberate them and check out http://www.guru-themovie.com/. Its a periodical film about an ordinary individual who had extraordinary vision. Yet another masterpiece from one of my favorite director. Simple, but powerful.

Guru says "If a law can be made in a day, it can be changed in a day". Got the message??

On-Air

I have been on air twice before. Both were for commercial purposes when I was working with 98.3 FM. (I meant, my voice went on-air in the radio). This time I was literally on-air, amid the clouds. I occupied the window seat in the airbus and was looking through the window every minute other than the time when the hostesses were giving instructions and near my row. Was a wonderful experience to be in the clouds...! My seat was near the wings and the way the bus turned itself in the air made me feel as if I was flying with those huge wings... Nothing was visible in the land after a certain layer in the sky. I could see only clouds, balloons of clouds with the shades of orange from the sun. It was early morning 5:00 while boarding and it was a 2 hr journey. I wished I could have stayed there with the clouds itself... au nature...

It was actually a last minute decision from my org to make me travel by air. Was a v. good experience actually. And the most defining moment for me was I was made to fly while returning back, in Boeing 737...again the window seat... I was On-Air!!

To give, in Humility

Seva Café in Ahmedabad is a restaurant built around an ethical, not commercial, framework.

AN interesting experiment in the art of giving has begun in Ahmedabad in the form of a restaurant called "Seva Café". Located on the fashionable C.G. Road - literally in the "heart" of the city - the café is not your ordinary eatery. You are welcome to dine, converse and enjoy the ambience, yet are required to pay only what you wish for the meal. The restaurant is run mostly by volunteers, and there are no prices for any of the food items. Only one expectation exists of the server and the served: that acts of kindness and love be perpetuated. The "pay it forward" economic model of Seva Café is radically different from capitalist notions that power most modern-day interactions. At the café, you can enjoy your meal, which is being offered to you as a genuine gift from a guest who has dined at the Café previously. To complete the circle of giving, you can leave a donation to pay for the meals of other guests who will come in after you. All profits made are donated to charitable causes. In a world of give and take, the "give and keep giving" ethos of the café is, to say the least, refreshing in its simplicity and purity. Continuing customsThe founders say that the inspiration for the café springs from an age-old Indian custom that gives the highest honour to guests (Athithi Devo Bhava). The unhurried and warm atmosphere of the café is aimed at making guests feel like they are, in fact, at home. "At Seva Café, we offer greater nourishment than food alone. Here, not only will you find yourself in a unique, service-inspired environment...you will find yourself at home," says a sign at the entrance of the restaurant. Indeed, guests are encouraged to freely interact with the servers and other guests, and can even cook a meal at the café if they wish to. So moved have volunteers been that some have even washed their dishes at the end of their meal. "I remember one family that was so moved that they decided to stay back to wash all the dishes and clean up after the restaurant closed," says Jagat, a volunteer. Indeed, the touching stories that have emerged in the Café's short existence are enough to fill a good-sized book. People from around the world have been inspired by the Café's simple yet powerful philosophy; a group of volunteers of the organisation "Be The Cause" has even opened up a Seva Café in Long Beach, California. Nipun Mehta, who volunteered as a waiter at the Café during its inauguration, says he had an inspiring story for each day that he volunteered. One day, he says, he was touched by a simple act of kindness of an unassuming 20-something-year-old girl who came up to him just as she was about to leave, and handed him a stack of folded hundred rupee bills and asked if he could do something good for someone, on her behalf, with the money. "Although my typical response would've been to rebound ideas to get her to engage in some acts, I felt like she was attempting to connect our journeys over a bridge of service," he says. Inspiring others One day, another volunteer remembers, a man walked in hesitantly and looked around the café in disbelief. He'd heard about the idea, he said, but he couldn't believe it was true. After a while, he asked if he could cook and serve at the café one day. "I sell chaat and golgappas at a stall across the street," he said. "Me and my friends had heard about this place, and would also like to participate in this opportunity to give," he said. Ultimately, the café aims to ignite the spark of humanity and service in as many people as possible, irrespective of nationality, community or class. In addition to its energetic volunteer staff, guests can also draw inspiration from the Café's art gallery, its abundance of information on community service projects in Ahmedabad and the inspiring quotations that decorate the space. At the very least, a meal at the café will leave you with much food for thought. As another sign reads: "Seva Café invites you to feel at home and engage in inspiring conversation. We ask you to feed your mind and your soul by taking the idea of selfless service beyond our walls, into your daily life and into your community. Are you ready to be the change you wish to see in the world?"

Source: THE HINDU dated October 08,2006

Obituary

11 December 1882 to 11 September 1921

Jesus died pinned to the cross;

Krishna by a swift arrow;

Even Rama yielded to death by water;

But I shall not die, 'tis certain.

Subramanya Bharathi is the Prince of modern Tamil literature. He was a poet, essayist, political journalist, translator, short story writer, novelist, in short, a wizard of pen. His genius gave the transforming glow to all the forms of literature that he touched.

More more details please visit

http://www.tn.gov.in/literature/bharathiar/bharathi_sep11.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahakavi_Subramaniya_Bharathiyaar

September 5

Chitragupta would have recorded a sin in my lifebook if I had not posted my writing to the blog this day . He would have also recorded a crime if I had written on any other topic except my ‘TEACHERS’ on this day.

I bow, thank, praise or whatever it is, on this fantastic day for them. I really remember all my teachers from my LKG in Israel Matriculation School to SRM School of Management. A preview about them:

Padmini Miss:
She was not only an all-in-one subject teacher in my primary classes, but also taking care of administration of the school. She still remembers me and my gang.

Nixie Miss:
I secured only 10 marks in mathematics in the entrance exam. The principal on the recommendation from this teacher admitted me to the school for my 7th Class. She added a ‘0’ to my mark making it 100. She made me to secure a centum in the final exam which was a surprise to all in my class and the principal (me too). In fact, I begun to like both the subject and the __________

Narasimhan Sir:
He is another mathematics teacher during my 11th class. I will be the only person to ask doubts to him during the class. One day while solving a problem on the board, he turned back, called me and said, “Rajaram, I know for sure... You will become great one day”. It still puzzles me the context he uttered that statement. Anyway, he is a true visionary.

Mahan Maharaj:
A white cotton dhoti showing the down quarter of the leg, a white cotton shirt, full shaven head with a little ‘kudumi’ in the back head is the appearance of this gentleman monk who has done PhD in Computer Science from Berkley. He was just 26 years old when he was teaching me. I admire him much for his simplicity.

Dr. Jayashree Suresh:
This 60 year young lady has inspired, supported and encouraged me everyday during my two years of MBA. Not only me, the whole batch of students are very much grateful to her. Her advice to students is to;
“Learn through Application, Participation and Experience.”
I call her as Lady Gandhi, not only deriving the name from her nature, but also by her birth date which is the same for M. K. Gandhi which falls a day after mine.

Mr. Sudeep Jain:
This person is not a teacher and has not taught me anything off campus. But I have learnt a lot from him which is not in books. He gave a biggest and rarest gift called “CHANCE”. This astounding personality from UP has an Engineering Degree, a MBA and the most dignified qualification in India- the IAS . This Guinness Book Record holder always stresses the importance of POSITIVE ATTITUDE.


This is just a partial list of teachers who had only seen the good half of mine. I also thank the remaining set of teachers who have tried their best to correct me many times. I wish to convey them that I am the same Rajaram till now who has never forgotten the past.

LONG LIVE THEIR SERVICE

Love Rocks! (a must read)

It was in Pune that I met Narayan Murty through my friend Prasanna who is now the Wipro chief, who was also training in Telco. Most of the books that Prasanna lent me had Murty's name on them which meant that I had a preconceived image of the man. Contrary to expectation, Murty was shy,bespectacled and an introvert. When he invited us for dinner. I was a bit taken aback as I thought the young man was making a very fast move. I refused since I was the only girl in the group. But Murty was relentless and we all decided to meet for dinner the next day at 7.30 p.m. at Green Fields hotel on the Main Road ,Pune. The next day I went there at 7' o ! clock since I had to go to the tailor near the hotel. And what do I see? Mr. Murty waiting in front of the hotel and it was only seven. Till today, Murty maintains that I had mentioned (consciously!) that I would be going to the tailor at 7 so that I could meet him...And I maintain that I did not say any such thing consciously or unconsciously because I did not think of Murty as anything other than a friend at that stage. We have agreed to disagree on this matter. Soon, we became friends. Our conversations were filled with Murty's experiences abroad and the books that he has read. My friends insisted that Murty as trying to impress me because he was interested in me. I kept denying it till one fine day, after dinner Murty said, I want to tell you something. I knew this as it. It was coming. He said, I am 5'4" tall. I come from a lower middle class family. I can never become rich in my life and I can never give you any riches. You are beautiful, bright, and intelligent and you can get anyone you want. But will you marry me? I asked Murty to give me some time for an answer. My father didn't want me to marry a wannabe politician, (a communist at that) who didn't have a steady job and wanted to build an orphanage... When I went to Hubli I told my parents about Murty and his proposal. My mother was positive since Murty was also from Karnataka, seemed intelligent and comes from a good family. But my father asked: What's his job, his salary, his qualifications etc? Murty was working as a research assistant and was earning less than me. He was willing to go dutch with me on our outings. My parents agreed to meet Murty in Pune on a particular day at10 a. m sharp. Murty did not turn up. How can I trust a man to take care of my daughter if he cannot keep an appointment, asked my father. At 12noon Murty turned up in a bright red shirt! He had gone on work to Bombay , was stuck in a traffic jam on the ghats, so he hired a taxi(though it was very expensive for him) to meet his would-be father-in-law. Father was unimpressed. My father asked him what he wanted to become in life. Murty said he wanted to become a politician in the communist party and wanted to open an orphanage. My father gave his verdict. NO. I don't want my daughter to marry somebody who wants to become a communist and then open an orphanage when he himself didn't have money to support his family. Ironically, today, I have opened many orphanages something, which Murty wanted to do 25 years ago. By this time I realized I had developed a liking towards Murty which could only be termed as love. I wanted to marry Murty because he is an honest man. He proposed to me highlighting the negatives in his life. I promised my father that I will not marry Murty without his blessings though at the same time, I cannot marry anybody else. My father said he would agree if Murty promised to take up a steady job. But Murty refused saying he will not do things in life because somebody wanted him to. So, I was caught between the two most important people in my life. The stalemate continued for three years during which our courtship took us to every restaurant and cinema hall in Pune. In those days, Murty was always broke. Moreover, he didn't earn much to manage. Ironically today, he manages Infosys Technologies Ltd., one of the world's most reputed companies. He always owed me money. We used to go for dinner and he would say, I don't have money with me, you pay my share, I will return it to you later. For three years I maintained a book on Murty's debt to me.. No, he never returned the money and I finally tore it up after my wedding. The amount was a little over Rs 4000. During this interim period Murty quit his job as research assistant and started his own software business. Now, I had to pay his salary too! Towards the late 70s computers were entering India in a big way. During the fag end of 1977 Murty decided to take up a job as General Manager at Patni Computers in Bombay. But before he joined the company he wanted to marry me since he was to go on training to the US after joining. My father gave in as he was happy Murty had a decent job, now. WE WERE MARRIED IN MURTY'S HOUSE IN BANGALORE ON FEBRUARY 10, 1978 WITH ONLY OUR TWO FAMILIES PRESENT.I GOT MY FIRST SILK SARI. THE WEDDING EXPENSES CAME TO ONLY RS 800 (US $17) WITH MURTY AND I POOLING IN RS 400 EACH. I went to the US with Murty after marriage. Murty encouraged me to see America on my own because I loved travelling. I toured America for three months on backpack and had interesting experiences which will remain freshin my mind forever. Like the time when the New York police took me into custody because they thought I was an Italian trafficking drugs in Harlem . Or the time when I spent the night at the bottom of the Grand Canyon with an old couple. Murty panicked because he couldn't get a response from my hotel room even at midnight. He thought I was either killed or kidnapped. IN 1981 MURTY WANTED TO START INFOSYS. HE HAD A VISION AND ZERO CAPITAL...initially I was very apprehensive about Murty getting into business. We did not have any business background .. Moreover we were living a comfortable life in Bombay with a regular pay check and I didn't want to rock the boat. But Murty was passionate about creating good quality software. I decided to support him. Typic! al of Murty, he just had a dream and no money. So I gave him Rs 10,000 which I had saved for a rainy day, without his knowledge and told him, This is all I have. Take it. I give you three years sabbatical leave. I will take care of the financial needs of our house. You go and chase your dreams without any worry. But you have only three years! Murty and his six colleagues started Infosys in 1981,with enormous interest and hard work. In 1982 I left Telco and moved to Pune with Murty. We bought a small house on loan which also became the Infosys office. I was a clerk-cum-cook-cum-programmer. I also took up a job as Senior Systems Analyst with Walchand group of Industries to support the house. In 1983 Infosys got their first client, MICO, in Bangalore . Murty moved to Bangalore and stayed with his mother while I went to Hubli to deliver my second child, Rohan. Ten days after my son was b! orn, Murty left for the US on project work. I saw him only after a year, as I was unable to join Murty in the US because my son had infantile eczema, an allergy to vaccinations. So for more than a year I did not step outside our home for fear of my son contracting an infection. It was only after Rohan got all his vaccinations that I came to Bangalore where we rented a small house in Jayanagar and rented another house as Infosys headquarters. My father presented Murty a scooter to commute. I once again became a cook, programmer, clerk, secretary, office assistant et al. Nandan Nilekani (MD of Infosys) and his wife Rohini stayed with us. While Rohini babysat my son, I wrote programs for Infosys. There was no car, no phone, and just two kids and a bunch of us working hard, juggling our lives and having fun while Infosys was taking shape. It was not only me but also the wives of other partners too who gave their unstinted support. We all knew that our men were trying to build something good. It was like a big joint family,taking care and looking out for one another. I still remember Sudha Gopalakrishna looking after my daughter Akshata with all care and love while Kumari Shibulal cooked for all of us. Murty made it very clear that it would either be me or him working at Infosys. Never the two of us together... I was involved with Infosys initially. Nandan Nilekani suggested I should be on the Board but Murty said he did not want a husband and wife team at Infosys. I was shocked since I had the relevant experience and technical qualifications. He said, Sudha if you want to work with Infosys, I will withdraw, happily. I was pained to know that I will not be involved in the company my husband was building and that I would have to give up a job that I am qualifi! ed to do and love doing. It took me a couple of days to grasp the reason behind Murty's request.. I realized that to make Infosys a success one had to give one's 100 percent. One had to be focussed on it alone with no other distractions. If the two of us had to give 100 percent to Infosys then what would happen to our home and our children? One of us had to take care of our home while the other took care of Infosys. I opted to be a homemaker, after all Infosys was Murty's dream. It was a big sacrificebut it was one that had to be made. Even today, Murty says, Sudha, I stepped on your career to make mine. You are responsible for my success.

Source: Aishwarya78 on Rediff

In-Source: Sudha's Autobiography

daNcE bABy DAnCe

Follow the instructions below to learn the dance:

1. 
   Take one step with your foot.
2. 
   If you just brought your left foot forward, point your left fist to the sky and your right fist directly ahead, otherwise do the opposite.
3. 
   If you bring your left fist skyward, look straight ahead or slightly upwards, otherwise look down at your feet.
4. 
   The above three steps should be done simultaneously.
5. 
   Bob your torso up and down once.
6. 
   Repeat with the other foot and continue doing so.
7. 
   Maintain a pace of one step every second, with a bob equidistant between every two steps .
8. 
   Pelvic thrusts between steps can also be introduced to provide some variation.
9. 
   Dance saying "O" "O" "O" or "Appadi podu ah ah" or "Uttalakkadi" or "eh amukki podu" or "eh Izhuthu kuthu"
10. 
    Preferably Dance in a pair so that both can express the emotions and at the same time look good.

It is considered important to dance the way one feels during the performance (i.e., to improvise), so this dance is not necessarily restricted to the above steps, though they form the major elements of this traditional art form.

Music & Instruments: Tharai Thampattai

Outfit: Lungi

Gesture of Admiration: Facial expressions; for example, the tongue, folded over and held in position with the front teeth, whistling and fire crackers

This dance is called Dappaankuthu, dance performed on the streets of Chennai, India. It is commonly performed to relieve emotional stress or in celebration of an event. It is therefore equally likely in both wedding processions and funeral processions. It is traditionally performed to the infectious beats of gaana music.

Source: Wikipedia.Org

M-A-D-R-A-S

chennai misses

• saffire theatre
• the evergreen MG train
• adyar aalamaram

Switch to BD

I meant the Blu-Ray Disc, the next generation optical disc format which is equal to 5 DVD's with storage capacity of 25GB data. So, anyone having a 4 GB or 20GB HD, please throw it off immediately.

For more info on BD browse through http://www.blu-ray.com/info/

Brain & Heart or Heart & Brain

Me and my friend once had an interesting written conversation on the roles of brain & heart; whether an individual should follow his/her brain or heart when taking decisions. The following is the transcript of the conversation;

for brain (by my friend);

Thinking - a heart process? - the only way to think - is to think with your brain! Why? thats the only organ in the body that is built for that purpose.

Some people claim to think thru their “hearts”. Excuse me… the heart is a muscular organ thats built for only one purpose - pumping of blood. How is that related to thinking?

Now coming to brain - its built with neurons - “nerve cells”, only components that can “think”. The only other organ that can do anything near to thinking is the spinal cord.

So, how is that people say that some think with brains and some think with hearts..Simple reason, they didn’t learn their biology!

for heart (by me);

Thinking is obviously not a heart process!

Most of the people think with their brains ignoring the feel of heart.

Are we living for ourselves or others? I know we live for ourselves; I live for me.. You live for you.
Your brain knows others. It doesn’t know you. Its your heart which knows you and you alone. If you want to live for yourselves, listen to your heart, not your brain.

Then, what is the role to your brain? Make your brain listen to your heart. There comes real happiness and joy and it needs dare within to execute.

Every individual is bound to feel and think. Now Think, Feel and invoke the truth within.
GOD did not create biology, he created only hearts and brains.

Hold on.. Both of us are not biologists to define the role of brain and heart..still we did..

mentor

men·tor (mntôr, -tr)n.

1. A wise and trusted counselor or teacher.
2. Mentor Greek Mythology Odysseus’s trusted counselor, in whose guise Athena became the guardian and teacher of Telemachus.

v. men·tored, men·tor·ing, men·tors Informalv.intr.
To serve as a trusted counselor or teacher, especially in occupational settings.
To serve as a trusted counselor or teacher to (another person).

Check out http://specials.rediff.com/money/2006/jul/11sld1.htm for the story of Infy.

I Stay here!

My home - Bird's Eye View. To know the route click http://www.wikimapia.org/#y=12909440&x=80090561&z=18&l=0&m=a

kaathalinal maanudarku kalavi'yundaam
kalavile maanudarku kavalai theerum
aathalinal kaathal unarveer ulagatheere
athuve ivvulagin thalamai inbam

--bharathi

6-6-6 - Post Stolen from "Death Ends Fun"

I'm not leftist, I'm not rightist, I'm a typist


Today is the 6th day of the 6th month of the 6th year after 2000! That's 6-6-06. Or if you like putting your month before the day, American style, that's 6-6-06. Drop the zero for no reason except that it looks more dramatic without the zero, and you have 6-6-6! Six-six-six! Shock and horror! The Number of the Beast! The Day of Evil!

Also my friend Salil's birthday, though he's no beast. Well ... say no more.

Happy Beast Day. Wherever you are, I hope you are fending him off as best you can. Don't laugh. Remember, Mahendra Dhoni ended his innings with three sixes in a row. What does that tell you, eh? You think it's a mere coincidence that this happened on 6-6-6?

Stolen from http://dcubed.blogspot.com/2006/06/six.html

September 11, 2001

This would probably be the first divorce case in USA related to the September 11, 2001 attack. Read on...

The Guy had his office in the 97th floor of the Twin Centre. On that day of the attack he bunk his office and went to his girl friend's room and was enjoying there with his mobile phone switched off. By 11 A.M when he turned it on, his wife had called him and she was screaming, "Darling! Where are you?". The guy replied "Stay Cool Baby! I am in office".

Munnabhai MBBS

You would remember how Sanjay Dutt writes exams in Munnabhai MBBS with the help of bluetooth device. Now check out this;

One of my friends somehow managed to get his mobile inside the exam hall. I just entered office at that time and was in a tense mood.

He called me and spoke in a very feeble voice from down under the table.

Me: (In a louder voice) what do u want?
Him: I am in Exam Hall

Me: (Again in a louder voice) then why did u call?
Him: Speak slowly.. I am in exam hall

Me: "..........", you have to speak slowly! Why should I?
Him: Please da, I need some answers. Help me pls!

Then I asked him to message the questions for which I too, did not know the answers. Logged in to the new site from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting India.gov.in (I have already posted about that site), found out the answers and messaged him. They were simple GK questions.

He has got through the exams. Very Funny incident when remembered! And dont ask me who that student is!

I will be back

There is a slog in my blog for over a month. I wanted to write and accidentally found no time in between.

~ for those who visit my blog regularly
~ for those who don’t visit my blog regularly
~ for those who visit, but post no comments
~ for those who visit once in a while and comment

and for all those reading this post, the message is I WILL BE BACK with fresh thoughts and posts to make you engross in the contents.

I Love My Friends

Yesterday night I had a unique forwarded message in my Mobile which said "It's SPILL THE BEAN day!! Is there something you have wanted to tell me but never had the guts or chance to! Now is the chance... B frank!". I sent it to my friends and the replies were funny and touching. Check out!

"To b frank with u Nee Oru Loosu... I have no words to express da" - very funny guy

"Ya.. I wanted to tell you to get a Royal Challenge Full Whisky with necessary side dishes and come to my room this saturday night" - this guy is the no. 1 fraud i have seen ever

"Go fry in Hell!" - this particular message is late by 2 yrs

"U r really very caring and timely to help but a bit arrogant" - touchy message

"Poda .........." - green lang

"I am so happy to have u as a friend" - this guy is a lazy one..

"You will never give up you ideas easily but ..." - this person has observed me so keenly and i have not included the 2nd part of the message"

To b honest, I have admired the above said persons at different levels... I am struck by their love and have no words to essay about my friends.

Lunch Break

Today, the annual Temple Car Festival was held in Mylapore. Traffic diversions were on and the road to the hotel where I used to have lunch was blocked. I had to go to an other hotel. Usually I prefer full meals. Since, I was new to the other hotel I restricted myself to tiffin. Hospitality was different and were above 30 yrs. Taste was good and the matter which impressed me there was a board saying "WE PROUDLY INFORM THAT WE DONT EMPLOY CHILD LABOURERS"

'Donkeys better than wives'

Hold On.. I am not an experienced person to utter the statement. A school textbook in Rajasthan suggests donkeys make better companions as they complain less and are more loyal.

Check out TOI online edition in http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1479524.cms

Yahoo Surprise

Its a real morning surprise for me when i opened my Mailbox to see the Yahoo Mail Beta! today. It looks amazing, much better than before.. the combination of outlook express and opera, I cant describe it., so a snapshot of that.. But it does not work with my other Yahoo id.

Just 10 minutes

This is absolutely fantastic stuff which i got as forward in my mail... Dont start reading this if u cant spend 10 minutes of your time now.

An Atheist Professor of philosophy speaks to his class on the problem science has with God, The Almighty. He asks one of his new students to stand and.....

Prof: So you believe in God?

Student: Absolutely, sir.

Prof: Is God good?

Student: Sure.

Prof: Is God all-powerful?

Student: Yes.

Prof: My brother died of cancer even though he prayed to God to heal him. Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill.But God didn't. How is this God good then? Hmm?

(Student is silent.)

Prof: You can't answer, can you? Let's start again, young fella. Is God good?

Student: Yes.

Prof: Is Satan good?

Student: No.

Prof: Where does Satan come from?

Student: From...God...

Prof: That's right. Tell me son, is there evil in this world?

Student: Yes.

Prof: Evil is everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything. Correct?

Student: Yes.

Prof: So who created evil?

(Student does not answer.)

Prof: Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things exist in the world, don't they?
Student: Yes, sir.

Prof: So, who created them?

(Student has no answer.)

Prof: Science says you have 5 senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Tell me, son...Have you ever seen God?

Student: No, sir.

Prof: Tell us if you have ever heard your God?

Student: No, sir.

Prof: Have you ever felt your God, tasted your God, or smelled your God? Have you ever had any sensory perception of God for that matter?

Student: No, sir. I'm afraid I haven't.

Prof: Yet you still believe in Him?

Student: Yes.

Prof: According to empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your GOD doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son?

Student: Nothing. I only have my faith.

Prof: Yes. Faith. And that is the problem science has.

Student: Professor, is there such a thing as heat?

Prof: Yes.

Student: And is there such a thing as cold?

Prof: Yes.

Student: No sir. There isn't.

(The lecture theatre becomes very quiet with this turn of events.)

Student: Sir, you can have lots of heat, even more heat, superheat, mega heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat. But we don't have anything called cold. We can hit 458 degrees below zero which is no heat, but we can't go any further after that.There is no such thing as cold. Cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it.

(There is pin-drop silence in the lecture theatre)

Student: What about darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as darkness?
Prof: Yes. What is night if there isn't darkness?

Student: You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light....But if you have no light constantly, you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't it? In reality, darkness isn't. If it were, you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you?
Prof: So what is the point you a! re making, youngman?

Student: Sir, my point is your philosophical premise is flawed.
Prof: Flawed? Can you explain how?

Student: Sir, you are working on the premise of duality. You argue there is life and then there is death, a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life: just the absence of it. Now tell me, Professor. Do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?

Prof: If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, yes, of course, I do.

Student: Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?

(The Professor shakes his head with a smile, beginning to realize where the argument is going.)

Student: Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavour, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you not a preacher rather than a scientist?

(The class is in uproar)

Student: Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the Professor's brain?

(The class ! breaks out into laughter.)

Student: Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor's brain, felt it, touched or smelled it?No one appears to have done. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol,science says that you have no brain, sir. With all due respect, sir, how do we then trust your lectures, sir?

(The room is silent. The professor stares at the student, his face unfathomable)

Prof: I guess you'll have to take them on faith, son.

Student : That is it, sir.. The link between man & God is FAITH. That is all that keeps things moving & alive.

Now guess who the student is ????? If you are really curious in knowing the student, mail me at emailrajaram@gmail.com. I will definitely reply and will never say that its me.

Links

now a days, am doing nothing. i just browse, send mails, read blogs and curse those who dont reply to my mails. The two links given below were interesting and they are my picks for the day.

• http://www.freakonomics.com/blog/2006/03/21/a-reader-writes
  
• http://specials.rediff.com/money/2006/mar/22sld1.htm

cheers

Jeevan Ke Rang! Happy Holi!

Some time back, festivals stood more for celebrations, togetherness, meeting friends and also a temporary relief from the hectic office schedule.

Now, the above said reasons seem to have pushed to secondary position. People have been made to look for more TV programme, new movies and things which should not be given primary slot.

It is the marketers becoming experts in utilizing the entire potential of customers attention during festival season. Thanks to them that some minor "Day" festivals are also celebrated at least at the micro level. But, still at one particular junction, I get irritated to see some ads preying for customers during festivals.

I still love the ads for the creative content in them. Here, is an ad for a "post-event". This is the first time I am seeing an ad for a repeat telecast. It also has good creative content. Check out!

I wish U all a Happy Holi! May the colours bring more happiness, health & wealth!

Celebrating Women's day

I wanted to write on women's day about some lady who can inspire. Names were juggling in my mind, but those names were mostly popular ones and many of us knew them already. I always like to introduce some unique personalities particularly those holding low profile. Today THE HINDU has showcased a rare personality of women. I am indeed happy to introduce them to you.

Gomathy Ammal and her daughter Karpagam - make a living — in a male-dominated profession — taking care of the dead.

Gomathy Ammal as a result of poverty entered to the profession to make money knowing well that it unsuits women. People refused to talk to her and ostracised her. "But my focus was on providing for my child," says Gomathy Ammal. In the 20 years she has been on the job, she has arranged more than 10,000 funerals.

Helping people with last rites has stood Gomathy Ammal and her daughter in good stead. Their monthly earnings top Rs. 10,000 and they now support about 40 staff, 15 of whom have no family, and feed 40-50 people every Ammavasai (new moon day). She also does five free funerals every month. They have bought a home with their joint savings, married off Karpagam's daughter and educated her son.

Women's day are meant for the women like Gomathy Ammal stirring the souls. It is not for celebrating with crowns, roses and for marketing gimmicks.

Park with Park Mate

What is a bigger problem than finding a parking space, squezzing your car in that tiny space without leaving your paint on the other car. This may seem straight from a Sci-Fi movie but a technology being developed by Siemens VDO called "Park Mate" not only finds you parking space, but automatically parks your car too. Sensors automatically measure a row of parked cars and alert the driver when there is space large enough for your car. Then a chime is played asking the driver to stop and then the Park Mate takes control over the car. It steers the car itself into the small gap and parks.

Gear up Movie Fanatics!

Gear up Movie Fanatics! Its gala time for you all.

The titans of Tamil Cinema are Coming to entertain you all. Rajinikanth, Kamalhaasan, Vikram, Linguswamy, Gautam Menon, Shankar and Maniratnam will be there for you this year. Watch out for

~ Vettaiyadu Vilaiyadu
~ Sivaji
~ Bhima and
~ yet to be titled Hindi film from Maniratnam

Stay Cool... The above said matter is a buildup to narrate my meet with Maniratnam, the man who made the world to look and listen to Tamil Cinema. He is one of the Intellect who has proved the mettle of Indian Cinema.

I met him in a public function in which Maddy, Hindu Ram, Khushboo, Vivek and Vivek Oberoi were a part of it. I had an oppurtunity to speak with him for continous 5 minutes.(The matter we spoke is highly confidential). I could not forget those 5 minutes in my life.

I was astonished by the simplicity he displayed and the very trait he follows till now even in the creative media:- HONESTY & POSITIVE APPROACH.

To me he is "THE DIRECTOR".

Rosakutty Granny, 106 not out

Check out the passion of this lady at the age of 106. She hails from Kadamakudi in Kerala's Ernakulam district.

This Day Last Year

Exactly the same time, This Day Last Year, I started my career as a Business Development Executive (precise designation) in the Corporate Division of ICFAI University. The job is to sell Distance Learning Programs such as MBA, MCA, CFA to corporate people. That was a job for which only experienced candidates were recruited. I was the first fresher to join that team. I dont really believe, that I got that offer based on my performance in Interview. The consultancy girl made me through into the job to get her incentive. I struggled a bit to cope with the job and fitted in a month's time. But, even after, something was disturbing me and all of sudden on a pretty good morning, I submitted my resignation letter just like that, ignoring my one month's salary.

Now, This Day This Year, High Court of Madras has restrained the University from making fresh admissions.

The day after I resigned from that University I am in the 'Events' Industry. Now, I am working as Logistics Co-ordinator on contract basis in a Times of India Group company which has its strong presence in both print and broadcating media all over the nation.

Now, I would like to share what I have understood and learned during this period.

Knowledge Acquisition:

Its important for every individual to update their skills & knowledge every day. This should not stop with regular full time studies in schools and colleges. Real Knowledge comes only when the text in the subjects are blended together with job experience. To spell out the truth, my mind and brain are in hibernation for the past 8 months.

Money Matters:

Knowledge alone can never give the bread and butter. Money plays a vital role even in acquiring knowledge. This is the greatest lesson I have learnt in the past one year.

My suggestions to;

Freshers/Job Seekers:

Never ever getaway with jobs with lucrative salaries. Stand up to want u want even it takes some time. Keep Updating yourself everyday. Meet as much people as you can in a day. Remember, when u get a job for which u were longing for, dont work for free after a certain period. You will be forced to get into some job which gives you money. That spoils your career.

Recruitment Executives in Consultancies:

Never ever push any candidate, to fetch an incentive for yourself. Understand the nature of job and the profile of the candidate yourself even when the organization fails to communicate properly.

Parents:

Never ever compare your son/daughter getting ready to enter the corporate world, with their peers or neighbours. Remember, your blood will rock the world one day with his/her unique talents.

(This article is posted in public interest)

Truly Indian Flavour @ Times Square, NY

'Incredible India' has become the first Indian Brand(probably) to reach the billboards in Times Square, NY, standing out in its unmistakably Indian flavour. These images have been drawn from village folk art and common imagery seen across India, images that bring to mind the colours, uniqueness and diversity of India. Have a look at them.

Mr. Infosys at George Washington University's School of Business

Over half-an-hour before the doors of the Jack Morton Auditorium at the George Washington University's School of Business were thrown open for the annual Robert P Maxon Lecture February 6, the foyer was overflowing with Washington's business elite, academia and students lining up to get in.

The speaker? N R Narayana Murthy, chairman of the board and chief mentor at Infosys Technologies Limited.
For the next hour and a half, the audience was mesmerized by Murthy's hard-hitting lecture and Q&A session on 'Good Corporate Governance" A Mindset or a Checklist?'

Narayana Murthy, who was introduced by Prabir K Bagchi, senior associate dean of GWU's School of Business as the 'conscience-keeper of India's businesspeople and leaders and the 'sage of Bangalore,' was uncompromising in his argument that even under the most extenuating external pressures, a commitment to values and ethics should always be the guiding principle of any company, above profit and the need for growth.

He said it is imperative that the current generation conducts itself in a manner that creates role models for the younger generation. The younger generation, he said, was the future because 'the future is all about youth, youth is all about energy, about new ideas.'

Consequently, Murthy declared, "It's better to lose a billion dollars, than a good night's sleep."

"A civilized society is one where each generation works hard, makes sacrifices, so that we leave a better society for the next generation. That responsibility likes much more with us than with you," he told scores of business majors lapping up every word he spoke.

Asked how he faced the challenges of growing his company and reconciling the values and ethics he spoke of the pressure to make profits without making any compromise. Murthy said it is a fallacy that growth is hampered by honesty and that everything from fudging the books to giving bribes and kickbacks is part of doing business.

He acknowledged that "there have been occasions when officials in my country have demanded bribes and we have said no, and that was the only time."

Murthy said, "The other day, the CEO of a Fortune 10 company asked me if there is one attitude in my view that is the most important -- above any other, never mind whether in corporate leadership, national, political whatever. And it took me less than 10 seconds to say, courage, courage to dream big, courage of conviction, courage to go against traditional thinking, courage to take risks, all that."

But he reiterated that this did not mean any compromise of values and principles "and that that's where having leaders who promote this culture was extremely important so that it percolates all the way down to the trenches."

"As long as the leaders articulate the value system very clearly, as long as they show by example," he said, "the company can hold on its own in any environment, even faced with intense competition and avoid the pitfalls of the likes of Enron, WorldCom, Qwest, Tyco and others."

Murthy, who spoke fondly of his parents and his lower middle-class upbringing talked about the values instilled by both his father -- a teacher -- and mother. "My father would say, work hard and my mother would say, don't cheat anybody and if you are good today, tomorrow, something good will happen to you."

Of how Infosys survived through the years since its founding in 1981, more than a decade before India's economy was opened up, he said, it was because of very simple facets of entrepreneurship, of capturing an idea and taking the power of that idea to the next level and the next. "Not a complex sentence, no ifs, no buts, no nevertheless, no howevers."

Murthy also noted: "We were very lucky there was no market in India for us at that time, so we had to, perforce, look at it in the global market, which meant that right from day one, we created a global mindset. We prepared ourselves for the best of competition."

Murthy declared that "corporate governance, to me, is about maximizing shareholder value legally, ethically and on a sustainable basis, while ensuring fairness to every stakeholder -- the company's customers, employees, investors, vendor-partners, the government of the land and the community. Thus, corporate governance is a reflection of a company's culture, policies, how it deals with its stakeholders, and its commitment to values."

"These corporations exemplified entire organizational cultures dominated by greed, arrogance and utter disregard for law to the immense cost of shareholders," he said, pointing out that the scandals at these firms and others "resulted in a loss of more than $7 trillion in market capital, the largest in the history of capitalism."

He said that "corporations must integrate their value systems into their recruitment programs. They must mandate compliance with the value system as a key requirement from each potential employee. They must ensure that every employee owns responsibility for accountability and ethics in every transaction. Corporations must publicly recognise internal role models for ethical behaviour."

"They must reinforce exemplary ethical conduct among employees, through reward and recognition programmes," he added. "Ethical standards and best practices must be applied fairly and uniformly across all levels of the organisation. Any non-compliance must be swiftly dealt with and publicized. Additionally, there should be strong whistle-blower mechanisms within the corporation for exposing unethical or illegal activities."

Murthy said: "The need of the hour is for all voices in the corporation to unanimously extol the value of decency, honesty and transparency." He noted that at Infosys, "every Infosysian is encouraged to act according to our belief that 'The softest pillow is a clear conscience," and that "every employees remembers and follows the adage, 'When in doubt, disclose.'"

My Name: "Is Meth"

I destroy homes, I tear families apart,
take your children, and that's just the start.
I'm more costly than diamonds, more precious than gold
The sorrow I bring is a sight to behold.

If you need me, rememeber I'm easily found,
I live all around you - in schools and in town.
I live with the rich, I live with the poor,
I live down the street, and maybe next door.

I'm made in a lab, but not like you think,
I can be made under the kitchen sink.
In your childs closet, and even in the woods,
If this scares you to death, well it certainly should.

I have many names, but there's one you know best,
I'm sure you've heard of me, my name is crystal meth.

My power is awesome, try me you'll see,
But if you do, you may never break free.
Just try me once and I might let you go,
But try me twice, and I'll own your soul.

When I possess you, you'll steal and you'll lie,
You do what you have to -- Just to get high.
The crimes you'll commit for my narcotic charms,
Will be worth the pleasure you'll feel in your arms.

You'll lie to your mother, you'll steal from your dad,
When you see their tears, you should feel sad.
But you'll forget your morals and how you were raised,
I'll be your conscience, I'll teach you my ways.

I take kids from parents, and parents from kids,
I turn people from God, and separate friends.
I'll take everything from you, your looks and your pride,
I'll be with you always -- right by your side.

You'll give up everything -- your family, your home,
Your friends, your money, then you'll be alone.
I'll take and take, till you have nothing more to give
When I'm finished with you, you'll be lucky to live.

If you try me be warned - this is no game,
If given the chance, I'll drive you insane.
I'l ravish your body, I'll control your mind
I'll own you completely, your soul will be mine.

The nightmares I'll give you while lying in bed,
The voices you'll hear, from inside your head.
The sweats, the shakes, the visions you'll see,
I want you to know, these are all gifts from me.

But then it's too late, you'll know in your heart,
That you are mine, and we shall not part.
You'll regret that you tried me, they always do,
but you came to me, not I to you.

You knew this would happen, many times you were told,
But you challenged my power, and chose to be bold.
You could have said no, and just walked away,
If you could live that day over, now what would you say?

I'll be your master, you will be my slave,
I'll even go with you, when you go to your grave.
Now that you have met me, what will you do?
Will you try me or not? It's all up to you.

I can bring you more misery than words can tell,
Come take my hand, let me lead you to hell.

This was written by a young Indian girl who was in jail for drug charges, and was addicted to meth. She wrote this while in jail. As you have just read, she fully grasped the horrors of the drug, as she tells in this simple, yet profound poem. She was released from jail, but, true to her story, the drug owned her. They found her dead not long after, with the needle still in her arm.

Courtesy: Manoj of StudentConcepts.Org

NDTV Books Poetry Corner

Hello friends,

I am very happy to inform you all that my poem has been published in NDTV Books Poetry Corner. Check out in http://www.ndtv.com/ent/bookspoetrycorner.asp?id=1885

Cheers

Tech prediction for 2006

Source: Business Line dated 9th January 2006

Sukhasya moolam dharmah, dharmasya mulam arthah

Here are some sutras for executives in Canakya on Management, by Ashok R. Garde

"A sutra is a short, pithy statement or an aphorism about a concept; it is easy to memorise, and to recall whenever required in practice,"

Almost half of the over 450 sutras of Canakya (or Chanakya a.k.a. Kautilya and Visugupta) are on `the principles of management' appropriate for rulers and administrators; and the rest are for the common man.
Though the western schools have compared Canakya to Machiavelli, the 16th century Italian statesman-advisor to kings, who is "well-known for advocating unscrupulous methods to retain/gain power," none of Canakya's sutras indicate "any crooked or unethical advice," points out Garde.

"Sukhasya moolam dharmah," means `basis of happiness is ethics'

"Ethical behaviour is universal, while moral behaviour is often defined by the particular culture of the society."

"Dharmasya mulam arthah," meaning that the basis of ethics is resources. "Even the crooked amongst the Indian traders know that subha (good/auspicious) comes first, and labha (gain/profit) comes afterwards,"

`Not having a chief is preferable to having a chief without humility/morality,' counsels a diktat.

"Keep friendship and consultation separate," is another practical advice. "Do not confide with a friend about your plans simply because he is a friend,"

"Make him a minister who is learned and who has passed the integrity tests," states Canakya, and one wished the suggestion were followed in government.

An important management lesson is that for the work-blind, policy/strategy is the lantern. "When in doubt about whether to take one action or the other, or when quite foggy about what to do next, the policy guidelines help the manager to decide wisely,"

On laziness, Canakya says that the lazy one does not deploy employees. "A lazy person lets things happen to him, or for him."

Four elements that define management excellence are:

1. "gaining possession of non-possessed;
2. protecting that which is gained;
3. making the protected grow;
4. and deployment of employees."

Simple tip on working reads thus:

`Upayapurvam na duskaram syat,' meaning `attended with right means any work does not become difficult to do'.

Also, avoid `antara', that is; `no procrastination ought to be done between works'. When you fail to act and allow too much time to lapse, it can cause the work to perish!

`A-prayatnat karya-vipattih bhavati,' is a straightforward message that `lack of effort turns into difficulties in work'.

And the golden rule, that today's management gurus would also vouch for, is:

"When the number of tasks are many, priority should be given to that work which is most fruitful."

Priority read!

Source: Business Line dated 9th January 2006

HaPpY neW yEaR