Love Lost

“Baby, you love me naa?” Manisha threw the crucial question to Varun, who in turn remained silent for a few moments and answered it positively. “Uhh, you took five seconds? Are you really sure?” Manisha, counting each of those seconds, looked desperate to confirm Varun’s ‘Yes’. “Absolutely baby!” Varun replied to back himself up.

There are bunches of such Manishas and Varuns who interrogate each other with the same bloody question either daily, weekly or monthly to ensure that they do continue to form a “couple”. Enter the new keyword of lovemaking- ‘Assurance’. Imagine receiving and giving love to the sale of an insurance policy and receiving assured returns. Might sound pretty cheap and unconventional, but that’s the attitude most of the so called ‘lovers’ have when it comes to displaying ‘true love’ for each other.

Vijay, a final year grad student, is a popular guy within his friend circle because he has got a ‘girlfriend’- an entity that provides him with status, prestige and something to boast about. Well, that’s actually a ‘big deal’ according to his buddies, who seem more concerned with Vijay’s love life and their own sorry state of affairs (for not ‘bagging’ a ‘girlfriend’) rather than their grades and careers ahead.

Off late, the definition of love has undergone a radical change and is well on its way to be regarded as a ‘timepass’, ‘show off’, ‘physical pleasure’ and a mockery of all sorts. In a way, the ‘boyfriends’ are loving their ‘girlfriends’ just for the sake of it- mechanically, with or without a purpose, simply to shout about it. Hats off to those who beg to differ and offer true love its due worth.

Anyone who wants to vouch his or her love does so with a frequent kiss, as if that is the installment for the loan of love. Spending the day out at a coffee shop, shelling out big bucks for expensive gifts, holding hands and dancing vigorously at pubs and finally, a ‘night out’ together in bed- these are the key parameters for judging modern ‘true love’. “Everything is fair in love and sex” is the slogan of the day. There are still such parents who can’t even dream of their sons kissing their better-halves before marriage; forget sex- that would be ‘the unimaginable’ for them. Yes, this is a side effect of globalization and westernization. Any boy or girl of today would come up to me and say, “Oh come on, you are sick! You are old-fashioned, we’ve to be like this….” But don’t we have an identity of our own? We are shredding off an originality to become something else that we really can’t. Why do we have to dump our age-old ideologies of making love and take up these so called ‘cool and trendy’ methods (which are otherwise adoption errors and ape mannerisms) to prove our relationships? Just because we are in the 21st century and that we need to match up with some other cultures and equate? That’s definitely not a sign of development. Neither is it going to affect our world rankings as far as agriculture is concerned nor is it doing any good to our educational system. Yes, in a way, it is lifting up our economy going by the amount of money spent on the ‘maintenance’ of love- Archies, Hallmark, Café’ Coffee Day and Barista have established their brands big time, sale of mobile phones has shoot up, the mobile phone operators have offered better deals for the ‘couples’ to talk throughout the nights and so on and so forth. Fair enough, but overall, we are missing a lot- emotions are drying up, bonds are vanishing and today, we cannot even imagine a condition-less relationship.

Why can’t two simple red roses be exchanged to signify love? Why can’t everyday be a Valentine’s Day? Why will there be ‘Ifs’ and ‘Buts’ when two people are thinking alike and respecting each other’s feelings? Why are we mixing up love and sex? Why can’t anyone’s actions represent true and pure love? Love is not about the number of phone calls you made or the SMSes you sent or the total amount of money you spent on the gifts. It is the number of times you felt like being with someone special, went into the shoes of the other person and spoke his or her words and co-operated with each other walking side by side. It takes guts to express real feelings and utter those three magic words- “I Love You!” If one can’t give love to the other person, how can he expect to receive the same? Why are we ending up complicating the simple fundamentals of love? The basic premise is all the same; all we need to do is perceive it and follow it with the right spirit.

On A High

Comeback- a much needed ‘breather’ for anyone who has not tasted success for long, a reply from someone who has been quiet for sometime, a relief from a continual disappointment. It is not the normal crest phase that we undergo in the up-and-down games of our daily lives. It is rather one of those unusual crests which we cherish and draw inspiration from. It forces us to punch a fist in the air and say aloud, “Yes, I can….” To feel the rejuvenation involved in any comeback in its truest sense, one first needs to see through testing times which pose all sorts of challenges.

Be it a Sachin Tendulkar or a Shahrukh Khan or any damn star personality, everyone has been subjected to tough times and have made outstanding comebacks at some point or the other. These comebacks are one of those fabulous mentors in our lives whose teachings can never be overemphasized. They certainly load oodles of confidence in us but warn us not to be complacent or bask in their glory. They bring the best out of us, demand a high level of discipline and demonstrate our worth through an act of self-discovery.

A comeback underlines the fact that one is desperate to prove a point. It is utmost important to realize that the point is to be proven to no one but self at the very first instance, then to someone else. We often fail to do this, fall prey to over-confidence and lose our focus. Once that focus is gone, no matter how hard we try, we can’t get back to the mode of self-actualization and pursuit for excellence. Let me connect this with a simple example involving the game of cricket. An out-of-form batsman just having scored his century gets so much occupied in answering his critics and gesturing to the audience that he overlooks the benefit done to himself by lifting up his alarming career. At the very next moment, he sacrifices his prized wicket though he was well in shape to get a double or a triple hundred or may be even more than that.

A tough time is a pre-condition to a big comeback provided we back it up with commitment, optimism and sheer hard work. There are no short cuts to comeback. It doesn’t follow a set pattern or show results on applying a formula. Though, in corporate cultures, some ‘smart’ workers might claim fame without actually doing a piece of the job, it surely fails to infuse the real satisfaction of achievement in them. That is a short-sighted approach and can never be termed as a comeback. It is much like crossing a river by riding on someone’s back without fathoming its depth. Any comeback calls for involvement and willpower. The real test lies in sustaining the confidence gained through a comeback, and applying it during unfavorable situations. Once that falls in place, the hard times do not seem that much harsh. Also, that generates the hunger for frequent comebacks, which in turn only leads to continuous improvement and perfection.

The Monday Morning Hangover

The alarm rang at the top of its tone, and I had to shut it up to come out of my sweet dream. It was the "wake-up call" to which I don't think many would like to reply. Reluctant to get out of bed, I could see it was 5.50AM by the clock. My weekly alarm setting schedule is somewhat peculiar- 5.50AM for Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays while 5.55AM for Tuesdays and Thursdays. And the simple reason behind this abnormality is the fact that, on those three days, I need to shave off the unnecessary growth of hair that comes up on my face, and ensure that I look decent, fresh and fine when I am in my 'artificial corporate outfit'. For the rest two days, I am good to go and thus, get to grab five precious minutes of sleep- kind of a 'mental advantage'.

However and whatever, any morning alarm can't be as harsh and painful as that of a Monday morning. The Monday morning alarm seems so jealous and mean that it can't even afford to see me lying down. I get thoughts like- "Why is it not a Tuesday morning after the lovely Sunday night?" or "Why can't the Sunday night be a bit longer?" Call it a mania, tag it as a phobia. But I am pretty sure that I am not the only victim of this Monday morning hangover, and that there are many who feel as idle as me. And probably to back it up, Sandy Cooley once said, "The best cure for insomnia is a Monday morning".

On the hindsight, a Monday morning instills the required zeal to take up new ventures, rejuvenates one to lift up pending issues and lets one to focus on the new week ahead. Sunday might be the first day of the week, but Monday in a way kicks off and pushes things in order to ensure that we don't repent or end up paying heavy prices for not jigging them. It takes a while to shred off that sloth in me, ward off the laziness and get myself tuned on a Monday morning. Once that happens, rest of the mornings in that week seem pretty wonderful. Still, to be very honest, the Monday morning alarm takes a heavy toll on me and I always feel like stretching my sleep for a few seconds........

More Or Less It's Life

What You See Is What You Get,

That's the simple rule of life.

Neither a tad more, nor a little less,

But our expectations are rife.

It's tough to compromise,

To admit and say, "That's all I want".

Somewhere within the heart says,

"Sorry, no, never, I can't".

Greed is so evident and pervasive,

We are its mere preys.

Always luring us to ask for more,

Indulging us in baseless frays.

Unlike an open bet,

Life is a well planned game.

Is it worth desiring more

Just to earn a little fame?

Let Them Be Kids

My cellphone rang. It was my three-year old nephew on the other side, who started singing the title song from the recently released Hindi movie, "Rock On". Normally, he gives me a call at his wish, without even informing or asking his mom (my elder sister). And believe me, he sang it with perfection and in a clear voice, pronouncing each and every word exactly like the original one. I was surprised and kept mum for a few seconds. Then, could not stop but praise him by saying, "Ten-on-ten!" He was overjoyed and soon handed over the phone to his mom.

He is an element of study for me who constantly keeps on surprising me by performing such unimaginable acts. And every time, I have to say, "Wow! ten-on-ten!" This is a compliment he is getting used to. His school teacher is slowly imbibing in him the habit of earning this 'gift'. Be it a class test or a homework, he is always expected to get a "ten-on-ten". It was hard to believe for me, at least in the case of a three-year old kid. But, this is the reality that every child is facing in today's world of cut-throat competition, perfection and complexities.

Modern-day kids have got all the unique attributes to be regarded as 'special'- they can do everything so perfectly which we can not even imagine putting ourselves in their shoes. They are matured, aggressive, intellectually gifted, emotionally at par with their parents (as far as 'emotional blackmailing' is concerned) and always one-step ahead. Their message is pretty clear: "Do not mess with us". They mean business, and their attitude is no non-sense.

Archit, the seven year-old son of my next door neighbour, has to put on very high power spectacles, and visit the optician every month. Every morning, he has to carry his overloaded schoolbag to the bus stop where he boards the schoolbus; after coming back home, in the afternoon, he gets an hour's rest and then rushes for the tutions; having attended tutions, his mom takes him to the swimming club. Spending an hour there, after he enters home, he only feels like sleeping. But he is permitted to hit the bed only after he has completed his homework. Very rarely do I see him playing in the park adjacent to our apartment. On Sundays, or for that matter, when he is not studying or sleeping, he is either glued to Cartoon Network or playing Computer Games. He is more close to Scooby Do, Popeye and Max Payne than his family members.

At times, I feel the modern day kid is not living its own life. He or she is never expected to break certain rules and enjoy the self that lies within. The self tries to come out but is often supressed. Of course, it is crucial for the parents to guide them and keep a tab on their activities. At the same time, it is necessary to provide them their required space, understand their priorities and empathize with them. Equipped with super qualities, at some point in time, they will prepare themselves to run the race of life. But, for the meantime, let them relish the most priced phase, childhood.

Hindi Hai Hum.....

"Hindi Hai Hum, Watan Hai Hindosta Hamara" is the famous quote you might have noticed in bodies of most of the railway coaches, if you are a frequent Indian Railways traveler. The moment I saw the writing, I googled and found it to be a beautiful motivational poem written by Sir Iqbal Mohammed-exhorting all pre-independence Hindustanis to be proud of their cultural heritage:

"MAZHAV NAHIN SIKHATA AAPIS MEIN BAIR RAKHNA;
'HINDI' HAI HUM WATAN HAI HINDUSTAN HAMARA"
(Religion doesn't teach us to have mutual animosity; we are "Hindis" and Hindustan is our country)

I am not sure as to why he used the word "Hindi" in this, but for the purpose of my blog, I assume he might have stressed on this word to magnify the relevance of Hindi as the national language of India. Hindi, in fact, binds our entire nation by acting as the common mode of communication. It has got that strong force of unifying the various religions, castes, creeds and sections of the society that may have found it difficult to converse and decode each other's expressions in their respective unique languages.

Having visited several parts of India, I had the privilege of listening to various forms and ways of speaking Hindi. I could feel the variation that can happen to the utterance of the same language in four different parts of the country. And the interesting part was I could understand what was being conveyed. That is obvious in a culturally rich and diversified country like India.

Starting off with North, believed to the birthplace of Hindi, in most parts, specially Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, you will get to listen a very pleasant tone of this language. Lucknow, once ruled over by the Nawabs, is known as the land of tehzeeb (good manners). Here people use "aap" (as a mark of respect) even if they are talking to someone very young or even to children. You might even encounter some Urdu (the lingua franca of the city for centuries) words in between and may need someone to translate them. They follow a very polite and polished way of speaking.

Moving to the West, the kind of Hindi uttered here is an ad-mixture of Marathi, Gujarati and Hindi. Famous for its tapori (rowdy) style, the dialect is more of a style statement and might seem indecent at times. Words such as "Raada", "Raapchik", "Waat", "Kalti", "Jhakaas", etc. though not preferred to be used in all conversations, are imitational and humorous.

Southwards, Hyderabadi Hindi is something that is bound to tickle your funny bone. Once again a hotchpotch of Hindi, Urdu and Telugu leading to the deformation of the original Hindi. If you hear "hau", which is modified "yes" for "haan", do not interpret it as "how?". "Atoon", "jatoon" stand for "aata hoon" (coming) and "jaata hoon" (going) respectively. "Howle" is someone tagged as crazy. "Tumako" ("Tumhe") and "Merku" ("Mujhe") are Hindi words only but spoken differently here. If you are roaming around in parts of the Old City and Charminar, you might come across such a lingo. The tone in which these words are uttered is highly comical.

To the Eastern part of India, in parts of West Bengal and Orissa, specially Kolkata, the Hindi dialect is again a case of local language influence. Since speaking Bengali demands a lot of stress on "O", the flow drills down to Hindi too. That "O factor" is to be clearly observed in Hindi accent of most of the Bengalis.

To sum it up, whichever way we might speak Hindi, or whatever maybe our styles and mannerisms, we are able to communicate properly. Unity in diversity, though not pursued consciously by all, is an unconscious effort (by speaking Hindi) to unify our thoughts, actions and ethos- That is the essence of being an Indian.

Mind Your Ears

Words can be deceiving- this specially holds true if you are not paying the due attention to words. And to be attentive all we have to do is keep our ears open. Our ears act as the medium for comprehending those sounds that hit the eardrum. No, this is not a Physics or a Biology class. Let me get to the point by recalling a classic event.

It was the final semester of my MBA course and we were looking forward to get placed with some reputed organization and get our careers rolling. The competition was pretty much evident. Tensed faces around campus, people were glued to the notice boards for updates on visiting companies seeking us, busy discussing probable Group Discussion (GD) topics and interview questions.

Amidst such a situation, one of the leading MNC banks visited the camp, and there was a hullabaloo to post the CVs on the college Intranet. Within a day-an-a half, the bank had shortlisted some 100 candidates for the post of Assistant Managers, and one of my close friends, Suraj (name changed) found his name in that premier list. This guy, always short of confidence, considered this to be a landmark in his life and couldn't control his emotions. Suraj was on cloud nine and, for the first time, took this is a positive turn. He was raring to go and bag the offer. The GDs were scheduled for the next week, and Suraj had prepared really hard.

The D-Day finally arrived. Suraj was all set to shout and be heard. He was of the notion that shouting well was the only criteria for cracking GDs. However, whatever, the undercurrent of 'underconfidence' always played in his mind, and he felt inferior to others. With deep breaths, he entered the room, took his seat and waited for the topic to be declared. The invigilator declared the topic to be discussed, and Suraj could not believe his ears. The topic was "Same sex, what next?" as heard by him. What? Can that ever be a topic for discussion in an MBA placement program? Isn't that being too crazy? Suraj thought on these lines while jotting down the topic on a piece of paper. He was totally blank, finding no clues to speak on that weird topic. Two minutes were allotted to the candidates for putting their thoughts in place. And, surprisingly, everyone except Suraj were busy scribbling points and issues regarding the topic. Suraj, already low on confidence, felt like kicking himself. On the first place, he could not make out how the others were so confident to speak on such a filthy issue. However, he tried to do some brainstorming on his own without even taking a look at what his neighbours were upto. He thought, "Let me think deeply- Male and Female are the two sexes known to me; so are they talking about eunuchs? No, no, the topic is 'Same sex, what next?' Then it is surely about homogeneous sex, lesbians. But the issue is what lies above that? umm..Metrosexual, retrosexual.....Ohhh!I am not sure about these terms? What do I do now? I am a goner,this is a lost opportunity...still, let me speak first, that will create an impression". Two minutes were over, and the invigilator asked them to begin. Suraj, desperate to give it a go, was about to speak. But before he could do that, his neighbour started off uttering, "The Sensex currently standing at 15,000 is a sure sign of progress as far as FDI is concerned. India is on its way to prove its mettle to the world...." Surrounded by shock and awe, Suraj raised his eyebrows and thought of killing himself. The topic was "Sensex, what next?" and he comprehended it to be "Same sex, what next?" He could not contribute to that discussion just because he was out of his mind. Else he had done some serious readings on the stock market performance, and was ready with data. That was, infact, a 'lost opportunity'.

However, he cracked the next GD and got into a top notch consultancy firm. That morning, he made sure he cleaned up his ears with earbuds and was focused on the topic.

So next time when you hear something, make sure you are all ears and be a good listener. That makes the job of the speaker easy as well. Communication is not complete unless the comprehension is correct.

Oh Bachelor!

"6,000 bucks per month for this. Does this suit you?" asked Hameed.

It was the third day on a row I have been roaming around the Nerul area with Hameed, a broker, in search of an apartment. I found that room to be decent enough, and did not hesitate to tell, "Yes, absolutely! let's finalize this".

Hameed, enthralled to spot me as a possible source of income for himself, said, "Ok, then let's have a quick chat with the secretary of the (housing) society. We will close the deal then and there."

After the initial introduction, the secretary bombarded me with a host of queries, "Where does your family stay? How many members will be staying here? Are you married?"

The last question was nothing new for me. For the last two days, I have been hearing that from several secretaries and watchmen, and on answering that negatively, I was shown the exit gate. This time too was I was sure of the repeat scene taking place. All I had to say was "No", and the rest was the same. That apartment was also out of my reach despite of agreeing to pay as high as Rs. 6,000 per month. I stared at Hameed who was speechless. He too was in a way cursing all those people who were allergic to bachelors, specially because that was affecting his revenue stream.

Anyways, Hameed later showed me a piece of paper showcasing a chargesheet from the Belapur Police Station in the name of a guy, who was a bachelor. He was put behind the bars. "Once Mr. Gupta, his next door neighbour, complained of loud music coming out of this guy's room. He was warned thrice. Two weeks later, the watchman saw him with a girl. And that night, he was celebrating his birthday again playing loud music and shouting on the top of his voice. This time the secretary called the police. You know, I helped him get his apartment. He seemed to be a nice person. Who would know he is like this? Now, I have to find a way to get him out."

My initial rage against the anti-bachelor class somehow cooled, and I thought "there can not be smoke without fire." The suspicious housing society secretaries and watchmen were perfectly okay as far as their positions were concerned. But the moot point is "Do all bachelors represent the same meaning and characteristics?"

A bachelor, according to me, is a somewhat distorted 'species', in our so-called 'civilized, educated and westernized' society, which is often characterized by a gamut of negative adjectives- Impractical, Unorganized, Ill-behaved, Unreliable, Careless.....the list is endless. Who better than a bachelor (which I am at this point in time) can empathize with this group that is every now and then being tagged as 'Irresponsible'. No offence against anyone, these views have developed out of my experience; neither I am supporting the bachelor class nor am I being harsh towards the anti-bachelor group. What I am attempting is to put forth some of the myths that often present bachelors in wrong shades, which might again have trigerred from some isolated, irregular events engaging bachelors.

Our orthodox culture generally considers bachelors to be useless simply because they have not been able to settle down (marry and own a family) in their lives. Marriage is considered to be an auspicious happening especially in most of the communities marking the start of a new and improved life. Bachelors, yet to experience such lives, are looked down as irresponsible under the impression that they are not vowing to take up anyone's (life partner's) charge. This, in turn, renders them illogical and careless. Frustration, according to many, forms a key part of any bachelor's life. It is assumed that an inner deep-rooted negative feeling of not finding a life partner often leads to this frustration.

'Hard' drinks, cigarettes, drugs and bachelors are considered to be the best of friends. No matter what, some people easily relate a bachelor to any of these elements, often mistaken as their stress relievers. Some are of the notion that a bachelor is very much unreliable and ill-behaved as they do not have any idea of respecting themselves and caring for others.

I have many of my bachelor friends (several of them are not well educated or even employed) who regularly participate in philantrophic activities, take keen interest in reforming the society, help a blind person cross a traffic bound road and even leave seat for the elderly in a crowded bus- Are they being careless, ill-behaved, unreliable or irresponsible?? Is anyone suspecting a bachelor to be frustrated or unwilling to take up someone's responsibility considering his current problems, family background or scenario? Are all the bars and pubs infested only by bachelors? There are lots of such questions to be answered and scenarios to be analyzed by such people who blindly can't stand bachelors. It is totally unfair to judge someone based on a tarnished image.

All said and done, however, we have 'Eligible' bachelors too, who are the most desirable candidates for tying knots. Earning big bucks and claiming fame, they represent the creamy layer of this species, always wooing the opposite sex.

Bachelorhood symbolizes independence and flamboyance. It is all about being natural, confident and assertive in thoughts. And we are at our best only when we are natural.

A Life So Wired Up!!

Most of us are either directly or indirectly grateful to technology, softwares and hardwares. These are the components that are making lives easier, helping us match up with the faster pace of life. Be it the payment of phone bills, transferring funds to near and dear ones, booking air tickets or seeing someone come alive on the webcam while you are thousand miles away from him or her, technology plays a potent role that can never be written off.

Getting out of bed, the first thing I do is put my phone on charge since I will need to use it for the next 10-11 hours. In office, it's technology everywhere- elevators, computers, desk phones, coffee vending machines, LCD TVs, etc. Back home, I sit with my laptop, and that is the moment when I realize how wired up my life is. I have to plug the Internet wire, insert the charging cable, plug the mouse wire, and if my roommate is sleeping, I have to put my headphones on (for not disturbing him)..well, I am surrounded by four wires. And if that is not enough, and I feel like charging my MP3 Player, I will attach it too..Phew!

May have heard of being "screwed up"; I have to experience it while I am so much "wired up". At times, I need to be pretty careful. I have to ensure that I don't step on any of those widely laid out wires. It often so happens that I am deeply pre-occupied enjoying a track on the headphone and reach out for my water bottle. Out of mind, not realizing that I have the headphones on, I get up to grab the bottle, and suddenly experience a strong pull, something awry!! I feel like kicking myself for almost breaking the wire. In fact, I feel like being seriously "wired up", that is so crucial and engulfing.

Tough Times

Pessimism Vs. Optimism: The two different glasses we put on to view life. In an unfavorable environment, a never-say die attitude is all it takes to reach there, to be on top.

In the road of life,
When the going gets tough
We feel down, and
The world seems rough.
Nothing on track,
The lights go dim.
Positives get over,
We hate to dream.
It's time for us
To stay on the race.
March ahead,
And look to ace.
Grab the chances
That come our way.
Never give up,
Put negatives at bay.
The road will be tough,
The pace will be slow.
Just a matter of time,
Before we glow.

The Managerial Omnipresence

It's time for me to fit into Peter Drucker's shoes and put on Henri Fayol's thinking caps. Don't worry, I'm not going to tell you to read the voluminous books, classic definitions and principles proposed by these great management gurus. Rather, I am going to put forward my simple understanding of 'management', of course, on the same lines as devised by these great thinkers. Management is an ocean. We can find umpteen definitions and concepts related to this field. However, I will try and attempt to present my view which might, in some way or the other, seem pretty generic and obvious.

'Management is the art of getting things done by others' is the most common definition you can get to hear. For me, management is the scientific art of controlling the universe. You name an object or an issue, and you can easily connect the word 'management' to it. Management is a perfect blend of logic, thoughts, emotions and actions. It is everywhere, widespread, encompassing and evolving. Be it politics, markets or for that matter, our very own lives, management is involved in such a way that, everyone of us either knowingly or unknowingly are carrying out management functions, each and every day. The rural shopkeeper, who is earning customers just by being friendly, may not be aware of Customer Relationship Management (CRM), but he is effectively putting in place the CRM practices. Similarly, a mother promising to buy her son a bicycle in case he fares well in the exams, is instilling motivation.

For a moment, let us assume that, there is no crisis in this world- A problem-free, routinized, set life is on. Things are very much under control, the happennings are too predictable. Is there any need for management under such a situation? Well, the answer seems to be a mix of 'Yes' and 'No'. 'No', because the basic purpose can be easily accomplished (assuming everything remains perfect), and 'Yes', because we would continuously like to see the proceedings as they are. As such, there is a need for monitoring and vigil. Also, therein lies an anticipation of risk or problem arising in the future. The fine line that differentiates the certain from the uncertain is management.

Real life situations may be associated with simulations, wherein we can have definite solutions to problems. But there are some situations in which pragmatism finds importance over knowledge and theory. The approach, in such cases, calls for dynamism. In a nutshell, management is not only about PODSCoRB (Planning, Organising, Directing, Staffing, Co-ordinating, Reporting and Budgeting), but it has also got an aspect that is practical in nature and very hard to define.

The quest for management is never ending, and it will only continue to be so.....

Homebound

For those who stay away from their homes and families, the excitement involved in getting back home cannot be penned down in words. It is a spark that brings immense enthusiasm. I am also a member of that lot, and feel the same while departing for my home. I would not term this as "Homesickness". Rather, this is something quite obvious- a call from within. Valuing the importance of family and home can never be overemphasized. This should come naturally to one who lives away from his home, and feels 'hungry' for meeting his family.

I left my home at the age of sixteen, just after I finished my schooling. As a teenager, it was tough for me to agree on that. But then, it had to happen, going by the need of the hour. Though not too far from home and within the same state, I did feel homesick at times and attempted a visit back home at least once a month. Five years down the line, I had to settle down in Hyderabad, far more away from my home, in a different state, as far as almost 1,6oo kms. But, by that time, I had matured a lot, managed to cut down my frequent visits. I had to boost up my career, and part away from family. Whatever, it was a big deal for me. It was not that easy to settle down as it seemed to be. I could not even imagine staying away from home for so many months. And on top of that, the distance made things a little tougher. I still remember the much awaited break- my first journey from Hyderabad to Santiniketan. I had to be patient for six long months in order to get back home after finishing my first semester in MBA. My three-and-half year stay in Hyderabad taught me to compromise on my frequent homeward tours for sure. However, there was always that intention to get back home and spend time with family. Further, I moved to Mumbai, which is over 2,000 kms. away from Santiniketan. Still, I make it a point to pay a visit back home at an interval of three-four months. It might sound a bit childish. But I must say, it puts me on and charges me up.

The very idea of 'going home' thrills me. 'Going Home' means a lot of things to me- it can be a motivation factor, a sigh of relief, an unexpressed happiness or a change. A homeward trip is no less than a project for me; it requires proper planning and execution. Key factors to be considered are the journey start and end dates, duration of stay, leaves available, and above all, the mode of transport. At times, I have to compromise on the cost part and prefer airways over rail transport simply to maximize my duration of stay, even it is a matter of few hours. After all, one can feel the worth of something only when he is deprived of that. And probably, that is the reason why getting back home is so special.

I Love....

• Each and every member of my family
• Using less words, and more action
• Spending a quiet and chilling night in the silence of mountains
• Aloo Poshto (potatoes with poppy seeds), Mishti Doi (sweet curd) and Chicken Biryani
• Waking up early in the morning, switching on the TV and watching Sachin Tendulkar taking stance in a live cricket match telecasted from Australia
• Being responsible
• To see a child smiling vigorously
• Katrina Kaif's beauty and Anushka Sharma's innocent looks
• Learning from my mistakes
• Listening to Kishore Kumar, Shreya Ghosal, Enrique Iglesias & Linkin Park

YOU

The poet in me that speaks about self-discovery....

Is this what YOU wanted to be?
Or is it just for the others to see?
What are YOU living for?
What are YOU aiming for?
Is it just the wealth and fame?
Even without a pinch of shame?
Look at the crying lot,
Isn’t it a bothering spot?
Doesn’t it move YOU?
To serve a dejected few?
Ask yourself and think anew,
Doesn’t it still give YOU a cue?
It tells YOU, “YOU are the one for them,
Go ahead, and be at the helm”.
That’s when YOU arise,
Wake up, and realize.
YOU say, “I am the person, with the key,
Here I come, hey! look at me”.

My Take On Life

For me, defining life should depend upon how we design our lives. It is more of one's attitude towards life that makes him either elated or gloomy. Life is a boon that needs to be nurtured, analyzed and cherished.

On any given day, life is pretty much colorful and contained. I view it as a rainbow that displays its various shades through innumerable happenings. At the same time, it is all-inclusive, an account of our proceedings.

Life is never partial- it neither overjoys us, nor it is rude always; rather, it is a silent master- it teaches us in the most practical ways. We gain in experiences, both good and bad. The sad part is, while going through the bad experiences, we tend to complain about life. What we overlook is our ability to convert the bad into good, or getting it right the next time. In future, when we fail again, we kind of keep on nagging, and tend to lose the essence of life. But herein lies the true magic of life- in rediscovering, learning from mistakes and being enlightened. Sometimes, we should feel good to be on the losing side (after we have put in our best to win), because we know, up next, we will be on top, simply due to the fact that, by then, we will mature, think and act only for winning. Optimism is the key to enjoying life, and it can do wonders once we have been able to deploy it properly.

After all, life is no cakewalk. It tests, awards, re-tests and rewards. And we need to fine tune ourselves as per the need of the hour.

The Five Icons Of My Life

At various stages of my life, I have been influenced by different personalities, who were either able to prove their mettle to the world or are constantly in the process of setting high standards. I have always taken a leaf out of their books to make my life a little better and organized. If not all of them, I would certainly like to mention the following names whose principles and actions have left deep impressions on my life:

My Father: A man of strict discipline and values, whatever he does is planned well in advance. He prefers jotting down even the slightest of details involved in a small activity that he undergoes. Weighs and analyzes the options available to him before he finally decides to go for something. I have learnt a lot of management skills through his simple yet effective ways.

Swami Vivekananda: The man who shaped up the 'spiritual self' in me. His sayings move me a lot, the favorite being, "Each work has to pass through these stages - ridicule, opposition, and then acceptance. Each man who thinks ahead of his time is sure to be misunderstood". And believe it or not, I have been able to see these quotes come alive in front of me. They are pretty much true to life, and we can easily relate to these.

Aamir Khan: Can't think of any other person, who stresses so much on the importance of being perfect as him. He delves deep into the subject at hand, and ensures that the ultimate product matches his desired quality standards. A true perfectionist by nature, he has been able to re-define the art of commercial Indian cinema in modern times.

Adam Gilchrist: When it comes to multi-tasking skills, this name certainly comes to the fore. Probably one of the best cricketers of all times, he will be known for his ability to rip apart the opposition with his aggressive batting and expert wicketkeeping. Led the Australian team at tough times with a decent record (although he captained in very few matches). The most satisfying part of his career must have been his ability to dominate- the bowlers up against him needed to ensure that the margin of error was zero or else they might have sleepless nights.

Richard Branson: Known for his flamboyant and competitive skills, this man knows how to live life to the fullest. The man behind the 'Virgin' brand, he loves to be 'dangerously adventurous' and try out things that are beyond our imaginations. At the ripe age of fifteen, he started dispalying his business acumen and went on to become one of the biggest names in the business arena.

Welcome Note

"Arindam", in Sanskrit, means the man who has won all his enemies. To break it up, the word "Arindam" has got two parts- "Ari" which means enemy, and "Daman" which means putting an end to something. Simply put, it means conquering enemies. Well, as far as I can recall, I hardly have any enemies, and I would never ever prefer to have even one. So far, so good- I have been able to justify the deep inner meaning of my name. Going forward, I would certainly like to maintain the same status- sans enemy. I am here to make as many friends as possible.

Hereby extending you a very warm welcome to my world. I am going to tell you something, and in return, would love to hear from you. Let's explore each other!!