Dr. Suraj A. Dhirwani's Blog

We are Loving it !

2012-01-10T19:24:00.002+05:30

Just saw this ad today: McDonalds special LUNCH Menu: Burger + fries + coke for Rs. 55/-
about a year ago - it was this same brand that launched a special breakfast menu.

Just made me wonder about the vicious cycle created here:

1st - We - the 'smart' Indians fall over each other to go 'abroad' for higher studies & work opportunities.
Then - the best Doctors & Scientists (Indians) work abroad and work really hard to come up with the right statistics, causes & cures to obesity & other such lifestyle diseases.
After which these 'developed' countries adapt the original 'satwik' Indian traits of Yoga, Fresh food, Ayurveda, Meditation, Karma etc.
Then - they conveniently export their work culture, their food, their lifestyle, their diseases to us !
& the best part - We LovE it! We crave it! We flaunt it! & We flock for it!
Their brand, their culture even their filth.

& while they slowly progres towards decreasing their mortality & morbidity indicators as well as divorce rate & increasing their family values:

We also import from them their drugs, advancements in surgery, new cures & everything obsolete - by which they recover their investments.

We are sucked of our brain, of our culture, of our wealth, of our nurture.
But we are loving it !

Happy Independence Day 2011

2011-08-15T02:38:00.000+05:30

Kuch saal pehle ki baat hai,
Hum sab saath milkar lade the,

Woh bade angrez bhi bhaag pade the.
Azaad hua tha yeh desh, azaad hue the hum.

Par kuch bhediye hain aaj bhi hamare beech,
Bhookhe, beimaan or neech.
Ab aaj kis kis ko bhagaoge aur marte jaoge?
Kabhi na kabhi uss dayre mein apne aap ko bhi paoge.
Azaad kardo, apne aap ko is bhrashtachaar ki gandagi se,

Dusshere tak maar do Raavan ko fir Deepawali manayenge nai jyot se.
Naya saal jab tak aayega, iss desh me har koi naya ho jayega,
Agle saal ki azaadi tak poore desh ki kaya palat ho jayegi,

Darr ke simat jayenge baaki saare mulk, na ungli na awaaz utha payenge,
Bharat ki azadi duniya ke har kone me mil kar log manayenge.

Tab kahenge garv se, fakr se - Happy Independence Day.

- Dr. Suraj A. Dhirwani.

Android 3/3 : My experience with Android

2011-08-06T04:37:00.000+05:30

Part 3/3

Part 1: http://drsurajdhirwani.blogspot.com/2011/08/android-23-how-to-buy-android-phone.html

Part 2: http://drsurajdhirwani.blogspot.com/2011/08/android-23-how-to-buy-android-phone.html

What I am going to share here is MY experience of Android.

By now it is pretty obvious I was blown away by Android.
Here's why:

let's begin with BASIC features that it did so well:

1. Contacts: the MOST essential part of a phone
It SYNCs contacts like no other:
Not only did it take ALL contacts with ALL details VERY smoothly from my old Nokia E72 (that process is amazing and it has the option in-built where it has in it's database choice for almost EVERY damn phone possible in recent times - I am floored! Even Nokia allowed only Nokia to Nokia via the phone over BT.

To sync from Nokia to BB or Nokia to iPhone - without outlook - costs anywhere from 150 to 250 Rs in most 'shops'. They have a special device for it.

But my Android did IT
&
then went one more step further:
when provided with the details :
it synced contacts with:
my 4 gmail ids (the important ones)
my FaceBook account - synce the calendar and therefore Birthdays too !
LinkedIn
Twitter
Google+
Skype
Yahoo messenger
Yahoo mail
Hotmail account
WhatsApp
&
Viber!

WOAH. And it automatically detected duplicates, merged them, provided individual fields and even synced the latest profile pics from FB into the contacts (& does it regularly).
This led to some massive 6500+ contacts in the phonebook.
Yes, it did slow down a little. No doubt. So then I had the option to let it show only the ones I wanted - so tweaked it a little - and now its as fast as my nokia. But better equipped.

2. Messaging:
I spent half an hour searching for a Sent items folder: there was NONE.
It was a threaded view - sent items reflected in the same window. Only separate folder for drafts.
And the NUMBER of options!
I can copy paste text from anywhere to anywhere.
Just highlight it (with a nifty magnifying tool) and it lets me share it - over email, whatsapp, web, fb, twitter - you name it. Every new feature install syncs in and links in right upto the roots deep inside the system.
Made work really easy!
Have a nice sms that I want to put as my FB status msg - 3 taps and its shared. Got some new news to be broadcasted on whatsapp - 4 taps and shared.
Above all - whenever and wherever the on-screen keyboard pops up (messaging, search, email etc. etc) - there is a small microphone icon - I can just speak and it types it out with about 97% accuracy in proper english despite major background noise. ( Speech to Text and Text to Speech too)

3. Phone Calls:
the call history, integration of phone contacts, visual treat is too much.
For e.g. it shows me the latest FB pic with the latest FB status update of that person when they call right on the screen!
Awesome features like: the phone automatically detects and rings louder when inside your pocket or bad and lowers the volume once you have fetched it out!
Now THAT is a smart phone.

4. Gallery + Camera + Videos : Almost everything you saw in that iPhone ad. Pinch to zoom,. quick, clarity, folder names converted to album names. Fast smooth (not buggy like nokia). Quick to understand. Great clarity. And ofcourse awesome sharing over every medium - EVEN Bluetooth (without any additional app)

5. FM Radio and Music player: yes it has a Radio! Music Player - output was decent to good. You can flip through albums. Even when phone is locked change the volume and track. but I sorely missed the presence of an Equalizer by default

6. the BROWSER ! - oh yes! the BEST stock browser (safari comes close no doubt, but absence of flash screws it up). AMAZING browser.
It re-aligns the text when you zoom in to fit it on 1 screen. Ever thing is smooth, intuitive, clear and enjoyable.
Ofcourse there's always Opera - but more on that later.

You know this could go on & on... these are all basic features - many phones do share a LOT of these features,
so whats new?

APPS. Applications. APP STORE. ANDROID MARKET. EcoSystem!

You name it and there's an app.

WHATEVER you don't like - there's an app to replace it.
And LOADS of free ones.

Don't like the default music player - theres Winamp ! Yes. Winamp. (& you can chose to make it the default player).
Don't like the browser - there's Firefox! Yes, Firefox which can sync bookmarks from your PC and can also be set as default.
Ofcourse theres google:
So GMAIL - smooth as ever.
Gtalk with voice & video chat
G Maps!
G docs app - so all google docs at your finger tips - with Multiple accounts ! Woohoo!
Picassa
YouTube
Google+

Someothers;
Times of India, CNN, BBC, MSNBC
Engadget, Team Bhp, Gsmarena
Apps to help you do push ups, sit ups, running, jogging
Apps to watch your calories, know whats mixed in your drinks
Apps to calculate distance, conversion, weight, balance, level
Apps to give you first aid guide, medicines info

ANYTHING!

You want reminders;
Sure, do you want to be reminded by no. of days left, by alarm, by a note, by flicker on your screen, by sms, want to send sms on particular day, want to send a card : ALL SET.
You want to be reminded if a thunderstorm is coming - done. You want to be reminded if your girlfriend has her periods - done.

You want integration: It will remember your contact, show the last calendar entry with them, last messages shared with them, emails and the pics of them in your phone or fb.

Homescreens: a Widget for everything!
Message widget - read & reply right on the screen. calendar, voice recorder. You name it! Just name it!

Now if it only had a switchblade knife coming out of its side - it would really be the Swiss Army Knife !!!

Okay, sorry I got carried away.
In short - the APPS and their eco-system make this a very formidable OS rivalled only by the iOS. No doubt.
Both very competitive and almost equal.
I give android the edge for 2 simple reasons: 1. Google ('nough said) and 2. more free apps with lesser restrictions

But then it isn't all work. Inspite of the smooth email, integration, document editing, google docs, calendar syncs, tasks & to-do.

The phone is SO much fun. There is SO much of life into the phone.
Like the raindrops that drop on your homescreen and a wiper wipes them off - when its raining outside and the weather tells you its raining.
Or the way the clouds come up on your screen on a cloudy day (with lightning in case of a thunderstorm).
The way to the to-do notes flip and strike off at a tap.
FB, Twitter, Google+ widgets : everything at 1 simple glance.
(thanks to HTC Sense UI too actually)

It is an experience to be believed.
Seriously, it changes the way you look at your phone.
It really becomes an extension of you.
And every bit is customizable.
If you don't like HTC Sense UI - try Go Launcher. It lets you add upto 18 homescreens and you can customize the animation and appearance of every icon, every screen, every widget every app.
A new experience EVERYDAY..

And there is no major learning curve. It is very simple and intuitive. You start enjoying it within the 1st 2 hours itself.

I AM NOT SAYING EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE AN ANDROID.
I AM NOT SAYING THAT iOS is HORRIBLE.

But, I am just thrilled, overjoyed with my experience.
I wish to applaud the makers of this OS, extend my appreciation and gratitude and share my feelings with the rest of the world via my blog.
And yes I would genuinely advise and recommend this OS for many a purpose to many a people.

BUT BUT BUT - there are some things I did not like
(alas, the heart is never satisfied...)

Somethings that I miss, sorely miss and wish for:
(especially in my HTC Desire Z)

Sorely Miss:
Bigger better battery - these phones need 1600mAh +. They need all the juice they can get.
What my Nokia used to last me 1 1/4 day with my heavy usage - same for the droid is 13 hours. (ofcourse it does much more with bigger screen - but still)

Front facing camera (now present in newer models)

Bigger screen

Higher Processor

USB on the go functionality - where a small adapter is connected to the microUSB port and a pendrive can be connected to the port which can be read by the system just like a memory card. It is present on new Nokias like E7 and would really make the phone a mini-laptop.

Miss (functions that would have been nice to have but not heart breaking):
Call receive and call reject keys - they Green & Red keys - no matter what i feel they are essential.

'Exit' option - most apps - dont have an 'exit' option. You never know wether they are running in background or really closed.

More control over apps - who is allowed to do what. Kind of like the 'msconfig' option in windows.

Touchscreen could be better - sadly it is really not at par as the iPhone (I admit nobody beats them there - till date)

I WISH (the future):

It really had a knife hidden in it somewhere (kidding)

Dual booting - windows 7 + android (I know of people who have managed to have dual boot Windows Phone 7 and Android on their rooted phones)

The future is tablets - no doubt.
What is the DREAM
is a tablet which runs Windows and Android with a keyboard (detachable or in the case) and which can support any external devices accordingly.

This will happen when Android comes out with Icecream Sandwich which will be their unified OS for phones and tablets (currently Gingerbread is for phones and Honeycomb is for tablets only)
and
Windows 8 (not windows phone 8) will be released which is optimized for touch screens.

So say an Atom processor or an Ivybridge intel processor - with Win 8 on my basic core machine at home,
win8 + android on my tablet and an external keyboard
and can connect any usb to the tablet - pen drive to external cd writer or maybe a dock.
and an android phone.

OR: - none of this:
JUST ONE TABLET -
with a dual boot Android + Win8
With external keyboard - in the case
SIM Card slot + 3G - calls over a bluetooth handsfree
A media dock - this can be kept at home - it houses the cd/dvd writer - more ports for USB display adapter and also a dedicated Graphics card or GPU - so when I plug in my tablet at home or workstation I have complete power and processing to do high end work too.
And printer connected to the dock.
While when on the go - I have all the files with me, can access them and do light editing too. + the cloud.
And maybe a pico projector inbuilt too (asking for too much I know)

Now THAT would be perfect. But it would be putting all your eggs in 1 basket. But still - Overall it will work out cheaper, efficient and simpler than currently having 3-4 different machines and shuttling data between them. Also cloud storage is catching up too.

This dream:
As of now
is partially possible with Apple ( iOS, iPhone, iPad, MacBook Air, Macbook Pro, Lion OS + iTunes)
partially possible with Google (Gmail cloud + Chrome Browser + Android + Chrome OS + All media services - picassa, youtube, google+, docs etc.)

Advantage with Google is - you can choose different manufacturers according to your budget and tastes.

Some glimpses of my fantasy/ imagination are already visible today:
in
ViewSonic 10 inch viewpad tablet
the new Sony Vaio Z with media dock
the Asus Padphone & the Asus Transformer Pad
the Acer Iconia Tab 500
the Samsung Chrome OS equipped netbook.

I think I have rambled on enough and got totally carried away by android. Worse than a freshly smitten love puppy.

A big round of applause to anyone who does manage to read through all 3 parts of this love story.
And to those who don't - another round of applause - you are still SANE..
and
Sorry - but this is me.
;)

Android 2/3 : How to buy an Android phone

2011-08-06T03:43:00.004+05:30

Part 2/3

Part 1:
http://drsurajdhirwani.blogspot.com/2011/08/android-13-my-introduction-to-android.html

So, anyone looking to buy an Android phone:
Should do so ONLY if:

1. You like smart phones and really want to experience an OS belonging to this Generation
2. You are flexible and sensible
3. You don't want a dumbphone that thinks its a smart phone and makes you think you are smart when actually neither of you are.
4. You are not a HARDCORE higher level exec. with strict preferences for secure coded email (read pure BB user)
5. You have always liked Swiss Army Knives or phrases like Jack of All trades or All-Rounder or One Man Army (You get the drift)
6. You do not subscribe to herd mania, society norms or random comparison and measuring of status based of particular 'fruit' phones
7. You dare to be different, you dare to think and respect your individuality
8. You are an urban road warrior or even a regular joe who REALLY has to multi-task
9. You have GOOD access to power sources throughout the day.

BEFORE you go to buy an Android phone (there are WAY too many in the market)

1. Decide your budget (if your are intending to spend 25k+ on a phone, do give a Tablet a thought. and Android is available from as cheap as 6k, with even DELL starting their line-up at 8.5k [XCD28] )
2. Decide the features (which are a MUST have,which you can do without)
3. Decide a BRAND:

Yes - Android is basically a Free OS like Linux and ANY company can install it anywhere they please (ofcourse certain T&C by Google have to be adhered to) and customize it with their own UI.
So you find Android in a VARIETY of gadgets - from netbooks by Acer, to phones to tablets etc etc.

The versions of Android have an alphabetical nomenclature corresponding to a dessert :
A. B (ButterCup), C (Cupcake), D (Donut), E (Eclair), F (Froyo), G (Gingerbread), H (Honeycomb), I (Icecream sandwich)
[Froyo is a Frozen Yoghurt]
Further reading here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Android_(operating_system)

While by default an Android phone comes with 1 version - usually there are official updates that are offered by Google and MAY reach your device - these are usually only 1 or 2 versions at the most - beyond which there is NO official support extended - but one can always BootLoad newer ROMs versions (besides your warranty is over by then anyways... more on that when that day comes)

One should know that not ALL manufacturers receive official updates:
MicroMaxx & Videocon etc usually Don't.
Official Google phones get it 1st (Google G1 Google Nexus S etc.)
Then usually Samsung / HTC, later Motorala, later sometimes Sony Ericcson, much later maybe LG etc etc.
So that should be given a thought.

Also, most manufacturers have their CUSTOM UI (User Interface) loaded over Stock Android which adds to the functionality of the phone.
HTC = HTC Sense
Samsung = TouchWiz
Motorla = MotoBLUR
etc. etc.
Again - HTC > Samsung by a small margin.
* special note here - a small clarification later

Then one must consider the Brand.
Do you like the look of the phone of this brand or other's?
Build quality?
Plastic v/s Metal
Is it too chunky, too curvy, too feminine, too small etc etc. Cosmetic things.
Battery life - Samsung BEST, HTC, Motorola, LG, SE worst
Service centres in your city, close to your home etc. etc.: Again Samsung has a small edge over HTC here. Rest really don't have anything to talk about here in Mumbai, India.

Then coming to the HARDWARE:
the prime difference between phones is
1. Processor - bigger the better. yes. Indeed. I can vouch for it. Android needs ALL the power it can get!
Dual Core 1.2 processors are here, Single Core over clocked 1.4, Some with dedicated GPU.
Worth considering.
Obviously Dual Core + dedicated GPU = BLISS.
2. Screen size and TYPE - 3.6, 3.7, 4.0, 4.1, 4.3, 5.0 - usual screen sizes in 'Phones'.
And types: Retina Display > Super AMOLED > Clear Black > AMOLED > S-LCD > LCD
Higher pixel density also helps. Sunlight legibility also changes.
3. Camera + Flash: 5mp with or withour AF + No Flash, LED Flash, Dual LED flash? Dual Cam?
4. RAM & ROM: Higher the better
5. Storage - memory. Internal 8Gb / 16Gb / 32Gb. + MMC card support? Hot Swappable?
6. Wifi + BT is standard. But BT3.0 is preferable and WiFi support b/g/ + n
7. GPS: yes / no.
8. Document viewer / editor ?
All usually have standard 3.5mm jack (thank you Europe Union) and microUSB charging + data ports (thank you again)

This is just basic guidelines - other finer aspects are always there.

Contd....

Part 3/3 : http://drsurajdhirwani.blogspot.com/2011/08/android-33-my-experience-with-android.html

Android 1/3 : My introduction to Android

2011-08-06T03:42:00.001+05:30

Change is always with Hesitancy.

Its never easy to change, to make the jump, to take the plunge.

But I did it - FINALLY.

From Nokia to Android (HTC Desire Z)
&
now - makes me feel like a FOOL for not doing it earlier.

My Nokia smartphone looks like a dumb phone after experiencing the power of Android with HTC Sense!

TOTALLY loving my new weapon - the ultimate in my arsenal, the 3rd screen, the Victor.

I have a new Friend. A new best friend.
So what if he's green?
So what if he has no neck?
So what if he has 2 antennae on the top of his head?

He is my best friend.
He follows me everywhere & does everything I want - wether I tell him or not.
He follows my every command.
I love him.
My Droid.
My Android.

I begin with these notes.

One may wonder whats all the fuss about a new phone?
Android has been around since 2009!

Yes, I am late on the scene.
Yes I was (still am partly) a HARDCORE Nokia fan/lover. Having used 32 of their phones in the last 7 years or so.

A techie like me should have made the jump LONG ago.
Yes, my apologies.

But I did not have the liberty of taking a chance earlier.
I did not have the time to manage change of contacts, the patience for the learning curve (which although short for me and in android) and many such relatively important reasons then.
But the temptation was ALWAYS there.
And slowly I learned these were non-issues.

But what REALLY made this happen was:
Nokia. Yes, they themselves are to blame.
My E72 would hang up 4 times a day despite repeated repairs and software updates.
I tried the N97mini, 5800 and C7.
The former two had horrible screens. The N97mini keyboard was 3 row - too little for me.
The C7 was QUITE nice. A real surprise from Nokia. Loved it. But NO keyboard!
They took too long for the E6 & E7 - and till then the HUGE growth of iOS & Android and their functionality could not be denied for a guy like me.
My closest friends also had a major role in making me switch over.

The FINAL nail in the coffin was Nokia abandoning Symbian like a mole on the back, aborting MeeGo like an unwanted pregnancy and WORSE - Adopting Windows Phone 7 !
How could you Stephen Elop? This will definitely haunt you till your memory serves you and will hurt us till the end of ours.
Had Nokia chosen Android as they were considering : HEAVEN.

Since BlackBerry was NEVER an option for me:
( http://drsurajdhirwani.blogspot.com/2010/06/nokia-vs-blackberry.html )

I did genuinely consider iPhone 4. Worked out all the permutations & combinations. Including Bluetooth keyboards.
But iTunes was TOO much of a pain. There were too many restrictions. The 'business' functionality was sorely lacking. It was a fun to use phone, but not as smart as I would want it to. And the bottomline was quite expensive - definitely not VFM.

Windows Phone 7 or Windows Mobile 6.5 or whatever was NEVER an option.
(Horrible experience with Windows 6.1 on a HTC Touch few years ago. Besides poor support in India. & WP7 was just RIDICULOUSLY stupid till Mango update came along)

I still have a Palm Pixi Plus with me - WebOS showed promise. But then Palm was purchased by HP and it was all in suspended animation - in the freezer. And had no eco-system whatsoever.

Bada by Samsung was an OS not even considered for reasons that are obvious.

So frankly, it was more like TINA (There Is No Alternative) besides I wanted Android too (I LOVE Google, seriously) and Google+ app was on Android TOO!

Then Began the hunt to narrow down the piece:
I was very clear about 1 thing - I WANT a physical keyboard. Period. I do not want to even justify why or get into an argument of why not and auto-correct etc. etc.
Call me queer, call me weird, call me eccentric. I don't give a damn. I want and NEED a physical qwerty keyboard.
& when I opt for a tablet next, then too I will buy one which has an accessory keyboard either in the case or in the dock.

I had really liked the original T-Mobile G1. The 1st Android phone (manufactured by HTC). Ofcourse that was not an option today - so there was G2.
Yes, the T-Mobile G2 a.k.a. HTC Vision a.k.a. HTC Desire Z.
The other options were Motorola Droid 2 and Samsung Galaxy 551, Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 mini pro & Motorola BackFlip.
(HTC ChaCha, Samsung Pro, Motorla Defy / TXT etc. had not even been released)

Motorola Droid 2 was nice - but keyboard lacked the feel & besides - Motorola & MotoBLUR? Not a candle against HTC Sense UI.
BackFlip was just too weird.
Samsung Galaxy 551 was grossly under speced and lower ranged.
SE X10mini pro was just TOO tiny for me.
Had they had a proper SE X10 pro - I would have given it a thought for its awesome screen and looks. But SE doesn't have a soft spot in my heart (except for the SE P990i) wonder why they stopped the P5.

So the HTC Desire Z it was. What a 'Vision'.

I am not going to sit and review the Desire Z here. No, thats not what this is about.
( You can read that here:
Specs: http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_desire_z-3421.php
Review: http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_desire_z-review-535.php)

contd.... ...

Part 2/3 : http://drsurajdhirwani.blogspot.com/2011/08/android-23-how-to-buy-android-phone.html

Part 3/3: http://drsurajdhirwani.blogspot.com/2011/08/android-33-my-experience-with-android.html

Tata does it AGAIN !!!

2011-08-01T02:50:00.000+05:30

I have been repeatedly waxing eloquence about the amazing principles, products, etiquettes, work culture, results and Indian drive of the Tata brand and most of their products.

REPEATEDLY !!!

http://drsurajdhirwani.blogspot.com/2010/08/titan-indian-watch-brand.html
http://drsurajdhirwani.blogspot.com/2011/07/update-titan-indian-watch-brand.html
http://drsurajdhirwani.blogspot.com/2011/02/mobile-number-portability.html

But they have gone and done it again!

They have amazed me & floored me ONCE AGAIN!

This time : it is with their willingness to keep pace with current technology and be the leaders in innovation in their segment.
Not only do they embrace every new change and progress in the right direction, they implement it very early (sometimes too early for it's time and thus initial failure or pick up lag in the graph)
They ensure it reaches the end consumer!

Examples:

1. Tata Aria concept + AR (Augmented Reality)

In July 2011, there was a online contest to identify 36 new automotive features in the Tata Aria and get a chance to win the Aria itself
(I managed 35/36 in case you were wondering)
No big deal, a common contest, regular flash animation... been there done that you will say. Right?
So what if they provided good regular updates and support via FB & email. So many marketing campaigns do and reply religiously. Right?
BUT
Towards the end of the contest, they introduces a new feature.
the Use of AUGMENTED REALITY!

You click on it, it requests you to print a particular page (that they give) - and then you hold up THAT page against your webcam and voila - it detects it (kinda like the barcode app on Android phones) and lets you unlock 5 features for free.

I don't know if this has been implemented in India earlier, but I found this quite a novel idea to keep the buzz alive in the contest.
&
I am quite familiar with Layar & Augmented Reality so it was not the idea that floored me, it was the implementation.

2. Tata Sky - Mobile App for TV remote.
Again an old concept - almost 3 years old since the time of the iPhone 3g.
A small device that plugs into the 3.5mm microphone jack of ALMOST all phones and comes with its own app that runs on the phone allowing you to control your TV or music system with the phone as the remote and buttons on the phone.
(Remember the IR Remote app on the Nokia 6600 almost 6 years ago? Something similar, except the RF is in that teeny device at the end of your phone)
It costs 8 - 35$.
BUT
to get that here, that concept, that idea, implement in in its product in India, customize the app to suit your product and support almost ALL smart phones - that deserves a mention. And a pat on the back too.

3. Titan HTSE + AR (again)
Yes, I know. Its like old wine in new bottle, but again the implementation made me smile.
Titan HTSE [High Tech Self Energized] (as you may already know from the awesome TV add) is Titan's new range of watches that run on light - get charged with any source of light above 200 lum. even candles and last really long.
Citizen has had the Eco-drive range since years now.
Being an eco-friendly guy I have LOVED these watches since then.
&
I love SOLAR power too.
But frankly those Citizen watches were way out of my budget then.
and they used to have these Mother of pearl dials which I wasn't very fond of.
So when Titan HTSE was launched I was happy, but I thought, what the hell - this is going to be expensive too!
But I was amazed to see the range was genuinely reasonable: 6495 to 10995 !
I will be getting one soon - not now since I did not really LOVE any of the current models launched. Will wait for some more. But will definitely get one.
Coming back to the amazing part - when I checked their website:
It begins with a note - asking you to place a source of light near your webcam for it to be 'powered' to load.
&
that light can be a candle or even the display of your cell phone.
Obviously you are not going to get dripping hot wax anywhere near your laptop, so I used my cellphone display
and it worked like a charm.
The animation and experience was quite nice.
Again - applause for IDEA, innovation, execution and concept.
Loved it.
You can try it yourself : www.titanhtse.com

Letter to Mr. Ratan Tata

2011-08-01T02:29:00.000+05:30

This was a letter I had written to Mr. Ratan Tata Sir.
&
the best part was I received a genuine reply straight from the Chairman's office !
I shall scan and upload the reply letter later.

28^th February 2011

Dear Mr. Ratan Tata Sir,

I am an avid patriot of Tata & Sons and all their products.

My home & life is FILLED with varied products.

From the water (Tata Swach),

The pipes that carry the water (Tata Steel),

The Salt that we use (Tata Namak)

The tea that stimulates us (Tata Tea)

The groceries & food that we consume (Tata Star Bazaar)

The crockery in which we serve (Tata Ceramics)

The celebrations that we have (Taj group of hotels)

The clothes that we wear (Westside)

The jewels that we adorn (Tanishq)

The watches that we use (Titan)

The car that we drive (Tata Indica)

The electronic appliances that we use (Croma).

Our life is primarily made convenient & nice only thanks to TATA. An icon, a brand, an influence par excellence. Because, your role in our life does not end with the mere products, but the values that we learn.

That customer should be treated with respect & utmost priority.

Quality should never be compromised.

Money is secondary, but principles & morals come first.

It’s not necessary to be corrupt to succeed

& above all, one must always keep doing good.

I want to take this opportunity to thank you & congratulate you for some of the recent advances & improvements & some things which I sincerely wish would be better.

1. Westside: what a refreshing change! The brand has just raised its standards for the better! The new line of clothing is amazing, the patterns & designs throughout is a pleasant change. Above all the entire shopping experience has been raised a notch. The staff & customer service is the BEST amongst such stores. The courtesy, warmth, respect with which your employees treat the customers is a pleasant change against what it used to be & what it still is in other stores like Pantaloons & Shoppers Stop. Please keep up the good work!

2. Titan: Another brand that just keeps on improving. Though the Orion & Aviator series were really an eye-sore. I have fallen in love all over again with Obaku, Octane & Edge. Truly international quality designs, good materials, some freshness & variety which was long overdue. The Flagship store in Mumbai is also a very good concept & the 1^st for an Indian watch brand. I have written about it in detail on my blog & also Congratulated Mr. Suvendu Roy & Ms. Toranj Mehta in that regard. Once again, the customer service is Fantastic. The only brand that cares. With a watch for every hand & every budget. From the innovative FastTrack to the classy Nebula. Loved them all.

3. Tanishq : Though not quite the most reasonable in its category, still decent service, Beautiful designs & the general thoughtfulness & warmth in all Tanishq outlets makes you feel nice about shopping there

4. Tata Indicom: amazing competitive prices & finally some good service for both your Internet / Broadband services & GSM & CDMA Telecom services. Unfortunately, I jumped ship a few years ago, when both your Internet service & Telecom network were a major pain & grossly dissatisfying, but I am happy to see the change & whole heartedly recommend the brands today.

5. Croma: another upcoming brand, yes upcoming, because it still leaves something to be desired for, when it comes from the same firm that has the Westside chain. Definitely Croma is marginally better than its competitors because it offers GENUINE discounts & products and does not literally fool & fleece the consumer like the other brands, but occasionally the pricing (usually the deciding factor) just dampens the whole show. Nevertheless, still love it & always will, especially now that a new branch has sprung up in my locality!

6. Tata Ceramics: What a surprise! When one fine day, I spot an amazing looking piece of crockery & check the bottom to see the make & I see those 4 letters T A T A! That day itself I ended up buying quite a few pieces myself. The sheer quality, path breaking designs, the uniqueness & appeal, simply unmatched at that price. A true gem.

7. Tata Motors: You may be reading this for the umpteenth time, but HATS OFF for the Tata Nano, truly a worldwide engineering marvel. I would love to own one, but my family fears for my safety & my past experience with Tata Motors left a bitter taste in my mouth. Yes, sadly so. Definitely you have simply grown from strength to strength & I feel very proud to see the beautiful indigenously manufactured passenger vehicles. From the days of the Tata Estate & Sierra, you have transformed leaps & bounds! Tata Sumo, Safari have both graced beautifully. & the change in fit & finish in the new cars have to be seen to be believed! The feature list of the Indigo Manza tempted me to buy it instantly, but alas, the nightmares of owing the Indica made me think again. Seriously, the cars are really very well thought, built with a lot of effort & above all Heart & Soul, for the regular Indian consumer & it shows. God bless you for that. You brought us on the map, made us a name worthy of considering, but it’s got miles to go before it starts getting the recognition it deserves. Whenever any popular Auto magazine or newspaper compares cars, in any segment, no one ever bothers to include the Tata vehicle of that segment. It is just not considered! Why so? Have you ever wondered? That why apart from some true enthusiasts the general consensus about buying a Tata car is so grossly negative. I wouldn’t blame them. The average Indian, like me, pumps in his hard earned money to buy the ‘luxury’ of a car, whichever segment he can afford, not to invite the additional burden of a fuel guzzling, half baked, poorly constructed, underperforming, high maintenance 4 wheels. I love my Indica, still do, the shape, the comfort, the joy! But it does come with its fair share of trouble. & when I test drove the Manza, I found most of the issues still persist. In today’s globally open Indian market with so many wonderful options to choose from, it hurts that my favourite Indian Tata cars are lagging behind. I really look forward to owing one again, if things improve. (still waiting before I make my decision Manza, Etios, Vento, Dzire or City)

8. Tashi: for this Wonderful collection of shoes, finally something really classy, elegant and true leather shoes. Very nice collection indeed. But seriously needs better branding ! the insole of the shoes has that particular category named etched, but nowhere does one find the word ‘Tashi’ mentioned. Just 3 red-dots which are synonymous with another well known brand. Even the belts & the belt buckles have not a single insignia or motif on them. Such expensive simple well crafted pieces of leather, but not even a small ‘brand name’ to make them shine apart and identifiable. Guess like all Tata products known to me, this one too will have a extremely slow start, disappointing initially and then will excel and flourish. (hopefully not after I lose patience and switch loyalties) Nevertheless, both my & my dad have ‘happy feet’ thanks to Tashi. (previously thanks to Woodlands, Provogue and Metro)

Or is it that I always choose the Tata marquee to early? As in instance of the Telecom & Automobile sector, that I put my faith, trust & money, when you were growing rather than opt for Tata when it finally learns the ropes & then comes of age? Is that what happened, when you bought Land Rover & Jaguar? Because it does seem that paint quality & a lot of other things in your cars improved only after that! Even with the watches, after you incorporated Tommy Hilfiger & Xylus in your showrooms, there was major change in the variety, designs & quality of your other watches.

I sincerely want to thank you for one thing though. My father always told me “Be Indian, Buy Indian”. If we don’t support our economy, who will? We should not allow these foreign brands to come in & rape our country for their own growth. Thanks to you & ONLY you, am I able to abide by his advice in MOST walks of life.

Be it the Titan instead of the Fossil / Tissot / Swatch. Or the Indica instead of the Santro/ Fabia / Swift.

I am happy; that I could chose what I wanted, because I had the options, thanks to you.

But now, it does become difficult, more often that I would like it to be.

Now, I hesitate, like I did for the Manza. It had my heart beating & it was love at 1^st sight when I saw the brochure. But after I held the door handles & steering wheel, all the other cars were calling out to me more strongly & my heart continued to beat faster, but out of anxiety & disappointment.

What worries me even more is that ALL this was possible because of YOUR persistence & vision. The man Mr. Ratan Tata. Who has worked relentlessly to keep his family values upheld at all times. Who has strived for excellence & growth of this wonderful country India & provided such a vast plethora of commendable services for his countrymen. I am not in the least unaware of your contribution to this county at all levels, be it education, employment or essential commodities. & that is what makes you one of my IDOLS. Mind you Sir; I have only a handful few. But I deeply respect you for what you have done for all of us Indians, far & wide.

I shudder to think, what will happen, now that you have announced your retirement. It would be selfish of me to expect you to keep working for infinity just for the betterment of this country & of course, my personal benefits. But Sir, I feel very strongly as an Indian, that there are very few positive vectors that maintain the harmonious balance between good & evil in our economic & social reality of India. One of them is YOU. & none of them as powerful, multi-headed, dedicated, genuine & pure as Your firm & you.

Life goes on, it always does. For everyone. The God Almighty, He always has His plans. And there is nothing that anyone can do about it.

Yet, I request you, to once give a thought, of how things will be, after you leave.

An excerpt from the poem ‘If’ by Rudyard Kipling:

If you can dream--and not make dreams your master,
If you can think--and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

Sir, what you have built has taken years and is not a feat that can be replicated, ever. In today’s India, centuries old monuments are not taken care off, then pray who shall take care of such a vast empire?

A machinery that is currently fuelling the growth of this nation of abundance. An entity so big, wide & deep, that any change will impact the course of the future & the history that it writes behind.

So where will we find, people, because definitely one won’t suffice to fill your shoes, who shall share your vision, sentiment & above all purity of heart to be able to lead & steer this ship the way it should be?

I pray, that you have an answer to this, for my sake, our sake & the country in general. I know you will, I know you do. Because that is who you are. Yet, I wanted to express my concern and gratitude for all that you have done & all that will be done, because of you.

Thank YOU!

Dr. Suraj A. Dhirwani

What my Father Never taught me...

2011-07-29T04:08:00.000+05:30

Do you read the newspapers?

I have given up, I just don't see the point!

EVERY damn time I flip through the newspaper - All I see is theft, crime, rape, murder, death, beating, cheating, racketeering, corruption, lies, sex, scandal, leaks, stings, links, terror, extortion, kidnapping, fighting, in-fighting, mud sledging, slapping, shoe throwing, war, famine, inflation, bankruptcy, law suits, .......

Bored already? So am I.

EVERY damn time.
Just makes me wonder, do I really live in this same world? Do I want to CONTINUE living in this world?
Do I want to bring another Human Being in this World?
Is this World?
Is this Life?

I am lost there, for a few moments.

I take a pause, try to focus on my Life.
My minuscule little tiny existence in this vast planet.

A Nobody.
A plankton in the lake (pun intended).

My world, my Life.
An odd profession, that though has a renowned & respected suffix, comes with its own baggage of queer looks an quizzical expressions.
A segment that is struggling to find its spot between art & science. Between main stream & alternative.
&
Comprising of people struggling to find peace, security & I am not exactly sure what they intend to achieve with all the rivalry & pain in the backside backstabbing, bickering, name calling, dirty linen & mocking.
Is it Ultimate Supremacy?
For What?

Again I am lost.

I look up from my bean bag to stare into the eyes of my father, reading his bit of the newspaper sitting right above me.
How he manages to make sense of it & see beyond the apparently obvious state of total chaos is beyond me.

He knows the questions in my mind.
He has been there.

He tells me, lovingly as always.
To be patient.
To stick to doing what I think is right.
To harbour no ill for anyone.
To dirty not my thoughts, deeds, actions or words.
To fret not, revel not, pride not, gloat not.
To continue doing good.
To believe in myself.
To DO MY DUTY.

He has taught me a lot. My father. Everything I am, I am because he is.
I know him, I know what his mind thinks. I know what his heart craves.
I just wish I can be that. Get that. Put it all at his feet.
It would be an iota of what he has done to nourish and continue to nurture my sorry state of existence.

He knows where I am headed. He knows what I think.
He warns me of the consequences.
He just wishes the best for me.

He has taught me a lot. My Father.

He has taught me so much, sometimes I fail to recollect it all together in one piece at the right time.

But then there are some things I was BORN with.
Or so they say.
So they all say.
That I am destined for some things.

I fear nothing in this world, but to fail my father. For he is my God Almighty.

But then, my heart drums a different beat.
I have my goals. I have my visions.
I feel I have my purpose.
I have a different destiny.
Is it the warm young rush of blood to my head that makes me think such things?
They really just seem to keep coming and every around just seems to think its great!

But me? I am hesitant. I know not if I am willing to pay the price.

But above all, I know not if what my father taught me will suffice.

Because the world I see, tells me about everything my father never taught me.

He taught me that Life is priceless. The most valuable.
But it just doesn't seem so!
People today are willing (or rather do) to kill for the most minuscule of reasons and costs.

He taught me that Duty & Honesty come first. We must serve as it is our profession. We must be able to sleep easy with a clean conscience every night.
I wonder is that why the sale of sleeping pills is steadily on the rise?
Do all those people I read about force themselves to sleep or is that their conscience is differently tuned than ours?

He taught me that it is the Long Term result, the fruit of your labour takes its time. You must keep working in the direction. Short term short cuts bear short term rewards.
How 'long' is long in today's times where all definitions have changed?
Long distance is no more long distance.
Long Life isn't Long life !!!
Earlier one could start enjoying the fruits and live a grand life post 50.
Hell today I don't know if I will live to be 50 !

He always taught me to respect the values, principles, culture and ethics.
Examples were always Tata, Birla, Mahindra, Amitabh Bachchan, Sachin Tendulkar and so many more personal ones.
But it was Reliance that got down cell phone costs. It was Reliance that gave best returns to their share holders. Today I can see their downfall. But I still don't see JUSTICE.
I am yet to see the Cycle of Karma complete itself in MOST cases.
I am yet to witness the PayBack !
Yes, the dangerous path beckons & tempts.
But my father never taught me to Yield.

He always taught me to courteous, chivalrous, considerate and caring.
But He forgot to mention that the man standing near the door of the local train is not his son, neither did his father teach him that.
Ditto for the ladies whom I allow to board a bus ultimately end up pushing me out.
Or for the man in the queue ahead who will keep shoving you no matter how polite you are.
Or for the staff in most government run organizations.
Infact the only staff that is courteous to you is the one you are heavily paying for: be it at a really expensive hotel or a hi-fi bank.
They are polite because you pay for them to be.

He never taught me to cheat,
never taught me to close my eyes and pretend that its okay no matter what I do
never taught me to not feel a bit for other's and their sufferings
never taught me to be rash and force my right of way
never taught me to manipulate people and lie left right and centre to get done what I wish
never taught me to sulk or demand everything that I feel I should own
never taught me to be so selfish, self-centred and self-absorbed in my own life that I don't give a damn rat's a** about others
never taught me to be pompous, proud or porcine
never taught me to kiss butt and fan egos
never taught me to let circumstances dictate my principles
never taught me that money is the sole currency.

Why Dad?
WHY ?

Why did you never teach me all that?
Then even I could belong in this world and not feel an alien.
Then even I could mix about with the 99.5% of the people on this planet.
Then I would not have to hunt for the 0.5% of the world with whom I can connect, feel, share and interact with. (Thank YOU for being there all you people ... and those who know, know whom I am referring to)
Then I would not have to wonder all this.

I would not have to wonder ... Will I teach my KID what you never taught me?
Or
Will I teach him what I learnt?

But
you DID teach me:

to BELIEVE in myself.
To believe in what I dream.
To dare to achieve what I think.
To trust.
To love.
To fear nothing, not even God, but to fear fear itself.
To fall and yet to rise.

You by example taught me what it is to be a Father.
What it is to be a Homoeopath.
What it is to live a life by the principles to believe in.
&
What it is to be HAPPY.

So I guess that answers what I will teach my kid.
&
Homoeopathy taught me that there will ALWAYS be different individuals.
I must learn to accommodate them all, love them all, heal them all.

Now the only question left to see...
is will I achieve what I dream to be?
Will I get on my eyes are set?
Will this world, this teeny weeny mini world around me be what I dream, hope and try to make it to be?
Will I live upto your expectations and all of those that are set upon me?

TIME WILL TELL.

But wait, based on all that I have seen, heard, felt, learnt.
The Time to come will give a resounding YES.

So the actual question is...

How much TIME ?

:)

Singham : When a Leo goes to Watch a Lion

2011-07-24T11:26:00.000+05:30

Singham:

Old wine in new bottle - never tastes different : unless the maker is Rohit Shetty !!!

Age old story, but the treatment matters.
Crisp dialogue.
Amazing action.
Gripping screenplay.
Awesome performances.
Rocking title track with choreography.
Emphatic background score.
Hardly any songs.
Due credit to the profession and
Fresh ideas.

Never before has the climax of an action film been so full of laughs & comedy.

You can feel the angst, rage & power.
All the speciality of a Rohit Shetty film were present:
A song with HUGE number of dancers
Witty one liners
Classic lines
Hardcore action
Over the top fight sequences
&
Bloopers at the end (Which I feel really DILUTED the feel of the film & should not have been there for Singham)

Update:- Titan: the INDIAN Watch Brand

2011-07-05T13:51:00.000+05:30

Almost a year ago - I had written a post ravishing praise on Titan:
http://drsurajdhirwani.blogspot.com/2010/08/titan-indian-watch-brand.html

Its been a wonderful year, but then 1 of those watches, the Obaku, the soft leather strap started 'flaking'.
What happens next?

Just 1 simple letter to Titan and a prompt response - mentioning that they have ordered for a new strap from Banglore, 3 days later, I get a call from their Flagship store at Bandra - They have received the strap.
I walk in there - and its even better than last time.
You are greeted with a bottle of water and wet tissues (owing to the heat).
The lady at the service counter recognizes me, had the straps ready and its done in less than 5 minutes!
BUT,
that is NOT what this post is about.
This post is about a small machine in that Titan Flagship store, near the entrance.
The kind service centre lady, guided us to it and ...
ETCHED my name on the back of the watch, with a laser, with customised font - for FREE !

They have a nice screen - you choose what you want to write, font (more than the standard MS office fonts) and within 2 minutes a lovely laser sears the back of your watch and etches it permanently!

I asked her, if she could do it for my other Titan watches, she readily agreed and immediately - my whole family,each had a different Titan on their hands offered up their watches and another 8 minutes and we were all happily stepping out - smiling from ear to ear.

The finish and concept - AMAZING !

I don't know of ANY other watch brand here (from Fossil, Casio, Timex, Police, Giordano, Tag Huer, Tissot, Citizen, Seiko, Skagen) who offer such a service!

It is such a lovely feeling to wear a watch with your name engraved on it.
Next time you are gifting someone, you can even write Happy Birthday with the date and name.
It is such a lovely personalized touch !

Hats off to Titan for this concept, for providing it across ALL watch models irrespective of the cost and for making it FREE !

Keep it up !

Like I always say - Be Indian, Buy Indian.

Air Freshener in the Bathroom

2011-06-02T14:14:00.000+05:30

Just a thought that crossed my mind on seeing multiple hoardings for various brands of 'de-odourizers' for your bathroom.

Poochta hoon main aaj ke iss insaan se, ki :

Tum apne hi pichwade se nikli hui badbu ko commode ke baju me rakhe hue perfume se mita dete ho,

Pare apne hi dimaag me paida hui, apne hi mooh se nikli dandagi ko kaise mitaoge ?

Mobile Number Portability

2011-02-18T02:39:00.001+05:30

Mobile Number Portability

After innumerable delays, a lot of finger pointing and teeth gnashing, the much awaited Mobile Number Portability service has been launched. MNP allows mobile users to switch cellular operators, without having to change their mobile number. Till now, if a user was not happy with the service provided by a cellular operator, the only option was to give up the existing mobile number and sign up for a new one, with another operator. This was proving to be a bit annoying for a lot of people, since changing mobile numbers literally amounted to losing one’s identity. The new number would have to be communicated to a lot of contacts, and inevitably, you would miss out on some!

However, with the arrival of MNP, this is not the case. Users can change operators but retain the same mobile number. If you are unhappy with the service, or want to shift to a better tariff plan available with another operator, MNP allows you to do that. This service is available to prepaid and postpaid mobile users, on the GSM and CDMA platforms.

The impact of MNP will be immense. Not only will operators be forced to offer better services, but also keep tariffs very competitive in order to retain customers and try to gain new ones. The consumer will be the winner, because porting the number will also allow then to get the best deals, in case the current operator refuses to offer something similar.

What is MNP?
Mobile Number Portability (MNP) allows all mobile phone users to change between cellular operators, while retaining their existing mobile number. Until now, every time anyone wanted to shift to another operator, the mobile number would get changed. It was extremely time-consuming and annoying to inform all contacts about the new contact co-ordinates. However, now the user has to sign up for the MNP process, select which operator he wants to shift to, and retain the same number on the new network as well.

Is it available for all users?
Yes. MNP is available to all eligible postpaid and prepaid users.

What is the porting process?
All users who wish to change operators need to follow the following steps:

· SMS “PORTmobilenumber” to 1900. This SMS needs to be sent from the same mobile phone which the user wants to port.

· Once the SMS is sent, the user will receive an SMS with the Unique Porting Code (UPC) from the existing service provider.

· Using this UPC, you will fill up the application form with the new service provider. Users will need to specify the tariff plan etc. which you have selected. This will be activated by the new operator, once the number is ported.

· The porting process will be completed within 7-10 working days.

· The process will cost a one-time fee of Rs 19.

What about the existing talktime balance on the prepaid?
During the porting process, any existing balance or talktime will not be transferred to the new operator. It is better to utilize it fully before requesting for the change.

What about any unpaid bills/ unbilled amount for postpaid users?
Users will have to clear all outstanding bills and pay the unbilled amount before the porting process can begin. None of these charges will be forwarded to the new network.

Who do I follow up with during the porting process?
This is a two-step process. Once you put in the porting request, you need to follow up with the current service provider. Once you receive the SMS saying that the number has been ported to the new operator, you need to start following up with the new operator, to check about the activation status etc.

There are some specific rules which define the porting process.

· All bills/unpaid amount/unbilled balance will have to be paid in full before the porting process can begin. No amount- either unpaid or overpaid, will be carried forward to the new network.

· Mobile users who have purchased a new connection can only port for the first time after 90 days from the date of activation of the connection.

· Any user, who has ported the number once, can only do so again after a gap of 90 days from the date of activation of connection on new network.

· Users can withdraw the porting request within 24 hours of submitting the application form. However, once the process has been completed by the existing operator, there is no way to stop the process.

· Users can only port to service providers who offer services within their telecom circle. Tariff plans and schemes offered will be those currently being offered in the circle, currently.

· No inter-circle porting is available at the moment. If someone is shifting between states, MNP will not be available to them.

Here is the comparison chart of some of the options I was considering: (so basically this is just MY research, I suggest you do your own too).

Currently, I use:

1 postpaid VF number: purely private personal calls only : especially family & friends. Advantage: 1 number at 10 paise @ 25 rs a month, V2V @ 30p & rest @ 60p/min.

1 Reliance GSM prepaid number: my official number, my professional cellphone.

Advantage: Great roaming, 1p/sec to any1 in India even while roaming. Amazing internet @ 99 rs /month (seriously, I use a LOT), 500 sms / day free for 1 Rupee only ( & I sms a lot too)

Disadvantage: relatively poor network.

1Reliance CDMA prepaid number: my Clinic LANDLINE, a portable common landline number for any of my clinics, switched on @ 9 am, switched off @ 9pm everyday.

50p/min flat to any1 anywhere in India even while roaming & AMAZING rock solid network, the BEST.

Disadvantage: PATHETIC choice of handsets ! Often embarrassing to shell out such a stupid phone from your pocket (the reason why I got a R Gsm number too).

I plan to change R GSM to Tata DoCoMo soon.

	Prepaid	Prepaid	Prepaid	Postpaid	Postpaid
	Tata DoCoMo	Vodafone	Reliance GSM	Tata DoCoMo	Vodafone (many other plans as well)
Initial Cost	49 Rs	506 / 507	49 / 50 /51	299 / month	99 or 99 / month
Validity	Lifetime *	1 year	Lifetime*	monthly	monthly
Talktime	0	458.75 / 459.66	0	75 Rs local Tata minutes free	99 min FREE per month
Call charges (charges on roaming differ)	Local: 1p/Sec STD: 2p/ Sec	All calls 1p/sec Or All calls 50p/min	1p /sec Or 50p/ min Or 1 R / 3 min (EVEN on ROAMING)	1p /sec to ALL	V2V 1p/s 1.5p/s others 2.5p/sec STD Or V2V 50p/min 1R/M to all others
Calling add on packs	49 Rs all calls 1p/2 sec for 30 days 79 Rs all calls 1p/2sec for 4 months	NONE	Keeps changing	Lots of “Toppings” 12000 Local + 9000 STD min free... etc..	15 Rs per month – 20 p /min to any 1 VF number 30 Rs p.m. – 30 p/m to all V2V only
SMS cost	60 paise local sms (but 1^st 3 sms / day charged then 100 sms per day free)	1 Rs / SMS local 1.5 /sms National	1p /sms Or 50p /sms Or 1 R/ sms	60 paise local sms (but 1^st 3 sms / day charged then 100 sms per day free)	1 Rs / SMS local 1.5 /sms National
SMS packs (check for daily cap limit, holiday charges & roaming charges)	85 Rs – 15000 Local + National SMS per month (500 /day)	35 Rs – 350 local sms – 30 days 89 rs – 500/day local sms for 30 days (not valid for roaming or national)	19 Rs 1 time charge: 1 R / day auto-deduction. 500 sms /day (local + national) Even on roaming	29 R – 600 L+N sms free / 30 d 49 R – 1500 L+N sms free / 30 d 89 R – 1500 L+N sms free / 30 d	149 rs – 500 sms /day for 30 days. 35 Rs – all sms 10 paise – for 30 days
GPRS (includes push email, browsing, chatting, tethering on most phones)	149 – 8Gb - 30d 95 – 6Gb – 30d 65 – 2.5Gb – 30d 48 – 1Gb – 30d	99 Rs – 1Gb for 30 days	99 Rs – 2.5 Gb – 30d 51 Rs – 1Gb – 15d	49 R – 500 Mb – 30 d 99 R – 2 Gb – 30 d	199 rs per month for VF Live – 5p /10kb
Other Features	FREE – Missed call alerts, Voicemail and Voice Chat Also, many other packs as per requirement	Just great network	Good network on roaming, OK in Mumbai. Call & sms all same & cheap on roaming as well. SMS on holidays also free.	FREE – Missed call alerts, Voicemail and Voice Chat Also, many other packs as per requirement	Good billing system, convenient payment kiosks, good service & network but EXPENSIVE

*Cumulative recharge of atleast 200 Rs over 6 months is compulsory.

Happy New Year !

2011-01-13T20:59:00.002+05:30

Ten days into the new decade! & after 10 days of thinking:
I wish for you:
in the new decade:
That you find the strength & Perseverance to stick to your ideology & principlesamidst the ever changing scenarios of the world.
That your salary remains inflation proof for the next decade;
That your faith in the system remains unshaked inspite of all the scams;
That you will be treated to some better cinema;
That you will still be smiling & loving as we know you to be;
&
That you will enjoy the new decade more than the previous one !
:)
HAPPY NEW YEAR !
- Dr. Suraj A. Dhirwani.

Mumbai - the Metropolitan !

2010-11-17T01:53:00.001+05:30

Mumbai the true Metropolitan city:
yes, Mumbai may not be Shangai or Hong Kong, but it has reached the same climatic standards of London & New York !!!
Yes... Since now in Mumbai it can rain anytime. Be it November, March or August.

Stepping out in Mumbai today you must gear up like a war zone.
Ensure you carry enough food & water : you could be stuck in a traffic snarl for hours !
Always carry an umbrella, to shield you against either the scorching sun or the surprise rain !
Carry a flashlight, yes, too many potholes, dark alleys, unexpected power cuts.
& do not think that you can live without being connected to a cellphone !

You cannot predict the Mumbai life!
you could be enjoying a movie & suddenly you could be shuffled out by some political party.
You could have just set up shop but will have to close it again due to some 'bandh' against apparently rising inflation & oh! The protest does nothing but result in further financial loss.
You could be dying or giving birth, but celebration in he name of God is always more important. One of the worst days for a medical emergency is Ganpati Visarjan !

This city can now come to a standstill for reasons much worse & less important, almost mundane.
Earlier, an India Pakistan cricket match where Sachin Tendulkar would be on a roll would bring the city to a deserted look.

But now, every few days & the 1st possible weekend people are running AWAY from he city!

If you are so keen to escape the ethos & claustrophobic city, pray tell me, why do you return?
Return to this haphazardly randomly planned space of prime real estate where even shanties cost the sky for some.
Where everyday at least 2 new scandals come to light but 10 more take shape. & 20 more are conceived in the innards of some ridiculously sharp but negatively inclined mind.

Are we those very Mumbaikars who were infamous for their 'spirit' ?

Is it really our spirit our ability to 'move on' ... or are we actually selfish zombies who tread to a fixed pattern, dance to a preset tune & actually ignore, turn a complete blind eye, oblivious to everything happening around ?

Yes, we too belong to the true metropolitan city.
Like the busy Manhattan streets, we too have
far too many working couples, nuclear families,
extra large TVs in extra small homes
extra large clothes for men but extra small clothes for women
extra large debts with extra small hearts
extra large cheese burgers with extra small cholesterol lined arteries
extra large ambitions but extra small values & principles
extra large hard disks but extra small memory
extra large ideologies but extra small implementation
....

& I seem to have extra large work with an extra small paycheck
still I seem to have extra time to be cribbing about things that are just following a natural course of progression towards what is destined.
Should I be the fool who attempts to change it, prevent it, delay it, correct it ?
But then, who am I ?
The choice is OURS ... Not mine alone ... but yes, each individual does count.
& I say : "count me in!"

Diwali Wishes 2010

2010-11-10T12:23:00.000+05:30

Returning to work after 3 days of rest & blissful ease,

It was so nice, clean & full of relative peace.

Less of formal gifts & greetings, more of genuine wishes.

Time to introspect & relish all those wonderful dishes.

Thank you very much for wishing me & sparing your time,

Hope your Diwali & New year is as good as mine.

Wishing you happy workdays for the next 45 days !

- Dr. Suraj A. Dhirwani.

Titan: the INDIAN Watch Brand

2010-08-16T12:29:00.002+05:30

Yesterday, had been to the World of Titan FLAGSHIP store at Bandra.

Had stepped in with the intention of buying 2 watches, came out buying 6 !

Anyways,

Those who haven't visited this store, must definitely have a look.

Its one of the most posh Watch stores I have ever come across, especially for an Indian brand !

Even before you enter, you will notice the HUGE Art Watch Installation made completely of discarded watches at the entrance. Beautiful !

You enter in this HUGE space, pristine white store.

Every customer is offered a bottle of packaged drinking water

The sales person handles all your queries with care as he does the watches with 'gloved' hands.

Some very nice installations as displays

EVERY single model available is up on display, including their entire Zoop, FastTrack, Raga, Orion, Octane, Obaku, Edge & Nebula range !

Not to mention Tommy Hilfieger & Boss !

Your entire experience in the outlet is very refined, smooth & pleasing.

They add all special touches to make you feel special, like a Rose in your bill.

Even their new Warranty cards are all plastic & feel special.

Why am I rambling on about Titan ?

(No, they are not paying me for advertising)

but because, that very day, I had been to Shopper's stop, the Citizen Showroom & the Watches of Switzerland showroom, all 3 of these are within 20 meters of this Titan showroom!

& none of these places was I treated with as much respect & care as they did.

Now, usually one thinks of Titan & dismisses it off as a brand for the common man, but I urge you all to re-think this once you have visited this showroom !

they have watches from 575 Rs to 1 lac !

YES ! Thats right !

They have a Watch for Every Hand !

Wether,

you are a kid wanting fancy colours & a digital watch

or a teenager wanting some AMAZING styles & thorough value for money FastTrack watches

& all those of us (including me) who admire watches like Espirit, Fossil, Giordano, Skagen, Rado, Rolex, Tissot & TagHeur

MUST MUST take a look at their

Orion, Octane, Obaku, Edge & Automatic range of watches !!!

You have your standard sporty, chronograph watches in shades like Blue dial with yellow hands & Black & red & even Analog + Digital in the sporty Octane range

You have extremely classy super slim designer dress watches in the Edge collection (I just sorely miss the 'seconds hand' but otherwise LOVE it)

Obaku is seriously the sweetest decent piece of time I have set my eyes on. Simplicity personified. Neat & extremely attractive

& all those with a taste for something more flashy, larger dials, chronographs, Gold, Rose-gold can have a look at the Orion collection !

& these are just some of the watches I loved & bought !

Not to forget their Raga & Heritage collector's edition watches as also their EXPENSIVE Nebula range for the elite few.

Again, why talk of all this ???

SIMPLE !

Be Indian Buy Indian !

Yes indeed ... why not !!!

When a Indian brand is offering you a thorough value for money product with amazing service, treating you exclusively, a good warranty, excellent service network & products that are truly world class designs then WHY go for anything else & disregard the great & commendable effort of our OWN COUNTRYMEN !

Its the Customer who maketh the brand !

Not the Celebrity that endorses it !

I definitely agree that a Rolex, Rado, Tag Heur are definitely a different league altogether.

But the other numerous brands like Police, Guess, Giordano, Fossil which have coming rushing to India for a piece of the action with their Old Stock & Outdated watches (yes indeed, check their online U.S. Catalogues & you wont find any of those watches here, ever), why not give a chance to our very own Titan !

Just my thoughts, as a patriot at heart, with a keen eye for details & a good taste,

I found it wise to spend my hard earned money on a product that actually felt very nice to wear & felt even nicer buying it !

To each his own , but as far as possible please "Be Indian, Buy Indian"

(more on that coming up in my next post)

P.S. wearing a regular ORIGINAL Titan is any day WAY better than wearing a replica of any of those expensive watches (be it the cheap 500 ` replica or the 3000 ` first copy good replica)

because eitherways you are only fooling yourself !

those who know, very well know its a replica !

Atleast this way you can proudly wear a original watch you have actually paid the price for !

Cycle of Karma

2010-08-09T02:39:00.002+05:30

I believe more & mostly only in the cycle of Karma.

Because I think God, even though he is God, doesnt really have the time to monitor 6 billion humans who process a million thoughts a second & posess a million wishes in their hearts.

So, HE being the smart entity that He is, put in place a 'System'.

Maybe even an 'Algorithm' of sorts,that determines the result based on the cumulative data of our efforts, intentions, deeds, nature & behaviour / character.

This was just a flow of words, that came to my mind & I penned them down for no definite reason.

A example of Destiny called Harman Baweja

2010-08-08T03:00:00.001+05:30

Some say,

there is nothing called Destiny, or rather chose not to believe in the concept of it.

Well, answer me this:

How come a guy:

who is reasonably good looking, (infact resembles a guy who is considered a demi-god)
who has a good height, above average physique
manages to dance quite smoothly
can definitely express something by his face (unlike some other famous National Award winning actors)
has a big time producer for a Father
landed up not one by TWO films with one of the topmost heroines
had some extremely HIGH Budget & Expensive movies produced for him (Love Story 2050 & Victory)
did a vast variety of roles (futuristic, common confused guy next door, cricketing super star)
had a battery of famous international cricketing stars roped in a movie revolving entirely around him
had one the best & most successful epic directors make a film with him & ended up giving his 1st flop in all these years (Ashutosh Gowariker)
had Priyanka Chopra playing one of her Career Best & extremely fantastic performances (Whats your Rashee?)
had all movies supported by reasonably good music & scripts (unlike many others produced)
has not had any major controversies, bad press or unnecessary publicity stunts to his credit

& YET, has been regaled by the audience to a long lost memory corner, while many others, definitely not as capable as him are still lingering around on the screen !

What is the reason behind this 'logic defying' outcome of a career ?

Numerology? Wrong publicity agent? Did not feed the right mouths? Stayed too honest & truthful ? Luck? Destiny ? .......................

Comments & Observations are welcome ...

Its just a thought that crossed my mind .... not that I have a preference or any soft corners, just a passing thought ...

P.S. I really DID like Whats you Rashee & yes I have seen all his films, they are not really fantastic, but I have also seen WORSE films than those.

Trekking : short one day treks.

2010-07-21T11:36:00.003+05:30

Trekking Inventory:

· First aid kit

· Chocolates

· Water

· Sweets

· Napkin

· Food

· Poncho

· Instruments & equipments

· Plastic bags

Well trekking is basically a great adventure filled with amazing beautiful visuals of Nature. One must be careful not to let these good memories become bad experiences. Certain things that you must always carry during a trek;

A Proper Shoulder backpack. (size depends on kind of trek) Not a sling bag or a duffel bag. & something that is not too padded or heavy.
Wear GOOD SHOES. Proper firm sole, good grip, not too much cotton or padding that can absorb & hold water. No heels, no slippers. Proper shoes with laces. Preferably Hunters.
Preferably FULL pants. No shorts. and a loose T-shirt. It isn't a party or a beauty contest, prime importance is Comfort. Jeans tend to get heavy with water & take time to dry, so track pants are better.
Waterproof Everything. Your wallet, your cellphone, your cards, license, whatever you carry must be DOUBLE wrapped in plastic bags, ziplock bags, self sealing bags or waterproof pouches.
Food: always carry 2-3 bars of chocolate, some sweets, 1 packet of salty biscuits, 1 packet Electral, 1-2 ltrs of water depending on your intake and Lunch/Breakfast if instructed.
Carry 1/2 x 2 liter bottles rather than 1 x 1 liter bottle. It divides the weight better.
a Basic first aid kit: Bandaids. Cotton. Calendula ointment. Emergency medication. Any special medication that you have been prescribed.
Equipment: A torch with spare batteries for a night trek, a multipurpose toolkit or swiss knife, waterproof pouches, 3-5 mts of rope, loose threads, rubberbands, safety pins, small sewing kit.
1 Bottle of Hand sanitizer. 1 Pack of tissues. 1 small bottle of chlorine.
NAPKIN. Dry napkins, Handkerchiefs & Bandanas.
Broad cap for Summer treks and Good windcheater or Poncho for Monsoon treks.
Spare plastic bags.

Thats all I can remember so far - "for a small one day trek." Ensure Stability, firmness, stitches and seams of all equipment & clothes before you leave. Also verify Expiry dates of all perishable items.

Nokia v/s BlackBerry

2010-06-16T14:04:00.007+05:30

The entire 1st half of 2010, this question has been presented to me by at least 37 people who were planning to buy a new Cellphone.

Nokia or Blackberry.

Though BB, has just caught on as a fad, even amongst college students who have absolutely no "urgency" of email being delivered in real time, but just as a fashion accessory, look cool & fit amongst the crowd.

I was forced to take a new unbiased look at the whole situation & review it from a practical stand point.

This is it:

Primarily, the cost of Acquiring a Handset:

The Cheapest Blackberry is 8520 Curve : around 14,000 Rs now as compared to Nokia E63around 9,000 Rs now.

Nokia E63 SCORES over the Blackberry 8520 : 3G, Camera with FLASH & a substantial saving of atleast 5000 Rs.

The BB 8520 has the advantage of Optical Trackpad,but is 2G & hence will be outdated soon as the major use is of Data which will be substantially slower than other 3G phones.

Now to compare the TOP most models of both companies.

The Blackberry Bold2 9700 coasting around 27,000 Rs as compared to the top of the line Nokia E72 for 16,500 Rs.

Where as the E72 has a 5mp camera & is 10,000 Rs. cheaper. MINIMUM.

So whats good about the Blackberry:

Build Quality
Push email, instantly in your inbox
Blackberry Messenger

Whats bad:

Expensive from the start
Cant easily install applications (which are freely available for Symbian)
Additional extra cost per month to be able to USE those very services

Frankly, buying a Blackberry handset and NOT subscribing to BB services is just a TOTAL waste & a ridiculous thing to do.

Because as a phone, they are not feature rich, nor multimedia centric, neither easy to sue or 'fun' to operate.

To even receive a file via Bluetooth is a MAJOR process.

Now, that push email thing had me really going for it.

When all my close friends got a BB, I often looked sceptically at my Nokia E90 communicator and was bursting to go out & buy a BB for myself too.

The temptation was Overwhelming.

That's when I started my research on what actually ticks.

The whole game change when I realized that Nokia has launched Nokia Mail & Nokia Messenger.

My 'old' phone doesn't support Nokia Messenger, but does support Nokia Mail.

Downloaded it & up & running in no time. Was a wonderful service. Instant real-time email, Plethora of options, colourful & fun. Unlike the BB.

Then came the issue of COST. Yes, data charges, GPRS.

with a Blackberry, the Most Basic plan that you can opt for is 299 Rs per month (3600 Rs per year!) with 10 email accounts free, Gtalk & everything : but check this out, NO WEB BROWSING over wap or GPRS. which essentially means you have a 'smartphone' but you cant even "google search" !!!

As compared to the plan available with most operators:

99 Rs. per month 2.5Gb free, further usage 10 paise/10kb.

I activated that plan on my phone.

Nokia Mail running all day, instant emails.

On top of that, browsing the Internet on Opera Mobile with all sites opening in their elemental form with reasonable Flash & Java support.

& total usage at the end of the month 1.9Gb ! :)

Yearly cost : 1200 Rs. (another saving of 2400 Rs)

The smile was back on my face. I was loving my Nokia E90. Wide screen, great battery, super spacious keyboard. Life was good again.

Sense prevailed.

Bottom line:

Yes Blackberry is a Good product, but ONLY if you REALLY NEED IT.

Otherwise, Nokia is doing perfectly fine & in fact better !

Don't go for things blindly just because your neighbour bought the same product.

Even "businessmen" would agree that it makes business sense to SAVE a minimum of 7400 to 12400 Rs per year & Blackberry doesn't actually SAVE you money.

Which would be a good point for all the college students to note too.

Not to forget: Great service by Nokia with plenty of service centers around the city as well as excellent resale value.

That's my personal opinion after my personal experience.

I thank all my friends, who gave me the opportunity to explore, browse & use their Blackberry 8520 curve and 9700 Bold2 phones & also those who recently bought Nokia E72, E75 & E63 where I could explore some more.

P.S.: I will admit this, Nokia does need to improve in certain aspects, Build quality, variety, optical trackpad smoothness & Public Awareness of what it actually is capable of & above all the AGEING Symbian S60v3 OS.

The 1st rain of 2010

2010-06-02T02:54:00.000+05:30

Yesterday those Sweet drops from Heaven feel,

In an attempt to cool this place scorching hotter than Hell.

The sweetest smell arose from the earth,best as it can be,

I yearn to go up that Mountain, feel the Spirit Free.

Let it come, Let it our, Let it drench Us Whole,

Delayed because of our sins, lets cleanse our Soul.

- Dr. Suraj A. Dhirwani

2nd June 2010

Pratisaad- the Response (The Film)

2010-05-30T22:23:00.002+05:30

Pratisaad- the Response (The Film)

Is the World's 1st Feature Film based on Homoeopathy.

It is a Marathi cinema movie.

Produced by Dr. Amar Nikam (a Homoeopath)

based in Pune.

The World's 1st film on Homoeopathy !!!

It is a splendid effort, the sheer thought & execution is WORTH APPLAUDING.

Hats off to the whole team !!!

It is long overdue & finally someone has take a step !

FANTASTIC.

Makes me feel proud to be a Homoeopath

Dr. Nikam Sir;

I am a practicing Homoeopath, from Mumbai.

I just saw the 'movie'.

& I Salute you.

Hats off to you Sir. For the sheer thought, then the effort & above all the execution.

The titles is VERY APT.

It is finally 'a response', from our side.

Pure unadulterated Homoeopathy in general.

The treatment of the film, the script, the subtle hidden morales, the confidence booster, the values & principles mentioned & emphasized upon, simply FANTASTIC.

Very silently, you have executed a thought,that ignites a deep fire within the soul of every Homoeopath, which will someday culminate in a Bang.

THANK YOU SIR!

Thank You.

Official Site:

http://www.pratisaadthefilm.com/

Showtimes

Big Cinemas: Runwal - Mulund

Mumbai

11:45am

Sona Gold - Borivali East

Mumbai

3:00pm

Big Cinemas: Huma - Kanjurmarg

Mumbai

2:15pm

Pvr Phoenix

Mumbai

2:50pm

Moviestar: Goregaon

Mumbai

11:55am 5:30 8:00 10:30pm

Big Cinemas: R-city, Ghatkopar

Mumbai

5:30pm

Cinemax: Sion

Sion E, Mumbai

3:00pm

Pvr Mulund

Nirmal Lifestyle Mall, Mulund W, Mumbai

3:40pm

Cinemax: Thane (eternity Mall)

Thane W, Thane

1:15pm

Farming in an Audi Q7

2010-01-08T11:24:00.003+05:30

I am a self professed & well proved Patriot, Nature Lover and Automobile Enthusiast amongst many other things.

Yesterday, on my way back home from work, in a span of 1 km, not less than 5 Audi Q7, 3 BMW 5 series, 2 BMW 3 series, 1 Audi A4, 7 Mercedes C class, 4 Mercedes E class, 1 Mercedes S class, 2 Toyota Prado, 2 Land Rovers were amongst the "Cars/SUVs" that I spotted on either sides of the road.

Normally, any car lover would be drooling by now, but I was stuck in the middle of traffic. Worth noting it took me 8 minutes to cross that 1 km stretch. Which prompted my mind to think:

Where is the space for all these HUGE cars ?

Where is the PETROL to run all these guzzling beasts?

Where is the MONEY for so many Individuals to be able to afford such cars?

In retrospect, I was thinking, just half a decade ago, it was quite a sight to even spot a Mercedes cruise past as it was really a symbol of the pure Rich & Wealthy. But now, suddenly, akin to a war, EVERY Automobile manufacturer worth its name has set up shop in India. Why India suddenly? Oh its growing they say!!! Growing? How? Where? Why?

Dig a little deeper than the slum covered Mumbai, or the unemployment laden areas and you find the core India.

Brush up a few headlines:

"Farmers committing suicides"

Why? inspite of all the incentives, tax waivers? No good crop due to bad rains, bad soil?

Huh? What happened? Our country was a land of agriculture!

Just yesterday I saw an ad on TV about a new range of Tractors being launched by a prestigious firm!

Whats happening?

And then I googled up some stuff & realized that A SEIZEABLE bumber of farmers having been selling of their LANDS, Huge vast pieces of beautiful land for commercial development. Obviously, these farmers have gained unheard , unseen amounts of money in these deals.

What are they doing with all this towering pile of money?

Investing or Spending. Simple. Right?

So where do they spend it?

Acquiring everything that has been considered the Hallmark of the Rich & Famous.

Be it a funky hairstyle, or branded clothes, luxury goods like these automobiles & motorbikes.

But what happened to the Farms of the Country? Gone.

What happens to the environment of the Country? Further Gone.

What happens to the rising cost of food because of increase in imports of food grains and other products (noticed the IMPORTED fruits you eat everyday? from China to Australia to New Zealand to Hungary!)

Well, that was 1 side of the story.

Now... lets focus on the Birghter side!

Wow! India is growing! We have all those things we used to just hear off or see on TV/Newspapers in "foreign" lands. The state of the art technology, the latest cellphones.

The best cars money can buy!

Drool over the latest Maserati, the sleekest Porche.

Oh what a hunk of an SUV !

Torque & Power thats capable of pulling a ton of load.

Acceleration that will set them going before you say go.

Comforts that make you feel in a palace.

And Fuel that will be empty before you reach home. Obviously, with fuel efficiency figures of 3,4,5,6,7,8 kmpl you have to have a HUGE fuel tank & an even bigger Pocket. as well as a HUGE hollow in your head to be messing with our Environment like this.

Now, I am myself a major Hummer fan. Believe me. But I always say, what is the point of that Beast in the city. Why, oh pray why, will you buy a 4x4 offroader, SUV to drive from home to work & back ! WHY !!??!?!

What are you going to do with all that power & top speed of 200+ kmph? Sit in your garage & dream that you are ascending a mountain?

Then I realized, oh but ofcourse, it can pull a ton of weight, go through any terrain!

How stupid I was to think that these foreign companies have just come to plunder my Mother India and her wealth.

No, no, Not at all. They have great feeligns & thoughts for Indians.

They dont want the Indian farmer to suffer 1 bit.

Thats why these SUV's.

They want our farmers to use their SUVs to plough their fields, in the comfort of an Air Conditioned, Leather seats, plush interiors, 4 DIN music system.

Obviously their SUV will definitely manage to give an average better than the tractor.

What a genius of a plan.

So now Imagine... a fair, tall, healthy, handsome looking guy. Walks up in a buttoned up shirt, with a purple Satya Paul tie, dapper grey pin striped Reid & Taylor suit, hand stitched shoes, steps out of his plush Home in they city, drives to his farm (not farm house) and starts ploughing in the very same car he came in , the Audi Q7.

and proudly says : Hi, I am a farmer.

Well, if you are smiling right now, then it isn't funny. Because the truth mentioned above is worse than this piece of fiction.

Happy New Year 2010

2010-01-05T09:00:00.001+05:30

Another year gone by,
Well, nothing new, time does fly,
But there were new things,
Missions accomplished & tied up some loose strings.
Some new steps taken, direction is the same,
Playing on, you are still in the game.
As you step forward in the year to come,
Heres wishing whatever u want be done,
May You get everything that every1 else must have wished you in their sms today,
Above all I just sincerely hope that YOU wish the same for others every day,
Because if we need something today,its a Better year, a better world,
It all starts with a good thought, a pure intent precious as Gold,
Wishing you & your family a very great, prosperous, amazing, Happy New Year!
Thank you for the great 2009.
- Dr. Suraj A. Dhirwani.

3 Idiots.

2009-12-25T21:17:00.006+05:30

Sorry for repeating myself, but I cant help it.

Sometimes in life, there are certain visual stimuli that just tend to travel & touch much much deeper than just your brain :)

3 Idiots TOO was one such movie.

Again Raju Hirani is a FANTASTIC Director & certain scenes easily reflected that brilliance.

The movie emphasized on MANY important facets that we have forgotten in todays times.

It would be futile for me to try & enlist them here. Because it cant be better explained or packaged than the movie itself. Nothing like, hits you just where it matters.

It re-fuelled my desire for "excellence", re-affirmed my thoughts on the method, technique of education.

I have watched it twice already, will be going for it once more.

& its worth every bit.

Proud to be an Idiot. :)