Multi-Dimensional Serenity

Nostalgia from last year

noreply@blogger.com (Durga Prasad) — Thu, 01 May 2008 14:44:00 +0000

I was home last year in May. Had this gr8 gettogether with old pals from my school. Was gr8 to catch up with everybody. Made this slide during tht time, but failed to publish during tht time. Here it is.

Ah ! How i feel nostalgic.

Bubble 2.0 The Video

noreply@blogger.com (Durga Prasad) — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 11:25:00 +0000

Its an hilarious video. Gives an account of the current internet startup craze(i have already bitten by this bug)!!!

Good imaginative one.

CHRISTOPHER McCANDLESS "INTO THE WILD"

noreply@blogger.com (Durga Prasad) — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 12:11:00 +0000

As the train squeezed to a halt at Altona Station, images of the movie 'Into the Wild' were still swirling in my mind. I had just seen a masterpiece of a movie chronicling the final years of Christopher McCandless.

The wikipedia entry for McCandless goes thus - " Christopher J. McCandless (February 12, 1968 – August 1992) was an American idealist/wanderer who died near Denali National Park after hiking alone into the Alaskan wilderness with little food or equipment. Author Jon Krakauer wrote a book about his life, Into the Wild, published in 1996, which was adapted into a 2007 film directed by Sean Penn, Into the Wild, with Emile Hirsch as McCandless." More here -
Wikipedia Entry

"I read somewhere... how important it is in life not necessarily to be strong... but to feel strong." this really lifts your spirits up. You automatically tend to get into a body language of deep thought beginning with a deep breath,with the current events in one's life, and how there is a drastic need to have daily contemplations, to take things into perspective, it somehow hits you hard and you feel like a battle-hardened soldier.

Following is a list of quotes by Christopher Mc Candless aka Alexander Supertramp

"The core of mans' spirit comes from new experiences."

"If we admit that human life can be ruled by reason, then all possibility of life is destroyed."

"Some people feel like they don't deserve love. They walk away quietly into empty spaces, trying to close the gaps of the past."

For the full list see
here

Clearly this movie has won me over and makes an entry into best's list and gives me a fresh perspective.

Good cerebral workout.

noreply@blogger.com (Durga Prasad) — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 06:13:00 +0000

Found this good IQ quiz link. Try it out. Good cerebral work out to escape from the daily drudgery.

Moving to a new place

noreply@blogger.com (Durga Prasad) — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 08:34:00 +0000

Change is the only constant.

Moving to a new place brings in its own nuances.

Moreover if you have to travel everyday by a train.

1. You can catch up with that long pending list of books to read.
Currently reading - Fountainhead (2nd Run)
Need to get a big dose of Objectivism once again.

2. Gives you time to get into the groove for the professional rigmarole ahead.

3. 5-6 songs in the morning really makes your day (what with some beautiful maidens to bowl you over sitting right across)

4. Really makes you appreciate your own time in a much better way.

My New Favourite Haunt

noreply@blogger.com (Durga Prasad) — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 11:45:00 +0000

There is something about a bookshop that makes you go back again and again. Its so easy to ge lost in the myriad collection of books for hours together. One wanders from 'Biography' to 'Travel' to 'Management' to 'Fiction'. Of late I have started liking to spend my weekend free time in BORDERS.

Grab a grande latte and a cosy corner and u can spend 2-3 hours of world-class thoughts swirling in ur head. I see a copy of Khaled Hossieni's masterpiece 'Kite Runner' on the recommended reading list. Have to find some time for this book very soon.

'Billions of blue blistering barnacles' goes a young blond kid marvelling at Captain Haddock's trademark dialogue from one of Tintin's adventures. I smile and reminisce when I used to do the same many years back.

As I move out of BORDERS with my second cup of coffee I have already fixed up my time for the next weekend to visit my new favourite haunt.

Open Social ... Way to go Google

noreply@blogger.com (Durga Prasad) — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 14:45:00 +0000

Its out. Google stealthily has conjured up an amazing idea which is better for itself, the internet and last but not least millions like me.

Basically, OpenSocial provides a common set of APIs for social applications across multiple websites. Using standard JavaScript and HTML, they enable developers to create apps that access a social network's friends and update feeds to begin with and more going forward.

See this video.

Start creating some applications rightaway!!!

Information Revolution

noreply@blogger.com (Durga Prasad) — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 02:15:00 +0000

Information R/evolution from Michael Wesch, Assistant Professor of Cultural Anthropology at the Kansas State University, the same chap behind the viral Web 2.0 video. Will post the video link soon.

Amazing video . Makes you wonder on the structure of information on the internet. Have a look.

Surface Computing is ON

noreply@blogger.com (Durga Prasad) — Sun, 14 Oct 2007 02:33:00 +0000

I was completely blown away by this. Its gonna change the consumer electronics industry for sure. Look at the ads here.
The new product from Microsoft(MSFT) is a tabletop and it looks like the 'screen dragging effect' from the flick Minority Report. Our future is changing at breakneck speed. Are we up to it? What more innovations might be in store for us!!!

See the complete article here on Computerworld.

Gazing at the evening sky

noreply@blogger.com (Durga Prasad) — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 09:31:00 +0000

The grey clouds had given way to bright sunshine. Yanni's brilliant 'You Only Live Once' croons out of my ipod through my head as if to wake me up. As I saw the shadows slowly getting longer I realised I had to catch up with my friends for a Diwali bash at Federation Square.

I was sitting on the steps on the top floor in the office building peering towards the sky through the glass ceiling conjuring up an image of myself 5 years from now. How things would have been changed? What events would have occured by then? Will I accomplish my dreams? A sense of self-doubt slowly starts creeping up my mind. I close my eyes and produce a wry smile to deny that fact.

5 YEARS! So much to do, so little time.

My new blog

noreply@blogger.com (Durga Prasad) — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 10:54:00 +0000

Have started another blog to document my journey in achieving my goals. What i faced, how I overcome my obstacles, my laziness, how I strategize my next objectives and much more.

It can all be read from here. 101thingstodoinlife. You can also help me in achieving my dreams if you want to.

Leave me a message if you feel I can do better.

Randy Pausch - An amazing life. A great last lecture.

noreply@blogger.com (Durga Prasad) — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 14:52:00 +0000

They say live each day as if it is ur last. Make every effort to realize all your dreams in life. Here is an amazing guy Randy Pausch who has just done exactly that.
But sadly he only has a couple of months more of his cherished life to be lived.

Watch the following video where the dying 47-Year-Old professor gives an exuberant ‘Last Lecture’. If you are not inspired by this u never will be.

Here is a bit about Randy Bausch.
- Randy Pausch

Almost all of us have childhood dreams: for example, being an astronaut, or making movies or video games for a living. ... all » Sadly, most people don't achieve theirs, and I think that's a shame. I had several specific childhood dreams, and I've actually achieved most of them. More importantly, I have found ways, in particular the creation (with Don Marinelli), of CMU's Entertainment Technology Center (etc.cmu.edu), of helping many young people actually *achieve* their childhood dreams. This talk will discuss how I achieved my childhood dreams (being in zero gravity, designing theme park rides for Disney, and a few others), and will contain realistic advice on how *you* can live your life so that you can make your childhood dreams come true, too.

The new sleek beauty called iPod Touch from the stables of Apple

noreply@blogger.com (Durga Prasad) — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 14:44:00 +0000

Technology has always rocked me. Moreover if its from APPLE Inc. Its simplicity of usage, its sleekness, its fluid beauty, value from money, and who wouldnt want an envious onlooker at your latest gizmo with you beaming like a proud captain. I have been waiting for the launch of the iPhone in Australia (i know its too late) with anticipated breath. And lo and behold there comes right out of nowhere iPod Touch ... OMG what a looker ... tO add on top of it here comes a review from ZDNET which really bowls me over. Have a look 10 reasons to buy an iPod Touch over an iPhone ...

Now make your choice. Now isnt that a tough decision to make. Apple Inc you rock.

Keep Looking Up

noreply@blogger.com (Durga Prasad) — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 15:36:00 +0000

Keep Looking Up

What do you feel when you look up at the clear night sky?

You look at the stars and take a deep breath and think about the person you love.
You count the number of stars (as far as you can go) just for the heck of it.
You look and close your eyes for while to savour the moment.
You look for solutions for your everyday life issues.

You look and feel humble about your existence.
Well if you dont, start thinking about it. We look up and see only a bunch of stars and dont see the millions of stars in our galaxy, and of course the countless others in the million other galaxies. What are we and what is our significance in the universe? Whoa that is a hard-hitting query and am damn sure any database out there wouldnt be ready to return the results to this query. We dream of big things in life in our short existence. We make friends. We have relationships. We have moments, good and bad. Where does this make a mark in the vast cosmos? Are we just an insignificant speck in the endless space of stars, galaxies, radio signals, satellites ... Well different people may have different perceptions to this.

I guess this 'insignificant' understanding of the self against the cosmos is what makes one strive further to make a mark in the world. Well I say the world is too small. There are other bigger entities in the game.

Check this link out.

Really opens up your perception. Next time you look up have that 'insignificant' feeling envelope you. M i crazy? No, maybe Yes. Anyways do it, trust me its good.

Space and Beyond

noreply@blogger.com (Durga Prasad) — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 15:42:00 +0000

Space and Beyond

"The earth is too small and fragile a basket for the human race to put all it's eggs in"
- Robert HeinLein

I can't wait for the day when space tourism becomes commercially available. Hopefully i would have earned enough money by then for my rendezvous ;-)

To fulfill that childhood dream of going into space.

To ponder again on the origin of life and the deep mysteries the cosmos holds in its heart.

To have a perspective on the insignificant lives of mortals and the infinite continuum of space.

October Fest

noreply@blogger.com (Durga Prasad) — Sun, 22 Oct 2006 10:10:00 +0000

Tullamarine International Airport
Taxi Rank.
23:15 hours

The dark grey clouds had just given way to the moon. As I waited for the taxi to come to the 4th stand, I rubbed my hands to generate an ounce of heat to beat the numbing cold. I checked my baggage behind me. Got in the taxi. "175, Intersection of Collins & Swanston Street" - my destination. As the lone road appeared in front of me, I veered to the side and saw the distant lights of Melbourne twinkling over the Yarra. I knew what I was going to do in the coming days ahead. I reflected upon the past 7 days. Every moment of the past week had become precious to me.

The journey from Aus to Home, the thoughts I had when I was over the clouds, the moment I reached home, the hour-long wait to sleep planning my 7-day life at home, the bloody B'lore traffic which took 10-12 hours off my precious time(no hard feelings there), the pretty gals back home, visit by my close friends, the pani-puri stall at our old 'adda', the tingling aroma of old books, the dried & fragile flower that fell from between the sheets, memories of yore, the pictures in the album which stick to the cover, and the ones you want to take out and have a closer look, Mom's food (gosh! I cant force back the tears, why do Mom's food hv be so good!!!) , just being in ur room where u grew up wow thts a gr8 feeling, seeing ur sibling grow up along with ya, the disappearing grounds where we spent our summer holidays playing the games of our lives, a glimpse of the school where you had a dreamy life, the night sky has its own charm from your home terrace ,,, (more on this later) ...

Well all this in a short(indeed) span of bloody 7 days. I wish I was not working... I can only wish.

Quite a trip. 7 days for myself(or so I thought). 2 days in travel. 2 days in office. 1 day for shopping. And remaining 2 days for the family. Who the hell travels on Diwali day? Well I was travelling. Scr*w me :x Well thts what u gotta compromise on when you are out to win the world.

Had lot of plans when I went to India on a week long holiday trip...
1. Will spend more time with parents.
2. Re-Live old times with pals.
3. Complete pending diary entries.
4. New strategies for the coming months
5. A new self-SWOT analysis (Its been quite a while)
6. Its not a bed of roses after all.

You cannot view life through rose-tinted glasses. It has a strange way of bringing you down to the dust. But then you start again, you know that. A new day beckons with a new promise and new aspirations. I look up at the crescent moon in boyish wonder sitting quaintly in the far reaches of the stratosphere (well ... a bit far from that) You get a feeling of contentment. A simple nod of the head brings a world of confidence for the upcoming events. I raise an imaginary toast to myself.

The city lights grow brighter & nearer. Gotto catch up with my 'Daily Life'. Home was special. You can never get enough of it. But in my case it was rather short. Wanted to hang-out more with my friends. Wanted to spend more time with Mom & Dad and listen to their life's little stories. Wanted to experience my hometown a bit more. I guess thats what life is. You need to have that 'bit more' in everything you do or you are to get the best meaning.

Well a gr8 trip ends and another begins.

The Psychedelic Moment

noreply@blogger.com (Durga Prasad) — Sat, 30 Sep 2006 07:41:00 +0000

It was a sleep that I had never experienced before. Old memories revisited. Elongated sleep. Each breath u take was heavy. U close ur eyes in contemplation. Strange faces. Were they ghosts or were they ppl I knew once. Will I be able to see them again. Random images from my past life or were they of this very life which happened years before.

Vivid pictures of victories come floating to me. Moments of quiet confidence wrap me over. Its now or never. U only live only once, one chance to be the one, one shot @ life, one opportunity to live this moment. A clenched fist shoots into the dusky evening.

I wake up with a shiver. A scream escapes my mouth. FUUU*****K. The table clock reads 3:25 AM. I force my eye-lids to close to calm myself, as if the elements of uneasiness were trickling out of me. Slowly, I wake up to myself. Walk upto the balcony. My 8th floor apmt isnt high enough to silence the ruckus created by the night revellers after the Saturday night parties. I look up against the Melbourne skyline. Dawn was still a couple of hours away. The stars were still twinkling. I still remember my successful attempt years ago to create an imaginary square in the sky and trying to count the stars in that. Was the count 205 or 235. Well whatever. I smile and feel the familiar tingling sensation. I brush my face against my right shoulder.

Unaware of my psychedelic mood I forget that the coffee had become cold. I take the sip through anyway. I realize that I forgot to put in the sugar. Feeling lazy to get up to get the sugar I struggle thru the coffee. I shake my head on the dream that had put me in this altered state of mind. Its been close to 3 months since I had left home to come here. I remembered the last day before I left. My friends, my parents, my quiet moment of prayer. Scenes straight out of a movie? Well it was one that day. The feeling is becoming sweeter or was it the coffee taste! I peer into my cup and see undissolved sugar crystals staring at me. Feeling helpless to let them go waste I lift the cup like a trophy and let them flow onto my taste buds. Hmmm... time for a Rahman composition or a ColdPlay number or a Pink Floyd master piece... I settle for ColdPlay's dreamy number - 'White Shadows' ...

"When I was a young boy I tried to listen
And I wanna feel like that
Little white shadows, blink and miss them
Part of a system I am

..."

(Catch d rest of the lyrics here... jus amazing)

The Rookie's next calling

noreply@blogger.com (Durga Prasad) — Mon, 26 Dec 2005 04:51:00 +0000

Mood: Thoughtful
In the background: NUMB - Linkin Park
Location: My workstation

How many times have u felt its time to draft the next blue-print for success. But the demands of a DAY gives u no time to have ur world-class thought processes into motion. And lo behold right in the middle of a so-called 'busy' day u just have to strike that break-through moment, where u start thinking from the ground up towards ur next big GOAL. Dont care whether u have sh*t-loads of work and a dead-line to meet. For God's sake, u r not going to die after 'THE DEADLINE'. PM/PL ???... Who ??? Project Delivery .... What???

The thoughts synchronise into a nice flight and complete d big-picture that I want to see. Being a Rookie helps. Keeps u from behaving like 'Mr.Know All'. After all there will always be something to pursue in life. I guess u have to just visualise urself achieving it and go after it. The Rookie always finds himself in uncharted territory and learns to master the this vitriolic horizon. At the end of it he no longer remains a Rookie, he has become d master.

But again, as they say 'ONCE A ROOKIE, ALWAYS A ROOKIE'. The master again finds new unexplored horizons where he wants to establish himself from a fresh rookie to a master in the new-found land. He scratches d surface for new challenges, new opportunities, new ways of living life and devises strategies for d new game-plan. Yes, he is not always victorious, but the
very fact that he strived to become a master is enough for this battle-hardened warrior to lead a 'CARPE-DIEM' life.

I wake up from my trance with a deep breath. This afternoon siesta has brought in a sense of deja-vu. The body-language transforms into an upbeat one. The setting sun outside the window calls for a cup of coffee and a new process that needs to be established in the coming weeks. After all, this rookie has found his next calling.

To quote Frost,"Miles to go before I sleep". [Dont mind I keep using this ... I guess thts what keeps me going on !!!]

Working on a few blogs rite now!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Durga Prasad) — Tue, 25 Oct 2005 13:22:00 +0000

Its been a while since i blogged. I am working on a couple of blogs rite now. Will upload them as soon as i finish them. In case if u have stumbled upon my blog by mistake or by recommendation or who cares??? , plz remind me reg. this. U see am a LAZY guy, I need to b constantly reminded that i am cared for, admired, loved , blah blah !!!. NEways do feel free to leave ur comments behind. :-)

TIME is the MASTER

noreply@blogger.com (Durga Prasad) — Thu, 12 May 2005 17:20:00 +0000

Sometimes I jst wonder how much time I spend(or kill !!!) doing things aimlessly or just attempting to do things that I know I wont be able to complete ... sometimes I just sit simply staring at the monitor thinking abt what I shud do...reminds me of the Cranberries song - 'ZOMBIE' ... sometimes I just watch the sprinkling of activities here at the workplace... ppl who r busy, some who r tensed, some who r deeply engrossed in their 'Analytical Thinking', and thr r some who r ... (u guessed it ...!!!) just looking around to see what others are doing... one of them just waves at me and asks 'Hey wht r u doing now ?' ... A**hole i am doing the same thing that u r doing right now...Huh..the travails of the empty mind ... I ping the guy who sits behind me for chatting... seems like he is busy in criss-crossing his view from the top to bottom of the screen...

A FLASH of events shake me up... the events just before the university exams... every second counted then ... ways to 'extract' time were being invented almost daily...some gys used to memorize the whole reading while sleeping... wonder whether they were dreaming or mumbling the whole night...

How things have changed... It seems like I have all the time in the world to KILL... I ALSO HAVE ALL THE DREAMS IN THE WORLD TO PURSUE... and in an instant i feel i have so less time to even think abt these things... the PRE_UNIV_EXAMS_DAYS r back... a sense of overwhelming gratitude comes to the fore that again I will be busy...i will again discover new ways of extracting time... new ways of concentrating upon things which now I feel I am jst struggling to offer a glance...

NEways its time again I resume my blogging with renewed vigour... its time again to admire the night sky and feel happy that a small insignificant part of the universe has dreams that even surpasses the whole universe...after all TIME is the master!!!

Ode to the Nice Guys

noreply@blogger.com (Durga Prasad) — Thu, 12 May 2005 08:50:00 +0000

U usually hear all the stuff about how girls pour out their hearts to boys(their friends...) about their break-up(with their Boyfriends ofcourse ), wht they did the whole day(right from telling the stuff they saw on TV and even describing it)...and the poor guy has to put up with all these things with a smile and also make his friend(THE GAL!!!) happy...>>>BEEN IN THIS CLUB FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS<<< ... NEways found the following blog from a Homo Sapien of the Fairer Kind ... Read on...

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
This is a tribute to the nice guys. The nice guys that finish last, that never become more than friends, that endure hours of whining and bitching about what assholes guys are, while disproving the very point. This is dedicated to those guys who always provide a shoulder to lean on but restrain themselves to tentative hugs, those guys who hold open doors and give reassuring pats on the back and sit patiently outside the changing room at department stores. This is in honor of the guys that obligingly reiterate how cute/beautiful/smart/funny/sexy their female friends are at the appropriate moment, because they know most girls need that litany of support. For more read here....
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Need girls who can listen to us 'NICE GUYS!!!'

Jst squeezed out some time to jot down a few lines!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Durga Prasad) — Tue, 10 May 2005 18:44:00 +0000

Well its just that I am going gr8 guns in my career... am glad abt it... right now in the middle of a critical project ... many more such modules coming in the next few months... its that phase of time that I am finding a new me and feeling brand new 'Insecurities' and also new Affirmations that after all this is me and I make my own destiny... In short I am now doing what I had planned out to do (Gr8 achievement...NAH!!!) ... well I am jst sailing in life... (earlier I was waiting for some tide to come in...HA HA )...

BTW just saw FORREST GUMP on dvd for the umpteenth time(still maintains the freshness & vividness :-) ) ...completed 2 chapters (and have also started implementing) from 'SEE U @ THE TOP - Zig Ziglar' ...I still read TINKLE (cant help it u know... i just feel so delighted @ the sight of it)... well thts it... time to go to my flat right now... (its almost past midnight...I heard a ghost haunts the big tamarind tree on the way to my apartment !!!)... C YA<<>>

Gone are the days....Evergreen Memories...

noreply@blogger.com (Durga Prasad) — Tue, 03 May 2005 08:45:00 +0000

This is a lovely post. I was planning to post it a long time back bt cudnt do it. Today somebody else forwarded this to my mail. Brought back clear memories of a time not so long ago... the tests, the friends, the girls, the cricket matches, the disappointments, the gossips, the dreams, the feelings... of School Days... I can go on... NEways lemme revel in those wonderful moments again while u go thru' the following ... Surely will bring back a smile to ur lips .. SAVOUR IT!!!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Evergreen Memories...

Gone are the days
When the school reopened in June, and we settled in our new desks and benches.

Gone are the days
When we queued up in book depot, and got our new books and notes.

Gone are the days
When we wanted two Sundays and no Mondays, yet managed to line up daily for the morning prayers.

Gone are the days
We learnt writing with slates and pencils, and Progressed to fountain pens and ball pens and then Micro tips.

Gone are the days
We began drawing with crayons and evolved to Colour pencils and finally sketch pens.

Gone are the days
We started calculating first with tables and then with Clarke's tables and advanced to calculators and computers.

Gone are the days
When we chased one another in the corridors in intervals, and returned to the classrooms Drenched in sweat.

Gone are the days
When we had lunch in classrooms, corridors, Playgrounds, under the trees and even in cycle sheds.

Gone are the days
When all the colors in the world, Decorated the campus on the Second Saturdays.

Gone are the days
When a single P.T. period in the week's Time Table, Was awaited more eagerly than the monsoons.

Gone are the days
When cricket was played with writing pads as bats, And Neckties and socks rolled into balls.

Gone are the days
When few played "kabadi" and "Kho-Kho" in scorching sun, While others simply played "book cricket" in the Confines of Classroom.

Gone are the days
Of fights but no conspiracies, Of Competitions but seldom jealousy.

Gone are the days
When we used to watch Live Cricket telecast, in the opposite house in Intervals and Lunch breaks.

Gone are the days
When few rushed at 3:45 to "Conquer" window seats in our School bus.

Gone are the days
While few others had "Big Fun", "pulippu muttai", "gulfi ice", "seeval ice !" and "pepsi !" at 4o Clock.

Gone are the days
Of Sports Day, and the annual School Day, and the one-month long preparations for them.

Gone are the days
Of the stressful Quarterly, Half Yearly and Annual Exams, And the most enjoyed holidays after them.

Gone are the days
Of tenth and twelfth standards, when we spent almost the whole year writing revision tests.

Gone are the days
We learnt, we enjoyed, we played, we won, we lost, we laughed, we cried, we fought, we thought.

Gone are the days
With so much fun in them, so many friends, So much experience, all this and more.

Gone are the days when we used to talk for hours with our friends.
Now we don't have time to say a HI.

Gone are the days when we played games on the road.
Now we code on the road with laptop.

Gone are the days when we saw stars shining at night.
Now we see stars when our code doesn't work.

Gone are the days when we sat to chat with friends on grounds.
Now we chat in chat rooms.....

Gone are the days where we studied just to pass.
Now we study to save our job

Gone are the days where we had no money in our pockets and fun filled on our hearts Now we have the atm as well as credit card but with an empty heart

Gone are the days where we shouted on the road.
Now we dont shout even at home

Gone are the days where we got lectures from all.
Now we give lectures to all... like the one I'm doing now....

Gone are the days But not the memories, which will be Lingering in our hearts for ever and ever and Ever and ever and.....

NO MATTER HOW BUSY YOU ARE, DONT FORGET TO LIVE THE LIFE THAT STILL EXISTS. IT WON’T BE THERE FOR EVER.

Why I am leaving my company!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Durga Prasad) — Thu, 28 Apr 2005 09:16:00 +0000

This was a mail which was forwarded to me today. It depicts a guy's experiences in a top IT company both good and worse and how a true winner for life let down the offer to join the best B-School in the country to be in the company just because he felt he could emerge as a better manager in the company than if he was in the B-School. He has just let out his feelings and opinion known on the eve of his exit from the company.

I just posted it because it depicts a little bit from my own professional life though I have just started out in my quest to be a gr8 IT professional(Its been 15 months !!!) AND incidentally the organisation I have started out my career is the same one from which the guy has exited... SATYAM ... Read On.... its a wonderful read if u wanna reach the top and fight the bureaucracies that is plaguing many young IT professionals.... am still learning the curves of corporate-dom and this 'mail' has really enlightened me....

NEways happy reading !!!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Fellow Satyamites,
When I walk out the door today, I would have completed just over 62 months in Satyam, 48 months of that with SFI ( 6 months in SFI-IS Maintenance, 10 months with SFI-IDC offshore and 32 months at SFI Onsite). Why all this information? So that you may better appreciate what I want to say now. What follows in this mail are the feelings with which I am leaving Satyam after having given it five years from the prime of my youth. It is gonna be long, I warn you, so read it only if you are interested in hearing what I have to say. And kindly note that almost all of my references to Satyam are applicable mainly to the State Farm account.

"Why are you leaving?" - This is the question that I had fielded umpteen number of times in the past two months. I would love to say that my career in Satyam has motivated me so much that I now want to reach farther and achieve more. But nothing could be further from the truth.

So what is the truth? After graduating from IIT-Kharagpur in June 1995 and doing a couple of odd jobs around the country for an year, I finally settled with Satyam in April 1996 because of the promise of a fast track career in a growing company. My first two years in Satyam have been everything that I dreamed of - I saw my career progressing just the way I wanted. I was a team member, an ML and then a PL within two years. I was very happy with my job. So happy in fact, that I turned down my admission at the IIM, Bangalore to continue with Satyam. My then PM convinced me of a wonderful future in Satyam. Even though I didn't get promoted as I wanted, that didn't bother me much as I was doing something I really loved (and I hope my team liked me too - as there are so many of them here at SFI now). I figured that if the IIM can make me a management trainee in two years, I can become a real manager in Satyam in those two years. That was in March 98, fast forward three years to March 2001 and surprise, I am still sitting at my desk, coding programs and reporting to a totally incompetent, confused and clueless person. And that, my dear friends, is why I am leaving Satyam - no career growth, not even the promise of a growth. The moment an opportunity shows up, and my hopes of a promotion or growth start rising, they are squashed mercilessly by someone who has "Oh! so many years of experience". Correct me if I am wrong, but shouldn't ability, knowledge and skill be the criteria here?

The first person I met after joining Satyam was Mr. Ramalinga Raju (actually he was the third person - the first two being U.Balaji and Mala Vidyanathan, but it sounds more dramatic this way). In his welcome speech, which was very invigorating and motivating by the way, Mr. Raju promised that if we performed well we will be rewarded fittingly. His address was followed up by Mr A.S.Murthy who said that only performance can advance us in this company. I was young then and I believed those words. I wonder if they remember them. Because now, after working my butt off for the past five years, I realize that what advances you in this company is your age, how many years of exp you have under your belt (doesn't matter if that exp is shouting at labor in a cigarette plant or growing a paunch in a govt office or even, maybe, tossing burgers at a McDonalds). Capability and Initiative are two bad words when it comes to promotions and incentives. If you want to grow, it doesn't matter if you suck at your job, what matters is how well you suck-up to the powers that be.

Before I started writing this mail, I promised myself that I will not mention any names. If by chance, a name or two slips by, please ignore - OK!. This is not intended to be a personal vendetta, I just want to give some feedback about how I see things happening around me - just my viewpoint, only mine, in the hope that it will make people think about it and maybe even initiate some discussion for the betterment of everyone. Also, please do not confuse this with cribbing. I am not. I am leaving and I have nothing to gain or lose if this letter is taken seriously or thrown in the thrash can.

I don't know exactly when things started going wrong, but the work environment in Satyam-SFI has steadily gone from "Really Great" to "Down in the Dumps" - both at Onsite and Offshore. When I look around I see a cess-pool of internal-politics, power-grabbing and greed. This is definitely not the Satyam I joined. Satyam was about 500 strong when I joined and today it is a force to reckon, with thousands working around the world and the total employee figure racing to get into five digits. Growth has different ways of changing a company....

Go and visit Satyam.com and you will read about a lot of wonderful things like "See-through Company", "Open Door Policy", "Performance Oriented" etc, etc. However, I regret to inform you all that I do not see these anywhere around me. Instead, what I see is almost quite the opposite. There is no room for dissent. No policy is open for questioning or even discussion. Favoritism is rampant and factors other than professional skills and capabilities seem to have a higher importance while taking decisions. I can quote scores of examples to prove my point. From little things like vacation time and to big things like promotions, every where there seem to be bias and personal preferences. Someone has a genuine need to go to India but cannot get any additional vacation time other than what is accrued, while the boss's chamchas seem to get enough vacation with loss-of-pay to enjoy themselves. Someone gets a bad feedback from the client and is released from the account so fast that he must have felt his ass was in a time-wrap. Another person gets similar (if not worse) feedback, but being in the boss's good-graces that person has nothing to fear and is conveniently shifted to another area. Someone slogs like hell all year and hopes for a promotion but is denied because there is nothing "extra-ordinary" in what he did or he didn't complete the mandatory "two-years" (where the hell did that come from??). But another suck-up is promoted, without the two-years or without the extra-ordinary performance, because there was a "need" for it. And in case you are wondering what that "need" is, the Boss doesn't have to answer to you.

I can tell you many more stories, and some may make you shake your head in dis-belief. Like this PM who promotes and prefers married people because they have a family to feed and because married people are more dependable (how??, someone please explain me). So if you are skilled and top of your line but unmarried, then too bad for you. And then there is this person who won't promote you because he doesn't want to answer the others who may ask about it. He agrees that you deserve a promotion, mind you, and is very sympathetic about it, but won't do it because he is scared what others might say. How do you like that? Some consolation, huh? I can go on, but I am sure you all get the general drift.

So if things were so bad what was I doing here for so long. Well, things weren't always like this and it isn't as if I didn't have opportunities to get out. But "Hope", my friend, is what kept me going and tied me to this place. Never under-estimate the strength of hope. It made me suffer more than two years of negligence here. I stuck here thinking that every dog will have its day. But seems that either I am not a dog, for I haven't had my day yet, or I've already had my day and didn't even realize it - boy, I can be such a dumb dog sometimes. The inertia, complacence and the innate human need for security and comfort made a powerful combination when added to the hope and that power held me here. Bloomington is a very easy and comfortable place to live in, so easy that it dulls my senses and competitive edge. When I look back at what I was three years back and what I am now - a fat, overweight, unhappy, complaining slob - I feel ashamed for having let myself degenerate like this.

So, I am doing something about it. And getting out of this rut is my first step in the right direction. It is understandable if a married person, with a wife and kids and maybe parents to support, thinks about security and compromises with his work environment. But there is no excuse for a free bird like me to lie cooped up like this. And it has only frustrated me beyond all imagination, to the point that I even considered taking the next flight home and take to farming. The only thing that kept me here is my desire to beat this situation, just as I beat all the obstacles I faced in my life and to emerge stronger. And of course, the cars. If there weren't so many wonderful cars in this country, and if I weren't so crazy about them, my decision would have been much more easier. I am now in a very fortunate situation to have admission offers from three of the top ten Management Schools in the world from three corners of the globe, really. And whichever one I chose to attend, I am sure I will have many more opportunities available to me than Satyam can ever hope offer and, hopefully, they will also be better. My only regret is that Satyam has no use for me. And I wonder how many more frustrated individuals like me are here, waiting for their time to quit.

So what is the solution? The same thing that I have been saying for the past three years. Take feedback from subordinates and peers before promoting any one to the next level. When I put this suggestion to Mr. A.S.Murthy during one of his visits to SFI, he said that it is not possible to implement at the current stage of organizational restructuring, but that they are looking at something like that down the road. How far down the road? It is obviously too late for me. How many youngsters have to endure the stress and helplessness of working under an incompetent boss and see their careers going no where? I have had the opportunity to know and work with some excellent persons in Satyam and I've had an equal opportunity to suffer under imbeciles. Believe me, nothing beats the pleasure of working for a dynamic and competent boss and nothing sucks more that the realization that your boss is a total loser and you are stuck below him.

People find it easy to say "It is the same everywhere, why are you complaining only about Satyam". That is a very pathetic and lame excuse. Just because things are rotten at your neighbors place doesn't mean you have to put up with the stink here also. This is where you work, this is where you belong and it is your duty to clean things up. Do you let your house be in a mess just because the guy next door keeps it so? No. Why? Because you have a sense of pride and belonging about your house. This is what is severely lacking in Satyamites - especially in the middle level management where there is a lot of dead wood floating around. The top management appears committed to Satyam's growth, at least in appearances, with exciting visions, path-breaking concepts and such. The bottom seems to be strong with a vast number of engineers and programmers eager to make their career with Satyam. But the middle layer, mostly filled with drifters from other companies and career-changers and other such miscellaneous characters seem to give a hoot about Satyam. Everybody is grabbing for stock options and talking about jumping boat as soon as they encash their options. What will these people care about Satyam or its associates? A lone voice of dissent like me easily gets lost in the crowd. But when everybody takes it to heart to do something about it - something can be done.

Nobody wants to question or discuss policies in the so called "open" forums. What else are they open for then? If all that everyone has to say is "Hail Chief", then why all the talk about transparency, employee satisfaction, customer delight etc etc? We might as well throw all the policies out the window and have just one policy - "The Boss Rules". True, running a corporation isn't a democracy, but it shouldn't be a dictatorship either.

I think I just blew the basic rule of corporate employment. I burned the bridge behind me - there is no turning back now. So I might as well go all the way, right?

Just because a person has been around for ten years doesn't make him a better manager and just because someone is young doesn't make him a bad leader. All it needs to make it a better place for all of us is some compassion, a strong sense of justice and a very large supply of competent people in the middle management. As long as these are lacking in the work place, people won't trust each other and sustainable growth cannot be achieved. Why has Satyam become just another alliance for SF from being the largest alliance partner? How many can truthfully vouch that whatever growth we are seeing is solely because of the efforts of our managers and would be lost if the managers weren't there? I see Satyam only taking what comes their way and the alliance office working to keep the resources loaded. I see people wasting countless hours in meetings deliberating over totally irrelevant subjects. You know what it all sounds like - straight out of a "Dilbert" cartoon strip. Wake up guys!! we are living in a Dilbert world. If Scott Adams ever decides to make movie on his strip, Satyam at SFI would be a hands down winner for the location.

It would have been very easy - v.v.v.v.easy for me to walk away from all this without saying anything, like so many others before me. But every time somebody left I cried out loud why he or she would not express their concerns to those in higher places - higher than your boss and even your super-boss. I am not sure whether they are aware of the state of things or not, but they have nothing to lose in listening to my 2 cents.

So, I am finally leaving Satyam - about time too. Hopefully, to a place where I expect my career aspirations will be fulfilled to a much greater extent than in Satyam. Also, my time in Satyam has humbled my ego and lowered my expectations, so I do not expect much from this place that I am going to, but whatever little that I desire I am sure I can find it there.

How would I rate my experience with Satyam? The first 2.5 yrs have been great, it has been one exciting ride. The next 2.5 yrs sucked royally, thanks to you-know-whoall. But over all, the two periods break-off evenly and I am exiting with a fairly neutral opinion about the whole experience. I learned a lot, there is no question about that. And I will always be grateful to all the people who motivated me or inspired me in one way or the other - Sunil Talloo, Srinivas Moharir, Apurba, Ramana, Srini, Rama, Bharati, Bhowmik, Amit Kumar, Ratan Singh, Srihari A (and his brother whom I never met), A.S.Murthy, Ramalinga Raju, Shankar and a whole bunch of friends - too many to mention here. And I am also thankful to my detractors and my bosses for frustrating me beyond my limits of tolerance and driving me to desperation. I guess that too was a sort of negative motivation, I doubt if I would have tried so hard to get out if I had better opportunities here at SFI-Satyam.

I really would love to work for Satyam again sometime in my career - after all we (Satyam and I) shared our youth together. But not if these bunch of hypocrites are still hanging around.

Ok, I guess that is all I had to say. Seems rather vitriolic when I read it again - but that's how I feel. Do your job well, but don't forget to say your (Thursday??) prayers.

If you want to congratulate me on writing a good essay, want to curse me for the things I wrote or just want to kick my ass for having the guts to actually write and send such a mail, then you all can reach me at any of the following contact points:
e-mail - [Removed based on the author's request]
phone - [Removed based on the author's request]
address - [Removed based on the author's request]

"Its Nice to be Important, but it is more Important to be Nice." To those whom I have offended - No hard feelings. I let mine out. Hope you can too. Peace!!

Wish me luck.

Cheers.
Teja

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Standing For What You Believe In

noreply@blogger.com (Durga Prasad) — Tue, 26 Apr 2005 06:41:00 +0000

Standing for what you believe in,
Regardless of the odds against you,
And the pressure that tears at your resistance,
. . . means courage

Keeping a smile on your face,
When inside you feel like dying,
For the sake of supporting others,
. . . means strength

Stopping at nothing,
And doing what's in your heart,
You know is right,
. . . means determination

Doing more than is expected,
To make another's life a little more bearable,
Without uttering a single complaint,
. . . means loyalty

Giving more than you have,
And expecting nothing
But nothing in return,
. . . means selflessness

Holding your head high,
And being the best you know you can be
When life seems to fall apart at your feet,
Facing each difficulty with the confidence
That time will bring you better tomorrow's,
And never giving up,
. . . means confidence

To the question of your life,
You are the only answer.
To the problems of your life,
You are the only solution.