SHASHI VYAS

Identity Management and Enterprise Single Sign-On (ESSO) - ppt download

2019-08-20T19:28:00.001+05:30

Identity Management and Enterprise Single Sign-On (ESSO) - ppt download: Introduction Follows on from other related themes: Unified Operator Interface (UOI) Network Convergence Network Security and Domains Circles of Trust Federated Identities Security as a Service Location transparency Virtualisation

Let's Chennai!

2015-12-07T14:45:00.001+05:30

India is diverse - from snowy Himalayas to serene coasts of Indian Ocean, and Chennai, name it the shore of majestic Marina or the vibrant window of Southern India, is one of the shinning gems that glitters on India's tip.

Looking at pictures of havoc caused by floods in Chennai had my memories of the city come alive, so this Sunday, over a shot of espresso, am putting my thoughts for you, Chennai. I have been seeing a lot of feeds on my social networking connections about people in Chennai and across the country lending hands and love for the charmingly chilly Chennai. This is India's strength. We stand together holding hands, when the need of hour be.

I always see these moments to remind cities like Chennai of its strength and to look back and within to remind them of what they hold beneath them. I have had the charm of living in various cities, and they happen to not let me see them as just mere cities but a living soul with a distinct culture and a story to inspire many souls. These cities are like those humans, who inspire us. Whether it's the never dying spirit of Mumbai which keeps growing strong, or the vibrant and cultured charm of Ahmedabad, that focuses on strategic evolution. Let's be honest, we fall in love with a city we tend to know more-and-more about, and as-and-when we happen to know them.

My memories of Chennai are pleasant, may be of course I visited Chennai in winters and not sunny summers. In both my interaction with this majestic city, I realized it holds a warm, and a set of always helpful people beneath it. They are happy and jolly in living life the way they do. It's like straight being out of a 700 MM screen, where everything about it is normal, but a dream in our eyes to be larger than life. In fact, within my Tech Mahindra's tenure as well, and otherwise around Hinjewadi IT Park, I happen to meet people from Chennai and elsewhere, holding promises in eyes to be long lasting friends, and they just want you to know more about their culture and always eager to see do what your culture holds for them. That breaks the very stereo-type that Chennai souls hardly get interactively closer to the way others live. All you need to do with Chennai and its people is, shake a hand, give them a warm greeting and they open a box of happiness for you; this has been my experience.

Chennai has a glorious and uniquely inspirational history, just like any other majestic Indian city going as deep as 7th and 8th centuries. It has the distinct flavor from the ancient Indian culture ( Mahabalipuram temple or the morning shlokas that are very Sanskrit) , blend of Mughal and English savor (Triumph of Labour).

It gives a feeling of discomfort to see our cities being uprooted by calamities. So Chennai, you hold a lot within you, let's get back on the track of unlimited entertainment, beating the drum of sneering equatorial heat, thriving roads and pumping the life of many. You've made the look the wrath of 2004 tsunami and its aftermath look pity in front of your majestic charisma! One long Whsitle podu, and stand tall larger, bigger. Lets Chennai!

Information Security - More about Implanting Practices Than Just Awareness & Training

2014-11-30T11:47:00.000+05:30

With more and more data getting electronic, and with more and more data going on line, information security is becoming a vital discussion and area of concern for organizations, federal agencies, governments, even individuals.

Because of this, many organizations have been spending a certain amount of effort and time in conducting awareness training, and, coming up with ways to make people more aware with hoardings, sign boards and what not. This is done to take the best short-cut approach in making their most vulnerable asset for information security, their people, educate and realize the pros & cons, and to preach awareness about how responsible they should be.

But lets be honest to ourselves? Have we been successful? There are still cases I hear knowing organizations, colleagues, friends, acquaintances compromising their vital information and getting hooked, whether be their own personal credit cards, documents and what not!

I believe that a well presented training and awareness program does invoke thoughts about aspects of information security and realization of being secured, but it CANNOT ensure how the attendees may take that very invoked thought ahead and if they can really implement the thoughts in their lives, unless and until they happen to witness an incidence themselves!

Through this article, I am trying to open a thought process, where we think beyond just training and awareness campaigns, but infact implant the very practices in their people.

Everybody is aware about wearing a seat-belt while driving and helmet while riding, everybody is aware about the fact that smoking tobacco is injurious to health, everybody is aware about the benefits of having good food habits, exercising daily and waking up early. Awareness exist, but practices does not.

As health is important for people to think about, similarly, information security is equally important for organizations to maintain their competitive edge, confidentiality of their data, integrity of their organizational practices, and availability of resources and data as and when required.

By and large, following are the gaps with training and awareness programs:

Training programs are not aligned with the risk assessment that has identified the potential risk areas to the business and organization;
Success of majority of training programs are immeasurable;
Majority of training programs are unrealistic and based on generic aspects i.e. they're not tailor-made;
Focus is more on presentation, or as a periodic practice of just having a training program but not on what people want.

So what next?

Simple. Just three aspects:

Conduct risk assessment to identify risks;
Target behavior change;
Prepare a yearly timeline and set realistic targets;
Engage people personally.

Lets get realistic. Lets start putting efforts in the right direction, because you anyways are or you anyways will have to. Remember, precautions are always easier than corrections! The awareness has to be embedded in the most important and most vulnerable asset of the organization - human resource i.e. people, and at certain stages in some organizations, this has been.

For example, when was the last time, you changed the password of your LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter account? That's because LinkedIn or Facebook doesn't prompt you to change passwords every 60 days! But, if you work in an organization, where the password is set to be changed in every 60 days, you will do it, and there's no other way out to avoid it. But again, every organization doesn't has this practice implemented or is been restricted to certain users; but they will always talk about securing their data and pass-coding their machines / workstations through passwords!

Tail-gating, phishing emails, malware attacks, you've been talking about it in your training, but no one takes it seriously. Implement practices to curb or catch hold of people to train them that they are doing it wrong.

For ex: create a dummy account, send an email which looks like a phishing mail, see how many open it. Call those people and then train them, that it is not the correct practice and they shouldn't be opening emails, make them aware about the real time incidents of how the accounts of even many CEOs, CTOs were compromised because of phishing emails and the consequences, ask them to report such emails to the network monitoring team (or whosoever can take care of these aspects in the organization).

You see an unlocked workstation, click it and then tell the custodian that you were abut to send his resignation letter to his boss with a pinch of humor.

I believe Information Security is one of the most discussed and challenging subjects for organizations, federal agencies, and governments, but at the same time it is one of the most easiest practice to secure the information, only if you follow the basics and the under-lying processes efficiently. The most basic fundamental about information security is the fact that it all depends on the custodian themselves to realize how vulnerable they're and it is them who must follow and embed culture around them to become immune to any InfoSec attacks! It is like snow and rains, which is targeting everything around you, but if you have the right gear, you will walk without feeling a pinch of it.

Let Project Portfolio start working for project, and project for you!

2014-09-30T14:36:00.002+05:30

Lets start with project...meaning of the project, in simple words, is a planned set of interrelated tasks to be executed over a fixed period and within certain cost and other limitations.

Moreover, projects add value to the organizations, as they not only mean business, but executing projects effectively helps organizations gain recognition and reputation. Organizations also endow effort, time, finances and different types of resources for execution of their projects.

That is the reason why many organizations believe in delivering projects through their well-planned, self-defined and structured project management, where they identify the different phases of the projects, list of activities to be carried out within each phase, limitations. Organizations also weave project life-cycles depending on their classification of projects, major or minor.

The simple definition to realize importance of project is that projects are executed to achieve a specific goal. This goal may be for its clientele or for the organization itself. If project is executed loosely, you may not achieve goal in the desirable way. To achieve efficient execution of projects, organizations have project management or as they may realize it through their dedicated group or department commonly named project management office.
But can project management translate an organization's business strategy? Answer is No! Then who? Answer is Project Portfolio Management!

I have worked on developing various programme management framework for clients across various domains, and I realize clients, even internal resources are usually confused between what project, portfolio or programme (some call it 'program' as well) is or for them, or if they are all the same!

But that’s not true! These are three different verticals and they have different functions to perform. You may have a well-defined project management in place, but it is always going to assist you in delivering a single project. Project management will define the best practices to assist you develop a plan and timeline to deliver specific set of deliverable defined for a project.

But is project management all what organizations need? Rather, let me ask is your organization doing just one project a year? You have multiple projects, and what about handling them, who is going to handle them? Project management will help you deliver each of those multiple projects, but what about managing those multiple projects? For this aspect you have Progamme Management.

Programme Management helps managing several related projects, often with the intention of improving an organization's performance. In practice multiple projects, span functions within an organisation, includes business elements (set of projects makes a programme).

But again, what if an undertaken project is not aligned with the organization’s strategies or does not make use of its core competencies, ultimately resulting in poor returns. What if the projects are overlapping and organization finds itself in a pool of resource crunch, despite having adequate resources?

Take a simple example of tubes, metros or commuter trains. Consider train as a project, which is well - executed, follows signals from starting point to its destination and has an efficient driver (project manager). But your train is not the only train in the system. There are multiple trains (projects) operating at a quick pace as they have to meet their defined timeline. They require the railway track, platforms for commuters to get in and out (resources), and all these trains share the same amount of resources!

If these trains are not managed efficiently and effectively, trains may end up being at the wrong terminal at the same time. Not just that, this may cause major accidents with trains being on the same track (projects to be delivered on the same date), and exhausting of resources (SME required for 2 projects at the same time)! It will be a chaos!

Therefore, as it is important to manage projects for the organizations, they also need to manage the portfolio of projects. Portfolio of projects will ensure a central repository or database consisting of projects in pipeline, current and projects that were executed in the past.

This will assist in strategizing delivery of projects based on the business strategy, assessing and managing the projects in a collective manner with the following:

Determining whether (and how) a set of projects can be executed by the organization with finite set of resources in a specified time. Business Benefit is estimating and selecting capital investment projects with strategic plan;
Efficient and effective utilization of organization’s resources including financials, inventory of project assets (servers, workstations etc), human resources etc. Business benefit also extends to realizing annual resource allocation, resource utilization during adverse impact minimal or nil exhaustion of resources;
Planning and prioritization of any new all-of-a-sudden project requirements, new and amending regulatory demands, or requirement of enhancements;
Proactive risk assessment of project related risks. But caution – this depends on how you develop your risk assessment methodology, your focuses. Do they include quality or information security or both or what?

Project Portfolio Management will create a balanced platform of projects by categorizing, sorting and prioritizing based on identified criteria. Organizations may identify these criterions from business context, to utilization of resources, expenditures, financial profit cost centers, etc.

Look at this below picture, Project Portfolio always sits up in the hierarchy when it comes to effective handling of projects, as it is responsible to provide input for annual business strategy to organizations and also ensures that the organization’s strategy is not compromised by the execution of projects.

If organizations are conforming to certain ISO certifications, Project portfolio also turns vital now, as it advocates top management leadership and business alignment.

But key to a successful Project Portfolio Management is to define and set priorities through an intent of:

Achieving appropriate business value optimization for the organization;
Considering risk recognition and mitigation is equal to reward;
Conducting periodic reviews of the portfolio with top management understanding the concerns or issues through a bottom’s up approach

Remember - A project is complete when Project portfolio starts working for project, and project starts working for you!

Ahmedabad, and it's foul stories!

2014-04-30T17:00:00.001+05:30

Anu - "Chacha! one bottle of mineral water please!"

Shopkeeper - "Here you go!"Anu - "This isnt a Kinley or Aquafina! Dont you have one of them?"

Shopkeeper - "No son! This is all I have. I am done with their stocks!"

Anu - "Okay! Here are 20 bucks. Thank You"

Shopkeeper - "No No! Water is a necessity, just 10 rupees please!"

Shushi - "Is the water really mineral?" I mean it reads 20 INR and you charging us only 10!"

Shopkeeper - "Do you know how much does these mineral bottles cost us?" 7 INR! So, as I said, water is a necessity. You take a red bull or a cold drink, I will charge you the maximum, but not for water. Allah wont be happy if I do that!"

Where do you think this may have happened? Ahmedabad, next to infamous Siddi Sayed ki Jalli. The little shop is next to a pan shop opposite to the Siddhi Sayed ki Jalli!

This is my blog after more than a year, and trust me, I always wanted to write on this topic, but then onset of the biggest election of the human history showed in. I didn't want to publish this, before I cast my vote, because my motive of writing is to pen down my thoughts and what I see and witness, rather being read as imposing my thoughts and personal liking for any given candidate who may be standing in the Indian election s 2014. Because, this would have not helped my motive and effort.

It really bothers me, when my friends from outside Gujarat keep asking me if the stories that they hear from few political parties and sections of Indian media portraying about Gujarat since 2002 are true. I am probably grateful that they think I am well-versed with current affairs nationally and globally, and have been born in Ahmedabad and spending a considerable amount of time in Ahmedabad, would give a honest response.

I love Ahmedabad as much as I love Calcutta, where I spent my childhood or Mumbai where I worked and have pent most of my summer vacations or a small sleepy town in the center of India, where I did my high school. I am completely against stereotyping of any city or people or communities, because I am an Indian, which is the largest secularist and democratic state to the globe. By the grace of God, I have traveled and lived in many places in my country, and when folks ask me which one is better. I really cannot think of one, Because every city has it's own charm and beauty, thats why they different. Mumbai has it's own charm, which is not as same as Calcutta or Chennai or even New York. Lol, infact the samosas of Mumbai, Ahmedabad or Calcutta tastes different, so why not love the charm of every city.

Almost all the major and minor communities, ethnicity, races reside in India and have their steam in it's roots. India is a culture born out of each and every community, races and that is what makes Indians religiously democratic in nature. I have discussed in one of my previous blogs about Internationalism, which is the call of the hour for our globe. I did point out that how we will find people of our likings and disliking in each and every country carved on this planet. It's just the geographical divide, climatic conditions that make us look different.

Ahmedabad, is the seventh largest metropolitan area and the fifth largest city in india . It is the judicial capital of Gujarat state, which has the largest coastline in India and has rich and vibrant history from an era as old as Indus Valley Civilization. Ahmedabad, as the name suggests, is named after it's ruler from 1400 B.C., Ahmed Shah, and take this as one of the pointer what I am trying to convey.

The city is so vibrant that Mahatma Gandhi also established his ashram here on the banks of Sabarmti river, which flows beautifully midst of the city.

Despite all this, my city, is stereotyped and dragged by political parties and certain sections in media as being communal. This is extremely hurting, and false implication on the vibrant city. Ahmedabad is home to various communities who live in harmony with each other. Yes, there has been instances o f communal tensions between certain communities in and before 2002, alike other asian or western cities. Every city in the world, and I say that on record, have faced some kind of internal fighting sadly. If we humans were so damn matured, we never would have had wars or spending on armed forces. However, history has been my favorite subject and I believe, it makes you learn, forgive, and develop a better world around you. Ahmedabad has learnt from the wound. The communities are in harmony and there has been not even a slightest violence registered in it since 2002. It was probably because they never opened up, lived in themselves, they all drew lines and never realized what they were doing.

Just for the record, I was giving my 10th grade exams in 2002 and now, here I am, an engineering grad. and a a full-fledge IT professional! Is it not sad on the part of few media houses and political parties dragging a state and a city in for their personal causes? May be they want to humiliate a given politician or party. Acting matured is an art you can't expect from classes, but atleast do not dare dragging a state or a city in your conversations. By doing that you acting no good, you are actually hurting the sentiments of many and many lives, many communities and even the economic prosperity of a state and city. What is the consequence?

Someone today asked me she has heard there were no Christmas breaks in Gujarat, a principal and a scholar writes a letter to tell a story to it's students, but drags the state. Years back, a friend of mine from Delhi asks me that she heard there were human right violations in the state. In my eyes, this is completely incorrect. This also at certain level hampered economic investments in the most prosperous state of India.

Every entity on this planet needs continual improvement. I will be glad if real issues that brings prosperous change to a city or a state are brought on table by media or by political individuals. I have friends from every corner of the world and am always open to meeting new people, learning new communities. We have one life, why not really love the fact that there is many beautiful and rich spirtiual believes and culture breathing around us. Needless to say, I had roommates from every community, I infact find usage of words like 'community', religion' taboo and while jotting this write-up, am wondering if they should be really written? Gujarat and my Ahmedabad is rich and peaceful. If you want to talk about a sad year 2002? Why don't you remember that city was peaceful and together, when a temple was attacked by terrorists from across the border, when a series of serial blast shook Ahmedabad, and it stood strong and everyone had hands were clubbed together. How do any human being feel when their wounds are purposely kept afresh or pressed now and then?

As I said, Amdavadis will never tell you that you hurting their wounds. They will infact keep ignoring and laughing at such silly stories, and be graceful of not correcting you, as they will have all of the time to make their penny a pound!

One more thing, that I wish to talk about is, the Gujarat Police. I everyday cross helmet circle, and I crib about the heat that I face for some 10-15 mins of halting at a signal. I see those policemen standing all day, safe-guarding and managing adrenalin rush. Similarly, on festive seasons, they have no holiday. I feel for them when the whole Police force of a state is questioned and go through media trial over. If certain folks do wrong they shall face the trial and be punished for it, but tagging and stereotyping the whole of police force is completely incorrect. Its an insult, that atleast my soul wishes to disagree with as those policemen at midnight hours guard societies.

Drive someday, in the late hours in Ahmedabad, and you see them standing, guarding your city. Infact deployment of so many cops is also because the state and city is under constant threat and made vulnerable, as it has even stereotyped as not being vibrant and tagged as ungraceful. You are making my city, and India's fastest growing city vulnerable! Furthermore, Ahmedabad is a beauty. If one has ever come to the city, they fall in love with it. It has a rich heritage. The Srakhej roja mosque, which has been filmed in many Bollywood movies and Lothal, which reminds you of Indus valley civilization. Ahmedabad is a city, where if you come across someone cutting your way in the traffic, he would smile and step behind to let you go.

Traffic! Ahh! Thats the core issue, by the way. Ahmedabad's traffic sense sucks!

Gujarat is a dry state, and few people even have a problem with that. Well, it is based on the ideology set by the world-acclaimed Mahatama, whose preaching even the U.S. president wishes to follow, and Gujarat is proud to continue the ideology. Gujarat has been a dry state since years now, and the beauty is, that even without the taxes collected from alcoholic earnings, Gujarat is prospering - an example that can be shared by India to the globe and followed by states which believe that alcohol is one of the medium of economic earnings!

Finally, you go, discuss issues you wish on political spectrum in India or anywhere in the world, but please do not drag a state or a city in pity conversations. Be sensible, think sensible, and do not hear.. believe what you see.

Coincident to this write-up, just for the record folks, the infamous three wise monkeys of Mahatma Gandhi, who tell us the proverbial principle of "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil" are in Sabarmathi Ashram of Ahmedabad!

By the way, the mineral bottle wala chacha was helpful in tellling me about the textile mills and factory outlet in the outskirts of the city where I can find the few branded clothes with quite an irresistible price tag!

Run Mumbai Run

2013-01-04T15:50:00.000+05:30

“Xavy! Ameet! Mukesh! I’m excited & infact nervous about completing 21 kms of run tomorrow morning.” – I tell my friend, also my flat-mate, while setting up an alarm of 03:00 AM.

“Dude. Chuck that. All possible ONLY if you wake up on time, which I’m sure you won’t. “– replied Xavy.

“We will see. Ka-Chow!” – I snub back before the shutters of my eyes roll down slowly and in peace.

Ringggg.. “Throw that phone out of the window someone.” The alarm doesn’t, but my other flat-mates voice wakes me up for the day, which was to witness an awesome proceedings.

Gradually, I start receiving calls from everyone I know who are participating in the Marathon to check if I was awake or not. It's Marathon mania!

Marathons are usually long running events, where runners participate to run on roads for 40 - 42 kms. There are of course different categories for running the Marathon. You can run just 6 kms or run a half marathon!

I’m at the starting point in Bandra, where this early morning, there is a huge crowd of runners far and by. I have my BIB number on my company’s T-shirt, especially designed for the Marathon participants, which lists down all the NGOs that we have been associated with.

I stand in the queue with my friends and colleagues amidst this big stream of people all around us. Man is always more important than the things that exists around. This was proved by the waves of people who have shown up well before the Sun lord on this pleasant Sunday morning, in a city where a peace sleep after a tiring day is the biggest spiritual feeling. They made this event the most count as the most successful Marathon in India, and am sure, soon the globe will look up to it.

And, you can never take the credit away from the beautiful city of Mumbai. Mumbai, is the city of dreams, and ask many souls who have come to this city, how it has always nurtured their true dedication. It does test you, but if you pass, it never shies away from giving you what you deserve.

Mumbai never complains. It holds many dreams, many aspirations, and many stories every day, every hour. It has seen some of the horrifying days, sometimes from it's own people, it has fed. But then, she never bows, down, she looks into the eyes of people who aspire her, and stands back on her knees, no matter how wounded she may be. Mumbai is an example to our man-kind, of how without demanding even a passing recognition, she gives us a lot. Shouldn’t it be our duty as well, in return, to respect her, keep it CLEAN atleast? Is that too much to ask for?

My legs could feel what my hands were talking, and vice-a-versa. Half Marathon.

“Dude, it’s our time to start soon. Best of Luck!”

“Thanks ya!” – I can feel my vain. “Hope I don’t sleep midway. 21 kms is way too much! Hah!”

I see the wave of people in front of us start running. The fourth last row to me vanishes on the sea-link, third-last, second last, and then it’s us!

I pass the starting tracker with some red beams, and I’m in the air. I run with my full strength and find myself charged up with some kind of spiritual feeling. It was phenomenal.

“Run Mumbai Run” – shouts someone ahead of us.

I see reporters on the side lanes clicking us. It’s Mumbai on the run. I soon let lose my nervousness, and find myself in the pool of people cheering, merry. There is some guy with the Team India’s jersey, there’s someone, with Gandhi-topi, then there’s some girl with I-pod on. Colourful people, colourful lives running. Even spot a physically challenged lad in his teens, surpass me quick. I feel like going and patting him, but I feel I shouldn’t remind this young lad of something, and let him run free. Someone needs to pat me, as he was way quicker than I was.

The mighty Bandra-Worli Sea-Link was lit-up with aspirants, cheerful voices, joyful street-lights. Many flaunting the camera clicks. It was an experience that doesn’t fade away from memory so easily.

I speed up and finish the sea-link and on the main, land, next to the curve is the loo. Okay Break!

After a break, I’m on the run again, seeing a lot of people covering the streets, the neighborhoods all out with the Sun Lord slowly blinking his eye lids. These are the Mumbaikars, cheering each one runner, bucking up the one puffing his breathes, clapping and roaring. This electrifies the already puffing me. The spirit is lively.

Crossing Worli was so easy, now at Mahalaxmi, where the Sun lord is already smiling and majestic Haji Ali dargah is a splendid watch early morning, my feet feel the heat. Heat, in the real sense. Blisters on my leg, and I feel like some pebbles are into my shoes.

(Picture: Mahalaxmi Circle - Imagine the picturesque with humans and not cars on 20th Jan'2013)

I don’t stop, I run up the little hilly terrain, where music is played with little kids dancing to encourage us all. Cookies, glucose distributed by the neighborhoods, the spirit is amazing. Familiar colleagues, friends cheering us all up, and yeah they get the return too, when I’m kind of charged. I was witnessing the festivity and lost deep forgetting everything. A day before, I was lost in brain-storming the exciting idea. I would be lost tomorrow too, but then, this is the time to set myself loose and run in the spirit. Many like me would be, someone for some examination or result, someone for somebody’s health or wealth, someone for finding a way to marrying his girl-friend, some net-addict would have forgotten what tweets or posts mean. Run was the only LIKE button to press.

At the Marine Drive, Lord Sun’s meditation seemed kind of intensified, subtly expressing the nature of the day. I targeted 3 hours to finish the Half-Marathon. I was around Churchgate station when the clock hit three hours from the time I started. The loud of people around us is wild. When I was finally at the finish area at CST Terminus, I see some African athletes finishing the lines. These are the winners of Full Marathon. Okay embarrassing that they finishing double the kilometers when I managed to finish half, but then cheers to them. After all it’s cheese, Bikaneri bhujias, pastry shops in & around Bandra that win. Not to forget, the Ahmedabadi brunches & the royal Rajasthani feasts!

I managed to finish the Marathon of 21 kilometers in 03Hours 07 minutes. A 55+ colleague I knew finished way before me, by only brisking his way. A 40+ another fellow I knew was minutes ahead of me. Honestly, you can finish too. If you think you not the part of Marathon this year, honestly you still can be. Everyone here was running for cause.

I liked an idea where the friends of each running the Marathon had decided to donate some amount if his friend finishes in some given time. For ex, A & B are pals. A is the runner, and B tells him – ‘Hey! I’m a student, job-seeker..so what..I contribute $x if you finish the race in this given time.” Or “I encourage your spirit, $y for you to finish the race”. They aren’t poking, they aren’t doubting, but they are trying to find a classy way to contribute to some NGO, he may be running for. As they say, a drop makes an ocean, a penny by 100 people a runner knows make what? Imagine the same for each runner.

Again, I don’t wana sound like am asking people to do charity, that’s not my style of writing. I want you to be in the spirit. The spirit of this city, it’s roads warming up like burning tyres with the runners paddling their way towards CST on 20^th January. You can stand anywhere from Bandra to CST to boost the morale. You never know a Parle-G a runner pops in from your plate, is worth an effort. Even your presence to cheer the puffin ones is worth a memory. I hardly remember the faces smiling and cheering, but I remember the affectionate energy those little kids, those aunts, and ladies were out greeting us, cheering us with.

Beauty about atleast this Marathon, no one is left-out. You still can be a part, and that’s what is spiritual about it. I could have used the word ‘sexy’ for some sane readers, but honestly, am sure that doesn’t gives out the expression which this ‘spiritual’ word surely does, despite how ‘anti-spiritual’ we think you may be. For those running, the Marathon, I never practiced to run the last Marathon. For me, planning for practicing with pals, was only about waking up & feeling the pleasant morning, which I usually fail to. After-all, it is the best time of the day!

And, you need to credit the way it was organized by the sponsors, organizations. Waiting for this year’s Marathon bag full of goodies.

Again, you still can be a part of this race, where everyone is the winner. Bus, spirit chaiye! I don’t know if they play the Kolaveri remix at the start of the race this time, but whosoeva is running or cheering, do greet out loud the electrifying ‘Run Mumbai Run’ chant. So, to brighten up someone’s future, to lighten up someone’s life...........................Run Mumbai Run!

(P.S. - Ignore typos, if any. I post, once jotted :-P)

Torn page of a Calm Night

2012-09-09T02:19:00.000+05:30

It is a moist cool rainy September night in Mumbai, the maximum city. Mumbai, for me, a kind lady, an inspiration of strength holding beneath her arms, many exciting stories of rags and riches. Every move, every nerve of her, every minute witnesses some or other kind of excitement, some kind of inspiration, some kind of lessons learnt.

It has it's own charm – from hustle bustle of the suburban ‘local’ stations to calm sea shores, which takes away all your tiredness in its deepness. From noisy busy mornings to silent tired nights. It has it all.

I’m in the room of my guest house, sipping a hot cup of Green tea, which has a punch of ginger in it. An usual composed hoping sound by field cricket is playing at the back of my ears. My room is all on boxes – formals, jeans, tees all scattered around, and thankfully, not on my bed!

Suddenly, it starts raining. Rains are different here in Mumbai, or maybe they are just similar to any other rain. But then, what makes them look different? May be the feeling of relaxation it gives you after or midst a busy day. The sudden downpour and the moist air suddenly relaxes you and touches your soul, bringing to you the aroma of wet soil - the best perfume on the planet.

Rains fall unrelenting, sounding like a lullaby, putting on mute all the hulla bo noises around me, bringing you close the voice of your soul. Not really sure about how, where and what my Sunday will bring for me – kind of little excited, nervous, happy, scarred. Believing in my honest work and dedication, and awaiting some magic for next Sunday, I wear my slippers and walk out of the building.

Magical sound of the raindrops slowly touching the dark black wet road plays at my back. One hand, I have my umbrella, and on the other, my phone

I start walking towards the station for some station wali - chai and packed biscuits. This walk is not the usual walk I have every morning. My walks are sluggish towards the station rather than being measurable for me with every minute having its own meaning to me. 5 minutes late to the projected time – 9:29 Churchgate Slow, 10 minutes late – 9:42 Andheri Fast, so that I can catch the same 9:29 slow from Andheri station.

The scene is also different on the road-sides at this time of the day. Roadsides are sleepy, they are dark. Yea alright your nostrils do hit some wet rotten stinky smell, mix of vegetables, polybags and all day long trash.

I finally reach the station. The view is calm. Few autowallahs sleeping, few having a chat. I finally reach Platform no.1.

“Ek chai dena” – waiting for my cup of chai, I realize, that station is the place, though it may yawn, but will never sleep. You have people here waiting for the first train that leaves and arrives in the morning. You’ve a gang of college guys and girls, laughing and chatting all out.

I turn towards the stall vendor.

“Kahan se ho?” (where are you from?) – I ask yawningly .

“Sahab Johnpur”. Aur app? – He asks in a friendly tone.

Living and growing up in so many cities, I always find this a tough question to answer.

“Whole night, you’re awake no sleep?” – I continue to talk to him, when he serves me my cup of tea, with some chocolate chip cookies.

“No sir! We officially have to be awake. Railway stalls cannot be shut in the night.” He continues – “I sit here whole night, and then sleep for 4 hours. Then I go to work to guard one of the ATMS close by from noon to night. “

“That’s tough! Don’t you think of going back to Johnpur?”

“No sir! I don’t get the time to think about it, and anyways going back there will be a bigger struggle. There are local groups, who would not let us hamper their business, if we wish to start one” – he answers

“Chai kum pani jyada hai” – I complain.

“Sir, should I make another?”

“No! that's fine.”

I start walking towards the guest house, where I’m staying, thinking, every person here around me have different dreams for tomorrow’s Sunday. Every person has different aspirations. Every person’s definition of what he/she wants is so different. Every being’s definition of comfort is so different. It’s quite amazing.

Cloud Security

2011-11-16T11:55:00.001+05:30

IT has the ability to deliver almost anything that you can think of, and here is the latest entrant - The Clouds, which is now a phrase du jour in the IT coliseum already. Clouds are on the rise and so are the organizations looking ahead to capture clouds for their business practices.

Cloud Computing has changed the approach such that a cloud – user now only requires a browser for access to the company’s network. And this raises risks and compliance concerns.

Being a part of GRC, we know what matters to organizations most and here, it is their corporate data which they may put on off-premise servers. So are the clouds safe? What are the risks involved? Will the data (kept off – shore) still sync with their company's internal compliance mandates?

Being in the GRC domain, I had serious question in front of myself – are clouds secured and safe and what should they do to adhere with IT security norms. How can they be well-equipped to address any IT security concern raised as any organization would want clouds to be safe before putting their enterprise data on-board?

With the current economic scenario, businesses, especially mid-size, may feel the need for cost reduction and look forward to this technology to source some or all of their computing services into the cloud; but what may hold them back are the security concerns. To pass the risk and compliance test, they would need to address the following concern that comes with clouds not only for IT auditors but also for themselves. A lack of robust methodology of identifying risk areas and being compliant may derail the complete concept of clouds.

First, we discuss the various planks which can be of major concerns to the data owners:

· SaaS, PaaS and IaaS: Cloud providers use Software as a Service (SaaS) or Platform as a Service (PaaS i.e. providing a platform to build software applications to cloud - users) or Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS like servers) to deliver a single application through the browser serving multiple clients.

· Use of web services: Use of web services like search engines, web portals, etc.

· Use of Utility Computing in Clouds: Utility computing i.e. utilization of services and computing resources, such as virtual Data Centers.

Risks Involved

· SaaS, PaaS and IaaS: The risk of using Saas, PaaS or IaaS is that all these platforms raise issues of identifying user accounts (duplicate user accounts) and their roles and rights, misalignment of data. In short, concerns of authorization and authentication. Here, the onus of data security lies not only on the data owners, but also majorly on the cloud providers (Cloud Service Providers), as the data is stored on any third – party software, storage blocks or platform based clouds.

· Use of web – services: Use of web services in the clouds is crucial to IT security as traditional vulnerabilities like virus, spywares are always of concern. Apart from the traditional villains resting on the web, it is security of the enterprise data to be transmitted to these web services is also under scanner.

· Use of Utility Computing in Clouds: Utility computing raises a high level of security concern as mission critical data of organizations are under scrutiny. The access to crucial and critical IT environments such Data Centers has always been of high concern to organizations. The fear of clouds growing dark rises, as we are actually looking into the prospects of a ‘virtual Data Center’.

Compliance practices to tackle the risks

Addressing risk and compliance aspects is fundamental for clouds to grow. This is important as no GRC umbrella over an organization’s cloud cluster would mean a complete degradation of their enterprise data and their business practice. The best practices to tackle the mentioned risks are suggested below:

· SaaS, PaaS and IaaS: Organizations need to focus on data security which becomes highly important as the clouds reside on storage blocks, software or platforms. User accounts and their roles and rights are absolutely crucial as well as their authorization and validation must be of primary focus to the organizations.Organizations / data owners here would also require robust cloud-based third party policies, rather than just the orthodox enterprise third party-based policies for the service providers who own the clouds (as the data now no more rest in their environment or facility).

· Use of web services: Filtering (URL filtering) on what is to be viewed on the basis of User roles is an effective measure while using web services on the clouds. This ensures that each cloud users access what is actually necessary for their role. This takes care of access to attractive but distracting information / services, which gives an easy en-route to traditional intruders. In case web security is outsourced to a third - party, SLAs / KPIs and related policies must just not only focus on web-security and filtering concerns, but must also focus on the services to curb and prevent data loss. Here, the responsibility of these measures lies primarily with the organizations, who own the data, because it’s just not their data residing on the clouds, they actually share a room out there! What is notably important here is to realize the guidelines and policies that need to be built around these risks and consistently keep a check on them.

· Use of Utility Computing in Clouds: To overcome security concerns related to the utilities like virtual Data Centers, it is highly recommended to locate and highlight low, medium and high-level of security concerns and risks in-depth. The policies, authorization and access to Data Centers must not only highlight but also address the risk areas and concerns that have been analyzed. The back-up and restoration methodologies adopted are of high significance too, because the Data Centers in the clouds are just not located off-shore, but are virtual as well. So, if organizations do not want the clouds to grow dark, it is important to primarily focus on the below aspects:

· Policy management and audit capabilities for themselves and cloud-providers

· IT security controls and the ability to transport and archive enterprise data

· Addressing poor visibility into risk exposure properly

· Avoiding lack of alignment from not having risk and compliance processes embedded within the business

Best practices ensure that the organizations; their corporate and enterprise data remain on cloud nine. Clouds are always pleasant to watch and GRC is all about ensuring they don’t grow dark. We won’t.

Globe is molting!

2011-09-24T03:00:00.001+05:30

“Hi! Which is berth number 72?” – Sweet maiden voice rang my ear drums while I was still lost in this new book on IT Architecture.

I look up and answer - “The side upper is berth # 72. “

“Oh! That’s up! Gosh!” - I just didn’t like the sigh sign on her pink cheeks. Her accent & her looks could easily tell me she wasn’t of Indian origin.

“No worries! We can change ours lady. Though the side upper doesn’t fits me in, but I’m ok! The side lower is mine”

“Oh that’s really kind of you to say that. But it’s fine”

She was probably taller than I was. My concentration in reading was all lost once again and I started gazing out of the window. The golden lights of stations were quickly passing by, and so were the flyovers and creeks.

After putting her bag in place, ‘She’ climbed down and made herself comfortable on the seat next to me.

“So where you from?” Backpacking in India?”

“Haha! Not really. Well, I’m from Poland.”

“Poland? That’s really interesting. ‘Cheshche’! Warsaw is a beautiful city and so are Polish people!

“Haha” Yea! Well, I study here & thank you for complimenting Polish people.” India is beautiful country too, colorful & hospitable. What do you do?”

“I work in an IT company here in Mumbai, going home for weekend.”

..and thus started our conversation that lasted till Surat (station in Gujarat state, India) showed in. We chit-chat and then her pals sitting in the other bogie come ti check if she was set in the train, also join us. They make themselves comfortable, chais & greetings, music and then somewhere, we speak about the infamous uprising in the arab world. A passing comment just touches me ‘Nothing remains same ever mate.” Not even our body. When we were kids we never had beards. Not just us, even the non-livings change. ‘ this was enough to spark thoughts in me. How true.

And lets realize…. World is up for changes yet again. Thank the increasing global use of internet which is bringing the globe closer with ideas from every part or Thank the ‘enough’ (read that louder within you..Kind of like.. Enooooooughhh to feel what I’m trying to say) and growing annoyance against state-corruptions, dictatorships, lack of governance or forceful governance. or thank the global meltdowns & turmoil.

Every part of the world is up for change now, just like a snake shedding skin to allow growth.

And, it’s important to realize for every nation, every citizen, people everywhere, somewhere, somehow want it to molt. This molting has happened in the past too and will keep happening even in the future. It’s a never ending procedure, and we witnessing that era yet again. Industrial Revolution, End of western imperialism are all result of this molting process. It’s inevitable. It will happen whenever the situation will be suffocating for people to survive, then will they show their dismay and strength to make globe a better place to live in.

The present scenario is really interesting. There are few nations, which are looking forward to fresh aroma of life, and there are few, which are destining them to doom. The biggest example for later are Pakistan, North Korea, especially Pakistan. Pakistan was much better place to live in 1998 rather than 2011. Internal security, terror attacks every other day, growing extremism. This all because of rapidly crashing out of education & financial system due to extremism. Pakistani establishments have dug a grave for themselves by nurturing extremism & terrorism.

Let's Look at the news around the world these days:

India fasts against corruption, United States loses AAA credit rating, China’s billionaires double in numbers, Libyans, Syrians on streets and protests to bring political reforms & restore civil rights, Iranians abroad voices concern for restoration of civil rights in homeland, Ireland economy crashes, Spain, Greece looks out for bail out.

Economic power houses today need economic reforms & the small nations need political reforms.

Global scenario is taking turns now. All the above, because we need changes! We, every one of us in every part of the world. We need new reforms, we need new governance; an environment where air is not suffocating to breathe.

Indians have been so much fed up of daily corruption charges making headlines daily and a significant rise in inflation. Lack of results by agencies against terror acts and infact sometimes accusation on the investigating agencies of being biased in corruption cases. Intolerance against corrupted ministers grew so much, that one old man of 80+ age raised a voice * demand for a quick and stringent anti – corruption bill, and nation followed the echo.

This can also be framed as a non-violent way of molting, a fact that Gandhian principles still can make a difference. However, not related to what I’m trying to emphasis here.

Major uprising or as I’m using the word molting here, can be seen in the Arab world. Egypt, Libya, Syria are all up against dictatorial and undemocratic governance that has been tormenting their & their nation’s development. Libyans are fed up of nearly 45 years of dictatorial regime and unneeded restrictions. The air to breathe has been becoming suffocating for people in these nations. Globe coming close through internet makes them realize they aren’t living in an environment which they deserve to. And why? Because, some guy has taken control of their nation is dictating them?

But, how long it lasts and what result it gives out is very crucial and important, because of after such unrest, the objective shouldn’t be lost. In case it does, then finding a solution is very difficult. Examples? De-unification of Korean peninsula that resulted in North & South Korea, Isreal – Palestine crisis, dismay in countries that were once a part of erstwhile Soviet Union.

It is then important for nations with well – established institutions to assist the people of nations that are looking for reforms, without any selfish interests. The latter is important, without any ego, greed or selfishness. Because, any shrewd process during re – establishment will come back to haunt them and everyone.

We have examples where such shrewd interests has actually caused globe disastrously. Afghanistan’s quest against Soviet’s troops in late 1980s where extremists mujahedeen were said to be supported & nurtured by nations like Pakistan & United States, came back to haunt them. Pakistan today is a completely paralyzed state infested with extremism & United States along with the world witnessed the most gruesome terrorist attack.

Let us realize that an uprising against a present form of governance by people must be supported for a good cause. And let us realize that people aren’t fighting today, it’s the governing establishments that actually are. So when normal people of this nations want a change, it must be supported and backed without any mutual interests.

If the world sanctioned Libya, it was because of Gaddaffi’s activities and not because of the people of Libya. If the world couldn’t connect with Iraq, it was because of Saddam, & and not the Iraqis. Korea would have been unified and there would have been no fear of nuke armaments from Korean peninsula if the then ‘well established institutions' (nations) wouldn’t have tried their own interest of governance. It should have been left with the people of Korea. Today the result is, North Koreans, afghans, & many other people in various different countries are living in a hollow world, deprived of even the basic needs. And, the problem is that the generations that are growing in these nations now, have never seen or understood what democracy is, what free thoughts is. They can’t even realize that they don’t need this kind of an environment. It's like an elephant being chained. An elephant can easily break the chain, it's an easy cake for it, but it doesn't. Because from birth, it has found itself in the chains. Elephant doesn't realizes he can break-free easily.

Today, Libya will go through a new process of governance. Glad that many ‘well-established’ nations are supporting the cause, they are funding Libya, but, important and very important, it shouldn’t be a derivative of ego, selfishness & greed. Syrians are all on streets & facing harsh steps from Pres. Bashar Al Hassad who wants to ‘kill’ the uprising’ the whole of Syria wants to break free but is facing tough crackdown. Apart from sanctions, the people of Syria should be supported. Surely, Bashar Al Hassad will have to go.Sooner or later, Iran, North Korea will join the crusade for change. Russians are already rebuilding technologies & revitalizing back their economy.United States is chalking out plans to curb economic unstability.

Also alike Libya, there would be many small big rebel groups, and that’s common in every uprising. But after the uprising finishes, each one of these groups wants to take the center stage. At that juncture, important that ‘well established countries assist in making the best for these nations, again without any greed or ego, share their democratic experiences, because if nation prospers, it will actually help these “well-established nations” like India, China, Northern America, western Europe also to prosper and so will the global scenario & economic standards. For all this, people’s desired governance is required & should be supported.

For a change, listening to Algerian song 'abdel kaider' that Polish lady shared with me. Holycow, can't understand a word, but music is enough to keep me grooving. Even the way these three singers sing, they bring tremendous energy. World is such a such a beautiful and great place to explore. Let us just keep it in our reach always.

The Pinch!!!!

2011-06-26T11:09:00.004+05:30

This short – fiction (or probably a true) giggle - gig story of a guy named Steyn is dedicated to all those who can relate to an important event, because to be frank, my heart really goes out to all those who have lost their loves to this magical city. Your love - whatever, a sleeky Blackberry, a smart Iphone, a hardcore Nokia, yes your phones, Cell phones, because every 1 out of 5 or 6 people living for quite a time in this city will tell you on how they lost their beloved device.

The Pinch

Yes, The Pinch! That’s what this great Indian city Mumbai does to you sometimes. Mumbai, probably globe’s 5^th largest metropolitan, India’s economic powerhouse and home to a population of approximately 20.5 million has a story to tell you every day.

It was a pleasant lazy Monday morning and Steyn was still napping in the bus he took to reach Malad suburban station from where he was going to catch a ’local’ to his office in Santacruz,. Ignoring the fact that he was sitting next to the damsel whom he will stalk on the bus - station and try skip his breakfast to catch the bus the same time she did. It wasn't worth it though, an everyday affair of their eyes meeting, htne dropping, and i any of the two felt necessary, smile thrown out! That was it.

‘Holla Holla’…rang Akon…Err..I mean his month old Blackberry. He just brought new smart business phone, and infact a couple of days before changed his cellular service provider to enjoy the comfort of the services this phone offered.

“Hey Sweet Morning Steyn! Yo just missed it love. I wish you were here. It was a hell good of a weekend trip we guys had! We found a good new place to take a break off the city. Bon - fire, seek lunch..all fun! It’s better than your peacock garden, where one has to get up even before sun does. This place was full of migratory birds too and you already know you sitting in the office whole day in front of your machine developing that fat old tummy right in front of you. So you gotta shake it and better dare it next time you miss something like this” - that was Preity, always full of life and yes, of course, the words.

“I know I did, I just checked the new pictures Niks added in there.”- I replied.

After the call, he gave a smile to the damsel sitting next to her. She smiled back. That was a routine thing that they both would do past a month. May be Steyn realizes, that it all starts and end with eyes meeting up and smiles ending it down.

He peeped out of the window. It was drizzling, it was all wet outside. The little drops entering his side. Smell of the rain - water hitting the ground, the best perfume in the world, which no French de toilette can match, brought him the freshness every being would wish for.

Beating the traffic but not the time off course, bus reaches the suburban railway station. Everyone around him is running, not exactly, but they atleast not walking. The damsel suddenly disappeared in the crowd. The everyday countdown has just begun to be witnessed. He gave a look at his wrist. It said 9.05 am already. “Gosh I gotta catch that 9.10 slow” - he murmured to himself. He turned a hungry man presented with a banquet, for whom the distance as far as his 1^st class on platform No.2 stand was his feast - a feast so staggering that everyday it completely destroyed his appetite.

After reading it with brisk walk, he prioritizes his task of reaching the 1^st class stand and accelerates himself. He walks up the steps of foot - bridge with something kinetic from crowd proportionally dragging him sometimes to his right, sometimes left.

There it is. Finally. Platform No.2 was full of life, I mean full of breathes. It was jam - packed, full of everyday business. The vendor stalls, the newspaper selling boys, the stinky fish smell, the ladies of all genre and the gentlemen, all looking hooked up. The south - bound trains passing the platforms with hancock speed, but you could feel the life, the freshness of the morning, if you could keep aside the raw stinky fish smell by blocking your nose with a perfume puffed handkerchief.

9.10 am Churchgate slow about to leave the platform, and people all ova it; the ‘no admission’ pavements, the straps of every car where hanging outside their capacity. Young bloods with handkerchief scarfed over their head were standing dangerously on the hooks in the middle of every car, ignoring the warning the sugar - coated voice from the announcement mikes was sharing especially for the commuters who loved flirting with their life, only to save some annoying 10 minutes of their day. And yes, sometimes, finding women hanging out of the cars too. The way they caught themselves

It was all a hasstle everyday. But, Steyn loved it. He loved the everyday energy this city generated. Charging up your life, spicing your life. He just loved the 25000 Volt energy this city generated and within 6 months of his new job, he was completely absorbed in loving this as always. Life was worth spicy - fast in this beach city, but he wished the climate helped the people enjoy it too. This city was dead humid, sweating you out even when you don’t feel like starting a day like that.

Message tone beeps. ‘Good Morning Steyn! From Paris, with love :-p!’

From Paris, with love..no no the message wasn’t sent from Paris, nether was it sent by some Frenchmen. It was to remind Steyn what he and the sender missed before quitting their last job. An official visit to the romantic city of Paris for a month to support clients on the applications, which they both knew was coming their way, but they still quit. After all, they gave so much of effort to earn the position they both enjoyed in their last department. But, it was cheesy rather not smart at all of them to leave that opportunity, when they knew it wasn’t easy the next time with a new start..wasn‘t it!? Steyn retaliated with a naughty smile.

“Train arriving on platform No.2 is fast local for Churchgate. This train will not halt at ….”. The honey coated voice announced.

“Holycow! My cripes! I gotta wait for the next train. I just hope I’m not late for the 10 am meeting. I never wanna walk those steep skywalk steps in Santacruz at the heist of my breathe atleast this pleasant monday morning. “ - Steyn said to himself. This time he was standing on the other pole - side of the platform where he usually used to, only because he thought he would catch the 9.10, which was packed in and out.

He looked at his wrist again, realizing it was 20^th May. “Oh goodness! Its Sandra’s birthday! So stupid of me. How could I miss wishing her? She would queue, tray calling me at strike 12 on my birthdays!” - his expressions turned embarrassing suddenly.

He took the phone out and called up Sandra. After wishing her up and apologizing for some 10 odd minutes, he realized that the fast train is gone and he could see the train he was looking ahead to catch arriving slowly to the station.

He hanged up and looked around. It was a normal busy day at the platform, and this train was an old rack. Not the latest racks with 9 bogies, unlike the 12 - bogie new racks that were introduced recently. So, he knew, his fight is going to be not that easy today.

He kept the phone in his right pocket of the trouser hurriedly and jumped towards the 1^st class compartment. It was a herd of people trying to catch anything whatever they could to make some space where even a rotten would hate to place itself. The raven - voices where all over shouting to make spaces..the time was short…. Steyn used his shoulders and pushed the herd inway to make same way for him to get into the train. The was then dragged in by a large chunk of crowd from behind. Today, 1^st class seemed to be more packed up than usual, or blame the old 9 - rack train they released at this peak hour. It didn’t make any sense.

The crowd behind him dragged him more to the already no comfort zone. Already, you actually don’t look for comfort, what you look for is some air to breathe in, and unlike the new rack, old racks didn’t have the best of ventilators. It was hollow dark inside. Steyn could all see were few eyes and struggling shoulders.

After 15 minutes of troubled drag - and - drop, It was Santacruz station finally. The compartment still looked more packed than everyday. The train slowed down and Steyn pushed himself out of the crowded queue which was looking to get down at the station. Steyn was on the platform. He could now breathe in some air. Sigh of relief could be seen on his and everybody’s face.

He moved his hand into his right trouser - pocket to pull out his handkerchief. The old rack - train was still about to leave the station. Hold on! Where’s the phone? Steyn moved his hand again over the pocket. He could feel his wallet but not the phone. It took him nothing of a time to realize that he was pinched. He hurriedly looked back and gave an eye into the compartment from where he got down. But, suddenly he stopped his nerves and calmed them down. He knew now it was all over and this wasn’t going to help. He calmed his nerves and shrugged his head. A smile drew on his face which was the most sarcastic and lost mankind could ever imagine. He knew and it didn‘t take him much time to realize his phone was picked. Pair of or even more than a pair of eyes were watching him put that sleekly black device while boarding the train. Everything and everyone looked simple silly minding their business while he was boarding the train. Hmm.. He was right; everyone looked simple silly and few did mind their business well this morning. He was pinched like many, the Mumbai way.

Konnichiwa to the Land of the Rising Sun!

2011-03-13T11:09:00.012+05:30

In the last company I worked for, we had an office in Tokyo, the beautiful capital of Japan. I usually got chance to interact with the Project managers, colleagues sitting in the Japan office and must say they are so beautiful people to friend up with, always warm and welcoming. That's from where I learnt the word' Konnichiwa', meaning a Hello in Japanese from one of the colleagues-cum friend. That's Japan, intelligent, intellectual, cultural, and hospitable.

But after taking a much needed off this Thursday, I reach office on Friday (March'11'2011) and google the latest news to realize that Japan has been struck by a massive earthquake measuring 8.9 on Richter scale, with a Tsunami warning. I remember just few days back also I saw a similar news saying Japan was hit by ab earthquake of some 7 richter scale(if i'm not wrong). To be honest, I couldn't frame out how intense an earthquake of almost 9 richter scale can be. By the time, I'm out for a luncheon with colleagues at 13.00 hours IST, I watch people, stewards, all glued on the news channels streaming videos showing how Tsunami has hit Northeastern island of Japan.

Japan - the land of the Rising Sun. Japan or as the Japanese call it - Nihon, is one of the culturally rich and one of the most wealthiest and technologically advanced countries in the world.

People of Japan have lived so much to the fact that they belong to the LAND OF THE RISING SUN, that they actually get up and defeat any event that tries to knock them down. So, true, the Land of the Rising Sun, where people actually rise to the occasion whenever there is a need.

Today, Japan is again challenged by nature and we are all pretty confident that together can and they will again rise to the occasion and show everyone what makes them been called the people from the Land of the Rising Sun. They will rise, and get up again! That's Japan!

And, this time they are not alone, the world is all with them, because we know what Japan can deliver and are confident that it will beat the heat it is facing post the Friday's devastating 8.8 Richter-scaled earthquake, one of the largest, that unfortunately also triggered a massive tsunami.

Japan's geographical location has many times been frequented with earth-quakes, and this is because the Japanese island is located in an area where many continental and oceanic plates meet. And, the people of Japan live up to this fact. They have been prepared always to defeat this natural calamity everytime it strikes them. Back in school, I used to read about the ways the people of Japan build their houses and belongings to curb the quakes. Japan's preparedness to beat this natural calamity has been outstanding. It has been in the past and many times, have faced massive earthquakes, and they have all raised themselves to the occasion and turned life to normalcy.

Not just the natural disasters, the fact remains and the world still salutes the spirit of Japan when they actually resisted the biggest man-made disaster in the worst war ever fought on the planet. World still salutes the spirit with which Japan overcame the aftermaths of Hiroshima Nagasaki nuke bombing and made the world realize their spirit when at once everything was thought to be over for Japan. I can bet each and every nation and the beings that know about the Hiroshima Nagasaki disaster still salutes a hats-off to the people of Japan. This island country on the pacific ocean has built themselves up as the world's one of the most powerful economy and culture.

There are news that this unprecedented natural disaster has moved Japanese land by 8 feet. We also have been hearing the news about the blast at one of the nuclear reactors, and the leakage from them, as few generators supporting the reactors have stopped working post tsunami waves. The nuclear radiation and contamination is now a big worry for the island nation post tsunami-quake, and the nation, along with the globe is already concerned. As of now, the people and the government's strength and courage in fighting the aftermath is amazing .

I don't know if any Japanese may be reading this, but we, the world, know and are sure of the fact, that alike past, Japan will surely defeat this unprecedented natural disaster. And please do note you're not alone, We all stand with you. the people of Japan and We support and salute your spirit to defeat any calamity that strikes you. Just like you have done in the past, everyone on this planet is all sure of the fact that Japan will again emerge and rise more prosperous and strong nation than before. I (just another mere human being on this planet) am sure many people from every corner of this planet have good wishes for you in their prayers, because we believe you have proved and you are the people from the land of the Rising SUN, and will RISE just like the beautiful sun rises AFTER dark! Globe's wishes are always with you!

Making a Blunt edge!

2010-12-28T16:51:00.015+05:30

Mood: Business Practices

Archie Andrews has always been my favorite comic strip. We have all grown up reading comic strips, watching cartoons. I still remember, my train journeys from one place to another wasn't without a comic book. But, I recently read in a journal about MBA studies abroad as how these strips can teach us Business practices.

I wondered how funny, and then I kept thinking sipping my hot chocolate at around 3am at a wintry night all packed in my blanket yester-night. I had in front of my eyes, all the examples, that I have learnt from people around me & known to me, including a vendor to a friend who has started his own venture. According to what i have been thinking, it's looks so damn simple fact that best Business practices can be learnt from our day to day life happenings or what we see.

If you imagine even the baddie villains we watch in a flick can also be picked up as a best example for Business practices! A wicked looking person we see in Mission Impossibles. They all carry an entrepreneurial imperatives to extremes. Ultimately, a villain (keep aside bollywood movie gentlemen) can be a person who says "Do hell with ethics, I'm gonna bend it my way." They actually start out with a good dream, but then end up with methods that are repugnant.

Example of one Anaconda movie, Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid that was showing up on HBO. the guys start with a good intentions to find an orchid flower, but then one of them just goes blind and crazy, keeping aside the life of his own so called colleagues & friends.

So, what does it says? Its simple if we actually give it a thought. It says you did start up with a good theme, but then you lost yourself in midst looking out for profits, despite the fact that you knew it wasn't the right way to get it. The Spiderman movie, where the person looses control over his own machine on his body. It's just like the way few business practices growing wrong.

Business Administration can be learned from any1 you see or are impressed with. And, we don't just need to follow just the success stories, but also the failure stories. Even the happenings in our life may be a perfect example of Business practices & administration.

Now, can you imagine, how just a thella of a vada-pav sellers, has evolved them into an entrepreneur & starting a chain of outlets!! Richard Branson, for example never started a business with a deep-strain knowledge of it. He just gave a thought & wanted to do it. Just planned a little strategy of connecting to people & there he is, way too ahead. Ratan Tata has taken an almost out of market,Tata name to every household, not only in India, but also in United Kingdom. It's all about how we learn & look at things.

Now we do know how Apple has always evolved around one person, Steve Jobs. When not being in Apple Co., he himself started the Pixer Animation, a never-miss-name when it comes to entertainment industry. Apple just didn't exist without him. And, when he was back in Apple Co., they are for-tuning their glory.To raise on what I have been pointing, Steve Jobs himself says his idea logy of Business is actually derived from his favorite band-Beatles!He says his model for business is the Beatles- "They were four guys that kept each other's negative tendencies in check; they balanced each other. And the total was greater than the sum of the parts. Great things in business are not done by one person, they are done by a team of people."

BPL Mobile, have been hearing this name from as long back as 7th grade, when I even didn't know about mobile phones & pagers were still in existence. This oldest Mobile operators in India unfortunately have failed to make a mark, despite being the best operator & brand in India's Commercial capital-Mumbai. It all started when Rajeev Chandrasekhar returned back from to India with his idea & started the company when he was just 27. He almost revolutionized mobile operations in Mumbai, and consecutively, India. But then, today I don't own a BPL sim card, because it probably failed to make appropriate business practices & the one time smallies at that time like Airtel ramped the mobile operations in India. They all turned a huge success, but BPL Mobile failed to capitalize on what it should be credited for in India. BPL Mobile now named as loop mobile, is searching for markets & many probably even fail to know what it is. The one time success story for mobile operations is still fighting the market with other giants.

So, how can a simple Vada-Pav seller can beat the heat of the fast-food joints in it's area whether it's McDonalds or KFC to make its presence felt, what BPL Mobile could not, despite being the starters in their own race? How simple mere common men from little known hamlets are making it big in our neighborhood streets by just selling Vada-Pavs or Pav-Bhajis.There are many such examples to watch on the suburban financial streets of Mumbai & Ahmedabad.

A lot of companies complain about factors like recession! All, what I think is, factors like this do not really govern your business practices, because even if it is a recession or it is not, people don't stop eating, people even before recession never wanted to have 2 televisions at one go. Recession can obviously a factor, but it shouldn't be the excuse, because there are businesses that still did run well even during recessions.

It's all about how they time their entrepreneur ideas, which they have learnt from life and have actually practiced. Wooing clients is just a big bullshit. If people are not happy with what you serve, how will you woo the clients & keep increasing them? The Confectionery store from where we have been ordering our sweets in festive seasons in Ahmedabad from a decade, have slowly transformed their shop into outlets, and now I see their advertisements on national news channels. Its about the way they time, the way they consistently keep the quality of what they serve, and then, at last, the way they try to keep their 'clients' lists increasing.

Marketing a product is only possible when people actually like what you have. So, why Sacha hullaboo over marketing? Companies hire marketing professionals to woo & increase clients, and this just makes me laugh out. I mean a lady calls me from a bank & asks me to buy their credit card, she keeps trying to please me buy it, & when I deny, she just keeps the fone down in a very shrewed way. So, even if i ever agree too swapping credit cards, that bank would not be in my list of probables for sure. Marketing is about being true to your product and your clients. Working on its drawbacks, and not about selling them in actual.

So, if companies want to define marketing as something they want for wooing clients and increasing the list, they obviously shouldn't name it as 'marketing'. Marketing was all about making your probable clients know what your product is all about, its features, how it can help them. But, this is not the way for obvious.

With all the examples I have been seeing all these years, I certainly believe each and every business in the world reaches a phase where they can dominate a certain market and are on their highs. It does happens in every business practices. It's at that very point, that the business administrators must not play with the quality & only look for profits, by thinking that they are now on a dominating score. Nope, it's very then that you are actually & unknowingly are destining your business into doom. They may earn some marginal profits at that stage, but in a bigger scenario, they are all waving for a steep fall.

It really shocked me, when a steel giant like Ispat group faced heavy losses & closed down their plants near Mumbai. And, now the news is, they are taken over by Jindal Steel Works. Ispat has had the best staff in the industry, they had the best mechanism, they had the required torque to sustain themselves in the market. But, still, how could they have a fall? It's more to do with the way we actually look at our business. Profits & losses are a part & parcel of any business practices, but then the attitude that you carry to towards your business is the most important phenomenon. Ratan Tata, obviously stands as a big example. Despite having a very talented team, he seems to be handpicking & looking into every venture he gets into personally. It's not a magic wound for anyone big or small, else the globe would have never seen a Gates, nor any Ambani, nor Mittals.

Business or anything related to it, starts with the idea we actually want to do, if we are talented in it & what are our demerits. that may wound down our business at any stage. Patience & delivering to the needs 'with a smile' is main essence to be gulped down, that's what i believe. Whether. it's a person coming from a small hamlet & starting a thella or a person with an adequate financial capital to venture into one.

There was a time, when Rajasthan saw very less railways connectivity. The only option to reach quickly to even it's mega-towns like Jodhpur & Bikaner was through roads. The state roadways buses where obviously never thought to be luxurious & affordable people faced a lot of problem traveling. It was then, that a famous bus travel agency opened up with brand new & luxurious buses. It was instantly a hit. But then, after few many years of dominance, it started losing it's market. More to do with new agencies coming up & the arrogance they were up with their services. the fares would change constantly. It soon lost a elite class bus agency tag amongst the masses to a new bus travel agency, which only had the same bus fares round the season & believed in better customer satisfaction & time-to time picking up & drop. Today, a large section of people from financial city of Ahmedabad to Udaipur prefer traveling through this agency, because of their timely services( because still the railway connectivity between Ahmedabad & Udaipur is a narrow gauge slow line & flying to 250 kms far Udaipur from Ahmedabad isn't a brilliant idea).

It's an easy saying: 'If you aim for the stars but only make it to the moon, remember there are people who have not yet made it to the moon.' Steps and steps are the only way to reach a destination. we humans obviously cannot fly.My college wasn't a pretty well known they started education, but they were smart to make a name in the elite Engineering colleges' list. They went step to step & catered the best slowly and gradually. They built the first two floors of hostel, and then started building next with growing intakes. It was far more sensible in my eyes than the other few colleges, who built a 5-star look ups, but the education staff wasn't the best ones.

So, when people talk about business and new trends that I keep reading about, all I think is what are they doing, because, the only best thing to do is work on what you have & then deliver it. If you really going well with it, market it, else let your marketing people work on it.

IT obviously helps a hell lot in business & the way the business is driven. Their is nothing without IT these days, whether even talking to your friend. Now, you do not need to obviously ask people been to Shimla for best hotels in the hill station, if you want to back-pack, Just google or go yahoo and you have the best answers. You can look for rates, you can compare them. So, IT helps in enhancing any particular business practice. Because, in today's world wide web, if you not on the net, you don't exist. In fact, you & your business is not considered one.

Enterprise Resource Planning - I.T.'s gift to Business!

2010-08-25T16:41:00.007+05:30

Mood: MIS 

Domain: Information Technology

These days, I have this new obsession of sipping Green tea, after a friend pursuing medicals told me it's benefits! Though, not much of a Coffee-tea guy, Green tea has impressed. So, I started my usual healthy experiments with it. In kitchen, squeezing few drops of lemon and ginger into the Green-tea pot, I wondered, if I had all these together, because you may some day have ginger, sum day lemon, or some day not both around you in the kitchen. But, then when I found the Tetley tea bags with all these three at a convenience store & was glad! But, this is not where the story ends, this is where it actually starts. I understood the need of a Enterprise solution that IT offers.

Change is inevitable, and so is I.T. It's everywhere around us, and is making our lives better and easy. We can do all blah blah blahs. I believe that the importance of I.T. is actually a result of small challenges that we humans cannot actually solve. Like being at your friend's place when it's his Birthday. There were days when we forgot their Birthdays, but now we have so many ways to remember them. I can't buy a NY Times daily in India everyday, but now I can read them. I mean, we all know how I.T. is working for us.

The importance of Information Technology in organization is thus also very crucial and this situation is rising with the competitions and business climate that keeps changing rapidly.

Whosoever is reading this already knows that an organization is a hierarchy structure of small entities, that is the specific departments, where each and every department is mutually dependent on each other. These all departments actually combine to make a work-flow for an organization.

So, there obviously is a need to have a single base-point where all these entities can meet and operated and monitored from.

It can be just explained with the help of our human body. We have a central godfather for all the nervous system and that is our Brain. Here, all the nerves of departments of our body, that have their own different functionality meets. Hands, Ears, Legs blah!

Now, just imagine if our body didn't have had this common ground called Brain. How will our body actually work, with no organ actually knowing what the other departments are doing. They would also not be connected and work mutually. How would we look?

That's as similar to any business organization that works. A small organization can however, claim that they have an easy communication channel between various of it's departments. But what if you have to grow? What if you have to have branch offices apart from where you actually started? Who doesn't wants to grow, and develop, whether small or big or mid! This is where my green tea bag story comes live again.

Isn't it good to have all the ginger, lemon green-tea in one small capsule bag?

In huge multi-stationed, sometimes multi-lingual industries, this demand, for a single platform for monitoring different branches and departments is high.

This is how I.T , gave birth to the idea of ERP, or the Enterprise Resource Planning. It explains the need of ERP, which is as important for an organization as it is for you or me to have extra nutrients and stuffs to keep yourself fit and going. ERP is a gift from the ever-happening I.T. world to any business organization from any field. This gift from I.T. is even more precious than it's gift to you and your relations and social circles, where you can actually see, compliment, smile share pains, with you friends living far away from where you're.

ERP gives organizations much flexibility and scalability.

I shortly worked as a Product Analyst for an e-Discovery tool making U.S. software firm, where processing data for their clients from the litigation world was a very essential feature. I could notice almost everyday that the increasing market dynamics and high competitiveness presses you to demand faster result, more precise reactions leading to a higher demand of both quality and quantity.

We had legal cases running on our software, where reviewers and lawyers would review loads of data, may be millions and billions for a single case, to fight a legal battle.

These data would be anything from a simple email to large PDF documents, or even an audio file, and we all know how a single piece of paper or data can be so very essential to turn a case in your favor. Now, a single particular document fail to show up to the reviewer as this obviously there would be millions and billions of documents in for a single case, and how in such a large chunk of data, one cannot rule out a single piece going wild.

A reviewer would obviously not love to see that particular file making him hang for long. So, the process of escalating the issue always had to be very fast and precise for us.

It was just a small example, but these such very examples exists on large in every organization in any domain or field. So, there obviously needs to be something in the organization system that may possibly recognize, report and correct(if possible).

Another reason which makes these ERPs more important for organizations is the number of takeovers and economic mergers that has been on a rise since the mid-1990s era, from when the local economies in different part of the earth started going global. (Thanks to the I.T. world again! )

This has led to the constant changes in the corporate structures. Well, we are still in the midst of many acquisition & merger news in India and globe, for example, there was a time few years back when Anil Agrawal led Vedanta group was looking ahead to acquire Cairns India, which may have made Anil Agrawal the Richest Indian entrepreneur, beating Mukesh Ambani's Reliance group.

This tells us how the global economic arena is shrinking so rapidly. Honestly, I didn't ever know or could realize while crossing the HZL plant while going to the Udaipur airport, that this Vedanta Group may suddenly pop-out and make news. I probably didn't know Agrawal's first name then, or de-facto, a large number of Indian youths still don't know who he is in India

The global economic changes are rapid and are shrinking faster. One organization sitting in India may suddenly grasp a Japanese client, or a Brazilian one. But then, it is obviously not possible for any organization to hire professionals knowing their job along with Japanese language or Tokyo's economy well. It's impractical.

So, many many organizations. now need a system which is multi-lingual and which understands multi-currency capabilities.

And, last important factor that makes these ERPS a boon and an essential to boost their growth and throttle success story is knowing the organization work-flow well.

Understanding an organization from outside or over viewing it's complete work-flow is always better than seeing it as being a part from within. That makes us understands the organization's smoothness of work-flow.

Obviously, I or You cannot really learn or describe and feel how the Earth rotates when I'm myself a very very small part of it from within. Do you realize you and your physical body is actually rotating from the time you where born? Or which side you rotating? East to west or west to east? Do you? It's every single second happening to you.

But, however, you and me can actually see how the planet rotates when we see it from outside. Then is when I and you can clearly define the Earth's rotation!

(Ahh!! imaginations sometimes help me so much to understand these complex business structures, Isn't it? :))

So, having a system where you can see the complete work-flow and functions of an organization. This will naturally help in assisting in building strategies to win this mad mad market race, which is getting big day by day.

I received a message recently from a close friend on my cell phone where reminded me of Abraham Lincoln( a former US President and a well known personality) stating once ' Work SMART, not hard'.

Obviously, Now, many won't really be comfortable when I put this along while defining organization, because they all are known to make you work hard out of your skin, but I better put it this way when it comes to the corporate organizations:

'Work hard, BUT smart , such that Every BIT of your hard work is noticed and doesn't goes wasted,' because you obviously have put in your efforts and no one would love to see his/her energy flooding out to waste.

If we can think that for us individuals, just imagine how important it becomes for organizations as the competition is always there and they don't wanna waste a single work they did!

This time for Africa!!

2010-06-12T15:27:00.000+05:30

My brain-waves taking me to jot down anothe write-up so soon.. I didnt expect it..But. its for a cause..

FIFA 2010 World Cup, one of the most celebrated global event has finally kicked off in the colorful South Africa! Its the first time its played in the African Continent, also known as the Dark Continent. Needless to say, Its a reason for every African to celebrate. Africans have always been known for smiling, midst any problem or trouble! They smile it all out with the punch of music and dance! This colourfull continent has so much to given to the globe.

FIFA, the world is watching Africa which is considered to be the origin of human life. Africa, must be celebrating, and many natiions rejoicing and having a reson to smile. It is the second largest continent with the second largest population on earth. But when this continent seems so united. When we talk about Asia, not one country comes in picture... divided everywhere. Example lets take Asia, it sdidvided geographically with names. Like, South-East asia, Central Asia, Gulf. Same with the American Continent, North America, Central America, Latin America. But, when it comes to Africa, everything seems threded under one roof, one name Africa. Obviously, this global sporting event is going to be a celebration world over, as it is in Africa this time. Sports unite the world, Sorts unite and remove boundaries, we all know it, and have seen it in the past. It brings out the best of human emtions, far above races, countries, languauges.

And, the Africans, always dancing to the music, singing.. enjoying. I came close to Africa, when my father shifted there few years back to work in a global firm. I came close to the people. I came close to this fantastic continent with colorful people.

Although it has abundant natural resources, Africa remains the world's poorest and most underdeveloped diseases and viruses (notably HIV and malaria), corrupt governments that have often committed serious human rights violations, failed central planning, high levels of illiteracy, lack of access to foreign capital, and frequent tribal and military conflict (ranging from guerrilla warfare to genocide).

Notably, the major problem, Corruption, which leads to the exploitation of there own people. Africa is full of resources globe is counting on, but still the natives are suffering from poverty. Why?? The countries are allowing themselves to be exploited for money. They know, they're, but they do little, because the invaders are giving them money. Invaders? Did the writer here say Invaders? Yes! I said it! And you get it right, the commercial invaders, who are invading their wealthy resources and paying them too less for that. The local Govts. can do too less for that and why? Because, Whatever, they are paid in return, may be too less, but sufficient for them.

I was few months back watching, "Don't Tell My Mother", a travel show on National Geographic, where Diego Buñuel, the host travelled to few troubled nations. He was in an Africa nation, where he he could see he Chinese fishing away all the natural resource away from that country, and the locals working there in bad conditions as just mere labourers. One of my Morrocan frind told me the same happening by Chinese in Morrocco. Thats really pathetic. Its the time the Africans must look at what they have, and what they getting. They in my views shouldn't be looking at small profits, instead of looking at long term profit, they must have for those resousrces, and for that , they need a uncorrupt Govt.

Africa from over centuries, has given this world music, culture, dance, nature, and what not! And what the world has given them, is it justified? Lets forget what hapend in the past, the colonisation and all the world all over went through. Many countries have excelled out of it now. But, after growing up from all that, even Today, are we still giving this lovely continent what it desrves?

Africa, right now , surely will be in a modd to rejoice, and amidst the likes of super strong soccer teams, like Argentina, Brazil, France, Spain, I would want the cup to remain in this continent. They need sumthing to rejoice afterall.

Let's not forget, and always be up-armed to give the respeEct back to the lovely continent, full of lovely people. Even if we don;t Africa will smile anyways, it's always in them to smile, but we should give them what they desrve solely!

Early Case Assesment- Can be India's first baby-step towards e-Discovery!

2010-06-02T14:04:00.002+05:30

Best thing to kill time is, when you not sleepy, flush all your thoughts out on anything that is presently on your mind or nerves, and I'm doing just that.,

Early Case Assessment- Wikipedia describes it better- It explains that Oftentimes an organization feels a need to settle a legal case, for whatever reason, only to find they wish they did before they spent so much time and money on the case. Legal Cases are many times bound to happen to any organization and the costs of running a case are usually the most burdensome financially to both sides fighting on an issue. Often, and during legal cases, an opposing party will strategize on how to make it as difficult as possible for you to comply with the discovery process, including time and cost to respond to discovery requests. Because of this, organizations have a continued need to conduct early case assessment to determine their risks of taking a case to trial without painful settlement discussions.

Early Case Assessment or ECA in short, is something you and I do before a big huge event. We analyse, we bring all the points under one roof and make a blue-print out of it.

For example, the Captain cool of Indian Cricket team would do a Pre-match survey before a big game, and accordingly make strategies to combat opposition. Analysis of anything before is important That's what Early Case is all about, It refers to estimating risk(cost of time and money) to prosecute or defend a case.

I have already discussed e-Discovery in details in one of my previous blogs. (http://shashiblogs.blogspot.com/2010/05/e-discovery-in-india-call-of-hour.html) and (http://shashiblogs.blogspot.com/2010/02/eureka-discovery-e-discovery.html). e-Discovery in India would require a sea-change in the present legal system India has. India, a house to the second largest population in the world and the fast-emerging global power-house obviously needs to the e-Discovery rains to soothe the Legal system we presently have. Buy, its a known fact to, that with millions and millions of cases fought in the geographically large India, will need time to accept e-discovery. It cannot be a rocket-Science implementation.

It will need something to trigger the birth of e-Discovery in India, and if going by what I believe( Remember, I'm a beginner, a learner to e-D world..Hah!!!)..so going by what I think, Early Case Assesment(or ECA) can be the baby-step to India's welcome step to e-D.

Now, Ambanis have recently settled, what if they had a ECA system, to settle them out? India is home to many multi-nationals, and as stated already, a legal case fishes out loads of wealth and time.

The companies can have a ECA to review cases before they fight it out and this will also be responsible for trashing out unnecessary documents that they may have stored for years or more.
As described on the internet, The early case assessment lifecycle will typically include all of the following:
1. Perform a risk benefit analysis.
2. Place and manage a legal holdon potentially responsive documents (paper and ESI) in appropriate countries.
3.Preserve information abroad.
4. Gather relevant information for attorney and expert document review.
5. Process potentially relevant information for purposes of filtering.
6. Produce documents to parties in the case.

7. Reuse information in future cases.

I have my one senior here with whom I was discussing this topic and looking at his experience and far-sightedness in the development of many projects in the organization, I asked him the same. Kirit came out with a reply telling me that the companies can, but the system isn't yet there in place. A shorter version of ECAs can though come up for them. In this small chat with Kirit, I couldn't actually fetch a lot out, ( Little expirence you see :(... Hah!!

But if what he says is to be believed to, I atleast could fetch that he too did agree somewhere between the midst, ECA can surely be India's first step to the astonishing world of e-Discovery. And, the reason why I keep pressing on e-Discovery in India, I don't have to explain people what I'm upto and keep getting great opportunities to rule!! Ha!

Internationalism.. A Realization Needed!!

2010-05-31T00:13:00.019+05:30

I was listening to a Spanish song which I'm fond of these days. I translated it to realize the lyrics mean same what the may mean for an Indian singer. World's got the same feeling anywhere.

Internationalist!!!! I remember this word from the time, when I actually didn't know what it meant. Way back in 8th or 9th grade probably, my history teacher and I were having a discussion and then when he called me an "Internationalist" and asked me to keep it always there. I wondered was that an compliment, looking at the way I have been, I went home, and searched the word in my favorite mini Collins Dictionary, which I found in my Grand pa's dusty library (which, though got tore, still I binded it, because no one near me had it. Guess, Oxford lovers! Hah!!). The word was back recently when I was talking to a friend from Germany after long. We met when she was in India as a Tourist! This word just keeps coming back to me, anytime I have a new friend from any part of the world and when I explain them what I have here, in this blog.

The word meant :

The condition or quality of being international in character, principles, concern, or attitude.
A policy or practice of cooperation among nations, especially in politics and economic matters.

I was always interested in knowing, that any news in India, which our media persons are flooding our T.V. sets with it, does it really is of same impact in any other part of the world? Probably this is what made him say that. But, that was all in my upbringing. My Mum teaching me, world news mattering my father. Me born traveling different places in India.

The best thing about being an Indian is, you have almost everything here, and probably this is the reason India forms a sub-continent. India is home to almost all the religions in the world from eras to eras. It forms the biggest secularist state in the world. The culture and languages differ in every 100 kms you travel. You got one of the coolest place in the world; Home to Himalayas. You got deserts in the name of Great Indian Tar deserts. You got the rain forests in the North-East! Deltas in the Bay of Bengal! Home to one of the globe's Multi-urbane golden life cities like Mumbai, Calcutta. Darkest of villages in Orissa. India is home to all. Incredible India!

But, that is what I'm not actually talking about! I'm talking about Internationalism. The word.... In short we are One world; One people, divided by cities, districts, culture, languages, food and living habits. Which ever city you are, whether in Poland to Perth, California or Calcutta, Arctic to Antarctic you will find people with mindset you may have. Though these cities are miles away. In Ahmedabad or Amsterdam , you will find people who loves dog, pet dogs, who fear dogs, don't pet them. You will find people who Love long drives or who loves early mornings, or who wake up early. who hate parties, love parties. In short, any two Human beings in any part of the world may HAVE same emotions and feelings, just as I do, or you do!They may like what you say and think the way you do on a particular issue. Or may differ just like any of your pals( may have same vision like your friend).

Similarly, the Indians call their Mother "Maa", an Englishmen calls "Mum", an Urdu or Arabic probably would say "Ammi". The sounds the same. Hello, Hola, Hi.. The feelings that comes out is the same. In African misty woods, when a person meets his/her loved ones, the feelings he/she goes through is the same like what I may go through when I meet mines back in India. Same from a person in any part of the world.Whether you in Iran- Indonesia, Korea-Kazakhsthan, India, America-Africa, we may find people with the way we think. With our similar likings, just like the bunch of people around us.My heart goes out for anyone suffering in any part of the world, because I belive that they go through the same ain as smeone around me may.

But, then I come across people, thinking, "Oh!! He is a Nigerian, Swedish, Spaniard, Japanese. He must be thinking different then us!" How can we be friends?" Well, my pal, u never know, he may be the one with similar likings as you have. A person living in a torn-ghetto in Africa may have same emotions and feeling for a particular subject with the one living in a castle-like house in America. People who witnessed 9/11 in America and the ones who witnessed 26/11 in India had similar emotions against terror. It hurts an Asian and European or an American the same way to see the victims of earthquake in Haiti, as for a person sitting in other part of the world from Haiti. I fear dogs, I can't pet them, because I fear they may bite. I may have someone thinking the same in Dallas, America or Budapest. Many of my friends have dogs and treat them and love as their friend, just like someone sitting in Spain or Japan would. Friends from Spain or Australia, or America, think , feel the same just Like some of my Indian friends.

In every part of the world, from North to South, East to West you will find people who love and think Like you or think like one of your friends. The color, is different, because of the climatic condition they have.

The language is different, because of the the way they have evolved speaking. It is different within the borders too. The food and beverages we have is different, because of the climatic conditions and the source oif food they may have. On an Island country or a county with sandy beaches, you will find people loving and having sea foods like Prawns, Fishes. One Living in deserts, try Camel's, Cow's meats.

That's the way world is. Earth cannot have same climatic conditions, same geographical strategies everywhere. They differ. So do the way people talk, live, eat, speak are different. BUT, the world is ONE. You will find people thinking the same way in any part of the world, similar to you, or may be your friends, family.

It's important to realise for everyone in the world. We need to learn and realise that the globe is not same everywhere, so is the way people live. But, that doesn't mean you may not find people with simliar ideologies in Iraq or Indonesia. You may have people thinking like you, or not going by what you think on any particular topic, just like your friends or the people around you. But, when I say this, I don't mean we stop loving our country and think only globally. Nationalism always needs to be there, but that doesn't mean we over- think in that perspective. What I want to convey is that we must realize and go by the face that every country in the world has people who may think like you or like your loved ones, or like your neighbor, or may be like your friend. Give it a thought. May be, this realization may end our global woes.

e-Discovery in India! Call of the Hour!!!

2010-05-08T15:30:00.003+05:30

I don't know when next I would be writing on e-Discovery again, and thus, I really wanted to push out all my thoughts on what I could read and my understandings on it's presence in fast emerging India.

e-Discovery!!! Something I fell in love with after SAP in college! (and now you finally know that such crushes has actually made me SINGLE !!!! Hah!!) The other guy who really brought me close it, seems to also be madly in love with e-D. Charles Skamser, who seems to be running an e-d vendorship in US. His blogs, his active participation in anything related to e-D, just portrays his interest in e-D!

Anyways, There is something in e-Discovery that made me feel that this stream of I.T. is always open to new ideas and innovations. Because there is so much still needed for it to grow. And, may be, because I find both these fields SAP and e-Discovery, the easiest and fruitiest in I.T.!

I personally feel, I.T. dealing with defense, legal and government projects always forms the highest priority level for I.T. world. Something is needed every minute to enhance them, looking at the way they work.

e-Discovery, is something that links I.T. world to legal world. And, in India, to be honest, even I didn't know about it, until I stared working on it, and none of my friends do, because we still don't have it around. This has thus obviously led to my curiousness to learn when will e-D make its presence felt in India. So, in my venture to learn that, I put in posts in LinkedIn to know what the intelligent brains from the legal world had to say about it. Started fishing out all I could from Google to satisfy my curiosity.

But it's important to know first what e-Discovery really is. If you ask me, my amateur knowledge on e-Discovery calls it a concept that brings I.T. and legal world together. Legal work involves reviewing of millions and billions of documents of different formats ranging from a simple MS Word to a RTF kind. So, it's really important that each and every documents reviewed is brought under one roof for review. They are batched, and made to the easiest of convenience for a lawyer or a reviewer to review. So, what I.T. really does is, provides such tools and softwares which really removes other head-aches for reviewers, so that he can only concentrate on reviewing documents and come out with the best of results. But, how e-Discovery does that, it's a real twist, it actually is a series of processing, this and that, which actually thus brings out an smile on a reviewer's face, just like the below cartoon(Ah!):

India is an emerging axis of power in the world. The efficiency and the reforms India has, is well-known worldwide. Moreover, looking at the way Globe is presently bending, the need of the hour is democracy for each and every citizen in the world. And, India is the largest democracy in the world. The free and fair legal system in well-known and well-recognized in the world. The most recent example is, the conviction of the lone alive Paki terrorist Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab, who brutally fired and killed many innocent Indian and foreign nationals in Mumbai in 26/11/08. There were enough evidence provided and present to convict him straight away, but still, a special court was formed to convict him and hear his case for a free and fair trial. It took along 15 months and 40,000 pages of charge-sheet to finally announce him a death penalty. the menace terrorist was even explained why he has been given corporal punishment.

There are may cases running and pending every day in the Indian courts. So is it the right time to pitch e-discovery in? Is it the right time to think about e-Discovery and making it all happen with e-Discovery? If you ask me, I would say Yes!!! In fact, why aren't we actually thinking about it?

My Discussions on few Legal IT groups in Linked In are as follows ( Yes, you got it correct. I don't want to pain my fingers jotting it all down for you, so have it eaten all raw!! Hah!):

Topic: M working with on of the leading e-Discovery vendors..As I stay in India, I was curious to know when will e-Discovery step in India?? What are the chances?? How long?? Any views from experts??

Comments:

"Don't see that happening anytime soon. The only e-Discovery I can think of is if MNCs have lawsuits which involve their employees residing in India (as they may have offices here). "
"Thanks Rajiv... It seems seriously difficult...But I really wish to learn the reason why?? why not possible in India?? Whys is it taking time??"

"I think the current legal system in India is not that great in working with electronic evidence. I sure feel the Satyam case can actually be investigated using e-Discovery and has the potential to be a great example. I don't see the problem as specific to India but this seems to be the case with a lot of countries who haven't upgraded their legal system to handle electronic evidence."

2. Topic: When will e-Discovery come to India?

"This is certainly going to take a long time as our judicial system still dependent on mostly paper work(hard copy). Until it get a shift to softcopy, there is very minimal chance of e-discovery in India. Few LAW firms like Pangea3 are into e-discovery but will take a long time to expand its hands in India."

"Thank you for your answer. It is really worth a reason why we don't have people thinking about it as of yet.Thanks again!"

With both the above discussions and few learning with my talk on this with my beloved collegues, I could feel that the root cause is the legal world in India is actually not thinking about it. Neither is the system compliant for e-discovery and the technology yet. The legal system in India still relies a lot on paper work.

Furthermore, it is equally important to link the legal students and anyone anyhow related to legal system in India with technology and the miracles of e-Discovery. This should be kinda chapter in their studies somewhere. I personally feel, relating to technology to whatever you do is very important to remin smart! You never know, it may do you wonders. So, it should be a part of curriculum.

These are my learning on what I feel about why e-Discovery isn't in India! India, a home to second largest population in the world, and one of the fastest and influencive economy, needs legal system to be revived asap.

Eureka-Discovery (e-discovery)!

2010-02-26T12:29:00.000+05:30

Statutory Warning: The below blog contains Technical terms and issues. Read at your own risk. If you go scratching your head in and out, author of the article shouldn't be cursed!

Eureka Eureka!!

Remember the Archimedes Line? I still have the memories of a snapshot of Archimedes running out of the bath-tub shouting the famous word, straight out of my 8th Grade Physics text book.

My, then classmate, Kapil Umalkar and me would make fun of him then. Don't ask me how Kapil is, I wish he turns out to be another Archimedes running on the streets of Delhi. he stays so out of touch these years,sucker!

Anyways, the I.T. guys find this word very common to their lives. Sometimes, they even don't need to run down the streets and shout the word out, as I.T. every single minute is offering something new to this globe. That's I.T. for you. (But, don't ask how the I.T. guys really get screwed down by doing so. Every time there is a new upgrade to work upon, Sucks!)

From past couple of months, I have been working in the field of e-Discovery as a Product Analyst. ( I know, a hell lot of you guys, don't know what it is. Why don't you do me a favor then? Go check the link I have put for it rather then asking me up seperately. "Yaar! Shashi, mast hai yaar, magar e-Discovery kya hai? What is e-Discovery, temme?" )

The designation of Product Analyst may seem so cool, but you will keep figuring out, what you have been actually doing until you Grey down all your hair. he is someone, who is a Technical personnel, guiding and guarding the software all armed day-night.

e-Discovery is a vast new field of I.T. With the well-structured format it has got, it will definitely come out to different horizons of work-flow in and around the Legal world. e-Discovery links I.T. to the Legal World with a brilliance. Sometimes, you fail to figure out in an e-Discovery enterprise, who is from the Legal background and who from the I.T.

It's a known fact that the Legal world is something that will never die out for sure. It is to stay till humans are alive on the planet. As, SRK says in My Name is Khan, there are two kinds of people in the world, good and the bad. Legal and Judiciary has been into use from the oldest era of mankind. So, I.T. has always got a lot to offer in here and the way e-discovery brings I.T. into the legal world is just very beautiful.

My organization is grooming up the e-discovery concept too with it's s/w tool, which brought me closer to this I.T. concept. But, there are a lot many concepts that need to be fished into the e-discovery house-hold. Most importantly, as going through, few discussions I get to learn from people around, Cloud Computing, which I have studied at basics while pursuing my Engineering.

The most important trouble I think that e-discovery must be facing, atleast I'm when related to e-discovery tools, is the searching of the required documents.

The searching of documents and data in e-D isn't a normal search, I must make it very clear. you're actually not running a normal search which one performs in Google or Yahoo. Here, you're searching a series of documents that may be a necessity for a legal case. This series of documents may be defined by many metadata fields (metadata: data of a data), many other fields.

These searches are performed in such a way that, you may have to search for funny Tags, with what all names, according to the folders they are in, according to the few words. In short, the searches are never easy. Very Complicated.

Everybody close knows, if interested in something, I'm all High for it. I come out with anything close to it. This time, it's e-Discovery!! Funny, but true, the lazy bone taking interest.

So, while reading stuffs on this, and facing a hell lot of trouble with the searches, guiding clients and sometimes guiding myself in it. I found out an article somewhere in blue about Concept Searching, which the e-D developers have started working on already.

Ex. 1: "Hey!! Sachin scored 200 in Gwalior in cricket today!"

Ex.2: "Hey!! Sachin scored 200 runs in Gwalior in match today!"

If the term 'Cricket' was used as a keyword in the search, then example line 1 would be found, but Ex.2 won't. But ,they both mean the same.

However, a concept searching tool would be expected to “find” both examples, because “Concept Searching” is, as the name implies, actually looking for “concepts” rather than just keywords.

As mentioned already, let me warn you,that the searches in e-discovery aren't the normal searches. It is also the most important practice in e-D. Just like, you are trying to find few necessary papers in a room packed with millions of sheets. That's crazy isn't it? But, that's what makes e-d a well-practiced concept in the western world. Guess, when Indian lawyers would stop searching legal papers in their moist room jam-packed with files and folders.

In e-D, while performing a search,You're actually fishing out a doc. or a set of docs, with any field tagged or with any criteria, because these are just not normal documents. A single document can be the apple for your legal case. This tool is doing just what is done above, but on a more focused paragraph or sentence rather than an entire document.

Concept Searching can be successfully implemented categorically for Tags, Buckets,words.

Also, what I believe, what if we are dealing with large set of documents; if there is a 5000 or more pages, that we usually have in e-D, document that is important or “hot”(lol), because of one paragraph, concept searching for similar documents will often produce a large junk. Like, Concept Searching for example a newspaper with Sachin Tendulkar's One-dayer score, would fetch in a junk result of Sachin's Adidas advert. saluting the master blaster.

I certainly believe that the Concept Searching should be very much worked upon by the I.T. world to implement it sooner to e-Discovery. that's atleast going to push off the headaches for easy going chaps like me. Ask a guy like me, what I go through, whenever I have to work on the searches, just has to go round-and-round in these searches.They so very damn confusing. Fellow mates, sometimes would come into rescue me out of the mad mad world of searching.

e-Discovery is a all new world man, so many to come up.Learn it out, the ones who still don't know a pinch about, it's a lot catchy dudes.

Romancing with the Buzzz Station!

2010-02-21T11:25:00.000+05:30

Place: Jaipur

Month- Mid Feb

Cold breeze sweeps on this road here. I pull on the cap of my Adidas pullover and then give a look at my watch, it says 11 pm. I'm still not feeling sleepy even after a a busy day. May be because I'm staying all alone in the hotel. After a chat with few Nepali stewards at the hotel, I stroll down this narrow galli that leads to the Polo Victory road. It's mid Feb, and Jaipur is still so cold.

The silent galli ends for the Polo Victory Road.colored with bright Golden street-lamps. Crowded, loud, bright, with road-sided dhabas and restaurants opened 24/7, its' what this road is all about.

Crispy dry cold breeze reminds me of my office's Air-conditioner going wild. I'm just strolling down the street looking the road-side multi-cuisine dhabas. Very Next to me is Sindhi Camp, funny name, but this what is the busy jam-packed Jaipur Bus terminal named as.

I walk briskly walk into Sindhi Camp. As my feet force s me to the bus platforms, the intensity of noise and human voices increases.

loud chaiwalas, Himachal Pradesh's Apple-Juice counter and I halt!

"A glass please"

"Yes Sirji, here you're"

Break Break Break...a question to anyone reading this blog- These H.P.'s Apple Juice centers at various Railway, bus stations around the country, are they really an initiative of the H.P. Govt, and are these cheap 8 INR per glass juice, really the apple drink? I remebber, our Cab Driver during the Manali, Shimla trip, who was laso our local guide at times,lol, was telling us that the apples are too cheap there, a big huge box costs just a whooping 30 INR. Whether it's Ahmedabad's railway station, Bandra and CST Terminus, Jaipur's Sindhi Camp, wherever you're they are on.

After a great glass of apple treat, I move ahead buying myself a cream-roll. I give a look at the watch again, Its quarter to 12 now.

"Haridwar Delhi Haridwar", "Nathdwara Udaipur Kankroli", "Gurgaona-Delhi", "Rohtak" , ..loud creepy voices rule the terminus.

To my surprise, I find buses for al the places in North, which always looked far and far to me from Western, Central and Eastern part of the country. Jaipur, being one of the most important tourist destinations, seems well connected. Buses for everywhere, Srinagar to Shimla, Manali to Merta City, Udaipur to Ujjain, Kalka to Chandigarh. anywhere in North.

Rings my fone..."Hey?"

"Hi Shashi! Happy Birthday".

"Sucker! It's not today.. u the earliest, it's tomorrow. Thank God, I was awake Ashu, rest u were dead"

I look amazingly at the bus station, people and people around. On seats, below seats, sleeping, talking, laughing, even breaking winds and Roaring the ZZzzzzzzzssss while napping.

"Sir, Have to go to Ahmedabad day after tomorrow in the late hours. Buses for the city?"

"Got one at 10.00pm and a Volvo at 11pm"

"Whats the fair for them?"

"Sir?" "Sir??" "Sir???"- Jaipur and most of the country ki adadat, all the govt and civic services employees, short and sweet! ha ha.

Watch shouts 1 AM now.

My message tone rings. Niraj Patel sends "LOAFER aur OFFER mein kya farak hai? Batao toh chavani dunga. Ladka Ladki ko propose kare toh LOAFER aur Ladki kare toh OFFER!" Cool messages like these from Niraj storm my message book these days.

I move to the other section of the terminus, exclusively for North-Bound buses."Manali Manali"..."Shimla......Shimla", "Sundernagar.....Sundernagar"

And moving ahead, I move to the executive class of the Rajasthan State Roadways Terminus (RSRTC). The Gold-Line, Silver-Line marked, well trimmed, washed decorated buses. The shops on this side are also not normal thellas, like the other sections. You have a Narula's here, a NesCafe Outlet, well-groomed waiting rooms.

I move to the Enquiry Counter.

"Got to go to Ahmedabad day after tomorrow, can you let me know the fare and timings of the buses?"

Unlike the previous encounter with a RSRTC Official at the enquiry Office, for whom, just to listen to his break-way voice, hoards of people were waiting, and he was still unmoved.

This person politiely answers- "Sir! Bus will leave at 9.30. It's a Volvo Bus to Ahmedabad. You will Reach Ahmedabad at 9.30 am sharp. The fair is 950 INR. I suggest you better buy the ticket now, as the bus suddenly gets packed."

Surprised and feeling nothing less than a king by his gestures towards me, I feel I'm on Cloud 9.

I move to the ticket counter and stand in the queue. The same person points at me - "Sirji, Please fill the enquiry form before standing in the queue, rest, you may have to go round again and stand."

"Form? Reservation Form?" Just Like the Railways?"- I gesture

"Ha Ha! Yes Sir"

The scene here is quite executive. The feeling you get in this section makes you feel you're special. Rajasthan is always known for the hospitality given to outsiders. You see it all here. Padahro Mahare Desh!

But, the previous sections, normal running buses aren't groomed the same way. Why? I just don't get it? The tickets and fares for those buses aren't cheap either. We blame the large Indian population for this. But, Gosh! Gimme a Break! Aren't the ones traveling by Volvos a part of the same populous crowd?

The Jaipur bus Terminus is lively, cool, fun to be. But, a sea-change in approach for the normal platforms and executive platforms is different. Foreign nationals to travel by the normal buses. If we can take care of one part at a dead-end kind of approach, why not the same for other class of buses? It's just an example of our approach. May be the crowd make it dirty and messy again, may be they like keeping public places dirty, may be. My be, in few hours the mess and dirt is there all over again. But lets try keeping them clean once, Let's give it a try. I truely understand that population and the people's approach is very annoying. But sanitize and keep the other sections clean once, and make the people understand that keeping them so would be and is good for them. We don't do it, and rest blame the population again and again.

Rest, you guys, do answer my Himachal Pradesh apple juice counters wala question?

Ahmedabad and the foul stories!

2010-02-07T04:50:00.003+05:30

This Write-up got place even in the Ahmedabad Mirror's e-Paper.

1.30 am and Ahmedabad is finally here. I peep out of the door of the 3-tier AC compartment of Ranakpur Express, and can see the train passing on the bridge over Sabarmati river. Next is Ahmedabad junction.

But, I love it. I'm back to Ahmedabad from a short trip to the Thar. Ahmedabad, where I was born more than 2 decades back, and now staying post graduation. Broad roads, Silent Traffic, cool Malls,..That's Ahmedabad! A metro city in India where you find the traffic police circulating safety norm circulars and Do's and Dont's, instead of looting your money away. A city where, crime is the lowest. So low, that chain snatching is something that police has in its top crime agenda to curb down. Yes, Chain Snatching, which seems normal for other metros. This is Ahmedabad, where women can be seen riding at 3 am without any fear.A metro city where, you have peace and security. A city rich with Vibrant culture, and house of literates, where you even if you accidentally bump into a guy on road (if his and your vehicle isn't damaged or hit), the other would just pass in a smile and move on.

But, Ahmedabad is still being remembered for 2002, and I don't know why. Whenever there is a talk about Ahmedabad, its for the two reasons; Busting economy and 2002. I don't understand how can people still tag it as a communally tensed area, where Human rights takes a beating. Let me put in a fact, if it was not Gujarat and some other state in India, It would have been almost impossible that a police official fishes out the truth behind an encounter. I wish to see that whosoever having a similar mindset about this city and state, reads it and changes his\her view about Ahmedabad. In fact, according to the recent report published by a Indian Government agency, in Ahmedabad & Gujarat, every community whether major or minor, are most prosperous than the rest of the states.

Ridiculous! Really ridiculous to see how Ahmedabad is been portrayed by the media as a communally tensed city. Whatever I want to convey here can't go light by looking me as a Am writing this, because, its just after My B.E. in 2008, I'm full-fledged living here. Neither I'm a Gujarati. I have lived in more than a couple of Indian states from East, Central India to West, so please don't doubt my credit-ability on this.

Believe me or not, after living in the likes of major cities and towns of India, i would call Ahmedabad the most peaceful and rapidly growing city, where public services is worth learn. The Police and the way government offices work in this city and state is an example to watch. Police? lol..Shashi talking about police? What about those fake encounters? And I would answer back to something like this as..What about the cracking of Indigenous IM group, responsible for Mumbai sub-urban train blasts in 2006, Jaipur, Delhi and Bangalore Blasts carried out by the terror group. What happened to the Police network of Mumbai, who couldn't crack down? What about Rajasthan, and NCR Police? Ahmedabad saw a serial blast and within 6 months, the ones who carried that out were booked to justice. Alos came out the long thread of terror carried out by IM in Mumbai, Delhi, Jaipur, Bangalore.

I cannot expect any other city in India, where a police official comes up giving you flowers or traffic police handing you a safety norm page, when you are not wearing a helmet.

What happened in 2002 was really demoralizing and worth condemnable, but lets grow up! Lets stop cursing this city for that every now and then. This only weakens it's secular fabric and gives enough reasons for notorious heads to carry out inhuman acts of terror in the city. Is this what every one wants? I have a question to put forward.. is Ahmedabad the only city that saw Communal tensions? Mumbai and Delhi didn't? Do we defame Delhi as a communally tensed city for the ones who were brutally harassed after Indira Gandhi's assassination? Delhi lives with the same community with peace, and I can confirm there cannot be other in Delhi. Mumbai? what happened in 1993? Do we keep reminding Mumbai of that?

Continuous talks about Ahmedabad as a communally tensed area is wrong and I fortressly withstand that. All the communities in this vibrant city is living peacefully. There was a time before 2002, when two big religious communities in the city were up heels to react to one other. That is gone after 2002. people have learnt that such blunders is harmful to the secular fabric.

I have had verbal discussions on this with quite a few friends many a times, who ask me about the city. I hope they get the answer here.

My First Love --{@ Indian Railways!!

2009-11-14T12:49:00.000+05:30

Indian Railways- a tribute to my first Crush!

Indian Railways nahi dekha toh kya dekha???

The first thing that probably drew me crazy as a young bird were trains, and may be for all those who stayed in Calcutta (not Kolkatta for me, I prefer this always..jo karna hai karlo), and had there maternal homes in the likes of Ahmedabad & Mumbai. All those young kids, whose grand Mas stays in the royal Indian deserts. In all, Indian Railways connect you far & better. India ,a country of many lives; a country of geographical disparities.

The 'dhachak-dhachak' sound of the moving train, passing by fast train at a platform, stil drives me crazy!

M proudly a guy, like many others, who have sat in almost all formats of the Indian Railways, whether SL Class, AC-3, AC2, Rajdhani express, Shatabdi, even the Toy-train from Shimla to Kalka, The locals from Goregaon to Churchgate(I never miss a chance to purposely strap-hang in the Mumbai suburbans whenever I'm there, even if I have no reason to do so) but m still on...& will be on till I go on.

(Clicked by me during Morning Tea near AbuRoad in Delhi-Ahmedabad Rajdhani running at a monster speed)

This time around while I was going to Pune from Ahmedabad in 'Ahmd-Pune Holiday Special', I tried stopping myself from standing on the gates of the bogie every now & then. I just couldn't stop myself even I tried hard. just kept saying myself - "Shashi! Grow Up Dude, you have been doing this from 6th Grade, when u queerly befooled everyone to stand on the doors!" Grow Up!! But noting stopped me from doing what I was doing. I just didnt wanted to be felt embarrassed in front of a young fille, whom I just clavered! She was a beauty to watch, just like any other girl, I love to chit-chat with!

As a kid when I was in Calcutta, my favourite train obviosuly were fast Howrah- Dadar(Geetanjali Express), Howrah-Ahmedabad(slow, always late)..I just dont get it, why are all trains from & to Howrah are always late? Then, when we shifted to Wardha, found my favourites as Nagpur-Mumbai (Vidharbha Express); always clean and on time train, Nagpur-Ahmedabad(Prerna Express), I dont know if it still reaches Amedabad at 2 am!

Then Jaipur came into picture, and I was left with no other choice then Jaipur-Mysore Express,. What I loved about this route is the terrains it passes through after Bhopal.

Just brought my love into short terms to make it look sweet!

My years at Engineering after we shifted basse to Ahmedabad were restricted to Buses, just buses! Cripes!! stil, they didnt take the place of my favourite mode of transport. My first Love! My last Love!!

Each & every guy, who stays with his parents away form his/her cousins, masi-mama, nana-nani, dada-dadi, obviously would agree wit the feeling they get when one its in the train!

Have grown seeing stations grow big.. Have grown seen people talking to others in the compartments, discussing Cricket, next station, latest! Grown up seeing, Chaiwalla, Kulads came in, papercups... It still rocks!!

I'm proud to be a dynamic part of the ever-growing Indian Railways, the largest & most organised Railway network globally.

Airways have now become cheaper, People are flying, But the charm of Railways in India can never be beaten. I tried them too, but Railways, the most affordable, the most comfortable, the most organised, the most bonnie mode!

I sometimes find people telling me, like a senior of mine from Haryana- 'yeh mera pehla time hai train mein bethen ka' or 'yaara, aaj tak train mein nahi betha!"... Jesus! not to blame them. If sumone lives with family, or members of their family stay close to their town or city, obviously missed the fun, the charm!

Its connects India geographically. India, land of beauty can be best captured by Indian Trains. My classmates at school were mostly sons/daughters of employees of Lloyds Steel ind. Ltd, Wardha, where my Pa was even working. We knew what it meant when we had summer breaks! Everyone with their parents were away from their family ties, only we in the colony, this was our family!

So, when I would tell Dhanesh, I'm going to Ahmedabad or Mumbai, he would be glad telling me about back-waters of kerala. Soumya would tell me about the life in Cuttack, his village & Bubhaneshwar in Orissa. Wardha guys woud envy us then. He he! Then there was Navneet, who while playing cricket talk about Chennai. Everyone..everyone in a festive mood! And the journey began from Railways! "Which train be, Dhanesh?", which stations?? It was fun!

And, how can I forget, Soumya taking me to Wardha junction during junior colleges, where after few days, every Samosa selling vendors knew us by name! (He He).. and just after our AISSE exams in X, Soumya taking me to the railways tracks next to our colony, from where the South-bound trains from North would go! We would, on a hot day, sit on the Rail-track leading to Lloyds yard (because obviosuly no rain would go from there as it wasn't a main-line)..and look at blietkrieg runnig trains from North to South & South to North!

I'm out of words & expressions, there is sooo much to boast about my experiences and talk about Trains! So much to gasconade!

Its the bag full of fun right from age 1 to age 23! Every trip in the train is a story by itself, a new expirience in itself! Every station always new. All the trips are stored in my brain-waves, and I will cherish it all my life!

Dude, India mein reh ke isse experience nahi kiya, toh kya kiya??

~~Disclaimer:Few images have been uploaded from the search.~~

North-East!! Connection Needed!

2009-11-08T13:58:00.006+05:30

Folks, do you know the capital of Lakshadeep?

Ever thought about going to Manipur to witness the eye-catching beauty?

Ever thought about Andaman's coral-reefs(rather than the Oz ones) aside remembering it for Tsunami, instead of the ones near Australian island?

Ever..ever thought of hitting Dzukou Valley for a break? Its beautiful! These are our assets too..
But why don't we mostly think about them? Because we don't get to hear them..even talk about them. No News channels actually throw lights to what is happening in N-E, in Lakshadeep, in Andaman, Leh, Ladakh, apart from a natural disaster or some elections. Not even a weather report! Big Boss mein yeh hua, Dhoni ki nayi hair-style.

Tibet's spiritual leader Dalai Lama's visit to Arunachal makes news, because this is where China is involved. But how many really know 'Tawang' is the district in Arunachal Pradesh, which China calls it disputed & demands it as there land??

"Boss, whats the seat number you are alloted with?..Mine says 14" - I ask a guy finding him on seat number 14. "Mines 14 too" -he replies. "Cripes! these bus wallas, I told them I wanted a window seat, they played foul again"- I think hacked off by this act.

Going up to the driver I tell him, how can he give two persons the same seat? "kya bhaiya, uske goddi mein bethun kya jaake?"

"Sir, why dont u take up 13, next to 14"- he responds calmly.

"I obviosuly will have to.. "-my brainwaves suggests! I return back to the row & make myself comfortable on 13. "Hi..dis is Shashi" -I smile & greet my fellow. He poping his eyes out of his long hair, anyone would guess out, He from North-Eastern India with his chinese cast.

"Hey, my name is Bijju"- he replies.
"You must be from North-East? your looks suggest so"

"Ha ha..Yeah..I'm..M from Manipur".

"Thts cool, so what u doing here in Pune studying or working?"

"Well, M studying M.A from Pune Univ." " What do u do? u working here?"

"No I work in Ahmedabad, just came to spend my weekend with pals, they have benn calling for long"

"Great, Ahmedabad is a great place, I studied in Baroda, M.S. University"..I love that place"

"And what about Manipur? Don't u go there?"

"I do..but its 3 years since I have been there..Its far..have no good educational instiutes, We have to come to other parts of the country for career."

This just reminds me of all the North-eastern people I get to meet, same woes! This small conversation just fizzed my brain-waves when I was listening to an Indo-China debate on NDTV.

North-Eastern India comprises of 7 states (also known as the seven sisters): Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Manipur, and Nagaland. North-Eastern people and the place itself seems very beautiful to be in! India has got so much in it after all! It's almost a new place to be in. But, still... this part of the country is always spoken off by insurgencies, tensions between Central Govt. & states & ethnic groups.

Our government always has an habit of not working! If some one just would care enough about the Tourism & development of almost every part of country.. this nation would obviosuly be a better place to be in.

What does the Govt. really needs to act on? Just developing infrastrucure; mapping infrastrucutre in a way that it gets well connected to rest part of the country. I haven't seen a train or heard of as usch as rfequemt flights going to Imphal or Gangtok! It's really demoralisisng! The place is boosted with so much of green nature and stuffs!

The reason for growing insurgency & rebel in India is lack of care for people in that part.. whether its growing maoists in W.B or Jharkand..they are what they are because of ill-treatment catered to them.

North-East always seems unexplored. It always seems u being to a new world! How can we forget & be proud that this part of the country is ours??

Its a de-facto that out government from then to now, has actually never worked... every Indian pays tax( India is the 2nd populous country in the world), we got pleanty of money then, N-E pays tax too, like Mumbai, Delhi, Ahmedabad or Hyderabad does, then why isnt sum1 actually concernd about linking N-E to the rest of India?

If Britons could do it then, why can't we now? And then we talk about being High-tech. Instead of thinking about landing on moon(LoL)..why dont we actually thinking about linking every part of the country into main-stream?

Are the terrains leading to North-East as difficult? Leave North-East aside, why isnt Rajasthan well-connected bywith railways? Why is there a meter-gauge leading to Bikaner from Jaipur? (and that too the Britishers made it), why isn't railways connecting every part of Maharashtra? Why are we running out of roads in M.P.? Why are some parts of Orissa still living in dark-ages? Why a mineral-rich state like Chattisgarh has unemployment & poverty? Why isn't anything done for farmers in Vidharbha, considering India still relies on Agro and despite the fact that Gujarat, which was considered a non - cotton growing zone, is now able to cultivate cotton ( beacuse of some hard work shown by the ministry and the planning of farmers there) more than Vidharbha where farmers are comitting sucidies? These look big problems, which in real they aren't, only just a glimse & few things in place..and we are actually out of it!

China, which we obviously take up as villian, has actually brought Tibet into the main-stream Chinese map. Reason? they brought railways & roadways to Tibet. WHY IS INDIA NOT WELL CONNECTED? India accuses the China of sponsoring regional tensions, and we know how China is eyeing our few beautious North-Eastern states that lies on it's borders, and we will be to blame ourselves if everything isnt okay, because we havent ever ourselves cared about everything that we have. Because we have it, we dont realize it's importance. Indian and state governments' concerted effort to raise the living standards of the people in these regions have started. However, militancy still exists within the region. Among the rebellions in the area are Tripura Rebellion and Assam Conflict. We cannot blame any one else, How can we? Our Govt. keeps ignoring & passing buck, and the mole turns a hole.

I atleast believe, we can actually start thinking & be proud of a rich North-Eastern India which actually belongs to us!

Proud to be an Indian!

Chiggy Wiggy on the Signals!! Fritters me Pink!!!!!!!

2009-10-18T17:10:00.000+05:30

Place: Jaipur, 'Pink City'!

Month: Early August.

Hot afternoon...I mean real blistering hot afternoon!! Jaipur has always been extreme hot until late October! After that?? Insensate cold!! I remember seeing the first befog winters in Jaipur in my first year of B.E.! After all, Wardha(Maharashtra), where I spent my teenage, was never that cold. Yea..summers toh Massah Allah!!)

But must tell you, Jaipur is the only city in the boastfully large list of cities I lived in, which I really don't like to be to! Though, it is one of the major tourist destination in India & the capital of the largest state in India...kya karein apne apne Fundae hotte hain!! lol.

Anyways.. I modeled myself in a cycle-rickshaw which is very common in the Pink City. I caught it from Polo Victory for Railway station, where I had to seek my chances for reservation back to Ahmedabad for the other day! Because I wasn't sure about my return, I didn't reserve my return-ticket.

The distance between Polo Victory & Railway station isn't that long actually.. But it was real hot & I was there for just a two-day official jaunt!!

Polo Victory is one of the major tourist spot in Jaipur which almost all the desi & foreign tourists, who have visited the Pink City, know! Named after Polo Victory cinema and very close to both railway station and the bus stand, this is a famous age old hangout and probably the center-nerve of the city!

I started ramming in the cycle-rickshaw, just when I reached the first signal on my way to the station. Just then, I saw a gang of women working on the flyover construction site. They were bespeaking a anguish of a fellow worker, who was expecting & had to be rushed to a near-by hospital immediately!

I gave a look at the women they were pointing to, she really looked in pain. But, before I could think of anythig else, they started imploring me for money! Atleast 3 women surrounded me with their stressed voice asking me for atleast an autoricksaw fare to get her to the nearest hospital! They were pleading for atleast 100 rupees.. which obviously came down to 70!!

I tried confirming the rickshaw wala, if it wasn't fishy! He gestured it wasn't! I immmediately took out the money & gave the ladies! I was more amused by the other people in their cars waiting at the signal & not even being stirred by such a human demand!

May be because, India is a country with such a large population which has actually made us worry about us more than anything else! Never Mind, The ladies took the money & not even blessed me! Cripes!!

Chal Chodd... The signal opened up & my amusing ride on the cycle rickshaw took me straight to the reservation office for the tickets, which I finally didn't get.. I though did check on the internet that I would get a WL 15 for Aravalli Express.. But after standing in the long queue for almost 20 minutes, my patience gave up!! जाने दे न.. अहमदअबाद के लिए खूब वोल्वो और फास्ट बस हैं ,उसमे ही निकल जऊँगा! This was what curbed my mind.

(clicked in the same evening, this road goes straight to Polo Victory)

The very Next Day:

Me in a auto-rickshaw (this time not a Cycle-Rickshaw), another signal comes up on M.I. Road from where I was to return back to Ahmedabad, M.I. Road being a famous shopping street of Jaipur.

(Golcha Point, on M.I. Road..clicked by me)

Another Red signal comes up. A young boy in his rags, wakes briskly towards me & suddenly finds himself being scared of by my auto driver! The Auto-Driver then looks into the large mirror just above the wind-shield of his auto and looking into my reflexion, he then says "अरी भैया.... यह लोग बहुत फर्जी ( used for शान्ने in Rajasthan) होते हैं!" He then continues: " कल के अख़बार में आया था की एक भिकारी के पास बैंक में 3 lakh रुपियाँ हैं! "

After looking at me & my pal enjoying & finding us pushing this funny debate further as always..He too gets excited & then bursts out saying.." यह आगे Polo Victory के पास जहाँ पूल बन रहा है, वहां पे कुछ औरतें लोगों से सिग्नल पे कहती हैं की उनकी साथ की मजदूर को बच्चा होना हैं और हॉस्पिटल ले जाने के पैसे दे दें ! " "लोगों को बेफ्कुफ़ बना के खूब कमाती हैं !! ""

.. Listening to this, My brain-waves took a flight back to the previous arvo! And, my pal , whom I told about the whole incidence just an evening before, as I just couldn't come out of it as my mind was always boggling me back to the women whom I saw in backbreaking pain!

We both just gave a look to each other & there he was all laugh & throwing silly pokes against me to the auto-driver, he said: "अरी अंकल, क्या बात कर रहे हो?? हमारे एक दोस्त के साथ भी ये ही हुआ है! उस बेचारे को भी उन औरतों ने दू बना दिया !! " क्या लोग भी जानसे में आ जाते हैं !!! "

But for me, it was nothing more than a night-mare, because they even didn't address a blessing for me!! I just could'nt believe being thuged in the worst possible way! That was really inhuman! How can people fool you on the basis of deepest humanity? Because , the feelings had haunted me almost every minute, I couldn't just eat my luncheon & couldn't stop cursing other people waiting on the signal for not helping the woman!

It's not over yet. One more pathetic event happened to me probably on the same day..

Just a month ago, when this happened to me I was riding my moto-scooter on C.G. Road, near Lee's Showroom (Ahmedabad), I saw an aged woman with her wrist not at all present with her & the whole thing was covered with a bandage full blood-stains!! That was another day, when to be honest , I didn't feel like buying a pair of Jeans! I tell you. it was really heart-touching, & real graveling to remember!

But Guess whhat? Grrrrr...... I saw a similar woman with the same patch & blood-stains,this time though not that too red, that very day when I was going back towards the bus-station to catch a bus back to Ahmedabad!

But, why did I blog this???? Just in a day, two secrets opens up which gave me a tough time whole day!! Karne chala bhalai, Ho gayi Chiggy-Wiggy!!

The 5-Second-Rule!!!!

2009-09-22T22:37:00.005+05:30

What??? you haven't heard of it..??? Shame on you!!!

He He...It' Okay.. I hadn't either.....until yesterday!!

It’s a funny story!! But this is how few things that happens in life gesture us our rules!! Well, here is how it goes...

This one hot afternoon yesterday, one piece of potato flakes jumped off the wrapper of the potato chips, and my friend who was sharing the packet with me, picked it right off the floor and put it in his mouth without giving another thought!

I was could do nothing, but just stare at him with despair, because one of the first etiquette you learn in any school is 'Dont you dare pick up any eatable that's fallen on earth, despite it even being your most favourite.'
So, while feeding himself with that earthy flake, he suddenly looked my expression and said.. "What??..It's Ok.. Haven't you heard of the 5 second rule??". He paused..looking deep into my eyes...He then said.........."Anything that falls on the ground is safe to eat, if picked up within 5 seconds."

(Hey.. Hey.. Hey.. Guys!! Don't imagine my pal & me as Chickens!!!! that's silly, folks!! Its just a risible display I shared!! That didn't look too funny I hope!!)

Anyways, I was sure he was trying to make up for his impulsive action. I kicked his buns for this act.

But, I couldn't stop myself & did check it up today morning and to my surprise.....here is the link to the Wiki-page:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five-second_rule

But, what if you eating a something jelly? Are you gonna apply the rule? Internet and google is full of these 5-second rules, folks!! And, all I can say is "What???" Any rule for an excuse!?!"
So... Life turns out to be so funny sometimes!! Blooming heck! we humans have excuse for almost everything on earth!! Did u guys find yourself in any such funny learning situation??? Phew!!! :D

;)

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Archiekins finally to propose!!

2009-05-28T23:36:00.000+05:30

My Favorite comic character has finally decided to settle down!! Ya..I know this is no social issue, but it's Archie!!!! My favorite! How can I forget those days of keeping Archie comics between my study books & reading them, hiding from Mummy!!! It's a big news for me & loads of Archie fans.....

So, the age-old love triangle of Archie comics has finally been broken, after Riverdale's ultimate Andrews picked the vixen Veronica over girl-next-door Betty to be his wife.

So what if Betty was a blonde, loyal and kind- when it came to popping the question Archie chose the raven-haired, charming and rich Veronica.

According to what I read on Yahoo.com. after 67 years of being in a dilemma, Archie is all set to tie the knot with the vixen-a choice that left many Archie comic fans in gasps.

Archie Comic Publications announced on May 27 that the flighty redhead from Riverdale picked Veronica over Betty Cooper.

Already in mid-May, the publisher sent speculation swirling when it announced a special marital-themed storyline for release in August, but didn't reveal the lucky lady.

The wedding will take place after the gang graduate from college, and venture out into the working world.

However, the response to the proposal has been markedly divided-Betty fans like me, are outraged that the girl next door has been ditched yet again for the beautiful, yet spoilt, Ronnie. :(

While many fans are questioning whether Archie should marry at all, because it could mean a possible end to the enduring comic-book soap opera.