Shedding the Inhibitions...

The Bestseller She Wrote!

2016-01-11T01:21:00.001+05:30

The Bestseller she wrote is a sure shot Bestseller 'he' has written! How beautifully he has connected the dots, every now and then, every time there's something new you understand the relevance of a particular incident a few pages back. A complete page turner it is.
Although the first thing that comes to mind after starting a book by Ravi Subramanian is that the story would be something on banking - perhaps a thriller? He may depict the various things that goes on in a banking setup. However this book has a completely different plot and that's what surprises you. Though, the protagonist is a banker, as are a few other main characters but that's where the connection ends. It's the story of a master and his apprentice. Aptly put by the author himself it is a combustible cocktail of love, betrayal and redemption!
This could have easily been just another romantic novel by an Indian author where a fan girl falls in love with the star, but how effortlessly Ravi Subramanian has made it into a complete masterpiece. All the characters are so well defined and has a personality trait that I can easily identify a real life Shreya, Maya or for that matter even a Diana for that matter. Such strong female characters, who are not just a 'somebody' in the story but have a very very strong presence. Aditya Kapoor has a enviable life, a perfect one that everyone dreams of. A successful career as a banker, the biggest fiction writer, the paperback king of the nation, an amazing and a loving wife in Maya, who supports him and a beautiful son who loves both his parents dearly. Sounds like perfect, right?. But then, what's the fun there. Enter, Shreya Kaushik, a student at IIM, Bangalore, same institute from where Aditya Kapoor graduated. Beautiful, intelligent and passionate, someone, who can make any man go weak in his knees. And guess what, she also wants to be an author! She finds the easy way out by being in news with the famous Aditya Kapoor. For her, any publicity is good publicity. Her lust for success is such that she doesn't care about right and wrong. Only success matters to her, irrespective of the cost it comes at.
The book has a lot of references to the actual world with the likes of Chetan Bhagat, Ashwin Sanghi, Anurag Kashyap, Nirav Sanghvi finding mentions in it, which makes the book believable. His tips to Shreya on marketing a book, the inside story of what it takes to be a first time publisher, gives you some perspective into the world of publishing. The recent Ebola crisis also finds mentioned. Hence a lot of actual facts are added to the story making it easy for the readers to connect with the characters.
I love the way how believable he has made the story to be. The realization that the lock codes are the same, or the scribbles on Diana's book, all are perfectly realistic, which made me fall in love with the writing.
Overall, a nice read, with simple language which helps in keeping the flow. I finished it in straight 6 hours, close to the time Shreya took to complete Aditya's book ;)

- Signing Off

Nirvaan

I am reviewing ‘The Bestseller She Wrote’ by Ravi Subramanian as a part of the biggest Book Review Program for Indian Bloggers. Participate now to get free books!

Ramayana - Shattered Dreams!

2015-05-18T11:28:00.000+05:30

This book portrays the episodes that take place after Dasaratha decides to Crown Rama as the King.What were the circumstances that led Dasaratha to crown Rama in haste, what happens when the decision is made, the reaction it causes in various strata of the society including inside the palace walls, Rama's banishment and how everyone handles this is the gist of this part of the series.
As in previous book, this book too has its share of thrills and chills.The story moves smoothly and kept me hooked on to it. It had my heart pounding in so many places even though I knew what would come!
There are also the footnotes that add a nice reading experience.Several of these notes bring into light the subtleties of the scriptures / like reading between the lines and the others bring out the background story / reason behind a happening. I thoroughly enjoyed reading them all.And there are also some parallel stories that add beauty to the story.
And then as with the earlier title, this one too makes an honest account of the Ramayana without too much interpretations by the author. This part I liked the most.
Heart touching are the places where Dasaratha pleads with Kaikeyi to change her mind after he realizes her ploy while she just stands there unmoving-like a stone, Sita, happily joining Rama into banishment, Dasaratha's passing away, etc.
All in all this is a book that I really enjoyed reading. I recommend this book to everyone who loves the epics. Not only is the story retold in a nice manner, the narration is so touching that it will make you a part of the audience witnessing the epic in person

This review is a part of the biggest Book Review Program for Indian Bloggers. Participate now to get free books!

Signing Off!
Nirvaan

God is a Gamer!

2014-11-22T15:55:00.000+05:30

When Blogadda sent me this book for review, I had very high expectations. I have heard a lot of rave reviews about his books. I expected nothing less from his current novel. As I started reading this book, I was convinced that the book would live up to my expectations.
Touted as the world’s first bitcoin thriller, Ravi Subramanian’s novel God is a gamer is woven around the lives of a few politicians,bankers,crooks, gamers with ‘Bitcoin’ and an anonymous online market place for shady deals called cotton trail playing a crucial role in the story. The plot moves from Washington's congress to Delhi's finance ministry, the beaches of Goa to the corporate boardrooms of Mumbai.
Unlike his previous books, banking does not play a major role in this book, instead the book is high on online gaming on facebook and “Bitcoin” which is touted as the currency of the future. It is very clear from the book that the author has done extensive research on facebook games/online games, bitcoins etc.,After reading the book, many gamers will understand why they are stuck at a particular level in certain online games. I had never known so much went behind a gaming console.
There are so many twists and turns thrown along with many emotions like romance, revenge, greed that the pages turn by themselves. As one reads the book,the investigator in you comes to many conclusions only to be proven wrong in the climax. Another plus in the book is the narration divided into many small chapters and most of them end in cliffhangers which maintains the suspense and whets the appetite of the reader. Setting some small differences apart, this is a really good read and I recommend this to anyone who loves thriller!
This review is a part of the biggest Book Review Program for Indian Bloggers. Participate now to get free books.

Signing Off,
Nirvaan

A pleasant visit!

2014-10-19T17:12:00.001+05:30

It was probably one of the best starts to the day; a few hours spent with some great kids residing in the outskirts of the city. The first thought when I reached there was 'Not bad!' Not at all bad for what is supposed to be an NGO for 68 AIDS affected kids. To be frank, I never expected it to be such a well maintained place and with so many nice people to take care of these children. The kids dressed in bright yellow School uniforms and with a smile on their face were all so disciplined, it would put even the students from the bestest of the private schools to shame! (not exaggerating)

At this point when I go back and think about them, surprisingly I don't feel sorry for them. In fact, when I think of my visit to them, my mind takes me to a world where there are thousands or maybe lakhs of Sushmitas and Karans starving and maybe just waiting for death to come to them, or maybe something even worse, something I cannot even think of! In fact these 68 are the very few lucky ones who have the privilege and opportunity to live a normal life, study in normal schools, watch movies, have proper nutrition throughout the day and maybe, a chance to stand on their own feet someday!

Not that that they were living a luxurious life and the caretakers were having no troubles meeting the expenses but then they were definitely not deprived of the essentials. They loved to dance and sing, celebrated their birthdays by cutting cakes, had computers to work on, watch movies, had a small playground for themselves, soft toys and moreover they had plenty of empathetic visitors who really wanted to help these kids and make their lives better.

Surprisingly, some of these kids didn't even know the deadly disease they have received in legacy, and those who knew, probably didn't know how fatal it was, or maybe they had just learnt to deal with it.

Usually such visits are bound to take you to a state of despair and sadness, but for me it was more pleasing and reassuring and more about restoration of faith in humanity.

P.S.: For those who want to help these kids, please visit this. Desire Society.

Signing Off,

Nirvaan

Book Review - Private India

2014-09-20T15:15:00.000+05:30

Private India written by James Patterson and Ashwin Sanghi is the eighth book of the private series. But the best part is to read through this book you need not go through the previous ones. This book has nothing to do with the previous one. However, there is a prequel to this book, but then, even that book is not going to affect your reading in any way.The book will really be liked by those who love reading mystery novels and this one is really good. It can easily be converted into a motion picture soon. I pictured it in my mind as a movie only with so much of detail around everything. This is certainly a masterpiece by Ashwin Sanghi and a lot of research has been put by the writer into the crime world and ideas to do the crime & leaving small clues behind.Women are being killed in different parts of Mumbai and what make the murders more mysterious are the different props which are placed near the dead body. Apart from these props there is nothing left behind by the killer, not even a slightest clue to unveil his identity and then to crack the case, steps in Private India led by Santosh wagh, who himself is troubled by a haunting past. The biggest task in their hand was to find the meaning behind the random props and to find the pattern of murders. Busy with the ruthless murderer the member of Private India fails to see the dishonest one among them, who along with Indian mujahideen is planning to give a fatal blow to Mumbai.The story line is intriguing and racy. As a reader even I was forced to think about the common links between the murders. The character of Santosh wagh, the leader of Private India was mighty good. He was just a man with a brave heart and intelligent mind not a super detective or a hero. He was haunted by his past which came as a big shock as the story progressed. Nisha’s character was sharp and clever. She knew how to get her work done. At times her character was on a bitchy side. She was one of the most prominent characters of the book. Hari, the tech-sevy member was bang on. His character was very intriguing and was very integral part of the story. Every member of Private India was properly used and they all had their share of limelight. The character of Rupesh and Munna were also very good and impactful.There is nothing wrong with the book but if you read it critically then you may find that in the concluding part of the book some more explanation were required. No wonder because James Patterson is always in a hurry to finish one book and start the new one and then to finish it as soon as possible.The authors have yet again managed to pen down a novel which will force the reader to turn pages one after another or should I better say “The pages turns themselves.”The characters in the novel are slowly revealed and as what happens in murder mysteries, we think of everyone as a suspect. This novel arouses that kind of emotions in your mind and heart and instantly connects with it's readers to solve the crime themselves. I don't want to reveal the thing as it would be injustice to all the readers and lovers of the book. But it's definitely worth your time and money.
This review is a part of the biggest Book Review Program for Indian Bloggers. Participate now to get free books!Signing Off,Nirvaan

Modi to appear on Taarak Mehta, Kejriwal claims Vote bank politics

2014-04-03T01:00:00.003+05:30

This article was published on Faking News 2.0.

Yes, I can.

Varanasi: In a bid to campaign for the upcoming elections, Narendra Modi has decided to make an appearance on the popular show ‘Taarak Mehta ka Oolta Chashma’ on Sab TV.

AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal in an interview with a leading news channel slammed Modi’s decision to appear on a show where the main protagonist is a Gujarati.

He was quoted saying, “Aapne wo programme dekha hai? Maine dekha hai, main IT officer reh chukka hu, pura chittha hai mere paas in show waalon ka, kaha se aata hai in k paas paisa show chalane ka? 1-1 episode k itne paise dete hai actors ko, jitney me mere Govt. wale flat ka rent ho jaye. Ye sab BJP waale bik gaye hai, upar se us episode me Modi sirf Jethalal k ghar kyu jaate hai? Humare musalmaan bhai aur sikh bhai bhi hai us show me, unk ghar kyu nahi?, Ye sab communal forces hai, desh ko….”

He was intervened by Punya Prasoon Bajpai in the midst, who was heard saying “bahut krantikaari ho jaega”.

Modi took a jibe and retorted in his usual lyrical intonation during his rally in Varanasi “Ye to janta ka pyaar hai humare liye, Shehzaade aur AK49 nahi samajh payenge, janta har samay humse jude rehna chahte hai, isiliye to hum in shows me ja rahe hai”.

Insider sources reveal that Modi is supposed to appear on shows like Khatron k Khiladi, CID among others. He will ride a lion in the ‘Khatron k khiladi’ episode which will be shot in Uttar Pradesh.

Sources reveal that The UPA team is also leaving no stone unturned and Rahul Gandhi is again making his agenda clear by making appearances in shows like Balika Vadhu, Pavitra Rishta, Uttaran and MTV Roadies, which clearly champion the cause of Women and Youth Empowerment. He will also make appearances in Beintehaa and Qubool Hai, however this decision did not go down well with the Samajwadi Party who asserted that this was clearly to woo the Muslim votebank and strengthen their secular image.

Meanwhile AAP leader Kejriwal, along with Ashutosh and Kumar Vishwas is trying to make an appearance in “Comedy Nights with Kapil” because it is the only show where he can be among the people and talk directly to them, however the producer of the show are not too keen to have him on the show. Party sources reveal that Ashutosh and Kumar Vishwas were planning to launch their own show “Comedy days with Kumar and Ashutosh”. With the parties like AAP and Congress copying BJP’s idea Meenakshi Lekhi quipped they are “Nakalchi Bandar”.

Sources close to BJP confirm that they are launching a daily 1 hour show by Narendra Modi on ‘Aastha’ and ‘Sanskaar’ channel from morning 9AM-10AM, which would be hosted by Ramdev Baba. It is likely to go on-air from next week, disclosed an aide.

Signing Off,

Nirvaan

No Man's Land!

2014-01-30T00:05:00.001+05:30

No Man's Land is a tale which might not be racy but nevertheless engrossing. So engrossing even John Abraham recommends it. In his words "This book has all the makings of a page-turner: an interesting setting, strongly-etched characters, thought-provoking writing, and a very compelling storyline". The IIM grad author definitely makes his Alma-mater proud with this fine work.

It progressively involves you in the story. What stands out in this tale is that this is a tale of common people like you and me, having all the shades. There’s no good guy or a bad guy. Each guy has different shades.

In the fast evolving civilization we live in, some generations have to go through sudden shifts because of unforeseen circumstances urbanization poses right on their face. Needless to say, one such swing has transformed a cluster of farmlands, 'Gurgaon', into a greedily sought after gold mine.

“No man’s land” has set the plot on this reality a generation is living through, and has successfully brought alive every character with the true shades of both good and bad, as they are bound to react to the real situations.

The story is spun around five main characters. Ramdev, a simple man with humble origins, who makes his living by selling paints. His son Agastya happens to nurture an extra-marital affair with his neighbour’s daughter ‘Sailja’, eight years older to him. And still he does not hesitate to marry him off to Shubhangi. As if these turmoils are not enough to complicate their lives, the third generation is introduced, ‘Pranay’ and ‘Karan’, the step-brothers.

If you are wondering, what is the land business, yes, the strong plot is driven over a dispute over a 50-acre land that Ramdev had purchased when it was hardly any penny’s worth. The way the protagonists are bring forth their real inside, you would be left biting teeth, as in – Could have I afford to act any different?

At occasions, it is very apparent that the novel has drawn inspiration from the epic “Mahabharata”. The characterization is so strong that you deep inside you will jump with joy and drown in sorrow, as everything falls into a ‘can be you and me’ situation. Ensnared in the drama, but when it’s about the climax, I wish it were kept the same materialistically real.

Nevertheless, the book is worth a dive. See if you can confront the shades of black in you, which even you might be hiding from yourself.

This review is a part of the biggest Book Review Program for Indian Bloggers. Participate now to get free books!

Signing Off
Nirvaan

E-books vs. print books!

2014-01-25T12:26:00.002+05:30

This is a Guest Blog by Aisha Gupta.

What happened in the last two years is that e-books have incredibly (or maybe not) outsold print books, starting an actual revolution for what concerns the publishing industry and reading traditions. The popularity of e-books keeps growing and so does

Image courtesy of adamr / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

the number of sold e-readers.

The reasons why e-books sold more than traditional books are many: first of all, their weight, which is basically null due to the fact that hundreds of e-books are contained in a single, incredibly light e-book reader or tablet. But also their price, which can be in some cases considerably lower. You can find e-books for a really low price, many discounts or free downloads on sites like this one. But of course, you can spare some money even if you still prefer print books by buying second hand books. And you don't have to go to markets or books store, since you can find them even on the Internet (here an example of an Indian website with free classifieds). Also, font flexibility allows readers to enlarge what they’re reading, making it easier and more relaxing for the eye, besides choosing the font that stresses the eye less. Last but not least, from an ecological point of view, they save trees, reducing the amount of paper, even though they certainly use more energy to be produced.

But of course, they don’t come without cons. For obvious reasons, you have to charge them and they can run out of battery, where a book doesn’t have this problem, of course. Also, unlike paper, some screens are not that easy to read from and, in general, e-reading stresses the eyes more than a traditional reading.

Moreover, last but not least, there is a whole pro and cons list dedicated to the experience that an e-book can (not) offer in comparison with a traditional book. First of all, books come with a material presence, which can be felt underneath your fingertips, by flicking pages and so on. Also, you can truly own a book and you can land it, allowing you to build relations with people and to feel like the true owner of that copy, which can be charged with spiritual and emotional value, like every other object.

Love at first sight!

2014-01-08T01:42:00.000+05:30

First day at job: A mixed bag of feelings excited, nervous with an instilled sense of pride, and very rightly so! After all Hari was the first guy from his district to join such a reputed firm. Having done his graduation from Gangadhar Institute of Technology, he landed up a job in Infosys along with 261 of his batch mates. He was posted in the Mysore campus for training and was spellbound by the kind of amenities available to them. He was slowly getting used to the corporate culture and gradually started trying to mix up with those coming from urban background, who however did not consider him as one of them. He successfully completed his training and in those three months he added about 700 friends on facebook and had changed his display pic about twenty times, if not more! (Well, we all know how addictive these social networking sites can be, so let's not blame poor Hari! Not to mention, he personally knew just about 50 of them) Anyways, he was finally in the city of dreams, Mumbai and unfortunately none of his friends were in his project or in his campus. Initial days were pretty relaxed which gave him time to roam about, explore the campus and check out the lasses in the adjoining BPO. Before he realized he started seeing (literally) a girl on a regular basis. He adjusted his breaks according to her and even started noticing her entry and exit times, and would even follow her up sometimes. Somehow he wasn't able to know the name of that lady and knowing how fickle the testosterone levels can be, he resorted to his new found passion, Facebook! He searched the BPO employees, checked out their friend list but to no avail. What he did after this was a bold step considering his background, but then that justified his action as well. He had heard of this confession pages from his room mate, a Delhi lad who was also his confidant, convinced him that he must resort to posting on that BPO's confession page and if she takes note she will certainly revert. Mustering all the courage he had to do the most adventurous thing in his life he opened the Confession page and posted.
"Does anyone know this girl who was wearing yellow top yesterday and and orange one day before. She's very fair, put's on eyeliner everyday, has cute dimples and is the cutest girl in the campus. She was wearing black jeans and usually ties her hair. I really wanna be friend with you. If you are reading please send me a frnd request and I shall accept it :)or if anybody else knows then plz let me know." (sic)
Feeling like a gladiator he went to sleep and hoped for a friend request as soon as would login next. However what he saw the next morning was just a comment and innumerable lol's!

Comment: Here is the girl. she works for Jabong.com:)

P.S: True Story!(with a tinge of masala)
Signing off
Nirvaan

Beyond the obvious from Suits!

2013-09-15T00:07:00.002+05:30

Disclaimer: This is not a review of Suits

Suits, It's not just a court room drama about a law firm. It gives us a lot of insight into the functioning of a modern day corporate firm, and how we can make our lives better by following some simple rules. Some of them, I have listed below, and it goes without saying that this is not exhaustive.

Accept your mistake and fix it: If you do something wrong, instead of finding someone to blame it on, take the onus on yourself and sort it!

'If you are lying to save someone then it's not a lie'- Bull shit!: Lying at work is a strict no no, you will only delay the inevitable and make matters worse, the truth will certainly come back to bite you later.

'Lying to me doesn’t protect me. It betrays me'-Harvey

Your associates are your responsibility: If your mentee is doing good then you'll be praised, and if he/she screws up, you have to be accountable for the same. On numerous instances we have seen Jessica and Harvey doing the same for Harvey and Mike respectively. Remember Harvey paying up for Mike's Rookie Dinner?
The camaraderie between the boss and his associate is the key!

'When you after Harvey you go after me'-Mike

Try and win big, not lose small: Always aim to win in a big way, only then will you end up winning, as they say 'Aim for the stars, you'll reach the sky'

'You’re never going to win big if you only look to minimize your losses'

Never say never: You are never in a position to not get back. You can always find a way out. As Harvey puts it:

'When your back's against the wall, break the god damn thing down'

Well, Sometimes it's all right to lose small: However, when you are completely taken down and biting the dust, try and get the best out of the situation!

'I'm not a gambler but on this case I can make an exception'

Break Rules, Don't be a pen Pusher: Following the rule books to the last bit is not going to get you anywhere. You are running a business, not a god-damn morality class!

Looks Matter: 'First impression is the last impression'. Let's accept it, we all are in awe of Harvey's and Jessica's style and personality. Imagine what effect it would have on your clients and competitors if you could be as suave and debonair.

Revenge is the best revenge: Gone are the days when forgiveness was the best form of revenge. You got to show them, right then!

Have an appetite for risk: Be bold and take risks, 'No Risk-No Return' As simple as that!

Keep calm and Be confident: For those who have following this season, do I really need to explain? The characters of Harvey and Jessica are an epitome of confidence. It simply oozes out from them. One needs to keep their composure no matter how tough the situation is.

"Jessica: Are you ready?

Harvey: You Kidding, I was born for this"

Pardon me for coming up with this not-so-humorous post, but I guess it's still worth a read ;)

Signing Off,

Nirvaan

Write, because you want to!

2013-08-07T02:08:00.002+05:30

One of those days when you just want to write, you do not know what, but the bug inside you just doesn't let you sleep in peace. Yes, today is one of those days. Though this is a chronic event, but seldom is it acute enough to coax you into taking your pen out and jot down something, (figuratively speaking) however random or absurd it may be. I have noticed that this feeling has been creeping in, more often in the past year or so, and the conversion rate of the 'urge to write' to 'actually penning down' has also taken a nosedive in the same time frame. If my experience is something to go by, it seems that this bug hits you more when you have something inside, something you have not achieved but desperately want to, something that leaves you incomplete; and what takes you away from actually writing is the very urge to focus all your energies to complete that 'something' and gift yourself this amazing feeling of completeness. (I am assuming it's amazing, because that's what it's made out to be be and that's what it better be once I achieve it, unless of course success is over rated). But then, once in a while, you just happen to realize that writing gives you peace, (for some it may be music, painting or any other form of channelizing your energy) which in turn will only make you a happy man and bolster your spirits to get out of the hot spot you currently are in. It remains to be seen if it will eventually help me succeed in achieving what I aspire to, but then it does give me a momentary (or may be a little more) feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction, which was long overdue. I have no clue why I am writing this but then, I can certainly resonate with the aforementioned feelings! (at least as of now!)

Damn, I am a waiter!

'You never have to change anything you got up in the middle of the night to write - Saul Bellow'

(Please excuse the grammatical mistakes if any. I did not want to review it as I stumbled across the above quote just before composing this post')

Signing Off

Nirvaan

Shoes of the Dead..

2013-06-03T00:00:00.001+05:30

If there has to be one word to describe this piece of literature it is 'Captivating'. I cannot thank Blogadda enough to present me this opportunity to review this book. The genre is a refreshing change from all the rom-coms the new age Indian authors are coming up with. The way the details are presented in such an articulate fashion would make even the best in the business proud!

The story of a farmer, who succumbs to the pressures of life, crushed by successive crop failures and the burden of debt, and finds death to be the easier way out. As fate would have it, the powerful district committee of Mityala routinely dismisses the suicide and refuses compensation to his widow.

Gangiri, the farmer's brother, who fights for justice to his brother’s widow is the main protagonist of the story, while Keyur Kashinath, The antagonist of the Democratic Party.

The tone of the book is highly empathetic and it seems to have a heart of its own. The brilliant farmer battles his inheritance of despair, the arrogant politician fights for the power he has received as legacy. Their two worlds collide in a conflict that pushes both to the limits of morality from where there is no turning back. At stake is the truth about ‘inherited’ democratic power. And at the end, there can only be one winner. Passionate and startlingly insightful, Shoes of the Dead is a chilling parable of modern-day India.

One of the lines which struck me was "Where booked enjoyed better air conditioning than half of country's population" "Where family of dead farmer owned land, compensation was denied, so that family is forced to sell off land, where they had no land, compensation was granted so that debt could be repaid in cash".

The cover of the book and the sepia adds to the grave tone which is very well complemented with the narration. This sort of humane rendition to the characters and the storyline makes the narration effective and easy to understand. The dilemmas associated with pride and poverty are very well-sketched. The dilemmas faced by committees and the discomfort faced by people are also nicely done. This is a piece that will make you amble through the corridors of power and politics of India along with a perfect portrayal of how its consequences creep into the lives of the farmers forcing them to commit suicide.

This review is a part of the Book Reviews Program at BlogAdda.com. Participate now to get free books!

Signing Off,

Nirvaan

A very Indian approach to management- Business Sutra

2013-04-23T22:39:00.001+05:30

Every time I read a book, I try to find, what is different in it, and what the author must have thought before penning it down. As a Management student, business obviously excites me. We have been taught the principles of Management, which precisely are the ones derived from the practices and experiences of the western nation. Seldom do we see someone coming out with an Indian Approach to Management. There might be a Kishore Biyani who comes out with a “It happened in India” but that is not very frequent. In this book, the Chief Belief Officer of the Future Group, and a veteran of over twenty five books and 400 articles on Indian Mythology comes up with something which was so long not thought of. Business Sutra by Devdutt Pattanaik is a masterpiece on business as it brings together the two most powerful things of our country – mythology and business (of course after cricket and Bollywood). Very rarely you come across a book on business which is so beautifully written that you remain in awe long after you have finished reading it. We might have had ‘As is belief, so is behavior, so is business. This is business sutra, a very Indian approach to management.’ We have always believed that the very base of our society has been made up on the various beliefs and myths from the Vedas and the other religious scriptures. However, to imagine the base of business being set on this is something one would have never imagined. Although I have heard tremendous things about his previous works, but this is his first book that I have gone through one, and trust me now I am going to go through all his previous works as well. True to its name the book begins with giving us a primer on comparison between the deep-seated beliefs of Indian (Jain, Buddhist and Hindu) and Western mythology that are derived from Greek and Biblical roots, and the two complimenting Chinese belief systems. You lean why the western managers have a high regard for order, while we in India are not worried with all the chaos around us. In Business Sutra Devdutt Pattanaik takes you on a mythological journey using symbols, stories and rituals to relate to how we look at doing business and how it is different from what western beliefs teach us. In fact the use of images and symbols to depict things and make business sense out of it was impeccable. He depicted things in a way I had never seen before, which compelled me to finish the book in one sitting. He questions the way of management we follow. In fact it is one of the basic premises of this book. Our approach of management is completely derived from the western approach to business, whereas the culture here, in India is quite complex and diverse than the west. How is it supposed to work effectively here? No doubt, the western approach is delivering numbers and goals but how do we justify it as the most optimal way of doing business in India or actually the many India’s that we have within our geographical boundaries?

About the Author

Devdutt Pattanaik has written over twenty five books and 400 articles on Indian mythology for everyone from adults to children. Since 2007 he has been explaining the relationship between mythology and management through his column in the Economic Times; the talk he gave at the TED India conference in 2009; and the show Business Sutra which ran successfully on CNBC-TV18 in 2012, besides numerous other lectures at Indian Universities and management institutes.

This review is a part of the biggest Book Review Program for Indian Bloggers. Participate now to get free books!

Complaint letter to CCD which was compensated with an awesome cake!

2013-02-03T18:46:00.003+05:30

Yes, This was the 'historic' letter which got us a free Cake from Cafe Coffee Day;). True that we were exasperated because of all the reasons mentioned below, but their prompt reply and good customer service did make up for it. In recent days, quite a few people have asked me about the letter and here I have put it, so that anyone whose "feeling has actually been hurt" can take a cue from the letter and go forward. This one was written by Shalabh who has written down many more after this..:P, For the rest you need to directly contact him;)

Dear Sir/Madam

This is a complaint relating to the CCD outlet at the City Center, Gwalior.

I have been visiting this outlet regularly for the past two years. But the last few visits were very objectionable.

1. In November I ordered King sized Cappucino, the quantity being served was somewhat less than what it used to be. On being asked they replied that then it was King sized. But Yesterday (5-1-2011) when I ordered Grand Cappucino, coffee was being served in the very same cup.

2. At New Year we were denied the use of Discount coupons on account of less sales and the pressure to meet the target sales.

3. The price of King sized Cappucino listed in the menu was Rs. 57 but in the bill it was charged as Rs. 62. Fortunately I cross checked, though they were ready to deduct the extra. I cannot imagine when billing being automated how such a blunder can be made.

4. Also no milk was served with Black Coffee. On asking the reason for it, they just said that “People generally prefer it without milk”. Definitely a lame excuse, I guess.

5. Yesterday (5-1-2011) the black fantasy was also horrible. It was all melted and the quantity was also less what it used to be. On asking the reason they said “This time the Chocolate fantasy is very soft, so it is melted”. I believe CCD is known for serving quality products ranging from cookies, pizza to coffee.

6. Also the discount coupon was again denied saying that it has already been scanned (used).

7. Also the service at the very same outlet is not at all equivalent to what I have experienced at CCD in other cities like Kolkata, New Delhi, Indore, Jaipur.

8. Moreover the presentation is also not at all at par with the other outlets of CCD. We were not served Café Mocha and Black Coffee in the same Cups as shown.

9. On asked for drinking water they straight away said “it’s not offered here and you will have to buy mineral water”, whereas in every other outlet normal water is available and once we refused to buy the mineral water they brought in the normal water.

This is just a complaint by a loyal customer of CCD expecting some effective response. Definitely my feeling has been hurt by having such awful experiences in the past few visits. I feel I am not getting the actual value for money for the quality and ambience usually expected of a CCD outlet. I want you to take immediate and effective steps ASAP. Hoping for a positive reply and co operation from your side, being a multi continental Café House.

Regards

The Daily Travellers!

2012-11-03T23:22:00.000+05:30

Traveling to office every morning covering a stretch of almost 15 kms in about 1.5 hrs does give me enough time to do a lot of worthless work and guess I am mastering that art pretty nicely;) In the last couple of months I have been locomoting,I have figured out the different categories of people who travel by bus. I am sure the ones who frequent local train and metro trains can also relate to it.

The Radio Listeners: They form a major chunk of the population. They will have ear buds plugged in and they don't give a damn as to what the world is up to. They will never remove them, and still are able to hear each and every thing directed at them. They simply cannot travel without it and it remains plugged into their ears till the time they occupy their office seats.

The Intellectuals: They are generally the ones on the wrong side of their Forties,and they will always carry a newspaper or a book along. They will be one of the first to occupy the seat in the bus, will make themselves comfortable and make it a point to read the material in the entire stretch of the journey.

The Social Media Addicts: These are the ones in their teens and twenties and will be engaged in their smart phones as soon as they board the bus. Usually the last ones to board the bus and they occupy a corner in the transport. You can often find them laughing and smiling with their eyes fixed on their cell phones while you wonder something's wrong with them!

The Boyfriend/Girlfriend type: If they are on a call throughout the journey, and you aren't able to listen what he/she is talking, though you are seated next to him/her, you can be safely put them in this category.

The Workaholics: Here are the ways to identify the workaholics. Either they will be busy talking on a phone loudly giving or taking instructions about what is to be done next, or they will be catching up a quick nap or finishing off their breakfast/lunch/dinner, because they have a long day at work and cannot afford to while away their precious time in the less important and petty worldly affairs.

The All in One type: They will be the ones who will have the ear phones plugged in, eyes on their mobile screen, taking calls in between and would also be carrying some reading material with them, which does come out of their bag, but usually remains closed!

The Gang of Girls/Boys: They will usually be on their way to the college, tuition or way back home. They will all be carrying notebooks in their hand and you can hear them bitching about others, talking about the latest movies, the latest addition to their wardrobe and often bringing in each others mothers and sisters in the midst of the conversation (usually in case of boys) oblivious to the fact that they are in a public transport.

The Exceptions: If you do not fall in the above types, then I am afraid you are an exception, and you can have all the time in the world to testify the above classification.

P.S: Do let me know which category you fall in.

Signing Off,
Nirvaan

Barfi!..class apart!

2012-09-16T19:46:00.003+05:30

Picture Shuru...Ho gayi Picture Shuru

Picture me aaju baju walo ka khayal rakhna,

Picture me saamne ki kursi pe na pao rakhna

Picture me mobile aur bachhe dono off rakhna

Picture Shuru...Picture Shuru!

The movie took off with the above notice, and certainly brought smiles to the faces of audience, which they kept wearing till the end. Very rarely, do you see a movie, which ends with an applause, a round of cheer by almost everyone present (Not the, Sunny Deol or Salman Khan types). Barfi!, for one, is a part of that privileged genre. Yes, he is deaf and dumb, she is autistic, but the equation they share is unparalleled. Already enough has been said and written about the classic roles essayed by versatile Ranbir, gutsy Priyanka and beautiful Ileana (I loved her Bong Bahu look!), and of course the vision of craft master Anurag Basu (Yes, the same guy who made Kites), but I can't help writing even more. There are moments which leave you smiling, which leaves your eyes moist, but in the end this movie makes you happy!How a person riddled with so many troubles manages to stay happy and give away his signature smile even in the worst of circumstances, makes you forget your miseries. I know, it might sound a bit cheesy, but yes, that's the effect it has!

They deserve all the accolades and the appreciation they are getting, and the audience are loving it. What I hope is, this movie goes on to be a mega hit, just like the Singhams' and Ek Tha Tigers' and the BodyGuards',(in fact it deserves to be much bigger than those), but as I write this I know this is not going to be. If it does, it will certainly motivate the directors, and more importantly the producers to invest in such scripts, the 'hatke' one's, not the so called mainstream cinema. Although there has been a lot of such films making waves (along with money) in the recent past, the likes of Kahaani, Vicky Donor, Wasseypur topping the list.

Succinctly I would say this is impeccable cinema, completely Hollywood material. (May be I am overrating it, but then that's what I feel!)Barfi might give away some traces of Charlie Chaplin, Mr. Beans, or Raj Kapoor but then what matters is, it's simplicity and silence subtly manages to tickle you and touch 'that' corner in your heart!

P.S: Darjeeling is my favorite hill station, and the Chhau Dance sequence was terrific. And yes, I hoped to see the 'Fatafati' number in the end, but alas!

The WIngs Of Silence!

2012-07-26T14:41:00.004+05:30

Wings of Silence, a very apt title for a tale marked by some of the most subtle feelings of humans. This is one of the finest tales, never heard of. The relations has brought alive by the author. It doesn’t speak just about the relation between two brothers, it’s about almost all the relations existent in a Hindu family, whether it be a father-son, mother daughter, cousins, aunt, grandparents and even the relationship of humanity! One might just say that this would have never happened in real life, a brother sacrificing his career for one, who was completely worthless, but then the author, shapes up and builds the story and the characters, in such a way it compels you to believe it can! Each and every protagonist is very finely described, a soft, strong willed Raj Sethi, who hardly (in fact never, save for his diary and after winning the Gold!) displays his emotion, the winner, the topper, Mr. perfect Saurav Sethi, the smart, beautiful, caring, Shalini, and the disciplinarian Akshay Sethi. In the beginning it seemed like the book would revolve around the life of Saurav Sethi, through whose eyes the entire description is done, but gradually, after the girl of her dreams came into his life, he was a changes man. He was more concerned for his brother, who was a loner, who craved for company, but never told (or signed). He understood that there is much more to life than just medals, and being the centre of attraction. He had to give a life to his brother first. Some of the portions, like running away from family and the wallet being stolen from goons, did seem straight out of the movies, but when the parts before and after it are so absorbing, you hardly care. I went through this book in straight eight hours and felt a lot of emotions creeping in and making eyes moist. The part where Akshay hugs Raj, Raj not leaving Saurav after winning the medal and placing his medal on his neck were some of the best moments! Apart from the above characters, I loved the character of Ekta, and Aunt Sheelu. They completely symbolize the essence of a joint Hindu family. On Saurav’s part it was definitely a very bold decision, to against his parents, to go against himself, and I also tried asking myself the same question after reading his situation, but I am afraid you actually need to be in his shoes to answer such a question. What he did was something commendable, and was probably out of the fear that he would lose his new friend, his brother. In one sense, this was more because he couldn’t imagine his life without Raj, and although he thought winning an Olympic gold would bring redemption to Raj, he knew it was too much to ask for. The love angle between Shalini and Saurav was cute, and so was between Olga and Raj (however short it may be), and Sheelu aunty teasing them added a bit of spice, but I am glad it was not overdone! However, I just wished Saurav would have also gone on to win the Wimbledon, but then, it surely would have been too ‘Bollywoodish’.

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Google It...!!Really??

2012-07-13T11:50:00.004+05:30

I saw this man on television answering questions on the Infosys debacle, I had seen him but wasn't able to recollect who he was. After about 2 minutes, I put my mind to rest and pulled out the weapon which has all the answers. Google!Turned out the man in question was the Co-Chairman of the company Kris Gopalachari.

The question which struck me was "Is Google making us dumb??" or maybe "dumber"

I started pondering over this thought and developed two contradictory set of theories.

NO:

We grew up in the time of video cassettes and Floppy discs, Computers were a luxury back then and search meant searching through the dark recess of cupboard for our best pair of clothes. Britannica was the answer to all our questions, and Oxford used to be give us the meanings! As of today, in this fast paced world, it is really hard to ignore the infinite collection of information available on Google. It has an answer to everything! You want a recipe, or you want to research about the Mayans, you'll get it all. All the facets of today's world: humor, politics, economics, entertainment etc. is available with it. It has answers to questions no one else probably would have. I am not advocating copying or cheating or plagiarism and am not telling you to find the easy way out, but you just cannot ignore looking out for a library which stocks everything under the sun. It doesn't matter whether you are 16 or 60, your cast creed or religion, modern technology insures knowledge is at your tips. One is only as dumb as he wants to be. Most of us are certainly smarter than that!

YES:
This argument stems from the basic assumption, that we were smart earlier. But then that's a debate another day. Google is making us dumb, in fact dumber, if I can be politically incorrect. Do you remember the last time you applied your mind to a thought? All our brains work today is think "How do we Google it"? PC or on phone?

Our grey cells are slowly and steadily rusting, thanks to google, and with the advent of social networking, the dumb quotient has hit an all time low. We don't even google it now. It's just a tweet and the Twitterati replies with an answer! We have successfully added a whole new step to an otherwise prosaic process. Just for argument sake let's say that Google indeed has made us smarter and we have a high IQ to support the fact.

But then, where did you check your IQ?

The Australian factor..!

2012-06-27T23:43:00.002+05:30

By this time, I guess it is pretty clear from my diary entries that I am a "Late to bed, late to rise" person, but I don't mind waking up early if I have a Cricket Match to catch up..;). Jokes apart, saw the English Premier league decider, and interestingly the season is all set for a nail biting finish, with both the Manchester Clubs vying for the No. 1 spot! Coming back to cricket, I guess it's time Dada needs to sit down and think what's best for him. I hope he doesn't end up kicked in the midst of the series from the Pune franchise. He is simply not working for them, and being on the wrong side of the thirties, he certainly is not fit for the format (I know there are exceptions, but he certainly is not one!).

On the other end, the BCCI needs to ban Sehwag from playing the rest of the IPL. He is simply killing all the competition and fun! Initially it was believed that he is not a player who follows the textbook, but what the hell!!You are not supposed to hit 5 consecutive fifties in and that too at a strike rate of over 160!! He has to think about the other teams as well, who are fighting hard to be on the remaining upper half of the table.

The new entrants in the form of Australians, Michael Clarke and Shane Watson, who both returned from the Australia-West Indies series, could not do anything spectacular with both ending on the losing side. Never mind, hope to see a more competitive encounter tomorrow!

Signing Off

Nirvaan Baid

Another Day, Different Pitch, Different opponent, Same team!l

2012-06-27T23:37:00.003+05:30

The feeling of the win over the last year runners up, at our home turf was yet to sink in, but guess what we were already up against the title defenders, CSK! The Knight Rider’s good form and confidence was obviously making me believe that this match’s going to be a delight for the eyes. The day was as usual more about cricket, with me trying to get in more and more out of the newspapers, which could provide some fodder for a good story for us to cover for the Fan station. Stuff, about the fan’s favorite teams which probably they would like to read and watch. By the time I am done with this research work (which includes an afternoon naps and a few meals), the buzz of the match is already huge to switch on the TV . The same thing happened today and that’s what made me sit down and enjoy the match without much ado. Not to mention, it was this Gambhir’s innings and Debabrata’s cameo, which was yet again the turning point of the match. So overall, another day ended on a happy note for a KKR fan like me @ The Fan Station!

Signing Off

Nirvaan Baid

Diary-April 28th

2012-06-27T23:36:00.001+05:30

Frankly speaking, I could not have a proper night's sleep, as it was supposed to be my first experience of IPL 5. First experience in the front of camera. Excitement and nervousness were the two emotions I could very well feel. Woke up at around 7, and started practicing in front of the mirror, sporting the fan station jersey. First headed towards the crowded streets of New Market, Kolkata. Trust me, in the beginning, it was actually a hard time getting people to speak for us, but then we went all out, running here and there, and voila! We got absolute fan frenzy, people ready to do anything we ask them to, sing for SRK, scream for KKR, dance, pose, and what not. The shoot went good, considering it was our first time. Thereafter, it was time to catch the fan frenzy outside the Eden, and that was probably the easiest thing! You just need to show them the camera, and then it was left on the cameraman to capture! 3 and half hours of pure fun and an even fitting result brought a perfect ending to the day..!

Signing Off,

Nirvaan

Experience @Eden..!

2012-06-26T23:40:00.000+05:30

The experience was mind blowing, mind boggling, terrific, spectacular, tremendous, awesome etc etc., i guess I'll finish the entire dictionary but not get the right word for the emotions that were brewing inside my mind sitting right there, inside THE EDEN GARDENS, watching KKR take on the mighty RCB. What better could it have been than KKR registering a comprehensive win over their rivals. The atmosphere was electric, The pom poms, the face paints, the balloons, the placards, the wigs, and of course the cheerleaders (only the Bangalore ones, I did not like those of Kolkata) all making the environment all the more lively and colorful.

Hardly a seat seemed empty and man, you must have been there to witness the crowd at a single glimpse of SRK. It went totally mad. I was seated in a fairly decent position, near the cover boundary and thereby could see players like Zaheer, Dilshan and Brett Lee up close! There were some candid moments which I tried to spot, (it was not so easy to get it from the naked eye) during KKR's batting I saw Brett Lee bringing in a full meal in a tray, from the Dressing room to the dugout, whereas Vijay Mallya was spotted eating a mere piece of bread (I hope his team's plight is not same as his airlines company).

I also happen to remember a few tracks which were played during the over breaks. Mostly SRK no.'s they were, right from Criminal to Chammak Challo. Apart from them there was Wo sikandar hi dosto, Dhinka Chinka, along with some peppy punjabi no.s, Mundiya to Bachke, Sadi gali, Let the Music Play and also I am sexy and I know it..;) Not to mention the innings of Gambhir was indeed too good and so was Kallis' all rounder performance. Overall a well deserved victory for the Knights and a life time experience for a fan like me..!

Maza aana banta hai boss..!

2012-06-26T01:45:00.001+05:30

Another lazy day, however researched a bit for the match to come tomorrow. Who knows, I might get lucky and end up with some cricketer, and get a chance to interview them! Nevertheless, Dada couldn't get the better of DC yesterday, but it's alright, they can still come back. Of course it;s the high intensity match between DD and MI today, and yes till now it promises to live up to the expectations of the fans. A 200 plus score to chase, and with a batting line up, consisting of Sachin, Rohit , Peterson, maza to aana banta hai boss..! The schedule for the tomorrow match has just come up, and yes excitement is at its peak. Just hoping to get everything right and hoping to meet more and more fans, *correction*, crazy fans!

Signing Off,

Nirvaan

Diary-April 25th

2012-06-26T01:39:00.001+05:30

Back to the City of Joy, saw the desolate look of the Eden Gardens at 2 in the night (or morning??whatever..), on my way back (could not get a click, battery died:(..). The lobbies donned the "New Dawn, New Knights" posters, raat me bhi mast lag raha tha. Anyways, as soon as I reached home, caught hold of the remote and checked out the result of the matches of yesterday. Damn, I missed a hell of a match...A last over finish, a "Ashish Nehra" act by Piyush Chawla, and what a waste of what promised to be a cracker, ye baarish bhi RCB vs.CSK wale din hi honi thii.

Guess what, slept for around 10 hrs, to compensate for the last three days.:P..par sapne me bhi mumbai hi aa rha tha, I am missing the fun.. :( Now watching the DC vs. PWI, hope DC gets thier first win..!

Signing Off,

Nirvaan Baid

It's not aisa waisa pur, its Wasseypur!

2012-06-25T01:08:00.001+05:30

Yes, it is the epic saga of Indian Coal Mafia, running over three generations, with power packed performances, a taut script and and excellent,fresh dose of music and background score!(In fact Sneha Khanwalkar was certainly the champion of this movie) It did not have a single ingredient of the making of a blockbuster, but then it surely will go on to be one! No big stars, no romance, not a typical masala film, but then yes it had innovative ingredients, the rustic feel, and of course performances by the lesser known actors Richa Chadda, Tigmanshu Dhulia (a great director), Nawazuddin etc, and trust it works wonders for the movie, atleast it worked for me.

The uninhibited mouthing of Galis, double entredes, the skin show, all prove that Bollywood has certainly come of age. The fact that the director has dared to shoot almost a six hour long movie, and have already shot the sequel without even waiting to see the reactions of the audience goes on to speak how much belief he had in this script and the taste of the maturing audience. It was no less than a gamble to shoot almost a 20 crore film in this fashion, and moreover this has never been done before! This film obviously got the much needed popularity, when it was the first commercial Indian movie to be premiered at the Director's Fortnight .

The character of Manoj Bajpayee as Sardar Khan was that of a revengeful son, who is out on a mission to finish his father's killer. I know it sound's cliche, but that's only until you go and watch out this movie. He murders ruthlessly and has an insatiable appetite for sex. After a point even his wife accepts and asks him to eat well "Khana khao, takat aayega, bahar jaa ke be-izzati na karana". He gives those lecherous looks to Reema sen, is a womanizer, yet he is lovable! The music is just too unique and more importantly is good with the rendition of "Teri keh k lunga" by Sneha stealing the show.

However, the movie was just too rushed, and although Kashyap has a very strong script but it seems like he has fit in just too many characters in it. I won't say that they are not good, but then you need to be on alert while watching. If you happen to miss anything, you would remain confused till the end as to who this character is!

Nevertheless, there is so much and more, and wait...this is just the 1st part! The movie ended with a twist and I believe Nawazuddin will have the major part in the second part. But till its release we can only wait..!!

Signing Off

Nirvaan Baid