Strange Ramblings

Google Allo - And its Content Ratings on iOS

2016-09-24T19:19:00.002+05:30

Google just launched their new messaging app Allo in an already overcrowded market. Now there are plenty of opinions online, that you can read, talking about what are the chances that Allo succeed, so we are not going to talk about it here.

However, when trying to download the app on iOS through App Store, an interesting thing caught my attention. The content rating that was given to this messaging app was 17+ with further click ins such as: Nudity, Profanity etc.

On the other hand, a simple comparison with WhatsApp (the debatable leader in the market), you'd realize the same has a rating of 4+.

Screenshot Dt. 23rd Sept 2016: Taken on India App Store on iPhone

Similar to PG ratings on entertainment contents, App Store has the following scale: 4+, 9+, 12+ and 17+ with the varying scales of nudity, profanity, violence and other such adult (not "child" safe) references. But its simply baffling to have such a huge gap between the content rating for two similar apps.

What could possibly be the reasons for such a huge valley of gap in between the two apps which are so similar?

Google Assistant? - Yes, the much awaited assistant is finally here, with the complete power and backing of Google's AI and Machine Learning behind it. Perhaps the assistant sometimes replies in a NSFW (not safe for work) or NFS (Non family safe) format.

In my usage of the app, the assistant seems really courteous and respectful, if anything

Stickers? - Allo has at the moment around 30 sticker packs made by independent artists expressing various emotions. From love to hate to monday morning blues, everything.

There indeed are emotions displayed more vividly, but nothing that your regular emoticons don't display, or nothing that is obscene.

Anything else? Well not really.

Honestly, if someone is old enough to own an Apple device, and have their own accounts, then they are old enough to use Google Allo, just like they would be old enough to use Apple's own iMessage. And o'course, iMessage doesn't even get a place on App Store, for it to be brought under the spotlight here.

Stifling the competition by unleveling the playing field, and favoring another organization for better synergies? Is that the game, it makes me wonder.

Disclaimer: This writeup represents my views, as a user of these products, in my capacity as an individual alone and nothing else

Review: Quiet by Susan Cain - The power of Introverts

2016-02-23T22:32:00.001+05:30

"Quiet is the most important book published for a decade"
Amazon - Link
Goodreads - Link
Rating *****

Firstly, Highly Recommended !

A book review is never easy. It becomes even tougher if you love the book that you are about to review so much so that you read it at a snail's pace over months, and then don't have excerpts to recall.

Hence, No Spoilers Here, You.

Quiet is an extremely powerful book. The Author, Susan Cain has done extensive research on the topic of Introverts / Extroverts and how the world reacts to each of the personality types.

She has been able to deliver a great narrative on basic understanding of each of the personality types, and how can each one of us react when we encounter people to make all our lives easier, covering diverse perspectives from that of a parent, to a teacher or to simply a friend.

“There's zero correlation between being the best talker and having the best ideas.”

This line above, captures so much of the essence being spoken about in the book, which is in complete contrast with what we are taught right from kindergarten. With the emphasis on group activities and being a team player, and calling someone who prefers to do things differently by not speaking up that often, people often end up making deductions that there is something wrong.

Progressively then, we are continuously bombarded about the importance of action and team work, and we lose emphasis on solitude and deep thinking. And this facet is not only applicable at work, but in all our relationships and life: How we work, how we talk, how we party, how we love, how we mentor, how we think, everything. And what most of us fail to realize is, Introverts are the same to Extroverts and vice versa, the way Yin is to Yang. Both are essential pieces for our world and for the human race to survive

Little bit of research, and I realized there is a thought that most people who choose to read this book, are introverts, because it does come across as championing a case for introverts with some flair.

However, being an introvert herself, Cain was able to walk the thin line between over-glorifying and beating about that Introverts live in a world built against them, against being able to quantitatively bring about facts to argue the world's reaction towards the topic and reasons behind the same, and come across unbiased.

I am not really sure, how much of that unbiasedness can I accomplish with this blog. A true litmus test to the statement that I make above, would only happen when an extrovert first reads the book, form their own opinion and then agree with what I just said.

But surely, this is not a book for only introverts. In fact, it is the complete opposite. It is a book for the world. Go, grab a copy now, and read it.

Review: Dialogue in the Dark (DiD), Hyderabad - An Unlit Experience of a kind

2016-02-04T18:41:00.003+05:30

Ambiance *****

Food ****

Experience *****

Overall *****

Often, we wonder, how would it be like to experience the world in someone else's shoes. Dialogue in the Dark gives you an overwhelming experience on one such foray.

Located in the sprawling Madhapur area of Hyderabad, a stones throwaway from the Hitech City, this is the area of the city that will blend modern India with the city of Nizams for you. Located on the 3rd floor of Inorbit Mall, as soon as you reach the reception desk of the restaurant, you'll start feeling awe.

What greets you is an 'unassuming' person at the reception, who matter of factly mentions, that this experience would be unique for you. There are rules to be followed, and he hands over a list of the same - key being, you don't have anything on you which emits light, in any environmental condition. Curiously placed are a few Walking Sticks lying in a corner allow your imagination run wild for a little while.

The moment when it finally dawns on us, on how real the experience is going to be, is when we were finally asked to queue and hold onto each others shoulders so that we don't get lost. A slight tap on the door in front, and the receptionist at the start of the queue, leads us into pitch darkness and hands the reigns over to our host for the night.

Post that, it is just an experience to live and relive...

... Your remaining senses heightened

... Your sense of smell and taste, on overdrive

... Your food tasting better than any of your meal in memory

... Your brain can comprehend an honest conversation without your eyes sending a zillion bytes

... Your face when you realize that you host is actually visually impaired and that you get to live his life for an hour

... Your words speak louder than your expressions and everything else

The most amazing part of the experience is the initiative in itself. Not only is it offering employment to the visually impaired, but the awareness and support for disability in general, is incredible. In their own words:

International experience | 8 Million visitors worldwide | 130 Centres 30 countries | 3,00,000 visitors in Hyderabad - INDIA - DiD

Incredible.

Are Online Social Interactions making us more awkward?

2014-07-31T16:40:00.003+05:30

In reality, this is the "righteous" path that all of us have already trotted onto. The mediums of communication, that help us substitute physical interactions, keep on flooding our ecosystem. Be it virtual classrooms, virtual conferences or even attending virtual concerts, they are all there.

And every now and then, there is something disruptive, or let me rather call it confusing, something that is Yo! Let's not try and get into the super high valuation that the app is getting. But, some of the use cases that have been developed, like the alerts that Israelis have been getting whenever there is a rocket strike back home. With some of these apps raising insane amount of bids, with the likes of Whatsapp ($19 Billion), Instagram ($1 Billion) and Snapchat ($3 Billion), even when the base itself has no angle for justification, we can probably place a bet on the way Yo is headed. The game changer though remains, if at all, the app will be able to break into the stock that mobile OS's have, and change the way notifications are delivered onto these platforms.

Now, Do all these social platforms, and continuous disruptions, have an impact on the physical interactions also? I feel, yes.

It is almost impossible to keep the two worlds separate: the online and the offline worlds. And the way our communication has seen a transition from: Hi, How are you today? to Wassup to A simple poke, it is a little disconcerting that when we actually have the need to be a little verbose, we can't really be.

Its not only about saying stuff though, is it? Its about how you behave in a room. Will you be the person who's standing in a corner and feeling I am absolutely ok here, and don't feel the urge to interact with 5 different people, although the purpose of the room was to network. Quite a lot of folks do.

There is a flip side to it too though.
These days, if you are sitting in a group of 10-15 people, that you know well, and if you look around the room, you'll find atleast 25-30% of the people who are awkward, socially awkward. But this isn't necessarily a bad thing. The quirks that each of these people display, in the interactions that are happening, are really the gems that create the dynamism of the group. These people might struggle during the initial rounds of interactions, but once they open up, is when you realize, the hidden wealth of the group.

And that is really where you ask the question, "Are we really getting socially awkward?"

Genetic gift of Intelligence vs Genetic gift of beauty

2014-05-30T12:58:00.000+05:30

At the risk of sounding sexist, here we go...

The argument started in the usual setup. You are on the verge of passing out of the college. Stuff on your mind is limited to placements. You have forgotten all about why you wanted to study in the first place, and how knowledge was at the pinnacle of your priorities.

Then walks in, 'Rebecca Black'.

And the conversation flows like this:
--------
Situation: You are still unplaced. Everything in your paper says, you should have more interview opportunities, and better chances of getting through. RB is already placed. Her calibre seems good, but when stacking up, perhaps it doesn't compare. At all points, you are happy for her, but, you blame your stars after getting angry at the cosmic actions of the world.

Me: The world is so unfair. I am not getting enough opportunities, because organization's are too concerned about their HR policies and their Gender Ratio.

RB: Perhaps. But I don't feel an iota of regret at using the fact that I am a Girl, and that is an advantageous factor when stacking up agains my peers. Why should I feel guilty about using that.

Me: You don't feel bad about the fact that your success might have hinged on a factor related to your beauty and your gender than your actual ability? At one place, we keep on arguing the facts about gender equality, and then on the other hand, the comfort at which we propagate special treatments at such stuff at also trivial stuff for separate queues at ticket windows extra, its saddening.

RB: Let's not get into situational based arguments about Gender Equality. And let's agree on the disparity of gender being both favorable and unfavorable in their own regards in different situations. I feel very comfortable using my beauty (and the fact that I am a girl), to my advantage. I am on my way to getting a multi million dollar contract with the recording studio, and my YouTube channel is already hitting the roof with all the right numbers.
Me: Right. *Shrugs his shoulders, accepts the way of the world*

-- Below is how the argument should have flowed, with a different perspective brought to light by the fictional character of Dr. House; when Dr. Cameron asked her, why she was recruited for one of the best Medical fellowships in the country when there were clearly more qualified and better candidates --

RB: Let me ask you a question now? Think of it with regards to your genetic makeup. And lets be clear, that hard work work is very important in life, but so are genes. And your Genes of Intelligence (+ Common Sense) go a long way in paving your ability credentials. So does your luck. Now, do a parallel comparison with your Genes of Beauty (+ your XX/YX Chromosome). And answer me now, why is it OK for you to use your Intelligence Gene, but not your Beauty Gene. And lets not stamp over the fact that the chance of a guy using his smartness / beauty gene is lesser because of the already screwed up Gender ratios.

Me: *Stumped* *Still trying to wrap my head around this*
--------

I get it. I am amazed at how a little bit of perspective can change the outlook completely. The world continuous to be a place full of surprises, and learning. And the sources of learning continue to be 'regal' in their own regards.

And House MD, continues to be an amazing show, even when you revisit it (S01E01, if my memory serves me right)

Food Iterations & Molecular Gastronomy

2014-03-29T20:31:00.001+05:30

Talk about the words that are being thrown dime a dozen these days, in the food circle, "Molecular Gastronomy".

Humans, being the curious beings that they are, have since ages tried to break down and rebuild everything around them. Be it the molecules that the universe is made of, or Reverse Engineer the only Alien Aircraft that we have, stashed away at Area 51 (well, maybe). You get the point, though.

Molecular Gastronomy, dwells into these very realms. Being an Engineer, and a Science person myself, it shouldn't surprise anyone of where my loyalties lie.

Humans, though, are also very different from one another. We are not like the Bee Colony. With All Hail the Queen attitude, or the necessity of social strata being developed inside the colony, where everyone has a purpose, and everyone works for the benefit of the colony. Point being, we are Individuals, with our own set of ideologies and beliefs.

One such belief, that irked me, was this comment by the young Celebrity Chef, Saransh Goila, in one of his interviews to Delhi Food Walks.:

I have never used any molecular gastronomic techniques. I personally think that it does not work for Indian cuisines.... I don’t think it works as a restaurant which functions all across the industry.

Molecular Gastronomy, for me, is simple. It's a reaction, like in chemistry. Might be a chemical one, might be a physical one. The elements, that we might end up playing here with, could be as simple as Texture (Simple, because I believe touch is the sense that humans can relate to very easily), or as complicated as flavor (where taste is detected through multiple sensations).

But what kind of elements, can we manipulate, in this science? A few that come to mind are: Temperature, Texture, Aroma, Flavour, Ingredients to the last milligram, substitutes for food components like sugar etc. And now, try and compare the same to what exists in the Indian Palette. I might be breaking the science here into something crude & simpler, that really doesn't require much technique, but elaborating the same stuff that we have always done to food, we'll see that Molecular Gastronomy as a term might be new, but we have always done that to build our palette.

So, let's pick at the Kulfi, which comes in many flavours, and textures as a dish when you add Falooda to it. Let's not forget, the Falooda itself comes in many textures and flavours. Glass Noodle-ish with the Kulfi, or spherical balls, with your favorite ice cream, or in your favorite shake. Let's pick at something in a different spectrum now, the famous Indian Pickles now. In terms of flavour and ingredient manipulation, and the techniques involved including fermentation, sun drying etc, they most definitely do scratch on our discussion topic here. Dals (commonly known as Lentils) are had in a plethora of ways: From the powdery Gun Powder to the semi liquid Curry, to the pancakey Chilla. There's also my favorite dish, in the whole wide world, which is a mash of Papad and Bhindi Masala, for both the extra crunchiness and spice. You might call a few of the above examples as Fusion, or Food Iterations, but I do believe they still fall in the realm of Food Science.

Perhaps, most readers who end up here, would know more about Molecular Gastronomy than me. Food Science, is after all, not my Science, and what do I really know? I am not the expert. But it does feel bad to me, when promising young chef's in India, fail to realize the effect that Molecular Gastronomy or Food Science can have on the Indian Palette, and invest time into it.

The Cultural Guacamole - India

2014-01-14T20:18:00.001+05:30

I can get angry easily. Doesn't take much. But more often than not, it is controlled, leads to a healthy argument or stubbornness, leading most definitely to an adrenaline rush for me, and an interesting phase of human observation for others.

A few things that piss me off, are a completely different story. One of them is how we Indians are all gaga over our expeditions abroad, and care trifle about the diversity that India has to offer, mostly. We call into the equation, of places across Europe, of what historical spread they have to offer, along with powerful natural beauty. We call into the equation, of the Developed Countries like America, of what modernization and skyscrapers they offer, alongside their standard of living. We call into the equation, of the horrid state of affairs in the countries that are unstable politically. We call into the equation, of Africa, of what ethnic diversity it offers, and add to that, the diversity of its flora and fauna. We also call into the equation, of the Middle East, the bridge that it acts between the West and the East, and Dubai specifically being the Sheikh among them.

Granted, there are things that each of these places offer, and perhaps do better than what India does, case by case. Also granted, is the vice versa. The argument being, all you need to do is, find those cool glasses lying around, put an India filter on, like with those Augmented Reality lenses or perhaps Google Glass, and just do a 360 spin with eyes wide open. It'll give you a point by point comparison for everything above and more. I'll just dish out one of mine though, for argument's sake.

Pop up, the west meet east, Dubai & Middle East, and pops in, a curious little town, Hampi, Karnataka. I am not calling at the whole nine yards of what Dubai offers in comparison here, but the immensity of what a mere 15 kms of radius of this ancient Vijayanagara Empire offers in comparison. On one side, we have the man made confluence of world, executed in the grandeur of which any Sheikh would be proud of. On the other side is the humble ruins, and the natural richness that is on offer, both sides of the Tungabhadra River. The glamour of the western culture flourishing north of the river, with the harmony of the eastern and Indian heavy culture flourishing on the southern banks, it almost offers you that perfect Yin & Yang spot, you were always searching for in your life.

Go cliff diving in one of the many reservoirs around, Canadian style, or marvel at the biggest Narsimha Idol. Go gorging on the German Bakery, or try the famous Goan Cuisine. Go camping, Grand Canyon style, or go for a bath in the river. Go feel the heat radiating from the stones in summers, or go for the coolness that is on offer at night. Go experience the Premier League with your newly made British acquaintances, or go live the life of crossing the river with a rented bike on a (what can be only called) makeshift Barge motorboat with livestock. Converse about everything from Mythology to Globalization, in the language of your choice. Dress up in the stupid bermuda that you have got, and still feel like blending in.

It is, a marvel on its own, and what I only ask for, from all of us, is, speak and live with the same reverence of your own heritage, and enjoy the whole world. Here, India, and Outside.

P.S. A very happy new year to all :)

The Curious Case of Smiles

2013-10-22T20:05:00.002+05:30

Yeah, new job, and the workload that comes along, can keep you occupied. So, I have been busy. Well, not really. You always find time for something that you like to do. There has been a break with blogging for completely different reasons, and I am back now. So here goes something on a lighter note,

Weird, Tangential and Iconic Smiles :) :D :-) :\) >:) >) :-D

The title says it all.
You'll always find people around you with smiles that are different, not necessarily weird. And it is a big turn-on for most of us, figuratively. It is just awesome on so many levels to be surrounded with not only people, but living beings, with that quirky laugh and that weird looking smile. To think back, i have had so many crushes all my life, just because of the way she smiled. I can hardly bring those original photos here, for obvious reasons, but i'll still try and pick on some of the most iconic public smiles around.

The Artsy Smile: There are far more qualified people to comment on this. For me, it always was a mystery, and hence the beauty - The 'Wannabees' who want to sound deep.

The Classic Beauty Smile: It is all about having the other sex fall head over heals for you, and you yourself having the time of you life with it - The MM Club.

The Flatbed Smile: There's absolutely no mistaking this one. It's a tease that you cannot resist in the non quintessential way. It's that smile that plays with your face and eyes as much, that it just ropes you in - The Hep Crowd.

The Loud Smile: The challenge is simple. Use every friggin' muscle of your face, even the ones that you didn't know existed, for the good of others. We all need that dose of laughter around, oh yes - The Mask.

The 'Why So Serious' Smile: The most obvious name that is. You may be inclined to be scared, but we all keep that twisted person around in our lives, the one you hate but also love, the one that inspires you to break the shackles, the one who has no sense of obligation, but a misplaced sense of 'Point to Prove', insane confidence, and cock-a-doodle-do sense of Worldly Affairs - The Joker.

The 'Imaginary Character' Smile: It's the most obvious thing in the world. Something that comes to us most naturally even as kids. A lot of times the universe conspires to not let you live life the way you want to. This should not result in inhibitions. You can always have a imaginary character in your life, just for that. To life without inhibitions - Calvin & Hobbes.

The Show Off Smile: Aha, nobody's perfect. That doesn't really stop me from flaunting my 'pearly whites'. Why should it? And for all the Sand that God throws at me, I have a Hump. Take that for an attitude - The Camel.

The Power Smile: All that power in the world, and for what. You left a mess for me? Here's my answer. High Unemployment? Oh, under advisement. Bankruptcy? For the later administration. Tackling Terrorism? Oh yes, bang on. Obamacare? Hmmm. First of a kind president President and all that charming personality, with a smile - The US President

The Plotting Smile: He ha ha. Oh yes, I know what you did last Summer, and you are so dead. This just the fodder I needed against your lazy ass, eh - The Martian Frog.

The Gateway Getaway Smile: Keep it simple silly. What's the point of being the crowd, when you can be one in the crowd. "Besides, my tongue through the gateway, feels great", - The Child in You.

The 'Billion' Smile: Oh scarcely, expectations have really, scarcely, ever troubled me. Talent & Luck may be a God's gift, but you know what, managing expectations, and doing justice to those gifts, Hard Work. You feel me? - SRT

The 'Blush' Smile: :* :) Humility, and Introverts. A toast to both these people. You know why? Why, because, the emphasis on collaboration and show & tell lifestyle these days is broken. Why, because, solitude results in the next big innovation most often. Why, because, it is a world where we need them, and we need each other. Why, because, the next time you listen and stop talking, you'd realize the wealth of information that people around you are, and have - The Anime Industry.

The Divine Smile: Simple Truth. Divine Truth. Any task, any work, any pecking order where you fall, any facet, there might be different levels of sweat and different levels of satisfaction, what stays stuck, is the smile. As a leaving argument though, question the status quo, with a smile - The Laughing Buddha.

The Uncontrollable Smile: It might not be fit to use pictures of people around me, but no one stops me from picking on this. Nah, I'll leave the picking to you guys instead. Some people have already had a laugh with this, here's your chance. I'll just close this with you with two simple words KEEP SMILING! - HD
P.S. Don't miss those dimples there :D

Disclaimer: The Images used in this blog, are taken from all over the internet, with an eye not to use any copyright material, and use public images to a larger extent.

Invasion of Privacy, or Not?

2013-05-10T16:51:00.000+05:30

OR NOT

Disclaimer: Expressed below are my views on a topic that I believe to be touchy with many people. They, are not, in any way, related to Google or any other giant, and are not endorsed in any capacity by the same. What little knowledge that I have gained in the little time that I have spent in the company yet, has no implication on what I express here.

Every idea has a seed. Some may call the idea itself a seed.
Big or small, the seed is the key. The origin of this post has something that is similar and very interesting. Something that has stemmed over a good part of the internet age. The argument between where to draw the line in terms of privacy.

Having started recently, there was a healthy argument on the same with a fellow noogler during one of the sessions. And that brought back everything from the vault. The argument always remains, that big internet companies, with the extent that they have penetrated into the internet sphere, and the amount of information that they have, have started twisting this very private information to earn the big bucks. This is 'the cause' of why some people have stopped sleeping well at night, and becoming paranoid by the day.

Companies do declare the privacy clauses in the terms and conditions. Although, as a matter of fact, you and I both know how many ever go through them. As they say, the biggest universal lie that people say is, "I have read the the Terms and Conditions, and agree to the same" irrespective of who they are. Let's not even get into all that. The people who complain, when you actually try and understand the reasons, you will not be surprised at the way they rationalize and tailor the privacy clauses at their own behest. To elaborate a bit, it is absolutely agreeable for them to splurge information on the internet for services and products that they deem fit or useful, and from which they would like to reach a desired result that in more cases than not will result in a tangible benefit for them. They will never complain about how efficient the system is becoming and saving them crazy amounts of time, or the fact that the service is free, and most of all, how all of it combined has made life easier for the whole population. However, there will always be that grand gesture, of a ruckus, as soon as they use the information that you willingly provide, to achieve exactly those goals that you set for them.

If we could only take a step back, not get caught up in what is blasted to our senses daily, and think; I am sure a lot of you would change stance if you do not already agree with me.

World today is drastically different from a decade ago. And the chaos is of exponential levels. The priorities of the stakeholders here are no less exposed to the same. The only issue I feel is, that people haven't been able to make sense of this chaos at the same rate.

User's Perspective:

If you think about all of the world's information, in physical terms, it probably will fill this earth completely and more. Fishing through this vastness, is no meagre task, and finding the exact information, even more so. Anything that allows you to do this effectively, is a big plus for the user. It saves lot of time, that can be utilized productively otherwise, or even recreationally. If, privacy allows the system to become smarter in this very cause, why not.

System's Perspective:
User. User. User. That's exactly what Marketing 101 to Infinity is. Everything in the middle is just a way to achieve the end result. And when user wants free stuff that do so much, where do you as a company earn the bucks to make those very products free and improve them. The most basic, and a necessity in terms of product, was search. And I don't really understand the hooplah behind a bot running around your usage history and your preferences, and deliver you the right content. It is not like someone alive is actually viewing the data, and causing you harm.

Also, all the bucks earned revolve around tailoring the content for the user, to deliver them just right, by using this information which is collected and making the system intelligent. It appears to be a win - win situation all around. You would really not expect the firm to continue on a free model for the services unless they make money out of something.

There will always be something scary that big giants like Google would be doing. There also might be some mis-steps. And at the scale and rate of innovation with which some of these organizations work, they are a part of the game. But, once you understand the reasoning behind the steps and how the companies core values work in protecting the user, you would realize there is nothing much to be scared about. Ammends are always made, and REJOICE, might be the better expression.

In the End, always remember:
Everything is OPT In here. So stop cribbing.

Graduation and all the Moolah !!

2013-04-01T00:21:00.001+05:30

It has been said aplenty, "Life is a Journey. And the Journey is more important than the Destination."

More often than not, if you follow this principle, you'd be left in good stead. So ditch all the long term plans, and live in the moment. Or a collection of them, like Graduation.

One can truly break that in your face question of Why MBA very easily. From where I stand, it is likely to be one of this:

Break away from your undergrad university where you weren't exposed to your dream opportunities
A complete U Turn, in terms of the chosen path, say from an Electrical Engg to IB
Bored and hence getting back to the good ol' student ways, meeting people partying, lazing around

Obviously, the whole concoction of stuff starts way before the actual gassing up in a MBA. So you would be averse to yourself, and come up with THE answer, which would mostly border upon the first two. Rightly so, it ain't a small investment. There always will be people that fall in the 3rd ring also. However, there will also be a meek underline that would define the true purpose. And that's when the whole thing starts getting messier. The journey that was supposed to be a run of the mill MBA graduation, becomes much more.

All of it started with several doubts for me, with regards to the campus. And then I really figured out that question of Why MBA, and it made sense to dive in. Clarity was absolutely to the point. I have to go on the exchange program. Dumb, right? GMAT should have been ideal. Had made a date already infact, but then IIFT happened. Rest is all a spiral road, I must say.

It was likely that I'd study the way I study and that left me with so much time as usual. The Campus, or lack of it, made a few things interesting. Mostly, it helped me walk over the laziness, and that opened other doors. Looking through them, you'd find some Coordinator Material, some Competitions, some Parties, some Travelling, some Interactions and many Friends. Probably the Guacamole of all the doors, was not the job, instead was the experience that is now etched and has chiseled me for better.

It would be stupid of me to try and chronicle two years out here, nevertheless, here's a shot at nothing and everything in a line or two:

To the awkwardness of one girl in the batch, to the PDPs and reverse, to the 1012, to standing up against your own (woh Revolt), to the entry of late bloomers ;) to the Corporate Roadies, to the return of laziness in classes, to complete disregard for authority, to 5 Samurai, to NOTE :D, to Elections, to Exchange, to Summers, to Blash, to 1214, to the other PDPs, to the Singapore fleet, to Port Visit, to NUS, to the Symposium, to Advait, to Google, to 100%, to all the conversations, to all of the time of 20 odd months, to all the experiences, to all the politics, to all the learning, to all the partying, to all the travelling and to all of 1113.

_KD13 ---- se retiró (Meaning Retired. Before, was just a dig at the Espanol that I learnt :D)

To New Beginnings... Cheers !!

_KD13 -- Se Retiró

Why you should travel young?

2013-03-06T20:21:00.001+05:30

The Road Less Traveled "It's always about the journey"

I just arrived back from the Maha Kumbh, Allahabad, and I feel overwhelmed; Not at the mysterious religious beliefs that a place like Kumbh and Sangam would hold; after all, we'd have to live another 144 years to experience another, but at the very fact that I have started to feel more comfortable living out of my suitcase, on the road, than with a closet, and the fact that that happens only once in 144 years.

So why should we Travel at all..
I am sure you'll find your own reasons, as soon as you take that first step out of your city. For me, it has always been for the love of the experience. Loose term, yes, but you'll get it once you travel. And for the uninitiated, Experience can be about that clear blue green water, the golden sand, the rocky coastline, the twinkling starry sky, the fresh soft snowy morning, the blazing hot sun.
But there are finer tastes to travelling than the landscape and the weather. And you'll truly start enjoying travelling when such things make you swoon. Could be the culture, the people that you meet along and make acquaintances of, the local food that you taste, the local lifestyle that you get addicted to from sports/music/work to the morning walks/breakfast quirks, or could be that event, historic or otherwise, that you were just there to witness, be it your first live football match, or your umpteenth music concert albeit in a different setting, or your first ever Wine and Cheese tasting in the very land, or say the final address of the Pope stepping down (which a friend just happened to witness), or well the Maha Kumbh with the longest congregation of religious pilgrims or people otherwise and where a city just spawns out of nothing in a matter of weeks. Oh, the Possibilities alone !!

and Young...
Surely.
Borrowing a few lines from another piece of writing, which I sincerely feel is a must read to the extent that you should give what I wrote a miss if you had to make that call:

"“We are what we repeatedly do,” Aristotle once said. While I don’t want to sound all gloom-and-doom, and I believe your life can turn around at any moment, there is an important lesson here: life is a result of intentional habits. So I decided to do the things that were most important to me first, not last." - Jeff Goins
Puts the whole thing very much into the frame. We all are creatures of habits and travelling young could have you hooked to something that will make your life richer, on every count. If you just take a break from the mundane of your life now, and feel, you know you want to travel now.

And As Foursquare calls it:

Your lungs are thanking you !! And here's to the beauty of public transit, and to always giving up your seat for the pregnant, elderly, and backpackers who haven't showered in a week

Cheers !! Go Travel !!

Two Stones, One Bird

2013-01-12T20:41:00.000+05:30

I never would have imagined such a day, in existence. I surely can call myself a Reader now. What kind, is still a mystery. But what entails is, give me a random piece and I would eat it up. Keeps things interesting and that is how I see it.

It is a matter of perspective after all. And what pushed me to finally write this, after putting out for long, is a fellow blogger.

Perspective, is something that our brain is wired to have. And it is at the heart of what makes your personality. You often draw from these very experiences to give you direction in time of need. I truly believe one would be lost if they don't form their opinions. Key though remains to avoid overdoing and be open minded when it comes to people. Everybody makes mistakes. Where am I getting with all this bull, you ask? It's the other side. I am an opinionated person to an extent. I do believe though, I am good at reading people somewhat. I am rigid, and also, flexible, if only you reason with me with logic. And all this leads to the inferno where I preach what I believe in, in no uncertain terms, so much so that sometimes I believed what works for me, works for everyone else, sometimes.

But the recent interview process, puts things into perspective, better than ever. If I may say so, people who converted, can be put into two very different schools of thought, yet they both succeeded. And, I probably am the one that stands alone. There was absolutely no preparation, as it often renders one giving cooked up answers. Even my clothes raised a couple of eyebrows among friends, since nothing matched. In short, it was what that has been ingrained into my soul, LITE LENA. On the other end, were people who have always studied hard, and prepared with equal vigor for the interview. Spic Span looks, with equally confident demeanor, and rightly so.

Realization is simple. You need to do what suits you, and gives that extra confidence in yourself to allow you to sail through. There's no right or wrong. So was I wrong in preaching what I did for the past year, and even now. Absolutely not. It's a matter of perspective. Only thing, I could have been less aggressive. But you can't really blame a man for LITEning the mood ;)

Writer's UnBlock

2012-12-08T20:34:00.001+05:30

If only it were that simple. Sometime's I wish to be in the genius world of C & H. Best darn comic strip around, always puts a smile to your face, perhaps not because of it's revolutionary ideas and ingenious thoughts, but mostly because of its simplicity, the thing that you crave most for in this warp paced life of todays.

As for the Writer's block, its a fascist thought. Not only does it spread like weed, it also is an omnipresent excuse to not getting down to business. And well, there would always be the block until you try and push through it. It is only when you free your mind from such shackles and allow it to roam in the wilderness, do you get ideas in the truest sense. You know what though, what still remains as your daily dose of peace and power as a writer, is your attention to your surroundings and observations that you derive from the same. Keep your eyes wide open, your mind uncluttered, and for heaven's sake WRITE !!

Do Not Disturb !! < National Trade Symposium >

2012-11-15T21:54:00.002+05:30

" Commerce changes the fate and genius of nations " - Thomas Gray

If anything, reading the concept note, and making that revision for the umpteenth time, has ingrained this particular quote in my mind. For right reasons, I would have to say, because it is true to the hilt.

I call this phase of my life as Do Not Disturb. Why is it appropriate you ask? First thing, my demeanor itself, over the past few weeks, gives it away. There was perhaps a hint of conscious decision in the way I carried myself around people. Conscious, because, it makes it easier on me to work that way. Focused, and absolutely no frivolous tasks or banter. But everything has its own time and place. Precisely why I ended up free beyond college hours, most of the day. Life had not stopped, changed yes, but there was still time to indulge, as always. And that is what was my first takeaway from the experience.
Secondly, was what people around me complained about. Rightly So. It is never 'civil' of one to 'ignore' people. But, I was never the person to walk up to someone and stir a banter. I like that peace I have in some ways. Still somehow, the impression I sometimes leave is of being an extrovert. Perhaps, people whom I am close to would even classify me as a chatterbox of the avval kind. Its confusing to even me sometimes, and the best way is to leave it in those shades of grey. Considering all though, I felt bad of what was happening, but I still couldn't move away from that Do not disturb phase, much to my disappointment. Now that I am a few days into the aftermath, it is still not that easy to switch back to normalcy.

Bickering aside, what this self inflicted phase left me with, is my space, to work out what is helluva complicated in the environment that the college gives you and the hand that it deals you. Cakewalk, by no stretch of imagination, especially for someone like me who's, in most people's words, doing it for the first time, and with the scale that the event is supposed to touch, being a corporate affair. Adaptability, was the key for me. Picking up things on the fly, getting better with every task and just having that room in my brain to think things through and be a little creative, worked like a charm. I remember picking brains of anyone that I stumbled onto, and discussing nothing but the Trade Symposium. I am pretty sure that some of my friends and family from out of town, must have been thinking of an asylum for me soon ;)

Having said that, it is not a 2 man job. Never will be under the circumstances. It still boils down to all the support that you can garner. And I use 'support' very loosely here. It's more like all the leads. Delegation, is that one thing, you just cannot do without. Work remains though, your job doesn't end there. There is always something eating at you like follow ups, getting things done on time, coordinating etc. It is a fact, that among all people working diligently for the event, it was I who worked the least, especially when you put it in tangible terms. And the beauty is, it is by pure luck, or perhaps something that I must have done in my previous life, that I was allowed to do that, and pull off the event the way we did.

I have always believed that there is no one better to teach you humility than life itself. Forget everything that I have said until now, and imagine almost 120 people assisting you in a task that you have taken lead for, and to put things into perspective, that 120 is the whole college strength per se. Wonders can be achieved if only India, and the World in general, learns the strength of unity once again. Things like this, simply gives a big thumbs up to all that effort you end up putting in, and the feeling that lingers is a smile.

In the end though, it was an absolute delight for me to have been able to execute it the way it went. Ups and Downs, are a part and parcel of life, and there were a few even on the D day, that many who attended would also not see, but elaborating on them here is just not right. And if at this point, I or anyone claims that taking up the task was not selfish, well, keep an apple on that person's head, and aim for the head. It was almost impossible to execute the vision I had for the event, under the constraints that we worked, but the objectives were still met. The event went smooth, and life is mine again.

P.S. @120+ IIFTians: There's only one person I had thanked after the event. And that was our VP, not even my partner in crime. I regretted it almost instantly, because that's just undermining his effort. It was as much your event as it was mine. The event itself was an ode and a thank you. And things can only get bigger and better from hereon for the event.

Here's me passing the baton, almost theatrically ;)
Chapter Closed.
INNER PEACE !!

Sting Operation - Titanomachy

2012-10-23T20:45:00.000+05:30

It's the oldest play in the book, coming right out of the playbooks of the Mayans. And still it couldn't have been historically more different or similar. Mayans were a competitive race. And more so than anything else, their passion and competitiveness was displayed when it came to sports. Fierce fighters, standing their own till the very end, often making sacrifices to their gods to help them excel, human sacrifices.

But history never repeats itself completely. So reveals the sting operation that our correspondents myself and an inside source executed impeccably, although being busy with other more important, and the so called, Breaking News'. I can safely say that there were no human sacrifices made, yet atleast. But then again, there are these levels to which the "co-owners" (as pointed out promptly by someone, being the mistake in my last piece) have stooped to. Human Sacrifice, or your Self-Conscience sacrifice? And then they play hide and seek with thy Integrity. This is going to be messy, even before it starts.

Excerpts from the Sting Operation:

POR, where art thou? Katputliyon ki tarah nachaaunga main inhe. Insider Trading, baayen haath ka khel and saala owners ko toh pata bhi nahi chalega. Kuch toh faayda uthaun POR ka. And from where I stand all these are just fools. Aur rahi baat MM ki, time waste karne ki bilkul zaroorat nahi hai unpe. And they think they are offering them those beers, VIP passes to the after parties. Woh kya jaane ki yahan abhi ke abhio dry day declare kar sakta hun main. Morons.

DD. Let's not talk about over confidence here. We know we are the best. Blah Blah Blah..... What they forget is how we have managed to parcel off UD to TMK. They wouldn't know what hit them. Sheesh, Diwaaron ke bhi kaan hote hain. And rahi baaki baat, well paise were well invested. Team ki toh zaroorat hi kahan, kaafi hai hum 3 log hi.

TMK. There can only be one smart ass here. I will show them all. Inn logon ko lagta hai ki meri help se saari glory apne naam kar lenge. Inke sabki......... Dekh lunga. Dark Horse, Party Poopers, sab hum hi hain. And rahi baat bhasad machane ki, toh voh toh mera janm sidh adhikaar hai.

J.E.D.I. We'll show them. That plan to leave out the star performer from last year, SK, was a master stroke. We'll oversell that lambu to other teams and eat into their market cap. Hila ke rakh denge sabko.

Auction. Master stroke by POR, trying to include Thakur into it. << Whowudhavthunk that he is the inside man >> And the scoop is clearer than ever. That so called Ta.. would not even know what hit him by the next edition.

Match Fixing. Smartass Madan and his strange ploys. He doesn't know who he is dealing with here. Aise 10 toh main sirf ball boys rakhta hun apne backyard mein. Karne de usse koshish, and khush hone de. 4 pal ki chaandi hai, let him be. And, MM ka toh fixing karke bhi scope nahi hai.

And they think they are the smart asses. Well whatever happens, nothing could be more interesting than how these dirty cheap tricks pan out in the following week.

Stay Tuned for more !!

Press Conference - Titanomachy !!

2012-10-22T21:45:00.007+05:30

Disclaimer: You know what this means. I ain't responsible for any shit that comes out of his mouth. I am just putting forward his point of view in a completely unbiased manner. This does, in no way, pledges my allegiance to any of the teams. I am, and always will be, a free agent.

Not to bash in on something that works in your favour, so instead of the press conference, it turned out to be a plain-simple one-on-one interview which wasn't really explosive, but an inside scoop nevertheless.

Interview Transcript - Udhav Malik, Co-Captain, TMK

THIS IS ME, UD !!

Q1. How important is Titanomachy in the mix of things that are served to you at IIFT?

What kind of question is that? Titanomachy, of course it’s one of the most important things. Mix of things, what mix of things I see nothing! Next question please!

Q2. How important is winning for your team?

Well winning for any team is important. But the question is winning what? The main focus, goals and what not are to be determined by the team, team’s ethics. Last year with Dependable Devils we didn’t win the cup, as a matter of fact lost it by a point, but we won each other’s respect and probably many other’s also. With Rohit playing in badminton finals with an injured leg, with Sarkar goal keeping in the finals when he could hardly walk, with Souptik down-and-out still batting to score a few more runs. That my friend is the real trophy- RESPECT. Winning is an aim, but it only comes after winning RESPECT.

Q3. Talking about DD. You being one of the major parts of that team last year, leaving them to form another team. I mean why?

Well, no one really knows what happens. One day I am making plans for the team and the very next day, boom TMK is born. My loyalty may not lie with DD, but my heart sure does.

Q4. TMK, what does it actually mean? What exactly is the full-form?

No one really can know, coz even the team owners do not know. The 3 of us think of what it is but we can’t make it ‘official’ for ‘official’ reasons. You may want to think of it as “Tujhe Meri Kasam” well you’re free or even “Textbook of Martial Karate” or “Titans and Mavericks” or even “Time, Machine and Kanban”. Your mind, your will, your full-form.

Q5. As one of the co-owners of the TMK, what will your strategy be to get this thing home?

Well get the best players, sorry get fighters, give in your best shot and well WIN IT!

Q6. Who do you think would give you the toughest fight in this 4 way race?

All the other 3 teams are quite unique if I may say it in their own ways. DD has the powerhouse Rohit, the all-rounder Dutta, and strategist Tarun. JEDI have their own trio of Panda, John and Sarkar each quite top in their own ways and then there’s Manish bhai, Viksit and Srikar in the third team. It’s quite difficult to choose among the three as of now coz they have to bid for their teams, so still a tough call. But looking at the quality of co-owners I would like to go with DD.

Q7. What would be the core value for your team, something that your future joiners and supporters can expect and relate to?

I won’t speak for the other two but I believe that a person may not a good player but if that person’s a fighter, well you’re in. IT’s the commitment that we look for. This the main reason for our decision that we would personally ask each of our target players if they would like to join the team or not. It wouldn’t be that a person in our team is willing to play for another team.

Q8. What about your junior manager? Have you finalised anyone yet?

Well we were in talks with a couple of people, but there hasn’t been a positive response from anyone as of now, but there hasn’t even been a negative response. For those reading this (well if you are), if you are interested for the post, kindly contact anyone of us.

Q9. Any final words to your opponents?

Final? Well, may the best team win! Good luck!

- Interviewed by Harshit Didwania, while sipping his favorite cuppa hot chocolate from East

P.S. The real scoop remains though on how the JMC is trying to tank the event, and how he supposedly deliberately mis-communicated the details to keep the press out. Well, there is place for only so many smart people in this world. Next Edition !!

Musings from a 'lost' soul !!

2012-10-01T19:16:00.001+05:30

I never really understood what is all the hooplah, that goes around in getting lost. Or how is it really important for self-actualization or self-realization as many would term it. And still I probably am one who somehow gets it at some level, because I am the one who is found lost more often than not.

They say, the real art in an artist is only as good as what their surroundings scream at them, and the real words written by any writer are the ones that one writes blindly, lost in this world, in his own world. What you need is a simple backdrop that I have at the moment, a surrounding full of life be it the fish, the insect or the plant, and well something that just helps you switch everything else off, music for me. Tip all these off with a few sins, a few musings and live a little, a little large, a little more.

There's always a new party to crash, There's always a wall to thrash. There's always a new brain wrecking puzzle around, there's always a new crush that you want. There's always a new experience to walk over, there's always an old fire to rekindle. There's always a new bridge to cross, there's always a new cliff to jump off. There's always something new to taste and there's always a new place to travel, a new musing to dole over, a new passion to run with. But this right here is 'Inner Peace'.

This year has been one such ride. Boundaries beyond blurred. Travelling beyond seas. Experiences beyond words. Musings beyond thoughts.

Travelling is one, one such thing. Once you get hooked, there is no stopping. You simply want more and more, and for the very right reasons. May this never ever end.

The wheel is in your hands, always has been, always will be !!

Knock Knock, Who's this? Inspiration !!

2012-09-26T01:48:00.001+05:30

Simply put, you don't need to look for inspiration.
It is all around you, it will find you, and when it does, you should be ready to greet it with both arms.

Herein lies the tale of a much unknown Chateau de Vizille, France, and this particular room in the chateau. And a promise that I made to a certain German, and how a random trip in the serenity of India reminded me of it, and gave me possibly a location. And how it all just inspires life out of you.

An odd morning, the first month of Euro Trip, when we were just trying to get by and know each other. The group, that traveled to the Chateau, I meant. Lying on the outskirts of Grenoble, a true country side place this was. And much like other stuff that I had a feel of, in Europe, by this time, this too was alien, beautiful beyond comprehension, not the castle probably, but the grounds. It almost felt like injustice, that God had somehow blessed these places with that extra colour, extra brightness, and extra vibrancy, almost like he was looking through an SLR lens then, and through a glass when he did others.

However, who says the chateau was to be left behind. Seen aplenty similar structures in India, architectural differences aside, and much grander at that. Just then though, was me walking into this room. A true mouth opening expression blessed me. And Eyes widening too. An instant pact "Summer Getaway House, with this room replica in particular" And exactly this replica. You wouldn't want to do any injustice to the memory, the picture does that sadly, but the exact arrangement, the fireplace, the rocking chair, the pool table, some artifacts, the book shelves, the huge windows, the high ceilings, the candle stand hanging, the old fashioned mirror, the liquor hold, the cigar case, the arrogant kingly portrait, and the ever so classy book shelf reaching movable staircase. And they all just fall into pieces one by one, blend into each other beautifully, to create that aura, that ambiance, one that everyone craves.

And what created a similar sublime image again, was the serenity of Gangtok, the serenity of its oh-ever-so-starry night sky, the hush of music, the smell of grass, tea, water, food, the imagery of the grandiose Himalayas, the force of the Teesta, and the way it caresses, blends and moves forward in those narrow Himalayan passes, crashing, hitting hard, and making way. And above all, that moment of peace, one that you behold, now and ever, and the calmness that just flows, now and forever. "Nothing would suit you better", I tell it to her, in my mind.

And therein lies your true inspiration, just around, in the air you breathe, in the people you meet, in the earth you walk, in the songs you listen to, in the river that you swim, in the books that you read, in nature, in drinks/cigars/food, in that sight out of your window, in that conversation you had just now.

Behold, Breathe In, Never Let Go !! And Dream On !!
Harshit D

"Corporate" Roadies 2.0: The Filthy Turf !!

2012-09-13T22:11:00.000+05:30

Flick. Fly. Fumble. Fall. Flash. Finish.
That was me, playing with the idea of this. I had wondered, a good few months after the 1.0 chapter ended, what would it be like to be on the other side. Vague theories and unreasonable visions are what I got. But it all amounted to the fact that the conceptualization of the whole event, would be nothing less than adrenaline pumping rush. Such are my vested interest in the event. And for good reason.

I remember what we used to say about the host last year. Let me just put it this way, it was like someone had left a mad dog after us, who even kept wagging his tongue and showing his teeth now and then. Such was the craziness that he brought to the table. I just hope that I was not that same dog, rather a pacified one, baring my teeth only to smile. But one thing that I remember is him commending me on the way we went about it this year, and he had only a small glimpse into the big picture.

And it simply wouldn't have been the same without my co-hosts. I have always loved one thing more than everything else that any MBA is about, and that is bouncing ideas off of people. Like that special ping pong ball, one that follows the fibonacci series in the increasing order, this just opens up your mind and sets you on the right path, with ideas getting bigger, better.

Like all "good" things, there were auditions. I don't know how it was for the contestants. Never asked (Damn, how were they?). But for all the panelists, great experience. How often have any of us be on this side, and get all the opportunity to screw with their minds. Still, there was a code, and with what I witnessed, we just broke that twice, in the heat of, well, oh, leave it. Pretty acceptable. One clear thing that I realized though is that 5 mins in the room with a person and their form, is good enough. That first feeling, in blink of an eye, is more often than not, correct. Atleast it was for me, now that I know mostly all of them for 3 months. There would always be exceptions to this, but I get where interviewers make those dreaded calls within a click of your fingers. Anyways, I always felt, First Impressions are over-rated, and always will.

But the scariest part of the things till now was the recording that I saw of one of the auditions. No we didn't record. Just that one time, one of the passive audience did. It was surreal seeing myself like that. I would have scared me. Boy, do I go overboard sometimes. Just thinking back right now about it though, I realize, yeah, I could do that, would.

Start. Bang. Frantic it was, especially the planning. What we were scared of though was the intensity of the events/ideas waning as we go ahead. Luckily we seemed to pull through and that is when we started having some real fun. The central idea was always to build upon 1.0 and not have a complete revamp. And we tried to incorporate the corporate always, except that one, which we knew would present challenges.

The order of events went like this, more or less: Know yourself and your partner (Logo), The Blind Maze, B-Plan, Role Playing, Lena Dena, Story Building Extempore, Guestimation, Ad Mad, Case Presentation and Selling Yourself Finale. They are not what they seem and there was so much in between that is for only us participants to know. One thing that I am proud of the most is that planning and backstabbing were at a minimum.

I had an amazing, amazing week that week. I believe we achieved what we had set out to achieve. I hope it was equally good for all of you.... the show must go on, its a process....

P.S.
I will do this, no matter what youdo to me after this ;)
@event Logo, Blind Maze my favourites, Guestimation was the one that knocked my socks off
@D reminiscing the last year alright, sorry for being after your ass the whole time that time, but the audition time this time was a charm
@SPap maario mat, but the bike rides back were a great help :P
@JR Its never to late to join the party, but that ideation for first 2 rounds, kickass
@RK If you still don't get why were you thrown off, time to sit back, and introspect
@RR unfair or not, unreasonable or not, but it was not me, it was one of you, with the C word. But let me just say this, that person changed mind. And for got sakes make no assumptions, pissed !!
@PM Next time, choose a pool to take a swim, rather than the Bay of Bengal !!
@AA My left hand is on my heart, and it was fair. Enough Cribbing !!
@AC @IC It was harsh, and we couldn't do much about it
@AK Dug your own grave
@JC Smiling and arguing would take you only so far
@PH Lucky, and I am still frustrated and angry
@KH Under the radar, doesn't bode well for that final step
@VG That spark, during that Lena Dena, and everything else, kahan gaya
@SP That was impressive. Proud and all, except that one blip !!

Singapore Diaries

2012-09-09T23:27:00.001+05:30

Just reminiscing the amount of travelling I have been doing since 2009, makes me swoon. I am a vaguely introspective person and like placing my fingers exactly on the future. It is not to make it more predictable, rather it is to ground me by just making me realize how wrong I was, am and will be, and how much there is still to take in. Knowledge, might have become flat, with all the technology around, but our capacity to absorb it remains the same, and hence there is always plenty in this cosmic world. In 2009, if anyone would have come up to me and said that you are going to travel 18 countries in the next 2.5 years, I would have asked that person to take a hike. Nevertheless, somewhere I must have had an inkling, which prompted me to renew my passport, a good 1.5 years before it was set to expire, just in case. Truly cosmic. And the same power played its role aplenty in this short, outrageously fast trip. My expectations were pretty much balanced, didn’t expect much, especially after Europe. I was in for a surprise, one that I liked.

As Friedman said, The World Is Flat. Everything became more predictable, as and when I saw pieces of Singapore flying by in front of me. I truly thought, within Asia, all countries would look more or less similar. But the development that Singapore has gone through in the past decades does two things for me: ‘Has India been sleeping?’ and ‘I was wrong again’. The latter just opened up Singapore for me. And the predictable part that I spoke about earlier, follows everything from the European experience.

Development comes at a cost. Someone said it, and rightly so. Typical perceptions about Singaporean culture and its closeness to how Indian it is, all came to a shattering death. Talk about how westernized you can get, 100%. Not that I am complaining, but sometimes, some things that you observe, lead you to believe, it is not all that rosy. Pick the first MRT train journey that I took, and it reminded me so much of the Terminator world, in the sense that people are completely devoid of emotions, mechanized, moving like machines, busy on their gadgets, and listening to music. I am pretty sure if I had pointed and shouted, “There’s a Bengal tiger in the train”, I would have been the only person running for the emergency button (The reason would not be Bengal Tiger’s being extinct :D, they read a lot, and are knowledgeable enough). And to put things into perspective, even in a vacuum, more noise could be heard. Wherever all this stems from though, one thing is for sure, credit should be given to Singapore for pushing through far away from the Black Hole that is Asia. And what is the most beautiful irony about this cultural shift? The Singaporean Dollar still having Tamilian scribbling on it saying what not.

Then comes the time to party. Transformation, completely in sync with your average European, and they would put all the chatty Cathy’s to shame. The only thing is, it gets real shrill out there with their peaky dialect, one that I was almost able to filter out successfully from my senses. And it is like the tonic you don’t want when you are sleepless in Singapore. You still party though, and hard, and you can have anything and everything that you want. Westernized. Beautiful, beautiful cultures, void of the stupid stigmas that come along with something like Indian Culture, and that has been imbibed into their psyche so much so that you probably would not need to take the first step. And they are super sexy people, with all their shiny hair, shiny skin, shiny clothes, and mini’s :)

Exploring. The truest way to this in any new place is on foot. And the fact that my feet still hurt tells me I took that too seriously. Worth it though. Walking almost half the breadth of Singapore, upon landing, just to reach Marina Bay Sands, and start on a high. And go higher further with tastes from wildlife, fauna to kayaking, partying. There is no end to what Singapore can offer to you in particular. That’s the best part about adopting four different cultures since its inception and then westernizing. There was never a dull moment.

Amidst all this was the event (Trade Conclave 2012 – Resource Scarcity in Rapidly Changing World, organized by IIFT & SMU, in collaboration) for which the Singapore opportunity actually materialized. I wouldn't get into the details here, press would do that aplenty, but what shone out was the start, the keynote speech made it more than worth for whatever time I had managed to scoop, each and every damn second.

Recommendations: Santosa Island, Universal Studios (I missed, again), Botanical Garden, Gardens by the Bay, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore Eye, F1 Circuit, Chinatown

Singapore, from my lens. On top of Marina Bay Sands.

Timeless Steel

2012-08-30T01:17:00.000+05:30

Form is temporary, but class is permanent.

There is nothing more befitting to a man of his stature. The Wall, is one of the many names that the man commands, probably the most popular. But what Timeless Steel has done is given him a name that is truer to him, even more than amrit. I use such praise only because, all said and done, Tendulkar still being my favorite player miles ahead of others, Dravid provided me and host of other people in my generation with something that is harder than steel. His Will. His Mettle. His Poise. His Grace. And that Don Bradman Oration.

He was probably the last cricketer of his generation, to have that, oh so wonderful, classical style of playing the game that is followed by so many, and fervently at that in the country of the crazy irrational billion. What makes his case even more strong is his graph, I bet he has more peaks and falls than even the great Himalayas, and that proves his ability to cultivate that leap time and again. Bring that quote of 99% hard work and 1 % genius by the great Albert Einstein, and mix it with Rahul Dravid, what you get is a picture perfect shot, one that should be hung across dressing rooms from Lords to Eden. Perhaps even at places that should inspire people, be it colleges, or streets.

Scratching the book only on surface, you would most definitely find parts that would get you on the verge of tears, tears that show respect and instill that gooey feeling, the one you get when you realize how much work the man has put in, how much he loves the game, and how much he has been trashed and ignored and under-appreciated in the shadow of others.

Most telling were two clear occasions/periods. Forget the innings that he crafted, and leave the cricket on back-burner for this. And dig deep into your memory for these two fine instances. The first, when he had the honour of delivering the Bradman Oration. First, by a non-Australian. Could they have chosen a better speaker. Could the speaker himself have chosen better words. And second, his retirement from international cricket. His brain probably has some fuzziness because of an alien encounter is what I put my finger on, such was his reasoning behind the timing of his retirement, especially owing to the fact that he was probably on the form of his life. But that is exactly the kind of man he is, preferring to stay behind when it comes to limelight, and always putting the team forward.

Talk about innings, 2001 Kolkata is etched in every cricket fan's brain. It was the most phoenix-type innings ever, if there exists such a thing. And I won't stretch this space much, trying to make you remember the frequency at which he delivered this very '2001' year after year for India. But this Timeless Steel does give a good refresher, with an account as good as being a ball by ball commentary, with insights that the common man is not aware of.

Still, the most atrocious innings that the real Man of Steel played was with his captaincy. It is a cake walk to criticize without getting your hands dirty, but what Sidharth Monga with his piece A fascinating captain and the job he fell out of love with does is brings you closer to the real Rahul Dravid and his passion for everything that is cricket *feels a lump in his throat just by writing this last para*

Must must read !! For all cricket and Dravid fans !!

A Collection of writings on Indian Cricket's go-to Man !!

Being Emotional

2012-08-12T22:28:00.001+05:30

There are plenty of studies conducted on whether animals show emotions. While humans have had differing views of animal emotion, the scientific examination of animal emotion has led to information beyond a recognition that animals have the capacity for pain, fear, and such responses as are needed for survival. Being termed as 'Animal Sentience', this probably is one of the most exciting study areas in Biology at the moment.

What separates us from the rest of the animal kingdom is our ability to have self control and override our primal instincts for the better good. When we see the other side of the coin though, all this self control acts as a fair determent to the way we interact with the world, not limiting to the all the fake that it brings along.

I hate people who are not emotional. I am not saying you started crying me buckets or laugh hysterically to the point of tears when we meet next time, but a trickle of emotion cannot hurt. And what stems from this very trickle of emotion is compassion, which is what one craves in everything. People often try and deny that they are emotional, often try and avoid showing emotions in public, often keep emotions at an arm's length when it comes to decision making, and in doing all that they deny the public the richness of who they are, deny themselves the passion that emerges from such feeling, the passion to enjoy what they are doing, and also deny themselves the right way to life.

So why this sudden burst of emotions? Million little things really, but in the end it all boils down to the select some who thought that they were teasing me by calling me emotional and giving me a nickname (that name did bug me a little though), and the fact that I have time on my hands. Just before leaving, last 2 cents, Be Emotional, it is what makes us human and what is fun.

The Existential Crisis

2012-05-04T15:19:00.001+05:30

(Courtesy: www.phdcomics.com)

We all go through it. Why run from it. Embrace it.

The Spanish Armada

2012-04-19T21:35:00.001+05:30

I would have loved that. You would too. But it turned to more of a Catalonia Armada. And dare I say, it was more than satisfying.

You know that saying, "when in Rome, do as the Romans do", try that, and then when in Barcelona, do as the Catalans do. It's like a city wide party, they surely must hold some kind of Guinness record for that. If not, they should get one. Fabulous.

We wanted to cover a few cities in Spain. The mistake that we made though was going to Barcelona first up. And once you are there, there is no going back, there is no visiting any other city and there, in almost all probability, is nothing more that you want more than spending your life around, atleast for a week ;)

Every city in Europe is different and yet similar. After the first round of travelling across Europe, it came down to visiting select things, things that are unique. No more of Castles, no more of churches, no more of museums. Its all the same, especially when an art and architecture amateur like me is trying to make sense of it all. The only part that I found truly detached from Europe was Germany, until I had seen Barcelona that is.

The beauty about Barcelona is it offers you everything, it offers something for everyone. You like Skydiving? Beaches? Watersports? Architecture? Art? Patying? Football? Picasso? Weird? Gaudi? Old Town? New Town? You name it, it has it. And it also offers you the most crazy bunch of people. Spanish put the 'party' in Party. They start at 2,3,4 in the night, when others are finishing up. You'd be surprised to walk off on La Ramblas, and probably find bars empty at 10, 11, you wait for a couple of hours though, BAM.

Then there is Gaudi. This guy is the genius. Weird, but genius. And it's almost impossible to describe his work in words, and equally impossible to capture them on camera. It is grandiose, immense and intense. It needs the full power of your wit and eyes to even try to make sense out of it. And it is mesmerizing, you'd be caught in a daze, hung over it for sometime, and ignore everything else around, even people, I did.

You do whatever you want, whenever you want, wherever you want. But when in Barcelona, you do not 'not party'. And you specifically, do not not party on the beach. This is where all the craziness happens, this is where you'll have the time of your life. It's fabulous to have your drink in your hand, to have the beats and grooves of Spanish music around, to have the party animals howling, to have friends by your side and to have the sound of the waves in the background, the sereneness of the night sky over you and the cool breeze to ever recharge you and set the mood for more partying. And a pub crawl before all this is a brilliant idea. Chupitos, Chupitos and more Chupitos, that's how you do it.

A few must's before I sign off:

Sagrada Familia (Gaudi)
Park Guell (Gaudi)
Montjuic
Gaudi's work across city
Magical Fountain
Walking tour & Pub Crawl (Link)
Beach & Water Sports
Tapas, Sangria & Paella (appetite)
Football

Tip #1: Museums are dozen a dime across Europe. You still can go to Picasso and the City museum. Sundays' free (verify)

Tip #2: Pub Crawl. You have a good whiff of night life at some of the best bars, finishing it off at one of the best disks, especially if you don't know many people, you make good friends on the crawl.

Tip #3: Do not miss anything attached with Gaudi. Worth every minute and every cent of yours.

P.S. I would have loved to upload pictures here, but they just wouldn't do justice, and I want it all to be left open to your imagination, until you visit the mystery that is Barcelona.

Graci,
Harry

My love affair with Europe (#1)

2012-04-13T22:07:00.001+05:30

Warning: This post puts the T in Tacky, the M in Mushy, the G in Gooey, yada yada..

I Hate Goodbyes. Period. And the only thing that makes them bearable are the smiles. After all, you want to leave the person in front of you with a last smiling memory. I guess its hard for all of us at some level.

Exchange was a big part of my MBA plans. I had this rosy picture in my mind, of how I would be an amazing experience to meet people from all across the world, to travel all across Europe, to see some of the history that made studying 'History' interesting. Did it live up to it, you ask? Much, much more.

The bliss on making it through the selection for exchange program was something else. I remember that instant when I got the call quite clearly. I couldn't stop smiling the whole day, and to cap that more good news followed (more..), I was blessed. That ting in your voice, when you see a kid getting excited over candy, that sparkle in your eye, same as when a kid gets excited over a toy, that dreaminess over the possibilities that lie ahead, that pure unadulterated excitement, it was all there. I was living the dream that day. You might ask that what is the big deal. It really is not. But that is how I live these days. Little things, small happiness, BLISS !!

So I could not not wonder about the possibilities. I even had a 'bucket' list, if you can call it that, about things to do in Europe:

Sky Diving
Arsenal (Live)
Disneyland
Cult Rock Concert
Greece
Northern Lights (far-fetched, I know)

I am 0/6 on that, but do I regret it one bit, not over my dead body, did the trip still do justice to itself, most definitely. And you know what, it just gives me another excuse to come back and check them off the list another day. Why do I still think it was so much more than what I had expected? For a million different reasons (small happiness, as I said), one that I will take care of in part 2 of this blog sometime soon, but perhaps I owe it most to the people who became a part of my life, forged in my memory are the moments shared with you all and at the risk of sounding like an emotional fool from here on to end, I'll talk about the people.

My first impression of people around was.. "And the people. I just wonder when would Indians start to live the care free life.....(more)". I have no clue how good a judge of character I am, but it seems I do fine. Before I add anything though, I must say, no particular group of people randomly picked can be that awesome, it was pure luck, chance, and fate, of us all to be there together. We made the most of it though, whatever time we had on our hands, high 5 to that. And I bet I can count on most of you if need be, which is truly great.

Be it that random beer at odd hours of the day (Germans), be it the game 'Spot the Indians!!' in class ( what did you expect), be it my room becoming the room where everyone hangs out (D), be it the dances and people joining in and trying to mimic, be it the group discussions (a few of those) and lastly, be it the countless parties, you all were the constant, the constant that kept me going.

I could go on, but the reason that I am writing all this is the farewell party. Thank you all for being there and make the last night even more memorable.

P.S.
@Guilherme Dance Lesson #1 Just enjoy dancing, the rest would come automatically ;) See you in India or in Brazil in couple of years :)
@Megha Be in touch even without fb when you come back to India also :)
@Hanna I think I would love to see you come to India, and my love for Finnish people is no secret really
@Manuel Right back at ya..
@Bernardo Great semester, great partying !!
@Nikita Ditto, it was super fun having you around too
@Lennert I don't know about others, we are quite unique ;) Naah, you'd find living in India quite good. And yeah, 4th floor does rule ;)
@Jaako Great times, waiting for you in India now :)
@Jens Same here :)
@Nicola Sometime down the line, most definitely :)
@Diletta If I was there right now I would have hugged you tight. It had to happen though..
@Carol What bad things? ;) Gonna miss you too.
@Francesca It is just the beginning :) :)

@All Great times. Thanks for every second of it.

Until we meet again,
Harshit