Youth Curry - Insight on Indian Youth

Visiting West Africa

noreply@blogger.com (Rashmi Bansal) — Fri, 10 May 2013 04:33:00 +0000

I am visiting Ghana and Ivory Coast between May 27-Jun 6. On the way back I will be in Dubai for 3 days.

If any of you know of interesting people - especially entrepreneurs - pls get in touch! I am keen to meet both Africans and those of Indian origin.

Also need some help in arranging a book signing event in both Accra and Dubai at a city bookshop. Or at a local university/ for a local club/ interest group.

Even though West Africa is not the most popular destination for Indians I am sure someone out there has more knowledge abt this part of the world than me. Drop me a line at rashmi_b at yahoo.com if you have any information or advice to share.

The Teacher’s New Clothes

noreply@blogger.com (Rashmi Bansal) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 10:20:00 +0000

Everyone agrees that there is something wrong with India’s education system. But sometimes, it takes an outside view to understand just how low we have fallen.

In 2007, Brown University student Thane Richards came to India as an exchange student. Thane spent 7 months at St Stephen’s College, one of India’s crown jewels in education. While he had rich and varied experiences outside the classroom, the value addition inside the classroom was close to nothing.

In Thane’s own words:

In one economic history class the professor would enter the room, take attendance, open his notebook, and begin reading. He would read his notes word for word while we, his students, copied these notes word for word until the bell sounded… If it were not for the fact that attendance counted towards my marks, I would have never showed up at all.

This was not an isolated incident but typical of the teaching pattern. Another pattern was classes being cancelled because teachers failed to show up. The students worked out a system to inform each other about which professor is bunking today, via sms.

Similar stories can be heard from students across colleges and universities in India. Everyone clamours to get into the ‘best’ institutions but it’s got nothing to do with the quality of education. It’s for the right branding and the company of highly driven, intelligent and interesting peers.

Occasionally, individual professors rise above the system. Driven by passion, motivated by some deep internal reservoir, they stimulate, challenge and nurture young minds. They give knowledge and they give of themselves.

Every one of us has had teachers like this. Just one or two of them but they have made all the difference.

Maybe they are born with the right temperament and attitude. The question is – can we create more?

First of all – and let me be blunt about it – a teacher must be a psychologically sound person. Far too many teachers I have seen and experienced have terrible issues related to self-esteem, anger management and deep insecurity. No doubt such issues are common and therefore would be seen in any industry.

However I single out teaching because, teachers are in supreme position, a position of power. A teacher rules over his or her class of 30, 60 or 100 students. There is no question (in the Indian system) of who must listen to whom. And that’s where the problem starts.

You are not happy within yourself – what do you do? Take it out in class. The children cannot protest. They cannot ‘quit’. All they can do is switch off. And let out their frustration by giggling and making jokes behind your back.

The lower you rank in students’ eyes as a human being, the worse you are as a teacher – no matter how proficient you may be in your subject.

This, I think, applies more strongly in school, when children are young and more impressionable. But it stands good at university level as well. Apart from sound academic knowledge, a professor must have a desire to share that knowledge. With young bodies warming the benches - even if they are looking sullen, sleepy and bored.

The professor with low self esteem will see such faces and see a giant problem. He will say to himself, “These useless young people today – they are not interested. Why should I put in efforts!”

This professor will do the bare minimum and justify this as the ‘right approach’.

But a professor with high self esteem will see the class as a challenge and an opportunity. He will think, “I know these are all bright young minds. If I put in my best effort and teach them well, they will get interested in my subject.”

Right intention achieves right results. The proactive professor’s classes are always full, and full of energy. These are the ‘living legends’ on every campus.

The professors who go the distance in the classroom are also - invariably - the ones available to students, outside the classroom. A student can walk up to such a teacher with a personal issue or an academic issue and get a patient hearing. And some sound advice.

I do not know how and when the entire education system will get fixed. But if we can create more procative and self-motivated teachers, it will start getting fixed - from within.

I would go so far as to call such teachers as ‘entrepreneurs’ because with the same limited resources and raw material to work with, they are able to ‘solve’ a problem. Which is, how to transfer both knowledge and wisdom to young people.

The least we can do is to celebrate such teacher-entrepreneurs. If you have experienced such a teacher, who has altered your mind and spirit, do write in with the details as follows:
- name of teacher/ professor & school/ college
- period you were taught
- what was different or unique about him/ her in the classroom
- what impact he/ she made outside the classroom
- any specific personal experience or encounter which impacted you for life
- a picture of this teacher if possible (either alone or with you or with entire class)
- is he/ she still in service
- contact email id/ facebook page of the teacher (so that more past students can be in touch).

You can email the information to rashmi_b at yahoo.com and I promise to feature them in this space over the next few days.

Amar Management Katha

noreply@blogger.com (Rashmi Bansal) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 16:11:00 +0000

Business Sutra – a Very Indian Approach to Management
(this review first appeared in The Asian Age on 21st April 2013)

After 3 weeks with Devdutt Pattanaik ‘Business Sutra’ as my reading companion, I have reached page 185 (the book is 400 plus). And yet I venture to write this review because i) I am way past my deadline and ii) that is the nature of this book.

‘Business Sutra’ is simply brilliant. So different from any other book on business or management that you cannot digest it all at once. Each morsel has to be broken off, chewed and savoured. Often, I find myself going back to an earlier section to reabsorb what is being said.

At the crux of this book lies this argument: “Despite the veneer of objectivity and logic, management science is itself firmly rooted in a cultural truth, the subjective truth of the West, indicated by its obsession with goals.” The author attributes this to the fact that the purveyors of management science are mostly engineers, bankers and soldiers from twentieth century North America, which is deeply entrenched in the ‘Protestant work ethic’ – a unique blend of Greek and Biblical beliefs.

Devdutt’s contention is that “as is belief, so is behavior, so is business.” And that India’s belief system is very different from the West. A simple example is that India celebrates both the rule-following Ram and the rule-breaking Krishna. Indian thought yearns for accommodation and inclusion – there is room for multiple beliefs.

All this is well and good (and known to us) but hey – what’s the application to business? Devdutt’s real skill lies in linking up philosophy and abstract ideas to concrete day-to-day management issues. For example, he explains the difference between a karta (a proactive decisionmaker) and a karyakarta (one who simply follows decisions taken by others). To do this, he uses a mythological story which goes like this:

One day, the sage Narad asked Vishnu, “Why do you insist that the image of Garud be placed before you in your temples? Why not me? Am I not your greatest devotee?”

Just then, a crash is heard outside the main gate of Vaikuntha. Vishnu asks Narad to investigate. Narad reports that a milkmaid has tripped and fallen.

“What is her name?” asks Vishnu.

Narad runs out again to ask.

“Where was she going?” asks the Lord.

Each time Vishnu wants some further detail and Narad dutifully goes to find out. Then, Garud walks in and when he is questioned, he already has the complete details. In fact, he has even anticipated that Vishnu would want to buy the remaining pot of milk and knows the price the milkmaid is expecting.

Garud always anticipates situations and takes calls accordingly without checking with his boss – this makes him a ‘karta’. Narad has the same freedom but does not make use of it, making him a follower or karyakarta. Finally Vishnu – who allows Garud to be a karta is a ‘yajaman’.

This entire mythic sequence is followed by a six-eight line modern business ‘case’ – this one involves Arindam (Vishnu), Meena (Garud) and Ralph (Narad). Almost every page has beautiful line drawing (by the author himself) which depicts the idea in visual form and also breaks the monotony of text.

And yet, let me reiterate – it’s not an easy read. Terms like yagna, yajaman, tathastu and svaha in the context of business take some getting used to. But they are necessary, as the English word ‘leader’ does not bring out the subtle difference between a yajaman and a karta (both leaders in their own way). A glossary is provided at the end of the book with the conventional context and business context of every non-English word.

Devdutt has astounding depth and breadth of knowledge as well as clarity of thought. He does not have any formal qualification either in management science or Indian mythology and that’s probably a good thing. He did grow up listening to stories of sales and marketing from his father, who did his MBA from New York University in 1960. The passion for mythology was something Devdutt discovered when he was studying at Grant Medical College.

As a qualified doctor, he chose the unusual path, joining the pharmaceutical industry rather than clinical practice. This was in order to give himself the time and the funds to pursue his study of mythology. Having worked with big pharma, a dotcom, a cultural organization and Ernst & Young, Devdutt finally came into his own as ‘Chief Belief Officer’ at Kishore Biyani’s Future Group. A role and designation which helped him flesh out the ideas that resulted in this book.

What I take away from ‘Business Sutra’ is that there is no objective reality or ‘truth’. Every individual sees the world according to his or her own imagination. The most important quality a human being can develop is the ‘gaze’ or ability to ‘see’ others as they see themselves. ‘Growth’ happen when we include those whom we once excluded and stop seeing people as villains.

The duty of every yajaman is to create more yajamans within the organization. Yes – talent management, but when you look at it the business sutra way, you understand that by helping others grow, we grow ourselves. Whether or not you believe in physical rebirth, you cannot argue with the idea of mental rebirth which is most possible and desirable for us all.

The last line of the book states: “When the mind expands, Lakshmi follows.” Expand your mind by reading the book and see what happens. You owe it to yourself.

The book will also look great on your bookshelf - it has excellent design and printing quality. The only issue is the size and weight (not the kind of book you carry to read on a flight). I hope an abridged and simplified paperback edition is released soon to solve that issue and also, to help these ideas reach a much larger audience.

Business Sutra - published by Aleph
Rs 695

The Anandwan Experience

noreply@blogger.com (Rashmi Bansal) — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 12:14:00 +0000

Dr Avinash Saoji completed his MBBS from Government Medical College, Nagpur. Being the college topper he could easily have done a PG but decided then and there that he would not study further. The purpose of his life was not to establish a flourishing medical practice but to be of service to society.

I understood the impact of his work when I arrived at Anandwan on the 22nd of February for the annual Sevankur Youth Motivation camp. For the past couple of years Dr Saoji had been inviting me to attend his camps – in Wardha, in Amravati and so on. Each time due to some or the other commitment, I would politely decline.

To tell you the truth I wasn’t very excited about visiting these somewhat remote parts of Maharashtra.

But Dr Saoji’s gentle persistence paid off. A week before the annual camp I decided to make time and effort – to go and see what Sevankur was all about. I was also keen to visit Anandwan, as I knew of Baba Amte’s pioneering work with leprosy patients. Kuch acchha kaam dekhne ko milega, I thought.

I had no idea though, how amazing – and uplifting - this trip would turn out.

Warora is two hour drive from Nagpur, on a silky-smooth highway. A small signboard points you in the direction of Anandwan. (http://anandwan.in). Nothing had prepared me for the scale of the ashram. (It’s actually more of a ‘township’ spread over 200 hectares where a few hundred people live and work!)

At the ‘Mahamantri hall’ – a giant shed-like structure - I was greeted by Dr Saoji. He was dressed in his trademark white banian and white cotton half-pants (Baba Amte also preferred such clothing – it is ideally suited for the local weather).

Over 300 students from 30 districts of Maharashtra had gathered by early afternoon. As they introduced themselves one by one it was clear that a majority (around 70%) were from the engineering stream. Medical was the next distinct group (10%) followed by Agriculture, Arts, Science and Commerce.

However they were united by one common objective: to know what is ‘social service’ all about.

The camp was basically organized around a series of ‘sharing’ sessions. The first such session was with Adhik Kadam of ‘Borderless World Foundation'. Adhik is originally from Pune but has spent the last 16 years of his life in Kashmir, where he has set up 4 homes for orphan girls.

He described his journey from ‘fear to fearlessness.’ It started with the curiosity to know what is Kashmir, why does it enjoy special status under the Constitution.

“I went for 2 weeks after my 12th standard exams and stayed on for 3 months.”

Kashmir brought Adhik face to face with the best and worst of humanity. A particular incident which impacted him hugely was watching a truck enter an army camp. He noted a young boy of 16 or 17 dressed in army fatigues mismatched with sports shoes. Seconds later there was a blast.

A piece of human flesh came crashing down on the windscreen of Adhik’s car. The boy was a fidayeen (human bomb).

The incident shook Adhik to the core.

A journalist friend simply said, “Welcome to Kashmir.”

Being a Hindu Adhik was looked at with suspicion. Some maulvis issued a fatwaagainst him. But he persisted in his humanitarian work.

A day came when an AK 47 rifle was pressed against his head. When it might well have been ‘the end’.

But he conversed with the terrorist who held the AK 47. And at the end of 15 minutes the man let him go with these words,“Aap khuda ka kaam kar rahe hain… Aapko jo marega woh sachcha Musalmaan nahi hai.”

Adhik summed up his life as a ‘spiritual journey’ in which apna astitva maine kho diya hai.

Service is about dissolution of the ego state, of being one with the entire world.

The second session by Yajuvendra Mahajan of Deepsthamb foundation which works with rural and semi-urban youth in and around Jalgaon. Teacher training, career counseling, and coaching for competitive examsare its main activities (over 500 candidates have successfully cleared class 1 and class 2 officer jobs in MPSC through Deepsthamb’s efforts).

Yajuvendra is a gifted speaker who exactly knows how to catch the pulse of the audience. He made them laugh, but at the same time made them think. About their own dreams and about the limits they have acceptd to those dreams, by following what the society wants.

“Hamara samaaj ek nautanki samaaj hai,” was his tongue in cheek observation. “The moment I say mee gram sevak the girl’s father will say “wah wah” but my daughter just got engaged.”

Yajuvendra left the students charged up to think beyond a steady job, movies on weekends, house, car and whatnot.

At the end of the session I realised I have been listening to Marathi continuously for 4-5 hours and was enjoying the flow of the language. I am not fluent in speaking but could easily follow most of what was being said.

Dinner, like lunch, was simple dal-chawal-roti-sabzi but satisfying. A cool breeze started blowing as I dropped off to sleep in the dormitory-style guesthouse.

The next morning I woke up early and took a walk around the campus. At 630 am, the place was alive and humming. Men and women were busy sweeping away fallen leaves on the pathways. Children were already dressed and ready for school.

I walked past signs like ‘More Crop per Drop’, down ‘Bharat Jodo’ path to Shraddhawan – the Samadhi spot of Baba Amte and his wife Sadhanatai. It is a beautiful, peaceful spot covered with fresh flowers, standing under this quotation by William Blake:

“I sought my soul, But my soul I could not see.
I sought my God, But my God eluded me.
I sought my brother, And I found all three.”

Baba Amte passed away in 2008, at age 93. Over 57 years, he built Anandwan – an oasis of cure and compassion for those ostracised not only by society but their own families. Leprosy was not a disease, it was considered to be a punishment for sins committed in a previous life.

As I watched the sun rising from between the trees, I felt completely at peace. With the leaves. The bushes. The chirping of birds.

As I ambled back I passed the deaf-mute and blind school, where children were neatly assembled for the morning prayer. It was just 7.15 am.

Over breakfast I met Rakhi Patil, a sarpanch of Khadkesim village near Jalgaon. A college lecturer by profession and wife of a Congress party worker she was quite matter of fact that she got this opportunity because of mahila aarakshan.

“Lekin main kisi party ki karyakarta nahin hoon… main sirf logon ka kaam karti hoon,” she clarified.

Rakhiji talked enthusiastically of the many changes she is trying to bring about. The main problem being illiteracy and andhvishwaas. The main problem, she says, is that people want government to give them handouts, instead of doing anything for themselves. Even for the Aadhaar card, people have to be coaxed and convinced and helped with the actual process.

As she spoke about various programs – like daarubandi and police intervention to prevent underage marriage - I felt for the first time that reservation for women is a good idea. This lady would never have got a chance without reservation. But given the opportunity she is doing a lot more than a man would.

“It took more than a year for people to accept me,” she says matter of factly. Equations of caste and gender are not easy to rewrite but sincerity and stubbornness ultimately pays.

That’s the story of Dr Sangram Patil and Dr Nupur Patil as well. Both highly qualified doctors from BJ Medical college with post-graduate degrees from London, the Patils returned to India 4 years ago and set up a practice at Erandwan near Jalgaon.

“Our son was born in UK, had we stayed one more year we would have got British citizenship but we took a decision to come back. We did not want to become British doctors working in India but remain Indian and work in India, where aamhi garaz aahe (where we are needed).

However the punchline of the Sangram-Nupur story was not professional but personal. The two met in medical college, where Sangram proposed to Nupur at the end of the first year but was flatly rejected. The reason being that they came from different castes.

Sangram persisted, Nupur resisted. But then, after a year of saying no, no and no, she melted. Now the problem came from Sangram’s family – prachand virodh. Nupur being not just from a different caste but a scheduled caste, and a practicing Buddhist.

Sangram and Nupur decided to have a (secret) registered marriage in the presence of friends. On the day that his sister got married, Sangram took his jijaji aside and explained the situation to him. All hell broke loose and the young couple – still studying for their degrees – was left to fend for themselves.

I often read in newspapers about such issues but hearing it from the horse’s mouth was different. To see this young couple bonded by love as well a greater common purpose was inspiring and gave me hope. That things can change.

My own session was also well-received. I spoke in Hindi, the audience was attentive and asked a lot of questions. All had heard of my books though only a few had read them.

In the afternoon, we had a short tour of Anandwan. Through the many workshops which keep residents busy – making cloth, leather shoes, foam bags and hand-cranked wheelchairs for the handicapped.

‘Shram hi Shriram hai’ was Baba Amte’s slogan. Whether you are handicapped or deaf or blind, you can contribute and earn your living – and self-respect. That was the message of the Anandwan Orchestra, a unique experiment started in 2002 by Dr Vikas Amte. Every member of this orchestra is ‘lacking’ in some sense but united by the language of music.

The one hour program they put up was exhilarating to the extreme. (The Anandwan orchestra tours around the country and I do wish that college festival organisers take note and invite them. You must experience the show once! Plus, the fee you pay funds several good causes.)

It was time to leave. I said goodbye to the many interesting characters I had met. From Santosh – the lad from Beed who has taken 44 orphans under his wing to Devendra – who is training the youth of Gondia to get jobs at CCD and McDonalds in Pune.

As I waited for the ST bus on the highway, there was thunder and lightning in the air. But the rain started only after I was safely in the vehicle. There was no seat vacant but the conductor was kind enough to offer his own.

I thought – these are the blessings of Baba. I was meant to come here not just to share and to contribute to these young people. But to understand what the ‘real India’ is all about.

Epilogue and Action Point

Baba Amte’s story is magnificent and many books have been written about him (esp. in Marathi). But our present-day English speaking urban population does not know about him or the work which is still continuing - at Anandwan, at Hemalkasa and Somnath.

I would like to help in spreading his life's work and his vichaardhaara in some small way.

At the same time, these young boys and girls I met - and thousands like them out there – need inspiration. Stories of sons and daughters of the soil, from vernacular schools and regional colleges but who dreamt big for themselves and for others.

I thought – I must look into writing such a book - in Marathi, for Marathi youth.

I cannot do it alone. I need the help of many of you out there:
1) To refer such stories, from all over the state.
2) A Marathi tutor and/or a Rapidex-style home-study course.
3) Transcription + translation of interviews in Marathi.

If you are interested in any of the above drop me a line at rashmi_b AT yahoo.com

Lincoln - what a man and what a movie!

noreply@blogger.com (Rashmi Bansal) — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 17:25:00 +0000

My daughter does not like studying history. And I don’t blame her. The way history is taught, it’s just a collections of names, facts and dates. We rarely see the human beings behind the ‘heros’ and the ‘villains’, victory and defeat.

That’s why a movie like ‘Lincoln’ is so important.

That’s why it literally blew my mind.

Lincoln is revered today for being the President who abolished slavery in the United States. But who among us knew how it actually happened.

How members of his own party were against the idea.

How he had to woo Congressmen of the opposition party to get a 2/3rd majority in the House.

And within all this, his own problems in his own family, especially with his teenage son who was hellbent on joining the army, much against Mrs Lincoln’s wishes.

This is a wise and wonderful film, based on facts, but bringing alive how history was made. History was made because one man took a stand. Even though he could have taken the easy way out.

The Confederate army, after four years of fighting, was weary and ready to surrender. But Lincoln stalled peace talks.

He was convinced that if the war ended, slavery would continue.

But if Congress could be convinced that the only way to end the war was to first abolish slavery, a greater, more lasting victory would be the result.

To achieve this victory, Lincoln the statesman became Lincoln the politician. He authorized the trading of favours to get the required votes.

He employed personal charisma and quiet persuasion where favours did not work.

As we all know, ultimately the 13th Amendment to the American Constitution was passed and slavery was abolished. By two votes.

‘Lincoln’ is a film with a multitude of characters, but somehow you never get confused.

It’s a film where characters talk and talk, and yet it’s not dialoguebaazi.

The English they use is not what we use today – words like ‘cohere’ for example – but they suit the characters.

Screenplay writer Tony Kushner also took the liberty of creating some ‘Lincolnese’ - words that mean nothing but sound just right in the given context.

The film is partly based on the book ‘A Team of Rivals’ by historian Doris Goodwin but the writer has taken minor liberties with facts and invented dialogues, as any writer of historical drama must.

Lincoln's penchant for telling stories and the scenes where Congressmen trade gentlemanly insults are a treat to watch.

The film, however, belongs to Daniel Day Lewis.

He is Lincoln. Period. From his gait, to the gravelly voice, which he took months to create and perfect.

The man is sure to win his third Oscar for this performance.

I don’t think the movie will attract too many viewers in India because American history is an alien subject to us. But the film is worth watching for its relevance to our problems, our politics.

The biggest lesson of Lincoln is that to do good, you sometimes have to be crafty. Idealism is well and good but getting the desired result is what ultimately matters.

Thaddeus Stevens is an idealist, a Congressman who believes that all men are truly created equal. Declaring this, however, will ruin the chance of passing the 13th Amendment.

Lincoln says to him: “A compass, I learnt when I was surveying, it'll... it'll point you True North from where you're standing, but it's got no advice about the swamps and desert and chasm that you'll encounter along the way. If in pursuit of your destination, you plunge ahead, heedless of obstacles, and achieve nothing more than to sink in a swamp... What's the use of knowing True North?"

Stevens takes a more moderate stand and the amendment is passed. He later remarks: “The most liberating constitutional amendment in history, passed by corruption, aided and abetted by the purest man in America.”

The idealists in our country would do well to learn from that.

And our Prime Minister, who the country believes is not corrupt. But what point is purity unless you stand for some principle?

A principle for which you would do anything, risk anything.

And create a place in history, not just tomorrow’s headline.

Thoda namak shamak

noreply@blogger.com (Rashmi Bansal) — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 14:17:00 +0000

Once in a way, you meet a person so passionate about their work that it is reflected in everything he says, everything he does.

Harpal Singh Sokhi is one such.

When he was first introduced to me, I had no idea who he was. Except that he is a chef who’s worked with Sanjeev Kapoor, now opening his own chain of restaurants.

Big deal.

It was only when the food started arriving on the table that I realised yahan kuch alag funda hai. First came the lassi in cutting chai style. Four different kinds.

Then, the starters. Kya gazab! Not the usual paneer tikkas and hariyali kebabs but some amazing variations. Like 'beetroot and amla'.

I looked at Sardarji more carefully and understood – yeh bhaisaab kuch khaas hain.

Harpal Singh Sokhi is a celebrity chef, but the nicest possible kind.
He is popularly known as the ‘namak shamak’ chef because that’s the trademark phrase on his cooking show ‘Turban Tadka’.

It’s something he chose – deliberately and intelligently. In a world where chefs talk in terms of teaspoons, he picks up a chutki (fingerful) of salt and sprinkles it on his cooking – just like your mother does.

Endearing him to aunties and beejis and didis of all varieties.

“I always look at what is the season, what are the vegetables available in that season. And I plan what to air on my show, accordingly.”

No exotic, hard-to-find ingredients. No Masterchef pretensions. Only an incredible love and understanding of food.

“I have an ayurvedic doctor who is my consultant, he has helped me to create a Punjabi food menu which is lighter on the stomach, easier to digest.”

Is such a thing possible?

Harpal elaborates,”See, if we cook in white butter (butter without salt), that is better for digestion. Adding black pepper also makes a difference.”

I loooooooove white butter. Jai ayurveda, jai Punjab.

Harpal has been in the hospitality business for over two decades. And he has a really sad but funny story to tell about what happened when he decided to take up cooking – as a career.

“I grew up in Kharagpur, where there is only one ambition of every parent – my child should join IIT.”

The second best option was to become an Air Force pilot.

The last (respectable) option – join the Indian Railways (Kharagpur’s only other claim to fame being its endlessly long platform).

Since Harpal showed very little interest in studies, all the above options were ruled out. His father thought a clerical option in a bank might be worth a shot.

“I was sent for typing classes in the middle of the afternoon,” he laughs. “Yes, I can type really really fast even today.”

One of Harpal’s seniors had joined a hotel management course and started working at Sinclair’s hotel in Darjeeling. When he came home for vacation – smartly dressed in suit and tie – Harpal was impressed.

And he too joined IHM Bhubaneshwar.

When he came for vacation his father wanted to know wahaan kya sikhate hain. Tu kya banega?

“(S)hef,” replied Harpal.

“Yeh chuff kya hota hai.”

“If I tell you will get mad,” replied Harpal.

“Nahin, batao to sahi,” urged papaji.

“Chef matlab bawarchi.”

Papaji was mad and stayed that way for a long time. Over time, he accepted that this work is like any other work – pays well and worth doing. But it was seeing his son on television that really made him proud.

Parents are like that only.

In his 20 odd years as a ‘diplomewala bawarchi’ Harpal has seen it and done it all. Travelled and worked around the world, collected the oddest of experiences.

“People abroad are fascinated by my turban. There was one restaurant in Luxembourg where I worked. Guests would come into the kitchen to touch me and see if I am ‘real’.”

Well, I can tell you this guy is for real. His food is for real. Really really good.

The starters at ‘The Funjabi Tadka’ were so good we never got to the main course. We only had space for some home-style khichdi. And of course, dessert.

What I liked best were the chocolate-mango lassi, the Lahori aloo and the ‘Mirchi ka halwa’ (yes, you read that right and it’s amazing! (pictured alongside)

But the entire menu is full of such interesting things (familiar and yet different). What’s more they have a separate menu for vegetarians which I think is a wonderful insight into the mind of us shakaharis..

It was a pleasure to meet Harpal and share this meal. I can tell that this restaurant is going to be a huge success. Because it’s all about the food, the food and the food.

'The Funjabi Tadka’ (TFT) opened in Kolkata on Southern Avenue on 19th of Jan. Will open in Mumbai (Bandra) and very soon in other locations across India. www.facebook.com/funjabitadka

The meal I had was a preview, arranged for by my friend Aneeta Arora. Many thanks to Satyaki Mukherjee, business brain behind TFT. Coverage by The Telegraph newspaper on the 17th of January featured above.

Advice to wannabe 'chuffs'

Hotel management was not so well accepted as a career around 20 years ago, but that’s changed.

I see hotel management as the only course from where you can fit into any stream -it’s like one size fits all. You will see hotel management graduates heading retail chains as well as sitting in senior positions in sectors apart from their own domain.

Not to forget that if you graduate from a hotel school your entrepreneurship skills are at their best. Because the first thing in the mind of a person just about graduating is ‘I will have my own restaurant someday’.

The secret of success in any field is to work hard. Though many complete the course, later they change their profession as it involves long hours of work.

You need to fall in love with your profession to become successful.

In hotel management one has to reach out to people as it is service oriented. You need to make your presence felt in everything you do. You cannot sit behind and wait for things to happen.

As a chef, apart from cooking good food, I always reach out to the guests and talk to them, get to know them, their likes and dislikes. This helped me when I did my shows too. So I strongly advise everyone who intends taking up the course should be an extrovert – friendly and approachable.

So you want to write a bestseller?

noreply@blogger.com (Rashmi Bansal) — Sat, 19 Jan 2013 18:50:00 +0000

The Economic Times ran a story yesterday on ‘How Amish Tripathi’s success is prompting MBA grads to become novelists'.

The article – and many others like it – imply that MBAs have a higher chance of success in the writing profession than non-MBAs.

In support of this theory the article quotes this fact: Of the top 10 books in the shortlist for The Economist Crossword Book Award in October 2012, seven had been penned by MBAs, six of whom were IIM alumni.

I think the more important fact which readers will miss is the part where Amish mentions he comes from a ‘typical middle class family;’. The top-selling authors in India today would all use that phrase to describe themselves.

It’s typical middle class - writing for typical middle class - that’s selling.

The other qualities that I believe make for success are:
1) being pigheaded (believing in your story and way of writing when no one else will)
2) being ahead of your time (what you’ve written has not been seen before or done before)
3) being I-don’t-give-a-damn (I started doing this for fun, not to make serious money or a big career).

These are the qualities you should look for in yourself when you ask – can I make a career in writing. If you are any old boring MBA writing a book that sounds very much like Chetan or Amish or Ravinder or mine, it is not going to work.

If you are confident, crazy and committed to writing – you have a shot.

You will need to collect life-experiences and opinions and attitudes but it need not be at a bschool.

Most importantly, you need to train yourself to connect with a source higher than yourself. Because the best artists of all kinds freely acknowledge – they are but instruments through whom the words, the songs, the art and ideas flow.

Robert Louis Stevenson (‘Treasure Island’) conceived of entire novels through dreams.

Elizabeth Gilbert (‘Eat, Pray, Love’) gives a brilliant TED talk in which she argues that creativity is divinely inspired. I love the part about ‘genius’ being like Dobby, the house elf.

Amish Tripathi says that writing his books is like a ‘joyful ride’.

The book itself would just keep coming. The only thing I had to do was to listen to music, which (matched) the mood of the moment that I am writing in. So if I were writing a war scene I would listen to the music of Eklavya (starring Amitabh Bachchan, Saif Ali Khan and Vidya Balan). And somehow that used to help the flow. When I would write a love scene I'd listen to the music of Don (starring Shah Rukh Khan).

That's all I had to do: play music and somehow the story would just start flowing. And there wasn't any logic to it. Sometimes I would write chapter 25, the next day I would write chapter five. The next day something of book three would come. I learned not to question it and would write just what came to me. I first wrote summaries of the three books and then I started expanding them into the books.

I don’t mean to say that if you switch on your favourite music a bestseller will flow out of you. But at some point, it can.

The tension with being a creative professional is that you have to work very hard in order to hardly work at all.

If you can understand that, you can be a writer. And your books will sell.

What you need is not an MBA but to discover the true power – of your mind.

Follow Every Rainbow - my 5th book!

noreply@blogger.com (Rashmi Bansal) — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 11:47:00 +0000

Happy to share with you news of my new book on women entrepreneurs, which releases on the 8th of March, 2013. Here is a sneak peek of the cover (even before it goes up on flipkart :)

The title 'Follow Every Rainbow' is inspired by one of my all-time favourite songs, from 'The Sound of Music'.

Climb every mountain,
Ford every stream,
Follow every rainbow,
'Till you find your dream.

A dream that will need
All the love you can give,
Every day of your life
For as long as you live.

I chose this title because I think it describes the way women look at their lives and careers. We don't want to climb *every* mountain. Just because it's there.

We need to see that rainbow over the horizon. To pursue a dream with beauty and hope and inspiration. And not just power, status, money or 'success' - at any cost.

Incidentally, the cover of 'Follow Every Rainbow' is designed by the talented Amrit Vatsa, who also designed 'Stay Hungry Stay Foolish' and 'Connect the Dots'.

Deciding what colour to use for the cover was a challenge. We didn't want a girly pink but neither did we want stark white. I think the 'deep purple' we finally chose is a beautiful, royal colour. Quite like the women entrepreneurs themselves.

I also like the motif of the 'rainbow' foot. It's symbolic of moving ahead, taking a step in the direction you want your life to go. (I might even do some t-shirts to give away!)

For all those of you who ping me or mail me asking when I will update the blog, the answer is - very soon. Writing a book is work. Writing two books a year is a LOT of work. By the way, I plan to write three!

So I have to be disciplined. There are days when I just want to quickly write a blog but restrain myself. Because it will take at least an hour (or more) of my time. I tell myself to focus, focus, focus. And it works.

I work from an office (borrowed from a friend). I often switch off my cellphone. I don't keep facebook or twitter 'always on'. Just check in once or twice a day.

But now the book is pretty much done. And I will have time and freedom.

Here's wishing you a wonderful 2013 and that we connect through this space regularly once again.

The Art of Healing – I

noreply@blogger.com (Rashmi Bansal) — Sun, 14 Oct 2012 16:19:00 +0000

I feel normal today.
The skies look blue.
Food tastes good.
Breathing is easy.

Yes, I don’t always feel this way.

For many years I have suffered from the ‘blue funk’. The feeling that everything is ok, but it’s not ok.

It’s a feeling that comes and goes. Sometimes it’s fleeting, a minor mood swing. At other times, it’s white hot and intense.

There are certain triggers for this feeling. And one such trigger occurred last month. I thought I was protected, that I would never let another’s words or actions affect me so deeply. But I did.

What has changed is that I have more understanding. I know that I have no control over anybody else but I can work on myself.

This ‘work’ is an ongoing project. When I was first hit by depression, I went the conventional route - medication and psychotherapy. You can read about it in detail here: Depression: It Could Happen To You. (Youthcurry Feb 2006)

It was a difficult time but it was necessary. I now realize that my body and mind were sending me a much-needed signal. This is not the life you wanted, this is not who you are.

I was reborn as a writer and became an author, because of it.

And I see a pattern. Whenever the shit hits the fan (I mean in my head), I am forced to get out of my comfort zone, my routine existence, and find something to ‘fix myself’. That is how I discovered a whole new world, the world beyond what we see, hear, smell and touch.

The world of the spirit.

Which was surprising because my entire life I have been a rationalist. I believed that ‘thinking’ through a problem or situation is the best way. That feelings are never to be trusted.

And now, I believe quite the opposite.

Again, it was a vague feeling of agitation and internal turmoil that led me down this path. And I must say I was a pretty resistant student. I remember attending ‘Art of Living’ around 8 years ago and feeling haan acchha hai but then practicing nothing.

Two years later I was really feeling like crap and attended a course in Isha Yoga. That’s when I understood the power and the value of meditation. You can read about the experience here: A Journey Within (Youthcurry Dec 2007).

Similarly I attended a course in reiki because a friend wanted to do it. That was the first time I ever heard of the seven chakras or ‘energy centers’ in the body. I got initiated and it was all quite fascinating but again I never practiced it.

Three years later another crisis led me to another wonderful teacher and this time I understood the power of reiki.

In a nutshell, I understood that while we have a physical body, a mental body and an emotional body, we also have an energy body. While conventional medicine treats the physical body, talk therapy is aimed at the mental body. And this process is kind of hit-and-miss.

But if you work on changing your energy, everything automatically changes.

At the core of all matter lies energy, and the human body is no different. The energy body is a template for the physical body. Emotional energy resonates with life experiences, personal and professional relationships, and belief systems and becomes literally encoded in cell tissue.

(from ‘Nourishing the Energy Body’ by Jule Klotter)

Our hands and legs and stomach look solid and material but in essence we are all vibrational beings.

… Every cell within (the body) is actually energy or light, vibrating at a slow enough rate to make it into visible physical matter. The human body, and the energy field which surrounds and interpenetrates it, is made up of electromagnetic energy, and every person has a unique vibrational energy signature, or frequency, in the same way as we all have unique fingerprints or DNA.

(from Self-Healing with Reiki by Penelope Quest)

I did not believe this stuff when I first heard it. It was like growing up in a world where you’re told the sun revolves around the earth. And then, some mad scientist proclaiming it’s the other way around.

The most wonderful thing, though, is it doesn’t matter. Even if you don’t believe in it, reiki works. The most amazing thing is that you can send reiki energy to someone far away and it works just as well (it’s called ‘distance healing’).

So what I am saying, in a nutshell, is that learning how to balance your energy body is the biggest gift you can give to yourself. But most of us – including me – are idiots and will be forced to discover these tools and techniques only through a crisis.

You get a chronic medical condition.

Your heart is broken by someone.

You fail at something important.

Now you are depressed and asking ‘why me’. You are a victim of repetitive thoughts and unanswerable questions. People tell you to ‘snap out of it’ but you can’t.

Yes, this is the time of your darkest night and your greatest opportunity. Grab it with both hands, close your eyes and place your trust in the Higher Power. You can and will emerge, a stronger and more vital human being.

I feel the need to share what I have learnt and experienced – over the last few years, and particularly, the last one month, because it’s so beautiful and so important. Yet it’s simply not a part of our ‘education’.

Maybe the knowledge I have gained at the mid-point of my life is something you can understand and apply much earlier ☺

Besides, I find it less and less interesting to comment on external events. Like the problem with the system, the country and the world. My attention at this moment is focused inwards, and that must necessarily reflect in what I write.

I ask only that you keep an open mind.

Tomorrow: The Art of Healing - II

Vote for 'I Have a Dream' @ Crossword Book Awards

noreply@blogger.com (Rashmi Bansal) — Sun, 14 Oct 2012 05:45:00 +0000

My book 'I Have a Dream' has been nominated for the Popular Book Award @ Crossword Book Awards 2012.

If you enjoyed it and would like to cast your vote, here's the link:

http://app1.juvlon.com/po/crossword/voting_page2.php?a=4714748&b=6630

Voting ends tomorrow :) ie midnight of Monday Oct 15.

It would be cool for a non-fiction title which celebrates the spirit of service to win against pure,timepass fiction!

Paradise Lost?

noreply@blogger.com (Rashmi Bansal) — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 12:08:00 +0000

The flight to Guwahati took 5 hours. Almost as long as it would to reach Singapore. Surely any state capital should have better connectivity…

What is the problem with Assam anyways? As we descend towards Lokanath Bordoloi airport I feel like this is God’s own country - mountains, lakes, lush green fields and the mighty Brahmaputra river.

People who live with nature are naturally peace-loving and simple folk. But those aren’t words you associate with Assam these days… I ask a local resident - let's call him Mr K - to explain to me ki yahan ho kya raha hai.

Well, he says, “It’s the classic case of local vs outsider.”

Thousands of Bangladeshi migrants cross the border every month. The going ‘rate’ for becoming an Indian citizen is Rs 500.

“You and I may not have a ration card but these people will have every proof of identity,” he adds.

What’s more, they will quickly learn Assamese, adopt some local customs and even names, to blend in with the local population.

“Being migrants they are more hungry, more hard-working and more cunning. A lot of land has been taken over by them.”

Seeing them make quick progress upsets the Bodos, who have traditionally dominated Lower Assam.

So, Mr K feels, it’s more of a battle over economic opportunity than religion. Yes, majority of migrants are Muslim but that is the incidental factor, not the main issue.

In any case, Assam is an industrial and economic pygmy. Mr K recounts stories of several corporates who came to the state, pledged to start operations and then backed out.

“Ratan Tata himself came to lay the foundation stone for a 5 star hotel. But the hotel never came up…”

Similarly, Apollo hospitals and Infosys too changed their mind and went elsewhere. Only because the government insisted on 90% reservation for locals.

So who exactly is a local? Mr K is originally from Rajasthan but his family has lived in Assam for close to 150 years.

“My grandfather’s grandfather came to Assam… My grandfather was born here, my father was born here, and I was born here.”

But Mr K will still not be treated as a ‘true Assamese’. Nor will his children.

“There is no discrimination as such but somewhere we know, we don’t have the same status – same shaan – as we would have, living in Rajasthan.”

Mr K runs an SSI unit in Guwahati and I wonder whether the current problems are affecting his business.

“No, because the agitations are in areas about 100 kms away from the city.”

But, constant bandhs and strikes do take a toll. And it is true that work culture in this part of the country is slothful.

“Government offices are supposed to function from 10 am to 5 pm. But at ten, you will see the officers – basket in hand – buying vegetables from the market.”

The wife will cook, husband will eat and by noon the attendance register will get a tick mark.

“Government jobs are the most coveted jobs in Northeast,” he adds.

Recently, the Assam government appointed 27,000 teachers at starting salaries of Rs 11,000-15,000. The grease money to get this job is Rs 50,000 to Rs 2 lakhs.

“But it’s like a lottery ticket. One time investment - no work, full pay!”

And that’s not the only lottery ticket in the state. ‘Donations’ to numerous organisations are compulsory and have to be treated as cost of doing business.

“If All Assam Students Union comes for chanda I know we have to cough up Rs 10,000. That’s the ‘fixed’ rate.”

While the Assamese accept this, the newcomers and the corporate houses cannot. And the market in Assam and Northeast isn’t even big enough to justify such headaches.

The only industry that has come up in recent times is cement - because limestone is available in plenty. The traditional business of tea, silk and handicrafts continue.

Mr K’s kids live far from Assam. And that is the story of majority of young people from the state.

“After class 10, children go out to study. And hardly any come back.”

Yes, the hills are blue and valleys green. But that is no longer enough.

Must hearts turn black and rivers run red, before we wake up, and do something?

Hum honge kamyab... ek din

noreply@blogger.com (Rashmi Bansal) — Sun, 26 Aug 2012 12:08:00 +0000

This afternoon I was looking for a good movie to watch on television. Instead, I found myself watching the men and women marching towards 7 Race Course Road, carrying the Indian Flag.

Who are these people who will spend their Sunday braving lathis and teargas shells?

Why are they so determined, so daring, so dedicated to the cause of India Against Corruption?

What did they hope to achieve today?

I believe India Against Corruption is a revolution. In fact, it is a second war for independence and no such war was ever won in a day.

When Team Anna’s second anshan ran out of steam, the cynics muttered ‘I told you so’. In a way, watching them ‘fail’ is reassuring for the vast majority who have merely been onlookers.. It confirms that we did the right thing by not moving our butts.

Because ‘ultimately kuch nahin ho sakta hai.’

It’s true. Itni jaldi kuch nahin ho sakta hai. The vast, deeply entrenched and securely guarded edifice of corruption in our country cannot be brought down in a day. Or a month, or a year, or even ten years.

But that cannot stop those who believe it can and must be brought down.

So far the IAC had but the passion of its foot soldiers. And the cannonball of media. Going forward, it will need new weapons, and tactics.

How will this campaign of the people and by the people stretch its tiny funds to fuel its giant ambitions?

Nobody knows but faith will keep them going.

Faith that one day, you and me, and all the citizens of this great country will rise up and stand with them. Because, truth can and must prevail.

Your time starts now

noreply@blogger.com (Rashmi Bansal) — Sat, 25 Aug 2012 10:39:00 +0000

I love watching Masterchef Australia, and it’s not just for the food. In fact, being a vegetarian, the food aspect put me off, initially. I would squirm as contestants sliced and diced through meat and seafood to make it look pretty on a plate. But somehow, I got over that, and got hooked anyway.

What I truly love about Masterchef is how it can take ordinary people and induce them to do extraordinary things – because they’ve been challenged. Or, to be more precise, stressed, pressed, whipped, dipped and devilled into reaching somewhere deep and magical inside themselves.

Just about every dish contestants are asked to cook seems to be beyond the reach of an amateur. The time allotted always seems too less. Two minutes before, something is still cooking – the plate still empty! But somehow, almost always, it all comes together, and comes through.

On a good day – like Mindy had recently - the amateurs even manage to beat the spatulas off professional chefs.

The question that fascinates me, however, is can the process of producing a Masterchef be replicated? Not just in cooking, but for any other kind of skill or subject?

Let’s first examine how and what Masterchef does correctly. Number one – they select the right people, but not just those who can cook – in a technical sense. Along with kitchen skills the judges look at how passionate you are. How intense is your desire to be on the show? How badly do you want to win??

So, now you have a bunch of highly motivated, highly driven individuals who have shown some flair for cooking. In the traditional mode, it would take 3 years in a catering college to get a diploma. Even then, you’ll struggle for an entry-level position in a restaurant. And slowly work your way up.

At Masterchef, 3 years gets condensed to 3 months. And from day 1, you get exposure to top-level chefs. The best in the business come as trainers, mentors, judges and even to cook against you. The learning curve is steep, fast and furious.

The next thing that kicks in is ‘self-respect’. There you are, on national television - family and friends are watching. You have got to do your best. Or even better than best. Things you never even knew you were capable of.

And of course, the constraints and challenges are designed to make you jump out of your skin. An invention test, for example is about more than cooking. It’s about pulling something out of your hat. There is no time to think deeply, you simply direct yourself to ‘do what feels right’.

Which is the best way to do anything truly worthwhile in life.

Lastly, the winner takes it all but even the losers gain a lot. Many left mundane jobs to pursue their dream of a career in food. And hardly anyone goes back. There is no stigma of ‘failure’, in fact contestants feel like they’ve test marketed the idea and now have enough skills and confidence to make a run for it.

A takeaway business, a bakery, a cookbook or food blog – these are the outcomes you can hope for, even if you don’t get crowned as ‘Masterchef’.

That means ‘winning’ is great but it’s also a process designed to awaken the power within you. The power to become a winner, to make your dreams come true.

I know this kind of awakening is possible in every field of human endeavour.

And that ‘education’ must expand beyond degrees and certificates.

The real proof of the pudding must always be the quality of the pudding you produce.

And not the bowl it’s dressed up in, labelled IIT, IIM, Harvard or Stanford…

Aapki yaad aa gayi...!

noreply@blogger.com (Rashmi Bansal) — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 07:16:00 +0000

I don't know if anyone is reading this blog. Because I haven't been writing anything!

Although I have a lot to say, in this new facebook & twitter world I somehow don't find the time to sit and do it...

An average blogpost would take me an hour. A fb post takes 3 minutes. Twitter takes 30 seconds. Of course, writing a blog is more meaningful, more satisfying and has a much longer shelf life.

Yes, I must get back to blogging!

Meanwhile, I feel I owe it to my long-standing and loyal readers, to invite them to the events around my new book 'Poor Little Rich Slum'. Schedule in Mumbai & Pune as follows:

1) Wednesday, 4th July at Crossword Kemps Corner, 6 pm

2) Saturday, 7th July at Star Bazaar, Crystal Point Mall, New Link Road, Andheri West, 430 pm

3) Sunday, 8th July at Crossword, In Orbit Mall Vashi, 6 pm

4) Thursday, 12th July at Kitabkhana, Flora Fountain, Fort, 6 pm (my co-author Deepak will be joining at this event).

5) Friday, 13th July at Crossword ICC Towers, Pune, 6 pm.

Will update you re: events in other cities shortly.

And yes, will update the blog as well :)

The suspense ends, here is Book 4

noreply@blogger.com (Rashmi Bansal) — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 13:19:00 +0000

Many of you have been asking about my next book. Some of you are busy guessing what it's going to be all about.

'Women entrepreneurs'

'Internet entrepreneurs'

'Entrepreneurs who are less than 5 feet tall"

The last one, of course, is a joke. But the point is - I guess it has become quite predictable. The fact that I will pick up a theme and then give you 20 inspiring stories around it.

This is both good and bad. Good, because this is the 'brand' I have built and there are many takers for it. Bad, because it has become easy for me to do and I can easily become lazy and complacent.

That is why I decided to take a break from the well-loved series - and explore something new. In February 2011 I embarked upon 'Project Dharavi'.

I know, many books and movies and documentaries have been made on this subject. So when my friend and co-author Deepak Gandhi proposed the idea to me, I was reluctant. Is there really anything left to be said?

"Let's just go and have a look," he urged.

And that is how it started. Our thrice-a-week pilgrimage to meet and understand the people who make up this vast and vibrant community.

We went there without any clear idea of what to look for.
We went, not knowing what kind of material there might be.
But the deeper we dug, the more amazing people and amazing stories we found.

One cannot wish away the problems and the issues which exist.
But neither can one ignore the solutions which Dharavi has produced.
To make the most of every little resource, every little square inch.

We hope this book introduces you to the ingenuity and the enterprise of the 'little Indian'. The millions of nameless, faceless people out there who make up our economic life.Who are weaving together a new social fabric.

Although this book is not about you, we believe it will speak to you.
And not just through the power of words.

A young and talented photographer - Dee - shadowed us throughout this journey.
Capturing through his lens many manic moments and mellow moods across Dharavi.

"Poor Little Rich Slum' releases on 12th of May. Here is a first look at the cover, designed so beautifully by Studio ABD.

Pre-orders will begin on flipkart and other websites over next couple of days.

And you will get more updates from me - very soon! Watch this space.

Do you believe in miracles?

noreply@blogger.com (Rashmi Bansal) — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 04:38:00 +0000

This story begins in September 2010, when Professor Prabhat Ranjan and I found ourselves in a Qualis vehicle. Lurching towards a sleepy student town, from Mangalore airport.

We were to speak at TEDx Manipal.

Partly out of curiosity and partly for timepass, I asked Prof Ranjan about his work. He told me about many interesting things, including a device he was developing for use by disabled people.

I thought it was a good idea, a noble idea, and said to myself – “ I must write about this someday”. Prof Ranjan invited me to visit his lab in Gandhinagar sometime. And that was that.

Exactly one year later, I was in Coimbatore. I had just completed the Bhavspandana program at Isha Yoga Ashram and was in a state of complete bliss. I decided to pay a visit to my batchmate K Suresh (Kesu).

This was not my first trip to Coimbatore, to be honest. Each time I would think of visiting Kesu and then, I would chicken out. You see, Kesu has been paralysed from neck down since the year 1999.

A part of me thought – “It will feel horrible to see him in that state”.

It was, however, exactly the opposite. Kesu may be sitting in a wheelchair, head drooping to one side, unable to speak or move. But he is intensely and vibrantly alive.

He looks as young – or even younger – than he was on the campus.

He has the vulnerable and helpless quality of a child.

But despite the body which has totally given up on him, his mind is sharp as ever. Kesu is clued in to everything happening in the world.

The facilitator is his wife Jayashree. She helps him read, she helps him access the internet. And through a system using blinking of the eyelids, she helps him communicate.

To watch them ‘talk’ through each other is to see love in action.

Love beyond words.

As we sat there, talking about world affairs, books, philosophy and common friends, I suddenly thought of Prof Ranjan. Could the device he had mentioned, be of help to Kesu? The least I could do, is ask!

It turned out that in the one year since we spoke, much had happened. The technology was more robust, it had better features, but it was all good only in theory.

“We have tried, but failed, to find a test subject,” lamented the good professor.

Thus, it was a ‘match’ made in heaven. It took another six months for the technical team to visit Coimbatore, to procure the required headset, and then to test and fit the device.

The first day that it ‘worked’ Jayashree called me, elation evident in her voice.

A couple of days later Kesu wrote this email to me, bringing tears to my eyes.

Dear Rashmi,

Thanks a million for enabliing me to type. I never thought I would start crowing about typing an email but stranger things under heaven and earth...When my typing speed improves, I will write a post about this and send the link to our batch.

R's

Kesu

I wanted him to announce this wonderful news himself – in the 1993 batch egroup as well as to the world. But I guess good news travels fast and this report appeared in the TOI yesterday: Professor ‘enables’ quadriplegic IIM-A graduate.

This is just the beginning. Prof Ranjan is working on making Suresh use speech synthesis so that he can communicate (like Stephen Hawking). In the near future, he sees Suresh being able to send SMS and make phone calls through this technology.
As well as operate TV and other power points such as light and fan.

The point is, such technology is available in the Western world. But it is expensive and unsuitable for Indian climate and conditions. Prof Ranjan’s device – low cost and ‘made for India’ – has the potential to help thousands of quadriplegics and paraplegics like Kesu.

But, Prof Ranjan is a scientist - not an entrepreneur. He needs someone who can come forward and take this technology out of the laboratory and into the world. An idea with the potential to blossom into a beautiful social enterprise.

And that is my main objective behind sharing this story. If it has touched you in some way, and you would like to be involved with it – please reach out to Prof Ranjan through his facebook page: www.facebook.com/prabhat.ranjan.

I have had a small role to play in this miracle. That of a messenger, who connected two people in search of each other.

But ultimately, I believe there is something bigger than all of us, a Divine Power, a Cosmic Force. Which made it happen.

Beyond the MBA Hype

noreply@blogger.com (Rashmi Bansal) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 10:47:00 +0000

It is a truth universally acknowledged that an engineering graduate in possession of a software job must be in search of a ‘good MBA’.

In a free-wheeling interview, Sameer Kamat, founder of MBA Crystal Ball and author of ‘Beyond the MBA Hype’ shares his journey. And offers unbiased advice to those who are thinking of walking down that path.

Tell me a little bit about yourself.
I’m a computer engineer from VESIT (Mumbai) and after that I joind Citicorp. Worked in India and abroad on multiple assignments and then decided to move beyond pure technical work. So I joined PricewaterhouseCoopers in their management consulting division.

Why MBA?
In my consulting role, though the client, geography and technology changed with every project, essentially it was more of the same. That’s when I started researching options, and an international MBA seemed like a good way to change careers.

Did you focus only on top schools abroad?
My professional work involved a substantial amount of global travel. So I figured it would be logical to continue the international exposure by getting into a top bschool abroad where the class profile would be very diverse and international.

What was your GMAT score?
I’m not good at standardized tests. For someone from a tech/engineering/male background [considered to be the toughest applicant pool when it comes to global MBA applications] my GMAT score was quite low (below 700). So I knew that the rest of my application strategy had to be really strong.

How did you shortlist and decide where to apply?
This was the most confusing part. In India, the CAT score plays a significant role in getting interview calls from bschools. For international MBA programs, GMAT is important. But there are other aspects that are equally, if not more important.

Many of these are quite subjective, like the concept of ‘Fit’. It’s like a compatibility test where you need to convince the school that you are both made for each other. Plus there are factors such as post-MBA plans, professional background, number of years of work experience.

Considering all these, I felt I would not ‘fit’ into a 2-year program. A 1-year program in the UK would provide the RoI (Return on Investment) I was looking for.

Why Cambridge Judge and how was the experience?
My medium-to-long term plans were to get back to India. So I wanted a brand that was strong enough to get me a job abroad as well as in India. The University of Cambridge has been around for over 8 centuries and it’s a very well respected brand in India as well.

I was also drawn by the personality of the MBA program. Compared to the veterans in the MBA industry, this program is relatively young. It’s more collaborative than many others, and there’s a strong focus on experiential learning. Though you still have to be on your toes and compete with other extremely talented folks for grades, internships and jobs.

I got the opportunity to interact with entrepreneurs, I-bankers, scientists, management consultants, Olympic level sportsmen, iconic business leaders and Nobel prize winners. It was a fantastic experience.

How did you fund your education and how did you manage the EMI repayments?
I was lucky to have got 2 scholarships at Cambridge. That took care of a considerable chunk of the financing. Plus the bschool had a tie-up with a UK bank to provide education loans for accepted candidates.

Did you work in the UK or come back immediately?
After completing my MBA, I had a few options to stay back in the UK – with my former employer (but in a more business-focused role), with a strategy consulting firm (where I did my internship) and with a startup (that my team helped during the program). This was before the recession, so the job market was a little better. I had planned to work there for a few years, repay the GBP loan and then get back to India.

But due to a twist in the tale, I ended up accepting a job that brought me back to India immediately after graduation.

I was in India for a short vacation when I came across a team that was setting up a new office in India and they were looking for folks for their corporate finance work. The German Managing Director who interviewed me made the role sound interesting, so I decided to make a complete career change and start my post-MBA career directly in India. I worked in the area of Mergers & Acquisitions for 5 years after my MBA.

When did you start the website MBA Crystal Ball? Why do it?
When I was applying to bschools, I considered myself to be a dark horse. Most stats weren’t working in my favour (age, test scores, professional background). So I had put in extra efforts to ensure that my application was water-tight – right from thinking about the rationale for an MBA, the post-MBA career plans, explaining what made my profile unique while competing in the tough applicant pool.

After graduating, I started helping others who needed a helping hand in doing exactly what I had done for myself. I did it for free (it was more a passion than a business idea for me) and they started getting into the top schools.

The right mentoring can make a lot of difference when the competition is global and intense. Though Indian applicants are strong at cracking standardized tests, our education system doesn’t prepare us to tackle abstract and introspective questions that are part of the MBA application process.

The concept of MBA admissions consulting is relatively new in India and I felt maybe this was something where I can make a small difference.

How and when did you quit your job to focus on it full time?
Outside India, the premium admissions consulting model is well-established and attracts high-caliber talent (top MBA grads who’ve also done well in the business world). In India, it is mostly taken up as a part-time activity. That’s how I started off as well.

I created a product (it’s called the MBA Mock Application Process or in short - MBA MAP). It simulates an application process for the top-100 schools and provides chances of getting into each. That got an encouraging response (cost: Rs 9000/ $ 250). It might be the only Indian product in the admissions consulting field to have been ‘exported’ to other countries. I realized that the only way I could do justice to it would be if I focused on it on a full-time basis. So I quit my M&A job about a year back to manage MBA Crystal Ball.

Does the site make money for you yet? What’s the kind of traffic you get?
I don’t use the site to make money. In fact, there was no website for a pretty long time. Most folks reached out to us (and our services) due to word-of-mouth publicity. When folks started asking for my website URL, rather than giving creative answers each time, I guessed an easier option would be to create a simple website. So I got a domain (http://www.mbacrystalball.com/) registered and launched the site.

We get several thousand hits from candidates who are seriously considering a career transformation or just curious about evaluating career growth options. So we use the site more as a platform to share broader ideas. On our blog you’ll find content that sometimes has absolutely nothing to do with the services we provide. We recently published about non-MBA careers, like social service, teaching jobs. You’ll also find a guest post by a Gladrags model on careers in the glamour business.

When did the idea of a book come?
I wrote ‘Beyond The MBA Hype’ in 2006 after I had completed my MBA. When I was applying to bschools, most of the articles I read in newspapers and websites were about how an MBA will have a magical effect on the candidate’s career, financial status and life. And I really wondered how much of that was true and how much was hype.

After having gone through the experience I thought somebody needed to also share aspects that never got talked about – the education, building new skills, internships, the career hunt from an Indian candidate’s perspective (most books on this topic are written by international authors).

The book was not created to promote MBA Crystal Ball (it didn’t exist, at the time). In fact, those who’ve read ‘Beyond The MBA Hype’ tell me I shouldn’t have got it published as it is detrimental to my business interests. Instead of pushing more prospective aspirants to apply blindly to the top schools (and fill our coffers), the book recommends exactly the opposite.

The basic message is to step back and evaluate simpler, easier and less risky options to reach their goals.

How easy (or difficult) was it, to get published?
‘Beyond The MBA Hype’ has taken over 5 years to get published. I initially tried to get it published in the US, thinking that’s where the MBA market is. Publishers and literary agents who liked the concept turned it down saying a first time author without a saleable name would be a tough sell.

So I changed focus to India, not knowing if there would be any takers, as the international MBA market is extremely small and niche.

Fortunately, I found a good literary agent who sold it to HarperCollins. For new authors struggling to get published and going through a similar roller coaster ride, I share tips on my personal site: (http://www.sameerkamat.com/)

Who is your core target audience?
- Professionals with 2-10 years work experience, who are thinking of ways to take their career to the next level.
- Recent graduates who’ve not been lucky with the Indian MBA entrance exams (CAT, plus all the variations) and are thinking of applying to international MBA programs.
- Anybody who’s stagnated (frustrated) in their current job and thinking that an overseas MBA might be an easy way out.

How has the book been received?
Considering the initial apprehensions, it’s done exceedingly well. The first print got sold out in under 3 months, the second print-run is out.

Given the weak economic situation globally, would you advise people to look at an MBA abroad?
The message in the book is more relevant today than it was when I wrote it. The global economic situation should force MBA applicants to really get their game-plan sorted out.

Having said that, an investment in quality education is the best one can make as you are investing in yourself. So there’s more incentive to see yourself being successful. A well-designed MBA plan with risk scenarios clearly identified and mitigated is the best way to approach it.

For MBA applicants, I’d say do your homework, choose your schools well, put a best-case and worst-case career plan in place and go for it only when you are really confident.

Do you recommend 2 year or 1 year programs?
Both have their pros and cons. The profile and the career aspirations of the candidate should influence the choice. Where you want to work will also play a big role in choosing the school. Managing transnational placements is becoming tougher. Consider the average class profile for each school you are applying to, see if/how you’d fit in.

Is it possible to get a job in the US or Europe for a fresh, non-citizen MBA?
Possible? Yes. Easy? No.

The recruiter has to have a strong reason to go the extra distance and sponsor the international candidate’s work-permit. For complete career changers, it’s become more difficult.

The good part is that a ‘fresh’ MBA in an international MBA program comes in with an average of 4-5 years work-ex. So pre-MBA experience and skills can be leveraged while job hunting.

If instead, you return to India does the global alumni network help in finding a job?
They can, but in a soft economy there are limitations to what they can do. So I’d say, don’t depend only on the alumni network. Reach out to anyone and everyone who can help.

What’s the typical profile of people who get into top 20 bschools internationally?
For 2 year US-format programs: Average age: 26-27, Average work-experience: 4-5 years, Nationality: 60-70% American, rest international, Gender Mix: 70% Male, Communication skills: Excellent, Body mass index: Varies

Any application tips for those who aim for such schools?
Start early. Find out how the application process works. Don’t over-focus on the GMAT. Spend time thinking about post-MBA goals. Research schools that will help you get there. Know what the school will and more importantly, will NOT do for you.

Is it worth attending a 2nd or 3rd rung bschool abroad or should one drop the idea altogether?
Bschool rankings have their own yardstick to judge schools. A candidate’s yardstick may be very different. So, whether a school is rung 2 or 3 is a very subjective viewpoint. There are many excellent schools in India that might not figure on the top rankings. I went to a local ( ‘unhyped’) engineering college that doesn’t feature in any domestic or global rankings. But it gave me a good education and I did pretty well for myself career wise.

Extending that logic, I’d say don’t shortlist or discard Bschools purely on the basis of rankings or location. In the book, I use the term ‘good’ Bschools, without really defining it in absolute terms. Go to schools that are ‘good’ from your perspective.

For instance, Harvard is a great school. But is it great for everyone? For me it wasn’t even on the radar, as my secret desire was to quit the corporate world before I was 40 and start something entrepreneurial of my own (mission accomplished!). The theoretical idea of pumping close to a crore into an MBA program would make my heart miss a few beats.

Any advice for those in ‘decent’ jobs eg today but who still have the itch for MBA? Should they hold on to their jobs or invest 2 years in an MBA (India or abroad).
A top MBA is designed to take those in ‘decent’ and ‘good’ jobs and get them ‘better’ jobs. So for the high-potential ones who’ve weighed the pros and cons, it can be a great tool. But I’d recommend not looking at the MBA as an end in itself. Think about what it’ll help you achieve.

Going back to your analogy, my recommendation would be to evaluate the reason for the itch, and think if going abroad to buy a Rs 50 lakh itch relief powder is the only solution. Or would a warm neem-water bath at home cure it…

Only you can decide...And Sameer's book, might help you do that.

Rashmi adds: I first met Sameer Kamat around 3 years ago, in my neighbourhood park. He was working with Siemens at the time, and also writing a book. I gave him some advice on how to get it published.

We’d meet off and on and I would get status updates.

Publisher mil gaya hai – But they want rewrites – Date of release decided – Date of release delayed. Finally, one day Sameer asked if he could come over to my house - to give me a signed copy.

I’m happy for Sameer. I think he’s a guy who set a goal and then persevered, to achieve it. He has clarity and focus, which is what we all need. Whether we all need an MBA - is another matter altogether :)

What I like is that Sameer charges the student upfront, for unbiased advice. Unlike most admission consultants who take a 'cut' from universities. I wish his business model and his book the very best.

And yes, I hope to bump into him one of these days - walking fast and purposefully - in the sector 17 park :)

Top books of 2011 (in India)

noreply@blogger.com (Rashmi Bansal) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 15:35:00 +0000

Sharing a piece of news published in the Hindustan Times, the list of top 10 fiction and non-fiction titles in India last year, as per A C Nielsen retail bookscan. My books did pretty well... "I Have a Dream" (# 1), "Stay Hungry Stay Foolish"(# 3) and "Connect the Dots" (no 7).

So it feels good but I know I must keep working... And yes there will be at least two more titles from me for your reading pleasure, this year.

R.I.P. Amit Saigal

noreply@blogger.com (Rashmi Bansal) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 13:38:00 +0000

Amit Saigal, founder of the iconic Rock Street Journal passed away earlier today. I think he was in his early 40s.

"Saigal started Rock Street Journal in January 1993 in Allahabad with Shena Gamat Saigal after they realised the lack of support system for Indian rock musicians."

That's what wikipedia says. What it doesn't say is how crazy an idea that was.

Apparently the first issue of RSJ was a compilation of Amit’s own articles and published at the family printing press. Legend has it that of the 2500 copies printed he managed to sell only six at the college festivals of LSR, BITS Pilani etc. The rest were distributed free of cost among a close circle of people who were interested in rock music.

Rock has always been a small niche but one with a fanatical following. I think Amit knew it would never ever be a highly profitable venture. As he said in an interview given in 2006:

If you really do what you want to do, or get inspired to do, then you don’t think about “mass appeal” or success or failure. You just follow a mad inner urge and do your thing.

And that’s what he did. RSJ had its die-hard fans but never the numbers (except in the Northeast). The magazine was more influential and visible in the 1990s, of late I don’t even think it was being published on a monthly frequency (the last issue displayed on the website).

A more commercial mind would have realized that the niche occupied by rock was not growing in India. But RSJ stuck to its guns and never diluted its brand. Instead, RSJ went into events like the Great Indian Rock Festival and pub rock festivals (which I hope made money for them :)

Coz you cannot bring out magazines on passion alone.

I never knew Amit personally, nor did I ever meet him. But I felt a sense of kinship, at some level. In the very early days of JAM we did collaborate a little, two small niche magazines – his even more niche than mine.

And I always admired the consistency and focus of RSJ (though I could not relate to the content). JAM also carried a beautiful interview with him a few years ago which you can read here or here.

It is indeed sad that Amit Saigal is no longer with us. But though short, his life was driven by passion and created impact. That is more than can be said for most of us...

R.I.P.

Street treat

noreply@blogger.com (Rashmi Bansal) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 19:22:00 +0000

My daughter was two years old when she pointed to a glowsign and said, “Barista”.

By the time she was four, there was the shiny new Center One mall next door.

‘Outings’ followed a predictable routine: an hour in the kiddie play area, some ogling at the new Barbie collection and finally, a treat at McDonald’s or Pizza Hut.

More retail madness followed and today, there are five malls in and around our home (although two of them can be classified as doob chuke like the 'Titanic' )

At age 12, going to the mall is no longer a very exciting activity. Unless it’s an unsupervised outing, with friends.

So, on the second day of this New Year, I decided to initiate her into an age-old Indian tradition – the art of picking up raste ka maal.

Three hours at Hill Road in Bandra yielded 3 tops, 1 t-shirt, 1 bag and 3 hairbands – and we spent just 1100 bucks.

“Wow, this is great!” she grinned from ear to ear. “At In Orbit we would have got like, one or maybe two tops, that’s all.”

The highlight of her day was the Angry Birds t-shirt. They’re the new rage and of course, ‘Made in Thailand’. But not (yet) as cheap or as common as ‘Being Human’.

Another brand which is not yet available in India, but is selling at Hill Road is the funky Spanish label ‘Desigual’. This stock is export-reject maal from factories in Tirupur which is great. That’s how bazaars like Fashion Street sprung up in India, in the first place.

The only problem is, the really cool stuff is no longer selling either at Fashion Street, or Hill Road. To buy that, you gotta be in Goa, or Hampi, or any other backpacker paradise.

There is an entire store full of amazing Desigual merchandise in McLeodganj, run by a charming Kashmiri guy.

“I have special contacts with their suppliers in India,” he whispers.

God bless you, but please, ask them to send some maal to Mumbai also.

Real fashion is on the street, and from the street. A generation over-fed on malls and brands will turn to these streets to rediscover what it means to create a wardrobe.

And not just buy one with daddy’s credit card.

'Fat but happy' - my foot!

noreply@blogger.com (Rashmi Bansal) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 20:12:00 +0000

Every January millions of people around the world make the same old resolution: "I will lose weight.”

So it’s not surprising that bookshops too have a bunch of new releases on that very subject. Only this year, it’s not dieticians writing – it’s the dieters.

Ek taraf there is Yana Gupta with ‘How to love your body and get the body you love’. On the other, there is ‘Confessions of a Serial Dieter’ by Kalli Purie. And that’s the book I want to talk about today.

Because we all know supermodels do sad and desperate things to maintain their weight. It’s Kalli’s story I find more interesting, and more ‘real’.

Kalli’s confessions span the 3 years and 43 diets it took her to slim down from a peak of 103 kilos to 59 kgs. And it is not pretty. She recounts in grim and gross detail the effect of each diet, physically and emotionally.

What it is like to retire to your room every night with just a thermos of green tea (no dinner).

Survive for days on papaya and dahi (a miracle diet which also clears your stomach and skin).

Exactly where to place your fingers so you can puke out what you have eaten (a one week experiment with bilumia)

Honesty drips from every page and that is the chief selling point of the book.

But, while many of us struggle with weight issues, few of us get so obsessed. The determination to fit into a particular dress to attend a particular wedding is commendable, but is it really necessary?

If you drop from 100 kgs to 68 kgs, do you still need to go on a ‘champagne diet’ to cover the last mile to ‘size perfect’ ? The fashion police and the social police say so. And the media perpetuates the idea.

Silk may flaunt tummy tyres in the ‘Dirty Picture’ but don’t miss Ekta Kapoor giving interviews in a new, slim avatar.

Or the fact that Nigella Lawson herself has given up butter to go the bikini way. (Et tu Nigella... what are mere mortals to do?)

In an ideal world, Kalli Purie uses her media empire to change mindsets. In the real world, she just puts herself through hell and joins the gang of skinnies.

Kalli’s book is not a how-to manual. Because every body is unique and what worked for her, may or may not work for you. But you certainly can get motivated by her zeal.

Kind of like ‘it’s hard, but if I want it badly enough, I can do it too’.

My takeaway is that each of us must face our own demons and conquer them. For someone, weight loss may be the biggest challenge in life, for another it may be a financial goal, or finding the right career.

So spend this year tracking your demon down and beating it to death... Who knows, you just might be able to spin a book out of the experience!

Personal reflections on 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Rashmi Bansal) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 08:49:00 +0000

2011 has been a year of great transformation and change within me. A kind of personal evolution, or even - dare I say - revolution.

As the year finally draws to a close I feel ready to share some of the ups and downs of this journey, with you.

Success and failure: I became a super-successful author this year. My third book ‘I Have a Dream’ released in June 2011 and stayed at the # 1 spot in the non-fiction bestseller list right for 5 months (until Steve Jobs’ biography was released :)

I got featured on the cover of Outlook magazine and I started getting 2 invitations to speak, every single day.

But everywhere I spoke, a part of me felt like a fraud. Part of me wanted to scream, “Do you know I started JAM magazine and now it is no more?”

It’s been one year since JAM magazine (print edition) was suspended. The office we occupied for 12 years was wound down, the furniture and PCs given away to charity.

All that we are left with are spiral bound editions of every copy published and folders full of cartoons labeled ‘Pawan Dutt’, ‘Venu’, ‘Prashant’ and ‘Sameer’.

And a website which we maintain, out of love (but which needs a lot of work, if it is to become a serious, digital venture.)

The decision to stop printing JAM was rational and logical.

Digital is taking over print.
Costs were increasing but not revenues.
Funding was elusive, despite sincere efforts.

The magazine had been losing money, for almost 3 years.
In the process, we were losing our peace of mind.
It just did not seem worth it.

And towards the end, I know I neglected JAM, to focus on myself. The life of an author gripped me with intensity. Entrepreneurship felt more like pain than pleasure...

You decide to do something, and yet there is grief. You ask yourself a thousand times, “What could I have done differently?”

Every entrepreneur I interview, gives me some insight to that question. But there is no point in pondering on ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’. Because life is relentless, and simply goes on.

So, did JAM magazine ‘fail’? That depends how you define success and failure.

The business model failed. And as owners, we failed to reinvent the company.

But I know that over 15 years that we were in business we made so many people happy. Gave so many of you a platform.

Wherever I go, I meet these people. They come up to me and say, “I used to read JAM when I was in college and I loved it.”

How can something that spread so much joy be a ‘failure’? Just because you run out of gas at the end of a long journey, doesn’t take away the fun of the journey itself.

To all those of you who ask me, “Why don’t you write about people who fail?” – I hope this answers your question.

I would still do it, all over again, maybe a little differently, more smartly.

‘Failure’ is just a form of hibernation, at the end of winter there is always a spring.

Peace and Joy: Despite so many comforts and blessings of life, how many of us are truly peaceful and joyful within? Very few (I know I have not been!)

In fact, for the longest time, I suffered from a vague sense of depression. I snapped out of it by finding something I could lose myself in - writing, writing and writng.

But questions about the meaning of life persisted. Is this all there is, or is there something more?

In my search for answers, I read many books, met many amazing people. In 2006, I did the Inner Engineering program of Isha Foundation. For the next two years, I practiced the kriya taught by them but then, I fell out of the habit.

Until this year in April, when purely by chance, I visited Coimbatore and went to the ashram. Perhaps it was a call from Sadhguru himself :)

I restarted Shambhavi Mahamudra. Then, I attended the BSP (Bhava Spandana) program, which was a phenomenal experience. I experienced what it means to be pure joy, pure bliss, no matter what is happening outside of me.

Sadhguru says: “This moment, how peaceful and joyful you are is the quality of your life.”

And I have decided to make that the focus of my life from now on.

Being part of Isha as a meditator and volunteer help me in that effort.
I have taken Sadhguru into my heart, and feel his Presence within me.

Being a totally rationally and logically driven person this took a long time to happen (too long I think!). I hope you do not resist, as much as I did.

Because one thing is very clear: if you get it right on the inside, the ‘outside’ will automatically take care of itself.

I cannot *explain* this further, I can just advise that you too embark on the path of inner transformation and experience it for yourself.

What is love: I used to think love is an emotion. I know now, it is a state of being.

That all the love we seek from other people is actually available right within each of us.

That sometimes love shows its face to you in a form you are not ready to accept.

That those who love us the most are also the ones who come into our lives to teach us the most difficult lessons.

That love is all we need, and it is all we leave behind.

And on that note I leave you, wishing you love, light and happiness in the New Year.

Status Update

noreply@blogger.com (Rashmi Bansal) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 06:12:00 +0000

Sharing a year-ender piece I wrote for the Deccan Chronicle/ Asian Age, on the request of a friend.

Status Update
What 2011 meant for the young and the facebooked.

by Rashmi Bansal

If I had to pick out one person, place or event of the year, the one which truly defines what it means to be young today, it has to be this scene between Katrina and Hrithik in ZNMD (Zindagi na Milegi Dobara).

Hrithik has just experienced deep-sea diving for the very first time, and his eyes shine with a new and different light. He understands the philosophy of the scuba chick, the idea of living in this moment.

The only moment you truly have.

It’s a philosophy which pretty much sums up the mood of a generation. And this mood is reflected in the just about everything you do with your life.

In fact, the idea of reflecting back on an entire year of events is, in itself, pretty redundant. For an event is an ‘event’ for all of 48 hours. A song can be a rage for, perhaps, two weeks.

The world according to Mark Zuckerberg is defined by your status update. And who the hell remembers yesterday’s update?

Nevertheless, here is my pick of events of the year 2011, which made a difference to the lives of the young and the facebooked.

The 'India Against Corruption’ crusade in August this year, which galvanized young people across the country like never before. They skipped work and bunked college, to join the protests on the ground. To carry candles and placards in support of the movement.

All that appears to be a distant dream now, almost a part of history. The conversation in the canteen is back to cricket, Bollywood and girls.

Speaking of cricket, India’s win over Sri Lanka in World Cup cricket was possibly the proudest moment of the year for any citizen of India. But, even more so for the youth, who have absolutely no recollection of the 1983 World Cup victory.

The trouble is the performance of team India since that victory. Young India still loves Dhoni but would rather spend its time watching F1 and Man United.

F1 bole toh 2011 was also the year that India ‘arrived’, with the Buddha International Circuit hosting its inaugural race in Greater Noida. I don’t know how many made it to the actual event but it was thrilling to know that the Gods of racing were descending on our soil.

Love us, hate us, but you can’t ignore us. We’re the largest youth population in the world, the market of the future for every brand.

The idea of the ‘brand’ is, in itself, changing. A brand is no longer a fast-moving consumer good or service, each individual is a brand. It no longer matters whether you are ‘good’ or ‘bad’, what matters is that you stand for something.

Salman’s Character dheela hai became one of the ‘it’ songs of the year, because it rang so true about the actor. It’s all about ‘being human’, after all.

With humanity also comes tragedy. 22 year old Malini Murmu, a first year student at IIM Bangalore, committed suicide in September this year, after being humiliated on Facebook. Her boyfriend’s status update read: “Feeling super cool today. Dumped my new ex-girlfriend. Happy independence day.”

The peril of living your life 24 X 7 online – under the scrutiny of peers - is vividly reflected. One instance when being ‘in the moment’ was not advised.

But then youth is all about extremes – of passion, of depression, of ascension. That has always been, and will always remain.

To pick out any more ‘events’ of 2011 which defined or changed youth is kind of irrelevant. It’s everyday events which don’t make it to newspapers and television channels which matter to an 18 year old.

The first flush of love.
The cruelty of an exam.
An ipod received on a birthday.

Yes, Steve Jobs died but life must go on.

The future is ours and what we make of it.

Tuition ka tashan

noreply@blogger.com (Rashmi Bansal) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 10:28:00 +0000

I used to think ‘tuitions’ were taken only by kids who were a bit soft in the head.

That’s how it was, when I was growing up.

We gave our board exams, with self-study. Though we did refer to ’21 sets’.

The teachers at school covered the portion well enough. And a few went well beyond the call of duty in doing so.

At least, this is how I remember it. But then, I was the class nerd.

When my daughter was in kindergarten, I first heard of kids taking ‘tuitions’. Yes, tuitions for kindergarten.

Actually, there were kids taking tuitions to get into kindergarten as well (a certain school in south Bombay, which I shall not name).

The world had obviously changed.
For better, or worse?

The ironic thing was, the syllabus seemed to be much simpler (I refer to CBSE pattern). What’s more, my daughter’s school had no ‘exams’ upto class 6. Only weekly tests.

Phir bhi kids were taking tuitions.
Phir bhi I thought we would buck the trend.

“We’re an educated family, after all”.

There’s a PhD in Physics ready to teach Maths and Science.
A Double MA for Hindi and Sanskrit.
And two MBAs to cover everything else.

But what does she do instead? Join tuitions!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

These days, she is ready at five minutes to five pm, to go for her class. This, is nothing short of a miracle.

She likes to go to tuitions. Even though sir makes her study. So, what’s the secret?

‘Tyushan’ is another form of outing. And, it’s parent-approved.

I wouldn’t let her – at age 12 – hang out in a mall with friends (without supervision). But I do let her go to tuitions with friends, and sometimes they stop by at McDonalds and share an ice-cream.

And hey, no matter how educated your parents and grandparents might be, it’s no fun studying with them. They are short-tempered, and often distracted by Blackberries and iPhones (I plead guilty to the second count).

There is another exciting side-effect of joining tuition classes.

“I think you will have to buy me a mobile now,” she said, with a glint in her eye.

Something I have resisted… so far.

The economy may falter, exchange rate may alter, but one thing’s for sure. Tuition zindabad rahega, employment aabaad rahega. Jai Hind!

Youthpal bill

noreply@blogger.com (Rashmi Bansal) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 05:25:00 +0000

Sharng a guest column I wrote for India Today's Youth Special issue. Pasting below my original, slightly extended version.

Youthpal Bill
by Rashmi Bansal

If we want a Facebook or Google from India, we have to stop telling Johnny and Jyoti to "be good"

The moment I walked into Christ College, Bangalore I knew something was wrong. But I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. Until a student giggled and whispered to me, “You are wearing jeans. We are not allowed.”

College without jeans? That's like Dabbang without Salman. Is it even possible? The old fogies seem to think so!

Welcome to the brave new college campus where 'discipline' rules. Students will be less distracted if they are neatly dressed in t-shirts with collars and formal shoes. Girls, please don't leave your hair open and stick to salwar kameez. Now, nose in books!

Of course, we encourage innovation and entrepreneurship. Can't you see the shiny new incubation centre we have set up? Please - feel free to disregard conventional thinking and come up with the next Facebook or Google.

But no bunking classes, and complete your syllabus first. We are disabling the net connection after 12 midnight, because we care about your future more than you do.

Our college had 100% placement last year. Students got jobs in a wide variety of jobs which require very little thinking but everyone has at least heard of the company names. It looks good in our brochure.

We would very much like this trend to continue.

Across India, from Kota to Kakinada, I have visited college campuses where students are being moulded, into sheep. The kind of minds which will not think, or question but accept what is told to them. Instead of searching for answers from within.

'Be good and we will be good to you'. That is the unspoken letter of blackmail posted into young hearts by parents. Whether it's career choice or whom to marry, the Family Stamp of Approval still dictates dynamics. Surrender and you will get a pink laptop and study abroad and inherit the family business.

Who wants to be a rebel and lose all this?

And yet, in moments of darkness, moments of doubt, the Young Indian knows there is something more out there, waiting to be discovered. A hidden potential, a secret spark.

Ki hum bhi koi cheez hain, is duniya mein. Our time on this earth has made some difference.

I see a small but growing band of young Indians taking the path of idealism.
Breaking out of the 'Be Good' box and breathing free.

Some, leaving plum jobs to set up their own companies. Others, choosing the path of social entrepreneurship. Many more thinking and dreaming of such options.

“Please help me, guide me, mentor me…..” they write to me, after reading one or another of my books.

Very well, I say, but remember there are no shortcuts on the path of Self Actualisation. Unlike that Bournville chocolate you really have to earn it.

Do not be fickle, do not be weak. Be steady on the path, and persevere. Your life is your life, live it while you have it.

Or, wear Levi’s jeans and forever hold your peace.

Choose whichever path makes you happy. Just remember, you owe the same to your children. When it's their time, their day.

A note to Indian parents
Kahlil Gibran on Children

Your children are not your children. 
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself. 
They come through you but not from you, 
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts,  

For they have their own thoughts. 
You may house their bodies but not their souls, 
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,  which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams….

My last word: Let your children live their dreams, not yours.