tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-169464992024-03-13T16:57:26.487-05:00Addicted To ChaosYeah! That's me. Addicted To chaos. Always! Paints a picture in your head about this crazy nuthead who will jump off a plane without a parachute, right? Well, that's not exactly me, but I would die making you believe!Addicted To Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07158566238904686097noreply@blogger.comBlogger66125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16946499.post-22902306059848248052018-01-28T01:11:00.001-06:002018-01-28T01:21:12.914-06:00A Lazy Brand of Leadership<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">When things go wrong on your team, when emotions come to a boil, how do you react? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Do you single out individuals? Do you start demanding answers? Or do you first take the time to understand how things went wrong before you single out or demand answers? <b>Tread carefully, because this is what will define you as a leader.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">If there is one trait that goes straight to the heart of what defines a strong leader, it is empathy. Empathy is the one trait that strikes an emotional cord between the leader and their teams. You don’t need to be socially connected to your team as a leader to practice empathy, because as it so happens, we are wired to be empathetic from the day we are born. As Simon Sinek points out in <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16144853-leaders-eat-last" target="_blank">Leaders Eat Last</a>, empathy is central to our survival as a species since the days when we were hunting and foraging as cave people. <b>Without empathy binding our tribes, humanity as we know it would have never emerged.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">A typical response to the need for empathising with your team members is to shy away, because most of us are uncomfortable dealing with emotions, especially in a professional setup. One possible reason is that we believe empathising requires developing a special bond with your fellow employee. This cannot be further from the truth. In most cases, empathising is really just as easy as these 8 steps -</span></div>
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<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>Sense</b> the emotional turmoil the fellow employee is undergoing. Are they angry, or just irritated? Do they feel disappointed, or let down? </li>
<li><b>Record</b> your observations about their emotional state by confirming. <i>“I sense you are gravely disappointed”</i>. </li>
<li><b>Wait</b> as this opens the door for a conversation. If the fellow employee backs off and denies this emotional state, you back off as well. If instead they agree or clarify their emotional state, you have a foot in the door.</li>
<li><b>Guess</b>, based on what you might already know situationally, what might be behind this state of mind. Make sure this is an educated guess. <i>“Is it because you expected a greater reward for the work you have put in?”</i></li>
<li><b>Converse</b> so you either affirm your guess or lead toward the reasons behind this state of mind. If nothing else works, try - <i>“Can we talk about what has led you to be so gravely disappointed?”</i></li>
<li><b>Relate</b> to those reasons to help your fellow employee accept the turmoil they are going through. <i>“I can see how this might have hurt you deeply”</i>. Accepting emotions allows one to realise they are human. It allows them to stop fighting those emotions and move toward resolutions.</li>
<li><b>Understand</b> how we got here. There is usually a chain of events leading to this particular reaction. Somewhere in that chain, lies the crux of the problem.</li>
<li><b>Resolve</b> to work toward a solution that works for everyone. At times, the resolution is not obvious and requires further break-out discussions. <i>"Give me some time to get other perspectives on this."</i> On other occasions, there is no need to solve anything because empathising already led to the right frame of mind to help this person solve it themselves. </li>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">When we watch 3-year-olds sense emotions and empathise with their irate parents, there is no reason why we as adult leaders cannot do the same with our stressed-out teams. When it’s really so straightforward, and really so natural for most of us, not practising empathy to understand before acting, is just lazy.</span></div>
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Addicted To Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07158566238904686097noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16946499.post-15380204438038260522017-02-11T04:25:00.001-06:002017-02-11T04:27:48.784-06:00Lessons from a Daily Commute<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I drive to and from work for around an hour and a half each day - usually on my motorcycle - on the chaotic roads of Chennai surrounded by aggressive drivers competing for every inch of space. I tried to draw parallels between the chaos I witness on the roads and the journey of a typical startup in the chaos of market forces. My personal goals on the road are much the same as that of a startup - survive, reach your destination in shape and never relax until you get there.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jace/65091602" title="Traffic on Old Madras Road"><img alt="Traffic on Old Madras Road" height="371" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/28/65091602_5d886718b5_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo courtesy: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jace/65091602 under Creative Commons</span></i></center>
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This is a brief journal of the startup lessons I thought one can draw from such a commute.<br />
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<b>Keep Safe Distance</b><br />
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That common sense adage is not just a good safety tip to protect you from ramming into the car in front. It also ensures you can see beyond that car in front of you. Do more than just chase the leader. Anticipate the widening road and rev up to glide past. Spot the buffalo strolling across to block the leader, and swerve away to jump ahead yourself. None of this is possible if you spend your energies staring at the tail lights of the one you chase.<br />
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<b>Respect Privacy</b><br />
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<b> </b>On the bustling roads that take you to work, often it is faster to jump into by-lanes and bypass peak time traffic on busy intersections. These by-lanes are lined by the homes of people who chose to live away from it all. Respect their privacy and avoid honking loud or racing too fast, lest speed breakers spring up through complaints from the residents. Milk your new-found advantage, but not at the expense of your users and their privacy.<br />
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<b>Learn to Give Way</b><br />
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There are the obvious
occasions where you have to pull up to one side to let the ambulance
breeze past. No one likes a jerk, so just do it. Then there are the less
obvious occasions where blocking someone in a super hurry might not be
the best thing to do. If the chasing car rams into you, you are the jerk
competing unfairly. If the passing car overspeeds to oblivion, you are
the sagacious plotter who always knew. When you must block to compete, be tactful and look competitive!<br />
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<b>Stay Lean, Stay Agile</b><br />
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Potholes. Patch up jobs after overnight cabling work. Stray animals looking for food. Sand and stones overflowing from a road side construction project. An idiot coming at you from the wrong side. How else do you dodge these challenges but by remaining agile? The swerving and slaloming is easier if you are also on a lean machine. Maybe that is why I prefer a motorcycle rather than a car to take me to work.<br />
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The typical Indian commute is never far from chaos. What other startup lessons can you draw from your daily commute?</div>
Addicted To Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07158566238904686097noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16946499.post-52183141386698949322016-09-11T04:47:00.001-05:002016-09-24T05:58:24.898-05:00An Aggravated Customer is an Opportunity<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Every business has a human dimension - it must because all businesses eventually serve humans. This human dimension best comes to life when the business meets the human who is paying up for the service offered. When the human paying for the service is not very pleased with what they receive in return, we have an aggravated customer.<br />
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Too often, businesses tend to accept the aggravated customer as a natural side-effect of running a business - something that needs to be dealt with - because the show must go on. Businesses that look at an aggravated customer as a problem are missing out on a huge opportunity.<br />
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Here is an alternate perspective on receiving an aggravated customer.<br />
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<b>Rejoice! </b><br />
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You<b> </b>have a customer! Someone actually believed you had something worthwhile to offer and signed up. You must be doing something right. This calls for a celebration, followed by an appreciation of what you did do well so far.<br />
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<b>They Hung Around!</b><br />
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The customer didn't simply walk over to your competition. Or just abandon the whole idea of leveraging your unique offering. There was something worthwhile, other things they believe can be fixed, a promise of better returns in the future - they hung around hanging on to that hope. Don't kill their belief. Reach out to them, now!<br />
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<b>Learn!</b><br />
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If you care to listen, they will share. Patiently filter out the abuse, the frustration, and dig deep with them.<br />
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Empathize. Relate. What might be unique to their circumstances? You might just realize a whole new customer group existed you were never even aware of.<br />
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Understand. Confirm. What would they like to be taken care of? You might draw parallels with other problems you've seen and start seeing patterns.<br />
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Offer. Solve. What might be a possible resolution? You might just develop a new offering within your business - something someone might be willing to pay for.<br />
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You actually found someone who will give feedback voluntarily. Someone to learn from about your offering. Someone to bounce ideas off. Someone who dearly cares about what they deserve from you. Businesses would normally kill for that opportunity.<br />
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<b>Celebrate your Aggravated Customer</b><br />
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Other businesses will brush the customer off by pointing the customer at their terms and conditions. They will try to teach them how to experience their business, to learn to accept their flaws. They will hide behind their vast number of customers who never grumbled, and convince themselves they are as good as they can be. You will be different. You will treat your aggravated customer as an opportunity, and treat them with the respect an intelligent, paying customer deserves. After all, they made the smart choice to choose you.<br />
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<b>Note to: </b><a href="http://www.vfsglobal.com/" target="_blank">VFS</a>, I have some ideas for how you could improve your services while making more money at the same time. You missed your opportunity.</div>
Addicted To Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07158566238904686097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16946499.post-15307010819276275212016-09-03T03:26:00.000-05:002016-09-03T03:26:01.147-05:00When Premium is Wrong<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It's all around us - pay more to get treated like a king - the Premium Business Model. Pay more, arrive later, jump ahead in line, spread
yourself out, get a shower while others stink. Premium lounges. Premium seating. Premium visa appointments. Premium parking. Hell, there's even such a thing as Premium darshan at temples - which is borderline discriminatory - but we'll let it pass. I have nothing against the concept. You have it, you like to splash it, and keep yourself in relative comfort - sure, knock yourself out.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zyP5JmGpYsw/V8qH_jlYEMI/AAAAAAAAB-o/pMS0h7m7l3cRSmmQpm_Kw2iHSu-J4iFXgCLcB/s1600/BR852_-_EVA_AIR_-_Royal_Laurel_Class_%252811203031204%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zyP5JmGpYsw/V8qH_jlYEMI/AAAAAAAAB-o/pMS0h7m7l3cRSmmQpm_Kw2iHSu-J4iFXgCLcB/s320/BR852_-_EVA_AIR_-_Royal_Laurel_Class_%252811203031204%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Despite the premium everything, humanity persists, and must persist over everything else. Businesses eventually have to be just, because being humane and considerate is the ultimate customer experience. Imagine suggesting that people with physical disabilities should purchase premium to jump the line. Or parents with twin wailing, tired, hungry kids must buy premium to get served first. An airline could say "Just travel when you can walk yourself" or "Just travel when your kids are all grown up", but they won't - it's bad business.<br />
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If you directly serve consumers, pay close attention to where your premium model starts differentiating on humanitarian features, as opposed to material features. Because being inhuman through a premium model is bad business.<br />
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<i>Note to: <a href="http://www.vfsglobal.com/" target="_blank">VFS</a> Chennai, where 1 year old infants are held with their parents for 3 hours for a Visa appointment, without being allowed to carry infant food inside.</i></div>
Addicted To Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07158566238904686097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16946499.post-81046623750531810742016-08-13T03:59:00.000-05:002016-08-13T04:03:06.908-05:00Persistence wins Mannequins<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
As a visual medium, cinema continues to capture our imagination, bind us into a story and take us on journeys we never thought possible - all in under 3 hours. As a visual medium, cinema also silently influences the masses, sometimes consciously, and other times subconsciously. That influence is both a powerful boon and a dreadful bane. While I don't insist on only making cinema to preach goodness into the people, I do have two sincere requests to those who make our Indian movies.<br />
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It is 2016 - please weed these out of your movies already.<br />
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If you persist, she will say yes</h3>
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It's simple. You like a girl? Just keep pestering her. Stalking her. Get to her friends via other friends. Sing songs to her. On the streets. In college. On the phone. Never give up. Prey on her mind. Eventually, she'll be yours.</div>
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Every "hero" you can think of, has portrayed in reel life what would amount as "eve teasing" in real life. Think Shah Rukh in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. Salman Khan in Wanted. Govinda in almost every movie.</div>
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<a href="http://www.indicine.com/img/2012/09/Govinda-in-Haseena-Maan-Jayegi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="199" src="https://www.indicine.com/img/2012/09/Govinda-in-Haseena-Maan-Jayegi.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Please put an end to this rigmarole. <a href="http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil_nadu/In-depth-Heres-the-complete-story-behind-Swathis-murder/2016/07/03/article3511729.ece" target="_blank">People die</a> because the idea catches on. </div>
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<b>Mothers or Models</b></h3>
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Struggling to list a handful of movies where a strong female character, or even a realistic female character was portrayed? Producers do have massive challenges reaching the masses in a patriarchal society. Woe betide the one who puts a woman in the forefront. Who would pay to watch that? </div>
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Since I promised not to force movies to preach to the masses, I will stick to the Model problem. Male actors don't really need to look young or hot. They just need to be good actors. Why do we have a different bar for females? Like the beautiful landmarks songs are shot in, the hills and forests and oceans in the background, female actors only need to dress smart and look pretty, and carry home a paycheck. 15 minutes since the last song? Time to roll in our pretty thing. Too much drama and seriousness? Time to roll in a hot one.</div>
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Can we please stop using women as mannequins? They are real people. As real as the men who are portrayed in those same movies. And have their own stories to share. </div>
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Please put an end to this rigmarole. You certainly don't want your daughter to think she is worthless because she isn't pretty enough.<br />
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PS: Hat tip to Siddharth for breaking the mould.<br />
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We've been selling a terrible dream in our films for long. That any man can get the woman he wants just by wanting her enough. Must change!</div>
— Siddharth (@Actor_Siddharth) <a href="https://twitter.com/Actor_Siddharth/status/754574337802313728">July 17, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Addicted To Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07158566238904686097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16946499.post-89315616804319209122016-07-24T10:28:00.000-05:002016-07-24T10:28:39.578-05:00Happily Ever After<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Marry, or stay single? Get hooked for life, or retain your freedom forever? Is it worth turning your nomadic existence into a three-legged race?<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/29/Dreibeinlauf-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/29/Dreibeinlauf-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some endure, others fall by the wayside (Courtesy: Wikimedia)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I once received sound advice on this matter that I feel altered the course of my life. I believe more people should be exposed to that line of thinking before they make up their own mind.<br />
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Are you a friend magnet?</h3>
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It all boils down to one simple question - are you confident that no matter where you are, what your circumstances are, how old you are, you can always surround yourself with friends. Because here is a fact of life - friends come, and then they move on in life. Or you decide to move on. You have to make new ones all over again. If you stay single but your friends don't, you are competing with their families for their time.</div>
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Loneliness is always around the corner. Unless, of course, you find yourself so many friends the odds of your being alone approach zero. And remember, you must be capable of this mighty feat under all circumstances. Congratulations - you have now defeated one of humanity's greatest anxieties!</div>
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Mission Possible</h3>
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Now, if you are one of the rare few who has already found their purpose in life, and are willing to dedicate everything you have to that purpose - time, money, life itself - congratulations! No, really. You don't need this advice. You don't fear loneliness. You accept your vulnerabilities. You are single-minded in what you want to spend your life on, because you realize there is no finish line to your purpose.</div>
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For everyone else, what my friend's father said is worth considering. A marriage is not about living happily ever after. It is about sharing your vulnerabilities with a companion. Within a socially acceptable bond. If you're lucky and you both strive hard enough, you each also have a best friend for life.</div>
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So what will you choose for yourself?</div>
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Addicted To Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07158566238904686097noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16946499.post-60341220224218687942015-04-14T03:19:00.000-05:002015-04-14T03:19:04.886-05:00A Highway To Hell<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i>Telecom operators control our access to the Internet, but have recently started to challenge the openness and the content-agnostic nature of the world wide web claiming it affects their bottom-line. Should we care? Here's my take on making sense of all the #NetNeutrality fuss using an analogy.</i><br />
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The State and Central governments in India have long been unable to sufficiently fund road and highway-building projects in the country that are key to connecting producers to consumers and disparate communities together. The solution they arrived at was to invite private entrepreneurs to build this infrastructure on a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public%E2%80%93private_partnership" target="_blank">Public-Private-Partnership</a> model so that the projects did not wane for want of public money. In return, the private investors were allowed to charge a toll for all traffic that passed through the roads they setup. Just so we are clear, the roads were still defined as public property. The builders were only allowed to milk their investment for a finite period, usually between 5 to 15 years.<br /><br />The results are clearly visible around us. Some of the most modern highways we are proud of today were built using this model. Travel times were cut, fuel savings were achieved, value was delivered to both producers and consumers of goods and services who previously could not connect with as much ease.<br />
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Toll Plaza Ahead</h3>
When you pull over at a toll booth, you pay based on the size of your vehicle. Cars pay less than SUVs which in turn pay less than trucks and buses would. The toll is defined to tax heavier vehicles and ones that can carry more load more than the lighter ones. Sounds fair, right? <br /><br />One fine day, an established road-preneur starts wondering how they could make more money out of their investments. They look at statistics about the kind and count of vehicles that pass through their toll-booths. "30% heavy trucks! I wonder what they carry?" A little more investigation reveals that most trucks are carrying raw materials like fruits, vegetables, minerals, sand from producers to consuming industries. These industries then ship their finished goods out, some of which again pass through the toll-booths.<br />
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
The Revelation </h3>
"Multi-million dollar companies would have no market or raw materials without my roads!".<br /><br />This is when a smart, canny road-preneur hits upon a novel toll scheme. Tolls are charged not based on the size or load of the vehicles, but on what's inside them. People can travel for free. Cars and buses only have to pay a nominal fee - way less than what they are used to paying. 70% of the traffic is now elated! Essential goods can also ship for free - milk, medicines, vegetables, grain. How benevolent! Everything else will have to pay extra to be shipped past the booth. Iron ore, sand, cement, steel, food products, dairy products. This is how the road-preneur gets a share of the gravy train the industries around the roads have generated.<br />
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
The New Order</h3>
Industrialists start to get apprehensive. Their production costs are shooting up. Some distributors won't take their goods anymore. The road-preneur senses another opportunity. For a handsome price, a good producer can ship their goods past the toll-booth to distributors for free, forever! <br /><br />Not all industrialists can afford the handsome price. Only the large ones can. Groceries have fewer selections on the shelves. Construction companies have to deal with cement and steel monopolies. Prices shoot up everywhere.<br /><br />And then, the road-preneur decided to go too far. For an incredibly handsome price, trucks loaded with smuggled weed and cocaine would pass through free and hassle-free at that. Despite inspecting the contents of the truck, the toll-booth operators would turn a blind eye and not report this to the local authorities.<br />
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Up In Arms</h3>
Roads and highways are a public property, no matter who constructs them. The Internet is the same. A property for all of humanity.<br />
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Road-preneurs were given the land they built on, which was again public property. Telecom operators rent the public spectrum to build their infrastructure on. They lay cables under our lands.<br />
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For their hard work and enterprise, they will be rewarded with a means to extract a profit by tolling the traffic on their roads. This is as far as we can allow them to go. Charge by load. Not by content. Not by clout. Or by any other metric that makes the roads more accessible to one over the other. Telecom operators are also handsomely rewarded for connecting us to the Internet. Charge me by data. Any further, and you risk becoming a social evil.<br />
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<b><i>Take Action today. Don't let <a href="http://www.trai.gov.in/Content/ConDis/10743_0.aspx" target="_blank">TRAI be bullied</a> by the vested interests of telecom operators. <a href="http://www.savetheinternet.in/" target="_blank">Save The Internet</a>.</i></b></div>
Addicted To Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07158566238904686097noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16946499.post-39438822906233985042014-09-20T07:46:00.000-05:002014-09-20T07:46:34.445-05:00The Chennai Police Does Deliver<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This is a story about a time when the cops did not ignore the call for justice from an ordinary citizen. About a time when an ordinary citizen was pleasantly surprised to see his plea wasn't dismissed as a minor matter. When the interests of those who stand up to violence were taken care of.<br />
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I have had few interactions with cops outside of passport application related verification and a chance encounter where an officer offered me and my brother a ride. Most of my perception about them came from the standard channels - newspapers, stories and anecdotes from shared perspectives and sadly, movies. Given this background, I was not optimistic about redressal when life decided it was time for me to visit a police station and register a complaint.<br />
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<b>It begins with road rage</b><br />
<br />
I was riding to work one morning on my 2-wheeler when I slammed my brakes to avoid hitting another bike crossing the road, and in my anxiety screamed at him "Aaaaaaarggggh! What are you doing??" (in Tamil). As I watched him park his bike, he walked over to me. I expected him to engage in verbal jousts where I struggle to exchange abuses in Tamil. After a "How dare you shout at me?" (again in Tamil), he lands a punch with his right fist on my cheek. I am still perched on my bike, and I am now trying to find both my own balance and the one that perching on a bike requires. I lose the latter as my bike topples to the side. The former is naturally in check given the size of my aggressor.<br />
<br />
A crowd gathers. Of course it does. No one is interested in resolving this. I urge my aggressor to come with me to a police station. He refuses. After the crowd pushes, he asks me to pillion behind him to the station. I refuse to trust him. I tell him we can just park our bikes and walk over. The crowd gets restless. One middle-aged guy comes out of nowhere and screams loudly at me "<i>Deeiiiiiiii</i>. Shut up now. Enough of this." (In Tamil). I refuse to let my aggressor leave. I try to block his escape path as he mounts his ride and prepares to leave the scene. The screamer screams again as I tell him I cannot let this guy go because he has punched me. Another person asks me to note the vehicle number and go to the cops. A lady cleaning the streets nearby is watching all this. She comes over and advises the same. As the perpetrator departs, in my heightened levels of stress, I am not even sure I noted the registration number right a few seconds after I did.<br />
<br />
<b>Meet the cops</b><br />
<br />
I walk over to the nearby police booth. It's too early and no one is present. I call the number printed on the booth. Someone at Nolambur Police Station (W7) answers. I describe to him what I had been through. He asks me to find the station and come meet him in person. In 10 minutes, I meet a lady Constable seated at the entrance, and then I meet him for the first time - Constable C. Johnson. He was the person who answered my call. He listens patiently to my story, asks a few questions for clarification, and then asks me to lead him to the spot where the incident occurred.<br />
<br />
Once there, he asks around to understand where we exactly were, to confirm that this belongs to his jurisdiction. No one claims to have seen the incident though. I urge him to ask the cleaning lady who is still at work in the area. He walks over to her, and I can see from a distance that she makes a punching motion with her hand. She was probably the witness that mattered in the end.<br />
<br />
Constable Johnson asks me to return to the police station and lodge a complaint. The lady Constable guides me through this. Constable Johnson joins us later to complete the formalities. He calls a few resources to see if they can help him establish an address for the registration number of the perpetrator's bike. He is told they do not have this information, probably because it is a recent registration. He urges me to try and find apps or any other online tool that could help him get the address, because his only recourse now is to visit a Regional Transport Office (RTO) a long distance away to get the same. I meet the inspector on duty as well, who assures us that they will help us. A CSR is registered and I am asked to get on with my day as I normally would.<br />
<br />
<b>Hope runs low</b><br />
<br />
As I await an update from the cops, I hear many accounts, including one very violent road rage incident, that have been without redressal for years. Anything but positive. I decide to give it my best shot by visiting the station personally every day.<br />
<br />
On Day 2, I don't meet Constable Johnson. Another lady Constable on duty reveals that on that particular day he has been allotted a night shift. So I could either meet him after 9pm or the next day after noon. The lady reassures me that they will do their best and that I should not be too concerned.<br />
<br />
I realize how gruesome their schedules can be. Day duty one day, night duty the next. I see other cops catching a few much needed winks on steel benches. Not the best conditions for a citizen's first line of defence.<br />
<br />
On Day 3, I visit the station once again well after lunch time in the hope that I could meet Constable Johnson. The lady from Day 2 greets me again and informs me that he is having his lunch. I decide to wait, but Constable Johnson overhears this and calls me over. He updates me that since he was busy with another case of a daughter missing from her home, he requested one of his colleagues to visit the RTO and get the registered address for the bike. He asks me to be available around 8pm in the evening, in case they are able to nab the guy from his home.<br />
<br />
<b>Closure</b><br />
<br />
At 8.30pm that night, I receive a call from Constable Johnson who urges me to rush to the station. They were able to get an address, and find the perpetrator and have brought him to the station. I take my brother with me for support. When we get there, we find a small crowd gathered. I manage to find Constable Johnson within that assembly<b> </b>and he asks me to identify from a distance whether the guy they have brought in is indeed the same person I lodged a complaint against. I was starting to fear I am forgetting his face, but as soon as I saw him, I realized I hadn't. A few more questions to reaffirm and match my account with that of the accused, and Constable Johnson advised us to let them proceed to register a case against the accused. The Constable informed us that he would be fined and a case would be lodged on his record.<br />
<br />
As we walked away, I felt a sense of justice return to the whole affair. That perhaps this means our cops aren't as inadequate as we make them out to be. That perhaps they do care about our welfare sometimes.<br />
<br />
I had a whole speech prepared to egg them on to perform their duty. One that involved reminding them that we look at them as our protectors. And that they should ensure we always come to them when seeking protection, and not go instead to a goon who can deliver instant justice in return for money. That all we wanted was to ensure perpetrators do not go about their lives in the confidence that their actions have no consequence whatsoever. That the small guy has no recourse.<br />
<br />
I never got to deliver that speech. And I am glad for that. Glad to know that even if this is a small matter, we can all seek a little reassurance that the system does work at times. There are those in the police force who do their job. Who work long hours. Who work gruesome shifts. Who talk politely and reassuringly. Who take our feelings seriously. I salute them.<br />
<br /></div>
Addicted To Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07158566238904686097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16946499.post-5078218387518376982014-05-25T01:37:00.002-05:002014-05-25T01:50:07.566-05:00Chained To The Mailpost<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
When I was a young developer learning his trade, I would look forward to receiving email on my official account. Email that shared important information, made me feel important. Email that asked for opinions, made me feel my opinions matter. Email that asked for help, made me feel I have an opportunity to be altruistic. That was when I used to get 10 emails a day.<br />
<br />
Now things are different. I have been shouldered with responsibilities beyond just writing software. Email is now a massive sink-hole where your workday can go to die if you let it. Somehow every update about everything is now relevant because ... oh, you lead a team, and you never know what information might be useful to you.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Hook, line and sinker</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<i>"Some systems and services in Antarctica will be down this weekend"</i>. Why the hell would I care?<br />
<br />
<i>"Announcing the launch of a spanking new 7.1.2.18 version of that product you never heard of"</i>. Whatever happened to 7.1.2.17?<br />
<br />
<i>"Upgrade your mail-client now. Please do this before 18 September."</i> But, it's only 18 May today.<br />
<br />
<i>"I am desperate. I need help finding how to write an asynchronous controller. Any examples?"</i> Wow, you actually decided to email everyone on the team.<br />
<br />
<i>"Here's an idea I decided to dream up in my sleep last night. Let's discuss this over an email thread. It's only 4000 characters long."</i> Sparks fly, and then everyone starts reply-all-ing. My mailbox just became someone else's open forum.<br />
<br />
<i>"I will be WFH today. My dog pissed into the garden hose."</i> Please cc your neighbours as well, just to be certain. They ought to know there's a hose-desecrating mutt around. And while you're at it, please tell us whether you plan to flush the garden hose clean, or flush it down the garbage chute.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
How does one sort through this mess without actually having to put some effort into the actual sorting of the mess?</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
The only thing a sender can do today is mark an email "Priority" or "Low Priority". But if you only look at Priority email, soon enough, people will figure you out and every email in your Inbox will flash a "!".<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>If you want my attention, show me you really want it</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
The Inbox needs to be turned on its head. It should not be trivial to just grab someone's eyeballs. Perhaps we made email too straightforward. Enough for someone to start feeling it is their personal radio station. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I'm not here, in my Inbox, to entertain myself, but to see if someone is trying to tell me something I should know, or if someone needs me to go do something. If you did not put in adequate effort ensuring your email is designed to help me decide how to prioritize it, you don't deserve my time.<br />
<br />
We need the ability to mark every email with a "sell by" date. If you read this after 18 September, it's too late. The closer the expiry date, the more likely I am to prioritize reading and acting on it.<br />
<br />
We need the ability to tag each email. "Vital Information", "Immediate Action Required", "To Do", "Help", "Update", "Discussion" and of course, who could forget "WFH"? Better still, tag this separately for recipients who are simply copied because they "Need To Know".<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>
A grown-up's mail client</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
Now, dear email client, give me the ability to filter by tags. Show an expiry date in the email summary, and let me order by it. Force me to tag each outgoing email, and encourage me to separately tag the ones on CC.<br />
<br />
Hopefully when we do that, Discussions go where they ought to - online forums. And Updates go where they ought to - online announcement boards. WFHs disappear because people realize everyone has a delete filter for them, or reach only those who really "Need To Know".<br />
<br />
Or better still, we figure out how to bring all the social features found in modern corporate social media to our mail client. Or maybe take our email to a more social platform. Now all those discussion threads, announcements, personal and team-wide To-Do lists, calendars, are right next to your other "Need To Know" and "Vital Information" email. Next to, not intermixed.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
It's time to get the excitement back into working with email. Official email need not be a chore. It's OK to let a "Ding. You have mail!" be a heart-fluttering moment. </div>
</div>
Addicted To Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07158566238904686097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16946499.post-48649304486634318932014-05-18T04:03:00.000-05:002014-05-18T04:15:14.516-05:00Wishlist For The New Government<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div>
I did not vote for you, but I did vote. I pay my taxes. I am a citizen of this proud country. Like all other citizens, this is now my government. Whether you read this or not, I have expectations of you. Here is my wishlist.<br />
<br /></div>
Don't <b>reform</b> just for the sake of it. Don't open up FDI without analyzing how it affects the masses. We don't want a local Walmart just because. Don't just simply pump money into infrastructure. Instead, have those who yearn for better infrastructure participate in this initiative. You set the business environment. You don't need to setup the business infrastructure. <br />
<br />
No more free power, water, land to <b>IT companies</b>. They've milked the tax payers enough. A single Indian Railways employs half as many as the whole IT industry.<br />
<br />
<b>Don't ape the US</b>. They are not worthy role models. They snoop on you for heaven's sake. Many leading American economists question their gung-ho capitalist model. We don't need a recession to prove our aping wrong.<br />
<br />
Back all your work up with <b>data and models</b>. Hire statisticians on your policy-making panels. Have them predict trends and prove which models will yield expected results before we deploy these policies.<br />
<br />
<b>Be Open.</b> Share everything. How decisions are made. How individuals are selected on panels. I should be able to Google anything about your work and land on a <i>.gov.in</i> page. Share information about all subsidies for social schemes and sops given to big business. Let there be no doubt about whether we really are running a socialist government.<br />
<br />
<b>Auction</b> everything owned by the citizens. No more doles for non-enterprising businesspersons. Bribing a statesperson or being their relative does not qualify as enterprise.<br />
<br />
Increase the scope of <b>e-governance</b>. Make the middle-man obscure. I don't need a passport agent today. Push further. Bring everything online. I would rather not meet a "Babu" if had a choice.<br />
<br />
Plug <b>leakages in the PDS system</b>. There are systems that have proved this is possible - Gujarat and Chattisgarh. Ape them.<br />
<br />
<b>Bring in universal PDS</b>. You can never be completely sure who is not poor in a majorly poor country like ours. Don't guess. If a few non-deserving families benefit unduly, it's not as big a deal as deserving families being left out.<br />
<br />
No more <b>rotting</b> <b>grain </b>due to a lack of storage facilities. Is there any greater sin to let this happen when millions starve each day?<br />
<br />
Be <b>pro-entrepreneurship</b>. That is not the same as being pro-business. Make starting up easier. Provide a path to failure for those who wish to learn building something. Entrepreneurs will build those bricks for the foundation you want the future India to stand on, not your Ambanis.<br />
<br />
<b>Job creation through entrepreneurship</b> not MNREGA. MNREGA is a band-aid. Not a solution. Entrepreneurs add jobs through their enterprise. They disrupt old norms that don't fit anymore. They create new markets where none existed. They need hands to help them get there. And so they hire. A 100 entrepreneurs will hire more over 5 years, despite a high failure rate, than your pampered big business bullies.<br />
<br />
<b>Internet connectivity to every school</b>. This is how we will bring quality lectures to those who don't even have teachers. Enroll volunteers to dub lectures to local languages. Even better - maybe an entrepreneur will figure out how to monetize this. Post everything on YouTube. No barriers to education.<br />
<br />
<b>Abolish diesel subsidies</b> completely. Enough bad smoke has filled our skies from folks riding 4x4s running on diesel. They can easily pay double to do the same.<br />
<br />
<b>Be pro-agriculture</b>. Make farming a more attractive proposition for those who want to farm. It's not just that agriculture is a traditional occupation. We need self-sustenance and food security for stability at the large scale the second largest population on the planet desires.<br />
<br />
<b>Promote organic cultivation</b>. Encourage agri-institutes to R&D and publicize "green" farming practices that ensure long-term food security.<br />
<br />
Measure development not by economic growth but by <b>"social mobility potential"</b> - what sort of opportunities are available for upward mobility for those at the bottom of the pyramid.<br />
<br />
<b>Prioritize businesses</b> that deserve sops based on long-term objectives. Like combating climate change. Ensuring energy security. Socializing education.<br />
<br />
<b>Protect the wild</b>. This is not a nation known for plundering forests. We are historically oriented toward maintaining balance with nature. Empower those who care for our flora and fauna. India is more than just its billion-plus humans.<br />
<br />
No more <b>politicians in sport</b>. We need them to take care of larger national interests - not run fiefdoms within sport. Sharad Pawar cannot simultaneously be ICC chief and agriculture minister. Let more sportsmen and businesspersons run sport - bring strategy, experience and business initiatives to sporting bodies.<br />
<br />
Invest in <b>citizen security</b>. Pay our police fairly. Make their lives better so they can make ours safer. I'd rather my tax money went to them rather than to sops to big business. Train our police to investigate, coordinate with national security agencies, learn to use modern technology. It is not OK that innocent citizens continue to be blasted away without their families and friends ever receiving justice.<br />
<br />
Push businesses to <b>invest in R&D</b> in tie-ups with universities. They cannot continue to sit on the outside and grumble about the poor quality of higher education institutes.<br />
<br />
<b>Stop bowing to the West</b> in Climate Conferences and Trade Agreements. Despite their charity toward poverty-removal schemes, they don't give a hoot about poverty alleviation as soon as it directly conflicts with the interests of their own big businesses. You watch out for our best interests. Always.<br />
<br />
I would like to believe these are the expectations of not just myself. I would like to believe they belong to an India where our aspirations are no longer bound by reality, but by the dreams the openness of the Internet has exposed us to. It is up to you now to involve us in making these dreams come true. We are here to help. You have our support. Show me what you can do.</div>
Addicted To Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07158566238904686097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16946499.post-70674587101284507732013-10-14T05:37:00.001-05:002015-04-11T05:38:48.840-05:00The Software Chef - II<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Imagine you are a music composer. Would you reel in a singer for your soon-to-be-a-hit song without having heard how they sing?<br />
<br />
Now imagine you are a restaurateur. Would you have someone be your <a href="http://satwikhebbar.blogspot.in/2012/05/software-chef.html" target="_blank">chef </a>without having them cook something for you first?<br />
<br />
Yet, we work in an industry where we seldom bother to ask a <a href="http://satwikhebbar.blogspot.in/2012/06/i-apply-therefore-i-am.html" target="_blank">software engineer</a> to write us a small program before we hire them. Why is that? Is software development deemed to be not creative enough? Not skill-heavy perhaps? Then why do we deserve these pay scales?<br />
<br />
<b>Your resume here says you can cook....</b><br />
<br />
Some believe programmers can be "trained". All that matters is how intelligent and willing you are. This probably applies to our mass employers (need not name them here). Programmers are a commodity here.<br />
<br />
Others believe it is inappropriate to ask someone who says they have been programming for 5 years to write us a program. Almost taboo. After all, programmers will have other opportunities where they are not required to write a program before they are hired.<br />
<br />
It all boils down to what you are really looking for. Are you looking to add to your headcount because you told your client there must be 10, not 9, programmers on this project? Or, are you looking for someone who can fit right in and quickly start adding value to your team? Are you looking for someone who clearly enjoys programming, and would bring that same passion to the work they do for you?<br />
<br />
<b>The culture of programming</b><br />
<br />
There is a culture to programming, just like with anything else where there are many ways to do something and many heads working together. That culture defines whether I put a space after the '=' operator, whether I use a typical loop or instead apply recursion, and whether I define my classes strictly by properties or by function.<br />
<br />
Wouldn't it be useful if we had some idea of the programming culture a certain programmer is bringing into our organization? Does it suit your own programming culture very well? Would they bring a much needed breath of fresh air to your programming team? Or would your senior programmers end up having to constantly review their code so it all "fits in"? What would you have to live with, and what would you be able to welcome with open arms?<br />
<br />
You do not necessarily need to use a programming test to weed out your candidates. But, there is so much to be learned from such a test about a candidate's programming acumen and style, that it would be absurd to ignore it. Does my chef candidate prefer to make their dishes too spicy? I'd prefer to know that so I could tell them before I hire them - "We like you. Your <a href="http://www.sanjeevkapoor.com/baingan-bharta.aspx" target="_blank">Baingan Bharta</a> rocks. If you could just turn the chilli pepper down a notch for our customers.."<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Cook me something...</b><br />
<br />
Depending on your inclination to invest time in this, and the kind of team you are trying to build, one of the following testing styles should ideally suit you. The tests could be "offline" - the candidates do this when they can, while trying to balance their other responsibilities and their current day job. Deadlines could be extended on request.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Be My Sous Chef For Today:</i> </b>The ideal test is one that involves having your candidate do something you do on any typical day. That would involve sharing the whole code base with them, or have them work out of your own workstation. In fact, many startups do prefer this "spend half a day with us and do what we do" routine.<br />
<br />
<b><i>A Three-Course meal please:</i> </b>You could come up with an interesting problem that can be easily described in words, and that does not have a ready solution on the internet, and have your candidate solve it completely. Add bonus questions to see which candidates will push beyond the minimum requirements. Ideally, the solution should also have certain clear "culture" requirements like "use Object Oriented Programming" so that the candidate knows they will be assessed for this as well.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Cupcakes:</i> </b>The third best option would be to have them implement a helper routine or class you have developed previously as part of your own work. You should provide compiled classes that they will need (hopefully just a handful) as libraries to use, and perhaps even prepare a skeleton of the class they are expected to implement, complete with method names, arguments and even docstrings. This should be something they can do in a few hours.<br />
<br />
<br />
Finally, you may choose to give them one shot at it, or provide feedback from their first submission and let them decide whether they would be willing to have another go at it. You will soon discover who is willing to go the extra mile simply because they want their programs to be "perfect" and "bug-free". (There is a reason I used quotes here)<br />
<br />
<br />
I have made it a point to use programming tests as part of my recruitment process. If you try this out someday, let me know whether it worked well for you. What would you change? How would you make things easier?</div>
Addicted To Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07158566238904686097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16946499.post-27356744006222363692012-06-02T06:18:00.000-05:002012-07-01T12:22:53.751-05:00I Apply Therefore I Am<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i>"An <b>engineer</b> is a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Profession" title="Profession">professional</a> practitioner of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engineering" title="Engineering">engineering</a>, concerned with applying <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_knowledge" title="Scientific knowledge">scientific knowledge</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathematics" title="Mathematics">mathematics</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ingenuity" title="Ingenuity">ingenuity</a> to develop solutions for technical problems." - </i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engineer" target="_blank"><b>Wikipedia</b></a><i>.</i><br />
<br />
Application. Problem Solving. That is precisely what engineering is about.<br />
<br />
In the 4 years that I spent studying engineering however, there were few examinations that actually required solving problems ingenuously by applying knowledge acquired during the course of studying the subject. The only knowledge engineers in India need to possess is the fact that if you spend enough time practicing questions from the last 5 years' papers, you will emerge unscathed into the next semester.<br />
<br />
So exams as a medium of testing application is thrown right out of the window. There used to be a saving grace however - the Final Year Project. Your one chance as a future engineer to completely embrace and understand a problem, design and implement it (if you are lucky, with valuable guidance from an able guide), and then proudly present to a jury what you have accomplished in one year.<br />
<br />
<b>Revelation</b><br />
<br />
Over the past few months, conversations and interviews with young software engineers have woken me up to a reality apparently everyone else already knew about - no one does their Final Year Project on their own anymore. Well, almost no one. <br />
<br />
Open a candidate's resume, find the Final Year Project title, and a quick Google search will reveal two things -<br />
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>There is a paper published in an IEEE journal with the exact same title.</li>
<li>The project is available for sale at one of the local software training centers.</li>
</ol>
Teams of four are still formed to "execute" a project, but their members contribute more in terms of chipping in to the pool of money that will be used to purchase a neatly prepared, gift-wrapped project, complete with printed theses and presentations.<br />
<br />
Bring the project up in an interview, and 2-3 basic questions later, it is already clear the candidate has no clue how to solve this problem. An excuse or two about amnesia later, the truth bundles out. This is followed by the familiar adage of "everyone does this".<br />
<br />
How the examining jury does not realize this project was bought off the shelf like candy is beyond me. Perhaps they have also bought in to the "everyone does this" routine.<br />
<br />
<b>Certified To Be Trained</b><br />
<br />
The monolith that is the Indian IT industry has long ago accepted the fact that engineering degrees count for little, and that every single fresh hire will need to be put through the paces of a training regimen. This has in turn lulled our future engineers into the belief that they do not need to apply or prove anything in their 4 years.<br />
<br />
Why bother when you will undergo training in DotNet and Java anyway once you have been selected? Focusing on spoken English, aptitude tests and a decent score-sheet tend to pay off more handsomely in these interviews. <br />
<br />
<b>Solution At The Root Of The Problem</b><br />
<br />
While not placing the blame squarely at the door of the Indian IT monolith at large, it is hard to see beyond it to find where the problem begins. Being a services based industry, it requires tens of thousands of employees each year - something that has obviously<b> </b>not gone unnoticed with ambitious parents who wish to bring up engineers, and the mushrooming new engineering colleges across the country. This has led to a side-industry of helping students push through the 4-year hurdle of getting a degree - first came the coaching classes, and then the "project training centers".<br />
<br />
Instead of, or perhaps in addition to, running enormous training facilities for new hires, why do the behemoths of the industry not actively encourage final year students to take up projects with them? This has the triple impact of improving the quality of the engineer that passes out, while at the same time selling your organization to them and giving you prime access to the cream of the lot.<br />
<br />
There are logistical issues to work out, but who is to say that students who can fund their purchases for off-the-shelf candy cannot instead spend on frequent visits to the closest office of a behemoth? Cash spent on grand recruitment schemes could instead be diverted to attracting more students directly from colleges to work on projects and prove their worth on the job, without having to pay them. This is not even close to being an original idea, but I am surprised it isn't more actively utilised.<br />
<br />
<b>No More Free Lunch</b><br />
<br />
I like to repeat this. The day isn't very far when just like work migrated<b> </b>on the outsourcing silk route to India, it will migrate further to cheaper locations. When that happens, we either work on projects demanding a lot more application and problem-solving or build products for our local market, that again demand application and problem-solving experience. Both our behemoths and our engineers need to gear up for this eventuality. It has probably already snuck through the door and is hiding behind the couch.</div>Addicted To Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07158566238904686097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16946499.post-54101163919174312732012-05-19T02:38:00.001-05:002012-05-19T02:43:17.875-05:00The Software Chef<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Imagine reading a 5-star Chef's resume. Now imagine this resume was written by a software engineer. The resume would typically have a section called "Skills" that would read something like this -<br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Pots, especially flat-bottom ones</li>
<li>Pans.</li>
<li>Ladels. Expert in wooden ones.</li>
<li>All kinds of ovens, including microwave.</li>
</ul>
<br />
If you now imagine yourself tasked with hiring a new 5-star chef for your restaurant, would this candidate be your prime target? No? What were you looking for in the resume? Did you expect the skills to read something like this instead?<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Expertise in sous vide.</li>
<li>Learning and following traditional recipes.</li>
<li>Baking</li>
<li>Innovating with cooking techniques for fish </li>
<li>Presentation of food</li>
<li>Working under pressure on busy days</li>
</ul>
<br />
Then why do most resumes for software engineers read like nothing more than a laundry list of projects participated in and tools/languages utilized? Here's an example of a Skills section from a typical resume.<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>OS: Windows XP/Vista/7, Ubuntu, CentOS </li>
<li>Database: Oracle 8/9/10, MySQL</li>
<li>Languages: Java, VC++ </li>
<li>Scripting: Shell script, Batch script, awk </li>
</ul>
<b>Tell me about the journey, not the route</b><br />
You worked on a project for the single largest bank in the world. But the team consisted of 50 people. Now how does one understand what your individual contribution was? You don't expect to be hired because you were on a team with 49 other people working on a huge bank project. Wouldn't you rather tell us what you learned along the way? What challenges did you overcome, either as an individual or as a team?<br />
<br />
You worked 3 years on 15 DotNet projects for various customers. But how does one understand the challenges involved reading a description of the project in marketing lingo, probably pasted from the customer's website? What did you learn that you can apply in a similar project that requires using Python-Django-HTML instead of DotNet? How to design for scalability perhaps? How to interact with customers to improve usability maybe?<br />
<br />
<b>Think beyond the pots and pans</b><br />
It would appear to be the single-minded focus on developing thousands of "workers", which is in the very nature of the software outsourcing industry, that is behind this fixation with brand names and technologies in a resume. Engineers are trained to become a Java Ninja or a MySQL Samurai, as opposed to becoming a Systems Engineer or a Database Architect. Eventually, with sufficient "rinse and repeat" cycles, engineers start associating themselves with the tools, not the problems they were intending to solve.<br />
<br />
If you were really a 5-star chef, one would expect you to deliver nearly as good a result with the limited resources available in my humble kitchen at home as you do in your well-stocked restaurant. "Oh, but I can't do this without a microwave oven" will normally be treated with suspicion. Yet, I come across many a software engineer who say they are loathe to programming in Python after 5 years with Java.<br />
<br />
"What happens to all those years I spent learning Java?" The simple answer is, if you spent 5 years learning how to use the sewing machine, then you might have missed out picking up the nuances in the art of tailoring.<br />
<br />
<b>Evolve, or dissolve</b><br />
Are you prepared for a day where there may be no one using DotNet? Where the "Cloud" is the platform, and no one cares about an OS anymore? Where your software must run with similar experiences on a laptop or a tablet or a smartphone? Where all outsourced projects go to Vietnam or Phillipines, and we must build products for our own market instead? Where you are expected to be a problem-solver rather than a technician? After all, that is what an engineer was supposed to be, right?</div>Addicted To Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07158566238904686097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16946499.post-32663604147141061922012-05-05T07:06:00.000-05:002012-05-05T07:06:49.418-05:00What's The Objective?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Having read literally hundreds of resumes in the last few months, I have come to one definite conclusion. There is no value to the first thing candidates want you to read on their resume - <b>The Career Objective</b>. The Career Objective was intended to be a statement of your ambitions and expectations, yet it has turned into a chore for both the candidate and the recruiter. The candidate struggles to fiddle with adjectives, hyperbole and tenses in a desperate bid to make their statement stand out from the rest, while the recruiter is left with the task of demystifying a candidate from the Shakespearean prose that is facing them and to figure out how this one sentence differentiates this candidate from the rest.<br />
<br />
I will be the first to admit that in my more youthful past, I have myself spent an hour or two sharpening the prosaic of the Objective of my career even before it had begun. It ended up being a melee of words like "challenge", "cutting-edge", "research" and "work-life balance". I will never know if that effort helped me land jobs or the interviews that preceded them. <br />
<br />
Most Career Objectives are a mash of the words "challenge", "skills", "growth", "organization" and of course "career". Toss them in a bowl with a random assortment of adjectives, whip up some hyperbole, and top it all with a dash of originality, and voila, you have an all new Career Objective. Here's a random sampling of a few that prove the futility of all the effort that goes into coming up with one -<br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>Peak of the bell-curve: </b>"To pursue a challenging and growth oriented career where I can make meaningful contribution to the organization together with continuously enhancing my skills and knowledge."</li>
<li><b>Slightly to the right: </b>"To secure a challenging position where I can effectively contribute my skills as Software Professional, possessing competent Technical Skills."</li>
<li><b>Slightly to the left: </b>"<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">To have a challenging and
exciting career where I can explore my potential and become one of the best
technicians and grow with the organization I work for."</span></li>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b>Remarkable:</b> </span>"To gain specialization in software development and establish myself at a remarkable position in information technology sector to efficiently contribute my skills forward the organization."</li>
<li><b>Might as well add other obvious characteristics, like "I will wear clothes to work": </b>"To pursue a career in software industry as an efficient dependable employee being resourceful to organization and affable towards my colleagues."</li>
<li><b>Seeking a full-stop: </b>"To pursue a challenging career in a fast growing software development organization that provides an environment for continuous learning, where hardwork, creativity and commitment are well rewarded and utilize the same for consistently rendering my service with enthusiasm in achieving the organization objectives and goals."</li>
<li><b>Adjective attack: </b>"To pursue an outstanding career and be a part of progressive organization that gives propensity to enhance my knowledge and skills which can be better extended for organizational as well as personal intensification."<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span></b></li>
</ul>
<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> The most readable Objectives i have come across either look like this -</span><br />
<i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">"Seeking Graphic/Web Designer position in an organization that provides innovative and challenging opportunities."</span></i><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Or like this - "".</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">My intention here is not to poke fun at the Objectives people come up with. Heck, I came up with one such monstrosity myself in the past. Instead, I question the very objective of having to come up with one for yourself. Most of us use resumes from friends who just landed a nice, cushy job as a template for our own. This ensures our objectives in life have a hauntingly high correlation with those of our "successful" friends. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Very often, the objectives themselves are written in flawless grammar compared to the more original remainder of the resume. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">All recruiters soon come to the conclusion that most objectives have zero entropy. Why then do we still carry on with this pointless exercise of inventing a poetic vision of one's career and hoping someone will care about it? My sincere advice, for what it's worth, is to do away with inventing an Objective for your career. Let your work speak for itself. Your hyperbole and adjective are better reserved for any challenging work you have attempted and/or completed, and the skills you have developed doing them.</span></div>Addicted To Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07158566238904686097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16946499.post-34212196063688586502011-08-20T04:19:00.006-05:002011-08-20T06:09:05.186-05:00Build Bottom-Up, Clean Top-DownSome problems are inordinately so complex and huge, that it is natural to break them down as a human to be able to comprehend and begin to solve them. There are two major approaches that will immediately settle in your mind once you attempt to comprehend a problem - top-down or bottom-up. Some problems are suited to top-down analysis, whereas others naturally incline themselves to bottom-up perspectives.
<br />
<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Building</span>
<br />
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_5Yu2o_O9UOQ/S89vsLdYn4I/AAAAAAAAARg/hR0cK268JI8/s1600/Foundation+walling+for+ECD.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 350px; height: 275px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_5Yu2o_O9UOQ/S89vsLdYn4I/AAAAAAAAARg/hR0cK268JI8/s1600/Foundation+walling+for+ECD.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>
<br />
<br />When you set out to build something from scratch - let's just say a skyscraper - you start from the bottom. You dig deep into the ground, lay down a firm foundation, and only then start building upwards. How high you can go is directly dependent on how firm and deep your roots are. That's how trees go naturally as well - bottom-up.
<br />
<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Cleaning</span>
<br />
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-ooXQf2V_L5U/TXeOvfwze_I/AAAAAAAAMYU/AoSN-h0UwjI/s400/Spring-Cleaning-TopDownClean.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 350px;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-ooXQf2V_L5U/TXeOvfwze_I/AAAAAAAAMYU/AoSN-h0UwjI/s400/Spring-Cleaning-TopDownClean.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>
<br />
<br />Imagine attempting to clean your home - completely, including the ceiling, the ceiling fans, the walls. You don't start with the floor now, do you? You realize that sweeping the ceiling and pulling down cob-webs will pollute the floor anyway, so you decide to do that last. Ceiling, ceiling fittings, walls, wall-hangings, floor. Top-down.
<br />
<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Nation Building</span>
<br />
<br />Building a strong nation must indeed follow the same principles, to a layman like me. Firm grassroot institutions that look after the most underprivileged and most populous sections of society - <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gram_panchayat">Gram Panchayats</a>, agricultural credit institutions, rural employment schemes - are the foundations on which you build the nation. Are these our strongest organizations today? How long can a nation stand strong with its weakest but most sizable communities being undermined?
<br />
<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Nation Cleaning</span>
<br />
<br />Ridding a nation of social evils like corruption is very much akin to cleaning, to a layman like me. Indeed, "cleaning" and "corruption" are often metaphorically used together by most observers. While it is indeed apt to ask people to stop giving bribes to get favors like a driving license or a college seat, we ought as well to notice what holds this culture of corruption up.
<br />
<br />Is it really ingrained in our psyche or is it the system that requires cleaning? If it is the latter, does this not require a top-down cleaning then? Once I, as a guard to the manager's office, realize that the manager doesn't accept nor encourage bribes anymore, will I not think twice before harassing someone intending to meet my manager? Are people motivated by morality of peers, or the morality of their leaders? Should not the Prime Minister be open to examination for corruption just as me or you? Should not the cleaning commence from the top and make its way to the bottom?Addicted To Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07158566238904686097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16946499.post-33202566571169959732011-06-26T05:54:00.004-05:002011-06-26T07:23:34.055-05:00The Other Side of Humility<span style="font-weight:bold;">Humility</span>: <span style="font-style:italic;">the quality or condition of being humble</span><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Humble</span>: <ol><li><span style="font-style:italic;">not proud or arrogant</span></li><br /><li><span style="font-style:italic;">having a feeling of insignificance, inferiority, subservience, etc</span></li><br /><li><span style="font-style:italic;">low in rank, importance, status, quality, etc</span></li></ol><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Source:<a href="http://dictionary.reference.com">Dictionary.com</a></span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Why is Humility Treated as a Virtue?</span><br /><br />Hark back to the Moral Studies classes you were given in school, and there is sure to be a lesson or two about how humility is a very important virtue for a human to possess. Perhaps a story about a modest King who sought to understand the suffering of his subjects disguised as a commoner was in vogue, or perhaps the life-lesson of Mahatma Gandhi who led the freedom struggle inspiring millions without any pride whatsoever. Super-admiration for the ones that are modest in success is almost universal - so universal that it must stem from more than just an inspiring story from childhood.<br /><br />But, what is it that makes us admire humble achievers more than the pompous ones? Is it because we believe that they appreciate the fact that those who failed also tried just as hard? Society at large does not accept failures, while successful people are immediately put on a pedestal. Yet we still yearn for those "heroes" to be modest. <br /><br />Perhaps it is because humility shows a lack of pride - a pride that scythes away at the self-esteem of the ones who could not achieve what they aimed for. While that is clearly a noble stance, it would also be plain vanity if one has to try hard to suppress pride. When one hears <span style="font-style:italic;">"Oh, that was nothing really. I didn't have to work hard for it - just happened"</span>, one might be tempted to either respond with <span style="font-style:italic;">"Just happened? Why doesn't it just happen with me?"</span> or perhaps <span style="font-style:italic;">"That was NOTHING? How smart does he think he really is?"</span><br /><br />Perhaps then, it is because we innately feel a sense of connectedness in each other's achievements. That we are all in this together. That one person's success is really built on circumstances, events, hard work and perseverance of many others. Having a great idea is pointless until you find the right people to bring it to life, and more people to accept it, adapt to it and spread the good word. Maybe that is why most Academy Awards speeches are adorned with gratitude for everyone from family to filming staff to fans. And we lap them up despite them all sounding the same.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">“If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants.”</span> - Isaac Newton.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Spiritual Humility</span><br /><br />Humility as a virtue is defined as a basic necessity for achieving any spiritual realization uniformly by all religions across the world. Pride and Hubris are solemnly criticized as blinding factors that only feed one's ego and bloat it further. To take pride in one's actions and achievements is indeed marginalizing everything else except one's ego, to deny that there is something bigger than one can fathom at play when one succeeds or fails in what they will to do.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">The life of the moral man is plain, and yet not unattractive; it is simple, and yet full of grace; it is easy, and yet methodical. He knows that accomplishment of great things consists in doing little things well.<br />He knows that great effects are produced by small causes. He knows the<br />evidence and reality of what cannot be perceived by the senses. Thus he<br />is enabled to enter into the world of ideas and morals.</span> - <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctrine_of_the_Mean">The Doctrine of the Mean</a>.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">A rabbit that a huntsman brings,<br />They pay for it the proper price;<br />But none will give a betel nut<br />For the corpse of a ruler of the land!<br />A man's body is less worth than a rabbit's.<br /></span> - <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basava#Basavanna.27s_Vachanas">Basavanna's Vachanas</a>.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The Other Side</span><br /><br />Like a see-saw must swing to the other side without proper balance, the practice of humility can also swing into self-effacement. In fact, many philosophers prescribe self-effacement and subduing of self-esteem as an essential part of humility.<br /><br />Confucius said, <span style="font-style:italic;">"A gentleman does not grieve that people do not recognize his merits; he grieves at his own incapacities."</span> <br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">"To know when one does not know is best.<br />To think one knows when one does not know is a dire disease."<br /></span> - <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tao_Te_Ching">Tao Te Ching</a>.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">"The fool who knows that he is a fool is for that very reason a wise man;<br />the fool who thinks he is wise is called a fool indeed."<br /></span> - <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhammapada">Dhammapada</a><br /><br />Yet there is a genuine risk that this self-effacement can sink into self-loathing, which was never the goal of humility. Just as one must deny oneself the pride of success, it is equally important to deny the complete censure of failure. If it is narcissistic to think one is great due to their achievements, it is equally narcissistic to think one is the sole cause of one's failures. Like the other kind of narcissism, this negative narcissism can be equally blinding and misleading. <br /><br />Mahatma Gandhi captures this best - <br /><span style="font-style:italic;">“I claim to be a simple individual liable to err like any other fellow mortal. I own, however, that I have humility enough to confess my errors and to retrace my steps.”</span><br /><br />Perhaps why humility is regarded as a great virtue is because one who is consumed by the pride of success must then also prepare to be consumed by the despair of failure. Perhaps the best reaction is that of a mother at the success or failure of her child - you get a hug for trying your best no matter what the result. In success and in failure, perhaps the only thing we are required to do is study what we have been through, take what we can learn from the experience, understand the patterns for the result without prejudice, and stow it away for it will come handy once again.Addicted To Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07158566238904686097noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16946499.post-89488011432350020042011-06-19T05:06:00.005-05:002011-06-19T07:43:36.147-05:00A Gift of a LifetimeThis is not a gift to my father on Father's Day, for he never values any gifts. While that might sound like a small quirk to some, it reveals so much about the person he is. Adorably referred to as "Pappa" since we first learned to mumble syllables together, he became, along with "Mummy", the very bulwark our life was built upon. When the papers remind you "It's Father's Day!", your instinct is to indulge him like many Fathers around the world will be today. But, you know him better than that. You are even wary of writing a post about him, lest he disapproves of this unwarranted indulgence as well.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">My Daddy Strongest</span><br />As tiny little kids, we invariably see our fathers as a symbol of strength in our worlds. He can move furniture around the house and open lids on jam bottles. He never cries when he is hurt. He stands tall so that we have to literally look up to him all the time. Every now and then, he will come down to meet us, reminding us he has a soft side to him. He can play the right kind of music on his Japanese stereo that will put us to sleep in no time. "<span style="font-style:italic;">No</span>" is never an answer for anything we desire and ask for. Things always seem miraculously and meticulously well-planned.<br /><br />Only when you grow up, do you really start seeing there is more to the strength that a child can perceive. You see a man who has lost his father at a young age and faced abject poverty after his father's demise, and dedicated his working life to ensuring a financial security so that his family never experienced that. You see a man who yearned for schooling, but never had the means or access to one, and yet miraculously who goes on to get a PhD. And then you see this same man strive to save money for the sole aim of ensuring his sons can get the best education at whichever price. All this while, you still don't recollect a single instance of a "<span style="font-style:italic;">No</span>" for something you wanted - a bicycle, a cricket bat, a computer.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">From Father to Friend</span><br />Apparently, somewhere in the Vedas, there is an advice to fathers that as their children grow up, they value friends more than parents, and so a father must start playing the role of a friend as opposed to what will be perceived as an authoritative father. Pappa firmly believes in these wise words, and now that we look back, we can see the transition very clearly.<br /><br />As we grow up, we start spending a lot more time with friends than at home. Fathers become peripheral figures, and only involve themselves in matters of extreme importance like arranging for the payment of fees, driving to our favorite restaurant, and signing report cards. When we fell sick, Mummy would be at our side caring and visibly worried, but Pappa would carefully inspect us like a doctor, and either take us to a real one or administer well-known Homeopathic or Ayurvedic medication himself and ask us to rest. When we started learning <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mridangam">Mridangam</a>, he joined us so that we would be motivated by his passion and diligence. Instead of always urging us to study harder, he would ask us whether we went out to play this evening.<br /><br />At times, we would wake up in the mornings and discover him to be missing. "<span style="font-style:italic;">It isn't 9 yet. Then where is Pappa?</span>". "<span style="font-style:italic;">Oh, he left for a week on an inspection trip to Lucknow early this morning. He didn't want you to wake up early and disturb your sleep.</span>" "<span style="font-style:italic;">But, I didn't say goodbye</span>". Mummy would feel worse than we did and would break Pappa's "Do not bother the kids" rule when he returned back from his trip by waking us up to greet him. The memories of the joys of reuniting with a father are still vivid. Silently, in its own way, this would remind us of his importance in our lives lest we forgot as distracted teenagers.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Philoso-father</span><br />"<span style="font-style:italic;">When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished by how much he'd learned in seven years." </span> - Mark Twain.<br /><br />As I grew up and life started becoming more entangled with friends, relationships, careers, competition and morals, there was one source of answers always readily available. When I would worry about petty things like being under-paid despite working hard, I found solace in Pappa's wisdom. When I would be hurt by friends or the actions of those who I spent a lot of time with, there was a soothing balm in his words. He possesses an uncanny knack of visualizing a person's problem from a few words spoken in pain. His response is extremely practical when it is a problem of the real world - career, relations, finance. When practicality is insufficient, like problems of morality or grandiose worries about life, he can readily shift one's perspective by saying something profound.<br /><br />I now realize he is well-read in ancient Indian writings like the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vedas">Vedas</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahabharata">Mahabharata</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhagavad_Gita">Bhagavad Gita</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puranas">Puranas</a> and the philosophical musings of many renowned thinkers including <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bertrand_Russell">Bertrand Russell</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahatma_Gandhi">Mahatma Gandhi</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adi_Shankara">Adi Shankaracharya</a>. He has always shown a great appreciation for Science, and sees modern Science as an affirmation, and not an apposite to what we broadly term as Spirituality. Questions about the reality and relativity of Time are met with shlokas and references from the books he has read in the past. Mentions of the basic derivations of Quantum Theory are immediately tied to the conceptualization of the Universe in the Vedas. This from a man who has barely had the chance to study modern Science in school or when growing up, yet who immediately perceives intuitively on mere mention how these theories play out in our world. <br /><br />It is said that humility can only stem from the experience of something much bigger than oneself. Whether it is a spiritual realization or the experience and understanding of life itself, Pappa is a model of humility and simplicity for all of us. Any attachments and possessions that drive us for more of the same, is only a downward spiral. Any ambitions and desires that wreck our peace of mind, are not worthy of our time. What flows freely through us, without disturbance, is the only thing life intends for us to do. If today you don't seem to get what you deserve, think of the times where you got more than you deserved; those times will come back again. Be proud of the books you author, the positions you hold, as they come with hard work and hard work desires satisfaction; but do not define yourself with this pride. Simple yet profound.<br /><br />I can now clearly see how he tries to live his life according to what he has gleaned from his readings and his experience. Why would he want a gift to add to his list of possessions, when he is striving to keep the existing list small? Why worry about the expression of love when true love should never need to be expressly expressed? Why give today a special importance when indeed no day should be more special than others? Don't worry Pappa, there will be no Father's Day gift today. You are the gift of a lifetime to us instead.Addicted To Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07158566238904686097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16946499.post-19728005209013369402011-06-12T04:40:00.004-05:002011-06-12T09:22:30.966-05:00Searching for ResearchThe debate has cooled. The media's glare has turned away. Everyone returns to more pressing issues. But, the verdict has long been announced - The IITs and IIMs are not living up to the global standards we expect of them. Why? Because the number of research publications coming out of these places are paltry compared to the MITs and the Ox-Bridges of this world. Heck, even Tianjin produces more publications from China. While we are at it, the teaching faculty sucks as well.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Disclaimer:</span><br />My only association with any of these universities was during a 2-year M.Tech program at IIT, Bombay. I have never set foot in an IIM or for that matter any other IIT. Nor have I checked out the other institutes that are deemed "world-class". I shall therefore focus my point of view only through my brief interaction with IIT Bombay.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Mission IIT</span><br /><br />The process of conception of the IITs had started prior to Independence, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Indian_Institutes_of_Technology">as noted on Wikipedia</a> the intention of foresighted leaders was indeed to pursue technological and research prowess for a newly independent nation. The model however was one where a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CSIR_India">Council of Scientific Research</a> would be at the forefront of the scientific pursuits, while institutes like the IITs would produce a trained workforce to man these laboratories. The Indian Parliament also declared these institutes as "Institutes of National Importance" that would train engineers for the massive infrastructure development and related projects a new-born nation would naturally need to undertake.<br /><br />The emphasis therefore was on producing engineering graduates primarily through the now famous B.Tech program. The other programs basically mushroomed from this system that was for so long completely funded by the government. To say that the Masters and Doctoral programs were simply step-children to begin with would not be an overstatement.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Train, Drain</span><br /><br />Under-graduate students are typically not motivated to pursue painstaking research, and pursue problems that require patience and endeavour. The IITs sought only the smartest young students to join their B.Tech program, and these were funneled through the rigorous and well-renowned <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IIT-JEE">Joint Entrance Examination (JEE)</a>. One can bump into some of the brightest minds, a few of whom are indeed even over-achieving for their age, on a casual stroll through the campus. Yet, mysteriously for some, these bright minds do not result in an over-arching number of research publications and innovation coming out of these famed institutes.<br /><br />The reasons are varied, but sometimes plain to see. So many of these brilliant kids hail from the remotest parts of the country and come from families that are barely middle-class. These kids are highly ambitious, but their priorities are naturally more inclined toward stepping out into a financially secure way of life. They are well aware that the "IIT stamp" is a game-changer, and one of the single biggest influences in their careers. This career pursuit might involve a job right out of B.Tech or moving on to an MBA from an IIM. A few will undoubtedly yearn to move into advanced research, but they quickly conclude that this is not what the IITs were primed to help them do, and fly westward. I personally know some bright prospects, who even landed medals at Physics and Math Olympiads, that settled for plum jobs right after B.Tech. I do not blame them, but the fact of the matter is that in our country a career of research is not yet perceived as a financially stable choice.<br /><br />In a way, the B.Tech program is indeed delivering what it was designed for - brilliant engineers. Whether we truly reaped all the benefits is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Institutes_of_Technology#Brain_drain">debatable</a>.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Shouldering the burden</span><br /><br />The burden of research in the IITs then falls to Post-Graduates and more importantly to those who decide to further carry their work into a PhD. Most Post-Graduates can primarily be defined by the attitude - "I wished I could crack the JEE, but I will get into an IIT through the <a href="http://www.gate.iitb.ac.in/gate2011/">GATE</a> anyway". The IIT stamp is simply irresistible. You cannot test for an inclination toward research in a candidate. You can only hope to entice or motivate them to pursue greater goals. <br /><br />While some M.Techs will publish a paper or two on the way to a cushy technical job, a handful will actually be motivated to take their research forward and ensure it bears fruit through a PhD program. The professors are <a href="http://www.cse.iitb.ac.in/page14">not incompetent</a>, and many have previously taught in prestigious universities in the US. They work through pressures of having to meet stringent research goals set by the administration while simultaneously dealing with the problems of landing dedicated, research-minded students to work with.<br /><br />Remember, that all this while, these researchers are working with barely any investment from the industry. In my 2 years, I only saw one keen investor in the research pursued by our <a href="http://www.cse.iitb.ac.in/graphics/">Computer Vision and Graphics lab</a> - Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The Indian industry has only just moved on to innovation, and we should see more technology tie-ups with the IITs in the future that pump money behind research. Until then, the research carried out at the IITs is mostly driven by the faculty and students' individual interests and can very often be fruitless.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Research is an attitude</span><br /><br />While it helps to have brilliant minds to solve difficult problems and innovate, innovation, especially one that requires a lot of research, is often more about discipline and perseverance. You will require flashes of brilliance to leap over what seems improbable, but you will also need the will and rigor to help you through the rough patches where you seem to have run into a wall. Most B.Techs, and many of the M.Techs, do not possess this rigor. Their minds are already set on the IIT-degree-fueled career path (which is not wrong in itself). Why do we expect them to contribute to academic innovation?<br /><br />Yet, there are shining examples that I had the pleasure of working with myself, who have contributed handsomely to that meager research and journal publication count that Jairam Ramesh is using to conk the IITs. <a href="http://www.cse.iitb.ac.in/~biswarup/">Biswarup Choudhury</a> has <a href="http://www.cse.iitb.ac.in/~biswarup/research/publications.html">published</a> in the world's leading computer graphic and animation journals - something that has never been achieved before in this lab. Where are the opportunities to fund further innovation? Not here. He has had to continue his work at <a href="http://www.etri.re.kr/eng/">ETRI</a>, Korea. <a href="http://www.cse.iitb.ac.in/~ajjoshi/">Aniruddha Joshi</a> took up the problem of reviving the ancient Indian diagnostic system of "Naadi Nidaan" - <a href="http://www.ayushveda.com/astha-vidh-pariksha/nadi-pariksha.htm">studying the pulse</a> to diagnose ailments - when he was still doing his Bachelors in Engineering. He converted this passion to develop a digital system based on the ancient methods into a full doctoral research problem, and went on to present his work in a number of internationally acclaimed conferences. His research is supported by CSIR, Pune, in the true spirit of how scientific innovation was first envisaged by the founding leaders of our nation.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Give it time</span><br /><br />The IITs are barely 50 years old (except for the first of them - Kharagpur). It is not fair to compare them to the MITs, Harvards, Stanfords, Ox-Bridges of the world that have watched centuries switch on the calendar. Not yet. These institutes also have the unique co-location of innovative industries ready to fund all interesting research. India is only warming up to innovation after a nationalistic surge of freedom after independence, followed by the lull of the socialist policy era. It may not even be wise to compare this to the Chinese universities, where an autocratic iron will can force nationalist agendas through without opposition. Yet, it is inevitable that the Chinese output will indeed be the first benchmark we will aim to achieve, in due course of time. <br /><br />More India-centric innovation, more IITs, more industries sprouting around the IITs, and a larger aspiring middle-class to contribute innovative researchers to these institutes - the stage is quickly getting set. How far can the future be?Addicted To Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07158566238904686097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16946499.post-64206283710743891682011-05-22T04:22:00.006-05:002011-05-30T04:50:31.287-05:00IP Quell"How long will this circus go on?", I ask for the umpteenth time.<br /><br />"Another week", comes the reply. <br /><br />"Sigh"<br /><br />"Who would name their club team Indians?", I try to amuse myself again.<br /><br />"Franchise team....."<br /><br />"Whatever. It is akin to a football club in my mind. I don't know a football club named 'Versaille Francaise' or 'Dartmouth Brits'. Yet, here it is - Mumbai Indians."<br /><br />"Dude, Sachin picked that name. He is obviously deeply patriotic. He always plays with the love for this country in his heart. Didn't you see his emotions overflow on winning the World Cup? What would you know....foreign returnee. Football fan."<br /><br />"Sachin might be God when it comes to batting. But, I am now almost certain he didn't name his kids. Or else they'd be named Bharat and Indu. Are all the players in his team Indian? Malinga sounds much like Kalinga, but I have my doubts about Symonds and Pollard."<br /><br />"They can play upto 4 foreigners in each game".<br /><br />"Ok, so they are NOT Indians".<br /><br />"Stop being an idiot. You think Sehwag is a Daredevil? Wait......in a way, he really is. Ok, here's another one....you think Yuvraj is a Warrior? Wait....he does sound like a warrior. Ok, this one surely...you think Gambhir is a Knight Rider?"<br /><br />"Haha, that is most definitely the most imaginative name I've ever come across. Knight Riders! That totally killed the buzz I had stowed away in the back of my head about the cool 80s show - crime buster in a dark black car. One dark black car. One and only crime buster. Now suddenly there are 20. And they wear purple and gold. Buzz-kill."<br /><br />"There is no buzz killing with Shah Rukh at the helm of their affairs. I have no doubt his creative self picked that uber-cool name."<br /><br />"Please, it's not like Kolkata is to Knight Rider, what Gotham City was to Batman. I thought this was the INDIAN Premier League. Whatever happened to picking names and themes that go with the culture? How about Kolkata Rossogullas? Or just Kolkata Gullas? Ok, I know I suck at this, but there surely is a more Bengali-sounding name? It doesn't need to be Bengali either. Like I appreciate the choice of the name Tuskers - one of the things you associate with Kerala is the Elephant, thanks to the 'Mile Sur Mera Tumhara' video that was bludgeoned into our young heads."<br /><br />"Enjoy the game. What's in a name?"<br /><br />"A name is meant for me to tell things apart and to set a context in my head before I appreciate the object that the name belongs to. I can't believe 2 teams are 'Royal' and 2 others are 'Kings' in a league of 10 teams. Seriously, who pays these people for creativity?"<br /><br />"The creativity is in the stroke-play. In the field setting. In the master class bowling efforts in these torrid situations. I know you can't appreciate that. You are probably still looking for the goal behind long leg and wondering why there are 11 goalkeepers."<br /><br />"Please, I know my cricket! I used to day-dream for years that I was the Indian Shane Warne, except I was also a hard-hitting middle order batsman. And I basically played the role Yuvraj did when India won the World Cup. In my dreams of course. But, even so, don't insult my cricket-crazy past! I simply bring new perspective."<br /><br />"Did you just compare Shane Warne to Yuvraj?"<br /><br />"No, I compared myself to them both. Thank God there is only one Yuvraj!"<br /><br />"Yes, there is only one. India could do with another for the next world cup."<br /><br />"Apparently, all it takes to become a Yuvraj-like Warrior is Revital. Which reminds me...when Pune won a franchise for 2011, I was so sure they'd pick the name Pune Peshwas. It just sounds so fresh and revitalizing. Also, so culturally appropriate."<br /><br />"Peshwas used to live there in the old days. You think there are still Peshwas around?"<br /><br />"Old is the new new man. Everyone wants Indianized Sanskritized names, except Indians! Seriously, if one team calls itself Kings, and another says 'Kings ah? We are Super Kings!' doesn't it remind you of yourself when you were 3 years old?"<br /><br />"How do you know the names were picked in serial order and not disclosed simultaneously? You are from Chennai. You should know that there is only one affirmative qualifier used there - Super. It fits perfectly."<br /><br />"I also lived in Hyderabad. I do remember seeing buffaloes in the Dairy Farm next to our home. I can see how "Chargers" fits Hyderabad now."<br /><br />"You lived next to a Dairy Farm?"<br /><br />"It was in the 80s man. Don't read anything into it."<br /><br />"OK. The 8PM match is starting now. So, stop filling my ears and let me enjoy this encounter."<br /><br />"A 2nd game? 2 games every day?"<br /><br />"There are 10 teams now. More games. Now hush."<br /><br />"When does this circus end again?"Addicted To Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07158566238904686097noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16946499.post-20509999919599795722011-05-14T04:08:00.005-05:002011-05-22T05:43:20.473-05:00A Chance for ChennaiEver since I decided to move back to Homeland and give a career in Chennai a chance, I have been assessing that decision every now and then - not the moving back part, but the choosing Chennai part. Chennai was the obvious choice given my parents decided to retire here. What better place to return to than Home?<br /><br />However, as I started settling down, I started picking holes with everything around me - the people, the services, the weather, the surroundings - everything except my mom's food! It turned out to be one of those "better than thou" ranting phases every returnee from a foreign land goes through when settling down back at home. I mistook it for a personal vendetta against Chennai (yes, I often "mistake" myself), which it was not. But, it forced me to look closer at the observations I had been collecting in the back of my head about this city and the feedback of other folk about this city. At the risk of annoying a few people, I hereby declare that what follows is the personal opinion of the author, and has deep ties with this blog, but not with <a href="http://www.blogger.com">Blogger</a> in general.<br /><br />Another disclaimer - I have lived 17 years of my life in Mumbai, making me Mumbaikar at heart. 7 years were spent in Hyderabad and 2 in Pune. Having warned you, I will now attempt to throw some perspective into some of the more common reasons I have stumbled upon regarding why folks seem to dislike Chennai.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">Too Hot!</span></span><br /><br />How hot is too hot anyway? Isn't it all relative? Some find <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_tikka_masala">Tikka Masala</a> "tikka", while some others call <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirchi_ka_salan">Mirchi ka Saalan</a> bland. When the mercury hit 40C last week, I was grumbling aloud. That was until I visited Delhi (42C with a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loo_%28wind%29">Loo</a>) and Varanasi (45C with Loo++). For reference, every degree beyond 40, feels like 10. The Loo in Varanasi was more like "Waterloo" - sucked out all the water you gulped 5 minutes ago. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;">No Speak Hindi (aka Tamizh TeriMa)</span></span><br /><br />Ever been to Russia? Me neither. But I wish to generalize. They "No Speak English" there as well. Yes, they might understand when you speak to them in English. But, they don't have to respond back in English. It is the same with some Tamizhians and Tamizh - they are proud of their language. Yes, this pride has no place in a sovereign, secular, united country like India. Ever try telling that to the strictly Marathi speaking bus conductor in Pune? "Pudhe chalaa...Aikat naahi kaay tula?" Or is that because Marathi is accidentally closer to Hindi? <br /><br />If one were to really argue for this pride, you don't need to look beyond a Wikipedia page on the language - <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamil_language">Tamizh</a> dates back to an age earlier than even Sanskrit, let alone Hindi or Marathi or English. If the world were ending tomorrow and one had to choose to preserve 2 ancient Indian languages over all else today, the linguist's choice would be Tamizh and Sanskrit. Thankfully, the world only ends in December 2012.<br /><br />I agree that this blind pride in the mother tongue seems to sometimes slam doors shut on non-Tamizh-speaking people willing to blend into Chennai. It is often seen as prejudice against "naarthies", and at other times interpreted as expressing a lack of friendliness in the people in general. While the former can be explained by following the dynamics of the political movements (read Dravidian <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-Respect_Movement">Self-Respect Movement</a>) of the region since independence, the latter simply is way too simplistic. Humans in one region of the world cannot be more or less friendly compared to another region. That argument is a non-starter. I tried it against Strangelandians myself, and it failed to stand the test of time. <br /><br />We visit Germany for a short working stay and strive to learn German. We indulge in English from kindergarten so we can work with the English speaking world (UK+US+Australia?). (Also, so that we can write blog posts in English when we grow up). But ask me to pick up some Tamizh in Tamilnadu or Telugu in Andhra Pradesh and I shall call it blasphemy! "YOU need to adapt to ME and not the other way round". We are better to aliens than to our own countrymen. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;">Rice is NOT a food group</span></span><br /><br />Neither is corn a food group in Mexico. Nor is fish a food group in Thailand. Geography - one of those subjects in school we never cared for - will explain to you why some regions are more inclined to making some staple food item centric to their diet. When in the US, vegetarians struggle to find meat-free diets on a daily basis, and resort to cooking for oneself. That is too far to go when in another region of your own country. In fact, scratch that. There are simply too many restaurants in Chennai that serve decent non-Rice fare to make this argument relevant. More decent than the fare served in desi restaurants abroad.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;">Roads are dignified spittoons</span></span><br /><br />Yes they are. I have no clue what makes people spit on the road and then urge others to walk on the same roads. While the spit here down South is white in color and vanilla flavored (disclaimer - I haven't tasted any but my own), move further north and the color turns orange or bright red, is paan-flavored (see previous disclaimer) and leaves a bigger spit-print on the roads. You prefer.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;">Rude Auto Rickshaw Drivers</span></span><br /><br />Auto Rickshaws don't use the meter in this city, and the price is fixed before you board the vehicle like dowry is agreed upon before a girl gets married. Smartly dressed and looking affluent? Haggling starts at double the normal rate. Speaking anything but Tamizh? Rs.25 foreign language surcharge to communicate with you. Yes, you need immense negotiating skills if you are to ride in an auto at a fair price here. <br /><br />The awesome side-effect though is that now you get to Save The World. Go Green. Use public transport. This is the secret agenda behind the state government promoting rude auto drivers. <br /><br />In a hurry and really, really need to take an auto? Use a "Call Taxi" instead. Rude auto-drivers are exactly the kind of extreme adversity that leads to brilliant innovation. We have "Call Taxis" thanks to someone being really keen on solving (making money) off this problem.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;">Filthy</span></span><br /><br />Pan-India problem. Next.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;">Big moustaches</span></span><br /><br />Sign of a hero warrior. Next.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;">Moustachioed heroes</span></span><br /><br />Bhagat Singh anyone? Anil Kapoor? I know, I give up.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;">Rajnikanth</span></span><br /><br />Dei! Don't make this personal!Addicted To Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07158566238904686097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16946499.post-58292076943868901152011-02-05T03:59:00.009-06:002011-02-05T06:28:08.640-06:00Where To Indian Football?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_szaqnEFiZLE/TRoh2GSWVpI/AAAAAAAACU8/f7M87GSttjE/s1600/indian%2Bbus_asia%2Bcup%2B2011_my%2Bindian%2Bfootball.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 660px; height: 440px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_szaqnEFiZLE/TRoh2GSWVpI/AAAAAAAACU8/f7M87GSttjE/s1600/indian%2Bbus_asia%2Bcup%2B2011_my%2Bindian%2Bfootball.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><center> <span style="font-style:italic;">The Indian team bus for the AFC Cup 2011</span> </center><br />Last month, there was the small matter of the <a href="http://www.the-afc.com/en/tournaments/men-a-youth/afc-asian-cup">AFC Asian Cup</a> held in Qatar, where the best of Asian football compete with each other to be heralded the best in Asia. We know very well that the world is watching keenly to see how Asians emerge after decades of slumber from the shadow of the West, in all fields of global interest including sports. I was personally very excited because the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India_national_football_team">Indian football team</a> had qualified for the AFC Cup for the first time since 1984. To my dismay however, the Indian media largely ignored this great achievement, to underline how far behind football has fallen to the alluring plague of cricket and the unstoppable financial might of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Board_of_Control_for_Cricket_in_India">BCCI</a>.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Forgotten History</span><br />Lest we forget, Indian footballers, and football in general, weren't always the pushovers they are today. Like cricket, football was one of the popular sporting cultures imported by the British during their reign over this country. Indeed, if anything, football has a longer history in India compared to cricket, with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durand_Cup">Durand Cup</a> being one of the oldest football tournaments in the world - third only to the English and Scottish FA Cups. The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_association_football_club_rivalries_by_country#Mohun_Bagan_vs_East_Bengal">Mohun Bagan - East Bengal derby</a> games can be traced to as far back as 1925. The Salt Lake City football stadium in Kolkata which plays host to this historic derby is the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_stadiums_by_capacity">2nd largest</a> such stadium in the world in terms of capacity.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The Golden Decade</span><br />The period from 1951-1962 is widely regarded as the finest few years Indian football has ever witnessed, under the watchful eyes of the legendary coach Syed Abdul Rahim. This was a team known widely around the world not only for their raw talent, but also for the fact that they mostly played bare-footed. India won 2 Asian Games golds, besides finishing 2nd and 4th in the other two Asian Games during this period. But, the highlight really was finishing 4th in the 1956 Olympics after becoming the first Asian team to make it to the semi-finals. By the time they came runners-up in the 1964 Asian Cup, Indian football had begun its decline.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Inept Babus Missing the Professional Leap</span><br />As with most other sports in the country, football fell victim to unwarranted political clout. People with no association with the sport, or for that matter any sport whatsoever, suddenly grasped power in the highest echelons of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_India_Football_Federation">AIFF</a>. Instead of promoting professional football leagues, they kicked off a series of power and money struggles that saw a spinning Roulette of coaches and a lack of investment in youth academies for the next generation of stars to arise. Politicians like Priya Ranjan Das Munshi held president positions for 20 years without contest. Alongside his many distractions, Praful Patel today controls the strings of the AIFF.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.tribuneindia.com/2006/20060228/sp3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 275px; height: 208px;" src="http://www.tribuneindia.com/2006/20060228/sp3.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><center> <span style="font-style:italic;">I lay claim to his success</span> </center><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Underdogs Win Hearts</span><br />The final nail in the football coffin was hammered in when an Indian cricket team carried an underdog team to triumph in a remarkable 1983 World Cup against a seemingly invincible West Indies team. A depressed nation desperately seeking succor readily embraced these overnight heroes and cricket has never looked back since. Unlike football, even though the BCCI attracts a number of politicians like bees to a honey-pot, there has been little government interference and it has been run like a private company sincerely interested in ensuring the commercial success of the sport. Without the BCCI, cricket as a sport that attracts a billion viewers is simply unimaginable.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Football Today</span><br />Indian players today are starved of quality opposition due to a combination of a poor league setup and a low FIFA ranking. They end up playing a number of friendlies with clubs in Europe simply to gain much needed exposure. I remember watching a friendly between then Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven and India 10 years ago. It was a bitter lesson for the defence that day, as twice the whole back-line stepped up as one to play the offside trap, but left 4 attackers free to pick who will tap in the goal. Fast-forward to the AFC Cup 2011, and I saw a shocking repeat of the same against Bahrain as Abulatif gleefully tapped in past a hapless goalkeeper in a game where he scored 3 other goals as <a href="http://www.the-afc.com/en/afc-asian-cup-news/32571-bahrain-v-india">Bahrain won 5-2</a>.<br /><br />The AFC Cup qualification itself was a wild-card entry. <a href="http://www.goal.com/en/news/14/asia/2008/08/13/817451/afc-challenge-cup-08-india-win-the-afc-challenge-cup-08">India won</a> the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AFC_Challenge_Cup">AFC Challenge Cup</a>, which is a tournament for emerging nations, similar to the ones that are organised by the ICC in cricket, giving them a direct entry to the AFC Cup finals. Think of Indian football in the AFC Cup as the Dutch cricket team in the ICC World Cup. While any draw would have been tough, Group C in the AFC Cup was the worst India could hope for, with recent World Cup participants Australia and South Korea, besides Middle-East powerhouse Bahrain for company. It predictably ended in 3 defeats, with scores reading a dismal 4-0 (Aus), 5-2 (Bah), and 4-1 (Kor). Nevertheless, there was no lack of spirit, and a few notable young stars hold much promise.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Young Stars</span><br />The most notable performer is the outstanding custodian in goal - <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subrata_Pal">Subrata Pal</a>. Athletic, agile, and brave, he single-handedly ensured the scores weren't more humiliating than they already look. Clearly the only one close to being world-class, one hopes he gets the chance to ply his trade in stronger leagues. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunil_Chhetri">Sunil Chhetri</a> is however the only one currently registered with a foreign team. I say registered because the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sporting_Kansas_City">Kansas City Wizards</a> don't seem to want to play him in the MLS in the USA. However, this diminutive striker is a wizard by Indian standards and has pace and trickery to go with neat finishing skills. 21 goals in 43 appearances for the national team are proof that he should easily surpass <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baichung_Bhutia">Baichung Bhutia</a> as the top goal-poacher in Indian history. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://way2online.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Bhaichung-Bhutia-300x207.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 207px;" src="http://way2online.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Bhaichung-Bhutia-300x207.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><center> <span style="font-style:italic;">Oops - this one got away. Slippery customer Baichung.</span> </center><br /><br />The only other notable performers are center-back <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gouramangi_Singh">Gouramangi Singh</a> who won the AIFF player of the year 2010, and the aging left-winger <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P._Renedy_Singh">Renedy Singh</a>, who scored the stunner against Bahrain that was awarded to Chhetri. The pressure of being labeled "The Indian Beckham" clearly told on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Dias">Steven Dias</a> as he followed one disappointing delivery with another. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The Future</span><br />The future really is not in the hands of these players above, nor in those of the perspiring and inspirational manager <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Houghton">Bob Houghton</a>. Each defeat in the AFC Cup was followed by an interview in which Houghton desperately called for the Indian authorities to notice the hardwork the players are putting in and to invest in infrastructure - stadiums, competitive leagues, youth academies. It is not as if we can't find fans amongst a billion people. The English Premier League has witnessed a remarkable growth in the number of Indian viewers in recent years. What the fans want is a competitive league with quality players and quality stadiums to watch them in. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.kolkatafootball.com/new/maradona-india.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 410px; height: 230px;" src="http://www.kolkatafootball.com/new/maradona-india.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><center> <span style="font-style:italic;">No dearth of crazy fans</span> </center><br /><br />The league has been restructured, but the only thing that stands out is its cool new name - <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I-League">I-League</a>. The noteworthy addition to this league however is that of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AIFF_XI">Indian Arrows</a> - a team meant to breed young talent. It was formed when it was noted that most teams in the league sign up youngsters but are wary of blooding them too young.<br /><br />The only way I can see fans flocking back to the stadiums is if the style of play switches from the archaic hoof-ball English tactics to the style that Syed Abdul Rahim pursued during the Golden Decade - possession football with neat passing and switch of play. It is the most attractive style of play that even spectators who are new to the sport instantly enjoy, and is followed like a religion by top European clubs like Barcelona and Arsenal. Spain's World Cup triumph and the recent World Cup runs of South Korea and Japan are completely down to an investment in this kind of football. <br /><br />It needs a lot of skill, not just to complete passes, but to keep possession under <br />pressure. The players can develop that. What they cannot develop are stadiums with lush green fields that are conducive to this kind of play. If the organisers give them rough, shoddy lawns to play in where the ball won't roll past a few meters, who wouldn't be tempted to lump it forward hopefully?<br /><br />As more fans are attracted to the global allure of football, one can only wonder how long will it be before someone pumps in the money BCCI style to tap into the one enviable wealth we hold as a country - a huge bulging middle-class population with money to spend on entertainment.Addicted To Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07158566238904686097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16946499.post-36212316546052219272010-12-21T01:16:00.003-06:002010-12-21T03:36:21.933-06:00Yours FaithfullyAs humans, we have great fun applying labels on each other, including ourselves. Indian! American! Left-centric. Socialist. Gooner. Red Devil. On-Facebook. Not-on-Facebook! Hindu. Muslim. Christian. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monotheism">Monotheist</a>. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atheism">Atheist</a>. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnostic">Agnostic</a>. Believer. The list is endless, and we discover new ones to label ourselves with each day. But, perhaps the one labeling that has stood the test of time is the one related to one's belief in God. The Wikipedia page on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theism">Theism</a> presents one with the remarkable array of labels one can apply on a "believer". <br /><br />Let me define the terms of engagement briefly, as I see them.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;">Theist</span></span>: Believes in at least one God, most often a personal God, that has been accepted as the creator of the Universe and as the one responsible for its governance or maintenance.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;">Atheist</span></span>: Believes that there is no need for a God entity to explain the Universe, and that rigorous logical analysis (Science) satisfactorily answers all questions the human mind can raise about the world around us.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;">Agnostic</span></span>: Believes that they do not have sufficient knowledge to choose sides and perhaps even admit that they may never have an answer to questions regarding the Universe.<br /><br />Once you try to dissect these terms however, it is remarkable how all the arguments seem to sound similar, except in the final mental image they seek to achieve.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Fundamental Basis of Belief</span><br />It would be difficult to deny the fact that what category we fall under when we try to label ourselves with one of the 3 labels listed above has much to do with how we were brought up and what kind of influences affected us through life. There is absolutely no link between education levels and a lack of belief in God. It is wrong to say atheists are usually highly educated. and vice-versa. I have met physics majors, deeply involved in Quantum Theory, who are devout Christians at the same time. <br /><br />If one has parents that actively practice some religion, it is but natural that they will be introduced early into a life surrounded by theories about God and related religious beliefs. In families where reasoning and questioning is encouraged, children seem to grow up free of any imposed religious beliefs, but this does not imply they couldn't be affected by an influence later in life - a book, someone wise whom you respect, a tragic event. Ultimately, it all comes down to what <span style="font-style:italic;">you</span> believe in. Some idea forces itself into your head, and you mull over it long enough to actually start believing it. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">I Believe in Science</span><br />To the atheists who claim - "<span style="font-style:italic;">I believe in Science, and Science has proven there is no need for an entity named God to explain the Universe and human creation. You give me a question, Science will find an answer - Evolution, Big Bang, Gravity.</span>" - I ask, do you really understand as much of Science as you believe in? Do you really understand how Gravity works? Do you really still think matter is made up of spheres with revolving electrons and a sun-like nucleus in the middle, and by dissecting these "particles" someday we will know what the "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_particle_%28physics%29#.22The_God_particle.22">God particle</a>" is? Have you heard of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heisenberg_uncertainty_principle">Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle</a>, and how it throws a spanner in the works of any "scientific" observation or experiment? Or is it that you <span style="font-style:italic;">believe</span> that the scientists are smart and intelligent, and you would rather hedge your bets on such intellects compared to the medieval saints who "meditate and levitate".<br /><br />Ask any established Physicist, and they will tell you that Physics has hardly made any significant breakthrough in the last 80 years. The problems have <a href="http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article965911.ece">become a lot harder</a> than the ones we started out with - observations have not answered all our questions, but have instead thrown forth new and much more difficult ones. The very essence of Quantum Theory screams "I am not sure, but I can give you deterministic probabilities". It doesn't surprise me that so many Physicists eventually realise they may not get an answer in their lifetime, and try to seek solace outside Science at the same time as they pursue their research. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">I Believe in a Supreme Force</span><br />It's hard to put forth examples about the hollow and shallow nature of religion as a whole without hurting particular sentiments, so I must desist from doing that. One thing is clear though - if there was a God, <span style="font-style:italic;">my</span> God would not have to be superior to <span style="font-style:italic;">yours</span>. Most of what we call religion can be summed up as a really "dumbed down", generally applicable abstract of what their founders meant for it to be, and too focused on "rules and practices" for a reasoning human to accept freely. When children ask their parents about some peculiar practice they notice during a festival or worship, we scold them for asking, instead of realising we are following something we do not understand nor dared to question ourselves. Reasoning and questioning are the most precious gifts we have inherited as humans, and what can be more insulting to the God one prays to, to forgo the gifts He has bestowed upon us?<br /><br />One respects their parents and having been born in a family where both parents practice one religion with faith, one was bound to end up following in their footsteps. Another heard a preacher at a time when they were going through immense personal upheaval, and heard a bell ring and answered the calling. Yet another was preached by someone who they deemed to be morally and spiritually superior, and out of fear of retribution by said God decided to accept the prescribed religious ways. <br /><br />To all Theists I say - "<span style="font-style:italic;">Have you understood what your religious founders really set out to preach? Or do you think they were preaching trivialities (like Heaven/Hell) that everyone thought they understood, and there was no need for any further inquiry? Which of the human problems - fear, wars, hatred, greed - has any preacher of God been able to overcome yet? Or did you think the problems are all because we don't all believe in the same God? Is that even possible? If I asked you to describe the qualities of God, which is ultimately an image developed and embedded in your head over time, do you think everyone else would use the same qualities to describe God as well?</span>"<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">I Believe I Must Believe</span><br />The last category of agnostics, at least put up a humble front when faced with the problem by throwing their hands up and saying "I am open to more information, but I doubt I can ever reasonably come to a conclusion". The other categories label them as weak, indecisive. The one appreciative quality agnostics portray is an inquisitiveness regarding everything. They realise they will likely never get all the answers, but they regard the reasoning ability of humans to be the essence of what they want to base their lives on. Yet, in believing they can never get an answer, they find comfort in the belief that life cannot give you all the answers. It may sound to be a weaker belief, but once again, man hasn't escaped the comfort and security of believing in something.<br /><br />The great philosopher <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adi_shankaracharya">Adi Shankaracharya</a>, is known to have furious debates about <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advaita">Advaita</a></span> - non-dualism - with other theists and atheists of his time. It is hard to get away from the fact that this was also based on a personal belief - albeit perhaps one that was reasoned by a questioning and ruminating mind after dwelling for years on ancient manuscripts. <br /><br />We would all love to have answers for all the questions our minds throw up each day. It is possible there is an answer - one answer for all questions. Or there may be none that we can stumble upon in our lifetime. No matter which bracket you fall into, it may be worth considering not to ever stop questioning or reasoning. To betray a reasoning mind, is to betray yourself, the very essence of who you are. For if Shankaracharya, Budhha and other similar philosophers are right, with sufficient introspection we can arrive at a mental state where there is no past, no future, no time, no space, and all problems melt into the one consciousness. I wish you all the best in finding your personal God!Addicted To Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07158566238904686097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16946499.post-70841802763764301302010-12-12T05:32:00.004-06:002010-12-12T06:57:04.857-06:00The Human Face of Climate ChangeAnother year goes by and another <a href="http://unfccc.int/2860.php">UNFCC summit</a> on Climate Change comes to an end with <a href="http://news.google.co.in/news/url?sa=t&ct2=in%2F0_0_s_4_0_t&ct3=MAA4AEgDUABgAWoCaW4&usg=AFQjCNHZIVqKDKOWnwW32KdsC4f_Kg5Vng&cid=8797627862286&ei=dsAETdizAc-4cNaflIsB&rt=MORE_COVERAGE&vm=STANDARD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Fwp-dyn%2Fcontent%2Farticle%2F2010%2F12%2F11%2FAR2010121102960.html">semi-promises agreed</a> to and hesitant agreements made in the name of progress. Cruel, hard facts still stare at us - none of this is going to <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/nov/29/climate-change-scientists-4c-temperature">prevent temperature rise by 2C in the next 40 years</a> - yet global leaders, expected to be strong-willed and seeking the benefit at large of their national society, cannot look beyond petty short-term gains and bargains. After the delegates have all flown home in jumbo-jets, thus adding a few more tons of CO2 each to the atmosphere, the bitter truth stares us in the face - humans cannot solve this problem until they stop being humans.<br /><br />Let me point out a couple of the human aspects of this problem, as I see it.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Greed</span><br />The hunger to have more, when one already has more than enough, is something most humans can see, but cannot always act against. All around us, especially in a socially lopsided country like India, we see greed build a <a href="http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/executive-lifestyle/skys-the-limit-for-rich-few/story-fn6njxlr-1225960981580">billion dollar mansion</a> standing up against the slums. The rich know how to get richer, working through the system until they become the system itself, blind to any adverse effect it may have on the poor. <br /><br />I wholly agree with the Bolivian president <a href="http://www.hindu.com/2010/12/11/stories/2010121156501500.htm">Evo Morales when he says capitalism</a>, with its guiding principles always feeding individual greed, can never solve the world's problems - including tackling climate change. Yes, it makes the rich richer, and the poor a little less poor over time, albeit a lot slower than you can get richer. But, at what cost? Those same rich are desperate to hold on to their riches, built by burning gigatons of coal, millions of barrels of oil, chopping down forests with abandon and dumping waste where no one questions them. And so they <a href="http://www.corporateeurope.org/climate_change_deniers">deny climate change</a>. <a href="http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/12/climate-psychology/">Spread hoaxes</a> to brain-wash those who are now so used to the comforts of always available cooling and heating, as well as personal transport. Lobby governments that depend on their investments not just to keep the economy moving, but also to fund political campaigns. The result, corporate greed screws the poor farmers and jungle foragers that make up more in numbers than the corporate class, but have a smaller voice of opinion.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Selfishness</span><br />At the global round table, selfishness really becomes nationalism - a more aggregate form of selfishness. Yet, the results are the same. The developed nations fail to look beyond the loss of economic advantage and a potential drop in the so-called "standard of living" to acknowledge other nations have more severe problems to deal with. The developing nations are caught in the trap of seeking justice, for the "right to pollute" as much as the others have for decades. The poor countries, who cannot even pollute if they wanted to, are left to negotiate over the remaining scraps. <br /><br />It will be no surprise to watch a few islands disappear while other nations fail to look beyond this self-focused view of the world. Poor countries like Bangladesh, Nepal, nations in Sub-Saharan Africa will soon face devastating bouts of drought where they will struggle to save lives. Yet, the Americans will count how many Americans are affected, while the Indians will do the same. It is here where Jairam Ramesh's <a href="http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/article945661.ece">departure from the staid stance</a> of waiting for the developed countries to act in the name of justice, seems so mature. The "status quo" is not good enough, and it is not too hard to realise this.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">What would Gandhi do?</span><br />It is hard to guess what the Mahatma would have done today, but it would have involved sacrifice, of individual good for global welfare. He would have passionately asked Indians first to consider the choices they have - a life where they might live with all the comforts they can afford today, where they may never have to face an unnatural natural disaster, but their children will have no such choice. He would have asked those who believe that their short life isn't as important as the health of the Earth, the mother who rears us all in her womb without a sigh, to follow him. He would have then led them to sacrifice these comforts, sacrifice the security of a capitalistic economy, and work together to show the world how to live within one's means, in harmony with nature, and yet live a full and satisfied life.<br /><br />He would have hoped the other nations notice this act of mass sacrifice, and Gandhis sprout up all around the world, against the oppression of the corporates who are now losing their massive markets as more people give up unnecessary comforts. Eventually, just like the whole Indian nation rose up against the British Raj, perhaps most of the world will rise up to the corporate bullies, and let the real human nature - one where we care about everyone, do not distrust other nations, and work for a collective good - shine through to solve this unique problem.<br /><br />Is this just Utopia? Can humans, who have never been able to see past their petty differences for a million years, suddenly rise and solve this problem we have created for ourselves? Or are we condemned to be extinct soon, like dinosaurs, except that the dinosaurs weren't stupid enough to kill themselves.Addicted To Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07158566238904686097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16946499.post-15071728582418138202010-09-05T08:51:00.006-05:002010-09-05T10:45:25.951-05:00Remember, Remember, Teachers in SeptemberIt's the 5th of September today - a day we were never allowed to forget back in school because it was the day we had to shower love and respect on our teachers, even if, in some cases, we didn't particularly like them. Celebrated on the birthday of one of India's most scholarly Presidents ever - <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarvepalli_Radhakrishnan">Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan</a> - <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teachers%27_Day">Teacher's Day</a> was the day the "class monitor" was supposed to pool money and buy roses for all the teachers. Indian culture has always required us to revere our Gurus as ones who enlighten our paths and guide us to knowledge. Perhaps, when school days are a distant memory, the ones who still live on within us and bring a smile to our faces when we think of them, did really impress our hearts and minds. Here's an ode to the ones I can still remember.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Pre-primary School</span><br /><br />Heck, I barely remember my primary school. What chance then of me remembering any of my pre-primary teachers? If Hindi movies were a guide to my memory, I am certain they were pretty and adored children!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Primary School</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">"A good teacher is like a candle - it consumes itself to light the way for others." - Anonymous.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Mukhtar</span> madam, my Math teacher from Vidyodaya High School, springs to mind instantly. She would literally sweat profusely within the melting walls of the hot Hyderabad school, trying to shove concepts about Algebra into little heads. We loved her because she was brutally honest and dedicated, and the boys loved her because there was no favoritism to girls! You could see pride light her eyes up when one of us solved a problem she would pose for us on the board. I recollect the many times she clearly wouldn't be in the best of health or would be fatigued by the fasting month of Ramzan, but would keep going with sheer determination. We always respect someone who is clearly trying harder than ourselves. And as Indians, we adore those who let us ask personal questions like - "Happy Birthday Ma'am, how old are you today?", "Are you really not married? Why?". While others got roses, we would get her a tea-set. <br /><br />My favorite part was when we were preparing for our 7th standard Board Exams (yes, kids have it easy these days!) - she would call out some 10 names and make them stand up in class, and lecture them on how she expects them to get a 100 in Math. When the results were out, and I was shy of a 100 by some 25 marks, I was lucky my dad got transferred to Bombay and I did not have to face her blazing eyes of disappointment. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Secondary School</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">“The test of a good teacher is not how many questions he can ask his pupils that they will answer readily, but how many questions he inspires them to ask him which he finds it hard to answer” - Alice Wellington</span><br /><br />The first name that would spring to mind for any of my friends who studied at <a href="http://wikimapia.org/151953/Poorna-Pragna-High-School-Dahisar-East">Poorna Prajna High School</a> in Mumbai when asked to remember their teachers would undoubtedly be of <span style="font-weight:bold;">Diana </span> madam. I can't even remember if she was good at what she taught, probably because history and social studies always felt like subjects where there really wasn't much to learn. But, her openness to stupid questions and general student banter made her an instant hit with everyone. Her example made it clear to me how a good teacher must be - friendly and approachable, and always having the ability to encourage and deal with all kinds of questions. Respect developed this way, as opposed to fear-induction, has a lasting effect.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">High School/Junior College</span><br /><br />Classrooms of size 120, pretty girls everywhere, sweating with low self-esteem, worrying about catching the rush-hour train home that is less crowded than the others, the stench of chemicals from the chemistry lab below and the air-conditioned refuge of the 2 hours of Computer Lab time. No teachers ever registered I guess.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Engineering</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">"A teacher who is attempting to teach without inspiring the pupil with a desire to learn is hammering on cold iron." - Horace Mann</span><br /><br />The less said about the quality of teachers in the average Engineering college in India, the better. If this were meant to be a reverse list, I could fill it up with 4 years of teachers barely covering 25% of the syllabus, giving more assignments than lectures, and clearly peddling their coaching class stints over regular classes. The Math teachers were again impressive, but maybe that's because I felt an affinity for Math back then. The only other teacher that stood out was <span style="font-weight:bold;">Mrs. Rekha Ramesh</span>, once again for the qualities I always admire - open to questions, and something lacking in my college back then: a determination to cover as much of the syllabus as possible in her lectures. The one thing that stood out was the fact that she always appreciated if someone corrected her, and when she would say "I will answer that in the next class", she always did.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Masters</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">“Tell me and I'll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I'll understand.” - Chinese Proverb.</span><br /><br />If there was a complete opposite of my Engineering experience, it would have to be doing Masters at <a href="http://www.cse.iitb.ac.in/">IIT Bombay</a>. It is perhaps because of the shambles we face during engineering that this experience looks so much brighter. It's hard to pick one professor out of the many who taught us. However, <span style="font-weight:bold;"><a href="http://www.cse.iitb.ac.in/~ranade/">Prof. Abhiram Ranade</a></span> is probably the most inspiring of them all to me personally, most likely because of his calm and assured demeanor. He taught us Algorithms and Complexity, and his course structure and presentation style are unmatched with any other professor I ever encountered. Even the assignments were actually fun to solve, and led to much discussion and debate on our hostel floors. What I loved most was his personality though. He always smiled at each student he passed in the corridor, spoke softly and succinctly, wore a simple shirt that was never tucked in but always neatly ironed, and carried a humble cotton bag. He loved it when students asked questions and was most approachable with any other problems as well. <br /><br />Now that his lectures are on <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Y8Lfsreeck">YouTube</a>, everyone can enjoy them. <br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” - William Arthur Ward.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Here's hoping that the students of today find more such inspiring teachers in their path to knowledge.</span>Addicted To Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07158566238904686097noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16946499.post-60206379000369074592010-05-30T04:04:00.008-05:002010-05-30T05:22:54.322-05:00Why Create Man?I've often wondered about the meaning of life, God's (whoever or whatever you call God) greatest creation, and how I fit into all of it. Of late though, I seem to wonder more about how mankind as a whole fits into the picture. All around us, atleast to my pessimistic presence, one can witness how this greatest of all creations selfishly threatens not just the existence of its own species, but Life on Earth itself as we know it. <br /><br />Hence the question - Why create man when the best we have done is to threaten a climatic disaster worse than any asteroid collision could ever cause? Why create man as the example of a greedy species that cannot think beyond itself, and considers all else in nature as a never-ending pile of birthday presents? Why create man as the single most intelligent creature, that has conquered all else in nature to ensure its own subsistence beyond everything else?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">An Alien View</span><br />One of my favorite twitter users is <a href="http://twitter.com/astro_soichi">Soichi Noguchi</a> for he posts the most amazing pictures from on-board the <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html">International Space Station</a>, reminding us of the <a href="http://twitpic.com/1lnm19">beautiful</a> and <a href="http://twitpic.com/1qlmqj">bountiful</a> heaven we have inherited. We didn't create this, but it is ours to enjoy. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://veimages.gsfc.nasa.gov/2429/globe_east_540.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 270px;" src="http://veimages.gsfc.nasa.gov/2429/globe_east_540.jpg" border="0" alt="Courtesy - Visible Earth, NASA" /></a><br /><br />At the same time, he also wonderfully captures the ugly footprints we leave behind. The orderly concrete jungles of <a href="http://twitpic.com/1lvduh">Manhattan</a> are hardly eye-catching to a visiting alien, while the recent <a href="http://twitpic.com/1laxzu">oil spill</a> in the Gulf of Mexico tells them all they need to know about how much we care about our own home. Man has clearly not contributed to the beauty of nature with their technological advancements, nor are we the most pleasing creatures to look at. Beside every majestic Taj Mahal runs a black, <a href="http://www.funxite.com/media/2047-taj-mahal-wallpapers.jpg">greasy Yamuna</a> river.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Harking Back to the Vedas</span><br />Perhaps the answer is in the ancient scriptures, I mused to myself. A brief dive into their content revealed one important answer. The Vedas teach us that the sensory world and its many sparkling attractions are merely <span style="font-style:italic;">Maya</span> - a web of illusions distracting us from the real purpose of our existence. What this purpose is, is never defined, because it cannot be defined for each individual. Rather, one is urged to be ready and prepared to always serve Nature, because behind all the genealogy and evolution, is a broader brush-stroke which is bound to eventually serve creation itself.<br /><br />Another answer provided by the brilliant scriptures is the fact that Man, and all Life and existence included, is really one with the Universe itself. There is nothing but this Universe (<span style="font-style:italic;">Brahma</span>), and Life is but only one way for the Universe to express its creative (and destructive) urges. The human mind is said to be the medium through which The Universe can therefore finally, see and understand itself. This doesn't mean that Life has reached its evolutionary peak, but it does lead somewhere.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">One Possible Answer</span><br />If all this sounds too deep and vague, you are not alone. But this is perhaps the only answer to the questions I raise - despite all the follies of Man, Nature must have a grander plan in its natural scheme to extend Life somehow. Else, Mankind should have been struck out by evolutionary forces, not left to continue its plundering. <br /><br />It is well established that while the Earth is likely the womb as well as the cradle of Life, it is not expected to last forever, and with it Life as we know it, will perish too. Perhaps Nature created an intelligent, logically-oriented, creative, techno-savvy Man so that one day we could eventually transport Life onto another new home. While what will likely drive us to do that would be our selfish survival instincts, Nature as a whole might just benefit by continuing its existence elsewhere. Perhaps Nature knows the risks it takes in seeking this goal. Perhaps we may not be needed once we find a new home for Nature.<br /><br />I am not sure we are any closer to finding a new home than we were when the first human was created, but the situation we continue to place ourselves in is going to force our hand sooner or later. Maybe the Vedas are right - we need to stop focusing on our material needs and start listening to what Nature created us for. There is no Planet B today, but we might have to find it - fast.Addicted To Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07158566238904686097noreply@blogger.com2