Just put down this awesomely funny rendition of 1-year-long-mid-life-mid-career break at IIMA. Prashant, from the pioneering batch of PGPX takes an equilibrised look at the going-ons in the corridors and classrooms of the hot bed of management education that IIMA is. (Note the author's disclaim- this is a work of fiction.)
Having withstood this place and programme two years after Prashant (that makes me an 'X3'), I could relate to the flaps in the ebb and flow of PGPX year that he recounts. I must admit I was following this book before the launch, but somehow lost track of it. I picked it up, on a friend's (another X3, the 'Bandit') reminder, while out for ConneXion 2010 . Being on campus, reliving the times again over a long weekend, had already stirred up memories of my travails from 30 to 18 months ago. On top of this 'Second Degree' came as a 'Red Bull for memories'.
From a 'can't be true, am I here?' to 'what the.., am I already leaving?' the PGPX year passes by in a jiffy, much like a vaccine shot you dreaded as a kid. But, life is fun and life is topsy-turvy at PGPX (not in the same order, though). A deep dive in to the making of aN X-ian is what this book is all about. Prashant has handled the narration in a very touching manner, candidly exploring the joys, fears and dilemmas that every student (including his/her spouse) at PGPX faces.
Every year a little world lands in the New Campus- men, women, little boys and girls, toddlers and their fathers & mothers with their bikes, cars and cradles and sometimes even their maids and babysitters. Every batch has its own set of characters in the play of PGPX that gets produced every year. Like an improvisation (a comedy only to a sadist outsider) plots and sub-plots vary in flavour a little, but the storyline is the same. In several ways, each X-ian is a Prashant and shares his struggles as a student. Prashant the author, though, really knows how to make you laugh.
The book is bound to pleasantly shock those who are aspiring PGPX and at the same time wake from stupor those (the PGPX-ians) who have gone back to the relatively slower life that post-IIMA life invariably becomes.
For PGPX Alumni the familiarity and the "familiailty" this book invokes makes it all the more of a souvenir to keep along side other memorabilia they carry with them. When I got through PGPX admissions, in order to mentally prepare myself for what I was to endure, I read Snapshots from Hell . If you are considering IIMA PGPX, Second Degree is your own customised and in-your-face 'Snapshots from Hell'. Read it.
2010-08-22
Inception in one word: 'mindblowing'.
Inception is simply mind blowing! Christopher Nolan has written and directed one of the smartest movies in recent times; probably ever. The movie is smart not just because it makes you think and pushes the limits of your imagination. It is so because what could have easily become a complex screenplay has a simplified delivery. This is genius.
'An idea is the biggest parasite'. This line took me back to days of allegorical tale telling. A king unable to get rid of an idea in his mind approaches a wise man after all else fails. The wise man advises him that the day the king is able to not think about 'Mangoes', is when he will be cured. Putting an idea into someone's mind (aka inception) was easy, you thought? You have no idea until you watch this movie.
I went with a notion that Inception would be like one of Nolan's earlier films 'The Memento'. I was focussing on the timeline-maze that Nolan had created in that classic 'thinking' movie. Even if I were to unfairly compare the two, the latest one wins by a huge margin. The comparison is not so unfair since both delve into aspects of the mind. The Memento played around with the linearity of time-flow. Nolan 'messed' it up pretty neatly to challenge the viewers. Inception on the other hand is about getting deeper into moments as the story proceeds. As a hobby photographer, I enjoy playing with 'slowing time down' in away a good fast lens can. Inception is a treat for the mind and the eyes.
One, two, three, oh boy, four layers? How did Nolan even think he could get the audience to buy into this plot? How do you keep the audience with you all along? This is where the smartness kicks in. Simplicity is ultimate sophistication. This movie is a fine example of it. I did not even budge through the movie.
Visuals and camera tricks are the key dimensions of smartness of the movie. Awesome scenes keep pushing you in and out of reality pretty artfully with details that would be lost outside the large screen. I must admit I took a shot at watching this movie on a laptop; 16 minutes later I decided that I had to do something and watch this in mega size. A 'smart' decision.
The performances are award winning. DiCaprio plays Cobb, the protagonist dealing with his own mental demons even as he manouvers skillsfully into the minds of the subjects. Supporting him, his 'team' (everyone) delivers convincingly. Music links the layers of this movie. The music paces with the layers, transitions you in and out of them and helps you keep tabs on where you are.
In India, even in a 90 minute movie is given an intermission. Glad that this 165 minute sitting did not have any. Probably, someone up there (producers/ director) drove the condition that there shouldn't be one. Another smart angle to delivering the story convincingly.
Is this movie for real? It's time I got my own totem to figure it out.
'An idea is the biggest parasite'. This line took me back to days of allegorical tale telling. A king unable to get rid of an idea in his mind approaches a wise man after all else fails. The wise man advises him that the day the king is able to not think about 'Mangoes', is when he will be cured. Putting an idea into someone's mind (aka inception) was easy, you thought? You have no idea until you watch this movie.
I went with a notion that Inception would be like one of Nolan's earlier films 'The Memento'. I was focussing on the timeline-maze that Nolan had created in that classic 'thinking' movie. Even if I were to unfairly compare the two, the latest one wins by a huge margin. The comparison is not so unfair since both delve into aspects of the mind. The Memento played around with the linearity of time-flow. Nolan 'messed' it up pretty neatly to challenge the viewers. Inception on the other hand is about getting deeper into moments as the story proceeds. As a hobby photographer, I enjoy playing with 'slowing time down' in away a good fast lens can. Inception is a treat for the mind and the eyes.
One, two, three, oh boy, four layers? How did Nolan even think he could get the audience to buy into this plot? How do you keep the audience with you all along? This is where the smartness kicks in. Simplicity is ultimate sophistication. This movie is a fine example of it. I did not even budge through the movie.
Visuals and camera tricks are the key dimensions of smartness of the movie. Awesome scenes keep pushing you in and out of reality pretty artfully with details that would be lost outside the large screen. I must admit I took a shot at watching this movie on a laptop; 16 minutes later I decided that I had to do something and watch this in mega size. A 'smart' decision.
The performances are award winning. DiCaprio plays Cobb, the protagonist dealing with his own mental demons even as he manouvers skillsfully into the minds of the subjects. Supporting him, his 'team' (everyone) delivers convincingly. Music links the layers of this movie. The music paces with the layers, transitions you in and out of them and helps you keep tabs on where you are.
In India, even in a 90 minute movie is given an intermission. Glad that this 165 minute sitting did not have any. Probably, someone up there (producers/ director) drove the condition that there shouldn't be one. Another smart angle to delivering the story convincingly.
Is this movie for real? It's time I got my own totem to figure it out.
2010-07-06
Bad strike deal...common man does not endorse it
Today's Bharath Bandh costed India about 3 Billion USD. This is purely financial cost. I am not sure how FICCI arrived at this number, but, one can be sure that the number is in this range. Just divide India's expected GDP (about a Trillion USD) by the number of working days in a year. Chances are that given India umpteen number of local holidays, the daily GDP number might be bigger than what's quoted. Of course, the economic cost of a Bandh is far higher and difficult to measure.
Anyway, the Bandh has not given anything useful to the Common Man. Isn't it the Common Man for whom this Bandh was called? Sure. Then why did the opposition parties make life tough for the Common Man who just wanted to go to the hospital or tried get to the bank to get some work done on a lean day? More than 70 buses burnt, hundreds of flights canceled, hundreds of thousands of passengers stranded, expressways blocked, innumerable vehicles and even police tow-vans pelted and punctured. Whom has this helped? Some famous politicians got locked up. If there were a job fair, such antics would get these people extra stars on their resumes. They, after all, went to jail for the common man, didn't they? They can boast about it at the next election rally.
If rising prices (deregulation and all) of gas, fuel and consequently all commodities is what the perpetrators of Bandh care about, why don't these parties spend some time thinking how can they bring these prices down. e.g. in their own ruling states, can the opposition parties that called for this Bandh, not reduce state-level taxes and help the Common Man? Surely, there are no easy answers to this. But Bandh is also not an answer.
Did the Bandh help all those auto rickshaw and taxi drivers who lost a day's income? I personally know taxi drivers who work 18 hours a day so that they can own-out their cars faster (private branded service taxis with innovative liens/lease contracts). Auto drivers and the independent taxi fellows make less than 300-400 bucks a day after toiling for 12-14 hours. Did the Bandh help these people get more bread on their table?
A couple of night ago, I was at a take-away joint waiting for my order to be ready. It was pouring, with six inches of rainwater flowing on our street. I chatted up the paan-wallah outside the joint. He told me that his paan business is at the worst this time of the year. When it pours, no man comes out.; who will buy paan? He does not endorse this Bandh. (Who will buy paan or cigarettes if there is a Bandh? His paan rots.)
Our Bai's family runs a limited-variety vegetable shop. Her economics is changing. She was telling us that the current turn of events makes it easier on the pocket to eat chicken and mutton more often than vegetables. Nowadays, staple greens cost more than 80 bucks a kilo. Meat, therefore is relatively cheaper. But she fears that their shop's current stock would get spoiled in all the rain and humidity. They cannot risk buying more to stock up for Monday when there would be no supply in the day. Space in Mumbai... do I need to mention the premium it demands? She does not endorse this Bandh.
Point is that the Common Man is hassled by the price rise. Agreed. But he is coping. Political parties have arm twisted their constituents into following the formers' anti-establishment propaganda. Forcing a Bandh will make life tougher for the Common Man. What choice does a street vendor have when the CEO of a large media firm receives threats to ensure that his office building remains shut for Bharath Bandh? Surely, the vendors will keep their shops shut. This is misconstrued by the perpetrators as support for Bandh.
Coming to the main issue; Deregulation of fuel is exactly what we need now. We have been far too much pampered by the subsidised petrol and, especially, diesel. The opponent parties had, about nine years ago, proposed the deregulation of fuel that they are against today. About 35 years ago, through the leanest periods of Indian economy, fuel was completely deregulated. Why then, when we are doing well as an economy, are we fretting fuel deregulation? Keeping the diesel prices low for locomotives, trucks and rest of the transportation industry that uses it is one thing. Buying a second and a third car, diesel one, just because this fuel is available cheaper, has gone way too far. One of the immediate effects of the impending diesel price deregulation will be that people will start thinking about efficiency of their vehicles and their other modes of fuel consumption. The rest will follow.
During the recent wars and the more recent financial meltdown, even the world's biggest fuel guzzlers, the Americans, were brought down to their knees (free fuel pricing regime), trading in gas-guzzlers for fuel efficient cars, older cars for newer cars (Cash for clunkers) etc. Indians are a far more discerning lot(fingers crossed on whether it'll stay that way).
We will find a jugaad for the fuel price and other price hikes. But, bandh is bad.
Anyway, the Bandh has not given anything useful to the Common Man. Isn't it the Common Man for whom this Bandh was called? Sure. Then why did the opposition parties make life tough for the Common Man who just wanted to go to the hospital or tried get to the bank to get some work done on a lean day? More than 70 buses burnt, hundreds of flights canceled, hundreds of thousands of passengers stranded, expressways blocked, innumerable vehicles and even police tow-vans pelted and punctured. Whom has this helped? Some famous politicians got locked up. If there were a job fair, such antics would get these people extra stars on their resumes. They, after all, went to jail for the common man, didn't they? They can boast about it at the next election rally.
If rising prices (deregulation and all) of gas, fuel and consequently all commodities is what the perpetrators of Bandh care about, why don't these parties spend some time thinking how can they bring these prices down. e.g. in their own ruling states, can the opposition parties that called for this Bandh, not reduce state-level taxes and help the Common Man? Surely, there are no easy answers to this. But Bandh is also not an answer.
Did the Bandh help all those auto rickshaw and taxi drivers who lost a day's income? I personally know taxi drivers who work 18 hours a day so that they can own-out their cars faster (private branded service taxis with innovative liens/lease contracts). Auto drivers and the independent taxi fellows make less than 300-400 bucks a day after toiling for 12-14 hours. Did the Bandh help these people get more bread on their table?
A couple of night ago, I was at a take-away joint waiting for my order to be ready. It was pouring, with six inches of rainwater flowing on our street. I chatted up the paan-wallah outside the joint. He told me that his paan business is at the worst this time of the year. When it pours, no man comes out.; who will buy paan? He does not endorse this Bandh. (Who will buy paan or cigarettes if there is a Bandh? His paan rots.)
Our Bai's family runs a limited-variety vegetable shop. Her economics is changing. She was telling us that the current turn of events makes it easier on the pocket to eat chicken and mutton more often than vegetables. Nowadays, staple greens cost more than 80 bucks a kilo. Meat, therefore is relatively cheaper. But she fears that their shop's current stock would get spoiled in all the rain and humidity. They cannot risk buying more to stock up for Monday when there would be no supply in the day. Space in Mumbai... do I need to mention the premium it demands? She does not endorse this Bandh.
Point is that the Common Man is hassled by the price rise. Agreed. But he is coping. Political parties have arm twisted their constituents into following the formers' anti-establishment propaganda. Forcing a Bandh will make life tougher for the Common Man. What choice does a street vendor have when the CEO of a large media firm receives threats to ensure that his office building remains shut for Bharath Bandh? Surely, the vendors will keep their shops shut. This is misconstrued by the perpetrators as support for Bandh.
Coming to the main issue; Deregulation of fuel is exactly what we need now. We have been far too much pampered by the subsidised petrol and, especially, diesel. The opponent parties had, about nine years ago, proposed the deregulation of fuel that they are against today. About 35 years ago, through the leanest periods of Indian economy, fuel was completely deregulated. Why then, when we are doing well as an economy, are we fretting fuel deregulation? Keeping the diesel prices low for locomotives, trucks and rest of the transportation industry that uses it is one thing. Buying a second and a third car, diesel one, just because this fuel is available cheaper, has gone way too far. One of the immediate effects of the impending diesel price deregulation will be that people will start thinking about efficiency of their vehicles and their other modes of fuel consumption. The rest will follow.
During the recent wars and the more recent financial meltdown, even the world's biggest fuel guzzlers, the Americans, were brought down to their knees (free fuel pricing regime), trading in gas-guzzlers for fuel efficient cars, older cars for newer cars (Cash for clunkers) etc. Indians are a far more discerning lot(fingers crossed on whether it'll stay that way).
We will find a jugaad for the fuel price and other price hikes. But, bandh is bad.
2010-06-26
NID Professor innovates boldly. Nothing else to it.
Some absurd claims in media (Read here) were brought to our notice by a PGPX co-alumnus of ours (Read here ). Apparently, this news has been, today, picked up by a television news channel also.
It is unfortunate that certain people have misconstrued and consequentially misrepresented the objectives of the course and actions of the professor. Actions of the professor, to be sure, in my experience in this course, were that of "professing"/talking in a challenging manner and demonstrating meditative exercises. And in full earnest, the professor forewarns people that it is not for the faint-hearted, not for any reason (we realise later) except that they will be reaching within to free themselves of their fears & inhibitions.
The course at IIMA (similar to NID's Strategic Design Management mentioned in the media article) is intended to develop a creative mindset. A basic point delivered is that in order to be creative, mental blocks (mostly unresolved notions) need to be overcome. Overcoming baseless notions leads to an uninhibited approach to generating new ideas. With a questioning mindset, our basal fears are identified and this further leads to freeing ourselves of them.
The suggestion that there was stripping or there were even suggestions to strip in the class is totally absurd. At the most the question asked by the instructor is- in a scenario that he were to make a suggestion to strip, how would participants respond? It is a question intended to urge participants to think why they would respond the way they would. It is intended to encourage students to examine the basis of their individual responses. Several such questions are asked that challenge our presumptions about norms, superstitions etc that normally lead to "in-the-box" or linear thinking. The professor takes an innovative approach toward developing an innovative mindset. He brings together nueroscience, evolutionary biology, space science (MFR technology), ancient yogic practices, psychology, modern design theory, innovation theories, management science among others, to provide holistic & experiential learning. It is sad that someone has totally misunderstood this and made a joke out of it.
The contract (touted as 'NDA' by the complainant) itself, by the way, if you understand the professor's purport, is intended as a first challenge- that of signing an undertaking to face the unknown. While we were told that such a declaration is legally binding (blah, blah), one only needs to step above the details to see through the exercise and appreciate the ingenuity of the approach. The declaration -handwriting it & signing it- is intended to drive in seriousness about the course, while challenging your mind and your fears. If you still don't get it, consider what your response would be if a total stranger approached you and asked you to write such a declaration? In daily work life, this is what happens. Someone gives us a creative task and our inhibitions prevent us from thinking freely and understanding the issues underlying any problem. Our solutions are, therefore, based on wrong or narrow notions. How many products don't fail in the market due to bad (sometimes, even stupid) design?
For the record, my experience of undergoing this course was clean and genuinely eye-opening. While I am not speaking on their behalf, I can confidently state that the female classmates of mine were not uncomfortable as far as I could understand and can recall. The course became a hit among those who joined it and was followed loyally. So much so, that a few wives of students joined the course and they completed it (no credits, though!) with full fervour. In the following term, Advanced edition of the course (Call it "Part 2") offered as an elective, again, had a dedicated following.
A set of people has totally missed the point. Correction... a set of people has totally missed the bus on what could have been a potentially transformational experience to them, had they made an earnest attempt to follow the message than throw muck around, over nothing (internal investigations are currently on, states the TV channel).
There might be more to the motive of this complaint/allegation than meets the eye. One doesn't need to have undergone the course to see it.
It is unfortunate that certain people have misconstrued and consequentially misrepresented the objectives of the course and actions of the professor. Actions of the professor, to be sure, in my experience in this course, were that of "professing"/talking in a challenging manner and demonstrating meditative exercises. And in full earnest, the professor forewarns people that it is not for the faint-hearted, not for any reason (we realise later) except that they will be reaching within to free themselves of their fears & inhibitions.
The course at IIMA (similar to NID's Strategic Design Management mentioned in the media article) is intended to develop a creative mindset. A basic point delivered is that in order to be creative, mental blocks (mostly unresolved notions) need to be overcome. Overcoming baseless notions leads to an uninhibited approach to generating new ideas. With a questioning mindset, our basal fears are identified and this further leads to freeing ourselves of them.
The suggestion that there was stripping or there were even suggestions to strip in the class is totally absurd. At the most the question asked by the instructor is- in a scenario that he were to make a suggestion to strip, how would participants respond? It is a question intended to urge participants to think why they would respond the way they would. It is intended to encourage students to examine the basis of their individual responses. Several such questions are asked that challenge our presumptions about norms, superstitions etc that normally lead to "in-the-box" or linear thinking. The professor takes an innovative approach toward developing an innovative mindset. He brings together nueroscience, evolutionary biology, space science (MFR technology), ancient yogic practices, psychology, modern design theory, innovation theories, management science among others, to provide holistic & experiential learning. It is sad that someone has totally misunderstood this and made a joke out of it.
The contract (touted as 'NDA' by the complainant) itself, by the way, if you understand the professor's purport, is intended as a first challenge- that of signing an undertaking to face the unknown. While we were told that such a declaration is legally binding (blah, blah), one only needs to step above the details to see through the exercise and appreciate the ingenuity of the approach. The declaration -handwriting it & signing it- is intended to drive in seriousness about the course, while challenging your mind and your fears. If you still don't get it, consider what your response would be if a total stranger approached you and asked you to write such a declaration? In daily work life, this is what happens. Someone gives us a creative task and our inhibitions prevent us from thinking freely and understanding the issues underlying any problem. Our solutions are, therefore, based on wrong or narrow notions. How many products don't fail in the market due to bad (sometimes, even stupid) design?
For the record, my experience of undergoing this course was clean and genuinely eye-opening. While I am not speaking on their behalf, I can confidently state that the female classmates of mine were not uncomfortable as far as I could understand and can recall. The course became a hit among those who joined it and was followed loyally. So much so, that a few wives of students joined the course and they completed it (no credits, though!) with full fervour. In the following term, Advanced edition of the course (Call it "Part 2") offered as an elective, again, had a dedicated following.
A set of people has totally missed the point. Correction... a set of people has totally missed the bus on what could have been a potentially transformational experience to them, had they made an earnest attempt to follow the message than throw muck around, over nothing (internal investigations are currently on, states the TV channel).
There might be more to the motive of this complaint/allegation than meets the eye. One doesn't need to have undergone the course to see it.
2010-06-16
Breakfast in Bengaluru; Dinner in Mumbai...
A few years back, if someone had said this, one would think that he is planning a day trip by air. With the Golden Quadrilateral in place, today, anyone one who drives down the distance on a car can make the same claim.
In planning for the return leg of our 12 day road trip, we had budget two days (daylight hours) to drive to Mumbai. Some suggested that we should halt at Belgaum, others said Kolhapur or Karad. These suggestions meant that it was assumed that the distance cannot be covered in a regular ‘day’ and that it is not safe (it still is not for many reasons) to drive at night. We also had a baby in tow and driver himself (me!) was expected to tire out by the time he covered about 700 km, professional driver as he is not.
For the record, I should state that I was underestimating my stamina, since I had in the past covered about 1996 miles (~3200 km) in a 96 hour round trip. But that was in the USA. Knowing the Indian road 700 km in a day seemed like a stretch. Obviously, I hadn't done much (or real) highway driving in India, in the last few years. Sure, the car you are driving also makes a lot of difference.
We set out at 6 AM sharp, in light drizzle, with the intent to make the most of daylight hours and cover the 700 KM in about 14 hours. This meant that we expected to do about 50 kmph in terms of real distance covered given the slowing, stopping, halting and simply trying to but not able to really overtake those cluster of trucks aching their way up ghats.
We drove comfortably, stopped to take pictures, lunch, drinks breaks and even a lay-bye power nap of 15 minutes. We were pretty happy that we reached Karad...but at 5:45 PM! At 61 kmph real speed, cruising mostly at 90 kmph, this is pretty neat. I am sure people with turbojet in their blood would be enthused by the prospect to make this distance in less than 10 hours; perilous as it may be. With a couple of hours of daylight still in sight, we drove on and reached Pune (880 KM) by 8:30 PM (same average even through a small stretch of ghat in 14.5 hours). Finally, we took another 2.5 hours to reach Mumbai (Pune-Mumbai on the expressway is another superb ride), yielding 1000 km in 17 hours. Late dinner in Mumbai meant that we actually saved a day on road. It is another matter that this upset my wife since she thinks I short-changed her by cutting short the vacation. (I know I will pay a price for this someday soon.)
Driving on NH4 is like jet skiing. As of this writing, NH4 is complete from Bengaluru through Pune barring a 15 km bye-pass of Ranebennur, which means you go through the town. One does not mind shelling out about 500 bucks in toll (they call it "road user fee") through the entire route. This segment of the Golden Quadrilateral is very well built and maintained. Some oddities remain- like people and animals crossing roads like they are walking in their backyard, but that’s a reality on every highway in India, no matter how wide or smooth it is and whether or not you pay toll.
The Mumbai-Pune expressway (alternative to NH4) is a wonderful exception to this rule. It is a great feeling driving through gargantuan tunnels (longest is about 1.5 km long) with three lanes and high ceilings, well lit in vibrant orange neon. In fact, watching three lanes of traffic zooming through tunnels in India is a first for me. Truck drivers need to yet learn how to use the Mumbai-Pune expressway. We saw at least five overturned trucks of all sizes- even 10-wheelers- belly-up on relatively sharp turns. Simply, they were just too fast and the guys probably ignored the warnings to slowing down. (There could be an arguable point about designing turns on expressways, but I will give engineers the benefit of doubt on this one)
It is not without reason that the entire NH4 (I am sure rest of GQ as well) carries frequently seen hoardings of the ruling Congress leaders. The GQ is indeed something to be proud of. It has phenomenal implications to the logistics, particularly, road transport industry. Fast road travel implies higher efficiency of transport vehicles; higher predictability through better planning; faster supply chains; development of storage and specialised infrastructure in ‘outer’ locations (where it would be cheaper) and overall economic savings. For personal travel as well, roads like GQ open up a safer option to travel by own cars (or bikes for those who prefer).
Bengaluru to Mumbai on road- all in a day’s work. Hadn’t thought of it that way, until yesterday.
In planning for the return leg of our 12 day road trip, we had budget two days (daylight hours) to drive to Mumbai. Some suggested that we should halt at Belgaum, others said Kolhapur or Karad. These suggestions meant that it was assumed that the distance cannot be covered in a regular ‘day’ and that it is not safe (it still is not for many reasons) to drive at night. We also had a baby in tow and driver himself (me!) was expected to tire out by the time he covered about 700 km, professional driver as he is not.
For the record, I should state that I was underestimating my stamina, since I had in the past covered about 1996 miles (~3200 km) in a 96 hour round trip. But that was in the USA. Knowing the Indian road 700 km in a day seemed like a stretch. Obviously, I hadn't done much (or real) highway driving in India, in the last few years. Sure, the car you are driving also makes a lot of difference.
We set out at 6 AM sharp, in light drizzle, with the intent to make the most of daylight hours and cover the 700 KM in about 14 hours. This meant that we expected to do about 50 kmph in terms of real distance covered given the slowing, stopping, halting and simply trying to but not able to really overtake those cluster of trucks aching their way up ghats.
We drove comfortably, stopped to take pictures, lunch, drinks breaks and even a lay-bye power nap of 15 minutes. We were pretty happy that we reached Karad...but at 5:45 PM! At 61 kmph real speed, cruising mostly at 90 kmph, this is pretty neat. I am sure people with turbojet in their blood would be enthused by the prospect to make this distance in less than 10 hours; perilous as it may be. With a couple of hours of daylight still in sight, we drove on and reached Pune (880 KM) by 8:30 PM (same average even through a small stretch of ghat in 14.5 hours). Finally, we took another 2.5 hours to reach Mumbai (Pune-Mumbai on the expressway is another superb ride), yielding 1000 km in 17 hours. Late dinner in Mumbai meant that we actually saved a day on road. It is another matter that this upset my wife since she thinks I short-changed her by cutting short the vacation. (I know I will pay a price for this someday soon.)
Driving on NH4 is like jet skiing. As of this writing, NH4 is complete from Bengaluru through Pune barring a 15 km bye-pass of Ranebennur, which means you go through the town. One does not mind shelling out about 500 bucks in toll (they call it "road user fee") through the entire route. This segment of the Golden Quadrilateral is very well built and maintained. Some oddities remain- like people and animals crossing roads like they are walking in their backyard, but that’s a reality on every highway in India, no matter how wide or smooth it is and whether or not you pay toll.
The Mumbai-Pune expressway (alternative to NH4) is a wonderful exception to this rule. It is a great feeling driving through gargantuan tunnels (longest is about 1.5 km long) with three lanes and high ceilings, well lit in vibrant orange neon. In fact, watching three lanes of traffic zooming through tunnels in India is a first for me. Truck drivers need to yet learn how to use the Mumbai-Pune expressway. We saw at least five overturned trucks of all sizes- even 10-wheelers- belly-up on relatively sharp turns. Simply, they were just too fast and the guys probably ignored the warnings to slowing down. (There could be an arguable point about designing turns on expressways, but I will give engineers the benefit of doubt on this one)
It is not without reason that the entire NH4 (I am sure rest of GQ as well) carries frequently seen hoardings of the ruling Congress leaders. The GQ is indeed something to be proud of. It has phenomenal implications to the logistics, particularly, road transport industry. Fast road travel implies higher efficiency of transport vehicles; higher predictability through better planning; faster supply chains; development of storage and specialised infrastructure in ‘outer’ locations (where it would be cheaper) and overall economic savings. For personal travel as well, roads like GQ open up a safer option to travel by own cars (or bikes for those who prefer).
Bengaluru to Mumbai on road- all in a day’s work. Hadn’t thought of it that way, until yesterday.
2010-06-12
Billions of people, infinite secrets
I recently stumbled upon this new website titled and tagged 'Six billion secrets- Everyone has a secret. What's yours?'.
This is one of the most interesting websites I have visited of late. The concept itself is tremendously innovative. Sign up, keep sharing your secrets. People comment on your secrets, offering mostly encouragement. People vote for top secrets. Linked to Facebook, people can 'Like It' a secret.(More on this later). People can share it with others by email or tweet about it.
This kind of a website, does have some benefits as I see it. Firstly, this is a great cleansing mechanism. While Christianity (not segregating sub-sects and their treatment) recommends the practice of Confession, which is all about cleansing, I gather from what I read, see and hear, that only the devote Christians do it anymore. For people who still want to confess outside of a Confession Box, this is as easy as it gets. There are probably as many people reading the secrets as are writing or revealing. While some secrets (on the website) have led to words of encouragement or validation through response comments, most are yet to be commented upon. One can also look at this as an open (still anonymous) personal journal. Writing journals is supposedly therapeutic for some people.
Secondly, it gives readers encouragement that 'they are not alone' when it comes to complications in personal life. Thirdly, if the revealer is looking for guidance, the comments from people will probably, get them the help they were shy to ask in person. In any case, if a sufficient number of people advise, there will probably be a heightened sense of relief to the revealer that he or she got the right guidance (wisdom of the crowds principle, in a way), which would not happen if the revealer told the secret only to one person.
It has been interesting to read about the type of secrets being written down. Some are downright confessions, some life changing concerns if addressed, some have tremendous amount of pain in them, others are romantically cute admissions.
However, I could not figure out what 'top secret' means to people. It is clear there is a voting mechanism ("Choose Yes ONLY if the secret really moves you!"). Possibly, 'Like It' votes too fetch some weightage toward top secret tag. But why would the voter say he or she 'liked it'? Is it because it is well articulated? people appreciate 'coming out' with that secret, because it is so deep? Or is it because the secret is moving? If names were revealed, is there potential for most 'damage'? What determines Top here?
But there are several questions that come to mind with such a bold concept.
Would you write a secret here? Even under an assumed name? Would Indians see same value in the website as I would expect Americans, British or other culture people to? I would love to know the real answer to this, as real stats on the website could reveal. As far as I could see, there is no such facility on the website. I would think such information might carry some commercial value to, say, psychiatrists. In the Western developed world, having a personal shrink is a normal requirement. Maybe shrinks play the role that families and large set of friends do not. In some cases, they are the only recourse to situations that require 'medical' attention. Will this website abate the need for frequent visits to shrinks? Why not, because afterll a a shrink, supposedly, does not say anything judgmental, but only guides the 'patient' into revealing their innermost motives, thoughts, secrets in confidence. Sure, one will not be able to diagnose or prescribe meds for what any condition that might get diagnosed by a psychiatrist.
I kept thinking about it and could not conclude. However, one of the "secrets", more of a quote summed up exactly what I was thinking.
It's secret #8067 "Now that I think about it, I'm glad we can't read minds.The world would be a much scarier place."
Check out www.sixbillionsecrets.com
This is one of the most interesting websites I have visited of late. The concept itself is tremendously innovative. Sign up, keep sharing your secrets. People comment on your secrets, offering mostly encouragement. People vote for top secrets. Linked to Facebook, people can 'Like It' a secret.(More on this later). People can share it with others by email or tweet about it.
This kind of a website, does have some benefits as I see it. Firstly, this is a great cleansing mechanism. While Christianity (not segregating sub-sects and their treatment) recommends the practice of Confession, which is all about cleansing, I gather from what I read, see and hear, that only the devote Christians do it anymore. For people who still want to confess outside of a Confession Box, this is as easy as it gets. There are probably as many people reading the secrets as are writing or revealing. While some secrets (on the website) have led to words of encouragement or validation through response comments, most are yet to be commented upon. One can also look at this as an open (still anonymous) personal journal. Writing journals is supposedly therapeutic for some people.
Secondly, it gives readers encouragement that 'they are not alone' when it comes to complications in personal life. Thirdly, if the revealer is looking for guidance, the comments from people will probably, get them the help they were shy to ask in person. In any case, if a sufficient number of people advise, there will probably be a heightened sense of relief to the revealer that he or she got the right guidance (wisdom of the crowds principle, in a way), which would not happen if the revealer told the secret only to one person.
It has been interesting to read about the type of secrets being written down. Some are downright confessions, some life changing concerns if addressed, some have tremendous amount of pain in them, others are romantically cute admissions.
However, I could not figure out what 'top secret' means to people. It is clear there is a voting mechanism ("Choose Yes ONLY if the secret really moves you!"). Possibly, 'Like It' votes too fetch some weightage toward top secret tag. But why would the voter say he or she 'liked it'? Is it because it is well articulated? people appreciate 'coming out' with that secret, because it is so deep? Or is it because the secret is moving? If names were revealed, is there potential for most 'damage'? What determines Top here?
But there are several questions that come to mind with such a bold concept.
Would you write a secret here? Even under an assumed name? Would Indians see same value in the website as I would expect Americans, British or other culture people to? I would love to know the real answer to this, as real stats on the website could reveal. As far as I could see, there is no such facility on the website. I would think such information might carry some commercial value to, say, psychiatrists. In the Western developed world, having a personal shrink is a normal requirement. Maybe shrinks play the role that families and large set of friends do not. In some cases, they are the only recourse to situations that require 'medical' attention. Will this website abate the need for frequent visits to shrinks? Why not, because afterll a a shrink, supposedly, does not say anything judgmental, but only guides the 'patient' into revealing their innermost motives, thoughts, secrets in confidence. Sure, one will not be able to diagnose or prescribe meds for what any condition that might get diagnosed by a psychiatrist.
I kept thinking about it and could not conclude. However, one of the "secrets", more of a quote summed up exactly what I was thinking.
It's secret #8067 "Now that I think about it, I'm glad we can't read minds.The world would be a much scarier place."
Check out www.sixbillionsecrets.com
2010-06-09
Ode to a Road
[Inspired by NH17 Goa-Mangalore stretch on the current road trip.
Something was definitely right about this place this time of the year.]
As the mist fades away in reverence to the rising sun,
Shades of green tell on the annual rain-dance that's begun
With the green, not any green but a bright florescent glow,
Dark shades play with shadows of tall trees, in perfect flow
Large trucks rushing past the awakening village & town,
Get mocked by the bullock carts of wet hay light brown
Life begins asimple, on the clockwork of daily routine,
What you saw here yesterday, today's just the same scene
Coastal road this one, teases you with rare cliffs and the sea,
Taking scene away after just a glimpse, like unsure dance of a bee
Meandering road; colorful offshoots,some straight some cower,
Sprinkled among jack-fruit, mango and banyan, lies mayflower
Bedecked elephant cloaked in saffron, green and gold marches,
To the hill where he would bless the crowd by the temple arches
Dew drops fall on the windshield, in a splash, turning to stream,
Reminding me to not lose track of road, not lose my driving steam
As miles roll down under my wheels, each turn alive and fresh,
Brown earth on the shoulder changes color, zephyr becomes windy thresh
As I move down the ghats, gaining speed and swaying on the bends,
I think- this is real, I am here, with nature, there is no pretense
As morning recedes making way to forenoon, waiting crowds behold,
For carriers to take them to their place of work and their life's goals
Sun breaks through the clouds, makes schoolgirls open their shades,
In grey and pink pinafores, mayflowers in hand, such gleeful maids
Envious I become of the offices here, structures overlooking the sea
I work on a sixth floor by a window, but this is where I want work to be
For I have seen sights ante-monsoon; wet fields and blooming trees,
Cruising down this homely route, I have seen even a peacock fly by me
My eyes are fixed on the statue at a distance, rising above the waters,
Temple of the Destroyer, the tall tower, ode to His virtuous powers
As I drive away from the highway, into the little town by Arabian sea,
I wonder whether this coastal road is as beautiful as any road can be.
-MGP
Something was definitely right about this place this time of the year.]
As the mist fades away in reverence to the rising sun,
Shades of green tell on the annual rain-dance that's begun
With the green, not any green but a bright florescent glow,
Dark shades play with shadows of tall trees, in perfect flow
Large trucks rushing past the awakening village & town,
Get mocked by the bullock carts of wet hay light brown
Life begins asimple, on the clockwork of daily routine,
What you saw here yesterday, today's just the same scene
Coastal road this one, teases you with rare cliffs and the sea,
Taking scene away after just a glimpse, like unsure dance of a bee
Meandering road; colorful offshoots,some straight some cower,
Sprinkled among jack-fruit, mango and banyan, lies mayflower
Bedecked elephant cloaked in saffron, green and gold marches,
To the hill where he would bless the crowd by the temple arches
Dew drops fall on the windshield, in a splash, turning to stream,
Reminding me to not lose track of road, not lose my driving steam
As miles roll down under my wheels, each turn alive and fresh,
Brown earth on the shoulder changes color, zephyr becomes windy thresh
As I move down the ghats, gaining speed and swaying on the bends,
I think- this is real, I am here, with nature, there is no pretense
As morning recedes making way to forenoon, waiting crowds behold,
For carriers to take them to their place of work and their life's goals
Sun breaks through the clouds, makes schoolgirls open their shades,
In grey and pink pinafores, mayflowers in hand, such gleeful maids
Envious I become of the offices here, structures overlooking the sea
I work on a sixth floor by a window, but this is where I want work to be
For I have seen sights ante-monsoon; wet fields and blooming trees,
Cruising down this homely route, I have seen even a peacock fly by me
My eyes are fixed on the statue at a distance, rising above the waters,
Temple of the Destroyer, the tall tower, ode to His virtuous powers
As I drive away from the highway, into the little town by Arabian sea,
I wonder whether this coastal road is as beautiful as any road can be.
-MGP
2010-05-26
A proud father
A father so proud, of his little boy
He sees himself, only younger, ah what joy
Those baby eyes, show him once more
Innocence he thought was lost in yore
A little outburst, from a nudge here
His toothless smile, from a tickle dear
Lilting laughter, mellifluous like stream
But boy's antics make his mother scream
Tiny yawns beacon the li'l guy to bed
But his curious mind, refuses to be led
His tired body, yearning to turn in
But racy mind, wins over, won't give in
His grit is unnerving, his strength to see
Moving chair, table and things bigger than he
His curiosity brimming, he opens all doors
Scrambling in and out cupboards, on all fours
Doesn't speak a word, yet, says so much
With his eyes, with his cries and his touch
Oh! that puppy face, when he wants his way
Let alone father, the mountains would sway
Everyday father learns a new lesson
Of life, happiness and abandon
Sees each day how the son grows tall
Even as the he feels his own age fall
Father thinks 'wait my son, don't grow, you'
I'm just getting to know now, can't outgrow you
Wait for me, I am growing, at heart, young and blue
Keep playing, and one day I'll be as young as you
-MGP
He sees himself, only younger, ah what joy
Those baby eyes, show him once more
Innocence he thought was lost in yore
A little outburst, from a nudge here
His toothless smile, from a tickle dear
Lilting laughter, mellifluous like stream
But boy's antics make his mother scream
Tiny yawns beacon the li'l guy to bed
But his curious mind, refuses to be led
His tired body, yearning to turn in
But racy mind, wins over, won't give in
His grit is unnerving, his strength to see
Moving chair, table and things bigger than he
His curiosity brimming, he opens all doors
Scrambling in and out cupboards, on all fours
Doesn't speak a word, yet, says so much
With his eyes, with his cries and his touch
Oh! that puppy face, when he wants his way
Let alone father, the mountains would sway
Everyday father learns a new lesson
Of life, happiness and abandon
Sees each day how the son grows tall
Even as the he feels his own age fall
Father thinks 'wait my son, don't grow, you'
I'm just getting to know now, can't outgrow you
Wait for me, I am growing, at heart, young and blue
Keep playing, and one day I'll be as young as you
-MGP
2010-03-23
Mongoose and snake
In the era of bite sized entertainment, 'byte sized' if you bring in the digital angle to it, shortness and sports are related at some level.
"Jesus wept" is the shortest verse in The Bible. The phrase, however, found its way into popular jargon when short skirts found their place in international tennis. The phrase now represents the phenomenon personified by Navratilova and her predecessors, Kournikova, Sherapova and their successors.
At another level of shortness, take cricket for example: from a 5-day-long affair to a day long version to the now as-long-as-a-movie format with T20, innovation in cricket has found for it new fans. Cricket has probably also recovered lost fans.
The information convergence led to competition, for the attention of the consumer, between traditional broadcasting media and the mobile & the Internet as media. And the consumer is increasingly drawn toward personalised entertainment. Anyone who has enjoyed the award winning video feeds on youtube (dispite all the garbage that people upload) and other video feeds can tell you why the Internet offers better quality (measured as better value per unit time?) over TV in general. Don't like NGC or Discovery channel in Hindi? Personalise it into English (or vice versa) with digital DTH. DTH is driven by technology, but consumerism (of it) is mixedly driven by need and affordability.
To apply this logic to sports, I think the race for quality content measured per unit time is another reason why shorter formats of games like cricket will revolutionize the way we consume sports-as-entertainment. You personalise the consumption of sports by chosing the format you like best.
A couple of days back, two new IPL team franchises were sold for almost 150% of the price paid for all eight original franchise teams three years back. It's like saying 'two for the price of ten'. Franchise owners know that the IPL wave has only touched the shores of Tier II cities. There is a lot of cricket ground waiting to be covered.
Talking of shortness, the quintessential cricket bat has become shorter!!! "Mongoose" is deemed to become the latest innovation in cricket. Named eponymously for the animal's ferocity, the new bat is 44% shorter on the body, compensated in weight by thickness and in length by a longer handle. Like one cricket commentator was saying, the bat in Mathew Hayden's hands looks more like a club than a bat. And clobbering Hayden did demonstrate a couple of matches ago. Mongoose helped run the meter fast!
If the the five day version of the game is the snake and the T20 version the Mongoose, who will win this match? The match, you can bet, will be much longer than an evening with IPL.
"Jesus wept" is the shortest verse in The Bible. The phrase, however, found its way into popular jargon when short skirts found their place in international tennis. The phrase now represents the phenomenon personified by Navratilova and her predecessors, Kournikova, Sherapova and their successors.
At another level of shortness, take cricket for example: from a 5-day-long affair to a day long version to the now as-long-as-a-movie format with T20, innovation in cricket has found for it new fans. Cricket has probably also recovered lost fans.
The information convergence led to competition, for the attention of the consumer, between traditional broadcasting media and the mobile & the Internet as media. And the consumer is increasingly drawn toward personalised entertainment. Anyone who has enjoyed the award winning video feeds on youtube (dispite all the garbage that people upload) and other video feeds can tell you why the Internet offers better quality (measured as better value per unit time?) over TV in general. Don't like NGC or Discovery channel in Hindi? Personalise it into English (or vice versa) with digital DTH. DTH is driven by technology, but consumerism (of it) is mixedly driven by need and affordability.
To apply this logic to sports, I think the race for quality content measured per unit time is another reason why shorter formats of games like cricket will revolutionize the way we consume sports-as-entertainment. You personalise the consumption of sports by chosing the format you like best.
A couple of days back, two new IPL team franchises were sold for almost 150% of the price paid for all eight original franchise teams three years back. It's like saying 'two for the price of ten'. Franchise owners know that the IPL wave has only touched the shores of Tier II cities. There is a lot of cricket ground waiting to be covered.
Talking of shortness, the quintessential cricket bat has become shorter!!! "Mongoose" is deemed to become the latest innovation in cricket. Named eponymously for the animal's ferocity, the new bat is 44% shorter on the body, compensated in weight by thickness and in length by a longer handle. Like one cricket commentator was saying, the bat in Mathew Hayden's hands looks more like a club than a bat. And clobbering Hayden did demonstrate a couple of matches ago. Mongoose helped run the meter fast!
If the the five day version of the game is the snake and the T20 version the Mongoose, who will win this match? The match, you can bet, will be much longer than an evening with IPL.
2010-03-17
On public etiquette and sycophancy
Breakneck traffic on hardly busy suburban roads, Honda Civics brushing past caravans of pedal-rickshaws, traffic quasi-police trying in vain to control the flow of automobiles and an off-duty policeman without a helmet trying to cross the road even while the mainstream traffic cruised along... these are what I observed in the first ten minutes in the land of chikan and 'pehle aap - tehzeeb' (etiquette of 'you first').
But the most striking thing was that the city was aglow with blue colored lighting, blue colored cloth hoardings, large posters bearing photographs and symbols of the governing party politicians. Whizzing past statue after statue of the chief minister and mentors of the political party, I could not but wonder how much money was being spent on this mega-celebration. Then we drove past the planned venue for the gala anniversary event where more than a hundred thousand people were expected to assemble in a couple of days. But it appeared as if all the police jeeps in the city had already found parking around the locale.
My driver explained in a careful tone how the administration is spending 'araboan rupayeh' (unimaginably high amount of money) for an anniversary. While farmers and students outside the city make do with just a few hours of power everyday, the city casts a blue stamp in the sky for the passing satellite.
There was one conspicuous stretch of road though that bore absolutely no lighting. Nothing else changed- smooth as glass tarmac, neatly painted traffic-lanes, manicured divider and dedicated, separated pedestrian and bicycle tracks. The stretch was dark with no street lights of any type. The ensuing explanation of the anomaly told me about how politicians' egos function in complete isolation from public safety norms. The particular stretch of road was apparently the dream project the former chief minister. The project having been a success and the current administration being at constant loggerheads with the former, the latter chose to downplay the success of the road by knocking out all lights. Who would dare cross the road here?
Three days hence, we now know that fifty million dollars were spent and a garland made of currency notes worth a million dollars was presented to the chief of the party. Where the money came from is altogether a different question and for the CAG of India to worry. In a state where the number of people living below poverty line is one of the highest in the country, this amount of money given to them, in kind -food and shelter even- would have had a colossal impact on thousands of lives. If caste politics is the name of the game, fine, the party could have still distributed the money to their own voters if no one else. Even that, biased it may have been, would have still served a social cause.
Do the people from the, historically, economically disadvantaged factions, whose cause the party claims to champion and who voted this party to power, wonder why their chosen one did not make better use of the money? Or did they admire the pink garland of grands, thinking all the while that it looked so big and so pretty it befitted a white elephant?
A million dollar currency garland and a fifty million dollar gala is bad public tehzeeb for any leader in any land.
But the most striking thing was that the city was aglow with blue colored lighting, blue colored cloth hoardings, large posters bearing photographs and symbols of the governing party politicians. Whizzing past statue after statue of the chief minister and mentors of the political party, I could not but wonder how much money was being spent on this mega-celebration. Then we drove past the planned venue for the gala anniversary event where more than a hundred thousand people were expected to assemble in a couple of days. But it appeared as if all the police jeeps in the city had already found parking around the locale.
My driver explained in a careful tone how the administration is spending 'araboan rupayeh' (unimaginably high amount of money) for an anniversary. While farmers and students outside the city make do with just a few hours of power everyday, the city casts a blue stamp in the sky for the passing satellite.
There was one conspicuous stretch of road though that bore absolutely no lighting. Nothing else changed- smooth as glass tarmac, neatly painted traffic-lanes, manicured divider and dedicated, separated pedestrian and bicycle tracks. The stretch was dark with no street lights of any type. The ensuing explanation of the anomaly told me about how politicians' egos function in complete isolation from public safety norms. The particular stretch of road was apparently the dream project the former chief minister. The project having been a success and the current administration being at constant loggerheads with the former, the latter chose to downplay the success of the road by knocking out all lights. Who would dare cross the road here?
Three days hence, we now know that fifty million dollars were spent and a garland made of currency notes worth a million dollars was presented to the chief of the party. Where the money came from is altogether a different question and for the CAG of India to worry. In a state where the number of people living below poverty line is one of the highest in the country, this amount of money given to them, in kind -food and shelter even- would have had a colossal impact on thousands of lives. If caste politics is the name of the game, fine, the party could have still distributed the money to their own voters if no one else. Even that, biased it may have been, would have still served a social cause.
Do the people from the, historically, economically disadvantaged factions, whose cause the party claims to champion and who voted this party to power, wonder why their chosen one did not make better use of the money? Or did they admire the pink garland of grands, thinking all the while that it looked so big and so pretty it befitted a white elephant?
A million dollar currency garland and a fifty million dollar gala is bad public tehzeeb for any leader in any land.
2010-03-07
Recalling brand stories
Brands are like friends, good friends are honest and don't let friends down. This is, in brief, one of the points that Professor Abraham Koshy (
Read Profile ) made in his recent article on ET(Read Here).
Maruti-Suzuki A-Star's is an apt caselet for brand crisis prevention. Maruti-Suzuki's major, even if not the first, recall highlights the sea change in how Indian producers treat their consumers.
But when did Indian brands, let's say specifically, Indian automobile brands become good friends of the consumer?
One of the key effects of our open market economy in automobile industry is that Indian players are no more taking consumers for granted. Faced with powerful peers who are quality conscious, responsible and honest, Indian producers have learned that for them "it 's the right way, or the highway". It was also probably the oft blamed Indian 'chalta hai' attitude coupled with the existence of seller's market for a long time, that had led to manufacturers' propensity to ignore issues that bothered consumers.
In 1999, I purchased Enfield's first aluminium-engine bike called Machismo A350. The bike suffered from noisy valves that chattered wildly. But Enfield did nothing despite complaints and the bike failed miserably. New avatars of the bike emerged a couple of years later, but many were left holding lemons.
Then, take for example, Bajaj Chetak's famous 'tilting of the scooter' trick. Unless the scooter was tilted at a difficult angle, known only to an owner, the fuel wouldn't start flowing. I remember seeing this growing up in the '80s, when scooters ruled, as well as in the mid 2000s, when aerodynamic bikes whizzed past the humble scooter. Everyone knew it was a fuel problem (you did not see it in other scooters, by the way). But Bajaj did nothing, apparently, to fix the problem for 20 odd years. I guess after some time the tilting became an ownership statement, a romantic one at that. And Bajaj could probably get away because of the strong heritage value. A Bajaj scooter offered mass consumer value on which India rode for a few generations.
But at some point in time between the 90s and early 2000s two things overtook the Bajaj scooter phenomenon. First, were the Bajaj bikes, which themselves were a response to the flood of 100 cc bikes that, to name the pioneers, Hero Honda and TVS Suzukis had caused. The second was the shifting consumer preference. Who cared for a technologically stagnant product when there were so many options available? Pick up any auto magazine and see how many pages the bikes table, already written in small sized font, runs into. So, is this one of the reasons why the Bajaj scooter was put to rest?
Today, however, it is the buyer's market. Consumerism, aided by information-empowerment in the background of open competition has helped clean up the manufacturer's act and enabled consumer to 'unfriend' the brands she cannot trust.
Read Profile ) made in his recent article on ET(Read Here).
Maruti-Suzuki A-Star's is an apt caselet for brand crisis prevention. Maruti-Suzuki's major, even if not the first, recall highlights the sea change in how Indian producers treat their consumers.
But when did Indian brands, let's say specifically, Indian automobile brands become good friends of the consumer?
One of the key effects of our open market economy in automobile industry is that Indian players are no more taking consumers for granted. Faced with powerful peers who are quality conscious, responsible and honest, Indian producers have learned that for them "it 's the right way, or the highway". It was also probably the oft blamed Indian 'chalta hai' attitude coupled with the existence of seller's market for a long time, that had led to manufacturers' propensity to ignore issues that bothered consumers.
In 1999, I purchased Enfield's first aluminium-engine bike called Machismo A350. The bike suffered from noisy valves that chattered wildly. But Enfield did nothing despite complaints and the bike failed miserably. New avatars of the bike emerged a couple of years later, but many were left holding lemons.
Then, take for example, Bajaj Chetak's famous 'tilting of the scooter' trick. Unless the scooter was tilted at a difficult angle, known only to an owner, the fuel wouldn't start flowing. I remember seeing this growing up in the '80s, when scooters ruled, as well as in the mid 2000s, when aerodynamic bikes whizzed past the humble scooter. Everyone knew it was a fuel problem (you did not see it in other scooters, by the way). But Bajaj did nothing, apparently, to fix the problem for 20 odd years. I guess after some time the tilting became an ownership statement, a romantic one at that. And Bajaj could probably get away because of the strong heritage value. A Bajaj scooter offered mass consumer value on which India rode for a few generations.
But at some point in time between the 90s and early 2000s two things overtook the Bajaj scooter phenomenon. First, were the Bajaj bikes, which themselves were a response to the flood of 100 cc bikes that, to name the pioneers, Hero Honda and TVS Suzukis had caused. The second was the shifting consumer preference. Who cared for a technologically stagnant product when there were so many options available? Pick up any auto magazine and see how many pages the bikes table, already written in small sized font, runs into. So, is this one of the reasons why the Bajaj scooter was put to rest?
Today, however, it is the buyer's market. Consumerism, aided by information-empowerment in the background of open competition has helped clean up the manufacturer's act and enabled consumer to 'unfriend' the brands she cannot trust.
2010-01-20
In Mumbai, it's all drama ...(Part 3, the critique)
Continued from the previous posts. First, read here then here.
The two scenes you read are real experiences, down to the details. The same thing happened to me twice in three/four months. It was not in the same place or similar time of the day, almost same nothing, except the trickster's modus operandi. The two points of rendezvous are separated by several miles. Mumbai suburbs are chock-a-block full of hundreds of thousands of cars and millions upon millions of people. What are the odds that this trickster had to run into me, again? What a statistical oddity, I initially thought.
Now that I think about it, there may be a reasonable explanation. After all, what would Levitt and Dubner say? I said earlier that scenarios were 'almost same nothing'. There might have been a reason she asked me for money the first time around. It must have been the car I am driving (my new and as such a popular mid-size sedan). That has to be a key factor.
Think of it this way...
Her modus operandi involves approaching people with a particular profile. On the road, it would be determined by the car people are driving. Also, just to make sure that there is no influence around the person who is approached, profile might also include a key point that the driver is only occupant in the car. And in order to elicit a favourable response, another reasonable filter might be that the driver is not an occupational driver but a self-driving owner. In Mumbai, a good proportion, even if not majority of car owners have a driver.(Sample set being my colleagues, neighbours and people I see on my usual route to work). The universal set is smaller now. This narrows the odds. The way probability works in reality, distribution is a mere estimate, not an actual map of how the events will pan out; clustered, rarefied, regular, whatever, but unpredictable. I seem to have been part of a statistical congregation.
When I told my wife, S, about the first scene she was flummoxed. 'So, why are you telling me this story after many months?' When I told her about scene#2, she could not believe it. 'People will do anything to make money. But, how smart (as in cunning-smart)' was her response.
While we were trying to size the opportunity of the road trick, it dawned upon us that maybe the auto rickshaw driver is a part of the game too. They share the spoils. S pointed out that when someone asks for help like this, it is likely that people will not look for change and will hand over a single bill. If you believe the trickster's story you will give her at least what she needs. If asked for 80, you'll probably hand over a 100. So, at hundred a piece, assuming she successfully melts five hearts, only during busy parts of the day, each month she is making more than, to quote an honest vocation, what an average public school teacher would make.
That's a handsome side business. Exchange a few words and earn quick bucks. The business model must be working and working well, if it is still alive for atleast few months that I witnessed it (could be longer, only I've known it for as long.)
Public mooching is indeed profitable. Any takers? Just make sure you don't fall for the particular auto vixen. (A bit cockily, I might add, say a hello to her if you do meet.)
The two scenes you read are real experiences, down to the details. The same thing happened to me twice in three/four months. It was not in the same place or similar time of the day, almost same nothing, except the trickster's modus operandi. The two points of rendezvous are separated by several miles. Mumbai suburbs are chock-a-block full of hundreds of thousands of cars and millions upon millions of people. What are the odds that this trickster had to run into me, again? What a statistical oddity, I initially thought.
Now that I think about it, there may be a reasonable explanation. After all, what would Levitt and Dubner say? I said earlier that scenarios were 'almost same nothing'. There might have been a reason she asked me for money the first time around. It must have been the car I am driving (my new and as such a popular mid-size sedan). That has to be a key factor.
Think of it this way...
Her modus operandi involves approaching people with a particular profile. On the road, it would be determined by the car people are driving. Also, just to make sure that there is no influence around the person who is approached, profile might also include a key point that the driver is only occupant in the car. And in order to elicit a favourable response, another reasonable filter might be that the driver is not an occupational driver but a self-driving owner. In Mumbai, a good proportion, even if not majority of car owners have a driver.(Sample set being my colleagues, neighbours and people I see on my usual route to work). The universal set is smaller now. This narrows the odds. The way probability works in reality, distribution is a mere estimate, not an actual map of how the events will pan out; clustered, rarefied, regular, whatever, but unpredictable. I seem to have been part of a statistical congregation.
When I told my wife, S, about the first scene she was flummoxed. 'So, why are you telling me this story after many months?' When I told her about scene#2, she could not believe it. 'People will do anything to make money. But, how smart (as in cunning-smart)' was her response.
While we were trying to size the opportunity of the road trick, it dawned upon us that maybe the auto rickshaw driver is a part of the game too. They share the spoils. S pointed out that when someone asks for help like this, it is likely that people will not look for change and will hand over a single bill. If you believe the trickster's story you will give her at least what she needs. If asked for 80, you'll probably hand over a 100. So, at hundred a piece, assuming she successfully melts five hearts, only during busy parts of the day, each month she is making more than, to quote an honest vocation, what an average public school teacher would make.
That's a handsome side business. Exchange a few words and earn quick bucks. The business model must be working and working well, if it is still alive for atleast few months that I witnessed it (could be longer, only I've known it for as long.)
Public mooching is indeed profitable. Any takers? Just make sure you don't fall for the particular auto vixen. (A bit cockily, I might add, say a hello to her if you do meet.)
2010-01-15
In Mumbai, there's lot of drama...(Part 2)
(Continued from here)
Scene#1 Take#2:
It's late on a Saturday winter afternoon in a winterless Mumbai. It is very crowded today as I drive from one point in the suburbs to another. 'When isn't it crowded?' are my thoughts as I pull into a traffic light. Trance is playing on my car music system just as I notice that I am surrounded by autorickshaws.
A face peers out of the auto stopped to my immediate right. The sweet looking girl gestures me to roll down my car window. And I think, 'Don't I know this girl? I am dreaming? This has happened to me before. Is this deja vu?' Mind races back to the last time this scene was played out. Four months back, rainy night, traffic, same gestures... 'Oh, I know what is coming. Damn...my instincts were on the dot! I am glad I did not fall for that trick last time',are my thoughts as I cut the music and roll down the window.
Looks can be deceptive. But I feel a little proud for having judged it right the first time around. I need to get this girl to understand that she cannot get away with it all the time. A meek 'Sorry!' wouldn't have the punch. I need to say it like she cannot forget it for some time. But, I cannot make a scene. If a guy shouts at a stranger-woman (by now, all the sweetness about her has metamorphosed into wiliness) who is asking for help, those around you will likely trash you verbally, or physically, before listening to your story. Then there will be lot of honking from those behind me who are not interested in seeing where this goes. The inanity of the potential chaos makes me think we'll settle it the simple way. I only need to get a point across.
So, by the time she says it, I am saying it in my mind, smile on my face 'Sir, can you please do me a favour?'. My smile widens, as I lift up my index finger and say ' Ma'am, I know what you are going to say. But you have asked me for this favour once before, remember?'. I think she does not recognize me. But, I am sure that she knows that I know. She knows that she has slipped this time. She also probably cannot believe that she has tried to trick the same guy twice. What are the odds, isn't it? There are some things money can buy, but the look on her face was priceless.
Anyway, I am glad I had recognized that confident delivery of the request the first time around. I see that confidence again, when she recovers her poise and with sufficient stoicism, responds with 'OK' and then withdraws into the auto rickshaw.
(To be continued)
Scene#1 Take#2:
It's late on a Saturday winter afternoon in a winterless Mumbai. It is very crowded today as I drive from one point in the suburbs to another. 'When isn't it crowded?' are my thoughts as I pull into a traffic light. Trance is playing on my car music system just as I notice that I am surrounded by autorickshaws.
A face peers out of the auto stopped to my immediate right. The sweet looking girl gestures me to roll down my car window. And I think, 'Don't I know this girl? I am dreaming? This has happened to me before. Is this deja vu?' Mind races back to the last time this scene was played out. Four months back, rainy night, traffic, same gestures... 'Oh, I know what is coming. Damn...my instincts were on the dot! I am glad I did not fall for that trick last time',are my thoughts as I cut the music and roll down the window.
Looks can be deceptive. But I feel a little proud for having judged it right the first time around. I need to get this girl to understand that she cannot get away with it all the time. A meek 'Sorry!' wouldn't have the punch. I need to say it like she cannot forget it for some time. But, I cannot make a scene. If a guy shouts at a stranger-woman (by now, all the sweetness about her has metamorphosed into wiliness) who is asking for help, those around you will likely trash you verbally, or physically, before listening to your story. Then there will be lot of honking from those behind me who are not interested in seeing where this goes. The inanity of the potential chaos makes me think we'll settle it the simple way. I only need to get a point across.
So, by the time she says it, I am saying it in my mind, smile on my face 'Sir, can you please do me a favour?'. My smile widens, as I lift up my index finger and say ' Ma'am, I know what you are going to say. But you have asked me for this favour once before, remember?'. I think she does not recognize me. But, I am sure that she knows that I know. She knows that she has slipped this time. She also probably cannot believe that she has tried to trick the same guy twice. What are the odds, isn't it? There are some things money can buy, but the look on her face was priceless.
Anyway, I am glad I had recognized that confident delivery of the request the first time around. I see that confidence again, when she recovers her poise and with sufficient stoicism, responds with 'OK' and then withdraws into the auto rickshaw.
(To be continued)
2010-01-09
In Mumbai, there's lots of drama...(Part 1)
Called by many names, Mumbai, as a film city, ensnares people's imagination like no other. Does life mimic cinema or cinema mimic life here? In the continuum of what imitates what, the answer must lie only somewhere at the center. You'll find all flavours of life on the street -romance, fantasy, adultery, violence, deceit, drama, comedy etc- as long as you care to step back and observe. When the regular Mumbaikar cannot escape the real virtuality of the city, how can a simple guy like me? Here's are a few scenes from my life in the past few months...
Scene#1 Take#1:
It's late on a rainy evening of an otherwise quiet Saturday. You might have noticed that when it has been drizzling continuously, things kind of quieten down. I am driving alone from one point in the suburbs to another, cutting across several busy junctions. Now, I am stuck at the same signal for the third time that the light changes back to red.
Just as I am cursing the traffic congestion, the autorickshaw that was , directionally speaking, hanging around my five o'clock pulls ahead to my one o'clock. A sweet face of a girl in her early twenties or late teens cranes out of the auto. Her hand gestures to me to roll down my car window. As I see her eyelashes blinking away rain drops, I wonder whether she is looking for directions. But she is in an auto and usually, it is me that goes to an auto for directions, not the other way round. Anyway, my car window hisses halfway down and I wait for her to speak.
She says,in perfect English, "Sir, can you please do me a favour?" I am all the more unsure about what to expect now. "Sir, I do not have money to pay to this autorishaw guy. Can you please give me 80 Rupees?" My mind races. Something is not right about this scenario. Her sweet voice wants me to believe this is a genuine request. Her immaculate private school educated accent tells me she must be coming from at least a middle class home. I cannot make out what she is wearing, but, someone in her position, I assume, must have a cellphone. Even if she does not have one, why doesn't she wait till she reaches her destination and arrange for money with whomever she is meeting? Maybe, she is even going home now. Either way, asking money, publicly, from a stranger, is not a smart thing to do in my opinion. Doing so exposes her vulnerability. Why is she asking me then?
A couple or three seconds pass as I consider all this. My thoughts are interrupted by her voice again, "Sir?". I have to decide whether I want to dig into my pocket or not. Would it be OK to not give her the money? 'Come on fast', I think. I go with my instincts and decide that the straight face and the confidence with which she delivered her request tells me that she is used to making such requests. Maybe she is just wanting to bill her ride on a stranger willing to help. Circumstances do not seem to be dire. So, I just shake my head and say "I am sorry!" and roll up my window. Her face disappears into the auto and I look around to check whether the light has changed. It has not.
In the background of raindrops falling on my car roof, I think about whether I did the right thing. She did seem sweet, after all.
(To be continued)
Scene#1 Take#1:
It's late on a rainy evening of an otherwise quiet Saturday. You might have noticed that when it has been drizzling continuously, things kind of quieten down. I am driving alone from one point in the suburbs to another, cutting across several busy junctions. Now, I am stuck at the same signal for the third time that the light changes back to red.
Just as I am cursing the traffic congestion, the autorickshaw that was , directionally speaking, hanging around my five o'clock pulls ahead to my one o'clock. A sweet face of a girl in her early twenties or late teens cranes out of the auto. Her hand gestures to me to roll down my car window. As I see her eyelashes blinking away rain drops, I wonder whether she is looking for directions. But she is in an auto and usually, it is me that goes to an auto for directions, not the other way round. Anyway, my car window hisses halfway down and I wait for her to speak.
She says,in perfect English, "Sir, can you please do me a favour?" I am all the more unsure about what to expect now. "Sir, I do not have money to pay to this autorishaw guy. Can you please give me 80 Rupees?" My mind races. Something is not right about this scenario. Her sweet voice wants me to believe this is a genuine request. Her immaculate private school educated accent tells me she must be coming from at least a middle class home. I cannot make out what she is wearing, but, someone in her position, I assume, must have a cellphone. Even if she does not have one, why doesn't she wait till she reaches her destination and arrange for money with whomever she is meeting? Maybe, she is even going home now. Either way, asking money, publicly, from a stranger, is not a smart thing to do in my opinion. Doing so exposes her vulnerability. Why is she asking me then?
A couple or three seconds pass as I consider all this. My thoughts are interrupted by her voice again, "Sir?". I have to decide whether I want to dig into my pocket or not. Would it be OK to not give her the money? 'Come on fast', I think. I go with my instincts and decide that the straight face and the confidence with which she delivered her request tells me that she is used to making such requests. Maybe she is just wanting to bill her ride on a stranger willing to help. Circumstances do not seem to be dire. So, I just shake my head and say "I am sorry!" and roll up my window. Her face disappears into the auto and I look around to check whether the light has changed. It has not.
In the background of raindrops falling on my car roof, I think about whether I did the right thing. She did seem sweet, after all.
(To be continued)
2010-01-05
No Discounting New Year's Eve
The Christmas to new year's week is usually filled with tension among those who want to put it on sale and those who come to buy it. On one hand are those willing to start their new year with a bang. They will shop till the ball drops. On the other, there are those who want bang for their buck. Bargain hunters will make sure they start the new year with 'new everything' with nothing more than a pinch on their wallet. Then there are those who will, each year, shop one last time before they step into the new year with a resolution to stop splurging altogether. The malls have something for all categories.
The weird thing, though, is if you want to stay at home on the new year's eve, you will not get an offer in just the right places. I was asked to register and sign up for promotions before I could access the downloadable coupons from a couple of top pizza houses in the country. And when I did download them, the fine print did not help my appetite- "This offer is not valid on 31-Dec-2009!" I am trying to recall if this is the case in the United States too. I guess they have special discounts on the turn of the year. Is it because the same chains in India think people here are less imaginative on new year's and would order more pizzas no matter what? Why then pass the opportunity to fill the orders, at full price, from home parties?
Hearing about New year's eve parties is one of the traditional catching up activities you do in the first week. After the first week, it's as boring as talking about last year! Anyway, as you'd have guessed ours was a 'nice' one at home. Sit at home, play with our son and order pizzas at full price; no offers! Don't get me wrong, for a bargain hunter is not really about money. Just like for a kleptomaniac, it is not about the item. Think bigger, it is a middle class value; more like a value game.
But for many the eve went better than they expected it to. For some it almost did. Here are some stories I heard...
One of my colleagues regretted that she and her husband could not go to Goa to one of the progressive trance parties where they ring every new year in. Later, on learning that, this year, the place got busted with a lot of drugs on site they thought it was a good sign of times to come.
Another colleague ushered new year in a resort and for unknown reasons (he thinks it is a case of mistaken identity), he and his wife received more than their share of hospitality. They could not believe their luck when they received as gift a 'three days all expenses covered package at a beach resort'. It was given as a reward for their loyal patronage. But, this was the first time the couple had even been to the city. Would you call that lucky start or what?
You have reason to be happy when you have free couples pass to, I was told, one of the coolest places to be in Mumbai. Named after an exotic amphibian, the place charges a high fee for its new year's party. If all a guy has, to take to the party, is another male friend, then he does not want to use the pass as a couples pass, lest he send out all the wrong signals. So, he should feel luckier that he gets two free passes to cover both the stags. Economically, as one colleague pointed out, this is a loss to a potential couple who could have instead gone free to the party with those two half unused passe. Anyway, this guy lands up and finds himself among TV celebrities and really cool crowd. Or hot crowd as he later corrected himself.
Having the time of his life, he lands up at the bar next to an attractive woman (his description was much risqué). Adrenalin and new years spirits propel him to ask her, harmlessly, if she would like to dance with him. He, however, is faced with the dilemma of answering the question- "How much will you pay me?" Got to give it to the honesty of the guy, unfazed, he replies "What are the standard rates at a place like this? I am new here." 'I charge twenty five thousand' pat comes the reply. Still maintaining his presence of mind and also trying some fishing, if not getting some more free airtime as well as taking a big risk on his reputation or judgement on class (But, no mincing words in Mumbai, they say) he says 'Isn't that a little too high even for today?'. Looks like this woman is ready for anything, she says 'For you I will give a 10% discount!'. That response, to me was simply Manoj T Shyamalan-esqe unanticipated. Tell me if you hear a better one than that in all of 2010!
Like I said, if you are into buying something, there is someone selling it for a discount on new years. Unfortunately, that does not seem to be the case with pizzas delivered home on New Year's eve.
The weird thing, though, is if you want to stay at home on the new year's eve, you will not get an offer in just the right places. I was asked to register and sign up for promotions before I could access the downloadable coupons from a couple of top pizza houses in the country. And when I did download them, the fine print did not help my appetite- "This offer is not valid on 31-Dec-2009!" I am trying to recall if this is the case in the United States too. I guess they have special discounts on the turn of the year. Is it because the same chains in India think people here are less imaginative on new year's and would order more pizzas no matter what? Why then pass the opportunity to fill the orders, at full price, from home parties?
Hearing about New year's eve parties is one of the traditional catching up activities you do in the first week. After the first week, it's as boring as talking about last year! Anyway, as you'd have guessed ours was a 'nice' one at home. Sit at home, play with our son and order pizzas at full price; no offers! Don't get me wrong, for a bargain hunter is not really about money. Just like for a kleptomaniac, it is not about the item. Think bigger, it is a middle class value; more like a value game.
But for many the eve went better than they expected it to. For some it almost did. Here are some stories I heard...
One of my colleagues regretted that she and her husband could not go to Goa to one of the progressive trance parties where they ring every new year in. Later, on learning that, this year, the place got busted with a lot of drugs on site they thought it was a good sign of times to come.
Another colleague ushered new year in a resort and for unknown reasons (he thinks it is a case of mistaken identity), he and his wife received more than their share of hospitality. They could not believe their luck when they received as gift a 'three days all expenses covered package at a beach resort'. It was given as a reward for their loyal patronage. But, this was the first time the couple had even been to the city. Would you call that lucky start or what?
You have reason to be happy when you have free couples pass to, I was told, one of the coolest places to be in Mumbai. Named after an exotic amphibian, the place charges a high fee for its new year's party. If all a guy has, to take to the party, is another male friend, then he does not want to use the pass as a couples pass, lest he send out all the wrong signals. So, he should feel luckier that he gets two free passes to cover both the stags. Economically, as one colleague pointed out, this is a loss to a potential couple who could have instead gone free to the party with those two half unused passe. Anyway, this guy lands up and finds himself among TV celebrities and really cool crowd. Or hot crowd as he later corrected himself.
Having the time of his life, he lands up at the bar next to an attractive woman (his description was much risqué). Adrenalin and new years spirits propel him to ask her, harmlessly, if she would like to dance with him. He, however, is faced with the dilemma of answering the question- "How much will you pay me?" Got to give it to the honesty of the guy, unfazed, he replies "What are the standard rates at a place like this? I am new here." 'I charge twenty five thousand' pat comes the reply. Still maintaining his presence of mind and also trying some fishing, if not getting some more free airtime as well as taking a big risk on his reputation or judgement on class (But, no mincing words in Mumbai, they say) he says 'Isn't that a little too high even for today?'. Looks like this woman is ready for anything, she says 'For you I will give a 10% discount!'. That response, to me was simply Manoj T Shyamalan-esqe unanticipated. Tell me if you hear a better one than that in all of 2010!
Like I said, if you are into buying something, there is someone selling it for a discount on new years. Unfortunately, that does not seem to be the case with pizzas delivered home on New Year's eve.
2009-11-26
Flights of fantasy (Sarvé janaahaa Sukhoi-no bhavanthu)
'Now, wouldn't I like to be the president of India?' was the first thought that came to my mind when I heard our president had completed her first sub-sonic sortie. Atleast, then, I would get to fly in a Sukhoi and tick one of the hundred things to do before I die. Not even those who spend a lifetime in the Air Force get a chance like this.
But, what was the president doing in a Sukhoi in the first place? Is this the 21st century version of the traditional guard of honour inspection? May be it is one of the perks of being a president in a non-federal democracy. I am sure the prez plays a key role of upholding the constitutional processes, but, unless there is an emergency, the president does not need to pull any rabbits out of their hat. So, what do you do after you have settled down in your job? Scale new heights...literally?
But really, what was the motive behind riding a Sukhoi? It could not be a political statement (except help raise Left's eyebrows), no sir. Once in office, our president hardly need make any political manoeuvers unless instigated by a drastic turn of events- man made or otherwise. Officially, there is no obligation to prove geriatric fitness for aeronautical worklife. Maybe there is such a thing as first ladies' and gents' club out there that I am not aware of that is trying to set precedents for presidents.
At the end of the sortie, the president clarified that while she is (now, all the more) confident that women can do it (a Sukhoi-esque task), she would rather the government sorted out the moral and social feasibility of letting women into active fighter-jet airtime combat duty. From what I gathered from an ex-army lady, most countries, India included, are not there yet. So, it could not be about encouraging women into the armed forces, could it? If it is, then it is pretty expensive advertisement.
What could the common man be thinking? While we are blown away by our president's gutsiness, are masses thinking whether they will get blown away to bits in an act of alien cowardice. While lucky officials relish unusually fantastic funflights, do masses wonder where the next meal will come from, will their hut survive the next floods or their fields the next drought? Does the middle class wonder whether Earth is turning lunar the way potholes on roads expand and vehicles jump over metro construction debris as if locomoting in 1/6th gravity? What are all those cabinet ministers, MPs and MLAs thinking about the austerity measures government was insisting upon, oh so loudly, just weeks ago? May be they think they should tweet more often?
At an individual level, there is awe, respect and some green eye here. But seriously, what was the president doing in a Sukhoi? The president, having conquered the G-forces now wishes to break the sound barrier. I hope the voice of concern of the masses reaches the president's ears at the speed of sound.
"Confusious (sic) say: President that break sound barrier, going too fast for its people"
But, what was the president doing in a Sukhoi in the first place? Is this the 21st century version of the traditional guard of honour inspection? May be it is one of the perks of being a president in a non-federal democracy. I am sure the prez plays a key role of upholding the constitutional processes, but, unless there is an emergency, the president does not need to pull any rabbits out of their hat. So, what do you do after you have settled down in your job? Scale new heights...literally?
But really, what was the motive behind riding a Sukhoi? It could not be a political statement (except help raise Left's eyebrows), no sir. Once in office, our president hardly need make any political manoeuvers unless instigated by a drastic turn of events- man made or otherwise. Officially, there is no obligation to prove geriatric fitness for aeronautical worklife. Maybe there is such a thing as first ladies' and gents' club out there that I am not aware of that is trying to set precedents for presidents.
At the end of the sortie, the president clarified that while she is (now, all the more) confident that women can do it (a Sukhoi-esque task), she would rather the government sorted out the moral and social feasibility of letting women into active fighter-jet airtime combat duty. From what I gathered from an ex-army lady, most countries, India included, are not there yet. So, it could not be about encouraging women into the armed forces, could it? If it is, then it is pretty expensive advertisement.
What could the common man be thinking? While we are blown away by our president's gutsiness, are masses thinking whether they will get blown away to bits in an act of alien cowardice. While lucky officials relish unusually fantastic funflights, do masses wonder where the next meal will come from, will their hut survive the next floods or their fields the next drought? Does the middle class wonder whether Earth is turning lunar the way potholes on roads expand and vehicles jump over metro construction debris as if locomoting in 1/6th gravity? What are all those cabinet ministers, MPs and MLAs thinking about the austerity measures government was insisting upon, oh so loudly, just weeks ago? May be they think they should tweet more often?
At an individual level, there is awe, respect and some green eye here. But seriously, what was the president doing in a Sukhoi? The president, having conquered the G-forces now wishes to break the sound barrier. I hope the voice of concern of the masses reaches the president's ears at the speed of sound.
"Confusious (sic) say: President that break sound barrier, going too fast for its people"
2009-08-21
Spook of numbers and names
Let me first confess that I am posting this stranded at a domestic airport in a city which is usually in the news for being lashed by rains. This time, however, force majeure in The Capital has impelled me to look for something to do for two hours in an airport that has very little to offer by way of anything to do. There is a massage parlour;'Massage, My foot!', I think.
If there were a South East Asian kitchen here, I would have relished each bite knowing very well that the voice that beckons me to the airplane (and always makes the mistake of putting kindness in the wrong place saying "all passengers are kindly requested to proceed toward the aircraft") will not wake up for sometime. But alas, there is only junk food all around. The vending machine has only magazines from God's Own Country (and I am nowhere near there). Thank heavens for little mercies such as wireless broadband.
Anyway, talking about coincidences...
A few months back, I joined a company the name of which shares most of its characters with the name of my previous employer(Note: Each has its own place and brand in the industry and it is a part of my job to make sure my current one shines brighter). The initials of names of the companies are the same. The last building I worked in the last job carries the same name as one of two office building I shuttle between nowadays. Remember, I am talking about two different cities here, my stay separated by a year and a half.
Last year, a new generation of car got introduced and it caught my fancy. Even though I knew very well that I would be graduating in a downswing year, I developed a progressively stronger desire to possess one. My wise wife brought me back to reality. But by then I had already mail-ordered the car brochure to our address in the campus. You can say that the intent to buy the car was established. It was about this time last year. Anyway, in the milieu of hectic job search, all was forgotten. One year hence... I have rented (rented) a home and bought (hypothecated) a new car. Both will 'arrive' next week. Why am I ranting about all this?
Coincidences continue- both the car and the complex that I have rented share a part of the name. But that's not what excites me the most. A couple of days back, my wife just pointed out to me that the 'door number' of the house we are moving into is the same as that we had last rented.(The same one to where I ordered the car brochure).
So, if you get the flow some names and numbers have been chasing me for a year and a half. Somehow they have gotten linked across months and places. It is like being in a continuum of numbers and names across time and space. Some of this has bothering me. For someone who believes in astronomical alignments, this will be a minuscule case study. For someone likes numbers, this is a good example of statistical congregation of sorts. For someone who believes that inner and probably sublime processes of the mind driving man's actions (a la Freud, who said there are no accidental actions?) I am really getting it going, isn't it?
But, darn.. maybe it is just that the airport is getting to me and that I am a little desperate, not having posted in a long time.
Ah, there it is.. the voice "All passengers are kindly requested to proceed toward the aircraft". The kindness of this public address is indeed painful.
If there were a South East Asian kitchen here, I would have relished each bite knowing very well that the voice that beckons me to the airplane (and always makes the mistake of putting kindness in the wrong place saying "all passengers are kindly requested to proceed toward the aircraft") will not wake up for sometime. But alas, there is only junk food all around. The vending machine has only magazines from God's Own Country (and I am nowhere near there). Thank heavens for little mercies such as wireless broadband.
Anyway, talking about coincidences...
A few months back, I joined a company the name of which shares most of its characters with the name of my previous employer(Note: Each has its own place and brand in the industry and it is a part of my job to make sure my current one shines brighter). The initials of names of the companies are the same. The last building I worked in the last job carries the same name as one of two office building I shuttle between nowadays. Remember, I am talking about two different cities here, my stay separated by a year and a half.
Last year, a new generation of car got introduced and it caught my fancy. Even though I knew very well that I would be graduating in a downswing year, I developed a progressively stronger desire to possess one. My wise wife brought me back to reality. But by then I had already mail-ordered the car brochure to our address in the campus. You can say that the intent to buy the car was established. It was about this time last year. Anyway, in the milieu of hectic job search, all was forgotten. One year hence... I have rented (rented) a home and bought (hypothecated) a new car. Both will 'arrive' next week. Why am I ranting about all this?
Coincidences continue- both the car and the complex that I have rented share a part of the name. But that's not what excites me the most. A couple of days back, my wife just pointed out to me that the 'door number' of the house we are moving into is the same as that we had last rented.(The same one to where I ordered the car brochure).
So, if you get the flow some names and numbers have been chasing me for a year and a half. Somehow they have gotten linked across months and places. It is like being in a continuum of numbers and names across time and space. Some of this has bothering me. For someone who believes in astronomical alignments, this will be a minuscule case study. For someone likes numbers, this is a good example of statistical congregation of sorts. For someone who believes that inner and probably sublime processes of the mind driving man's actions (a la Freud, who said there are no accidental actions?) I am really getting it going, isn't it?
But, darn.. maybe it is just that the airport is getting to me and that I am a little desperate, not having posted in a long time.
Ah, there it is.. the voice "All passengers are kindly requested to proceed toward the aircraft". The kindness of this public address is indeed painful.
2009-06-21
Up and down in Mumbai
Mumbai, the big city of India, teaches you something new every day. The last six weeks have been full of hopes rising up and hopes falling down, traveling up and down, moving up and down and looking up and down.
For the most part of last three weeks, the small talk has revolved around the delayed onset of monsoons. Wiping beads of sweat off their foreheads, people glance up at the sky and shake their heads down in disbelief that rains have beaten them in to the sultry mid-summer. Kids though too happy to go back to school, also probably wonder when it will be called off for a day or two when the waters enshroud the roads and bring productivity of the city down.
My second day in Mumbai was spent learning firsthand the vicissitudes of life on a ‘local’. My local batch mates from IIMA-PGPX had planned a meeting, it so happened, on the day after I landed here. Living with a few relatives until I moved into the company guest house, I was left to figure out how I could negotiate the forty kilometer distance from uptown Borivali to downtown Colaba. The first evening I watched trains at Borivali station cough out people in a hurry and suck in people in a hurry. Two and a half decades back, as a kid, watching trains was apparently an obsession with me. After work, my parents would take me to the nearest level crossing where we would watch trains until they got bored or I stopped jumping with joy, or both. Watching what was going on in the Mumbai local station did not bring up any of those fond memories. Anyway, I had a task to do the next day and my wife’s cousin and uncle had one of their own that day. They had to ensure that their esteemed (tch! tch!) relative was well taken care of and trained enough to travel safely up and down the busy chest of the big city. The next day, while I had no problem getting to Churchgate, on the way back, I learned not to underestimate statements made with respect to the local. I had been warned 'let the Virar local go, you have to take the Borivali local'. But, I thought that warning was too much to be taken seriously at midnight. The Virar passengers take it to their heart that someone would take a Virar local to Borivali when the latter has a train all to itself, last stop Borivali. And they showed this to me the hard way. The carriage full of people standing on each other’s feet, would only allow people in and refused to let me out. (Stepping out and into locals is not how it works in India's city that never sleeps) Jumping out of a train slowing gathering speed, I learned it is never too late (read as never too restful) on a Mumbai local, time of the night notwithstanding.
Lifts, the ones that take you up and down, of all kinds is another thing that one needs to get used to in the Big Apple of India. Tall buildings are not built to impress; they are built to sustain. Sustain the ever growing population of the city that shelters (or not) the fourteen million aspirants and the arrived. But unlike many other cities, Mumbai had learnt many decades ago that it needed high rises. Hence, the variety of lifts in the variety of buildings. The modern one in our office is not always as predictable as the old collapsible-grill kind in the guest house building. The former, though computerized (ahem!) has a mind of its own. Back at the guest house, one has to remember that the lift is not automatic. And this learning did not come to me automatically. One evening, a bunch of kids rushed in shouting ‘wait, lift, uncle, wait’ (or was it ‘wait, lift-uncle, wait’?). I smiled and opened the door. The little people took over the charge of lift operations. They pressed some number and I said ‘Six please’. The little girl did not respond. So, I looked down at her and said ‘Six please’. A little irritated, she looked up at me and said ‘Uncle, this is not automatic. You press Six after we go out’.
Like I said, Mumbai (small or big) teaches you something every day.
For the most part of last three weeks, the small talk has revolved around the delayed onset of monsoons. Wiping beads of sweat off their foreheads, people glance up at the sky and shake their heads down in disbelief that rains have beaten them in to the sultry mid-summer. Kids though too happy to go back to school, also probably wonder when it will be called off for a day or two when the waters enshroud the roads and bring productivity of the city down.
My second day in Mumbai was spent learning firsthand the vicissitudes of life on a ‘local’. My local batch mates from IIMA-PGPX had planned a meeting, it so happened, on the day after I landed here. Living with a few relatives until I moved into the company guest house, I was left to figure out how I could negotiate the forty kilometer distance from uptown Borivali to downtown Colaba. The first evening I watched trains at Borivali station cough out people in a hurry and suck in people in a hurry. Two and a half decades back, as a kid, watching trains was apparently an obsession with me. After work, my parents would take me to the nearest level crossing where we would watch trains until they got bored or I stopped jumping with joy, or both. Watching what was going on in the Mumbai local station did not bring up any of those fond memories. Anyway, I had a task to do the next day and my wife’s cousin and uncle had one of their own that day. They had to ensure that their esteemed (tch! tch!) relative was well taken care of and trained enough to travel safely up and down the busy chest of the big city. The next day, while I had no problem getting to Churchgate, on the way back, I learned not to underestimate statements made with respect to the local. I had been warned 'let the Virar local go, you have to take the Borivali local'. But, I thought that warning was too much to be taken seriously at midnight. The Virar passengers take it to their heart that someone would take a Virar local to Borivali when the latter has a train all to itself, last stop Borivali. And they showed this to me the hard way. The carriage full of people standing on each other’s feet, would only allow people in and refused to let me out. (Stepping out and into locals is not how it works in India's city that never sleeps) Jumping out of a train slowing gathering speed, I learned it is never too late (read as never too restful) on a Mumbai local, time of the night notwithstanding.
Lifts, the ones that take you up and down, of all kinds is another thing that one needs to get used to in the Big Apple of India. Tall buildings are not built to impress; they are built to sustain. Sustain the ever growing population of the city that shelters (or not) the fourteen million aspirants and the arrived. But unlike many other cities, Mumbai had learnt many decades ago that it needed high rises. Hence, the variety of lifts in the variety of buildings. The modern one in our office is not always as predictable as the old collapsible-grill kind in the guest house building. The former, though computerized (ahem!) has a mind of its own. Back at the guest house, one has to remember that the lift is not automatic. And this learning did not come to me automatically. One evening, a bunch of kids rushed in shouting ‘wait, lift, uncle, wait’ (or was it ‘wait, lift-uncle, wait’?). I smiled and opened the door. The little people took over the charge of lift operations. They pressed some number and I said ‘Six please’. The little girl did not respond. So, I looked down at her and said ‘Six please’. A little irritated, she looked up at me and said ‘Uncle, this is not automatic. You press Six after we go out’.
Like I said, Mumbai (small or big) teaches you something every day.
2009-01-07
"The truth comes out when growth stops"
It was quite remarkable (yet sad) that just at the start of the fourth class of our course on Corporate Governance -where we were to discuss the article "Directors' new clothes"- the story 'Raju admits fraud' broke. Even before the course started, we were assured by the professor that the Maytas-Satyam fiasco would be a case study in action. Little did we imagine that bigger waves were travelling in our direction. As our professor tagged it, this is nothing short of a "Corporate Tsunami".
Read Raju's 'confession' here
While a rather sad one given the magnitude of the situation- impacting about 50000 employees and hundreds of thousands of retail shareholders, reputation of the offshoring industry at large etc- this is as real time as a case study discussion can get. While learning the processes of the board of directors, it is difficult to believe Raju's claim that no one in the board had a hold on the financial statements. What was the audit committee doing?
The revelations include an overstatement of cash on balance sheets of more than a billion and a half dollars. It should to be noted is that it was cash that was overstated. It is befuddling that they could manage to do that for several years.
Quoting our professor- 'Truth has to come out when growth stops' one must recognise the weight of this statement. Driven by short term growth targets, there is a small (or large?) component of 'catching up with your claims'. In the sense that you provide guidance based on projected growth. You show accrued income based on trust that remittances will follow. But at some points if your financials had reached a level of fiction that is unrecoverable, you have to start losing the chasing game and, then, when the flow of cash depletes as would happen in a slowdown, the litmus changes colors.
While facts ought to follow soon, there is very little left to imagine whether the company could have done this without the support of the auditors.Two-thirds of the assets (cash) never existed? How can you drag that on for years? What were the auditors (a big one too) thinking while passing the quarterly reports? What about bankers who would no doubt be carrying Satyam's annual reports under their pillows?
The showdown has just begun when it comes to India Inc taking a beating on credibility and corporate reputation. While it is true that this could have happened to any company in India, it has happened to one in the IT industry. Barring few notable exceptions in conglomerates in traditional business, largely IT companies were supposed to be largely clean and transparent. This perception comes from the fact that IT companies dealing with US companies or listed in the US need to adhere to SEC requirements and regulatory standards. Additionally, the company had won Golden Peacock in the recent past. Obviously, this again proves that awards do not build public trust and corporate reputation but a past track record of responsible action does.
Is there a systemic issue in how audits are conducted? As SG, one of our classmates, asked of the professor- Given US has failed to put an airtight seal on financial failures, does India have the wherewithal to implement checks and balances in place to avoid such incidents in the future?
What about the risk to Indian outsourcing industry? Given that this question is raised, what will the Government of India do, as in really do about the irregularities in the system?
PS: This is also a test for the logic of 'Wisdom of the crowds'. Some companies (including midcap) whose numbers growth, in the past, have run into public suspicion radar are already being dumped by investors. In the last few hours, each of these companies' stocks have lost about 25%. So, is the market always right? Are there more skeletons in the cupboard waiting to roll out?
Read Raju's 'confession' here
While a rather sad one given the magnitude of the situation- impacting about 50000 employees and hundreds of thousands of retail shareholders, reputation of the offshoring industry at large etc- this is as real time as a case study discussion can get. While learning the processes of the board of directors, it is difficult to believe Raju's claim that no one in the board had a hold on the financial statements. What was the audit committee doing?
The revelations include an overstatement of cash on balance sheets of more than a billion and a half dollars. It should to be noted is that it was cash that was overstated. It is befuddling that they could manage to do that for several years.
Quoting our professor- 'Truth has to come out when growth stops' one must recognise the weight of this statement. Driven by short term growth targets, there is a small (or large?) component of 'catching up with your claims'. In the sense that you provide guidance based on projected growth. You show accrued income based on trust that remittances will follow. But at some points if your financials had reached a level of fiction that is unrecoverable, you have to start losing the chasing game and, then, when the flow of cash depletes as would happen in a slowdown, the litmus changes colors.
While facts ought to follow soon, there is very little left to imagine whether the company could have done this without the support of the auditors.Two-thirds of the assets (cash) never existed? How can you drag that on for years? What were the auditors (a big one too) thinking while passing the quarterly reports? What about bankers who would no doubt be carrying Satyam's annual reports under their pillows?
The showdown has just begun when it comes to India Inc taking a beating on credibility and corporate reputation. While it is true that this could have happened to any company in India, it has happened to one in the IT industry. Barring few notable exceptions in conglomerates in traditional business, largely IT companies were supposed to be largely clean and transparent. This perception comes from the fact that IT companies dealing with US companies or listed in the US need to adhere to SEC requirements and regulatory standards. Additionally, the company had won Golden Peacock in the recent past. Obviously, this again proves that awards do not build public trust and corporate reputation but a past track record of responsible action does.
Is there a systemic issue in how audits are conducted? As SG, one of our classmates, asked of the professor- Given US has failed to put an airtight seal on financial failures, does India have the wherewithal to implement checks and balances in place to avoid such incidents in the future?
What about the risk to Indian outsourcing industry? Given that this question is raised, what will the Government of India do, as in really do about the irregularities in the system?
PS: This is also a test for the logic of 'Wisdom of the crowds'. Some companies (including midcap) whose numbers growth, in the past, have run into public suspicion radar are already being dumped by investors. In the last few hours, each of these companies' stocks have lost about 25%. So, is the market always right? Are there more skeletons in the cupboard waiting to roll out?
2009-01-04
Man from Earth
I want to believe John. I am drawn to the the late writer Jerome Bixby's idea of truth. The movie itself, thanks to director Richard Schenkman, has a Knight Shyamlansque twist that has to be seen to be relished.
The movie starts with a coterie of colleagues pouring into the house of a professor who has unexpectedly decided to retire young. They try to understand where he is going, what he plans to do but cannot go far with it. Instead, based on what the professor first poses as a hypothetical questions- Would you believe if you met someone who has lived 14000 years?- the farewell party turns into a series of discussions that pick your brain. The professor tells them that he is a Cro-magnon cave man and had stopped aging when he reached 35 years of age. Since then, he has been trying to move around, learn and live with the fact. To cover his tracks and appear natural to those around him, he moves on every ten years.
While highly, and naturally so, sceptical about what the professor is saying- first that he is a cave man and then that he has had the opportunity to spend time with historical luminaries with omnipresent fame, the illustrious academicians play along and ask questions. They do this a half out of academic curiosity and a half out of trying to catch John's give away. That they do not succeed in the latter is predictable.
But, along the way in about 90 minutes of the movie very interesting possibilities open up and the fundamental questions get asked. While the movie set itself does not ,mostly, take you beyond the confines of the professor's living room, a part of your mind is racing at the intensity of what is being said. Issues around history, biology, psychology, arts, ethics, morality and faith get raised. A faith shattering revelation has the group divided over the rightness (not validity) of John's 'hypothetical' actions and a theological literist in tears. As he rolls on with his childhood memories, growth and eons of learning thereafter, your imagination runs amuck with scenes of how John's past could have been . The icing on the cake is a poetic end of the movie that works on the psychologist colleague who had lost his wife the previous night.
Like I said, I wanted to believe the story. I was trying to think if I have met someone that could fit into the profile of John Oldman. I think the script has that quality of playing on your innermost desire to know the truth and therefore to wish that John's is a real story. After all it could provide you with a part explanation of the world around you and before you.
Come to think of it, we never really notice much around us. Much less someone who only is trying to remain inconspicuous by purpose. Is John Oldman the quintessential cellophane man; who is our patch to the past yet trying to remain invisible. Moving on as the patch becomes a fix. It is easy to not know a cellphane man.
Is John Oldman representative of the generational cultures? Cultures, traditions and rituals have changed over the ages and they are doing so increasingly fast every few years, nowadays.
How many times has John told his story? Does it always end the same way? Does any one ever believe him? I want to but probably I wouldn't too; it is far too much unsettling to the rational basis of the systematic, yet incomplete, picture of the universe I have in me. But how much of anything do we really ever know?
Does John exist as a periodic reality check to see if faith, in the larger sense of the term, is sustaining? What would happen if he is able to convince everyone that he is indeed who is claims to be? Would the 'rational' among us cut him up to validate his claims? Would the 'faithful' among us test him by fire to see if he is pure and holy? After all in the largely faithless and cynical world of today, would even god not need to pass the test of fire, if he were to appear before us?
I filter movies from IMDB (www.imdb.com) and unless a movie has been recommended highly by someone, I wouldn't watch it if the score is less than 7.0. I noticed that as of this posting, the movie has an 8.2 from about 20000 people. Now, I know why.
Scores apart, this movie will stay with me for quite sometime.
Happy new year 2009!
The movie starts with a coterie of colleagues pouring into the house of a professor who has unexpectedly decided to retire young. They try to understand where he is going, what he plans to do but cannot go far with it. Instead, based on what the professor first poses as a hypothetical questions- Would you believe if you met someone who has lived 14000 years?- the farewell party turns into a series of discussions that pick your brain. The professor tells them that he is a Cro-magnon cave man and had stopped aging when he reached 35 years of age. Since then, he has been trying to move around, learn and live with the fact. To cover his tracks and appear natural to those around him, he moves on every ten years.
While highly, and naturally so, sceptical about what the professor is saying- first that he is a cave man and then that he has had the opportunity to spend time with historical luminaries with omnipresent fame, the illustrious academicians play along and ask questions. They do this a half out of academic curiosity and a half out of trying to catch John's give away. That they do not succeed in the latter is predictable.
But, along the way in about 90 minutes of the movie very interesting possibilities open up and the fundamental questions get asked. While the movie set itself does not ,mostly, take you beyond the confines of the professor's living room, a part of your mind is racing at the intensity of what is being said. Issues around history, biology, psychology, arts, ethics, morality and faith get raised. A faith shattering revelation has the group divided over the rightness (not validity) of John's 'hypothetical' actions and a theological literist in tears. As he rolls on with his childhood memories, growth and eons of learning thereafter, your imagination runs amuck with scenes of how John's past could have been . The icing on the cake is a poetic end of the movie that works on the psychologist colleague who had lost his wife the previous night.
Like I said, I wanted to believe the story. I was trying to think if I have met someone that could fit into the profile of John Oldman. I think the script has that quality of playing on your innermost desire to know the truth and therefore to wish that John's is a real story. After all it could provide you with a part explanation of the world around you and before you.
Come to think of it, we never really notice much around us. Much less someone who only is trying to remain inconspicuous by purpose. Is John Oldman the quintessential cellophane man; who is our patch to the past yet trying to remain invisible. Moving on as the patch becomes a fix. It is easy to not know a cellphane man.
Is John Oldman representative of the generational cultures? Cultures, traditions and rituals have changed over the ages and they are doing so increasingly fast every few years, nowadays.
How many times has John told his story? Does it always end the same way? Does any one ever believe him? I want to but probably I wouldn't too; it is far too much unsettling to the rational basis of the systematic, yet incomplete, picture of the universe I have in me. But how much of anything do we really ever know?
Does John exist as a periodic reality check to see if faith, in the larger sense of the term, is sustaining? What would happen if he is able to convince everyone that he is indeed who is claims to be? Would the 'rational' among us cut him up to validate his claims? Would the 'faithful' among us test him by fire to see if he is pure and holy? After all in the largely faithless and cynical world of today, would even god not need to pass the test of fire, if he were to appear before us?
I filter movies from IMDB (www.imdb.com) and unless a movie has been recommended highly by someone, I wouldn't watch it if the score is less than 7.0. I noticed that as of this posting, the movie has an 8.2 from about 20000 people. Now, I know why.
Scores apart, this movie will stay with me for quite sometime.
Happy new year 2009!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)