Nine Point Three Kilometers!!!

Honking dangerously driven buses, cars, trucks, two wheeler and taxis occupies 200 feet’s on a 100 feet wide road giving no space to pedestrians at Tin Factory, Old Madras Road area of Bangalore. It is a common scene in almost all other areas also in Bangalore. I travel on working days from Tin Factory to ITPL for my office which is just 9.3 Kilometers but it takes more than an hour by own or public transport to reach in morning and at least half an hour more in evening. It’s difficult for me to articulate my experience of this wonderful journey which includes the worst traffic hit areas on the way. But as usual being an Indian and having “Chalta Hai” thinking, I always forget the anger on authorities who are responsible for Traffic and Infrastructure management when I reach office or home. But who is really responsible for this, increasing no. of vehicles on road, increasing population, defunct authorities or government or if it’s the mentality or attitude of people of this country. I know it is always a complex debate but when it comes to accountability it’s certainly on relevant authorities and government. There are so many examples in world when new cities are developed where lots of planning is involved to create a right and suitable infrastructure for the needs and demands for an emerging city but in India it’s difficult to imagine. Bangalore being the silicon valley of India is lagging on all parameters of urban planning and development. Inspite being home to many world famous IT companies and intellectuals it’s one of the worst managed cities in India. Going from one area to another area in weekdays becomes a travel like from one city to another. On the way you will be able to see many fights due to traffic jam, vehicles hitting each other due to frustrated drivers, government buses trying to overtake each and every vehicle coming in their way and worst being no presence of traffic police in such cases. Yes, it’s right that traffic police can’t alone manage this but the accountability lies with government and urban planners who are responsible for letting un-authorised developments and untimely digging of roads. If these authorities don’t become serious one day there will be a deadlock of traffic in Bangalore and that day is very near.  Instead of promise of better public transport and metro it seems everything is on paper and priority is politics and not governance. I wanted to highlight more related issues of failure of urban planning but being an optimist I would like to see India also having well planned and smart cities at least for our next generation which will only happen when actions will overtake promises.

The Other Side of "Go Goa"!!!

It’s been a long time since I have written a blog of my experience’s in my surroundings. Today I am going to write about the apathy and in-equality that Indian’s themselves are facing in one the India’s best tourist place, known as Go Goa. I have heard about this situation so many times earlier through word of mouth and through print and electronic media. So earlier this year when i visited Goa, i wanted to observe this myself but i thought this issue may be seen at certain selected places. But starting on a good note, Goa is really a great place with clean roads, good beaches and beautiful landscape. I went with my friends and family members and stayed in "Panaji". We took two wheelers on rent to roam around in Goa. We covered maximum beaches and really had a great time enjoying the vacation time and beauty of Goa. But being a close observer I felt that there was some preferential treatment given to foreigners as compared to Indians. May be they shell out good amount of dollars and they promote a sound Tip culture. But this difference is not felt until you observe this carefully and attentively.

But one clear incident of discrimination left us feel awkward and pity. We were at "Baga" beach at a shack and were enjoying our sun bath. We were feeling high and the reason was good food and the spirits. We were chatting with one another and suddenly a sound of child’s cry fell into our ears. When we tried to find out what happened we found out that a foreigner white child was pushing a dog towards an (Indian) child beggar and the dog was directed with a ball to run behind the child (beggar) and so he was crying. He was away from the shack but this foreigner child was sending his dog towards the child beggar continuously and his (foreigner) parents were enjoying this scene and were laughing at it. We felt really bad for the child (beggar) and tried to intervene into the situation but the foreigner white child didn't stopped and his parents were also supporting him. Seeing this we became angry and shouted on the foreigner parents as well as their child. Seeing this the owner of the shack came to us and started arguing with us that you can’t shout at their customers, we told them that we are also your customers and advising the other customer to behave well but as they were foreigners, the owner didn't wanted to lose her dollars and her courtesy towards them. We told her that being an Indian by supporting these foreigners you are making fun of our own country. The only thing we wanted is to stop making fun of the child beggar. But she was adamant and said you can’t shout on us and remember you are in our place - Goa and you are outsider. This statement really jolted us as this made us think that foreigners are much important to these shack owners as compared to Indian’s. But we also kept on fighting and seeing the situation getting worsened; few Indian tourists intervened and stopped the altercation.

But this really made a bad impression of a tourist destination on us in our own country that echoes the reality that Dollar is much bigger than our rupee and It’s value matters the most. But that's the sad part of a reality!!!

“First Experience with My First Mentor”

The meeting was scheduled for 11:00 am on Friday, August 2011 with my first mentor Mrs Archana Kumar, HR Head of Ireo - The Big Multiplier. I was very much excited and for the first time in life, I started for a meeting at time. But near Genpect, Gurgaon as I turned right on my bike, 3 traffic Policeman ran towards me. As I do not usually wear helmet and my bike is having Mumbai No. plate, I was sure why they want to catch me. They took my license and instructed me to go to a big fat police woman sitting nearby who was just looking at "Chalan" register only. In typical Haryanvi accent, asked me "konnsi gaadi hai terrii, kya kiya tanne" Then the Policeman told her that "iska helmet ka to challan banne madam ji". Constantly looking at the Chalan book she issued a On-Spot Chalan of 100 Rs. After submitting the Chalan I started again and reached the destination. The building consists of offices as Ground and 1st floor- Audi, 2nd Floor- Coca Cola, 3rd floor- Wal-Mart, 4th Floor- Ireo. As I entered Ireo office, I can say it is a building of 22nd century, well architected and designed with two beautiful receptionists in the middle of reception and 7 big screen LEDs on one wall. As my mentor was in meeting, one of the receptionist asked me to wait and sit in reception and called for a coffee. I thought that the first part of day (traffic Chalan) went bad but now that is being compensated here in reception. Soon my mentor came out of meeting and I entered the meeting room. For the first time I was meeting a HR of new organisation for interaction and not for Interview and I was loving it. I started interacting and introductions took place from both sides. In the starting she was talking very professionally like a teacher and a usual HR person. I never thought she will ask me that how many subjects you have read in first term, what were the projects and explain what you did in OB. Unexpectedly, I remembered name of all the subjects may be due to 9.3 lacks factor. Then she asked about my aspirations and long discussion continued with my consulting interest. Then a twist came when she said that you should consider HR consulting also as a future and to answer this I was not prepared and for the first time she smiled and explained the importance and demand of hr managers. Then a discussion about Anil sir occurred and guess how she has been selected as a mentor, I came to know that her husband once worked with Anil sir in Eicher. I didn’t felt that it’s more than a hour being in discussion and she is giving me “gyaan” from all over the world. It was really a nice experience to meet such a highly qualified person and who is at such a big position. I wish all of us will have a pleasant time with mentors and I would like to thank SOIL for such a opportunity.

"ਜੇ ਤੂ ਹੋਵੇਂ ਨਾਲ"

ਕੁਝ ਤੂ ਚਲ ਤੇ ਕੁਝ ਮੈ ਚਲਦਾ ਹਾਂ...

ਕੁਝ ਤੂ ਮੁੜ ਤੇ ਕੁਝ ਮੈ ਮੁੜ ਦਾ ਹਾਂ,

ਫੇਰ ਦੇਖਦੇ ਹਾਂ ਕੇਹੜੀ ਰਾਹ ਹੈ ਓਖੀ..

ਤੂ ਹੋਵੇਂ ਨਾਲ ਤਾ ਹਰ ਮੰਜਿਲ ਹੈ ਸੋਖੀ,

ਰੱਬ ਵੀ ਦੇਵੇਗਾ ਹਰ ਪਲ ਸਾਡਾ ਸਾਥ...

ਕੱਟ ਜਾਏਗੀ ਹਰ ਕਾਲੀ ਰਾਤ,

ਜੇ ਤੂ ਕਰੇ ਦਿਲ ਦਾ ਦਿਲ ਦੇ ਨਾਲ ਇਕਰਾਰ..

ਵੱਡੀ ਤੋ ਵੱਡੀ ਮੁਸ਼ਕਿਲ ਵੀ ਸਾਥੋ ਜਾਏਗੀ ਹਾਰ.

A Salute to "Amchi Mumbai"

We are with you; we always love you...

We are with the victims; we wanna hug you,

You are city of dreams; you are beauty of realms...

But why they wanna our lovely city to scream,

Why they want blood; why they want pain...

Everyone is crying having tears in the form of rain,

But let’s show them your spirit; which can never wane...

Let’s hold our hands together and do not let our anger drain,

Let’s fight together and do not let any effort go vain...

Yes Mumbai; that’s how they can never come again.

Long Live Mumbai!!!

“Beauty of Eyes”

Eyes can talk, Eyes can thrill…

Eyes can smile, Eyes can kill,

Yes, they can question…

Can show us aggression,

Best way to express love…

Just like the beauty of dove,

They can lie, they can cry…

We just die, when they shy,

They can be tearful but…

Can be shown as cheerful,

So, finally it’s my advice…

While dealing with eyes…

Better be wise!!!