Random Thoughts

Big Embarrassment for Indian Government

2011-03-03T12:30:00.002+05:30

CVC or Chief Vigilance Officer, is hired to ensure transparency, is himself charge-sheeted in a case. Supreme Court did well to make the process of his recruitment illegal.

Yesterday, I read in news that a minister in German has to resign because he cheated in his PhD thesis. I wonder when politicians in India stop making fun of Indian masses and think at least once about outcry it can generate.

Congress need to clean themselves. BJP might be suffering from serious leadership crisis and has absolute no agenda to talk about. But given so many holes in Congress from 2G, CWG games and verdict in Godhra, I wonder what will happen in next elections.

Timeline of US Recession

2009-09-25T14:58:00.000+05:30

Good post about Recession in US

link

Exam Time Friend :(

2009-09-10T18:02:00.000+05:30

End term exams are going as I write..Will be over in next two days...Hope to get active on blogosphere after that...

Don't know when this trimester started lagta hai kal ki hi baat hai...aur term khatam hone ko bhi aaya...

Prowess

2009-09-06T10:19:00.003+05:30

Used Prowess for the first time, it's really nice in terms of kind of data it provides, but in term of speed it really sucks, BIG TIME. You can press save and go and have a cup of coffee in the mean times. Compared to that Bloomberg is much better...However even it sucks some time. For who knows what reason, their financial numbers for Tata Power is not even close to the actual one, and interesting things is that they actually have put annual reports at their website.

Guys, don't panic, I haven't suddenly developed interest in anything like this..It's just one of those majboori...course requirement hai yaar karna padta IIMB mein..>We are comparing Tata Power and NTPC...by their balance sheets. as if we know..I guess only take away for me would be that I got to know that Kanti Thermal Power Cooperation is actually a subsidiary of NTPC...Why they run it in such a bad shape..(for those who don't know where Kanti is, it's at Muzaffarpur, Bihar quite close to my native place Motihari and it's major source of power for North Bihar).

Up for now 25 hours..gotta catch a nap...

I love Wall Street :P

2009-09-06T06:14:00.002+05:30

It has been a couple of months when everyone was cursing Wall Street guys for their extra advanced sense of innovation of securitizing mortgage products and selling them to innocent pension holders. I thought it will take at least couple of years for them to get back with something like this. But, these are not the guys who relent...They have come up something quite interesting...

"The earlier the policyholder dies, the bigger the return — though if people live longer than expected, investors could get poor returns or even lose money."

The idea goes like this. Every policy holder knows he is gonna die and someone is going to claim their pension money. Let's say pension money is $ 1 million and the old man lives for next 10 years, assuming prevailing market interest rate of about 3.5%, one can calculate present value of $ 1 million would be $708,918.81. The pension holder can actually sell this to any financial institute at $ 400,000. It's a Win-Win situation for all, the banker earn and as well as the poor pension fund holder earns too. The sooner the old man dies, the better return one can have. Now, the banks can create collateral of thousand of such loans and sell in tranches to different class of investors.

Imagine, a pension holder in Sweden, praying for death of an Insurance holder in US for better return, so bad.

Read the full article here...

How Did Economists Get It So Wrong?

2009-09-05T04:00:00.003+05:30

Being a great fan of Nobel Prize Winner, Paul Krugman, I find any of his articles quite interesting. This time, he has written a great deal about origins of failure in curbing recession.

Do read this here

Yesterday, while browsing through Crossword at Bangalore Airport with no intention of buying anything, I bought One hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Let's see when do I get time to read that...currently so many books are in Read Me list.

Guess what, what for our project on Improving Primary Education, we have made a video apart from 10 point agenda. We will share that once presention is done this afternoon.

Bloody Hell

2009-09-02T16:12:00.003+05:30

Its really amazing when people remember their roots. Take the recent case of Designer Anand Jon...who was convicted for 59 years for serious charges like raping a minor and sexually assaulting countless number of girls. I mean, it's okay that he was born in India that doesn't mean Indian govt. will start on defending every criminal..and why should Indian govt, everyone should be prosecuted by the rule of the land, it's not that he was some secret agent of RAW, a partiot Indian. He was having fun...so face the burn.

I just saw the video of his sister Sanjana Jon pleading Indian govt to intervene, for no reason at all. Another designer, claimed to be a friend of Anand Jon, says that he was such a talented designer who could have taken India's name further, lamenting on sad ending. Its not clear whether he supported the judgement or not. Sanjana writes that do one need to be a Khan to get Indian govt's attention...comparison itself is preposterous.

The law is above all. What would we have done had there been some foreign national caught doing somethink like this in India. Remember, what happened with Michael Jackson who was so popular, he still faced jury.

Check out the video here

Know more about Anand Jon from his website and his wikipedia page...

Coming to sex, look at the new kind of crime...It can't get worse than that. What's the underlying reason for such heinous crime, is it new or is it first time when something like this is being exposed in India, follow the link

Economist version of love

2009-09-02T04:08:00.002+05:30

I loved these lines

"As an economist I think that a good marriage, like a good employment relationship, emphasizes shared vision, common interests, complementary abilities, and gains from specialization."

I am currently studying a course on Microeconomics, I can very well imagine how they think ...

Read the full version here...

By the way, did I tell my tiny poem....

you make me cry

with each of your good bye :(

Chalo AMRIKKA chalen...

2009-08-31T20:44:00.003+05:30

It had been a dream to large part of Indians especially Sardarji and Gujju bhais to go to America and make a forture. They made a name for themselves and propered their families. However many of first generation Indian - Americans are now old. And they feel lonely and sad.

Check out what New York Times has to say about this

Government baling out companies is not that bad :)

2009-08-31T17:30:00.002+05:30

Apparently, govt can actually make money by bailing out companies in difficult conditions. An interest rate higher than 23%...aur kya chahie economy bhi bach gayi, junta ka bhi bhala sarkar bhi mast :)

To read the full article, follow the link

My IIMB Project Group

2009-08-26T04:04:00.001+05:30

It is as diverse as it can get...From each part of the country

Follow the link ...

Anyone interested in the pic of the group..??

Class XII marks may play key role in IIT entry

2009-08-25T18:12:00.002+05:30

Now, take this. I mean what's wron g with JEE authorities, don't they understand the widespread inequality that exist in Indian Educational System. They want to undermint the effect of coaching tutored i.e. Kota and Hyderabad and focus on RAW Intelligence, how does getting higher marks in 12th show raw intelligence.

I am sure this step will tilt towards students of metropolitan cities. Already most of IIT and IIM students come from urban area. Students of state board will be affected the most.

On a good note, schools will gain a higher importance but school system is not uniform across the coountry. Having a cutoff of 60% is fine, anyway hardly any student of any board getting less than 60% clears JEE.

I strongly oppose this proposed move. Read the full article here

Amazing stuff going on in BJP

2009-08-25T11:54:00.002+05:30

Everyone wants to leave a sinking ship..seems this is what is happening to BJP...A party with principles seems to have lost all its principles. A single issue of Jinnah is going to blow to the party with disproportionate damage...It can be felt that underlying problem is something else...the Top leadership is just not ready to get open with the idea of discussing the defeat through proper channel and more of a power struggle than something else...

After all that bayanbazi from Jaswant Singh after his expulsion..he got something to cheer...Not only BJP Arun Shouri is supporting him but in an interesting angel it is former RSS chief Mr. Sudarshan who said Jinnah was a nationalist..Cool stuff going on...

Read Sudarshan's view here

'Kaminey' takes Indian cinema beyond Tarantino

2009-08-24T02:40:00.003+05:30

Shekhar Kapoor compares Vishal Bharadwaj with Tarantine...What could be a better compliment for Vishal...

'Kaminey' takes Indian cinema beyond Tarantino: Shekhar Kapur @
The Hindu

As far as I am concerned, watched it today and loved it..Almost spent 2 hours trying to book the tickets online..Damn online movie ticket booking sucks..and INOX people don't event care to pick up the phone..

Wanted to go for 10 AM show..for a ticket of 80 bucks yeah yeah paise nahi hai yaar but anyway I saw 3 tickets available tried to book..shit I need to create a login..by the time I got my id...tickets sold out..kisi tarah 12:35 ka ticket liya...was taken aback that FAME charges 20 bucks per ticket if you book onlline..isn't that outrageous...so 160 + 20 = 180...
And since everything in Bangalore is no near spent 200 bucks going and coming to campus..and ate some tiny burger and water worth 90 bucks...per head 325 ..Damn it...325 for a movie..I could have bought DVD...

Thankfully, movie was great...paise wasool ho gaye....

Rating 4.5/5

Your caste decides your health...It's not just income...nobody gets it...

2009-08-23T01:05:00.001+05:30

Caste and inequalities in health @
The Hindu

Shared via AddThis

Interest rate derivatives soon: SEBI chief @ The Hindu

2009-08-22T00:49:00.001+05:30

Interest rate derivatives soon: SEBI chief @
The Hindu

Shared via AddThis

Online social networking may decide your employment prospects! @ The Hindu

2009-08-22T00:47:00.001+05:30

Online social networking may decide your employment prospects! @
The Hindu

Shared via AddThis

Poverty up in India

2009-08-21T18:24:00.006+05:30

Contrary to all that feel good factor...Economy is grwoing at such a high pace...number of poors much be reducing day by day...We must be building a prosperous India...

Guess what it's not true...Number of poors in this country is actually going up...some new 110 million people have come below poverty like...

Sad..very sad...

Follow the link

Facebook is amazing :)

2009-08-21T02:42:00.002+05:30

I have just started using facebook..and got really hooked to it..Orkut really is nowhere compared to it...

What's more you can share article/news so easily..New websites like BBC, NYTIMES have just options like this..it works like twitter too..its very cool...

I am wondering if I can share articles from websites to blogger as easy as facebook...couldn't find..any idea?

Teach for India

2009-08-21T01:50:00.002+05:30

How many of you have thought of doing something for Indian education system which sucks big time. Such a huge inequality exist between rural and urban India...male and female. Just to quote the number literacy rate in India is 66% (in China it is 91%), male literacy is some 76% and female literacy is 54%. Can you imagine what it would be at the rural level? In my district East Champaran, arguably one of most backward district of one of the most backward state Bihar it come to 38% in all (50% for male and 25% for female). Sure India is making huge progress, but 3 out of 4 women in my district is not educated. Situation is really alarming. Thanks to all these private schools, had we been dependent on govt schools we could have been still illiterates.

Anyway the point is, I came across a concept of Teach of India which has been designed after Teach for America (yeah! yeah! it's not original but it is I guess a subsidiary). It takes top institute students (IITs, IIMs, BITs and others) to volunteer students for 2 years, 2 YEARS. It's huge. It has been a success in US, I wonder how many in India would have courage to do that. Peer pressure, parental pressure and what about acceptance in industry after that.

I am skeptical but nevertheless I have applied for its Campus Ambassador Programme where my job would be convince 2nd Year seniors to opt for this :)

All that gyan about education in India is coming because I am doing a project in one of the courses on Universal Literacy and Primary Education where we need to come up with 10 points which will be sent to Prime Minister of India (BIG).

Women's Crusade

2009-08-20T01:34:00.000+05:30

The Women’s Crusade - NYTimes.com

Source: www.nytimes.com

The liberation of women could help solve many of the world’s problems, from poverty to child mortality to terrorism.

Drought and Swine Flu

2009-08-19T00:11:00.004+05:30

Indian farmers were severely hit by the deficiency in monsoon this year. More than 170 districts in the country have been declared drought-hit by the government so far. Photo: PTI

In this image, women worship the plough to appease the rain God, in Patna, Bihar. Photo: Ranjeet Kumar

I am really amazed by the coverage of drought by Media..I take Mint and it covered it one day but none is giving it the kind of importance it has...170 districts in all over India are affected by this. Only The Hindu is covering this properly..

http://beta.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/article3961.ece?homepage=true

Forget rediff..which I am not sure has mentioned this even...It's really serious 28 out of 38 districts in Bihar are declared drought affected..

Contrary to that Swine Flu which has so far killed 28 in the whole of country is given so much media coverage. I am not saying that's wrong but there is a larger issue which is completely ignored by the mass media...

I recall Reinforcement Theory of Media..i.e. Media publishes what readers want...Damn it...

Fun at IIMB

2009-08-18T22:28:00.004+05:30

Amazing fun at the collective effort of Matki Phod at IIMB. 2.5 hours of fun. And guess what we won as the section finishing in just 18 seconds...our first effort has taken 1min 29 seconds...

Participating in a trading game which works like this...you are given prices of several companies for today...you take a bet and next day your performance will be evaluated. Money given is huge Rs. 1 Crore...to kya hua agar virtual hai to :)

Guess what I did..checked US market...It was down..safely took bet on Indian market to be down...and Market was up day...how bad that it...

In another development, marks for our Managerial Economic were declared...can anyone guess the average 84 out 100...that's the average...Never seen so high average since my school days wait even there it wasn't so high...I slept the whole afternoon so couldn't see the marks...but just checked on out internal website (moodle). It is not so bad...87.5 well above average... :)...Another section of people taught by same instructor is 74...amazing...what could be the reason?

NYTIMES says just 2 wars between India & Pakistan

2009-08-15T22:57:00.001+05:30

London and IIMB

2009-08-14T23:19:00.002+05:30

I didn't post for a long time..not that I care..as I don't think anybody is reading my blog but several of my juniors have requested me to write about CAT experience..and how to prepare especially for those who were not fortunate to have studied in English medium schools. Yes, I say fortunate because today's high education system at least entrance examinations like CAT are so heavily skewed towards English..yeah yeah..they say it's verbal ability but believe me it takes longer for a vernacular medium educated student..

I will write about it soon...For the long gap in my blogging activities, I was in London from April 19 to May 19...and it was very cool...Amazing experience both in terms of personal and professional career..Talked to so many senior people...I was working in quant group of a hedge fund...and boy it was truly global...There were six guys...One from Sweden, one from Zimbabwe (they study too :), one from Taiwan, one from France, just one from England who quit once I reached there..and last yours truly me the great Indian...

Roamed around so many places, Scotland truly amazing landscape and famous lock ness (Lake Ness)...Cambridge and London which itself is quite great...anyone interested in having a look at pics can add me on orkut..all of them are updated (somehow I haven't dealt with Picassa that much)...

Once back from London..I left my job..can't better time it.. :)...Have joined IIM Bangalore now...from 22nd June...and it is so different from corporate life..getting to know so many things...never knew resume have to be given so much attention... :)

Won Hostile Takeover

2009-08-14T23:15:00.002+05:30

Participated in first competition at IIMB and won :)

It was a trading game and in a team of 3 we bought more companies than our competitors.

Story of a Techie in US

2009-04-12T01:23:00.003+05:30

Many insights thrown in the article ran by NYT.

Sanjay's Story

Picture of the day: Arctic Circle

2009-04-09T00:39:00.003+05:30

This is taken from the Arctic Circle in Norway during a charity challenge. These were some of the first clouds we saw in days.
Follow the link for more

Madonna and her adoption programme

2009-04-08T01:32:00.006+05:30

Madonna, Angelina Jolie adopting poor children sounds too generous of them. I am sure it adds up to their image as well. Recently, Jolie adopting an Indian Child was in news..Media was highlighting this news as if she is going to adopt whole India...Come on, not everyone is going to be that lucky :)

On a serious note, an article in New York Times, look at other aspects of celebrities adopting poor kids and things associated with it.

Here is the link which discusses about the ethical questions related to it.

Picture of the day

2009-04-07T13:30:00.001+05:30

A supporter of Mayawati Kumari, of the Bahujan Samaj Party and the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh state, smoked a cigarette during a political rally in Palwal, India. The BSP was founded in 1984 to represent the Dalits, also regarded as untouchables in a caste system that has been formally abolished under the Indian Constitution. Discrimination and prejudice against Dalits still linger across South Asia.

Courtesy: New York Times

North Korea: Missile Launch

2009-04-06T15:32:00.002+05:30

So much hue and cry over nothing...

Read this...Even if they were successful, it will take a very long time to actually built any capacity to launch nuclear weapon.

Bihar to Kerala

2009-04-05T16:06:00.000+05:30

One of my closest school friend is getting married to a girl from Kerala..really a quantum leap at least in terms of geographical distance. Things are changing at the ground level at least acceptance is not really a problem now considering the fact we are from remote place in Bihar too...Finally we are coming out of boundaries of our parochial thinking...Hopefully it will change the mindset of lot of people...

I am excited...Baraat Bihar se Kerala... :). First marriage among my friends and with a bang...it can't get better than this...

How to spy on your spouse

2009-04-05T14:33:00.002+05:30

Pune Mirror runs an article today about how to keep a watch on your spouse and where to find detective services. Shows some interesting observations.

More than that, they also suggest if you are actually cheating your spouse how not to get caught...

They are:-

Keep your sex-life as normal as possible. Don't let it show in the bed. And yes, try keeping your extra-marital sex life as clean as possible. No love bites please!
Don't begin to shower love all of a sudden. Sudden wave of flowers and gifts might make your partner smell a rat!
Keep your phone clean. Delete all your messages, inbox, sent items, outbox everything possible and don't store that person's number in your phone book!
If your partner talks against the person in question, don't get defensive. Join in the bitching, if it isn't stretching things too far for you! Just don't seem to care about that person!
Pay in cash. Do not use credit cards to pay your hotel bills or the presents you have bought for your girlfriend/boyfriend.
Have alibis. Do your homework before cooking up a story so that if your partner was to cross-check the timing, place and people match and all pieces of your fairy story fall into place.

Here is the link to the article to all the suspicious ones :)

Pune Mirror Article

DevD

2009-04-05T00:46:00.001+05:30

Watched DevD last night. To say the least, I was slightly depressed. But I totally empathize with character of Dev. His behaviour, his life does speak of all the frustration which is coming out of his own guilt.

...Love can make you ridiculous...WTF people fall in love anyway.

Amar Chitra Katha

2009-04-03T01:24:00.000+05:30

On reading front, just finished 10 comics of Amar Chitra Katha. Got them through HSBC reward points :). They are amazing. Reading the comics after a long time remined me of good old days of days with no work but to read comics..and our great Heros of Raj Comics--Nagraj, Super Commando Dhruv, Bhokal, Angara, Tausi, Fighter Todes and all. Chacha Chowdhary, Pinky they were great too.

Read about Chandragupta Maurya, whom Amar Chitra Katha shows as Warriors opposite to what I had seen in Chanakya. Have to figure out that. Didn't know about Chaitanya Mahapraphu and Maharshi Ramana. Had been totally oblivious of what happened to Vaishnav an Shav. Want to know more about them.

But comics are great. :)

Road horrors and religion

2009-04-03T01:11:00.001+05:30

For a long time, I was living in a very populated part of Pune where 20km/hour may be average speed of automobiles. Distance to office was less just 5.5 km. Recently shifted to some 15km from office...to a place called Wakad. And average speed in this part is 60km/hour. On some stretches there is no partition on the roads. And people drive crazily. Cabwallah change their lane and I find with my poor bike going for a head-on collision.

Just day before yesterday, I was driving at some 60km/hr on empty road, a truck came from opposite direction driving almost on my lane. I couldn't figure it out for a long time, as it's right side headlight was not working.

Now, I have started believing in Gods even more. Everyday, at least once I feel anything can happen. India needs major transformation in Road safety standards, really.

Kids and Chocolates

2009-04-03T01:05:00.000+05:30

I go to teach kids, most of whom are orphans, every Saturday. Joined through Teach India compaign of TOI. Kids are like any other kids, naughtly, always up for any game and always sleepy for anything remotely related to studies.

Couldn't go there for some time so thought of being nice to them and bought chocolates for them. And then, it worked. Everyone was ready to do anything for them. Was able to teach them something. But, from what I have observed a student of class 5 can't do sums properly. It's really horrible. Either they don't teach at PMC schools or these kids require better attention.

Really cute ones :)

Movies: Gulaal

2009-04-03T01:00:00.000+05:30

Went to theatre after a long time to watch Gulaal. Though, I missed the first 15 minutes, movie was good. Different treatment but that's what I was looking from Anurag Kashyap. Missed DevD by a day :(. So, was looking forward for this. KK as usual gave a stellar performance. Others were good too.

Movie contains some abusive language but not those English ones but desi ones..which is used. I guess Though still not like Pulp fiction...End of movie is really impressive. For some moments you hate some of the characters but then you realize that they are actually right...they just looked at the bigger picture.

Movie takes a very strong dig at Rajputana culture or rather contemporary way of thinking. It seemed like a fashion to have a gharwali and a baharwali and nazayaz aulaad...living in a world of illusions and glorifying past for futile reasons...One of my friend didn't like the movie at all. He is a Rajpoot...obvious then :)

MS Access

2009-04-03T00:55:00.001+05:30

Just finished a project on MS Access. It's amazing..totally great for non-technology greeks..Very easy to use. Generate really neat reports. Impressed by it. Really good for individual purpose. Though it can't handle huge amount of data but then there are already MySQL and MS SQL.

Currently working on ETL (Extract, Transform, Load). Seems interesting.

Long break...

2009-04-03T00:43:00.001+05:30

It has been some 7 months since I scribbled anything on my blog. And it shows in my weekly visitor summary report. I can’t even say I had been terribly busy, may be somewhat but only lately.

Good thing is life has been anything but dull. It has been full of excitement, experience and learning on the way. Last time, I wrote a poem which was out of utter despair and pain. Lately, I hadn’t thought of anything such, so it has been good I guess.

There is so much to write about. I am wondering where to start from. Last December, I fought with my boss to go home for two weeks. One of best things, I did was boat ride on the Ganges. It was amazing. More than river, it was because of people around me. People were loading their motorbikes on the boat, which was fine. Some of them loaded their bhains on the boat. And she started with her gobar as soon she reached on the boat. People started telling stories. Some kind of Swades type feeling where Shahrukh Khan goes on the boat. Literally, waise hi lag raha tha. The Ganges looked so mesmerizing that for the first time I felt I should have one camera enabled phone, which I have now J. Some people were spitting in the river which was actually very sad. May be Amir Khan should add this as part of Preserve India Compaign.

I have decided to post regularly. Let’s see how it goes.

Untitled

2008-09-02T10:57:00.000+05:30

Many People walk into our lives
Some we get closer to!
Some we get intimate with
Some we can’t live without!

Yet they go when they have to
And life goes on as it has to!
No matter how much we care for them
No matter how much we crave for them!
No matter how much we love them
No matter how much we want them!

Still, love is the journey we all take
For love is all the reason we live for!

IPL

2008-05-13T18:53:00.001+05:30

I am sure I am the last person to say that IPL has been a huge hit. In every match, stadium is jam-packed. Some really exiting cricket is being played. Controversial cheerleader issues seem to have gone to sidelines. Cheerleader or no cheerleader, people are watching matches. (Delhi Daredevils have sent them back).

Cricket played so far has been a great equalizer in the true game spirit. Starless Rajasthan team has done better than all other teams, whereas full of star teams Deccan Chargers and Royal Challengers are still struggling. Money has started showing its teeth with Vijay Mallya firing team manager Charu Sharma and criticizing Rahul Dravid. Who can afford to sit out Misbah-ul Huque in a T-20 game? Now, a lot of people can differ on the issue of commercialization of cricket. I feel it's like democratization of the game, you don't play well, you are out. It is not like good old days, when nobody can take a player out if he is from some particular region or favorite of some particular selector. No performance, no perks. One has to to understand that so money coming in, transparent is the least thing one can expect.

I guess it is right time to say that I always believed that IPL was going to be a Hit :). I always believed when big businessmen are putting their money in, they will market the whole thing in an altogether different way. Howver, I am still to see too much innovation in that apart from dancing and all. The only two things in India which sells in India like anything is Cricket and Bollywood so IPL becomes deadly poison for Indians. It has to work. We, Indians, want cricket every day, every hour, every minute, we can play, eat, drink cricket anytime. There was always this possibility. It was just a matter of finding a way to exploit. With so much money pouring in, who knows it, might go EPL way, Players putting more for this than for their respective national team. Or may be international matches will get less. But that's too far.

In case somebody checked BBC these days, well, these people are not happy. Their own county cricket is doomed. No money, no charm. BBC has run a series of negative publicity on IPL. They have tried to defame it in every possible way, be it the issue of cheerleaders, Bhajji controversy or Mallya thing. Even BBC Hindi is doing the same thing, sometimes in the name loss of purity of game sometimes else. But hey, who cares... As long as we can enjoy the game, it is fine with us.

IPL rocks...and it will keep on rocking.

P.S. Some of the links of BBC Hindi articles are here...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/hindi/sport/story/2008/05/080513_malya_prabhashji.shtml
http://www.bbc.co.uk/hindi/sport/story/2008/04/080419_ipl_ceremony.shtml
http://www.bbc.co.uk/hindi/sport/story/2008/05/080503_pradeep_ipl.shtml
http://www.bbc.co.uk/hindi/sport/story/2008/04/080426_pradeep_column.shtml
http://www.bbc.co.uk/hindi/sport/story/2008/04/080424_cheer_leaders.shtml

स्कारलेट

2008-04-20T16:07:00.000+05:30

अतिथि देवोभव कह जिसका हम करते थे सत्कार
उसी अतिथि का किया तुने निर्ममता से बलातकार।
हे मनुवन्शी। कितना हो गया है तू पतित
उठ ! हिम्मत कर जरा झांक अपना अतीत।

कर दिया है तुने पूर्वजों का घोर तिरस्कार
तनिक भी नही है तुझे जीने का अधिकार।
हे परशुराम। प्रार्थना है पुनः जन्म लो
इस बार समस्त भारत का नाश कर दो।

बिक गया भगवान्

2008-04-19T14:06:00.000+05:30

अभी अभी थोडी देर पहले टीवी पे समाचार में देखा की शिरडी ट्रस्ट वाले शिरडी बाबा का पेटेंट करवाने वाले है और बाबा का नाम के लिए पैसे देने होंगे। अब भाई बोर्ड को भी टू हक़ है पैसे कमाने का। क्यों सिर्फ़ क्रिकेटर और बॉलीवुड वाले ही पैसे कम सकते हैं क्या? भक्तों को पैसे तो देने ही होंगे आखिर बाबा तो बोर्ड के हैं। भले ही अपने सांसारिक जीवन में बाबा ने जनसाधारण का बहुत भला किया बहुत सारे गरीबों की मदद की हो लेकिन बोर्ड को भला उन गरीबों से क्या उसे तो बाबा का ब्रांड बनाना है।

ऐ दुनिया के गरीबों
मन लो थोड़ा और मातम।
बिक गया आज तेरा भगवान्
अब है तू पूरा कंगाल।

O' Love

2008-04-19T14:03:00.000+05:30

Sitting on the bank of a river
We enjoy the beauty of nature!
Throwing stones in the water
We Make intermittent laughter!

Holding her hand
The moment feels so grand!
I look at her face
It is so full of bliss!
Tempted! I give her a kiss!
She smiles in pleasure
And I have my treasure!

The wind sends river-waves to us
And they turn back after a soft touch!
Perhaps! Bored of their own loneliness
They want a share in our happiness!

The surroundings seem silent, serene
As if nature has renewed its sheen!
I see God nearby
Even He seems wistful!

I wish the moment stays right here
Absolutely nothing moves anywhere!
For this is the moment
And there is no other moment!

Insomnia

2008-04-12T14:25:00.000+05:30

One more sleepless night!
Nothing! Nothing seems right!

Visualizing her beautiful eyes
Which defy the blue sky!
And her voices like honey
Now fills me with agony!

She called herself ravishing
Around her I let myself fooling!

She sounded once so innocent
Now all those seem arrogant!

Oh! I once called her butterfly
Thinking of which make me cry!

Her love ways so mysterious
Now making my life hilarious!

My love once seemed so holy
Now only feeding me melancholy!

Trying to forget her memories
And all our cute lil’ stories!
Constantly feeling all the pain
Hoping not to get insane!

Oh! Night, End!
Come, soon tomorrow!
Can’t take Anymore
All these sorrow!

Agony

2008-04-12T14:22:00.000+05:30

I feel I am lost and
I wish I never be found!
Let me be in this pain
Let me feel this wound!
Life isn’t same anymore
Some experiences so profound!

I loved her once
She loved me once!
And now it’s over
Am glad it’s over!

Our so called love now strife
Truly said it as journey called life!

Tibet Issue and Buzz

2008-04-05T15:36:00.001+05:30

There is a lot of buzz regarding Tibet issue around the world. Indian National Football Captain Bhaichung Bhutia has refused to carry Olympic torch while actor/director Amir Khan has agreed to do so also mentioned his reasons for doing so at http://www.aamirkhan.com/blog.htm .

Obviously, Tibetans have actually chosen a very strategic time for intensifying their struggle, when Olympics are going to be organized in China. If countries, around the world boycott the Olympics, it would be a big embarrassment for China. Now, many countries may not love Tibet a lot but sure many of them hate China enough.

Now country in problem is India. India has been host host for Dalai Lama and their since their exile in 1957 on humanitarian grounds. And Tibetans are stirring their struggle from Indian Land and China is not happy. India cannot risk its relationship with such a big power for Tibetans which is already in not so good state. Pranab Mukherjee even issued a statement against Tibetans saying India would not permit any anti-China activity in India. (http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-04/04/content_7919228.htm). India is supporting self autonomous status for Tibet.

Those in India, who support Tibetan cause should be cautious. As, India is a lot more vulnerable. There are a lot of people in Jammu and Kashmir, part of north eastern India, find it difficult to identify themselves as Indians. Already, we are fighting a lot of separatist terrorist organization in these areas, it could encourage them.

Review: Pothi.com

2008-04-05T15:36:00.000+05:30

Abhishek told me yesterday about some of our seniors floating a new venture...was tempted to look at the site...idea is quite compelling. Basically, this is about people who want to publish a book but can't find a publisher or books for which audience is too niche. So, this website would actually work as a mediator between author and readers, which will give authors a lot more independence with better profit-sharing deal. As for readers, if they find the book interesting enough, they can order the book and book will be digitally published and shipped to the reader.

At one place, the website that author won't be bound by any legal binding with the pothi.com and if they want to publish book somewhere, they would be free to do so. (Non exclusive , non binding contract. Pull out your book anytime or publish at another place simultaneously self). Now, this can be an infringement issue. What if author gets into legal binding with other published then book publication at your web goes for a toss. I guess, it can be taken care by some legal document but not really a good idea.
At another place, it writes the book will be only technically reviewed, not the content. That means, one can actually copy from some other book and publish in the name of himself, it could create a problem. Also, designing cover and all could be a bit difficult for an author as a good writer might not be a good designer. The site should do this themselves of course at a price.
The PowerPoint presentation for the authors is just not up to mark. It looks like one made for academic projects. That needs a lot of improvement, better some professional touch. Even site deserves something better. But given they are still in process, I guess that would be okay.
Since, nothing is set as on practical level. It's difficult to comment on that. But, just putting books won't help. Books need to be reviewed by experts, and put somewhere as top 5 or favorites or books most read, no one would go through whole list to find which book is good.
Now for kind of books, it is suggested that books written on Technical book in regional language or a travelogue. Now, travelogue is fine but who would risk reading a technical book by an immature author. My feel is that, it is most suitable for bloggers with aspirations of turning into an author writing random, abstract, mostly about their experience. I cannot say what kind of books can come when everything goes live, but surely someone writing light stuff like Chetan Bhagat is possible. There are plenty of such on web writing pretty interesting stuff. On the lighter note, dabblers who think they are good writers, can order plenty of books and show that to their relatives and friends... :)
Most crucial requisite for its success is proper marketing. Since, such idea would really hit young people than anyone else. Its ads must be at places like rediff where most of the youngsters new in job many times a day (out of boredom or lack of work whatever :). Recently, a book library librarywala.com flashed their so many times on rediff that once I guess by default, I just checked. It was renting books in the city; you just pay the monthly rental and read many new costly books. I filled a form and they called up. Putting something in college fest may help too.
While going through its site, one idea stuck my mind. Once a book becomes a hit and you start getting a lot of printing a lot of orders, then rather than trying to stretch infrastructure, it would be a lot better to sell the book to a bigger publication house for a premium. They would have a lot more expertise and infrastructure including cheap publication and marketing and sale & distribution. Now, there you would need rights of the book.

Overall, the idea is good. But, it would need a lot of patience and persistence.

भारतीय जनमानस की संकीर्णता

2008-03-18T11:30:00.000+05:30

अभी हाल में एक घटना बहुत सुर्खियों में है...गोवा में ब्रिटेन से आई एक १५ साल की लड़की स्कार्लेत्त के साथ बलात्कार होता है और उसकी हत्या कर दी जाती है...सबसे पहले हमारी भारतीय पुलिस इसे हत्या मानने से ही इंकार कर देती है...फ़िर गोवा के मुख्यमंत्री उस लड़की की माँ पे सवाल उठाते हैं...जिसने अपनी बेटी को एक अनजाने जगह पे अकेले छोड़ दिया...
इसी विषय पे बीबीसी हिन्दी ने पाठकगन से विचार मांगे जो काफी दिलचस्प हैं...उनमें से कुछ टिप्पणियां मैं यहाँ डाल रहा हूँ...
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स्कारलेट की हत्या के दोषी को सज़ा होनी ही चाहिए। लेकिन सवाल ये है कि क्या ये नारी, नशा और नंगेपन के मेल का परिणाम तो नहीं? आखिर ज़रूरत ही क्या थी रात के वक्त किसी अजनबी के साथ बाहर जाकर अय्याशी करने की? कहावत पुरानी है कि रुई और आग को साथ-साथ रखेगें तो जलेंगे ही. दूसरा पहलू ये कि अय्याशी में चूर स्कारलेट की मौत वाकई हादसा हो. या फिर पहले साथी ने उसकी मर्ज़ी से सेक्स किया हो और दूसरे ने ज़बर्दस्ती से और ये हादसा हुआ. देखिए, अपनी सुरक्षा अपने हाथ होती है और मर्यादा का ख्याल हर किसी को रखना होता है
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भारत हो या कोई भी देश, आ बैल मुझे मार की तरह तर्ज़ पर देर-सवेर उल्टी सीधी पोशाक में मौज करने वाले युवाओं की सुरक्षा भला कौन और कब तक कर सकता है। बलात्कार की शिकार नारी या उसके परिजनों से पुलिस कुछ भी पूछे, उन्हें उत्पीड़न ही लगता है. क्योंकि इसमें उन्हें शर्म महसूस होती है. देर रात घर से निकलने वाली युवतियाँ यदि अपनी इज़्ज़त के प्रति सचेत हों तो बेवक्त घर से निकलें ही क्यों. सज्जन पुरुष भी देर रात को घर से निकलना टालते हैं.
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अगर ये मान भी लें एक १५ साल की लड़की को अकेले नही होना चाहिए था या दृग्स नही लेना चाहिए था...फ़िर भी किसी भी तरह पुलिस अपनी जिम्मेदारी से नही भाग सकती...तमाम आधुनिकीकरण के बाद भइ अगर हम एक लड़की को सुरक्षा नही दे सकता टू लानत है ऐसे विकास का...कैसे लोग डर जाते हैं उन गुंडों के खिलाफ कड़ी kaarvai करने के बजाए हम अपने में ही गलतिया ढूंढ रहे हैं..शायद ये हममें छिपी गुलामी की मानसिकता को दर्शाता है। पता नही हम कब बाहर निकलेंगे इन सबसे और एक अच्छे समाज की रचना कर पाएंगे...

Dear Mr. Raj Thakare

2008-02-15T18:14:00.000+05:30

Lots of things happened in Maharashtra recently, intensity of which I could never had felt had I not been living in Pune. True, it is well understood that it is nothing more than a political gimmick, a horrible plan of cynical, incapable, idiot and stupid politician. Hell, he cannot be called a politician. He is mostly a bloody bastard. Approximately 10000 poor people from North India have been forced to leave Maharashtra. Many of them had been threatened with severe consequences. Who were these people, poor, vulnerable doing petty jobs. It was also said, they have been involved in a lot of crimes, to hell with that. Thay might have been petty thieves taking away some hundereds, some thousands Rupees surely they don't have a gang here, they don’t charge Hafta here. If you really have guts, find mafia and hit them but wait NO...They are too strong. You can't touch them.

I saw lots of shops getting closed during the day of arrest of Raj Thakare. Although, no majot incidents happened in Pune, proud to be called as Cambridge of East and they have a lot of students coming from North India to receive education in mostly below standard mediocre colleges with hefty donation charges bringing hell lot of money. Some 75000 of IT workers are from outside, giving many secondary jobs and higher rent and all that. I am sure that can compensate for some loss of work to North Indian people. But he is such a pathetic person may never have thought of any consequences, what happens if companies refuse to come to Pune, or existing ones move away. I know that is a distant thing, but image is very sensitive thing. No doubt, students coming this year are going to be less. Leave aside possible backlash and anger against Marathi Manoos trapped somewhere in North India. On the extremities, I won’t be surprised if tomorrow some military outfit if formed to take their acts of vengeance.

But, the thing that Mr. Raj Thakare set out to do, he eventually succeeded. He got himself on front page of most newspapers for more than a day. Even though what he did was against the soul of Indian Constitution, article 19(1)[C] says, that any citizen of this country is free to commute to any other part of country and article 19(1)[D] says that any citizen can make any part as home. I seriously hope people of Maharashtra to make sure that he loses pathetically in the coming elections. Else, it would set a very bad example for this country.

In one of most blasphemous acts, Mr. Raj Thakare said that Chhath Pooja is a drama, now there is a party which considers itself to be a Hindu party and they are commenting about one of the most sacred festivals, it's not like noisy Ganesh Pooja which they seem to enjoy a lot but a very quiet and mind you a very tough festival to do. Now, it is really tragic to say because for last few years we had been celebrating Ganesh Pooja in my hometown, I am not sure whether they are going to perform this year too.

True, it is a simple outsourcing problem. It happens everywhere. Indian people in search of better job and living conditions go abroad, similarly North India people migrate to more affluent part of the country. But, on the flip side, I realized what kind of fear minorities go through. And once I really wished that let all people who work so hard outside their state away from their families, to be sent back home. At least that could have pressurized out corrupted governments in their states to do something for they are the only ones responsible for such miseries of North Indians. Whatever industries Bihar had inherited at the time of independence, either they are closed or are run with zero efficiency. On almost every development indicator, Bihar and UP occupy proud position at the bottom. These states must do something; at least laborers doing petty things abroad could be helped. At least open some goddamned Engineering and Medical Colleges there, which will stop the huge outflow of money and eventually bring lot of jobs too.

I guess, it sounds that I am pretty pissed off about this whole MNC, and Raj Thakare stuff, I guess I am. I never thought in my own country, I will have to face anything like this. People saying, don’t say out of home it is dangerous, Go home early and all that, pretty sad state of affairs here. I am glad that at least for the time being, it is over.

Just A Thought

2007-09-06T15:52:00.000+05:30

When I joined my first company, my manager took a session for all the people who were joining together, Not many, just 4 of us. He was a IIT+IIM combo, so naturally was kind of impressed. That guy talked a lot of sense. Drew a picture of our brain to show which part of brain does what...don't know if this is taught at B-Schools.

One of things, he told and stuck me that one should focus where one is good at and try to get best at it. And get yourself with people who can make up for your weakness and you do the same for them. The similar thing I read in a book recently. It says, that if amount of effort one need to apply to become from BETTER to ONE OF THE BEST is very less compared to from POOR to JUST OK.

Logically, I believe that this idea is just great. But, I think this idea is self-defeating. Until and unless, you try doing other stuff how can you know what you are best at. May be you just think that this is what you best at because you have never done anything else in your whole life.

What do you think...

Just aimless Wandering...

2007-08-30T19:37:00.000+05:30

I don't know what to write. For a long time I haven't written anything at all.

Here I am just putting some thoughts (really :)) which came to my mind just like it. No connection whatsoever.

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Long term goals and short term barriers.

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People not so brilliant. Is that their fault...

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Life is tough and it gets tougher if you don't see it that way.

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For every saying, there is another saying which can counter the first one with an equal and opposite force.

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Sanju dada and Sallu Mian in jail....Victory for justice

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CAT Preparation techniques...all rubbish. Maximize your score..by doing this that. Nothing can work if you don't know how to solve and vice versa.

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Don't think you are a super hero. Rather be a lesser mortal and just focus.

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No matter how hard you try, you can never get everything you want. YOU NEED TO BE SELECTIVE.

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There will be a lot of times when you would have to take a decision and you won't have any information.

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Don't repent too much you are not GOD. You can make mistakes.

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Shelfari

2007-08-29T14:29:00.000+05:30

गुनाहों का देवता

2007-07-16T12:51:00.000+05:30

मैं बहुत दिनों से सोच रहा था कि हिंदी में कभी कुछ लिखूं लेकिन यह सोच कर कि मैं टाईप कैसे कर पाउँगा कभी भी प्रयास नही किया...लेकिन गूगल ने ऐसा कुछ सोच रखा है पता ही नहीं था! इससे आसान भी कुछ हो सकता है...कह नही सकता.

हिंदी मेरी मातृभाषा है इसमें लिखने और पढने का जो रस है वो कभी कहीँ और नही आ सकता. कुछ दिनों पहले एक निकट मित्र के कहने पर मैंने एक पुस्तक पढी 'गुनाहों का देवता'।

ये तो निश्चयपूर्वक नही कह सकता कि धर्मवीर भारती हिंदी साहित्य के सबसे अच्छे लेखक हैं लेकिन सबसे अच्छों में से एक तो निश्चित ही हैं।

कहानी के बारे में क्या लिखूं । सबसे पहले कहानी कि पृष्ठभूमि उत्तर प्रदेश की है '70 के दशक कि मूलतः। कहानी लखनऊ के आस-पास ही घूमती है। कहानी ऐसी है कि एक बार शुरू करने के बाद समाप्त किया बिना आप रह नही पायेंगे।

कहानी तीन मुख्य किरदारों के इर्द-गिर्द घूमती है। ये हैं चंदन कपूर, सुधा और विनती। चंदन या चंदर सुधा के घर में रहकर उसके पिता, जो कि युनिवर्सिटी में प्रोफेसोर हैं, कि सहायता से पढ़ाई कर रहा है, सुधा के घर में ही रहता है। ज़ाहिर सी बात है कि वो सुधा के पिता के एहसानों तले दबा है। सुधा और चंदर बहुत अच्छे दोस्त है, सुधा चंदर को बहुत पसंद करती है पर किस रुप में और कितना, इतना समझने कि शक्ति उसमें आयी ही नही है। विनती सुधा के बुआ की लडकी है है जो सुधा के घर में रहने आती है।

मैं पुरी कहानी का वर्णन तो यहाँ नही कर सकता लेकिन कहानी अपने आप में बहुत सारे मार्मिक क्षणों को समाये है। इंसानी रिश्तों ताना-बाना कितना जटिल है, शायद यही समझाना लेखक का मूल उद्देश्य है। प्यार कितना सच्चा और पवित्र हो सकता है ये भी लेखक ने दिखाया है। काम-वासना या सेक्स पर भी लेखक ने prakash डालने की चेष्टा की है। कहानी के अंत में किसी निश्चित निष्कर्ष पर पहुंच पाना तो संभव ही नही है। ये तो पढने वाले कि मन में अनगिनत सवाल पैदा कर देता है जो बहुत समय तो सोचे के लिए मजबूर कर देंगे।

कहानी का अंत अत्यंत ही मार्मिक है। सच कहूं तो अंत के ३-४ पन्ने मुझसे पढे ही नही गए। सुधा, जिससे कहानी पढ़ते-पढ़ते किसी भी ह्रदय वाले मनुष्य को प्यार हो जाएगा, के दर्द कि अनुभूति ही ह्रदय को विकल कर देता है।

कहानी तत्कालीन समाज में स्थापित रूधिवाद पर भी प्रहार करती है। जातिवाद, प्रेम-विवाह है।

सबसे ज्यादा कहानी में किसी का मज़ाक तो चंदर का। वैसे मेरी समझ में उसने कभी कुछ गलता नही किया, वो तो अपने चरित्र को सोने से भी अधिक सुनहरा बनाना चाहता था, उस पराकाष्ठा पर पहुँचाना चाहता था जहाँ सिर्फ देवता ही पहुंच सके या पहुंच सकते हैं। लेकिन manusya तो मनुष्ये है ना। जब गिरा तो इतना नीचे कि रूक ही ना सका। कहानी का शीर्षक भी शायद इसी ओर है।

कहानी में सुधा के पिता का चरित्र भी बहुत कुछ बताता है। उस्नके अनुभाब उस्नको कहॉ से कहॉ ले जाते हैं। वही इन्सान जो सुधा कि शादी में घोर जातिवादी थे, कैसे विनती की शादी चंदर से कराने को इचापुर्वक तैयार हो जाते हैं। सुधा की शादी के समाया अगर उन्होने इतना अन्याय नही किया होता तो जाने कितनी ही ज़िन्दगिया बरबाद होने बच जाती ।जाने इससे सीख क्या मिलती है, कि जो सही है वही करो दुनिया अंत में मान ही जाती है या ना मने कम से कम इन ढकोसलों का कोई मतलब तो नही होता। वैसे कहानी के प्रसंग में सुधा के पिता को भी दोष देना उचित नही होगा।

पुनः बहुत सरे सवाल, अगर कहानी एकदम विपरीत दृष्टिकोण से लिखी गयी होती और प्रेम-विवाह में होने वाली समस्याओं को दिखाया होता तो कुछ और ही होता। कुछ कहा नही जा सकता।

जो भी हो ये कहानी एक बार पढने लायक तो जरूर ही है।

नोट: बहुत दिनों के बाद हिंदी में कुछ लिखने का प्रयास कर रह हूँ पाठक-गन क्षमा करेंगे। कुछ समय पहले छोटी बहन को हिंदी में एक पत्र लिखा था बहुत मुश्किल हुई थी देवनागरी लिखने में। बिल्कुल भी अभ्यास नही रहा अब।

Business Plan

2007-07-09T20:15:00.000+05:30

Does anybody know of a service, in which siting in one city, one can send something to other one in a different city. Of course, I am aware of something called Courier service, but something which you cannot send, like flowers or gifts like that.

I think there is a service like this, but don't know how to approach. In case you know, let me know. Else, I think it could be a good business plan :). It could be a great hit especially among love-birds :).

In an era of globalization, when people are living far away from each other and finding even harder to see each other very often, it could be a sweet way to let your love know of your passion. Just imagine, your girl is upset about your absence, and fortunately for you she is missing you. And then you get to know from the flower boy that he is going to knock the door, exactly at that moment you give a call to your love to open the door. She opens the door and a bouquet of red flowers with a sweet b'day card mentioning your name, sound pretty romantic, doesn't it? She may get overwhelmed...and guess what your love may even get intense :). Just be cautious, the flower boy doesn't get your share of kiss :P.

Jokes apart, but I really think, it can work. Service may come at premium but should be of very good standard and feel-good factor should be there.

Possible product, may be bouquet...

P.S. Don't mind my mention of 'My girl'. This post is from the point of view of a boy :).

Revisiting your childhood

2007-07-03T14:09:00.000+05:30

These days, I am reading 'Diary of a Young Girl', which I think everybody knows is about the life of a Jew girl Anne Frank spent during the horrific time of second world war. Despite the tragic end of this diary, what is very interesting that one can revisit her/his childhood, how a child sees the world.

It also gives us a lot of insight about the life and culture of western society of that time, should call Jew but I think it gives a general view. How they live life despite all those problems and still manage to enjoy. How the little girl educates herself, she reads a lot and a lot of other thinks. Her view on every one's nature is particularly good. How she falls in love...and how as a 14 year old gild, she tells her Dad, how her Dad reasons with her. Things which are still inconceivable in India.

Yet to finish. But overall the novel is really good.

To know more about Anne Frank use http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Diary_of_a_Young_Girl

Cheeni Kum: A sexy movie

2007-06-08T12:17:00.000+05:30

Is the title in appropriate, NO. It is really a very sexy movie :).

First, I was really very sceptical to watch this movie, budhdhon ki prem kahani kaun dekhna chahta hai...but this movie is very very young. Will keep you laughing most of the time.

The best part of the movie is that it is very well written, characters come out without any effort. Dialogues are just superb. Especially the dialogues by Tabu in the first part when Amitabh Bachchan asks her to come to a Fun show, see what Tabu says...kya samjha akeli ladki hai to jo chaho kar loge..pahle theatre fir dinner aur fir bed..tum sab mard ek jaise hi hote ho...'Amitabh completely taken aback' then she says 'tum late to nahi ho jaoge...hilarious scene :)

Second, when she asks Amitabh to tell whatever is going in his mind...well you have to watch the movie for it.

There is a conversation between Amitabh and Tabu which goes something like this:

AB: Shadi wo keemat hai jo ek mard sex ke lie chukata hai, sex wo keemat hai jo ek auarat shadi ke lie chukati hai...zindagi ki is kadwi sachchai ko jante hue bhi kya tum mujhse shadi karna chahogi...
Tabu (Nodding her head): yes

Don't you think it is hilarious...

Acting wise movie is just superb. Amitabh looking ever young, with his designer cloths, he can give Abhishek a run for money. Tabu is just great for the role. Well, actually directors chose actors such that acting wise movie is flawless. And yes, how can one forget the character of SEXY, the cute little child who talks like a very matured person, she was one of the key characters of the movie.

Initially, I thought that movie would be sad. Like Jogger's Park and like. But interesting movie is very upbeat, very live. Not a single dull moment at all.

My advice, go and watch this movie, you may not like is as much as I liked it. But you won't regret it at least. In bollywood, such movies are really rare.

Rating: ****

My pic

2007-06-08T12:15:00.000+05:30

Friends at IBM

2007-05-04T14:58:00.000+05:30

Just trying to publish pic throgh Picasa..which I think is working :).
Oh! By the way...in the pic (Sanjay, me and Ravi from left to right). All at IBM Kolkata..

Review: Namesake

2007-04-10T15:25:00.000+05:30

One always listens about the bad effects of holding a credit card. There are some good, too. Since in job, I started getting a lot of calls regarding credit cards. Got a few of them. One of them is Manhattan, best thing about this card is, on every Thursday you get to see movie in INOX at half the price (if you manage to get a partner :).

I was waiting for Namesake since long. The story appealed me. Cross-culture and all that, based on a Pulitzer Prize winning novel, I liked all that.

So, I desperately wanted to watch this movie. Tried to persuade a lot of people, nobody agreed. Had to watch anyway, so went.

The movie delivered more than I had expected. Not at an art movie at all. Acting wise movie is just superb. Each and every character has done their job with utmost sincerity. May it be Irrfan Khan, whom I like a lot since since 'Haasil' or national award winning actress Tabu. I heard that Abhishek Bachchan and Rani Mukherjee were about to do this flick, I don't think they could have done a better job apart from some media publicity. Kal Penn from 'Harold & Kumar' pulls off very nicely. As a young boy, stranded between two opposing culture, he has done a great job. Struggle in his mind is well reflected on his face. Scenes of real Kolkata add lots of originality to the movie, someone should show this to Hindi film directors that one does not need to go to Switzerland just to shoot a movie and all that. Well, one more thing, the movie uses lots of Bengali, of course subtitle is provided. But, I understood most of them without reading, thanks to some very good Bengali friends, I made in Kolkata J.

Overall, Namesake is a very beautifully crafted movie. Kudos to Mira Nair for such a nice effort. This poster is also intriguing. Kal Penn is shown coming out of past memory, basic theme of the movie.

My rating: ****

Nice blog in Hindi

2007-04-09T15:15:00.000+05:30

These days, we find dearth of anything good written in Hindi, I don't really remember when was the last time I read some really good Hindi literature..

In my college days, I read Vaishali ki 'Nagarvadhu by Acharya Chatursen', thoroughly enjoyed it...Recently bought a book by Dharmveer Bharti named 'Gunahon ka Devta'...very well written. These books had been written well in past. Not much I have seen in contemporary time. May be because people's fascination towards anything English, even they would love to read some stupid Hinglish or worse Hindi written in Roman script (in mobile or SMS)....I don't think our children would be able to read Hindi script though they may be able to talk very well (courtesy to Hindi movies)

Especially people of our generation tend to deny their Hindi connection to show them you know English type...Here is a good effort made by one of my batchmate and dear friend...I think one should have a look at it and appreciate the kind of efforts being put. Apart from quality of work...The sheer hard work of typing in Hindi...I am still trying to figure out how to write in Hindi...:(

Here is the link...http://ojha-uwaach.blogspot.com/
(Anybody knows this name means..Ojha Uwaach..Means Ojha says...from Sanskrit actually)

Back on Blogosphere

2007-04-06T10:44:00.000+05:30

After a long tussle with myself to remember all my passwords, I could not remember my password for www.blogspot.com. The email id I used here was sawan@iitk.ac.in which was closed as we left the college. So, not possible to get the password. Ultimately had to write Blog Team, and see they take good response.

I got access to my blogs. Hurray!!!

Hope to make a lot of posts these days...there has been a lot of developments in last one year...:)

Globalization, huh!

2006-04-06T01:02:00.000+05:30

Today, I found two news in the newspaper quite contrasting to the whole big GLABALIZATION thing.

1. Arcelor, is giving extraordinary dividend to its shareholders obviously to prevent the Mittal's hostile bid of $25 billion. The dividend announced in Feb 1.20 Euro was raised to 1.85 Euro per share.
2. The British Government has passed a law which would make it difficult for the Indian (or non-British) doctors to practice there, to protect home-grown doctors. Those who don't have work-permit there would have to come back and apply again.

Both of them show one thing globalization is not so easy when it comes to yourself. Your companies going outside and getting a hell lot of money is okay, but it comes to you, you start defining words like Economic Patriotism blah! blah! blah!...Gimme a break!

Some More pics

2006-04-06T00:36:00.000+05:30

This is a view of Linz, where I have gone with the group to watch some Rocky horror (for me, it was only horror) show. See, the river in pic is Danube...This is some Church, I think. There are a few things which you will get in almost every place in Europe, a church, a beautiful Castle, a small tiny river...alone you may get bored very soon.
This is a view of Salzach, you call this river, come to North India, see The Ganges. you know European Rivers are really cute, you see their tiny bridges they really enhance the beauty of the cities. By the way, their cities are also quite smaller, Salzburg has a population of just 144, 000 come on my home town has a population of 150,000 and it is just a small town.
This is what people call classical view of Salzburg, at the top of the hill it is Hohensalzburg Fortress, a must of tourists going there.
She is the one who after a lot of yes-no agreed to go tto Salzburg with me, really grateful. Else, had to move alone once more.

Austria Trip

2006-04-06T00:23:00.000+05:30

For long, I have thought that I would make an online journal of my Austria trip, but laziness is such a bastard...it may not allow anything...Wait, there were some genuine reasons, I had almost destroyed the DigiCam given by my brother...:P. So, I could not get the pics until very recently, now I have got them, so I think I could post them.

One confession, I always used to think that I would be very good at photography, hell looking at the pictures I have taken...I am looking at the websites for the worst photographer award..I will be a very strong contender, believe me. Okay, too much of blah! blah!

This guy in the pic is me, of course who else can be...I am at the Mirabell Garden in Salzburg...posing in front of some stupid sculpture, I never found the point in posing in front of such thing...what do you want to show....look I had been there...bah!

Books Read

2006-04-05T23:57:00.001+05:30

Somehow, I started thinking that I should start reading some books at last...the worm of thought came a long ago but it could actually make any real impact...So I am just mentioning the books which I have read in recent time...

1. One night at the Call Centre by Chetan Bhagat
2. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
3. The Monk who sold his ferrari by Robin Sharma
4. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
5. Da Vince Code by Dan Brown
6. The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
7. Five Point Someone by Chetan Bhagat

(In the reverse chronological order)

Books read last summer (In Austria)

1. Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald
2. Red Rabbit by Tom Clancy
3. The Sum of all Fears by Tom Clancy
4. Digital Fortress by Dan Brown

Given the fact that I am not really a passionate reader, I think that is decent...However, there is something amazing that I forgot name of the author for a lot of books. How can you forget the author's name of a book on which you have at least spent 7-8 hours...And the limit is that in one case I ever forgot the name of the book...bah!

okay...now I am thinking of making a list of books which I have been thinking that I would read

1. Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
2. The Portrait of a Young Man by James Joyce
3. In Constody by Anita Desai
4. The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century by Thomas Friedman

Let's see how many of them I can complete and by when...

Long Time, huh!

2006-04-05T23:47:00.000+05:30

I know I had not been writing for a really long-long period...You know...sometimes I just wonder...when I am too busy a lot of creative ideas comes to mind, on the other hand when are free you are just idle, not working, not thinking meaning not doing anything at all.

However, I had been doing something this whole semester. Being the last semester, it has a lot to do with my future life. A job was the most important thing to get...got it somehow...and for the first time, I had really been thinking seriously about career options and all that...lolz!!!

Kashmir Quake and Jihad

2005-10-25T13:28:00.000+05:30

Few days ago, when hurricane Katrina and othere hurricanes had hit America, I rememmber some self-proclaimed Islamic Leader saying that Allah (God) is punishing the evil world in its way. I wonder what they have to say about this Kashmir Quake, which had affected mostly muslim population.

I know this is very sarcastic, what I am trying to say, these self-proclaimed leaders of various religion, although in present it is specific to a single religion just try to spread hatred in some way or the other. God don't see us according to our religions. Natural calamity can hit anywhere, and all the men of this world must unite to fight that. The so called JIHAD fought by brain-washing naive youths must be stopped now.

Around one lakh people have died in the recent quake mostly in Pakistan administerd Kashmir and many more will die in the coming winter if sufficient help doesn't reach them. Arab world, and muslim terrorists which are so full of oil money, why are they not coming to rescue their own brethren? Is their Jihad limited to just killing people so called 'Kafirs' not for their own people?

Famous Personalities

2005-10-01T04:32:00.000+05:30

I am organizing a club called Gymkhana Lecture and Discussion Club. For that I need to invite some famous personalities (field doesn't matter) to our campus.

Just now collected addresses of Aruna Roy, Magsaysay Award Winner, Rajendra Singh, Ramon Magsaysay Award Winner, Vipula Kadri, CRY, Indira Jaising, Renowned lawyer. Never thought getting email id or address of any person would be so difficult. It took googling of my precious two hours. I really hope that at least one of them will accept the invitation.

If you have idea about Kiran Bedi's contact info or some other famous personalities. mail me at sawank@gmail.com

The Sweet Heart Manifesto

2005-09-24T13:57:00.000+05:30

The Sweet Heart Manifesto

Human Right Violation: Part 2

2005-09-24T03:28:00.000+05:30

This post is in continuation with the previous post. The last post dealt about the racial conflict in America and how the conflict was resolved by a series of violent/non-violent civil protest using the power of Democracy.

Not quite similar, but Cast System in India resembles racial problem of America. The difference of course is that caste system in India is more that two thousand years old. Caste System gives privilege to some people to decide what others should do, violating other's human right. The worst thing is that it is endorsed by the religion, thereby all of the religion's orthodox agents. It is said that with the commence of education and economic prosperity, the intensity of such hatred goes down i.e. people becoming more intelligent (I guess). However, looking at it, it doesn't seem so. Even the most educated people think caste as important to them. What is worst that even economic prosperity of country is not helping reducing the barrier to the extent it should had been by now.

Looking at the American model (I mean the way conflict was resolved in America), I wonder why such kind of Human Right Protest had not taken place in India? Why is there no such famous personality talk about this and not endorsing such causes? Why there is no such famous NGO (Non Government Organizations) are working in this area, even if there are some working, why is there number so low in a area where a lot of work has to be done? Even the so called Representives of Hindus Fundamentalists have seldom taken any stem towards it. All they say about inter religion conflicts, wouldn't it be lot better, they try to make Hinduism free of this curse. This is a malice for otherwise good Hindu religion. Why don't we have great thinkers, bashing at caste system. One may say, why should they, most of them are from upper cast and they are in a favourable position, why should we expect any standpoint from them. True, but in most of the civil right movements, both side have taken participation for such a noble cause like this, may be in small number. Most of the time condemned Indian Government should be given credit for this which has taken some strong initiative in this direction, like reservation and law protecting them against any kind of hatred aimed at them. My point is that such kind of orthodox principles, irrational argument used to exist in almost every part of the world. The difference is that in the course of time, they overcame it and moved towards a more rational world which award equal right to all its citizens irrespective of whatever difference might exist among them. Then why is that there is not even any sign of moving towards a perfect rational system in Hinduism?

I think the possible reasons could be these:

1.) Age Old System: Cast System in India is at least 2,500 years old. It has got deep route inside the mind of people. It has become so old that it seems natural, nobody thinks about it, it rightness or whatever. It is just taken for granted that people from lower cast are supposed to do this while people from upper castes are supposed to do this. None of them questions, both of them take it for granted.
It require enormous amount of courage, conviction and commitment (The triple C's) to break this rugged age old tradition for hatred among people of same religion.

2.) Lack of Intellectual Support: Look at any movement in the world ever taken place, they all had the support of Thinkers, philosophers. Sadly enough, there isn't enough support, should I say, NO intellectual support. Most importantly, the education system does not make much effort for eradication of this system of hatred.

How to break this:
Sadly I, too, don't have viable solution for this. I think possible courage by younger generation to marry in different castes might mitigate its intensity and resolving this problem forever, but it requires enterprising young people. Secondly, by giving more and more opportunities to people of unprivileged class, which government of India is already doing.

Human Right Movements in America

2005-09-24T01:25:00.000+05:30

Today, incidently, I came to read something about Whites/Blacks conflict in America. Condemn it to my ignorance or my course curriculam, I had almost no idea about this. I had a feeling that White/Black conflicts in America are long gone before we got independence. Basically, what I used to think that Abraham Lincoln gave all the rights to Blacks, and that was it. How wrong was I? I was stunned to know that there was serious discrimination even till 1970's in the most progressive country in the world. The concept was 'Segregation' was inhumane and no man could logically accept that but it existed there. And it took a long period of civil struggle and determination to let people be comfortable with 'Integrity'. Leaders like Martin Luthar King Jr. had to sacrifice his life, I guess that made a very big impact, his way struggle and his famous words "I have a dream'. His belief of uniting America with all the White and Black people with equal rights, was more effective than any possible militant activies. One of the instances as recently as 1962, where a court ruling allowed a black student James Meredith, to be the first to enter the University of Missisipi breaking the 'segregation' rule. The government had to apply 12000 soldiers to stop any possible violence, yet the Governor of Missisipi stopped him at the gate of class, violence broke down. Later, an assasination attempt was also made at that student. What I am trying to say that how intense was this hatred for black people.

Today, all Black citizens I should say African American people of America are living with equal rights with equal power. This shows the great power of DEMOCRACY. Our past history says that humans by not very rational, we have natural feeling of downsizing others whereever possible and we make orthodox principles justifying that. Since such orthodox thinkings favours us, we don't want to change it, in fact we just don't want to see out of the box, looking rationally possible looking the picture from other's points of the view. Be it anti-semintism or religious wars or violent nationalism. Fortunately, time to time some great visionary people take courage to think out of the box and present some provocative ideas. Non other than a perfectly democratic society can allow such ideas to prosper. I think this is greatest power of democracy to allow criticism and to change with it. That's how anything can become strong and sustainable in long run. We are proun to be in a world where discrimination between all humans is minimum in the history of civilized world. HAIL DEMOCRACY.

Time Pass

2005-09-24T01:05:00.000+05:30

Your Personality Profile

You are nurturing, kind, and lucky.
Like mother nature, you want to help everyone.
You are good at keeping secrets and tend to be secretive.
A seeker of harmony, you are a natural peacemaker.
You are good natured and people enjoy your company.
You put people at ease and make them feel at home with you.

The World's Shortest Personality Test

Your Hidden Talent

You have the power to persuade and influence others.
You're the type of person who can turn a whole room around.
The potential for great leadership is there, as long as you don't abuse it.
Always remember, you have a lot more power over people than you might think!

What's Your Hidden Talent?

You are a Believer

You believe in God and your chosen religion.
Whether you're Christian, Muslim, Jewish, or Hindu..
Your convictions are strong and unwavering.
You think your religion is the one true way, for everyone.

What's Your Religious Philosophy?

You Are Likely a First Born

At your darkest moments, you feel guilty.
At work and school, you do best when you're researching.
When you love someone, you tend to agree with them often.
In friendship, you are considerate and compromising.
Your ideal careers are: business, research, counseling, promotion, and speaking.
You will leave your mark on the world with discoveries, new information, and teaching people to dream.

The Birth Order Predictor

Your Blog Should Be Purple

You're an expressive, offbeat blogger who tends to write about anything and everything.
You tend to set blogging trends, and you're the most likely to write your own meme or survey.
You are a bit distant though. Your blog is all about you - not what anyone else has to say.

What Color Should Your Blog or Journal Be?

Your French Name is:

Beau Duclos

What's Your French Name?

Your Brain's Pattern

You have a dreamy mind, full of fancy and fantasy.
You have the ability to stay forever entertained with your thoughts.
People may say you're hard to read, but that's because you're so internally focused.
But when you do share what you're thinking, people are impressed with your imagination.

What Pattern Is Your Brain?

Your Linguistic Profile:

40% General American English

25% Dixie

20% Yankee

10% Upper Midwestern

0% Midwestern

What Kind of American English Do You Speak?

Slow and Steady

Your friends see you as painstaking and fussy.

They see you as very cautious, extremely careful, a slow and steady plodder.

It'd really surprise them if you ever did something impulsively or on the spur of the moment.

They expect you to examine everything carefully from every angle and then usually decide against it.

How Do People See You?

Your Personality Profile

You are funky, outdoorsy, and down to earth.
While you may not be a total hippie...
You're definitely one of the most free spirited people around.

You are very impulsive - every day is a new adventure.
However, you do put some thought behind all your actions.
Still, you do tend to shock and offend people from time to time!

The World's Shortest Personality Test

Your Career Type: Enterprising

You are engertic, ambitious, and sociable.
Your talents lie in politics, leading people, and selling things or ideas.

You would make an excellent:

Auctioneer - Bank President - Camp Director
City Manager - Judge - Lawyer
Recreation Leader - Real Estate Agent - Sales Person
School Principal - Travel Agent - TV Newscaster

The worst career options for your are investigative careers, like mathematician or architect.

What's Your Ideal Career?

Your Career

2005-09-23T17:51:00.000+05:30

Your Career Type: Enterprising

What's Your Ideal Career?

Last Movie Watched: Dog Day Afternoon

2005-09-11T13:59:00.000+05:30

Being an ardent fan of Al Pacino, I always wanted to watch his initial movies where he really looked great. I have seen many of his movies 'The Scent of a Woman', Heat, The Insider, Scarface, didn't like his hard look. Remember, his 'The Godfather', it was so great. Finally I found one movie on LAN, 'Dog Day Afternoon'.

The movie starts with Al Pacino going to rob a bank with his two accompanies. Hilarious part starts when one of them leaves saying he cannot do this. They don't leave soon they rob and get trapped inside as Police comes there. The people inside are kept as hostages and soon due to media coverage Sonny aka Al Pacina becomes a semi celebrity. People inside seem to enjoy the situation for this coverage. However, his seemingly popularity goes down when his homosexuality behaves is revealed. In the end they are caught.

The fact that movie was based on the original story makes it special. I liked the movie. Story was great. Acting of Al Pacino was as usual great. My rating ****. Imdb gives it 8.0 rightly given.

Few JOKES

2005-09-10T03:15:00.000+05:30

Here are few jokes I liked. After a long time some new not PM jokes have been posted on our newsgroup.

Enjoy

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Here are some "heaven"ly jokes ;) . Just enjoy...

Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly, now pretty old guys, 75 and 76 years old, are sitting on a park bench feeding pigeons and talking about cricket, like they do every day. Sachin turns to Sourav and says, "Do you think there's cricket in heaven?" Ganguly thinks about it for a minute and replies, "I dunno. But let's make a deal: if I die first, I'll come back and tell you if there's cricket in heaven, and if you die first, you do the same." They shake on it and sadly, a few months later, poor Sachin passes on. One day soon afterward, Ganguly is sitting there feeding the pigeons by himself when he hears a voice whisper,

"Sourav...Sourav!" Ganguly responds, "Sachin! Is that you?" "Yes it is, Sourav," whispers Sachin's ghost. Ganguly, still amazed, asks, "So, is there cricket in heaven?"

"Well," says Sachin, "I've got good news and bad news." "Gimme the good news first," says Ganguly. Sachin says, "Well... there is cricket in heaven."Ganguly says, "That's great! What news could be bad enough to ruin that?" Sachin sighs and whispers,

"You and me, we are going to open the innings on Friday."___________________________________________________

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You know what; owing to the increasing number of prayers and requests to GOD...HE has started a new call centre... called HEAVENLY PARADISE...more details below.

Enjoy this...

Imagine what would happen if GOD installed Voice Mail in Heaven

When you pray, you'd get this response:

"Hi ,Thank you for calling Heaven. If you want to speak to Lord Ganesha - Press 1 Lord Shiva - Press 2 Lord Krishna - Press 3 ( Sorry, he is Busy with " Gopiyan " ) For a Directory of other Gods / Goddess - Press 4 For Further Assistance from Menka / Pari / Angels Press 9 .

You press 1 and get connected to Ganeshji and hear the following message: If you want to make a request - Press 5 For complaints / Grievances - Press 6 ( Seldom works ) For thanks giving - Press 7 For any thing else - please press 8 and wait for the Customer Support Angel to talk to you. If you would like to hear Naradji singing Bhajan while you are holding ! Press *

After a few minutes comes the following message: "Our records show that you have already prayed once today. Please try again tomorrow . Meanwhile , if you require any emergency assistance, please contact our offshore Customer Support Executive (priest of your nearest temple :-) )"
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Review: Mangal Pandey The Rising

2005-08-26T16:19:00.000+05:30

Just finished watching 'The Rising' starring Amir Khan. Had a lot of expectations because of huge publicity of the movie and being Amir's movie after a long while.

What I can say that I am very disappointed by the movie. This movie had a subject which really has the ability to touch people of India but alas! everything was ruined by the moviemakers making the movie just another Hindi Masala movie and losing all the essence. Only delight in movie was performance by Amir and the British officer who acts as his friend in the movie. Nobody can ever understand what was the need to include Amisha and Rani Mukherjee in the movie, which certainly diverted the movie from its basic story. The charachter of Mangal Pandey could have been elaborated in much better way. The movie does not deal at all with the aftermath of Mangal Pandey's hanging. I think the movie makers were very much insecure that seem to be the reason they included all that unnecessary stuff.

What made me more disappointed is the fact that this had been movie by Amir in last four years. It can't even be compared with 'Lagaan' which made its way all through to Oscars. Even 'Swades' although not very successful was a much better movie, at least it dealt with the story of the movie sophistically.

So my rating to the movie id ***.

Making of an IAS

2005-08-16T14:30:00.000+05:30

Being in a professional institute actually in an Engineering College it is great to see different people and watching them doing different things. Everyone is looking for a different direction and preparing for that. Some of the students are preparing for GRE so that they can further their studies and really do something with what we study in the college. Some for CAT to become young dynamic managers. And another group of students are preparing for premier exam of India, yeah! Civil Services to be able to serve this country in true sense.

I always thought this exam to very tough. It has a really big syllabus and you need to be really very very good. Students in my college who aspire to clear this, they keep on studying all the time and why not, it has got a huge syllabus. They don't go watching movies screened by our instutute, they don't flirt with girls (they don't have time even for that, so bad). They don't watch great English movies. They know being an IAS* officer is a very very big thing so they sacrifice their days of fun for that. Isn't that so bad? Agreed! Being an IAS officer is a very big thing but if you are going to have fun at 21 years of age when are you going to have...after marriage or after being an IAS officer, Not possible. Then you grow up as an adult, you are no longer a young who can go crazy and do whatever silly things that can catch their mind. I know most of the people will not agree with me. May be it is just some kind of homogenization of people becoming IAS. They all will have similar thinking whatever background they might have.

I feel even bad for the people who devote their live for this purpose and could not clear it. Belonging to a state, where people are almost crazy about this IAS thing, I know a lot of such people. One year ago, my Father took me to meet a girl who had not cleared JEE and was upset about that. She was thinking of taking admission to some another college and during the course of chatting she said that she want to finish her Engineering studies and then she will prepare for IAS Examination. I said "Why?". She just said that she wanted to be an IAS officer. Like, there is nothing else in this world she can do? I, myself, had been said many times to prepare for it. They all say, this way you can make us very proud. Like being an Engineer does not make them proud at all. I am not going to spend my whole life, preparing for one after another competitive exams.

*For those who don't know about IAS, it is an abreviation of "Indian Administrative Services". CAT is an all India test used for admission into India's top Management Institutions.

P.S. This article does not have even slighest of intention of discouraging anyone from preparing for Civil Services Exams.