"Awe"-struck..!

Former President APJ Abdul Kalam made a visit to my institute as the chief guest presiding over the 11th Foundation Day celebrations. His presence was of course eagerly anticiapted by one and all in the institute and I daresay he attracted more attention than any other guest speaker has for quite some time here. Personally, this is not the first time I am hearing him talk and I did not find the lecture as inspiring or even interesting as the media reports it.

This post is not about my views on APJ and the substance of his lecture but about a conversation which sprouted as a result of this. When I was talking to one of my friends in the evening, I was told that I may generally seem to be "cocky" and egoistic because I do not really appreciate or applaud things that are commonly treasured by people. There is a tendency to downplay the achievements of others saying - "Ya, Big deal. What's so great about that?". Even if I may be exaggerating that observation a bit, I have had similar hints from others earlier as well.

There are two fairly obvious things involved here. Firstly, this observation has mostly come from people who adore/respect someone who I criticize or argue against at that time. While this may seem a touch defensive, the point I am trying to make is that it is mostly when the difference of opinion comes in that I suddenly get to hear this. Secondly, the criticism itself is true to an extent. I do have a habit of rationalizing and perhaps playing down people I am not majorly fond of in the name of being "reasonable".

The conversation made me think about personalities that I am in awe of. Now, "awe" may be too strong a term in my book but I could pretty easily think of a set of people (in no particular order) for whom I can use this term without a second thought:

1. Sir Garfield Sobers - The best cricketer ever. When it comes to cricket, he is GOD! We talk of fearsome batsmen, great bowlers and brilliant fielders and he's someone who was all that rolled in one and much more. :)

2. Bertrand Russell - I have not yet managed to read a lot of his books but whatever little I have read has made me respect him a lot for his thoughts and philosophy which was way ahead of his time.

3. KR Narayanan - A true statesman and a glowing example of how wrong our notions are about people coming from the "discriminated" sections of the society.

4. Kalpana Sharma - Yes, finally a woman on the list. Love reading her articles in The Hindu and now on www.indiatogether.com

5. Monica Seles - I was never an ardent fan of Seles even after her comeback in the tennis circuit. Perhaps I was too young then to appreciate her ability, resilience and determination.

6. P. Sainath - His articles are an eye-opener for anyone who talks about development and equality in our country. One of my favourite journalists.

7. Paolo Maldini - Personal Favourite, an AC Milan superstar and one of the best defenders in the modern era. There isn't much rationale in this paticular choice except that he has been my idol when it comes to football.

8. Medha Patkar - Iron-willed lady. Even though I may not entirely agree with all her views, she is simply amazing for the effort she puts in for any cause that she truly believes in.

9. Amartya Sen - Yes there had to be an academician there after all. This Nobel Laurate's book 'Identity and Violence' has made determined to read the rest of his works as well.

10. Noam Chomsky - Whenever I have read anything about Chomsky or any of his own works, it has always made me aspire to be like him one day. He is after all one of the best thinkers in todays' world.

I could perhaps go on and on but shall limit the list to these ten names for now. If I think of any more, I'll perhaps mention them in a new post. :) And I have purposely left out names like Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Teresa since I am nobody to really comment on such people. Not that the names mentioned above aren't great, but they are definitely discussed lesser in the world. These are indeed people who inspire. They are people who can be cited as examples and role models. And each one of them is great in their own way.

This brings me back to where I started this post from. I do not think I would put in so much effort to listen to Dr. APJ as I would to hear most of the names mentioned in the list above (I'd definitely prefer watching the sporting legends!). So is it simply my ego that refuses to give any importance to the former president's address or is there some sense in what I am writing about! Either way, it doesn't matter because I don't see my views on this topic changing for now.

Back on the road again!

So I am finally back after what seems like forever.. Have been missing blogging lately.. Was just waiting for some appropriate moment to resume.. And so today happens to be the auspicious occasion..

Well, the last few months have shown me how things can change very quickly in one's life.. Just 3 months back, I was sitting in Bangalore, in an air-conditioned office, working for a common goal in a project which seemed to be going on forever.. In fact, if I rewind back by 3 more months, I could well have been on a flight to Silicon Valley in the US of A.. But then as it happens, I had to take a crucial decision at that juncture and ended up refusing that offer for "greener" pastures in life.. So, after rounds of GDs and Interviews and nervously waiting for results, I found myself selected for the course on Post Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM) in the Indian Institute of Management, Indore (IIM-I as it is more commonly known!)..

Its been a month and a half since I got here and I already have many experiences which will remain with me for a long time to come.. I had always heard so much about experiencing life in a B-school, but being here and actually being a part of everything is really exhilarating.. Sure, its a competitive world and everyone wishes to finish top one day.. But the different kind of people I have met here and most of what I have learnt so far is really intangible.. Whether it is the initial intro sessions, the late night parties, the theatre club performances, the World Cup matches in the audi, the birthday celebrations, the student body elections, the freshers' and talent night performances, the quizzes, the games, or the latest matki-phod competition, and so much more which I can keep writing about, it has been so much fun and at the same time, such a unique experience that it seems tough to believe that I have been here for not even 2 months.. Ohh, we do have classes too!! :P In fact, we are already more than half-way through this term.. But who wishes to write about acads on a blog when one's happy!!

I have been reading quite a bit about people writing their experiences in Infosys and I have made up my mind that I need to dedicate some space to Infy in my blog too.. But that needs to be a separate post.. For now, I'd just like to sign off saying that I am back blogging again.. with the determintaion to be more regular from now on..

For Netizens

An interesting article on the latest "social" innovations in the field of Information Technology. True to my current profession, I should be and am fascinated by the new features people are coming out with on the internet.

5 and 5 is 55!

Tagged onto this by elf. Well, this thing's being going around for a while now I guess. Anyway, all of you reading this can give it a shot. Here's a lame attempt from me:

He was driving down a lonely road late night. There was noone in sight until he saw this lady standing by the road requesting for a lift.
He drove on past his home as her destination was much further on though common sense told him to stop.
She smiled as she knew he'd never return.

Living as One..

The big news and talking point since yesterday has obviously been the terrorist attack on the Ayodhya temple. Amit Varma has covered most of it in this blog-post.

As our politicians prepare to debate on the whole incident and blame each other as well as Pakistan and god knows what not for the attack, I was reminded of one of the most beautiful songs ever written - Imagine by the one and only John Lennon.

At this moment, these lines from this song seem so relevant:

"Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one "

As I write this post, I should also mention the fact that I was very surprised to get two comments on my previous post within 24 hours of my posting it. Not that I am complaining at all. It feels good to know that there are people who actually like reading stuff that I write (I can't imagine why they would visit my blog otherwise!). Ok, thats enough self-admiration!! However, its my duty to thank all my blog-readers and request them to keep visiting this blog..
Meanwhile, I shall keep rambling on.....

Many Ramblings..

It seems such a long time since I wrote anything on my blog that it almost feels as if I am starting afresh.. So many things have happened in the past two weeks or so..

I managed to meet two of my best friends - P & T- in the last two weeks after 2-3 years.. Needless to say, I had a blast and it was absolutely wonderful to meet both of them.. Both these occasions also resulted in me meeting all my other school and college friends in Bangalore.. Btw, P is my best friend from school and T is one of my best friends from college.

I wonder why I feel completely void after such meetings with my friends.. There seems nothing to look forward to after such moments.. Although this is a feeling which I get over within a few hours or sometimes days, the feeling always comes back to me some time or the other.. The time I spent with T and B(T's classmate and my friend frm college) at JukeBox(a pub in Koramangla) was probably the highlight of that weekend. We were remembering the good old days we spent in ACTech.. This meeting also sparked off a discussion among my friends as to why college friends seem so special to most people.. I think I can safely say that for most guys who stay in the hostel, your friends staying with you become your family and in most cases, the bond exists throughout your life, even if you aren't in constant touch with them later on..

Moving on to the other major happenings, a lot has happened in the world of sports over past month or so. Perhaps the biggest news would be B'desh's victory against Australia.. I don't think even the most outrageously optimistic B'deshi could have dreamt of them beating the Kangaroos that too in English conditions. Hats off to them for pulling off an incredible victory.. The way the Natwest Tri-series has unfolded has really set the stage for The Ashes.. For a change, England will go into the series believing they can beat Australia.. It indeed is a series to look forward to, though I still feel that Aussies will nip it again this time.

On to tennis - Roger Federer showed us once again who the best player in the world is.. The ease with which he beat the No. 2 and 3 players in the world, i.e, Lleyton Hewitt and Andy Roddick, during Wimbledon is almost scary for the rest of the players in the circuit.

Brazil outclassed Argentina in the FIFA Confederations Cup Final and proved that they are the team to beat in next year's world cup.. Their strike force is so awe-inspiring right now that Ronaldo himself is unable to guarantee a place for himself.. Mexico was the team which made the others sit up and take notice by beating Brazil.. They seem to have a very good side and are capable of pulling a few upsets on the big stage..

This post is already a lot longer than what I intended when I started off. And unless I stop here, I'd pick up some other topic and start writing. I shall save that for next time.

Movies and Book Tags!

So I finally respond to the tag-game.. Have been book-tagged by Suksy and Soultanofswing..

Hmm.. Although I am not reading anywhere near as much as I'd like to, I have started about 3-4 books and am not anywhere near finishing any of them..

The last book I bought: Gorky Park - by Martin Cruz Smith. This is a book I have read 3, no maybe 4 times. One of my all time favourites.

The last book I read: The Mahabharatha - C. Rajagopalachari. Had heard a lot about Rajaji's version of the epic. Read it when I was home. I find The Mahabharatha amazing when it comes to the sheer complexity of the whole story and the beautifully woven characters.

Total number of books I own: No idea. I really don't know how many I actually "own". Have read hundreds of books though. Many of which I have bought myself.

Five books which mean a lot to me: I don't know whether they mean a lot me, but these are some of my favourites.

1. Gorky Park: The murder investigation as well as the love story of Arkady Renko is simply brilliant. The best part about the book is the sheer vulnerability of the "hero". Makes him all the more "likeable"..

2. To Kill a Mocking Bird: A true classic.

3. India's Struggle for Independence - by Bipin Chandra: This is a very different account of Indian history starting with "The Revolt of 1857" from what we read in the text books. Although it may not be completely impartial, the author(s) provides a good insight into the ideologies of the different sections invloved in our freedom struggle - starting from the Moderates, the Extremists, the Communists, the Hindu Mahasabha and the Muslim League - and of course, Gandhiji and his followers.

4. The Chamber - John Grisham: Although this book of Grisham's is not as popular as some of his other fast-paced novels, I found this book really thought-provoking and it brings out lots of issues like racism, justice, death sentence, family relationships, and even politics to an extent.

5. The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien: Brilliant imagination.. The very idea of "The Evil One" and "Mordor" was amazing.

6. The Day of the Jackal - Frederick Forsyth: Brilliant pace. A gripping story with an amazing ending.

7. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd - Agatha Christie: Have read lots of Christie's books. This one is by far the best.

8. The Hound of the Baskervilles: Sherlock Holmes' best. (err.. I should say Conan Doyle's best!)

I know I was supposed to mention only 5 but couldn't help mentioning Nos. 6,7 and 8.

That takes care of the books. Now on to movies. Was tagged to this by Elf.

1. Total number of films I own on DVD/video: 0. I haven't bothered to buy a single movie yet.

2. Last film(movie) I bought: Plz refer to Answer no. 1.

3. Last film I watched: CD - Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi, Theatre - Kaal, TV - Pirates of the Carribean(for the 4th time).

4. Five films that I watch a lot or that mean a lot to me:

i) Anand: Brilliant movie. Beautiful message. Extremely moving. My all time favorite.

ii) Jaane bhi Do yaaron: The "Naatak" scene with the dead body as Draupadi is probably the best comedy scene made in the Hindi movie industry.

iii) Spy Game: The movie rocks.. Robert Redford and Brad Pitt are simply brilliant.. I have seen this movie about 5-6 times.

iv) Forrest Gump: The movie is all about Tom Hanks. I have lost count of the number of times I've seen it.

v) Sholay: The "complete" Hindi movie.

There are so many other movies running at the back of my mind right now that I think I should stop before any of them pop up!!

As for continuing the game, I think I have joined it a little too late to carry it forward. Most of my blog readers have already participated in the game. So that's all about my favorites..

The "boy" is back in town!!

For all the regular readers of this blog(there aren't many I know), my apologies for the long absence from the blog-scene. I should have had atleast bothered to post about that. Anyway, I am back now and hopefully, my blogging frequency will keep increasing.

Liverpool beat Milan in one of the most dramatic UEFA Champions' League finals of all time. Although I would have liked to see Maldini lift the cup rather than Gerrard, full credit to Liverpool for coming back from 3 goals down at half-time.

Rafael Nadal stormed his way through the French Open beating the most talented player in the world and completed a very successful year on clay becoming the first player after Mats Vilander to win it on debut. I watched most of the matches at home this time and the quality of tennis was simply amazing.

The chaos caused by Advani's "interesting" remarks on Jinnah and Babri Masjid demolition was quite amusing. The VHP has wasted no time in making their unhappiness clear and this has sparked off some life in an otherwise dull political scene. The by-elections that took place also threw up some interesting results, with neither the Congress nor the BJP faring as well as they'd have hoped. Wonder what that means for the political situation in our country a few years down the line.

One other thing I can't help wondering about is the heat wave. I don't know whether it is just my imagination, but I felt that the temperatures this year seemed to have risen quite a bit. One also gets the real effect of the heat when travelling by train through the heart of our country. With global warming becoming an increasing danger, god only knows what's in store for us in the future!! However, having said that, I really have to appreciate the weather in Bangalore at this time of the year. One has to experience the North Indian summer or the Chennai summer to realise the true worth of Bangalore weather.

I need to catch up on a lot of things at office as well. It is really tough getting back into the groove after a two week lay-off from work. Still struggling to come to terms with the latest happenings here.

Can't help wondering how one's thinking changes with time: When I was in college, I used to think how good it'd be when I'd finish college and start working. Wouldn't have to bother about exams and all. Now, although these wishes have come true, I miss college life, the night-outs before the exams, the long holidays and of course all my college friends!! Life is strange and so are we....

New comment feature..

This is a post especially for all the people who have commented on my blog so far..

I have installed HaloScan commenting feature in my blog.. This has unfortunately resulted in me losing all the earlier comments (all thanks to my ignorance and carelessness!)..

Many thanks to each and every person who has taken the trouble of commenting on my ramlings so far.. (I still have most of the comments in my mail Inbox)..
These are some people who have bothered to comment so far:

Soultan of Swing
Elf (Sylvanlands)
Jugular bean
Couch Potato
Franatic
Bridal Beer

My apologies to them as well as anyone else whose name I have missed out.. Hope every person finds it easier to leave his/her comments (and leaves a lot of 'em too!!)..

Promises and loyalty..

Was listening to this song on Radio City yesterday night.. I get moved whenever I listen to this song..

kasame vaade pyaar vafaa sab,
baatein hain baaton kaa kyaa
koI kisii kaa nahii.n ye jhuuThe,
naate hain naaton kaa kyaa

kasame vaade pyaar vafaa sab, baatein hain baaton kaa kyaa

hogaa masiihaa ...
hogaa masiihaa saamane tere
phir bhii na tuu bach paayegaa
teraa apanaa...
tera apana khuun hii aakhir tujhko aag lagaayegaa
aasamaan mein ...
aasamaan me udane vaale mittii mein mil jaayegaa
kasame vaade pyaar vafaa sab, baatein hain baaton kaa kyaa

sukh mein tere ...
sukh mein tere saath chalenge
dukh mein sab mukh modenge
duniyaa vaale ...
duniyaa vaale tere banakar teraa hii dil todenge
dete hain ...
dete hain bhagavaan ko dhokhaa, inasaan ko kyaa chhodenge
kasame vaade pyaar vafaa sab, baatein hain baaton kaa kyaa..

I really don't have anything to add to this.. Manna Dey at his brilliant best.. As the channel V tag-line goes "Listen, Learn and Enjoy!"..

Economics of ecstasy!

This one is in stark contrast from my previous post..

Warning: Not for people who believe only in politically "correct" subjects!!

Found the link to this interesting study on "economics of ecstasy" in a blog called tattonement.. I must say the guys have used a very "interesting" subject to prove their signaling theory..

To be honest, even I don't care about the signaling crap!!

About Friendship..

This is a really nice post on friendship I picked up from the blog 'Youth Curry'.. I am sure all of us can relate to it!!

The 'Raah-scal ' is back in full swing!!

In case you are wondering who I am talking about, check out Bala's blog!! I thought he had mellowed down after his stint at UC Irvine. But I guess it happens to him whenever he manages to keep his mind engaged in other matters. Once he's relatively free of mind, the rascal in him tends to re-surface!! anyway, it should be pretty entertaining for everyone(esp. our rascal gang frm college) to read the stuff he's written in his last 2 posts(Feb 16th).

Just back from our 'Treasure Hunt'!! It all started off pretty well for us when we got our first few clues. But then inevitably we got stuck and so that was that. But it was pretty cool running around the campus looking for clues with most of the people staring at us clowns!!

Between I have been getting many calls lately from my best buddy from school, Prashant. Bugger has been having a hard time lately. Too many things to worry about. Hope he bounces back with a bang. Its about time he considered a job shift and started working on something which comes more naturally to him.

Nothing much otherwise.. Listening to some good ol' rock music.. 'Lynyrd Skynyrd - Gimme three steps' playing rite now..