......

This time I did not write my End -of-term blog. Was the last term break, after this I I will be leaving college and going on the end-of-college break. But anyways, let me ramble something about my arbit thought.

1. Indian parents - adorable monsters

Its like they get control of our lives by taking care of us for all our lives you know, they will insist on providing for you higher education, who should you marry, g how you should behave, wether you can go out now, or is it too late, who should you meet, wether you can drink or not, what time you should get up and so on and on and on. But they will also keep on caring for you, providing for our food, shelter, education and all the frivolities. We are not expected to work and earn our own pocket money, while studying we should concentrate on studies and not worry about earning. I kept on telling my parents that i don't want either, i don't want you to pay my fees nor look for a groom for me, but they want to do both... their love doesn't understand that. It is so difficult to fight love.

2. The art of selling

Well, studying in a b-school, me and my friends tend to get into lots and lots of debates and fruitless arguments about marketing and selling, trying to prove ourself among a group of equally naive and removed-from-reality people. When i went to my home town this vacation, shopkeepers, salesmen who have surely never been in a proximity of a b-school and not know what IIM is in any case showed me what selling is.

Well, I went into a shop to get just a screw tightened in my specks, coming out the shopkeeper had sold me new glasses worth 2K, I could see what he is doing all along, What all he is playing on, how he is praising me and then praising the product, my mind kept on telling me 'see now he is doing this' 'see now he will do that' but in the end i had bought those glasses. Another similar thing happened in a shoe-shopowhen i cam out carrying 3 packets instead of intended one.

Take away -

• Alternately praise the customer and the product
• Understand the customer- first one sold me the specks by saying you can appreciate the brand and this stuff, other people cant, he guessed that i would fall for that,
• Make them feel special - always offer the 'discount' that is 'only for you madam' coz 'you are our special customer'
• Service - "come anytime and change madam' 'no problem we are sitting here only whole day', 'madam you should have tea madam'
• Doing a little more - People from a leading matrimony site, on which my parents registered me :| actually called and offered assistance in setting up the account and in general going about things, which adds to customer satisfaction.

3. Infosys -

It is the most talked about company in an MBA course, I cannot think of a subject where the Infosys name has not been cited. Some times critiqued most times admired but never never ignored. Talk about the Corporate governance of Infy, or its internal employee management practices in HR and CGCSR classes. look at the CSR initiatives and the whole session goes by just talking about Infy. Come to the finance classes and the you get astounded by the returns from Infy stocks. Or go to the Valuations and Real Options class and where you least expect it, Infy again is the subject of discussion, it values its human capital. So we learn to value it too. Talk about entrepreneurship or talk of marketing(or the lack of it) Infy is there. Truly there is something about this great company and there is so much to learn and gain from this Indian Software giant. I feel so good to be associated with it.

:|

Its like one of the most cliched dialog, something which if i have not heard then at least experienced many a times but it rattled me off like anything today. May be it was just an aberration after coming to K or maybe its been long since I ventured out to play with guys.

A comment by one asshole in a badminton match "ladki hai... dont play hard" shook me so badly, i just could not take it lightly and shrug it off. It is not new, it is not an out of the world experience, its just that it irritated me so badly, I am no badminton player, but at least they let could me loose with dignity.

Anyways, maybe i just need to learn to handle this coz the Indian MCP has a long way to go before he evolves into something more tolerable.

huh.. I hate when i sound like a man hating feminist :|

undefined search

Whenever i travel, or go to any new place, i find myself expectantly looking around. There is this invisible pull, ears keep straining to hear someone calling my name, eyes dart looking for a familiar face, walk or smile. There is no one in particular whom i am searching, its just a feeling of meeting someone. I always feel it will be good to meet someone I know, unexpected, forgotten from good old days of the past, just like that.

My eyes keep on searching the crowds. I am unable to decipher this behavior of mine. I do this even when I am not alone. Is this just a transient behavior, or is it something deeper, search for someone more important in my life. 

It sounds idiotic, but since when did i take the onus of sounding intelligent. 

EoT - 4

Time for the customary end of term blog. So term 4 also ended. I feel i am only writing end of term blogs, why is time flying by so fast!!

But first about this term, the term somehow ended even before starting properly. There wasnt much load, werent many classes, classes were so dispersed that i never felt bogged down by them, except for the tiring ERC classes which forced me into a brain dead state.

I cant think of anything that happened over the term, which is worth mentioning. I witnessed a self fulfilling prophecy about myself, but later it just became an illusion when I messed up CB. Some good friends wont be here for next term, which is kinda sad.

: I dont have anything to write about this stupid term.

Learnings: academic - none

personal - friends are great, too much friendship is bad, no friends is even worst, forced friends are worst than even worst.

Update: I learnt to solve Rubic's Cube :)

:|>>>>

"Once again a hotch potch post written in a high state of agitation and disturbance. I am just so confused about arranged marriages (ya, I know confusion is my default state, but still). Apart from the usual blah blah of not knowing the person well enough in arranged marriages etc etc, they just do not feel right, I just don’t feel good about going in for an arranged marriage coz I feel it violates the individual in me, Its like that, the environment becoming stronger than the individuals and people dissolving in their surroundings. I pisses me off that the guy whom I might marry will not know a thousand things about me before committing himself to me, and even after marriage he wont know atleast 200 that shape me, I might hide them perpetually. He will be married more to my environment and everything vice versa. This feeling of something not being right is much more stronger for me than the scare I feel about marriage itself. Ya Ya I know that I can actually know him well before actually getting married, but will both of us be that forthright, that truthful about ourself? I know I’ll act good, I know I’ll show that I am a better person than I actually am.Actually putting it in a very B-schoolish style, there are 3 things that should click in a person for marriage : 1. It’s the person he truly is, his thoughts, you know, the connection that two people develop because of their intrinsic natures. 2. The wrapper characteristics : Looks, family, income, etc etc 3. The meanest, scariest, the society. In a love marriage the first one has the highest importance, with the other two following in the order, while the sequence reverses in an arranged marriage. I hate the society having the most importance, I don’t want to live for the so called society, ewweeee, Its wrong, Its collective will crushing an individual., And I know I suddenly sound like Ayn Rand, but Its just not acceptable, it questions my individuality. Lot more to crib about, but later. Should I change my blog name to the crib-o-junction, I think that will suit it more…. " written sometime in mid may

Its July, a lot has changed, some of my perceptions about arranged marriages have changed too. They are like taking  a lottery on life, you might hit a jackpot or make a jack ass of yourself for forever. But the order remains - society, wrapper and then individual. And the expectations are huge... and whatever the modern indian male pretend to be, he hasn't changed, he is still his mamma's boy.

a new song...

Some where some happy, hopeful soul is playing "jaane kyun dil jaanta hai, tu hai to i'll be alright.." the best place at this time is my balcony, listen to songs played by someone else, when you have no control on the songs being played, giving up and enyoting the moment,  atleast i wont play jagjeet singh... probably thats the way you should be at times, just give up and let life take you with itself. i cant control my life 100 % and probably what it plays for me at times is best and better than  what i would play for myself. Some other song which is equally good, maybe better than what i would play for myself, a happy song, not the sad one, not a song with lost hopes, or unrealised dreams. Its difficult to forget some tunes, they go too deep, but its always possible to fall in love with new ones, slowly, totally. It will take time to understand and appreciate the lyrics, to absorb the tune, but it will happen...its happening...

music or scream??

This is a post written without any kind of background or reality check, its just what i feel and assume, probably i am being overly sentimental here or its a purely sadistic view point to see sadness and pain, whatever it is, i don't know, i am confused  [:) this smiley is for one person who might stumble here in a few days]

Hmm, so let me not take so much footage, actually teh issue is about the live music concept in restaurants and hotels and now becoming the style and class statement in malls also.

First, I think there has to be a culture to appreciate live music, which comes not just by having those musicians singing in your restuarants. The patrons/guests should be receptive and responsive to this. Live music as an intrinsic part and element in the place can be quite attractive, but the same being played as a background score just does not justify having it. 

It pains to see those people singing song after song, plying tune after tune to which no one is paying attention...I feel ashamed in their presence, i just dont understand why as it other people's self absorbed behavior is my fault, anyways, its not that i do anything. 

I feel that the people who are playing/singing were most probably aspiring singers who had dreamt of being someone successful in the field of music, but probably they were not able to, and now they are forced to use their art, their passion and display it to people who just dont care. We are not concerned if its some one singing continuously for 3-4 hours or is its a music player. Not only their dreams were not realised but they are forced to live with the realisation of this everyday.

Whenever i see any such performer, he somehow seems no-so-happy to me, maybe its my perception, or maybe they are genuinely not very happy, I cant say. Anyways, i sincerely hope that it is not so sad and there is a better story behind it. 

:D

Looking at the sad sorry and crib -o-junction state of my blog, i have decided to write something, anything happy here. And so i try to think of a happy memory, its like Harry Potter trying to produce a Patronous, and thinking about the best/beautiful/happy and lovable things of life.

 Well, ya, i can think of hundreds now, and am sure I would have produced a Patronous to chase away many dementors if i was Harry, that is. 

Hey, but in effect that has happened, the dementors bugging me are far away now, and I feel so much better, you know, life will be good, nuthing is so bad :). And this just raises my love for Harry Potter Series up by 2 notches. Next revision is scheduled for very soon :D

random thoughts.

This is my 50th blog here, yippppeeee, yeyyy, ok ok, i am not keeping counts or expecting to celebrate my blog's golden jubilee like i celebrated my silver one...

I wanted to write about so many things, so this will be a hotch potch post, with random references to random events of my life, so kindly bear with me.

1. Its absolutely pathetic to travel by public transport in Delhi, and for that matter the entire UP too. First, no one is ready to leave the ladies reserved seats, the conductor is not at all concerned about these issues and complaining does not help, the system is a little stupid with ladies seat on one side of the aisle instead of all at the front which is more sensible thing to do.

I fought with a lawyer who refused to leave seat for a pregnant lady, who was standing for about an hr. :

2. The election election and caste your vote which everyone keep shouting is such nonsense. I think that at least 20% of young, working population of india is not even living in the places where they have been issued voter ID cards. How the hell are we supposed to go and vote?

An online or distant voting system would bring in more results than spending money on loads of advertising and awareness programs.

3. The rickshaw waalas charge almost as much as a taxi in Gurgaon.

4. Half of the people i interact with have lost contact with the normal real life. We are the breed that spends 24 hrs in ac, have dinners parties/blow up thousands for a single dinner, shop in exorbitantly priced malls, and haggle with the rickshaw waalas for 5rs.

5. In life it actually does not matter from where you started, where you are going and how you are traveling is more important. This is for the very helpful person i met today and which made my day.

6. Sometimes i have loads to write and i am almost bursting with thoughts, but wen i actually start to type, i feel blank.

7. Arranged marriage is one fucking, pain in the ass thing to go through. The losers who were not even capable of getting a girl friend suddenly have more attitude, taste class and demands than Hritik Roshan.

8. Love is a very weak emotion, it cannot survive by itself. its a creeeper which needs the support of emotions like courage, faith and confidence.

And yes, the ego has to go, like a great person said "mutual surrender of ego".

9. I thought of writing something light, but lots of cribbing these days. :

10. Am totally bored. Wanna go back to K.

Cheers to Cheer Leaders

"Amar singh is giving a speech in the forgotton small town Rampur"...tell me how many people will go and attend it voluntarily. Now say "Amitabh Bachchan is coming to Rampur in a speech by Amar Singh" Now imagine the scene at the grounds.

A small movie is being produced with an unknown sexy heroine and equally unknown and not-at-all handsome hero....total flop material, but it has a item number with Mallika Sherawat...the producer is at least assured of getting his money back.

As a country we accept all this, we are quite comfortable with a hero attending political meeting to gather crowd, which is a matter of importance for the country, we are comfortable with nudity (in a cheap movie, in a song, at least to some extent to satisfy the masses) but we snigger at the cheer-leaders in the cricket matches.

The young, hep modern crowd of India is also so hypocritical. People enjoy looking at them, but never refrain from criticizing the concept of having them on cricket grounds. Hey, they are just like you, people who went in there to cheer their team, just that their way is professional and they get paid for it

Is the reason for us not respecting them the fact that they represent a concept completely foreign to India? We have enough examples of doing/aping the west but not accepting it, or accepting it in a manner of guilty pleasure. 

They are just cheering the team they stand for, cheer leading requires hell lot of work, practice and discipline on the part of those girls. We don't respect their art, rather we never look at it as an art, all we see is the scantily clad girls. We have a long way to go before we can see and perceive the real issue rather than grapple with insignificant details, and this applies to things ranging from cheerleading to moral-policing to Ram-temple in our society. 

The media ridicules them, people crack dirty jokes on them on national television, the radio-broadcasters make snide remarks at those girls and the whole country laughs. again the role of media and public morality comes to question.

I have absolutely no idea about the life those girls have, if its comfortable, if they are being treated respectfully or not, but it requires courage and hard work to do this work and I am very ashamed that my country is treating them this way. 

Trendy Indians

Ya we are a country of followers, of adopters and a country that goes with trend. Don’t believe me, just look at the way we adopted the “juta pheko syndrome” every  Ramesh Suresh and Dinesh here is ready with his shoe. And why not, when we are given an instant celebrity status, grants and prices from opposition party  and the only thing that’s Not given is punishment.  The result? here we have 2 billion people ready with with broken chappals, to throw at our esteemed netas.

 I am not a fan of Indian Politicians ,but just what does these incidents say about us as a society? India the land of  religion, respect and democracy has people inclined to do such acts. Is this the only channel left for the expression of our discontent. And does the media attention given to these incidents warranted from any angle. The breaking news that we get and the utter indifference in terms of the moral/social implications shown towards the event should also be noted. Only the selling value is what the media  cares for. Can noone see that the reinforcements for these actions come from how the society reacts towards them. When we see only the news and no critisism of these events on any public forums what does a person looking for cheap publicity a little fun and some anger do? Also the way the other parties react towards these incidents and no legal action ..

And I left this mid-way and have no inclination to write any thing more. But leaving all this aside, nowadays when i watch news I do thank God that I am born in India and not in Pakistan, Afghanistan etc. 

I am totally horrified at what is happening in Swat and Taliban. It requires an article with some more thought, and with a hectic weekend plan in about 5 hrs, its difficult to write. So, will try to do so later. BTW the keyword is try.

Anyways I recieved a really wonderful gift on my birthday, kinda made my day. Recieved one last night too, that laid a good foundation. Thankyou God for everyone in my life, I am happy and thankful for all I have. :)

End of term 3

Leaving IIM-K for 2 months - sad sad sad.

So what is it about life in IIMK that attracts me most, I guess its just the friends I found here, the wonderful incredible people here, talented, atleast in showing off J

I forgot to write that this is my blog on the journey back in the third term. But this time written offline, in a train journey, reason- I read Mr. Harshad Karandikar’s blog and decided somewhat taken by the simplicity and romanticism of the idea of travelling in train, spending time with myself, sleep, read a book ad just enjoy the journey :D

While carrying my luggage all around Bangalore city, and at the thought of again hauling it across in Delhi railway station, I was internally kicking yslef at this stupidy, but once the train started all of these thoughts vanished and I must say, I my life I really miss this quietly spending time with myself. Though it’s an entirelt different matter that too much of spending time with mysef, only makes me think of sad things.

I have seriousy started thinking about marketing as a career choice, I don’t wanna suck at everything I do, I wana be good and have confidence about it all.

Nuthn much, great term, new awsome ppl, some good work (from my standards) lots of trips, juices and fultu masti.

stop stop

Wow...where did the whole last month go???

All i can remember are the two weekends i spent with my sister and one with all freinds from K. The mid sems whizzed by and so did all the days, wrapped in quizzes and assignments.

The coming weeks promise no less, loads of quizzes and assignments and projects lined up for the next two weeks. :|

Oh yes, i remember one more thing, a feeling of sadness and dread that i have been feeling for sometime. It started with the preparations for the farewell to seniors, got exaggerated when their last exam got over and though, i hardly talk to any senior around i am sad that they will be leaving. Probably i am more saddened by the fact that this also marks the ending of our one year here and the speed with which it got over makes me more and more aware of the fact that the next one will also zoom by and then these wonderful days will come to an end. 

It will be sad.

Next year i will be wondering in the same manner, where did the last one year go? and come to think of it, i am wondering the same thing now...:|

I know that most people at this time would laugh if i tell them this, and will probably count a hundred reasons why this place is bad, but i know everyone will miss this stupid, irritating, gossip monger, hell of a place :D

Freeing myself from few old ties lead me to know many other interesting good people, which i might have not have talked to, had this not happened. I am enjoying life as its coming. Probably life is just repeating one of its basic lessons for a dumb student like me, who just doesn't learn it. Actually i learn it, but wen it comes to certain people, i am not able to apply it, or maybe i can, sometime and then i don't know, let me not get into that discussion.

I want to write, but i just can't create that magic with words, i am completely in awe with people who play with words and churn out such wonderful works...

Maybe someday God will make me creative :D

Someday.......

Jaane kya chaahe mann baawra....

Jaane kya chahe mann baawra....I just hope i am able to figure out what i want, in every aspect of my life. People who have what they want or who are working towards the goals in their life, who are doing what gives them happiness are no doubt lucky, but even people who just know what they want are also lucky. 

If a person is able to figure this out in their lives, i guess he is successful enough. I always imagine, life would be so much more simple after that, you know what you want, work for it get it live happily, otherwise lve happily just working for it. 

Here i am, so confused about each and everything in life, i really dont know where life is taking me, if i want to go there and what will i find on the way. I want to take control of my life, say with confidence, yes, this is the decision i took for myself and i am happy i did it.

 

But no, yours truly is as clueless about her life as she is about , about Betelgeuse. And the problem doesnt end here, i am confused not only about my professional aspirations, i am equally confused about the decisions i should take in my personal life as well. This makes the situation worst, and is driving me mad these days. 

I need career counseling, i need a psychologist and i need solace.

My movie My glory

New Year came, and with it began the new term.

Sangram followed in the first week of the term and history was created at IIMK campus, wen for the first time K defeated IIMB, which incidentally they didn't accept and made Sangram 2009 a Maha Sangram. 

Come Monday 12/01/09 and the news is that Slumdog Millionaire won 4 golden Globes including the best OST by ARRehman. The whole country is celebrated like its their win, and the news channels are raving about the movie as if it was their home productions.

We Indians have this interesting habit of basking in the glory of anything remotely connected to India, be it be Deepa Mehta's 'Water' or this one. She was not even allowed to shoot the movie in India, but wen the movie got nominated for Oscar, it suddenly became an Indian film.

 Slumdog has nothing important that is Indian apart from the music which has been recognized already with ARR. The movie is based on a novel by an Indian Author Vikas Swarup, but a novel is not a movie. The award winning screenplay is by Simon Beaufoy who is a British screenplay writer and Danny Boyle the director is also English. It is essentially an Englishman's movie and presence of Indian actors doesn't make it a indian movie just like RDB is indian and Lagaan is indian. 

I think we should not behave pathetic and try and get a chunk out of other people's glory, coming up with some good work of our own and then celebrating and cherishing it is a better thing to do.