Dil Kabbadi - some thoughts

There is no such thing as a perfect relationship, or a perfect film. And this one in any case has apparently been ripped off from a Woody Allen classic.

*** warning, spoilers ahead ***

Given the generally poor reviews it's getting I doubt it will get much of an audience. But I still think Dil Kabaddi is an interesting watch and brings up a lot of issues which hit any couple in a 'steady state' (a k a marriage).

Dil Kabaddi is the story of two couples - Meeta (Soha Ali Khan) and Samit (Irfan Khan) & Simi (Konkona Sen Sharma) and Rishi (Rahul Bose). The first couple decides to 'amicably separate' and the second couple (their best friends) start questioning their own relationship.

The question is 'what went wrong'?

Mayank Shekhar observes: "It’s a little hard to believe that the two central characters here, possibly in their early 40’s (Bose, Irrfan), going through the usual mid-life crisis, would suffer excitement issues with women so young and intelligent (Konkana, Soha)"

The issue however is not how attractive these men or women may be to other people. The main problem seems to be constant criticism.

The very first scene opens with Meeta and Samit in a car, with Meeta rebuking him roundly for wearing dark glasses in the night. "Yeh style hai.." he replies lamely. "What style? Style for people with no style," is her verdict.

Meanwhile Simi says of her college professor husband not once but several times in the film,"You are too critical." Which is why she never shares her poems with him, but with Veer, the cute guy at her office.

We all like to be validated and appreciated. So why DO we become so critical with those who are closest to us and who want our emotional support the most? Well, partly I would say it is the negative side of our much vaunted "Indian culture".

Family hai na, we can take each other for granted. Few of us have seen our parents being affectionate and appreciative of each other. And we follow the same pattern.

And basically we create a cycle. Maybe Meeta is the critical type... but maybe it all gets worse because Samit does not show any respect for the things that are important to her. She feels neglected and unheard and so, a small thing like those dark glasses which she could have remarked about in a more light hearted manner ends up sounding very harsh and critical.

So lesson # 1: Love is not enough. Appreciate, appreciate, appreciate!

The second interesting thing which Meeta remarks at one point is really about the tipping point in a relationship. She muses,"After X incident I had decided in my heart that I am leaving this guy and so anything he said or did started irritating me."

Yes, the truth is that it is not irritations which lead to people breaking up but a small voice inside that has already spoken:"Pssst - he or she is not the right one for you."

And then EVERYTHING about that person starts bothering you.

Remember what they say about rose-tinted glasses? Well many of us exchange them for a pair like Irfan Khan was wearing and then suddenly everything goes dark.

So what is the 'escape route'? The film explores the most common one: hooking up with someone else.

In what must be every 40something guy's fantasy, Samit shacks up with an airheaded aerobic instructor who is happy to have sex and watch mindless films with him. Now this character called Kaya (played by Payal Rohatgi) is a complete caricature but the bottomline is there is NO such thing as a low-maintenance partner. Everyone has some quirk or some control drama which means you will have to 'compromise'.

Samit realises it's better to live with an uptight Meeta and watch art films than eat ghaas-phoos and suffer a socially embarassing Kaya.

Meanwhile Meeta too has 'found someone' but please note that despite the modern packaging she is a bhartiya naari. And so although she has not one, but two guys interested in her she never actually has sex with either of them.

How realistic is that? I guess the director thought the audience would not accept the couple getting back together again if she had her fair share of escapades as well. Remember 'Life in a Metro' (which was of course more sensitively handled)?

Even the men in the film are amazingly inhibited (there is a v funny scene where Irfan does sheershasana when he is first trying to have a fling and starts palpitating).

One of the most interesting characters in the film however is Raga (played extremely well by newcomer Saba Azad). She is a young student Rishi is attracted to. The monologue where she talks about how older men always get the hots for her is both sad and funny. You *know* there are girls like this out there. It's an ego trip as they flit from one such victory to another until one day they wake up feeling empty and confused.

The most complex character of all is Simi - the passive-aggressive type who 'knows how to get her way'. Without actually, directly, asking.

And it's instructive to note that Simi - the one who gets MOST upset about her friends breaking up - is the one who has been suppressing similar issues. Like the guys who shout the loudest against obscenity and Valentine's Day - I bet at some level they are struggling with those issues deep inside!

At the end of the film, there are no answers. On the one hand Meeta and Samit have patched up. They 'never fight' now. When Meeta gets angry she just goes and starts washing already washed clothes again in the machine.

"We have kept a black shirt there - kya pata kab zaroorat pad jaaye", says Samit. The shirt is almost white now, and we laugh, ha ha.

Simi leaves Rishi and marries Veer, whom she manipulates with a smile. Who knows where they will be four years from now? Maybe Veer will keep a black shirt next to their washing machine - to cope.

So although the film is a comedy (and yes there are laughs at several points) it is ultimately a depressing message. Maintaining a relationship on the basis of love and mutual respect is bloody difficult. Don't even try!

Of course, as Mayank noted in his review: Clearly the setting is copiously derived. Marriages in India are instantly a function of families, where parents are most involved. Divorces and experiments don’t come this easy.

Woh to hai. I mean half the couples in this country would probably have been playing dil kabaddi it weren't for the kids and log kya kahenge. And of course, many of them do, while pretending to live 'happily married lives'.

As for the film - for the great performances, some great moments and gags - I give it 3 stars. It's definitely the best of the 3 Bollywood releases on this weekend!

College fests: is the party over?

On the one hand, the mood is sombre with the recent terror attacks. On the other, sponsorship to festivals has been hit due to economic slowdown.

The annual festival of Mithibai college - Kshitij - cancelled its pro-nite. Instead, they had a concert by the alumni and current students. and the money they had raised will be donated towards treatment of victims of the terror attacked.

Also, Mumbai Mirror notes that the usual celebs were missing on day 1 of the fest as they were busy the peace rally at Gateway of India.

Meanwhile, Tempest, the annual festival of Miranda House in Delhi University received a rude shock when one of its main sponsors (a well known telecom company) backed out a day before the fest was to start.

JAM magazine received an SOS from the Miranda House Students' Union on Dec 3, the day the festival started. At this stage Miranda was willing to offer a special deal with benefits for the next two years!

Unfortunately it was too late for us to rustle up an emergency sponsor. The festival concludes today.

Meanwhile the status of other festivals - at least in Mumbai - is not very clear. SIES college Fantasies' for example, is currently in limbo.

The moral of the story is that the party seems to be over - for reasons of sentiment, security and scarcity of sponsorship. Like the rest of the economy, college fests will have to downsize.

This may not be a bad thing at all because IMHO, in recent years, college festivals had become more about one-upmanship and sponsorship than a platform for talent, friendship and personal growth.

You don't need large amounts of money, media coverage and celebrities to have a rocking festival. Or well, you will have to learn to do without them.

And guess what - you will have just as much fun, probably more!

In fact I personally think colleges should have intra-fests and then an inter-collegiate fest should be hosted by ONE college in a particular locality every year. eg in Matunga-Sion area this Ruia could host it one year, Podar the next and SIES the third.

The organising committee can be from across colleges - whoever the main host may be. Events can be held at more than one college, given the space crunch. Surplus from sponsorship revenue can be put in a common pool and shared.

Is this at all feasible? Well. We talk of inter-department co-ordination in the government, police, armed forces and so on. But when it comes to our own little worlds, we want to protect our turf and declare 'mera fest tere se bada tha'.

We will carry forward this mindset, wherever we go. The time has come to change that, along with all the 'big stuff'.

Did the media overdo it?

We, the undersigned, citizens of India, humbly pray for the following reliefs;

1. That this Hon'ble Court call for the complete and unedited footage from all TV News Channels broadcasting the attacks 'live', starting from 9:30pm on Wednesday 26th November 2008 and until the morning of Saturday the 29th November 2008 and examine the same by itself or through any appropriate agency as appointed by it, to investigate and determine the manner in which sensitive information pertaining to the movement of Counter-Insurgency Operations was broadcast 'live'.

That is a petition from 'Small Change' , started by singer-composer Vishal Dadlani.

And of course we had that outburst from Admiral Suresh Mehta, chief of naval staff. He was disturbed by the 'excessively heavy reporting' during the commando operations

As a member of the media I think:

* Yes, a code of conduct needs to be formulated and it will. In war zones the army can control what the media can see and report on. But we've never seen this kind of urban attack before!

* I thought close up shots of NSG commandos landing at Nariman House were avoidable. But so was the huge crowd gathered on the street outside the operation despite so called curfew!

* Apart from actual coverage during those 60 hours what sickens me is the constant replay of the visuals. Do we need to see the Taj burning for the nth time and have every report prefaced with some 'explanation' of what happened? As if Rumpelstiltskin just woke up and switched on the television??

I think apart from actual death and destruction the terrorists were completely successful in terrorising those of us who were miles away from the guns and grenades.

And THAT is why we must also have a post-event code of conduct. A self-imposed ban on 'oh! we had such great coverage', 'we were exclusive!'. Which gives another excuse to once again loop those disturbing visuals.

I mean all channels had reporters out there, all day, all night, doing the best they could. This is not the time for the 'mera reporter tumhare reporter se tez hai' brand of competition.

Lastly I would like to add that the media - and TV in particular - is the only source of up-to-date information the aam junta has. And it is generally a good thing.

Like last evening, returning from Gateway, I heard there was a 'bomb scare at CST station'. The first thing I did was call at home and ask,"Please switch on the TV and tell me if it's ok to take a train!"

Other options? Well, I did notice this poster in the train. Perhaps it's always been there but I just never paid attention to it before...


Please do note that number but oh, if it is engaged or unreachable I guess you may just have to call home and ask your mom to turn on the television!

Gateway of India: keep the candle burning

The deeper the slumber, the louder the alarm needed to wake you up. That is the only 'explanation' that puts into perspective the recent Mumbai terror attacks.

Last evening at the Gateway of India, thousands of people gathered to say,"We are awake and alive, and we want to *do* something". I was one of them but honestly, I landed up at the rally - if you can call it that - more by accident than design.

I mean, sure I too want to *do* something but somehow I was not moved by the idea of lighting candles... Yet, I am glad I went to Gateway yesterday because the half hour I spent there told me this IS the start of something.

First of all, the NUMBER of people who were there. It was truly mindboggling. I reached there @ 6 pm and by then the crowd was packed thick right upto Suba Palace. By the time I left it had spilled over upto Regal circle.

The second important thing was the KIND of people in the crowd. This was not one of those rallies the NSS takes out in memory of Hiroshima where students have been drafted. No sir, here there were young and old, uncle and dude, matronly old ladies and even toddlers in prams.

Everyone was there out of choice and seething with anger. Anger against Pakistan, against politicians and against the System. But united in their love for this country and the feeling that the time has come to make a difference.

A part of me said,"Hey, they are just chanting slogans. Kal wapas kaam pe - aur sab bhool jayenge". A part of me wanted to join in the shouting... And a tiny part of course wanted to record the moment (blame it on two decades in journalism!)

So I have taken a few grainy pics and videos but kindly maaf the quality. I did not go as a reporter, carrying the right equipment et al. Yes, stupidly, some are even in horizontal mode.

Yet I am uploading one just to give you an idea of the *atmosphere*. I know the TV channels covered it but that was close and upfront - at Gateway. Many like me never even made it to Gateway - but it did not matter. We were all connected and part of a giant pulsating organism.

Chants of Vande Mataram and Bharat Mata ki Jai rent the air even as the Indian flag was held high in the air - every 20 metres or so.

And surprisingly, despite NO policemen at all to control it, the crowd was very disciplined. The road was full of people surging towards Gateway, while the footpath consisted of those turning back from there.

For a brief moment I wondered if all the suffocation and crush was really a good thing... It teetered on the edge for a bit, but did not get unbearable.

Apart from slogans, there were also many people carrying placards. Distributing pamphlets. People who had put down a charter of demands, registered urls and yes of course this is much easier than getting *change* off the ground but it is surely a beginning!

I think there were at least a lakh of people present - maybe more - and for the first time People Like Us have taken to the streets and signalled to politicians that hey,"We are NOT okay with what you guys have been doing!"

The next step of course is to say this through the ballot box, use PIL, RTI and all other means possible and make sure we don't drift back into sleep.

What does this mean at an individual level? Well, it means time, and effort and some pain in your day to day life.

As my friend, owns a restaurant nearby mused,"End corruption is all very well but how will we run our business if we stop giving bribes to the BMC?"

Ten restaurants like him in that area need to get together and say okay, all of us are not going to pay hafta. Ab dekhte hain kya kar loge... The question is, will we see initiatives like this?

I honestly think there can be a revolution if:

# Some of us are moved enough to take up citizen's initiatives and social work as a full time career. Given the current economic slowdown and job losses this is actually quite feasible. Besides, there are enough people with old money and new money who can say I will take out 3 years of my life in the service of this nation!

# The rest of us should support these initiatives by giving our time and attention. By volunteering on weekends, taking responsibility in our area of work or residence. 10-12 hours a week is not asking too much I think?

# The media should continue to support and highlight what can be done, what is being done and how it can be done better. And give MORE prominence to this 'boring' stuff than X ke abs aur Y ka butt. Each media house has its own version of 'let us unite against terror' but let us hope that apart from petitions they simply take forward the task of getting good governance by hounding and shaming errant politicians.

Thousands of candles were lighted but in the weeks and months ahead we must keep that flame - the desire for change - burning.


P.S. If you have started an organisation or movement to bring about on any kind of social change and would like to be featured in JAM magazine drop me a line. The id is rashmi_b at yahoo.

My next couple of posts will focus on initiatives arising out of these attacks - and some unrelated ones - which I think are interesting!

And oh, the video upload option in blogger refuses to work! Shall do the needful in a bit - going out to get some fresh air.

A lot has been said...

but this is one aspect of the bungled-up System which just hit me the hardest.

J Dey @ Midday reports: Every single bullet went through the jackets

Slain encounter specialist Vijay Salaskar had 59 encounter killings to his credit. He was always in the line of fire, yet, he never wore a bulletproof jacket. It was no different when he was mowed down in Wednesday's terror attacks.

But it wasn't the absence of a bulletproof (BP) vest that killed him. Officers close to him believe, he would have died even if he had worn the vest as they provide no defence against AK-56 and AK-47 gun fire the weapons used by the militants in Mumbai's terror attacks.

"In 2004, samples of these vests were sent for a trial at the firing range of the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF). They were fitted on dummies, [as is the practice] and sprayed with AK-47 bullets and bullets from self-loading rifles (SLR). Every single bullet went through the jackets even though the rounds were fired from a distance," a senior police official revealed, on condition of anonymity.

So, did a terrorist kill Hemant Karkare... Or was it his own countrymen??

In football it's called an 'own goal'.
In war, it is called TREASON.

A few other thought provoking articles and blogs:

Anyone remember 'Lead India'? - by Piyul Mukherjee

Reflections on the night of terror - by Rama Bijapurkar (who had a lucky escape from the Trident)

Surprised? by Arun Shourie (He also brought up the same points in a discussion on TV during those 59 hours and it was one of the most fact-based and concrete discussions I have ever seen on the medium!)

As for my own 'original' thoughts, I am not having too many of them right now. There are a lot of people bringing up the right issues and initiatives. The time has come for us to figure out how, and what, we can start doing.

I'll end with an observation Karan Johar made on his blog :

The most common thing I hear from people is, “I want to do something, but what can I do?” The answer to this question has resulted in candlelight vigils and sms’s to wear black clothes or light a candle in our windows to show support and solidarity. It’s all very well and good because it is therapeutic. Our natural instincts veer us towards acting out – or at least towards being more active...

But this is the really beautiful part, a sentiment I echo completely. He writes:

A few days ago the problems plaguing us were issues concerning estranged relationships with family members, that fight you had with your sister or that impending break up with your lover. Our focus has now shifted to something so much bigger than us... The hypocrisy unnerves me. We have issues with political figures, but how are we at home with our parents?

We can’t fix anything on the outside until we fix our equations on the inside.

The universe has given us a body of relationships that we have a right to live up to – and we have no business expending our energies on vocalizing disdain towards the system or typing out petitions for change until we create peace in our individual worlds. Only then can we have peace on the streets. Only then can we truly be fit to fight.

Amen

Mumbai under siege

I am watching television since close to 3 hours... Flipping from channel to channel to 'get the latest'. A terrorist attack is unfolding on screen - live. Just like that movie 'Wednesday'.

Except no one knows who is scripting this or when it will end.

But the reason I am especially drawn to the drama is that I was at not one, but two of the venues where firing took place. Just an hour before it started.

In fact I was at the Oberoi hotel - all day. This was for an event that IIM Ahmedabad Alumni had hosted - an interactive session with Prof Eric Von Hippel of MIT.

After a long day we wound up at the Oberoi and took Prof Hippel to another location nearby for an interview... Before finally saying our goodbyes at 840 pm.

Then, I headed to CST station. The fastest and most comfortable way to get to Vashi. There was a train standing there, and I considered making a run for it.

But I stopped to buy a bottle of water. Then a couple of magazines. I caught a train at 9.07 I think. Uneventful journey. Was home at 10.15.

Suddenly I get calls from a couple of people about whether I am 'ok'. That's when I switched on the TV and realised how lucky I am!

Unfortunately Prof Von Hippel is staying at the Oberoi and we have been unable to reach him. He does not have a local mobile.

I notice that the building which is ablaze on TV is the Trident section of the Oberoi (the tall building) while he is checked in at the Oberoi (the short building). But they are inter-connected. And he is an American national... So it IS cause for concern! We can only PRAY.

UPDATE @8 am, Nov 27: Prof Von Hippel has been located and is safe.

As I stroke my sleeping daughter's head, I think anyone, anywhere can be caught in this crossfire. Yes, today, it could have been my turn... Had the event stretched on. Had I hung around for dinner. What's one hour this way or that, in a city like Mumbai?

But as they say, God had other plans.

I must add that for some reason, when I walked into the Trident today, I had a passing thought about the security. There was none. Not even the frisking you see at shopping malls.

Yes, they have something you walk through but it was all very casual. And as I stood in that beautiful lobby with its giant glass windows with that breathtaking view of the Arabian sea, I thought,"This is what I love about Mumbai."

Yes there is real poverty outside. And the rich may be feeling poorer as well. But there are some places which are immune to it all. Like this one.

But no more...

As I type this there is news that that Hemant Karkare, chief of ATS (Anti Terrorist Squad) has been KILLED.

The world is not making sense! Going to sleep now but looks like this nightmare will continue...

Smile please!

While times are tough and some are throwing themselves off buildings, at least one hardy soul out there has retained his sense of humour. The guy who writes 'The Secret Journal of Rakesh Jhunjhunwala.'

Not Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, silly. It's a fake blog. But such a delightful one!

I just hope Rakeshji has retained his sense of humour and laughs along with the rest of us. It's a singular honour you know. How many people have a fake blog dedicated to them, which is actually more interesting than what the real man would write?

Sample (a post by 'Rakesh' on that recently conducted exam named after an animal): If you were to pass this test and get an MBA degree you would end up working for someone rich like Mukesh Ambani or Kumarmangalam Birla. Would you prefer this or be a self employed professional like Abdul Karim Telgi?

And this post on what Barack Obama could learn from Deve Gowda is truly a classic. Don't miss the pains taken to illustrate each point with appropriate pictures!

I guess the brain behind this one is inspired by the Fake Steve Jobs blog. Well, if this one ever unmasks himself I tell ya, he would give the Cyrus Broachas of the world a run for their money!

And how do I know it's a 'he'? Well... I just know. Women don't care about stocks and stock brokers that much and I may add, very very few are able to kick ass when it comes to humour.

Anonymous blogger, I salute thee! And thank ye for sprinkling a li'l bit of sunshine in our financially withered lives!! May your tribe increase :)

And oh, if you ever want to write for JAM magazine, it would be an honour.

Summer placement saga: sach kya hai?

Press releases from India's top bschools make it sound like 'business as usual'.

IIMA: Despite the global financial crisis, finance saw the highest percentage of acceptances at 32%. This reflects the decision of the students to not base a long term career decision on a short term market outlook. Consulting came a close second at 26%. Marketing was the largest gainer from previous years with 23% of the batch choosing to opt for marketing roles.

Between the lines: Of course last year 57% were placed in finance... And did those choosing to opt for marketing really have a 'choice'?

IIMB: As against 65 firms in the previous academic year, 110 companies, including 56 new firms, came calling to take the B-school students on 10-12 weeks' internship in the summer of 2009.

Between the lines: Bhai earlier they chased us, now we have to chase them. Fewer offers per company means we need more companies on campus!

Incidentally, a report in ET suggests that this year IIM-B called around 3,000 companies, IIM-C contacted around 1,500 companies and it was 650 companies for Faculty of Management Studies (FMS), Delhi. Quite an effort!

IIMC: The summer placement process which was scheduled from the 9th to the 14th of November has been completed with the entire batch of over 300 students being offered the widest possible range of sectors and job profiles.

Between the lines: These wide range of profiles and sectors was ALWAYS available but these firms never even got a chance to interview IIMC grads. Since everyone was snapped up by those I banks!

Meanwhile IIML has not been that lucky...

Indian Express reports: Two weeks after their summer placements exercise began on campus on November 7, about 55 students in the first year of the MBA programme at IIM-L are still waiting for an offer.

Senior members of the faculty at this institution of excellence could not remember the last time this had happened—a few students were sometimes left behind after the first week of placements, but ultimately everyone got placed. Never was it so bad.

I thought location might be to blame but if XLRI and IIMK could weather the storm - I wonder what went wrong here?

The bigger picture
Ultimately I think the whole model of placement-based education is getting turned on its head. And that, in my opinion, is a good thing.

Take the very concept of 'summers'. When I did my MBA it was known as summer 'training'. You joined a company, did some project - the basic idea was to get exposure.

It was more about just testing the waters. Very few people joined the same company they did a summer internship with.

Five years later when my brother did his summers the concept of PPOs had caught on. Many companies were making better use of their trainees by giving more challenging projects.

If you did well in your summer project you expected an offer from the company. But it was more a matter of prestige than a desperate desire to join that same company.

Cut to a few years later. Circa 2005. Joining the 'right company' for summer was now a crucial concern. So junta started preparing CVs the moment they set foot on campus.

The word summer 'training' fell out of fashion and summer essentially became a preview of the final placements.

I'm not saying we could go back to those innocent days when summer was intended as 'exposure' alone. Coz a large % of MBAs now have prior work experience. But I think there is merit in students keeping an 'open mind'. Using summer more to learn and explore than seal a deal.

And whether they like it or not, this is actually happening... So may as well make the best of it!

Lastly I won't say a placement is not important. But ultimately the question to ask is: "Have these two years made a deep and lasting impact on me, as a person?"

I know my answer was yes, despite having dropped out of final placements. I hope each one of you feels the same about your institute. Because THAT is what really matters.

Life is NOT about getting placed but finding your place in the world. A world full of promises and possibilities... just waiting to be explored!

Thank you, all

For your many suggestions, thoughts and feedback on my three ideas.
I am not going by the popular vote, of course.

But hearing from you has helped me clarify my own thoughts.
And now it's time to START.

Incidentally, many of you pointed out that Po Bronson has this book called 'What Should I Do with my Life'. Well, you are preaching to the converted.

Po Bronson is one of my favourite writers, and a role model to me.
Reference this post I wrote a couple of years ago.

Do check his website www.pobronson.com for some mega-useful advice on getting started as a writer. And do buy that book and refer to it from time to time.

It helps to underline the really inspiring bits with a pink marker like I have :)

The Next Adventure

The response to Stay Hungry Stay Foolish has been overwhelming, to say the least. So, what next?

Well, I have more than one idea in my head. And another in my heart. So which one will it be? I've decided to share my thoughts with you... seeking I know not what. But knowing that I shall get it! Here goes...

IDEA 1
When I was 7 years old, I knew I was born to be a writer. Yet it took me 30 years and many other hats (MBA, brand manager, entrepreneur, youth expert, journalist, blogger) to actually get there. To accept, and to express, my true calling.

What is a true calling? I think it is a vocation or a way of life that feels like your life purpose. It is something at which you excel without effort. An activity or pursuit in which you are 'in the zone', a part of something larger than yourself.

So my idea for a next book, in a simple sentence, is to seek out the stories of 'people who shine in all walks of life because they've found their true calling.'

How do you recognise your true calling? What if it isn't practical to embrace it? I completely believe that finding your true calling is the highest form of 'personal entrepreneurship' possible. It takes guts, it takes vision, it takes perseverance.

And my contention is that you can pursue a calling and get rich and/or famous out of it. It's not an either/or but a case of having your cake and eating it too.

So, in a nutshell, I am looking for people who have found their true calling. This exercise is a little more complicated than finding entrepreneurs from IIMA. Obviously the subjects should believe that yes, this IS my true calling.

If you believe you fit the bill, or think you know or have heard of someone who does, please write in to me. I am especially interested in people who have switched careers at some stage, in pursuit of this calling but as such I am open to any and all suggestions!

The id is rashmi_b at yahoo.com

IDEA 2
While the heart wants to explore true calling, the head says: be practical! So the other interesting thought I have is to do a follow up to Stay Hungry that looks at a diametrically opposite profile of entrepreneurs: men and women who've made it business without a fancy degree.

Of course we have Dhirubhai Ambani, Karsanbhai Patel and Lakshmi Mittal. But I am sure there are many more contemporary stories worth telling.

Incidentally by 'fancy' degree I meant no IIT/ IIM.

So if you know/ have heard of folks who fit this profile please feel free to drop me a line with a brief description. The id remains rashmi_b at yahoo.com.

IDEA 3
Lastly I wanted to profile '30 under 30' ie 30 young people under the age of 30 who are different/ are making a difference.

Yes it is 'vague' but I truly believe there are young people out there who have energy and passion for things other than CAT/ JEE. They may be entrepreneurs, they may be pursuing other dreams. But they each have a story worth telling.

Agar aap aise kisi bande/ bandi ko jaante hain to bhi mujhe zaroor likhiye!

SO WHICH ONE WILL IT BE?
Maybe one or all or a combination of ideas - I don't know! That's why it's a 'new adventure'. Send in your thoughts, your nominations, and join me in spirit. The 'stay hungry' spirit.

Look forward to hearing from you...

Manjunath Shanmugam Memorial Candle Light March

Anjali and Jaishankar, two lovely people who are also trustees of the Manjunath Shanmugam Trust asked me to help publicise this cause. I am more than happy to do so!

THE MANJUNATH SHANMUGAM TRUST MEMORIAL CANDLE LIGHT MARCH – Nov 19,2008

Background
Manjunath Shanmugam, was an Indian Oil Corp. Ltd (IOCL) employee and IIML alumnus. He was working to curb oil malpractices in his territory; and was murdered on 19th November 2005 by a petrol pump owner and his accomplices. Manjunath was a popular student, noted for his passion for music, sincerity and integrity.

The Manjunath Shanmugam Trust is an international corporate community initiative; and works to improve governance in Indian public life.

Candle Light March
This candle light march has been organized on his death anniversary so that the entire student community of India can embrace and stir nationwide consciousness, and make our voice heard about prevalent widespread corruption. Youth across the country are honouring the values he stood for, by joining hands on this day; and in one voice, taking a pledge - Honour Integrity! Fight Corruption! If you wish to sign up for this pledge please click on:

http://www.petitiononline.com/MST1/petition.html

The trust is looking to mobilise a large number of colleges across India to participate in the event. If you can organize the march in your own college please email us at manjunathtrust.iiml@gmail.com and we will help you.

The blogathon ends

My heart wasn't in it.
Besides, I forgot I would be out for most of today judging Debating Matters.

So - let me officially end it 12 hours ahead of schedule.

Learnings:
* maybe a shorter timespan like 6 or max 12 hours is an ideal timeframe
* it must be on a day when I am not only vela but feeling all charged up

You know we routinely work under pressure and 'perform;.
And it can be done here as well.
But then, what's the point?

Until next time...

Debating matters

A turbanned young man of 16 odd years describes himself as 'dreaming of doing what Obama has done".

"Er, you can't become the President of the United States..." he is reminded.

"I know that...I mean, to go out there and create a revolution!"

We are at the Nehru Science centre auditorium, 3000 miles away from the US of A. But Obama has captured the imagination of the world like no other leader in recent times.

A John F Kennedy maybe, but that was close to 50 years ago.

We are at 'Debating Matters', a competition for class 11 students organised by the British Council. These are the regional eliminations. After many more rounds, one team will earn the privilege of going to the UK to represent the country.

The topic of the day: "Man, not machines, should explore space".

As in any debate, it's ability of a team to argue coherently and convincingly that really matters. In one round the 'for' wins the day, in the next it's 'against'.

In one case a team completely buckles under and pretty much agrees with the opposition. It's sad to see this happen but sometimes failure teaches us so much more than defeat.

The third round has two evenly poised teams. Until the Q & A session starts. One team completely loses it - unable to rebut and defend their position.

I have never been a debater but judging this event was an interesting experience. Normally debates are more about convention than clarity. Style over substance.

Here the emphasis was on strength of arguments and ability to think one one's feet. Apart from the judges, the audience also threw questions and was allowed to 'vote' on who should win.

Although our decision was independent and final (in all cases audience and judges' opinions matched in any case :)

The judges were also asked to give detailed feedback to each team. And in the larger interest I am sharing some of the points that came up here:

* An argument must be presented in a structured manner: Point 1, point 2, point 3. With many speakers it was not clear what WAS the central argument.

* You can't read out what you have to say from a sheet. At best you should keep points at hand. It's ok to stumble a bit rather than rattle it all out perfectly.

* Too much research is as bad as too little. Judicious use of facts is the key. Examples should aid your points and not be an argument in themselves.

* Avoid cliches like 'glass half empty/ half full' and so on. Also avoid too many quotes from famous people - we want to know what YOU think on the topic.

* Do not put foot in mouth. While answering questions many speakers went into tangents which led to their downfall.

* When you are obviously in a winning position, don't gloat - be gracious to your opponent. There is a thin line between swagger and arrogance.

And well, I could go on but the biggest takeaway is that you must have clarity in thinking. What are you trying to say? Once you know that everything falls in place.

A debate is not about oratory (yes, speaking forcefully and with conviction matters). But WHAT you say matters more.

This was most clear when teams and audience was invited to 'ask questions'. In true Indian style most people actually 'made points' (and you can see this happening at colleges, conventions, press conferences!).

Mayank Shekhar, who played the 'Simon Cowell' role had to point out at one stage:"A question must end with a question mark!"

In an aside I would like to add that it was heartening to see that many of the 12 young people who came up on stage had pretty offbeat career plans (as of now). Apart from those who wanted to be in business/ corporate world there was a young man from Baroda who wished to be a 'cognitive neuropsychologist'.

Other professions which came up included environmental filmmaker and aeronautical engineer. I wish them all the very best of luck - esp the guy who wants to emulate Obama :).

Book review: Married But Available

It is always scary to review a book authored by someone you know. What if you don't like it at all? I guess you just keep mum and pretend the courier lost it :)

Thankfully, Abhijit Bhaduri's 'Married but Available' requires no such white lies. This book is part 2 in a 3 part series and although I haven't read the first ('Mediocre but Arrogant') it does not matter. It works as a standalone.

In fact I am relieved to skip part 1 - tired of the slew of books set on bschool campus!

'Married but available' is about Abbey, a middle class Bengali boy just graduated from Management Institute of Jamshedpur or MIJ. Abbey joins Balwanpur Industries as Personnel Executive and this is both the greatest strength and greatest weakness of the book.

The fishbowl world of Balwanpur is fascinating. It is one of those integrated townships which has 'everything', even its own cinema hall. Well, everything except privacy.

The manner in which Abbey learns to deal with worker issues - ranging from cable TV telecast times to a cockroach in the food is quite enlightening. It's all about winning their hearts by using your mind. An incident involving breeding of snakes is particularly bizarre!

But like I said this township is also the book's weakness because no one who's graduated from a bschool in the last 10 years will relate to working in such a place. Which means a substantial audience lost :)

The book also touches upon what is a red hot issue today - layoffs for workers. Whether in a factory or in a white collar office the concerns remain the same. It is NEVER easy. The way Abbey deals with it he manages a win-win situation.

There are also some insights into working with foreigners (although today I guess they are hardly the strange new animals they were in the early 90s). And of course lots of gyaan from the likes of Captain Sobti, Rusty Rascal and Father Hathaway.

At times it gets preachy but real life mein bhi hota hai. The seniors who never stop sharing their pearls of wisdom.

The less compelling part of the book was the 'married but available' angle. Let me not spoil it by revealing the story but it's a case of marrying the wrong person because she was available. And of course complications follow. But since the main protagonist is a guy his solution is to become 'comfortably numb'. Which means the reader does not feel much for him either.

There is a part 3 in the making which I'm guessing will 'resolve' all the issues.

Overall, I think this is a good book for anyone who:
* is a young manager and esp those planning a career in HR. Context may change but issues remain the same.
* enjoys reading yuppie-lit ie books about People Like Us.
* looking for a quick breezy read - nothing too deep.

Incidentally I saw 'Married but Available' at no 5 among best selling fiction books at Crossword in Bandra. Lagta hai acchi bik rahi hai! I don't think book 1 got much display or distribution...

You can check out Abhijit's website for more
.
published by Harper Collins, Rs 195

Obama - India needs one too!

I am happy that Obama has won, creating history. But it is also fascinating how McCain has graciously accepted defeat.

We never see such speeches in India. Partly because we lack manners and what I would call a spirit of the 'greatest common good'.

But mainly because for the last few elections no one has really 'won'. It's not over till it's over. Horses must be traded, MPs herded into camps. Anything to get the magic number '272'. And then some.

What is also fascinating about Obama's win is that yes, he is the first African American to be elected to the highest office. But he reminds me very much of the story of Prahlad and Hiranyakashipu.

Hiranyakashipu had asked the Lord for a boon whereby he could not be killed - during day or by night, inside the home or outside, not on earth or on sky; neither by a man nor an animal; neither by astra nor by shastra.

But eventually Lord Vishnu took the form of a Narasimha (who is half-man and half-lion) and killed Hiranyakashipu at dusk (which was neither day nor night), on the steps of the porch of his house (which was neither inside the house nor outside) by restraining him on his lap (which is neither in the sky nor on the earth) and mauling him with his claws (which are neither astra nor shastra).


Obama is also neither black nor white. He is either/or and at the best of times, both. Black enough yet 'white' enough. Especially in education and outlook.

Obama was created in a different mould because he was destined to slay the Demon of Race.

And here in India one has to wonder when we will see an 'Obama' who will help us rise above our differences. And lead us into 'change we can believe in'...

Not in 2009... but someday for sure.
Amen.

Idea accha tha magar..

Being a 'brand manager' is no easy thing. You have to eat, drink and sleep thinking about your brand. Bad enough. You also have to keep thinking about how to make others think about your brand as often as possible.

Which means pasting your logo and branding everywhere.

In what must surely be described as an 'innovation' in someone's CV Britannia has decided to advertise its bread on the handcarts of Mumbai's famous sandwichwallahs. So far so good.



But please note that the sandwich guy still prefers Modern bread. Kind of like Sridevi endorsing Lux and then using an expensive firang soap.

Advice to Britannia: Figure out how to get your bread used at those stalls. Perhaps offer a discounted steady supply?

Idea accha tha magar magic always lies in the implementation.

Ideas are everywhere

We tend to think of ideas as the preserve of some special class of people or 'ideators'. But they are everywhere and in everyone.

This little stall selling ice golas at Linking Road, Bandra, stopped me in my tracks yesterday. As they say, "Sirjee - what an Idea!"



Ice golas are one of the most satisfying summer experiences one can have. But like most middle class Indians I have been conditioned to avoid them. Because of the generally suspect quality of the ice.

So this 'mineral water ice' is a great idea. But what makes this ice gola haathgadi a 'must visit' is the google-inspired branding. It's so witty and well executed you say to hell with my sore throat: "I gotta try it".



Please do note the attention to detail...



As for the gola itself - I tried my favourite kala khatta and what can I say? It's good but nothing out of the ordinary. An additional hygiene factor with 'Gogola' is that it comes with a plastic straw instead of wooden tinka.


But see the premium I happily paid - thirty bucks! - for a 'brand' rather than a commodity. There's a lesson in it for all of us in there.

If you've seen anything interesting in streetfood and have written/ blogged about it let me know and I'll share it here:)

Personal blogathon II

Around 3 months ago I had undertaken a 'personal blogathon'. The idea being to post as much, as often and on as many things as possible. Even relatively trivial stuff.

Well, the experiment was fun and resulted in 9 posts in a period of about 24 hours. I realised that 24 hours is, perhaps, limiting because a body has to eat, sleep and live in addition to blogging. So this time I am increasing the timespan to 48 hours.

And I am (mainly) going to write about food, food for thought (books & ideas) and food for the soul (some deeper thoughts on life & living).

Which I guess is a very wide range of topics and can eventually be twisted to cover anything :). So here goes...

Have you taken CAT as well as GMAT?

Looking to interview someone of this profile to feature in 'Cracking careers' on UTVi.

If you've graduated from a well known Indian or foreign bschool which accepts GMAT - all the better. Preferably want someone based in Mumbai.

Drop me a line at rashmi_b at yahoo.com

Space science as a career

The successful lift-off of Chandrayaan lifted spirits all over India yesterday. But will it also help lift the status of science as a career?

Well, the various talking heads on TV made their points:
* NASA invites schoolchildren to participate in special programs and visit its centres. ISRO is zero in that department.
* Students are enthusiastic about science at school level but not in college, where science education is stuck in the Stone Age.
* Science is compartmentalised and treated as a 'subject'. Instead of being an important part of every aspect of life.

All true, but the plain and simple truth is this: Scientists work for the government. Working for the government is no longer cool.

It means being stuck to a single employer for life.
It means a job with steady but not spectacular pay.
In short, it means 'losing' out.

Taking up science means preparing for various engineering entrance exams. And this is the norm among children of scientists as well. I should know, having grown up on the TIFR campus!

Of the couple of hundred kids who were brought up in that 'scientific environment' I can think of only 2-3 who have chosen the sciences as a career. Everyone else went into the application side (engineering/ IT) and from there, onto the world of business.

Actually when I was 8 years old I honestly, truly and deeply wanted to be an astronaut. Or something to do with space. I spent hours poring over books like Charlie Brown's Super Book of Questions and Answers.

My lack of aptitude for mathematics killed that dream. Maths nahin to science kuch nahin. But even for those who are great at maths, 'pure science' is hardly an option.

I think the government and allied organisations do a fair bit on the scholarship front. Take this initiative by Department of Biotechnology (DBT) to support toppers who pursue Biological Science at 10 + 2 level.

What is missing however is a sense of the career path you would have as a scientist. The fact that you may not make that much money but you will enjoy a fine quality of life and also make a difference.

A career in science really has to be sold on the element of 'passion'. And that's what events like the Chandrayaan might help ignite... It will be interesting to see if the newly established IIST (Indian Institute of Science and Technology) gets more applications next year!

IIST, was set up in 2007 under Department of Space, Goverment of India, and offers undergraduates B Tech programmes, a five year integrated masters in Applied Sciences as well as PG and doctoral programmes. The basic aim is to build a talent pool for
ISRO.

Entry to IIST is through JEE and so far it hasn't been a hot choice for anyone with a 'decent' rank. Although there is the odd report of a student who could have made it to an IIT opting for IIST (rank 2000 and above).

The real boost would come when one of the JEE toppers decides to take up an IIST offer over computer engineering at IIT B... And I tell you, something like that will happen soon!

Meanwhile there are amazing young women like 23 year old Khushboo Mirza who are already showing the way. Born into a tiny, traditional Muslim neighbourhood in UP’s Amroha Khushboo is one of the 12 engineers of the Check-Out Division of Chandrayaan I.

Her inspiring story, in today's Indian Express:

When her father died when she was seven, her mother, Farhat, broke norms to run the family’s petrol pump to keep her children in school. Her brother, Khushtar, a 2005 BTech from Jamia Millia Islamia, shelved his career ambitions to take charge later.

To get out of the claustrophobic bylanes of Amroha, Khushboo applied for B Tech at Aligarh Muslim University. A volleyball player, she qualified through the sports quota. When she graduated, she landed a lucrative job with Adobe but gave it up to join ISRO two years ago.

More power to Khushboo, and to science as career. Space... the final frontier, here we come!

Job blues

I get a query a day like this one from jittery engineering grads:

I am XXX completed B.tech Biotechnology(2008 pass out) at SRM University.I got placed in YYY (top 10 IT company) in July,2007 through campus interview. The company has informed us through mail that we will be called in batches any time between Aug(2008) to June (2009).

As seen in media that IT is down will this delay my date of joining. Should I try for some other job? or wait for their response?

So I asked a friend who worked with one such company till recently and he says:

Times are clearly tougher, particularly for some orgs that are significantly exposed to the west and specifically to the financial services industry.

That said, media tends to go extreme (effusive praise/deep despair). These companies are very well run, and historical antecedent shows that recessions accelerate outsourcing (2002/03) so I would not lose hope.

What would be a good idea though is to take this time and perhaps enhance skills (communications, soft skills, Eetc ) whilst waiting for that joining date letter to reach your door.

Anyone else with advice is welcome to add their two bits here!

My own take is: 90% of commitments will be honoured but with a 2-3 month lag. Grads from lesser known colleges are likely to get the short end of the stick.

It's also particularly distressing for those who know they took up engineering only because of the IT job dangling at the end of it... But that's life. There really is no 100% 'safe' option.

'Stay Hungry ' update

It's no 3 on the Crossword non-fiction best-sellers list in Mumbai :)


Here's the review which appeared in Business Standard on Oct 17.

And the Mint review on Oct 18.

Also a report of the event held in Delhi!

If you've read the book and reviewed it on your blog send me the link and I'll add it to the Stay Hungry site.

More Wall Street wit

A forward sent to me by Rahul Agarwal...

President Bush said clients shouldn't be concerned by all these bank closings. If the bank is closed, you just use the ATM, he said.

George Bush said that he is saddened to hear about the demise of Lehman brothers… His thoughts at this time go out to their mother as losing one son is hard but losing two is a tragedy.

The problem with investment bank balance sheets is that on the left side nothing is right and on the right side nothing is left.

There are 30 billion prime numbers below 700 billion. The rest are all subprime.

Why are all MBAs going back to school? To ask for their money back.

For Geography students: What's the capital of Iceland? Answer: About Three Pounds Fifty...

A trader: "This is worse than a divorce. I've lost half my net worth and I still have a wife."

What's the difference between a guy who just lost everything in Vegas and an investment banker? A tie.

What's the difference between a bond and a bond trader? A bond matures.

Lehman have changed their recommendation on Lehman from hold to sell.

Forty years ago I sold fifty shares of my company stock and had enough money to purchase a brand-new 1967 Ford pickup. Last week, I checked it out, and if I sold another fifty shares, I'd have enough money to buy a 1967 Ford pickup. So, the market has stablised.

Look forward to some inspired by Dalal Street !

Wall Street wit

Things are looking very bleak on Wall Street right now. But humour is the silver lining of every dark cloud. These jokes are circulating in my iima egroup and I salute the out-of-work i-banker who's probably invented them even as his Porsche is getting repossessed!

Q: What is the definition of optimism?
A: An investment banker ironing five shirts on a Sunday night

Q: What is the one thing Wall St and the Olympics have in common?
A: Synchronised diving

Q: What is the difference between a pigeon and a merchant banker?
A: A pigeon can still put a deposit on a Ferrari

Q: What do you say to a hedge fund manager who can't short-sell anything?
A: Quarter pounder with fries please

Q: How many commodities traders does it take to change a light bulb?
A: None, they don't change bulbs; but the trading price of darkness plummets due to oversupply

More contributions welcome! If they're funny, I'll feature them here. Forwards are also ok, but just don't claim you wrote 'em!

Here is another interesting dig at Lehman Bros, I noticed it in a post by Nikhil @ Medianama. It's the loading page of webchutney.com. The Lehman link leads to the careers@webchutney page.

Kaafi creative, wonder if any fired Lehman execs actually applied :)

Bigg Boss speaks: welcome back!

Like the proverbial father welcoming back a disowned child, Naresh Goyal has 'reinstated' all the employees his airline recently sacked.

Whether he really could not sleep because of his conscience or the battering the airline was taking in the PR department, Nareshji decided to pull the oldest trick in the politician's arsenal. Take a tough measure and then simply 'roll it back'.

Almost like a reality show where we bid farewell to some participants with high drama and copious tears. Only to soon enough say, laut ke aa...!

Nareshji's turnaround solves the immediate problem of young boys and girls in trademark yellow-and-blue taking to the streets to save their jobs. As well as the noises being made by 'action-oriented' parties ranging from the CPI (M) to the MNS.

But what about the larger issue?

In my last post I pointed out that the manner in which employees were dismissed was callous. But I think any management has a right to terminate employees on probation, given that the business has experienced a downturn.

You just do it more discreetly and compassionately. And often you couch it under 'non-performance'. TCS did it, so did Adventity and Hexaware. Brokerage houses are doing it. Other sectors may soon follow.

Are we mentally prepared for this new and turbulent job market? Apparently not.

Congress spokesperson M Veerappa Moily has declared: "This is India, not America... We against hire-and-fire policy of the aviation industry. You cannot have such a policy in a democracy. People's livelihoods are at stake."

Yes, Mr Moily but can we go the American way in hiring and the Indian way in firing? Which is that we cannot retrench at all??

The Jet airways saga shows that we are still to shed our socialist mindset. While the same employees would happily flit from one company to the next when times were good, they cannot accept that they may be without a job when those good times sour.

If employees can have their cake and eat it too, how will industry remain competitive?

On the positive side, other solutions will now have to be found to 'control costs'. Reinstated employees will probably be asked to accept pay cuts. But why just the few who were sacked? If the 'family' - and the aviation industry as a whole - really is in trouble, let every member accept a pay cut.

I see no reason why We, the Passengers, should bear the burden of increased fares. So that airlines can pay Rs 25,000 to 21 year olds. So that they can pay the loans they've taken to study at training institutes.

On how to apply eye make up.

A consultant somewhere will soon be asked to calculate how much an airline can save annually... if it does away with the war paint :)

It's not what you say, Mr Goyal...

but how you say it!

The shock and pain over the sacking of 1900 employees by Jet Airways continues to dominate the headlines. We all realise this is a desperate measure. That tough times may call for tough decisions.

But must we take 'axing' of jobs literally and deliver the news with the force of a sledgehammer?

TOI reported yesterday : "About three and a half hours before a flight, the office transport reaches your home to pick you up. In the wee hours of Tuesday morning, hundreds of cabin crew members who were rostered for early morning flights waited in their uniforms to be picked up."

When the worried flight attendants started calling up the airline despatch office they were told they had been derostered until further notice.

That was the first 800. The remaining 1100 got the news when they turned up for work on Wednesday morning.

The same crew was referred to as 'family' in better days. Now all we get is cold, calculated corporatespeak from CEO Wolfgang Prock-Scahuer:"As painful as it may be for every single person affected, this adjustment was inevitable in the greater interest of regaining viability of Jet Airways and securing its economic health."

Naresh Goyal himself is conspicuous in his absence.

Laying off a single person - even when he is underperforming- is difficult. Laying off hundreds of people (for no fault of their own) is a hundred times more difficult. That is why companies take the 'easy' way out and do it so coldly and impersonally.

The equivalent of dumping your girlfriend by sms, because you cannot face her tears.

Nareshji, it was your responsibility and yours alone to convey this message. Maybe you would get emotional, and so would these young people. But hearing from you that you are sorry this had to be done would have helped them to grieve for their loss. And move on.

And Mr Mallya, much as I like Kingfisher airlines I doubt I will enjoy your hospitality in the near future. As you and Mr Goyal conspire to make air travel unviable once again, for the ordinary insaan.

Sapne dikhaye aur ab waapas dharti par pahuncha diya.

Chalo, aisa hota hai. But set us down gently, and we will remember you fondly. For the good times.

You are invited to the Delhi launch

At Landmark bookshop - DLF Grand Mall, Gurgaon
Friday October 10, 2008, 6.30 pm.

Mall a mall weekly!

On a day when the stock markets tanked to a new low Nivedita and I paid a visit to the shiny new acres of air conditioned real estate in our neighbourhood. The just-opened In Orbit mall.

Five years ago Vashi was a mangrove swamp in terms of shopping and entertainment. A row of semi decent but essentially desi dukaans in Sector 17 and one so called multiplex theatre. Meghraj - which had only recently switched from wall fans to air condison.

Now we have five malls within 2 kms of my house. Which is three too many IMHO!

The revolution began with Center One. When Center One opened two years ago Vashi residents finally felt they had 'arrived'. Apart from Pantaloons and Food Bazar the mainstay of the mall was the very attractive and reasonably priced food court.

Next came Palm Beach Galleria. This time the attraction was the arrival of Adlabs - our first real multiplex. And to an extent the many branded clothing shops. Like I was really happy to see my old favourite Cottonworld - no need to visit Colaba or Phoenix Mills again.

But saath saath came City Centre right next door. Another mall with a multiplex (Cinemax) and a somewhat better food court than Palm Beach. Some interesting smaller shops and a Croma as well.

OK, by now hamari consumerist aatma triptho gayi thi. Magar earlier this year we got one more mall right next to the station - Raghuleela. Here the attraction was Fame multiplex and a bunch of Future group outlets (Central, Big Bazar and Food Bazar in the same building!).

There is also one decent theme restaurant called 'The Village' and a lallu (overpriced) food court.

Finally, we have In Orbit. Sabse aakhri entrant but yes, it's the new destination for the chalo ghoom kar aate hain types.

This mall has been 'under construction' for a long long time now. Even after the official opening vast portions remained unoccupied. But, quite understandably, they must be in a rush to catch the all-important Diwali shopper. With whatever goods they have!

The main attraction here is definitely Hypercity. A store I had heard much about (especially in the context of kitchen knives) but never visited. And I must say it is indeed outstanding. There is so much SPACE. Attractive display and AND value pricing.

The exact opposite of the Kishore Biyani model of 'we strive hard to remind you of a kirana store'!

The interesting thing is how the mall has evolved. When Center One came we were just grateful to have a mall, any mall. It looked and felt fantastic!

With tenants like Food Bazaar and the sasta sundar tikau food courts junta felt haan, yeh theek hai. Mere matlab ka hai. It gently broke us in to the whole idea of shopping in malls.

The next malls were bigger and better in terms of space. Glitzier in decor and sold more premium brands. They got us used to the idea of paying Rs 150 for movie tickets + 60 bucks for popcorn (good old Meghraj charged only Rs 10!).

Then along comes In Orbit. So huge in size it can swallow the whole of New Bombay on a weekend. So vast you get tired gawking at the windows on a single floor.

The kind of place where you feel - for a couple of hours - that you are actually living in the First World...

When I studied marketing we were taught about the 'first mover' advantage. But I am not sure there is any such thing in many categories, anymore. One guy educates the consumer, changes his behaviour, creates the market. Another then swoops in and picks up that customer with the promise of 'something bigger and better'.

Or just something new and therefore different.

You know how discos operate? Average life of six months to one year, then something cooler comes along. Well, it's looking like that with malls.

Of course each mall eventually develops its own personality and set of customers but there should be enough people to go around!

Even my nine year old daughter can see there is something stupid about five giant malls in a locality like New Bombay where people are well-off but (mostly) not the kind who sleep on matresses stuffed with ill-earned cash.

"Mummy when Center One opened remember the rush?"

Yup, I nod my head.

"Now there won't be rush anywhere.. all will be 'medium'".

The question is, will 'medium' footfalls be enough to sustain all these shops?

Not that it matters anymore. Since the debacle at Wall Street I guess failed mall owners can just turn around and say - "Yeh to kuch bhi nahin hai... Bhool-chook-galti maaf!"

The Mumbai launch

So much warmth, in the air and through the giant glass windows at Crossword... You can read all about the event here.

For those who wanted to buy the book online in India, head to Bookcurry (not related to Youth Curry! But an entrepreneurial venture from a recent IIMA grad).

Stay Hungry will also soon be on rediff books and amazon.

Lastly, thanks to so many of you for writing in to point out that 'Stay Hungry Stay Foolish' is a phrase used by Steve Jobs in his commencement address @ Stanford a couple of years ago. I know that. That's WHY I used it as the title. It captured the spirit of the book so well!

And I have acknowledged the source of the inspiration in the 'Author's Note' which precedes the book.

If Steve Jobs has an issue I am sure he will get in touch :)

And honestly it would be a top-of-the-world day for me, as he is someone I have looked up to and admired from way back. When I was in college I read Odyssey: From Pepsi to Apple where Jobs said to John Sculley: "Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugared water, or do you want a chance to change the world."

This phrase stuck in my head and it has been an inspiration, a guiding light in my life. Through stormy periods, through low periods, the times when you wonder:"Is the rough road really worth it?" I don't know about 'changing the world' but certainly I have not gone down the sugared water route and focussed more on giving, and growing than 'getting for myself'.

Anyhow. I will keep you updated on Stay Hungry from time to time but for now, time to get back to regular blogging... So much I want to write!

An American MBA outside the Ivy League

Naveen is a regular reader of this blog and here's his (somewhat belated) 2 cents on my post of 4th Sept 2008, 'Ivy league goes the IIM way - II'.

Just for background, I did my full-time, MBA from a US (Purdue) university in 2002, ranked generally 23/24 as per US News, after working in India for 3 years in software.

Somehow, many students/professionals in India are aware of only the Ivy Leagues and the associated high fees of doing MBA from US (Ivy/non-Ivy) or Europe b-schools. This acts as a deterrent to them and they give up on their dream of doing an MBA from
abroad.

Based on my experience, I can say, that US schools ranked from 20-30 are also pretty good and they have a very exhaustive program. Many State schools like Purdue, Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan State, Maryland fall in these categories and they all are very good schools (not only in MBA but also have strong Engineering schools) plus the added advantage of lower fees and high probability of getting assistantships (like teaching to undergrads) that reduces the fees a lot plus offers monthly stipend. (could end up being cheaper than studying at ISB or IIMs).

All these schools have very high-class facilities and offer an amazing MBA experience of good coursework & projects, case competitions (even funding going to other US schools case completion, if you qualify), doing projects/cases with other departments and collaborating with them, to develop business case for their technical products, ample networking and discussions etc.

The MBA program at Purdue offers a very diverse class (~40% internationals) and is very strong in Operations and Corporate Finance. One big advantage in these schools is the relative smaller class size (~150 per batch) as compared to 400-600 students at the Ivy Leagues and other top 20 schools. So, a smaller class size offers more opportunity to grow and reduces chances of being lost!!!

We had approx 10 people from India (from varied backgrounds of Engg, Commerce etc.) and almost all, had an assistantship from 1st semester, that reduced everybody’s tension of funding for fees and other living expenses and also the risk of ‘what-if I do not get a job in the US’!!! Most of them had arranged for bank loans from India to cover 2 yrs (and got them easily) but after getting an assistantship within few days of landing @ Purdue, they did not need the Indian loan money.

As for jobs after MBA, most of the Indian batch got jobs by graduation. It was a struggle for a couple of Indian guys due to the tough job market at that time and because they were trying to change their stream (like moving from Marketing pre-MBA experience to Finance and similar).

The visa issue also becomes a headache for some students (Indian, Chinese, Koreans, South Americans etc.) as many companies, would not do sponsorship for MBAs (even though they would sponsor for Engg students from same school). So, pre-MBA work experience plays a major role in post MBA job experience and I would suggest that people get minimum 2-3 years of work experience, before going for a US MBA, due to the job factor plus (my opinion) you tend to learn more, once you have had a solid job experience.

The negative side of doing MBA from 20-30 ranked schools is that your chances (if you want to) of getting into Investment Banking (especially) or Consulting would be reduced, as the big names IB firms (whichever are left now!!) don’t come to these schools and Consulting firms 1st priority is the top 15 schools (from where they pick a lot of students).

Another reason is location of some of these schools, as they are in Mid-West, which is not the hub of IB (New York) or Technology firms (Silicon Valley), but that in no way implies people do not get jobs in East or West coast. It's just that, general tendency of companies is go to schools where they are based out of, or of students, is that they want to find a job in the region, where they studied.

In case of Purdue (which is 2 hrs from Chicago), people from my batch of 150 got jobs all over the US but mainly in Mid-West, and in all sectors (mainly corporate finance, operations or marketing), with very few in IB or consulting. So, prospective students should keep in find their career stream, in choosing the school (stronger the school in that stream, more companies to recruit for that stream) or region of school.

All, I can say, is my MBA from Purdue, was one of the best experience for me and gave me lot of exposure to people from different cultures and a very good educational experience (plus also a good job :)

Thanks, Naveen!

In other MBA related news, the IIMs sold 2.9 lakh CAT forms this year, which is a new record. Wonder if the numbers would have been so high if the markets and I-banks had collapsed a couple of months earlier!

Stay Hungry: the website

The Stay Hungry Stay Foolish website is now up. It has details of who's in the book, excerpts, reviews and also a blog with interesting background info and coverage of the events held so far.

If you are in Mumbai, I'd be delighted to see you at the launch of Stay Hungry on 2nd October at 4 pm, Crossword, Kemps Corner!

Life without television: a trial run

"Nick will go off the air for 30 minutes to encourage kids to get out and play"
- report in today's HT Cafe

Wonderful but meaningless marketing gesture. Unless ALL kids' channels go off the air on the same day and same time. And even then - what is a single day?

Of course, you will say it's the parents' responsibility to regulate their kids' TV viewing. Yeah right. Try it! It's like playing chor-police and the truth is you can't blame kids for watching too much TV. What are we adults doing?

I know that I have certainly been watching way too much in recent months. I generally channel surf, rarely watching a full program - so I kid myself ki nahin dekhti hoon. It's like saying I don't eat large meals only a lot of snacks. It still adds up. And it's a LOT of junk.

At the beginning of this month I took a tough decision: "This month, NO television!" We simply did not renew the Tata Sky connection. They called to check why. Bas yun hi, hum TV nahin dekhna chahte... Thank you very much!

So what do we do? Well board games like Monopoly and Connect Four have been brought out of the closet. I read more and sleep earlier (and better). I listen to Radio City 91.1 between 9-11 pm every night (it's on right now). They play really cool songs from the '70s and '80s - the kind I grew up listening to (amazing stuff!).

I'm not AGAINST TV or anything - in fact I actually have the best of both worlds. My parents live one floor below so jab marzi ho one can go down and watch. But doing so is a conscious act, not a mindless one.

The month has come to an end and I'm not sure what's next.

All I know is that when there is really important 'breaking news' someone breaks it to you... But TV ke bina there is so much peace in the house!

'Stay Hungry Stay Foolish' update

Thank you all for you good wishes. In a couple of days I'll let you know:
* Where you can buy the book online
* Ordering through amazon.com

We're working on it! Any leads on the amazon front would be appreciated :)

In other news, there will be a series of 'Stay Hungry Stay Foolish' book events over the next couple of months. Starting tomorrow.

Saturday 20 Sept 2008
Venue: Crossword, Ahmedabad
Time: 6 pm

Sunday 21 Sep 2008
Venue: Crossword, Baroda
Time: 11 am

Pls do drop by if you live in any of these towns! I'll be there and so will two of the entrepreneurs featured in the book - Sunil Handa and Shankar Maruwada. Along with Prof Rakesh Basant from IIM Ahmedabad.

And now I better crash coz I have a Spicejet flight to catch. And they've just sent an sms asking me to report TWO hours ahead of departure. Ek ghante ki to flight hai...