With 0-5 years experience, working in India (preferably Mumbai). Would like to interview you for a segment on why i-banking is hot, for UTVi's 'Cracking Careers'.
We're looking for both MBAs and those who's joined i-banks right after graduation, as analysts.
Also looking for anyone who's done a part-time MBA within the last 3 years (or is still doing one). Again, I'd like your opinion and feedback on the value add from the course.
As always, you can drop me a line with your contact no at rashmi_b at yahoo.com
Sorry for the interruption, travelogue continues, with the next post.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
It felt good, this journey
Sometimes there is so much to say you don't know where to begin. So let me start with the most basic question: "Why?
Why did I visit Badrinath-Kedarnath?
When a friend posed this question, it struck me that no one asks why you are going to Manali, or Sri Lanka or Sun City. That, you see, is a holiday.
But Badrinath and Kedarnath, despite their spectacular locations, are not holiday spots. Getting there, even in this modern age, requires a fair bit of commitment and hardship. There are only two reasons to make the trip:
1) As a tag along. Sab ja rahe hain, to chalo hum bhi
And yes, this was part of the reason. With 14 of us on board our very own Garwhal Mandal Vikas Nigam bus, armed with enough matharis, laddoos and achar to last weeks, it did feel like a picnic.
But there is a second, more important reason which made the sometimes long and endlessly bumpy ride in that bus where seats never reclined worth it. And that is reason number two.
2) Because I believe.
I believe there is a Higher Power out there. You can call it God, or a Force, a Universal Energy.
The first time I visited Rishikesh last year, I felt its Presence. And right then I said to myself, I want to come back again, and go further up into the mountains.
And so it came to be.
I wanted to make this journey, this yatra as we call it, to thank God for all the wonderful people in my life and the experiences and achievements I have had so far.
I never felt the need to do this before.
I have visited many, many temples, as a reluctant tag along. When I was 11, my parents took us on a 21 day trip of south India which basically involved visiting a series of temples. All I remember is we had some very tasty guavas on the way to Tirupati. And that eight of us (six adults and two kids) would somehow fit into a single Ambassador.
The only place I really liked on that trip was Bangalore.
In 1986, I visited Vaishno Devi. It was the anticlimax to a lovely 'LTC' holiday in Kashmir. We actually walked all the way up and back and I still remember the ice cold water you have to wade through to have darshan.
But it was a chore. I could not figure out why people were so enthusiastic about the journey. How so many old people, small kids, women with babies - many of them barefoot - made it there with a smile in their eyes and a song on their lips.
I know now, it is faith. Theirs was an unquestioning faith, mine I arrived at after much rejection, deliberation, contemplation and cross examination.
It does not matter - we are all fellow travellers, on a common journey.
So am I religious? Not really. But I do appreciate Hinduism - as a philosophy and a way of life - far more today.
Enough said, on with the journey....
Pilgrim's Progress - 1
We are at Sonprayag, waiting to be released towards Gaurikund. The 'base camp' from where you make the trek up to Kedarnath. It is a narrow one way stretch. Badly managed, long line of vehicles. Still, you are grateful to be here in this bus. Imagine in earlier times the days and months pilgrims took to make it on foot, even till here.
We left Rishikesh the previous morning, at 6 am. Close to 12 hours later we were in Guptkashi, where we stayed the night. Sonprayag is an hour from here.
The bus finally gets the green signal. We chug along the girlishly giggling Mandakini river. The greenery is lush, dense, pristine despite human presence.
Except for plastic debris, kahin kahin.
At Gaurikund the scene is chaotic. It's a 14 km trek upto Kedarnath, and a fairly steep ascent upto 12,000 feet. The rasta, rudimentary. You have two choices:
a) Walk
b) Take a horse
Those who are too young, old or infirm for the horse have the option of a 'palkhi' (a chair carried up by four brave young men) or a 'pitthu' (a cane chair carried by a single person).
Some of us chose to walk. We did about 5 kms but then succumbed to the lure of the horse. By this time it was raining.
Cheap plastic raincoats on sale, all the way, along with tea, coffee, Kurkure and Maggi.
As you hang on to the beast you reflect on what it must feel like to carry your burden. And the young men who lead these horses up and down twice a day, and yet have a smile on their faces.
They aren't cursing their luck or their fate. Yeh unki life hai, usey jee rahein hain aur mazaa bhi le rahe hain.
As we ascend it gets colder, hazier, and the rain is now incessant. Finally, we are there.
Kedarnath is a very ancient temple. Legend has it that it was first established by the Pandavas. In fact it is the only temple I have ever seen or heard of which actually has idols of the Pandavas (the 5 brothers, Kunti, Draupadi and Krishna). Although these are not actually worshipped.
When the clouds clear up, we see the most spectacular snow-covered Himalayan mountain range. Not far far away but almost like you could walk an hour and get there (an illusion, but nevertheless).
Behind the temple is the path that the Pandavas are believed to have taken at the end of their life, the Indian version of 'stairway to heaven'. You even see the same black dogs around here that they say followed the Pandavas on their ascent towards swarg.
The present day temple was established by Adi Shankaracharya in the 8th century AD. And thankfully not much has been done to 'modernise' it.
The one difference between then and now I guess is the fact that if you are willing to pay, you can get a more exclusive darshan at a pre-fixed timing. And well, we took that option and took an 'appointment' for 1 am.
You still end up standing in line for at least half an hour, feeling oxygen deprived. But you spend a little more time in the inner sanctum.
The moment I entered it, I felt something. A vibration, or an energy, or what - I do not know. But it was incredible. It was uplifting, and yet humbling at the same time.
I closed my eyes, so I could feel it, connect with it, be one with it. I knew WHY I had made this journey, I felt a secret of some kind has been revealed.
My mother poked me, wanting me to participate in pouring the ghee and rice and other pooja activity.
The cold air outside was exhilrating. There was no electricity all night at the dingy hotel we stayed in. Horrible food and no hot water. But it did not matter.
We enjoyed a really nice breakfast at a local dhaba (aloo parathas the size of frisbees!) and made our way back down.
Swarglok ya nahin, mujhe nahin pata. Magar yahan aakar ek mann mein shanti zaroor mili.
I think I will make a trip back here someday - but next time on foot.
Oh by the way, there is also the option of helicopter. It costs Rs 8000. I wonder though, if it feels as good to get there without any struggle.
There are some things money can buy, for everything else there's faith.
Tomorrow: Part II
Why did I visit Badrinath-Kedarnath?
When a friend posed this question, it struck me that no one asks why you are going to Manali, or Sri Lanka or Sun City. That, you see, is a holiday.
But Badrinath and Kedarnath, despite their spectacular locations, are not holiday spots. Getting there, even in this modern age, requires a fair bit of commitment and hardship. There are only two reasons to make the trip:
1) As a tag along. Sab ja rahe hain, to chalo hum bhi
And yes, this was part of the reason. With 14 of us on board our very own Garwhal Mandal Vikas Nigam bus, armed with enough matharis, laddoos and achar to last weeks, it did feel like a picnic.
But there is a second, more important reason which made the sometimes long and endlessly bumpy ride in that bus where seats never reclined worth it. And that is reason number two.
2) Because I believe.
I believe there is a Higher Power out there. You can call it God, or a Force, a Universal Energy.
The first time I visited Rishikesh last year, I felt its Presence. And right then I said to myself, I want to come back again, and go further up into the mountains.
And so it came to be.
I wanted to make this journey, this yatra as we call it, to thank God for all the wonderful people in my life and the experiences and achievements I have had so far.
I never felt the need to do this before.
I have visited many, many temples, as a reluctant tag along. When I was 11, my parents took us on a 21 day trip of south India which basically involved visiting a series of temples. All I remember is we had some very tasty guavas on the way to Tirupati. And that eight of us (six adults and two kids) would somehow fit into a single Ambassador.
The only place I really liked on that trip was Bangalore.
In 1986, I visited Vaishno Devi. It was the anticlimax to a lovely 'LTC' holiday in Kashmir. We actually walked all the way up and back and I still remember the ice cold water you have to wade through to have darshan.
But it was a chore. I could not figure out why people were so enthusiastic about the journey. How so many old people, small kids, women with babies - many of them barefoot - made it there with a smile in their eyes and a song on their lips.
I know now, it is faith. Theirs was an unquestioning faith, mine I arrived at after much rejection, deliberation, contemplation and cross examination.
It does not matter - we are all fellow travellers, on a common journey.
So am I religious? Not really. But I do appreciate Hinduism - as a philosophy and a way of life - far more today.
Enough said, on with the journey....
Pilgrim's Progress - 1
We are at Sonprayag, waiting to be released towards Gaurikund. The 'base camp' from where you make the trek up to Kedarnath. It is a narrow one way stretch. Badly managed, long line of vehicles. Still, you are grateful to be here in this bus. Imagine in earlier times the days and months pilgrims took to make it on foot, even till here.
We left Rishikesh the previous morning, at 6 am. Close to 12 hours later we were in Guptkashi, where we stayed the night. Sonprayag is an hour from here.
The bus finally gets the green signal. We chug along the girlishly giggling Mandakini river. The greenery is lush, dense, pristine despite human presence.
Except for plastic debris, kahin kahin.
At Gaurikund the scene is chaotic. It's a 14 km trek upto Kedarnath, and a fairly steep ascent upto 12,000 feet. The rasta, rudimentary. You have two choices:a) Walk
b) Take a horse
Those who are too young, old or infirm for the horse have the option of a 'palkhi' (a chair carried up by four brave young men) or a 'pitthu' (a cane chair carried by a single person).
Some of us chose to walk. We did about 5 kms but then succumbed to the lure of the horse. By this time it was raining.
Cheap plastic raincoats on sale, all the way, along with tea, coffee, Kurkure and Maggi.
As you hang on to the beast you reflect on what it must feel like to carry your burden. And the young men who lead these horses up and down twice a day, and yet have a smile on their faces.
They aren't cursing their luck or their fate. Yeh unki life hai, usey jee rahein hain aur mazaa bhi le rahe hain.
As we ascend it gets colder, hazier, and the rain is now incessant. Finally, we are there.
Kedarnath is a very ancient temple. Legend has it that it was first established by the Pandavas. In fact it is the only temple I have ever seen or heard of which actually has idols of the Pandavas (the 5 brothers, Kunti, Draupadi and Krishna). Although these are not actually worshipped.
When the clouds clear up, we see the most spectacular snow-covered Himalayan mountain range. Not far far away but almost like you could walk an hour and get there (an illusion, but nevertheless).Behind the temple is the path that the Pandavas are believed to have taken at the end of their life, the Indian version of 'stairway to heaven'. You even see the same black dogs around here that they say followed the Pandavas on their ascent towards swarg.
The present day temple was established by Adi Shankaracharya in the 8th century AD. And thankfully not much has been done to 'modernise' it.
The one difference between then and now I guess is the fact that if you are willing to pay, you can get a more exclusive darshan at a pre-fixed timing. And well, we took that option and took an 'appointment' for 1 am.
You still end up standing in line for at least half an hour, feeling oxygen deprived. But you spend a little more time in the inner sanctum.
The moment I entered it, I felt something. A vibration, or an energy, or what - I do not know. But it was incredible. It was uplifting, and yet humbling at the same time.
I closed my eyes, so I could feel it, connect with it, be one with it. I knew WHY I had made this journey, I felt a secret of some kind has been revealed.
My mother poked me, wanting me to participate in pouring the ghee and rice and other pooja activity.
The cold air outside was exhilrating. There was no electricity all night at the dingy hotel we stayed in. Horrible food and no hot water. But it did not matter.
We enjoyed a really nice breakfast at a local dhaba (aloo parathas the size of frisbees!) and made our way back down. Swarglok ya nahin, mujhe nahin pata. Magar yahan aakar ek mann mein shanti zaroor mili.
I think I will make a trip back here someday - but next time on foot.
Oh by the way, there is also the option of helicopter. It costs Rs 8000. I wonder though, if it feels as good to get there without any struggle.
There are some things money can buy, for everything else there's faith.
Tomorrow: Part II
Monday, June 16, 2008
Back to work (sort of)
So much to say about my trip.
Will put my thoughts together and update you soon.
Meanwhile I'm looking for a young architect or architecture student to interview. Drop me a line at rashmi_b at yahoo.com.
Will put my thoughts together and update you soon.
Meanwhile I'm looking for a young architect or architecture student to interview. Drop me a line at rashmi_b at yahoo.com.
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
On vacation (kind of)
At the beginning of this year I mentioned I wanted to go on a char dham yatra and it's happening! Well, char nahin par do to jaa rahe hain. And what a trip it's going to be!!
My extended family - some 14 of us - are going to Badrinath and Kedarnath. It feels like one huge picnic.
So no updates here for a week (even if the Reliance data card works). Nahin to vacation hi nahin hoga.
See ya on the other side of this break.
My extended family - some 14 of us - are going to Badrinath and Kedarnath. It feels like one huge picnic.
So no updates here for a week (even if the Reliance data card works). Nahin to vacation hi nahin hoga.
See ya on the other side of this break.
Sunday, June 01, 2008
Be a case study on 'Cracking Careers'
I'm looking for folks with the following profiles to feature on 'Cracking Careers', the careers show on business news channel UTVi.
* A young HR manager and students of HR
* Anyone who's done or is currently doing an MBA (Retail)
* A CA who has done an MBA and thinks it's helped in his/ her careers. And someone who has done a CA but does not think MBA is necessary.
Drop me a line at rashmi_b at yahoo.com and I'll explain to you what it's all about. We would basically chat with you and then come down and shoot with you. Your experience/ opinions would be seen on national television.
Besides this, any of you who have faced a career dilemma and successfully solved it, or simply have an interesting job or vocation - do get in touch as well. I am specifically looking for:
* Young architects and interrior designers
* Hotel management graduates, esp pastry chefs and anyone who's started a catering business
* Anyone in the social work sphere.
Look forward to hearing from you all!
* A young HR manager and students of HR
* Anyone who's done or is currently doing an MBA (Retail)
* A CA who has done an MBA and thinks it's helped in his/ her careers. And someone who has done a CA but does not think MBA is necessary.
Drop me a line at rashmi_b at yahoo.com and I'll explain to you what it's all about. We would basically chat with you and then come down and shoot with you. Your experience/ opinions would be seen on national television.
Besides this, any of you who have faced a career dilemma and successfully solved it, or simply have an interesting job or vocation - do get in touch as well. I am specifically looking for:
* Young architects and interrior designers
* Hotel management graduates, esp pastry chefs and anyone who's started a catering business
* Anyone in the social work sphere.
Look forward to hearing from you all!
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Five Point Girlfriend
An IIT grad wanting to come back to India after working in Europe for 1.5 years in supply change management pings me on messenger.
"Know of any good jobs?" he asks.
"Er, when I hear words like supply chain management my eyes typically glaze over", I respond. "But why do you want to come back anyways?"
He gives the usual spiel about India being 'hot' and then adds, "Actually my girlfriend is in Mumbai."
"IITian with girlfriend... rare species!" I remark.
"The trend is changing," he declares,"Most IITians have girlfriends now..." He gives the example of IIT Kharagpur, where students commonly have girlfriends in Kolkata.
"Hmm... interesting. But what do these girls see in IITians?" I ask.
"Sense of humour," he says.
Or nice, stable boys who will get jobs in Supply Chain Management and make good husbands someday, I think.
Tell me, dear readers, which of the two it is :) And are IITians really inhabiting Girlfriendville right now, or only in their imagination?
I am counting on that famous 'sense of humour' in IITians who choose to respond... The others, I guess, will stay single till Mummy finds someone.
P.S. If anyone does know of an interesting opening for a Supply Chain Management professional in India - drop me a line at rashmi_b at yahoo.com and I'll put you in touch with Young Man Mentioned Above.
"Know of any good jobs?" he asks.
"Er, when I hear words like supply chain management my eyes typically glaze over", I respond. "But why do you want to come back anyways?"
He gives the usual spiel about India being 'hot' and then adds, "Actually my girlfriend is in Mumbai."
"IITian with girlfriend... rare species!" I remark.
"The trend is changing," he declares,"Most IITians have girlfriends now..." He gives the example of IIT Kharagpur, where students commonly have girlfriends in Kolkata.
"Hmm... interesting. But what do these girls see in IITians?" I ask.
"Sense of humour," he says.
Or nice, stable boys who will get jobs in Supply Chain Management and make good husbands someday, I think.
Tell me, dear readers, which of the two it is :) And are IITians really inhabiting Girlfriendville right now, or only in their imagination?
I am counting on that famous 'sense of humour' in IITians who choose to respond... The others, I guess, will stay single till Mummy finds someone.
P.S. If anyone does know of an interesting opening for a Supply Chain Management professional in India - drop me a line at rashmi_b at yahoo.com and I'll put you in touch with Young Man Mentioned Above.
Sunday, May 25, 2008
The JAM Engineering Admissions Handbook 2008
Is now available. To all the wonderful people who read this blog, my sincere and heartfelt "thank you" to you all.
You circulated the JAM Engineering College survey.
You contributed articles and advice.
You made it happen.
Putting this book together really was a mammoth task. And that's why it got delayed. The point was to produce something which would be of real and lasting value, instead of rushing out with a half-baked product just to catch the admissions season.
So we waited, worked and came out with it in 2008.
Any of you who may like to buy the book can do so at a 15% discount from the JAM website. The book is also available at bookshops across India, distibuted by IBD. Must admit I was pretty excited to see it stocked on the shelves of 'Landmark'.
(If you happen to see it at a bookshop near you, could you snap a pic and mail me? Just, first-time book publisher enthu :)
Secondly, if you would like to help in any way, to market this book in your town, do get in touch. You would earn attractive commissions.
Lastly, I have 10 books to give away to bloggers/ media types. All you have to do is review the book. And of course, feel free to praise or pan it - as you deem fit. You can get a sneak peek into the contents and some sample articles here.
I know we have given it our best but there is always scope for improvement. We see this as the 'Lonely Planet' equivalent of the education world and this is the first of a series. As always, I will invite you to participate in the onward journey.
P.S. Those who contributed articles will receive the book from our side shortly. Those who wish to review the book please drop me a mail at rashmi_b at yahoo.com
Friday, May 23, 2008
Crimes of India
Details of the gruesome murder of Neeraj Grover were everywhere just yesterday. And we have already moved on to the next episode of this gruesome new reality show called Who-Knows-What-The-Neighbour-Is-Upto: 14 year old Aarushi, and servant Hemraj's murder.
Both are extremely riveting because of the cold bloodedness involved. In the case of Neeraj Grover, the mind boggles at how someone can chop up a body into 300 odd pieces in order to dispose of it. That is, at some level, even worse than the actusl murder .
But a father killing his own child - if true - is absolutely stomach-churning.
Crime is not a new phenomenon and neither is media attention. I don't know how many of you have heard of the Nanavati case where a naval commander killed his wife's paramour on finding out about their affair. Interestingly, the media played a huge role in this case - way back in 1959.
Of course there was no tabloid television back then but its ancestor - the Blitz newspapper - was at the forefront of it all. According to wikipedia:
The incident both shocked and riveted the entire country. Such a crime of passion, as it was termed, was unusual, especially in the upper echelons of the society and that too by a highly decorated officer...
The weekly tabloid Blitz, run by R. K. Karanjia, a Parsi himself, publicised the story, ran exclusive cover stories and openly supported Nanavati, portraying him as a wronged husband and upright officer, betrayed by a close friend.
Blitz painted Nanavati's image, as that of a man representing the ideal middle class values as against Ahuja's playboy image, that symbolised the corruption and sleaze of the bourgeois. A copy of Blitz during the trial sold for Rs.2/- per copy, up from the normal rate of 25 Paise or 0.25 rupee. Peddlers on the street sold 'Ahuja Towels' and toy 'Nanavati Revolvers'.
Nanavati was sentenced to life but had enough friends in high places to secure a pardon after serving just 3 years. He emigrated to Canada, where he died in 2003.
The Blitz is no more and there are no 'middle class values' left to defend. If you commit a crime of passion you would rather cover up than give yourself in.
And for all the hype and hoopla about solving cases, what happens to the ones which fade away from the limelight? Like the infamous Maninder Singh Pandher...
Both are extremely riveting because of the cold bloodedness involved. In the case of Neeraj Grover, the mind boggles at how someone can chop up a body into 300 odd pieces in order to dispose of it. That is, at some level, even worse than the actusl murder .
But a father killing his own child - if true - is absolutely stomach-churning.
Crime is not a new phenomenon and neither is media attention. I don't know how many of you have heard of the Nanavati case where a naval commander killed his wife's paramour on finding out about their affair. Interestingly, the media played a huge role in this case - way back in 1959.
Of course there was no tabloid television back then but its ancestor - the Blitz newspapper - was at the forefront of it all. According to wikipedia:
The incident both shocked and riveted the entire country. Such a crime of passion, as it was termed, was unusual, especially in the upper echelons of the society and that too by a highly decorated officer...
The weekly tabloid Blitz, run by R. K. Karanjia, a Parsi himself, publicised the story, ran exclusive cover stories and openly supported Nanavati, portraying him as a wronged husband and upright officer, betrayed by a close friend.
Blitz painted Nanavati's image, as that of a man representing the ideal middle class values as against Ahuja's playboy image, that symbolised the corruption and sleaze of the bourgeois. A copy of Blitz during the trial sold for Rs.2/- per copy, up from the normal rate of 25 Paise or 0.25 rupee. Peddlers on the street sold 'Ahuja Towels' and toy 'Nanavati Revolvers'.
Nanavati was sentenced to life but had enough friends in high places to secure a pardon after serving just 3 years. He emigrated to Canada, where he died in 2003.
The Blitz is no more and there are no 'middle class values' left to defend. If you commit a crime of passion you would rather cover up than give yourself in.
And for all the hype and hoopla about solving cases, what happens to the ones which fade away from the limelight? Like the infamous Maninder Singh Pandher...
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Watch 'Cracking Careers' on UTVi
There are two things that young people worry about a great deal: love and money. In India, where love is supposed to happen to you only after you 'settle down in life' we spend more of our youthful energies on building a career.
However, people are just as confused about careers as they are about relationships. And hence the need for information, advice, someone to assure you this-is-way-forward. I guess that is why I wake up each day to half a dozen emails from distressed souls!
There really is a need for a mass medium like television to take up the subject. That was the genesis of Cracking Careers, a half hour weekly show on careers on UTVi (the recently launched business news channel from UTV).
I am the Consulting Editor for this show. So please do tune in and let me know what you think! You can also email me if you'd like your query featured on air. Or, have any subjects you think we should cover.
Every episode of 'Crackin Careers' covers:
a) An issue related to bschools
b) A hot career option (other than MBA)
c) The inspiring story of a young entrepreneur
This week's episode features:
* How to choose a bschool if you haven't cracked the CAT: where do you go with an 80 percentile? We feature the story of Alifia, a student faced with just such a dilemma. And offer advice for others in the same situation.
* Merchandising: an interesting option in the fashion industry
* Little Company: a creche with a difference set up by two young mothers
I also answer some queries from viewers each week.
You can catch 'Cracking Careers' at these days and times:
Saturday 3.30 pm, 6.00 pm
Sunday 12 noon, 5.00 pm
Tuesday 5.30 pm
Dekhiye aur hamein feedback dijiye. As always you can drop me a line at rashmi_b at yahoo.com
However, people are just as confused about careers as they are about relationships. And hence the need for information, advice, someone to assure you this-is-way-forward. I guess that is why I wake up each day to half a dozen emails from distressed souls!
There really is a need for a mass medium like television to take up the subject. That was the genesis of Cracking Careers, a half hour weekly show on careers on UTVi (the recently launched business news channel from UTV).
I am the Consulting Editor for this show. So please do tune in and let me know what you think! You can also email me if you'd like your query featured on air. Or, have any subjects you think we should cover.
Every episode of 'Crackin Careers' covers:
a) An issue related to bschools
b) A hot career option (other than MBA)
c) The inspiring story of a young entrepreneur
This week's episode features:
* How to choose a bschool if you haven't cracked the CAT: where do you go with an 80 percentile? We feature the story of Alifia, a student faced with just such a dilemma. And offer advice for others in the same situation.
* Merchandising: an interesting option in the fashion industry
* Little Company: a creche with a difference set up by two young mothers
I also answer some queries from viewers each week.
You can catch 'Cracking Careers' at these days and times:
Saturday 3.30 pm, 6.00 pm
Sunday 12 noon, 5.00 pm
Tuesday 5.30 pm
Dekhiye aur hamein feedback dijiye. As always you can drop me a line at rashmi_b at yahoo.com
Friday, May 16, 2008
The 3 mistakes of my life: review
'The 3 Mistakes of My Life' is actually 'Five Point Someone' part deux. The only difference is, the three 'five pointers' are not in an IIT but strugglers in the real sense of the word - running a small business of their own in Ahmedabad.The difference is that '3 mistakes' is better designed, better marketed and ready to be snapped up by the now numerous 'Chetan Bhagat' followers.
Fans will not be disappointed. This book has all the ingredients CB is loved and lapped up for. Characters and storyline one can relate to. The small joys and the big frustrations of growing up (which are pretty much common across India).
So I won't discuss the plot - read the book if you like CB style storytelling, keep away, if you don't. What I will discuss is the small stuff which I think Chetan always gets right...
- The ambience of Gujarat and Ahmedabad in particular.
Sample lines like: Gujarat is the only state in India where people tend to respect you more if you are in businesss than if you are in service (v true!) and 'Gujarat is a dry state.. people here get drunk on food'.
- The dynamics of running a business with your friends.
The fact that each individual has his own motivations for going into business.
* Govind is driven by the desire to prove something to himself and to others. He dreams of becoming a big businessman someday,
* Ishaan or 'Ish' is driven by passion. The shop is an excuse to stay close to the thing he loves most in the world: cricket.
* Omi is in it because of TINA (There Is No Alternative). But he gets his uncle to give them a shop on rent cheaply.
So in their own way all three contribute to the success of the business!
- The India style love story.
As with his other books, '3 Mistakes' captures a reality where young people are less likely to make out in bars and discos than on the building terrace. And more likely to enter 'true-close-friendship' while studying maths problems together than at a coffee shop - especially in small town India.
- The feisty small town girl.
Medical entrance exam is just an excuse to escape to an anonymous place. Where your brother won't be standing by to thrash every guy who gives you a second glance.
- The angle of religion which is handled well for the most part.
Govind's impression of the Hindu fundamentalist leader captures what many of us feel when listening to arguments about the need to rise up against thousands of years of injustice: "I was both attracted to him and repelled by him. He had charisma and lunacy at the same time".
- The author appearing into the book as himself.
This is a clever touch which Chetan used in One Night @ the Call Centre as well. Makes him all the more 'one of us'. Weaving in real events like the Gujarat earthquake is the new Big Idea.
What could have been better:
The climax. It felt contrived - as if the author were thinking, "Hey this would surely look good in a movie." Ditto feeling re: the chapter in Australia.
The entire plot around a boy called Ali. I know it was important but it became a little too predictable...
The '3 mistakes' were not really mistakes... After all life is not an exam with right and wrong answers! Some of it is choice and some of it destiny. Of course it is an attractive title...
A couple of other glitches:
If the story was set in 2001-2, surely cellphones were not so very common then? Vidya and Govind smsing incessantly would have been difficult!
And the Gujju term for Ahmedabad residents is not Ambavadis but Amdavadis.
But overall, the book packs enough punch and of course the price is just right (Rs 95). We have another winner. My rating is 3.5/5.
As always, there will be other opinions. More reviews here and here.
An earlier post on One Night @ the Call Centre (Nov 2005)
Also see Chetan Bhagat covered by the New York Times (March 2008)
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Does the Wall Street Journal do a swimsuit issue?
That was the first thought that came to mind when I picked up the Mint 'Lounge' section this morning. Because the cover feature 'Every Girl's Beach Basics' looked like it had escaped from the Elle magazine office and mistakenly taken refuge here.So it is summer, and some of us will be on holiday or found in local pools. But even then, I would expect a business newspaper's lifestyle supplement to cover the subject more intelligently - and differently - from the fashion magazines. You know, the ones with 200 pages of ads, 100 va va voom pictures and 14 one paragraph articles to hold all that thick and glossy paper together.
My first question is: how many of the readers of Mint wish to 'make waves in the best of the season swimsuits'. And how many of us wish to 'get the look' using Ceramide Sun Beige and all that blah.
The basic issue with Indians and swimsuits is;
a) We don't have the bodies
b) And we don't have body confidence.
Now these are two different things. I was at a resort in Goa last month and there were a lot of Russians all over the place. Not all of them had perfect bodies but they were so comfortable in their own skin that you wouldn't really notice the flab.
But getting pack to the Mint spread, these pics of some gorgeous professional model lounging on a yacht do NOTHING for me. People like her... it's their job. What's more, the absurd prices of stuff I need to be a 'bonafide beach bum' left me feeling very poor and wretched indeed:Reference pic above:
Lime Green swimsuit (La Perla) - Rs 12,000
Emerald satin shoes (Nine West) - Rs 4800
Giant stud cuff in black patent leather - Rs 10,145
Gold plated aviators (Mont Blanc) - Rs 23, 450
(And that's just 'one outfit')
But here is what REALLY took the cake. The black and white striped beach dress by Chanel for... Rs 50,000. Tell me dear writers and editors @ Mint, would YOU ever pay up this kind of money for a beach dress? And if not, why are you recommending it to your readers??
I bet every single person on the Mint team would go buy a beach dress/ sarong from a Janpath or Colaba Causeway for Rs 150.
I bet you guys use Lakme, Lotus and Garnier sunscreen (or at best Banana Boat) - not Vichy costing Rs 1090.
I bet you guys would be terribly embarassed if you were asked to wear any of the swimsuits modelled on that yacht...
My point is, if I want to see pretty girls in bikinis and expensive aspirational products, I will buy that kind of magazine. This is not what I expect from 'Lounge' which is the first paper among the four which come to my home that I pick up on a Saturday.
And my final grouse: Don't men in India ever go for a swim? Because Mint has no advice for them at all. Or maybe they're all guys like the one in the Ceat tyres ad who hang around pools... hoping to click pics of bikini clad women.
P.S. Since we are on the subjects of swimsuits, here is something I wrote on the subject on this blog a couple of years ago: Tere mere beach mein
Friday, May 09, 2008
Bhoothnath - 2.5 stars
This is a film for kids. But wait, after the interval it turns into one of those 'aatma ko mukti dilane wali' pictures with copious tears and melodrama. Directorji, decide what you want! A fun film where a kid befriends a ghost... or a tearjerker about dads deserted by their kids who go off to study abroad. What you've made is two different movies separated by an interval!
What more is there to say?
- Amitabh Bachchan is a ghost who hasn't bathed or changed in years. Maybe there is no Lifebuoy for bhatakti aatmas yet...
- Shahrukh Khan in a guest appearance is fine as usual. He is aging nicely but the lines add character to his face. But then he is a dude.
- Juhi Chawla is also looking older but charming. She still sounds like a cho chweet little girl tho...
- Banku - the kid - is good but will inevitably be compared to Darsheel and sorry, he is not THAT good.
The other characters ham and overact majorly. Rajpal Yadav as an alcoholic - strictly ok. Satish Shah as the school principal who eats up students' lunchbooxes - surely could have done better.
I think the makers of the film believe kids WANT over the top characters and acting. I'm not so sure. There is a fine balance you can achieve.
The problem is the film is inspired by many sources - Sixth Sense (only Banku can see the ghost), and well, numerous other Hollywood films whose names I now forget (I think one of them is Beetlejuice). And unfortunately it's not been stitched together that well.
You needed someone like a Robin Williams to play Bhootnath. I don't quite think Amitabh did justice to the role!
Anyhow, my daughter enjoyed it and that's what matters. Bhootnath is a 'summer holiday' film and will do well with the family crowd. In short, there's no need for the rest of you to see it!
P.S. And oh, there is a 'message' in the film: Bhoots can help you make your principal look like an idiot but they won't help you win a race! You see, sports is sports. Bhajji, hope you're listening! Us paar wali duniya mein bhi naatak nahin chalta.
Thursday, May 08, 2008
'Why we are the way we are'
Bombay always looks beautiful when you're flying over it by night. But yesterday was espacially nice. There was an IPL match going on at D Y Patil stadium and it looked stunning from up there.
I'm still admiring the moving canvas of light, we're minutes away from landing when there's a tinkle. Yes, a mobile phone tinkle. The guy sitting right behind me has his phone on.
My co-passenger and I exchange a horrified glance. The phone continues to tinkle for a while and then stops. The plane lands and we come to a halt. I glance behind and see a youngish Sardar busy gathering his stuff.
"Um.. your phone was ringing some time ago?" I say to him.
"Yeah.. heh heh. I must have left it on."
Wow. You don't look like someone who is flying for the first time.
"If it's any consolation," he adds." I did not take the call".
Okay, so the point is not whether mobile signals really interfere with navigational equipment or not. The fact is, the airlines advise us here in India that this is the case. They have laid down a rule and we need to abide by that.
But Indians and 'respect for rules' are about as likely to be found together as IPL viewers in Fayetteville, Arkansas. And there's an interesting book on this subject which I happened to read recently: 'Games Indians Play' by V Raghunathan.
Raghunathan uses game theory and in particular the prisoner's dilemma toexplain 'why we are the way we are'.
The dilemma illustrates how co-operation always produces the optimal benefit for both individuals. And in the context of choices we have to make in our everyday lives, co-operation is what leads to a 'greater common good' as well.
This para from the book sums up his central argument:
When I jump a queue or a red light, or throw that garbage on the sidewalk, I am taking a rational 'squeal' decision, since it seems to get me ahead of others or make life easier for me. Here I am being privately smart.
But then, as others are no less rational, intelligent and smart, they too start squealing for the same reason and before we know it, we have unruly traffic, filthy streets and stinking urinals. So collectively we are all worse off, just as the two prisoners in the dilemma.
You can read more on why Indians are privately smart and publicly dumb here.
Coming back to the Sardar and his mobile phone. You could argue he was just forgetful but methinks he was too brazen about it and hence I would classify his behaviour in the 'squeal' category. It's just a really dumb squeal because if leaving your phone on is a risk, the squealer would go down with the rest of us.
Sadly one must be political correct in this day and age but it reminds me of a classic joke... And I shall say no more.
On a completely unrelated note...
V Raghunathan used to be a cat finance prof at IIM Ahmedabad and taught me Fin II when I was on campus. I will never forget the day I got an 'A' in one of his quizzes, one of the two awarded in that particular quiz. For a few shining moments I thought I might have a future in finance.
Results of the next quiz came in and the moment passed :)
I'm still admiring the moving canvas of light, we're minutes away from landing when there's a tinkle. Yes, a mobile phone tinkle. The guy sitting right behind me has his phone on.
My co-passenger and I exchange a horrified glance. The phone continues to tinkle for a while and then stops. The plane lands and we come to a halt. I glance behind and see a youngish Sardar busy gathering his stuff.
"Um.. your phone was ringing some time ago?" I say to him.
"Yeah.. heh heh. I must have left it on."
Wow. You don't look like someone who is flying for the first time.
"If it's any consolation," he adds." I did not take the call".
Okay, so the point is not whether mobile signals really interfere with navigational equipment or not. The fact is, the airlines advise us here in India that this is the case. They have laid down a rule and we need to abide by that.
But Indians and 'respect for rules' are about as likely to be found together as IPL viewers in Fayetteville, Arkansas. And there's an interesting book on this subject which I happened to read recently: 'Games Indians Play' by V Raghunathan.
Raghunathan uses game theory and in particular the prisoner's dilemma toexplain 'why we are the way we are'.
The dilemma illustrates how co-operation always produces the optimal benefit for both individuals. And in the context of choices we have to make in our everyday lives, co-operation is what leads to a 'greater common good' as well.
This para from the book sums up his central argument:
When I jump a queue or a red light, or throw that garbage on the sidewalk, I am taking a rational 'squeal' decision, since it seems to get me ahead of others or make life easier for me. Here I am being privately smart.
But then, as others are no less rational, intelligent and smart, they too start squealing for the same reason and before we know it, we have unruly traffic, filthy streets and stinking urinals. So collectively we are all worse off, just as the two prisoners in the dilemma.
You can read more on why Indians are privately smart and publicly dumb here.
Coming back to the Sardar and his mobile phone. You could argue he was just forgetful but methinks he was too brazen about it and hence I would classify his behaviour in the 'squeal' category. It's just a really dumb squeal because if leaving your phone on is a risk, the squealer would go down with the rest of us.
Sadly one must be political correct in this day and age but it reminds me of a classic joke... And I shall say no more.
On a completely unrelated note...
V Raghunathan used to be a cat finance prof at IIM Ahmedabad and taught me Fin II when I was on campus. I will never forget the day I got an 'A' in one of his quizzes, one of the two awarded in that particular quiz. For a few shining moments I thought I might have a future in finance.
Results of the next quiz came in and the moment passed :)
Monday, May 05, 2008
Hairy Himesh and the Mane Makeover
They say money can't buy you love but one thing's for sure - it buys you HAIR! Check this pic which appeared in Mumbai Mirror yesterday.
Himesh Reshammiya, without the quintessential baseball cap. Himesh Reshammiya with hero ishtyle, shoulder length hair!
Speaking to Mumbai Mirror, he says: "This is a subject of much curiosity, or should I say inquizitivenes? Everyone wants to know my hair story but I will tell it some other day..."
Yeah and do tell us where you took advanced English classes. Inquijitive jaise shabd aapke mooh se pehle to nahin sune...
In other Himesh related news, his new album is out. I mean Dashavtaram, the Kamal Hasan film he has composed for. Yup, the same one which has been in the news for the wrong reasons. Mallika Sherawat 'outraging' Tamilian modesty and so on.
Mallikaji has a way of attracting these controversies of course but in this case I say she was just being 'in character'. Check out her pic on the CD cover of Dashavtaram - isn't that exactly what she wore to the album launch?
And note the thunder thighs... Wonder if they're real or digitally enhanced to suit the tastes of cinegoers down South!
As for 'music', it is not good, not bad - just ok. Although I am not a Himesh fan I can see that some of his songs have a 'stick in my head' quality. These songs don't, except Oh Sanam ho Sanam (maybe). There is one nice song though - Mukunda Mukunda - a soothing and totally unHimesh like number.
Please note Himesh hasn't sung any of the songs, which is a good thing or a bad thing depending on your feelings towards the singer!
By the way there are 5 songs in all + 1 remix version. And so they have bundled in a bonus CD - 'Greatest Hits of Himesh'.
Hey wait, listening to this CD several times a day would be a hair-raising experience. Could that be the secret of Himeshbhai's hairy makeover?
Himesh Reshammiya, without the quintessential baseball cap. Himesh Reshammiya with hero ishtyle, shoulder length hair! Speaking to Mumbai Mirror, he says: "This is a subject of much curiosity, or should I say inquizitivenes? Everyone wants to know my hair story but I will tell it some other day..."
Yeah and do tell us where you took advanced English classes. Inquijitive jaise shabd aapke mooh se pehle to nahin sune...
In other Himesh related news, his new album is out. I mean Dashavtaram, the Kamal Hasan film he has composed for. Yup, the same one which has been in the news for the wrong reasons. Mallika Sherawat 'outraging' Tamilian modesty and so on.
Mallikaji has a way of attracting these controversies of course but in this case I say she was just being 'in character'. Check out her pic on the CD cover of Dashavtaram - isn't that exactly what she wore to the album launch?And note the thunder thighs... Wonder if they're real or digitally enhanced to suit the tastes of cinegoers down South!
As for 'music', it is not good, not bad - just ok. Although I am not a Himesh fan I can see that some of his songs have a 'stick in my head' quality. These songs don't, except Oh Sanam ho Sanam (maybe). There is one nice song though - Mukunda Mukunda - a soothing and totally unHimesh like number.
Please note Himesh hasn't sung any of the songs, which is a good thing or a bad thing depending on your feelings towards the singer!
By the way there are 5 songs in all + 1 remix version. And so they have bundled in a bonus CD - 'Greatest Hits of Himesh'.
Hey wait, listening to this CD several times a day would be a hair-raising experience. Could that be the secret of Himeshbhai's hairy makeover?
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Teesri class pass
My daughter got her report card yesterday and today I picked up her books for class IV. Guess how much the entire lot weighs. TEN WHOLE KGS!
Each subject has a textbook, notebook and activity book. And there is a new subject this year - Marathi. Now you may not have to carry every book everyday and some notebooks are for the second term but you know how vague kids are despite having a timetable. My daughter routinely carries extra books for reasons I know not!
Maybe they should ask the contestants on paanchvi pass to carry around one of these bags. Being tez is one part of it, strong shoulders are another!
Incidentally CBSE had acknowledged this school bag issue 4 years ago but many schools haven't implemented the idea of keeping 50% of the books in class. Or providing lockers. It's too much of a headache for the management, I guess!
Each subject has a textbook, notebook and activity book. And there is a new subject this year - Marathi. Now you may not have to carry every book everyday and some notebooks are for the second term but you know how vague kids are despite having a timetable. My daughter routinely carries extra books for reasons I know not!
Maybe they should ask the contestants on paanchvi pass to carry around one of these bags. Being tez is one part of it, strong shoulders are another!
Incidentally CBSE had acknowledged this school bag issue 4 years ago but many schools haven't implemented the idea of keeping 50% of the books in class. Or providing lockers. It's too much of a headache for the management, I guess!
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Energy efficient acs, anyone?
I like this ad by Voltas - it reminds me of my parents who installed 3 air conditioners when they shifted to a new house last year... but rarely use them.
Not that they are kanjoos but force of habit. Feeling that bill zyada aayega. Whereas my daughter, who has been sleeping in a/c practically since birth would have no second thoughts. And I, the in-between generation am somewhere in between. I do use the a/c without stressing about the bill but get an uneasy feeling about leaving it on for hours and hours.
The question I have however is: how much less energy does a Voltas a/c consume? And what impact does that have on your bill?
After all the manufacturer can claim anything. There is no independent third party I am aware of which certifies which a/cs are more efficient.
I own two Videocon split a/cs, my parents have Samsung and in the office we have Godrej installed. But who keeps track of how many hours which machine is used and co relates that with the bill? Also I guess it depends how hot it is and in Mumbai humidity is also a factor.
Incidentally, the Voltas type energy efficent a/cs are priced higher than other brands and hence it becomes all the more important to know what is the savings you get out of it.
Anyone who has done the research on this (or has the technical knowledge!) please do share!
P.S. For reasons I cannot fathom, the video refused to show when the embed code was pasted in blogger! So I have given a link wonly.
Update: Thanks to Sudhir for info on the Bureau of Energy Efficiency in India. I did look up the link and what do Ifind? Voltas has 10 models
in split acs of which ONE is rated 5 star and two are rated 4 star. There are 4 room acs, all of which are rated 2 star ( very low)
So in effect the ad is misleading. In fact the voice over states that yeh Voltas ka star rated ac hai - which is technically correct but not a big achievement. It's the number of stars that matters. And there is no fine print mentioning specific model nos.
The point is not misleading advertising alone. But when we as consumers buy these products thinking they are more green and/or more cost efficient we should be able to TRUST the manufacturer. This is not what we expect from the House of Tatas.
As for the Bureau of Energy Efficiency, it's not much help because what exactly does 1 star. 2 star etc convey to an ordinary layperson? The cooling capacity divided by power consumption is a meaningless ratio unless an illustrative example is provided. ie If I use all these air conditioners for 2 hours a day at 36 degrees outside temperature - how much energy do they consume.
Then I can figure out if it's worth paying more in the short run to save more in the long run.
Obviously the Energy Efficiency bureau is run by engineers - they need a communication expert!
Not that they are kanjoos but force of habit. Feeling that bill zyada aayega. Whereas my daughter, who has been sleeping in a/c practically since birth would have no second thoughts. And I, the in-between generation am somewhere in between. I do use the a/c without stressing about the bill but get an uneasy feeling about leaving it on for hours and hours.
The question I have however is: how much less energy does a Voltas a/c consume? And what impact does that have on your bill?
After all the manufacturer can claim anything. There is no independent third party I am aware of which certifies which a/cs are more efficient.
I own two Videocon split a/cs, my parents have Samsung and in the office we have Godrej installed. But who keeps track of how many hours which machine is used and co relates that with the bill? Also I guess it depends how hot it is and in Mumbai humidity is also a factor.
Incidentally, the Voltas type energy efficent a/cs are priced higher than other brands and hence it becomes all the more important to know what is the savings you get out of it.
Anyone who has done the research on this (or has the technical knowledge!) please do share!
P.S. For reasons I cannot fathom, the video refused to show when the embed code was pasted in blogger! So I have given a link wonly.
Update: Thanks to Sudhir for info on the Bureau of Energy Efficiency in India. I did look up the link and what do Ifind? Voltas has 10 models
in split acs of which ONE is rated 5 star and two are rated 4 star. There are 4 room acs, all of which are rated 2 star ( very low)
So in effect the ad is misleading. In fact the voice over states that yeh Voltas ka star rated ac hai - which is technically correct but not a big achievement. It's the number of stars that matters. And there is no fine print mentioning specific model nos.
The point is not misleading advertising alone. But when we as consumers buy these products thinking they are more green and/or more cost efficient we should be able to TRUST the manufacturer. This is not what we expect from the House of Tatas.
As for the Bureau of Energy Efficiency, it's not much help because what exactly does 1 star. 2 star etc convey to an ordinary layperson? The cooling capacity divided by power consumption is a meaningless ratio unless an illustrative example is provided. ie If I use all these air conditioners for 2 hours a day at 36 degrees outside temperature - how much energy do they consume.
Then I can figure out if it's worth paying more in the short run to save more in the long run.
Obviously the Energy Efficiency bureau is run by engineers - they need a communication expert!
Friday, April 25, 2008
Paanchvi paas hit hai
Caught the first episode of Kya aap paanchi paas se tez hain and I think it's a winner. Yes, it is completely old wine in a new bottle - KBC with a 'cute kids to help you out' but it's good fun to watch. Esp the idea that grown ups are allowed to 'cheat' ie use options like 'Taank jhaank' and 'Copy' to reach the next level.Unlike KBC the show does not have a solemn feel to it - Shahrukh Khan is completely in his element. And there is no ghost of Amitabh lurking in the background.
Of course the Qs aren't really from 3rd and 4th standard textbooks. Sample this:
Category 1st standard, English: The English word for tulsi is ..... (answer is Basil)
Category 3rd standard, Science: Which part of the seed in a plant becomes the root. (options were Radicle, Lamina, Petiole. Answer: Radicle)
Nowhere in my daughter's 3rd standard textbooks did I see such detail. And she is studying in a CBSE school which is supposed to have higher standards than state board ! The kids are definitely 'coached' on the answers.
But as Nivedita says,"Aise hi kisi ko paanch crore de denge kya." Guess the 'paanchvi paas' bit is just to indicate these are relatively easy questions - you've covered all this at some point in your school life. It's just that you don't remember anymore.
Like this lady who came on tonight who happened to be a teacher. Poor thing, knew most of the answers but was never 100% sure and bowed out after winning 2 lakhs. What intrigued me more was why looked like she had just escaped from her own wedding - bright yellow kanjeevaram saree, blood red glass bangles and enough sindoor to give TV bahus a complex.
But Shahrukh Khan in his little waistcoat and the kids on the show were adorable. Besides, teacherji had such a nice smile. If more teachers laughed like that in their classroom we would all be more tez for sure.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
CTC Fundas - II
Thanks to all those of you who posted comments and the few who mailed me directly with your views/ experiences/ information on placement salaries.
I will compile the feedback and also various facts I have dug up shortly. But meanwhile I'd like to speak to some graduates from lesser known bschools who are offered CTCs which include a lot of variable (ie commission on sales) kind of pay. One of the companies whose names keeps coming up in this context is Indiabulls.
I'd also like anyone at all who is willing to speak on this MBA salary circus ON THE RECORD to drop me a line. Because there is no story without a name and face to it.
Am not asking you to 'rat' on your institute but discuss the general scenario and/ or your specific experience on camera. In order to educate and enlighten the MBA wannabe and their parents. Hai koi mai ka laal?
As always, drop me a line at rashmi_b@yahoo.com
I will compile the feedback and also various facts I have dug up shortly. But meanwhile I'd like to speak to some graduates from lesser known bschools who are offered CTCs which include a lot of variable (ie commission on sales) kind of pay. One of the companies whose names keeps coming up in this context is Indiabulls.
I'd also like anyone at all who is willing to speak on this MBA salary circus ON THE RECORD to drop me a line. Because there is no story without a name and face to it.
Am not asking you to 'rat' on your institute but discuss the general scenario and/ or your specific experience on camera. In order to educate and enlighten the MBA wannabe and their parents. Hai koi mai ka laal?
As always, drop me a line at rashmi_b@yahoo.com
They are like that only
In the late 90s Channel [V] a music channel coined the phrase 'We are like that only'. And it became a catchphrase for not just the channel, or the young people watching it but India itself.
The interesting thing was the end-piece. "Mind it!" That was the statement. Unapologetic, in your face. We know we're different and we're proud of it.
Ten years on, we have moved to the next level where we look at the foreign junta arriving to work and do business on our shores and shake our heads:"They are like that only." At the recent Cerebrate 'unconference' in Goa, this was certainly a recurring theme.
On day 1 over dinner there was an animated discussion on how Indian hotels have the best service in the world. "Europe is abysmal," was the general consensus. Besides, if you actually need 'help' don't count on it.
Kiruba's laptop was once stolen in Amsterdam and forget about doing anything. What rankled was they did not care. They played back the security camera video - which was duty, really - and that was that.
The second night over dinner there was an animated coversation about how politically correct Westerners are. Shriram Adukoorie, who runs Asklaila.com but spent many years at Microsoft shared how it is illegal to ask a job applicant any personal questions in the interview. ie Where do you live. How many kids do you have. How long does it take for you to commute.
Yada yada yada. Because you could be sued for discriminating against that person. If he lives far, how he will get to your office is his problem.
Hmmm. Sorry, we Indians don't buy that! A person is the sum of all his parts. In India, we would not consider some of these 'personal' Qs to be personal in the first place!
Sudhir went on to relate how a foreign client got 'lost' in the 5 minute walk from his hotel to their office. He was found trying to figure out how to cross the road (He was waiting for the traffic to stop! You know... politely and all that).
Looks like we in India are having the last laugh. After decades of facing questions like 'why do you have that red dot on your forehead' in their countries, we can now look at them struggling to eat a chapati with their hands and smile benignly,"Yeah, it will take you some time to learn that!"
And thus are born a new set of urban legends. Like this story I heard about a gora who went to a restaurant and after the meal was over, a bowl of warm water and lemon slice was placed before him. The chap had no clue he was supposed to use it to wash his oily-with-Indian-food hands. So he squeezed the lemon into the water, added some sugar and gulped it all down.
Now I am sure this story is probably untrue. I mean some helpful soul at the next table or the waiter would have alerted him but you know what - it does not matter. My daughter simply loves this story and tells it like a 'joke'.
Remember the old jokes where there was one American, one Russian and one Indian (mostly Sardarji) and you know who was the 'dumb' one. This kind of turns that joke on its head.
Of course I think in our heart of hearts we do envy the efficiency and 'ability to get things done' in Western and even south East Asian cultures. But we are seeing beauty in the chaos we live in.
The last day as we travelled back towards the airport in a bus there was a general consensus that a place like Singapore was too perfect, too neat and too convenient. No challenge, no excitement, no stimulation.
In Hindi we have a term for it called 'paasa palat gaya' or the tables have turned. Could you imagine ten years ago that we would see the problems and peculiarities of India as opportunities, instead of something to wail about?
And looking at some of the recent developments like the new airports at Bangalore and Hyderabad, or the spectacular Delhi metro, it looks like we willalso get things done.
In the longer run, how to retain our 'Indianness' minus the chaos is a question we should all be thinking about.
The interesting thing was the end-piece. "Mind it!" That was the statement. Unapologetic, in your face. We know we're different and we're proud of it.
Ten years on, we have moved to the next level where we look at the foreign junta arriving to work and do business on our shores and shake our heads:"They are like that only." At the recent Cerebrate 'unconference' in Goa, this was certainly a recurring theme.
On day 1 over dinner there was an animated discussion on how Indian hotels have the best service in the world. "Europe is abysmal," was the general consensus. Besides, if you actually need 'help' don't count on it.
Kiruba's laptop was once stolen in Amsterdam and forget about doing anything. What rankled was they did not care. They played back the security camera video - which was duty, really - and that was that.
The second night over dinner there was an animated coversation about how politically correct Westerners are. Shriram Adukoorie, who runs Asklaila.com but spent many years at Microsoft shared how it is illegal to ask a job applicant any personal questions in the interview. ie Where do you live. How many kids do you have. How long does it take for you to commute.
Yada yada yada. Because you could be sued for discriminating against that person. If he lives far, how he will get to your office is his problem.
Hmmm. Sorry, we Indians don't buy that! A person is the sum of all his parts. In India, we would not consider some of these 'personal' Qs to be personal in the first place!
Sudhir went on to relate how a foreign client got 'lost' in the 5 minute walk from his hotel to their office. He was found trying to figure out how to cross the road (He was waiting for the traffic to stop! You know... politely and all that).
Looks like we in India are having the last laugh. After decades of facing questions like 'why do you have that red dot on your forehead' in their countries, we can now look at them struggling to eat a chapati with their hands and smile benignly,"Yeah, it will take you some time to learn that!"
And thus are born a new set of urban legends. Like this story I heard about a gora who went to a restaurant and after the meal was over, a bowl of warm water and lemon slice was placed before him. The chap had no clue he was supposed to use it to wash his oily-with-Indian-food hands. So he squeezed the lemon into the water, added some sugar and gulped it all down.
Now I am sure this story is probably untrue. I mean some helpful soul at the next table or the waiter would have alerted him but you know what - it does not matter. My daughter simply loves this story and tells it like a 'joke'.
Remember the old jokes where there was one American, one Russian and one Indian (mostly Sardarji) and you know who was the 'dumb' one. This kind of turns that joke on its head.
Of course I think in our heart of hearts we do envy the efficiency and 'ability to get things done' in Western and even south East Asian cultures. But we are seeing beauty in the chaos we live in.
The last day as we travelled back towards the airport in a bus there was a general consensus that a place like Singapore was too perfect, too neat and too convenient. No challenge, no excitement, no stimulation.
In Hindi we have a term for it called 'paasa palat gaya' or the tables have turned. Could you imagine ten years ago that we would see the problems and peculiarities of India as opportunities, instead of something to wail about?
And looking at some of the recent developments like the new airports at Bangalore and Hyderabad, or the spectacular Delhi metro, it looks like we willalso get things done.
In the longer run, how to retain our 'Indianness' minus the chaos is a question we should all be thinking about.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
CTC fundas
I'd written a piece titled Bschool salaries: A reality check two years ago. Am looking to update it now and want to hear from you guys out there who've just passed out of bschool: is the spurt in salaries for real?
IIM A has put out an average domestic salary figure of Rs 17.85 lakhs p.a. this year. That's 40% more than the year 2007 (Rs 13.6 lakhs). And the 2007 figure was 40% more than the previous year 2006! (Rs 9.72 lakhs)
IIM A is only an indicative example, the same trend is seen all across bschools. Just a quick example: Shailesh J mehta SOM has declared an average salary of Rs 13.96lakhs p.a. in 2008 (44%jump over last year)
Is it really possible that bschool salaries are growing 40% y-o-y? I'm sure at least some of it is thanks to creative accounting?? What are the latest white lies placement committees are telling to stay ahead in the salary race?
Drop me a line at rashmi_b@yahoo.com if you'd like to share what you know. Especially the component of variable pay... If the 'average' is Rs 17.85 lakhs p.a. what I want to know is what's your monthly take home pay?
This info is especially relevant in light of the fee hike by IIMs! The idea is not to point fingers but give aspirants a sense of what lies ahead - minus the hype.
IIM A has put out an average domestic salary figure of Rs 17.85 lakhs p.a. this year. That's 40% more than the year 2007 (Rs 13.6 lakhs). And the 2007 figure was 40% more than the previous year 2006! (Rs 9.72 lakhs)
IIM A is only an indicative example, the same trend is seen all across bschools. Just a quick example: Shailesh J mehta SOM has declared an average salary of Rs 13.96lakhs p.a. in 2008 (44%jump over last year)
Is it really possible that bschool salaries are growing 40% y-o-y? I'm sure at least some of it is thanks to creative accounting?? What are the latest white lies placement committees are telling to stay ahead in the salary race?
Drop me a line at rashmi_b@yahoo.com if you'd like to share what you know. Especially the component of variable pay... If the 'average' is Rs 17.85 lakhs p.a. what I want to know is what's your monthly take home pay?
This info is especially relevant in light of the fee hike by IIMs! The idea is not to point fingers but give aspirants a sense of what lies ahead - minus the hype.
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