No more fundas from me though. Here are two true tales that were emailed across to me in response to the original post. Only the names have been changed, on request. Rest is as is, from my mailbox to you.
Experience 1: From XXX, in Europe
I strongly believe in "If you want something really bad, you will get it". I first came across this philosophy 3-4 years ago while reading Alchemist (Paul Coelho) and then spent a lot of time thinking about my life and if this saying was applicable to me. I could think of only one thing that I had wanted really bad - an MBA from a top school.
It hadn't materialized 4 yrs ago but I hadn't given hope. In fact, when I finished my engineering in 2003, I had admits from some good Indian b-schools but wanted to make it to IIMs. To cut the long story short, for some or other reason I couldn't get into a top school by 2006 end. Till then, I had never thought of MBA abroad thinking that I could never afford it.
At the start of 2007, I started thinking about int'l MBA seriously and decided to go for it in March. Took GMAT in June and got a decent score of 740. Even then, when I decided to apply to YYY (top European bschool), I wasn't sure of an admit. In November, I got the admit and was mighty relieved - finally I had an admit from a school which I was prepared to join.
My story did not end there. The journey from getting an admit to actually joining the school was full of ups and downs. Because of funding constraints, at one time I had almost dropped the plan to join the school. But somehow, things started working out and finally I joined YYY in Sep last year.
Cool, I say! And this next one goes out to the engineer who wanted to know about courses in finance. This could the way forward for you...
Experience 2: from YYY, in Mumbai
...your latest post reminded me of my experiences 6 years back. I was in the final semester of my engineering at Ahmedabad and like a lot of people, I had discovered through those 4 years that I definitely did not want to pursue a further degree in engineering.
Through chance, I happened to read a book on Warren Buffet and was instantly hooked on. I did some more research on my own and with great difficulty managed to complete security analysis bibles like 'Security Analysis - Graham & Dodd' and ' Intelligent Investor - Graham'.
Obviously, being an engineer, I had no clue about finance and economics. But I would ask my queries to a few people who understood finance. At 21, with no formal education in finance, I decided to pursue being a security analyst. Although I did secure an IT job through campus recruitment, thankfully I had no financial compulsion to take up a job immediately ( I realize not many people have this luxury).
So, back to the pursuit for a job in security analysis, I read through articles written by analysts in Outlook Money and similar magazines and sent emails to them saying I was really interested in working for them even if it was for no salary. Through a lot of persistence, I finally managed to get a reply from someone who ran a portfolio management business and was amazing at what I wanted to do.
I moved to Mumbai and worked on a few projects with this person who eventually became my mentor. To cut a long story short, I managed to enter my field of liking (and at 21, I was filled with idealistic notions of 'enjoying your work, money apne aap se aayega' kind of philosophy). Things progressed, I worked in this field for a year, then went back to my small family business to get a practical experience on things, meanwhile completing my international CFA and MBA from ISB, Hyderabad.
Last year, I joined ZZZ (MNC investment bank) in Mumbai as a research analyst. Call it luck, call it persistence, but I agree that if you want something real bad and are prepared to go through pain for it, you eventually get it. I don't profess to have 'achieved' anything much, only that I remembered how things for me were in 2001 when I completed my engineering.
Hope that brings some sunshine in your life on a cloudy Monday morning... Go out and get whatever it is you want. Want it badly enough and it will find a way to come to you!
P.S. 'Alchemistry' works with careers - at least it did for these two people. But does it work in friendships and relationships? Will the girl/ guy you see at the bus stop everyday and secretly have the hots for, one day fall for you? Because you really really want them to, badly...
Anyone with success stories in that area, please to share. Kyunki arz hai ki...
Career ke alaava aur bhi gham hain zamaane mein, aur bhi khushiyan
Premi aur stalker mein zyada fark nahin, bas ek ko padti hain jootiyan.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Friday, July 25, 2008
Mission Istanbul review
It's a turkey. There, I have the satisfaction of saying it :) And I bet no one who reviews this film will be able to resist that pun.Haan, yeh journalism bada khatarnaak job hai. Kuch journalists hain like Mr Vikas Sagar (Zayed Khan), who don't have the time to shave or even attend their own divorce proceedings. Bechaare duniya bachane mein jo lage hain.
Aur doosri aur hum jaise bahadur jo aapko bachane me lagein hain. Aisi film dekhne se.
OK. I am going to spill the beans, rip the guts, maul the muscled maniacs populating this film. These are not 'spoilers' because the film is already too spoilt to merit a view. But it sure is fun to write about.
Sample this: Joshila journalist, Mr Good Guy Killing Machine (Vivek Oberoi) and Secret Agent with Cleavage (unknown) have just managed to outrun two carfuls of baddies.
Agent opens the boot and hands out chilled cans of Mountain Dew. Just then two more cars full of Bad Guys arrive. They advance menacingly, chains and belts in hand.
"Dar lag raha hai kya," Vivek asks Zayed.
"Nahin... darr ke aage jeet hai," he replies.
They down the Dew, crush the cans and proceed to finish off the enemy.
Such brilliant product placement has never been seen before, and will never be seen again in the history of Indian cinema. I tell you - the drink to have before you beat someone up to a pulp. Kya positioning hai! UP aur Bihar mein khoob bikega...
A few scenes later, as Journalist and Good Guy Killer are holed up in their hideout. A newsflash proclaims they are 'most wanted'. "Chill, man. Chips kha," GG tells JJ, holding a large packet of Lays.
What's the prograam? Another 45 minutes of yehahaha kicking, punching, menacing, grimacing, we-will-protect-our-precious-pen-drive.
Why JJ could not hand the pendrive to the Indian ambassador when he managed to make it to the embassy, we do not know.
How police manage to enter the embassy despite its diplomatic immunity we do not know.
Oh wait, our ambassador is a lame and wimpy old woman with very poor taste in saris. IFS officers, unite and demand a ban on the film!
But wait, there is someone lamer and wimpier and this is the only intentional (and somewhat genuine) comic relief in the midst of all the dishoom dishoom. A look-alike President George W Bush who is clueless about India and well, just about everything else.
Chief of Staff: Mr President, there's an Indian involved in the Turkey incident
President: What? Indians! They're everywhere!!
Yeah baby, you better believe it.
Since this film comes from the guy who gave us the gory but hard-hitting 'Shootout at Lokhandwala' you have to wonder what went wrong.
My guess: 'Balaji productions'.
They've given the world of terrorism over-exaggerated, cardboard characters like it was a saas bahu show. Imagine a guy called Mr Ghazni who wears plastic flowers to match the colour of his Savile Row suits. He can't be anything BUT the villain.
And to add to the fun they sourced excellent raw material... not for a movie but sturdy furniture. Both wooden and plastic.
Sunil Shetty dies thankfully early but then there's Vivek Oberoi. He is just too much in love with himself. He can never stop being cool. Even in the middle of a heated gun-battle a part of him looks like it's wondering, "Hows my hair?"
No wonder Aishwarya left the poor sod.
And what WAS Abhishek Bachchan doing in the film? Even friendship has its limits! Not even the likes of Esha Deol/ Shamita Shetty agreed to be part of this dud. They had to find two new and unknown bakris.
To sum it up, it was an interesting idea. Terrorists use the media, even manipulate it. Is the media only the messenger or is it actually the oxygen helping to keep terrorism alive? And what happens when the media actually has an agenda of its own?
Mission Istanbul is based on the premise that Abu Nazir (who looks like Osama Bin Laden) is dead and Al Johara (which sounds like Al Jazeera) is keeping him alive by manipulating old images and speeches. That they are creating the news as well as reporting it.
Which, terrorism apart, IS often the case.
But how can you even talk about 'food for thought' in a film where a chick walks up to an Aaj Tak news anchor and says,"Roz raat ko tum mere bedroom mein aate ho... tabhi mujhe neend aati hai."
Yeah baby, and terrorists take Hindi classes so they can retire and act in Bollywood films. Or maybe even as the evil sasur in one of Balaji's many serials??
And now, an 'Indian CPA'
The CPA is to America what the CA is to India. The highest and most prestigious qualification in the accounting profession.
Neither the CPA nor the CA is a 'degree'. It is a designation or statutory title awarded to those who pass an exam set by a particular professional body. In the US that body is the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and in India it is the Institute of Chartered Accountants in India (ICAI).
In short, although there is no CA college or CPA college these designations are brands in their own right. And so I was surprised to see an ad on the front page of several newspapers advertising the 'CPA'. The ad states:
'The CPA Council is responsible for the CPA program and regulation of the CPA profession'
A footnote also declares that:
'The ICFAI University Tripura is mandated by law to offer the CPA program and confer the CPA designation. DAT, CPA and Certified Public Accountant are registered trademarks'.
Yes, but whose? I do not know the intricacies of the law - perhaps it is possible to register any trademark in India as long as the foreign trademark holder has not filed for it yet. But what if the American CPA Institute - which is in existence since 1896 - objects?
There were smalltimers who registered trademarks like Pizza Hut, before it entered India, who were forced to shut shop later.
But even if it is legal for you to register a trademark like CPA because the American CPA institute does not care to enter India or object, it is still ETHICALLY wrong.
This is sad because the intent behind the new course is good. There is growing interest in the CA profession but all aspirants cannot and will not pass the exam. On the other hand there is a growing demand from companies large and small for competent accountants - not necessarily CAs. Just smart people with knowledge of accounting.
ICAI itself has decided to start a new course that will create 'accounting technicians'.
There are also private institutes like Institute of Computer Accountants who run courses which create 'Certified Industrial Accountants'.
But no, ICFAI could not think of ANY other acronym for its course...
And it is a mere coincidence that they also have a course called CFA.
Which has nothing to do with the CFA awarded by the CFA Institute headquartered in Charlottesville, Virginia offering the CFA exam since 1963. The one which has 83,000 members in 129 countries and is highly valued in the investment banking and finance communities.
Now courts have been deliberating over this Phoren CFA vs Indian CFA question for years. Sometimes they tilt this way and sometimes that. The end result is that students are confused although the finance community knows its apples from its oranges.
As Piyul Mukerjee notes in her blog:
I-Banks such as Accenture, Lehman Brothers, E & Y give a far different weightage to who they see as the actual CFA charter holder - a crazily tough place to get into and then get through its exams, where even chartered accountants and IIT engineers are known to fail - as versus these tom-tomming media and space hoggers. God knows if the Tripura one is at all entertained by the international finance institutions. It would be interesting to see how these two CFAs measure up against each other, in -say - a third exam.
It may not even be necessary to make this comparison - the Indian CFA may well have its merits. But why use the same acronym and always be seen as a wannabe?
It's the same story all over again with the 'Indian CPA'. You can go ahead and do the course but be warned it will NOT be recognised or have value in the US of A. It is not that CPA.
I'm sure ICFAI is willing to fight another round of court battles, if necessary. They may even win on paper... but in the quest to be seen as a serious academic institution they have lost already.
Neither the CPA nor the CA is a 'degree'. It is a designation or statutory title awarded to those who pass an exam set by a particular professional body. In the US that body is the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and in India it is the Institute of Chartered Accountants in India (ICAI).
In short, although there is no CA college or CPA college these designations are brands in their own right. And so I was surprised to see an ad on the front page of several newspapers advertising the 'CPA'. The ad states:'The CPA Council is responsible for the CPA program and regulation of the CPA profession'
A footnote also declares that:
'The ICFAI University Tripura is mandated by law to offer the CPA program and confer the CPA designation. DAT, CPA and Certified Public Accountant are registered trademarks'.
Yes, but whose? I do not know the intricacies of the law - perhaps it is possible to register any trademark in India as long as the foreign trademark holder has not filed for it yet. But what if the American CPA Institute - which is in existence since 1896 - objects?
There were smalltimers who registered trademarks like Pizza Hut, before it entered India, who were forced to shut shop later.
But even if it is legal for you to register a trademark like CPA because the American CPA institute does not care to enter India or object, it is still ETHICALLY wrong.
This is sad because the intent behind the new course is good. There is growing interest in the CA profession but all aspirants cannot and will not pass the exam. On the other hand there is a growing demand from companies large and small for competent accountants - not necessarily CAs. Just smart people with knowledge of accounting.
ICAI itself has decided to start a new course that will create 'accounting technicians'.
There are also private institutes like Institute of Computer Accountants who run courses which create 'Certified Industrial Accountants'.
But no, ICFAI could not think of ANY other acronym for its course...
And it is a mere coincidence that they also have a course called CFA.
Which has nothing to do with the CFA awarded by the CFA Institute headquartered in Charlottesville, Virginia offering the CFA exam since 1963. The one which has 83,000 members in 129 countries and is highly valued in the investment banking and finance communities.
Now courts have been deliberating over this Phoren CFA vs Indian CFA question for years. Sometimes they tilt this way and sometimes that. The end result is that students are confused although the finance community knows its apples from its oranges.
As Piyul Mukerjee notes in her blog:
I-Banks such as Accenture, Lehman Brothers, E & Y give a far different weightage to who they see as the actual CFA charter holder - a crazily tough place to get into and then get through its exams, where even chartered accountants and IIT engineers are known to fail - as versus these tom-tomming media and space hoggers. God knows if the Tripura one is at all entertained by the international finance institutions. It would be interesting to see how these two CFAs measure up against each other, in -say - a third exam.
It may not even be necessary to make this comparison - the Indian CFA may well have its merits. But why use the same acronym and always be seen as a wannabe?
It's the same story all over again with the 'Indian CPA'. You can go ahead and do the course but be warned it will NOT be recognised or have value in the US of A. It is not that CPA.
I'm sure ICFAI is willing to fight another round of court battles, if necessary. They may even win on paper... but in the quest to be seen as a serious academic institution they have lost already.
Monday, July 21, 2008
IIPM's 'international placements'
The latest series of ads from IIPM touts its 'international placements'. As per figures released in the ad, all IIMs placed 249 students abroad, ISB placed 111 and IIPM placed 165.
What's more, one of the ads now uses an article published in Hindustan Times on 13 July 2008 titled 'B-schooled in India, Placed abroad' to support the IIPM claim.
This article featured two IIPM alumni- Saumya Sharma (29), working with ANZ bank in Melbourne and Poulomi Basu (29), working with Lehman Bros, New York.
However, as a student I would still have the following questions:
a) Which companies exactly did 165 students who secured 'international placements' get their jobs?
b) What was the average salary package for these international placements (all reputed bschools release average salary figures for Indian and international placements as a matter of routine).
c) How does this salary package compare with that offered to students of IIMs, ISB, FMS, MDI etc.
d) What about job profile and designation?
Re: the HT article:
a) It mentions that Poulomi Basu 'bagged a First Class First in Personnel Management and Marketing Management' (from IIPM) - something that helped her considerably in gaining admission to good universities in the US.
This implies that Poulomi did a second degree in the US. And therefore her job at Morgan Stanley in New York and now Lehman Brothers cannot be attributed to a placement at IIPM.
b) This paragraph in Saumya's story struck me as odd:
“Packed with my MBA and stories that I had heard from Dad about his experience overseas, I decided to come to Australia to begin my career.” And not for a moment has she felt it had been a wrong move, because everyday at work, Saumya says, she is presented with opportunities to practise what she learnt during her time at IIPM.
I mean most bschool grads credit their institute for exposure, network and getting that great first job...
Incidentally, it is three years since JAM carried its original article looking into IIPM's claims. If things have improved - great. I would be happy for the students and alumni of the institute.
However it must be noted that in June 2008, UGC had declared IIPM as a fake university. Subsequently IIPM moved the Delhi High Court. According to the Economic Times:
...senior advocate A S Chandiok, appearing for the IIPM, contended that the main reservation was regarding the use of the word "fake" by the UGC about the institution.
"We do not mind being called unrecognised. But, the word fake is not correct and this should not be used as it gives wrong signal," Chandiok said.
As of now, IIPM has 'agreed to make it clear in its advertisements that the institute offers only certificate courses'.
The institute would also clarify that its courses were aimed at making the students eligible for degree courses like MBA and BBA provided under International Management Institute (IMI), Belgium.
It is unclear why IIPM cannot simply follow UGC requirements, become a recognised university and award a degree of its own. Like so many other private educational enterprises.
Especially as the institute is keen to gain not just students but respect.
More debate taking place here.
If you would like to add comments below, please stick to the facts and let's examine the situation as it stands today.
What's more, one of the ads now uses an article published in Hindustan Times on 13 July 2008 titled 'B-schooled in India, Placed abroad' to support the IIPM claim.
This article featured two IIPM alumni- Saumya Sharma (29), working with ANZ bank in Melbourne and Poulomi Basu (29), working with Lehman Bros, New York.
However, as a student I would still have the following questions:
a) Which companies exactly did 165 students who secured 'international placements' get their jobs?
b) What was the average salary package for these international placements (all reputed bschools release average salary figures for Indian and international placements as a matter of routine).
c) How does this salary package compare with that offered to students of IIMs, ISB, FMS, MDI etc.
d) What about job profile and designation?
Re: the HT article:
a) It mentions that Poulomi Basu 'bagged a First Class First in Personnel Management and Marketing Management' (from IIPM) - something that helped her considerably in gaining admission to good universities in the US.
This implies that Poulomi did a second degree in the US. And therefore her job at Morgan Stanley in New York and now Lehman Brothers cannot be attributed to a placement at IIPM.
b) This paragraph in Saumya's story struck me as odd:
“Packed with my MBA and stories that I had heard from Dad about his experience overseas, I decided to come to Australia to begin my career.” And not for a moment has she felt it had been a wrong move, because everyday at work, Saumya says, she is presented with opportunities to practise what she learnt during her time at IIPM.
I mean most bschool grads credit their institute for exposure, network and getting that great first job...
Incidentally, it is three years since JAM carried its original article looking into IIPM's claims. If things have improved - great. I would be happy for the students and alumni of the institute.
However it must be noted that in June 2008, UGC had declared IIPM as a fake university. Subsequently IIPM moved the Delhi High Court. According to the Economic Times:
...senior advocate A S Chandiok, appearing for the IIPM, contended that the main reservation was regarding the use of the word "fake" by the UGC about the institution.
"We do not mind being called unrecognised. But, the word fake is not correct and this should not be used as it gives wrong signal," Chandiok said.
As of now, IIPM has 'agreed to make it clear in its advertisements that the institute offers only certificate courses'.
The institute would also clarify that its courses were aimed at making the students eligible for degree courses like MBA and BBA provided under International Management Institute (IMI), Belgium.
It is unclear why IIPM cannot simply follow UGC requirements, become a recognised university and award a degree of its own. Like so many other private educational enterprises.
Especially as the institute is keen to gain not just students but respect.
More debate taking place here.
If you would like to add comments below, please stick to the facts and let's examine the situation as it stands today.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Are you giving CAT this year?
If yes, I would like to hear from you with the following details:
a) Is this yr first attempt?
b) How much are you scoring right now in different sections
c) How much more is this from when your started
d) What is yr daily study schedule like?
e) What classes, if any, have you joined
f) Have u joined different classes for material and Mock CATs?
g) What your strategy is going to be to improve over next 3 months
h) What bschools are you aiming for?
i) Which bschools do you think you will get?
j) How many bschools do you plan to apply for in all (approx no)?
k) What is your educational background
l) Are you working or studying?
m) Anyhing else you'd like to share
And of course, your name, city of residence and contact details. You can mail me at rashmi_b at yahoo.com
Kyun chahiye? Well, rest assured it's for the greatest common good. All will be revealed in due time, trust me.
Break over. Kindly hit the books!
On a separate note, I am also looking for an MBA (Systems) to interview. This is for the Cracking Careers show on UTVi.
a) Is this yr first attempt?
b) How much are you scoring right now in different sections
c) How much more is this from when your started
d) What is yr daily study schedule like?
e) What classes, if any, have you joined
f) Have u joined different classes for material and Mock CATs?
g) What your strategy is going to be to improve over next 3 months
h) What bschools are you aiming for?
i) Which bschools do you think you will get?
j) How many bschools do you plan to apply for in all (approx no)?
k) What is your educational background
l) Are you working or studying?
m) Anyhing else you'd like to share
And of course, your name, city of residence and contact details. You can mail me at rashmi_b at yahoo.com
Kyun chahiye? Well, rest assured it's for the greatest common good. All will be revealed in due time, trust me.
Break over. Kindly hit the books!
On a separate note, I am also looking for an MBA (Systems) to interview. This is for the Cracking Careers show on UTVi.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Kung Fu style career advice II
OK, so that 'kung-fu style career advice' was warm, fuzzy and vaguely inspiring. Maybe you forwarded it to a friend or two. But while you admire the way it was written deep down you doubt the content.
Well, let me now give you a couple of practical examples.
Query 1: I am Amit (name changed) and have just completed my engineering from Mumbai university.What kind of finance part time courses are available in Mumbai that will enhance my profile before doing a MBA?
My response: First of all, I don't see too much of passion in this quest. (I may be wrong... after all it's a 2 line email he has written to a stranger). But my gut feeling is that queries like this are driven by this logic:
Finance pays well, hence I should join finance.
The way to do this is an MBA.
And before that I may as well try to get a head-start by doing a course or two.
Well and good, but here's the deal: I don't know of any part time courses which would really 'add value'. The Bombay Stock Exchange does run several but they don't seem to be aimed at novices.
In general, I think we put too much faith in courses. Parents will be ok with just about any form of study, and shell out pretty large sums of money for it. Because after all "Beta course kar raha hai".
A course can at best teach you concepts but there's also the option of being self taught (reference: the panda and kung fu!).
There are books, there are websites, and even entire television channels devoted to financial news and analysis. And of course the pink papers.
The important thing is that you must aim to MASTER whatever it is you have chosen. When that is your aim, a teacher or mentor will appear somewhere along the way.
My second piece of advice is simple: "My dear it is time you went and got yourself a job!" (Wish more parents kicked butt and told their kids to do it!)
Because courses can give you knowledge, but a job gives you wisdom. You learn by seeing, by doing and just by 'being around' in that environment.
The question Amit the engineer will now ask is: "How do I get a job in finance"?
Well, again, when you really want something you figure out a way! My advice would be to list 100 companies (more of mid sized and small firms and brokerages) and send a one page resume. State that your main aim is to gain experience before you go for your MBA. And that you are willing to do whatever it takes - to learn and to contribute to your employer.
One or two out of a hundred may call you for an interview.
The rest you cold-call and speak to, or visit personally. One by one by one. It may mean cooling your heels in reception areas but I guarantee you will get a job in one month's time. Maximum two. Especially if you are willing to work for a low or even no salary in the beginning.
One secret is to somehow meet the CEO or owner and make a 30 second sales pitch about yourself. You could ambush them in the lift, on the way to the car or at a seminar.
And that could be your 'Oogway' moment.
People who have arrived always have a soft spot for the people who remind them of their younger selves. Folks with initiative, a bit of raw talent and of course, sincerity. (Oogways can smell a fake a million miles away).
Even if you don't get your job this way, the search itself would have been a personality-enhancing experience. And that's more important than 'profile', anyday.
The second query is about college admissions. It comes from Mrs K.
Question: My daughter is interested in doing her Bachelors in Mass Media. She has secured admission in XXXX (Ahmedabad). We really have no idea about this institute. Is it worth joining?
My response: I get a lot of emails like this. With insanely high cut-offs and reservations of a million kinds, it is getting really hard to get into a 'good college'.
I mean the kind which we think contains the secret ingredient.
When Mrs K asks is XXXX 'worth joining' her concerns are two-fold:
a) Does XXXX (and I will not name the college here as it could be any newly set up one) have the necessary facilities and faculty to conduct the course
b) Will studying at XXXX have any value in the job market?
The answer to part a) can easily be discovered by visiting the school and interacting with the students. If they've had a poor experience, they will tell you so.
Part b) is a tougher cookie.
In this particular case I would say BMM is a relatively new degree and employers look more for the candidate's talent as an individual than a brand name. What Ms K will need to do is go beyond the syllabus and build up a portfolio.
This she can do by freelancing, doing live projects and summer jobs (whether or not the college requires it or arranges for it).
She can always go for a post grad qualification from a more reputed institute... although ultimately I do believe that media is one profession where 'the secret is there is no secret ingredient' principle well and truly applies!
The really important thing is to be able to celebrate success as well as 'failure'.
Mrs K's daughter will be joining XXXX because she could not make it to any good college in Mumbai. So it is more a compulsion than 'choice'. But look at the spirit with which they are taking it:
... My daughter and I are not really disappointed. The journey to Mumbai and back, the travelling by local trains, crossing roads, trying to collect information, hunting for places to eat, hunting for colleges was a real experience.
We would not have it any other way. It did teach us many of life's lessons like being positive, being patient and never say die. We even thought of taking a year off and exploring different options.
When we returned to Gandhinagar, where we stay, we couldn't help feeling that we have come back to heaven. Mumbai has taught us to value Gandhinagar.
You are right when you say there are no accidents in life!
And let us end this kung fu class with the following immortal words from our lovable panda:
Tai Lung: "You... you're just a big... fat... panda!"
Po: I'm not a big fat panda. I'm *the* big fat panda.
Be THE big fat panda, in whatever you choose to be.
If you have any experiences you'd like to share please do drop me a line at rashmi_b@yahoo.com. And queries, as always, are welcome!
Well, let me now give you a couple of practical examples.
Query 1: I am Amit (name changed) and have just completed my engineering from Mumbai university.What kind of finance part time courses are available in Mumbai that will enhance my profile before doing a MBA?
My response: First of all, I don't see too much of passion in this quest. (I may be wrong... after all it's a 2 line email he has written to a stranger). But my gut feeling is that queries like this are driven by this logic:
Finance pays well, hence I should join finance.
The way to do this is an MBA.
And before that I may as well try to get a head-start by doing a course or two.
Well and good, but here's the deal: I don't know of any part time courses which would really 'add value'. The Bombay Stock Exchange does run several but they don't seem to be aimed at novices.
In general, I think we put too much faith in courses. Parents will be ok with just about any form of study, and shell out pretty large sums of money for it. Because after all "Beta course kar raha hai".
A course can at best teach you concepts but there's also the option of being self taught (reference: the panda and kung fu!).
There are books, there are websites, and even entire television channels devoted to financial news and analysis. And of course the pink papers.
The important thing is that you must aim to MASTER whatever it is you have chosen. When that is your aim, a teacher or mentor will appear somewhere along the way.
My second piece of advice is simple: "My dear it is time you went and got yourself a job!" (Wish more parents kicked butt and told their kids to do it!)
Because courses can give you knowledge, but a job gives you wisdom. You learn by seeing, by doing and just by 'being around' in that environment.
The question Amit the engineer will now ask is: "How do I get a job in finance"?
Well, again, when you really want something you figure out a way! My advice would be to list 100 companies (more of mid sized and small firms and brokerages) and send a one page resume. State that your main aim is to gain experience before you go for your MBA. And that you are willing to do whatever it takes - to learn and to contribute to your employer.
One or two out of a hundred may call you for an interview.
The rest you cold-call and speak to, or visit personally. One by one by one. It may mean cooling your heels in reception areas but I guarantee you will get a job in one month's time. Maximum two. Especially if you are willing to work for a low or even no salary in the beginning.
One secret is to somehow meet the CEO or owner and make a 30 second sales pitch about yourself. You could ambush them in the lift, on the way to the car or at a seminar.
And that could be your 'Oogway' moment.
People who have arrived always have a soft spot for the people who remind them of their younger selves. Folks with initiative, a bit of raw talent and of course, sincerity. (Oogways can smell a fake a million miles away).
Even if you don't get your job this way, the search itself would have been a personality-enhancing experience. And that's more important than 'profile', anyday.
The second query is about college admissions. It comes from Mrs K.
Question: My daughter is interested in doing her Bachelors in Mass Media. She has secured admission in XXXX (Ahmedabad). We really have no idea about this institute. Is it worth joining?
My response: I get a lot of emails like this. With insanely high cut-offs and reservations of a million kinds, it is getting really hard to get into a 'good college'.
I mean the kind which we think contains the secret ingredient.
When Mrs K asks is XXXX 'worth joining' her concerns are two-fold:
a) Does XXXX (and I will not name the college here as it could be any newly set up one) have the necessary facilities and faculty to conduct the course
b) Will studying at XXXX have any value in the job market?
The answer to part a) can easily be discovered by visiting the school and interacting with the students. If they've had a poor experience, they will tell you so.
Part b) is a tougher cookie.
In this particular case I would say BMM is a relatively new degree and employers look more for the candidate's talent as an individual than a brand name. What Ms K will need to do is go beyond the syllabus and build up a portfolio.
This she can do by freelancing, doing live projects and summer jobs (whether or not the college requires it or arranges for it).
She can always go for a post grad qualification from a more reputed institute... although ultimately I do believe that media is one profession where 'the secret is there is no secret ingredient' principle well and truly applies!
The really important thing is to be able to celebrate success as well as 'failure'.
Mrs K's daughter will be joining XXXX because she could not make it to any good college in Mumbai. So it is more a compulsion than 'choice'. But look at the spirit with which they are taking it:
... My daughter and I are not really disappointed. The journey to Mumbai and back, the travelling by local trains, crossing roads, trying to collect information, hunting for places to eat, hunting for colleges was a real experience.
We would not have it any other way. It did teach us many of life's lessons like being positive, being patient and never say die. We even thought of taking a year off and exploring different options.
When we returned to Gandhinagar, where we stay, we couldn't help feeling that we have come back to heaven. Mumbai has taught us to value Gandhinagar.
You are right when you say there are no accidents in life!
And let us end this kung fu class with the following immortal words from our lovable panda:
Tai Lung: "You... you're just a big... fat... panda!"
Po: I'm not a big fat panda. I'm *the* big fat panda.
Be THE big fat panda, in whatever you choose to be.
If you have any experiences you'd like to share please do drop me a line at rashmi_b@yahoo.com. And queries, as always, are welcome!
Monday, July 14, 2008
Kung Fu style Career Advice
If a giant panda can become a mighty kung-fu warrior - so could you. Not kung-fu, but whatever. Ballet dancer, arctic explorer or investment banker. I can already hear you say,"Hey, that happens only in the movies."
Well, yes and no. Here are some definite takeaways from Kung fu Panda, for all those of you struggling with questions of what, where and how to steer your career.
Lesson # 1: If you want something badly enough, you get it somehow.
Po the panda wanted to be a kung-fu warrior really really badly. He followed every kung fu teacher, every battle, every hero there ever was. The chap was a walking Kung Fu Encyclopedia!
And of course, he dreamt about kung fu too.
Ask yourself - do you care something in your life that strongly? If you do - it will be yours one day.
Lesson # 2: It could take a while but you'll get there.
So if you believe Lesson # 1 the question is 'how'? Now sometimes you may get there the straight and easy way. The way to be a kung fu warrior is to train under a great Master, right?
Well, Po got the job another way. He bumbled and tumbled up the mountain and finally literally 'dropped in from the sky'. Master Oogway then pronounced:"He is the one, the great Dragon Warrior". To everybody's surprise!
In real life there aren't enough Oogways who can see a diamond in the coal; a kung fu champion in a blubbering mass of fat.
But how many of you have struggled like the panda to even get to that mountain top where there may be a Master waiting for you?
Lesson # 3: 'A peach tree will blossom into a peach tree. It can't become an apple tree...' - Master Oogway
Why many of us come to grief is we don't know 'who we are'. Are we a peach tree, or a jasmine tree or a cactus? Every one of those is beautiful and useful in its own way. No one is 'superior' to the other.
Yet in life many of us believe that we must all be peach trees. ie MBAs and engineers. The aroma of the jasmine is lost to the world and all we have is peach, peach and more peach (fruity burp!).
Lesson # 4: 'There are no accidents in life...' - Master Shifu
Yup, the fact that you did not make it to IIT or IIM or with that cute chick on the second floor. This was the way it was meant to be.
Think about Steve Jobs being forced to exit his own company in 1985. He went through hell but was forced to think of new ideas, new directions. It led to the creation of Pixar and a whole new kind of animation.
And ultimately, he went back to Apple with iTunes and iPod.
Could he have done all this had he never left Apple? I don't know. But I think greatness is born more out of adversity than in nice hot bathtubs.
Woh Archimedes wala funda bhi theek hai but you can't run naked in the streets anymore. By the time you dress up and get out into the world, you find josh chala gaya.
Lesson # 5: There is no secret ingredient in the secret ingredient soup.
And this is especially relevant at a time when we are all on the quest for the Holy Grail. We believe that joining the right college, the right course or the right company is the secret ingredient which will spice up our soup - our careers, our lives.
The truth is, it's all about what you believe. The moment you join an IIT or an IIM you start believing,"Hey I am really really good". You get the confidence to take on the world, the chutzpah to say,"The world is my oyster".
Clearing these super tough exams is like running a lawnmower through your own mental garden. It crushes the weeds of self doubt and self pity which we've allowed to grow.
Exam or no exam, you can choose to yank out those weeds. Then look the guys who think they know better in the eye and declare,"My soup is as kick-ass as yours."
Lastly, words of wisdom from Master Oogway which apply not just to careers, but any and every walk of life: 'Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery... today is a gift'.
Have you at least undone the wrapping paper of this brand new, beautiful moment? Right here, right now, today??
Friday, July 11, 2008
Smart card, dumb implementation
This may sound elitist but here goes: I recently travelled by local train.Yes, for a while we were one of those two-car, two-driver families. But when I started working from home so I could finish writing a book (more on that, another time) I figured it did not make sense anymore.
And since I find driving (and more than that parking!) stressful I decided to go back to mostly using public transport. Mostly buses, but when you need to reach town from New Bombay, there is nothing quite as efficient as the train.
That's how I found myself @ Vashi railway station on a fine sunny morning. First shock: the line to buy a ticket, that too at 11 in the morning. And not even one of the first 2-3 days of the month when people buy season tickets.
'Yahaan to kam se kam aadha ghanta lagega', I thought. 'Let me buy a coupon booklet'. Oops, a sign proclaimed they were not available.
After some ten minutes in queue I noticed a deserted looking kiosk bearing the logo 'Go Mumbai'. "What is this," I asked the lady in fron of me. She had no clue.Well it turns out you can buy a 'smart card' by paying a one time fee of Rs 36 and then topping up the card, for as little as Rs 50. You need to hold up the smart card against the machine installed at entry point and once again do the same at exit point. And it automatically deducts the fare.
There are separate machines for first and second class.
"How cool," I thought as I quickly paid Rs 200 and zipped off to catch a train. But why was the rest of the public standing there waiting to buy a card ticket? Wasting at least half an hour of their lives??
Many of them looked pretty well to do, and could surely pay the one time fee of Rs 36. They just did not know. No one has bothered to properly communicate the idea and its benefits to the aam junta.
What's more the railways own employees are clueless about it. Mumbai Mirror reported that a college student who bought the card and got off at Mahim was fined Rs 260 because it is not yet valid on Western line. Huh??
Neither have I seen a smart card machine on any BEST bus (and the card claims to be valid on buses as well). Pretty sad considering the card was launched on April 24, which is two and a half months ago!
What is the point of half-baked and half-hearted implementation?
And oh, the next evening I searched in vain for a kiosk where I could recharge my card at CST. There wasn't enough money on it to buy a first class ticket.
Nahin mila and I got into second class which was actually quite empty and comfortable. Chalo paise bach gaye.
Par card hone ka fayda kya? Goes to show that the smartest technology will not catch on if its implementation is dumb.
And by the way one of the validation machines has already conked out...when so few people are using it. Aage kaam kaise chalega?
The other point to note is that there are multiple kinds of cards in circulation, and smart cookies have already figured how to beat the system and travel free...
Lastly, after using the Delhi metro a few times our suburban network looks and feels really shabby. All I see is some cosmetic change (like this steel-look first class compartment). We will one day have our own metro but surely we'll have to do something to what is know as the 'lifeline of the city'. Currently a tired old lady, choking and barely able to bear the strain.
Sunday, July 06, 2008
Jaane Tu - 4 stars
Friday night and I walk out of Jaane Tu and sms my cousin and a couple of friends: "Great film, must see!"They reply back:"We saw Love Story 2050... avoid! Absolute disaster!!"
Film Flop Prediction Rule # 1: The guy who ties up with Pantaloons and does a hundred promo events is probably the weaker film.
Besides, when you have a producer like Aamir Khan and a scriptwriter like Abbas Tyrewala, you know. Izzat ka sawaal hai, they will do their best to NOT get it wrong.
So here's the deal. Jaane Tu has got 3 to 3.5 stars from most critics and both Imran and Genelia have been mucho appreciated. But I go a step further and give it 4 stars.
Reason: a love story with newcomers is the oldest formula in filmdom, but also the hardest to get right. Even with the best looking / best trained of actors. We all know what happened to Sawariya... and a million other such attempts.
The trick is to say something new about the context and the conundrum: how do you bring together, then separate and in the end bring together that one boy and one girl?
Well, in the past it was parents and zamaana which kept them apart. Still happens (a young man just jumped off Vashi bridge yesterday as his runaway bride's parents had filed a police complaint).
But that story's kind of been done to death (no pun intended).
With DDLJ we moved to the 'must win parents over', only then.
With Dil Chahta Hai the parents became irrelevant and it was only the two individuals figuring out what they wanted for themselves. The complication being one was already engaged.
Jaane Tu is the next step in the evolution of romance in India: Two best friends who truly believe, "Hey we are NOT in love!"
And of course everyone else can see it but not them. So Jai and Aditi look for romance elsewhere until finally they realise,"Hello, agar mere liye koi hai, to wahi hai, wahi hai, wahi hai."
Here is where the acting bit comes in: Genelia and Imran manage to pull it off. Imran to hai hi blessed and girls break into applause the moment he comes on screen. Genelia had the more difficult role and she does it effortlessly.
Aditi, as her friends describe her, is a girl given to 'extremes'. If Kajol was the original tomboy in KKHH, Aditi is way beyond. She does the things guys are expected to do - be aggressive, swear loudly, and yes even the small stuff like being the designated driver who 'always' drops her friends home.
But she never lets you forget she is a girl. At times, even a girly girl.
The other interesting thing about Jaane Tu is the mixed group. In DCH, we had three friends bonding but they were all guys. And generally in Hindi films or even in advertising, we see groups of girls giggling at a table or groups of boys leaning against their bikes.Whereas the truth is, in most large cities, guys and girls hang out together. And there is a whole different kind of 'group dynamics' involved.
The trouble starts when there is a couple within the group. And they suddenly have no time or interest in being with the others. But then suddenly the couple break up and now the group itself is torn in two.
That's not the plot here, but it's really common!
In Jaane Tu, there is a different twist: Boms and Rotlu are in love with Jai and Aditi respectively - but the latter are so lost in each other, they have no clue.
Eventually, Boms and Rotlu come together and this happens in a rather comical way when Rotlu is at the farewell party downing his sorrow in 'bottoms up' style pegs of Coke (excellent product placement! congrats to the scriptwriter!)
The gist of their conversation is:"Har kisi ko aisa koi chahiye jo sirf usey dekhe." Or, everyone needs someobody who will make them the centre of a little universe.
And the thing is, this is not a mysterious process which will someday just 'happen' to you. It's a choice you can make.
When Boms and Rotlu looked into each others eyes that night they realised they could create that universe for each other instead of waiting endlessly. They make that choice, and seal it with a kiss.
Even the Jai and Aditi story is really about recognising that love comes in many different forms. Books and movies have propogated only the chocolate-flowers-and-mushy-poems brand of romance.
Jaane Tu explores the idea of love being someone you care about deeply, feel comfortable with and with whom you can truly be yourself. The kickass song 'Aditi' (a really new and different kind of sound from A R Rahman after a long time!) also takes that forward.
"Kabhi kabhi Aditi zindagi mein yun hi koi apna lagta hai."
I know this is said in context of a dead cat but it's really what the film is all about :)
A word about the parents. This is another aspect where we have seen an amazing evolution in Hindi films. And Jaane Tu again breaks new ground here.
Aditi's parents - Jayant Kirpalani and Anuradha Patel - are absoultely delightful. You wish all couples would grow old and be so comfortable and warm with each other.
As a contrast, you have Meghna's parents (Meghna is Jai's interim girlfirend). Rajat Kapur and Kitu Gidwani are an absolutely bitter and unhappy couple who can't stop throwing daggers at each other even in the presence of their daughter's boyfriend.
Later, Meghna tells Jai that her parents stayed together only for 'her sake'. But to block out the reality of their constant and ugly fights she created an imaginary world, where everything was 'perfect'.
This happens in so many Indian homes - parents together for child's sake but horribly unhappy - that you have to wonder. Is it really worth it?
Two other characters also ring so very true.
The first is Sushant - Aditi's fiance who has had a long list of ex girlfriends. Fair enough, she is ok with that. But you know he is definitely the kind of guy who will marry and continue playing the field.
Love is a game of pursuit for Sushant and of course, the same rules do not apply to his fiance. 'Everyone has a past' he tells her but his ego cannot bear it when he figures out she had a thing for Jai.
The second is Aditi's brother, Amit (Prateik Babbar). An intense, but directionless young man who you see in many well to do homes.
Lastly, the comic element. The thread that stitches that takes an otherwise ordinary idea to a much higher level is the side-characters, the little jokes and crazy touches such as:
* The two cowboys and the whole 'Rathore from Ranjhaur' subplot.
* Naseeruddin Shah (Jai's guzre hue pitaji) speaking to Savitri (Jai's mom - Ratna Pathak Shah)) from inside his portrait.
* Jignes, the Gujju boy in the group who is funny without being made fun of.
And of course there are many many memorable one-liners. I will not mention them here and ruin it for you.
Enjoy Jaane Tu. It's an apun ke type ka film. A definite cult hit, the love story of a new generation. A generation which is edgier, more 'in your face'. Where 'Pappu can't dance saala'!
P.S. A quick note on TOI's flm ratings.... They are fast becoming unbelievable!
Nikhat Kazmi has given Jaane Tu 2.5 stars... Chalo woh bhi theek tha. This is a more teenybopper kind of film than say Jab We Met which was a hit with all age groups. So maybe a mainstream paper like TOI might not rate it highly as me.
And there are flaws. Much of the film (especially the climax!) would collapse if Jai - like any normal human being - had a cellphone.
But Nikhat gave 2050 Love Story TWO stars. So ahem you have to wonder: does anyone trust these critics who 'try to keep everyone happy'? Methinks it's not a mere coincidence that a former Femina Miss India and her boyfriend happen to be that hero-heroine of that dud film... which ALL other critics have rated as zero, or at best one star!
Thursday, July 03, 2008
GMAT Cheating controversy
Businessweek reports:The cheating scandal that has engulfed the B-school world grew vastly larger on June 27, when the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) said the number of prospective MBA students facing questions about their entrance exams now totals more than 6,000—six times the original estimate. You might wonder how one can 'cheat' on the GMAT. After all it is an online test involving logic and reasoning, not the class 12 board exam where you can scribble some formulas on your knee.
Well it appears that the controversy is actually about 'Scoretop', a site which students used to prepare for the GMAT. The site featured several 'live' questions ie questions that GMAT serves from its vast databank to actual test takers.
The unique thing about GMAT is the fact that it is a computer adaptive test and that no two test-takers get exactly the same set of questions. But no system is infallible.
Anyone who's taken the test can memorise a few questions, note them down and pass on the same to future test takers. These questions were apparently known as 'JJ' or jungle juice on the Scoretop site.
Numerous CAT prep institutes used to do this kind of thing before students were allowed to take the test paper home a couple of years ago. Of course, CAT questions are not re-used. But coaching classes liked to 'solve' the paper and indicate to students how much they could hope to score.
Since the IIMS are thinking of taking CAT online , this may be a good time to consider whether the GMAT model is practical in the Indian context. A live question bank would easily be leaked by coaching classes using the 'human memory' method.
Of course by GMAC's own admission students probably gained 'very little' by having access to questions.
Even if a site is illegally able to obtain some “real” questions, it is extremely unlikely that anyone accessing the site will see the same questions on the live exam...The reliability of the test taker’s score is less in question than the ethical behavior of those trying to “game” the system.
Either way, a system where a fixed exam is offered 4 times a year and questions are not reused would be much safer in India. Because in a test like CAT where competition is so intense that even a single question can make a difference, you don't want to take a chance. After all credibility is paramount.
I also think India must have an online + offline model in order to make the CAT fully accessible. At least for the next few years.
Getting back to the GMAT controversy, students who had purchased 'VIP' access to Scoretop over the last 5 years are currently under scrutiny. This includes those who are current students and even MBA graduates.
GMAC has won a $2.3 million copyright infringement judgment against the Scoretop site, thus shutting it down and getting access to the hard drive containing all subscriber information. The suit was filed in June 2007.
It is unlikely that all 6000 VIP members will be affected but GMAC is following the 'electronic paper trail' which indicates which users were aware of the fact that some questions were indeed live.
And not "fully owned by Scoretop [and] written by our own…tutors" as the site claimed.
Incidentally the owner of Scoretop - Lei Shi - has fled to China. There are at least 7 sites similar to Scoretop based in China and Businessweek writer Louis Lavelle reports that GMAC's lawyers have been in touch with the Chinese government re: copyright infringement.
I suspect there might be sites based in India with live questions as well... Or private tutors/ classes who share the same. Anyone with info on this could drop me a line at rashmi_b at yahoo.com.
Personally I say it is not worth the risk of getting permanently busted.
Earlier posts on CAT going online:
CAT goes online - i
CAT goes online - ii
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Wanted: i bankers
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.
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.
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)
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