It is never late to mend

Few days ago I read a post on Parth’s blog "Why Hard to Accept". It was related to stubborn nature. I quite liked the article because I had faced the same problem. Suddenly I remember my altercation with one of my professors during graduation time.

I was in the first semester of BE in Atmiya institute. I was considered as a mischievous boy in class during those days. One day, I had a lab period of Mechanical Engineering. Lab assistant provided instructions for the period. Everyone started writing down the assignment. Meanwhile one of my group members was completing previous assignment as he was absent in last lab. He had some confusion in a theory. Being an enthusiastic student I went to him for help. I had a habit of making jokes often and I did the same while explaining my friend. We both were laughing on jokes made at regular intervals.

Lab assistant noticed this in few minutes. She came to me and asked to show how much assignment I had completed. As I was far behind than others, she became angry. She commanded me to sit away from group and complete the assignment before I left the lab.

The assignment was little lengthy and one period was not enough to complete in a single period if done liberally. I opposed her but she did not listen to me.

Losing my temper, I arrogantly said “You are doing this as you don’t like me. Though I was helping someone, you punished me and asked me to do what is almost impossible. If I can not complete it in time, my recess time will be ruined.”

In anger, I sat away from group and started to complete my assignment very fast. Somehow I had managed to complete the instructions before lab was about to over. I went back to her, showed her the assignment proudly.

In fact she was trying to maintain the discipline. And I made her upset. I did not care about her or about the hurt I caused at that time.

In next semesters, I was changed and became a studious boy, even scored top in university and became a ranker in my class. It is truly said you can run away from your past but can’t escape from it. Same lady needed to take a subject in fifth semester. When I saw her entering classroom, I was shocked and stared nervously. We both remained mute for each other. That time I greatly regretted about my act.

I went to her in recess time and expressed my guilty. I told her “I do not want to be remembered as a ranker but as a good student in this college. For me, your forgiveness is the only thing which let me feel that. I was very egoist when I made you upset. But time has changed me and I thank you for teaching me an important lesson in my life.”

Her eyes were filled with tears and she replied “I being a teacher consider you same as others. I have forgotten what you said in first semester. But today by asking for apology you proved yourself a good student.”

Today I called her before publishing this post. She still remembered me but forgot this event. She taught me two special lessons. First, it is never late to ask for forgiveness and that does not make you small. Secondly you should forget all the hurts that a person caused once that person is changed.

A Grand Aurevoir to Dr Kalam

Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam delivered a great speech in Hyderabad. Though very long but really spare some time to read it. It is a must read for all the Indians.

Why is the media here so negative? Why are we in India so embarrassed to recognize our own strengths, our achievements? We are such a great nation. We have so many amazing success stories but we refuse to acknowledge them. Why?

We are the first in milk production. We are number one in Remote sensing satellites. We are the second largest producer of wheat. We are the second largest producer of rice.

Look at! Dr. Sudarshan, he has transferred the tribal village into a self-sustaining, self-driving unit. There are millions of such achievements but our media is only obsessed in the bad news and failures and disasters.

I was in Tel Aviv once and I was reading the Israeli newspaper. It was the day after a lot of attacks and bombardments and deaths had taken place. The Hamas had struck. But the front page of the newspaper had the picture of a Jewish gentleman who in five years had transformed his desert into an orchid and a granary. It was this inspiring picture that everyone woke up to. The gory details of killings, bombardments, deaths, were inside in the newspaper, buried among other news.

In India we only read about death, sickness, terrorism, crime. Why are we so NEGATIVE?

Another question: Why are we, as a nation so obsessed with foreign things? We want foreign T. Vs, we want foreign shirts. We want foreign technology. Why this obsession with everything imported. Do we not realize that self-respect comes with self-reliance?

I was in Hyderabad giving this lecture, when a 14 year old girl asked me for my autograph. I asked her what her goal in life is. She replied: I want to live in a developed India. For her, you and I will have to build this developed India. You must proclaim. India is not an under-developed nation; it is a highly developed nation.

Do you have 10 minutes? Allow me to come back with a vengeance.

Got 10 minutes for your country? If yes, then read; otherwise, choice is yours.

YOU say that our government is inefficient. YOU say that our laws are too old. YOU say that the municipality does not pick up the garbage. YOU say that the phones don't work, the railways are a joke. The airline is the worst in the world, mails never reach their destination. YOU say that our country has been fed to the dogs and is the absolute pits. YOU say, say and say. What do YOU do about it?

Take a person on his way to Singapore Give him a name - YOURS. Give him a face - YOURS. YOU walk out of the airport and you are at your International best. In Singapore you don't throw cigarette butts on the roads or eat in the stores. YOU are as proud of their Underground links as they are. You pay $5 (approx. Rs. 60) to drive through Orchard Road (equivalent of Mahim Causeway or Pedder Road) between 5 PM and 8 PM. YOU come back to the parking lot to punch your parking ticket if you have over stayed in a restaurant or a shopping mall irrespective of your status identity. In Singapore you don't say anything, DO YOU?

YOU wouldn't dare to eat in public during Ramadan, in Dubai YOU would not dare to go out without your head covered in Jeddah. YOU would not dare to buy an employee of the telephone exchange in London at 10 pounds (Rs.650) a month to, 'see to it that my STD and ISD calls are billed to someone else. YOU would not dare to speed beyond 55 mph (88 km/h) in Washington and then tell the traffic cop, 'Jaanta hai main kaun hoon (Do you know who I am?). I am so and so's son. Take your two bucks and get lost.'

YOU wouldn't chuck an empty coconut shell anywhere other than the garbage pail on the beaches in Australia and New Zealand. Why don't YOU spit Paan on the streets of Tokyo? Why don't YOU use examination jockeys or buy fake certificates in Boston???

We are still talking of the same YOU. YOU can respect and conform to a foreign system in other countries but cannot in your own. You who will throw papers and cigarettes on the road the moment you touch Indian ground. If you can be an involved and appreciative citizen in an alien country, why cannot you be the same here in India?

Once in an interview, the famous Ex-municipal commissioner of Bombay, Mr. Tinaikar, had a point to make. 'Rich people's dogs are walked on the streets to leave their affluent droppings all over the place,' he said. 'And then the same people turn around to criticize and blame the authorities for inefficiency and dirty pavements. What do they expect the officers to do? Go down with a broom every time their dog feels the pressure in his bowels? In America every dog owner has to clean up after his pet has done the job. Same in Japan Will the Indian citizen do that here?' He's right.

We go to the polls to choose a government and after that forfeit all responsibility. We sit back wanting to be pampered and expect the government to do everything for us whilst our contribution is totally negative. We expect the government to clean up but we are not going to stop chucking garbage all over the place nor are we going to stop to pick up a stray piece of paper and throw it in the bin. We expect the railways to provide clean bathrooms but we are not going to learn the proper use of bathrooms. We want Indian Airlines and Air India to provide the best of food and toiletries but we are not going to stop pilfering at the least opportunity.

This applies even to the staff that is known not to pass on the service to the public. When it comes to burning social issues like those related to women, dowry, girl child, and others, we make loud drawing room protestations and continue to do the reverse at home. Our excuse 'It's the whole system which has to change, how will it matter if I alone forego my sons' rights to a dowry.' So who's going to change the system? What does a system consist of? Very conveniently for us it consists of our neighbors, other households, other cities, other communities and the government; but definitely not me and YOU. When it comes to us actually making a positive contribution to the system we lock ourselves along with our families into a safe cocoon and look into the distance at countries far away and wait for Mr.Clean to come along & work miracles for us with a majestic sweep of his hand or we leave the country and run away.

Like lazy cowards hounded by our fears we run to America to bask in their glory and praise their system. When New York becomes insecure we run to England. When England experiences unemployment, we take the next flight out to the Gulf. When the Gulf is war struck, we demand to be rescued and brought home by the Indian government. Everybody is out to abuse and rape the country. Nobody thinks of feeding the system. Our conscience is mortgaged to money.

Dear Indians, The article is highly thought inductive, calls for a great deal of introspection and pricks one's conscience too.... I am echoing J.F.Kennedy 's words to his fellow Americans to relate to Indians.....

"ASK WHAT WE CAN DO FOR INDIA AND DO WHAT HAS TO BE DONE TO MAKE INDIA WHAT AMERICA AND OTHER WESTERN COUNTRIES ARE TODAY"

Out of Dilemma

After a great dilemma, I finally appeared for entrance exam of part time MBA. I would like to share all thoughts which played in my mind from the day I planned to study to this day, because during those days my mind was oscillating between whether to join or not.

Very first reason behind choosing part time course is the same which rules the world Money. Today living in a city like Ahmedabad has become too expensive. In such case you need to earn to cope up. And being a software engineer in a good company, I can not let my current profile go in vain.

Secondly I will gain good experience till I complete my study. I can visualize MBA fundas in my company itself. Even I can implement my study into practice in my own company (if they provide chance). Moreover I can learn from my company and complete my assignments ;)

Managing two lives together makes you a good manager by itself. Don’t take it lightly but it gives you a practice to work for long hours. Your mind should not think about study when you are on job and the opposite when you are studying. God may give me enough strength to cope up with. Frankly speaking this teaches you isolating your work from your personal life and vice versa. This has been a problem for most of good managers.

This is why I chose part time course over full time. Now I answer you most confusing questions I found when I planned to study.

What about placement? Well I guarantee you no part time course would provide you placement as it is meant for working professionals. Your employer is your sponsor and your supporter. I suggest you to fulfill your employer’s expectation. Don’t hide any thing from them. They can give you what you deserve.

Will it be add-ons for my career? It will be a great add on your knowledge. You must be able to utilize your knowledge in the best way. Remember one thing even if you climb a peak by any means, it is your way of utilizing your knowledge which decides your next position.

Don’t compare part time study with full time. Both have their own prons & crons. This was all about my struggle. I searched internet but it was the experience of my friends which helped me. So I planned to share it on internet and help those who feel the same. If you are on the same track, please share your problems or thoughts so that we can help each other.

Rules are made not to be broken

This article is for those who use “Rules are made to be broken” to fulfill their wicked desire. This is a real story of my friend whose dreams are broken exactly at the time when they are to come true, due to his indiscipline in college and even in life. You may call me a sadistic person when I put his story on my blog. But I have seen many youngsters including my younger brother who are on the same track. So I decided to do this despite of anything you tell me.

That person was with me in my college during graduation. He was a friend of my room mate. When our graduation completed, He decided to pursue MBA degree. He appeared for entrance exam and scored well. He got admission in top college in Gujarat. His dream of joining top class MBA institute was now true. But soon the college started, he became lazy and began to bunk the classes. Institute had not taken any action for his low attendance. This encouraged him and in second semester he gave up attending lectures. When internal exam came, he showed medical certificate and convinced the management. He was smart enough to clear final exams with good performance.

Situation became worse in third semester, he not only bunked the lectures but also ignored internal exam. He used to sleep at his room when his class mates appeared for internal exam. Management was really pissed off his indiscipline. But still they gave a chance to him. He again scored well in final exams of third semester.

Placement process started in his college. Due to his outstanding records and his smartness, he got selected in a well known company with a fatty salary. He was much happy, all his dreams were fulfilled. Now he did not have to care of his college. Just a final exam of fourth semester was in the path.

But this time management decided to teach him a lesson. Institute did not allow him to seat in internal exam and detained him for six months. He knew if that thing happened he would lose his job and a black spot would be drawn in his career. He bagged but they didn’t listen. He tried every weapon from the arsenal to convince but all in vain. Management taught him a lesson for which he paid the fees; but in a different way.

Rules have their own importance in our life. When you break rules for noble act, you will be appreciated. If you break rules for wicked reason, you are setting an example for others not to break the rules.

Dont use ur perspective always

The train has started moving. It is packed with people of all ages, mostly with the working men and women and young college guys and gals. Near the window, seated a old man with his 30 year old son. As the train moves by, the son is overwhelmed with joy as he was thrilled with the scenery outside..

"See dad, the scenery of green trees moving away is very beautiful"

This behavior from a thirty year old son made the other people feels strange about him. Every one started murmuring something or other about this son." This guy seems to be a mad.” newly married Anup whispered to his wife.

Suddenly it started raining... Rain drops fell on the travelers through the opened window. The Thirty year old son, filled with joy “see dad, how beautiful the rain is."

Anup's wife got irritated with the rain drops spoiling her new suit.

Anup shouted, "Can't you see it's raining, you old man, if your son is not feeling well get him soon to a mental asylum. Don't disturb public hence forth"

The old man hesitated first and then in a low tone replied "We are on the way back from hospital, my son got discharged today morning , he was a blind by birth, last week only he got his vision, these rain and nature are new to his eyes. Please forgive us for the inconvenience caused."

The things we see may be right from our perspective until we know the truth. But when we know the truth our reaction to that will hurt even us. So try to understand the problem better before taking a harsh action.

Coffee or Cup: what's your choice?

A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor.

Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life.

Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite - telling them to help themselves to hot coffee.

When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said: "If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. It is natural for you to want only the best for yourselves; that is the source of your problems and stress. What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups and were eyeing each other's cups.

Now if life is coffee, then the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain Life, but the quality of Life doesn't change. Some times, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee in it."

Don't let the cups drive you... Enjoy the coffee instead