Rashmi Bansal's Blog, page 6

Tuition ka tashan

I used to think 'tuitions' were taken only by kids who were a bit soft in the head.

That's how it was, when I was growing up.

We gave our board exams, with self-study. Though we did refer to '21 sets'.

The teachers at school covered the portion well enough. And a few went well beyond the call of duty in doing so.

At least, this is how I remember it. But then, I was the class nerd.

When my daughter was in kindergarten, I first heard of kids taking 'tuitions'. Yes, tuitions for kindergarten.

Actually, there were kids taking tuitions to get into kindergarten as well (a certain school in south Bombay, which I shall not name).

The world had obviously changed.
For better, or worse?

The ironic thing was, the syllabus seemed to be much simpler (I refer to CBSE pattern). What's more, my daughter's school had no 'exams' upto class 6. Only weekly tests.

Phir bhi kids were taking tuitions.
Phir bhi I thought we would buck the trend.

"We're an educated family, after all".

There's a PhD in Physics ready to teach Maths and Science.
A Double MA for Hindi and Sanskrit.
And two MBAs to cover everything else.

But what does she do instead? Join tuitions!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

These days, she is ready at five minutes to five pm, to go for her class. This, is nothing short of a miracle.

She likes to go to tuitions. Even though sir makes her study. So, what's the secret?

'Tyushan' is another form of outing. And, it's parent-approved.

I wouldn't let her – at age 12 – hang out in a mall with friends (without supervision). But I do let her go to tuitions with friends, and sometimes they stop by at McDonalds and share an ice-cream.

And hey, no matter how educated your parents and grandparents might be, it's no fun studying with them. They are short-tempered, and often distracted by Blackberries and iPhones (I plead guilty to the second count).

There is another exciting side-effect of joining tuition classes.

"I think you will have to buy me a mobile now," she said, with a glint in her eye.

Something I have resisted… so far.

The economy may falter, exchange rate may alter, but one thing's for sure. Tuition zindabad rahega, employment aabaad rahega. Jai Hind!

Youthpal bill

Sharng a guest column I wrote for India Today's Youth Special issue. Pasting below my original, slightly extended version.

Youthpal Bill
by Rashmi Bansal

If we want a Facebook or Google from India, we have to stop telling Johnny and Jyoti to "be good"

The moment I walked into Christ College, Bangalore I knew something was wrong. But I couldn't quite put my finger on it. Until a student giggled and whispered to me, "You are wearing jeans. We are not allowed."

College without jeans? That's like Dabbang without Salman. Is it even possible? The old fogies seem to think so!

Welcome to the brave new college campus where 'discipline' rules. Students will be less distracted if they are neatly dressed in t-shirts with collars and formal shoes. Girls, please don't leave your hair open and stick to salwar kameez. Now, nose in books!

Of course, we encourage innovation and entrepreneurship. Can't you see the shiny new incubation centre we have set up? Please - feel free to disregard conventional thinking and come up with the next Facebook or Google.

But no bunking classes, and complete your syllabus first. We are disabling the net connection after 12 midnight, because we care about your future more than you do.

Our college had 100% placement last year. Students got jobs in a wide variety of jobs which require very little thinking but everyone has at least heard of the company names. It looks good in our brochure.

We would very much like this trend to continue.

Across India, from Kota to Kakinada, I have visited college campuses where students are being moulded, into sheep. The kind of minds which will not think, or question but accept what is told to them. Instead of searching for answers from within.

'Be good and we will be good to you'. That is the unspoken letter of blackmail posted into young hearts by parents. Whether it's career choice or whom to marry, the Family Stamp of Approval still dictates dynamics. Surrender and you will get a pink laptop and study abroad and inherit the family business.

Who wants to be a rebel and lose all this?

And yet, in moments of darkness, moments of doubt, the Young Indian knows there is something more out there, waiting to be discovered. A hidden potential, a secret spark.

Ki hum bhi koi cheez hain, is duniya mein. Our time on this earth has made some difference.

I see a small but growing band of young Indians taking the path of idealism.
Breaking out of the 'Be Good' box and breathing free.

Some, leaving plum jobs to set up their own companies. Others, choosing the path of social entrepreneurship. Many more thinking and dreaming of such options.

"Please help me, guide me, mentor me….." they write to me, after reading one or another of my books.

Very well, I say, but remember there are no shortcuts on the path of Self Actualisation. Unlike that Bournville chocolate you really have to earn it.

Do not be fickle, do not be weak. Be steady on the path, and persevere. Your life is your life, live it while you have it.

Or, wear Levi's jeans and forever hold your peace.

Choose whichever path makes you happy. Just remember, you owe the same to your children. When it's their time, their day.

A note to Indian parents
Kahlil Gibran on Children

Your children are not your children.

They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.

They come through you but not from you,

And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts, 


For they have their own thoughts.

You may house their bodies but not their souls,

For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, 
which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams….

My last word: Let your children live their dreams, not yours.

'I Have a Dream' - ebook (kindle edition) now available

For those of you who live outside India and are unable to lay your hands on my physical books.

Or those of you, ahead of the curve, who prefer reading ebooks.

I have good news for you! The kindle edition of 'I Have a Dream' is now available on Amazon.

I have priced the book at $2.99, a very reasonable price. I want this book to reach out to more people across the world. In fact, I look forward to 'I Have a Dream' becoming the highest downloaded Indian ebook in the next 6 months.

So go ahead, download without a second thought. Those of you using ipads can also download the book and read it using the kindle app.

And if you've already read the book, do add a review on the kindle page, to help people decide if this book is worth their time and money!

P.S. Amazon adds $2 as charges for those using the 3G download facility from outside the US making the price $ 4.99 :(

P.P.S. 'Connect the Dots' and 'Stay Hungry Stay Foolish' will also be available on kindle very soon. Watch this space!

Start of the month: Godparents.in

A few days ago I invited nominations for 'Start up of the Month' on my facebook fan page. The idea being to give some exposure to young entrepreneurs and for me to learn something in the process, as well.

Well, I received 18 entries in all - amazing work being done by an amazing group of people. With help from my virtual assistant Tabish Azeem I shortlisted 5 start-ups. The criteria used was: Uniqueness & relevance (10), Execution (10), Revenue generation (10) and X factor (10).

The start-up which received the highest score - of 37 out of 40 - was Godparents.in. And here is why:

Entrepreneurship is not always about creating a radical new concept. It could be about taking an existing idea and executing it in a better way.

That is whatGodparents is doing. There are many NGOs connecting donors with those in need, CRY and Helpage have been pioneers in this field. But Godparents addresses the idea in a new and interesting way.

A Better Product
Like GiveIndia (which I covered in Stay Hungry Stay Foolish), Godparents is an online system connecting people like you and me with those in need. But, Godparents goes a step further in making me want to give to that needy person.
By giving him or her a name, a face and a background story,

Ranjith G is 10 years old and lives in Kerala. He is a student in 4th class hailing from backward tribal community. His father isdisabled and hence the mother looks after the family with her meager income (Rs 7000 or so a year). He studies well and stands as first in the class. Also good in sports activities.

Ranjith requires Rs 12,000 a year to continue in school and also for basic food and medical expenses.

6 donors have already contributed Rs 8750 for Ranjith. Their profiles also appear below his name. Yes, donors also get a profile page which displays the names of their godchildren and the amount donated to support each one.

I think connecting people on both sides of the giving rainbow is a beautiful idea. It's apt use of technology to increase the emotional bar and hence raise more money, from the haves for the have-nots.

While GiveIndia also uses this idea it only displays the cause, not the actual person you will be helping. GiveIndia does send you a feedback report detailing name and photo of the person your money went to, and its impact. But that may take a couple of weeks or months.

With Godparents, the feel good factor is more real and immediate.

Effective Promotion
There is also a very well made video on the homepage which is a collection of responses of people to the question: "What would you do if I gave you 500 bucks?"

It's clear that for people like you and me Rs 500 has very little value but for a poor person it can make all the difference. And this point is put across very beautifully.

Godparents has also come up with a novel way to promote itself – by inserting bookmarks in books delivered by Flipkart.

Clear Communication
The main homepage of Godparents very simple and effective. It explains everything you need to know upfront – what is the site all about and how does it work.

The fact that your donation is eligible for tax exemption under Sec 80 G is also prominently displayed. )Many first time donors don't know that and many NGOs don't really educate them about it).

Credibility & Commitment
I also like the fact that the site displays the amount raised so far:
The total amount of donations is a little over Rs 18 lakhs. 1022 donations have created 305 fully supported children and 456 'godparents'.

It is rare to see this kind of transparency from any social organization!

The other interesting fact about Godparents is that the entire team appears to be running the service as a social activity, while working elsewhere.

Shubham Srivatsava (BITS Pilani 2009) and Shivam Srivastava (IIT Kanpur) are the co-founders, the rest of the team is also mainly BTech grads working in MNCs or doing their PhDs abroad.

According to an interview given to CNBC Young Turks given in Oct 2009, two months after setting up, Shivam got this idea after reading Nandan Nilekani's 'Imagining India'. A book which suggested that technology could be used to solve large no of problems in India,

With Rs 1 lakh investment, Shubham and Shivam, along with a team of friends and wellwishers made a small start. The toughest part was convincing NGOs to participate, and on the other side, giving donors the confidence in these NGOs. For this, Godparents has evolved its own due diligence/ credibility criteria.

In conclusion
The voluntary nature of this enterprise is its greatest strength and also its major weakness. Since everyone appears to have a day job, there is no pressure of cost on the start-up.

But to take the idea to the next level, one of the founders or team members will need to devote full time attention to it.

I wish Godparents.in all the very best. God bless and may many more feel a tug in your heart and the desire to contribute through them. To make a difference.

P.S. I will exchange notes with the co-founders and update this post with additional inputs. But that will take a couple of days.

P.P.S. Many of the other start-ups are also very interesting... lagey raho bhaiyon aur behnon. You may very well make it to this space next month :) I will shortly be inviting nominations for the Start up of the Month, for October.

Goodbye, Ved

Exactly one week ago, friend and IIMA batchmate Ved Prakash Arya passed away. He was just 42.



Hundreds of friends, co-workers and former colleagues attended the condolence meeting held on a hellishly rainy Saturday.



Unable to find any words to comfort the family.



Or any rational explanation for the bizarre manner in which he met his end.



Read my tribute to Ved Prakash Arya - entrepreneur, outstanding professional, and above all, a good human being: An Unfinished Life. (published by Businwssworld magazine).



May his soul rest in peace.



And may we all remember that life is short and fragile.



Think about what you *really* want and make it happen today. Instead of just making plans and promises... for tomorrow.

How to be a 'yahoo' in life

Here's the link to a column I wrote published on rediff.com today.



Because Shammi Kapoor was a true blue original and that's something each of has the potential to be, whoever we are, whatever we do in life!



For those who prefer regular format to slideshow, here it is below.



How to be a 'yahoo' in life

-Rashmi Bansal



Shammi Kapoor died in his sleep on 14 August 2011, 04:30 am IST, at the the of 79. More than 40 years after he last played out his junglee days. The light hearted romantic hero of numerous hit films.



Yet, there was an outpouring of grief on social network sites. As his mortal remains were taken for cremation, the streets were lined with ordinary people, Koli fishermen played the song 'Yahoo!' in one last, boisterous, celebratory farewell.



All this, because Shammi Kapoor was a symbol of life, of zest, of joy.



Imagine any other person, say a businessman, who ran a very successful company for say, 10 years. And then, failed and shut shop. Which is kind of what happened to the jovial Shamsher Raj Kapoor.



By 1970, he was edged out Rajesh Khanna, the new, chikna romantic hero. But more than that, it was Shammi's own (lost) battle with weight which proved to be his downfall.



He did try directing films. But unlike brother Raj Kapoor, he did not succeed in that arena. The hero now played supporting actor roles, and over time pretty much retired from the public eye.



And yet, like I said, he left such an imprint in the minds and hearts of generations of Indians. That 40 years later, we woke up and cried to hear he was gone.



I think that is so beautiful and rare, and something we all should take note of.



Are we bringing joy to the lives of the people we touch everyday?



Because that is all that really matters.



Are we being original and true to ourselves?



Because that is all that is needed.



We can't all be actors, but we can learn from the life of Shammi Kapoor. The one and only way to be truly successful is to create your own brand. Like he did.



Creating the Cult



Shammi Kapoor entered the industry at age 17, as a junior artiste, at a salary of Rs. 50 per month. He made his debut in Bollywood in the year 1953, in the film Jeevan Jyoti.



As the son of Prithviraj Kapoor and brother of Raj Kapoor, getting into the movies came easily. Getting into the hearts of the audience was quite another matter. Shammi was stuck in uninspiring roles, wearing silly wigs and melodramatic expressions.



What's worse, critics wrote him off as a copycat. Years later he recalled how a review of his second picture Rail ka Dibba said: 'Shammi Kapoor apes Raj Kapoor'.



"It hurt a lot because I didn't understand what it meant to ape somebody because I wasn't aping. I came from the same school of acting. We were from the same stage and had done the same roles. But it made me realise that it was going to be tough."



In 1955, Shammi married Geeta Bali, a popular star of that era.



"I was in even deeper trouble. Then I was no longer only the son of Prithviraj Kapoor, and brother of Raj Kapoor, but I was also the husband of Geeta Bali. That's three-to-one. It gave me a challenge, an incentive to go out there and prove myself."



Apparently, at one point, Shammi Kapoor even considered giving up films and finding a job as a manager on a tea plantation in Assam. It was Geeta Bali who persuaded him to stick it out.



The turning point came when Filmistan gave writer Nasir Hussain a break as director, with Tumsa Nahin Dekha, The problem was Dev Anand was not available, Neither was Sunil Dutt.



Sashadhar Mukherjee, co-owner of Filmistan told Nasir Hussain, 'Try this lad. Let's see how it works out. I see some greatness in him.'



Shammi could never be sure what that greatness was, but the fact that *someone* believed in him inspired him.



"I had nothing to lose, so I went all out, changed my image, shaved off my moustache, got myself a crew cut, and there grew the yahoo image."



The rest is history.



Why did it work?



Because it was different, and captured the imagination of people. Nasreen Munni Kabir is a film journalist who's written the chapter on Shammi for an upcoming book titled 'Bollywood's Top 20: Superstars of Indian Cinema'. She notes:



When Tumsa Nahin Dekha was released in 1957, cast opposite Ameeta, Shammi Kapoor impressed with his intuitive and fresh acting, playful edge and great physical agility, which involved jumping, leaping and general cavorting.



Most importantly, he exuded an unabashed and irresistible sexuality that was far from the prudish heroes of the time… With his dreamy eyes, soft voice, charming dialogue delivery and arresting personality, Shammi radiated the raw appeal of an Elvis Presley -- especially evident when performing the songs.



Success then, was a mix of destiny and design. Established heroes not being available, Nasir Hussain being a debut director open to new ideas - these were the elements of destiny.



Design was the careful crafting of a new image. A more Westernised, free-wheeling 'rebel' star. Of course this only worked because it was not 'put on'. Shammi was just being his natural, exuberant self.



A man who dances to the tune of his heart must create the steps to go along with it. And that, is literally what Shammi Kapoor did.



As he once said in an interview, "My dancing was entirely extempore. I never knew what my next step would be. Sometimes, if I had to give a second take, my steps would be different. I couldn't do the same thing again. I had, within me, a dormant, incredible energy that was screaming out for expression, and, luckily, my directors agreed to let me do what I wanted."



Tap your own dormant energy, express yourself fully and honestly.



It is bound to work.



Finding your own rhythm



Shammi Kapoor found 'success' after four years of struggle and 19 flops. That's how life treats most of us. The important thing is to retain hope. To build self-awareness. And seize your moment, when it presents itself (as it must!)



Working in a large company, you may have a chance to work on an exciting loosely defined new project. Take it!



Tired of bureaucracy and bossy management, you may have a chance to partner your college buddy in a start-up. Give it a shot!



Struggling for a break as a writer/ musician/ graphic artist, you decide to 'self publish' and market your own creation. Give it all you've got!



Nasir Hussain and Shammi Kapoor went on to make dozens of hit films together. The first success opens doors to fields of golden opportunity, beyond your wildest imagination. But the burden of creating that success rests solely on your shoulders.



On your judgement, your inner compass of intuition.



Beware!



Wellwishers will advise you ki aisa karo, this is what the market wants. The truth is, nobody knows what they want. The real needs of people are unspoken, unfelt. But when you tap into those needs, they embrace you with a fierce loyalty and enthusiasm.



Shammi slithered down the snow covered valleys of Kashmir with a light disdain of parental authority and conventional behaviour. He struck just the right chord.



Employ the same principle, and create the product or service, song or book, that everybody (secretly) wants. People will flock to you, like bees towards honey.



Create a revolution, your own Ramlila maidan.

I pledge to end vocational corruption

The entire country is gripped with anti-corruption fever.



Many are taking a personal pledge to neither give nor take bribes, which is wonderful.



But is that the only form of corruption in our society? If we expect our public life and public servants to be honourable, fair, just and honest what about other aspects of our lives?



What Anna stands for is the highest moral standard, applied to everything you do and say. To do what is right, versus what is convenient.



Because each individual's actions and intentions create the goodness of society a as a whole.



It is in this spirit that I have formulated a series of pledges for people belonging to different professions. If you really feel strongly about ending corruption in this country, silently make your commitment. To create that brave new world.



Chartered Accountants



I pledge to truthfully and faithfully conduct audits, refusing to overlook and sign off on discrepancies.



I pledge to ask my clients to pay the correct amount of tax rather than asking them how much tax they want to pay and working backwards.



I pledge not to employ my young colleagues doing articleship for the sole purpose of generating fake expense vouchers.



Doctors



I pledge to truthfully and faithfully examine patients, refusing to send them for unnecessary tests and surgical procedures.



I pledge to prescribe the correct and lowest priced medicine required, not the brand of a pharmaceutical company which offers me junkets and incentives.



I pledge to give receipts to patients for fees paid to me instead of operating in 'cash'.



Marketers & Advertisers



I pledge to truthfully and faithfully sell products which live up to their claims.



I pledge that I will not play on the fears and insecurities of people by bombarding them with messages which make them feel old, ugly, unhealthy or unloved.

I pledge that I will not digitally enhance the hair, face and bodies of film stars and models to my products look better



Stock market experts



I pledge to truthfully and faithfully state whether I have made money using my own tips given to various television business channels.



I pledge to be a true expert by asking tough questions to company management and promoters.



I pledge to disclose all my personal investments in the stock market, before offering my 'unbiased' advice.



Journalists



I pledge to truthfully and faithfully report the news, without fear or favour



I pledge to not publish or broadcast paid news, or advertisements disguised as news.



I pledge that I will not suppress news, on the request or behest of any person/ persons.



The list of professions is long, I leave it to the readers to formulate the pledge necessary for their own line of work. You are welcome to add such pledges in the comments section :)



But here is one final pledge for all corporate fatcats:



I pledge to truthfully and faithfully work towards not just the bottomline of my company, but the health and happiness of society as a whole.

Startup of the month

Lots of you write in to me saying 'I want you to feature me in your book someday'. Well, someday is in the future. Meanwhile let me support you by choosing one entrepreneur every month who I find interesting, energetic, fresh & promising.



So nominate yourself by posting a few lines here abt who you are and what you do, what makes your product or service unique. The person I select gets featured here as well as on my Facebook fanpage.



Please be clear, concise in writing about yourself. Don't hardsell, but don't be too shy either. And remember, even if you don't get selected, this is a form of 'free advertising'!)



*Drumrollll* Let the nominations begin!

I am guilty

dear Blog & dear Readers



I am guilty. Guilty of neglecting you both.



There is a lot I want to write and say. Earlier I would right away come to this space and express myself. Now, thoughts and feelings get an immediate outlet on Facebook and Twitter.



But while I love these mediums, there is nothing as satisfying for a writer as putting together a thoughtful, well-researched blogpost.



I promise to rededicate myself to such writing, at least once a week.



Hope you all continue reading and sharing your feedback!



And now, for some news & announcements:



1) My book 'Connect the Dots' has been nominated for the Vodafone Crossword Book awards in the 'Popular' category. if you liked it, you can vote for it using this link:



http://www.vodafone.in/events/pages/crossword_awards.aspx?cid=mum



2) I invite you to connect wih me on Facebook at www.facebookcom/rashmibansal. That way you will get regular updates of all events I am doing.



The next one coming up is the reading from 'I have a dream' at Reliance Time Out, Korum Mall, Thane (W) on Wed Aug 24 @ 630 pm



3) Lastly, this blog template is really very old and outdated. Somehow I find it familiar and comforting but realize it's time to change and upgrade. So I'm looking for one of you (maybe a student web designer/ small start up) to take on the challenge.



Email me as always at rashmi_b at yahoo.com with brief cv and 3 things you think need to be done right away @ Youthcurry and we will take it forward.



And remember, while this is a paid project I am looking for people who want to do it more out of passion than for money alone.

Har ek friend zaroori hota hai

After a loooong time, I caught an ad on TV which truly captures the spirit of youth today. Airtel's 'Har ek friend zaroori hota hai'.







This is the Facebook generation, where you can have 500 'friends'. Cynics wonder *how* can anyone have 500 friends. The truth is, you can. This isn't the ''yeh dosti hum nahin todenge' kind of friendship. This is an acquaintance of casual utility, every kind of friend can have his/her role.



Jaise chai ke liye toast hota hai

Waise har ek friend zaroori hota hai.



The early morning friend, the late night savior, the guy who throws his house open, the guys who always pile on. The ones who borrow money from you, the ones who pay for you - the list is endless.



The line I liked best of all:



Ek ghadi ghadi kaam aaye, kabhi kabhi call kare

Ek kabhi kabhi kaam aaye aur ghadi ghadi call kare



Don't we all know someone like that!



In short, it is a brilliant piece of work which is definitely going to catch on. The ad airing on TV is shorter while Youtube has the extended version (another great idea!). The Youtube video also features lyrics in sub-titles (TV version should do that too!)



Google does not reveal who's composed the song and lyrics, or the agency behind the idea. But I surmise it is the effortless genius of Taproot, which is rumoured to be the new creative agency for Airtel.



Taproot is an independent creative agency headed by Agnello Dias and Santosh Padhi (both ex-JWT). Not as 'famous' as Piyush Pandey or Prasoon Joshi but their work speaks for itself.



These are the guys who worked on the Nike Cricket ad (I thought that was amazing back in 2007) . And numerous Times of India campaigns (Lead India, Teach India and the ''Day in the life of… ' series).



Yessssss I am a fan.



And here is some excellent advice Agnello has for new entrants in the creative industry. In an interview to Adgully he says:



In the creative field, success is not equivalent to talent. Success depends on resilience. It also depends on what pace you can keep coming back after a bounced ad or a released ad that has not done very well. Most of the successful people in the creative field are people with great(er) creative resilience than talent… youngsters should remember that.



I agree 100%. Creativity is about a constant flow of ideas.



Having the judgement which one to pick and run with.



Discarding the ones you loved but did not work.



Not operating from your ego or need to show cleverness but what is required, what is right, what is created from the head but finds its way to your heart.



Over time - say 10-15-20 years - this starts coming to you naturally. Whether you are a musician, an artist, a writer or a copywriter.



And yes, if the System does not allow you to work in this way, you do what Agnello did. Your Own Thing. It is tough and hassly for creative people to become entrepreneurs (looking into finances and whatnot is a dull distraction from creative work!). But it is worth it.



I hope there are more Taproots, more Agnellos, more unmundane advertising. Until then the remote control is your only saviour from sufferance and 7 day hairfall challenges. And impossibly shiny hair, whiter than white teeth and skin.



Creatively created on Planet Photoshop!