Kush Srivastava's Blog, page 27

Small yet Great!

What better way to begin my morning than by seeing a very inspiring video that one of my friends happened to send me last night! I am sure many of you have already seen the same.

The video that I am talking about is of Novak Djokovic, the tennis player from Serbia, where he allows one of the ball boys to share the same seat as his, at a time when the match got stalled due to rain and offers him his racquet along with a drink. 

Such small gestures speak a volume about the kind of person he is. Everyone knows that he is a celebrity in the sporting world, but to demonstrate such a humble nature is indeed one of the traits that every successful person should learn from the man.

Now, success is such a relative concept. A rickshaw puller is more successful than say a beggar. A shopkeeper is more successful than a rickshaw puller and so on. How wonderful it would be if every relatively successful person becomes kind and humble towards the next person below him in this chain.

Don’t you think it would lead to increased cumulative happiness quotient in this world? Don’t you think the kind of street fights/rage we have over small traffic incidents will come to a halt? Don’t you think the world would become a kinder place to live in? Don’t you think we all would become better individuals if we are able to imbibe this little yet huge thing in our demeanor?

Certainly it would lead to a better world and indeed we would be able to provide a better future for generations to come. I guess that’s what sustainable living is all about.

So, guys out there. What are you all waiting for? Let’s start this from today itself. The next person you meet in this chain below yourself, do remember this post of mine and do remember to experience the wonderful feeling after you end up doing good deeds in life.

Source for Image:  http://www.themarketingbureau.co.nz/_blog/Stories/post/More_Important_To_Be_Kind_Than_Clever/,  http://articles.exchristian.net/2009/12/false-humility.html

The Crappy Interview!

It is believed that the toughest part and the most subjective of all for any sort of examination is the last and final stage which everyone in the World seem to call “the interview”.

Well, most of the times the guys from IITs or IIMs tend to believe that they are big shots and want to be treated in high regards, but sometimes the breed and the likes of the very same can be on the receiving end and below I take great pleasure in illustrating one such incident where an IITian cum IIMian (if I can call him so) (G) found himself to be on the receiving end of the scheme of things that ensued after he happened to step into a room where the factory manager (FM) was eagerly waiting for him.

“May I come in, Sir?”—-G

“Yes, of course. Please have a seat.”—FM

“Thank you, Sir.”—-G

“Well, I won’t ask you questions like tell me something about yourself, because I know you will give me the crappy stuff that you have done and I personally won’t be impressed by what you have to say, just because I am different from the other morons who try to bask in the glory of the past and forget the task at hand and indeed the future ahead. So I will come straight to the point.”—–FM

“Sure, Sir.”—G 

“Ok, since you have got the point that it doesn’t matter who you are, what you have done in the past, considering that you don’t have any prior experience working in a factory, give me one good reason as to why should you be hired?”—-FM

“Sir, yes I haven’t had the experience of working in a factory, but my credentials speak a volume…”—-G 

“Again you are giving me a crappy answer. I told you I am not interested in your tags that you have happened to achieve during your so called illustrious academic career. What I am interested in knowing is how on earth can you increase my revenues?”—-FM

“Sir, for that I will have to look at the processes and the implementation of the same in your factory.”—-G

“See, that’s the problem with you A League people. You come here for an interview without knowing about the set up and believing that you would be able to do practically anything on this planet. Such arrogance, I must say, will lead to your downfall. And that’s the precise reason why you guys end up doing some silly 9-5 job. By the way, have you ever thought of opening your own firm or a factory?”—-FM

“Not really, Sir. May be after a while when I am experienced enough.”—-G

“See, the kind of answers you are giving. Such low risk-taking ability is a killer when it comes to a career. What will you do after gaining experience, sit on it all day long. You got to take risks in life if you want to achieve something big. Yes, if you don’t have any ambition what so ever then it is alright to think like what you are thinking. By the way, where do you see yourself, say ten years down the line.”—FM

“Sir, I didn’t think about it. I have no clue. Now since, you have asked me to, I would indeed give it a thought.”—-G

“No aim in life, no ambition, no risk-taking ability, no sense of responsibility, no vision, why do you think I should hire you?”—-FM

“Sir, just because, if I had all the above, I won’t be sitting here asking you for a job and just because of all people in the world, the benchmarks that you have created might be too high for 99.99999% of the people and I am the best pick that you can have from the remaining 0.00001%.”—-G

“Well done, good answer. See, now you are talking. You need to leave that “please give me a job” attitude. You need to come out in the open showing your true self. By the way, you are hired. I want to see you tomorrow 9 am sharp :)”—-FM

“Thank you so much, Sir.”—G

Well, not the conventional of interviews that tend to go on and on talking about the credentials and how wonderful one is. But indeed an eye opener for the aspirants who tend to go to any level and go on compromising just because they want a job.

What can be seen in the corporate world today is implicit exploitation of the job seekers and employees, just because the company bosses know that they will not come out in the open with their grievances. Imagine a guy working from 10 am to 2 am in an investment bank. He doesn’t even realize the kind of health problems that he will surely get in terms with in future.

Well, you can argue that it is his sweet will to chose such a profession. Indeed it is, but that doesn’t give any company a right to exploit people.

So, all people out there, who are working in corporate sector, if you feel exploited or if you feel that your company is taking undue advantage, then come out in the open and speak against the same; for it is this very attitude that will help you take big strides and indeed will prove to be a harbinger for happiness and success.

Source for Image:  http://todaycut.com/customer-relationship-manager-interview-questions-and-answers/, http://www.adeptresources.com/blog/how-to-stand-out-in-the-interview

The Modi Wave!

It is not often that you get a chance to have a conversation on politics, considering that you are sharing space with 4 other persons, all eagerly marching towards the Dhikaala gate of the Jim Corbett National Park.

What amazes me the most is that instead of me writing about my experience of the entire jungle safari, here I feel compelled more to share the wonderful thoughts of a learned gentleman (G) who happened to sit next to me in this beautiful journey on a topic which has become the most popular in recent times.

“You are coming here for the first time?”—-G

“Yes, uncle, how about you?”—-Me

“No, I have come here before. You see I have plenty of time on my hands having retired from my job, unlike you youngsters who are busy with their own lives and need to take out time from your busy schedules.”—-G

“That’s true, uncle.”—-Me

“I don’t know whether it is the right time to discuss NaMo, as you youngsters like to refer to the man, still would like to know your opinion on the wave that everyone seems to be talking about.”—-G

“Uncle, I feel today’s India certainly need a change in the way the things are being run by the state machinery and hence a need for better government. If NaMo does what he says then surely things will head in the right direction for a country like ours.”—-Me

“So, you support Modi?”—-G

“More than the person, I support the vision, though I have certain reservations about whether he would be able to do so in a country as big as ours.”—-Me

“I have heard this many times before from youngsters as yourself and every time I feel like narrating a story which I happened to be a part of.”—G

“I am all ears Uncle :).”—-Me

“Well, a couple of months back, I went to Gujarat to attend my niece’s wedding. On one of the days that I happened to be there, I thought of taking a stroll down at 11′o clock in the night, not very far from a highway, where the house in which the wedding was taking place, was situated. I have a bad habit of losing my way as I tend to venture out far away and on this occasion it was no different. I had left my cell phone in the house, so had no one to call to. I decided that the only way left was to seek help, as I vaguely remembered the address.

As I was trying to figure out whom to talk to for help, I saw two teenage girls discussing their examination paper on a bus stop, with one sitting on a scooty and the other waiting for her bus. As I approached the girls, one of them asked, “What happened uncle? You are looking lost!”. After informing them about my situation, the girls informed me of the bus number that would take me straight to the place I was looking for.

As I sat on one of the benches on the bus stop, the girl with the scooty noticed my anxious face and came up to me,”Uncle, if you give me 5 minutes, I will drop you myself after solving this numerical.” to which I happily agreed and she did drop me to my place afterwards.

Now, of all places that you have visited in India, can you name a few where you would find the girls feeling safe while venturing out after 10 pm at night and talking to a stranger? I am sure you wouldn’t be able to name many. If we were to go by stats, Gujarat has a very low crime rate. Even if one were to question the very credibility of the crime numbers; there is no denying the fact that crime has not taken its toll in Gujarat.

If we were to talk of the water availability, it is available in remotest of areas in Gujarat. The roads are a beauty. On the industrial and infrastructural front, Gujarat has made tremendous progress. I have even heard that in order to improve the governance in the state, Modi routinely talks to the big shots in the bureaucracy and ensures that they remain grounded and on their toes in their service to mankind.

The man certainly has a vision but more than the vision he has the knack of fulfilling the same. If he can do it in one state, I strongly believe that he can do so in other states as well, if given a chance. Yes, it is my belief and a desire but it is founded on strong fundamentals.”—-G

And then the gentleman went on to describe the characteristics of the extremely generous Gujaratis whom he happened to meet on his visit along with the delicacies that formed very much a part of his visit to Gujarat.

I was pleasantly surprised to see the kind of effect this whole Modi Wave has generated. The people are hopeful. As we witness the great turnaround in the fortunes of the political parties, the focus is surely going to shift on what Mr. Modi will do in the coming 6-7 months after becoming the PM of our country.

They say, where there is a will, there is a way and where there is a way, things surely come to a fitting conclusion. All in all, after seeing the results that are coming our way, the only thing that I can hope for is for Mr. Modi to perform and that will determine whether India has truly voted for the betterment of our country.

Source for Image: 

Past, Present, Future!

Most say that past is already gone by, so one need not worry about it. Future is something that no one can figure out what, when, how and why; so it is futile worrying about it. Present is the only thing that one believes has control over and this needs to be taken care of.

Well, many would share the same thought process as stated above. But are we really detached from our past? What about the consequences of things we have done in our past? Don’t they tend to haunt us in our present and in some ways act as a determinant for the future?

This World is indeed a small place. Not very long ago, I met a guy in a public transport who happened to belong to the minority group in our country and with whom I happened to have the most iconic of conversations, which I had already mentioned in one of my posts earlier.

And today, I happened to meet the same guy (G), in a clinic which I happened to visit today. Such was the mutual admiration that we recognized each other in the very first instance itself.

“Hey, how are you doing? Long time.”—-G

“Good, how have you been?”—-Me

“See, again we are meeting at a time when the elections are just a couple of days from now and again we, as in the minority community are being wooed to the core in order to get as many votes from us. What an irony! Again we will be left alone just after the elections only to be catered to again when the next general elections would be announced.”—-G

“Hmm! So you aren’t going to vote this time around?”—-Me

“You give me one good reason that I should cast my vote. Past has taught me not to trust the political parties and the candidates they give party tickets to. Present teaches me that I should not repeat the past by casting my vote for the wrong person and future looks as dim as the past with all the false promises that the political parties have got so used to giving.”—-G

“Ya, but this time around, if you don’t like any of the candidates than you can opt for NOTA.”—-Me

“Yes, that might be the only saving grace for the people who choose to cast their vote knowing the credentials of the people standing in the elections. But the issue here is that more often than not, people don’t tend to take interest in knowing the credentials of the respective candidates and end up voting for a particular person just because an influential member in our community tells them about the same.”—-G

“But, aren’t they exposed to the various advertisements and tv shows like Satyamev Jayate, where a guy from your own community tells you to be prudent while casting your vote and whether these don’t have any impact what so ever on the people?”—-Me

“Well, it does to a certain extent. But once these shows go offline, the impact goes on decreasing as the days go by. Moreover the people are not interested in choosing the right candidate per se but are more interested in choosing a candidate who will be able to solve their problems, whether legitimate or not is a different issue altogether. I doubt whether this election would be any different from what has happened in the past.”—G

I had no option but to cut short my conversation with the man, as the doctor in the clinic was ready to meet him and he bid me goodbye.

As I drove back, I wondered whether the past is so deeply engraved in minds of certain sections in our country, that they are not being able to find a way to move on from the same and are not yet prepared to modify their present in order to get a brighter and better future for themselves and for their generations to come.

Source for Image:  http://www.northshorehypnosis.com/PastLifeRegression.htm

The Feedback!

How many out there really believe in having an honest feedback from the person you are providing services to or from any shubh chintak whose intention might be to bring about a positive change in the way you do things?

Well, considering the amount of hard work that one puts in implementing something coupled with the harsh realities of life that everyone seems to be dealing with at every moment of their lives, not many would want to be questioned for a task which they take great pride in implementing.

Recently, I came across a very agitated conversation that ensued in a restaurant  between the chef (C) and an anonymous person (P) who happened to visit the restaurant hoping he would get what he expected.

“So, how do you find the food?”—–C

“I will be honest with you chef. Actually, what I was expecting was a more spicy and tasty prawn dish. I guess it has a western taste which we Indians don’t like so much. It is a little too simple and plain to my liking.”—-P

“I appreciate your feedback, Sir. Let me modify it a bit and get back to you.”—-C

Great response from the chef, isn’t it? And then after sometime he came back along with the dish.

“Sir, I have made it more spicy. Please taste it and tell me whether you like it or not.”—-C

“Ya, certainly an improvement. But still, it is not meeting my expectations. You see, when I taste the prawns alone it tastes blunt. The juice has really not penetrated inside the prawns and that’s the reason why it is tasting so blunt.”—P

“Sir, with all due respect, have you have had a chance to eat authentic Chinese food in your past?”—-C

“Yes, of course. It is not the first time.”—-P

“By the looks of it, Sir, it doesn’t seem so. And let me tell you, we are the finest Chinese restaurant in the city, and you are questioning our best dish, which we take great pride in serving, which in turn makes me believe that you haven’t developed the taste for it. May be you can try some Indian Chinese stuff being served in other restaurants and not the authentic Chinese dishes that we serve in our restaurant.”—-C

“What kind of response is this? Can I talk to your manager?”—-P

“You can talk to anyone you want. I don’t care. Moreover he will also tell you the same.”–C

A fight of sorts ensued which ended in the manager being called, who tried to restore peace in the restaurant after a much deserved apology that the person wished to be coming his way.

Later on, I came to know that the anonymous person happened to be related to a political family in the state and as a consequence the chef was fired for his bad mannerisms.

Somehow, the professionalism seems to be lacking among the service providers. Many a times, instead of accepting their mistakes or taking feedback in a positive manner, many service providers go in a defensive mode and end up straining their relationships with their clients which could even lead to a chain effect resulting in loss of other prospective clients, which they could have got, courtesy the strength of the word of mouth that in today’s World, seems to propagate even faster than the speed of light, thanks to the technology revolution.

So, for any service provider, it is extremely important to value client’s feedback and take measures to improve upon the same as in this competitive market scenario, one got to have that edge as compared to the others competing in the same field, and a good customer service division could be a great niche to possess.

Source for Image:  http://vecto.rs/design/vector-of-a-cartoon-couple-dining-at-a-restaurant-outlined-coloring-page-by-ron-leishman-19374, http://www.mybuzzmarketing.com/service-provider.php

Shopping Wopping!

I would want to believe that majority of guys don’t like shopping when it comes to your wives and girlfriends dragging you to the market place especially after a plethora of emotional dialogues and blackmail, and leaving you with no other choice but to comply to their sweet will.

Some of you might toe in line and pretend to like the very idea thinking that since you are already there, you might as well enjoy the entire experience. The rest, on the other hand, would crib and act as if they are going through the torture of their lives, making it sure that the girlfriend or the wife comes to know about the same and hoping that they wouldn’t be dragged from next time around, but little do they realize they would not only become a punching bag for their better halves on reaching home but would also have to go through a hell lot of serious torture while trying to provide a proof of your love towards your better half.

Intelligent are those who tend to pretend liking the entire shopping experience as they are then treated by their better halves in the most wonderful and sensual of mannerism which any guy could die for.

Does it mean that every guy should try to alter the very core of their personalities and start liking shopping? Well, not really but surely you should at least give it a thought and try to fall in the former category in case you want your love life to remain peaceful at all times.

But won’t it mean compromising too much? Wasn’t it meant to be a give and take relationship? Wasn’t it meant to be a mutually desirable and pleasurable experience?

If you guys out there are wondering about all the above questions, then you are true to the core persona, but little do you realize that when you tend to enter into a relationship, it is 90% of the time that women have a knack of making you do what you might least want to do, considering the kind of manipulation power and in turn intelligence that they seem to be born with.

I wonder why women have a stereotypical view of being called stupid and are labelled such by our society. If anyone in this world has a doubt regarding whether they are or not, might want to think about it again after giving recognition to the wonderful knack that they have developed in pursuing a guy to toe to their will.

Well, this is just one perspective and it would be unfair on my part, if I fail to present the views of the fairer sex on the same.

For a girl, shopping is equivalent to a lifeline that they get in return for what all they go through during their life. It is similar to a guy’s lifeline of say watching IPL or any sports or pursuing any particular hobby that is so near and dear to him.

It surely makes them happy. A guy would wonder why and how spending nearly half the guy’s income can make anybody happy, but the truth is, that it does for majority of the girls. After all, it is about maintaining a certain level of happiness quotient in life, which they do so by indulging in shopping. Not to mention that there are indeed mature souls on this planet who take a different view altogether and who spend only when there is enough to spend and do not dive into a careless spree of buying anything and everything that comes to their mind.

Recently, I happened to be talking to one such mature lady, a relative (R) of mine (M), with whom I happened to have a wonderful conversation regarding shopping.

“You know, it feels really nice when my husband asks me to go out with him to the market place. It does not necessarily mean that I would spend money but just the idea of my husband taking care of my feelings and giving what I want a consideration makes me happy.”—–R

“Yes, I can understand. It feels that the other person cares for you.”—-M

“Ya, absolutely! Also, I like seeing new things. I like witnessing the kind of fashion that is prevalent now a days. I like to do window shopping more than actually going out there and buying every possible item I can think of. It is also about spending some quality time with your husband which you normally don’t get a chance because you are so engrossed in your daily routine and don’t find time for such activities. It is very much a break for all ladies.”—-R

“True. And everyone desires a change from the monotony that ensues courtesy the kind of Indian society we all happen to live in, where the woman in the house, at least from your generation is expected to get up everyday in the morning and is expected to take care of all the needs of not only the husband and children but also the entire family, ranging from grandfather to brother-in-laws, especially in a joint family.”—-M

“Ya, and see how wonderfully we do this job, without any complaints and with full devotion. It looks pretty easy but can be really taxing and tiring. No man can take on such a responsibility because they are not made that way by God. I guess he had special plans when it came to taking care of the family needs and every woman of my generation should take great pride in the things we do.”—-R

“True, and hats off to all the ladies and my mother for having done so for so long.”—-M

“Ok, you tell me. Men call it a give and take relationship. So, for what we do, don’t we deserve an evening out with the man in our lives, where we can get to enjoy buying new things, which by the way, most of the times are related to the needs of the family and the household. So it is not that we are always buying something for ourselves. We buy keeping in mind everything that might be required by the family. In a way, we are still on duty keeping every little thing in our mind at all times and ensuring that everyone remains happy in our house. After hearing all this, you tell me, whether it is too much a demand that our husbands always seem to crib about?”—-R

Well, I had no answer to the last question that she asked and I seemed a totally transformed person after the entire conversation. Indeed the woman of our lives does take care of all the things that we can possibly think of. In different roles whether it be of a daughter, or a wife or a mother, she tends to fulfill every little expectation that the society has from her. Doesn’t she deserve a better treatment from all the guys?

Come on, guys! It is not much that is being asked of you. And I am sure that all of us are capable of doing much better in life :).

Source for Image:  http://creoleindc.typepad.com/ranting..., http://www.thymegraphics.co.uk/produc..., http://www.vectorstock.com/royalty-fr...

The First Time!

There is always a first time for everything, whether it be your first friend that you make in your life or whether it be your first day at school. For the past couple of days, I have come across numerous posts on facebook where my friends and batch mates have gone on to display their photos showing a mark of ink on their fingers and feeling proud that they have voted for the first time in their lives.

It is great to see such an unprecedented election fever catching up among the youth who are keen on seeing a change in the way our country is being governed. They wish to see principles of good governance being brought into practice in every government department, whether it be applying for a passport or getting a driving license made.

Where on one hand, I could see several posts claiming victory on having voted in this election, on the other hand, I could see several posts with people blaming the government for not being able to provide them with their voter card on time due to which they could not cast their vote.

Some were upset because they didn’t become a part and parcel of the waves that have been in focus for the past couple of months, whether it be NaMo or RaGa, not to forget that AAP has its own following among the lower-middle class who feel cheated by the system and who feel that corruption is the root cause of maladministration and a one stop solution to all their problems.

The credit for NaMo wave in turn can very much be attributed to the persona of a man, who is being talked of in really high terms. He is being predicted as a saviour for all communities and a reincarnation of Lord Krishna.

AAP has been running high on the responsible shoulders of Arvind Kejriwal, an IITian turned bureaucrat turned politician who is believed to have lived in an extremely upright and honest manner and is believed to be another reincarnation who can get rid of this corruption menace.

RaGa wave seems to be the weakest right now, though it might be an illusion considering that there has been a section in our society who can truly be called the loyalists who never seem to forget their duty of remaining true to the party.

Somehow, the very aspect of pitching a person in divine terms seems to be disturbing to the core as we Indians have got into a habit of depending on our destinies more than having faith and ability in ourselves.

Somehow, I don’t like the idea of people getting influenced by one-man-ideology whether it be NaMo, RaGa or AK. One must always remember that though the individual credentials might be really good, the tickets that are offered by the respective parties are based on political compulsions of being able to win the seat in that particular constituency, which might lead to tickets being given to people with criminal antecedents.

What we want in our Legislature, are people with extremely upright credentials and people who can live up to the expectation of the people in our country. So, while voting, whether it be NaMo, or RaGa or AK you got to remember that individual credentials matter more than the persona of any particular leader.

Though it is great to see people coming out in numbers and voting, what worries me is the fact whether they are casting their vote responsibly and on the basis of the credentials of the people who have been given tickets by different political parties.

Source for Image:  http://www.stereogum.com/1318152/dre-skull-first-time-feat-popcaan-purity-rings-megan-james/mp3s/, http://makerculture.pbworks.com/w/page/20123148/Episode%205%20-%20%20Politics%20-%20Final%20Copy

2 States in my family!

Chetan Bhagat is one guy who has inspired not only me but so many budding writers who wanted to write but could never take that courage to delve into the same, courtesy the kind of remuneration that the industry offers and courtesy the kind of success rate associated with the same.

His inspiration has not been limited to his breed and has instead gone much beyond the same, courtesy the kind of books he has written which has made a significant impact on the lives of so many, not only in India but also across the seven seas.

And one such person happens to be my very own sister-in-law (saali) who would soon get married to a Tamil guy, hailing from the same college as hers. Courtesy, 2 States, the world has become much more open to accepting the concept of getting married in a different caste, religion or region.

On my part, I am extremely excited that I would get a chance to witness the much awaited 2 States like wedding taking place in my in-laws house in a few days time. The concept of two families hailing from two totally different backgrounds and having totally different perceptions would be seen coming together to have a consensus on a common issue.

The excitement seems to have caught everyone in the family, with my brother-in-law even contemplating getting dressed in a lungi, similar to the likes of the bridegroom and my sister-in-laws all set to adorn kerala style sarees. 

How wonderful it would be if the two parties to the contract decide to get dressed in a manner suited to the likes of the other party, with the Tamil family dressing in a North Indian style and the north Indian family dressing in a Tamil attire!

If this is not the real manifestation of unity in diversity, then I wonder what is! Wouldn’t it be amazing if the entire world could take a cue from such examples of unison and get motivated to drive away the enmity and conflicts evolving from regionalism?

Wouldn’t it be nice to see the next generation getting a chance to experience both cultures at home and imbibing values that are extremely essential when it comes to the unity and integrity of our country?

Being an ardent Shahrukh Khan fan that I am, I would want to see much more of such marriages taking place in our country.

May be what the government in our country and an amendment in the Special Marriage Act has not been able to accomplish so far, can be achieved by a concept which has become part and parcel of every person who happen to be living in this territory which we all refer to as India. 

Source for Image:  http://entertainment.oneindia.in/bollywood/movies/2-states/wallpapers.html

Optimizing Corruption!

A couple of months back I came across an email from the Alumni Association mentioning the probable contenders for this year’s Satyendra Dubey Memorial Award. If you are wondering who Satyendra Dubey was, let me tell you that he was an IITian and an officer in the Indian Engineering Service (IES) who was eliminated from this system as he proved to be a roadblock for those who wanted to exploit this system to their advantage.

If you are wondering why suddenly I am referring to him, then it is because both; him and myself had one thing in common which is that we are civil engineers. And recently I came across a guy from the same breed of civil engineers who happened to apply for a job of an engineer in one of the construction companies.

Though, it is no hidden truth that we all happen to be living in a system where everything ranging from getting your passport made to applying for a gas connection requires a common man to fill the pockets of those granting the same in order to get what they legitimately deserve to have, yet when it happens to come out as blatantly as it did in the interview that ensued between the company representatives (CR) and this guy (G) one cannot help but wonder whether corruption has become such an integral part of our lives that a point has come where one cannot get rid of it at any point of time in one’s lives.

“Hello G! I can see on your resume that you have had an excellent academic record, you are from the likes of IIT, so there is no need to talk to you about technical things. But one thing that I would want to test you on is whether you are pragmatic enough to handle the situations that arise while working in the field. Are you ready?”——CR

“Of course, Sir. I am.”—G

“Good. Then I would want you to answer a question for me. Say, you are in charge of implementing a project and you come across a serious issue while supervising the project that the contractors are not using the same kind of concrete mix which is required as per the standards and are instead using a formula which will help them get maximum profits. What will you do in such a scenario?”—-CR

“Sir, I will first of all stop the work and will come and report to the office of what is happening in the field.”—G

“See, that was the exact reply that I was expecting from you. Very correct to the core. But this is not what we expect you to do. What we want you to do instead is to carry on with the work at the same time ensuring that the safety aspect is not compromised. In short, let the contractor do what he is up to, your responsibility will be to take care of the safety within the parameters that have been set by the contractor. For that if you need to compromise on the durability aspect you can do so, for in the end the maintenance contract will again come to us, and then we can repair it and keep the cycle going on forever.”—-CR

“You are kidding, right, Sir?”—-G

“Well, that is my only complaint with institutes like IIT. They do teach you all the fundamentals and theories but they don’t teach you anything about the reality and how you will be able to survive in this system. It is a pity that a talented guy like you is looking for jobs just because you are totally unaware of the system and its reality. May be it is high time they start teaching you the pragmatic part as well.”—–CR

If you are now wondering whether G got his job, then I must tell you that G preferred to walk out of the interview instead and is still looking for a job where he could get a chance to make use of all the things he has learnt in an honest and legitimate manner.

This is not only true for the construction industry but for all the sectors, though the kind and form may vary depending on the dynamics of that particular sector. Wherever one goes, one needs to become a part of the system, otherwise either he is called a loser of simply stupid person, for not being able to cope up with the pressures and demands that this system presents to us.

Every modern chanakya will tell you that you got to be a part of the system if you wish to bring about a change in this very system. In every high profile interview that you happen to appear for, be it the civil services examination or any other PSU, you might be lucky enough to get a lecture from those who consider them as part of the system on how you got to become an integral part of the system in order to bring about a change in the system.

Sometimes, I wonder, though, whether becoming a part of the system in itself is equivalent to giving a go ahead or an approval to the fact that very little can be done in case you choose to remain honest and in case you want to tread your own path and if you dare to do so, you should be mentally and physically prepared to meet all the challenges that will come your way courtesy of you being an honest officer.

But it is true as well that if you are not able to enter the system then you won’t have a chance at all of making some difference to the way things are being conducted in our system. The better way would be to indeed work towards getting into this system and trying to live by the values and principles that could make both you and your family proud.

The choice is yours whether you want to join the herd who try to optimize corruption to their advantage or instead stand alone in this crowd and take on those who take great pride in doing acts of corruption. The only glitch may be that such honest people seem to be in a minority with majority joining the herd as that seems to be the easiest option.

Rest assured that there will be consequences, there will be times when you will feel down and out, there will be moments when you will feel like toeing in the line, but it will be your courage and desire to shape a better future for your children alone, which will carry you forward in this journey of creating a World of your dreams.

Source for Image:  http://adminfinance.umw.edu/parking/construction/ , http://technorati.com/women/article/l...

The Consequence!

Those who love to watch cricket and those who are forced to watch it just because their boy friends or husbands suddenly seem to become more interested in the other love of their lives, might have noticed a tagline: “one over will change the World“.

Though I can go on talking about the game and the master himself, yet I would not do the same, instead would want to take you to another aspect of the tag line and would want to make little modification in the same: “one incident/decision will change your World“. 

There can be many broad interpretations of the tagline that I have used above. It could be related to the much awaited and much talked about topics in recent times, politics, with slogans ranging from NaMo to RaGa coming to the fore. And yes, one vote does make a difference and one election outcome does make governments topple (so go out there and cast our vote for it is not only your right but also your duty to do so).

It could be related to the economy of the World and in turn India, which due to globalization and other similar forces has become increasingly linked to the decisions being made in the international arena. One decision of the federal bank in US of withdrawing the stimulus that it has been offering for a considerable period of time, just after the financial crisis, is surely going to have a significant impact on the economy of not only India but also all the developing countries.

It could be manifested in international relations among countries fighting over different natural resources present Worldwide. If US and in turn NATO were to carry on with the sanctions on Russia over the issue of Ukraine, it needs no Einstein to declare that we might once again be treading the path to the much talked about event in the history of international politics, the cold war. Sometimes, I wonder whether the end of the cold war was just a hoax to make sure that the cold war (which in itself was not a direct confrontation and in a sense secret) could be carried in a pseudo-secretive manner.

It could be manifested in the society that we all, willingly or unwillingly happen to be a part of. One decision, such as getting married out of your caste or with a person belonging to a different religion, could bring doomsday to the lives of the couples, who dare to go beyond the caste system and the Khap panchayat which seems to function in a different world altogether, and which seems not to be bound by our own Constitution and the laws thereof, which are supposed to provide security to every citizen of this country.

At personal level, it could also be related to the various decisions that you take at various points in your life, ranging from the choice between Biology and Mathematics after high school to what career path you ultimately decide to pursue; from going for a love or arranged marriage to making a choice between living in India or abroad and so on.

If we were to tread deeper into our own nano-World and were to explore at the micro level, one decision made during that night when say you were partying at your friend’s place and decided to go for a drive when you were all drunk and happened to have met an accident could indeed bring about a huge change in your life. I guess that’s why our forefathers were so keen on voicing the precautionary principle. 

Whatever it might be, every decision and every little step that we take in our lives has a consequence, which makes me wonder whether we are just a cog in this machine of the consequential life that we all happen to be living.

Sounds depressive to the core? Yes, but what I intend to convey here is not some silly depressive thought but a possibility that we can all bend this consequential life in our favour by ensuring that whatever decisions we make in our lives are first of all based on rationality and secondly even if the rationality happens to go wrong, then too we must always try to maintain a positive mindset which will help us all in handling those unwanted situations and circumstances that we all happen to find ourselves in at some point of time in our respective lives.

Thus, it is absolutely essential for all of us to take the consequences (both positive and more so negative) in our respective strides and keep evolving and learning from the same, during this journey of life. This reminds me of the famous song:

“किसी  की  मुस्कुराहटों पे हो निसार किसी का दर्द मिल सके तो ले उधार, 

किसी के वास्ते हो तेरे दिल में प्यार, जीना इसी का नाम है. “

Source for Image:  http://www.rkdf.ac.in/Result.php, http://blog.theravid.com/physical-therapy-2/physical-therapy-marketing-consumer-decision-making-process/