The Battle Ends...

The battle has come to an end…an end which was unavoidable one but surely not the desired one. It lasted for past two years. That brave man fought it till his last breath…and ultimately succumbed to death. The battle was against Cancer and the brave man, who eventually lost it, was my Krishna kaka… with him everybody associated with lost something…His wife lost her life partner…his 7 year old daughter and 2 year old son lost their dad and we lost a gem of a person who taught us that giving up was never an option.

In his battle, Cancer took away his immunity, strength, his peace of mind and what not. But one thing which remained intact was his willingness to live. He wanted to live…And in doing so he left no stones unturned...

He will remain in our hearts forever…next time I come across any problem, I am just going to remember one thing…If Krishna kaka fought with death I can surely fight with these trivial ones…Coz, Giving up is never an option…

May Krishna kaka rest in peace and his family get strength to recover from this mighty loss.

Solitude

I always used to see this word as one fancy term…A term which describes loneliness in rather fashionable manner. But that was only till the time I came across its real meaning. I started coming across instances which made this word even clearer and dearer to me. So here I am, sharing my perceptions and definitions of the word ‘Solitude’…

When you are in a mood to share something with your friends/family/colleagues…you start telling them enthusiastically only to realize that they are too busy to lend a ear…and you stop abruptly…you suddenly feel alone…that’s solitude.

When you get some good news about a friend and you feel that every friend of yours should know this to share your joy. You call up each one of them share that news only to know that they already knew it and did not tell you assuming you must be knowing it… that disappointment is solitude.

Its 8 pm and you are still in your office. Yes there is a lot of work. But it can be done the next day also. Still even after everybody has left, you are sitting alone in your office looking for more work…Amidst the empty cubicles you trying to burry yourself in work…that’s solitude.

Playing in sea…all your friends are enjoying it to the fullest. You drift away and watch them from a distance…as if you are not one of them…And drifting away looks like a preferable option to you. That craving to become invisible is solitude.

When you get plenty of time to think all by yourself and recollect all happy and sad times and you come up with different definitions of trivial words like solitude…believe me…its solitude.

I think everyone experiences the solitude at some point in life. Though it comes across as a gloomy and endless state, it’s unavoidable and at times it’s not that bad. For me, the feeling has a silver line as it just made me realize that I want to have someone, who is truly mine in life…seems only then I’ll stop finding new definitions of solitude.

On Our Wedding Days...

This one is for my gang...It may not make sense to others...but still... These days my group is expanding. Some have already got married and some are about to get married. So compiling some thoughts and ideas about how each one of us would act on his/her wedding day...
Every shaadi related discussion has to start with Venky...That's the rule you see.

Venky...post shaadi..khana khate waqt.."amazing khana yaar...--- worth hai bey...seriously yaar"
Viju...in between vidhis...stops panditji and asks..." tumhi kuthe rahta? Dombivalila? are waah :) mi pan dombivalila rahto..." panditji n viju continue talking on Dombivali leaving the bride confused...n if the bride is also from Dombivali tab to shaadi ka vidhi raha bajume...
Akshay...in between vidhis..with his stylish cam clicks pics of bride...pandit and everyone.. relieving photographer from his duties...
Kau...vidhis going on n suddenly ppl find out that groom is missing...dhundanke baad pata chalta hai the groom is on terrace enjoying beautiful scenic view and totally engrossed in thinking...
Nadu...vidhis going on...groom is there and everything else is missing :D post shaadi khana khate waqt bride ko gulabjam khilane ki baari aayegi tab nadu pehle ek khud khayega..ek use khila dega, fir uske haath se ek khayega and bolega "Uncle...2 gulabjam aur chaiye..."
Mani...in between vidhis...trying hard to keep a smiling face and thinking...kitna time chalega ye sab???
Chatu...fullll enthu...almost hopping in feras with joy...n bichme hi moonwalk bhi kar lega
Arun...sab acche bacchoke tarah vidhi follow karega...bride ko green lantern ka ring dega...and in between vidhis mails ko reply bhi karega "...'Sent from my BlackBerry' likhke...
Ram...will be in casuals..straight from the football ground and post shaadi lunch me will be seen eating all by himself than offering a bite to reks...
Amol...panditji tells him to do something and pande does it wrong way...instantly he realizes the mistake and bites his tounge....turns to bride n says.."OMG..bhari tadpa re mai..."
Neeta...all 7 feras in a time period of 3.5 feras...fast forward me
Suman...shaadi ke bich me panditji mantra bol rahe hai and jaise hi camera dikha suman mantra chhodke camera me dekhke smile kar rahi hai...
Shalu...shaadi ke baad ka khana...sab log khana khatm karke uthne ke liye ready n shalu fir bhi dheere dheere khana khatm kar rahi hai...
Ami...vidhi ke bich me..phone pe.."...haa kya? kya pakaya?? accha sun mai tujhe baad me call karti hu..meri na shaadi ho rahi hai abhi..."
Dips...while taking feras...somebody cracks a joke...may be on the lines of "..wo virus ko bahar nikal (3 idiots)..." and dhadaaaaamm...dips haste haste nich baith gayee in between feras...
Reks...reks spots one of us clicking picks and says..." areyy sunn...kisiko cam de de na..aur tu bhi aa ja pic me.." she may actually tell this to the photographer as well :)
Averil...father asking averil.." Do u take ___ as your lawfully wedded husband?" and averil taking her time while playing with her strands....thinking..thinking..n still thinking...until the guy shows all symptoms of nervous attack...
Saru...panditji asking her to repeat some mantras after him and she saying.."nahi nahi...mi evadhech mhananar..." and then keeping quite...
And in the end its me...in between vidhis..panditji tries to wind up the procedure by skipping some vidhis...n I give a nasty look to the pandit indicating "..u better complete all the vidhis...varna..."

कहानी

हर किसीकी अपनी एक कहानी होती है...
किसी की नयी तो किसी की पुरानी होती है...

हर एक की जिन्दगी में वोह हसीं मोड़ आता है
जब कोई एक अपनोसे भी अपना बन जाता है
भीड़ मे भी उसका चेहरा सबसे पहले दिखाई देता है
शोर में उसका हर लब्ज साफ़ सुनाई देता है
उससे जुडी हर बात मुह जबानी होती है
हर किसीकी अपनी एक कहानी होती है...

पर हर कहानी की एक फिदरत होती है
अचानाक से वो कोई नया मोड़ ले लेती है
खुशियोभरे पल पीछे छूटने लगते है
मायूसीमे न जाने फिर कितने घंटे कटते है
अब उसके खयालोके साथ साथ बिछड़नेकी आहट होती है
हर किसीकी अपनी एक कहानी होती है...

फिर दिन, महीने उसे याद करते बीत जाते है
अपनी कहानीकी किस्मत पर कभी आसू भी निकल आते है
पर आँसूओभरी कहानी तो अधूरी होती है
हसी ख़ुशी ख़त्म हो तो ही कहानी पुरी होती है
जिन्दगी में बस थोड़ी उम्मीद बढानी होती है...

हर किसीकी अपनी एक कहानी होती है
किसी की नयी तो किसी की पुरानी होती है...

Krishna Kaka-II

Some questions never come to your mind and one of those is ‘how does a man embracing death look like?’ Today I got the answer to this question which I never thought of. That person looks like Krishna kaka…Yes the same Krishna kaka about whom I wrote in my blog few months ago.

When Krishna kaka was diagnosed with cancer last year we all knew what was in store. But he decided to fight back. He has fought with this disease with utmost courage. But today he seemed vulnerable. His eyes have lost the shine which used to say a lot about his confidence. He is shifting his base to his native place where his wife is getting some job. He has accepted the fact that he is not going to live longer. In that case, his wife has to take care of household and their two children. This is one of those difficult moments when one has to choose between two equally important options. One option is to shift base to Kudal where his wife can start working. And the other is to stay in Mumbai for better treatment. He has chosen the 1st option which comes at the cost of his life. If he would have decided to stay in Mumbai for his treatment he would have foregone his family’s future financial security provisioning. And by choosing to shift to Kudal he has foregone his chances of living longer.

For the first time I feel like whatever I have learnt so far is so superficial. Having learnt about Game Theory (choosing the best possible option with minimum opportunity cost)in my favorite subject Economics, I always used to think if it applies in real life too…If everything comes with a ‘opportunity cost’(the cost of foregoing other option available). Now looking at Krishna kaka, I feel that the concept of opportunity cost couldn’t have been explained in a harder way than this.

If miracles do happen then I would like to see one in Krishna kaka’s case. But somewhere at the back of my mind I know that God is not going to fulfill this wish of mine…

25 Things I keep in my mind…

Every year this time around I indulge myself in memories. I can’t term it as introspection as such. Because it’s not about analyzing my deeds but I spend some time in recollecting some good as well as some not so good memories. And every year outcomes or I should say flow of outcome surprises me. Memories, things associated with them are almost same. But every year my point of view about them changes. And I keep learning something new out of them. I take forward those things as carried forward balance and try to amortize loss making propositions. (Blame it on the finance manager in me) Here I am trying to put forward 25 such things in no particular order. Why 25? Well… you can say I like that number :D

1. Use words carefully… they do wonders if used properly. And they can cost you big if you neglect their power.
2. Respect your professors… even if you don’t understand what your professor is teaching, don’t think that the professor doesn’t know how to teach. Patient listening of what he is trying to say will fetch you something or other.
3. Be on time… I know it doesn’t fit into our famous concept of Indian Standard Time. But it’s something which pleases the person you are meeting. One who respects time is respected by time.
4. Happiness and sorrows cannot be compared... Only because they cannot be measured. So there is nothing like “‘I am happier than you.” Or “My worries are more than yours” etc.
5. Understand your parents’ point of view… parents are protective about us. Try to slip in their shoes to understand why.
6. Keep quite when you lose temper… that saves you from hurting people around you by your words.
7. If something really bad is happening then stay assured that something really good is in making.
8. Sincere efforts can move the heaviest rock...There is nothing in this world which cannot be conquered with the help of sincere efforts.
9. Keep updating yourself with the things happening around you. It helps you in staying connected with the world.
10. Value every relationship in life...May it be personal or professional.
11. Don’t expect anything from friends and family... Unfulfilled expectations add bitterness to the relation.
12. Cherish the taste of food you eat. Feel it before you eat it. The fragrance you smell, the color you see and the taste you savor make the dish ever so special and leaves you satisfied after eating.
13. Ego and self-esteem are two different things... Ego hurts others and Self-esteem protects you from getting hurt by others.
14. Go an extra mile when you want to do something for your loved ones... That shows your level of affection towards them.
15. Know your audience...Not only while doing a presentation but also while sharing your thoughts and emotions.
16. Admire the beauty of nature... It makes you understand the depth of beauty in simplicity.
17. When you feel like giving up start working double harder...That’s what I have learnt from my IT professor. It helped a lot in every tough situation.
18. Know when to stop...Sometimes letting go is the necessity of an hour.
19. Never break anybody’s trust...It’s a kind of offense which can never be forgiven or forgotten.
20. Don’t judge people especially if you yourself don’t like to get judged.
21. Value your ethics... Stick to them even when giving up them seems an attractive option. It helps you standing tall when everything else falls apart.
22. No two people are same... So things which are applicable to one person may not suit the other person at all.
23. Listen to your friends in their down times... Even if you can’t help them in any other way, this can still be a great help.
24. Try to be perfect in everything in you do. But don’t get obsessed with the idea of perfection.
25. In company of friends don’t think about staying alone. And while you are alone don’t think that I should have got my friends with me now. Live more in every moment.

Thank you Mr. Modi

We often say that in India Cricket is not a game but it’s a religion of almost every Indian। There are other games too. But cricket has a quality to appeal masses and classes at the same time. Thanks to some of the greatest name in Indian cricket, parents have started seeing a budding Sachin, Saurav or Rahul in their kids. Such is the charisma of cricket in India.

The game has evolved over the period of time। From test cricket to one day cricket and now to 20-20 cricket… It seems like cricket is getting customized as per the needs of the viewers. It sounds like cola drink available in 1.5 lit, 500 ml and 200 ml bottles. All quench the same thirst. So in the market conditions where the supply would never be able to suffice the demand for the entertainment via cricket, Mr. Lalit Modi’s brainchild IPL came as a best selling product. BCCI being the richest sport’s governing body left no stone unturned for adding few more zeroes after one in their account. IPL gained a lot of fame and money as well in its 1st season. With some film star franchisees owning the teams, more glamour got added in the already glamorous game of cricket. The concept was indeed criticized for commercializing every aspect of the game. Some of the incidents like Kingfisher chief sacking RCB coach Venkatesh Prasad left a bitter taste in mouth of game supporters. Such incidents proved that business houses or film stars own teams to make money. They are not there for the love of game but all that matters to them is business. Heftily paid cricketers are bound to give good performance because at the end of the day, it’s all about money. What came in as a good part (which I doubt was the intention of the concept) was the exposure to local talent. India is full of cricket talents and everybody can’t make it to top 11 to play for India. So tournament like IPL provided them with the opportunity and people came to know about some young guns like Abhishek Nayar, Swapnil Asnodkar, and Manpreet Goni who outperformed some of the foreign players. So with all such pros and cons IPL indeed proved to be a profitable proposition and people actually started awaiting this year’s game.

BUT…this year’s IPL will remain in the memories of all cricket fans for some wrong reasons. First and foremost being venue shifting outside India. Was that really needed? Mr. Modi, Commissioner of IPL was unable to shift dates of matches. And Government of India was unable to provide full protection sighting the reason of general elections being held in the same period. So the home minister asked Mr. Modi to shift dates of matches in May to which Mr. Modi opposed saying it would result in losses to the sponsors. Was it really a reason or it was merely an EGO issue? I wonder if Mr. Modi did some scenario planning while fixing the dates. Few simple questions would throw some lights on this issue.

1. The sponsors such as Aircel, DLF, Vodafone, and Hero Honda are targeting which customer segment? Indian or foreign?
2. What is the forecast for footfall at the stadium for the matches if held in India and what it is if matches are held outside India? Was weather taken into the consideration?
3. What about the job opportunities and business opportunities which could have been created if IPL would have taken place in India?
4. Wouldn’t IPL have resulted in building better sports facilities with the help of investments from franchisees?
5. Are the franchisees happy with this whole new expensive shifting? Are the players happy? What about the players who were sent back under the name of cost cutting?
6. Does Mr. Modi really care what picture he is creating about India when he brags about how successfully he has managed to shift IPL to South Africa?

We all know answers to these questions, Don’t we?

Every project comes with a backup plan. It has to. That’s why we do scenario planning. But the biggest and one of the costliest projects doesn’t seem to have one such back plan. It’s the flexibility in the plan which assures success with minimum loss. So when Mr. Modi says that we cannot schedule IPL after general election, it doesn’t go down well with me.

IPL in May would have resulted in fewer cancellations. We wouldn’t have to settle with 10 over game because of rain. If shifting of dates would have caused losses to sponsors then aren’t the play cancellations causing losses? What about the very concept of IPL of playing at home venue and away venue? There is nothing like home team getting more support and thus the advantage. It seems Mr. Modi has agreed to alter the concept but not the ego.

Today when we see matches on our television, we do see South African fans turning up for matches and Mr. Modi and the franchisees (especially the Bollywood lot) getting overwhelmed by the response they are getting in foreign land. But do we feel the same? A Mumbai Indians match in a packed Mumbai stadium with crowd screaming “Surya….Surya” for Sanath Jaysurya, would have been a better sight to watch anytime. At the end of the day it’s the game of cricket which should remain unbeaten. No politics, no ego issues should hamper the game. We will enjoy matches on TV, we will scream and clap at home but we will be missing something for sure. And we should all thank Mr. Modi for missing that ‘something’.

So, thank you Mr. Modi.