I first met him through another common friend. His face always displayed the confidence of a “Scholar-to-be”. His dressing style was always unique. Always with a neatly pressed shirt, well polished shoes. Somewhere a connection was established and we soon started meeting each other at common friends’ house, get-togethers, outings, etc. After my graduation, I went on to do my Masters in Computer Applications from BU. The time had finally arrived. He would be my classmate soon. Knowing his amazing learning abilities, I was excited at the prospect of discussing subjects with him.

Our friendship blossomed like a beautiful flower. I would visit his house often and be the cynosure of his parents and sister. I was always treated like a king when I went there. On the other hand, my parents were glad that I got him for company, which meant that I would finally take my studies seriously. We had our fights, but made up with each other quickly. He was a born perfectionist. Punctuality was in-built in him. If I were to be 5 minutes late for an appointment, he would be upset.

He had the ability to solve a tough mathematical equation with a snap of the finger. He could multiply large numbers in his mind and leave the whole class stunned. He would borrow a book on Computers and get it back the very next day. On prodding him, he would say “I couldnt sleep well last night. So I completed this book. There is nothing much in it”. He would always leave me perplexed by his actions. I was always an average student. But he pushed me hard and challenged me to perform better.

He had pretty much become a part of our household. Friends and family would often ask me about his well being. Somewhere during the final year of our post-graduation we decided to work on a project together. We did a lot of home work for the project. We visited the airport together to understand the flight’s landing and take offs pattern, the way the ATC works, etc. My very own influential uncle, Mr KKB setup our meeting with a senior official at the Airport Authority of India. We were putting together a lot of material for this project, when he suddenly caught ill. He was not attending classes for more than a week when I went over to visit him on a Friday evening. He was down, but the enthusiasm was as always there. He convinced me that he would be back in a week’s time.

Sunday morning, 18th Jan 1998, once the special classes got over I returned home. Our classmate PV, called up to inform me that Umesh was no more. He had died of Brain Haemorrhage early that morning. It was a bolt from the blue. On Saturday his sister had informed me that the family physician had certified that he was fine. But just a day later, he had developed severe complications and before he could be operated, he had decided to move on. The irony was that a few years ago, his elder brother too had died of the same condition as a result of a head injury.

It was difficult to fathom his absence at first and took me a long time to come to terms. I still keep wondering he much he would have achieved by now, had his life not been cut short.

A Poem on the state of mind. Not necessarily mine!

Confusions in the mind
More than one path I find
What do I take forward?
What do I leave behind?

Each has its own strength
And weakness as well
One, an Invite to Heaven;
The other, a Warrant for Hell!

With seeds of doubt
Aroused in the head
I can’t close my eyes
When I get to bed

Friends and family say
Of late, I appear to be lost
Always cold by nature
But now bitten by frost

Hope this apathy ends
With me near my goal
I long to see myself
As one happy soul

The Delhi Police recently unveiled its security plans for the Commonwealth Games next year. We should sincerely appreciate their efforts in planning for the event in advance and putting all necessary measures into place. In wake of the recent terror attacks in India, the participating nations would definitely be keen to understand the Delhi Police’s plans.  Whilst it is a good practice to call for a press conference to announce these measures to the media and the security agencies, what I don’t seem to understand is the need for the media to publish the security measures in such detail. Have a look at the link below for this article. It talks about the levels of security that the Delhi Police plan to implement.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Delhi-Police-unveil-security-plan-for-Commonwealth-Games/articleshow/5139212.cms

Isn’t this rather unnecessary?

Why would you want to publish the plans in such detail?

Why can’t these be maintained confidentially?

Aren’t we giving all necessary information to these anti-social elements, anti-national activists for them to plan better?

The media certainly needs to ponder over these questions, before its too late.

This post is a book review that I did for Business World.  It was published in Business World Online edition in Aug 2008 (http://www.businessworld.in/index.php/Books/More-Than-A-Pitch-Report.html).

Businesses and executives these days are in luck. They are getting (almost) free advice on applying knowledge from various streams of life to the corporate environment. Aussie cricket coach John Buchanan’s If Better Is Possible is case in point.

Buchanan offers valuable insight into the Aussie dressing room as he attempts to redefine the role a coach plays and draws analogies between the roles of national team coach and a corporate leader. Filled with many anecdotes from his tenure as a coach with Queensland Bulls and later on with Australian men’s cricket team, Buchanan has shaped his book into a handy guide not just for anyone aspiring to train a team but also for any executive aspiring to be a manager.

With 37 chapters dwelling on his life as a coach Buchanan shares his views on how strategies on the playground can be applied within the boardroom. For instance, Buchanan explains his views on how a coach or manager should regularly challenge the team and take them to where they have never been before. He reiterates the importance of communication, the need to plan, prepare a vision and strategise to ensure success. Buchanan also talks about the importance of having proper systems and processes in place not just to create a winning combination but also to keep the future in mind.

An avid sports fan is not left disappointed, especially if one is looking for some cricket controversies. Buchanan talks about his not-so-comfortable relationship with the Australian leg spinner Shane Warne although he holds the ‘Spin King’ in high esteem for re-inventing the art. Furthermore, Buchanan reminisces about the string of criticism that the team faced from former Aussie greats, the media and Cricket Australia soon after the Ashes defeat in 2005, which made him sit back and ponder about his role as coach.

Known for his unorthodox coaching style, John decided to hang on till the end of the 2007 World cup, helping Australia win their third consecutive title. John continues to serve as an ambassador for Cricket coaches in Australia and as the coach for the Kolkata Knight Riders team in the Indian Premier League. All in all ‘a nice to have book’ in your book-shelf.

Have been thinking about dedicating one post  for our very own Panchamda. On any day, if i were to select my favorite Hindi Film composer, it would be him. His versatility ranging from Indian classical tunes to Western music, slow melancholic numbers to peppy beats, has always left us craving for more. Its really sad, that this amazing musician died without getting his due.

There is one incident that comes to my mind, when i think of this genius. During the making of ‘IJAAZAT’, Director-poet Gulzaar left behind his poem ‘MERA KUCH SAMAAN’ at Panchan’s house and went home. Since Pancham was not at home then, Gulzaar called him up at a later time requesting him to compose music for this poem which was to be part of the movie. Pancham literally mocked at him saying ‘What is this? Tomorrow you will leave behind a copy of Times Of India newspaper and ask me to compose music for the same.’ Being supremely confident in Panchan’s abilities Gulzaar persisted with him to compose music for the poem. Pancham went on to create one of his best compositions, which fetched Asha a National Award for Best Playback Singing, Gulzaar a National Award for Best Lyrics and nothing at all for himself.

Below are some of the most amazing (perhaps not all that popular amongst GEN-X) Pancham compositions listed. Listen to these once and you will know in a trice why he was, what he was.

1) Aaungi Ek Din - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kox1uehyFOE 

Movie – Basera; Lyricist – Gulzar

2) Jeena kya aji pyaar bina – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaJ7H6a3fk0

Movie – Dhan Daulat;  Lyricist – Majrooh Sultanpuri

3) Kaisa Lag Rahi hoon – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myEFSdewZxM

Movie – Jhoota Sach; Lyricist – Majrooh Sultanpuri

4) Mera kuch saman - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mjFCidDpcY

Movie – Ijaazat; Lyricist  -  Gulzar

5) Jab chaha yaara tumne – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bl2c-6PPPAw

Movie – Zabardast; Lyricist – Majrooh Sultanpuri

6) Humne sanam ko khat likha – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gB3UGojCbMA

Movie – Shakti; Lyricist – Anand Bakshi

7) Chhoti Si Kahani Se - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9oJXgbK8QI

Movie – Ijaazat; Lyricist  -  Gulzar

8.) Tumse milke – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oW_x5MIn1I

Movie – Parinda; Lyricist  – Khursheed Hallauri

9) Ankhiyon mein chote chote – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iP3q2vA5DWw

Movie – Naukar; Lyricist – Majrooh Sultanpuri

10) Dhanno ki ankhon mein – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rja031BlWbY

Movie – Kitab; Lyricist - Gulzar

The list above is rather endless. There are innumerable compositions of Pancham each unique for its tone, lyrics, instruments used, etc. This versatile musician will always remains India’s  best composer.

Disclaimer: The links above will work as long as the songs continue to be available in Youtube.

Pun intended one-liners have usually found its way into my conversations with my colleagues at work and at home (where it comes more naturally).

A colleague of mine CVS, often talks about spirituality when it comes to dealing with the problems at the workplace. So I call him as “Free Free from the Start of Leaving Foundation” because his advice comes for free.

A subordinate came up one Friday evening to inform me that he would come in late the next week as he was planning to attend the Art of Living Sessions. The next Monday morning as soon as he reported to work, I told him “Now that you have finished Art, you please Start of Living”

Another colleague calls me Nicole (sounds like my first name) and I retort back saying “Don’t Kid-man” in an obvious reference to former Mrs Cruise.

My colleague RKR was cooking at home, while another was watching the ease in which he was chopping the onions, adding the spice, etc. I casually commented “The expert that he is, he is completely at ease while showing his expertise”

We were on the way to attend a function. As always we had started late. I stopped at a signal. My wife said “Only we stop at this signal. The others drive away as if there were no signal lights here”. She added “Look at them, they are staring at us because we stopped here”. I retorted “They maybe amused to this, but I am-used to this”

On the way back home, a colleague asked me what i have been upto. I replied, “Nothing! These days I am technically weak and functionally cannot speak. “

“Then why do you work so late every day?” she queried. I responded “I am getting killed, to get someone else billed”.

One colleague was rattling out bits and pieces of Kannada. Another asked him “Oh! So do you know Kannada?”. I responded “He speaks very fluent Kannada, apart from the fact that he knows about 2-3 words in that language.”

During an internal training session at work, we were asked to create punch lines regarding Hospitality. Our team managed to come up with “Hospitality is when your guest returns home and ….”. We were wondering what to add to make this sentence complete and meaningful and instantaneously i said “feels homesick”. My team members appreciated me for having delivered the punch in the line.

The icing on the cake is the final one for this post. This one made me realise how much my habbits has rubbed onto my wife. Just to surprise her one evening, I prepared tea.  Being the sweet person that i am, i added more sugar while preparing. As soon as she had sipped the tea, my wife had this to say “This is not my cup of tea!!!”.

Our beloved Anusuya Doddamma (Maternal Grandmother in Kannada) passed away last Friday, 28^th Aug 09. It was all so sudden for us that it is still taking time to sink into us that she is not around. Like for example, couple of days back when I called up my maternal uncle answered the phone and after asking his well-being, I almost blurted out the lines “How is Doddamma doing? How is her health?

Most of my summer vacations during school were spent with her in Udupi. One of the incidents that I recollect most is that during the summer vacations in Udupi, I was tagging along with her in a crowded market place. I might have been 8 or 9 years old. Suddenly I realised that the hand I was holding was out of my grasp and sobbing anxiously I moved out of the market place. Luckily an elderly gentleman saw me alone, and helped me reach home. There I narrated this incident to a neighbour, who quickly pulled out his cycle to search for Doddamma and to comfort her that I was at home. Knowing her well enough, he managed to locate her at the right place, the “Udupi Krishna Mutt” where she had gone to pray to the lord for my safety. Once home, she hugged me tightly as if to say “What would I have answered to your mother, had I not found you?”

Many memories flash across my mind when I think of her pleasing smile, the delicacies she cooked, the many artistic handicrafts she created, etc. In fact I would often tease her that I would drop out of studies and open a handicrafts shop and that she could supply the goods. She would laugh these suggestions off and humbly say “Who will buy them?”

Many a times during my adolescent fights with my mother, she would silently support me without taking sides and comfort me.

During my graduation and post-graduation exams, I would often request her to come and stay with us suggesting that she brought in a lot of good luck along. She would always be considerate enough to agree to my childish requests and stay for the entire duration of my exams, cooking special food, feeding me when I would be busy revising notes and so on.

Being far away from home on work, I felt miserable not being around during her death and also for not having spoken to her as often as I would have wanted to. Although I am now a father of a 5 year old girl, whenever I visited her, I would shed all inhibitions, place my head on her lap, close my eyes and let her run her fingers through my hair. It was enough for me to forget any pain.

Doddamma, we will always miss you.

A week long private food fest going on in my belly culminated in a grand dinner at Ballal Residency (off Residency Road) couple of hours ago. Come to think of it, I have decided that my lunch for the next few days will have to be mostly soup & salad, if I have any plans to be a healthy looking middle aged Indian.

The last week started off with couple of busy days at work and my eating habits were still good enough (read healthy). The curtain-raiser for the food fest began on a flight to Mumbai on Wednesday early morning and I feel that all I have been doing since then is eat, eat and eat more. The breakfast on the flight was a small Masala Dosa with tiny Idlis, more like the ones my mother prepares for my little one. This was around 7:30 AM. I landed at Mumbai at 8:30 AM and went straight to the college where the campus recruitment event was scheduled. The college also had special breakfast ordered for us. How could l let it go, when they had taken so much care to order special Upma and Chai. Around 1:30 we were served a special meal which was rounded off with couple of Gulaab Jamoons, ummmm … my mouth’s flooding at the very thought of writing this. Evening, some of us decided to go out for a cup of Mumbai Chai, but what followed was Samosa (with Chola) and Chai.

Later that evening I caught up with my cousins in Mumbai and decided to go out for a Rajasthani thali at Rajadhani in Malad. What a dinner that was!!!! Rich, delicious, yummy, filling, I have run out of synonyms. Daal Bhatti, Boondi laddoo, Shrikand, Hot Ghee-topped rotis, Khichdi again with ghee and the list runs endless. Some of us needed help to get up from the chair and to be led to the Exit. Without any doubt, the next morning walk at Versova beach did not make any amends. Lunch again was a calorie rich vegetarian diet onboard the return flight to Bangalore with some more incentives for sweet tooth folks.

My mother, wife and daughter had come to the airport to pick me up and wife excitedly mentioned to me that lunch @ home was Poori and Bhaaji. I was emotionally blackmailed into digging my fingers into hot pooris. Friday I took it relatively easy. Came Saturday and there was Durgasthami celebrations at home. So there was a special palahaara prepared by namma Bhattru and I was pampered with dishes made with ghee and sweets galore. Finally today (Sunday), the day has been yet again food-oriented. Puffed Rice (Mondakki puri oggarane) upma for breakfast, Mooli paratha with butter toppings for lunch and then Jeera Pulav and Boondi Raitha for dinner has ensured a perfect end to the week long fest, where I was the lonely guest and food at its best.

Years back, tennis whizkids Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi came together to play some scintillating tennis and thereby became the first Indians to win grand slam titles. However after some years, misunderstandings resulted in their partnership coming to an end, thereby ending their fairytale run. The poem below is a dedication to the many victories and special moments they gave us.

Two young stars came together
Won hearts with their game
Playing some great strokes
Winning grand slams and fame

Fans flocked to watch them play
They were named ‘Indian Express’
Whatever they did was news
Including the way they dress

Success never got to them
As they reigned supreme
Tennis regained its charm
Lee & Hesh Oh! What a team

More adulation followed
Chest bumps became a rage
Their articles were all over
The newspaper’s sport’s page

Alas! Like all good things
There was a twist in the tale
Misunderstandings’ cost them
As the partnership turned stale

Playing with different partners
They couldn’t repeat the feat
Even during Davis Cup ties
Watching them was no more a treat

Just that they didn’t Mud-sling
But the differences became known
Events during the Uzbekistan Tie
Was again the contention’s bone

They may not play together
For this year’s Olympic gold
That the country comes first
Maybe, they should be told

As a fan I still hope to see
A day when Lee-Hesh combine
Forget the ego, forget the past
Then things could fall in line

The newspaper these days is abuzz with the news of Lalu’s comments on the people of Karnataka. Lalu on an official visit to Bangalore has been quoted as calling the people of Karnataka as ‘Dirty People’. If Lalu has indeed made this comment, then it is condemnable without a doubt.

Even if the remark is not merely a rumor, then the pro Kannada activists could have silently protested against the same and sought an apology from him. However they have chosen to be on the wrong side of the law, as a habit. They have been ruthlessly destroying railway property; 2 days ago at the Divisional Railway Manager’s office and just yesterday they went about destroying the ticket counters at the Bangalore Contonment railway station near Vasanthnagar. The irony that these so called protectors of the land don’t seem to realize is that they are proving Lalu every bit right by going about destroying the government property. Who else but ‘Dirty people’ would indulge in such activities. Their act is not only resulting in unnecessary expenditures to the government, but also causing extensive damage to the reputation of the friendly folks of Karnataka.

Coming to Traffic violations now. A conversation I heard between 2 students riding a two-wheeler last week. The pillion rider suggested to the person riding the bike, that they take the one-way route to reach college. The rider kept repeating to him “No machan, that’s a one-way”. However the pillion rider had his say and managed to get his friend to use the one-way route to reach college. How easily is it for us to get influenced by these negative thoughts and minds? Why can’t we stop for a minute, think and then decide against breaking a law? It scares the daylights out of me when I think about the attitude of this generation. Another such incident occurred last evening. Not the first time, I watched a law protector becoming a law breaker (broker seems better). A ‘Hoysala’ jeep driver (constable) was driving the jeep even as he was talking on his cell phone. All this while we keep reading that the Bangalore Traffic Police are looking out for people who drive while talking on their cell phones. They don’t ever realize that the culprit is one amongst them, do they?