Monday, December 12, 2005

Apologies

My most sincere aplogies to all those who've been hoping to see some pictures of manori. I know I promised that they'd be ready by sunday....but I haven't been keeping well for the past few days....I'm on my way to recovery and I'll upload the pics as soon as I can.

Wednesday, December 07, 2005

Manori Magic

As of this moment, my heart’s filled with mixed emotions…. On one hand I’m so grateful for having the friendship of such wonderful people over the past one month while we were planning Twister 2005 (I’ll post an entry about that later)...And on the other hand....I’m terribly sad that it’s over.....

After what I believe was one of the most exciting, stimulating and enjoyable events ever, we all decided that as organizers, we deserved an outing. So we packed our bags and set off for manori beach near malad for a nice little picnic....

The 12 of us (Anuj, Kartik, Shruti, Preeti, Nazneen, Rushabh, Amit, Harshal, Meenal, Punit, Gaurav and myself) had such an amazing time out there.... We played dodge ball, cricket and even volleyball (although Shruti and I really suck at it) on the beach. We also made a sand castle and we had sooo many ice-golas that I cant even remember....

Shruti’s weird love or rather preference for petrol was enough to keep us entertained ....hhahahaha....and Anuj’s enthusiasm made it so much more enjoyable….One thing that I’ll remember is that I played doctor to Preeti, whose nail was almost detached from her toe......something I guess I should be proud of....

Anyway, the most memorable part of the day for me atleast was watching the sunset from the cliff....God, how invigorating !!!! There’s this thing about sunsets....It always gets me into a reflective mood.... And as I sat on the cliff watching the sky slowly change from a bright yellow shade into tones of purple and orange, I realized how amazing this entire journey has been. When we conceptualized the event “Twister”, I never thought that I’d get so close to those whom I’ve worked with. I still remember the first meeting that I had attended and how formal I was..... and today formality isn’t even an option. This post is dedicated to all my seniors and colleagues who worked meticulously on Twister. Anuj summed it all up in one line....he said “this is one of the defining moments of my life in college”....And I said this to Kartik already that this friendship and this experience will be counted as one of my sweetest memories as a college student.

I still remember our Barista meetings, the late night chat conversations with Shruti and also how annoyed we used to be when Anuj and Preeti always turned up late. I’ll always remember Nazneen for being such an angel and Kartik who’s been such a gentleman. Without Abhishek, I don’t think we could’ve had so much fun.....Even Rushabh and Meenal who really really slogged till the last day....Harshal, Punit, Aarti and Sameer who worked so hard on the Mockstock event.... One image I’ll always remember is that of Sameer and how frustrated he was the day we had to shoot the video and how all that frustration eventually translated into a wide satisfied smile when the video turned out to be so good.

I’ll never ever forget the people I met and the bonds that were created. It’s one memory I’ll always hold on to. Thank you so much for making this sooo special guys !!!!!!!! I love you all

Friday, November 25, 2005

Boring blog ???

Ok...I admit it...this blog is getting boring... At the same time however I'm getting busier. There are a couple of huge posts lined up in the next week...So 'patience' is the key word to all those who're wondering what I've been upto.

And TK.... you got one thing wrong. I have infact written a lot about a guy b4. You can read your testi over and over again till you belive it. It's the longest I've ever written. :):):):):)

Gotta rush now. Don't worry. The longer the wait, the better is the reward ^_^

Monday, October 31, 2005

CHILLY !!!!!!!

Lt.Col.Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore is officially the first famous personality whom I’ve ever had a crush on. When he had won the silver medal in the Olympics, I was proud of him, but not really obsessed….However, when I had the most esteemed opportunity to escort him and assist him during the Miss India pageant….I was in complete awe of him….Yupp, his wife was with him as well, but that didn’t stop me from falling in love with him….although I must mention that she’s an amazing lady as well.

In my mind, he is The Perfect Guy !!! Such a perfect gentleman !!! And inspite of his success and his wonderful personality, he is very down-to-earth and has a child-like innocence, which is sooooooooooo endearing. I still have his autograph and I’m gonna frame it and it’s gonna go up on my wall for sure. My experience with him at the Miss India pageant is something I’ll never forget and it will be etched in my mind forever. Even in the recent Coco Cola ad, he exudes such brilliance (I’m not very happy about him endorsing an MNC product like Coke, but that’s another issue)…. I hope Lt.Col.Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore reads this, so that he knows how much I respect him and admire him. I couldn’t praise him much at the pageant coz my senior has specifically instructed me not to get all awkward and star struck…Sigh. (Btw, I love addressing him by his whole name because I think it sounds really cool and dignified)

Anyway, I think that army men and sportspersons like him deserve more attention and admiration from us rather than having people drool over filmstars or hot babes in remixed videos…..Urrrghhh….it makes me sick sometimes why people can’t appreciate true heroes like him, rather than going all gaga over people with 6 layers of make-up who shake a leg in bollywood, which btw is the most direct route into people’s hearts.

I’m not undermining the noble contributions of several filmstars who truly deserve the attention that they get. However I believe, that the true heroes of the nation who actually work to bring glory to our country should be appreciated for their efforts more often. Lt.Col.Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore is a classic example. Also, I think cricketers are literally worshipped in India…and it should be the same for other sportspersons as well.

That said, I’m all in support of the new faces on India’s sports scene – icons like Narain Karthikeyan, Sania Mirza, Anju Bobby George and the likes of them.

Hmmmm….I’m not much of a sports fanatic, but my interactions with Lt.Col.Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore has definitely made me one.

PS : For those who don't know....Lt.Col.Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore is affectionately known as "Chilly".....I wonder if some ketchup company will now ask him to endorse their brand.

Saturday, October 29, 2005

Perfection ???

Hmm….Perfection….now that’s something I’m obsessed with. Seriously, it’s one of the biggest flaws in me… I expect too much out of everything done by myself or anyone else….I’m even particular about the exact number of tomatoes and garlic cloves that my mom puts in my gravy !!!

However, I’ve come to realize one thing. Imperfection is beautiful….Imperfection is attractive….Imperfection is fascinating

We often say “Nature is so beautiful, it’s just perfect”….The truth is …. Nature has several imperfections…..Nature is perfect to us only because she has so many imperfections. A perfectly symmetrical leaf would probably seem unattractive when compared with one that’s not. Maybe it's because imperfection is abstract. Maybe because it gives us the freedom to decide what it means to us. Maybe because it gives us a chance to be more imaginative and less mundane.

Even when there is an archaeological find….the idols or figurines that are intact after excavation are no doubt interesting….but the ones that are imperfect and incomplete are far more intriguing….And why you may wonder ??? Because there’s an incomplete part of it that masks the stories behind it. It gives us the chance to go back in time and make up our own stories and cook up the possibilities…It gives us a chance to weave the untold tales that are hidden away by it’s imperfections.

Even if we look at the people we are surrounded by, it is their imperfections that make them more endearing. Just yesterday I was telling a friend of mine (name withheld on request…hehhehee)…that…there is no Mr. Perfect….It is the Mr. Slightly Imperfects who are much more lovable.

As I was typing this out on my pc…my mom just pointed out to me that Perfection is infact part of imperfection. This is how : “ Imperfect = I’mPerfect ” …Ok ok.. so I was dumb enough to not notice that early on. But there is so much truth in that statement…. Imperfections are what make things or people seem perfect for us. If everyone were perfect, we’d all be the same people. There would be no diversity and no scope for creativity. Even in my advertising lectures, we learn how to expand our creativity by exploiting the imperfections in society or the imperfections in human psychology.
It makes us believe that perfection or imperfection is nothing but holding up a mirror to our own thoughts or beliefs. For me, Imperfections are just Perfect !!!

Saturday, October 22, 2005

Huff Puff Cough...

Had my Bull fights today....I teamed up with Shruti and we were up against Unnati and Anish. Now... Bull fights happen to be one of the best literary events in our college. It's one of the most intense debating competitions.....

Our topic was "Smoking in films should be justified" and we were against the topic.... After what turned out to be one of the most balanced debates....I was satisfied with our performance even though...well...we lost by 2 points...( Booooo Hoooooooo !!!!!)

Now here's my real opinion on the subject :

I do believe everything I said about the youth being influenced by their favourite filmstars.... However I also feel that the Government's move to ban smoking in films is a bit extreme. It does hamper creativity.......One may not realise it, but the amount of dramatic appeal that is created by an actor smoking a cigarette is much better than any other prop or add on.

What I'm sad about is that, no popular movie has ever directly shown the harmful health effects of smoking....All they show is a person coughing a little after he has taken a puff....What's that supposed to mean ??? In a way it suggests that by smoking you wont get lung cancer or emphysema or anything....You'll just cough for a while and then you'd look cool for the rest of your life.

Also, I came across these really good examples of how the film makers aren't being responsible enough.....

In the movie "Village of the Damned"....Kirstie Alley who plays a doctor is puffing throughout the movie....And in the movie " Backdraft"....the fireman is shown smoking in all parts of the movie.......Doctors and firemen smoking !??!?!?! What were the filmmakers thinking ?!?!?!?! These are people who should in fact be totally against smoking....What kind of example are they setting in front of their viewers... Young children and teenagers who lack the objectivity to make the right choices may easily be influenced by such images....

Well, I'm glad Shahrukh Khan supports the ban, but gosh, in real life, he's a chimney !!!!! When I was at the MMRDA grounds during the Filmfare Awards this year, I was right in front of his vanity van and I never saw him without his cigarette...I wonder how Gauri tolerates him.

I'm irritated with these tobacco companies who come up with different guerilla ideas to promote their products. Every year these tobacco companies lose 800,000 of their loyal customers in India because all these 800,000 customer die of smoking....And that's exactly why these tobacco companies manipulate their way into movies and advertise their cigarettes just to compensate for the loss of those customers who died...
Also, it doesn't make sense to put the label " Smoking is Injurious to Health" on a cigarette packet.....They should instead put the label " Smoking Kills" because smoking really does kill.....It's a form of slow death, so one never really understands the long term consequences of being a chain smoker...... What frustates me the most is that even educated people who KNOW that cigarettes can kill, still smoke away to glory !!!!

The goverment has double standards ...... On one hand it bans smoking in films and on the other hand, they refuse to ban production of tobacco because of the revenues that they bring...... Why can't those 35,000 crores of rupees instead be used to produce herbs and medicinal plants which have a huge demand in the international market????...If this is done, the government won't even have to spend huge amounts on reducing the number of smokers... I dont think the government is justified in widening their cash coffers while thousands of people suffer.

Also, It's my most humble request to filmmakers to start taking some responsibility....Please stop glamorization and normalization of smoking in films...

We really have to decide what's more imporant... Creative freedom or a healthy community ?!?!?!? And the government needs to ask itself what's more important ??? Huge revenues or a healthy and qualitative population ???

As Shruti earlier mentioned....If the right choices aren't made, the big bad wolf (tobacco) will huff and puff and burn our world down.

Monday, October 03, 2005

Exam Blues

Sorry guys.... No more posts atleast for the next 2 weeks. I'm in the middle of my First term exams and my sleep-cycle is completely out of order. This morning when I came home after writing my Economics paper, I officially hadn't slept for 23 hours....and now as i type this, I have just woken up from a deep slumber of 11 hours. (Yaaaaawn)... I have to get back to my books now. I can't believe that my life's just about books and coffee...Until next time

Saturday, September 17, 2005

The Afghan Elections

After being postponed twice before, 12.5 million Afghanis will now finally select their new leader. I’m particularly delighted by the fact that nearly 12% of the candidates contesting the elections are women. Of course they would have to survive the constant threats of religious extremists, but nevertheless, it’s a small step in the right direction. If one woman candidate can brave facing the camera to give an interview, 100 other women can walk the streets of Afghanistan without any worry. After 3 decades of gory violence and conservative social laws, Afghanistan finally ‘Jaag raha hai’.

No one says that the new government will transform the whole country with a swish of a wand, but yes, minor step-by-step reforms can ensure a promising future for the people of Afghanistan and perhaps even the dusk of global terrorism.

Of course, corruption, poverty, conservatism and terrorism are issues that the new government would have to address…however I think, that one of their major challenges would not only be to impart the right education, but also to retain those who have been educated. With the west presenting more opportunities for growth, the new Afghanistan is bound to suffer from the so-called ‘brain drain’. It is necessary for Afghanistan to have educated citizens who have a vision for their country…or else, no amount of policies could ever change the situation.

I’m not sure how the new government is going to deal with the thousands of Afghan refugees in Pakistan either. Whatever little is left of the Taliban can probably be eliminated, but their religious ideologies need to be eliminated from the minds of millions of Afghanis, who may be tempted to re-implement them even at the slightest instigation. Mr.Bush, your missiles and violent policies won’t work here anymore. FUNDS, HONESTY and IMPLEMENTATION are the key words here. The UNO especially has to work with the government.

Economic, religious and social issues are definitely a concern. However one more area, which Afghanistan needs to work on, in order to have more qualitative citizens, is ‘health services’. God, this country has one of the highest child mortality rates and death rates in general !!!!! Family planning is almost non-existent, but in a way the poor health services make up for the high birth rates.

The new government does indeed face the Herculean task of building an ideal, prosperous and peaceful country. If this works out the way we all hope it would, then maybe 10-20 years down the line, we wouldn’t have to worry about plane hijackings or bomb blasts or any other terrorist activity. Lets just hope for now, that inspite of the murder of 7 candidates, the polls go on as peacefully as possible and hopefully people wont crack up at the last minute due to the threats by the Taliban and the warlords. Who knows ?? Probably in a couple of years, we'll be buying quality products off the rack which would say " Made in Afghanistan".

Friday, September 16, 2005

Student Luxuries

I was watching this debate cum GD on NDTV today. There were a couple of students from DPS, RK Puram…..often considered to be some of the brightest minds. Well towards the end, they were discussing whether or not a student should have luxuries while completing his/her education.
Now, this is a small message for the girl who was screaming at the top of her voice (Fatima, I think)....Firstly...luxury does not mean an air conditioner and secondly, if you cant make sense in a GD, don’t open your mouth (especially on national television).

Ok…now this is what I think…..First, you need to define what luxury is…It’s such a subjective concept. A couple of years ago, as a student, the biggest luxury for me was my mom being at home and being able to cook me hot meals and even being able to demand from her to make me coffee at 2am. Now that she has devoted all her time to my education, it’s more of a necessity.
For my father, luxury meant having electricity in his home while he was a student. Today, I take it for granted. For my brother, luxury means being able to find a Hindi speaking friend in his college in Chennai. While he was here, he just took it for granted. Your luxuries wont always be luxuries !!!!!

Anyway, I’m not really in a mood to say more about that subject…….But yes, I wish I had my very own car....as a student, that would definitely be my favourite luxury I guess…Atleast I wouldn’t have to travel for an hour and half to reach college...sigh

My exams are almost here and Business Law is driving me nuts !!!!!! It’s the same for every SYBComite…. Having Business Law as a subject is a liability, not a luxury. I’m terribly bored right now...I promise I’ll come up with something better in my next post. Please pray that I don’t lose my mind until then.

Friday, September 09, 2005

RAIN SCARE !!!

Phew !!! That was close…well almost…. It’s something I can boast about in front of my grandchildren. Yupp, I survived the Mumbai floods TWICE…!!! Twice ??? did I just say twice ??? Well, just a little secret…but the second time wasn’t really a flood. Today, while we had just enjoyed another bull fight (our debate competitions) in college, it started pouring outside. We all presumed it was normal rain and would subside in half an hour or so. In the middle of teaching accounts to three of my friends, we all suddenly realized that it was the beginning of another nightmare…well almost.

The water level outside our college in Matunga (near DP’s) had reached my knee. It was a familiar feeling, especially after 26/7. It rained for about 2.5 hours non-stop…And while Shruti was in a state of controlled panic, Anuj had major concerns about his car. Finally after 3 whole hours, 7 of us squeezed ourselves into Anuj’s car. And although King’s Circle was highly flooded, yet we took another route and managed to avoid all that chaos. I reached home at 6:30, thanks to Preeti’s home and my dad’s car. Phew !!! That was close. Why is it that no other area got flooded ??? How come in a matter of hours, we were all half under water ???

Well, after the 26/7 floods, the whole of Mumbai is on high alert. Even the slightest rainfall now gives us goose bumps. Even now I stand by what I had said earlier. The rains weren’t exactly the problem. It’s our poor drainage system and the lack of proper waste management.
What exactly is Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh trying to prove by enforcing a complete ban on plastics ?? Does he want to wipe out several industries who rely heavily on plastics as a raw material ??? Or does he want to provide a major setback for the packaging industry ?? Or does he just want to prove (very unsuccessfully though) that he is an aware, responsible CM who understands fully why the 26/7 disaster occurred ???

In a recent letter addressed to the CM, even the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) and various plastic manufacturer associations stated that only 1% of the municipal solid waste in Mumbai is plastic. The reason why all our drains are clogged is actually due the remaining 99% of unmanaged garbage created by the indifference of some nonchalant Mumbaikars. Nobody really cares while throwing out an empty packet of chips from the train window. Probably that’s the reason why the train services were the first ones to collapse.

All I’m saying is, India still doesn’t have a concrete waste management policy enforceable by law. Once we have that in place and with efficient implementation, disasters like 26/7 can be avoided. And this is a message that goes out to all Mumbaikars…. STOP littering like the whole of Mumbai is a dustbin. It will come around and bite you in the back. If I ever see anyone in a train throw out a wrapper from the window, don’t blame me for my actions. It’s because of your indifference that several Mumbaikars like me had to undergo that nightmarish experience of 26/7.

Several astrologers have predicted that Mumbai is yet to see 2 more major disasters in 2005 and this time due to “Fire”. What are you planning to ban now Mr. Chief Minister ???? Matchsticks ???

Thursday, September 08, 2005

HAPPY Teachers Day ???

Well, 5th September came and went and I had another gloomy Teachers' Day for the 4th consecutive year. Well no, I'm no teacher, but I just miss the way I used to celebrate Teachers Day before I started college. 4 years ago, when I was in school, Teachers' Day meant staying up awake late in the night and making hand-made cards for all the teachers. Then buying roses the very next morning and enjoying this deep sense of satisfaction each time I saw a teacher admire my cards. When I was in school, I had teachers whom I really cared about, whom I was really attached to. I tried creating the same kind of bond during my first year of college, but it miserably failed...So I stopped trying any further to save myself a lot of embarrassment. Maybe the culprit here is the changing scenario in the teaching profession and not just in India.

Acharya Devo Bhava - The teacher is equivalent to God. This is what our Indian scriptures say....but ask any person today and no one wants to be a teacher anymore. A lot of teachers love their job, but they do not love their profession. Isn't it pathetic ? India is the only country that celebrates Teachers' Day and yet we ourselves don't know its true meaning.

Till my mother’s generation, people, especially women dreamt of being teachers. But can my generation dream of such a thing? I wanted to be a teacher as well, but it changed when i saw the plight of people in this profession. With the best brains getting into other professions, only the mediocre take up teaching and in many cases they are unable to clear doubts on complicated concepts. This is why we have coaching classes. But that's another issue and I'll talk on that later.

Inspite of low remunerations and low levels of motivation, we still have teachers who are like a breath of fresh air...People who are true to their profession....Hats off to all of those teachers who continue to teach us with utmost sincerity, dedication and care.

I now understand why this profession is called the noblest of all, because probably for them money and status mean nothing.