Monday, October 13, 2008
Bas Yaadein
My last working day in Aricent was on Monday.......... surprised why it was not on a Friday.... :). Well, the HR himself was baffled when he had to give a lone relieval letter amongst several offer letters................ :D. Anyways, the last day at work started off with an ubiquitious reaction of "Oh....! today is ur last day, senti kya?" "So, last day at work, all formalities done? Hope you are not emotional!" Did I look rather too nonchalant, that people were trying to induce some emotion on me!!! Nevertheless, the relieval procedure was smooth and my team called it a day after wrapping up with a warm farewell.
As I stayed back late evening to finish the final tit-bits of work, Prachi called for a quick cup of evening coffee before I left. Aricent campus, if not for anything can easily boast of two things, first - the view of Bangalore from the 3rd floor cafe, second - although not well maintained but the much needed green lung space in the backyard. It had been quite some time that I had been to cafe in the evening. That evening, Bangalore skyline looked scintillating from the 3rd floor cafe. A breezy evening with a twilight sky in the shades of blue and red sprinkled with clouds. As I was gazing around the lights of the high rise IT buildings and the garden in the backyard, as though by some impetuous intervention, it suddenly dawned on me how much I'm gonna miss them all!
Nostalgic images unwinded flooding my mind. The fun filled evening snacks in the cafe, the interesting lunch sessions, the relaxing post lunch talks in the garden. The annual Aricent fest -Phooljhadi fun, the gossipy coffee breaks which had topics ranging from politics, realty prices, traffic jams, new recruits, resignations, finance, plans to improve India, world.... what not!!!! I had read an article sometime which said Indian youth are awakening to the country's problems because atleast they are discussing about the country on coffee tables.... :) And our group was exemplary in that..... :) The fights for team lunchs and team outings are so cherisable now. The unforgettable weekend trips which we colleagues made religiously atleast once in a quarter. And not to forget the technical wing - irritations over the technical arguments, fretting on deadlines, sophorific and elongated meetings… and the endless carping about having to work...... :) Pushing all these thoughts aside, finally it was time for me to leave, I gave a last rueful look to my once nicely adorned desk and told myself I've to move on! The word "move on" reminds me of the fasttrack ad, nice ad !
Attrition is being nothing new in the IT field, some might wonder "Why am I making it a big deal?". But when I pose the same question to myself, I realize it was not Aricent as a company that I was attached to, it was more to the people there. As manners maketh a man, dont employees maketh a company! I cant gainsay the fact that I enjoyed my technical job profile. The work satisfaction and the confidence my job gave me is parallel to none. But apart from earning money from Aricent, I earned friends for life. And did anyone say its only in college that you make friends for life!!!!
Sri keeps saying ” You must never get emotionally attached to your job unless its your own enterprise”… well true but after spending a wonderful 4 yrs; unknowingly I've attached emotion to my job.
The most memorable moment of the day was Prachi's words for my farewell. Prachi, I can never forget that expression on your face, it conveyed more than your words. This snap of ours is definitely so memorable, Do you remember this awesome trip? We indeed were a notorious group, werent we?
As I leave behind this stage of life and move to a new one, I'm reminded of these lines from DCH movie
"Kaisa Ajab Yeh Safar Hai, Socho To Har Ik Hi Bekhabar Hai
"Usko Jaana Kidhar Hai, Jo Waqt Aaye, Jaane Kya Dikhaaye"
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
AIRED
Although impetously decided, I was excited nevertheless. For long now, I’d been thinking of doing something worthwhile for children so this was a good chance. So on Sept 24th, 10 volunteers from Aricent set off to the Government school. We gathered around 50 girl students from class 5th, 6th and 7th. Each class was assigned three volunteers based on linguistic abilities, since the children were a mix of Kannada, Tamil and Telgu tongues and not to forget they understood rudimentary English too! Needless to say, I was heading a group for my Kannada background. As the girls lined up in their schoolground, their faces had a mixed expression of confusion and eagerness. After they settled down in the bus, I started breaking the ice, asking if they had seen planes? Some nodded enthusiatically, some silently acknowledged and some shouted “Yes Mam”. I continued saying “Have you seen them from very close, have you touched them?”. In unison they replied in negative. So that is where we took them, to an educational tour to the HAL Aerospace Museum. Listening this all the children clapped.
We concluded the day with distributing momentos to all children. They were thrilled. As we were departing, one girl told me "Mam, come to our school everyday" and an other one said "Mam, come to my house, I'll cook chicken biryani for you" and on clarifying my vegetarian habits, she said "No problem mam, I'll cook veg biryani for you". When we got back to the bus "Everyone was offering me a seat right next to them!". Thats when I realized that our one small effort made such a big difference to their lives.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Un-processed
Good Luck Guys is what I can say.
Friday, August 15, 2008
People around me have been complaining that my blog is not updated, wel...... my last blog was in May, thats just 2 months back..... not a long time actually....:) For me these 2 months have just zoomed past, too many events in too little a time! I have a platter of varied experiences to share. The stream called "life" has taken yet another major turn. And my reaction to this.....PARADOXICAL!
Paradox, yes, is the right word to explain what am going through now. Adaptibility is the name of the game. Memories are being made but at the same time some old memories haunt. Sure there are new happenings now but life being a predilection seems to scream the theme of the movie BAZZIGHAR - "Kuch pane ke liye kuch khona padtha hain". I'm set to leave behind a state of clemency and embrace the uncertainity. But when has life exactly been ascertained...! My thought process is changing surprising myself at times! Cut the puerility, I react to the once cynical ideas now, although mixed.... :)
Ah! At this moment I remember the golden daffodils dancing in the zephyr and exclaiming like William Wordsworth does in his poem "Daffodils"................
"For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils"
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Non-existant denizen
Today was the assembly polls of Karnataka state. The campaigning for the same had started in full swing for the past one month. I'd been closely following the campaign and the people contending for it, with a view of casting my vote scrupulously. But alas! the Government of Karnataka/India never even provided me with a chance to cast my precious vote.
Every voter in the electoral list was given a slip a week prior to the elections. This slip was something like a registration of the individual for the elections. This was done on a door-to-door basis. When it was the turn of my house, my mom noticed my name missing (inspite of having a valid election ID card). She mentioned this, but those folks never noted it in the additional list because they were instructed to only distribute the slip and not to do anything more! But she was told that there were many such people whose case was similar to mine, such people could come to the election booth with the election ID card and they would be allowed to vote. My mom agreed to that and let go the issue.
On the day of the election, I went to the booth with my election ID card only to be embarassed right on the face. The election duty special officers who are none other than the teachers and government staff were helpful enough to go through the list thoroughly to check just in-case if my name was misplaced in the list but all their efforts were in-vain. Since they are not vested with the rights to take decisions but only to discharge their spoon-fed duties they strictly didnt allow me to vote. I've no complaints with them on the contrary am glad that India still retains her face of obedience and honesty.
But am irked with the Government, what kind of a stupid rule could that possibly be where a law-abiding citizen with a voter's card does not get to vote! Not having my name in the list does not disprove my citizenship specially after having voted in the last election, how could they restrict me from not voting this time around? I agree to the fact that my name might have missed in the electoral list because of miscrepancies, but having a valid document under the seal of Republic of India makes me in all sense a rightfull citizen of this country. Be it passport, voter's ID, PAN card, driving licence etc all are despatched by the Govt, by rejecting these, is the government skeptical of the authencity of its own practices?
Further, I could find the names of around 90% of my neighbours including my neighbour's servant's family!!!
Govt spends booties of money in educating the youth the power of democracy but if the same govt treats its citizen in this condescending behaviour, it will not be late before me and people with similar experiences lose their interest in electing the ruler of their choice.
In the election booth, a govt staff remarked as to submit another form to the corporation claiming am a resident of my place and to get a new voter's card ! Now, what do I do with the old voters card, throw it straight to the bin?
Now on, When am asked for my address proof or age proof, I contemplate on which documents to present since the govt itself is not ready to accept it as a proof, why should I blame the third person!
Next day, it was all over the papers about this mess where many people who had an election photo ID Cars (EPIC) were denied voting permissions. They had given fuming statements about the EPIC struggle they had to face. The Election commission had 4000+ complaints. That was still less! After all this the statistics claimed only 44% vote from Bangalore, ridiculous!!
Is democracy still "BY THE PEOPLE" !!!!
Friday, March 28, 2008
Sportif Quotient!
Last week started with yet another dull monday morning at work. That was the week of Hit-n-Run tournament at office. This is nothing but the "gentleman's game" played in our own office parking lot, which I guess is almost half the dimension of the actual cricket ground. To adapt the game to this customized cricket ground, the rules of the game were tweaked a little here and there. One of those special rules was the mandatory inclusion of two female players in the team, else the team is considered incomplete! Well, wat was the intention of having the fairer sex in the area of male bastion?..... was it to prove "why should only boys hav all the fun" or was it just to relish the eyes of onlookers... wel lets not delve on it...!!!!
The team from my project called themselves " The Alphacenturions" and on monday, the commencement of the tournament, they were desparately in need of a girl for the team. Unaware of this, I was engrossed in a technical discussion when the captain barges straight in and requests me to play. I almost panicked, I've never held a bat in my lifetime and now straight into a tournament! I resisted but my resistance was short-lived when I found the tournament jersey on my desk with the number 13, co-incidently my lucky number........ I reluctantly put on the brand new jersy and the borrowed shoes and took my maiden plunge into CRICKET.
Before the match, the team gave me batting practice for mere 5 mins and some quick hints on how to not lose the wicket!
The match started, it was for a total of 10 overs and an additional ladies special over, where the bats(wo)man has to face the lady-bowler. When it was my turn to bat, the first two balls were total bonkers, my estimation of the approachin ball was horribly bad-timed and I kept swinging my bat aimlessly in air nevertheless not losing my wicket. But I got lucky the third time I hit the ball and was so startled myself that I forgot I'd to literally run to score a run which is equivalent to 3 runs (ladies special u see)..... do I call this beginner's luck or just fluke? well, watever not a bad start indeed...:)
I was in a good team, with veterans we soon made our entry into semifinals. This time having THE meagre experience I was eager to try my bowling prowess! Again that meant 5 mins of pre-match practice and the priceless tips of stumping...:-D.............
This match was surely my most memorable one. As a first time bowler, my face was stiff with tension but the guys pushed me and I was surprised to see myself perform well. I gave one run, one wide and took 3 wickets.... I was jumping on the ground jubliantly with the crowd cheering and jeering. I was complimented for my beginner's luck again!!
On the fielding side, I was put on that side of the ground where no ball comes and if it did come accidently also it couldnt be cared less........:-D
As a team, we were enjoying every match lest the finals, were I guess we took it seriously landing as runners-up, well "jo jeeta woh sikander aur jo harah woh bander to nahin hain"......... Its all in the participation, the sportsmanship.
One sadist later remarked that I was a mere "aatakontu-lekakilla" (derogatory term for substitute) but I rebuked as "like I care!" and I genuinely didnt care, all that mattered to me was to be a part of the ebuillent team and share the verve......... which I did enjoyably.
All this while I thought I'd zero sport quotient but hey with this experience on hand I can prove I've a teeny weeny bit of S.Q in me.....:)
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Arty curriculum
When asked to comment on the inclusion of theatre, dance and music in the academic curriculum, this was the remark of Geetha Narayanan, an educationist and a close associate of Natya.
"Its a near-impossible task of taking fine arts to schools. It is not at the core of the education system but remains at the periphery. Worse, it is brushed aside as an "extracurricular activity" or used in a lackadaisical "let's give the kids a bit of creative expression" kind of manner."
Further she cites that this curriculum shift is necessary not for the sole purpose the child's growth alone but for the betterment of the society too.
"All children who learn dance do not become dancers. They fill another, crucial role: that of the audience. If children don't know dance, how will we get audiences for our dance recitals in the future?"
I can personally relate to the latter. I dont expect an audience who are connoisseurs but yes knowledgeable. And the very fact that "extracurricular activities" are given a drag reflects where our education system is heading!
Do I see another Taare Zameen Par happening here?
Hope so!