Incredible November and the Pack of Cards!!

November, 2008 will go down in the history of the world as a month which taught mankind how illusionary and transitory size and scale is. November brought with it, one of the biggest hurricane the corporate world had ever witnessed in the financial meltdown and also made us witness to one of the most the horrific terror attacks in India. Somewhere, a common theme between the collapses of very different empires is that of lack of controls, discipline and processes. It is all a result of the games our mind plays with us. The fall of empires is an outcome of allowing the mind to run wild.

Let us connect this with something we do everyday. Crisis management is about creating a simpler and focused regulatory environment which is efficient, quick, consistent and reliable. Be it related to financial or human security regulation. If you look at it objectively keeping emotions aside, I think it is about clearing out all the “Unpredictability & unreliability” that exists in the way we currently tackle our situations of crisis across forms & scale in India. In a model such as this, controls come in without making the whole deal look bureaucratic. Technology takes over the role of controls and doesn’t allow leaks. This is exactly how successful business processes get built too. Responsible organizations control their minds. Or they go down like pack of cards. (Lehman Bros, Merrill Lynch)

That brings me to another performance metric, which is reliability. Reliability is essentially a testimony of inherent strength. Superlative performance one week and down the next doesn’t get us too far. *(Kudos to the clinically consistent approach followed by NSG throughout the rescue operation). If you go to see, every stakeholder wants to see an expected consistency in performance levels, and here the stakeholders are the citizens of the country.

We have hugely challenging times coming up. As I have already said, “The insanity of extremism is over…but the insanity of polity will start now!” and we must collectively suppress it in its attempt to polarize us using their age old disguised sympathetic vote bank politics, especially in times of general elections looking large on the country. Times to come are going to challenge our grit, reliability and determination as a collective dynamic emerging society. Let’s look at this adversity and turn in into a positive opportunity to bring about a lasting change. The youth of our country have enormous power. Let’s give it everything we’ve got and get this period so right – like never before!

Remember we want the systems to be reliable, consistent & effective. Let’s ourselves be that. Let’s not be shooting stars. They sure look good, but they shine for a few seconds and later get relegated to National Geographic episodes. It takes a real sun to rise every morning – tear the clouds apart, chase the darkness away and say, “Sun, good morning, may I shine on you?” and do so every morning. Lets rededicate ourselves to our purpose of life with rejuvenated vigor. Let’s do, what we do best, a little better. Let’s not be terrorized by the losses of money and men. Let’s unshackle ourselves from the misery of cynicism and let’s free ourselves from being called the victims time and again.

C’mon India, It’s time to make that journey towards change. Let’s answer all the difficult questions together, and tell them… “Yes, we can……”

Die young....

Youth is not a time of life,
It is a state of mind.
It is not a matter of rosy cheeks, red lips and supple knees;
It is a matter of the will, a quality of the imagination, vigor of the emotions.
It is a freshness of the deep springs of life.

Youth means a temperamental predominance of courage over timidity,
Of the appetite for adventure over the love of ease,
This often exists in a man of 60 more than a boy of 20
Nobody grows old merely by a number of years,
We grow old by deserting our ideals.

Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm will wrinkle the soul.
Worry, fear and distrust, bows the heart and turns the spirit back to dust.
Whether 60 or 16 there is in every human beings heart, the lure of wonder
The unfailing appetite of what’s next and the joy of the game of living

In the centre of your heart and my heart there is a wireless station,
So long as it receives the messages of beauty, hope, cheer, courage and power
From men and the infinite, so long you are young.

When the aerials are down,
And your spirit is covered with snows of cynicism and the ice of pessimism,
Then you grow old, even at the age of 20,
But if your aerials are up, to catch the waves of optimism,
There is hope that you may die young at 80!!

Lady Luck...

“The lady luck has eluded us again!!” while reading something, I came across this phrase which made me think. Well, why exactly is luck personified as a “Lady”? What’s the premise of calling it a woman? Is it just another gaffe of the English language?


This thought led me to a dangerous investigation spanning over a week!! And finally I discovered the true genius of the person who must have coined this phrase. Whoever he was (Yea, I’m sure it was a “He”) … Was a man with a deep sense of understanding of the womankind (which isn’t so kind after all…)

Well, let me give a little disclaimer to all women who might just read this, before I go onto state my case:

“Dear Lady Reader, I know of the cardinal universal truth that WOMEN are the superior of the 2 genders. They are also smarter, more intelligent and better looking than us men, who apparently are the most fitting descendents of ancient chimps!”

(I’m sure this made all of you happy enough for me to still claim my right to live after you all read this!!!)

Okay, so now, coming back to justifying why Luck is a Lady, and mind you, not an ordinary one at that. Yes, these are only my observations… Read on and decide for yourself…

• We men perennially blame __________ for our blunders?? …. (It’s on since Adam & Eve…)
• While a man is down and needs something to pep him up, he just needs a ________coming his way!
• Men always complaining of not having enough of it!
• The success of every man, is always, invariably attributed to them!
• They are both extremely unpredictable _______ can turn either ways overnight!
• Why do you think, the few religious minded morons go to the temple? What do you think they pray for?
• Who are the only people laughing, while a man cries?
• Whom do they hate the most, us MEN of course!!
• Haven’t you ever seen your best friend have more and better of it than what you’ve got?
• They are the only things that one needs during exams to relieve stress.
• You go crazy, when you have too much of them
• You just cant live without it
• No amount of it is enough for you, there's always room for more of them in your life....

This is the last one, but I think the best one....

It's the only thing that you possibly had last night when you slept, and is missing or gone... when you woke up today morning..........So pray that it doesn't happen to you!!!

Wake Up!!!

"I have a dream..." exclaimed Martin Luther King, a few decades ago, and that sparked off a civil upsurge in the United States of America. Today, several years down the line, we celebrate the accomplishment of that dream!

A black man has claimed the white house!!! The son of a Kenyan father, who until just 4 years ago, was not even a senator, has today risen to stake claim to, arguably the most powerful constitutional position in the world!

How many people would have given this man, whos middle name reads "Hussain" the chance to be called "The President"? This shows that America has risen again, to the call of democracy by electing Barack Hussain Obama as their 44th President. This is a great testimony to the maturity, enthusiasm and great foresight shown by the American electorate. Brushing aside issues like name, caste, colour and religion they have reposed overwhelming faith in a leader who signifies Change!!

It is time India woke up to the qualities of mature use of the right to adult franchise as we too are faced with a General Elections soon. This race for the White House has thrown at us, certain significantly important learnings in operationalising a successful democracy. The most important of these lessons is the need for greater seriousness of the election campaigns. Both Obama and McCain campaigns were extremely praiseworthy, for having put forth the genuinely pressing issues which concern America today.



It is high time we learn from it & start talking "Real" issues. Our fracas for the "Son's of soil" need to be buried deep down the same soil. It is the economy, foreign policy, housing, inflation and the environmental needs of India which need a louder voice. Fiscal deficit, farmer suicides, reservations & quotas, infrastructural development and issues of social security deserve far more public debate and attention over the age old caste based politics which raises its ugly head time and again during the "Great Indian Election Tamasha"
We are poised at the threshold of global dominance. It's our time now, and we must not let this opportunity pass due to our callous approach towards politics and governance. Let us all get together and imbibe our collective wisdom in electing a young new resurgent Lok Sabha in the coming months which will put our nation on a robust path of sustainable growth.



We must also ensure the growth to be socially inclusive. Explore all possible public - private partnership opportunities and venture out bravely into various forms of social entrepreneurship. As I said, it's our time now, let everyone realise it. Today, the world is just emerging from a global financial crisis. We too are faced with some real problems at hand, and we need some real leaders who will help us solve these problems by giving us real solutions.



We do not want false promises or glorious sermons, we've had enough of it! We need action oriented leadership which will help us get things done... It's OUR time India.... WAKE UP!!!

What's in a name...?

Autograph hunters are a notoriously weird bunch, who are more often than not, arrested on suspicion of stalking. But there's a method to their seemingly endless madness. Autographs are also a big business. Now, your signature may be worth as much as a phelgm in a tissue, but some people's scrawls..... are worth millions..... especially if they're dead.



Take one such deceased person, the rather nifty playwright William Shakespere. There are only 6 known authentic autographs of his fluttering around the world. Of course, none of these are actually for sale, but if one of them comes up for auction, experts have put a reserve of $ 5 Million on it...

"What's in a name?" He once wrote..... Moolah... Will, that's what!!!!!

The Secret! - An Original....

I sat and wondered who leaders are?
Why are they bestowed with so much power?
Don’t they ever fight nor have a rift?
Is it all a supernatural gift?

Are Gandhi & Mandela only about a name?
Is it really easy to claim such fame?
Why do people admire them, the way they do?
And why are such leaders so far and few?

On my journey to this intriguing quest,
I put myself to learning & test.
It wasn’t easy to reach the core,
But its only when you sail, you touch the shore.

Believe me, the secret wasn’t easy to find,
I somehow knew, it all started in the mind.
On pressing my search a bit further more,
Passion was a thread that came to the fore.

Self belief was virtue I knew,
My faith in it was refreshed anew,
Principles and beliefs moulded these men,
On honesty they’d all score a perfect ten.

Leaders are, the ones who dare,
For their people, they truly care,
Luck in their lives, played hardly any part,
More than mind, they heeded their heart.

They were the ones who sowed the seed,
Without the selfishness or any greed,
Life’s a tug of war, and you need to pull
If you want it to be happy and full,

They left indelible images on the sands of time,
I end it here; there’s no more I can rhyme!
I share with you, my learning for your sake,
Always in the end, the love you take,
Is equal to the love you make!!

An Idea for India….

15th August, 2008: Instead of the regular and almost ritualistic wake up trance on the Independence Day morning of watching the PM’s address from the Red Fort, this time I did something rather different.. Or indifferent I must say. It was a Friday and yes, today I would get my copy of the Economic Times, *(I don’t subscribe to it on weekends due to affordability issue – it costs Rs. 9 on Sundays). So cherishing the great opportunity of browsing through the ET early morning, I came across this masterpiece compilation in the “Corporate Dossier” supplement of the ET. 9 of India’s CEO’s had volunteered to write for the special publication. It was truly a special issue which indeed brought out the varied opinions of these CEO’s on nation building, articulating their ideas for India’s future. It was truly insightful. I’m just attempting to summarize what I gathered from their opinions with my own inputs here. Let’s see if An IDEA can change our lives….

Henry Luce, the legendary founder of TIME, called business, an instinctive exercise in foresight. So is nation building, said the learned CEOs. Let us acknowledge the fact that in the history of this world, nations sometimes find themselves on the threshold of opportunity, it is then that their adopted actions & policies that determine how successful these nations emerge as global powers. There are various such opportunities that time has given to the world. Be it the World War, Cold War, Humans going into space, birth of atomic & nuclear warfare, or the more recent global economic slowdowns. The series of events have always thrown up opportunities in times of adversities.

India is today faced with the great paradox of population. Where today every 6th person in the world is an Indian, where do we see our country going ahead into the future? We as the people of this country must decide how we want India to be positioned at the turn of the next decade. We have some inherent strength in the form of our young populations, a pervasive & strong democracy and the naturally entrepreneurial spirit of our people, but is it enough to make us a superpower in times to come? Certainly not…

Despite having one of the best democracies in the world, ironically Indian polity faces the chronic disease of opportunism & petty shortsightedness. Most of all, it is the sheer distorted priorities of leadership in this country which has posed a most ghastly scare to the nation’s progress. Just to sight an example, the CM of Maharashtra offering a Rs. 10 lakh reward to Abhinav Bindra, the millionaire shooter Kid of a millionaire father. This is not to undermine Abhinav’s magnanimous achievement in bagging an individual Gold for India, but just goes to show the completely distorted priorities of our leadership. Does Abhinav actually need that money? What does Maharashtra specifically have to do with Abhinav, who is actually a resident of Chandigarh? And then they complain that farmers are committing suicide in Vidarbha!

With the inflation at its peak, and the world facing a financial slowdown, the Government is busy making its point by proving its majority on the floor of the house, just because a handful of old fashioned red obsessed Bongo Malyali comrades thought that the Nuclear Deal is not in India’s national interest. Also if all this drama wasn’t enough, our old protagonists at nationalistic drama, the saffron brigade pull out a sensationalism & wannabe’ishness personified cash for vote sting, which was nothing short of Rakhi Sawant antics thrown in the media just to get undue attention. The Hon. Speaker of the house of Lok Sabha is suspended from his own party and bundles of notes thrown in front of the parliament. Multiple bomb blasts across Gujarat & other cities across the country are only few of the examples of the high handedness with which this country is Governed.

Nandan Nilekani, the Co Chairman of Infosys in his article (which I could relate to the most) writes that Policy Makers need to recognise that free markets and reforms in themselves can be pro poor. We do not need the glam high but brittle promises of thousands of crores of farm loan waivers. He wonderfully describes India as “Limited Access” state. The rapid growth that India witnessed over the last 2 decades is fuelling new hopes amongst Indians, for better lives, incomes and employment. But there is too much that still barricades the way. And the reason that so many Indians remain cut off from the economy is that we have yet to fully embrace what ought to be the core idea behind reforms – expanding access.

Air Deccan, a wonderful model of expanding flying experience access to marginalized people has been dumped because of the taxation policies of the Govt on Surcharge & taxes on Air Fuel & Airport development. The lack of capital means, average Indian finds it difficult to take loans to start up his business. A weak subsidy system means that poorer Indians lack any kind of safety net to take big life risks, such as attempt higher education or migrate for better jobs. Only 15% of our farmers have bank credit. With our Government run schools in dismal state and almost 90% of our populations still languishing in the underpaid, underdeveloped unorganized sector we sure have a reason to regroup and rework our strategies.

If we have to match upto the “Great American Dream” of the 1950’s and the 1960’s or walk head to head with the Chinese Great Leap of the 1970’s and 1980’s we need to expand access of basic resources to the most poorest of the poor. We need many more “Lead India” & “Teach India” campaigns. Many of us will find this goal a struggle. But then, most of our past triumphs have come after a great struggle. All our battles that we have won have been hard fought. We are seen as a country which exemplifies struggle. Now, we must ensure that the world wakes up and takes notice of the sheer power of the hopes and aspirations of 1.1 Billion people. After all, it is said, that a single idea can change your life…

I'm not the only one....

Imagine there's no heaven...
Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try,
No hell below us
Above us only sky.

Imagine all the people
Living for today...
Imagine there are no countries,
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too

Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger..
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one!!!

The Brand Called ....YOU!!

If you were an ice cream, what would you be??? A Feast - Something rough on the outside but complete mush chocolate from the inside.... or a Gelato -sinful, extravagant and something to savour and aspire for.... or then are you Ben & Jerry's - quirky, fun loving, and full of goodness... or the eternal ol' Baskin & Robbins - predictable, a little boring, but oh - so dependable?

But if you were to identify - after you stopped wondering whats wrong with me... of course with this analogy, you clearly understand the power of brands. After all, ultimately, what's an ice cream? Just a frozen confection of milk and sugar, with some additional flavours thrown in. Do a blind - taste test of all these brands, and Im sure 7 out of 10 people won't be able to tell their Gelato from Baskin's...But such is the lure of the images brands help create, that just the name is evocative of a distinctive attribute: be it class, quality or cost.

But then, you'd have to be really naive to still believe - if you did - that the brand is about the product. Branding is all about Product Perception. Its about creating an identity and image to reach the decision - preferably favourable and when that product is YOU..... Its even more critical. The branding process has to be so perfect that the decisions can't be, anything but, in your favour.

That in a nutshell, is the premise of Peter Montoya's - "The Brand Called YOU." It's being touted as the definitive guide to personal branding, which in turn is "the most powerful success & personal impact tool ever devised." A sunshine concept that I have definitely woken up to, in this world of competetive differentiating advantages.

Fulsome praise coming from me, indeed, but it begs the question: what is a PERSONAL BRAND? Montoya has appended a helpful little glossary at the end of his book. according to that, a personal brand is "a personal identity that stimulates precise, meaningful perceptions, in it's audience about the values and qualities that the person stands for, personally and professionally."

And before you ask, NO, its not the same as advertising and PR. The purpose of creating a personal brand is not to make you famous, emphasizes Montoya. It's about enhancing your sphere of influence, because that's what generates wealth. Of course, you may become famous, but that's just a welcome extra, not the ultimate goal.

A personal brand is about keeping you, and everything about you at the top - of - mind, telling people that you can create value and helping business come to you, rather than having to scout for work. it sounds like a sterile way of doing business... that's because it is!!! But it's a reflection of reality. People are commodities... just like soaps and steel - and YOU and your most valuable asset. (Ask this dude called VIJAY MALLYA... who wants to live life kingsize.... If you have any doubts on this one... or.... how about SIR RICHARD BRANSON or someone something called DONALD TRUMP!!)

Citing case studies of orthodontists, realtors, commercial photographers and personal injury lawyers, Montoya lists several strategies, from the obvious (Like having a pesonal blog, or a website, or just simple way of paying attention to the person who's talking to you!!)

Well, now I dont mean to tell you intricate details on "How to..." but would just urge you to just pause and introspect. Don't just run the rat race... as they say, that even if you win, you're still a RAT!! The world has woken up to key differentiatiors, and the theory of competitive advantage. Everyone is looking for that "Something Different"...... Remember Admiration Fades... Love Endures!!...... Products Sell... Brand Live On...

Let you... the "BRAND YOU" live on in the minds of everyone around you, by doing the ordinary things which often lead to extra ordinary results, something small like wishing people on special days, sending them personalised e mail / greeting rather than just a "fwd" which all of us hate to see in our mailbox. A pleasant SMS or phone call to your long lost friend or an acquaintance. A birthday greeting to your customer / boss / co worker will definitely go a long way in moulding a legendary BRAND YOU...

I don't want to preach any futher, else I'd come accross like a mother sending her child off to boarding school: But yea, Montoya, through his book doesn't just hold your hand, he clutches it and drags you UP, from your current state of being!! Of Course... if you're good, you'll get the Ice Cream too!!!

So... when do you know it's love?

Hey... what a refreshing change!!! Just saw an amazingly fresh & genuinely "Hatke" movie after a long time!! "Jaane Tu... " delivers a much needed dose of the antidote of originality.

But as I watched the movie, the punchline of the movie especially caught my attention.

"So when do you know it's love??"

Is there a set definition, criteria or a parameter fixed to determine the exact timing of the occurance of this four lettered divine phenomena called LOVE? Is Love just an illusion? Can one actually time it? Can one actually determine that It's about to happen???....... I really dont know.

Love to me is the transcendence of all of one's emotional affinity towards the person they like. It's everything, yet nothing in tangible terms. The mere concept of LOVE, as celebrated by poets & artists is infinite and cannot be measured. More importantly it cannot be timed either. It's a breath of fresh air, you cant see it, but its there. It's the blessing of the Holy Force to the mankind, you cant measure it, but it exists! Love as they say, is the cause as well as effect. It justifies the ends as well as the means!!

Okay, thats fine.... but the question yet remains... "So When do u know it's love" and not just infactuation? or attraction.... or is it just friendship??? Believe me... on intense introspection, I think, there is no one else who can tell you "When It's Love...." You are your best judge......

It's Love... when her sms stays in your inbox forever!!
It's Love.. when despite the traffic you take a longer route to drop her back home.
It's Love.. when you wait for her call all night...
It's Love... when you talk to her all day
It's Love... when you want to offer your only umbrella to her and you get wet!
Sometimes.. love is when you purposely forget your umbrella at home to share hers!!

Love is not about taking... as much as it is about giving!!
Love is about creating magic, when there isn't any!!
Love is friendship.................... in its purest form!

Most of all.... Believe me... "Its love if you're thinking about him / her while reading this post"

So, just go and call the person up right now, let them know that they mean the world to you!! And express your love before it's too late!!!

Champions are boring!!!

It is a rainy evening. Its already 8:00 p.m. and I'm anxiously waiting for my mum to serve up some dinner. I am really hungry after a nice long and brisk walk at the seaface. In the midst of this agonising wait, I suddenly learnt an invaluable lesson in excellence!!!


As a matter of habiutual ritual, I was flipping channels... India was getting thrashed at the hands of the archrivals Pakistan in an important Asia Cup cricket match. How could I have continued watching the ordeal! Hence, as a natural progression, I switched to watching the Wimbledon!!! Let me tell you, it's one of the most classy sporting tournaments held accross all disciplines accross the wide spectrum of international sporting arena. Everything about the tournament exudes class, from the ground staff to the ball boys to even the crowd. Even the applause after every point somehow sounds perfectly in sync and rhythemic.

Yesterday, I happen to catch the Quarter Final clash between the World No. 1 Roger Federer and Mario Ancic, who has the distinction of being the last man to have defeated FedEx, on his preffered grass surface, way back in 2002... The champ, hasnt lost a match since!!!


The match, mildly put, was a highly boring, one sided affair with short streaks of brilliance on display by the gutsy challenger, Ancic. But as anticipated, he failed to make too much of a headroom and lost the match in straight sets. And then in hindsight I sat wondering.... Why do so many people die to see such boring matches?? What's so great about this dumb guy who just doesnt know the art of loosing?? What's so great about him??


And then, on serious contemplation... I slowly began to find answers to my questions. The first premise I established was "Champions, more often than not, are boring!!"



More often than not, all of us are in our average lifetime, are faced with our big moments of truth. These are moments which decide, how the coming generations would remember us, or rather, will they remember us at all or not! Champions, as species, are plagued with this habbit of treating such important moments as if they are inconsequential!!!


They go about doing what they do best, the way they know best, which in most cases, is by beating the rest!!! Champions are almost always on top of their game. They are sheer antonyms of excitement. Obviously as one gets excited and nervous, only when one is uncertain about the result. Champions are always sure of what the result would be!!


More importantly, and boringly true champions are humble. As a press person, you will never be able to extract a 'headline statement' out of them which would provoke further sensationalism. They'd never criticise, never throw brickbats as their peers. Aaarrggghhhh so irritating!! They are agonisingly monotonous and colourless in their personalities. They are a gossip columnist's nightmare!!

Also, something which baffles me, is the sheer hunger to win that these morons have. I mean.. why would Sachin want to score a run more in his lifetime... he already has thousands of them stacked up anyways.... or probably.. whats the joy Federer would get in lifting the same damn wimbledon trophy 6 consecutive times...isn't he bored of doing the same thing again and again??? Or to top it all.. whats the fun, Schumi would have got... going almost insanely around a race circuit at top speed like a rat lost in his hole.... for more than a decade!!!

I mean.. there are no answers to these questions!!! But yes, through all this contemplation, I have finally concluded that "Champions are boring" - Probably that's what makes them the champions they are!!!