Nov 30, 2008

ethics survey...

Calling all the loyal readers (and others) to help Nams by filling up this survey -
http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?key=p7hmTlQtfMV2igOhX9hU7dQ

Thanks in Advance...

Nov 28, 2008

who ... contd...

Last morning when I wrote this post who, I had just one thing in mind and this line from Being Cyrus perfectly put words to it.
"Who YOU let in can CHANGE your life..."

Today when I think about it, I feel there is more to it. There are more feelings that I can attached to the line. I am sad, I am angry. Mumbai must be having similar feelings. It's crazy; it's mindless. No doubt, mumbai will bounce back. It always does. That is the great Mumbai spirit.

But, there is more to these attacks than jusrt the fighting spirit of mumbai. It makes me think about "who we let in." How careful can we be? The waiter in Taj says the terrorist showcased the best of behavior before starting the firing. How could they be identified from the hundreds of other people that we see all around us. They are one amongst us and we have no way to identify them.
This is the greatest tragedy.

Nov 27, 2008

Nov 26, 2008

The Sound of Forest

Back in the third century A.D., the King Ts'ao sent his son, Prince T'ai, to the temple to study under the great master Pan Ku. Because Prince T'ai was to succeed his father as king, Pan Ku was to teach the boy the basics of being a good ruler. When the prince arrived at the temple, the master sent him alone to the Ming-Li Forest. After one year, the prince was to return to the temple to describe the sound of the forest.

When Prince T'ai returned, Pan Ku asked the boy to describe all that he could hear.

"Master," replied the prince, "I could hear the cuckoos sing, the leaves rustle, the hummingbirds hum, the crickets chirp, the grass blow, the bees buzz, and the wind whisper and holler."

When the prince had finished, the master told him to go back to the forest to listen to what more he could hear. The prince was puzzled by the master's request.

Had he not discerned every sound already?

For days and nights on end, the young prince sat alone in the forest listening. But he heard no sounds other than those he had already heard. Then one morning, as the prince sat silently beneath the trees, he started to discern faint sounds unlike those he had ever heard before. The more acutely he listened, the clearer the sounds became. The feeling of enlightenment enveloped the boy.

"These must be the sounds the master wished me to discern," he reflected.

When Prince T'ai returned to the temple, the master asked him what more he had heard.

"Master," responded the prince reverently, "when I listened most closely, I could hear the unheard - the sound of flowers opening, the sound of the sun warming the earth, and the sound of the grass drinking the morning dew."

The master nodded approvingly.

"To hear the unheard," remarked Pan Ku, "is a necessary discipline to be a good ruler. For only when a ruler has learned to listen closely to the people's hearts, hearing their feelings uncommunicated, pains unexpressed, and complaints not spoken of, can he hope to inspire confidence in his people, understand when something is wrong, and meet the true needs of his citizens. The demise of states comes when leaders listen only to superficial words and do not penetrate deeply into the souls of the people to hear their true opinions, feelings, and desires."

ps: This was a part of one of the readings - "Parables of Leadership" for the course "Leadership Skills". We played the game of Broken Squares as part of classroom exercise for the same course. Click here for description of the game. This slot we have some intersting subjects. Lot of focus is on soft skills and development of managerial potential. I will share more stories from classrooms as they take place.

Nov 20, 2008

500 Rs

Ye Hai Meri Kahani

Certificates say my name is Pritesh Jain.
I say I am Pritesh,
Also known as PJ, for the obvious reasons.
Wonder if my parents had foreseen my talent.

Dad is a banker, mom a housewife.
Have an elder sister,
And her two little kids.
I become a kid with them.
They are my love, they are my life.

Born in Khandwa – the birth place of Kishore Kumar
Did not realize it till I was in class 4th.
It has no significance anyways,
I sing terribly even by bathroom singing standards.

Always topped in school,
And made my parents proud.
They told me -
"Success is a journey, not a destination."
So keep walking.
And to this day I haven't stopped.

Indore – Bangalore – Ahmedabad
Three stops in my journey.
Each one more significant than the other.
Each one as crucial as air, water and sun.
They showed me the world,
Helped me become what I am today.

Indore – city of my dreams
3F of my life - family, friends and food.
School, board exams and merit ranks.
My first interview in a news paper.
Success and happiness.
And then the question – am I content?
Home was nice, I was happy,
But naaa, It was not the time to stop.
I had to explore more.
And so I moved on.
Good Bye Indore.

Come Bangalore – city of opportunities
RVCE - my abode for four years.
Four best years of my life,
Studies – the first love,
My gang – the second one.
College fests, cricket and rockbands.
In between blood donation and eye check-up camps.
Goa, Panchagani and Gokarna
A new experience every time,
Newer learning to go with it.
Those 4 years went very fast.
I did well.
I did well in exploring.

Riverstone was the next step,
A small start-up situated in the heart of Bangalore,
A place filled with enthusiasm and optimism.
Saw myself getting transformed into a so called IT professional
Projects, deadlines and deliverables,
All became part of my life.
I worked, and learnt bit by bit. Step by step.

Learnt French between in between,
Became a movie freak and a reader.
And worked for an NGO.
Those kids taught me a lot,
To be patient and caring.
They taught me virtue of enthusiasm and optimism.
In return, I taught them computer basics.

Riverstone got acquired, Lucent was the new master.
Things did not change much.
Still felt like I needed a change,
I needed some more challenges.

Juniper offered the same.
A place where I could challenge my limits,
And define them again.
Big team, bigger customers and even bigger targets.
Opportunities.
To learn, to grow and to help others grow.
I grabbed them all.

Work is fun and fun is work – my motto in life.
If it is not fun, you better find something else.
Change is the only constant thing.
And it is good.
Challenge your limits,
Else they will restrict you.

I needed more.
Opportunities, challenges and responsibilities.
I wanted to grow faster
As a person, as a business leader.
And so happened CAT and IIMA
Time to say goodbye Bengaluru

And here I am today in Ahmedabad.
IIMA – the place where excellence is the norm.
Red bricks, big arches,
Dreams, passion and ambitions.
A class apart, all along

Excellence
I have always strived for
I continue to do so.

Want to work more for children.
Want to bring more smiles on their faces.
My camera – my passion
My Blog – that keeps me alive
I call it “in search of UTOPIA”

Got lost once during a night trek.
It was an awesome feeling -
To find my own way,
And come out of the troubles.
I want to do it again.
And again.

One day I want to jump from a high bridge in New Zealand
With an elastic rope tied to my ankle.
They call it bungee jumping, I call it my dream.
I am sure I will survive.
I will survive.

Saw it on TV last night –
“Be born everyday
Aaj rockstar kal pilot
And who knows what the day after
Kabhi kisi anjan station par utar ke dekho
Kabhi kisi gumnam shahar ka ticket katao
Dusri ki galtiyo se kya seekhna, make your own mistakes yaar
Never resemble your passport photo for more than three months
Har subah shock your reflection
Explore
Bachpan ke kya kuch nahi banana chahte the
Why not today?
Be born everyday”

This's my new mantra.
Change – Innovate – Reinvent
Myself,
My life.
Live on the edge.

To this day,
I keep walking.
This journey will be interesting for sure.
And for me, that is all what matters.


ps: Wrote this poem as part of an application process for summer internship. Never got to know if the firm I applied liked it or not. Nonetheless I am happy that they gave me a reason to look back and think.
Life has been hectic post placements. That's the IIMA magic. You are never free. Confluence is starting today. Looking forward at having a great time.

Nov 18, 2008

Day Zero and many more

I have witnessed one of the most brilliantly executed process in my life. Lots of people put untiring efforts to make it a happy ending for every one.
What others see is a mere number anad some salary tags, I saw the real placement process in IIMA.

I am amazed.
I am happy.
I congratulate everyone.

I thank the placement committee. For their support and efforts. You guys really are "On the job."

Nov 16, 2008

champi expert

CAT days have always been lucky for me. Finally I am eligible to sell hair oil.
I am loving it.

Finally I got what I wanted.

Nov 12, 2008

Did we miss it???

Am not sure, but this has been making some news for last few days (or is it weeks). :)
Check out new logo for pepsi.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/31870561@N07/

I guess this is official photos from Pepsi on flickr. Are we seeing a new trend in marketing???

Nov 10, 2008

_No Fear_

General, gather all your arsenal. Pileup the food reserves. This war is going to last longer than expected.

Inshaallah fateh hamari hi hogi....

Amen!!!

Nov 9, 2008

23, 24 ,25

Count is still increasing...
Pata nahi is jeth ki dopahar me baarish ki pahli boond kab giregi...

Sometimes I feel frustrated, sometimes I am just indifferent. But one thing is for sure, it is giving me strength to be more focused. Rahul told me once that first year in IIMA teaches you only one thing - how to deal with failures. We all have been toppers, always successful in our life. This first year in IIMA is meant to fail you. If you don't learn it here, you will spend rest of your life learning it. Failure is inevitable, it is inevitable for success.

I am facing a brick wall. Stuck on this junction I can stop, or turn back or try harder to cross it. Prof Randy Pausch in his Last Lecture had this piece of advice - "The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out; the brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. The brick walls are there to stop the people who don't want it badly enough. They are there to stop the other people!"

Anyways...

And here is one interseting thing. One of the firm requires us to answer this question as a part of their application process. [In fact this is the only requirement to get an interview for a internship there. No resume needed]

Q. Please describe yourself as a person to me. [prose, poem or essay]
No particular structure required. No word limits.

I am loving it...

ps: If you have not heard the last lecture by Prof Randy Pausch, please do so. Strongly recommended.

Nov 8, 2008

Be Born Everyday

Chapter 1:
I had this particular exercise as a part of an application form. I really enjoyed doing it, thought will share it with you.
a. We see lots of "How to" books around today. People want to share their experience and make life easier for other. If you were to write your own "How to" book, what will be its title?
b. Readers generally buy a book after reading about its theme on the back cover. What would you say your book is about on the back cover of your book?

Chapter 2:
Have you seen the new advertisement for Titan? One with Aamir and the new punch line "Be Born Everyday" One of the shortest motivational speech you can ever get. Brilliant use of visual medium, backed with an even better script. And to top that Aamir. Just go for it...

Nov 7, 2008

Fight Club...

Warning: If you are reading this then this warning is for you. Every word you read of this useless fine print is another second off your life. Don't you have other things to do? Is your life so empty that you honestly can't think of a better way to spend these moments? Or are you so impressed with authority that you give respect and credence to all that claim it? Do you read everything you're supposed to read? Do you think every thing you're supposed to think? Buy what you're told to want? Get out of your apartment. Meet a member of the opposite sex. Stop the excessive shopping and masturbation. Quit your job. Start a fight. Prove you're alive. If you don't claim your humanity you will become a statistic. You have been warned- Tyler.

News You Cant Use

Or may be you can not use...
But still they find a mention here....

1. Sonal Shah of Indicorps part of Obama's advisory board - Just last week I got to know about Indicorps and I had a discussion with Sonal's sister Roopal and her team here in Ahmedabad. It feels so nice to know some of the right people in town.

2. Times Ahmedabad Festival is on full swing - Kailasa live tonight. God I am so much game for it. More so for the performance by Rahul Sharma. I just hope I get to see these. :D

3. Engineering student wants exam postponed - scheduled on 26th nov as it is very close to CAT exam scheduled on 16th Nov. Gosh!!! There are 10 full days between the two. And I would really be happy to meet an engineering student who prepares for more than 3 days for a paper. I can still buy the ATKT reason given by the students. But for CAT reasons, I will say - "go get yourself a life."

4. Yuvraaj Music released - I know this is an old news. Still it does matter. Go and sample the music. A.R.Rahman rocks as usual.

Baaki khabarein... Break ke baad...

Nov 6, 2008

crisis

The Chinese character for ‘crisis’ consists of two symbols. One means ‘danger’ , the other ‘opportunity’ . Every bad time hides an opportunity in it. It would be visible only to those people who really want it to see it.

Nov 5, 2008

EXCELLENCE

Some of the most inspiring moments from the talk by Harsha Bhogle -

On Excellence:
Talent dazzles, but it has hardly anything to do with excellence. It is what you make of that talent that matters. Arrogance is the biggest stumbling block to excellence. It is something similar to what Shane Warne’s wife recently said — about him living in a ‘rarefied bubble,’ wherein nobody had the courage to tell him he’s doing something wrong. It is more important to surround yourself with people who are better than you.

On Cricket:
There are no excuses. The Aussies will never say that we have lost. They’ll just say that we’ll come back and do better next time.

Harsha, the cricketer:
I loved fielding from the bottom of my heart. Have you heard the ‘cluck’ sound that a ball makes on hitting the bat? I used to fantasise about the sound of it hitting my palm. And being a fielder meant I could be friends with everybody. The bowlers loved anybody who could save them even a single run.

On live television:
Being unprepared helped. Initially, I used to compete with others. But you can’t comment on a reverse swing when Wasim Akram is sitting next to you. I realised that if I make them look better, I will look better myself. There is no space for ego here.

On luck and IIM:
At 21-22, I thought it was all a matter of luck, like all 21-22-year-olds do. I did not receive the interview letter from IIM, Ahmedabad. But when my father forced me to call and inquire, I found out my name was in the list, but the letter hadn’t reached. So you see, it wasn’t luck alone, but also the fact that I made the effort to call. It is important to recognise an opportunity. For as someone said ‘The harder I practise, the luckier I get.’ So is also the case with IIMA, which has moved with the times. Excellence, after all, lies in the present.

Ref: http://fuel2economy.blogspot.com/2007/09/excellence.html

WANTED - New Blog Template

PritS is looking for a new blog template. Suggest him and win exciting prices. :D

ps - A hint - One friend suggested me to put adwords on my blog. I really prefer to keep it void of any faltu stuff.
Special Offer - If the theme adds on to the title of the blog 'in search of UTOPIA' then there is a bumper price.

Nov 4, 2008

CAT gyan...

Parcel's blog is tempting me to write this post that will be easily classified as RCP in this campus. :)
Still... Can't stop this thing I've started... :)

CAT 2007 for me was a rewarding experience. A year that has potentially changed my life.
But how did I do it? No idea. I am not joking. I do not have a concrete answer to what special did I do, that brought me here at IIMA. It was my pursuit for excellence that matched with luck and I landed up here.

On luck front, I cannot help you. But still let me give some gyan on CAT.

1. Formula for cracking CAT - I am sorry to disappoint you if you thought that I have a formula to share with you. In my opinion, there is no forumula that will give you sureshot output. One would just pray to God that let there be some chemical reaction saying-
Solve 2 books of DI questions + Rattofy one vocabulary + Read 100 RCs + 15 chapters from Quant book = Interview call from 7 IIMs + Biproduct ( Calls from other institutes)

Alas, it never exists. There is no formula to crack CAT.

2. Strategy - It is not the time to make new strategies. Make sure you are comfortable with the way you approach your paper. No creative or innovative risk now. If you have been attending mockCATs, stick to things that have worked for you all these while.

3. CAT is full of surprise. That's the best part about it. So make sure the surprise in the exam is the only surprise that comes your way on the D-Day.

4. Confidence - Last few days before CAT are the time you boost your confidence. If you have had good track record in mockCATs and are seeing a slump in last few ones, leave mockCATs. Yes, leave them. MockCATs do help but make sure they do not hurt your confidence in these crucial days.

5. It's ok to be a little tense - Just be yourself. If you have prepared well for CAT, you are going to do well. CAT is just an exam. You are approaching a day that will define the course of your life. It deserves this much effort.

6. Don't overdo it - This is one of the fear that haunted me a lot. Once I faced a situation where I got bored while writing my mockCAT paper. Every sunday 2 mocks, I was getting too used to it. That evening I got really scared about what will happen if I felt like this on the D-Day. I took a break to gain back my enthusiasm. It really helped. So make sure, you don't lose your interest. Enjoying the exam is really important.

I guess I am losing my writing flair. Still I guess above 6 points will sum up any CAT gyan that you would extracted out of me. Last buy not the least, here is my favorite quote that I have always kept with me. I hope it will help you too.

"End of the day you can have only two kind of feelings -
1. If I had done it.
2. Yes, I did it.
And you know which is more glorious."

If you have some time, listen to this talk by Harsha Bhogle. He gave it in IIMA. I am really jealous of the people who heard this live.