Walking in the rain...

I had a few meetings lined up in town today. After finishing the last one, which was quite close to Marine Drive, I decided to walk for sometime on the promenade and take a cab after a while to VT station. But no sooner had I passed the imposing NCPA apartments, was I already questioning my decision. It was past 6 pm but the sun was still blazing down mercilessly. The placid waters of the Arabian sea were reflecting the sun light with such intensity that one could not look at it without squinting. By the time I reached the Air India building, I was already sweating profusely.

I decided to take a cab from opposite Oberoi and just then in the backdrop, I saw dark clouds closing in from the east. They looked ominous. And something inside me said "Wait! Keep walking'"

I decided to take a detour and buy something for home and took a right into the leafy sleepy boulevard of CCI lane, home to the Brabourne stadium. I reached 210 degree centigrade just outside Samrat restaurant - a favorite hangout spot when we were in college and picked up freshly baked bread and biscuits. Steeping out, I realized that the clouds had mobilized their army in far greater numbers. But still the humidity was quite stifling.

Again, I decided to take a cab from outside Churchgate station as I passed the landmark Satyam gift shop on my right. But, as if angry with this decision of mine, the clouds started to rumble. And I found myself tellingl me - "Keep walking!"

I had hardly walked a 100 metres when I felt the first drops of rain. I looked up. The sky was completely dark grey now. Not a speck of blue on the horizon. I smiled. People around me quickened their pace. Why were they in a hurry?! I reached Flora fountain. The famous Vada pav wala on the corner and the Booksellers on the corner adjacent to Amex bank were quite well prepared as a nice blue canopy had already been put up unlike a half dug up road on the side.

I went past the Stan C building and other colonial era structures on Fort and it was now drizzling steadily. I smiled even more broadly. A few umbrellas popped open around me. A few makeshift umbrellas were created out of office bags, books and handkerchiefs. Why were the people walking so quickly?! I looked up and felt the raindrops falling gently on my face. I found myself humming - " Raindrops keep falling on my head..."

The clouds rumbled again. And finally opened up. A torrential downpour began just as I reached Mcdonalds. 'Am loving it' I told myself! It was a fantastic scene. The BMC building loomed straight ahead and the magnificent Victoria Terminus ahead on the right. People realized there was no point in running anymore. For a moment, they turned school kids again as they forgot their worries and soaked in the rain. For a moment, their troubles seemed to have been washed away by the rains. The beautiful smell of wet earth wafted through the air. Sounds of laughter and excited chatter could be heard all around. The temperature had dropped considerably. The sky began to turn on a hue of yellow and orange, a portrait that only the monsoon could paint. It was a magical sight. Pure unadulterated joy!

I reluctantly entered VT station dripping wet and caught a train. A guy sitting next to me was updating his status on Facebook - "First rains!! Am loving it.." I looked at him and smiled. He smiled back. So many times, when faced with a choice, we feel that we do not take the right decision. It may not be a life changing decision but a simple mundane one like what colour of shirt to buy, what restaurant to eat in, whether to take a cab or not. I was lucky that I was in town today. And I was glad that I did not take the cab that day. And decided to get wet!

Surgeries are Fun!

A couple of days back, I met a few of my school friends after a really long time. One of them is pursuing her masters to become a dentist. The conversation naturally veered around to how tough it is to become a doctor and even post that, life really does not get any easier. I asked her if she had performed any surgeries. She said yeahh - a couple. On asking her about the experience, the reply which she gave was something which I least expected. "It was Fun!"

Surgeries and fun?! I had to admit that the answer took me completely by surprise. To laymen like you and me and to patients, surgeries are anything but fun! But on second thoughts, I wondered. Fun! Why not?! The job of a doctor is to have cure patients and perform surgeries. Just like in any other vocation, it is important to have fun and enjoy what you are doing. Why can't doctors have fun too? Imagine if they seem and act disinterested and bored while operating! It really is wonderful how a different perspective can make you see things with more clarity.

That however was not the end of it and a train of thought had already started running. Most of us from the batch of 2010 have completed or would be completing a year in our respective jobs. I would not say that its been all fun and games. There have been some days where you felt 'wow! This is so interesting' and some days where u felt 'wow! Can't believe I am doing such work!' But this is a truism which is part and parcel of any kind of work, even if you are in a field where you always wanted to be. I would say that I have been fortunate enough to part of a good team where there is so much to learn almost every day. And that I believe is the key. The learning should not stop.

Also, I have been lucky enough to get a boss who loves to give "gyaan". His two nuggets of advice have stayed with me. One was that you should have very basic expectations from your job. Do not expect that you will be doing interesting work every day and you will be satisfied. Yes, It is important that your work challenges your mental faculties and gives you ample opportunity to learn. But for happiness and satisfaction, it is important to look outside work and recharge your batteries. On weekends. With family. With friends. Read a good book. Watch a good movie. Go party. Pursue a hobby.

His second point was on something which a lot of us can identify with. Career planning. He said that he had to shift departments four times in his career of more than 10 years. And these shifts were not really what he wanted or what he asked for. He was just told that he would have to move. No options given. But he remained patient and is now pretty successful. Unplanned career progression :)

Gyaan dena aasan hota hai always. But if the gyaan makes sense, a sincere attempt must be made to imbibe some. Its important to set your expectations right. Expectation anchoring. And its important to not fret about work too much. And to try to keep things in perspective. Because, if you think about it from a doc's point of view, surgeries can be fun too :)

Mungerilal ke Haseen Sapney.....

A couple of days back, Boss called me in his usual inimitable style to his cabin with a single word line - "Aaao"! I went to his cabin not knowing what to expect. He asked me about the status on a particular deal. I said I was not fully aware. He frowned and called my senior. She was busy doing something on her computer and was not picking up. And then he cracked one of his comical habitual one liners ' "Look at madam! She is busy in her own world. Mungerilal ke haseen sapney"! I chuckled.

Suddenly boss started talking about some holiday. And I went on my own little holiday. To the Himalayas. Beautiful snow capped peaks all around. Me walking amidst dense oak and conifer forests with a few of my closest friends. And along with a special someone. Aah! What a wonderful feeling. But suddenly there was some disturbance around me. Boss was screaming something. " I want a daily status update on this. Without fail. The guillotine is on our necks!" Welcome to reality, I said to myself.

Still thinking about the holiday, I went to my seat with a smile. I got down to preparing a status update. Just then, there was an email from a friend. A die hard Manchester United fan. Who started taunting that this year too Arsenal wont win anything. :| I again drifted off.. Arsenal is just 6 points behind. Man U still has to play Arsenal and Chelsea. If they loose, then we can still win this. All is not lost. And I imagined Fabregas lifting the Premier League trophy and a proud Wenger smiling benevolently. And Wenger saying that his philosophy of grooming young talent has finally paid off. And me sending a fitting reply to my Man U friend...... I smiled. Ok. Prepare the status update fast! The guillotine is on our necks! A lot of us are prone to day dreaming. Escape into those flights of fantasy. Escape from a routine, monotonous life around you which brings a smile on your lips and gives you something to talk about at the end of the day. I think these flights of fancy are perfectly all right as long as we do not get too serious and not get too stuck up on it. I think its a way for some of us to deal with the situation around you. A sort of a break which can leave u refreshed. But yeah you have to be careful not too get too immersed in it at the cost of immediate pressing issues! Otherwise, the guillotine...!

The phone rang. A friend invited me to his wedding reception. Marriage. So many friends around me are getting married. When will I.. I began to wonder..........

Deja Vu conversations

"Whats new?"

"ummmm....ummm..nothing much..same old..office..home routine".."You tell me, whats happening with you?"

"same here! work, and then some more work!"

"hmm..ok. Aur kya besides work?"

"Nothing much, yaar".."Tu bata.."

"Nothing much really"

"Hmm ok..Gtg..Talk to you later!"

"Ok..Cya. Take care"

"U too Tc!"

The first step

First day of MBA life. The chief guest is the CEO of a Fortune 500 company. You listen in awe as he delivers an inspiring speech. Everyone gives a standing ovation as he finishes his talk. And then he says, "I am now open to questions". Suddenly there is visible discomfort as people start looking at each other as if asking "Who will be the first to ask"? And finally one person rises up and puts forth his question. There is a visible relief everywhere and then the flood of questions begins ranging from the banal to the really interesting.

Asking a question to a CEO? What's the big deal you might ask. But for a lot of people, myself included, it is significant. It always is about who takes the first step. Even if it is as simple as asking a question, however silly, to a CEO who is already open to questions. But there are so many incidents in life, more serious, more difficult, where we are afraid to take the first step. Like choosing an unconventional career path. Like standing up for values you believe in even when the majority is against you. Like fighting against bias and injustice which may be happening around you in your workplace, college or school.

Why should I do it? Why does not someone else do it? Even if I do this, there is no hope because no one will ever believe that this is right. We are like this only. We won't change. What will others think? They will think I am mad. No one will ever support me. Isn't it too idealistic? I ought to be practical maybe? And hundreds of other related questions.

And that is why the deeds of Anna Hazare are so significant and praise worthy. We were tired of hearing about the never ending scams. We were all tired of the corruption around us. Most of us cursed the corrupt politicians, bureaucrats, police and all and sundry. But yet, most of us did nothing about it. Read about it in the papers, ranted, cursed and carried on with our lives. Apna desh aisa hi hai. Kuch nai kar sakte. 100 mein se ninyanve beimaan, par phir bhi mera bharat mahaan.

It took a small step by Anna Hazare to change our outlook. And channel our frustrations for the right cause. It made us believe that yes, change is possible if you have the courage of conviction and are fearless enough to pursue it till the end, whatever the consequences. It is difficult for most people to take such a bold step when we have thousands of things to worry and care about in our day to day lives. But we are more than happy to support the right person who is bold enough to take the first step.

The fact that the government has given in is a great victory for Anna Hazare and for the all people who supported the cause. A moment to remember and feel inspired about. As a friend put it, perhaps the greatest day in our democracy? Perhaps it is. All I now wish is for is for the implementation to be as effective, fair and transparent as the Jan Lokpal bill promises. But this is no small achievement, and a first step in the right direction

Thank you, Anna Hazare!

Anna Hazare's deeds remind me of a poem by C.P.Cavafy, a Greek poet, even though the poem was written in a different context.

"Just to be on the first step

should make you happy and proud.

To have come this far is no small achievement:

what you have done is a glorious thing.

Even this first step

is a long way above the ordinary world.

To stand on this step

you must be in your own right

a member of the city of ideas.

And it is a hard, unusual thing

to be enrolled as a citizen of that city.

Its councils are full of Legislators

no charlatan can fool.

To have come this far is no small achievement:

what you have done already is a glorious thing."

Random Numbers

Some say that statistics are cold and hard. Do not reveal the entire truth. However sometimes, statistics can express emotions and feelings which words just can't. When a certain moment comes, and you don't know what to say, sometimes the numbers just have to the talking.

0 - Virender Sehwag won't like this. A duck in the final of the World cup. But as Ravi Shastri aptly put it as Sehwag ran to collect the winner's medal even as he was calling out R.Ashwin's name, Sehwag had to open this particular post. The most entertaining and electrifying batsman in India, he played his part in a moment in the final i am not likely to forget - Forcing the umpire to lower his arm in order to reverse his no-ball decision when Sreesanth was bowling and the childish grin on his face afterwards. Typical Sehwag and symbolizes the way he bats. Happy -go-lucky and without a care in the world. Priceless moment.
1 (billion) - The population of India before the World cup began. 1 billion hopes. 1 billion aspirations. 1 billion prayers.
6 (87,92,96,99,03,07) - 6 world cups post 1983. 6 world cups of shattered hopes.
2 - 2nd April. The day when India won it's 2nd World Cup
27 (years) - My age
28 (years) - The agonizingly long wait
37 (years), 343 (days) - The age of Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar. We had to win it for this man. We owed it to him for what he has given to us. I need not add anything more.
31 (runs), 2 (wickets) - The Indian scorecard chasing 275. In a world cup final. Sehwag and Sachin back in the dressing room. That sinking feeling again which has happened in the previous 6 world cups. But...
83 (runs) - The Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli jugalbandi. Which steadied the innings. And made us believe that we will not crumble under pressure like all those years ago.
91 (runs) - of the most valuable, calm, cool, chanceless, under pressure runs I have seen a batsman accumulate in a long long time. M.S.Dhoni. I had my doubts when he came in ahead of Yuvraj. But, Cometh the Hour, Cometh the Man! Respect.
362 (runs), 15 (wickets), 4 (Man of the Match awards) - Just a few months back, he was written off. Ridiculed for being overweight . Accused of lacking focus and motivation. His place in the team questioned. And then winning the Man of the Tournament award. Yuvraj Singh. Redemption.
1000 (times) - Goosebumps. Multiplied by 1000. The moment when Sachin was lifted on young shoulders and carried around the Wankhede. Unforgettable.
10000 (times) - Goosebumps. And a big lump in the throat. The moment when Virat Kohli made THE statement. "For 21 years, he has carried the hopes of a nation on his shoulders. It is time we carried him on ours."
1.2 (billion) - The population of India after the world cup ended post census. 1.2 billion hopes and aspirations fulfilled. 1.2 billion prayers answered.
Infinite - Joy. Happiness. Tears. Evident on the faces of millions as the party spilled over onto the streets of the country.

Statistics. Numbers. Cold and Hard. But sometimes they can indeed express more than words. When a certain moment comes. A moment like this. When India, a nation starved of sporting achievements, wins the Cricket World Cup.

Yes! We just did it!

The choke's on you!

"Haha..once a choker, always a choker"
"The chokers are at it again"
"S.A should campaign for TIDE with the tag line - 'Choke gaye'"

Within minutes of South Africa losing in the knock out stages of the world cup, Facebook was flooded with such messages. Rubbing salt into S.A's wounds. Reminding them once again of their failure to withstand the pressure when it matters the most. As I read those messages, I couldn't help but compare it to situations we have so often faced and continue to confront.

Most of us, as part of our growing up years, would have been taunted, ridiculed and made fun of about some specific traits or shortcomings. By friends, relatives, teachers, bosses. Several of those might have been made in jest, all part of fun and games, to be taken sportingly, laughed about and forgotten.

But some taunts and criticisms tend to stick it with you. How often have you come across people who have bombarded you time and again saying "You will never be able to do this". "You are not capable enough." "I told you so. You failed yet again!" " Why do you even attempt to do this?" Different people react differently to such taunts. Some just smile and shrug it off. Water of a ducks back. Some accept their limitations and move on. Some give it back. With interest. Some take it on the chin. Most people remember. And try to overcome their shortcoming. And continue to keep at it inspite of repeated failures. They just do not give up. Because there is a searing desire within them to prove a point. They feel that they can prove the naysayers wrong. And finally, when they are able to achieve what everyone said they never could, there can be no better satisfaction.

History is replete with examples of men and women who proved the world wrong. And that is why we love supporting such people. Even when they fail time and time again. We admire them because they are so inspirational when they succeed against all odds. Somewhere hidden in their stories, we feel, is our own story as well. Because we know that deep down, we too are also trying to prove a point, just like they did. That we too can do it.

I think all those critics and nayasayers help shape your character. Makes you stronger when you do not believe everything they say and get mired in self doubt. Makes you more focussed and determined. Even when you succeed, it is important to keep your feet firmly on the ground and develop a sense of perspective. Because, as i read in a recent article, it is important to remember your probability lessons - over the long term, things tend to even out.

That is what all those people who say South Africa are perennial chokers need to remind themselves of. Things will even out some day. The choke's really not on South Africa. The choke is on you!