In the world we live today, we have seen the struggle to maintain a balance between power and responsibility. Certain misplaced ideologies and convoluted reasoning are often quoted in the quest for power, giving it the garb of responsibility towards a certain thinking or path, which often goes unquestioned (more out of fear than lack of opinion). This, unfortunately, reinforces one's faith in one's power and over time, it multiplies to gargantuan proportions.
Today, I would like to narrate an experience during my first four weeks at the hostel at IIT Kharagpur.
I have seen many people state in their profiles that they 'love taking risks'. It is sometimes seen as a good trait, sometimes as a sign of confidence and many other times, as a sign of significant accomplishment, if success has come out of taking a risk, and rightfully so. It not only earns a feather to one's cap but the appetite to take more risks just goes several notches higher. It is also said that as you rise up the corporate ladder, the risks are higher, and I would agree.
In the first glance, it sounds like a ridiculous question. Of course, we all have mentors' teachers, parents, bosses, elderly people we know, some friends too, who, in many ways, qualify as mentors. It is a good thing too. Experience over a longer period or certain useful exposure does bring with it a higher amount of learning and maturity.
I have worn multiple hats throughout my career, but none has been more rewarding than being a salesman. Not that I didn't face rejections, in fact too many to count. I remember being ridiculed for not being fully prepared for a call, or being shown the door (literally!) in less than three minutes as someone realised he was too high up the order to meet me.
There is an element of pride attached to the word'workaholic'. Some claim to be workaholics, and proudly so. Bragging rights are earned when you burn the midnight oil, live out of a bag, sit in the corner office structuring plans, consume umpteen cups of coffee, and take equal number of reinvigorating breaks and have a line up of meetings. You are a workaholic if you have several missed calls and messages on your phone. Others would consider themselves lucky if such a person actually answers the
Years ago, when I was 14, I remember my father getting a carpenter home. He was non-charismatic at best and I couldn’t have fathomed him to be a master carpenter. There was this stack of wood (I believe it was teak) that I remember was lying in the attic for ages, which my father had bought through an auction, to be used for something when time and budget permitted., Business
I am sure many who live in India understand the concept of ‘dhobis’ (the neighbourhood launderers. They offer doorstep service at a price per cloth, which has not necessarily followed inflation; it continues to be highly affordable). In many ways they are indispensable, not that they do something unique, but they relieve several families the pain of washing (now a days the washing machine has made this easy) and pressing clothes each day., Business
It isn’t uncommon to expect people in the marketing domain to check or seek information on marketing budget before being hired, or when they structure a promotional campaign. The advantage that one may have may differ depending on the size of the company. For convenience’s sake, we may divide this size into following categories., Business
What’s the harm in admitting that ‘you don’t know’ when posed with a question as part of a discussion? How often do we admit honestly that we don’t know? Maybe the reason has more to do with not showing yourself as someone who doesn’t have adequate knowledge or perhaps shaking your head in a confused rotation, which helps evade the focus on you?, Business
I remember the summer training I underwent as part my engineering curriculum. It was in a tractor-testing institute in a remote village named Budni, some 70 km away from Bhopal (the capital of Madhya Pradesh). All tractors in India have to be tested, and certified by this institute before being sold commercially. The place is unbelievably hot in summer - peak temperature goes as high as 47 degrees Celsius during the course of the day., Business
Long ago, during my summer internship at Girijan Co-operative (a firm involved in improving the living conditions of the indigenous communities in Andhra Pradesh by enhancing their agricultural produce and providing access to fair price shops) in Visakhapatnam, as part of the PGDM programme, I had to travel to the hinterland of Andhra Pradesh. It involved a bus journey deep into the hilly regions for several hours, and then a trek by foot for an hour before I would reach the designated place., B
There would be a zillion articles on India, ranging from economic scenario, religion, political heat maps, diversity, agricultural independence (to a large extent), rail network, focus on infrastructure, digital and IT boom, and so on and so forth. There are several areas (largely including the ones stated above) one could be proud of especially the significant development that our country has made over the years. There are areas to lament as well, there is poverty, red-tapism, corruption to nam
Very few believe that the government sector has actually structured its functioning to empower people at various levels, but it has. Yes, we hear about bureaucratic delays, the reasons (if quoted right) are more for scrutiny and getting into the depth to ensure it benefits people at large., Business
How often have we said this to someone who knocked on our door or how often have you heard someone telling you this when you approach them for some information or help?
My apologies if the headline acted like a honey trap to get you here. I do not believe in miracles and neither have I been moved or even amused by the countless claims to get you good luck or unlimited wealth or sexy abs or instant weight loss in the shortest time possible.
I was pretty impressed and inspired to hear about Fauja Singh - a centenarian marathoner who actually started running at the age of 89 and bettered his runtime each passing year - 6:54 at 89 and 5:40 at 92! Incredible, isn't it? He ran the marathon in Mumbai not so long ago at the age of 104.
The place where I live has an excellent jogging track. There are also places where you can sit and enjoy the breeze, or meet friends for a chat. There is a particular place in the corner where a group of elderly ladies meet every day. For some time now, I have observed them follow a particular set of tasks' some light exercises, some songs in chorus and a kind of chant where through actions and small steps, they tell themselves ''I am beautiful', 'I am healthy', 'I am strong', and other such pos