It's a Golden Jubilee !

Golden Jubilee is a big occasion ! It's a milestone ! It's an event !  Needless to say,  it is celebration time time.  With my wife Maya approaching her Golden Jubilee mark, it was time to plan the celebration.   But it was not going to be easy.  Loyal (or maybe "enslaved" ) as I am to my work and profession - we were spread across continents.  I had to think about something.  Not showing up for my wife's 50th birthday would be deplorable.  Especially, given my pathetic track record for not being present on her birthdays.  This was  a big one and I had to be there.

Agonizing over this, I came across a beautiful photograph of Salzburg, Austria in a travel magazine. Bingo ! This will work.  I had to be in Europe for work and Maya's birthday was on a weekend. So, we will meet in Salzburg - beautiful that it looked in the travel magazine photograph - and celebrate the weekend.

Checking into the hotel at Salzburg. we were greeted by a young front office clerk who said that we have been upgraded to the suite - season time, ran out of rooms , Chinese tourists etc.  No explanation needed buddy, we will take the upgrade !    As we walked towards our room, we saw numerous eye catching posters advertising "The Real Sound of Music" tour.  Indeed, Salzburg was the setting of the famous musical movie - Sound of Music with Christopher Plummer playing Captain Von Trapp and Judy Andrews playing Maria.   We decided that we will take this tour.

The next morning, the colorful bus of the "Real" Sound of Music tour was full of tourists from all over the world - Americans, Chinese, Japanese, Indians ...  Every seat was occupied. Our tour guide was a 73 year old thin fragile looking but perky gentleman.  He said this was the Golden Jubilee year of the Sound of Music movie. Wow !  What a coincidence.  

Speaking in a thick European accent, our tour guide started sharing various trivia about the movie and how was it made.  As we passed the Mirabel Gardens - setting for the famous song Do Re Me ... , he shared something shocking !   We all know that this movie is based on a true story, but the events occurred during World War I and not World War II as shown in the movie; and that Captain Von Trapp, Maria and the kids did not walk to the Swiss border but took a train since the Swiss border is long long away and various other inaccuracies.

For the next few hours, we went around most of Austria.  Beautiful countryside in this land where Mozart came from.  "The hills are alive with the Sound of Music" - so true.   The tour took us to the Leopoldskron Palace and the lake where the famous boating scene was filmed; the Gazebo ("I am 16 going on 17") ;  the Nonberg Abbey and several beautiful spots where the shooting took place.



That evening, as we were having the "celebration" dinner, my wife remarked that this had been a real unique birthday celebration and she was so glad that I "planned"it this way.   What a relief !  Sometimes, you don't plan things but they just happen and work out for the best.

Sachin and My Father

The “breaking news” of Sachin Tendulkar reaching the stupendous milestone of a hundred 100’s left me overjoyed.  At the same time, I was overwhelmed with thoughts and emotions remembering my late father.

You see, my father was a State Bank of India lifer and a sworn workaholic.  If there was one thing that he loved, it was immersing himself in work and activities for the Bank.  While he liked cricket and enjoyed watching the game, it was definitely not high on his priorities.   In fact, as I was growing up, very often he would frown at my “bad habits” – that of continually listening to cricket commentary.  He could never comprehend how one could get up in the middle of the night to listen to cricket commentary of our Indian team being mauled by Andy Roberts, Michael Holding et al in the Caribbean!!

Yet something changed as Sachin started playing.  It had a mystical effect on him and he would look forward to watching the cricket tests or one day matches.   Gradually, his love for cricket kept increasing. Initially, we attributed this as being his new found past time.  But we soon realized that it was largely driven by his adulation towards Sachin and his game.  A vociferous reader, he would read every single cricketing column.  And if any cricketing columnist was critical about Sachin – he was straight on my father’s “black list”.   

And then one day, at the breakfast table, my mother broke the news.  She said that she was hoping that Sachin would score a century today.  C’mon, now you too are going to get on to this Sachin bandwagon said I in disbelief.  She soon subtly clarified – saying that the mood is not so great in the house if Sachin does not score a century.  Sachin is now an obsession! Yes, it was true. If there was anything that would spoil my dad’s mood – it would be Sachin getting out. Of course in his lingo, Sachin was never Out.  He was only given out.  There wasn’t a nick at all, it was not a clean catch and how could they have given him out lbw etc etc.  And what if he was clean bowled? Well, the English are unfair in making pitches that suit their bowlers OR he was distracted – you know Calcutta crowd – they are too loud etc etc. There was always a very logical explanation and Sachin was never to be faulted.  And Run out?  Oh! The likes of Sehwag, Gambhir, Dhoni, Rahul Dravid etc have all been amply blamed for not “sacrificing” their wicket for Sachin!

Such was his adoration for Sachin. And when my father was posted in Chandigarh, he went out of the way to invite the Indian team (playing one day match in Chandigarh in late 1990 or maybe early 1991) at our residence.  (See photograph below).   My wife Maya ended up having a good chat with Sachin in Marathi - shy as he was in those days – along with my father.   

(In the above picture, my father along with my mother and Maya with Sachin at my parents’ house in Chandigarh!)

Last year, a day after Sachin hit his 99^th hundred, my father called up Maya.  It was not usual for him to call in the afternoon.  His usual time was in the night around 9 pm.  But this was an important call. He asked Maya to make sure that she does reprints of the above photo.  He said that Sachin will now reach his 100 hundred mark any day. And as he reaches that milestone, both of us will go to Sachin’s house and request him to autograph this photograph. 

It is unfortunate that my father could not survive till Sachin reached this milestone.  Yet, I think Sachin has given a great gift to one of his greatest admirers.  Not only to him but to millions of other people who adore him.  He has given his heart and soul to the game of cricket and with that he has drawn millions around the world to this game.   Through his humility, he has amply shown that the milestones don’t count! What matters is the love for the game!

Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa's 100th birth Anniversary was on August 26, 2010 and she was remembered all over the world.  She was born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu in Skopje, Macedonia to a family of Albanian descent.  At the age of eighteen she left her parental home in Skopje and joined the Sisters of Loreto, an Irish community of nuns with missions in India.  From 1931 to 1948, Mother Teresa taught at St. Mary's High School in Calcutta. 

"If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one".  The suffering and poverty outside the convent walls made such a deep impression on her that she decided to devote herself to working among the poorest of poor in the streets of Calcutta. 

"It is not how much you do, but how much love you put into the doing that matters".   Soon she was joined by voluntary helpers and received financial support.  Thus in 1950, "The Missionaries of Charity" was born. 

"Loneliness and the feeling of being unwanted is the most terrible poverty."  Missionaries of Charity's primary task were to love and care for those persons nobody was prepared to look after.  It established homes for orphaned children, leprosy centers, hostels for the dying etc.   The hallmark of her work was the respect to the individual and the individual's worth and dignity.   This was the home for the loneliest and the wretched, the dying destitute and the abandoned lepers.   All of them were received with warm compassion by her and the Sisters.

And this is perhaps the biggest learning from her life full of teachings.   That the larger poverty in the world is loneliness and feeling unwanted.  This is a poverty confined not to the poor but as much to the materially rich and well-off.  "We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty. We must start in our own homes to remedy this kind of poverty."

She must have been an obvious choice for being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 1979.   The year 1979 saw several disputes, conflicts, and extremes of inhumanity and cruelty.  This was also the year when television released the famous "Holocaust" film series - a reminder of extreme inhumanity and torture.

Yet, it was a path breaking decision.  The Nobel Peace Prize was traditionally awarded to statesmen, international organizations, scientists, human rights activists etc.  In that sense, there may have been many to stake the claim.  But the committee recognized the spirit that permeated this work.  "The miracle is not that we do this work, but that we are happy to do it".  It is this spirit that explains why so many people joined her mission and the respect she received throughout the world.

In a world full of terrorist threats and conflicts, her key message may perhaps provide simple and straight forward answers to many of our problems.

"There is more hunger in the world for love and appreciation in this world than for bread."

(Note :  All quotations are Mother Teresa's quotes)

Social Networking and Privacy Concerns

Debates concerning privacy at Facebook are raging. People have "concerns" about their private and personal information being shared. So much so that there are chain mails bring sent to quit Facebook etc.

Is this a "oxymoron" ?

I mean the very purpose of  online social networking sites is for sharing information. People join these sites and "friend" hundreds of friends, companions, family members and even business associates. On such sites people share almost everything from their vacation photographs to what they like and dislike! More ever, they love to a comment on what others share. In fact, it is now a socially accepted "norm" to keep growing your friends list and your linked connections.

Think about it : If you had hundreds of friends whom you met everyday (or maybe several times a day). And shared with them lots of things - what you like, what you don't like, your activities, your travel etc. - Would you expect this information to remain private ? In many ways, it is already public. Yet, there is a social trust that the information we share will remain amongst this group and not be misused.  


With the popularity of the internet and the growth of social networking, I think this circle of trust is widening. Especially with the younger generation. And I think that is a good thing.  They are not shy of sharing information or posting comments.   Since, this is done by everyone in their "friends" list, the trust equation is inbuilt.
 
 
Will the growing debates on privacy destroy this basic trust fiber?
 
 
In my opinion, this is largely about the perception of "choice" and "control".   Social networking sites must make it easier for users to make their choices about what gets shared to whom.  And simple ways to control and make changes.    The more you complicate it, the greater the chances of people shying away from these sites! 

IPL Live !!

Finally the day had arrived.  We were at the Brabourne Stadium - live at the IPL cheering Mumbai Indians as they took on Chennai Super Kings ! 

The atmosphere was electrifying.  We were seated at the North Stand - just by the sight screen.  The Mumbai Indians cheerleaders were to our right and the Chennai squad diagonally across.  People were dressed (almost all) in the blue Mumbai Indians gear.  The decibel level reached a peak as Sachin walked in with his team.  There was one big party going on and the players in the middle were out there for entertaining these  party animals!!

Yes. So much had changed in cricket.  Brabourne Stadium - the original temple of cricket in Mumbai.  This was the ground which had played great players Vijay Hazare, Vijay Merchant, Polly Umrigar as well as great players from overseas : Sir Gary Sobers, Frank Worrell, Kanhai, Chappell brothers ... Back then, cricket was a serious sports.   The men in the middle were dressed in white and there was an air of formality.  And the game lasted for 5 days - many times without any result! My first visit to the Brabourne stadium was in 1969 when the visiting Australian team (Bill Lawry, Chappel brothers et al) played the test match with India (Pataudi, Baig, Sardesai, Wadekar and all).   Not that I remember much!  Subsequently, Brabourne stadium faded into oblivion with the Wankhede stadium coming up in Mumbai.

With IPL, cricket is no more the serious stuff but a family entertainment.  This transformation is unique.  Multicultural teams, colorful gear and cheerleading squads !  And it all gets over in about 3 hours or so.  On one hand, it has made cricket fun.  On the other hand, it has made cricket intensely competitive.   The quality of the game and the professionalism of the players make the games intense.    At the same time, I think it is also breaking national and cultural barriers.  Players from India, West Indies, Sri Lanka and Australia were playing as "one team".   It was evident that they had already transcended the cultural barriers.  Harbhajan lifting Malinga as he got a wicket! And Sachin walking up to Dwayne Bravo or Tiwari to give encouraging words!!  There is something different happening in the world of cricket.

And it is fun !

Cars and Traffic

Sunday's are days when you want traffic free roads.  I got on the road on a Sunday (for one of my "weekend chores") to find myself in the midst of thick traffic.   Perhaps, there are many like me who expect empty roads on Sunday.  It seemed like all of us like minded souls were getting on the same roads at the same time.  

When you are stuck in traffic, fiddling on the radio knobs is a natural impulse.  An announcement on a local station caught my attention.  The "Tata Nano" was about to celebrate its launch anniversary.  Wow! Wasn't that a proud moment for us?  India was entering a bastion, dominated by US, European and Japanese car makers.   As I waited for the traffic to clear,  I started reminiscing !  My mind raced back to when my family bought our first car!

Our first car was a second hand 1967 Fiat which we bought in 1973.    In those days, you had predominantly a choice of either Ambassador or Fiat.   For some reason, our car was always referred to as "Italian Fiat".  I never could understand - after all Fiat was an Italian company, so why add Italian as a prefix?   But, it seems that cars before 1972 or so were built with Italian parts and hence the prefix.   The parts of these cars were not readily available in the market.   Being a second hand car, it came with its bag of troubles.   I have many memories of spending Sunday mornings going with my dad to various mechanics to get our car fixed.  There was always a problem.  Yet, we all loved the car and had great fun on many family outings.  Including "out of station" trips to Pune.   The Khandala Ghat was a challenge and on such trips our car more than lived up to its reputation of breakdowns!

Much later we had an Ambassador! It was no match to the Fiat in terms of looks and style.  It wasn't the sleekest of cars.  And after a while you just had to get used to the noise level in an Ambassador.  The engine whrrrr, the door noises and the clunky gears !   But there was a huge plus.  The car ran and ran and ran!  Easy to maintain - it rarely use to breakdown.  And if it did, almost any roadside mechanic could fix it.

With the launch of Maruti, everything changed.  There was choice, variety and competition.  The Tata's launched Indica and soon a number of global auto giants discovered India.  The last two decades has seen a phenomenal growth in this Industry and I think the Nano is one of the high points.

As I was engrossed in my thoughts, I realized that the traffic had indeed moved.  We had in fact moved almost 100 meters in 20 minutes.  There was progress!  As I glanced out of the window, I noticed the neighboring car.  It was a BMW !  As I eyed it with envy, I realized that there are so many cars now being launched in the "luxury" segment.   When will we solve our traffic woes, so that these and other cars will find a place on the road?

Mumbai has traditionally held its place amongst Indian cities to be one of the best in public transport.   People of Mumbai relied on suburban trains and BEST buses to commute.   Most development in fact took place near or around the suburban tracks.  It extended till Virar on the West and Karjat/Kasara on the Central line.    A lot of that has changed in the past 20 years.   New cars were launched and suburbs also grew "wider" with rickshaws crawling all over.  Every political party measured its success based on number of "flyovers" that got inaugurated during its tenure. Indeed, we had some remarkable progress.  Till 2000, we had less than 10 flyovers.  I believe we are now approaching 50 and several more are planned or being constructed.  During this period though, we lost our edge on Public Transport.  No matter how many flyovers get built, only superior public transport can solve our problems. 

There is hope, with the Metro, Monorail and many other public transport projects launched.   Hopefully, these will get completed fast enough and Mumbai will regain its superior public transport.

Honk ! Honk !  The traffic had started moving and the BMW wallah had zipped far ahead.  Well, I better get going before it jams again !

People and Technology

Saturday morning is for finishing 'all those things that you were supposed to have got done a while back, but you never did'.  For us men, our better half usually has a ready list to remind us.  In my case, this list is quite long and my dear wife does not hesitate to keep reminding me.  On this particular Saturday, I decided to pick the most menial of the tasks from this list - to go to the bank and collect a Fixed Deposit Renewal receipt.

As I walked in the Bank (we are their customers for over 20 years now!), I was pleasantly surprised.   I was visiting them after a long time - doing most of my banking tasks online or through the ATM.   The bank had a completely new look!  Gone were the old bulky steel desks and bulky chairs.   The old noisemaking fans - (which were usually cleaned with a frequency of about once in a decade!) were replaced by cool noiseless split A/Cs.   The bright lighting, the wood panels, the sleek marble floor and of course the flat paneled screen with a desktop on every table - wow!  Was this the same leading nationalised bank ? What a transformation!

Or so I thought!

I went to the lady at the desk and told her that I had come to just collect my FDR renewal receipt.  To my surprise, instead of clicking on the keyboard in front of her, she pulled out what looked like a thick register with all sorts of noting.  Next few minutes went through a fairly elaborate "manual" process of tracing the document.  During this time, the sleek flat screen panel on her desk was in "sleep" mode - lying untouched.  I suggested that perhaps she look me up in the system.   "Do you know your account number ? " .  "No !".  That's it ! I could sense that I was fast being branded as a "irresponsible" customer - who neither could give reference of the FDR, nor could remember the account number etc.  Somehow, I was beginning to sound apologetic, despite being a customer of this bank.  

At that point, I decided to make yet another attempt to get her to use the system. "But I remember my name, will that help?", I suggested !!.   She stared at me blankly.  I had no idea what to make of this.  Was she considering my suggestion ?  Or would I be hit with that unused keyboard on her desk.   I waited in anticipation. 

Suddenly, almost like a war cry she called her colleague.  "This man does not know his account number" !  I was embarrassed.   Now everybody in the branch was staring at me, as I started looking for the nearest escape route out of that place.  Instantly,  her collegue - a young and very confident girl appeared on the scene.   I could instantly sense that she was probably the "super user", the "online help" or the "Miss Google" of this branch.  I felt relieved as she moved the mouse and the screen came out of its slumber.  Finally, my document was traced and I was off.

As I came out of the branch, it got me thinking.  How are people adopting as we deploy technology ? Or is it that we have made it complicated !  Maybe both.   I am sure the lady at the desk must have been a very competent and accomplished employee of the bank.  But as the bank management advertises and proudly declares their "computerised:" branches, how much attention goes to the people transformation ? 

There is a very rapid proliferation of technology.  The next generation is growing up with it and is very comfortable using it.   Many from our generation and the previous generation find this change too fast. 

As more adapt and the next generation moves in, hopefully, we will change our ways and our established paradigms.  We need that change, so that we can truly benefit from the technology around us.