Friday 24 October 2014

Back with a vengeance

It's been a long time since I wrote in my blog....busy....yes...u could say that but I felt I was neglecting my blog. So here I am back with a vengeance.

Just returned from a 2 weeks tour to the States - spent a lot of time in NY at the Columbia Business School where I'm enrolled to do a 9 month course in Business Excellence which is meant primarily for Executives in Business Education. It contains papers in Mergers and Acquisitions too, a subject I'm comfortable with and enjoyed doing.

The time I spent in NY I observed a few things which I feel need to be implemented in India too.

First and foremost is the cleanliness aspect. The dirt factor is totally absent there and all the major and minor roads are always sparkingly clean. Littering and throwing garbage on the roads should be avoided and in fact banned by the municipal authorities in all cities across the Country. It will promote cleanliness and help our cows which eat all the garbage and plastics littered on the road side heaps and die a painful death.

Secondly I noticed the utmost respect these people have for the pedestrians on the road. If you wish to cross the road the motorist will allow you to do so. There are separate zebra stripes for the passerby with lights to enable them to cross the roads safely. These are implemented and followed strictly. I don't see any reason why the same can't be done here. Why do we hold the pedestrian in utmost contempt. Please get over this and show some respect towards them. Of course with the amount of population in our cities people do tend to go overboard and lose their patience but that's no excuse to run over people.

Thirdly the transport system in NY was very organised whether the bus transport or the subways.
All the buses are air conditioned and run on schedules where people are encouraged to board in an orderly fashion. Same is the case with subways. People show a lot of respect to the alighting passengers.

The same should be enforced here too so that the life of people is better off than today.

So enough of talking for the benefit of common man, time for action.

Cheers to a better future :)


Wednesday 25 June 2014

The faltering promises and unkempt surroundings....tighten your seat belts please

all Countries live on hope ......ours is no #exception - so whatever be the reasons (which are now irrelevant) people have gone out of their way and voted for #change......dreams have been sold and dreams have been spun and woven in the process....

It's now the bounden duty of all those who have gone out of their way to show us magical avenues to create them.......at least a blueprint should have been in place by now as to how this Govt proposes to sort out the manifold problems facing the people including the common masses....

The way things are unfolding out and problems are being addressed as they appear along the way is actually NOT the way things should be addressed....leaders who claim to be decisive and on the move with a spring in their step and a certain gusto in their voice have NOT exactly prepared any blueprints so far for long term improvement - this is UNFAIR and just not done - what about the millions of people who have placed their trust in you?.....

The medicine doesn't necessarily have to be always bitter to be able to cure the disease.....the symptoms are there for this Govt to see...if only they can put curbs over overspending and lavish wasteful expenditure on their ministers combined with the wasteful expenditure in ALL Govt offices the Country would be saving so much....so go ahead with that first...cut down ALL your wasteful Govt expenditure....the people have elected you for performance and good one at that.....not for the personal fun and good comforts of your ministers and wasteful expenditure on the part of Govt offices....

In so many Govt offices even if the employees are missing, the lights are on, the air conditioning is on....with no work going on.....same is the case of the employees attached to these 'high flying' ministers....so hello..... please come down - descend down to Earth....ultimately you have to work here only......and work on a prepared blueprint which is functional and works ultimately

Will post again after a month and hopefully some advice may have been picked up...meanwhile as I say always.....CHEERS and keep happy .....STAY BLESSED 

Friday 28 March 2014

MY PYARE GURUJI - DUGRI WALE...

Wednesday 12 March 2014

Sonia Gandhi - the Leader















Sonia Gandhi - her whole life has been eventful....a woman who has seen so much of emotion, tragedy, suspense, happiness, all mixed together....a reluctant leader of a century old traditional party who was forced into politics much against her will...yet the thorns in our democratic setup have never projected her good side, her sacrifice for the party, sacrifice for the Country whenever it was required.

Contrast her with the present lot of BJP leadership, who talk a lot of high sounding beats but their conduct proves how crazy they are for power, their lust for the chair is so apparent that they would go to any extent....on the other hand you have Sonia Gandhi who could have easily become PM of India in 2004 had she not stepped away for Manmohan Singh....was this not the ultimate sacrifice? I ask you how many of the present lot in the BJP have the courage or the character to throw away the PM chair if offered to them..does Modi have that character in him? If nobody is willing to support him as PM in the event of a hung Parliament will he have the magnanimity to move away like Sonia did, although for totally different reasons.

The answer is a big NO...the man who is adamant on fighting from UP where he has no connection whatsoever except proving a shallow point of popularity will hardly give way to his PM aspirations if the supporting parties get stuck on modi as a choice....Although I sincerely hope the Nation is not faced with that terrible choice and Congress will get a clear majority on its own...

Sonia Gandhi is otherwise an extremely capable and talented leader full of compassion and her love for India and its culture can't be overlooked at any cost...She is always more Indian in her outlook approach language and behavior than the average Indian born and brought up here...It was our bad luck that she didn't become India's PM in 2004 otherwise we would have been in a much better position than what we are today....

India is a diverse Country - what we need today is a leader with vision and determination, who can keep India's diversity united - any attempt to pitch any group against the other, or any class against the other could be extremely dangerous and counter productive

Another quality Sonia Gandhi has - she doesn't forget loyalists, and they in turn don't forget her....of course exceptions are there...people who have taken favors from her but are now immune to her magnanimity....some journalists also fall in this category who have enjoyed her benevolent support when it suited them but the same people are now smugly in criticism of her....

Yet Sonia Gandhi will always remain a charismatic woman - she has kept Country and her party before everything else....its the people who have sometimes taken advantage of her...See her entire life, her actions and then judge for yourself - its easy to criticize yet its difficult to get into her shoes and act the way she did....

Cheers!

Saturday 8 March 2014

In praise of women....








A woman has numerous qualities and the feeling of love is indeed one of them.....love in a woman takes on different forms and roles she is assigned to play in life....as a daughter her love for her father is different than the love for her mother....her love for her husband is different than the love which happens when she attains motherhood.....the love for her siblings is totally different and brings out the maternal instincts in a woman....yet the love she feels for her daughter is different than the love for her son.......as a woman she knows her daughter needs more love for she will need this when her time comes to carry forward what she has brought forward.....a woman is capable of handling multiple roles...at home she's a home maker....while at work she assumes the role of a leader with added responsibilities....the boss who leads the organization to profits is all humane and love as she lands up home....weary and tired....yet assumes the role of a home maker without grudges and uncompromisingly....

That's why a woman is considered as seated on a higher pedestal than man and is in a much more envious position than her male counterpart.....
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Wednesday 19 February 2014

Moving On........


                                                  


Love is never dull or boring,
Life is never tough or under scoring.

Its the thought which provokes you,
otherwise every moment is the same.

Let the brilliance shine, 
as you move on in life.

The monotony will also melt,
as you shine the light on it.

A break is not the end,
the spark is always alive.

Start afresh in life, yet,
don't commit the same mistake again
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Saturday 15 February 2014

Life is not all rose and honey.....


                                                               

Life is not all rose and honey - yet life is certainly not all thorns....life is not all cynicism and serpentine.
Life is a gift wrapped in silver paper...what's inside is the real you, waiting to be unpacked each day of your existence. If you handle the wrapping with reasonable amount of care, a new you will bare itself every day.

The more you live life the more you get exposed to its daily perils, its adventures and excitement. The more you interact with people in your daily chores, the more life leads you in the right direction. Sitting cooped up will lead you nowhere. Every creativity needs effort, exposure and hard work...nobody can achieve greater heights by simply aping anyone, although there's no harm in having a hero....everybody has one or more than one hero in life....a Guru who can show the correct path

Life leads you on a smooth lane as well as the rough potholes....how you slip through the smoothness and avoid the pitfalls is what life is all about....

Even if you can't avoid the pitfalls, try your best to sail through with dignity and can dour.....once you celebrate life, it will reward you with the respect and dignity you deserve...

Cheers!

Thursday 13 February 2014

to be in 'love' or not to be.......





Valentine's Day is tomorrow.....is it a day to cringe or celebrate? is it the day to shy away or draw back in the name of it being just another day? 

Hope not. Just like any birthday, anniversary, or celebration is not just another day, so is this day...its kind of special, holds a special moment in the hearts of everyone.

Whether it entails any expenditure or not is immaterial - after all love is not a commodity to be brought and sold over a gift counter or an outing which can be enjoyed in a restaurant - its the culmination of feelings which overflow in the name of a day - a day dedicated only to love - so get up and celebrate - these are some of the days which lift you out of the mundane and the ordinary ruckus which everyday life envelops all around you....

A day well spent in the company of your beloved will go towards enhancing the memory bank you hold within yourself.

All the best and never look back in love

Monday 10 February 2014

Valentine's Day - will you be my Valentine?


               







Valentine's Day - a day which conjures up images of love, togetherness, closeness, fondness and feelings.......eagerly looked forward by lovers the world over, regardless of the barriers of age.

It's the day when lovers especially the youth go all out to express their love for each other...in more ways than one. By giving their Valentine gifts like flowers, chocolates, cards,or simply being in the company of each other.

Most prefer to go for movies, or hang out at cosy hideouts, or nestle in nosy corners where they are ogled or stared at...(a fact debated at length in my book 'A Midsummer's Love Tale')

Coming back to the topic of love......I wish people would leave two lovers alone....it's criminal to destroy any person's happiness - more so of people spreading and professing their love.....

The history and story of Valentine and how it started is even more strange, yet sad; It's based in the third century in Rome. Saint Valentine was a priest who used to solemnize marriages in Rome which was ruled by Emperor Claudius.

The emperor was anti marriage and passed a law to that effect, as he felt more people would volunteer to join the army if they weren't married.

Nobody supported this crazy law, and neither did St.Valentine. He secretly got the willing couples married off.

One night while getting one such loving couple secretly married he was caught and sentenced to death. There was tremendous revolt amongst the people who chanted slogans in his support, threw flowers towards his prison window, and generally lined up to meet him in jail.

The prison guard who was guarding him had a beautiful daughter who used to come to jail to meet St. Valentine, and had taken a liking for him. She used to come and sit for hours in the jail with him, bolster up his spirits and agreed with his views of opposing the Emperor.

On the day St. Valentine was to die, he wrote a note for his secret lady love and sympathizer before he was executed, which read,  -  'Love from your Valentine'.

This note started the festival of exchanging love messages and cards all over the world. The day it was written was 14th February 269 - AD.

The love notes are an expression of love, friendship, hope and anger against people like the Emperor Claudius, who opposed love. Even today, when two people in love want to meet, there are several roadblocks standing in their way.
Down with Claudius and Cheers for St. Valentine

Keep loving, keep living, keep enjoying this day.....
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All Rights Reserved


Sunday 9 February 2014

A Review for my book 'A Midsummer's Love Tale'......by a reader


A Review left for my book by a reader Ankita......
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Looking for a love story with a difference – look no further - a new book on WriterBabu has been released which fulfills all your desires and fantasies.
‘A Midsummer’s Love Tale’ is the book I’m talking about, written by author Vikram Gulati.
The story begins in Nainital a tiny hill station known for its quiet and peace. Vikas Mathur is a young college student out on a vacation and while absorbing and enjoying the natural scenic beauty around him suddenly spots a beautiful schoolgirl Alina Patwardhan who refuses to leave his psyche.
While both meet up at the dances of the famed Boat House Club of Nainital, their friendship slowly develops into love and Vikas realizes he has found the true love he was looking for. Their escapades in this tiny romantic hill station captivates and tickles your heart no end. The couple ultimately culminate and celebrate their love with a full blown physical relationship which is very well handled by the author.
Small intimate scenes of the love affair are depicted extremely well and make for some interesting reading. Of course I can’t give away the plot here but no doubt it shows a lot of maturity and imaginative script.
The relationship carries you to the by-lanes of Nainital and Delhi and explores the places where lovers are usually holed up. If you end up remembering your own love story don’t feel surprised.
All in all a very good story delicately handled and well written. A job well done and a book highly recommended in this season of love.
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Thank You Ankita.....keep reading :)

Saturday 8 February 2014

Respect everyone except those who fool you....#RahulGandhi in Gujarat










Rahul Gandhi's visit to Gujarat has exposed the chink in modi's armor - the complete package of lies being fed about the development of Gujarat over there....it's actually sad that the Gujarat Govt has to keep on spearheading a non existent agenda of their CM...fact remains that nothing so spectacular has been done for the common people there...the poor are still poor, the under nourished are still hungry, the women remain ignorant of the major Central schemes launched for them as the modi Govt does not allow the benefits to reach them...what kind of a CM is this? Won't do anything for the people of Gujarat and will not allow the Central schemes to be implemented for fear of his own image being dented....what a pathetic man....and still drumming away on the pride of Gujarat and making them fools....

It's time the people of Gujarat woke up to the reality that is prevailing in Gujarat and started to support a truly secular Govt like the Congress so that the development is seen to be done rather than drummed up to fool the common masses......

Cheers...

Tuesday 4 February 2014

Films......and their impact


         



Films are a medium of reflection of society they say......maybe.....but I feel the films often end up reflecting the actions of society....people often see in films and try it outside.....

It's the theater of the absurd.....in films you often see the macho hero 'striking' at will on the girl HE likes and is his target....he'll go plonk himself in front of her and sing his heart out...can she afford to say no....well certainly not if its a Salman Khan or a Ranveer Singh....or a Shah Rukh Khan...she will feel demure but unknowingly and unwittingly dance around in open places with the 'hero'....

Consider this situation on an average male in the audience....the moment he comes out he's transformed into what he just saw....and digested...he's what he saw.....so girls become easy prey to his psyche....he has to whistle at them, ogle them and maybe try the songs which he just saw his IDOL singing in the film....

Moral of the story is ......stop being immoral in films...if our heroes who are regarded nothing short as demigods realize this and start regulating their behavior their fans will automatically learn...

Alas the heroes have to make their money along with the producer and director of the film so how could they be bothered with the conduct of their film stars or its impact on the audience....the blame is ultimately put on the immoral standards prevailing in the society....films you know are nothing but a reflection of society....(good for sermons)....but bad for the health of our audience...

Motive is not to criticize all films...but to segregate the good the bad and the ugly....

Introspect and then deliver....that's all I have to say...
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Copyrights Reserved 

Thursday 30 January 2014

The Season of Spring....is the best



                                                 





                                                             



The season of Spring is the season I love the most in our Country.......it's the time when the old gives way to the new......the old leaves are swayed away in the wind only to be replaced by new blades, sparkling and colorful....shying and hiding away as if covering their 'new found' identity....much like a child turning into a teen....

The flowers are at their colorful best, their colors derived by the proper dose of sun and sparkle....the birds are singing a varied tune, and the promise of a new life is there for all to see....

Spring is also the time when the skies are clear, the blue appears so soothing to the eyes, the sun is neither piercing nor too hot, just enough to make you happy and grateful for its light and energy one derives by just looking at the things around....

 Spring is just the season one looks forward to, the season of procrastination, and new beginnings.....

All of you who've been putting off new projects, this is the time to make new beginnings, get off to a new start....and give your life the 'kick start' it needs to revive back into vitality.....

Get that Spring back in your step and nothing but the best for all of you....

Cheers!

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Copyrights Reserved

Tuesday 28 January 2014

Rahul Gandhi's spirited response in his interview to Arnab Goswami














Rahul Gandhi's spirited response to political barbs unleashed on him by Arnab Goswami 

I respond by understanding why I'm being attacked. I'm being attacked because I'm doing things that are dangerous to the system. I'm being attacked because I'm asking questions that are dangerous to the system. And I'm not asking superficial questions. I'm not asking questions over here (pointing at the ceiling). I'm asking questions over there (pointing to the ground). And everybody understands that this fellow here is not just a superficial chap who talks. This fellow over here is thinking deeply and is thinking long term. That's why I'm attacked. I understand that. And frankly, attack me all you want. Beat me to death. It's not going to stop me. I'm going to keep doing it. And I'm going to ask the questions that are relevant. And you know what, I have thousand people in the Congress party, two thousand people in the party who are working on this stuff. They're not letting go. And I'm proud of them, they're not letting go. It doesn't matter. Keep throwing stones at us. That's the point. The point is, people who are attacked in this system, the people who are actually attacked, are the ones fighting the system. You understand that? They're not the people who sit and ask, the superficial questions. They're the ones who're actually saying, let's do something about this system. They're the ones who are going deep into the system and understanding that this is the crux of it. And the crux of it, Arnab I've told you. The crux of it is how we choose candidates. The crux of it is how we make policies. That's the crux of it. The thing is, you don't like discussing it. You like discussing stuff that really, doesn't go to the core and I'm a serious politician. I'm not somebody who's here to get power, or make money or something. I'm somebody who's here, who's seen what the system does to people. I've seen, and I can give you example after example which is on my mind. But I'm not going to fight the superficial battle. I just am not. It's not interesting to me. I'm going to fight a battle. I'm going to fight a deep battle. I'm going to take the youngsters of this country and line them up. And I'm going to then take the system on. Don't forget that."
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We are proud of you Mr Rahul Gandhi.....and will take the fight forward
Cheers!

Saturday 25 January 2014

Ruskin Bond conferred Padma Bhushan










Congratulations to #Ruskin Bond  for being conferred the Padma Bhushan by the President of India - fully deserved and more so as he's my childhood hero....

the magic he created through his books....the call of the tiger, the smell of the jungle and the cries of the wild animals, the chatter and twitter of the birds all went towards building up one's interest in nature as well as protection of wild life....some of his books like 'Rusty Series', 'Leopard on the Mountain', The India I Love' are so popular....and so many others...

may he continue to enthrall through his books, for more time to come and attract the love and attention of numerous of his fans.....

had the pleasure of meeting him at New Delhi last year when he had come down to deliver a lecture at the Penguin Festival...and release one of his books....we exchanged phone numbers and will meet him again.

Many congratulations once again.....

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