Marcos

Ever Heard of them? Chances are that you have never even come across this term. But they are one of the most elite forces in the world, and are the best  - in talent, will, confidence, dedication and perfection. 

The reason why that is so is not too hard to fathom. Just hover over the video here! If you have time, you could as well see the entire video.

I salute their dedication. Jai Hind!

The Unique Batch that is...

28th November 2007  - The last day of classwork at BITS Pilani Goa Campus , and the last day we attended classes there as proud Kernelites. Exactly one year is up, and I was flooded with memories when I saw the "raw" videos that we shot, on this very day last year. Now, one year later, my friends are at different places  - most of them core professionals now ( some entrepreneurs too) , few still unchanged, and a fewer are students still. /* No.. We did not  fail. */

****T6***** - an ID that is now unique to just 45 ( +1+3) of us, a bond that all of us share - not to mention the perennial confusion as to what it really meant and whether it was engineering after all. The wonderful journey started in 2004, with us treading on a path no-one else had ever explored before. Well, i can confidently declare now that the journey through the college has been as colorful and as wonderful as the journey to it...

The first year went in a hurry - with sparse interaction between us. Maybe we were more worried about Thevenin and Norton.  I, for one, never got to figure that out completely. :( But that does not matter. Not now anyways. We had our first interaction with a question " How many of your names start with "B" ? " From the second day, I have been guilty of occupying 2 seats. And no !, I am not that fat! [ You can check in the photos below ] .The second year was enjoyable, despite the Mini-Tests. The third year was supposedly serious with CDCs hanging by our heads. The fourth year - I wont comment.

We were quite aloof, right from the very beginning, and united as a class- so much that for the first two years, it never even occured to us that we must have an association. I was really fortunate to be  in a class where the people really cared about each other, and the teachers were more like seniors. We did a host of projects - each one of them involving an intense argument [:P] finally culminating in a desperate Nightout. How can I ever forget the Fan regulator, a project that we had no clue about till the penultimate day. The doubts which we had would have put the inventor of the regulator to shame. Fortunately , my ingenious teammates were the saviours! 

 Who can forget the rigorous preparation for Quark-06, a feat that was repeated at the Apogee... There were wonderful leaders who emerged, and they were role models for the rest of us. For that matter, each member of the class displayed some unique and rare virtues - something I have been awed by.

There were certain remarkable moments too. Infosys Dinners. The blue dress drama. Samosas in the class. Commentary at the back. Mini-tests. Birthday Celebrations. Kabo-de-Rama Trip. Videos. World Cup Victory. Quark. Airport Plaza. The C-Chakra( which i guess only 2 other people know about), Electives' Worries, Pangs before placements... The list goes on...  Our class was certainly unique in more ways than one. Caring, united, always enthusiastic! 

Well, should I end with one question, one of the first we were ever put  across - "How many of our names start with 'B'? ... :) If you know the answer, ( as was given in the class) do comment :).

At College

9-year old Karthik was overjoyed! His summer holidays were on. His sister had her college reopening the next week. He simply enjoyed seeing  his sister prepare to go to college. He accompanied his mother to do some shopping, which usually translated to getting to see hundreds of cars speeding by, and millions of people moving about. 

He always wondered, what business did so many people have lazing around. Surely, not all of them could be working on the road! His joy was multiplied since he did not have school and his sister was preparing for college. He always had this tendency to show off his idleness, just to annoy her. He deliberately played Cricket 2007 for around 7 hours per day, with his own commentary following that of Mr. Boycott. Needless to say, his sister wasn't amused. But then, brothers dont get such golden chances everyday... 

The happiest thing for him was that he was going to visit her college too. He was thrilled. He often imagined college to be a cool place where the teachers no longer caned their students, most homeworks were given to be ignored and where people could go in color dress and without any schoolbag. ..

The joy was overwhelming when he arrived at her college. He wished her all the best, and made it a point to tell her what his plans for the rest of the holidays were....  For the first day, he decided to sneak into a class, to see what the people learnt. And since he was tiny, he couldn't be seen except by the guy behind him, who, to his surprise was quietly dozing ... 

The professor came, well he did look like a teacher,... he never understood the distinction. He wrote the topic on the board, some "Dynamic Programs." He wanted to cry out the misspelling of programme - his English Miss would have been aghast to have seen such a thing, but decided against it. Just at the time, he saw a boy, come in, with a big schoolbag. He wondered what he kept inside the bag, that noone else seemed to need. Maybe it was the books... or clothes.. or laundry... To break the reverie, that boy took out a notebook, and started writing. What was he writing? He had no idea. According to him, the professor had just written a wrong spelling on the board... Wierdos exist everywhere, he concluded. 

There were many peculiar things he observed in the class. There was a platform. The teacher did not shout "KEEP QUIET!!" even once during the period. People came in strange dresses. Noone sat in the front row. Everyone, well wierdos excluded, had just one notebook... and they were not collected at the end of the class for correction. For one thing, he doubted if anybody had written anything there. Overall, he felt amazed. 

Now he began to envy his sister for being in  a college. He fantasized that when he would go to college, he would have a flying motorbike ( surely they must be invented by then!! ), cooling glasses, a jeans pant and a t-shirt with lights!(well... maybe bcos then he could be a bright student!) ...

He came back and wondered. what did the people in the class do that he did not. He was very happy with himself. He had heard a number of times from elders that one's own happiness was what mattered in life. And he was happy enough with himself. True, he could be happier if his Mom had got him the GI-Joe and the new model of the Hot-wheels, but then there would always be another shopping session, he reassured himself. He wondered why he should grow up. Maybe to spell Programme wrong, maybe to speak to the computer more than to his own friends, maybe to complicate things that were really simple and then to derive pleasure in simplifying them, and maybe to live a happy life after all... 

The Poetry of Programming

http://www.dreamsongs.com/PoetryOfProgramming.html

The Great!

Good is a fairly common adjective in todays world, and Great is becoming very cliched too, but if there is a person who truly deserves it, it is Sachin Tendulkar. 

Exquisite on the field, brimming with self confidence and instilling fear into the hearts of his bowlers, whilst commanding respect from them and awe from the crowds - this has been his way of life for the past 19 years. His bat has broken so many records that its easy to get lost in statistical details.

 However,  one needs to step back and see, the person behind these records and achievements. 

Gentle and modest in nature and simple in character, he has been synonymous with Indian Cricket for as long as I can remember. His supreme self confidence stems from his perseverence, and it is no stroke of luck. It is certain that, with his passion, he would have succeeded in any field. It takes much more than mere skill to be called "Great". Here is one of his fans saluting him, not just for his excellent skills on the field, but for his impeccable personality and flawless character, that shall continue to inspire billions, long after he has called it a day.

The pursuit of Happiness !

Just read through these lines...

Good Morning ...... Mumbai !
This is Jhanvi on World Space Radio.
जाने से पहले, ये है मेरा आज का ख्याल
उन सबके लिये, जो दौड़े जा रहे हैं इस शहर की दौड़ में
शहर की इस दौड़ में दौड़ के करना क्या है?
अगर यही जीना है दोस्तों, तो फिर मरना क्या है?
पहली बारिश में ट्रेन लेट होने की फिक्र है, भूल गए भीगते हुए टहलना क्या है?
सीरियल के किरदारों का सारा हाल है मालूम, पर माँ का हाल पूछने की फुरसत कहाँ है?
आप रेत में नंगे पाँव टहलते क्यूँ नहीँ?
एक सौ आठ हैं चैनल पर दिल बहलते क्यूँ नहीँ?
इंटरनेट पे दुनिया से तो टच में हैं, लेकिन पड़ोस में कौन रहता है जानते तक नहीँ!
मोबाइल, लैंडलाइन सब की भरमार है, लेकिन जिगरी दोस्त तक पहुँचे, ऐसा तार कहाँ है?
कब डूबते हुए सूरज को देखा था, याद है?
कब जाना था शाम का गुज़रना क्या है?
तो दोस्तों, शहर की इस दौड़ में दौड़ के करना क्या है?
अगर यही जीना है दोस्तों, तो फिर मरना क्या है?


Before you close, i have just one question to ask ...

Did you really read each of those lines? Or did you merely watch the video?

If you really had the patience to read ( and ponder over) the linees, you fall in the elite 10% of the people towards whom this message is not directed!

Well, to the rest, you know... that the message does drive home a point !


PS: Thanks to Sushant Sachdeva's Website for these wonderful lines!

A Marathon

The alarm screamed. Manav woke with a start. Today was a big day for him. There was a marathon organized in his town. He was elated, when he heard the news the day before... A wonderful opportunity, he thought.

He went to the stated starting point, and looked for the organizers. He had expected a big gathering there. To his shock, there was just a calm old man sitting, coolly smoking his cigar. He enquired," Sir, where is the marathon?". The old man smiled. " Here...".
Manav's muscles tensed. " Sir, Am I late? " The old man smiled again. " Noone is ever late here. You may begin!"

"Funny", thought Manav. "Don't I need to wait for the others? Sir, May I know who you are?", he asked politely. He was doubting if the old man was indeed the organizer. The old man seemed to have read his mind. " I am the chief organizer of this sport." That very moment, gave a whistle, a signal to 2 persons who appeared on the horizon...as small as dots. " They will guide you in your initial stages. They are participants too."The idea seemed incredible to Manav. Why would they waste their time for me? The old man really seemed insane. But to his astonishment, the 2 people did stop and wait. They gave Manav a warm welcome.

Soon enough, he had outstripped them. The old man was wrong, he cursed him. He was indeed a bit late. The old man really seemed cracked up. When he had asked him, " How do I identify the way?", he had replied, " the way you take will be yours."

He rode on... He met numerous others on the way. People from all ages and walks of life. Few were too fast that he could not think of coping with them. He doubled his speed. Something was shining by the roadside. Gold coins. He picked it up. He thought that he would give it to the owner as soon as he met him.

The sky was blue... It was noon. He had begun the march at dawn. His speed was considerably slow than it was in the morning. He was wiser now. He knew the tricks of running, thanks to a lot of people who had shared it with him. He had found rubies, emeralds and diamonds on the roadside, the same way he had found gold. There was no one to claim it though. He pocketed them too...

His body wanted to take rest, but his mind urged him on. He had a long way to go, and he would not rest until he won.He quicked his pace and with a focused mind set out. He came across lush green trees,sprawling fields, birds and dancing children and some of the runners stopping to have a look at them. He did not spare them a glance though. "They were wasting their time in futile things, he thought.The cool breeze whipped across his face. He had initially started the road going downhill.Now it had slowly acquired a gradually increasing slope. But he wasn't a person to give up. He trod on and on...

At about 4:00 PM , he was on the verge of falling from exhaustion. He stopped and panted. A fellow runner offered him a bottle of fresh water. He drank it and felt fresh. " Are you a participant?", he asked the other man. "No... Everyone has an accomplice here to run along and guide them when needed." Manav was surprised. He had not noticed the other person till then. He told him so. The man laughed. "A lot of people only get to hear my voice. Very few in dire need get to see me. You can consider me as a combination of advisor and record-keeper." Manav was fresh. He remembered hearing some voice stating the direction to take." So it was this person", he justified to himself.

" I must take leave from you. Thanks for your guidance". He bid adieu. Though he had come a far way, he could often sense the other person coming along. He turned his attention to the road again.

He had to run fast. He still ignored the cheerful chirpings of the sparrows, the cool breeze, the colourful sky and the rustle of the leaves. There would be time for that later. He had an important business on hand. He had to win this race.

Soon, it was dusk. With an anxious heart, he saw the Sun set behind the hills. He could at most walk, a few steps at a time. The road was extremely steep now. He still had the precious stones he had collected with him. He saw some young boys outstripping him, laughing. As he considered giving up, he saw something that made his heart cry with delight.

The old man. For a moment he wondered how the old man managed to travel so fast. Then the truth struck him. He observed that he was back at the starting point of the race. The old man smiled yet again and asked," How was the experience? Did you enjoy it?" This time Manav laughed. "Enjoy? I was focused on winning.... Where is my medal? Have I won it??" The old man smiled again. "There are no winners or losers here. This is not a race, my son." " What was the purpose of the sport then? ",Manav cried. The old man calmly replied, " It is its own purpose. What matters is what you give rather than what you take" Manav's mind was numbed with exhausion and shock. He wasn't sure he understood what the old man was saying.

He felt himself unable to take the two steps necessary to complete. At that time, the old man put his hand into Manav's pocket and pulled out the gold, silver, rubies and diamonds. He threw them by the roadside, and to Manav's shock, told him that he could not take anything beyond the finishing point. " They are not yours either. You were just the trustee for them."

As he stepped onto the finishing line, Manav had attained a strange clarity of mind. The fog in his heart cleared as the storms of disappointment were pacified. He just wished that he had got this understanding a bit earlier. Even as he thought, he could feel a strange detachment from his body...that he no longer bothered about the tiredness... his feet gave way and he fell. Not onto the ground, but into the open arms of the old man, who smiled yet again. As his brain slipped into oblivion, he saw with his closing eyes another soul roaring to begin... begin the the marathon called life.

September 11th 1752 !!!

Ever knew what happened on September 11th 1752 ?

Nothing.

Please take a look at the calendar of 1752 :

September 1752
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
xx xx 01 02 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30

/* Try cal 9 1752 on your shell*/

PS : The reason??? Please see http://www.trialsofgrizelda.com/harvest/September%201752.htm

Worries at School.

Karthik alighted from the school bus with a sense of foreboding. Something similar to Spider Man's spider-sense that he had come to associate with the school atmosphere. He quietly collected his lunch bag, and walked towards the old building. For some strange reason, he never relished this time of the day when you had to walk into the class, only to find some homework forgotten or some sincere sigamani preparing fervently for an anticipated test.

Silently he dragged himself towards Class V 'A'. On the way he met numerous tiny pupils, who slunk away from him. He gave a smug smile to them, which he hoped would be reassuring to them. Upon entering the class, he was happy to find no book open. His friends were busy playing pen-fight, a sport that had evolved from the carrom-board and which could be played on the teacher's desk.

He placed his bags in his place in the front row, and sat down to watch the proceedings. It consisted of intricate understanding of the physics of the pen movement, not to mention the pen choice ( reynolds 045 could nover hold fort against a jetter, for instance ) and accessories ( like rubberband, that were used to add to the weight and power and prevent the sliding of the pen ). He wasn't a player though. He had always been a silent spectator. So, he hid his Ink pen deep inside his bag, as he could not afford to let his friends break its nib again.

For some reason, he was considered peculiar by his classmates. He knew it, but he was too shy to talk to them about that and so, used it to remain mum on most occasions. Even during the lunch break discussions, by the time he clearly decided to add to the ongoing discussion, his friends would move on to some other topic, leaving him a mere spectator.

The bell rang. The students lined up outside the class for the assembly. He liked the morning assembly a lot. For one thing, he could not be singled out in the crowd. Following the prayer, he took the pledge. Even as he was stating the pledge, he wondered what was the reason behind taking the pledge everyday. It definitely was not prayer and if it was a sincere vow, he thought that the number of times did not really matter. It was followed by a brief sermon by the principal who found the discipline lacking in some classes. He let his mind freely wander in this period. He observed that his French Sir wore the same sequence of shirts every week, and that the PT Master was clean-shaved every alternate Monday... Soon, it was time for the National Anthem.

______________________________________________________________

Social Science Period :

After a hectic day, he finally got to the period that he awaited the most, the Last one. To add to his joy, it was Social Studies, taught by his favorite teacher in the school. He simply loved Social Studies, to the extent that he would read the book at home, even when there were no exams, a feat that no other subject had induced him to perform till date. He considered history on par with the stories his grand-mother used to tell him - about kings, emperors, wars and glorious victories. The way his Miss taught just added to his interest. On that day however, she was to teach a lesson from Geography. Suddenly, his neighbour asked him for a sharpener. He gave it, with a face as though he had been interrupted in the midst of a movie.

His Miss went on to describe the composition of the earth, its temperature and how it was slowly rising due to deforestation. She also painted a vivid picture of the consequences, if it continued for some more time. Young Karthik was shocked. With tears threatening to burst forth from his eyes, he mentally imagined a flooded situation, with no current. No fan or computer. No computer games. No schools. ( a thought that slightly cheered him up ). All people struggling to get fresh water.

He considered the adults too stupid to have not learnt even that much in so many years. He fervently wished that his Miss should be the Prime Minister for some time till such affairs were set in order. On the way back home, he saw clouds of smoke emanating from the factories, and logs of wood carried in lorries. All this enraged and frightened him.

Once at home, he poured out his fears to his mother. To add to his shock, she merely smiled. That very evening, he forced his mother to buy him a Mango sapling from the nearby nursery to be planted in their backyard. He named it Madayan, such that its full qualified name became Manga-Madayan. Madayan was his best friend ever since. He sincerely requested Madayan to work overtime to consume more greenhouse gases and save him from the trauma of floods. Till date Madayan has obliged. It is upto the 'intelligent' homo sapiens to do the needful now.

As you Like It

A view from my balcony