Can't find a name for this Write Up!

For once am going to keep it short because whatever more I say may dilute what I intend to say!

I watched this unfortunate clip and wanted to express my sadness on the sorry state of affairs and my desperation for a change in the system.

I cannot blame these individuals and it is in fact unfair that she/he are on this clip. There is nothing funny about this clip, but rather something serious that India needs to consider for itself to even think it can be a force to reckon with. Education is not just a right, but it has to be right as well! We need right teachers and trainers. Pull in every scholar/leader in the country, from APJ to Narayana Murthy, they would fondly remember about at least one teacher who made a difference to them. We need to change!

I'm glad that I was built and trained by a great set of teachers from the best school ever and a great college. But not all is so fortunate like me and my friends. Almost 70% (I might be wrong) of the country's kids are built by people like her! And with this if India can achieve what we have achieved so far, imagine what would be our strength if the system corrected itself by just another 20%!

Not sure how we could take the message to the powers to be and I wish if not through this blog at least somehow they understand what needs to be done!

Again.. I'm sorry for these individuals on the clip and I would call her the flag bearer for change than a scape goat!

- Raj

PS.: If this video violates any copyright, please write to me I shall delete it.

Happy Deepavali.

A very long one, for those who have the patience to understand the hypocrisy of us, the current generation! For we are not responsible else where in the name of pollution, but only on a Deepavali day!

It's Deepavali, probably the first in my life that we miss being with the rest of the family since my birth. While those are mixed emotions which am not penning down now but when I look back and compare at the festivity when I was young and what it is now, I felt in the name of technology and progress we are taking away a lot of fun that my generation had when we kids.

I vividly remember the build up to Deepavali each year. Even 6 or 8 weeks earlier to that we will start thinking about new dresses! Yes those were days when we got dresses for festivals and special occasions and not necessarily because we can afford to buy. In our days we used to be content with those dresses for the whole of the year and would use it extra carefully to ensure that they do not get worn out or seen as often as possible. These days, we buy stuff just because we can afford. Not necessarily clothing's, but anything!

Then the dreams of various crackers. We would have made up our mind on what we would want and would have built a virtual list of sorts to take it to our parents for funding. 

Then comes the last 4 weeks where everything in the town would go bizarre. All of sudden discounts, shops really filled up, friends checking on whether we started shopping, families recommending good shops etc.,. Shopping for clothes used to be a special occasion by itself. I do remember those days when we had done with shopping earlier, I used to try my new clothes almost every single day or at least fondly have a look at it.

Then the last 2 days, Crackers! This is where almost of our generation would have learnt the art of bargain and negotiations. Albeit with our respective Dads. Often there would be push backs either on costs or on security, but we would somehow be able to reach a truce between ourselves and then starts the boasting around! The local friends circle whenever we get together for weekend cricket or evening chats, all of the talks would be around the crackers and some will say he got this much and I would counter it with something. This was more like building our own self esteem!

Meanwhile, when the children would be working on the clothes and crackers, the elders would be checking on the organizing the entire event. There goes the formal invites in the face of respect to the daughters' families and where appropriate clothes for them as well. Then comes the planning for sweets where a cook (who will be in greater demand) and bring his team home and prepare homemade sweets not just for the family, but for friends and acquaintances. I still have the image of our cook who would make sweets for 2 long days with his team and how we were prohibited from tasting those sweets until it was all approved! All that was prepared would be boxed and would go rounds to friends and the members of the company. We would also start receiving a lot of sweets from our friends and families as well. No restrictions whatsoever on what needs to be ate. I know my dad and uncle used to print greeting cards and post it to friends!

Then the D-Day where almost a 3 day break would be in and we would be waiting for the entire cousin set to arrive and the eve of Deepavali would be just crackers, crackers and crackers. We would normally go to bed around 11:00 in the night and wake up as early as possible to ensure that we were the firsts to start firing crackers on that day. But we would do so only with a lot of discipline. We will have an oil batch, then offer prayers to God and then start the fire works as early as 4:00 AM in the morning. As much as it would be fun, it was a competition as well as in, for the noise levels, the dust on the streets and later on in the night the sky fire works! It was such a joyous moment.

Coming back to reality, I think we are robbing these joys from this generation and the following ones. There is no excitement whatsoever for these kids because they have everything that they need and they treat this day as another holiday. Most of us are glued to the TV sets; all greetings are on FB/WhasApp. Furthermore, with whatever new found wisdom about pollution, we are asking for an e-Deepavali I believe. I don't know what it means but literally no crackers! While pollution is a larger problem and for all I know when I drive once between Chennai to Erode I pollute more than what I did in my Deepavali day, or carbon emissions from industries or an ozone penetrating aircraft pollution or for that matter New Year celebrations even within India or IPL start and closing ceremonies we burn crackers. And we ask these kids to stop firing crackers in the name of pollution! 

I know crackers were not what Deepavali is all about. It is festival of lights! Got it!! But in the name of responsibility, we are robbing the excitement, the joy from these kids. This is why I call it hypocrisy!!!

I know this could potentially be counter argued but the more mature and people with more sense of responsibility than me, but I do stand by what I say. We should fire crackers.

I know this could potentially be misconstrued as a Hindu thing by the more secular folks, but I do stand by what I say. We should fire crackers.

When I look at my nieces and nephews, there is no excitement. They deserve this excitement for Deepavali to be much more colourful than it is these days!

For those who fire crackers! Have a safe and Happy Deepavali! For those of you who all celebrating an e-Deepavali, Happy Deepavali. Think about firing crackers please! It is so much Fun.

Happy Deepavali Folks!

Regards,

Raj.

B' Day - 2014

One more year passes and one more time... Greetings on Facebook, WhatsApp, Telegram, email (surprise that we still have it) and even on Linked In this time... Just happy that I was on the minds of so many individuals during these testing times.

On my last b' day, like every year, no resolutions made, but a few minor tweaks to me, my life style that I intended to make, a couple of which am able to continue and as always, quite a few that I missed pursuing. But as always, no regrets as there is no point.

It's been quite an interesting b'day year. Last birth day was so a quite an one when we spent the entire day as a family at Erode and this year only 4 us here in Derby! Well, yes! Could not believe that I said an yes to uproot my family and have them go through the pain of this hard transition in every sense, leaving my root alone, schooling for Nilaa, the reduction in affection for Oviyaa and of course everything for Leela, to name a few; the sacrifices that they have made is tremendous. I just wish that I do some justice for the pain that they undergo.

Yes, it is for my career sake that I did accept this unfamiliar role which was a bit of struggle in this uneasy terrain, but, I think as like everyone, am now up and running. There are a lot more stuff to learn and I would keep running I believe.

I do miss the warmth of being in my homeland and the comfort of knowing that my blood lives just 400 KMS away. I do miss the strength my friends gave me. I do miss the humidity of Chennai, the smell of sea and India at large, but that is the choice that I did make and I'll live with that. That said, I'm fortunate enough to have the same comfort and strength here in the UK! I don't know how mother nature enables me with a life full of good people wanting to see me succeed and lead a good life. I have made enough friends in here so much so at times it really overwhelms me that I cannot manage any time for them. For the affection that is showered on us here in the UK as well, I can only say that we are gifted. 

Last year, I did say that I would keep life simple. I believe it is still simple, though at times I feel a bit suffocated. May be life is a bit on high pace and tougher than what I anticipated, but again no complaints as it is a choice that we made and we will sail through this. It is a learning process and moving another inch to some sort of maturity. The pressure, the stress, the hardships are probably back to me after a long time, but I know I have no other choice than surviving. I, just like anyone else, will keep hoping that the new dawn is going to be just great.

As of what I shall intend to do the following year, I just want to do justice to the sacrifices the ladies have made for my career sake. I'm determined to make it happen. I know life is not easy and it keeps testing me every moment, but I know I'll prevail. So will everyone!

And finally, Thanks to everyone who had me in your thoughts on this day! These positive vibes would make me more determined. Ensure that you keep showering me with your love.. 

Back to my famous lines...

I love to be loved...

I live to be loved...

Regards,

Raj.

Friends Acknowledged!

Friends are the ones that define what we are and how we lead our lives... I can boldly and in one sense arrogantly say that I'm leading a good life with so many around to wish me well, though deep down, I know that, sometimes I do not deserve such unconditional love and support. But that is why friendships are unique isn't it! There are no judgements in friendships. It is just support and support and support....

Each day is for friends for we find a friend in dad, mom, brother, sister, wife, and in all forms of relationships.... But this day is the day to acknowledge that unique meaning of a friend who lifts you up with his hands, shares shoulders just when needed and say am there for you even with silence...

விழும் போது கை தந்து...

அழும் போது தோள் தந்து...
இளைப்பாற மடி தந்து...

To all my friends... Acknowledged!
I may not the best to keep in touch, but am touched. :)
- Raj

Hail BVB

Initially, I wanted to name this post as "Giving Back to our teachers", and even now, I feel that is right, but this one too is quite an apt one for the emotions that I have while I draft this post. May be the title looks a bit arrogant, but read through please..

It is said and felt that life is the best teacher as it trains us by giving all the tests. It's pretty much true isn't it? Now when looking back, all the teachers some of whom we adored and some of whom we abhorred, they are probably the best people in the world after our parents. I read it somewhere, teaching is the profession which creates other careers. How true is that! And yet, those teachers after doing the noble job of shaping us remain yet so humble. How much as a society, or even as an alumni have we given back to them.

Now, when I say, giving back, it is not pay back. All they need is acknowledgement and gratitude. When I look at my life, everything that I have including a great set of friends is from my beloved BVB; A school that was for all possible reasons of dominance during our generation, across studies and sports alike, was adored and abhorred as well. Lead by a great correspondent Dr. L. M. Ramakrishnan (I do intend to write a blog on him on how he taught us all what leadership means), supported by Mrs. Aruna Ramakrishnan as the president and administered by Mrs. Karthiyayini as the Principal, a great team of teachers who instilled a lot of dreams and aspirations in us! Am not emotional or overly proud about it. No other institution can boast of an holistic development of people that this team has done which has, in my personal view, created a lot of next generation leaders in almost all form of life!

When I wrote about CAP of life, little did I realize that it was BVB which gave me that. I truly believe that BVB handed us that CAP there by shaping our lives by training us on how to be committed in a cause, how to be passionate in what we pursue and most importantly a never give up attitude.

Alumni meets are a norm across all colleges, universities and institutions. 

As like any of the student batches, we our own circle of friends used to be in touch and of course meet each other during every Indian summer. It so happened that in 2012 when we met in Yercaud, we were discussing that this is not enough and we should possibly be doing a bit more and out of some instinct, a couple of us did say, why not do it at school in 2014 where we complete a double decades of being the alumni of the school and so on.

Eventually, as always, we forgot that and we moved on. This year, when the natural organizers for our reuinion, made the proposal and out of nowhere came in a suggestion of a friend who visited the school, can we do it in school, in less than 5 weeks, here we are at the brink of what I call as history. 

Now, is it a get together?? No. It is a life time event for all of us when roughly 65% of our batch mates from across the globe are going to be under one roof where we meet and greet our beloved teachers and staff. When we set out to on this task, we knew very well it is an uphill task, but then with the CAP we had, we know for sure this will be nothing but a spectacular event. We quickly moved from a get together to a reunion which now is nothing but a show of gratitude to our school and its staff.

I know there people have said that we cannot create memories, BVB batch 1994 pass outs are creating a lot to cherish forever. We proudly, yet so humbly are showing  and the our gratitude towards them on the 12th of July, 2014 where 90+ of the alumnus meet and greet 55 teachers and 15 supporting staff at our own backyard. 

While I wish I was there in person, I would not regret that, because that is what BVB has taught me. To just keep moving..

This event is telecast live across the globe and I'll not miss it. 

Gratitude is attitude. BVB taught us that. 

Generations after generatations, BVB will continue to stand tall and its legacy will go on until each of the BVB students are alive! 

Frankly Never in my life have I ever felt so proud!

Hail BVB! Hail BVB! Hail BVB! Hail BVB!

Here goes the first video. Obviously mine, a pre-recorded one..... 

Regards,

Raj.

Ps.: 

1. Only BVB alumni can realize the colour coding in this! And yes mine is Maroon and yes am from Vivekananda.

2. The post will be appended with videos as and when they emerge.

India Modified.....

A significant day for Indian democracy yesterday..

A small town tea boy is now the prime minister of India.

All said and done, I believe he is not going to have any honeymoon. A fragmented own party, not many friends in the Indian political leadership, very hostile neighbours, always (so far) a resistant west, a very corrupt system in hand and on top of everything huge expectations of an young India, he is going to have lot of dimensions with which he is going to be judged. Probably, he is taking the most difficult job on earth in modern times where everyone is expecting something out of him; success or failure. Even the normal ones that do not vote and normally aren't worried about state of affairs in India, is possibly now looking at what this man has to offer.

Not that am an anti Congress or pro BJP person, but am really a common man who very well knows the system isn't right here. From a bloody traffic rules to getting something like a passport there is a lot of corruption and am very well aware am party to it as well. That is the very state of a common man. He has to be so bloody well be corrupt to be a survivor in this country.

Now this is a leap of faith one has to have... Yes he has his own flaws but so is everyone like me.. I just hope he does at least 10% of what he said he would do or is perceived to be done by him...

Let's give him space and not judge him very early..

I really wish him well not for his own sake, but for India's sake. If not now, never ever would we have a chance to pride ourselves as Indians.

All the best Mr. Modi... I wish you good luck to get that India "Modi"fied to be a fact... Please change me too..

- Raj.

Happy 2014!

Here comes the New Year and again what I wrote 2 years back makes sense still like what I said last year!

While last year was Year of Optimism, I would like to call this year as an Year of Hope.

Hope is the only factor that keeps waking us up every single day. 
Hope is the only sedative that makes us sleep. 
Hope is the only light that keeps us moving during our darker days.

Hope is the only hope that keeps us looking forward despite setbacks.

I honestly feel that hope is the only cure for all of our problems and wounds.  

May this year be Year of Hope where things will change for good in India and larger world too.
I do hope that there are changes in store for me and everyone associated with me which would be for greater purpose.

All the best to all of us!

Happy New Year!

Regards,
Raj.