My First Liebster Blog Award

Liebster Blog award

I am happy to share with you all that year 2013 is ending with the Liebster Blog Award. This is the FIRST Award for my blog 'Tea Time Talk'  and I hope that fellow blog readers will continue to exchange with me their thoughts , mind's impressions and experiences via this unique medium of blogging. A heart felt  thanks to Indiblogger , Blogpost  and Wordpress for providing me a platform to talk to the world outside with the might of the mind and strokes of my keyboard.

I started writing poems at an age of fifteen and they were wayward sketches of my mind , my perceptions of life at that moment and about my dreams that were far off.  I maintained dairies where i used to pen down my thoughts , daily routines , key events etc in form of poems or simple write ups. The irony of it all was, that i never knew till then that my father in his young days had this hobby too. Physical paper and pen got moved to electronic platform and blogging happened couple of years back. 'Tea Time Talk' is a personal blog which is a compendium of articles , poems , random quotes , short stories and something unique called 'Good Morning Messages' . I have recently moved the last section to another blog on WordPress and it can be accessed here: http://goodmorningwish.wordpress.com/. 

When my Blog was nominated for this award, I was quite curious to know more about this. Here is what I am able to gather from my fellow blogger who nominated me.

What is a Liebster Blog Award?

The Liebster Blog Award was created to recognize and/or discover (new) bloggers. “Liebster” is a German word for sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, or favorite.

Who Nominated Me?

I was nominated by my fellow blogger Rupesh Malik. I am thankful to him for appreciating my blog and nominating me for this award.

What are the Rules?

• Link back the nominator of the award (why not show some love back as well!)
• Nominate 10 more bloggers (except the nominator) and inform them
• Answer the questions asked by the nominator
• Ask 10 questions from those you nominated
• Add the award image to your site
• Continuing with the custom, Rupesh also asked me certain questions and my replies are below.

Q.1 What is the primary focus of your blog?

A.1 To pen down my thoughts regularly and while i do that i am able to debate with my own self as to what my understanding about life is; in general , what are my learning and what are my perspectives. If  my writing and creativity can be of any value to the external world i will feel privileged, nevertheless i would leave this legacy behind for my offspring's.

Q.2 What is the story behind your blog’s name?

A.2  Tea Time Talk is a light hearted talk that people indulge in their daily lives. My blog is smooth , easy flowing and the topics that i write on, are general in nature and hence this name.

Q.3 What accomplishments are you most proud of?

A.3 I have written articles and poems mostly and they weave in stories from our day to day lives. I have had a chance to read some of my writings to my parents and their appreciation made me feel proud of my blog.

Q.4 What inspires you to write?

A.4 To be able to contribute to the society , my loved ones , my family with a good thought process, is a big motivation for me.

Q.5 Three things you want to do before you die?

A.5 Learn to play violin, Learn skating and Run a half marathon.

Q.6 Five random facts that most people don’t know about you?

A.6 I share my Birthday with Swami Vivekanand (12th Jan) , I love silver watches , I wear brown shoes rarely( though i have 2 pairs of them), My first car was a Camry , Though i am right handed i can bat reasonably well with left hand.

Q.7 One thing that annoys you the most?

A.7 Deceit

Q.8 Anything that you would like to change about yourself?

A.8 To be more adventurous and risk averse.

Q.9 An awesome moment that you can never forget?

A.9 The first time i took my son in my hands.

Q.10 What is the most insane thing that you have ever done in your life till date?

A.10 Can't think of any that can be termed as really insane, though i am sure i do lots of them every other day. 

 Liebster Award-Action Wanted

 I would like to recommend the blogs of the following 10 bloggers for the Liebster Blog Award.

1. Saru Singhal - Words - http://www.sarusinghal.com/

2. Nandini Deka - Nandini Speaks - http://nandinispeaks.blogspot.com/

3. Nabanita Dhar - Randon Thoughts Naba - http://nabanita-blacknwhite.blogspot.in/

4. Bushra M - Confessions of a Stilletomaniac - http://stillettomaniac.blogspot.in/

5. Ekta Khetan - Numero Unity - http://www.numerounity.com/

6. Ranjith - A Light Hearted Talk - http://www.alightheartedtalk.com/

7. Arvind Passey - The Real Fiction - http://www.passey.info/

8. The Fool - Lucifer House Inc - http://luciferhouseinc.blogspot.com/

9. Anupam Patra - Reflections - http://anupampatracontemplates.blogspot.in/

10. Rajkumar - The Elixir of Knowledge -http://www.elixirofknowledge.com/

And here goes my questions for them…

Q1. Share with us link of one blog post that is closest to your heart and why ?
Q2. Are you true to yourself when writing posts in your blog or they are sugar coated , customized ? Have you ever copied content ?
Q3. One topic /aspect that you never wrote about and would like to pick up some day ?
Q4. Why do you blog ? (A very standard question but a deeper answer is expected)
Q5. Are you an extrovert or an introvert and what is your writing style ?
Q6. Make a confession , could be an incident that went wrong, a dream , a desire , a regret .
Q7. What gives you a high ?
Q8. Sum up yourself in five adjectives.
Q9.  Why do you think your childhood was special ?
Q10. One person who had a great impact on you and why?

I am looking forward to your answers and congratulations from my end on receiving this beautiful award.

Cheers !! 

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Building Immune India , Building Strong India

The topic of Dabur Chyawanprash blogging contest-  ' Building Immune India ' is so pertinent and necessary in today's context. Our fathers and forefathers brought us up as close to the nature as possible; when the air was much cleaner , the water was more potable and the environment was much healthier. They handed us a future that looked rosy , full of material comforts and with immense possibilities.  In the mad rush of growth,  fueled by  industrialization , urbanization and rampant use of machines we have contaminated our surroundings to such an extent that neither the present is healthier nor the future looks any better. In this scenario the concern is how do we ensure that our children grow in a safe and robust environment that helps them develop a strong foundation and a body that is build on a strong immune system.

So first let's understand is simple terms what immunity is. Definition from Wikipedia tells me that "In biology, immunity is the state of having sufficient biological defences to avoid infection, disease, or other unwanted biological invasion. It is the capability of the body to resist harmful microbes from entering it. Immunity involves both specific and non-specific components. The non-specific components act either as barriers or as eliminators of wide range of pathogens irrespective of antigenic specificity. Other components of the immune system adapt themselves to each new disease encountered and are able to generate pathogen-specific immunity."

From my basic knowledge of biology and human body i know a fact that people are born with some inherent immunity and rest is acquired naturally or artificially. So when the defense can be build against the ailments , germs, infections and  allergies we have a task cut out for our children. What can we as parents do to make them stronger and prepare their bodies to fight these external malicious agents / antibodies ??

I can broadly divide the areas of concentration in the following:


1. Rich Nourishment -  This will involve intake of vegetables , fruits , whole grains that are good source of vitamins , minerals , protein , fiber , carbohydrates and antioxidants. Kids have to eat in small and frequent portions a diet that balances intake of the above mentioned components. Milk Products , Lean meat , Poultry Products , Cereals , Nuts , Fresh fruits and Vegetables are good source of rich nourishment. What is important is everything that is consumed fresh has to be thoroughly washed to eliminate pesticides and chemicals( Read Times of India article mentioned below). There are plenty of health supplements like Chyawanprash , Honey , Horlicks , Bournvita etc available in the market that also aid in growth of children and improving immunity in them.

From the website of Dabur i have gathered this information :

Dabur Chyawanprash has a number of herbs like – Amla known to be one of the best antioxidants, Giloy (Guduchi) known to have immuno-modulatory properties and has many other natural ingredients which helps to boost immunity. Dabur Chyawanprash increases NK cells (Natural Killer Cells) which are an essential part of our body’s immune system and fights germs, bacteria and infections by 3 times hence increasing our immunity by 3 times. Thus Dabur Chyawanprash helps us in fighting against germs, viruses and helps protect against infections, making us free to take on the outdoors, unhygienic surroundings, weather changes, pollution etc.

TOI Article on Pesticides in Vegetables

Plates loaded with pesticides: Survey shows fruit, vegetables are high on chemical content - Report published in Times of India on Nov 8th , 2013

2. Proper & Disciplined Diet -  Not only a balanced diet is important, it is to be ensured that children eat healthy meals at proper intervals and avoid fast foods , aerated drinks and foods laced with preservatives. Sugars and artificial sweeteners should be strictly avoided as they can reduce the  immunity fighting ability of white cells.

3. Physical activity and Exercises- In today's times kids are spending more and more time indoors watching television , surfing internet , playing video games etc. , moreover the stress on studies has also grown manifolds. Lack of physical activity is hampering their growth and again reducing the fighting ability of their white blood cells. Children have to be not only encouraged for outdoor activities but also accompanied frequently for games , picnics , morning walks and school events. Research shows that obese kids are more prone to illness and infections as obesity depresses the production of antibodies.

4. Awareness of the surroundings -  Fighting germs present in the external surroundings needs awareness about them. Healthy habits like washing hands with soap before and after meals, after coming from outside, after handling pets ,while sneezing and coughing  and in general observing hygiene and cleanliness helps to reduce contact with germs that could otherwise cause infections and ailments. The waste bins , toilets , kitchen slabs , mobile phones, laptop/ desktop keyboards have germs all around them. By being aware of the fact that many a household items are good breeding grounds for germs we can keep them clean and also inform and educate our kids about them. Healthy habits and knowledge of the surroundings go a long way in securing sound health and building a very strong immune system.

5. Regular health check ups and understanding of areas for improvement -  Visits to doctors should be kept at minimum unless and until it is strictly warranted . In spite of that kids should undergo regular health check ups and these could include oral and dental health , physical examination , growth measurements , vaccinations & immunizations , eye sight ,hearing and allergies etc.
If there are areas that need improvement and focused care , those should be discussed with the doctor and corrective measures to be taken.


This post is my entry for the Dabur Chyawanprash blogging contest ' Building Immune India ' hosted on Indiblogger Website. 

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Traditional Knowledge - Natural Growth for Children

I am writing this post for the sake of my one and a half year old son who is taking his first steps in life. Be it learning to walk, mumbling few words, developing tastes, doing naughty acts or being playful, he is the center of all our attention. I have realized that in this early stage of my kid’s growth and development there are many external factors that have a great impact and I will touch upon them as I move ahead. To write this post I did some research on internet, read few research papers and tried understanding our parenting methodology in the light of the new information that I collected.

Child’s Growth and Development 

Right from the infant stage to the early years of life the kid undergoes rapid changes and understanding child development is very important. These changes can be broadly classified in physical, cognitive, and emotional development stages. Good nutrition and healthy habits have a long standing effect on all the above stages of a child’s development be it overall health, brain development, growth, muscle mass, analytical thinking, socializing and their capacity to adapt to change. Also learning basic concepts, coordination, acquiring reading and writing skills, balance, agility, learning to express themselves creatively and be socially adaptive are also some gains of good health. Good nutrition is also critical in avoiding and surviving childhood diseases.

We all want to provide the best for our children and to do so we need to be aware of the contents of the products that we use daily on our children. Not being aware of toxic chemicals used in synthetic products can be severely dangerous for children as they are much more vulnerable to these chemicals than adults are. Their immune systems are not fully developed and their bodies can’t fight the toxic chemicals as good as adults . We can, however, reduce our exposure by becoming knowledgeable and making educated, informed decisions for our children and shopping more consciously.

Natural versus Synthetic 

Natural chemicals are produced by nature without any human intervention. Synthetic chemicals are made by humans through industry processes and these chemical structures may or may not be found in nature. Synthetic chemicals can be made from natural product and they will also claim to serve the same purpose. To illustrate Vitamin C can be naturally obtained from orange in the form of ascorbic acid whereas same ascorbic acid can be made from Glucose. Another example could be alcohol derived from natural fermentation whereas artificially this can be prepared from ethane and steam.

Ayurveda follows Nature’s way

Ayurveda is a Sanskrit term, made up of the words “ayus” and “veda.” “Ayus” means life and “Veda” means knowledge or science. The term “ayurveda” thus means ‘the knowledge of life’ or ‘the science of life’. Ayurveda can strengthen the immune system and support the health of children of all ages in a safe and holistic manner using the efficacy of natural remedies. Ayurveda with its use of medicinal herbs and spices offers effective health care and disease prevention for children through diet and lifestyle. Some of the means are:

• Oil massage plays an important role in baby’s growth. Massage with oils of herbs like Country Mallow (Bala) and Sesame (Tila) can protect baby’s skin against topical infections, open the pores of the skin, increase circulation, relax muscles, and aide the movement of lymph throughout the body. For e.g. Dabur Lal Tail is an Ayurvedic Baby massage oil that helps in strengthening baby's bones and muscles and facilitates better overall physical growth of babies.
• Herbal solutions in Ayurveda aid mental development of a child enhance a child’s concentration ability and intelligence. Health supplements like Dabur Chyavanaprasha(we use it), which contains Amla, Ashwagandha, Pippali, Guduchi,  Kesar, Karkatsringi and Satavari Bala / Vidarikand are indeed beneficial in improving memory and learning abilities.
• Ayurvedic medicines with a diverse range of products for fever, cough, cold, abdominal pain etc. contains therapeutic ingredients that very effectively help in combating illness internally in children.

Home Remedies for Common Illness that we have used at home for our kid

Abdominal Pain

• Warm Heeng (Asafoetida) rubbed over navel region.
• A drink of the powder of jeera (cumin) and rock salt dissolved in water.

Cough & Common Cold

• Juice of tulsi leaves and ginger given two to three times with honey.

Constipation

• A tea spoon of ghee mixed in a cup of warm milk given at bed time.

During Teething

• Rubbing of honey on the swollen gums facilitates teething.

There is a sea of variety and usefulness of Ayurvedic herbs and home remedies for children. Most herbs are safe and do not have any side effects when used skillfully and in right doses. Promoting healthy habits and strengthening immunity in early childhood can set the foundation for growth and development, not only in short term but also serves good for a entire lifetime.

This post is for the blogging contest ' Traditional Knowledge - Natural Growth' by Dabur. More details on Dabur's Ayurvedic products can be accessed through this link .

Ayurvedic Health Supplements at home 

Ayurvedic Oils at Home

Ayurvedic Medicines at home

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Happy Deepawali 2013

The entire year we walked side by side 
Supporting and matching each other's stride 
The highs and the lows all came
Our understanding of each other still remained the same

Every new day of this year has made me strong
I fought my battles with vigour and aplomb
This would have not been possible and achieved
If your affection and love i had not received.

Let me thank you in simple and honest words
No other occasion will suit it best
A festival of lights and a new year close by
Warm wishes to reciprocate my warmth and personify 

Happy Deepawali to you and your family
To brighten your days and make them more lively
May Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha bless you
With What life has best to offer,all bright and new

May success and good fortune knock at your door
Every endeavor is spectacular that you set to implore
Happiness and content as well come all along
Good health and longevity stays with you yearlong !!

Happy Deepawali 2013

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The Best Career Advice

The Best Career Advice

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Words

To simply say what words are,
Words communicate meaning,
Acting as our minds' messengers,
A vent to thought and feeling;

But how immensely powerful,
Are these words that we use,
What a great impact they can have,
Is what makes me muse;

Words can fill a heart with joy,
Make it beat with love and life,
But evil, if they become, they can,
Hurt that heart like a knife;

Words

Words can make a person's image,
But can tarnish it just as easily,
They make so transparent personalities,
That can be great or silly;

Words can cause a mob,
To be quiet or create an uproar,
They can influence the minds of masses,
And can make them happy or sore;

Words could be a ray of hope,
In the darkness of some sorrow,
They can give the courage and the dreams,
Of a new tomorrow;

Words can make or break ties,
They can bring people close,
Or let the bonds of affection tear off,
Like the petals of a withering rose;

How mighty are these words,
Possessing a great strength,
It is through them that today I could,
Write this poem at length!

Please note : This is a poem that was written by my friend years back when people used to keep diaries.As a tribute to creativity I decided to put this in my blog so as to share it with the rest of the world and preserve it better.

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The Night Sky

The purple-crimson evening slowly faded out,
Darkness settled gradually,as I looked roundabout,
The night sky quietly enveloped the world,
Like a smooth,soft blanket around it was twirled!

The celestial bodies that shined and shimmered,
As though on black velvet,diamonds were scattered,
Secrets of their own, they seemed to hold,
Mysteries of the universe, they left untold!

The Night Sky

The crescent moon looked to be smiling lazily,
It's silver beam cast like a glance so dreamily,
In it's ivory illuminance, tree leaves gently swayed,
Against the magnificent dark skyline,a dancing pattern they made!

I glanced up at the clear,night sky,
In its depths, fate and destiny seemed to lie,
A magical spell all over it had cast,
An enchanting vision,that felt forever would last!

With the first appearance of early dawn,
As silently as it came, the night sky was gone,
Yet,its lovely memory was carved in my mind,
A mark of its serene beauty,it had left behind!

Please note : This is a poem that was written by my friend years back when people used to keep diaries.As a tribute to creativity I decided to put this in my blog so as to share it with the rest of the world and preserve it better.

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A Letter to PM of India on Independence Day

Dear Prime Minister ,

I am caught in a conundrum whether to congratulate you on this Independence day or express dissent at your speech which you gave from Red Fort. For you i will leave the niceties behind but as a True Indian i will first wish my brothers and sisters an environment of freedom , fairness , equal opportunity , progress and happiness on this historic day of us getting independent.

When we were small kids we used to wait for this one special day of the year when the Prime Minister of India hoisted the tricolor and addressed the nation. The exuberance, the happiness ,the expectations stemmed from the fact that India was a developing nation then, it is still though, and the Government chief would paint a positive picture and give wings to our dreams. The news, the media was not so rampant and PM's single address to the entire nation carried so much weight that we children even felt so much proud being an Indian. The leader of the nation carried that unblemished image , the authority , the vision , the belief and the promise that the nation is safe in his hands.The reassurance that year after year we as a country are progressing well used to put sail in our morale and minds. The primary objective of that address was to inform , communicate, inspire and instill in the masses a sense of security and well being. 

That was couple of years back . When i heard you today the ethos , the soul , the message on this very important occasion was completely missing. I will not delve into each aspect of your speech but would like to ask questions on few important issues. I am assured by the fundamental rights of a citizen to ask questions that concern my nation's welfare , happiness and prosperity. 

Happy Independence Day

The first and foremost of all is India's security and Foreign Policy vis-a-vis its neighbors or better say its enemies. The events of intrusion on our borders , firing and sabotage of our posts and land , killing of our soldiers and continued aggression is a mater of concern and national security. Every independent state has the right to protect its territory and shape up foreign policy that is conducive and helpful in maintaining its Sovereignty. The lapses and the incidents threatening our state has increased manifold and the response from your government is lukewarm and disheartening. Even today you did not find the national security an important topic to discuss with the nation. Don't we have a spine or willingness to respond back appropriately ??

Second issue that not only me but the entire nation is seeking an answer for, is Corruption . In your regime of last 10 years mammoth scams with staggering amounts have taken place be it 2G , Coal , Railway , Army Purchase and so on. The first response that  came from PMO's office was of denial but when the fact finding was done it was established that your office was a party to the decision making. How many committees and probing agencies will you set up to hide away from the wrongdoings of your ministers and aides. The damage has been  done with the India Shining story already killed but what is more painful is, there is no one in this entire country who is convicted . This show of shamelessness, haughtiness , invertebrate hollowness is being run for years now and no one has a conscience to provide us an answer. Were you not supposed to represent the ruling government and own up responsibility to assuage the citizens that you are on the side of the fairness and morality ?? Where has your self respect and the respect for the post of PM gone ??

The last one that i would like to bring to your notice is government's agenda to provide an opportunity to each citizen to prosper and progress. For how many more years will we keep listening to this cliched statement of ' Food , Cloth and Shelter ' for all ?? How many years will it take to alleviate India out of utter poverty that is eating away its citizens ?? When the country has nearly 1/3 rd of its population living under the below poverty line what do they understand of progress and growth?? Where is the vision of inclusive growth that was laid by our leaders who got us freedom ?? If you don't have answers to any of my questions then why are we being fooled to believe that elected governments are here to provide good governance. I need to know from you why has decision making , policy making and formulation , and governance vanished from your must to do activities.

Since i do not have access to you and seek answers in person, i am writing my thoughts in my blog. The most viable event that could have given me some comfort and reassurance was your address this morning. None of the issues that concern the nation and its citizen was considered important by your script writer to touch upon and logically you are not at mistake. All i wish is, i do not get to hear an insipid message like this that only weaves stoic silence around the issues that the entire nation wants to hear about.

Happy Independence Day !!

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My Present Day Fears

When one talks of his or her fears it may include the  loss of a loved one, loss of money and other materialistic possessions. These events bring  anxiety , turbulence, pain , self doubts and  age is not a factor for any such misadventure to occur .  The background and profile definitely is a parameter for the day to day challenges that are thrown upon all of us and the fear factor is directly proportional to one's position in life. The larger we have things at stake the bigger are our fears.

Every other day i have a conversation with my spouse as to what my fears are and can i strive to keep myself in control of life's situations and be unanimous through all thick and think.

Take fear head on

Since i work for a private set up my first fear is  loosing my job. One would wonder and aptly conclude that i may not be competitive enough to survive or not talented enough to contribute ; none of them is completely true or out rightly wrong. Education does provide an individual a base , a set of rules , some prudence to take informed decisions and progress well in career. What is still worth considering is the cycle of  'Education Refresh', our fathers and forefathers could live for decades with their common sense and wisdom but in today's world the pace of change outweighs one's capacity to adapt and learn. 

I have been witnessing an occurrence very occasionally where people at middle level management are getting jittery over employment and how cost cutting and economic turmoil is hitting homes hard. A similar segment is youth who are incurring hefty expenditure on college fees on an assumption that their salaries will cross a threshold level and they will break even soon. Again their worst fear is not meeting that benchmark, or missing it by a wide margin.

My entire scheme of things is solely based on my present saving potential and an optimistic projection of the future. What worries me most is a moment , an event that can hamper my chances of meeting ‘minimum operational expenses’ and support my growth plans. I have built a lifestyle that is simplistic and manageable , comforts that are at the brink of necessity and risks that are futuristic. Even with this matrix that is easy to understand i have concerns on its longevity in the long run. The basic reason is that the model heavily hinges on one single  individual who is susceptible to external factors and the constant called change.  

The second fear that i have is not being able to take a right decision at the right time, the cost of any such misadventure can push the cart of life southwards. While sitting for a review in office one of my senior colleague attributed failure in life to not being able to qualify opportunities and threats aptly. It is the honor of a hard working soul to do every thing possible within his limits to reinforce his intent and commitment to work. All of us would do the same and will unearth multiple reasons for failure before hitting a right one to succeed. This is the conventional approach and wise men differentiate themselves from the crowd here. Their ability to separate the chaff from the grain at an early stage saves them time and money and then success can't be far behind.  In my prayers everyday i ask the supreme lord to bestow me with intelligence , wisdom and foresight ; all of them are so very much precious.

The last fear that i carry is not being able to keep sound health to be able to  support  and contribute my ecosystem. Lifestyle related diseases are growing faster than any other parameter of  civilization. Stress, Hypertension , Obesity , Heart Diseases , Sleep disorders , Personality disorders and so many of them are being added to our list every other day. The important thing to note is, not only physical health but also the mind that is getting severely affected. The health of an individual and the entire society is cumulatively on decline.  The mind is at unease , the bodies are tiring and the disturbance is spilling on the roads in forms of rage , crime and incidents that are gruesome and not worth mentioning.  With the percentage of the young in our country i am not worried of our growth story but what unsettles me is an era of deterioration of human values and empathy. The overall health of the Indian society is bothering me , with the physical capacities decreasing and mental strengths following suit.  I work really hard to keep my fitness to the prime  but also want to engage with the thinkers to refresh and renew my mind's abilities.

I have simple plan of action to allay these fears and keep myself afloat in all this churn and chaos. First be honest and work exceptionally hard , second believe in my own abilities, learning and third live a disciplined and a healthy life. Life’s race is pretty long and the horse that runs the entire race will be a winner not the fastest one, i bet !!

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Love Lost Found and Abound

Aisha sat by the balcony of her high rise, a place that she had bought with all her savings with the notion that her love was wisely invested. The sun was rising from the crevices of the concrete jungle and the sunbeams were harsh enough to light up her fatigued face and puffy eyes. Sleep had relinquished her beautiful eyes long ago.

‘You look beautiful in this pink night suit and they kissed.' That was on her 25^th birthday three years back.

She often wore those pink pajamas as a celebration of her lost love or may be as a reminder of her undying faith and loyalty. Nothing mattered anymore except that it was an act of reassurance and belief that one day he will come back. Why had she agreed to let him go to the US to pursue his MBA?? Had he not promised that he will pick up job in India?? What they both did not know is Recession does not inquire if a person has a family to support or if he has left his love behind.

‘Abram!! We need to celebrate your win at the college fest with my favorite Irish coffee and Pancakes; I have invited self for tomorrow evening. Hope it suits your busy schedule’.

‘Aisha!! I would have loved to, but not with the bills paid by my father.’ His answer made her sad and equally proud; girls in adolescence have rosy dreams. The curt reply in college translated to a cold and unexplained behavior years later. Men take pride in their jobs, profiles and pay checks, love always trails behind. Move to US proved to be a wrong one as bad job market and huge education loan ruined all his plans. He turned silent and the long distance relationship was failing her expectations. 

The phone rang, the number was from a land line and she had no intent to pick it up.

Four more repeat calls and there was no option but to oblige.

‘I landed at New Delhi International Airport few minutes back,can you come and pick me ?.’

Disbelief, Skepticism, Surprise and Happiness all in equal measure, filled her eyes with big tears. She needed no reassurances, no compulsions to hysterically say ‘I am coming, wait for me Abram. Don’t leave, don’t go anywhere just remain fixed there. I am coming……I am….’.Tears choked her voice.

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AmbiPur Blogging Contest

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She pulled away her Etios and made a quick exit from the Airport. To an onlooker it would seem this was another day and the couple had departed for a brief day or two, no histrionics or showdown for public display.

'Dad ! Why mom does not stay with us ? ' For many years in his mind, Abram often had animated conversations with his mother to figure out why ? Aisha had accepted the very fact that a child raised by a single parent would definitely have grievances with life. Beyond the customary pleasantries neither a question was asked nor a plausible explanation for his behavior was given.

Aisha kept on honking frequently to hide her nervousness and drove with serpentine curves to hit the exit road. Abram watched the crowded side walks and familiar sights of street vendors selling eatables; young boys and girls waiting at the bus stop; auto rickshaws scurrying for passengers; temples at the corners of the roads; multiple assortments of retail shops before hitting the expressway.

The interiors of the car were of beige color , their foot set on transparent foot mats , soft music filling the silence and a lovely fragrance that appealed to the senses came out of the vents. Abram had gifted her 'Lady Million' perfume by Paco Rabaane on their second date knowing Aisha had liking for good fragrances. Her choice of the car perfume too, resembled her personal taste.

They drove on the expressway passing high rise apartments that were huddled together ; giant malls with fancy signage's ; multiplexes playing latest flicks ; parks with fountains aiming for the sky ; metro rail running on the pillars. The day Aisha had taken delivery of her brand new, crimson colored Toyota Etios, they had driven across every road , every intersection of the town. Inside the four doors of their sedan the happiness was unlimited , the new found possession an entire world within.

When it became unbearable and the intensity of emotions swelled up Aisha broke down. She veered the car out of the driving lane,  hit a patch of grass and killed the engine. It was not possible to hold back her tears and feign aloofness ; Abram's eyes too became moist. Over the next couple of minutes Aisha fought with him and he listened silently without giving excuses for his failure to respond to her love. He held her in his arms , kissed her forehead softly and put a finger on her lips, her sobs making her body tremble.

'I brought back something for you from the US' , Abram produced a letter from the pocket of his jacket and a gift box . Not sure which one to choose first Aisha hesitantly opened the letter ; it was an appointment letter in the name of Abram for an Indian subsidiary of a multinational. The box changed her life forever , it was an engagement ring.

In few months from now Aisha will get married to Abram and little does she know that she will bear him two children in due course of time. Abram will head a Multinational and they will shift to a bigger house and lead a lavish lifestyle. Years later they both will think of this reunion and take delight in the 'Perfect Road Trip' that brought them closer forever.

This blog post is my entry for the AmbiPur Blogging contest being run on IndiBlogger. 

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Book Railway Tickets Through Mobile

Railway e-Ticket now on Mobile

Railway e-ticket now on mobile

• IRCTC introduces for the first time a non-internet based ticketing system that will empower masses even in remote areas to use the omnipresent mobile device to make reservations.
• Millions of rail travellers can now use their mobile phones to book tickets in a simple, convenient and secured manner.
• It uses simple SMS or menu-based USSD technology which works on all mobile phones and involves no internet and costs very little.
• The services can be currently availed by IRCTC registered users only.

Advantages of booking IRCTC tickets via mobile

• No need to stand in long queues or log onto the internet.
• Simple, reliable and secured.
• Accessible to any mobile user.
• Very little charges for accessing the service.
• Works on all handsets.
• Simple user guided menu - book tickets, search for stations, trains, availability.

1. USSD based booking through Airtel*

Registration

• Register for Airtel money by dialing USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Services Data) number *400#.
• Load cash on this or recharge from any Airtel money outlet.

Booking Flow

• Dial *400# and select book tickets option.
• Select Reservation.
• Enter your IRCTC User ID.
• Enter the details of ticket (station, train no. date of journey, class etc.).
• Enter mPIN for authorizing payment through Airtel money.
• Booking confirmation SMS is sent by IRCTC and same can be used during journey along with valid ID proof..
• Fare & service charges are debited from your Airtel money account.
• PG Charges: Currently NIL
• Agent Service Charges: Currently NIL
• Helpline No.: 121
• Helpline Email : 121@airtelmoney.in

2. SMS based booking through 139*

Registration

• Register your mobile number with IRCTC as well as with your bank.
• Bank provides MMID (Mobile Money Identifier) & OTP (One Time Password) through IMPS (Immediate Payment Service) option.
• More than 25 banks are providing IMPS facility. For generating MMID & OTP, visit website: http://www.npci.org.in/impsmerpay10.aspx.)

Booking Flow

• Generate OTP through your Bank for authorization of payment.

SMS based booking

• Service is available to all mobile subscribers.
• SMSes @ Rs 3/- per SMS (2 SMSes are required for each booking).
• PG charges Rs 5/- for ticket amount = Rs 5000/- (as applicable by bank).
• Agent Service Charges: NIL
• Helpline No.: 139
• Helpline Email : smsticket139@bharatbpo.in

3. SMS based booking through 5676714*

Registration

• Register your mobile number with IRCTC as well as with m-wallet (http://www.zipcash.in/user/nlogin.aspx)
• Send SMS, to 5676714, in the following syntax START for user authentication (first time only)

Booking Flow

SMS based booking

• After payment is made booking confirmation is sent to your mobile.
• SMSes @ Rs 3/- per SMS (2 SMSes are required for each booking).
• PG Charges: Currently NIL
• Agent Service Charges: As applicable.
• Helpline No. : 8882001001
• Helpline Email : support@saarthii.com

4. SMS based booking through BSNL*

User should have the following:

• 1. BSNL SIM card installed.
• 2. Java enabled mobile phone.
• 3. Andhra Bank Prepaid card.
• This is a menu driven application where user has to enter the details asked for in simple step-by-step process to get the ticket.

Registration

• Install the application.
• Select the Register option to get the mPIN.

Booking

• Click the icon BSNL Prepaid Card
• Select Ticketing > Train (IRCTC)
• Fill up the journey details such as From stn, To Stn, Train No, DOJ, Class, Quota, passenger details.
• Enter the mPIN to get the ticket information.
• SMSes: without charges.
• PG Charges: Currently NIL
• Agent Service Charges: As applicable.
• Helpline No. : 040-39849644
• Helpline Email : bsnl.support@pyrogroup.com

E-ticketing through IRCTC website, www.irctc.co.in, has revolutionized the way the common man deals with the railways and has been the biggest success story of e-governance in India. Taking this further, keeping an eye on growing mobile phone market in India, IRCTC now launched two other modes of ticket booking through SMS and USSD... and you don`t need an Internet connection in your mobile for this.So, next time you book a rail ticket, take out your mobile.* The services will not be available between 0800-1200 hrs. However, the ticket can still be booked using mobile through IRCTC main site www.irctc.co.in

I received this information in mail and thought of sharing it forward, it might be of some help.

Cheers !!

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My Blog featured on 'Indian Top Blogs'

www.indiantopblogs.com

A pleasant surprise this evening. Saw my blog featured on the Landing Page of Indian Top Blogs.

Please visit the http://www.indiantopblogs.com/

Cheers !!

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How to beat Global Recession ??

Are you looking for answers on "How to beat Global Recession " ??  Read my take and simple to do tasks to bring certainty and stability in your life.

Global Recession and its consequences

Global Recession , Economic Turmoil , Political Instability and Changing world order are words the entire civilization is being exposed to, in some form or the other. There is a wave of uncertainty, fear and the unknown all telling on our day to day lives and if i drill down to the last element- " Our Careers" . Since the countries ,economies ,industries are in a bear hug so are our careers. It was uncommon for our fathers and forefathers to link back their labor with the output of the organisation they served, but not any more. A bad financial sector , stagnant real estate , fewer jobs and couple of sectors crumbling under recession can all join to tell you a story. If my product or services are not being sold they point out to the demand and supply imbalance and how interwoven each country's fate is and so of its citizen's. When we are able to link backward and forward the consequences of decisions in the past and can also foresee the future to some extent ,does it mean that we need to panic?? Should we base all our decisions on the present scenario ?? My simple answer is NO !!

The best career advice or mantra that i have learnt over the years is " See the Big Picture" . As they say in microeconomics,a long run curve is made up of couple of short run curves so is the case with our careers. A successful career is defined by achievements , laurels , contribution , individual satisfaction and pride over the long run. While we all put in our very best in day to day short runs, we should always remember that the yardstick of  measurement spans two to three decades of meaningful work. Today the times might be hard but that is when the mettle of people who are strong willed with steely nerves comes to fore. Yes employment , profession, job  are key factors for a stable life and happiness but what if the churn factors are already defined and one has to accept them as a precondition. Tough times do not last tough men do - An old saying but very apt in today's perspective. I have been debating with self as to what should be my course now ?? Where should i head for ?? What are my alternatives ?? What is the plan for the future ?? So many questions that i need to find an answer to before i can ride these short curves of stability and instability.

 If the entire sentiment is negative and there is an economic gloom staring at all of us what are we supposed to do ?? There are few choices that i have made and i will like to share with you all. Firstly i will not press the panic button and avoid passing the undue stress to my family. The stories of constant fear , retrenchment , job losses , bad debts or worst of all , no employment are everywhere. I will share peoples anxieties,show empathy and help people as much as i can. Secondly i will start believing in my capabilities more strongly and will unearth my hidden potential. I will open up to newer possibilities , newer thoughts and accept that change is the only thing that is constant in life. Thirdly i will up skill myself and will spend time adding more knowledge , more substance and more content to what i already know. Lastly the most important of all, i will manage my life and my family more efficiently by which i mean i will live a simple yet decent life. I will not indulge in irresponsible luxury, wastage of resources and will take austere measures. The issues of hunger , global warming , recession all are by products of greed and excesses. Penny saved is penny earned and being prudent with whatever  resources i have, is the need of the day.

To sum it up all, i would say is work hard , be honest to yourself, be optimistic,cheerful and  enjoy your work and life . Answer your doubts with resolutions, create activities for stagnant work , believe in your abilities , show care for people and be willing to take that extra pressure with a smiling face .

**** Please subscribe to my blog using the tab " Follow by e mail ". This will notify you of the fresh posts that i publish here. I look forward to a continued and meaningful exchange of ideas with all my readers.

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Random Quotes #58

• Let us all progress and prosper and reach the zenith and then we all will go downhill to find peace in the basics of life !!

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Random Quotes #57

In this virtual world first we strive hard to befriend people and then the reality of virtual distance strikes and we isolate ourselves !!

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55 Word Fiction - AmbiPur Fresh & Happy

Ambipur IndiBlogger Meet in New Delhi 

Ambipur Fresh and Happy

The day was hot and humid.

Four friends hopped on a long road trip.  

Halfway through, the AC failed.

The mercury hit 40 degrees.

They sweated and smelled badly

One of them was returning from Ambipur Bloggers meet

He remembered winning an AmbiPur Mini Vent Clip

Faces became fresh and happy as they plugged it !!

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What's your Social Media Score ??

Every individual born on this planet must have distinct credentials to secure employment , perform at his work place, earn recognition and his/her livelihood. These could be college degrees to support qualification , skill sets in niche areas to certify competence and certificates of distinction  to provide merit to the profile.

What if i say, in the very near future there will something unique called "Social Media Score" that will be a major deciding factor for recruiting , screening and doing background checks ?

Let me explain what do i mean by the term "Social Media Score".

Barack Obama has a very high Social Media Score

In today's era every individual has an Avatar -A virtual existence that has given birth to alias(es) / parallel existence. These identities are real yet unreal ,unreal yet real !! Confused aren't you ??

There is an interesting article "The Influence of the Avatar on Online Perceptions of Anthropomorphism, Androgyny, Credibility, Homophily, and Attraction" by Kristine L. Nowak & Christian Rauh from the Department of Communication Science ,University of Connecticut. 

Be it professional or social networks everyone wants to portray the better side of him or her on the virtual platforms . These could be Linked In , Monster ,Facebook , Twitter , Digg , Pinterest , MySpace , Tumblr etc. If we analyse our Avatar we find that one side it shows the professional side of ours, and the other is personal when we are among our family and friends . We might be cautiously interacting over professional networks but not necessarily on a social networking site. Our comments , interactions are an activity of leisure that give us fun, happiness and make us feel connected. So activities like pictures showing you drunk , romancing with your lover, booze party , fun at the beach , night outs do give some cues to your personality. If an institution like Google or Facebook decides to integrate our entire web presence and uses Analytics to profile our Avatar what will be the outcome ?? It will be a value , a relative assessment , a number , a classification , a class and possibly a score that will be assigned to each individual which will be called  "Social Media Score"

Since the jobs are already broken down to the last mile of skills , requirements , qualifications and experience our resumes will not be a deciding criteria for selection in the near future. This will be taken for granted that one is suitably qualified but what cannot be assessed in the preliminary findings is your humane side. All the Analytics that will be done on your Avatar in the virtual world will be combined with your real life  persona and presence. Then will emerge out a holistic picture of the individual and his ability to be deployed for a particular job or function. At present this might not be the norm but recruiters are using social media for hiring decisions now.   The recruiters might not dig out your old laundry but they will be certainly interested in What is that you post ? Who all are you connected with ? How do you come across as person ? The legitimacy of such an approach might take few years to come but the day is not far when every individual will wear on his sleeve his 'Social Media Score'. The more you improve on your personality the chances are, it gets better and better . Who knows your prospective girlfriend / boyfriend  starts using this score too ??

BTW What's your Social Media Score ??

Social Media Score Card

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GoAir think tank gone nuts

GoAir opts for femalecrew to save fuel

A humorous piece of news in papers today that says GoAir has decided to recruit only airhostesses from now on instead of the 'heavier' male flight pursers. The idea is to lighten the aircraft to reduce fuel burn because of increased operating costs. I find this idea absurd , unimaginative and too shortsighted and in the post below I will present my case why I consider it so.

Female Air Hostesses rule over male pursers

As per the article here is the logic presented for making such a business case.

“Go Air currently has 330 cabin crew members, 40% of whom are males. Every additional kg on board costs Rs 3 per flight hour. With an airhostess weighing about 15-20kg less than a male flight purser, Go expects to save about Rs 2.5 crore to Rs 3 crore annually. We are reducing the weight on board our aircraft. The size of inflight magazines has been reduced. The potable water tanks are no longer being filled to capacity as only 35% to 40% of that water is actually used. Now the water tanks are filled 60%.

Before I comment on this cost cutting activity let me list out some data points on GoAir that I will use to support my argument against this logic of choosing male pursers over female air hostesses.

• The airline currently operates across 21 destinations, 156 daily flights and approximately 1060 weekly flights. Reference - http://www.goair.in/January2_2012.aspx 
• GoAir has a fleet size of 15 aircrafts all A320 -200 that have a maximum capacity of 180 passengers.
• The Wadia Group-owned airline made a net loss of R133.72 crore in FY 2011-12.

Here is my argument:

1060 flights / week will translate to 55120 flights /year and the total number of male pursers in GoAir is 132 out of a total of 330 cabin crew.  If the staff is evenly distributed on all flights and their rest hours are same, all the male pursers combined will take 22048 flights. If one individual adds 15-20 kgs extra, net additional weight will be 385840 Kgs (taking average weight of 17.5 Kg). With Rs 3 as the incremental cost for every additional 1 kg of weight the total amount will be 1,157,520 (Eleven Lakhs Fifty Seven Thousand Five Hundred and Twenty only).  Where did the figure of 2.5 – 3 Cr Annual Savings come from?? 

With a net loss figure running into 100+ crore you are doing a full fledged research to contain few lakhs (notional) that will seemingly accrue from meaningless measures like these ??

GoAir great minds answer some of my questions here:

• At what occupancy % has the premise been made?
• What is the average weight of passengers on board?
• What is the mix of passengers i.e. men, women and children and is it same for all the sectors?
•  Which all GoAir counters in airports weigh the passengers before boarding?? If that is not done how the total flight weight is calculated?
• When the flights are not running to the full capacity what is the threshold point where any incremental weight does not affect the flying cost?

Dear GoAir !! 

With a market share of 7-8% in the Indian domestic market, that flies handles 70 Million (2011) passengers annually (Source: CAPA – Centre for Aviation & Indian DGCA) I can safely say that you don’t fly more than 5-6 million passengers in a year. If I do the mathematics right your average occupancy/ flight will not exceed 100 odd passengers (Airbus A320-200 has a seating capacity of 180 pax). With this level of occupancy I don’t think even an overweight 100 Kg male purser can make any difference. Even if they can, the figure is too minuscule and absurd to be even thought off as a cost cutting measure. If your think tank has enough time to invest in such measures such as replacing the male pursers I will be give you more such distractions. Do some research on absurd statistics like the average height of female air hostesses, their arm length, their reach to the overhead bins, their strength to lift and arrange heavy hand bags and their efficiency to deal with odd passengers? My bet is you will again come up with some ridiculous observations and put that as a cost cutting measure. If the management gives you enough bandwidth to do such researches no wonder your market share is the lowest in the market.

Till today I thought, increasing fuel prices, intense competition , lower fares, weakness of the rupee were your prime concerns to run a profitable business, but I never knew you weigh your cabin crew to take business decisions.

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