There was this book by Rohinton Mistry called 'A Fine Balance' which I read a few months ago. The book is set in Bombay and talks about the life of 2 tailors in Mumbai and their struggles to live in the 'jhopatpattis' (probably didnt spell it right). Their struggles to maintain their space on the footpath etc. In parts, the book was quite good. However this post is not about that.
So recently, I saw this feature on NDTV about the slumlords in Mumbai. This is something that has been spoken and woven into the plot very well in the book. I actually could relate this to the book better. Kudos to NDTV for featuring this really old story that everyone conveniently ignores - that of the worlds largest slum.
All Mumbaiite friends of mine keep extolling the virtues of the city (to which I have never been). By coincidence, I have been reading quite a number of things about Mumbai, the latest being 'Maximum City' where there is a detailed description about the 'dhanda'- the dance bars and the underworld and about the usage of the notorius 'Rent Control Act'. I do not know if it was the nature of the readings but frankly I get the impression, you go live in Mumbai to struggle and then feel elated about your victory over a miserable life. Arent all these about the blatant breakdown of normal social order? I am becoming more and more convinced that Bangalore is just getting unfair press. Having said that, I would like to live in Mumbai someday to see if what the people say is true.
Probably will get a few brickbats from the people I know in Mumbai. So to appease them, here is a post on how well planned Navi Mumbai is. It's good to know that we have a Chandigarh and Navi Mumbai to talk of as 'planned cities' even in this chaotic great nation.
Finally this post is not about Mumbai being bad or Bangalore being better but wanted to end with a few questions. What makes an effective city administration? How do we in India live comfortably in the midst of blatant violation of human rights? Have we just become too immune to all this? Is the burden of thinking about 1 billion people just too much?
Friday, March 31, 2006
Thursday, March 30, 2006
91.0 FM
One of my earlier posts was about energy levels of people where I mentioned how these rock concerts are such peaks of energy. I think one of the toughest jobs on hand requiring sustained energy levels is that of a RJ. Like any other Bangalorean who spends enough time on the roads (for more details, just keep watching CNN-IBN with its 'Eye on Bangalore' series), Sunaina, Darius and Vasanthi have become household names. The thing about these folks is the sheer energy that they carry in their voices.
Be it scripted or otherwise, it still is amazing just trying to pump in 'josh' in people through their voices. I am sure the millions of Radio City listeners are thankful to these folks. Darius with his dry wit, Vasanthi for her cheerful Good Mornings and Sunaina with all the josh in the evenings. (Not really a great fan of the others)
Just wondering if these folks would have been as good on television. Radio with its facelessness has its charms and really depends so much more on the personality of the RJ. But Television, I guess doesnt allow so much of that 'naturalness' that we hear from RJs...but then I have no clue about it really...
RC with all its 'Appukuttan Nair' and 'One and half Altaf' is good fun. But sometimes I do miss the music. I remember in 2001 and 2002 period, RC used to put such great English music especially Retro. Well, that I guess is another post.....
Be it scripted or otherwise, it still is amazing just trying to pump in 'josh' in people through their voices. I am sure the millions of Radio City listeners are thankful to these folks. Darius with his dry wit, Vasanthi for her cheerful Good Mornings and Sunaina with all the josh in the evenings. (Not really a great fan of the others)
Just wondering if these folks would have been as good on television. Radio with its facelessness has its charms and really depends so much more on the personality of the RJ. But Television, I guess doesnt allow so much of that 'naturalness' that we hear from RJs...but then I have no clue about it really...
RC with all its 'Appukuttan Nair' and 'One and half Altaf' is good fun. But sometimes I do miss the music. I remember in 2001 and 2002 period, RC used to put such great English music especially Retro. Well, that I guess is another post.....
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Eye on South
With the number of proliferating 24 hr news channels, this was bound to happen. I mean the channels are so starved of news that they are all playing the game of 'i-can-do-better-than-you-with-exclusives' part.
Yesterday was the first time I caught CNN-IBN with its new avatar of focusing on the South. Suddenly all the news channels have woken up to the fact that more than 60% of the English speaking population in India lives in the South and they might want to address issues relevant here also.
I didnt realize all this when I saw NDTV with its show on Chennai's fitness fanatics (for nearly 30 mins) sometime last week or so. Man, these guys really know the South.....now with IBN also talking about it, this is really taking shape.
The sad fact is that none of the national channels have really any 'real' capability in finding the right stories from the south. But I must appreciate IBN for at least asking the question.
There was this lady guest on the show(i forget her name). She made an interesting comment saying that it doesnt matter where you are geographically located, you are just not capable of quality reporting from the south as of now and that this has always been the case even when DD was the prime channel. Hmmm... sad but true...
This blog is quite aan interesting view on the news channel wars.
Let's see how the 'Eye on Bangalore' series goes on in IBN for the rest of the week. I mean, dont people have anything to say about Bangalore other than the bad roads, crumbling infrastructure and the Metro. Hey, talk about the green parks...talk about the cosmopolitian nature of Bangalore....talk about weekend getaways....talk about expats in the city....talk about anything but roads...we all now know what road is bad....i am sure this city still has a lot of good things going for it....
Yesterday was the first time I caught CNN-IBN with its new avatar of focusing on the South. Suddenly all the news channels have woken up to the fact that more than 60% of the English speaking population in India lives in the South and they might want to address issues relevant here also.
I didnt realize all this when I saw NDTV with its show on Chennai's fitness fanatics (for nearly 30 mins) sometime last week or so. Man, these guys really know the South.....now with IBN also talking about it, this is really taking shape.
The sad fact is that none of the national channels have really any 'real' capability in finding the right stories from the south. But I must appreciate IBN for at least asking the question.
There was this lady guest on the show(i forget her name). She made an interesting comment saying that it doesnt matter where you are geographically located, you are just not capable of quality reporting from the south as of now and that this has always been the case even when DD was the prime channel. Hmmm... sad but true...
This blog is quite aan interesting view on the news channel wars.
Let's see how the 'Eye on Bangalore' series goes on in IBN for the rest of the week. I mean, dont people have anything to say about Bangalore other than the bad roads, crumbling infrastructure and the Metro. Hey, talk about the green parks...talk about the cosmopolitian nature of Bangalore....talk about weekend getaways....talk about expats in the city....talk about anything but roads...we all now know what road is bad....i am sure this city still has a lot of good things going for it....
Saturday, March 25, 2006
Would you move to India?
Just to add to the cacophony in blogspace about the phenomenon called India, I thought this article raises a fairly controversial question for Americans and Europeans.
The fact that such a question is being asked says a lot of the nations growing clout. This this desicrtics article where I found the Informationweek article they are also asking questions about whether as a foreigner, would you study in Indian schools?
In fact I believe, that's where the movement will start first since universities have always been the first to collaborate. The situation is quite evident in the number of exchange students that turn up in the IIMs every year. When I graduated in 2002,we had hardly 30 exchange students coming. Now I believe, IIMB gets close to 120-130 students every year.
It's great to feel good about all this. Maybe all this will take us up in the Happiness Index from our present 33rd rank.
The fact that such a question is being asked says a lot of the nations growing clout. This this desicrtics article where I found the Informationweek article they are also asking questions about whether as a foreigner, would you study in Indian schools?
In fact I believe, that's where the movement will start first since universities have always been the first to collaborate. The situation is quite evident in the number of exchange students that turn up in the IIMs every year. When I graduated in 2002,we had hardly 30 exchange students coming. Now I believe, IIMB gets close to 120-130 students every year.
It's great to feel good about all this. Maybe all this will take us up in the Happiness Index from our present 33rd rank.
Thursday, March 23, 2006
The dreaded question
Finally the question got popped. After a media frenzy which focused on the top 5 salaries in all the IIMs, even a veteran (after all 4 yrs is a long while in this age) like me was not spared. Got asked this twice in as many days. How can I work in a position like this for this money when people are getting $193000?
Just to clarify:
1. Never could digest Finance
2. Graduated in the worst possible year possible when the market was in the dumps (after all,you need to blame something other than oneself)
3. Dont relish working 70-80 hr weeks
4. And incidentally, just happened to be part of the rest of the 'normal' folks in the IIMs
However, if anyone has a job to offer with as much money and 1/10th of the working hours (ok..40hrs it is), I am yours to employ... :)
Just to clarify:
1. Never could digest Finance
2. Graduated in the worst possible year possible when the market was in the dumps (after all,you need to blame something other than oneself)
3. Dont relish working 70-80 hr weeks
4. And incidentally, just happened to be part of the rest of the 'normal' folks in the IIMs
However, if anyone has a job to offer with as much money and 1/10th of the working hours (ok..40hrs it is), I am yours to employ... :)
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
People with the attitude
The Nasscom report that came out recently predicts skill shortages. But I think, we are already facing that in our daily episodes and the report is a trifle late. After all, people are what makes businesses tick and if you dont have the right people, you are doomed.
If you ask any project manager in the IT industry, he/she will tell you that a large amount of their time (bandwidth the official word) is used up on managing resource attritions and thereby transitions. I believe therefore the cost of attrition is becoming higher with every passing day.
The reason is that it is just so difficult to find a 'good resource', the good not referring in any way to their technical skillsets but to the attitude that people carry. Today, I was discussing with a colleague about how a project manager can really chill out if he has a bunch of good guys in his/her team.
But sadly, that is not reality. In reality, the team composition is usually similar to a normal distribution, with 1 or 2 really excellent people, at least 1 really mediocre person and the rest of them just average. So, if you are unlucky, you may not get the 1 good guy also. Then, you can say goodbye to the work/life balance everyone is talking about nowadays.
That is why I admire so much the gamble that Reliance takes. Here they are willing to spend 100 crore rupees on assembling the best possible team for their retail venture. They have got their fundamentals right. Mukesh Ambani knows that if he chooses the right people, he will just have to sit back and enjoy like a satisfied shareholder.
The faster IT companies realize this and do everything to bring down the attrition rates from the 20s, the faster they can save themselves a lot of trouble.....
If you ask any project manager in the IT industry, he/she will tell you that a large amount of their time (bandwidth the official word) is used up on managing resource attritions and thereby transitions. I believe therefore the cost of attrition is becoming higher with every passing day.
The reason is that it is just so difficult to find a 'good resource', the good not referring in any way to their technical skillsets but to the attitude that people carry. Today, I was discussing with a colleague about how a project manager can really chill out if he has a bunch of good guys in his/her team.
But sadly, that is not reality. In reality, the team composition is usually similar to a normal distribution, with 1 or 2 really excellent people, at least 1 really mediocre person and the rest of them just average. So, if you are unlucky, you may not get the 1 good guy also. Then, you can say goodbye to the work/life balance everyone is talking about nowadays.
That is why I admire so much the gamble that Reliance takes. Here they are willing to spend 100 crore rupees on assembling the best possible team for their retail venture. They have got their fundamentals right. Mukesh Ambani knows that if he chooses the right people, he will just have to sit back and enjoy like a satisfied shareholder.
The faster IT companies realize this and do everything to bring down the attrition rates from the 20s, the faster they can save themselves a lot of trouble.....
Monday, March 20, 2006
Celeb ads
How do companies take advertising decisions? The latest in the saga is of King Khan endorsing Compaq laptops. I am not sure ad agencies or companies are getting it right. I cant think of too many brands that have been helped by the celeb endorsements and disappointing that my firm has joined the group.
Khan says 'In the 21st century, desktop PCs are not only a boon for professionals but also a useful aid in children's education. I have seen computing add tremendous value to me, both at work and at play - inside the home and on the move. I am a technology buff, my latest passion is playing games on my laptop, which is really addictive'. Man, isnt that such a powerful reason for endorsing....dude, just talk about the 7 crores you got...
But I think SRK is having the final laugh....
Full Story...
On that note, I think Aamir Khan has done a decent job. Not too many endorsements and the ones he has taken up, keeping with his image. I love especially the Toyota Innova one which I think was perfectly Aamir.
Khan says 'In the 21st century, desktop PCs are not only a boon for professionals but also a useful aid in children's education. I have seen computing add tremendous value to me, both at work and at play - inside the home and on the move. I am a technology buff, my latest passion is playing games on my laptop, which is really addictive'. Man, isnt that such a powerful reason for endorsing....dude, just talk about the 7 crores you got...
But I think SRK is having the final laugh....
Full Story...
On that note, I think Aamir Khan has done a decent job. Not too many endorsements and the ones he has taken up, keeping with his image. I love especially the Toyota Innova one which I think was perfectly Aamir.
Sunday, March 19, 2006
Speak Up, Barkha
I always try to stay away from posts on religion given the complexity of the topic and the kind of passion it evokes in people in India irrespective of sex, class, creed, education or income levels. But I thought this column by Barkha Dutt of NDTV was very well written. She does touch a nerve here and it is great to know that Indians are starting to talk in the open about taboo topics.
Over the past few years, I personally have seen people's attitudes change especially the tolerance we Indians keep harping on. I haven't stayed in any place where there has been an 'in your face' depiction of religion. In fact, I still believe Kerala, where I come from, has probably the best mix of all 3 major religions in the country with minimal issues. But even there, I am seeing more strong opinions coming out about specific communities even from my well educated friends which is a little disappointing.
But I also understand this is not a simple issue with a simple answer and hence I will leave it at that.....
Over the past few years, I personally have seen people's attitudes change especially the tolerance we Indians keep harping on. I haven't stayed in any place where there has been an 'in your face' depiction of religion. In fact, I still believe Kerala, where I come from, has probably the best mix of all 3 major religions in the country with minimal issues. But even there, I am seeing more strong opinions coming out about specific communities even from my well educated friends which is a little disappointing.
But I also understand this is not a simple issue with a simple answer and hence I will leave it at that.....
Saturday, March 18, 2006
Minority Report, anyone?
If we look into the Internet browsing habits of people and do a trend analysis, I think a lot of information on what the person is going through can be understood. Now that Google with its Desktop Search program can theoretically store zillions of data points regarding browsing habits of people, I am wondering if this has ramifications beyond the computer into the offline space of a person.
Imagine that Google (it could be anyone else actually) does an analysis of browsing habits of people and thereby is able to predict what a person will possibly do. Given that more and more people are becoming wired on a daily basis, this is quite possible. Of course, the prediction algorithm will probably take some time in coming. Maybe this could be the beginning of a 'Minority Report' kind of situation.
For example, an employer knowing that person X has been browsing job sites xx% more than a quarter ago can safely assume that X is considering moving. If X has been browsing on suicide sites, maybe some agency should do preventive detention and start counselling.
Scary, isnt it?
Maybe we should start doing this more often!!
Imagine that Google (it could be anyone else actually) does an analysis of browsing habits of people and thereby is able to predict what a person will possibly do. Given that more and more people are becoming wired on a daily basis, this is quite possible. Of course, the prediction algorithm will probably take some time in coming. Maybe this could be the beginning of a 'Minority Report' kind of situation.
For example, an employer knowing that person X has been browsing job sites xx% more than a quarter ago can safely assume that X is considering moving. If X has been browsing on suicide sites, maybe some agency should do preventive detention and start counselling.
Scary, isnt it?
Maybe we should start doing this more often!!
Back again
Will now try this again. Now with a connection at home, maybe I will last farther this time
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