Is life really revolves around our career or vice versa?????

From the last one month or so, there have been constant request from dear friends to write my next blog.  I initially thought about the topic I should write and share with all of them. But then finally zeroed it on the topic I will be writing it. After receiving so many commendable inputs about two of my earlier service experience related blogs. In this series I have decided to write about the next phase after joining the corporate world, I hope my friends will surely find it enriching and relevant to them as well.

Probably after spending close to 3 years in services, I have closely noticed the changes which happen in our life and how it shapes our future course. This phase may be called Institutionalization phase, where one had already got firsthand experience of working as a professional and at the same time dwelling with the changes happening in our personal life.

So many new things started coming our way. Close group of friends with whom it was unimaginable to live without, were replaced by work oriented professional friends. Earlier during our college days, we used to have lot of time to do all the things which today we call it crazy. But now we hardly have time to frequently meet and remain in touch with them. It may sometime seem Callous but this is how it goes unnoticed. The main reason behind it could be our preoccupation with career. Every one of us has become occupied with their work and career. I have seen people completely consumed in his job that he has no time for old friends and whatever. And whatever break (Leaves) he manages along with his work is predetermined as ‘Private time’ devoted to family members. This slowly moves us away from our euphoric lifestyle during college days to materialistic world. Responsibilities, expectations and success are true drivers of such change in life. In my opinion one should not resist it, let it happen. Instead look out for maintaining proper work- life balance. Success comes not always with hard work only, your attitude also plays a significant part in it.

“Responsibilities and expectations play significant role in shaping our orientation towards career in life.”

Responsibility makes us realize about our true essence of accomplishing success in life. By this time people around us start expecting  to be on our own feet, which in my opinion is not unusual. We will not always remain a kid under parent’s patronage. Instead we are grown up now to undertake new responsibilities and assignments in life, which in long term would define us. It’s important that we realize it on our own rather let others realize it grudgingly. Be serious and start chasing your dreams. I understand that we may not be successful in first or even in second attempt, but all of our efforts will surely teach us a new lesson helpful in latter part of our career.

The most interesting thing is the more you will move towards stability in career, the demands (from parents) grows stronger to settle down in life, this event (marriage) will alone capture all of your unoccupied space yet with responsibilities and expectations of your partner for rest of your life. So in a nutshell, you will be a part of web of responsibilities (welcome to grihasta life).

I hope you all may be facing similar experience with varying situation in your life, but it must be surely revolving around career. Is career really driving changes in our life, honestly I don’t know. Instead the
bigger question is - to what extent such changes are allowed in the pursuit of successful career. It’s a subjective case hence I leave on you all to draw the line as applicable.

Happy Reading!!!
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Arab spring and its resonance with the fall of Berlin wall

Hello friends, I am going to share one of my note drafted exactly a year back about the two major incidences of the world event. These incidences have supreme force to reshape the future of millions of people across the world. What happened then during the fall of Berlin wall was in a keen sense repeated in recent time. The reason I am adjoining these two incidences is because both mark the beginning of people's freedom against authoritative regimes. So let's start discussing about these incidences in brief. The thoughts presented below is my personal viewpoint, you may have different opinions.

Arab spring:

Arab spring is a recent revolution in middle eastern countries where people have raised their voice against unruly administration of authoritative regimes. This movement started in Tunisia where people took the center stage to set the ball rolling for president's ouster. Few months later this movement was repeated in Egypt, where people stormed the street and demanded the immediate departure of its president Hosni Mubarak. It was not an easy step, but some day it has to happen. Fortunately the collective voice of people resulted in Hosni's exit from the govt. Sensing the intensity and force of this power (collective voice of people) this movement become popular among people to launch coup against the govt. This movement  serves as a beacon for whole of the Arab nation. One after another it has brought changes in as many as 17 big and small countries. The list is large enough to include in this note.

The essence was the realization of the power of collective voice of the people. It has  bogged down what may seams infallible few months back. I am sure nobody has ever imagined about this incidence. It was a clueless incidence. The world is really unpredictable. Lets delve deep to understand the reason and events which could have shaped this massive eruption. Most of the Arab world are governed either by monarchy or authoritative regimes. People are say ruled (not governed) by them from a long time. These regimes always run the country's affairs as his own enterprise. Loyalists were rewarded and dissent were locked up in jails. Along with this there is widespread corruption, which promises nothing but agonies for lack of proper administration by govt. All these agonies summed up together as a reason for launching a coup against them. These people have almost risked their life to bring about changes which have grumbled them for so long. I think they have a valid reason for doing it. How long one can persistently tolerate these atrocities.

Fall of Berlin wall:

The year was 1989, when almost of a sudden soviet union leader Mikhail gorbachev announced the permission to let east Germans to visit the western counterparts. Baffled border guards who would have shot their comrades a week earlier let the crowd pass through the border that have divided the world. It was a welcome gesture by communist govt to modify the travel restrictions imposed by them. The fascinating thing was nobody has ever guessed about this incidence. All of a sudden the iron curtain was trimmed. Millions of people are supposed to fled to west in search of better future. This was a remarkable political event of most people's lifetime, as it set free millions of people and brought to an end a global conflict that threatened nuclear annihilation.

Similarities and contrasting features of these two events:

Both the events have set free millions of people and transformed their life from mere slaves to a dignified citizen of a country. Likewise Gorbachev’s decision, Hosni Mubarak finally gives up his power to popular demand of the people. Both the regimes were ruling the region for decades and have enough weapons to crush the voice of people, but they finally ceded their power just to convey the message of victory of people against the authoritative regimes. In case of fall of Berlin wall, political freedom of people results in economic development of the region, but this is yet to witness in the Arab world. This revolution would undoubtedly bring changes in their lives; it would open the door of opportunities for them to pursue their career in their dream fields. I hope for the best.

Democracy and capitalism may not be the best means of governing a state, but at least they strengthen the human rights of a citizen. Chinese models may seem lucrative for a time being, but it does not long last until it improves the human rights of its citizen. The world is just unpredictable; you do not know what would happen in time to come. China may face similar protest from its citizen and as a result it may break down into many pieces. You cannot guess.

I would like to take you to the history of United States. During 16th and 17th century there was widespread civil unrest in the country. It was then a colony of British Empire. They got freedom in 1776 and democracy was established. Since then, there is not a single major incidence where people have ever engaged in such mass movements, leaving apart few apartheid problem and economic woes during Great depression of 1930’s. The reason I conceive is because of their democratic set up. Today US is world’s oldest democratic country and it continues to serve a better quality of life to its citizen. That’s the eternal way. 

There are so many other examples we can discuss here, but restricting my words I am completing this note. I hope you will enjoy it.
Happy reading.

Orphanage: Lonely's own world

Hello friends, today I am going to share my experience of visiting an orphanage nearby my place. You may or may not have visited it in your life. But for those who never visited it, cannot ascertain about their gruesome lifestyles. This was my first experience of visiting any orphanage and I tell you it was an eye opener. In this blog I would highlight living of an abandoned child who had been left this way to face the cruelty of life at this tender age unfortunately. Most of us would not have ever experienced any of the problems observed by them. Hence cannot ascertain about difficulties faced by them. We have grown up in a cocooned environment by of our parents, where all of our necessities are met with utmost care. Few may have experienced not so good pampering but at least they have support and company of their parents, which these children are devoid of since birth. Let’s delve deep to discuss it more precisely.


Disclaimer: Thoughts presented is my personal opinion and it may vary with your thoughts and opinions. In this blog I have only tried to bring out the lifestyle of most neglected section of our civil society and how a little initiative on personal level can create a big difference to their lives.

Orphanage world:

It’s a solitary confinement, with or without connection to the outer world we live in. I am saying so because they hardly live their life our way. And also their connection to outer world is limited to mere facilities provided by orphanage. For them another orphan is their only companion. In contrast we live our life surrounded by family members, relatives and friends. We have a number of well wishers and care takers. I met a seven year children and asked him about his family and relatives. He stood clueless for a moment, later looked around and was probably telling that this is the only family he has seen so far. How deep and confound this was to all of us. Just for a moment have you ever imagined yourself in such situation? Horrible!!!!! (God forbid)

We are a part of civil society and it is the duty of each one of us to contribute earnestly on personal capabilities, towards downtrodden sections of the society for constructing happier and fair society.

Initiatives could be taken on personal level:

1. Self volunteering: Many a times Orphanage are run and administered by non corporate noble person. They might be doing every bit to administer it in an efficient manner. But there would be few grey areas of the administration which could be operated more professionally. Here we can pitch in and contribute them on modernizing it. This will bring new prospective to the management.

These days a lot of money is being allocated by government for such good initiatives. Corporate world has also generously spending big bucks for their betterment. Most of the funds are spent through NGO’s and it has been recently observed that not all NGO’s are earnestly channelizing funds. In my opinion if we create efficient awareness among all sections of society, such malpractices could be contained to a great level.

2. Mentoring: On a personal level we can devote few hours out of busy schedule to mentor them in a best possible manner. Children out there require mentoring and career guidance apart from shelter and social life. A good initiative in this move might attract others in the fraternity to follow the suit. In my opinions this is minimal effort which everyone could undertake as per their capacities.

3. Financial help: These institutions require funds to carry out their objectives. I think everybody can more or less contribute on their capacity for this noble cause. There may be a few people who might be struggling to meet their ends. But even such folk can contribute by prioritizing it through constraints observed in daily chores.

4. Associating with Corporate & NGO’s: There would be a few other such institutions which we are ignorant about. It’s high time that we reach them. Spread their mission beyond the confinements and try linking it to various NGO’s. This will bring much needed resources to them. It is not something which we cannot do on personal level. We can spread their mission in our organizations and urge our colleagues for generous contributions.

5. Socializing: We can socialize with them to satisfy their community need. They are also human being and aspire to belong to community or groups. We can plan to celebrate one or the other festivals with them. This will greatly address their alienation feeling. And will work great towards integrating them with mainstream society.
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These initiatives may sound very simple but it has potential to make great difference to their lives. It is not pertinent that everybody should, or have to undertake above initiatives. Instead this urge must come from inner self. Hope good sense would prevail to all human being, and together we will alleviate this problem to a great extent.

Stay connected.

The day when chicken became ready to get butchered. Part 2

Hello friends. After a long while I am again going to write a bit about my service experience so far working with the company. The journey so far is not so pleasant but atleast in terms of learning, I have learnt important lessons of life. I have really gained a lot. It’s not only about learning the professional skills always which got you success, but the life skills to handle the crucial situations in your life. Let’s delve deep to discuss it more precisely.

Disclaimer: The content published below are my own thoughts and observations. I humbly request you all not to take this in a serious note and read it in a neutral tone. It is written keeping in mind the novice feelings of a fresher. I hope you will understand it.

 1. Breaking the myths: Every fresher passes by the same experience when he first join a company. He enters the company with some hope and desire to do well. But the moment he gets in, he start realizing the force of ruthless professional world. It's a transitional stage of life where you moved into a new domain, may be not familar to you. Sometime it's hard to think but that’s true. Life is not static, it keep moving with it's pace, and you got to change yourself to best accommodate to the changing situations, otherwise you will be left out. No alternative to escape it. Shed your innocence asap and learn ways to fit-in into the system. Always remember you are a unit of a larger part of the system, and your own existence is restricted to mere a unit of a larger group. Not a system itself. The sooner you clarify it, the better it would be for you to accommodate in the company.

2. Rat race: This race begins the day you join a company. It's a race to stay ahead of others, will occupy your mind and consumes you completely. You will hardly realize when you became a part of this race. Honestly admitting I always tried not to become a part of this racing game. I believe every individual is a genius of his own.

   3. Individuality and personal space: These quinessential words are completely omitted in the professional set up. Individuality and personal space are completely replaced by SLA’s and BAU’s. I am sounding a bit cynical about personal space because your job demands you to fulfill all your responsibilities everyday without a failure, irrespective of your wishes. You are being paid for this and you are obliged to do it all without a failure just like a robot or a machine. So, learn to programme yourself to complete all your works, within time, everyday, without a miss.

 4. Peer pressure: It is the relative and comparative pressure evolved by passing time to remain in the bandwagon of your peers. Moving way ahead of the curve will bring you laurel, but staying behind will cost you diminished stature. Life will start showing its true colors. Isn’t it fascinating? Friend of yours, whom you party with a year back, are so busy that he has no time for you. Probably because he’s completely consumed in his job. Leaving no time for friends or whatever.

   5. Rapprochement: Building rapport with your seniors is very imp for winning favors from him. In job you have to master yourself in building rapports and associating with key people for networking purpose. Actually it really helps you in long term. Plastic smiles and flattering skills started playing crucial roles in your success. Lets be fair and frank to accept it. I donot always count it as a bad thing until it is used judiciously.

6. Back breaking responsibilities: The title itself is self evident. Your job necessitates you to uphold all the implied responsilities of excecuting your task immaculately. Your own interest and choices are not always taken into consideration. Once job is assigned to you, it implies the responsibility to do it all without failure. I remember the old saying ‘human are prone to errors’. But I now I want to extend it further to include - but Professionals are not.

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Introducing my new team mates

Hello friends. I am going to write about my new team mates. I found them very interesting guys. If you look around yourself, you will find friends really add colors to your life. I am a shy person and averse to make new friends out of my acquaintance. But as I moved on in my life, I met with new guys. And new guys lead to new experiences and new topics to discuss. Lets see how strange our life is. In my case it moved on so quietly that I have no idea when I passed out of the college and entered the corporate world. When I look back to my college days, it seams it was not long ago when I had joined the college. Life is not static. It keeps moving and baffling you in new circumstances. I think I am deviating from the topic. So, I was introducing about my new team mates.
We interacted with each other, shared a bit about our self and became friends forever. We all came from nowhere, grouped together in new process and now preparing our self to compete with the geniuses. We all are strength of each other, when together bound to rewrite the new definitions of exceeding potentials. I am assured that whatever we do, will create a difference in time to come. That's enough lauding about them. Let's now start the introduction individually.

Disclaimer: In this blog I have mentioned about only those guys of our team who were  top of my memory at the time of writing this blog.

Ankit: He's our process manager. He's smart and excellent guy. He has soothing personality and always wear a smile in his face. I have a limited conversation with him but that was enough to give me a good impression about him. He leads us from the front, always extend support when required and at the same time give us enough space to adjust in new situations. He's my manager hence I cannot write much about him. Please understand my predicament. I wish to imitate him in my professional career. Let's move on to meet another star of our team.

Poorwa: She is very smart, young and professional girl. She has all the charming qualities to leave the audience spell bounded by her skills. She is very determined towards her work. There are so many things one can learn from her. Her dedication and professionalism reminiscent me about my college mate Ruchi Agrawal. I would like to thank her for clearing all my doubts regarding this new process.

Saibol: He's a jolly person, always readies to help everyone in the floor. I think his strength is his resolute thinking and unbiased nature towards everyone. That's the reason he's our favorite person in the floor. As a gesture of affection we have bestowed him a special title "Bengali Babu". I hope he will like it.

Priyanka: She is very cool and calm girl. She has a sober nature but when it comes to work, she has potential to challenge the titans. It's true, I am not extolling about her.

Poonam: She is another star of our team. She is cool and complacence girl. Always focus on completing the task timely. Simplicity is her character, I think this will take you to a great success in life. Screw it up.

Rajiv: The speedster of our team. He has amazing quality to wrap up humongous task within time. Undoubtedly he's a horse of long race. I wish you best of luck.

Shiv: He is a philosophical guy. His best quality is his down to earth nature. He's one of the senior person in the floor, but never shown his seniority before us. That's why I am great admirer of him.

Shravan: What you want to know????????

Along with them, there are other guys in the team, we are a unit. We have just started our journey, there is a long way to go. I hope we all will together succeed in attaining the objective of initiating this new process. What else I write, I have no clue. That's enough revelation in this blog.

Stay connected.

The day when chicken became ready to get butchered

Hello friends. Today I am writing about my first day of service experience. Here I am referring myself in place of a chicken. The day when I stepped into a new domain, I was aghast to see how things actually work in this dynamic corporate world. I am a fresher and hence before joining the company I had some framework in my mind that things will go on in a particular way. But all of this is just my imagination. I was told to follow high degree of professionalism from day one. A day long lecture was delivered one work ethics and similar things. But actually I experienced a different working environment. Lets delve deep into this matter. Throughout the blog I have presented my experiences. You may have different point of view.

Everybody aspires to start his career with a well reputed company at a good pay package. He has some framework in his mind, hopes to contribute effectively in the companies growth. I do have imagined a bit about my first job. Its like carving an image of a thing which you haven't seen. Instead you relied on others experience and viewpoint and do the scratching. Here you are more inclined to scratch out your ideal job environment. Idealism acts as a benchmark to gauge the current job environment. You start examining the job in those criterias. This is not just the case with me. I think every fresher passes by similar experience. This is also a fact that most of us have some grievance with the first job. Some are latter satisfied with the evolving situations at work place, while some continues to grumble with uncomfortable situations. Its my conviction that if a company is good, work profile is good, he is more likely to accommodate himself with the situations. This phase of entrance is usually called as Encounter stage, in more revered term Institutionalization phase, (inducting a fresher into the company). This phase is very gruesome for many of the freshers.

Its just a matter of few weeks. I know it is easier said than done, but nobody can help you in this. It's an individual experience and has no option to swap it with else. This phase continues till a month or a two. You can also term it as an Ice breaking stage. The sooner you break it, the cleaner you foresee your career in the company.

Stick to the basic:
You need not to be a genius. Just stick to the simple ground rules-basic knowledge would suffice for you. Be inquisitive. Ask your peers questions which you don't know. Raise your doubts and get it cleared. Do not perturbed if anything goes wrong. It's common and quite possible you stumbled at first time. Just stay cool and calm. Discuss with your peers, colleagues and try to sink yourself in the job. Ultimately it will get cleared. Initially go slow and steady. Learning is a step by step process, so give yourself time. It's like preparing a rock solid foundation upon which a stellar tall building could be constructed. It's not just you, but everybody passes by same gruesome phase. Even IITians, and IIM pass out passes by same experience when they start their career. Here you are not an exception, bear in your mind.

How to deal with this gruesome and tiring phase in my opinion:
I think the best way to deal with this phase is to practice Patience. Let the change happen in your life. Do not resist it. Because the harder you resist it, the more painful it would be pass by. This is a process of unlearning, relearning and then applying the same in your job. It will take some time, so give yourself time. Talk with your colleagues. He will better assist you, as they have already passed by same experience in their encounter stage. Have faith in your capabilities. Don't quiver at the last moment. I am sure soon you will find yourself comfortable with the work profile. I had similar grievance when I joined the company, but now I am comfortable and in fact enjoying my work here. I hope you also become comfortable later on in your career.

Be optimistic about yourself: Remember the self prophecy theory. What you think about your self, get reflected in your life.You will become what you think about your self. So, you must have a positive outlook towards your life and job. That's all I think will make your life easier in your first job.

All the best.

How many scam are lined up? Ashamed of widespread corruption in the country.

Its a matter of grave discomfort for the government to vouch the veracity of its ministers infront of the media. The opposition is making hue and cry to investigate the probity of the matter. But the persons involved and the magnitude of the scam makes it strenuous for the Government to arive at any conclusive action against them. Media on the other hand seamed determined on exposing the corrupt ministers. They have got a meaty content to air and increase the TRP of their channels. Today i met a taxi driver and i causally discussed him about the scams happening in our country. I saw him frustrated and sarcastically commenting on the matter. All the people i talked about these scams, all shared similar opinion that the ministers are corrupt and they should be punished for their misdeeds. The actions taken by govt to investigate the matters are hazy and difficult to premeditate the result. The reason i am skeptical about the action is because of the covering act of the Govt. Karnataka govt on the other hand, have given congress party an issue to fight back against BJP allegations in the parliament. All this is very disgusting to think. It makes me worry that, whether the country is safe in their greedy hands? I am critically commenting to the govt because i want to see the improved governance.

Lets briefly take upon these issues one by one.

Commonwealth Games scam:

The Govt have spend astounding Rs 87000 Cr for organizing commonwealth games for the first time ever in our country. The charges levied by oppositions that the budget of CWG was bloated upto 1500%. Even after spending this huge amount what we received, is the widespread criticism. It was earlier seen as an opportunities to promote brand India infront of the world. But how tragic this whole event actually turns, it left us embarrassed before global community. It was another matter that our athletes have turned the situation euphoric and we somehow manage to organize the event in a satisfactorily manner.

We should take a learning from all these incidence, now we should act to curb the corruption. It is tarnishing the image of brand India. We can look at our eastern neighbor(China) to learn how to organize such mega events.

What action taken against Kalmadi, just asked him to resign from the congress parliamentary party( CPP) which is hardly of any important position. He continues to hold post of president of Indian Olympic Association, as well as party MP from pune continuency. Is this the action taken against him? Somebody has to answer this. The investigation by CVC will take three months to probe the matter. This indicates lack of political will to investigate and punish the wrongdoers. Otherwise much stricter action would have been taken against him. This passive action is just to assuage the public anger.

Adarsh Houshing Scam:

This building was proposed to allocate the flats to the widows of the martyr of Kargil war heroes. Initially the buliding propsed is of six stories. But later, ministers have controversially granted permission to extend the building upto 31 storeys. Three former chief ministers names was alleged to have given clearence for the building. All the ministers akin was allocated flats at a nominal price. Many army officials name was also included in the scam. Worst to think.

Look at the the action taken against them by the policymakers, the CM was replaced by a new CM and chapter seamed to be closed. Investigation is going on. Political parties are inflicting allegations against each other and no whereabout the progress of the investigation. The storm in Maharashtra govt seamed assuage. Difficult to expect the accused would ever be punished. Thanks to the slow judiciary process.

2G Scam: IT minister A.Raja have controversially allocated rare spectrum to the telecom companies following the pricing standards of 2001. Opposition alleges him that this has been done to benefit the certain Industrial houses. Recently CAG report revealed that because of faulty pricing measures adopted by minister, exchequer have lost 1.76 lac crores of revenues. It also revealed that the minister have ignored the recommendation of revaluing the rare spectrum at current market price before allocation. On other hands A. Raja claimed that he has done nothing wrong and has prior informed the PM about the developments.

Government is the helm of governing body who overlooks all the functioning of the govt, if they embodies the shape of demons eating up all the govt resources, then who to blame? All these incidence disheartened me, it should be to every Indians who feels proud of belonging to this great nation.

All this suggests that Corruption is entrenched in our country. Nobody should expect a sudden make over in our governance.I think in this country the discussion should be shifted towards discussing which political party is less corrupt, because every party is corrupt today. I hope good sense will prevail soon.