12 ways of Corruption in 4 days...

Corruption...!!!

An interesting topic. Everyone would've commented on it in our own style. We have our own views and reasons for doing so.

a school-kid will repeat the pledge told by his teacher : "...I love my country and I am proud of its rich and varied heritage. I shall always strive to be worthy of it......"

.....not knowing exactly what is the meaning of even a single word.

an teenager says : "I support Anna. All Indians should support his movement and work for a corruption-free India, by writing an essay or by a Like/Comment/Share on FB/Twitter"

.....not knowing what is practical and what is not... just young-blood and a commendable effort for winning a competition or impressing people around.

a recently employed would say : "I had enough of guidance in college. I'm earning now and know what I've to do. I'll donate a share of my earning to those who suffer from effects of corruption. I'll work for a cause, for a corruption-free world around me. I'll earn smart and fast and I'll never have to be corrupt".

......not knowing that soon he'll be compromising many things, to get along with the system.

a newly married youngster would say : "shit with corruption... I'm fed-up with it... I'm working for a multinational and hardly get time off my work. I don't contribute to corruption and I don't need to worry about that"
......all that matters is newly setup family and a caring spouse.

a middle-aged would say : "hell to corruption... I hate it... I tried for all my young-years resisting it, without changing anything around. I could still do it, had I not been married and be a family-man. I don't want any mess with my family"

......all he cares is about the safety of his children and satisfactory smile on wife's face.

an elderly man would say : "well.... since my days, many have spoken about corruption and many more have protested. all that I've seen is it growing every year. all my life I've experienced that resisting the system only makes life harder"

......trying to impart the wisdom of adaptation, though he sees an image of himself in his younger generations, trying to fight for betterment of the society.

a Politician would say : "I support Anti-Corruption. I've accounted my properties and submitted proofs on all my assets. now its the turn of Mr.XXXX to let the state learn about his corrupt earnings"
.....trying to impress his vote-bank, and deviating a percentage of them from accounting on his assets.

I've heard many people commenting on corruption in many similar statements, and I too did many times. While probing sanity of myself, I found the bitter truth that I'm not. I've compromised my personal preferences for small advancements in my profession. I've held myself as top-priority my entire life, and now I've violated this core-value of mine for some material advantage. I'm as corrupt as the Congress govt. in AndhraPradesh.

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Dictionary states Corruption is "Lack of integrity or honesty (especially susceptibility to bribery); use of a position of trust for dishonest gain".

If someone really understands the meaning of corruption, they'll realize that we are all corrupt, in one way or the other. The only difference is the magnitude of corruption. Some of us may deceive naming it smartness, few terming it as opportunity and others as sensibility-to-reality. But it all boils down to the same basic rule of being corrupt (the alternative meaning : 'Decay of matter').

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Let me share 12 ways of corruption I've come across in 4 days; starting from my journey Agra-Delhi-Bangalore-Nellore in April-2012, when Anna Hazare's Anti-Corruption movement was in its peak.
I'm unable to recollect many other instances. (I actually started writing this blog titled '24 ways of Corruption in 1 week...', but later renamed to '12 ways of Corruption in 4 days...' to suit all that I could remember)

1) I was on a 2 week training in Gurgaon, when my team in Bangalore were pursuing our Manager for our weekend-support allowance. When I initiated a collective representation to Director, immediately after an hour, got a call from my manager saying - "how are you there? stop worrying about the weekend allowance. you've anyway taken your wife there on personal expense. i can get your tickets postponed by travel-desk, but your wife's tickets may be a problem. why don't you take a leave of 3 days and enjoy yourselves, after returning here?".
I was running tight on schedule, because of the only weekend we got to roam in Delhi. I was blinded by some quality time for spending with family, and I never spoke about this allowance, for next 2 months.

2) We were about to start for Agra, early in the morning by 5:00 AM, so that we wont get lost in highway traffic. He arrived only at 6:30 AM, by when we were going mad of the waiting, besides the drizzle in beautiful morning. When we started shooting him blames for giving our day a bad-start, he offered 20% reduction in fare and promised that the trip would be enjoyable. Though we were ready to take his services at the price agreed yesterday, intending not to spoil our moods for rest of the day; he bribed us with a discount to silence our complaints. 

3) There were many toll-gates between Delhi and Agra.
I noticed at one of the toll-gates that our driver paid Rs.450 for a toll-feel of Rs.400 for taxi-car.
When I inquired him he said "sir ji, you just enjoy your day. this is usual here, unless you want to spoil your day and my business next time on this route. i too wish if only the fee was collected, but 3000 taxis travel these toll gates every day and everyone pays the same. if someone doesn't they'll have to get the documents verified with the check-post police and you know how troublesome they are".

4) An hour later under bright sun, when local traffic from small towns started pouring in to the highway, we struck a huge traffic-jam at a police check-post. Fate was that our driver forgot his original driving license. He had a duplicate of his driving license, but the police denied accepting it. When the driver told that he would pay the fine, the police struck his lathi on car windshield and started shouting us to come out of the car for a checking. Our driver took him away to the Inspector, bribed him Rs.500. When he returned to steer the car to skip the long queue at check-post, he said - "sir ji, this is what happens when you try not to be corrupt".

5) We inquired if there was any provision for official guide and the person issuing tickets in counter at Taj Mahal said, "NO". Someone told that licensed guides are available at the West Gate, and while proceeding in that direction we encountered a guide who told that he'll guide us for Rs.2000. My wife and I were too excited to get into the premise, that we hardly gave him any attention. He proposed to get us into the premise, by skipping the queue of 200 people at that gate. When he observed that we were not buying his proposal, he told that he'll take photographs from our camera. DONE. We hired him, and got good guidance apart from having our camera clicked for few lovely pics. Later I surveyed that official charge for a guide is INR.270, while we paid him Rs.700.
We were very happy that he handled our camera and took good snaps, but felt guilty for skipping a queue of 150-200 people, while our guide bribed the constable for letting us escape 40 minutes of drying in hot sun.

6) There was an IPO and I was pretty sure on making good profits in it (salary is hardly sufficient). I've been getting calls from various brokers, ever since I spoke to the customer-care a week before regarding the formalities and charges for opening a Demat account with ICICI. As I had my salary-account with the same bank, they sent Area Manager instead of an agent. While signing the forms, he explained that there will be a verification withing the next two days. When I mentioned that we were going home that evening, and will be out of station for next 2-3 weeks, he proposed to handle the verification himself, provided we open an RD of 3000/month. My wife knew that I don't save any and I knew that good opportunity would be lost if delayed that much. I ended up paying a RD for 8%-per-annum interest, while I was making 40-50% in investments.

7) I asked for filling my scooter with petrol worth Rs.300. I gave my credit-card to the cashier standing next. The operator put Rs.299.50 and said it was done. I pointed at the counter and told him that its still 50np less, and that I wasn't going to leave without getting proper filling. As a reflex, the cashier said that swiping-machine was out-of-order and I need to tender change. When  I offered him the Rs.500 note I had, to which he said "where can I get change at 8:30 AM?" I was running late for a training at office. I had to accept remaining change and leave without getting proper filling.

8) We were already getting delayed for our bus and my wife was still getting ready. I lost my temper and started my usual lecture with a frustrated tone, while walking towards the main road. Luckily we found an auto and were willing to pay Rs.150 for the actual Rs.100 ride. The auto-wala noticed that we were in a hurry, and demanded Rs.250. I was OK, for it was his opportunity and our necessity. But my wife denied paying 250% of usual and walked till the auto-stand. This auto-wala who wasn't from our colony, followed us there and those who regularly operate in our colony supported him indirectly, by not letting us ride in their auto. In a hurry to catch the bus, I convinced my better half to accept the circumstance and let go.

9)We boarded the private travels bus from Bangalore to Nellore, after chasing it in the traffic-jam and realized that we forgot to get a bottle of water. Packaged drinking water had to be served in this service, and even when we waited for next 20 minutes, there was no sign from the conductor. When I went to the driver's cabin and asked them, instead of accepting their mistake I was told that they dint pick the bottles from bus-depot and I could buy one when they stop after 2 hours. My wife was getting hick-ups and I demanded to stop at the next shop we encounter on the highway. When another passenger started asking for packaged water bottle, the driver gave me two unopened bottles of water that he had, and requested me to return to my seat. The other passenger carried his own bottle and no one else complained, despite the summer travel.

10) We had tickets for the evening-show and our siblings were already waiting at the theater, for a movie that starts in 30 minutes. As my scooter wasn't in a good condition, we took an auto. It was a 6 km route and normally 30 minute journey. It was month ending and hence there were traffic-police checking randomly for some source of ransom. Our auto was stopped, and the driver dint have any documents other than his torn driving license. Expecting to get another auto, we stepped out and for next 10 minutes every auto that passed by was full. Our auto-driver paid Rs.150 to traffic police and drove us to the theater as fast as he could.

11) After shopping items to prepare pizza and sandwiches in Reliance super market, we waited in a queue at billing-counter for almost 20 minutes (billing in Nellore is much slower than the worst delayed in Bangalore/Hyderabad during weekends). When our turn came, the billing machine got struck and the cashier politely requested to join the next counter. I was happily chit-chatting with my wife and obliged him. When our turn was about to come in the next counter, after 10 minutes in the queue, the cashier hanged the board 'Closed'. I told him that we've been waiting for a long time and told him to bill us. He denied saying his shift was over and he needs to leave. When I told him that he would've closed the lane long back, or should server everyone in the queue, he said - "sir, you are not my boss". I instantly retorted to him in a loud tone - "well I'm a customer", and it attracted the attention of his manager. He walked us ahead of 10 elderly awaiting in the next queue and billed us immediately. He couldn't afford public attention ad I couldn't wait longer, though I felt guilty for passing-bye so many elder people in the queue.

12) We dropped-in at More supermarket for buying Myonaise sauce and again here the billing-queue was a had 8 customers, each of them carrying trolley-full of groceries. It was seeming like eternity for billing 1 customer. I had exact change for my purchase, walked to the first customer standing in the queue bearing 'express queue' and asked him if I can get it billed first. When he denied it, I offered to get it billed along with his purchase and he denied it even. Pissed-off with his attitude, I asked the cashier and he told that he cant do anything against the will of customers in queue. While all this was happening in Telugu, one fellow standing at the last in the queue, objected in English saying - "what the hell do these country people think of themselves? I'm also standing in the queue and he wants to get express-billing. hell". I bolted to him and pointing in his face, said - "if you are so fond of English, open your eyes and read the board that reads 'express-billing'. Why do you want to unnecessarily make BS? Mind your own business and know that speaking in English does't earn any " He shut-up. The manager rushed to me and offered that he can accept money for my purchase, without a bill, if I'm in a hurry and want express-billing. I accepted his offer, being in a mood to cook and eat, than arguing with these junk educated idiots.

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India. Unity in Diversity.
We are united in being corrupt, though we may be different in the way we are corrupt.
Those who allow corruption and those who do not object are also corrupt.

If someone really feels that they are not corrupt, in any manner, probably they are the reason why India stands in 5th position in list of most-corrupt countries in the world, instead of winning Gold at least in this race.

चाँदनी रात

चाँदनी  रात

चाँद पूरा है  आसमा  में, और चाँदनी  बेह रही  खिड़की  से  आए झोके  के साथ।
आप  बोल तो रही हो नहीं, मगर आप  के  आवाज़ सुन रहें हैं हम।।

कहाँ चाँद है, और कहाँ की ज़मी
वहां आप हैं, और यहाँ हम कहीं।
मानतें है चाँद को आपसे तुलना है न सही, मगर क्या करे दीवाने है आपके ऐ हसी,
चाँद से भी प्यारा लगती है आप जब हँसी।।

आज की रात आप को हमारे आँखें देख नहीं सके तो क्या हुआ,
हमारे यादों में आप की तस्वीर को देखते नींद की डोली में सो जाएँगे हम।

Reservations - Spine Cancer to India

"I HATE RESERVATIONS"

The literal meaning of Reservation is to withhold something.
Any reservation must be time limited; otherwise it will loose its purpose in the long term.

In 1956 when Dr.B.R.Ambedkar proposed reservations in Constitution of India, for uplifting the suppressed and downtrodden castes, he made many clauses in it.
He foresaw the implications in long-term and hence cautioned that the reservations should be removed from Constitution, after the third Five-year-plan. He cautioned that benefits and ploys may drive political forces to extend the tenure of reservations.
Dr. Ambedkar is a visionary who also mentioned that over time, only PH/sports/income-based reservations should be continued, to let merit flourish our economy and society. He supported Nature's philosophy of Natural Selection - Survival of The Fittest.
I respect him very much. I hate people who portrait him as just a SC/ST patriot. He was much more than a patron for a particular caste/sect. He had respect for all casts and wished for equality among them.

But see what have generations of our politicians and more than them, the common-men have done to our society. We are paralyzing our society with the various reservations that we are extending and many more that we are adding everyday. Two biggest setbacks in our reservations system are Caste-based and Women reservations.


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Castism:
Keeping aside the origin of ‘Castism’, the only reason why it was nurtured during the Rhine of kingdoms was because the clergy wanted bounded-labor and the slaves wanted security of life which comes from following the powerful.
Even today the Castism is promoted; because the big-bellied politicians don’t want to lose their vote-bank by abandoning it, or rather the reservation-class don’t want to see themselves as first-grade citizens.

During my UG, there were classmates who used to get caste-based scholarships of 10,000/year from State Govt., the amount which was less than their monthly pocket-money from their parents. They used to party and booze with this money, which is collected as taxes from all Citizens of India, irrespective of castes.

Whenever we applied to any examination, the fee was different for us and reserved-castes. Even for my passport application, in 2005, I paid Rs.700, while a reserved-class friend of mine paid Rs.300.
All bank exams my friends and family had Rs.500-1000 fee for OC and Rs.0-150 fee for reserved class. I feel those who avail these reservations are morally downtrodden, and they don't want to treat themselves as a normal citizen.

I've had four situations to avail my BC-reservation, which would certainly have had a good effect in my life. I’m glad that my father valued my opinion of not utilizing the reservations and rather be in OC category; till date giving me the liberty to comment on Castism and racial-discrimination.
I personally feel that all humans are equal, irrespective of the caste and creed. The only way I judge is with their mannerisms and behavior.

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Women Reservation:

We are already having 33% of reservations for women under educational and employment front in Public sector. Yesterday it was Parliament and State legislative bodies, and next would be ?

There was a bill to reserve for women 181 of the 543 seats in the LokSabha and 1,370 out of a total of 4,109 seats in the 28 State Assemblies. There are already more than 28% of seats reserved for different caste-categories, and these will be aside women reservations.

Whatever might be the reason for opposition of SP and RJD to the bill, they were directly or indirectly logical to insist implementation of caste-based reservations in the proposed 33% for women.

Two years before there was a big survey about having caste-based reservations implemented in Private sector also. Thanks to the Indian IT giants, who were either passive or against it.
When there are thousands of women who are openly competing with men, with their talent and skills, why do you want to create reservations for them and kill their morale?
Whats the point of having a dumb girl, while worthy boys are out there unemployed?
PS: I've known and worked with bright, disciplined and inspirational women as well as with dumb, careless and feeble-minded ones.

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Regionalism:
This is certainly one hell of a reason, why certainly regions of a state tend to quarrel and never ever be able to bridge the gap between them.

For instance, lets speak about the reservations being enjoyed by Telangana region, over rest of Andhra Pradesh. They are entitled for postings all over AP, though there is a limit of executives from other regions from being posted in this region. There are many GO (govt. orders) entitling promoting Telanganites against seniority and merit of rest-of-AP.

Everyone feels proud of their hometown (I'm an exception) and its quite common that they favor it. Hence many executive positions like IAS/IPS are posed far away from their native. It is admirable for Telanganite politicians working for benefit of their region. I don't really understand the impotency of politicians from other regions, who do not fight for the injustice of population from the regions they hail from, for being politically strategic with the agitated Telangana notion.

Though I'm a Samaikya-Andhra-Pradesh supporter, I've personally had many experiences that I'm now a strict supporter of Telangana movement. Telangana should better be separated from AP, putting an end to the flow of 60% govt. expenditure to this region constituting 42% of area, but 42% of population only because of majority the workforce from other regions.

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As per ruling given by Supreme Court of India, reservations cannot exceed 50%, though there are many exceptions. In most of Indian states, various reservations aggregate to 75%, literally making the existence of the remaining 25% miserable.

Many of my family and friends are in govt. service, through merit and they have all tasted a fair-share of bitterness because of the caste-based jobs, promotions and transfers.

Eg. My dad, though on top of his division's merit list, got his first promotion after rendering 19 years of service, while a reserved-class woman 14 years junior got promoted as his boss. That was the day when I saw dismay in the enthusiastic eyes of my dad. Later his Telanganite friend got promoted as highest designation of department, while my dad will certainly retire mid-level.

Reservations are one of the top reasons why Indian brains are fleeing from our homeland, after having had a good education in our homeland. Its a practical joke, that jobs in Indian Govt. sector are for reserved categories and women, if someone is not exceptionally talented. This was one very reason, beside Corruption, that I dint even try Civil services, even though I could work hard for them.

I feel so sorry about how a majority of so-called minority and most of our decision-making population are screwing-up Indian economy and society beyond repair.

Ever since I stepped into the real-world after graduation, I'm unable to heartily say "I'm proud to be Indian". Waiting to live a day of my life, being proud of my homeland.

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For those who would like to know more about this issue, following links would be very informative and interesting:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reservation_in_India
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scheduled_Castes
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scheduled_Tribes
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reserved_political_positions
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women's_Reservation_Bill

Blogging Holiday

Seldom I hear from friends - "why aren't you posting in your blog".
There are some marking - "do you find posting on Facebook is better than your blog?"

I was a holiday-blogger for almost a couple of years.
I used to do it when ever I found leisure. Sometimes when I dint have anything better to do, and sometimes when I dint want to do anything better.

There are 2 reasons why I'm hitting this place no more.
First is that I hardly find any time for hobbies, with the nature of my job.

Second factor (that really matters) is that now I'm married and which has multiple angles of insight to it.
I'm anyway spending a great deal of sweat and exerting great stress as a side-effect of hiccups for my pursuits.
I cant afford to spend time on my interests, rather than spending some moments with her.

By the time we got engaged, I had more than 2 dozens of posts to be published. I chose to let them be in drafts, as they may give a wrong opinion on my better-half.
I have had the hobby and habit of observing people and comprehending/commenting them either orally or by pen. Though I blog with someone in mind, the topics are as such that they paint nonexistent negative shades to my wife.

Hence I choose to be on a Blogging Holiday.... :)
Not sure how long, but for quite some time, till I have ample time in my life for life.

Criticism

No one likes Criticism.

Some runaway, afraid of being noticed and spotted.

Some just ignore, for playing it safe.

Some welcome it, to strive for betterment of themselves.

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My friend today posted on FB

"A real man never hurts a woman!! Be very careful when you make a woman cry, because God counts her tears.

The woman came out of a mans rib, not from his feet to be walked on, not from his head to be superior, but from his side to be equal!

Under the arm to be protected, and next to the heart to be loved.
(Copy and paste if you agree)"

I replied

"BULLSHIT...! r u trying to be a feminist or r u in a femine-famine?

We all care for our near and dear, irrespective of the gender... A man cares to his woman similar to how a woman cares her man.

Tears count if they are coming from the heart, no matter it is male/female, rich/poor..."

He immediately deleted my comment. He retained the 'likes' for that message.

The moment I was about to post my reply on my wall, he removed his post.

Funny, that people preserve only the 'likes', but are afraid of the disagreements. And when they are not open for discussions and debates, why be on a social-networking site....?

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నేను, నా ఈ జీవితం....

నా మరదలు రాసిన కవిత ఆధారంగా రాసిన ఊహా గానం ఇది...
చెత్తలో చిత్తుకాగితాలు ఏరుకునే ఒక చిన్న పిల్ల ఆలోచనలు...
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నేను, నా ఈ జీవితం....
ఎప్పుడు పుట్టానో తెలీదు, ఎవరికి పుట్టానో తెలీదు..
ఎక్కడ పుట్టానో తెలీదు, ఎందుకు పుట్టానో తెలీదు....

నీడనిచ్చే చెట్టే తల్లిలా అనిపిస్తోంది
తోడు నడిచే చీకటే తండ్రిలా లాలిస్తోంది
చమట చుక్కలు స్నేహితుల్లా పలకరిస్తే, గాలి వాన చుట్టాల్లాగా చూసి వెళ్ళిపోతున్నాయి...

వ్యర్ధమైన నా ఈ జీవితం ఈ వ్యర్ధం పోగుచేయడానికే అంకితం అన్నట్టుంది....
దుమ్ముధూళితో నిండి, నిరాశ నిస్పృహలతో కొట్టుమిట్టాడుతోంది...
గత జన్మ శాపమో ఈ జన్మ పాపమో అనిపిస్తోంది...
నేను నా ఈ జీవితం.... చిత్తుకాగితాలతో మొదలై చెత్తకుప్పలోనే అంతమవుతుందేమో....!!

నా చెత్త జీవితంలో నేను జాలిపడే చెత్త పిల్లోడు.... సూరీడు
ప్రతి రోజు సూరీడోస్తాడు వెళ్తాడు... ఎక్కడినుంచి వస్తాడో ఎక్కడికెళ్ళి పోతాడో ...??
నా ఆకలి నిద్ర లాగే... పాపం సూరిడిని కూడా అడిగే వాళ్ళు ఎవరు లేరేమో....
ఒకే కుప్ప నుంచి చెత్తనేరుకునే నాకుమల్లే ప్రతిరోజు ఈ పక్క నుంచి ఆ పక్కకి పోతాడు...
ఆకలేస్తే అక్కడో ఇక్కడో చెత్తలోనే తిండి దొరుకుద్ది నాకు... సూరీడికి తిండెట్టాగో ...
ఎప్పుడైనా ఓ సారి గుడ్డ ముక్క దొరుకుద్ది నాకు... ఎండలో పాపం సూరీడికి నీడెట్టాగో...
నాకు దాహమేస్తే ఏ కోళాయో, దురదలేస్తే ఒళ్ళు రుద్దుకోడానికి కాలవో ఉన్నాయి... పాపం సూరీడికి వానొస్తేనే గదా...
కుక్కలు తరుముకుంటే నేను పరిగెత్తి పారిపోతా... పాపం సూరీడు, మబ్బులు తరుముకున్నా ఏడికీ పోడు...

చెత్తకూడా తెచ్చిపెట్టలేని ఈ సూరీడి గురించి ఆలోచిస్తున్నాను నేను, చెత్తగా...
ఇంకొంచెం చెత్త పోగేస్తే రొట్టెముక్క తిని టీనీళ్ళు తాగచ్చు ఈరోజు...
ఏంటో, నేను, నా ఈ జీవితం.... చిత్తుకాగితాలతో మొదలై చెత్తకుప్పలోనే అంతమవుతుందేమో....!!

My Job……Choice or Destiny….?

There were only two reasons of me being in my previous organization for three long years, the latter half being very painful – ambition and destiny.

I appeared for the off-campus selections of the same organization, six years before, when I couldn't pass one section of the written-test. While I was felling bad that I’ll miss the moments of appearing in front of a panel for interview, along with my friends, I couldn't stand there a moment looking at my friends.
I tried one chance, and asked one of its employees, if I had any chance to give an interview and that I was very confidant of getting through. He said "you've to qualify all rounds of the written test. If fail one section, its not going to help even if you get 98% of others". He was just an employee. What can he do, if its rules were so?
I thanked his response with a half-hearted smile and turned away.

May be, many of my friends were surprised that I dint qualify or that one competitor was gone, everyone were making faces at me. Some were murmuring at my back, and others headed directly to me and asked different questions -
"how can u fail the synonyms/antonyms section, when you could win the essay-writing competitions at college?"
"I can't believe you scored so much in aptitude, while you've failed in English"
"Are you the one who used to teach English to others..? Thank God, I'm not among them...!"
I couldn't even have a pleasant lunch, and retired from the venue after eating half.

I returned to my hostel accommodation and watched a movie. When I called my dad's phone, he assured that its just a stepping-stone and that I should learn from today's mishap.
When I woke up from the sleep that evening, I knew that one day I’m going to work for this company. I’ll be there and I’ll make everyone remember that I was there.

Later I enrolled for post-graduation, and it was the first organization coming for campus interviews, four years before today. It was very easy getting a selection in to it.
Though I had my own choice of work and domain, which I may and may not have a chance to get into, I made my decision to join this organization and attend the training. It wasn’t because the market was down for the domain of my interest, but because I had a strong belief that my employer will stick to the words “Right People, Right Place & Right Time”.

While I believed that I'd be put in the VLSI & Embedded division @ Bangalore, where I was promised to be destined to; I was posted to Hyderabad, and asked to work on telecom software services. Though I had appreciations for my work while I was a trainee in the same firm, I didn't know that inter-personal relations play a significant role than the contribution. Like fate and destiny always play over work, worth and wrath; the company policies, requirements and decisions always override the achievement, aspiration and ambition of the employees. I was told that I should be ready to relocate in case of any urgent requirement.

For a few months I kept cribbing that I wasn’t given the location, domain and work of my preference. I kept attending interviews for all the relevant jobs. When I learnt that I've screwed the second round of an interview given to seventh company, I couldn't hold my tears. మోర్ than the fact that I lost the interview, it was an agonizing pain that my chances to get back to the specialization of post-graduation were fading-off into mirages. Something which I've worked from scratch to comfort, was going waste.

One day while watching National Geographic Channel, I realized that the challenge in nature is not to migrate to a distant land every time you face a problem, but to live there, sustain and evolve with it. I thought the same applies at my work place. The next day was the first when I’ve really put my head into anything happening in my project, after 6 months of joining the same. When I can't get the job of my dream, then I've to excel at what I have. That day I set targets for myself, in this career.

I was lousy till that time, but started learning slowly. Though I was no quick leaner, I was satisfied with my pace, even if my team wasn't. The next two years, I spent doing anything and everything I could, only for marking an impression in my career, though I expected an on site opportunity out of it. Everyone around me knew the fact, that it was my only driving force at work.

Almost three years I spent craving for the moment when I can choose, instead of being chosen. When I learnt that things are not moving anywhere in my previous job, I finally decided to change my job, after six months of self-debating. It took me one month to attend seven interviews and grab five offers out of them.

I was tired of being chosen, and badly wanted to be the one who chooses. It was wicked pleasure when I've declined the first offer, after 3 years of employment. The second offer that I've declined, I was very much like best-match for the role, and they've contacted me numerous times for convincing me into it. But I've already taken my decision to join this company, in a place where I wanted to be, since the last five years, Bangalore.

After two months in this job, the last week, I was laying on the beach, looking at the moon in dark sky, speaking to my roomie and colleague. I told him that I feel like quitting my current job and finding one that suits my interests and capabilities.

He looked directly into my eyes and said "you need not answer me, but be answerable to yourself. Do you have a legitimate answer for you to quit this job? Is it because you are not interested, or is it because you are afraid of it? If it is the first, then I'm with you. Or if it is the latter, then this would be your first step down the ladder. I know that you had many choices when you've joined this organization. If you've chosen it from four others offers, then there is a reason why you did so. You were destined here, and hence you did so. Life is not running away from difficulties, but stand your ground and face the tides. Do not be afraid that this job doesn't allow you any personal time. Instead, try learning how to evolve, creating some personal space in your professional life also, as you've reserved a room for your profession in your personal life. And remember always, that professional pursuits are just temporary and forever stays only your personal life".

I was too impressed with his wisdom. I dint even thank him for his advise.
I think he'd be happy if I take it and put it into action.

My dad recently said, "you'll never get job-satisfaction unless you learn to be satisfied with what you have. My job has turned quite uninteresting since the last five years. I've been in it for over thirty years and I don't have the faintest thought of quitting it. One has to pursue his dreams, while still running on the land. If your dreams are in the skies, better limit them to dreams, and live in reality. Being in a position to choose is good, but wanting to choose because of that position, and leaving the possession is poor discretion".

Only recently I've started learning what life is....!

Men and Women

Every time I hear someone saying "girl is God's best creation", "women rule the world"....I go bonkers.
What the hell!!

I find it quite irresistible to refrain myself from a debate on 'Supremacy of Gender'.
I start the debate, convincing the audience that both genders are supreme in their own way, and proceed to eventually conclude that both are equal as a whole. The beaters drive me crazy with their unsupported and junk statements, that I finally end-up arguing that male are talented than the fair-sex...

Years before, I received an email sent to entire batch by a girl, who is in fact intelligent and a good friend of mine. It portrayed that all boys are dumb not to really care for girls who are genius and great. Though I respect talent, care for girls I know and never derogated any girl, I somehow felt offended and shot the following reply:
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Agreed :-)
GENIUS !

"All that glitters is not Gold"
I think man is like Sun, though he is hot, he is hot for a reason.... to keep the family warm and to enlighten the surrounding people...
He stays on his feet and is the same always, no matter whatever happens.....
Even after a thousand decades, he is in the same place and giving out the heat and light with the same intensity....

I feel women are like Earth, who take the warmth of Sun, revolve around him, but still are close to him only some times and move very distant some other time....
They are complex with land and water..... not only with mountains and valleys on the land, but also having deep oceans and shallow waters.....
They think that they give birth to all the life, but ignore the fact that there is no life without the heat and light....
They rotate around themselves and when they are not facing the Sun, they complain that the Sun is stealing faces from them and not caring....
They look at the moon who rotates round them and say that the moonlight is cooling and lovely unlike the sunlight which burns and sweats.....

There is a saying "People tremble when they are not confident of what they say......
If men do want to understand, easy to say, hard to understand....".
I guess that explains....

There is a saying "opportunity never comes, you've to create it".
I guess the person who quoted it forgot to mention that women are an exemption....
If they ever seem indignant to anything/anyone it means that they are awaiting some response or working on creating an opportunity..... Men don't escape from anything.....
Man thinks and attributes a lovely role to any/every female in his life as mother/sister/wife/daughter/friend; understands and supports them while trying to strengthen their minds and resolve their conflict...... Woman always thinks that a man, no matter who ever it is : father/brother/husband/son, is always dominating......
anything/everything he does is wrong....
anytime/all time he doesn't care for her...

I completely agree with the person who said "if you are missing a girl, you are missing something.... otherwise, you are missing everything else..."
If I ever go to Heaven, I'll plead God to give that wisdom to all men...
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Now, when I read my reply to her email, I feel that I was rather provoked with her's.
While men instantly burp something, when played with their ego, they don't hold any hard feelings. It is only for the moment and later everything is back to normal.
It doesn't take too long for a man to apologize, if he finds that he was wrong or even if both were equally wrong. Women are far more Egoistic compared to men.

So far in my life, I've not seen more than a few women who've apologized with even faintest feeling of guilt or realization, for something they've screwed-up with their thoughtless actions.
There are exceptions for anything and everything, though.
I'm not generalizing. I'm not taking example of a single person or my own experiences.

I'm speaking about science itself, which says that female brain has far slower response than a male. A female brain can work on multiple things at-a-time, though justice is not done to any of them. Where as, a male brain works with one thing at-a-time, with full concentration.

If ever a man's brain is not working straight, it is because his heart is overpowering it.
If ever a woman's brain is working straight, it is because there is a man's brain it is trying to compete with.

No offense meant, dear ladies.... Facts are facts...!!!
:-) :-) :-)

Boss........ Gimme a break!

Following is somthing I blogged an year before.
.....only that I'm publishing it now...
Few of my perceptions have changed.
.....I've evolved a little and I've also become hard.
Few of the people in it have changed.
.....some have tamed themselves and some have become even rigid...

Nevertheless, these are words of my heart, which only a few near and dear could hear, in my actions and frustated looks.........
Many people told me to try learning demarcating professional and personal life.........
Some have advised me to change my work place...my role, my job and if possible my profession.....!
I've switched my job, which was major contributor to my physical and mental headaches... and I'm due in course of learning gymnastics of life-work balance....
Thanks to friends and family, who have endured me in bad moods and disappointing companionship.... without you guys, I'd now be in a mental asylum.

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“You don’t do anything in that system. You don’t know about that. Some one else will take care.”
“Have you any imagination of how the situation on site is?”
“You don’t understand the magnitude of the impact, nor do you understand the nature.”
“It’s a nice experience to be at the client.”

Come on guys… give me a break!

If you think that I’m not fit for doing something, teach me how to do it. Just because you’ve learnt it the hard-way, should everyone else do the same? Others may, may be out of interest or coz of their zest to learn and experiment new ways or to bang impression.
If a person has none of these factors that can inspire him doing the job, then he would obviously end-up doing nothing. If you can inspire him the way he receives, do that….else you teach him how to do that and what’s its significance in the client’s business and in-turn ours. It’s not just enough to keep bugging that he should do and keep doing more.

Agreed that there are reference-manuals for everything, but there are a hell lot of things which are learnt at run-time. Experiences are rare and not always repetitive. You can’t expect someone to read some documents and gain the same expertise than listening to a person who had hands-on experience on the same work for quite a while.

If you think that I’m not fit for being on site and dealing with the client, then I’m not even fit for sitting off-shore and doing anything that would impact his business. Some convey their interests verbally and some convey the same through their work and actions. When you read the language and are extracting the maximum out of someone, while that person banks on getting something in return; doesn’t this hide-n-seek end one day or the other?

Hiding the facts is as good as baiting. If the fish in a pond realize that the bait has a hidden hook, they will eat only algae and see weeds, and stop getting trapped; there is no way the fisherman can complain on them. Just because the fish are in the pond underneath doesn’t mean that they should always fall for his traits.

On the day when the donkey realizes that it has to carry loads of salt across the stream only to get beaten-up in the evening for tampering the floor with its muddy feet, it will eventually take a bath in the stream and deliver the empty salt-bags. Is it the mistake of the donkey for not being honest or is it the mistake of the master for blaming its untidiness after making it walk the muddy-bank with the load on its back?

.................

“Your leave….let me check once again and confirm. Anyway it is only tomorrow!”

I really don’t understand till date, how the hell someone can make such a statement. Either your boss is bossing on you, doesn’t want to grant you a leave or just taking an example of a sadist boss he/she possibly ever had. Would the boss be in a position to plan a travel if he/she were in such a position? Possibly not and probably won’t.

“If I don’t approve your leave, you’ll have a loss-of-pay.”

I was utterly shocked to hear this from one of my bosses. Was it to make me understand that one should always communicate anything and everything to his boss? It sounded to me just that I had a boss and have to obey whatever is his/her instruction, cater to his interests and ask nothing in return.

On yet another situation where-in I was about to travel to home that weekend, I was told “...we’ll have a meeting with your lead and decide whether you can take leave….” by some person who voluntarily declared that I should report to him. I dint try finding out if he was trying to be over-proactive in getting done something over-night or if my boss was trying to indirectly ask me to cancel my leave and stay-back to work over the weekend.

Everyone has a factor that satisfies him. Whether you satisfy that factor, probe him to do something that helps gain satisfaction, or otherwise get him out of the race. When you know very well that a horse is blind and deaf, then there is no point putting it in a race; and later on whipping it for not winning the race.

One time someone coordinating me told “You have been working on this for the last two days, without a way out. I think you should take help someone who knows to code. I’m no expert in coding or otherwise I’d have done it.”
Yes my boss….! That’s what I’ve been asking for a long time. If you know very well that I’m leading you nowhere, why ride the same horse? Go and get a new horse, with the same color, fitness and pace you are in search of. Or if you want me to learn it overnight and finish the job, while I’m doing other things as well, then why cant you do the same? When you can give so much of an advice to someone, can’t you think if the same applies to you?

I don’t suppose that a boss ever has the right to ask his subordinates to work over-time or on weekends if he/she promptly asks them to appear in office by 9:00. Also if the boss wishes to get the work done by the End-of-Day, first-of-the-first EOD should be defined. Also the work should be entrusted before a considerable time, as they are also human but not a computer. If the boss expects the work to be done on a fly, then probably the work should be entrusted to the subordinate after three or four years, when the subordinate steps in his own shows.

So far, I've served four bosses directly.... and another four indirectly....
It was never the same, as with the other.
Some were extremely supporting/guiding/helping and others were exactly the opposite.
While some were quantitative not only in the quantiy of work they load, but also appraising the job..... others were so unrewarding for anything that was done...

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I read somewhere - "People leave managers not companies".
I do not need to comment on it. Everyone who knew me for the last 4 years, and how I've changed in these years, good or bad, know it very well.

I've worked for an organization for 3 years, with only one thing wishing in return - an opportunity too work on site, with the client. When I finally realized that I was becoming a piece of commedy for everyone around, realizing how well the organization is making use of me, I couldn't stand any longer. Though I knew very well that I was killing the golden-goose to free myself from this prison, I chose to live the life of a happy beggar, than living a troubled king on a stack of golden eggs in a prison.

My only intention penning these words is not to criticize anyone. I know very well that even after proper feedback they do not intend to change. And I do not expect any changes with some words written in a blog, by someone who doesn't matter anything to them.

My only hope is to urge everyone not to be hard and harsh on someone.
Today it is someone. Tomorrow, it can be yourself.

A Fish in Hell

I opened my eyes in water, to see light that was also dancing along with waves.
Natural instincts guided me to swim across all the similar looking fish, towards the light.

I noticed a fish which was swimming towards me. Though it was a red-fish like many others, it was agressively swimming. Being afraid, I lost control and bumped so hard into a glass wall, that my eyes whirled for a while. Quickly I gained strength and swam opposite way only to find that the same fish was coming towards me yet again.

After bumping into a glass, yet another time, I realized that this fish was doing exactly opposit to what I did. It would turn to left, if I turned to my right. I have a black-spot on the right of my tail and it had one on its left. But if I swim up, it also swims up. And it will also swim downwards, if I do so. I was getting tired of this mysterious fish, whom I can see, but cannot reach.

After a while, a black-fish approached me. Laughing at me, he told that I'm looking at my own image. He advised me not to run away from it, nor to try discovering it.
Image.....! What a wonder!
It's there, but it is not.It's myself, but it is not.


There were many aquariums of various sizes with fish of different color, shape and size. Our aquarum was in one corner of the shop. Among a hudred of my kind, I'm the only red-fish with a black spot on my tail. Our aquarium also contained gold-spot and black-fish. It was the most crowded in the entire shop. One end of our neighbourhood had blue-hay, royal-white and dragon-yellow. The other end of shop had black-and-white, silver-majestic, mini-shark, king-snail and turtles.


The shop-keeper gives only a little feed, to keep us small and in good shape with the excersize of fighiting for the feed. He lits only one of the three lamps in the shop and everytime lits a different one.

On our third day, we were already done with observing all corners of shop, other kinds of fish, the tired shop-keeper and never-tiring ceiling-fan.We named our aquarium 'Hell'.


Every time a bike stops in front of the shop, the shop-keeper nets few of us and packs them in a plastic-cover. He doesn't show a pinch of love to us, atleast while selling, than that he shows to the money he gets.


Once there were a couple of kids - a small mischevous girl and a boy with chubby cheeks. I was swimming under the artificial plantation, and the shop-keeper caught ten fish from Hell into a plastic cover. The girl bounced the packet into air, and as it landed on a nail, it burst to spray the fish into all corners of the shop. Two fish which lost their breath, were fed to the Giant fish.Others were saved with minor bruises and packed into another plastic-cover. I mourned for my dead friends; and for those who are dead any moment the girl goes wild.


The next time a rookie came in a bike, along with his girl-friend. As the shop-keeper started netting Hell, I recollected they were the same couple who've forgot the package of blue-fish, a week ago. I doubted wether they'll ever bother about the 'Hell' in their home. I've escaped the net and felt satisfied that I've escaped a mishap. I was surprized to find myself prefer Hell over their home.


The next day, a couple came with a small baby in lap. The mother was so caring not to allow a fly to land on her baby. And the father was looking equally caring. As the shop-keeper put the net into Hell, I rushed into it but he never traps. Twice when I was finally in the trap, he tossed me back to Hell. Finally some black-fish, few blue-hay and gold-spot were packed for them. I felt bad for missing such family, but they were not there in my fate.


In a corner of the Hell, I was brooding over the future I've missed in the house of such soft people. I realized that I was being pulled out of 'Hell', and packed into a plastic-cover. It was already too late for me to resist. A group of boys were interestingly looking at four of my kind in the package. One of them carefully carried the package to his bike.


The first view of road from a bike was exquisite. The ride on a bike was very thirlling. Hiking the steps, bouncing into the air and rolling on the floor from inside the package were nice experiences.


Our package was opened to pour us into an aquarium already hosting fifteen fish of seven different kind. For few days we were freshers and were dominated by those who were already there. Weeks later we were also officially crowned the citizenship of our aquarium, 'Home'.


One of the boys used to feed us twice a day. And every one who takes a moment to look into Home tosses few pellettes of feed. There used to be change in feed every month. And along with it, change of water after cleaning the Home.


As days went by, the boys grew up. They moved out and new boys started moving in. Also, the fish in Home had their time. Those fish who passwed away initially were given royal saluit on their final voyage. Those following them later, hardly recieved any such respects. Only one couple bred, and even their babies are dead. Now i'm the only fish in the tank.


One of the boys used to clean the tank on every weekend and fill it with fresh water. Now he hardly cleans it once a couple-of-months and rarely refills the evaporated water. As Home is becoming green with algae, he put a couple of snails.


I've grown about hundred times, than what I was on first day in Home. The snails too have grown old. They are not of my kind, but we are the only company around. Having nothing to do, nowhere to go, we three wander the shallow waters of Home...


Even now one boy feeds me twice a day. He loves me so much, that talks to me when he is alone. He pities me for being so lonely, like him. It is almost a month that I've seen him. May be he too moved out of their home.


Sometimes, I wish, I could have resisted from getting into that packet. My life could have been different, from this Home. Or, it might have been the same.............. in yet another 'Home'.


But, I cannot reverse the irreversible. Whatever is done, cannot be undone.
I have to live with it for rest of my life.


I'm a fish in a tank..................a lonely fish in the little tank.