Innovation and IPL lessons

Innovation is the need of hour today. Whatever that was done in past should act as reference point. Innovation is a process. It builds upon several past attempts to make difference. Success lies in learning from past. Be informed about possibilties. take a new angle to same problem . Innovation does not mean doing something new but taking different look at same thing. Romantics may differ. They might believe innovation to be an eureka moment.
Everyone in life has eureka moments. But we fail to act and take calculated risk. innovation also is process of taking risk. Its combination of idea and implementation.
We have seen a movie at the start of year lamenting lack of innovation in education system in India. We have seen innovation like IPL making it big but creating so loud bang that itself was detrimental. IPL is disscussion topic nowadays. It symbolizes all that is wrong in Indian system. High and might egoes, manipulation, secracy, corruption.... Cricket is just a topic which generate passion. It could have been bollywood or any subject matter ;. basic matter remains We in India lack the culture of innovation , discipline and system to sustain innovation as proven in case of IPL.
In foreign countries you have double volume scams, corruption as we saw in 08 crisis. Greed is universal , but somethings stands out for India.
Coming back to innovation, its rather difficult today to just keep on doing same things as in past. We entered market with dreams of being next infosys. But now we need to change this and have dreams to be next google.
But foremost we must make impact to change the rules of game. (as proven negatively ) in IPL.
High Hopes but we shall overcome....

Time and Tide

Almost an year has gone by. I did start this blog on ganesh chathurthi eve last year. Time and tide seem to have gone beyond control. Golden years have been spent. Grey years are impending. been talking to all my batchmates and they also feel same sense of sand clock losing sand quickly. Daily chores, inertia, meaningless things to dos of routine work, hedonistic weekends of seemingly happy but empty contents; are taking toll. when was the last time you did something creative, close to heart and something real.... maybe few of us have been close to all these. or some of them have kept those feelings secret. even i was close to such moments few times and most of us are i am sure. But what % of time was that.
Time is a non renewable resource. we have only one lifetime. Time to make a meaningful things t do. Time to create real value and innovation. Time to leave legacy in any right sense. Clock is ticking and your time starts now...
Hope Lord Ganesha shows the path and gives wisdom....

Guru

Yesterday i celebrated Gurupournima at Riyas music school. Riya performed few songs.
Life is a great teacher, its a mahaguru. God or whatever one assumes as divine energy provides inspiration throughout. But still there are many mortals who help us acheive our path. Idea here is to thank them.
In the stream of commercialization of education: schoolastic or vocational teachers have lost the humane aura. With impersonal media like elearning, multimedia, we have standardized learning. Globalization and worldwide classrooms have added new dimensions to learning. so where do old school of guru stand today. I think its a very personal emotion which someone has for somebody as a Guru. So institution of Guru has given place to role someone plays in our lives.
The first gurus are parents. then come family members and then the rest. still a special mention to role i had with my distant cousin (but yet very close) SD dandage as friend, philosopher, guide.
For me : Kale sir was the one who first saw any spark in me.Apte sir /abhyankar from school can be termed as a real Guru who changed my outlook towards academics and gave confidence that i was somebody in scheme of things, so was patwardhan madam who made me believe i can do well in academics as well. YG Kale sir and Dharne sir with whom i started my class experience, really created that confidence in me. Khasgiwale sir, and arun belare sir (both RIP) gave that edge which helped me greatly. Rahalkar sir from JEE coaching with his any problem any minute slogan really pushed me hard. At IIT to be honest i could not get into any personal equation with profs except maybe PPK (Project Guide), M K Ghosh and B Ray(fac advisor). For the lack of same maybe my interest towards technology took backside and aspiration of Management took drivers seat.
At the start of professional life i had a great mentor in Rangan from nocil from whom i learnt project management skills. They are still handy. attention to detail etc etc. luckily i managed whole plant shutdown as independant officer and not a trainee thanks to his recommendation.
I started my enterpreunership early. My friend subrato was the one for whom nothing was impossible. My BIL was very good technically, agressive and resolution of issues, My various colleagues , clients and partners had many things i could learn.
Thanks to Mahguri shri sai and pray that he illuminates path throughout.

Final Frontier

There is always a holy grail for everyone (i am not referring to Dan Browns take on the topic and i am not promoting Angels and Demons). There is always a final frontier to be won for everyone.
Steve waugh had mentioned about beating India in India was that. South Africa had same feeling for australia conquest. England has ashes dreams. Sachin Tendulkar feels lifting ODI world cup to be that. Federer wants French Open, Lendl wanted wimbledon, Sharad Pawar wants to be PM. Narayan Rane wants to be CM. Whole Indian film industry feels that for Oscars. Whole science community feels that for Nobel prize. Whole IT community wants to be involved in 'the next in thing' featuring in silicon valley success stories. Whole bunch of fellow entrepreuners of our times wanted to be next Infosys. the much malignes Investment Bankers wanted to be featured in WSJ, All those in Music want to perform at Sawai, All trekkers want their foot on the everest. These are just examples. I am sure every individual has that holy grail. Few lucky people acheive the grail after few attempts. But i have seen whole lifetime spent unsuccesfully. someone has a bunglow in mind to buy, someone has a brand of car to buy, someone has a country to visit, someone even wanted to meet long lost friend. These cravings are varied. Its the intensity, desire to achieve that defines the quest. The time duration required to achieve that is the real test of character. Many people give up as well as its very easy to do that. There is nothing like achieving what you want and getting it after a long exhaustive road.
There are some dangers also in this, while chasing the grail, life's other achievement (which may even be bigger than the grail) will feel like no shows. Lifes small gifts and pleasures will be lost while having a single devotion towards the grail. Its the balance is what defines success in life.
In short not to give up on quest of the grail while balancing out the life with other important facets will define success.
There is certain unfairness about life. Some things happen in such a way that a particular achievement is denied to someone just for no reason or by chance. And then maybe owing to lack of interest to followup or some other priorities , that event never happens. and at later time you realize that achievement is still missing. And then maybe in some cases time has gone or its very difficult. Then arises that quest which is very strange for others to fathom. Example: One of my friends has taken admission in IIM after 13 years of graduation leaving aside a settled career and family.
The holy grail of life is central to all of us. They define our life, they provide meaning, motivation, substance, etc to our lives ( beware of dissapointments, demotivations, obsession, guilt as by products).
My Holy Grail is yet to be achieved. But i have many role models to guide me reach there.

Triumph of Good over evil

Most of the stories : cinema, novels end up in a situation which has good triumphing over evil. Infact human mind thinks that should be the case wishfully. Even there is a poem from saint Tukaram that the last day should be happy, and thats what has been my effort. There is a great song in marathi ' shevatcha din god vhava yaach sathi kela hota attahas'
But does that happen in life. all the efforts of farmers in vidharbha fighting against loan sharks end up hanging off a rope. Loan sharks are evil for sure. But do the victim signify Truth and Good. To an extent yes, they are hapless part of evil system. But there are weaknesses as well. But who does not have weakness on this planet.
So how can truth overcome evil: Patience and Belief Shraddha and saburi. Thats what makes difference. If the situation is not happy then its not an end. Picture abhi baaki hai mere dost.
Idea is to work towards that end with belief and patience.
I am sure all evils will be overcome that way.

Divinity

Human mind is very weak. It cannot cope up with external influences. It plans a lot. It has a vision. It has a rational thought process with cause and effect justifications. At the start of my adult thinking person, i used to be atheist. Intrigueed by exploits of man. Fascinated by Ayn rand philosophy about Human spirit, achievement and ego.
As life went along, there came in vast insights. a deep frustartion to let things go beyond your control and external factors defining your life. Life had shown unfairness as well as given largesses. seen the great dance of destiny in its very rude forms: accidents, calamities, narrow escapes, matter of chain of events leading into another chain (concatenation: remember that Jeeves -Bertie dialogue 'there is a cat in it?), plain luck making things big. Its all about externality. Maybe that externality is defined as God.
That exeternality does exist and so does God if thats the definition. Then if i believe so, then i cease to be an atheist. Yes ofcourse i do not believe in rituals but at the bottom of my heart i lay and behold towards the almighty (if there is 'anyone' who is in control). Or is it just random without any cause and effect. In plain auto mode. This dilemma has been experienced, shared by many before. Nothing for me to add.
Only for me to add is my own experience of solace i felt last weekend in viscinity of a public religious place. I felt like i used to when i returned home after kgp semester. At Home with closed ones. After a long time. Maybe it was my own thought process or it was influenced by ambience of divinity created (i spent whole night 20 mtrs from world renowned shrine).
have i turned into believer. My debate continues. But experience was great.
Guys i am sure you must have felt that sometimes as well. share with me if you do have

Why NOT??

last weekend i attended HRD session. There was an exercise played. The task which took initially 30 secs was finally done under a second after say 6 attempts. In each attempt a new target was set (by team of around 15), new ideas thought and implemented. the task had no limitations as to how they should have been done. (so long as tennis balls touch each participant and reached the inititater of throwing sequence). At the end of first attempt, trainer asked if this can be done below 15 sec, everyone felt difficult.
but with new ideas and execution it was done below 1 sec. Thats what removal of constraints can do. everyone talks about dhirubhai school of management. we got a new rule 'Why NOT?'
what stops us from winning, what stops us from growing, what stops us from fulfilling dreams. The self imposed barriers of hard work, inertia, fatalistic approach.
Before the training someone had asked me
why dont I attempt to lose 10 kg? I told it was impossible for me as i am a foodie and cannot diet. Now even if someone asks why dont i attempt six pack abs: I will say Why Not???
same in business, same in personal life.. challenge thy limits (which most are mental demons)
I had earlier written about Sehwag, he thinks about winning why not???
good session. Need efforts, discipline, team work to make things possible.
I am sure each one of us has come across self imposed barrier.
ask why Not??

Things to do

I saw movie Dasvidanya last week. Central character is a common man who knows that he cannot live for more than 3 months max . he makes a wish list of 10 things he wanted to do before he dies. its simple and touching story about how he goes about it..
It was also shown than during his normal life (prior to the enlightenment about 3 mths deadline) he was bogged down by "things to do" lists which included silly and needless travails of ordinary life like changing batteries , buying toothbrush etc. Also there is angle to his trait of not saying no or inablity to confront situations.
Thats where the connect is. I had read in my childhood a book called 'Dont say yes when you want to say No'. Though in my life i did not implement what i had learned and failed into this trap of this inabilty until very recently. Somehow now i am much equipped to face this dilemma with some unique but not so direct (as is needed) approach to address such situations.I know of certain people who are very frank and clear about what they want. Problem with most is inability to know what you want, and a insane tolerance of someone pushing his 'to do' lists over yours.
and about the wish list or bucket list as it is called: its again our failure to see larger picture of our life which helps us get bogged in humdrum and get worried and bothered by smaller details. Yes we need ability to have attention to details and larger goals are started by taking small actions. The key is congruence of those actions with larger picture.
Life poses a very simple but yet very important question:
Question: why do you (or want to)work harder and better?
Answer1: I work because i like my work and want to grow in my field.
Answer2: Because i want to earn more money which will earn me a bigger house in better locality , with bigger car with better brand value, branded clothes and accessories, exotic holidays, ......
Answer3: Because my batchmate/colleague/brother works and i want to be better than him and want to have better life than him.
Answer4: All of above...
Probably: real answer in most cases will be 4 as its combination. How much anxiety is spurnt into this question and also all answers. Extent varies , % of importance to each varies , efforts vary, emotions vary, stress levels very. But most of our urban lives be it anywhere in the world rotate around this question.
Is there any simple or ideal answer to this?
I think answer lies in being happy with what you do: that will only happen if your larger picture matched its smaller steps in their direction. There might be failures which are devastating many a times. But one should take pride in attempts as a solace and work in same direction. and there is no morality in being justifying anybody of your priorities. Once you have that confidence then you are much equipped to attempt any thwarts of anyone else forcing his to do list onto yours.
Bahot heavy ho gaya na???...
By the way i also saw ghajini: nothing worth writing about except Asin. Aamir is as usual convincing, but nothing in story or script to write.

Dasvidanya costed me Rs 50 for DVD rental, Ghajini: Rs 450 for tickets+ Rs 40 parking+ Rs 100 on snacks

such is life.

Hope

I experienced last sunset of 08 at a very hatke location: desert (paradox being the most deprived geography landing up to be most extravagent in infrastructure and consumeristic spendings thanks to another natural resource) . experienced the first sunrise of 09. Old making way for new. Change . Wish this change is not just the change of calendar. let this mark change in self, family, sorroundings, society, country, and finally the world .
Time to change self; It takes a lot of time to correctly find one's strengths. Let us all be able to that to help us find real happiness in meeting the challenges that matter to us most based on those strengths. Let us overcome weaknesses, anxieties, strife withing oneself. Let us find path towards something which gives us real joy and avoid somethings which we do out of external compulsions .One though has to do those things as compromise, no one can run away and even while we do that let us have all the conviction that will result in clarity and peace. It was part of greater picture. let us all always have greater picture all the time..... And lets not waste time which is the most precious resource... else we might end up again changing calendars.
Moving onto family: let there be dialogue, let there be no externalities; ego, money, fame, comparison within relationships. Idea should be 100% love and understanding without any expectations. Thats the key
Then to sorroundings: lets resolve to atleast not damage sorroundings if we cannot improve: spiritual, visual, physical and chemical. Lets all have vision to be able to make positive changes to place where we live, work, commute and play.
On social side we need a lot of ground work and discipline esp here in india. We succeed individually but fail collectively. There is a need for all to contribute positively in each one's capacity. Need to take responsibilty. let there be end to the biggest blot on us: Corruption. let there be a collective drive to end that.
Let my country have great leadership and eradicate corruption. Let there be a lot of innovation in each sector of my country. let there be accountability.
On world stage: biggest challenge is conflict management. let there be cool heads to come to the table and have dialogue. Environment and resource distribution is challenge we should address else we may not leave any future for our next generations. Let the economies get rolling by some good planning and lack of greedy speculations.
Have I wished impossible things. Thats where hope is . hope is to be able to make right changes. No harm in hoping. ..