Thought leadership
08 Monday Sep 2008
Posted Life
in08 Monday Sep 2008
Posted Life
in08 Monday Sep 2008
Posted Business
inI was reading Kumaramangalam Birla’s Viewpoint on Thought leadership in the Economic times this morning, and have come up with my viewpoints on the same.
Thought leadership comes from those who endeavor to think. It is not just one of the numerous management jargons that echo the class rooms of a B school. We have seen so many concepts coming into foray, but how many of them have come from India? We Indians are busy trying to survive or making money as if there is no tomorrow. Forty years since the IIMs opened their doors, we have come a long way. There is a rising demand for B schools with the prime objective to live a better life, because our government cannot take care of our basic necessities. In our quest for more money, we use management degree as a passport to a better life, not to hone our skills. Undoubtedly this education teaches a lot that can be potentially used in all aspects of life; but how many of us use it? I have seen B school grads doing menial tasks, which even a barely literate person can do. Thoughts (and the capability to think) go down the drain.
Parental and societal pressures have a huge impact on the young minds that are ready to do whatever pays. Why this attitude? That’s because we live in a country sans opportunities.
I was reading an article that mentioned that a passing out IIM graduate makes more than the director himself. Where can one find serious academicians? There are many capable individuals in this country, but it has to be seen what inspires them! There is hardly anything except prestige, which takes a backseat in this era of double digit inflation.
That does not mean to convey that only academicians can have fruitful thoughts. Anyone with the right frame of mind can have it. Things will change, but it needs time. What is important for the professionals is to think about what they do and how better it can be done, rather than working like a robot day in and day out.
04 Thursday Sep 2008
Posted Business
inIt is evident that it is petty politics being played in the name of protecting the farmers. The demand to return 400 acres of land is both illogical as well as atrocious. The farmer who has ‘lost’ his land has not lost his livelihood. In all probability, his life is only going to get better. To him, it is more of an emotional issue than a matter of sustenance.
Tatas have been known to be fair in their dealings, and is the most respected group in the country. Mamta Banerjee’s allegation that Ratan Tata is greedy is unbelievable. The populace falling in for the words of Mamta Banerjee sees only the emotional value, an irreparable loss that his heirs will have to live with. But they do not have the foresight to look at the development perspective. In most of the families, multiple members have got jobs, which they would not have got otherwise. Moreover, development of a factory would only mean a mature industry coming up, along with township, more people, and more demand. It might have become another Jamshedpur.
The poor people do not have the foresight, and are made to see what the leaders want them to see. They are easily agitated, and so we see a set of followers. I am sure that a deeper probe will reveal that it is not their demand; they are made to say so at gunpoint.
Wherever a factory is developed, there are bound to be movements. What is important is to ensure that the poor farmers are not shortchanged. It was at this stage that Mamta Banerjee could have intervened, in making sure that the farmers are paid their due; IF she wanted welfare.
All she wants is to create ruckus, with the hidden agenda to develop a vote bank.
It will discourage industry, and Bengal will be reduced to a least developed state. All in the name of politics!
02 Tuesday Sep 2008
Posted Life
inOf late, I have developed a fetish for chicken sandwich. I don’t know what makes it so intriguing. With some mustard sauce and tomato ketchup, it is the most amazing snack known. I love it more than vada pao, dosa or even chicken pakoda. It is the only thing I’ve eaten while flying in the Indian skies (that was the most expensive sandwich I’ve ever had). Even on Saturday evening I had even planned a trip to CCD, just to have a bit of the sandwich.
My experiments in the kitchen had hit a snag, and last week I had just survived on whatever I could lay my hands on. When it comes to any work I need to do, one theory applies: that I will be comfortable doing it only if I have done it recently, else becomes a drag! And this applies to driving, cooking, blogging or even eating! Call it Newton’s first law of motion; I believe that practice makes a man (or a woman) perfect.
This evening it occurred to me that I must make something different to use up the time I was blessed with, given that the Century office had called it a day in the morning itself, to mourn the demise of KK Birla. I had no clue of the news, and (like their employees) was glad I didn’t have to work today. The Godrej chicken shop was open, and I thought of experimenting with the chicken sandwich, something that I had long wanted to do.
I took some meaty chicken pieces with some chopped garlic, water and salt and put it in the pressure cooker. Switched off the cooker after some 10 mins, and let it remain. When the pressure eased out, I took the pieces out and removed the bones. I used the hand blender and ground the chicken with a little bit of water and oil that remained in the cooker. The paste told me that I was going in the right direction.
Next I took some grated onion and fried it in oil with some chopped ginger. I added some more salt and some chilly powder. When brown, I added the chicken paste and mixed it. Within 5 mins, it was ready and yummy!
The last thing was to take a bread slice and put some cheese on it. It was followed by the paste and another bread slice. Eating the sandwich with mustard sauce was the most pleasurable experience of the day!!!
The good thing is that I was able to make something that resembled sandwich I wanted to eat. And I loved it! After all, who doesn’t love self made food!