Madhosh Kiye Jaa: October 2023

Conquering the World

This idea has remained about the land conquests. But conquering the minds is what India has done well, through its many gurus and thought leaders, for centuries. Somehow, Indian educational institutes did not keep pace.. maybe due to government's diffidence.

Seems to be changing. Saw an IIT Madras at Zanzibar post on Linkedin today. This could have happened many years ago. But better late than never. I never understood why, with so much academic talent, our Profs. only went to universities in the US or UK, not expanded our own institutes abroad.

Happy it's beginning to happen. Hope the world benefits, too..

Meeting Kanika

This was only our second meeting, but it felt like it was the 500th.. or something like it. Just got along like a house on fire (is that the right analogy?) and went on yakking for about 5 hours over a Bahama Mama (Reminded me of my Bahamas trip in 1990 or so), a Margherita and various eats. She's a coffee drinker who sold tea for Goodricke, and had a stint with Mamaearth too, and plans to venture out in the Personal care category. Planning to bring her in for a guest talk to our MBA students. She's also my Personal Photographer, appointed for life. She volunteered for the job, and was instantly appointed.

Among the stories she told me, one stood out. A new employee in the marketing department was asked to write a brief for the ad agency. She asked Kanika, 'What's a brief?" Well,.. need I say more?

Our last meeting was at India Habitat Centre, before COVID happened. Was surprised to know that she knows a lot of the 70s -early 80s films that were my favourites, such as Golmaal, Angoor, Chupke Chupke,... and Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro.

Pics -

On the right is the Bahama Mama, of which I have the recipe on a postcard picked up in the Bahamas. The pic below is the recipe, on a postcard I had picked up in the Bahamas, long ago.

and one more she clicked with a timer! Good skills!

Nagaland Part 2

Among other things, we learnt a little bit about the culture, food, and the earlier insurgency- now mostly limited to extortion for no good reason from businesses- in a meeting with the Minister for Education, Temjen Imna Along. He spent time in Mumbai, loves vada pao, and is very passionate about developing his people.

We were presented a shawl, after he explained its significance, that the red one is usually for men who are respected by the tribe, and other colours are for women. We were glad to be the recipients, with all that it implied. The right way to wear it is this..

We also visited a college in Dimapur run by two alums of CIEFL (now English and Foreign Languages University) in Hyderabad. They are a brother and sister duo.

and, we met an MLA from Nagaland, who also suggested we set up something in the state.

Thought Leadership- My Thoughts

How do you become a thought leader? You don't, in a jump. There's no formula. You evolve into being recognised as one, over time.

Consistently high quality of thought processes about everything, including an area of expertise, is usually needed. Life is bigger than a single tech innovation, but an innovation that can change lives of people for the better are a good start. I am not talking Apple phones, because just a small fraction of people can afford those.

An idea is as good. For governance, as demonstrated by people over centuries. Or a cooperative to be formed, as Mr. Verghese Kurien did, when Amul was born. A phenomenal boost to Brand India too, with one of the best advertising campaigns over the longest time.

Walt Disney and his characters that gave joy o millions of kids worldwide.

Just examples. There are lots more if you look around. Fascinating stuff, thoughts.. think good ones.

Golf and Tea Combined

There's a Golf Resort in Jorhat that's in the middle of tea plantations. Don't believe me? These pics will prove me right..

With a couple of lovely ladies who work at the garden

View from the Club House.

..and in the club house.

The gardens

The hats.. and Arun Bhattacharrya wears a new hat- learns to chip and putt

At another tea estate in Jorhat.. Cinnamara, with the manager.

Nagaland- a First

I had been to Assam a couple of times before, but not to other parts of the North East. This time, both by train- a vistadome compartment, no less, and road, managed to travel to Dimapur and Kohima, both in Nagaland. Also found a Golf course near Jorhat, called Kaziranga Golf Course/Resort. Worth going to again, some day. It is owned by one Mr. Barooah, reminding me of two colleagues, Ekalavya and Prerona Baruah from NMIMS at Bangalore. Also ate duck for the first time- like a cross between mutton and chicken.

We were trying to promote our MBA programs and also tie up for other activities, such as Entrepreneurship training. Or corporate training programs. Met the ONGC ED, and a dynamic edu-entrepreneur, among others. A minister also, and an MLA from Nagaland. Very positive, all of them, including the director of NIT at Dimapur, Nagaland.

These hats are worn by plantation workers to keep off the Sun. Resemble the Mexican sombreros.

At Jorhat engg. college, set up in 1960, one of the oldest in Assam. Being introduced by a prof. of Computer Science, and placement cell head.

At CKB college for a seminar in Jorhat.

Dynamic edupreneurs at Dimapur. Mr. Kvulo Lorin and Dr. Hewasa L. Khing (left) who run Tetso College, a vibrant institution.

At a seminar in Golaghat engg college above, and with Dr. Venugopal and faculty at NIT Dimapur.

The Minister of Education and Tourism, above and MLA below.

The vistadome, and a lake where we stopped for lunch with a view.

Lady seller at Umiyam lake near Shillong -above

Above and below- IIT Guwahati with Dr. Priyankoo Sarmah, and below, a building nearby

Beauty and the Beast

This is about the futility of war, mostly. The thought hits you hard when you see any war begin- India-Pakistan, U.S. -Afghanistan, or Russia-Ukraine. Or the latest, Hamas-Israel. What does it achieve? Is it worth it?

I am not saying that self-defence is necessarily bad. But can it also be limited to defending without going too far? If we end up killing a large number of people and losing a large number too, what exactly is the gain from it?

There is so much productive work we can all be engaged in, and a lifetime is not enough to do it in. If not work, then at least one can enjoy the nature, man-made attractions and all the rest, without becoming destructive. There is so much beauty around to enjoy.

Just a thought for all the brainwashed armies around the world that have to go out and kill or get killed. Yes, they are doing their job. But what a job! To please an egomaniac or a megalomaniac in most cases.

Interesting Place Names

Passed a place called Garam Pani today, and a railway station called Lanka yesterday. Also a raliway station called Hojai yesterday. Our local guide to the North East comes from Margherita- a town near Tinsukia in Assam's upper end. I had incidentally visited it in 1983 during my MBA internship.

Vietnam had a street called Hang Bong. No idea why they want to hang the Bong.

Karepalli, Chimalpahad and Tadkalpudi were names of stations along the Bhandrachalam Road to Dornakal railway line-our lifeline growing up.

Yellandu was one of the places our coal mining company had started mines in. We all enjoyed descending into inclines once in a while.

Perfection

It doesn't exist. If it did, a lot of things, people etc. would be perfect. And we know they aren't. It's an ideal, that one can strive towards, if one wants to.

Flawed characters and people are a lot more interesting than perfect ones, too. Wouldn't life be monotonous and boring if there was perfection everywhere?

Though consultants in the corporate world might pretend that there are organizations that are near-perfect, it's not true at all. Many once-considered-great organisations showed up their flaws over time. And some have disappeared too. New ones-startups- have their own issues, and have a long way to go before they get their business plans right, let alone other things. The stress has started to show in some within a few years.

It's great to grow, to flourish, and in our case, to enjoy life, without it being perfect. It's tiring to strive for it all the time, and time is in short supply. So do, be, enjoy.. the imperfect life!