About Burger Singh

 Yes, that one is Indian, unlike Burger King. I have now had a few burgers from them, and by and large, the experience and food have been good. Some Indianised masala/paste adds to the zing!

I always thought there was nothing great about a burger. It's how you market it, consistently, that makes for a brand. Just like a Dosa. Or a vada.

Turning anything into a successful business is an art and commerce. But this one seems to have got some things right. Metro stations in Delhi are a location of choice, since many commuters hang out or take parcels/takeaway, ideal for eating on the go or at office. McD had outlets across exits on highways in the U.S which we drove on quite a bit, which were convenient- they also had a toilet, so it was even more reason to stop by..

Pricing seems Ok too judging by the number of customers that seem to frequent them.

All in all, a Thumbs -up for Mr. Singh!

Two Events in Delhi

 AI featured strongly in both. One was a TechEd Conference organised by AIU, at Park Hotel in Connaught Place. The second was an annual Conference/Exhibition by Didac India, a think tank. That was at Yashobhoomi, in Dwarka, near the airport T3.

One thing stood out for me. Not enough is known about the capabilities of AI.. it's a discovery-in-process. Anyway, we all have our opinions, and so did the speakers. Nothing dramatic, but something about public speaking.. a lesson if you will.

How do you engage an audience? Speak their language- not literally, but something they can relate to. A speaker from the Australian High Commission did that well, by talking about Bahubali and Kattappa- who he looks like! That caught everybody's attention, and we listened to what he had to say about AI and Australian efforts on using it. The others were not so engaging, barring some examples from real life- that's another way to engage an audience.

Some pics from both events..

Ananya Nandi De

I experienced the warm hospitality of an ex-student yet again. Ananya Nandi De and her family -husband and son. We had a great time, great food, and conversations.. the 9 year-old Hrishit was full of enthu for books and wants to start a library.. great news! I also recorded an interview with Ananya for my Youtube channel, Chat Masala.. this is the link to it- 

https://youtu.be/AQwHBrxButc

She's worked in procurement for leading companies like Torrent, British Telecom and more.. so it was interesting to talk about her rather unusual choice of career. She's an engineer and an IMT Nagpur MBA.. 

 

Guide Recreated

 We recreated this scene from Guide at Mandu, with Shweta Kushal playing Waheeda (dancing) on the wall- originally at Chittorgarh.

Use of Colours

 On the way to work today, I saw a colourful guy near a construction site. Reminded me of some colourful Telugu film heroes of the 70s. They would wear bright colours- yellow, green, red orange, with zero regard for matching them. 

But seriously, we could have colourful clothes for some professionals at least. It's so boring to have the suits at all meetings wearing the same old black or dark blue, with a light coloured shirt. The women at least try to be different, and dress up for the occasion, no matter what the occasion. I have evidence.

Let us bring more colour to life, at work and elsewhere, starting with clothes. Men, particularly.

Meeting Navneeta at Club de Golf

 Met Navneeta and also visited the Golf course with Dash at Ecopark Gate 6, killing two birds with one stone. She's our classmate from IIMB, now in the U.S. Her husband Nalinaksha was a prof. at IIMC for a few years in the 80s. He was there too- we chatted about racism in the U.S., and a few more subjects that I can't recall right now.. JP Nagar in Bangalore, yes.

Six Monthly Report from Kolkata

 6 Months in JIS University Kolkata.

The weather takes some getting used to. Humid as hell. Ok with a fan, or an AC. The bright side is no dry skin, hair.

Hot also, which means half shirts are OK at work, and t shirts otherwise.

At work, getting into groove with a new team of VC and co-VC with me, was not tough. 

Achieved a few milestones. One alumni meet at the Management School, in June 2025. Second one being planned for Bangalore in December. Many cultural events happened at the University, on various occasions. 

Attended a couple of events in Delhi that might help branding efforts over some time. 

Discussed several initiatives to make the university self-driven, with the VC. Includes PLACEMENT EFFORTS, Admission diversity, and Alumni Connect. We are now planning the next Convocation.

Attended some events at Tolly Club with Dash, who is a member. A debate, and a book launch with Aparna Sen in attendance. The book was about her!

Winter is approaching, which is welcome- never thought I would say that!

Women's Cricket Team Comes of Age

 The year 1983 saw Kapil's devils claim the World Cup from nowhere. It was an incredible team effort. And I think, so was this one. Though we may have our favourite players, I feel this could not have happened without everyone contributing their best. What a landmark win! The Australia India semi-final was a classic. 

Congratulations to Harmanpreet, and the band of indomitable warriors who fought with her, Jemimah, Smriti and all the rest. You are all heroes for us. 

(Image from public sources)