Kothagudem

 I cannot forget this place, as I was born there. In modern day Telangana, it was my angana (playground) from 1960-70 and again from 1977-80 when we lived there. One area we lived in was Writer Basti (colony), and we cycled a lot. Even went to the Yellandu Club a few kilometres away on the bicycle, for a swim in summer!'

Bhadrachalam nearby had a famous temple of Rama. During Ramnavami, there used to be a huge crowd in that town, nestling around the Godavari river. In Kothagudem, we had two rivers- Edla vagu and Muredu vagu, flowing through the town.

It was an idyllic coal-mining town, with the club as its major social activity. But we also roamed around on long walks, or bicycle trips. School was St. Mary's and the nuns were kind and smiling. There was a water tank which all students drank from, without bothering about water quality.

Meeting Saumya

 It is always refreshing to meet Saumya. Now a market researcher with Kantar, she used to be my Academic Associate for a couple of years at IIM Indore. My Lady Friday, for all practical purposes. Tireless, efficient and creative. No wonder my job became easy. 

Now, an accomplished pro in the industry I once worked in. So it's a pleasure to catch up, and we did. In Indore again. 

An earlier meeting at IIM Indore campus a few years earlier, when she was visiting the campus.

She also worked at Hansa Research in Bangalore with my friend Muthu, an industry veteran.

She also got me this lovely present-- 

My Take on Deep Fake

 Let's not get worked up about deep fakes. They have always been around. Some examples-

Sales guys who don't mean what they say.

Customer service guys who don't know the spelling.

Politicians who promise the moon- sorry, that's been done. Promise Mars?

Corporate jargon which does not mean anything.

Special effects in films, from Bahubali to Mission Impossible.

All these and more, have been around for years.. so what if one head goes on another body? That's also been possible and around with simple photoshopping type apps, for years.

2023 Year End Musings- 5

 Met many students -particularly from IMT Nagpur, but also from KIAMS. For example, one evening Nidhi called and said she was in Indore and could we meet? Of course we met.. and she also dropped in at Prestige University next morning on her way to Ujjain.

Cheers after long..last we met was at IIM Indore when I worked there..

Nidhi and her mom, above, and she herself, at Prestige University..

Akansh and Prachi came over for a karaoke session.. below, Divya Karani (left) - a media specialist at Dentsu, was the Chief Guest at our IMP inauguration

2023 Year end Musings- 3

 I did an invited program on Case study Teaching at Prestige Institute, Gwalior in July sometime for faculty. Also had a school (Hyderabad Public School) batch get-together in Hyderabad, where around 15 students (all boys- back then it was a Boy's School) turned up, and we had a great time reminiscing about our school days.

Gwalior, faculty at work.. at Prestige University campus.

Below, with Director Nishant Joshi, Tarika Singh and Chanda Gulati of PIMR, Gwalior

Below, glimpses of our batchmates from school.. meet happened at Hyderabad, in July 2023.

We finished school in 1977.

Perceptions of Price

 Just like quality, price is a matter of perception. If anyone asks ÿou a question "Ïs this product/service good value?" It's difficult to answer it right away. Also, my answer may be different from yours.

The reason being that I have a certain value I attach to a product, based on my situation, and my view/attitude towards a product (I am loosely using the term product- could be a service, something you pay for). When hungry, a plate of food has immense value for anyone, but in other situations, each person may determine the value for himself, and be willing to pay (or not pay) a certain price as per his evaluation. Rational as well as intangible features influence this, as does peer influence or other social factors. Apart from affordability, of course.

Determining what is the perception regarding price among a set of consumers is a challenge for marketers. If done right, it leads to a profitable business; if not, may mean you have to tweak the price, or the product/itself to make it desirable or of adequate value.

2023 Year end Musings

 Lots of interesting meetings, engagements and events.. 

Met some family members in Mumbai, Pune and Hyderabad, and did a promotional shoot for Prestige University at CNBC studios in Worli, Mumbai. 

Hyderabad. Nargundkars galore..  with cousins and others

At Ramoji studios, met Bahubali and some other characters like Kattappa.

Pune meets.. above and 3 Siblings, below.

Minus 1..

Plus a few nieces and grand nephews..Mumbai

Chinna styla? CNBC Studios, Worli

2023 Year End Musings - 2

 Ok, in March I got an invite to speak at Calicut Management Association's annual convention. Met a few interesting people, and revisited IIM Calicut, my employer at one time. Spoke about Technology and how it ca change marketing. Made use of CANVA for the first time.

At Calicut.. among friends there, below

Met colleagues from Prestige group at Jalgaon.. Tarika Singh, Amrita Baid and Ashima Joshi. I named them Spice Girls, as the pic was taken at a Spices plant.

Met friends in Bangalore- Rimjhim Verma, above, with Dheeraj. Savitha, and Khao Suey, below..

Shatakshi and Varun, above.

Vandana Kumar, above, and Muthu, below.

Visitor From Argentina

 My first brush with an Argentinian was very pleasant.

Ms. Veronica is an ex-KPMG (Spain) expert in H.R. who came for a guest lecture. Very accomplished, and witty, with a great sense of humour. Glad to have her over at Prestige University. She likes chai, having lived in India now for a few months. She described a drink (Mate?) made from herbs - like Kahwa, that is popular in Argentina.

Chai pe charcha with Ms. Veronica, and Dr. Bibhuti Dash, both visiting faculty, at Prestige University, Indore campus. Arun Bhattacharyya, the Dean, is on the left.

A more formal pic below, with Divya, Ayushi from our staff.

2023 Year end Musings- 1

 There could be more, so I am calling these Part 1 of the year-end musings, 2023.

An eventful year, personally and professionally. A cold January after long, in Indore (I was spoilt by the Bangalore weather earlier), but warmed up nicely with a trip to Ahmedabad, for an event at NIFT, Gandhinagar, where naturally, I met a few fashionable young women and men, in a class too. Mehak and Dhanali being just two- I think they are also readers of this blog since!

The beautiful students at NIFT (above), and Manjari -my IMT student with another NIFT student, below

And reconnected with Manjari Mundanad, and met her family, cutie pie daughter included. Manjari now teaches at Adani Institute. 

Summer, we spent a bit of it promoting our MBA programs, at CNBC studios and elsewhere. Spent a few days at Mumbai, Hyderabad and Pune. 

Met Ananya Nandi De an IMTian with British Telecom now, at her place in NCR. For the first time, though we are connected online. Met and made friends with some IIM Indore doctors-to-be at a couple of outings- a fun bunch to be. Also saw a play , Knives Out, staged by Shweta Kushal, a friend and prof. along with Sohni Roy, a colleague from Prestige. 

Akansh and Prachi visit Prestige University

After the Knives Out play.. with Prachi and Sohni Roy above, and old friend Sanjana (ex-student, IIMI), and Shweta Kushal, prof. who directed the play)

With Sohni, my colleague from P.U., and below, Ananya Nandi De and Rak De in their de-n.

Met Abha in Delhi's Nehru Place.

and Meghana Khadilkar at Pune, for the first time. She's from IMT Nagpur

Some newly minted friends and some old.. all Ph.D. scholars at IIM Indore. A couple have finished their Ph.D. since! 

Tee Shots at Prestige University

 We will expand the team, and grow some grass, but we started off with a tee shot or two. Faculty and staff were the participants.. Prof. Juhee Singh features prominently in these pics.. and looking on is Mr. Dilip Shidhore who made it possible. He looks after the Projects.

I am surveying the Golf course which needs some greening.. will happen.