Losing a Friend

 Did not expect to write this so soon. But then, that's life. I lost another Golfer friend- the second this year. He was a part of the Fabulous Four who toured Kodaikanal with me, and was witness to my first Hole-in-one there, in 2014. Prof. Ravi Gadgil, a genial soul who stayed Single, but was friends with many, passed away on December 5, today at Nagpur. He had worked in B to B Marketing in the U.S. and India, and taught Sales with great aplomb at IMT Nagpur to several batches.

Pics are a great way to remember our good times.

Our first trip out to Kodaikanal

At Centre Point in 2018

Air Force Club, Nagpur- above and below

Alumni Meets

en route Kodikkirai with Vijayakumar

Putting, and posing.. Munnar

A larger group of alumni, Hyderabad. Shuchi Bhatnagar is third from left.

Monopoly Madness - Airline Industry

 If you are a near-monopoly, you care less and less about the customer. The govt. is usually a monopoly, and we know how it 'serves' its customers. But this one is about Indigo, which has reached its nadir with a fiasco so bad, it has nowhere to hide.

For one which micromanages passenger movements and makes them stand in line for 20-25 minutes just to board a flight, to one which cannot estimate its own pilot requirements! What a Fall, as Mark Antony would have said.

Short term solutions are OK, but in the long run, a couple of viable alternatives have to emerge, or else trains will become the preferred mode of moving around.

Also a severe penalty for this nonsensical situation is needed, to compensate for the disruptions in many lives..

The Con Academy

 After hearing about the great success of the Khan Academy, I thought of this brilliant thing - The Con Academy.

It will be the ultimate con job.

It will promise to get you into an IIT, or IIM, or on the Moon if you prefer. Why, even the Sun, for that matter. 

The only exception- it won't find you a match.. we don't want to eat into the business of Dating Apps, as a policy.

All you have to do to achieve your dream is to deposit some money into a numbered account in Switzerland. Once the deposit is confirmed, you will receive detailed instruction on what you have to do to get there.

We will have tie-ups with NASA, Elon Musk for space Odesseys. And tie ups with Maths teachers and ex-IIM faculty (like the Founders) for cracking the JEE/CAT. But they will only offer Q and A on Zoom, after you have studied for 72 hours a week, for 72 weeks.. by the, we hope the Swiss bank account will swell like the Ganges or Bramhaputra in spate, and we will be at some corner of the globe that's difficult to reach.. and gyarah mulkon ki police will not be able to trace us.. nor will the Jamtara scammers.

How's that for a business idea?

The Art of Public Speaking

 I am amazed at how many people find it difficult to speak to a large audience, and don't know it! Maybe I have attended too many seminars, conferences and so forth, and I should stop..

Maybe I sound as boring to those who are forced to listen to me, but maybe not.

I try-

to keep it brief. That is a relief for most :) Most people can't hold an audience for more than 10-12 minutes.

to keep audience level in mind. I must admit I was out of my depth when addressing school students once or twice.

to use everyday stuff like films, or film songs to make it more palatable. 

to talk about the topic/event as far as possible, but use humour or analogy if I can.

to prepare if I have the time to do so, and write points down on a piece of paper, even if I don't look at it.

Not sure I always succeed, but sometimes, I think I do.

Innovation

 Everyone wants innovation, but what is it, actually?

Incremental innovation may involve putting Ginger in your tea.. or Lemongrass. It enhances the flavour of the tea- if you like either.

Or figuring out how to dry your clothes in Winter.. many different ways. Or washing them without a washing machine. I currently do..

Radical/Major innovations may include- Penicillin, Vaccines, the wheel, the printing press, the fan, the computer, the battery, the car, the plane, the ship, and many things before and after. Like the internet and its multiple uses, or the mobile phone and its uses.

Innovations by marketers of many services include misuse of Self-service everywhere- who said innovations are always good? Digital Menus are a case in point.. I mean, how lazy can you get?

Let me know what you think are major innovations you have seen..

Delhi Crime- Web Series

 It's difficult to watch, probably because it is too real for comfort. The Nirbhaya case that rocked the country is the first one to be tackled. 

Of course, there are crimes galore in all parts of the country, including honour killings, dowry deaths and several other kinds. But this web series is made well, and keeps you engaged, with Shefali Shah being outstanding in the role of DCP.

Others in the supporting cast  are good too. But as I said, a difficult watch because of the subject. Maybe that's the test of a series based on real life!

Winters and Summers

 There are winter people and there are summer people. I like the Monsoons.. just kidding. 

Generally, I hate cold weather. Maybe because I spent my early life in Hot Andhra Pradesh (now Telangana), with hardly any winter.

But I now see the bright side of winters (!), having survived horrible weather- humidity in Kolkata and a mix of many things in Delhi. Winter brings solace to tortured souls from those horrible times.. even if some extreme lows test your soul.

The U.S. of course had snowy winters too, but indoors, the heaters took care of it. Only the bills rocketed.

The only road accidents I had in the U.S. were because of ice on the road. One was bad, but we survived! And the car was rented, so it was OK..

Sweating through the Summer is now fairly OK, if it's a dry season.

Shikaar- Film Review

 Stars Dharmendra Asha Parekh, Sanjeev Kumar and Helen. All have strong roles, and an interesting Whodunit with some twists. Rehman as the heroine's Dad also has some meaty scenes. Johnny Walker is good in a supporting role too.

Starts with a killing, and a disappearance within the first few minutes. Then there are good songs like Parde mein rehne do, parda na uthao.. a big rage at the time. Another good song is Main albeli pyar jata kar leleti hoon dil..

Shankar Jaikishan have scored the music, and Atma Ram, Guru Dutt's brother, is the producer/director.

Interesting.. watched it as a tribute to Dharmendra, who died recently.

FICCI Conference in Hyderabad

 Pics from the event about AI in Education- held at Park Hotel, Hyderabad. Education in the AI world was the theme. Some interesting perspectives were presented among others, by MUralidharan, founder of TMI, an IIMA alum. (not in pics)

Who I Met in 2025- July to December

 Again, pics are the best way to look at this..

Ananya above, Anjali below in Delhi

Gang of MSMT, a music group, at a farmhouse

Mehendi, at Prarthana's Engagement, Pune. Her ma-in-law and co sis-in-law Louise at right.

Prarthana and her fiance, in laws

Samarendra Aayushi at JISU

Interfaith Dialogue launch at Austin Tower

Class at Austin tower, above

Cousins meet, below

Bhavna Oza in Pune, and family in Mumbai

Karanjyot and Shrabani, on my birthday, Kolkata

Anupama, IIMB alum and marketing team of IIMB, Kenilworth hotel

OU gang and wives, Hyderabad. 

Repeat of Ananya's pic. 

Who I Met in 2025 - Jan to June

 Pics say it best-

At Delhi, Somewhere.

IMT Nagpur

Kolkata

Goa- above. Indore, below

Mumbai with Swati, and Pune with Venugopal Reddy

Yes We Can

 Cannes Jokes

Agar koi kaan pakadke CANNES le jaye, to kya karna chahiye?

Can-can. It's a dance.

And if you can't?

Leave Cannes and go home.

Are cans banned in Cannes?

Difference between Connaught Place and Cannes?

One can, the other can't.

Malaysian MoU

 We had a visitor from APU Malaysia.. the Dy. Vice Chancellor. Dr. Murali Raman is of Indian origin too, with roots in Kerala and Tamilnadu. It was great listening to him on possible collaborations for research, and exchange of faculty, students etc.

We signed an MoU, between JIS University and APU. 

What Fruits and Vegetables Teach Us

 Maybe we can learn from 

- a Pumpkin how to be well-rounded.

- a Brinjal (eggplant), that Purple can drive away the blues

- a Custard Apple (Seetaphal), that you can be sweet in spite of having Pock marks

- a Bitter Gourd on how to survive and thrive by combining with an onion to drive away your bitterness

- an Orange on how to be sweet and tangy at the same time, just like Life.

Maybe you can add a few more.. 

Film Review- Gustaakh Ishq

 Urdu lovers and those of sensible cinema will like this. A bit slow for those fed on high-decibel fare that runs fast. 

The plot twist comes pretty late, and is a significant one. Found an image of the heroine from the AI feature here. She's done well, but Naseeruddin Shah is the show-stealer, with his character also being the major one moving the story forward, though at its own pace. 

The Urdu dialogues are a highlight. Gulzar and Vishal Bharadwaj have collaborated on the music and lyrics, though the Director is different.

Reasonably good.

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..