NG is an acronym for ‘Next Generation’ also called ‘New Generation’ at times.  This term is now being frequently used by manufacturers of various equipment right from aircraft to commercial appliances and sometimes even to leisure articles and clothing.  NG signifies that the product is the result of the latest technology and with high efficiency levels, durability and eco-friendly as its primary characteristics.  Much may actually be advertising jargon, but there would some substantial advancement from their respective predecessors which then, get relegated to being renamed as ‘Classics’

The same applies to us humans.  Through generations, there has been a significant change in human lifestyle, behaviour, ideologies, habits, physical attributes and so on.  Each newer generation being more ‘advanced’ or ‘forward’ than the previous.  Charles Darwin propagated a similar theory which was called ‘Evolution’.

Having witnessed the youth of today from close quarters there are so many changes evident as compared to my own times.  Today the accent is more on living a lifestyle that defies nature!  Boys and Girls tend to live more at night and rest during the day!  Dependence on the computer and the internet is akin to food and water. A day without these would seem life threatening. Mobile phones are as important to be on oneself, as would an asthmatic cling on to the nebulizer!!

Gone are the times when physical activity, field sports, hiking, trekking and similar relations with terra firma were part of our daily lives leading to a regulated and healthy lifestyle.  Todays NG likes everything virtual and instant!  I wouldnt be surprised when simple household communication would use SMS and email as its medium!!!  Even pubs and bars see the youth consuming alcohol through syringes straight into their mouths and rushing to the dance floor, rather than enjoying a beer amidst conversation in a relaxed atmosphere which was during my times!!!

I recall the family getting together every evening for the TV programmes, News and then having dinner discussing current topics and plans for the next day. However now, its once again independent individual schedules, with the house being used as a transit station.  The family car was singular and a treasured possession with a holiday outing binding the family in relaxation and enjoyment.  Today each of the individuals need their own transport to cater to their own programs with their respective preferred companions.

Seeing such radical changes in human tendencies makes me feel, at times, proud to be a ‘Classic’!!!

Although I have been travelling considerably over the years due to professional commitments, last week there was a different trip to be undertaken. After attending to business in Bangkok, Thailand…I flew down to Chennai for a few days break and then for an incredible drive…from Chennai to Pune…..non-stop!!!

As my temple is nearing completion at Talegaon on the outskirts of Pune….it was about time that I got the idol, the related paraphernalia and other divine objects from their origin…..which was actually Mahabalipuram; to their final destination which was the temple near Pune.

Driving in India can be monotonous, horrifying, eventful, painful, tough and tiring to say the least; but this was a drive with a difference!!  Starting in the early hours of one fine Tuesday morning we left Chennai and found our way thanks to the GPS to the expressway to Hosur. Quite pleasant was this phase as the early morning traffic out of the city was not too bad.  I was pleasantly surprised at the good condition of the road and the three lane expressway was a pleasure in the morning sun!

After a brief stopover for coffee on the outskirts of Hosur, we got ourselves tangled into the maze which is also called the city of Bengalooru!!!!!  Tragic with chaotic traffic….construction sites and even a herd of buffaloes slowing our pace.  It took a good hour and a half to get past the city and onto National Highway 4 which was our trunk route to the destination.  Again the GPS technology came to our rescue otherwise it would have been a near disaster!!

Heading North West, with the sun blazing down the drive was long and at times boring!!!! The body started showing signs of stiffness as we passed one city after another stopping only for refuelling the vehicle and draining unwanted fluids from within!!!  Karnataka is a big state and this was evident during the course of my sojourn. 

Thunderstorms greeted us near Belgaum and slowed proceedings considerably.  Kolhapur which is the first city on the Maharashtra side of the border arrived at 7.00 pm and it was tempting to make a halt for the night.  However with the sign board indicating that destination was 230 kms away….it felt that a little more endurance was affordable and so the drive continued.

Its been a while since I drove on a busy highway in the dark and the encounter with blinding headlights of heavy vehicles was a test on my ageing retina.  maneuvering amongst trailers, trucks, tankers and other transports was a skill test like never before.

We reached Pune just nearing midnight and when I pulled in to our hotel….there was a feeling of relief and accomplishment…..tiredness was to surface a while later as we sat for a well earned drink and a meal of hot  curried rice the only dish available at that hour!!!!

I had driven 18 hours non stop…..and over 1600 kms……the vehicle was new and had responded well and proved its quality assurance……it was a truly amazing and unusual trip….but then….I had God with me!!!!

On May Day today…..the flag carrier is facing turbulent times.  Much of this situation has been created by the powers that be for their own selfish interests.  Being an ex Air Indian myself…..it pains to see a company disintegrate itself, at times when the air travel industry is on an upswing.

As I write this, Air India pilots, or to be more specific, pilots of the erstwhile Indian Airlines, now merged into Air India, are once again on the warpath against what they call a corrupt and inept management that is destroying Air India at  the behest of private carriers, specifically Indigo and Kingfisher. The media has gone on a frenzy asking questions, fed to them by PR of competing airlines, on whether  Air India should even exist. At this juncture, I would like to take a contrarian position and lend a voice of support to the pilots and staff of the national carrier who are waging a battle for survival against corporate raiders.

At the outset, let me say that It is quite fashionable to bash Air India, and the figures certainly don’t look good for them. Saddled with a debt of over 40,000 crores, badly handled merger adding to the losses and staff who can’t seem to pull together even years after the 2 national carriers were merged. Financial loss in 2009-2010 alone was around 5500 crores: the worst in its 80 year old history. But how did it end up this way? And is it right to blame the pilots for demanding answers from the management and the politicians? Time to add a little perspective here!

Rewind back to 2004:  Air India was clearly struggling on international routes thanks to a sub-optimal fleet of 747’s and A310’s that hadn’t been renewed in decades because a minister sat on the files. Their soft-product was above board, it was the hard product, the hardware that was holding it back. Add to that, the indiscriminate opening up of routes to Middle-eastern carriers like Emirates which not only took away Air India passengers on the routes to Dubai, but also undercut  Air India on flights  to Europe.

The domestic carrier, Indian Airlines did relatively better. After floundering for a while, it managed to find its feet under the leadership of Sunil Arora who effected a fantastic turnaround.

Perhaps they did a little too well for the liking of the politically well connected owners of the then floundering private carriers. Because from 2004, one saw a systematic attempt being made to cut the wings of the national carriers to benefit the private carriers. Since the private carriers were not flying international at the time, their primary target back then was that thorn in their flesh: Indian Airlines.

One of the most startling policy decisions, and one that has certainly contributed to the mammoth hole that the national carrier finds itself in, was the decision to merge the 2 carriers Air India and Indian Airlines: the argument given was that this would allow an entry into the Star Alliance which it was promised would be the silver bullet to end all of the national carriers problems. No explanation was given on why the Star Alliance alone was chosen of all the options out there. Why not Skyteam? Or OneWorld?

One explanation given for the ill-gotten merger makes the most sense: and is the most disturbing. Most bilaterals signed between India and other countries have specific clauses limiting the access to bilateral to 2 carriers on each side.

 Indian Airlines and Air India were two very different airlines: with different work cultures, and different approaches to operations and route structures. The airlines did not merge out of their choice: this was a choice forced from above by a minister hand in glove with private carriers.

And the result is out there for everyone to see: Before the merger in 2007, Indian Airlines had a net loss of 280 crores and was on the verge of coming out into full profitability, having already stabilized operational profits on over 90% of its route network. The other airline, Air India, had a loss of around 400 crores: this meant a combined loss of around 680 crores, with the situation rapidly improving for both. Within three years of the merger however, the losses of the combined carrier have increased to 16000 crores, mainly on account of debt servicing of loans taken to pay for a fleet that they didn’t ask for: which is another can of worms altogether.

And as we speak, the pilots of Kingfisher are being called in to deal with the pilots strike at Air India! Truly the theatre of the absurd!

I sincerely hope that there will be a solution that will not only save the company from a lock out…..but also preventing the demise of the Maharaja!!!!!

We all strive to be successful in our lives.  Not only success is graded by materialistic gains….but for many it could be professional, spiritual, academic, and so on.  Success in some form, tends to underline achievement in the respective fields.

To be successful is the ultimate dream and vision of all.  However the ways and means to achieve one’s goals often has more than one paths…..it is how one progresses on those paths that actually characterises the eventual goal that one achieves.

I had never been a strong academic during my school and college days. Studies were just a part of going through the motions, because they were mandatory to qualify for the different milestones that I had to overcome in getting the required certifications from the system.  Being in a public school it was more important to develop associated skills rather than only looking at a blackboard! However  certain subjects did catch my fascination and physics happened to be one of them…..little realising at that time that the fundamentals I picked up at school were going to remain a part of my life forever.

College was more fun as the adulthood beckoned with a wide spectrum of non-scholastic attractions.  Its a phase everyone goes through, but for some less fortunate, parental influence do not allow any diversions.  I was very fortunate to have understanding and non-interfering folks!!  I do not recall attending too many lectures and remember bribing my way through the practical and laboratory tests because they were required to pass.

Following the herd as it was typical those days…..signed up for a Dental Course…..without even knowing the suitability of the profession to my personal taste.  It was as expected a disaster.  Having to face a cadaver reeking of formaldehyde was just not up my alley!!!!  Give up says me, and its back to the drawing board again!!!!   Failure was predicted by one and all and those who knew me well werent even bothered to counsel…..simply dwelling on the fact that I had missed the bus!!!

My fascination for aircraft from my childhood allowed me to take a shot at aircraft maintenance…..a relatively unknown profession those days.  Working with hands, greased up, taking tips from the mechanics and finding theory in self study books got me all revved up just as the engine would purr during take off!!!

Several jobs, years and licences later…..it was a likeable struggle to make my way up the ladder in this fast paced and technology driven industry!!!  Success was the proverbial light at the end of a long tunnel!!!!!

Today after 37 years in the profession…..having seen it all, and continuing…..I still wonder if I have actually been successful?????

With the onset of summer comes the requirement of the replenishment of fluids in one’s body at regular intervals and so there is a need to explore the options that are easily available.  I was pleasantly surprised to note the variety that’s now become available to the average consumer……Kiwi, Cranberry with umpteen combinations, carrot, plum, melon, passion fruit,  all kinds of exotic names that were part of story books are now ready for consumption at the stores……

It also signifies how health conscious the mandate is now and its a great sign for mankind.  The common man is well equipped with the knowledge as to how he can maintain his ‘ph’ levels and prevent the onset of dehydration!!  Simply fantastic.  One wishes that such valuable tips continue to pour in from the easily accessible tools like the internet. Great stuff.

Have had a desire to construct a temple in India for my favourite deity….Lord Ganesha or the ‘Elephant God’ and now its a reality.  On a plot of land in the industrial belt of Talegaon near Pune…..the construction is going on in full swing. Completion is slated for the month of June with the installation of the diety on the 26th!!!!  It is so exciting to be able to turn my dream…..vision…..finally into reality with the Lords blessings!!!   

 This is how it is going to look……

Under Construction at the site……

Devotion increases abilities……………

God Bless!!

It is great to be back here again.  I do apologize for my prolonged absence from this site. Various contributory factors played their hand at keeping me away.  Now that the shackles have been broken free…..its nice to be back.

Was using the shorter version of the medium of expression called the ‘twitter’ and that probably was much easier to operate than spending more time on the computer to write my thoughts in greater detail.

With loads of events happening since I was here last, the world has certainly moved on as expected. However each day shall continue to bring in all the surprises, and this is exactly what life is all about!!!

India’s Cricket World Cup Victory was a great achievement…..Anna Hazare’s crusade against corruption was welcomed by all…..Japan’s devastating Tsunami created havoc and destruction that was truly unprecedented….changes in the regimes of Egypt, Tunisia and the uprisings in Libya, Yemen , Syria, Bahrain and Oman have sent a wake up call to the entire MENA region….following Obama’s classic quote that Change was inevitable!!!! 

However for lesser mortals…..life must go on…..and so the struggles and monotony of daily routines flourish as the calendar continues to turn a new page each day.

On this bright , sunny, Easter Sunday……I would like to resurrect my passion to write about what I think…feel and see around me in my roller coaster ride on this planet.

A thought for the departed soul of the Satya Sai baba of Puttaparthy who touched the lives of many and contributed in his own way to provide relief to mankind.

A Birthday wish for the legendary Sachin Tendulkar who continues to grow younger with every passing day on the cricket field!  He was indeed born only to play cricket!!!

Once more …wishing all a Happy Easter……take care and stay blessed!

Amen

These are called paraprosdokian sentences,two-part phrases in which the latter part is unexpected and gives the first part a whole new meaning.

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I asked God for a bike, but I know God doesn’t work that way. So I stole a bike and asked for forgiveness.

Do not argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.

I want to die peacefully in my sleep, like my grandfather.. Not screaming and yelling like the passengers in his car.

Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.

The last thing I want to do is hurt you. But it’s still on the list.

Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.

If I agreed with you, we’d both be wrong.

We never really grow up, we only learn how to act in public.

War does not determine who is right – only who is left.

Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

Politicians and diapers have one thing in common. They should both be changed regularly, and for the same reason.

The early bird might get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.

Evening news is where they begin with ‘Good evening’, and then proceed to tell you why it isn’t.

To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism. To steal from many is research.

If God is watching us, the least we can do is be entertaining.

A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops. On my desk, I have a work station.

If you think nobody cares if you’re alive, try missing a couple of payments.

How is it one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire?

Some people are like Slinkies … not really good for anything, but you can’t help smiling when you see one tumble down the stairs.

Dolphins are so smart that within a few weeks of captivity, they can train people to stand on the very edge of the pool and throw them fish?

I thought I wanted a career; turns out I just wanted pay checks.

A bank is a place that will lend you money, if you can prove that you don’t need it.

Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night..

I didn’t say it was your fault, I said I was blaming you.

Why does someone believe you when you say there are four billion stars, but check when you say the paint is wet?

Why do Americans choose from just two people to run for president and 50 for Miss America ?

Behind every successful man is his woman. Behind the fall of a successful man is usually another woman.

A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.

You do not need a parachute to skydive. You only need a parachute to skydive twice.

The voices in my head may not be real, but they have some good ideas!

Always borrow money from a pessimist. He won’t expect it back.

Hospitality: making your guests feel like they’re at home, even if you wish they were.

Money can’t buy happiness, but it sure makes misery easier to live with.

I discovered I scream the same way whether I’m about to be devoured by a great white shark or if a piece of seaweed touches my foot.

Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine.

Due to the advent of the Holy month of Ramadhan, this part of the world has revised work timings to give some relief to those keeping the ‘Roza’ during the heat of the summer.  Due to this I have the opportunity to leave office earlier than normal and so attempt to pursue the activities that will give some diversion to the mind and body to recharge my batteries.

While one day, I took time to watch some recent movies like “Once Upon a Time in Mumbai” and “Lalbaug Parel”; which brought back memories of the old Bombay!!!!; yesterday I took time to watch some live cricket. Although the Indian Team carries the ever heavy burden of expectation from the millions of fans back home and abroad, I found that the transformation of the attitude of players to this ‘Gentleman’s Game’ is quite unruly to say the least.  Talent and achievements alone cannot dictate players to have such an attitude.  There have been far greater stalwarts of this fine game , who displayed fierce competitiveness on field, but were true gentlemen in their conduct on and off the arena.  Unfortunately the good old days have gone!!!

Commercialisation could have been a major contributor in this change of behaviour of todays sports persons.  People these days care a lot more for their benefits than the art itself……to an extent that arrogance takes over. Its a real shame that when opportunities were few and far between, players were a lot more responsible and dedicated; compared to todays lot whose playing calendar and gaining calendar are almost equal!!!!

Its just not cricket anymore!!!!!

Finally as I had tweeted today……I decided that I should not shy away from my blog come what may!!!!  Although hectic travel schedules force me to stay away from my computer and keep only responding to emails on the berry………I have now firmed up the will to write regularly more so to keep the mind refreshed and away from the mundane activities involving excessive work!

The last two months have been really productive for business but at a sizeable cost to my personal lifestyle and behavioural pattern.  It was a time where all the awaken hours were spent focussed only at the various projects at hand……giving little opportunity for anything else.  Much to my own dislike, it was inevitable and the fear of losing momentum was so stark that it just did not help!

Now with the turbulence conquered and the plane back in comfortable cruise, I realised that businesses can be run in may ways and with contrasting styles and justification. Read an article on a recent flight which preached, in a lighter vein, the commercial attitude of various countries to basic business ethics.  Expanded the same with a few on my own perceptions………may not be factual to the core, but surely outlines certain basic instincts which I have had the pleasure of experiencing during my recent transactions.

Economic Models explained with cows!!

With the FIFA World Cup coming to an end ……the Vuvuzelas will be silenced!!!  What next?   The further escapades of Paul????? Maybe…..in another field where he could contribute to the bookies’ coffers.

Was going through a lot of unread mail…….and came up with a ‘gem’ that I just couldnt resist posting here……have a relaxed weekend!

The Family Loop

Many, many years ago
When I was twenty three,
I got married to a widow,
Pretty as could be.

This widow had a grown-up daughter
With flowing hair of red.
My father fell in love with her,
And soon the two were wed.

This made my dad my son-in-law
And changed my very life.
Now my daughter was my mother,
For she was my father’s wife.

To complicate the matters worse,
Although it brought me joy.
I soon became the father
Of a bouncing baby boy.

My little baby then became
A brother-in-law to dad.
And so became my uncle,
Though it made me very sad.

For if he was my uncle,
Then that also made him brother
To the widow’s grown-up-daughter
Who, of course, was my step-mother.

Father’s wife then had a son,
Who kept them on the run.
And he became my grandson,
For he was my daughter’s son.

My wife is now my mother’s mother
And it makes me blue.
Because, although she is my wife,
She’s my grandma too.

If my wife is my grandmother,
Then I am her grandchild.
And every time I think of it,
It simply drives me wild.

For now I have become
The strangest case you ever saw.
As the husband of my grandmother,
I am my own grandpa!

Thought mathematical expressions could be unpredictable…………….!!!!

Cheers.