Friday, 14 December 2012
Friday, 11 May 2012
onetwothree
Thursday, 19 April 2012
The Nirmal Baba Fiasco
Just before I leave for office, while having breakfast, since I have nothing better to watch, I watch Nirmal Baba ke Samagam to see what effect he has on people. To be true, I have never felt that Baba was trying to “Fool” anyone. If someone has a problem, he suggests some very simple solution and the sufferer thanks Baba for his blessings. In this process, what is happening is that the sufferer now has “something or someone” to have belief on. The sufferer who previously was without any kind of support now feels that now he has someone who is going to stand by him and that someone here is Nirmal Baba. It doesn’t matter whether Baba tells that guy to give 3 chapatis to a black dog or 5 vada-pavs to 7 beggars each! All he is relying is on the assumption that the self belief of the sufferer will strengthen and gradually with positive thinking and positive vibes, things around that sufferer will start improving. So, tomorrow if anyone comes to me and asks for a solution, even I can tell that guy to drink 3 glasses of sugarcane juice for 29 days and then “dheere dheere kripa aani shuru ho jayegi”.
In short, Nirmal Baba is not doing any fraud by giving such simple solutions. All he is doing is trying to help people, but by charging them Rs.2000 per entry. Recently a friend of mine told me so damn true thing “If you are good at something and love doing it, never do it for free”. This is what Nirmal Baba is doing. People trust him and many claim to have got positive result. Good naa? Jhukti hai Duniya, Jhukane wala chaiye. Baba gets his money, the sufferer comes out of his troubles. As long as Baba is paying taxes, he isn’t doing any fraud.
I strongly suspect interests or jealousy of a few people or entities who are just trying to malign that Baba. And what bloody right does Star News have when they only agreed to air his show on their channel for money!
Tuesday, 31 January 2012
Thursday, 22 December 2011
Interview of a Frustrated Indian - part 1
26 nov 11 witnessed the 3 rd anniv of mumbai attacks. I posted a FB status of my frustration about the injustice meted out to the victims and their family members, etc... I thought, who's listening to me? There is so much frustration about many things around me and so I thought of an imaginary interview wherein a reporter interviews a frustrated indian... so, here it goes..
Reporter: Good evening. So, how are you?
Frustrated Indian: Ok. Nothing great about what is going in life or the world around me.
Reporter: Why would you say so?
Frustrated Indian: The other day I had been to Marine Drive in Mumbai and I just kept thinking the lives of the people who died or got injured in the 26/11 attacks. Can you even imagine how shocking it can be to be shot at while you are having a lavish lunch at the Taj or the Oberoi or how startling it is to be waiting for a train at CST station and being shot at even when there is not an iota of your fault? Some guy makes up his mind to kill tens or hundreds of people, shoots at people indiscriminately and doesn't have a fucking remorse for what he did was wrong! Leave the remorse part aside, I wonder why is he even alive! Since last 3 years he has been fed fucking biryani and been given extra protection! Why dammit why? It's not as if he has given us vital data to trace it back to the nation that we know is responsible. He simply keeps on changing his statements! Do you even know how painful it is to lose someone in such an attack!...
Reporter: You lost someone in such attacks?
Frustrated Indian: Not yet, but that day is not far when I might lose someone dear because of the apathy of the system. I and my friends travel in Mumbai locals. There is no guarantee that I or my friends will reach home; let alone reach home one-piece!...evry weekend when I meet my school friends at our regular meeting point, I heave a sigh of relief that we passed one more week not becoming a victim of any attack or unfortunate incident.
Reporter: But, why are you worrying about such IF incidents.
Frustrated Indian: Because every incident is an IF incident, until it happens. And when it happens, it doesn't discriminate on the basis of your religion, caste, money, etc.
Reporter : don't u think you are being too pessimistic?
Frustrated Indian: No. I am being a realistic. It's quite possible that some terrorist has entered the premises of this building where you are interviweing me. We are just chatting and suddenly a bomb might blow and end this interview right away. Do you think that the people who died in the recent Zaveri bazaar blasts had any idea that they would get killed while enjoying an omlette or a tea at a roadside stall!!!
Reporter: so what do u thnk is the solution ?
Frustrated Indian: First of all, torture kasab to the most extreme and make an example out him. Cut him into pieces and throw those pieces in a gutter. Do this on live television. Let any prospective terrorist See what he will have to face if he plans to hurt any indian. Do you think any bloody kasab can enter israel and attempt such an attack? If god gives me a chance to be reborn, I would like be born as an Israeli. At least I would know that my country will not tolerate any attack on my brethren! Seriously, Israeli military ghar pe jaake marenge saale terrorists ko! I so much wish we had that attitude in india. Bahut hua gandhigiri. Please. Its only when a family member of a person at a high level gets killed in such attack, will some action be taken. Just as an extreme example- if rahul gandhi would have been killed in 26/11, do you think the course of action against terrorism would have been the same? NO. We indians don't mind as long problems don't happen to us or our dear ones.
Secondly, increase the surveillance in every nook and corner in the city, suburbs. Have 24 hr cameras that will capture any untoward incidents; be it terrorist attacks, rapes, molestations, robbery,etc. For every such incidents there will be proof. Half of the times action cannot be taken because we are not able to explain the police about what,how,when the incident happened.
Thirdly, make the punishments for breaking any law extreme. In this country no one is afraid of law! We cross red lights at signal saying "pandu pakdega to de dunga rs.500. Kya karega wo aur". Are b€¥¤¥¥£d, make it an unbailable offense and see if us offender ki himmat hoti hai signal todneki". Or other example is of rapes or molestations. Bloody fuck why can't you give death penalties ?? How is a life time punishment going to compensate for that girl's dignity and her faith in any male around ? The worst example I can think of is of that nurse Aruna. Her molestor is free from jail. But Aruna is still in a bad state. Uski life to waste ho gayi naa?????
I think we better end the interview here only. I am not in a right state to think objectively. I am laden with emotions right now.
Reporter: any last words for readers?
Frustrated Indian: No. I don't have any explicit message for my brethren. This whole discussion should be enough the fire in them and do something for this country. Thank you for letting out my frustrations. Bye.
Thursday, 24 November 2011
My 2nd book - LOSER!!!
My 2nd book - "Life Of a Software EngineeR" is going to be released in Jan 2012...!!! :)...
*About the book*: This book depicts the software world in a funny, sarcastic and witty way which will surely project the apparently real picture of the software world without actually hurting anyone's feelings. And there are N number of tips on how to fool your bosses, what to do in meetings and presentations, how to garner good ratings in appraisals, what to say and not to say on the last day of job, myths and truths of the software world, difference between an Onsite guy and an Offshore guy, etc.! This book is going to be like the Murphy's law for the IT world... :-)
*About the Publisher*: The book is going to be published by FingerPrint Press - an imprint of Prakash books, Delhi... They have been in the market since last 50 years and so have a very good reach in the market.
*Website*: www.aboutloser.com
*Facebook page*: http://www.facebook.com/
I would request you to go to and follow the above mentioned website and FB page!!!
Sunday, 10 April 2011
First anniversary of my book “In Their Shoes…”
Dear all,
It gives me immense pleasure to say that my first book “In Their Shoes…” has completed one year in the bookdom! The last one year has made me feel many emotions such as anger and frustration, pride, happiness, sadness,etc. and I have learnt a lot in life. This blog is to share those thoughts. A business analyst that I am, I would like to categorise my thoughts as per the emotions….
Pride: Till date since 11th april 2010, not even a single day has passed when I haven’t felt that I have done something in life that I would never have thought as a child. It gives me immense sense of pride when I say “yes, I am an author”. Please don’t misconstrue my statement as arrogance. I can’t tell you how proud I feel of myself when I imagine what pride would have gleamed on my dad’s face, were he alive! Today is one more day when I miss my dad because if he were alive he would have told all his friends and colleagues “did you read “In Their Shoes..” or not?... arey, go read it…my son has written it…”
Happiness: Happiness is related to pride and so the above sentences are also applicable to this point. A year or 2 back, I would have never thought that I would ever receive a letter from the governor of Maharashtra stating that he liked my book. Getting testimonials from Mickey Mehta (the fitness guru), CEO of Naukri.com, Dainik jagran, Navbharat times, Loksatta, Maharashtra Times, Amar Ujuala, Afternoon Despatch and Courier, etc. would be something that I would have never thought of! But, it was the Shoes that made it possible for me. Needless to say, that happiness that I feel everyday is because of Shoes!!!..
Anger and frustration: Promoting a book is as tough as promoting a film! It doesn’t matter how well you write unless you let the readers know that “boss, this is a good book. Read it!” Getting testimonials from the biggies was a very difficult task! I must have called the governor’s office some 30-40 times before I got that letter of appreciation. Sending my book to the top most newspapers was also very difficult. Its so damn difficult to reach the right person! I had tried to get a testimonial from one very famous politician from Mumbai. I must have called atleast and literally 25-30 times to his office! To no avail! Everytime I used to call his office, his assistant’s assistant used to say “call at 1.00…call after 4.00…call after 9.00…” I was so damn frustrated that I gave up! I said to myself that my book would be good even without his testimonial!...
All in all, last one year has taught me many things! I just hope that with the new publisher, I will see the kind of success that I feel my book deserve! Keeping fingers crossed!