….that could well be the harbinger for the entire 21st century belonging to India. From Taj Mahal to Chicken Tikka Masala, everything Indian sells now and is fast becoming global icons with dismantling of economic and travel barriers around the globe.
It was not long back in 1999 when the world predicted a doom because of a Y2K bug and India lapped the opportunity to assert it’s dominance in software and eliminated the threat. On the dawn of the 21st century, everything worked as usual; power plant kept on working, banks were not paralyzed and the mass transportation system didn’t blink it’s eye during the cutover.
India arrived at the international scene and there was no looking back. While China might count more achievement in it’s quest for supremacy, it is no denying that being world’s largest democracy, desire to break the shackle of poverty, mass adoption of English, mastery of mathematics and a populous but having more young people, India is fast catching up on China. The entrepreneurial base that is getting built in India will slowly overshadow the small business revolution that made USA the world’s wealthiest nation. It’s no surprise that there are three Indian in the Forbe’s latest list of world's 100 wealthiest people.
The backlash against outsourcing remains a very real threat, intensifying amid 10% unemployment in the US. But outsourcing - and the idea that companies must operate cheaply, efficiently, globally - has come to be an accepted, inescapable reality. The anti outsourcing lobby in US while crying hoarse over the job getting lost to countries like India has not even open it’s eye to understand that India while serving the IT needs in US can also buy the products coming out of US. Once the ever increasing and dreaded population growth in India has now turned into world’s youngest population and a mad race by giant corporations to exploit the growth. Every multinational US corporations has made India almost their second home to lap up the needs of a fledgling middle class and to be present to serve probably the biggest market the world has ever seen.
I was talking to my Dad the other day and was pleasantly surprise to hear from him that young boys and girls must pursue what they dream and not blindly follow the path of choosing some career for sake of others, if one is not interested. When people in their 60’s and 70’s are changing their views and adapting to the new order, a burgeoning young population is just waiting to explode to embrace change. This was just unthinkable even in late 80’s. The pace at which the thinking has changed in India really amazes me.
It was aptly summarized in WSJ in US that “What will distinguish India in the decade that begins Friday is its ability to now look inward, to clean its government, to uplift more of its population, to foster the businesses and innovations ... and make their success of the last 10 years the norm across regions and industries. That might just clinch more than the next decade - it could well pave the way for an Indian century”,
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Perpetuating the Poverty of Developing Countries
This seems to be the line of thought during the recent climate change meeting in Copenhegan. Otherwise, how else can the developed world including US ask countries like China and India to commit to emission cuts that puts disproportionate burden on developing countries?
The stakes for the Copenhagen summit have been building up over the last few weeks, but with China declaring a voluntary deduction in carbon intensity by 40-45% by 2020, the pressure on reluctant players like the US to act and commit just got higher. The Chinese move to voluntarily reduce its carbon intensity days ahead of the summit in Denmark has large implications. One, it will be difficult for developed countries like the US and Obama’s Congress to oppose commitments to reduce greenhouse gases.
China and India have often been cited as examples of countries that are unwilling to play their part in addressing these global concerns. Second, China has made it clear that it would go ahead with reductions in carbon intensity only on its own terms as per the requirements of its economic needs. This will come as a major boost to India as it echoes New Delhi’s stated position on carbon emissions.
Close on the heels of China, India has announced its decision to set a target of cutting down its carbon intensity by 20-25%, domestically. This is achievable even with a GDP growth of 8-9% with the application of right technologies and fiscal measures that encourage energy efficiency. The crucial differentiator in the stand taken by China and India is that of setting an individual target that is not bound by an international or external cap.
While India with its 1 billion plus population is rising to break the shackles of poverty, the developed world cannot take the excuse of climate change to perpetually keep Nation like India remain poor. It is so easy to see how lavishly people in countries like US are contributing to global warming. In stark comparison, 60% of Indian population still lives in villages with hardly the scope to add any meaningful contribution to climate change
Majority of India is still not integrated with the world economy. The lifestyle is so simple that almost all life sustaining task are still done with simple and green means. More than 80% of the Indian population still don’t use toilet papers and prefer water thus saving millions of tree each year. More than 60% of Indian lives their life without using much of electricity and gasoline powered automobiles. The public transport in India vastly reduces our contribution to global warming. Our eating habits are far simpler than the energy hugging food habits of the western world. Till almost 15 years back we had hardly use plastic bags to carry groceries. Even today the majority of population living in villages barely uses any plastic for day to day living.
Lifestyles in these developed countries still remain largely unchanged as the wealthy continue to live in large villas, drive around in gas-guzzling SUVs and use energy-intensive equipment for daily household chores. India may be the world’s sixth-biggest greenhouse gas producer, but it has a per-head emission of just 2 tonnes of carbon dioxide — 66th in the world — whereas US is the fifth in the world with a per-head emission of 20 tonnes of carbon dioxide-equivalent. This is precisely 10 times that of India, which is expected to have the same caps on emissions as developed countries like the US. This is totally against the principle of ‘differentiated responsibility’.
India with its aspiration to bring its population out of poverty has in fact seen a decline in carbon intensity over the last decade. It is probably one of the few countries in the world that has seen the reverse trend with development. The solar mission, national water mission, sustainable habitat mission and urban transport mission are among the basket of programs that the government and India Inc are working on to meet some of its carbon-intensity reduction targets. More importantly, India has made it clear that it is not ready to subject itself to international verification. The targets set by the country will be in accordance to its resources and social and economic priorities.
We need to continue on the path of sustained development without mimicking the habits of Industrialized Nations and yes, voluntary make effort to curb emissions and take other voluntary steps to minimize our contribution to global warming. This cannot be dictated by the Western world. Climate change cannot be addressed by perpetuating the poverty of the developing countries.
The stakes for the Copenhagen summit have been building up over the last few weeks, but with China declaring a voluntary deduction in carbon intensity by 40-45% by 2020, the pressure on reluctant players like the US to act and commit just got higher. The Chinese move to voluntarily reduce its carbon intensity days ahead of the summit in Denmark has large implications. One, it will be difficult for developed countries like the US and Obama’s Congress to oppose commitments to reduce greenhouse gases.
China and India have often been cited as examples of countries that are unwilling to play their part in addressing these global concerns. Second, China has made it clear that it would go ahead with reductions in carbon intensity only on its own terms as per the requirements of its economic needs. This will come as a major boost to India as it echoes New Delhi’s stated position on carbon emissions.
Close on the heels of China, India has announced its decision to set a target of cutting down its carbon intensity by 20-25%, domestically. This is achievable even with a GDP growth of 8-9% with the application of right technologies and fiscal measures that encourage energy efficiency. The crucial differentiator in the stand taken by China and India is that of setting an individual target that is not bound by an international or external cap.
While India with its 1 billion plus population is rising to break the shackles of poverty, the developed world cannot take the excuse of climate change to perpetually keep Nation like India remain poor. It is so easy to see how lavishly people in countries like US are contributing to global warming. In stark comparison, 60% of Indian population still lives in villages with hardly the scope to add any meaningful contribution to climate change
Majority of India is still not integrated with the world economy. The lifestyle is so simple that almost all life sustaining task are still done with simple and green means. More than 80% of the Indian population still don’t use toilet papers and prefer water thus saving millions of tree each year. More than 60% of Indian lives their life without using much of electricity and gasoline powered automobiles. The public transport in India vastly reduces our contribution to global warming. Our eating habits are far simpler than the energy hugging food habits of the western world. Till almost 15 years back we had hardly use plastic bags to carry groceries. Even today the majority of population living in villages barely uses any plastic for day to day living.
Lifestyles in these developed countries still remain largely unchanged as the wealthy continue to live in large villas, drive around in gas-guzzling SUVs and use energy-intensive equipment for daily household chores. India may be the world’s sixth-biggest greenhouse gas producer, but it has a per-head emission of just 2 tonnes of carbon dioxide — 66th in the world — whereas US is the fifth in the world with a per-head emission of 20 tonnes of carbon dioxide-equivalent. This is precisely 10 times that of India, which is expected to have the same caps on emissions as developed countries like the US. This is totally against the principle of ‘differentiated responsibility’.
India with its aspiration to bring its population out of poverty has in fact seen a decline in carbon intensity over the last decade. It is probably one of the few countries in the world that has seen the reverse trend with development. The solar mission, national water mission, sustainable habitat mission and urban transport mission are among the basket of programs that the government and India Inc are working on to meet some of its carbon-intensity reduction targets. More importantly, India has made it clear that it is not ready to subject itself to international verification. The targets set by the country will be in accordance to its resources and social and economic priorities.
We need to continue on the path of sustained development without mimicking the habits of Industrialized Nations and yes, voluntary make effort to curb emissions and take other voluntary steps to minimize our contribution to global warming. This cannot be dictated by the Western world. Climate change cannot be addressed by perpetuating the poverty of the developing countries.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Camry XLE V6 & 838
This is the name of the new car that I bought today and 838 is my credit score that I found while buying this vehicle. After searching and surfing the internet I finally decided to buy the car today from Walnut Creek Toyota. I find this Camry totally amazing. The model that I bought is top of the tine for Camry and has most of the luxurious feature that you can expect at a Toyota price.
I bought it from Dave Holts (my daughter says he looks very similar to Santa Claus)), the intenet sales manager with the Walnut Creek Toyota. He gave me the first quote and sticked to it till the end. I must agree that I tried looking for this car at most of the bay area dealer but none could match or beat the price from Dave. I only wished that Dave would have given me the break up of final price he shared with me a day before earlier. But guess that’s how the car sales is done.
Since I was looking for a black colored camry and Dave said he does n’t have one, I got a little disappointed (...talk about emotion for a color. Crazy!) At the end I reached out to Sunnyvale Toyota (came to know that they are the only ones who has black color Camry in bay area) to see if they could give me the black colored car for the same price as was offered by Dave. Unlike others, John from Sunnyvale Toyota came close to the price offered by Dave of Walnut creek but still was almost $300 off. I offered him to pay $100 more over the price of Dave for Black color but it seems John underestimated my resolve to buy at the lowest price I could find. He thought that since he was the only dealer in Bay area that has black color in stock, I would relent and buy from him paying $300 more over the price offered by Dave. I am glad that I sticked to my price quoted from Dave and rejected the lure of buying Black colored Camry from John for $300 more and ended up saving an overall $500 including taxes etc. You put your bet on the wrong guy, John.
Just a couple of quick word about Dave. He looks to me a quintessential cars sales man. He was not too warm and over polite but seemed a balanced guy. He seems to know his trade well and looks quite experienced. He also answered to one of my questions that this was his 5th car sales this month (a car a day – good for him). If I need to buy another car then I think I will give Dave the first right of refusal as I still would be wedded to someone who gives me the lowest price. Overall I remain very satisfied with my experience with Dave. Additionally, I would like to suggest that Walnut Creek Toyota keep some things that helps to keep the kids engaged, otherwise the entire car buying process except the brief spin in the car before buying is quite boring for them. While I was there with my wife and my younger daughter, I saw quite a few kids in the showroom.
I also found out while finalizing the Toyota financing option that I have a credit score of 838. I couldn’t be happier. Moreover, white color Camry looks stunningly beautiful. Everything about this car so far has been amazing.
Hope this car remains with me for ever free of any accidents.
My Experience in Car Buying
1. Always finalize your car before you start to ask for quotes – This will help you to keep focused
2. Internet is amazing place to shortlist your car
3. Visit a couple of dealers to get the sense of the car you want to buy and get a quote from the dealers
4. Never commit to any dealer in your first visit.
5. Find out the invoice price of the car including all the options that you want. Never buy any car for MSRP listed on the window in the lot.
6. Arrive at your price based on your due diligence and then sent out request through site such as Edmunds and Car direct to get quote from various dealers. You can put all the cost together in an excel sheet that is available as a free download from Car Buying Tips. You will be amazed to find out how dealers extract double profit (charging the customers for a few things that they get reimbursed from the manufacturer)
7. Try to buy the car as close to your final price as possible
8. Make sure that you go to the dealer only when you have a firm price and you have arranged for the finance.
9. Take advantage of the internet to ensure that you finalize the price as much as possible without even stepping into a car showroom.
10. Try to find at the dealer if there are any other better financing available than the one you have taken – take advantage if you are offered one but ensure that the financing option that you chose has no pre-payment penalty
11. Always remain polite and courteous to your sales person and other people in the dealership. Courtesy pays and has no cost.
I will be more than happy to share with you in more detail if you want to utilize my personal car buying experience to help you find a good price for your new car.
I bought it from Dave Holts (my daughter says he looks very similar to Santa Claus)), the intenet sales manager with the Walnut Creek Toyota. He gave me the first quote and sticked to it till the end. I must agree that I tried looking for this car at most of the bay area dealer but none could match or beat the price from Dave. I only wished that Dave would have given me the break up of final price he shared with me a day before earlier. But guess that’s how the car sales is done.
Since I was looking for a black colored camry and Dave said he does n’t have one, I got a little disappointed (...talk about emotion for a color. Crazy!) At the end I reached out to Sunnyvale Toyota (came to know that they are the only ones who has black color Camry in bay area) to see if they could give me the black colored car for the same price as was offered by Dave. Unlike others, John from Sunnyvale Toyota came close to the price offered by Dave of Walnut creek but still was almost $300 off. I offered him to pay $100 more over the price of Dave for Black color but it seems John underestimated my resolve to buy at the lowest price I could find. He thought that since he was the only dealer in Bay area that has black color in stock, I would relent and buy from him paying $300 more over the price offered by Dave. I am glad that I sticked to my price quoted from Dave and rejected the lure of buying Black colored Camry from John for $300 more and ended up saving an overall $500 including taxes etc. You put your bet on the wrong guy, John.
Just a couple of quick word about Dave. He looks to me a quintessential cars sales man. He was not too warm and over polite but seemed a balanced guy. He seems to know his trade well and looks quite experienced. He also answered to one of my questions that this was his 5th car sales this month (a car a day – good for him). If I need to buy another car then I think I will give Dave the first right of refusal as I still would be wedded to someone who gives me the lowest price. Overall I remain very satisfied with my experience with Dave. Additionally, I would like to suggest that Walnut Creek Toyota keep some things that helps to keep the kids engaged, otherwise the entire car buying process except the brief spin in the car before buying is quite boring for them. While I was there with my wife and my younger daughter, I saw quite a few kids in the showroom.
I also found out while finalizing the Toyota financing option that I have a credit score of 838. I couldn’t be happier. Moreover, white color Camry looks stunningly beautiful. Everything about this car so far has been amazing.
Hope this car remains with me for ever free of any accidents.
My Experience in Car Buying
1. Always finalize your car before you start to ask for quotes – This will help you to keep focused
2. Internet is amazing place to shortlist your car
3. Visit a couple of dealers to get the sense of the car you want to buy and get a quote from the dealers
4. Never commit to any dealer in your first visit.
5. Find out the invoice price of the car including all the options that you want. Never buy any car for MSRP listed on the window in the lot.
6. Arrive at your price based on your due diligence and then sent out request through site such as Edmunds and Car direct to get quote from various dealers. You can put all the cost together in an excel sheet that is available as a free download from Car Buying Tips. You will be amazed to find out how dealers extract double profit (charging the customers for a few things that they get reimbursed from the manufacturer)
7. Try to buy the car as close to your final price as possible
8. Make sure that you go to the dealer only when you have a firm price and you have arranged for the finance.
9. Take advantage of the internet to ensure that you finalize the price as much as possible without even stepping into a car showroom.
10. Try to find at the dealer if there are any other better financing available than the one you have taken – take advantage if you are offered one but ensure that the financing option that you chose has no pre-payment penalty
11. Always remain polite and courteous to your sales person and other people in the dealership. Courtesy pays and has no cost.
I will be more than happy to share with you in more detail if you want to utilize my personal car buying experience to help you find a good price for your new car.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Meaning of Birthdays
Just thinking today what birthday means to me. I have been struggling with this thought for the last several years. There are lots of ideas that keep cropping up but to be honest, I have not been able to implement any one of these with commitment. I always wanted to do something on my birthday that returns my gratitude to the larger society of what I received. Looks high sounding words but I have been very fortunate to live the life that I am living and remain every grateful to Almighty to give me so much more than millions of other people.
If you have any suggestion, please do let me know and if your suggestion catches my imagination then I will dedicate all my future Birthday work to you. Here are some random thoughts that keep crossing my mind
1. Volunteer
a. To spend some time with people who have no one by their side during their last days.
b. To teach students the concepts in Maths and eliminate the fear of mathematics.
2. Sponsor
a. some needs of the family of soldiers who die in non combat role.
b. some needs of the families who have lost their earning member in senseless violence like terrorism.
3. Adopt
a. A few children who have been abused and help them to regain their confidence to become productive member of society.
If you have any suggestion, please do let me know and if your suggestion catches my imagination then I will dedicate all my future Birthday work to you. Here are some random thoughts that keep crossing my mind
1. Volunteer
a. To spend some time with people who have no one by their side during their last days.
b. To teach students the concepts in Maths and eliminate the fear of mathematics.
2. Sponsor
a. some needs of the family of soldiers who die in non combat role.
b. some needs of the families who have lost their earning member in senseless violence like terrorism.
3. Adopt
a. A few children who have been abused and help them to regain their confidence to become productive member of society.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
26/11
It has been close to one year of the dreaded terrorist attack in Mumbai. In addition to more than 5 dozen life getting lost, billions in property damage and India coming to standstill for almost one full day, India also lost the life of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan from NSG. One of the members in Major Unnikrishnan’s team lost one eye and will gradually lose the other eye as well. One another person in that team is still carrying a piece of shrapnel in his head.
I recently read that the prosecution has given a list of 230 eye witness to the defense lawyer for cross examination. I am not sure why we are working on a long trial for Kasab and even asking Pakistan to do something. Kasab and his friends butchered ordinary folks with a smile on their face.
I am sure the intelligence agencies have extracted all the important information long back and any further delay in executing Kasab is making him a hero for the so called jihadis. It’s befitting to the fallen men and women that we hang Kasab without any further delay from the tallest building in India so that the entire world knows that even in world biggest democracy, justice can be swift and appropriate. This is not revenge but a message to those who still want to cast an evil eye towards India.
My heart goes out to each and every fallen men and women because of this senseless act. I am sure it would be heart breaking if someone chronicles the life of families who lost their near and dear ones last year during 26/11. While the Govt. of India has taken some preventive measures like stationing NSG commandos at all the four metros for a faster and effective response a lot more visionary policies are desired to keep our borders and our citizens safe.
I sincerely hope that no Indians ever forget this barbaric act. I wish each one of us keep our own vigil to make India safer for its entire citizen.
I recently read that the prosecution has given a list of 230 eye witness to the defense lawyer for cross examination. I am not sure why we are working on a long trial for Kasab and even asking Pakistan to do something. Kasab and his friends butchered ordinary folks with a smile on their face.
I am sure the intelligence agencies have extracted all the important information long back and any further delay in executing Kasab is making him a hero for the so called jihadis. It’s befitting to the fallen men and women that we hang Kasab without any further delay from the tallest building in India so that the entire world knows that even in world biggest democracy, justice can be swift and appropriate. This is not revenge but a message to those who still want to cast an evil eye towards India.
My heart goes out to each and every fallen men and women because of this senseless act. I am sure it would be heart breaking if someone chronicles the life of families who lost their near and dear ones last year during 26/11. While the Govt. of India has taken some preventive measures like stationing NSG commandos at all the four metros for a faster and effective response a lot more visionary policies are desired to keep our borders and our citizens safe.
I sincerely hope that no Indians ever forget this barbaric act. I wish each one of us keep our own vigil to make India safer for its entire citizen.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Case # 60000425006
This is a running chronology of my experience dealing with my insurance company, AMICA for settling an accident claim that happened on Nov 10th 2009. Over the last 5-6 years, I have assumed a very good impression of AMICA service but I would like to test this assumption to fire and see how well this assumption withstand a real life test.
Dec 3rd
1. I received the cheque of $216 in the mail as promised.
2. I hope to buy the car this weekend
Dec 2nd
1. I am not expecting anything today. I believe the cheque for $216 will come tomorrow
Dec 1st
1. AMICA rep called me and informed me that they have added additional $216.00 towards the value of my car. She informed that they have agreed to value my car at my suggested price of $4950 and then deducted $824 towards the previous damage and finally added $216 towards the less mileage that my car had.
2. I still believe that I was given as additional amount because of less transparent way to determine the price / mile driven less compared to similar other vehicles.
2. My calculation was entirely different following a different logic. I proposed $4950 as my car valuation minus $500 as my deductible. I wanted to get $4400 whereas AMICA finally paid me $4200.
3. I decided to take this offer as I saw some genuiness on part of AMICA rep to help me get a better offer than initially offered
4. My AMICA rep told me that the cheque of $216 will be sent to me by tomorrow.
5. She also agreed to extend my rental car through Dec 7th by when I thought I will be able to buy the new car.
Nov 30th
1. My AMICA rep called me today after receiving in the email that I decided to dispute the price. I had one strong reason to dispute - AMICA paid me 1.5 cents/mile for a total of around 43000 miles that they thought I drove less than a typical 10 years old car. It seems a typical 10 year old car in Fremont is driven around 137,000 miles whereas my car was driven only 94800 miles.
2. I asked for the rationale that they applied in arriving at 1.5 cents / mile for driving less. AMICA rep told me that it was based on an average of around 250 cars for the make and model fo my car. This sounds quite illogical to me as a sample of 250 cars from a pool of let's say a million car is statistically insignificant.
3. I also wanted to find the Median and Mode price in addition to the average. Average can give a very skewed value at times.
4. My AMICA rep finally told me that she will get this reviewed by someone else and get back to me the next day.
5. I am quite confident that the price that AMICA attaches to the mileage that is driven less compared to others is very subjective. People must contest this part in case you land up in my situation.
Nov 26th – Nov 29th
1. It is Thanksgiving day and long weekend ahea. I am trying to finalize my new car which is another tiring process.
2. I have also read the documents sent by AMICA rep carefully and am convinced that a lower valuation has been applied. I have sent an email to the AMICA rep suggesting to increase the valuation to $4950 which I think is fair and reasonable.
3. I have sent another email to AMICA rep asking her to allow me to re-rent a car for next 10 days during which I am certain I will get a new vehicle.
Nov 25th
1. Someone from a company called COPART (not sure if I spell this correct), a partner of AMICA came around 11:00 AM to pick up the car.
2. For sure this was heart aching as I was keeping the car for my daughter to drive when she becomes eligible. Having emotions and attachment to a non living thing was quite strange but we had lot of family memories with this car and that was making it very painful to part ways. Who says you cannot get attached to a non living object?
Nov 24th
1. I returned the rental car today to save some money for AMICA because the schools for my kids are closed this week for Thanksgiving. I have the second car and I can somehow manage with one car
2. I intend to again rent the car starting next Monday because I have not yet got the approval for my auto loan from NWF credit Union. Not sure if I can get any approval this week because of the upcoming Thanksgiving holidays.
Nov 23rd
1. AMICA rep called me up in the morning. I had sent her yesterday night my decision to sell off the car
2. She asked me to reove all my personal belonging from the car. We also agreed that COVAD, AMICA towing partner will come and pick up the car on Tuesday, Nov. 24th.
3. To my surprise, she told me that I can only get $3910 and some change for selling the damaged vechile. If you see I had earlier noted in point # 5 in my Nov 19th dispatch that the increase of $382 will be applied to both the options. However, the AMICA rep today denied that she ever comitted to such thing and gave me an explanation as to why she added $382 to only the option of owner retained vechile. This is where this whole things goes in a kind of "you said / me said". My whole objective of writing this experienc in my blog was to accurately capture the discussions so that we don't have any confusion at the end. I know it's difficult to fight an insurance company but I stick to my opinion that I was told that $383 would be added for both the options and that is what I noted in my dispatch of Nov 19th.
4. I have asked $4950 as the fair market valuation of my car. AMICA rep asked me documentation that shows the fair market price is $4950. I have very little resources to actually do that. The resources that AMICA has at its disposal is no match to my KBB.com listings. The AMICA rep also disputed my logic that a delaer serviced vechile commands more value. I argued back that if you go to a delaer trade-in and if you cannot show upto date maintenance record then the dealer will actually deduct some amount from your price. Why can't then AMICA honor my reasoning that a delaer serviced vechile needs a better price and AMICA has not even factored that in their pricing calculation.
5. I have a day to get back to AMICA with whatever document I can arrange to support my claim for a valuation of $4950. I don't think I will ever be able to come up with a supporting document but then a average consumer will ever be at disdvantage with the Insurance company. I would certainly contest this unfair valuation of my car where dealer serviced vechile have no advantage over others. Why then anyone needs to go to delar for servicing their vechile and keep it in top shape?
Nov 21st & Nov 22nd
1. This is weekend and I assume no one in AMICA will work and hence I will send my decision on Sunday night
Nov 20th :
1. I received the email about the car valuation and other related documents today in my email. I have gone through the document and I would like to contest the valuation for a TOTAL loss. It seems I need to get a reasonable valuation and not just based out on any statistics. AMICA claims to arrive at my car value based on a database that adds some 30,000 cars information annualy. How will you justify that I have religiously got the car serviced at Toyota Dealer at the recommended interval. How will you monetize such things and has AMICA considered such aspects. I doubt!
2. I intend to respond to the settlement offer on Monday.
Nov 19th :
1. AMICA representative called me in the morning and told me that she is increasing the value of the car by approximate $387. I don't know why she did that but was certainly helpful for me. I feel that my car should be valued around $4800. We will discuss this later
2. The AMICA partner who was supposed to deliver my damaged car called and told me that they will deliver the car in the evening.
3. The car was delivered in the evening and parked in my driveway as per the promise.
4. AMICA representative called up my wife at home in my absence and said that she is sending a cheque for approx. $3200 next day.
5. When I spoke to the AMICA rep; she clarified that she is sending that amount knowing that keeping the car was my first preference. I got her committed to say that in case I would go ahead and accept the loss as "TOTAL" then I will be paid approx $1000 more as promised earlier. she said - yes!However, I didn't expect AMICA to send me a cheque until I decide.
6. AMICA rep also asked me to call her back on Nov 25th if I intend to continue with my renatl car. Sounds a bit strange to me as I am entitled to keep the renatl car for 30 days. However, I chose to ignore this question for the time being.
7. So far so good..I have my damaged car in my drive way, I am getting around $3200 in my mail considering if I chose to keep the damaged car and have an option of getting additional $1000 in case I decide to sell the car back to AMICA for a "TOTAL" loss
Nov 18th :
1. AMICA rep, my adjuster from Amica called me around 3:30 PM. I was driving back from work and hence requested her if I can give her a call back within half an hour. AMICA rep told me that she will call it a day at 5:00 PM and hence suggested I should call her back ASAP.
2. I called her back at 4:30 PM as I have to meet someone else in between and apologized for calling a bit late.
3. AMICA rep shared with me that in case I give the car back to AMICA as part of the total loss then I will get around $3900 and some change. In case I would like to keep the car then I will be paid $2800 and some change. She also gave me the option of taking some more time to think about it and then decide.
4. I requested AMICA rep to allow me to take my car back home from the Pan American Collision Center so that the repair shop don’t end up charging for any storage fee as they got me to sign a bunch of papers while dropping off the car. I expected that AMICA rep may not allow me to take my car back to my home but to my surprise she said yes, I can take my car back.
5. After around 5 minutes of my previous call, I again got a call back from AMICA rep suggesting that I cannot take the car back home because the repair shop is citing some liability reasons and saying that the car is not drivable
6. I expected some push back from the repair shop. It was doing all it can to keep my car in their garage and then either charge me or the insurance company some storage fee for doing nothing but still making money or pressurize me to get the repair done in their facilities should I chose not to “Total” my car. This thought is just my assumption but I need some solid proof to refute my assumptions. Meanwhile, I suggest my readers to ensure that they keep their damaged car at their own house and go to garage only when you decide to salvage your car. This way you may avoid some pressure tactics from the repair shop and you will be freer to arrive at the right conclusion.
7. I told AMICA rep that I know the exact damage of my car and consider it perfectly safe to drive the car back whatever the repair shop may say. It’s very funny how in capitalist economy the repair shop is trying to exercise some right in the name of liability. While for everything else in America, you are liable for your action if you are an adult then why can’t I take my car back home when in fact I have driven it to the repair shop in the first place. The Insurance company should take a note of this and the readers should also decide appropriately, in case they get into any similar situation.
8. AMICA rep was nice enough to give me another option to get my car pick up from the repair shop and then deliver it our home. She also said that I will not get charged for this. In fact she also gave me the option to pick the car back from my home if I decide to “Total” the car and once again will not charge me. While I think I have some towing provision in my insurance coverage (and readers should keep this provision in their coverage) but I still give some credit to AMICA rep for arranging this alternate option.
9. AMICA rep asked me to call the repair shop back and give them my approval to help AMICA pick up my car and then deliver it to our house.
10. I gladly complied and called Pan American Collision and gave my approval for AMICA to pick up the car. Daniel from the Pan America Collision took my Driver’s license and then said that he will release the car tomorrow to AMICA.
11. I now have to decide between two options of whether I take the money from Insurance for the TOTAL loss or claim the vehicle as Salvage.
12. I have a week or so to decide. Meanwhile, I extended my rental car today for another 4-5 days. AMICA rep also confirmed to me that even if I remain under my overall limit of $900/month, AMICA will not allow me to keep the renatl car for more than 30 days. This sounds a bad policy to me or AMICA must guarantee the settlement within a given number of days for consumer like me to decide whether to buy a new car or an used car and also actually implement it within 30 days of taking the rental option after the accident.
13. I am waiting for some documents that AMICA rep promised me to send that gives an indication of how the valuation was done based on which I need to pick between the two options.
Nov 17th:
1. Called the adjuster, AMICA rep in the morning but could only leave a voice message
2. Called yet again the adjuster, AMICA rep in the afternoon but again could only leave a voice message
3. Finally got a call back from the adjuster but did not hear any regret of not returning my earlier calls; my image of Amica took the first beating
4. AMICA rep told me that the cost of repair is higher than the value of the vechile
5. She promised me to get back the next day with options for me to consider
Nov 16th:
1. Tried Calling the adjuster, AMICA rep but instead could only leave a voice message
2. She did not return my call
Nov 15th & Nov 14th
1. Being weekend, assumed that there would be no progress
Nov 13th:
1. Logged into my online Amica Account to see any progress
2. Found the claim has been opened and some elementary information included
3. My case assigned to an adjuster. For the sake of privacy of the adjuster, I will refer to her as AMICA rep
Nov 12th :
1. No progress; I didn’t get any call back from Amica
Nov 11th :
1. Took the damaged car to Pan American Collision per Amica’s recommendation
2. Left the car with Pan American Collision after getting the repair estimate
3. The repair estimate is $3886.16 that includes my $500 as deductible payment
4. Picked a rental car, Wrangler Jeep for the next one week
5. The rental car is being billed directly to Amica as I had a policy of getting a replacement vehicle for $900/month restricted to $30/day.
Nov 10th :
1. Accident Happened
2. Reported to Amica, my auto and home insurer for last 6 years
3. Got a case number 60000425006 that I assume will stay with me till the resolution of this claim
4. Got the option to either take the car for a repair estimate to a repair center of my choice or what Amica recommends
Dec 3rd
1. I received the cheque of $216 in the mail as promised.
2. I hope to buy the car this weekend
Dec 2nd
1. I am not expecting anything today. I believe the cheque for $216 will come tomorrow
Dec 1st
1. AMICA rep called me and informed me that they have added additional $216.00 towards the value of my car. She informed that they have agreed to value my car at my suggested price of $4950 and then deducted $824 towards the previous damage and finally added $216 towards the less mileage that my car had.
2. I still believe that I was given as additional amount because of less transparent way to determine the price / mile driven less compared to similar other vehicles.
2. My calculation was entirely different following a different logic. I proposed $4950 as my car valuation minus $500 as my deductible. I wanted to get $4400 whereas AMICA finally paid me $4200.
3. I decided to take this offer as I saw some genuiness on part of AMICA rep to help me get a better offer than initially offered
4. My AMICA rep told me that the cheque of $216 will be sent to me by tomorrow.
5. She also agreed to extend my rental car through Dec 7th by when I thought I will be able to buy the new car.
Nov 30th
1. My AMICA rep called me today after receiving in the email that I decided to dispute the price. I had one strong reason to dispute - AMICA paid me 1.5 cents/mile for a total of around 43000 miles that they thought I drove less than a typical 10 years old car. It seems a typical 10 year old car in Fremont is driven around 137,000 miles whereas my car was driven only 94800 miles.
2. I asked for the rationale that they applied in arriving at 1.5 cents / mile for driving less. AMICA rep told me that it was based on an average of around 250 cars for the make and model fo my car. This sounds quite illogical to me as a sample of 250 cars from a pool of let's say a million car is statistically insignificant.
3. I also wanted to find the Median and Mode price in addition to the average. Average can give a very skewed value at times.
4. My AMICA rep finally told me that she will get this reviewed by someone else and get back to me the next day.
5. I am quite confident that the price that AMICA attaches to the mileage that is driven less compared to others is very subjective. People must contest this part in case you land up in my situation.
Nov 26th – Nov 29th
1. It is Thanksgiving day and long weekend ahea. I am trying to finalize my new car which is another tiring process.
2. I have also read the documents sent by AMICA rep carefully and am convinced that a lower valuation has been applied. I have sent an email to the AMICA rep suggesting to increase the valuation to $4950 which I think is fair and reasonable.
3. I have sent another email to AMICA rep asking her to allow me to re-rent a car for next 10 days during which I am certain I will get a new vehicle.
Nov 25th
1. Someone from a company called COPART (not sure if I spell this correct), a partner of AMICA came around 11:00 AM to pick up the car.
2. For sure this was heart aching as I was keeping the car for my daughter to drive when she becomes eligible. Having emotions and attachment to a non living thing was quite strange but we had lot of family memories with this car and that was making it very painful to part ways. Who says you cannot get attached to a non living object?
Nov 24th
1. I returned the rental car today to save some money for AMICA because the schools for my kids are closed this week for Thanksgiving. I have the second car and I can somehow manage with one car
2. I intend to again rent the car starting next Monday because I have not yet got the approval for my auto loan from NWF credit Union. Not sure if I can get any approval this week because of the upcoming Thanksgiving holidays.
Nov 23rd
1. AMICA rep called me up in the morning. I had sent her yesterday night my decision to sell off the car
2. She asked me to reove all my personal belonging from the car. We also agreed that COVAD, AMICA towing partner will come and pick up the car on Tuesday, Nov. 24th.
3. To my surprise, she told me that I can only get $3910 and some change for selling the damaged vechile. If you see I had earlier noted in point # 5 in my Nov 19th dispatch that the increase of $382 will be applied to both the options. However, the AMICA rep today denied that she ever comitted to such thing and gave me an explanation as to why she added $382 to only the option of owner retained vechile. This is where this whole things goes in a kind of "you said / me said". My whole objective of writing this experienc in my blog was to accurately capture the discussions so that we don't have any confusion at the end. I know it's difficult to fight an insurance company but I stick to my opinion that I was told that $383 would be added for both the options and that is what I noted in my dispatch of Nov 19th.
4. I have asked $4950 as the fair market valuation of my car. AMICA rep asked me documentation that shows the fair market price is $4950. I have very little resources to actually do that. The resources that AMICA has at its disposal is no match to my KBB.com listings. The AMICA rep also disputed my logic that a delaer serviced vechile commands more value. I argued back that if you go to a delaer trade-in and if you cannot show upto date maintenance record then the dealer will actually deduct some amount from your price. Why can't then AMICA honor my reasoning that a delaer serviced vechile needs a better price and AMICA has not even factored that in their pricing calculation.
5. I have a day to get back to AMICA with whatever document I can arrange to support my claim for a valuation of $4950. I don't think I will ever be able to come up with a supporting document but then a average consumer will ever be at disdvantage with the Insurance company. I would certainly contest this unfair valuation of my car where dealer serviced vechile have no advantage over others. Why then anyone needs to go to delar for servicing their vechile and keep it in top shape?
Nov 21st & Nov 22nd
1. This is weekend and I assume no one in AMICA will work and hence I will send my decision on Sunday night
Nov 20th :
1. I received the email about the car valuation and other related documents today in my email. I have gone through the document and I would like to contest the valuation for a TOTAL loss. It seems I need to get a reasonable valuation and not just based out on any statistics. AMICA claims to arrive at my car value based on a database that adds some 30,000 cars information annualy. How will you justify that I have religiously got the car serviced at Toyota Dealer at the recommended interval. How will you monetize such things and has AMICA considered such aspects. I doubt!
2. I intend to respond to the settlement offer on Monday.
Nov 19th :
1. AMICA representative called me in the morning and told me that she is increasing the value of the car by approximate $387. I don't know why she did that but was certainly helpful for me. I feel that my car should be valued around $4800. We will discuss this later
2. The AMICA partner who was supposed to deliver my damaged car called and told me that they will deliver the car in the evening.
3. The car was delivered in the evening and parked in my driveway as per the promise.
4. AMICA representative called up my wife at home in my absence and said that she is sending a cheque for approx. $3200 next day.
5. When I spoke to the AMICA rep; she clarified that she is sending that amount knowing that keeping the car was my first preference. I got her committed to say that in case I would go ahead and accept the loss as "TOTAL" then I will be paid approx $1000 more as promised earlier. she said - yes!However, I didn't expect AMICA to send me a cheque until I decide.
6. AMICA rep also asked me to call her back on Nov 25th if I intend to continue with my renatl car. Sounds a bit strange to me as I am entitled to keep the renatl car for 30 days. However, I chose to ignore this question for the time being.
7. So far so good..I have my damaged car in my drive way, I am getting around $3200 in my mail considering if I chose to keep the damaged car and have an option of getting additional $1000 in case I decide to sell the car back to AMICA for a "TOTAL" loss
Nov 18th :
1. AMICA rep, my adjuster from Amica called me around 3:30 PM. I was driving back from work and hence requested her if I can give her a call back within half an hour. AMICA rep told me that she will call it a day at 5:00 PM and hence suggested I should call her back ASAP.
2. I called her back at 4:30 PM as I have to meet someone else in between and apologized for calling a bit late.
3. AMICA rep shared with me that in case I give the car back to AMICA as part of the total loss then I will get around $3900 and some change. In case I would like to keep the car then I will be paid $2800 and some change. She also gave me the option of taking some more time to think about it and then decide.
4. I requested AMICA rep to allow me to take my car back home from the Pan American Collision Center so that the repair shop don’t end up charging for any storage fee as they got me to sign a bunch of papers while dropping off the car. I expected that AMICA rep may not allow me to take my car back to my home but to my surprise she said yes, I can take my car back.
5. After around 5 minutes of my previous call, I again got a call back from AMICA rep suggesting that I cannot take the car back home because the repair shop is citing some liability reasons and saying that the car is not drivable
6. I expected some push back from the repair shop. It was doing all it can to keep my car in their garage and then either charge me or the insurance company some storage fee for doing nothing but still making money or pressurize me to get the repair done in their facilities should I chose not to “Total” my car. This thought is just my assumption but I need some solid proof to refute my assumptions. Meanwhile, I suggest my readers to ensure that they keep their damaged car at their own house and go to garage only when you decide to salvage your car. This way you may avoid some pressure tactics from the repair shop and you will be freer to arrive at the right conclusion.
7. I told AMICA rep that I know the exact damage of my car and consider it perfectly safe to drive the car back whatever the repair shop may say. It’s very funny how in capitalist economy the repair shop is trying to exercise some right in the name of liability. While for everything else in America, you are liable for your action if you are an adult then why can’t I take my car back home when in fact I have driven it to the repair shop in the first place. The Insurance company should take a note of this and the readers should also decide appropriately, in case they get into any similar situation.
8. AMICA rep was nice enough to give me another option to get my car pick up from the repair shop and then deliver it our home. She also said that I will not get charged for this. In fact she also gave me the option to pick the car back from my home if I decide to “Total” the car and once again will not charge me. While I think I have some towing provision in my insurance coverage (and readers should keep this provision in their coverage) but I still give some credit to AMICA rep for arranging this alternate option.
9. AMICA rep asked me to call the repair shop back and give them my approval to help AMICA pick up my car and then deliver it to our house.
10. I gladly complied and called Pan American Collision and gave my approval for AMICA to pick up the car. Daniel from the Pan America Collision took my Driver’s license and then said that he will release the car tomorrow to AMICA.
11. I now have to decide between two options of whether I take the money from Insurance for the TOTAL loss or claim the vehicle as Salvage.
12. I have a week or so to decide. Meanwhile, I extended my rental car today for another 4-5 days. AMICA rep also confirmed to me that even if I remain under my overall limit of $900/month, AMICA will not allow me to keep the renatl car for more than 30 days. This sounds a bad policy to me or AMICA must guarantee the settlement within a given number of days for consumer like me to decide whether to buy a new car or an used car and also actually implement it within 30 days of taking the rental option after the accident.
13. I am waiting for some documents that AMICA rep promised me to send that gives an indication of how the valuation was done based on which I need to pick between the two options.
Nov 17th:
1. Called the adjuster, AMICA rep in the morning but could only leave a voice message
2. Called yet again the adjuster, AMICA rep in the afternoon but again could only leave a voice message
3. Finally got a call back from the adjuster but did not hear any regret of not returning my earlier calls; my image of Amica took the first beating
4. AMICA rep told me that the cost of repair is higher than the value of the vechile
5. She promised me to get back the next day with options for me to consider
Nov 16th:
1. Tried Calling the adjuster, AMICA rep but instead could only leave a voice message
2. She did not return my call
Nov 15th & Nov 14th
1. Being weekend, assumed that there would be no progress
Nov 13th:
1. Logged into my online Amica Account to see any progress
2. Found the claim has been opened and some elementary information included
3. My case assigned to an adjuster. For the sake of privacy of the adjuster, I will refer to her as AMICA rep
Nov 12th :
1. No progress; I didn’t get any call back from Amica
Nov 11th :
1. Took the damaged car to Pan American Collision per Amica’s recommendation
2. Left the car with Pan American Collision after getting the repair estimate
3. The repair estimate is $3886.16 that includes my $500 as deductible payment
4. Picked a rental car, Wrangler Jeep for the next one week
5. The rental car is being billed directly to Amica as I had a policy of getting a replacement vehicle for $900/month restricted to $30/day.
Nov 10th :
1. Accident Happened
2. Reported to Amica, my auto and home insurer for last 6 years
3. Got a case number 60000425006 that I assume will stay with me till the resolution of this claim
4. Got the option to either take the car for a repair estimate to a repair center of my choice or what Amica recommends
Monday, November 16, 2009
Mumbai is for all Indians
…..someone might be out of their mind to dispute the title of this article, and that’s what precisely, the ageing, rusty, moron and idiot Balasaheb Thackrey did when he threw barbs at Sachin Tendulkar on his comment for “Mumbai is for all Indian”.
Such insane political thoughts like Mumbai & Maharashtra is only for Maharastrian is to corner increasingly depleting vote banks of still illiterate, poor and emotional Indians living in Maharastra. What Thackrey is doing is to gain attention to somehow still make their presence felt.
As a nation matures, increasingly, the politicians are the focus of clean-up and that’s what is currently happening in India. The voter’s is getting educated, the percentage of literacy is climbing every year. The jungle raj of such insensitive politicians is giving way to reasonable leadership with the rise of young and educated politicians. It’s no wonder that stupid like the Thackrey’s in order to still consider themselves a force to reckon with manages to get the guts to proliferate anti-Indian sentiments allowing for regionalism.
However, their days of divisive politics are increasingly numbered. There is a proverb in Hindi that says “Vinash Kale Viprit Buddhi”. It means that during bad times the mind takes wrong action. That is precisely what Thackrey has done in the last decade trying to divide the people of India in the name of regional politics. Thackrey don’t understand that India of 21st century has moved way ahead of his feudal mentality..
These people who promotes regionalism at the cost of national unity are sick and need to be treated. The rule of the land must act and rein in such jokers. They should be told in no uncertain terms that raising any regional sentiments that has an impact on the unity of our country will be dealt with iron hand and crushed, if required.
No Indian is greater than India and no place in India is inaccessible to any Indians.
Such insane political thoughts like Mumbai & Maharashtra is only for Maharastrian is to corner increasingly depleting vote banks of still illiterate, poor and emotional Indians living in Maharastra. What Thackrey is doing is to gain attention to somehow still make their presence felt.
As a nation matures, increasingly, the politicians are the focus of clean-up and that’s what is currently happening in India. The voter’s is getting educated, the percentage of literacy is climbing every year. The jungle raj of such insensitive politicians is giving way to reasonable leadership with the rise of young and educated politicians. It’s no wonder that stupid like the Thackrey’s in order to still consider themselves a force to reckon with manages to get the guts to proliferate anti-Indian sentiments allowing for regionalism.
However, their days of divisive politics are increasingly numbered. There is a proverb in Hindi that says “Vinash Kale Viprit Buddhi”. It means that during bad times the mind takes wrong action. That is precisely what Thackrey has done in the last decade trying to divide the people of India in the name of regional politics. Thackrey don’t understand that India of 21st century has moved way ahead of his feudal mentality..
These people who promotes regionalism at the cost of national unity are sick and need to be treated. The rule of the land must act and rein in such jokers. They should be told in no uncertain terms that raising any regional sentiments that has an impact on the unity of our country will be dealt with iron hand and crushed, if required.
No Indian is greater than India and no place in India is inaccessible to any Indians.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
I met with an accident
…and I can’t believe that it happened because of my fault. I always thought myself as a superior driver and never imagined that I can rear end someone after driving for almost 25-26 years without any incident. However, while I was waiting at a body parts repair shop getting the estimate of my damage; I read an interesting article that says that 70% of US drivers consider themselves superior than others. No wonder, I was thinking myself as one of them.
I was driving very slow, may be less than 15 miles an hour on Mission Blvd in Fremont just ahead of Warm Springs Blvd intersection and was trying to merge to my left lane. Since there was too many cars coming from behind in quick succession I kept going in my lane assuming the car in front of me has already moved. That’s when I rear ended the vehicle in front of me.
It was so idiotic accident that I felt both ashamed and embarrassed. There were too may cars around me all hardly moving and here I was – slamming some one else from behind. Once I realized that I indeed caused an accident, I and the driver ahead both turned into an adjacent parking lot. I gave the other driver my license and insurance information and apologized to her. Her name was Rebecca and she lives in San Ramon. She smilingly asked to me “What Happened” giving a puzzled but smiling look. I again apologized to her and told her that for a moment I got lost in my thought and didn’t realize that she has not moved. She seemed to be a nice Chinese lady. She took it sportingly. I could harldy see the impact of the accident on her car but my car just crumpled on the right side.
After taking Rebecca’s address and other important information I started again back to office. That’s when the feeling of accident started sinking in and I became a bit nervous while driving again. Finally, after reaching office I called my insurance company, AMICA and gave them the run down of what happened. They advised me to go to their referred body shop while also giving me the option of going to any other place f my choice for repairs. The representative was very courteous and helpful. She answered all my questions patiently.
Morale of the Story: However, a good driver you might consider yourself, please don’t take your eye-off the road while driving. In addition, please pay special attention on road that you frequently drive as the mind has the tendency to relax on known roads.
I was driving very slow, may be less than 15 miles an hour on Mission Blvd in Fremont just ahead of Warm Springs Blvd intersection and was trying to merge to my left lane. Since there was too many cars coming from behind in quick succession I kept going in my lane assuming the car in front of me has already moved. That’s when I rear ended the vehicle in front of me.
It was so idiotic accident that I felt both ashamed and embarrassed. There were too may cars around me all hardly moving and here I was – slamming some one else from behind. Once I realized that I indeed caused an accident, I and the driver ahead both turned into an adjacent parking lot. I gave the other driver my license and insurance information and apologized to her. Her name was Rebecca and she lives in San Ramon. She smilingly asked to me “What Happened” giving a puzzled but smiling look. I again apologized to her and told her that for a moment I got lost in my thought and didn’t realize that she has not moved. She seemed to be a nice Chinese lady. She took it sportingly. I could harldy see the impact of the accident on her car but my car just crumpled on the right side.
After taking Rebecca’s address and other important information I started again back to office. That’s when the feeling of accident started sinking in and I became a bit nervous while driving again. Finally, after reaching office I called my insurance company, AMICA and gave them the run down of what happened. They advised me to go to their referred body shop while also giving me the option of going to any other place f my choice for repairs. The representative was very courteous and helpful. She answered all my questions patiently.
Morale of the Story: However, a good driver you might consider yourself, please don’t take your eye-off the road while driving. In addition, please pay special attention on road that you frequently drive as the mind has the tendency to relax on known roads.
I met with an accident
…and I can’t believe that it happened because of my fault. I always thought myself as a superior driver and never imagined that I can rear end someone after driving for almost 25-26 years without any incident. However, while I was waiting at a body parts repair shop getting the estimate of my damage; I read an interesting article that says that 70% of US drivers consider themselves superior than others. No wonder, I was thinking myself as one of them.
I was driving very slow, may be less than 15 miles an hour on Mission Blvd in Fremont just ahead of Warm Springs Blvd intersection and was trying to merge to my left lane. Since there was too many cars coming from behind in quick succession I kept going in my lane assuming the car in front of me has already moved. That’s when I rear ended the vehicle in front of me.
It was so idiotic accident that I felt both ashamed and embarrassed. There were too may cars around me all hardly moving and here I was – slamming some one else from behind. Once I realized that I indeed caused an accident, I and the driver ahead both turned into an adjacent parking lot. I gave the other driver my license and insurance information and apologized to her. Her name was Rebecca and she lives in San Ramon. She smilingly asked to me “What Happened” giving a puzzled but smiling look. I again apologized to her and told her that for a moment I got lost in my thought and didn’t realize that she has not moved. She seemed to be a nice Chinese lady. She took it sportingly. I could harldy see the impact of the accident on her car but my car just crumpled on the right side.
After taking Rebecca’s address and other important information I started again back to office. That’s when the feeling of accident started sinking in and I became a bit nervous while driving again. Finally, after reaching office I called my insurance company, AMICA and gave them the run down of what happened. They advised me to go to their referred body shop while also giving me the option of going to any other place f my choice for repairs. The representative was very courteous and helpful. She answered all my questions patiently.
Morale of the Story: However, a good driver you might consider yourself, please don’t take your eye-off the road while driving. In addition, please pay special attention on road that you frequently drive as the mind has the tendency to relax on known roads.
I was driving very slow, may be less than 15 miles an hour on Mission Blvd in Fremont just ahead of Warm Springs Blvd intersection and was trying to merge to my left lane. Since there was too many cars coming from behind in quick succession I kept going in my lane assuming the car in front of me has already moved. That’s when I rear ended the vehicle in front of me.
It was so idiotic accident that I felt both ashamed and embarrassed. There were too may cars around me all hardly moving and here I was – slamming some one else from behind. Once I realized that I indeed caused an accident, I and the driver ahead both turned into an adjacent parking lot. I gave the other driver my license and insurance information and apologized to her. Her name was Rebecca and she lives in San Ramon. She smilingly asked to me “What Happened” giving a puzzled but smiling look. I again apologized to her and told her that for a moment I got lost in my thought and didn’t realize that she has not moved. She seemed to be a nice Chinese lady. She took it sportingly. I could harldy see the impact of the accident on her car but my car just crumpled on the right side.
After taking Rebecca’s address and other important information I started again back to office. That’s when the feeling of accident started sinking in and I became a bit nervous while driving again. Finally, after reaching office I called my insurance company, AMICA and gave them the run down of what happened. They advised me to go to their referred body shop while also giving me the option of going to any other place f my choice for repairs. The representative was very courteous and helpful. She answered all my questions patiently.
Morale of the Story: However, a good driver you might consider yourself, please don’t take your eye-off the road while driving. In addition, please pay special attention on road that you frequently drive as the mind has the tendency to relax on known roads.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Shalmali Ke Pushp
This is the title of the prose written by Smt Shashi Kala Srivastava that she recited for all of us here at our home yesterday night. It was our pleasure to host such a talent at our home. I am sure whoever attended this recital will agree with me that it was our privilege to hear such a high quality composition of Hindi Literature and that too live.
My personal Hindi Literature study like most of the folks has been till 10th grade wherein we learnt about the writings of great Hindi scholars like Dinkar, Nirala, Premchand etc However, it was more of an academic study than it was something that I personally enjoyed. The senses and understanding capabilities at young age also inhibits enjoyment of such work. But with age and after adding quite a few number of years since my school days, I think I have developed a strong sense of purpose in listening to such writings and all other similar things that I don’t have the capabilities to do. I enjoy the flow of a story in terms of prose / poetry. I am sure the person who writes such deep philosophy and expresses in terms of a poetry has profound impact on the upbringing of his/her family and people around him / her.
Smt Shashi Kala Srivastava is “Nanni” of Anshi, my daughter Tanya’s best friend. She is visiting her daughter Rachna and her husband Ajay here in Fremont. She is with her husband who is an accomplished teacher of Mathematics himself. Both Tanya and Anshi has been learning Geometry from Sri Srivasatva and I have no hesitation to accept that he has been a force behind continuously improving grades of both Tanya and Anshi in freshmen year of their High School.
Smt Srivasatava a month ago narrated her recent work called “Asmita” on a lazy Saturday afternoon after a brief Puja at my home. I was so touched by her feelings expressed in her book that I decided to request for a second sitting to which she graciously agreed.
"Shalmali Ke Pushp "is a story about the imaginary interaction of the writer with a lady Buddhist monk who has been discarded by her biological mother in a very young age and has been raised by a untouchable family in Northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and an ancient city of Varanasi. The writer has vividly described the struggle of her main character throughout the story and also highlighted the social stigma and other non sensical age old tradition and customs that have plagued India throughout 20th century and surprisingly even today has not been eliminated. The writer has openly expressed her sentiments about the hypocrisy of religion which has taught most of us to hate people of a particular caste who are stigmatized as “untouchables”. The writer’s characterization about burning the house of the Buddhist Monk mother (who was untouchable) because she used the well of the village to get some water touches raw nerves. The writer’s characterization of Buddhism as a religion is something that I have never thought of earlier. She argues that Buddha has long been silent and his commandment has been reduced to mere words.
While the sensitivity of the writer towards mindless age old customs is laudable, equally impressive is the writer’s grasp of Hindi literature. Coming from the heart of Hindi land in India, I could see how shallow my understanding of the Indian language is. In fact I am personally very impressed about the verbal communication abilities of most of the Americans and especially their choice of words to accurately describe any emotions or feelings. I thought Hindi lacks words that describe very accurately our emotions, sentiments and feelings. However, I am now convinced that Hindi has more precise words to accurately describe the emotions and feelings. It’s just that mortals like I has not been exposed to the right literature that helps develops those qualities. We have been grounded so much into science and engineering that we more than not keep fumbling with words that accurately describes a situation, or emotion or feelings. I am sure it is because of people like Smt Shashi Kala Srivastava that Hindi literature is so rich. As a generation, we need to keep the passion of Hindi literature alive so that our children also gets blessed with such literary figure like Smt Srivastava in future and enjoy high quality Hindi literature.
I would like to thank all those who came together inspite of their punishing schedule. Iru and Gagan; Sarita and Sanjay; Nitu and Anil; Rachna and Ajay; Mitu & Pradeep; Rohit, Bimal, Girish & Gyan – Thank You very much for gracing the recital. Without each one of you we would have been able to enjoy so much. I am sure the writer also expresses her gratitude to all of you to come and listen to her work. I completely understand that Friday evening is one of the only time during the week where we want to just relax. I am certain you all have relaxed & enjoyed the session as much as I did. For some of the spouses who could not make it, I am sure you like such events as much as we all do and there are pressing reasons to not being able to make it. We understand and hope you will join us for a similar event next time. For all others who could not make it – let’s join at the next opportune time and event.
To Rachna and Ajay – you both are blessed to have such a rare combination of talent in your parents and in-laws respectively. I am sure you and your children cherish the time spent together during last 5-6 months of their stay here.
Finally I would like to say a big Thank You to Simmi to conceptualize and execute the get-together. As usual, I was out most of the time spending in sorting out things for living. I was just a few minutes ahead of some of the early arrivers. Even after 16 years of marriage, Simmi continues to positively surprise me with her thought process and execution capabilities.
Once again thank you all and from all of us here in US - wishing Sri and Smt Srivastava a very happy and safe journey back to India. Pls. do keep in touch.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Grading System for Class X CBSE Examination in India
Today it was official. The examination system for Class X students in CBSE system has been changed to Grading System from 2009-10..
I am especially concerned about the speed with which this change has been introduced. While there has been no denying the fact that the current class X examination puts enormous stress on the students and their immediate family members it is also equally true that this system has served us so well for so many decades now. Just overturning the existing system without a thorough debate on the pros and cons of the system seems irrational to me.
One might argue that in western countries grade system has been prevalent for long but let’s not forget to compare apples to apples. In western countries there has been lot of other things that goes with the grade system like an efficient system of community colleges; opportunity to earn after your high school; ability to continue your study after a break and lots of such important helpful ecosystem around the secondary and higher secondary school system. Still, given all the encouragement and surrounding facilities, it is also factually correct that in the last 10-20 years Indian students have been world beaters and comprise around 50% of foreign students studying in US. Indian students are sought, invited and lured by prestigious American Universities.
Majority of the students in America and other developed countries just can’t think of competing with their counterpart in India at High School level. The current education system in India is so rigorous that it’s almost impossible to escape the long hours that students need to put to get excellent marks.
However, the problem with the current system is not about the pressure it builds during the Class X or Class X11 exam but the use of cramming or as we call in Hindi yen, ken, prakaren to get higher marks. I have personally seen many kids in India who could get astronomically high marks in their Class X or X11 exams but still failed to get through competitive exams. While I don't deny the joy of getting very good marks by cramming up the things but it can never beat the power of understanding the concepts and then secure better marks.
I tried to analyze this problem and the only reasoning I could deduce is that the society in India puts a premium on higher marks rather than understanding the concept. While it’s true that by cramming and/or by doing some hard work you can secure higher marks but when you write some of the competitive exams in India or abroad, they test your raw talent and not your ability to cram things up. That’s where students who might have secured excellent marks in Class X or X11 fails to get through these competitions.
The solution according to me is not simply to change to a grading system but to start a relentless campaign where as a society we put premium on understanding rather than trying to somehow manage to get very good marks. Let’s not dilute the core of education system which has year after year vowed the world with it’s talent whenever the opportunity was provided.
I am especially concerned about the speed with which this change has been introduced. While there has been no denying the fact that the current class X examination puts enormous stress on the students and their immediate family members it is also equally true that this system has served us so well for so many decades now. Just overturning the existing system without a thorough debate on the pros and cons of the system seems irrational to me.
One might argue that in western countries grade system has been prevalent for long but let’s not forget to compare apples to apples. In western countries there has been lot of other things that goes with the grade system like an efficient system of community colleges; opportunity to earn after your high school; ability to continue your study after a break and lots of such important helpful ecosystem around the secondary and higher secondary school system. Still, given all the encouragement and surrounding facilities, it is also factually correct that in the last 10-20 years Indian students have been world beaters and comprise around 50% of foreign students studying in US. Indian students are sought, invited and lured by prestigious American Universities.
Majority of the students in America and other developed countries just can’t think of competing with their counterpart in India at High School level. The current education system in India is so rigorous that it’s almost impossible to escape the long hours that students need to put to get excellent marks.
However, the problem with the current system is not about the pressure it builds during the Class X or Class X11 exam but the use of cramming or as we call in Hindi yen, ken, prakaren to get higher marks. I have personally seen many kids in India who could get astronomically high marks in their Class X or X11 exams but still failed to get through competitive exams. While I don't deny the joy of getting very good marks by cramming up the things but it can never beat the power of understanding the concepts and then secure better marks.
I tried to analyze this problem and the only reasoning I could deduce is that the society in India puts a premium on higher marks rather than understanding the concept. While it’s true that by cramming and/or by doing some hard work you can secure higher marks but when you write some of the competitive exams in India or abroad, they test your raw talent and not your ability to cram things up. That’s where students who might have secured excellent marks in Class X or X11 fails to get through these competitions.
The solution according to me is not simply to change to a grading system but to start a relentless campaign where as a society we put premium on understanding rather than trying to somehow manage to get very good marks. Let’s not dilute the core of education system which has year after year vowed the world with it’s talent whenever the opportunity was provided.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
High School Part III : Interview for admission in Mission High School
We were called at 9:00 AM on Aug 24th for our interview session. I and Tanya got ready and reached school 10 to 15 minutes early. It’s important that you get to your appointment a little early especially at a new place so that you have some cushion of time in case you get a bit lost. This also helps the kids learn the importance of keeping time.
Once inside the office we again met with the Registrar. Her name is Mimas. She was very nice and accommodating. I remember speaking to her the last day of previous school year and she patiently helped me to understand the pros and cons of moving to Mission High school from Milpitas High School. She took our filled in papers and also helped us a bit to prepare for the interview. She led us to the office of Vice Principal. Her name is Diana Brumbaugh and she has been in this role for the last 2 years. She saw the 8th grade report card of Tanya and also her STAR test report. She said Tanya qualifies for the Honors class of all three subjects i.e. Maths, Science and English.
If anyone is interested to know what an Honors class means then it’s correct to say that Honors class in High School is GATE class equivalent of Elementary/Middle School. However, Honors and AP classes are entirely different. More about AP classes in later posts.
The Asstt. Principal also told us that 2 years of foreign language credit is required for the UC college system. Tanya though had taken Spanish 1 in middle school still opted for Spanish 1 in High school as she felt she didn’t learn well in her Middle school after the first three months. Guess the teacher couldn’t excite her enough to have interest in a new foreign language. This also shows how critical is good teacher for your children’s during their formative years. I also didn’t object much in Tanya selecting Spanish I over Spanish II as I am a firm believer of taking baby steps rather than just jump in for the heck of it unless you are brilliant or have God gifted talent. I have seen folks back in India who use to secure tons of marks in their school but when it comes to competition they almost never used to make it. So just learning for getting good marks is not my style. Do you have an opinion on this; send me your comments. She will take Spanish II in her Sophomore Year (Grade 10) and these two years will count as one of the requirement of the UC system.
Tanya chose Maths and Science Honors but I was of the opinion that she should pick Math and English Honors. I think she is still average in her science concepts and taking a regular science class will help in a gradual and effective learning.
The Asstt. Principal was nice to accommodate our request for a few more days to decide between Science and English Honors. I guess Tanya would be wise to decide Math and English Honors. That’s Dad’s instinct; no logic
Once inside the office we again met with the Registrar. Her name is Mimas. She was very nice and accommodating. I remember speaking to her the last day of previous school year and she patiently helped me to understand the pros and cons of moving to Mission High school from Milpitas High School. She took our filled in papers and also helped us a bit to prepare for the interview. She led us to the office of Vice Principal. Her name is Diana Brumbaugh and she has been in this role for the last 2 years. She saw the 8th grade report card of Tanya and also her STAR test report. She said Tanya qualifies for the Honors class of all three subjects i.e. Maths, Science and English.
If anyone is interested to know what an Honors class means then it’s correct to say that Honors class in High School is GATE class equivalent of Elementary/Middle School. However, Honors and AP classes are entirely different. More about AP classes in later posts.
The Asstt. Principal also told us that 2 years of foreign language credit is required for the UC college system. Tanya though had taken Spanish 1 in middle school still opted for Spanish 1 in High school as she felt she didn’t learn well in her Middle school after the first three months. Guess the teacher couldn’t excite her enough to have interest in a new foreign language. This also shows how critical is good teacher for your children’s during their formative years. I also didn’t object much in Tanya selecting Spanish I over Spanish II as I am a firm believer of taking baby steps rather than just jump in for the heck of it unless you are brilliant or have God gifted talent. I have seen folks back in India who use to secure tons of marks in their school but when it comes to competition they almost never used to make it. So just learning for getting good marks is not my style. Do you have an opinion on this; send me your comments. She will take Spanish II in her Sophomore Year (Grade 10) and these two years will count as one of the requirement of the UC system.
Tanya chose Maths and Science Honors but I was of the opinion that she should pick Math and English Honors. I think she is still average in her science concepts and taking a regular science class will help in a gradual and effective learning.
The Asstt. Principal was nice to accommodate our request for a few more days to decide between Science and English Honors. I guess Tanya would be wise to decide Math and English Honors. That’s Dad’s instinct; no logic
High School Part II : Admission Requirement
This is part 2 of the 5 series write up that I thought I will write explaining the High School Admission Procedure. Since we all moved from Milpitas to Fremont in Aug 2009 we were considered new students in Mission High vs. regular students at Milpitas High. Being regular students have a slight advantage during the admission process as it is more regimented and school keeps you aware of the admission requirements and some of the procedures for regular students are completed while your child is in the middle school itself. However, being a new student in a new school district also is not a big deal provided you have ensured that all your documents is in order.
I filled up a couple of forms for Tanya on the first day the High school office opened on Aug 17th. The registrar later gave me a few more papers to fill in and bring it back along with my daughter for an appointment on Aug 24th with perhaps, the counselor. I guess this meeting might be to find out what subjects my daughter need to pick up or there is any scope for any honors classes. Frankly, I think the lesser Honors classes she takes the better it is as she will then gradually move to difficult subjects rather than jumping right in.
Here are the documents the high school asks in case you are coming from other school districts. You have to pick at the minimum one document from each set and submit to school with other regular forms
Current Picture ID
1. California’s Driver License
2. California State ID Card
3. Government ID Card
4. Valid Passport or consulate issued picture ID
5. Credecial para votar Mexicana (for Mexicans)
6. ID from home country
Current Original Document
1. Valid California Vehcile registration
2. Social Security Card
3. W-2 Form, state or federal tax returns files w/in the past 12 months
4. pay check issued by employer with both employer’s and employees name and address imprinted on pay check
Current Original Property Related Document
1. Property Tax bill or Close of Escrow statement
2. Rental or Lease agreement; name of landlord / landowner’s name, address and phone number must be printed on the documents
Current Bills
1. Utility bill / Cell phone bill
2. Car insurance bill
3. State agency mail, housing authority voucher
4. Official business mail (i.e. bank statement, health insurance document, credit card statement, etc)
In addition to the above documents you need to ensure that you also arrange for the child’s immunization records and their birth certificates (passport will do as well)
I filled up a couple of forms for Tanya on the first day the High school office opened on Aug 17th. The registrar later gave me a few more papers to fill in and bring it back along with my daughter for an appointment on Aug 24th with perhaps, the counselor. I guess this meeting might be to find out what subjects my daughter need to pick up or there is any scope for any honors classes. Frankly, I think the lesser Honors classes she takes the better it is as she will then gradually move to difficult subjects rather than jumping right in.
Here are the documents the high school asks in case you are coming from other school districts. You have to pick at the minimum one document from each set and submit to school with other regular forms
Current Picture ID
1. California’s Driver License
2. California State ID Card
3. Government ID Card
4. Valid Passport or consulate issued picture ID
5. Credecial para votar Mexicana (for Mexicans)
6. ID from home country
Current Original Document
1. Valid California Vehcile registration
2. Social Security Card
3. W-2 Form, state or federal tax returns files w/in the past 12 months
4. pay check issued by employer with both employer’s and employees name and address imprinted on pay check
Current Original Property Related Document
1. Property Tax bill or Close of Escrow statement
2. Rental or Lease agreement; name of landlord / landowner’s name, address and phone number must be printed on the documents
Current Bills
1. Utility bill / Cell phone bill
2. Car insurance bill
3. State agency mail, housing authority voucher
4. Official business mail (i.e. bank statement, health insurance document, credit card statement, etc)
In addition to the above documents you need to ensure that you also arrange for the child’s immunization records and their birth certificates (passport will do as well)
Sunday, August 23, 2009
We Moved
We recently (on Aug 7th ) moved from our own house in Milpitas to a rental home in Fremont. This move was, courtesy, being able to send our elder daughter to supposedly one of the best schools in America, Mission San Jose High School.
I have read both good and bad reviews of Mission San Jose High School. The bad reviews are mostly centered around the fact that kids may not get a chance to do anything else but academics and hence misses out on developing an all round personality. The good reviews are mostly centered around how this school forces you to channelize your energies towards academics for you to be successful in your later years.
I am still not taking sides and will share my experience as we move along with our daughter in her High school journey. However, I really liked one feedback about the school that the school refuses to take mediocrity lying down. The school seems to push the students to work hard. It's high time that school system in US pushes the high school students, at the minimum, to compete in an increasingly flatter world given a very sedentary educational lifestyle till middle school years in US vs. cut throat pressure in many asian countries.
I am crossing my fingers and hope for the best for our move and a good high school experience ahead for my daughter.
I have read both good and bad reviews of Mission San Jose High School. The bad reviews are mostly centered around the fact that kids may not get a chance to do anything else but academics and hence misses out on developing an all round personality. The good reviews are mostly centered around how this school forces you to channelize your energies towards academics for you to be successful in your later years.
I am still not taking sides and will share my experience as we move along with our daughter in her High school journey. However, I really liked one feedback about the school that the school refuses to take mediocrity lying down. The school seems to push the students to work hard. It's high time that school system in US pushes the high school students, at the minimum, to compete in an increasingly flatter world given a very sedentary educational lifestyle till middle school years in US vs. cut throat pressure in many asian countries.
I am crossing my fingers and hope for the best for our move and a good high school experience ahead for my daughter.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Death Panel
When Sarah Palin recently coined this term “Death Panel” as a comment to the provisioning of the funding of doctor’s and other providers for end of life assistance in the Obama’s new health care reform plan;; her words resonated across the country.
While in true sense there is no Death Panel in the health care reform plan, however, I would be surprised if Sarah Palin would lose the opportunity on keeping the lead foot on this. There is a reason why “Death Panel” resonated from East to West and North to South in US. There are many amongst us who within us don’t support the idea of medical insurance for all. Consider for a moment; a hiker getting rescued from a treacherous part of a steep climb in an uninhabited mountain. Who pays the bill for the rescue? It is us, the tax payer. Why? Shouldn’t the hiker who took more risk should be made to pay for his / her rescue?
There is a similar feeling against the new Obama’s Health Care Reform Plan as well. People who have insurance may feel that people who don’t have insurance are getting their medical coverage at the cost of insured Americans. Why should the insured continue to pay for the uninsured persons? Capitalistic society as we have in US feel very strongly about why an uninsured person who goes to ER needs to be funded by the tax payers and that’s the genesis of the heated debate that we are seeing across the town hall meetings in the country.
But the problem is out of approx 48 million uninsured Americans there are many who actually had the health insurance but because of the economic conditions resulting in job losses etc lost their health benefits as well. The capitalist mind is not willing to pay for the people who they think have lost or not capable of getting the health insurance as their problems and not the problems of people who are keeping their benefits.
According to me there should be a simple solution. Health Insurance should be made affordable and accessible to everyone. Those who don’t opt for it should do at their own risk and be fully accountable for it. Even if they come to an ER almost dying, tough luck dude! You chose to opt out of the system. So for those who opts out of the system should wear a clean underwear and stash cash just in case they meet with accident
This system can not only protect the fibre of capitalism but it will also ensure the best of socialism (in offering the opportunity to everyone to take the health care benefits )to co-exist in a dignified manner Socialism can also co-exist in US.
While in true sense there is no Death Panel in the health care reform plan, however, I would be surprised if Sarah Palin would lose the opportunity on keeping the lead foot on this. There is a reason why “Death Panel” resonated from East to West and North to South in US. There are many amongst us who within us don’t support the idea of medical insurance for all. Consider for a moment; a hiker getting rescued from a treacherous part of a steep climb in an uninhabited mountain. Who pays the bill for the rescue? It is us, the tax payer. Why? Shouldn’t the hiker who took more risk should be made to pay for his / her rescue?
There is a similar feeling against the new Obama’s Health Care Reform Plan as well. People who have insurance may feel that people who don’t have insurance are getting their medical coverage at the cost of insured Americans. Why should the insured continue to pay for the uninsured persons? Capitalistic society as we have in US feel very strongly about why an uninsured person who goes to ER needs to be funded by the tax payers and that’s the genesis of the heated debate that we are seeing across the town hall meetings in the country.
But the problem is out of approx 48 million uninsured Americans there are many who actually had the health insurance but because of the economic conditions resulting in job losses etc lost their health benefits as well. The capitalist mind is not willing to pay for the people who they think have lost or not capable of getting the health insurance as their problems and not the problems of people who are keeping their benefits.
According to me there should be a simple solution. Health Insurance should be made affordable and accessible to everyone. Those who don’t opt for it should do at their own risk and be fully accountable for it. Even if they come to an ER almost dying, tough luck dude! You chose to opt out of the system. So for those who opts out of the system should wear a clean underwear and stash cash just in case they meet with accident
This system can not only protect the fibre of capitalism but it will also ensure the best of socialism (in offering the opportunity to everyone to take the health care benefits )to co-exist in a dignified manner Socialism can also co-exist in US.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Leadership Lessons From The Tour De France
The Tour de France that finished on July 26 in Paris was an epic three-week drama! Spain's Alberto Contador, riding for Team Astana, won the race. Next came Luxembourg's Andy Schleck, riding for Saxo Bank, followed by seven-time winner Lance Armstrong, who also rode for Team Astana.
I think hard-fought sporting competitions provide excellent lessons in leadership. The Tour de France gave us many teachable moments:
It Takes a Year to Win a Three-Week Race
Team Astana placed two riders in the top three. They won the team trial and the overall championship. This was team director Johan Bruyneel's ninth victory in the Tour de France. No other team director has come close. How does Bruyneel do it? Well, he recruits top riders, for sure. But more than that, he plans out the entire biking season--training and racing--at the beginning of the year. He communicates specific daily, weekly, monthly and yearly goals to each of the team's nine riders. Bruyneel wins July's Tour de France in January.
You Must Be Willing to Suffer
The world's best bike riders are cardiovascular marvels. They are so gifted they could take a year off, fall out of bed and whip off 50 miles at a pace that would leave most club riders gasping. But to be a champion, a Tour rider has to work harder and be willing to suffer more pain than his competition. Lance Armstrong has won seven Tours because of his almost unique willingness to suffer. Did Lance's victory from cancer give him this edge? Probably. The equally gifted Greg LeMond, who won three Tours in the 1980s, ultimately found the suffering unbearable to sustain over years.
Science and Technology Matter
French cycling fans are upset! No French rider has won the Tour since Bernard Hinault in 1985. How can that be? In this fascinating New York Times story, writer Juliet Macur fingers technology. She writes:
"Bradley Wiggins, the Garmin-Slipstream rider who has ridden for French teams, said that the French were 'stuck in the past' regarding technology and nutrition. 'In terms of the aerodynamics and the equipment, their mentality is, well, you should just get on with it because Bernard Hinault won the Tour like that and you should be grateful,' he said. 'That's the kind of attitude they have. They are really behind in the scientific side of the sport.'"
Teamwork Will Prevail
Even as Team Astana put Contador and Armstrong on the podium and won the overall team victory, another team managed to dazzle fans around the world. That was the American team, Columbia HTC, whose sprinter, Englishman Mark Cavendish, won six stages. How did Cavendish do it? Teamwork. In every stage win, including the final Sunday dash along the Champs Elysees, Cavendish was paced by teammate George Hincapie, who would sprint to the lead with a kilometer to go and shield Cavendish from the wind. Then, with a few hundred meters to go, another teammate, Mark Renshaw ("the lead out man") would overtake the tiring Hincapie and let Cavendish ride in his slipstream. When Cavendish finally burst to the lead with scant meters to go, he was fresh. What I admired most about Cavendish was his lavish praise for Hincapie and Renshaw, the teammates who sacrificed themselves.
Keep Your Eye on the Long Game & Praise your Teammates effort
Contador won the Tour de France and proved himself the complete and superior rider over three weeks. But Contador also managed to alienate the other riders, including Armstrong, who is forming a new team (sans Contador) for next year's Tour. The best-ever team director, Bruyneel, is likely to follow Armstrong. In other words, Contador, certainly the most talented rider, may land in a less-than-ideal team situation next year. The 26-year-old Contador has yet to learn the long game and this may haunt his quest to equal Armstrong's seven Tour wins.
I think hard-fought sporting competitions provide excellent lessons in leadership. The Tour de France gave us many teachable moments:
It Takes a Year to Win a Three-Week Race
Team Astana placed two riders in the top three. They won the team trial and the overall championship. This was team director Johan Bruyneel's ninth victory in the Tour de France. No other team director has come close. How does Bruyneel do it? Well, he recruits top riders, for sure. But more than that, he plans out the entire biking season--training and racing--at the beginning of the year. He communicates specific daily, weekly, monthly and yearly goals to each of the team's nine riders. Bruyneel wins July's Tour de France in January.
You Must Be Willing to Suffer
The world's best bike riders are cardiovascular marvels. They are so gifted they could take a year off, fall out of bed and whip off 50 miles at a pace that would leave most club riders gasping. But to be a champion, a Tour rider has to work harder and be willing to suffer more pain than his competition. Lance Armstrong has won seven Tours because of his almost unique willingness to suffer. Did Lance's victory from cancer give him this edge? Probably. The equally gifted Greg LeMond, who won three Tours in the 1980s, ultimately found the suffering unbearable to sustain over years.
Science and Technology Matter
French cycling fans are upset! No French rider has won the Tour since Bernard Hinault in 1985. How can that be? In this fascinating New York Times story, writer Juliet Macur fingers technology. She writes:
"Bradley Wiggins, the Garmin-Slipstream rider who has ridden for French teams, said that the French were 'stuck in the past' regarding technology and nutrition. 'In terms of the aerodynamics and the equipment, their mentality is, well, you should just get on with it because Bernard Hinault won the Tour like that and you should be grateful,' he said. 'That's the kind of attitude they have. They are really behind in the scientific side of the sport.'"
Teamwork Will Prevail
Even as Team Astana put Contador and Armstrong on the podium and won the overall team victory, another team managed to dazzle fans around the world. That was the American team, Columbia HTC, whose sprinter, Englishman Mark Cavendish, won six stages. How did Cavendish do it? Teamwork. In every stage win, including the final Sunday dash along the Champs Elysees, Cavendish was paced by teammate George Hincapie, who would sprint to the lead with a kilometer to go and shield Cavendish from the wind. Then, with a few hundred meters to go, another teammate, Mark Renshaw ("the lead out man") would overtake the tiring Hincapie and let Cavendish ride in his slipstream. When Cavendish finally burst to the lead with scant meters to go, he was fresh. What I admired most about Cavendish was his lavish praise for Hincapie and Renshaw, the teammates who sacrificed themselves.
Keep Your Eye on the Long Game & Praise your Teammates effort
Contador won the Tour de France and proved himself the complete and superior rider over three weeks. But Contador also managed to alienate the other riders, including Armstrong, who is forming a new team (sans Contador) for next year's Tour. The best-ever team director, Bruyneel, is likely to follow Armstrong. In other words, Contador, certainly the most talented rider, may land in a less-than-ideal team situation next year. The 26-year-old Contador has yet to learn the long game and this may haunt his quest to equal Armstrong's seven Tour wins.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
My 2nd Half Marathon (San Francisco) Race Report
As with my First half marathon in San Francisco on Feb 1st, I decided to run my 2nd half marathon also in San Francisco on July 26th. The worst part of running a marathon/half marathon is you have to get too early in the morning to make to the start line in time. However, once you reach the start line you tend to forget the pain of getting up so early.
I got up at 3:00 AM and then after getting ready quickly went to Shiva’s house where I picked up my bib and then went to San Francisco along with Rajesh, Rajeev and Murali in Rajesh’s car. Thank you Rajesh for driving us to SFO and saving a few bucks for us in the process. I intend to return this gesture the next time.
After some customary Potta Potty line, I started in Wave 6 at 6:18 AM along with Siva.
Mile 0-5 : It was a breeze. No trouble and lots of energy. I was running very comfortably and was clocking around less than 12 minutes pace as I decided to drop my pace a little bit to finish strong. I lost some time as well while trying to call up Simmi in India and tell her that I was running this half marathon. Because of my sweat, I kept on pressing the wrong numbers for Simmi on the iPhone. I think it costed me around 7-8 minutes of my final time. But I was not worried as I was not in the competition to finish fast
Mile 5-10 : This part of the race was mostly on Golden Gate bridge and I was so excited to run on this historic bridge. You cannot run on this bridge except for this day of the year. However, I later realized that running on this bridge is not at all easy as the shape of the bridge is convex. You keep running uphill till almost 2/3rd of the bridge and that is quite hard. The weather was at its best. There were a few drops of rain or may be I will say the wetness from the overhead fog that made running a little easier. But the organizers must cover some of the iron plates which got wet because of the fog and were extremely slippery when you need to run through them. They could have just covered them with a rubber sheet. Anyways, while coming back after the half mile on the bridge my right feet near the arch started acting up. Not sure what wrong did I do the last Thursday before this run for a 2 mile run on the treadmill in the gym. The feet started to hurt but I ignored and pressed to keep moving.
Mile 10-13.1 : Shortly after leaving the Golden Gate bridge, I saw the 10 mile marker. That gave me some relief that the end is not far but by then my right feet was really hurting. I don’t know but your feet swells after running some miles and may be you need to tie you laces a bit easy. However, this goes against the conventional wisdom of tying your laces hard near your arch and the shoe will take care of any expansion of the feet. Reaching Mile 11 was difficult because of the pain in the right feet and I was wondering that where did all my training go. I trained so well that I was absolutely convinced that I will end this race strong. Mile 10 onwards was also quite brutal in terms of rolling hills. The last 3 miles I saw many runners struggling because of the rolling hills including myself. By the time I finished the race I was exhausted and in some pain that I knew was not a muscular pain. This was anti-climax to my original thought of finishing the race strong. Still no one can take my effort in finishing the race and completing my 2nd half marathon on a difficult course. My final time was 2:41:37 though I am convinced that I could have done this in less than 2:30:00 except for fumbling with my call during mile 5 and the stupid pain in my right feet.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Honest Broker
I am deeply touched with US President Barack Obama’s speech in Cairo, Egypt today. It again reflected the intellectual prowess that Obama possess. This is what President Obama does very well. Take two points of view -- communities or groups of people who look at the world differently and then build a bridge. And build that bridge without doing any disservice or disrespect to either side and to either's world view.
He's done this with whites and blacks in America, with liberals and conservatives -- and now of course on a global scale he's doing with the world of Islam and broadly speaking the rest of the world. His willingness to understand and apply common sense in proposing approaches to solution for vexed issues often mixed with perceptions is remarkable to say the least. His uncanny ability to distinguish facts from perception has already made him one of the world’s greatest leader.
President Obama today clearly showed the distinction between Muslim fundamentalist/extremist vs. Muslim as a whole. For too long US has been using the word terrorist synonymous with Muslims. President Obama’s speech in Cairo was gracious but not fawning, blunt but not patronizing. His call for a new beginning in relations between America and Islamic nations based on mutual interest and mutual respect should soften animosity among Islamic leaders who felt either ignored or abused by the Bush administration. Obama’s position on Israeli settlements was a significant departure from past Presidents. The evenhandedness of his criticism offers the hope that he may become a truly honest broker for Mideast peace. I was especially happy to see his decision not to balance a visit to Saudi Arabia and Egypt with a stop in Tel Aviv as an honest approach to find a real solution to a real problem.
Such frankness by a US President respected in the Arab world could break down entrenched positions that have stood in the way of progress and more often than not feeds into the rhetoric of Islamic extremists.
He's done this with whites and blacks in America, with liberals and conservatives -- and now of course on a global scale he's doing with the world of Islam and broadly speaking the rest of the world. His willingness to understand and apply common sense in proposing approaches to solution for vexed issues often mixed with perceptions is remarkable to say the least. His uncanny ability to distinguish facts from perception has already made him one of the world’s greatest leader.
President Obama today clearly showed the distinction between Muslim fundamentalist/extremist vs. Muslim as a whole. For too long US has been using the word terrorist synonymous with Muslims. President Obama’s speech in Cairo was gracious but not fawning, blunt but not patronizing. His call for a new beginning in relations between America and Islamic nations based on mutual interest and mutual respect should soften animosity among Islamic leaders who felt either ignored or abused by the Bush administration. Obama’s position on Israeli settlements was a significant departure from past Presidents. The evenhandedness of his criticism offers the hope that he may become a truly honest broker for Mideast peace. I was especially happy to see his decision not to balance a visit to Saudi Arabia and Egypt with a stop in Tel Aviv as an honest approach to find a real solution to a real problem.
Such frankness by a US President respected in the Arab world could break down entrenched positions that have stood in the way of progress and more often than not feeds into the rhetoric of Islamic extremists.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Books I want to Read
I am trying to compile a list of books that I may like to read based on either reviews that I have read about them or have heard about them from my social network. This post will be regularly updated to include new names. I welcome your recommendation of adding books to this list.
1. "What I wish I knew when I was 20" by Tina Seelig. She is currently the Executive Director of Stanford's Technology Ventures Program
2. "Born to Run" by Christopher McDougall. The review of Born to Run listed below has been verrbatim taken from Amazon.com.
Full of incredible characters, amazing athletic achievements, cutting-edge science, and, most of all, pure inspiration, Born to Run is an epic adventure that began with one simple question: Why does my foot hurt? In search of an answer, Christopher McDougall sets off to find a tribe of the world’s greatest distance runners and learn their secrets, and in the process shows us that everything we thought we knew about running is wrong.
Isolated by the most savage terrain in North America, the reclusive Tarahumara Indians of Mexico’s deadly Copper Canyons are custodians of a lost art. For centuries they have practiced techniques that allow them to run hundreds of miles without rest and chase down anything from a deer to an Olympic marathoner while enjoying every mile of it. Their superhuman talent is matched by uncanny health and serenity, leaving the Tarahumara immune to the diseases and strife that plague modern existence. With the help of Caballo Blanco, a mysterious loner who lives among the tribe, the author was able not only to uncover the secrets of the Tarahumara but also to find his own inner ultra-athlete, as he trained for the challenge of a lifetime: a fifty-mile race through the heart of Tarahumara country pitting the tribe against an odd band of Americans, including a star ultramarathoner, a beautiful young surfer, and a barefoot wonder.
With a sharp wit and wild exuberance, McDougall takes us from the high-tech science labs at Harvard to the sun-baked valleys and freezing peaks across North America, where ever-growing numbers of ultrarunners are pushing their bodies to the limit, and, finally, to the climactic race in the Copper Canyons. Born to Run is that rare book that will not only engage your mind but inspire your body when you realize that the secret to happiness is right at your feet, and that you, indeed all of us, were born to run.
1. "What I wish I knew when I was 20" by Tina Seelig. She is currently the Executive Director of Stanford's Technology Ventures Program
2. "Born to Run" by Christopher McDougall. The review of Born to Run listed below has been verrbatim taken from Amazon.com.
Full of incredible characters, amazing athletic achievements, cutting-edge science, and, most of all, pure inspiration, Born to Run is an epic adventure that began with one simple question: Why does my foot hurt? In search of an answer, Christopher McDougall sets off to find a tribe of the world’s greatest distance runners and learn their secrets, and in the process shows us that everything we thought we knew about running is wrong.
Isolated by the most savage terrain in North America, the reclusive Tarahumara Indians of Mexico’s deadly Copper Canyons are custodians of a lost art. For centuries they have practiced techniques that allow them to run hundreds of miles without rest and chase down anything from a deer to an Olympic marathoner while enjoying every mile of it. Their superhuman talent is matched by uncanny health and serenity, leaving the Tarahumara immune to the diseases and strife that plague modern existence. With the help of Caballo Blanco, a mysterious loner who lives among the tribe, the author was able not only to uncover the secrets of the Tarahumara but also to find his own inner ultra-athlete, as he trained for the challenge of a lifetime: a fifty-mile race through the heart of Tarahumara country pitting the tribe against an odd band of Americans, including a star ultramarathoner, a beautiful young surfer, and a barefoot wonder.
With a sharp wit and wild exuberance, McDougall takes us from the high-tech science labs at Harvard to the sun-baked valleys and freezing peaks across North America, where ever-growing numbers of ultrarunners are pushing their bodies to the limit, and, finally, to the climactic race in the Copper Canyons. Born to Run is that rare book that will not only engage your mind but inspire your body when you realize that the secret to happiness is right at your feet, and that you, indeed all of us, were born to run.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Presedential Award of Excellence for Tanya
I attended an award ceremony yesterday, May 27th 2009 in Tanya’s middle school, Thomas Russell. The function was to award talented middle schoolers in all spheres of school activities. Tanya had earlier told me that she will get a 4.0 GPA award for maintaining that grade throughout her 8th grade. I used to see her getting 4.0 GPA every quarter in her 8th grade whenever the progress report was sent by postal mail and hence I was not very surprised to hear this news. While I was happy to see her maintain 4.0 GPA throughout and get this award; I must admit that I now expect her to maintain 4.0 GPA (good Dads don’t do this – expectations; never). I am willing to work with her for her to maintain this GPA. See, I am not shying from my responsibilities!!!!
I know she missed her 4.0 GPA in Seventh Grade by a whisker, something she could not complete or was not sure how to complete some of the requirements in her Leadership Class. That one mistake cost her 4.0 GPA in seventh grade. That made her straight A’s in eighth grade more satisfying and I was looking forward to attend this event.
Once inside the multi-purpose hall in Thomas Russell School, I took my seat and as usual preferred to sit at the edge (1st chair of the row towards the aisle) though that seat was way back in the rows of chair. 2/3rd of the seats were already taken by the time I entered the hall. That’s what happens when you don’t get a bit early for such events. After a few minutes, I got up and went to the reserved student rows to take a picture of Tanya with her friends. When I came back to my seat after clicking the photo, I saw a lady sitting on my chair and refusing to get up. Not sure if she was taking drugs!
I got another seat at the last but one row but the one closet to the aisle. The ceremony began and various students were awarded based on the achievements. It’s always nice to see the result of your hard work at the end. I could see the proud parents of the kids who received the awards. All the while I saw Tanya rooting for almost all the winners. Don’t know if she cracked her voice towards the end.
Finally they called the 4.0 GPA students on the podium and there went Tanya along with 6 other students. I felt proud as well as a lump in my throat. I was never a 4.0 GPA student myself and seeing your daughter collect the award for 4.0 GPA makes your heart fill with joy. To sweeten the deal further when I looked at Tanya’s certificate and lapel pin, I saw it signed by Barack Obama, The President of United States. In fact the pin that she got has a seal of the office of the President of the United States. When I relooked at the invitation for the day I saw that all the 4.0 GPA students indeed were listed to get the Presidential Award for Academic Excellence.
So the first Presidential Award for excellence for Tanya. I pray that she maintains perfect GPA in each and every school year and more. Way to go Tanya. We are all proud of you Didi.
I know she missed her 4.0 GPA in Seventh Grade by a whisker, something she could not complete or was not sure how to complete some of the requirements in her Leadership Class. That one mistake cost her 4.0 GPA in seventh grade. That made her straight A’s in eighth grade more satisfying and I was looking forward to attend this event.
Once inside the multi-purpose hall in Thomas Russell School, I took my seat and as usual preferred to sit at the edge (1st chair of the row towards the aisle) though that seat was way back in the rows of chair. 2/3rd of the seats were already taken by the time I entered the hall. That’s what happens when you don’t get a bit early for such events. After a few minutes, I got up and went to the reserved student rows to take a picture of Tanya with her friends. When I came back to my seat after clicking the photo, I saw a lady sitting on my chair and refusing to get up. Not sure if she was taking drugs!
I got another seat at the last but one row but the one closet to the aisle. The ceremony began and various students were awarded based on the achievements. It’s always nice to see the result of your hard work at the end. I could see the proud parents of the kids who received the awards. All the while I saw Tanya rooting for almost all the winners. Don’t know if she cracked her voice towards the end.
Finally they called the 4.0 GPA students on the podium and there went Tanya along with 6 other students. I felt proud as well as a lump in my throat. I was never a 4.0 GPA student myself and seeing your daughter collect the award for 4.0 GPA makes your heart fill with joy. To sweeten the deal further when I looked at Tanya’s certificate and lapel pin, I saw it signed by Barack Obama, The President of United States. In fact the pin that she got has a seal of the office of the President of the United States. When I relooked at the invitation for the day I saw that all the 4.0 GPA students indeed were listed to get the Presidential Award for Academic Excellence.
So the first Presidential Award for excellence for Tanya. I pray that she maintains perfect GPA in each and every school year and more. Way to go Tanya. We are all proud of you Didi.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Logic of the mind & Playing On
“How odd is the logic of the mind - it seeks compromises when we are wrong, and it asks for justice when others are wrong !”
If people start criticizing you, hurting you, shouting at you.. don’t be bothered. Because in any game, spectators make noise, not the player. So just play on !”
...source : anonymous
If people start criticizing you, hurting you, shouting at you.. don’t be bothered. Because in any game, spectators make noise, not the player. So just play on !”
...source : anonymous
What makes all Mother’s special –
ANSWER :
When I came home drenched in the rain my brother said –
“Why don’t you take an umbrella with you !”
My sister said –
“Why didn’t you wait till the rain stopped !”
My father angrily said –
“You will only learn after getting a cold !”
But my mother while drying my hair said –
“Stupid rain !”
...source : from Amitabh Bachhan's blog
When I came home drenched in the rain my brother said –
“Why don’t you take an umbrella with you !”
My sister said –
“Why didn’t you wait till the rain stopped !”
My father angrily said –
“You will only learn after getting a cold !”
But my mother while drying my hair said –
“Stupid rain !”
...source : from Amitabh Bachhan's blog
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
My Thoughts on Leadership
Leadership has become so common a word that it is used nowadays in every context without understanding the complete meaning of a leader. What is leadership then? Some of the common ideas that others include in leadership definitions include exerting influence, motivating and inspiring, helping others realize their potential, leading by example, selflessness and making a difference. Here are some other common definition of Leadership
The Collins English Dictionary. ( © 1998 HarperCollins Publishers ) leadership (n) 1. The position or function of a leader. 2. the period during which a person occupies the position of leader: during her leadership very little was achieved. 3. a. the ability to lead. b. (as modifier): leadership qualities. 4. the leaders as a group of a party, union, etc.: the union leadership is now very reactionary.
This dictionary definition of leadership focuses on the position (singular or collective), tenure and ability of leaders. As such, it misses key points about the purpose and hallmarks of effective leadership.
Peter Drucker : The foreword to the Drucker Foundation's "The Leader of the Future" sums up leadership : "The only definition of a leader is someone who has followers." To gain followers requires influence (see John Maxwell's definition below) but doesn't exclude the lack of integrity in achieving this. Indeed, it can be argued that several of the world's greatest leaders have lacked integrity and have adopted values that would not be shared by many people today.
John C Maxwell : In the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, John Maxwell sums up his definition of leadership as "leadership is influence - nothing more, nothing less." This moves beyond the position defining the leader, to looking at the ability of the leader to influence others - both those who would consider themselves followers, and those outside that circle. Indirectly, it also builds in leadership character, since without maintaining integrity and trustworthiness, the capability to influence will disappear.
Warren Bennis : Warren Bennis' definition of leadership is focused much more on the individual capability of the leader : "Leadership is a function of knowing yourself, having a vision that is well communicated, building trust among colleagues, and taking effective action to realize your own leadership potential."
Both George Bush and Barack Obama has been the President of the USA. Can we equate George Bush to Barack Obama within the guidelines of leadership. Yes, we can. However, are they two viewed by the public being a successful leader? No they are not. Obama of course towers over Bush in every respect.
Here is my take on the qualities of a successful leader though not in order of priority. These are the traits I believe based on my personal experience that will help distnguish a succesful leader from the crowd:
1. Never take credit of your team’s success. If you and your team is successful people will associate you with that success.
2. Take the blame for your teams failure : Most of the time your team will fail not because of their inherent abilities but lack of proper guidance from you
3. Praise others : If someone working for you has done something good then praise him in front of others without being judgemental. Such praises will allow people to align themselves very distinctively with your goals and vision
4. Never admonish people in front of others. They will start hating you and however, good you are you will not be able to reverse the trend. Always communicate the failure in person to absorb the negative feelings failures and giving the other a chance to reflect on one’s mistake and a strong shoulder to lean on, if required. Your respect will magnify.
5. Respect the absence : Don’t say bad things about others in their absence. people don’t get chance to put their views across when they are not present.
6. Don’t think what you think is right: Views from others will always add value to your decision making and make your team feel good
7. Empower : Empowering your people and your team is the single most trait of successful leaders to get an ordinary team do extraordinary work
8. Create environment for people to freely air their opinion : Creating right environment for free flow of ideas will eliminate need for lot of transactions that would otherwise be required for you to spent time on
9. Respect Others : Leadership position should be earned rather than asked for or thrusted upon. In the case of later, people will not open up
10. Lead from the front by showing examples. This will generate the excitement in your team
11. Communicate as frequently as you can: The more you communicate the more you will understand where is the bottleneck for your people or your team to work effectively.
The Collins English Dictionary. ( © 1998 HarperCollins Publishers ) leadership (n) 1. The position or function of a leader. 2. the period during which a person occupies the position of leader: during her leadership very little was achieved. 3. a. the ability to lead. b. (as modifier): leadership qualities. 4. the leaders as a group of a party, union, etc.: the union leadership is now very reactionary.
This dictionary definition of leadership focuses on the position (singular or collective), tenure and ability of leaders. As such, it misses key points about the purpose and hallmarks of effective leadership.
Peter Drucker : The foreword to the Drucker Foundation's "The Leader of the Future" sums up leadership : "The only definition of a leader is someone who has followers." To gain followers requires influence (see John Maxwell's definition below) but doesn't exclude the lack of integrity in achieving this. Indeed, it can be argued that several of the world's greatest leaders have lacked integrity and have adopted values that would not be shared by many people today.
John C Maxwell : In the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, John Maxwell sums up his definition of leadership as "leadership is influence - nothing more, nothing less." This moves beyond the position defining the leader, to looking at the ability of the leader to influence others - both those who would consider themselves followers, and those outside that circle. Indirectly, it also builds in leadership character, since without maintaining integrity and trustworthiness, the capability to influence will disappear.
Warren Bennis : Warren Bennis' definition of leadership is focused much more on the individual capability of the leader : "Leadership is a function of knowing yourself, having a vision that is well communicated, building trust among colleagues, and taking effective action to realize your own leadership potential."
Both George Bush and Barack Obama has been the President of the USA. Can we equate George Bush to Barack Obama within the guidelines of leadership. Yes, we can. However, are they two viewed by the public being a successful leader? No they are not. Obama of course towers over Bush in every respect.
Here is my take on the qualities of a successful leader though not in order of priority. These are the traits I believe based on my personal experience that will help distnguish a succesful leader from the crowd:
1. Never take credit of your team’s success. If you and your team is successful people will associate you with that success.
2. Take the blame for your teams failure : Most of the time your team will fail not because of their inherent abilities but lack of proper guidance from you
3. Praise others : If someone working for you has done something good then praise him in front of others without being judgemental. Such praises will allow people to align themselves very distinctively with your goals and vision
4. Never admonish people in front of others. They will start hating you and however, good you are you will not be able to reverse the trend. Always communicate the failure in person to absorb the negative feelings failures and giving the other a chance to reflect on one’s mistake and a strong shoulder to lean on, if required. Your respect will magnify.
5. Respect the absence : Don’t say bad things about others in their absence. people don’t get chance to put their views across when they are not present.
6. Don’t think what you think is right: Views from others will always add value to your decision making and make your team feel good
7. Empower : Empowering your people and your team is the single most trait of successful leaders to get an ordinary team do extraordinary work
8. Create environment for people to freely air their opinion : Creating right environment for free flow of ideas will eliminate need for lot of transactions that would otherwise be required for you to spent time on
9. Respect Others : Leadership position should be earned rather than asked for or thrusted upon. In the case of later, people will not open up
10. Lead from the front by showing examples. This will generate the excitement in your team
11. Communicate as frequently as you can: The more you communicate the more you will understand where is the bottleneck for your people or your team to work effectively.
Monday, March 16, 2009
I am a Half Marathoner
Yes, that's correct. Till a few months back I would not have imagined running half marathons but with some coaching, training and encouragement, I finsihed Kaiser Permanente sponsored half marathon in San Francisco on Feb 1st. I would like to provide my heartfelt gratitude to the following people to help me achieve this milestone
1. Simmi, my wife for providing the encouragement
2. Rajeev, my mentor in providing the guidance and support when chips were down
3. David Severson, my physical therapist who helped me recover from my injury and providing constant dose of self belief including teaching me how to run strong
If you are interested you can continue reading the race report...
Start : It was my first Half Marathon and I was trying to look for the starting point. However, after seeing a sea of people (came to know that there were around 9000 runners) who packed around 100 meters of strip behind the starting line, I decided to join the crowd along with Mukesh. After a couple of minutes, I saw runners in the front slowly walking as the runners at the start line started running. I too started walking and off to my first half marathon
Mile 1 & 2 : There were so many runners that I didn’t realize when I passed Mile 1 and 2. I was running at a comfortable pace of around 12 minutes.
Mile 3: We went by the side of the starting point through a winding road to hit Mile 3. Mukesh was surprised that there was no water stop till Mile 3. I was running strong and motivated.
Mile 4 & 5: Stopped at the water pit before Mile 4. Took just a sip of water as I was running with my own water bottle. Mile 4 & 5 was uneventful, the course was mostly bland and there were many runners around me. I was keeping pace with Mukesh as I didn’t carry my cell phone and was not prepared to lose sight of Mukesh lest I need to struggle to find my way back to the car alone after the race. The pace was still 12:00 minutes.
Mile 6 : We saw the finish line on the other side of the road and also saw some of the early finishers. I was less than half finish and the sight of runners finishing their race made me kind of a bit embarrassed. Anyways, keeping my age and my fitness in mind I shrugged off that thought and kept my focus of finishing strong
Mile 7: We took the turn on Highway 1 and I saw the unending blue Pacific Ocean ahead of me. It was nice to run along the coast line. I checked the time with Mukesh and we were still maintaining 12:00 minute pace inspite of walking for a minute at every mile sign. It was beginning to feel hot though I think I was still doing strong and no signs of fatigue yet. The runners returning to the finishing line on our left also gave me some added motivation to keep moving strong. There were a few spectator cheering along the way and it was nice to say hello to a few of them
Mile 8: Stopped a bit at the water stop. I was no longer sweating like in the early few miles though it was relatively hot @ 63-64o . The run was becoming a bit monotonous seeing the sight of so many runners returning to the finish line after making a U turn ahead. I did try to crane out my neck and look for the U turn ahead but seems that we still need to go a couple of miles before I could be running towards the finish line. I also saw Coach Char and after few minutes saw Rajeev on the other side running strongly towards the finish line. I believe they were already around 3.5 miles ahead of us. Let’s see if I can run like them in years to come.
Mile 9 : I saw a Cop telling us that the U turn is just 300 meters away and that gave me a renewed sense of strength to focus on finishing strong. I felt happy while taking the U turn as I was now moving towards the finish line.
Mile 10 : I checked with Mukesh and surprisingly we were still doing around 12:00 minutes pace. Mukesh told me that we can complete the race before 2.5 hours. I don’t know if 2.5 hrs was good or bad but it definitely helped me to run stronger though I started to feel hungry. Interestingly, I had brought with me some Channa and Gur in a small sachet that Mukesh graciously agreed to put ia pouch in his running belt. I ate that stuff while running and to my surprise Channa & Gur can also be considered as an excellent alternative to Gu to give you quick round of energy. I had decided earlier that I will not take Gu and hence decided on this makeshift alternative that is very cheap and considered a poor man’s diet back in India.
Mile 11: I think we slowed down a bit by Mile 11. I started feeling some blistering sensation in 2nd finger in my right leg. We were running all the while on hard asphalt road which was progressively getting hotter and I thought that because of the hot asphalt I might be getting blister. I was too scared to open my shoe and look what happened and hence decided to continue alongside Mukesh. Between Mile 10 and 11 we took two short run-break as I was beginning to feel the heat and exhaustion of running for more than 2 hours. However, since I ran 11 mile during one of the weekend run in January, I was just saying to myself that how can I feel exhausted when I have earlier finished 11 miles.
Mile 12 : A distance between 11 and 12 was the most difficult as some funny sensation in my finger besides my right toe made me nervous. I thought that my nails of that particular finger has come off and hence I am having burning sensation. Again I was too sacred to see what actually happened and continued running to the best of my abilities. I was sure we had dropped our pace and might be running @ 13:00 minutes pace instead of 12:00 minutes, but I was the least bothered in my head about my pace. I just was trying to run with Mukesh lest I don’t lose him and end up trying to find the car on way back home. Mukesh was still running strong. I was feeling exhausted.
Mile 13.1 & Finish : Little did I realize that I have sweated heavily and have only replenished water but no salt. I was surprised at myself as to why I was getting exhausted. However the sight of finish line and people lining up on both sides did helped me to finish with a timing of 2:35.
I started to cramp after the finish line and still didn’t realize that I did the stupid mistake of not taking some Gatorade at regular interval or any other kind of salt intake. I went to a booth in the post run expo to get myself a flexibility test and that’s where I realized when the volunteer there told me that I am feeling cramped because of some excessive salt loss.
Overall I think I did pretty well considering this was my first half marathon except not knowing how to handle salt loss. An overall timing of less than 12 minutes was also not bad and more importantly I could manage to keep pace with Mukesh as not to struggle to find the car on way back home
1. Simmi, my wife for providing the encouragement
2. Rajeev, my mentor in providing the guidance and support when chips were down
3. David Severson, my physical therapist who helped me recover from my injury and providing constant dose of self belief including teaching me how to run strong
If you are interested you can continue reading the race report...
Start : It was my first Half Marathon and I was trying to look for the starting point. However, after seeing a sea of people (came to know that there were around 9000 runners) who packed around 100 meters of strip behind the starting line, I decided to join the crowd along with Mukesh. After a couple of minutes, I saw runners in the front slowly walking as the runners at the start line started running. I too started walking and off to my first half marathon
Mile 1 & 2 : There were so many runners that I didn’t realize when I passed Mile 1 and 2. I was running at a comfortable pace of around 12 minutes.
Mile 3: We went by the side of the starting point through a winding road to hit Mile 3. Mukesh was surprised that there was no water stop till Mile 3. I was running strong and motivated.
Mile 4 & 5: Stopped at the water pit before Mile 4. Took just a sip of water as I was running with my own water bottle. Mile 4 & 5 was uneventful, the course was mostly bland and there were many runners around me. I was keeping pace with Mukesh as I didn’t carry my cell phone and was not prepared to lose sight of Mukesh lest I need to struggle to find my way back to the car alone after the race. The pace was still 12:00 minutes.
Mile 6 : We saw the finish line on the other side of the road and also saw some of the early finishers. I was less than half finish and the sight of runners finishing their race made me kind of a bit embarrassed. Anyways, keeping my age and my fitness in mind I shrugged off that thought and kept my focus of finishing strong
Mile 7: We took the turn on Highway 1 and I saw the unending blue Pacific Ocean ahead of me. It was nice to run along the coast line. I checked the time with Mukesh and we were still maintaining 12:00 minute pace inspite of walking for a minute at every mile sign. It was beginning to feel hot though I think I was still doing strong and no signs of fatigue yet. The runners returning to the finishing line on our left also gave me some added motivation to keep moving strong. There were a few spectator cheering along the way and it was nice to say hello to a few of them
Mile 8: Stopped a bit at the water stop. I was no longer sweating like in the early few miles though it was relatively hot @ 63-64o . The run was becoming a bit monotonous seeing the sight of so many runners returning to the finish line after making a U turn ahead. I did try to crane out my neck and look for the U turn ahead but seems that we still need to go a couple of miles before I could be running towards the finish line. I also saw Coach Char and after few minutes saw Rajeev on the other side running strongly towards the finish line. I believe they were already around 3.5 miles ahead of us. Let’s see if I can run like them in years to come.
Mile 9 : I saw a Cop telling us that the U turn is just 300 meters away and that gave me a renewed sense of strength to focus on finishing strong. I felt happy while taking the U turn as I was now moving towards the finish line.
Mile 10 : I checked with Mukesh and surprisingly we were still doing around 12:00 minutes pace. Mukesh told me that we can complete the race before 2.5 hours. I don’t know if 2.5 hrs was good or bad but it definitely helped me to run stronger though I started to feel hungry. Interestingly, I had brought with me some Channa and Gur in a small sachet that Mukesh graciously agreed to put ia pouch in his running belt. I ate that stuff while running and to my surprise Channa & Gur can also be considered as an excellent alternative to Gu to give you quick round of energy. I had decided earlier that I will not take Gu and hence decided on this makeshift alternative that is very cheap and considered a poor man’s diet back in India.
Mile 11: I think we slowed down a bit by Mile 11. I started feeling some blistering sensation in 2nd finger in my right leg. We were running all the while on hard asphalt road which was progressively getting hotter and I thought that because of the hot asphalt I might be getting blister. I was too scared to open my shoe and look what happened and hence decided to continue alongside Mukesh. Between Mile 10 and 11 we took two short run-break as I was beginning to feel the heat and exhaustion of running for more than 2 hours. However, since I ran 11 mile during one of the weekend run in January, I was just saying to myself that how can I feel exhausted when I have earlier finished 11 miles.
Mile 12 : A distance between 11 and 12 was the most difficult as some funny sensation in my finger besides my right toe made me nervous. I thought that my nails of that particular finger has come off and hence I am having burning sensation. Again I was too sacred to see what actually happened and continued running to the best of my abilities. I was sure we had dropped our pace and might be running @ 13:00 minutes pace instead of 12:00 minutes, but I was the least bothered in my head about my pace. I just was trying to run with Mukesh lest I don’t lose him and end up trying to find the car on way back home. Mukesh was still running strong. I was feeling exhausted.
Mile 13.1 & Finish : Little did I realize that I have sweated heavily and have only replenished water but no salt. I was surprised at myself as to why I was getting exhausted. However the sight of finish line and people lining up on both sides did helped me to finish with a timing of 2:35.
I started to cramp after the finish line and still didn’t realize that I did the stupid mistake of not taking some Gatorade at regular interval or any other kind of salt intake. I went to a booth in the post run expo to get myself a flexibility test and that’s where I realized when the volunteer there told me that I am feeling cramped because of some excessive salt loss.
Overall I think I did pretty well considering this was my first half marathon except not knowing how to handle salt loss. An overall timing of less than 12 minutes was also not bad and more importantly I could manage to keep pace with Mukesh as not to struggle to find the car on way back home
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Personal Experience of Transition to High School (Part 1/5)
My daughter Tanya will move to Grade 9th (the dreaded beginning of High School) next academic year. I have been trying through various sources to get an insight into what it takes to understand the transition to High School but could not get much to chew on. Hence I decided to write my experience in seeing my daughter move from Middle School to High School. I have decided to write five installment of this experience at appropriate intervals based on the actual transition and hope some parents who will have High School going kids in the nest 2 years will find it useful. It might also be useful to just understand the US high school systems for my readers who may be outside of US
The first inkling that my daughter is slowly moving towards High School was when a small note from her school (Middle School called Thomas Russell Middle School) came around 2nd week of December 2008 while she is still in 8th grade. It asks the parent of soon to be High Schooler to participate in an orientation course in Milpitas High School on January 11th 2009. Milpitas is the city in Bay area in California where we live in .
I kept the notice from the school around my laptop for almost 3 weeks lest I forget the orientation date. Tanya never seemed to be excited about this orientation course and in fact seemed a bit amused over my enthusiasm to participate in the orientation. Finally, much to my amusement I was ready well before time and reached the High School auditorium along with my younger daughter, Tanvi. I was definitely quite excited to know what happens in High School. I never changed school from Grade 1 to Grade 10th and hence never got this opportunity when I was moving to High School. May be the lack of such experience while I was moving to High school classes though in the same school kept my excitement level higher when I get a chance to learn first hand here in US.
The programme started sharp at 7:00 PM PST with the Principal introducing himself and a few counselors. He then greeted the parents and started providing some key difference in High school from Middle school. The Principal said that everything in high School was almost 6 times bigger than the Middle school like :
1. area of the school (almost 6 times the size of middle school),
2. no. of teachers (125 in High School as against 25 in Middle School)
3. no. of students (almost 2500 in High School as against 250 in Middle School)
4. no. of classrooms, etc…
The Principal tried to assure the parents that apart from the increased size of the school including no. of teachers, no. of students all other things are quite normal. In fact he said that the discipline is more rigorous in High School than in Middle School. Here is the name by which students are called in their 4 years of High School
1. Freshmen : 9th Grade
2. Sophomore : 10th Grade
3. Junior : 11th Grade
4. Senior : 12th Grade
The Principal also informed that it will need 225 credits plus 20 hours of community service plus clearing the California High School Exit test to graduate out of High School. There are some subjects like English, Maths, Social Studies that are compulsory for everyone to take while there is couple of electives that the students have to chose from a list of electives. Here is the list of electives that are on offer in Milpitas High School
Incidentally for the first time I also came to understand that Advance Placement Course (that some students take to get some college credits) is a private enterprise / business. All along I had a notion that such Advance Placement courses are sponsored by the Government through the High School for students who are meritorious. However, that’s not true. Advance Placement Courses is a private business and it was one of the many lessons of Educational Capitalism that I have come to realize in US.
The orientation course finally ended at 8:00 PM after some routine questions from interested parents and their answers by the faculty. I especially liked the Speech and the Debate teacher who ahs earlier been attorney and judge for 35 years. He really energized the audience with his superb speech as to why students need to select “Speech and Debate course” as one of their electives. I don’t remember his name but I think I was personally impressed by his oratorical skills for me to go back and ask Tanya to think considering taking this particular elective. Being a professional attorney and Judge, to me ,gives this teacher a very unique perspective to students in his class about debates and speeches. I wish Tanya takes this elective as it might help her intangibly in her overall personality development as she grows older.
Finally, I and Tanvi left the auditorium after posing some few question to the Principal about the importance of Advance Placement courses. Looking back I think that particular evening in Milpitas High School Auditorium definitely helped me start thinking about the upcoming transition of Tanya from Middle school to High School.
Stay tuned for the second update in this series of High School Transition Experience….
The first inkling that my daughter is slowly moving towards High School was when a small note from her school (Middle School called Thomas Russell Middle School) came around 2nd week of December 2008 while she is still in 8th grade. It asks the parent of soon to be High Schooler to participate in an orientation course in Milpitas High School on January 11th 2009. Milpitas is the city in Bay area in California where we live in .
I kept the notice from the school around my laptop for almost 3 weeks lest I forget the orientation date. Tanya never seemed to be excited about this orientation course and in fact seemed a bit amused over my enthusiasm to participate in the orientation. Finally, much to my amusement I was ready well before time and reached the High School auditorium along with my younger daughter, Tanvi. I was definitely quite excited to know what happens in High School. I never changed school from Grade 1 to Grade 10th and hence never got this opportunity when I was moving to High School. May be the lack of such experience while I was moving to High school classes though in the same school kept my excitement level higher when I get a chance to learn first hand here in US.
The programme started sharp at 7:00 PM PST with the Principal introducing himself and a few counselors. He then greeted the parents and started providing some key difference in High school from Middle school. The Principal said that everything in high School was almost 6 times bigger than the Middle school like :
1. area of the school (almost 6 times the size of middle school),
2. no. of teachers (125 in High School as against 25 in Middle School)
3. no. of students (almost 2500 in High School as against 250 in Middle School)
4. no. of classrooms, etc…
The Principal tried to assure the parents that apart from the increased size of the school including no. of teachers, no. of students all other things are quite normal. In fact he said that the discipline is more rigorous in High School than in Middle School. Here is the name by which students are called in their 4 years of High School
1. Freshmen : 9th Grade
2. Sophomore : 10th Grade
3. Junior : 11th Grade
4. Senior : 12th Grade
The Principal also informed that it will need 225 credits plus 20 hours of community service plus clearing the California High School Exit test to graduate out of High School. There are some subjects like English, Maths, Social Studies that are compulsory for everyone to take while there is couple of electives that the students have to chose from a list of electives. Here is the list of electives that are on offer in Milpitas High School
Incidentally for the first time I also came to understand that Advance Placement Course (that some students take to get some college credits) is a private enterprise / business. All along I had a notion that such Advance Placement courses are sponsored by the Government through the High School for students who are meritorious. However, that’s not true. Advance Placement Courses is a private business and it was one of the many lessons of Educational Capitalism that I have come to realize in US.
The orientation course finally ended at 8:00 PM after some routine questions from interested parents and their answers by the faculty. I especially liked the Speech and the Debate teacher who ahs earlier been attorney and judge for 35 years. He really energized the audience with his superb speech as to why students need to select “Speech and Debate course” as one of their electives. I don’t remember his name but I think I was personally impressed by his oratorical skills for me to go back and ask Tanya to think considering taking this particular elective. Being a professional attorney and Judge, to me ,gives this teacher a very unique perspective to students in his class about debates and speeches. I wish Tanya takes this elective as it might help her intangibly in her overall personality development as she grows older.
Finally, I and Tanvi left the auditorium after posing some few question to the Principal about the importance of Advance Placement courses. Looking back I think that particular evening in Milpitas High School Auditorium definitely helped me start thinking about the upcoming transition of Tanya from Middle school to High School.
Stay tuned for the second update in this series of High School Transition Experience….
Monday, January 12, 2009
Relevance of API Score in the context of selecting High School
We are all aware of API score being the guidelines for being a good or a bad school. It’s a fact that API scores and certain demographics go hand in hand. Most of the school that has a high API score has predominantly Asian population that historically has placed high value to academics. In most of the Asian countries only a good education can guarantee a good career.
However, if you look objectively, there are some serious questions about the desire of making your kids go through the same stressed environment through which most of the 1st generation of immigrants have gone in their own country. America is a capitalist economy while most of the Asian countries were either a colony of some empire or a socialist economy. The resources are plentiful in US while back home there is a huge scarcity of resources. For one seat in IIT there are more than 3000 competitors. There were more than lakh applicants for 26 seats in AIIMS, New Delhi.
The situation in US is completely different. You can literally start a career after you are barely out of High School. You can have tons of opportunities to make money without even graduating from high school. The opportunities are only limited by your imagination. No job is considered menial. A truck driver who has a passion in driving can earn the same compared to an engineer considering an early start for the career of a truck driver. In other words the options are limitless. This sort of thing was unthinkable while we were in High school back in India. The only career was a Doctor or an Engineer etc. But times have changed. With the opening of the Indian economy in 1991, the career opportunities are coming to people who are barely out of their college and in few instances out of their high schools. This trend is going to increase as India will keep on integrating with the developed world economies.
I do believe that as a 1st generation immigrant parent we have a responsibility to balance our own desire through our kids versus giving them the freedom to choose what they want. Personally, I would tilt towards making them understand the pros and cons of their choice and leave it to their judgments but at times I also would be strict and may impose my will if I see that their choice belies rationale. As my wife says being a good human being is far more important than being the topper.
I would not like to get into the rat race of getting my kids into schools having relatively superior API scores. I consider that API score has more of an economical value than anything else. A good API score will demand a premium on real estate in US. A good API score will have mostly well to do families who will always want their kids to come first. I would rather have my kid’s personality be shaped by providing them life’s lesson rather than putting them in stressful environments and making them compete if they don’t naturally show a flair for such competition. Let them enjoy their young years with a broad guidelines that help them to stay on course without being tormented to come first in schools that thrive on such competition and hence have higher API scores
Today, I was in the orientation class of High School considering that Tanya would be going to High School next academic year. The Principal of Milpitas High School in response to my question told me that you need to have good SAT scores and good academic records to get into decent college rather than having the best API schools to graduate from and thereby running the risk of burning yourself out before 4 crucial years of College.
While neither the Indian system of education that puts high level of stress on the children’s nor the relaxed way of teaching in the US are a good example of a balanced education system, I do believe that quality parental supervision and sharing of life’s lesson while stressing disciplined approach to study will eventually triumph because that’s where the equilibrium is. Let’s not get disoriented by the sabre rattling of getting your kids admitted to only in a school with highest API rankings. Didn't we come out of ordinary schools but still are relatively succesful?
I would be interested to know if you have a different opinion…
However, if you look objectively, there are some serious questions about the desire of making your kids go through the same stressed environment through which most of the 1st generation of immigrants have gone in their own country. America is a capitalist economy while most of the Asian countries were either a colony of some empire or a socialist economy. The resources are plentiful in US while back home there is a huge scarcity of resources. For one seat in IIT there are more than 3000 competitors. There were more than lakh applicants for 26 seats in AIIMS, New Delhi.
The situation in US is completely different. You can literally start a career after you are barely out of High School. You can have tons of opportunities to make money without even graduating from high school. The opportunities are only limited by your imagination. No job is considered menial. A truck driver who has a passion in driving can earn the same compared to an engineer considering an early start for the career of a truck driver. In other words the options are limitless. This sort of thing was unthinkable while we were in High school back in India. The only career was a Doctor or an Engineer etc. But times have changed. With the opening of the Indian economy in 1991, the career opportunities are coming to people who are barely out of their college and in few instances out of their high schools. This trend is going to increase as India will keep on integrating with the developed world economies.
I do believe that as a 1st generation immigrant parent we have a responsibility to balance our own desire through our kids versus giving them the freedom to choose what they want. Personally, I would tilt towards making them understand the pros and cons of their choice and leave it to their judgments but at times I also would be strict and may impose my will if I see that their choice belies rationale. As my wife says being a good human being is far more important than being the topper.
I would not like to get into the rat race of getting my kids into schools having relatively superior API scores. I consider that API score has more of an economical value than anything else. A good API score will demand a premium on real estate in US. A good API score will have mostly well to do families who will always want their kids to come first. I would rather have my kid’s personality be shaped by providing them life’s lesson rather than putting them in stressful environments and making them compete if they don’t naturally show a flair for such competition. Let them enjoy their young years with a broad guidelines that help them to stay on course without being tormented to come first in schools that thrive on such competition and hence have higher API scores
Today, I was in the orientation class of High School considering that Tanya would be going to High School next academic year. The Principal of Milpitas High School in response to my question told me that you need to have good SAT scores and good academic records to get into decent college rather than having the best API schools to graduate from and thereby running the risk of burning yourself out before 4 crucial years of College.
While neither the Indian system of education that puts high level of stress on the children’s nor the relaxed way of teaching in the US are a good example of a balanced education system, I do believe that quality parental supervision and sharing of life’s lesson while stressing disciplined approach to study will eventually triumph because that’s where the equilibrium is. Let’s not get disoriented by the sabre rattling of getting your kids admitted to only in a school with highest API rankings. Didn't we come out of ordinary schools but still are relatively succesful?
I would be interested to know if you have a different opinion…
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Satyam, a $1 Billion fraud
What a national disgrace Satyam Chairman has brought to all of us. Satyam means truth and I am sure till today this was the mantra of the company but the shocking disclosure of its chairman, Raju once again demonstrates that both the good and the bad exists within each of us and who takes the upper hand decides the snapshot of the action. However, what was disturbing in Raju’s case is that he was the perpetrator of the wrong deeds over a number of years and he just tried to keep it under the wraps as long as he possible could. This makes his mistake appalling and not worthy of slightest sympathy.
Raju himself has admitted that he was riding a tiger and didn’t know how to get off without being eaten. His actions to cover up his mistakes for so long are nothing short of mass financial murders akin to mass murders that we sometimes see in our society. There have been millions of small investors whose wealth just evaporated in front of their eyes and they could not do anything about it. It was their life savings and the greed of a few just took everything away from these hapless employee and small shareholders.
This debacle also poses some very disturbing questions:
1. How can one person make such a large scale fraud of investor’s money?
2. Did Satyam auditors also colluded with Raju while they were supposed to protect the shareholder’s interest?
3. Was the Satyam board sleeping and forget their fiduciary duty of overseeing the shareholder’s interest?
4. The fate of approx. 53000 Satyam employee and their families (I am glad that I left Satyam 4 years back)
5. How the small investors will regain their losses?
6. Why Raju and so many others were allowed to remain outside for almost 3 full days after their shocking disclosures and hence giving them time to destroy key evidences?
However, I do see some silver lining out of the current mess. I am sure there will lot of scrutiny in terms of audit and financial well being of the companies which ultimately will help in protecting the shareholder’s and their employee’s. Role of the Government in bailing out companies of national / international stature will also be of significant interest.
Raju himself has admitted that he was riding a tiger and didn’t know how to get off without being eaten. His actions to cover up his mistakes for so long are nothing short of mass financial murders akin to mass murders that we sometimes see in our society. There have been millions of small investors whose wealth just evaporated in front of their eyes and they could not do anything about it. It was their life savings and the greed of a few just took everything away from these hapless employee and small shareholders.
This debacle also poses some very disturbing questions:
1. How can one person make such a large scale fraud of investor’s money?
2. Did Satyam auditors also colluded with Raju while they were supposed to protect the shareholder’s interest?
3. Was the Satyam board sleeping and forget their fiduciary duty of overseeing the shareholder’s interest?
4. The fate of approx. 53000 Satyam employee and their families (I am glad that I left Satyam 4 years back)
5. How the small investors will regain their losses?
6. Why Raju and so many others were allowed to remain outside for almost 3 full days after their shocking disclosures and hence giving them time to destroy key evidences?
However, I do see some silver lining out of the current mess. I am sure there will lot of scrutiny in terms of audit and financial well being of the companies which ultimately will help in protecting the shareholder’s and their employee’s. Role of the Government in bailing out companies of national / international stature will also be of significant interest.
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