Most of you will be wondering who the hell is this blogger? Well I am still figuring that out myself.
As far as my biography is concerned I am still working on that. Anyway, my official bio goes something like this: I was born in a small hamlet in Lamka/ Churachandpur District of Manipur. And I was educated , if you want to call it that, in private schools in Lamka. I graduated from Delhi University with a degree in political science which qualifies me to whatever it is that I do now.
Since a very young age, I have always been interested in books, magazines and newspapers-especially novels. I have always had the secret ambition/dream to be a great writer . For years, I did little about this wish except moan and groan and feel envious of great writers and novelists. And for years, I wrote in my head, too afraid to expose my thoughts on paper. Now I am slowly walking my way up to some real and serious writing. This blog is an attempt at trying my hand in writing and expressing my thoughts and feelings about something on anything that I am interested in.
So, that’s it. I have gone on way too long so I’ll just stop now.
Do fell free to leave your comments and do check in occasionally for further updates.
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Snapshots From Hell-Peter Robinson
Finished reading “Snapshots From Hell: The Making of an MBA” by Peter Robinson which I had borrowed from a friend of mine who is an MBA aspirant. Well, in the first place I am not an MBA nor do I aspire to become one. I read this book out of sheer curiosity-wanting to know what life is like in a B-school. And I do not regret reading this book.
The book is about the author’s life as a first-year MBA student at the prestigious Stanford University. It chronicles the difficulties and challenges he faces there as a “poet” (a term referring to those who are not good in Maths). This book is a must-read for all MBA aspirants as it gives an insight into what B-school is like.
Reading this book reminds of my graduation years. I, at one point in my life, had contemplated seriously preparing myself for MBA entrance exams. I had even appeared for FMS MBA (MS) entrace test when this course was first started by FMS. But I had not prepared well for the test and had not got through the test. Looking back in retrospect I am not really disappointed that I had not passed the test becuase I do not think this is my passion. MBA is not for me. The rigours of pursuing the course and the long hours MBAs put in when they are working just does not attract me. No matter how much money they are earning. After all, money is not everything in life.
And also I would really like to read Scott Turrow’s One L, the book which is the inspiration behind this book “Snapshots From Hell.” It is about life as a first year student at the famed Harvard Law School.
The book is about the author’s life as a first-year MBA student at the prestigious Stanford University. It chronicles the difficulties and challenges he faces there as a “poet” (a term referring to those who are not good in Maths). This book is a must-read for all MBA aspirants as it gives an insight into what B-school is like.
Reading this book reminds of my graduation years. I, at one point in my life, had contemplated seriously preparing myself for MBA entrance exams. I had even appeared for FMS MBA (MS) entrace test when this course was first started by FMS. But I had not prepared well for the test and had not got through the test. Looking back in retrospect I am not really disappointed that I had not passed the test becuase I do not think this is my passion. MBA is not for me. The rigours of pursuing the course and the long hours MBAs put in when they are working just does not attract me. No matter how much money they are earning. After all, money is not everything in life.
And also I would really like to read Scott Turrow’s One L, the book which is the inspiration behind this book “Snapshots From Hell.” It is about life as a first year student at the famed Harvard Law School.
Elections-Ends or Means
This article has been published on Lamka Post, www.zogam.com, www.zogamonline.com, www.e-pao.net and www.youthejournalist.com
With Manipur going to the polls in February, every other day newspapers carry reports of the MLAs visiting/touring their constituencies and handing out goodies to the populace. Unfortunately the people lapping them up in cheerful glee. And fall for these cheap election gimmicks of the sly politicians. This is nothing new in Manipur especially in the hills where politicians are exploiting the innocent and gullible masses to the hilt.
Elections are really hard times for the people and serve little or no purpose in improving the plight of the people. It is a time when alliances are made and unmade, a time for making a quick buck, a time when your next-door neighbour becomes your enemy. It is a time when friendships are broken and trusts are betrayed. Booth capturing and poll riggings have become the norm. And underground organizations are known to openly support their own choice of candidates. And the whole process of elections has become a farce – a mockery of democracy.
Let us see in the context of Churachandpur. I was personally there at the time of the Assembly Election in 2000. And I have been to election campaigns of the two main contenders. What I have seen there is not an election campaign. It is pure character assisination. The candidates did, never once, outlined their policies and programmes (manifestoes) but just launched personal attacks on their rivals. This is just ridiculous. And the crowed seems to enjoy these to the hilt. There were loud cheers and clapping of hands for the all the personal attacks that the candidates indulged in. The situation may not be so different this time round.
The public is no better. I have seen some cases of sheer madness – there was a case where one family did not allow its neighbours to draw water from their well because the neighbours were supporting the rival party and neighbours were not even on talking terms. I do not blame the candidates for these trivial things. It is their supporters who in moments of madness resorted to such foolish practices.
Elections have become an end in itself and not the means to an end. Politicians are out to exploit the people and the people are making every opportunity to grab a few thousand bucks from the politicians. It is a vicious cycle from which there seems to be no escape in the near future.
It is time that we moved on. We have been through enough of this - petty politics, quick bucks and narrow-mindedness. Let us try to expand our horizons and look at the big picture. Elections are times to frame policies and programs. A time to think of our future and work towards the larger good of the society. Elections should be the means to an end and not an end in itself. The end being good governance, development, growth, empowerment and general well being of the public at large and not only a section of the populace.
How long are we going to fall for the cheap political gimmicks of our politicians? When are we going to let them face the music? How long will we be content with just a few thousand bucks at the time of elections? When will we all work together for the betterment of our society and not just run around for personal gains? As we go to the polls once again, let these questions be in the minds of all and let us strive to work together for our future – a more prosperous and developed society. Lest we face the consequences.
With Manipur going to the polls in February, every other day newspapers carry reports of the MLAs visiting/touring their constituencies and handing out goodies to the populace. Unfortunately the people lapping them up in cheerful glee. And fall for these cheap election gimmicks of the sly politicians. This is nothing new in Manipur especially in the hills where politicians are exploiting the innocent and gullible masses to the hilt.
Elections are really hard times for the people and serve little or no purpose in improving the plight of the people. It is a time when alliances are made and unmade, a time for making a quick buck, a time when your next-door neighbour becomes your enemy. It is a time when friendships are broken and trusts are betrayed. Booth capturing and poll riggings have become the norm. And underground organizations are known to openly support their own choice of candidates. And the whole process of elections has become a farce – a mockery of democracy.
Let us see in the context of Churachandpur. I was personally there at the time of the Assembly Election in 2000. And I have been to election campaigns of the two main contenders. What I have seen there is not an election campaign. It is pure character assisination. The candidates did, never once, outlined their policies and programmes (manifestoes) but just launched personal attacks on their rivals. This is just ridiculous. And the crowed seems to enjoy these to the hilt. There were loud cheers and clapping of hands for the all the personal attacks that the candidates indulged in. The situation may not be so different this time round.
The public is no better. I have seen some cases of sheer madness – there was a case where one family did not allow its neighbours to draw water from their well because the neighbours were supporting the rival party and neighbours were not even on talking terms. I do not blame the candidates for these trivial things. It is their supporters who in moments of madness resorted to such foolish practices.
Elections have become an end in itself and not the means to an end. Politicians are out to exploit the people and the people are making every opportunity to grab a few thousand bucks from the politicians. It is a vicious cycle from which there seems to be no escape in the near future.
It is time that we moved on. We have been through enough of this - petty politics, quick bucks and narrow-mindedness. Let us try to expand our horizons and look at the big picture. Elections are times to frame policies and programs. A time to think of our future and work towards the larger good of the society. Elections should be the means to an end and not an end in itself. The end being good governance, development, growth, empowerment and general well being of the public at large and not only a section of the populace.
How long are we going to fall for the cheap political gimmicks of our politicians? When are we going to let them face the music? How long will we be content with just a few thousand bucks at the time of elections? When will we all work together for the betterment of our society and not just run around for personal gains? As we go to the polls once again, let these questions be in the minds of all and let us strive to work together for our future – a more prosperous and developed society. Lest we face the consequences.
Friday, October 13, 2006
Indian search engine launched
India’s first local Internet search engine, http://www.guruji.com/ was launched yesterday, 12th October 2006 in Bangalore.
Guruji.com is the first crawler based search engine for India and India related content. Two young entrepreneurs, Anurag Dod and Gaurav Mishra, ex-IIT Delhi alumni with significant Internet and search experience have started guruji.com, after Sequoia Capital India provided seed funding to the venture.
Anurag Dod, co-founder and CEO, guruji.com said, "guruji.com is the result of the feeling that there is a need for an Indian search engine which can help our people and people who visit our country find what they are looking for. The search is more specific here. What sets us apart is our focus on the Indian market and the Indian consumer. We have worked very hard to build the best local search product in the market."
Gaurav Mishra, co-founder and coo, guruji.com explains, "90% of Internet search queries are local in nature, and guruji.com will deliver better search results than anyother search engine in these instances. For example, if a user types a search "Pizzain Koramangala, Bangalore " or "Chinese restaurant Juhu, Mumbai" the user will beable to see local business listings as well as articles, reviews, blogs, or any other web references."
Guruji currently has the data for the following cities: Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Pune, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Indore, Noida, Mysore, Ludhiana, Mangalore, Vadodara.
Guruji.com is the first crawler based search engine for India and India related content. Two young entrepreneurs, Anurag Dod and Gaurav Mishra, ex-IIT Delhi alumni with significant Internet and search experience have started guruji.com, after Sequoia Capital India provided seed funding to the venture.
Anurag Dod, co-founder and CEO, guruji.com said, "guruji.com is the result of the feeling that there is a need for an Indian search engine which can help our people and people who visit our country find what they are looking for. The search is more specific here. What sets us apart is our focus on the Indian market and the Indian consumer. We have worked very hard to build the best local search product in the market."
Gaurav Mishra, co-founder and coo, guruji.com explains, "90% of Internet search queries are local in nature, and guruji.com will deliver better search results than anyother search engine in these instances. For example, if a user types a search "Pizzain Koramangala, Bangalore " or "Chinese restaurant Juhu, Mumbai" the user will beable to see local business listings as well as articles, reviews, blogs, or any other web references."
Guruji currently has the data for the following cities: Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Pune, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Indore, Noida, Mysore, Ludhiana, Mangalore, Vadodara.
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Shantaram
"I was a revolutionary who lost his ideals in heroin, a philosopher who lost his integrity in crime, and a poet who lost his soul in a maximum-security prison," says Lin, in this fictionalised account of the author, Gregory David Robert's life.
The narrator, Lin, is an escaped convict from an Australian jail. He arrives in Bombay, India with a fake New Zealand passport. He immediately meets a taxi driver named Prabaker who gives him tours of the city and a hut in the local slum. Lin starts a free clinic for the people in the slum, and to provide for his own income sells drugs to tourists. This gets him the attention of the local mafia, and he's increasingly pulled into their world of crime- from counterfeiting to gun running to passport schemes. And as a gunrunner he resupplied a unit of mujaheddin guerrilla fighters in Afghanistan.
The story of "Shantaram" is the story of Roberts's own life. He really did break out of a maximum-security prison in Australia, travel the world, become fluent in several Indian dialects, get captured and returned to jail, only to be victimized by sadistic prison guards who twice destroyed the first 300 pages of his manuscript.
I like this novel because of the originality in Robert's writing and some of his philisophies he propound in his book.
The rights of the film has been sold to Johny Depp and he is set to star in the film which will be released in 2008.
The narrator, Lin, is an escaped convict from an Australian jail. He arrives in Bombay, India with a fake New Zealand passport. He immediately meets a taxi driver named Prabaker who gives him tours of the city and a hut in the local slum. Lin starts a free clinic for the people in the slum, and to provide for his own income sells drugs to tourists. This gets him the attention of the local mafia, and he's increasingly pulled into their world of crime- from counterfeiting to gun running to passport schemes. And as a gunrunner he resupplied a unit of mujaheddin guerrilla fighters in Afghanistan.
The story of "Shantaram" is the story of Roberts's own life. He really did break out of a maximum-security prison in Australia, travel the world, become fluent in several Indian dialects, get captured and returned to jail, only to be victimized by sadistic prison guards who twice destroyed the first 300 pages of his manuscript.
I like this novel because of the originality in Robert's writing and some of his philisophies he propound in his book.
The rights of the film has been sold to Johny Depp and he is set to star in the film which will be released in 2008.
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