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Thank You – India Railways and Mysore Police

18 Jan

I have heard great things about the Indian Railways and its improved efficiency ever since Suresh Prabhu has taken over. The trains are cleaner, the platforms and the bathrooms are sparkling clean (At least in South India), Trains are punctual.

A few days back I had a great experience – in the Chennai Mysore Shatabadi. On Sun 15th Jan we boarded the Chennai – Mysore Shatabdi at 6 AM headed to Bangalore. We were a group of 6 with 5 suitcases and many small bags and accessories.

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After a very comfortable journey in a very neat coach we got off at Bangalore Majestic. I always take count of the suitcases before we leave – but this day there was some miscommunication , and I was not as alert as usual. We came back home and realised that we had left a suitcase in the Train. It was my dad’s suitcase and had his medicines and a few other important items.

I had no clue what to do and there was a sense of panic at home. Searched the web for the station numbers at Majestic and Mysore – but the numbers that popped up were obsolete and not out of service. I then tried contacting some business associates at Mysore who could send someone to the station and pick up the Suitcase from Coach C5. But being a Sunday at 12 Noon – nobody was reachable.

At my wits end I called my friend seeking advice. He asked me to call 139 Railway Enquiry. After a few options I finally reached a friendly call centre advocate who politely told me that she could not help and I would need to contact the Railway Police Mysore for Lost & Found – she was not able to help with the number.

After multiple Google attempts I finally reached this site http://202.138.101.165/railwaypolice/Railway%20Police%20Contact.html. 

Fortunately it had a Mobile Number listed for Mysore (9480802122) – which I immediately dialled. And thats when the efficient miracle started.

The phone was picked up on the second ring and a confident no nonsense efficient voice answered me. I explained the situation – he responded by saying that Shatabadi was just entering the platform and he would send one of his team to C5 to locate the suitcase and call me back.

I waited patiently invoking the universal energy – my mother was very confident that we would get the suitcase back. Expecting a call back from a Govt official was rare. But this man was different – within 10 minutes I got a call back saying he had traced the Suitcase and he would be sending it back with Pappu Khan the pantry boy in C5 Coach and I could pick it up at 420 PM when the train reached Bangalore Majestic.  He gave me Pappu Khan’s number – I called him and established contact.

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We were there at the station at 4 PM and promptly at 4.20 the train chugged in Platform no 7. As we waited anxiously Pappu Khan was at the gate with our suitcase. We thanked him profusely.

For me a miracle had happened – I had never expected a lost suitcase in the train would be got back so easily. And it all happened because of  Mr S Krishnamoorthy – Sup Inspector Police at Mysore Railway Station.  Thanks a lot Mr Krishnamoorthy – people like you instil confidence that in todays world there are still good people. It was your attitude and efficient approach that made things happen. You are a role model. Thank You Sir – May God Bless you and your Family. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Axis Bank – ” Dear Madam Shikha – Your letter is not Re -assuring”

19 Dec

Dear Shikha Sharma ;

I logged in my mail and saw your letter after visiting an Axis Bank branch this morning. I have been a Axis Privilege Customer for the last 11 years. Initially I recommended a lot of my friends and family to your bank – but recently I am thinking on whether I should continue or not.

Its not just about the fraud and the crisis that happened with demonetisation – but over the years there has been a steep decline in Customer Service , Approach , Technology Robustness and of course as we see Governance and Controls.

This morning it took 30 minutes for the Teller at the 80 feet road Koramangla branch to serve me . he apologised ” Sir – The systems are slow” – and this is not the first time that we have seen your systems behave badly with a huge crowd waiting to be serviced. The poor hassled teller was at his wits end as the crowd that has been waiting since 845 AM started getting angry. (A similar transaction at Citibank last week took me less than 5 minutes). Later in the afternoon when I visited the Branch at 4th Block near Forum – I saw no Q and the security informed me that the system had stopped working totally. You are one of the top private banks in the Country and your system are down for hours – there is no apology / no SMS from the Bank saying sorry our systems are down.

The branches are dirty and unswept at 930 AM – it feels like I am walking into a Government building. The Vinyl posters are torn an tattered. The walls are plastered with papers most of them peeling off. The staff are lackadaisical and lost in their own world. Not just lost some are nasty.

Last week ( Thursday 15th) I was in the Q to withdraw money ( Again at the Branch near Forum) – I was sanding from 845AM . The Teller started his operations at 955 AM – bank opening was supposedly 930. There was a Q of over 75 people spilling into the streets – and there was money – as the support staff rolled in the trucks with the cash to the teller counter by 9.40. In a busy branch only 1 Teller was operational and he started his day at 9.55. The second Telleer counter  was empty.

As I was standing in the Q – a staff got a call ( she was from the Forex team) and she started shouting at the customer. ” Stop calling me – you can check your account and you will get a SMS once the credit happens” – post the call she tells her supervisor sitting next to her ” This customer is a Psycho – he is a mad guy” all of this within earshot of the customers standing in the Q – If thats the attitude with which you treat your customers – I am really worried.

The branch manager is invisible – his room is always empty. 10 years back the Branch Manager would be visible, greeting his customer by name , there was leadership displayed, he would run the bank. Today I don’t even know who your Branch Manager is – he prefers to hide rather than come in the front and solve issues.

Even before demonetisations your ATM’s were dry most of the time. Your sales people were interested in selling Insurance Linked products… . The people in your branch look lost and confused – and its amazing that in this confusion there are still a few sincere hard working people who stand out. Many of the good people I have interacted with at your branches over the years have moved on …..

Maybe its time for me to move on to. Maybe the Fraud and the negative publicity is an opportunity for you to fix the mess in your Bank.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Dear Customer,
On behalf of my colleagues’ at Axis Bank, I write to thank you for your support and understanding since the demonetisation initiative began. It has been a challenging time and we have tried our level best to make it easier for you.
During this period we have been overwhelmed by the care and understanding customers such as you have shown us, from bringing food for our branch staff to the instant appreciation for a job well done. We have made every effort to ease the transition by making special arrangements for senior citizens and differently abled people at our branches, using micro-ATMS to deliver cash to BSF personnel, ensuring salary disbursement to government and corporate employees across the length and breadth of our country.
Hence the recent media reports around the conduct of a few of our employees have left me embarrassed and upset. We have fallen short of your expectations because a handful of people did not follow our fully compliant and robust processes. We have taken the toughest action against such employees and we will do so in every case of divergence from our Code of Conduct. I regret that the misdeeds of a few people have eroded the hard work of 55000+ employees, who have been at the front end beyond working hours, displaying extraordinary patience and commitment to their responsibilities.
I would like to reassure you that the bank has always been committed to the highest standards of operational control and continues to fully cooperate with the authorities. We have been tracking sudden surges in account activity and have proactively identified potentially suspicious accounts. This proactive identification has been one of the inputs in investigation by the regulatory authorities, who are visiting some of our branches to seek out information. Further, we have hired KPMG to conduct a forensic audit for enhanced due diligence and building more safeguards.
I assure you that the fundamentals of the bank, built painstakingly over the last 22 years, focused on serving its retail and corporate customers is on a solid footing. The Banker, a publication by the Financial Times, UK has ranked us amongst the safest banks in the world and we rank second in India. CRISIL the premier rating agency of the country has on December 2, 2016 reaffirmed its ratings on the banks’s existing debt instruments at ‘CRISIL AAA/Stable/CRISIL A1+”. The ratings reflect Axis Bank’s robust capitalisation, healthy resource profile and comfortable earnings.
If there is more information you seek at this time, do click here to visit this link. Also, our branch managers and relationship managers are always available to help in case of any assistance that you may require.
In closing, I am grateful for your support all through these years. We will always safeguard your interests because your trust matters the most. I look forward to your continued confidence in making us a safe, strong bank that is always focused on you.
Thanking you,
Warm regards,
Shikha Sharma
MD & CEO Axis Bank

Is 48 the new 58 ! The growing trend of Early Retirement

12 Nov

“All the world’s a stage” is the phrase that begins a monologue from William Shakespeare’s “As You Like It” . The speech compares the world to a stage and life to a play, and documents the seven stages of a man’s life  –  Baby or infant, School boy or child, Lover, Soldier, Justice or judge, Old man , Extreme old age facing imminent death – again like a child

In Hinduism, human life is believed to comprise four stages. These are called “ashramas” and every man should ideally go through each of these stages:

The First Ashrama – “Brahmacharya” or the Student Stage
The Second Ashrama – “Grihastha” or the Householder Stage
The Third Ashrama – “Vanaprastha” or the Hermit Stage
The Fourth Ashrama – “Sannyasa” or the Wandering Ascetic Stage

So where do I stand after 25 years of work – knocking at age 48 – I clearly crossed the Shakespearean Soldier Phase – but I am not ready to call myself an “Old Man” – so I guess I fall in the Justice or Judge phase as per Shakespeare , and after 20 years of marriage I am probably 80% into the Grihasta Stage.

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I took the bold step and retired last week. A lovely career of 25 years of which 23 were spent in 3 great companies – Wipro, Sun & Apple. We are a lucky generation – my career started in 1992 when PM Narasimha Rao started the economic liberalisation ( Note I give credit to PVN and not Mr Singh)   – and I rode many waves – The PC wave , Mini Computer , S/W Outsourcing , Telecom , BPO  and finally the  Smart Phone wave. When we started our career telex and fax were the mode of communication – there was no email – a lot has changed in 25 years.

A big decision and the 3 questions that my friends and well wishers are asking me

  1. Why Retire ? Cant the good times continue
  2. How did you pull the plug – How much is enough to retire ?
  3. What will you do post retirement ?

For most people it is difficult to walk away from a Great Job in one of the worlds greatest company – Good salary , Great RSU’s , Great perks , 5 Star Lifestyle – yet I did it. its been 3 months since I put in my resignation and I have not had a single days regret.

  1. Why Retire ? Cant the good times continue

Corporate Life is at the cross roads – 9 out of 10 professionals I have met over the age of 45 don’t enjoy their job. They live pay check to pay check , RSU to RSU – worried about the future.

Over the last 25 years (1300 weeks) – I would have travelled for 1000 weeks – over 2000 flights and 3000 room nights in hotels. Wake up at 4AM for the early morning flight , reach home after midnight , skip meals regularly , over eat, eat unhealthy food, don’t exercise ….. all of this takes a toll and damages the body. The body gives you signals – I read the signal and said stop –  most don’t. They continue with their stress and depression and very soon land up in a hospital bed with a serious ailment

I can be categoric in saying that in India there is NO WORK LIFE BALANCE in the IT / Consumer Electronics industry . Best in class Indian Corporation or MNC our work culture sucks. (Maybe Manufacturing – Govt jobs are an exception)

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2. How did you pull the plug – How much is enough to retire ?

There are 3 Things that make you chug along in your Corporate Job

  • The need for Financial Security
  • Your Ego – Power , Growth , Peer Pressure , Bigger Job , Fancier Designation ….
  • Greed – Bigger Cars, Bigger House, Fancy Holidays , Want the best for me & my family …

(And then there are those rare 1% who found their calling and are immersed in their jobs )

The need for Financial security is basic. It would be stupid to quit if you have not planned and provided for the long life ahead – keeping in mind the inflationary trends.

There are 4 seeds that you need to sow to manage your post retirement era – lets call them 4 Buckets

Bucket 1  : Security  – Gives you Tax Free Interest income  7 – 9 % with which you can maintain your lifestyle and run your monthly household without cutting any strings

Bucket 2 : Growth – Investments in Stocks / MF that could potentially give you 12 – 18 % Returns , let this grow cumulatively.

Bucket 3 : Debt Free House to stay in and one as a backup for Rent / Investment

Bucket 4 :  Investments in Govt Securities like LIC / PPF that you can add on to Bucket 1 at a later stage to manage inflation.

If you planned this over the last 10 years ( Our generation started at a salary of Rs 3000 in 1992 so year 20 – 25 of your career is crucial to maximise investments) – then you should be in a good place.

Coming down to Ego & Greed – this is the tough one to solve. If you have developed a spiritual side and a sense of contentment you can pull the plug – else its your destiny . Most people my age reading this blog will have enough for their needs but not for their greed. Nobody but you can help solve this – its about introspection and prioritising what you want to do in life

3. What will you do post retirement? 

This one is easy – there is so much to do – we all have a long list of things we have wanted to do. Corporate life gives you 18 – 20 days off a year – almost all of that goes in family holidays / functions etc. The concept of sabbatical or extended time off is rare in India companies – even if it exists few take the risk of encashing it as there is the fear of what will happen to my job if I come back after 6 months ?

To fix 25 years of misuse to the body requires a lot of effort – I am going to invest 3 hrs a day on Yoga / Meditation / Increase self awareness / Gym. Perfect your asanas , go deeper in whatever you do . That is Priority no – 1

Fix my lifestyle – eat healthy – eat timely – plan your meals – cook some of them – have a fruit diet once a week – fast once a month. Read up on how to be healthy – Thats Priority no – 2

Do all that you wanted to do – Go for a 10 day meditation camp , visit a Ashram , spend time reading a book by a riverside in a quaint mountain, Trek the mountains , go to Mansarovar  , find a place where you can play TT , visit the offbeat locations near home , travel by a Bus , watch a movie on a week day at PVR (you can’t watch one on the weekend), nap in the afternoon …… There is no dearth of what one can do

Spend time at home –  be with the kids – understand what is their in their school books  (till now thats been 100% wife responsibility) – spend time with family ….

Find your passion – we did what was mandated by society – studied engineering , joined a good corporate job, bought houses , saved money, went to the standard holiday places … life was good but it was predictable … in the journey we forgot what was our passion

Read , meet new people , connect , flow like a river , talk less , observe more , be more self aware

Try and give back something to society – be thankful for all that we have been showered with

Most importantly sit back and enjoy the simple things in life – when was the last time you tasted your cup of tea and felt the flavour  Vs gulping it down, took a relaxed shower and felt the water on your skin , sat in the balcony as the world hurried by and heard the bird chirping and singing … its all there around us  – we never have the time to sit back and enjoy.

Like Newton said

“I was like a boy playing on the sea-shore, and diverting myself now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me.”

There is so much to do – how many of us know what Dy/Dx and Integral Calculus means – we mugged and passed ? Learn a language / learn an Instrument / Go back and understand better what you rushed by – there is no pressure , no exam , nothing to prove to anyone – you learn for yourself and that will be an interesting journey. The internet is an ocean of knowledge – a fast high speed Internet is all you need. Every day pick one topic on which you want to dig a little deeper.

I haven’t planned it out – my dream is to flow like a river . the River is amazing – its just keeps flowing , stops and crosses a boulder , changes direction if the blockage is large , flows fast , flows slow, it has energy , it is constantly moving. It lives in the present. All that the great masters taught is visible in Nature – in the river , in the seas , in the mountain – there is so much energy in nature.

So what will I Miss ? 

A lot – to start with the security and the comfort of the monthly pay check and the 6 monthly RSU. The Lifestyle at the Hyatt / Sheraton / Taj – the upgrades and the free nights. Free Wi Fi,  Free Breakfast ….

The Platinum status with the airlines – no Q, getting your luggage first off the block

The Chauffeured car waiting to pick you with your name tag

The great office infrastructure – high speed networks , printers , iPhone being upgraded every year, large display , dual screens….

The rushed Veggie shopping from Parle East Market – on the way back to the airport at Mumbai, the authentic street food Vada Pav & Pav Bhaji.

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And most importantly the few good folks with whom I have enjoyed working over the years – you meet thousands but there are those handful of what I call ” A few good people” who touched you and made a deep impact.

And what will I gain ? 

  • Time – the watch will no longer be my boss,
  • A stress free life – No corporate politics , no late night presentations
  • Maybe Discover my hidden Passion

and I hope the River finds its course and keeps moving gurgling with joy and happiness

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Thank you – Memories from Nov 5

7 Nov


Thank you for being there. My 25 year corporate life  is like a Train journey –  you meet thousands who come and go as the train travels from city to city – some get off , new people come in and the train chugs along  …. but there are a few with who you connect and want to keep in touch over the years. Leaders from who you learn , team mates who worked shoulder to shoulder and peers who were always ready to help with a smile, friends who were to there to rejoice and share bad times  …. here are some memories ….

( I was so busy talking and meeting all of you after so many years I am missing a few photos , so if anyone has some good clicks please do send to complete this memorable collection)

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The old order Changeth … impact on the next generation

16 Aug

I started this exercise a few months back  during a discussion with my daughter about possible career streams that she could consider.  As I started researching I can only say that massive Change is round the corner … you can sense it.

Lets look at a few things thats happening in the world

  1. My engineering college project was on Alternate Sources of Energy – after 25 years Solar power finally seems to be a reality. It is estimated that by 2040 – 60% of the worlds energy will come from renewable zero emission sources. Its threatening Oil / Coal / Fossil prices the world over – Clean energy seems to be round the corner. Oil prices are at a historical low and the Middle East could be facing a huge threat.

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2. Which is great – given the way we have polluted the environment. Our Cities are full of smoke, our seas are full of trash, our lakes are disappearing, the glaciers are receding….  – in the last 50 years mankind has damaged the planet the most in its 5 Billion years of existence -We are on the edge of collapse. Animals are becoming extinct and we are thinking of having drones to replace bees to pollinate the flowers.

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3. A lot of the pollution is driven by the rapid growth of population – with 7 B people we are bursting at our seams and we are expected to grow to 9 B soon. Every year 77 M people are moving to Urban Cities – we now have 29 Cities with population of over 10M ( that was 14 in 1995) – a lot of the population growth is driven by lesser deaths and longer life spans – thanks to the development in medicine. By 2020 for the 1st time the world will have more people >65 years of age than those below the age of 5. Today there are 8 working people supporting every pensioner , by 2050 only 4 people will support that pensioner.

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4. Nobody wants to work in farms and food and meat will soon be developed in the lab. Yes, it does save a lot of resources – given that animals and farm produce consume a lot of natural resources. ( Did you know that producing 1 kg of rice needs over 3000 litres of water and 1 KG of Beef needs over 15,000 litres of water). The machines are already replacing the farmers and with technology evolving the new age robots may be even be able to pluck vegetables and fruits.

5. Add to this Technology revolution continues unabated. This year’s World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos focused on the Fourth Industrial Revolution, a term coined by Klaus Schwab to describe the new generation of technological advances – sensors, robotics, artificial intelligence, 3D printing, precision medicine – coming together to define the next wave of progress. These new technologies have the potential to transform our lives – but in the near term they will cause massive unemployment. Robots are developing sensory and perception power – a large part of not just mundane jobs but even intelligent jobs are being threatened. Driverless cars, ships , buses, trains  are already being tested.

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6. All this could threaten jobs and cause massive unemployment. Indian IT industry could lose over 6.4 Lac jobs by 2020. Average real salary of the working class has hardly gone up in the last 20 years and the 1% rich control more than 90% of the worlds wealth. Class inequality is on the rise. An idle mind is a devils workshop – so we see misguided youth joining ISIS and fomenting trouble all across the world.

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7. We are seeing the impact of this in Trump & BREXIT. When jobs and livelihood are threatened borders close down. The world is no longer a Global Village. The world is suddenly seeing the emergence of very strong national leaders in Putin, Abe, Merkel, Modi … and we may be surprised with who the next President of the US is.

The future looks kind of grave from a 16 year old’s point of view. Where do you focus? Many European countries are seeing 50% unemployment as robots and intelligent computers take over. Law Grads in the US are struggling to get jobs and pay back their loans as the research work has been taken over by robots and intelligent computers.

8. As jobs get fewer – its difficult to sustain work life for more than 25 years , 45 – 50 is the new retirement age not 60 ( Unless you are lucky to be working in a Government Job). Yes the folks in European Countries with their excellent social support system can manage – but what happens to emerging countries if you work for 25 years but need to live till you are 100. Will your savings sustain ?

9. All this confusion and chaos is seeing the slow but steady rise of spirituality. Yoga and vegetarian food is growing in popularity the world over. Pranic healing , Reiki , Meditation, Naturopathy …. are all gaining ground. People are tired with excess and everyone is looking for some peace and solace.

What does this mean for generation next. A few tough questions that the young generation needs to answer to determine their future – 90% of the jobs of today may not exist 10 years from now as the 4th Industrial Revolution starts accelerating

  1. Is the future brighter in Emerging Markets or in developed Countries ? Do we stay in countries like India which is expected to register 8% growth for the next 20 – 30 years or do we go to the US for higher studies.
  2. Programming and Computer Science – is that a career – or does every job need coding , do we go Applied Science or Pure Science for our Undergrad
  3. Should we struggle for 10 years to be a Doctor or be a Bio Tech Scientist working on the next set of new tech medicines. For all you know the doctor of tomorrow may well be a robot.
  4. Can environment sciences really evolve as a serious career option
  5. Is the current educational system geared for equipping the students for the 4th Revolution – as the colleges in India are clearly still teaching content from the 80’s.
  6. The last 50 years have seen the emergence of large corporates – will this trend continue? Will the tech revolution continue? Or is there a new Microsoft / Google / Apple waiting to emerge?
  7. What are the skills we need to succeed in the near future?

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These are some hard questions for which we need to find answers. Change is always difficult to absorb but the youth have the resilience to adapt. Those of us in the 40’s will be lucky to see yet another massive wave of change after the Internet / Smart Phone boom, but will we be able to digest this new change? Of that I am not entirely sure. Only time will tell.

How Colours impact Humanity : Kushi Athreya (3rd – Spark Mentor Essay Competition, Battle of the Words)

11 Jul

 

How Colours Impact Humanity?

Kushi Athreya – 8th Grade , Sri Kumaran 

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Take a minute and imagine the world around you without colour , how boring and unexciting life would be!… Colours play a vital role in our daily lives and it is scientifically proven that our activities and responses are influenced by colours. Kenneth Fehrman, co-author of the book, Color The Secret Influence, states that most people are unaware of the profound effect of color has on their Behavior.

Let us unravel the secrets of colours. Did you know that our eyes can perceive seventy lakh colours? Colour is a powerful and important communication tool, and it is tied to religion, political, and social life. Most of us have a favorite colour or prefer some colour over others. This is because the colour affects our moods so we surround ourselves in the colours that have positive impact on us. A research by the University of British Columbia has proven that the colour blue enhances the creativity whereas the colour red helps us focus and has a positive effect on our memory. Just like smell, taste, touch and sound influence our emotional reaction, colour is also another such stimulation that creates emotional Reactions. Tetrachromats are people who have more receptors in their eyes, their brains are wired the same way as a person with normal vision but they can see many more colours. Like if one of them saw a leaf then they will observe other pigments other than green.

Wassily Kandinksky was one of the first pioneers of colour theory. He was a renowned Russian painter and theorist, who is often considered to be the founder of abstract art, believes that colours communicate many qualities. According to him, black signifies grief, dark and unknown, white signifies harmony and silence, while green signifies peace, stillness and nature. In different parts of the world, colours are associated to different meanings. For example yellow represents courage in Japan, mourning in Egypt and hope in the West. In politics, red is often linked to socialism and communism, and white has links to surrender and pacifism while black is linked to anarchism .The effects of colour differ between people. Factors such as gender and age can influence how an individual perceives colour. Colour expert Faber Birren carried out many studies and he found that children like long wave hues (red, yellow, orange) while after maturity the prefer short wave hues (blue, green,purple).

In particular the colour red has been found to influence sports performance. During the 2004 Summer Olympics the competitors in boxing, taekwondo, freestyle wrestling, and Greco-Roman wrestling were randomly given blue or red uniforms. A later study found that those wearing red won 55% of all the bouts which was a statistically significant increase over the expected 50%. The colour blue is said to have calming effects. In 2000, when the company Glasgow installed blue street lights in certain neighbourhood in order to reduce the crime rate.

Our sense of taste is often fooled by our sense of sight. This is because humans have certain expectations of how food should look. When the colour of food is off or is different than what we expect, our brain tells us that it tastes different too. Supported by scientific studies, we use visual cues from colour to identify and judge the quality and taste of what we eat.To give the impression of a certain taste, flavour, or quality, food colouring or dyes are added to processed, packaged, and even fresh foods. For example adding a red colorant to the skin of an apple, may influence consumers into believing the apple is sweeter in taste. In a study published in the Journal of Food Science, researchers
found that people confused flavours when a drink did not have the appropriate colour. A cherry- flavoured drink manipulated to be orange in colour was thought to taste like an orange drink, and a cherry drink manipulated to be green in colour was thought to taste like lime.

Colour therapy is the use of colour in a variety of ways to promote health and healing. The different colours we see in the world around us are the result of the eye perceiving light vibrating at different frequencies. Sunlight, or full-spectrum light, holds all the wavelengths of colour in the visible spectrum (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet, and magenta) as well as infrared and ultraviolet light, which cannot be seen. Used to treat both physical and emotional problems, colour therapy may involve exposure to coloured lights, massages using colour-saturated oils, contemplating and visualizing colours, even wearing coloured clothing and eating coloured foods.

Not surprisingly, colour has been played a role in healing for centuries. At the temple of Heliopolis in ancient Egypt, patients were treated in rooms specifically designed to break up the sun’s rays into the colours of the spectrum. People also made regular pilgrimages to the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, to take advantage of the healing colours of the exotic plants and flowers found there. In India, practitioners of Ayurveda, taught that specific colours corresponded with each of the seven chakras, the energy centres that represent organs, emotions, and aspects of the spirit. (Today Ayurveda medicine continues to use colour to treat a wide range of mental and physical imbalances.)

The beauty of the world is magnified through colours. Colours play a huge and subtle role in human life. They instigate our emotions, actions and our belief, playing an emphatic role in our life and instill imagination, creativity thus, changing the way we look at the world.

 

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How Colours impact Humanity : Anvitaa Anandkumar (2nd – Spark Mentor Essay Competition, Battle of the Words)

11 Jul

 

How colours impact humanity

Anvitaa Anandkumar, NPS Koramangla

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The world of colours takes its hold right at birth. The moment the nurses swaddle a tiny child in either soft blue or pink blankets, indicating whether it’s a boy or a girl. Whether the baby has red hair or brown, blue eyes or black. What colour clothes would suit the child? What colour should the room be?

Our lives revolve around colours. They are omnipresent in every decision we make. The colour palate consists of a myriad of colours and a million hues and they all affect us in different ways.

Would you consider wearing a chirpy shade of blue to a funeral or sombre grey to a wedding? I somehow doubt it. From our childhood we have been instilled with a set of rules, what colours to wear when and for what occasions. We have been ingrained with a sense of what colours mean. But these meanings are variable.

Lets start with bright Red – it stands for so many things. Red for an Indian woman could mean marriage, auspiciousness and the colour of the goddess Kali. In china, the colour red stands for fire, and means good fortune and joy. Red can also exemplify love, passion, desire, heat, romance, strength, leadership, courage, vigor, willpower, rage, anger, danger, malice, wrath, stress, action, vibrance, radiance, and determination. It represents physical energy.

Red when mixed with white forms pink. Pink is largely associated with women, describing soft, feminine nature while blue is used to assert masculinity. This is especially true in the case of newborn babies when their gender decides whether they have a blue blanket or a pink one. I find this curious because, in the past, especially during the Nazi era, red and especially pink represented the passion of men while calm blue was used to depict the woman’s supposedly calmer demeanor. I do wonder why this changed.

Green, the color of life, renewal, nature, and energy, is associated with meanings of growth, harmony, freshness, safety, fertility, and environment. Positive words those generally indicate moving forward. In Christianity, Green is associated with baptism and the feast of the Eucharist. Green is the sacred color of Islam and is a sign of respect and veneration. Green is also traditionally associated with money, finances, banking, and ambition. It is also got a negative connotation and personifies greed and jealousy, a stark contrast to its other meanings. See what I mean when I said that the meanings varied?

Colours also hold great importance in fields like branding and marketing. They are thought to evoke different responses from the masses. Brand Managers and admen make use of this fact and pretty much manipulate you without you even knowing about it. Fast food is the latest trend, and most fast food joints have logos, buildings and signboards in either red or yellow. These colours (along with the awesome pictures of food of course) generate hunger in people. A similar trick was used when the logo of Coca Cola was created. It is theorized, that when people look at the red logo, it makes them feel thirsty and the wave in the logo is the thirst quencher. Cokes rival Pepsi on the other hand, went the other route and used blue, saying it represented the cooling effect their drink has for people. Both the meanings are different but both companies are very successful.

Perhaps the most colourful part in our world is nature itself. The flora and fauna together form a riot of colours, clashing yet complementing each other to form something truly spectacular. Spring is green with fresh leaves and nascent blossoms. Kyoto is famous for its Cherry Blossoms, the trees bursting with blooms during the spring. The summer is dry, hot and bright, the raging white sun beating steadily down on the dry, harsh and desolate plains of the Atacama. Then comes autumn, dressed in a gown of all the shades of orange, yellow and red, a surprising burst of colours. Vancouver perfectly captures the beauty of this season down to every last detail, the shape of the leaves and the apple orchards, ripe for the picking. At last, comes the winter, dull and gray in its foreboding cold in some places, white a blinding blanket of white like cake frosting in others.

The mountains, the oceans, the deserts, the forests – they are all adorned by colours that reflect their personalities.

I have always found it curious when people completely disregard black and white, not considering them colours. If they are not colours, what are they? Black and white seems so simple, but they create a world of depth. Black and white generally symbolizes two sides of a coin, the opposing forces. In most cultures, black is used to describe death, the devil, darkness and other negative forces while white is a symbol of purity, innocence and everything that is good. In Chinese culture however, this is slightly different. Black represents water and is considered the colour of heaven and the king of all colours in China. It is also the single colour that was worshipped the longest time in ancient China. White, here, represents multiple things. In the theory of ‘Five Elements’, white corresponds to gold, which shows that the Chinese people thought it to symbolize brightness. Along with this, it also stands for purity and fullness. See, generally the opposite. But together, they create a while new world of beauty and harmony, the unity of Ying and Yang.

Black and white however has perhaps been the most destructive colours in history. People were differentiated on the basis of their skin colour. The people with black skin were made slaves to the whites, denying them of their basic rights and making life a living hell. The white minority broke their spirit and treated them like animals for centuries. Almost all European countries and the USA had separate and derogatory rules for the blacks, making them inferior in every way possible. It was common to see insulting sign boards like “Blacks and dogs not allowed”. It was only in the sixties and the seventies where things started changing in most places.

Perhaps the most important part about colour is the way they impact the audiences. They are very effect means of telling stories. Famous artists like Van Gogh have created masterpieces that tell epic tales using the ever present colour palate, creating beautiful paintings that people not only see, but also read to delve deep into the world of colours and search for the layers of hidden meaning. They use colours to show emotions, depict how they are feeling what other people feel or have felt. Even poets use colours to bring their poetry to life. Famous lines like “a host of golden daffodils” use colours to actually bring the scene to life and enable readers to visualize and actually connect with the poem.

Perhaps the most fascinating characteristic of colours is how they affect us. This is called colour psychology. It is the study of hues as a determinant of human behavior. Did you know, that in Glasgow, in the year 2000, they installed blue street lighting in certain neighborhoods and subsequently reported the anecdotal finding of reduces crime rates? And that a railroad company in Japan introduced blue lighting in its stations in 2009 that effectively reduced suicide attempts?

Colors also help us when we are depressed and sad. Research suggests that bright and cheerful colours draw us out of our depression and bring back the joy in our lives. Colours provide us comfort, and radiate beauty, which the human mind cannot ignore.

The world is full of strange colours, which makes it an exceptionally interesting place to live in. Without them perhaps we wouldn’t have had racism and slavery in the first place but we also wouldn’t have had epic works of art, not recognised the beauty of nature and simply missed out on the amazement of seeing an interestingly coloured flower or the myriad of hues in a gorgeous sunset. The world just wouldn’t be the same and I am thankful that it isn’t.

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Autobiography of a Pencil – Surabhi Jain (1st – Spark Mentor Essay Competition, Battle of the Words)

11 Jul

Autobiography of a Pencil

Surabhi Jain,  NPS Koramangla

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The End

It is finally my time. I have lived a long life, longer than most of my kind at least. Now, I am but a fraction of what I used to be. My once lengthy body has been shortened to a stub and my head has been sharpened for the last time. The blue colour of my exterior has faded along with the name of my maker and my pretty red eraser has all but disappeared. This is the last story I will write before I am put down forever. This is the story of my life.

It all began when my then flat head was skimmed with the sharp blade of a sharpener. As I was turned around repeatedly, a trickle of consciousness manifested. I started to hear the shavings fall to the table, to see the black inside of the sharpener, to smell the metal of the blade. I could sense everything around me. With that came my conscience. I, as an individual, was born. And when my head was removed from the confines of the black plastic, I was introduced to the world. A world which, I would later come to learn, is both brutal and kind.

My induction into the world went in an unexpected manner. As the dark interior of the sharpener left my vision, I was met with the view of a colourful room and cluttered room. Building blocks littered the carpeted floor and along with sheets of paper and crayons. Awed by such a foreign sight, I didn’t notice I was moving until I was right in front of a human child’s face. His chubby face was lit up with a brilliant smile as he observed me lying on what I now know was his father’s hand. He clapped his hands with sheer delight and reached for me with his pudgy fingers. He lifted me up and looked up at his father with a pleading expression on his face, “Can I take it to school tomorrow Dad?” And then I was dumped in the dark space where I would make my first friends.

The stationery pouch was a scary place at first. There was no light and a fear of the unknown ran through me. I shivered as I wondered what was going to happen. Abruptly, a voice cut through the silence, “Hey everybody, we got a newbie!” And then I was in the middle of a flurry of activity. A crowd of voices started up and I was being tugged this way and that. It was a very disorienting experience, I must say. From the cacophony, I managed to discern a few names: Bob the eraser, Marty the sharpener and Penny the pen. As the ruckus grew in volume, a scream rent the air, “Silence!” All was quiet. A bulky shape came up next to me and it said, “I’m Patty the ruler. You are?” I stutteringly explained that I was new and that I didn’t have a name. After which Patty proceeded to rudely tell me to get one. So I said, “Scratch”, thus naming myself. Initially, Patty scared the living daylights out of me. She was snappy and sarcastic; traits that were intimidating to a novice like me. As time went on, I realised that she was just overprotective of her pouch mates and that I, as a stranger, was suspicious to her. Nevertheless, life was good.

The weeks following my ‘birth’ were happy. The residents of the pouch and I became family. We’d go to school with the child-whose name was Daniel- and do our work. The rest of the time we’d play and chat for hours. I began to love Daniel as well. He took care of me, making sure I was always sharp and ready for anything. He treated me with care and never threw me or broke my tip. I was content. One day, it all changed. I was shown how uncaring people can be and what a lie I was living. It was a school day like any other. We went to school and I did my work. I was lying on the table while Daniel used Penny when suddenly, I was airborne. I flew and smacked into the wall, rolling into the corner. Trying to shake off the dizziness, I realised that Daniel hadn’t even noticed. I lay there waiting for someone to pick me up and return me but no one did. I watched as the day passed and still I lay in the darkness. When the children left, I hoped that Daniel would see that I was missing and would search for me the next day. Alas, that was in vain. The next day dawned and the children filed in. When they started opening their pouches, I watched Daniel, waiting for him to rescue me. Instead, I saw him pull out another pencil with the same care that he used to show me. I saw Bob and Marty chatting with the replacement the same way they used to speak with me. The betrayal of all those I loved cut straight through my heart.

After that incident, I was transferred to the ‘Lost and Found’ box and when no one claimed me, to a big carton labelled ‘Castern’. I was put with hundreds of other pencils, most of whom had suffered the same treachery that I had. We stayed in that box for a long time with no idea of what was going to happen to us. Fear was the dominant emotion of most and we nearly drove ourselves insane pondering our fate. Finally, the day came when the lid was opened, putting all of us out of our misery. Sunlight found its way to us, warming us and reminding us of hope. Then we were picked up in twos and handed to children waiting in line. The look of joy on their faces as they received the pencils far surpassed the one I saw on Daniel’s face so long ago. Here were people who truly appreciated their belongings. As my owner, Cedric, carried me and the other pencil, Matt, into his home, I was struck by the stark difference between his abode and that of Daniel. While Daniel’s had spoken of wealth and class, Cedric’s was humble. There was no television and the furniture was plain and simple. There was no mess here though. Cedric’s room was neat and tidy. I knew that I would be genuinely loved here.

Matt and I became good friends over the years. We only had each other for company but it was enough. Cedric took good care of us, writing conservatively so that he didn’t waste our lead. He prolonged our use as much as he possibly could and now the time has come where he can extend no further. I write this story on a spare piece of paper on Cedric’s desk so that he may know how much he means to me. He restored my faith in this world and made my days happy. For that, I am forever grateful.

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Sure Cure to Fatty Liver & Acid Reflux – Reiki , Physical training , Yoga + DIET

17 May

Fatty Liver, Acid Reflux  and Low Vitamin D are some of the most common ailments that Indians suffer from, given our lifestyle and diet. But in most cases, its never considered serious enough to be treated.

Its been a struggle for over 10 years. Around 2005 I used to always feel tired, sluggish and sleepy. I was gaining weight. Frequent early morning flights, eating out regularly, late night dinners, oily food, the occasional drink, no time for exercise and a lot of stress at work  – all this formed the perfect recipe for Fatty Liver & Acid Reflux.

Soon, the ailment became more aggressive and the symptoms more severe – I used to feel feverish and have a sore throat. Thinking it to be a light viral attack I self medicated myself with Crocin / Tylenol and in some cases even antibiotics – but the fever persisted before dying out after a week or two. I hate going to a doctor and never visited one for a few years – thinking these were basic day to day ailments. On the advice of a friend I finally visited a GP who immediately asked me to get a Liver Scan done – and diagnosed it as Level 3 Fatty Liver. What this means was that at age 39 I had the Liver of a 58 year old. Now, I panicked.

stages-of-liver-damage

Fatty Liver is caused by the poor lifestyle choices mentioned above coupled with bad genes ( The Punjabis are lucky ) and as such, has no cure. The liver stores some fat, but greater than 10 percent is considered abnormal. Too much fat might cause inflammation and liver malfunction.

Acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease is extremely common. This is caused by stomach acid backing up to the throat causing coughing and sore throat. If left untreated, it can even result in throat cancer.

Though there is no direct linkage between Fatty Liver & Acid Reflux – I was clearly facing both these problems. Unfortunately, as mentioned above, fatty liver has no fixed cure. It can, however, be reversed   with regular exercise, a controlled diet and total prohibition from Alcohol. You need to sweat, lose weight and eat very light meals ( more on this later).

For 7 – 8 years I tried this, Rantac before meals, Gym whenever possible, a combination of Yoga and meditation , and a bottle of Liv 52 always by my side – a tight control worked , but on the days you erred a bit – an early morning flight , Flight food, The occasional indulgence with Aloo Paratha or Luchi Aloo Dum and a glass of Vodka after a stressful day at work was all that was needed to awaken the dormant Acid Reflux – and then it was 10 days of trauma, sometimes so acute that I used to throw up at night just to get relief. The best way to treat a attack is to eat very light , lots of Ginger , Buttermilk , Sugar Cane juice , fresh fruits , food with very less salt – think you have a light attack of Jaundice and treat yourself accordingly.

This is when a good friend of mine advised me to do a few yoga poses. My visit to Shreyas and the Yoga Teacher there added a few more asanas. Basically any twisting pose is great for the Liver , hold the pose for 5 – 6 breaths so that the effect reaches beyond the muscle to the glands. (Consult with a good Yoga Teacher ,  any Yoga posture that pumps or  squeezes the stomach like Kapalbhati is avoided)

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This helped and that’s when I got introduced to Reiki.

Reiki is a spiritual healing art with its roots in Japanese origin. The word Reiki comes from the Japanese word (Rei) which means “Universal Life” and (Ki) which means “Energy”. Reiki is not affiliated with any particular religion or religious practice. It is neither a massage nor is it based on belief or suggestion. It is a subtle and effective form of energywork using spiritually guided life force energy. Reiki is the life energy that flows through all living things. Reiki practitioners understand that everyone has the ability to connect with their own healing energy and use it to strengthen energy in themselves and help others. It is believed that a person’s “ki” or “energy”, should be strong and free flowing. When this is true, a person’s body and mind is in a positive state of health. When the energy becomes weak or blocked it could lead to symptoms of physical or emotional imbalance.

Reiki is akin to “Prana” and a Reiki healer acts as a conductor of universal energy helping you to generate energy balance.

Reiki-hands

I was lucky to have the experience of Radhika a divine Reiki healer – when she was conducting the healing sessions in a serene setting with lighted candles and soothing music, I could feel the energy pulse through each and every inch in my body. Three direct and a few remote session created miracles – and I could see my fatty liver and Acid Reflux problem almost becoming non existent.

Add to this I enrolled with Sonali a world champion Physical Trainer and the 1 hr of vigorous physical activity she drills me to do every second morning added to solving the problem. The sheer variety of activities she makes you go through each day is fascinating.

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Dr Jha a naturopath ( http://www.totalphysiocare.com) helped with his own useful advise – after checking for energy balance he was quickly able to identify my Fatty Liver problem without me even telling him. A few beads taped in some nerve endings on the hand immediately brings relief –  he also suggested a few simple things to do daily – I have been following this regularly

  • A glass of diluted cold milk in the morning when you wake up ( I add a spoon of ice cream to make the taste better)
  • Rice soaked in water previous night to be eaten with Curd and green cooked papaya
  • Pineapple slices soaked in honey in the evening before dinner
  • One Tender Coconut every day (Its alkaline – so solves for the acidity very affectively)

All these wonderful people with their helpful advise and professional expertise almost cured my Fatty Liver & Acid Reflux problem, I can see the change at the cellular level. Now the occasional drink or oily food does not affect me – life goes on. I guess the fat in the Liver is melting away.

A few more tips if you have Fatty Liver & Acid Reflux 

  • Don’t drink water while eating food – or 30 min before or after
  • A diet that has a lot of fresh leafy green vegetables , walnuts , avocados, Apple , Lemons & Lime + Green tea – are all great for Fatty Liver reversal
  • Leaves of Drumstick cooked with Adai or mashed up boiled is strongly recommended
  • After every meal sit in Vajrasan for a few minutes
  • Finish your dinner by 7 PM
  • Get at least 7 hrs of restful sleep
  • If you can’t make it to the Gym or for PT – walk briskly for an hr every day ( Don’t walk after dinner)
  • Try Kunjal Kriya ( Water cleansing of the stomach) – I haven’t but a friend swears by it – again needs the guidance of a good Yoga Teacher
  • In the initial stage you may need a special inclined mat in your bed – as the Acid Reflux may cause severe coughing at night.

liver-copy

And finally don’t go to a doctor – medicines are drugs , they don’t solve the problem at the root. They just get you addicted to the medicines without which you cannot sustain.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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