tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-212048861268872972024-03-18T02:48:20.268-07:00Mohan's Blog and ViewpointsObservations on Technology, Business of Technology, Management, Globalization and its implicationsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger364125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21204886126887297.post-20824203732377760382024-03-18T00:01:00.000-07:002024-03-18T02:46:00.676-07:00Dusting off an old viewpoint "From organization man to free agent" - How long should you remain in your job?<p>I was reflecting on the question of tenure in IT jobs, especially since this seems to be the most common question in tech forums and chatboards.</p>
<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3s4M4LGoEws?si=6AqWgW8bXbxBWwar" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>
<p>A copy of my article published in IEEE journal over 20 years ago</p><h1 _ngcontent-sud-c162="" class="document-title text-2xl-md-lh" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "HelveticaNeue Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 32px; line-height: 38px; margin: 0px;"><span _ngcontent-sud-c162="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">From organization man to free agent</span></h1><div><span _ngcontent-sud-c162="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><a href="https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/1319294" target="_blank">Publisher: IEEE </a>(Jan 2004)</span></div><div><span _ngcontent-sud-c162="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br /></span></div><div><span _ngcontent-sud-c162="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br /></span></div><div><span _ngcontent-sud-c162="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em;">Wojciech Cellary brought out a key point in his column on “The Profession's Role in the Global Information Society” (Sept. 2003, pp. 124, 122–123): Computing professionals continually face exclusion from their work because digital technology advances so swiftly. Along with this risk, changes in the global information society have led to a shift in the computing professional's role from “organization man” to free agent. Renowned management guru Peter Drucker outlined this trend in “Managing Oneself” (<i style="box-sizing: border-box;">Harvard Business Journal</i>, March-April 1999, pp. 65–74). Drucker advises professionals, “… and we will have to stay mentally alert and engaged during a 50-year working life, which means knowing how and when to change the work we do.”</p><div class="section" id="sec1" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; margin-bottom: 30px; position: relative;"><div class="header article-hdr" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 13px 0px 15px;"><h2 style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: left; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 32px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; overflow-wrap: break-word;">The Organization Man</h2></div><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em;"><br /></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em;">The traditional concept of the computing profession originated just after World War II, when most Western nations enjoyed a long growth spell. To cater to the emerging needs of the postwar market, corporations built gigantic factories to manufacture products and serve consumer needs. To manage these operations, organizations also started automating their systems with computers. Spurred by this growth in manufacturing productivity, governments, financial institutions, and retailers began to automate their systems as well. During this period, William H. Whyte wrote his much acclaimed book, <i style="box-sizing: border-box;">The Organization Man</i> (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2002), and the term soon caught the fancy of an entire generation of working professionals. Whyte defines organization men as</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em;">… the ones of our middle class who have left home, spiritually as well as physically, to take the vows of organization life, and it is they who are the mind and soul of our great self-perpetuating institutions. In a system that makes such hazy terminology as “junior executive” psychologically necessary, they are of the staff as much as the line, and most are destined to live poised in a middle area that still awaits a satisfactory euphemism. But they are the dominant members of our society nonetheless….</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em;">Note that Whyte wrote his book during an age when men constituted the bulk of the white-collar workforce, and I will not attempt to be politically correct by using the term <i style="box-sizing: border-box;">organization people</i> here.</p><div class="callout" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0e70a0; float: right; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 1.545; margin: 0.85em 0px 0.85em 35px; width: 270px;">To thrive in a rapidly changing world, computing professionals must become free agents.</div><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em;">For nearly half a century after the book appeared, the organization man typified the professional. In most parts of the world, huge corporations—private, public, and government-owned—employed hundreds of thousands of organization men. That era also saw the rise of the computing professional, personified by legions of IBM employees clad in white shirt and tie. Endless movies idolized devoted company men in gray flannel suits and the stable life they enjoyed. Most white-collar professionals across the world sought and could aspire to this American Dream of a good education that led to a good job, a house in the suburbs, and a wife and kids. During this age the public regarded corporations with reverence and deference, a topic analyzed by authors like Fred Harmon and Garry Jacobs, who note in their book <i style="box-sizing: border-box;">The Vital Difference</i> (Amacom, 1985) that “Ma Bell [AT&T] became the ultimate symbol of a benevolent corporation working in and for the public interest.”</p></div><div class="section" id="sec2" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; margin-bottom: 30px; position: relative;"><div class="header article-hdr" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 13px 0px 15px;"><h2 style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: left; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 32px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Death of the Organization Man</h2></div><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em;"><br /></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em;">The corporate world experienced a radical transformation in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when cost cutting, downsizing, and rightsizing became the new mantra. Corporations across the globe transformed from benevolent entities to profit centers driven by the interests of their stockholders.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em;">This left the concept of the organization man dying if not completely dead. The most visible cornerstone of the organization man's existence—life-time employment—eroded as well. Globalization of business and management practices also meant the globalization of cost cutting, downsizing, and layoffs. Significantly, even Japanese companies—leading proponents of lifetime employment until recently—have revisited their ideals in light of their economy's decade-long downturn. In India, the wave of privatization sweeping through public companies has led to many so-called voluntary retirements. Asian and European companies have followed in their American counterparts' footsteps and now use layoffs as a regular cost-cutting measure.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em;">Individuals have thus begun to realize that even if they wanted to, they could not entrust their career to a single company: Corporations themselves are regularly evolving, transforming, acquiring other businesses or being acquired by them, and sometimes going bankrupt. Professionals are experiencing what Intel cofounder Andy Grove calls a <i style="box-sizing: border-box;">strategic inflexion point (Only The Paranoid Survive</i>, Time Warner, 1999), with the traditional notions of work and career giving way to a new model in which individuals are expected to take responsibility for their own career moves.</p></div><div class="section" id="sec3" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; margin-bottom: 30px; position: relative;"><div class="header article-hdr" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 13px 0px 15px;"><h2 style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: left; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 32px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Transition to Free Agent</h2></div><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em;"><br /></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em;">Faced with this new reality, computing professionals have made a fundamental shift in how they view their careers. Traditional organizational hierarchies are giving way to project- and performance-oriented groups and structures, ushering in the era of <i style="box-sizing: border-box;">gold-collar workers</i>. These free agents are highly skilled professionals who owe a greater allegiance to their profession than to the organizations for which they work.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em;">Daniel Pink first extended the term free agent—borrowed from professional sports—to corporate professionals in his book <i style="box-sizing: border-box;">Free Agent Nation</i> (Warner Books, 2002). Pink sees the emergence of moonlighting as one way professionals can hedge their bets in a changing world:</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em;">Diversification—that is, an independent worker spreading her risks across a portfolio of projects, clients, skills and customers is the best hedging strategy…. In the Organization Man era, moonlighting was a big no-no, the very name implied that you were doing something illicit concealing your behavior under the cover of darkness. No more. Today, anybody who holds a job and isn't looking for a side gig—or crafting a business plan, writing a screenplay, or setting up shop on eBay—is out of touch. Moonlighting is a way to diversify your human capital investments—and hedge against the risk of your company collapsing or your job disappearing. In some sense, we're all moonlighters, because in every sense, we're all risk managers.</p></div><div class="section" id="sec4" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; margin-bottom: 30px; outline: none; position: relative;"><div class="header article-hdr" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 13px 0px 15px;"><h2 style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: left; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 32px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Becoming Free Agents</h2></div><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em;"><a anchor="table1" class="fulltext-link" ref-type="table" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #006699; cursor: pointer;"><br /></a></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em;">Table 1 shows how careers in IT consulting have evolved from lifelong single-employer jobs to a free-agent model. Y2K, the Internet, and the dotcom boom brought a whole legion of professionals from varied backgrounds into the computing field. Some joined traditional companies' IT departments, but many decided to explore careers in consulting. The industry also saw the appearance of a whole array of consulting companies, ranging from small shops with a handful of consultants to large system integrators like IBM and EDS.</p><div class="figure figure-full table" id="table1" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 1em 0px 2em; max-width: 100%; position: relative; width: inherit;"><div class="figcaption" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted rgb(153, 153, 153); box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; line-height: 1.3; padding: 8px 0px;"><span class="title" style="box-sizing: border-box; float: none; font-weight: 700; width: auto;">Table 1. </span>Organization man versus free agent.</div><div class="img-wrap" style="border: 1px solid rgb(198, 198, 198); box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-direction: column; justify-content: center; overflow: auto; position: relative;"><a href="https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/mediastore_new/IEEE/content/media/2/29233/1319294/1319294-table-1-source-large.gif" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #006699; cursor: pointer; display: flex; flex-direction: column; text-decoration-line: none;"><img alt="Table 1.- Organization man versus free agent." class="document-ft-image fadeIn" data-src-img="/mediastore_new/IEEE/content/media/2/29233/1319294/1319294-table-1-source-small.gif" src="https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/mediastore_new/IEEE/content/media/2/29233/1319294/1319294-table-1-source-small.gif" style="animation-name: fadeIn; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: none; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-size: 1em; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 0.313rem; vertical-align: middle;" /><div class="zoom" style="align-self: flex-end; background: rgb(0, 102, 153); bottom: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; cursor: pointer; order: 1; position: relative; text-align: end; width: 787.172px;" title="View Larger Image"></div></a></div></div><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em;"></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em;">The industry afforded a gamut of vocational choices, from short-term projects spanning a few weeks to longterm maintenance projects lasting a few years. Along the way, computing professionals also realized that the industry was becoming increasingly market driven. Thus, getting certified in vendor technologies, being associated with professional bodies—including the IEEE and ACM—and building expertise in current skills gave them more leverage than being associated with a blue-chip employer.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em;">Individual computing professionals have also shown their market savvy by selling themselves as experts in Cobol, ERP, Java,.NET, the Web, and other technologies the market demands, sometimes juggling multiple hats at once. The career trajectory of many computing professionals has begun to resemble that of free agents who take on a series of projects or assignments that help them market their skills to the highest bidder.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em;">The computing professional may be taking a page from a trend already established by other professionals in vocations such as law, medicine, finance, and academia. Lawyers and financial analysts have long known that their real allegiance is to the profession rather than to individual organizations or companies where they work. Being a corporate attorney or a corporate financial analyst is perceived to be less glamorous and financially rewarding than working for a high-profile partnership or, better still, founding one's own firm. Academicians and professors have refined moonlighting into an art—consulting for large corporations, helping their clients understand and incorporate the latest academic and research ideas, and raking in huge fees—even while continuing their day job of teaching and spearheading university research.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em;">By building and maintaining a brand and attracting a steady stream of clients, free-agent professionals can thrive by following the models established by those in the following fields: </p><ul style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px; padding-left: 2rem; text-align: left;"><li>lawyers and legal professionals; </li><li>chartered accountants and financial professionals;</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em;">doctors and medical specialists; </p></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em;">Management consultants;</p></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em;">architects, builders, masons, and craftsmen;</p></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em;">artists, performers, singers, and musicians;</p></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em;">freelance writers and columnists;</p></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em;">athletes and sports stars; and</p></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em;">academicians and professors who moonlight as consultants.</p></li></ul><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em;">Computing professionals now realize that they need to take active charge of the direction in which their careers are headed. Whether they view a career as a series of assignments or as a mix of traditional jobs and moonlighting, all computing professionals must actively take control of their career. Today's companies value people based on what they bring to the project, assignment, or work task rather than how many years these professionals have spent at one job. Quoting Drucker again:</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em;">The challenges of managing oneself may seem obvious, if not elementary. And the answers may seem self-evident to the point of appearing naive. But managing oneself requires new and unprecedented things from the individual, and especially from the knowledge worker. In effect, managing oneself demands that each knowledge worker think and behave like a chief executive officer…. Every existing society, even the most individualistic one, takes two things for granted, if only subconsciously: that organizations outlive workers, and that most people stay put…. But today the opposite is true. Knowledge workers outlive organizations, and they are mobile. The need to manage oneself is therefore creating a revolution in human affairs.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em;">Academia pays close attention to these industry trends. Engineering schools and universities, especially in the West, have begun introducing technologists to entrepreneurship and business fundamentals. Further, the students graduating into the field of computing are beginning to realize that courses in entrepreneurship will play an essential role in helping them manage their lives and careers.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; outline: none;">As professionals in a workforce with evolving expectations of the employer-employee relationship, most of us will need to acquire and apply entrepreneurial and business management skills to manage our careers. Our career trajectories will thus depend on constant marketing and networking rather than climbing the ladder of a predefined career track.</p></div></span></div><div><span _ngcontent-sud-c162="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br /></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21204886126887297.post-29455625890065896422024-03-05T02:23:00.000-08:002024-03-05T02:23:32.774-08:00Should Indian immigrants, H1 and F1 visa holder sit in the sidelines while watching the US election drama unfold?<p>If you have any connection to America – as a US citizen, immigrant, an H1 worker or a foreign student or an Indian American expat like my, you cannot escape the politics and upcoming presidential elections.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As I get ready to request my absentee ballot via post for the US Federal elections, for myself and my wife, I am also reflecting on a constituency that is watching the elections from sidelines since the elections could impact their lives and careers. I know, since I jumped through the H1 B and immigration hoops for years before eventually becoming a naturalized
citizen. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6NZuKb5lg6w?si=985fpCnPy4fk2l0m" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Nearly a million Indians live and work in the US on H1 B
visas and another half-million Indian students are studying in schools and
universities across America. Most Indian students move to American universities in the
hopes of eventually finding an employer who will sponsor their H1 Visa. In the
meantime millions of H1B visa holders are looking at decades long wait for a
green card that will let them live and work in America permanently.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">None of us has a crystal ball on the outcome of the
elections or what the new administration will usher, but the position of the
frontrunners are clear – Both President Biden and former president Trump are
trying to sound tough and vocal on immigration.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Make no mistake, US immigration reform is a complex
legislation that President and congress – Senators and Congressmen have to
agree on. But in the meantime, the president also has executive powers to take
decisions. Take the example of the issue of work-permits for spouses of H1 Visa
holders. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So what should Indians do while watching the US election
drama unfold? While non-citizen immigrants don’t have a vote, they certainly
have the clout.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Lean on your Indian American friends, colleagues and
community to influence folks who do have a vote<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Stand up and voice your opinion as future citizen and voters
– after all you are legal immigrants on an eventual path to citizenship<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Voice your opinion with your corporate lobbyists – tech
companies like Google, Microsoft, Apple and other silicon valley giants have
strong lobbying groups. Voice our concerns there to have it heard by American
lawmakers<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Highlight the economic prowess as taxpayers in America and
influence your lawmakers “back home”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Indian leaders are signing off on Billions of dollars in
American imports. In 2022, India's imports from the United States were worth
over $47 billion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Arms, Drones and
Satellite technologies. Billions of dollars in Aircraft purchases from Boeing, <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">While non-citizen immigrants don’t have a vote, they
certainly have the clout. Make your voice count.<o:p></o:p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21204886126887297.post-13644814311019542092024-02-19T06:26:00.000-08:002024-02-19T06:26:26.444-08:00Case Study on promise and perils of AI: Imran Khan gives AI generated ‘Victory Speech’ from Jail<p> <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 17px; letter-spacing: 0.6px;">Not a day goes by without a headline grabbing story about Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its innovative application. Not surprisingly, I was fascinated to “see” the “AI version” of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan’s victory speech posted on Youtube after his party won an unprecedented election. What was remarkable was the innovative use of technology that led to this win.</span></p>
<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ttk6Jdz5alI?si=r8U0MN9t_HYVcBln" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>
<p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Roboto; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.6px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Mr. Khan who is currently serving a sentence on charges of corruption holed up in a Pakistani prison wasn’t allowed to contest elections or even engage directly in any political communications. But in a groundbreaking move that marked a paradigm shift in political communication, he continued to rally his troops via AI morphed images and synthesized speeches crafted with the assistance of cutting-edge artificial intelligence tools. In a grand finale, he took to the “virtual” stage, thanking his audience in an “AI version” of what he termed “an unprecedented fightback from the nation.”</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Roboto; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.6px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">This is indeed a fascinating application of AI/ML in politics out in the open – a topic at the intersection of Technology, Business, Government and Society. The mainstream media around the world and political analysts took note. The New York Times describes the victory speech as “the mellow, slightly robotic voice said in the minute-long video, which used historical images and footage of Mr. Khan and bore a disclaimer about its A.I. origins.”</p><h3 style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Roboto; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.6px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Innovative use of AI tools and technologies</span></h3><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Roboto; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.6px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Using sophisticated deep learning models, AI can now analyze and synthesize audio and visual content with remarkable accuracy which are hard to distinguish from the real-version with a naked eye. This capability enables the creation of videos that seamlessly blend real and virtual elements, blurring the lines between fiction and reality. From realistic computer-generated characters to immersive virtual environments, AI-generated videos push the boundaries of what was once deemed impossible in visual storytelling.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Roboto; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.6px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Hollywood has long used AI-generated videos in streamlining the film making process, especially to generate special-effects that wow us. With the ability to automate certain tasks, such as scene composition, special effects, and even scriptwriting, AI can significantly reduce production timelines and costs. Filmmakers and content creators can leverage these technologies to bring their creative visions to life more efficiently, fostering a new era of innovation in the entertainment industry. The technology emerged from Hollywood to social media and is now into the mainstream influencing mindshare in politics and democracies.</p><h3 style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Roboto; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.6px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Influencing mindshare</span></h3><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Roboto; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.6px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /></b>Imran Khan’s use of AI-generated videos to broadcast political speeches are at the intersection of innovation and society. These are not merely a string of algorithmically generated sentences but a reflection of the leader’s vision, values, and commitment to progress in Khan’s ‘voice’. The AI system, trained on vast datasets encompassing Khan’s speeches, policy documents, and public addresses, successfully captured the essence of his distinctive communication style.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Roboto; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.6px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Critics and supporters alike lauded the innovation, acknowledging the efficiency and effectiveness of AI-generated speeches. While skeptics questioned the authenticity and spontaneity of the delivery, supporters emphasized the potential for AI to enhance and amplify the impact of political messaging.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Roboto; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.6px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">While ethicists are lauding the disclaimer that came with Khan’s speeches, one wonders about all DeepFakes circulating without a similar notice. What if Mr. Khan’s team had used the same technology to generate DeepFakes of his political opponent, Nawaz Sharif, in a compromising position with Bollowood starlet or worse making blasphemous speeches?</p><h3 style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Roboto; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.6px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">The Ethics</span></h3><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Roboto; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.6px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /></b>The widespread use of AI-generated videos, especially to influence large groups of people raises ethical considerations and challenges. The potential for deepfake technology, where AI can convincingly manipulate footage to depict events that never occurred or alter the words and actions of individuals, introduces concerns about misinformation and trust in the digital age.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Roboto; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.6px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">As these technologies advance, concerns regarding misinformation, privacy invasion, and the potential misuse of AI-generated content have emerged, prompting a critical examination of the ethical implications surrounding this cutting-edge field. Striking a balance between the creative potential of AI-generated videos and the responsible use of this technology becomes crucial in navigating the ethical landscape.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Roboto; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.6px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">While the technologies to detect deepfakes continue to advance at a fast pace, bad actors bank on the virality of social media. It is almost like a game of real-life whack-a-mole where the good-guys try to catch-up and swat deepfakes sprouting around. The bad guys who create deepfakes bank on their viral spread on social platforms. Attempts to later contradict them with facts backed by digital proof of tampering can’t undo the widespread damage done.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Roboto; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.6px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Of course, this is not the last word on the topic. We are sure to see armchair-critics of politics continue to debate these applications as citizens of two other major Democracies – the largest and the oldest – go to polls this year. The innovative and ‘ethical’ use of the tools by Imran Khan’s team during the Pakistani elections are being studied by political wonks and consultants around the world.</p>
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<p>Originally published in Express computers - <a href="https://www.expresscomputer.in/artificial-intelligence-ai/the-role-of-artificial-intelligence-in-influencing-democracies/109330/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The role of Artificial Intelligence in Influencing Democracies</a> </p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21204886126887297.post-63392388357203709922024-02-16T01:14:00.000-08:002024-02-16T01:14:40.439-08:00Reflecting on Life and Business lessons from Jeffrey Archer's Kane and Abel. When letting go of a grudge is not easy, but one must #bookreview #lifelessons<p> During a recent break, I decided to revisit Jeffery Archer’s old masterpiece years after I had read it, and was struck how the life-experiences hits home. </p><p>This bestseller is a story spanning the lifetimes of two strong willed men whose life couldn’t have been more different, but whose lives are intertwined by fate. Jeffery Archer weaves a tapestry of life in America spanning the first and second world war seen through the eyes of two protagonists William Kane and Abel Rosnovski. </p><p>Abel Rosnovski is an adopted son of a Romanian Baron who finds himself in a Siberian Gulag after Russians plunder the Baron’s castle raping the women and killing most men. Exhibiting a fighting spirit, young Abel manages to escape from the Gulag into Turkey, eventually seeking asylum in America where he begins to carve out his American Dream. </p><p>William Kane is a young, upstart but smart banker who grew into his family empire after graduating from Harvard. While he doesn’t have a chip on his shoulder, as a son of a banker who owns one of the largest banks in America, he was predestined to take on this mantle. </p>
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<p>During the early days of his empire building, Abel faces a big financial setback, and seeks a loan from a bank and meets William Kane. Kane tells Abel that the board of his bank found the request unviable and had to deny it due to the financial crisis. Kane tries explaining that he is just a messenger, though he personally thinks Abel’s venture should be funded. Abel Rosnovski feels let down and is unconvinced by the explanation and begins to harbor strong feelings against Kane. He was hoping for this lifeline to rescue the large financial bet he had made, a bet that would implode without an immediate cash infusion. </p><p>While Abel is in a quandary, a mysterious benefactor steps in to give him a ‘loan’ with a stipulation that Abel was never to be told about who funded that grant. Abel assumes it is one of the other competitors in hotel business who had taken a fondness for him. </p><p>Kane and Abel’s saga continues with a few twists and turns, all the while each trying to backstab the other till the end of their lives, even at which point neither is willing or able to reconcile; at least not verbally. Grudge and Revenge are significant themes in the novel, and it explores how seeking vengeance can have lasting consequences. </p><h3 style="text-align: left;">A story that plays out in real life all around us</h3><p>While fictionalized masterfully by Jeffery Archer’s, we see such deep-rooted grudges play out even between family and friends. </p><p>Take the example of a close friend of mine who was telling me about a grudge his brother has been harboring for more than a decade. His father had mortgaged their family home to draw out some money for an investment that went sour. Having lost his life’s savings, the bank had offered to ‘reverse mortgage’ the property to let their parents live there.</p><p>On discovering this huge burden, my friend wanted to step in to clear the debt before their parents passed away. His brother wasn’t inclined to join hands and invest, especially since he had migrated to England with his family. He didn’t want to let that loan taken by their father run its course; After all he was living thousands of miles away. My friend drew up a legal contract and paid up the mortgage with his funds. While taking over the title of the property, he paid his brother “a fair share” based on the market value of the building at the time. My friend then moved into the house to be around for his aging parents. </p><p>His brother visited India for their father’s funeral and discovered that the value of the property had doubled in the decade since their contract had been drawn. He gave an ultimatum to his brother – re-settle his share of the property based on the “current market value” – and if the request wasn’t headed, he would “sever all ties” with his brother and never return to “that house.” </p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Life lessons from the novel</h3><p>In a story reminiscent of Jeffery Archer’s Kane and Abel, or the biblical version, years have gone by, but the brothers haven’t reconciled. This story seems to play out in millions of families among siblings, relatives, and friends with estranged members unable or unwilling to reconcile long forgotten differences. Years go by while the memory of the transgression is replayed with embellishments over and over again kindling the old flame.</p><p>The story of Kane and Abel also plays out in the business world and professional life as much as in personal lives. Business backstabbing is par for the course in many cultures, and the rivalries continue for years or decades. Even in the office, some folks who are slighted for a raise or promotion may carry a ‘personal’ grudge against colleagues or bosses. </p><p>In Jeffrey Archer's bestseller, the characters are unable to reconcile, even towards the end of their eventful lives, leaving the readers wishing they had. The characters' decisions to settle scores lead to unexpected outcomes, underscoring the importance of forgiveness and understanding. Reflecting on lessons from there, one has an opportunity to bury the hatchet and let go of grudges in one’s life as it progresses. </p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21204886126887297.post-1893622950090283102024-02-08T01:22:00.000-08:002024-02-08T01:22:24.033-08:00Looking beyond headlines on death of Indian student abroad. Stay safe while studying abroad<p>During the past few weeks, we are seeing headlines about Indian students studying abroad and there is a a growing concern over a few cases of assaults. The click-bait headlines like this speak of yet another incident: "Another Indian Student Assaulted, At Least 5 Students Dead in a Month." </p><p>Some feel that this "alarming surge in violence against Indian students studying overseas" demands immediate attention, investigation, and coordinated efforts to ensure the safety of international students.</p>
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<p>Over the past few decades, there has been a significant increase in the number of Indian students pursuing higher education abroad. The allure of diverse academic opportunities, exposure to different cultures, and the potential for a global career have driven countless students to international shores. Countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand have become popular destinations for Indian students seeking quality education.</p><p>However, alongside the benefits of studying abroad, these students often face various challenges, including cultural adjustment, language barriers, and, increasingly, safety concerns. The latest string of assaults has brought the spotlight onto the vulnerabilities that Indian students may encounter while pursuing their academic dreams in foreign lands.</p><p>The tragic loss of at least five Indian students in the span of a month raises questions about the safety measures in place and the need for a collective response. Each death represents not just a statistic but a profound human tragedy, leaving grieving families and shattered communities in its wake. </p><p>There is no single pattern in these deaths</p><p>Understanding the root causes of these assaults is crucial for implementing effective preventive measures. Factors such as xenophobia, racial discrimination, and inadequate support systems for international students may contribute to their vulnerability. </p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Vivek Saini </b>- A 25-year-old Indian student in the US was hammered to death by a drug addict at a convenience store in Georgia where he worked. </li><li><b>Shreyas Reddy Beniger</b> - A19-year-old student was found dead in Ohio last week. Though Beniger's parents live in Hyderabad, he held an American passport. Authorities had ruled out foul play in the case. </li><li><b>Neel Acharya </b>- Was found dead in the Purdue University campus hours after his mother had reported him missing. The County Coroner said in a press release that no foul play is suspected in the Neel’s death </li><li><b>Akul Dhawan </b>- An Indian-American was discovered dead outside the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) recently. According to the Champaign County Coroner, the initial findings of the autopsy suggested he died from hypothermia. </li><li><b>Sameer Kamath </b>- Kamath, a US Citizen pursuing a doctorate at Purdue University was found dead in a nature preserve recently. Authorities have ruled his death as suicide, saying that it was from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head</li></ul><p></p><div>Additionally, cultural misunderstandings, lack of awareness, and insufficient communication between local authorities and the international student community can exacerbate the risks faced by students studying abroad.</div><p>Ensuring the safety of international students is a shared responsibility that involves collaboration between host countries, educational institutions, and the students themselves. Local law enforcement agencies must take swift and decisive action against perpetrators of violence, sending a clear message that such acts will not be tolerated. Educational institutions should enhance support services, including cultural orientation programs and counseling, to assist students in navigating their new environments.</p><p>Here are a few basic tips for those studying abroad </p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Know your surroundings and neighborhood – talk to locals for tips </li><li>Share your tips and experiences with fellow students </li><li>Do not be desperate for that extra dollar </li><li>If you really must work outside campus, take safety precautions </li><li>Mental health is a real issue – try to lend a helping to peer and fellow students</li></ol><p></p><p>It is crucial for the international community to unite in creating a safer environment for all students pursuing education beyond their borders. The collective responsibility of governments, educational institutions, and the students themselves is paramount in ensuring that such incidents do not become a recurring nightmare for the global student community. By addressing the root causes, fostering awareness, and promoting collaboration, we can strive towards a future where every student, regardless of their nationality, can pursue education in a secure and nurturing environment.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21204886126887297.post-86191729639996981212024-01-31T19:17:00.000-08:002024-01-31T19:17:36.775-08:00Book Review ‘The Elephant Whisperer’ – if only all nonfiction books were this readable<p><span style="color: #222222; font-family: cantarell, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">A friend of mine gifted this book to our son, and I decided to pick it up after he read and reviewed it. I can see why the book remains a must-read for wildlife enthusiasts.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="322" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/p6A4Fm1fcP8" width="387" youtube-src-id="p6A4Fm1fcP8"></iframe></div><span style="color: #222222; font-family: cantarell, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><p><span style="color: #222222; font-family: cantarell, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: cantarell, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><b>My Book Review</b></span></h3>The story begins with Lawrence Anthony getting a call from Marion of “Elephant Managers and Owners Association” offering Thula Thula, his fledgling game reserve, a herd of 8-9 wild elephants. He had recently taken over Thula Thula and was getting his feet wet in the operations of a game reserve and naturally, Anthony is skeptical. He wonders about the ‘catch’ and Marion explains how this was a herd of ‘Rogue elephants’ that had broken out of the previous reserve and damaged crops nearby and the owners were looking for a way out. She muses that the herd would have to be “put down” if a new reserve didn’t accept them immediately.</span><p></p><p style="color: #222222; font-family: cantarell, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.42857em; margin: 0.357143em 0px; padding: 0px;">While Anthony is thrilled at the prospect of bringing wild elephants back to his part of Zululand, he has mixed feelings about taking on this elephantine task. He must rush to electrify the fencing around 20-square miles of Thula Thula before the arrival of the herd.</p><p style="color: #222222; font-family: cantarell, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.42857em; margin: 0.357143em 0px; padding: 0px;">The drama begins, and we are hooked.</p><p style="color: #222222; font-family: cantarell, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.42857em; margin: 0.357143em 0px; padding: 0px;">The chapters flow seamlessly one after the other taking us into the heart of Zululand in South Africa, with the trails and tribulations of life in the bushes. The journey includes glimpses into the Zulu culture and healthy respect for the local environment which is a way of life. We share Anthony’s despair over the death of a newborn and are left cheering when he finally learns to whisper to the rogue elephants musing how “Elephants can smile beautifully.”</p><p style="color: #222222; font-family: cantarell, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.42857em; margin: 0.357143em 0px; padding: 0px;">The Elephants are the central characters, but the story is not just about them. It is about Zululand and the life in the bushes. The risks are inherent in the operations of a game reserve, and it is not the odd rogue elephant or wild beast. Poachers, the Cattle Cabal, and the odd inept game wardens seem to do immense harm to the functioning of the carefully curated reserve.</p><p style="color: #222222; font-family: cantarell, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.42857em; margin: 0.357143em 0px; padding: 0px;">The chapters include brief glimpses into the ‘business’ of running a large game reserve – providing jobs to the locals, opening up high-end lodging and fine-dinging for visitors, hiring and firing rangers, and entertaining VIPs and dealing with government officials and local bureaucracy. And the business is certainly not for the faint-hearted. Waking up at 2 AM awaiting a truck with arrivals, or dealing with ‘mini emergencies’ like the bite of a Black Mamba or flooding of the dam and rivers during rainstorms are par for the course.</p><p style="color: #222222; font-family: cantarell, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.42857em; margin: 0.357143em 0px; padding: 0px;">Anthony and his co-authors are master story tellers. His first-person narrative style tries hard to make it about his beloved reserve, where he is merely the sherpa.</p><p style="color: #222222; font-family: cantarell, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.42857em; margin: 0.357143em 0px 0px; padding: 0px;">Footnote: Lawrence Anthony died several years ago but his French wife stayed back at <b><a href="https://thulathula.com/" target="_blank">Thula Thula</a></b></p><p style="color: #222222; font-family: cantarell, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.42857em; margin: 0.357143em 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="399" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0nyQ-sSiq-I" width="480" youtube-src-id="0nyQ-sSiq-I"></iframe></div><br /><p style="color: #222222; font-family: cantarell, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.42857em; margin: 0.357143em 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21204886126887297.post-41471377062135285152024-01-29T02:46:00.000-08:002024-01-29T02:46:41.866-08:00Rohan Bopanna Scripts History - Becomes Oldest-Ever Man To Win Grand Slam: What are the lessons for mid-career professionals?<p>This weekend, India's Rohan Bopanna became the oldest man to win a Grand Slam after clinching the Australian Open men's doubles trophy, pairing with Matthew Ebden. Bopanna, who is set to turn 44 in March this year, also celebrated becoming the oldest number one in men's doubles history by winning the title in Melbourne on Saturday. </p><p>Indian leaders across the spectrum were quick to congratulate Bopanna. The Indian Prime Minster Tweeted on X </p>
<p></p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Time and again, the phenomenally talented <a href="https://twitter.com/rohanbopanna?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@rohanbopanna</a> shows age is no bar! <br /><br />Congratulations to him on his historic Australian Open win.<br /><br />His remarkable journey is a beautiful reminder that it is always our spirit, hard work and perseverance that define our capabilities.<br /><br />Best… <a href="https://t.co/r06hkkJOnN">pic.twitter.com/r06hkkJOnN</a></p>— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1751253456554189202?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2024</a></blockquote><p><br /></p><p>Most tennis players peak in their twenties; Bopanna on the other hand goes on to win a grand slam at 43! Likewise we are told that most IT professionals peak in their twenties; but that shouldn’t stop you from achieving your peak at whatever age! </p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Five-Career Lessons for mid-career professionals from Rohan Bopanna’s grand slam win </h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="459" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8dTmz1GZB-M" width="552" youtube-src-id="8dTmz1GZB-M"></iframe></div><br /><div><br /></div><p>So, here are five-Career Lessons for mid-career professionals from Rohan Bopanna’s grand slam win at Australian Open</p><p>1. Grit and staying power</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Whether it is sports or professional career, one needs Grit and staying power </li><li>One needs to take a long term view of life while working on short term goals</li></ul><p></p><p>2. We all face setbacks… but overcome those</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Bopanna has faced a fair share of setbacks in the quest for excellence </li><li>We may also face personal and professional hurdles, but need to persevere to move forward</li></ul><p></p><p>3. Life and career don’t always have a linear progression</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>We are always told at 25 this has to happen, by 30 this has to happen, at 40 this will happen </li><li>But life doesn’t always move in a linear manner. Accept this fact</li></ul><p></p><p>4. Work life balance</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Bopanna is as proud about his family – wife and daughter – as he is about his on-field achievements </li><li>Stay focused on your career, while paying equal attention to your personal life</li></ul><p></p><p>5. Age is just a number</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Most tennis players peak in their twenties … Bopanna on the other hand goes on to win a grand slam at 43! </li><li>Likewise we are told that most IT professionals peak in their twenties… But that shouldn’t stop you from achieving your peak at whatever age!</li></ul><p></p> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21204886126887297.post-28464755562954597492024-01-26T21:03:00.000-08:002024-01-26T21:03:50.408-08:00Navigating the Challenges of Middle Management: A Necessary Trade-Off for Compensation<p>I came across the recent podcast on Marketplace with a catchy title "<a href="https://www.marketplace.org/2024/01/23/why-are-middle-managers-so-unhappy/" target="_blank">Why are middle managers so unhappy?</a>" The podcast also builds on from new <a href="https://www.gallup.com/394373/indicator-employee-engagement.aspx" target="_blank">Gallup analysis</a> that highlights, only 1 in 3 Corporate workers say they are engaged with their job. Less than half say they know what is expected of them at work.</p><p>Being a middle manager has long been regarded as a challenging and often underappreciated role within organizations. The demands of balancing responsibilities, managing teams, and navigating corporate hierarchies can make the job tough. However, many middle managers take comfort in the compensation that accompanies the position. </p><p>In this brief Youtube clip, I reflect on middle-management and why some people thrive in the role while a few like me decide it is not our cup of tea.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="461" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fiTb9lGX5FM" width="555" youtube-src-id="fiTb9lGX5FM"></iframe></div><br /><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>The Balancing Act: </b>Middle managers operate in a delicate balance, caught between the directives of upper management and the day-to-day realities of their teams. They must translate high-level organizational goals into actionable plans for their subordinates, all while managing the expectations of both superiors and subordinates. This balancing act requires a unique set of skills and a high level of adaptability. </li><li><b>Limited Decision-Making Authority: </b>One of the primary challenges faced by middle managers is the limited decision-making authority compared to top executives. While they are responsible for implementing strategic decisions, they often lack the autonomy to make significant changes independently. This constraint can be frustrating, as middle managers may find their hands tied when trying to address specific issues within their teams. </li><li><b>Communication Challenges: </b>Effective communication is paramount for successful middle management, but it is not without its challenges. Middle managers must convey the vision and goals of upper management to their teams while also providing valuable feedback and insights to those at the top. Miscommunication or incomplete information can lead to misunderstandings and hinder the successful execution of strategies. </li><li><b>The Pressure from Above and Below: </b>Middle managers operate under a dual pressure—accountable to both upper management for the successful implementation of strategies and to their team members for providing effective leadership and support. This pressure cooker situation requires middle managers to excel in their roles and deliver results despite the challenges they face.</li></ul><div>The compensation and perks that comes with the role outweighs the challenges for some. While the challenges are abundant, the financial rewards are designed to recognize the unique stresses and responsibilities inherent in the position. The salary, bonuses, and other perks are intended to compensate for the demanding nature of the job and to attract talented individuals who are willing to navigate the complexities of middle management.</div><div><br /></div><p></p><div><b>Bottomline:</b></div><div><div><br /></div><div>Being a middle manager is undoubtedly a challenging endeavor. The intricate dance between upper management and front-line teams, the limited decision-making authority, communication challenges, and the constant pressure can make it a demanding role. However, the compensation that accompanies this position serves as a tangible acknowledgment of the difficulties faced by middle managers. In this context, the financial rewards can be seen not only as a trade-off but also as a recognition of the vital role middle managers play in the success of organizations. While the challenges may persist, the allure of financial compensation remains a driving force that keeps many individuals dedicated to the demanding but essential role of middle management.</div></div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21204886126887297.post-60051933907471638642024-01-22T22:15:00.000-08:002024-01-22T22:15:56.690-08:00Rejection letter from Disney to a woman who applied for an apprentice position in 1938 - How the workforce has changed for women in 80 years?<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCNMt24E8uD58IoZvxymcJg_Qk3JZcMtSqLY7I5BwKs3B00gzXI0LWLZjWisPGCP0oGiOwfSeRA_U5Vpf2Nnt-g_2u2UHLgGgh5KlZmYBwYJU5ufezlXuukOWaK0ByeBbu65ZVUo2SOVuxR1bhmyoMeWzwO1j2t8DZEaGntpv1_Bw4UaGlqxbnzvV0gQ/s822/Disney1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="822" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCNMt24E8uD58IoZvxymcJg_Qk3JZcMtSqLY7I5BwKs3B00gzXI0LWLZjWisPGCP0oGiOwfSeRA_U5Vpf2Nnt-g_2u2UHLgGgh5KlZmYBwYJU5ufezlXuukOWaK0ByeBbu65ZVUo2SOVuxR1bhmyoMeWzwO1j2t8DZEaGntpv1_Bw4UaGlqxbnzvV0gQ/s16000/Disney1.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><h2 style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><b>So, how the workforce has changed for women in 80 years?</b></span></h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="366" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/a_6v32Ag8YQ" width="440" youtube-src-id="a_6v32Ag8YQ"></iframe></div><br /><p>Disney's rejection letter highlights</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Girls are not considered for the training school </li><li>The only work open to women consists of tracing characteristics on clear celluloid sheets</li></ul><div><div>Thankfully, this policy didn't last long at Disney</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Blair" target="_blank">Mary Blair</a> started working for Disney in 1940. her design work was crucial to the company's aesthetic through the 40s and 50s </li><li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retta_Scott" target="_blank">Retta Scott</a> - the first female animator at the studio, worked on Bambi</li></ul></div></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">How has the world has changed in 80 years?</h2><div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>We see women in almost ever segment of jobs and career </li><li>Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)– specifically those focused on Women in Workforce have become more vocal at multinationals </li></ul><div><div>Yet we see ongoing debates about the ‘glass ceiling’ and on salary disparity between men and women</div></div></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21204886126887297.post-64045183368675703272023-05-31T05:31:00.004-07:002023-05-31T05:41:25.749-07:00Movie Review - Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway<p></p><p class="MsoNormal">The new movie, out on Netflix, <a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/81508378" target="_blank"><b>Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway</b></a> touches on one aspect of Non Resident Indian (NRI) life. Here's a movie review posted by <a href="https://twitter.com/AmazonReviewer_" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sujatha </a>(my better half):</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">A true compelling story about an immigrant mother’s struggle in a foreign land</h2><p class="MsoNormal">Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway is a compelling story about an immigrant mother’s struggle
to get her two small kids back from the Norwegian Child Welfare Services.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">The leading character of Debika is depicted as a vulnerable
wife and mom who faces domestic violence and is blamed and labelled mentally unfit wife
and a bad mother who is incompetent of taking care of her own children. The
director has taken quite an artistic liberty in portraying the character.
Cultural and ethnic differences create problems and play a huge part in the
case against Debika. Rani Mukherjee has got into the skin of the character and has
done justice to the role by bringing in true emotions and feelings
that touches one deep and makes us question how could a whole organization run
a racket of separating biological parents from their kids and put them for
adoption just to make some money. It feels there is no value for human life. It
also shows that a strong willed mother can fight the whole society or the
government to get back her children like a lioness fighting for her cubs.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">
</p><p class="MsoNormal">As an NRI wife who has lived and seen the challenges that a
new bride faces in a new country I could empathize with Debika’s plight and how
Rani vividly brought that to life.</p><p class="MsoNormal">I've been a big fan of Rani Mukherjee and love this character role. It is remarkable to see her transition to the role of a "<i>mom</i>" effortlessly. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1Bll53fBa9U" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21204886126887297.post-40916950560885624482023-03-01T22:55:00.002-08:002023-03-03T21:37:45.320-08:00Lessons on dealing with Cauvery water supply issue at home in Bengaluru <p>After moving back from the US a few years ago, my wife and I have been living in the house that my dad had built nearly three decades ago – after all, the house now belongs to me and is centrally located in a nice neighborhood in Bengaluru. </p><p>During the years since we built the house, the neighborhood has transformed. Our house has enjoyed continuous water supply for decades since my parents moved in. Therefore, I was rather surprised to find water supply from the mains had become rather erratic during the past few weeks. </p><div><div>Houses in urban India are designed with a large ‘sump’ to store water from civic supply, that is supplied alternative days along with an overhead water pump. We had the supply routine noted in our calendars, but for a week or so in early January our sump started running out of water. Water supply in urban Bengaluru is managed by BWSSB, colloquially known as ‘Cauvery water,’ since the water is pumped upstream from Cauvery River. </div><div><br /></div><div>I checked around with our neighbors and was told they didn’t face any issues. It was only our house that was facing issue with water supply, which felt rather strange. </div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwIN7I4lBa3qb0iSKve1YWjO_7g737OvLuaiT6CI0tXzM1oxgEbjFuSFjZBtQkZGe-5bS5ErIIuNrllJz4K' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div>I decided to call the local BWSSB line-man Avinash, who came and inspected the meter and pipe coming from the mains. Local line-men are the first point of contact since they operate the ‘valves’ from water mains into residential neighborhoods. Avinash didn’t find have any issues or blockage that perplexed us further. He suggested that I lodge a written complain at the local BWSSB office that he would review with the area AE (Assistant Engineer).</div><div><br /></div><div><div>The issue continued to persist for weeks and in the interim I had to call for a local water-tanker to come and supply water into our sump. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzEGJHlBPnxVIV0OhyMdyhmKSlYVbPylFelrbOndo5RrthlPpMpQN8NOYQsFYGypJQhLsUFORTtJEH8386y' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div>The sump at home had been designed to store about 2-3000 liters of water, just sufficient for a couple of days for our family of four. In the meantime, I took to social media and began tweeting about the issue too. </div><div>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Family in Central Bengaluru's 30-yr-old house are victims of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BWSSB?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BWSSB</a> Water meter scam? <br /><br />HELP <a href="https://twitter.com/chairmanbwssb?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@chairmanbwssb</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/BBMPCOMM?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BBMPCOMM</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/bwssbdirector?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@bwssbdirector</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/BBMPAdmn?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BBMPAdmn</a><br /><br />Written complain given to BWSSB, Engineer and Lineman<br />Sahaya Complaint - 20019027<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/bengaluru?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#bengaluru</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/water?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#water</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BBMP?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BBMP</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/rtItBot?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#rtItBot</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/byrathi_suresh?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@byrathi_suresh</a> <a href="https://t.co/lZmwzGaCTK">https://t.co/lZmwzGaCTK</a> <a href="https://t.co/HocM24xq2D">pic.twitter.com/HocM24xq2D</a></p>— Mohan (@mohan_author) <a href="https://twitter.com/mohan_author/status/1619195335431299073?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</div><div>While the tweet generated a few likes, comments and re-tweets, it didn’t lead to action or a response from officials. During the weeks following, I also lodged a complain in BBMP’s complaint management system and also on Sahaaya 2.0 (Namma Bengaluru) city corporation’s complaint App. These systems simply generated a ticket number, but didn’t lead to any action. </div></div><div><br /></div><div>In the meantime, I continued to call the lineman every couple of days to see if there was a follow up. He came home with his supervisor who asked me to record the meager flow of water that we were receiving on my smartphone. I also got the phone number of the local AE and sent him a message with my issue along with the video of the water supply.</div><div><br /></div><div><h3 style="text-align: center;">Lessons on dealing with BWSSB water supply issue</h3><div><br /></div><div>During the last weekend in January, I read about a ‘Water Adalat’ (complaint hearing) that the commissioner of BBMP was conducting that day between 9 an 11 AM. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaxlxUTtBPeLVhrx9xZamapft38Kifuv5lizsyoIp5eWQehxFg4qi3LBbMNtjBhcZYlwdoRwVoEVFqNT8pVjnjTuh27iBetP3FVlB59rjNjNP8Gmt0VnfdbVcIWGTuUCu6Cl1vN1trtXtpd3LZd4u0a929KlODOf3NbMDjE-KvZProx2Us7losg3c/s4032/Water%20Adalat.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaxlxUTtBPeLVhrx9xZamapft38Kifuv5lizsyoIp5eWQehxFg4qi3LBbMNtjBhcZYlwdoRwVoEVFqNT8pVjnjTuh27iBetP3FVlB59rjNjNP8Gmt0VnfdbVcIWGTuUCu6Cl1vN1trtXtpd3LZd4u0a929KlODOf3NbMDjE-KvZProx2Us7losg3c/w300-h400/Water%20Adalat.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>I called the hotline at 9 AM and found the line was busy but I persisted and continued to call the phone line every few minutes. I finally got through at about 10 AM. An official took down my Water supply account number, name and address and connected me to his superior. The officer heard my rather brief request and promised to send the local engineer to resolve our issue. </div></div><div><br /></div><div>About 2 hours after my call with the commissioner, the lineman, his supervisor and the Engineer came by our house. The AE asked a few pertinent questions and speculated that our water line, drawn from the mains by the main road years ago may have changed. </div><div><br /></div><div>The Engineer suggested that could draw water from the water mains that had now come winding by adjacent to our compound. He agreed that the change of line would be the responsibility of BWSSB, while I would have to pay to get the pipe inside our compound re-routed to the new inlet from the mains. </div><div><br /></div><div>I called my plumber to figure out the re-routing of inlet pipes from the mains and the lineman brought in labor to work on the connection to the water mains from the road.</div><div><br /></div><div><div>In India, unlike in the west, cartography of public water, sewage and other services aren’t well mapped or documented. This leads to a lot of guess-work while digging roads and other public areas for utilities. The guys dug a 3-feet wide circle adjacent to the road about 3-feet deep but weren’t able to strike the mains. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2sXo1i-HWLgs5nz1lfRF6smDNbZQgZADbeyoXJ3FBjhrYHZIU8IKIVRPrvwkRWK0_IGwrGRg39IelzGYNJOx6fJkwhhvnM6FnIhddnWbKl4dVRqhV3YKTD--LEy2RnGA70QLsnlhlb-4aV-zVwamtEUEprvXzyLn8hdMu6iaDqX7TBwMWg9EIEF8/s4032/IMG_7588.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2sXo1i-HWLgs5nz1lfRF6smDNbZQgZADbeyoXJ3FBjhrYHZIU8IKIVRPrvwkRWK0_IGwrGRg39IelzGYNJOx6fJkwhhvnM6FnIhddnWbKl4dVRqhV3YKTD--LEy2RnGA70QLsnlhlb-4aV-zVwamtEUEprvXzyLn8hdMu6iaDqX7TBwMWg9EIEF8/w300-h400/IMG_7588.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>They left after covering up the dig and said they’d be back the next day, but didn’t come back as promised. They came back after a week citing other work emergencies by which I had to order another tanker of water. When they started digging a bit deeper in the same spot, they found the water mains and went on to connect it to the line my plumber had already extended from our house.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihBDVtPLbgXncq9f_5VWhFOR5OXa1XJwHq8TdugTW2WaOUbBpU7knKuoSixSZhgf2l03JT_BMc2ZXBc6-T-ndPFLctqJVVpCtvZkWDh8V2nV0eUVzrhZKaTNQayXY6YKDniAi3-GoS0Y4ke36b1Y16r0Ii5CU9awYBWqWakQW8KzFWUguQ5EUXyNI/s4032/IMG_7622.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihBDVtPLbgXncq9f_5VWhFOR5OXa1XJwHq8TdugTW2WaOUbBpU7knKuoSixSZhgf2l03JT_BMc2ZXBc6-T-ndPFLctqJVVpCtvZkWDh8V2nV0eUVzrhZKaTNQayXY6YKDniAi3-GoS0Y4ke36b1Y16r0Ii5CU9awYBWqWakQW8KzFWUguQ5EUXyNI/w300-h400/IMG_7622.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZcZR28TTaoXltU6atvrg6fLpxTTeryPPdJEqdRXYHxB57sZXx_sOduprKtANwyjIAaRA27PS7w7T8cSH4_TFO0UqipVY7YP4Bfhf8fy98wTLfdhNGvdz-ltowv5WW1zJCV-W-B6kjrhPSYurxP-HxxHv6hwjKAvF-pmQfaJTx5ZavoZRdKEc-zn4/s4032/IMG_7627.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZcZR28TTaoXltU6atvrg6fLpxTTeryPPdJEqdRXYHxB57sZXx_sOduprKtANwyjIAaRA27PS7w7T8cSH4_TFO0UqipVY7YP4Bfhf8fy98wTLfdhNGvdz-ltowv5WW1zJCV-W-B6kjrhPSYurxP-HxxHv6hwjKAvF-pmQfaJTx5ZavoZRdKEc-zn4/w300-h400/IMG_7627.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div>That evening, when the water was supplied to the mains, water supply to our house resumed. Finally; after about 3-4 weeks of complains and calling.</div></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dx6iTJw9F1HLYFJfMfTyPMJERXUnZ5KpkfHK7h0jtN-_R4v7zDkGXa8ukxkhav2Olbg32q51OJ64H5vetyE' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><div>Lesson learnt: </div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>While dealing with public officials, be persistent and pursue the matter at the top and also work with local officials </li><li>If you are able to reach a top official, it will streamline the communication and ensure your work gets done promptly. </li></ul></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21204886126887297.post-48939835018950972252023-01-04T20:31:00.006-08:002023-01-04T20:34:56.095-08:00Without music, life would be a mistake – Sivamani makes an appearance at Ganesh Kumaresh Celebrating 50 years of Musical<p>One of my resolutions for the New Year was to take a few spontaneous breaks from my daily routine.
I decided to act on this yesterday when I saw an article in the local paper
announcing a concert by the Violinists “Ganesh Kumaresh Celebrating 50 years of Musical." I immediately went
online and booked a ticket for the show scheduled for the evening.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW0diVlCXcctfFP5Pl_CesYkM9iKDNUkdPhyRKO53vfFUuoQcefw3QN3S7M9id9bbuqQVWorp6bHjfQVmeo9H7_GKpZwNFL5uDbD_GR_baeGXj0MdvorWONdBDQd9HSvrvcGN58b0E3n9LwOcRQw-TM1GiNSSTiaxjV2yKsd__ZqNzdj5gLEis0L4/s800/KG50.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="348" data-original-width="800" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW0diVlCXcctfFP5Pl_CesYkM9iKDNUkdPhyRKO53vfFUuoQcefw3QN3S7M9id9bbuqQVWorp6bHjfQVmeo9H7_GKpZwNFL5uDbD_GR_baeGXj0MdvorWONdBDQd9HSvrvcGN58b0E3n9LwOcRQw-TM1GiNSSTiaxjV2yKsd__ZqNzdj5gLEis0L4/w640-h278/KG50.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganesh_and_Kumaresh" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ganesh and Kumaresh</a> are noted Indian duo of violin players best known as proponents of modern contemporary a.k.a fusion genera of music. The dynamic brothers, who grew up as child prodigies, carved a niche in the <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>contemporary Carnatic genera. The brothers have gone deeper into the realm of the music and brought out a refreshingly original content and instrumental style. Fusion style includes ‘western style’ of percussion, guitars and drums played alongside modified Carnatic Ragas. The duo began the concert with a few of their popular compositions from their albums and went on to mesmerize the audience for a couple of hours. </p><p><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="true" frameborder="0" height="684" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGaneshKumaresh%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02GYAoMkDFWnDTc2F9vxjdpuYey59jLWsi7XLedsfpyGkpXoZfdyKQaowXCV79vt6Wl&show_text=true&width=500" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" width="500"></iframe></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">At the end of the first half of the concert, a previous unannounced “special guest” made an appearance and the crowd burst into raptures. Indian percussionist <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sivamani" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“Drum” Sivamani </a>took to the stage in his signature style, switching between drums, cymbals and other instruments, enthralling the audience. It was fascinating to enjoy and see the showman in action. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8I6Bce70shVF2x82ljJtBtLxhVEFzWrqP_QQOPaHay4ocdxFTCOSSkML16dgmBUo5ifNyYoW1n2p8rMMKPQYGFMDfKwnufhu5jvbCwMg1U983UIAGm8wxfZirnGeGUtPr6sYYhnzBVF0a-7lwUPGMBjB4Vhvl3hoiMrTSNa2FHHxS8g6H07fz_io/s1024/DrumM.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8I6Bce70shVF2x82ljJtBtLxhVEFzWrqP_QQOPaHay4ocdxFTCOSSkML16dgmBUo5ifNyYoW1n2p8rMMKPQYGFMDfKwnufhu5jvbCwMg1U983UIAGm8wxfZirnGeGUtPr6sYYhnzBVF0a-7lwUPGMBjB4Vhvl3hoiMrTSNa2FHHxS8g6H07fz_io/w400-h300/DrumM.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">As the old adage goes, <i>Music speaks the language of the soul.</i> And I was glad I took the spontaneous decision to attend the concert and to be lost in the music.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21204886126887297.post-60030999995450156032023-01-02T22:47:00.003-08:002023-01-02T22:51:48.003-08:00Narayana Murthy and Narendra Modi: Two unlikely examples of extremes in work-life balance in modern India?<div> Towards the end of 2022 came two stories demonstrating distinct tradeoffs of work-life balance in modern India that make one reflect. Here is my video on the topic</div><div><br /></div><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/f0raxK2Bo8E" width="480"></iframe><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><p class="MsoNormal">The 76-year-old godfather of Indian outsourcing, Narayana Murthy, <a href="https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/trends/narayana-murthy-would-reach-infosys-office-at-6-20-am-every-day-because-9771691.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">spoke about the time</a> he devoted to building Infosys and how it came at the cost of spending quality time with his two children. In interviews, was quoted saying he was so dedicated to building the software services company that for years he would reach his office every morning at 6.20 am and work till 8 or 9 pm into the night. Mr Murthy was reflecting on the growth of the company and how it came at the cost of spending quality time with his two children.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Another story is that of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi whose mother passed away at 99 a few days ago. Immediately after attending to her funeral rites, Mr. Modi resumed his official duties. A few hours after his mother’s cremation in Gandhinagar, <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/pm-narendra-modi-virtually-flags-off-west-bengal-projects-after-mothers-death/articleshow/96632897.cms" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PM Narendra Modi virtually flagged off </a>a host of infrastructure projects, designed to galvanize West Bengal and Kolkata.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">In my years in the corporate world, I have worked with scores of middle-managers and executives who have dedicated their lives to being “corporate men,” foregoing their personal commitments. Like Mr Narayana Murthy regrets in his sunset years, spending quality time with his children. They are driven to the extreme and don’t mind hopping on a plane at a day’s notice for the next bid or client project. They are willing to get on calls at 6AM or 9PM and just don’t let their personal life come in the way of their work commitments and more.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg73pTgG3zJqiADTAAHygEVjkxZJPO0ME6qEk2jSamwC4Wg5HLRBzvdPVsaLaPR0MnSznYVTtP1hvelZjf1JWgRf3ue4Kkke-qhsuLs6zqovu73cfko4AwKRjLju7fcJ7s9-MpooHhjCNIDovT7sYVaXp0R3q9GhucWSBBQ3-28PQSOiyPbaBZKJcU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1023" data-original-width="1916" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg73pTgG3zJqiADTAAHygEVjkxZJPO0ME6qEk2jSamwC4Wg5HLRBzvdPVsaLaPR0MnSznYVTtP1hvelZjf1JWgRf3ue4Kkke-qhsuLs6zqovu73cfko4AwKRjLju7fcJ7s9-MpooHhjCNIDovT7sYVaXp0R3q9GhucWSBBQ3-28PQSOiyPbaBZKJcU=w640-h342" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">The fact is that leaders like Mr. Modi, Naranaya Murthy and the workaholic colleague are outliers.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Most of us are not. We rightfully strive to balance our work-life priorities. Quoting eastern philosophy, most of us strive to balance the Yin-Yang of life without getting into extremes.</p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21204886126887297.post-50485688422689036182022-12-30T22:43:00.003-08:002022-12-31T07:09:11.947-08:00Musing on the year that was: goodbye 2022<p><span style="color: #1c1c1c;">Hard to believe 2022 has finally come to a close. </span></p><p><span style="color: #1c1c1c;">I have been observing that we are all successful losers. We are all <b><i>losers </i></b>because of the setbacks and failures we encounter in a life journey. <b><i>Successful </i></b>because we eventually overcome loss and failures. As we come to the end of another eventful year, a few of my musings on balancing it all</span></p><p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: "Noto Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="_12FoOEddL7j_RgMQN0SNeU" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Loss and failures</span></p><ul class="_33MEMislY0GAlB78wL1_CR" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: "Noto Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: outside; margin: 4px 0px 4px 8px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><li class="_3gqTEjt4x9UIIpWiro7YXz" style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0.4em 1em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">My MF, investments and assets have been flat. The global stock market tanked, and they are talking about recession. Indian stocks aren’t doing great either</p></li><li class="_3gqTEjt4x9UIIpWiro7YXz" style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0.4em 1em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I have been working through the maze of agents, lawyers and officials on the paperwork for a piece of land my dad bought years ago. The issue keeps dragging on since I am hesitant to pay a “huge” bribe before assurance of approval.</p></li><li class="_3gqTEjt4x9UIIpWiro7YXz" style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0.4em 1em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">At work, I see laggards regularly suck-up to the boss and get nominated for trivial awards that they post on LinkedIn. These ‘humble brag’ posts generate likes and shares, further reinforcing this charade</p></li><li class="_3gqTEjt4x9UIIpWiro7YXz" style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0.4em 1em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Few of my elderly relatives including grandma passed away this year</p></li></ul><div><span face="Noto Sans, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1c1c1c;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span face="Noto Sans, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1c1c1c;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span face="Noto Sans, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1c1c1c;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtjH8CYQzloAlDn-WvA76CbLoalNsTyXTYT6tt9IQiv8JSCG7xe02fgeAr25fmpruRWFJa67d29W5IaIIDXOiJ8wti8VFnHisiRa3CQyU31rVLMCsSgbBNW9SwkBQWhXysc_K-lUJlpbg6vrzDpGyHRCECEWNgmIe9ukCSR0_AtypVXwgPqWZtOtQ/s1662/SPYChart.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="760" data-original-width="1662" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtjH8CYQzloAlDn-WvA76CbLoalNsTyXTYT6tt9IQiv8JSCG7xe02fgeAr25fmpruRWFJa67d29W5IaIIDXOiJ8wti8VFnHisiRa3CQyU31rVLMCsSgbBNW9SwkBQWhXysc_K-lUJlpbg6vrzDpGyHRCECEWNgmIe9ukCSR0_AtypVXwgPqWZtOtQ/w640-h292/SPYChart.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div><p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: "Noto Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="_12FoOEddL7j_RgMQN0SNeU" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Successful</span></p><ul class="_33MEMislY0GAlB78wL1_CR" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: "Noto Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: outside; margin: 4px 0px 4px 8px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><li class="_3gqTEjt4x9UIIpWiro7YXz" style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0.4em 1em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">After a 2-year pandemic and slowdown, and got to travel a bit and meet with family and friends</p></li><li class="_3gqTEjt4x9UIIpWiro7YXz" style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0.4em 1em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I paid off our mortgage this year and resolved to live a debt-free life. Credit cards are handy to earn points or discounts as long as I pay it off monthly.</p></li><li class="_3gqTEjt4x9UIIpWiro7YXz" style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0.4em 1em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Despite a few minor bumps, the family continues to be in fairly good health, which is a great blessing.</p></li><li class="_3gqTEjt4x9UIIpWiro7YXz" style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0.4em 1em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I have continued to read, blog and write. My <a href="https://www.amazon.in/dp/B0BLNPNP23/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">book </a>that was published on Amazon, with 20+ reviews is reasonably successful (Amazon - <a href="https://www.amazon.in/dp/B0BLNPNP23/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Diary of a Successful Loser</a>)</p></li><li class="_3gqTEjt4x9UIIpWiro7YXz" style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0.4em 1em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">My job allows me to WFH, that gives me a work-life balance</p></li></ul><div><span face="Noto Sans, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1c1c1c;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div><p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: "Noto Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">So, how have you been a <em class="_7s4syPYtk5hfUIjySXcRE" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="_12FoOEddL7j_RgMQN0SNeU" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">successful loser</span></em> in 2022?</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21204886126887297.post-44352882108901982422022-12-09T22:31:00.004-08:002022-12-09T22:31:21.206-08:00I decided to use an Artificial Intelligence (AI) software for a promo-video for my new book. Here's' the result<p><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">Artificial Intelligence (AI) t</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">echnologies and tools have been advancing at a fast pace. Many new tools continue to evolve and they are increasingly targeted at improving productivity of end consumers. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">After my book - </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BLNPNP23/" style="color: #3778cd; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Diary of a Successful Loser</a> - was published last month, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">I had been reaching out to reviewers and bloggers. Along the way, I decided to explore the use of </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">of Text-to-Video </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">AI software to generate a promotional video for the book. </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">Here is one version of a resulting video : </span></span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">What do you think?</b></p><p><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="373" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Sg5aj55vDqw" width="450" youtube-src-id="Sg5aj55vDqw"></iframe></span></div><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><div><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span><div><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">While the resulting video is not bad, it is not as slick as one from a creative team or professional videographers. On the flip side, it is much better if not similar to what I would have got by paying a gig worker on <a href="https://www.fiverr.com/" target="_blank">Fivrr </a>or <a href="https://www.upwork.com/" target="_blank">Upwork </a></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">After researching for a bit, I decided to use the freeware version </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #5f6368; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://app.steve.ai/steveai/" target="_blank">Steve AI</a>, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #4d5156; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> an online Video making software that creates Videos and animations in seconds. The UI is intuitive and easy to use after a quick signup. </span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #4d5156; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #4d5156; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The challenge with Text-to-AI software is the human element and creativity - the creator (you and I) need a robust yet simple script with the right keywords that we can feed into the AI software. </span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #4d5156; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">One can choose from a variety of templates, video and voice formats. </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #4d5156; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">After that, it is a matter of playing around with different formats, voiceovers and narratives. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><b>Bottomline: </b></span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">Image synthesis has great implications on creative arts and </span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">creation of visual art </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">similar to what smartphones did to still camera. </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">I came away impressed with the ease-of-use of such Ai software, and how they can be a powerful aid to less-creative people. With software like </span></span><span style="color: #4d5156; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">With steve AI’s video maker one can quickly create Facebook ads, video slideshows, newsfeed videos, stories, and cover videos. </span></div><div><span style="color: #4d5156; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span><div><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">There are a number of 'Text to Video' AI software with varying levels of usability including </span></span><p></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><a href="https://openai.com/blog/dall-e-now-available-without-waitlist/" target="_blank"><b>OpenAI's DALL-e AI</b></a> - Open AI announced that it removed the waitlist for its DALL-E AI image generator service. More than 1.5M users are now actively creating over 2M images a day with DALL·E—from artists and creative directors to authors and architects—with over 100K users sharing their creations and feedback in our Discord community.</span></span></li><li><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><b style="font-size: 13px;"><a href="https://makeavideo.studio/" target="_blank">Make-A-Video </a></b><span style="font-size: 13px;">- Meta's Make-A-Video is an AI-powered video generator that can create novel video content from text or image prompts, similar to existing image synthesis tools like DALL-E and Stable Diffusion. Make-A-Video research builds on the recent progress made in text-to-image generation technology built to enable text-to-video generation. The system uses images with descriptions to learn what the world looks like and how it is often described. </span><a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/2209.14792" style="font-size: 13px;" target="_blank">Link to Meta's research paper</a> </span></li><li><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><b><a href="https://github.com/CompVis/stable-diffusion" target="_blank">Stable Diffusion</a></b> - A newly released open source image synthesis model called Stable Diffusion allows anyone with a PC and a decent GPU to conjure up almost any visual reality they can imagine. It can imitate virtually any visual style, and if you feed it a descriptive phrase, the results appear on your screen like magic.</span></span></li><li><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><b style="font-size: 13px;"><a href="https://imagen.research.google/video/" target="_blank">Imagen Video - </a></b><span style="font-size: 13px;">Google’s newest AI generator that creates HD video from text prompts. Google's engineers claim it is a text-conditional video generation system based on a cascade of video diffusion models. Given a text prompt, Imagen Video generates high definition videos using a base video generation model and a sequence of interleaved spatial and temporal video super-resolution models. According to <b><a href="https://imagen.research.google/video/paper.pdf" target="_blank">Google's research paper,</a></b> Imagen Video includes several notable stylistic abilities, such as generating videos based on the work of famous painters (the paintings of Vincent van Gogh, for example), generating 3D rotating objects while preserving object structure, and rendering text in a variety of animation styles. Google is hopeful that general-purpose video synthesis models can "significantly decrease the difficulty of high-quality content generation."</span></span></li></ul><p></p></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21204886126887297.post-34038481735547756342022-11-25T21:11:00.000-08:002022-11-25T21:11:02.995-08:00My new stealth-help book - Diary of a Successful Loser <p>I invite you to review my new stealth-help book - <b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BLNPNP23/" target="_blank">Diary of a Successful Loser</a></b> </p><p>If you are looking for a non-preachy self-help book with motivational stories, you are in the right place. This Kindle eBook is a Stealth help* book. The bestselling book with life stories that will leave you inspired.</p><p>All of us are successful losers – <b><i>Losers </i></b>because of the setbacks. <b><i>Successful </i></b>because we have overcome setbacks, loss and failures. This book is targeted at those who find typical self-help books - with preachy quotes and advice off-putting. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BLNPNP23/" rel="nofollow" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="313" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhXaH74juKYeq8bH-e3pqLHcd37UzdnCYltQ5PKAy8jCQz9CmnJTV88gewRBMxricTcva2iB4Sj3fG27FqZegSHyJQk2eLqnDl0jIgfHJoAzF1qrlyQcRSfEw3K9ehlfWZMvh-VkHPCQr-aZSSfLH0rYqRGQqRhog27rzaG49eIqDbqyrcoinrgbxo=w250-h400" width="250" /></a></div><p><br /><br /></p><p></p><div><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">In the narrative, I have picked up a few failures and setbacks that have been part of my life journey in ways that I didn’t anticipate. These stories hold a mirror to typical experiences that we are likely to encounter in a life journey</span><ul class="a-unordered-list a-vertical" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; padding: 0px;"><li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style: disc; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><span class="a-list-item" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Bullying, teasing and jibes</span></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style: disc; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><span class="a-list-item" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Setbacks that reshape one's career</span></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style: disc; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><span class="a-list-item" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Breakup of a relationship</span></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style: disc; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><span class="a-list-item" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Loss of a loved one</span></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style: disc; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><span class="a-list-item" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Difference of opinion with a boss or colleague</span></li></ul><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><div><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div>These chapters in a life story, when stacked on top of one other. make for a memorable layered cake.</span></div><div><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">The book is available for Kindle Unlimited download on Amazon and on popular Amazon portals</span></div><div><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><div><ul><li><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BLNPNP23/">Amazon.com</a> </span></li><li><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.in/dp/B0BLNPNP23/">Amazon.in </a></span></li></ul></div><div><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">In a span of a few weeks, the book has gathered nearly 50 reviews on Amazon</span></div><div><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjYX97aECFtwDzxcp7jKgj1FPAQYcwVw8XYGlMPA4qlY0vKW_FmB7Ups3SnqPhNpltSNd0z3jdrpFGKSvqpELcK1SWZTK3b8Jlgty7P-Eo9EWFfGKCSXAuRf1llcSXgfHS-FLeg1e5hCHKCJbT44s_fIErJXtOb4VyENDoRTflB7eiOdsZKsgXNTHg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="343" data-original-width="1083" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjYX97aECFtwDzxcp7jKgj1FPAQYcwVw8XYGlMPA4qlY0vKW_FmB7Ups3SnqPhNpltSNd0z3jdrpFGKSvqpELcK1SWZTK3b8Jlgty7P-Eo9EWFfGKCSXAuRf1llcSXgfHS-FLeg1e5hCHKCJbT44s_fIErJXtOb4VyENDoRTflB7eiOdsZKsgXNTHg=w640-h202" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhqlOBa1UOkfNs3pSOUc88Uvs4ICQ-QSnRomKikdZt4BQrCazH2A1PWauwqtagrvCD-rk2oLC0NfLf_aQp8eq57TEfEq4b3jN6MLaWv7AnFpmAv4v3AeiiTxidI5ixhnNpPu6ogYoExm2-c2ne7pJsWK-ZCknExdwabiZjBNIawqb1woupF_uszVdc" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="312" data-original-width="1074" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhqlOBa1UOkfNs3pSOUc88Uvs4ICQ-QSnRomKikdZt4BQrCazH2A1PWauwqtagrvCD-rk2oLC0NfLf_aQp8eq57TEfEq4b3jN6MLaWv7AnFpmAv4v3AeiiTxidI5ixhnNpPu6ogYoExm2-c2ne7pJsWK-ZCknExdwabiZjBNIawqb1woupF_uszVdc" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><div>Stealth help book do what self-help books do - inspire and motivate - while they may not make you cringe or gag A mix of memoir and self-help genera, stealth help uses a person's experience to inspire readers to better their lives or themselves.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21204886126887297.post-44553815841033637282022-09-26T04:03:00.001-07:002022-09-26T05:08:24.928-07:00Sharing my experience with RTI Appeals: You need to be persistent<p><span data-offset-key="751728_initial-0-0">I have shared snippets of my legal fight with bureaucracy in Bengaluru in an attempt to avoid a huge bribe (</span><a class="_1FRfMxEAy__7c8vezYv9qP" href="https://twitter.com/PetitionIssue/status/1548542009408897025"><span data-offset-key="751728_initial-1-0">link to twitter campaign - Land registration pending for 25 Yrs with Bengaluru Deputy Commissioner</span></a><span data-offset-key="751728_initial-2-0"> ).</span></p><p><span data-offset-key="751728_initial-2-0"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh6AaNsK5JHEcV0wgozKNFQ46zrrejhFnaKd1zd3xhQAqDVrTu6vp1pUyXNi3ae9fx7abxyZMIhmNXdh4NUnmbMCSTu-PBj9hamNlU0hTlCSDg1jti1TTnVTJ214AYf4kbFBJP6asqo7Q_SQuBVbt9BS3_nPBkU2IsJmBWAxVRFI1d-3S3SB396Vk/s571/rti_lifecycle%5B1%5D.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="543" data-original-width="571" height="608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh6AaNsK5JHEcV0wgozKNFQ46zrrejhFnaKd1zd3xhQAqDVrTu6vp1pUyXNi3ae9fx7abxyZMIhmNXdh4NUnmbMCSTu-PBj9hamNlU0hTlCSDg1jti1TTnVTJ214AYf4kbFBJP6asqo7Q_SQuBVbt9BS3_nPBkU2IsJmBWAxVRFI1d-3S3SB396Vk/w640-h608/rti_lifecycle%5B1%5D.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span data-offset-key="751728_initial-2-0"><br /></span><p></p><div data-reddit-rtjson="{"entityMap":{"0":{"type":"LINK","mutability":"MUTABLE","data":{"url":"https://twitter.com/PetitionIssue/status/1548542009408897025"}},"1":{"type":"LINK","mutability":"MUTABLE","data":{"url":"https://RRT.XXX"}}},"blocks":[{"key":"7g4q1","text":"I have shared snippets of my legal fight with bureaucracy in Bengaluru in an attempt to avoid a huge bribe (link to twitter campaign - Land registration pending for 25 Yrs with Bengaluru Deputy Commissioner ). ","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[{"offset":108,"length":98,"key":0}],"data":{}},{"key":"77cfp","text":"In order to find out the latest status of the case review and why it was stuck, I decided to bypass agents and filed an RTI. ","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{}},{"key":"7dnui","text":"The RTI application was specific with Information requested: ","type":"ordered-list-item","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{}},{"key":"44a1e","text":" I wish to have information on the review of my file relating to case RRT.XXX ","type":"ordered-list-item","depth":1,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[{"offset":70,"length":7,"key":1}],"data":{}},{"key":"4ifcc","text":"I wish to request information on the status of review of this issue by the Deputy Commissioner, Bengaluru Urban","type":"ordered-list-item","depth":1,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{}},{"key":"7u7c0","text":"The initial RTI went unheeded by the designated Public Information Officer (PIO). No response even after I waited for over 30 days ","type":"ordered-list-item","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{}},{"key":"cu31d","text":"I filed an RTI First appeal with First Appellant Authority (FAA) and waited for 45 days but didn’t receive any information","type":"ordered-list-item","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{}},{"key":"28ul5","text":"I filed an RTI Second appeal with the State’s Information Commission (in triplicate – copy to PIO, FAA. Had to redo the application after it was initially rejected since I sent copies directly to PIO/FAA not the three copies to SIC)","type":"ordered-list-item","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{}},{"key":"673ip","text":"After I waited for several weeks, the State’s Information Commission scheduled a hearing and sent me a letter about the Webex meeting.","type":"ordered-list-item","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{}},{"key":"9j7vk","text":"A week after I got the letter from State’s Information Commission, I got a bundle in registered post. This was the entire copy of my case file along with notations and filing by my attorney ","type":"ordered-list-item","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{}},{"key":"cj82h","text":"I decided to attend the State’s Information Commission hearing by Webex VC and when my turn came, I confirmed that I received the case file, but the case hadn’t been reviewed yet. ","type":"ordered-list-item","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{}},{"key":"6c45s","text":"The SIC officer said their focus was on making sure I got the information, not following up on the case. ","type":"ordered-list-item","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{}},{"key":"45up5","text":"Bottomline: Filing RTI is any day better than running around bribing local babus asking about your file that may be stuck","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[{"offset":0,"length":12,"style":"BOLD"}],"entityRanges":[],"data":{}},{"key":"ae97l","text":"Was it an easy journey? No. There were lot of missteps in between and duplication of paperwork, but I was persistent. ","type":"unordered-list-item","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{}},{"key":"27n8r","text":"Does this mean my case is being resolved? No. I will have to pursue it with the authorities. ","type":"unordered-list-item","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{}},{"key":"1abjn","text":"So, what does it mean? I have reviewed the case file and know exactly where it is stuck. This information, while dealing with government officials is the key to moving forward! ","type":"unordered-list-item","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{}}]}"><div data-block="true" data-editor="751728" data-offset-key="5jiha-0-0"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="5jiha-0-0"><span data-offset-key="5jiha-0-0">In order to find out the latest status of the case review and why it was stuck, I decided to bypass agents and filed an RTI application</span></div></div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="anuld-0-0"><span data-offset-key="anuld-0-0">The RTI application was specific with Information requested: </span></div><ol><li><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="96qa9-0-0"><span data-offset-key="96qa9-0-0"> I wish to have information on the review of my file relating to case </span><span data-offset-key="96qa9-1-0">RRT.XXX</span><span data-offset-key="96qa9-2-0"> </span></div></li><li><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="9fl3b-0-0"><span data-offset-key="9fl3b-0-0">I wish to request information on the status of review of this issue by the Deputy Commissioner, Bengaluru Urban</span></div></li></ol></li><li><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="e5ptr-0-0"><span data-offset-key="e5ptr-0-0">The initial RTI went unheeded by the designated Public Information Officer (PIO). No response even after I waited for over 30 days </span></div></li><li><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="4okeo-0-0"><span data-offset-key="4okeo-0-0">I filed an RTI First appeal with First Appellant Authority (FAA) and waited for 45 days but didn’t receive any information</span></div></li><li><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="97dfl-0-0"><span data-offset-key="97dfl-0-0">I filed an RTI Second appeal with the State’s Information Commission (in triplicate – copy to PIO, FAA. Had to redo the application after it was initially rejected since I sent copies directly to PIO/FAA not the three copies to SIC)</span></div></li><li><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="budcu-0-0"><span data-offset-key="budcu-0-0">After I waited for several weeks, the State’s Information Commission scheduled a hearing and sent me a letter about the Webex meeting.</span></div></li><li><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="au3q5-0-0"><span data-offset-key="au3q5-0-0">A week after I got the letter from State’s Information Commission, I got a bundle in registered post. This was the entire copy of my case file along with notations and filing by my attorney </span></div></li><li><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="74u4m-0-0"><span data-offset-key="74u4m-0-0">I decided to attend the State’s Information Commission hearing by Webex VC and when my turn came, I confirmed that I received the case file, but the case hadn’t been reviewed yet. (Note to self: I was impressed with the use of Webex and remote case hearing at local administration)</span></div></li><li><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="74u4m-0-0">The SIC officer said their focus was on making sure I got the information, not following up on the case.</div></li></ol><div data-block="true" data-editor="751728" data-offset-key="foc20-0-0"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="foc20-0-0"><span data-offset-key="foc20-0-0" style="font-weight: bold;">Bottomline: </span><span data-offset-key="foc20-0-1">Filing RTI is any day better than running around bribing local babus asking about your file that may be stuck</span></div></div><ul><li><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="8k1id-0-0"><span data-offset-key="8k1id-0-0">Was it an easy journey? No. There were lot of missteps in between and duplication of paperwork, but I was persistent. </span></div></li><li><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="28vns-0-0"><span data-offset-key="28vns-0-0">Does this mean my case is being resolved? No. I will have to pursue it with the authorities. </span></div></li><li><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="1pv8v-0-0"><span data-offset-key="1pv8v-0-0">So, what does it mean? I have reviewed the case file and know exactly where it is stuck. This information, while dealing with government officials is the key to moving forward! </span></div></li></ul></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21204886126887297.post-82174363617926396042022-07-08T23:48:00.002-07:002022-07-09T22:08:28.039-07:00RIP Rukmani Patti<p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwZsMJPzvrYMAzDPXusgiuoyZJ8iVisFnZxH2vGa6UjrTJAN-MXvf6tyo6_CqiN3loQNjkLz5yGbM2_IAmQ0cZEIjI545HLiJEebjnef7qrHZOFQzFQmSPW7PC1Q8EK5rEMgOdYZR5aAupBMX-A2l9SvWkHn9MM-wlH5v_KHE00TNrQNEgkNOe6KU/s1024/Patti90thA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="898" data-original-width="1024" height="562" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwZsMJPzvrYMAzDPXusgiuoyZJ8iVisFnZxH2vGa6UjrTJAN-MXvf6tyo6_CqiN3loQNjkLz5yGbM2_IAmQ0cZEIjI545HLiJEebjnef7qrHZOFQzFQmSPW7PC1Q8EK5rEMgOdYZR5aAupBMX-A2l9SvWkHn9MM-wlH5v_KHE00TNrQNEgkNOe6KU/w640-h562/Patti90thA.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rukmani Patti's 90th birthday</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>This morning, my aunt called me to say that Rukmani Patti*
(my *maternal grandmother) had passed on to the other side, peacefully in her
sleep.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This news wasn’t exactly shocking since I had visited Patti just
a few weeks ago when doctors had recommended palliative care.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The 91 year old feisty lady had lived a full life,
experiencing the joys, trials and tribulations of an eventful life before settling
down with her daughter, granddaughter and great-grand daughter. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbAQL4Xs72IfreniVm-VjX7AAxMBZEV75VXalheW5cvK5T1msit5B9YB0DKsKIvoPyNlL7n3gSVo3Uht9u13GoRa0PRFF-dqREr4sAK1j7fHMxr1D4Fnb6Gi0ORRIj1jhfJok6rEmnzSjkK5XCqHZgVRLbNye7zxqtEDBF-cifRKJRrw_86wlYnAU/s1187/RukmaniFourGens1%20(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1187" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbAQL4Xs72IfreniVm-VjX7AAxMBZEV75VXalheW5cvK5T1msit5B9YB0DKsKIvoPyNlL7n3gSVo3Uht9u13GoRa0PRFF-dqREr4sAK1j7fHMxr1D4Fnb6Gi0ORRIj1jhfJok6rEmnzSjkK5XCqHZgVRLbNye7zxqtEDBF-cifRKJRrw_86wlYnAU/w518-h640/RukmaniFourGens1%20(1).jpg" width="518" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rukmani Patti with her Daughter, grand and great-grand daughter<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">My earliest childhood memories were of spending summer vacations
visiting Patti and cousins down south, while our lives took us around the country
wherever my dad happened to be posted. In the nineteen-seventies, Patti even
boarded a flight to far-away Bagdogra to be with us while my mom gave birth to
Manoj, my younger brother. Mind you, this was a generation before commercial
aviation took off in India and Air-travel was really a novelty. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Born to a Brahmin agriculturalist family in the small
southern town, she was married off to a reputable government contractor. The couple
was blessed with three kids, including my mother who was the eldest. Life took
an unexpected turn for Rukmani when her husband passed away, leaving the young widow
to fend for her three little kids. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Destitute, with few social benefits, Rukmani wasn’t going to
be bowled out by this curve ball life had thrown her way. Demonstrating grit
and determination, she focused on ensuring her daughters and son got a strong educational
foundation. Even far back in the sixties, the astute widow realized that a
solid education would be their salvation. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">My dad, then a newly commissioned officer in the Air Force,
who was related to Rukmani set his eyes on her eldest daughter. It was love at
first sight and they tied the knot when my mom turned nineteen. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">With the eldest daughter married off, Rukmani focused on the
other two kids – the daughter joined the Indian bank after graduating with
honors, and the son went on to serve in the Indian Income tax department.<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Patti also came and lived with us for a couple of years
after my mother’s untimely death providing much needed moral and logistical
support to my newly widowed dad. After spending a couple
of years, nurturing my brother and me through the loss of our mom, Rukmani
Patti went on to live with my aunt, taking care of my young cousins too.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">My life and career took me globe-trotting and meanwhile I would
periodically catch up with Patti during visits back to India. <o:p></o:p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlLZbaQ8mgRU-VG6Foio91nhk07JESl7QYJV3zgAfd-MMunbNjM24rjzx2MhNDoZIwSjwYSGaz52LlH5-8FpnMAsvO4qEH2H5y9PXmdrV6gaDzv6b-FIvTunIgE6g0r3JXk6PhYpD5FvjP_G_FUDzpH4QDl05YStiKZKh7zsXkW1D3Ds6QytPxB4Q/s1024/VijayandI.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="484" data-original-width="1024" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlLZbaQ8mgRU-VG6Foio91nhk07JESl7QYJV3zgAfd-MMunbNjM24rjzx2MhNDoZIwSjwYSGaz52LlH5-8FpnMAsvO4qEH2H5y9PXmdrV6gaDzv6b-FIvTunIgE6g0r3JXk6PhYpD5FvjP_G_FUDzpH4QDl05YStiKZKh7zsXkW1D3Ds6QytPxB4Q/w640-h302/VijayandI.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vijay and I catching up with Patti during a recent visit</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p class="MsoNormal">She continued to be mobile through her eighties, spending
time with her great-grand-daughter. A couple of months ago, a fall during her
morning stroll knocked her down and she didn’t get back to her old self even
after surgery and therapy.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I visited Patti a few weeks ago, when they were getting ready
to move her to Madurai to spend her sunset days with her son. In the back of my
mind, I knew it may be the last time I’d see her, and sought her blessings.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Until next time Patti. I’m sure you are smiling back from ‘up there.’ <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">RIP Rukmani Patti</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21204886126887297.post-42568305946983883992022-01-11T21:39:00.004-08:002022-01-12T00:12:48.812-08:00Ageism in corporate world : It’s a Goldilocks paradox<p> Those of us who have been in the IT sector for any number of years have probably observed the Goldilocks paradox at work. According to the popular fairy tale, “Goldilocks and the Three Bears,” little Goldilocks tries the three bowls of porridge and sets aside the big bow as it is ‘too hot,’ the second as ‘too cold’ and eats the porridge from the third bowl that it thinks is ‘just right.’</p><p>Tech recruiters and hiring managers are like little Goldilocks, wanting their candidates neither too young, nor too old, just the right age. The media and analysts have been focused on the high turnover in IT sector, but a closer look shows how this Goldilocks paradox is playing out – the demand is highest for those with at least a few years’ experience in a specific technology, gradually tapering off for more experienced candidates who are likely to be higher paid, hitting a glass ceiling at the top.</p><p>One of the reasons for this is the cost to company (CTC) that candidates expect. Indian IT has evolved an archaic “Years of experience and salary” formula that recruiters seem to use, with an equally obtuse number of two-hundred thousand rupees for every year of experience. By this formula, a candidate with 10 years’ experience will be expected to draw two million in annual package, while the one with 7 years can expect only 1.4 million. Negotiating an exception can be a contentious and long-drawn affair.</p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Ageism at the bottom of the pyramid</h4><p>Recruiters and their filtering software are quick to reject graduates with little or no experience, creating a vicious cycle – young techies unable to obtain relevant experience without the first job, while most entry level jobs require experience. A viral twitter post from <a href="https://twitter.com/tiangolo/status/1281946592459853830" target="_blank"><b>Sebastián Ramírez (@tiangolo</b></a>), the creator of FastAPI succinctly highlights this paradox</p><p>“I saw a job post the other day. It required 4+ years of experience in FastAPI. I couldn’t apply as I only have 1.5+ years of experience since I created that thing.”</p>
<p></p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">I saw a job post the other day. 👔<br /><br />It required 4+ years of experience in FastAPI. 🤦<br /><br />I couldn't apply as I only have 1.5+ years of experience since I created that thing. 😅<br /><br />Maybe it's time to re-evaluate that "years of experience = skill level". ♻</p>— Sebastián Ramírez (@tiangolo) <a href="https://twitter.com/tiangolo/status/1281946592459853830?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiOy3JiWOmOMlJOthSf6p9eaVvmDGhasX1x0LA-i_SPLPiWRo8berV1cAHbbrTFd3Q-UGxkEAkwA0eJkivVNFCDbB-K490Hk-D7OFf93_OhuDTMpzWxdMUuXpifOrOh4JgWPEz71S_oF4_ZQWZYv2LjY_2hb222DYKOK9BkGrkP0p3yqUJ8UPa3q-k=s1200" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="1200" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiOy3JiWOmOMlJOthSf6p9eaVvmDGhasX1x0LA-i_SPLPiWRo8berV1cAHbbrTFd3Q-UGxkEAkwA0eJkivVNFCDbB-K490Hk-D7OFf93_OhuDTMpzWxdMUuXpifOrOh4JgWPEz71S_oF4_ZQWZYv2LjY_2hb222DYKOK9BkGrkP0p3yqUJ8UPa3q-k=w640-h334" width="640" /></a></div><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h3><h4 style="text-align: left;">The glass ceiling at the top</h4><p>At the other end, the glass-ceiling for experienced (read older) tech workers is also equally pronounced. Most recruiters are unwilling to evaluate candidates with 15 or more years’ experience creating an implicit bias against older workers. Social forums like Quora, Reddit or even LinkedIn groups frequently debate the question over such ageism with a common theme: when is a person ‘too old’ to be hired at a tech company? Are folks in their forties or fifties considered ‘too old to hire’?</p><p>Having explored a job-change while in my forties after relocating back to India a few years ago, I am probably well-qualified to answer this question. My job-search was unique in another way – unlike many of my peers out to showcase their credentials in managing ‘large,’ teams, I was essentially selling my skills as an individual contributor, albeit one who could help organizations navigate a breath of technologies.</p><p>It took me a few months of serious networking, contacting hiring managers and recruiters before I began getting calls for interviews. The feedback was simple: my peers were all “IT Director” level folks who could showcase their project or team management skills; so, I had to emphasize my business partnering skills and the knowledge of a breadth of technical skills.</p><p><br /></p><h4 style="text-align: left;">The way forward – get over the conscious bias</h4><p><br /></p><p>The IT industry is maturing, especially in India, where there are over 5 million people in the IT–BPM sector. The average age of professionals has steadily been increasing over the years. By some accounts the average Indian techie is between 27 and 30 years old, which also happens to be the sweet spot where the industry is seeing a hiring frenzy.</p><p>It is time for hiring managers and recruiters to set aside their blinders and look beyond the Goldilocks paradox. Doing so will not only ease the pressure on hiring; but casting a wider net for talent will also drive a more inclusive and diverse work environment.</p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.expresscomputer.in/guest-blogs/ageism-in-information-technology-its-a-goldilocks-paradox/82839/" style="font-size: 16px;" target="_blank"><b>Originally published in Express Computers</b></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 17px; letter-spacing: 0.6px;"> </span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21204886126887297.post-794414917054951572022-01-03T19:50:00.004-08:002022-01-03T19:50:54.514-08:00What do Parag Agrawal, Satya Nadella and Sundar Pichai have in common? They were Enterprise Architects before they became CEOs<p> <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 17px; letter-spacing: 0.6px;">The announcement about Indian born tech executive Parag Agrawal taking charge as the CEO of Twitter generated a considerable buzz, with the media and digerati examining various aspects of his background. Agrawal’s Indian heritage got considerable media attention, and so did his stellar academic pedigree.</span></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.6px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Agrawal joins the list of Indian-born CEOs at global tech giants like Satya Nadella and Sundar Pichai whose ascent to the top is in large part attributable to their experience gained in architecting their enterprise’s transformation. In a sense they were Enterprise Architects with a strong business acumen who took on larger business leadership roles.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.6px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I’ve been practicing the art and craft of Enterprise Architecture (EA) for over a decade and see a distinct pattern at these tech companies that have nurtured tech talent into executive roles. EA is a conceptual blueprint that defines the structure and operation of an organization. A well-defined EA blueprint should determine how an organization can effectively achieve its current and future objectives aligned with its corporate strategy.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.6px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Case in point: Architecting the enterprise strategy</span></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.6px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /></b>Sundar Pichai joined Google in 2004, where he led the product management and innovation efforts for a suite of Google’s client software products, including Google Chrome and Chrome OS and Google Drive. As Google’s Product Chief, he went on to oversee the development of other applications such as Gmail and Google Maps. After leading a series of highly visible transformations, Pichai was selected to become the CEO of Google, and its parent company Alphabet.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.6px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Microsoft’s CEO, Satya Nadella rose to the top after he successfully pivoted the company to the cloud era. Nadella is credited with bringing Microsoft’s database, Windows Server and developer tools to its Azure cloud, which has become the mainstay for public cloud adoption at global companies. Under Nadella, the revenue from Cloud Services grew from $16.6 billion when he took over in 2011 to over $20.3 billion before he was elevated to be the CEO of the Redmond tech giant. The transformation and the business insights Nadella gained help Microsoft stay relevant as the world was moving toward the cloud.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.6px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">A similar pattern can be observed at Twitter where Parag Agrawal is credited with leveraging is his strengths in data and analytics to influence engineers. During the 10-year stint at the social media giant, Agrawal built strong relationships across the organization and lead the re-architecture of the technical infrastructure that had been cobbled together to keep pace with Twitter’s stratospheric growth. His background in transforming the core architecture, coupled with relationships built across business positioned Agrawal to take on the top-job after the founder-CEO Jack Dorsey called it quits.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.6px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Distinct pattern</span></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.6px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /></b>The pattern here seems distinct at tech companies where product-engineering and fast paced solution development drives the business. The business is closely interwoven with software development, and those with an ability to comprehend the complexity while also scanning the external landscape seem to excel.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.6px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">In the online forums and Q&A sites where I am active, technologists muse about the career path towards Enterprise Architecture and beyond. While many techies and EAs spend their careers shaping strategies for business units, a few in technology companies are taking on broader roles shaping the course of their enterprise.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.6px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.6px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://www.expresscomputer.in/news/what-do-parag-agrawal-satya-nadella-and-sundar-pichai-have-in-common-they-were-enterprise-architects-before-they-became-ceos/82548/" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: normal;" target="_blank"><b>Originally published in Express Computers</b></a> </p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21204886126887297.post-71429104743078107362021-12-17T07:08:00.002-08:002021-12-25T20:43:19.499-08:00What can Income Tax payers in India expect ? - Musings of a ‘Silver Certificate’ taxpayer<p> <span style="font-size: 12pt;">Indian salary-earners,
especially those paying highest per cent of income in taxes have very little
voice and aren’t expected to ask for much in return for their tax rupees.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Most western countries where I have been a taxpayer
for the past couple of decades had complex structures of direct (individual
Income) and indirect (sales and service) tax structures, but for this writeup I
want to focus on individual income-tax. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In western
societies, the concept of “tax dollars at work” and “accountable to taxpayers”
is taken rather seriously with governance visible and accessible starting at the
lowest levels of government – be it local schools, roads or public health
service. While high net-worth taxpayers aren’t provided special accommodation,
those paying higher taxes do seem to have a greater voice. For example, in the
US, school districts with residents paying higher property tax are better
governed, with facilities commensurate with their budgets that are clearly
visible and accountable to local taxpayers who engage in administering school
boards. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The
accountability at the top of the administration, like a senator or congressman
(equivalent of our MPs and MLAs) is equally transparent and visible. Years ago,
when I had a question on my pending naturalization application, I shot an email
to the local senator, whose aide called me within a few days to say they had
initiated a “congressional inquiry” with the concerned government department.
The aide called me back after a couple of weeks to confirm that my issue was
indeed resolved. These instances of “taxpayer’s dollars at work” are routine
and expected. Now, imagine you sending an email to your local MP or MLA about
an issue, and expecting a response.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Fast forward
to “Digital India” where I now find myself after relocating to be around for
aging parents. After moving back, I took up a global role with a multinational.
For my contribution to the economy, the Income Tax department has been awarding
me with a “Silver Certificate of Appreciation” for the past couple of years. For
those curious, the Government of India, in its infinite wisdom, issues those <i>paying</i>
an annual tax of Rs 1-10 lakh a bronze certificate, and to those
pay between Rs 10-50 lakh a silver-certificate; and those paying
taxes between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 1 crore a “gold” one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I scratch my
head wondering about government services “silver” taxpayers like me can expect
in return for the lakhs I pay in IT, property-tax, and GST. Our son, like
millions of other kids, goes to a private school with no government aid. I
don’t expect to patronize the overstretched public health system, thanks to my
medical insurance and corporate health-package. This leaves the basic public
services that government is expected to provide. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhBDcYlQ6jwsCKGzIFWW0EIaVg1FndTRMs-V_rSTKvPGXeS-mwn2MPYl0EavE-soPZ5kTK67o5LqlPaiidHrWro6dp_YQ02hia_dAN4EwFHd6gswzZDMeXvhVA93X0Y9NRsrXbIklHlMupl0C94lLL88SyrabM0-Uv4HHkOO4CdvsiIdC58n8hohVE=s2715" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1810" data-original-width="2715" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhBDcYlQ6jwsCKGzIFWW0EIaVg1FndTRMs-V_rSTKvPGXeS-mwn2MPYl0EavE-soPZ5kTK67o5LqlPaiidHrWro6dp_YQ02hia_dAN4EwFHd6gswzZDMeXvhVA93X0Y9NRsrXbIklHlMupl0C94lLL88SyrabM0-Uv4HHkOO4CdvsiIdC58n8hohVE=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">For
instance, after the street in front of my home was dug up for months for some
public drain-work, I sent several tweets, emails and calls to the local
counselor’s office that went unanswered as to be expected. Only an impending
local election miraculously speeded up the work. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And then
there is a matter of a long pending issue with a land registration that my
father had been struggling with. After returning to India, I took over the
matter and filed a Writ Petition in Karnataka’s High Court. It has been nearly
two years since that judgement and the casefile has been stuck in the desk of some
Babu in the state’s revenue department. Several RTI requests have gone into a
black hole. Leave alone the equivalent of a congressional inquiry, I probably must
bribe someone-known-to-someone in the Revenue Department to even get an
appointment to meet a local official, or to know the status of the pending
file. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As a
salaried taxpayer, I cannot avoid or evade lakhs in direct-tax payments to
government coffers. In the land of Mahatma Gandhi, I guess the government officials
expect taxpayers like me to consider direct tax payments to be yet another
“selfless action, as a source of strength.” But quoting Gandhi again, “It is
humanly impossible to be selfless. As a matter of fact, human beings are
inherently selfish.” And that’s perhaps why my expectations of expedient
government service are not unreasonable. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/musings-of-a-silver-certificate-taxpayer/article37810410.ece" target="_blank"><b>Originally published in The Hindu Businessline </b></a></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21204886126887297.post-45332649919879506562021-11-07T02:23:00.003-08:002021-11-07T02:25:23.264-08:00Sunday morning drive to Hesaraghatta Lake<p>This weekend, we decided to drive down to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hesaraghatta_Lake" target="_blank">Hesaraghatta Lake</a>, which is a nice place for a weekend getaway. We left home around 10 am and reached the Lake by 11 after a detour around the scenic Hesaraghatta Main Road that connects Jalahalli to Hesaraghatta. The road is well maintained and is lined with small farms and plots of agricultural land, and is not very busy. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitoCTBjNNlT3AjUeuPcXhkLdC2u5vgV4FRw0J_OYo4uF-aaSBsP11MdsGzm4TDcFU1L2O8jkWllVKNOkodSj8bvmQcmyHx3T9XjzsvLAPJYTgt2T4PUsg-o0ravoSzAeW2yktnWmc8-Q/s2048/EnteranceHesaraghatta.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitoCTBjNNlT3AjUeuPcXhkLdC2u5vgV4FRw0J_OYo4uF-aaSBsP11MdsGzm4TDcFU1L2O8jkWllVKNOkodSj8bvmQcmyHx3T9XjzsvLAPJYTgt2T4PUsg-o0ravoSzAeW2yktnWmc8-Q/w640-h480/EnteranceHesaraghatta.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entrance to Hesaraghatta lake walkway</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="text-align: center;">The entrance to Hesaraghatta lake area has ample parking for cars and vehicles</span><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9GGnlk2EKB-zUa7NEXUEVEfkxlMxSkT69wMh6MXAzFor822NDr8AYzPyaIQT1im_l-qCvC6QbYSkGcvpLxkGQqMyf9uThqRugk-7Q8mUATywi4RVGtpGjGUL5yTyDRu83-hqUqn_6ig/s2048/Walkaway.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9GGnlk2EKB-zUa7NEXUEVEfkxlMxSkT69wMh6MXAzFor822NDr8AYzPyaIQT1im_l-qCvC6QbYSkGcvpLxkGQqMyf9uThqRugk-7Q8mUATywi4RVGtpGjGUL5yTyDRu83-hqUqn_6ig/w640-h480/Walkaway.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hesaraghatta Lake lookout and walkway</td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="text-align: center;">There is a well paved walkway and </span><span style="text-align: center;">lookout around the south side of </span><span style="text-align: center;">Hesaraghatta</span><span style="text-align: center;"> lake.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitgmL8za9yaDCQdNqaUcAJw4NoF8Zp9CuAaAuIcFqqzN9fpZc0exnpEL3N_0xb7-HOGz1Oia9hUjtdHsUNsIHgTpJblzEK8eiuyLpdmvfAWPMH5P3AtVVfvO9EzZU4lb00C-4G8QlpfQ/s2048/Vijay.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitgmL8za9yaDCQdNqaUcAJw4NoF8Zp9CuAaAuIcFqqzN9fpZc0exnpEL3N_0xb7-HOGz1Oia9hUjtdHsUNsIHgTpJblzEK8eiuyLpdmvfAWPMH5P3AtVVfvO9EzZU4lb00C-4G8QlpfQ/w400-h300/Vijay.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLIbPpMHCK7AtCJ2sP8c1mjwcmXaKeOtjPiZSNJ5YUEFh3MhvXACNVxvql7i0O601RhPJ4lLkWfZ2QdPrrawOQjgUdhDPubguSsYQjtzpyGYi7He4HWfKcXqRzj8T6S9NwsSBFCUo8nQ/s2048/Farm.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLIbPpMHCK7AtCJ2sP8c1mjwcmXaKeOtjPiZSNJ5YUEFh3MhvXACNVxvql7i0O601RhPJ4lLkWfZ2QdPrrawOQjgUdhDPubguSsYQjtzpyGYi7He4HWfKcXqRzj8T6S9NwsSBFCUo8nQ/w400-h300/Farm.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A view of a farm and coconut grove adjacent to the lake</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9EXBhWlGiPepaWM_qE3970rMirv7I96YdfjWE26QkBS2WHd6fxICUZ_IdFC4KlFElApN9bmRoI8GiKfjkM9chiMc6LdvvCfk5Knw7xFq6-UsEp1Mw03Qz0zydf9LpUJbiBgzOhn136Q/s2048/Temple.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9EXBhWlGiPepaWM_qE3970rMirv7I96YdfjWE26QkBS2WHd6fxICUZ_IdFC4KlFElApN9bmRoI8GiKfjkM9chiMc6LdvvCfk5Knw7xFq6-UsEp1Mw03Qz0zydf9LpUJbiBgzOhn136Q/w640-h480/Temple.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Durgamba Devi Temple on the bank of Hesaraghatta Lake</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><p>Hesaraghatta Lake<span style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> is approachable by road from Bengaluru at a distance of 26.5 km to the north-west of the City. It </span>is a manmade reservoir located 18 km to the north-west of Bengaluru. The lake was created in the year 1894 across the Arkavathy River to meet the drinking water needs of the city. Sir K. Seshadri Iyer, the then Dewan of erstwhile Mysore state and the then Chief Engineer of Mysuru, M. C. Hutchins, planned to build the scheme called the "Chamarajendra Water Works" to store a three-years' water supply to the city.</p><p><br /></p><hr /><p><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><b>Reports and articles about Lakes around Bangalore</b></h2><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="http://wgbis.ces.iisc.ac.in/energy/water/paper/ETR101/results.html" target="_blank">WETLANDS: TREASURE OF BANGALORE [IIsC - ABUSED, POLLUTED, ENCROACHED & VANISHING]</a> - The current investigation focused on 105 lakes (water bodies) in Bangalore. Among these one season monitoring was done in 25 lakes as these lakes were covered with macrophytes – water hyacinth throughout the year. The study reveals that about 98% lakes have been encroached and about 90% lakes are affected due to the sustained inflow of untreated sewage and industrial effluents. </li><li><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/declare-hesarghatta-as-a-conservation-reserve-environmental-activists-to-cm/article30525942.ece" target="_blank">Declare Hesarghatta as a conservation reserve: environmental activists to CM -</a> Environmentalists have pointed out that the Hesaraghatta lakebed area and grasslands in the surrounding catchment area are an important reservoir of biodiversity and a refuge for endangered wildlife species like the lesser florican and leopard, yet remain outside the protected area network and face severe threats to its biodiversity.</li><li><a href="https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/bangalore/civic/no-amount-of-rain-can-put-life-in-arkavathi-river/articleshow/87475842.cms" target="_blank">No amount of rain can put life in Arkavathi river</a> - The Arkavathi river originates on the Nandi hills and joins the Cauvery river at Sangama. However, there is no water flowing in Arkavathi till Thippagondanahalli (T G Halli) reservoir. </li><li><a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/hesaraghatta-lake-to-be-rejuvenated-to-store-water-from-yettinahole-project/articleshow/55213150.cms" target="_blank">Hesaraghatta Lake to be rejuvenated; to store water from Yettinahole project -</a> Although it now wears a parched look, Hesaraghatta Lake could soon be brimming with fresh water. Bengaluru development minister KJ George on Wednesday said that the government was planning on reviving the water body in order to ensure that it can store water that will be pumped into it from the Yettinahole River diversion project. </li><li><a href="http://cmsenvis.cmsindia.org/newsletter/enews/NewsDetails.asp?id=59481" target="_blank">Construction work banned around Hesaraghatta Lake</a> - Nelamangala Planning Authority warns against investing in real estate within 1km radius from the banks of Arkavati and Kumudvati rivers. Activists say notice is an eye-wash.</li></ul>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21204886126887297.post-55937800117213283622021-09-12T22:42:00.003-07:002021-09-13T01:21:30.224-07:00Movie Review - ‘The Mauritanian’<p>Very few movies make you pause and reflect on life and value
of our contemporary times. ‘The Mauritanian,’ which I watched last night is one
such film. #TheMauritanian, the movie starring Jodie Foster, Tahar Rahim, Shailene Woodley, & Benedict Cumberbatch is streaming on Amazon Prime, and definitely a drama-in-real-life worth watching. </p><p>The movie and the New York Times (NYT) article from this morning makes one
reflect on contemporary American values, especially as it pertains to
globalization. As the NYT article succinctly summarizes, “twenty years after
the attacks, the United States is still grappling with the consequences of
brutal interrogations carried out in the name of national security.” (<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/12/us/politics/torture-post-9-11.html">NYT: The Legacy of America’s Post-9/11 Turn to Torture</a>)</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrPjVkCMnwYMiOc3H-vg5ezmfjUbGS5zZICPjOLVxbOu2lHHsAPOmZpEi50O-WPLTZodtD3mcOklq9zMu81sHRs7oyMt66q253MC4GKEEWqHvurx_KRC6DY78kw6DQDEZPZjprguWy6g/s384/The_Mauritanian_poster%255B1%255D.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrPjVkCMnwYMiOc3H-vg5ezmfjUbGS5zZICPjOLVxbOu2lHHsAPOmZpEi50O-WPLTZodtD3mcOklq9zMu81sHRs7oyMt66q253MC4GKEEWqHvurx_KRC6DY78kw6DQDEZPZjprguWy6g/s16000/The_Mauritanian_poster%255B1%255D.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Movie: The Mauritanian - Amazon Prime</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>As an Indian American, who went through the arduous path to
acquire an American citizenship, I cherish the values of the American system –
life, liberty and pursuit of happiness – along with the quintessentially Indian
and Asian values I grew up with. Like most Americans, I watched with horror as
the twin towers were brought down by aircraft commandeered by terrorists over two decades ago. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">I also rejoiced as the American military went on the
offensive to extract justice half-way across the world, and the bad-guys were
captured. However, I continued to scratch my head as many of the detainees were
shipped to Guantánamo Bay. While not a legal expert, I continued to read up on
the extra-judicial process, and the way some detainees were waterboarded
and tortured to extract a confession. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">A few sections from the NYT article<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Mr. Slahi was a clever, curious son in a Bedouin family of 12 children who became the first in his family to study abroad. While working toward an engineering degree in Germany in the 1990s, he traveled to Afghanistan to train in the anti-Communist jihad at a time when the United States endorsed it. </li><li>There were the guards who menaced him with attack dogs and beat him so badly they broke his ribs. The troops who shackled him, blasted him with heavy metal music and strobe lights or drenched him in ice water to deny him sleep for months on end. The mind-numbing isolation in a darkened cell without his Quran. The female guards who exposed themselves and touched him sexually in an effort to undermine his adherence to Islam. </li><li>“If you don’t admit to it, we are going to kidnap your mother, rape her,” the interrogator said, by Mr. Slahi’s account. “I remember telling them: ‘This is unfair. This is not fair,’” Mr. Slahi recalled. The interrogator, he said, responded: “I’m not looking for justice. I’m looking to stop planes from hitting buildings in my country.” </li><li>The United States has long since stopped employing the so-called “enhanced interrogation techniques” used in what studies have concluded was a fruitless or counterproductive effort to extract lifesaving information from detainees in secret C.I.A. prisons and at Guantánamo Bay.</li></ul><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Much of what is depicted in the NYT article seems to be
summarized from Mr. Slahi’s book and also depicted in the movie. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As NYT article summarizes, on one level, Mr. Slahi’s is a
hopeful story. A story of human grit and resilience. One man’s effort to
maintain sanity while undergoing tremendous torture and being imprisoned for
over 15 years for something he didn’t do. “I wholeheartedly forgive everyone
who wronged me during my detention,” he said in a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_KkkwlLBWY" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-size-adjust: 100%; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" target="_blank"><span color="windowtext">YouTube
message</span></a><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> to the world soon after his release. “I
forgive, because forgiveness is my inexhaustible resource.”</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The book and movie are certainly worth checking out.</p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><br /><br /><hr /><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4761112/" target="_blank">IMDB - The Mauritanian (2021)</a> - Mohamedou Ould Slahi fights for freedom after being detained and imprisoned without charge by the U.S. Government for years.</div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwnxuv2m_LW3x1H6HQXg9KKuSfHN3Ob4LGgxN8jQlk4u_7vTCdaH-E2QI86hyQWFMK5jBcP9WvdqLWF9wqcmLQ2_oU7O3rz0dXAEPqjZYUAQmLNysWo7tNJopv-vSrQb1vZ1WEjFabbw/s2048/merlin_193658700_c67152ee-99ae-46ab-a313-4bff9a18def1-superJumbo%255B1%255D.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1369" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwnxuv2m_LW3x1H6HQXg9KKuSfHN3Ob4LGgxN8jQlk4u_7vTCdaH-E2QI86hyQWFMK5jBcP9WvdqLWF9wqcmLQ2_oU7O3rz0dXAEPqjZYUAQmLNysWo7tNJopv-vSrQb1vZ1WEjFabbw/w267-h400/merlin_193658700_c67152ee-99ae-46ab-a313-4bff9a18def1-superJumbo%255B1%255D.jpg" width="267" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="css-1f9pvn2 politics" face="nyt-imperial, georgia, "times new roman", times, serif" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #666666; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: right; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">Mohamedou Ould Slahi, who underwent brutal interrogations while he was held at Guantánamo Bay, is a free man in Mauritania after nearly 15 years as a detainee.</span><span class="css-cnj6d5 e1z0qqy90" face="nyt-imperial, georgia, "times new roman", times, serif" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #888888; display: inline; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.125rem; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: right; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="css-1ly73wi e1tej78p0" style="border: 0px; clip: rect(0px, 0px, 0px, 0px); font: inherit; height: 1px; letter-spacing: 0.01em; margin: -1px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: absolute; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline; width: 1px;">Credit...</span><span style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.01em;">Btihal Remli for The New York Times</span></span></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p class="MsoNormal">#TheMauritanian</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21204886126887297.post-68382010510787542832021-09-03T22:36:00.000-07:002021-09-03T22:36:23.978-07:00American Dirt (Oprah's Book Club): A Novel - #BookReview<p>With lockdowns and the pandemic slowing down life and travel as we knew it, I have been bing-listening to Audio Books during the past year. I generally listen to top-ranked non-fictional novels and most stories are transient in my mind. However, a few stories, linger in one's mind long after the book is finished. </p><p>Jeanine Cummins's <b>American Dirt</b> is one such novel - and not surprisingly it has received a lot of acclaim including 51,000 reviews on Amazon! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.in/review/R2GWEEDFB4WWNL/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf27qwXjb8W4D39JrJAQ8YNe51shKGKPJbt2E307EVlhM85VtAramsHRxK7GenfAPhLXN8qUcfpBkYI1cKN3b6brb6_JkLlcZLgvLImRWdv-1RssKHBkCsMF1NVEeN7LwA1M2oe3Z0ZQ/w320-h320/51qkbshQxNL%255B1%255D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p> Here is my review from <a href="https://www.amazon.in/review/R2GWEEDFB4WWNL/" target="_blank"><b>Amazon</b></a></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><blockquote><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">I came across American Dirt while searching for my next audio book and was captivated in the first few minutes. Midway through the saga, I googled the book and realized it was a bestseller with critical reviews. I decided to tuck aside that piece of information and continued the journey with the protagonist Lydia, her son Luca and their migrant cohorts as they make the treacherous journey "El Norte."</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The story begins with Lydia and her eight-year-old son Luca witnessing the brutal murder of 16 of their family members while the pair have a miraculous escape. That sets in motion Lydia’s determination to escape to the US ("El Norte") with her son. We then join Lydia and Luca in their perilous journey on foot and top of goods train as they try to escape the wide net cast by a cartel boss.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The saga, set in a short span of a few weeks, has a bit of everything – philosophy in the form of Lydia’s oft repeated mantra “try not to think,” suspense, crime, drug lords, cartels and drama. It also tries to give us a glimpse into the sordid state of affairs when a drug-cartel takes over a placid Mexican town. With a few characters who join Lydia and Luca in their journey, the author attempts to highlight why some migrants risk their lives to try to cross the border "El Norte."</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Bottomline: Follow Lydia’s advice; “try not to think” of the reviews and just enjoy a good read.</span></blockquote><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></span><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21204886126887297.post-91219436102175328412021-06-19T02:25:00.002-07:002021-06-19T02:27:22.442-07:00Reflecting on wealth creation in the era of Offshoring IT Services<p>Topic of money dollars and fortune never get boring. Even after one thinks he has read every possible angle to a story of wealth creation there is another angle or review that knocks ones socks off.</p><p>As a shareholder, I was reviewing the invitation for the 40th Annual General Meeting of Infosys Limited this weekend, and “section 7” caught my attention (<a href="https://www.infosys.com/investors/reports-filings/annual-report/" target="_blank">link to the report</a>). This section highlights the aggregate shareholding of the promoters and promoter group. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTHDZ1dpYVTnu4DUhBQTx1rS1rVth_9vOn2yqqupPBQRyPqZHewzIhkPPqBlFYJyWdvalU-_CwlWulKyFJh7wWHmmyL5YMG6xRRV_gpjo3R-Uiu-VRqt_Iay26-0I3sYeHhXI5CeomYQ/s1070/InfyFounders.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="691" data-original-width="1070" height="413" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTHDZ1dpYVTnu4DUhBQTx1rS1rVth_9vOn2yqqupPBQRyPqZHewzIhkPPqBlFYJyWdvalU-_CwlWulKyFJh7wWHmmyL5YMG6xRRV_gpjo3R-Uiu-VRqt_Iay26-0I3sYeHhXI5CeomYQ/w640-h413/InfyFounders.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>The list in "<i>section 7"</i> includes the famous founders, their spouses and progeny, each holding hundreds of thousands of shares of Infosys. The company’s shares have been hitting record highs and is trending at about ₹1,450 (As of June 2021). At the bottom of the list at #19 is the lowest of the promoter group who owns about 2737,538 shares worth about ₹ 397 crore (about $56.7 million).</p><p>To their credit, Infosys’ founders seem to be living by the original corporate motto “<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/infosys-time-dust-off-slogan-powered-intellect-driven-mohan-k-/ " target="_blank">Powered by Intellect, Driven by Values.</a>” The founders, while making immense wealth for themselves have shared their fortune with employees who signed on early. And some of us who joined later in the game didn’t do too badly either. As a former employee who spent a decade with the company in the 2000s, I fondly look back on the small fortune in ESOPs vested in stock that is accruing in my nest egg. </p><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">A brief history of time: Wealth creation beyond <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/0615677118" target="_blank">Offshoring IT Services</a></h3><p><br /></p><p>Infosys, along with its peers TCS and Wipro defined and scaled up the business model around Offshoring IT Services. Outsourcing IT work by multinationals to lower cost nations like India really took off after 2000. Consequently, the valuation of these and other service companies skyrocketed, making the founders uber rich.</p><p>Q&A in Tech forums and social media routinely feature young techies who ask about pursuing top-dollar jobs, and a few aspire to be entrepreneurs. While software product companies in 2021 attract top talent by offering USD equivalent salaries in India for talented techies, the real wealth is still concentrated at the top of the pyramid. </p><p>Billion-dollar valuation and millions in personal wealth is the stuff urban myth is made of. A quick review of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/top-10-richest-tech-billionaires-in-india-in-hurrun-richest-list/slidelist/78380931.cms#slideid=78381397" target="_blank">“India’s richest tech billionaires in 2020”</a> shows this was true for the IT services boom in 2000s, as it is for the digital waves that have followed. </p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0