vsbabu.org : india http://vsbabu.org/mt/archives/categories/india/ Gluing passing thoughts to foregone conclusions en-us vsbabu@gmail.com Copyright 2008 2004-04-25T16:45:43+05:00 hourly 1 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00 Signs http://vsbabu.org/mt/archives/2004/04/25/signs.html Beat that, Night Shyamalan :-) 987@http://vsbabu.org/mt/ I strongly believe that a person is poor in English because s/he is fluent in other languages (I wrote about this before). That said, one of the most amusing things about India is the courage and initiative people show these days in using English for advertising. They do understand that English is just a medium to get the point across to visitors who may not speak the local language.

Here is a sample I gathered during my rides around Bangalore, Kerala and one 7 hour road trip from Bangalore to Kerala*.

]]> india 2004-04-25T16:45:43+05:00 Wings of Fire http://vsbabu.org/mt/archives/2004/01/08/wings_of_fire.html The best resource available for practicing project management. 967@http://vsbabu.org/mt/ Yesterday, I read Wings of Fire, a biography of Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam, the eleventh President of India.

A great man, indeed. Humble, brilliant, visionary and inspirational.

]]> books 2004-01-08T08:18:07+05:00 Knowledge superpower by 2020? http://vsbabu.org/mt/archives/2003/12/25/knowledge_superpower_by_2020.html The Week has a series of articles beginning with one penned by President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, on this dream. 955@http://vsbabu.org/mt/ The Week: Articles covering a wide variety of topics by very good visionaries, including the President of India on achieving this dream.

India has changed. Measure of optimism and self-confidence is on the rise. I hope it will work well.

]]> india 2003-12-25T10:02:23+05:00 Loony Lingo http://vsbabu.org/mt/archives/2003/09/22/loony_lingo.html Emerging trend among India's youth to write custom made English. 898@http://vsbabu.org/mt/ The Writer Community: Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a total mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.

Makes sense - especially because most people just scan through printed/typed material. However, I'm seeing a trend -especially with youngsters in India- in e-mails. Some of the things that gives me a head-ache are:

]]> india 2003-09-22T09:30:14+05:00 Coke & Pepsi join hands! http://vsbabu.org/mt/archives/2003/08/05/coke_pepsi_join_hands.html Can you believe these two hard-core competitors will join forces on anything? Apparently they can. 859@http://vsbabu.org/mt/ If it is their very existence at stake, they are all friends. A study conducted by Centre for Science and Environment, a non-governmental agency in India concluded that 12 major cold drink brands sold in Delhi and around contain a deadly cocktail of pesticide residues

Google and rediff.com coverage.

To counter the claims, Pepsi and Coke conducted a joint press conference.

]]> vendors 2003-08-05T18:19:31+05:00 Blaze of glory http://vsbabu.org/mt/archives/2003/07/28/blaze_of_glory.html A very nice true story. Made me write my opinions a little bit; about usual management (non)-sense. 847@http://vsbabu.org/mt/ The Week has a story of a clerk who turned around his sinking company into a Rs 36-crore success.

It is a truly amazing rags-to-riches story. The hero, Sunil Aggarwal is indeed inspiring, but that is what resourceful people are capable of.

What caught my attention was the quote from the business owners who decided to empower and invest in Mr. Aggarwal, to turn the company around.

]]> india 2003-07-28T12:19:41+05:00 One year in Rashtrapati Bhavan http://vsbabu.org/mt/archives/2003/07/25/one_year_in_rashtrapati_bhavan.html On July 25, 2002, A P J Abdul Kalam took over as the 11th President of India. Rediff slideshow on the past year. 844@http://vsbabu.org/mt/ Rediff slideshow

One of the kids asked the President the secret of his success and Kalam had no qualms in spelling it out: “S..W..E..A..T.”

A great man indeed; still practicing simple living, high thoughts.

]]> india 2003-07-25T06:50:12+05:00 Ab Ki Bari, Atal Bihari! http://vsbabu.org/mt/archives/2003/06/30/ab_ki_bari_atal_bihari.html Varsha Bhosle delivers another fine dose of sarcasm 822@http://vsbabu.org/mt/ Varsha Bhosle's latest column is titled Ab Ki Bari, Atal Bihari!. It is an absolutely interesting read if you are into India's politics or foreign policy. Why is it interesting? It has a refreshing dose of sarcasm that is so sadly absent from writers these days.

Nehru, Shastri, Gandhi — all made crucial compromises in chasing the chimera of “durable peace.” Evidently, it is a national characteristic that shows no signs of petering out. For, Ab Ki Bari, Atal Bihari!

]]> india 2003-06-30T06:04:55+05:00 Uniform civil code http://vsbabu.org/mt/archives/2003/06/16/uniform_civil_code.html In a secular democracy that guarantees religious freedom, can there be a uniform civil code for all religions? 810@http://vsbabu.org/mt/ Varsha Bhosle: Mr Khan, what is your position on the Uniform Civil Code?.

I used to enjoy reading Ms. Bhosle's columns till end of last year. Since then, the objectivity that *used* to be there seems lacking. Definitely gone is the focus her old columns had. These days, I read her columns with reservations. Anyhow, this is an important question she asked to a Muslim leader.

]]> india 2003-06-16T08:02:56+05:00 Kerala moves on in conservation http://vsbabu.org/mt/archives/2003/06/08/kerala_moves_on_in_conservation.html Kerala finalises action plan to protect biodiversity. I like it. Prompted some thoughts about Parambikulam wildlife sanctuary. 807@http://vsbabu.org/mt/

KeralaNext - Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala government has finalised an action plan to scientifically protect biodiversity, State Forest Minister G Sudhakaran said here on Friday. As part of the biodiversity strategy it was proposed to start Agasthyavanam biological park at Kotoor in the district, a teak-wood museum in Thrissur, and a wild life research and training centre at Munnar, he told a meet-the-minister programme organised here in connection with UDF government's second anniversary.

]]> india 2003-06-08T21:22:52+05:00 Vacation notes http://vsbabu.org/mt/archives/2003/03/19/vacation_notes.html Photos and quick summary of my 3 week vacation in India 740@http://vsbabu.org/mt/ From Feb 24 to March 16, we were on vacation in India, to visit our family. Got some time to post some photos from the trip. We had a good time there. Spent most days watching Cricket World Cup. It was quite hot in Kerala. We went to Coonoor - a hill station in the Nilgiris - for 3 days. All told, a much needed 3 week break from work. Blue Mountain Express

After all the travelling under hot sun, we didn't have much energy left to do anything fun. So, I just slept 10-12 hours per day :-)

]]> india 2003-03-19T11:40:27+05:00 A hospital for 4000 lives http://vsbabu.org/mt/archives/2003/03/19/a_hospital_for_4000_lives.html A US federal judge decrees that building a hospital is compensation enough for killing 4000 people. 739@http://vsbabu.org/mt/ A gas leak in 1984 from a Union Carbide plant in India killed around 4000 people. A federal district judge in New York, dismissed the suit for compensations saying: "This contribution (a hospital UC built) goes far to satisfy any further obligation the defendants have for the citizens of Bhopal".

]]> india 2003-03-19T09:47:10+05:00 Kerala gets better http://vsbabu.org/mt/archives/2003/03/03/kerala_gets_better.html Notes from God's Own Country 737@http://vsbabu.org/mt/ Apparently Kerala (my little state) has decided to move forward progressively, inspite of stupid opposition from vested interests. Two things - one on conservation and one on governance - caught my attention.

]]> india 2003-03-03T19:48:56+05:00 A little state moves on http://vsbabu.org/mt/archives/2003/01/30/a_little_state_moves_on.html Kerala, God's Own Country, has been a source of good news lately. 707@http://vsbabu.org/mt/ I come from a beautiful little state in south India, called Kerala. It literally means land of coconuts. It is a thin stripe of lush green land bordered by mountains on one side and Arabian Sea on the other. National Geographic Traveller chose Kerala and one of the ten most desired tourist locations.

For all its beauty, governance by alternating communist and socialist coalitions had ruined the economy. May be because there are young faces in the government now, I'm hearing good positive news coming from Kerala these days.

]]> india 2003-01-30T19:57:06+05:00 Fear of engineers and NRIs http://vsbabu.org/mt/archives/2002/11/02/fear_of_engineers_and_nris.html One of my favorite columnists writes about India. With lot of honesty. 598@http://vsbabu.org/mt/ Rajeev Srinivasan - an Engineer, MBA and a non-resident Indian - has written a great two part article about the fear Indians have about people with these qualifications.

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