A Journey to Excellence that never ends!

Excellence is a journey

Excellence is a drive from within

Excellence is a passage embedded within time

Traveling with us thrusting to explore new dimensions

Injecting new thirst, supplementing hunger time and again.

Where do we go in search of excelling ourselves?

Unleashing our unknown potential…

Searching externally, researching internally

Exploring outside, seeking it inside

Motivation from others, but inspire ourselves

It’s never an expedition to have arrived at its destination

But, it is a mission life long

Thriving, refining, cultivating, enriching, and enlightening.

Dial to your memory on Speed dial list!

I have an interesting reflection to share as I was decluttering my phone.

Please pick your phone, go to speed dial. I am sure you will find a few names with photographs or names with initials. This list also has some frequently dialed people’s names as you scroll down.

People who are there on speed dial are one whom you have entitled as favorite numbers, given them a star category and so they appear to be reached out in no time.

Now, some reflective exercise for you – See them all, think about them.

Why did they get into a speed dial pad?

When did they get into that zone?

More importantly – Are they all still in the same zone of STAR category? How often do you reach out and speak regularly?

Or Have they slipped from that precinct or have you flipped??

Summarizing, reasons can be many to contemplate and justify our time and prioritizing. Irrespective of reasons, our speed dial pad changes time and again. It reminds me of reading a profound anecdote – All human actions, however, small have one or more of these roots – chance, nature, compulsion, habit, reason, passion, or desire.

वैद्यो नारायणो हरिः – And its greater radius.

It was late night and my cousin brother had called in for a personal reason. He serves at Ayurvedic Department of Medicine.

Most of us have personally known people who are relentlessly working at the medical department, and from my own family, there are a couple of them in this ring today.

What I wanted to highlight was – Along with doctors, nurses, there are thousands in the medical department who are untiringly serving at the backend to connect the dots.

My brother is in emergency cell and is suppose to ensure the numbers in quarantine, responsible to facilitate to various departments including police, BBMP, Panchayat offices in Bangalore rural and surrounding departments. He takes care of Infra, Administration, and reports with multitasking on facilitating emergency calls. Beyond it, they need to stand as a backup for any situation.

While he could squeeze some time to talk to me, the entire period was distressing that most of us hardly know the truth. Let me quote a few:

-      They are required to be in PPE’s all the time which is more suffering than anything amidst summer. There are different varieties depending on exposure to the risk.

• It's challenging to eat, drink water and attend to natural calls with PPE’s and every time once they remove, it gets disposed of.
• As the number of PPE's are less, they are managing to use it for a prolonged period for more than eight hours in a stretch.
• He has lost 8kgs in the last 45 days.
• They hardly sleep for 5/6 hours in a day or less than that in a staggered fashion.
•  He has come home only four times in the last 45 days to show his face for 15minutes and he did not get inside.
• Everybody working in the department is required to undergo a test for themselves once a week.

-      Post all this, as things would come in control, they would be quarantined for 21days before they can get back to normal life.

This is just not the story of someone, but everyone who is working front end and back end.

Think about it. If we had any of our family members or a friend serving so tenaciously for the better good – can we even think of hurting them in our wildest of dreams??

Note: This article was penned during corona pandemic hit starting from December 2019 in China, spread across the globe. In India, the things started getting bad since April 2020 and it is been long chaos in the history of humankind in spite of being so technologically advanced compared to all previous centuries. 

Thappad - Is it just a movie slap?

I just completed watching the movie ‘Thappad’ on amazon prime. It is 1:40 am and bells are ringing in my mind, thoughts are flowing relentlessly. Feels like a gush of emotions are storming my brain. Memories from my childhood – those lessons of social studies thirty springs ago which I read on female feticide, infanticide, inequality for a girl child, biased in education, discernment at the workplace,….  & even today I teach my son the same chapters – discrimination & biasing.  I looked at the mirror adjacent to my study table and said -  Have we really changed ??

As I stepped into my adolescence  - there was this time I witnessed a series of dowry based movies. Women being burnt, abused, tortured and the list is countless across all Indian languages.  Not far – the recent ‘Jabariya Jodi’ is as well based on dowry reflecting that it still exists, and we all know it does.  So – Have we really changed ??

I have been a very obliging daughter to my parents. I was also told to compromise, adapt, digest, and succumb to demands. I am still expected to be tolerant irrespective of preferences. And when there was a juncture in my life to be vocal about my choices – I had to go through both external and internal struggles and strifes. When I recall it today, I had a few pillars who gave their shoulders to lean on. But eventually who listened to my woes, came to rescue, stood with me were females.  Probably females connect to emotions than a male brain. Point is - there are exceptionally countable few men who can stand for women. Even today – they prefer to stand a mile away.

I have been reading this book ‘Lady you’re the boss’ - & I love this author, she almost makes me feel that she was witnessing snippets of my life secretly from a career-oriented and audacious working women standpoint.  She is able to write and I am able to relate – because both of us are connecting - either have experienced or witnessed an experience. What she narrates a decade ago is valid even today.

• Women are paid less and are evaluated to be delivered below the mark
• Women need to ask for proper hikes, else it just isn’t given
• Women are judged on her looks and appearance
• And if you have been in senior management, you have assorted combats.

Everyday struggles against biasing, demand for promotions & pays, domestic balancing, motherhood guilt – she is still expected to keep up the equity as it is her choice to be career-oriented. Her perpetual war is on from decades.

It makes me think – Have we really changed ??

Let me state as is – from Financial Express dated December 2019 – It is less than 3% of global VC who invest in women-led teams. Isn’t this a Thappad as well?

As an entrepreneur – let me assert – even today many of my friends, particularly males don’t believe in what I do. There are few who outrightly ask ‘Oh! Are you still running your business?’ And there are some silent spectators whispering within – Let’s see what will she do? And those words ‘Oh! & Let’s see’ carry the feelings of either insecurity or animosity.  Yet again, have we really changed?

Women quench her thirst feeling the feel that she is sacred wanted and she is an embodiment of earth & nature to hold all the pains and pangs. On the contrary, men are bought up with the sense that they are protectors & providers.  Changes seem erstwhile and ephemeral. 

If you have reached here, irrespective of gender, drill deep and be fair to ask yourself – Have we changed?? Or Can we change ??

Concept of Friends forever ?

Who comes, who goes, who knows?

There was this beloved pal around twelve springs ago   

Locations were far off, operating points were never on the way.

But, we had the world’s time to talk from zero to quantum physics

Time was made, resting reasons aside.    

Autumns pass, people and priorities switch

But, I often feel ambiguous – ‘Should few treasured bonds’

Be comprised of it ???

Yes, what we fail to comprehend is –

Valued by us no more is valuable from another end

Expectations come true only when it is two ways           

Today, we are in the neighbourhood    

Exchanging few familiar face wishes

There was a time – We were far, minds were adjacent.

Ironically, today – We are adjacent, minds are far.

Who comes, who goes … who knows??

Moments pass, memories stay.

Just cherish as the best days of life

Walking through Bangalore’s Roads-Part 2

These are your roads, these are your areas, this is your city, as you pass by it remains to narrate its stories, loud and clear. But, most of us either don’t head to it or ignore it. 

We would perish, but it remains with its glory, telling its stories for decades. Such are the stories of places around. 

Let’s go for another walk listening to some more interesting stories from the voice of this city. 

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL): Took its inception as the Hindustan Aircraft Limited which was incorporated on December 1940 at Bangalore by Shri Walchand Hirachand a provident intellectual in association with the Government of Mysore. During March 1941, Govt of India became one of the key shareholders of this company. There were aircrafts that were manufactured before independence. During August 1963, Aeronautics India Limited (AIL) was incorporated as a Company wholly owned by the Government of India to undertake the manufacture of the  MIG-21 aircraft. Two companies i.e. Hindustan Aircraft Limited and Aeronautics India Limited was merged officially on October 1st, 1964 by an amalgamation order issued by the Government of India and the Company thereby was named as "Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)"

Marathahalli:  Attached to HAL, another momentous story emerges for Marathahalli. There was this HF-24 Jetfighter ‘Marut’ which was designed and assembled at HAL, unfortunately, crash landed in this piece of land. And the word ‘halli’ meaning village in kannada, was joint to be getting recognized after this incident, and even today we continue to call its name in its tribute. 

Kodigehalli: Most of us know that Bangalore was colloquially known as ‘Bendha Kallooru” (Village of boiled beans).  Kodigehalli has its roots here. 

The well documented political history starts with Kempegowda, but Bangalore does have its deep roots since ages of Gangas, Cholas, Hoysalas, Vijayanagara Kingdom and Mysore Wodeyars too. 

While Veera Ballala II, a Hoysala king was fed by an old woman here at today’s Kodigehalli and in return he gifts her this village and so-called ‘kodige’ in kannada meant ‘gift’ and this area still has its nice people around with same warmth. 

Domlur: Drive down towards MG Road from Marathahalli, you will have to pass through Domlur. Previously called as Bhagat Singh nagar today is popular with its name as Domlur and it is believed that this locality was full of white bearing flowers called ‘Thumbe/Tombe’ which was devoted to worship Lord Shiva. Tombe+Ooru in decades took its name as Domlur.  Another folklore story of being a mosquito village also gets attached to Domlur, but its lineage remains hidden.

Ulsoor: It was Halasuru meaning ‘Halasina Ooru’ was famous for its jackfruit orchard colloquially became popular as Ulsoor, but Halasuru as well exists with many today. 

NR Colony: Created during the early 1950s this entire area was named after the then Mysore Wodeyar Sri Narasimharaja. 

Thyagarajanagar: While there were umpteen temples in and around this area and there were regular classical music programs which were held, and this expanse was named after the most prolific & celebrated classical music composer ‘Thyagaraja’. 

Jayanagar: Meaning ‘Victory City’ has one of the popular histories attached with the then Maharaja of Mysore Sri Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar.  One of the finest and first planned neighborhoods in Bangalore was efficiently designed and largest in Asia during 1948. 

Majestic: As the center of the city for transport and standing pretty majestic as well, this belt received its name because of the famous cinema theatre in the region called Majestic. Today’s bus station terminal was built on Dharmambudhi Lake which dried during the famine that stuck in 1892-93 with monsoon failing during subsequent years. 

Vidyaranyapura: Formed during the 1970s is believed to be a battlefield then because of few relics that were found in this stretch. It is named after an eminent saint, philosopher and poet Vidyaranya who is considered to be a kingmaker and key element in the establishment of Vijayanagara kingdom. 

Jayanagar T-Block: Ever wondered what ‘T’ is here!  This is one of the classic examples of consideration and reverence we had from times immemorial. This belt was formerly called ‘Thayapanahalli’. While it was merged & renamed as Jayanagar, we retained ‘T’ in between in honor of locals there and called it as Jayanagar T-Block. 

Quick Bites: 

· Vishweshwarapuram was named after Sir. MV was established in 1918. 

· Shankarapuram came into existence is 1908 and is named after Shankara Mutt which is in the same vicinity. 

· Basaveshwaranagar is named after prominent poet Basaveshwara.

· Cooke Town is named after G H Cooke, the then President of the Bangalore Civil and Municipality between 1928-1934.  Mayo Hall was constructed during his tenure.

· Mayo Hall was built in honor of Lord Mayo, the 4th Viceroy of India. It was inaugurated by a British resident in June 1883. 

· Coles Park came from British resident Arthur Cole. 

· Hutchins Road is named after Chief Engineer of Mysore, MC Hutchins who was responsible for water supply to major parts of this city.  

· Pulakeshinagar formerly the Fraser Town was named after Sir Stuart Fraser, the scholar who was a tutor of Maharaja Krishnaraja Wodeyar. 

· RPC Layout is Railway Parallel Colony is now Hampi nagar got its name because it ran parallel to the railway track. 

· JC Road is named after Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar. 

· KH Road is named after Kengal Hanumanthaiah, 2nd Chief Minister of Karnataka and is fondly remembered to have contributed for the construction of Vidhana Soudha. 

The list never ends. Every area of Bangalore has a lot of stories to narrate, resonating its beautiful history. 

Feels like – we see Bangalore just as city reverberating with life, traffic, IT industry and people around everywhere. 

But, as I go deep into every corner, road, region – its span of expanse gets spread immensely expressing its untold & unheard stories. Wish it had a life just like us to tell us its tales and about legends who contributed to what it is today.