Nice - Glorious Alumni of OU College of Engineering

This was a surprise. I saw this post on LinkedIn by Nikhil N with my name tagged on it. The post is titled 'Glorious Alumni of OU College of Engineering'. There are so many more glorious alumni from OUCE - I can reel off names from those I know myself who achieved far greater glory than I did - but it's wonderful to see myself on the list and the quality of people  in it. Chuffed - to say the least.

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6238266225605083136/

Clearly the pic was taken from the notice board in the main hall of OUCE. It's quite an honor to get into the notice board. I remember how happy I felt when my first ever solo photograph appeared in the Sportstar after a 4 wicket haul against Goa and our Sports Secretary George put that nice pic in the Notice Board. I have that pic somewhere - let me find it.

But now to get back on to the board after almost three decades is quite nice. I know two from the list - Harish who was our junior and a wonderful young man with sterling qualities that showed up even then and Devendra Surana whom I'd met in a Rotary Club meet where I gave a talk on leadership.

Thanks Nikhil Nakka.for sharing. Made my day.

Anjali - New Revelations

It was a week long experience of watching new facets of Anjali unfold. We went to Sri Lanka to attend her cousins wedding last week and I was pretty impressed with the young lady and how she handled herself through the trip.

The Young Lady and the Sea

First up she was pretty clear on what to pack and what not. She decided to get her backpack with a set of her school books (she actually worked on them) and some other story books (and a bottle of ink!) and carried it all along. I am sure her bag had more interesting things too. She carefully made a card for her cousin Miskil and her groom Kabir and carried it all the way to Sri Lanka to hand it over to them.

On our stop over at Chennai where we met our old friends Anil and Lalitha, we went out to eat some Chinese food. I found it pretty interesting to watch Anjali specifically call Shobha and tell her to try something that she found tasty. I don't remember ever doing that - as a grown up or as a child. She enjoyed the late night flight etc and keenly watched the proceedings (why does my passport have my fingerprint and not my signature, can I fill my immigration form etc)

Practicing her dance moves

The most interesting part was how she came into her own at the wedding. Once we checked into the hotel she quickly got the coordinates of where we were and where the rest were and started going off on her own. I am going to the pool, or to the reception or whatever. I asked her what she would do if she lost her way and she told me how she remembered the way, the room numbers etc. She had a clear plan on what to do if she did lose her way. It looked more likely that I would lose my way than she.

I realised that she was pretty clear of being where the spotlight was. She was constantly with Miskil (the bride) or somewhere close to the action. Now I find it difficult to move from the fringe and was surprised to see her find her space, make friends, hang out in the spotlight without pestering me or Shobha. She probably figured that was better than relying on us. Sometime during the day they wanted everyone to do some dance for the sangeet and she jumped right in and wormed her way up front. At the sangeet she performed on a dance number with the groom and a couple of others on the stage and earned a nice applause. Then she found herself a friend who was close to her age and watched all the dances from up close. Not once in the evening did she come to the fringe where I was nursing my drink.

Somewhere in the madness she was dancing away

Some time after the sangeet was over the floor was open and everyone was dancing wildly to some Bollywood songs. Among the hundred odd people grooving on the floor was this little miss holding her own, all by herself and once in a while being indulged by a senior partner whom she outgrooved easily. She got her own food, her own soft drink and I was impressed at how well she was managing by herself.

The next day at the pool side party she jumped into the pool quickly with Sara, her cousin Malay's wife, and played pool volleyball with a bunch of adults. Now she just about kept her head out of the water and was bobbing up and down all the time to keep her nose out (and certainly was not strong enough to stop or throw the ball hard) but she played the game for more than an hour if I remember right and only came out when the rest of the adults did. Then she promptly filled her plate with some goodies and sat munching them with her new friends.

The wedding on the Negombo beach

In the evening there was a small flash mob surprise of which we were all supposed to be a part of and Anjali dove right in and did what she does best, dance away. The wedding took place on the beach and madam was all over the place, and only came to us right at the end. By now I was pretty certain that she had more friends on both sides of the party than I, and had learned many more new things about the place, about the hotel and how to get the best deal for herself.

Sigiriya Rock - From the start point

The next day, post-wedding, we proceeded to a place called Sigiriya Rock near Dambulla which is a monster rock to climb. I was not sure if we could do it because it was almost vertical at some places and most people were finding it difficult to handle it. But Anjali was determined to go right from the word go and told me as we started climbing that she would climb all the way up. Considering that only 5 of us out of 8 made it all the way up, it was a pretty commendable achievement. She held her nerve on the way down despite the strong breeze and walked down comfortably.

On top of Sigiriya Rock

The next day she wanted to go bathing in the sea. Then she wanted to go eat crabs in the Ministry of Crab. Then she wrote a letter to her friend Mansi and got herself a post card and made me buy a stamp and post it. And on and on and on she pushed her limits and tried a ton of new things. I was wondering if the child's zest for learning new things had faded a bit but after seeing her on this trip I realised it was only the environment that was to blame. In a new environment she was all set to try new things. Including eating crab and prawn vadas, for someone who is so finicky about her food, she relished the street food at Galle Face Green. While on food she also gorged on the continental cuisine at the hotel buffet. Not to mention trying out the new pool at the new hotel.

Eating street food and feeding the crows at Galle Face Green

She made friends easily with the shopkeepers, the cab drivers and waiters and they all would pat her on her head (which she detests). I cannot remember some of the other things right now but this was enough to impress me one hell of a lot. One confident miss.

Heading home - Backpack and all

I loved the way she stuck to the spotlight as if it were her own place, the way she danced till she got tired and did all that she wanted to. I am glad she didn't take after me in those aspects. She looks like she certainly had more fun this way.

Nice Link - 44 Iconic Photos Every Cricket Fan Must See

I think I have this somewhere, but it's a link worth repeating. 44 Iconic photos every cricketer would love to see.
https://www.scoopwhoop.com/sports/iconic-photos-cricket/#F.6qp0gyre7

Raees - Movie Review

I loved the subtext - of the beliefs Raees carries from the words of his mother. She says no business is too small to do and work is religion. The impressionable kid asks his mom if what she told the cop was true and she says - as long as you don't hurt anyone. The words become firmly entrenched int Raees's mind and he goes about doing his business like a religion. But hey, he also hurts a lot of people, kills many along the way - so why did he not think he was hurting anyone by killing or beating them up I wonder. Anyway small detail to worry about now since the movie has been watched.

The action scenes are out of the world. I mean for our Bollywood standards. The mutton market fight is absolutely brilliant, with blood, mutton cleavers, fresh flesh  and butchers. The chase of the shooter over the rooftops is incredibly well shot and looks like a Crouching Tiger scene the way Raees shinnies up the pipes. All action scenes that way - the way he moves to grab the guns that are at his head are comparable to Liam Neeson's stunts in Taken. Shahrukh Khan is all intensity, all Raees in this role with little time for romance. And to add to the feast there is Nawazuddin Siddiqui as the idealistic officer who wants all political instructions to be given in writing. Politics, communal riots, bombings - the story has it all. Though the film makers said it was a work of fiction it looks pretty close to the life of gangster Abdul Latif who was a big time bootlegger and then Dawood associate, close to politicians until his name was linked to the Bombay blasts and was subsequently shot by the Gujarat police in Ahmedabad where he ruled. His sons apparently contested against Shankersinh Vaghela in 2009 and 2014. Vaghela was the Chief Minister  when Latif was killed in the encounter.

Nice and action packed. But why sympathise with the chap who is happy murdering people, breaking the law etc etc. Anyway to go back to the subtext - the moment he realises that he has 'hurt' people unwittingly through the bomb blasts - the penny drops. Moral of the story - beliefs can kill you.

Reena Verghese - Designer, Creator, Poet and Seeker

Somehow, when you meet Reena you can sense that she is a creative person. Perhaps in the way she carries herself, the way she dresses, the general air around her or her culinary creations – something gives her away. Reena has taught, designed, modelled, baked (s), makes jewellery, writes poetry and is a keen spiritual seeker. I was intrigued by her work (she owns a soft furnishings outfit 'Inaspace Designs’, and specializes in furnishing homes) and her constant need to create something, to reinvent herself. So I asked her the other day if she would allow me to interview her. She agreed.

Reena and I at Coffee with Me

Q. What is it about your current profession as a soft furnishings expert that you like doing?
A. Working with fabric.

Q. When did you discover that you had a passion for fabric?
A. Always. In school. Maybe when I was in the 9th or 10th class I had a needlework class. We were given a long strip of cloth and asked to make 50 embroidery stitches​. I made it into a booklet which was different from what the others did. I was thrilled with my work. I was also sewing my own clothes. I did that until college. So it was like coming back home when I started my soft furnishings outfit ‘Inaspace Designs’ a decade ago.

Q. How come you did not make soft furnishings and fabric a profession earlier?
A. College was some kind of a turning point because I chose commerce. Since I was good at maths I decided that it was a better option perhaps. I worked as an insurance agent during college. I used to deal with financial products like Post Office savings and other financial instruments. I also used to teach little kids - Hindi, Maths. Was some kind of a maths expert. Then I joined my first job at NIIT as a teacher.

Q. But you continued your creative forays?
A. After my marriage I worked with my father in law in his C&F agency. Then after that closed I worked at a Hotel Management ​college where I taught computers. Throughout I continued sewing, painting, made glass paint​ed trays and coasters​. My Dad and my husband (Ashok, a fine wit and great company) encouraged me to pursue my creative urges so I am lucky that way. I even held an exhibition of kurtas. Oh, I did some technical writing too.

Q. So when did you finally settle down to this line?
A. Sometime during all this I discovered my passion. The curtains business. I did one friends house in Bangalore, put ​up curtains for him. Someone saw it and then I got another ​order.

Q. What exactly do you do?
A. ​Everything to do with Soft furnishings. Like Curtains. ​Bed Linen. Quilt​s. Upholstery. Head boards. Embroidered blinds and tiebacks are another favourite of mine. ​

Fabric blinds with embroidery Inaspace Designs

Q. What’s your USP?
A. I understand what a client wants and back my ability to deliver ​with​in their budget.
Among my products embroidered blinds and tiebacks are my favourite. ​I love enhancing the ambiance of a space.

Q. What do you find challenging about the job? What drives you?
A. The challenge of creating within the boundaries of a budget. Shopping with other people’s money is something I love. I love being in any fabric store, clothes store. Love putting things together.

Q. If you had a dream project what would it be?
A. A villa - a beach side villa with large windows and the freedom​ to play with colors.

Q. What are your favorite colors?
A. Orange. Pink.

Q. Where do you think people are challenged in this line?
A. I find that a lot of people want to create better spaces but don't have the time, ideas or exposure. Which is where they seek my help. ​

Q. How much does it cost ball park to soft furnish a house?
A. A 3 bedroom flat would cost ​about 1 to 1​.5​ lakh​s​. And just embroidered tie backs would start at 1000 bucks each and go all the way up to 15-20000.

Q. How do you approach your work?
A. I check out the house. The decor of the home.​ I check the light in the area. The greenery, if there is any. The people. If I ​meet them and spend some time with​ them I know what they want.

Q. Will you put your foot down if the client wants something that contradicts your vision?
A. Not really. It's their house after all. I show them the possibilities and leave it at that.

Q. You also design junk jewellery?
A. I have been designing junk jewellery for a couple of years now. I design ear rings, bracelets and chains. I source raw material like semi precious stones and beads, oxidized silver beads, charms. I put them together at my workshop at home. Right now friends and family buy this stuff from me. A limited market.

Here are some of her creations

Q. Shall we talk about your writing process?
A. I normally write after meditating. All my poems are offered to my ​Guru. One day I felt like expressing myself and I sat down and wrote. Over a year I wrote 25 poems. I published them as a book.
Soon ​after​ I meditate the words just flow. Then I tweak it a little. I feel like something opens out​. I don't feel like I own it. I use it to communicate to my guru. When I can’t reach out to him this is what I do.
When it flows as I write it​ down, its exactly what I feel. It's very satisfying.

Q. How has been your spiritual journey?
A. The seven years of ​metaphysics that I did, triggered the metamorphosis. Kindled some thought. I started looking within. ​Finding and ​joining my ​Guru happened to me later - maybe I was ready. Now I feel there is a purpose, a goal. Self ​R​ealisation.

Q. What does it mean to you and how would it change life for you?
A. It means that we realise who we ​truly are. The path is meditation.

The change would be that we'd be extremely equipoised. We'd maintain a healthy dispassionate view about pain and pleasure. Experience a permanent sense of calm and stillness.

Q. When do you think the process begins for most people?
A. ​Usually when they hit rock bottom and they start looking for solutions.

Q. What else do you do in your spare time?
A. I enjoy gardening. I love my succulents. I enjoy listening to music. All dance numbers. Movies. Thrillers. Murder mysteries. Meeting people. Love company. Love dogs. Baking all kinds of cakes, pies.

So ended an interesting session with Reena. One of the things that really impressed me about her was the distance she had from her poems, and the openness with which she shared them. It's a rare quality. The same openness and earnestness goes into her work at soft furnishings (or anything else). Of course, Reena is always good to share a laugh and a conversation. Here's wishing you good luck Reena and may you find that state of self realisation sooner than. To contact Inaspace designs call 9866155758.

Rebel Without A Cause - Movie Review

Another classic. The 1955 James Dean starrer (the 24 year old died in a car accident before the film released) was about dysfunctional families, confused kids growing up without direction and parental love and guidance.

The first scene is beautiful - a drunk James Dean falls down clutching a doll and hugs it tenderly in that shot he conveys his need to be secure, to be understood, to just sink into a comfortable space. At the police station  where he is taken for being drunk, we meet two other youngsters, one young kid who has shot puppies with a gun and another, a girl found wandering the streets after curfew time. All three seek love and understanding from their parents but we can see that the parents are hopelessly incapable of doing anything like that, thereby distancing the children further. The children seek solace in dangerous pastimes - gangs, death rides - during which one youngster dies in an accident. The events wind down to a mansion where the three youngsters are hiding from the police and from a gang - there's a beautiful scene before a tragic ending where the three playact a warm and wonderful house with James Dean and Natalie Wood play acting a married couple and the Sal Mineo (Plato, the boy who shoots the puppies and the most vulnerable of the lot) showing them the house.

Poignant. Addresses a social issue and entertains. Wonder why film makers shy away from social themes. James Dean puts in a powerful performance.

Simon Sinek's 10 Rules to Success

These are Simon Sinek's 10 rules for success.

1. Break the rules
2. Train the mind (instead of telling yourself that you're nervous, say you're excited)
3. Be patient (journey is the outcome)
4. Take accountability (wash your hands)
5. Outdo yourself
6. Stack the deck (be with people who want in)
7. Be the last to speak (leadership to sit in circle, be the last to speak)
8. Be authentic (what do you really believe in, the symbols of who we are)
9. Find your passion
10. Start with why