Idam te naatapaskaaya naabhaktaaya kadaachana;
Na chaashushrooshave vaachyam na cha maam yo’bhyasooyati.
This is never to be spoken by thee to one who is devoid of austerities, to one who is not devoted, nor to one who does not render service, nor who does not desire to listen, nor to one who cavils at Me.
LULU PAGE
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Sunday, March 28, 2010
LIFE - A BANK ACCOUNT
My aunt of about 72years old, known fondly as Sharadha Amma, is a well-poised lady with a lot of pride in her.Like all days she is one who is well dressed .
This each morning was the same as, by eight o'clock, with her hair fashionably coifed and makeup perfectly applied, even though she is legally blind, moved to a dingity home today.
For me it was a sad moment as it felt that none had the courage to come forward and say, 'come Sharadha Amma we want to enjoy the pleasure of your company in our house - so please come and stay with us'!!!!
Her husband of 84 years had recently demitted her, making the move necessary.
After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, she smiled sweetly when told her room was ready.
As she maneuvered her walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of her tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on her window. "I love it," she stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.
"Sharadha Amma, you haven't seen the room .... just wait."
"That doesn't have anything to do with it," she replied. "Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged, it's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it. It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do. Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away, just for this time in my life."
She went on to explain, "Old age is like a bank account, you withdraw from what you've put in. So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories . Thank you for your part in filling my Memory bank. I am still depositing."
And with a smile, she said:
"Remember the five simple rules to be happy:
1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less."
This each morning was the same as, by eight o'clock, with her hair fashionably coifed and makeup perfectly applied, even though she is legally blind, moved to a dingity home today.
For me it was a sad moment as it felt that none had the courage to come forward and say, 'come Sharadha Amma we want to enjoy the pleasure of your company in our house - so please come and stay with us'!!!!
Her husband of 84 years had recently demitted her, making the move necessary.
After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, she smiled sweetly when told her room was ready.
As she maneuvered her walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of her tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on her window. "I love it," she stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.
"Sharadha Amma, you haven't seen the room .... just wait."
"That doesn't have anything to do with it," she replied. "Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged, it's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it. It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do. Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away, just for this time in my life."
She went on to explain, "Old age is like a bank account, you withdraw from what you've put in. So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories . Thank you for your part in filling my Memory bank. I am still depositing."
And with a smile, she said:
"Remember the five simple rules to be happy:
1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less."
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Why Open Immigration Is Good - Prof. Dr. V. Govindrajan's blog.s
Hello
It is indeed a pleasure for me to share with you all my good readers a link as given below.
The link will take you to a blog where my senior colleague in the fields of management and consultancy has expressed his views. I have added my two pence worth of comments there
Please do feel free to visit the link given below and go through the blog.
http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2010/03/why_open_immigration_is_good_f.html
Wishing you all a happy reading.
Take care ,
with best wishes,
A.S.PRASAD.
It is indeed a pleasure for me to share with you all my good readers a link as given below.
The link will take you to a blog where my senior colleague in the fields of management and consultancy has expressed his views. I have added my two pence worth of comments there
Please do feel free to visit the link given below and go through the blog.
http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2010/03/why_open_immigration_is_good_f.html
Wishing you all a happy reading.
Take care ,
with best wishes,
A.S.PRASAD.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
THE STUDENT
One of the goals of any university is to provide a safe and secure environment where the faculty can teach, students can learn, and researchers can conduct research.
In today's world unfortunately, the college or the univeristy campus is far from being always safe. However there are a few things that the faculty can do to help recognize potential red herrings among their students.
So what does on have to recognize these red herrings or how does one recognize them?
This is a question that plays silently in almost every faculty member's brain.
Somewhere there has to be an answer.
Well as a student and a practitioner of psychology cum faculty member, my observations have led me to read or recognize and classify them as more or less along the following lines.
Right or wrong is not the point to be debated here, however it is more along the lines of how best we can manage to keep ourselves safe.
Safety is in recognizing the situation, being alert and taking the apt measures to enable both lead better peaceful ,meaningful and healthy lives.
The Patton Tank – This type of a student enjoys confrontation and always needs to be right. This is the student who will argue with you about your syllabus or other class rules, and seeks to dominate the class while pushing around weaker personalities.
The Sniper – Always criticizes you behind your back and looks forward for every opportunity to create chaos. This student will blend in when threatened or challenged but is good at instigating others.
The Exploder – Such a student makes insulting and cutting remarks. He or she displays wide mood swings. This student is the happiest when all others are passive.
The Eternal Complainer – Such a student is constantly whining and complaining about his or her situation, or rules in the syllabus. Such a student often bears on others in the class, though can sometimes get other fellow students to join him/her in the complaints.
The Negativist – Such a student is never seen happy. Always desires others to be just gloomy like him or her. This student is an emotional drain on the entire class and is likely to elicit attention when they talk about the latest “injustice.”
The JCB – Such students value only their own opinion. They have little regard or respect for the knowledge or viewpoints of others. This is the student who tries to overwhelm others with facts and figures, and is often difficult to get along with.
Mr.Clam – often seen as disengaged, silent, and unresponsive. A careful observation or monitoring of the, 'Non-Verbal'cues, from such a student will tell you that the student is upset or frustrated though they will not communicate what’s troubling them.
All these seven types of students can damage the sense of community in a classroom.
However it is crucial and critical to keep ‘Mr. Clam’ on top of your list,” whilst noting that as the quiet, growing frustration type of a personality type can be a precursor to violence.
This hardly suggests that the others are incapable of any action that may lead to wanton rashness - however it is our friend Mr.Clam who has to be watched out for.
It’s important to engage such a student, help him to express his frustrations, and remain or stay connected with the community.”
How many could have forgotten or who would have pushed aside the memory that in case a faculty member was far fom their liking , in the generations that grew up in the 60's , 70's 80's - the best recourse was to stay quiet get one's learning / knowledge, or, politely approach the faculty with a prayer or plea to shed some light on their students.
However this has changed - times have changed - ways and means of redressal have changed - where in some places it is petitioning the head of the institute seeking termination of the faculty as the only form of redressal - to - filthy , foul language being used brazenly , to open defiance or ignoring the faculty even as a human being per se , to violent responses in the form of gun battles or bomb attacks or targetting homes and objects in use by the faculty.
Now that this has been my observation , i thought it prudent to share with you all. Though many of us are far from the academia, yet at heart we still remain students.
So the question rests on us all in ensuing that the oncoming generations are rasied such that they know , understand and learn that as students they have a role to play befitting their age , mental maturity, make-up of the psyche.
Many students by way of their culture and upbringing may be far from being or turning violent types , yet it is for us as their guardians in the academia to play the lead , take up our role, so as to save our stakeholders - the future generations from harm.
Possibly the day , when we realize that age is no respecter of wealth , will we as elders - in the role of parents , faculty , seniors learn that it is our moral right to act now.
Tommorow may be too late, also this may be too little.
In today's world unfortunately, the college or the univeristy campus is far from being always safe. However there are a few things that the faculty can do to help recognize potential red herrings among their students.
So what does on have to recognize these red herrings or how does one recognize them?
This is a question that plays silently in almost every faculty member's brain.
Somewhere there has to be an answer.
Well as a student and a practitioner of psychology cum faculty member, my observations have led me to read or recognize and classify them as more or less along the following lines.
Right or wrong is not the point to be debated here, however it is more along the lines of how best we can manage to keep ourselves safe.
Safety is in recognizing the situation, being alert and taking the apt measures to enable both lead better peaceful ,meaningful and healthy lives.
The Patton Tank – This type of a student enjoys confrontation and always needs to be right. This is the student who will argue with you about your syllabus or other class rules, and seeks to dominate the class while pushing around weaker personalities.
The Sniper – Always criticizes you behind your back and looks forward for every opportunity to create chaos. This student will blend in when threatened or challenged but is good at instigating others.
The Exploder – Such a student makes insulting and cutting remarks. He or she displays wide mood swings. This student is the happiest when all others are passive.
The Eternal Complainer – Such a student is constantly whining and complaining about his or her situation, or rules in the syllabus. Such a student often bears on others in the class, though can sometimes get other fellow students to join him/her in the complaints.
The Negativist – Such a student is never seen happy. Always desires others to be just gloomy like him or her. This student is an emotional drain on the entire class and is likely to elicit attention when they talk about the latest “injustice.”
The JCB – Such students value only their own opinion. They have little regard or respect for the knowledge or viewpoints of others. This is the student who tries to overwhelm others with facts and figures, and is often difficult to get along with.
Mr.Clam – often seen as disengaged, silent, and unresponsive. A careful observation or monitoring of the, 'Non-Verbal'cues, from such a student will tell you that the student is upset or frustrated though they will not communicate what’s troubling them.
All these seven types of students can damage the sense of community in a classroom.
However it is crucial and critical to keep ‘Mr. Clam’ on top of your list,” whilst noting that as the quiet, growing frustration type of a personality type can be a precursor to violence.
This hardly suggests that the others are incapable of any action that may lead to wanton rashness - however it is our friend Mr.Clam who has to be watched out for.
It’s important to engage such a student, help him to express his frustrations, and remain or stay connected with the community.”
How many could have forgotten or who would have pushed aside the memory that in case a faculty member was far fom their liking , in the generations that grew up in the 60's , 70's 80's - the best recourse was to stay quiet get one's learning / knowledge, or, politely approach the faculty with a prayer or plea to shed some light on their students.
However this has changed - times have changed - ways and means of redressal have changed - where in some places it is petitioning the head of the institute seeking termination of the faculty as the only form of redressal - to - filthy , foul language being used brazenly , to open defiance or ignoring the faculty even as a human being per se , to violent responses in the form of gun battles or bomb attacks or targetting homes and objects in use by the faculty.
Now that this has been my observation , i thought it prudent to share with you all. Though many of us are far from the academia, yet at heart we still remain students.
So the question rests on us all in ensuing that the oncoming generations are rasied such that they know , understand and learn that as students they have a role to play befitting their age , mental maturity, make-up of the psyche.
Many students by way of their culture and upbringing may be far from being or turning violent types , yet it is for us as their guardians in the academia to play the lead , take up our role, so as to save our stakeholders - the future generations from harm.
Possibly the day , when we realize that age is no respecter of wealth , will we as elders - in the role of parents , faculty , seniors learn that it is our moral right to act now.
Tommorow may be too late, also this may be too little.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
The Conversation
Microfinance, Mega Impact
This has been copied here in all its originality from Professor .V. Govindrajan's mail.
11:21 AM Tuesday March 16, 2010
by Vijay Govindarajan | Comments (40)
Microfinance is more than an innovative scheme to provide loans to poor people. At its core, it's about individual empowerment and dignity.
This January, I took 50 senior executives from global corporations to India. As part of their learning experience, I invited Pankajam, one of the beneficiaries of Kudumbashree, the innovative microfinance program in South India, to tell us her story. Pankajam comes from tribal India. Tribal people are truly at the bottom of the pyramid — extremely poor and illiterate. Pankajam is no exception. She got a $15 loan ten years ago and Kudumbashree gave her training to start a micro enterprise, lease farming.
In a flurry of entrepreneurial activity over ten years, Pankajam moved from lease farming into dairy, then poultry, and then expanded her operations in all three. She put one daughter through college; that daughter later became a teacher. Another daughter is now in college, studying to become an accountant, and a third daughter is in high school, with aspirations to be a doctor. Though her initial loan was tiny, Pankajam successfully transformed the lives of her daughters.
But what was most impressive was how Pankajam herself was transformed.
In the U.S., we consider an income of $2 a day or less "poverty." But I define poverty as marginalization: powerless, voiceless, not free. Microfinance gave Pankajam a voice. Pankajam answered all the questions of the executives with a great deal of confidence. I confess she made better eye contact with the participants than do our Tuck MBAs! No doubt Kudumbashree gave Pankajam financial freedom, but it did much more. The last question that participants asked Pankajam was, "You have been in microfinance for 10 years. If you were to pick the number one good thing that happened to you, what would that be?" Pankajam hesitated and then said, "Perhaps the best thing is, without microfinance, Professor Govindarajan would not have invited me to come and address all of you today." Microfinance gave Pankajam an identity.
There are many Americans who make much more than $2 per day and still feel marginalized. That is the reason Dr. Muhammad Yunus, the "father" of microfinance, won the Nobel Prize — not because microfinance is an ingenious finance scheme, but because it gave dignity and voice to poor people.
Since its beginning with Dr. Yunus in Bangladesh, the microcredit banking model has spread to more than 100 countries. Today, it has gained a foothold in the U.S. among poor neighborhoods in New York City. This is reverse innovation: innovations from poor countries that can transform people in rich countries.
I asked participants to consider the following: Had Pankajam's father received a $15 loan, could she be a doctor, an accountant, or a teacher? Whose fault is it that Pankajam is illiterate? Is it her fault? She's plenty smart. She was certainly able to handle all the questions from senior executives from Fortune 500 companies with a great deal of ease.
Who causes poverty in this world? Poverty is not caused by poor people; it is imposed on them. It is an institutional failure: we deny poor people access to education, finance, and health. In some sense, therefore, all of us are collectively responsible for building institutions that will bring marginalized individuals into the mainstream.
Vijay Govindarajan is the Earl C. Daum 1924 Professor of International Business at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. He writes a blog and a newsletter on innovation and execution.
Microfinance, Mega Impact
This has been copied here in all its originality from Professor .V. Govindrajan's mail.
11:21 AM Tuesday March 16, 2010
by Vijay Govindarajan | Comments (40)
Microfinance is more than an innovative scheme to provide loans to poor people. At its core, it's about individual empowerment and dignity.
This January, I took 50 senior executives from global corporations to India. As part of their learning experience, I invited Pankajam, one of the beneficiaries of Kudumbashree, the innovative microfinance program in South India, to tell us her story. Pankajam comes from tribal India. Tribal people are truly at the bottom of the pyramid — extremely poor and illiterate. Pankajam is no exception. She got a $15 loan ten years ago and Kudumbashree gave her training to start a micro enterprise, lease farming.
In a flurry of entrepreneurial activity over ten years, Pankajam moved from lease farming into dairy, then poultry, and then expanded her operations in all three. She put one daughter through college; that daughter later became a teacher. Another daughter is now in college, studying to become an accountant, and a third daughter is in high school, with aspirations to be a doctor. Though her initial loan was tiny, Pankajam successfully transformed the lives of her daughters.
But what was most impressive was how Pankajam herself was transformed.
In the U.S., we consider an income of $2 a day or less "poverty." But I define poverty as marginalization: powerless, voiceless, not free. Microfinance gave Pankajam a voice. Pankajam answered all the questions of the executives with a great deal of confidence. I confess she made better eye contact with the participants than do our Tuck MBAs! No doubt Kudumbashree gave Pankajam financial freedom, but it did much more. The last question that participants asked Pankajam was, "You have been in microfinance for 10 years. If you were to pick the number one good thing that happened to you, what would that be?" Pankajam hesitated and then said, "Perhaps the best thing is, without microfinance, Professor Govindarajan would not have invited me to come and address all of you today." Microfinance gave Pankajam an identity.
There are many Americans who make much more than $2 per day and still feel marginalized. That is the reason Dr. Muhammad Yunus, the "father" of microfinance, won the Nobel Prize — not because microfinance is an ingenious finance scheme, but because it gave dignity and voice to poor people.
Since its beginning with Dr. Yunus in Bangladesh, the microcredit banking model has spread to more than 100 countries. Today, it has gained a foothold in the U.S. among poor neighborhoods in New York City. This is reverse innovation: innovations from poor countries that can transform people in rich countries.
I asked participants to consider the following: Had Pankajam's father received a $15 loan, could she be a doctor, an accountant, or a teacher? Whose fault is it that Pankajam is illiterate? Is it her fault? She's plenty smart. She was certainly able to handle all the questions from senior executives from Fortune 500 companies with a great deal of ease.
Who causes poverty in this world? Poverty is not caused by poor people; it is imposed on them. It is an institutional failure: we deny poor people access to education, finance, and health. In some sense, therefore, all of us are collectively responsible for building institutions that will bring marginalized individuals into the mainstream.
Vijay Govindarajan is the Earl C. Daum 1924 Professor of International Business at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. He writes a blog and a newsletter on innovation and execution.
2009 DAWNS - THE Chrysalis
The dawn of 2009 was to herald a chrysalis in my life that would touch many areas of my life .
I was indeed the least knowledgable of it.
The first came early on in when one of my good acquaintances told me on the phone;
Prasad , this is the worst of the recessions that we have ever seen . It is almost akin to the one in the 30's.
Wham- that was the first blow on the 1st of january vide a telecon to wish the gentleman a Happy New Year.
Next came the realization that things were far from a smooth sailing-
The partner was as mad as one could be at my seeming continuity in pushing , promoting 'Peoples Skills'.
I had to take the call . It was going to be a tough one .
Ok!I took that call to shut down.
To effect this i had to summon a board meeting - this was done - there i gracefully laid down my papers as the head of the organization - saying enough damage had been done- i am out.
Let some one else take over and run the show- i pledge my support from outside in whatever way i can.
Ah! easy to say so , dificult to practice more akin to rats jumping offa sinking ship - I was no rat , there was no ship to jump off from.
Then followed a couple of telephone calls to my other close friends to apprise them of my move, my decision -
Next came the calls to some of the same people seeking their good offices to get a foothold in the corporate world.
Surely the good work that i had done till now would yield some good / positive results- sooner or later.
The damage assessment list indicated that i was going to be soon in the red from a healthy black if i hesitated in taking course correction actions.
So those calls.
The result one responded saying send me your papers - let me see what can happen.
He came back saying,'If you like you can get an assignment in Duabi as a faculty'.
Dubai - faculty who was i to say no, for what should i say no - There and then i accepted.
To cut to the chase - March 13- 2009 saw me board the flight to Dubai -
Today it's just a year and a few days old that i am in UAE at Dubai, as a faculty in an institution of repute.
I was indeed the least knowledgable of it.
The first came early on in when one of my good acquaintances told me on the phone;
Prasad , this is the worst of the recessions that we have ever seen . It is almost akin to the one in the 30's.
Wham- that was the first blow on the 1st of january vide a telecon to wish the gentleman a Happy New Year.
Next came the realization that things were far from a smooth sailing-
The partner was as mad as one could be at my seeming continuity in pushing , promoting 'Peoples Skills'.
I had to take the call . It was going to be a tough one .
Ok!I took that call to shut down.
To effect this i had to summon a board meeting - this was done - there i gracefully laid down my papers as the head of the organization - saying enough damage had been done- i am out.
Let some one else take over and run the show- i pledge my support from outside in whatever way i can.
Ah! easy to say so , dificult to practice more akin to rats jumping offa sinking ship - I was no rat , there was no ship to jump off from.
Then followed a couple of telephone calls to my other close friends to apprise them of my move, my decision -
Next came the calls to some of the same people seeking their good offices to get a foothold in the corporate world.
Surely the good work that i had done till now would yield some good / positive results- sooner or later.
The damage assessment list indicated that i was going to be soon in the red from a healthy black if i hesitated in taking course correction actions.
So those calls.
The result one responded saying send me your papers - let me see what can happen.
He came back saying,'If you like you can get an assignment in Duabi as a faculty'.
Dubai - faculty who was i to say no, for what should i say no - There and then i accepted.
To cut to the chase - March 13- 2009 saw me board the flight to Dubai -
Today it's just a year and a few days old that i am in UAE at Dubai, as a faculty in an institution of repute.
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