Life is always Amazing!

:-)

Yes, its a masterpiece of nature.... Its amazing everyday...!

We often crib and complain about bad happenings in our lives... but what is the fun if there are no ups & downs.. How can a person enjoy a sight of a beautiful blue sea without experiencing the sadness of a dead desert... Desert reminds me of dessert and I am hungry :P

Anyhow.. You never know where you find what... We can find life in a dead shell.... Life is full of surprises.. you can never predict what future holds for you :-)

Recent example from my life is my new workplace.. I always met people who said banks are the worst places to work... And i always had this phobia of working in a bank.. In fact, I never used to go for an interview if company used to be a bank, no matter how good... This new bank I joined was also not my first choice.. i joined it without much of enthusiasm.. I had my own reasons.. For me it was like an arranged marriage where I had to marry without knowing anything about a guy just because I was getting old sitting at home :P... and the only reason of this negative image was the opinion i used to carry from people...

But trust me.. this place amazed me... Each day is new here.. with something new... I am actually falling in love with it... Now, I believe I somewhat understand how people fall in love even after arranged marriage :-)... You explore... you learn.. you accept the person as they are.. you appreciate... You start loving small things... that's how you begin...

My first day in the company was somewhat disastrous... It rained very heavily.. And i was all soaked in cold water when i entered in the office... Shivering.. And praying to get free on time so that i can leave as I was feeling cold... Then I got to know that my boss forgot about my joining date and he was on leave :P... day moved forward with mixed happenings... I dint like it much... 

Next 2 days were somewhat boring... Then I met 'A', my colleague... A funny, happy-go-lucky kinda guy.. on first day of our meeting we dint talk much.. but we developed comfort in 2-3 days of interaction... I developed interest in the profile and product plus 'A' was there to make me laugh.. Life becomes easier when someone is there... 

In a week's time boss nominated me & 'A' for a short product training... which was in some village.. We got late on the first day of training.. Though some disasters do happened there as people there carried a very different mindset... We still managed to enjoy our training along with the learning...

Coming back to office... Another '6-day' training was lined up... And we were waiting for it eagerly... days passed and training began... We met many new people there... since, this training was residential... we got ample time to interact with people... 

This training was too good... I used to play badminton with people and discovered I can still play well... We all used to sit and talk till late evenings about banking, financial products and live case studies... Since, all were from banking background except me.... I got to learn a lot from them.. It was superb..

People in banks are very different... They are to-the-point, precise, very clear, serious, focused, clear and respectful... They wont make you feel like they are hitting on you because you are a female colleague or talking double meaning stuff.. they are straight forward and decent. I really love being in their company... there is a sense of protection always... Like they understand that they also have sister and mother at home :-)

6-day training got over, I made few friends and moved towards my home... When I joined office after training I was different... I loved being there... I had less concerns about how dirty and small the office room is... or there are no chairs to sit... All what mattered was I was in a place where people were realistic.. Involved in themselves, least bothered about what you are up-to... Its a fast life here... No one has time to bother about where you are going or what you are wearing.. 

Say Hi, Smile and begin... That's how it is!

I somewhat appreciate my boss a lot, he is a guy rare to find... too aggressive, polished, prompt and cool... Involved in his life and our numbers.... No monkey business... no calling every minute to ask where are you or what you are up to.. 

Though right now my attendance system is not started yet, so, m still cherishing my honeymoon period... I daily go to office with equal enthusiasm and look forward to do things I wish to do... I have so much to catch up with... Running, Swimming, Dancing, Shopping, Investment, Buying phone, Preparations for GOA, Savings for Bora Bora... Phewww.... Long long list I have to pursue :-)

While doing all this... I miss someone badly... But at times in life we need to leave certain people for their happiness... So, if your absence is gift for someone... Give them and carry on... 

Life is full of surprises... All we need is to take a step ahead and start walking... Till the time we'll go out... we never know how it could turn out to be... 

God ji, thank you so much for everything... Your li'l favorite kid loves you lot... take care of my people... Love you... Muuuuaaaah :-)))

Man's World!

Nowadays, I see everyone in my friend’s list is getting either committed or married or engaged…. Well, congrats to all of them… And may God bless them… But, at times I feel, are they in hurry or I am being indifferent towards this marriage thing… God Knows!

I seriously feel, I need to do well in my career…. Though I am not anti-marriage, I’ll certainly get settled... but, I am not in hurry…. I am career- focused right now…. And that bothers me more than anything else…

They say, priorities change once you are married…. Well, may be… I dunno…. M not married yet so no comments… It might be right…

Now days, I find my committed friends giving advices to me that I should also get married or engaged or something like that…. During this discussion,  I discovered a male mindset which I found very disappointing.

While discussing, a guy said that gals who travel in their jobs are not marriageable and 2 others supported him…. Which shocked me…. hurt me and badly disappointed me… for me I am a girl who loves to travel!

Now, my simple question is guys can grow in their lives, guys can work wherever they like, guys can travel wherever they want for work…. Then WHY CAN’T GIRLS?

If a guy expects his girl to support him for his career moves, his decisions, his opportunities then WHY CAN’T A GIRL EXPECT THE SAME?

In which world am I living…. Which century… which environment…. Where people have changed their dress up sense, lifestyles, culture but the thought process is still so small and biased….

In the end in any relationship, whether it’s parental, couple, friendship, brother-sister or any other relation, its all about faith and trust… If it’s not there then relationship is of no use…

I have seen guys and girls cheating on their better halves in normal routine lives with a very settled boring jobs… what I feel is people cheat when they are bored of their monotonous life while for some people it’s simply their character which can’t be changed…. What is there to do with travel!

One should feel content and satisfied in their lifestyle and it can only be there when they will do well in their personal and professional lives…. I agree, with time priorities do change but does that mean you stop growing in life?

Every individual needs their space to grow, whether it’s personal or professional, whether it’s a girl or a guy… 

We live in a world where we are raised in a family where guys and girls are treated as equal…. They are provided with equal facilities and equal respect…. they dream individually…. To grow in their lives… At least, I can say this for myself…. I am really happy and proud to say that my family gave me and my brothers  kinda upbringing where we understand guys and gals deserves equal space…

I dunno why, I am so disappointed with this kind of mentality of guys…. I feel sorry for them…. Honesty, If they are like this then where are we moving… what kinda upbringing their kids will ever get…. Where our country will move…. Gosh! Even though guys pretend to be so modern and open minded that they wanna walk with a lady wearing a pair of jeans but not an independent outlook towards their career!

Well, may be it’s only me who thinks this way. But yes, It’s indeed sad...!

My 25th Birthday…

I had a very strong urge to write blog post on my birthday… But, at the end of the day I was too tired to type anything….

It was my 25^th birthday so I had certain plans from past few months which were all thrashed due to my work…. Anyways, I still managed to enjoy my day… thanks to my family and friends…. I feel lucky to have them... :-)

I can sense winters in Delhi… The weather is changing… So is my mood… It’s pleasant and better…. Every time its winters... I feel a different world around me... A better... more beautiful and serene... And as I always say… Winters make me fall in love with everything around me…

On my birthday, someone told me 25 is the age after which many things start changing…. I dunno what it means actually… As far as maturity level is concerned... I am least bothered… brains & heart I don’t posses…. So what is left? May be metabolism level… :P

Anyhow, sometimes I find it very difficult to understand myself.. I ask myself where am I going… I am 25 now, but.. I still ask myself, In which direction I am going… will I be able to reach my destination this way or not and if yes, then when?

I have dreams, interests, destination, resolutions and so many things to do… And, I hate it when someone asks me about marriage plans… Man! I don’t have time for all that but I guess it’s very difficult to make people understand that… So, I have stopped trying…  I just say- “No plans”

I have noticed, lately I am being more social…. May be I have realized the feeling of being away from my friends… I have realized it’s very difficult to find people who truly understand you and still be with you… I have realized people we randomly meet can be deceptive... And, I have realized life changes….

But, honestly, I have no regrets so far… Yes, I am still not very sure about the path I am moving on will take me how far in the journey towards my destination… But, life is all about moving… And realizing…. And rectifying… And the most importantly…. Having FUN!!!

So, cheers to the upcoming life….:)))

And God, thanks for being there for me….  I Love you for giving me the best of parents, brothers and friends…. I really wanna thank you with all my heart…. And yes, you know the things I wanna change in my life… Please help me with that… I promise I will try to be your good girl… Love you… muaah :-))

Loving My Life! :-)

I dunno what really compelled me to write this post but anyways I am glad to be back here...

Life is being dynamic and eventful... Till last year I used to say I am not happy with my Job because of whatever reasons... I also had a fear in my mind that leaving it might leave me with regrets as the future is always uncertain... But honestly, I am proud to say that it was my best decision of the year to resign from that place.

As far as my present is concerned, touch-wood, I am happy :-)

Yes, life is full of ups and downs, successes and failures... surrounded by people who make you or break you.... Politics.... dirty games and so on.. But, whatever it may be I believe everything in life happens for a reason... Its good or bad is decided by the outlook we carry... 

It will be unfair if I'll say- I hate it when people around me play unfair games and make my life even more complicated.... I wish I could punch them hard on their face..

I would rather say- Yes, I do hate the dirt around but I am learning to fight for it... As life can not be a piece of cake every time, so meeting such people prepares me to fight for what is right and enable me to learn more about humans. (Of course, I'll always be an Anthropologist) ;-)

Well, no regrets from life... Although, I do miss my first job a lot... May be because I had real good people around me whom I'll cherish for the rest of my life... And yes, it was like my first love.. And deserves a special corner in my heart..

New in life is nothing much.... Or I would say so much that I am unable to gather it and jot it down.. ;-)

I keep meeting new people daily.. And like it... I am still a kid without any change so far in my thought processes... So, that ways I do face problems... Specially by trusting wrong people most of the times.. but that is again an integral part of life.. So, no complaints.

Recently, I spent hell lot of money on shopping... I purchased everything- clothes, shoes, bags, accessories, gifts and so on.... Last year, I used to feel that some part of me was not living or rather say was dead/dormant... Now, I feel... I can sense it... I am the same Deepika that I used be 2 years ago... :D

I feel things, good and bad... I m loving shopping again...  I love meeting my old pals.... Hanging out... I can feel feelings... praise music... appreciate beauty... And, I watch every interesting movie on its release weekend without a fail... I cherish my life... I love being busy... I love myself... I love my people.. I am in love with my life....

The only thing drastically changed is my frequency of writing blogs.. Many times I start with something then leave it in-between... May be I am too confused what all to write and what not....
But.. I'll try to write more as it helps me a lot personally to figure out what I am feeling... I can express well in words... in my mind emotions and thoughts are very vague and random... I can compile them in a post and analyse... :))

I'll end it here now, once again.. Thank You dear God... for everything you gave me... forgive me for the bad things I do intentionally/unintentionally.... I'll always be your favorite kid who will never do any wrong to anyone knowingly.. Please be there on my side and take care of my loved ones... Love you.. Muaah.. :-)

I am BACK!! :-)

Yayy!! I am back... Life is being great and eventful... Year started on a brilliant note when one good day I decided to resign from my bloody job! And that good day was in first week on January... ;-)

Well.. I know many of us think and just think about doing the same but they bear with the situations till the time they can... And I also stretched it till the time I could have... Then I decided to fight for myself and try to be in better place....

Phewww.... After resign, I felt like a free bird... repaired myself and gained back my self confidence... After resting for 2-3 days I started my real job! That was looking for a good place to work with interesting work.. 

In quest for the same I tried various ways.. I updated my CV on various job portals... Personally posted CV in the career section of good companies where I was interested and used Linkedin wisely.... All these efforts were not in vain.... After thoughtful consideration, I gave 4 interviews and after some wait I am really proud to say that I was selected in all 4... :D this boosted my confidence level even more.... After analyzing all the options I picked up a job and finally joined it in February second week...

Well... I am glad today that I decided to fight for better life... And today I feel good... I feel one should not waste time in doing something they don't like... We got one life... We have all the right to choose what to do... I understand although sometimes we are struck in certain situations which compel us to be in places we never intended to be... But honestly, one should always fight for what they deserve! As we never know where may God listen to us and change things for betterment...

Thank you once again God... I love you.... Thank you again for making me feel blessed again :D Muaah.. As expected... the time of resignation shocked me I saw the most dirtiest faces I ever imagined... Lets not spoil Pearl by writing about all that nonsense... ;-)

Inspiration- I

I never copy and paste articles or information from anywhere else… but when I came across this article I was unable to stop myself from pasting it here… Its really touching and I want you all to read it and express your views over it… Hope you’ll enjoy it…. :D
(I know it’s quite long but m sure you won’t regret spending your time reading it) :D
Here it goes……………

“It was probably the April of 1974. Bangalore was getting warm and gulmohars were blooming at the IISc campus. I was the only girl in my postgraduate department and was staying at the ladies' hostel. Other girls were pursuing research in different departments of Science.

I was looking forward to going abroad to complete a doctorate in computer science. I had been offered scholarships from Universities in the US .... I had not thought of taking up a job in India .

One day, while on the way to my hostel from our lecture-hall complex, I saw an advertisement on the notice board. It was a standard job-requirement notice from the famous automobile company Telco (now Tata Motors)... It stated that the company required young, bright engineers, hardworking and with an excellent academic background, etc.

At the bottom was a small line: 'Lady Candidates need not apply.'

I read it and was very upset. For the first time in my life I was up against gender discrimination.

Though I was not keen on taking up the job, I saw it as a challenge. I had done extremely well in academics, better than most of my male peers... Little did I know then that in real life academic excellence is not enough to be successful?

After reading the notice I went fuming to my room. I decided to inform the topmost person in Telco's management about the injustice the company was perpetrating. I got a postcard and started to write, but there was a problem: I did not know who headed Telco I thought it must be one of the Tatas. I knew JRD Tata was the head of the Tata Group; I had seen his pictures in newspapers (actually, Sumant Moolgaokar was the company's chairman then) I took the card, addressed it to JRD and started writing. To this day I remember clearly what I wrote..

'The great Tatas have always been pioneers. They are the people who started the basic infrastructure industries in India , such as iron and steel, chemicals, textiles and locomotives they have cared for higher education in India since 1900 and they were responsible for the establishment of the Indian Institute of Science. Fortunately, I study there. But I am surprised how a company such as Telco is discriminating on the basis of gender.'

I posted the letter and forgot about it. Less than 10 days later, I received a telegram stating that I had to appear for an interview at Telco's Pune facility at the company's expense. I was taken aback by the telegram. My hostel mate told me I should use the opportunity to go to Pune free of cost and buy them the famous Pune saris for cheap! I collected Rs30 each from everyone who wanted a sari when I look back, I feel like laughing at the reasons for my going, but back then they seemed good enough to make the trip.

It was my first visit to Pune and I immediately fell in love with the city. To this day it remains dear to me. I feel as much at home in Pune as I do in Hubli, my hometown. The place changed my life in so many ways. As directed, I went to Telco's Pimpri office for the interview.

There were six people on the panel and I realized then that this was serious business.

'This is the girl who wrote to JRD,' I heard somebody whisper as soon as I entered the room. By then I knew for sure that I would not get the job. The realization abolished all fear from my mind, so I was rather cool while the interview was being conducted.

Even before the interview started, I reckoned the panel was biased, so I told them, rather impolitely, 'I hope this is only a technical interview.'

They were taken aback by my rudeness, and even today I am ashamed about my attitude. The panel asked me technical questions and I answered all of them.

Then an elderly gentleman with an affectionate voice told me, 'Do you know why we said lady candidates need not apply? The reason is that we have never employed any ladies on the shop floor. This is not a co-ed college; this is a factory. When it comes to academics, you are a first ranker throughout. We appreciate that, but people like you should work in research laboratories.

I was a young girl from small-town Hubli. My world had been a limited place. I did not know the ways of large corporate houses and their difficulties, so I answered, 'But you must start somewhere, otherwise no woman will ever be able to work in your factories.'

Finally, after a long interview, I was told I had been successful. So this was what the future had in store for me. Never had I thought I would take up a job in Pune. I met a shy young man from Karnataka there, we became good friends and we got married.

It was only after joining Telco that I realized who JRD was: the uncrowned king of Indian industry. Now I was scared, but I did not get to meet him till I was transferred to Bombay. One day I had to show some reports to Mr Moolgaokar, our chairman, who we all knew as SM.. I was in his office on the first floor of Bombay House (the Tata headquarters) when, suddenly JRD walked in. That was the first time I saw 'appro JRD'. Appro means 'our' in Gujarati. This was the affectionate term by which people at Bombay House called him.

I was feeling very nervous, remembering my postcard episode. SM introduced me nicely, 'Jeh (that's what his close associates called him), this young woman is an engineer and that too a postgraduate.

She is the first woman to work on the Telco shop floor.' JRD looked at me. I was praying he would not ask me any questions about my interview (or the postcard that preceded it).

Thankfully, he didn't. Instead, he remarked. 'It is nice that girls are getting into engineering in our country. By the way, what is your name?'

'When I joined Telco I was Sudha Kulkarni, Sir,' I replied. 'Now I am Sudha Murthy.' He smiled and kindly smile and started a discussion with SM. As for me, I almost ran out of the room.

After that I used to see JRD on and off. He was the Tata Group chairman and I was merely an engineer. There was nothing that we had in common. I was in awe of him.

One day I was waiting for Murthy, my husband, to pick me up after office hours. To my surprise I saw JRD standing next to me. I did not know how to react. Yet again I started worrying about that postcard. Looking back, I realize JRD had forgotten about it. It must have been a small incident for him, but not so for me.

'Young lady, why are you here?' he asked. 'Office time is over.' I said, 'Sir, I'm waiting for my husband to come and pick me up.' JRD said, 'It is getting dark and there's no one in the corridor.

I'll wait with you till your husband comes.'

I was quite used to waiting for Murthy, but having JRD waiting alongside made me extremely uncomfortable.

I was nervous. Out of the corner of my eye I looked at him. He wore a simple white pant and shirt. He was old, yet his face was glowing. There wasn't any air of superiority about him. I was thinking, 'Look at this person. He is a chairman, a well-respected man in our country and he is waiting for the sake of an ordinary employee.'

Then I saw Murthy and I rushed out. JRD called and said, 'Young lady, tell your husband never to make his wife wait again.' In 1982 I had to resign from my job at Telco. I was reluctant to go, but I really did not have a choice. I was coming down the steps of Bombay House after wrapping up my final settlement when I saw JRD coming up. He was absorbed in thought. I wanted to say goodbye to him, so I stopped. He saw me and paused.

Gently, he said, 'So what are you doing, Mrs. Kulkarni?' (That was the way he always addressed me..) 'Sir, I am leaving Telco.'

'Where are you going?' he asked. 'Pune, Sir. My husband is starting a company called Infosys and I'm shifting to Pune.'

'Oh! And what will you do when you are successful.'

'Sir, I don't know whether we will be successful.' 'Never start with diffidence,' he advised me 'Always start with confidence. When you are successful you must give back to society. Society gives us so much; we must reciprocate. Wish you all the best.'

Then JRD continued walking up the stairs. I stood there for what seemed like a millennium. That was the last time I saw him alive.

Many years later I met Ratan Tata in the same Bombay House, occupying the chair JRD once did. I told him of my many sweet memories of working with Telco. Later, he wrote to me, 'It was nice hearing about Jeh from you. The sad part is that he's not alive to see you today.'

I consider JRD a great man because, despite being an extremely busy person, he valued one postcard written by a young girl seeking justice. He must have received thousands of letters everyday. He could have thrown mine away, but he didn't do that. He respected the intentions of that unknown girl, who had neither influence nor money, and gave her an opportunity in his company. He did not merely give her a job; he changed her life and mindset forever.

Close to 50 per cent of the students in today's engineering colleges are girls. And there are women on the shop floor in many industry segments. I see these changes and I think of JRD. If at all time stops and asks me what I want from life, I would say I wish JRD were alive today to see how the company we started has grown. He would have enjoyed it wholeheartedly.

My love and respect for the House of Tata remains undiminished by the passage of time. I always looked up to JRD. I saw him as a role model for his simplicity, his generosity, his kindness and the care he took of his employees. Those blue eyes always reminded me of the sky; they had the same vastness and magnificence. (The author,Sudha Murthy is a widely published writer and chairperson of the Infosys Foundation involved in a number of social development initiatives. Infosys chairman Narayana Murthy is her husband.) “


Article sourced from:
Lasting Legacies (Tata Review- Special Commemorative Issue 2004), brought out by the house of Tatas to commemorate the 100th birth anniversary of JRD Tata on July 29,2004.

A Special Thanks to Sharad for mailing me this wonderful piece or writing…. :D