Being A Karmaveer

A karmaveer is anyone who is doing something for the larger benefit of people and goes beyond his own limited self-interests. Yet, this person is selfish to the core, for the karmaveer is making a difference to the same society he or she lives in. The karmaveer does not dazzle in the misunderstanding and arrogance of rendering selfless service. There is no selflessness really, for the benefit of his work is also his.

She suffered intense domestic violence for years. Like a brave woman she bore it all, till the breaking point came and she set herself free, with hardly any support. Today she is an author of over ten books and champions women's causes.

He retired at 60 and chose to spend his time setting up a school for the underprivileged.

He left a high flying career in the US and came back to his land in Kashmir to live amongst the shepherds and make a difference.

He has dedicated his life to the service of senior citizens, against a career and comfortable life for himself.

These are just few of the innumerable heart-rending yet extremely inspiring stories of ordinary people who are doing extraordinary work. They are the recipients of the Rex Karmaveer Global Fellowship and Karmaveer Chakra, instituted by iCONGO in association with the United Nations. You will find people like them in large numbers every year at The Rex – Ideas For Action Conclive.

The Karmaveer movement, started by Jeroninio Almeida - an activist, coach, speaker and trainer - brings together change-makers on one platform to hear their stories and recognise their herculean and ebullient efforts to make a difference to society. They are not necessarily social workers. They are people who simply go beyond their call of duty and work not just for their personal professional success, but for impacting lives of others. They may be professionals in their own right, but what drives them is the mission and not the commission. They care for themselves, but also for others. They work with an inclusive mindset, not an exclusive one – the highest cause for unhappiness. If need be, they suffer by choice, yet they are some of the happiest people in the world.

I got introduced to the Karmaveer platform in 2014 and have received doses of inspiration impossible to attain through reading books or watching motivational movies. It is my immense fortune that I have been able to rub shoulders with real-life heroes in flesh and blood. They are people who do their work with a spirit of sacrifice, at great personal cost and at times even at great risk.

While some karmaveer is fighting for women's rights, someone else is toiling hard for rural upliftment. If someone is trying to help people in depression, someone else is working for the cause of the elderly. Someone is writing a poem with poignancy for a cause that moves him or her, and not just for professional benefits or personal creative satisfaction.

So who is a karmaveer? A karmaveer is anyone who is doing something for the larger benefit of people and goes beyond his own limited self-interests. Yet, this person is selfish to the core, for the karmaveer is making a difference to the same society he or she lives in. The karmaveer does not dazzle in the misunderstanding and arrogance of rendering selfless service. There is no selflessness really, for the benefit of his work is also his.

A true karmaveer does not just contribute money for charity and claim he is making a difference. Mindless charity is after all a sign of arrogance. A true karmaveer is one who gives time to the cause and is personally involved in the process. He feels the pain of others and wants to make a difference in his own small way. He realises that whatever he may do, his contribution, given the plethora of problems, will remain inadequate. He therefore remains humble and grateful for the opportunity to make a difference. A karmaveer is a patriot whose love for the nation transcends feel-good statements and translates into action. He is enlightened enough to understand that true change can come only through action.

The greatest quality of a karmaveer is the sense of responsibility and ownership he takes. He blames no one, but is driven by a deep sense of conviction and commitment for change. A true karmaveer is the one who believes to make a change, he has to be the change.

The nation needs more and more karmaveers. At the same time, there are many karmaveers who are silently working in one or the other corner of the country, making a difference unknown to the world. The karmaveer movement is created precisely for such people - that they get an opportunity to share their story, pain and success, so that more ordinary people realise their potential to do extraordinary work. The recognition that the karmaveers get at the Rex Conclive is just a byproduct of their invaluable work. They are the true `Bharat Ratnas` of India.

So let us all step out and identify the next karmaveer, and also dig deep into our souls to make ourselves a karmaveer. If we are already a karmaveer, let's try to be a better one.

The Tata Imbroglio: VUCA Claims Its Latest Victim

The Tata Imbroglio: VUCA Claims Its Latest Victim

VUCA has claimed yet another victim in the form of the Tatas. Just as before every great change there is great chaos, the Tatas may emerge from this stronger and more adaptable. To expect that they must retain the same old values that got them here could get relegated to the category of `romantic fantasy`. After all, what got them here won't get them there.

Few days back, moving out of a cliche, there was genuine Breaking News. The Tatas did a typical Corporate America – they sacked Cyrus Mistry in a swift move and dropped a bombshell on the media. The announcement was LOUD AND CLEAR, very unlike the traditionally suave and soft approach they had taken thus far. Even the common man on the street, who has little or no knowledge of corporate boardroom battles, was taken aback by the news, not because yet another honcho had lost his seat, but because the Tatas, known for better things than mudslinging in public, had done it.

Generations spread over almost one-and-a-half centuries have grown up admiring the Tatas. The Tatas have always stood for words that define character - like trust, integrity, culture, employee friendliness and dignity. Yet, in a matter of minutes, `dignity` was perceived to have been thrown out of the window and the steel-to-salt conglomerate had become the butt of jokes on social media.

It is incredible that a group known for its tolerance had acted in a manner very unTata-like. As Harsh Goenka in his article in The Times Of India on October 28, 2016, titled `Recipe For Conflict: Mistrust, leadership style and ambition` says: “When Mistry was appointed as chairman four years ago, he was lauded by India Inc as someone who understood the group's culture and was ready to lead it into the 21^st century. But it now seems apparent that some of his recent decisions jeopardised what the board of directors considered its “long term interests”. A question that I find hard to answer is that even if his recent decisions went against the Tata heritage, why was it so imperative for the trusts to go against their own traditions and dismiss him so summarily?”

In this VUCA – Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous – world, not just for individuals and families, even a hardened value- and culture-driven group like the Tatas is finding it difficult to hold on to tradition. This is almost like Test Cricket – the purest and most traditional form of the game – being forced to adapt to the dynamics of the 20-20 format. The Tatas, in a way have sounded the culture-shift bell, indicating that performance in this VUCA world has to take precedence over softer issues like caring, nurturing and mentoring.

We live in a world where no one is spared the performance stick – be it individuals, families or organisations. Ironically, while we have more convenience, that has added to the complexity; while there is lot of information, there is dearth of quality content; while there are many friends being made everyday, relationships are becoming more and more hollow. The external environment today has a far greater say in our lives than ever before. It's no longer about being able to keep one's counsel despite external circumstances. The mind is bombarded with so much information and irrelevant content today that it has severely dented the discriminative faculty. We live in a hyper technology-driven world, which is threatening the relevance of human emotions and one's intellectual width.

The rise in business options and opportunities has also resulted in immense bottomline pressure on companies. Even conglomerates like the Tatas, which set the corporate cultural tone in India, cannot remain immune from the economic and business dynamics. Long-held values are changing colour at the speed of light. Long-held beliefs are getting redefined or diluted. Earlier, it was about change. Now it is about constant change and continuous reinvention.

VUCA has claimed yet another victim in the form of the Tatas. Just as before every great change there is great chaos, the Tatas may emerge from this stronger and more adaptable. To expect that they must retain the same old values that got them here could get relegated to the category of `romantic fantasy`. After all, what got them here won't get them there. 

Leadership And The Reality of Illusion

Leadership And The Reality of Illusion

BIG IDEA: The `Consciousness Leader` is the next step
in the evolution of leadership in the 21^st century

Tagline: It is an interesting phenomenon that while the leader must grasp the illusory nature of his role to make it real for his people, many team members may operate from a `reality` that they can independently define their space and the leader can be `managed`. What is illusion and what is reality itself is debatable, but adopting an `illusion model` to leading makes leaders more adaptable to the variables and realities of human behaviour.

Leadership is a deep subject. There are many models that provide a framework for leaders to operate from. However, the real test lies in having the ability to move beyond the frameworks and operate real time amidst the complexity that people create.

Great leadership hardly flows from one's technical expertise. The technique to handle people rises way above technical skills. The best part about technical skills is its relatively static nature, but people throw up variables which can surprise the most competent leader in the world. The leader of course must display decent technical skills to earn the respect of his team, but it is people handling skills that tower above any other dynamics in a leadership role.

The toughest thing about handling people is that they cannot be conditioned beyond a certain timeframe. One of the great differences in training animals and people is that the former get conditioned and stay conditioned, whereas the latter have reasons to get conditioned, yet find ways to break free. Animals are instinctive; so when the instinct is reined in, they give in, but people carry instincts along with a host of ohere emotional dynamics like ego, rationality, sensitivity, aspiration, etc.

A leader has to deal with all this, besides his own personality, complexes and complexities. A leader must possess great self-awareness and also have the ability to navigate through complex personalities in his team. Unlike animals, who, once trained, revel in being obedient, human beings can break off long-held relationships in a matter of minutes. This could result from a bad experience, a misunderstood communication or withering trust.

Human beings function from a complex set of factors and are governed by an abstract yet fundamental phenomenon called Consciousness. The nature of consciousness is such that it makes people oscillate between reality and illusion. A leader's great challenge is to grasp this crucial dynamic in a team's psychology. People fundamentally don't like to be led, they like to lead. The team may perceive the leader's role to be illusory and their own perspectives to be real. This has a major bearing on how they behave and respond to a leader's presence and personality.

It is an interesting phenomenon that while the leader must grasp the illusory nature of his role to make it real for his people, many team members may operate from a `reality` that they can independently define their space and the leader can be `managed`. What is illusion and what is reality itself is debatable, but adopting an `illusion model` to leading makes leaders more adaptable to the variables and realities of human behaviour.

Context plays a very critical role in a leader's life. With diminishing age for leadership positions in teh corporate world, the lack of experience can be made up only through well-built perspectives and a spiritual-intellectual approach to the role. It will help leaders to internalise the ephemeral nature of life, which will play out in their interactions with team members. No behaviour or relationship is permanent and no emotional connection beyond reach.

A leader must work not just on his competencies, but also on his consciousness. A leader's life is defined by the extent of complexity he has to handle. Complexity can become overbearing and at times impossible to manage. It is therefore imperative for a leader to be both a learner as well as a meditator. He must not just meditate on leadership strategies, but also practice meditation as a habit, as that will create within him magnificent detachment combined with emotional engagement with his team. Meditation will help him balance the illusory and reality forces that will confront him frequently and substantially. Meditation will help him come to terms with the `illusion of reality` as well as the `reality of illusion`.

Elevating leadership to a level of consciousness will make the leader approach the role with spontaneity and tenacity. A leader must `belong` and not just `be`. For this, it is imperative that he masters the art of adapting to people's behaviors and their varying levels of consciousness. A leader therefore has to manage the `clash of consciousness` and not just the clash of temperaments.

The `Consciousness Leader` is the next step in the evolution of leadership in the 21^st century.

The Contemplative Calcuttan

The Contemplative Calcuttan

Kolkata prides itself on its arts, literature and culture. It has made slowness into a fine art of sorts, providing people that extra breathing space to contemplate on the finer and subtler aspects of living. In comparison to the fast-paced metros, it comes across as lazy and laid-back. But if we were to look at it from another perspective, what really have the so-called developed metros achieved in terms of lifestyle barring more stress and distress? Kolkata, at least on the outside, offers a picture of contemplation and a resolve to stay peaceful.

“Even the buildings seem to be in suspended animation,” I commented to my relatives as I stared outside from their seventh floor apartment in Kolkata. Every visit to the City of Joy makes you wonder at the reluctant pace at which the city is still coming to terms with liberalisation. As the nation commemorates twenty five years of liberalisation, Kolkata seems static and contented in its own space and time, as if liberalisation is fast spreading its tentacles in a far distant land.

The city though has not been able to escape the effects of liberalisation. There is visibly better infrastructure, more options for eating and entertainment. But it does not escape anyone's notice that the old Calcutta is still determined to hold on to its legacy – the rickety yellow Ambassador taxi, the still-reckless-though-broken mini bus, the slow-moving tram and the pioneering metro combine to put together a unique symphony of sorts. However, I did notice that hand-pulled rickshaws were out of sight.

Kolkata holds a special place in my life as I spent an impactful part of my childhood there. At a young age it deeply ingrained in me the impressions that stay with you for a lifetime. Every visit there fills me with nostalgia, memories and cravings for the only kind of sweets available on Planet Earth. Not to mention the amazing Bengali samosa (singada), puchka (gol gappa or pani puri for the rest of India, depending on where you live) and the `cutting chai` in the small earthen pot. And all these come at a cost which will make your jaws shake in `happy horror`.

A recent visit to Motilal Nehru Raod, where I spent two critical years of my life with my uncle's family, filled me with a sense of deep nostalgia. While a redeveloped building here and there had come up in the lane, memories sped back to my childhood as I saw youngsters from another generation play cricket with the same gusto that we did. I wondered if anything had changed at all. The lane, its people, the surroundings all seemed blissfully contented in occupying a space in time which seemed not just reluctant, but resistant to go the modern way.

Kolkata prides itself on its arts, literature and culture. It has made slowness into a fine art of sorts, providing people that extra breathing space to contemplate on the finer and subtler aspects of living. In comparison to the fast-paced metros, it comes across as lazy and laid-back. But if we were to look at it from another perspective, what really have the so-called developed metros achieved in terms of lifestyle barring more stress and distress? Kolkata, at least on the outside, offers a picture of contemplation and a resolve to stay peaceful.

The city it appears to me is resolute about maintaining its solitude. While the rest of the country is busy planning the next big economic move, Calcutta is taking measured steps towards globalisation. For the outsider, it invokes both curiosity as well as contempt for its `laziness`. The `progressive` Indian accuses it of economic backwardness and industrial unfriendliness. But has anyone bothered to ask the `Contemplative Calcuttan` whether he would be ready to impart training in the nuances of the Bengali language, Rabindra Sangeet and Satyajit Ray films? The enthusiasm with which they pursue activities contemplative and intellectually enriching has to be seen to be believed. It's important purely from an evolutionary perspective to not just give Calcutta the benefit of doubt, but also acknowledge the unique strengths it offers to the Indian populace. The contribution of Bengalis to the national creative space is outstanding to say the least.

Oh! Calcutta, I know the `wrath of time` will with each passing day challenge your stubbornness to remain traditional and lure you into `development`, as can be seen from the way classical homes are getting clouded by the presence of modern buildings, but may you remain steadfast in holding on to what India and humanity need to preserve in your bosom. May you acquire only those modern traits that will uplift human consciousness and not increase human cravings.

The Contemplative Calcuttan after all epitomises not just the nature of a city and its people, it also offers hope of escapism into a zone of consciousness which connects you to `everything within the nothing`.

The Contemplative Calcuttan

The Contemplative Calcuttan

Kolkata prides itself on its arts, literature and culture. It has made slowness into a fine art of sorts, providing people that extra breathing space to contemplate on the finer and subtler aspects of living. In comparison to the fast-paced metros, it comes across as lazy and laid-back. But if we were to look at it from another perspective, what really have the so-called developed metros achieved in terms of lifestyle barring more stress and distress? Kolkata, at least on the outside, offers a picture of contemplation and a resolve to stay peaceful.

“Even the buildings seem to be in suspended animation,” I commented to my relatives as I stared outside from their seventh floor apartment in Kolkata. Every visit to the City of Joy makes you wonder at the reluctant pace at which the city is still coming to terms with liberalisation. As the nation commemorates twenty five years of liberalisation, Kolkata seems static and contented in its own space and time, as if liberalisation is fast spreading its tentacles in a far distant land.

The city though has not been able to escape the effects of liberalisation. There is visibly better infrastructure, more options for eating and entertainment. But it does not escape anyone's notice that the old Calcutta is still determined to hold on to its legacy – the rickety yellow Ambassador taxi, the still-reckless-though-broken mini bus, the slow-moving tram and the pioneering metro combine to put together a unique symphony of sorts. However, I did notice that hand-pulled rickshaws were out of sight.

Kolkata holds a special place in my life as I spent an impactful part of my childhood there. At a young age it deeply ingrained in me the impressions that stay with you for a lifetime. Every visit there fills me with nostalgia, memories and cravings for the only kind of sweets available on Planet Earth. Not to mention the amazing Bengali samosa (singada), puchka (gol gappa or pani puri for the rest of India, depending on where you live) and the `cutting chai` in the small earthen pot. And all these come at a cost which will make your jaws shake in `happy horror`.

A recent visit to Motilal Nehru Raod, where I spent two critical years of my life with my uncle's family, filled me with a sense of deep nostalgia. While a redeveloped building here and there had come up in the lane, memories sped back to my childhood as I saw youngsters from another generation play cricket with the same gusto that we did. I wondered if anything had changed at all. The lane, its people, the surroundings all seemed blissfully contented in occupying a space in time which seemed not just reluctant, but resistant to go the modern way.

Kolkata prides itself on its arts, literature and culture. It has made slowness into a fine art of sorts, providing people that extra breathing space to contemplate on the finer and subtler aspects of living. In comparison to the fast-paced metros, it comes across as lazy and laid-back. But if we were to look at it from another perspective, what really have the so-called developed metros achieved in terms of lifestyle barring more stress and distress? Kolkata, at least on the outside, offers a picture of contemplation and a resolve to stay peaceful.

The city it appears to me is resolute about maintaining its solitude. While the rest of the country is busy planning the next big economic move, Calcutta is taking measured steps towards globalisation. For the outsider, it invokes both curiosity as well as contempt for its `laziness`. The `progressive` Indian accuses it of economic backwardness and industrial unfriendliness. But has anyone bothered to ask the `Contemplative Calcuttan` whether he would be ready to impart training in the nuances of the Bengali language, Rabindra Sangeet and Satyajit Ray films? The enthusiasm with which they pursue activities contemplative and intellectually enriching has to be seen to be believed. It's important purely from an evolutionary perspective to not just give Calcutta the benefit of doubt, but also acknowledge the unique strengths it offers to the Indian populace. The contribution of Bengalis to the national creative space is outstanding to say the least.

Oh! Calcutta, I know the `wrath of time` will with each passing day challenge your stubbornness to remain traditional and lure you into `development`, as can be seen from the way classical homes are getting clouded by the presence of modern buildings, but may you remain steadfast in holding on to what India and humanity need to preserve in your bosom. May you acquire only those modern traits that will uplift human consciousness and not increase human cravings.

The Contemplative Calcuttan after all epitomises not just the nature of a city and its people, it also offers hope of escapism into a zone of consciousness which connects you to `everything within the nothing`.

10 Reasons Why Companies Must Train Their People

10 Reasons Why Companies Must Train Their People

Here are ten reasons why companies – small, medium and big – must focus on developing their people to create competence and thereby build performance excellence:

1. The only way to grow your business by growing your people. If you don't train, their minds will rust, and eventually, so will the business.

2. When people are trained, you make them competent. If they stay, they will perform, if they leave, they will propagate about you.

3. Training helps add to perspectives within the organisation. This leads to more ideas which keep the working ambience vibrant.

4. Training promotes more purposeful conversations, which lead to enhanced productivity.

5. Training makes people more organised and process oriented. That adds to organisational efficiency.

6. Training creates hunger for learning, which will lead to greater earning for the company and its people, for after all earning lies within l(earning). A learning culture will create a performance culture.

7. Training helps promote bonding and team work. When people work together, overall productivity multiplies. That is why companies must focus on both functional as well as behavioural training.

8. Training, coaching and mentoring promote better behaviours. This improves customer centricity. The only way to take care of your customers is to take care of your people.

9. Training, coaching and mentoring build better leaders. No organisation can progress without a strong leadership culture.

10. Training is the biggest retention tool. Its is also the greatest differentiator in the marketplace.

India @ `25`

India @ `25`

In the past twenty five years if one thing is to be marked out as a single biggest game changer, it has to be technology. For us, getting a landline telephone connection and owning a colour television set were nirvana. Today, our kids change their mobile phones within months and have hundreds of channels at their service. Technology has changed the way India lives, breathes, talks, feels and expresses. When we were at school, we were measured by IQ and today our children are measuring us with TQ.

India is introspecting life after twenty five years of liberalisation, one of the momentous post-independence events. I was just 22 when PV Narasimha Rao and Dr Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister and Finance Minister respectively, announced economic reforms. The Congress-led government was forced to take the step due to the balance of payments crisis. What it meant politically was a break from the socialist stance and embracing capitalism. The Cold War had ended with the US, with whom India thus far had shared an ambivalent relationship, decisively winning it. Caplitalism had triumphed over communism. The USSR had broken up and the US emerged as a massive superpower.

What economic liberalisation meant for the lay man here was more television channels beyond the usual fare from Doordarshan, and international soft drinks and fashion brands enticing us with their flavours. My generation started to feel the change in the '80s itself as Disco music and Hollywood movies started to capture our imagination. There was a palpable cultural shift. Signs were clear that India was on the cusp of a change – a major change.

That major change was sealed in 1991, as India was forced to open itself up to foreign investments and thereby foreign competition. The comfort zone of being a closed, public-sector controlled economy was shaken at its roots. Nehruvian socialism was about to break its links with the past and a new kind of governance was thrust upon a reluctant country. The brands started to come in thick and fast.

Hindi movies started reflecting the change. They became grander. The nation was less angry and more anticipating now. The Rajesh Khannas and Amitabh Bachchans of Bollywood made a decisive way to the Madhuris and Shah Rukhs. No more of the lost and found, let's fight poverty and injustice types of plots. It was a bolder and more expressive India with Madhuri Dixit having the nation on its toes with her `revealing` ek, do, teen number in the film Tezaab. She symbolised an India that was prepared to shed its inhibitions big time.

Economic liberalisation changed the meaning and value of money. When Manoj Kumar raised a rant against inflation in the 1974 film Roti, Kapada aur Makaan, nobody could have visualised the rising inflation levels the country is living with since 1991. Be it the basic necessities of life, property prices or cost of entertainment, everything has been on a constant upswing. Yet, the middle class has seized upon the opportunity to live a life of its dreams – cars, homes, clothes, burgeoning income, etc.

As I push towards 47, besides the impact on the perception of money, I can see that the country has undergone a drastic cultural shift too. Economic liberalisation has not just transformed the value of money, it has altered cultural equations. It is redefining perspectives on traditional ideas of relationships, marriages and lifestyles.

Teenagers today, who were born in the `new` India, inheriting parents from the `old` India, celebrate life far more than people from my generation could have imagined. They have probably already used up the `celebration quota` allotted to us at birth. Many of them are uncluttered and live life to the fullest. The shift in the way India lived pre-1991 and now can be seen by simply visiting any academic institution today. The way we operated as students seems like we belonged to an archaic generation.

In the past twenty five years if one thing is to be marked out as a single biggest game changer, it has to be technology. For us, getting a landline telephone connection (how funny that when it comes to phones today, you have to be specific) and owning a colour television set were nirvana. Today, our kids change their mobile phones within months and have hundreds of channels at their service. Technology has changed the way India lives, breathes, talks, feels and expresses. When we were at school, we were measured by IQ (Intelligence Quotient) and today our children are measuring us with TQ (Technology Quotient). Unfortunately, many from my generation, myself included, fell way short in IQ and are trying to improve their TQ score.

As India is now caught up between two generations with dramatically different paradigms, it is interesting how our lives are parallely panning out. We always chased, but our children have attracted. We inherited values, they have redefined choices. We stuck to relationships, they have no qualms to move on if need be. We saved money as we thought it was scarce; they spend it unabashedly as they are confident of creating more. We waited for the country to change, they are changing the country. We listened to our parents, they are questioning us. We laughed at ourselves, they are laughing at us – so in that sense we are aligned. We dreamt of going abroad, our children can now far more easily access different countries. We were fascinated by Hollywood – held it in awe - they are seeing `Hollywood in Bollywood` now.

We live in a society where technology is constantly redefining our relevance by the minute and challenging us to constantly add value. We created technology for our convenience, but now it is threatening our relevance. Robots, a fantasy for our generation, are now about to enter our homes and take over their functioning. These are very interesting times where ideas are getting realigned before they get debated. There is something happening all the time – whatsapp messages, construction, shopping, celebration, etc.

Twenty five years on, India has changed beyond recognition. The biggest change is that the party that ushered in liberalisation is struggling to reinvent itself. Population, which was a major liability pre-1991, is now an asset. India, because of its economic potential, is now the cynosure of the world's eyes. The Narendra Modi-led government was voted into power in 2014 on the back of huge expectations. It is trying to make India a major political and economic force. But socially, the divide between the rich and the poor has widened. It is creating its own complications, testing the democratic and secular fabric of the nation all the time.

In terms of daily life in India, my generation, conditioned by its pre-1991 upbringing, is trying to implement a parenting style dictated by the demands of the post-1991 generation. It is a tough balancing act. That in a nutshell is India @ 25.

Finally, It's About Water, Dal-Chawal And Six Feet Of Real Estate!

Finally, It's About Water, Dal-Chawal And Six Feet Of Real Estate!

It is a paradox that while income levels have skyrocketed, savings have plummeted, against an India which earned less but saved more. Today, we eat more. The food is expensive and unhealthy. But my generation grew up eating the healthy and classical roti-sabji with the occasional indulgence at the nearby popular Udipi hotel. While things change, not everything about the past is irrelevant. The classical way of living had its constraints, but it ingrained in us a sense of responsibility. Today's reckless spending and dramatic lifestyle are presenting a great outer picture, 

but creating an inner vacuum.

You had a hard day under the Sun. The most refreshing moments came from you gulping down cold drinks. Yet, on coming home, the first thing you did was drink a few glasses of water, and they did what a few bucks spent on fancy cold drinks could not do – quench your thirst.

You were looking forward to eating varied delicacies for lunch in the choicest of restaurants. You happily paid the sumptuous bills. For dinner, you chose to have a light meal – dal, chawal and sabji. And lo! the satisfaction they provided far surpassed the `joy` of starters, sizzlers and desserts earlier in the day.

You went on a long holiday with family to a luxurious resort. The first few days were exciting – great ambience, great luxury, great food and awesome locales for sight seeing. However, a few days later you craved for the cosiness of your home. As soon as you entered it, you uttered, `home sweet home, real satisfaction is where our home is`.

You recently heard about the death of a rich man in your neighbourhood. He worked all his life for money, and because of his wealth, he was the stuff of envy. Yet, whenever you met him, you noticed the stress behind the smile. As you neared his dead body to offer your respects, you noticed that while in his lifetime he had acquired acres of real estate, he lay lifeless on just six feet of ground.

What's common between these scenarios? That, as much as we may hanker for the riches and luxuries of life, ultimately, it's the simple things that offer us solace and contentment. A life spent earning for the comfort of the family, without having the time to see your kids grow up is a wasted effort. The joy of life does not lie in the mindless luxuries we build. It lies in being part of the simple things that keep us happy and secure. Happiness and security come from spending quality time with family, seeing our children grow up, taking care of our health, taking care of our parents in old age, serving society in small and humble ways. And yes, the timeless statement that `we will take nothing with us` will forever remain timeless.

I grew up in an India that thrust simplicity on us. The closest we came to enjoying a burger was a vada pav. The nearest we came to experiencing a movie at a multiplex was a balcony ticket with the air condition magically directing its cool breeze towards us. The tailor and the kirana storewala next door were our source of good food and clothing. Having cutting chai at the nukkad and indulging in small talk with friends were elixirs of life. Those moments cost less, but they endured more.

Money had a value that went beyond mere currency. It was hard to acquire, so not easy to spend. Being a part of the great Indian middle class was about maintaining social balance. The middle class contributed to the political, intellectual and economic dialogue. It had a vibrancy which kept the nation ticking.

In the India we live in today, money seems to have overpowered every other consideration, like quality of one's inner life, simplicity of thinking and value of relationships. I am not cribbing about the changing dynamics – after all, to quote a cliche, change is the only constant. But while materialism expands one's choices, knowing where choice ends and greed starts is critical.

In the old India, stress came from lack of choices and access to information. So, we trusted more. But today, stress comes from the abundance of choices. We as kids waited for our father to return home safely from work everyday. On days he was late, we just prayed and hoped all was well, as we had no mobile phones. Today, however, we are experiencing the `stress of convenience`. It's important to respond to a message instantly. It is important to watch the movie here and now.

Our parents bought a home to live. But today, many people are buying real estate to `show`. Earlier, having your own house was a matter of satisfaction, but today, where you live is a status statement of sorts. Of course, there is nothing wrong in craving for a good lifestyle. But if the cost is your peace of mind and intrinsic happiness, there is surely something to think about.

Earlier, there used to be three classes of people – the rich, middle class and the poor. Now, there seems to be a fourth category, what I call as the Rich Middles Class Labourer (RML). The RML is a peculiar class where a family of four lives in a 3 BHK apartment, drives an expensive car and has five figure salary (compare this with times when multiple families shared a single apartment!). Yet, at the end of the every month, there is lack of funds, as EMIs and lifestyle expenses keep taking their toll. The wants are greater than the needs for this family. They are actually middle class with a pretentious rich lifestyle. They are often frustrated with the kind of job, but have to `labour` it out for maintaining their lifestyle, settling the bills and EMIs. After all, a real home is where the heart is, not where the EMIs are.

It is a paradox that while income levels have skyrocketed, savings have plummeted, against an India which earned less but saved more. Today, we eat more. The food is expensive and unhealthy. But my generation grew up eating the healthy and classical roti-sabji with the occasional indulgence at the nearby popular Udipi hotel. While things change, not everything about the past is irrelevant. The classical way of living had its constraints, but it ingrained in us a sense of responsibility. Today's reckless spending and dramatic lifestyle are presenting a great outer picture, but creating an inner vacuum.

The realities of life definitely call for a reinvention of thinking and living styles. But just as the `bland` roti cannot become an `interesting` egg roll without wheat, the fundamentals of life lie hidden within the grander and expansive nature of existence. Simplicity is at the core of existence. We need to stay connected to simplicity for appropriate leverage of the abundance of opportunities and choices. As a society, we need to not just enjoy our choices, but make more intelligent ones. Keeping it simple even amidst the plethora of choices is still the best policy.

Simplicity is not just in our lifestyle, it is in the way we feel about life. A simple way to connect to the fundamentals is to ask ourselves once in a while, what really at the end of the day gives us happiness? The answers would be obvious - a happy home to return to, a glass of water, dal-chawal and a cosy bed or floor to sleep on. How we live will ultimately determine how we die. The day it's time to go, we'll be judged by how peacefully we occupy the six inches of real estate on the ground.

So, in a way, we need to live to die and not die to live.

Oh! West Indies

Can this team `short of brains` leverage the same desperation to turn the corner in the longer formats? With three world cup wins back-to-back – Under-19, Women's T20 and Men's T20 – it seems nature is conspiring to present the famous Calypso Dance on the cricket field far more often than seen in the past two decades or so. Cricket lovers around the world await this turnaround.

You want West Indies to win more often on the cricket field, simply to watch them celebrate. Their celebration is one of a kind, unmatched in world cricket. While every team, after a major win, gathers around one another, jumps on each other and shouts away to glory, the West Indians bring in a rhythm to the joyous chaos. It was a sight to see them celebrate both the semi final and final in the just concluded T20 World Cup in Mumbai and Kolkata respectively. After the initial disappointment of the Indian team losing in the semi finals, the country rallied around the West Indians, which lifted the World Cup for a second time in this format.

India and West Indies share a bond of sorts. If Viv Richards is a hero in India, Gavaskar is worshipped there. The original Little Master handled the feared West Indies pace battery as if he was born to carry out a mission, whereas Richards massacred bowling attacks as if they did not deserve to bowl to him. As kids, we adored Richards and looked up to Gavaskar. We, the gully cricket exponents, tried to bring to our play the audacity of Richards and the technique and resilience of Gavaskar. While Richards feasted on the hapless Indian attack, Gavaskar relished the challenge of standing up to the West Indians as if he was an army general thrown in to battle marauding invaders. If there was one batsman the West Indians hated bowling to, it was Gavaskar, and if there was one batsman Indian bowlers – and others around the world too - feared, it was Richards.

A defining moment in India-West Indies contests - for the most part, at their peak, the West Indies' bowlers ensured no-contests – was Kapil Dev running backwards to catch a Richards pull off Madan Lal in the final of the 1983 World Cup. Viv was in a hurry to take home the cup, but Kapil's extraordinary catch altered the fortunes of Indian cricket itself. Before that catch, Viv was toying with the bowling. An overconfident West Indies however fell prey to a determined India.

The dominant West Indies of the 70s' and 80s' is part of cricketing folklore. Teams would buckle by simply looking at the lineup of batsmen and bowlers. The lineup made up of the likes of Greenidge, Haynes, Richards, Lloyd, Roberts, Marshall, Holding and Garner created a sense of awe within opposition teams. In a talent and skill contest, the West Indians were way ahead. They dictated terms from start to end.

The greatest tragedy for world cricket came from the decline of the West Indies in the '90s. Australia, with its systems orientation and professionalism, took the cricketing world by storm. The West Indies never recovered from the retirement of the greats. Australia though kept bouncing back even when it hit a low. West Indies cricket however kept going from bad to worse. It stopped producing legends barring the iconic Brian Lara, who waged a lonely battle with the bat for his team. In both Test and one day cricket, Australia rose head and shoulders above other teams as a hapless West Indies became a mere shadow of its glorious past. A mix of factors - maybe bad administration, a natural process of degeneration after being at the top, etc – took away the shine from the way West Indies played their cricket.

The T20 World Cup win also comes in the backdrop of conflict between the board and its players. While a world cup win would normally send players and the country into joyous hysteria, the win is more a statement of sorts than merely the best team in the competition winning the cup. There is joy of a different kind which goes beyond mere cricketing achievement – that of having proved a point. There is no doubt West Indies have made the T20 format their own – they simply belong.

For a cricketing connoisseur, the best piece of news would be West Indies improving their performances in the game's 50-over and Test formats too. That will not just do competition a world of good, but it will also revive the joy of watching a spectacle that comes straight form the heart.

The great West Indies tradition has been about playing the sport with passion. At their peak, opposition teams tore their hair off in exasperation, just as the England team may now be doing after the Brathwaite spectacle in the last over in the final of the 2016 T20 World Cup. The four sixes reflected the vengeance with which they approached the tournament. They were desperate to win this one. Just as in the Socrates story, with 19 runs required from 6 deliveries, Brathwaite, finding the team under water at the start of the over, simply wanted the team to breathe – and the only way to do that was by winning.

Can this team `short of brains` leverage the same desperation to turn the corner in the longer formats? With three world cup wins back-to-back – Under-19, Women's T20 and Men's T20 – it seems nature is conspiring to present the famous Calypso Dance on the cricket field far more often than seen in the past two decades or so. Cricket lovers around the world await this turnaround. 

Conversation With An Autorickshaw Driver

Conversation With An Autorickshaw Driver

“Sir, I have just three desires – I want to visit Goa, The Golden Temple in Amritsar and the Wagah border. I don't know when these will get fulfilled,” he said with a sense of despondency. I silently compared my context with his. I am regularly on a flight and visiting various destinations for work and vacation with family. It seems so normal to do so. When it comes to human emotions, the theory of relativity, though based on a strong scientific foundation, at times seems cruel.

“Santacruz airport”, I told the autorickshaw driver, placed my bags and took customary position. I was headed towards one more of my trips outside Mumbai to conduct a motivational session. I sat inside without any expectations that went beyond reaching the airport on time to catch my flight to Goa.

I normally reach the airport much earlier than required to budget for any traffic hiccups and give myself a chance to get an aisle seat on the flight. But today I was running late and was worried about reaching the airport on time as I also had to navigate through peak-time Mumbai traffic. I urged the driver to speed up. He assured me we would reach on time.

As another seemingly innocuous journey navigated itself through expected traffic congestion at Chembur and Sion, the driver, having overheard a conversation I had on the phone, asked whether I was headed towards Goa. “How much time does it take to get to Goa?,” he asked. “About an hour or so,” I said. “That's it,?” he asked in disbelief. “Train takes much longer,” I said.

He enquired about the various airlines in India. As I urged him to speed up, he asked: “What time is your flight?” “11.45,” I said. “Then there is a lot of time.” “But I have to reach an hour earlier,” I said, realising he did not know the nuances of the airport check-in, security and boarding processes.

As he skilfully waded through the crowded streets of Mumbai, the driver asked what I did for a living. “I am a teacher – I conduct training programs for corporates and others.” That got him excited and asked how he could improve his English. “I can read, but can't speak too well.” “Read Times Of India everyday and watch NDTV news channel for sometime. And buy an English to Marathi dictionary,” I advised. Before that, I advised him to attend an English speaking course, but he found my newspaper and related suggestion more financially viable. The driver, with two children, was obviously keen on improving himself.

“Sir, I have just three desires – I want to visit Goa, The Golden Temple in Amritsar and the Wagah border. I don't know when these will get fulfilled,” he said with a sense of despondency. I silently compared my context with his. I am regularly on a flight and visiting various destinations for work and vacation with family. It seems so normal to do so – plan an annual vacation, explore new places for work and holiday. But here was a man who lives not too far from where I do have a dream of just visiting a few places in India, which at the moment seems almost improbable. Stuff that we take for granted are big dreams for many others. When it comes to human emotions, the theory of relativity, though based on a strong scientific foundation, at times seems cruel.

As we neared the airport – he had got me there well on time – I showed him the building that towered over the Mumbai skyline. I told him it was the Air Traffic Control (ATC) building, which acted as the `traffic police in the air`. “I come here so often, but nobody explained to me what it was. I thought it was the Sahara Star hotel building,” he said, with the enthusiasm of a student who had just discovered a mathematical formula.

As the auto halted and I disembarked, I thanked him and headed towards the departure terminal, feeling enriched by the conversation and also grateful for all the wonderful things God had bestowed on me. Truly, dreams too have layers and are absolutely relative – what is routine for someone is a dream for someone else. That's life I guess!

Dharmendra – A Beautiful Man

Dharmendra – A Beautiful Man

If Madhubala presented stunning looks and a vivacious smile, Dharmendra's face seemed unreal, almost as if he was transported from the other world. If a shirtless Salman Khan captured the imagination of the country in the '90s in a liberalised India, Dharmendra had the nation's hearts in `tatters` when he `exposed` in Phool Aur Patthar (1966) in an India which was conservative at its core, yet seeking a cultural liberation of sorts. In a way perhaps Dharmendra has been his own man – both in reel and real life – doing stuff that he believes in.

My hero Dharmendra recently turned 80. It is incredible that after over fifty five years in the industry, he inspires people with stories of how beautiful he looked when he started his career and how beautiful he continues to be as a human being. The macho man from Punjab has the incredible distinction of being counted as a superstar despite never really having been counted in the league of a Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor, Dev Anand, Rajesh Khanna or Amitabh Bachchan.

When the Rajesh Khanna wave hit the country in the late '60s post the 1969 release of Aradhana, he catapulted himself to a league which has never been reached by anyone before and after. While Amitabh constructed a solar system of sorts with all other planets (read stars) revolving around him, Dharmendra continued to occupy a space of his own. In fact, while everyone else in a Bachchan movie was a sideshow, Dharmendra enjoyed equal screen space even when Amitabh ruled the roost – as can be seen in the 1980 release Ram Balram. It is a tribute to the legendary status of Dharmendra that even at the peak of Rajesh Khanna's success, in the 1971 Hrishikesh Mukherjee-directed film Guddi, he played himself, whom the protagonist Jaya Badhuri is in love with.

Dharmendra arrived on the scene looking like a Greek God, stunning people with his looks, the kind normally reserved in God's Creation Factory for women. If Madhubala presented stunning looks and a vivacious smile, Dharmendra's face seemed unreal, almost as if he was transported from the other world. If a shirtless Salman Khan captured the imagination of the country in the '90s in a liberalised India, Dharmendra had the nation's hearts in `tatters` when he `exposed` in Phool Aur Patthar (1966) in an India which was conservative at its core, yet seeking a cultural liberation of sorts. In a way perhaps Dharmendra has been his own man – both in reel and real life – doing stuff that he believes in.

Dharmendra as an actor has never been counted in the league of the greats, but is accepted as a legend of Indian cinema. History of Bollywood cannot be written without a significant mention about his contribution to the cultural paradigm that Hindi films present for society. He has brought to his repertoire sensitivity, machoism, comedy and romanticism. While he portrayed a kind of sensitivity in Satyakam (1969), a landmark film in his career, which still touches a chord, his macho personality and `kutte, kamine` dialogues have become his trademark. His penchant for comedy can be seen in films like Chupke Chupke (1975) and Sholay (1975), in which the mausi scene has become a national slogan for anyone struggling to get his love to agree for marriage. His romantic connection with Hema Malini in both reel and real life is not just an event, but a landmark of sorts in Bollywood. One of the industry's most talked about pairs acted in over forty films together.

While as an actor, Dharam Paaji will always be remembered for taking on the bad elements on screen in his inimitable style, to not recognise and acknowledge his range as an actor is injustice to an artist who from humble beginnings rose to be a superstar investing over fifty in an industry that still reveres him as a Greek God. To turn out performances of the kind he did in films like Bandini (1963), Satyakam, Charas (1976) – another landmark film in his career – Ankhen (1968), Yaadon Ki Baarat (1973) and many more are testimony to his ability to enact roles that require more than just average ability.

When reflecting on the life and work of this legend, Dharmendra may not be counted amongst those who belong to Bollywood's school of acting. But there is no denying that he embellished the canvas of Bollywood with both panache and a personality that will continue to endear him to his fans for as long as Bollywood thrives. It is a tribute to his stature in Indian public life that fans even today look forward to a Dharmendra release and can't stop themselves from admiring a man with over fifty years in front of the camera still bouncing with energy and goodness.

Dharmendra is not just a superstar in his own right, but also a beautiful man – both in face as well as heart.