Pigg Boss

Kisi cheez ko agar dil se chaho to poori kaynaat uss plan ki waat lagaane mein lag jaati hai!!

Chand sikkon mein mil gayi khushiyan hamein, 

Kaun kehta hai ki yahaan mehengai bahut hai....

This part of my life, this part right here....this is called 'happiness'!! ☺️

Bahut Yaraana Lagta Hai!!!

There is this girl in the office. She started in a different team but - owing to insufficient work in that team - she was transferred to our team. Not sure if the move was purely due to insufficient work or it performance issue also played a part. In our team, she started with another reporting manager and continued for ~1 year. Later, I was asked to manage her efforts. I could detect some performance issues but more importantly, I spotted serious issues with attitude, behavior and discipline. I let the concerned people know about the issues. I was feeling that - after already trying to  accommodate her in multiple teams  - they would probably outcounsel her. However, to my surprise, they are prepared to try her in another team! I asked a colleague why such a long rope is being extended in this case. As per the colleague, there are other - unofficial & unprofessional - reasons involved.

From now on, I'll call her Arun Jaitley!!

Newton

The movie has brilliant performances from some of the finest actors today....Rajkummar Rao and Pankaj Tripathi. 

However, I probably did not get the movie.....as I did not quite like it.

I do understand that the movie has been branded as a political satire. I also understand that for the naxal situation today, either sides (naxals as well as system) have played their part in creating/worsening the situation. Having said that, I did not quite enjoy the movie that points a finger at our democracy. It largely shows the negative role of the system, administration and forces while 'almost' ignoring the role of naxals and their supporters/sympathesizers.

This movie is India's official entry for the Oscars and now everyone who watches the movie may question the democracy, system and governance in India.

I am not blinded by my love for my country. I very well know that issues are there and many of them are fairly serious ones. However, I feel that such topics should be handled carefully and  both sides should be presented.

It is clearly not a popular opinion as tabloids suggest that most viewers have loved the movie. But like the protagonist, I am willing to hold my ground. :)

For me, this Newton was as difficult to understand as the original one!! It was all latin and Physics for me!!!

Was Demonetization Successful?

I have been asked that question on several occasions. It amuses me. I am no expert in economics and people know that. Yet, they ask me that question because as per them, I am a "Bhakt". Well.....I do not deny that. I am a Desh Bhakt and so I am also a Modi Bhakt. They ask me this question as they feel here is an opportunity to pin me down.

Though I have already put a disclaimer that I am no expert in such matters, I do feel that Demonetization missed the target. When the move was announced, I was really excited and there were several reasons behind that excitement.

Firstly, I was proud that "my leader" has the balls to take such a step. It was not easy but Narendra Bhai had it in him to go for it. That's what I like about the man and it gave me an immense sense of pride that my country has such a bold leader.

And there were other reasons. The move was targeted at stopping/curbing black money, terror financing, funding the stone pelters in Kashmir and so on. I must say that, with my limited knowledge of the facts, my perception is that black money was indeed impacted but it has found its way back. And same goes for terror financing and other targets.

Could it have been planned and rolled-out better? No, I firmly believe that such a move required an element of surprise and hence, it was announced suddenly.

Then why did it fail?

Well....I believe that one of the main reasons that it failed was because several of us made it fail. I personally know at least couple of people who told me that their clients wanted help in converting black money stacked in their house. I am not sure whether they were just making stories or did it actually happen...and I do not know whether they did help their clients in converting the money or not...but several people did that. Now, these very people are questioning the success of the move!!! That is like insult to injury. First you do your bit in making the initiative fail and then you question the initiative!!! Well done!!!And there were several others. Politicians, bank employees, administrators, agents....they did their bit in making the initiative fail. Certainly not generalising the whole thing and pointing fingers at everyone but you know who you are and you know the others around you who played a part.

Having said that, I don't think that it is fair to put the blame entirely elsewhere. I do wish that the initiative was handled better by EVERYONE. It could have paid rich dividends.

Does this put a question mark in my mind regarding the effectiveness of Modi? ABSOLUTELY NOT. I still firmly believe in Narendra Bhai. My first and foremost reason behind getting excited about Demonetization is still intact. I am still pretty much proud of my PM. It would require a major screw-up for that belief and trust to go away. I firmly believe that the move had the right intentions. It just did not achieve all that it was set to achieve. That happens.

I believe that any initiative towards an all encompassing growth in India requires NaMo at the top. And for that BJP (though I do not like the party) needs to have an absolutely majority in both houses. So even if the only good thing about demonetization was that it helped BJP in winning the election in UP, I can live with that....happily!!!

I am prepared to be patient. Change would not come in a day. It does not matter whether things have completely improved or not. What matters is whether we are heading in the right direction or not. And we are indeed heading in the right direction. There are some speed breakers/bumps/turbulence that we are encountering but did we expect the journey to be absolutely smooth. A democracy with over 1.2 billion is moving.....ground is bound to shake.

And to everyone who is criticizing Modi....I know that you would continue to do so. No amount of reasoning or facts are going to change that. Some of you have religious reasons to criticize him and some of you do it just for the heck of it. Modi is the popular opinion and some people like to irritate others. So do continue with it....whatever is your reason. But do answer, one question. If not Modi, you would you rather have at the top? Rahul, Kejriwal, Mamta, Lalu, Sharad Pawar, Owaisi, Uddhav, Raj Thackeray, KCR, Mulayam, Akhilesh, Mayawati...whats your alternative? Answer that honestly - not to me but to your yourself.

Random Clicks

Wine n Cheese!!

Pics from the Trip to Panchgani

Ananya's Birthday Party 2017