You got Talent..

you got see it to believe it and feel it. I got a fwd with this link. under the subject “don’t judge by appearance”

Carphone salesman in British TV’s ‘You got talent’ show, which is what american idol is based on. Paul Potts, a regular guy working as salesman in carphone warehouse, came into the show and did no one expected him to do… Sang Opera- to amaze the crowd and judges. I don’t know opera well but iam talented enough to understand & appreciate that he sang with emotions and he got great voice.
He eventually won the program and went on to release his own record(“One Chance“).

World is full of talented people; lack-of-confidence and prejudging, is making so many other Paul-like vanish in the crowd. Hope this will help some of us to change if not in helping them atleast by not underestimating anyone.

Hitler’s Indian Army

If you were wonder why in cemetery near Le Touquet, northern France some Indians graves were next german in same shape/size and not that of Allied focus then you can find the answer in BBC documentary – Hitler’s secret Indian Army

We know Indian army was found to flight against British rule in India and how they aligned with Japan. But Both British & India locked away the details about “Free India Legion” alignment/involvement with Hilter.

Although Bose is right-wing activity he was not a extremist like Hitler. Creation for Indian National Army with the help of Hitler may not be common knowledge among us. As I struggle to reason out Indian army taking help someone from Hitler, I would only think— Its more of a case of enemy of enemy is friend. It’s no secret that INA fought the British troops in parts of Burma, Philippines, Japan and Indonesia. If one has to reflect strong comments that Subhash Bose took help from industrialized economy to achieve his goal- freeing India from British brutal rule.

Bose ofcourse wouldn’t be aware of SS true practices and Japan’s intentions when you asked for help. From enough historian evidence we now even British, Americans, good part of German people don’t know either. Britain infact went to german had talks with Hitler and turn blind eye about Poland. Its only when Hitler turned to Britain they fought. I fail to accept that Britain or Americans would have went with war with Hitler for human right reasons (like they ‘claim’ today for Iraq). They don’t care and nor did Vatican cared to stop or talk strong against Hitler while its was happening. Again, we do have enough historical evidence to interpret this.

Subhash Chandra Bose was a patriot, who had radically approach for india’s freedom but nevertheless his intentions was not to rule India but to free India from foreign rule. Soldiers who followed Bose were freedom fighters with version to liberate homeland. Rape can never be viewed only with civil right version. That would west’s version of exploiting commonwealth history for to hide its dirty past. afterall, we cannot forget British troops- using cannos to blew old men, raping women. And who can deny or forget Jallaianwala Bagh massacre or Komagata Maru.
If India would have won freedom Bose’s way, no doubt today’s india might be (good or bad) different (/may be turkey or may be we had have been broken into different states). We would never know and can never make any judgment about the same.

I am very glad and proud about our past and the way we achieved our (Gandhi’s way) freedom.

I am not very nationalist nor do I doubt intention of today’s western populations and their way of democracy. It be stupid to ignore and turn blind eye for all the help we received/receiving from Britain, America and wilder international community. and ofcourse, I am not trying to justify ‘so-called’ wild rampage act for Free India Legion but what I don’t want is– for historian to judge the past with very narrow one-side view. After all, it’s totally not correct to read British’s version of Indian history.

Recession..so what?

If you are of a sensitive disposition, I advise you to turn the page now. I am about to break the last of the universal taboos. I hope that the recession now being forecast by some economists materialises.

Recession..so what?

Relocation & Culture Shock…

As I face yet another relocation, convention with friend natural reached this topic and as always, I was bragging about my optimist outlook on relocations and so he suggested that I should pen down my thoughts about culture shock during relocations. I don’t claim to be expert to know the trick of the game but with experience of crossing 5different culture/language in past 6years, I can say my social extrovert attitude made things easier for me.

When relocating abroad, there is so much to think about, so much to do that invariably the departure date seems to come out of nowhere. One of the most important things, and unfortunately, the thing that is most often overlooked, is the emotional and very personal reaction from all those involved during the adjustment to life in any new country and its culture.

Culture refers to the total way of life of a people. It includes everything they may think, do, say, and make – its customs, language, artefacts, shared attitudes, values and feelings. Culture is learned and inherited and passed down through the generations and it influences the way we think, speak and behave. Culture shock is not poor adjustment. It has little to do with strength of character. It is the result of stress overload, which is caused by a multitude of unpredictable incidents. we don’t know how to behave, actions don’t get the expected responses, and we don’t understand the messages we are getting. Culture shock is the disorientation, which causes perpetual stress.

After a fairly brief honeymoon or tourist phase readjustment suddenly becomes a little more difficult due to culture shock. It is predictable and should be expected in any new country. Some tasks are challenging; accustomed resources aren’t available, communication is difficult (for example, we don’t get the jokes). These feelings build up over time and at some point start causing distress.

Communication problems and the accumulation of little stressors start challenging our own values and attitudes. Glorification of our own country, homesickness and missing friends and family can make this a very difficult time.

With time, greater understanding and appreciation of the new culture, values and attitudes are gained. We have more insight into our own culture and this allows us to adapt more easily to the new one. Once full adjustment is reached, both our home country culture and the new one have become natural and normal. Sometime we make unavoidable comparison to adapt and pick/modify our thinking process, values. We become truly multi-cultural person (greatest outcome of relocation – open mind, tolerance,)

Recently I took couple break from work to spend time with family and I understood, coming back home can bring its own problem. There may be unexpected changes at home and make you feel like a stranger on your own(/past) territory. There may be lifestyle changes and a need to adjust to that. Repatriation can be more dramatic than culture shock because it is not expected. The more successful the time overseas has been, the more difficult the repatriation process. Adjustment to coming home can take up to two years. New values might make it necessary to re-evaluate lifestyles, however it is always important to integrate the overseas experience into our new lives.

Expatriate or repatriate, be open and give change to strangers. may be you will be surprised, some of them might become your good friend of tomorrow.

Remind yourself— most things in Life, place, people, work,… is (mostly)our choice and we have to make most out it.

inSanity…(re)Defined

when you think things are going just as fine,
and wild winds chases away the sweet rain,
comes a time in every once life,
you wonder if you’re sane.

Hopes make the world look gold,
or that is what I’ve been told.

Theres so many things in this life
That we can not explain

Funny how things fell in place
how inspite these transparent emotions
I managed to stay composed and serene
inside somehow there’s this little light
when will it shine to blind you
of all these questions all I can answer is a smile 🙂
a mask that will hide what’s true inside

Tata’s 1 Lakh Car

Ratan Tata has unveiled the much speculated Rs 1 lakh car that was dismissed by many across the globe as a ‘myth’. Called the “Nano”, an model carrying a dealer price of Rs 1 lakh (exclusive of taxes) i.e. close to 2500$.

Following are some details on the car:
Length: 3.1 metres / Height: 1.6 metres / Width: 1.5 metres
Engine: Rear-wheel drive, 2-cylinder, 623 cc, multi-point fuel-injection petrol engine. Engine is rear mounted. Tata said it was the first time a 2-cylinder gasoline engine was being used in a car with single balancer shaft.
Safety: Tata said the Nano has an all sheet-metal body, with safety features such as crumple zones, intrusion-resistant doors, seat-belts, strong seats and anchorages, and the rear tailgate glass bonded to the body. Tyres are tubeless.
Environment: Tata said tailpipe emission performance exceeded current regulatory requirements, and the Nano had a lower overall pollution level than two-wheelers made in India. It said high fuel efficiency (20 km/litre) ensured low carbon dioxide emissions.

The Tata “Nano” sports a 624cc 33bhp engine, and is expected to return a fuel economy of 20 Kmpl. It is 8 percent smaller externally than the Maruti 800, but claims to have 21 percent more space on the inside. And now that the “People’s Car” has become a reality at the ‘Auto Expo 2008’ being held in the capital today, much remains to be seen how it will influence the people of India, the existing traffic congestion, and the country’s economy. And mostly importantly So far Tata’s haven’t talked about product profitablity and margins.

But for now, it’s a promise fulfilled, as the man behind the vision (reality) chooses to put it. And it sure does puts india in global auto map. Now almost all global is looking at way to procedure small car with lower price. Whatever be the outcome of Tata’s Nano atleast it made almost every auto company think about their product strategy specially for emerging markets.

as always Great Show Tata.

Video : @ NDTV