Ubislate

Day couldn't have been better, got a chance to interact with Suneet Singh Tuli (Aakash Tablet fame) courtesy Tech Talk series which was started at SAP Labs Gurgaon. The best part of frank and affable personality of the CEO Datawind was to put things simply. Suneet had a flair for story telling and it was evident when he started the talk about his entrepreneurship attempts and leading upto to Aakash tablet.

If you guys really wish to know more about the tablet I guess wiki as usual has done a great job on the link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aakash_(tablet).

Well with regards to personal takeaways from the session I could say that business needs to be done from heart along with mind. In others words passion would be as important as intelligence in running a business since there would be times when things wouldn't go the way you want. Another important learning was the product or service you design for any particular customer might not always bring you revenues from the same sector/segment/people whom you had intended it for. Overall again experience of its kind.

Normalcy I Guess...

Life seems to be moving back on track. The empty brain has been put to work(office) and am struggling to find foothold. Life is suddenly back on usual track where you slog/work in office, come back and you hardly have time for brain cells to think over anything. 

Moreover rather next couple of months just look tied up on the calendar now courtesy ADHM (Airtel Delhi Half Marathon). I started running around 2 years back and Nov 2010 I ran first ever half marathon and pledged as long as I stay in Delhi I would run every year. Now in its 8th year ADHM has decided to move the race from the wonderful season of November (which happens to be just the right time to run) to a scorching and sultry September.

I know irrespective of how much I crib the sponsors aren't going to change the schedule. They wouldn't have even if I was their star runner which am not(barely manged to complete it in quarter past 2 hours last yr). The schedule is for 30th Sept which leaves me with approx 90 days of training. The worst part the training has to be in the current climatic conditions :-( . All I can pray for to Delhi Weather Gods is to have mercy on our poor souls both for the training as well as D day. Since I have completed half marathons last 2 yrs the incremental goal is to complete it under TWO hours {shouldn't personal goals be set higher every yr when professional goals bench marking is improved every yr ;-P }.

The registration starts from 5th of July and here the link to my buddies who intend to participate this year  Airtel Delhi Half Marathon

Hit - is this the Mid-life crisis ?

Well it is obvious that there is uneasy feeling which has been growing over last couple of months. What I am not sure is if this is what is referred as the so called Mid-life crisis or its just that I am too eager to conclude that. Life is not meant to be predictable and it never is, hence everyone is bound to go through feeling of uncertainty at times.

Professionally my life has been great so far, if not outstanding but I guess the period closed a month before the last financial year ended. There was a career path which I had in mind and things were going just as I wanted it. Then this uncertainty showed its early signs which I failed to read, wish I was the oracle who knew things before they could happen. Due to re-organisation in my firm I had to take up a role which was an offset rather more like U turn. The only way I can see forward now is by taking break and jumping on the B-school bandwagon to get things back on track or start on the new path which I had never planned. Though I know this is more tried and tested path and there are enough examples in my own circle. But probably the non-conformist in me averse to this tried and tested route. 

Now to add to all the anxiety I have been putting myself through everyday my parents unknowingly have started forcing me in the uncomfortable zone on the personal front. While I am struggling on whether to continue in the same job, jump to another firm or take a break and explore what could/should I be doing. They want me to get hitched, well when I am not sure about my own future how can I even think of taking additional responsibilities. Arranged marriage is certainly pushing me in the uncomfortable zone and I guess have written enough in the last post. There are times when I feel that there are lot of wonderful people whom I know and it is not that difficult to ask them out and you never know thing might just click/work out. BTW I did crazy enough things like asking random people out and no surprises their response was shock followed by subtle no because they weren't hit by the crazy mood/impulse like me and am sure I would have done the same had I been in their place.

There are times when I convince myself that whatever is happening is just the right thing, but the comfort just doesn't stay long enough and am back to the dilemma, if I doing the correct thing by letting events unfold instead of taking a stance and making things happen. When I am so obscure about things on my professional front how could I consider things on personal side whether arranged marriage or my effort it doesn't make a difference.

Arranged Marriages

Well let me start the post by a disclaimer since it’s a sensitive topic and I don’t not want to hurt anyone’s sentiments. The observations/comments/feelings are my purely from my personal view which could be skewed  :-) . Love marriages can’t be left out of the discussion since it’s more like other side of coin. And both sides have enough of pros and cons associated with to have an endless debate which is better. Let me put it straight I am definitely not against the whole system of matrimony, rather I have a great respect for it.
Let’s start with a brief background, I just returned back from a road trip across the entire U.P. on way to my native place. The trip is more of annual event now (last3 yrs) where we would stop over and visit all are relatives (huge in number) irrespective of where they stay. Back to the topic so everywhere I went this time the first question was when am I getting married. Btw towards the end of the trip if this question did not come as first question at the place I visited, it made me wonder if everything was fine and normal there :-). But things were just like normal, I don’t remember even single exception in the entire trip. If not the first question maybe it came a little later (just like how you doing or how are things on your side and then...).

Just like the TV serials of childhood where there used to be story of some kings who would send folks to make announcements with drums and whistles, my mom announced that she is looking for a bride with all her criterion at every place we went and she won’t be listening to my excuses of not getting married anymore. The way things have now started turning around is like everyone is making efforts to get me hitched as if it doesn’t happen now, it won’t happen ever or more like am about to miss a flight or train. I understand am nearing the thirties now but is there such an emergency :-) , god knows.

And no brownies for guessing everyone knows someone who is looking for out grooms as well. Well I am pretty naïve to entire process and there is always a first of time. What is the oddest part or the process which leaves me flummoxed is how could you meet/see someone and reject him/her. Is it like going to shopping store for picking up clothes? More over when I am not perfect myself how/why should I be looking for a person who is perfect. What scares me the most is how could someone say “No”  and the amount of damage that does to the ego of receiving person. Maybe I will become a pro after recieving couple of blows :-) but I sincerely pray that I dont get a chance to be at the giving end. Well since the process is about to start in my life as well, am thinking hard to devise a strategy to handle the scenario. But the entire blame comes back to me for being in such a situation, if I would have found the so called Miss right for me by now this would have never happened since I had all the liberty in doing so till date. A relationship is about compromises but meeting someone knowing the purpose of meeting is awkward. It just makes more sense to me -if you stumble across someone, strike the right chord of friendship and then you realise that you can get hitched (typical love marriage scenario).

I do understand and know there are disadvantages as well in that process but there is the old saying known Devil better than unknown Angel. I guess I would leave things for my parents to sort out since I do not have any other options. Referring to one or my previous post I guess I am letting off control and that too deliberately but it’s just that I don’t see a better way out. Sigh…