Dec 31, 2010
Dec 26, 2010
Manmathan Anbu
When you are a Kamal-fan, watching the movie on Day #1, eagerly looking forward to it after the expectations it built, you have more reasons to get disappointed. Story isn't that gripping, as it moved too slow. Sound recording is slightly dull due to which I missed out some of the dialogues at the end. Except for one amazing song, "Neela vaanam", written and sung spectacularly by Kamal himself, the music is slightly lagging. Devi Sri prasad is a very good composer, upon whose brilliance, I have no doubt with. The theme music played in the trailer is very attractive and entertaining. It makes/drives you to jump and just jive. I was thinking hard, who gave voice for Trisha as her character sounded different in this movie. As it turned out, I was shocked to hear that it was Trisha's OWN VOICE. Well, not every female lead here has done that but for the time she has spent in south India, there is no wonder she spoke native-tamil at ease.
Kamal brings in interesting insights into the story of an actress (Trisha), whose day-job involes intimacy enactment with the male lead. Two-timing suspicions from her fiance (Madhavan), forces him to set up a spy (Kamal) on her activities, which eventually leads to disaster in the end as he loses her trust and then herself. Trisha falls for the truthful man and dumps her fiance. "Trust alone triumphs", is another moral you can take out.
All the tamil movies move in a casual manner and turn to serious-mode during the climax. Manmadhan Anbu is the exact opposite. The last 20 mins is the most hilarious part of the entire show. Only at that moment, I felt like watching a Kamal-KSR movie. The problem is the ultimate brought out in Panchathanthiram. Once you 've seen such a movie, your expectation increases. You don't expect half-centuries from Sachin, do you? He already crossed Double Hundred in ODI's. Panchathanthiram is a similar kind of Double Hundred. Such flicks will not come often. Like Sachin did it once in 400 odd, ODI games. Walking into the theatre with very less expectations will give you an enjoyable ride. Overall, it's same as a Cruise in Paris. If this is released in English, could well be titled as The spy whom I Loved !
Dec 22, 2010
Wherever, and Whenever !
Have a group of people you want to reach out to? All them own a mobile phone? Do you think SMS is a best way to reach them? Don't worry much about the implementation costs of building such a system. Google is working on a research project for SMS Broadcasting, and it is presently, absolytely FREEEE !
The project name is Google SMS Channels. It works more like Twitter. Tecnically, it is more like a JMS Topic. There will be one person who publishes a message and it is texted to everyone who subscribes to his service.
So if you ask me where you can implement such systems, I will say, "Wherever". Mostly, News services can go ahead with such services. Stock prices. Business updates. Daily messages/quotes/Special Offers. Everywhere, you will find it useful. Even Blood donors can be reached out to easily, if they are all subscribed to a same group.
Say, i will create a group called, Indian Blood Donors, and whenever i want blood, i will publish a message. Need B+ 3 Units, Mylapore - Chennai, Contact: 9876543210. A message goes to all donors, and whoever is near the location and willing to give, can sync up with the pertaining person and get things done. This is a unique, and generic service which can be made use for virtually anything. Time will definitely uncover new, intuitive ways of utiliing this service. It's all about reaching a particular group of people through SMS. As simple as that. So, does anything strike you now? Like a suddenly lit bulb? TING !
13 - 360° in 3 Seconds
After a long time, blogging about a personal life experience. I was coming back home in a local bus, lucky to be seated amidst the hugely crowded bus and suddenly, a break. Trrrrrrrr.......All those who stood, got a good hold to somewhere except for one little girl, who had no idea how to stick to, shouted...Aaaaouuuuuuuuuuuu...I thought she smashed something but thank god, she escaped. Chennai MTC buses has the credit of breaking bones on a lot of occasions, with their densely packed, devastatingly maintained buses. Everyday, it happens, with a little swelling being the lesast possible and it can get as worse as a severe fracture.
What's surprising here is her facial expressions in those fraction seconds. You could see all those organs in the face doing a 360°, 13 times in less than 3 seconds..Eyes lit up, teeth typing from A to Z, mouth wide open....So much of reaction happen in such a short time...Only women can do that i guess...I haven't seen much of a reaction from men...but women, yeah...Movies have shown us a lot of excited expressions..I was talking to my friend about this and made a deal.
One day, i will shoot a HD video of a suprised/excited woman for five seconds, split up the entire clip in to 100 frames and see if they actually resemble with one another...And when i do that, i will write the rest of this blog...
Stay tuned till then...
Dec 21, 2010
Reading stuffs in a HTTP Request
A HTTP Request has unimaginably more content than you think it will have. In Java Server programming, all your requests are contained in a HTTPRequest object and you are supposed to read the request and send back a response.
There are certain common or business fields that you may want to preserve across the application. Like the logged-in user's name, or a shopping cart that contains the list of items that the customer added to his cart. You have three options to store/retrieve such general details. Header, Session and Cookies.
Below is a piece of Java Servlet code that will help read HTTPHeaders, HTTPSession variables, and HTTPCookies. Based on your situation, you can add conditions/modify them as per your needs.
Code to read the available cookies:
Cookie[] cookies = request.getCookies();
if ((cookies != null) && (cookies.length > 0)) {
for (int i = 0; i < cookies.length; i++) {
Cookie cookie = cookies[i];
System.out.print("Cookie Name: " + cookie.getName());
System.out.println(" Cookie Value: " + cookie.getValue());
}
}
else{
System.out.println("no cookies found");
}
Code to read the available variables in the HTTP Header:
java.util.Enumeration names = request.getHeaderNames();
while (names.hasMoreElements())
{
String name = (String) names.nextElement();
System.out.print(" "+name+": "+request.getHeader(name));
}
Use this code to read the available variables in the HTTP Session object.
java.util.Enumeration sessionVars = request.getSession().getAttributeNames();
while (sessionVars.hasMoreElements())
{
String name = (String) sessionVars.nextElement();
System.out.print(" "+name+": "+request.getSession().getAttribute(name));
}
Dec 20, 2010
One more ☆
I am writing with joy from the bottom of the bottom of my heart that the Country's only Son surpassed yet another milestone. "Would like to dedicate this to my father", said Sachin during his post-match interview after compiling a majestic, hard-fought century that took his total test ton count to FIFTY in a flawless, flamboyant manner.
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| © Gallo Images |
Had Dravid/Raina/Lax stayed a lot longer, it would've been a more memorable game. But Sachin's stand-out innings will definitely remain memorable. To note down the positives out of this game, the 2nd innings fight-back is appreciable, especially after the disastrous first innings tumble. He concurred with this point saying this.
"It was extremely important to bat well in the 2nd innings. It was even more important to send loud and clear message that we can fight back strongly. I think we have done that."
Being the world's best team, the expectations were high on our team. Logically, we cannot win every game like Sach cannot score a hundred in every inning. It was a very good game of cricket and the rest of the contest will be definitely interesting. My Next wait, like i mentioned once, will be his 100 Hundred's in both forms of the fascinating game.
Listen to the master, speaking about his milestone, as said to cricinfo.
Sachin Tendulkar reflects on reaching 50 Test centuries following his latest ton in South Africa (03:25)
Dec 15, 2010
World’s youngest CEO !
I never knew such a brilliant boy has made wonders in my own industry. At an age not even eligible to own a bank account, this boy was in the advisory board of WORLD BANK. When kids at his age are busy playing cricket on the streets, he started building websites. At an age when one enters college, he already started a company on his own. Not only he did all these but he is a very successful entrepreneur today. At the age of 22, he owns a 8-year old company, Globals Inc., Such an effort and determination is what it takes to do something extraordinary. I am proud to tell you that this boy is an Indian and is also the world's youngest CEO!
When 14-year-old Suhas Gopinath started Globals Inc ten years ago from a cyber cafe in Bengaluru, he didn't know that he had become the youngest CEO in the world. Today, Globals is a multi-million dollar company with offices in the United States, India, Canada, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, Spain, Australia, Singapore and the Middle East and has 100 employees in India and 56 abroad. Among the several honors that have been bestowed upon this young man, the most prestigious is the invitation to be a member of the Board of the ICT Advisory Council of the World Bank..
In 2007, the European Parliament and International Association for Human Values conferred 'Young Achiever Award' on him. He was also invited to address the European Parliament and other business dignitaries assembled in the EU Parliament. He is also recognised as one of the 'Young Global Leaders' for 2008-2009 by the prestigious World Economic Forum. Suhas is the youngest member ever in the World Economic Forum's history. The other members include the Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal, Hollywood star Leonardo Di Caprio, musician A R Rahman, Prince of Brunei,etc.
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| Suhas Gopinath with former President APJ Abdul Kalam |
In this interview from his office in Bengaluru, Suhas Gopinath talks about his decade long journey and his dreams for the future.
On his childhood:
I come from a middle class family. My father worked as a scientist for the Indian Army. I used to study in the Air Force school in Bengaluru. As a child, I was more interested in animals and veterinary science. But when I saw my friends who had home computers talk about it, I had this urge to learn and talk in their wave length. But we didn't have a computer at home. In those days, computers were very expensive and we couldn't afford one. So, what I did was, I located an Internet cafe near my house. With my modest monthly pocket money of Rs 15, I couldn't afford to surf the net every day. I noticed that the shop was closed in the afternoon from 1 PM to 4 PM. So, I offered to open the shop for him after my school hours and take care of the customers. In the bargain, he let me browse the net for free. That was the first business deal of my life and it turned out to be a successful one.
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Suhas with Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates |
On building websites using open source technology:
Once I got the chance to manage the shop and browse the net, I started building websites. It became my passion in no time. I got hooked to open source technology after I started looking for e-books on how to build websites. They were not available as they were created in propriety sources. So, I started using open source to build websites.
On getting the first contract to build a website:
There is a freelance marketplace on the web where I could register and offer my services to build websites. I registered myself there as a website builder. The first website I had to do was free of cost as I had no references. It was for a company in New York. My first income was $100 when I was 13 for building another website but I didn't have a bank account. so, I told my father that I built a website and got paid for it. I was not excited to get the money because money was not a factor that drew me to it. It was the passion for technology that attracted me. I used to build websites free of cost also. I was only a 9th standard student. After that, I built my own portal and called it Coolhindustan.com. It was focused on NRIs. It was a portal where I wanted to showcase my skills. After that, many companies approached me to be their web designer.
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| Suhas Gopinath speaking to students' at a conference in Austria |
On buying his first computer:
When I was in the 9th standard itself, I had made enough money to buy a computer for myself. At that time, my brother was studying engineering and my father thought he needed a computer. In no time, I also bought one for myself. But we didn't have a net connection at home. My spending hours in the net cafe working on websites did affect my studies. I spent the entire summer vacation after the 9th standard in the cafe.
On rejecting a job offer from the US:
When I was 14, Network Solutions offered me a part-time job in the US and they said they would sponsor my education in the US. I rejected the offer because that was the time I had read a story about Bill Gates and how he started Microsoft. I thought it was more fun to have your own company. Many US companies used to tell me that I didn't even have a moustache and they felt insecure taking my services. They used to connect my ability with my age and academic qualifications. So, I wanted to start my own company and show the world that age and academic qualifications are immaterial. I decided then that when I started a company, I would recruit only youngsters and I would not ask for their academic qualifications and marks cards. I follow that in my company.
On starting his own company at 14:
Soon after my 9th standard summer vacation, I started my own company, Globals Inc. I wanted the name Global or Global Solutions but both were not available, so I named it Globals. I registered my company in the US as in India, you will not be able to start a company unless you are 18. It takes only 15 minutes to start a company in the US. I became the owner and CEO of the company. My friend, an American who was a university student, became a board member. I was very excited because that was what I wanted to do. From that day, I started dreaming of making my company as big as Microsoft.
On doing badly in school:
In my pre-board CBSE exam, I failed in Mathematics. The school headmistress was shocked because that was the first time I had failed in any subject. She called my mother and said she was horrified by my performance. At home, like any typical South Indian mother, my mother made me swear on her head that I would focus on academics. I told my mother that the world's richest man Bill Gates had not completed his education. Why do you force me then, I asked her. She then said, I am sure his horoscope and yours are not the same!
I come from a family where entrepreneurship is considered a sin. My mother was quite upset. She wanted me to do engineering, then an MBA and work in a good company. As per my mother's wishes, I took a four-month sabbatical from my company and studied for my board exam. I passed with a first class. I still feel that you cannot restrict yourself to bookish knowledge. I believe that practical knowledge is more important. In the first year, the turnover of Globals Inc was Rs 1 lakh (Rs 100,000). The second year, the turnover went up to Rs 5 lakh (Rs 500,000).
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| Suhas receiving the Incredible Europe Innovation Award at Vienna |
On looking at Europe as a market:
Till I was 16 or 17, I didn't tell my parents that I had started a company. I kept it a secret because I thought they would object to it. They only knew that I was a freelancer. We used to build websites and also offer online shopping and e commerce solutions. We even gave part time work to a few programmers in the US when we got many projects but we never had any office. When I was 16, I saw that there were enormous business opportunities in Europe as a majority of the Indian IT companies were working for American companies. When I contacted a Spanish company, it rejected my offer saying Indians do not know Spanish. As an entrepreneur, you can't accept rejection, especially when you are young. I hired five student interns from some Spanish universities and told them they would be paid based on their successful sales. They were the people who met the companies and bagged the projects for us. By now, we decided to have a home office in Spain. I replicated the same model in Italy. I contacted some Italian university students.
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| Suhas meeting with Sheikha Nayhan, Minister for Higher Education, the UAE |
On going to Germany to talk about entrepreneurship:
The American newspapers were writing a lot about me as the world's youngest CEO at 14 from India, from a middle class background. It was a good story for the BBC also. I never expected to be in the limelight. For me, starting a company was like realising a passion of mine. On seeing these stories, a B-school in Germany invited me to talk to its students on entrepreneurship. I was 17 then. By now, I had completed my 12th standard and had joined Engineering in Bengaluru. When I was 18, we set up an office -- the European HQ in Bonn. Then, we moved to Switzerland. Six months back, we started our operations in Vienna as well. That is how we spread our operations from a small Internet cafe to become a multinational company with significant operations in Europe, Middle East, the US, Canada, the UK, Australia, etc.
On registering a company in India at 18:
The day I turned 18, I registered our company in India as Globals, opened an office and recruited four people. I opened the office next to the Internet cafe where I started my career. By then, he had closed shop and joined a factory as an employee. Whenever I met him, I used to tell him, 'you made me an entrepreneur but you stopped being one.'
On moving to creating products:
We wanted our company also to be a product development company and our focus was on education, like the software that manages everything about a child while in school starting from admission till he/she leaves school and becomes an alumnus. It is a nasty software which students are going to be quite unhappy about! This software was aimed only at the Indian market. I want to be the market leader in ICT in education. Our software is being used in more than 100 schools all over India, Singapore and the Middle East. We are now in the process of raising funds. Once we do it, we will separate the company into two -- service and product development. I want to concentrate on products as I can't sail on two boats.
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| World Bank president Robert Zoellick |
On meeting former President Abdul Kalam:
I met Dr Abdul Kalam when he was the President of India. I was 17 or 18 then. My meeting was scheduled for 15 minutes but we had such an intense conversation that it went on for one-and-a-half hours. I didn't feel that I was talking to the President of India. We talked like two friends. He was sitting in his chair across the table but after some time, he came and sat next to me. He isi such a modest person that it was a learning experience for me.
On being on the board of the World Bank:
As per the wishes of my parents, I joined engineering but didn't complete my engineering: like Bill Gates! When I was in my 5th semester, the World Bank invited me to attend their board meeting. I am the only Indian on the board of the World Bank. The objective was to explore how ICT can improve the quality of education in the emerging economies, by bringing in accountability and transparency in their financial deeds. Robert B. Zoellick, the president of the World Bank, decided that they could not have only Americans on the board and needed people from across the world. As they were focusing on education, they wanted young minds to add value to the work. He preferred a young mind from an emerging country and that was how I got the invitation in 2005. Not even in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I would be on the board of the World Bank. The invitation was the most unforgettable moment in my life. I report directly to Robert B Zoellick!
Some of the others on the board are the CEO of Cisco, the vice president of Microsoft and the CEO of SAP; all Fortune 500 companies and me, the only Indian! I am helping the World Bank set policies on ICT in university education so that employability can be enhanced. My aim is to reduce the number of unemployed eligible youth in the world. Right now, we are concentrating on Africa. Soon, I want to shift the focus on to India. It has been an amazing experience for me. But I had to discontinue my engineering education at the time I joined the board, as I didn't have enough attendance in college!
On his dreams for his company:
I have always believed that IT is not just technology but a tool that can solve the problems of people. That is what I want to do in my company. I want my company to be a market leader in software solutions concentrating on education. When I was younger, I didn't care about money. Now that I am responsible for my employees, I care about what we make. If I am not bothered about money, we cannot scale up our business. When I started my company from a net cafe in Bengaluru, I never ever imagined that one day my company would be a multi-million dollar company and I would be on the World Bank board as a member. What drives me is my passion and it has been an amazing journey so far.
Movie: Chikku Bukku
Movie review Chikku bukku சிக்கு புக்கு
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| © mp3scorner.com |
Just came home after a nice ride in chikku bukku. Little bumpy here and there but an enjoyable ride overall. No big story to scribble about. Reminded me of the pair-travel-together-throughout-movie types like Uthamaputhiran and Paiyaa. Just another love story (Two infact), screened in parts subsequently on frequent intervals. Difference-element in this story is that a guy gives up his love for his best friend. Somehow, their children fall in love later on and they get together in the end.
The first-half runs very fast than the later and is also more interesting and fun-filled to watch. Thanks to Santhanam, he steals the comedy scenes with his Lollu-saba teammate, pairing him up as his 'Papa'. We were jumping outta the seat during most of his scenes.
The screenplay should 've been made more gripping as the story appears easily-guess-able. Not too many twists around and all you feel most of the time is like watching a slow+boring episode of a TV Serial.
Had Genilia been given Shreya's role, chemical reactions would 've yielded better products as this one is her typical type. She is just match-less at a jumping-all-day-charming-girl role...
No other good movies running these days. So this is worth watching on a fine weekend with your family or friends. And this is the amazing theme of the movie is: "If you run away with your friend's GF, one day, your daughter will run away with his son." Or in tamil, i would say, உலகம் உருண்ட டா.
Dec 12, 2010
On India and education
I opened blogger and happened to see that i wrote 99 posts so far. "Wow", i exclaimed. "I am going to write my 100th post. What should I write? Shouldn't that be something special?".
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Everytime something interest me, I will MARK that topic in my bookmarks for writing . Later, during the weekends, I will start working on them and publish them. There are some blogs which I write for months, by frequently composing them part-by-part and I will save them in drafts before I finally publish them one day. The bookmark list is close to some 20 now and I couldn't steal that extra time to blog them these days. I was hovering over the list as I spotted a topic on Indian Education. Thought it ought to be a pressing problem and I choose it right away.
That Pressing Problem:
It read, "India doesn't figure in world top-100 universities". "Whaaattttt???", i jumped outta my seat and clicked the news article. Someone, somehow managed to take a list of top universities across all the continents. My country did not make it to the top 100. The most prestigious institution in our country is IIT's and IIS'. Even they managed to end-up just near the 130-spot. I was simply shocked to see that.
First, Is this stat REAL? On what basis, someone adjudges an institution? Did s/he graduate from all these institutions and took a note of each? Truly Madly. Definitely not that case. So, do they prepare standard parameters and throw questionnaires at students? or Take Polls? How can someone actually do that? I will be surprised If the metrics are indeed right.
If what Chetan wrote about IIT Standards in Five Point Someone is true, then I wouldn't be surprised with this ranking. Like how Aamir Khan ask in 3 Idiots movie, How many International papers have been published/presented by All the Indian Universities put together? How many all over the world and what is the % contribution from India? If the answer is a pathetic number, again the rankings holds good.
It's % the real-problem !
Why is that we are not able to dominate this arena? Aren't our people creative? Except for those who drives themselves on their own toward innovation, students are not directed in the right path. Except for some spectacular teachers, students are not guided properly by teachers. TEACHING is NOT just a job. It's beyond everything where someones puts his heart-out to bring the best out of a generation. Other noble roles are Doctors and Army. Such people do not (and should not) strive for money. They should have it as a passion to be there. Of course we do have studious students and terrific teachers. We also have moderate students and ordinary teachers. The problem is the percentage of later being well over the former. I have no right to call them 'ordinary' but I feel the way they teach is ordinary.
The typical type:
Apart from the teacher, the moderate students have no interest in going beyond the books. You can see such rare personalities one-in-a-class and they are the group I referred to as those who drives themselves on their own toward innovation. I definitely don't belong to this group. I did not have the maturity during my graduation to go beyond text books. Even, I did not have the interest to go throughout the textbook. Just like any standard Indian student, I aspired for grades. I went to college for four years and had fun. I study the night before every exam. With a decent score, I passed outta college. There are cases where a tremendous Teacher was never approached by a moderate student as well as a tremendous student not being guided by a moderate teacher.
That Golden Egg:
They are very few students who went beyond all these barriers, did things the way it should be and these are the people who integrate semi-conductor chips in Intel, Optimize search engines in Google and narrow down to nano-meter calculations in NASA. This means, the Little few HAVE NOT given back what they learnt to the country. It's like your hen lays once in one hundred days and the only hatched chicken runs away. If the best students are choosing other options, Teaching positions are filled by moderate candidates. They in-turn produce moderate students. If the above two steps keep repeating again and again, one fine day, all that will be left is way-below-the-average.
The change should originate from all layers. From the student, to the teacher, to the management and include the government if you want. From what I have seen, Students in general never aspired for inventions and innovation. Part of those who did, had no idea how to do it. They weren't guided properly and they got lost in the crowd. The remaining were smart enough to find the way on their own, not only to innovation, but also the way to go outta the country. Youngsters simply want to enjoy life in college, settle in a moderate job, reasonable enough for a living. "Software education not that good in India", said Kaspersky CEO. He quoted the inability to do complicated tasks that requires strong knowledge in Mathematics and Cryptography as the reason. Though India is a major IT hub in the world, the kind of work done here isn't that complex. My assumption may be wrong but I strongly feel it that way. The kind of work that I (and people around me) do today, rarely or hardly involve a complex mathematical computation. Most of the software engineers are just a skilled White-collar Labor. Just compare the No. of R&D centers and Development centers of top firms available here and everywhere else.
Importing the exported:
The leading universities in that ranking list are from the U.S. I have no idea about the quality of education carried out there, but there should be a difference. After all, we are comparing two entirely different democratic countries and so there is no wonder in the difference. Also majority of the best students and teachers are somewhere in the U.S, the rest in Europe, UK and other places. These ran-away chickens can consider coming back to their nest, become a part of where they were before, produce more such chickens and help make education better. Not only they bring along themselves, but also the kind of education they were imparted. For the change to happen, the way education is carried out should also change. Some talks are already in progress.
The bigger picture:
Edison did not invent the electric bulb for America alone. He gave it to mankind. None of us are going to live for a light year. The little time we spend here, can try and make life for mankind better than what it was now rather than fighting/complaining against each other. Moving out of the country is the individual's interest but it's just that we need some assistance here as the balance is missing somewhere. Let's hope It will get better. I liked the idea proposed in 3 Idiots movie. That's the way education is meant to be!
Nov 11, 2010
Comparing Dates in Javascript
Javascript not only made life easy for Servers but made life hell for developers. Though it takes care of most of the computing stuff on the client side itself, it's behavior changes with respect to browsers. Comparing two dates using Java script is done quite frequently and doing it with the Date object doesn't work really the same on all occasions. One idea is to change the dates to a whole number and then compare them. If the two dates are 20-04-2009 and 25-03-2009, you can just invert them as 20090420 and 20090325 after removing the seperator. This will workout for all the date combinations.
Code for dd/mmm/yyyy format:
Assuming the arguments are in the format "dd/mmm/yyyy", the following function will return
Assuming the arguments are in the format "dd/mmm/yyyy", the following function will return
- 0 if d1 == d2,
- -1 if d1 < d2 and
- 1 if d1 > d2.
function compareDates(date1,date2)
{
var d1 = date1.split("/").reverse();
var d2 = date2.split("/").reverse();
var months = { 'jan':'01', 'feb':'02' };
// ... You write the rest....till dec
d1[1] = months[d1[1]] || '00';
d2[1] = months[d2[1]] || '00';
date1 = d1.join("/");
date2 = d2.join("/");
return date1 == date2 ? 0 : date1 < date2 ? -1 : 1;
}
Code for dd/mm/yyyy format:
In this format, you don't have to convert months to its number equivalent. The task will be much simpler. Pass two string dates in DD/MM/YYYY format. This will return 0 if both are same, 1 of date1 is greater or -1 if smaller.
function compareDates(date1, date2) {
var d1 = date1.split("/").reverse();
var d2 = date2.split("/").reverse();
var d1Num = Number(d1[0] + d1[1] + d1[2]);
var d2Num = Number(d2[0] + d2[1] + d2[2]);
return ((d1Num == d2Num) ? 0 : ((d1Num < d2Num) ? -1 : 1));
}
If you have come across a better way, I will be interested in knowing it :)
Oct 24, 2010
Cousin Vs Cousin
Oct 2, 2010
Enthiran - The Robot
Tags: Enthiran the robot movie review stills images songs scenes video download ringtones wallpapers screensavers
This movie is still running inside me even though I came outta the theatre 50 hours ago. I woke up at 4 AM for the first-day, first-show of Enthiran – The Robot. Never before a movie was screened at 5 in the morning ! Fans were already going berserk throughout the night, cracking fireworks, dancing, pouring milk on posters by the time we reached the theatre.
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Such an astounding sci-fi master piece in terms of Indian movie standards is unthinkable. Undoubtedly the best movie I have ever seen. Big thanks to my friend Karthik who secured us a seat. It had the perfect mix – Indian aspects with International standards. Minutest detail was given to every facet, all credits to Shankar, our dashing director, one of the creative minds around. Despite those little flaws in logic on certain occasions, I still rate it 15/10. CG was stunning. Those Indians who frequently watch Hollywood movies can easily distinguish the CG work done in Indian movies. The animation work that we do here was no way near the Hollywood standards so far but Enthiran proved it otherwise. It's truly breath-taking. And do you know who was given this special effects job? It's Stan Winston studios, the same team that rocked in Avatar, Terminator, Jurassic Park!
Most of the movie success can be attributed to CG. Also adding up to the bill was screen play, dialogues, Rahman’s on-the-movie BG. But it was Rajini’s name that created huge expectation to the movie. Presence of Aish will make it popular on the bolloywood street but Rajini is no stranger there !
The first half makes you laugh, laugh and laugh. The later keeps you engrossed, especially the final 45 minutes, stamps you at the edge of the edge of your seat. Not even a single scene you would feel to have been omitted. We enjoyed watching every frame. I have read ‘Standing Ovation’ on magazines to emphasize brilliance but saw it in front of my eyes for the first time! All the audience, stood up after the stunning movie ended, and applauded unfeignedly!
Little did Rajinikanth play yet it’s been years since we saw him simple and for the first time, a director’s hero and as well as a Scientist. Those diving fights and punch dialogues was never been part of the movie. That makes it a special superstar flick. A Rajini movie without a PUNCH DIALOGUE. There were cribbing fans who got satiated with the ROBO that portrayed him as a dazzling dancer, acrobatic fighter, and a vibrant villan – sequences that Rajinikant cannot do on his own.
Unlike those Hollywood Terminators, Aliens and Predators, where machines fight each other and die, ROBOT has a different story. What will happen if machines think? What if they start taking decisions on their own? What if a ROBO fall in LOVE? What if a ROBO is made FOR THE PEOPLE? For the benefit of the common man?
It’s an unique treat to watch a ROBO cook, dance, drive, sing, reason out, fight and fun to watch it henna hands decoratively, poke the police, hunt mosquitoes and tamper Televisions! It is even capable of doing surgery, argues as a lawyer in cours, fights fire as a fireman too.
Not sure if the International audience could appreciate much but Indian-born are awarded with effervescent entertainment. Aish was amazing and awe-inspiring. Was looking more gorgeous than Raavan (as her role gave little attire options). She can still win six more Ms.world titles. No surprise to see even a machine falling for her!Techies will enjoy certain scenes. One cop asks the name and the Robo replies, “I don’t have a name. My IP is 136.67…” and evokes laughter. When rajini was training it for voice, it said, “Hello World”, a testing print statement normally used on all technologies. Also, it will say, "I love Sana DOT". Actually a bug in it's program which makes the machine spell periods ! When it speaks, it ends a statement with DOT which is indeed humorous than illogical !
Santhanam and Karunaas did not add much value to the comedy quotient. They could’ve been used better or removed from the movie. Songs are good but not the best. May be as days progresses, my mind might change :P The stunts on the train, the cop chase and the ones at the climax were NEW to TAMIL CINEMA and deserves a distinction.On top of all the story, the message at the end was marvelous. Like the Robo involving in ill-will after programming the red chip, mankind does the same in terms of illwill, hatred, bitterness, and jealousy. One should throw away everything and live life the way it’s meant to be !
Stop finding faults in story and illogical scenes. Just an entertainment movie. Go to theatres, watch the treat and enjoy. I would’ve called it a ‘Must’est Watch if there existed a superlative equivalent for ‘must’ !
Sep 27, 2010
Champion Chennai :)
Congratulations to Chennai Super Kings. Proud to be a part of this state. We are the reining IPL Champions. We are also now the Champion of the Champions League. That makes us the BEST LEAGUE of the World.
And what a way to win the finals, a clinical contribution from both the bowlers and the batsmen that lead to a convincing victory over the South African Warriors. And what a support from the crowd. It doesn't even look like a foreign team is playing. Whole of India was supporting CSK and exuberance was all over Johannesburg.
Dhoni proved himself once again, keeping his cool, smashing a six and four to seal the game on the penultimate over. He won the World T20, Won Australia in Australia, Won the IPL and now the Champions League. The only thing he is yet to win is the ODI World Cup. Eagerly waiting for February 2011. Fingers crossed.
Wherever i go, any cricket-known country in the world, i can boldly brag about our boys.
Chennai-ku விசில் போடு !!!
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| © AFP |
Sep 26, 2010
Another night @ a call center
"Do you have any idea how much loss we incurred because of your stupidity?", my manager yelled in a typical fashion.
I looked at him. Blinked my eyes a bit. Did not know how to convince him. I am one of the security guard who stays awake all night so that others can sleep peacefully. Such a punctilious profession that expects you to concentrate with care and courage.
That morning wasn't a pleasant one for me as a tea shop owner was furiously running behind me, to catch me, only to get tired and give up the chase later. I am a fast runner by birth and no one can dare to win me. That's why i was given the security job. I shouldn't have stolen that bun from his shop.
"What the hell are you thinking? You bastard?", He continued as i regained my senses.
I looked at him, thinking what to say, even though i knew whatever excuse I give will never convince him. This is a traditional ceremony that i got pretty much used to. He is supposed to shout and i am supposed to stand and remain calm. Firing me is the last option he would choose for i'm the only human being on Earth who can stand guard with just Two-Meal a day, and NO CASH.
I wish i had a jacket like those executives in my company. I stare at them when they go out for that take-a-break walk to the coffee bar at the end of the street. The night was too cold and I was too tired. Most of the employees go out and come back and it's difficult to identify strangers coming inside. i slept without my knowledge. I tried hard but I failed to resist that tiring day. Someone, a bit more active than me, took away some expensive logistics from my company.
I wish i had a jacket like those executives in my company. I stare at them when they go out for that take-a-break walk to the coffee bar at the end of the street. The night was too cold and I was too tired. Most of the employees go out and come back and it's difficult to identify strangers coming inside. i slept without my knowledge. I tried hard but I failed to resist that tiring day. Someone, a bit more active than me, took away some expensive logistics from my company.
Can't I take a break during my work? How am i supposed to concentrate continuously throughout the night with a two-meal diet? I 've decided to make this clear. I am going to ask this. Right here, right now.
"Answer my question you......", he started to shout as i interrupted him...
"Lol..Lol…Lol…...Lol..Lol..lol........".....
Sep 25, 2010
Stopping Mobile Advertisements
How often we get annoyed with Promotinal offers, phone calls and SMS.,...It happens with most of the Indian mobile service providers....Here is a way to stop them....
Both Airtel and Vodafone users can sms START DND to 1909 (toll free) to stop these unwanted calls.
Stopping Advertisement Ads SMS & Calls using Airtel and Vodafone websites
- Go to Do not Disturb Page to Stop unwanted calls for Vodafone users. Add your name, email and mobile number to this page and stop all unwanted promotional/offer calls.
- Airtel prepaid and postpaid customers Do not Disturb Page
- Airtel landline Customers use this Page. You need to put in your Airtel land line number, account number and email.
How to Stop Advertisement Calls & SMS on Other Mobiles
- BPL Mobile – Do Not call sign up page
- BSNL Do not Call registration – you need to be registered to use this service.
- Idea Cellular – Post paid users need to be registered to use this service. Prepaid users just need to enter their number to stop unwanted calls.
- MTNL Delhi – A bit lengthy registration form
- MTNL Mumbai – this page speaks for itself.
- Reliance Mobile – Do not call me, I will call you
- Spice Karnataka – Sms START DND to 1909 or call 9844098440 and place a request.
- Spice Punjab
- Aircel Chennai
- Aircel Tamilnadu
- Tata Indicom – sms START DND to 1909, or you can use the My account(for registered users) page for the same to stop promotional calls in your tata indicom mobile.
Source: Snaphow.com
The Science behind Romance
Love: as seen through movies and real-life is a lot to do with emotions - Affection or hatred or pain. Someone likes someone else. They have something called "Chemical Reaction" in between them. Also we will call certain celebrities having a good 'Chemistry' between them. Why was that not physics ? or biology ?
We personally do not think much about have them. Although, everything that exist in our Universe (including the Universe itself) has a science behind it. Say the Divine created it or some bang-bang went Big and then came our Universe. Most of them are either yet to be unveiled or already done.
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| Image source: Time.com |
Do you think Love has a science behind it ? A common language across continents. A miracle in a word. It just comes. Like it was designed years before the birth of the two. But it's twin-sister - Romance is what i wanted to write about. I am no expert on it's chemical component but Yes, i did read something on the scientific front. All the 'reaction' we call, actually alters something inside the human brain. A chemical content, to be preciser. Dopamine, Norepinephrine and serotonin: to be precisest.
Two great researchers, started working on this. They pulled in set of people who are madly in love. Showed them two pictures. On of their partner, and another of a neutral person. They observed how their brain reacted on both occasions. And that's it, they cracked the science behind it. There was a drastic yet unique change in their brain's behavior. It ultimately lead to the results.
If you are still reading this three para post, i assume you are interested in it and i believe you want to know How they did it.
Sep 20, 2010
Being a Vegan
For some reason, I became a Vegan one fine day. Neither regretted it nor did i cheer about it. After i read something interesting, I am now having something to cheer about ;)
Try to answer the following question:
Sep 19, 2010
Youtube and Copyrights
Google is famous for it's creativity and breath-taking technology advancements. They are always on the top, being the first one to introduce almost anything. If something else comes, they acquire it. YouTube is one such technology. Three paypal employees, Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, Jawed Karim built this in 2005. Sensing the popularity received, Google bought YouTube for $1.65 Billion an year later.
Now it's among the list of most famous entertainment website on the planet, which allows users from all over the world to upload videos. Stats states that more than 100 Million Videos have been watched everyday.
When you allow everyone to post video content, the problem is 'Copyrights'. One will never know whose video is posted by whom. To tackle this, youTube came up with a software system that will AUTOMATICALLY IDENTIFY whether the uploaded content is copyrighted. Here is how it works.
- Maintain a database that contains ALL the media ever created over the past 100 years.
- When a video is uploaded by a user, scan the database and see if it matches any entry.
Now, does that sound simple? If you think so, you are either dumb or super-human. Think about the size of media worth 100 years. Think about scanning all the videos that are uploaded every second on YouTube. The processing speed of this system is absolutely astonishing. Just got inspired by this talk from a senior google director. I suggest you spend 5 mins in this TED Talk video.
It's not a 'Job'
He is not my brother. Not my cousin. Not my in-law. Not even live in my street. He keeps guard somewhere on the border, awake, day and night, to save me. to save you. S/he is the one who safeguards our country. I honestly, don't have the gut and courage to be there, but i know what it takes to be there.
Marooned in a mountain, little is the possibility of a everyday communication to your beloved. It's not like, wake up in the morning, go to work at 9 AM and come back at 6 PM. It's not like you get a 30-min lunch break at 1 PM. It's not like you can take off two days in case there is a special occasion in your family. It's not like you can go, gallivant around, party every weekend.
Serving the army is NOT a job. I failed searching for a word to describe it. This a task where your LIFE is at stake. You are ready to give up yourselves for your country. Beyond a teacher, doctor, engineer, a jawan is truly the most admired person amongst us. He who thinks otherwise is probably not as proud as me of my country.
The purpose of this blog entry is to ensure the difference between being in a job and being a jawan. One of my college junior calls me for a help. Here goes the conversation.
He: Sir, i have an interview tomorrow, with the Indian Army.
Me: Wow, great. All the best. Do well.
He: Sir, the problem is i also have an interview with TCS (A Software Company) next week.
Me: So what?
He: I can get selected in only one interview. I cannot attend both. That's the college rule.
Me: What's your problem then?
He: I like the offer from Indian Army. But I cannot get TCS.
Me: So there is no problem here. You have two offers. You like Army. Choose it naa...simple.
He: The problem is i cannot get respect if i am in Army. People around me will respect me only if i am a Software Engineer.
Me: Whaaaaaaaaat ? .......... (i was seriously pissed off)
He: .........
There is nothing equivalent to serving the nation. A jawan is the most respected and revered person in our country. I am flabbergasted by the way young minds compare a job with an army to one in a software company. Comparing two offers from two IT companies appears acceptable but this case is absolutely absurd. Pround Indians serve the nation. Not he who is in need of money. Ofcourse, there are case in which people have no other option in life than to make money but that's a subject for some other blog i may write in future.
Dear young, bright, smart minds, please do not see it as a 'Job'. It's something above and beyond the call of duty. I respect every single proud patriot out there, safeguarding me and family. I am grateful to you all. Thanking you is the least possible i could do for you. Praying for you is the most i can do. May god bless you and your family with a happy, healthy and prosperous life.
Sep 16, 2010
[Movie] Boss - a.k.a - Baskaran
It's not every week day you go to a movie in the night, come back and start blogging about it right away instead of getting underneath a blanket. Especially, not when the previous night extends to the present day and ends at 4 in the night (or morning or whatever).
Boss (A) Baskaran has that revitalization quotient to drive away every bit of your dizziness. The last time i laughed again and again throughout the movie was probably during Pancha thanthiram. I badly wanted to sleep early today as i did not get to sleep much y'day but the offer of watching a movie appeared absolutely acceptable for what i went through the previous day.
I want to thank the director M.Rajesh for giving me 2 happy hours today. This is the movie you should watch when you are badly in need of a break. This is also the movie you should watch when you just want to enjoy a weekend with your family and/or friends.
The plot as officially stated goes like this.
- Behind every useless person you encounter, there is a genuine reason for his such-being. Like arya losing his dad at an intermediate age.
- For every man on earth, there is always a girl who might madly love him for what he is. Love is indeed 'blind'.
- Once a woman decides her guy, she will do whatever it takes to live a life with him. Be it, earning for the family while he sits idle in home.
- Every father always aspires for a Teetotaler for his daughter but every teetotaler is actually not one.
- Every Indian parent always cares about the money earned by his Son-in-law. Not the extent of love the girl has for him. Luxury is for father as love is for girls. Couldn't change both. The resulting conflict is a common place.
- A friend in need is a friend indeed. When every thing in life is lost, the only person who is still there for you is a Friend. Unfortunately, he himself is sometimes the actual reason for losing everything in life.
- Most of the physically challenged are actually ambitious and mentally stronger than the normal and are unfortunately yet to be recognized for their talents. One portion of the movie i went serious was when i saw a blind teacher. There are so many such great minds still in search of securing their lives.
Aug 20, 2010
Writing blogs from e-mail
Blogger has an e-mail feature using which one can simply blog from their e-mail client. If you are not used to writing blogs with the blogger interface, you can utilize this feature. There are two things you need to do for this.
- ONE: Configure your blog to use E-Mail Postings
- TWO: Write a blog and mail it to the configured address.
ONE: Configuring E-Mail Postings
Once you login to blogger, click on the MAIL icon in the dashboard (circled below in red)
In the pop-window, enter a secret keyword in the provided box.
Now the configured mail id is vignesh.professional.blogs@blogger.com
TWO: Writing the blog entry
Simply write an email like you do everyday and send it to the configured mail id.
That's all. Blogging done. Enjoy :)
Caveat:
The mail id must be kept confidential. Otherwise, any one can type anything and post it in your blog. The better part of it is that TEAM BLOGGING is easily made possible. Now, let me change my secret code as it's "very visible" in the screen shot :D
The mail id must be kept confidential. Otherwise, any one can type anything and post it in your blog. The better part of it is that TEAM BLOGGING is easily made possible. Now, let me change my secret code as it's "very visible" in the screen shot :D
Aug 8, 2010
Twitter Threats
Everyone has joined the Twitter bandwagon. All celebrities now feel connected to their fans. Ardent followers are all seen waiting eagerly for Updates (or the so called 'Tweets') from them.
Techonology always hypes it's boons and hides it's banes.
So anyway, what is the bane behind Twitter ?
If you notice carefully, Twitter page of a profile will display the location of the person. In terms of Latitude and longitude. The snapshot shown below makes it clear.
The last tweet was logged in from coordinates, 18.986079,72.821985 which resolves to his native - Mumbai. I have a trepidation that location disclosure would lead to danger. As Sachin tweets also from his Mobile phone, anticipation of his on-the-move becomes easier. Something serious may happen on the spur of the moment.
Sachin's profile attracted 200 Thousand followers on the day he joined the microblogging community. It has crossed 500 thousand now. I wouldn't be surprised if he becomes the twitter user with HIGHEST FOLLOWERS !
Sachin, if you are reading this, BEWARE Brother.
Tags: Sachin Tendulkar Twitter Threats Security concerns problem Location Uber Twitter Latitude Longitude
Aug 4, 2010
Why is it called Debugging ?
Definition: Debugging
The term of a software fault being called a bug is from the days when a valve based computers occupied whole rooms - if an insect landed on the racks it would often cross contacts causing an error - hence the term debugging !
I have been doing this fault-fixing process for a very long time but just got the reason behind it's Name :)
Read more on this one here: http://icecube.berkeley.edu/~dima/stuff/misc/stories/bugging.html
The term of a software fault being called a bug is from the days when a valve based computers occupied whole rooms - if an insect landed on the racks it would often cross contacts causing an error - hence the term debugging !
I have been doing this fault-fixing process for a very long time but just got the reason behind it's Name :)
Read more on this one here: http://icecube.berkeley.edu/~dima/stuff/misc/stories/bugging.html
Jul 17, 2010
The Internet is God
A friend of mine is a famous English professor who often ask the students to refer the 'Laptop' for interesting words or a phrase. He recently bought a new Laptop and is learning to use it because there are lot of students who mail him personally and he is eager to read and respond.
For him, the Internet seems to be the laptop but it actually isn't. Be it, Checking mails or surfing the Internet, all are done through that Laptop. Can i tell him that he is wrong ? How can i tell a professor that he is wrong ?
He has an impressive in the language but having a little idea about the Internet & a Laptop, i decided that i should politely inform him about his misusage. But, how can i give him a simple explanation if he actually wants one ?
Here goes my thought process.
God is one. God is everywhere. You can find God in a temple but it doesn't mean that He exists only in a temple. He can even be in a church or a mosque.
The Internet is one. Internet is everywhere. You can access the Internet with a Laptop but it isn't the only device that has the access to it. There are Desktops (Home Computers) and Mobile phones too !
Internet is a communication service whereas the Laptop is just an electronic device. Hope that makes it simple and evident. I will mail this to him soon !
Jun 30, 2010
Hair Straightening !
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.
(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 .
Loved it ? There is one more love story wrote by Sudha aunty !
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