Ripple

Faces of India

2012-01-04T09:39:00.001+05:30

Chittorgarh Fort

2012-01-03T15:15:00.004+05:30

Chittorgarh Fort in Chittorgarh (Rajasthan) is the largest fort in India. Built in 7th century A.D., the fort was impregnable by standards of yesteryears. It was the capital of the Mewar region, and is today situated close to Bhilwara, in Rajasthan. The fort is at an elevation of 180 meters, spread across 700 acres, above the plains of the valley, fed by the Berach River. Chittorgarh Fort has been visited by travelers, writers, historians, and archeologists for centuries. Tourists from areas like Delhi, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and even Karnataka visit this architectural magnificence. Its grand palaces, temples, massive gates, 2 commemoration towers and other majestic precincts are awesome.

Every beauteous creation of India has a bloody history. The Chittorgarh fort was raided thrice: in 1303 A.D. by Allauddin Khilji, in 1535 A.D. by Bahadur Shah of Gujrat, and in 1567 A.D. by Akbar. The Rajput women performed Jauhar or self immolation each time, in lieu of lost wars. Rani Padmani in 1303 A.D. and Rani Karnavati in 1537 A.D. are remembered for this. Maharana Udai Singh II fled the fort and founded the city of Udaipur, after losing to Akbar in 1567 A.D.

The Octagonal architecture reminds you of the influence of Islamic architecture, in India. The fort was not managed very well till some time back, and this is evident when you see some of the crumbling walls. Something which is etched in my memory is the tinge of indigo you can see on the walls of houses from the fort top. There are 7 gates to the fort along the winding road to the fort top, with a godly name and a story attached to each gate (called Pol).

The temples within the fort are known for amazing carvings. The story is, craftsmen were either resting, or carving. There was no concept of cement in those days, and so a mixture of Wheat (Aata), Refined Flour (Maida), and Lentil (Dal) was used to bind stones, and it still holds strong.

There is an hour long light & sound show from 7:00 P.M. in summers and from 6:00 P.M. in winters. This hour long crash course in history will cost you Rs. 100 per person and can be experienced in 2 languages – English and Hindi.

Like any other place, local people are best to seek information and services. While there are many up and coming hotels in Chittorgarh, a credible option is RTDC Hotel Panna (+91-147-2241238). A double bed A/C room cost me around Rs.1,300 per night (including taxes). One of the employees at RTDC Hotel Panna is Mr. Shanti Lal Sharma, who is also an official tour guide to the Chittorgarh fort (+91-9413-274-532). He charges Rs.350 for a 3 hour tour around the fort. If he is busy, he will direct you to other good tour guides. The entry fee to the fort is Rs.5 per person, and car parking is Rs. 20 per car. There are several places where you would need to stop, so please buy the parking ticket at the main entrance. There is no charge for still camera, but there is a fee of Rs.50 for moving camera.

The town of Chittor is situated on the intersection of NH 79, and NH 76, along the Golden Quadrilateral. From Gurgaon, in Haryana, it is at a driving distance of 537 kilometers, along NH 8 and NH 79. The best time to visit Chittorgarh is between the months of September and February. From Gurgaon, Jaipur is a 3 hour drive (220 kms.), and Chittorgarh from Jaipur is a 5 hour drive (317 kms.). With lane expansion on route to Jaipur in full swing, the 3 hour drive could take anywhere from 4 to 7 hours.

Menal waterfall is situated 90 kilometers from Chittorgarh, on the Bhilwara–Kota road. The best time to visit this waterfall is during the monsoon season (July–September/October). The water falls from a height of about 150 meters, and is a spectacular view. The roads are good and you can reach Menal waterfalls in about 2 hours from Chittorgarh. If you need a tour guide to Menal waterfalls, talk to Mr. Shanti Lal Sharma, and he will assist you with your search!

Dances of India, Rajasthan

2012-01-03T14:08:00.003+05:30

At RTDC Hotel Tiger Den, Near Forest Rest House Area, District Alwar, Sariska, Rajasthan - 301022 (India)

Email - tigerden@rtdc.in

Phone Numbers - +91-144-2841-342, +91-144-284-1344, +91-9928-369-139

More about the hotel on RTDC's site

Hotel Reviews on www.oktatabyebye.com

Hotel Reviews on www.tripadvisor.in

Another video

Social Life of Information

2010-12-11T07:26:00.006+05:30

The scribblings are dedicated to John Seely Brown, Paul Duguid, Xerox Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated, University of California, at Berkely: School of Information. These thoughts would not have been possible, without my mentor, pushing me into the world of exploration, research, and execution, Dr. Joel Greenstein.

The book, that changed my life and perception of machine, humans, and this world, that made this post possible is Social Life of Information.

I. COLLABORATION

1.Lateral

a.Face to face encounters
b.Occupational Groups
c.Job Categories
d.Local Workplace Culture: What are the social resources for similar occupations?
e.Points for Collaborative Problem Solving: Implicit or Explicit reward/ points mechanism?

2.Not Lateral

a.Media, and Material: Newsletters, Bulletin Boards, Web-sites

II. PEER RECOGNITION FOR LATERAL TIES

3.Peer Review

a.Common activity theme
b.Content: Originality , Usefulness, Relevancy, Accessible
c.Adds to – Social Capital, Recognition

III. COLLECTIVE KNOWLEDGE CREATION

4.Rewards Programs, based on Going On_s/ Activities

a.Avenues - Asked Questions, Raised Problems, Offered Solutions, Constructed Answers, Discussions, Engagement – implicit or explicit

IV. ENGAGEMENT

5.Value Addition Processes

a.Can we create reasons for repeated access?
b.Personalized, versus Conventional Dashboards
c.Training Courses on – New products, New features
d.Documentation – Conference, Journals, and Magazines
e.Other useful resources: Pamphlets, and Manuals
f.Information – Find, Select, Organize, and Present

V. EDUCATION AND LEARNING

6.Narration

a.Shared Interpretation binds people together
b.Story telling (of what?)
c.Stolen Knowledge (through Social Artifacts)- Watching (video), Listening (audio)

VI. ARCHIVING EXPERIENCE

7.Archive, Search, Advanced Search

VII. COMPETITIVE BENCHMARKING

8.Fax –

a.Annotations
b.Rapid circulation
c.Page structures
d.Personalized Indexing
e.Tables, for structure

9.Other Metrics

a.Testify Information
b.Various sources for Reliability (of information)
c.Institutional Weights
d.Hits
e.Maintenance

VIII. CONTEXT OF CONTENT

10.Context: Less Information, More Context

a.Read – What, Where, How
b.What it means – Should a Subject Matter Expert (SME) provide validity of content?
c.What it’s Worth – Who testifies its worth?
d.Why it Matters – well it does, if you want to engage your customers!

IX. EXECUTION

11. Now, the trick is to make it happen!!!!

Reference for Image used for this post.

Social Media, and the Art of Customer Experience

2010-12-05T18:02:00.005+05:30

Do you know who your customers are? Know them, before you apply Social Media, in lieu of Social Life of Information!

Creators of Information: they write blogs, have web pages, share videos on YouTube, share audio and music through YouTube or YouSendIt.com, they write articles, and stories

Conversationalists: they update their status on social media, and even update their status on Twitter, through BlackBerry, or other smart phones

They are Critics: hence, they will rate pieces of information, write reviews, rate reviews, comment on blogs, contribute on online forums, and contribute to edit articles, such as if they are fanatics of Wikipedia

Collectors of Information artifacts: they use RSS feeds, vote for websites online, Add Tags/ Edit Tags on web pages, they also edit/ add tags to photographs

Some are Joiners: they maintain a profile on a social networking site, and visit social networking sites, several times a day

Some are great at being Spectators: they read blogs, feed them into Google Reader, listen to Pod Casts, read online forum discussions, read customer ratings before consuming products, see reviews, and read Tweets

Inactives, do none of the above

How do you motivate them?

People are visceral by nature, and hence, negative emotions and opinions usually motivate them. Do you have some radically different ideas? Try it! Conduct several experiments, before you know what is right for your organization, your customer base, and who you want to do business with you. It will be your organization’s learning, and only your organization’s learning. In these ages, when everyone thinks short term, remember, emotional intelligence should be applied to product design, but, post sales, have empathy for your customer, they will remember it, and it will be a blessing for you. Social media will help you create transparency with your customers, that is, if you want to maintain this transparency.

Social Media in eCommerce!

Price comparison engine, Fare calendar, aggregated user reviews, one click checkout has been done to death in the era of Web 2.0. Today, men find online transactions like a chore, which needs to be done (think buying a airline ticket, online). Women, on the other hand, love to buy, they love the shopping experience. Think, a family buying a Holiday package online. Hence, ‘workflow optimization’ does not always work.
When was the last time your customers were involved in the creation of your product offerings? Well, if not, then why write and preach participatory design, and user centered design. Something is wrong! Correct it.

When was the last time your customers had ‘fun’ doing a transaction on your site? Did you create urgency (last few ticket deal left, Hurry!). Did you put this on LinkedIn, or Facebook, or Tweet it? Did you create a quiz for personalized experience, before they started buying a Hotel package online? There is a Facebook application known as PennyDrop, which allows you to keep a check on discounted rates and dropping prices. Do you have such SMS alerts for your loyal customers? Did you send a birthday card or an anniversary card to your loyal customers, even if, there is no online Loyalty Program implemented? Did you track down their Facebook page, and wish them, online, which is today’s ‘go tell the world’, personal experience? Can the customers change their mailing address online? No! Then you are paying more money for self service.

Are you focusing on customer retention, and also spending some time on acquiring new customers? Well, social media is a channel where you can ‘show off’ you organization’s values, and actually acquire new customers. Did the organization do this? No? Sorry sir, lost opportunity.

Did you make social games for your customers? You can engage with them, if you want to, do it now!

Did you manage to integrate services, across devices, such as social channels, website, mobile devices, and traditional mails?

Customer Experience engulfs Retail (Business: online, social media, and offline, as channels), Marketing, Design, and Technology. What all has your business succeeded in integrating? Collaborate, internally, before you serve your customers adequately.

Reference for Image

Social Media, Product Development & Design, and I (Self)

2010-12-04T17:35:00.003+05:30

A brother, a friend, a mentor, a listener, someone I mentored, someone I look up to, and someone who looks up to me, recently Nailed IT. This is for him, but not for him alOne.

Literature Review on Social Media 3.0: Who Do you Want to Connect with, and Why?

1. Creators
2. Conversationalist
3. Critics
4. Collectors
5. Joiners
6. Spectators
7. Inactives

Literature Review on Product Artifacts 3.0: What is the product offering going to look like?

1. Familiarity
2. Responsive, and provides the person Feedback to finish the objective of the task being performed
3. It should be Intuitive, and Efficient
4. It should Help improve the Quality of their Life, and help Accomplish Real Goals
5. Deliver to them, relevant Content, which again helps them, and is not a marketing Pitch
6. Is the product state, Appropriate to the Context, in question
7. Trustworthiness instilled in the Brand, because of your Product artifact

The Zen of Life, for Personal Growth and Professional Growth !

1. Go see the world, then try and absorb it. Do no action, yet
2. Align your personal and professional goals, to make an impact
3. Continuous improvement in your execution, and thought processes
4. Self reflect, honestly
5. Be natural, but be honest about naturalness. Only nature is natural, since it is basic, and simple
6. Austerity is required, remember, Rome was not built in a day. It takes time, and quality investment. You are not the ONLY agent of change
7. Subtle execution is what is a 'head fake'. If you tell the world, there will be more resistance. Keep it subtle, and simple
8. Simplicity in execution, is both: effective, and efficient
9. Asymmetry of life, will try and break your concentration, and will challenge you. But spend time to reach the goal, keep both eyes, only on the goal, and not the path. The goal is important, the path is incidental
10. Quietude, not from the world, from yourself. Meditate
11. Break from Routine. Sunday is the 7th day of the week. No gadgets, no work, no nothing. Recuperate, and start work afresh on Mondays.

Motto: You CANNOT be the only agent of change in this world. But you also need to be the change you want to see in the world. It is a bi-objective function, of the function, called Life.

Reference: This is where I took the image for this post from

Tao of Design

2010-12-02T05:22:00.002+05:30

These are thoughts, and words of, Dibyendu De. I 'heard' him say these on a LinkedIn forum, and thought I would let some other folks know.

What is design thinking?
Finding a solution to a 'wicked' problem through constructive experimentation and doing.

What is a 'wicked' problem?
Something that can't be defined. Once defined it is no longer 'wicked'.

Where are these problems?
In Life.

What is design?
A constructivist activity that reflects the mind of the designer.

What is the mind of the designer trying to do?
Balance a priori knowledge with a 'beginner's mind'.

Now if we put all these together can it be precisely defined?

Once we define or put our finger on it then:

- the problem is no longer wicked- no constructive experimentation is needed- no beginner's mind is needed.

But at the same time can we empathize and appreciate a problem and make an understanding of it?

- may be yes, partially.

Hence when we integrate Design Thinking and Design it can't be named or defined precisely. Because once named it no longer needs Design Thinking.

Therefore Tao of Life is the integration of Design Thinking and Design.

Something which can't be named (Tao) is not a metaphor because all metaphors can be named.

So, where is the problem?

It can't be named.

Customer Discovery in an Agile Environment

2010-11-30T22:00:00.004+05:30

With 'waterfall', almost, long gone, 'agile' is the way forward. Most of the business decisions are being made, with less than 40% of true, customer understanding. The following are some thoughts, words of wisdom, orated by Dr. Joel S.Greenstein.

Do needs analysis to understand the ways in which current tools are liked by your potential markets and the ways that they are perhaps not liked. Be on the lookout for latent needs--needs not met by conventional tools that users are perhaps not even consciously aware they have, but that would delight them if they were met. Innovate where practical to meet currently unmet needs or significantly improve performance with respect to met needs. Maintain consistency with convention in areas where needs are being met adequately. In a mature marketplace, don't innovate for the sake of being different, only for the sake of being noticeably better. Innovate in areas of opportunity (where you have identified unmet needs that your organization has the capability to meet). And don't try to innovate at every opportunity. Innovate in a prioritized way, incrementally. This is particularly appropriate with web sites, where changes do not have to be held up until the next big release.

So: Yes, do needs analysis early and often to increase the likelihood that you understand your market better than your competitors do and that you identify opportunities for innovation before your competitors do. But if your current product is successful, innovate incrementally and selectively. If you have the resources, explore opportunities for more radical innovation in parallel with these activities, knowing that these radical innovations will often not be implemented directly. Rather, they will inform the development of less radical refinements to the current product.

Jamshedpur, the Steel City of India

2010-11-29T20:20:00.001+05:30

1. Bauaji is where most of us young kids learned to smoke our first cigarette. Bauaji, and Ramji, have made this small corner next to the police control room in Circuit House area, a haven for tea lovers, singhada (and NOT samosa), and aloo chop their own patented offerings. Try it.

2. Flying colors is the first 'hat kar' shop. It's theme was what Archie's is like. I worked there in the winter of 1995 for a month. On the shop floor sales. Amazing experience. It was a mecca for all us teenagers who wanted to buy cards to impress women. Ravi Prasad a senior in school, owns the shop.

3. Egg roll in Kadma (near the vegetable market), Bistupur (near Regal theater), and Sakchi (opposite Basant talkies) are quintessential East India offerings. Mutton egg rolls are even, more superb cylinders of hog fest material.

4. Pani puri near diagonal road in Bistupur.

5. Chola bhatura, opposite Saligram groceries store in Bistupur, next to Rao's pan dukan.

6. Sada pan Joda, at Rao's pan shop in Bistupur. Elaichi, Sikki supari, peppermint, and chatni. Stud kinds.

7. Thanda Metha pan next to Tata Main Hospital.

8. Hakka Noodles and Chilli Chicken at Frank's in Bistupur.

9. Meat balls at United Club.

10. Spring rolls at United Club.

11. Mutton Cutlet at United Club.

12. Re.1 potato chips, while swimming in the swimming pool at Jamshedpur.

13. Chinese food at Hong Kong, in Contractor's area.

14. Take a stroll in Jubilee park.

15. Go visit Loyola School, and check out the Red stage. We had to kneel down there, when punished for misbehavior. Would do anything to kneel down there once.

16. Beef Kebabs with Tandoori rotis in all the mughal good joints in Dhatkidih.

17. Howrah Bakery and Calcutta bakeries, in Dhatkidih. Eat anything. Everything is good.

18. Chutney buns, and Full loaf of bread, baked fresh, after 6 P.M., in the bakery at D.B.M.S. school.

19. Peri's thali of aloo, dal, sabzi, rice, and rotis at Loyola School, Jamhedpur.

20. Go see Dalma hills.

21. Trek to the summit of Dalma hills.

22. Go see the confluence of Subarnerekha and Kharkhai rivers.

23. Catch an auto, to go across town, to watch a movie in Payal Cinemas.

24. Go fish at Beldih Lake.

25. Slide on the golf course next to Beldih lake, opposite Loyola school, when it rains. You will become really good at stopping the cricket ball.

26. Check out Noel D'gama's guitar skills, if he is in town. He is in Bangalore now a days.

27. Labh Singh ka dhaba, next to the railway station is now shut. But is a mecca for old timers of Jamshedpur. Go pay respects there.

28. Go walk around Circuit House area in the morning. Good looking houses.

29. Walk on the Kadma - Sonari link road. It is liberating, when the sun is coming out.

30. Go see Kaizer Bungalows. Amazing construction.

31. Go see Mr.Natrajan. The best Math teacher, ever.

32. Meet Mr. Paul Mathews, the best Geography teacher ever.

33. Go see the TELCO area of Jamshedpur. It is gorgeous, and at least 5 degrees Celsius cooler than the rest of the town.

34. Check out the Durga puja pandals during Durga pooja.

35. Go check out the hip crowd of Beldih Club.

36. Go to Narayan's kulfi bhandar in Sakchi, Creamy, amazing, falooda wala kulfi.

37. Sit next to the river in Sonari, it is peaceful.

38. Cross over to the other side of the river, across Jamshedpur, and you will not regret it.

39. Go check out the Tata Football academy.

40. Should go see Rankini Mandir in Kadma.

41. Go see Natraj theater and Regal Cinemas, which are shut now, but used to be huge hang out places.

42. Have masala cold drink, right as you enter Bistupur from the Kadma, Contractor's area side. It should have been patent_ed.

43. Nargis kofta and Mughlai paratha in Bistupur's Mughal restaurant.

44. Bhatia's cold coffee, and Mango milk shakes are awesome.

45. Do see the Tata Steel factory from inside.

46. Do see the XLRI campus.

47. Go see the Parsi temple. The colony is also awesome.

48. Rabindra center is where most of us kids learned how to sketch and paint.

49. Go meet Mr. P. Gupta, one of the nest painters in the country, Stays close to eye hospital in Sonari.

50. Absorb the steel city. It is one of it's kinds.

The Straight Story

2010-11-29T20:17:00.001+05:30

Long distance runner what you standing there for?
Get up, Get off, Get out of the door.
You're playing cold music on the bar room floor.
Drowned in your laughter and dead to the core!
There's a dragon with matches loose on the town,
Take a whole pail of water just to cool him down.

- from “Fire on the Mountain”, on the album Shakedown Street, by Grateful Dead: words by Robert Hunter, November 1978

The Straight Story is a true story of Alvin Straight’s journey across Laurens, Iowa, to Mt. Zion, Wisconsin, U.S.A., in 1994, on a lawnmower, to mend his relationship with his ill brother, Lyle Straight. Alvin is 73 years old, when he makes this journey, and Lyle is a couple of years older to him.

Richard Farnsworth’s performance as a man on his path to redemption at the ripe old age of 73 is subtle, powerful - a man who needs to find purpose, & has a screen persona of the good old wise old man from the neighborhood, who has a ‘dark’ alcohol based past, something, that most movie watchers may not have encountered before.
For once David Lynch, keeps away from complications associated with Lost Highway, Mulholland Drive, & his other masterpieces, and indulges in a fable like, simple and straight kind of storytelling.

The landscape is breathtaking, and adds to the aura of the story. The characters are accessible, people you can associate with, & fit into the story telling remarkably. For me, the landscape of Wisconsin was a character in itself. The strongest character: that, which inspires its residents to indulge in feats of courage.

Sissy Spacek as Rose, the disabled, but inspiring daughter of Alvin, made my heart cry out with simple gestures of love, care, and motivation, which only daughters are capable of doing.

Redemption for Alvin starts in lieu of his limitations! At 73, he is visually impaired, and the World War II veteran also has weak legs, which does not make him eligible to get a driver’s license. The 240-mile journey may not be much in today’s motorized world, but is a 6-week path to redemption for Alvin, set against the life and landscapes of Wisconsin.

Why Travel? Because I love the Landscape of India

2010-11-29T20:13:00.003+05:30

Truckin’: to persevere - a phrase of encouragement

(Reference: Grateful Dead lyrics from their song, Truckin’, in their 1970 album, American Beauty)

On the Road is an autobiographical novel by Jack Kerouac, with a stream of consciousness style. The work is associated with the Beat Generation. The generation wanted to be on the road, travel, explore, see, observe, absorb, and try and give their generation a direction.

One of my favorite quotes from the book, used to be, as follows –

"I woke up as the sun was reddening; and that was the one distinct time in my life, the strangest moment of all, when I didn't know who I was — I was far away from home, haunted and tired with travel, in a cheap hotel room I'd never seen, hearing the hiss of steam outside, and the creak of the old wood of the hotel, and footsteps upstairs, and all the sad sounds, and I looked at the cracked high ceiling and really didn't know who I was for about fifteen strange seconds."

- Jack Kerouac, On the Road, Part 1, Chapter 3

That was, till, I read the book a second time, and realized, ‘no’, the passage below, is my favorite -

"The one thing that we yearn for in our living days, that makes us sigh and groan and undergo sweet nauseas of all kinds, is the remembrance of some lost bliss that was probably experienced in the womb and can only be reproduced (though we hate to admit it) in death."

- Jack Kerouac, On the Road, Part 2, Chapter 4

What had happened to me? Well, I was walking my own road, of life, and looking at new avenues. I had absorbed the desert, and baked in its scorching sun, and I had, had thought that I had seen it all. Then I ended up in the back waters of Kerala, and then I was all sultry, I was uncomfortable, but..!

But I learnt that, this is how it is going to be. You see, we observe, we learn, we absorb, and that is that. The infinite is humongous, and well, there is much more to see, before I am put to rest by entropy.

On 11th July, 2010, while browsing through my book shelf, I came across Travels in Asia and Africa: 1325 – 1354. The book was an account of Ibn Battuta’s travelogue, translated by H.A.R. Gibb.

Abu Abdullah Muhammad Ibn Abdullah Al Lawati Al Tanji Ibn Battuta or simply Ibn Battuta (February 24, 1304 –1368 or 1369), was a Moroccan Berber Muslim scholar and traveler who is known for his travels and excursions called the Rihla, or a voyage in Arabic. His journey lasted for a period of nearly thirty years and covered almost the entirety of the known Islamic world and beyond, extending from North Africa, West Africa, Southern Europe and Eastern Europe in the West, to the Middle East, Indian subcontinent, Central Asia, Southeast Asia and China in the East, a distance readily surpassing that of his predecessors.

So here I was sitting at Creative Sneha Apartments, my dwelling during my initial days in Hyderabad, and wondered, Ibn bhai, Jack bhai, in lord’s name, WHY! No offense, not taking the lord’s name in vain, but why?

While I was trying to write a review from a perspective, which proposed, that I knew the answer to the WHY, it dawned upon me, that I travel to quench the thirst of knowing mankind, first hand. I want to absorb the destination first hand, and not read about it.

In Randy Pausch’s evergreen, last speech, before he died, the answer to every hypothesis of his speech’s context, was that everything in life, is a “head-fake”, preparing you for the next phase of life, also a head fake. You walk your own open road, and answers come through, meaning differently, to each uniquely, different individual.

Randolph Frederick "Randy" Pausch (October 23, 1960 – July 25, 2008) was an American professor of Computer Science and Human-Computer Interaction and Design at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Life comes full circle for me. I am in Delhi, after a stint in Jamshedpur, Nagpur, the states of South Carolina, & New Jersey in America, the city of New York in America, Pondicherry, Mumbai, Bangalore, & Hyderabad.

Fact is, I thought I was not a “wanderlust”. Fact is I am one, and Delhi pronounces so many opportunities to me, that I am excited like a 6 year old kid!
Is this not the holiday season? Get outdoors, get some fresh air, take a bus, take a car, take a cab, take a train, but do something, and get out. For Pete’s sake, walk the roads of gorgeous old Delhi.

This is one way to increase your productivity at work, in my humble opinion. It works for me, I am sure it would work for many more.

In a nut shell, my favorite song writer, wrote this gem –
You're sick of hanging around and you'd like to travel,
Tired of travel, you want to settle down.
I guess they can't revoke your soul for trying,
Get out of the door - light out and look all around.

- from the song Truckin’ by Grateful Dead, song script documented by Robert Hunter, on January 27th 1971

Charminar, Hyderabad

2010-11-29T20:08:00.003+05:30

Memories from Hyderabad. Have a Hyderabadi nan at Charminar, which is square in shape, with Irani chai, and Osmania biscuits. Bliss!

Theme Village, Padanna, Kerala, India

2010-11-29T20:02:00.001+05:30

Destination – Padanna, Kerala, India

Location – Padanna is a village in the northern part of the state of Kerala, India, south of Kasaragod district. Padanna Panchayat is composed of North and South Padanna villages. It became part of Kerala when the state was formed on November 1, 1956

Coordinates - 12°9′0″N 75°9′0″E

Distance from Hyderabad – to Kasaragod, Kerala, via SH 25 814 kms. & via NH 13, about 854 kms. Padanna is about 50 kms. from Kasaragod

The Place to Stay - Oyster Opera

History suggests that people came to Padne, and the areas surrounding it, from the north of Malabar, specifically, family heads, to sell their produce, which included sweet potatoes, yellow banana, tobacco, & dried fish. Cheena, or the local water transportation system, was their mode of transport. Traders joined the earlier settlers, and today this area is thickly populated, tucked away in the southern tip of Kasaragod district.

This backwater haven is not ruined by tourist influx, which is the case in Southern Kerala, and the local folk offer a stay experience, which is outstanding. These folks have not been corrupted by the tourist ‘greens’, yet.

One such family head there, is G.S.Gul – a quintessential example in being a head of family, a micro-financer, and doing all he can for the poor coastal folk, by applying innovative ideas to build on tourism. The Indian government, have done their bit by awarding a national award to him for Oyster cultivation, but during my stay there, I happened to talk to him at length for hours. He, in his half sleeve shirts, and white lungi, gave me business and tourism ‘gyan’, unlimited.

There are side huts, there are houses in mid air (on/ within the tree), and there is the never to be forgotten house-boat. The food here is meant for lords of both worlds, and Gul and his amazing staff, give you options galore, and see to it, that word-of-mouth marketing and canvassing happens, through suckers like me. You could stay in a house boat for example, and then at night, they will tie a huge rope to the boat, and depending on the tide, will either let you go all the way in, or a little closer to shelter. But at night, someone from the staff comes in a small row boat, delivers food, and lets you stay in the middle of water, gaze the stars, and absorb the eternity. Alternatively, they take you in the small boat to the shore, feed you, and then drop you back.

The back water beaches at Padanna, are virgin, and for kilometres, you don’t see man, mankind, nothing – only water, sand, waves, and maybe your own shadow, if you face the sun in the right fashion, and it then casts your shadow.

My heart still aches when I think of the times there. It is melancholy personified when I think of my wanderings in the surrounding villages over there. I remember reading an article by Muhammad Yunus some time back and his remark on happiness index. I promise you, the people of the real world (cities), need not look further than this place – gorgeous. In addition, Gul also mentioned that he is working on a ‘hut-stay’ concept, since people want to stay like the villagers do. Hence, he is working on a concept, where tourists stay in huts, like the villagers do!

Simple man, with simple ideas, yet effective, like most cannot imagine. I drove down to Padanna, and as Kerala starts, you do realize, that there is a reason that clichés become clichés – it is surely God’s own country, and mortal tourists like me, cannot absorb and feel the entire beauty in 3 or 4 days. I for one, felt like the human in Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo, as I was leaving Padanna.

A Guide to a Better Life: In Memory of Randy Pausch

2010-11-29T19:39:00.007+05:30

Dedicated to Mom for pointing this article out, Thanks to Sandhya Masi, for sending this article across, and Thanks to Praneet, for 'getting it'.

Who was Randy Pausch?

He died of pancreatic cancer in 2008, but wrote a book ‘The last lecture” before then, one of the bestsellers in 2007. What a legacy to leave behind. In a letter to his wife Jai and his children, Dylan, Logan, and Chloe, he wrote this beautiful "guide to a better life" for his wife and children to follow.May you be blessed by his insight.

Points on how to improve your life -

Personality:

1. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
2. Don't have negative thoughts of things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment
3. Don't over do; keep your limits
4. Don't take yourself so seriously; no one else does
5. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip
6. Dream more while you are awake
7. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
8. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner of his/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
9. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.
10. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present
11. No one is in charge of your happiness except you
12. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
13. Smile and laugh more
14. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

Community:

15. Call your family often
16. Each day give something good to others
17. Forgive everyone for everything
18. Spend time with people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6
19. Try to make at least three people smile each day
20. What other people think of you is none of your business
21. Your job will not take care of you when you are sick. Your family and friends will. Stay in touch.

Life:

22. Put GOD first in anything and everything that you think, say and do.
23. GOD heals everything
24. Do the right things
25. However good or bad a situation is, it will change
26. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up
27. The best is yet to come
28. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful
29. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it
30. If you know GOD you will always be happy. So, be happy.

While you practice all of the above, share this knowledge with the people you love, people you school with, people you play with, people you work with and people you live with.Not only will it enrich YOUR life, but also that of those around you.

The Wonder, which is India

2010-11-29T19:31:00.004+05:30

Dedicated to my Father, Dr. Joel S.Greenstein, Dr. DeWayne Moore, and all the people I saw on the way. Thank You.

I went into the heart of her landscape, I lost 'I', but she gave me back my Soul.

2,500 kilometers, 10 days, 8 cities, 4 states, 3 people, 1 car.

The idea was to go to Rajasthan, and absorb the dessert. One night something happened in my mind, and I called up my father, and told him, that I will not be going to Rajasthan. Instead, I would buy his old Maruti 800 c.c. (Non – A.C.), and drive it from Bhopal, where my parents were staying then, through to Hyderabad (where I was working, then), via, as much of India, as I could potentially see, in 10 days.

Dad said, “Sahi hai. Aa ja. Waise bhi arse se tune Holi ki chutti ghar pe nahi bitayi hai”. So I told my reporting manager the following day, that I need a 2 week vacation, and then made the next call to the Volkswagen showroom in Bhopal to book a Red VW Polo for my father.

Arrangements were made, maps were printed out, which is when I realized that Google Maps, & Map My India, both could not help me beyond a certain point. They just did not know enough of India, about her, and I understood that this is a path, which I will need to chalk out, based on what people told me on the road. So with a basic framework (route) in mind, I decided that I would start driving on the morning of 7th March, and would try and reach Hyderabad on the evening of 16th March.

That is exactly what I did. The India that I discovered on the way changed me forever. Do understand, I have been branded a road hog, and I have done several road trips in my life. Most of them have been, a very educated tour-de-force, and I wanted this to be a little different. 2 Kurtas (Black, & Green), 2 Pyjamas, an old Bandana, and 2 boxers, was all that I decided to wear during this trip. Of course, I was also carrying a “Rin ki Tikiya”, to wash my own clothes. I made no hotel reservations.

A day before my departure, I decided to visit an old friend in Sanchi, who hails from Kashmir, but because of the unrest there, he had decided to come to Sanchi, and open up a tourist goodies shop, right outside the Sanchi Stupa enclave. His name is Rafi, and is a big fan of the famous Indian singer, Mohd. Rafi.

My mother, the ever skeptic, when it came to her babies, was a little worried about why I intended to drive through parts of Madhya Pradesh, specifically around Kanha National Park, which were known for Naxalite explosions, unrest, and several government initiatives to cut down on the rebel movement. It took me days to convince her, that I would not be spotted by the Naxalites, and also told her, that I am a no body, hence, none of the Naxalites would even bother spending their effort in bombing me and my car. This created more unrest in her mind, and the complaint reached my father.

My father’s nick name, which yours truly had creatively come up with, at the age of 9, was RBT, or Royal Bengal Tiger. That is a different story, for a different day. But if there is one person in the world, who shatters the strong foundation of RBT, every once in a while, is my mother, and her emotional tactics. So RBT gave me marching orders: “YOU WILL NOT GO INTO THE NAXALITE AREA”! That was enough for me to understand that dad was serious, and I had to back off.

Shattered, that even before the start of part educated guess, part discovery mode, the plans was being influenced by people, who cared for me, and could not see the Che Guevara in me (sic!)!

Rafi was the guy I turned to: balanced, stable, objective, & seen it all. I poured the ‘marching order fiasco’ in front of him, to which, he sang an old Rafi song for me, which I recorded (by the way, this Rafi, has a brilliant voice), and then he asked me to just incorporate who ever gave me their 2 cents, since they cared for me, and just go live the moments, on the roads of India.

My discovery of India started with Rafi telling me that Vidisha, in Madhya Pradesh, has the best quality of wheat in India, and not Punjab! He also told me, that, the per unit produce of wheat in Vidisha, too, is at par, maybe better than Punjab. I did not know this. I always thought it was Punjab, which was the king of wheat production. It was to my relief, when other friends, named Haryana as the top producer of wheat: it makes you feel good, when you know you are ignorant, and you realize your friends are far more ignorant than you are.

I picked up Nachiket, from the Bhopal Railway station at 6:30 A.M., on 7th March, and after a traditional Bhopali breakfast at home (Poha, Jalebi, Dudh, and Tea); we were off at 8 A.M. Nachiket asked me to stop at Bharat Bhavan, in Bhopal, so that he could see the building which his idol, Charles Correa had designed several years back. Entry was not allowed before 9 in the morning. I had to beg the guard, and tell him stories, which were said with all the right tricks in mind, things which the guard surely did not buy, but seeing us beg, allowed us 10 minutes to explore the area, and get lost from there. And that is what we did, after taking about a million snaps.

Destination, now, was Jabalpur. With several Central & State departments, in Jabalpur, it ranks as the one of the top income tax paying cities in the India. The city dates back to the 19th Century, and the area around Marble Rocks, bordering the holy Narmada River, is referred to as Bheda Ghat. Defense presence in Jabalpur is also well known. It has a high court, and several other good universities. Hence, I made up my mind to visit at least one book store when I was in Jabalpur. The book stores did not let me down: there were books on the Indian constitution, on Education policies, on Special Education, and on my childhood idol, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. I picked up about 12 books for about Rs.2, 000. I got massive discounts. The owner of Khanna Book Stores in downtown Jabalpur (near the court), saw the car with recording equipment, cameras, clothes, water, and was fascinated. When he was told about our driving plans, he instantly gave us massive discounts. Greed got the better of me. I told him, that I would cross Jabalpur again, and if possible, would pick up more books, assuming he understood that I wanted generous discounts. He said, ‘Sure’, and also suggested/ hinted about how it was ‘my’ own shop, and I could always come on in, and get discounts on the books purchased. The book that captured my imagination was Tourism Development by A.K. Bhatia.

A. K. Bhatia was a senior official in the Ministry of Tourism Government of India, for more than two decades. As Deputy Director General, he was responsible for the marketing of Indian tourism in different parts of the world and as field officer he has had several assignments in India’s overseas tourist offices at Brussels, Paris and Geneva. He represented the Ministry of Tourism at various international conferences. The book talks about the basics, on how to market tourism, and India, and made me understand aspects, which only a godfather such as Bhatia, himself, could quote.

Dinner was at the book store owner, Mr. Khanna’s house. A sardar by birth, the dinner was hard core Punjabi, and homemade. His daughter, Dimpy, was the one who cooked the food. There were 2 kinds of salad, Dal, Paneer, Baigan ka Bharta, Bhindi, Aloo Ki Rase wali sabzi, amazing Rotis with Ghee smeared big time on it, and Jeera Rice. After hogging the living day lights out of the dinner served, we slept like logs, in his house. In the morning, we were woken up by Khanna sahib, and we washed ourselves and left his house at 6:30 A.M. By 7, we were done with breakfast on a street corner. Even though Mr. Khanna was kind enough to offer food in the morning, going by the previous night’s festivities, we best thought to politely decline the offer, and head out on the roads, that awaited us.

Our destination was Chirimiri, in Chhattisgarh, about 320 + kilometers from Jabalpur. We were pleasantly surprised with the road conditions, in Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh. Lot of infrastructure effort, and it showed, specifically in Chhattisgarh. The road did start breaking up as we approached Chirimiri, but it was expected.

Chirimiri comes under South East Coal Fields Limited, with several other industries around it. So there were portions around the industrial belt, which spelt disaster for my tiny little car, but the car survived. The railway station actually mentions – ‘Welcome to Chirimiri Hill Station’. The temperature did dip amazingly at night.

In the evenings, the town, with most of its residents associated with the mines, was smothered by smog: coal as cooking fuel + the dipping temperature. We stayed in a small rest house, which cost us, Rs.300 a night. The cook was from Bihar, and had the hand of god, when it came to adding the final touches to simple dishes. We stayed in Chirimiri for 2 days, and hogged on Rajma, Lobhiya, Dal, 100s of small and soft Rotis, Bhindi, Lauki, Bharta, Karela, & Parwal. The wheat was just too fresh, and the milk looked fresh. The curd was just amazingly creamy. I asked the rest house owner, how this was possible around Chirimiri, which had nothing but coal.

He smiled and mentioned, that about 17 kilometers from Chirimiri, starts a long and winding road, down the hills, towards Korba in Madhya Pradesh. That area, he said, was full of semi-tribal villages, which had their own farms, and every Tuesday of the week, the villagers would drive to the town in their jeeps to sell the produce to the wholesalers and retailers in the markets of Chirimiri.

Promptly, the next day we visited the tribal localities, met up with them, ate with them, and visited their huts, which by design were far superior to our rented apartments in the cities. Mere basics cut down the heat when needed, and avoided the cold wind from entering the house, in winters. I was totally impressed with these geniuses who stay miles away from modern civilization.

A friend of my father had worked in Chirimiri years back, and had built a rapport with the local folks, and had become a legend. Because of him, the hospitality we received in Chirimiri was over whelming. The evening before we left, some of the people who had made our stay in Chirimiri an experience of a life time, came to bid us farewell. Almost all said, ‘Sir, yahan tak aye ho, aur agar Amarkantak nahi gaye, to aap ka yahan aana bekar ho jayega. Amarkantak jayie, dekhiye, anand aa jayega’.

We did not want to take a hotel or a guest house, and hence called Mr. Khanna from Jabalpur for advice. He mentioned that there is a Gurudwara in Amarkantak, which only allows people to stay there, if recommended by people associated with the nonprofit organization which runs the operations of the Gurudwara. Mr. Khanna was well connected, and assured us, that we mentioned his name, and the book store he is associated with; it should work in our favor.

With hope, and Mr. Khanna’s word of relief in lieu of accommodation required, we started driving to where the rivers Narmada, Sone, and Johila sprout out, from mother earth. I still remember the first impression when I drove into Amarkantak. It is something which I cannot even explain, but something I will always remember, till the day I die: about 4 to 5 little ponds, where the water for the rivers mentioned started from. Everything else, as they say was fascinating history. There were sadhus who were relaxing next to these ponds, there were several cows grazing the lush green fields around the water bodies, and almost all the restaurants around the main temple, were busy serving tourists food. Most people drove into Amarkantak, and did the customary puja, and then drove back to their destinations, and in some cases such as ours, started driving back to the next designated destination. Very few were actually like us: staying back the night in Amarkantak.

The Gurudwara where I stayed was very basic, clean bed spreads, clean room, and an ok bathroom. The bathroom was clean, but the tiles were off white, and very old. That gave it a little depressive look, but as the evening set in, and the aarti in the local temple next to the Gurudwara started, peace set in my mind.

The next day, we were headed back to Jabalpur, but this time via a new route, which was recommended by the locals. The locals were right. I had never ever seen the diversity of landscape in the state of Madhya Pradesh, and it was while driving on this route, that I realized how damn pretty India is. I then wondered why my cousins and parents always like traveling abroad. And it is then, that it dawned upon me, that India is so basic, that people have forgotten to enjoy simplicity, and adore the unnecessarily complicated. On top of that, India, as a tourist destination, has been marketed and branded inadequately. But all those are not reasons, why I remember that route, alone.

About 40 kilometers after leaving Amarkantak, on my left hand side, I kind of saw a hostel, with light pink walls. And a few meters after that I saw a school, also with slightly pink walls, with about 100 little girls, giggling, hustling, bustling, and going about their activities for the day, in a hectic mode. I screeched to a halt, bought about 5 kilos of sweets and namkeen for the girls, from the Halwai next to the school, walked into the school, and requested the principal to distribute the goodies amongst the girls. This was the ice breaker.

I spent about an hour talking to these kids, understanding their mind set, and at some dawning minute, I realized most were unhappy. There are a million reasons why I thought and realized that, but I also remember, I was in tears for an hour after leaving that school, , before I took a smoke break to calm my nerves. What had happened to me, what had happened to this country, what was happening to the life around me, & really, why was I changing, or was I really changing, or did I feel the need to change, since the old baggage had been too much for me!?

I always knew the power of driving: the art of driving and Zen! It does something to you, which can only be experienced if the mind set is that of driving, and not resting till your bones are tired. This time though, I was seeing unadulterated India: no hotels, no lofty restaurants, no touristy locations, just plain simple India. The affect it was having on me was mind boggling, and I was cherishing each moment of it.

Next stop was Jabalpur, and specifically Mr. Khanna’s Book Store, where I picked up more books, chatted with him about Amarkantak, and looked at him smile at me, when I told him about my chance encounter with about a 100 little girls in the school. He said, “Life for them must be tough”. Like a 6 year old kid, I nodded as a mark of approval, not knowing what ‘tough’ really meant for the little kids.

The time was right for me to take a quick look at Marble Rocks, and soak in the beauty around this location at night. I have never seen, a night view of white marble, with moon shinning down, and the reflection of all this in water. We missed the last coracle ride in the waterfalls, by a whisker. At night the boat wallas, just say a big no to all requests. But the pure white of the marble rocks, with the moon, and the isolation of the location at night, weaved a magic spell, which left me looking into the horizon for at least an hour, remember all that I had, had been experiencing in the past few days. It was almost at the juncture when I was about to be lost, totally lost, that Nachiket and Dimpy tapped on my shoulder, reminding me that the Lassi, Samosa, Jalebi, & Kachauri of the street vendors at Marble Rocks is worth trying. I did that. There is another fruit known as Ram Faal, I think, which is amazing and needs to be eaten, if someone ever visits that side of the country.

I then slept like a log for about 10 hours, and the next day headed out to Nagpur to pick up my boss, Raman Saxena, who would be a part of the last leg of the journey. I crossed Pench National Park, on the border of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, about 100 kilometers from the Nagpur city bus stand, and realized that expansion of mankind into the jungles had single handedly commercialized the isolated jungle areas.

I reached Nagpur, dropped Nachiket at the hotel, and drove first to my landlord’s house, who rented his apartment to me and my friends, during my tenure as a student of engineering in Nagpur between 1993 and 1998. His time on planet earth was over, so I met his wife, and 2 daughters.

I then visited by adviser on my thesis during my bachelor of engineering days in Nagpur, who almost did not remember my name, but did remember my face. But, my breakfast joint/ dhabba in Nagpur had been Thakur Ka Dhabba for at least 3 years. He not only recognized me, but told me facts about Madhya Pradesh, which were fascinating, and something Lonely Planet would never ever be able to tell you, which a Tourism journalist will never ever be able to tell you.

I also visited the world famous Shankar Nagar Chai Tapri. Great samosas with rase wale channe, and amazing tea. Raju was a kid about 13 years back, when I had left this place. Today he was a man, worn out, because he had stayed almost all his life away from his family and tried and earn a living here in Nagpur. Raju was from Rewa in Madhya Pradesh. Raju told me how some years back, the famous actor Sonu Sood had come to Nagpur, and did locate these guys. Sonu Sood and Raju & friends, used to live in the same locality.

The next day, after picking up Raman Saxena from the airport, and meeting up with a few folks, we left for Wardha, in Maharashtra.

In Wardha, we stayed in Magan Sangralaya. This place has eco friendly architecture, with amazingly made rooms to stay, cheap and robust materials used for construction; even the clocks in the rooms are handmade. The folks, who run this place, grow vegetables in house, and that is what they serve for breakfast, lunch, & dinner. The food is clean, nourishing, and amazing in taste. The catch is, you need to know people who could vouch for you, or else getting a place to stay here, is impossible. Even if you may not be able to stay in this place, it is a must to go and see how people go about their daily work here.

We visited some of the agriculturists in the area, and also met some of the farmers. I had never ever seen what Tuar Dal actually looked like. On one of the stop overs in a farmer’s hut, we had the spiciest Tuar Dal, hottest Garlic chutney, Baigan ki Bhaggi, & Jawar ki Roti. The spice was so intense, that my stomach ached for 2 days, but the food was so damn tasty and fresh, that I still remember how it felt when the food hit my tongue for the first time.

Wardha is known for the Gandhi Ashram, too, and we explored it to the hilt, before we proceeded to Adilabad. In Adilabad, the attraction was Adilabad Kala Ashram, which is run by Ravindra Sharma. The art and handicrafts of this institute is amazing, and needs to be explored with immense amount of your time, at your disposal.

By the time we reached Adilabad, we had almost clocked 2,200 kilometers in about 9 days. We were exhausted, and were hoping to reach Hyderabad as soon as possible.

The next morning at about 9 in the morning, after a good breakfast at the Ashram in Adilabad, we proceeded for Hyderabad. At about 4 in the evening, I parked my car, after dropping off Raman and Nachiket at Ajay’s house, at Kaustubh’s and Sid’s house. Mission had been accomplished! We had covered close to 2,600 kilometers, in about 9.5 days.

I had witnessed things, and seen people, who I knew existed, but had never seen and met people of that nature. They had influenced me in ways, which would change my mind set forever. I had seen places in India, which left no doubt in my mind that India is a gorgeous place, and lots can be done to promote its landscapes, and natural beauty. I had been silenced by what I had witnessed and absorbed. The next step was to start processing information, and start chalking out another journey!

Persuasion Design for Effective Offline Customer Experience

2010-11-27T16:01:00.006+05:30

Scissors is a Men's Salon (Parlor), tucked away in the South City - II market of Gurgaon. It is one of the supreme examples of India's amazing Offline Shopping Experiences for the customers.

Traditionally, I used to pay Rs.100, in Omaxe mall in Sector 49, Gurgaon, to get a hair shave, every Saturday afternoon. A few days back, my Brother-in-Law recommended this place, because it was half the rate!

Price is not the only reason, why I have changed my salon. There is more. It is known as 'Subtle, Persuasion Service Design'!

At the more expensive salon, the barber used to 'push' a branded massage oil, or a face massage cream, and the like to me, right after the hair/ head shave. I was already aware that I was paying more than I should, and on top of that, for 3 months (12 hair shaves), I tolerated the attempted 'up-sell'. I was paying Rs.100 for a hair shave, why in my right mind would I pay, Rs.150 for a branded cream/ oil based massage? In India, we say, 'Abey, Alibagh se ayala hai kya mein, shaande' [English approximation ~ "Do you think I am from Alibagh (synonymous to being a village bumpkin), you damn smart ass"].

Here, at Scissors, right after half-the-price-head_shave, the barber smoothly asks me, 'Sir, aur kuch' (Sir, anything else!!!? .. eager to 'serve' me better/ more), or 'Sir, aur koi seva' (Sir, could I help you with some other aspect of your salon visit?).

It makes a difference! It did to me. Persuade me, indulge me, but do not 'up sell' to me, when you are already charging me steep prices, compared to the competition.

Maruti Suzuki: Brand Recall in Emerging Markets of India

2010-11-23T15:21:00.010+05:30

Maruti Suzuki: Brand Recognition, Brand Recall, and ahead of its times, for the masses of India, post Open Market of 90s. Largely thanks for the discipline of the Japanese!

My father had an Ambassador Mark I. He loved it so much, that he got it changed to Mark IV. Years later, when the bulk of the car, and the rising fuel costs became serious concerns for the middle class, we were given a Maruti 800, by the best social entrepreneurship company in India: Tata Steel. The amount the Tata_s spend on social overheads to maintain the city is mind boggling.

Additional Article on Maruti, and Societal Changes:

http://expressbuzz.com/opinion/columnists/an-affair-to-remember/162460.html

Who Are the Biggest Consumers of Mobile Games in India?

2010-11-23T13:36:00.005+05:30

A cobbler doing hard time on the streets of India. Exposed to the harsh winters of North India, he takes shelter under the tree, here, at the cross roads of a busy street. Look carefully, there is a cellular/ mobile phone in the background. He was listening to the cricket commentary of the ongoing India versus New Zealand cricket test match, on it. Mobile markets in India are waiting to explode. Question: Who are one of the biggest consumers of Mobile games in India, and what exactly is so fascinating about the Value Added Services (VAS) consumption?

Answer: Sadhus (Sages) in North India, especially during winters. Their cell phones do not have SIM cards. Go figure! Welcome to India, and Emerging Markets.

Nokia Phone: Durability, Trust, & Indian Customer's Raw Data

2010-10-12T08:57:00.006+05:30

Raw Customer Data:

"Why do I like my Nokia phone?" - There are quite a few reasons. I purchased this phone almost 6 years back. That was the time when I was newly married with wife living in a different town. When you talk more than 2 hours a day with your wife and are not disciplined about charging your phone, Nokia is the solution. Three things matter - cheap rupee one per minute plan, good network connectivity and great battery life. While Nokia has little control over the first two, its a savior for the third point.

Next why I love this phone is its sturdiness. This phone has run more than 8,000 km with me and in the process fallen more than 100 times, with all its part getting dis-assembled after the fall. It takes less than 15 second to assemble and still works.

Customer Name: Mukesh Singh

Persona Highlights: Runs in all parts of New Delhi, Technology Geek, Needs value for money, still drives a Maruti Alto.

Bulb as a Dehumidifier

2010-08-31T20:33:00.002+05:30

A tea shop owner, who also sells cigarettes, uses an electrical bulb, in the shelf where he stores expensive brands, as a dehumidifier. Khandala, Western Ghats, Maharashtra, India.

Complicated User Interface Design

2010-08-20T05:01:00.005+05:30

At the airport, I could not figure out what 'total' meant, and why the bag count was '0'? 'e' I assume is error! What does 'Min = 2 kg' mean?

Design for Actual Users

2010-08-18T18:49:00.003+05:30

With no cups around, I had a hard time drinking water from this water fountain at New Delhi airport. The Bangalore airport did have water cups, next to a similar water fountain.

Products for Small Scale Retail Enterprise

2010-08-17T05:14:00.002+05:30

Raw Customer Needs - While talking to a food retailer in Bangalore, he pointed out to the bulky cash & printing machine on his desk. He mentioned that he hardly uses 20% of the features on these machines. He also mentioned that he hardly understands the 'english' language. He suggested if the machines of the future could help him with his business expansion?

Reference 1: Knowing Your Customer

Reference 2: Defining Customer Needs

Reference 3: 6 Basic Needs of Customers

Offline Branding Strategies for Online Companies

2010-08-16T06:01:00.001+05:30

Bannerghatta Road, Bangalore.

Branding Emerging States of India: Chhattisgarh

2010-08-15T02:53:00.004+05:30

As seen in Delhi airport.

Reference 1: Specifics on Chhattisgarh

Reference 2: Chhattisgarh Tourism Board

Kids Need Toys to Learn

2010-08-14T07:19:00.003+05:30

As seen in a book I was reading by Sudarshan Khanna.

Reference 1: Joy of Making Indian Toys

Reference 2: Joy of Building Wooden Toys

Reference 3: An article by Sudarshan Khanna

Women of Rural India

2010-08-13T06:22:00.003+05:30

Rural India is stricken with alcoholic men. Women, then have stepped it up to take up the responsibility of homes, and earning a livelihood. Advertisements do tend to capture the 'persona' bit in their creative(s), as is seen here, but the 'emotion' has not been captured in its entirety.

Reference 1: Empowerment of Rural Women in India

Reference 2: Education for Rural Women of India

Health & Care in India: Surgery Clinics

2010-08-12T06:49:00.003+05:30

Is brick and mortar enough to guarantee basic services? As seen on the roads of Bangalore.

Reference 1: Data for Health & Care in India

Reference 2: Statistics from AYUSH in India

Emerald Island & Lake, Ooty: Tourism in India

2010-08-05T05:47:00.006+05:30

Emerald Island & Lake is about 7 to 8 kilometers outside of Ooty, in Tamil Nadu, in India. It is away from the tourist influx commotion of Ooty. You can sit on the meadows and stare at farmers carrying carrots, and many other vegetables, in their coracles from the island, to the banks on the side of the townships & hamlets.

Reference: Comparative Study of Tourism Websites in South India

Gas Burner Design for Cooking

2010-07-29T21:47:00.003+05:30

According to the 'dhaba wala', this small diameter nozzle gas burner, is best for heating up tea, & food, fast. It is surprising, why this has not been incorporated for home based gas stoves?

Reference 1: More on Gas Burners

Reference 2: Gas Stove

Reference 3: Advantages of a Gas Stove

Reference 4: Disadvantages of a Gas Stove

Lack of Medical Insurance Transparency in India

2010-07-29T06:28:00.004+05:30

Manish Yadav, my cab driver yesterday, mentioned that his 8 year old son has been bleeding through his ear from the day he was born. I asked him about the utility of medicines, and he informed me, that he had spent close to Rs.1,00,00 (~ $2,200) in the last 8 years, all, in vain.

I inquired if he had tried out alternative medicines, which really work! To this he said, that as a last ditch effort he is headed to a hospital in New Delhi, where the doctors will perform an operation on his son's ear for Rs.25,000, and have promised a permanent cure! I looked up to the sky, and wished him luck, and he nodded in agreement.

Use Case for Insurance Service Development: If the doctors do not live up to their word, will the hospital return the money to this cab driver, who hardly earns Rs.3,000 a month (less than $ 55 a month)? Can Manish buy an insurance, insuring him against the failed efforts of doctors, & the associated hospital?

Reference 1: Deteriorating Health & Care Infrastructure in India

Reference 2: To understand a country's persona for Health & Care Infrastructure Development

Soccer in India

2010-07-28T06:23:00.003+05:30

Found this photograph, in my spam folder in Yahoo mail, about a year back. This photograph was taken in Allahabad, India.

Retail in India: Complex Supply Chain

2010-07-17T17:37:00.000+05:30

Outdoor Media: Car Hoardings

2010-07-17T17:33:00.001+05:30

Urban Jungles of an Emerging Market

2010-07-16T05:23:00.002+05:30

My current residence reminds me of George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984). Why cannot more people be inspired by simplistic thought processes implemented by the likes of Charles Correa?

Reference 1: 1984

Reference 2: Charles Correa

Reference 3: Solar Solutions

Reference 4: Construction Chemicals Market

Education in Emerging Markets: India

2010-07-14T18:11:00.002+05:30

Before getting the existing education policies right, will it be possible for the nation to provide adequate infrastructure to tomorrow's visionaries?

Reference 1: Department of Higher Education in India

Reference 2: Education Policies in India

Deities of India

2010-07-13T20:22:00.004+05:30

Hard Work for Cab Drivers in India, transporting the Indian work force from home-to-office-and-back, is blessed by deities. Here, it is Hanuman.

Reference 1: Who is/ was Hanuman?

Dedicated to Siddharth Deb, for clicking the photograph, & the Cab Driver, who dropped me at the guest house today. He adjusted the hanging artifact of Hanuman, so that Siddharth Deb could get a full front view of the deity, blessing the Cab.

Science & Art in the Metals of Indian Jewelry

2010-07-13T20:13:00.004+05:30

Reference 1: Copper Jewelry

Reference 2: Copper

Reference 3: Brass

Reference 4: Fashion Jewelry

Dedicated to Richa, for lending her ear, & earring.

Science & Art in the Colors of Indian Jewelry

2010-07-13T20:00:00.004+05:30

Reference 1: Science in Colors

Reference 2: Unseen Rajasthan

Reference 3: Art & Emotional Reasons

Reference 4: Vibrant Rajasthani Attire, is better than Jeans?

Dedicated to Richa, for lending her arm, & jewelry.

Morning Rituals in an Emerging India

2010-07-12T22:18:00.003+05:30

Morning rituals should never change. They carry the essence of the socio-technical path of tomorrow's value inspired industrious India.

Reference 1: What is a Agarbatti/ Dhoopbatti ?

Reference 2: Business Ethics

Reference 3: Business Ethics Resources

Reference 4: Manual for Business Ethics in Emerging Markets

Corporate Social Responsibility

2010-07-12T22:13:00.003+05:30

Responsible builders of an emerging India.

Reference 1: NGO

Reference 2: Corporate

Meat Shop

2010-07-11T20:27:00.001+05:30

Persuasion Technique in a Cake Shop

2010-07-11T20:24:00.001+05:30

Aluminium in Design: Taste of Roadside Tea of India

2010-07-09T21:33:00.005+05:30

Aluminum does not corrode easily, and is available in abundance. Plus the long handle, serves a 'function', and has been incorporated in the 'form' of the vessel. In addition, the taste of this tea is heaven like. Ginger does add a spark to the taste. Ginger, lowers cholesterol, promotes the production of bile, heals arthritis, and also has blood thinning properties.

Reference 1: Why Aluminum

Reference 2: Aluminum By Design

Functional Innovation in Taxis

2010-07-09T21:31:00.001+05:30

Reference 1: Design Inspired Innovation

Reference 2: Business Innovation & Design

Reference 3: Green Design Innovation

Graffiti Tshirts

2010-07-09T21:29:00.002+05:30

T-shirt site 1: Old Glory

T-shirt site 2: Liquid Blue

T-shirt 3: Shop Wiki

T-shirt 4: Wolfgang's Vault

T-shirt 5: Dye The Sky

Opportunity Marketing/ Sale on the Roads of India

2010-07-09T21:27:00.001+05:30

Reference 1: Offline Strategy

Reference 2: Slymarketing

Reference 3: Merge Online & Offline

Reference 4: Local Offline Strategies

Reference 5: Offline Marketing Guide

Form & Function

2010-07-09T21:24:00.001+05:30

Reference 1: Form & Function

Reference 2: Form Ever Follows Function

Currency Design in Emerging Markets

2010-07-08T21:05:00.000+05:30

Mobile Landlines for Emerging Markets

2010-07-08T21:04:00.000+05:30

Health & Care Basics: Coconuts, Hard Work, & Peaceful Sleep

2010-07-08T21:02:00.001+05:30

Traffic Services Design for Emerging Markets

2010-07-07T20:11:00.003+05:30

We have the flyovers, but we do not have the traffic lights. We took care of the layer on top (flyovers), but we forgot the roads below! User Experience, my boy, UX!

Reference: Global Trends in Dynamic Traffic Services

Food Retail in Emerging Markets: Health & Care

2010-07-07T20:07:00.005+05:30

With the cities expanding, and global warming becoming a reality, it is good, that studs like these actually sell healthy beverages, for us, city dwellers.

Reference: Emerging Market Priorities for Global Retailers

Employment Opportunities in the Public Sector

2010-07-07T20:02:00.002+05:30

With the infrastructure expansion in India, it allows a diverse set of people to work for the government, & earn a livelihood. Only trouble is, their own living conditions are suboptimal.

Reference 1: Political Risk, & Emerging Markets

Reference 2: Optimize Market Reach

Material Science Applied to Infrastructure Design

2010-07-06T20:43:00.005+05:30

To save infrastructure cost, would it be possible to better design such government property? The foundation may not have been strong, which may be the reason one harsh windy, rainfall evening, was enough to uproot this post!

Reference: Advanced Materials for Emerging Markets

Environment Conscious Retailers

2010-07-05T19:21:00.005+05:30

WASTE DISPOSAL BIN: Street retailers in India get it! They see to it that the city is cleaner for it's dwellers.

Reference 1: Environment Concern in Emerging Markets

Reference 2: Green Business Technology

Retail: Time of the Day Based Selling

2010-07-05T19:15:00.003+05:30

Steaming MOMOS, & Hot TEA for the evening office-leaving crowd in Gurgaon, Haryana, India. Can we then order momos from the several street corners, through our phones, and a SMS based service? Local entreprenuers can gain from this, and the city dwellers can get cheap food.

Reference: Mobile Based Street Food Retail

Infrastructure Expansion in India

2010-07-04T16:51:00.002+05:30

Train station being constructed in Gurgaon.

Reference: Emerging-Market Infrastructure Private Investors

Sewage problems in India

2010-07-04T16:48:00.002+05:30

Imagine if you could store all this rain water?

Reference 1: Private Participation in Infrastructure Expansion in Emerging Markets

Reference 2: Public Policies, & Infrastructure Expansion in Emerging Markets

Reference 3: What are Emerging Markets

Infrastructure Work Arounds in India: Brilliant

2010-07-04T16:40:00.005+05:30

Brilliant strategies: I guess the 'open sky & road' teaches you that. Space Optimization.

Reference 1: Financial Innovation in Emerging Markets

Reference 2: Make Money, Save the World

Reference 3: International Finance Corporation

Reference 4: Future is in the Emerging Markets

Infrastructure Problems: Water to Bathe

2010-07-04T16:37:00.002+05:30

Father & son, early one morning, under the sky!

Reference 1: Fluid Technology: WATER

Reference 2: Water Crisis

Reference 3: Economical Innovation in Bangalore, India

Theme Village, Padanna, Kerala, India

2010-07-03T15:01:00.008+05:30

Word of mouth marketing, with fantastic customer service, sincere working staff, and a good understanding of customer experience pain points.

Oyster Opera

Reference1: Top 10 Tourism Destinations

Reference 2: Market Intelligence on Tourism

Reference 3: Market Potential in Tourism in Emerging Markets

Reference 4: Tourism Targets Emerging Markets

Retail: Food Stalls in India

2010-07-02T20:54:00.003+05:30

Look at the variety of food, and the brilliant marketing strategy to utilize space.

Reference 1: Data for Food Retail in Emerging Markets

Reference 2: Food Retail in India

Retail: Landline Calling for/ to the Rural Ecosystem, in India

2010-07-02T20:50:00.003+05:30

Statutory warning: Calling 'friends', 'family', & 'relatives' is not injurious to health!

Reference: Landlines are a Viable Competitor to Mobile Phones

Retail: Tobaco, Chewing Gum, etc., in India

2010-07-02T20:47:00.002+05:30

Blue, Pink, Green Yellow, Brown: a riot of colors for "Offline" marketing in India.

Reference 1: What is Fast Moving Consumer Goods?

Reference 2: Consumer Markets, & Retail

Reference 3: Retail

Retail: Bargain Malls in India

2010-07-02T20:42:00.003+05:30

Assured Return: Emotional Sell; Guaranteed by Bank: Testified; 12% in big, central location, within the creative: Value Proposition: this is how tough the Indian retail market is!

Reference: Retail Distribution Channel Strategies

Environment

2010-06-30T20:44:00.001+05:30

A used up beer bottle, shattered next to NH-1.

Health & Care: Zhilmill dhaba

2010-06-29T16:06:00.005+05:30

Onions (Vitamin C, Calcium), Cucumber (Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron .... ), & Tomatoes (Vitamin C, Protein, Dietary Fat, .... ). This is an appetizer at Zhilmill Dhaba, Karnal, Punjab, India.

Reference: Health & Care Innovation

Education

2010-06-29T16:02:00.002+05:30

Inside one of the poshest colonies of Ludhiana, an industrialized town in Punjab, India. Failed policies, or failed citizens?

Alternate Money Storage Arrangement

2010-06-29T15:56:00.001+05:30

Punjab, India - a diary, with business and personal numbers, also store currency, visiting cards, revenue stamps, etc. All properly indexed.

'Kinetic' Tea Stalls

2010-06-29T15:49:00.005+05:30

Dedicated to Rahul Mehrotra's article & concepts. The guys keep a small plastic bag next to a drain, which is where they deposit the strained out tea leaves. They do not argue with you for 'change', even at 6 A.M. in the morning. And the most modest entrepreneurs I have come across in my limited experience.

Chandigarh, India.

Reference: Static Places, Kinetic Places, Public Places

Nature - a quote

2010-06-29T15:43:00.004+05:30

Outside a restroom, in a dhaba, on the way to Chandigarh, from Delhi, India

State of the Economy

2010-06-29T15:03:00.001+05:30

As seen by me at a recent art exhibition in Hyderabad.

Daily Wage Tools, Innovation

2010-06-29T14:52:00.002+05:30

This is one part of the tool. The other part was below the hand cart, which was the 'carbonation' creator. Is this not innovation? Made at a slum where he dwells.

Water

2010-06-25T23:32:00.001+05:30

Came across this, during a visit to an exhibition: says it all.

Food Artifacts and Positioning

2010-06-25T05:01:00.006+05:30

The cashier took all the pain in the world, to go take the BLUE soda bottle opener, hung just above the wall calendar. He could have kept the opener next to him. Probably he wanted to 'send the message across' to the people who came to eat there, that, they ALSO serve 'expensive' cold drinks.

Transactions, with Currency

2010-06-25T04:52:00.004+05:30

Payment made for a single plate of Kalyani biryani - Rs.25 in only coins. Daily wage workers come to eat here, or food fanatics. Do they need a credit card machine? Probably, NOT!

Business Transparency

2010-06-25T04:41:00.002+05:30

Bangalore-Hyderabad: NH 7

2010-04-05T10:17:00.006+05:30

Golconda (descend), Hyderabad

2010-03-30T00:33:00.003+05:30

Golconda (outside), Hyderabad

2010-03-30T00:31:00.007+05:30

Golconda (ascend), Hyderabad

2010-03-30T00:31:00.006+05:30

Golconda & Qutub Shahi Tombs, Hyderabad

2010-03-29T19:27:00.004+05:30

Charminar

2010-03-29T00:19:00.002+05:30

Gas Station Experience

2010-03-04T18:13:00.001+05:30

400 meters from my parent's house in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India

Tropic of Cancer

2010-03-04T17:16:00.001+05:30

On my way to Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh - 50 kilometers from my house in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.