The Wholesome Self

 

How one defines wholesomeness in self. Based on my experiences in life, I attempt to scribble my thoughts. We often talk about being a dreamer and constantly working towards your dream. At young age I saw my dreams were like “sky is the limit”, but as years went by dreams also started to become more practical and at my current age it is more in line with the reality of my life. A transition from ‘fantasy to reality’. I believe this happens to most bourgeois middle-class Indians. Dreaming too much, setting high expectations for self and then seeing the gap widening with reality tend to make every soul in philosophical mode. In short, your aspirations are made to rest. As a Child you dream BIG, but at a later stage in life ‘the child in you’ dreams less or stop dreaming.

 

Achievers in personal and work life have always been dreamers, but then they stayed focused on what they aspire for, do not entertain distractions, they try to seek and get into the company of people who believe in making their dream a reality. More to that, I believe it's a continuum with 5 equal sections. The cumulative and compounded output of these five in an individual results in wholesomeness. The famous five include Capability, Honesty, Blessings, Luck and Love.

 

One needs to be capable and have expertise in craft (Capable), honesty and integrity as his identity (Honesty), blessings from parents, teachers, and mentors in life (Blessings), and be able to take the mileage by being at the right place at the right time with the right mindset (Luck), together with the overwhelming love from people at large (Love) leads a self to wholesomeness.

 

Human minds are insatiable. In his journey, a man with his hard work, concerted efforts, life experiences, blessings, luck and love reach a blissful mindset, inner happiness and a secure state of existence, is what wholesomeness means to me. One could be a common man yet achieve wholesomeness through your deeds and thoughts, without the need to get enlightened and be mystic.

Mother's day, penned down a note.......

 ‘Amma’ is an emotion that finds deeper meaning as years go by. Especially when you are at your low, the presence of Amma or even a talk over the phone is great medicine to the soul. I have felt many times and I have observed it many times as well that mothers irrespective of their education, act as tranquillisers, stay calm-composed and stand rock solid beside as a pillar. Their belief about their children is quite deeply rooted and none can change. It’s like wine ageing. I have felt mothers are mentally strong though they might look weak and subtle outside. It’s a fact that relations are entirely transactional in nature, mother is the one emotion where ‘unconditionality’ pitches in. It’s a blessing for all those who could enjoy more of that unconditional love. This reminds me of the historic scene from the iconic film Deewar, the heated argument b/w the brothers Amitabh & Shashi Kapoor, the scene ends with the heart-touching liner when Shashi Kapoor says ‘mere pass maa hai’. Take care of them, be with them, and ensure they are in their zone, that’s the best we can give. The fact is that we will never be able to repay our mothers. With that note, ‘Happy Mother's Day’ to all wonderful mothers.

Is a Machinist be poor in people management or is it a protective shield he puts deliberately across in public?

I am a person who loves to live and keep my activities/things in order. At home and at the workplace, I am OCD. I used to take care of all the things which are associated with my daily routine with at most care and diligence. Can bracket the items like my pen, my backpack, my laptop, my electronic gadgets, my shoe, my books/files, my vehicle….etc all as materialistic. In a way, how I see is that these items can’t speak up like humans, hence the person who handles/manages these should be logically a step ahead of a people management expert. Take the case of people who have pets at home, they take care of them quite nicely by providing all the comfort before they demand (it's like ordinary people think futuristic and act accordingly). Thus, for a discussion purpose, I bracket a Machinist as one who manages everything (ie, who can’t speak up) except humans. 

I understand, to manage people in an organization is the most difficult part, as people have different views and it’s the people mindset that takes the maximum time to change when compared to systems and process change. In my experience, whether it's machine or people, one can effectively manage with good subject knowledge, logical approach, being genuine, transparent, trust, and relatedness with which others could connect. It is not rocket science. My moot point here is, a person in his work life of 30 years of which he dealt managing machines for 28 years and only 2 years into people management, could be pardoned and bracketed that he could miss out on the nuances and nitty-gritty involved in managing people and not for a people-oriented person who is into 30 years in man-management. Is a Machinist live in silos, does he not communicate with the community (people). He is a machinist only as part of his work. A child growing to man, it’s the environment which contributes 80% towards character formation and only 20% is through parenting/genes. I have also seen people who are very effective in managing everything and anything at home and in the extended family and project themselves as a disaster when it comes to the workplace. 

A Mechanist or a People Manager, both are leaders even though one manages the non-speak ups and the other manages the speak-ups. A person who manages the non-speak ups, is intellect, intuitive, strategist, empathizer, reflective, and above all does things up front, in short, I would say he is a mind reader, fixer, keen observer, and executioner at the same time. Many times I have come across hearing that people management is an art and a soft skill that everyone does not possess. There are people at the workplace, who project as ‘not capable’ in handling people, but the moment they see an opportunity, they do all and above which is prescribed under the people management realm. At times I got surprised by these types of people reaching out to others and convincing colleagues in line with their thought process. Many a time, it is also observed that these subtle characters at the workplace, show exemplary persona in effectively managing, especially the monthly home chores without any guidance and support single headedly.

Would conclude by saying that ‘if you are born as a human (IQ wise not a challenged individual), then the mere statement of one saying that I perhaps could not meet the expectation of people, in the first place was definitely not genuinely interested to do anything for the people around, irrespective of he being a mechanist or a people’s person. A man lives as a leader and a follower same time, it is like two sides of a coin, empathy is the key, ignorance of not understanding can only be looked upon as deliberate!!!

Is Climate change going to cost us (India) heavily?

A couple of days before, I came across a YouTube video in Malayalam about 8 major cities of India which will rise as megacities of the world by 2050. Among the Indian cities, the 1st ranked is Mumbai. At present, Mumbai's GDP is about 380 billion approximately and feeds about 1 crore population. By 2050, the city will feed a 4 crore population with a whopping GDP contribution. Folks, then I happened to see a video by GravitasPlus on 'Climate Change is Changing You' which says that Mumbai city will have an existential crisis by 2050 due to climate change. Hence the following thought,

The larger question is that what will happen to the majority of that 4 crore population of Mumbai, and what will happen to the Indian economy with Mumbai being hit badly. Will Pune be able to grow, could repair the loss and replace Mumbai. Can Pune be a Plan B option....a wild guess. Whether in the next 30 years, a country like India will be able to absorb this huge loss. By then India might have become a developed economy OR over the next 30 years, India should focus to develop other pockets such as semi-urban and rural locations so that today’s ingress of rural and semi-urban mass to big cities and metros for jobs could be restricted, thus focus to build more jobs in semi-urban and rural areas. Will such a strategy affect the operational efficiency of companies to operate out of lesser developed areas in terms of raw material availability, logistic issues....etc. Will private companies and big corporates will make an early move, whether Government will be able to roll out an early bird scheme for Industrialists/Corporates/Companies towards such a step OR Public-private partnership is the only way out.

Sea level rise on an average one feet per year, so its 30 feet rise in sea level in 30 years due to climate change.

Sachin , the Bharat Ratna..........

My Sachin,  Our Sachin………………..Thankyou Sachin

Yes…….I was not a big follower of Sachin's game all these days. But I knew he is always special. Yesterday he proved, he is a genius……a real superhero. His farewell speech made me feel, I was so ignorant about him. A big mighty sports personality as he is, still very much grounded, humble and honest in his approach. Over those 24 years of his international cricket career, he remained always clean, a true Indian, who remained as an epitome and lifted the spirit of this wonderful gentlemen's game. He is a 21st-century role model who can be looked up to by everyone in all walks of life. Its Sachin….Sachin…..all over, it is my Sachin, our Sachin…….Thank you, Sachin. The last word in his farewell speech “Goodbye” came as a real thunder for every Indian ears…….just hard to believe….he said so. But again goes by the famous saying……All good things need to culminate to a good ending…..so is Our Sachin. Today, respect for him raised multi folds when he showed the ultimate gesture…..dedication of his Bharat Ratna, to all mothers, and for all their sacrifices…..to nurture every son of our soil.

Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar…..SRT, the Bharat Ratna…….proud to be an Indian. Now it's every Indian's turn to take care of our Bharat Ratna.

Sachin……..to you……a small tribute.

Are all of us equals.....!

Probably the last post to scribe on 2012, yet again on a cynical note only. It's with regards to the public distribution system of food grains through ration shops in Kerala. The current Congress government has promised to distribute rice a kg at Re.1 to the masses. To an extent, it getting practiced also, but why I am cynical is that some undercover acts are happening in PDS of rice, as the grains gave through ration shops at places where financial weak/deprived section says they are distributed with degraded quality rice grains infested with insects, mud and stones, whereas through the same PDS, good quality rice grains are distributed in areas where financially more stable people stay. Why this discrimination……based on social strata….unable to understand. The problem I see here is not with the Government not procuring enough good quality rice grains for distribution to its entire mass, but I am very much skeptical of the fact that a major share of these rice grains ready for distribution is floated through an alternate channel which includes bureaucrats  & middlemen and they siphon it off  for commercial purposes and thus make money from these subsidized product, on the contrary, the poor masses are supplied with devalued product who does not have the right for their “ Voice Up”. This is with regards to the expose on the subject at Idukki District in Kerala. If the deprived class ask the concerned ration shops…. “why this rice for us, then the reply is if you want to have, take this, otherwise not even this “……..When we will our so called educated society start to accept poor/deprived class as humans…..food for thought as we step into 2013.

Rotten red tapism.....the root cause of systemic system failures.....!

Do you recollect what happened on 1^st Feb 2011, Soumya, a 23-year-old girl after work on her way home had to undergo the same trauma in a local train and was killed by the brutal defendant Govindachami, who in the court of law was found guilty and court-imposed death penalty considering the case as the rarest of the rare through a fast track court procedure due to public outrage in the state of Kerala then. Now it's nearing 2 years, what's the scenario now……did anything changed….? I would say a blunt & blatant “NO”. Now Govindachami is in jail, in good health, no date declared when death the penalty will be carried out, sometimes even I see the victim file a clemency petition to our honorable president for moderate punishment……….sometimes he may even get away with that……that’s our great democracy all about. Now the second part…….then Indian Railways said, all ladies compartment will be shifted to the middle rather than to be attached as the last wagon and all the ladies compartment will be deployed with railway guards & railway police to ensure safety and protection to women. I was shocked to see a report in the media today, that the same local train now travels with ladies compartment as the last wagon and there is no guards nor police to ensure safety. Mind you, on public outrage after the incident, it was practiced for a couple of months by the railways and then withdrawn. Now sooner or later we will see another Govindachami in the making, as the system always fails to uphold the fundamental rights of its citizens in the highest esteem.