Dancing my way ...

When will I ?

2011-06-20T05:47:00.000-07:00

Whenever I feel my life gets too complicated , I try to see the bigger picture..
Rather longer picture ..like how many more years Iam going to live in this planet and then backtrack my life from there..Is it worth worrying so much ?

Rootcause for most of my problem is : "When will I ?" question

When will I travel ?
When will I dance ?
When will I do this or do that..

Here I discovered my pearl of wisdom ~ Song from Baasha movie enacted by Rajnikanth :)
Excerpt : Divide your life by 8!
First 8 years - Play as much as you can
Second 8 years - Learn
Third 8 years - Get married
Fourth 8 years - Bring up a child
Fifth 8 years - Earn wealth
Sixth 8 years - Travel the world
Seventh 8 years - Take rest
Eighth 8 years - If you live beyond this , there is no peace :D

Here is the tamil lyrics :
mudhal ettil aadadhadhu viLaiyaatalla -nee
irandaam ettil kallaadhadhu kalviyum alla
moondraam ettil seiyaadhadhu thirumanam alla -nee
naalaam ettil peraadhadhu kuzhandhayum alla
aindhaam ettil saerkaadhadhu selvamum alla -nee
aaram ettil sutraadhadhu ulagamum alla
ezhaam ettil kaanaadhadhu Oyivum illa - nee
ettam ettukku mela irrundha nimmadhi illa

Life is this simple :) Figure out which 8 you are in and enjoy as much as you can in that 8.You can never go back to that 8 again :)

Cheers to 8 !

Guru Bhakthi

2009-10-14T05:46:00.000-07:00

Iam sure this term is outdated for this generation..

Beauty of gurukul system is that student completely surrenders to Guru and accepts that Guru knows it all and he/she will be the guiding light.

To some extent,my dance training so far followed this system.
I completely trusted my dance teachers..I never question back their intention..never ! I never ask them why didn't you teach me this or why am I not performing this time..I completely surrendered to my gurus.I tell myself that my teacher knows the best.She knows when am ready for that next milestone.Truth is they did know when am ready and they did push me to excel :)

But today I see the change in my own perspective.Whenever I enrol in workshops,dance courses,Iam forced to ask what will I be learning from this workshop,which package should I opt for , whats the per hour fee ? Is this "instructor" good ?

I sense more business/commercialization rather than true sense of learning art.
I see instructor as someone who provides value/service rather than "teacher"..

Concept of Guru bhakthi seem to fade away ..

"Arranged" Marriage !

2009-09-28T17:12:00.000-07:00

Colleague@US : So you are married ?!
Me : Yes
Colleague@US : Arranged ?!
Me : yup
Colleague@US : So did u have lot of choices to choose from ?
Me : Whaaaattttttttttt!

Funny to see how western world looks at indian "arranged" wedding :)
Lot of choices to choose from..sounds cool right :D

But little do they know about the pains we go through..
Searching sea of profiles in matrimony sites,matching horoscope,exchanging photos,formal "sight" visits,official "talk" between groom and bride,elders agreeing upon "terms and conditions" and endless engagement & wedding ceremonies..

For two people agreeing to share the rest of their life, why so many people and processes are involved ??

You might ask ,so why not everyone go for love marriage.Why are they dependent on parents to find their partner?

To be honest,not everyone can find "someone interesting" by oneself and go for "love" marriage..
People are trading with time so much that they hardly get time and opportunity to socialize and meet their prospective matches.Some are too shy to initiate conversation and many don't know where to begin....This doesn't mean that they are "not capable" of falling in love..

So we definitely need concept of "arranged" marriage minus process/people overhead :)
All we need is more reliable platforms for couples to socialize and know each other before making "the decision"..All those heavy processes can be involved at the later stage.

On the lighter note ,I came across this joke:
Qn : Difference between arranged and love marriage :
Ans : If couple decide to jump into the well ,its love marriage.
If 100 people push the couple into the well,its arranged marriage.

Long live "arranged" marriage!

Better India

2009-09-16T20:38:00.000-07:00

Disclaimer : I might sound "patriotic" to US Desis but truth is thats what I am.I have grown up singing and dancing Bharathiyaar poems.

During my trip in US , I hear constant nagging from US Desis regarding "Roads",Corruption and not so efficient Government system back home.

My answer to them is http://www.thebetterindia.com/ and many such initiatives.
Kudos to energetic young minds behind this path-breaking venture !

I am not against Indians studying or working abroad.Its ones personal choice.
But the least one can do sitting on the other side of the world is not to underestimate your fellow citizens and their sincere efforts.

Mind you ,at least they are trying for Better India..

So Stop Complaining !

You can have it all !!

2009-08-29T11:00:00.000-07:00

Many give up their hobby/passion very easily as they grow up..
Some people hold on to it somehow managing to keep that passion alive..
Few people extraordinarily strike a balance between work,life,passion..eventually turning their passion into successful career..and be blissful !

I definitely have to quote music director Mano Murthy here ..

Do you get time to work on music?
If you want to do something you should find time for yourself, isn't it? When I'm on projects, I sleep for just three to four hours a day!
Source : http://www.viggy.com/interview/manomurthy_eng.asp

To keep your passion alive , one thing you need to master is "time management" ..Learn that very early in life :-)

Ash..you need to change title of your song :D

Yes.....You can have it all !!

How to be an Expert?

2009-06-18T21:53:00.000-07:00

The expert in anything was once a beginner - President Rutherford B. Hayes

Lessons from 5+ years in Software Industry...

2009-06-08T19:25:00.000-07:00

*** DISCLAIMER :This is truely my personal opinion..Iam not here to pinpoint anyone in particular.***

First of all , I can't believe I have spent already 5 years in software industry...

Here are my observations :
When you look around , there will be certainly :
1.motivated high energy people(role models) who know why they are here..
2.demotivated people with lot of negative energy - they spend their day mostly at pantry,gossiping,constantly trying to demotivate others by discussing rumors about lay-off,performance of other employees..
3.Normal employees who do their work minding their own business on day-to-day basis.

If you are new to this industry , try to disassociate yourself from Category-2.Initially you will feel that may be you are isolated but trust me its worth it.
You need to identify Category-1 and absorb their positive energy.
There are times when you don't find any role models within your team :)
In that case ,try to be one yourself or network with other teams and find your mentor!

Important lesson is that you need to know how you can add unique value !!

Join us @ AANGIK to discover yourself !!

2009-05-14T00:13:00.000-07:00

Join Refreshing Indian Contemporary Dance Group in Hyderabad !!

Artistic Director : Arunima Gupta

As a kid of barely three years of age, Arunima started her formal training in dance in Bharatnatyam. The following few years saw her journey through many a Bharatnatyam and Odissi training School till she found her niche in the innovative and rebellious dance movement called ‘NAVANRITYA’ championed by Dr. Manjusri Chaki Sircar and her famous daughter, Ranjabati. With their dance company, Dancers’ Guild began her real journey. Her 14 long years of association with these iconoclastic women gave her the opportunity to be exposed to various traditional Indian and also, western contemporary forms.
At present, her ideas find form and expression in AANGIK- the brand name that endorses her unique style of dance. If you are the one who believes in the unison of body, mind and soul, this dance form is sure to enchant you.

Contact Us :
Website : http://aangik.wordpress.com/
Email: aangik.dance@gmail.com
Location: Trapeze Dance Academy, Defence Colony, Sainikpuri, Secunderabad – 500594
Phone : 9701573555

AANGIK Indian Contemporary Dance Worshop

2009-05-14T00:03:00.000-07:00

'AANGIK', the concept-dance workshop of Navanritya will be conducted in hyderabad.

As the name suggests, at 'AANGIK', the body dynamics and its various artistic expressions will be given utmost importance. Also the attempt is to free dance from its cliched themes, costumes and patterns so as to strike a balance between the rigidity of the classical and the 'not-so-aesthetic' appeal of the popular cinematic forms.

Venue :Sainikpuri,Hyderabad
Time : Only on sundays from 10 am to 12 pm
Contact : aangik.dance@gmail.com

Workshop will be conducted in 15 sessions.If you miss couple of sessions, it will be compensated.Its quite flexible !! Email us and we will get back to you asap!

Vande Mataram Video !

2009-04-06T10:23:00.000-07:00

Am I Conservative ??

2009-04-06T09:56:00.000-07:00

I wonder am I the only one who find no point/value in TV shows like Splitsvilla or am I too conservative in my thoughts ??

When I recollect my childhood , I grew up with Surabhi,Malgudi Days,Spirit of Unity concerts(Rahman's BGM still ringing in my ears)..

Present youth is growing up with MTV,Channel V etc..Well there is nothing right or wrong here..
But what are the choices we give to so-called younger generation..

How 20 girls try hard to win 1 guy is what we really need at this moment ?? ..skimpy clothes , open flirting and abusive language are the trademarks of girls with ATTITUDE ?!!

I got to know one team was disqualified in Roadies because they did not use 'enough' abusive language ..

Quite disheartening..

Indian Contemporary Dance in Hyderabad !!

2009-04-06T09:13:00.000-07:00

Every other corner in Bangalore is budding with new contemporary dance group !! However in Hyderabad , you either satisfy your traditional quest through kuchipudi,bharatanatyam or kathak classes etc or follow the much happening western dances - Jazz , hip-hop ,Salsa..

What if you want to truly experiment with technical aspects of indian classical dance and fuse it with free style , modern dance of Martha Graham ..

What if you want to define your own style combining all the ancient techniques..yoga to Tai chi to kalaripayattu..

If you dont find something , create that 'something' by yourself..Be the change you want to see in this world.. !!

YES..thats what Iam upto ! We , a bunch of like minded dancers are in process of setting up a refreshing contemporary dance group with the guidance/support of renowned dancer in this pearl city !!

So the dancers in Hyderabad.... if this post makes sense to you , please mail me at raji066@gmail.com

Why the difference in last bullet point ?

2008-10-09T13:49:00.000-07:00

Jayanthi and Nataraj are best friends from childhood.
Both went to same school and mutually helped each other with studies.
They joined different top rated engineering colleges.
Both joined the same company through respective campus interviews.
Surprisingly they worked in same team sitting in adjacent cubes!

Few years later....

Jayanthi has to save whatever she earned for gold,silk sarees and 'fat' wedding !
Natraj had a 'pretty wife',acres of land,3 bhk flat and a 'Swift' car...

WHY THE DIFFERENCE ???

My humble request to all the girls whose CV is floating in marriage market..
Be brave ! Speak out ! Stop giving Dowry ! Wait for that perfect sensible guy who wants just 'YOU' and not your money ! Because you deserve the best !

Empowerment through Dance !

2008-09-18T04:47:00.001-07:00

Dancers should not only be passionate about art but also be compassionate towards needy people!
They should be the change agent in the society.

If every dancer ,who has experienced the inner joy and enlightment through dancing,volunteers to teach dance to not so priviledged children in nearby school or NGO,he/she is changing the lives of those children.

Dance is the greatest platform for self-expression.Why are we not ready to share this creative happiness? We need to believe in healing through dance.. Read the success story of dance therapy here !

If you are still not convinced , watch this !
Check out the young girls brimming with confidence!

Let India be the hub for Dance Movement Therapy !!

History through Dance !

2008-09-11T02:05:00.000-07:00

I have decided to sketch the happenings of dance world in Hyderabad :)

On Sep 10th 2008, Avasthegen sponsored Mallika Sarabhai and her group Darpana's dance play “And Then They Came To India” - Story about the arrival of Parsi community in India !

What a visual treat it was ! Beautiful narration,realistic dance movements which any kid can understand,lights,costumes,music everything simple yet profound! I felt like I had attended a crash course on Parsi History.Next time I meet a Parsi , their 10,000 years of history will definitely come to my mind !

Mallika Sarabhai has clearly convinced me that story telling did create history in this world.It was very hard for me earlier to believe how a puppet show or play convinced millions of people to unite and fight for freedom in India !

Lets learn from this great dansuese Mallika on how to educate ourselves in History - worldly wisdom !
This is how we need to teach history to our children !

I also had an oppurtunity to see the other side of this dancer - Social Activist !
On Sep 9th 2008,Manthan group orgranised a talk on "Why do we need to be the change" by Mallika Sarabai.Thought Provoking talk with a strong message -
"JUST DO IT ! Show kindness in everyday activity..BE HUMANE ! Dont be happy that you live in a 'golden' cage.Mingle with this world freely and be compassionate!Stop this madness of competition.There is NO RACE in our life!You can never achieve that 'richness' as somebody else would be more richer than you anyways!Stop complaining and BE THE CHANGE !India needs it very badly at this moment"

How easy is it to be content ????

2008-09-04T04:28:00.000-07:00

Personally for me, being content in life is the most difficult thing to achieve.
I think one needs to be in constant touch with the supreme divine to experience that satisfaction, to realise that you are just a tiny part of this whole universe.

I remember while preparing for any kind of challenge-be dance shows,school board exams,semester exams or job interviews - I always think achieving this milestone is the most important thing to me.Once I achieve that goal,I cannot sit back,relax and enjoy.My mind wanders for the next 'milestone' and this list is endless..
As I mature I realise what is the point in chasing thousands of goals without experiencing the joy of success or achievement in one's life...
Key is relaxation should be a part in the process of achieving one's goal...

Being content makes your life journey smooth and rewarding !!
Its difficult to practise because its like reducing your weight by indulging in the sumptuous desserts :)

Question is why are you not content with your life ?
Answer is you always look for a perfect life.
Being a perfectionist makes you feel dissatisfied about yourself.

Here is the piece of advice on how to balance multiple goals in your life and be happy and content.
Author of Five Point someone,Chetan Bhagat's advice is, "You can't be a perfectionist. My books have flaws. I won't get an A-plus as a writer or as a husband and father. And I'm not going to get an A-plus as a banker and become CEO of DB. But people with the highest grades don't have the happiest lives."

In a recent interview,when my greatest rolemodel A.R.Rahman was questioned on what does he want to achieve in his life,he as usual shy away with the sweet smile "I have achieved all the things I wanted in my first movie 'Roja'.Whatever Iam getting now is just extra gifts,just add ons blessed by god."
Ahhhhhhh!
What it takes to follow our music GOD who is content yet realised the most ambitious dream project "KM Music Conservatory"

:-)

We need 20-20 in dance world !

2008-08-19T23:46:00.000-07:00

I make an effort to attend most of the classical dance concerts happening in Hyderabad.

My observations :

1.Auditorium is filled mostly with bald head,walking stick and grey hair. WHY ?
2.Crowd cannot wait till the end when artists and musicians are felicitated.WHY ?
3.Younger generation become restless if a particular dance(say varnam) goes beyond 30 minutes. WHY ?

Who to be blamed ??

My Suggestions:

We need TWENTY-20 in the dance world.
How many of you have the patience/time to watch entire Cricket Test match or 1-day series ?
Fact is we are trading our life with TIME!! Make an impact faster!

Artist should :

realise that you are buying the audience precious time.What do you trade in return ?
understand this younger energetic generation better.Or else there will be no one to follow your art in future.

For how many years , can you express about krishna leela with gopikas,nayika worrying whether her nayak is with some other woman ?
OK.
Am not against any traditional items like varnam,padam,bhajan or javali.
Iam just suggesting , repackage it for this young generation :)

Show the audience little bit of everything.Everyone should take back something from your
performance.Everyone comes with "What is there for me ??" attitude.

Show them fascinating techniques..demonstrate how they can fit the dance in their fitness routine..
Show them knowledge..Express your opinions on a social cause..Raise your voice through dance !
Show them devotion..lead them to spiritual path..
Show them love..as love is a universal concept..
Show them the rich heritage of Indian dances..Demonstrate from Natya Shastra..

As a dancer,I do understand the pain in pursuing ones passion in this city.
Rehearsal time clashes,non-availability of musicians and phew..number of traffic jams and the heavy RAIN !
But artists should think from audience perspective.

To attend a concert ,people plan their day(sometimes get excuses) and leave early from office.
Snail through traffic jams,pay for the tickets..just to see and learn from your performance.

Please dont disappoint them !!

Through your Innovation in dance, engage the young india !Draw them close to this wonderful art !

IT Revolution in Dance World

2008-07-15T03:26:00.000-07:00

Art world meets technology !
I think websites,Online Videos completely revolutionalised the dance field.
I sincerely appreciate the people behind such great ventures :

http://onlinebharathanatyamacademy.wordpress.com/
www.narthaki.com
www.rasika.org
and many more...

Art is not for selected few..its for all ..
Anyone who is keen to learn these art forms, web world is the best guide..gateway to art !
But remember , it is no replacement for learning under gurus..

Crippled young men of India...

2008-07-03T04:09:00.000-07:00

********** Disclaimer : This post is specifically targetted to young indian men who dream about the dowry while planning their finances !*********

I heard a software engineer saying with no shame :

"I am planning to marry in few months!
If I consider minimum 15 lakhs as dowry ,I will be able to buy a flat soon !"

Shame on you guys !
Mother India does not need these lame young men.
We dont want any white collar beggars here !
If you ever think about asking dowry,first accept that "you are a crippled beggar"!

If you are furious seeing post , register here and wash away your sinful thoughts!

Say No to Dowry ! Be the brightest young mind that India is in need of !

I miss you !

2008-06-05T09:34:00.000-07:00

I hug him tight...
Jump on his legs..
Swing in his arms..
Paint Colours in his tummy...
Run around him playing hide and seek....
He switch on the cooler for me...
He supervises me when I study..
He gives me juicy fruits in hot summer..
I miss you my sweetheart..
Hope someone is taking care of you back home...
My dear Mango Tree :)

June 5 2008 : World Environment Day !

Stop running !

2008-05-15T04:22:00.000-07:00

First five years , run behind parents !
Second five years , run behind teachers!
Third five years , run behind Universities!
Fourth five years , run behind Companies!
Fifth five years,run behind promotions !

Stop for a while,Child ! Get away from Quarter-life crisis !
You are uniquely hand-crafted by the Creator!

Stop running !
Think how you can make your stay in this planet worthwhile!

Why woman is questioned ??!

2008-04-01T05:08:00.000-07:00

*** Disclaimer : These are truly my personal opinion*****

These are the questions I come across...

X: Hey how do you manage work/life/family ?
Why dont you ask the same question to your male colleagues.Dont they belong to any family ? Are they pets to be taken care of ?

Y: Working women come at 10 and go at 6 ! Cant expect them to stay long!
Thats none of your business.Talk to manager if you have doubts on performance/productivity

Z: Hey Lets have a video conference(TOI for 4 hrs) at 8 PM !Any problem with the schedule?
Yes I have a problem.Will people be curious to know things post 10 pm ! I see series of yawning already ! I will stay back if you just need my physical attendance.

CSIM Social Entrepreneurship - Class 6 to 8

2008-04-01T04:06:00.000-07:00

Week after week , CSIM is helping me transform my dream into reality !
I strongly believe that Social sector is the exciting place to be in for the youth !!

Class 6 - Field Visit to Rasoolpura - Had an interactive session with the founders of Bhumi , school children, teachers ! Field visit helps you to understand the reality ! Just saying "we will eradicate poverty, give education to the poor" - sitting in Air Conditioned room is very easy ! But literally going to the slum and trying to educate the dwellers about their social conditions and winning acceptance from them ??!! Not that easy !

Class 7 : Marketing of NGOs : How to do marketing for the social sector which deals with intangible ideas/concepts. There is significant difference between social marketing and commercial marketing
eg - How to market "Its important to brush teeth regularly" Vs "XYZ brand of toothpaste is superior" ??

Class 8 : Session on Strategy /Operation Planning of NGOs : Overview on Long Term/Short Term Goal setting,Activity Planning,Gantt Chart etc

Class 9 : RTI (Right to Information) : This class is specially requested by students.Session was handled by two lecturers ( bureaucrat from Commercial Tax and RTI activist from Bhumi) Both gave perspective of RTI within and outside the system.I think this song will awaken us to seek information!

Ask question which triggers the action from Govt before giving the information!
Use the powerful weapon RTI !!

CSIM Social Entrepreneurship - Class 4 & 5 !

2008-02-24T20:31:00.000-08:00

Class 4 focussed on "Legal Aspects of managing NGO" ! Various laws and regulations regarding setting up an NGO (As a Trust,Society or Section 25 Company),handling Foreign donations ,Income tax rules etc..
Mr.Anand Kumar , CA in hyderabad lectured this course and clarified all our doubts and concerns !

Class 5 focussed on "Innovation in Social Sector".Innovation is simple if we change our mindset.We learnt several examples of powerful innovations in social sector.We had a video session on Byrraju foundation.
At the end of the session we had a small exercise.
Identify a problem in our interest area,come up with a solution and innovative steps to solve the problem within 10 minutes :) We grouped ourselves as team of 3 and presented our ideas.
Our team identified "women trafficking" as the problem and the solution we proposed was

Training the underprivileged girls with specific skill sets like beauty services,domestic help,baby sitting etc
Offer a internet website "We service at your door" which offer professional services to Urban women and take care of all her daily needs like even distributing flowers for daily prayers.

Our team won the prize(Perk Chocolate :) ) for the best innovative idea :D

Special Mention about our Instructor Mr .Harsha Bhargava.Personally I was very happy to meet him as he is seniormost Bitsian ( 1973 Passout) I have ever met till now :) He is currently a teaching Faculty in ICFAI business school.

Future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of of their dreams !!- Eleanor Roosevelt

NDTV Good 'Morning' Times !!

2008-02-22T01:06:00.000-08:00

Iam not a great TV person !
But for the past few months, I enjoy "Rbk Life" in NDTV good times( show at 7.30 am and 6 pm everyday )
Program is divided as 3 segments - Yoga ,Pilates/Martail arts and Dance(by Shaira Bhan)

Its worth following the yoga movements/exercise and dance steps !
Shaira Bhan is with full of energy ..its loads of fun watching her spin !!

TV Serials .. Down Down !! Cheers to more Lifestyle Channels !

CSIM Social Entrepreneurship - Class 2 &3 !

2008-02-10T23:20:00.000-08:00

Students were given this amazing book - How to change the world ? - the very same question that led me to join this CSIM course!

Class 3 was focussed on the principles and qualities of Social Entrepreneur.
Instead of PPT/boring lecture , Professor Mr.Srivatsava gave three case studies (with video presentation) on Arvind Eye Care , SKS Microfinance , Dhristee and their respective founders

We divided ourselves into 3 groups and came up with an interesting chart on driving motives of the person , how their organization is different from other social sector/business models and how they succeeded !!

At the end of the session , we realised Social Entrepreneur should not only have wings to fly but also have deep roots to sustain in this world !
In above 3 examples - Self-sustainable , revenue generating model is their key for success in the social sector.

I understood that starting an NGO and waiting for others to donate may not take you a long way !
Instead creating business value, providing employment, improving the livelihood of the needy people is vital for the long-term economic, social growth !

So ..Young minds out here !! ...Bring in the creative strategies and technologies to revolutionize the social sector !!
PS: I could not attend Class II as I was out of town.

How does it feel to learn something new ??!!!

2008-01-29T00:05:00.000-08:00

Rejuvenation !!

1-1234-1-2-1234-1-2-3-1234-5678-1-Clap-Clap
1-1234-1-2-1234-1-2-3-1234-5678-1-Clap-Clap
1-1234-1-2-1234-1-2-3-1234-5678-1-Clap-Clap

What am I blogging :P
Above is a Tihai(a footwork composition consisting of a long set of bols repeated thrice ) learnt in my kathak class!

I always wonder why kathak is totally different from south indian dances like bharatanatyam,odissi or kuchipudi. Reason is kathak was greatly influenced by persian dancers and mughals!
Complex Footworks,Energetic spins(Chakkars) fascinate me !

I realise that I have gone back to my childhood again..learning each and every step meticulously, memorising the Tihai's and hoping not to make mistakes infront of my teacher :-)
I love each and every moment of it !

Are you bored of your regular routine ? Do you feel you have become less productive/creative ??
Best way to cheer yourself up is to learn something totally new !!

Bring back your childhood within you !!
Rejuvenate yourself !

CSIM Social Entrepreneurship - Class I

2008-01-20T21:20:00.000-08:00

I will regularly update on Social Entrepreneurship course in CSIM,Hyderabad.

First Class provided us an opportunity to interact with previous batch students.
They presented their ideas and spoke how CSIM course helped and inspired in their social entrepreneurial venture !

Following ideas/venture caught my attention :

1. Education for free - Virtual Classroom
2. Agla Kadam - NGO which provides livelihood for HIV+ people
3. Ideas for improving Ragpickers life - Revenue generation model for door-to-door pickup of waste etc etc
4. VisionMission Convergence - Networking Website for all NGOs to connect and leverage each others strengths
5.Improving Craftsmen life by avoiding the middle men intervention in global handicraft market
and many more..

Very impressive and practical ideas...from people from our own society..!Infact two ideas are presented by degree college students inspite of their hectic exam schedules !

These days volunteering for NGOs has become a fashion..with motives being an extra bullet point in one's MBA resume or just to show off !!I request each and every one of you to look back your own life and think about the people who inspired you in many ways..

GO BACK TO YOUR ROOTS and find a way to strengthen them further !!

Ratan Tata Ji..Can you help ??!!

2008-01-16T21:05:00.001-08:00

We , urban people need 1 lakh Rupees "Nano" helicopter and not car ...

Car drive to Garuda Mall : 2 hours
Parking in 7th floor (after 14 rounds) : 20 minutes
Waiting for Lift to INOX : 10 mins
Movie : 2.30 hrs
Taking out the car and paying parking fee(long queue near exit) : 30 minutes
Driving back home: 2 hours

To watch 2.30 hours movie , we need to spend 5 hours extra !
This is the state of great green city - BANGALORE !

I hope I can fly !! Is Nano ready ??

PS : TZP Movie is great..so its ok to spend 5 hours extra on road ..Thats the only way to calm yourself :-)

5 Things to do for Single guys to mingle !

2008-01-03T12:43:00.000-08:00

For past few months , I have been questioned by my single friends on how to deal with "woman" !I have listened to some self-pity statements like I am not good at building relationship..Girls just dont like me ..etc etc !!

I thought why not give my fellow friends some tips....
Here they are :

1. "Look Smart Feel Smart" - You need to believe in this tag-line.Groom Yourself.I know MNC culture is very encouraging that other employees wont mind if you wear the same old t-shirt for 3 days.But you need to remember the fact rather your name , you will be identified by your t-shirt.Keep Changing your wardrobe and please donate your faded school/college t-shirts to charity !!! We know you are from so and so college..So WHAT ??!!

2."Care for your Hygiene" - You are fooling yourself if you think a girl will be OK , even if she see those white dandruff flakes !I know dear....you have a critical deadline but still somehow take care of your personal hygiene ! Be neat and clean !

3."Quit Smoking" - Anyway in future your girl will take care of you and your lungs ..so she will ask you to quit smoking...So do quit smoking from now on...Atleast have control over number of cigarettes if you cannot quit !

4."Stop your Male Chauvinist comments" - I have seen many guys who just like that pass on male chavinistic comments inspite of having high regards and respect for women!If you are one of those MCPs , you shouldn't have read my post in the first place !! I know the number of women in techie-geeky communities are less..So what ?? ..These are already enough statistics and reports in place to prove that women are heading towards the top !!

5."Stop over-caring" - Dont be one of those over-friendly,over-bill-paying,over-gifting,over-nice,over-caring guy.Sensible woman like to be independent.You need not accompany her for anything and everything.She will ask your help when she is in need !Understand the fact that she has a mind of her own !

Let me know guys if the above tips work for you :)
I wish you good luck and success for Feb 14th 2008 !!!

"Practise Unconditional love"
Raji

What a fantastic start !

2008-01-02T01:29:00.000-08:00

I am sure this is the most exciting new year for me!
Yesterday I was casually browsing about NGOs in Hyderabad.
Somehow landed in www.csim.org and I registered for Certificate course in NGO management and Social Entrepreneurship ! Am quite thrilled about this : http://www.csim.org/course
If anyone has done this course before, please give me feedback.

This 2008 , Greatly Inspired from Gandhi Ji's words ~ “Be the change you want to see in the world.”
Raji

Visualise your dream..now !

2007-12-31T03:45:00.000-08:00

2008..Lot of Dreams..Aspirations..Hopes...!!

This new year I will...
* Go for morning walk...
* Do yoga
* Learn Kathak
* Love my work or not work at all
* Invest wisely
* Become a better chef
* Have fruits for breakfast
* Reduce Weight and stay fit
* Do Gardening
* Teach English to my servant maid (and her friends if possible)
* Teach and Choreograph dance for girls in NGOs
* Actively participate in initiatives for eco-friendly greener planet !
&
* Keep Smiling and never get angry !!

I will revist this blog on December 31st , 2008 and list the tasks that I accomplished !!
Raji

My ideal day ..

2007-12-12T23:04:00.000-08:00

Wake up with the zeal to live this day to the fullest...!
See the sun rise and hear the birds chirping..!
Do the morning yoga with energising suryanamaskar..!
Sip my ginger tea with ET on the other hand..!
Play soothing music..and prepare our breakfast and lunch .. !
Relax for a while all alone to plan my day ..!
Get dressed well and start to office with great energy..!
Work 8 hours a day with 100% productivity with minimal n useful browsing...!
Unwind and relax rest of the evening !
Go to bed with a peaceful mind that this day has been lived thoroughly with no regrets !

What an ideal day it would be..

Lead with femininity and grace!

2007-11-28T23:19:00.000-08:00

*** DISCLAIMER :This is truely my personal opinion..Iam not here to pinpoint anyone in particular.***

How about being the only woman in your organisation....??!! Have you ever been in this situation ??
I would like to discuss pros and cons of being in this situation..

Lets discuss pros first...be positive buddy :)
1. You will get noticed right from CEO to housekeeping person.
2 .In meetings , amidst all the strong male voices , you get to speak with the sweet feminine voice and bring a calming effect as well as different perspective on your male counterparts :P

Here comes the tough part...
1.How to network with these fellows when social networking happens in the smoking zone (incase if you are not a smoker...)
2.What to do in team dinner party. ..so called team building activity when your male counterparts are busy smoking and boozing..Should you get drunk with them ?? What I usually do is to have a cocktail and try to converse in the first 1 hour when they are sane, have dinner and run away from that place at that earliest...
3.How to draw fine line when professional relationship try to become more personal ?

Being in the technology industry for the past 3 years and many a times being the only woman in the team ,I had lot of challenges in building a rapport within the team. Corporate world had taught me a lot about human behaviour. I have made very good friends on the way.

Every organisation should have focus on gender diversity and bridge this gap in the technology world.
Hope to see equal number of women in the boardroom ..
If so, no such arguments or posts are necessary in the near future !!

I highly value these words by Padmasree Warrior ,Motorola

What lessons have you learned that would be valuable to women beginning their careers in technology?

Be an expert in your field, know your stuff! Develop a clear, concise and distinctive communication style. Surround yourself with giants - don't be intimidated by brilliance from others, leverage it. Lead with femininity and grace - you don't have to be "one of the boys" to be recognized as a strong leader. Be professional and always treat people with respect. Be well organized in how you deliver and be thorough in what you do. Take charge of your career. Don't wait for the perfect opportunity to land in your lap--search for it with passion and daring. A lesson I learned from Bob Galvin is "Leadership is the ability to take people elsewhere. Lead with humility. Humility does not mean that one thinks less of oneself, it means that one thinks of oneself less". This is a nugget I will always carry with me.

Source : http://www.witi.com/wire/witiwomen/pwarrior/index.shtml

Listen to your inner voice !!

2007-11-14T23:13:00.000-08:00

"Material interests are not the only guiding light. It is something that you'd enjoy doing in the long run. Take the time to figure out how to get there. The quickest way may not necessarily be the best. The journey matters as much as the goal. Listen to the sounds of nature. Wishing you the best on your trek towards yours dreams. Take good care of our fragile planet." - Kalpana Chawla's message to Indian children before her final takeoff.

Truly inspiring words...

Listen to the sounds of nature..
Listen to your inner voice ...

Jaaga Bidi !

2007-10-01T02:18:00.000-07:00

Cafe Coffee Day in Jubilee hills is sealed due to lack of parking facility.Good job by GHMC !
Can GHMC do the same thing to IIPM (behind Taj Krishna) ??
I wonder how the institute premises can be planned without a parking space for its staff and students !!
Residents of Erramanjil colony have a tough time driving through this lane !!

dear students ... Swalpa jaaga bidi !

Retailers .. Are you listening ??

2007-09-04T21:36:00.000-07:00

Campaigns are everywhere these days about Environmental pollution and global warming from environmentalists and do-gooders.. But what is the use if Corporates are not willing to take up the responsibility..

If not doing some good , they can atleast stay away from harming...
Ban of plastic materials is age-old thing... But go to any so-called newly started modern-retail store like reliance-fresh , food bazaar etc , you see bundle of plastic covers... For each item , you need to take a separate plastic bag...

Why cant they simply use their head and use a paper bag instead..
Or use containers , weigh the vegetables and transfer to a single bag ..

For all shoppers , I would request you to take paper bag or jute bag and avoid those poisonous plastic bags...Ofcourse they wont allow you to use your own bags...but in the billing counter , transfer all your items to your bag and leave the dump to them ..If possible , ask them to leave the plastic bags for others to use... If there is any other better suggestion , leave them as comments...

If each one of us can do something , we can atleast repair the damage caused by big -shot corporates... See here to find how people are contributing in their own ways..really inspiring...

I still remember the way I purchase vegetables from street vendor in my home-town without any use of plastic bags..how environment friendly we were ...

Will Greener World will still be a distant dream ??!!!
Can I make a difference in this world ?

Dance Club Bits Pilani !!

2007-08-14T00:02:00.000-07:00

If you are curious about what we do in Dance Club , BITS Pilani...
Please check the videos in my orkut profile !!
This is what we call "desert-dance" in Oasis :-)

My experience with Dance Club in BITS is very professional ..
When I think about the activities we do in club , its pretty much we are running a organisation of our own..

We have budgets allotted , nominate/elect Dance club Secretrary , Co-ordinator for each major show (apogee , Oasis inauguration) , Costume purchase (trips to make an economical shopping in Delhi) , Costume Designing(based on background colours) , number of trips to Nutan tailors telling them the difference b/w what we want and what he stitched, Incharge for each dance number , Lightz and Sounds Coordinator, Scheduled meetings , discussions ,practice sessions , allocation of practise rooms , CD players , Desktop/Laptop to get ideas by watching variety of videos , umpteem number of rehearsals , Run-throughs , Costume Run-through(making sure costume is not causing prob during lift , formation etc etc) , Feedback/Improvement session from Seniors,
ANC (all night canteen ) sessions to unwind our 4-5 hours of strenuos practice everyday , late night permission from girls warden , backstage preparations, props handling ,Final grand Show , C'not Treat after the successful show , waiting for comments from wingies , nears and dears about each dance...Dance club trip to some nice hill station .. and finally the post mortem session ..and election of Secretary and Co-ord for the next show...

ooohh...are not we a professional dance company already ??!!

Being a part of Dance club in BITS is indeed a great learning experience !!
Fun , Teamwork , Innovation , Creativity ..thats WE the club !!

For each one of us in DC , dance is the spirit of life !!

What are your three ??

2007-07-22T23:16:00.001-07:00

Here is the best career advice from Dilbert Scott Adams !
So..Sell yourself as 3-in-1 ComboPack :-)

Am I crazy ??!!

2007-06-29T01:37:00.001-07:00

After several months..I read lot of blogs maintained by my friends, batchmates ... I realised its nice to blog your own success/thoughts/inspiration/boredom or CRAP (??!!)...
For some jobless person , your blog might be the world of fun/information to kill his time!!

Am I becoming crazy day by day...
Everyday I woke up .. I get n number of ideas..as crazy as it can be..

* Should I work for NGO which work towards girls education ??!!
* Shall I start a creative dance school for bored software employees ?
* Shall I register for a degree course in Dance in some university ?
* Shall I host a website with non-stop chit-chat for young ladies like me (subject can vary from which is the best parlour to which is the best fund i can invest ) ? I dont find a decent website where i can get good reliable reviews about kitchen appliances .. btw kenstar karishma is gud for cutting vegetables ..all working ladies as well as gentlemen who think spending time in kitchen is useful....try gud food processors and save ur time !!)
* Shall I start a healthy greeny leafy fruity catering chain (after eating oily food in Canteen ) ??
* Shall I smash all the cars with just single person on busy roads and force them to car pool ??!!

Or shall I be happy working for MNC , get a handful of salary and simply keep my mouthshut and just see this whole world turning into a garbage dump???

My dance journey...

2006-05-14T10:18:00.000-07:00

After spending more than 15 years dancing , I cant imagine my life without dance..Dance means a lot to me ...In my own world , dance gives me the freedom to express !!
I can just be myself and do whatever my mind asks me to do !

George Bernard Shaw said "
Patriotism is your conviction that this country is superior to all other countries because you were born in it. " I am proud to be an Indian not because I was born here but because of the rich culture , arts and tradition that our Indian ancestors had given to the country..

I think each and every individual has a purpose in life ! I think my purpose is to cherish the rich heritage and promote it so that my next generation enjoys it !!

I would like to write little about my dance journey..Starting at the age of 6, I had great oppurtunities to learn classical dance from the great teachers and give remarkable number of stage performances during my school and college days !!

After graduating from college , I didnot have the oppurtunity and time to continue my passion for the past 2 years..Now Iam happy that I have set my priorities right and took enormous effort to revive my dance career..I feel as if I met my beloved one after two long years..

I gave my first performance in Yavanika, Bangalore on May 14 2006 for Commonwealth Parliamentary Assoc sponsored by Dept of kannada and culture.Iam grateful to my dance guru "Mrs Vijayanthi Kashi", the great kuchipudi exponent....

Iam excited to continue this great journey life long...