Art of NOT giving a fuck

I shared this article, and the response was mind blowing :)
Keeping here as a placeholder..

Art of NOT giving a fuck

What a Bounty ...

Clean Energy, what more can we ask for ..

India should integrate itself with friendly neighbors to counter the China Pakistan combo ...
Clean bundles of hydroelectricity from Nepal, and Gas grid enabled energy from Myanmar via Bangladesh..
Not to mention, these Himalayan rivers are a lifeline for the northern plains of India (and Pakistan).

"All Nepal’s rivers, if tapped, could feasibly produce about 40GW of clean energy"

Simply WOW...

South Asia’s hydro-politics: Water in them hills

Debt ... the Macro view

'Debt'.
I think it is justified in only 2 scenarios:

a. When debt allows an entity to acquire an asset which increases productivity in the long run; this can even be investment in an intangible asset, like 'skill set' or 'health'.

b. When debt is able to prevent a breakdown; of institutions, countries, corporations, or household.

In general, any requirement for debt, should be matched against a simple thumb rule; is this driven by a genuine need, or is an aspirational desire fueled initiative.

Also, acquiring debt for high risk investment is an all time NO ...

Fantastic article noting how debt/credit flows from country to country, private to public sector and so on ...

Credit - How it moves

Effectively, Debt is almost like energy .. it can neither be created nor destroyed.. if not serviced through innovation and structural mechanisms for quick re-allotment of capital and risk in economy, debt can only be 'transformed', not destroyed.

Aakhir.. Sach me ho na paaya

And then, it fell sideways.. yet again.

Just watch this clip... This cult movie keeps on bringing something new to the table every time you revisit it.
That scene from DCH (Respect)

The idea has been in perpetual reckoning.. as long back as I can remember.

We have to meet.. Lets get together..

When the group to plan the meet was ironically named "Ho Na Payega", I had silently said to myself..

"Dude.. Not this time..."

Not to bitch about WHY it fell apart this time, because the reasons were valid. Sadly, they have been valid for quite a while now. I am writing about something else (And I am writing after a really long time)

I don't know about others, but I know WHY I want to meet..

I miss the camaraderie.

Feel like I am getting into a bit of 'Drama Queen' mode. Let me get real. Neither me nor anyone in my group has never really 'talked' about shit. Not consciously, anyways. I don't think boys anywhere are in the habit of doing so. So, let us take a step back and examine the context of today's communication landscape.

I strongly feel in today's lives of constant connectivity, we have lost the art of real communication. Just try engaging face to face a stranger in a light conversation. I am not bad at it, but I know i still feel that tinge in stomach before I begin...

This era of constant connectivity ensures that we share content (mostly articles and jokes). We even discuss ideas and events; politics and sports and economics.

We talk about what is happening around us.. We don't really talk about "Whats happening in our lives", unless to give out tidbits of information... I bought this, I went there.. Or else, to share extreme short "Nuggets of wisdom".

It has big plus, constant contact. But it can never take the place of a real meet....

In the midst of this mind numbing constant access to each other, the non sense doesn't get talked out. We cant share the impromptu chuckle, or the sound of a soul-filling curse thrown at a friend... 

We can't watch an episode of Breaking Bad together, or can't discuss the Politics from House of Cards or engage in long wound discussions about the warring houses in Game of Thrones. We can't share a drink together... To sum it all up,
" We can't be stupid together.."

So why is this non sense important? As said before in the post, we as friends never talk important shit per se.. We talk non sense, and then we somehow make sense of that non sense in each other's talk. In moments within that stupid discussion, something profound and meaningful gets said and discussed, sometimes openly sometimes in guise..

I stumbled upon an idea recently.. I tend to presume that when someone has something to say, the person will, so why bother...

And there lies the catch.. those are the very things, peculiar in nature, that need prodding...

I can't imagine me doing it, ever. Because at some level I realize, that this is against my core belief, to leave someone alone if they don't ask for help.

This again reinforces the fact: non nonsensical peripheral babbling is important during a face to face get together.

I recently went on a WhatsApp sabbatical for about 10 days from our group. And then I got through the days, another thought, bit by bit, came to me.. Especially when I was going through the truckload of messages of previous conversations before jumping back in...

People have to try and give it a try.. A push to make the real meet happen. WE have to prioritize it; make time for it, because there will always be other things.

And maybe at some level, stop pretending to ourselves that we want to do something, when perhaps deep inside, we may not really want to..

Now look at the pic below and think..

Do you not want to live this moment every once in a while?

Do you not deserve this?

Remember that the most valuable antiques are dear old friends.
H. Jackson Brown, Jr

And then it happened ...

Isn't it ironic, that the heart compels you to mark exactly those moments in ink which can never be described in words. I guess it makes sense though. I do realize at some level I write in a modest hope that I may be able to re-live this flood of emotions, even a semblance of it when I read this again. Isn't this what memoirs are for?

I do believe in God, but am absolutely not religious. I don't keep track of auspicious days, don't care for rituals and traditions, and don’t really take any pains to suck up to the almighty in general. My grandma had told me long ago that I don't need to do all that, because prayer without faith and belief in the cause amounts to nothing. I don't remember when was the last time I visited a temple. But as weird as it might sound, out of my own volition, I went to temple on Thursday morning after we beat Pakistan. I was ill, not feeling well, but somehow it just felt right. Then I went again on Friday, and prayed to God to write the prefect script on Saturday. And I even took my little sister to temple on Saturday morning in Pune. I intend to go once more sometime next week as a Thank You. That’s it for now.

How for the duration of 10 odd hours, I lived and died with every ball. I was there, on the field, in every sense. Nothing around me mattered anymore. Tiny moments etched in memory forever. Shock when Sreesanth came in rather than Ashwin. Sachin on shoulders of the team-mates. The glaring similarity between Zaheer's last over in 2011 final and his first over in 2003 Finals. The surge of respect for Dhoni when he promoted himself ahead of Yuvraj, and terror when he came crumbling down on pitch with stomach cramps and dehydration. The perfect silence all around when Sachin was caught behind the stumps. Sehwag holding Simon Taufel's arm when he signaled a No-Ball. Dhoni shouting over stumps to Yuvraj, "Referal lena hia kya, bol na, lena hai kya". Gambhir getting an earful from Dhoni after he played a shot in air that just went over the mid-on fielder for four. Gary Kirsten's jump from seat after the final shot. The anger in Kohli's eyes as he walked back to the pavilion.

I can't help but feel for my friends abroad. I got 5 calls towards the end of the match from friends outside, all asking "Abe bataa bahar kya ho raha hai". They must have all known the madness that prevailed on the streets when we knocked out Pakistan. And even though they could not be here, they wanted to be a part of it this time somehow, as it was happening real time. As one of them later wrote on FB, "I have never been so happy and so sad simultaneously in my whole life."

There was a barrage of SMS after we beat Pak 3 days ago, but today there was a steady flow of SMS throughout the day. One said; "Sangakara Prays to God, to help them win over India. God replies, sorry dude, conflict of interest. I'm gonna open for India". Another one was when we were in doldrums after Sachin's departure, one SMS said, "Arrey chinta nahi, apan hi jeetenge, Ghajini aur Rajni dono ordiance me hai"

Post match seems like a blur now. I was oblivious to the moistness in my own eyes till I saw tears streaming down the faces of Bhajji And Yuvi. The post match presentation ceremony, the victory lap all happened so fast. The grace with which Sangakara gave Team India credit was amazing. The face of Mahela and Sangakara post match told the story, and I felt bad for them. Though I didn't feel much for Murli. He already has been a World Champion, and he has already had a perfect script for TEST retirement when he got 8 wickets to touch 800 wickets. Miracles don't happen that often.

The firecrackers that went on for hours put any Diwali I have seen on the backburner. The crowds on the streets were amazing; not because of the sheer number, nor for the numerous Indian flags unfurled all along as far as the sight went. It was novel to see a sea of Blue amidst the yellow and white of street lights. Slogans all around ... "Sachin, India, Bharat mata ki Jai, Jeet Gaye" ... There was excitement, but no unruly behavior anywhere. The mobs were courteous and polite, even when screaming at the top of their voice. No obscenities, nothing. All around were genuine people, who were out there because they wanted to, because they believed in their dream and it had come true. Families, Young Kids, Grandparents .. all were out... on foot, in vehicles ...

We shouted and greeted random people, and they responded with equal vigor. I was hugging and giving high-fives to strangers, but we weren't strangers anymore. It was the brotherhood of Indian Cricket fans, embodying the soul of our nation. There was no eve teasing, and girls were feeling safe. There was hardly any traffic police, but there were no big jams. An uncle was putting tilak on everyone's forehead passing by, "Aaj desh jeeta hai beta, ham sab jeete hai". As I danced across ahead in the street I wondered if I will ever meet that man again, but it did not matter. Colors were flying all around; probably leftovers from Holi. The reaction was fit to the dreams of a nation coming true.

In hindsight, I loved the way how despite being so much about Sachin, the match did not become an All-Sachin affair. Tendulkar finally had a team his commitment, hard work and passion deserved, and they did it when it mattered. It felt like an obvious culmination for the years of devotion to the game and Nation by this humble great man. All the movie superstars, Business tycoons and Larger than life politicians must have gotten a dose of reality; of what it means to be Sachin Tendulkar. He was the special person Yuvraj wanted to win for. There was an underlying current across the nation, where everyone wanted the Cup for themselves, the players, but also specifically for Sachin. Kohli summed it up the best, "For 21 years he has carries the burden of our expectations on his shoulders, now it was time that we carried him on our shoulders"

Wish I could know more, feel more. How must it be to be in presence of an awe inspiring figure like Sachin, in flesh and blood around you. But that is a privilege of the few. We won, and not as underdogs, but as one of the tournament favorites. That makes it even more special.

Perfect endings don't happen only in movies; it can also happen in life. I was born in the year India won it's first World Cup. In 2011, I feel I am born again. As I look at issues around me in my life, somehow everything seems different, even when I know nothing has changed on ground. The underlying philosophy got reinforced. Take a leap of faith, work hard and be patient. All will be well.

PS: I am willing to pay top dollar to buy a copy of India's WC campaign.

Books I read in 2010 ...

I read a lot, and I hear a lot from people who say I don't go anywhere without a book, and get restless when I don't have one to read. Anyways, a conversation with my brother gave me this thought and so I listed the books I read last year.

The Great Indian Novel - Shashi Tharoor
India after Gandhi - Ramachandra Guha
If God was a Banker - Ravi subramaniam
Into the wild - Jon Krakauer
Devil in pinstripes - Ravi subramaniam
Keep off the grass - Karan Bajaj
The White Tiger - Aravind Adiga
Johnny gone down - Karan Bajaj
Dork : The Incredible Adventures of Robin 'Einstein' Varghese - Sidin Vadukut
Freakonomics - Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner
2 States - Chetan Bhagat
Yes Minister - Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn
The Professional - Subroto Bagchi
Into thin air - by Jon Krakauer
It happened in India - Kishore Biyani and Dipayan Baishya
The Inscrutable Americans - Anurag Mathur
Of Course I Love You. . ! : Till I Find Someone - Durjoy Datta
A Romance With Chaos - Nishant Kaushik
India: From Midnight to the Millennium and Beyond - Shashi Tharoor
Kane and Abel - Jeffrey Archer (continued from 2009)
First among equals - Jeffrey Archer
Not a penny more, not a penny less - Jeffrey Archer


It is amusing to look back at this list. For example, I recall how I could actually feel Jeffrey Archer evolve as an author as I read his 3 novels back to back. And then there were a bunch of Novels that got published due to what I call "The Chetan Bhagat Effect". There were others mammoth ones, Like India After Gandhi and The Great India Novel. And few like The Inscrutable Americans which belonged to the immediate post liberalization era, but are not so relevant anymore. And Yes Minister, which was a second read (first was in college courtesy Bhowmik)


Now that I have listed these, I realize I do read a lot. Well, it continues ..
For 2011, I have already read The Wizard of Oz and am currently reading India Unbound.


My Bookmark has this lovely comment on it:
"Never judge a book by its movie"


I guess thats a good point to conclude this post.

Bhale, Happy new year ho gaya

First of all, I am a bit pleased with myself. Finally got down to writing a blog after few months.
After 5 consecutive weekends, I spent this weekend at my place in Mumbai. I rediscovered the joys of laziness and procrastination.

But I am writing about the time spent in Delhi/NCR last December.

First of all, to all those who say I plan too much ... In You Face suckers ... I planned this trip and I made it happen ...

People say I end up writing a structured emotional itinerary of my trips with friends. So, I will try and make this one different. No recall of how the time was spent, no names of places visited. Just a few plain moments which are still vivid in my mind...

I still cant forget the uncertainty that bugged me before my flight for Delhi took off ... The flight had been cancelled in the days leading up to departure date, and things looked bleak. Too much Fog in Delhi. Funny thing, I was not really bothered about what would happen if I don't make it to Delhi ... bigger fear was I had no plans to do anything in Mumbai as a backup ...

So, the takeaways from the trip ...

It was Parag's call at 6:30 am on my B'day that set this all in motion. He told me he was coming in Dec, and then Goel also said he had some 'work'. It was the time of exorbitant Flight fares, and I was skeptical. But things fell into place, and I reached there ...

Now, being in Mumbai for so long, I had forgotten the joys of a warm sun in chilling cold ... I rediscovered that at Galleria over a period of 3-4 hours one fine morning.

No matter what, I cannot forget the formulation of our theory as to why and how really India got Independence ... the true story that was covered up ... How Bapu got up with his Lathee in his hand, and others followed him, and Dandi march happened. And what was the real reason behind Quit India.

Arpit, thanks for the endless cups of Green Tea / Herbal Tea. I loved them. The image is still fresh in my mind ... that steaming mug in hand, looking down from balcony, and seeing nothing but a layer of fog down on earth ... wow.

A standout was the nice peaceful conversation with Parag in icy cold balcony in the dead of the night ... that one to one chat was awesome. Very Boston Legal type Balcony conversation.. There was another one the previous night, with Parag and Pulkit ... it was no mean feat. We got Chojan to think, and thats all we are capable of.

The Wassuppppp commercials, the timely utterance of True, True .... Man, I shouted Wassup as I wrote this, ha ha ha.

That shitty Rihanna song which I hate from the bottom of my heart ... which was played over again and again ...

Gupta and his SLR ... and the conspicuous absence of Chojan One at times. Was nice to bump in to Kapoor saab, meet Arpit, and not so nice to miss Banerjee by a whisker.

It was a good place to start this 'Happy New Year'. I recall one of us saying this, 'shadi ke baad ek sheher me nahi rahenge, warna sab ki biwi ghar se nikaal degi'

This trip was different from the previous ones we had. Everyone was laid back. Very less was spoken but a lot was said. Advice was sought ... advice was given ... situations were judged, with underlying accepted on any course our lives take in future.
This just might turn out to be one of the last such meets ... the mood was different when we met at Pune in Jul 2010.

Hope to meet up soon, this time a bigger group ... things will surely change for all of us in 2011. Just that nobody knows where will the roads lead us.