Well I guess I was proved wrong when SDM won , but I still think that SDM wasnt a best movie s. I think Frost-Nixon shld have received it. I feel good for A R Rahman and Resul Pookutty. What a lesson - for those of you who dont know about Resul - I have read that he flunked the medical entrance exam which he took to please his dad. He dropped out of law school to go to the Film and Television Institute . He followed his heart and decided to get into the movie industry and he has climbed to the pinnacle in this business.
This is a lesson for all individuals - how many of us get stuck in jobs that we dont really care about or do things to make a living without really feeling that it is our calling! Resul's example is testament to the whole point of following your passion - you will be happy and possibly very successful. While loving your family members, stay away from them for career advice - sometimes they dont let you follow your heart.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Slumdog Millionaire - Not Best Picture Status
Well I finally saw the much touted movie. And I am confused as to whether i like it as much as the critics do. Will it win a Best Picture Oscar? My fearless prediction: NO. Who knows I may be proven wrong. Maybe if my expectations had not been raised like they were, I might have thought that it was a great movie. But still I dont think I could have seen a Best Picture. It is not in the same category as Millionaire Dollar Baby or Crash, but against this year's other nominees (except Milk and TCCofBB), it may stand a slim chance. The directing is superb, fast paced and imbibes Bollywood and Hollywood storytelling styles cohesively while being distinct. Danny Boyle deserves this one . The child actors were superb, as was Dev Patel. And AR Rahman's score is very worth listening. But I can also see Amitabh Bachan's pov around the image - at times, I thought I was seeing Africa or Manila here.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Introducing my friend Bala, the Visionary
My friend Bala is an amazing guy. He and I worked together atTata Motors over 15 years ago as trainees. I remember him as a very sincere guy, joining Tata straight out of IIT Bombay (as it was called then). While all of us other trainees were looking for ways to get away by doing the least amount of work, Bala was the other extreme - showing up to work early and leaving late. He spent most of his time at the Engineering Research Center, designing cars etc. But after two years he decided that he wanted to study management and pushed off to IIM Bangalore.
After IIMB, he worked in a number of technology related companies - Wipro, Infosys, Mphasis and the likes. Somewhere along the way he got married also. In 2007, in an epiphany, he resigned his job and decided to start a Microfinance company that addressed a major gap in the market - i.e. of loan guarantees. A big problem in the world of microfinance is the issue of the risk lenders assume when lending to very low income borrowers - those on the margin. Some of these may get left because of the lack of credibility i.e. high risk they pose.
Bala saw this problem as an opportunity. In his technology consulting days, he had some experience with the financial services sector and quickly recognized this as a very simple business problem - one of managing risk by getting a third party to provide the guarantees and assuming the risk. This way the ordinary public also gets involved in the world of micro-finance by providing small guarantees.
What is amazing is not the concept, but the sacrifices he has made so far - he gave up a well paying job and has bootstrapped this company for the last 12 months. His enthusiasm and passion also attracted a number of volunteers who have worked with him since the idea days. Now Bala is trying to raise financing for his venture but so far has been struggling to get decent funding in these times. I only hope it is a matter of time, before he finds investors / finances to lead the growth of United Prosperity. Here is a link to his company's website: http://www.unitedprosperity.org/
Visit it and get involved.
After IIMB, he worked in a number of technology related companies - Wipro, Infosys, Mphasis and the likes. Somewhere along the way he got married also. In 2007, in an epiphany, he resigned his job and decided to start a Microfinance company that addressed a major gap in the market - i.e. of loan guarantees. A big problem in the world of microfinance is the issue of the risk lenders assume when lending to very low income borrowers - those on the margin. Some of these may get left because of the lack of credibility i.e. high risk they pose.
Bala saw this problem as an opportunity. In his technology consulting days, he had some experience with the financial services sector and quickly recognized this as a very simple business problem - one of managing risk by getting a third party to provide the guarantees and assuming the risk. This way the ordinary public also gets involved in the world of micro-finance by providing small guarantees.
What is amazing is not the concept, but the sacrifices he has made so far - he gave up a well paying job and has bootstrapped this company for the last 12 months. His enthusiasm and passion also attracted a number of volunteers who have worked with him since the idea days. Now Bala is trying to raise financing for his venture but so far has been struggling to get decent funding in these times. I only hope it is a matter of time, before he finds investors / finances to lead the growth of United Prosperity. Here is a link to his company's website: http://www.unitedprosperity.org/
Visit it and get involved.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
My new hero
What a cool guy he seems to be. Calm under pressure, while facing imminent death. Not just his, but 150 others. And almost self effacing and embarrassed when asked to talk about how he and his crew saved the lives of those folks. Who else, but the brave, and quiet Capt Sully.
I watched his interview with Larry King. And I was almost clapping for the man. His responses to King's questions, were firm, short, crisper than his moustache, and almost always laced with humility. And whenever put on the spot about his role, he invariably gave credit to his entire team and his training.
This was another lesson in leadership for me. Capt Sully was calm, well trained, and as he said, did what he was trained to do. And in doing so, he encouraged others to do the same, with little fanfare. Not once did I hear him even remotely suggest that he considered his actions to be heroic. And his co-pilot, the first officer was just as self effacing as were the rest of the crew. Clearly they see him as a role model.
The world needs more leaders like Capt Sully.
I watched his interview with Larry King. And I was almost clapping for the man. His responses to King's questions, were firm, short, crisper than his moustache, and almost always laced with humility. And whenever put on the spot about his role, he invariably gave credit to his entire team and his training.
This was another lesson in leadership for me. Capt Sully was calm, well trained, and as he said, did what he was trained to do. And in doing so, he encouraged others to do the same, with little fanfare. Not once did I hear him even remotely suggest that he considered his actions to be heroic. And his co-pilot, the first officer was just as self effacing as were the rest of the crew. Clearly they see him as a role model.
The world needs more leaders like Capt Sully.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
A busy start to the year
It has been a busy start to the year for me personally what with preparing for the arrival of a new one, looking for a new place, movers and buying some new furniture. Should have sneaked in some time to post something - but I got tardy.
But hey during this time, I managed to learn a few new things. One - you can pretty much kiss your security deposit goodbye when you move into a rental apartment. Second, in this day and age of warp speed communications, AT&T still needs 8 yes, eight days to transfer my line from one location to another WITHIN the San Francisco Bay Area. It still isnt clear to me why they needed eight days to stop my old phone line and start a new one when no hardware installation was necessary. They need a different kind of stimulus.
I got to see bits of the inauguration - the feeling was fabulous - and kudos to all those who braved the cold to watch the historic event. I felt goosebumps. And a bit sorry for George Bush, as he departed looking forlorn. Wonder how he felt knowing that his approval ratings were low and the assembled crowds were happy to see the last of him as President. Lesson in leadership - you got to have a VERY TOUGH SKIN.
The rest of the inauguration was really nice - watching Obama's daughters, his wife, listening to his speech, - it took me, a bystander, a little while to adjust to seeing for myself, with mine own eyes, a non white President. And when I did, I felt tears of joy on my cheeks.
But hey during this time, I managed to learn a few new things. One - you can pretty much kiss your security deposit goodbye when you move into a rental apartment. Second, in this day and age of warp speed communications, AT&T still needs 8 yes, eight days to transfer my line from one location to another WITHIN the San Francisco Bay Area. It still isnt clear to me why they needed eight days to stop my old phone line and start a new one when no hardware installation was necessary. They need a different kind of stimulus.
I got to see bits of the inauguration - the feeling was fabulous - and kudos to all those who braved the cold to watch the historic event. I felt goosebumps. And a bit sorry for George Bush, as he departed looking forlorn. Wonder how he felt knowing that his approval ratings were low and the assembled crowds were happy to see the last of him as President. Lesson in leadership - you got to have a VERY TOUGH SKIN.
The rest of the inauguration was really nice - watching Obama's daughters, his wife, listening to his speech, - it took me, a bystander, a little while to adjust to seeing for myself, with mine own eyes, a non white President. And when I did, I felt tears of joy on my cheeks.
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