Saturday, July 27, 2013

People Watch Part 2 - Darpan - what reflects with in.



When life gives you lemons and serves you a lemon cake.

This post and the posts which will follow are about some wonderful charismatic powerful people who in their own way make life better for  people around them. They have positively in them which enriches people around them. They are my peers my elders my young friends. 

So lets begin.


Today I write on Darpan.
Darpan is a gem of a person, he lives life the way it should be lead, from  the front, without inhibiting others and doing logical carrier and social building activities.

 But to say that I know him completely is unfair to both of us. The post is on Darpan I know and hence its on Darpan the Rock Star!

 A few years ago I met him in a B school selection process and he knew so much. But underneath that was a humble yet inquisitive person. Over the next  1 year we did keep an occasional touch like explaining what is gudi padwa and why I am wishing him. He is from Delhi you see. But then as luck would have it I did spend a year in the same hostel as he did and we bonded as friends.

 He loved to debate and I loved to listen to perspectives. Then over the next few years we did drift away. Until one fine day I called him on his birthday and he gave me a thrashing I deserved. I learnt no matter how busy you are , you need to be in touch with your friends. 

Darpan understands culture, appreciates it, supports it. He likes good plays, movies and concerts.These words may sound hollow but that the problem with words not with him. Its like reading in words about a delicious icecream versus experiencing a delicious icecream. To narrate in words the experience of having icecream is going to fall short.

Darpan did manage to intrigue me and my classmates with his different takes on topics. When I did meet him a few years from then he was the one to question my choices in professional growth and for me a person who stirs you out of your comfort zone is very valuable. That means this person is brave and is willing to take new things on with positivity.

I believe this part of Darpan he should cherish and keep at it no matter the price the world will extract out of him.
I am unsure if he knows that his experimentation along with a certain consistency (focus) will help him achieve quite a lot.

For the world he does bring a person who likes to break status quo. He does that with ease, with a smile and a conversation.

With no tailored made incidents to stretch a persons life.  All my observations on him do lack a story because what I write on Darpan is based on a few years of conversations and reactions, you converse with him, you pick up little things you have ignored.  

There are times when you dont agree with his views of course but he is not the sort who will force you to agree. He accepts the difference of opinion.   

Once after a late night clasical music concert I was having a walk with Darpan. It was 3- 4 am  in the morning and Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt (no offense - I am classical music illiterate) had bored me to death with his strumming of one single note. He actually played one note for 2 hrs. I dont quite remember who said what at that point but Darpan ended up defending Panditji. But he did accept the fact that a musician has to perform to the intelligence of the audience, may be even educate it.

Darpan will be tremendously influential in years to come, that is my prediction. But I can say this now, that so far its life well lived.

People Watch -Part 1 - Tati as I recall.

Once upon a time a very long while ago there was a atirekki, (a terrorist), while most I heard of are adults this one was a child. He was a bully and his target was me... It took its toll on me and it will be hard not be prejudiced towards a person like him. May be for life.

 But then life gives you lemons and serves you a lemon cake.

This post and the posts which will follow are about some wonderful charismatic powerful people who in their own way make life better for  people around them. They have positively in them which enriches people around them. They are my peers my elders my young friends. 

So lets begin.

Tatianu  at first he met us and all he knew was - " My name is Tatianu, and  I don't know English".

 And as an awkward pause began he smiled. He had a very natural smile. That along with his currly hair made him stand out. Ofcourse he was white skinned which did make him stand out anyways. Tatianu did learn English but he also was able to make any person feel comfortable as he mastered the art of connecting with gestures and a smile. 

He was a Brazilian. Being enthusiastic was natural to him. I remember the day after Brazil lost to France 3 0 in the 1998 soccer world cup final. The match itself was interesting as i watched with a Brazilian and French next to me, both my friends and both watching the match in India and expecting me to support their team. In the end it was joy for Patrick my French friend but sorrow for Tatianu. He cried. But the next morning he was very cheerful as if Brazil had won the game. For Tatianu lived with emotion but was balanced.  Brazil might have lost the game but Tati as we called him won hearts. Its been 15 years and yet he matters to me and the people he enthused. Hence I begin this series with Tati.

Tati could behave as he liked at times and yet he made you smile while doing so. Once I remember him getting up in the morning and getting ready in 10 mins to go out. Naturally I asked him, "Tati you had bath?"

"Yes"

"When?"

"Last night."

The conviction which he said last night was as if he had a bath just now.

His presence made the person feel good about themselves and the world and for me I feel Tati makes a difference in this world.  

Monday, May 27, 2013

Kolkatta - Sequels can be good but the third part closes the story.


Warning : The Characters and incidents used here in the description below are all real. Any similarity with any person, location and event is completely on purpose . 
 (All work mentioned here is to narrate the facts as experience and not to disclose any work details)

This story is dark. Its not a fairy tale. Its a fair tale.

Taken starts the morning with a flight to Kolkatta. He meets his client in the flight itself. 

The rush of warm air hits him and he realizes that he could have been here 5 days ago. Great Expectations got married 5 days ago and he could have been there. But he was busy. He broke his word.

Two deaths in the morning stun him and yet the call of duty requires him to focus on his job.

He messages his sympathies and yet he feels so sad. 

This time he does go to the city, he drives away symbolic perhaps that there is no body here now to meet him, show him this city.

But even in the subrubs the Kolkatta hits his senses. The crowds, the filth and the smell. It still feels good to him.
He travels away to 24 North Paranas and it is here that he spends his day.

He meets office collegues and a whole set of people and spends the day at the job at the hand. The thought of meeting up old does raise but quickly vanishes.

Dada from office has the charge and has lead well today. I like the sprit of showcasing and documenting dada and his team come up with.

The day teaches him a lot of things and Taken thought he was teaching...

He likes the organized work his team mates had put up today and he rushes back in the evening to the airport.

He does however indulge in a small portoin of misti dohi while in the rush.

At the airport he waits alone. Unsure of what to do. He buys a over priced book and drinks a coffee which is expensive and yet horrible.

As he finally gets in his plane, a girl (good looking) sits next to him and just when Taken is about to say oh Thank lord, she exchanges her seat with a 10 year old.

The flight lands and the trip  is over.

I know what you a thinking ... this is a bad way to end a trilogy. Well remember Spiderman 3 / Termaninator Salvation/ ... Part 3 are bad.

Mine was not bad but it had very less Kolkatta in it. 

No observations or remarks this time.

Hopefully next time .... Taken hopes that there is a next time.

http://ninadthinks.blogspot.in/2013/02/kolkata-watch-trip-as-wonderful-as.html

Saturday, March 16, 2013

Bak Awaaz. on Homework.
























Few other BakAwaaz

http://ninadthinks.blogspot.in/2013/03/bakawaaz-on-sundays.html


http://ninadthinks.blogspot.in/2013/03/bakawaaz-based-on-idea-and-airtel-ad.html
http://ninadthinks.blogspot.in/2013/03/bakawaaz-on-atms.html

http://ninadthinks.blogspot.in/2013/03/bakawaaz-on-atms.html


http://ninadthinks.blogspot.in/2012/05/bak-aawaz-1.html















Why the fastest century in test cricket significant.

Image: I do not own this image and has been used as a representation purpose only.

So Shikhar Dhawan scored a century on debut. Nah! He destroyed the Australian attack in the process of proving himself.

But there is something more significant at play here.

There is no better way to say it and hence I say it straight.

Sachin Tendulkar can now retire with peace that new generation now can fight there own battles. This century along with a few other knocks by Virat Kohli, Dhoni, Pujara and Vijay show that the team with do its transition smoothly.

Granted that we will still find ourselves at 10/2 in South Africa a few months from now but we should be glad that we are not 10/2 in India right now. That in itself will be relief for Sachin.

He can retire anytime he wishes now and India will do okay.

This is significant.

Image: I do not own this image and has been used as a representation purpose only. It belongs to its rightful owners.

Sunday, March 03, 2013

Bakawaaz on sundays.







Few other BakAwaazs.


http://ninadthinks.blogspot.in/2013/03/bakawaaz-based-on-idea-and-airtel-ad.html
http://ninadthinks.blogspot.in/2013/03/bakawaaz-on-atms.html

http://ninadthinks.blogspot.in/2013/03/bakawaaz-on-atms.html


http://ninadthinks.blogspot.in/2012/05/bak-aawaz-1.html














BakAwaaz (Based on Idea and Airtel Ad)


This post is just meant for fun and does not intend to hurt anyone.













This post is just meant for fun and does not intend to hurt anyone.


Few other BakAwaazs.


http://ninadthinks.blogspot.in/2013/03/bakawaaz-on-atms.html

http://ninadthinks.blogspot.in/2013/03/bakawaaz-on-atms.html


http://ninadthinks.blogspot.in/2012/05/bak-aawaz-1.html