Vijit's Opinion

On the last day of the passing year, everyone starts to get into contemplative mode. Everyone starts looking forward to the New Year with high hopes. I too am no different. 2008 for me was a mixed year. I won some, I lost some. On the career front I took an important decision to change my job. A decision prompted by frustration but one taken with lot of patience. Quitting a job that helped me learn, make friends not just at the place of work but also in the US was not an easy one. There were few who thought that it was not a wise decision on my part to do so. However, I simply followed my heart. Today when I look back and reflect, I discover that my decision was right. Today my job demands much more responsibility, lot more interaction with customers, trouble-shooting and I get a sense of achievement at the end of each working day. On the personal front, things did not start of well. The very first month of the year made me go through some emotional turmoil but then I got over it. Som...

The terrorist attack that shook Mumbai on 26th of November, 2008 and one that lasted till 29th of November, 2008 may be perceived as negative by many. However, it did have some positive outcomes. It has made both, the politicians and the people of our country realize that we cannot take things for granted. I am not denying the fact that many lost their life in the process. The targeted hotels Taj and Oberoi-Trident will get renovated but life lost cannot be retrieved. Thinking about the losses will not help us move forward and create a better and safer tomorrow. We need to unite and fight not only terrorism but also corruption and all the other social evils. Simply because each social evil is linked to each other. The positive that we can take from this ghastly incident is that the people of India have started to do things that they had long forgotten. They have started to question our politicians. The politicians too were taken by surprise when they saw this new trend. The youth who ...

26th of November, 2008 through 28th of November, 2008 terrorists rocked Mumbai. The Gateway of India became the gateway for terror. It all started on a Wednesday, a black Wednesday. Mumbai was transformed into a battle front. Images that you will associate with a war zone could be relived right here in a metro city. The Taj hotel, the Oberoi- Trident hotel, Leopold Cafe, Nariman house and CST station, all prime locations of Mumbai became the target. Top cops, including chief of ATS Hemant Karkare, encounter specialist Vijay Salaskar and additional commissioner Ashok Kamte laid down their life fighting the terrorists in Wednesday's terror attack. Official figures confirm that 125 people are dead including 14 cops, 6 foreigners and at least 324 are injured. The actual numbers could only be higher. My heart felt commiseration to families of those killed. Terrorists even managed to hijack a police vehicle and shoot at people on Mumbai’s roads. The politicians were quick to condemn the...

I am sure the topic of this post must have baffled you. Isn’t it? If yes, then please don’t be surprised. My journey to office is nothing short of a moon mission like Chandrayaan-I (Indian Space Research Organization’s unmanned moon mission). The only noticeable difference is that mine is a manned mission. Ride to office is a smooth one till I move off Eastern Express Highway and head towards Powai. After getting down from the flyover that crosses over the Gandhinagar junction and moving some distance, I get the feeling how the surface of the moon would be like. A moon mission will be full of surprises. You will not be sure what to expect on the moon. Similarly, my journey with my Uni (My Honda Unicorn) is also full of surprises. I spend lot of time finding the road amidst pot-holes on one of the busiest stretch in Mumbai connecting the Central suburbs to the Western suburbs. Currently the road widening project is in progress; however, what rattles me is the condition of the existing r...

I had not published a post on my blog for quite sometime. I did contemplate writing about the tension created by a political party by targeting a section of society because of the state they originate from. I decided against it because I thought these politicians get too much attention than what they deserve. Also, I wanted to write something positive, something inspiring and that’s when I thought about writing about a recently watched youtube video on Orkut (a social networking site) in one of my cousin’s video collection. I could not resist myself from adding this video to my video collection too. This post and the video that I am referring to, is about Ravi - a boy who sells stuff on the street. Now when I say that I am writing about a boy selling stuff on the street, a question will definitely arise in your mind. What is so special about a boy selling something on the streets? There are so many of them doing this across India. Yes, there may be many boys and girls across India sell...

Today I received a sms. You may ask, "What a big deal? We receive so many sms day in and day out." Right, I also receive so many sms and I forward many too. This one was sent to me by a friend and the moment I read it, I started to think about it at a deeper level. Before I proceed any further with my thoughts, let me quote that message over here. I quote: “When people walk away from you, let them go. Your destiny is never tied to anybody who leaves you and it doesn’t mean that they are bad. It means that their part in the story is over” A simple yet thought provoking sms, isn’t it? I did forward it to my friends. One of my friends replied back and appreciated the message but also asked me a question which I quote below: “But what about the pain and tears they leave behind. Why does destiny make us meet such people when in the end they walk away from us?” A valid question, isn’t it? Does anyone have an answer? I didn’t and so replied to this friend stating the following: “I ...

Yes Uni. That is the nickname of my baby, my darling Unicorn. Today was her big day, her first day to office. She was very excited about it. She showed her excitement by roaring out loud showing her eagerness to break free. I was excited too about going to office along with her. Finally I had company. Till yesterday it was a lonely and boring journey to office. Getting an auto-rickshaw, literally begging in front of the drivers asking them to take you some place hurts. I went through this ordeal for almost a month. On top of that, getting stuck in Mumbai traffic is a nightmarish experience too. Not any more; my baby showed how elegant a dancer she is. She literally danced her way through the traffic. All big vehicles could only manage to take a pause and look with awe. Before taking her to office, I took her to a shop, got her a new grip (handle grip) and changed the rusted number plates. After all first impression matters. She was happy with the cosmetic changes and I could figure it ...

I know my name But do not know what in life I aim? Is it fame? What role do I play in life’s game? Shall I make money and stack it in a heap? I do not know which mountain to leap My mind is so unclear Hope a solution is near Am I here to lead? Or just part of the creed So many worries to heed Divine help is what I need Fear of failure does crop Someday success will take me to the top The sea of uncertainty I will tide I am not the one to hide

When you do not know where you are heading Simply keep treading The path may not be clear but your destination might be near Do not fear because God is here The journey might be tough, but keep walking Close your eyes open your ears when HE is talking Follow HIS advice because HE is so very wise All your worries you got to share HE is someone who HAS time to care Do not criticize HIM for his silence instead thank HIM for his presence The world may think you are not right With all your might, stand up and fight To think you are a loser is a sin When actually you are born to win

Friendship can be strange. This is one relationship that does not depend on caste, creed, class, or religion. It does not depend on whether you are black or white. It also does not depend on whether you are ugly or good looking. It is not something imposed upon you. To some extent it is a matter of choice. Yet, at times you do not realize when a complete stranger becomes a best friend or may be a good friend or simply a friend. Situations and circumstances bring you closer. You interact, share ideas, express your opinion and suddenly you realize that there is something that clicks between you. You may not be able to point out the exact date or time when you became friends. You may not realize why exactly you became friends. It is not a conscious decision or an agreement that you sign. There is no blood relation that binds you together, yet there is something that holds you together. There is no rope that ties you together yet there is an invisible knot that keeps you hitched. There hav...

Today, it was a special day for me. 26th of August, 2008 is a date to remember. I realized that there are things in life whose value cannot be determined in terms of money. Colleagues from client’s end for whom I have been working for almost 2 years now sent me a good-bye card along with a 100 dollars note. Yes, I am quitting the organization that I have been working for. It was a great experience working for my client with whom I could develop a good rapport. I know it may seem silly of me to part with such great people. Logically it may seem foolish of me to do so. The fact is that I am not taking a logical decision but just following my heart [refer to my previous post……. :-)]. I am aiming to do something in my life which I would be able to do through the new firm that I am joining. It definitely was an out of the world experience for me when I opened the goodbye card. Inside the card was a 100 dollars note and words scribbled by 4 of my friends. Words more precious than gold. It wa...

I was contemplating about writing a new post on my blog but I was not sure what to write. Then I asked one of my newly found friend and someone who appreciated my blog to suggest some topics. She said, "Follow your heart". So, here I am writing about my heart felt feelings about following my heart. Each one of us must have taken some decision in life that seemed illogical and irrational at the onset. Your intelligence may have put a question mark on that decision. Still, you decided to follow your heart. It took lot of courage to do so because friends must have ridiculed you for considering that decision. Yet, you decided that no matter what, you will do it. Then at the end you come out as a winner. You proved everyone wrong. You defied logic and yet you succeeded in achieving what you wanted to. I strongly believe in taking decisions based on gut feeling rather than logic. Logical thinking is definitely helpful but at times it limits you. Life is full of examples where peopl...

Do we give any significance to our Independence Day these days? For many of us it is just a holiday. Taking things for granted has become a way of life for many. Have we done anything for the sake of our country other than complaining about the way things are? Have we done anything to bring about a positive change in the society? It is easy to sit back on that chair and whine about things that are wrong in our country. However, it is very difficult to stand up and take action in order to set things right. We complain about corruption and are used to saying that nothing happens in this country unless you bribe corrupt officials. These days we have got an effective tool to fight corruption. Right to Information (RTI) act is one such tool provided to us which can be used effectively to fight corruption in government offices. Internet is a great tool to connect with like-minded people. Social networking sites and blogs can help you to unite for a common cause and spread awareness. Hey, bu...

In life, if you wish to be successful, you should have the can do attitude. I know it is easier said than done. Personal experience has taught me that this is the attitude that will take you places. Saying yes to tasks that I had never done before helped me push myself to the limits. I used to work in a call center and was providing chat and email support to customers of our client. We did have agents who provided voice support also. However, initially neither I nor my superiors thought that I could do it. One fine day one of the managers did come up with this suggestion that I should give it a shot. I reluctantly agreed only because I was assured of a formal training. The training started and I was enjoying it but destiny had some other plans. The client firm had a call center operating from Canada which had to stop functioning due to heavy snowfall. Prior to this, the voice agents from our office operated only in one shift and that was during our day time. Due to the adverse weather...

Mumbai shares a love-hate relationship with rains. It can't live without it yet it can't stand it at times. Looking at this couple sitting at Marine drive enjoying the rains may lead you to believe that Mumbai rains is all about romance. It would make you think that rains make Mumbai life colorful like the seven colors of the rainbow. True, it is fun to get wet in the rains and sipping on to a hot cup of tea while chatting with friends. Walking in the rains, splashing water on each other and listening to rain songs on radio channels can all add to the fun. However, these very rains can bring the local trains, the life line of Mumbai to a halt causing lot of inconvenience to people. The same rain that creates romantic moments could haunt people for years to come due to a nightmarish experience they had during the rains. Every monsoon there is at least one day when the rains have played spoil sport. I personally had been through one such experience on 26th of July, 2005. I th...

It was a very important day for India today. The vote of confidence was pursued by the honourable Prime Minister of India Mr. ManMohan Singh in the Parliament. He won the vote of confidence with a comfortable margin. The uncertainty prevailing over the political situation in the country due to the irresponsible Left parties no longer exists. Now India could go ahead and pursue the nuclear deal. The only regret here is the ugly situation that existed in the run up to the vote of confidence. Allegations and counter allegations of horse trading just showed how desperate the situation was for both the ruling coalition and the opposition. Yes, money would have flowed like water; incentives would have been given to lure people. However, this happens every time there is a similar situation in the parliament. I am not for or against any political party. I believe they are all in the same boat. The fact is that the nuclear deal is a necessity for the country and ManMohan Singh has taken the re...

I strongly condemn the stand taken by the left parties on the Indo-US nuclear deal. India is going through a tough economic situation due to rising inflation. This is not the time to create political unstability. However, that is what the Left parties are doing by threatening to withdraw support if the Indian government continues to pursue with the nuclear deal. Historically they have been known for being a pain to the ruling party that they support and they continue the tradition. The Indo-US nuclear deal is seen just as a deal between India and US by the narrow-minded left parties when it actually would pave way to get rid of all the technological sanctions imposed on us by various other nuclear powers. I don't mind them opposing the US when it attacked Iraq or when they plan to take unilateral stance against Iran. But just because the foreign policies of US are not acceptable to us does not mean that we oppose everything that US does. Indian government was never supportive of U...

What comes to your mind when you perceive a person with absolute power? Do you imagine a picture of a physically strong man or a man holding a gun? Or, do you envision a person having a position of authority due to a designation that he is holding in society? In my view, neither of them possesses absolute power. A physically strong man will become weak with time. A man will not hold a gun till eternity. A person having a position of authority due to his designation in society will part with his designation someday. All of them will become powerless at some point of time. In other words, their power is not absolute. Absolute power comes with knowledge. The more knowledgeable a person you are, that much more powerful you will be. Knowledge acquired stays with you throughout. The respect that you attain in life due to the knowledge you possess is unparallel. Muscle power, gun power and power acquired due to an authoritative position are like castles built from snow. They will all melt do...

Many opinions in life are formed based only on first impression. Right from a product you buy to a person you meet. Almost everything that meets your eye, you tend to form an opinion on it. How accurate are the opinions formed based on first impressions? Personal experience has taught me that first impressions don't give you a fair idea. But then, be it interviews for a job or a stranger you meet on the road, people are written off just based on the first impression you get about them. I personally have been guilty of forming wrong perceptions about people based on first impression. I assumed them to be arrogant but they turned out to be down to earth. I perceived certain people to be introvert and they turned out to be extrovert. A calm person at work turned out to be a monster at home and vice versa. Also, I always had this perception that higher the designation that much more indifferent that person would be while dealing with people at a lower designation. Most of the times thi...

Today was my date with this beauty. I approached her with some apprehension. I didn't know how she will react to me. However, she was as cool as a cucumber. Hey guys, please don't worry, I am not talking about my girl friend. :-) It was an awesome experience riding my new Honda Unicorn. It was after a long time that I was riding a bike. So I was not sure how I will fare. But from the moment I sat on it, I felt as if we were made for each other. This bike is really cool. In each gear the transition is real smooth. The mono suspension takes care of all the potholes and speed breakers. I am waiting for the sun to rise tomorrow so that I could take my Unicorn for a long ride. Hope the rain Gods don't play spoil sport. Vroommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Finally I have booked my flying machine, my own Honda Unicorn. The wait was killing. I have been putting aside my plan to own a bike for quite sometime. At least 2 years if not more. Priorities kept changing and hence the delay. But then, may be I deserved to get this beauty and so I do not regret the delay now. Initially I was not sure about which bike to go for. Bajaj XCD was the one I had in mind till very recently. Few weeks back one of my friends suggested going for the Honda Unicorn. Another friend of mine informed me that he had already booked the latest Honda Unicorn and that it is a good bike. I was not that keen though to go for it. Then on 31st of May, 2008, I went to a Honda showroom in order to get a close glimpse of this beauty. It was love at first sight. A damn cool bike. Aesthetically designed and technologically superior too. Today I went and booked it. However, the delivery will be delayed. It will take another 20 days for me to lay hands on the flying machine. I des...

Academic qualification and aptitude, do they go hand in hand? Does having a post graduate academic certificate ensure that one is a knowledgeable person? Does donning that scholar's cap mean you have the aptitude to perform? I would answer in the negative to all the above three questions. I truly feel that being highly qualified academically is very important. However, I also feel that one should have the aptitude to go with the academic qualification acquired. This is not the case with many. People (not everyone) generally mug up all the information from books during exams and write it down in the papers. This helps them get a certificate that will give them an edge in the job market. But then, are they really knowledgeable? Can they apply the knowledge they have acquired during the academic cycle? Very few actually justify the academic qualification they have acquired. In any workplace, it is highly important that they have a workforce which has the attitude and the aptitude to ...

Does God Exist? A difficult question to answer, isn't it? Nobody can prove his existence. But then just look around you and observe. The birds, the animals, the vast sea, the mountains, the beautiful places, the seasons and just look at yourself too. Your brain, your heart, the various organs in your body. The beauty of nature cannot be an accident. It definitely has a creative force behind it. Science has proved that a single cell is the source of life. I ask, who created this single cell? Is it that this cell just came to life on its own? I think the only debate we can have is about the form in which God exists. Generally it is believed that Science does not approve of the existence of God. I personally feel that He is best explained in Science itself. Just have a look at the definition of Energy. "Energy can neither be created nor destroyed, only transformed from one form to another. " I find some similarity in the way God is defined. "G...

There are many instances in every individuals life when things do not go as per plans. It could be in personal or professional life or both. Everyone goes through such a situation in life. How do you deal with it? Most people get depressed and frustrated about it. It is totally human to feel that way. However, for how long can you afford to have this feeling. Ultimately, you will have to come out of it. The sooner you recover, the better it will be for your well being. I am a firm believer in God and I consider that whatever happens in this world is for some strong reason which only He knows for sure. We realize it later that missing that train or flight was ultimately for our good. The next day we may read in the newspaper that the train we missed got derailed or the flight we missed got crashed. So, do not regret about the things you missed. At the same time I will not advice you to sit back and relax thinking that God will take care of every need you have. One should put all the eff...

Indian Tigers pull out a thrilling victory on the Perth wicket. Yes, you read it right, on Perth. Before the start of the match everyone was of the opinion that the pitch won't crumble but the Indian batting might. Also, after the Sydney fiasco that seemed a logical outcome. However, Indian cricket team proved everyone wrong. The victory march of the Australian cricket team was stalled once again by India. They were thinking of breaking their own record of 16 straight victories. However, India had some other plans. After the Sydney episode, I personally was looking forward for a strong fight back from India. Frankly I did not expect India to win or give such a strong reply. The arrogance of Ricky Ponting was outdone by Anil Kumble's patience and doggedness. Anil Kumble has emerged as a great leader. Ishant Sharma, the young lad bowled with a big heart. He took only one wicket but a very important one that of Ricky Ponting, the Australian captain. Irfan Pathan had sent the ope...

First time ever in the history of Test cricket Indian Eleven lost to Australian Thirteen. Yes, for the first time Australians played with thirteen players instead of the normal 11. The two umpires Mark Benson and Steve Bucknor were playing for Australia. Steve Bucknor taking the lead in getting the Indian players out. According to me Steve Bucknor is the Man of the match at Sydney. Atleast eight decisions went against India at the Sydney test. From day one of the Sydney Test the umpires were playing for Australia. Not only the two on field umpires but even the third umpire. The fourth and fifth day were the most dramatic. Harbhajan was accused of being racist towards Symonds on fourth day of the test. Atleast on this occassion both the umpires did not hear Harbhajan passing any racist comments. But at the end of fifth days play Harbhajan gets banned for 3 test matches. This seems to be a definite ploy to keep Harbhajan out of remaining tests because he was consistently getting the Aust...