Reflections@60

On a whim, I started writing on August 1, these short snippets for
my 60th birthday that month. Over the next 60 days, it was a
rewarding experience to write over 60 pieces and post them on my
Facebook and LinkedIn page. I am amazed at the power of social
media that helped me connect with many friends, teachers, and
mentors that I had lost touch in the past few decades.
There are many more people who made me what I am. My heartfelt
gratitude to each one of them. But for each member of my family
and friends, I would not be what I am.

Thank you
September 29, 2020
Shankar Jaganathan
Shankar.jaganathan@gmail.com

1. My First Lesson, August 1, 2020
   Being a Marxist in my youth, my admiration and fascination for Mahatma Gandhi started late in life; only in my 40’s. I chanced to hear this anecdote sitting around a campfire along with many social sector colleagues in Raipur. I was completely hooked and within a month read his autobiography and in a few months his writings in Swaraj and Harijan. Till date, my first impression remains the most enduring and more important, it crops up wherever I deviate from it, which is more often than I wish it should.
   Every morning Mahatma would complete his ablutions with a bucket of water kept in his room. One day, as the bucket was missing, he walked down to the Sabarmati River accompanied by a few companions. Reaching the river, he cupped a few handfuls of water to complete his ablution. ‘Bapu, you are not in your room, why are you so frugal using the water even at the river?’ asked his companion. Bapu replied, ‘my need has not change with what is available.’

2. My Cultural DNA, August 2, 2020
   Respect for all cultures, the result of my decade long Josephite education, integrity in all dealings, learnt from my two decades work experience in Wipro and the five decades stay in Malleswaram that infused middle class values are the three traits that I value dearly and shape my cultural DNA.
   Studying in the multi-cultural Josephite institution with a fair number of Christian and Muslim friends, helped me see the individual, not their religion. The taste of Ramzan biryani and tingling feel of Xmas wine played no small part in my appreciating the diverse cultures and how they enriched my staid life. I don’t claim any originality or effort in practicing integrity, for I saw nothing else in my work life at Wipro. Seeing Mr. Azim Premji at work from close quarters only reinforced the belief that integrity pays. I must admit the opulence around me in the last two decades has caused me much unease. Growing up in Malleswaram, the joy of buying a t-shirt or shorts for Rs.200/- even today far exceeds the joy of more expensive purchases. Looking back, I feel blessed to have had the experience of Josephite education, Wipro work-life experience and Malleswaram stay.
   
3. Look Smart to Play Well, August 3, 2020,
   I was extremely lucky to live in the neighborhood of Amrut Kumar, a reputed Table Tennis coach, who had groomed the only two National Champs from Karnataka till date –B Saikumar and Kabad Jayanth. In my early teens, our gully cricket would be played within the compound
   walls of his house in the company of his nephews. On many a weekend, he would join us in the gully cricket match, explaining the nuances of sidespin, topspin, googly, arm-ball, and Chinaman. I was fortunate that he had a fascination for left handers which was instrumental in me playing TT under his tutelage. I was the odd one out from his stable who did not even make it to the State TT team. He was more than a TT coach, for he helped us in our all-round development, in which proficiency in math and being well groomed were prominent. Sunday afternoons would see him ironing his clothes and polishing his black shoes with pride. Along with TT, he taught me the basics of ironing clothes and polishing shoes to be well groomed. Even now on Sunday mornings between 9 and 10.30 you can see me ironing my clothes and
   polishing my shoes with pride, my tribute to my Coach. I may have not lived up to his expectations in TT, but……

4 18 at 80? August 4, 2020

A whiff of fresh air and enthusiasm engulfs our club gym at 7.30 every morning as a youngster of 80 briskly walks in greeting one and all a hearty loud throated ‘Good Morning Gentlemen” and a softer “ladies” added, on the rare occasion when he spots them. This is followed by a
quick walk across the gym to each person in the room for a more personally greeting and a short chat. I often wonder if my friend inspired Bryan Adams to write his iconic song, ‘Eighteen till I die’.
Our gym experience is not an exception; every event that we plan together is an occasion for a repeat. He takes the lead and volunteers for every task on hand. If enthusiasm is his first name, initiative could be his second. My primary school teacher who is herself on the verge of 80s once met both of us together in the club premise. As we got talking, she suddenly turned and asked my friend, ‘Were you in my class?’ not realizing that he was her senior by a couple of years.
They say maturity in youth is cherished, but to me exuberance in elders is infectious and I hope for my benefit, contagious. Hats off to you sir. May you inspire many more to follow in your footsteps.

5 Is Quality Inborn? August 5, 2020
At 10 PM, after spending two hours cleaning our new office for a pooja the next day, I and Punya closed the shutter only to realize the shutter was dirty. With the pooja scheduled at 7 AM the next morning, I turned to leave thinking no one can see the dirty shutter, as it would be pulled up when visitors come tomorrow. Punya, our residence watchman who helped me clean the office too noticed the dirty shutter. Without the slightest hesitation, he reopened
the lock, lifted the heavy shutter, and walked in to get the mop and bucket of water. He was helping me clean our office after a full 12-hour shift at our residence. As he began cleaning, I wondered if focus on quality was an inherent trait or could it be imbibed? Punya is a multitalented person. I have seen him paint, sculpt Ganesh idol from clay, knit sweaters and do colorful embroidery for my neighbor. My mind began to buzz with questions Is quality the by-product of talent? Does excellence in one sphere extend to many other spheres?
I wonder if Punya had been given the opportunities I had, what more he could have accomplished? We will never know, but I can learn from him to bridge the gap a little bit.

6 Swami, my Friend, August 6, 2020
Swaminathan, or Swami as he was called in school and college was not just my neighbor for over 20 years, but he was my closest friend. We had no secrets, a correction, almost no secrets for I thought we shared every thought. Cycling to school and college together, playing TT every day, we saw movies sitting next to each other. Born within a fortnight of each other, we had many differences -admired different singers, had different role models in both cricket and movies, but these differences only strengthened our bond, as I learnt to appreciate what I could not myself see. On holidays I would walk over to his house, and we would sit together
reading newspaper or magazines for hours, without exchanging a word. When the time came, both of us would get up and he would walk me home and return the few hundred meters alone. On August 15, 1993, he suddenly passed way due to cardiac arrest at the young age of 33.
His humility is what touched me the most. For the first time, in his final year he participated in the college singing competition and won the first price. His classmate, a talented and semi-professional singer who had won it on all the previous four years was placed second. Swami was deeply disappointed that he had displaced her, as he only participated for fun and seriously considered returning his prize as he thought she was better.

7 An Idealist, Who Valued Means Over Ends, August 7, 2020
Winning is everything in professional sports, more so in elite football where the global media dissects every nuance of play. To be in the spotlight and yet ignore the loud voices is the hallmark of a true sage. To me, Arsene Wenger is no less than a sage. His single-minded focus on playing the beautiful, attacking football, where his team would thrill you with complex orchestrated move for most of the 90 minutes transported me to a higher plateau every week. On more than a few occasions, the end-result was a disappointing defeat. Many pragmatic fans and pundits would rave and rant about his impractical ideas, with one even calling him ‘specialist in failure’. His stubborn, head in the sand, refusal to move away from his idealistic concept of pure football that Arsenal played rather than the pragmatic, do what you need to win strategy that many successful managers adopted endeared him to Wenger devotees like me.
As I think about the options, there is the philosopher in love with knowledge for itself and the sophist who sees knowledge for the rewards it can fetch. I am happy in the 21st century we had a philosopher in Arsene Wenger, who did not sacrifice the means for the end and kept the
idealist in many like me alive.

8 Ticket to Paradise, August 8, 2020
Many pursue meditation for relaxation and peace. I have a much easier path. I feel I can enter paradise at will, for I only need to switch on Rafi melodies. I do not remember when I fell in love with Rafi’s voice, for it looks like I was born with the Rafi connection. Walking to my primary school on Saturday mornings, I can distinctly remember the ‘Evening in Paris’ title song playing out from Vivid Bharati radio station between 7.40 and 8 AM. Yet another reason to look forward to Saturdays when my school closed at 11.30 AM. Entering college, I began appreciating the lyrics of his songs as my Hindi and Urdu speaking friends expanded my vocabulary. Over the last forty plus years, I can say honestly that there were not more than a handful of days each year when I did not enter Paradise.
The last few months of shutdown only reinforced my craving for Rafi. The Covid-19 pandemic that brought a lot of hardship to this world had a silver lining for me. I found more than a few dedicated FM station apps playing Rafi songs 24/7, 365 days. Need I say more, my morning walks quickly increased from 60 to 90 minutes plus. No prize for guessing, Rafi who kept me emotionally fresh and sensitive now contributes to my physical fitness as well.
Thank you, Mohammed Rafi sahib for transporting me to Paradise every day.

9 My Best Decision, August 9, 2020
During my days in Azim Premji Foundation, when I went out for school visits, it was normal to visit 2 to 3 schools in a day. Due to close interaction with the teachers and children I refrained from smoking due to the stink of tobacco. With the result, the minute I came out of the
last school I would light up.
On May 16, 2004, I came out a school at Haridwar and lit one up. As it was 4 PM, the school bell rang, and children rushed out of the school gate. A few of the boys who had interacted with me a few minutes earlier, saw me and began to imitate my action. At that moment, I threw down the cigarette and crushed it with my toe. Little did I realize that it would be my last puff. From that second, I lost the desire to smoke forever.
After 28 years of smoking, finally at the age of 43 I gave it up. The desire was latent for long, but that one incident proved decisive. Looking back, was it my best decision?

10 A Small Tip, But A Big Lesson, August 10, 2020
After two decades in the corporate world travelling across the globe with investment bankers, I moved to an NGO working with young local representatives engaged with Karnataka government schools. On a visit to a small town with an experienced social sector veteran, we had a late lunch with two local representatives at a restaurant. The waiter returned the balance Rs.240 after settling the bill. I pick up the two hundred rupees notes from the table and started to walk, when my colleague silently picked up three ten rupees notes.
After the two youngsters saw us off, my colleague without saying a word, handed over the three ten rupees notes. When I looked at him inquiringly, he said ‘40 rupees tip is almost half-a-day’s salary for them, Shankar’. Sukumar Anikar taught me a big lesson that day; to view our actions through the eyes of the people we are with. This sensitivity can extend from such incidental issues to Sukumar’s basic obsession of making electricity available for the computer centers in rural schools. He single-handed planned and implemented the first solar powered
computer Centre in a rural school and in another initiative, to optimize power consumption, experimented with splitters to split the computing power of a PC to three monitors that could be operated with their own keyboards and mouse.
Innovations are triggered when you perceive and feel the need. Sukumar is no more with us today, but I hope I carry some elements of his sensitivity.

11 Imitation, the True Compliment? August 11, 2020
How can one have the best of teachers and not be influenced. Both in school and in college, we were blessed to have some of the finest teachers. Teachers who loved their profession and built a personal connect with students. They showed many avenues to connect with us: knowledge, personal touch, sports, social consciousness, and the values they practiced. I grew up seeing teaching as the most rewarding profession, although it took some time for me to emulate.
Immediately after college and qualifying as a chartered accountant, I got immersed in my corporate career, only to realize with time I was missing something. In 1995 when I returned to Bangalore after a short stint in Mumbai, I began teaching corporate finance for MBA students in their Saturday classes. The joy of entering a class was soon tempered by anxiety of the need to answer all the questions students asked to my satisfaction. Finding a theoretical base for what I practiced during the weekdays was an exciting challenge, as I was involved with many emerging areas in the 1990s like treasury risk management, derivatives, and currency movement forecasts. A decade later, I was teaching two three-credit courses a week and spending two days in the corporate world, an ideal blend that gave me time to research and write on economic and corporate history my passion topics.
I confess that along with my students I learnt more while teaching and got clarity on many key concepts. Hopefully, my students could see my love for the subjects I taught and develop a passion to seek their own answers.

12 A Prince on Fridays, August 12, 2020
The other day, while folding my pants to hang them in the cupboard, a two-rupee coin dropped down and rolled under the center of our double cot. Debating whether to crawl down and pick it up or wait for it be discovered while the maid swept the house next morning, my mind travelled back to the days, when all I needed was Rs.2/- to feel like a prince.
In our college days, one Friday each month, all my friends would go to watch a movie, the 10 AM morning show. This was the era when reruns of the 1950’s and 60’s Hindi moves would play for this one show at concessional rates. Rs.1.60 for the movie ticket, 10 paise for the cycle
stand parking fee and 30 paise for 3 cigarettes- one before the movie, one during interval and one after was the revenue target to meet to be crowned a prince. Not an easy amount to mobilize those days, when 5 paise, 10 paise and 25 paise ruled the roost in our pockets and having a five-rupee note gave you the Ambani-like feel.
As the pleasant memories flooded my mind, I quickly switched on the lights, bend down to spot the coin, and crawled under the cot to pick it up, rising to feel the prince once again.

13 A Memorable Centenary, August 13, 2020
First is the best, is a popular notion. However, when it comes to my 100 KM trail-walks, my most memorable walk was the third. Oxfam India from the year 2012 had started organizing 100 KM trail walks to be completed within 48 hours. A team activity where four members had to complete the walk together, crossing 10 check points on the way. At each check point, no team member could start, unless the other three had reached the check post. In difficult terrains across rural Karnataka, it was as much a challenge for the mind as it was for the body.
To commemorate my father’s birth centenary, in 2014, my three elder brother and I formed the four-member trail-walk team, with my wife as the Support anchor travelling in a car between checkpoints to keep us fresh and battle fit. In contrast to the earlier two trail-walks where I was the eldest in the group, with my wife, son, and my friend making up the
team, here I was the youngest, accompanied by my eldest brother in his mid-70s and my other two brothers in their 60s. Given my eldest brothers determination to complete every task he undertook, completing the trail was a foregone conclusion, with the only point of interest being the state at which we would arrive at the destination. Like they say all is well that ends well, as we reached our destination within a couple of hours of my first two trail-walk time.
The 35 hours we spent together was like a rapid flashback of our times spent together as a family, with sharing of our unique experiences and insights that reinforced our strong filial bonds. It not only connected us, but my other siblings who cheered us on. A wonderful experience that I would recommend to one and all for commemorating similar
milestones! Thanks Oxfam.

14 My First Love, August 14, 2020
I fell in love when I was very young. With time, it evolved from youthful infatuation in my school days to steady flings in the college before maturing to deeper relationships in my working days. Even today I am a faithful lover, not distracted by more youthful attractions.
Enid Blyton mysteries in my primary school days, borrowed from the neighborhood lending libraries to the covert association with James Hardly Chase and the more overt display of Perry Mason during the high school days, novels were an integral part of my life. There was a year in high school when western cowboy adventures caught my fancy with JT Edson and Zane Gray among the favorites as horses and guns competed for attention.
Since then, over the last four decades, novels have been a major source of knowledge as I explored banking, hospitals, and politics through the eyes of Arthur Hailey and the likes of Irving Wallace showed me the intricacies of the Western world. On the professional front, my first read was the epic ‘Petrodollar Takeover’ which explored the nuances of M&A and introduced me to Securities Exchange Commission (SEC), igniting my hobby of collecting finance-based fiction, which I cherish even today.
Being loyal to my old love, paper books are my constant companion, as my unused Kindle on the bookshelf testifies.

15 My First Test Match, August 15, 2020
Imagine sitting in a room filled with 200 people, watching a test match on a 14” black & white TV screen for all the five days. For many born in 1950’s and 60’s, they do not need to imagine, for they have lived through it, with the only change being in the number of people which would have been limited by the room size.
The first test between India and. West Indies in November 1974 played at KSCA stadium was the first match to be telecast in Bangalore. Malleswaram Association on the 7th cross, Margosa Road had the privilege of showing it to its members and select guests. Its famed badminton court on which Prakash Padukone practiced was converted into a TV hall.
A 14” black & white TV placed on top of a steel table was at one end of the court. Mats were laid out near the TV for the kids to sit down, with chairs placed at the rear end for adults. A staircase leading up to the cards room was the vantage point sought by many as it offered unobstructed view. In a pitch-dark movie theatre atmosphere created by covering the windows with curtains, we eagerly waited for the first ball to be bowled. A few enterprising fans had brought newspaper cuttings of the cricket field with all the possible field placements marked out, which was a mandatory part of the sports page on the first day of any test series.
India lost the match on the fifth day, but I got my batting role model, the stylish left-hander Alvin Kallicharran. With mixed feelings, I walked back home practicing my forward defense every few steps, hoping to get it right like him.

16 30-inch, The Elusive Goal, August 16, 2020
There is something about 30-inch that eludes me. Four decades ago, I could not have it, now again, it looks to be out of my grasp. In those four decades, it moved up 30-inch. Growing up in 1970s, like all college student, I aspired for the step cut hairstyle and the 30-inch bell bottom pants popularized by Kamal Hassan and Rishi Kapoor. Coming from a traditional family, both were frowned upon and the best I could muster was a 24-inch bell bottom, that left me gaping with awe at my friends. Four decades later, my desire remains the same 30-inch and it also relates to my pants. Only now I want it 30-inch higher.
With time and no conscious efforts, my waistline grew from 30-inch to, to be pleasant, let say something bigger. Despite my daily resolve and conscious effort, it looks to be out of my grasp. Each step that I took towards it on the weekdays, was pushed back by weekend indulgences, illustrating the phrase, one step forward, two steps back. The lockdown by eliminating weekends has helped me win half the battle as I cut the gap by half.
After deep introspection, as we approach the half-year mark of lockdown, I believe trading in my 30-inch goal for getting back our pre-COVID weekends is a profitable deal; and it will be, not just only for me.

17 My First Letter for My First Big Decision, August 17, 2020
For most of my school life, letter writing was a 15 marks question in English subject. Little did I realize that before entering college I would need this critical skill to make my most important academic decision.
Being the youngest of six brothers, I had traditions to follow. If studying in St. Joseph’s Indian High School was one, on completing schooling taking up the first group in the Plus Two, as PCMB was then called, seemed another. With four of my brothers being engineers and the fifth a doctor, my father thought it logical that I too would follow their footsteps. When I got my 10th standard results, my father was away in Pune visiting my sister. Not aware of my father’s decision, I wanted to pursue the commerce option, posing a dilemma. My father’s consent had to be obtained before I could apply for the commerce stream. Counselled by my brothers, I wrote my first letter to my father, on an inland letter, the blue sheet of paper that we would buy from post office, expressing my desire to pursue a career in commerce. Some felt I had taken the easy way out, not wanting to take on the heavier academic burden of science subjects, while other saw me lured by my friends who were opting for commerce. To this day I do not know what motivated me, but happily, I have no regrets.
To my father’s credit, he let me pursue my choice. But ultimately, he had his way as he persisted and ensured that I enrolled for a professional course on completing my college and complete it, thus ensuring his youngest son did not miss out on a professionally qualification.

18 A Prank Call Turned True, August 18, 2020
Starting with nothing more than a desire, I began to write my first book. With no prior experience, a daunting task for the wise, but as they say ignorance is bliss. Ignorance combined with naivety propelled me ahead, proving the adage ‘Fools rush in where angles dread.’ Once in neck deep water with no choice but to swim, I began fanatically
thrashing my limbs. Like a log in the grasp of a drowning person, I found ‘The Art of Writing’ an anthology of essays compiled by Grenville Kleiser which showed me the way ahead with insightful, instructive, and practical tips. Eighteen months later, I had a printed book in hand,
published by Routledge, the leading UK based publisher of the 1836 vintage.
Two years later, I thought I was the victim of a prank call, when the voice at the other end said my book was selected for an award. I said thank you and dismissed it from my thoughts. But a couple of days later, I got a mail from my publisher forwarding the letter from the organizers of the ISTD Book Awards, 2009-10, that my book ‘Corporate Disclosures 1553-2007, The Origin of Business and Financial Reporting’ was recognized for ‘outstanding contributions to the understanding of management principles and practices in the country.’
Look back I feel with some luck and lots of hard work, all our dreams are worth pursuing, despite the certainty that we will face anxiety, struggle, and tension all along the way.

19 A Play for Life, August 19, 2020
Academics was only one among the many aspects we learnt during our five -year stint at St. Josephs College of Commerce Like in a full meal, the main course was academics. Camaraderie, social sensitivity, and integrity were like the soup, side-dish, and desserts that are cherish long after the meal is over. These values cannot be separated from our beloved
teachers who imparted it to us. Even today I can remember many incidents from my college days, fresh as though it happened yesterday.
One of the memorable experiences in our college days was the English class. We witnessed a drama every week in college, performed by the actor par excellence Prof. G K Govinda Rao, our English teacher. He enacted the multiple characters in the play that was prescribed for us. While Macbeth was a favorite play for many, Galileo was the one that captivated me. A dialogue from that play even today rings loud in my ear, ‘A person who does not know the truth is only ignorant, but a person who knows the truth and denies it is a criminal’ accused young Andrea, when Galileo returned after recanting his earlier assertion that the earth was round. The power of his conviction transcended the play and illuminates itself in various situations when I turn a ‘Galileo’ for social or commercial reasons. I hope the awareness that I am not fulfilling my responsibility makes me speak up more often when required for the
benefit of all concerned.

20 One Town, Two Weddings, August 20, 2020
A few years out of college, I and my seven friends travelled from Bangalore to Trichur by train for our friend’s wedding. Three decades later, a thirty members group travelled again from Bangalore to Trichur by train; this time it was for his daughter’s wedding. The eight bachelors of the first journey, now happily married, were travelling with their spouse and children for the wedding. A lot transpired in those three decades and the decade that preceded it, creating many moments to cherish.
An association born of sitting together for a decade in the school and college, nourished by lively exchanges covering wide ranging topics from sports, movies, and politics, it may have inspired the adhesive, Fevicol. In the days when sports page of newspaper dictated our interest, I remember heated discussions on picking the winner for Bangalore Derby, where the merits of leading jockeys Shinde and Jagadish generated as much passion as the bowling skills of Dennis Lillee and John Snow. Outside college, our association steadily continued, as we shifted from classroom benches to tables, at restaurants, weddings and now at our children’s weddings.
As they say, more the things change, more they remain the same. A good example for it is the lubricant that binds our friendship together over the decades. While there is some change, the tone of our conversation remains—warm and engaging, sandwiching the occasional pinch of spice. Thank you, friends, for enriching me.

21 Dedication, The Invisible Ingredient, August 21, 2020
As every architect knows the stability of a superstructure depends on the strength of its foundation. Not just in civil engineering, but in all other elements of life too, it is the invisible foundation that provides the strength and stability to the superstructure. The most visible business event I had the opportunity to participate in was the Wipro ADR listing
in NYSE on October 19th, 2000. A unique event, it was the first time that the company was raising capital after 1946 and the second time in the 200-year history of NYSE that the
same company was ringing both the opening and the closing bell.
Listing preparation had started a year earlier with conversion of Indian GAAP accounts into USGAAP being the critical path. For a diversified company with presence in multiple business and a corporate structure containing Joint Ventures and Associate companies, it was a mammoth task. Anchoring it was a young two-year experienced chartered accountant: what he lacked in exposure, was more than compensated by his dedication and hard work. Working non-stop for about 12 months from 9 AM till 12 midnight, on most days including weekends, it was a role that was neither visible not appreciated beyond the small group
interacting with him.
Many business success stories have a few dedicated, invisible players who make the difference. Hats off to them for their self-less devotion that is known only to the few.

22 A Little from here, A little from there, August 22, 2020
It is natural to be impressed with your first boss, especially if it is someone exceptional. But to be impressed with every boss you had, is to be extremely fortunate or the result of working in an exceptional company.
I was both, fortunate and worked in an exceptional company that grew exponentially right through the 80s and 90s to reach the pinnacle at the turn of the millennium. Spanning by a few years on either side of the dreaded Y2K date, it was the largest company in India by market capitalization. Even more impressive when you consider that it raised only Rs.16 lakhs in its entire history, way back in 1946. No prizes for guessing -it is Wipro.
If my first boss is a peoples’ manager, who could even move stones, my second boss oozed class and is the epitome of a gentleman. My third boss was a topper in both CA and ICWA, a reflection of his intellectual prowess that anyone interacting with him could not miss and my fourth had the audacity to think big and act, irrespective of the constraints. Chartered Accountant as their qualifications go and Wipro’s CFO is the thread that connects the four of them.
My enduring professional goal is to imbibe a slice of each one-of-their distinctive skills and make it my own. On many occasions when I feel challenged, which I must confess is quite often, I visualize how each one of them would have responded. But as they say, an original is an original, something I can only strive for.

23 The First 24/7, 365 Office, August 23, 2020
“Stupid fellows, wasting their time and money” remarked my colleague, sarcastically as we walked to India Coffee House for refreshments paid by the company. Wading through the weekend crowd strolling on MG Road, Bangalore, long before BPO and Call centers had made their presence in India, in 1980’s a 24/7, 365 days office was operating on the first and fifth floor of 88 MG Road.
WITL, as Wipro Information Technology Limited was called almost doubled its revenue every year for its first decade of existence in 1980’s. key feature of this growth was the bunching of sales; sales invariably took place on the last day of the month, quarter, and year and even
within the day, in last hour. This bunching required heroes to perform month after month, year on year. And movie-like, there was an entire star-cast supporting the heroes, working round the clock. Field Engineering Group, as the hardware support team was then called and
the Finance & Accounts team members were present 24/7, 365 days saving the company the cost of locks, by keeping the doors open, always.
As bachelor with unending work, in the most happening part of Bangalore we relished the 24/7, 365 days office. Returning to work at 10 PM after a first show movie, or a dinner at Imperials or Victoria Hotel was not unusual, especially around the quarter ends. While work remained the primary agenda, strong bonds of friendship forged during those days, stand the
test rock-like in less taxing working days three decades later.

24 Decaying with Time, or Maturing Like Wine, August 24, 2020
Having been an avid political observer in my younger days, I have now completely given up on tracking politics and watching the news, instead I indulge in sports, comedy, and music. Reflecting on this, I wonder if I am regressing instead of evolving.
I see evolution as a progression from my childhood, where elders like Gods could do no wrong, to adolescence, where my Hero would do no wrong and finally in youth, be mature to accept that even the best of our species could and did err. Acknowledging my God or Hero could on occasions err, did not in any way diminish or negate their divinity or heroism. Like a batsman scoring a triple hundred getting dismissed, or a bowler with a five-wicket haul conceding 20 runs in an over, individuals and leaders in all spheres could err on occasions and still be divine and heroic.
At a personal level to accept that a person criticizing me, could and did see my better facets nourishes relationships. A society of individuals nourishing relationships would be my idea of paradise. Entering my 6th decade do I wait for the paradise to arrive or can I start taking baby
steps towards it.

25 Heroes I Know: The Selfless Soul, August 25, 2020
On December 26th, 2004, around 2 PM I got a call from my colleague asking for a week’s leave. Probing a bit, I learnt that she was leaving for Nagapattinam, the eye of the Tsunami storm that hit the east coast that morning. Inspired, I called her at 4 PM and said I would join her. My wife who heard our conversation also joined in, as the three of us left the next morning, joined by her son in Trichy, who was studying there. The next few days left a deep imprint on me as we tried to help the displaced and injured people. I do not know if we made a different, but it sure made me feel good.
Over the next few years, our paths diverged as we moved to different organizations and she moved out of Bangalore. But in the last 15 years, without fail I hear of her wherever any distress or calamity hits South India. Chennai rains, Kerala floods or the COVID-19 migrant workers crisis, she was there offering support without any prompt. Reflecting on our time together, I realized she feels deeply for every suffering human and could not ignore it till she did something for them.
The more I learnt about her, the better I was able to see that the true meaning of selfless love is Prema.

26 It is All Right to be a Left, August 26, 2020
A firm believer in socialism and the idea of group before self, I was deeply disturbed as I could not reconcile it with the idea of self-interest being the prime driver of human activity. It was only while studying Gandhian economic philosophy, that I reconciled this dichotomy.
J C Kumarappa, the economist who penned the Gandhian economic concepts explains the inevitability of socialism by seeing it as a movement from a more violent society to a non-violent society. He illustrates this evolution using carnivorous animals who only consume without production, to birds that consume and make some contribution to production through pollination, to honeybees that produce more than they consume and finally the parent-child relationship, where you produce without any thought to personal consumption. Despite vivid illustrations, it only partially satisfied my curiosity.
Digging a bit deeper, I came across the works of Wesley C Mitchell, the American economist of that period, who traces evolution of life in our planet from unicellular to multi-cellular organisms, to organisms with a central repository, i.e. brain and finally brain with evolved memory. At each stage of evolution, self as a concept expands from a single cell, to multiple cells, to multiple organs and in the final stage with evolved memories to families and social groups as a unit. With the right stimulus, the concept of humanity as a single unit is not an
unattainable goal, as the COVID-19 pandemic has shown by linking the till recently unknow town of Wuhan in China to the remotest village on our planet.
I am a firm believer in self-interest now. Only the concept of self can be any of the following: an individual, our family, community, religion, nation, or the whole of humanity. The choice is for us, what each one of us make.

27 Diplomacy, an inherited trait? August 27, 2020
I am a lifelong addict, for I cannot pass by a groundnut seller without buying a paper cone of nuts. Once driving with a couple of friends, I stopped on a main road, to buy three cones, causing my friend to make a cryptic remark. I responded saying it is my childish desire to buy
groundnuts whenever I see. My other friend quickly corrected me and said, ‘your child-like desire’.
Every time I shoot my mouth off, I am reminded of my friend, my colleague, who helped me express it right and another friend from our school-college days, who always knew what to say and how to say it. More important, they knew when to keep quiet and the art of saying the less palatable in an acceptable way. Both have done remarkably very well in their career, without displeasing people around them, yet saying what was required to be said at the appropriate time without compromising their integrity.
Looking back, I see them as individuals who build goodwill with all the good that they do, without incurring any liability for saying inappropriate things. The true zero debt individuals. In contrast, many times the goodwill I may have generated is diluted by the liabilities I incur by shooting off my mouth, especially with people close to me.
I too aspire like Mukesh Ambani and Reliance, for zero ‘debt’ status. Emulating my friends and holding my tongue in check, is the only way to go.

28 Thinking Different, Being Independent, August 28, 2020
‘Don’t study’ advised his father, ‘if you get a first class, you will only become a clerk’ he continued, as I stared at him with admiration and looked at my friend who had his head buried in the books. This was one of my first exposures to thinking differently, seen at my friend’s house in my first year of college. A journalist, rationalist and a firebrand orator, my friend’s father exposed me to the thoughts of Karl Marx, Ram Manohar Lohia and the class /caste social divide, unknown to an upper caste, middle class teenager immersed only in sports and movies.
Over the next five years I accompanied my friend and his father in their blue Herald car to many seminars and public meetings where issues of workers’ rights, untouchability, superstition, and fake godmen were hotly debated. Meeting and listening to Prof. Narasimhaiah and Abraham Kovoor, the famed rationalists simulated my inquisitive mind, making me reach out to their voluminous home library. My curiosity also led me to read the English translations by European scholars of Vedas and Hindu customs. A result of this deep influence is my ability to hold seemingly conflicting ideas of support for caste-based reservations, and at the same time appreciate many Vedic ideas that I have been able to
rationally interpret.
Thinking independently has its own perils as often both the schools reject me. The traditional school for supporting caste-based reservations and the rationally inclined for my belief in many Vedic ideas, making me an outcaste.

29. Practice Worth A Thousand Preach, August 29, 2020
Novels and dictionaries remind me of my parents. There is not a day my mother would not have read Tamil novels or magazines and a not a day when my father would not be found browsing through a dictionary. This practice was inherited by all my siblings, as an English novel reaching home, would move from hand to hand till all had read it, followed by some interesting debates during dinner.
My father’s obsession with dictionary and vocabulary may have been a result of his work experience as an auditor in the Defense Accounts Department, where drafting of audit reports was a sacred task that required clarity and precision. Once I qualified as a chartered
accountant, he repeatedly emphasized that the measure of a good professional was command over a large vocabulary with the skills to use it. Etymology was his favorite subject and often he would tell me the etymology of various words and how vocabulary could be enhanced by
using it. Another pet topic was synonyms and antonyms and the subtle difference between similar meaning words.
Researching for my first book, I found in the Charter of the first Joint Stock Company formed in 1553 CE, three qualities prescribed for a director, i.e. sad, discreet, and honest. While the second two qualities I could understand, the choice of the word sad as the first qualification
baffled me. After exhausting all other avenues, I moved to the unabridged dictionary in my shelf and found that one of the meanings of the word ‘sad’ is satisfied, derived from the word sated, meaning full. An essential quality for directors who have fiduciary responsibilities.
Having found it, I thanked my father for teaching me to reach out to the dictionary.

30 When Whispers Command, August 30, 2020
Being used to the long string of academic accomplishments that follows the name of achievers, I am in awe of the successful individual who skipped their academic beyond the basics. Knowing three of them, one in my family circles, another my school buddy and the third from my corporate working days, a few common traits standout distinctly. Are these traits what helped them achieve without the academic ladder that most others need?
Crest on their cuffs and collar, neat folds of premium branded clothing embellish their tall distinctive frame give them that distinctive successful demeanor from their early days. For those who have not seen them, the quite air of confidence in their clear distinct tone is audible even on phone, as is their ability to connect with people using humor. In their short academic stints, they were either toppers in their class or in the close chasing pack. Maybe it is these qualities that got them their first career break, either in a new industry or a small start-up that provided them the platform required to display their talent and compound grow
their career.
My hats off to them, like Tendulkar and Kohli, they do not need to prove themselves at basic levels before stepping up to the ‘Test’ level to play their game with distinction.

31 The Art of Selling -What Makes it Tough, August 31, 2020
‘It is no problem, I will wait’ I said for the fifth time, smiling externally, hoping his secretary would not be able to see my rapidly dissipating mask. Waiting for almost an hour, I realized that a sales job, is not unlike a tiger on the prowl; you need patience to lie low and wait for the
kill. Impatience is expensive, as the cost is to return home empty handed. Waiting is a pre-requisite, only the venue changes from crowded reception lobbies to the isolated conference rooms, if your wares are more exclusive, with tea in porcelain cup replacing the glass of water. Leaning back in the expensive leather chair, I recalled more than two hundred years ago, Adam Smith the father of economics had aptly assigned three reasons on why selling is tougher than buying. The buyer hopes to profit later, by giving up his universally acceptable, nonperishable currency now in exchange for selectively needed, perishable goods to the seller who realizes an immediate profit on the sale.
I quickly recalled my days as a “buyer” and saw that successful sellers had this almost infinite patience. Bigger the kill, longer the wait. The most successful ‘seller’ I have met was one who waited a full year, meeting me in my office every Friday morning at 8.30 AM to have a cup of coffee. He had a series of big kills, as investment banking deals go.

32 Deja-vu Feel in the Alumni Meet, September 1, 2020
Anxious I started the journey, not sure how the experience would be. Spending three days with them, was it a decision that I would regret, I wondered after I had agreed to attend the Alumni meet, the first in 30 years. But there are some obligations you must honor, no matter what.
A super achiever held in awe despite the close relationship we had in college, the go-to man for all resources, especially of the liquid kind, the technical master, who is grudgingly respected for his technical prowess, the college twins and triplets who were and are always together, the talented singer evoking the memories of the bygone days and the joker in the pack to keep everyone smiling and laughing. While the cast varies in all the alumni meets, each of the role defined somehow remains intact. On the second day, as I successfully matched the cast with the role, I had a sense of deja-vu. I had to remind myself that it was my wife’s alumni meet and I was the accompanying spouse. Unlike other spouses accompanying the alumni, I was the odd male who did not belong to their veterinary medicine profession. Result, I spent most of my time with the core group, discreetly analyzing their conversation.
Returning at the end of the three-day resort stay, I realized while the dates and people change, events and emotions of the college days remain the same. I believe most of us could walk into any alumni meet and feel at home substituting members of our batch with the cast
assembled for the day. Another matter I cherish is the relationship I built with my wife’s classmates as we had one common factor to unite us.

33 Indelible Memories of Crisp Puris, September 2, 2020
Big, puffed-up, crisp puris of the golden hue, with green chutney and aloo saagu flash across my mind every time I pass through Majestic area. It is a different matter that I had them almost fifty years ago, in a hotel opposite Upparpet police station in Majestic. It was the first time I went to a restaurant unaccompanied by elders, when my classmate and friend, whose family owned the hotel took me there. The occasion was an unanticipated half-day holiday declared in our school. In my 6th standards, having only recently ventured out of Malleswaram to St. Josephs Indian High School, 7 KM away, it was an adventure to cherish.
Over the last five decades, our friendship has remained firm, even though in recent times we only meet occasionally, and not at all in the last six months. My friend, an artist and poet lived in his desired world, shunning the currency of wealth for the riches that only heartfelt
experiences can give. I have always admired him for his unique approach to life, but my admiration grew ten folds when he encouraged his son to drop out of school in 11th standard to pursue his interest in wildlife with the firm belief that it was the right thing to do. Success in all its facets came to him, including material wealth, but his delightful experiences, a result of pursuing his passion is something tycoons and magnates would not be able to buy with their wealth.
We had many an adventure together in our youthful days, including spending a full night on the streets of Bangalore in 1970s for a wager of Rs.1 or 10, I fail to remember. But today that precious memory, like the crisp puri is invaluable. Thank you pal, though a bit delayed, you motivated me to pursue my dreams.

34 A Women Sensitive Organization, September 3, 2020
Researching for my incomplete third book, tentatively titled ‘If Mahatma Ran the India Inc., A Critical Look at the History of Management Principles’ I came across many successful and sustainable businesses that are much more than commercial enterprises. Fascinated by these
businesses, I started CimplyFive. Together with like-minded friends, we visualized a stakeholder owned business, providing companies with automation for managing their compliance risk, the platform on which they can build good governance.
Unknowingly stepping into the women dominate profession of company secretaries added a new dimension to our business, a new challenge. Can we build a women sensitive business? A place safe & secure, accommodating the challenge of holding multiple demanding roles
simultaneously, and create location independent jobs. We want to cater to women of today and as our society evolves with men taking an equal share in domestic chores, CimplyFive would be ideal for them too. Unfortunately, all our founders are men who can only provide the space for our team to create an environment in which women flourish. In our limited way we have set out on an ambitious journey. I believe trust is a key element in what we plan to do and who better to trust than women.
Only our team can say if we are moving in the right direction. I sincerely hope we are.

35 Gifts or an Exchange? September 4, 2020
A few books have profound influence on their readers that extends far beyond its subject. ‘The Gift’ written in 1925 by Marcel Mauss, the French sociologist is one such book. Studying multiple cultures across the globe from Americas to Asia and Australia, he analysed their gifting practices. Answering the question “What power resides in the object given that causes its recipient to pay it back?”, he saw gifts as an exchange when he expanded the traditional time unit considered from that moment to a few years when the exchange is complete. Further, he saw gifts used across cultures to strengthen and enlarge an individual’s family and social circles. Not just in family and social circles, even in business gifts play a
key role.
Mauss’s unique insights on gifts explains many business and social practices. In my childhood days, a visit with elders to the grocer would often result in the owner giving the child a piece of sugar-candy or a toffee. It was like the more common practice of ‘kochuru’ followed by
milkmen and grocers of giving a little more than the contracted quantity, a sure way to customer delight and strengthening customer loyalty. Further gifts during birthdays and other life milestone events are occasions to strengthen the existing social relationships and events like weddings occasions to enlarge the family and social circles.
As Mauss insightfully noted, the Karma theory in Sanatana dharma only extends this idea beyond an individual’s lifetime, and my personal experience of even instant reactions reinforces it, as a soft ‘good morning’ or a light wave of hands at strangers on my morning walk elicits a positive response.
I am now firmly convinced that what we see is what we think, say, and do, maybe with a time-lag. One more reason for me to be always positive and think good to contribute to the positive energy in motion.

36 Thirst for Knowledge, September 5, 2020
A small rectangular room, with books stacked halfway to the ceiling on all the three sides and space just adequate to fit an easy chair on one side of a short table with a folding chair on the other side is what flashes across my eyes whenever I fondly look at my book collection. It was the home library of TVN, as Dr.TV Narasimha Rao, our college professor was fondly called, who elevated my passion from reading books to collecting them in my few visits to his house right in my college days.
All the five years in college, TVN taught us subjects spanning economics, accountancy, and banking. For one outstation inter-collegiate TT tournament, he accompanied us, impressing me with his motivational skills. The fact that in 1970s he left a lucrative corporate job to teach,
further endeared him to me. I was fortunate that we had a chance to teach together in Department of Management Studies, IISc Bangalore, for a couple of years where I could hone my teaching skills with his insightful observations.
Writing my second book, I visited his new home, an elegant bungalow on the outskirts of Bangalore. As we walked upstairs, the first floor had only one room with spacious balcony, housing a spacious library, filled with book added to the rich collection I had earlier seen. We discussed for a few hours where he pointed out multiple angles to explore that enriched the final published copy of my book ‘The Wisdom of Ants’.
Driving back, I wonder how this person could retain his thirst for knowledge over such long periods undiminished. A role model for me to follow….

37 The Story-teller Par Excellence, September 6, 2020
On a delayed flight to Mumbai I completed reading the English translation of Chemmeen by Anitha Nair. The original Malayalam novel written by T Sivasankara Pillai, caught the Indian imagination when made into a movie in the 1960s with its haunting music. The richness of its plot and contest set for the love story at multiple levels -Hindu-Muslim, rich-poor, fishermen-farmer, traditional beliefs vs. rationality, made me realize what I was losing due to my inability to read Indian languages. English translations of novels like Chitralekha,
original in Hindi and One Part Woman, original in Tamil only reinforced my loss. I wondered if it was too late for me to redeem, as learning language at any age is a possibility, but was it practical for me.
COVID-19 lockdown turned into a blessing as browsing the web, one day I came across the master storyteller Bava Chelladurai on YouTube. The open air natural, rustic settings for his story telling coupled with his free-flowing expressive narration held me captivated. Each night I began enjoying the 30 odd minutes of his story telling that had both the touch
of Marxist class divide and the pungent odor of caste discrimination, alien to me, an urban dweller living in an insulated middleclass neighborhood. Bava’s vivid portrait of Tamil and Malayalam novels and short stories fulfilled a big vacuum in my life. I wish there is a Bava for every language, with whom English educated illiterates like me could partake of the rich literature in Indian languages. Appreciating the deep insights of our customs, traditions, and practices both the good and the ad, I believe can only enrich our lives and make it more humane.

38 Gulliver in the Land of Lilliput September 7, 2020
Among hobbies, I am willing to wager my fortune that travel tops the list as the most popular, t #1. It is another matter as to how many really act on their hobbies and make it their passion, an overarching goal in life to pursue it with dedication. In this mythical land of Lilliput, of people with little passion in hobbies, I know of a Gulliver, who towers over the rest with a dedication to pursue his hobby with a single-minded devotion. Travelling twice or thrice a year to different countries across the globe, the count I last heard was nearing a century, before the COVID-19 harshly paused his quest.
Not being a travel enthusiast myself, I often wondered what good would come of such extensive travel. Over the years, in multiple discussions over coffee and other sips, I am amazed at his knowledge of geography, culture and arts of different countries and their unique practices observed. Looking back to my bland geography classes in school, I
wonder if our school textbooks missed the big point by capturing only facts at the cost of providing a few perspectives for the students to relate to.
Should informative travelogues supplement geography textbooks in school? Based on my conversations with the ‘Gulliver’, I believe not just children, but even adults will love it.

39 My Three Wheel Drive, September 8, 2020
Hire a Scorpio, advised my local friend in Dehradun when I was planning my family trip to Char Dham. Not being a car enthusiast, I asked him why, only to learn that in hilly, uneven terrain, a four-wheel drive is essential to get out of any rough spot that you may get into. This
set me thinking about the need to have the right vehicle for each road and I wonder what vehicle I would like to drive each day. With some introspection I decided that I want a three-wheel drive.
Over years, I have learnt that the three rough patches I have faced come from comparison with others, looking back to wrong decisions made and the spotting negative qualities in people around me. I wonder what will keep me on the main road out of these rough spots, which in my early days was comparing income, house, vehicles or other ‘possessions’ like
children’s accomplishments for it can only bring sorrow. In later phases, rough patches came more from living in the past and wondering what it could have been, for you never know, as the grass is always greener on the other side and right through my life to being emotionally down when I spot non-so-desirable qualities in people. I soon realized that it is my choice to decide if I will feel good and happy today and every other day.
With my three-wheel drive, I can disengage from the comparison mode, blank out the rear- view mirror and focus the headlights on to the positive qualities around me. While the goal is clear, many times I slip up. I cannot but compare my waistline with the comfortable jeans I
cannot fit into or slip into a weekend of melancholy when Arsenal loses a football match replaying the defensive error over and over again or slip deeper into negative thoughts on seeing the prime-time TV news that relishes negativity. Among a few others, these are the recurring themes.

40 My Favorite Haunts, September 9, 2020
Official tours to certain cities excite me no end. Especially if the visit has a free evening or on the odd occasion, a free Sunday. In all these cities, free time would be spent in an identical manner. Stroll through the streets shopping for a couple of hours and then return to the hotel room to explore what I had bought, starting from that moment for the next few days or weeks. Flora fountain in Mumbai, Lakadi-ka-Pul area in Hyderabad, College Street in Kolkatta and the Old Delhi streets on Sundays are my favored haunts. In each of the city I had a specific roadside stall where I savor my cup of ginger tea ignited to start my book hunt and end it with another designated café where I could sit down for lunch or dinner. In between browsing through hundreds of books in my hunt for the list in hand or the unexpected gem I would chance to find, picking up the odd cassette or CDs of my favorite ghazal singers Gulam Ali and Mehdi Hassan or Louis Armstrong and other jazz legends, spiced my experience that would linger for weeks and months.
After six months of enforced house arrest, I am itching to strolling through street bookshops, savoring my ginger tea. Till then, I must make do only with my memories….

41 Laila-Majnu & Romeo-Juliet of the 21st Century, September 10, 2020
Maybe it has to do with age, for in the last decade, my idea of an ideal couple has dramatically changed. Observing from the vantage point of being their business confidant, all the three couples are actively engaged in building their business together. They had a love marriage,
initially pursued their own career path before quickly converging to start a business together and now excelling in their business. While the legendary couples that poets of yore celebrate had to contend with social norms and tradition that stood in their way to unite, the 21st
century couples came together to identify their own barriers that they choose to breakdown to create a better tomorrow, and not just for themselves. As any entrepreneur will tell you, starting a business, especially a new business is an emotional roller coaster ride. Challenges
can and will surface from every nook and corner, testing the best. It is not every time you win, but together they leaned on each other to come out winning and strengthening their relationship.
Fortunately, unlike the tragic love saga of Laila-Majnu and Romeo-Juliet, the 21st century couples are the epitome of success in every facet-rich relationship, economic prosperity and their blossoming children pursuing their own lives with vigor. These are 24/7, 365-day
relationships in the 21st century for us to cherish and celebrate.

42 Professional, Friends Indeed, September 11, 2020
A Saturday morning in April 2000, I was in the posh conference room of a Palo Alto Office finalizing Wipro’s red-herring prospectus to be filed with SEC. Having landed there the previous night, I was scheduled to catch my return flight to India on Tuesday night. Surrounded by our investment banker, our US attorney and the US attorney of our
investment banker, I was prepared for a pleasant and short meeting as all of us sitting together had drafted the prospectus over the previous two months across multiple meetings in Hong Kong and Bangalore, crafting and honing each word and sentence. Given that preparation, this Saturday would be less taxing I thought, as we had completed writing and were only reading the document together to iron out the odd wrinkles.
As we reread the prospectus, my fellow drafters stopped me at each adjective, name, and number to demand documentary proof that they wanted to lock into their files. A due diligence that later I came to know was to be expected as the document was the prospectus and the filing was in US, the most litigation friendly jurisdiction. What was earlier considered a fact, now had to be substantiated, with evidence, in the next four days. Best illustrated by the first sentence on the inside cover of the prospectus, which read, “The world’s first SEI-CMM Level 5 IT Services Company”, a statement widely reported in both the global and Indian
press when it was certified a year back. To retain this critical positioning statement, I had to wake up my colleague in Bangalore at 11.30 PM, get him to go to office and fax the original certificate received with date un-smudged!
On reflection, I thought being forewarned of what to expect by my professional friends would have been great, but they cannot be solely blamed for my inexperience. With all the ‘proofs’ painstakingly collected in my case, I realized experience is invaluable, and in its absence professionals, who are friends indeed, by forewarning you of what to expect.

43 Jack of a few trades and Master of them All, September 12, 2020
I have seen the upholstery of our sofa set consisting of one three-seater and two single seaters being completely redone over a weekend. On a different weekend, with rubber and leather sheets purchased on a Friday, all of us at home had identical but new slippers. On another Sunday, my two-year old cycle had a complete overhaul at home. The list can go on and on, when my son was born, within a couple of days, he had complete sets of colorful dresses stitched in two or three evenings. It is a hobby for the person who made all this happen effortlessly. By profession he is a decorated Aeronautical engineer having won awards
from the Indian Prime Minister for his contribution to DRDO.
Sadly, as his sibling, I have inherited none of those precious skills. I think often that it is good there are individuals with exceptional talent who standout. Just imagine a world full of average individuals like me; what a dull and uninteresting place it would be.
To keep our family tradition going, I have a nephew who matches his uncle skill for skill. When in school he made duplicate keys as a hobby and now in his fourth decade, he could ‘pick’ professionally anyone of the professions and not be out of place -a chef, a baker, a sculptor, a poet in both English and Hindi. It is a different matter that he fought in the Kargil war in 1990s as a decorated soldier and now counsel’s youth in their career choice related to armed forces. Whoever said, ‘Jack of all trades and master of none’, had not met my brother or nephew.

44 Entrepreneurship, My Take, September 13, 2020
My take on entrepreneurship is not unlike one of the five blind men describing an elephant— incomplete, one sided and maybe erroneous. Despite being an entrepreneur for the last six years and having worked with a few of them over the last decade and a half, I have earned my
right to be wrong. Falling in love and starting a new venture are not rational decisions as
it means moving out of the comfort zone and exposing yourself to potential pain and disappointments. From what I have seen, three distinct stages are evident—the honeymoon, the hangover, and the harbinger.

Oozing with optimism and a sense of destiny you start marching towards your vision, the honeymoon begins. Friends greet you with encouragement, even as your close family members are appalled at your folly in embarking on this hazardous journey. Short of singing a duet with everyone, you race through the days in a daze, till the first hurdle rudely awakens you. Invariably it is resource, could be money or a missing talent or a missing connect. The honeymoon soon turns into a hangover, though not of the lasting kind. This is where the roller coaster ride starts. An incoming phone call can stop your hangover and a mail in your inbox can halt your honeymoon. You wake up each day certain that you will be once again surprised or shocked or even on the same day. If this is your concept of an exciting journey, welcome to the world of entrepreneurship.
Somewhere in this rollercoaster ride, if you are lucky you may encounter the harbinger moment that heralds the shift from focus on survival to the quest for profits. It could be a marquee investor or major client signings acknowledging what you have accomplished, for these are the only two stakeholders who provide lifeline for the enterprise. That moment signals the end of entrepreneurial life, where happy duets and melancholic solos are replaced by the more mundane challenges of growth and profitability. Not unlike the wedding!

45 Maths Made Easy, The Pygmalion Theory, September 14, 2020
In my blue shorts and white shirt, walking proudly to the school wearing my new shining Bata black shoes, I have fond memories of BES, as Bangalore Education Society was colloquially called. Located in the street facing the 9th cross Malleswaram Ganesh temple, a small bungalow adjacent to the vegetable market with about 10 rooms, was my primary school. The place where I was told I was a good student, even before my first test.
I can fondly remember almost all my teachers Sarada miss, Rukmini miss, Leela Gowda miss, Saroja miss, Sushila miss and Girija miss. They taught us English, Hindi, Math, Social Science and General Science as it was called in those days. Tests were fun, as we were given about a dozen important questions and the test would cover a few of them. After being forced to recite the answers by-heart at home the previous night, scoring 23 or 24 out of 25 was a given, which gave us the feeling we were good students. I do not know if we deserved it or it was meant to build our self-confidence, but the result was desirable, as it encouraged us to
commit more efforts in studies.
Even after school my contact with two of them continued, as Sarada miss is my best friend Swami’s mother, who was also my neighbor in the 1970s and Girija miss is my neighbor now and a member of our club. Sarada miss my math teacher, would administer a sharp pinch for any mistakes made, an constant reminder to keep my concentration fresh and not make silly mistakes; it endured much beyond the math test in primary school to all other tests I have faced in life.
But for their early belief and trust in me, I am sure I would have turned out a lot worse. Thank you miss.

46 Learning Through Questions, September 15, 2020
An integral part of school visits during my days in Azim Premji Foundation was interaction with students in classrooms. In the beginning it was a result of School Headmasters insisting on it. But as I learnt a few techniques to engage the students in these short interactions, I began to enjoy it. Looking back these are some of my most valuable memories of my years in Azim Premji Foundation.
Engaging with a third standard to fifth standard class, I would l ask the students if any of them knew the multiplication table of 1000. Invariably the answer would be no. Then I ask them if they know table of 1, getting a positive response from all. I would ask one of them to recite
it slowly pausing after each line. Next, I would ask them for table of 10, again all the class respond positively. Gradually as we move to tables of 100, 1000 and 10,000 tables more and more students would volunteer. In matter of few minutes, the idea of multiplication tables was clear. From there expanding it to tables of 5, 50, 99 or 101 was not only logical but also easy to identify, without any assistance.
The joy in the eyes of a child once they themselves identify a concept is sparkling and is retained for long. Not just children, interesting questions posed to any adult can also be as enlightening and enduring learning experience. I wish we get questions that are graded and move gradually at our own phase helping us understand the essence of life.

47 The Benefit of Being the Last, September 16, 2020
Completing my 10th standard exams, I embarked on a mini-Bharat darshan all alone. Travelling from Bangalore, I spent one week each with my two brothers and two sisters residing outside Bangalore. Starting from Chandrapur, where my brother was working as a doctor in Western India Coal fields to Mumbai, Pune, and Chennai where my other siblings resided. I returned home with self-confidence and a bag full of new attire ready for the college life.
The first mover advantage may be substantial in the commercial world, but in family the tag of the youngest confers many concrete benefits. I can vouch for it as the youngest of eight siblings having been showered with gifts and counsel right through, that continues right to this day. The downside, which I only realized in my third decade, is it leaves you ill prepared for married life, where the spouse expects you to lend an equal hand in discharging the responsibilities, an abrupt end to the slumber.
In the current times, where many a family like mine has a single child, I hope the children behave like the eldest, responsibly, and care for their parents. MANU, this one is for you….

48 Our Career Plan B -asdf, September 17, 2020
Finishing the SSLC exam, as the 10th exams were then called, was one of the first milestones marking our adulthood. It was time to start seriously thinking about our career. With enormous foresight in the 1970s, not only was our career choice made, but for those opting the commerce line, Plan-B was also put in place for which the preparations started
immediately. With a batch scheduled every hour in the morning and evenings with a long break for lunch in the afternoon, 6 AM batch was the most desirable, followed by 7 AM batch as it disrupted the vacation life the least. About 20 of us would all march into a room at the appointed hour and take our place on a stool, placed behind a table and in unison start
tapping the asdf ;lkjh keys, initiating our typewriting skills acquisition.
In days when four figure monthly salary was the El dorado and appointment as a Probationary officer in SBI and LIC the gateway to heaven, career as a stenographer was a welcome second choice. Typewriting was like graduation in Career Plan-B circuit and postgraduation in this field meant learning shorthand, that followed completion of the junior exam in typewriting.
I have no doubt that we have made substantial progress, from that time where learning to operate a typewriter was considered a desirable occupation to now where toddlers learn coding with Whitehat Jr. What next in 30 years’ time, I wonder!

49 Coupling Talent with Humility, September 18, 2020
A teenage ethical hacker, young professional few months into the job with excellent drafting skills, young executive with astute negotiating skills, a software engineer opting for a corporate law profession, young professionals with thirst to stretch and learn are some of the youngsters I interact and work with who make me wonder and gasp with amazement at the talent and ability they possess. Reflecting on my own abilities when I started my career, I can honestly say all that I had was keen desire to learn and eagerly looked up to my seniors who had the abilities I aspired for. I can recollect a night where I stayed up till 3 AM in my boss’s hotel room proof reading audit reports that were to be sent to the Chairman at dawn, as my boss had found two spelling mistakes in the hundred plus pages audit docket. I must hasten to add that this was in the days before spell checkers were a part of word processors. Likewise, wait till 8.30 PM for a senior executive, who had taken an interest in mentoring me, to be
free so that he could critique the report I had drafted. I believe patience and persistence can compensate for inadequate talent, as the ancient Greek saying goes, ‘when the winds don’t favor you, take to the oars.’
What amazes me about these ‘kids’ is their patience and persistence reflecting their humility that makes them row even with the winds in their sails. Seeing so many of them I believe we are bound to see the best of times ahead in every sphere, for we are in a progressive era where thing will get better each day, as youngsters of today have talent coupled
with humility.

50 Certainly Not My Better half, September 19, 2020
I wonder why news channels are so concerned about border skirmishes with our neighbors, for in my domestic life it is a key facet to building stronger relationship. For not a day passes without a skirmish with the person closest to me, who others recognize as my better half. I can tell for sure that skirmishes not only build relationships, but often is a key
medium for our dialogue.
I have been intrigued by her propensity to learn. Immediately after our wedding, she pursued her post-graduation in veterinary micro-biology and recently she enrolled for and completed her Masters’ degree in extension services. Here propensity to learn is not restricted to academics, moving to Bangalore in her third decade, she quickly learnt to speak, read, and write Kannada, even doing hour long interviews in both TV and Radio in it. What fascinates me about her is adaptability, be it an orthodox religious gathering or a gathering of friends or corporate circle, she is at completely at home enjoying the occasion effortlessly. An entrepreneur, social sector volunteer, gender-equality proponent and faculty in veterinary colleges are only some of her varied accomplishments. Very demanding of self, she has given me a relatively free hand to be myself and to pursue my interests.
I certainly do not think she is my better half, for even if I get better, she will still be streets ahead of me. She is my best-half.

51 When Evidence Backs Intent, September 20, 2020
Always clad in khadi kurta and dhoti, the first politician I admired was our corporator Late Shri P Ramdev, who later became our MLA for two terms on either side of 1980. A bachelor who lived in a small room in the lane parallel to the Sampige Road in 5th cross Malleswaram, he was the epitome of self-less service. I heard that when he left for his heavenly abode all they found in his room was a few sets of identical kurtas and dhoti along with a few books.
Since then, I have sought to find similar personalities to be inspired by and with success, found them. Jaya Prakash Narayan, leading the Total Revolution, the revolutionary George Fernandes and Vinobha Bhave of the Bhoodhan movement in the 1970s to our most respected President Abdul Kalam and Anna Hazare leading Indian Against Corruption
movement in more recent times.
While I have nothing against rich politicians living in their sprawling bungalows and commuting in Mercedes Benz and BMWs, I wonder if they can be aware of and sensitive to the needs and challenges of the neediest. Few years back, in one of my visits to Ireland for an UN event, I had the chance to meet their Prime Minister and realized it only when
he went to the dais to speak, who till then had mingled as one of us, an attentive listener, in the moderately large gathering. I am sure we will see that day in India too, where elected officials will not be recognized only for their opulent lifestyle but for their sensitivity
and response to the needy.

52 Islands of Plutocracy in our Democracy, September 21, 2020
Honey laced, silky voice of PB Srinivas can woo anyone in this world, as Kannada and Tamil film fans will attest. To the unacquainted, an apt visual for his pleasing voice is the serene, densely vegetated green park named after him in Sadashivnagar, Bangalore. Flanked by a large
playground that has a football field and a basketball court on one side, and a well-equipped children’s park on the other side alongside Janata Bazar building, this patch of urban Bangalore must have the highest per capital pubic investment per resident, an envy for the rest of Bangalore.
Commuting through most cities in India, the disproportionate public investments made in creating and maintaining posh localities, is in stark contrast to the sparse civic facilities in the much more deserving, densely populated poorer localities. This raises the question, are islands of plutocracy constitutionally sanctioned in democratic India? How does the system of public funds allocation work? Are parameters like quantifying the number of beneficiaries and bring in an element of equality if not positive discrimination in favor of the more deserving
not considered?
I hope the day is not far off when we can ‘see’ the silkiness of PB Sreenivas’s voice in places where even today we can hear his melodies.

53 The Life-long Learner, September 22, 2020
There are a few people who activate the happiness lever in me whenever I see them. I do not know what is it that triggers it, but it works every time without fail. I met this gentleman about ten years ago in the context of a business deal, and my connect was instantaneous. Since then I have a close relationship with him, despite our infrequent meetings. The quest for knowledge is what distinguishes him. If I had to define a life-long learner, I do not have to look beyond him.
The first two years of his retirement was spent studying the philosophy of Aurobindo. He followed this with a year of studying the science of astrology, to convincingly explain to me the rationale behind it. This was followed by two years of studying Shriman Mahabharata in
Kannada published by Bharata Darshana Prakashana, all the 32 volumes of about 550 pages each. The knowledge he acquired was not just for him, he converted his learning into copious notes by classifying the information in the Mahabharata into around sixty distinct headings for the ease of researchers who could be seeking information are available in his website www.ghvisweswara.com.
The discipline and rigor of his study methods and thirst for knowledge combined with his calm disposition in sharing his views only when asked for are traits that I hope to imbibe with my continuing interactions. A role model for me to emulate.

54 My First Tryst with a Bank, September 23, 2020
Withdrawing Rs.25,000/- from the company’s bank account without any authorized signatory signing, was my first corporate banking experience. As an internal auditor in Mumbai Regional Office, it was on December 31, 1986 when I had to depute for the Regional Accountant who had to go on leave for a personal emergency. It being the last day of the quarter, we had to pay octroi for bringing Personal Computers into Mumbai and bill them to our dealers. Deferring the sales to January was not an option as meeting the regions sales targets, dealer and sales executives’ incentives was at stake. With Regional Manager and Regional Support Manager, the other two authorized signatories travelling, I had the unenviable job of withdrawing this amount.
After a lot of pleading and ‘cringing’, the Branch Manager gave me the money after getting my signed undertaking on our company letterhead to bring the authorized signatories to the branch next day to sign the unsigned cheque leaf. With my visiting card firmly stapled to the letter, the Manager placed it securely in his custody, that was returned the next day, when I went with the authorized signatories to have it signed as committed.
So began my corporate banking engagements with my bank visits, as the Corporate Finance Manager and later Corporate Treasurer, often to get exceptions approved. A key factor for positive response from banks was the reputation of our company and with time, knowledge of my personal trait of honoring all commitments made, be it small or big. Punctuality was a key factor in building this trust, not just being in time for meetings but also providing any information or completing promised action as committed.
In the last 35 years of my career, I can remember only a handful of meetings where I would have been late. Even in those instances, keeping them informed was the vital. While I cannot promise anyone of results, I can and will assure them of my 100% efforts to get the desired results.

55. 60,90, or 120, Take Your Pick, September 24, 2020
No, I am not talking about any liquid measures, it is something more solid. In the first year of my college, my brother returning from Japan, got me a tape recorder. It was a first-generation player that did not even have auto reverse feature. Those days cassettes were a rare commodity in India available mainly through tourists or visitors returning from Singapore or from the large number of Iranian students in Bangalore. Available in three variants 60, 90, or 120 minutes duration, being quite greedy I picked up the 120 minutes cassette only to realize that maximizing is not always good. Carrying a heavier load, the tape would frequently cut into two requiring patch work of sticking the two odd ends together. A small incident, I think it made a lasting impression as I have most often opted for optimizing, when given the choice of maximize.
In trades, despite following the principle of buy-low and sell-high in my professional career in foreign exchange markets, in my personal life I have sold before the peak at predetermined levels, without any regret I must add. Likewise, in most other choice of home, career, and comfort, I prefer to optimize, in the firm belief that I am maximizing my wellbeing.
Looking back, I would say my principle of picking the 90, has served me well, when given the choice between 60,90, or 120.

56. Starting Love-All, Every Day, September 25, 2020
Frequently auto drivers, flower & vegetable vendors and temple priests among others join my wife in correcting me publicly. If it is early morning, it is sure to happen, but rest of the day is no exception. Being left-handed, what comes naturally to me, appears to them as inauspicious, rude, and offensive. When I rationally examined this belief, I found that the western worldview associated left-handedness with the devil and witches, something to be shunned, while the eastern view may base it on hygiene. Irrespective of the logic, I can assure you it is not something that makes me feel good considering it is an inborn trait. Left-handedness is a natural phenomenon in about 10% of the population and being in minority I resent the popular belief that seeks to correct me. This led me thinking about what other minorities would be feeling when the majority culture, language or practices are thrust
upon them or their practices are looked down upon, just because it is different. Is it too much to expect from our educated brethren to view differences as variants enriching our society and not weeds to be eradicated?
I believe the role of Whatsapp forwards in shaping our thoughts is hugely underestimated, especially when I see very knowledgeable, wise and elderly citizens forward posts derogatory relating to a minority community, language or practice which is often unsubstantiated and
speculative. Our social interactions are based on the underlying fabric of trust and goodwill, which these unsubstantiated forwards are corroding. Can we stop these forwards and start each day a fresh match, with the scoreboard reading Love-All.

57. Lessons from IPL and Cricket Icons, September 26, 2020
As an Indian and avid sports lover how can I be immune to the charms of IPL, for I can see the entire Bhagavat Gita in it. If Virat Kohli epitomizes Karma-marga with dedication to his craft, Suresh Raina is an embodiment of Bhakti-marga celebrating the success of his team and
teammates with gay abandon. In contrast, the Jnana-marga proponent is our detached MDS, who after expending single-minded and enormous effort, is indifferent, if not aloof to the results of the match, be it success or failure.
Unlike test cricket that requires yogic level concentration to stay tune for all the five days or a weekend dedicated to indulging in a one-day international, 20-20 can be blended with all other aspects of life. One advantage of IPL is its schedule. With daily matches, it does not let you bask in yesterday’s success or wallow in a humiliating defeat for too long, as you have a match every evening. Sports is a great teacher of humility, admiration for excellence—be it in your team or rivals and confronting your limitations. Great experience if you are playing, and
satisfactory if you can vicariously participate and learn from it.
I wish I can be a Kohli when preparing for experiences of life, a Raina when whole heartedly celebrating the successes of people around me and Dhoni in facing consequences for my actions, with equanimity, humility and without any rancor.

52. 58. The Peter Pan Entrepreneur, September 27, 2020
    Silence that would amplify even a pin drop combined with pitch darkness at 2 pm every afternoon, the President’s chamber had its incumbent in a refreshing 20 minutes nap. Little did I realize that this practice seen in 1980s could be one of the secrets to the Peter Pan Entrepreneur, Ashok Soota, who braved all odds to complete in the Covid-19 pandemic times,
    one of the most successful IPOs of all time, at the ripe age of 77.
    During the short time I worked in the same floor as Ashok Soota, we saw him work tirelessly till 8 PM every night. With my worktable positioned near his cabin, one evening I had my first taste of black, sugarless tea that he offered from his flask when I went to handover a report he had asked for. He was among the first business leaders I saw whose stature grew with every word he spoke. Thought in the same company for more than fifteen years, our interactions were infrequent, as I moved to the corporate office in Mumbai and later in Bangalore, down the MG Road a few streets.
    I last met him a few years ago, when he launched his book on entrepreneurship that was co-authored with late S R Gopalan. The person I saw had not changed one little bit physically or in his energy levels from the person I first met thirty years ago.
    Thanks Mr. Ashok Soota for giving me the belief that life starts at 60 and I have the time to build CimplyFive as a model stakeholder owned, ethically powered, women sensitive enterprise. evolving with our customers’ need.
    59. Madras, My Lucky Hunting Ground, September 28, 2020
    A bead of sweat crawls across your forehead, awakening you to the noise of fellow passengers preparing to disembark at 4.55 AM. The heat and humidity hits you even before you can open your eyes, heralding your destination. Getting off Madras Mail, my preferred mode for travel to that city, with apprehension I dread to think of the haggling that is a must with the auto drivers before I can reach the cool confines of an airconditioned room. This was before the days of Uber and Ola, for now I find a refuge in the front seat of the car, sans the mandatory haggle, facing the direct blast of the air-conditioner vent to get the Bangalore feel.
    Despite discomfort, I love Madras for its FM radio stations playing Tamil film songs, auto and Ola drivers who sincerely advocate their passionate political beliefs, once you acknowledge you are an outsider to the state, Grand Sweets for its delicious savories and the small restaurants serving vegetarian meals with its patented kaara kulambu. On the personal front, the city has many happy memories like my wedding and the birth of my son. Another memorable incident in that city involves one of its historic monuments that made my day.
    Hurrying out of Connemara Public library, I was dizzy for a few moments, as my joy knew no bounds. I desperately wanted the world to know what I had found. I called my friend who knew of my futile search for long, to tell him that I had the book on double-entry bookkeeping
    written by Luca Paciolio, the Italian who is acknowledged to be its first proponent. I had the English translation of that book published in 1924 by Pietro Crivelli, F.C.R.A., A Fellow of the Institute of Book-Keepers Ltd, London. After much cajoling, I managed to get a photocopy of the book for my personal library, which occupies the pride of place in my library, my prized possession, a gentle reminder of the pleasant memories of Chennai, as it is called now..
    
53. 60. Giving without A Thought!, September 29, 2020
    A tall claim I thought to myself, when I read that there is no element of life that is not covered in Mahabharat. One of my favorite tales involves Arjuna asking Sri Krishna, ‘Why is Karna considered the ultimate donor? Does my elder brother Dharmaraja not give as much?’ The Lord used the concept of learner seeing for themselves the reason for that title and gave a small hillock of gold to Dharmaraja to distribute among people. Dharmaraja being fair minded wanted to ensure the hillock was divided equally and he personally supervised the distribution. Next the Lord gave Karna a similar hillock and asked him to distribute it among
    people. Karna called the people together and told them to divide the hillock amongst themselves and walked away without looking back at what he had given.
    In today’s world, if we want to see Karna, I do not think we need to look beyond Sri Azim Premji. A philanthropist who has given the society an amount equal to a few small hillocks of gold, and given it like Karna, without any pomp or ceremony. I am grateful for the opportunity to have been associated with him for more than a decade to personally know that simplicity and magnanimity is his inherent trait, just as the armor and earrings were Karna’s inborn accessories. Unlike in Karna’s case, even if Mr. Premji gives it to others around him, he will still have it as it is an intangible asset like the software that brought him fame and fortune.
    Having started with the most inspirational person of the 20th century, Mahatma Gandhi, I feel it is only appropriate that I end my 60th reflection with Azim Hasham Premji, the most inspirational person I have met.
    
    Thank you for being a part of my journey over the last 60 days. Grateful to you for your company.