My first Blog - Jun 2007

An Office goer and a Gentleman!

2007-07-20T10:14:00.000-07:00

Yes, Hi, Namaste, Hello! This is the intriguing name for my latest blog, named after the famous Hollywood movie.

Are Office goers really gentlemen at all times, or for that matter true ladies....? Think before you splutter in outrage and spill that glass of juice. Let me try and give you the background of the situation which has made me think on these lines.

How often have you snapped at your Spouse or Child or family members and elders when you get back home after office...? If you haven't, please don't read the rest of this message, you are already a master of your mind. But the bulk of us, please read on.

Are we two different individuals at home and at work? Do we knowingly or otherwise assume a different personality at work? Does the placid peace loving person switch on an ambitious and tough persona at Work? Or does the athlete control his adrenaline and resign himself to that desk in the Bank and manage ledgers while attending to queries from customers? If you are in a similar situation, then that could be the beginning for this Syndrome. Our mind and intellect is tired at the pretence, and wants to be blank during the time at home; as home is always associated with peace of mind. During this re-charging time, the mind triggers extreme reactions and aggravated responses to even mundane queries from our loved ones.

And we flash our anger, often to regret the words as soon as they leave our tongue...

Is there a solution to this syndrome....?

Yes, of course. And the solution is as simple as the analysis made above.

One has to make an attempt, gradual and consistent, to be his or her own self, at work. Try to extend your personality to your job. Do not do anything that you feel (personally) is wrong. Banish all negative thoughts, they are like cancer.

Impress on yourself the need to strike a work-life balance, and ensure that you spend quality time with family. Avoid that impulse and don't get irritated easily.

An Office-goer can certainly become a Gentleman (or lady)!

R.Krishnakumar.

Reverse Brain Drain

2007-07-01T06:29:00.000-07:00

Over the past decade, this phenomenon has been witnessed. It has been a bitter-sweet experience, sweet for the desis who stayed back!

I passed my engineering in '92, well into the era of software. It was almost a norm for one to prepare for his GRE, and get going to the USA for higher studies, en route to a job abroad and life as an NRI. Of course, those who did not make it always had somebody in Dubai or nearby, who could land them a decent job. I remember, in those days, the Times of India (Bombay) had a special edition for Jobs abroad, and guys would unfailingly pick up copies of the same week after week.

Basically I think people were looking to earn in foreign currency, to escape the predictably low salaries in India (I started at Rs.1,500 p.m. in '92!). Some like me did stay back, for many reasons as different as low ambition and family pressures. For me, it was bit of both, more of the former to be brutally honest. I did try to convince my friends about the joy of being in India and celebrating life and festivals with loved ones....!

Well, in retrospect, I did well. My humble career has followed the Indian economy, and today my salary is decent even when converted into USD.

What really gives RIs like me the greatest joy is to see that all those guys who went abroad have gradually seen that today India is not such a bad place to work at all.... today with technology, one can effectively work from anywhere... and lets face it... there is no better country to bring up your children...

So we have the reverse brain drain... people coming back to India. Welcome back, from those who never left!

R.Krishnakumar.

Attempt to start blogging

2007-06-27T07:31:00.000-07:00

Hello I am Krishnakumar, South Indian without a proper surname. To add to the confusion, I am called Anand at Home! And so my blogspot is http://anandramnath.blogspot.com

I plan to post my thoughts online, and change the world, no wait, let me think of something more sensible......

I want to influence the thinking of at least a few fellow intellectuals for the betterment of the world... I want to maintain some of my important thoughts and notes.... and I want to connect with family and friends.

That's all for now!

Bye!