Before we drift too far

The color, the smile, the hand raised in blessings
We all stepped away from our land
The land with sound of waves, star gazing nights, good times with friends
Every evening my lane temple bell echoes far
Skype, Whatsapp, and all rest folks connects us back to them

Still, something was missing..
And, before we get drifted too far
Few hands rise again to retouch the land and relive culture

Welcoming all for Utkal Divas, 5th April,2014 - Johannesburg,SA.
Please support us by gracing your presence and spreading a word.

Inaugural function of HR- SYMPHONY, 2012 (September)

Message from the Student Forum - HR Symphony 

Greetings!!

The student forum of department of M.A – H.R.M, Madras School of Social Work is delighted to present the inaugural function of HR- SYMPHONY, 2012 (September).

This event is a prelude to the HR Symphony which is a student forum initiative that is being conducted as a “National Level Annual Management Event” providing podium for both professionals and students to discuss on significant management topics.

We are going to release the theme of the season during this ceremony held on 11^th July,2012 at MSSW auditorium. 

For more updates, stay connected.

Cheers,

Pragnya Mishra

On Behalf of Student Forum

Changing face of HR

You might have read a lot already with the same title, so am moving directly to latest two name tags of the role- ‘Personnel Manager’ & ‘Human Resource Manager’.

Around two decades back organizations had a role of ‘Personnel Manager’. (S)He used to administer payroll and employee benefits . Gradually they moved to more accountable role and re-christen as ‘Human Resource Manager’. But still there exist an identity crisis for the clan of HR managers. Modern commoners assume role of HR is to hire and fire employees.

Personnel managers focused on tracking and maintaining employee records, counsel managers and employees, respond to top managerial questions. HR managers still do all but with topping of new technology. Accumulation to their profile is to react, proactively react to – (not in any order)

• Utilization of employees to their maximum potential and help them to realize it
• Optimize the cost along with  higher productivity
• Brand the employer
• Preserve  the talented resources and refine the unproductive and costly member of staff
• Attract talent
• Understand and act according to business
• Communicate
• You can add more :-)

All these aim to Create a better (read healthier, safer and happier) workplace.
All the above errands affix the term ‘Strategic Partner’ to former role tag.

HR is no longer a by-stander, the day the employee joins a firm,  the face of firm are the HRs. Even before they join their roles-responsibilities, span of control, paycheck etc are decided by HR. Going even further proactive HRs groundwork on existing employee work pattern i.e. predict if the employee is going to stay during and post assignment or will move on along with the reasons for same.

Few major efforts to regular compliance monitoring, compensation & benefits  for employees are

Even for the employers the HR activity embraces CSR planning and execution, Employer branding, Grievance eradication, Leaders identification & sparkle and framing business policies & strategic planning.

HR moved from policies framing of employment, holidays etc to making People. People who work as team and sharing emotional bonding rather than remaining just employees.

Thus the HR skill set also got upgraded, as

• Strategic partner
• Change driver and manager
• Employee engagement architect 
• Talent manager
• Leaders creator

Thus again the name HR need to be renamed. New school of thought call – Human Capital Manager. What’s next? 

The Recruitment Mission

The beauty of this summer was the internship and its gyan exploration. Knowledge grows with sharing, right? And It’s a long one.

My assignment was on ‘Recruitment – Selecting profiles and Scheduling for interviews’ and to close ‘X’ number of openings. So, the mission starts with the objective to close the openings in ‘Z’ week(s) timeframe.

First action was to devise the plan, How? I need to choose the right channel, ideal profiling , categorization based on profiles, time scheduling, and gyan (knowledge) on the JD (Job Description) of openings.

Gyan on JD

First of all be acquainted for whom and which position(s) the recruitment is done. Foundation on the roles & responsibilities, benefits entitled, etc through the JD.

Channel Selection

Choosing a channel depends on the job position (opening), the employer’s brand, the resources, the recruiting budget, urgency to close the opening or the time window, manpower forecast, etc.

So, one can choose from a huge pile of options; say

• Ø  Internal advertising – Posting on intranet via online notices, mails to employees(Buddy referral)
• Ø  Printed advertising – Posting on local/national/employment special newspapers, newsletters etc
• Ø  Online – Using job portals, social – media (as LinkedIn or twitter)
• Ø  Consultancy
• Ø  Head hunting and /or Poaching
• Ø  Re-hire
• Ø  Campus recruiting
• Ø  Walk-in
• Ø  Body Shopping
• Ø  Promotions and Present temporary workforce
• Ø  Casual applicants
• Ø  Candidate references i.e. taking references from the candidates, etc…

Profile Selection and Ideal Profiling

The profiles are selected based on the JD i.e. role and responsibilities, age, benchmarking the current/previous working companies, pay scale, preferred work location, etc… Recruiters practicing the same and using job portals might notice a strange phenomenon that not all profiles available on the website are job-seekers. Many candidates upload the resume just to check their own market demand and stay updated (assumption- by getting recruiter’s call). Also, some resumes are inactive for a period; still they make appearance on search; which can be filtered out.

Again, before jumping to the assignment a recruiter need to do groundwork on Ideal Profiling i.e. identifying the common employee profile based on psychological parameters that incline to succeed in definite role.

Time Scheduling

It is the most important, yet at times neglected section. A recruitment process can be breakdown into 1-5 stages depending upon the employer’s style of recruitment drive and channel. It may consist of an initial written knowledge test followed by interviews, discussions or combination. The efficiency of the recruitment based on time taken to conduct each stage is necessary; it will help the recruiter to amplify the process.  It also has dependence on the decision making ladder. The more complex and lengthy the ladder, the slower the decision, thus long time taken to close the opening(s).

Also, the time taken to complete the entire process starting from the first round till the result announcement impacts the employer’s brand.

Even though for a greenhorn initially it seems as easy as cakewalk, but its demanding. But the above four points of homework makes it enjoyable. It may seem story of recruitment - selecting 10 profiles from job portal, 8 interested to attend, 4 – 5 arrived for the drive and 2 candidates are offered the position, ending up as 1 new hire. But selecting the right channels, ideal profiling and scheduling makes it easier.

What do you think on the same? 

Is innovation required?

Innovation is the talk of globe, everyone CXOs, academic leaders, Presidents and customer want to innovative concepts, technology and techniques.  Once all a company needed was to – improve, continuously improve and expect to succeed. But the information explosion and global economy changed all the rules of business. Peter Drucker, management guru stated innovation as one of the business competence needed for the future. Jack Welch, former CEO of GE believes in ‘break the glass’ i.e. continue to innovate.

What is it?

Innovation is creation of ideas with excellence in execution due to human curiosity.  Innovation is not invention, as it is commonly misunderstood as. Invention is creation of idea and innovation is commercialization of former. Innovation is the art of sustaining a company’s competitive advantage by discovering new opportunities.

Why?

Too many companies start investing money, manpower, material without defining the need and facets for innovation. A firm starts effective and efficient innovation when there is a reason or need to do it, those can be one or multiples from the list below to improve, save money, grow and survive

•  Growth

With the rapid global economic growth the products and industries are maturing rapidly and consumers are willing to experience something new rather than repair or recycling. Products and services are getting short attention span and expectation from them is rising. Thus, product life cycle is shortened and firms must discover new needs quickly and swiftly than other market players.

•  Opportunity

Diminishing the boundaries, as the global village is growing firms should realize potential of new markets and products beyond pre-existing geographic locations, products/services and systems.

•   Competitive advantage on ‘Distinctive Capabilities’

Customers no longer want same product/service as their neighbors, they demand an upgraded version of same. Firms need to determine the innovative solutions to tap the demand to move ahead of others and gain the advantage point. Companies which can move with new well executed ideas leap far ahead before others realize and it become their distinctive capability.

• Survival

In the world of uncertainties many companies stick to their standard mode of operation.  Innovation distinguishes the firm from other similar and it helps to survive through the rough patches of economy and be the leader. Innovation is the key to long term sustained growth.

Innovative organizations

·         3M :sticky Post-it notes

·         EnronOnline: B2B site

·         HP: laser and ink jet printers

·         Michelin: radical tire

·         Citibank:ATM

Organizations which ignored innovation

·         Xerox

·         Kodak

·         Motorola

·         Levi Strauss

·         Smith Corona(’s type writers)

·         P&G (in 90’s)

Wind up

To go ahead innovation is must. As the management guru, Gary Hamel, puts it ‘Most companies are built for continuous improvement, rather than for discontinuous innovation. They know how to get better, but they don’t know how to get different.’

EXCELerator 2012

The Excelator-2012 conference was the initiative of SHARP (Sriperumbudur Human and Allied Resource Professional Forum) and CEO (Center for Excellence in Organization) Pvt Ltd. The theme for this convention was: “HR – a valued business partner”.


Esteemed members of the forum inaugurated the event. Mr. A. Rajan Babu, Head HR and Admin, Sona Koya Steering Systems Ltd, President SHARP said in the keynote addressee that role of HR revolves around work ethics, commitment and persistence and foundation of the SHARP forum. The forum started with 7 professionals in 2011, and now has expanded with 300 active members. The core value of the forum has always been – ‘Working for the benefit of society’.

Mr. E.I. Ravidranath, Group VP HR, Thirumalai Chemicals Ltd spoke about the SHARP forum and skills required by HR. He stressed that passion, ability to attract, ever learning hunger and knowledge sharing are key ingredient for HR. Soon he is going to release him book (untitled) on Industrial Relations.

Mr. S.Y.Park, GM ER/IR & Training, Hyundai Motors India Ltd spilled beans on the importance of HR/IR, need of proactive action by HR and expected HR functions.

Mr. Mike Park, MD Hanil Tube India Ltd. focused on HR skills needed, CEO’s expectation from HR and solutions that can consider.

Mr. Raja Gopalan, CEO Ashley Alteams emphasized on role, responsibility and expectation from HR.

Mr. S. Karthikeyan, Director Centre for Excellence in Organization Pvt Ltd. acknowledged the industry demand gap of skilled people in India in his presentation ‘Skilling India’.

Mr. BalaKrishnan, Unit Head, Wheels India Ltd. shared his experience of implementation of ‘Self Directed Work Team’ model in the organization and the changes experienced.

Mr. Prem Kumar, Ex-Director NIOT, Founder, Win Marine Consultancy highlighted on Hr as a business escalator and shared his leadership wisdom.

Dr. R.Karthikeyan, Director GEMBA School of Management encouraged audience to think out of box and blur the boundaries of traditional conventions. He explained the need of change in education and organization system and raise scope of democracy.

HR as a Valued Business Partner

The current business demands is on all support functions in all industries and businesses. Outsourcing and consulting contracts are eating into the traditional security that many classic support specialists have enjoyed. It is not enough to just deliver good transactional services. In today’s environment if you are not adding value it is not long before someone starts asking challenging questions about the value-added of IT, Internal Audit, Finance.

For HR the pressure is strong. Business leaders want more from their HR support professionals. They are seeking a more proactive and challenging role that forces managers to think about how they are leveraging people and the organization for business success. New business requirements need new HR skills and competences to make the transition to a big performance Business Partner.

David Ulrich introduced the HR business partner in his book ‘HR Champion’.

A HR Business Partner (HRBP) works with business to add real strategic value. A HRBP has to understand the business, have an insight into the people challenges and the ability to make effective links between the two.

Till date a HR worked in foundation HR practices as

• Talent management
• Outsourcing
• Performance management
• Diversity management
• Graying population
• Down Turn
• Cost optimization
• Leadership development
• Engagement and empowerment.

HR jobs that focus on processes and systems are already becoming redundant. Much of the transactional work of HR such as payroll, employee policies, training administration, and so on, is being automated, centralized or outsourced.

Emerging HR practices are organization design, executive leadership development, work process design, internal communication etc. Being able to create increasing returns from intangibles presents tremendous opportunities for HR professionals because the only way intangibles gain value is through people. “The benefits intangible investments yield is the only means companies can use to escape intensifying competitive pressures.” Baruch Lev, Harvard Business Review, June 2004.

This situation creates a compelling argument that to drive profitable growth from intangibles, this asset class must be systemically managed by HR. But to seize this opportunity HR departments and professionals must fundamentally transform their roles.

Changing HR mission
· The human resource function must lead change and adapt to the changing nature of work in order to remain effective
· The successful HR function provides the link between strategy, people and results
· Human resource priorities and programs must be aligned with the strategy and work culture of specific organizational units
· Human resource programs must operate as an integrated system

HR as valued business partner needs to lead a transition from existing ‘traditional’ role to a new dynamic personality. HRs need to be in proactive mode rather than the existing reactive mode, they need to move from the role of employee regulators and create self sufficient employees. As add on to the current activities of benefits, policy, wage etc; they need to in-source, out-source and re-engineer HR process to improve performance and organization. New horizons of HR should target on results and future rather than know-how or program design.

To become a change-agent and business partner HRs need to have certain competencies like

• Exhibit understanding the business
• Help leaders to think new way in business
• Develop and implement HR solutions to meet business needs
• Build credibility
• Influence change
• Impact the client’s thinking
• Participate in decision making
• Challenge constructively

Wind up:
HR business partnering is a process whereby HR professionals work closely with business leaders and/or line managers to achieve shared organizational objectives, in particular designing and implementing HR systems and processes that support strategic business aims. This process may involve the formal designation of ‘HR business partners’, that is HR professionals who are embedded within the business, sometimes as part of a wider process of restructuring of the HR function.

However, it is important to note that many varying definitions of HR business partnering exist and, where HR business partners operate, there are wide variations in their role.

• HR is shifting from a focus on compliance and control to building strategic business partnerships to support line management. 
• The value added of HR will come from leading strategic change and ensuring alignment between business strategy and talent management priorities
• Thinking strategically, building partnerships and influence will be key differentiators for successful HR business partners
• Becoming an HR business partner requires more than changing behavior, it requires a change in self-perception.

Succession Planning

Succession planning is the procedure of identifying potential leaders in an organization to fill important positions in near future. It is important for an organization to find the right people who will fill key positions. Any organization needs to select the candidates carefully, as they would in key positions and strategically significant roles with great responsibility and power. Thus organizations need to adopt a detailed and broad system of selection, inspection, grooming and orientation.

This process of succession planning enables organizations to:

•  Assess if they have the right skills mix to achieve company goals – and determine what gaps exist that must be closed. 
• Identify talented employees and provide education to develop them for future higher level and broader responsibilities 
• Identify which employees are at risk of leaving. 
• Retain superior employees 
• Build “bench strength."
• Determine where people belong on the bus. 
• Determine if they should be on your bus - or someone else’s.

Succession plan ideas can be

• Strategic succession plan - It is done when organization knows about any upcoming key vacant position. Generally at such situations, current (or outgoing) key role holder is involved in the lookup for a successor and also gives initial guidelines about the role.
• Emergency succession plan – It is done when a critical key role holder departs unexpectedly due to illness or accident.

Also, succession plan depends upon the company policy.

• Some organizations prefer to use the talents within the company to grow and lead
• Some companies adopt talents outside the organization to avoid collision amongst employees

Further, strategic succession plan can be

• Immediate (0 – 1 year)
• Mid-term   (2-5 years)
• Long term  (beyond 5 years)

Key elements of succession planning:

• Identification of key position
• Identification of key talent
• Assessment of key talent
• Grooming and development
• Support through transition

Steps to ensure Effective Succession Planning

• HR and business leaders should monitor succession plan.
• Rather than just recording performance, potential for future roles need to be assess. 
• Manage succession data on individuals and talent pools.
• Balance talent development and acquisition in achieving future objectives.
• Integrate succession planning systems with other businesses and HR systems in the organization to achieve efficiency, consistency and impact.

Barriers to succession plan

• Projected shortage of talents
• Cost and Time
• Talent retention 
• Conflict within employee and employer
• Insecurity feeling
• Lack of learning opportunity
• Expectation of organization

Green HR

Modern day organizations are becoming environment conscious and adopting thinking green initiatives; environment management is being included in business operations. Green initiatives are practices that help in natural resource conservation by reduction in usage of raw material, energy and water or elimination of pollutants. Thus reducing employee carbon footprints. Green HR involves two elements: environment friendly HR practices and the preservation of knowledge capital.

It is done as promoting and implementing – ‘Going digital’ by using teleconference or videoconference, virtual interviews, virtual training, printing less paper. Also, it includes recycling, reusing resources, car-pooling, energy efficient office, sapling plantation, etc. Green HR is about retaining, recalling, preserving, and growing talent, therefore reducing and/or eliminating workplace inefficiency. Along with creating a more efficient workplace, retaining knowledge capital forces employers to properly evaluate their staff and look for the best options available. HR efforts on the same include increasing process efficiency, revamping HR procedures and tools. A lot of HR processes need bulk paper documentation; hence it adds cost and challenges the green initiative. Organizations should adopt online applications as online attendance and leave record, employee personal data, online pay slips, online assert and manpower requisition, travel plan, team reports, PF details, Form 16 etc.

Green ideas and concepts are commencing to grow in HR domain, acting as add on to sustainability-based initiatives. Tangible benefits of Green practices are - contribution to environment, employee education and awareness, brand image of company, improve productivity and efficiency.

Mitch Albom's ''The five people you meet in heaven"- Book review

From the author of bestseller ‘Tuesday with Morrie’ Mitch Albom, ‘The five people you meet in heaven’ gives an idea that heaven is more than the story told with floating clouds and white angels, and unforeseen life connections.

Eddie, an old wounded World War II veteran living an uninspired life. He works at an amusement park as maintenance man. On his 83rd birthday he died in a horrible accident while saving a little girl. He wakes in his afterlife and find himself traveling with five people to reach his heaven. Here, heaven is not the same place for all souls; heaven is also not the destination.

Eddie meet five people at their heaven; he knew some of them, some were unknown but have connection in his life. He met them one by one from his childhood till old age; together they revisited earth and Eddie learns something new about himself, significance of their encounters and life. He is enlighten by to his own worth and value of his life.

The story gives insights about life, love, sacrifice, human connection but at times emotions are forced, as a reader might feel emotionally manipulated by different five characters. The book had aimed to reach a message of humanity with simple story in afterlife.

Happy Independence Day!!

Happy 65th Independence Day India!!!


After uncountable known and unsung heroes sacrificed for the future of country we got this freedom. Our military, police and similar organizations still fight to maintain that freedom. But are we really free, do we know what freedom is?

How can we be free in a country divided by caste, inequality, injustice, fear and terror?

A country where an infant girl still doesn’t have right to birth; where a girl still doesn’t have freedom to live with honor; where honor killings exist; how free is that country?

64 years back our freedom fighters freed the land from foreign rule and gave us the base to recreate the golden bird. We are still a young country and racing fast to development, but as we develop we are gradually missing out important and necessary segments to develop. We still lack the basic medical and education facilities. There are many untold and unknown barriers against freedom. I feel it is a pity as every second Indian blames only the governing bodies for any problem and issue faced is it a pothole in road or garbage overflow from any dustbin or any other (starting from the minimal).

Freedom is not free; we have paid for it and must bear the responsibility for it.
Take account of your responsibility and create a better tomorrow.

Again, Happy Independence Day!!

My march as I pave my road...

It is going to be a month soon. I finally started a new step to do my post graduation.

I was a software engineer working in a SWITCH company, realized am missing a lot in my life and my journey to discover me started as in here. For almost a year I converted as a homemaker, HR blog reader: D, learnt new cuisines, read more than 50 books I always wanted to read, watched all the movies I always wanted to, earned online, started reading and following fashion blogs, painted again as here and decided what I want from my life.

This post is to unleash the words hold tight for so long. I decided to become a person, who would drive an organization, grow with it and help it to grow more. I decided to be a HR. I fall for it, more than my last love for coding and Oracle but it ended soon. So, to be sure that it is not going to be a just another encounter I networked and read about people in the field.

When I became more than 200% sure this is the thing I want to be in, I joined my current alma mater Madras School of Social Work, Chennai. Now I want to be a superstar HR.

Hope I can contribute my 2 cents here.

Wish me luck!

Innocent Smiles @ Bala Vihar

Have you ever seen the blissful smile of new parents? Have you ever realized the satisfaction and love of your parents when you smiled, giggled, spoke, walked and reacted for the first time? Many might have already experienced those feelings. They can understand its difficult to express all those emotional arouses in 2-3 words.

Today I felt am lucky enough to be born this way, I can speak, express and communicate to people. I am independent (how you read on..), I can understand and respond. You might be wondering why am penning these stuffs. I can get it. Today I was privileged to meet some beautiful souls at ‘Bala Vihar’.

Bala Vihar, a unit of Guild of Service is the home for special persons (mentally challenged but very special). Bala Vihar was born in 1953 and has come long way to care, protect and rehab special children and adults. It had a humble beginning with 5 residential students. Today they have 350+ special people with them, children till the age of 18-years stay at the Kilpauk wing and adults at Veppamputtu.
I have been to their Kilpauk branch today and met children who addressed us (class participation) as ‘Akka’ or ‘Anna’. They have the most innocent pair of eye ever seen. Many children came forward to interact with us, smiled beautifully and greeted us.

Those children were either born with it, or suffer Down syndrome and/or other causes. Their IQ is below 70. People suffer from severe mental retardation are unable to their daily routines independently. Such persons need extensive care and support through out their life. Here at Bala Vihar children are taught about daily living skills like getting dressed, using washroom, etc.
At Bala Vihar, they train children (residential and day-scholars) in self-help skills, socialization skills i.e. communication and interaction, basic academics and hygiene. They also provide rehab programs as physiotherapy, speech therapy, vocational training, etc at very reasonable fees. They quote their achievements as the pass-out students who have been rehabilitated and have become independent workers earning a comfortable livelihood.

Now, you (readers) can understand how privileged we are to be independent, have our own view and express it amongst million other benefits and advantages. I feel we owe them and society the “privilege of being us” and need to pay it back.

You can help Bala Vihar here contribute.

Weekends Special Time - 'Saara'

Big round shining eyes, a cute smile, scattered bangs and her squeals accompanied with clapping will catch your attention once you enter her zone. Basically she rules that home – her zone.

Saara, my friend’s a year and half kid, always full of energy and ready to ‘buui’. Buui can be translated as outing/ short trips to adults.

Usually we (my husband and me) spend weekend evenings together but then all shares her playtime. Her parents and us fight to get her attention, which is mostly won by her dad L. But recently I earned an evening with her, happy enough to say that! When its 7 pm Saturday Saara-Hour begins.

First rearrange her playground a.k.a their bedroom space or living room filled with soft toys, books, and her tech gadgets. Her tech gadgets include a 10-inch laptop and mobile. OMG! Techie-girl! Cell phone can be ignored but she needs that laptop more than anyone else. Its when little lady demands her relatives to be online @ skype.

Her non-stop laughter performance will make you forget time and play with her. At times like a teen girl she would comment at your look and bag – ‘bhala’ (nice). We friends wait to hear that bhala word from her even more than our spouse.

Be it her new language words or buui or bhala….her laptop demands, and not to forget she is a sheila-fan (alas for munni). She controls our weekend evenings. Saara has the power to diminish work-life worries almost to lose its existence.

Aha!! This baby is apple of our eyes.

Charity or Scam

Multiple knocks at the door, at times repeated doorbells makes you run marathon. Almost every first week of each month I go through them. Those days the visitors are not family or friends of mine, neither are salesperson urging to buy their products. They are small children aged around 8-18 years, as groups or individuals claiming being deaf and dumb students. They expect financial help from us. Their eyes will make your heart bleed and make you feel sympathetic towards them. At times you might even be kind enough to do that charity.

But is this really a charity/donation and not any scam? The donor has almost no proof to believe that this kid is poor and desperately need your help. Kids usually display a printed letter where it is mentioned that they are poor, deaf and dumb seeking help undersigned by some name quoted as principal of XYZ school.

As a donor (or now victim) shall I go with the choice to contribute without any receipt or bang the door back? Would I qualify as a human if I send them off? If it is a fraud one my honest feelings are crushed.

Finally I decide to show them cold shoulder but still hurt self. But most of the times their eyes overshadow my doubts and make me act as their wish. Anyways I might not be bright enough to any RCA (root cause analysis/ deep analysis) for self-satisfaction but I do contribute my share of humanitarian help to needful every year in my way, with my budget.

So, conclusion even if I feel sorry when I refuse them, still it wonders me what they really are. Are those pitiful faces exploited? Does any school really send its student to collect money for school fees, even when they right to education?



P.S: Its only my view, no hard feelings!

Teaching parents tech

Ever since I remember my dad, a public sector employee too busy in his job would try to give maximum possible time to the family. Even after working long hours at office and site-field, once he would at home he would try to concern on us, especially my sis and me. I remember him trying to solve my mathematics and physics problems to help me in my homework. I quite admired his patience when I queried a lot during that period. When we visit our village he will show us around the place. My curious nature will force him to answer my millions questions all through the way. Most of them were replied with satisfied answers. Wow!! My dad is almost an omniscient I was felt too proud of it.

After marriage I got another dad, my pops (my f-i-l, father in law). I feel I was lucky enough to get love and affection from both my dad and pops. My pops act like a catalyst to my curiosity. The truth is pops is even more curious about new things than me. When our home need a new gadget pops will just dig deep to know all about it, its features, he will try to figure out all possible usage and lacking if any before settling. Loved it that way.

Recently I got a chance to show off my computer knowledge to both men. As we live in Chennai and my parents and parents-in-law stay at my hometown Sambalpur, all were connected through phone. But in this tech-era if we are going to move on like this it would we so dull. So, we decided to connect through skype or oovoo. And here we go!!

KT (knowledge transfer) session starts now. We (more of me) started with turning on the computer, moving to use of MS word, copying – pasting files, transferring files, etc. They religiously followed it and took notes. Best part was yet to come; they need to show me that all in practical. Mistakes, learning and relearning, all in phases…

Finally they mastered almost all basic computer knowledge and created their own inbox, opened unread mails, drafted new mails, sent mails, uploaded attachments, and many on.
In the end, both can connect audio and video instant messaging through oovoo.

Almost every weekend we can connect through technology. Its something I can boast to all I (we, including my hubby) taught parent tech.

P.S.: The idea for this write up was always there but it got a push from the recent twitter trend – teach parent tech.

Road to discover me

Ever since I decided to be a homemaker, quitting my job. My friends and family keeps inquiring why I took such steps. Well had obviously more than one reason to do so. I was working in an IT firm. My day started as early as 5:45am (too much for me). Then rush for daily chores, run for company transport and reach office by 8:30 pushing away traffic as much as possible. Phew! Finally I reach office. Office day starts with meetings, presentations or running through N number of lines of codes. Many of those lines were written years back and are needed to update with current scenario. Still I loved it at that time. Life tried to move fast and I leaped faster. Trying to assure client work done on schedule and pull up my sleeves to perform each time better. Meanwhile I extended my family, now my free bird life was gone; still it was nice to have someone help you at household chores and ask about the day as I say off now.
I can’t remember when but I guess it was a slow process when I realized I was no more passionate about my work. When I discussed with co-workers and friends of same field many felt same as me, most excused it as a monotonous job. But I was not ready to accept the fact that the work, which I used to adore, can become dull soon. My anxiety aroused more when I discovered I haven’t seen and felt sunset for a long time. In weekends day starts late, by the time it’s evening on Saturdays either its a party or dinner pre-planned or friends reunion and on Sundays my long face expresses good time over now work, work, work! Even though I was literally independent but I felt chained. I wanted back my feel and thirst to achieve a dream, to try my best to get the reward and now my dreams has fainted.
It was time to paint a new dream, but even after thinking really hard and long my canvas was untouched. So, now I want to introspect why can’t I get a clear thought? The conclusion was pretty shocking for me. I came across a fact that I haven’t done many things I always loved to do for a long time. I have converted from a dreamer and achiever to some to can’t dream and try, who just want to wait stupidly for Friday evening, who now want to shop unwanted items to create a fake me. I was not real anymore. I lost me while trying to earn respect in others eyes and slipped out of my own glass world.

It’s always better to try then regret at deathbed for never trying. And I quit my job to re-discover me.

It might feel weird to most of readers, but I want to give me one more chance, am recreating the magic of life with the power of now.

Renaissance

The feel of cloud nine is just too good. The reason behind this unstoppable smile is I restarted my work of art. After 11 years of hide and seek with colors and brushes I finally painted back in canvas. Even tough it’s not a masterpiece to boast but it’s my rebirth, as I can still do it.

My painting ‘Life’.

Life is like a tree. We start from nothing like seed. We are nourished, taken care and loved. Then we must stand on our own and try to overcome all stones, huddles. Then our hard work and persistence will bear multi color flowers. We need to face all weathers to reach the spring.

I would like to express my gratitude to my husband Shibasis and my sister Swapna for their support and motivation.

26/11

26/11 would remain as most depressed event in Indian history, when innocents were mercilessly killed by handful fundamentalist. But we tend to forget every dark event and return back to comfort zone. After gluing endlessly to news for 2-3 days, we percept it would not happen to ‘us’ and get back to daily chores after lightening candles and debating conclusion less politics.
Why do we need to remember only dates when enemy attacked in center? Hundreds and thousands “innocent Indians” die everyday in border areas or areas under Red-army and some unnoticed parts of the same country.
I won’t say not to forget this day…. But others events, victims and mostly the martyrs should be remembered daily in ours work and prayers. Shedding tears on anniversary and live-so-called-normally rest day is not any solution. Fight back to every injustice, don’t be silent. Next similar circumstance victim might be your loved ones too.

Live and lead in to path of peace.

Trust thou

When you feel lost,
When you are broken,
When no see no shine.

You are shattered and hurt,
You want to shout “Why me?”
You wish to cry like baby.

Just do it.

Shed all burden. Scream.
When you are tired,
And collapse.
Go back to dreams.

Ask what you “really” want.
Ask why you ended here.
Ask how; which option you followed, while avoiding the rest.

And now get up.
You know why you are here.
Rise. Jump. Catch the Pluto and farther.
You can do anything you wish.
Just believe in you.

And trust thou.