MEETING MEN AND WOMEN ON A FARM

Relationship status messages on Facebook, matrimonial sites, dating apps…they are all there around us. If you are single or even if you are not, choices exist for you if you are willing to put in the time and effort that comes along with it. 

Today men and women or even people of the same sex can meet each other through various platforms and see what they can make of these meetings/dates/rendezvous, call it whatever you want. 

Depending on what you are looking for, you can decide on which part of the FARM do you want to be. FARM. Did I just mention FARM? Have I lost it? Till a paragraph back, I was talking about men and women and how they can mingle with each other through various platforms and then suddenly why would I be talking about an agricultural piece of land FARM?

Now now, before you start thinking that I am drunk in the afternoon, let me explain myself. Basis my understanding and observation of human behavior, I have come across four levels at which people want to connect with someone else. I have put these four into a term that I call FARM.

So what does FARM entail? 

FARM consists of a Fling, Affair, Relationship and Marriage.

Different people at different point in their lives choose one of these parts of a FARM. Sometimes it is the same two people who are on different parts of the FARM but quite often, one of the two individuals are different at different parts of the farm. 

How do I further classify these parts and what distinguishes one from the other?

FLING: A fling is a short term event or incident. It usually lasts for a few days and extends sometimes to a month or so. In most cases, a fling has lust at its core unless it starts with the honest intention of a relationship, but due to circumstances or reasons it ends much earlier and ends up being a fling. Quite often, both the individuals knowingly get into a fling, where usually terms like ‘No Strings Attached’ are also heard. I am sure that all you readers are smart individuals and I do not need to explain a fling any further. 

AFFAIR: An affair is usually something that is meant to be known only to the two individuals. Both the parties choose to be discreet about it and do not prefer talking about it or coming out in the open. There is also the fear of getting caught that lies at the core of an affair. Some people get thrilled by living such an emotion and is one of their big reasons to have an affair. Usually, there is an emotion of guilt that is always playing a role when it comes to an affair. That is why, you also hear the term called Extra-Marital Affair.

RELATIONSHIP: This is where emotions start getting involved. You start connecting with the other person on various levels: emotional, intellectual, romantic, physical etc. People call themselves in love when they are in a relationship and love is the core of this segment. People love going out for movies, dinners and dates and have no qualms in telling the world about their partner, their boyfriend/girlfriend. This is the phase when people are glowing and are the happiest. They look forward to the time that they would spend with their partner. 

MARRIAGE: This is the last part of a FARM. A lot of relationships gravitate towards this part and culminate into marriages. This is the part where legality also comes and starts playing a role. This is the part where individuals become an official couple by calling themselves husband and wife, which is like a seal of commitment. 

So friends, these four together represent the FARM and the question is “Which part of the FARM are you sitting at?”

Completion of a Decade: 10 Years and this is where we are!

It was the second half of 2003 and most of us were worried of what lies ahead. Within a few months, our two year Post Graduation Programme would come to an end and each one of us was keen to get placed. With a batch size of 88 students, everyone had their share of fear, doubts, nervousness and all the other feelings that one gets before an important exam! There were questions on which companies would come on campus and which would not. There were meetings that took place with the Placement Committee where tempers ran high, with each one expressing his or her insecurity disguised in the form of a loud tone or argumentative statement. 

Today, as I write this, I smile at all of that as a decade has passed since we graduated. 

I smile at the fear that we had within us. There were questions that popped in each of our heads like:

• ‘Will I get a job?’
• ‘Will I be able to earn decently?’
• ‘I love brands. Will I be able to manage brands ever?’
• ‘Advertising is my love. Will companies allow me to show my creative or strategic side?’

All these questions and many more have been answered and have lost relevance. With the completion of a decade, when I look around, I see my batch mates and my people from my senior batch who have done phenomenally well across companies, countries, sectors, industries and brands. I see people with wonderful careers.

There are some who took the plunge and went the entrepreneurial route, few others who have been with their first company till date, there are some who still felt that they wanted to study more and went ahead and did another course/another programme, a few decided to get married and stay at home, a few decided to become writers. Some even managed to get very senior roles in the organisations that they are working for. 

So depending on who is looking at them with what lens, their level of success may differ as measurement of success is always relative and a point of perspective. How you see someone and how I see someone may be completely different and each one’s point of view is true in their own eyes. 

According to me, all of us have done quite well and all the trepidation that existed back then was useless. I remember going back to MICA a couple of years back as a Guest Speaker in the Alumni meet and I was asked to share my journey with the students. I said “Irrespective of whatever I may share about my journey, the reality is that all of you will find or create your own paths and ten years down the line, when you do look back, you will be proud of the distance that you have travelled. At that point of time, whatever I am saying today will seem like a distant memory in the past as no one else except you yourself will be able to decide where you reach and how you feel about that journey!”

Personally, it feels great to have completed a decade of corporate life. I know that I have a long way to go ahead, the destination is still far away but I am enjoying the ride, enjoying the wind as I traverse this journey with no idea of what lies ahead. 

I also feel happy, inspired and delighted to see some of my friends doing work which I know that I can’t even imagine doing and it feels wonderful to see each of them continuing on their beautiful journey where they cross different milestones at different phases at their own pace. 

I would conclude by saying:

Completion of a Decade: 10 Years and this is where we are!

Formula for a Successful Movie

If you are a film-maker and you have reached this blog with the hope of getting the magic potion that will help you in delivering the next block buster, let me tell you that you will find nothing of that sort in this article. 

Calm down. Now don’t curse me if my first paragraph has left you disappointed Mr. Film Maker. Because what I will offer in this blog is a view from a common man who loves his movies and the experience that they deliver. And who knows…maybe that is what you are seeking!

Over the last few years, there have been a number of films that have filled the coffers of the producers as they turned out to be super hits. Each one had its own story, script, acting, music and other reasons for success. I do not want to delve into that. 

The thought for this blog struck me after I saw the movie Queen – the latest hit from Kangana Ranaut. Here was a movie that everyone was raving about, people were urging others to go and see it, and the movie was picking momentum week after week through word of mouth. 

After watching this movie, while I was still trying to play in my mind the various scenes and the reason for its success, a pattern emerged in front of me. Two more movie names popped in my head – Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and Dil Chahta Hai. I could see a common thread between the three movies. 

Think for a moment about these three movies. Does any common thread strike you as well?

Yes, the common theme for all three movies was ‘Escape’. Escape from the mundane life, escape from a crisis situation, escape from your own feelings. 

Queen had Kangana travelling to Europe to escape and get her head out from the messy situation that she had gotten into because of her wedding being called off. 

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara had the three actors escape from their regular life and jobs to an exotic holiday to experience something new. 

Dil Chahta Hai had three escape situations. The first escape happens when the three friends decide to escape from boredom by going ahead for a holiday to Goa. The second escape happens when Aamir Khan leaves for Australia after a tiff with his friends. The third escape takes place when Aamir comes back to India to escape from the thoughts of Preity Zinta. 

Of course, just taking ‘Escape’ as a theme is no sure shot way to make a film work and nor was that the case in these three movies either. A powerful script, screenplay, acting and flow were crucial to the success of all three of them. 

But the key point that I want to make here is that the audiences lapped up these movies and came to see it again and again. This is where ‘Escape’ starts playing a key role. Human beings love to get out of the rut and experience something new, travel, see a new place, try a new activity - something which they always want to do or would love to do but circumstances, time or money does not allow them to do it as often as they would love to. 

These three movies allowed them to experience that ‘Moment of Escape’ that they crave for. Those three hours in a movie hall made people travel along with the lead actors. And when a movie makes you travel and become a part of journey, it touches a chord deep inside, it moves people and what people experience at the end of a movie is pure enjoyment. They want their friends and families to experience this emotion as well and that is why they recommend others to go for such a movie. 

I am not sure whether you agree or disagree, but to me this came out as a strong and common theme across these three movies.

Share Your Goodness – Motto for Life

“Ensure that there are enough seconds dedicated to the product window”.

“You have to show consumption of the product and make it an integral part of the story”.

These are just some of the regular statements that an agency is used to hearing from the client, which the agency calls the client’s rants. 

But these statements hold true when you are doing regular advertising for a product brand where the objectives are the usual marketing objectives of building awareness, generating trials and driving sales. 

And then comes a time, a moment, an opportunity where a company decides to be courageous. It decides to break status quo, go against the conventional route of marketing and advertising and decides to launch a campaign with a thought and a philosophy that makes you sit back and reflect. It takes all the cultural and societal truths and weaves a story around those truths without making the story trivial by getting brands or products integrated into it like a force fit. 

To understand what I am saying, let me share the new film from Nestlé India on their Corporate Campaign #ShareYourGoodness:

                                                               Share Your Goodness Film

The beauty of the film is its simplicity and the power of this film hits one after some time. It makes one realize the importance of food in our lives and how sharing of food is beyond just a gesture. It is an act that transmits feelings and allows forming bonds for life. It makes one reflect on all the times when one has bonded over food and exchanged lessons on life over a plate of dinner or a cup of tea. 

What is truly magical about this film is the fact that by taking food as the medium, this film talks about issues like: adoption, girl child and integrating people from North East into the fabric of a family and all of this is done quite seamlessly. 

A campaign like #ShareYourGoodness would have been incomplete by just making a commercial of this thought. Nestlé India had to bring that thought alive through an act and Nestlé India chose the Mumbai Dabbawallas as a medium to activate this philosophy.

#ShareYourGoodness truly gained meaning when the Mumbai Dabbawallas were appreciated for the work that they do through a Goodness Box in gratitude for their unrelenting and selfless act throughout the year. 

Watch this video to see this activation:

                                                                Mumbai Dabbawalas

Despite being an employee of Nestlé India as well as a marketing professional, I would like to say Thank You to everyone involved in making this film and reminding us that Share Your Goodness does not have to be a tag line for a campaign but rather a Motto For Life.

Zindagi Tere Kadmon Mein

                                             

Few days back, I had gone for camping and paragliding and I had this beautiful view in front of me, where I could see the mountains, a lovely lake and the sun rise. 

As I stood there, mesmerized with the beauty of the nature, a few lines started coming into my head. Here are those lines written in English (Hindi words) as well as Hindi:

Zindagi tere kadmon mein le aayee hai mujhe,
Ab yeh bataa isse zyaada kya doon tujhe.

Yahaan aake aisa laga ki jannat mil gayee
Isse pehle toh yeh Zindagi yu hi chalti rahi.

Suraj ki har Kiran lage ummeed ki nayee asha,
Ab se karenge wahi jo dil chahega, duniya chahe kahe usse tamasha.

Behte hue paani mein bhi ek sthirta hai,
Darr mat kyunki har kaamyaab admi udaan bharne se pehle ek baar toh girta hai.

Pahaad ki uss chhoti ko jaake chhoone Ka mann karta hai,
Bas tu apni rah pe chal, bekaar ka hi darta hai.

Andhere mein toh teri sundarta bhi nazar nahi aati,
Phir main kaun hoon yeh soch mujhe kyun hai sataati.

Nazar jahaan tak hai jaati, Tera hi raaj hai,
Dekhne main tujhe aaya kyunki tu hi mera aaj hai.

Jeevan ki kayee seekh yahan se le jaunga,
Dhanyawaad dene tujhe ab jeetne ke baad hi aaunga.


Hindi:
जिंदगी तेरे कदमों में ले आई है मुझे,
अब ये बता इस्से ज़्यादा क्या दूं तुझे |

यहां आके ऐसा लगा की जन्नत मिल गयी
इस्से पहले तो ये जिंदगी यूँ ही चलती रही |

सूरज की हर किरण लगे उम्मीद की नयी आशा,
अब से करेंगे वही जो दिल चाहेगा, दुनिया चाहे कहे उसे तमाशा |

बहते हुए पानी में भी एक स्थिरता है,
डर मत क्यूंकी हर कामयाब आदमी उड़ान भरने से पहले एक़ बार तो गिरता है |

पहाड़ की उस चोटी को जाके छूने को मन करता है,
बस तू अपनी राह पे चल, बेकार का ही डरता हैं |

अँधेरे में तो तेरी सुंदरता भी नज़र नही आती,
फिर मैं कौन हूँ, ये सोच मुझे क्यूं है सताती |

नज़र जहाँ तक है जाती, तेरा ही राज है,
देखने मैं तुझे आया, क्यूंकी तू ही मेरा आज है |

जीवन की काई कयि सीख यहाँ से ले जाऊँगा,

धन्यवाद देने तुझे अब जीतने के बाद ही आऊँगा |

2014: #55WordStory Themes - Set 1

Theme: Curiosity

She had two passions in life – writing and film gossip. To pursue these, she applied for the role of a film magazine journalist.

At the interview, the Editor asked her about her biggest strength for this role and her response was: ‘Curiosity to find out what is happening in their lives.’

Theme: Reading

"Pursue your passion and enjoy your hobbies." said the professor on the last day of the graduation ceremony.

"Oh that's easy for me. My passion is the same as my hobby. Reading." said Malini to her friend Beena.

"That's interesting. In my case, it is writing. So I will write and you read." laughed Beena.

Theme: Allure

The dance floor was crowded. Her shining nose ring was the first thing that caught his attention through the smoke from the smoke machines. She turned towards him and her kohl eyes were alluring enough for him to get mesmerized. The sixth drink was enough for him to mistake a mannequin for a beautiful lady.

Theme: Video Game

Shalini was seething with rage and waiting for her husband Rajiv.

Her suspicions made her check the browser history of Rajiv and she found words like 'Infidelity and Sex'.

Rajiv came home with a box of cake and announced 'Honey. Months of hard work has paid off. My new video-game will be called 'Sex & Infidelity'.

Theme: Neck

He felt it on his neck first. He ignored it. He then felt it on his arms and he couldn't ignore it any longer.

He was visiting the same place where he had spent many memorable moments with her and today, when she was not with him, he was getting goosebumps all over his body.

Theme: Quintessence

Salil got his big break when he secured the role of Vice-President in a leading MNC. But he was surprised at the culture of the company, where even Vice-Presidents couldn't have a difference of opinion with the CEO. This was quintessentially coming from the subconscious mindset of Indians due to years of ruling by the British.

Theme: Social Media

I knew I wanted to do something like this. There was always the urge, but wasn't aware of the source. A place where like-minded people could talk on a similar topic but with different perspectives. Social Media got me on Twitter and made me find the #55wordstory theme and have been addicted to it since then.

Theme: Date

The argument was heating up between Sonu and Bhola.

"Mango is the best fruit in the world" said Sonu

"No. Watermelon is the best fruit in the world." argued Bhola

"Let us ask Radhika. She knows better." spoke Sonu

"There is no fruit better than date." said Radhika and walked out of the room casually.

2014: A Year where no Resolutions shall be broken

Happy New Year Readers.

As I hit the road called '2014', I can see 2013 in the rear view mirror going further into the opposite direction. Very soon, it won't be visible but it shall be remembered as the road I traveled on. 

This is the time of the year when people will try to make resolutions and try to live up to those resolutions for a short while before letting go and waiting for another year to give it another attempt.

I realized the futility of resolutions a few years back and was constantly pondering over what I should be doing to do the things I want to do without the fear or the guilt of breaking my resolutions. That’s when I wrote my blog at the start of 2013 called 2013: No Resolutions. Just Follow the Es. (http://fugleman.blogspot.in/2013/01/2013-no-resolutions-just-follow-es.html)

This approach was very helpful and allowed me to go ahead and do so many things without bothering about breaking resolutions. In the year 2014, I would like to continue with the same approach and the same model called the ‘E Model’ but with a different set of Es as it is a dynamic model that keeps evolving with every passing year. 

So what is this ‘E Model’ and why will it ensure that I do not break any resolution? The simple reason for that is because this model allows you and encourages you to do more and achieve more rather than restrain yourself.

Without further explanations, let me list down my ‘E Model’ for 2014:

1. Experience – Life is all about experiences and I like to call myself a Collector of Experiences. To me, an experience is a vast word that comprises of many things. Travelling and exploring new places is an experience as much as going to a new restaurant is. Trying a new adventure sport is as much an experience as attempting to learn a new language is. Reading a new genre is as much an experience as writing a novel is. I am sure that you have got the gist of what an experience can really mean. Experience is nothing less than an ocean that has been formed by small and big moments, which have turned into memories, to create an experience. For me, that ocean still needs lots and lots of such moments which I shall be collecting throughout the year. 

2. Earn – Collecting experiences is not an easy thing. It costs. Hence it is critical that I earn more than before through better performance, smart financial investing and other possible avenues. But earning financially is not the only thing that I am interested in for 2014. I am keen to earn the respect of colleagues and peers by the work that I do. It is important that I earn the trust of the consumers as a marketer by doing better and sharper marketing. Last but not the least, it is extremely important that I earn good Karma by my behavior and deeds and take a small step in being a better human being than what I was in 2013. 

3. Exercise – Every sportsman will tell you that ‘Health is Wealth’ and it is even true literally in their cases. But the reality is that only if you are healthy can you experience more out of life and earn what you intend to earn. So I will use 2014 as a year to exercise more than before and move to a healthier body and a healthier mind.

4. Exchange – In the times of social media and messaging platforms like Whatsapp, while the friends list has grown tremendously but most of the exchange of expressions and emotions take place only through status messages and emoticons. 2014 shall be the year where I make an attempt to change that. No, I have no intention of cutting down on the time that I spend on these platforms but what I surely intend to do is to catch up and meet friends and family in person and exchange thoughts, conversations and emotions face-to-face and in person. I would also like to use 2014 as a year to meet new people, form new relationships and expand on my bonds with people. 

5. Entertain – This one is about the attempt to escape reality and the current environment for a few hours every now and then to see the movies/TV Series/Music Videos that exist out there as well as the ones that would come out in 2014. 

6. Enjoy – While I may attempt to list down all the things that I want to do in 2014 and also achieve some of them, the truth is that I do not have control beyond a certain extent to what lies ahead. There would be ups and downs, achievements and misses and it is a part of the deal. Instead of mulling over those that I can’t control, my attempt for 2014 would be to enjoy life and its big and small pleasures, knowing well that I am trying and taking an approach that lets me grow and emerge a better individual with more knowledge than before and hopefully a broader horizon to view things. 

I hope that this model makes 2014 a great year so that I can look back at the end of the year and say that it was an eventful year with lots of excitement that I lived with great exuberance!

Sachin Tendulkar - Giving Joy and Tears to the Nation

What do I say? Where do I start? Let me begin by talking about myself. I have always been interested in sports right from my childhood. Cricket, Table Tennis, Basketball, Volleyball, Tennis…just a few of the sports that I have tried my hand at. I was not very good at most of these sports and you could say that I was average in a few and a bit more than average at a few others. But that did not stop me from grabbing every opportunity that I got to play a sport, be it at the school, in college or even later in life. 

The adrenaline rush that one gets on scoring a point, hitting a run, smashing across the court cannot be written and can only be experienced. And then comes the high of a victory which cannot be guaranteed every day, especially if you are not very good at the sport, but whenever it comes, it brings emotions of elation and achievement. 

Long back, I had realized that any individual who reaches a certain level in any sport has gone through lot of discipline, practice, training, sacrifices, sweat and persistence. For me, this realization is enough to give respect to every sportsman. And when a sportsperson reaches a stage where he is playing for the nation, it is clear to me that he/she deserves great admiration and respect for where they have reached and I have no authority to question or critique their game unless and until I have reached a similar stage. I cannot be an armchair critic. Period. I would rather celebrate the joy of sport than to question someone’s talent. 

A sport is a sport and every sport brings with it a certain amount of happiness, pain, climax and disappointment. Who am I then to judge whether someone who enjoys watching hockey is not cool or someone watching football is cool. It is a choice they have made and we should not be questioning their choice.

The problem is that not everyone understands what I said above. And if the sport happens to be as widely followed as cricket, then you can expect to have experts all around you. Comments like “He should have let go of that ball”, “What is he doing? Does he not know the run rate needed?”, “What is wrong with Dhoni. Why is he handing the ball to Ishant?” are heard quite frequently. When these statements come on the spur of the moment, one can understand the emotion behind it, knowing well that there is no serious intent behind such questions. 

Now if the sport happens to be cricket and the man in question tends to be Sachin Tendulkar, then you can expect people of all hues and age to have an opinion on him. Everything from his shot selection, his ability to win matches, his form and his retirement date gets discussed threadbare and that is what is happening for the last 24 years. Many a times, critics and former cricketers have had to eat humble pie as soon as they made a statement as Sachin would prove them wrong as if he had an epiphany of this and he was waiting for the right moment to silence them.

The mind boggles at the thought of a single person amassing 34,000 runs on the back of a hundred hundreds and 164 half centuries. It is no mean feat! Statisticians may question some of his greatness by bringing averages into discussion but life is not only about numbers. It is also about consistency, rigour, temperament, values and much more. If one were to put the lens of perspective, then one will also realize that no other cricketer has faced the pressure and burden of 1.2 billion people or the entire nation the way Sachin has. To go out there in the middle, with such loud noise all around you, knowing well that a few bad innings could lead to people baying for your blood and despite knowing all this and yet go ahead and deliver for 24 consistent years requires the determination and skill of someone special.

Playing 200 Tests, 463 ODIs and 310 First Class matches mean that one has been on the road for atleast 1750 days, which means that 5 years of one’s life has been spent on the field. This is without counting the days spent on practice or the days spent for IPL. How many of us can think of staying away from family for so long just to pursue our passion?

With another sublime innings of 74 runs that Sachin Tendulkar played in his 200th test to bring joy to the nation, one thought that one had seen it all till the time he took that final walk back to the pavilion in the middle of the Guest of Honour given by his team mates. The entire nation had a heavy heart on witnessing that scene. 

But it was not over as yet. The best was yet to come. He spoke and he spoke with the purest of heart, giving the world a glimpse into his soul and bringing a lump to the throat of millions across the country. His farewell speech can be counted as one of the most genuine and heart-felt farewell speeches given by anyone. To acknowledge almost everyone and recounting incidents from the past just shows the humility of the giant. He bound the nation with his words and left them all teary-eyed. Every heart was booming with the words ‘Sachin Sachin’ even though the eyes were moist. 

Sachin is a legend and we are proud to have lived in the same era as him. 

He batted. We prayed. He scored. We rejoiced. He lost. We lost. He won. We won. He cried. We cried. #ThankYouSachin

Here is the video of Sachin Tendulkar’s farewell speech:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfCBWUkWzXM&feature=youtube_gdata

Given below is the text of Sachin’s farewell speech:

Friends please settle down, I'll get more emotional! It's hard to believe my wonderful journey is coming to an end. I've a list of names to thank. The first is my father, who passed away in 1999. Without his guidance I wouldn't be standing in front of you. he said 'chase your dreams, don't give up, the path will be difficult.' I miss him today. My mom, I don't know how she managed a naughty child like me. She just prayed and prayed from the day I started playing the game. For four years I stayed with my uncle and aunt when in school, they treated me like their own son.

My eldest brother Nitin doesn't like to talk ,much but he said, whatever you do, I know you will give 100%. My first cricket bat was presented to me by my sister Savita. She still continues to fast while I bat. Ajit

my brother - We have lived this dream together, he sacrificed his career for me, he took me to Achrekar sir first. Even last night he called me to discuss my dismissal. Even when I'm not playing we will still be discussing technique. If that hadn't happened, I would have been a lesser cricketer.

"The most beautiful thing happened to me when I met Anjali in 1990. I know that being a doctor there was a big career in front of her. But she decides that I should continue playing and she took care of the children. Thanks for bearing with me for all the nonsense I've said (Anjali wipes tears). Then the two precious diamonds of my life Sara and Arjun. I've missed out on several birthdays, holidays. I know for 14-16 years I've not spent enough time with you. But I promise you I will spend the next 16. 

"My inlaws - I've discussed several things with them. The most important thing they did was allow me to marry Anjali. In the last 24 years my friends have made terrific contributions. They have been with me while I was stressed. They have been with me even at 3am when I was injured. Thanks for being there for me.

"My career started when I was 11. I was extremely delighted to see Achrekar sir in the stands. I used to ride on his scooter and play two matches a day. Sir took me along to make sure I played. On a lighter note, Sir never said 'well played' because he didn't want me to be complacent. You can push your luck now, Sir, 

since I'm not playing cricker anymore.

"I started my career here in Mumbai. I remember landing from NZ at 4am and playing a Ranji game the next day. The BCCI was fantastic from my debut. Thanks to the selectors. You were right with me making sure my treatment was taken care of.

"Thanks to all the senior cricketers who have played with me. We see on the screen Rahul, VVS, Sourav, Anil who is not here. All the coaches. I know when MS presented the 200th Test cap, I had a message to the team - I said we are all so proud to be representing the nation. I hope to continue to serve the nation with

dignity. I have full faith that you will serve the country in the right spirit.

I will be failing in my duty if I didn't thank the doctors who have kept me fit. Given the injuries I have suffered. They have treated me in odd hours.

My dear friend the late Mark Mascarenhas. I  miss him. My current management team WSG, for continuing what Mark has done. Someone who has worked closely with me for 14 years is my friend Vinay Nayudu.

"The media has backed me a lot, since my school days. Even today. Thank you. Thanks to the photographers for capturing those moments. "I know my speech has become long. I want to thank people who have flown in from different parts of the world. I want to thank my fans from the bottom of my heart. "Sachin, Sachin" will reverberate in my years till I stop breathing."

 (Followed by loud cheers)

38 missed calls in 10 mins!

Rajeev woke up ten minutes before the alarm on his phone could go off. The phone showed a time of 4.50 a.m. He stretched his arms and legs a bit and then got up from his bed. He hadn’t been able to sleep too well and kept tossing and turning every now and then. The excitement, nervousness, stress and anticipation of the coming day were too much for Rajeev to get a sound sleep.

It all began three months back when an email message popped up on Rajeev’s screen which read like ‘You could be the next Executive Assistant (EA) to the Global CEO of Barney and Company’. This was an event that took place every two years across all the countries where Barney and Company had operations and it was an event that was most looked forward to by employees working in Barney and Company. Barney and Company had operations in 135 countries and being the Executive Assistant to Mr. Stephen Carpenter, the Global CEO was not a small thing. The EA was expected to be the shadow of Mr. Carpenter, which involved him/her to know the challenges and strategies of every market, sharing regular updates of financial market movements, interaction with CEOs of big companies, preparation of speeches for Mr. Carpenter for the shareholder meetings and many more such tasks. 

The role came with its share of perks which included travelling the world in Mr. Carpenter’s private jet, staying in the world’s best hotels and rooms, exposure to various markets, meetings and global heads and a great career ahead after finishing the role of an EA. The current roles and designations of the past EAs was a valid proof of the fact that getting on the role of an EA was nothing short of leapfrog in one’s career by at least 10 years and three grades. 

Rajeev had spent 15 years with Barney and Company, having joined them from campus from the country’s leading B School and had done very well for him and was now the General Manager for one of the verticals for South East Asia. He was seen as a star performer and was way ahead of his peers in his career. With a strong and ambitious mind, Rajeev wanted to go further ahead and he thought that trying for the role of an EA would be the best possible way to achieve that. He sent his application to the Head Quarters in USA a day after getting the mail and started preparing for it rigorously. 

Malini had seen Rajeev’s ambitious streak from the days they were dating on campus and she found it as one of the reasons she got attracted to him. Three years after their wedding, Malini and Rajeev got blessed with a beautiful daughter, who was named as Gitanjali. To take care of Gitanjali and ensure that Rajeev is able to concentrate on his career, Malini decided to take a break from her career of a banker and decided to become a home-maker and a full-fledged mother. She excelled in her new role and ensured that not only did Gitanjali turn out to be a great student but all a well developed personality. Gitanjali was being trained in Swimming, Martial Arts and Classical Dance and she was proving to be a natural at all three. Rajeev was delighted at the way Malini was grooming and taking care of their daughter and knew very well that he has to take no stress for the way Gitanjali is being brought up.

The day Rajeev sent his application to USA, he had a chat with Malini in the evening, where he shared with her his decision of sending the application and applying for the role of an EA. As he was expecting, Malini was extremely encouraging and gave a huge fillip to his morale by showing her confidence in his ability to get this role. 

What followed was a number of rounds of discussions, interviews, lunch meetings, video teleconferences with a number of jury members which led to elimination of a number of candidates across the world. Every time this contest was announced, it led to a barrage of applications and even after eliminating lots of them on the basis of the strength of their application, there would still be a number of potential contenders as Barney and Company is known to have some of the best talent in the world. 

After two months of intense rounds, there were only 10 candidates left for the EA post and out of that, two candidates were from India. One of them was Rajeev and the other was Sohail. Sohail was one year senior to Rajeev in Barney and Company and the careers of Rajeev and Sohail were moving at almost the same pace with one of them getting a particular role earlier than the other and then the other person moving to the next role faster. While Rajeev and Sohail maintained good professional relations, both of them tried to watch each other’s backs very keenly as they had a very strong competitive spirit among them. They both knew that the role of an EA is a stepping stone which will take one of them way ahead of the other.

The short-listed 10 candidates were invited to the Head Quarters at New York City to present their final case to Mr. Carpenter and the Executive Board. This was the day Rajeev woke up at 4.50 am as this was the day he had been waiting for so long. 

The session began at 8.00 am and every candidate had an hour to present his case and then be a part of the Question and Answer session. The first candidate to go in was a person from Japan, followed by Sohail. Rajeev was the third candidate. 

At 11 am, Rajeev was called into the Board Room. He had dreamt of this moment for years and he knew it very well that he has to grab this opportunity with both hands. He entered the Room and saw 15 men and women sitting there with Mr. Carpenter sitting in the centre. He greeted everyone as most of them knew him from their India visits in the past. Rajeev kept his mobile on the table and started his presentation. After 20 minutes, Mr. Carpenter asked him to stop. Mr. Carpenter had a short 15 minute telecom with the ministers of one of the countries which could not be avoided so he asked everyone to take a break. 

Rajeev picked up his mobile and saw 38 Missed calls in 10 minutes from Malini. He wondered what was going on as this was not usual of her and she knew very well where he is and would never disturb him like that. He got worried and stepped out of the Board Room to call her. Malini was sobbing on the other line and she informed him that Gitanjali has met with an accident and they are taking her to the hospital. This struck him like a bolt of lightning. As soon as he hung up, he saw Mr. Carpenter heading back to the Board Room. Rajeev walked in and informed everyone that he would not be able to continue with the case anymore due to what has happened to his daughter in India. 

Mr. Carpenter offered Rajeev to take his private jet and not waste any time. Rajeev flew back to India and got the best doctors to take care of his daughter. Four weeks later, Gitanjali was back on her feet and back to her usual self. Both Malini and Rajeev heaved a sigh of relief. 

A day later, an email popped on Rajeev’s computer screen with the message ‘Sohail bags the role of EA to Mr. Stephen Carpenter’. Rajeev looked out of the window and saw all his years of work flashing past him, but then smiled at the thought of having his daughter completely cured. 

Two days later, Rajeev got a letter from USA. It was from Mr. Carpenter himself, inquiring about Gitanjali’s health. He also offered Rajeev the role of CEO for Asia Pacific and finally ended the letter with the line ‘Hope to see you at the next EA contest in 2015’.

This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda.

India – A Musically Talented Country

There is one common talent that every Indian possesses. That common talent is a musical talent that everyone has, irrespective of age, gender or geography. What is amazing is that people do not even take any training for this musical talent but it seems ingrained in them right from birth, which gets to be seen only after a certain stage in each individual’s life.

Do not scratch your heads in wonderment. All of you have witnessed this talent in others – your near and dear ones as well as complete strangers. The only problem is that no one wants to admit about this talent openly or acknowledge its existence within people they know. 

This musical talent that every Indian possesses is the talent of ‘Honking’. Honking comes as naturally to an Indian as crying comes to a baby. No one teaches you, you do not practice for hours, there is no school to teach this to you, but yet you know it. You just know it. 

In fact, a horn in an automobile could easily be one of the most important components for an Indian, who would get far more upset on the horn getting spoilt rather than the engine! 

In fact, a sizeable number of people do not like the sound of the original horn that comes with their car and they like to get it customized which goes with their style and personality! As a result of this, customized horns are a big business across the country. 

The reason I say that honking is a musical talent is because of the number of notes and the various scales that different Indians can churn out from this small device. The notes and scales differ from situation to situation, even if the person playing those notes at different scales may be the same individual. 

These notes and scales can be used to convey every possible emotion that exists in a human being. One does not need any psychological tests to understand a person and his mood swings as a person’s honking style is a good indication of how he/she feels on that particular day:

•  Someone overtakes you…you honk and show your anger. 
• The music in your car is quite peppy, you express your enjoyment by blowing the horn exactly like the beats and as many number of times.
• You woke up late and are now rushing to your office for a very important meeting, blow the trumpet (in this case the horn) all the way through.

Happiness, sadness, anger, rage, frustration, triumph, hurry, sleep deprivation and many more such emotions can be expressed through honking in India. 

This talent is so wide spread that the popular rhyme and jingle ‘If you are happy and you know it, clap your hands’ can easily be changed in India to the lines of ‘If you are happy and you know it, honk and honk’!

Holidays in the Mountains or Holidays by the Sea?

I often hear people asking this question “Do you prefer the mountains or the sea?” and most people also have a response basis what they prefer. I am at a loss of words when posed with such a question. The struggle continues even when this question is posed in another way “Are you a guy who likes the hills or the beaches?” No, not because I cannot make choices! But when it comes to mountains and the sea, I just don’t have a preference or rather I prefer both. My preference for each of the two is dependent on which state of life I am in and what I am going through.

To me, the mountain and the sea both have their own beauty, their own relevance and their own connection with me. I can sit for hours by the sea or with the mountains in front of me. Both the sea and the mountain are great companions to have. I can never feel alone when I have them for company. I can have conversations with both. They both listen to me and then give me some great advice and lessons of life. 

So when do I prefer the sea and what do I learn from the mountains or vice versa?

I like to sit and watch the sea during those phases of my life when I am struggling to achieve something, when things seem impossible and life starts looking difficult. Do you know why?

Because the sea signifies HOPE to me. It inspires and instills a sense of belief. The waves that come towards me do not give up and continue doing their job, despite knowing that after the highs and the lows, they will crash near the shore. Whether they will be high or low is also influenced by external factors like the moon and the wind, but that does not stop them from joining hands and trying to create a symphony of sorts with the way they rise and form a chain from one end of the sea to the other.

Isn’t that like life itself? The end is known but that does not mean that one stops living and doing the things that one wants to do. One should strive to go out there and collaborate with the world to deliver on whatever you have set out to do. 

On the other end of the sea, I notice the horizon. This is where the sun meets the sea every evening. That tells me that the journey is far but the result will be beautiful. It also tells me that what lies ahead is unknown but I will discover that only when I reach there. 

So if the sea is all about hope, what are the mountains about?

The mountains signify to me a SENSE OF ACHIEVEMENT. Mountains are places I like to visit when I have succeeded in something I had set to do, when I have accomplished something. This is because when I see the mountain, I see someone standing tall, being admired for its accomplishments and enjoying the fruits of its success. It tells me that once in a while, when a lot of hard work has been done, you need to sit back and enjoy the moment and feel the sense of achievement. The peaks tell me that you will be remembered for your results and not your efforts. 

These are lessons that cannot be learnt by just one trip to the sea or the mountain. Every time that you go there, it gives you a different perspective on life. It doesn’t matter to me whether I am at a place which has a sea or a place which has mountains as both these places make me feel alive!

So the best place for me would be a place that has the mountains as well as the sea. Any recommendation guys?

Mountains in Uttaranchal
Clicked in Dec'2012

The Arabian Sea as seen from Mumbai
Clicked in Aug'2013

A place that is far more beautiful than you can see in this pic.
A combination of mountain and lake (not the sea) - Vevey, Switzerland
Clicked in Apr'2012

बादल Baadal (Clouds)

बादलों को देखा तो ऐसा लगा, की रूई का एक मुलायम झुंड जा रहा है,
उनसे खेलने को दिल किया, उन्हे एक दिन छूने के लिये मन किया तय |

लेकिन वो तो बहुत दूर थे, उनके पास जाना नामुमकिन सा लगा,

कुछ पाना था और उसके लिए मैं कई रातें जगा |

फिर वो दिन भी आया, जब मैं ऊपर और बादल मेरे नीचे थे,

ऐसा लगने लगा की ज़िंदगी के ख्वाब अब नही रहेंगे अधूरे से |

तब ये एहसास हुआ की सपने देखना कोई बुरी बात नही,
और दूर से जो जैसा दिखे, ज़रूरी नही की हक़ीक़त भी हो वही |

जो मुलायम लग रहे थे, वो तो अंदर से कठोर हैं,
हवाई जहाज़ को बिना किसी संकोच के, अपने दिल को चीरने देते हैं |

अपने अंदर बहुत सारा पानी समेट लेते हैं,
और अगर गुस्से में आ जायें, तो पानी की बौछार लगा देते हैं |

मगर दिल फिर भी उन्हे देख कर मचल जाता है,
उनका हर रंग चेहरे पे एक मुस्कुराहट लाता है और मन को बहुत भाता है |

क्या वो यह जानते हैं और इसलिए आँख मिचोली खेलते हैं,
कभी दूर तो कभी पास आके सताते हैं लेकिन यह तो हम प्यार से झेलते हैं |

सूरज की किरणों के लिए एक पर्दे की तरह तैयार खड़े,
कोई दो एक से नहीं, कुछ छोटे तो कुछ बड़े |

रुकते नही हैं वो, और चलते जाते हैं अपनी मंज़िल की तरफ,
अपने साथ कहीं लाते हैं धूप तो कहीं बरफ |

सीखना चाहता हूँ मैं उन्से ज़िंदगी के कुछ अन्मोल पाठ,
अगर मौका मिल जाए तो करूँ उन्से थोड़ी सी बात |

डर और भय से कोई नाता ना रखूं,
उँचाइयों को पाके मैं भी सफलता का रस चखूं |

ए बादल, मुझे बना लो अपना शिश्य,
चाहता हूँ मेरा भी उज्ज्वल हो भविष्य ||

दुनिया देखूं पूरी और बनूँ लोगों के लिए एक मिसाल,
की मेरे जाने के बाद कहें, की था एक आदमी बेमिसाल जिसका नाम था कुणाल |

Hindi poem in English script

BAADAL (Clouds)

Baadalon ko dekha toh aisa laga, ki rui ka ek mulayam jhund jaa raha hai
Unse khelne ko dil kiya, Unhe ek din choone ko mann kiya tai.

Lekin woh toh bahut duur the, unke paas jaana namumkin sa laga.
Kucch paana tha aur uske liye main kayee raatein jaga.

Phir woh din bhi aaya, jab main upar aur baadal mere neeche the.
Aisa lagne laga ki zindagi ke khwaab ab nahi rahenge adhoore se.

Tab yeh ehsaas hua ki sapne dekhna koi buri baat nahi,
Aur duur se jo jaisa dikhe, zaroori nahi ki haqeeqat bhi ho wahi.

Jo mulayaam lag rahe the, woh toh andar se kathor hain,
Hawaii jahaaj ko bini kisi sankoch ke, apne dil ko cheerne dete hain.

Apne andar bahut paani samet lete hain,
Aur agar gusse mein aa jaayein, toh paani ki bauchaar laga dete hain.

Magar dil phir bhi unhe dekh kar machal jaata hai
Unka har rang chehre pe ek muskurahaat laata hai aur mann ko bahut bhaata hai.

Kya woh yeh jaante hain aur isliye aankh micholi khelte hain
Kabhi duur to kabhi paas aake sataate hain lekin yeh toh hum pyaar se jhelte hain.

Suraj ki kirnon ke liye ek parde ki tarah taiyar khade,
Koi do ek se nahin, kucch chotte toh kucch bade.

Rukte nahi hain who aur chalte jaate hain manzil ki taraf,
Apne saath kahin laate hain dhoop toh kahin baraf.

Seekhna chahta hoon main unse zindagi ke kucch anmol path,
Agar mauka mil jaaye toh karu unse thodi si baat.

Darr aur bhay se koi naata na rakhoon,
Unchaaiyon ko paake main bhi safalta ka ras chakhoon.

Aye baadal, mujhe bana lo apna shishya,
Chahta hoon mera bhi ujjwal ho bhavishya.

Duniya dekhun poori aur banoo logon ke liye ek missal,
Ki mere jaane ke baad kahe ki tha ek aadmi bemisal jiska naam tha Kunal.

Does your brand give the SPA benefit?

Marketing is not like mathematics. There is no set formula that will help you in arriving at a final answer and being able to prove that the theorem is right.

Marketing is a lot about trial and error, individual personalities, conviction and confidence, guts and gumption, risks and courage, fundamentals and basics and much more. 

There are enough and more books out there that promise you marketing gyaan and marketing knowledge with each one coming up with their own way of building brands. I have also read a few and I still intend to read a few more. There is no harm in getting to know different views and perspectives that exist out there for a subject as wide and as abstract as marketing. 

But over the years, I have also picked up my own understanding of brand building and what works. Instead of giving lot of theory and corporate jargon, if I could offer you one tip of how to build a brand, then my suggestion would be that your brand can only be successful if it offers the SPA benefit. 

Now stop scratching your head and wondering that if your brand has got nothing to do with salons or massage or SPAs, how can it offer the benefit of the SPA. This SPA benefit that I am talking about is not what you are thinking. 

SPA in this context means:

S – Salience

P – Performance

A – Advantage

Now that I have taken care of your doubt and you have stopped considering me to be talking like a lunatic, let me elaborate on what I mean.

A brand has to offer the SPA benefit to become successful and stay successful. Let us understand this a bit more in detail:

Salience – Irrespective of how big a brand may already be, the brand will lose traction with its consumers, if it does not spend enough and be visible and salient in the minds of consumers. People often ask me why big brands like Coca Cola or Nike need to advertise as everyone knows them and thinks about them when making a purchase. My answer to them is that, as brands stop advertising, they start losing share of mind and that is when the downfall of a brand begins. Share of Mind is a critical aspect as it plays a crucial role in the purchase decision at the store and salience helps in driving share of mind, which leads to share of the wallet of the consumer. 

Performance – You can spend millions of dollars on your brand across mediums, but all of that money is money down the drain if your brand does not perform in line with what it promises. Positioning of a brand has to be chosen after lot of consideration because this positioning that a brand takes, forms the barometer by which a consumer judges the performance of a brand. This combination of positioning and performance then helps in forming the perception of the brand in the minds of the consumers. So it is critical for brands to ensure that they perform what they promise. 

Advantage – It is a competitive world out there and market conditions like a monopoly do not exist anymore. Sectors, industries and categories that see great growth and profitability will always attract more and more new players. Amidst such clutter and din, it is absolutely critical that your brand has a competitive advantage over the other brands, and the consumers should be able to tangibly feel or see that advantage. This will allow you to stay ahead of competitors who will always try to pull you down and overtake you.

So brand building basically starts from identifying the advantage that your brand has over your competition. This advantage should then be converted into positioning of the brand and monies should be spent behind that, to drive the positioning in the minds of consumers and building salience of the brand. This would ideally lead to trials or repeat of your brand and over time, the performance of the brand will help in building the perception of the brand and thereby the brand itself. 

Once again, I would like to conclude by reiterating the fact that you can build a successful brand only if your brand offers the SPA benefit.