A Bizarre, memorable Journey!!

I've been avidly waiting to post this stuff onto my site as it is something I would not want to forget very soon. This post is about the lone vehicle that starts from Tambaram and has its destination as Apollo Tyres, Oragadam (places in Chennai, Tamil Nadu). It basically has a structure of a vehicle similar to the bus, but with a few parts as exception. For example, the suspension :). You can't really imagine the nature of the road from Tambaram to Oragadam. I would split my journey to the company into three. The first part of my journey is the horrible one, the place where I get in to the a place called Manivakkam. The outskirts of Chennai. The second part is somewhat ok, as the journey proceeds on the highway road. Third is the place called Padappai to my company. The part of my journey to the company wherein I get my sleep, as the bus gets closer to the company( and that too at the last segment of the curve to the company). The bus stop is a few meters away from my house. As soon as I get over there with a fresh mood, there will be this one bus coming and showing itself to me at a farther distance. One can imagine the ride that he's going to have as soon as he witnesses the way the bus approaches him. Shaking its way, as though a dog wagging its tail or a bull forcing its way through people, it forces itself through all the vehicles present on the road. Finally, stops at the bus stop and that too not stopping fully but always in a hurry to take the leg out of the clutch, and above all, the commuters behind show their distress for having stopped the vehicle in front of them, after having overtaken everybody with so much effort. A sign that shows that the driver should have come behind them. The horn sound becomes so intolerable, because they've all the right to do it.

When I'm in the night shift and that too when there was no sleep in the afternoon, the bus journey proves to be terrible. When you climb up the stairs of the bus, and see the driver, that one instant is enough for you to get you back into deep sleep. The driver would be already sleeping. One thing that I've learnt is never see the eyes of the driver or else you forget the quality of the work that you're gonna do in the company. The first part of the journey starts off with some want of sleep( irrespective of the time of the day). But the road and the driver would be enemies now. He would not mind the condition of the road but he would drive in his trademark style. You gotto see the way he manouvers his bus. As though he is a Valentino Rossi, challenging a curve in his Yamaha. One cannot keep shut without describing the bus. The bus has got window glasses with loose fitment. When the bus encounters ups and downs on the road, you should see the window glasses shuttering. The sound that it produces makes it a really annoying ride. Constant tuttering of those glasses makes you forget your sleep. That is the first part of the journey. It makes you forget what your sleep is. That is how you get to know the importance of your sleep. Especially in the full day and night shifts. As bizarre as it can get. The second part of the journey is where you can see how quite it can be in a bus like the one of the Volvo's on a road like that.

The next 10 mins is heaven with a beautiful atmosphere around, but you can still hear those tuttering of the glasses. It is an annoying one, for the whole of the journey. Anyway, the sleep is gone, thanks to the great driving and a thousand thanks to the road built. The driver would drive the bus as though he is driving a cycle inside the lanes of a fully filled market. The third part of the journey is were you would love to sleep. I would already be thinking of what would happen in the company and that is a nutritious food for your slumber. Right when you know that in another two minutes you would be in the company premises, all the wishes of Kumbhakarna would be bestowed on you. At the end, atlast when you the journey comes to an end, you would feel like sleeping for five more minutes as everything would've come to a standstill( the tuttering of the glasses). I always feel like I can or rather anybody in the company can work for hours togethers without any pain but nothing can match the fatigue created in a journey as bizarre as it can get. But ultimately, they've made you realise that the job is nothing for you. How you go to the job is only slightly difficult. Thanks to our Valentino Rossi for having made it a memorable one.

-SATZ

Solutions as business!!

Travelling from Koyambedu to Tambaram, in the Chennai city, can be extremely irritating, first of all to this weather of Chennai and second to the traffic that prevails for hours as though people have got all the time in the world. It can take you a minimum of 2:30 hrs to reach your destination with the traffic. Traffic is far more better, but the congestion is what makes it uneasy for the commuters, makes them irritated and some people whose Emotional quotients are weak a bit, start swearing at people for no reason. It is not an unusual scene that you always witness, rather it is something that is normal when too many people are around you.

There is a reason behind why I started to write. In fact a very good reason to write this stuff over here. The need for transportation has increased to a tremendous level. Today, in a city like Chennai, at 8:30 am you can find kms of traffic on the roads. People do not know why they're stranded in the middle of the road at a time wherein they've to be in their offices. These cities need a strong traffic sense. An order that should be created in order to save the precious time of individuals. Basically, the fundamental notion of every transportation engineer. At a basic level, there is need for a road system to say that "people should go only like this."

At an instant when I was travelling from Koyambedu to Tambaram, suddenly an idea struck my mind. "Why can't we start a firm which can provide solutions to the traffic problem??" I'm a planning engineer currently. I deal with systems which should be implemented in order to keep the production line moving and the same applies in the field of transport as well. Keep the flow constant and steady. The flow should be maintained without the expense of speed and irrespective of the increase in the density of commuters. The concept is simple and making sure of it is the job that I'm talking about. A construction going on in the middle of the road can create a bottleneck. Channelizing the flow is the challenge with all the constraints, which are the already constructed roads and buildings that occupy the space. It is not about implementing new roads or a new way, it is about giving solutions to problems because of the already existing systems.

Making it a business is another very important challenge. I can tell you some successful companies that have come up and made profit with the same kind of solutions in the US. Certain companies give traffic information to customers and mint money. Names of companies goes like this, IBM, Crowd dynamics, Legion, Cellient and the list goes on. India with a population of about 1.1 billion is in need of such a company. The automobile sector is growing day by day, the buying power of people is increasing day by day and there is always a space constraint because of density. This makes it an opportunity to get in with the solutions. But all I need is passionate people, who can thrive to make it happen. A revolution can be created. The vision is to create a society which commutes with the minimum travelling costs contributed by fuel, time and hence money. All the three things have become indispensable. Especially fuel. A source that is depleting everyday. If I can reduce the consumption of fuel to a desirable level in each area of this country, this place would become better enough than what it is today. I would consider myself a success in the field, if I achieve this. What I need is the view of people on the idea of whether it will workout as a business or not?? I know that there are people, who're working on this. I can understand that the one mystery that transportation engineers can't solve is the prediction of human behaviour. An opportunity which can be used to solve the problem and at the same time, improve the road culture of our country.

- SATZ

The Produktion Maniacs!!

Have you ever visited an industry?? If it's a "yes", then you're "GREAT". If you've worked in one you're "REALLY GREAT". If you're continuing to work in one, then I guess you've missed most part of your life. "AS FAR AS I'VE SEEN" the people whom I've met, have been really out of purpose and get submerged in the routine activities instead of improving the plant around them and doesn't really want to boost the morale and create what they call "SYNERGY". A sweet friend of mine used to make fun of me when I use that word. He used to call me Mr. SYNERGY. Let the fun part be aside, there is a real need to create in yourself and to make the people on the shop floor feel the same kind of feeling and vibes that you've. That's the vision as they call it. A great feeling that can be experienced through the hardship of everybody participating in contributing to the goal. There has to be a working towards the goal rather than giving importance to little things that can create problems in breaking a team.

Now, I'm telling all these because I find the production unit of today playing what we call in the industry as "THE BLAME GAME". The thing over here is, each unit in an industry is an internal customer. It will blame its input unit and that, in turn, will blame it's input unit. Finally, it would take you years to find out whose mistake it was, that you would forget what the problem really was and why you started analysing. At the end of the day, there is no happiness and there is nothing more than laborious work imparted to the industry with least value addition. That's the worst thing that can happen in a company. Production happens in every industry, but is it happening at the expense of the happiness of the people?? Is it being extracted from the people in expense of their motivation and growth?? Blaming others becomes their job. This goes on and the production also goes on. They go on to become MANIACS. They shout at people, with the anger, being on somebody else. Ultimately somebody who's not related to the crime becomes the victim of his/her boss. Each moment there is a pressure on you and it keeps on impinging. You start hating. An additional responsibility even when you get out of the plant. A nightmare. You start getting bad dreams about it. I guess that's the extreme case of mania. Getting dreams about the work that you do. Personally, I've had dreams that have made me get out of my sleep. I would wake up exactly at 2.30am and at 4.30am with a dream of some mistake that I would dream myself as doing in the plant. It has haunted me for a long time. I've wanted to quit the job because of this. No proper sleep, no proper timing to take food, at the end of the day no appraisal for what you do as well. What a life!! Ringtone of your phone, no matter, how pleasant it is, becomes a very annoying noise because of the fact that you get nearly 1000 calls after getting back home. If you put it in silent, then you'll be caught for not attending on the next day. After somedays you feel like your phone is ringing even when it is not. Sometimes, the call might be from your house but you feel like "Who the f**k is calling from the company??" You get this feeling because you could have attended so many calls from the industry. What an annoying life it can be!! I've decided that no wonder what happens, never enter into a manufacturing firm that has a wrong attitude towards production. When there is an appraisal for the work that you do only then think of getting it. Otherwise it can be hell.

-SATZ

A great teacher!! A very sad end!!

It was my first day in my 12th standard class. I was back from my sister's place. I hadn't got any sleep whatsoever. I'd somehow caught the first bus to Coimbatore from Hosur and reached Coimbatore by 7:30 am in the morning. After the breakfast I set out to school and the first hour of the class was Physics. I'd been studying in the school for nearly 4 years by then and I'd been told about the 4 giant teachers who were the talk of the school, who handle hte 11th and 12th classes. The names of the teachers were Mr. Rajapandian, Mr.Jayamani, Mr. Sivaswamy, and Mr. Vijayabaskar. Students used to get frightened and make the fellow students frightened as well, wherein the latter part is of prime importance or the motive of every student. So back to the story now. The first hour was Physics, handled by Mr. Sivaswamy. I was late for the class because I'd travelled in a bus which was far more slow than a tortoise. He let me in though with a warning not to come late again. I'd a place in the first bench and since I didn't have any sleep in the night and had a very bizarre journey I started getting sleep right in the first bench and that too drawing his attention towards me. He left me just like that. Remember it is the first class and he doesn't know my name and all.

There was a special class in the afternoon for Physics consisting of all the sections and the strength was nearly 120 odd students. Suddenly when he was taking class, he spotted me and called out my name(I was not sleeping). I didn't have any idea of how he caught my name. He asked me the definition of electrostatics which was taken in the first hour of the day, in front of all the students. I somehow managed to pull it off out of nowhere. He got amused for a fraction of a second and gave me a light smile that I still remember, acknowledging the fact that I'd not been bad either and continued with his class. He used to keep test everyday. We got to write whatever had happened in the previous class and that was a really good technique indeed. He used to keep weekly tests as well. We used to mock at the way in which he used to enter into the class and straightaway tell us the following with a loose tongue that he had: "Huh, come on pa!! Take your papers!! Write the test pa!! Come on. Only 15 min pa. I'll give you 5 min for reading pa!! " The loose tongue of his makes it really funny. But he was really determined and somehow used to conduct those tests and the amusing part of it is that he used to take it very seriously and give us back the corrected test papers.He took those surprise tests so seriously.

The lab experiments that he used to conduct would be more systematic than anything else. He used to shuffle the batches perfectly and make sure that everybody understands those experiments. He would give one week exactly to get the experiment done for the week, correctly and get his signature.

I used to be consistently poor in the weekly tests and I remember well, there was this one test(Test on Nuclear Physics chapter), I'd scored 35/50 which was not a great score compared to standards. But he'd written a "very good" and a "can do better" underneath the "marks scored" area. The marks were not that great but the comment showed that he's been tracking my performance for a longtime and he's happy for my breakthrough. The "very good" for my performance and "can do better" for the fact that he knew that I can do better.than what I'd done. This shows how great a teacher that he is.

On August 11th of this year, I got a call from my close friend that Mr. Sivaswamy was suffering from a unique brain complication which has been faced only by 20 people in the world and he was the 13th Indian to acquire the disease. He told me that the doctors had lot hope. After a long time, Mr. Sivaswamy had given birth to a child and before the child can realise what death means, the father was facing it.

On September 2, 2011, morning 1.45am, Mr. Sivaswamy was taken away from the earth by the Gods were he can be safe without human trouble. The last one month had been a torture for him, with the disease slowly wearing him out. Friends had helped him a lot during the last days. At this point when everybody was so sad about the end of a great teacher, one of my friends told this, which had a little positive feeling in it:

"When you go into the garden of roses, you'd always pluck this one rose which is good. In the same way God has chosen a very good rose on the Earth and has taken him away from us"

The most unfortunate thing is that God had chosen the best one. Today I am, what I am because of this great teacher. A reason for my current position I hold. A gift that the teacher has given to the world is his knowledge to so many thousands of students who're all spread around the world. It is proud to say that I'm one of them. I salute him, from the bottom of my heart, for his feat and may his soul rest in peace. :( :(

-SATZ

Passion!! The word in real sense!!

Well it is another such post where in I going to talk more about the quality of the word. It's that kind of a experience that I've been having for the past three to four weeks. I've learnt the real sense of the word in the last three weeks. It has been something that misses out from the so called "Leaders of a large firm". Everybody will talk ill about their company but I would not do that fully but in bits and pieces. Apparently, the non-parliamentary words used by the senior management during a meeting shows me the intensified meaning of the word "Passion". Yes, Passion it is and once I have it, everything else would follow me. Determination, honesty, skills, knowledge, commitment, every follows when we possess passion.

Reason to be in the act!!

If there is a reason for me to be in a tire industry, it is nothing but the passion. People know it only as a black stuff but it has got so much in it. Like I've said before I proud that I've seen a world that people ignore. A product that people do not care about but which does all the job. The way in which you have love for your product. There is no substitute other than that. People especially in the senior management have got a lot of responsibilities and because of that every time they feel a pressure on their shoulders and in turn because of that they possess job insecurity. This focus on having the job in their hands, makes them act like mechanical elements which doesn't know how to react to situations which are really sensitive.

Instead of feeling insecure about their jobs, if they have the passion for what they do and realize that they possess something that creates a change, they would definitely do their work and save their jobs.

When I see a vehicle moving on the road with our tires, I really feel proud about the fact that in some way in the process of making the product I've been a part of it. I've taken care of the product in a way or the other in the middle of making it. That is the only reason which makes me stick on to the job I'm in. No matter what, when I see a product of ours, I can proudly say to the people of this world that I've been in the making of it and you're using something that I've created. It a really good feeling indeed. A unique feeling that I wanted to experience for so many years and I've done that. When a owner of a company achieves in incorporating this feeling in every individual who works in his company, he shall be considered as a leader. More than the skills of the personnel it is important to inculcate the same kind of feeling, the real sense of the vision, and passion into each and everyone. The word "Politics" have got a good meaning. But nowadays when we spell the word, we would be seen with different eyes. There is no space for politics in a company, especially a place wherein everybody is working towards the same cause. Everybody has to ensure that the job is done is a very good manner.

Business in real sense!!

In recent times, I've been analyzing the meaning of a leader and I would tell the above mentioned act of creating an impact through the psychological difference in individuals will make one a leader. He is the one who leads the way for success. A productive one and I won't take even a single bit from the meaning of this word.

Passion Centered!!

As far as I've seen the generations that are new especially of the 1980's and 90's understand the meaning of leader more than those of the 1960's. As far as my knowledge and experience most of them really do not have the qualities that a leader should have. I would prefer to work under someone who really would make my value of work, matter for the company in a larger way and recognize my role in the department as something positive. Though I'm still trying to find the real meaning of leader, I find out that already a lot are losing out in the race. I'm yet to find a good leader. You never know you might have some leader in you which would give a new meaning or definition to the word.It can happen if you've the seven lettered word called "Passion".

-SATZ

Burning the oil in the midnight to toil!!

For the past three months I've experienced a new world, which is not quite good or maybe I don't like it. It is strange indeed for me. I was working in the night shifts for sometime in my company (still doing it) and it has been a really terrible experience and especially being under extreme pressure to perform at the wee hours of the day when everybody else are asleep and you've to perform at your fullest strength. It was quite intimidating and sometimes when I think about the hours of the day I feel haunted. It is not really good to work against your circadian rhythm. But certain people are real task masters who make sure that nothing comes in their way of earning money through people.

This is the circadian rhythm of a normal human being.

It is a 24-hour biochemical, physiological and behavioural process that happens in a human being. Working in the night shift is not that bad, but anyhow your routine is obviously affected. You won't know when to eat. Sleep will be a huge problem in the morning when everybody else will be working. You won't get sleep at your will. It will be absolutely bright in the morning that you won't feel like sleeping. Melatonin is the chemical that controls the sleeping pattern of our body. It will be at the highest level in the middle of the night. This also reduces the productivity of the person because the natural signals of the person become weak. Sudden mood swings also happen because of that. It is the transition that is very difficult to do. A half night shift to a full night shift. Or a full day shift to a full night shift.

It is very difficult to control all the other activities of the day as well since you will feel like half sleep throughout the day. It seems to me like I waste a lot of time when I'm in the night shift rather than in anyother shift.

All the chemicals in the body should be secreted in the right amount at the right moment of time or else there will be other detrimental side effects which will affect you health with age. What I normally experience is something that nobody would like to experience. Mood swings. My mood swings frequently. I'll suddenly be in a state of avidity and suddenly become dull with no enthusiasm whatsoever. Socialising becomes a problem because I work in the night and most of the people I know have day jobs. It is a horrible kind of situation, I wish nobody should be put in.

People say that having bright artificial light in the night at your office and closing all the windows and making your room dark while sleeping will make you overcome the problem. Especially having lot of fruits, water, and good food will keep our body regular. That is what the experts have got to say. Whatever it might be,

"I hate night shifts".

I hate it a hundred times and even more.

-SATZ

Turbines that took me to Chennai!!

Nearly 2 years and my sister was back from the Us and she had come only for 5 days, that too working days. As I've got a job, I was worrying whether I could see her in person. Luckily it was announced that I will be put in the shift system and I was given the choice of taking a weekly off for myself. I chose Tuesday and decided to go to my hometown to meet my sis. It so happened that the next day after my weekly off I got my shift swapped to night shift. So I decided to stay and be with my sis for some more time and start say early morning in the first train. But there was no trains available and obviously no buses.

The only option that was left for me was catching up a flight to make it to the night shift. Thanks to the magnanimity of my sister she decided to sponsor me for the flight. She booked the ticket. It was the first time I was gonna get into a flight and reach another destination. First time is always memorable. I reached the airport with my sis accompanying me till that. I was really excited cause I didn't know how it is gonna feel while it takes off and lands down.

After bidding adieu to my sis I checked in and was waiting for the bus to take me to the machine. After some time the bus came to pick us up and it was boarding time. I saw this huge machine built up for flying. Once I saw the jet engine I was reminded of the General Electric, Pratt& Whitney, CFM international, Rolls-Royce etc. who do design and develop those engines with so much passion and commitment. I went into the flight and it was time for take off. I was offered a seat near the window and I was witnessing everything happening outside on the right wing. I could see the whole wing with the engines. The plane started and I could hear the engines vrooming and that sound is simply amazing to hear. What an invention it has been!! The flight went to the runway and started to catch some speed. Then suddenly a sinking kind of a feel. My stomach was full of butterflies when that happened.

A turbine of similar kind took me to Chennai!!

The flight took off and we were in an inclined position. The city started zoomed out. And soon we were at a very high altitude. Then there was this message from the captain that we were flying at an altitude of 9.5 kms above the ground and cruising at a speed of 850kmph. That is roughly, three times the speed of a racecar and I was not able to feel even a thing inside and what would I call it as!! Wonderful!! 10 minutes after that and I was in Chennai. It was funny to know that I'll be in the office in the next 1 hour. It was landing time and slowly like zooming in into Google Earth all the houses of chennai started showing up. It looked so small that I wondered how we could live in there. Then after getting the signal the flight was ready to land into the airport. I could sense the engines come down slowly as we reach the ground level. Sudden thud and we were into the land. The brakes were applied and the engines ceased. I came out and saw the giant again from the outside and it was awesome to see some other international airlines. I was in a state of awe for the whole of the night shift. I was not able to believe that I was in Chennai for quite sometime. Thanks to the thinking of so many people!! I was able to make it to the office on time!!

-SATZ

Divyadarisanam!!

This has not been new to me since I've been doing this for the past, I think, nearly 10 years of my life. It is a very different experience altogether, every time I visit him. It gives me some kind of peace that I don't know how to express. I'm talking about my recent visit to the holy shrine of Lord Ayyappa in Sabarimala. After having been under fasting for more than 48 days, it has been really good to see the lord, which was the ultimate aim. I found this time as very interesting and that's why I chose to write it on to my blog.

It all started on the 23th of February when I started my fasting. I started to chant those mantras that talk a lot about this lord. I started to be as clean as possible. Calm and focused as ever. Those 48+ days have been very difficult for me since people look at you as though you're someone untouchable and separate from a lot. People do not recognize you as a human being. Well no need to talk about the respect that they give you. Atleast for the fasting that you're there for. No, never. Modern people do not care about all those. Being an artificial professional is all they want and nothing else. Anyway the focus was on seeing the lord for a cause and realizing that without pain no one can come up in life and pain is always good. Though it has been difficult, I was waiting for the day to come when we finish our kattunera and start off to Sabarimalai. The adobe of the great Ayyappa. It was an awesome day. April 10,2011. There are so many customs to be followed which are told by your guru and those last few days are really terrible especially in the physical sense. You've to make sure that all the ritual items are ready and all the customs are ready to be followed.

The last day, April 10th, that is, the day of the kattunera, we consume literally nothing. Not even water and we wait for the time when we can do the puja. Once the time comes, it is all full of good signs. We pray the lord to help us see him without any trouble and we offer him the ghee, rice, money, dates, jaggery, fruits, rose water, aval, pori, etc.. We start off and have some nice food to break our fast. We start our journey and reach the river Pamba, after 9 hours. We give what we call as "Tharpanam", meaning a prayer and salute to all the dead souls of our family, and then take a holy dip in Pamba. After offering prayer to our ancestors we start from Pamba to the Sannidanam. First up is the Pamba Ganapathy. We pray Ganapathy to lead us into the forest without any problems and to take us to the Lord. Then we go through the Pandala raja vanam(Forest). The one that comes first in the forest is the Neelimalai Yettram. It is the steep part of the forest. We ascend our way towards the direction of the sannidanam. Once when we think that the steep Neelimalai is over we see that it is the start of Appachi medu(Ascent). Much steep than the previous one, we cross the Appachi medu with the help of the lord. Then we reach Sabari peedam, the place where the old lady, Sabari was given salvation. It is all about endurance. Then starts the plain terrain wherein we start running to reach the lord and bypass the crowd. Once we reach the mandapam, we have a clear view of the 18 steps which denotes the 18 siddhis that a man should attain. With no crowd whatsoever this time, we touch each of the steps and move towards the Sannidanam. Then we come in the platform provided around the Sannidanam, now with the golden shrine right in front of our eyes. We get closer to the Sannidanam. After being in the queue, we take a glimpse at the god. The face that is so peaceful. Crushes all the problems that you've in your life. It is a face that is never forgettable. A face that always lingers in your mind. A wonderful sense of feeling that is hard to describe and express. I told you that this time was a little different. I'll tell you the difference. I got the opportunity to take a glimpse at the god for three times. I was able to see the idol three times and that has not happened in my life before. You just can't take the eyes from the lord. Such a calm face that is hard to find in the entire world.

A Lord with utmost patience!!

Man takes advantage of everything and Lord Ayyappa is also not an exception. Man finds business opportunities everywhere and that is what is happening there also. The pilgrims take their ghee that they've brought and they bring it for the abhishekam to the sannidanam. What these priests do is that they give only half of what the pilgrims had given to them after doing the abhisekam. Rest of the ghee is given as Abhisheka nei(ghee) prasadam at a rate of Rs.40/- to the pilgrims. Man finds a business anywhere and people also fall for it because they have a belief. Exploitation of the feelings of the pilgrims takes place. People sell the abhisheka viboothi(holy ash) and mint money. Even the god will turn on the other side and sit, telling that "I don't want to see all these with my eyes." That is what has been created over there by the devasthanam people.New thing at Sabarimala is the slipper shops at the top near the sannidanam. People go to the temple, see the lord comeback and wear chappals for the rest of their journey. We do not wear slippers because, one, we give a due respect to the mala that we wear, second, we give a lot of respect to ourselves. It is said that we bear the god in us for which we give respect. All these happen. Where ever you go in Sabarimala you can see your money getting looted in some way or the other. It has changed a lot now. It is not the Sabarimala where you can find only the god and not many people. Now people have taken over.

Lord over there does not change. Yet it feels something special every year. The lord has taught me patience, calmness, positiveness, good thoughts and I feel like I've been lucky enough to see the lord for 10 times, each time with a difference. The moment I see the lord every worry gets off and it feels like it is great. I don't know, as I always say, whether others like it or not, it is a place that fills up the heart with goodness. It is a sense of success that you've. All because of the "Divyadarisanam"

"Swamiye Sharanam Ayyapa"

-SATZ

An Unsung hero!!

What a cup to win!! The prestigious ICC Cricket World Cup was ecstatically won by the Indian team through their proper planning and execution. It has been a sensational moment for all the fans across the country. But there is always an unsung hero and he is "the cricket crazy fan". He doesn't get any tangible benefits just like how the Indian cricket team is getting now. The fans of the game can experience only a sense of joy which is priceless for him and worthless for others. So sometimes it feels like whats the point in being one. Especially after being a fan for nearly 12 years. It is a bit tough to digest the fact that there is no recognition for being a fan.

The Indian cricket team has gone through a lot of phases since the world cup of 2003 when they got defeated in the final and not against anyone except Australia in the final. That was the match that created havoc in the Indian cricket team. That was the start when some of the players went out of the team and were never recalled. Then when the fans were eagerly expecting the team to win the 2007 World Cup. There was this shocking exit because of the Bangladeshis. They were a whole surprise to the Indian team. After many changes in the team, the leap for the 2011 world cup begun. The preparations started after the 2007 fiasco. Then it has been a journey of roses for the Indian team. They won nearly every series. That was the transformation. After years of playing the game, 2011 World Cup seemed to be peanuts for the Indian team. It was a very good time to make the record. The team also deserved the world cup because it didn't win it against sub-standard teams but teams which has won world cups and which consists of high quality cricketers. Especially against Australia, which was winning it for the third time and was aiming for a better four. The winning streak of Australia was ended after it faced India in the quarters. Then came Pakistan and then finally Sri lanka. There has been a constant support from the fans in all the matches that India has played. Analysing team strategies, getting glued to the television for hours to see those matches, being an anorak, which gives nothing,talking hours together after each match gets over, all these done for nothing. But as a fan there is nothing except "fun at that moment" and feeling happy for the team. Whether they recognise or not, being a fan is a happiness within the self. We have passion for the game. That drives us crazy. Whether there are any tangible benefits or not. We're always "an Unsung Hero".

-By An Unsung Hero named
-SATZ

Start of destruction for a cause!!

Japan faced as we all know the worst that the nature can create. The worst havoc created by nature is of a very serious note indeed according to me. It is a very serious climatic breakthrough that has occurred. I was reading an article a few days ago which made me think with a positive frame of mind. The article had the following facts which give a view of what might happen after this terrible nature's fury. I'll list those facts below.

In the 17th century, there was a catastrophic fire that engulfed London and threatened to destroy the whole of the city. But after that London has evolved as one of the biggest economic hubs of the world, in spite of all the destruction that took place because of the fire.

Great fire of London!! 1666!!

Similarly in the year 1871, in the city of Chicago, a fire broke out and continued to destroy the city at a massive level. People believe that the fire broke out as a result of the tripping of an oil lantern over hay by a folklore. Whether it is true or not, but after the massive level of destruction, Chicago summoned best people for a contest to unleash their creativity and design a building. Many participated and came out with brilliant designs. Thus was born what we call today as the "skyscraper". Tall building with many floors were constructed and Chicago is known for the first skyscraper of this world. Since that there has been tremendous improvements.

Chicago burning!! 1871!!

Japan itself is a wonderful example for "economic magic". The 1945 bombings on the two cities totally devastated Japan but it came out with determination to fight out the economic breakdown and redeem itself as one of the leading economic nations of the world. That is still considered to be a development beyond imagination.

Man's tyranny unleashed!! 1945!! Bombing in Hiroshima, Japan!!

Another notable instant of breakthrough is the development of Surat after the 2001 earthquake that nearly destroyed nook and corner of the city. The quake consumed a lot of lives and did a lot of property damage that shook the whole government. But, after that it has turned out to be a well developed place.

Suffering of Surat!! Earthquake of 2001!!

The article's main point was the growth of Japan after this tsunami. They say that Japan will rise after this natural disaster to a very high level. The destruction caused by this tsunami is very low when compared to the destruction caused by the two bombs that man created and used to destroy the cities. Even nature has got some consideration for man. But it is sad that man doesn't want another of the the same kind to have a place in this world.

Nature's fury on Japan!! March, 2011!!

The point that I wanna make is that, whether man wants to do something with this world or not, this world wants to do something for itself. This tsunami might be the start of destruction of this world. I think water has started to show its power. There was a volcano that erupted after this tsunami which was not noticed by most of the people. I think this is how the world balances. It brings in water and brings in land at the other. December 21, 2012 might be a day on which the world would be new and fresh to start with another generation. This might be destruction for a positive cause.

-SATZ

Use of engineers!!

I've not been able to post anything since New Year. It has been a wonderful three months at my company. We 53 people from different states and regions had a lot of fun and knew a lot about, normally what people do not care about, called "The Tire". It has been an awesome three months with both management training and also technical training. Knowing a lot and exploring a new world that people think its nothing.There is so much in it that it takes a lot of time to understand the process itself and analyse why they do all those. People do not know the other side of the component. Everybody see the engine, the upholstery, luxury of a car, etc. but nobody cares about what does all the work, the tire.

It does everything. The mileage that people get, the braking, the grip during wet season, the comfort that people get, the power that they feel while moving, everything is provided by the toroidal shaped black component. There is so much of engineering in it that people can't even imagine what they've done to give you something really good. Engineers have been used up well in this case.

Engineers who make this world!!

But still I feel the use of engineers has been very less in every field, especially, in an unstable field like the tire industry. The tire has undergone a lot of phases and come to this level. Today's engineers need not do anything new. Anything new will create problems from business point of view. In today's world, engineers are used only for maintenance and making sure that the production keeps on increasing along with the demand. My point is that even a diploma guy will do the job. The creativity and imaginative power of the engineers are harnessed beyond an extent. People say that its the job of the academicians. Not that of the people in the industry. When I say this I exclude the top most companies in the field. Certain companies strive to take the industry forward and make sure that the engineers are used fully. Interestingly, there have been companies working in this field for the past 110years and are ready to set a new era in the business through their innovations. But it is equally necessary at this point of time for the competing industries to also contribute to the research and not just benchmark the same technology that the leading industries in the field does.

Engineers need to be given some freedom beyond the system to give some disruptive breakthroughs in the field. Not only in the tire industry but also in other broader and wide fields. Today, especially in India, we've got so many engineers. Having so many engineers is not the case. Using them to their fullest to create a wonderful world is the challenge.

-SATZ