Tuesday 31 January, 2006

Music...Songs...Anthems...Rang De Basanti

Rang De Basanti : Title track

Note : Kudos to the stunning cinematography ... the visuals of the song are as energetic as the song itself ... Finally an anthem that makes you dance ....


ding ding ding ding ding ding ding
ding ding ding ding ding
thodisi dhuul meri dharti ki mere watan ki - 2
thodisi Khushbuu baurai se mast pavan ki
thodisi dhondhane waali dhak-dhak dhak-dhak dhak-dhak saansein
jin mein ho junoon junoon voh boonde laal lahuu ki
yeh sab tuu mila mila le phir rang tuu khila khila le - 2
aur mohe tuu rang de basanti yaara
mohe tuu rang de basanti
mohe mohe tuu rang de basanti - 9
oh mohe rang de basanti basanti rang de basanti - 2
(ding ding ding ding ding ding ding
ding ding ding ding ding) - 2

sapnen rang de, apne rang de
khushiyaan rang de, gam bhi rang de
naslen rang de, faslein rang de
rang de dhadkan, rang de sargam
aur mohe tuu rang de basanti yaara
mohe tuu rang de basanti
thodisi dhuul meri dharti ki mere watan ki - 2
thodisi Khushbuu baurai se mast pavan ki
thodisi dhondhane waali dhak-dhak dhak-dhak dhak-dhak saansein
jin mein ho junoon junoon voh boonde laal lahuu ki
yeh sab tuu mila mila le phir rang tuu khila khila le - 2
aur mohe tuu rang de basanti yaara
mohe tuu rang de basanti

dheemi aanch pe tuu zara ishq chadha
thode jharne laa, thodi nadi mila
thode saagar aa, thodi gaagar laa
thoda chhidak chhidak, thoda hila hila
phir ek rang tu khila khila
mohe mohe tuu rang de basanti yaara
mohe tuu rang de basanti

basti rang de, hasti rang de
hans hans rang de, nas nas rang de
bachpan rang de, joban rang de
ab der na kar sachmuch rang de
rang rez mere sab kuchh rang de
mohe mohe tuu rang de basanti yaara
mohe tuu rang de basanti
thodisi dhuul meri dharti ki mere vatan ki - 2
thodisi KHushbuu baurai se mast pavan ki
thodisi dhondne waali dhak-dhak dhak-dhak dhak-dhak saansein
jin mein ho junoon junoon voh boonde laal lahuu ki
yeh sab tuu mila mila le phir rang tuu khila khila le - 2
mohe mohe tuu rang de basanti yaara
mohe mohe tuu rang de basanti - 9
mohe rang de basanti basanti rang de basanti - 4
rang de rang de rang de basanti
(ding ding ding ding ding ding ding
ding ding ding ding ding) - 3
mohe rang de basanti basanti rang de basanti basanti
mohe rang de basanti rang de basanti rang de basanti yaara



Luka Chuppi : A Mother's call to her son ...

Note : The genius of Rehman ... goddess Lata Mangeshkar ... can't get better than this ... It's so beautiful that my words do injustice to the melody of this haunting track ... A generation awakens!
I love the ' Kya bataoon maa' ... phenomenal

Lata

Luka Chuppi bahut huyi saamne aa ja naa
Kahan kahan dhoondha tujhe
thak gayi hai ab teri maa

Aaja saanjh hui mujhe teri fikar
Dhundhla gayi dekh meri nazar aa ja na (2)

A. R. Rahman

Kya bataoon maa kahan hoon main
Yahan udney ko mere khula aasmaan hai
Tere kisson jaisa bhola salona
jahan hain yahan sapno vala
Meri patang ho befikar udd rahi hai maa
Dor koi loote nahin beech se kaate na

Lata

Aaja saanjh hui mujhe teri fikar
Dhundhla gayi dekh meri nazar aa ja na

Lata

Teri raah takey aankhiyaan
jaane kaisa kaisa hoye jiyaa (2)

Dhire dhire aangan utre andhera, mera deep kahan
Dhalke suraj kare ishara chanda tu hai kahan
Mere chanda tu hai kahan
Luka Chuppi bahut huyi saamne aa ja naa
Kahan kahan dhoondha tujhe thak gayi hai ab teri maa

Aaja saanjh hui mujhe teri fikar
Dhundhla gayi dekh meri nazar aa ja na (2)

A. R. Rahman

kaise tujhko dikhaun yahaan hai kya
Maine jharne se paani maa tod ke piya hai
Guchcha guchcha kai khwabon ka uchal ke chuwa hai
Chaaya liya bhali dhoop yahaan hai
Naya naya sa hai roop yahan
Yahaan sab kuch hai maa phir bhi
lage bin tere mujhko akela

Lata

Aaja saanjh hui mujhe teri fikar
Dhundhla gayi dekh meri nazar aa ja na (3)




Robaroo : Aye Saala .. I'm speechless

Note : Wake up to this song and feel the difference in the way in which your day progresses ... it's placement in the movie is mind-blowing to say the least ... it's got everything that'll make you follow your heart with a vengeance ... Live the song ... it's an experience .. it's God

aye saala
abhi abhi huaa yaqeen ki aag hai mujh mein kahi
hui subaah main chal gaya
suraj ko main nigal gaya
ruu-ba-ruu roshni heyy - 2

jo gumshuda-sa khwaab tha
voh mil gaya voh khil gaya
uulon hathaa pighal gaya
kichhaa kichhaa machal gaya
sitaar mein badal gaya
ruu-ba-ruu roshni heyy - 2

(dhuaan chhataa khula gagan mera
nayi dagar naya safar mera
jo ban sake tu hamsafar mera
nazar mila zara) - 2

aandhiyon se jaghad rahi hai lau meri
ab mashaalon si bhad rahi hai lau meri
naamo nishaan rahe na rahe
ye kaaravaan rahe na rahe
ujaale mein pee gaya
roshan huaa jee gaya
kyon sehte rahe
ruu-ba-ruu roshni heyy - 2
dhuaan chhataa khula gagan mera
nayi dagar naya safar mera
jo ban sake tu hamsafar mera
nazar mila zara
ruu-ba-ruu roshni heyy - 2
aye saala - 4




Khoon Chala : Teesre kism ke Log

Note: It's so intense.. it's got so much meaning ... it grows .. it grows on to you like crazy!



kuchh kar guzarne ko khoon chala khoon chala
aankhon ke sheeshe mein utarne ko khoon chala
badan se tapak kar, zameen se lipatkar
galiyon se raston se ubharkar, umadkar
naye rang bhar ne ko khoon chala khoon chala

khuli-si chhoT lekar, baRi-si tich lekar ahista ahista
sawaalon ki ungli, jawaabon ki mutthi
sang lekar Khoon chala
kuchh kar guzarne ko khoon chala khoon chala

kuchh kar guzarne ko khoon chala khoon chala
aankhon ke sheeshe mein utarne ko khoon chala
badan se tapak kar, zameen se lipatkar
galiyon se raston se ubharkar, umadkar
naye rang bhar ne ko khoon chala khoon chala

khoon chala - 8




Paatshala ( Be a Rebel )

Note : Check the lyrics mann ... They're kick-ass!


"Say hoi ho oh hoi ho (x2)

Loose Control

Be A Rebel

Verse 1:
To the mahal of the Taj
To the Minar of Qutub
To the Kumari of Kanya (Say hoi oh hoi)
To the Panjim of Goa (Say hoi oh hoi)
To the Kaancheepuram
Zindabad Zindagood
All have something to say (Say hoi oh hoi)
They all have something to say
They all have something to say

Follow me Follow me Follow me now!

Apni tho paatshala, masti ki paatshala
Be A Rebel

Chorus:
Naa koi padne waala, Naa koi seekne wala
Naa koi padne waala, Naa koi seekne wala
Apni tho paatshala, masti ki paatshala
Apni tho paatshala, masti ki paatshala
Loose Control

Verse 2:
India and Pakistan
Bangladesh all in the soul
Khajuraho to Coimbatore
Say hoi oh hoi
(Say hoi hoh hoi)

>From the Gateway of India
Upto the Himalayas
Across the Ganga Yamuna
Say hoi oh hoi
(Say hoi hoh hoi)

To Shirdi to the Red Fort
Rourkela Yeah u know
From Ajmer to Orissa
Say hoi oh hoi
(Say hoi hoh hoi)

Loose Control

Chorus (x1)

Be A Rebel

Verse 3:
Amar Akbar Antony
Ram Rahim Abdullah
Searching for a bright star
Say hoi oh hoi
(Say hoi hoh hoi)

To the corners of the Earth
What is our (search??) worth?
What is our destiny?
Say hoi oh hoi
(Say hoi hoh hoi)

Imagine we go back in time
Free your soul, Free your mind
Take a look what do you find?
Say hoi oh hoi
(Say hoi hoh hoi)

Loose Control
One more time!!
Loose.. Loose..
Loose Control
Haha (x3)!!

Be A Rebel



Khalbali : The Restless Energy before the Storm !

Note : The visuals are breath-taking ... technical finesse ... masterpiece


khalbali hai khalbali - 3 hai khalbali
khalbali hai khalbali - 3 hai khalbali

khalbali hai khalbali - 3 hai khalbali
khalbali hai khalbali - 3 hai khalbali
khalbali hai khalbali - 3 hai khalbali
(shola shola balkhaye
dariya dariya lehraye
zarra zarra tharraye
hai khalbali) - 2
khalbali hai khalbali - 3 hai khalbali

khalbali hai khalbali - 3 hai khalbali
khalbali hai khalbali - 3 hai khalbali

hone hone de nasha khone khone ko hai kya - 2
ek saans mein pee ja zara zindagi chadha
hai yeh toh ek jashan tu thirakne de kadam
abhi saanson mein hai dam abhi chalne de sitam

aankhon mein hai khalbali
dhadkanon mein khalbali
mausamo mein khalbali
hai khalbali

kaisi yeh tabdili hai
sheeshi botal pee li hai
raat neeli neeli hai
hai khalbali
(ham lapatke saaye hai
ham sulagne aaye hai
ghar bata ke aaye hai
hai khalbali) - 2

khalbali hai khalbali - 3 hai khalbali
khalbali hai khalbali - 3 hai khalbali
khalbali hai khalbali - 3 hai khalbali


Lalkaar - Sarfaroshi Ki Tamanna Ab Hamare Dil Mein Hai

Note : The locale, the words, the aura, the spirit ... the sepia-hues, the candles, Aamir...



Hindi Lyrics:
hai liye hathiyaar dushman taak mein baitha udhar
aur hum taiyyaar hain seena liye apna idhar
khoon se khelenge holi gar vatan muskhil mein hai
sarfaroshi ki tamanna ab hamaare dil mein hai
haath jin mein ho junoon katt te nahi talvaar se
sar jo uth jaate hain voh jhukte nahi lalkaar se
haath jin mein ho junoon katt te nahi talvaar se
sar jo uth jaate hain voh jhukte nahi lalkaar se
aur bhadkega jo shola-sa humaare dil mein hai
sarfaroshi ki tamanna ab hamaare dil mein hai
hum to ghar se nikle hi the baandhkar sar pe qafan
chaahatein liin bhar liye lo bhar chale hain ye qadam
zindagi to apni mehmaan maut ki mehfil mein hai
sarfaroshi ki tamanna ab hamaare dil mein hai
dil mein tuufaanon ki toli aur nason mein inquilaab
hosh dushman ke udaa denge humein roko na aa
duur reh paaye jo humse dam kahaan manzil mein hai
sarfaroshi ki tamanna ab hamaare dil mein hai - 2

Friday 20 January, 2006

The Magic of Teamwork ... A Tribute to RCNM

The O.R.O and Lessons on Teamwork


"The answers to some of the most complex challenges in life are often the simplest"

The study of Team dynamics has been an offshoot in my Leadership Career... My tenure at RCNM was a roller-coaster ride ... so many highs .. so many lows ... the exultation of victory ... the heart-breaking failures ...

Now, leading such a passive life makes me uncomfortable ... and yet as i slowly tune myself out of presidential powers ... i find Zen ..


As a part of our annual excursion called the O.R.O - Official Rotaract Outing (a result of creative malfunction), We, the members of RCNM trekked our way up the Karnala Fort. In a matter of twelve hours, I experienced what i probably did not
during my eight month long tenure as the President of RCNM ... I, or should i say 'WE', experienced the magic of Collective Victory ... Collective Joy ... Collective Celebration ... Collective Evolution ... and in retrospection : t'was so god damn simple...


Presenting to you ... The TEAM .... Team O.R.O. ... Team RCNM


How it all began ?

O.R.O : The build up ... 14 hours prior to the O.R.O. ... destination decided : Trek to Karnala Fort, 10 kms off Panvel, Maharashtra

The Mess. Board : Interesting Propostion for like-minded people to come together ... Team is mentally prepared to have fun and enjoy

The energy in the mornin': sleepy yet restless ... ice-breaker required to eradicate the slumber...

The longish train journey serves as a mini ice-breaker... Humour, abuses, and talkin' about random people beyond the team is an effective tool ... A good lesson was the power of observation : Stinky armpits, ear-hair dude ( whoa! he was some guy! ) ... general tk. abt new year's ... Gyaan : Finding common ground in an uncommon arena

The rickshaw ride - ice-breaker for rickshaw groups ... the vada-pav, cricket bat (a sense of comfort) ... pratik rickshwalla, prerna's wisecracks ... my fascination with gross humour... The Marwari Philosophy Gyaan : Warming up and sensing the wavelength of the team members is very important) .... it happenned to all rick' groups .... the water fights in the other two ricks .. the smaller team was formed .. bonding happened ... funn happened ... the journey began ..

Guys' and the peeing episode ... common comfort ground .. easily identifiable..
My tryst with Mother Nature's Lap : Fertilizer .... doin' sumthin outrageous ... induces a level of crazy comfort ... induces risk-taking if the leader does sumthin crazy (hehe!)

The trek began ... The famous bird sanctuary with soooooooooooooo many birds ... wannabe ducks ...wannabe birds .... team laughing at the pure stupidity of the sanctuary .... Oh it was soooo BIG : Wannabe Bird sanctuary ... The lingo happened ... one more common ground ...

The base was set ... a set of small rick' teams getting together to form the big ORO team ... ice-breaking 2 on the way up ...

The initial stages of the trek when wannabe trekker Nilaang rushed ahead with heart-throb Kahaan ... Shanelle giving up repeatedly ... The beginning is always difficult ...someone has to egg you on ... We give up so many things purely bcuz'the
start seems difficult ...That's where a team is bigger than an individual .... Team is responsible for individual success ... You need the backing cuz u cannot last long by yourself ..

Music and teamwork : Songs and crazy ones unique to a team are often most inspiring : jaadu teri nazar (aarti style), laila o laila, hooo ha hooo ha, he laal laiyo-haiyo haiyo .. they form a sense of connect for the entire team ... songs tht have energy and are yet stupidly unique ..

The halt ..biscuits shared ... distance analyzed ... some juice and water ... everyone halted for the team .. including trekker nilaang and heart-throb kahaan ... team chills..

Respect for individual stamina's and energy levels ...

The journey continues till we reach View-point ...
Pratik Bubna checks his hair out ... humour, leg-pulling happened, but only once the team was relatively comfy with each other .... Had is happened before ... rifts wud've been created .. This is a very sensitive situation .. can create that uncanny
discomfort and which overlooked can be catastrophic ...

Trust Begins :

Nilaang discloses half-monty episode to me ... I laugh ... more importantly ... i understand .. i find solutions ... i go beyond myself ... i look at team selflessly .. everyone does ... the magic of trust begins ...

We race ahead .. wait ...collective victory ... people fool us with time to goal analysis ..
some get irritated ... the motivated empathize ... Thakk kar baith gaye kya bhai manzil door nahin hai...

The flat terrain : The goal in sight .. some run cuz its so close ... some say : itna aur

The positive outruns the negative ... the weak get renewed vigour .. the strong continue ...

The Peak : It's often said that the toughest part in a journey is the final climb to the top... As i write this i realize it .... i wish i had a team to egg me on ... but wht the heck .. u've got to be your own team in life ... outrun the negative
... kill the final fontier ... Win ... Celebrate .. Whoa !

The process is called future pacing ... visualize success .. A lot of members did it ... Apoorva for one, hell bent to win it for the team.
She helped me change my mind. I was about to succumb to mediocrity at the plateau before the peak...

The Crisis : Tanvi dizzy ... the studs at a higher level ... rest of the gang down ... Studs waiting ... get to know abt the crisis ... immediate reaction ... Apoorva ... biscuits ..My stunt ... all for the team ... the offered help by Poo and A-Poo ( though in vain ) ...all for the team ... I go down ... they scream .. sharing the team's fall ... ( could've been human emotion ... who cares? ) ... t'was all for the team ...

Meeting on the plateau .. Plans reassesed ...

Gyaan : Reflect on Past Action at periodic intervals

Reflection : All cool .. Nilaang to wait down with the bags .. Team continues .. ( Nilaang- you're one heck ova dude mann .. way to go bro - torn track pant et all ... he was the studd )

VICTORY : We reach the Top !

Inspire Nilaang to come up as well

He Does

VICTORY : We ALL Reach the Top ! ( Grammatically incorrect : who cares ? )

Celebration happens ... Meal sharing Happens ... WATER-SHARING Happens ( That was it! )
Success needs to be celebrated ... be it team or individual ... sense of fulfillment

TEAM changes Gears :

The Way Down ...
High levels of comfort within the team ... Sudden splurge of energy ... the high of success has an inertia to it .. we capitalized on it ...

Love blossoms :-) ... Kavan and Stuti, Pappu and Shannelle... Apoorva and Poorva + a dash of Prerna to go with it ...

Come down ... Team drinks water .. enjoys some personal space which was very essential to restore sanity ( it hardly worked though;-) )

TEAM Kicks ASS .... Big Time

Vada Pav ... Sxy Stoberi Milkshake + Majnoo Mango + Vastaad Vanilla .. yes sense of adventure like u've never seen .. omnipresent ... i'd call it collective 'ass-kicking'

The Icing on the Cake : TEAM Spreads its Wings - The Epic Train Journey

AS RCHR's motto goes : Leave Your Mark ... Dunno whether they do ... We Certainly Did ...

As the President of RCNM ... i strongly believe in The 'Make your own Rules' chain of thought ... cuz that's the only way to do things that no one dares to ...

In a matter of 12 hours ... i saw it happen ... and No it ain't as simple as it seems ... It took me eight months to figure it out .. I pray you don't have to wait that long..


Go Play. It's your Game.




P.S : Tell me when you crack it. I'll be waiting...

Thursday 19 January, 2006

Time of Your Life

Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road.
Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go.
So make the best of this test, and don't ask why.
It's not a question, but a lesson learned in time.

It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life.

So take the photographs, and still frames in your mind.
Hang it on a shelf in good health and good time.
Tattoos of memories and dead skin on trial.
For what it's worth, it was worth all the while.

It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life.

It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life.

It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life.

Friday 13 January, 2006

Steve Jobs at Stanford

This one's a killer : Fell in love with it from the time i got hold ov it ... Doin' your own thing surely rocks ... Ask this guy ?

Here he goes :

Drawing from some of the most pivotal points in his life, Steve Jobs, Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of Apple Computer and of Pixar Animation Studios, urged graduates to pursue their dreams and see the opportunities in life's setbacks -including death itself.

"I am honored to be with you today at your commencement from one of the finest universities in the world. I never graduated from college. Truth be told, this is the closest I've ever gotten to a college graduation. Today I want to tell you three stories from my life. That's it. No big deal. Just three stories.

The first story is about connecting the dots.

I dropped out of Reed College after the first 6 months, but then stayed around as a drop-in for another 18 months or so before I really quit. So why did I drop out?

It started before I was born. My biological mother was a young, unwed college graduate student, and she decided to put me up for adoption. She felt very strongly that I should be adopted by college graduates, so everything was all set for me to be adopted at birth by a lawyer and his wife. Except that when I popped out they decided at the last minute that they really wanted a girl. So my parents, who were on a waiting list, got a call in the middle of the night asking: "We have an unexpected baby boy; do you want him?" They said: "Of course." My biological mother later found out that my mother had never graduated from college and that my father had never graduated from high school. She refused to sign the final adoption papers. She only relented a few months later when my parents promised that I would someday go to college.

And 17 years later I did go to college. But I naively chose a college that was almost as expensive as Stanford, and all of my working-class parents' savings were being spent on my college tuition. After six months, I couldn't see the value in it. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life and no idea how college was going to help me figure it out. And here I was spending all of the money my parents had saved their entire life. So I decided to drop out and trust that it would all work out OK. It was pretty scary at the time, but looking back it was one of the best decisions I ever made. The minute I dropped out I could stop taking the required classes that didn't interest me, and begin dropping in on the ones that looked interesting.

It wasn't all romantic. I didn't have a dorm room, so I slept on the floor in friends' rooms, I returned coke bottles for the 5 cent deposits to buy food with, and I would walk the 7 miles across town every Sunday night to get one good meal a week at the Hare Krishna temple. I loved it. And much of what I stumbled into by following my curiosity and intuition turned out to be priceless later on. Let me give you one example:

Reed College at that time offered perhaps the best calligraphy instruction in the country. Throughout the campus every poster, every label on every drawer, was beautifully hand calligraphed. Because I had dropped out and didn't have to take the normal classes, I decided to take a calligraphy class to learn how to do this. I learned about serif and san serif typefaces, about varying the amount of space between different letter combinations, about what makes great typography great. It was beautiful, historical, artistically subtle in a way that science can't capture, and I found it fascinating.

None of this had even a hope of any practical application in my life. But ten years later, when we were designing the first Macintosh computer, it all came back to me. And we designed it all into the Mac. It was the first computer with beautiful typography. If I had never dropped in on that single course in college, the Mac would have never had multiple typefaces or proportionally spaced fonts. And since Windows just copied the Mac, its likely that no personal computer would have them. If I had never dropped out, I would have never dropped in on this calligraphy class, and personal computers might not have the wonderful typography that they do. Of course it was impossible to connect the dots looking forward when I was in college. But it was very, very clear looking backwards ten years later.

Again, you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something - your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.

My second story is about love and loss.

I was lucky - I found what I loved to do early in life. Woz and I started Apple in my parents garage when I was 20. We worked hard, and in 10 years Apple had grown from just the two of us in a garage into a $2 billion company with over 4000 employees. We had just released our finest creation - the Macintosh - a year earlier, and I had just turned 30. And then I got fired. How can you get fired from a company you started? Well, as Apple grew we hired someone who I thought was very talented to run the company with me, and for the first year or so things went well. But then our visions of the future began to diverge and eventually we had a falling out. When we did, our Board of Directors sided with him. So at 30 I was out. And very publicly out. What had been the focus of my entire adult life was gone, and it was devastating.

I really didn't know what to do for a few months. I felt that I had let the previous generation of entrepreneurs down - that I had dropped the baton as it was being passed to me. I met with David Packard and Bob Noyce and tried to apologize for screwing up so badly. I was a very public failure, and I even thought about running away from the valley. But something slowly began to dawn on me - I still loved what I did. The turn of events at Apple had not changed that one bit. I had been rejected, but I was still in love. And so I decided to start over.

I didn't see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.

During the next five years, I started a company named NeXT, another company named Pixar, and fell in love with an amazing woman who would become my wife. Pixar went on to create the worlds first computer animated feature film, Toy Story, and is now the most successful animation studio in the world. In a remarkable turn of events, Apple bought NeXT, I retuned to Apple, and the technology we developed at NeXT is at the heart of Apple's current renaissance. And Laurene and I have a wonderful family together.

I'm pretty sure none of this would have happened if I hadn't been fired from Apple. It was awful tasting medicine, but I guess the patient needed it. Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith. I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle.

My third story is about death.

When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: "If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right." It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?" And whenever the answer has been "No" for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.

Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything - all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.

About a year ago I was diagnosed with cancer. I had a scan at 7:30 in the morning, and it clearly showed a tumor on my pancreas. I didn't even know what a pancreas was. The doctors told me this was almost certainly a type of cancer that is incurable, and that I should expect to live no longer than three to six months. My doctor advised me to go home and get my affairs in order, which is doctor's code for prepare to die. It means to try to tell your kids everything you thought you'd have the next 10 years to tell them in just a few months. It means to make sure everything is buttoned up so that it will be as easy as possible for your family. It means to say your goodbyes.

I lived with that diagnosis all day. Later that evening I had a biopsy, where they stuck an endoscope down my throat, through my stomach and into my intestines, put a needle into my pancreas and got a few cells from the tumor. I was sedated, but my wife, who was there, told me that when they viewed the cells under a microscope the doctors started crying because it turned out to be a very rare form of pancreatic cancer that is curable with surgery. I had the surgery and I'm fine now.

This was the closest I've been to facing death, and I hope its the closest I get for a few more decades. Having lived through it, I can now say this to you with a bit more certainty than when death was a useful but purely intellectual concept:

No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.

Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

When I was young, there was an amazing publication called The Whole Earth Catalog, which was one of the bibles of my generation. It was created by a fellow named Stewart Brand not far from here in Menlo Park, and he brought it to life with his poetic touch. This was in the late 1960's, before personal computers and desktop publishing, so it was all made with typewriters, scissors, and polaroid cameras. It was sort of like Google in paperback form, 35 years before Google came along: it was idealistic, and overflowing with neat tools and great notions.

Stewart and his team put out several issues of The Whole Earth Catalog, and then when it had run its course, they put out a final issue. It was the mid-1970s, and I was your age. On the back cover of their final issue was a photograph of an early morning country road, the kind you might find yourself hitchhiking on if you were so adventurous. Beneath it were the words: "Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish." It was their farewell message as they signed off. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish. And I have always wished that for myself. And now, as you graduate to begin anew, I wish that for you.

Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.

Thank you all very much." - Steve Jobs - June 2005

Tuesday 10 January, 2006

My Tryst with Leadership

My Tryst with Leadership

Leadership has fascinated me ever since I got into college and was a part of Umang 2001 ... the third year of Umang to be precise.I was Star Wars assistant then. A 16 year old Umangite who was in awe of everything that i saw... the magnitude, the hierarchy, the hype, the hysteria ... Umang.
What fascinated me even more was the Chairperson of Umang'01 - Rishi Raj Singh Pruthi. He was a thin, frail Sardar who would walk up and down the corridors of N.M. College - seemingly insignificant. On 2nd August'01 he enters F.Y.J.C - H... the class starts clapping - kids tht we were ( t'was good fun though ). His first statement was : Last bench can you hear me ?
I showed him a thumbs up ... he started ... and how !
He spoke for a non-stop fifteen minutes and the class din't utter a word. Spell-bound, dumb-struck, in awe, gaping ... we used a million adjectives to describe the Mon. I then went on to become the Star Wars assistant... I remember my first and only General Meet in Umang'01 ( Assistants were allowed to sit for General Meets then ). It was room no. 14 ... a crowded room with frustrated faces, drooping shoulders and tired eyes. Most assistants gave a damn to Rishi Raj Singh Pruthi... i wasn't one of them. This General Meet has been a very strong foundation in my Leadership Career ( sounds cool..dun't it ? )
The Power of communication is the biggest lesson that came to me in my quest for leadership ... On that day ( approx. 17th Aug '01) Rishi Raj Singh ensured 200 assistants future Umangites ... wannabe HOD's, wannabe VCP's and CP's. I was to top the list. I recollect my ChairPerson speeches in front of the mirror ... the body language, the passion, the energy ... the high,
the adrenaline rush ... the intoxication..

JANUARY 10th'06 : Leadership is crazy. There is no easy formula for being a leader. If only! Leadership is challengin - all those balancing acts, all the responsibilty, all that pressure.
And yet good leadership happens- and it comes in all kinds of packages. There are quiet leaders and bombastic ones. There are analytical leaders and more impulsive ones. Some are tough as nails with their teams, some more nurturing. On the surface you would be hard-pressed to say what qualities these leaders share. Underneath, you would see that the best care passionately about their people- about their growth and success.and you would see that they themselves are comfortable in their own skins.
They're real, filled with candor and integrity, optimism and humanity.
I often questtion if leaders are born or made. The answer i guess is they're more made than born ... the quest and desire to lead often gives birth to leaders.Leading is more about trying something out-of-the-box, getting it wrong and learning from
it, or getting it right and gaining the self-confidence to do it again, only better.

For most of us, leadership happens one day when you become the boss and the rules change.
Before, your job was about yourself.
Now, it's about them.

Monday 9 January, 2006

Rang De Basanti : DCH meets Yuva ?

'Rang De Basanti': The Preview

Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s movie ‘Rang De Basanti’ is a youth flick with a message. The movie stars Aamir Khan , British actress Alice Patten , Madhavan , Soha Ali Khan , Kunal Kapoor , Siddharth , Sharman Joshi , Atul Kulkarni and Kiron Kher .

‘Rang De Basanti’ deals with a topic that is very relevant to contemporary times. It talks of several youngsters with different aspirations from life. The movie is about the rise in the consciousness of today’s youth of the values and realizations of their Indian-ness.

Character Sketches:

Alice Patten as Sue
Alice Patten plays Sue, a young London-based filmmaker who chances upon the diaries of her grandfather, who served in the British police force in India during the freedom struggle. Excited about these memoirs, she comes to India to shoot a film on the Indian revolutionaries mentioned in the diaries.

Unable to garner enough funds for her project, Sue eventually hires a group of five friends to play pivotal roles of these revolutionaries in her documentary.

Aamir Khan as D.J.
D.J. is an exuberant personality with a warm and wide smile always on his face. An ex-graduate, D.J. still lives like a college student, partying and having fun all the time. But deep inside, he is a sensitive man who unfortunately has not yet been able to find a sure shot aim to his life.

Madhavan as Ajay Rathod
Flt. Lt. Ajay Rathod is a man of high ideals and strong patriotic values. A pilot by profession, he is a good friend, a caring son and a loving fiancé. He is someone all members of the group look up to.

Soha Ali Khan as Sonia
Sonia is a die-hard optimist. A traditional Indian beauty, Sonia is both well traveled and well read. She and Ajay Rathod are engaged. Sonia is an idealist who feels passionately about issues relating to the youth.

Sharman Joshi as Sukhi
Sukhi is a Jat from Haryana. This athletic young man is the heart of the group because of his charming persona and an absolute lack of pretence about the way he is. He speaks typical Haryanawi accent and has no qualms in admitting that his English is twisted.

Kunal Kapoor as Aslam
Kunal Kapoor plays Aslam, a tall and handsome Muslim man who has a heart of a poet. Despite his orthodox family background, Aslam thinks beyond the barriers of religion.

Siddharth as Karan
Siddharth plays Karan, son of a wealthy businessman. He is a loner, a quiet man who shares a fractured relationship with his father. He also wants to settle down in a foreign country.

While working on Sue’s film, the five friends head off to Punjab, the land that gave many martyrs during India’s freedom struggle against the British.

D.J. (Aamir), the man who never ceased partying, now comes face-to-face with the side of Indian culture he had never witnessed before in person.

As DJ and his friends work on Sue’s project, they begin to see themselves as the actual descendants of the great men who are the protagonists of Sue’s movie.

In the film, both the 1930s British India and the India of today run parallel and intersect with each other at crucial points. As the film reaches its conclusion, the line between present and past blurs, as they become one in spirit and one in color – that is Basanti.

P.S. : I'm really lookin' fwd to this flick

Thursday 5 January, 2006

Kal Ho Naa Ho

Music is slowly becoming my mode of communication... mu language... my reflection
One more song that's a reflection of Me : Kal Ho Naa Ho

Har Ghadi Badal Rahi Hai Roop Zindagi
Chaav Hai Kahhi Hai Dhoop Zidnagi
Har Pal Yahan
Jee Bhar Jiyo... Jo Hai Sama
Kal Ho Na Ho
Har Ghadi Badal Raha Hai Roop Zindagi
Chaav Hai Kahhi Hai Dhoop Zidnagi
Har Pal Yahan
Jee Bhar Jiyo ...Jo Hai Sama
Kal Ho Na Ho

Chaahe Jo Tumhe Poore Dil Se
Milta Hai Woh Mushkil Se
Aisa Jo Koi Kahin Hai
Bas Vahi Sabse Hasin Hai
Us Haath Ko Tum Thaam Lo
Woh Meherbaan Kal Ho Na Ho
Har Pal Yahan
Jee Bhar Jiyo Jo Hai Sama
Kal Ho Na Ho

Palko Ke Leke Saaye
Paas Koi Jo Aaye
Lakh Sambhalo Paagal Dil Ko
Dil Dhadke Hi Jaaye
Par Sochlo Is Pal Hai Jo
Woh Dastan Kal Ho Na Ho
Har Pal Yahan
Jee Bhar Jiyo Jo Hai Sama
Kal Ho Na Ho
Har Pal Yahan
Jee Bhar Jiyo Jo Hai Sama
Kal Ho Na Ho

Wednesday 4 January, 2006

The Song that symbolizes 2006 for Anuj Gosalia

It ain't just a song ... it's my anthem. Every word talks about the kind of person i aspire to be this year... Live these days of my youth like i never have... Live my life like i never have...

So, Ladies and Gentlemen ... here goes :'Koi Kahe' from the cult movie Dil Chahta Hai

Koi kahe, kehta rahe kitna bhi humko deewana
Hum logon ki thokar mein hai yeh zamaana

Jab saaz hai, aawaaz hai, phir kis liye hichkichaana
Oh, gaayenge hum apne dilon ka taraana
Bigade duniya, bigadne bhi do
Jhagade duniya, jhagadne bhi do
Lade jo duniya, ladne bhi do, hum apni dhun gaao
Duniya roothe, roothne do
Bandhan toote, tootne do
Koi chhoote, chhootne do, na ghabraao
Hum hain naye, andaaz kyoon ho puraana

Aankhon mein hain bijliyaan, saanson mein toofaan hai
Darr kya hai aur haar kya, hum isse anjaan hai
Hamaare liye hi to hai aasmaan aur zameen
Sitaarein bhi hum tod lenge, hamein hai yakeen
Ambar se hai aage hamaara thikaana
Hum hain naye, andaaz kyoon ho puraana

Sapnon ka jo des hai, haan hum vahin hain pale
Thode se dil phenk hai, thode se hai mann chale
Jahan bhi kahe apna jaadu dikhaate rahe
Mohabbat haseenon ko aksar sikhaate rahe

Aaye hamein dil aur neendein churaana
Hum hain naye, andaaz kyoon ho puraana

Koi kahe, kehta rahe kitna bhi humko deewana
Koi, kehta, kitna bhi humko deewana
Oh, hum logon ki thokar mein hai yeh zamaana

Oh, jab saaz hai, aawaaz hai, phir kis liye hichkichaana
Jab saaz hai, aawaaz hai, phir kis liye hichkichaana
Oh, gaayenge hum apne dilon ka taraana
Bigade duniya, bigadne bhi do
Jhagade duniya, jhagadne bhi do
Lade jo duniya, ladne bhi do, hum apni dhun gaao
Duniya roothe, roothne do
Bandhan toote, tootne do
Koi chhoote, chhootne do, na ghabraao

Hum hain naye, andaaz kyoon ho puraana
Oh, hum hain naye, andaaz kyoon ho puraana

Sunday 1 January, 2006

Message of Meaning and Purpose

Hello World

Wish you a very very very ( 0k stop )... Happy New Year

May the year be like any other

May we break our resloutions like any other year

May we not accomplish our goals and dreams this year as well

May our lives be significant and superior this year as well

May I use any other way to begin my sentences

May 'May' be as hot as any other 'May'of any other year

May College be as productive and meaningful as it has been all these years

May God give us the strength and courage to be the 'losers' that we aspire to be

May the World live in pieces and harmonious divisions

As Gandhi said 'Be the change you want to see in this world'...
So, let's pick our noses in public, litter some more.. and throw random abuses at successful people ( okay... at anyone )

Let this year help us set an example of exemplary living.. that means, we continue to not do all tht we intend to.. we continue being lazy and as procrastinate as always...

On this highly positive note, this message of relevance and higher purpose draws to an unfortunate closure..

May the Lord be with Us.
May Sanity Prevail.
Amen