THE Boss

Hi,
I get up every morning, go to work....return by late evening; most of the times, late night....work for a minimum of 10 hours a day, sometimes 6 days a week. About 70-80% of my time as well as intellect is taken up by the work.

Who am I : an employee or a boss ? For my team members, I may the boss; but for me, the Project Manager is the boss; for him the Project Co-ordinator is the boss, for him the COO is the boss, for COO, the CEO/GM/MD is the boss, and he in turn is bossed by the Chairman of the company. Even the chairman is not free to do as he wishes. He has to keep in mind the best interests of the Board of Directors, the share-holders, the investors... So, who is the boss and who is the employee ?

If you ask me, we are all employees. The real boss is sitting high up there. In fact He is everywhere. Omnipresent.

As we begin our career or life, we go thru a training period. We call it as childhood. Mentors guide us... we call them first the parents, and later on the teachers. They teach us the basic tips and tricks.... be it how to tie a shoe-lace or how to write an ActiveX control or a code snippet in JavaScript.

The training ends and one day you find yourself in the field.. and realize that inspite of all the guidance, when it comes to making the real decisions, you are all alone.

You manage to get along somehow. You already have relatives by default... that's your basic salary. Later on you add friends, colleagues.... that's your incentive. It's up to you how to invest these things for your better future.

If you are lucky, you also find someone whom you begin to like instinctively.. you are in love... that's a raise , a salary hike for you.

If you are really really lucky , you also get to marry him/her for life.. so you start a family, and settle down. Congratulations, you have earned a promotion !!

Of course, it's not a smooth sailing always. Sometimes you lose a near & dear one. You cry your heart out. Why? No need ...he/she has only been transferred from your section to another one. Perhaps his/her services are more needed there. The Boss knows what is best for you and for the overall team. Learn to trust Him. If He is indeed pleased with you, you will find that the one whom you considered as lost , will meet you in some other form. A team-member from your section will come across as a team-leader in different section..... someone you lost as a brother may come again in your life as a great pal.

There are also moments of frustration and failure. It's a memo from The Boss.. His way of indicating you that "Mister ( or Lady), you have not been upto your mark. Introspect." If you are wise enough, you introspect, and get back on the right track.

Sometimes, you find yourself in real trouble.. meet with an accident or develop some illness. It is a suspension order. Depending upon ur past service-record, you may survive or perish. If you perish, your service has been terminated. If you survive, pat yourself on the back... you have been given an extension. Make the best of it.

...and mind you, there no distinctions here as a blue-chip worker or a white-collar worker. We are all equal. If someone begins to walk a few inches above the ground, he is promptly shown his proper place.

The Boss is not unreasonable. At the onset of career itself He has given you the necessary tools with which you can carry out the work. Open the toolbox your mind and take an inventory. You will something you can use... it may be an ability to speak, to write, to sing, to dance, to run, to manage, to think, to lead.... even one of this is enough to build a life-time.... and most of the times you will find that you have more than one of these.

He has given you something ... what you give Him back depends on you. Read, Write, Sing, Dance, Administrate, Lead, Think, Communicate.... Do something...Be something. Imagination is the limit... and there are no limits to imagination.

Do your duty.... and do it with passion and dedication.. with honesty and integrity.The Boss expects nothing more from you .... and He will accept nothing less.

Do not be worried . He keeps a perfect record of your deeds ... and also your misdeeds.

... Give your best in everything you do... ...and leave the appraisal to The Boss.

There once happened to be a fellow called as Albert Einstein .. who knew one or two things more about the universe than most of us here... and he has summed up our Boss very beautifully. ... "He may be subtle.... but He is not malicious."

Yours,

-G.

The Singularity of Thoughts

Hi,

Well, As a person dies, a lot of knowledge goes with him.... some terabytes of information... all gone, ir-retrievable for ever. Unless one meets with a fatal accident or manages to get himself murdered, it seems one is fairly aware of his/her approaching demise. What must have been the dying thoughts of some of the greatest minds of world?

Shivaji Maharaj... Albert Einstein ... Alexander ..

Just for a moment, consider yourself in place of Shivaji Maharaj, and you will be weighed down by the enormity of his thoughts... you have built up a mighty empire from zero, next generations may do justice to it or may not, that's another thing. Whatever it is, there is absolutely nothing you can do about it anymore. What must have he felt ? a feeling of helplessness ? or the satisfaction that he had done his duty on this planet and was ready to depart ? there are some passages in "Raja Shiv Chhatrapati" or "Shrimaan Yogi" about this ... but no one can tell what his real thoughts might have been.

Albert Einstein, when he died , said something in German but there was just a nurse around, who did not understand the language. What could have he been thinking ? In a decade from 1905 to 1915, he turned the Newtonian Physics on its head almost single-handedly... Was he satisfied ? Did he ever think he might be able to crack the ultimate riddle of all.. The Grand Unified Theory, which would bring together General Relativity and Quantum Mechanics?

How I wish we could know this .. that there was some way by which their thoughts could be downloaded, Just like we hastily have some imp data downloaded on a floppy/CD when the current is abt to go.

In Physics there is concept of a singularity.. the core of a black-hole contains a singularity.. the point in space-time where all the laws of physics including the General Relativity , break down. Death is also a kind of singularity.. a place in space-time where all thoughts break down.

There is something known as Event Horizon surrounding the black hole.. also known as the Schwarzschild Radius ( NOT the Chandrashekhar Limit... mind you ) . It is that radius inside which you are doomed to a journey into the singularity.. escape is impossible ( unless it happens to be a rotating black-hole , of course ).

Death also creates a kind of event horizon around oneself... whatever other people say, you are unable to comprehend, whatever you want to say doesn’t reach the outside world.

Then, there is another kind of singularity.. the Big Bang where again physics can't predict anything. It can tell what happened even a few pico-seconds later, but not at the exact origin of space-time. Look at a child who has not learned to talk yet. Surely there must be some thoughts passing thru his mind. what kind of thoughts ? what he/she must be thinking, looking at all those unfamiliar objects ? Isn't this something similar to singularity at the Big Bang ?

So many other parallels can be drawn, but let me stop here... else some of you may be forced to put me to some singular treatment, ha ha !!

Yours,

G.

Songs & Melodies : Ghazals

Hi,
Well, Jagjit Singh is considered by some as the best ghazal singer India has produced. I am no authority to judge upon the veracity of this claim, but I would like to say that some of the best ghazals have been sung by other singers.

Mohd Rafi
Have you heard….
Koi Sagar Dil ko Behelata Nahi
Bekhudi mein dilko karaar aata nahi
....Excellent lyrics, Excellent composition and so beautifully sung by Mohd Rafi. Sigh !

Muddat Huyi Hai Yaar Ko Mehemaan Kiye Huye…Ji dhoonDta hai fir wohi fursat ke raat din..
Or
Dard Minnat Kasme…….Kucch to paDhiye ke log kehte hain...
Or
Ghazab Kiya Tere Wade pe Aitbaar Kiya
Unfortunately I am unable to make out the meaning of some high-funda Urdu words in these, but none-the-less, the overall mood can be easily picked up.

Kitni raahat hai dil toot jaane ke baad
zindagi se mile maut aane ke baad....
This looks so senti, but it does give a positive perspective abt lost past.

Then there is one from the film Ghazal itself…
Rang Aur Noor Ki Baraat Kisse Pesh Karu
Ye muraadon hasin raat kisse pesh karu
It becomes a bit high-pitched for my taste. I prefer the one in Lata's ethereal voice...
Nagma-o-sher ki saugat kisse pesh karun
Ye chhalakte huye jazbaat kisse Pesh karun

Talat Mehmood
I discovered this singer very recently and have only a dozen or so of his songs.
Sham-e-gam ki kasam
or mera karaar le ja
or tasveer banaata hu
or ae dil muze aisi jagah le chal
or main teri nazar ka suroor hu...
they are so supperb, I could listen to them forever. Talat had a wobble to his voice, which made his voice as unique as the nasal baritone of Mukesh, and especially suitable for ghazal.

Asha
In aakhon ki masti ke... from Umraao Jaan is an universal favourite.But have you heard...
Ye kya jagah hai doston
Ye kaun sa dayaar hai...from the same movie?

I especially love the lines...
tamaam umra ka hisaab maangti hai zindagi
ye mera dil kahe to kya ye khudpe sharmsaar hai...
bula raha kaun muze chilmano ke us taraf
kya mere liye bhi koi udaas beqraar hai ...

Here are some more of my favourites....
Lata
Ae Dil-E-Nadan : Razia Sultana
Hai Isi Mein Pyaar Ki Aabaru : Adalat
Ranjish Hi Sahi Dil Hi Dukhane ke liye aa

Asha
Jaane kya haal ho is kadar tu aaye
Muddatein Beet Gayi Tum Nahi Aaye Ab Tak

Jagjit
Kal Chaudavin Ki Raat Thi
Tum Itna Jo Muskura Rahe Ho : Arth
Hoshwalon Ko Khabar Kya : Sarfarosh
Tumko Dekha To Yeh Khyal Aaya: Saath Saath

Misc
Karoge Yaad To : Bhupinder
Too Is Tarah Se : Hemlata
Aaina Muzse Meri Pehli Se Soorat Maange : Daddy
Huzur Is Kadar Bhi Na : Masoom - Suresh Wadkar

Can anyone explain to me what exactly are the benchmarks for a song to be classified as a ghazal? How does it differ from an ordinary film song?
Yours,
Gautam.

Book Reviews : Fiction

Grid

- Philip Kerr

Actually, this was the first novel I read, way back in 1998. Till date, it remains one of my top-favourites.

This is a terrific novel. It is based on a supercomputer by name Abraham which controls a hi-tech building. A virus makes Abraham think that it is playing a game with the inmates of the building and the aim is to kill all the opponents. A team of 8 people is trapped inside the building , and one by one the supercomputer begins to kill them.

Have you read "2001: A Space Odyssey " by Arthur C Clarke? It deals with a similar scenario: a powerful supercomputer HAL 9000 trying to terminate the lives of astronauts in the spaceship Discovery. In fact there is a triology… “2001 : A Space Odyssey,” “ The Second Odyssey” and “3000 : The Final Odyssey”.

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Songs of Distant Earth

-- Arthur C Clarke

Del-Rey/Random Books

This is a science-fiction novel, one of the best I have read so far. It envisages a scenario in which our sun goes supernova explosion and mankind is forced to flee the solar system and inhabitate distant planets.The book encompasses huge scales of both space & time. it also covers a numbersubjects, ranging from astrophysics, exobiology, philosophy, and sociology.

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Golden Ball & Other Stories

- Agatha Christie

Well, this lady is known as the Queen of Mystery, and rightly so!! But she has also written splendidly in other genres as well.
This book is a collection of a number of such stories, 15 in number and all short ones. They range from bizarre, to funny, to romantic, to humorous... and a couple are outright horrifying!
Each story is captivating till the end...still, as my peronal favourite, I would choose “Magnolia Blossom". Ah! Here is a story which I have really appreciated for its wonderful portrayal of how differently a woman and a man think. If you do not have time to read the entire book, read at least this one story... and let me know how you felt.

Yours,

Gautam.

Leaders & Administrators

Hi,

Well, I feel that there are two types of managers:

Leaders and Administrators.

Leaders are essentially dreamers. A leader sets seemingly impossible targets and then inspires his followers to achieve them. A leader uses unconventional means to solve problems. He goes more by the instinct/intuition/gut-feeling than logic.

He/she is not much worried about the details. He just provides the outline, the framework on which others act on. People do not just respect the leader, they love him as a person...Indeed they follow him in first place because of his character rather than his intelligence. A leader is more accessible to the people but he is not dependent on them. He is always in the lime-light and knows how to make use of it to achieve his end. Most of the times a leader has no authority in a legal sense, and yet they exert power.

I consider Mahatma Gandhi is one person who fits this description quite perfectly.

Administrators are the ones who convert dreams into the reality. An administrator is more close to the task at hand rather than the person who is doing it... and yet he is dependent on that person. He is logical, methodical and goes more by the rules. He/she is the one who fills in the crucial details in a rough draft to make it a concrete plan. His authority comes from the position he/she occupies.

Of course, sometimes we find a combination of a visionary Leader and a realistic Administrator rolled into one. The first example that springs to mind is Chhatrapati Shivaji. He saw a dream to build up an empire and also had the administrative capability to put it in order once it was achieved.

Today if you look around, almost everywhere you find 'leaders' - most of them self-proclaimed. I think what India needs today are some efficient administrators, people who will work at the background to get things moving.

Yours,

-Gautam.

Book Reviews : Biographies

Chandrashekhar

-Madhuri Shanbhag

Raajhans Publication

The book gives a detail insight into the life and work of Dr Subramanian Chandrasekhar, Nobel laureate in Physics (1983). Reading it makes oneself feel inspired and motivated.

Frankly, I had a feeling of anger against this man, since he opted for American citizenship. But as he himself said, ''For one thing, I couldn't have done this kind of work in India; the environment, the facilities just didn't exist then...and secondly, I feel that Science goes beyond the limits of nations."

I am glad I read this book; it cleared up my grudge and also made me aware of different facets of his personality. We know him only for the work he did on black holes. Apart from it, he has written well-researched books on variety of subjects ranging from Beethoven (Music), Shakespeare (Literature) to Isaac Newton (Science).

One of his remarks made me wince a bit ..." It is very difficult for someone to work in India... other people are busy putting you down."I wonder, have the conditions changed for the better during last 50 years? I hope they have.
Other books which I would like to recommend in this context are :

1. Chandrasekhar and His Limit: G Venkatraman

A bit technical ...but nevertheless can be easily understood by any science graduate.

2. Frozen Star: George Greenstein

There is an entire chapter dedicated to the work of Dr Chandrasekhar and his clash with Arthur Eddington. It makes a thrilling read !!

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Alfred Hitchcock : The Man Who Knew Too Much

- Yashwant Ranjankar

Raajhans Prakaashan

Don't get fooled by the name; the book is in Marathi.

I have seen about half a dozen movies by Hitchcock, most favourite being "Psycho". Undoubtedly he was a genius in his field. During his career spanning almost five decades, he directed 65 movies and was rightfully entitled as the "Master of Suspense".

The book gives an insight into the making of the Hitchcock as the man as well as the director. We get to read the labour that went into making his movies, anecdotes and moments of fame and despair.Good printing quality and more than 75 photos make the book a pleasure to read.
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I Am Alive

- Kittie Felix Hart

Many ppl who seem to hero-worship Adolf Hitler. For these , I would recommend this book.
It is autobiography of a Jew girl who, along with her family, was captured by Gestapo, the German secret police, and sent to concentration camp named as Auschwitz.
By the time allied forces freed them three years later, her father and brother had perished, but Kittie and her mother had survived due to sheer determination.
In the book, she recounts the horrifying details of the life at the concentration camp…. the torture, the inhuman medical experiments, the gas-chambers, everything. It sends chills down the spine when you read it.

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Shubhra Kaahi JeevGheNe [Marathi ]

-Ambarish Mishr

Raajhans Prakaashan

The book outlines the lives of maestros like Shobha Gurtu, Begum Akhtar, Saadat Hasan Munto,O.P. Nayyar, Sajjad Hussein & Pankaj Mallik. Of these, I especially liked the matter on O.P. and Sajjad.

Here are some other books in this category, which I have read over past few months.
1. Phule Vechitaa : Lata Mangeshkar

It was admittedly a surprise to see a book written by the Nightingale herself. It is a collection of various articles she has written from time to time. The nature is more of personal reflections and memories rather than any analysis.

2. Saptak :Dr Mohini Varde

This book is about the Mangeshkar family which gave seven 'sur' to Indian music : Dinanath Mageshkar, Maai Mangeshkar and their five children Lata, Asha, Usha, Meena and Hridaynath. It details musical background of each one of these and discuses many beautiful songs.

3. Noorjehan te Lata : Isaak Mujaawar

This one attempts to compare two female playback singers par-excellence, Noorjehan and Lata, with emphasis on their styles, strengths and finer details.

4. Gaaye Chalaa Ja , Yaadon Ki Baarat : Shirish KaNekar

Written in the famous "KaNekari" style of his, The books make a great reading.

5. Lata Mangeshkar - A Biography: Raju Bharatan

The only ''proper'' biography, I would say. Here you will find a chronological sketch of Lata-ji's rise as India's prominent singer, as well as a thorough analysis of her important songs, her strengths and , yes, her short-comings, too. A book really worth reading.

Yours,

-Gautam.

A Thought on Thoughts

Hi,

1.

What exactly are thoughts ? Do they have a mass ? If two brains are taken , both of equal physical dimensions (such as mass, size, structure, etc ) , but one among them that of a genius (like Einstein) , and other one that of a ignorant fool ( like me , ha !), then based on knowledge in them , will there be a difference in their weights ?

Or are thoughts just a stream of energy ? But what happens to this energy when we "forget" something ?

If thoughts have mass, then they can be 'captured' and 'stored' and 'transferred' like any physical object , isn't it ?

2.

Astrophysicists capture spectrum of distant stars, from which they determine a whole range of things: the distance, size, age, temperature, the constituent elements, etc.Spectrum of a Red Giant is markedly different from that of a White Dwarf. A mere glance would tell an observer what type of star it could be.

From what I have read, the neuro-transmitters in our brain pass signals in short bursts of electrical impulses. The PET, CAT scans make use of these impulses to detect abnormalities in brain.

It is safe to assume that when we think, our 'thoughts' also create a train of electrical impulses.

Surely these electrical impulses must be forming a pattern (a very complex one, of course), which must vary from person to person, just like the spectrum of the stars of different categories.So, Einstein's ''brain-spectrum'' must be highly different from that of a dumb fellow (...like me!! ). By carrying out experiments on a large sample, we can convert this data into a set of standards.

As you know, the concepts of IQ, EQ are highly subjective ones. Is it possible that we will be able to measure intelligence in quantitative terms, the way we measure our weight or height?

3.

While reading Asimov's "Nemesis", I had another idea...If we have a tiny electric field inside our brain, surely there must be a magnetic field associated with it too. So we have a 'sphere' of electro-magnetic radiation, however weak and complex it might be.

We have Geiger Counters that detect presence of nuclear radiation; we have photo-diodes which detect the presence (or absence) of light waves, antennae that detect the presence of radio waves...Physicists have built devices to detect the presence of gravity-waves or gravitons.

Can we build some device which will detect the 'presence' of intelligence?..The "Neuro-Detector"?

Yours,

-Gautam.

What Are We Looking At ?

Hi,
well,
Last Night,
I was walking back to my rooms. There was a family walking a few paces ahead of me: husband, wife and their five-yr old son walking in between them.

Road ahead was a straight one. It was a clear night. A full moon had risen just above the horizon. It was a beautiful sight... and I was looking at it mesmerized.

The kid too must have seen it, because he exclaimed," Baba to bagha chaandoba !!"

The father murmured something, but the mother shouted,'' arre neeT khaali baghun chaal.... dhaDpaDshil naahitarr !!"

The Result
.. was that the kid never once looked up at the sky till they reached their apartment.

I felt a bit sorry for the kid, and a bit angry towards the lady. No doubt her reprimand had come out of concern for her child. but in doing so, she had prevented him from savouring one of the beautiful sights in the world.

What would have happened at most, the boy might have stumbled on to something and might have had a fall. But parents were there to take are of that.

Speaking Metaphorically
... when we are looking at only at the obstacles in our path, we often lose sight of our true goal.
But if we are focused on our goals, there is God with us to care our care.

Yours,
Gautam.

Kitchen ki Duniya mein pehla kadam !!

Hi,

Well, my shift from living as a PG to an independent residence has introduced me to an area with which I had not bothered to familiarize myself so far.

Swayampaak-ghar ... rasoi ... kitchen.

Being an Industrial Chemist, I set out with the air of a lab-student about to do an experiment.... setting up the apparatus , preparing the basic ingredients, following procedure step by step, and finally testing the product to confirm whether it turned out to be the one which was originally intended.

For first couple of days, I brushed up the basics... making tea and coffee, and fixing up an occasional limbu-sarbat. Next I moved on to the advanced topic... the meal. After a lot of trial n errors, I succeeded in preparing what I consider a minimal diet for me... varaN- bhaat, baTaTa bhaaji, paapaD, loNche and koshimbir. I can survive on this for years together. (paapaD & loNche are imported straight from Goa. I have not yet reconciled with their Puneri versions).

Earlier I had great doubts whether I would survive these experiments, or indeed whether I ought to bother myself in cooking rather than ordering a tiffin. But now, my attitude has changed !! In fact, I have begun to enjoy cooking.

Even simple things like the boiling of water, or the gradual forming of cream (saay) over hot milk, or the variation in the sounds of cooker as the steam cools down, is real interesting to note, if one only cares to do so.

Our Organic Chemistry professor, Dr Mallik once remarked to girls during an experiment, " Do not be scared of lab work... after all, your kitchen is nothing but a laboratory where you carry out complex organic reactions on a daily basis."

In my case, it's been the other way round... chemistry background has paved the way for an enjoyable time in kitchen... the only difference being that, I find giving foDNee a tougher task than carrying out nitration of sulphuric acid.

Here is a Chemist's approach to preparing a simple dish.

*****************************************

Aim: To prepare KhichDee - E- Rice

Apparatus: kaDhaee (reactor vessel), a big spatula, a pair of tongues, Burner

Materials: Rice, Daal, Mirchee, Potato, Tomato, Onion, Oil,

Chemicals: Sodium Chloride (crystalline or amorphous), Liquefied H2O, Source of LPG.

Procedure:

1. Mix Rice & Daal in the ratio 3:1

2. Wash the above mixture with liquefied H2O. Remove any suspended impurities .Drain off the excess liquid.

3. Cut Mirchee, Potato, kothimbir, Tomato & Onion into small pieces.
4. FoDNee:

a> Keep reactor vessel on the burner. Switch on the source of Liquefied Natural Gas.

b> Add a small quantity of oil.

c> Until it boils, make a mixture of Jirre + Mohri + HaLad + Hing.

d> Add the above mixture to the reactor vessel as soon as oil begins to boil.

5. Immediately add the mixture of Rice and Daal and also the cut pieces of mirchee, etc. to the reactor.

6. Hold reactor steady with a pair of tongues( pakkaD) and stir vigorously the contents with help of spatula for 60 seconds.

7. Add a cup of liquefied H20 and a pinch of Sodium Chloride to the reactor vessel.

8. Stir again for about 120 seconds.

9. Allow the mixture to heat on medium to strong flame for about 10 minutes.

10. After the product is formed (indicated by spicy odour and fluffy nature of rice grains), the reaction is said to have reached the end-point.

Caution : USE ONLY A COMPLETELY DRY REACTOR VESSEL. PRESENCE OF DIHYROGEN MONOXIDE (H20) LEADS TO VIGOROUS INTERACTION WITH HOT OIL.

Precautions:

1. FoDNee is an exothermic process, accompanied by audio-visual effects. Keep children away from premises.

2. Do not forget to switch off the source of burner flame after reaction terminates. Failure to do so may prove hazardous to life and property.

3. Quality- assurance tests must be carried out before the product is sent for consumption by humans.

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Yours,

Gautam.

Book Reviews : Non Fiction

Krushna-Vivar

Mohan Apte

Rajhans Prakaashan
It explains the concept of black-holes in a great detail. Anyone who has done his/her 12th science and has read a bit about these stellar objects will not have any difficulty in grasping the concepts. Marathi needs more such books which give in-depth information without being too hard to language.
Some other books ( in English ) which I would very strongly recommend on blackholes are:
1. "Frozen Star" : George Greenstein

This is an excellently beautiful book, which explains all ideas right from novas, supernovas, neutron-stars, pulsars, black-holes, worm-holes.. A very, very, very good book...in fact I have a personal copy of it.
2."Mathematical Theory of Black Holes ": S. Chandrasekhar

I have glanced thru this ... It is very hi-funda, with loads of math equations.

3."Collapsing Universe": Isaac Asimov

Written in his impeccable style, the book makes an enchanting read.

4. A Brief History of Time: Stephen Hawking

Although not exclusively about black-holes, it is easy to understand. the entire book contains just one equation: E= mc^2.

5. Seven Wonders of Cosmos: Jayant Narlikar

A bit mathematically-loaded, it discusses some of the most exotic phenomena in outer space such as black-holes and quasars.

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The 9/11 Report

Thomas H. Kean & Lee H Hamilton

St Martins Press
It gives a complete report of the circumstances surrounding the terrorist attacks on WTC. It is supplemented with analysis and reporting by the New York Times . The language is matter-of-fact, clinical and without any added drama.

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Well, I came across this book and felt vindicated, since it provides a solid factual support for something I have been thinking all along.
Samagra Maate Narmade [Marathi]

- Dr Dattaprasad Dabholkar
This book gives an exhaustive account of the 'struggle' for Narmada Bachao Andolan... the socio-political as well as historical and geological background, the cause and effect and how it was lead by Medha Patkar, Sundarlal Bahuguna and other social activists, including Arundhati Roy. After reading the book one can't help but be dismayed by how a well-meant campaign has been lead astray by few people who are not ready to push up their ideological 'burkhaas' and look at the practical aspects without getting emotionally charged.

While in college, a debate broke out on this issue. Myself and another boy Sanath Barve were the only two who had taken a stand against Narmada Bachao Andolan. Rest of the entire class had rallied against us, crying hoarse in name of people dis-located from their homes and environmental hazards resulting due to such big projects.

I am not saying that projects should be set up at the cost of lives and property of innocent people. Indeed they ought to get more than sufficient re-imbursement for their troubles... but when the activists say that NO TO BIG DAMS, NO TO ATOMIC POWER STATIONS,.... well, someone like me begins to have serious doubts.

As mentioned in the book, Supreme Court of India, while rejecting the appeal of Narmada Bachao Samiti, remarked, "It was not a public interest litigation, but a publicity interest litigation."

As a person I have much respect for the social activists mentioned here.. Medha-ji, Sundarlal-ji, also our own Anna Hazaare-ji. These people are gold in themselves... but when they allow willy politicians to make use of them... well, that's when things begin to go wrong.

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Baaraala Dahaa Kami [ Marathi ]

( Ten Minutes to Twelve O'clock)

- Padmaja Phatak, Madhav Nerurkar

Rajhans Publications

The book gives a detailed sketch of efforts leading to developement of the atombomb ( the Manhattan Project) as well as the developement of the hydrogen bomb (code-named the "Super").It discusses in detail the life-histories of the leading scientists like Robert Oppenheimer, Edward Taylor, John von Neumann, Leo Szilard, Enrico Fermi, Hans Beta,Otto Hann, Enrico Fermi and scores of others, whose contribution in these two projects has been rather unknown to the general public.It's a wonderful book, one of the most well-researched in Marathi (at least in my humble opinion ) and a must-have for every well-equipped library.Do read it...Apart from imparting scientific & historical knowledge, it also makes us aware of our conscience and our collective responsibilty towards the humanity.

There is another book, "Brighter Than a Thousand Suns" By Robert Yung, on the same subject. I have not read it, but just gone thru and found it equally interesting.

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ManWatching

Auhtor : Desmond Morris

Publication: Triad Grafton

Category : Anthropology

The book is about human actions, how actions become gestures, and how gestures transmit non-verbal messages.

It describes a whole range of our day-to day actions, gestures, movements, signs & signals-- most of which we perform sub-consciously. He explains how people from different communities behave in public and in private, and also analyzes the fundamental patterns which govern typical actions-reactions. Packed with almost a hundred diagrams, sketches and photographs, the book makes us aware of the fact that as a species we may have advanced technologically, but we have not yet entirely shed our 'animal' traits of being bodily active.

After reading this book, a big change has come over me. Now whenever I meet a person, my attention gets focused on firmness and duration of the shake-hand, the way he is folding his hands, distance between his legs, body tension, inclination of his head, the number of times he scratches his head or touches his nose, whether he gives a hearty laughter or a political smile, and such bizarre details.

So if anyone among you happens to meet me (I very much doubt this), don't feel uneasy. I am just putting the theory into practice, ha!!

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Here is a book on the probability theory.

A Matter of Chance

- K. D. Pawte

Publication of Information Directorate, C.S.I.R.

Probability theory has wide-spread applications in almost all spheres of human endeavor. Pure Science, Technology, Industries, Military, Management and HR.... all fields make extensive use of a number of mathematical techniques and models to achieve optimum efficiency.It is also has ample significance in our day-to-day life, esp in sports.

The book gives an introductory approach to various concepts in this expanding field. It begins with basic definitions such as sample point/space, chance, reliability, relative frequency, randomness, events, permutations & combinations, operational curve, tree diagrams,....etc.; moving on to advanced concepts such as conditional probability, Bernoulli Trials, Pascal Distribution, Binomial distribution, Poisson distribution, Gaussian distribution, Markov Process, and so on. Next come thevarious applications of the probability theory, such as applications in Newtonian Physics, Sensitivity studies,MTBF, MTTF, PERT, Queuing theory, and Operations Research. The last part is devoted to applications in cutting-edge fields such as Genetics and Quantum Theory.

Although the book does require some background in mathematics and statistics, with a little effort any one can make the subject matter easy.

A Marathi translation of this book is also available and is as good as the original one.

Sambhav- Asambhav

Translated byDr Pramod Joglekar

Mehta Publishing House

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Aswastha dashakaachi Diary

- Avinash Dharmadhikaari

Mehta Publishing House

It details musings and wonderings.. his hopes and aspirations about India. The book makes a thoughtful reading, it make you pause and think.

It is abt gritty common man and dirty politicians

......... abt failed policies and wrong decisions.

......... abt burning Punjab and explosive NEFA..

The book is abt the REAL INDIA and it sends shivers down the spine.

If you haven't read this, grab it at the earliest.I had known Dharmadhikari-ji as able IAS officer, PA to CM, and of late as founder of Chanakya Mandal. after reading his books, you come know a different facet of the man.You may also read "1,Vijaypath" by the same author. It is a must-read for every civil service aspirant.

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Aisi Prameye Rasike ( Marathi)

- Ravindra Bapat

Rajhans Publications

This is an informative as well as intersting book about Math. it discusses almost all significant branches of modern mathematics and is full of puzzles, games and problems. Those who find math interesting are sure to like this one.

Yours,

- Gautam.

Book Reviews :Business Biographies

Well, It is natural to be curious about those extra-ordinary people who manage not just tens or hundreds but literally thousands of people all over the world. Over last four months, I have specifically devoted some time to reading biographies of these people. Here are some which I would recommend strongly.

1. My Years With General Motors :Alfred P Sloan

I read this one, because Bill Gates recommended it… and rightly so! This book is all about turning a medium-sized company into a global conglomerate... and crushing competition on the way. Even though it dates back to pre-computing days, the ideas and experiences are equally useful even today.

2. Iacocca- An Autobiography : Lee Iacocca

This guy was fired from post of Vice-President by Henry Ford. He took up the reins of the bankrupt Chrysler Corp and brought it back on the track.

3. Odyssey- From Pepsi to Apple : John Sculley

He handled to extremely diverse companies with equal success, PepsiCo and Apple Computers. You get the feel of what intense competition in US industry means.

4. Made In Japan : Akio Morita

It gives a deep insight into the business logic of the Japanese people .

5. Jack - Straight from the Guts : Jack Welch

Though an auto-biography, it is entirely focussed on the author's experience as Chairman & CEO of General Electric for 20 years. Written in an unconventionally down-to-earth language, the book imparts some useful management lessons. As Welch says, there's only way... manage 10 people as best as you can, and inspire them to manage 100.

6. Business Maharajas / Business Legends :Gita Piramal

Both these books are particularly recommended because they discuss the lives of almost all the major Indian industrialists, such as Tatas, Birlas, Ambanis, Godrej, Walchand, Mafatlals and others. Marathi translations of both books are also available and are equally good.

7. Board Room : Achyut Godbole

This is the only business-biography in Marathi that I have come across. It gives brief life-histories of almost all international biz leaders, right from Rockefellers and Fords To Gates.

8. Creation of Wealth- The Tata Story: Russi Lala

This excellent book details the rise of the Tatas, right from Jamshedji Nasarwanji Tata to Ratan Tata. It focuses on the chronological buil-up of the Tata biz empire, various companies & institutions founded and the working styles of various chairmen. The book compels one to appreciate the legacy of Tatas.

9. JRD - Mee Paahilele [ Marathi ] : By D R Pendse

Mr Pendse was chief economist to JRD and his book gives an insight into the life of a legend. Marathi language needs more books of such kind. We are so fascinated by success- stories of West, that we tend to be-little or completely ignore the giants among Indians.

I am looking forward to autobiography or a biography of N R Narayan Murthy.

Then there are two more books, which are not biographies, but are written by two of most successful entrepreneurs of our time.
1. Business @ Speed of Thought : Bill Gates

It describes what Gates calls a digital nervous system, by giving examples of how a number of organizations, such as Marriott, Boeing, Dell, etc. have made successful use of it.

2. Only The Paranoid Survive : Andy Grove

It sums up my own philosophy very succinctly.... only those who are always worried about competition overtaking yourself are in a better position to tackle it successfully.

Yours,

- Gautam.

Hospital Manners

Hi,

Well, Pals, we all talk abt table manners, party manners, dressing manners, this manners , that manners. But what we need to cultivate the most is some hospital manners. Here, I have put together some points from the experience that I have had.

1. If you are not directly related to the patient, either thru family or thru office, do not visit him/her at hospital. You can always pay a visit when he/she is discharged.

2. If are a close family member, do not hesitate to ask abt financial matters. Your help might not be needed, but allow them to make the decision. Don't make their minds urself. With the costs of hospitalization today, I think it doesn’t hurt to have some extra money close-by.

3. I see no reason why one should take kids to the hospital… and infants ? oh God !

4. It is customary to take along fruits, or biscuits etc. It's a good practice. but I would suggest this : If you are visiting in morning, how abt taking a newspaper along ? and if you are visiting in evening, a magazine like "India Today" would be the right choice. I observed that a patient just doesn’t know what to do with the empty time on hand.

5. If you have any objections regarding treatment, never voice them in patient's presence. You can talk with relatives outside.

6. A hospital is not a place to flaunt ur medical expertise, unless you happen to be a doctor… and even if you are one, I think it would be better practice to talk with the patient's doc rather than with the patient.

7. We say we must keep the patient happy, make him/her smile as much as we can, etc.Yes, agreed. But some people just overdo it. The very fact that someone is hospitalized means something is wrong. I don't think that cracking jokes, roaring laughter, slapping each other on the back, showing camaraderie is a proper thing to do in a hospital. There might be other people around with serious problems.

Well, this what I can think of off-hand. I would be glad if you could add to it.

Yours,

Gautam.

Chaand Fir Niklaa ...

Hello,

Well, a couple of days back; I just couldn't get myself to sleep. So I took a chair and went out on the terrace. It was pournima and the moon was shining with its full splendour.

Looking at it, a thought came into my mind...We see only the same side of the moon, right? Then this moon must be the same sight which Shivaji Maharaj must have seen, so would have Einstein, Napoleon, Vivekanand,...

The same moon will be visible to Bill Gates and Lata Mangeshkar

…..and this is the same moon which Jayant must have seen during his life

... and this must be the same moon which will be visible from 'her' house.

All these people might be away from me in space and time, but there is one thing which makes some kind of connection between us.

The moon.

Yours,

Gautam.

Load-shedding: A Positive Side

Hi,

well, as people from Pune and Maharashtra are well aware, the load-shedding is being implemented with full force in the state. Initially for me it was a frustrating experience, not being able to do a damn thing. But of late, I am discovering the positive side of it. Here are a few examples:
* I am back to old-fashioned writing --writing with help of a pen & paper!

* I have visited most of famous landmarks in and around Pune : the Kaatraj snake-park, the Shinde Chchatri, Sinhgad fort, Saaras Baug, Kelkar Museum, Parvati , the famous trio of Vaishali-Rupaali-Waadeshwar, Baal-Gandharwa Rang Mandir and many other places.

* I have developed laziness into a fine art. After all, it requires much skill and patience not to do anything at all for hours together.

* I have taken to solving puzzles, and cross-words, and found that I am quite good at it.

* I usually work/read/compute/write late into night, often upto to 2:00 am. So a nap in daytime during load-shedding doesn’t do much harm.

* I have discovered that it is not a bad thing to talk to neighbours, esp when they are young and cute-looking. Hey,dont look at me like that .... didn't Christ appeal to us ," Love Thy Neighbour" ?!!

* I am a voracious reader, so I can always turn to books when there is nothing else to do .

Of course, this doesn’t mean that I wish load-shedding to continue forever. On contrary, I hold that un-interrupted power is a hallmark of a developed nation and a right of every citizen.
Yours,

Gautam.