Common ties…that still bind

Have you ever experienced how much you are at ease when you meet a new person with a common tie? All of us are constantly on the lookout for common ties – whether we are in a new city, a new job, with a new group, even on social networking sites. We search for ‘that’ something common with the new person. At times it is merely to strike a conversation, at others to establish a comfort level, and at most times to get over our own apprehensions.

So we go all out to find the common link. ‘Hey, I stayed in Pune as well’, ‘I studied in the same school’, ‘I worked for that company (that of course is accompanied by some common grudges)’…are some of the most common ties I came across. Not to mention the countless instances when people speak in their mother tongues as soon as they hear a surname, common to their community. I recall an episode when one of my colleagues called up some customer and after the first 2 courtesy exchanges in English, asked if he was a Malayalam. Looks like the person at the opposite end answered in the affirmative, and after that those were the only 2 sentences I overheard in the common business language in India.

But here’s one common tie that is rather unusual. I was driving home from office last evening and stopped at a signal where a flyover is under construction. Just as the signal turned green, and like most fellow-drivers, I was about to zoom across, a guy about my age, waved, smiled and exclaimed, ‘Pimpri-Chinchwad!’ It took me some time to understand why he did that since I had never seen him before and from his expression, I read the same about me. But he seemed ecstatic on seeing me.

It was then that I realized, he read my car’s number plate. It is MH 14, that’s a Pimpri-Chinchwad RTO passing. For whatever reason, the guy was glad to have found someone from (possibly) his home town. In the din of honking cars behind me and my own rush to overtake another one, all I could manage was to just wave back at him. I guess that made him happy, for I did notice him speaking to another person and gesturing towards my car, from my rearview mirror.

I bet there are a lot of Maharashtra RTO passed cars in Bangalore (considering that half of this city comprises of tech immigrants) and to the best of my knowledge, the MH series runs from 01 to 43. I myself came across a lot of cars from that series in Bangalore, but never gave them any attention. Drivers with MH 12 series (that’s Pune for the inquisitive) are notorious for their skills. In hindsight, the probability of finding an MH 14 numbered vehicle from amongst all Maharashtra cars is 1 in 43, so mine is indeed a rarity in Bangalore. Maybe that’s why I actually did feel a common tie when the guy waved out; even though I am not from Pimpri-Chinchwad. Nevertheless, it’s good to know someone who associates so closely with MH 14!

Now that’s one creative tie! If you can think of others, feel free to post your comments here. I would love to hear your thoughts on what’s the tie that binds us.

High ground maneuvers

After all the outcry in various public forums over bad signal quality of the iPhone 4, Steve Jobs addressed a press conference, where he said, “We're not perfect. Phones are not perfect. We all know that. But we want to make our users happy."

The PR guys at Apple sure seem to have done a good job; the discussions have suddenly shifted from the iPhone’s antenna problems to debating whether all smart phones face similar issues. Samsung and HTC have already refuted the argument and accused Apple of sidelining the main problem. Apple though played it smart by elevating it from an Apple product problem to a product “category” one and it’s sure to give it enough time to find a solution while keeping tech critics at bay.

Scott Adams, creator of the very popular, and my personal favorite Dilbert series, refers to this as a high ground maneuver and this episode is plucked right from his blog. In his words, “The high ground maneuver involves taking an argument up to a level where you can say something that is absolutely true while changing the context at the same time. Once the move has been executed, the other participants will fear appearing small-minded if they drag the argument back to the detail level. It's an instant game changer."

But then what’s new in this? We have long heard, seen and experienced this in our personal and professional lives. Haven’t we? Just few days back, an aircraft crashed at the Mangalore airport and the usual response from the authorities was, “Well that’s possible at any airstrip that’s located at such a high altitude.” Some nerve to give that kinda response. But it did lead to an enquiry on all airports classified as high risk. And I didn’t hear about what happened to the Mangalore incident ever since.

Leave aside issues that make headlines (although it’s not very difficult for anyone to make headlines these days); high ground maneuvers affect us on a day-to-day basis as well. Like when we don’t get the increment to the extent we expect, our bosses justify that as an industry-wide recession. To rub salt on our wounds, they also expect us to consider ourselves fortunate that we got a (nominal) hike, when industry peers were downsizing. As if our petty paychecks would make any difference to industry numbers when bankers carry home commissions fatter than my annual salary, after sinking millions.

Here are some more illustrations of high ground maneuvers:

• Overheard someone advise another to never look at the price column in a restaurant’s menu. The high (read exorbitant) prices (spin doctored as value) come with the ambience….yeah, and does the food come from the pavement cart?
• Why do you bother tracking your car’s fuel efficiency? This car is not just a means of transportation, it is a status symbol….Is it? I wonder why the girl in the next cubicle never thought so
• Demand for rented apartments in Bangalore is up these days, especially with the IT boom. You have to pay this much for this apartment. Take it or leave it…..But just a few months back, the sun was setting on this very rising sector; wasn’t it?
• Why are you looking at such minor details of this assignment? You need to look at the big picture to grow in your career…..Excuse me? But they do need this data? How about tweaking this report? Aah….Big picture son! Just 3 bullet points!
• And my personal favorite: This new product that you are developing should appeal to everyone – from the corporate basement to the boardroom….Wow! So much for segmentation, targeting and positioning. By the way, this is a true story and the concerned product was stuck in development for 2 years!

So how do you counter-attack such high ground maneuvers? I guess with a higher ground one. Going back to the ‘hike’ illustration – so if my hike is industry dependent, it is function dependent as well. Surely, my peers in the marketing function in other industries got hikes much better than mine. Apparently recession does not affect the function there, then why here? Gotcha? Works at times; though not every time. Works with some, worse with others. Maybe Steve Jobs can carry such maneuvers off with aplomb; others would have to work decades to build that sort of credibility before they attempt such stunts.

While you learn the trick, let’s enjoy yet another anecdote of Apple’s marketing success. Even Dilbert’s friends don’t seem to get enough of this brand! Check out this strip:

Caution: Don’t try a high ground maneuver at home; definitely not with your wife or mother. Some species can see right through it. Worse still, they are much more adept at higher ground maneuvers than you!

A simple symbol for Udaya Kumar. A giant leap for the Indian Rupee?

The Indian Rupee has now got a new symbol that has been designed by D. Udaya Kumar, an IIT graduate. Extremely simple and easy to draw, the symbol reflects the Indian ethos with its Devanagari-styled ‘Ra’, and blends well with the modern world with its double strokes. Check out this video for a more elaborate pitch on what it stands for.



Personally, I quite liked the symbol from a creative perspective and am impressed with the logic behind it. But hey, are we blowing it out of proportion by using it to signify the strength of the Indian economy? I agree we are a trillion dollar economy, one of the fastest growing GDPs, a rising consumer powerhouse, attractive investment destination….and all that babble that I used countlessly while selling India as ‘the place’ to be in all my presentations convincing my firang bosses to approve project fundings. Fact of the matter is, yes we are big…..but are we big enough? And in case of the new symbol of the Indian Rupee, does anyone care enough?

Every politician and media worth its salt has gone gaga over how much this symbol signifies India’s growing economic prowess. Can even one of these stand up and please explain which part of the symbol really tells that? Does the shirorekha stand for it? Nope it is a regular feature in any Devanagari alphabet. Do the double strokes signify it? No. They are a metaphor for equality (ah….the socialists strike again!) and the Indian tricolor. And the ‘Ra’, while an abbreviation for the Rupee, incidentally also looks like ‘R’ from the Roman alphabet. So much for the desi, global Indian or for the striking inspirations as Dan Brown would have put it. Damn…..but I still can’t find the economic strength that they so much tout about.

So where exactly is this or any other currency symbol used? One article states that it is used in financial transactions across the world where they help distinguish between themselves. But then how many countries stock Indian Rupees as their forex reserves? Also used in news articles and currency converters…but then the INR serves the purpose as well. Again, it is not the symbol or the abbreviation that matters. What matters is its value or its worth. What’s important is how much can you buy with X Rupees versus an X Dollar. And no jazzy symbol is going to help you increase that purchasing power.

For now, the symbol is just aspirational. The US Dollar has a symbol, the Euro does and so do the British Pound and the Japanese Yen. Why not the Indian Rupee? The new symbol will definitely draw attention for some time, hopefully create a brand out of the INR just the way the Euro did, but nothing beyond. The Indian currency would not grow stronger versus its American or European counterparts simply because now it has a new symbol. Nor would it become a favored currency to stock due to its fancy symbol. Enough of the jingoism. Let us look at the symbol as a differentiating, short character for the INR / Rs. and be happy that it reflects the Indian ethos, but nothing more.

As for me, I eagerly look forward to type the Indian Rupee symbol using my (possibly) Chinese / Taiwanese assembled keyboard on an American operating system and share it with the world. That should be some pleasure for the creative, cultured Indian in me!

Predict for me, Paul!

Half of the world seems to be besotted by Paul, the miracle octopus that seems to be bang on while predicting winners of every game in the ongoing football world cup in South Africa. But that’s not unusual considering mankind’s eternal fascination for all forms of prophesies. And I am no different.

Except that what’s important for me is not the prophesy……what has to happen will happen. All I am looking for is an early indicator that helps me plan some preemptive action.

So Paul, would you work for me? Should you agree, here’s what I would set as your 10 KRAs and want you to predict for me:

1. How much hike would my employer give me this year?...so I can decide whether it’s worth staying put
2. When would I get possession of my home?...delays such as these drive me crazy anyways
3. When would the SBI increase / decrease my home loan rate?...better fiscal planning could have helped even the Government of India reduce its budget deficit; some early warning should save me the worries as well
4. Would apartment rentals in Bangalore decrease next year?...extremely wishful though
5. Would petrol prices rise next week?...another strike…another unscheduled holiday…this time I might plan another new place, much further off
6. Which stocks should I invest in?...strike while the iron’s hot
7. Would the weekend movie be worth the multiplex tour?...I don’t quite agree with Rajeev Masand always
8. What would be the next social networking sensation?...I am pretty late on the blogging scene
9. Will my maid come to work tomorrow?...3 days of laundry is pending, haven’t had dinner home given the rather limited, unwashed kitchenware and the home’s a mess. Here are some some clues – any festivals around? Any weddings or puja in her locality? Everyone in her family healthy? Has she found another higher-paying employer?
10. When would India win the next cricket world cup?...given your penchant for predicting games, this one should be a cake-dive for you

Help me, Paul! Can you predict all these? Viral media reports that Paul gets the choice of picking food from 2 different transparent containers lowered into his tank; each marked with a flag of the playing teams. Football fans believe the container (and hence the flag) that Paul opens first is the one that’s going to win. For a detailed demo of how Paul does it, check out this video:



If you guys can predict any of the above, pitch in on this blog. If you have your own questions, pitch in again, I am sure Paul can do some freelancing. A word of caution, Paul – your 8 arms might entangle in the maze of ifs and whens and buts, while attempting to predict any of these.

Captivating Coorg!

Some of the most exciting vacations are the ones that are completely unplanned. And I can sure vouch for at least one such! The national bandh called on 5th July provided a long wished, extended weekend for a quick getaway. Unfortunately, the office folks announced it too late on Friday evening to plan a holiday well. Adamant as I and Ritu are, we decided the limited time to plan is not going to get in our way of taking a break that we have been planning for the past 6 months. Coorg, located just 250 kms or 5 hours from Bangalore was not just an option, it’s something that we have been thinking of since the past 3 years since I first visited this amazing place.

So finally at 11 pm on Friday, we decided we were definitely heading off to Coorg – with no confirmed accommodation, no camera, no idea about the places to visit and very limited knowledge of the route…..so much for the generally, professionally-well planned me and the every outing-well planned Ritu. Anyways, so we took off the Mysore highway pretty early for a Saturday morning and boy, wasn’t the drive truly amazing. I have always been fascinated by all forms of engineering marvels and such highways just add to my fantasies. A sumptuous breakfast at Kamath Lokaruchi, fuel tank topped up and I was in the mood for an early siesta. But the idea of revving my car at over 100 kms an hour was enticing enough to grab the wheel once again. I don’t remember when was the last time I did that. Bangalore traffic and its infamous interceptors far outweigh any acceleration specs any car brochure publishes.

There are a number of small towns en route Mysore, but what’s more interesting are their nicknames. First there’s the Silk City Ramanagara, then comes the Sugar City Mandya and then the historical town of Srirangapatna. If my history grades testify, I guess it’s the place where Tipu Sultan fought the British. Moving on, apparently Coorg is known as the Scotland of the East.

Cruising along, enjoying the drive with an eye on (as I-just-realized) my limited CD library, we reached Kushalnagar. This town has a very popular Buddhist monastery, surprisingly called the Golden Temple. I am not sure if it is inspired from the one by the same name in Amritsar. I was surprised by the sheer number of (from what looked like and I spoke to one) Tibetan monks. These monks have made Kushalnagar their home – it’s almost as if you are in a completely Buddhist town and you see practically everyone with features similar to India’s north-eastern population. One cannot help but marvel at the sheer serenity of the temple and the huge 60 ft. statues of the Buddhas, and at the same time wonder why they chose Kushalnagar, a place that’s so far from Tibet to meditate, learn and pray.

The next stop was supposed to be a homestay that I had temporarily blocked as accommodation. I have been told by a number of people that homestays are comfortable and cheap. It took me close to 2 hours to find ours and while the place was beautiful, I wasn’t comfortable encroaching on someone’s privacy (and vice-versa). Our room was inside the bungalow, through the living room without any private access route. We came out within minutes. As much as I had enjoyed the drive through single lane, muddy roads lined with coffee plantations on both sides and the beautiful cottage with a huge courtyard in the midst of a coffee estate, I was equally disappointed by the prospect of exchanging uninteresting pleasantries with total strangers on a long due, holiday time with my wife.

So here we were – 5 hours of driving, completely exhausted, not visited a single tourist spot and no place to rest. We could have either checked into a hotel (but all within our budget were full) or head back home. The latter wasn’t an option after the long day. So we tried our luck at one of the hotel agents and he offered us a private cottage by the Kaveri river at a pretty comfortable price. Sounds good? Not until we reached the place. Again the drive was amazing (and I keep on saying that), but once there the cottage (1 amongst 5) was a really small, cramped up place. We didn’t have an option, so we stay put and crashed to rest.

The next morning, I thought we’d take a stroll around the river that apparently is the USP of this cottage. Everything around Coorg is named after Kaveri river….Kaveri estates, Kaveri hotels, Kaveri travels, Kaveri adventures…..for that matter Bangalore gets its water from Kaveri. The name has disappointed me since its water doesn’t flow to my home and I have to buy drinking water every week. This after being such an honest tax payer all 5 years of my professional life! Perhaps the curiosity to check out the personally non-gratifying river led me to check out its banks. I must admit, it wasn’t all that great, but not too bad either. Check it yourself here:

Next, we headed off to Abbey falls. Winding through a long road uphill and then down the valley, this waterfall was well worth the previous night’s anguish. One look at this picture and you’d know why. You can hear the waterfall from a distance and feel its cool drops (tushaar as they call it in Marathi) as you stand on the bridge. How I wish I had a similar mini-waterfall in my home…..sometime soon!

Since we were already past noon, there was limited time to see something else in the day before we began our back-to-boring home sojourn; we thought we’d make the most of what’s available. So the next stop was Dubare. This place is famous for its elephant park-of-sorts and river rafting. We were pretty late to see elephants, but we did catch a glimpse of one across the (once again) Kaveri river. We were more interesting in rafting though. So we bought the tickets, clamped on our helmets and life jackets, played with our oars and jumped into our raft, only to be thrown off right in the middle of the river. Kaveri isn’t that bad, dude! It was cold, still and it’s water gushed into my ears…..hey, but how often do you enjoy this kinda thing? Back on to the raft, a few kms down the river, tired rowing, I wanted to dive back in….and I did. This time it wasn’t the same……the first time is always more memorable…..it always sets the benchmark…..and that applies to everything!

7.5 kms of unskilled, haphazard rowing left me completely exhausted. Thankfully, there was a Mahindra Commander jeep waiting to take us back to the starting point. How I wish I was driving it. After a good lunch, we started our drive back home……and again it was awesome…..only until we reached the Mysore highway. Reality strikes! I had to show off my lane cutting, two-wheeler blocking, truck and bus overtaking maneuvers and what better than the SH17 to test them. Unfortunately, I wasn’t half as good as my co-drivers.

Completely drained of any energy, we reached home and the only thing that I could remember from the journey was…..you guessed it…..the drive. Just as my wife enlightened me sometime during the holiday, the journey (or in this case as I read it) is more enjoyable than the destination. And in case of Coorg, it’s captivating!

PS: A word of advice, if you plan to drive to Coorg – stock your car’s glove box with piles of audio…..you will always run out of them. As for me, I wished I had some more old Hindi songs’ CDs……coffee estate lined roads, Kishore Kumar and the person you love by your side…..who the hell needs to plan holidays more than that?