Imagining India - by Nandan

The snapshot by Nandan 

http://imaginingindia.com/explore-and-discuss-the-book/explore-the-chapters/ideas-that-have-arrived/

Finally I completed reading this book on Feb 3rd 2009 . 515 pages in 15 days .  Avg speed of 34 pages/day . Well looks like a slow reader , but personally I feel I have improved a lot in terms of patiently reading a complete book .

Now some key highlights 

- Nandan explains that we need to have shift in the way we tackle the issues in our country from the current vertical ones ( Religion , Caste , Region ) to horizontal ones that cuts across all ( Education , Infrastructure , Heath , Employment )

- The book is divided into 4 parts 

The first part is about Ideas that got India the current GDP growth rate (8 %+) . Following were the shifts we could see post independence to now

1) Population considered as drag to economy to human capital 

2) Rejection of entrepreneur to acceptance of entrepreneur in policy making .

3) Rejection of English ( being imperialist )  to acceptance of English for livelihood .

4) Perception of IT changed 

5) Acceptance of Globalization 

6) Transition from Top-Down politics to Bottom- up Politics ( rise of regional players )

The second part of the book is about Ideas that are widely accepted but yet to see results ( critical if not completed timely we will have GDP drop below 6 %)

1) Full Litereacy has gained acceptance . But we are yet to implement universal education.

2) Acceptance of Cities as economic health .

3) Acceptance to overhaul the woeful infrastructure 

4) Removal of regulations restricting interstate trade to build common domestic market.

The third part of the book is about Ideas were we dont have consensus ( if we get this right we can have GDP around 10 % + ) 

1) Continuation of Reforms ( role of govt vs markets , reforms in agriculture ,policies for better education , more jobs and better infrastructure ) 

2)Ease of labor regulations 

3) Regulation of colleges  and Role of state and universities .

The fourth part of the book deals with ideas that are still missing in our policies and these emerging challenges in horizon  may impact the future growth for us 

1) Computerization of Govt Process by reinventing the process first .

( single citizen ID ,  New distribution channel for Direct benefits , Access to market information to rural India , Reforms in Land Titling and Property rights , Transperency in Governance )

2) Heath reforms ( Epidimic tackling to preventive heath )

3) Pension reforms ( social security )

4)  Environment challenges (  Accept Green as part of business model )

5) Power reforms 

Best sites

http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1809858_1809957,00.html

Making Great Decisions

http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=uA0ZGe-OLK4&feature=related

Beautiful Mind : Movie that has impacted my way of thinking

" I always believed in numbers in the equations and logics that lead to reason ..... I truly ask what is logic who decides the reason ...... It is only in the mysterious equations of love that any logical reasons can be found 

My favourite songs in you tube

1) Kal ho na ho sad song

http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=0C5u8VE4c1A&feature=related

The lyrics just touches ..... For folks who miss their love 

us baat ko jaane hi do
jis ka nishan kal ho na ho

har pal yahan gee bhaar ke jeeo
jo hai samma kal ho na ho

2) kaisi hai yeh ruth-dil chahta hai  ( Ecstacy )

http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=Udc2YPjkOPI 

Game Theory

Game Theory is a method of studying strategic situations.

Key lessons from session -1

1. do not play a strictly dominated strategy

2. rational choice can lead to outcomes that is not optimal

3. It's the lesson that payoffs matter : you can't get what you want unless you know what you want.

4. 70% of people in business world are not moral . 

5. Put yourself in other people's shoes

Education Links

Good sites for education 

http://oyc.yale.edu/economics/game-theory/contents/sessions.html

http://www.oculture.com/2007/07/freeonlinecourses.html

http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Sloan-School-of-Management/15-024Summer2004/LectureNotes/index.htm

Steve Jobs' 2005 Stanford Commencement Address

Connecting dots 

Death is single best invention of Life ......

Stay Hungry Stay Foolish

http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=UF8uR6Z6KLc&feature=related

The Dynamics of Change and Fear

The formula for any successful change is 

Power of Value from Change > Power of maintaining status Quo + Power of fear towards risk taking

Future Disruptive Technologies

1. Wireless Communication

2. Services for Enterprises , Institutions  ( web services , security services , search services )

3. Open source

4. Next generation chip & memory ( Nanotechnology )

5. Innovations in Energy

6. Personalised medicines

Refer http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=syjg00Re3tQ&feature=PlayList&p=050880E50C8EF7AE&index=2

Crossing the Chasm

A Summary of “Crossing the Chasm”

By Jonathan S. Linowes, Parker Hill Technology

Geoffrey A. Moore, Crossing the Chasm, Marketing and Selling High-Tech Products to Mainstream Customer (revised edition), HarperCollins Publishers, New York, 1999

The high-tech marketing guru (and principle of The Chasm Group marketing consultants), Geoffrey Moore offers time tested insights into the problems and dangers facing growing software companies, and a blueprint for survival. This classic text (first published in 1991) is widely accepted as “the bible for bringing cutting-edge products to progressively larger markets.”

For the benefit of the reader, while I do not presume to do justice to Moore's book, I attempt to summarize key points here:

 A market is defined as

a set of actual or potential customers

for a given set of products or services

who have a common set of needs or wants, and

who reference each other when making a buying decision

The final point may be the least intuitive, but Moore says, "the notion that part of what defines a high-tech market is the tendency of its members to reference each other when making buying decisions-- is absolutely key to successful high-tech marketing."

Reference : http://www.parkerhill.com/Summary%20of%20Crossing%20the%20Chasm.pdf

The more we change the more we remain same

"Nothing lasts forever." , This is one of the dimension of ultimate truth . After reading through lot of articles over past 2 years on many aspects in life . This statement reflects the true meaning to all " The more we change the more we remain same " . Let me put my view point on this statement on multiple dimensions and my understanding is one can take this upto any level and for any context . This is the beauty of simple and powerful statements .

Nature : Today our scientists are at the threshold to discover the antimatter/dark matter/god's particle http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Large_Hadron_Collider  . To simply put human mankind is trying to discover nature that has not been seen so far . Today we know we know that for each positive force that is there in nature we have equivalent negative force to hold it . The point here is nature's fundamental design has ensured that there is balance & symmetry to anything and everything . ( Note these are  dimensions of ultimate truth )

Human Evolution : We homosapiens http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_evolution have evolved over a period of time ( note Iam bringing time as another dimension ) . But at each evolution there has been innovation done by human beings to move ahead . But at same time the challenging forces also evolve along with that . What we need to understand here is that it is not the outcome that is important ( because results are temporary )  but the process that one undergoes to achieve the results that brings the 

satisfaction ( Note here I bring one of the attribute that we human beings look for ) . Also innovation is just a process that enables us to take actions . And as per Gita ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhagavad_Gita) we are been asked to focus on Karma ( actions ). Now here for each action we do we are also building challenges at the same time to trigger the next action . so this is vicious cycle and at the end it is all NULL . ( Note NULL / Zero / Emptiness is the another dimension of ultimate truth ) . In Maths zero is the centre point for both positive and negative numbers . It is the starting point for us to measure / calculate anything .

Technology: Today we see so many gadgets / services that have evolved to make life easier , simpler for humans . But what we miss to see is it also added necessary new complexity and new challenges . So again we are looking at net result as zero . We solve problems to create new ones [ Another dimension of ultimate truth ]

Management : Today we see successful corporations across the  world over going bust at some time or later, for that matter currently big financial institutions in US are disapperaing . All these financial innovations had enabled few sets of organizations /people to make money . But in a bigger context either based on markets or based on some other instances in life these organizations or those few sets of people will face corrections .What goes up has to come down , for every action there is equal and opposite reaction . ( Note this is another dimension of ultimate truth ) 

Now to make one's thinking scalable and enable to apply these concepts . One has to look at each aspect in life [ news , events , objects, humans etc ] with positive view point and negative view point . Both view points are correct and there is nothing wrong . This will help one to build balance in thought process . Today human beings are within an environment that is random in nature , but at fundamental level our desire is for peace , calmness and steadiness . so each one of us face the forces of randomeness on daily basis but the key here is to use the random forces to achieve steadyness is where one gets peace of mind.

Hilarious stuffs in you tube

The best ones in you tube .... makes me go back to school and college days

1) The Exam moments : Look at the cool way and presence of mind of the student .... and finally the reaction of teacher at end .
http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=TwJK1lURhhk&feature=related.
2) If you are football fanatic you will love this .... true investment by the company to get this adv
http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=RGR_HwUsDcE&NR=1
3) This is just too good not to miss ... shows that preconcieved notions may lead to wrong view points
http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=e89HBOdrNyc&feature=related
4) One more football .... but with Japanese sumo combo .... Weight does not matter in football
http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=yOu06jJHoEM&feature=related
5) This is another one of those that says never trust your eyes ... it can get you things interpreted in wrong ways .... enjoy
http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=uo5tCHdlMKU&feature=related

Kallai Mattum- Dasavatharam Lyrics

These lyrics turn beautiful when it is sung from heart ..... this is true beauty of nature .

This is the music in youtube : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgzTz6ZqsJE
Kallai Mattum Kandal Kadavul Theriyathu,Kadavul Mattum Kandal Kalladi Theriyathu.. (2)
Ettil Ainthu En Kazhiyum Endrum, Ainthil Ettu Aaen KazhiyathuAshta Aksharam Aerkum Nenju Panjaraaksharam PaarkathuVoonak Kannil Paataal Yaavum KutramthaanNyanak Kannil Paataal Yaarum Suttamthaan
Mannuga Thillai Valarga Nam Baththargal, Vanjjagar Poy Agala,Ponnin Sey Mandabaththu Ulle Pugundhu, Buvani Ellam Vilangga,
Pallandu Pallandu Pallayirathandu, Pala Kodi Nurayiram,Mallanda Thin Thole Manivanna, Nin Sevadi Sevvi Thiruk Kappu
Illai Endru Sonna Pinbum IndriamaiyathuThollai Thanthabothum Engal Thillai Maarathu (2)Verasaivargal Munnal Engal Veeravainavam ThorkathuMannan Solluku Anji Enrum Maerkae Sooriyan UdikkathuRaaja Lakshmi Naayagan SrinivasanthaanSrinivasan Sei Intha VishnuthaasanthaanNaatil Undu Aayiram Rajaraajar ThaanRajanukku Raajan Intha Rangaraajan Thaan
Neerukullae Mooikhinalum Neethi SaagathuNenjukullae Vaazhum Engal Jothi Saagathu (2)Veesum Kaatru Vanthu VilakanaikumVennilavai Aathu AnaithidumaKottum Vaanmazhai Nilam NanaikumAntha Vaanam Thannai Aathu AanaithidumaSaivam Endru Paarthaal Theivam TheriyathuTheivam Endru Paarthaal Samayam Kidaiyathu..(Kallai Mattum..)

Obituary : N. SRINIVASACHARIAR

Obituary

Sri N. SRINIVASACHARIAR (105) President Sri Ahobila Math Samskrita Vidya Abhivardhini Sabha & Former President Sri Ramakrishna Mission Asrama Schools expired on 2-6-2008. No.117,K.R. Koil Street,West Mambalam,Chennai-33. Ph:24893224
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/03/16hdline.htm

Posts in web about N Srinivasachariar

I had time to consolidate all the links about my grandpa N Srinivasachariar. It is interesting that this thought never struck me when he was alive . As they say death brings new insights into human thoughts .... may be this can be one another example .



Article by S VenkataramanMajor General (Retired)Army Medical Corps Editor
http://rkmhighschool.com/

"A few of our classmates particularly T.S.Anantheswami Rao, P V Parthasarathy and S Venkataraman who were constantly in touch since school days proposed to collect all our 1954 SSLC Batchmates (A&B Section) for a reunion and there was no better occasion than a “50 years after school” in 2004. To add importance to the occasion our dear headmaster Sri N Srinivasachariar was there to bless all “his” wards of 1954 Batch at the age of 101 yrs. T.S.Ananthaswami Row, P V Parthasarathy, K Ananthanarayanan, K S Subramanian and P Venkataraman put their heads together and communicated with as many of our classmates and fixed a recunion of 1954 SSLC Batchmates of Sri Ramakrishna Mission High School North Branch on 26-06-2004 at Chennai. It was a grand success with about 30 of our batchmates attending many of them with their families"
http://sadvidya.com/school/annualrpt.html
The institution is a co-educational one and is managed by SRI AHOBILA MATH SAMSKRITA VIDYA ABIVARDHINI SABHA, a registered body, ( 3/1968) under the Presidentship of
Sri. N. Srinivasachariar, a nonagenarian, veteran Educationist.
The School Committee functions under the valuable guidance of our revered President,

http://sadvidya.com/home/members.html
Members list

1. Sri N. Srinivasachariar
President
2. Sri N.V.Vasudevachariar
Secretary & Treasurer

Centenarian N. Srinivasachariar, president of Ahobila Math Samskrita Vidya Abivardhini Sabha, West Mambalam, conferred the title `Aasiriya Ratnam' on M. Srinivasa Rao, former headmaster of Savitri Ammal Oriental Higher Secondary School, Mylapore on January 29 for his contribution to the cause of education.
http://www.hinduonnet.com/2005/02/04/stories/2005020413910300.htm

100 years of relation ship by Chitra in Chennai Online

Today I had an opportunity to search for this link in Google . Thanks to technology I was able to open this archive . http://chennaionline.com/chennaicitizen/2003/11srinivaschar.asp
In case you are not able to open the link I have pasted the content for easy reference . Thanks to Chitra for taking effort to put an article of this great person in net.

100 years of relationships
Young teachers these days are constantly complaining about how their students do not respect them enough or even acknowledge them when they bump into them outside the school/college. If that is the case of the students they are teaching, one can imagine the attitude of the alumni.
But here is one teacher who is constantly surrounded by his students who are retirees themselves. That is N Srinivasachariar, the grand old man of Mambalam, who turns 100 on November 17. Though born on December 9, 1903, his 100th birthday is being celebrated according to his star – Maham – and the Tamil month – Karthigai.

He touches everybody who meets him with his genial mien, his twinkling eyes and the benevolent smile. But his lean and lanky frame, with flowing white beard, his 'namam' standing out boldly, belies his age and his strong willpower.
Though born in a small village called Nagai, near Mannargudi in Thanjavur district, he had his schooling in Madras, under the watchful eyes of his 'Periyappa', Maharishi S Vasudevachariar who built the huge edifice of Ramakrishna Mission schools in T Nagar.
Srinivasachariar holds a postgraduate degree in physics from Madras Christian College and diplomas in geography. He is a Sanskrit scholar who has won several awards. His English is impeccable and he quotes from several legendary poets and Shakespeare with ease even now. What a memory!

Though basically a student of science, he came to be considered a walking Wren and Martin (grammar book),” recalls a student. While some of them speak of how they got interested in chemistry, physics and maths because of him, there are several others who say their love for English was cultivated by their teacher Srinivasachariar.
“You should listen to him taking classes on Shakespeare and other poets. We used to be enthralled,” says my 81-year-old father, T Ramalingam, a retired professor of chemistry and one of those many devoted students of “my vadhyar”.
After teaching stints in Wesley College and Madras Christian College, he joined the Ramakrishna Mission High School in T Nagar in 1933. After about 14 years there, he shifted to the North Branch of the school on Bazullah Road, T Nagar, as principal. And he built the institution like he would raise a baby. He inculcated great values in the students who studied there and always spared the rod and gained the love and affection of his wards.
After reverting back to the Main School, this time as principal, he retired in 1964. But he continued to be associated with the activities of the mission and was president of the managing committee till about 2000.
He started the Ahobila Math Oriental Higher Secondary School under the auspices of the Sri Ahobila Math Samskrta Vadya Abhivardhini Sabha in 1953 and the school has grown in leaps and bounds in terms of spreading knowledge of Sanskrit, teaching the Vedas and promoting academic excellence. Despite all these achievements, two things rankle in his heart. He was heartbroken that the North Branch of Ramakrishna Mission School, that he built brick by loving brick, was shut down, closing avenues for the poor and downtrodden. In its place stands a very modern edifice, that charges its students fees.
The other incident is the difference of opinion he had with the Ramakrishna Mission and its activities and he how he got sidelined from its activities.
When I met him one evening in his house within the Ahobila Math school compound, he narrated the incidents to me and said, “I have papers and other documents to show you how I fought to keep the North Branch alive and my communications with the management.” He took steady steps to a glass bureau while I watched helplessly, and picked up dusty books and papers.
Then he sat cross-legged on the floor (!), leafing trough the material. I looked on as he piled books and paper cuttings on the floor.
Despite watching all that he built crumble, there is no rancour in Srinivasachariar. The sweetness of his personality has endured and he has simply gone on to build another wonderful educational institution in Mambalam.
Looking at me sideways, he suddenly exclaimed amidst all the papers, “See, I even have the letter your father presented to me on the day I retired.” There it was, a letter signed by my father in 1964 as president of the old boys association, felicitating him on his retirement!!
“My father is also like you,” I said. “He has a prodigious memory and can remember names and events even now,” I exclaimed. With a twinkle in his eye, he answered, “Must have been because he was my student.” I don't think my father would ever disagree with that.
This guru-sishya relationship simply makes you go speechless.
My salutations to you, sir.