Lifes Good

Cost of freedom

2011-08-12T23:01:00.000-07:00

Since I was a young boy, My dad used to take us to the aquariums in Balgandharva Rang Mandir in Pune. I recall that I used to always feel quite bad to see fish in an aquarium. I believe it was a cage for them and that they would be better off in the open waters. I felt the same way about any animal which was harnessed in any way. I never wanted to really keep any kind of such pets. At a very subtle level I also believe that our dogs (I have several of those at home :-)), even though they are not tied up at home, are still caged. That they would be freer outside on the road or a farm house at least. This is evident from the behaviour they exhibit when we take them for a walk. Its like they haven't been out in ages, smelling and picking at almost every thing. They are so repressed. Whereas their stray friends, who are always outside, don't pay much attention to the same elements (they are not repressed)

One can always argue that we are providing them food and shelter. Out in the open, they would need to fend for themselves. But I believe that by protecting them, we are actually stunting their growth (same for human kid as well...parents are you listening?) and making them dependent. Once they are dependent, obviously they will find it a challenge to fend for themselves in the open.

A couple of years back, I was gifted a small aquarium with fish. For some reason, I didn't resist it and accepted it and enjoyed it too. I enjoyed caring for the fish, watching them, cleaning the tank etc. So much so that I went and bought a big aquarium, and added more fish. One thing led to another and I kept adding elements to this (external filters, TDS meters etc). I found myself spending a lot of time and money on the aquarium and also observed that I wasn't really enjoying this as much. Maybe there was a nagging thought at the back of my mind about their captivity. Whenever I looked at them, I felt bad.

Sravanthi, actually planted the seed in my head of releasing the fish into their natural environment. I connected with this advice and did this for the fish in my small aquarium. I felt a great relief to watch them swim and play in the natural waters. Recently, I felt motivated to do the same for the bigger fish in the large aquarium. I felt they were really boxed in and also were not growing. It was as if for our little viewing pleasure, we have captured these live beings in a box. I took help of Rajesh, took them in a box and released them into Pashan lake. It was a pleasure seeing them swim.

of course in both cases I couldn't really go back to check on them, since it would be impossible to spot them. But I believe they are much better off, happier and free. They will have to work for their food no doubt, but isn't that what life is all about. Growth.

I did a rough calculation to note that in 2 years this hobby cost me about Rs. 50,000/-.

This is the cost of the freedom for the fish.

Or is this the cost of my freedom :-)

Some learnings/observations
- If you are about to start something new (whatever)
- Sleep over it
- Feel your gut for doubts (ignore fears)
- Sleep over it again
- If still feeling good, go for it.
- If you are into something and its not feeling good
- feel your gut for doubts
- If not feeling good, not your calling
- Drop it fast

Disturbance

2011-07-28T10:34:00.000-07:00

I am reminded of a session I attended with guruji Sri Sri Ravishanker. This was a public session to introduce "art of living". During the Q&A session, a lot of people came up to guruji and ask for help with their problems like, inability to walk, family troubles, chronic medical problems etc. After listening to them, Guruji only gave one piece of advice, i.e. do your pranayam daily. At that point I found that advice quite disconnected.

Similary, when during our SSY programs, if any student is to ask our guruji about solutions to their problems (in this forum the problems presented are in the relationship, family and business zone and not much related to health), guruji would (after listening to them) eventually give them a common advice i.e. to be in silence (not to be confused with not speaking). Again I couldnt find the connection.

As of late during my disturbed states, I have observed myself "thinking" constantly about how to handle the "situations, people who are causing me distress". My mind is busy being angry with these people, forming conversations which I need to have these people, threaten them, show my authority over them, tell them what I think of them, correct them, fearing for the future, brooding over the past, etc.

Now I guess I would have been doing this all my life, but unconsciously.

It hasnt helped at all. Or else I wouldnt be distressed at all. I wouldnt attract toxic situations in my life. Why is it then that I go through ups and downs in my moods, my energy, my enthusiasm, my happiness, etc.

I now realise the value of the advice of the Guru. They are actually saying that you cannot solve the problems in the body and mind at that level. The constant stream of thoughts is creating the reality around you. And you are attempting to solve the problem created by thoughts by more thinking. Stop, and do your pranayam, and meditation. Go down to zero.

But don't I have to solve the problems I am facing, or confront a person who has hurt me, caused me a loss, etc.

No, going by the law of attraction, please note that these toxic and distressing situations (reality) are caused by an equally disturbed mind. So no point in using the same distressed mind to resolve this issue. Instead go beyond that and silence your mind. This will automatically lead to calmer, prosperous exteriors. Nothing needs to be done except practice of silence (being mindful) and breath awareness. This will reduce cluttering thoughts which will result in a reality which you actually want from within.

Osho also always said, that if you are angry, distressed, get away from other people since you will spread this to them. Go and hide somewhere and come out only when you are calm and centered. In hiding, do some dynamic meditation to rid yourself of the toxic energy by beating a pillow, doing physical activity, dance etc. Your anger, disturbance is your own. Nobody else can cause this. Now I understand why he invented the dynamic meditation.

Helping or Supporting someone

2011-07-23T07:31:00.001-07:00

I became aware of this tendancy of mine to do things for people, make them comfortable, put them at ease, reduce their pain. It was "my way of expressing love" for them. While I have been doing this all my life (not sure where this tendancy/habit started), recently I actually saw how its actually crippling them. This is a selfish move on my part, I am doing this for my self, I am doing this to feel good, I am doing this to avoid conflict, I am doing this to distract others, quite unaware of how much damage its doing to the other and to myself.

But then, giving to someone and seeing them smile or use your gifts is so gratifying, right? Is it not what we are taught, give, share and that will bring happiness?

So there is a distinction which is kind of sinking in now:

If we are doing things for people such that it will make them happy or will make you happy, or make them dependant on you, etc...probably its a disservice to both.

If we are doing things for others out of being happy and peaceful and which ENABLE them to feel happy deep down (e.g. you help them discover their true calling, help them discover their worth, help them realise how much potential they have to help themselves go to another level...), then its love. Then supporting them monetarily will be to help them work on their potential. Said another way, supporting another is to help them be free and not a dependant.

Remember, however that the sun doesnt rise from your ass, so we should not claim credit to make others successful. Do your part since thats happening through you. It is Gods will and doing.

At another level, examine the motive behind your own actions, and do it only if its out of love. It will help you grow.

On Forgiving

2011-07-23T07:30:00.000-07:00

The other night at dinner, Sushi our dog was begging our maid for food. The maid gave her food. However Sravanthi got really angry with Sushi and gave her a shouting. Sushi slinked away and hid. But Sravanthi couldnt handle this and called her back, gave her ice cream, petted her and then continued her dinner.

I observed that when a pet or an animal does something we dont want them to do, we do rebuke them but we forget it as fast. In fact it stays with us only as fond memories. However when a human in a relationship with us, does something we dont like, we hold it against them for a long time. We seem to have forgotten, but if you observe these instances keep coming up as flashes in our memory. Why is this? The common factor between both interactions is me, myself. So why cant I treat the human "mistakes" just like that, drop them and move on?

I have known people to not talk to each other for years. People may change but the issues linger on.

Our guruji explained this quite well; When our pet does any "mistake" even repeatedly, we internally understand that its not a deliberate act of malice towards me or my family, its unconscious. We can correct this by training, but that doesnt make it a conscious response, it only makes it a conditioned response.

When a human repeatedly performs the same "mistake", we feel its a deliberate act. Its also to be noted that most actions by humans are out of habit (conditioned actions). But our feeling is that "this person is not able to get it". We probably need to understand and observe that most actions by most humans are as unconscious and as conditioned, as a pets. Additionally, the focus cannot be on the other, it has to be on self. The other is my mirror image.

By holding on, we are harming ourselves more.

2011-04-14T06:28:00.000-07:00

Become the Bike
Pune to Mangalore – The journey within

The Trip
This was a holiday of a lifetime. It stretched all my capacities in more ways than one :-), combined adventure, being in nature, and an indulgent recoup in Goa. I went upto Goa alone on a cycle and was joined by my dear friend Sravanthi in Goa. From then on I travelled by cycle along the coast line to mangalore while Sravanthi accompanied me by car. Along the way we experienced staying at beautiful locations like Marwanthe near Bhatkal in Karnataka where the NH17 road has a stretch with the ocean on one side and fresh water on the other. Over the 9 days on the road, I would start at 5 AM and ride an average of 100 kms a day, through some of the most beautiful roads and regions. At Mangalore we turned back to return to Goa and soaked up the ocean, sun and beer for a lovely recoup. Take my word, do this trip if not on a cycle, at least on a motor cycle. You will come back a different person :-)...Love...Sunil

The Journey
On this journey, I experienced how it feels to be the work that you choose to do (so the title). My day on the bike was akin to a day in my normal life where I had to continuously challenge my belief systems, make choices, mitigate risks, keep myself energised, be in the moment, take quality decisions and action, and most important of them all, love what I am doing. The love for cycling, for my bike and for nature, kept me going day after day even though my ass hurt like sin :-). There came a point, where I could wake up daily and cycle the 100 kms as if it was a normal routine day. I could go on and on. I became the bike.

Pillars: Fuel, Stretch, Pranayam, Meditation and Rest:
This is what kept me going. Simple clean food during the ride and good stretching, meditation and sleep after the ride. This pretty much makes up the pillars of our lives (should be :-). Make this a life habit and you can keep going with high energy. I would strongly recommend Yoga for anybody serious of living a high energy and healthy life. The big difference this time was that my training was 80% about regular Yoga practice and the rest was hill climbing. Did almost zero gym work this time around. My rides were better and post ride recovery was good. Also at each pit stop, I would perform basic stretches, which I learnt in my yoga class, and then start again. Heartfelt gratitute to my committed teachers at Param Yoga, (paramyoga.in) who introduced me to this energising and refreshing form of exercise and relaxation.

Best wishes in your inner journeys, Love, Sunil

The Full Story:
Dear Friends,
Just like all my holidays this too had to have a challenging element along with an indulgent recoup thrown in. I decided to double the distance from my last years pune goa ride and go the distance upto Kannur in Kerala. However I aborted the trip on the last but one leg of the trip at Mangalore. The NH 17 road was not great going forward and also extremely crowded with a lot of diversions etc due to four laning activity.

I have documented my experience in 2 sections, one which talks about the changes within me and one which is about the external experience during the holiday.

Hope you enjoy reading this and can learn from this.

The Trip
Day 1: Pune - Panchgani: 100 Kms : 6 Hours 15 mins
This was an unnecessary diversion, however I had missed covering Panchgani in my training rides and felt a deep urge to get a strong and difficult start. Scaling this distance, boosted my confidence big time and set the tone for the days to come. I would recommend strongly Maitstone homestay in Panchgani. Very nice location, very cost effective, exptremely hospitable Virjee family. (Contact : 02168240256)

Day 2: Panchgani - Satara: 45 kms: 1 hour 45 mins
This was such a good location, that I was tempted to stay for an extra day. BUt I decided against it since by taking this diversion, I was making my Kolhapur ride nearly 150 kms. I decided to stay the night in Satara and then ride to Kolhapur the next day morning. I rode in the evening to Satara at an average speed of nearly 30 kmph, going all out to reach before the sun sets. I stayed at a highway hotel and kept my cycle in the room as a part of my luggage :-)

Day 3: Satara - Kolhapur: 129 kms: 5 hours
This was by far the best performance of the entire trip. Averaging 23 kmph, I did this like I was possessed. Was a steady horizontal ride on a very high quality road (no comments on the density of traffic closed to Kolhapur). I stayed in the Guest house of the Ford dealership on the highway which belongs to a cousin of mine. The guest house is one the emost tastefully done up place I have ever seen. And the stay was absolutely five star with the cook Santhanam giving me lovely home cooked food and being very attentive.

Day 4: Kolhapur - Amboli: 139 kms: 7 hours 30 mins
By far the toughest day of the journey. I dragged on the ride a few hours into the ride. Kept thinking it was to do with a fatigue level. However it turned out to be a slow puncture, which I noticed at the 70 km mark. I had the option to change the tube on the road itself or push air and continue until I reached Amboli. Chose the latter. This decision cost me in terms of energy since the tire never really remained hard and the road was uphill and rough. Reached 10 mins before lunch hour closes. Evening I replaced the tube and got ready for the next day. Stayed at whistling woods, which is a decent good hotel. Had dinner at Kamats, as dependable as ever.

Day 5: Amboli - Goa: 89 kms: 4 hours 30 mins
Hot, strong ride and smooth ride into the hotel at Calangute where I stayed. I stayed at ABC resorts. Cheap and best with a 5 min walk from the beach which is not too crowded. Had to leave after 6 AM (after the visibility was good). Descending the Amboli ghat in the dark is not advisable. The road is bein repaired and there are no markers.

Day 6: Rest

Day 7: Rest

Day 8: Goa - Karwar: 105 kms: 5 hours 45 mins
Couldnt leave at 5 AM from now on. on NH 17, which is a 2 lane highway, its better you are more clearly visible. But this meant a lot more riding in the heat. But by far this highway is the most scenic roads I have ever been on. You go through forests, come close to the ocean, backwaters, villages, all in one stretch. The road had its share of climbs, curves and descents and loads of traffic, especially till margoa (35 kms from goa). All along the road, one gets to see loads of stray cattle loitering across the road :-). Stayed at the Lotu resorts, where Vishal the manager was kind enough to give us a good discount considering the effort I had taken to get there :-). Karwar, on the border of Goa and Karnataka, is a place to settle down in. Very sparsely populated, pristine untouched beaches, islands which one can visit (i didnt do this). We had lunch at restaurant downtown called "Premier". Awesome local food (Karnatak south indian thali).

Day 9: Karwar - Bhatkal: 120 kms: 6 hours
A very beautiful ride again through similar territory described above. All along the higwhway one can stop and buy coconuts. I drank and ate a lot of tender cocunut to keep hydrated. This was a long and hot ride. We decided to go past Bhatkal and stay in Marwanthe, which is a small village where the ocean touches the highway and there is fresh water on the other side. The two dont meet. We stayed at Turtle bay resort and experienced Karnatak hospitality and tourism. Very warm people with a simple but working system. All food orders are placed at reception and time taken to deliver is in hours. Only one cook taking on the orders serially. Was fun though. BTW we had no electricity all through the night.

Day 10: Marwanthe - Mangalore: 100 kms: 5 hours.
This trip was the home run as decided about halfway to mangalore. AS I got closer to Mangalore, the traffic increased manyfold, and road got worse. At stretches, there was no road at all. All through our travel and stay through Karnataka, we kept looking for a Kamat to eat an original dosa. He eluded us until we reentered Maharashtra. Karanatak is full of duplicate Kamats :-). Even in mangalore after a lot of asking we were finally directed to a thalli joint for original mangalore food (Janata dining). This is in the heart of Mangalore and Was quite good. Instead of staying in Mangalore, we decided to pack up and drive back to Goa the same day itself. The rest of the holiday was spent bumming around in Goa and recouping from all that exertion.

Day 11 - 14: Indulge in Goa :-)

The Journey
===========================================
Below are some of my takeaways. Nothing new, except that these were experienced by me first hand :-) All of these will apply to any aspect of your life (daily). Its not just with the bike.

Break your mould:
To go to another level from experiencing what I did, you would need to push yourself out of comfort zone at the mind, body and emotional level. Dont be timid with life, choose experiences even if they appear tough and you will experience great freedom just doing those. Just like the body grows by resistance, the mind also needs challenges. BTW this can happen at work too.

Dont get stuck:
Our Guruji (Pujya guru Rishi Prabhakar of SSY), conducts these 21 days with Guruji programs. Although I havent attended any of these, I learn that he doesnt allow the troop to settle anywhere. As soon as they feel comfortable, he moves them away. This keeps people growing. Everytime I landed at any of my halts, I would feel like staying an extra day. But I would enjoy that 1/2 day and move on the next day. I realised that I enjoyed the riding as much as wanting to stay a little longer in that place.

Effort->Relaxation->Effort- cycle
I realised that only indulgence will sap your energy. Also that only exertion will sap your energy. However exertion followed by indulgence followed by exertion is a great combination to maintain health, grow and enjoy the "good" parts of life.

Risk
While riding on the highways, a few times I had some trucks come real close and actually startle me. After these incidents, I became aware that for some time I would be very anticipative while riding. This actually brought me away from the moment and got me into a "planning" mode. I then realised that actually risk is a future or a past concept. In the moment there is no risk whatsoever.

Mind limits and Mind expands
The choice is yours. I believed I could do it, and I did it. The reverse is also true.

Quality:
When Sanjay (my driver) picked up the freshly serviced car to bring it to goa, I observed that the fuel comsumption was 3/4th of the tank. I worked the math from a 40 litre tank and came to an average of about 15 kmpl. I was quite satisfied since it matched popular wisdom and the norm. However on the way back, I checked the tire pressures before leaving (found them to be 1/2 of what it should be) and then found out that the same distance can be done in 1/2 the tank. Thats a saving of 10 litres of fuel + the fact the car is very efficient at about 22-25 kmpl (which may not sound belieavable). At first I was a little upset with sanjay, but it was low quality on my part to accept the initial reading without a quick review on basics. Be aware, at every step you would need to exhibit quality. Quality is not an end result but a series of quality steps. Be there in what you are doing. Give it full attention or none at all. Dont do anything half baked.

Fuel, Stretch, Pranayam, Meditation and Rest:
This is what kept me going. Simple clean food during the ride and good stretching, meditation and sleep after the ride. This pretty much makes up the pillars of our lives (should be :-). Make this a life habit and you can keep going with high energy. I would strongly recommend Yoga for anybody serious of living a high energy and healthy life. The big difference this time was that my training was 80% about regular Yoga practice and the rest was hill climbing. Did almost zero gym work this time around. My rides were better and post ride recovery was good. Also at each pit stop, I would perform basic stretches, which I learnt in my yoga class, and then start again. Heartfelt gratitute to my committed teachers at Param Yoga, (paramyoga.in) who introduced me to this energising and refreshing form of exercise and relaxation.

Be present:
Rise above the mental chatter to be there and be aware of all what is happening. While riding from Kolhapur to amboli, I was unnaturally dragging. I kept feeling that fatigue has caught up with me (popular wisdom) although I was feeling strong. My average speed dropped from 25 to 19 or so. I thought I was bonking. I kept eating and drinking regularly to keep going. However when I got onto the bumpy state highway, I realised I had a flat. The rear wheel was slowly releasing air and it was half empty. Possibly I had this a long time back and was dragging because of that. Dont assume anything. Go with your feelings. I should have connected to my feeling of being strong and checked all other aspects of the ride.

Become the bike:
After the first couple of days, I got into the groove of waking up early, getting on the bike and going for 100 kms. Ater 8 days of riding like this, I was ready to go on. It was like going to work. I then realised that what I experience in that one day on the bike, we all would be experiencing in our days at work. Challenges, pain, joy, rest, et. al. Become the bike, become what you do. Love it.

Love your work:
My bike, body, mind went all the way with me because I loved them all. I nurtured them, cleaned them, maintained them and they served me well. Love whatever you are doing, whatever you are using, whomsoever you come across, just come from love.

All the very best in your journeys.

Packing list for solo trip:
The below list is a bare essentials list (trimmed as per my experience). I was a little heavier since I carried a spare cycling gear assuming that the clothes wont dry in 18 hours. BUt I found that they dry by the night.
1. Minimum toileteries (toothbrush, small toothpaste, shave kit, small soap & face cleanser, small bottle of moisturiser (doubles up as after shave also))
Buy shampoo sachets, whereever you are.
2. Shorts/pyjamas + a t shirt + a spare underwear to change into once you land up and shower.
3. Cycling gear, just what you are wearing, which you wash and dry before the next day.
4. Gatorade sachets, dates, raisins
Buy bananas, cocunut water, water along the way.
5. Tool kit, spare tubes, air pump
6. Camera (optional)
7. Cell Phone and charger.
8. Money, id, credit card, atm card etc,
9. A plastic bag/case for all electronic and paper items.

Cycling dos and donts as I learnt:
1. Start early at around 5 AM to beat the heat. Ensure that the headlamps and tail lamps on the cycle are functioning.
2. On the NH 17, start only after day break (around 6:30 AM), since its a 2 lane road, with no consistent border marking, making it very risky to be on in the dark.
3. Consistent, evenly paced, fuel and stretch breaks will keep you going longer. Stop every hour of cycling for 5 mins to stretch, pee, drink fluids (at least 300 ml). Eat every 2 hours or so (dates, bananas, potatoes, cocunut) to prevent bonking.
4. Dont cycle after 12 noon. It will be counterproductive and will actually sap all the energy fast. If you havent reached your destination yet, sleep below a tree or in a dabha until 4 PM and start again.
5. Be aware of the air pressures and slow punctures if any. You will feel the cycle dragging.
6. Pack the carrier bag such that the food, camera, phone and money are right on top and easily reachable without having to unharness the bag each time you stop.

Preparation, Team work and Intent

2009-07-27T10:45:00.000-07:00

Please read about in the post mission: rescue princess

http://www.resqcharitabletrust.blogspot.com/

Creatures of Habit

2009-06-30T04:23:00.001-07:00

Today while bathing, I came into the present (one of those rare moments) and observed how I dried myself using exactly the same movements, sequence, pressure, and time like I do every time. It was uncanny to perform this observation. It was like observing the observer. Meaning, I knew I was repeating the movement in exactly the same way “while I was doing it” and I also knew at that point that I could simply shuffle it up for a change.

It gave me a revelation of how many habits we are actually harboring. Like how we eat, how we stand, how we hold the brush, how we open the car door, how we sit, how we think, the routes we take to go home etc. It could be in hundreds or even thousand or so. So don’t for one moment think that just cigarette smoking is a habit.

Essentially for many of these 100s of habits, its inconsequential even if you continue doing them the way they are e.g. drying yourself after a bath in a certain way (unless you witness carefully and can do it more optimally J/better). But I think, that if we can be in the present for every action we do, we would automatically see the problem/waste in many of these habits.

Try it out the next time you bathe J or perform any action.

Lets change our ways, there is always a better way to do things…believe this first.

Creativity, Compassion and Care

2009-03-08T04:12:00.000-07:00

"How does it feel to be beaten to death?" When Neha asked me this question on the way back from the rescue, shudders ran up my spine as I imagined how it would feel. To think that there are countries where death by stoning is part of their legal system.

What happened?

On saturday afternoon, when Neha frantically called me to join her on a resq call, and told me that a bunch of people were beating a dog with sticks, all kinds of thoughts were flashing through my mind, while I rushed to join her for this call.

My mind conjured up images of the poor dog, the people who called to report the incident, the mob, the detached bystanders.

The feelings were of anger, helplessness, revenge, and anxiety to be able to get there quickly.

This call came from a lady (Anita), who was passing through Pashan road with her family and they observed a bunch of guys with sticks, who had surrounded a dog and were beating it severely, just oustide the DRDO gate. A mob of bystanders were simply standing there and watching (as is usual on Indian roads), without anybody really intervening to put an end to the brutality.

Anita, her husband Amarjeet, their friend and couple of more poeple, who had the guts to step outside of themselves, rushed there and tried very hard to stop these guys (security guards outside the DRDO complex, along with some DRDO employees), but to no avail. While these guys were at it, their colleagues from within the DRDO were actually standing by and encouraging them to beat even harder and ensure that the dog is dead.

Meanwhile, she also managed to call Neha, who got me and we landed there. A little too late though; the dog was no more. They had managed to beat it to death. It was a small, starved weak looking dog, who probably had gone looking for food or water. She hadnt bargained for this. According to Anita, even while they were beating her, she was wagging her tail, probably telling the assailants that she means no harm.

We were all livid. Gone were the thoughts of handling the situation with calm. I was shouting all over the place. While the Police were called for, Neha had already called MOnoj Oswal the head of PFA (Peaple for Animals, an organisation by Meneka Gandhi) in Pune, so that we could take some legal action against the concerned. We were in no mood to let this incident be swept under the carpet.

Not relenting to the diplomatic attempts by the DRDO top brass to convince us to ignore this issue, we decided to press charges. Cruelty to animals is a cognizable offense which is punishable by law. In addition we also wanted to set an example for people to learn from. Once we decided to press charges, however, we got full cooperation from DRDO...Thanks.

After identifying the suspects, we had them arrested by the police. The witnesses were kind enough to wait through all this and make their statements to the police. Parallely we took to the dog to the Aundh veterinary hospital for a post mortem and inquest panch nama. We got good coooperation by Dr. Lokhande there, to complete the proceedings, despite it being a saturday.

Shweta asked me to name this dog so we can remember her for her bravery and also the impact she would have had by being the instrument to setting an example for people to see. At this point I can only think of calling her "braveheart".

Why did this happen?

People standing around were trying to say that since these people were not educated, they didnt know any better. I say, this is no excuse to kill any life form. I think such barbaric acts stem from living at a very low level of awareness (I observe that most people fall into such a category...educated or not). In addition it can also be attributed to an Innate deeply held frustration and pent up energy. Add to this, the Mob psychology, where each one draws up energy from others and act like sheep, losing all sensibility and clarity of thought.

Surprising !

All it needed was one guy from within their organisation to stand up there and stop them from doing this.

Hats off

To Anita, her family and the other gentleman, who stopped and tried to control this situation. We need more such people, who can step outside their comfort zones for somebody/something else. Anybody listening?

Possible Solutions

-Education and sensitising the masses about the care for life.

-I feel that all corporates & organisations should institute programs to nurture the 3Cs (Creativity, Compassion and Care) in all connected employees, contract workers, etc. People no matter at what level should be given an opportunity and a platform to create something of value, connect to their inherent compassionate selves, and care for some life. This could be humans, animals, environment or whatever. This will keep the energies of people channalised for connecting to their larger divine self. Unfortunately most people live like machines, and never really grow to their true potential. So people like us should create that environment in our vicinity...thats all that is required.

- Corporates and organisations should make it mandatory for all employees and workers to undergo spiritual and self development trainings (besides the skill developments) like SSY (Siddha Samadhi Yoga) and Art of living. The difference it has made to people in our organisation cannot even be described.

- More people like Anita and her family to standby what they believe in, no matter how much pain or discomfort it causes them.

For more information about Resq activities...http://www.resqct.org

Do you have 5 minutes

2009-02-24T20:46:00.000-08:00

Recently Amol (my colleague) came up to me and asked me if I had 5 minutes for a quick review.

I spontaneously told him that "time is all I have".

Immediately a realization dawned on me that all of us actually come on this planet, only with time. All else that we acquire along the way, is also lost before we depart from this planet. with the exception of spiritual growth.

We need to be very conscious of where we spend our most valuable resource - time.

Some suggestions (which I am working on in my life)

- Spend time creating...its an expression of God.

- Spend time being compassionate - its also an expression of God

- Be available to people you care about - another expression of God

- Spend time growing as an individual - invest in harmonising the 5 aspects of being a human (as per my experience with SSY)-

--physical (regular exercise)

--intellect (understanding, reflections, introspection),

--life force (energy - pranayam)

--emotional (meditation)

- spirit (identity, work on a cause bigger than yourself)

All the best

sunil

One Election can change the Nation and the world

2008-12-04T21:31:00.000-08:00

The following note is reproduced with permission by the author, Tarun Malaviya.

I fully subscribe to this point of view.

Sadly a lot of the reaction to the Mumbai terror attack has been emotional (and at times simply naive). That is understandable. But it serves little purpose to condemn all politicians. That only ends up undermining democracy.

My belief is that democracy offers the best mechanism to make meaningful change. And it is quite simple. One, we must resolve to vote. Two, we must find the best candidate to vote for in our constituency.

The idea seems too simple & simplistic to work. But, it isn’t so.

Firstly it is not simple - voting for the cleanest candidate means voting across party lines, across regional, cast and religious divide. That would mean a leap for most people. Also, it would require some work to figure out who the honest, diligent candidates are.

The idea is not simplistic either - no matter how cleverly the candidates have worked out the electoral math, a one percentage point votes added or taken away from a candidate can make all the difference (actually even single vote can do it). More importantly since we are dealing with not just a case of security lapse but a rotten system, we must start by fixing it from the top. And there are many more things to fix in India than just the security apparatus.

If you find this idea sensible please send this mail to as many people as you can. If you are enthused by the idea spread the word further. And if you are charged up to really make a difference gather the information on the best candidate in your constituency and spread the information around (emails, blogs and networking sites are simple ways to do this).

The more honest people we can get into the parliament the sooner we might see the change we so desperately need.

One election may just change the course of history for our nation and the world.

-tarun.

What is truth?

2008-11-24T05:26:00.000-08:00

This question has been "truthfully" :-) bothering me for a while now. Everyting I hear a discourse from a Guru, or read some self help books, they talk about living in truth. So what is it like to live in truth?

Truth is what is and not what we interpret it to be. I know it sounds obvious, but this was a moment of revelation and realisation for me today. Most of the time we continuously interpret what we see, feel and hear. We color the "truth" with our past experience OR what we would like it to be in future and present it. Thats a lie and will always remain one.

In one of our review meetings, a similar thing happened today while presenting the numbers related to the funtioning of one of our departments(unconsciously I would hope). One of friends once said that "numbers never lie" and this is the "truth" if the numbers are presented as they are. Thats what I mean by seeing what is. If the numbers are colored by a desire to be seen as good, then we could go on a totally wild goose chase.

Put another way, all of us should be on the lookout for always trying to bring out the "truth" way past the interpretation of it as anybody sees it.

If we color the "truth" by our past experience and judgement, we are probably not realising the potential of the situation. If we color it by a future dream, we are probably not in acceptance of the situation as is. Stop applying adjectives to situations.

Resq, Resq and more Rescues

2008-11-16T06:18:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends

After Panda's rescue (mentioned in an earlier post), there was a period where I wasn’t involved with any rescues (thanks to my extended holiday and business travel commitments). That doesn’t mean there weren’t any. Our team & volunteers are constantly at it.

Most of the distress calls for animals are due to road accidents. Being an animal lover and also a driver of a vehicle, I look at this situation in an equonamous fashion and understand that it’s not just the fault of the driver of the vehicle. The urban environment with the mind set of most people is quite hostile for stray animals.

Reflect on some common causes of dogs getting into accidents.
1. Many people so unconsciously shoo away dogs when they come across them on the streets, that the dog is startled into jumping away and actually finds itself hit by a vehicle.
2. Dogs crossing the road to look for food or chase another dog who has dared to stray into its territory.
3. They sleep under vehicles and when the vehicle starts, they can’t get out quickly enough.
4. During festivals, the noise makes them run helter skelter looking for relief from this noise. In this scared, hyper mode, they are not so alert and tend to get hit by vehicles.
5. Besides these, open man holes, unfinished infrastructure having gaping holes, construction sites etc also are harmful to the poor souls.

My recent rescues in the last 7 days would give you an idea of what the animals really go through (I don’t have enough data on the rescues done by the rest of my team)
1. A small cute kitten (now called Rini) was attacked by a dog and was lying prone (paralyzed) in the compound of a bungalow. Thanks to the caller, timely attention by the vet and now loads of tender loving care and attention by Mitali (who actually individually runs a cat rescue, care and adoption center); she is now on her way to recovery. If anybody wants to adopt cute adorable cats/kittens, please write to Mitali at adoptakitty@gmail.com.
2. Another kitten (whom we called Tiger, since she looked like a tiger), who was actually noticed by my friend Prem, to have a broken hind leg. It's been observed that kittens have a tendency to hide behind the radiators of cars in parking lots. Despite veterinary attention, she didn’t survive the night. Cause was an internal hemorrhage.
3. While returning home one night, I observed a dog on his side trying desperately to crawl out of a deep water filled pothole on West Street (near the pay and park on East Street). I stopped and saw that he was a fairly old dog, skin disease and paralyzed from the waist down. He didn’t have enough leverage to get himself out of the water filled ditch. Probably might have been in that position for ages. While I was talking to Neha and Shruti to figure out what to do, he died right in front of my eyes. I pulled him out of the ditch and left him there.
4. Immediately after that I attended to a call on Dhole Patil road. An elusive but weak dog was reported. Wasn’t eating and couldn’t walk too far before collapsing. I found him, and from the waist down seemed very weak and also twitching continuously. I conferred with Shruti and left him to be picked up the ambulance the next day. Since I wasn’t available the next day, Sameer attended to him. It turned out that he was distemper case, recovered.
5. A few days back, I woke up to cries of distress which sounded like puppies. I went down and asking around I found one puppy crouching between a telephone exchange box and the wall. I thought he was stuck so he was howling. I pulled him out and took him home. While going to work immediately after, a friend of mine Aspi, called to inform me that there seem to be puppies below the same telephone box. Then I realized that probably some of them had fallen in and the puppy on the outside was crying for his family. Now we have a situation. This particular telephone exchange box was mounted on a frame which was about 3 feet into the ground. Ideally the frame and box should have had no gaps (unfinished and poorly implemented infrastructure). But it had a four inch gap through which one or more puppies had fallen into the ditch. No way to look in and gap too small to put the hand through. The only solution was to remove the box. It was a struggle, but thanks to timely help by my friends Sunil, Rohit and Murtuzza who provided the tools to open the nuts, we pulled out the puppy. Both are now fine and are staying at the dog pound. Both are very cute, dark colored male puppies. Let me know if you would like to adopt.
6. Last night was a completely paralyzed dog who could only lift his head. There was a large swelling in the lower back, spine area pointing to a road accident again. No external wounds. Didn’t survive.

Yes, I know that the basic cause is that we are not supposed to have strays. And for this we have a WHO directive and enough evidence to support the fact that this population in the dogs can be controlled only by sterilizing them in pockets.

But while that happens, we can’t act irresponsibly about them. Remember they are living, breathing, sensitive creatures. If we feel that they are invading our space, the reverse is also true.

We need to accept them, respect them, help them and work towards reducing their population.

I think the key word here is "responsibility" and "ownership". Let’s not simply wait for "someone" to fix this problem. Do what you can. If you feel helpless, at least call when you see an animal in distress and see that rescue through by providing the necessary local support.

So what can you do?
1. Take leadership and work towards getting the dogs in your area sterilized. The only effort you need to put in is to coordinate this and provide some local logistical support to one of the animal welfare organizations who exclusively do birth control e.g. Blue cross society.
2. Educate yourself and your children on accepting strays as part of the ecosystem we live in. Teach them to treat the strays with respect and not be afraid of them or cause them any harm.
3. If you see an animal in distress, please do stop and evaluate the situation. It’s a selfless act to be responsible for a life. You happening to be there could be looked at as a chance or a part of a larger play out by the universe to give you an opportunity to do something large. Call our rescue hotline 98903 34433
4. If you would like to keep pets, adopt a stray. They are hardy, low maintenance and very loving. And they need a home.

Thank You

2008-11-06T02:10:00.001-08:00

I travelled yesterday by the MSRTC volvo bus from Mumbai to Pune. The best thing about this service is the punctuality of departure and running. They do not waste time (our time) scouting around for extra passengers even if the seats are half empty. While I sat there listening to the radio, I was reflecting on the many times I would have travelled in such buses (public transport) and the life of a driver. I am safe so far means that the drivers (of the many busses I have travelled in so far, including yesterdays trip) have done their job well. A thought crossed my mind...here are scores of people who have had a hand in transporting me around (have actually been part of a service chain) and how often have I just walked out of the bus at the destination without really stopping to express my gratitude. I decided that I would do it today and then at every such opportunity.

When we stopped at Pune and while I was aligting, I stopped by the driver, touched his shoulder and thanked him for the good safe drive. He smiled and was also slightly embarassed. With a gesture he said "its ok. its my job". But I knew and could feel he was touched. I was touched too.

Go out there and express your gratitude openly. It'll only bring more cheer into your life.

My second Himalayan holiday (Kuari Pass trek)

2008-10-29T01:56:00.003-07:00

Where is this?
Kuari Pass is a mountain pass at about 3800 mtrs in the central Garhwal Himalayan range in Uttarakhand (norhern state of India). The pass is probably the best window to view the high Himalayan peaks. We face north and see the gorges of Trishul in the east to the peaks of Kedarnath in the west - the Kedarnath, Chaukhamba, Nilkantha, Kamet, Gauri Parbat, Hathi Parbat, Nandadevi, Bethartoli, Dunagiri – (all high 6000ers or 7000 m peaks) lined one after the other in a panoramic arc

Why did I choose this?
Hmmmm...As I was planning my holiday for this year (its been 2 1/2 years since I last took one), I dug deeper into myself to see what did I really want. I realised that I needed a mental cleanser (its been a very active last few years on both the personal and the professional front), and that I needed to retract and develop a better understanding of myself. Also that I was going to do this holiday alone (no friends or family tagging along) and didnt really want to indulge in a splurgy holiday. I worked out several options but fell prey to the great Himalayan temptation. I also recalled the great time I had the last time I was there. I was a little apprehensive since the mountains would be cold at this time of the year (I am not a great fan of cold weathers...prefer summer anyday). All said and done, I thought it would be a great non-indulgent way to unwind, what with all the physical activity to be undertaken.

How did I plan this trek?
Once decided I started looking for companies, which organise treks for small groups. I thought that since I am alone, I may as well join a group. After a lot of unsuccessful attempts ( i sent an enquiry to more than 10 companies, whose links I got off the Internet, but didnt get a response from a single one), I got a reference of Wanderers from a friend who had travelled with them earlier. I started interacting with them, and I found them so amazingly responsive. Maithilee from their Pune office, patiently helped me work out several options and arrive at a solution for my needs. I finalised upon the Kuari Pass trek, which was just the right length (10 days Pune to Pune) and spent enough time in the mountains (7 days). In addition a small group had already formed for the trek. I did this a couple of months before the departure date to give me enough time to work out the plans in office and also to prepare myself for the trek.

The trek:
I have described my trek in the sequence of days as we went through the trip. The pictures uploaded in picassa are also arranged in the same sequence to relate the happenings of the day.
Day 1:Delhi -> Rishikesh (330 mtrs)
Starts at Delhi by boarding the Shatabdi to Haridwar where we were received by Avilash Bisht of Aquaterra adventures, who would be conducting the entire trip with us. (Wanderers have tied up with Aquaterra adventures). The entire group was on the train (probably in the same compartment) but we didnt meet since we didnt know each other. Our group consists of myself, Vikram (delhi), Shirsha (Mumbai), Richa (Delhi), Emma, George, Niki (UK). From Haridwar we were driven to Rishikesh, where we put up in "The Great Ganga". After a group lunch, the day was free and I set out to explore Rishikesh (my first time here). I visited the famous Ram and Laxman Jhulla (suspension bridges across the Ganges), listened to some soulful music for a long time outside a music store, attended the arti at dusk on the banks of the river and devoured some delicious north indian samosas.
Day 2: Rishikesh -> Cheffna (1560 mtrs)
We woke up early and started out on a long picturesque drive towards our first camp site. It was approximately 240 kms and we were headed for a village called Cheffna. We drove in two vehicles, a Chevrolet Tavera and a Toyota Qualis (I am mentioning the vehicles since they deserve a special note for being able to stand up to the rough roads quite sturdily). The drive was serene and we passed four confluences viz. Devprayag, Rudraprayag, Nandprayag and Karnaprayag. We followed the alaknanda river and after a 7 hour journey, reached our camp site on the banks of the Nandakini river. Our drivers kept up the pressure and went over teh rough roads at a good consistent pace. My respect for the tavera and qualis climbed a few notches. we made it to our camp site, just before sun set and were greeted by the rest of the Aquaterra team who would be with us on the trek and would look after us. We had Yuvraj (one of the cooks, very good one at that, who Vikram said looks like Rafael Nadal since he was sporting a bandana over his hair), Yogendra (the other cook), and Chain singh. Besides the four aquaterra team members, we had four mule drivers and 8 mules to carry the equipment, kitchen, etc. Our camp site consisted of basically 4 tents for the 7 of us, a kitchen tent, a toilet tent and a dining tent besides the other stuff like stools, tables etc.The food was quite unexpected (throughout the journey). Variety daily, with desert and very delicious. I thought the cooks were not just professional but also very deeply involved with their work. They surely loved their jobs. We turned in early since we decided to start walking at 7:30 after an early breakfast. It was my first time in a sleeping bag and a tent and frankly found it a little difficult to sleep.
Day 3: Cheffna -> Ghunni (2450 mtrs)
We woke up early at 6 AM. It was quite cold (for my liking). Hot water, tea and coffee was already served in the dining tent. While I was strolling around having my morning litre of water, I saw Vikram walk back from the river looking absolutely fresh. he mentioned that he had a full body bath in the river and encouraged me to do so. It was tempting but it was also very cold and the water more so. Moreover I dont normally bathe in cold water. Eventually I gave in to the adventure spirit within me and took the plunge. Awesome is the only word to describe the experience. The first splash not withstanding, I wanted to continue bathing for longer. Thanks to my left over sensibilities I exited and dressed up. Felt lovely...thanks vikram for this push.After a yummy breakfast and a packed lunch, we started our trek. Today was a short day of approximately 4 hours and takes us through the Ghat village onto another village called Ghunni. I was carrying my own bag (approx 23 pounds) and found the going moderately tough. The sun was high too. After we leave the camp site, the team packs up, loads the mules and moves to the next camp site. They try to get there earlier than us so they can setup the camp site and greet us with a hot cup of tea. Today was an exception, but while we waited for them, we devoured our packed lunches. The camp site was right above te shool in Ghunni. I used the space after the trek to reconnect to myself, do my meditation etc. What follows from now on is a similar pattern.
Day 4: Ghunni -> Sem Kharak (2630 mtrs)
We left our camp site at 8AM and trekked towards our 3rd camp site. Todays walk involves steep ascents and walks through woods. After about 5 hours of walking, we came to our really cute camp site nestled in the woods. Here we encountered heavy rains in the evenings, after dinner. Weather then was cold and damp. I realised that I have overpacked. There was some stuff which I might never use (refer to my note at the end of this blog post about lessons learnt during this holiday).
Day 5: sem Kharak -> Pana (2790 mtrs)
Today I got rid of about 6 pounds of my bag and let that be loaded on the mules. What was left was a bag minimally packed for 7 days of living off only the bag contents. Today is a tough long day with 2 descents and 2 ascents totalling about 7 hours of walking. Today I came down with a severe congestion of my ENT system along with some fever (it turned out to be bronchitis). This added to my stress and made the day really long and tough for me. The walk was really beautiful though...through the woods (every time we walked through the woods, it looked different), over a very high bridge crossing the Birahi Ganga, crossing some really pretty meadows, and a village where there was a school. The kids here clean the school themselves, and call the teacher "Adhyapak" which is a hindi word for teacher (Check the pictures). Todays camp site was located above the Pana village. we had 3 cute kids from the village visit us and be with us. They were curious to see what we are upto. They were especially kicked to see me, George and Emma meditate. They were sweet enough to sing for us.
Day 6: Pana -> Dhakwani (3105 mtrs)
Todays walk was through forests and meadows with steep ascents and descents to bring us to a camp site just below the Kuari Pass. From our camp site, we could clearly see the pass above us. Today was a stretch and a struggle for me physically. I was finding it very difficult to breath, thanks to my congestion and the thinning air. I was now consuming crocin+combiflam (twice a day) to get symptomatic relief at least (didnt help much). In the mountains, its not just the temparature but the breeze which adds to the discomfort. It multiples the effect of the cold (chill factor). Continuing to walk now was a mind game for me. I was now physically broken. Tonight we would turn in early since we planned to wake up at 3 am and reach the pass before sunrise. We wanted to capture the snow capped mountains being kissed by the rising sun (how poetic :-))
Day 7: Dhakwani (3105 mtrs) -> Kuari Pass (3800 mtrs) -> Khulara (3395 mtrs)
We started at sharp 3:30 AM and walked with flash lights towards the pass. It was a steep climb. I was covered with 5 layers including thermals, woolen cap and muffler and gloves. I was really straining today and it took me a little over 3 hours to reach the top. But once at the top, all pain was forgotten. We had a panaromic view of the Chaukhamba, Neelkanth, Badrinath, Kedernath, Kamet, and more. It was stunning. We spent a good deal of time on the top, ensuring our cameras have captured the peaks with all the changing colours (as the sun rose). It was severely cold, especially due to the wind chill and most people couldnt use their hands.Shirsha and Richa were our professional photographers, who between them took over 500 pictures using SLR cameras. (I have linked to their albums in this blog). We bumped into a foreign national who had camped on the pass (must have guts to sleep in that cold) and had been travelling in India since a year and half. He was kind enough to take some pictures of the group using our cameras. We were lucky to have not encountered any bad weather (despite niki having seen one Magpie, which was supposed to be unlucky. After a windy breakfast and a short (refreshing) nap in the sun, we started our leisurely descent towards Khulara. The camp site again was nestled in the woods near a water source. As soon as we settled into our camp site we encountered bad weather (not too soon). We were treated to a hail storm for about 4 hours after which our green camp site turned white. The whole camp site looked like a snow covered holiday resort.The weather turned really very cold and we huddled around a camp fire to keep warm. I realised how poorly i have been sleeping all through out the trek. (probably couldnt handle the cold). This despite having exchanged my sleeping bag with Avilash's bag to see if the bag is not suitable for these temparatures.
Day 8: Khulara -> Auli -> Bihari guest house.
Today we woke up later than usual and started a scenic walk towards Auli, where our trek would end. Avilash changed the plan (originally we were meant to descend to tapovan directly) and made walk through the north facing slope and all along we had a great view of the peaks, especially Nandadevi. Was a good walk, partially through the snow covered path and then through a slushy part (melting snow) and the usual dry trail. We were picked up by cars and driven to the Bihari guest house which is along the Bihari Ganga river. After a refreshing bath (after 6 days), we all had a small gettogeher to celebrate the achievement (was not easy...in fact this trek was much tougher than the Har ki dun trek I had undertaken 2 years ago).

My learning from this trek:
Every experience in life happens to you for a purpose. It is lifes way of prompting you to grow up. I believe this and am always on the lookout for the hidden lessons in the experiences (of course without compromising on the beauty of the experiences). Heres what I learnt from this (this trek offered me several "first times" e.g. first time in a tent, first time in a sleeping bag, first time in the snow, first time bathing in ice cold water in the open ( i now suspect that is what caused me to get ill), etc.
1. The lessons learnt to deal with these situations were invaluable.
2. I strongly recommend Wanderers and Aquaterra adventures to help you with your holiday plans. They are very professional and committed.
3. If you plan to carry your own bag, target a weight of 6 kgs including the weight of the bag. I struggled initially for 2 days with my 10 Kg bag, before I realised that I had overpacked. On day three, i stripped the contents to the minimum listed below. It came down to about 6.5 kgs which was more manageable.
Heres what I suggest (learnt by observing Avilash and others and then trying it out after day 3) One pair of tracks + one T shirt + one long sleeve t shirt for the walk (Choose material which dries quickly and also keeps you warm (poly material)and can be reused for the 6 days of walking...recomend Nike dri fit) One extra pair of above in case it gets wet. Change for the camp wear (thermals+pyjamas+layered t shirts+jacket+woolens(muffler+cap+gloves)) spare underwear and 2 pairs of socks Dont carry any toiletries except tooth paste (small)+tooth brush+moisturiser+sun block+soap strips+hand sanitizer (all in travel small sizes) Every 100 gms matters. Dont bother to shave, bathe etc. You wont stink no matter what. The environment is too clean.
4. Nothing you do can prepare you for this kind of gruelling event. It takes the most out of you physically, although it refreshes mentally. If at all, do loads of cardio so your lung capacity is good. Add pranayam to this. Dont forget to strengthen your back and shoulders to be able to carry the load.
5. Go with an open mind and enjoy the experience (especially if its your first time). our group was really sporting and open. Not taking away the pampering treatment given by the Aquaterra team. Vikram was an avid trekker (in these parts) and had loads of information to share about the peaks, spots etc. Avilash was a wonderful guide, very well informed and quite focussed. Richa and Shirsha were our fun anchors. Emma, George and Niki surprised with their high level of fitness (they could chat continuously during the entire walk) and were way ahead of the rest of us.

What about the pictures?
Check out these links (Shirsha's and Richa's pictures have an all new quality/depth...very good pics)
http://picasaweb.google.co.in/sunil.uttam/KuariPassTrekInTheHimalayas
http://picasaweb.google.com/shirsha.gt/KuariPassTrek02
http://picasaweb.google.com/richa.sahai/KUARIPASS?authkey=cHbzpdk1kGE

Would I do it again?
Yes. No question about it.

Panda - My second ResQ

2008-08-14T05:43:00.000-07:00

I am writing this post after about 3 weeks of doing this rescue. It was around 2 PM when I got a call from Neha requesting me to join her for this rescue. She had received a call from a regular caller, who informed her of an injured dog on Pashan road in Pune.

When we reached there, sure enough there was this full grown black and white dog lying on the side of the road with laboured breathing and also bleeding slightly from his nose and mouth. Apparently didn't have any external injuries.

As usual, Neha wanted me to handle this too. I muzzled the dog (as a precaution since we couldn't make out if he was aggressive) and I gave him a sedative shot. Inspected him for any broken bones and we slung him into the rear seat of Neha's car and headed towards the kennels. It was apparent that he was hemorrhaging.

En route, Neha started calling the vets in sequence to see who was the closest and could take a look at him. We were lucky to have Dr. hatekar in the vicinity, heading towards his home.

Doc, asked for him to be taken to the kennels so he could start his treatment. We started him off on a drip with required medications. While this was on, we cleaned up the dirt & blood around his mouth to make him comfortable. While filling out his case sheet, Neha was wondering what to call him. She kept recalling recent movies and we came across "Kung fu Panda"...voila his name is now Panda (he is as cute as a panda :-))

Its been almost 3 weeks, and steadily he is recovering. At first he couldn't walk, fortunately he was eating. By and by he is now able to walk and is returning to normal. he is still at the kennels awaiting a green signal by the Vet so he can be dropped back at the same spot (or adopted...which is a little difficult considering his size and age)

I have to admit, that my first reaction was that if its internally bleeding, it might be a gone case. However since I have been working with this organisation, I have been seeing a very striking blend of practicality and a clinical determination to work on each case with the same enthusiasm and level of detail until recovery. The feeling is that "I must give this my best shot, even if there is a 10% chance of the dog recovering"

I admire this quality and this is what really attracts me to this group. Keep it up guys.

Reply to Ariane's comment on my blog post about Loiu by first resq

2008-08-14T05:40:00.000-07:00

Dear Ariane
Unfortunately you didnt leave any way for me to contact you with regards to your request. Yes of course we would be happy to add to our volunteer network. Please contact me when you are in Pune. You could write to me at sunil_uttam at yahoo dot com.

Loui - My first ResQ

2008-07-12T02:02:00.000-07:00

It was bright Wednesday morning, when I received a call from Neha, asking me to join in for a rescue near the airport road. By then I was almost at work (near Baner) and decided that I might just hold them up by travelling so much. The most effective aspect of this model is that you call in the nearest volunteer to support.

In the evening, when I was on the way to the GYM on FC road, and I asked her about the morning rescue, she mentioned she was trying to coordinate another one near about Alka theater and there was no volunteer in that area. I volunteered to go check it out, since I was so close by.

The case was reported by a family staying in the by lanes near Kaka Halwai on that road. When I landed there, I saw a puppy lying on one side and with these people from the family watching over it. A student (who expressed his desire to become a volunteer) was also part of the group. The puppy had been hit by a vehicle and his right hind leg was broken just below the elbow.
Even though it was a small puppy (around 4 kgs and maybe 4 months old) I used my newly acquired training before handling it. I checked the spine, I felt its body for being warm and sensation, I checked for bleeding. I was told that he had been howling every time he moved. Also observed that he had his right hind leg pulled into his body (mostly in pain). I didnt feel the need to muzzle him or sedate him since he was quite down anyways.

I carefully moved him into the jute bag, (like a makeshift stretcher) holding him by his scruf (to prevent any bites to myself)...he did howl a lot. With the help of the family, I moved him into my car and got him to Neha's home.

She made me give him a shot, cleaned up his wounds, applied an anti flea powder, we tied his leg in a makeshift splint, and let him sleep. I left him there, after which I learnt that he was taken for an xray and his leg professionally done with a splint to help him recover and he was christened Loiu (since he looked like another dog they had got who was called Mario and loui was mario's brother :-)

This was my first rescue with PAWS (i have done several others but would typically move the animal to the Blue cross pound so that a vet could attend or else if I couldn't move the animal, call Dr. Ahir from the pound to check it on the spot.)

Here I observed that the PAWS team takes ownership of the helpless lone animal, nurtures it back to health and rehomes it. I have to comment on the tenderness with which Neha handled the animal. There was a deep concern and desire to see that the animal would be well. At that moment, she was with the animal completely and didn't for once think of it as another one in the crowd. That animal was treated with utmost respect and as a unique spirit. I am sure the others in the organisation think similarly, which explains the mission and passion with which it is run.

Most people I know, would say that someone else will come and take care of it (shrugging off responsibility). I say, we need more people like these, and the family which not just reported the incident but also stood by until we reached there to take charge. Like Osho has said, forget about humanity, and instead lets work on the individuals, the world will be a better place automatically. So citizens, please be more aware while you are living on this planet and sharing the same space with other living beings who deserve as much if not more respect.

BTW, i went to the kennels to look at loiu. The cute guy had his leg up in a plaster and was sleeping peacefully. Anybody want to keep him at home...I guarantee you unconditional love by Loiu :-)

Cheers

ResQ - The paws pack

2008-07-08T07:22:00.000-07:00

Recently while going to my office, I saw a donkey sitting in the middle of the main road, right across the lane leading to my office. Its not abnormal to see donkeys resting near or on the road, typically separated from their pack or with their pack in the vicinity. But I noticed that he didn't look too well. The traffic flow was heavy and despite people trying to move him (stubborn as they are), he wasn't moving. But I could see that it wasn't a steely resolve to stay put but a lack of energy.
That's when I called the PAWS pack, which is an animal rescue organisation, started and managed by three like minded animal loving girls (Neha, Shruti and Tanya). I got through to Tanya, who gave me basic instructions, guided me to contacting a vet, coordinated my meeting with the vet, so I could go and bring the vet over to the site.
The donkey was diagnosed to be having a high fever. The doc gave him a couple of large shots, we fed him a couple of times and the guy recovered. Before long he disappeared, probably joined some passing tribe. I also learnt that PAWS was already aware of this case (was called by some more people) and was keeping an eye on the donkey via some of its volunteers
After this incident, I was inspired to become a member of this team. The concept is amazing...a central point of coordination, relationships with 20+ leading vets in Pune, a 50+ strong volunteer network to cover the city. The model is to get a call of an injured or needy animal, send the nearest volunteer to get first hand information, report back to HO, while the team organises the protocol to rescue the animal.
While running this setup, they I guess, figured that it would be useful to have the volunteers be able to administer basic first aid to stabilise the animal (thereby increasing the chances of survival) while more help comes its way.
Leading towards this they organised a first aid work shop last Sunday, which I attended. It was extremely useful to learning about the common ailments, common protocols to approaching and muzzling the dogs, and very basic treatment (of course in consultation with the vet network).
How can we help this cause?
1. Become a part of the volunteer network.
2. Participate actively in the rescue or help in the back end operations (organisation)
3. Funds (always welcome). Currently the girls are pursuing related professions (like Tanya is a dog trainer & behaviorist, Neha is studying to be a canine nutritionist) to support the cause financially.
4. Awareness...spread the word and educate the masses to help prevent accidents and treat animals with respect.
5. Support by buying/selling their produce. They are now manufacturing dog snacks to generate revenue

Hats off to the effort of the girls and their core team.

A new High

2008-05-28T07:22:00.000-07:00

Hmmm...so did I go looking for another mountain to climb? Well yes and I also found a more challenging one. Close to Pune is Sinhagad (fort built by Shivaji) located on a high hill. There are two ways to reach the fort, one by trekking up via a trek route of about 4 kms, and two
by a road of about 11 kms (parking at the base to parking on top). The road is continuously inclined with a very little respite for a small patch. It has more than 6-7 hair pin bends.

So I thought, now that I can climb mountains, why not this? I chose a Saturday (on a holiday the road to Sinhagad is packed with people) and drove upto the base of the fort, carrying my cycle in my car harnessed to the back on a cycle carrier.

I started the ride around 7 AM. I started strong and kept the cycle in a higher gear to cover ground quicker. At first I was quite comfortable, but after around 4 kms, the high gear started to tell on me. The road was continuously inclined & steep. I shifted to the lowest gear and pushed myself just saying one thing to myself...that I should encounter a horizontal patch of at least 10 metres to get some relief from the pressure. But that wasn't to happen and towards the end, as if it wasn't enough to have a steep road, I also encountered wind resistance. I was steaming, dripping with my mind screaming to turn back and feel content that I made it so far.

That's the lesson, the mind always tries to settle you back into the comfort zone and will try all kinds of tricks to convince you to give up. It will attempt fear (if you go on like this you'll get hurt), confusion (still a long way to go, you wont make it), procrastination (come back tomorrow and try it), give up (not for you...this is for Lance Armstrong), etc. Here you need to do some soul searching to see if you really want this...if you want it, nothing can stop you. I have noted, that whenever ANYBODY REALLY wants something, he gets it, no matter what.

Well, I made it to the top, and lived to tell the tale. The feeling of reaching a new high is unmatched. You have to experience it to know how it feels. I urge you to go for it.

Technically, it took me 1 hour and 15 mins to reach the top covering 11 kms climbing. I took 3 breaks of 30 seconds for regrouping my body. and I followed all that I wrote in my previous blog on eating to recover.

BTW the next time I did it, I was more comfortable, did it in the same time with only 1 break.

Matter over mind :-)

Cheers
Sunil

Over the top

2008-05-09T07:28:00.000-07:00

Dear friends.

Although the blog may appear to be a self praise note, I would like to clarify that the intention here is to share the learning from my life with my friends. I would like to spread the word on what worked for me and what didn't, so you all can benefit from this. Please look at this in the light of the above.

In one of my previous blogs I wrote about "Reaching the top". How I trained to overcome perceived physical challenges and a mental image of "impossibility" to improve my cycling capacity.

In this note, I would like to share how a human is capable of adapting to new situations, latching on thus allowing one to go further up and beyond.

As I continued to train myself, I found myself being able to cycle up the mountain in lesser and lesser time and also recovering much quicker from the grueling workout. I managed to cut my time from 1 1/2 hour to 1 hour in about 4 weeks of training. Also recovery improved to the point, where I can do this twice continuously.

I learnt that the inherent capability was present in me (read all humans) and I had to overcome my mental blocks to have the faith that I could do it and all I had to do was train myself scientifically to prevent a physical burnout or injury. I also realise that by visualising each trip in the way I would like it to turn out, I was able to achieve that and more. Let me caution, that at the physical level, you have to be scientific in the training, rest and nutrition. My training wasn't all about cycling endlessly. No, in fact it has a a solid mix of resistance training to develop strength, stretching to keep my self injury free, cross training cardio like running, a biweekly massage to help recovery, solid nutrition and good portion of rest. If I didn't do all this, I wouldn't be able to get to work and do my job without sleeping out of exhaustion.

Most people arrest their progress by "thinking" themselves into inaction. Overcome your mind to reach over the top. (I'll write a note soon on how one can do this)

Some ground lessons to serious cyclists/athletes for text book style recovery:
1. Eat a banana before you start a long session (2 hours+)
2. Carry and sip water which has glucose (dextrose 3 tablespoons to 1/2 a litre of water)+Electral powder to allow you keep hydrated. Believe me, it makes a big difference in being able to keep going without breaking down.
3. Have 1/2 litre of water for every 1 1/2 of exercise to compensate for the water loss.
4. On returning, immediately have a protein shake (1 scoop whey protein with milk/water).
5. After 1/2 hour to an hour, have a whopping meal consisting of potatoes (excellent carbohydrate source), grain (like chapati, rice, thalipeeth), fruit and curd/yogurt OR eggs.

So now whats next...like I wrote earlier I am looking for the next challenge. By innovating, I could challenge myself on the same route progressively e.g. cycling up in a higher gear deliberately, or pushing for a faster speed to cut time down, doing it twice, carrying a heavier bag to add weight, push to stay ahead of a truck struggling to go up the mountain, etc.

Look for ways to make your life interesting. You can discover gems even in the same path you walk on daily. Push yourself to achieve more (isn't that what life is all about?), innovate, challenge and keep looking ahead. Live on the edge.

You do this, while I seek the next mountain to climb...all towards my goa trip on a cycle :-)
Cheers

Silent retreat

2008-02-21T08:06:00.000-08:00

Recently Mithi conducted a Corporate SSY program for all our employees. The focus of the program is build people by teaching them how to cleanse and maintain the building blocks of life viz. the body, mind and soul. The thrust is on ensuring harmonious functioning of these elements for optimal performance of the person.

Many corporates we hear are now making this a mandatory training for their employees. We found that the corporate version of the more rigorous version of the SSY is as good or even better in providing clarity and understanding on management than many westernised management training programs. But this can be known only after experiencing it.

As a follow up to this, recently I and a few of my colleagues had the good fortune of attending an SSY retreat where we go and stay in the wilderness for a few days away from any stimuli in terms of time (watches), communication (phones/mobiles), money and be in silence for that period.

Being with people but being by yourself.

Going back to the roots, playing, meditating, practicing Yoga and basically doing nothing.

The results are amazing. The energy creation in silence. Being meditative with eyes open. Learning to live on natural foods.

Definitely a battery charger. This is the form of rejuvinating holidays which should be taken up more often. The idea is to come back refreshed and not exhausted (as typically happens on most regular indulgent holidays where one ends up over eating, drinking, overdoing, or over sleeping)

I would definitely be integrating these kind of 2 day getaways into my routine, to recharge.

I strongly recommend this for you too.

Go experience it to know how it feels.

Cheers.

The inevitability of a crisis

2008-02-02T11:25:00.000-08:00

It was 7:00 AM, and I was 50 hours without sleep and we were just about done. So whats going on?

We had scheduled a project to execute in 3 phases over 3 nights since we couldnt take downtime on the servers in the day. OUr execution time had to start at 7PM and had to finish by 1 AM (6 hours scheduled downtime).

The product development team took up this deployment project with me (the product manager) leading this to get a first hand feel and sensitise ourselves to what the deployment and support team faces when they use our creation (the product).

We experienced on the first day how it feels to execute a project which has been planned well and executed as per plan with no deviations done or needed. Here we experienced a form of comfort zone, feeling more and confident as time went by that the result will be as expected.

Even though we didnt face any problems, the time estimate was way of the mark, due to slow execution speed of a few servers. Our learning may have been limited to small challenges coming in the execution steps. That phase ended at 6 AM in the morning.

Even though the team managed to go get some sleep, I was too hyper to get any. The nights happenings, questions, answers, thoughts, learnings, notes, kept flashing in my mind keeping me wide awake. I ended up having a normal working day pondering deeply on how to make our product such that these reconfiguration exercises can be actually offloaded to the customer. I didnt see any scale in this exercise.

Same day evening, we start again. This time we experienced, how it feels to execute a well planned project, which throws up an unknown/unforeseen situation throwing the plan of track. We were faced with a situation of a currupted database on all the servers due to wrong data input to the program. We had to undo the damage and redo the operation properly. An unforeseen situation for which we were not ready.

Here you are pushed out of your comfort zone since you realize the repercussions of what might happen. Its a crisis situation, especially so at 2 Am in the morning when you really cant think that well.

Here however a proper structured response with levels of participation is required to ensure a successful result. If we all had piled into the details and started fixing each case with inadequate discussion or planning we would have created multiple crisis situations within the main crisis.

As an observer, I quickly stepped in to set a framework and document the cases of the failure with an appropriate action plan. Once this was done, I also quickly stepped back. Thereafter the team handled it wonderfully by writing new scripts, meticulously executing these and ensuring that the servers were finally setup as expected.

What did we learn from this:
1. Acknowledge the inevitability of the crisis moment. No point in blaming, getting frustrated, angry etc. Accept and act.
2. Managers to step in at the right time and step out at the right time. Much as you might be tempted to roll up your sleeves, move everybody aside, and start running the machines, I suggest that to keep up the team morale up, restrict yourself to set the framework and the direction and move aside.
3. Plan, act and take unbiased data driven decisions with responsibility.
4. Divide the work amongst the team, but work together and support each other in whatever way possible without too much interference, always staying alert to the changes in the situation.
5. Dont forget to assign, the coffee boy job to someone responsible :-).
6. Once the crisis is over, think prevention, to ensure such a situation doesnt recur. Ask yourself, what you could have done to prevent this situation.

This blog is being published on the third day of the project execution at 1 AM. Estimated completion time for today's project is 6 AM. Good night.

Reaching the top

2008-01-28T07:51:00.000-08:00

Whenever I share my vision of making a trip to Goa on a cycle from my home town in Pune (500+ km), almost everybody has the same expression on their faces - as if saying "have you lost it", "isn't it better & more fun to go to Goa in a car, lounge on the beach, down beer bottles by the dozens and eat like a pig", envy (by those people who would actually want to be seen doing that but actually don't have the energy to do it, or possibly wont be allowed by spouses :-), family etc).

On many occasions I tried to show them my side of the coin...the journey is the reward, food is not the only way to celebrate, just undertaking such an endeavour will expose me to and teach me a lot about myself and the geography, etc. But in vain.

Anyways this journey is all for myself.

As part of my endeavour to improve my capacity to cycle long distances, I would ride small hills, flats for long distances and work out in the gym regularly to build up my strength. Many a times I would think about the several ghats (mountainous roads) that I would have to cover in my journey to Goa and doubt myself if I would be able to climb those steep roads on my cycle. I would recall all those times when I have found even the car struggling to get over those roads (i have driven to goa several times in my little wonder).

Near my house there is bopdeo ghat which leads to a village called Saswad. The top of the Ghat would be around 10 kms from my house, a more or less continuous climb with the last 5 kms really going all the up in a Z shaped carve in the mountain. One day, I decided to overcome my doubt and work towards reaching the top.

I started by breaking down the distance into 4 parts and worked towards doing this in 4 weeks. I set myself the goal of covering more and more distance each time I rode this route, once a week. On other days (with appropriate rest days thrown in) I would cross train by gymming, treadmilling and riding the cycle on flats (sprints and quick climbs on smaller hills).

Guess what, I actually made it to the top in 4 weeks...something I thought I might never be able to do and would have to walk the distance in my journey. No doubt it wasn't easy (I had to do about 5 kms on the lowest gear and had my legs bursting out of my shorts)...but the reward of being on the top and having reached there without a car was amazing. Now the next logical thing is to set a higher and longer goal.

I learnt a lot from this experience.
One, that we are limited by what we think we can do rather than what we actually can do. We actuall build a wall around our selves simply by our thoughts which are limiting and become a self fulfilling prophecy.
Second, breaking down a goal into smaller doable goals and also allowing your self to adapt to the new situations and stresses makes it easy to achieve the big goal (read...I would have failed if i had attempted to do this in one attempt, without preparation and possibly would have given up totally thinking its not for me).
Third, my experience with the bike can be applied to all activities of life - personal, professional, society, family etc. Set lofty goals, break them down, go after them.

Life is about abundance.

Invest in your passions & Experience to know the difference

2007-12-14T05:47:00.000-08:00

I drive a small car which I have owned for a long time (about 10 years now). Its not that I didnt feel tempted to change this to a big or different car, but I mostly shooed the idea away since I am a big believer in the philosophy that one must only buy stuff which one really needs. I convinced myself that I didnt really need another car and what I had was serving the purpose of taking me from point A to point B. Mind you, one of my passions is driving.

A couple of days back, I had the good forture of driving a Honda Accord from Mumbai to Pune. It was my first experience driving a big highly refined car. I was totally impressed by the thought process of the designers in creating a machine which actually assisted and made the job of the driver easy. The power was amazing, allowing me effortless overtaking or speed maintenance on the e-way. The comfort and ergnomics of the seat was unmatched. The AC was actually pumping fresh oxygen into the cabin. While I drove in the wee hours of the morning, my buddies actually slept in the back of the car all through the journey and didnt wake up until I parked the car (wonderful suspension). I could go on and on highlighting the good points, but thats beyond the scope of this article. I actually emerged from the car at 4 AM feeling fresh and quite energised.

Normally, whenever I would do this journey (and longer distances) in my small car (and there were innumerable such journeys done in the last 10 years), I would actually crawl out of the car, be totally fatigued and be ready to hit the sack. I realize now, why it would actually happen; the cabin the small car (at least mine) was not totally sealed, so it would let in the pollution. Secondly the non-assistance by the car (suspension, steering, seat adjustments, etc) would actually make you struggle to keep the car steady and running.

What I realised is that one has to open oneself for experiences to actually develop an understanding of what all the universe has to offer (I am extending the experience to beyond purchases and including absolutely any kind of experience), develop a deep connection to your passions, and actually go out and get the best equipment to drive/support your passion (for all the spendthrifts, best does not necessarily mean the most expensive). So if I really enjoy driving, then I must go out and buy myself the best car (within my means ofcourse).

This is against buying or doing stuff which brings temporary joy. I have observed that there are many people who buy stuff on impulse, or just because they feel it could bring them some joy, or because the neighbor has it so I must too, etc. Its not that these purchases bring these people any lasting joy or peace. I know for a fact that these people who indulge themselves so, are not really any better off in terms of "growth" due to these purchases....basically all not so great reasons to sign the dotted line.

Moral: If you have a passion for something, go all out to experience that throughout your life.

My Himalayan trip photos

2007-02-08T21:48:00.000-08:00

Sorry guys, simply forgot to mention this address here after writing about my holidy in 2006.
Enoy the pictures
http://photos.yahoo.com/sunil_uttam

Are you going to be graduating soon?

2006-12-18T21:00:00.000-08:00

"If so, how many jobs are you going to create"

This is a poster in a popular US university, which in a way is encouraging youngsters to be entrepeuners and risk takers. This was mentioned by Dr. Mashelkar (President of CSIR labs in India) in his talk on how India can rise to the challenge of creating an environment to nurture ideas to become economic succcesses. This was at the inauguration of the NCL innovation part in Pune, where they plan to nucleate and nurture technology and knowledge based enterprises and support research projects which have a potential of growth in the global markets.

He mentioned how the youngsters in India are beginning to think differently and are willing to take risks to follow through their dreams. Of course this calls for a major culture change in the mind set of the youngsters.

Prof. Sir Richard Friend from Cambridge, who has launched two successful ventures from the small town of cambridge mentioned now a town with a population of 100,000 has 900 small companies generating an employment of 27,000 (averaging 30 people per company). Each of these small companies is a valuable asset to the UK nation, since they have a solid potential to scale economically thus enabling wealth creation for the people and the nation. Of course its a daunting task to convert science to technology to products which can be mass manufactured, but all the speakers stressed on the importance of enjoying your work through the pains and the joys of being cashless, struggling to acquire and retain talent, fighting off the predators (read large companies with full koffers), innovating to maintain leadership, and maintaining gumption through all this for a rewarding journey which in itself is the biggest takeaway.

Dr Mashelkar mentioned how Chinese universities have successfully incubated 2800 small businesses generating employment for about 90,000 people (again averaging around 30 people per company).

The question to be answered is, that if USA can do it via Silicon valley, Europe can do it via a small town like cambrdige, Asia can do it as demonstrated by China, so why cant India ? I think we the people have to do some introspection into our basic values and create a culture of loyalty and commitment, risk taking, wealth creation (not the same as earning via jobs) to lead a more fullfilling and visible life.

Amazing Himalayas | Amazing Holiday

2006-06-08T23:36:00.000-07:00

Hi Friends
I'm just back from a very refreshing trip deep into the Himalayas. This was a 15 day outing with 7 days of heavy trekking thrown in. Trekking through the mountain ranges in the North western part of Uttaranchal (Garhwal region) is an experience where you discover yourself. You are in totally disconnected territory with no electricity, no connectivity, no motors - just basic living where you walk, eat, sleep. The note below describes our journey briefly (I went with a friend Sunil Khanna, who shares my passion for the outdoors) and we had a ball.

1. Reaching base camp:
This was a journey through the city jungles via planes, trains and buses. We went for this trip with a group called Yuvashakti, who are Pune based and organize treks and outings. We were a group of 36 participants (which I thought were too many), with a mixture of young, middle aged and old people. Most of the participants chose to come by the train from Pune to Delhi (we chose to fly to save a business day). After an overnight halt at Delhi, we proceeded to Dehradun by train. Temperatures touching 45 deg Celsius caused us to sweat buckets. In the 6 hour train journey, I drank 3 liters of water. In Dehradun, while most of the participants stayed in the hotel accommodation arranged by the organizers, we chose to stay with our friends in their beautiful picturesque home overlooking the valley. Next day morning we set out in a bus to Sankri covering a distance of about 280 kms mostly traveling along the mountain ranges of Uttarkashi district and along the Yamuna river. This was a back breaking journey through broken roads, gravelly roads and sometimes no road (due to frequent land slides) (This part of the Himalayas is landslide country). This 12 hour journey gave us an opportunity to get to know each other and amidst a lot of singing and chatting we proceeded towards Sankri, the last motorable point along the route.

At Sankri we stopped at the GMVN (Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam) (Government managed guest houses with basic amenities like beds, toilets and a canteen). We were greeted with news that our booked dormitories were allotted to some other guests and there was no solution coming forth from the staff in charge. The participants patiently waited while the group leader tried to sort out the issue. After about an hour we saw a stalemate situation and then some of us tried to intervene and after 3 hours finally managed to get a dormitory for the ladies and quarters of the GMVN employees for the men. Was uncomfortable to say the least. Sankri was cold and on the instructions of our group leader, tried to acclimatize by delaying wearing our woolens.

A note about the organizers: Previously Yuvashakti would book these GMVN guest houses for a fixed period and have a resident camp leader who would oversee the arrangements and handle the traffic of the batches of participants. However, this year onwards they decided to outsourcing the entire arrangements to a local group of people run by a leader named Nautiyal. I guess they paid him per participant and expected him to handle all logistics of staying, guidance and food from base camp to base camp. This incident however showed how such an arrangement can go sour in the absence of local supervision and having reached so far there is no way but to go along. These local people were out to make a quick buck and were using every possible trick to cut corners like providing cramped accommodation (reduced billing at GMVN), skimping on food preparations, etc. This was the same story along the entire route. But I guess for the participants it was a failure on the part of Yuvashakti.

2. First look at Bliss: Day 2 started early and we had to pack our haversack with minimum but all that is necessary for each of us to survive 7 days before we return to base camp. It was recommended to keep the bag below 10 kgs to avoid strain. My bag was around 8 kgs. Arrangements were made for some participants to load their bags on Khacchars (horses) who would walk with us. Most people however chose to carry their own bag. We had breakfast and set out for Taluka. This was a level walk of about 12 Kms through dense pine forests and over rivers and waterfalls. Was simply amazing. (I have a lot of pictures taken and will be putting them up for you guys to see). We stopped drinking our bottled water and started drinking from the streams. Natural mineral spring water. Crystal clear and ice cold. It was my first encounter with the splendor & beauty of the might Himalayas. After a leisurely walk we reached Taluka in about 4 1/2 hours. Its a small village with a small cricket ground and a few natives. I observed that the problem with the villages after Sankri was the lack of medical facilities. The nearest doctor is in Sankri (only approachable by foot), and for advanced medical facilities, they have to go to Dehradun (almost 300 kms and a 6 vehicle change). We had a native come over and ask if we have a doctor in our group. His wife was suffering from chronic stomach ache...Unfortunately there was no doctor in our group. Taluka and Sankri are at around 1900 meters above sea level.

3. Today was tough...with a 17 km walk with 2 very steep climbs and the air thinning slightly as we are now ascending to a height of about 2600 meters. The best part of the Himalayas is the different view and experience as you walk deeper. Each part as breathtaking as the previous. Of course lack of full commercialisation and difficulty of access has helped to keep the place clean and pollution free. Lets hope it stays that way. We walked to next base camp with 2 stops along the way for snack and lunch (we carried packed lunch). The other option is to buy food from the way side stalls setup by villagers where they serve Maggi noodles (yes the ones available in the city), eggs, roti (fresh whole wheat bread), tea etc. The walk took us almost 8 hours + the 2 hours of rest. Was gruelling and I think the longest part of the trek. We reached our base camp in a village called Seema en route via Dartmer, Basanti Nagar and Gangahut. Osla is another village on the map close to Seema but at an elevation above Seema. Osla is a much bigger village with about 50 homes. One of the amazing observations was how each home has a solar panel to capture energy into batteries and they use that to light up small lamps at night (or some of them had tape recorders). Another observation was that each family had a store house separate from their home that was snow proof, rain proof, all weather proof to store grain to last them through difficult times. These store houses are made of solid wood and have innovative locks with keys as large as my arm. The grain is kept open and not in gunny bags. Their homes consist of 2 stories, the lower one for keeping their animals (goats and cattle) and the upper one where they stay. Homes are also made of solid wood (no dearth of good wood in the Himalayas).

4. Reaching Har ki dun (Shiv ka maidan - The play ground of Lord Shiva) was the toughest part of the trek. Was a 14 km walk but the ascend of 1000 meters did the damage. The last 2-3 kms were covered stopping every 10-15 steps and then catching your breath. It took a long time to acclimatize to the thin air at 3500 meters (for first timers at this altitude). Some people even developed High altitude sickness (feverish, nausea and hallucinations). None the less it was the most beautiful spot I have ever seen. Picture perfect rivers, meadows, lots of varieties of flowers and completely untouched. This is the last point along our trek. From here we were very close to the Jamundar glacier (could see it) and the other snow capped peaks. The snow line had unfortunately receded by about 11 kms and our local guide decided against going upto there. During our last two days of walk we encountered sudden showers (In the Himalayas it can rain anytime and for any duration) with hail storms. After an overnight stay where most people couldn't sleep due to the extreme cold (around -1 deg Celsius) and the thin air...we walked to a nearby glacier and kind of relaxed on that day.

The rest of the days were going back to base camp along the same route. I strongly recommend this as a holiday for all my friends out there. The local arrangements can be done by local guides who charge about Rs. 700-900 a day for walking with you, putting you up in tents, arranging for food, et all. Be prepared to rough it out though. Definitely I will be going back for more...

Investigate all problems

2006-04-07T23:31:00.000-07:00

I just came into office, a few days after the last release of our product, feeling relaxed and thinking about the new release. Just then my colleague, who was working on introducing a new LDAP backend, and was testing the migration code which he had written came up to me and reported a flaw in the upgrade/migrate of the just released version. As I have been sharing with you guys, we have a well defined process of making a product release with clear steps and forms which are filled up and recorded to help track back when required. I looked up the release records and found that the particular test which would have trapped this flaw was performed and the tester had reported a success on that. Surprise...Surprise...Surprise. Was it an oversight by a tester or was it a flaw in the process. So lets get to the bottom of things...

I've been very inspired by the program "Nat Geo investigates" on the National Geographic channel, where they do stories on investigations carried out for plane crashes, space shuttle crashes, and other such life threatening disasters. Last week, I saw how the investigators (combined from several countries) looked into a Swiss air crash in the Atlantic, spent over $50 million and 4 yours of painstaking work to recover the splintered millions of pieces of the aircraft to get to the bottom of the cause of the crash. Amazing...Its no wonder that the airlines industry is six sigma.

We have been following similar principals, where we analyze each issue, waste, problem and see how it can be fixed by technology, processes and training (in this order) In this particular instance, it turned out that the process form had an item to confirm that the logs are clean after upgrade....Hello...Which logs, how to check if they are clean...How much time has elapsed since the test before you check the log (logs rotate due to automated cron jobs and leave behind an empty log file which will have no errors). Improved the form immediately and retrained the QA team.

Every problem is an opportunity to improve the system which drives your business. Don't waste it.

Ideas - The light bulb...

2006-03-31T02:58:00.000-08:00

Everybody goes through this phase (some stay in it forever) where maximum amount of time is spent in conceptualizing, ideating, and discussing the new thoughts. We as a team also used to do a lot of it previously. Undoubtedly an idea can be powerful, can provide breakthroughs, and we as humans are lucky to be the rare gifted species who can imagine things and conjure up images about the future. There was a time when just discussing an idea would provide immense excitement.

However, of late I realized that my attitude towards a good idea (or ideas in general) had become quite subdued. In my job, I am grappling on a daily basis with the just GTD (Getting things done)/execution. We learn daily about how complex it is to convert an idea to reality which is marketable, usable, scalable. For me an idea will excite me no end if I see it executed at least partially if not fully.

In my sphere of influence, I find that many people are caught up in idealogical world where they spend a lot of time thinking about the future (read dreaming), marveling at the creation of other people/companies (grass is greener on the other side of the fence), reading a lot about new technologies (mostly out of context and more than required) and doing precious little themselves to get any substantial work done.

Mind you, I am not disputing the power of an idea...but nothing can beat the power of a well executed idea. So what am I saying?
1. Think and learn in the context of the work in hand. (Lean thinking, lean learning, lean execution)
2. Execute it with demonic focus (read my previous blogs for some tips on how to do this)
3. Marvel at your own creation (Let other lazy people also marvel at your creation)

OK so lets get back to work now :-)

Being thorough

2006-03-21T03:32:00.000-08:00

It was close to 10 P.M., with a release in progress. All the issues pertaining to the current development/checkin had passed the QA. But as part of the elaborate QA process, one of the elements is a smoke test of the entire product (recently introduced step, previously we would smoke only the changed areas of the code since we have a very dense automated testing system). During the 'full' smoke test the QA team started reporting issues unrelated to the current checkin and as I kept analyzing each issue to see where it originated, I discovered that these were a result of our old bad habits (quick development where the developer declares the code complete as soon as the file has been saved, cursory reviews with no review checklist/framework, hurried checkins, hurried or incidental QA with inadequate support via test cases, or automation etc.).

Of course we have come a long way and now (thanks to continuous and relentless improvements) can boast of a formal and very elaborate process for development, reviews, documentation and QA. As described in my previous blog posts, we have introduced templates (forms) for each stage and formalized the process to prevent slippages. As a result each checkin goes through heat treatment and typically results in almost no kickback in terms of reopened issues. In fact our lean production system with one piece flow allows us to make a strong release almost every week.

But last night, I realized something very important - after working with many developers during my tenure as a product manager, I can recall only a handful who were really thorough. This handful of guys, without any formal process, could produce high quality stuff, checkin all by themselves and get that code released. Today some of the reviews I do make me wonder, as to what would happen if I would let that get checked in as is (used to happen before and would cause Murphy's law to apply all the time - if anything can go wrong it will). Mind you, we are talking about really smart, intelligent and capable programmers who can design and construct good code but miss on the details/or are too distracted to be thorough in completion of their work or dont know what is completion.

I am sure if you are a product manager, project lead or development lead, you might have faced this type problem in your work...So how do we tackle this issue. I feel that being thorough is a habit/style of work that can be cultivated. Its not a genetic encoding.
For you the manager, you have to foster a culture of thoroughness:
1. Formalise the processes to define completion. Have forms which prompt and trap information which would otherwise be incidental. This makes quality consistent and not 'one of'.
2. Record the filled up forms with the checkin/release to help do post mortem analysis in case a problem is to surface later. This will help you identify process improvements, or genuine lapses in following the process.
3. Don't fix the code given to you for review - return it for rework with honest feedback to the developers on the problems, good points and recommendations. Use this as a way of mentoring. If you tend to take a shortcut and fix the code, you are actually leaving the developers with the impression that they have done a great job.
4. Stop when you face any problem and immediately fix the process, templates, infrastructure or whatever is required.
For the developer, be a hawk with an eye for detail:
1. Just coding is not enough: Please understand that just writing and compiling code successfully is not enough. You need to ensure it integrates well, all connections to other code are maintained, test cases are thorough, documentation of the design and code is done to promote easy maintenance, coding standards are followed, an honest self review is done etc.
2. Be thorough: Develop this habit (was the motto of my school) to get a grip on the details (remember god lies in the details and BTW the devil also lies in the details :-), make notes, search through code to handle changed connections (many times a product has modules/components written in different programming languages, legacy code, and a certain change may not get directly caught by a compilation e.g. dropping a database table from the storage but having the code still refer to it, will not get caught by a normal build of the code and if you are unlucky may never get caught unless it is too late).
3. Stay focused: Keep disturbances away (refer to my earlier blog posting)
4. Throw a challenge: for the lead/reviewer/qa to find bugs in your code (For this you have to be really confident...comes from following my tips above)

I hope the above tips help you grow as an individual and also contribute better to the company where you are working...All the best (P.S. I am toying with idea of rating developments and also reviews on a scale of 1-10)

Keeping disturbances handy

2006-03-17T21:47:00.000-08:00

It was noon and I sat down to do a design/code review as part of our development process. I had just wrapped up my sundry tasks of responding to mail, checking the status of ongoing projects, going to the loo, drinking water before settling into the review. Yes, for me a review of design and code before it goes further down the pipe is the most important part of the process. (Refer to my earlier postings about the importance of reviews, or where it is cheapest to fix bugs). Just as I started reading the specifications and design, my cell rang. It was one of our deployment engineers onsite at a customer location asking for some help in using one of the new features. After I finished the call and struggled to revert my attention to the review (yes its very difficult to switch your mind amongst activities easily), one of my team members called out to me for some quick help on some design decisions (Yes I don't have a cabin and sit in the middle of my group and am easily accessible - a boon and a bane). Once done with that, I again struggled and restarted the review. But by now my initial focus was disturbed and the two discussions (during the disturbances) were coming back to me to think about. It was like not being able to work at work.

I stopped what I was doing to reflect on this. I looked around and observed what other people in my team were doing. I also walked around to other divisions to see what those teams were doing. I saw one set of people intently doing their work (coding, diagramming, documenting, invoicing, selling etc) and another set of people talking to friends, chatting with friends on IM, browsing unrelated sites, and generally appearing to wile away their time. This was of course a sampler at a given moment but I also realized that these are the same set of people who keep their "disturbances handy" like I did when I started my review. i.e. Make it easy to be disturbed ( I am assuming that they are committed to the job; there are a set of people who wait for the day to end... this article is not about them). I also realized that there are two basic types of activities one where you create (a document, code, design, review...) and another were you maintain (run a process like front desk, recruitment, etc). In the case of the former, being disturbed is sure to bring down the quality of the work since the very nature of that work demands undivided attention and laser like focus to get it done (no wonder that Bill Gates takes two weeks off by himself on an island to figure out the future of Microsoft). As for the latter, the mind is not creating and is not in a stressed state trying to retain connections, make logical links, theorize etc so it can afford to be disturbed)

My recommendations while creating:
1. Isolate yourself so you will not be disturbed during that time.
2. Schedule such work at times when you are least likely to be needed urgently.
3. Turn off the phone, email and chat pop ups since these are like the door bell (Humans are inadvertently trained to respond to the doorbell and phone ring, dropping whatever they are doing, literally).
4. Focus on the task at hand.
5. Divide your time into sections where you are available for discussions, you respond to mail, return phone calls etc and sections where you are invisible.

Even as I write this, I was disturbed thrice...hope you will excuse any break in the flow due to that :-). I am going home now to complete the review...at least there only my dog will disturb me.

How much testing is "good enough"

2006-02-03T21:44:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I had a fruitful discussion with my colleague (Kul) on the above subject. We were debating the selection of test cases, which ones will provide maximum impact or which are not likely to occur in a normal working scenario or to ignore cases which even if they fail will not damage the integrity of the data or working. Although we didn't reach any conclusion yesterday, I reflected on it later and this is what I came up with:

I believe that if you have taken the pains to encode a behavior (and validation of data input is a behavior), then there must be a good enough reason for it. In its simplest form, it could mean that if a program accepts a domain name as a parameter, and if we pass a wrong domain name, the program will do no harm (who knows ?) but may not inform the user about it via a user friendly message. So we as programmers build in data input validation checks and report neat failure messages and stop proceeding further. BUT if we don't test this case (may occur rarely, or is not harmful as we understand), we stand a chance of hitting a potential failure (could be as trivial as an embarrassing error message or worst still some damage which wasn't envisaged.)

Testing is the science of validating ALL assumptions and behaviors of a program. If you have taken the pains to encode a behavior it needs to be tested OR else the behavior need not be encoded at all. Also remember that code is never one time; it is maintained by other programmers and a regression suite of COMPLETE COVERAGE automated suites will help the maintenance programmer make changes freely.

Hence my mantra
1. Make code easy to test. Write compact and simple code with easy constructs with only necessary checks and behavior. (In my experience I have seen that this is possible even for very complex code, if it is broken down into units. This constraint will help you write better code in fact.)
2. Write data validation test cases for invalid and valid data input covering all possible (necessary and sufficient) test cases to cover all encoded behavior. You could refer to code and its flow for designing the cases. Remember if a program accepts junk input, it is more likely to excrete junk output. Control input to control output.
3. Write test cases to check the functioning of the code.
4. Automate aggressively to allow for easy regression.
5. Put in a process to maintain the test cases when the code changes.

Happy bug free coding...

Formal reviews

2006-01-05T07:20:00.000-08:00

Sometimes back I wrote about informal code reviews, since that is what we were following as a practice. However I found that the number of bugs in the checked in code was not reducing and the qa team had to work hard to not just validate the product but also to locate defects. We were practicing informal reviews as a way to "speed" up the development cycle. Unfortunately the reverse was actually happening - the code was checked in rapidly but the product languished in the qa stables for longer and also carried the risk of some bugs being discovered after release. As I wrote in one of my previous blogs, it gets more expensive to fix bugs as the code goes further away from you.

However, we recently introduced a formal and detailed process for review of not just the code but the entire design, test cases, documentation guidelines, and the code (peaceful reviews in the solitude of your cabin) with a defined checklist on what all to cover, including using the features of a developer build before checkin. We have had some amazing results...did some rough measurements and found that we trap about 90% of the problems before checkin especially framework plugs missed, silly errors, code connections, basic design flaws, messages etc. This is against trapping about 50% of the problems by the older method of review. On the face of it, the process seems to take longer but actually it outputs better quality code almost right first time reducing the rework thrash. Also such detailed drill down reviews provide benefits like
- Another perspective on the design, code thus bring it closer to extreme programming.
- Helps others to understand the code/design building in the redundancy into the team.

Yes, I know what you guys are thinking...that all the software books talk about formal reviews in which the developer sends code and lets people review it or the code is reviewed by multiple people as an event rather than "by the way", so why werent we doing it earlier...Like anything else, all practices if done in a context, adapted to your specific needs and learnt the hard way :-) bring about better results. Try for yourself, it works.

Get professional in your attitude

2005-11-24T07:13:00.000-08:00

I am writing this in response to facing the brunt of purely childish emotional behavior by certain class of people whom I have worked with. No matter how talented, skilled and capable you might be, but if you have a bad attitude, are insecure professionally and lack confidence, you are a misfit wherever you work. You will always be disgruntled and untrusting of your colleagues, thinking that the next guy you meet is going to take you for a ride. I believe that as professionals, we have to deal with situations impassionedly and rationally. These are some of my tips for being a good professional:
1. Believe in yourself, be confident and be hungry to learn. Get involved in your work to widen your horizon.
2. Everyday, do an honest days work. Get connected to the overall vision/goal of the company and follow through with actions. Don't vile away your time...There's lots to do, just go do it.
3. For you to make a significant contribution in any sphere, and also for you to gain something worthwhile from this engagement, you need to spend substantial amount of time in the company. I feel that 2.5 to 3 years is a bare minimum. If you retire from the company, that's great.
4. Trust the company you work in or else quit. Don't hold resentment within yourself towards the management or hold feelings of being cheated or short-changed of opportunities or start indulging in politics like forming them v/s us groups. If such feelings arise, discuss with your manager candidly and sort them out. After that if discomfort still persists, it is better to leave. By continuing, you are creating more harm than good to yourself and to your company.
5. If you must leave, do it with grace and dignity. (If you are leaving for better opportunity, it's perfectly all right. Be forthright about that, rather than hide behind some farce of blaming the company for non-issues just to avoid feeling guilty. I feel that you don't have to feel guilty if you have adhered to points 1 and 2 in spirit.) Complete all unfinished work, discuss with the manager a suitable leaving date so that you don't leave in a lurch (we've had people who come in the middle of a product release and desire to leave that very day with no concern about their commitment to completing the job) and leave behind your contact details in case you are needed in future for some help. Also remember that this globally connected world is getting smaller, with technology enabling easier and wider communication (e.g. this blog to share my thoughts), good as well as bad references can make or break your career.
6. Stay in touch, since you never know when you may need to ask for some help/references from old contacts.
Wish you all the best.

Engineering is simplicity

2005-11-18T22:05:00.000-08:00

In a very old Hindi movie, I had once come across a scene in which a textile machine in a plant breaks down, bringing the whole plant to a halt. Unless the service engineer for the machine from the company comes in, there will be no production. Enter the unemployed hero (engineer who is not getting a job…in olden times unemployment was a big issue) who offers to fix it. The boss gives the go ahead and observes that the hero hammers a certain portion of the machine, gets it running and asks for Rs. 100 (big money in olden times). The boss was furious, saying that it is unjustified to ask for so much money for just hammering the machine once. The hero justifies saying that Re. 1 for the hammer blow and Rs. 99 for knowing where to strike.

Of course this story has been oft repeated in textbooks with different characters and situations but all point to the same basic thinking of what engineering is all about. Minimum effort = maximum output. Our job as engineers involves

Continuously improving and simplifying the production system to deliver top quality products with minimum effort, minimum waste and a fast response.
Present simple & accurate interfaces for the end user to use the product to minimize the learning curve, increase the adoption rate and reduce operator errors.
Simplify the serviceability of the product to ensure quick turn around for customer support.

Any of the above mentioned items could take years to achieve and 1 or all of them can easily become the source of competitive advantage for the company (in today’s time I think we need all 3 in place to even survive)

I believe that any problem that you face will have multiple alternative solutions and in your process of choosing the solution to be worked on, please put simplicity of the solution on a high score. A simple element has fewer connections, less deviations, is cohesive and is simply easier to produce, use and maintain.

Evolutionary delivery perfected as a fine art

2005-10-01T22:11:00.000-07:00

It was 7:00 P.M and my brain felt like noodle soup. I had just been through 3 grinding reviews before a checkin and was feeling totally exhausted. At Mithi we have small and frequent checkins with as frequent product releases to keep "inventory" as low as possible. Inventory is described as code developed but not released to the customer. At this stage of our existance, we are catering to enterprise customers one on one, understanding their needs/requirements, feeding the product specifications for a "general" product (to eventually be usable by the masses) and developing the product in steps. Due to this model, we can cater to customer demands rapidly, the product shapes up very close to the market needs (without any 'out-inventory', which is described as features never used by customers) and we get feedback on the feature developed before getting too far into the feature maturity.

Traditionally product development plans a release, draws up specifications, developers work on these specifications, build and use the product inhouse continuously (hopefully) before releasing the pruduct after a few months/years.

Most companies trying to reach the elusive version 3 (Version 3 is where the product is deemed to have sufficient maturity to cater to a vast set of users - Maturity shouldnt be confused with stability, reliability, which is a given even in version 1 of the product) of the product (where it starts a snow ball effect and can pick up steam with its capabilities), cant afford the long cycles of product releases.

At Mithi we set up an architecture, build on it with short frequent releases of features required by our direct in touch customers (always trying to get in the feature at version 0.001 and building on that in next releases), while another team creates the next level architecture (to allow for easier development, easier testing, easier addition of features, better integration etc) in parallel. Typically we try to never go beyond 3 months of work for the next nevel architecture (again with the same idea of improving the architecture incrementally).

Whats the flip side of this? There is never any respite for the team...They are always on their toes since releases are continuous and deliveries to customers are continuous. But, yes I think that we all enjoy the noodle soup...

Do we need 'experts' in a business?

2005-09-13T23:06:00.000-07:00

The answer to this depends a lot on the type of business or the objectives. E.g. if you look at a specialty medical clinic, a specialty fitness center, etc, these places need full time experts to handle the inflow of business on a one to one basis. To scale, these business will need more experts at the different locations. If the expert leaves, it is possible that he would leave a void n the business. Whereas when we talk of a software product business, do we need experts? The answer is of course YES. These experts provide the domain knowledge, they bring in their experience from other jobs, they can crack through problems quickly and they are extremely useful in providing the breakthrough ideas. This is especially very true for a startup trying to bring out its idea to the market. But be warned, working with experts in a startup company is a double-edged sword. For a startup in version 1 or 2 of its product, it can get very easily carried away by seeing something working in the R&D lab (read a very early 'prototype') and be tempted to offer it as a solution to the early customers (in an effort to gather the mind share of maximum customers quickly). In such a situation, depending on the complexity of the software, you may need the very expert, who 'prototyped' the solution, to go and deploy it at the customer location.

This model may work if you limit this exercise to learning from a few deployments (real life scenarios, with the customer's consent) and feeding it back into the prototype and then towards completion. However this very model can backfire if you do too many of these 'prototype' deployments without 'heat treating' the solution within a controlled environment. For all such live deployments, you run a risk of discovering bugs on the customer server (some of which could be dangerous), you always need the expert to maintain these deployments (God only knows what else he did on the customer's server while he was onsite doing the deployment), and you run the risk of overloading the customer support group with emergencies which could well have been avoided in the first place (customer's expectations are not set right and for the customer this is a finished product).

My advice to startups in this mode is to use experts in the research lab to discover solutions, break it down into small & complete deliverables (you don’t want to put out a very mature solution which may not have been tempered enough by customer feedback), do a thorough in house test of the solution or at least the first deliverable (any product you make should be used in house from day 1 - eat your own dog meat), test in a live situation for a few select customers by interacting with them on a one to one basis (don’t put up these solutions on your marketing material unless they are heat treated) and then incorporating it in your product for replication.

So, YES we need experts to provide answers BUT we need systems and processes to capture their output in the business flow for replication and scale.

I didnt get much work done today!

2005-09-11T00:26:00.000-07:00

This 'post' is coming after a very long time. Its not that I havent been thinking about continuing
this series but its just that I have been caught up in two back to back product releases which kept me away from my blogger (and mostly on my desk). BTW I am still caught up in these releases, but I am just squeezing this one article in for now...I had a gentle reminder from a few readers about my promise to expand on my previous blog "It's not just about the code".

I have learnt over the years that besides code, there are a lot of considerations (technical and
non-technical) that can affect a project (positively and negatively). We are not just talking about
schedule, but also about the density and quality of a release. Some one wisely said that "a project schedule slips a day at a time right from the time that the project starts (extend that for quality slippage also)".

So what should be done and what should not be done in order to deliver more than required? I am not going to try and structure these thoughts...like in a book...but just let my thoughts flow in any order that it occurs to me. My suggestions/advice about issues (tech and non-tech) come from my experience and learning on the job and in life. Please use discretion while following my tips and if necessary get help from a consultant about the subject. So here goes...

Recently while I was dropping a programmer colleauge of mine after work, he mentioned during our conversation, that he had a pretty unproductive day and was a little depressed since he really couldnt pinpoint the reasons for the same. In my attempt to help him overcome his depression by finding out the root cause of his unproductive day, I reviewed his activities during the day. I found that he was fine with the tech side of the work on that day...clear specs, simple direct issues, also got a checkin done...etc.

From my own experience, I decided to probe about his health and lifestyle habits. I realized that it would be getting personal, but I know that a lot of people in this world are oblivious of their own body and mind condition. They just go from day to day like robots and feed their physical and mental self with "toxins". They live in what I call a state of "unawareness". Many people dont stop to reflect on what they are getting out of life and whether they are putting their health at a risk to "achieve". I have found that even a distant nagging headache, fatigue, pain, simple stomach ailments, not reading good soul stirring stuff, etc can make you perform at sub-standard levels and you may not even realize this.

Sure enough, my friend had consumed a fair amount of fried goodies at the lunch party, followed by a cola, and cake. Also during the day, he had had more his normal share of tea with sugar and milk. Bingo, his body was full of toxins, making him dull, sleepy and probably a little acidic. All said and done, to "consistently" perform at your peak with a razor sharp mind and a fit body to endure the stresses of todays hyper-competitive world (in any field/profession), one of the most important ingredients is to be in good health, eating well, sleeping well and being moderately active. So is this possible in todays pressure cooker world or fitness and health is a phase in life which comes only after we "achieve"...Watch out for my next blog for some answers...

Where is it Cheapest to fix bugs?

2005-08-22T23:14:00.000-07:00

While I was working with my team on the latest release of our product, we had a small percentage of reopened issues or one can say 'last minute bug discoveries'. While I was analysing the issues and trying to fix the root cause (and not the symptoms), I articulated the following important stages of adding anything to the code base (it is possible to introduce or skip bugs at any stage)
1. Issue entry (incomplete, unclear, wrong specifications leading to the wrong development and therefore the mother of all bugs i.e. useless development. In some cases, after careful analysis, we have observed that the issue is best fixed in a non development area like devliery, or sales commitments etc. No code=no bugs)
2. Issue design (Plan and details of how the issue will be tackled. The seeds for bugs are sown here, if the design is lacking clarity, simplicity, proper integration & is improperly or not reviewed by multiple people for perspectives)
3. Issue development (Bugs are introduced here, due to improper code maps, missing or incomplete dependancy charts, improper reviews, carelessness, etc)
4. QA (Bugs are missed here, due to improperly documented test cases, insufficient automation, etc)

As part of any product development model, it is imperitive to find and fix bugs as early as possible and definitely before it reaches the customer. Its a no brainer (and a mantra in software development books) that we have to move towards a right first time build. Our endevour should be to nip the bug in the first two stages where it is cheapest to fix. So to all developers, I suggest a more concentrated effort to Perform aggressive specs and design reviews with more than one person.

Its not just about the Code

2005-07-30T05:03:00.000-07:00

The title & article is inspired by Lance Armstrong's book "Its not about the bike" where he recounts his experience of battling with cancer, recovering and going on to win the worlds most gruelling physical event - "Tour de France". In this book he talks about all what makes a winner (besides the bike). A recommended read.

Last saturday, I happened to get visited by an ex-employee of Mithi who used to be a developer on my team. I was asking him about their development processes, systems and tools since they were serving international fortune X clients with their product. In the course of our discussion I discovered how much 'code' focussed their team was. They didnt have any formal processes to track issues, resolve issues, perform reviews, test case documentation, feed the documentation team, perform releases, automated testing, etc. The whole system was working on 'heroics' with ad hoc processes and arbitrary checkins. The QA team also always started from scratch without any documented test cases & reported issues via email. If an employee left, he left behind a legacy of unmaintainable code. Basically kind of chaotic. Of course they have managed to get some order from the chaos by "systemizing the chaos/arbitrariness".

But it got me thinking. I analysed that their user base is very small (their niche product is sold to a few large corporates where a few users will use the product, totalling maybe 30-40 users), hence they are dealing with a small end user world. Its possible for them to get away with their current way of working and even handle error/bug reports from these customers one-to-one. But when your product starts to reach out to larger number of customers and is used by an even larger number of end users, then the need for a formallised process and system kicks in.

Without a formal issue tracking information system, templates for design/fixing bugs/closing issues, a process for review, a process for documenting test cases for regression, an automated testing system, a source control system, a release engineering team, a formal release process... one is asking for serious trouble in the quality area. Even if the code is perfect, the process and systems around it can break the whole delivery and support of the product. If the inflow of issues from the customers is high, the whole team can get locked into support, letting the future growth of the product languish.

In my future blogs I would like to share with you how we handled rapid growth in customers and users. I will share how we put some of these systems in place, at a very low cost to up our efficiency, consistency and reliability. Putting in systems/processes also reduces dependance on human resources, so the company is better equipped to handle attrition.

BTW, the latest news from my ex-employees company is that their latest release wasnt taken too well by their customers. So much for a systemised chaotic system breaking down.

Programmer maturity

2005-07-25T23:23:00.000-07:00

On a Saturday afternoon, I & Aditi (my colleague and co-founder at Mithi) were interviewing a candidate for the post of a software developer, and I as a matter of routine asked him (this is after a tech evaluation, which he had cleared), how long he plans to stay in Mithi. He was prompt in his reply - '6 months'. I was quite taken aback by his ‘clear’ thinking (considering that he was fresh out of college). When I mentioned that it takes around 3 months before a fresh join is productive (to be really useful), he very casually said that ‘OK then I will stay until 9 months to do justice to the job’. Such people are very clear that in small and startup companies, they will learn the most and very fast. They believe that such small companies should be used as a stepping-stone to their personal growth. Amazing, this clarity of thought….

I feel that very large organizations are primarily process and system driven, to the point that any body (satisfying basic criteria of intelligence, academic qualifications, aptitude) can come in produce almost immediately and be of value. These people basically run the system/process (created by others), part of which is monitoring and reporting to ensure that these guys are doing a good job. The system ensures that they produce. Such organizations can recruit in large numbers, get work done, and it doesn’t affect them too much if there is a regular and heavy turnover. In fact many such organizations have perfected the art of selection, recruitment, induction, and exit. (Infosys recently had 730 people join on a single day…to get so many people through the security itself is evidence of how process driven the organization is.)

Unfortunately for small companies & startups, who have to first struggle to find the right product, strategy and business model before putting corresponding processes/systems in place, they need to find people who will go through this struggle and set the system/processes, which will be ‘run’ during the growth phase by the type of people described in the previous paragraph. In such an environment, a heavy turnover causes slowdown in the companies progress and can push the start of the growth trajectory. For such companies the primary selection criteria could be people with the right attitude & character, having desire to create something of lasting value, risk taking ability, have deep belief and confidence in their own abilities and possess a natural drive. Such people know that even in the worst-case scenario of the company failing, they will be only be better off personally.

I have to admit that such people are rare…No wonder that only 1 out of 100 guys make through our (Mithi’s) selection process. BTW, we took a tough call and let the 9-month guy go.

The pain and gain of running a business.

2005-07-25T21:59:00.000-07:00

I've been following the Tour de France closely for several years now and have watched how Lance Armstrong has improved year after year to win the worlds most demanding race 7 times in a row. At age 33 he is peaking as an athlete. One would think that a younger, stronger, energetic and more aggressive athlete would have bettered him. And there were many in the race and several of them even won individual stages (battles) but the war was won by the wholistic athlete. Its the cumulative learning from successes & failures, controlled aggression, sustained exposure to competition, and team work (read trust in others) that are required beyond physical strength, genetic ability, and a deep desire to achieve. Thus it has been observed that athletes peak in their early thirties.

If you equate business to athletics, and assuming that you have the desire, drive and enthusiasm (hard core entrepreneur) to create a long lasting business which has solid potential for growth, you need to put the business (and yourself + your team) through the rigors of 'training' - viz. conceptualizing, prototyping, early exposure to customers, quick & sharp product releases, taking risks, patience, perseverance, personal growth and adaptation (and repeat it all over and over again) to get all the ingredients (strategy, biz model, product - ver 3, systems/processes, partnerships) in the right mix for success (defined as ‘making money’). I relate to this from our experience of setting up Mithi. It’s been a long, tiring, treacherous but exhilarating climb through the Alps. But every minute of the race has been worth it. Given the breathlessness, pain and discomfort of growing a business from scratch, the journey is one I wouldn’t swap for anything in the world. It’s made each of us at Mithi a better person. We just need more Lance Armstrong’s (read hard core entrepreneurs) to setup businesses and create vast opportunities. BTW, my personal belief is that businessmen peak in their late thirties. (Hey! There are going to exceptions).