My Short Liners - I

1. Learning is mandatory; relishing it is optional
2. Learn... Unlearn.... Relearn...
3. Live, Love and Learn - the three L's that govern my life.
4. Perfection is an unending journey; not an unreachable destination.
5. Don't bother if you are being bashed up; But beware if you are being praised !
6. The morning fills my cup with the zeal of life
   The night talks to me about the music buried in the depths of silence.
7. Work is poison to sense of humour. Sense of humour is nectar to work.
8. Motivation is more precious than ambition.
9. Get your motivation right, all else follows.
10. Rule No:1 Don't Forget the Basics
    Rule No:2 Don't Forget Rule No.1   

ఈTV@15

సరిగ్గా 15 సంవత్సారాల క్రితం ఈ రోజు ఈ TV పుట్టింది. TV లో దానికి సంబందించిన programme చూస్తుంటే చాలా సంతోషంగా ఉంది. నేను ఈ మద్యనే google transiletarator ఉపయోగించడం మొదలు పెట్టాను. అది నన్ను చాలా ముగ్ధ పరించింది. ఇది వరకు lekhini .org వాడే వాణ్ని. నా మొదటి తెలుగు టప google transiletarator ఉపయోగిస్తూ ఇంత  ఆనందకరమైన విషయాని గురించి వ్రాయడం ఇంకా ఆనందకర విషయం.


ఇక అసలు సంగతికి వస్తే నేను పదేళ్ళ వయస్సులో ఈTVలో మొదలైంది అని నాకు ఈరోజే తెలిసింది. కాని నేను/నా వయస్సు తెలుగువారంతా మొట్ట మొదట అనుబందం పెంచుకొన్న చానల్ ఇది. ఒక్కసారిగా ప్రోగ్రాముకి వచ్చిన అతిధులంతా వారికి ఈటీవీతో ఉన్న అనుబందాన్ని నెమరు వేసుకొంటుంటే నేనుకూడా నా పాత స్మ్రుతలలోకి వెళ్లి పోయాను. అప్పటిలో ఆ చానల్ లో వచ్చే ప్రోగ్రాములన్ని(దారావాహికలలో వచ్చే పాటలు)  మాకు అన్ని అప్పటిలో కంఠతానే. అవి ఇప్పటికి కూడా గుర్తున్నాయి.


నేను ఈTV గురించి ఎప్పుడూ అనుకొనే విషయం ఈరోజు పద్మశ్రీ Dr. S.P. బాలు నోటి ద్వారా విన్నాను. TRP ratingల  కోసం స్థాయిని, విలువలను తగ్గించుకోకుండా ఉన్న చానల్ ఈTV. ఎన్నో మంచి ప్రోగ్రాములను, సామాజిక స్పృహ కలిగన ఎన్నో ప్రోగ్రాములను అందించిన చానల్ అది. అటువంటి చానల్ ఇలాంటి వసంతాలు ఎన్నో మరెన్నో జరుపోకావాలని, ప్రేక్షకలుకు వినోదం, వికాసం, విజ్ఞానం, ఉపయోగం అందివ్వాలని కోరుకుంటూ  - శశి     


   

Silver Jubilee

Today I turned 25.I know that it is not an achievement but I do feel happy that I did manage to complete a quarter century on this planet. Ofcourse, to be frank I have spent only the last one year taking the complete responsibility of myself. For 24 years I had been a student on paper but my actual studies began after I was stripped off the description student.

It has been a decent journey so far. I have never been the topper in studies. Nor was I good at sports. Though I was into other extra curricular activities I was (and am) an amateur. But, I always managed to go the next level of my life in a smooth manner. That has been the case till I actually entered the wide world after my studies.I have struggled and am still struggling to keep up with commitment levels that are required to be a good professional. The last one year has been a grilling one. But I hope it made me a better human being.

Today, I cross an important landmark in my life.I will look at this day as the starting point of my life for all the years prior to this were only aimed at preparing me for Life. Many times I am filled with a sense of fear that I may not be able to do my duty to the utmost of my capabilities but I guess that is the only hindrance between me and my success.
Today, I want to empty my cup and refill it with new vigour and new enthusiasm to stretch till the farthest point and reach my dreams. Today I turn 25!

Who Knows the Way??

Thousands of Years ago, Moses was to lead his men to a promised land. It was a daunting task that God had bestowed upon him and he had to go through a lot of hardships during their journey. My knowledge of the old testament is rudimentary and I am not sure whethere he was hundred percent successful in the task. Therefore I will not talk much about it but take it as an inducer into this display of train of thoughts

Today, We live in an extremely complex world, not that it was less complex before but the complexity is increasing at a tremendous pace. I never get tired of thinking how Information and Communication Technology (Mobiles, Internet blah... blah...) have changed the world. I also never get tired trying to comprehend this Huge Universe. Human mind has a limitation that it can work in one to three(or may be four or five but not all) planes of abstraction at a given point of time. I am on the verge of completing a quarter century on this planet and in my own little experience I keep hitting at some questions for which I don't have any answers but can't resist often wondering about them. I don't know how relevant these thoughts are but off we go:

• Every one knows that technology is changing at a rapid pace and also changing lives at a rapid pace. But as Humanity are we going forward or backward? If the question seems trivial, I beg to differ.
• There are many experts, academicians and leaders who speak about inclusive growth and sustainable development. I have always been intrigued by these aspects of humanity. We have so much surplus in this world and yet so much poverty. There will not be a happier day in my life than that day when no child born in this world is deprived of his right to childhood. But will that day ever come?
• A Man is limited by space and time and therefore even the best of the leaders in this world across various spectrums and fields may not quite well comprehend where the world is heading to.We can only try to predict but do we know where we are going?
• I am ready to place all my cards and say that Humanity is going through an extremely crucial stage and we can succeed as Mankind only if we search for answers in the spiritual realm. It is in this regard that Mother India needs to provide answers not only for herself but for the entire world for she holds in her bosom the highest spiritual wealth. It is beyond doubt that there has been tremendous western influence among the young generation of this country. We will win if we take the best of both the cultures and are bound to loose if we replace the inherent strengths of our culture
• Material Prosperity is not the clear indication of Happiness and at the same time we can not have complete happiness in this world with poverty creating ruckus in two billion lives.
• I am not a hundred percent optimist by birth but at one point of time I realized that there is no point in being pessimist. Therefore, it has been my endeavour to be an optmist at all times and am optimistic that I will turn an out and out optimist. But the question still haunts Who knows the way?

KISS - Keep It Simple, Stupid

There is a very famous anecdote involving how the Russians and Americans tackled an interesting problem. Let me recapitulate it quickly. After both the United States of America and the erstwhile USSR sent men on to space they were facing a very interesting problem. Pens were not working as there was no gravity in space and the astronauts were not able take down observations. So, the U.S.A spent lots and lots of money (I don't know if it was in millions or billions) in research and came up with a pen that would work in space, in immense depths of sea etc... The Russians on the other hand replaced the Pen with a Pencil.

I cam to know of the second example which I am going to narrate from the telugu movie 'Kalavaramaye Madilo' It seems Ustad Allauddin Khan spotted the great flautist Hariprasad Chaurasia during the later's formative years and directed to him to go to his daughter, Annapurna devi to learn and get polished. So, when Hariprasad meets her, she tells him "You have already learnt something about music and this learning will be a hindarance to what I am going to teach you. You have to unlearn what you already learnt and learn a fresh to shine." Now, How does a person unlearn???? I thought that unlearning is much more difficult than learning. But do you know how hariprasad chaurasia achieved it? Take a guess - He started playing the flute by holding it in the opposite direction!

The leaders of the independent India in the 50's considered the population of India is one of it's greatest weakness. I think everyone was of the same opinion till the 90's. Atleast I thought so while I was a child and held that notion till the days of my under graduation. But, if you ask anyone today, they say that we are extremely rich in human resources and that's one of the biggest strengths on which we need to leverage upon.

Some of the most complex problems can be solved by simply changing the method of attack. Weaknesses become Strengths by a mere change of attitude and outlook.


Today Technology is evolving so rapidly and changing lives dramatically. We do not know where the world is heading towards. Problems prevailing for centuries will be solved in a trice and of course newer challenges which were never even dreamt of  will be posed. But we should try to keep the solutions as simple as problem. We generally try to keep the solutions complicated but most of often simplicity is more effective.

The Fourth Idiot

Note: I haven't yet watched the movie Three Idiots though I intend to do it in the near future but have read the book Five Point Someone. The reason for naming this blog The Fourth Idiot is because I was also like the characters in Five Point Someone and in all probability three idiots too.

I had always hated exams because they only taught me how to cram in but never to question. I liked the book Five Point Someone for this reason and appreciate Chetan Bhagat's views on Education system. In all probability everyone of us know that our education system is seriously flawed and that is probably one of the main reasons why 3 idiots has become a huge success. I must also note here that I was very happy when Kapil Sibal became the HRD minister for I always deemed him in high regard and believe he is taking some concrete steps in making the education system better.

Let me put forth my views however insignificant / immaterial they may be to the actual scheme of things. 

Firstly, Every human being is unique. So every human being has a unique way and pace of learning  . However, in my guess they may fall in different types / bands in the way they learn. In ancient India, the child was admitted in a gurukula and his education is complete when the guru says it is complete. I never understood the significance of this but it became clear to me in the past few years(probably 4 -5) that the prime reason for this was that the guru imparted education on a student to student basis.

Secondly, Every one would agree with me that one of the biggest challenges to the current education system is that the pace at which information  and thereby the textbooks get outdated in today's world. However, the pace varies for various fields. Basic Sciences may have much lesser pace than technology fields.

Thirdly, Every one disagrees with the existing methods employed of evaluating a student. But we have not yet been able to find a better and uniform method to evaluate a student.In my humble opinion tests should become more and more open book based. This should be augmented by extremely good and committed faculty. Today, the student is expected to read, cram and reproduce what is already known. Instead, he may be asked to solve a problem which he has not crammed in. He should be evaluated on how he approaches the problem and not on what he knows or doesn't know. I feel that the student should not be put to time constraints and also the tests should be open-book as I mentioned.

Fourthly, I strongly feel that students willing to do research should be put in an environment that is conducive and oriented towards doing research right from their undergraduate days. This would reduce the time a Phd is created. Currently, there is a huge gap between the undergraduate / postgraduate stage to pursuing doctrate stage. Also, the stipends of Phd students in India is very less whereas they deserve much more than that.

Conversation with Time

One fine day I happened to meet Time. I went to him and the conversation went thus:
Sasi: Hi, Mr. Time, How are you doing?
Time: I should be asking such questions. Not you.
Sasi: Why do you say so Mr.Time?
Time: I am changeless. I am the witness to the entire creation. You are born in me and dissolve in me.
Sasi: Hey, You are talking big and raising lot of questions inside my head !!
Time: Go ahead little one. I have all the time to answer your questions.
Sasi: Firstly, some times you appear to move very fast and sometimes terribly slow. Why is it so?
Time: That is your perception of me. Not me.
Sasi: Some times you heal wounds and sometimes you deepen them. Why is it so?
Time: Your mind is your biggest weapon. It is like the fire and I am like the wind. If your mind is feeble I will just blow it away. But if you keep it strong and sturdy I am your friend.
Sasi: You are so crucial to handle. Only 4 days ago I had a row with one of my closest friend over a silly issue. At that point of time I lost my temper but now it sounds so silly. You and Mr.Anger are very tricky guys.
Time:That's true, when you are angry, I am the best refuge. Take me and Mr.Anger has no choice but to go away.
Sasi: But it happens the other way round also. There are many times my anger would go on increasing simply because I was lost in my own thoughts and perceptions instead of communicating my concerns to my loved ones.
Time:You are true, but I even out any concerns if only you couple me with your mind and heart. Think positively and I am your best friend. Think negatively and I am your worst foe.
Sasi: Can you tell me more of your association with Mr.Knowledge and Mr.Wisdom.
Time:Why stick to knowledge and wisdom. I will tell you more than that. I am the soil in which you need to plant the seeds and nourish them to grow into plants. If you plant good thoughts and nourish them with good actions you reap good character. If you plant questions and nourish them with inquiry you reap knowledge. If you plant knowledge and nourish it with the words of your conscience you reap wisdom. If you plant your talent, however minuscule it maybe, and nourish it with hard work, and put a fence of willpower, you reap what is called as SUCCESS.
Sasi: That was very kind of you. But you still puzzle me. Sometimes I get the results of my actions immediately. Sometimes you hold those results in your bosom for so long that I lose the mapping between my actions and my results.
Time: Ha ! You have come to the crux of God's creation. I have been instructed by God to do so. He told me that it would be the cause of all fun in Life to man. That simple ability in me would what make your stint with me wonderful, colourful etc.. etc...
Sasi: But that is also the reason why there is so much misery in this world. People who commit countless mistakes, exploit others and feed on other men do do simply because they don't get punished immediately. You claim to be the caretaker of the Theory of Karma but of what use is it?
Time: Hmm ! You may have a point. But you'll have to take it up with God. I only do what I have been instructed by God. And, but for that ability of mine you would not want to lead this wonderful thing called Life.
Sasi: I do agree with you, but somehow I feel bad about it. Mr.God  has not yet given me the answer though I have asked him this question N number of times.
Time: It is in me and through me that He will answer you. You will have to stick to me and keep listening to Him so that you can pick the answer when He really gives it to you.
Sasi: That was very kind of you Mr.Time.Thank you. I had really good time with you.
Time: One last thing - I am embodiment of God. Don't waste me. Treat me with utmost respect and use me to the best of your capabilities and you will stand out among other men.