Letter to My Phone....

Dear Mr Mobile Phone...

You have made life pretty comfortable since the day you were born and over the years you have grown into a mature being, respected and well received every where and any where in the world. So much so that life without you is now unimaginable. From a poor rickshaw puller in dingy lanes of Chandni Chowk to the world's most powerful man Barack Hussein Obama, everybody religiously tugs you into their pocket before stepping out. Even when not going out, you are dutifully kept in near vicinity lest they miss out on some important message you might flash about the easiest and cheapest way to lose weight or how to earn quick bucks sitting at home.

But with all due respect I have some complaints to make. Don't take it personally but I guess you have become way too interfering. I understand its important to stay connected 24x7 in today's time but don't you think being available 24x7 is way too demanding. Ok just listen to this simple logic. Years before you were borne, people could afford reaching late to office at times and yet not be reprimanded as badly as they are now, because they could give any excuse of getting late, and would be seldom caught for getting up late. In today's scenario, the boss's secretary calls us up at six in the morning just to check if we are getting ready for the eight o clock meeting, she rechecks at quarter to seven and every 10 minutes after that on how far we have reached, all Courtesy YOU. Wonder what's the need of Global positioning System when we have You. And if this is not all, sometimes we have to report hours before we are scheduled to, just because a senior thought of dialing your number and passing on his work to us. We are dutifully informed again courtesy You.

And as if professional life was not enough, you have totally taken over our Personal lives too. Before You became such a prized possession, people valued their relationships for the love they shared, cherished every moment they spend together and stood by their promises. But You have, my dear, changed the whole logic of love now. Love these days is measured in the number of SMSes exchanged and frequency of calls. And, if God forbid, when one calls his/her loved one and You send an "engaged" tone for more than 10 minutes, there is bombardment of questions. "Who were you talking to,... so that's more important than me,... should have picked my call,... kept me waiting,... and the biggest Strike.. Don't love me anywhere..tsk..tsk..!!" And all this because instead of a sweet hello after romantic song caller tune, You thought of sending the "Engaged" tone. And about keeping promises, courtesy You plans are cancelled in matter of minutes by a single text.. "Hey dear... urgent meeting.. can't meet.. movie some other day... Promise.. Love..!!"

You did not even spare the school and college going kids. Earlier, even day scholars could bunk classes and go for movies without parents even getting to know, till the report card came,that is. But now even if we are in Hostel, You buzz with a flash saying "Home Sweet Home Calling". And even if we try hard to go into the farthest corner, Mom asks about our whereabouts, We say "College".. Mom says- but the background music seems like of some movie.. Now shouting, bunking classes for movies, is dat why we send you to the Hostel... n blah blah..." If only it was not for You dear Mobile Phone, we would have enjoyed the movie and managed to get the grades as well because our funda is simple- Movies or no Movies we study just the same.

And its not only You who is interfering more and more into our lives, You are spoiling us too. How You Wonder ??

Well when You blare out in full volume in some aunty's purse in a crowded Metro, we not only get to know about her choice of music but also about her opinion of her Mother-in-law, her good for nothing husband, her children's performance in school, her gossip loving neighbour, recipe of her favourite daal, the saree she recently bought, and almost everything you want to know about an individual. Because of You we are forced to listen to Aunty's personal talk at the highest pitch just because you thought of ringing while we were travelling with her in the Metro.

Although you have forced us to infringe upon other's Right to Privacy, with all due respect, I once again say that don't take it personally. You have made our lives extremely convenient but for all these little hiccups. And trust me when I say this that I Love You for what you are. Every relationship has minor hiccups, one must learn to ignore them. So I promise not to ever abandon You, no matter how demanding You can be at times.

Yours Truly

Faithful Companion.

PS: Ohhh... there you go again, blaring out my favourite song... I can't even write one letter in peace.. !!

A New Beginning...

Its been only two weeks since I have started working but life seems to have changed entirely. Nothing absolutely nothing feels the same. I am discovering new things about myself, my likes and dislikes are becoming more clearer, I am developing new interests and I am also moving away from few things which I thought I liked earlier.


Its not so much about the job as it is about me adjusting to an entirely new scenario. Its strange but true that during the end of college days I desperately wanted to become a working professional but once in the profession, I am beginning to question my capabilities. I wonder if I am mature enough to fit into the professional environment.


I so miss those care free days with friends in the college. The times we bunked classes just to sit and argue over the same old topics(with the same outcome ofcourse ie No Consensus..!!), the times when five different brains instantly thought to go to a particular restaurant simultaneously, the times we explored every nook and corner of the college just to stay away from the eyes of our HOD, the times which were full of fun and masti with no responsibilities and worries except the omnipresent anxiety of getting placed.


Looking back and cherishing those memories I wish I could remain a student forever. I so miss my school days, the college days and especially the IIMC days. Sometimes I laugh at my ignorance. I didnt realise then that my years spent in school and college were not just any years but moments which will make me nostalgic everytime I would think about them. I never imagined that the times I cried will make me laugh and the times I laughed will bring tears.

(This end is the beginning of a new journey and I am sure there are many more lessons to be learnt)

Happy 61st

Only on two days out of 365 do we realise dat we r Proud Indians. 26th January n 15th august are d days wen we feel immersed in d true spirit of tricolor.... music stations play al d patriotic songs, news channels suddenly get obssesed with the heroes of d soil.. dey divert dere crucial tym away frm filmstars towards d bravehearts sacrificing dere comfort to ensure dat we live in peace..sms msgs r al abt being proud of our nation even though throughtout d year we keep criticising evry little thing abt it..many of us dont even kno y Republic Day is celebrated or jst exactly hw Independence day holds so mch significance bt stil we feel excited n fr a change feel lyk flaunting dat we r Indians....

since mrng all tv channels r playing the new version of "mile sur mera tumhara" track in d true spirit of patriotism n i think d makers felt dat its only d movie stars who truly represent India coz d real heroes namely our athletes n our defence forces are visible only in glimpses dat too twds d end...

also travelling on delhi's roads on one of dese days is a new experience in itself....roads are nt crowded n u wonder whthr dese 4 lanes roads suddenly came into existence frm smwhr coz on other days u dont even find space to put down a foot...ditto fr d buses....n den u hv police personnels...fr once u feel dat dey r dere fr ur security n nt only fr d VIPs n VVIPs....

also wen u see d tricolor flagging here n dere...on d autos, cars, outside big n small institutions, on d malls n shopping complexes n in d hands of school kids..u jst cant ignore d mere beauty n power of dose simple three colors...

it wd nt b an exaggeration dat dere is smthng diffrnt in d air on dese days....actually evrythng is diffrnt...everythng is closed..students are happy to get a day off frm school without thinking abt d reasn....all mkts are closed n everybdy gets to spend sm quality tym wid family...if d day falls near d weekend den dere r more reasons to b happy..u can plan a weekend trip...wat bttr way other dan dis to celebrate d true spirit of nation...

infact today was a cmpletly diffrnt day fr me as well....i walked d delhi roads engulfed in d dense fog....saw cars buzzing across me n den gettng lost in d fog...in fact it was d frst tym dat i explored delhi on d Republic Day n actually felt diffrnt...it was feeling whch cant b described in one wrd...nostalgic...proud....sweet n innocent...n jst diffrnt bt gud...delhi is sm wat d same on other days as wel...d same roads ..d same fog...d same buses...bt today everythng felt so soothing n loving...

maybe it was jst d notion in d bck of my mind dat it is Republic Day or dere was smthng in d air....watever d reason... i thght abt my nation n fr once accepted it to b mine with al its shrtcomings n achievemnts alike........ i dont kno if my thoughts wd d same tomorw or in d following days....

Y Journalism?????

(NOTE: This blog posting is an attempt to answer the question about why I chose journalism as my career.)

Standing in the campus of Indian Institute of mass Communication or IIMC, I feel a sense of pride and honour. Just the acknowledgement that I am a student of one of the most prestigious mass communication institute in the country brings a smile on my face. I would not say that I always wanted to become a journalist. But yes I always wanted to become someone who had the power to bring about a change. And by change I do not mean overthrowing the government or changing entirely the working of the democratic setup. Change for me implies change in attitude, behaviour and efforts to solve the problems that we face everyday. Change for me is to Stop Complaining and Start Working. Change for me is to raise my voice against things which I feel are not good for the society.

But the big question was how to bring about this change. The answer, I figured, was to become a journalist. A journalist for me was someone who could motivate and inspire people through his stories. I myself was moved by various stories especially the ones which talked about degrading environment and reducing wildlife. Reading newspapers and watching news channels was not only informative but also fascinating. I was amazed by the fact that there was so much happening around me which I would never have known about had there been no news coverage. To me journalism appeared to be the only alternative available to do what I wanted to. It was then that I decided to become a journalist and joined IIMC to fulfill my dream.

Once in IIMC I knew my life was going to change. But honestly I didn’t expect any drastic change in the image I had of the media industry. However, as my days in IIMC progressed I could see the rosy picture; I had in mind of a journalist, breaking bit by bit. Journalism I realized is not only about reporting. It’s not as simple and sweet as it appears. Reporting an event or incident is just one small aspect. What goes behind making a two minute news story is a lot of hard work, thinking and creativity. Everything has to be just perfect then be it the opening shot the closing PTC or the choice of clothes.

Earlier I used to severely criticize a news item if I didn’t like it. But now I realize it’s very easy to criticize but very difficult to actually do a story. There is a particular way to cover a story and every reporter is expected to follow a certain method along with maintaining his own individual style. Media is indeed a platform to raise your voice and put across your opinion. But it takes a lot of experience and hard work to actually motivate people to do something.

You might want people to stop cruelty towards animals. But to put across that point only your thought and imagination is not enough. You should know how to grab your viewer’s attention and this can be done only when you know how to shoot properly, how to edit and most important; how to write the script so that the viewer is actually inspired by your story.

A journalist’s life is all about learning. Today, as I write about when and how I decided to become a journalist, is also a part of this learning experience. Although after coming to IIMC various myths I had about journalism have been broken, I still believe media has the power to change the world and good journalism is the key to it.

Journey so far........

How easy it is to lose hope.

Stress is too much for us to cope.

We have given away dreams we always dreamt.

Bound by rules we always wanted to bend.

……

The road ahead always looked so exciting.

For new challenges we were always thriving.

Ideas and creativity knew no boundaries.

Imagination flew high with a long list of queries.

The whole world was all ours to explore.

We had new paths to tread and options galore.

Nothing seemed impossible to achieve.

Everything was within our reach.

Our steps would not stop at the sight of hindrance.

We fought our way out to hop over the fence.

…….

Why have the steps stopped now?

Why is the imagination not flying high now?

Why are we afraid to take up challenges?

Why are we afraid to hop over the fences?

Why has the desire to do something great died down?

Why we no longer aim to be different from the crowd?

……

Life is too short to be disheartened.

Smile and start afresh with eyes focused on your goal till the very end.

Get up, Wake up and chase your dreams.

Do what you want to and forget about all the regimes.

There is only one life and this life is yours.

So never give up hope and keep opening new doors.

INDIA-PAKISTAN AND CRICKET!!!!!!

Pakistan- the utterance of this word brings about a flood of reactions. For some its a troubling neighbourhood. For others the hub of terrorism. And still few others feel its a democracy gone horribly wrong. Pakistan and India can never be talked about in isolation. The traditions, cultures, rituals and beliefs of people in the two nations are very similar. And one more thing that is common to both countries is cricket.

In India cricket is religion. If there is one thing which brings the one billion Indians together then it is Cricket. And the scene is same across the border. No matter how much tension brews up in the country, if the Pakistani cricket team is playing entire nation would pray for its victory. If the match is won people erupt into celebrations, dancing in the street with joy, lighting crackers they hug each other as if they were the one's playing. They give royal treatment to their cricketers and worship them like God after every victory.
But if the match is lost the entire scenario changes. Cricketers' houses are attacked, their effigies burnt and people protest against them on streets. Cricketers are treated as if they are the biggest criminals.
Doesn't all this sound a bit familiar! It does and the reason is that Indian fans also treat their cricketers in the same way. Tears trickle down whenever India loses match and crackers are burst after every win.

Cricket is such a big factor in both the nations that every slight move is closely followed. And where there is cricket there is bound to be controversy. India and Pakistan happen to be amidst controversy more often than not. All team selection meetings are intensively covered by the media. Coach and the management is also always under the public eye. Each and every move of all cricketers is religiously followed. No wonder in both nations Cricketers endorse maximum products.
Cricket acts as a great binding force in both nations. World cup T20 victory was a great factor in bringing people together amidst tension of suicide bombings and Taliban attack in Pakistan. People came out on streets to celebrate brushing aside all fears. A lost match also bring people together but in protest and anger.

When it comes to cricket as a sport there is hardly any difference in its following in India and Pakistan. Emotions, feelings and reactions are the same. Its only the the teams that change with changing borders.

Entrance Exam For Our Politicians.......???

Every year there is a hue and cry about nursery admissions in Delhi and NCR. Kids as young as two and three years old are introduced to the competitive world. They have to slug it out by reciting nursery rhymes or ABCD to secure a seat for themselves in the elite schools. Ofcourse there are various other criterion for admission but entrance test is also part of the process. How horrible it feels to utter the word "Entrance Test" for the kids! And these entrance exams or interviews become part of our lives as we grow old. From securing a seat in school , to getting admission in the prestigious college and then while applying for the job, at every stage we have to pass some exam or the other.

Many might argue that this process is important to choose the most deserving candidates for the post. Point accepted but with only one question, why is this process of screening and interviewing not implemented while choosing people for the most prestigious job, that of running the nation!

Why is there no criterion, except for age limit, for candidates to contest polls. Why anyone and everyone can just jump into the political scene. Why people with no elementary education, with past criminal records of henious crimes, people accused of creating communal tension and people who know nothing about the nation and its policies, are allowed to contest polls. What can justify the law as per which a person serving a jail term is allowed to contest polls!

While seeking admission to any educational institution or while joining any firm, we are required to fulfill certain eligibility conditions. Like having minimum pass percentage, no past criminal record, etc. Why such eligibility conditions can not be stated for contesting polls?

Shouldn't there be minimum educational qualification requirement, say atleast 12th pass, for every candidate. Shouldn't the candidates have no past criminal record and no pending court cases against them. And shouldn't the candidates be required to abstain from any activity which propagates hatred amongst different communities of the society.

Why the candidates, who aspire to run the nation or their particular constituency, are not exposed to rigrous process of entrance exams. An exam which would test their knowledge about the nation, its constitution, its demographies, its policies and its shortcomings. An exam which would test not only their aptitude but their attitude and just how would they contribute to the growth of the nation. An exam which would help to judge why a particular candidate is better than the rest and why should he be chosen over others to run the nation.

No doubt all this seems very cliched and difficult to achieve. But it is only difficult and not impossible. Small but significant steps in the beginning will eventually lead us to reach the long term target i.e. to have deserving and well qualified candidates to contest the polls.Our Election Commission can start by prohibiting anyone with past criminal records and pending court cases against them from contesting polls. This very step will tremendously reduce the number of candidates. And then the Commission can move ahead with implementation of other eligibility requirements like minimum educational qualification to contest polls.

India is the world's largest Democracy. But the current political scenario makes it more of a mockery than Democracy. Only if  the people who are allowed to contest polls  appropriately screened and filtered,  will the freedom to chose one's own leader be fruitful. Otherwise we will be ruled by a bunch of undeserving politician who fulfill their own self interest at the expense of general public. In my opinion all the campaigns which urge people to use their voting right and bring about a change, should also focus on the other side of the coin. Unless we have right candidates to choose from, who are we suppose to vote for? One vote can make the difference no doubt. But if all candidates are incompetent what difference would our vote make?