Sreeram Srinivasan

The title of this post may trigger thoughts of Aretha Franklin's classic number that arguably became the theme song of the American Feminist movement in the 60s. But we aren't far away from what I have in mind. But this is more about what happens to people in organisations. Read on.... Many of us, even though we refuse to accept, depend on our colleagues and subordinates to become successful. This is even more true when we come into a new organisation and are struggling to establish ourselves in the first few weeks. We will need specific help from our compatriots to get us started on the job or to show us the way in those incipient days. Many would expect our bosses to help but this seldom happens. So we are left to fend for ourselves and quickly find allies. This is where a vast majority of us fail to make it and feel frustrated in the first few weeks. We feel we have no authority or have not been empowered enough to do the job. What we fail to realise is that we have to b

Have always liked this scene in Chak De! India (2007 vintage) when an Indian Hockey Federation official exhorts a prospective coach, Kabir Khan, of the Indian Women's Hockey team, "Ye lota belan chalaane waali bharatiya naariyaan hain, kahan ye nikkar ukkar pehen ke daudti firengi”. The doughty gals and their passionate coach, on a personal mission, prove the official wrong in the movie and win it all. And we thought it was just a stupid movie, right? This week we saw something amazing. Couple of Indian girls took both the Gold and Silver medals at the Asiad 2010 in nothing less than the 10000 m athletics event beating out the Chinese, Japanese and even an Ethiopian athlete. Indian women are now in hitherto unthinkable competitions and winning medals at the Asian level – hurdles, discuss throw, archery, rowing not to mention wrestling and boxing. This is just a follow-through of what we saw on our home turf just a few weeks back at the CWG in New Delhi. 34 of the 100 medals I

India is a land of amazing paradoxes. In a sense, these propagate from the main religion practised in these parts as well, viz., Hinduism. In Hindu beliefs, one does see the paradoxical roles and responsibilities assigned to various Gods and Demigods. For example, Yama, the God of Death is also the God of prosperity ; Bhairav, son of Shiva, believed to live in graveyards, depicted naked but is the patron God of happy family life ; Surya (or Sun) is the harbinger of life but death is a possibility during Sun's planetary cycle in one's life (Surya dasha) while his son Shani, feared for many a trouble during his cycle, protects your life. It is believed that one would seldom die during the Shani dasha period. Shiva himself lives a life of extreme austerity among ghosts, phantoms and dead bodies, his own body covered in ash but is the patron of performing and fine arts!!! Mangal (Mars), the warrior, representing aggression and short-temper, is also believed to bless people with a k

In times of yore, skills passed down to the next generation, this the only way of livelihood, deliverance comes as education For the privileged class, 'twas the teacher setting direction, preparing the minds n bodies, reverence comes as education In middle times, books came in to feed and fill our imagination, widening the ways to erudition, brilliance comes as education. The millennium last, educating masses builds so many a nation, tomes, pedagogy and academia, eminence comes as education. Today, wisdom pours thro' the Web, in fibre-optic illumination, wide world itself the classroom, transience comes as education. e-knowledge n e-learning now buzz, not esoteric n exclusion, open access becomes the way, multivalence comes as education. All knowledge only a click away, skills still remain the big illusion, How bridge this chasm, so true deliverance comes as education?

This year's Diwali celebrations in our country have been garnished by the arrival of two honoured guests, viz., Ms. Michelle and Mr. Barack Obama, First Lady and President of the US of A, respectively. Thanks to the plethora of channels available today, we have had the privilege of following them by the minute sitting in the cosy comfort of our homes and am sure much of India, like me, was glued to their TVs over the weekend watching them. But I do wonder if anyone truly saw beyond the images of the dancing with tentative steps, a contemplative, slow delivery of answers to questions or shaking hands with primary school kids and squatting to speak to them and give away little gifts. What is playing out in front of us is truly history that will shape this Nation and its people in a couple of decades. If you don't believe me, hang around and you will see. And if you ask why, then read on……….. As I have discussed before on this Forum, India has over 500 Million people below the

The choicest one in a boutique, valueless like a rarest antique, in a crowd the stand out pique, my longing for thee so oblique. You are a person so so unique. Thine presence so aromatique so enchanting thy physique, Oh! so powerful thy mystique, For long, you my only li'l clique, Lines are my love's symbolique

Strong sustainable dynasties, be it regal, corporate, or political, are created not just by keeping the bloodlines unbroken but by producing progeny that are energetic, enterprising, aspiring and deserving. While ambition and treachery may have won some the high office, a good number of the scions would have achieved their goals not by being just the first born but by deserving what they desired.... How does an aging patriarch (or matriarch) find the most deserving among the many choices he or she may have ? How to be the best disinterested judge of potential among the many that share equally all the love that this person have to give? People in power have relied on their own powers of judgement, the wisdom of peers and advisers, and importantly the will of the masses, i.e., the ruled! The last aspect is oftentimes the tipping factor in a complex process of decision-making. And people's will or hearts are won not by genes but by deeds..... not necessarily great ones but the righ

The period was early 17th century.... These were the waning years of the Mughal Empire and regional satraps were becoming powerful locally, splintering the Nation into several small Nation states. In a way, it was federalism even before the Americans or the West thought up of the concept. The West had just awakened to their future potential. Trading across seas became an important economic necessity. Many past trading superpowers such as China and India had clamped down on it, unwilling to expose its people to different cultures, ideas and thought. Slowly but surely, the trading companies became powerful economic forces in the countries they set up bases in. Nevertheless, they stayed focussed on business of their own until...... It took 145 years before they took sides in a local conflict. And therein found an opportunity to become even more powerful - by playing up differences among the people, fueling aspirations, leveraging treachery and self-interest of the locals. A tiny country,

People like to feel empowered - at work, at home, at community forums, public forums, and even in society at large. But what is empowerment? Is it just raw power to do as we please, to control people around us, to push our views thro' irregardless? Or is it freedom - of thought, of action, of the ability to decide or to put forth views without fear of retribution? Is it given to us by sanction, is it authority, is it responsibility and accountability or is it what we feel within ourselves, what we take, what we feel as our right? My sense is none of above and a bit of all of the above!! Empowerment comes from our own convictions, our beliefs, our will to do or achieve, our passion to do the right thing, our burning desire to fight for a cause or an objective. So it is something we can take, something we can force someone to give much like respect and stature. We can make ourselves indispensable by the strength of our character, by the purity of our moral rectitude, by our insights,

In my position as a colleague, as a friend, an old classmate, an important member of a senior team at office, a member of a family, as Head of a business entity with several reportees, both direct and indirect, am asked to and expected rightly to provide guidance, advice and even mentor and coach people. For me this is both a challenge and an opportunity but something I have always enjoyed doing. The reasons are simple : there is a need to build trust, there is a need to speak with confidence and conviction, there is a need on my part to walk the talk, there is need for me to prepare and also articulate in a way the other person sees merit in it, and it takes a lot of influencing, and most importantly it takes a lot of courage to offer advice and guidance. Here, the rule of 3X15 applies……….. it is my sense that each one of us have at least between 10 to 15 people seeking our active guidance and another 10 to 15 people seeking our advice at various times but not continually. These are

To restrict speech, to restrain people as the World passes past, to control thought, guns to force dress codes, leaving one aghast. Great sons n daughters, freedom their dream, their breath n repast, Shed blood, shed lives, to help secure it for progeny, ever to last. Free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty, we're free at last, What so many take for granted, excuse for some to have a blast. What's freedom for the hungry, few morsels that break the fast, For the one in abject penury, liberation in the few coins cast. Education, a great emancipatorf or those wronged in the past, Brings hope and succour, from girls to society's lowest of caste. This land of opportunity and freewill, truly proud of its great past, Free up wealth for its li'l people, Salute it... flying up on the mast. Free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty, we're free at last, (With all credit to Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr for his immortal words, I used in my poem)

Salutations to thee... many thy form, myriad thy ways, to guide, to teach, to berate, to awaken me from the daze. One's mother, the first for all, brings us to the light, always, Her voice, her silence, her signs, never ceases to amaze. Father, the role model for girls n boys alike, for all he conveys, He is the hand that holds firm and tough love that he displays. When time for the eyes to open wide, what a role a teacher plays, Shaping our characters, making our lives, with all that he purveys. The guiding light, from whom all Knowledge floweth forth as rays of sunlight, the Supreme One, on whose whims this Universe sways. Salute thee this day, my Guruji, Many thy form, many thy ways....

Macau - there is something that looks and feels amazingly simple about this place. No one's in a hurry to do anything. And there is no one saying "tenson mat lo" 'cos there isn't any. The general ambiance is quite laid back but not lackadaisical. It is simple and efficient. Yours truly had the opportunity to be in this tiny province in May and came away awed by its simple efficiency, simple elegance and an even simpler philosophy - life is for living..... pleasurable living.... whatever be the pleasure that you seek. Some of you could say it is ironical such a place exists in the Orient - known for its austere philosophers that purveyed spirituality to this World. But even unapologetic pursuit of pleasure, that looks mundane and base, could be viewed as spiritual when taken to the superlative degree of refinement as it is in Macau!! Macau is a small island south eastern part of China, 61 kms fm Hong Kong. It was a Portuguese colony till 1999 and handed back over

The dust may have not settled literally from the Eyjafjallajokull volcano eruption in April but the media seems to have moved on to other "important" issues like cricket and politics. However, volcanic eruptions have a significant impact on several aspects of life on this planet, like global warming but not so obvious things like economics. I can hear you say, "Hey! What's the big deal? We know that the first estimates of direct losses for the airlines were set at over 1 Billion Euros (1.3 Bn $)." But this is not all... This is just the beginning compared to the collateral damages the world will suffer in the days to come. Read on..... Volcanic eruptions are highly pressurized ejection of solids and various gases. Much of these gases find their way to the stratosphere due to forceful nature of the Nature's fury. A good amount of these gaseous mix is made up of sulphur dioxide (SO2). An ejection of the kind of Eyjafjallajokull can put several thousands of ton

Love, the strange ailment, ever so slowly does evolve, no cure for this affliction, n no quick potion to dissolve. Live it, love n feel the sweet pain, watch the world revolve, hug may be succour, an illness locking lips may yet not solve. Love spares no one, sweeps away all, none will it absolve, Smile and accept it for there isn't a way one can devolve. Early love's sweet fragrance, known to those that involve, Late life love's as fresh, but with aroma of a quiet resolve.....

Its greed that drives this World, like a locomotive, Land, ladies n lucre, fuels that holds us all captive. These times when illusion, n Maaya so potently active, Man says he's but helpless to fight this grand motive. No one seems immune, no country to which its native, An endemic that's spread, as a cancer all so pervasive. Politics, business n crime, a mix so heady n elusive, graft's become so normal, as public remains passive. Nation that purveyed to the World the Spiritual missive, Held ransom by desires and a society that's permissive. As run for domain, damsel and dough look all invasive, 76 lives laid down seems in vain and so very expensive. PS: In a Nation where graft and corruption is eating at the core, 76 jawans of CRPF seem to hv laid down their lives for the country in vain last week. Makes me wonder if it is even worth it.....

Over two-thirds of planet earth, yet potable is parts per million, a molecule so precious, search and find it, one place in a billion. All of mankind is born in water, its after all the life-giving potion. Water, so abundant yet so rare, Abuse not this, use but in ration, Scores die in poorest of nations, the life-giver itself turns poison, unpotable water the scourge of children with none other option. Much wasted, so much thrown, more the affluence in a nation, Be aware, pledge to conserve. and so consume in moderation. Potatoes need 'em, crops more, is at the core of food cultivation, stop all wars, lay to rest all hate, Strive hard, make a potable ocean

To summarise part 1 quickly, had spoken of the jehadi forces consolidating with new fillip from Yemeni and Somalian recruits. There is word that Al Qaeda is emerging as an umbrella organisation that provides drive in terms of spirit and also working on higher end weapons for a sustained campaign against the US of A. The latter is looking vulnerable, not because of erosion in its military might but rather by its own internal economic and political climate. Any major attack by its enemies at this time, either nuclear or biological, could trigger a surprising response. This could be in the form of pulling back and becoming completely detached from the World and its affairs, leaving the World to fend for itself. We wanted explore what would be the fall-out and benefits of such a scenario..... Read on.... The American Pull-back Let us look at the benefits to itself from its pull-back and becoming an isolationist state yet again. Imagine the many trillions of dollars it would save the US fo

To add so much colour to any milieu, conquer any bastion, soften even hardest of stone, beauty, thy name is woman... Bringing forth the progeny, so the chain remains unbroken, bear burden of sustaining life, fertility, thy name is woman... So much you give to everyone, but so little you seek in return, so dogged, tireless thy pursuit, fidelity, thy name is woman... From very beginning of time, Eve of Eden to age of modern, suffering silently thro' history, tranquility, thy name is woman. For a child, a nourishing mother to her man, an ever loving one, For a saint, she's the Supreme, Divinity, thy name is woman....

Have written about the economy, the recovery, the fear of hyper-inflation in recent times. Much of it has come true and some of it is unfolding with tell-tale signs seen all around us. Most of it isscary stuff so no great glee in me saying, "I told you so...". So this write-up is certainly not about that but what I foresee as scenarios emerging in the next few years as we close this decade and move to thenext in a few months. Am trying not to be a doomsday prophet but may unwittingly end up sounding like one. America is continuing to battle terrorism globally but with less and less support from many other countries. While the Obama Administration had originally thought that terrorism has seen its heydey and is starting to dwindle, some recent events have forced a rethink.Yemen and Somalia are emerging as new hubs for global terror apart from the Af-Pak cauldron. There is word that many splinter groups are linking up with the Al Qaeda while operating quite independently. Manyp

(With due apologies to Elizabeth Barrett Browning) How much I love thee, let me count the many ways, Love the color of your skin, so many hues and shades. I love thee, way thy cherry lips gleen from early rays of light, long to kiss them, locked in a warm embrace. I love thee for those eyes, a gleam that leaves all in daze, so soft to all in its sights, no prejudice n equal in its gaze. I love thee for thine gait, so steady but lazy in its pace, carrying all the many souls, an all encompassing grace. I love thee for thine form, never once cease to amaze, Blue sea to snowy mounds, lovely contours of thy face. I love thee for sweetness of thy sounds, tonal interplays, the mellifluous voice, the peace of mind that it purveys. I love thee, I love thee, for all n more that it portrays, How I love thee, let me yet count the myriads of ways.... Sreeram - A Romantic poet or a simple patriot :-) ? Happy Valentine's day ........

Have written enough about “we the people” and thought its time I wrote about what “we the people” created and endure day in and day out. The title, of course, is a dead giveaway. Yes..... My reference is to our flag carrier, i.e., Indian Airlines or more recently called Air India (AI from now on). I do have great respect for this entity not only because it is called in at times of crisis to serve the Nation and its people – be it evacuation of our people from the Gulf or other crisis-prone locales of this world that is home to non-resident Indians but also to serve remote parts of the country that no other private airline will bother to serve. It also has the envious reputation of having trained the first of the crew of a fledgling Singapore Airlines a few decades back. Not too far back in the past, it was also considered a world-class airline by many overseas. But somewhere this enterprise started to falter and go down a path that has put it in a time-warp of sorts. Wonder if it will

What greater pleasure for a woman when in love so deep to give herself fully to the man that forever she likes to keep. Womanhood and nothing less she stakes, no price too steep, For her, her man is everything, joy n pride that one sees seep. For a man, its the smile on his lady love that's top of the heap, much said about male ego, yet will follow his love like a sheep. When a right one comes along, he is willing to lose all his sleep, even the strongest of ones are over-powered in one fell sweep. To put his manhood where the mouth is, his faith's great leap, so vulnerable a moment, give fully his self, no ego here to reap.