2015 July
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July, 2015
Not doing anything. Just lost in thoughts. Dreaming. Gazing. Imagining. Wondering…..all these activities seem to suggest that a person is not productive. Not working. Not utilising his time well. Not efficient. In fact it has become a luxury to be able to NOT DO ANYTHING AND JUST DREAM. Just laze around. In this millennium of constant activity, 24 hours connectivity, 360 degree feedback, end to end information, back to back communication where is the time for a worthless thing like not being connected, not doing anything, not staying in touch ? It appears all this is possible only if you sign up for a residential yoga or meditation or rejuvenation programme where you pay through your nose to live frugally, eat minimally, remain silent and cut yourself off from the outside world.
May be not, may be you can slip into this UNWINDING phase if you can step into Alice’s shoes for once. Alice in Wonderland – the famous character all of us are familiar with since childhood turned 150 in June. The 7 ½ year old lovable little girl fell into a rabbit hole and opened up a dreamland to all of us, her readers. Perhaps it is time we travel back in the time wrap and learn to dream and unwind……….the most inexpensive rejuvenation therapy, if you ask me.
Well, reality is different…………it is the Greek economic tragedy, it is the ecstatic Wimbeldon victories, it is the stunning IPL verdicts, it is the eye-popping ecomm valuations, it is the exponential start-ups growth story, it is the shocking Vyapam scam…………..and of course closer to us, the unromantic, daily grind of keeping in touch with the regulatory changes.
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July, 2015
This is an autographed message our beloved late, former President of India, Hon’ble Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam shared with us when he delivered a talk at the IIM, Bangalore campus as part of the Alumni Leadership Talk series, way back in June, 2008. I was fortunate to be part of the organising committee of this memorable event and also propose a vote of thanks to this cheerful, energetic, inquisitive and lovable first citizen of our country. As always he had a Q&A session for the audience after which he was mobbed by all the children of alumni and faculty of IIMB. I could see that the person who occupied the highest position of our country had no airs about himself. He felt most at home amongst the children and had time to answer their queries, put counter questions and listen to their poems too.
I recall that the interactive session ended with the following oath that he made all of us take :-
Oath for professional leaders1 As a leader in public life, business, education and culture, I commit personal and
public integrity, honesty and transparency.
2 I will “work with integrity and succeed with integrity” in all my tasks.
3 Always, I will ask myself in all circumstances “what can I give”.
4 I will become an employment generator rather than employment seeker.
5 I will have three friends in my life – innovation, devotion and love for my work.
6 My National Flag flies in my heart always. I will work for realizing freedom from
poverty and freedom from illiteracy and freedom from injustice.Happy sharing this with you and wishing all of us can live up to his expectations !