Love

Love. It has always been a puzzle for me. For that matter, any relationship that I share with my parents, family, friends, strangers or with you is not intuitive for me. Growing up, my extrovert nature exposed me to various kinds of interactions. Every conversation was another data point for me to figure out the rules. Some of them I understood. Most of it, I had to leave as it was. As time passed, I got better in understanding most of it.

Most, that is, except Love. I have never been able to get it. 

Love is best expressed by announcing it to the world, yet it is also spoken well through the silence. Love is felt in the company of your loved one and also in the longing of that special companionship. Love makes you feel complete even when you are alone but also leave you unheard in a group of people. It is so much more and also nothing but just 4 letters written and spoken. 

I never believed in destiny and love at first sight. But the night we first met, I was supposed to be on a plane to the US and you should have been at a different place. But we ended up meeting each other. I still don’t believe we were supposed to happen, but I guess it was destiny. And I know, it was love at first sight. 

I remember seeing you for the first time. You were sleeping, and I came into the room accidentally. I just got a glimpse of your face through the light that forced itself through the cracks of the doors and panes of the windows. I should have closed the door, but I couldn’t. There was something which made me stay. Something which made me wish everything stop right then and there. Your high forehead, the sharply defined chin, pale skin, long dark hair, high delicate eyebrows, strong nose, narrow mouth and full lips delimitated the logic and reasoning.That moment was so complete in itself. I never thought it would change my life. But I am glad it did. Forever.

When we started going out, Love for me was all about getting your attention. It was a free spirited love tied to the smile on your face, controlled by your presence in the room and dominated by the words coming out of your lips. It’s impossible to separate lust from love. In that case lust was not defined by the desires of the body but by your gentle touch when we shook hands, touch of your body when you were at the backseat of my bike, smell of your hair while sitting beside each other. It was the time when the day was successful with a single glance of you, the joke was funny with a simple smile from you and every action was justified if it gets a nod by you. My thoughts didn’t matter if you haven’t heard them. I didn’t matter if I was not with you. We lived the life by the moment and nothing else mattered. Love was a complex yet very simple to understand for me. It was all about fun for me. 

Time passed by and we started feeling more secure in each other’s company. We would share our dreams and hopes and plans. We were still young and felt unstoppable. Everything was within our reach and nothing would bother us. We believed life to be perfect in each other’s company and decided to be together till eternity. Love meant strength and success.

Something changed after marriage. Rules changed. Goals Changed. Priorities changed. The world became more complex and circumstances started bothering us. It took us some time to figure that out and bring everything and everyone in place. You were ambitious, and I was not. You pushed me to be the best that I could be. You were comfortable leaving everything for me. I never understood it. I still don’t. How someone can leave all that matters behind, all that define them, for someone else and be content with the decision. I started to realize that Love meant sacrifice.

Moving to the US brought us so many opportunities and challenges. Our life became my life. Our dreams became my dreams. I enjoyed it for a while but started hating it soon. Living your life for someone you love takes its toll and I saw it in you. We started asking different things from each other. We stopped enjoying things that we used to. Love was confusing.  

But with time, we rediscovered each other. We started another journey where we pursued new things and started enjoying each other’s company in a different way. We started becoming ‘ONE’ from two different selves. You pushed me each and every day to be the best I can be. I resisted and continued resisting. It took me some time to leave my notions and start seeing the world from your eyes. And It was a very different but beautiful world. After being together for 7 years, there is very little that has not been told or shared. The puzzle that we are for each other, has already been solved. But in the midst of everything, there is a comforting silence that wraps our world. I know now that Love is far beyond any definition or set of rules. 

The last 5 years has not been the life I promised you. It has been a life full of struggles, uncertainties, and compromises. But it has also been a life with hopes, dreams, and perseverance. It has been a life of grit. I can’t promise it will be happily ever after. I can only promise that I would try my best to be alongside you every step of the way. I promise to be a better person than I am today and continue to push you to be the best version of yourself. I promise that one day this life we share together will be a life well spent.  

5 moments which gave us the hope in 90’s that there is Indian cricket beyond Sachin. False hopes.

1. Abhay Kuruvilla :

Possibly the tallest player to play for India at 6'6", With his well endowed physique he gave us the hope that we have finally moved from lanky bowlers like Prasad and Srinath and we now have an answer to Ambrose and Walsh. He gave us the hope that we can check speedometer values during Indian Bowling sessions as well. I remember him taking long strides in his run up, come running towards the bowling end and bowling. At the speed of 125kmph. This was an end to our hopes of an express bowler. 

Though during his 1996-97 West Indies tour, Kuruvilla emerged as a key figure in the Indian attack and a haul of 5 for 68 in the second innings of the third Test at Bridgetown set up a winning position for India, but Sachin failed and the other batsmen contrived to throw it away and along with it the hope of a long career for him. 

2. Nilesh Kulkarni

This tall (6'4") and lanky player from Dombivili, a suburb in Mumbai, etched a name for himself in the history books by taking a wicket with his first ball in Test cricket. This was against Sri Lanka at Colombo in 1997-98. He is the only Indian bowler to achieve this feat and the 12th bowler in the history of the game. Finally we got a bowler beyond Kapil in the record books of bowling. That was cool. 

He bowled 70 overs but amazingly enough that was the only Test wicket he took for he had the misfortune to bowl when the Sri Lankan batsmen set several records in running up the highest total in Tests. Read 952 runs in an inning.

3. Hrishikesh Kanitkar:

Hrishikesh Kanitkar's name will forever be linked with his winning boundary off Saqlain Mushtaq in fading light in India's memorable victory over Pakistan at Dhaka in January 1998, when the team chased a 300-plus target in the Independence Cup final. We thought that we have got a finisher, an all-rounder. A very rare commodity back then. Rarer than a keeper who could bat or opener who could touch the ball.

But this however, was the only highlights of his international career, which included two Tests and 34 one-day internationals. 

4. Vijay Bharadwaj:

Coming into the national side on the back of a 1000-run domestic season, Vijay Bharadwaj was supposed to be Indian cricket's next big thing. His debut series - the LG Cup at Nairobi in 1999-2000 - suggested that there was substance behind the hype, as he took 10 wickets at 12.2 and scored 65 runs without being dismissed and was Man of the series. We were confident that he would be the person to share load of expectations with Sachin.

But a disappointing tour of Australia saw him become yesterday's news. He proved to be  a second Narendra Hirwani or Vinod Kambli.

5. Ajay Ratra :

 When Ajay Ratra gritted 115 not out in Antigua in 2002, he became the youngest wicketkeeper to score a Test century and the second Indian wicketkeeper to make one overseas. He was just 20 and it was only his third Test. Now we had a wicketkeeper who doesn’t get run out and scores century. That too in West Indies. Best possible thing that could happen to Indian cricket Period. 

This was supposed to be a long journey but later he lost his place in the Test side to Parthiv Patel, and in the one-day side to the appointment of Rahul Dravid as keeper in the quest for balance.

Right to Free Quality Education

It takes me great pleasure to introduce Edunetworking to you. 

Edunetworking is on a mission to provide free access to quality education for each and every child of this nation. We believe that the ‘Right to Education’ is an essential birthright.. To accomplish our mission, we have started ‘Edunetworking’, a non-profit initiative in the educational sector, initially targeting the 7th— 10th grades in India.

We have created an extensive library of over 2000 videos meticulously prepared by experienced teachers, covering most of the 7th—10th grade topics on various subjects including Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mental Ability, Social Science and English. This library of videos has been uploaded on ‘www.edunetworking.com’ which can be accessed by anyone, free of cost, to learn what they want, when they want and at their own pace. This library can also be equally beneficial to aspiring and existing teachers working in high-schools, as well as to volunteers dedicated to spreading education amongst economically and socially deprived children.

With the advent of the Information Technology age, education has gone digital. We therefore made a conscious decision to spread the cause of education in a digital format keeping the future in mind. Our idea has received overwhelming support from many teachers who voluntarily devoted their time, experience and knowledge to creating these videos. We are committed to improving the quality of our video library on a regular basis. We are now focussing on widening the lecture content to incorporate topics for 2nd—6th grades as well as 11th—12th grades.

We understand that it is very difficult, if not impossible; to reach out to economically deprived classes with only web-content. Nevertheless, as we embark on our objective to provide free education to the nation we hope that our tiniest step in the direction towards the mission of ‘Right to Education’ would translate into several miles for the nation and eventually achieve the dream of a 100% literate and employed India.

To expand the reach of Edunetworking to children who do not have access to school, we need the support of as many people as possible. We would like your help in promoting Edunetworking to the masses. We want to reach out to students, teachers, parents and NGOs in the educational sector to make our dream of a literate India a reality. We hope that you will help us in achieving our objective.

 We look forward to hearing from you.

http://www.isb.edu/idiya/

Luv Shuv, Shaadi Vaadi

I never thought I would be the first one among the self proclaimed legendary group of civil engineers to get married first but as every series has a finale, every love story also comes to an end. For my luck, mine is ending on the right side of the line. Or I believe so.

I met her nearly two years back. Then we met again. And again. But when we finally met after this, we were both shattered in pieces. But in the solace of each other’s company we picked ourselves pieces by pieces, formatted ourselves and geared up for the thing called life. And then, rest is history.

People ask me when I decide to get married. It’s a funny story with a serious ending. I went to a certain club in US. But in this certain club where morality is least expected from an individual, I, guy not known to be bound by a well fabricated moral fiber, felt moral compulsion for the first time in life. I took that as a sign from God. Yes, God is everywhere. Even in the places where cover charge is applicable. So I came back, I proposed her and she said nothing which I took as ‘yes’. Thanks to a bhery bhery long friendship bond between my dad and her dad, dosti rishtedari mein badal gayi.

Now when I reflect upon the last two years, it makes me realize that whatever we believe love to be, whatever we hope it to be, it is never the same. It always surprises us. I always used to believe in a fairy tale kind of love. A love so perfect that can make every goddamn ‘Rom-Com’ feels like a tragic movie. But its not. I know now. Love is never perfect. Love will never ever be perfect. The most important thing to know and believe is that it turns you into a better person.

In the last two year, we have seen what a generation can’t experience in decades; we have fought what many countries do in centuries;  we have loved what many people can’t do in lifetimes. We have laughed, we have cried, fought but in the end we have always end up in each other arms. We didn’t promise each other perfect life. We never will. Because it can not be done. But we have promised to have and to hold, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; until death do us part; or I become a rockstar.

 Date for the events along with mailing address for the gifts and wishes will be conveyed soon.

Right To Education - How many of us are aware of this?

The Right of children to Free and Compulsory Education Act came to force on April 1, 2010. Since then, the right to education is being accorded the same legal status as the right to life as provided by Article 21A of the Indian Constitution. Every child in the age group of 6-14 years will be provided 8 years of elementary education in an age appropriate classroom in the vicinity of his/her neighbourhood.

 Any cost that prevents a child from accessing school will be borne by the State which shall have the responsibility of enrolling the child as well as ensuring attendance and completion of 8 years of schooling. No child shall be denied admission for want of documents; no child shall be turned away if the admission cycle in the school is over and no child shall be asked to take an admission test. Children with disabilities will also be educated in the mainstream schools.

All private schools shall be required to enroll children from weaker sections and disadvantaged communities in their incoming class to the extent of 25% of their enrolment, by simple random selection. No seats in this quota can be left vacant. These children will be treated on par with all the other children in the school and subsidized by the State at the rate of average per learner costs in the government schools (unless the per learner costs in the private school are lower).

All schools will have to prescribe to norms and standards laid out in the Act and no school that does not fulfill these standards within 3 years will be allowed to function. All private schools will have to apply for recognition, failing which they will be penalized to the tune of Rs 1 lakh and if they still continue to function will be liable to pay Rs 10,000 per day as fine. Norms and standards of teacher qualification and training are also being laid down by an Academic Authority. Teachers in all schools will have to subscribe to these norms within 5 years.

Pyaar ke side effects

Summi once told me that Love effects you like drug. I interrupted in between even before she could complete her sentence and told her – “Yeah, Yeah I know. Love gets you high. But do you know – It’s because of the increased blood levels of adrenalin and cortisol which has the charming effect of getting your heart race and mouth dry when you unexpectedly bump into your new love. And also because of serotonin which explain why when you’re falling in love, your new lover keeps popping into your thoughts.” I finished my sentence and thought of the brilliant Sheldon Cooper. I also nearly said Buzzinga in my head but then she cut me off.

She told me that what she meant by getting high is that love make you hallucinate. It makes you read between the lines looking for the meanings which are not there, chasing for the signs which do not point anywhere, searching for the love which does not exist.

I wasn’t really sure about her statement but then she asked me – “Or how else you would explain so many one sided love stories?”

I couldn’t answer her.

Alternate Cocktail Experiments

Year 2011 has been a year with lot of booze. Not as much as last year but yeah definitely much more in terms of experimenting. These are the findings.

Experiment: Alternate Cocktails Experimentation

Apparatus: Vodka, White Rum, Scotch , Blender, Long tube shaped bowl, Sugar, Water

Procedure: 1. Take Alcohol, blender, bowl, sugar and place them on table at some distance from each other

2. Take 90 ml of Vodka in Bowl; Pour 50gm of Tang orange. Add chilled water and Blend it using Blender. A perfect drink for College students managing funds between Alcohol, snacks, Ice. Tang orange is a good substitute to Expensive cold drink. Add Sugar according to taste.

3. Take 90 ml of Vodka in Bowl; Pour 500 ml of Carrot/Cranberry Juice. Blend it using Blender. A perfect and amazing drink for health conscious people.

4. Take 90 ml of White Rum in Bowl; Pour 250 ml of Sugarcane Juice. Blend it using Blender. A good desert after a complete meal of hard drinks.

5. Take 90 ml of White Rum in Bowl; Pour 500 ml of thandai. Blend it using Blender. Created to duplicate the effect of Bhaang. May cause upset stomach next day. But totally a worth sacrifice.

6. Take 90 ml of Vodka in Bowl; Pour 50gm of Jaljeera. Add chilled water and Blend it using Blender. Another creation to match the Vodka Golgappe. Not a big success but still something which can be tried.

7. Take 90 ml of White Rum in Bowl; Pour 50 ml of Mint Cordial. Add chilled water and Blend it using Blender. No throw it in the sink. It’s a complete useless , utterly hopeless cocktail.

8. Take 90 ml of White Rum in Bowl; Pour 50 ml of Roohafza. Add chilled water and Blend it using Blender. Suggestion from a Friend/senior – Amrit. It’s the newest favorite.


Result: People tend to drink 45-75 ml more alcohol when served as a cocktail. This increases the chances of passing out by approximately 30-35%. It has also been noted that puking rate has drastically come down by 60%





Part II of Experiment – Alternate alcoholic Snacks

Rum-Choc sandwich – Take 4 slices of bread. Apply Chocolate sauce on one surface of the bread. Pour 10 ml of vodka on each slice. Put 10 gm of butter on each slice. Join the two slices and put them in Sandwich maker. Heat it for 4 min 35 sec and your Rum-choc sandwich is ready. This is the best dish you will ever taste.

Magg-scotch - Add 30 ml of Scotch in the normally prepared maggy. A perfect snack to eat up while you drink.


So these are all the experiments – good or Bad , Done in 2011. I am sure 2012 will add many more colors to my existing cocktails recipe. Let me know how you find them. Offcourse after you tried them.

Who am I ?

Sometime back one of my friend asked me to define myself and I said that I had no idea who I am. The past few months have made me realized who I am.

I am CONFUSED.

I have been a North Indian, born and brought up there but I have spent the prime of my life in South India. I equally love and hate both the parts of country. I like the springs in north and falls in south. I would prefer both Vada and Parantha equally as my choice for Breakfast. I love the serene calmness of the south as well as guzzling roads of North. I have the northern accent in the swear words I use and I also finish my sentence with ‘uh’ I equally hate the cultural hypocrisy of south and sleaziness of the north. I am in love with the intellectuality of the southerners’ and charm of the northerners’. I love the smells of gajras as much I like the smell of Itra. I like the woman dressed in Saris as well as in the Skirts. I found the thick southern English accent as funny as the Hariyanvi Hindi accent. I like the dusky shade of the skin as much as I like the bright fair tone of the skin.

I am not sure who I am.

I am not sure if I have lost my identity.

Or have I created one for me?