Rudyard Kipling's Poem ''If'' Read By Federer & Nadal

Via Sethu

Simon & Garfunkel's Asia tour - 2009

Check out the tour calendar here.

I'll be visiting their hometown around those dates! :P

Wishes

How do you define Success?

This could be an MBA app question ;) but I found it posted on LinkedIn.

Has the definition changed today? Comments most welcome...


In 1905, Bessie Stanley wrote:

"He has achieved success who has lived well, laughed often and loved much; who has gained the respect of intelligent men and the love of little children; who has filled his niche and accomplished his task; who has left the world better than he found it, whether by an improved poppy, a perfect poem, or a rescued soul; who has never lacked appreciation of earth's beauty or failed to express it; who has always looked for the best in others and given them the best he had; whose life was an inspiration; whose memory a benediction."

Aide et Action Experience

Between the 8th and 16th of September I participated in Aide et Action's (http://www.aea-india.org/) EduAction Thematic workshop (http://www.aea-india.org/events.htm) held at the National Institute of Rural Development, Hyderabad.

My previous experience building boats for the tsunami affected fishermen in Thailand had me asking a lot of questions concerning the design and management of interventions for creating sustainable livelihoods (SL).


Key reasons I attended the workshop:

1. Need for structure - what are the pillars of SL interventions? How does one design and manage the intervention?
2. What works and what doesn't - learn from the experience of others in India and the region
3. Network - know more about the NGOs/INGOs operating in India and the nature of projects they are involved in


Here is a glimpse of what happened:

The workshop brings together 150 people from various NGOs, INGOs (international NGOs), Government and Research institutes. And stray cases of strangers to the field – like me!

The themes include:
· Quality Education through Community Participation
· Inclusive Education: Approaches and Strategies
· Promotion of Sustainable Livelihoods
· Management of HIV/AIDS: Approaches and Strategies
· PRA and Participatory Research

I was part of the 30 odd Promotion of Sustainable Livelihoods group.

We spent the first 3 days getting to know the participatory tools and models and simultaneously meeting key people from organizations running SL programs in various parts of india – BASIX (http://www.basixindia.com/), Marketing And Research Team - MART (http://www.martrural.com/), Rural Development Trust, etc. The programs cover everything from financing, market development, natural resources management, capability development and institution development.

I am interested in the area of micro finance and hence decided to study BASIX closely and chose to visit the villages where they have rolled out their products (savings/ credit/ insurance/ advisory/ agricultural business development) under the banner of Krishna Bhima Samruddhi bank. KBS has two mobile branches running out of vans. Field executives have mobile devices that help them bring the services to every doorstep in rural India.

The real awakening comes during the field visit over the next 3 days when you get to meet the field staff from the different organizations and most importantly their rural customers - the agri-dairy farmers, weavers, small business owners, among others.

After the back-breaking ride to six sites in the district you come back and put it all together and a rich discussion ensues – with people bringing in perspectives from different NGOs working in different parts of India. Models collapse, theories evaporate and you get a glimpse of reality – what works and what doesn’t.


My takeaways:

Apart from finding structure, seeing models at work and networking with the NGO community of India I have been greatly inspired by the quality of people I met and their enthusiasm to bring about positive change. People have come to the field of social development from all walks of life – engineers, defense personnel, civil servants, bankers, housewives, you name it! And they have contributed immensely to the field and to the communities they work for and in return accumulated a wealth of knowledge.

But they all unanimously agree that the single most effective agent to bring about change remains the government. NGOs by themselves do not have the resources and the reach to design and implement holistic programs as done by the Indian government. In the light of the complexities of issues being addressed you can commend the progress the government is making. Of course, much remains to be done. There is a huge pool of funds sloshing around. The need of the hour remains quality leadership and management talent, of course with a big heart to give back to the community.



Here is a link to the photo album:

AeA 2007 Hyderabad

If you want to know more and get access to some of the workshop material then feel free to drop me an email.

rain

it rains as it rained that day
it rained then in celebration
it rains today to dilute
it rains today to cleanse

there and back

Bromo and Ijen

Photos from my trip to Mt. Bromo and Kawah Ijen in East Java, Indonesia.

Date: 8th – 12th August 2007

Details:

Both the places can be reached either via Surabaya or Bali. I flew into Surabaya and then taxied up to Probollingo (small town near Mount Bromo) and then up to Yoschi’s which is a small budget hotel with little bamboo/cane walled rooms (around 150k IDR per night). Food is good, ambience is great, friendly staff who can arrange day trips to Bromo or other nearby places (including arranging bus/ferry to Bali - Trips are marked up 10-20% though) and provide maps for local treks (2-4 hours around the valley).

First two days were spent riding up the edge of the caldera to watch the sunrise over Bromo and Semeru, riding up to Bromo on an old horse (25k IDR), trekking in the hills around, and drinking warm wine. Trek difficulty – easy.

The next two days were spent driving eastward to Kawah Ijen – the sulphur lake. First stop on the way was at a coffee plantation where we stayed the night and continued the journey to the base of Ijen the next day morning. The trek up to the sulphur lake is scenic and peaceful if you start early. Mist and fumes make photography a challenge! Trek difficulty – medium-easy.

Enjoy the photos and drop me a note if you need more info!

Cheers!

lose yourself

all the best, baby

atoms for peace

Artist: Thom Yorke

Album: The Eraser

Year: 2006

Title: Atoms For Peace

Lyrics: Click Here

A Scanner Darkly

What happened? How did i get here?

[Bangs his head into a cabinet door]

The pain, so unexpected and undeserved, for some reason cleared away the cobwebs.

I realized I didnt hate the cabinet door, I hated my life, my house, my family, my backyard, my powermower.

Nothing would ever change, nothing new could ever be expected.
It had to end and it did.

Now in the dark world where I dwell, ugly things and surprising things and sometimes little wondrous things spill out at me constantly, and I can count on nothing.

Another monologue I loved from the movie, A Scanner Darkly:

I saw death rising from the earth,
from the ground itself,
in one blue field.

[picks up a blue flower]

A present for my friends...
at Thanksgiving.

Quirk: The title for the book/movie is derived from this passage from the Bible in 1 Corinthians 13:

For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is
perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a
child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but
when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass,
darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as
also I am known.

almost there

the scene

Another night under the probing beams that weave new stories into the canvas of smoke swirling into the dark high ceiling. The joint changes hands. Goes from strange lips to mine and I add my own lyrics to the song written in smoke. This need to escape into a world without the haunting noises, the futile questions and the inconvenient truth. To con the inebriated mind into believing that these walls don’t exist, this floor doesn’t exist, this animal stench doesn’t exist.

A multitude of lights giving form to the skyline. Twinkling lights from the cars on highways that rise above a river ambling into the ocean. Highways that dissolve into a gaggle of neon lights. Each light whispers a story, a dream, a sigh from the few million lives that make this city. A glass wall mutes the scene.

I never knew this scene would evoke such feelings for this city. This is not home, it wasn’t supposed to be. And yet like a river flowing quietly it awaits below. You can sit up here and just watch. Or you can let your feet slide in and feel the pulse flowing between your toes. Will you dive in? Will you keep your head above the waves?

A roll of the dice. One life in this lifetime aborted. Another life begins without any preface. Whose turn is it next to roll the dice?

The nomad stands at the crossroads again. A bag over his shoulders bursting with memories. Some to be lost, others forgotten.

A new street in this old city. A new smile as I stride into the crowd.

The game is alive as long as you are willing to play.

The Rebel XTi

A birthday gift in advance!

Canon Rebel XTi (10.1 MP)

Canon EF-S 18 - 55 mm F3.5 - F5.6 II lens

Canon EF 50 mm F1.8 II lens

:) :) :)

the call

so much i wanted to hear
and so much i wanted to say
but you took me by surprise
when you called yesterday

its been so long
we have lost so much
flesh and bones are ashes
yet the soul remains

so much i want to hear
and so much i want to say
when you call me again, someday

Bubbles

I had posted the lyrics for this japanese song before. Just found the video on YouTube. Lyrics here:


The sea's so wide
You can't see anything.

The waves build up slowly, then break.

There are little bubbles everywhere.

They're born, and
shine sparkling in the sun.

They move about slowly,
floating and sinking.

They kiss, become one,
and then they float apart.

They slowly grow, then they burst...
...and sink back into the sea.

Somehow...
Somehow...
They are just like us.


Lyrics (translated) from title song of Japanese movie Visitor Q


Iyer

her eyes

will i dive
into the flaming amber ocean?

Kudos

Machee has done some great work recently with Aide et Action (http://www.aea-india.org/). You can check out his blog posts at http://adityaraghav.blogspot.com/

Good stuff dude!


Iyer

the gift

a special day it is today
and here I am, empty handed, nothing to say

swear, I thought of many a gift
confounded I was, coz none would fit

and then it dawned, the ideal present
                 no other comes close, as much as I try
your woes of aplenty, hope this will erase
                 I give you your gift as I wave goodbye



Iyer

Rhetoric

And who's the fool who wears the crown
Is it the fearless idiot facing the crowd?
Climbing his own way

And if all roads led to Rome
Is the long road the wrong road
'Coz life is too short?

And if no one ever spoke a word
Is the scream silent or the silence loud?
All mouths stitched in time

But the scream is silent
And the silence loud
The dance is a pirouette
Spinning round and round

A fiery dream consumes me
A candle awakens me
A wind blows through me
A tomb awaits me


Saigo

Happy Birthday!

3potties turns 2...