School in the Same City!

I got a chance to visit one of the Govt. Girls Senior Secondary School in North - East District of Delhi (almost touching UP border). Before even landing at the school, a blur image was constructed in my mind. For instance, children seated in classes, teachers busy with the usual record maintenance work, some basic infrastructure (including table, chair, blackboard), and so on. However, my city gave me a shock. As I entered the premises of apparently the only 'bada school' (Sr. Sec) catering to a pretty large population of a semi - urban area.



Some much - visible observations:

- Only Class 10th and 12th were privileged enough to sit under a roof, rest of the classes (6, 7, 8, 9 and 11) were suppose to enjoy the sun after almost a week. Yes, after a  week as it rained thus no school for last 4 -5 days.

-  The arrangement was so temporary that at chhuti time (end of the day) girls picked up blackboard and dhari (woven sheet) and placed them in the store room (space utilized under the stair case).

- Some fortunate teachers occupied space under the trees, rest were left with two options either the corridor or  sun basking.

- Teacher sat on a chair, 4 ft above children who placed themselves on Dharis. Even if the teacher was willing to teach her voice could hardly reach beyond the third row. It seemed as if the class ended after first - two rows as rest of the girls were either busy copying notes/homework or chatting.

- School offered different timings for different classes. Std. 6 - 8 (10am - 12:30pm), Std 9 - 11 (7am - 10am), only girls in Std 12 had classes from 7am - 12:30pm not to forget without any official break time.

-   As the classes merged into each other, there was no distinction some girls took advantage and utilized their time catching up with friends in other classes, However, this act was just not acceptable by a teacher who went around hitting them. The Ultimate shocker of the day.

Probably all of the above is pretty much imaginable, But what really kept me thinking is...that this is the same city. Same city where nursery admissions in top notch schools become headlines, where even a small pat on back might risk a teachers job, same city where AC classrooms, swimming pool, smart boards are quintessential points for parents to decide and rate the school. Same city where in some schools speaking in Hindi leads to a fine. Same city where young minds opt for private teaching than teaching in a govt school. Same city where more the donation more it is considered a matter of pride.

One of those days, when you put your head back and retrospect for a while!

Victory without war

I am a paraplegic. Oh did it make you sad ? Please don't be, because I just said half of my sentence. I am a paraplegic millionaire businesswoman who has just entered global markets by launching IPO of Jia Tech in Nasdaq.

And believe me when I say not a single step has been thorn free. Though the greatest pain was not when I stepped on thorn for the first time. It was greatest when I was pitied.

My legs gave way not because I wanted them to. I wanted them to take me faster to the goals staring at me. May be they gave up before me, or it was god's will when my legs got under a falling roof, or they sacrificed themselves for my life. In that case, I must be more thankful than complaining.

I must be lucky to be born on this age where locomotive disability is no hindrance to work, especially in a field like Information Tech, where only soft soul of hard machines have to be developed. It requires only brain and for some speed good to work with hands.

After having served in an giant MNC for close to 10 years, I thought of taking a plunge into entrepreneurial sea. There I got some of my best friends along with satisfying but tough challenges to be overcome. I also met my childhood friend Arshad there. He said he loved me since childhood. No one knows God's plans unless it comes in front of your eyes. I married him 10 years back and we together started a firm Jia Tech, naming after our baby. I don't know why it felt good naming it after our child.

These 10 years have been full of pride and success. I am still a paraplegic, but I have a partner who never let that appear in our togetherness. Some strangers do take note of that, but the professional doubts have eased out now, as the company has earned reputation now and it is now more than just me.

My grit and brain...and of course a higher power whom I call God, have been contributor to what I am now. I am sure the same is applicable to you too.

I am not going to lose these three valuable items in my life. And Arshad and Jia... well they are the ones who were pushing me to write a small article about me. Their presence has given me more strength than ever.

All the best dear reader! I know you can also do it.
This is Rakshandha Haveliwala, Founder CEO of Jia Tech, signing off.

---
P.S.- proud of Ms Ira Singhal

He said - She said

He said you are the queen of my heart

Your place shall never depart 

You will live in one safe corner 

With memories those shall charge me forever 

She said you are leaving me alone 

What if I wish to  seldom grow

You have left an unseen mark

The traces of which are so very dark

He said be strong 

My arms shall remain open, hidden from all  

You were special all this while 

But not enough to take that flight 

She said I warned and warned since time

She ran hard and hard still was stuck in rime 

Coldness of which could be felt by both

Others felt the warmth by this oath 

Time was to bid farewell 

As newness was touching with despair

The less spoken about the good times spent  

Would save them both from the future dents 

For the NAME sake!

I wonder at times, how important is it to give a name/tag/label to things/situations/issues/people/relations in life. Does giving a name make a lot of difference? Does it create clarity in the minds of people? Is social sanction the ultimate thing which drives humans to be or to ‘not’ to be themselves?

Well, I am certainly struggling to find answers. And this time it is about an emotion. I don’t know how to address it, what to call it (the name thing, yet again) but I refer to it as Love.

Love which is being described in infinite ways, which is experienced by each one of us variedly, which is called by different names, whose intensity cannot be defined, one which is not limited to any particular action, which at times negated and sometimes accepted in its most blur forms but whatever it is…something is there for sure which is understood uniquely by each one of us reading this.

I too have experienced it, each time differently. Through words which only I understood, through extra smiley’s in those texts, those odd timings which did not matter, those initiations which set the mood, through that first unforgettable touch, that ugly fight which strengthen the bond, that haq (right) which was exerted each time, those new names which defined me like never before, those never ending laughs, sharing tears, time and telepathy, through developing new tastes, through acceptance of self and others around…and I can go on and on. Can I give a name to all of this? I probably did...somewhere in my head. I did not publicized it neither I questioned it.

Months passed, it was time to give a sanction or otherwise destroy it forever. Giving it a label was in hands of people closest to me but not close enough to feel all of the above. Days passed I flapped my hands around…all went unseen, with a hope though that someone unseen is seeing it for sure.

Silently I cried, the more I did the more it was going far. Some said I did not flutter enough, some said this is how it is meant to be, some said what’s the point you are over reacting, some said end this emotion soon (no name no gain) and best were those who over looked it, they surely felt some drops but still did not dare to look at me flapping all this while.

I could not give it a suitable name. A label which is accepted by the society, which keeps everything bounded, which is best for people around, which reinforces a positive image, which gives regard to live and be respected.

All this while that little emotion lost its way or was it made to lose its way. It was ignored under different pressure conditions and I was asked out slam it forever and ever in no time left in my hands. Well, most of them said that’s what you are meant to do, for how long will you enjoy without a name? For how long will you be regarded as ‘the other’ thing existing? End it for NAME sake!

I asked to myself, again and again, how important is this name after all? Can’t this emotion breathe and nurture without a name? Does without a label it has lost its standing? Never was there a label, so all of it was waste?

I am being made believe these days that is exactly how life works. Beauty of a flower is appreciated by its looks and names far – far more than those seeds which were quietly buried under the soil. 

Work by a bunch of few, to affect not just a few

We in TIL (place I work currently) are coming up with a product to analyse personal finance of people. While I am too little an entity to describe the future of the product, I can say that a lot of work has been done on it and planning has consumed huge amount of grey cells from us, only to give us more peace of mind.

Its been 3 months since the concept was actually given a skeletal structure. Even now, the baby is only ready and not yet out. Our teaser page http://www.smartspends.com/web/invite-signup.html is up and running, and those who are excited for the app should compulsorily sign up to feel the progress.

Late nights of work, early hours work while still lying on bed, deferring getting out of bed not to sleep more, but to get the code working, our task has not yet ended, but it is good that everyone in our team has put great effort behind the product.

This is just a snapshot of the scene in our team. And the environment it is hinting at is a very small part of the dynamism happening throughout the day.

So overall, our product is going to come to market soon. Register yourself to get the latest updates, and ride the world with us!

Our Mother in Gurgaon

Surprizingly she is not a she but he. He had been with us since 2005, but then his status was of just a common bhutiyas that we all bachche are normally. He had even committed big blunders in his college days. We never expected him to be our mother and take care of this house as nicely as he has done in all these 5 years.

Mr. Vivek Bansal has already been honoured with the title of a super friend, and now he is hereby conferred the title of the best male mother as well. Going to take sabjis every week without fail, scolding Rahul just like his son, tolerating mrityu like he does to every jackass, handling JP in his best form, paying bills on time, never letting his landlord Mukesh say any word over the state of house or rent or anything... he has done it all.

His aura has not been identified only by me and my fellow room mates. Street dogs from Delhi to Corbett, all were super fond of him. The dogs would only wag their tails when Bansi was near them. Of course they got biscuits and other eatables from Bansi Ma. See how in the pic, the doggy's eyes glowed up when bansi ma is beside him. He is indeed a true roadie. Ask about it and he will tell you how it feels to be a roadie.

Now, Gurgaon would be left only with his memories. He is leaving his kids for blessing some other place. God did not like him to stay here for long. He has sent him to a distant land. Now, Mumbai would be where our mother would live. These are sad days for us. We don't know how we would survive in this cruel world. My brother has already had his 38 inches waist pants useless, because now they don't hold onto his waist now. He has gone so thin in grief that all his dresses seem to be bought for two Rahuls.

While we come over this tragic loss to us, we would pray that Bansi ma is kept happy wherever he goes. May Johnson and Johnson prosper in your manager-giri and more and more women benefit from Bansi ma's product.

Alvida Bansi Mitr
All the best for your career in Mumbai.

Summers

She was waiting for them to come. Her idea of happiness was somehow so much 'summerish', she used to say.

http://seeurimage.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/
Summer-Couple-Beach-Wallpaper.jpg

"Look Rahul, I don't want coldness in my life anyhow. You know it na, even the brightest of flowers wither away in the air of coldness. Please na Rahul, no honeymoon in winters, please. Ok wait, lets go Andamans. No no, we can go to some better place...mmm, Miami ? No No, not there..." In the excitement of marriage next month, Shivy had spent innumerable hours in planning what she and Rahul were going to do after marriage.

A few months back, they were having the toughest moments of their lives, with both of them stuck in life, for they never wanted to hurt their parents and go against their will in a decision as important as marriage. Still, they would take out time and have auto rides through many places in Delhi. The winter sun would warm up Shivy's icy cheeks. Rahul would sweetly call them 'ice cream'.

Their parents could not agree to marriage proposal because 'Rahul is just a kid and he can not decide good or bad for himself,  She is from different community; won't find it easy to adjust here.' On Shivy's side, the conflict would be 'they are service class, middle class people, certainly they can not handle her properly. We have different lifestyle.' They had not agreed to meet each other even once since two years, when he had asked Shivy's parents for Shivy's companionship.

But this summer, Shivy was going to forget all the pain of previous days. Rahul was going to marry her and both parents reluctantly, but convincingly agreed to get them married. Rahul, in these 2 years had shown himself to be much stronger and mature than what his parents had thought about him, and Shivy's parents could not get away from seeing Rahul's success in life. Both parents' doubts had died out in this span of two years. Their 2 years of pain had given way to life time of Satisfaction.

"I know, super. We will consult Ashvini Bhayiya. He will tell us some very good places to visit. We still have some more time to our day. We will decide on this soon. "
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"Yes Yes, super. Your summers are coming :)"