Hope in Delhi

In my experience of living 24 years in India I have had a lot of time to experience and think (and whine?) about the pain of adjusting and tolerating the nuances of rapid development. Be it the pollution, the lack of civic amenities, the almost crumbling infrastructure, the unreliability of public transport…I could go on and on about the list of problems but today I don’t want to talk about these negatives. I want to focus on some signs of hope I observed in my recently concluded trip to Delhi. I saw a change that has happened and is continuing in an Indian city; a change worthy of not only appreciation but also possible replication in other Indian cities.

Here are some of the things that I think have helped Delhi reinvent itself:

Delhi Metro:

Delhi Metro (Delhi’s new public transport system) is one of the best examples of hi-technology making a difference in people’s lives. It is clear that people have embraced this technology-driven change and are increasingly getting addicted to it. I used the Metro for most of my commute in my two days’ stay in Delhi and loved it!

Here are the highlights that stand out:

• Trains are very much on time, operating at a frequency of 3 to 4.5 minutes from 6:00 to 23:00.
• In a country where public property is always at risk of neglect and vandalism Delhi Metro is very clean and is being very well maintained. People have been using it since 2005 and 3 years cannot be a fluke!
• Technology behind ticketing and efficiency of the staff is exemplary.
• Security is world class with security checks at every entry point. This is supplemented by more than 1200 closed circuit cameras.
• As per a billboard at a metro station about 700,000 people use the metro every day.
• The metro covers about 65 kms of Delhi but by 2010 another 128 kms would have been added and by 2010 the Metro will cover about 414 kms which means almost all of Delhi and suburbs will be connected.

The qualitative comments about the Metro are mine but most of the statistics are from Wikipedia.

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Beginnings…

Today is when it all begins.

Today is my first day back in India.

I have quit my job at Continental USA and have decided to work on a new venture from India.

I have plenty of reasons for the move, some better thought out ones are:
• Do the work I want to and believe in
• Work for myself and be directly responsible for the risks and the rewards of the business
• Live my life on my own terms as opposed to it being directed by company policies, holiday lists etc
• Proximity to family
• India is where the opportunities for startups are better at a lower cost (as compared to the west)

I evaluated my reasons against the financial risks associated with a new venture but I am convinced that the opportunity was far more exciting and potentially rewarding than the risk of getting used to my unexciting- yet-fairly-safe job. The reason to work at a startup is a natural one once you’ve realized how unremarkably average your life is and I could not bear this burden anymore.

So ionlab is my full time love now! I am cautiously excited about our prospects but I can not think of a better word than liberated to describe my state of mind today. Liberated of
• the overtly complicated ways of the corporate world
• the burden of closing the work you didn’t chose but was thrust upon you
• the rules I don’t understand the logic behind(but still had to adhere to!)
• dess codes
• politically correct talk
• mass email
• heck even the swiping of a badge to enter the building

It was hard for me to move out of a place I had lived at for the last couple of years and made some of the most amazing friends I could have ever hoped for. The farewells were touching and I would always miss the fun times in Detroit.

“Understand that friends come and go, but with a precious few you should hold on.” –  The Sunscreen Song

So, I hope I can remain in touch with my Detroiters while I move on the road that starts from this new beginning…

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soruthihudu maniya maligi…

Raghu Dixit Project is my favorite band of late. Raghu’s voice has an infectious energy to it and the content has a rustic quality. The music is based on Indian folk and has rock, blues and Middle Eastern influences. The lyrics are strong, ranging from folksy-light-hearted musings in “Mysore se aayi” to very profound elements of Saint Shishunala Sharif in “Gudugudiya” and “Soruthihudu maniya maligi”. He has the often-attempted-but-rarely-perfected ability to interweave Western and Indian music in fine harmony!

Here’s a translation of the song I like the best(though I have only recently understood the lyrics :)):

Kannada

English

soruthihudu maniya maligi soruthihudu maniya maligi agnaanadinda soruthihudu maniya maligi soruthihudu maniya maligi daroo gatti maalparilla kaalakattaleyolage naanu melakeri hogalaare muruku toleyu huluku janthi koredu saridu keela sadali haraku chappara jerugindi melakeri hogalaare karaki hullu kasavu hatthi haridu saalu irabi mutthi jalada bharadi sariye mannu volage horage ekavaagi kaante kele karunadinda bantu kaane hubbi maleyu yento shishunaalaadheesha taanu nintu porevanu yendu nambide

The roof is leaking The roof is leaking with ignorance The roof is leaking The roof is leaking There is no one to strenghten the timber In this darkness that surrounds me I cannot climb up there The wooden beam eaten by termites is broken The bolts holding the beam have given away The frame for the thatched tiles has holes in it I cannot climb up there The dry grass on the roof is filled with filth And is torn and ants are all over it The mud is not able to hold the water The inside and the outside have become one Oh mother! Listen to me with mercy Heavy rains have come down on me But I have fath in Shishunaaladeesha He will protect me.

DISCLAIMER: The lyrics and translations are as per the CD cover.

Here’s an interpretation from my friend Preethi, who did a remarkable job in translating the song for me despite the handicaps of the lyrics being in classic Kannada and authored by a legend of the language, Saint Shishunala Sharif. Thanks Preethi, I owe you one.

“Intelligence/Knowledge is a very powerful protective force…it is like the roof of a house. It protects you from all the dark forces like the wind and the storm. If you are ignorant then the roof of your house would leak.

An ignorant soul cannot fight or escape darkness. Our knowledge always illuminates our inner self and the lack of it darkens your soul…

An ignorant mind is like a brain with a dirty worm in it which hinders your progress (climbing up through the torn roof)…

The mention of dry twigs, cotton, dirt, water and mud which flow through your leaking roof and get mixed up proportionately with what is inside the roof maybe a reference to the ignorant self consisting of all the bad or unwanted elements.. (again I’m really really not sure here :D)

So, basically ignorance is bad force which destroys the protective shield of your soul and allows the bad elements to control your soul…”

Raghu Dixit’s CDs are available in the US from here and his MP3’s are downloadable from here.

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Running.

Why do I run?

So, I got into running some 5-6 months back and people often ask me, why do I run? I am not sure what would qualify me to be termed a “runner” but the fact that I love it and I am pursuing are reasons enough for me to think of my motivations for doing so. Here are some initial thoughts…

First, running is the only time when I am completely with myself so it the perfect time to think. I am not the person who would “sit down and think” or have a dedicated focus time for thinking ; there are far too many distractions or involvements to prevent that from happening. While running, you don’t have much bodily functions to take care of besides breathing and running(of course) and you might wanna refrain from thinking too much about the act of running itself because that makes the destination seem longer and harder to reach than it actually is. So, you have ample opportunity to think about things you want to think about, things you have not thought about because they are too difficult or uncomfortable or emotional or deferrable or simply require great concentration that you haven’t achieved at other times. The meditative bliss of running is the perfect opportunity to delve into your inner self and be together with your spirit, mind and soul. I have never been more clear headed than while running.

Second, running is hard and it’s painful and you want to quit every mile, but when you don’t and reach your destination, the sense of achievement is one of the most amazing feelings in the world. I have felt more pride in huffing and puffing to the end of my 6-8 mile stretch than most things I have done in life. It is fascinating to see your body develop or adapt to the pain of training that it is being put through. Five months back 2 miles seemed like a lifetime, on Friday the 7 miles I did almost killed me but if I keep going, four-five months from now 15 miles will feel the same. It is incredible how the body reacts and develops to the challenges thrown at it, people always talk about adaptation and development in corporate terms but the transition in that sense is too slow or too subtle to capture or document; running is one activity where you can see this theory in action. It is not only rare but fascinating to witness it firsthand. It is great to continuously test yourself and surprise yourself by going farther than you thought you could!

Third, running seems the best way to keep fit while enjoying doing it. I don’t have to “work” to gain or maintain my fitness levels. Running has increased my confidence levels not only in my physical abilities but I think it transcends into my communication and interaction with people as well. Maybe it is not running but the increased fitness due to running that has increased my self-esteem. I have a better appreciation for my limitation and better tools to gracefully handle and utilize them with a zest for overcoming them or keep trying to do so.

Fourth, running requires no preparation, no special equipment (other than a pair of running shoes), no special location etc. It is something you can do alone or with like minded people, any time of the day, any season (I have run in the winters and it is hard but completely doable). I love this quote from Jesse Owens:

“I always loved running. I wasn’t very good at it, but I loved it because it was something you could do all by yourself, under your own power. You could go any direction, fast or slow as you wanted, fighting the wind it you felt like it, seeking new sights just on the strength of your own feet and courage of your lungs.” – Jesse Owens

Last, I have not had much chance to run outdoors due to the winters but I love being outdoors and breathe with nature and running seems the obvious choice for easy access to nature and the outside world. I am not sure if these are the real or strong enough reasons why I run but they seem to be good enough for me to not let go of it in the near or extended future ;).I am not sure if I am clear enough but hey I am just getting started…

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