The Best Day EVER!

- By Dreamcatcher

I used to be an avid blogger but then the “routine life” got the better of me and there just wasn’t a good enough reason to type away vehemently anymore. Now, if this doesn’t excite me, I don’t know what else will. If I had to find ONE perfect day to start blogging again, this is THE DAY! 2nd April, 2011 – the day Team India won the ODI Cricket World Cup. Like one of my friends rightly said on Facebook – “I'm sure India looked a lot brighter last night from space...over a billion people were smiling”!

Cricket is a religion in India. It speaks one language. It generates one emotion from great-grandparents and children alike. It knows no boundaries. It’s the one thing we all proudly carry with us when we leave our countries. It exudes the feeling of patriotism and when we win, it exudes the feeling of love – love for the nation and love for those 15 men (and their troop) who made it all possible for the country to stand united and celebrate!

I cannot explain the feeling and the rush that I am experiencing today and I am sure, every Indian world over is speechless. “Damn, why was I not home in India with family and friends to celebrate this day”.

The Cricket World Cup fever would start catching on when the promotions and the memorabilia started showing up in stores, stands, posters, Pepsi bottles and potato chips packs. Bollywood stars took a backseat those days. The World Cup series made us so disciplined for those 6 weeks. We planned our days and schedules around it :)! We went from one World Cup to another hoping that “Oh God, this year God, this year! Please give us the World Cup”. We didn’t make it but we never gave up! That’s just not OUR style. The series would end. Life would get back to normal. Tennis grand slam events, football World Cup and Bollywood & Hollywood movies acted like the fillers between shows. And THEN, 4 years on, another madness, another euphoric series, another billion prayers and another billion smiles and tears.

Indians are probably the only people in the World who believe that when Team India plays the match, we must ALL contribute. We all have our little superstitious beliefs. We wear our lucky T-shirt. We have our lucky spots to watch the match. “Damn, I got up from my spot and Gambhir got it”! I must admit, before every match with Team India playing in it, Mummy, Ruchi and I would religiously place a Ganpati idol on top of the TV. Didi on the other hand, would perform the more selfless act. She believes that when she watches the match – India loses. The suspense would kill her but she would go inside a room and sit, getting constant running commentary from Papa and us. She would run back to the TV for replays and run back inside when the match resumed. She wanted to do her bit to make INDIA win! Awww!

The World Cup finals yesterday between Sri Lanka and India was magic. Team India has definitely matured. We beat Australia (the 3 times unbeaten team) in the quarter finals only to meet PAKISTAN in the semi finals of the WORLD CUP.

(On a digression: That was the day I left office at 5:30 pm (in the longest longest time. I could not care less if I was done with work or not). And all my other Indian colleagues did too. It’s an unspoken code of conduct. We all just understood and no one “followed-up” with another on a pending action. And what a match…WHAT A MATCH! It was nail biting. Pakistan was cruising away well towards their target of 261 and until very long, it was becoming clear the Pakistan would beat us to reach the finals in Mumbai. But Team India would just not give up and did we beat them or what!?!?!)

The tension in the air yesterday was just too unsettling. We lost our opening batsmen – Sehwag and Sachin very early on in the game. We all started losing hopes but the middleorder batsmen saved the day and brought home the glory. Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh played with such technique and finesse, keeping their composure through the game. Its very easy and exciting, to get led by the thousands of supporters sitting in the stadium looking forward to an exciting match. and try and aim for the 4-runs and 6-runs shots. But we played well. 1 and 2 runs at a time with the occasional 4-runs. The objective was to win. One of my friends said yesterday, “The best part is that we won the Cup despite the Little Master's mishap, which brings great hope & faith in our team's future”. So damn true!

Accolades for Captain MS Dhoni’s leadership are all over the internet. He is DA MAN! He led the team to create history. He proved to be the new “Wall” in Indian cricket. He IS stronger than his fears. As NDTV put it, “The Man, The Machine, MS Dhoni”.

But if there is one reason that every Indian wanted the cup THIS year, it was for Sachin Tendulkar – only the greatest batsmen ever. He played for the country since he was 16 and today, at 37, this is probably his last World Cup. He is the only batsmen in the world with 99 centuries under his belt. We all hoped he would make his 100th yesterday. He has been part of Team India in 6 World Cups. He is a legend and he is a star. We deserved a win! He deserved to be part of the team that brings home the cup. He deserved this for enthralling the world with his performance for 21 years. He deserved this for being an inspiration to every aspiring cricketer in India. He deserved this win for his dedication to the Team and to the country. He deserved this win for putting the country first before himself.

This Cup is being called the Sachin cup and rightly so.

Yuvraj Singh – the Man of the Tournament admitted that he played only for Sachin.

Gaurav Gambhir said “All credit goes to Sachin Tendulkar. We played for him. Beating Australia and Pakistan and now this, it's a dream come true".

Virat Kohli probably puts it the best - "This goes out to all the people of India. This is my first World Cup; I can't ask for more. Tendulkar has carried the burden of nation for 21 years; It was time we carried him. Chak de India!"

That is the charisma of THIS man. He is bigger than the Cup and yet all he hoped for was the Cup. That ONE CUP, without which, his autobiography would be so incomplete. The ONE Cup which added the extra shine to his legendary achievements.

Our “Little Masterblaster” himself was moved to tears. “I couldn't have asked for anything more than this. Winning the World Cup is the proudest moment of my life. Thanks to my team-mates. Without them, nothing would have happened. I couldn't control my tears of joy”.

This is the best feeling ever. It is the feeling where nothing else matters. The feeling where all you want to do is hold onto family and friends and just jump and scream without a care for the world. It’s a feeling when you know that everything is just right and that if you truly believe in something, it can and will come true. It’s the feeling that reaffirms your faith. It’s the emotions that only a Cricket World Cup can bring to an Indian!

So proud!

New beginning... A happy ending!

Well all good things come to an end...and so has this! I have just returned from the farewell function for my batch and this officially brings the MBA program to an end! And as I sit and think about the last one and a half years that have just whizzed past...there is really barely anything to regret and to be sad about.

Made some great great friends. In fact, I can almost pre-empt their thoughts! Have really grown over the past year and a half (literally as well...my Mom still can’t understand what all I have been eating).

Today, when we were called on stage to say a few words about our time here at NUS MBA, for the first I was out of words! Honest! (I was shocked too)! Coz otherwise I can go on and on about how much I love this place.

I have friends from all over the world. People I would never have met if I had not decided to come here. Super smart, super nice. And the best part...they are genuine! No fakeness. I loved that about them. Just being together almost everyday during the program, having gone through the rigour together and having faced the same kind anxieties and insecurities definitely made us good friends and I will always cherish that! I know it’s easy to say now and difficult to do, but I really hope that we all stay in touch.

I was known as the eternal-optimist and I wish it continues to be so. So I don’t want to even focus on the negative aspects of my journey the last few years. My biggest takeaway from the program...my increased confidence levels. I have actually started thinking before talking and for people who know me...that’s huge!

The MBA tag will stay with me for life and so will NUS. So for my own selfish purpose, I want to see the NUS MBA flourish, grow, scale new heights and more importantly, be known. Our students are truly phenomenal. Don’t know if it’s because of the rigour, opportunities and mix of people here, but whatever it is, it’s worth taking note of. In almost every major competition in the world, our students have bagged one of the top positions. And this has been happening for years.

Cerebration is very very close to my heart (and for obvious reasons). And for us to be able to organize an event of this scale and nature really speaks volumes of our capabilities, drive, passion, commitment and determination. I mean only we know what we had to go through to get 3 case sponsors. We tapped every channel we could and we achieved our target. I got to lead a team of people more experienced than me…a chance I would have never got this opportunity anywhere else.

And then Singapore. Love this city and am happy to be here. So all in all…I have no regrets. Just great memories. :)

Go Away Politicians...we dont need you!

Now this is just too much. Time and again our patience has been tested and time and again we did spring right back into action because we are Mumbaikars and we are in the rare possession of the so-called "spirit of Mumbai"! But this time, its gone a bit TOO FAR!

Mumbai is freaking the highest income tax payer in the country and WE are the most affected! F***! I want to know where the f*** is that money going. Cause it definitely did not go to the 1000s and 1000s of policemen who don't have decent bullet proof jackets, caps to protect them from the heat BUT YET, STOOD FOR NO LESS THAN 48 HRS TO BE VIGILANT AND PROTECT THE CITIZENS! We pay them peanuts for it while the politicians hold GRAND BIRTHDAY PARTIES AND WEDDING FOR THEIR NIECES AND NEPHEWS AND SONS AND DAUGHTERS AND GOD KNOWS WHO ELSE! And this is not just Mumbai...but to the entire country. Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Bangalore, Surat...cmon!

And if that wasn't enough, political parties have been using it as a propaganda to garner votes! OMG! How insensitive! You have some Vice-President of BJP, Naqvi saying "what do women wearing lipsticks and powder carrying candles understand about politics.". Now this is what he thinks of women...BULLSHIT! You know what Mr.Naqvi...these women have sensitivity... feelings...emotions... maybe you can learn a lesson or two from them. And if you have such a problem with women wearing lipsticks and powder...why do your colleagues and you run after them and pay them atrocious amounts to entertain you every night and favor your raging hormones!

Exercise your right, do vote...vote for nobody...exercise option "49-o". We don't want the sick politicians who don't understand the sentiments of the public. Except maybe Kapil Sibals interview with CNN-IBN, every other politician looked so detached. Major Unnikrishnan's father did not allow the state CM to enter his home!!! GOOD! Awesome. The freaking politicians are using this occasion to point fingers at one another and to do their own PR.

We need to know that we are being managed. We need to know that we are safe. We need to know that we can leave the house in the morning and know we and our loved ones will come back home safely and happily. I don't want to sit in a cab and be scared of what/who all are around me. I don't want my friends so say "I am scared...I don't want to die"!

The people of Mumbai and the media are now determined to fight this war on terrorism. Please done let it die. We need a solution to this...and the solution is US! You and me! Be a vigil citizen. We need a Lee Kuan Yew in India. Politicians are misusing the democracy in our country. Its time we stand up and let our voices be heard.

Salute to the Army and the police force! We are proud of you...thank you.

NUS MBA - on its way up!

It’s no secret that I just absolutely love NUS MBA. It’s been one of the best phases of my life and it is one that I will cherish forever. Like every organization, there are areas we still need to work on but I know we are on our way up there! Yes, I am an eternal optimist. This school and its people throw in one surprise after another and I absolutely love it.

If you are wondering what triggered this emotion, well it’s the launch of Net Impact chapter of NUS MBA. This is a great initiative that the program has undertaken and very fittingly, it has been taken under the wings of the Social Impact Club of NUS MBA. But what makes it even more special is the fact that this is something that has been entirely conceptualised, initiated, driven and guided by the students here. It really goes on to speak highly of the capabilities of the students joining us. It’s a great platform for the students to work with globally recognized organizations on live projects, something that will not only widen their perspective and give practical knowledge about business but also help them take up social causes and burning global issues. Additionally, it will give them an opportunity to meet students and companies from around the world who are part of this chapter, thereby increasing our reach and brand across the globe. I could go on and on about this, but maybe the team spearheading this activity is the best to do so. Kudos to Suraj, Adarsh and team!

We had students representing our school for a project organized by MILK to Thailand and Philippines. Suda and Colleen made a meaningful contribution there, and I am so proud of that. And mind you, the contribution of the students doesn’t end with the trip. Having realized the need for English books in schools in Thailand, Suda sourced books from various libraries and schools in Singapore and is sending the same to Thailand. She made a promise to them and she is sure going to keep it.

We regularly organize study trips around the world where we get an opportunity to meet the top management of leading global organizations along with legendary personalities. We are the first school in Asia who had the opportunity to meet the legendary Mr.Warren Buffett. Now where else could I have got the chance to listen to the legend in a room of only a 100 people!!??!! Again, these trips are completely driven by the students with of course, a lot of support from the MBA Office.

We have students representing us in global business competitions and have won us countless accolades. And then of course, there is Cerebration of which I am so proud. We partner with Singaporean companies to write business cases on them, and then invite participation from all over the world for it. It’s one of the biggest business case competitions in the world and we plan to keep it that way! :) It’s literally a SGD 200,000 project, not only entailing enormous planning and organization, but also has the task of being the much publicised flagship event of the school. We finalized our case sponsors yesterday and I don’t mean to boast, but it’s the best selection of companies we have had this far. And in the times of global economic turmoil, it is nothing less than a feat. Of course, there is more pressure now for us to keep the flag flying high and handsome, but going by what all we have achieved this far, I don’t see why not!

NUS MBA program churns out leaders. It churns out self motivated people who drive their endeavours to successful completion. It speaks highly of them and it’s only a matter of time that more companies will sit up and take notice. Of course, one cannot discount the endeavours of previous years. It has been the cumulative effort of the past years that has brought us to this position and inspires us to continue doing so. We are the makers of our own destiny here at NUS MBA and no one can take that away from us. Keep is rolling guys, the world is your stage. So play on!

The power of an Apple!

First of all, I would like to thank Amruta and our boring and long trips to the hospital for treatment (its a ligament tear...so stop thinking of me as insensitive :-P). Had it not been for our hour long wait today where I got this idea, I would not be writing a post on this subject. :-))

So let’s get to business.

Background: I jumped out of bed at 9 a.m. I didn’t want to get late again and be on the receiving end of Amruta's nagging. So while I did manage to get ready by 10 (somehow!!), I had no time to eat. So OF COURSE I was hungry at 11:37 p.m. while we were still waiting for the orthopaedic doctor to attend to us.

Stage: Alexandra Hospital has this sinfully large basket of red juicy apples kept on the registration counter of the emergency ward. It’s for the traumatized patients. But no such luck in the specialist (by appointment only) ward. (C’mon, jumping out of bed at 9 can be traumatizing!!).

The wisecrack: So when we realized that we weren’t as privileged as the traumatized patients, I passed one of my smart wisecracks, "Oh, the power of an Apple".

Now before you think that this statement was passed without any thought, well you are so mistaken. My "sharp" mind came up with this for the following reasons (yup I know its hard for you to believe, but it does process really fast sometimes):

1. Adam wooed Eve with an apple: Thanks to “an apple”, we are an entire population of over 6 billion today globally!!!
2. Apple and its health benefits have long been popularized with the saying "an apple a day keeps the doctor away".
3. Isaac Newton discovered the law of gravity, thanks to "the apple" that fell of the tree.
4. And the best...."Apple" (aka Steve Job's Apple) products. If I was given a choice to make one advertisement in my life, I would happily make one for an iPod with a tagline "An iPod can change your life". I took to jogging, and snapped out of my blues a million times because the iPod is just so damn good! It is my motivator, my therapist and my all-season friend. And today, Apple products still rank as the most gifted products during Christmas. Again, "Apple" has been an expression of love.

So there you go, "an apple" has changed the face of the planet. Now really, do we want to contend with that???!!! ;)

I wonder

By Dreamcatcher

Life and its growing cycles can be so strange.
The more one introspects, the more mysterious it gets.
Sadness is part of everyones life. And so is happiness.
Until we have experienced the prior, the latter is not appreciated.

As I smell the rising sun, I can choose to "wake up" or I can choose to "dream on".
Dreaming can make you happy, but snapping out of it is sometimes the best way.
How we all wish for a crystal ball reader, someone who would tell us
"The future is bright. It will all turn out exactly the way you wished and hoped it would be".

But reality and He have other plans for us, oh they can be such party poopers.
If only the party had all our guests, all our friends and all our loved ones.
If ever there was something that we could change,
We would all like to go back to the point where it was all going well.

I have been searching for that one key, that one little passage to my future.
Some place where all my imaginations are a reality.
Where music fills the air and the glow from happy faces lights up the room
A place where the pied piper is the happy soldier guiding sadness out through the city walls.

Sometimes anger can fill your heart, but you have to realize
That only leaves no room for love from our loved ones.
It's the grey cloud that stops rationality from waking up
Thundering words can cause more harm than good.

I believe in the future, I believe in luck.
Serendipity, I know will someday find its way.
But then again, the clouds overshadow me and I can't help
but wonder....

"Music"ensors!

Ok lets see...I have to finish couple of assignments, I have to complete a couple of applications, I should really be reading at least one textbook right now and most importantly, its 1:53a.m. I should be sleeping...but look what I am doing exactly???!!! I love breaking rules ;)

My all-time favourite quote on music is "If music be the food of life...play on"! And lately "it’s all coming back to me now"! :) My God I am getting so corny these days! What’s happening??? I think I need to "soak up the sun"!! Hahahaha....sorry guys! :D

Well the only Hindi film that all Indians are talking bout these days is "Rock On" and I lovedddd the film. The music...amazing....so of course it’s no rocket science to guess the songs I have been singing lately. But what is amazing is that EVERYONE I KNOW who has watched the film is also singing the same songs. It’s almost like our home anthem is changing. All my home buddies are listening to "Rock On" songs. All my school buddies are singing its songs. All my friends back in India are singing its songs. All my sisters have been singing its songs. And what more...so is Dad! (There are of course people who have differing views on the movie but since that’s not the subject of my post, I will not dwell on that.)

The healing power of music has long been a subject of research. This subject personally has been of interest to me. While it’s interesting to read articles and research reports on this subject, I love it when I make my own little observations and discoveries. So (yet again!!!!) I made an interesting observation which I know was sitting happily at the back of my mind.

Many a times you will come across people (including me) whose typical answer to your question "what is your favourite kind of music" is "it depends on my mood!". Well while it’s true, I was wondering why?? If moods play such an important role in defining our music preferences, then why do we listen to music to change our mood. Vicious circle there.

Well we all have our low days and I had one a couple of days ago too. Since I was still fresh from my "Rock On" craze, I decided to listen to its music. Now "Phir Dekhiye" is supposed to be a song that makes you see the hope side of life. But for some strange reason, I wanted to cry after listening to it. That’s when it struck me (and thank God it did, it diverted my mind) that music is also a multiple dimensional entity.

Listen keenly to any song and you will notice at least 2 rhythms. The same song can have a fast/happy beat and another slow beat! At any moment we can catch only one rhythm. And what is this dependent on...our mood! Our mood is like a biosensor which detects the song rhythm which matches the mood frequency. Therefore, the song only reinforces your emotions at that moment. Since the frequencies lock in together, the song synchronizes with your emotions and become “easy listening”. And if you notice, listening to a happy song at a sad time can be more irritating than happy. They only cause more agitation.

Now one really has to get out of ones comfort zone to listen to the so-called “happy song”! And before you get me wrong, such songs can have a happy and can have a positive effect on you. Reason…cause you have made up your mind and garnered strength to make a change. The act of moving away from your comfort zone itself makes you stronger and it starts changing your mood frequency. You are determined to be happy and so you shall be. This starts changing your mood sensors and so…in time…you are happy again! And that’s called getting your groove back :)!

Now I am sure many of you may not agree with my theory, well…to each his own! So if you ask me, moving around in circles is not always a bad thing! ;)