A run through 2011....

2011, an year full of rich experiences, professional growth and personal growth. To be able to compromise or mend my ways to get my way, was the lesson learnt. Today I am a transformed man with whole new enthusiasm. For how my professional scene changed from one small scale industry to a medium scale unit, I am truly thankful to a few people. My mom and dad, who have considered giving me this opportunity as providing support, than a penalty for having me as their son, for which I am highly obliged. One super duper friend who took all the brunt from me and still kept smiling and made enormous efforts to bring smile on my face every day. I am thankful for your support too.

In March 2011, I was working as a vendor for an American based company, whose sister concern is located in Nacharam, Hyderabad. Van Mc Neil Precision Manufacturing Pvt Ltd, offered me an opportunity to take over their operations. Since we were in the same line of activity, which is, machining high precision components for various defence, automobile and medical sectors, and as I was always looking for an opportunity to grow, I grabbed this one. Initially it was difficult for me due to various reasons. It took time for the guys to accept me as their new boss, age politics, new style of operations and many more. Six months of efforts it took to build a team of 25 skilled youngsters. Moulding a couple of young guys to be the programmers from being operators, some technical helpers to good operators was an arduous task. I always believed in patience as the only key to the operator's hearts and minds. To be able to drive new ideas into their heads, was a herculean task. Today, I see a ray of hope in the company's growth. Although our outputs and revenues are not as high as what we expect, we have ensured that the company can look forward to a sustainable growth.

In October 2011, the company had a few jobs to take up and the output was Rs.30,000/-, while the pay off was up to Rs. 3 lakhs. End of October, We had a review meeting, which transformed the unit. We decided, profit or loss, we will take up jobs, to meet our pay off of Rs. 3 Lakhs/month. We started reviewing success rate of the number of orders received Vs no. of quotations submitted every month. By end of November, we had raised our Order book to One Crore Rupees, which was remarkable. Now, that the business development is done to a considerable amount, the technical team had to take over. The projects were very critical. It involved operators working for upto 2 months, night and day to prove the technical feasibility for manufacturing the components.

Continuous improvement, implement new quality systems, inspection techniques, production cycle time reduction, Failure analysis, post and pre-machining inspections, were some specific area that I worked on to be able to achieve both quality and delivery requirements.

Since we also believe that every aspect of the organization needs continuous improvement, the business development activity also has not stopped. We are looking for a bigger order worth Rs. 6 Crores, by March 2012.

At work, not a single day passes by without a challenging event. To be able to withstand this pressure and still live was a challenge by itself. Constant calls from vendors for payments, constant pressure from the banker to pay off my loan, consistent performance demands from the customer, added pressure and made us very inefficient. Despite this, We ensured that the pressure is not passed on to our boys to be able to get best out put from them. All of us expect our subordinates to deliver like how we would, expect them to understand the way we would, take up responsibility the way we would. One thing we all forget that he is our subordinate, which means, due to his or her limitations he is there. A constant mentoring and motivation is required for them to take initiative. A lot of compromises, a number of arguments lost, quiet a few sleepless nights and being receptive to new ideas brought about this change in the function of the organization. To display character and mettle during these tough times was truly a challenge too.

We have been able to build a team of 25 highly enthusiastic young boys, who believe in the organization and its growth plans. The company that was in the verge of retirement has now come to a point where, we can look forward to a big future. Now, we have started looking for other opportunities in the market, where we can extend our services.

I would like to thank my team for having cooperated with me. I also would like to thank my colleague Mr. Raghava for having put up with my idiosyncrasies and still stand by me during the tough times.

My Heart is crying out Loud " I am a helpless Indian"

I follow Times Now very regularly, majorly because my dad loves watching news and to add to it Arnab's arguments and the cadences make the news really sensational. I really dont worry about how much of truth is there in the news that is telecast. More so after watching Peepli Live and  Radia Tapes, we all must realize, very little of the entire spectrum of events is disclosed to the public. Talking of the word, Spectrum, I find it hard to forget Mr.A.Raja. Having eaten all that money, I dont even know how many zeros 1,76,000 crores has, he got a remand only for two days. Just a few weeks ago, half of the amount was swindled by the CWG authorities. I Read an article on Indian express last sunday. It was a very cynical review about the money saved in the Swiss Bank. Sarcasm at its best. Well, I see, very lil light at the end of this tunnel. 

Last week, I did not watch much of news, owing to the fact that it was boring. It was the revolution in Egypt. Then, 2 days ago, I watched Times Now again. I witnessed something really interesting. A scam again. Yeaaaaaa. The DEVAS-ISRO SCAM. I jumped on to my seat with all excitement to watch the news. Till such time, I was lazing around and browsing the channels with very little enthusiasm. With big names in the list, like Mr.Kasthri Rangan and others, the news got even more exciting. All the while, Mr.Clean, Dr.Manmohan Singh, who was escaping the scrutiny, is also now in deep trouble. 

At home, we often discuss inspiring events,inspiring people and new technology and news. My dad thinks its important to have a grip on multi-various topics. Last night, we were discussing about the scams, and I just realized, the plight of Indian children in the next century. They will read about the scams, money swindling, exploitation of the poor and common man, by the Gandhi Family, while we have read about Mahatma Gandhi, going on starve to Death strikes to get the Nation its Independence. India was ruled by foreigners for years, and now we feel like foreigners in our own country. 

Thinking of all this, I drive to my office this morning, I read a note on one of the barricades that the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation uses during work. It said "Your Taxes at Work". Its an irony that we have to read it, despite being aware that our taxes are eaten away by the stray dogs of the country. My heart cried out loud, when I read that note. it said "I am a helpless Indian."

Always give it another chance....

Why I started off this blog is actually to express how deeply I am affected by one event that happened to me an year and a half ago, and how it has turned my life. The incident created a completely disastrous impact on me and made me dubious about the soul purpose of life itself. I met one of my dad's cousins. While he was mentioning about one of his holiday trips in the US and the clearing trail activity, I realized that most of our lives are just similar to that.A clearing trail is a trekking activity, where a group of people walk the trail by clearing up the broken branches and debris and walk up the trail. There are a few signs, which lead you in the correct direction. He mentioned, that only one person in his group was able to lead the group and it took less than 5 minutes for every one else to get lost, because that guy had tried it out so many times, before, which probably means, he always gave it an another chance until he got it right.

The realization struck me like a lightning that I would have been an ass, if I had not given my life an other chance, each time I Failed. As one of my uncle puts it, there is nothing called a failure, it is only a feedback.  A technical example to expatiate that idea. A controller, controls the error, between what is required and what is achieved to make the error zero and reach steady state.  How to control error, is the attitude, we should  be looking for.

In fact, a couple of years ago, I quit. I quit everything, I quit jobs, I quit life and quit my happiness, I quit my passion, I quit my ambitions and goals for a while. Then I realized, I am not my true self when I quit. I just wanted to give my life another chance and prove to myself, that I am strong enough to complete any trail. The clearing part of the activity, is to make the trail look clean when you look back and also to make it easy for a few people who wanna be on your side when you are walking the trail.

Lets all always give it another chance until we get it right.

WAKE UP SID

A while since I patted myself and motivated myself to blog. With the weather getting colder in Hyderabad, the Hyderabadis are staying warm oweing to the heat in the Andhra politics. Surprised to see the way things are turning around keeps us all awake and excited. Mr. Rosaiah's resignation, Mr. Kiran kumar taking over the CM post was not the turn of events. The real twist came from the former CM's son, Mr.Jagan, who resigned and changed the entire political scene in Andhra Pradesh. Looks like about a 50 ministers might resign, owing to which Congress might lose its majority.  Jagan's smart move was quite a check for the Congress. With Chiranjeevi refusing to join the Congress, the strength of the ruling party would decline. Hoping to have Mr. Chandra Babu Naidu as the next CM. In spite of all the good things happening, I am not really worried about who runs the state, but how they do it. 

In case of another election, the state will have to spend another few hundred crores on conducting it. Where are we pumping that money from? Will the politicians spend the money they have already looted to conduct the elections? Why use the taxpayer's money? Use the black money and convert it into white? Mr.X, the Home Minister, donated Rs Y for election funds. When we can find loop holes in finding out how to loot, cant we find loop holes in making black, white?

With Media focusing only on A.Raja for the 2G Scam, other big names like M. Karunanithi's have not been brought to light much. Having sold just 5% of the stake of one of the companies that got the tender, M. Karunanithi has made about 8000 Crore Rupees. In 1991, his family owned just rupees 8000 Cores, in 2010, they own 18000 crore Rupees. 

            1,76000 Crores? that's a figure, I don't even have the energy to count the number of zeros. I am sure it needs a lot of persistence to loot the nation. The public has been persistent enough to take this shit. I don't know when we are gonna raise to the occasion and say enough you old bastards, clad in white uniform, give the nation to us, we ll take care of it.

With 1,76000 Crores, we could probably have two schools in each of the 28000 villages in India.

Wake UP SID.......

Small Inconveniences, Larger Impacts...

I was jus wondering what is so great about my country that I wanna here. Actually speaking, there are a very few things that are even worth mentioning. My home, a few of my cherished friends, and a great history. In fact today, out of 116 countries in the world, India was in 97th position a couple of years ago and now, it could be rated 116 for the amount of corruption and inconsistent policies about the Maoists. Say all this to the public and ask them one question, are you proud to be an Indian, Most of them will come out with one thing," Mera Bharath Mahan" No one even realizes, the impact of corruption on the common man.

If an MP seat costs about 2 crores today, to buy 100 seats would cost 200 crores. As of today thousands of crores of Rupees is being spent on buying the seats and where to politicians go for reimbursement of the money? Tax payers. The price of petrol and other consumables are increased to sky high prices. Who is affected by it, us, the common men. to be able to cope up with the prices, we put in some more efforts and make the extra bucks for the petrol. Remember, the available time per day is limited, only 24 hours. How long will we keep walking the extra mile. Dont we need any rest? We succumb to the inconvenience the government causes. When countries like America and UK are paying Rs 30 for petrol, why should we pay Rs 55? More than one and half times.

Next, the infrastructure, the country's infrastructure is so inferior, that if you have a plan to travel for an hour, you can predict a couple of hours of delay, which means if you have to spend one litre of petrol, you tend to shell out 3 litrs. How much of an economic waste is that. The traffic lights dont work. Even if it does, we dont follow. We occupy the entire road, not allowing the opposite traffic to flow. The inconvenience is never taken seriously. We wait and wait and wait for the police to come and clear the traffic in fact some times, it takes a few hours to get out of a jam. The economic waste is not realized. Irony is, it takes people one hour to fly from Chennai to Hyderabad, but it takes more than a couple of hours to reach their destination in Hyderabad.

Coming to the Common Wealth Games. For a country that is struggling to feed half their population with healthy and one whole meal a day, is a sports event, costing 70000 crore Rupees required? out of which we spend 2 Rs for every rupee quoted. Mr. Suresh Kalmadi, the Chairman of the CWG and his team, has made his country men so proud, that a country that was in 97th rank in terms of corruption could be rated 116 now. What a shame? Rs 1 lakh tred mill, was bought at Rs 10 lakhs on hire basis. Apart from all this swindling, we will have to pay for the tickets also? tax for the infrastructure they have developed for CWG.

Are we to blame the Government alone for all this? No. When we say, India is the largest Democratic nation in the world, we dont realize, we can practice the terms by the book. When the country is being ruled, by rotten, old, blood sucking politicians, whos only motto is to swindle our money, we sit and watch the news over a cup of coffee and some bondas. No one revolts. Forget about revolting. How many of us are responsible? Right from littering in the public, to spitting red pan on the roads, to jumping signals, common men are to be blamed. When we hear an ambulance siren, we dont even make an effort to give way for it. Life means nothing to us. The buses are over loaded. Why cant we wait for the next bus to come or why cant we start 30 mins early to catch a bus that is empty enough? Every morning, the front page of the local news paper, shows, how many ppl die in an accident.

How many of us, respect a pregnant woman and give her a seat in the bus. How many of us respect an old man or a lady. Physically challenged people find it a night mare to walk in the streets. My blood is boiling and unless, we decide to take a step to keep our surroundings clean, help people around us, our country will never develop.

Jai Hind
Happy Independence day

Lets have Suda Suda Dosai and avoid Suda Suda News

Blog time finally arrived with the agitations in Andhra brought all of us a 2 days forced holiday. Finally after a couple of weeks found some leisure time to catch up with some news and good articles in Metro Plus and Education Plus. Sipping a cup of coffee, enjoying an amazing combination, the chill morning breeze, the smell of the print, mom's suvayaana sambar and crispy suda suda dosai. While glancing the paper, I came across an amazing Ad by Amul, "Slice butter, but not the country", there was a picture of India and a golden ring like the one around Saturn, which symbolically represented United India. There was also a caption in addition to all this, "A state of Bliss". Just a couple of statements, but the Ad spoke a lot. Appreciate the man who thought of it. I drove my dad to his office, he wanted to pick up some of his papers, so that he could work at home. While we drove back I was reminded of one of the issues Bharkha Dutt was debating on last evening on NDTV. I have always had great regards for her, because she was one of the reporter present at the Kargil. I felt she was a sensible journalist. Last night after some provocative discussions with the Congress and BJP leaders, she switched topic to Hemanth Karkare's case, who was the martier in 26/11 attack at the Taj Hotel. Bharkha was talking to his wife about the tragic incident. The case was about some sweeper having disposed his bullet proof jacket in the trash. Was is a cover up story or was it really true and in that case who was that sweeper, and how he is involved in the case. It is always possible that Hemanth's wife is not interested in investigating her husband's demise. Amidst the greif and trauma, Bharkha kept provoking as to how she would fight the battle to find out the truth. The moment she used the words, fight and battle, I realized, how insensible she was. Such words provoke any human's subconscious mind and such words would evoke desperation in the woman's mind. As one of the CEO's she might be using her education and experience very well to improve the TRP rating of "The Buck Stops Tonight", but as a human she has lost her modesty. This is so typical of any media these days. I appreciate Obama, when a couple barged into White House, during a dinner meeting, it was blown out of proportion, calling it a security lapse. Obama closed the case and said, we should stop doing the post event analysis and should look at how to strengthen the security than spending our time on this loose talk. 

In Iraq, with all the havok and unpleasant scenario, even today, the news headlines in all the news papers is a positive statement. Hope is the essence of life and lets not ruin the essence by encouraging unpleasant news reports.

Alright guys, its lunch time, I am gonna have a good meal and probably catch up with some sleep.

Deposit thoughts to your brain and withdraw the positive ones.from your memory...

What would be the performance of your car if you filled the crank with a couple of scoops of mud...
The same is the effect on the mind's performance when you feed it with negative thoughts.....