*Megalaya trip – 1 week touring the various parts – Travelogue*
🙏Ramu🙏20/11/2022

This is my first trip to North-East part of India. Before going there, I was under the impression that those North-East people would be (1) less civilized, (2) more poverty ridden, (3) less educated, (4) dislike other parts of Indians as they’re constantly ignored, (5) disinterested to stay with India (6) Banhladeshis infiltration (7) Chinese cultural domination etc.

(1) Are they less civilized than the rest of India?

My notion about “less civilization” got shattered completely. In fact, they are the most civilized people of India.

(A) I have become spellbound the way they keep the city neat and clean, the way they kept “bamboo made dustbins” everywhere, and we all of us would have spent around 200 rupees each for “washrooms” alone as they charged Rs 10/- per person everywhere.

We all of us have felt, it’s worth spending Rs 10/- for washrooms as each and every washrooms have been maintained impeccably tidy. Even all public toilets too are maintained neat and clean throughout Megalaya.

(B) Throughout our entire trip, we were never pestered by any peddlers to push their products and eatables. Simply speaking we were never sold and in all the places we were Buyers.

(C) None of the places, none of us had been cheated even a rupee, none of us charged extra money, and Megalaya has been exceptional and an exception while comparing with every other tourist spots in India.

Overall, I have developed a notion at the end of the trip about “Megalayans” that they’re naive, innocent, no greedy people, not exploiting tourists, no theft, more generous, more magnonimous etc…

(2) Are they more poverty ridden, less educated than the rest of India?

Of course, they may be less educated. However, poverty is not visible blatantly.

The reason may be, girls and women are working everywhere from their early ages to come out of poverty at the very early age.

As a result, they’re less educated, early married, early childbirth etc…

The other side may be, as they’re less educated, they’re not cunning, not smart, not greedy, not cheating, not exploiting others, etc…

(3) The wonderful part about Megalaya is no language hindrance especially for South travelers.

They speak and understand basic English very nicely as the way Singaporians do.

None of them, or mostly, they neither use Hindi for speaking nor understanding Hindi.

Though their mother tongue may be “Khasis”, most of them are comfortable in English.

(4) Source of income:

As it has abundant natural resources such as limestones, coral reefs, coral rocks, etc, it seems the primary source of income may be limestone exports, plenty of cement industries, agriculture, and tourism may be the secondary businesses.

*Optimistic about India:*

Before visiting Megalaya as all North-East has been ignored by all Indian Governments since independence, I was under the impression that Megalaya might have been suffering from Bangladeshis infiltration, Chinese cultural domination, etc..and more importantly, as the entire North-East region seemed to hanging on a small thread in Indian maps, I thought that they might not be very much interested to stay with India and may dislike Indians.

Nothing sort has been observed. I have developed the awesome feeling about Megalaya and Megalayans that they’re very much part of our nation, they’re our lovable brothers and sisters and they never demand for parting and they love to be part of India and India alone during even any adversarial circumstances is the great feeling I got during this 1 week stay.

Conclusion: At the end of the trip, I have loved India more and felt extremely proud of “BEING INDIAN”.

*Optimistically yours,*
🙏Ramu🙏

Know Your First PM’s Jawaharlal Nehru’s book- Discovery of India: Whether it’s humanly possible?:
🙏Ramu🙏6/11/2022

I have bought “The Discovery Of India”, book authored by Jawaharlal Nehru as it’s appreciated by every connoisseur of Indian literature irrespective of any political affiliations.

I have just read the first 10 pages of 3 people Introductions and completely petrified like a stone…

… when realized on what circumstances its written and whether any normal humans could have such brilliance and acumen.

This 650 pages, world classic was written by Jawaharlal Nehru, when he was imprisoned by the British during 1943-1945 for 20 months @ Ahmednagar fort.

Even today, after 75 years of Independence, we are all very much aware of the pathetic and squalid conditions of Indian prisons.

In that condition of prison, Nehru, the man who was born with golden spoon, grown up with 4 cars waiting at 4 entrances of his school….

….who’s not even allowed to read Newspapers for the first few months in prison, not even fed with hygienic food in prison, not allowed to read books for few months in prison, …..

….not having accessibility for books, libraries, archives, etc…in prison

….Nehru had completed the manuscript of 600+ pages without any references….

but with the help of his inmates Abul Kalam Azad and Narendra Deva….

…but the book speaks volumes and volumes on entire Indian Geography, rivers, mountains, various religions and it’s significance, caste, various ideologies prevailed then, etc….

Nehru himself had confessed that he couldn’t even re-read his manuscript as he’s too busy in Independence to re-read, once he was released from the prison after WW2 was over.

This is what my understanding after having read the first 10 pages of 3 introductions ….

(1) by Nehru himself,
(2) Foreword by Indira Gandhi who was incidentally a proof reader as on when few 50 pages of manuscripts completed in prison, and
(3) the another famous legendary historian and philosopher Sunil Kihani.

If my understanding is correct, my shock is whether it’s humanly possible?

If my understanding is wrong, I shall stand corrected.

Stunningly yours,
🙏Ramu🙏

I am a personal victim for Phishing scam:
🙏Ramu🙏2/11/2022

One of our relatives, 60+, highly reputed, respectable lady, working for a big organization in USA.

From US phone number, with her DP ID (together with her husband – very recently passed away) I received a Whatsapp call around 2 pm yesterday, but couldn’t converse. It happened few times. Then I received a message as usual, “How’re you?, etc…”

I was very emotional as she’s lost her husband. So, I immediately replied, “Do you want any help in India and I am obliged to do it.”

Then I received the message, I need your help very urgently, as I need to support my friend in India with Rs 92,500. However, you do whatever is possible.

I transferred 2 x 25 K as it’s maximum limit per day in quick transfer account.

My wife, who is in Delhi got the similar “modus operandi” and she’s too emotional and asked me to pay 50K immediately and she had sent “screen shots”.

As there’s torrential pouring yesterday, I had shouted at my wife, “how can I have 1L?”.

Then after reaching home, I called my daughter, how can I have 1L and she’s asked me to transfer immediately.

She was panicking from the other end that “her FB and WHATSAPP account was hacked and she sent messages to all of us.”

That lady’s own brother (my in-law) too had received the same “modus operandi” and he had deposited 1L.

Similarly there were 6 victims who had transferred 50K to 1L each from 2 pm to 3 pm to one particular account.

When we all of us reported @cyber crime, all money had been withdrawn before 7 pm.

What’s then the use of bank asking us KYC, ADDRESS proof, etc while account opening?

If I were narrated by someone the same story, I would have laughed at him as, “It’s your pure ignorance; how can you transfer without speaking to her, etc…” (this must be your mind voice, I know.)

My small consolation is, I am not only made fool but another 5 too with few I had great respect.

The more and more technology that simplifies our day-to-day life in short term, the more and more our future daily life turns out complex and challenging too.

Wishing all of you “Beware”.

*your’s Emotional idiot,*
🙏Ramu🙏

*God’s way of playing Cricket amidst the game of Cricket:*

Yesterday Virat Kholi proved once again the age old cricketing adage

*”Class is permanent; Form is temporary”*.

Sourav himself had been victim for the above adage during Greg Chappal era.

So, sourav knows the power and depth of this adage more than any other cricketers.

Even then, the way Sourav had humiliated Virat by vocally criticized his “lack of runs – out of form”, made him delinquish his captaincy, etc…

All these “temporary pain” Virat had to meet out, because …

“one can’t escape from God’s Karma, as it shall boomerang at you sooner than later” – for having humiliated Kumble by ousting from Coach, again it’s Sourav’s long term vendetta against Ravi Shastri.”

Now, it’s time for Karma to exercise it’s power to Sourav and Karma has perfectly crafted a coinciding situation as “Sourav’s ouster as BCCI chief and Virat’s gaining form happenings more or less simultaneously.”

When Sourav was in power as “selection committee chief”, he had exercised his power against Ravi Shastri through Kumble.

That’s defeated by Viart as he’s in full form and next captain was not ready and Indian Cricket team was needed Virat by that time.

Then Sourav’s vendetta had shifted from Ravi to Virat after becoming BCCI chief, and Virat was defeated by relinquished his captaincy.

Now both of them had been shown to their deserved place.

It’s God’s way of playing cricket amidst the cricketing game.

Tamil couplet :

“People worship the one who has become humbled when his status has been kept on raising.”

“நிலை உயரும் போது பணிவு கொண்டால் உயிர்கள் உன்னை வணங்கும்” – கண்ணதாசன்

Ramu

*My Salutes to UK citizens, parliamentarians and it’s archtects of constitution:*
🙏Ramu🙏25/10/2022

I really wonder, Indian origin, though UK born, Mr. Rishi Sunak could become the highest “helm of affairs” of UK, and parallelly I couldn’t stop my mind comparing Indian democracy/ constitution.

Once UK / GB had been notorious for racism, slavery, colonization, etc…, they had evolved to this status of agreeing to the “less fair color man” to conduct their businesses is phenomenal.

Mr. Rishi is not only having foreign origin, he has married the girl of same origin might have invited lots of criticisms during his campaign for running, though I am not an avid follower of foreign politics, I have just tried to extrapolate with my meager knowledge gained from Indian politics.

First, one should appreciate the UK / GB architects or constitutional authorities for having such provisions in their democracy/ constitution.

My mind had traveled to 2004, when UPA was trying to form the government, how Ms.Soniya was outclassed by various sections including, the kind of nightmare our President and constitutional experts had to go through.

Even today, there’s no clear cut constitutional explanation, if Ms. Sonya were ready to be sworn as PM, whether our constitutional experts or the President of India would have allowed her.

Still Rahul Gandhi or Priyanka have to go long way, I suspect, even if one of them could become real contenders and winners, I doubt they could become Indian “helm of affairs”.

Even Indian states, especially TN is / was not ready to accomadate other states born candidates to contend for CM post.

I really appreciate people of UK, politicians and administrators for their magnanimity in accomadating leaders from various quarters.

India has yet to long way to go to have such tolerance in our democracy and constitutional clarification.

*Longingly yours,*
🙏Ramu🙏

Some interesting observations though our group may frown their lips:

Kindly don’t forward please…

How 1991 may define or divide India’s economical journey before and after 1991….

2014 may be the defining moment for our family probably for me Sharadha got married, but for Unna, it should be BJP/Modi comes into picture.

Since then Unna has slowly pulled / drowned down towards the holy grail of Hinduism, more patriotic, more devotional, etc..(of course, hatred towards other religions, foreigners, foreign countries, anti-nationals, etc..)

As a result Unna has started listening plenty of YouTube videos inline with her interest….landing up with one of the prominent reputed Hindu spiritual orators – disciple of Kirubananda variyar – Desa Mangaiyar karasi (more or less similar to we lot of us have landed up with then Rajan for Holistic Development Programme during 2009).

It is not that Desa Mangai had pulled Unna towards Hinduism by her powerful oration, (though she’s too a phenomenal orator like our then Rajan) Unna has already aligned her desires and both got merged at one point, similar to our journey in 2009. (Our – not our core, but entire Almanites community)

My observation is most of the Almanites, before becoming Almanites, they had already developed thirst of multiplying their businesses, net worth, assets, etc, seen various multi millionaires were already almanites and calculated “we too can become such one if we join Rajan and coincidentally Rajan’s powerful oration turns us to be almanites.)

Now Desa Mangai & Co had arranged one pilgrimage trip to Srilanka for 7 days with Rs 63,000/- and Unna joined the same.

Though, as a dutiful husband, I shouldn’t be an obstacle in between her desires, I hoped that pilgrimage trip may be joined hardly by few, say 10 to 15, for the prevailing inflationary, cash starving Indian economy.

I am made fool, (though already one) as that trip was joined by 65+ so far.

My observation is :

No powerful orators or their oration has never brought a radical change in anyone.

Their oration has just intensified their disciples’ previous desires.

(Ex: Rajan’s disciples become more money minded, and neither purely sacrificing their efforts towards society welfare nor moving towards full of spirituality)

Of course, all 100% almanites are society consciousness and spiritually aligned, but to the extent of helping themselves multiplying their wealth, brand and assets.

Similarly, these disciples of Desa Mangai too become more intensified towards spirituality, more Fanatic towards Hinduism, etc…but they are never going to focus their energy towards wealth building nor society welfare.

It means whether how the best gurus, orators, etc may be..in this entire world, are

…only capable of intensifying the interest of their disciples (who are already having) more and more rather than changing altogether….such as money minded to spiritual or spiritual to money minded….etc…

However, if one book Sapiens had changed my entire beliefs about religion, God, etc…I had till 2015, then who’s bigger?

Gurus? Orators? Or authors?

*Simple understanding about the habit of PROCRASTINATION:*
🙏Ramu🙏22/10/2022

Why do we lose the fight against procrastination so frequently?

Why can’t we save part of our income, as we know, we should?

Why do we vow to diet, but surrender to the allure of desert cart?

We promise to have our Master Health Check up regularly, but won’t?

Simply speaking, procrastination is, *”Giving up our long-term goals for immediate gratification.”*

One of the Professors @ Stanford had conducted the study in the following manner.

He had divided his 100 students into 3 groups and students of each group had to submit 3 assignments individually over the 12 week semester as per the following instructions.

*Instructions for Gr#1:*

(1) 3 assignments can be handed over any time before the end of 12 weeks semester.
(2)But, by the end of the week, each one must commit to a deadline date for each of the 3 papers.
(3) Late papers would be penalized 1% for each day delay.

*Instructions for Gr#2:*

(1) They would have no deadlines at all.
(2) They merely needed to submit all the 3 assignments before the end of 12 week semester.

*Instructions for #Gr3:*

(1) 3 separate deadlines for 3 assignments were dictated.
(2) deadlines were 4th, 8th and 12th weeks.
(3) just strong orders and no flexibility nor choice.

*Results :*

(1) Surprisingly, #Gr3 got the best grades.

(2) #Gr2 had the worst grades.

(3) #Gr1 finished in the middle in terms of their grades for the 3 assignments and their final grades as well.

*Findings:*

(1) Students are prone to procrastinate.

(2) *Tightly restricting their freedom, along with equally spaced deadlines is the best cure for procrastination.*

(3) The biggest revelation is that simply offering the Students – precommit to deadlines helped them achieve better grades.

(4) Important observation from the #Gr1 was, the Students were those who had equally spaced their deadlines produced at par results with #Gr3.

*Conclusion:*

(1) When an authoritative “external voice” gives the orders, most of us have taken care of procrastination habits.

(2) *The second better alternative is to give people an opportunity to commit up front (preferably with equal spaced commitments) to their preferred path of action.*

After all the success of life lies in *”DELAYING the instant gratification by embracing the small pain for achieving long-lasting pleasures.”*

*Acceleratingly yours,*
🙏Ramu🙏

*Rare Honour for me:*
Dedicated the same to our CORE group.

It’s during 2013 around, I had started interacting with Senthil’s father-in-law while I was hunting for the “Groom” for my daughter.

During our one year interactions, senthil’s father-in-law had shared few of his Nostalgia about how he had located both of his son-in-laws including our senthil.

Then my daughter’s marriage happened in 2014. *It’s the first time, Senthil might have taken serious note of me.*

It seems, that’s the tipping point that Senthil (by then he was Capgemini VP) might have got impressed / inspired or brought me into his good books and told me explicitly *”you had set benchmark for my daughters’ marriages.”*

Then he had introduced his own Singapore brother to share my recent marriage experience as he’s seriously looking for “groom” for his daughter by then.

Even I had just visited to their house in Singapore for 2 days, during the occasion of SPB’s music event, after his daughter’s marriage had successfully happened.

In 2015 beginning or so, Senthil’s father-in-law had passed away.

Later, 2015 one fine morning, Senthil and Priya had dropped in my house without prior intimation.

She’s was more or less too emotional and had tied a “Rocky” in my hand.

Though, unna and I realized then it’s “Rakshabandan” day, still we couldn’t make out of the context behind.

Then Priya told with her moistened eyes, *”I love my Dad immensely. My dad used to have great respect for you. Since, in my Dad’s absence I need someone who could play my dad’s role and my obvious choice is you and i have adopted you as my brother from now onwards.”*

Obviously, his both daughters have been very affectionate towards unna and I to the extent that they have never had any inhibitions with us. During this marriage process, his elder daughter Swetha told me,

*”You are always special to our family. Because you’re the only one who can make fun out of my dad and talking to him from equal foot. Rest of our family members used to have one step lower as they have much respect and reverence for our Dad.”*

When I had landed in Karaikudi yesterday, Senthil had come to station (combined with his some other work) at 5 AM, and handed me “covered packet” and told me you should wear dhothi for this marriage.

After going home only, I had realized it’s special “silk dhothi and dark pink cotton shirt.”

Though it’s not the great thing gifting dhothi and shirt to one’s friends during important family occasions, it’s special for me in unique manner.

In our community marriages, these kinds of uniforms (dhothi and shirt) generally made few sets, (hardly 10) only for the blood related family members such as brothers, uncles, etc..

*They did all the formalities to me as if if I were Priya’s own blood brother.*

Even few of them had made fun at me as by being the maternal uncle for the bride but having arrived very late for marriage, for having worn Pant and shirt the day before marriage.

It’s an absolute honour for me, at least I have never received this “uniform dhothi, shirts” from any of our own relatives marriages so far in my 54 years of existence.

Though senthil has excelled multiple times in this marriage in every aspects comparing with his “benchmark of mine”, *it gives me wonderful feeling that how my / our certain ordinary actions creates extraordinary impacts in others’ life.*

After all evolution or maturity in life is looking at the world from someone’s shoulders who had already experienced to the similar situations.

Proudly yours,
🙏Ramu🙏

*I, being a proud Tax paying Indian citizen, wish for 2024 elections to be fought on the basis of….*
🙏Ramu🙏18/10/2022

I am not really sure, whether Indian media reflects our society exactly or shaping the public perception in an alarming way….

I am not really sure, whether my next few grand generations may have to wait for visa to travel for Punjab, or UP or Karnataka etc…

So, I really wish, our 2024 general elections have to be fought on the following poll planks:

(1) Unification of entire country with multiple religions Vs Unification of our country  by single majoritarian / dominant religion.

(2) Unification of our entire country with multiple languages Vs Unification of our country with single majoritarian / dominant language.

(3) Inclusive economy – focussing on improving various indexes such as HDI, Hunger Index, Ease of doing business Vs Growth oriented economy – focussing on gdp growth alone  and thus paving path for mushrooming plenty of crony capitalists.

(4) Decentralization of powers through states autonomy Vs Centralization of power through anointing puppet state CMs.

(5) Reinstating the state items such as education etc those were  snatched from states during emergency period Vs snatching further more items from states to center.

(6) Separating the politics from religion and caste Vs making the politics as a synonym for religion.

Religiously yours,
🙏Ramu🙏

*My jittery experience during my participation as a Judge @ one, recent economic symposium:*
🙏Ramu🙏17/10/2022

It’s one of the reputed IB board / Cambridge board schools in Chennai conducted an Economic Symposium as an annual inter-schools competition event.

12 teams, each team represented by 2/3 took participation in this event from in and around Tamil Nadu.

We’re two judges and both of us had been given a huge data sheet (5 metrics for assessment) and strong instructions to be followed…

…. in such a way, we should diligently fill our marks 1 to 5 for each team, also for each participants and at the end of the each presentation, we should ask questions to assess their spontaneity. More importantly, our decisions would be final in choosing 2 Best orators and 2 Best teams and there’ll not be any consolation prices.

*I could sense slight covid symptoms, developed in me as they used the word “diligent” and “spontaneity assessment.”*

*When the 12 topics were given to us, my temperature got suddenly spiked to 102 degree, developed the stomach churning causing nauseated feeling…*

(Topics were such as FDI impact in UAE, Is there any chance for India to turn like Srilanka, Impact of Grameen banks in Bangladesh, subsidies in India whether it reaches grassroots, etc…)

Slowly I’d regained myself, turned towards my co-judege’s face to assess whether at least he’s confident of performing, so that I could easily tweak my marks by copying from his paper. (Nostalgia of gained experience during 4 years of Engineering and various lab experiments.)

The above kind of topics, I doubt, whether even @ IIMs level, they’d discuss or those students would be capable of discussing…?

*At least, 2 decades ago, we hadn’t discussed in our classes.*

*All the 12 teams had come out with very decent PPTs, no team had floundered, and no one had struck half the way, no one was shy of facing judge’s questions, no team was nonsense, etc…*

However, I couldn’t concentrate on any of the presentations as my mind was occupied with the question, *”I am supposed to ask at the end of 7th minute.”*

Parallel, my mind had been busy processing, *”Would I get any respectful place in the present world amidst these talents in 5 or 10 years down the line?”*

Or these GEN Z generation would show us the right deserved place to us as,…

*”Hi!! Oldie!! Keep quiet”. (IN Tamil: ஏய் பெருசு, சும்மா கம்முன்னு கிட).*

During 2003, Our Microeconomics Professor D’Mello @ our first class had spelt out the golden sentences as… which I feel the most appropriate for this young talented kids.

*”You guys are definitely far superior in knowledge, talents, and skills than our generation.”*

*”Though you guys are superior to our generation in every respect, you can’t feel proud or rest.”*

*”Because, with my average knowledge and talents compared to yours, I could get through IITs and IIMs a decade ago.”*

*”However, with your this far superior talents, you can’t get reach greater heights as easily as our generation did…”*

*”So, mind it and not just work hard, but work harder than your peers.”*

*After seeing the talents and skills of this GEN Z, it’s my duty to repeat the golden words of my Professor to this young GEN Z kids.*

Now, my shivering has shifted from myself to this GEN Z kids and I am really pity for these bright young kids….

….they shouldn’t digress nor depart nor despair from the untreaded path they have taken now as the future is going to be full of more uncertainty, more too fickle, more competitive and more complex than we had encountered.

I wish them great life ahead.

*Shiveringly yours,*
🙏Ramu🙏