We are the richest tourists destination

We are the richest tourists destination

We are the richest nation in terms of history, culture, scenic beauty, thousands of places of tourists attractions and varieties of food to meet with the tastes of the tongues of humans. What is flavour of food and taste, many people in the developed world don't understand. Little salt and pepper are sufficient for them to serve any food baked or cooked with minimum efforts. They have limited varieties of vegetables, therefore vegetables are used mostly as salads or as filling. Home kitchens are generally off, therefore, all streets are full with restaurants, full with people eating and drinking during the day. If you look around, the dishes are full with junk foods: French fried, pizzas, non veg burgers, salads with toppings, and a drink (coke or beer), etc. Their desserts and ice creams are rich in sugar. It is the staple food of the developed world. Their breakfast in the morning and post lunch are mostly with a cup of coffee and croissant.

What are their tourists spots? Buildings of medieval period, shopping malls, restaurants, gardens, amusement parks? Switzerland has mountains and scenic beauty. And what we have, heritage buildings, monuments, handicrafts, mountains, snowy picks, rivers, sea beaches, forests, wild life, gardens and parks, varieties of food with fragrance and flavours, many bites to enjoy the breakfast, etc. Very very rich visit for the tourists to enjoy.

But they have much more than we offer to the tourists. The best and cheap public transportation facilities on road and rail (day-weekly pass system), great infrastructure of roads-rail-bridges, potable drinking water, highest standard of cleanliness of all the places whether public or private, no dust, no mosquitoes, disciplined lifestyle, regulations, no encroachments on public streets, few but cultured beggars, respects for the tourists, security and safety (barring few known places), quality of goods and services at fixed rates and without cheating, public information counters and hotel counters are full with maps and guides, souvenir shops with quality items, all the places google map enabled, SIM cards and easy Internet, etc, making the life easy for the tourists; are the major plus points of these destinations where thousands of tourists are going and spending billions of dollars everyday. Their airports, streets, tourists spots, transportation and restaurants are crowded with tourists from China, India, Japan, and all other parts of the world.

Whatever their pluses are our minuses. Our personal and community both the hygienes are poor. Our Indian curry makes the bowls irritable and make all the public toilets dirty and stinking, our streets are crowded with encroachments, roads are full with indiscipline traffic make the tourists suffocating, our public transport is poor make the tourists life difficult without guide, beggars run after the tourists when they are just to take a bite, uncertainty of tariffs and route when they travel by auto rickshaw or taxi, late evening traveling sometimes risky for the young girls, men's hungry eyes gazing over women with sexual motivation at some places horrible, single rape or killing of tourist women/girl results in withdrawal of tourists in thousands, etc are our minus points.

Why tourists come? For pleasure, for relaxing, to know the world around, to see the beauty and places on Earth, to love the arts and culture, to enjoy holidays with their dear and near once. And what do they demand: safety and security, easy public transportation, easy connectivity, guides and maps, better communication with google enable maps and directions, cleanliness at public and private places, clean and better toilets and urinals, shopping without cheating, quality of goods and services, hygienic good food that don't disturb their stomachs, potable drinking water, good places/hotels to stay, beggars free streets, etc.

If we do so, tourism only can develop millions of jobs for our youths. The spending of tourists and job creation can add 1-2% growth rate of our GDP. And all these things, government only can't do. It can build the infrastructure, but general culture of tourists friendliness is to be developed by the people themselves. Tourists should feel ease with us so that they prefer our apartments to hotels. Government on other side may continue building infrastructure of transport and communication, create fear of regulation to ensure safety and security of tourists; tourism department can enhance IEC activities, increase information and guide nets, build capacity of cooks to meet with the tastes of the tourists, etc; civic administration can provide cleanliness and hygiene at all levels, ensure supply of quality of goods and services, remove beggars from the streets and tourists places, remove encroachments, ensure proper implementation of building codes, etc.

And the most important is winning the heart of the tourists. Using emotional intelligence, we can do that. India is the best provided we meet with the standards of the services and culture, tourists friendly.

Punamchand
23 July 2017

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Case Study of Maharaja !

Case Study of Maharaja

There was an Air India flight AI 120 arrived from India with passengers and was parked for it's return flight to Delhi, at the boarding area of one of the busiest Airports of the world, Frankfurt on 20 July 2017. It was ready for departure for Delhi at it's regular time of 9.15 PM. The boarding started at 8.45 PM and till all people got boarded, things were looking normal. But when the flight didn't take off till 10 PM, passengers started murmuring. The pilot then announced that due to technical problem the flight is getting delayed. Passengers were waiting for the technical part to get resolved understanding that in a busy port, may be an issue of traffic management. The crew started serving dinner to the passengers and at the 11th hour at 11 PM, the pilot announced that as the airport is closed down, therefore, the plane can't take off without the ground clearance permission of the air control authority of the airport, therefore we shall fly tomorrow morning.

All passengers were sent to the hotels for the night stay with an understanding that they will report to the airport at 7 AM next morning. The wake up call was set. But in the morning, it was told to the business class passengers to wait till 7 PM by the hotel receptionist. For economy class passengers, as per the notice board announcement at the hotel in the morning, all of them left the hotel at 7 AM and reported to the air india counter at the airport. There were three counters but only one was operating and the staff was coming and going but none was giving any clear reply. They spend the whole day in front of the counter in standing position. Few passengers from them managed their space in the vacant seats of in AI regular evening flight or in other flights of Lufthansa. Still 8 business class passengers and 133 economy class passengers remained.

One family complained that their children were without food for the whole day. Some passengers received the SMS from Air India that the flight will depart at 10.40 PM. I was told to stay at the hotel till 7 PM. Curiously I went to the airport in the evening at 5 PM and came to know that the flight will now fly tomorrow (22/7) morning at 6 AM instead of tonight. The youths were commenting that besides the Air India counter, there are 5 counters of private airline operating with speed and positivity of serving customers though there was not much of the rush of the passengers. And here on Indian National airline, one counter was attending the customers with the slowest possible speed and without disclosing any information.

As Air India staff were not disclosing the reasons of the delay, I inquired with the hotel agent standing besides the counter and came to know that there was some technical fault with the part of the nose of the craft. The spare part will come from India in today's flight in the evening, the engineers will fix it and then the flight may get ready for the take off next morning at 6AM. This was a probability. And a worry amongst the passngers including me to fly in a defective craft.

Next morning on 22/7, we reached to the airport at 4.30 AM. There was one window counter operating for handling check in baggages and connecting flight related issues. It took 30 minutes to get 3 boarding passes to a Afghani family after an intervention of a senior staff member. One may feel pity about the tired and slow moving staff of the Air India. At B-62, after a shot waiting, they allowed the passengers to board as if we are flying at 6 AM, but on screen the time was once again changed to 10 AM. Finally, the craft was ready and with the painful claps of the tired passengers, the flight took off at 9.56 AM on 22/7 from the Frankfurt airport after 37 hours of it's scheduled departure. At the end of the day, flight landed to Delhi Airport at 9.21 PM. The luggage reached to the hands of passengers by 10.45 PM and the 70 passengers of connecting flights were moved to the average type hotel Contaur, they have been served delicious indian food and given rooms to rest from where they will report to the airport as per their connecting flight schedule from early in the morning and will reach to their destinations on 23/7.

I took a chance to know some more details about the fault with the craft. Air India has appointed a German Engineer at Frankfurt, and he has grounded Air India crafts 10-15 times in a year. Each grounding costs $ 200,000 to the Air India at the costliest airport of Frankfurt. Plus the accommodation and food for the passengers may be costing around € 500-1000 per person. The staff felt that the problem was not big and the crafts are otherwise flying without any problem with the same condition in other parts of the world but the German engineer at Frankfurt airport doesn't give clearance to fly if there is a small technical problem. Air India staff said that they have conveyed to the CMD to appoint an Indian engineer at Airport Frankfurt so that he can give easy clearance like other airports but the German Engineer continued. They love Air India as they have served it for whole of their life but when Air India loses such a big money due to grounding, they feel very bad and accept the privatisation move of the airline.

If the engineer didn't clear the flight, and if the spare part is to be brought from India in the next day's evening flight after 24 hrs, and if the flight is going to take off after 36 hours of it's scheduled departure time, knowing well of all these things, why did the Air India:

1) Brought the craft with the nose problem, when they knew the grounding history of the German Engineer posted at Frankfurt, and heavy cost on the grounding?

2) Why didn't they disclose the information to the passengers?

2) Why they were rescheduling the time table again and again?

3) Why did they keep the economy class passengers standing in a queue for more than 10 hours?

4) If it has star alliance with other 6-7 airlines, why didn't they rebooked the passengers in other airlines.

5) Why didn't they manage the spare part locally?

6) Lufthansa is their star alliance and a local airlines, then why didn't they arrange spare craft from Lufthansa or other airlines and send the passengers to their destinations with minimum possible delay?

Why should they do it?

After all, it's name is Maharaja!

All passengers were cursing the airlines for their services and attitude. Some passengers commented that it is better if this Maharaja is privatised.

Punamchand
Delhi, 11.45 PM
22 July 2017

NB: There was a silver line in the clouds, passengers passed two nights in Hotel Steingenberger near the Frankfurt Airport, where Honourable PM of India had stayed.

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Interlaken, the Summer home of Indian

Interlaken, Summer Home of Indian

Every year, hundreds of Gujarati's are visiting and staying at Interlaken and surrounding places and spend their summer days here. 

Many romantic songs of Indian movies shot here. The journey started by legendary actor Raj Kappor with his film Sangam in 1964, followed by Shakti Shamanta's An evening in Paris in 1967, then comes the legendary filmmaker Late Yash Chopra made Switzerland the part of almost his every film. Through his films, he introduced the lush green meadows, snow-capped Alps, pristine lakes of Switzerland to India. Those are the days of intense militant activities in Kashmir Valley.  Slowly drifted away from Kashmir,  many filmmakers followed the same path and Switzerland became an integral part of many romantic Bollywood Movies. Till date more than 80 Hindi Movies and more than 200 Indian Movies have been shot in Switzerland. 

As the Bollywood romance with Switzerland continued, tourism industry in Switzerland started booming.  Switzerland became the most romantic dream destination among the youth getting married in India and planning a honeymoon there. Yash Chopra captured the beautiful landscapes all around Switzerland with his beautiful actor couple singing and dancing around them. This was the most exciting idea of the romance and he became famous as the King of Romance. Switzerland equally honoured the role of Yashji to promote Tourism in Switzerland among the Indians. A beautiful lake, where he shot many movies, is famously known as Chopra Lake.  He was felicitated with the honorary Swiss Ambassador Award by the Embassy of Switzerland and honoured with the title 'Amabssador of  Interlaken', his favourite town in Switzerland. A train named after Yash Chopra was also launched in Jungfrau Railways in Switzerland. There is a statue of late Yash Chopra with his camera in shoot style in the garden of the city. 

Nature speaks here. Beautiful mountains fold, glaciers, beautiful lush green terrain surrounded by mountains of Alps; pure air, rivers and streams flowing with milky water; green cover of the nature full of trees, shrubs, colourful flowers; 'Green Gold' of evergreen grasslands of meadows and pastures full of with fruitful grasses, juicy herbs and clover; healthy cows and cattle grazing with wearing brass bells adding sound in the nature and turning grass into milk and meat; clean and potable water from all sources; gourmet food; cleanliness of highest standards; houses, streets and masts revealing Swiss feelings, thoughts and actions; sound train, bus and cruise network for transportation; souvenirs shops full with Swiss skilled watches and bells; chocolate shops; streets, places of attractions and transportation full of international tourists mainly from India, China and Arabian world; etc, made this place the heaven for human on earth.

And in such a beautiful and relaxing atmosphere Morari Bapu sermons on Manas Swarg (heaven), the righteous actions, with a chopai of Ramcharit at Congress Centre, in Casino of the City Centre in Interlaken in front of his 1000 followers came from US, UK, Africa and India. Who won't go? Don't you temp to rush to the site immediately, without wasting a minute of your stressful life?

The top of Europe Jungfrau is nearby from Interlaken. It at 4158 metre (13,642 feet) is one of the main summits and most distinctive sight of Alps. Jungfrau means virgin, now no more virgin as thousands of tourists visit this place every year. The construction of the Jungfrau railway by holing up the mountain, one of the highest works of engineering skills of human in the early 20th century, connecting Kleine Scheigegg to the Jungfrauujoch, the saddle between the Minch and the Jungfrau, mad the area one of the most visited places in Alps, a lifetime railway experience in Switzerland. To leave from Interlaken or Grindelwald or Wengen and start by taking a unique moderncogwheel railway to Kleine Scheidegg, 6762 feet up; and from there, the Jungfrau railway climbs to the Eiger Glacier station, well known for its mountain restaurant and polar dog kennel, then continue through the Eiger tunnel, only stopping to enjoy spectacular vistas on the way to the highest railway station in Europe. Switzerland’s most breathtaking scenery.   View a 13.6 mile ice stream, an Ice Palace, and views that will melt your heart. You are on top of the world. Sensing the taste of their most respectful tourists from India, the restaurant at Jungfrau serves Bollywood Food!!

Run fast, don't be slow, you will be soon on Top of the World at Interlaken, the Heaven on Earth.

Punamchand
Wengen
17 July 2017

NB: There are many places in Himalayas of India from Kashmir to Northeast, can be made heavens for tourists if infrastructure like Switzerland is made and the militancy rests in peace.

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We are responsible for our present

We are responsible for our present.

Whether we are in joy or sorrow, whether we are in pain or relief, whether we are in pleasure or in worry, whether we are in happy life or sad life, ; all are the outcome of our actions. We are responsible of our fate and nobody else. This is said by Buddha some 2500 years ago. And if we study the human life, it is true. Buddha observed his mind for years and found out the reasons of our happiness or unhappiness and suggested the path of Nirvana (freedom), the freedom from misery.

Our scientist have discovered in 20th century that the matter is made of atoms: the electrons, protons and neutrons. And they are waves as well as particles. 2500 years ago after reading his world inside, Buddha declared that all matters including us are the waves, and they are Anitya-impermanent.

In humans, there are 5 senses and a mind creating their fate with their karmas, which are an outcome of their sanskaras (volitions). Mind, with the help of 5 senses build the Sanskara (volition) deep into it and with Raga or Dwesha, feel happy or sorrow with the events happening around him, forgetting the golden rule that everything is Anitya (impermanent). Positive feelings-vibrations, feelings of happiness come from our Raga and negative feelings-vibrations, feelings of sorrow come from our Dwesha. Our Raga (liking, desire to enjoy sensual pleasure) and Dwesha (disliking, hatred, aversion) build the bank of Sanskara (volition) inside us through the 5 senses and mind.

Mind has four components called: vigyana (consciousness), sangya (perception), vedana/bhavana (feeling-sensation) and sanskara (volition). Consciousness knows that there is contact of the sense organs (eyes, ears, tongue, skin, nose) with its object/subject. It is only an awareness. Perception knows the value, characteristics, shape, size of the object/subject. Feeling develops pleasant or unpleasant feeling based on the valuation. Sanskara stores the greed or aversion along with the subject/object, that has developed based on unpleasant pleasant feelings.

Sanskara is the origin of suffering, accumulated in mind.  If one wants to get rid of suffering, whenever feeling or sensation arises, he/she has to observe their impermanence nature without reacting to them, slowly, the Sanskara diminishes. The desires stored in Sanskara are the reason for suffering. Till the desires remain, the birth and rebirth cycle will continue. Nirvana is possible when there is no desire left at the last breath on earth. 

How this is possible? It is through detachment from all the subjects and objects while observing everything as anitya (impermanent). Happy moments or sad moments, all will go away as they are the waves. One has to burnout all the balance of the past Sanskara and stop building new Sanskara. In fact, they are burning each moment. When the fire is on, it burnout the wood, and if no new wood is added it extinguished when the wood in fire get over. Similarly, with the observation of our mind, senses and controlling the acts through bodha of anitya world of waves, the Raga and Dwesha will be dissolved and one will get freedom from both, away from the Anitya (impermanent) world and rest in the Nitya (eternal), the self, the Buddha. 

There are Four Nobel Truths of Buddhism

1. The truth of suffering (dukkha): illness
2. The truth of the cause of suffering (samudaya): reason of illness = desires, karma and rebirth are closely related to our desire.
3. The truth of the end of suffering (nirhodha): hope for a cure.
4. The truth of the path that frees us from suffering (magga): treatment through Eightfold Path.

Buddha taught that this thirst grows from ignorance of the self. We go through life grabbing one thing after another to get a sense of security about ourselves. We attach not only to physical things but also to ideas and opinions about ourselves and the world around us. Then we grow frustrated when the world doesn't behave the way we think it should and our lives don't conform to our expectations.

The Buddha taught that through diligent practice, we can put an end to craving. Ending the hamster-wheel chase after satisfaction is enlightenment ( bodhi, "awakened"). The enlightened being exists in a state called Nirvana.

Buddha as physician prescribed the treatment for our illness: the eightfold path, the way to remove suffering, the Dhamma to practice to free from suffering. Unlike in many other religions, in Buddhism, there is no particular benefit to merely believing in a doctrine. Instead the emphasis is on living the doctrine and walking the path. Observe the waves of happiness and unhappiness emerging in us, and think of their impermanency, don't attach to them, simply observe, they will pass away, make you free from bondage.

Samma Dithi: right view, samyak Darshan: knowing four Nobel truths  by our personal realisation is samma dithi. To know Anitya impermanent nature of the world is very important. One has to personally realise that it is arising and passing away. 

Samma Sankappo: right determination, samyak sankalp: there are three Sankalpas: i) Slowly slowly get rid of the sensory feelings. Stay away from enjoyment of sensual pleasures of 6 senses. II) Sankalpa of not killing anybody: Ahimsha (non violence). Consciously killing any creature or life is a crime. There shouldn't be any desire, intention or will to kill and not to have aversion to anybody who is doing such act.

Samma Vacha: samyak vani: not to speak lie, not to pilloried others, not to speak harsh and not to do meaningless talking.

Samma Kamnanto : Samyak karma: not to kill, not to steal, not to do sexual misconduct, not to consume intoxicant.

Samma Ajivo: samyak ajivika: not to earn through breaking any morality (sheela): trade of weapons, poison, wine, human and flash are prohibited. Other than these acts are samma ajivo earned without cheating.

Samma vayamo: samyak vyayam: make efforts to eradicate the unwholesome mental states that has arise in the mind. Make efforts so that the unwholesome mental state that have not arisen in your mind will never arise in future. To make efforts so that the wholesome mental state that have not arisen in mind will arise in mind.  Strengthen the wholesome mental state that have arisen in mind. 

Samma sati: samyak smiriti: develop awareness of four: awareness of body, awareness of feeling, awareness of mind, awareness of contents of mind. This is Vipashyana: kaya nu pashyana (awareness of body), vedana nu pashyana (awareness of feelings), chittta nu pashyana (awareness of thoughts), dhamma nu pashyana (whatever arises in mind is dhamma: Chinta (worries), maitri (friendliness), karuna (compassion), dwesha (aversion), etc.

Samma Samadhi: to achieve one pointedness of mind. Concentration of mind. Buddha had explained 40 types of meditations. It is called Kammathan in Pali. Means object of meditation. When Breath is an object of meditation, it is called Anapan. 

Let us remember the four noble truth and follow the eightfold path of Dhamma to attain enlightenment.

Buddham Sharanam Gachchami

Punamchand
London
14 July 2017

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Imperial Glory won't return

Britain Empire was at the height of imperial glory with pre-eminent commercial and naval power. Britain was the Hageman of the world. They had acquired many colonies and acquired more colonies in Africa during Victorian era (1871-1901), created vast wealth and opportunities. But the unrest in India, Borer War in South Africa, economic and social problems at home due to losses in two world wars and hegemony threats from UA and Prussia have pulled it down from the glory of past. The empire that was so extensive that there was always at least one part of their territory that was in daylight, therefore, the phrase "the empire on which the sun never sets"; but their good old days have gone forever.

After the World War II, The European Union was set up with the aim of ending the frequent and bloody wars between neighbours, which culminated in the Second World War. Britain was not included when the precursor to the EU was formed following World War II, but finally joined the group known at the time as the European Economic Community (EEC), on January 1, 1973 to avoid it's economic decline. With the logo, United in Diversity, EEC was converted into European Union  (EU) in 1993 with an aim of uniting 28 countries of Europe with free movement of people, goods, services and capital within internal market with common policies of trade, agriculture, fisheries and regional development. Passport controls have been abolished and monetary union was established. Euro became their official currency. Britain continued with EU but with the separate currency pound and separate visa proceedings.

With EU, the opened door of UK was flooded from the migrants of less developed countries of Europe (Ramania, Bulgaria, Hungary, etc), mainly from Eastern Europe. Asians were very much there due to colonial rule. As a result, population of London went up and prices of land, buildings and services rose up. The cost of living shoot up made the life of common men difficult. Unless they work more hours, won't sustain their quality of life. Some British sold their properties in London and moved to the outskirts areas. The ruling party and some people started believing that their problems are because they membership in EU. They went for referendum. Therefore, against the assessment of David Cameroon government, the referendum went against UK union with the EU and Briton exited. The luckiest PM became unlucky by losing the referendum. Now the migrants are demanding for their rights of PR, education, health, work, benefits, etc, in UK. And their native countries are in support of their demands. They are young lot, a good workforce and contributing in the GDP of the UK. And UK old citizens living in other European countries are adding into their liabilities. There is a threat from some of the European companies established in U.K. that they may exit UK. The negotiations is going to be very tough. What will happen to UK economy is the biggest question confusing the British community a lot and they are searching for a right answer to resolve the it. Till date, the economic parameters are maintained and pound has retained it's value. The policy makers are searching the ways to reduce the load of social benefits. Some people worry more about their politicians who are ill equipped to negotiate with strong European Union after the Brexit. Some people still feel that English wisdom will find out their ways to maintain British advantage over Europe. With the exit of European Companies and people, their people will have better opportunities of growth within the country. But what is the strength? The ground realities suggests the Briton won't return to the glory of their good old days. Sun sets for them the same like others.

Briton was the Hageman of the world before the WW-II. US enjoyed the status of hageman for 6 decades. And now China is the new hageman of the world, has pose the challenges before the world for coming 4-5 decades. It's neighbours, Prussia and India, with US may be the check and balance over China. But Briton has to accept the reality of the world of 21st century that their Imperial glory won't return.

Punamchand
13 July 2017
Cambridge

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New Challenges before the Leaders

New Challenges before the Leaders

It was a very good evening with the ex Cabinet Secretary of Govt of UK, Lord Richard Wilson at Peterhouse the oldest college of Cambridge yesterday.  He was explaining about the role of a civil servant in the fast changing world. It is hard for the politicians to say no to the people therefore they made demand on civil servants to meet with people's expectations. Press is also powerful and always looking for bad stories. Demands for information is more in the new world of Social media and RTI. It has increased the openness of the administration. It's a world of IT. In 1992, there were 83 websites, now it is a World of internet flooded with information. It has increased the workload of civil servants through emails and messages and also demands speed of work. 

He was explaining the international polity of the new world where China has raised as the most powerful country. Old hageman America and new hageman China are now coming face to face. There are new challenges before the world posed by North Korea, Middle East Crisis of ISIS, Syria's conflict with IS, refugees problem, Italy under debt, India's huge potential, unforeseen shocks, etc, are suggesting that next 25 years will be radical. All these will have implications over economy, over the jobs and over politics. The bureaucrats will be under focus as spot light dealing with the subjects with integrity and honesty. 

He has advised that each civil servant must remember 6 things. The political leaders have to perform beyond slogans, therefore, as civil servants you should: 

1) Keep a Team of skilled people unlike of you to guide. Beware of the Praising staff as they read and observe you, and discuss on coffee table about what they think of you. You are all the time on show, under their observance. Bring on the young people who are educated, enthusiastic, energetic, and intelligent. Pay them well so that they continue with you. 

2) Reputation of civil servant is important because it is his ability to influence people. Therefore, maintain integrity and honesty.

3) Take good training as it is crucial for the development of a civil servant. 

4) Look after yourself, know yourself, maintain health well. Get enough sleep because if you look exhausted, you may fail motivating your team. 

5) Appear well because the team as you are working above them. Don't be angry, improve personal interaction with them. Communicate that what they do matter, work a trust so that they feel valued. 

6) Build you skill of news management and maintain openness. 

When asked him about the changing role of judiciary entering into the executive field, unaware of the Indian condition, he explained that Judiciary has a big role to play. Power needs checks and balances, therefore, parliament, judiciary and media are checks over the power to balance. Sometimes, persons working for you becomes a challenge. When Mr. Blare didn't have challenge from the external forces, his minister Mr. Brand became a challenge to him. Therefore, one has to remain careful always. 

His advice is very useful to the civil servants of the world. 

We as civil servants are surrounded by the Boss, Peers, Stakeholders and our Team which consists of Baby B, X, Y and Z generations. Baby Boomers are the silent generation of people born between 1946 to 1964. X is a generation of people born between 1960 to 1980. Y is a generation of people born between 1980 to 1998 and the Z is a generation of people born after 1998. Each generation has different factors of motivation. As a leader, one has to identify the motivation factors for each group and use them to bring change in the system for better performance.

X is a generation of people working hard, sit for long hours and continue with the same position for many years. Y generation is unique, techno savvy and important for the world economy. They are the drivers. They are small in number but carry more bargaining power. They demand promotion quickly as they can't wait in the same position for many years. They don't respect title. Boss, so what? They respect if the Boss deserves it. They are more adaptable and clear about their goals. They want challenging job. They are active on social media. As civil servant, we have to provide space for the Y generation to grow. 

As a civil servant, our role is more of management than of leadership; more of compliance than commitment. We are manager progressing to leader, provided we break the DNA. Both IQ and EQ are important for us to grow as a leader. Build Team, motivate them and work more to become better civil servants. 

Punamchand
10 July 2017
Cambridge

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Guru Purnima walk in Cambridge

Guru Purnima Walk in Cambridge 

With the grace of DoPT, we are walking in the streets of Cambridge, the campus full of colleges and surrounded by thoughts. It has produced 96 Nobel Laureates, 32 of them from Trinity College alone. It has given Five PM to UK and three PM to India. 

On Guru Purnima day, while 'Cambridge Walk', we have paid respects to the Great Teachers of mankind. The word ‘guru’ has its roots in the Sanskrit language, where ‘gu’ means darkness and ‘ru’ stands for the removal of darkness. They have removed many darkness of our life and directed us the right way. 

Sir Isaac Newton, one of the greatest scientists of all time, was a product of Trinity College, Cambridge. He discovered gravity when he saw a falling apple from apple tree at his house garden at Woolsthorpe Manor, his birthplace in Lincolnshire. The Trinity College has planted an apple tree in front of it's gate to remember it's great student. Brain power has nothing to do with richness or poverty, nothing to do with happiness or sorrow. His father died 3 months before his birth. His birth was premature. When he was only 3 years old, his mother remarried and went to live with her new husband, leaving Newton in the care of her mother. He was removed from the school and his mother widowed again tried to make him a farmer, rejoined school education and became a top class student of exceptional ability. He joined Trinity College in 1661, and in the first year, his teacher announced that he was better then him in mathematics. Newton was the youngest Fellow of Cambridge at 25. The dominance of studies of philosophy of Aristotle was replaced by new algebra, analytical geometry of Newton. Crisis came in his life as opportunities. When plague came in Cambridge in 1665 closing the university, he went to his mother's home and within 18 months discovered the binomial theorem and differential calculus. He expounded his laws of gravity in 1685 and published his greatest work 'Philosophiae Nuturalis Principia Mathematia'. Poverty and adversity of life didn't stop him to becoming one of the greatest scientists of all time.

Charles Darwin was another student of Cambridge from Christ's college. He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He took two three breaks in his study and finally started his degree course in natural history. He spent great amount of time in the company of his teacher Henslow, botanising in and around Cambridge, finally came out with his famous work 'Origin of Species' in 1859. 

The evening ended with a three course welcome Dinner at Peterhouse, the oldest college of Cambridge, was established in 1284. A big list of colleges: Peterhouse (1284), Clare (1326), Pembroke (1347),  Gonville and Caius (1348), Corpus Christy (1352), Christ's (1439), King's (1440), St Catherine (1473), Queen's (1448), Jesus (1496), St John's (1511), Magdalene (1542), Trinity (1546), Emmanuel (1548), Sidney Sussex (1596), Girton (1866), Hughes Hall 1885), St Edmund's (1896), Darwin (1964), etc. One has to take admission first with the college, then University accepts you. Results of the graduates were published on the notice board. And when they receive the degree wearing gowns, they walk through the street making the event memorable. Each college has different gown, tie, base, jacket, etc, carrying their unique identity.

Cambridge has produced as many as 96 Nobel Laureates and many big personalities. But their research or discovery or invention came out from meeting and sittings at some corner. In 1897, at old Cavendish Laboratory JJ Thomson discovered the electron subsequently recognised as first fundamental particle of physics and the basis of chemical bonding electronics and computing. 

 For decades, Eagle is the pub for the scientist of Cavendish Laboratory. It was here on 28 February 1953, Francis Crick and James Watson first announced their discovery of how DNA carries genetic information by using stick and ball method. The table and corner they have used for long hours sitting and discussion on 'secrets of life', is visited by many tourists.

There are many stories of the adventures and challenges taken by the students. A team of 11 students place the car on the parapet of the college by a genius work. Somebody put a paper plastic into the lightening rod at the top of the stiff building. The administrators always ask, why? And the students always reply, why not?

The Corpus Clock made of Gold at Corpus Christi College Library is an attraction point for the tourists. On the hour, the clock reminds us of our mortality with the sound of a chain dropping into a wooden coffin. It has the largest Grasshopper escapement of any clock in the world. 

The 45 minutes Punting tour on river passing through the colleges and campuses and crossing the small small bridges of engineering skill was a memorable tour. The route is lush green with the beauty of maple and other trees. Our day concluded with a three course dinner at the oldest building Peterhouse with the Ex Cabinet Secretary of UK Mr. Richard Wilson. He gave us lessons on leadership and strategic thinking. 

Guru Purnima Vandan to all the Gurus of Cambridge and the Gurus in all fields of life. 

Punamchand

9 July 2017

Cambridge 

NB: Rajiv Gandhi, late ex PM of India found his love Sonia Gandhi from Cambridge when he was a student here. He was studying mechanical engineering from Trinity College. Dr. Manmohan Singh had studied economics (first) from Sr. John's College. Jawaharlal Nehru had studied natural science from Trinity College.

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Rainfall Jamajam

Rainfall Jamajam, Gujarati Proverbs

Sun Transit in Ardra Nakshatra from 21 June to 4 July has given a very good spell rain of 206 mm in Gujarat this year. Rainfall in June is on an average 90-100 mm. But this year, it is one of the highest of the LPA. IOD has given positive results. વરસે આદ્ર્ા તો વરસ જાય પાધરા (good).

Now the two phases of Sun transit in Punarvasu from 5 July to 19 July and in Pushya fron 20 July to 2 August are important.  પખ (punarvasu) અને વખ (pushya) બે વાદીલા, વરસે તો વરસે, નહીતર ઠાલા ને ઠાલા. 

Do you know farmers use the transit of Sun in Ashlesha for a special purpose? The period from 2 August to 16 August for weeding of grass from the farm. The grass removed during this period won't grow again. Castor will be sowed after plough during Sun transit in Ashlesha.

Then comes Magha 16 August to 29 August, if rains the crop yields multiplied. વરસે મઘા તો ધનના થાય ઢગા.

But rain during Purva Falguni (30 August to 13 September) is considered bad for some crops. વરસે પૂરવા તો ખેડુત બેઠા ઝૂરવા.

If rains during Sun transit in Hast (26 September to 9 October), considered auspicious. વરસે હાથીયો પૂરાવે ઘરમાં સાથીયો.

If rains during Sun transit in Chitra (10 October to 22 October), it is disastrous. વરસે ચિત્ત તો પાડે ભીંત. 

O El Niño, stay away from us; and O Sun-March combo, be calm; we wish to enjoy the normal monsoon this year, as the start of the season is very good. 

Happy rainy season. Barkha bahar aayi, ras ki fuhar layee.....

Punamchand
6 July 2017

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Just change the sight

Just change the sight

We see the world and the universe of many diversities. We have developed our likes and dislikes (raga and dwesha) with our experiences with this external visible world. In fact, our experience is our world because we see all the persons and objects as per the pictures coming up on our mind screen. Our mind (chitta) is creator of our world as Brahma. With repeated experiences when the picture of the world take a shape of objects, we see many objects in the world. That is Vishnu status of our mind, the sthiti (position). But when we, with the help of Shastras or Guru, dissolve our desires and develop a sight of Samata (equanimity), the world created by Brahma (our chitta) disappears. Our sight changes. We see everything one, the manifestation of Almighty, the Brahman. The Universe, the Galaxies, the Stars, the planets, the five elements, the creatures, etc, all merge into one picture, the Brahman. Then, no happiness makes you intoxicated or no sorrow makes you depressed. With the loss of wealth, power, persons, nothing is lost because the waves disappear but the Ocean exists as it is. The distinction or difference goes away. The desires extinguish. The fire in the heart stops as the source of heat (desires) turns off. Satchidanand Almighty is very much there. No efforts are require to get Him. The efforts (sadhana) are only to remove the clouds (created by our ego and desires), those are stopping us from realising His presence everywhere. Efforts, sadhana, Shastra, Guru, Satsang, etc, are only to uncover the cortex of agyan/avidhya; so that Samata (sameness, equanimity) of sight develops. Samyak Darshan. That is bodha, that is Buddhatva, that is Moksha, that is Param Pad. The heart burn of desires (fire) is replaced by the peacefulness and blissfulness like full moon. And the person who has achieved this Samata state of mind is the Tirtha himself, the Tirthankar. His Darshana, his Bodha are the lighthouse for all who are walking on the path of Nirvana. It is just changing of a sight. 

नजरें जो बदली, तो नजारे बदल गये ।

कश्ती ने जो बदला रूख, तो किनारे बदल गए।। 

Punamchand

4 June 2017

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National Doctors' Day 1st July

Nation Doctors' Day 1st July 

"We have not lost the faith, but we have transferred it from God to the medical profession" -George Bernard Shaw

On 1st July, the country celebrated Doctor's Day in remembrance and in honour of Bharat Ratna Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy, (MBBS, MRCP, FRCS) on his birthday (1/7/1882) and also death anniversary (1/7/1962). He was a physician and freedom fighter, had served West Bengal as Chief Minister from 23/01/1948 till he died on 1/7/1962. He used to served his patients everyday by taking out time from the busy schedule of the CM. 

Medical profession is a noble profession, great service to the mankind. Nurses are the uncelebrated soldiers toiling through days and nights in the service to the sick, the injured and the dying. They are one of the reasons of human population explosion on Earth! Antibiotics and Doctors have increased the life expectancy and reduced the number of IMR, MMR and unnatural deaths. 

With the population rise, economic advancement, demand of better quality of life, governments' priority of providing health services to the common men through network of PHCs, CHCs, Hospitals; the demand of doctors and nurses are increasing all over the world. It is profession, where the placement is 100%. You won't find medics and paramedics unemployed. Therefore, there is heavy rush of students for admissions in medical colleges. 

But due to MCI norms, the colleges network of making of doctors is not developed equal to the network of colleges for engineers. It takes nearly 10 years of study and hard work after the 12th for a student to become a complete doctor. When we see the dropouts in primary, high school and secondary, one may understand that how the best of the brains are joining the medical field. When the admission starts, there is a long queue, but due to seats limitations only few gets the chance to study medical. 

It is therefore, in 2008, our the then visionary CM Shri Narendra Modi had set up a Committee to prepare a road map to double the capacity of MBBS admissions in the State. The Committee gave a very ‘simple’ suggestion: start 25 new medical colleges of 100 capacity each or 16 colleges with capacity of 150 each – to add 2400-2500 Undergraduate Medical seats. 

In a short span of 9 years, already 12 colleges have come up adding 1800 seats, and it seems very likely that the target of 2500 will be achieved in near future. As a part of this strategy, GMERS (Gujarat Medical Education and Research Society) was formed in 2009. GMERS has passed through different phases during its existence of 8 years. Bureaucrats make the ideas of leader operationalised. Mr Rajesh Kishore, IAS (1980) nurtured the GMERS as his favourite baby. It was started in hurry. He led from the front. He used to visit one institute every week and presided over recruitment of Faculties through almost 50 rounds of interviews till July 2014. It was during his tenure that main Service Rules and Recruitment Rules for most important cadres were framed. Five colleges were established during his tenure. Today GMERS has 8 medical colleges with hospitals. It has 775 faculties on roll, 616 (80%) are direct recruitees of GMERS while 159 are on ‘deputation’ from Government service. They are supported with more than 2500 strong nursing work-force, to run the hospital services. 

When GMERS took over the existing six hospitals, the total bed strength was 1150. Today its eight hospitals have more than 4800 beds. GMERS has provided scope to study Medicine within Gujarat to 4550 students (up to 2016 admission year). More than 250 have already obtained MBBS degree and some have entered post-graduation. About 700 are doing Internship.

Some more medical colleges with hospitals will come up as per the Health Policy of the government. 

We shall greet our Doctors for their noble services to the mankind.

Our salute to Shri Rajesh Kishore, Dr. Jatin Buch, the Deans, the Medical Superintendents and the faculties to make the dream come true.

"Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes time. Vision with action can change the world." -Joel A. Barker

Laughter is the best medicine unless you have diarrhoea. Lol. 😂 

Punamchand
3 July 2017

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