the best gift...

The best gift one could possibly give to others is to create and instil a lifelong interest in learning! Rest everything will then take care of itself. 

In-different Observation # 15

A developed country is that which uses technology to make and keep things faster and cleaner.
- Susmita.

i love food. and dogs and cats.

Why? Because they do not believe that someone else (and not me) could have eaten them better, or would have cooked then better. And i do not believe that any other food would have been better suited to the given moment... that something else could have tasted better....

probably its the same with cat n dogs too...! :)

In-different Observation # 14: Marketable PhDs!

How is that a PhD in Urdu Poetry apparently could be the most marketable PhD degree? Well, it may be a sheer coincidence that one of the most sought after lyricists currently in Bollywood holds a PhD! n that too in the uber-romantic language, Urdu!

see for yourself the Filmography of lyricist Irshad Kamil... think of the most popular songs from past 5-7 years. You name it, and its on this guy's list! Rockstar, Ashiqui 2, Ranjhanaa, Love Aaj Kal, even Jab We Met! Yes indeed Mohit Chauhan and Arijit Singh could be providing the melodies to the ballads, and due credit to all the composers too. But isn't this common link (read: the lyricist) a vital force behind all those moving words?

Whoever said that PhD degrees are 'useless' needs to at least check this guy out! Bolti Bund, Kalam Chaalu! :D

In-different Observation # 13

you know you are at home when you dont have trouble finding an extra pair of socks.
you know you are in a relationship when over 40% of your Android battery life goes into voice calls!
you know you are in love when you are ready to be under-employed so just to stay close to your loved ones.

In-different Observation # 12: Radius of Impact

While some will argue that my line of thoughts have largely to do with what i saw outside of the country, but this is so not true. I've always been thinking this way and that the opportunity to visit so many places helped only to re-affirm some of my observations. Not beliefs i say, but just observations, as i'm too non-judgemental to pronounce a verdict; besides, its always too early to predict.

A strong drawback of the family system in India seems to be the small radius of impact it ties people to. We lay too much stress on collectivism of the kind which is limited to social behaviour and circles. While high on the social quotient, we do tend to miss out on the material/physical aspect of life. In the broader sense, it means not physical pleasures and conveniences, but the surroundings.

Yes indeed, i've been advocating this issue for long, that we do need to connect better with our surroundings: in short, widen our radius of impact.

Many a times, we are too busy caring just for the family as a unit. and we think that if we have stable families, it would lead to better society. Still, that remains superficial on a very emotionally social level. How often do we sit and wonder what impact our actions have on the physical environment, the outside world, the city? selfish

Another reason is the lack of freedom given to people to become a little individualistic. Dare i not say selfish, but individualistic. From my few years of experience, have observed that lonely individuals with a little motivation and drive come together on short term basis to do and create much more impact-making things. on the contrary, a socially well-gelled family generally becomes equipped only to take care of itself, if it lacks on ideas. While of course, that IS the aim of a family, but mostly it rarely extends beyond that small radius of impact, because most of the times we are so busy making minor adjustments in life that we fail to look outside of the family.

Perhaps there is a reason why only a handful of cities would come up with an initiative like "The Ugly Indian". We dont usually care if the city on the whole is clean.... we are usually too busy taking care of our homes, the people, what they eat, what they wear, what festivals to celebrate, whom to meet, what to talk... while none of this is unproductive or 'bad', i must make a remark that in another context, family has the greatest potential for propagation of ideas. This social unit has tremendous ability to inculcate a more cosmic, holistic approach for the world at large. But most of the times, we only care to see who'd wearing what, who's eating what, who's children are scoring better marks. I'd say i'm not a victim of this system, but a product of the same who has just cared to see things from a bit far off, like, seeing things in perspective. I may be wrong, but it will not change the reality and we see it's effects every day when we see cases of rapes. Every one of those "victims" as well as the perpetrators is a product of this family system where we are too busy taking care of the unit itself. It fails to connect with people across all social strata. I'm not talking about equally well-off neighbours whose houses we visit during Holi/Diwali/Eid. But its about the entire city. I'm talking about how we fail to see who else lives in the city, what they do, what we let them do because we hardly care to remain as sensitive towards "outside" matters as much as internal family affairs. May be, i could start with my own family!

As long as we keep thinking that our girls and women are safe only among family members, or protected only when accompanied by a father/brother/son, we will never really try to change the way things happen in a city. Lets not remain confined to keeping everybody "secure" inside a "family" environment. Rather, its time to expand our radius of impact and connect with our surroundings: keep them "clean" physically, socially, emotionally, and of course, a little "safely".

Disclaimer: In this post, i seek not your agreement, but your understanding. For i can respect you without agreeing with you. I seek not your support, neither criticism. But i request some action. I don't care whose government it is. All i know that it is my country and i'll get the better out of it.

The Public Note

In-different Observation # 11

Possibly there could be two reasons why someone would agree to be under-employed for three to four months...
1. They are stupid.
2. They are in love.
I would take more pride in the second one any given day!! 

Rape of a Nation

its not just women... i mean, how can a country aspire to thrive in future with its women unsafe? what's this foolish obsession with male domination that not builds, but actually destroys the ego of countless men everywhere. Weak egos, wherein society is under the misconception of providing more "freedom" to men. How to correct this flawed sense of entitlement that rapists exercise over victims? When any man can be a potential rapist and any woman a potential victim, its the rape of a nation, and not just its women.

Roses Paradox

"You know you belong to the Medieval Ages when the first set of red roses you receive is after the age of 25!"

Plus, in the conservative set up, it still manages to give an impression of this-must-not-be-an-arranged-marriage! Haha.
Well, its high time that people develop some respect for spontaneity in relationships and emotional value!

In-different Observation # 10

the blurry-eyed foodie who wakes up from a slumber on a holiday to the following good news:

"Shashi Tharoor, Narendra Modi have sweets for you".

Um, well, no. They just have tweets.

famous anglicized surnames

most prominent example include Boeing (German) and Disney(French origin)!

common medical terms

where increasing medical awareness is indispensable, it is only wise to become familiar with commonly used important terms. while an exhaustive list with detailed definitions is out of the scope of this blog post, here are two interesting links:

Dummies

Bliss.org

Importance of the 20s in career-building

...summed up brilliantly in two links on the Forbes:

20 things 20 year olds dont get

and How you spend your 20s will define you

In-different Observation # 9

from handmade goods to Industrial Revolution, and back to handmade items being more expensive! Luxury indeed is in rarity.

Meyers Briggs Personality Test

finally i made an assessment the Jungian way. the results seem to be ok. quite obvious for a person who's into some introspection from time to time to keep the mental faculties in check :)
here's a screen shot from the online personality test:

No Es and no Js yet!

flowers

Photo taken at a florist in Stockholm Central Station. February 13, 2013.

one eyed kings

"in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king"

many a times i sought evidence to disprove it, and found out there are few or none with two eyes. and even when there are, they do not always become the kings...

the length of a thesis?

John Nash, the brilliant mathematician and joint Nobel Prize winner of Economics in 1994, and proponent of the Game Theory, actually wrote a 28-page manuscript for his Doctoral Thesis. i am yet to understand why was i made to write an 80 pg and 300 pg thing for my Masters and Bachelors theses respectively. So much for the emphasis given to heavy paper-work in the Indian Education System. I remember wrapping up the same 80-pg document as a 22 page thing at the TUM; and the painstaking effort involved in bloating it up by 58 more for a "standard" report at IIT.

what makes a city great

based on my general observations on a daily basis, i could conclude the following about cities:

"great cities are founded not only on the basis of good administration, but by and large, a majority of inhabitants and people who are ready to use their common sense when in the city."

- Susmita Sinha

he knew tons!

perhaps, it was Newton, who "knew" "tonne"s of stuff in Physics... really, the Father of the subject i'd say!

- Susmita.

inventions and foundings...

so the IBM invented the pen drive for their ThinkPad!
and a company founded on one of its collaborations with another company based out of a small municipality in Switzerland is the second largest manufacturer of optical media storage devices: read CDs, DVDs, pen-drive, etc. we're talking about Moser Baer, headquartered in New Delhi, India. Founded by Deepak Puri, also in collaboration with Maruzen Corp. in Japan, and Moser Baer Sumiswald, Switzerland.
humorous fact: "Thesis PPT and Report submissions: keeping CDs and DVDs from going obsolete" :D otherwise who really transfers files using them nowadays really...

Magnanimous Metros!

So Tokyo has the largest ridership when it comes to urban metro rail systems. Followed closely by the South Korean capital, Seoul. New York is only on the 7th spot. And three of the cities in between are from China (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou). Moscow clearly makes it to the top 7 too.
While London underground is undoubtedly the oldest running and first in the world, one of the newest to join the fray, Dubai Metro, has the longest driver-less automated metro! isn't that amazing?
while there is significant progress in the technological advancement, i hope that enough safety mechanisms are also in place everywhere. For eg, today, a metro train was stuck for over an hour in the underground tunnel of the Delhi Metro's Yellow Line track. Causing huge discomfort and delays to passengers, it posed a great deal of health and safety hazards too. Minor glitches are not so threatening, but being stuck in a tunnel metro with lights out and no ventilation is definitely not the experience that commuters look forward to during their rush to the office.

"An Assessment of the Cost of Upgrading and Managing Urban Infrastructure in Indian Mega-cities for the purpose of enhanced Public Safety"

- a PhD Research Proposal by Susmita Sinha, an M.Tech. Student in Civil Engineering (Constr. Engg & Mngmt), IIT Delhi.

(the funky philosopher, i.e., Miss Sinha, finally came up with ideas that can actually be of some relevance and can involve multi-disciplinary research work) Now the problem is: whether to succumb to the lure of comfortable corporate life, or to serve some good cause on a meager stipend. there is time to weigh all options and do what is right.
The scope of work may include:
Evaluation of the urban elements and socioeconomic factors that pose a threat to public safety A general study of Urban Infrastructure (CEL866 Infrastructure Development and Management course) Study of the cost requirements for establishing new infrastructure in cities Field analysis and survey of a pilot area/locality in New Delhi - to study existing civic amenities, public places, transport facilities, etc. Identification of "crime-prone" areas in the city (from police and news reports) Case study of the urban infrastructure in cities which rank high on public safety (both developed and developing countries) Comparative analysis of public spaces and safety measures in the cities studied Identification of public sector authorities and private sector agencies which deal with the design and building of urban infrastructure, public safety, law-enforcement, etc. Request for input and suggestions from the agencies identified (in Point No. 8) Assessment of area-specific up-gradation measures (for the pilot locality in New Delhi) Estimation of Costs: repairs, dismantling, design, new establishment/installation, materials, maintenance, vigilance, deployment of security personnel (where required), monitoring, etc. Implementation measures: a report can be submitted to local civic authorities or other appropriate agencies Further scope of work could incorporate the study of rural infrastructure and evolving implementation measures for the rural context.
Background of the topic, and motivation: an interest in pursuing a research topic which utilizes technical know-how to create positive social impact. a visit to the Open House at IIT Delhi was instrumental in providing the necessary impetus for the idea. awareness regarding increasing incidents of criminal activities in Indian cities. involvement in self-initiated efforts to increase awareness about individual & social responsibility (http://iamstrongwalk.blogspot.com) prior work-experience in following "Urban Renewal" projects - #1: A proposal for re-vitalization of the urban core in Ranchi (as B.Arch. student at BIT Mesra). The findings were presented to Urban Development Secretary, Govt. of Jharkhand. A paper-abstract was selected for a conference in Australia for sustainable development #2: Work on "Built-environment Modeling for Urban Renewal" of DLF City in Gurgaon (as Project Associate at IIT Delhi) Work on BOQs and cost estimation for small and middle-scale projects as Intern Architect at Mani Chowfla Architects & Consultants, New Delhi (formerly headed by the late Joseph Allen Stein of India Habitat Centre fame) a self-initiated visit to cities like Vienna, Zurich, Geneva, Stockholm and Munich (also the city for DAAD scholarship stay in Germany); an informal analysis of the public places, transport facilities, and safety measures in aforesaid cities which are among top 10 in the world for best "quality of living" * a visit to "Mittelstand" in villages of Bavaria (Germany) and Austria*, scheduled for July 9, 2013, and organized by IKOM of TU-Munich. (Mittelstands are small-and-medium-enterprises that ensure economic and social stability for the German populace even in the midst of Eurozone crisis). Based on the principle of internal clients, yet manufacturing export-quality products that generate income and provide work to the people. Such initiatives could enable better socio-economic security by providing more employment opportunities in Indian villages. This could also help to reduce the burden caused by excessive migration to cities. an informal study of civic amenities and public infrastructure in villages and small towns of Europe (Namur and Charleroi in Belgium; Menton in France; Interlaken in Switzerland) continued use of public transport in New Delhi for analyzing the general problems faced by the people a wish to help create better facilities in the Indian context, which shall be at par with global standards in terms of quality and public safety *Some useful web-links: http://www.engineeringchallenges.org/cms/8996/9136.aspx http://www.usa.siemens.com/sustainable-cities/ http://www.gfmag.com/tools/global-database/ne-data/11938-best-cities-to-live.html#axzz2SulKjk76 http://americanlivewire.com/safest-cities-in-the-world/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World's_most_livable_cities http://voteyourselfafarmer.com/sustainable-infrastructure-public-safety/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mittelstand http://www.bmwi.de/English/Redaktion/Pdf/factbook-german-mittelstand,property=pdf,bereich=bmwi2012,sprache=en,rwb=true.pdf
hoping that the topic would find decent takers (read: good Universities)! Also hoping that no one would copy the idea. and if they do, please give credit to the funky philosopher (Miss Sinha).

In-different Observation # 8

the extent of one's knowledge can be found out by knowing what length a person goes to guard their ignorance...

There is time, and there is no time

Life is quite long. There is plenty of time in life for: learning new things, improving oneself, correcting past mistakes, growing spiritually, acquiring better health, making new friends, seeing the world.

Life is quite short. There is too little time, so one should: not leave things unfinished, not hate others, not procrastinate, help someone, solve a problem.
so in life, there is lots of time, but again, not much time too!

travelling without a smartphone across europe

did no one ask me on my 45 total days of travel across Europe, without a smartphone...?
"little young girl in a black long coat... take-away your smartphone and what are you?"
My Reply:
1. avid traveller
2. photographer
3. explorer
4. food-sampler
5. budget-shopper
6. memory-map-recaller
7. most of all, a PRE-PLANNER
8. ... and a carefree spirit, as all of my possessions put together amounted to less than 7K INR (100 Euros)!

i braved a sea-storm at the Cote-d-Azur in France, Cannes to be precise, at the time of Hurricane Sandy (26 October, '12). Apart from minor worries about my life-safety, a few important documents(that got soaked, but reclaimed dry!) and scanty personal belongings in a back-pack, i really had nothing else to take care of! My basic phone had all contacts stored, and in its 5 years of long usage i was rather proud of its durability and reliability.
i did feel at times that it would be much easier to replace my phone+camera+little diary with a single device, but well, a cheap smart phone wouldn't necessarily have a great camera, and the one with a good cam wouldn't come at cost that would keep the worries off a "little young girl" travelling all alone!
without a smartphone, i could really experience the places instead of constantly feeling "wired" and uploading and sharing on social media all the time. i was really at peace and ease with myself. my smartphone would not put up with the trials and tribulations in life, such as staying drenched for 4 hours with only a handful of humans in sight. in fact, i actually enjoyed the experience because my basic phone still worked. my camera bag was zipped tight. because i had a decent connection with good roaming coverage, i could talk to the people i wanted to.
one could argue that the extent of (over-)usage is always a choice when we travel with a smart phone. but in my 3 years of dependence on "smart" gadgets, i realized its not so easy. without them, i could let my spirit free (and actually become truly "mobile") and feel the joy of discovery by choosing to be not over-informed, be under-connected. so the bottom line is, i could travel way better without a smart phone!. i had enough confidence on my own smartness to not rely on my phone's "smartness" all the time.

be like a child!

so often we find inspirational and spiritual gurus talking about "child-like" qualities being the best way of life. to always smile and laugh freely and be happy without many terms and conditions to oneself. but sometime i wonder why they miss out an important aspect of the same phenomenon. To be child-like and free of burden is not only about laughing spontaneously: its also equally about crying spontaneously. A child does not bottle up its emotions for the sake of appearing to be strong. Why then, this indifference towards how we perceive child-like innocent qualities! Life does not guarantee happiness always. So instead of making an effort to be able to just laugh naturally, we must also endeavour to cry naturally like a child if the situation demands so. Perhaps that could later help to multiply our reasons to smile more! :)

(Capital)^3

while reading about 94 yr old Nelson Mandela being admitted to a hospital in "capital" Pretoria and subsequently his situation not being alarming, i was like, wait... isn't Cape Town the capital of South Africa?
Well, turns out that i did not know enough about the prominent African nation.
Where Johannesburg is the largest city in the country, South Africa has three capitals, as follows:
Legislative - Cape Town Executive - Pretoria Judicial - Bloemfontein
i guess that goes a long way in settling "capital" disputes?
From a Yahoo! Answer:
"The 3 national capitals are: Pretoria (Administrative), Bloemfontein (Judicial) and Cape Town (Legialative). To find the reason for the three capitals, one must look at tyhe negotiations that took place with the formation of the Union of South Africa in 1910. Two Boere republics (The Orange Free State and Transvaal) and two Brittish Colonies were combined under the Union Jack to form the Union of South Africa. In order to placate the BOERE, it was suggested that the two capitals from the Boere Republic be kept, with Cape Town as Capitals."
Here is the wikipedia page on SA.

In-different Observation # 7. Judgement vs. Being Judgemental

we are often taught since childhood to differentiate between right and wrong. but people often forget to teach the fine line between sound judgement and being judgemental.
while judgement may apply to oneself in deciding what is right and wrong for us, being judgemental is a fatal, narrowing-of-the-mind process aimed at categorizing people and situations according to a one-sided approach, without really understanding the reason or cause.
the motivation behind this is often that we wish to shun or keep out certain things from our life. that's too easy to do and is a quicker process. but if we try to really understand, we will make an effort to accept, and eventually, try to change if it is possible.
we have to be very careful about not transgressing that fine line too often, i.e., in making a sound judgement for oneself and in being overtly judgemental and imposing our will upon others.

Comes to my "aid" every time it "cuts" like a knife...!

It helps to have the first-aid box close to the kitchen counter. Band-aids come handy when blood pops out from an unprecedented cut! So useful is this little thing, so protective. Made me thanks the person who invented it: Earle Dickson, who was a cotton buyer at the Johnson and Johnson company.
Bandaid, initially a trade-name is now a household name and saviour. This is where i read the history of the Band-aid, and of course, a little about Earle Dickson.
reaffirms my belief in the fact that small is powerful. a knife cuts, the band-aid heals.

In-different Observation # 6

often wondered what happens after fall when trees have no leaves(?). especially during prolonged winters when there is snow a-plenty but leaves too few!
perhaps a lot of smart schoolkids today may know this already, but i found the answer to my doubts here.
apparently its not the green matter on land only (read: tree-leaves) which bring oxygen to us.

A Europe Travelogue

Travel so much that the poet in you comes alive again...! This is a brief summary of my travel across beautiful cities in Europe. Would set aside some time to describe in detail. For now, this short poem should suffice!

heating vs. cooling

always had this freaky feeling that pre-historic ancestors who decided to remain in the tropics did better justice to energy consumption... http://www.energyvanguard.com/blog-building-science-HERS-BPI/bid/30576/Heating-or-Cooling-Which-Costs-You-More http://www.ehow.com/facts_7512079_cooling-heating-energy.html Heating does consume more energy than cooling. Cooling just takes the heat out. Heating, well, it creates more heat by raising temperatures.