Respect the National Anthem!

As on every 26th January, we are full of patriotism and enthusiasm as we watch the Republic Day parade. Everywhere we look, we see the Triranga flying high. On all the social medium there is a flood of patriotic messages on what our national anthem means, respecting soldiers who fought for our country and various other messages uplifting our spirit for our country. And yes we truly have the love for our country so this is the day we celebrate with the full spirit.

But what happens on 27th January? I recently had an experience that I would like to share with everyone.

While waiting for the train to arrive, I went and picked up some chat served on a piece of paper from a stall on the station. On finishing it I was about to throw it in the bin when I noticed something familiar written on it.



To my great surprise, it was our National Anthem. A thought came to my mind that when there is a protocol to dispose the National Flag respectfully is there not something for the National Anthem? If anyone of you knows more on this, I would like to learn.

National Anthem is our pride and it signifies India and its people. It conveys the spirit of pluralism or in the more popular term the concept of 'Unity in Diversity', which lies at the core of India's cultural heritage. It was one of the first thing that was established when Indian had achieved freedom.

I was not able to throw it in the bin but kept it with me, felt it needed more dignity than was being offered.

In my opinion, it's not enough to be patriotic for just 2 days a year(i.e 26th January and 15th August). It is also on the remaining days that we should respect elements of our great nation. Similar to the National flag, the National anthem also is the symbol of the Nation's respect and pride. As responsible citizens, we should not be throwing away the papers (from our books) on which national anthem is written or printed so carelessly, which further can be unceremoniously dumped by anyone unknowingly in the dustbin or throw anywhere. I am not aware of any official way to dispose National Anthem in written form but maybe we can do the same that we do for our National Flag.

The patriotism towards the country is earned by showing same respect towards our national symbol - respect given to the national symbols means giving respect to our own country. It represents our attitude towards our country. The National Anthem is the representation of a country's identity and its culture. It's the lyrics on which we stand head high as when its played in theaters before movies or after the win of the medal in the name of the country at any of the international event.

Our national symbols deserve much better treatment than this. It needs to be respected.

What I experienced was unintentional, maybe carelessness! Now that we accept and realize why not initiate? If we don't then who will? Love India.

Bird's nest lantern out of newspaper tubes

Happy Diwali 2016!!

Why "NO" is important in achieving goal?

Today I met my best friend from childhood, Anita. I asked her "how are you?". She spontaneously replied a huge list of thing she was involved into. It sound mind blowing but little ignorance to self-development.

Then I asked her again "How are you really?" and she promoted with the real side that while she was putting more time in managing all the work, she was not able to get any personal time with for herself or family. It appeared she was taking up too many things that could have been passed on and had very little time for things that were more important to her. When she was assigned things to do, she kept of taking it felling obliged to work.

Many of us say ‘Yes’ more often than we actually should, the reason being,  it is harder to say ‘No’ and displease someone. Nobody likes to be the bad guy. In trying to make significant contributions for the betterment of others, we expend a portion of time for ourselves . Anita realized that working on many different activities, made a cluster of all things and made it difficult to manage her time, which resulted in lack of satisfaction in the work she actually liked to do.

Anita was under the assumption that by saying ‘No’ she might miss an opportunity and someone else will benefit  from it.  She was afraid that saying no will result in people ignoring her next time for new work on her way to come. On the flipside saying ‘Yes’ all the time was limiting her much more, so than saying ‘No’ ever could. She realized that working continuously is not always the right path to success. Sometimes working based on one’s potential can actually produce better results .  It is said successful people are absurdly selective.  After discussing these thoughts with Anita, she felt a bit lighter, she realised that by taking selective work she will not be losing out on newer opportunities but will have more time to make most of the opportunity that she currently had.

 "You can do anything, but not everything. --Anonymous

Time is a limited commodity. We work a maximum of 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. Saying ‘No’ will allow us to invest the all important time on other activities that desire our attention.

On a personal note, since the time I started getting at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep a day, I’ve noticed a change in me, a positive change at that. I became a lot more productive and got a lot more work done than when I worked 16 hours a day. Who would have known sleeping; such a simple activity would contribute to a better me the next day, a better software developer!

"The first step toward success is taken when you refuse to be a captive of the environment in which you first find yourself." --Mark Caine

When we keep asking ourselves how we’re going to measure and optimize everything we do. The more energy we spend on activities that we truly want to be committed to, the more productive, innovative and successful we will be.  Being productive not just about time management but equally is  managing your energy in that duration as well. It is the business of life. We need to learn how to spend optimal amount of energy on a task to get the most benefits.

I am so lucky to work with an amazing company here in Virar. Everyone always challenges me and helps me sort my priorities to become more productive. I have learned to reduce my work week from 80 hours to 40 hours, and now get a lot more work done in the process. In other words, less has become more for me.

"Try not to become a person of success, but rather try to become a person of value." --Albert Einstein

The simple truth is that behind every impressive accomplishment stands a long list of things we didn't do. Those who can’t say no have less time, on average, to devote to a greater number of activities. We have a greater likelihood of success in our commitments if we devote more time to fewer endeavours. It‘s important for us to take time for reflection.

"It took me years to finally start saying no to things that would take me away from what really needed my attention. Time is the most valuable thing you have. Make sure you invest it wisely."- Rene Warren

Sometimes we find solutions when we’re not looking out for them. We can’t  become more productive overnight. Like everything in life, it requires efforts and patient. Change doesn’t happen if you just sit there and wait for things to turn towards you. The more we optimize the usage of energy for desired actions, the more we enhance our ability to jump-start positive change.  Lowering the activation energy for work we want to adopt and give a raise to the activity we want to avoid.

“Saying no at the right times is a skill,” - Grella

In order to maintain relationships despite having to say ‘No’ , we can make it clear to those doing the asking what the rationale reason for our decision was.  Allowing someone to peek inside and understand why we responded the way we did rather than just hearing our response. Explaining the 'why' makes the 'what' simple to digest. We need to be more than just nice because being nice alone does not help someone see your perspective.

Saying yes to those opportunities within your talent range gives greater satisfaction and more time to live a healthy, satisfied life. It’s important for all of us to learn more about ourselves and find ways to optimize our energy for a more successful and happy life.

As Warren Buffet says, “The difference between successful people and very successful people is that very successful people say no to almost everything."

So ask yourself, what goal and purpose makes you say "Yes!'' and pump your fist? What makes you really happy? For me, it’s using technology and developing application/software to make a difference in the world. What is that for you? Figure out what it is and start saying ‘No’ to things that doesn’t help you get there.

Experience visiting an orphanage

29^th January 2013, Tuesday

 Little did we know that a small experience would leave such a huge impact on each one of us, as individuals, as human beings..!

What is an orphanage? Why are these children here? Where are their parents….? I wondered how deprived this kids were because they didn't have parents to love them and take care of them. Some of them very unlucky because their parents had died but many of them were unlucky because their parents left them on doorsteps of the orphanage.

Many children are abandoned because child is born out of unmarried couple and social taboo makes mother abandon the child. While some are simply abandoned because child which is born is girl!!!!!!.. While some leave their child because they cannot afford it. Sad…

Before the day to visit orphanage it was announced in college to get whatever things that can be donated to orphanage children of age 3-14 yrs. To the surprise it was great response from all the students of TIMSCDR, now it was turn to segregate each things in to separate bag. With the help of sir and madam, students separated items as well removed few items which were in no condition to use. Later they also packed the gift to be taken from college and arrange for the snacks and muffins to be taken to the orphanage.

15 students along with 7 faculties were all to gather up before 2 pm to get on to bus which would take us for visit to the orphanage “ABUDANT LIFE MINISTRIES”  run by Mr. Sundar Raj just near Roman Catholic Church, Goreagaon (west) behind Goregaon Bus Depot. By 2:30 pm we loaded the bus and were on our way. We crossed our landmark Roman Catholic Church and realized that we have missed our turn to be taken. We all students didn’t know where we were going, but we were making excellent time in the bus. Sir got down and took the right information of the way to reach, after few more turns and wandered down a few more roads we reach an industrial estate like building. There we all got down; each one took bags to be carried to the orphanage. Behind the industrial estate building were narrow and bumpy road which lead to our destination each one of us looking forward to inspire small kids who have no family or no guiding hand to look after. 

Eventually at 4:05 pm we arrived at the orphanage and time given to us was 4 to 6 pm. As soon as kids saw us, they greeted us very lovingly. Their principal madam told us that there were 40 students of age group 3-14 years who live and study there. It is a privately funded organization and they mostly take care of 3-14 years children. 

I hate to admit it, but I always felt I was strong with my heart but being in between small children my heart broke almost immediately. I don’t know what to say to them, I don’t know how to treat them, I don’t know what to do with them. These kids had more difficulties than I can imagine. I stood there for a moment, not knowing what to do.

To break the ice soon sir and mam asked each one of them to introduction themselves with performing whatever talent they can perform and initially distributing them their favorite biscuit. To our surprise we enjoyed 5-6 performance and each one were spellbound performance to see.

By this time, everyone in the room was hungry to the core. Then we distributed snacks and muffins to each of them.  One important detail which could not be missed was the way the kids prayed before commencing their snacks was a prayer. The kids displayed that there is no Hindu or Muslim or Christian among them. Each one of them is a human being and has a right to live and let live. The people who fight in the names of religions should definitely learn the virtue of secularism from these kids. We, the TIMSCDR students were impressed, how many of us do we pray before our lunch? As the snacks finished, the few of girls took the broom and immediately cleaned the place. With food in the tummy and too lazy for more masti, now kids were free to move about and most requested us to perform dance. With little tipping on toss by all of us with these innocents everyone settled for playing an antakshari game with them. All of them enjoyed singing various numbers from bollywood and now it was the feeling that we were one with them. 

Every kid seemed thrilled to sing song and have our company by their bright smiles of their faces. We spent time with kids, as we were silently praising and thanking God in our hearts, knowing what they are deprived of - parents, family, relatives - and how we all are blessed but so often took them for granted.

Next was the entertainment activity in which the Kevin, Akshay and Swati sung motivational songs like “itni shakti hame dena”, “hum honge kamyab”, ”tu mera hero”  which gave a smile on the faces of the children. The children are all disciplined throughout the enjoyment time.

With all fun and frolic done, faculty of TIMSCDR distributed gift to each one which had sketch book, long note book and various other useful item for each kid. Faculty member asked each kid to get their names written on the book they had got so in mix match of gift they can recognize their own book.

Later there was an interactive session between the TIMSCDR students and the children regarding their aims, their problems, their basic amenities and prospects. The two hours we could stay went by quickly and we finally had to say our goodbyes. As we were about to live, we all had a good photo session with the children. It was very painful to leave the kids after spending such a memorable time with them. The members left the orphanage with a heavy heart but with lots of positive energy and a promise to visit the kids again.

With so many mixed emotions lingering in our minds, we bid goodbye to all of them and returned back. The visit to the orphanage was a much learning experience for all of us. We realized that although they had all the facilities that a normal child gets - i.e. - a good room, good school, good food, etc , still something was missing from their life - YES - their parents . The real meaning of that word 'parent' became quite clear in our minds - the meaning of that word which we take quite lightly. How important are they in our life. We also realized that these children are not aliens. They are the same as we are. But unfortunately, some uneven circumstances named them 'orphans ' and brought them in the orphanage.

And when we came out of the orphanage, a few of us had broad smiles on our faces while a few had shed a silent tear, and the entire group of MCA students of TIMSCDR, who had entered the orphanage with the intention of earning extra points in their respective events and activity, earned something much more valuable which would indeed stay with them forever..!

Life can be unfair at times but trust like this, people like Mr. Sundar Raj makes me believe in goodness of life, who have helped these children to lead a good life and enhance their personality to become an independent, responsible and a good citizen in the future. God bless them. I suppose it isn’t much for us to visit these kids for a few hours once a year, but I hope it is a little glimmer of something special for children who have so little. For me who has so much, I will treasure what they gave me.

Overall it was a big learning experience. The visit to the orphanage not only showed the youth members the ugly truth about life, it also gave them something to look within themselves, that they were blessed in their present circumstances. Life is not the same for all. So the TIMSCDR will look forward to bring a massive change in the outlook and thinking of the youth. We, the TIMSCDR student have pledged to do it so and we will continue to serve the nation till the rest of our lives.

Notorious students

Marasaheb Greeting Card

...by shikha

Navratri Aarti

...done with handmade paper, betel nut n diamonds

...done with stain glass coloring, beads n rainbow paper flowers



Done by Shikha