Restraint in the use of power is a need of the hour. We have seen a lot of destruction and pain due to unnecessary usage of power in many parts of the world in the form of wars i.e use of power. Some restraint on the part of fighting nations could have saved lot of lives and wealth. That is one of the reasons why I believe restraint is better and beneficial that actual use of power. Actually there are very few situations when one must use his/her powers but in most of the other cases, even the fact that one has necessry power or authority is sufficient.

Take an example of United States of America. The fact that she is the most powerful nation on earth gives her number of benefits and privilages. Everyone looks at her with respect. But that does not mean that in order to show the superiority and strength, USA has to go on war with other nations. Just the fact that USA has the miltary prowess is sufficient to defend her interests.

On the other hand, world has already seen the fallouts of use of power. Let us again take the example of USA again. The fact that USA went on war with Vietnam and could not win, does not strenghtn the superiority of USA. Rather, if USA had stayed out of Vietnam, that would had created greater respect for America in the world. Even if one is strong, the unnecessary show of your powers can put you in a lot of trouble and that message was clear from the Vietnam War.

Another relevant eample here is that of India and Pakistan. The fact that both the nations are powered with nuclear weapons is sufficient to keep them away from going to war with each other considering the fallouts of nuclear war. But the day, one of them  uses nuclear weapons against another, the benefit of the nuclear weapons as a war deterrant will go away and the result will be an unimaginable destruction and loss of human lives. Nobody will benefit or win in that scenario.

In conlusion, I would not say that one should never use his/her powers. There are situtions when you must show your strength. But the pragmatic thing to do is to save your powers for the better occasions/situations. Over zealot use of power will cause its dissipation. On the other hand, restraint will save your powers and you will have more numbre of friends than enemies.    

I always used to think that work can be best done if there is a single commited person who can take ownership of the issue and take it to the logical end. I would believe in individual commitment. Working in a team  was more like a confusion creation for me. I would think, in a team, there is no single owner and hence no one feels responsible. Such team environment is not good for performers while it is better suited for those who do not intend to work hard because even if  they fail to deliver, there is some output from the entire team and they can aways claim part of it.

I was wrong.

Now with experience I have learned to appreciate synergies generated out of team work A piece of job which can be very difficult or rather impossible for one person becomes very easy for two or more commited people who are wiling to contribute. Also there is a basic human urge where everyone wants to share thoughts, success, failure etc with others and which works very well in favour of a team work.

With this change in mind, I seek synergies of team work in every aspect of life. Whether it is work at office, whether it personal study or a good social cause, I would like to reach greater heights as a part of team instead of struggling endlessly on my own.

Would you like to be part of my team?

I have not written anything for long. Neither I have time and patience as of now to think and write about something.

Still I must write. As a shortcut to achieve this goal, following movie list came out. These are the films which have made a profound impact on my mind and soul. I am sure your life will also get enriched after watching these masterpieces.

1. Philadelphia
2. The kid.
3. Grace and Glory
4. Dead Poets Society
5. The bueutiful mind.
6. Life is beautiful.
7. Hazaron Khwahishen aisi.
8. Chameli.
9. Mr and Mrs Aiyyer.
10. The Terminal.
11. Chaukat Raja (marathi).
12.  Million Dollar Baby.
13. No Man's Land.
14. And the list goes on and on....

I am very thankful to all those involved in these beautiful creations and for making the tough journey of life a bit enjoyable at least during those few hours in the cinema hall.  

I loved  "namesake". Actually it was special for me coz I could corelate it with my own experience when I was in Texas USA. The loneliness of the characters in movie was the same which I went through sometime back. Hence this movie was a great joureny across the memory lanes. The Bengoli lifestyle, way of thinking and manners reminded me of my Begoli friend with whom I used to share my apartmet in Texas.

More so is the melodious music in movie which is just awsome. It touches you and take you to alltogether different world. Relieves pain and has a different ex-pression which can not get potrayed through words. This a typical Meera Nair thing which was also prominent in Monsoon Wedding.

The emotions  and relationships potrayed in movie reach to your heart and soul . A housewife who leaves everything behind and adjusts herself in a lonely country for 25 years and then filally returns to pursue her true love that is music (excellently expressed by Tabu). A professor and husband who is practical, emotional and true book lover that he names his kid by the name of an author whom he revered ( played by Irfan Khan. By looking at his acting prowess you wont believe that he is not a bengoli and his surname is Khan). And their amercan born confused desi kids who are funny, different as well as sensitive.

All in all, its an woderful and enriching experienece  and can be explored.   

I see abundant opportunities for progress and improvement in every field. Here are some thoughts on few sectors like education, services and agriculture.

Education in India has a long way to go. In the industry they always talk about manpower shortage and unskilled labor. But what about building on the top of what we already have? 1 billion minds/brains which can be molded into a great finished product is surely an opportunity. How about 100 IITs, 50 ISBs/IIMs? Remember that investment is education is the best investment. Even if we forget about grand IIT or IIM dreams, even a small help in terms of career guidance and financial support to the students in rural India is going to make a huge difference.

Let us talk about agriculture. Everyone cribs about the sad story of farmer suicides and diminishing growth rate in this sector. But truth is, this sector has the potential to feed entire world. What is required is the cumulative will form the industry, government and farming community to move ahead. There is a great future in this sector once the business houses like reliance, bharati, tatas and ITC team up with farmers to create a profitable and sustainable business model. ITC has already shown the way in with e-chaupal.

Services  is already an astonishing growth story. We have done a lot and a lot needs to be done. IT and BPOs have been a great success. IT is to be sustained with tough competition from China and others. New avenues are to be searched. More job creation in this sctor should be relatively easy. But we should not only remain the backend service provider and the thrust should be more on creating more and more finished products. That is where the real good margins and fun is.

"Be fearful when everyone is greedy and be greedy when everyone else is fearful". - Warren Buffet

These golden worlds from the oracle of Omaha are applicable not only to the stock market but also in many other spheres of life. 

How often novice retail investors fall pray to the market bubbles? The actual figures about wealth losers on bourses are astonishingly high. But sad part in this entire story is that media coverage happens only for the winners conveniently sidelining losers. This hype about successful investors in turn results into an open invitation for more number of novice entrants in the market who are bound to make mistakes. 

But whom do you blame for this deadly trap? Greedy new entrant who wants to be a millionaire overnight (ironically he looses out large part of his initial investments) is surly the best candidate to be blamed. He is simply not able to control his emotions such greed and fear which play a pivotal role in the marketplace. More or so he lacks the patience to understand the rules of the game.

Here are some of the simple and time tested rules which are essential for the newcomers on the bourses.

Very few people can time the market. There has to be a respect for unknown.

Every bull market comes to an end and so does the bear market.

Buyer never buys anything expensive while seller never sells anything cheap.

Most of the times hype in a particular sector makes certain stocks so expensive that buying such socks becomes a risky and least value creating affair (e.g. reality stocks in the current Indian market). On the contrary correction in the bear market makes stocks attractive.Unfortunately traditional novice investor buys in the bull market and sells in the bear market. Actually it should be the other way round.

One should aspire to become a value investor and not a trader. There are ample resources available on value investing. Study of the work by the likes of Warren Buffet, Peter Lynch, Marc Faber, Benjamin Graham, George Soros and others is quiet interesting in this respect.

Healthy appetite for moderate gains and optimal risks is required.

In depth study of business aspects related to management, financials, value creation is a must before any investment decision. 

Keeping all these complexities aside, isn’t it heartening that through the market place only you get a chance to own the existing and future blue-chip companies even though you have not created them. Till the time you create your own institutions, I think this is the best way you can satisfy your entrepreneurial aspirations. Only thing here is that you have to control your greed and fear very effectively and the result is surely going to be a win-win situation for everyone.  

"Be fearful when everyone is greedy and be greedy when everyone else is fearful".- Warren Buffet
     These golden worlds from the oracle of Omaha are applicable not only to the stock market but also in many other spheres of life. 

     How often novice retail investors fall pray to the market bubbles? The actual figures about wealth losers on bourses are astonishingly high. But sad part in this entire story is that media coverage happens only for the winners conveniently sidelining losers. This hype about successful investors in turn results into an open invitation for more number of novice entrants in the market who are bound to make mistakes.  

     But whom do you blame for this deadly trap? Greedy new entrant who wants to be a millionaire overnight (ironically he looses out large part of his initial investments) is surly the best candidate to be blamed. He is simply not able to control his emotions such greed and fear which play a pivotal role in the marketplace. More or so he lacks the patience to understand the rules of the game.

Here are some of the simple and time tested rules which are essential for the newcomers on the bourses.

• 
  
  Very few people can time the market. There has to be a respect for unknown.


• 
  
  Every bull market comes to an end and so does the bear market.


• 
  
  Buyer never buys anything expensive while seller never sells anything cheap.


• 
  
  Most of the times hype in a particular sector makes certain stocks so expensive that buying such socks becomes a risky and least value creating affair (e.g. reality stocks in the current Indian market). On the contrary correction in the bear market makes stocks attractive.Unfortunately traditional novice investor buys in the bull market and sells in the bear market. Actually it should be the other way round.


• 
  
  One should aspire to become a value investor and not a trader. There are ample resources available on value investing. Study of the work by the likes of Warren Buffet, Peter Lynch, Marc Faber, Benjamin Graham, George Soros and others is quiet interesting in this respect.


• 
  
  Healthy appetite for moderate gains and optimal risks is required.


• 
  
  In depth study of business aspects related to management, financials, value creation is a must before any investment decision


• 
  
  Keeping all these complexities aside, isn’t it heartening that through the market place only you get a chance to own the existing and future blue-chip companies even though you have not created them. Till the time you create your own institutions, I think this is the best way you can satisfy your entrepreneurial aspirations. Only thing here is that you have to control your greed and fear very effectively and the result is surely going to be a win-win situation for everyone.  

I feel supercharged at this very moment. There are so many things I have to accomplish. There is never going to be looking back again. never.

I remember these golden words from my mentor. This fellow would never go to sleep. When asked how he can manage, he answered with poise..."I have a dream. I see that dream with my open eyes and hence I dont go to sleep until my eyes refuse to remain open ...". I was stunned.

Then there was this teacher I had when I was just a kid. Dont know what happened but one day she wrote on a peace of paper and gave it to me. Eventhogh I was not old enough to understand what it was at that tender age, now I understand it like this .... "Grow up fast and reach splendid heights."

Every day is a new experience. So many new plans, new targets, new accomplishments, new dreams. Knowing yourself and those surrounding you in a completely different angle each time.

Negative thoughts now is a luxury. Who has got time to waste time on  stupid emotions, petty feelings and vested interests. I will remain true to myself. I will follow the path I have chosen. I will decide what is right and wrong and will stick to it.

Life is truely beautiful. There is so much I should be grateful for and there is so much I am obliged to give back. Oh almighty, please help me in my journey.
 

There are numerous occasions when everyone is helplees irrespective of  money one has earned or the powers one has gained. I think god wants to tell everyone time to time that "fella, be in the limit". No matter who you are or what  your position is in the society, you are just a small creature in this big big universe.


Take an example of tsunami. Lakhs of people died within few hours of outbreak of giant waves. Those waves did not bother to differtiate the financial status of individuals before going ahead with the destruction. Was it that nature was trying to tell us that you are not supreme at all? 

 

I feel myself a fortunate soul who got the privilage to leave in a small vilage,a big town,a metro city and also in the foreign land. Leaving in all these places has enriched my life with some very memorable experiencs. Inadvertently comparison between all these life styles was inevitable and here are few thoughts on this.

The time I spent in my village near Pune is the time I cherish most. Life  there is cool,no worries about what is happening in the fast paced urban life.Everyone leaves in the present. No high aspirations.People are mostly worried about how to earn two time meal and are engrossed in the day to day activities to satisfy this need. Fresh air and green vegeatbles directly from farm keep mind and body healthy.

Comparitively pace of life in metro like Mumbai is too consuming. Everyone is
running endlessly to move up and up the social hierarchy. Here also there are different flavours. People in a big town like Pune like to live in their own world while necessity for cooperation makes people in bombay open,more social,talkative. Acceptance is easy in Bombay.In Pune you wont talk with strangers but in Bombay it is a commomnplace.

Anyways its a small world everywhere. There are similarities and differences and they make things interesting