Winning doesn’t matter…celebration of participation does…

SSRVM (Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Vidya Mandir) Vidyaranyapura, Bangalore North, celebrated its annual sports day on Saturday, November 7, 2009. All parents were invited to be a part of the event, and so I was there.

The Sports Day sought witness to Pujya Guruji Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s message of ‘celebration,’ wherein all the students were encouraged to inculcate the spirit of being a real sportsman, without giving in too much of a heck to the actual results; of course, every child that participated is invariably a winner.

Gyan aside.....the school captain and vice captains dressed in respective house uniforms welcomed the Chief Guest, Ms. Hilda D Mellow, a sports journalist with Mumbai Times. She flew all the way to Bangalore to wish the SSRVM children. Amidst lot of energy and fervor given by band, the torch was lighted and after the motivating speech by the chief guest (who had an interesting background and reason to choose sports writing as her career), all the houses performed a round of march past and gave a deserving salute that the guest deserved.

Then the real excitement picked up.....there was some amazing display of aerodynamics and Taek-Won-do. The synchronized display of self defence moves followed by Taek-won-do dance and tile-breaking feats by children indeed did cast a magical spell on the entire audience.

All parents and teachers watched with abated breaths and children performed stunts at ease. The Taek-won-do display was followed by sizzling stars wherein the first to fifth graders performed some amazing formations and some aerobics holding beautiful properties in their little hands. They were all bublling with lots of energy and the energy infected everyone seated and watched them.

The event was further highlighted by group competitive events including relay, passing the ball, passing through hoop, filling the bottle and dressing the tree for all; from eighth to the first graders. I really appreciated the idea and philosophy behind organizing such group events; first thing they definitely did include participation from all children from the respective grades, then such events will implicitly teach them how cooperation and team spirit and respecting the otherwise less-abled or skilled peers becomes important in their day-to-day lives.

All of the competitions sought to keep up the spirit of Art of Living and parents watched these events with as much enthusiasm as the children exuded while performing. There was a different kind of musical-chairs competition held for all parents. The entire ground reverberated with feverish enthu as the tempo set in with the teachers and the children cheering parents, subtly voicing the spirit of oneness. It doesnt matter who won that, I had lot of fun in being eliminated at the first stop when bespectacled parents were asked to leave the place. The fun was unstoppable until the winner was picked.

And, did I tell about the different student houses at SSRVM? You guys need to know about it. They are Shakthi(might), Bhakthi(devotion), Yukti(astute), and shanthi(calm). I believe all these forces are very much interrelated and essential to make a balanced humanbeing.

So, as regards, the sports event I was talking, all 4 houses won prizes in various events and the prizes were distributed by the Chief Guest. It must have been a precious moment for all those parents of kids who received some recognition. The event came to a close after the Principal, SSRVM Vidyaranyapura, Ms. Mamta rendered her vote of thanks to all those who pooled in efforts to make it as brilliant as it turned out to be.


Not end of it....
There was dance by all students after the prize distribution for a song named 'Vasudaika Kutumbakam' which means world is one family, and it had been a visual treat to say the least to all the spectators.

The winners didn't jeer the losers here. Yes, quite the contrary, the losers took pride they have made the winners .....How nice?

No wonder the beat of the song and the children's dance have been so damn inviting that even the chief guest and the SSRVM trustee (Sri. Ravidra Prasad ji) and a many parents joined in tapping their feet and vocalling the peppy tune of Vasudaika Kutumbakam.

The event came to a close with our National Anthem. It may have ended in just 3 hours, but, I, as a proud parent of SSRVM student, had a great day out not only witnessing the 10th annual sports day at SSRVM, vidyaranyapura but taking something out of it.

I can loudly say that I'd seen a great force in every child there; that can take the future generation to path of peace as well as harmony. In all, I saw all kids celebrating for what they are and that had given some message to everyone of the parents.....I'll cherish these memories for a long time to come and sharing it with you all guys gives me a sense of satisfaction.

To reiterate that, my 6-year-old kid’s answer to 7 wonders of the world: To See, To Hear, To Talk, To Touch, To Feel To Share and To Love! When we don't realize these seven wonders we are blessed with and celebrate them every moment.......we are as good as anything that doesn't have life, ain't?

Friendship day greetings to all buddies!

The tradition of dedicating one day in the honor of friends began first in the United States in 1935and the first Sunday in August is celebrated as Friendship Day. There is a small story behind this day!

During 1935 in United States there lived two friends who loved each other so much that they believed they were born for each of them. The US government killed one of the friends on the first Saturday in August for some reason. His friend who heard that his death could not take the news and so committed suicide i.e., on Sunday. It is in their remembrance that a day has been dedicated for all good friends!

If you believe you have got such a friend, then I say you are blessed!
If you believe you can do such a thing for your buddy, I salute you!
If you dont have a friend at all.....you are as good as dead!

Listen to Rod Stewart's voice crying 'That's what friends are for' here and let me know if you have not related it to your own life or if you never had tears rolling down your eyes!


That's What Friends Are For - Click here for more free videos

The Lyrics here:

And I, never thought I'd feel this way
And as far as I am concerned
I'm glad I have got the chance to to say
That I do believe.... I love you

And if, I should ever go away
Well then close your eyes
and try... to feel the way we do......today
And then ..if you can remember
keep smiling
keep shining
Knowing you can always count on me
for sure...that's what friends are for
For good times
and bad times
I'll be on your side forever more
That's what friends are for......


Well you came and opened me
And now there's so much more I see
and so ...by the way I thank you...oh
And then... for the times when we're apart
Well then close your eyes and you love
That these words are coming from my heart
And then if you can remember

Keep smiling ...Keep shining
Knowing you can always count on me
for sure......That's what friends are for
in good times
and bad times
I'll be on your side forever more
That's what friends are for.......
Keep smiling ...Keep shining
Knowing you can always count on me
for sure
That's what friends are for....
For good times
and bad times
I'll be on your side forever more
That's what friends are for.............
Keep smiling ...Keep shining
Knowing you can always count on me
for sure...because I tell you
That's what friends are for
For good times
and those bad times
I'll be on your side forever more

That's what friends are for.............

I dont leave for sure...
I don't leave for sure...
I don't leave for sure...
That's what friends are for.....

Susan Boyle is not Britain’s Got Talent Winner….yet

Winner of Britain's Got Talent- not Susan Boyle. She had lost to the 10-member dance team. However it was Susan Boyle who came to the finals as odds-on favorite. The Scottish Singing Sensation Susan Boyle may have lost Britain’s Got Talent 2009, but she has won so much of fan following she will find hard to cope up with. The spinster singer Susan Boyle, who suddenly rose from nowhere to stardom, falters in handling the unbelievable pressure building on her ever since she started her journey in Britain’s Got Talent.

It was her audition song ‘I Dreamed a Dream’ that brought her so much of a fame and fan following. She had rendered the same song in the finals, unfortunately last two weeks had seen negative stories and blogs building up about the street performer (she remained a spinster to look after her ailing mother) and that must have affected her ratings and influenced people in a vote-deciding finale of the BGT. The 10-member dance troupe from Essex and East London, Diversity is Britain’s Got Talent winner and they have got about 25 per cent of the 4 million telephonic votes. Susan Boyle with 20% votes came a close second in the show.

Even after losing, Susan was smiling. "The best people won. They are very entertaining," the singer was quoted of saying.

Susan Boyle should not have repeated her opening song once again in the decider final, which might have been another reason for poor votes and her downfall.

No matter what, Susan Boyle is now a new brand and a sensation who will remain in our memories as an IDOL for some years to come. To challenge a team itself she shows that she’d gotten the talent to face a final of a reality show!

Susan will be reckoned an IDOL and a wonderful woman!

Cyclone Aila Bangla asche

West Bengal is under Cyclone Aila alert. According to Meteorological Department the cyclone that was generated in the east of Paradip, is expected to cross West Bengal coast this afternoon with a wind speed of 140 kilometer per hour.

The Meteorological Department forecasted heavy rains and gale winds to sweep over Bangladesh as well as West Bengal for the next 24 hours. The West Bengal government had declared a red alert and army put on alert as well. State is also gearing up for contingency relief operations.

Chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee took a stock of the situation. Meanwhile 2 people were killed in a tree collapse incident due to the gusty winds and the storm. The State capital Kolkata Police urged that the schools be closed today afternoon. Several private and public offices in Kolkata declared a holiday following the Cyclone Aila alert.

Caught in Zoozoomania with the ZooZooper Ads

The best thing that happened to the Indian advertisement amidst the DLF IPL 2009 is the latest IPL 2009 Vodafone TV ads.

The creativity behind the making of these zoo zoo ads deserves special mention. And, no, these ads don’t feature the pug or the girl. They have ZooZoos; indeed the zoozoo ads have been made in South Africa and they stood out at the end of the IPL 2009. I came to know that the Zoozoos have got a fan club on social networking sites with over 26,000 fans and the number is increasing everyday.

The zoozooper ads have achieved a talk value that is so envious and an example of how creativity can create abuzz for a brand. There have been reports that even hi-profile digital addicts too coming to talk about the ZooZoo ads.


These are real faces behind the cute and adorable zoo zoos!

Now that’s what is the potential of these squeaky creatures, they have overpowered people with zoozoomania, apart from winning PETA Glitterbox award. Let’s talk more about the ZooZoos. Vodafone has been generous enough; it is now giving back cool stuff including Zoozoo screensavers, zoozoo wallpapers, zoozoo sounds (including the zoozoo laughter and zoozoo music) zoozoo ringtones, along with other IPL related stuff. But it’s not enough and there is actually room for more.

There is room to create more of the zoozooism and stories. Vodafone has been creative to brand consolidation through zoozoo quizzes. With the viewers mind evolving in the internet time, ad creation agencies must think out of box to create lasting impressions. I don’t demean the pug ad or the girl ad of vodafone. They do have a high cuteness quotient, but the zoozoo ads have not only high just cuteness quotient, but also high creative quotient. In fact, they have added brand value quotient to Vodafone.

It’s now in the hands of ad agency and the zoozooper team to keep the zoozoomania going and make the best use of it. Cool and not-to-get bored inspiring ads from Ogilvy and Mather, the creatives behind the zoozooper ads.

Momma's moments

At times.....
I still can’t believe that you’re my own
At times.....
I keep pondering as to what good I’ve done at all to be blessed with a girl like you
At times.....
Even as you are asleep I would be gazing at you with all my admiratiom
At times......
I keep smiling and grinning long at what you have said or done ....and gone
At times......
You make me wonder with those no-answer questions and difficult-to-unravel doubts you shoot with so much wisdom
At times.....
I long to have your arms hugging me tight
At times......
I believe that it’s you and you alone that can get me going
At times......
When you listen to momma's stories with deep concentration I wonder nothing else matter to me
At times......
When you are at school I feel so emptied and alone I see there is no place I really belong to without you
At times.....
I wonder at the protector in you for me, a chuddy buddy counselor in you for me and the punisher in you for me of course
And .....At times....
Just at times once in a year like this I get a chance to wish you an Eventful Birthday and Godspeed!

For my darling daughter Sravanthi who turned 6 on the 10th May-You mean more than the world to me!

New Zealand hunts for couple who became accidental millionaires

In what is supposed to be a costly error by New Zealand's Westpac Bank, a person accidentally became a millionaire after inappropriately withdrawing millions in a day in Wellington.

A customer asked his Westpac Bank to give him an overdraft for 10,000 New Zealand dollars and in an admitted blunder, the Westpac Bank gave him overdraft facility for 10 million dollars.

The customer tried to pocket in 6.7 million dollars but Westpac Bank could recover 2.8 million dollars that makes him swindle away 3.9 million New Zealand dollars out of the country. Both bank and New Zealand police are clueless about the identity of the customer.

However, according to police sources, the customer was believed to have fled with his girlfriend to Hong Kong.

The Interpol has been put on alert and the New Zealand police are inquiring the Hong Kong and Beijing police of any emigration suspects. According to Detective although they have some doubt on one Leo Gao who owns auto servicing station in Rotorua which is now in receivership with a woman who is supposedly the man’s girlfriend, one Kara Young, as the couple who must have fled out of the country with the money.

Westpac Bank is pursuing on taking a serious criminal and civil action to recover all the inappropriately withdrawn money.

IPL 2009 Vodafone TV Commercials with ZooZoos Win PETA 2009 Glitterbox Award

IPL 2009 Vodafone TV Commercials have not only won hearts of millions of viewers (these are certainly programskip worthy and channelskip worthy commercials that we have seen in the recent times), but the crew behind the making of these commercials won the first PETA (People for Ethical Treatment for Animals) 2009 Glitterbox Award.

The Glitterbox Award is presented to the Vodafone IPL 2009 TV ad makers for using humans instead of real animals in promoting a brand. We know that the current Vodafone TV commercials are ZooZoos based!

It should be remembered in this context that PETA had raised objections to earlier Vodafone TVCs that used a PUG and a parakeet.

The Vodafone Pug commercial became so popular that it had surprisingly increased people's love for the pugs and each pug pup was selling at even 50,000 rupees by the breeders.

The current ZooZoos ads are not only a welcome change by the PETA but they are taken so refreshing by the viewers. A message conveyed candidly without having to use an animal. The creativity of these ads is appreciated by many competitors as well.

In fact, my 6-year-old daughter started loving these zoozoos lately that she was asking me if ZooZoos are available as soft toys. I was pondering after she had asked me that ZooZoo soft toys will be great hit to further consolidate Vodafone's market share or take the brand further!

Anyways, Congratulations to the creative team behind the Vodafone IPL 2009 TV commercials that won the PETA 2009 Glitterbox Award.

Alfie Patten discovers he was not the father of Chantelle Stedman's baby

Alfie Patten discovers he was not the father of his 15-year-old girl friend Chantelle Stedman.

The 13-year-old baby-faced Briton boy Alfie Patten who took pride and thought to have become father of his girlfriend 15-year-old Chantelle Stedman’s baby, had a shock of his life when the paternity test voted him out!.

According to reports it’s another boy, one 15-year-old Tyler Barker, who lives in the same neighborhood as Chantelle Stedman in the Eastbourne, is the father of baby Maisie Roxxane.

Tyler Barker told that he had lost his virginity to 15-year-old Chantelle on a night during last May after drinking together at her home.

Tyler Barker told Daily Mirror that he hadn’t used any forms of contraception and that Chantelle told she would use an after pill later in the morning. Had the tests proved Alfie’s paternity true, he would have bee father at as young as 13 years of age.

The entire episode of Alfie Patten and Chantelle Stedman whips the educationists in England calling for better sex education in England. England holds the distinction of having highest rate of teen pregnancies in the Western Europe.

Aamir Khan and Kate Winslet In an Indian movie

Imagine 2 acting aces like Aamir Khan and Kate Winslet playing leads together?

As an Aamir’s fan I am just thrilled if not more by the combination. Yes! And should everything go well and industry sources to be taken serious, then the maverick director Pan Nalin (remember his Sansara film that received rave reviews while grossing $20 m at the box office?) is full throttle to rope in superstar Aamir Khan and British actress Kate Winslet for his next film. The film name is not decided as yet, but the director Pan Nalin has two names in his mind. The film will be based on Saadat Hasan Manto’s (Pakistani story writer and playwright) short story Toba Tek Singh. It's believed that Aamir Khan loved the script when Pan Nalin narrated but the actor’s spokesperson hasn’t confirmed anything as yet.

Aamir Khan will have Kate Winslet pairing him should dates be not a problem for both. People appreciate Aamir Khan’s on screen chemistry with any of his female protagonists and his fans will be eager to see him pair with the British beautiful actress Kate Winslet

Pan Nalin is currently in Cannes for screening his short story films and oncehe comes back we will get more news on Toba Tek Singh. The film will be shot from August and if Aamir Khan and Kate Winslet doesn’t confirm on dates, the director Pan Nalin is thinking to rope Saif Ali Khan and Rachel Weisz for the same lead pair.

The plot of the film will be run in the backdrop of a satirical comedy and goes like this: Aamir Khan as Bishen Singh plays a lunatic and Kate Winslet as Dr. Sophie plays a doctor in an asylum where lunatics are housed. After independence it’s the exchange of lunatics between the two countries, India and Pakistan that form the story.

Aamir Khan and Kate Winslet fans will be all eyes to see them together for Toba Tek Singh on the bigscreen!

Farrah's Story- The chronicles of Farrah's cancer treatment

People will now love Farrah Fawcett more than ever. The NBC brought a special named 'Farrah's Story' which is based on Farrah Fawcett abd ger daily chronicles with cancer.

Farrah's Story is a thoroughly transparent show dedicated to all cancer struck people and, needless to say, it's an inspiration to all sufferers.

Its not easy to live with spirit when cancer intrudes into a person's life, but the Charlie's Angels' Star Farrah Fawcett defies all and had shown how a woman can be so strong to endure pains of endless surgeries and treatments. It is her faith coupled with strength and optimism that has taken her to this far. Farrah Fawcett is fortunate to have a bunch of buddies and the love she got from her friends, son, father and Ryan O'Neal, her romantic partner, gave her all the comfort she needed when she was in hell of a pain.

Farrah was diagnosed of anal cancer way back in 2006 and she is undergoing treatment. The woman did not opt for chemotherapy but went ahead with surgeries and radiation. The hope she had in living with cancer, Farrah Fawcett called in camera to picturize her chronicling fight with the cancer. Her romantic partner Ryan O'Neal had been by her side and Alana Stewart her close buddy was behind the camera and produced it in the name of 'Farrah's Story' It was aired by NBC last Friday 9 p.m. EDT.

In case you missed it view some part of it here. You will be surrounded by a special Farrah spirit and that is HOPE! I love you Farrah for the woman you are!

India gives its verdict- Votes Congress back to power, but here are some surprising losers!

So, the verdict is clear and India gave a clear mandate to the Congress-led UPA. In fact it has been Congress party’s best performances in the recent times. Performance of Left parties had been pretty pathetic especially in West Bengal. Thanks to youthful Rahul Gandhi whose speeches had influence on the youth of the country, and Congress comes back to power!

Still, there are some shockers in the General Elections 2009. There have been results that came as shocks to many. Although, Finance Minister Chidambaram retains his Shivaganga seat, it was a nail biter and he wins it by a small margin. About 6 of the UPA’s ministers lost their Lok Sabha seats. Who they are?


The Panchayati Raj Minister and Congress Spokesperson Mani Shanker Aiyar lost from Tamil Nadu, Heavy Industries Minister Santosh Mohan Deb loses from Assam, the Minority Affairs Minister AR Antulay loses from Maharashtra, Textiles Minister Shanker Singh Vaghela and Minister of State for Railways Naranbhai Rathwa both lost from Gujarat. Renuka Chowdhary, the women minister of State with Independent charge for Women and Child Development lost from Andhra Pradesh. The Railways Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav of Rashtriya Janata Dal also loses one of his two contested seats.

There is another shocker for former minister Ram Vilas Paswan of Lok Janshakti. The Lok Janshakti party chief lost his Hajipur seat in Bihar. If you remember Ram Vilas Paswan has record in his name to have won with highest majority.

Victoria Gotti’s home foreclosed by JP Morgan Chase

Remember Victoria Gotti? The mafia princess and the former reality TV star?

Gotti's now gotta go homeless! Yes! JP Morgan Chase finally, and yes FINALLY foreclosed Victoria Gotti’s house after 2 years of falling behind. The palatial mansion on Long Island that featured in Growing up Gotti Reality television show is now foreclosed by JP Morgan after her longstanding dues mounted to whopping high of $650k.

The money lender JP Morgan Chase remarks that the daughter of John Gotti took the money in September 2006 and fell behind to repay back.

According to court record, the former reality star became the sole owner in 2005, according to court records. The mafia princess owed $25,000 every month to the bank and according to the lender she never paid in full.

While the 46-year-old mafia princess is not readily available for any comments, her mother Victoria blamed the entire thing on Gotti’s former husband, Carmine Agnello whom her daughter divorced in 2003.

Splitsville now has Katie Price Jordan and Peter Andre as new additions

Splitsville looks crowded, the latest addition being tabloid darlings Katie Price and Peter Andre.

The couple had to announce a break up barely after they had announced that they are trying for a third child. The couple who were married in 2004 have 2 children; Junior and Princess Tiamii. While Katie Price has another child, 6-year-old Harvey from her previous relationship with footballer Dwight Yorke. As soon as the separation news was made public by her musician husband Peter Andre, Katie Price Jordan fled the country with her two kids to an unknown place leaving behind Harvey with a governess, in a bid to avoid social embarrassment. She remarked that the news devastated her.

According to her, the decision was made all of sudden giving her no chance to mend things.

When Stars come in support? Titanic Stars, Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio pour in help to the Titanic Ship's last survivor

The stars of the movie Titanic Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet pledged to financially bail out the last survivor of the sunken ship and ocean liner Titanic.

The stars along with Titanic director, James Cameron contributed about $30,000 to The Millvina Fund which was launched in aide of the ailing Millvina Dean. The fund will subsidize the Millvina Dean (the 97-year-old last survivor of the ship) nursing home fees.

It should be noted that Millvina Dean was just 9 weeks old when on the ill fated night of April 14, 1912 she was survived along with her mother and brother. She lost her father in the tragedy. She has been a resident of Southampton for the past 3 years eversince she broke her hip. The ailing survivor had been struggling to pay her nursing home fees and had to sell away several Titanic souvenirs to meet her daily expenses.

The stars with a big heart then launched The Millvina Fund in Belfast, in support of the woman and said she should be able to rest at ease with some fund taking care of her nursing home bills.

IPL 2009 Vodafone TV Commercials

Vodafone ZooZoos!

Friends! Did you see the new Vodafone TVCs that are coming in between IPL matches? Have you enjoyed the white clothed big-headed toons shown in these commercials? They made us all laugh and wonder and simply enjoy the commercials. But let me tell ya one thing. These are not toons or animations, instead humans! Eek is it? Yes, shocker maybe, but these are humans that are made to look like animations. According to the executive creative director of O&M, Rajiv Rao, who takes credit of making Vodafone commercials, they are called ZooZoos. The agency behind Vodafone TVCs is Bangalore-based Ogilvy & Mather India Ltd but execution of the new IPL 2009 special Vodafone commercials is done by the Nirvana Films and all credits to director Prakash Varma of Nirvana films.

The director roped in some young girls and in skinny white clothese resembling toons. Actually, Prakash tried to impress us with the idea of using living beings that looked like lifeless figurines.

Nirvana Films have made about 29 ads using ZooZoos with one new ad featuring after every 5 days interval of IPL 2009. The expressions on face are created using rubber like material and they are made to resemble like extra-terrestrial beings talking gibberish.

Needless to say Vodafone ZooZoos have become as much endearing as the sweet pug or the little girl! Way to go Prakash Varma!

DNA tests to confirm Alfie Patten's paternity

The latest developments in the case of Alfie Patten who hit the headlines last week by becoming father at 13 years age is that two other teenagers claimed that they could be father of Maisie Roxanne, the week-old infant baby Alfie Patten and Chantelle Steadman. However, Chantelle rubbished away the claims of the other boys saying Alfie is the only boyfriend she shared bed with. Chantelle was also reported of saying, "cruel things have been said but I am just trying to look after my baby and ignore them."

Penny Steadman, mother of Chantelle, said that she had never seen her 15yo so upset and dismissed the claims that she is intimate with several boys. Obviously, Pattens’ are disturbed with claims of paternity about Maisie Roxanne, and the only resolve for the issue is DNA test and Nicola Patten agrees for the DNA tests to confirm Alfie’s paternity

Amidst rumors that the two British tabloids The Sun and The People paid huge 5-figure money to the Pattens' The Press Complaints Commission announced that its on a mission to set up a commission which will enquire about the entire issue and check if the two newspapers have violated the industry code. The Press Complaints Commission does allow violation of code for certain issues of public interest.

The issue though has raised so many worrying questions about the modern society, in particular, its repurcussions on growing kids.

Should the DNA tests confirm paternity of Alfie Patten, the boy will become youngest father in Britain, but mankind in its entirety will hang their heads down in shame!

Sami Labs Utsav 2009: My V Day dayout!

When the organizers of Sami Labs Ltd Utsav 2009, approached me with a request to be one of the judges for their inter-unit competitions, I had one more reason to smile. Beating recession during turbulent weather like this and celebrating company day is something amazing, and to be a part of such an event will be great I thought. I gladly obliged to be one.

The Sami Labs Utsav 2009 marked with several sports and cultural competitions among their different units. The sports competitions culminated last week though, and I had been part of the one-day cultural fest which they rightly named Sami Labs Utsav 2009. The event fell on the 14th day of February 2009.

Traffic jams at multiple places took the car that picked all 3 of us (all 3 from our DOS Housing colony went as competition and event judges) a little late to the venue and as soon as we occupied the three distinguished seats, the Sami Labs Utsav 2009 began.

Sami Labs Ltd., should take pride in the wonderful and spontaneous MC they had in Mr. Jayaraman (I guess I recall his name right). He started the day’s event with an invocation. He rendered it so well, let me honestly confess, he surely invoked The Almighty, and I could feel presence of The Divine for a while at least inside the auditorium (Its the Bunt’s Sangha on the Vijayanagar Road). After invoking God/s the event kick started with lighting the lamp and Sami Labs Ltd., Board of Directors helped with the proceedings.

The first event we watched had been the Group Song. The participation had been quite enthusiastic with several teams (as I recall Organica, Corporate, Corporate R&D, Edkal, Kunigal, Hyderabad…..so on so forth) group rendering folklores to some spirited patriotic songs. I earnestly waited for the Hyderabad unit’s group singing, but they’d disappointed me. After this event, there had been a small kitkat break (and kitkats were not served but yes we were served some hot coffee and cookies). I looked around the inside of the auditorium, and it’s a huge one jam packed with the staff and is generous enough accommodating about at least 500 members. What impressed me the most is the wonderful acoustics inside.

After the coffee break, it was the solo song and the solo dance events, and there had been a mixture of good and bad performances. What I liked again is that the MCs (and believe me, they are no other than the company's own personnel who looked adept at MCing as well) were so spontaneous and they never allowed monotony to break inside the auditorium, they threw some quiz questions every now and then and the spirit was all the time with the crowd. The solo dance ended with Sami Labs Ltd own MJ performing some cool number. Boy Oh! Boy, he tried to bend every bone( although his costume looked slightly mismatching).

This was followed by a lunch break and we were taken care of very well by the staff there (Did I thank them individually?). Sravanthi, my 5yo told me she’d been having a nice time (she indeed had been trying hard to bias me saying, “Amma! 5 marks for this person and 3 marks to those she felt not all that nice....and of course with her own reasoning).

After lunch, the competitions continued with event being group dance (I liked maza kali choreography, where three people danced or rather mimicked as birds, but god knows why they had to accessorize themselves with flowers around their necks and also they seemed to dance with consciousness) I love to see people dancing to losing…err did you get what I meant?…Losing themselves in the world of dance, enjoying their dance rather than consciously move around.

The group dance was followed by fashion show. I was so apprehensive about this event for obvious reason. I have brought my 5yo kid with me. But it was kind of refreshing and a lovely event that I thoroughly enjoyed having not seen in live ever in my life.

Let me appreciate through this post, the enthusiasm sported by Kunigal team whose theme is simplicity. They all walked the ramp with so much of guts, but other teams were too good for them. Inner light theme did lack clarity, but their costumes and presentation outclassed others. Our obvious choice was the team that represented that theme.

End of the day, my feeling was that Sami Labs personnel are not just research scientists and operators of factory equipment. Nah! These are not mere nerds; they have loads of talent and given an opportunity they might become musicians, and dancers and wonderful event organizers at least Utsav 2009 proves to me so!

Before we left we saw people cheering to the results, and it had been a satisfying and purposeful day out for me and my kid with people of Sami Labs Ltd. I wish and pray that the company grows big generating more and more employment to Indians as well as making a big name for itself in the field of cosmoceuticals and nutraceuticals as well as research. And ah! I ignored to mention that we three judges were sent off with some lovely Sami Labs Ltd Utsav 2009 momentos. We came home with those momentos as well as some good memories!

If you happen to be a Sami Labs Ltd., employee who is reading this post, accept my hi :-)and you people rocked really!

13-year-old Briton, Alfie Patten becomes father

Alfie Patten and Chantelle Steadman with their newborn
(Looks to me like elder brother feeding his younger brother)

Today morning, I woke up to some disturbing news on Times Of India daily. A 13 year old becomes father, said the news. The news piece that featured a picture of the 13yo boy with his girlfriend who is 15 years of age, sent me to tizzy. I know that kids these days are stepping into maturity way sooner than earlier generations. I’ve long discussions with my friends quite often and we almost believe that it’s due to over exposure by media and sadly by over nutrition and chemicals pumped by cheeseburgers and those fried chicken kind of stuff, that children, these days are losing innocence way sooner and started experiencing basic instincts of life sooner than supposed to be(deep sigh).

It became very hard on my part to believe the story. Because the boy, Alfie Patten, in particular looked darn so cute maybe like a 7-8 year-old, so innocent with not even a single pimple popping out on his lovely cheeks. But, yes this 13-year-old whose name is Alfie Patten reported of saying that he will be a good dad and does care to be one. Acting way too big for his age. His girlfriend, Chantelle Steadman, who is just 15 is in a birth suite struggling to breast-feed her baby, Maisie Roxanne, while her peers are enjoying in school playground. What to wish these two father and mother duo Alfie and Chantelle, who left their childhood and embraced parenthood this early in their lives?


Alfie Patten whose face is still baby like holding his baby, Maisie Roxanne

I think Homo sapiens became a sick species by now and looks like mutating to something horrible (we have seen enough of paedophilics and enough of perverts but this is something indigestible). Isn’t this high time for parents, governments and media to take a pledge so we don’t see happening of such disturbing things in future?

Birthday Wishes For My Dearest Friend!

What do I wish you on your birthday?
Do I wish for realization of
your fondest dreams? or
piling up experiences big and small
that can enrich you all in all?

Maybe I cant contain in words what I wanted to wish you! To sum it up I wish that

Every candle put on your cake
galore you with gifts slake
everything you’ve wanted most in your life
may come to you in rife,

I hope and wish that you derive as much pleasure
from the friendship we share as I derive.
I always wished we were born as sisters,
that would have given me chance to know you from the beginning

never mind I’m now looking forward to cherishing the relationship we share
not just for today but for many more birthdays you are going to celebrate!
I'm ever glad that you were born, because you’ve brightened my life in more ways than you know and your contagious smile fill my life with joy than I ever experienced!

Many million happy returns of the day dear!

PS:
I thank Google for it gave me a chance to express my love this way!