Why do Indian sportsmen flatter to deceive?

Its an irony that a nation with a population of over a billion ends up winning just '3' out of the '958' medals at stake at the world's biggest sporting arena. Yet, we celebrate like crazy buffoons. Its an irony that a nation known for its obsession with cricket has till date managed to pull-off just '2' significant achievements (if at all you count the T20 world cup as one of them). Yet, we worship cricketers as Gods. Haven't we clearly gone haywire with overcrediting when instead a mere appreciation would do fine?

Though not much was expected of the Indian Olympic contingent, a lot was expected of the likes of Rajyavardhan Rathore, Anjali Bhagwat and Anju Bobby George on the basis of their performance in preceding tournaments. However, when it at actually counted, none of them could even move ahead of the qualifying rounds. So why is it that Indian sportsmen tend to promise a lot but more often than not fail to deliver when it matters the most? The answer lies in our 'chalta hai' attitude and over-generous mentality.

Instead of aiming for the best, we are satisfied with whatever we get. Even the smallest of victories are made to appear synonymous to milestone achievements. It was shocking to see the likes of Vijender Kumar being made an overnight star when the fact was that he had won just a bronze medal. You might accuse me of being pessimistic, given the fact that even a bronze seems to be a gold in India's poor armory. But, instead of creating demigods everywhere shouldn't we start raising the bar? Its inappropriate to say this but I guess had Micheal Phelps been an Indian, by now he would have been made the President of India.

We all must understand that sportsmen are supposed to perform well. Its their job and this is what they are here for. Of course, victories should definitely be celebrated but only when they are meaningful. By going overboard with celebrations when all that Akhil Kumar managed to achieve was a quarterfinal place, we just portrayed our lack of confidence in sports. I recently came across a reputed Canadian news website wherein a headline was something like 'India goes crazy over a silly bronze'. The indication was towards Vijender and Sushil Kumar's bronze medals and the subsequent celebrations throughout the country. Are reputed global news agencies so jobless that they would waste articles on such issues? No, they are not. It was obviously something very foolish that they spotted in the manner in which we created Gods out of an under-performing Indian Olympic contingent.

This is just one part of the show. Now lets move our focus towards the sportsmen themselves. Vijender Kumar has already started talking in terms of modelling. Sushil Kumar seems to be completely over the moon. Its obvious that these people have started losing their focus even before their actual journey has commenced. At a time when they should start concentrating on the Commonwealth Games, India's so called medal winners are everywhere except for where they should be.

Cricketers like Rohit Sharma and once-upon-a-time tennis sensation Sania Mirza are live examples of what happens when success goes to head. Rohit Sharma scored a couple of 50s and 40s on the Australian tour and the Indian media labeled him the 'next Sachin Tendulkar'. Result? We haven't seen a single noteworthy performance from him in the 15 odd matches that India has played after the tour. Of course, you would never find him missing from television commercials, billboards and parties. As if this wasn't enough, during interviews, the man talks as if Indian Cricket would stop functioning if he was dropped from the side. Same is the case with Sania Mirza whose words keep getting bigger and bigger with every passing defeat.

If one starts writing down the names of Indian sportsmen who showed a lot of promise but ended up nowehere, we would end up with a book that would put even Harry Potter to shame in terms of sheer volume. Yet we are not willing to learn the lesson. We keep treating sparks as arrays of fireworks. We spoil sportsmen by making them appear larger than life when the fact is that they have merely shown some promise.

One must not forget that true victory doesn't lie in pulling off a one-off win. A true winner is one who keeps on reaching new heights day after day. Its all about making winning a habit. Do we start celebrating when someone like Mukesh Ambani adds a a few hundred crores to his company's already heavy cash repository? Do we start going overboard with celebrations everytime an Indian company pulls off a foreign acquisition? No we dont, and that's because by now we are so used to India's dominance in the corporate sector that such accomplishments don't apprear pathbreaking even though they are equally important in their own rights. Same should be the case with sports.

In order to be labelled true winners, sportspeople must stop banking on their past laurels and start winning on a regular basis. Sports achievements should be a habit and not a rarity. The day we are able to do so, we would be would be able to call ourself achievers in the actual sense and that day not just fellow Indians, but the entire would join us in our celebrations...just the way China was globally admired and adored for its recent Olympic triumphs.

The '5 Minute' Theory

Being exceptionally good at the art of procrastination, I keep on looking for ways to get myself back on track whenever I start getting distracted. Having said that, I must confess that the '5 Minute' theory, is definitely one of the best techniques I've ever come across as far as getting rid of procrastination is concerned.

The man behind the '5 Minute' theory is supposed to be the legendary business tycoon Dhirubhai Ambani. He had once stated that

"Someone who says he works for 15 hours a day is definitely lying. No human being has the capacity to relentlessly work for 15 hours a day without getting distracted. But yes, every single individual has the capability to work in '5 minute' frames and at the same time ensure that he gives his best in those 5 minutes. Great champions are able to use similar 120-140 '5 minute' frames a day and this what brings about productivity."

That's pretty much the gist of the '5 minute' theory. All one needs to do is to decide that for the next 5 minutes, he/she is going to provide full attention to the task on hand and then keep on doing it for the next 5 minutes and then the next 5 and so on and so forth. Gradually one would realise that by following this method not only is one able to retain his concentration and attention, but at the same time, his efficiency becomes top notch.

Most of the time our planning consists of allotting 'x' number of hours to 'Task A' and 'y' number of hours to 'Task B' and this is where we mess up. The moment we instruct our brain to do something specific for a long period of time, our brain automatically goes on the defensive, as a result of which we start getting hesitant about a certain task even before commencing it. The best way to avoid such a situation is to allow the brain to retain its flexibility and freedom. This is something that the '5 minute' theory emphasizes on.

On a personal note, this is something I have been employing for the past couple of days and so far the results have been pretty effective. However, I would love to hear your opinion as well. So, do it give it a try...after all its for some reason that they say, "the best things come in small packages." Here's wishing you "Happy Productivity!"

Innovative presentation of global problems

Norwegian diplomat Charung Gollar was asked to present the UN with a graphical representation highlighting the major problems faced by the world.

He presented a set of 8 pictures entitled "The Power of Stars" and was applauded for the simplicity of his idea. In spite of having no pretension at all, his work was nominated for the Nobel Prize of Political Marketing.

Here are the eight pictures. Please click on the images to view the enlarged format.

Angola



Somalia



Europe



Columbia



China



Burkina Faso



Brazil



USA

The Apple iPhone 3G - A complete disaster

A lot was expected of the iPhone 3G when Steve Jobs unveiled the supposedly revolutionary product a few months back. Many thought, this wonder device would change the face of the cellphone industry but alas..the iPhone 3G arguably turns out to be the worst product that Apple has ever come up with. In the past Apple has been consistently setting new benchmarks in the technological innovation sector with products like the iPod and iMac. However, by coming up with the iPhone, it seems Apple has literally donated all the goodwill it had managed to build up over the years.

The iPhone 3G is a clear cut case of all hype and no substance. Normally product reviews are meant to present the features that a particular product boasts of, but so pathetic is the iPhone that most of its reviews have mentioned what it doesn't have. Its shocking how ignorant Apple seems to have been with some of the features that even a basic handset is expected to possess.

Before mentioning some of the disastrous traits of the iPhone, lets focus our attention on something that undoubtedly holds a huge significance i.e. the price. The iPhone 3G is priced at exoribant tags of Rs.31,000 (8 GB capacity) and Rs 36,000 (16GB capacity). Now, the moment the price tag crosses the 30K mark, a handset is expected to be an all-in-one model boasting of almost all features that one can ever think of. However here are some shocking facts.

The iPhone doesn't permit SMS forwarding

Yes, you've read it write. You can't forward SMSs from the iPhone and woud instead have to type it in case you intend to do so. Now isn't SMS forwarding, something you would expect even a Rs 1,000 handset to feature?

No MMS facility, no FM radio on board

The iPhone's processor doesn't even understand what the term 'MMS' stands for.

No video recording, a cheap 2 Megapixel camera

These days when even a 5 megapixel cam is considered to be low key, the iPhone shamelessly boasts of a 2 megapixel camera which doesn't even have a flash to go along with. What more, there's no video recording feature available on the iPhone.

No copy-paste text facility on board the iPhone

Do I need to elaborate on this one?

No removable battery

So in case something goes wrong with the phone's battery you would actually have to ship the complete device to Apple and initiate the waiting process. Now had this been an ipod, it could have been manageable but can you imagine being without your phone for days just because the phone's battery is causing problems.

Doesn't permit file-sharing via Bluetooth

The lesser said the better.

Completely tied to iTunes

So, in case you plan to buy the iPhone, you would do well to forget your huge mp3 collection.

Operator Locked service

Such is the monopoly that Apple is sticking to that despite such an unimaginable price, the phone works on an operator lock basis i.e. in case you have bought your iPhone from a Vodafone store, you cannot use any other operator's simcard on the phone.

The iPhone is a complete fingerprint magnet

One of the USPs of the iPhone is its ethereal looks, at least thats how the phone is being promoted but the fact is that the handset looks good only as long as its in the packing case. The moment you hold it in your hands, you would start imparting fingerprints all over the phone thereby giving it a very dirty and messy look.

Absolute lack of common sense

The major USP of the iPhone 3G is the range of features that are embedded in the handset as a result of its 3G efficiency. However, while launching the phone in India, Apple seems to have ignored the fact that implementation of the 3G spectrum is still ages away. Due to this lack of 3G connectivity in India, the iPhone is reduced to nothing more than a piece of crap. Whats even more shocking is that even reputed brands like Vodafone and Airtel which are supposed to have a thorough knowledge of the Indian market, happily ignored this fact.

Buyers are feeling cheated

When Apple launched the iPhone 3G globally, it pegged its price at $200 (Rs.8,000). However, something that wasn't really highlighted during the launch was the contract which was being forcibly shipped along with the product. The Rs.8,000 tag got the Indian consumers really excited which led to mass booking of the iPhone. However, when the iPhone was eventually launched with tags of 31,000 and 36,000 , it led to mass cancellation. Moreover, some of the customers who actually went ahead and bought the phone at this price are now shattered at their decision.They feel cheated at being handed over a good-for-nothing product at such a huge price. But then, you can't really blame Apple for this. The modern-day consumers are expected to be smart enough to understand whats good for them and whats not.

All in all the iPhone 3G would go down as a major disaster in the technological innovation market. The phone has already earned Apple a bad name, at least in the Indian market. On a personal level, I've always looked upto Steve Jobs as someone who is a sharp strategist and a man who is aware of what he is doing. Though the iPhone crisis won't really make me lose respect for the icon, it has made me believe that at times even the best in the business can falter.

Top Motivational Movies

There are times when we feel completely demotivated and out of place. We wish for something that would help us recharge our mental batteries. What if a movie could do this for you? Here are some movies which would not only prove to be a mode of full-on entertainment, but at the same time would make you feel all charged up and ready to face the challenges of life.


1. Forrest Gump

This Tom Hanks starrer tells the story of a man with an IQ of 75 and his epic journey through life, meeting historical figures, influencing popular culture and experiencing first-hand historic events while being largely unaware of their significance, due to his lower than average intelligence. A must watch for ones who need a serious dose of confidence.


2. Goal - Dream Begins

Goal is the first of the trilogy that presents the journey of a soccer-crazy teenager from the humble localities of Mexico to the plush life of a European Soccer star. The movie shows how dreaming big can actually help you attain what you want in life, of course provided you are willing to put in the hardwork and dedication.


3. A Beautiful Mind

A Beautiful Mind is a 2001 American biographical film about John Forbes Nash, the Economics Nobel Laureate. The story begins in the early years of Nash's life at Princeton University as he develops his "original idea" that will revolutionize the world of mathematics. Early in the movie, Nash begins developing paranoid schizophrenia and endures delusional episodes while painfully watching the loss and burden his condition brings on his wife and friends.


4. October Sky

October Sky is a film based on the true story of Homer Hickam, a coal miner's son who was inspired by the first Sputnik launch to take up rocketry against his father's wishes. When Sputnik is successfully launched, Homer becomes obsessed with the concept of rocket launching. To the dismay and disgust of the townspeople, as well as Homer's father, he and his friends try to launch a rocket themselves. With the inspiration of a school teacher, they persevere and never lose hope in the dreams.


5. Rudy

Rudy is a 1993 film directed by David Anspaugh. It is an account of the life of Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger who harbored dreams of playing football at the University of Notre Dame despite significant obstacles. It was the first movie the Notre Dame administration allowed to be shot on campus since Knute Rockne, All American in 1940. In 2005 "Rudy" was named one of the best 25 sports movies of the previous 25 years in two polls by ESPN (#24 by a panel of sports experts, and #4 by Espn.com users).


6. Gladiator

In this rousing historical epic, Russell Crowe plays Maximus, a Roman general who leads the troops in conquering Germania for the empire. When an aging Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris) tells Maximus that he'd like him to rule Rome once he's gone, a classic confrontation ensues between the brave and charming soldier--who wants to return home to his wife, son, and farm--and the jealous and conniving Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), the emperor's only son, who is thirsty for power. Bought as a slave by the profiteering Proximo (Oliver Reed, in his last role), Maximus must kill or be killed in the ring, battling to save not only himself but the future of the very empire that he loves and honors. GLADIATOR is a glorious spectacle filled with heart and soul.


7. The Secret

Not really a movie and not really a documentary, it consists of several interviews with well respected people from around the world and primarily talks about having a success-intended mind. It explains as to why is it that people who constantly find themselves in bad situations, never seem to get out of it.

In case you do believe in the law of attraction, you are bound to feel and think differently on your approach towards love, life, wealth, and success.


8. The Pursuit Of Happyness

This is a classical rags to riches story of how someone with so little manages to stay true to himself and makes it from living on the streets with his son, to being a multi-millionaire. As you watch the movie, at times you are bound to ask yourself "Can life get worse than this?" and as you witness the guy struggle on a day to day basis, you just have to admire his determination, his dreams, and his aspirations. Despite having to work as an unpaid intern with no guarantee of a job thereafter and despite having to compete with the elites from various business schools, Chris Gardner (whose life the movie is based on) never gives up. Chris Gardner's story leaves you thinking that if he can do it, so can I.

'Rotlu' Ro Mat

This one comes straight out of the Bollywood flick 'Jaane Tu...Ya Jaane Na'. Anyone who has seen the movie would remember the character popularly known as 'Rotlu', owing to his consistent cribbing and crying for no reason.

Here are a few popular personalities, who definitely deserve being given the honorary tag of a 'Rotlu', owing to their nonstop acts of cribbing and crying in full public view.


1. L.K.Advani

With all due respect to his political skills and 'never-say-die' attitude, it can be safely concluded that the man has clearly gone overboard with his constant nonsensical and baseless attacks on the UPA Government, thereby making all efforts to disrupt any steps towards progress. More often that not, the Indian Government is seen defending his harmless attacks rather than concentrating on the nation's development.

Now whether the cribbing skills have been imposed on Mr. Advani as a result of his countless political defeats or they have naturally become a part of his persona owing to his age, is something only he knows.


2. Rakhi Sawant

This supposed Bollywood actor (she thinks she's an A-lister) feels that the world is at her feet....only if the world could actually concur with her thoughts. Known more for her fake emotional dramas in the media and the slaps she imparts on her boyfriend, this lady sure is the most irritating of the lot. Thus, taking into account her unmatched cribbing skills, lets bestow on her a token of appreciation and present to her the distinguished tag of 'The Queen of Rotlus'. Long live the Queen of the tribe!


3. Sourav Ganguly

Agreed that the man has brought immense laurels to the nation as a cricketer, but something that he clearly seems to have missed is a count of his age. For someone who can't even move on the field, harboring dreams of playing the 2011 World Cup seems a bit too unreal (or should I say childish). Oh by the way his most famous method of cribbing in the public is giving an account of a string of centuries he had scored in the past decade against the weakest teams in the world. Actually, his statements are justified in some ways...he still scores runs. Its just that by the time he reaches a decent score, the team is already on the verge of yet another loss.

So Mr. Ganguly, would you like to retire on your own or would you want the selectors to kick you out of cricket. Well, in a way the selectors dismissing you from the game would actually work to your advantage. After all, you would have more issues to crib upon.


4. Raj Thackeray

He says that he's doing it all for the love of his community, but does he even realize that his constant attacks on the non-Marathi community is actually presenting the Marathi sect as a huge disgrace. People have started hating Marathis for the fault of one man. And yet he can't stop his consistent cribbing and crying. Every now and then you would find him uttering the same old baseless crap and trying to prove that had it not been for Maharashtra and the Marathis, the world wouldn't have existed in the first place.

(The para above is directed only at Mr. Raj Thackrey. I've got absolutely nothing against Maharashtra or the Marathis.)



5. President Pervez Musharraf

Yet another example of person who's mind is no more in sync with reality. He keeps talking about how Pakistan is charting rapid growth in almost every sector, whereas as a matter fact the nation was close to being labeled an 'official terrorist state', a couple of years back. More and more people have started disliking him and yet he doesn't seem to have enough of their hatred. According to a survey, majority of Pakistani Nationals would prefer seeing Musharraf being replaced by a worthy contender and yet the man goes on addressing speeches to the nation in an air of misconception that everyone out there simply loves him. Oh and yes, the man has become so addicted to cribbing that he can't leave aside Kashmir even during the Independence Day speech. I mean, an Independence Day speech is supposed to be based on lines of a nation's development and growth, right?



6. Team of Aaj Tak, Headlines Today and Star News Hindi

This one's a team effort. Three groups coming together to present a plethora of utter nonsense and stuff that's anything but news. Off-late, the anchors of these three media channels have been competing vigourously in order to achieve the tag of being the 'Numero Uno Cribber' or should I say 'The Cribber of the century' or may be 'The Ultimate Rotlu'. The situation is such that, these days if even by mistake I end up catching a glimpse of any of these anchors, a 'Rotlu Ro Mat' message appears to be imprinted right on their forehead.



7. Navjot Singh Sidhu

This guy tries to project himself as a really cool dude by coming up with self-constructed and exceptionally silly idioms and shayaries. Unfortunately for him (and for us), all he ends up doing is exhausting and frustrating the audience with his never-ending blabbering. Oh by the way, the man has a unique style of crying, he blends his wild laughter with tears and ends up jumping all over the place. To top it all, even the most boring person on Earth can make him cry (I mean laugh!)


8. Shilpa Shetty

Yet another self-exaggerating lass who goes on and on about her non-existent achievements. Wonder what exactly is it that she calls an achievement. Her stint on Big Brother where she ended up portraying herself as the silliest person one could ever come across? Or is it her recent inclination towards Yoga which she feels sets her up as a role-model. Whatever be the basis of her thought process, I guess the first thing that this lady should do is draft a CV. That for sure would give her a true account of her self-proclaimed achievements, or should I say failures.


9. Sreesanth

No prizes for guessing this one. This guy is the 'King of Rotlus'. In someways the perfect match for the Queen of the tribe (Rakhi Sawant). He's someone who literally practices this art in full public view. When he cries, he makes sure he does it in a packed stadium, under the glare of loads of shutterbugs and a huge television audience. There are times when he projects himself as an all-conquering warrior and the very next moment he shows the world what a sissy he is. His recent acts speak highly of his control over the art of being a distinguished 'Rotlu'. Cheers to the man and his 'rotluisms'.


10. Sania Mirza

This lady underlines the phrase 'All style and no substance' to perfection. During interviews she projects herself as someone who is simply unbeatable on the tennis court, yet during tournaments she hardly ever moves ahead of the first round. She courts news for everything else apart from her skills with the racket and yet the chatterbox simply can't stop blabbering. In all probability, Shilpa Shetty is her ideal role model. A clear cut case of 'all talk and no walk'.



So guys, lets put our hands together for this unique breed of 'Rotlus' and for once lets repeat in unison 'Rotlu Ro Mat'. Hope these 10 'Rotlus' get the message.

Decoding Global Economy - I

Prelude: This one goes to each and every corporate observer out there. So please keep your minds open while you go through this post. Loads of introspection to be done. Loads of ideas to be thought of.

Its shocking how negativity can envelope our minds to such an extent that we completely tend to ignore the positive. Off-late we have all been discussing how the the IT industry is going through a rough phase, how inflation is affecting our day to day lives, how the financial markets are in a complete mess and how the global economy is in serious crisis.

But, has anyone given a thought as to:

• Which sectors continue to be in shape despite all the trauma?
• How can these booming sectors actually help the dooming ones come out of crisis?
  
• Where is the global economy heading towards, in case the situation gets worse?
  
• What are the possible solutions in case things go out of control?
• Which industries would continue to survive irrespective of what the market conditions are?
  
• How these independent sectors could help one and all come out of the crisis?

Every single day I find business news channels airing numerous shows on the worsening economic conditions but rarely do any of these discussions focus on the solutions and the positive aspect. Even if they do, its never at a micro level.

To begin with, lets just summarize the current situation with regards to the various economic sectors & segments and may be then we all could put on our thinking caps and introspect the above mentioned queries. The entire summary mentioned below has been compiled keeping in mind the global economy and not just the Indian perspective.

The 'Vulnerable Segments' & their dependencies

At this point of time the biggest issues troubling global economy are the messed up financial sector and the rising oil prices. These two are subsequently affecting the rest of the business segments which are currently seeing a downturn. How?

• The rising oil prices affect the petroleum sector in a big way.
• This in turn makes an impact on the automobile and aviation sector.
• From the common man's perspective, rising oil prices have a significant impact on inflation as they directly lead to growing transportation and public conveyance costs apart from loads of other factors.
• High transportation costs mean that each and every product that we buy comes at a higher price as the manufacturer has to add the extra transportation charges.
• Not just that, greater consumption is a bigger factor contributing to rise in the costs of goods and commodities we use on a daily basis.
• This makes a negative impact on the Retail and FMCG sector. Of course, you can discount the luxury segment of retail from the repercussion.
• Last but definitely not the least, we are all aware of the impact that the financial downturn is having on the IT services sector.

The ones which still remain unaffected

Not many would believe that there are business units which still remain unaffected by the global economic turmoil. But then, these are segments which could be termed independent owing to the infinite demand spectrum which they operate in.

One particular sector which remains completely devoid of financial crisis is the media and entertainment unit. In fact these are the times when media units like news agencies are having a field day as crisis is what they bank on. Improved standards of living (irrespective of financial crisis) means that more and more people are looking for various means of entertainment & relaxation and hence the entertainment companies are not leaving any stone unturned in providing people with the same. The result is that they are doing business like never before.

The Telecom sector is also at its peak and doing heavy business. However, this growth is supposed to be short-lived, specially in India. Its being predicted that by 2011, the entire telephone subscriber base of India would be saturated which would bring about stagnancy in the Indian telecom sector. This was one of the major reasons for RCom's desperation in inking a deal with MTN as this would have exposed RCom to a market like Africa which is still at its nascent stage and hence negated the forthcoming 2011 stagnancy.

The Real Estate sector is also enjoying heavy profits as the demand for infrastructure and construction is at an all-time high. All this despite rising land costs.

Here's something which would probably never see the end of daylight i.e. the Dotcom industry. Irrespective of where the global economy is heading towards, irrespective of all sorts of financial permutations and combinations, the Dotcom industry continues to surge up. Every single month hundreds of dotcom companies are setting base and most of them are turning profitable in no time.

The other sector which would probably always be in demand is Healthcare & Life Sciences.

The ones hanging in balance

The Steel industry provides an interesting observation. On one hand, peaking Real Estate means more demand for Steel and on the other hand rising transportation charges cut down the profits. This leaves the Steel industry in an equilibrium state with a slight inclination towards profits. Only ArcelorMittal (owing to a significant 10% global steel share) is supposed to be reaping rich dividends in the current situation.

The Electronics and Hightech segment is also mapped somewhere in between profit and loss. Improved standards of living and a growing interest in going the tech-savy way is adding to the impetus. However, the tech-quotient of common man has not yet reached its peak.

The Tourism & Hospitality segment has in someways been affected in the negative when it comes to prolonged usage by individual entities but this drawback has been easily covered up by the growing number of people who opt for it.

Biggest Question of the Hour

Is there a way by which the booming sectors could help the dooming ones come out of crisis? While going through the analysis of the current economic conditions, did you spot any hidden ideas or interlinks between various sectors which could help restore the global financial situation back to normal?

If you did, then please post them as comments. The subsequent post 'Decoding Global Economy-II' would discuss each one of these along with a couple of strategies which I feel could help. I would request you to focus more on the interlinking of the various sectors as this is where you could spot new themes of development.

Footnote: In case you still have any apprehensions regarding the current situation when it comes to the various business segments, I would suggest you to go through the post once again so that you end up with crystal clear thoughts of where things lie at this point of time.

Attributes which make 'Abhinav Bindra' truly exceptional

We all are aware of how Abhinav Bindra created history yesterday, by winning India's first ever 'individual' Olympic Gold Medal. However, in this post we won't talk about his achievements. Rather we would discuss some of Abhinav's personality traits that make him stand out from the rest.

Mature head on young shoulders - Composed emotions

One of Abhinav Bindra's most astonishing traits was noticeable not during the gameplay, but after the results had been declared. When Abhinav was being awarded the gold medal, he stood on the podium relaxed and composed, unlike conventional winners who are normally all tears and overloaded with emotions.This exceptional composure indicates two facts. One, he was confident he could do it and hence for him it was just the case of living upto his own expectations. Two, he knew that the gold medal was just the beginning and that the real work commenced from there on.

Had the Olympic gold medal been his one and only destination, he would have had no control over his emotions on achieving the target. In an interview after the feat, Abhinav Bindra stated, "This is just the beginning of a journey. Winning is not such a great thing. What's really important is how one is able to do so on a consistent basis. Hence, the true test for me begins now." These statements clearly point towards a man who knows where true victory lies.

Perfect use of 'spotlight' moments

Normally its seen that the moment someone's under spotlight for his achievements, he tends to believe that he is bigger than the world. Lets take the case of our larger-than-life cricketers who go all-out in promoting themselves and their achievements once they are making headlines. However, Abhinav Bindra did just the reverse. When he was asked about his victory, he stated that the medal was not his personal feat, rather it was a dedication of his love towards his country and something he owed to the nation.

He also used those 'spotlight' moments to bring to notice the unprofessional system that runs Indian sports. He openly criticised the sports administration saying "India with a population of more than a billion resources, should have won 40 medals by now. Instead of celebrating a one-off victory, its time to rectify the system and make sure we make winning a habit."

Could there be a better moment to bring the truth out of shades? Can you think of an Indian cricketer criticizing the BCCI (known for its unprofessional tactics) after winning a tournament?

Bundles of grit and determination

In early 2006, Abhinav Bindra was paralysed by a severe spinal injury which threatened to disrupt his career forever. Lifting something as heavy as a rifle had become impossible, forget aiming with it. Abhinav Bindra was forced to stay from the rifle for over a year. But it was his never-ending determination and hardwork that not only got him back on track but also made sure he shot a Gold at the world's biggest sports stage within mere 18 months. Talk of perseverance!

All the three attributes mentioned above are applicable not only to sportsmen but to each one of us. Something, that we all must learn is how to use our emotions effectively. During moments of achievement if we could direct the glare we are attracting, towards issues that actually need attention, our victory would be much more meaningful. This is something that Abhinav showed us yesterday, hoping this would serve as an inspiration for each one of us.

We might not end up scoring a gold at the Olympics but if we adopt the above mentioned traits, we sure can win an equivalent gold on the professional and personal stage.

The Game of 'Sixes'

Given below are sets of 3 numbers, which through mathematical operations are supposed to result in '6'.

1 1 1 = 6
2 2 2 = 6
3 3 3 = 6
4 4 4 = 6
5 5 5 = 6
6 6 6 = 6
7 7 7 = 6
8 8 8 = 6
9 9 9 = 6

All you need to do is make sure that you use any of the mathematical operators known to you like +, -, *, / or for that matter any other operator you know and solve each of these sets.

Note

You are not supposed to use any other number apart from the ones mentioned in each set.


Example

To make it easier for you let me solve the simplest of the lot

2 + 2 + 2 = 6

There are numerous solutions for each one of these sets. So try finding as many of them and post the solutions are comment.

Lets see how many of you can come up with solutions and moreover in how many different ways.

Easy method for enhancing productivity (professionally & personally)

There are times when we feel disappointed with ourselves. Disappointed at not being able to give our best, disappointed with our habit of wasting time and disappointed with low levels of productivity from our end. This disappointment often leads to a negative mindset wherein we don't feel like doing anything despite knowing there's lots to do. As a result we tend to lose our motivation & excitement and feel overly lethargic.

Here's a way which could help you get going despite your negative state of mind. The logic behind it is ignorance of persistent thoughts. Whenever you feel lost or low on motivation immediately take a piece of paper and do the following:

• Write five tasks which would push you out of your comfort zone. Tasks which you know you are not really good at or may be tasks which you have been ignoring for long.

• For the next 24 hours forget everything else and just focus on the sheet of paper.Make it a point to complete all those tasks within a day, irrespective of your other commitments.

• Fold the paper and keep it with you. Forget everything else that's running on your mind and feel that the paper is your only source of strength and direction.

• The most important thing is to control your mind. Any other thoughts apart from those related to your tasks should be flushed out (at least for the next 24 hours).

You would immediately feel a sense of excitement run through you. There would suddenly be a sense of direction in your mind. Most importantly, at the end of the tasks you would have achieved four objectives. One, completed tasks which you had been ignoring for long. Two, crossed your mental limitations (You would be doing stuff which you thought you weren't good at). Three, gained a new sense of self-confidence and momentum. Four, spent your past 24 hours in the best possible manner.

Keep doing this exercise whenever you feel low. Be it during office hours or 3 in the night. Once you are in a habit of following the exercise on a regular basis, your productivity levels would go high and most importantly there would hardly be a dull moment in your life.

Moreover, indirectly you would get to be aware of your strengths which you thought were never yours. The biggest obstacle when we want to do something different is our mind, which keeps telling us that we are not good at it. Another obstacle is the fear of public opinion. We are afraid of what others would think if we go about a task XYZ. During these 24 hour cycles, you would hardly get to think about your mind and public opinion. As a result there would be no external obstacles involved. Just you and your will power.

I personally find this method pretty refreshing and energizing. I'm not too sure if I've been able to put it in the right way but I hope the message has been conveyed with some clarity.

Footnote : Issues like these cannot really be put down in words. Moreover there could be loads of variations to this method. Please feel free to explore your own variations. However, the objective is common, 'Venture into the unknown zone of energy and motivation.'

Wicca as of today - By Anamika Jain

It was quite late into the night and I was flying my aircraft in a bad mood. I was missing India like never before. The stars were twinkling, a bright tainted crimson shade as blood from my wounds dribbled into my eyes leaving me all the more depressed.(Its a different story, so will write about it in a seperate article) Flying amidst low flying clouds, they looked like angels marching by but alas I was still upset and offbeat and then I saw the beautiful full bright moon romancing the night sky and playing havoc with my emotional state.

Being a Jain I have always altered my eating habits with the phases of moon. Yes the moon does play around with your emotional state and it gets worse when you end up eating veggies and fruits with high water content. During my case study period when I was studying psychology I did notice normal people being affected by full moon and more cases of depression would trickle in around that phase of moon. With all such melancholic thoughts making way into my mind’s alley, I thought to myself, enough of flying for the night. Let me now land safely before I become acutely depressed and crash my aircraft. Just when I landed I got a call from my friend about whom I had written in my previous article, yes the witch. Listening to the familiar voice in an alien foreign land my emotions and tears knew no bounds. I spoke to her dime by dozen and she told me lot of things about the moon and Wicca religion. I did remember I had to write more on the topic as I had promised in my last article. Let me reach out for my pen oops the key pad and with you I begin my journey in the pathos of evolution of modern day Wicca.

Wicca as today is more of a neo-pagan religion found by Gerald Gardner in the 1950s. Yes I did claim in my previous article that history of witchcraft is as old as mankind itself but there are a lot of broken lines in the history of its evolution so I would now write more about Wicca in its modern-neo state. Wicca is a syncretistic religion that has integrated multifarious course including Hinduism, Jainism, Islam, Christianity, Gnosticism, Buddhism, Christianity, Kabbalah, Freemasonary, Theosophy, Celtic-druidic rituals, Aleister crowley's ordo templi orientis, Hermeticism and many more. That’s why I say today's Wicca is a modern reconstruction of ancient day witchcraft spirituality. As far as the specific rituals go,no two Wiccans will believe or practice alike.

There is no centralized orthodoxy in Wicca and followers of the religion often pride themselves on the flexibility of Wicca which enables them to incorporate elements from many different sources. Generally speaking, most Wiccans recognize a duality of divinity - the God and Goddess - and many pay homage to various historic pantheons such as Greek, Celtic, Norse, or Egyptian deities. Most also recognize the divinity in nature.

Likewise, most adhere to an ethical code termed the Wiccan Rede: An ye harm none, do as ye will. In layman's terms, the Rede states that Wiccans enjoy freedom to act as long as they accept personal responsibility for said actions. Comparing the Rede to Crowley's Book of Laws which states "Do What Thy Will Shall Be The Whole Of The Law. Love Is The Law, Love Under Will..." the synthesis that is the hallmark of Wicca becomes evident.

Many Wiccans also believe in the Threefold Law of Return and the concepts of reincarnation and karma, showing some of the Buddhist-Hindu influences. Many faiths reckon it to be some demonic Satan loving religion. Hollywood/Bollywood depict it some bizarre supernatural powerful spell casting thing and neither of those are the truth. Wicca can be considered a monotheistic, duo theistic, polytheistic, or atheistic religion which is truly nature-based religion.

Wicca, as established by Gerald Gardner in the 1940s, contained a few Gaelic constituents, along with constituents from diverse cultures. Gaelic Wicca can be seen as emphasizing such Celtic constituents as there are to be found in Gardnerian Wicca while reducing the non-Celtic elements. Christian Wicca combines Christian and Wiccan beliefs. Common elements grafted from Wicca include reincarnation and fertility. However, the main point of the divinity of Jehovah, Christ, and the Holy Spirit are preserved from Christianity, often with a revived stress on the latter two. The combination of two religions, each traditionally considered at odds with the other, is habitually reprehended by those who are members of only one.

The Church and School of Wicca was founded by Gavin Frost and Yvonne Frost in 1968. This school is quite known for its correspondence courses on the Frosts' anagoges of Wicca. Its founders' played a heavy role in gaining national recognition of Witchcraft as a religion in 1972 in US and winning an appeals court case in 1985 stating that Wicca, as a religion equal to any other. Both these cases brought The Church and School of Wicca into federal limelight. Wiccans believe that there are female/male aspects to the One or All and without the union and balance of these two aspects, nothing can exist.

The resplendent moon, it is worshiped and revered by all who follow Pagan course. Its beauty and spells are dynamic, and hence fascinating to watch. A full moon is also known as the time that Witches celebrate esbats. Esbats are rituals performed to celebrate and honor the moon, as well as the various deities associated with her. Full moon is considered to be a day of bad omens cause as I explained earlier. It gives you mood swings and makes you quite weak emotionally, so is the best time or the worst time to get influenced by others.

Wiccans follow moon's phases on a daily basis. The moon resides in each sign of the zodiac for about two and a half days. As it passes through each sign, they believe that the moon affects us in different ways, curiously linked to each sign and their characteristics. For example, they find that people are headstrong during an Aries moon, emotional during a Pisces moon, picky and perfectionist on a Virgo moon, active and conversational during a Gemini moon, etc.

Also, the new moon is a time for renewal spells: starting new projects, planting seeds and starting over. As the moon gets closer to full, it is considered "waxing." This is a good time to build momentum, gather information, or work spells to increase love, wealth and good luck.

During the full moon, it is a strong and intense energy time so one should be cautious and should meditate. As the moon goes from full to crescent, it's called a "waning" moon. This is a good time to finish existing projects, take time to relax or tie up loose ends. The moon can also be useful to "recharge" oneself, especially during a full moon. Like all religions even Wicca believes in white magic and that’s what wiccans perform in ritualistic manner.

Author Info: Anamika is a trainee pilot currently undergoing her training in New Zealand. She takes deep interest in a diversified range of issues and this article is a testimony of her inclination towards one of the more complex theories of the middle ages.

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Origin of Witches and their craft - By Anamika Jain

I sat there, taking judicious sips of my vanilla flavored coffee and eating chocolate cookies (tend to eat way too much when I'm angry). The thought that was pissing me off was my colleagues' irrational prejudice comments against Wicca, Witchcraft and Pagan religion. There was a girl in our group who gathered courage and declared that she was a witch. All jaws dropped and some of the resulting comments were quite snide n oppressing.There was so much of discomfort in the air,looked like most of these people would not think twice before persecuting her. I myself did not have much knowledge about Wicca and witchcraft but I thought I'll form my opinion only when I have known the subject pretty well.

After reading through series of books the information I gathered dispelled all myths surrounding witchcraft. The history of witchcraft is as old as history and evolution of mankind itself. Witchcraft owes its origin to the beginning of nature's worship,slowly evolving into a sect, a religion and then a cult.Wicca is a type of Paganism but essentially all witchcraft is nature worship.The first form of religion known to man was based on nature and fertility worship.

Primitive religion had a biological origin. Man created religion out of fear. Primitive men worshipped everything in nature. When fire was discovered by early hominids they started worshipping fire because it gave them protection against weather and animals. They believed if they stopped worshipping fire, it would punish them by engulfing them. After a brief passage of time men started worshipping all the five supposed elements of life i.e. fire, earth, air, water and space. Whatever instilled fear became an object of worship.

After sometime these primitive men realised that its a woman who gives birth and not a man. During child birth a woman would go through lot of pain and some of them would die, so they concluded that giving birth is a form of punishment meted out to them for some wrong doing and this is when the first witch was born or rather created.

There were women(mid-wives) who couldn't see the pain of child birth and started assisting during child birth, trying to lessen their pain over the years through their knowledge of herbs. Primitive men started looking suspiciously at these efforts of relieving pain and so it was concluded that lesser was the pain the better witch the mid-wife was. Mid-wives were the first witches.



The myth that all childbirth must be painful arose in the Middle Ages when some women, who were the traditional healers and midwives, were persecuted as witches and prevented from assisting childbirth. Slowly and gradually the crusade against witches gained momentum. Once denounced, a suspected witch was arrested and hideously tortured into a confession. Suspects were usually subjected to thumbscrews, the rack or boots that broke the bones of the legs. They were deprived of sleep, starved and beaten.

At times, hundreds of suspected witches were killed in a day. Those who did not die during torture were taken to be burned at the stake or hanged. Since many of the burnings or hangings took place in public, the victims were prevented from talking to the crowds through the use of wooden gags or by having their tongues cut out. Those who persisted in following the old Ways were eventually forced to move underground in order to survive. Even though the persecutions ended in the 18th Century, the stereotype of witches as devil worshippers and the prejudices against them remaines even today.

This was just a brief history narrating the origin of witchcraft. Keep watching this space for more..

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Author Info: Anamika is a trainee pilot currently undergoing her training in New Zealand. She takes deep interest in a diversified range of issues and this article is a testimony of her inclination towards one of the more complex theories of the middle ages.

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