Excercising your right to vote

It is important that we all vote. but sadly- due to my crushing travelling schedule- i will not be able to do so this time.my voter registration is in westBengal- and i have not grown enough roots in bangalore to transfer it. kind of emotional for me.I wish there was voting possible through net ( like i select my president through web vote in ieee.Over the years- i have become completely apolitical and prefer none of the stakeholders.though there are good leaders around- butit will take us years to make this better democracy. We are heading towards years of confusion this time as i assume that we will have hung house and all types of frivolous elements will hold the country to ransom.

To Pune!!!

Will be going to Pune again- regional review!! and i look forward each quarter or every chance to go to this beautiful city. Pune grows on you. I was quite annoyed when my then boss Rakesh Mehta asked me to relocate to Bangalore and take the challenge. In retrospect - that was the best thing that couls have happened to me. Thank you Mehta sir!! But by then i had spent 2 years in Pune. My life's best of the times, worst of the times ( oops!! that line taken from Dickens- pls don't consider it as copyright violation). It is another thing that i am now certain that nobody reads these random thoughts and i can get away with whatever i right. This is better than my journals i used to keep.
ok... Pune. I loved Pune- i get nostalgic about Pune. the Garware pul, the unlimited thali in janta ( near shambhaji putla). 4 rs- in dukkar ( a strange vehicle- now banned) from Kothrud to Apte road. Time spent with collegues of mechatronics and bitmapper. I sometimes take a walk at night after coming back to hotel room ( i still prefer to stay near apte road).FC road is still same - will always remain same- Girls all wrapped up in morning ( Sun must feel bad- He cannot touch those beautiful damsels); and in their finest in evening. I and Rahul- used to freshen our mind in saturday evening after a hard week by walking from one end of fc road to other end ( discussing philosophy and politics). that phone booth is no more there....( visiontek manuf.- so when i went to there manuf in Hyd. i was remembering them). that Ganesh lodge is torn down ( 20 rs per day rent)-- it was the only thing affordable for me. that night- when i cried over the double bridge- in pain- over not getting what i wanted. now thinking back- God is great- He made me toil and get everything after i put efforts.Pune will always remind me of hard days, struggle, love and pain. It will also remind me of freinds made for lifetime.

Connecting & Reconnecting

I was always fascinated by web from early on. I remember- being the first one in my first year engg class ( in 1997) who spent 60 Rs/hr to create an email account. it still functions- sengupta_sambit@yahoo.com I created in a internet shop in DP, Nagpur.then slowly i became power user.I graduated to have my own website, blog, more email ids etc.catched the fever of social networking over web in 2006. found it too addictive ( and anything addictive- i leave like hot potato). but today i had lots of time. I felt over years- i have become too unsocial- more a loner and self centred. that tendency was always there- but it has grown more. more proof- one of my best freind -Sanket-lives just downstairs and today i saw him after 15-20 days. He had a quizical face- he knows me that what i am- so may have pardoned my ways. Actually my wife is just opposite- she makes freinds, laughs and very outgoing- she cannot live without talking with multiple people for 10 mins.
so i had time and sent out too many requests to all old freinds over orkut. the responses have started coming in- some are plain incredulous- isko ho kya gaya? sambit is that you -- kind of....

Ahhh!! finally a trophy in showcase

Right from my childhood days- there was this unspoken desire in me- to see myself as a recipent of trophy. I remember the days in school- I used to participate in all events ( i was a silent competitior always!!)in hope that i will get a trophy. I used to win prizes- everyyear the pattern was kind of similar (1 prize in academics - i used to stand second or third- never the first boy); 2 in extempore speeches ( always first in English and Hindi ones) and 1 in recitation= total 4 prizes. But my school always used to honor me by giving a nice certificate and some kind of utensils. By 1993- i had collected so many of them- that Ma used to joke during annual days (ok, boy- this time how many 'katories'( hindi word for bowls)?)-- ohh horror!!!
I once won a corporate quiz- thought that they will give a trophy- they did give- one- but i kept it with such care in my bike- that it broke in transit. During my higher studies- there was never a scope of winning trophies- was the best student with worst results always. Then i gave up. Then Amrita came in my life--- i openly expressed my jealousy of her Gold medals ( poor girl!! she put it into our locker).
and i forgot all my passions- work took all precedance. I read Randy Pausch's book- the last lecture and felt the pang somewhere.

And finally that day came- without much ado- like all big events of my life- very silently. In all India analog disty meet- Bangalore - my product supplier- Texas Instruments honored me by giving Best product manager- India. And they gave a trophy. the photographer had to click the photo twice- I took it from Steve Parks- and maybe- i closed my eyes- first- yes- everything went past me- zippppp!!!

I shared this with ma and amrita- two freinds who know me better than me. Both of them laughed. I kept it in showcase. and then thought now what? what next? more work? what about another trophy???

Seeds of revolution

In my opinion real Gandhi was born when he was thrown out of the train in South Africa. Rest as they say- is history.If you followed up the sequence of events before this incident and after this- you can pinpoint- revolutionary gandhian principles came from this. Though getting freedom for ourselves was a team game and there were many actors who brought sweet Indian independence- but shoving out Gandhi on cold winter night on a station- contribted much to a new revolution.
today- i had a similar experience but maynot be as ugly as what mahatma faced- but ugly enough to create a steely resolve within me.
while coming to shenzhen using ferry service from HK airport ( skypier)- i had worst possible encounter with customs officials of china. everything was ok till i landed in shekou port. Usual efficiency of HK was at its best display ( thank god it is still specially adminstered zone). I don't know why they held me up and interroated fiercely- as if i am somebody who has landed to create trouble for the china. think about it- china the country which i admire a lot becuase of its history and culture and shared connections with india. and here it was- some customs officials made me run up and down and harrassed me to a large extent. so much so- i was resigned to possible deportation back. ( would have been a great story for future generations -- though). They found fault with my N in sengupta and photograph and my coming to china and its purpose. I think too much caution on china part is slowly killing business prospects. It is time that we took over the lead in business.I was really hurt by the behabiour meted out to me- one who landed only to give a presentation in TI- Avnet summit.

New year with a book

I always wellocme new year by completing a new book this year it was- The last lecture by randy Pausch. It was very moving and inspiring to me. i forced amrita also to read it.now i bought all four editions of speaking tree- but i will not touch them till i complete 'Mohandas'. i also read ' my experiments with truth'- 8th time in last 12 years... Each time something new to learn.

Salutes to those who died - so that we may live

India faced bravely the worst terror attack on it. Mumbai - that great city and it's equally great people faced some heartless, moraleless and insane . Hundreds of innocent people were killed in a terror unleased by some terrorists- who were powered by ammunition and firearms by foreign countries. the ordeal lasted for more than 50 hours.
but did they attain what they wanted?

NO....

India stands united against terror -more than ever. We love peace but we know how to tackle these people [ in humane] who take pride in killing innocents stealthely.Our economy will grow- no matter how much our jealous neighbours don't want us to [ those fast paced breeding ground of insane people- who are highly troubled and failed democracies].
I salute our great NSG commandoes, Army people , police personnel who fought and eliminated these terror mongers.The greats like Karkare,Major Sandeep,Mr.Kamte and others did the supreme sacrifice- so that we may live.
Our fight against terrorism continues.

Time to be MORE OPTIMISTIC

A sense of Deja vu- i saw it in year2001- same sinking feeling- same suddenness- of everything becoming dull. but We saw it regroup and come back and touch great heights- our economy and the market bounced back.
so it is time to go back to basics and visit more customers- listening to what and how we can make things better. How can we make life easier for customers and they in turn have confidence to bring products faster to market.
when tough times come-tough people get going. As in that famous line- muskil bakt, commando sakt :-)

survey results

I started with my illustrated collegues- Panda ji and Milind ji. We do a car pooling everyday- most of the days it is Pandaji who takes us. atleast 2 days of the week- i take all in my car.Milind is yet to zero on his dream car. so I started my survey-both workoholic guys commented that they had less chance of reading news papers- but they knew- us presidents name [ obama] and our president [ patil] thats all. no vp name.
same thing i started doing it on sales- and faes- disastorous results. i was so sad that i gave up on the survey- it cannot be concluded and this is generalknowledge non proliferation problem.

Poll/survey of colleagues

let me do a dipstick poll on Friday morning for my colleagues-
how many of them knows about obama, biden, prathiba patil, hamid ansari,manmohan singh. I carried it out on my sweet wife and she thought biden is some sort of sweet and when asked about our VP- explained that she hates politics.

Oldest Democracy and Biggest Democracy

The world's oldest democracy United status of America proudly elected it's 44th President-Mr. Barrack H Obama. and all hell broke lose.......
The people started telling us how he is manifest of many dreams- first BLACK president, and that america is the greatest country.I heard him declare proudly like my hero mr. Martin luther king- that usa is equal op. country.
I was amused-so much so that i did a 'hulla hulla' dance in a tribute to Mr. Obama ( who has a connection with Hawaii. Then introspected.....What's so great about it. the world's biggest democracy has already been there.. done it..
We already had long back a woman primeminister Mrs Indira gandhi (an old gentleman- mr. Kissinger would have vouched for that). We have a woman president- Mrs. Pratibha patil. We had our minorities well represented- we had a muslim president- Dr. kalam [ muslim!!!! He is Indian and we are proud that we had him as our president] but as americans are making song and dance about Black- prez Obama- i thought i also should cry myself hoarse about Dr. Kalam.. and not to forget our well learned ( low profile)Mr. Hamid ansari ( muslim!! ha ha!! no he is indian) vide president.

It is time for us Indian also to make a song and dance about our diversity-- our unity in diversity.Have been there - done that...
but it required one Obama to win an election to make me realise that. thanks Mr. supreme commander- Mr. Prez.. Mr. Obama. an obscure Indian wishes you luck - great prosperity and urges you to treat all human beings equal- even if they are not American and ( also not chinese). Peace be on land of op. and its inhabitants.
Good night and god bless America.
If USA ever requires light while groping at middle of tunnel- world's biggest and eternal democracy- India will show her the light.while we will deal with bomb blasts and killing of our innocents- we will keep on praying for goodness for all- peace be on all.

Planning to go on a trip back home

I am planning to take a holiday from 1st october to 12th October and go to meet parents in Durgapur, West Bengal. with rising fuel costs , flight costs [ my parents stay 1200kms away]- and incidental puja holiday spending- it will set me back by some amount- but it will be worth it. But what about singur.... It is right behind our house there and lots of trouble due to this agitation by mamta Baneerjee. Personally i feel that Nano project would have done lots of good to our state - west Bengal. Left politics anyway has made us bankrupt technically- now the opposition of left who are out of ideas and mind are taking it out...what to do? cannot help. have to live with the tag that i come from a backward and non progressive state.

Lonely and cold in ChungHsiao Road

This is it....one of those crazy days...
sudden urge to write something..

too many things- not me in my mind. preparing ppt for that important meeting. but who cares- even if i know the business of marketing- who cares. whether i do 16 million or nothing who cares.???
bottom line is i am feeling lonely in chung hsiao road. Perched on a summer night- moolight decked- verandeah- miles and liles of Taipei lights in front. i key away at random thoughts.

moreover- i am cold- kept the ac on full swing- sleepy- but yet to compelte the foils and business leaders will comment on it. But do i care. always work- more work.

the bach music running in background. There is so much all around- but i remember....

i suddenly remember- the touch.....
why do i remember old things- past... present future.why my wifes absence- makes me sad???Why i feel lonely- freinds long gone by. freinds who donot care to write back. i just see them getting mired in social networking sites. those beautiful photos.-- let them be happy.. who cares...



I CARE.. I REMEMBER....

Flashback

Today was flashback day and lots of coincidence. It was very early morning flight from Bangalore international and i was going to fly to Pune.Unlike other days- today i was roaming around and was checking out where BIAL can make a mirror terminal if atall.suddenly a guy came and stared hard at me.How are you soumitra??He asked. I stared back and recognised him [ jogging my memory]- I remembered that sharp guy in cumputer dept.- Ajanta. He was going to Gauhati from USA [ san franisco]. We exchanged notes. Met his wife- sujata [ she is also batchmate]. Talked a lot.and lots of old memories flodded in. on the flight- unlike other days- i was not able to sleep- was thinking of all freinds-fell asleep for some 20 mins- dreamt about all freinds..... it was eerie..and i was embrassed- why i am not in touch with my freinds -old- new- not so new....

Online -blog- revival plan

As if somebody cares!!!!
about what i do to my blog. But today I set up and modified first my website and then felt like going back and touch my blog account. so here i am rambline again.
Will be travelling - most of the time in next 3 weeks [ Pune, Delhi, pit stop back to home se- Bangalore then Taiwan]. Plans this rest of the year- let me blog more- put up my weekly ramblings.L me get back in touch with freinds......

Coming back...

Yeahh life had been busy. but now i am back again. I completed meantime- from last post in 05 till today- a pg degree in management, got married to a lovely lady [ and enjoying every bit of my time with her.. thanks Amrita]-17th Nov.05. Got lots of success professionally in Avnet [ selling xilinx- more and more of it]- became product manager [ life went for a spin- literally all around the world].

I promise to write more here- on ideas.. work and life.

all are invited

Freinds......

All of you are cordially invited to my marriage reception in Bangalore- on 10th December- being held in Taj Residency [ vijayanagar hall]- evening 6 pm onwards.Guys who want to join the marriage party itself [ the actual marriage is on 17th November- Varanasi]; please let me know- so that I can instruct you properly.

Chnage of contact details

Sambit SenGupta

Avnet [India]
2nd floor - "The Estate";121 Dickenson Road
Bangalore - 560042
Phone: + 91-80-5323420 extn. 233
Cell: 9880682436
Fax: + 91-80-5588146

I changed my job place not the job.I have become a key account manager [ guess have to work harder......].

Funny logo creation......

http://www.logogle.com/

I enjoyed this......

see-http://www.logogle.com/ggl.php?hl=ja&lo=Sambit+Sengupta

Free speech