No Regrets !

My scars each have a tale to tell,
Life’s taken me through Heaven, through Hell,
Several are choices, that have gone awry,
My dearest ones I’ve hurt, I’m sorry.

You wish away the guilt with an “If only”
On second chance, it would’ve been perfect you swear.
But deep within you know it wasn’t meant to be
Perfect; no matter how many times you’re there.

It won’t be the same ones again; That’s true
But mistakes WILL BE made, all new!
A road too smooth is no real fun
There’s little joy in a game, always won.

You fall; You learn to walk and run,
For mistakes are the ones that teach
How always to try and reach
For that elusive touch of Perfection.

In this quest out comes our best;
Life’s too wonderful for tears.
So, brace yourself and have no regrets
Now, usher in the happy years.

The Game of Life (and Death ?)

Since the days of the Romans, when gladiators battle beasts in amphitheaters, humans have betrayed a tendency to approach sports as a media for vicarious thrills of the aggressive kind. It’s after all a game, we may say. But despite all attempts to rubbish sports as trivial and merely a form of entertainment, it is clear that sports mean a lot more to Man than, say just physical activity or relaxation. Often we place a game, with its elements of uncertainty and multiple twists, in the larger context of life and its vicissitudes as though the game were a prototype of the way we lead our lives. Only that can explain the near-obsessive levels of enthusiasm we exhibit for sports and the stakes that are often placed on what might seem a simple affair of say, putting bat to ball.

“Sports breeds character” goes the oft-quoted cliché. What cannot be disputed is the fact that a sport is a medium that provides an excellent platform for display of character. Demigods of sports, much like epic heroes, personify qualities like inner-resolve, strength, and perseverance. Interestingly, epic heroes were known for their feats of valor not just in battlefield, but in sports as well. This was probably because sports of the yore all dealt with mastery over battlefield training, and those emerging victorious in these were likely to emerge as champion warriors. Mahabharatha tells us of Arjun’s immaculate focus that enabled him shut out all distractions while taking aim. The Olympics were supposed to contests between Greek Gods. Honor, pride, glory, love were sought as much through sports as through war.

These champion sportsmen who made it to the annals of history by playing to the gallery certainly had lots more, often their lives, at stake for winning. Quite appropriately eulogies were sung of them and they enjoyed the exalted status of the superhuman. However, while the nature of sports itself has changed drastically, the apotheosis of sportsmen continues. In the bargain, they are subject to unrealistic expectations (of the “blue billion”) and are expected to create magic every time they go out to play. Its all easy to say “He should have played it like that, he should have done it this way”, “They get all that fat paychecks, they have an obligation to provide wholesome entertainment .. ”. Fair enough. But before readying the knives, we must put it into perspective that neither are these modern day sportsmen mythological heroes in the mold of Hercules, nor is all that money they make out of commercials ever going to make them that.

But some things don’t change and apparently some sports retain their lethal quality. And we are not even talking about adventure sports or bull fighting. We are talking about people going overboard with reactions to a defeat. Of devastated fans committing suicide after Indo-Pak matches. Of angry mobs setting Dhoni’s property on fire. Of Bob Woolmer, whether his fate was decided by destiny or by design.

To be fair to our heroes, they have done reasonably well to continue the hoary tradition of playing sports with passion for country, glory and for joy of the common man who seeks to vicarious experience of winning. Lessons in perseverance, determination, fighting against odds, working within your limitations, getting the basics right, teamsmanship can be acquired just as well by watching a Dravid innings as by reading any of the books by Art Gardner. For the ultimate soap opera on never-say-die spirit, aggression, leadership and ultimate redemption one must go to watch the gutsy Ganguly. However, the ordinary man who would explain away his own failings with “the part of life” philosophy, won’t forgive Sachin for not scoring a hundred every time he goes out there to bat even though that’s not “part of the game”.

Clearly this is a case of mistaken analogy to film stars; our boredom and diffidence with our own life makes us want to see what we’d like ourselves to be in life, through sports and movies. While film stars thrive in a make believe world, sportsmen can’t afford this luxury. Unless it’s a case of match-fixing or its that absolutely dumb show called WWE, sportsmen being men of flesh and blood are bound to fail at times. Of course, from the point of view of the consumer called “sports fan” who pays for his entertainment, he has every right to expect a sincere effort and a good game every time. For the sportsmen, its like any other profession they might have otherwise taken up; its all about being loyal to oneself and to ones backers and putting in cent per cent.

Nevertheless to set standards of invincibility on mere mortals that these sportsmen are, would amount to killing the goose laying the golden eggs. Yes, winning does give a sense of euphoria but hey, even the epic heroes had their tragic flaws and weaknesses right. Of course this does not mean that one condone shoddy performance from sportsmen. Whether its pampering the sportsmen and bringing Sachin into “har ghar”, or burning their effigies after a defeat, it is important not to attach too much emotions to sports. After all, it wasn’t anything we could have helped. What we can indeed help is the way we play the game of life. When we are the players, when life is the arena everything else seems to pale in comparison to this “game of life”.

To be a part of Almighty's Art

Oh! How one longs, to be a part
Of Almighty’s work of art;
The vast canvas with shades of green,
Hills serene, the Golden Sun between.

Fragrance in air, rapids under feet bare
I lie in Nature’s lap without a care;
Could I please give the city a miss
And forever experience this bliss!

If only I could shirk, all that work
Hence, in my thoughts I’m lost.
The beep of my cell breaks the trance with a jerk
That’s when I recollect Frost:

“The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep. “

Rewind - "Little drops of rain"

( The first of the Mohicans. Written when in standard five, appeared in school magazine )


Oh! Little drops of rain
here you come again.
You make the people wet
and wash away their sweat.

But when you come with thunder and lightening
people find it frightening.
They wrap themselves in blankets and shawl
and it can't be a peaceful night at all.

At last when it stops raining,
everyone is complaining.
But we all know that it is true
that we cannot live without you.

Rewind - "Dedicated to the Kargil Heroes"

(Written when in standard nine, appeared in Deepika)


"FIRE", he hears a voice so didactic
that drives all his feelings hectic;
He cares not for his enemy's cant
he does what his superiors want.

He unleashes fire upon enemy,
with a swear so loud and wild
that it borders on utter blasphemy;
but obviously he's been riled.

The frostbite and cold he has to endure;
His Nation's safety he has to ensure;
To reach his goal he has to persevere
against the clime that is so severe.

As he watches with lurid eyes,
he sees his side fretting away
just like the slow-melting ice;
Still he wouldn't run away.

Death awaits him in every corner
And he is well aware of his impending doom
That in his attempt to guard the border
he may go off in a single 'BOOM'.

He isn't frightened by all this
He's got a chance that he shouldn't miss.
His country's enemies he will decimate
oblivious of his own fate.

The person he kills he does not know
He's neither his friend nor foe
But mercy wouldn't help on the battlefront
Lest he becomes a victim of else's hunt.

Think of his parents, children and wife,
won't they be leading a uncertain life
full of sorrow and anxiety
praying for their dear one's safety.

Such is the life of soldiers
guarding the Indian borders.
In trying to protect our families,
To serve their own families, they sometimes cease.

We have to help them in all possible ways
and keep at bay their feelings of homesickness.
They should emerge victorious by God's grace
For they are our source of happiness

Goodbye Wayvin

What began as yet another routine day of record-writing and poking fun at our hapless teachers had a nasty shock in store for all of us. The fact that we'll never see Wayvin Wino again has not quite sunk in as yet. Even as we prepared to see the last of him, somehow all the concern that people was being floated around, seemed so artificial; the effort behind the 'apt expression' on people's face was discernible. Guess, we could be excused for trying to fake it; when you are twenty, you certainly aren't prepared for something like this. But when we saw his becalmed features, it was clear that he wasn't going to wake up like we had hoped. It felt like a severe punch in the stomach; the truth hit us hard and in all its mercilessness. Wayvin belongs to the skies.

I won't make any pretentions here; surely there were people to whom Waywin meant a lot more. While the rest of us may not be reeling under diconsolate grief, it is not possible to wish this away as a nightmare either. A very quiet, harmless, almost timid and mild-mannered person whom i befriended in second sem lab, he used to send me these nice messages sometimes. I regret that i din't get to know him beyond wishing him on Christmas a couple of times. But then, it does'nt really matter to any of us what kind of a person Waywin was, does it? We never waste time before dishing out utterly condescending and superficial "tut-tuts" and "ayyo paavams". And then get back to our closeted lives of records, exams, etc. My teacher (Mrs. Geetha Parthasarathy ) used to tell us this - "Education does not make us better persons. It only teaches us to be better hypocrites."

But then, its hard to believe that anyone who saw his aggrieved family over there would not have felt the sense of bereavement. Out of a desperate, almost foolish, "desire" to express our feeling, we decided to contribute money to his family for God knows what. Well, surely money can't revive a dead person, but its worth a try. Atleast, it can ease the feeling of guilt.

What guilt? Is it our responsibility to find out that he had been working to pay for his tuition, and help him through the rough patch. Afterall he din't tell us. But why din't we bother to ask?

Surely no one expects philanthropy from us, but it is imperative not to lose touch with our human selves. Encapsulated in our self-centred existence, consisting of OUR ambitions, OUR future, OUR progress, we often cease to set aside time for the people around us. Had one of us bothered to "know" Wayvin Vino, to bring him succor and support, to reprimand him, to have fisticuffs with him, to laugh with him, to cry with him, to offer him solace - probably none of this would have ever happened. Much as i take digs at the inherent flaws and hypocrisy of the human nature here, i am as guilty of negligence as those people on the road who let Waywin bleed to his death thinking someone else will help him. This elusive "Mr.Someone else" is a phantom of our own making - a product of our escapist attitude; if you aren't goint to do it, then you have no business to presume that someone else would do it.

This has come as a warning to the rest of us. Take away the people around you and nothing else that you have would mean anything to you. This has served as a harsh reminder for the need to bond, to set aside time and space for people around us. To love and be loved. For friendship is the only gift we will carry throughout our lives and into the other world. Dear Wayvin,You will always live in our memories.

May your soul rest in peace.

Venki v/s Monkey

(He came, he saw, and he scampered)

I am sure he received no invitation,
And that should make his visit – AN INVASION.
But not long after he left,
I felt bad having offended the guest.

Announcing his presence was a low rustle
Of covers, behind the next room’s door.
And there he was, searching, without any hustle!
For the caramel I’d kept; squat on the floor.

As a shout of surprise escaped me,
He broke out of his trance with a jerk.
His eyes lit up with a look of familiarity,
And smiling, he returned to work.

As I stood there lost in admiration
At his amazing powers of concentration,
Suddenly, dawned upon me the realization
That this was A BLATANT ACT OF CONTRAVENTION.

Mustering all courage I could summon
I let out a semi-loud “Shoooo!!”
Clearly shocked, I saw his jaw drop open
As if claiming, its here he belonged and not the zoo.

Suddenly aware of the equations of power
Betraying his fears he began to cower.
With new found courage, I threw a menacing look
But to take the fizz out, the sight of his teeth is all it took.

While I was completely overwrought,
To inch closer to the door, he used the time he got.
And then, with great alacrity,
He made a dash for the balcony.

“You lose”, his eyes seemed to tell me
Boy! He sure was relieved to be free.
And with massive leap he landed on the tree,
In his hand was the confectionary.

Even as he departed, he had me convinced
How easily the roles could have been reversed.
For, his reactions spanned the entire gamut
Of expressions, we humans lay claims at.

For, don’t we all have some atavistic traits,
pointing back to our monkey days?
“Dude, Darwin! Man, you ARE great”
Man must have surely come from Primate.

Say, if this monkey could live a few hundred years
Perchance, like in “The Planet of Apes”, he’d become me!
And I would be on the tree; but my worst fears
Are that I would be treated with cruelty.

For, that’s what we do to them in laboratory,
Under the pretext of exploiting the similarity
They bear to us; we subject them
To perverted experiments. Oh such sham!

If Man can derive pleasure by inflicting pain
On a creature, so similar to him in mien,
Even cannibalism, isn’t maybe much cause for surprise,
For cruelty to animals is in no way, becoming of the wise.


Stop Being Cruel to Animals!

Upon the sea, unto eternity

Wake up! Is this but a dream?!
Rushing hither is a silver stream.
Alas! At my feet it breaks into foam,
And as though ashamed it retreats home.

Behold! Tell me if you see Moon melt,
Dripping milk into the sea;
With gentle tosses, the tides flaunt their wealth,
A wealth that shall remain theirs; unto eternity.

Splash! I am woken from my reverie
The sea has caught me by surprise.
Is this a reprimand for my thoughts of jealousy,
At the display of wealth in front of my eyes?

Doesn’t life do the same to you?
Lure you with promises that may not be true.
The tides answering to the pull of the moon,
Are akin in nature to the vagaries of fortune.

High up in its aerie, in full flourish,
Conducting the opera with great relish.
Setting to music, the tides upon the sea
the moon stealthily encroaches into the night’s tranquility,
As it shall continue doing, unto eternity.

On a roll, but role-model?!!

Most of the people today, especially children, look upon movie stars and professional athletes as role-models. Hence the stars have a higher moral responsibility especially because they are paid in million by the people for their entertainment.

In the civilized society, sport stars and movie stars are probably the two categories of people who, in their lifetime, have the kind of brush with immortality that was reserved for warriors, gladiators and brave men of nations in the past. Be it the remuneration they receive or the honor bestowed on them, these public icons are non-pareil. However, the price to pay for fame and fortune is often a complete abnegation of one's personal liking and strict adherence to the code of conduct framed by the rabble.

On one hand, this responsibility of public life may seem a small price to pay for being the cynosure of all eyes. In a society where apotheosis of achievers is not uncommon, it is only natural to expect these achievers to shoulder the hopes and expectations of the common man, failing which vilification and obscurity await the icon. Having to live one's life in full view of the public and within the framework of societal norms, unsettling as might be, must be accepted as an integral part of public life.

On the other hand, every individual is entitled to his inalienable rights, the most significant of which is one's privacy. Being a public icon, if anything, should only serve as an additional qualification and should certainly not be looked at as grounds to deny the individual his right to be the master of his own life. Fans of movie stars tend to get carried away by their larger-than-life on-screen persona and pin unreasonable hopes on these heroes in real life. Sportsmen who give the entire nation the vicarious thrill of representing the country earn the wrath of their fans when they don't measure up to the standards set.

There is no gainsaying that a person, who voluntarily or otherwise projects himself as an exemplar citizen, must take on the onus of conducting himself with dignity in the eyes of the public. For leadership is all about leading from the front and none epitomizing this virtue better than our sportsmen and film stars.

But it becomes imperative for the public to shed notions of infallibility about their icon, and realize that their heroes are also men of flesh and blood. While it is reasonable to state that maintenance of public image is a concomitant of public life, one must know where to draw the line lest they intrude on the personal space of their heroes.

Two to tango

Two heads are better than one. So individuals must be encouraged to work in a group to provide faster, better results

"Man is a social animal" is a universal truth.
Throughout the evolution of Mankind, the common thread running through various civilizations that has been instrumental in the progress of Man is his sense of team spirit and ability to work with his peers in a group.

The advantages of working in a group are manifold and nature holds evidence for these in plenty, one of them being the pack-hunting behavior of certain less-gifted but successful predators. In a group, division of tasks is possible and this allows specialization of labor as well as parallel solving of the ramifications of a single large problem. Apart from the quality reduction in time and focus on minute details, group-working also reduces the burden on individual and helps increase the overall productivity of the individual as well as the group by enabling sharing of vital ideas and information.

Helping one's peers in a group and learning from them helps build camaraderie between fellow-beings and enriches Man's life. It is important to note that even in group-working the competition is prevalent not only within various groups but also within the individual members of the group. Thus, apart from better results group working also ensures betterment of the members of the group.

On the other hand, even a single malcontent or incompetent individual could critically upset the rhythm of the entire group and might balk its functioning. The tensions arising from sharing of credit for the work, which is a concomitant of team work, could sow the seeds of jealousy and acrimony amongst the group-members. In a diagonally opposite scenario, credit might be wrongly accorded to individuals not deserving of it, and individuals who did not actively participate in the progress of the group but chose to bask in others' glory. The nature of different tasks could lead to ego problems within the group, since often a certain type of work may be deemed superior to another, and an individual might believe that he is better suited to the work than his peer.

There is no gainsaying that a group working in tandem can provide better, faster results than an individual working alone but the proviso here is that such a group must be firmly built on the virtues of team spirit. The group must be well balanced in terms of the abilities of its members and a good rapport, understanding and mutual respect between the individuals of the group is a must for the success of the group. It is often said
"Two is company, three is crowd". The number of members in the group must be commensurate with the nature of the task and the group must be well directed and led.

Where there is a will, there is a choice

The concept of free-will is a fallacy. In reality man is offered no choice in most of the situations

"Man is born free, but everywhere he is in fetters"- this statement has served to represent the sympathy expressed by several philosophers for the apparent helplessness of Man in deciding the course of his life. The concept of Man's bondage has long been the theme of epics, and great works of art. The very fact that he cannot exercise control on the vagaries of nature has often led Man to think that he is not the true master of his destiny.

Often, we are confronted by situations where no real choice is manifest, and decisions have to be made taking into account the demands of family, society and nation rather than out of one's own volition. The role of circumstances in determining one's fortune cannot be underestimated. Unrestrained exercise of free will to a large extent remains a myth.

On the other hand, it is necessary to understand that the conflict of interest between Man and society itself presents Man with a very important choice; he can either choose to tread the beaten track or venture to cut his own path. But whichever path he chooses to tread, there can be no escape from the consequences of his actions. Man's refusal to be held accountable for his actions is the offshoot of the skepticism that has crept into Man's thinking owing to excessive self-sympathy; Man is so taken in by the concept of fallacy of free-will that he attempts to vindicate himself of all sins by shifting blame to vicissitudes of life. This attitude is highly detrimental to the progress of mankind, and must be banished from Man's memory in the interest of society.

The very definition of free-will depends on the perception of the individual. The undeniable truth is that Man is presented with choice at every stage of his life, although his current choice might influence the choices presented to him in the future to a large extent. In the interest of the nation, every individual must be made to face accountability for his actions and receive the consequent reward or punishment without shifting blame on factors beyond him.

The Right to know v/s Right to "NO"

The issue:-

It is frequently advisable for those in positions of authority in government to withhold information from the general public.

“With great power comes great responsibility”

This famous line from 'The Spiderman' series could very well refer to those in positions of authority in government, who are required to conduct themselves in an exemplar fashion all the time as they are under constant scrutiny by the public. This responsibility sometimes includes withholding vital information from the general public with the best intentions of safeguarding the interests of the common man. On this account, they face the brickbats on several occasions when their intentions are misconstrued by the very same people they are trying to serve.

“Knowledge is power "- it is often said. In the modern day era of ever-pervading media coverage, access to information is made available to anyone who seeks it. The right to information is inalienable and any attempt to compromise on dissemination of information about the functioning of the government is tantamount to impingement of this inalienable right, for as Abraham Lincoln said the democratic government is
“For the people, by the people and of the people”
The government functions on the tax-payers' money and it is answerable to them in every conceivable way. It is only the autocrats who deny the public the power of knowledge; in fact they thrive on the ignorance of the people. Transparency of the government's functioning is a hallmark of civilized society.

On the other hand, the very nature of some policy decisions demands that they be kept out of reach of the hoi-polloi. The first such example that comes to one's mind is a country's defense policy; making an open book of the country's defense secrets will jeopardize the nation's security; in fact, it would be perfidious and suicidal to do so. The media is often accused, sometimes rightly, of being nosy and trying to leak out vital government secrets and presenting the people with garbled versions of activities of government officials for sheer sensationalism. Everyone is entitled to privacy and there is no reason why the government officials must be denied their professional and personal space.

A generalization is hardly possible in trying to arrive at a consensus on an issue as contentious as the one presented here. It is both the prerogative and the duty of those in positions of authority in the government to exercise caution and discretion in trying to arrive at a balance between keeping the general public informed and safeguarding national secrets. Make no mistake, Spidey was in no tangle when he said this:-

"With great power comes great responsibility"

Change ya no change

A crucial test of character is whether one is able to adapt to changing social conventions without sacrificing one's principles.

'Survival of the fittest'- this principle is the essence of Charles Darwin's theory of evolution. The species that have survived to see the light the day, have had to battle drastic changes in climatic conditions, topography and nature of their predators, and have had to constantly evolve to meet newer challenges.

At a microcosmic level, Man has been confronted by changing social conventions, customs and trends. It is often stated -
“The world is revolving so fast that one has to run as fast as one can, just to remain where he is". Clearly, adaptability is the key to survival and any intransigence to change is an invitation to disaster.

However, adaptability does not necessarily mean that one has to move with the masses, like cattle in a herd without any expression of individuality. Progress has been possible throughout history only by challenging existing conventions and dogmas. Had Galileo not stood up to the Catholic Church, we would probably still be wallowing in ignorance about the heliocentric nature of solar system. Great changes in society have been brought about by eradication of ignorance, superstitions through rejection of authority.

Unfortunately, as is evident in the treatment meted out to Jesus Christ, Galileo and other great men, our society has not always been receptive to new ideas and has frowned upon anyone attempting to swim against the tide. This is the where the person attempting a change faces a test of character. Without being an iconoclast, one must hold his ground in the face of the challenges thrown to him. For this to happen, the change in the system must be brought about not by confrontation, but by persuasion and reason from within the system. This is certainly not as roseate as it might sound, and involves constant adaptation to suit the existing norms while also not sacrificing one's principles, something that requires a lot of grit and gumption.

Ultimately, one has to realize that change is the only thing that's constant, and that whatever change is intended is must be for the betterment of the society as a whole. Therefore, one must learn to shed one's ego and research well into the intended change and verify it against existing conventions. On the part of the person intending the change it might sometimes involve rejection of his view-points, but he must ultimately learn to have full faith in his principles and wait for the opportune moment for the change to happen

Spending time alone makes one a better companion to others

In the officious lives we lead today, privacy is a forgotten luxury. One is forced to live his life in the open and the 'herd-tendency' is causing people to blindly ape others around them. Clearly, today people are brought together more due to the fear of being left behind than out of camaraderie. All the turmoil of modern-day strained relationships could be alluded to this lack of genuine warmth among people.

It is often said - "Familiarity breeds contempt". The very fact that we force ourselves into the company of others explains the lack of goodwill among people that cause the eventual fallout we have with our companions. It is therefore imperative to set apart time for ourselves, to give ourselves some space and time for introspection, in order to develop into a better companion to others.

Pursuing fine arts at leisure, listening to music, indulging in one's hobby are some of the activities best done alone, that transport an individual to a different world altogether and relieve him of all frustrations that might otherwise be unwisely vent out on people around him. Reading a good book is a wise investment of time spent alone, as it not only enriches one's knowledge but also can also prove to be a refreshing experience that transforms one into a better person capable of offering guidance to others in need of it and able to appreciate their accomplishments. Sometimes sitting alone doing nothing, reliving a vivid memory, letting one's imagination blossom into creativity can help a person understand and appreciate others around him.

It is said that a true friend must share one's happiness and sorrow equally. But most of us prefer to be left alone either when we are over-whelmed after any great success, or when we grieve some inconsolable bereavement. This clearly tells us that one must guard one's private moments, just as one must learn to respect other people's need for space. Notwithstanding the fact that Man is a social animal, the truth remains that it is always best to look inwards for inspiration. This will help us a better human whose company will be eagerly sought and cherished by others.

The best ideas arise from a passionate interest in commonplace things

Right from Man's discovery of fire to the advent of the present day brain-inspired systems, Man has always looked to nature for inspiration to enrich his life.
A lot of people, when they hear the story about Newton's discovery of gravity when an apple fell in front of him, tend to dismiss it as a case of serendipity. Considering that Newton is one of the greatest scientific minds ever and has several other inventions to his credit, it is obvious that it requires an extraordinary to mind to derive inspiration from what may seem the most obvious of things.

History tells us that some of the greatest works of art, literature and music and inventions had their origins in the most humble of sources. "The Solitary Reaper", a beautiful piece of poetry by Wordsworth is about the poet's observation and admiration for an ordinary farm-worker. The present-day rage, "The Harry Potter Series", began when the author J.K.Rowling started writing stories based on school-life for her son at a nondescript cafe.

These instances strongly reinforce the fact that even the most mundane of things can appear enchanting if one takes a passionate interest in the principle behind it and knows to understand and appreciate it. For, the nature is ever full of surprises; if it appears commonplace to us in spite of its variety it is only because we have taken it for granted. However, enlightened minds have always looked to nature for inspiration, for they know that everything that Man has discovered and will discover will always be a representative of principles inherent in nature.
The most complex organ of the human body, the brain is being studied and researched upon by neuro-scientists to understand its working and to apply the principle behind it increase the MIQ (MACHINE INTELLIGENCE QUOTIENT) of the modern day computers. In spite of all the advances in medicine and signal processing, the brain is yet to be demystified fully. This proves that deriving ideas from the things around us is not as easy as it may sound. It requires a craving for knowledge and a deep admiration for the nature.

If a person closes his eyes and makes a conscious effort to listen to the less conspicuous sounds around him, he'll be surprised to note the variety of sounds that permeate the air, but still hardly noticed above the obvious routine ones. Our mind is a lot like a radio-set, there's inspiration all around us; we have to mentally tune ourselves to be able to take it in.

"Winners don't do different things, they just do things differently". A passionate interest in the things around us, the perspicacity to know why things happen the way they do, and receptiveness to ideas arising from these- these are the qualities that separate winners from the rest of Mankind.

Scales for progress?!

"It is through the use of logic and precise,
careful measurement that we become aware of our
progress. Without such tools, we have no reference
points to indicate how far we have advanced or
retreated." These lines set me thinking..
Right from his birth, Man is subjected to
intensity by society and his worth as a human
being is determined by comparing his progress with
that of his fellow-beings. Be it his doting aunt
who sets a deadline for him to learn to talk, or
his primary school teacher who fills his report
card or his boss who conducts periodic appraisals
at work, Man is constantly being prodded to
evaluate himself and set new targets for
fulfilling his roles. Is it essential to have such
yardsticks to chart one's growth?
People who are against such microscopic
examination of an individual's progress, argue
that putting unnecessary pressure on oneself may
curb one's creative space. Working under such
constraints could lead to a fear of failure,
thereby curtailing one's freedom and spoiling the
joy in pursuing one's goal. Besides, one need not
document every stage of his life to be aware of
his progress, ultimately one's own satisfaction is
paramount and his relative success or failure
matters little.
All said and done, Man's journey from the
stone-age caves to the modern day office cubicle
has been made possible only by precise, careful
measurement at various stages. The history of
civilisation is replete with stories of great
alchemist, physicists, astronomers, philosophers
who constantly reviewed existing principles and
pushed Mankind towards new frontiers. We will know
what we need only when understand what we already
possess. Logic plays a vital role in deciding
whether we are indeed proceeding towards our
destination or away from it. Lack of proper
evaluation of our progress may lead to complacency
and stagnation in growth.
Therefore it is important to have an occasional
glance at the milestone reached to keep us on the
right path, but a critical examination will do
more harm than good. I, thereby conclude that use
of logic and an approximate measure of one's
progress are pre-requisites for advancement of
Mankind.

AI:The Rise Of The Machines

‘ Man v/s Machine’- It is that seemingly eternal conflict that constitutes the theme of Hollywood flicks like Terminator, The Matrix etc. “Will machines take over one day?” we wonder. Hmm... A funny question, considering that they already have!

Machines have encompassed every moment of our lives and to enable them to take over tasks that we do now or would like to do, Man developed this branch of science called artificial intelligence (AI). AI is basically a study of computational requirements for tasks such as perception, reasoning and learning. Though the very word ‘artificial intelligence’ sounds like an oxymoron (something that’s intelligent is also a moron?!), the fact is that, this science was in existence much before the term was even coined. From a simple closed loop feedback system to handwriting-recognition system, most of the modern day systems employ AI principles, though in varying degrees.

How intelligent is artificial intelligence
We are so used to some of the everyday applications of AI principles, that we have taken them for granted to be something more mundane in nature. The divide-and-conquer and recursion algorithms utilized in solving problems like the tower of Hanoi are instances of AI principles permeating to the grass root level. Intelligence has primarily been classified into three levels:
Ø Alpha level: - this is the non-learning level
Ø Beta level: - this is the level at which elementary learning capacity is present.
Ø Gamma level: - at this level the ability to make generalizations from past experiences (heuristics), to study and keep track of statistical data etc. is present.

Despite possessing only alpha level intelligence, today’s industrial robots are proving to be a force to reckon with in the fields of business and medicine. Based on their nature, AI applications can be classified as:

ü Expert systems: They process known information and provide conclusions based on these.
ü Neural networks: These are self-learning systems utilizing past behaviour to predict future behavior.
ü Generic algorithms: They use heuristic approach to attempt to solve difficult problems.
ü Intelligence agent: They are surveillance-oriented applications.

AI at work
Some of the practical applications of AI include Clinical Decision-Support systems used in hospitals to enable automated diagnosis, monitoring and drug administration, thereby improving the quality of healthcare.
Amongst its numerous applications in the area of finance, fraud detection in banks and data mining are areas of interest that have captured the attention of leading financial institutions like Wal-Mart, US Bancorp.
Speech recognition, intelligent tutoring systems have marked AI’s foray in education.
However, the most popular application is AI-based gaming. With games like Half-Life, in which the rivals can feel, smell, hear and react to you, hitting the market, AI-gaming is proving to be a terrific experience. But what would happen if the computer could learn from our mistakes just as we learn to predict a game? We may never may able to win a game against it. This brings us back to our primary concerns. Which is:

Will AI surpass OI (original intelligence?!)

Considering that artificial intelligence is but a by-product of human intelligence, it would be a paradox if AI systems could become more intelligent than the intelligent beings that created it. But following reminders should shake us out of complacence:-
· Deep Blue, the chess playing computer famously defeated chess sultan Gary Kasparov in 1997.
· In August 2001, in a first of its kind battle, a team of IBM robots called ‘BOTS’ were pitted against a team of financial experts in simulated trading, and our worst fears were confirmed when the humans were beaten square by the machines.
However, these words of a man, widely regarded as the most intelligent ever, should provide some comfort:

“The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.”

If Albert Einstein is to be believed, then as long as the machines do not acquire enigmatic, God-given powers of creativity and imagination, machines can enslave Man only in sci-fi potboilers, and B-grade action flicks. But, you never know, if Edward De Bono can develop tools to induce creativity and lateral thinking in men, someday some Mad Scientist may be able to develop an algorithm to make the computer do the same!

Better keep an eye on your computer!

The Chase

Hope was fading into the horizon. As the truth dawned on me, I had the painful sensation of being punched in my stomach. I had made a mistake; a grave one. But introspection could wait, time was running out. I had to act quickly. The path was full of hurdles, perils lurked in every corner. But I had just one thought in my mind. HE MUST BE STOPPED.
I shot off instinctively.
Hope was disappearing. But my instincts told me to fight on. Circumstances mould mortals into heroes. It seemed that an effort no less than heroic alone would make IT happen.
Men always ‘run’ to keep pace with the fast-moving world. They always ‘chase their dreams’. But few have to actually ‘run and chase’ their goals in real life. While my legs threatened to give away, memories form another era flashed before me…all those races I ran starting from my kinder-garden race. Still this had to be my best effort. Alas, I could not afford the luxury of timing it now; if only I had timed other things this morning…
With my hands outstretched in desperation, I tried to catch his attention. I was running out of breath, it had to be now or never. Heroes do not wait for things to happen, they make them happen. With a massive effort, I took a giant leap. I was airborne for an eerie moment. Yes. I had made it. Suddenly, the beast screeched to a stop. The sound of talons scratching a tile pierced into my ears. Then weapons rained on me.
Words are the most potent of weapons, they do you no physical damage but take away your greatest possession - your self-confidence. “Hey, come on Mr. Driver.. you can’t blame me. I have just proved what a hero I am. Yes, I have managed to catch the college bus………. The last one in this route in a manner befitting a warrior. Aren’t you impressed?!”.
The very Hollywood like episode had a typical bollywood ending. The saga had spread far and wide(ah, well in my street at least). I was subject to reprimands, blackmails( once more you start late to college…..), maa-sentiments( beta, you can’t be so reckless).
I woke up to face a pleasant summer morning the next day. ‘Oh oh. Hope is fading into the horizon once again.’ I knew better this time. ‘Hey auto. Game to chase the bus.’
MORAL: Heroes learn from their mistakes. At least that way, I ………
what..you want me to learn to be on time..tough ask.

Can Man play God:Should Euthanasia be legalised

Man, god’s favorite child, has been bestowed upon with rare gifts -the ability to control his fellow beings, command food, comfort and power. But there are things that are out of bounds even to him –his arrival on earth and departure from it: to shed the euphemism, his birth and death. Thus, when an attempt is made to control these, it leads to an ethical conflict. Euthanasia or mercy-killing is an issue toeing this line, and hence carries profound moral implications. It is therefore imperative for anyone to discuss both sides of this issue, before attempting any judgment.

What is worse than death; it is suffering, agony. An active brain caged in a body it cannot control, a world it can perceive but cannot pertain to – isn’t this the very epitome of agony? This is the plight of the ‘brain-dead’. They are called ‘vegetables’, they are the living-dead. Alive but not awake - the comatose and their loving relatives biding time in anguish –isn’t this desperation personified. Devoid of medical hope, spiraling down the path of no return, Euthanasia seems the only logical solution to their predicament, it is the panacea. Many argue that it is but an act of coup de grace.

Man conquers new frontiers everyday. Medical advances and break-throughs renew hopes for many. ‘Medical miracles’ have brought back people from virtual death. There have been instances of coma patients recovering after two decades. This ray of hope makes the kith and kin of the patients pursue treatment and life-support for their loved ones with blind hope, surmounting all odds. But how long will they endure this?

Contrary to popular misconception and much to the dismay of detractors of mercy-killing, the relatives of these patients turn into vociferous advocates of euthanasia. After the initial period of seemingly undiminished hope, they begin to understand the sufferings of the patients and come to terms with the practical questions o affordability of treatment, chances of recovery, and the point(-less ness?) in waiting for miracles. In a recent case that raked up the topic, an acute paralytic from Andhra wished to donate his organs for which he would have to embrace death earlier than it threatened to reach him. But he as denied his last wish by the law, he died a couple of days later, an unhappy man.

So what really is the solution? Should euthanasia be legalized? If yes, who is to decide whether a case genuinely warrants it? The doctors, of course. But is it fair to saddle the life preservers with such a burden, because when it is a question of life or death, mistakes should not arise. Imagine having to go to sleep the rest of your life with the miserable feeling that you might have killed someone who might have recovered. It is also important to safeguard against willful medical murders by those with vested interests. Indiscriminate administration of euthanasia by unskilled doctors would amount to the same.

It appears that there can be no generalized verdict on this issue. Each case is unique, should be separately scrutinized and decided upon. However this is neither practical nor cost-effective. Therefore, select doctors could be empowered by the government to use their discretion in this regard, taking into account their merit and records.
With all these safeguards, the devils in our minds can be alleviated considerably, but of course, never rested. For no matter what, man can never play God.

Overindulgence in advertisements: Do they serve their purpose

Picture this ..you are watching your favorite programme on tv..without any warning come the commercials.what is your immediate response?
Of course you change the channel. You are riding down the road at top speed; hoarding in all weird shapes cry for you attention.. Do you even give them a damn?
This is real picture. No one takes these ads seriously though they seem all pervading. Everyone knows they are a bag of marketing gimmicks, false assurances and non existent certifications put together. But the corporates just don’t give up. why do they spend a fortune on these ads..do they ever recover the costs?

The advertising agencies that cost them astronomical rates, try desperately to prove themselves worth it by resorting to gimmicks..often with liberal doses of vulgarity both visual and suggestive. But in the end, the point is lost .. the ads maybe eye-catching (chic models?!) but the focus on the product is lost.
Though we must concede that in today’s world marketing yourself is inevitable, you have to be different to get noticed. But you must know where to draw a line. companies must understand that their whacky ads notwithstanding, it is product quality that is paramount.
There can be no cogent explanation to the childish manner in which the leading brands try to belittle each other through ads.

When a company launches a product, they have to announce their arrival. so ads are indispensable. But they must strive to improve their brand through constant research and upgrading. When there is so much left to be desired when it comes to R&D, it certainly calls for prudent allocation of funds.
Otherwise it will be a battle of mediocres in the market..corporates vying for consumer attention like prospective grooms while actually it is choice between the devil and the deep sea for the consumer

Indian sports receives a facelift

On the sports front it is a wonderful way to start the new year as the very first slam witnessed Sania Mirza do India proud by qualifying to round three...the first Indian woman to do so. Even in her eventual loss to Serena she shone by matching the US champion stroke-to-stroke, and putiing up a gritty display. Soon came the next big surprise .. Narain Karthikeyan is all set to storm into F1 circuit and give Shumi a run for his money. We wish the fastest Indian,all the very best. For a country that has been struggling to perform in the international sports arena for the lack of adequate infrastructur ..where cricket alone attracts the sponsers this is certainly a good sign.. For international Sports is all about representing the talent,heritage of your country and we Indians certainly have both in abundance.. It is time the government started taking sports seriously and stopped offering excuses about spending in sports not being justified when there are issues like poverty,unemployment.... In a way international sports presents an opportunity to advertise your country..this will certainly help the country's economy by attracting investments.. So hope the wheels have been set into motion by the two stars mentioned above so that there is no looking back for Indian sports... Wishing Indian sports all the very best... Especially to Dada and his boys who will take on Pakistan soon....
good bye and take care

Venki Wonders

Hi everyone...Meet Venkatraghavan.R....an average citizen who observes the world around him and craves to be a part of eveything happening around him...One who wants to make his opinions on everything heard..One who believes that each one of us has a role to play rather than being a silent spectator...And one who is aware that he is not the only one feeling this way.
I invite all of you to visit my blog ..to spare a few seconds to my thoughts and share yours by posting your comments...to tell me if i am right or not..to help me get things in the right perspective..