we are journeying through grief
and we
are together...
tears and loss are part of our deep growing
we grow in mourning
sometimes apart
and thinking always
of one another
what rose-leaf memories
we share
and shared with those who left us
how hard we hold hands
letting our loss seep through
into one another
whenever an I turns a head
to ask a difficult question
there is always a you to hold it close...
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Monday, April 7, 2008
The Summer Activities Mail
Hi all,
Greetings of Gudi Padwa, Ugadi, Baisakhi and Visu. As the different parts of the Nation welcomes the new year in the course of this week, here’s us at twistntales wishing everyone of you a great beginning to the new year and hoping that prosperity fills hearts and minds with goodness and generosity, along with coffers, of course !
As usual, we at twistntales have a full summer calendar with our Sunday Morning Reading Sessions, and the one big activity to keep young minds active and bright.
Most of our events in the past have been innovative, interesting, challenging and extremely good fun for the kids who have participated. From our Street Plays (2003), Craft n Mask Workshop (2003), Karadi Rhymes concert (2004), Red Umbrella Library (2005) to the Young Journalist workshop (2006) our annual event each year has been fun, educative and completely enjoyable, both for us and the kids participating.
This year we plan a TREASURE HUNT for kids in the 12 to 14 yrs age group. We expect kids to be riding in their bicycles looking for clues (in teams) and cracking the jackpot. The Treasure Hunt will happen within Gaikwad Nagar and Anand Park localities.
Many of you know Sonja Chandrachud and must have read about her new book, “The Potion of Eternity”. Sonja is a long time friend of twistntales, having participated in many of our earlier reading sessions. This year, we are doing a reading of her new book, “The Potion of Eternity” and the Treasure Hunt is going to be based on her book. The winning team has a basket of goodies waiting!
The Treasure Hunt happens on Saturday, 3rd May @ 9am. We expect it to be finished by 1pm. Kids desirous of taking part in the Treasure Hunt need to register at twistntales. The registration charges are Rs. 500/- per kid and will happen on first come basis. Kindly do not call us after registrations close, and we shall not hold places …. Thanks!
Our regular Sunday Morning Reading Sessions start with Sonja’s book on 13th April. For those of you who are new to this, every summer during school vacations, we have our Sunday Morning Reading Sessions – these are free sessions for kids done by happy volunteers. Every Sunday, 11 to 12 noon. A suitable story book is selected appropriate for age group, and the volunteer reads out to interested kids who sit around (in mats outside the store). Often these sessions become pretty interactive, and at the end of an hour, we have newer stories created by the kids. All in all, these are fun sessions and we hope that kids will get into reading, and give Cartoon Network and Pogo a miss!
Given below is our calendar for April/ May. From this year, we are trying to include one session each in local languages, seeing the way our kids struggle in Hindi and Marathi languages in School. Do call us and let us know if you or kids would be interested in attending any of our sessions …. We need you to register your names as per session, and we shall give you a timely reminder!
Sunday Morning Reading Sessions:
Date Age Group Topic Volunteer
13th Apr 12 yrs + A Potion of Eternity Sonja Chandrachud
20th Apr 5 to 7 yrs Marathi Stories/ Poems Sonali Adkar
27th Apr 8 to 10 yrs Mathematwist Savita Narayan
3rd May (Sat) 12 – 14 yrs Treasure Hunt twistntales
11th May 7 to 9 yrs Hindi Stories Neema Pathak Broome
18th May Under 5 yrs Animal Stories Tripuri Godbole
Do call up and register for our sessions – it helps us to organize seats. The session for kids under 5 happens on 18th May and is compulsory for parents to attend. Do rush in with your names – also for the Treasure Hunt.
And now for books:
Some interesting books from alternate publishers:
“Godhra: A Journey to Mayhem” by Nirendra Dev @ Rs.295/- (203pgs)
From the special correspondent with the ‘Free Press Journal’ comes this very well researched book. The twelve chapters incorporated by the author sequentially deal with the background of Gujarat’s communalism, the actual event of the train halt at Godhra railway station, the bloody aftermath of the heart rending incident and its economic, social and political effects and consequences. The book does not shy away from openly citing names of persons, high ranking officials, political outfits and even social organizations (NGOs).
“On The Cultural Front” by Ritwik Ghatak @ Rs.100/- (119pgs)
In 1954, Ritwik Ghatak sent in this thesis to the communist Party’s offices in Calcutta. In it he presented his entire understanding of both national and international culture, and underlined the crucial role of the Communist artist who could take up the responsibility of creating awareness and a soft corner for communism among the common masses through plays, literature, documentaries and films. This extraordinary thesis lay in the records of the CPI (M), Calcutta and was only recently discovered and printed.
“Prithviraj and Prithvi Theatres: Prithvi theatre yearbook” by Prithviraj @ Rs.395/-
A tale of a young Pathan who came to Bombay, becomes a film actor and goes on to become an memorable icon in the field of theatre is beautifully depicted in this unique yearbook. The story of Prithvi theatre which crisscrossed the country for 16 years, performing topical plays and setting an inspiring example of the power of positive influence on society unfolds with every flick of a page and the black and white photographs with quotes from newspapers to eminent artistes makes it a treasury of memoirs!
“The School and The Society” by John Dewey @ Rs.195/- (127pgs)
A pioneer in educational reforms, American philosopher, psychologist, John Dewey’s thoughts and ideas have been greatly influential around the world and this book is one of the most popular and most translated publications in the field of education. It aptly describes the rationale behind the University and elementary school that made his perspective on teaching so famous.
“Constellations of Violence: Feminist Interventions in South Asia” edited by Radhika Coomaraswamy & Nimanthi Perera-Rajasingham @ Rs.400/- (260pgs)
This volume gathers together some reflections on the complex and shifting dynamics and gender in South Asia. With eight chapters authored by eminent feminist writers and meaningful excerpts from studies conducted at various levels and locations in society, this book comes as an eye opener about the current reality of numerous women subjected to different kinds of violence.
Lots of new books in the Store:
Fiction:
“The Successor” by Ismail Kadare @ Rs.510/-(207pgs)
The winner of the inaugural Man Booker prize is a brilliantly crafted novel revealing the searing indictment of political skullduggery and oppression. The successor of Albania’s dictator is found shot and dead. Amidst speculations and counter allegations arises…. the ghost of the successor! Blending dream and reality this is a mystery of perspectives that promises to seduce and surprise till the very last page.
“The Kitchen God’s Wife” by Amy Tan @ Rs. 395/-(415pgs)
A heartwarming story of secrets kept from her daughter by a mother, a friendship that does survive forever, memories of a faraway land and resurrecting life in foreign soil, this book is a classic Amy Tan tale. It’s a delightful as well as sombre take on cross cultural shifts, rifts and resettlement. The underlining fact is of course – the human spirit- whichever country, religion or creed it belongs to, dignity makes it remain beautiful and indomitable.
“An Offer You Can’t Refuse” by Jill Marsell @ Rs.245/- (409pgs)
Lola accepts ten thousand pounds from her boyfriend, Doughie’s mother to stay away from him and then ten years down the lane, when a twist of fate brings back Lola and Doughie face –to –face, begin the fireworks. Filled with complexities that can be created only by two people in love with each other but who hate to admit it, this funny exasperating, tear –jerker but ending on a positive note could be a great answer for that warm summer night read! Also, Lola works at a Bookstore called Kingsley’s
“A Prisoner of Birth” by Jeffrey Archer @ Rs.250/- (530pgs)
A chilling murder mystery, cleverly crafted and deliciously delivered, Archer’s most powerful novel since Kane and Abel has characters that linger on long past the spellbinding finale. This is a story of friendship and betrayal, of love and loyalty amongst two young lovers, a barrister, a popular actor, an aristocrat and a partner in a business firm.
“Gardens of Water” by Alan Drew @ Rs.495/- (338pgs)
A stunning debut novel, it traces the story of Sinan whose orderly life is shaken beyond belief by an earthquake in Istanbul. Stripped of his home and his livelihood, it hits him hard to accept the aid of American missionaries in his own land. Under the rubble in the streets of his beloved city lies buried his trust and hope but not his determination to be a good husband, protector and provider to his family; what ensues post –earthquake is his story of struggle and survival but not at the cost of his dignity.
Indian Writing:
“The Armageddon Mandala” by Gopal Mukherjee @ Rs. 395/- (574pgs)
The book is about Allen Ginsberg, a self-declared private eye in the town of Snowdrop and how his life changes drastically after he encounters an Indian ascetic named Gyani. When Ginsberg takes up Gyani’s offer to collaborate with him on a case, strange things begin to happen. Ginsberg finds himself trapped in a vortex of bizarre rituals and life threatening ordeals that defy explanation. He suddenly realizes that the toughest task ahead of him seems to be for him to adapt to his new identity and prevent…. a planetary holocaust!
“The Palace of Illusions” by Chitra Divakaruni @ Rs.495/- (360pgs)
From the author of best selling novels like Queen of Dreams, The Mistress of Spice and prize winning story collection Arranged Marriage, here is a re-imaging of the epic The Mahabharata - spoken from the point of view of Draupadi aka Panchaali, the wife of the five Pandava Brothers. Striking a chord with its timeless relevance in today’s war torn world, we are transported back into a time that is half history, half myth but wholly magical! Giving a refreshingly new interpretation of the epic we are enthralled by the magnetism of Panchaali who redefines for us the world of fiery warriors, Gods and the inescapable hands of fate.
“The Cyber Gypsies: A frank account of life and travels on the electronic frontier “ by Indra Sinha @ Rs.400/- (392 pgs)
A personal confession of a cyber –surf addict, this book is an eye opener about the global on-line obsession.’Bear’ is the protagonist who can sacrifice his family and work just for his nightly dose of cyber-reality, in which he may encounter anything from witches to techno paths planning to virus a nuclear plant! His intense entanglement in the ‘web’ piles on to lead him to a personal and moral crisis .How he escapes is what the book is about.
Philosophy/ Inspiration:
“The sun rises in the evening” by Osho @ Rs.250/- (239pgs)
Osho the learned takes us on an immense journey with Yoka Daishi, a great Zen master through this book. These sutras are known as shodoka, the ‘song of enlightenment’ and in his inimitable way he gives us a refreshing look into the world of Zen- a living, breathing, moment –to –moment experience of the here and now.
“One master one disciple: A thrilling spiritual adventure” by Jyotii Subramanian @ Rs.250/-(173pgs)
Written as memoirs, this book is a journey of spiritual awakening through the book, the author evolves not only as a spiritual seeker but also as a more balanced human being capable of handling adversity with courage and dignity. Initiated into Kriya Yoga by Swami Gurunath, she shares her paranormal experiences, which generate wonder, and underlines the strong ties that bind the Guru and the true disciple. The book includes a helpful glossary of Sanskrit words and nine, easy to practice ancient yogic techniques.
“All Rise” by Robert Fuller @ Rs. 300/- (203pgs)
Fuller identifies ‘Rankism’ as the chief obstacle to achieving liberty and justice for all. He does realize though that without it organizations could become dysfunctional and so, he details a society in which all are equal in terms of dignity. He goes on to offer hope and practical solutions for fashioning a world where human relationships are governed by respect and every person’s right to dignity is affirmed.
“50 Prosperity Classics” @ Rs. 660/-(305pgs)
An excellent compendium of some classic books that help us understand what Prosperity is. This amazing book lists the best hot -shot ways presented in different books to attract prosperity, Create it, Manage it and then give a little of it back to society! Each of the fifty chapters handle excerpts and comments, from and about authors such as James Allen, Warren Buffet, Peter Drucker, Rhonda Byrne, Benjamin Graham, Napoleon Hill, Suze Orman, Ayn Rand, Donald Trump and many more inspirational icons.
“Who stole my energy?” by Ariana Trinity @ Rs. 195/-(194pgs)
This interesting book deals with the theory of maximizing human energy in today’s world. In this modern world, it is easy to feel completely drained of energy, and not know why. So, the author explains how various factors like fear, anxiety, boredom and anger have a negative impact on human energy and how positive emotions and attitudes can keep us feeling forever fresh. She goes on to aid the reader in some self-transformation techniques, which can enhance one’s health, wealth and relationships
“A promise is a promise” by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer @ Rs.150/-(90pgs)
A touching, true story of a mothers incomparable love for her daughter, this book really makes one sit back and wonder about the power of the human mind’s will. For more than thirty years, Edwarda has been in a comatose state and her mother Kaye has kept vigil at her bedside, feeding her every two hours and giving her insulin every four hours around the clock. This tenacity of a dedicated mother has attracted miracles, including the spiritual apparition of The Blessed Mother. Only the reader can surmise, whether such encounters are fact or imagination of the human mind.
“Just like that: Talks on Sufi stories” by Osho @ Rs.295/- (273pgs)
Truth cannot be taught but it can be learned, beginning with this philosophy, this book brings together Osho’s talks on Sufism and Sufi stories. With short tales of wit and some lyrical poetry interspersed in his discourses, the ‘Guru’ peels off the layers of our consciousness and introduces us to ourselves.
Management:
“Judgment: how winning leaders make great calls” by Noel Tichy @ Rs.460/-(392 pgs)
In the face of ambiguity, uncertainty and conflicting demands, the quality of a leader’s judgement determines the fate of an entire organization. Despite its immense importance it has been a fairly foggy concept and here is where the authors step in. Having studied for decades the effects and requisites of good judgement, they offer in this book a powerful framework for making those tough calls.
“A to Z of business strategy: Quick-reference guide to principles, concepts and contemporary practices” by A.V. Vedpuriswar @ Rs.280/- (256pgs)
Arranged alphabetically, this book presents the essence of business strategy in more than 325 crisp topics. These include the principles of strategic management, insights on strategy of global thought leaders and explanation of key concepts. In today’s highly complex and competitive environment, strategy is the core of business success. Keeping this fact in mind, the author has introduced the topic right from the basics. An extensive bibliography guides you to other authoritative books and resources on the subject.
“FLIP: How to succeed by turning everything you know on its head” by Peter Sheahan @ Rs.295/- (326pgs)
In this snappy and racy book, the not –yet –30 author shares insights gained from his work inside the boardrooms of the world’s most significant companies. His funda is to succeed by turning everything you know on its head! The gist of the book is to make full use of the ‘Refresh’ icon! Think fresh, think different and take that risk to do something different is his mantra for a more dynamic, positively headed venture - adventure!
“Awakening The Entrepreneur Within” by Michael E Gerber @ Rs. 525/-(268pgs)
Beginning with the immensely inspiring words ‘A business without a dream is like a life without purpose’ this book is all about how ordinary people can create extraordinary companies. Creator of the E-Myth Worldwide, which transformed the way that small business owners grew their companies, In this book Michael dreams to inspire people to dream, envisions to help people set up their dreams (business), proposes to create means by which entrepreneurs can generate their economic freedom and makes it his mission to create a turnkey system to awaken the entrepreneur in every person who wishes to go into business.
“Death to all sacred cows: How successful business people put the old rules out to pasture” by David Bernstein Beau Fraser and Bill Schwab @ Rs.700/- (211pgs)
Figuring that formulae may be comforting, but they rarely work in the real world, the authors have come up with the truest and funniest business book to deal with this dilemma! They have detailed ways to identify sacred, inflexible rules (read ‘cows’) and guide us how to exterminate them and replace bygone theories with brilliant alternatives that promise to rev up our career in overdrive. From ‘always trust your research ‘, ‘Follow the leader’, ‘the goal of marketing is to sell a product’ to ‘Branding is expensive’ many comfortable cows are taken to task.
Memoirs:
“My Country, My Life” by L.K Advani @ Rs.595/- (986pgs)
The much awaited memoirs of a national leader who effectively combines intellectualism, integrity and mass appeal does not disappoint .The book is divided into six phases which chronologically express Advani’s views and experiences from the ‘Triumph of freedom, Tragedy of Partition; his entry into RSS, his career in politics and the tumultuous turn of the century. With a foreword by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, this book could easily be an unparalleled compendium of political upheavals in India post independence.
“Dreams from my Father” by Barack Obama @ Rs.560/- (442pgs)
Written much before Obama had thoughts of a political career, this book traces his journey through his own life. Only two years old when his black African father walked out on his white American mother, Obama travelled to Nairobi many years later when he received news of his father demise; and thus began his quest about his father’s life and reconciliation with his divided inheritance. Not only does this book stress on his desire to relate to his ‘roots’ but also illuminates the universal longing to understand our history and the deep understanding of the basic wants of a human being and what makes us the people that we are.
“A stubbornly persistent illusion: The essential scientific works of Albert Einstein” by Stephen Hawking @ Rs.845/-(468pgs)
‘Einstein’ was known not only for his groundbreaking ideas in physics but also for thoughtful views on politics, religion and the interplay between science and the world. From ‘the scientific heir’ to Einstein, Newton and Galileo we have a wonderful compilation of a number of Einstein’s essays to which the author provides introductions, giving both historical and scientific perspective.
“Intern: A doctor’s initiation” by Sandeep Jauhar @ Rs.350/- (299pgs)
An intern almost a decade ago, the author still remembers it the way soldiers remember war. From fresh idealism to surprise, irony to belief in the right conviction, the new ‘doctor’ comes a full circle to see that today’s hi- tech, high-pressure medicine is humane after all. The story of Sandeep Jauhar’s days and nights in residency at a busy hospital in New York City, this beautifully written memoir narrates the inner workings of modern medicine with rare candour and insight.
“Mukkam Post Reserve Bank” by Late Mr. V.G. Pendharkar @ Rs.130/- (Marathi)
A graduate from the London School of Economics, Mr. V.G Pendharkar served in the Reserve Bank of India from 1945 to 1979. This vast period was marked by some sweeping and dynamic changes in the Indian economy and Mr. Pendharkar was not only witness to it but also a path breaker himself. His varied experiences about the different projects he was involved in; like the representative for India at the IMF and IBRD, and the many types of people, bosses and colleagues he came across are described with wit and a rare insight in this book which has been published by his daughter and son –in –law Kunda and Arvind Kelkar, posthumously. The Kelkars are residents of Anand Park, Aundh.
SocioEco:
“Gang Leader For A Day – A Rogue sociologist crosses the line” by Sudhir Venkatesh @ Rs. 415/- (302pgs)
A gripping story of discovery, about life on the wrong side of tracks, based on research material gathered through the author’s decade long stay with the ‘Black Kings Gang’ in Chicago’s south side. When a naïve sociology student goes to find more about urban poverty in Chicago, he is held hostage by a gang. Some really unmissable experiences indeed …, which are best, experienced second hand of course! Incredibly funny and heartbreaking, this is one man’s take on understanding what makes people in gangs tick.
“Blood of the Earth: The battle for the world’s vanishing oil resources” by Dilip Hiro @ Rs.450/- (427pgs)
A gripping story of the history of oil, the global politics that it has fuelled and the probable oil wars that can be foreseen in the near future, this book awakens the layman to give a serious thought to look for alternatives to hydrocarbons. Oil, the chief weapon of any war, is now also ‘blood of the Earth’ and proving to be the ‘blood of victory’ as well. A prized commodity for which wars are fought, it definitely merits some serious thought.
“What’s Next: the expert’s guide” by Jane Buckingham @ Rs.785/- (283pgs)
From the founder and president of a successful trend-spotting company ‘The Intelligence group’, this book is a manifestation of the views and conversations with dozens of fascinating persons from a myriad range of professions; like computer sciences, acting, campaign advisors, magazine editors and architects! In a world that seems to be changing faster than ever, this book offers good pointers to how we can keep up and stay ahead. Interesting topics include-the future of city planning, robotics, the reform of student loan debt, insurance, energy and loads more!
Travel:
“Right of passage: Travels from Brooklyn to Bali” by Rahul Jacob @ Rs.250/-(266 pgs)
Possessing an amazing aptitude to transform the simplest journey into a warm, thoughtful experience, the author magically weaves his travelogues in these well presented, simply written memoirs. Covering a vast array of small towns, slick cities as well as wild terrains, the delightful descriptions of Brooklyn, Bali, Rome, Madhya Pradesh, Beirut, Dakar, Singapore, Saigon and …a lot more… educate, entertain and simply chill you out!
“Outlook Series – Wellness Holidays in India” @ Rs. 295/-(507pgs)
Introducing a relatively new topic in the realm of travel, this book marks out most of the great getaways that promise to rejuvenate and refresh the senses, mind and body. It mentions some relaxing and getting –back –into –a –healthy routine places where people admit to be regulars so they can ‘overhaul’ all their systems! From Luxury spas to naturopathy resorts, from Spartan yoga retreats to soulful meditation camps there is an amazing array of locations to simply ‘refresh’.
Others:
“The Indigo Children” by Lee Carroll & Jan Tober @ Rs. 295/-(Parenting)
This book is a tremendously encouraging guide to correctly handle extra intelligent, sensitive , uniquely modelled ‘Indigo children’. This practical handbook answers many of the often puzzling questions such as why do such brilliant children have Attention Deficit Disorder? Are these kids smarter for their age? How can we get them to mix with ‘normal’ children? This book brings profound and far reaching positive effects on the psyche of parents and caregivers of such uniquely ‘gifted’ children.
“Ramayana: A modern translation” by Ramesh Menon @ Rs.495/-
The epic Ramayana has come down from generation to generation through time immemorial and has been translated in numerous languages. Menon’s Ramayana is not a scholarly translation of the mystifying epic, but a lush, imaginative rendering of the human stories and the emotions that ‘Bhakti’ stirs. Divided into the traditional seven ‘kanda’s, the book elaborately narrates the spellbinding story of Ram and Ayodhya.
Keep reading and do turn up at the Store for our reading sessions!
From the team at,
twistntales
Greetings of Gudi Padwa, Ugadi, Baisakhi and Visu. As the different parts of the Nation welcomes the new year in the course of this week, here’s us at twistntales wishing everyone of you a great beginning to the new year and hoping that prosperity fills hearts and minds with goodness and generosity, along with coffers, of course !
As usual, we at twistntales have a full summer calendar with our Sunday Morning Reading Sessions, and the one big activity to keep young minds active and bright.
Most of our events in the past have been innovative, interesting, challenging and extremely good fun for the kids who have participated. From our Street Plays (2003), Craft n Mask Workshop (2003), Karadi Rhymes concert (2004), Red Umbrella Library (2005) to the Young Journalist workshop (2006) our annual event each year has been fun, educative and completely enjoyable, both for us and the kids participating.
This year we plan a TREASURE HUNT for kids in the 12 to 14 yrs age group. We expect kids to be riding in their bicycles looking for clues (in teams) and cracking the jackpot. The Treasure Hunt will happen within Gaikwad Nagar and Anand Park localities.
Many of you know Sonja Chandrachud and must have read about her new book, “The Potion of Eternity”. Sonja is a long time friend of twistntales, having participated in many of our earlier reading sessions. This year, we are doing a reading of her new book, “The Potion of Eternity” and the Treasure Hunt is going to be based on her book. The winning team has a basket of goodies waiting!
The Treasure Hunt happens on Saturday, 3rd May @ 9am. We expect it to be finished by 1pm. Kids desirous of taking part in the Treasure Hunt need to register at twistntales. The registration charges are Rs. 500/- per kid and will happen on first come basis. Kindly do not call us after registrations close, and we shall not hold places …. Thanks!
Our regular Sunday Morning Reading Sessions start with Sonja’s book on 13th April. For those of you who are new to this, every summer during school vacations, we have our Sunday Morning Reading Sessions – these are free sessions for kids done by happy volunteers. Every Sunday, 11 to 12 noon. A suitable story book is selected appropriate for age group, and the volunteer reads out to interested kids who sit around (in mats outside the store). Often these sessions become pretty interactive, and at the end of an hour, we have newer stories created by the kids. All in all, these are fun sessions and we hope that kids will get into reading, and give Cartoon Network and Pogo a miss!
Given below is our calendar for April/ May. From this year, we are trying to include one session each in local languages, seeing the way our kids struggle in Hindi and Marathi languages in School. Do call us and let us know if you or kids would be interested in attending any of our sessions …. We need you to register your names as per session, and we shall give you a timely reminder!
Sunday Morning Reading Sessions:
Date Age Group Topic Volunteer
13th Apr 12 yrs + A Potion of Eternity Sonja Chandrachud
20th Apr 5 to 7 yrs Marathi Stories/ Poems Sonali Adkar
27th Apr 8 to 10 yrs Mathematwist Savita Narayan
3rd May (Sat) 12 – 14 yrs Treasure Hunt twistntales
11th May 7 to 9 yrs Hindi Stories Neema Pathak Broome
18th May Under 5 yrs Animal Stories Tripuri Godbole
Do call up and register for our sessions – it helps us to organize seats. The session for kids under 5 happens on 18th May and is compulsory for parents to attend. Do rush in with your names – also for the Treasure Hunt.
And now for books:
Some interesting books from alternate publishers:
“Godhra: A Journey to Mayhem” by Nirendra Dev @ Rs.295/- (203pgs)
From the special correspondent with the ‘Free Press Journal’ comes this very well researched book. The twelve chapters incorporated by the author sequentially deal with the background of Gujarat’s communalism, the actual event of the train halt at Godhra railway station, the bloody aftermath of the heart rending incident and its economic, social and political effects and consequences. The book does not shy away from openly citing names of persons, high ranking officials, political outfits and even social organizations (NGOs).
“On The Cultural Front” by Ritwik Ghatak @ Rs.100/- (119pgs)
In 1954, Ritwik Ghatak sent in this thesis to the communist Party’s offices in Calcutta. In it he presented his entire understanding of both national and international culture, and underlined the crucial role of the Communist artist who could take up the responsibility of creating awareness and a soft corner for communism among the common masses through plays, literature, documentaries and films. This extraordinary thesis lay in the records of the CPI (M), Calcutta and was only recently discovered and printed.
“Prithviraj and Prithvi Theatres: Prithvi theatre yearbook” by Prithviraj @ Rs.395/-
A tale of a young Pathan who came to Bombay, becomes a film actor and goes on to become an memorable icon in the field of theatre is beautifully depicted in this unique yearbook. The story of Prithvi theatre which crisscrossed the country for 16 years, performing topical plays and setting an inspiring example of the power of positive influence on society unfolds with every flick of a page and the black and white photographs with quotes from newspapers to eminent artistes makes it a treasury of memoirs!
“The School and The Society” by John Dewey @ Rs.195/- (127pgs)
A pioneer in educational reforms, American philosopher, psychologist, John Dewey’s thoughts and ideas have been greatly influential around the world and this book is one of the most popular and most translated publications in the field of education. It aptly describes the rationale behind the University and elementary school that made his perspective on teaching so famous.
“Constellations of Violence: Feminist Interventions in South Asia” edited by Radhika Coomaraswamy & Nimanthi Perera-Rajasingham @ Rs.400/- (260pgs)
This volume gathers together some reflections on the complex and shifting dynamics and gender in South Asia. With eight chapters authored by eminent feminist writers and meaningful excerpts from studies conducted at various levels and locations in society, this book comes as an eye opener about the current reality of numerous women subjected to different kinds of violence.
Lots of new books in the Store:
Fiction:
“The Successor” by Ismail Kadare @ Rs.510/-(207pgs)
The winner of the inaugural Man Booker prize is a brilliantly crafted novel revealing the searing indictment of political skullduggery and oppression. The successor of Albania’s dictator is found shot and dead. Amidst speculations and counter allegations arises…. the ghost of the successor! Blending dream and reality this is a mystery of perspectives that promises to seduce and surprise till the very last page.
“The Kitchen God’s Wife” by Amy Tan @ Rs. 395/-(415pgs)
A heartwarming story of secrets kept from her daughter by a mother, a friendship that does survive forever, memories of a faraway land and resurrecting life in foreign soil, this book is a classic Amy Tan tale. It’s a delightful as well as sombre take on cross cultural shifts, rifts and resettlement. The underlining fact is of course – the human spirit- whichever country, religion or creed it belongs to, dignity makes it remain beautiful and indomitable.
“An Offer You Can’t Refuse” by Jill Marsell @ Rs.245/- (409pgs)
Lola accepts ten thousand pounds from her boyfriend, Doughie’s mother to stay away from him and then ten years down the lane, when a twist of fate brings back Lola and Doughie face –to –face, begin the fireworks. Filled with complexities that can be created only by two people in love with each other but who hate to admit it, this funny exasperating, tear –jerker but ending on a positive note could be a great answer for that warm summer night read! Also, Lola works at a Bookstore called Kingsley’s
“A Prisoner of Birth” by Jeffrey Archer @ Rs.250/- (530pgs)
A chilling murder mystery, cleverly crafted and deliciously delivered, Archer’s most powerful novel since Kane and Abel has characters that linger on long past the spellbinding finale. This is a story of friendship and betrayal, of love and loyalty amongst two young lovers, a barrister, a popular actor, an aristocrat and a partner in a business firm.
“Gardens of Water” by Alan Drew @ Rs.495/- (338pgs)
A stunning debut novel, it traces the story of Sinan whose orderly life is shaken beyond belief by an earthquake in Istanbul. Stripped of his home and his livelihood, it hits him hard to accept the aid of American missionaries in his own land. Under the rubble in the streets of his beloved city lies buried his trust and hope but not his determination to be a good husband, protector and provider to his family; what ensues post –earthquake is his story of struggle and survival but not at the cost of his dignity.
Indian Writing:
“The Armageddon Mandala” by Gopal Mukherjee @ Rs. 395/- (574pgs)
The book is about Allen Ginsberg, a self-declared private eye in the town of Snowdrop and how his life changes drastically after he encounters an Indian ascetic named Gyani. When Ginsberg takes up Gyani’s offer to collaborate with him on a case, strange things begin to happen. Ginsberg finds himself trapped in a vortex of bizarre rituals and life threatening ordeals that defy explanation. He suddenly realizes that the toughest task ahead of him seems to be for him to adapt to his new identity and prevent…. a planetary holocaust!
“The Palace of Illusions” by Chitra Divakaruni @ Rs.495/- (360pgs)
From the author of best selling novels like Queen of Dreams, The Mistress of Spice and prize winning story collection Arranged Marriage, here is a re-imaging of the epic The Mahabharata - spoken from the point of view of Draupadi aka Panchaali, the wife of the five Pandava Brothers. Striking a chord with its timeless relevance in today’s war torn world, we are transported back into a time that is half history, half myth but wholly magical! Giving a refreshingly new interpretation of the epic we are enthralled by the magnetism of Panchaali who redefines for us the world of fiery warriors, Gods and the inescapable hands of fate.
“The Cyber Gypsies: A frank account of life and travels on the electronic frontier “ by Indra Sinha @ Rs.400/- (392 pgs)
A personal confession of a cyber –surf addict, this book is an eye opener about the global on-line obsession.’Bear’ is the protagonist who can sacrifice his family and work just for his nightly dose of cyber-reality, in which he may encounter anything from witches to techno paths planning to virus a nuclear plant! His intense entanglement in the ‘web’ piles on to lead him to a personal and moral crisis .How he escapes is what the book is about.
Philosophy/ Inspiration:
“The sun rises in the evening” by Osho @ Rs.250/- (239pgs)
Osho the learned takes us on an immense journey with Yoka Daishi, a great Zen master through this book. These sutras are known as shodoka, the ‘song of enlightenment’ and in his inimitable way he gives us a refreshing look into the world of Zen- a living, breathing, moment –to –moment experience of the here and now.
“One master one disciple: A thrilling spiritual adventure” by Jyotii Subramanian @ Rs.250/-(173pgs)
Written as memoirs, this book is a journey of spiritual awakening through the book, the author evolves not only as a spiritual seeker but also as a more balanced human being capable of handling adversity with courage and dignity. Initiated into Kriya Yoga by Swami Gurunath, she shares her paranormal experiences, which generate wonder, and underlines the strong ties that bind the Guru and the true disciple. The book includes a helpful glossary of Sanskrit words and nine, easy to practice ancient yogic techniques.
“All Rise” by Robert Fuller @ Rs. 300/- (203pgs)
Fuller identifies ‘Rankism’ as the chief obstacle to achieving liberty and justice for all. He does realize though that without it organizations could become dysfunctional and so, he details a society in which all are equal in terms of dignity. He goes on to offer hope and practical solutions for fashioning a world where human relationships are governed by respect and every person’s right to dignity is affirmed.
“50 Prosperity Classics” @ Rs. 660/-(305pgs)
An excellent compendium of some classic books that help us understand what Prosperity is. This amazing book lists the best hot -shot ways presented in different books to attract prosperity, Create it, Manage it and then give a little of it back to society! Each of the fifty chapters handle excerpts and comments, from and about authors such as James Allen, Warren Buffet, Peter Drucker, Rhonda Byrne, Benjamin Graham, Napoleon Hill, Suze Orman, Ayn Rand, Donald Trump and many more inspirational icons.
“Who stole my energy?” by Ariana Trinity @ Rs. 195/-(194pgs)
This interesting book deals with the theory of maximizing human energy in today’s world. In this modern world, it is easy to feel completely drained of energy, and not know why. So, the author explains how various factors like fear, anxiety, boredom and anger have a negative impact on human energy and how positive emotions and attitudes can keep us feeling forever fresh. She goes on to aid the reader in some self-transformation techniques, which can enhance one’s health, wealth and relationships
“A promise is a promise” by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer @ Rs.150/-(90pgs)
A touching, true story of a mothers incomparable love for her daughter, this book really makes one sit back and wonder about the power of the human mind’s will. For more than thirty years, Edwarda has been in a comatose state and her mother Kaye has kept vigil at her bedside, feeding her every two hours and giving her insulin every four hours around the clock. This tenacity of a dedicated mother has attracted miracles, including the spiritual apparition of The Blessed Mother. Only the reader can surmise, whether such encounters are fact or imagination of the human mind.
“Just like that: Talks on Sufi stories” by Osho @ Rs.295/- (273pgs)
Truth cannot be taught but it can be learned, beginning with this philosophy, this book brings together Osho’s talks on Sufism and Sufi stories. With short tales of wit and some lyrical poetry interspersed in his discourses, the ‘Guru’ peels off the layers of our consciousness and introduces us to ourselves.
Management:
“Judgment: how winning leaders make great calls” by Noel Tichy @ Rs.460/-(392 pgs)
In the face of ambiguity, uncertainty and conflicting demands, the quality of a leader’s judgement determines the fate of an entire organization. Despite its immense importance it has been a fairly foggy concept and here is where the authors step in. Having studied for decades the effects and requisites of good judgement, they offer in this book a powerful framework for making those tough calls.
“A to Z of business strategy: Quick-reference guide to principles, concepts and contemporary practices” by A.V. Vedpuriswar @ Rs.280/- (256pgs)
Arranged alphabetically, this book presents the essence of business strategy in more than 325 crisp topics. These include the principles of strategic management, insights on strategy of global thought leaders and explanation of key concepts. In today’s highly complex and competitive environment, strategy is the core of business success. Keeping this fact in mind, the author has introduced the topic right from the basics. An extensive bibliography guides you to other authoritative books and resources on the subject.
“FLIP: How to succeed by turning everything you know on its head” by Peter Sheahan @ Rs.295/- (326pgs)
In this snappy and racy book, the not –yet –30 author shares insights gained from his work inside the boardrooms of the world’s most significant companies. His funda is to succeed by turning everything you know on its head! The gist of the book is to make full use of the ‘Refresh’ icon! Think fresh, think different and take that risk to do something different is his mantra for a more dynamic, positively headed venture - adventure!
“Awakening The Entrepreneur Within” by Michael E Gerber @ Rs. 525/-(268pgs)
Beginning with the immensely inspiring words ‘A business without a dream is like a life without purpose’ this book is all about how ordinary people can create extraordinary companies. Creator of the E-Myth Worldwide, which transformed the way that small business owners grew their companies, In this book Michael dreams to inspire people to dream, envisions to help people set up their dreams (business), proposes to create means by which entrepreneurs can generate their economic freedom and makes it his mission to create a turnkey system to awaken the entrepreneur in every person who wishes to go into business.
“Death to all sacred cows: How successful business people put the old rules out to pasture” by David Bernstein Beau Fraser and Bill Schwab @ Rs.700/- (211pgs)
Figuring that formulae may be comforting, but they rarely work in the real world, the authors have come up with the truest and funniest business book to deal with this dilemma! They have detailed ways to identify sacred, inflexible rules (read ‘cows’) and guide us how to exterminate them and replace bygone theories with brilliant alternatives that promise to rev up our career in overdrive. From ‘always trust your research ‘, ‘Follow the leader’, ‘the goal of marketing is to sell a product’ to ‘Branding is expensive’ many comfortable cows are taken to task.
Memoirs:
“My Country, My Life” by L.K Advani @ Rs.595/- (986pgs)
The much awaited memoirs of a national leader who effectively combines intellectualism, integrity and mass appeal does not disappoint .The book is divided into six phases which chronologically express Advani’s views and experiences from the ‘Triumph of freedom, Tragedy of Partition; his entry into RSS, his career in politics and the tumultuous turn of the century. With a foreword by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, this book could easily be an unparalleled compendium of political upheavals in India post independence.
“Dreams from my Father” by Barack Obama @ Rs.560/- (442pgs)
Written much before Obama had thoughts of a political career, this book traces his journey through his own life. Only two years old when his black African father walked out on his white American mother, Obama travelled to Nairobi many years later when he received news of his father demise; and thus began his quest about his father’s life and reconciliation with his divided inheritance. Not only does this book stress on his desire to relate to his ‘roots’ but also illuminates the universal longing to understand our history and the deep understanding of the basic wants of a human being and what makes us the people that we are.
“A stubbornly persistent illusion: The essential scientific works of Albert Einstein” by Stephen Hawking @ Rs.845/-(468pgs)
‘Einstein’ was known not only for his groundbreaking ideas in physics but also for thoughtful views on politics, religion and the interplay between science and the world. From ‘the scientific heir’ to Einstein, Newton and Galileo we have a wonderful compilation of a number of Einstein’s essays to which the author provides introductions, giving both historical and scientific perspective.
“Intern: A doctor’s initiation” by Sandeep Jauhar @ Rs.350/- (299pgs)
An intern almost a decade ago, the author still remembers it the way soldiers remember war. From fresh idealism to surprise, irony to belief in the right conviction, the new ‘doctor’ comes a full circle to see that today’s hi- tech, high-pressure medicine is humane after all. The story of Sandeep Jauhar’s days and nights in residency at a busy hospital in New York City, this beautifully written memoir narrates the inner workings of modern medicine with rare candour and insight.
“Mukkam Post Reserve Bank” by Late Mr. V.G. Pendharkar @ Rs.130/- (Marathi)
A graduate from the London School of Economics, Mr. V.G Pendharkar served in the Reserve Bank of India from 1945 to 1979. This vast period was marked by some sweeping and dynamic changes in the Indian economy and Mr. Pendharkar was not only witness to it but also a path breaker himself. His varied experiences about the different projects he was involved in; like the representative for India at the IMF and IBRD, and the many types of people, bosses and colleagues he came across are described with wit and a rare insight in this book which has been published by his daughter and son –in –law Kunda and Arvind Kelkar, posthumously. The Kelkars are residents of Anand Park, Aundh.
SocioEco:
“Gang Leader For A Day – A Rogue sociologist crosses the line” by Sudhir Venkatesh @ Rs. 415/- (302pgs)
A gripping story of discovery, about life on the wrong side of tracks, based on research material gathered through the author’s decade long stay with the ‘Black Kings Gang’ in Chicago’s south side. When a naïve sociology student goes to find more about urban poverty in Chicago, he is held hostage by a gang. Some really unmissable experiences indeed …, which are best, experienced second hand of course! Incredibly funny and heartbreaking, this is one man’s take on understanding what makes people in gangs tick.
“Blood of the Earth: The battle for the world’s vanishing oil resources” by Dilip Hiro @ Rs.450/- (427pgs)
A gripping story of the history of oil, the global politics that it has fuelled and the probable oil wars that can be foreseen in the near future, this book awakens the layman to give a serious thought to look for alternatives to hydrocarbons. Oil, the chief weapon of any war, is now also ‘blood of the Earth’ and proving to be the ‘blood of victory’ as well. A prized commodity for which wars are fought, it definitely merits some serious thought.
“What’s Next: the expert’s guide” by Jane Buckingham @ Rs.785/- (283pgs)
From the founder and president of a successful trend-spotting company ‘The Intelligence group’, this book is a manifestation of the views and conversations with dozens of fascinating persons from a myriad range of professions; like computer sciences, acting, campaign advisors, magazine editors and architects! In a world that seems to be changing faster than ever, this book offers good pointers to how we can keep up and stay ahead. Interesting topics include-the future of city planning, robotics, the reform of student loan debt, insurance, energy and loads more!
Travel:
“Right of passage: Travels from Brooklyn to Bali” by Rahul Jacob @ Rs.250/-(266 pgs)
Possessing an amazing aptitude to transform the simplest journey into a warm, thoughtful experience, the author magically weaves his travelogues in these well presented, simply written memoirs. Covering a vast array of small towns, slick cities as well as wild terrains, the delightful descriptions of Brooklyn, Bali, Rome, Madhya Pradesh, Beirut, Dakar, Singapore, Saigon and …a lot more… educate, entertain and simply chill you out!
“Outlook Series – Wellness Holidays in India” @ Rs. 295/-(507pgs)
Introducing a relatively new topic in the realm of travel, this book marks out most of the great getaways that promise to rejuvenate and refresh the senses, mind and body. It mentions some relaxing and getting –back –into –a –healthy routine places where people admit to be regulars so they can ‘overhaul’ all their systems! From Luxury spas to naturopathy resorts, from Spartan yoga retreats to soulful meditation camps there is an amazing array of locations to simply ‘refresh’.
Others:
“The Indigo Children” by Lee Carroll & Jan Tober @ Rs. 295/-(Parenting)
This book is a tremendously encouraging guide to correctly handle extra intelligent, sensitive , uniquely modelled ‘Indigo children’. This practical handbook answers many of the often puzzling questions such as why do such brilliant children have Attention Deficit Disorder? Are these kids smarter for their age? How can we get them to mix with ‘normal’ children? This book brings profound and far reaching positive effects on the psyche of parents and caregivers of such uniquely ‘gifted’ children.
“Ramayana: A modern translation” by Ramesh Menon @ Rs.495/-
The epic Ramayana has come down from generation to generation through time immemorial and has been translated in numerous languages. Menon’s Ramayana is not a scholarly translation of the mystifying epic, but a lush, imaginative rendering of the human stories and the emotions that ‘Bhakti’ stirs. Divided into the traditional seven ‘kanda’s, the book elaborately narrates the spellbinding story of Ram and Ayodhya.
Keep reading and do turn up at the Store for our reading sessions!
From the team at,
twistntales
Stories worth re-telling !
Nasscom Leadership Summit has always been a place for good story-telling and provocative thoughts. This year, the spark came not from a software veteran or a BPO moghul, but a captain of an old economy industry. Anand Mahindra, vice chairman and managing director of Mahindra & Mahindra drew from mythology to call for game-changing innovation from the IT industry.
"One of the tasks we at the Mahindra Group have set ourselves is to aspire to be recognized as the most customer-centric organization in India, and why not, in the World!
In order to walk the talk, every time I'm asked to speak at a conference, I have made it a default option to ask what the audience--my customers--might expect of me.
And so I found myself wondering what this conclave of IT wizards expects from a predominantly right-brained character like myself. You certainly haven't called me here to deliver a sermon on technology. And I wouldn't even risk doing that with Nandan (Nilekani) and Kiran (Karnik) sharing the dais!
Of course, I might have been able to do that by getting one of my IT colleagues to write this speech, but then it would have been comprehensible to you, but incomprehensible to me!
And although the title of this session is 'Building a Knowledge Economy for Growth', I believe that a) All of you out there have helped build the foundations of a knowledge economy, so again, you don't need me to pontificate to you about that and b) I think there are some urgent pressures and imperatives the industry has to deal with at this point.
So, I'm going to talk about something completely different: I will talk about the Trimurti.
Most of the Indians in this audience will know the Trimurti – the trinity in Indian mythology of Brahma the creator, Vishnu the sustainer and Shiva the destroyer. There is a wonderful depiction of this in stone, just ten kilometers across the bay, at Elephanta. Both as a businessman, and as someone who tends to see life in visual images, the Trimurti reminds me of India's IT industry. Think of it.
You people have gone through a stage, where like Brahma, you created something out of nothing. You created a new and global industry. You created a service sector that is today, a major pillar of our GDP. But most importantly, you created a perception of a new India, both in the world and in Indian hearts and minds.
CK Prahalad once told me that in universities in America today, there are almost unfairly high expectations from Indian students, because there is a huge perception that all Indian students are brilliant, outstanding. You created that perception. And within India, what you created was self-belief. You showed us what Indians could do, and now the rest of India believes that Indians can do anything. Brahma created a physical landscape; you sowed the seeds of a new mental and psychological landscape. In that sense, you are truly the Brahmas of the age of liberalisation.
But creation is only the first phase. You then have to move on to the next phase of sustaining that creation - to the realm of Vishnu the preserver. Creation is a one-time affair. Sustaining that creation is obviously a longer haul, subject to many attacks and crises. Perhaps that is why Vishnu comes not in one, but in ten incarnations.
Every time there is a new danger, he changes his avatar to a form best suited to meet that danger. At various times he has come as a fish, as a tortoise, as a dwarf. But his most interesting avatar came when he had to fight the demon Hiranyakashyap. Hiranyakashyap was a bad guy, who had obtained an amazing boon from the gods. Neither man nor beast could kill him; he could not be killed by daylight or at nighttime, within his home or outside it, on the ground or in the sky. All this made him pretty invincible – he went on a rampage, and only Vishnu could tackle him.
The IT industry today faces challenges every bit as complex as those Hiranyakashyap posed for Vishnu. It is hit by a macroeconomic tsunami of adverse currency changes, rapidly escalating costs in both salaries and infrastructure and inadequate talent pools below the tier 1 and 2 institutions.
At the Company level, firms are begin to feel the penalties of poor differentiation and lack of focus (trying to be all things to all people); and an over-emphasis on high volumes and price competition.
Suddenly, the industry seems to have fallen off its pedestal; You are facing your very own Hiranyakashyap.
It's interesting to see how Vishnu dealt with him. How do you destroy someone who can't be killed by man or beast, inside or outside, by day or night etc etc. The demon pretty much had all bases covered. So Vishnu took on the Narasimha avatar to bypass the boon. Narasimha was a hybrid creature, half man half lion, and therefore neither man nor beast.
He killed Hiranyakashyap at twilight, which is neither day nor night. He killed him in the courtyard, which is neither inside a house nor outside it. And he killed the demon by placing him across his knee and tearing him apart, thus circumventing the terms of the boon that he could not be killed either on the ground or in the sky. Now that's what I call an innovative algorithm!
So what are the lessons for the IT industry in this story? Well, the first thing Vishnu did was to reinvent himself. It was not the gentle and contemplative Vishnu who fought Hiranyakashyap – it was the fearsome Narasimha avatar. Vishnu reinvented himself to suit the circumstances. The circumstances have changed drastically. Reinvent yourselves.
Do I have all the answers on the modes of re-invention? No, obviously not, otherwise I'd be out there filing patents, although I can suggest two broad approaches.
First, why don't we design business models that challenge traditional industry approaches and then transform our organizations, people and processes to execute. If we simply keep knocking on the doors of clients with our traditional offshoring options, we'll meet the fate of hearing aid salespersons: our best customers won't hear the doobell!
For example, software-on- demand and open source models changed the rules of the software game. Can we not try to change the rules of the game this time around? Why didn't we invent Zoom technology or Virtualisation? Thus far, India's brand of innovation has been identified with the IT industry, but is it truly innovative. Is it really game changing? Ironically, you can now look to the old smokestack industries for inspiration.
A few weeks ago, an Indian car company made a game-changing move. Maybe the Nano will ultimately not retail for a hundred thousand rupees. Maybe it won't have great margins, or replace as many motorcycles as it would like to, but it was a game changing move; it fired a shot that was heard around the world. Can the IT world make any such claim?
There was an old saying, apparently adopted by the IT industry, that the secret of success is to jump every time opportunity knocks. And how do you know when opportunity knocks? You don't, you just keep jumping!
So when are we going to stop simply jumping every time a client seems to sneeze, and actually create products and IP that become their own opportunities?
Let's look at new areas where India may have natural advantage. I remember C.K Prahlad telling us that we didn't realize how important it was to leverage emerging innovation ecosystems in our country. He gave us the example of how, due to a fortunate coincidence, India's IT and automotive industries were situated in roughly the same geographic clusters. So why wasn't, according to Michael Porter's competitive theories, a world beating automotive telematics industry taking shape here.
Why aren't IT companies using the massive potential of India's soft power, the film and TV business to exploit technological dominance of what Telco's call the 'last mile' but is actually the 'first mile' in the brave new interactive world?
Secondly, why don't we try to focus on a vertical industry (e.g., telecom) or horizontal domain (e.g., supply chain management) selecting the key dimensions of competitive differentiation – product vs. service, breadth vs. depth, speed of delivery, customer service responsiveness, fixed or outcome-based pricing, proprietary technology or intellectual property, and so on.
And let's be prepared to make hard decisions along the way – change people who don't fit, walk away from businesses that doesn't fit.
It's essential, while attempting this, however, to recognize that focus, differentiation and brand building require time and investment. Selling value or doing business differently than the norm tends to elongate sales cycles, which tends to put pressure on cash flow and we need to resist the temptation to broaden our offerings or slash prices just to win the business and keep people busy.
Along with re-invention, during the course of reinventing himself, Vishnu figured out the loopholes in the boon, and regrouped his physical and mental aspects to take advantage of these loopholes. That's something the IT industry can do as well. Its often been pointed out that in the Chinese word for crisis is also the Chinese word for opportunity I love that mindset. I truly believe that the adverse rate of the dollar can be viewed as the glass half empty or the glass half full. Sure it affects margins. But it's also a chance to take advantage of the loophole and buy yourselves what you don't have, so that you can regroup your structure to meet the challenge.
To me the fact that our currency is more valuable and our price earnings ratios are still higher than average, means that we can acquire the front-ends and the large IT businesses that we never thought we could before. And the bigger the better. If people are egging us on to leapfrog, then they should also cheer as you bid for companies that seem bigger fish than you. It's happening all the time today in the manufacturing sector—Tata Corus being the stellar example—and we at Mahindra, while starting from scratch, have inorganically compiled together a portfolio of acquisitions that make us the fourth largest steel forging company in the world today.
This is not without historical precedent. If you look at Japan and South Korea, both of them went through a phase of enduring the worlds' skepticism, then painstakingly building strong and competent domestic businesses, and then on the back of global liquidity support and strong price earnings ratios, compressing time by acquiring global firms and their customer credibility.
In effect, by acquiring the strengths and skill sets you need, you will regroup your profile and create a new entity, which can vanquish your challenges as effectively as Vishnu vanquished Hiranyakashyap.
And finally, while reinventing yourselves, you will have to bring in some of the aspects of the third element of the Trimurti – that of Shiva the destroyer.
Destroy for example the premise that cost arbitrage is the way to go. Recognize that the low cost, high volume offshore outsourcing battle has already been fought and won. Often, when strategic frames grow rigid, companies, like countries, tend to keep fighting the LAST war. If you are not already on the winners list, you need to think of other ways to compete on value and differentiation, rather than price and scale.
Destroy the premise that success comes only from size, and desist from comparisons with other Indian companies. There are still many IT companies in India who define success as "we want to be one of the top ten Indian IT companies". Why not, for example, "we want to be the world's #1 banking back office solutions provider"?
And lastly, perhaps the time has come to destroy the notion that the world may be your oyster but India is not. There is a huge domestic market in middle class and corporate India that has not been plumbed. Even selling to the bottom of the pyramid is profitable today. But it needs a creative destruction of the current mindset and a re-think on many of the assumptions we hold dear.
So, in conclusion, perhaps there really isn't that much distance between avatars in the mythological sense and avatars in the technology sense. Perhaps they are both symbolic expressions of the same reality. In their different ways, they both underline the same message – that it is necessary in any situation to reinvent, regroup and re-think our way out of whatever challenges confront us.
I'd like to close with one of my favourite quotes—such a favourite, that I can't even remember where I first read it:
My father thought the world would be same;
My children, however, wake up EVERY day thinking the world will be different.
Let's begin emulating our children. Time to wake up and make the world different.
( Anand Mahindra's speech at Nasscom Leadership Summit on February 13th , 2008 )
"One of the tasks we at the Mahindra Group have set ourselves is to aspire to be recognized as the most customer-centric organization in India, and why not, in the World!
In order to walk the talk, every time I'm asked to speak at a conference, I have made it a default option to ask what the audience--my customers--might expect of me.
And so I found myself wondering what this conclave of IT wizards expects from a predominantly right-brained character like myself. You certainly haven't called me here to deliver a sermon on technology. And I wouldn't even risk doing that with Nandan (Nilekani) and Kiran (Karnik) sharing the dais!
Of course, I might have been able to do that by getting one of my IT colleagues to write this speech, but then it would have been comprehensible to you, but incomprehensible to me!
And although the title of this session is 'Building a Knowledge Economy for Growth', I believe that a) All of you out there have helped build the foundations of a knowledge economy, so again, you don't need me to pontificate to you about that and b) I think there are some urgent pressures and imperatives the industry has to deal with at this point.
So, I'm going to talk about something completely different: I will talk about the Trimurti.
Most of the Indians in this audience will know the Trimurti – the trinity in Indian mythology of Brahma the creator, Vishnu the sustainer and Shiva the destroyer. There is a wonderful depiction of this in stone, just ten kilometers across the bay, at Elephanta. Both as a businessman, and as someone who tends to see life in visual images, the Trimurti reminds me of India's IT industry. Think of it.
You people have gone through a stage, where like Brahma, you created something out of nothing. You created a new and global industry. You created a service sector that is today, a major pillar of our GDP. But most importantly, you created a perception of a new India, both in the world and in Indian hearts and minds.
CK Prahalad once told me that in universities in America today, there are almost unfairly high expectations from Indian students, because there is a huge perception that all Indian students are brilliant, outstanding. You created that perception. And within India, what you created was self-belief. You showed us what Indians could do, and now the rest of India believes that Indians can do anything. Brahma created a physical landscape; you sowed the seeds of a new mental and psychological landscape. In that sense, you are truly the Brahmas of the age of liberalisation.
But creation is only the first phase. You then have to move on to the next phase of sustaining that creation - to the realm of Vishnu the preserver. Creation is a one-time affair. Sustaining that creation is obviously a longer haul, subject to many attacks and crises. Perhaps that is why Vishnu comes not in one, but in ten incarnations.
Every time there is a new danger, he changes his avatar to a form best suited to meet that danger. At various times he has come as a fish, as a tortoise, as a dwarf. But his most interesting avatar came when he had to fight the demon Hiranyakashyap. Hiranyakashyap was a bad guy, who had obtained an amazing boon from the gods. Neither man nor beast could kill him; he could not be killed by daylight or at nighttime, within his home or outside it, on the ground or in the sky. All this made him pretty invincible – he went on a rampage, and only Vishnu could tackle him.
The IT industry today faces challenges every bit as complex as those Hiranyakashyap posed for Vishnu. It is hit by a macroeconomic tsunami of adverse currency changes, rapidly escalating costs in both salaries and infrastructure and inadequate talent pools below the tier 1 and 2 institutions.
At the Company level, firms are begin to feel the penalties of poor differentiation and lack of focus (trying to be all things to all people); and an over-emphasis on high volumes and price competition.
Suddenly, the industry seems to have fallen off its pedestal; You are facing your very own Hiranyakashyap.
It's interesting to see how Vishnu dealt with him. How do you destroy someone who can't be killed by man or beast, inside or outside, by day or night etc etc. The demon pretty much had all bases covered. So Vishnu took on the Narasimha avatar to bypass the boon. Narasimha was a hybrid creature, half man half lion, and therefore neither man nor beast.
He killed Hiranyakashyap at twilight, which is neither day nor night. He killed him in the courtyard, which is neither inside a house nor outside it. And he killed the demon by placing him across his knee and tearing him apart, thus circumventing the terms of the boon that he could not be killed either on the ground or in the sky. Now that's what I call an innovative algorithm!
So what are the lessons for the IT industry in this story? Well, the first thing Vishnu did was to reinvent himself. It was not the gentle and contemplative Vishnu who fought Hiranyakashyap – it was the fearsome Narasimha avatar. Vishnu reinvented himself to suit the circumstances. The circumstances have changed drastically. Reinvent yourselves.
Do I have all the answers on the modes of re-invention? No, obviously not, otherwise I'd be out there filing patents, although I can suggest two broad approaches.
First, why don't we design business models that challenge traditional industry approaches and then transform our organizations, people and processes to execute. If we simply keep knocking on the doors of clients with our traditional offshoring options, we'll meet the fate of hearing aid salespersons: our best customers won't hear the doobell!
For example, software-on- demand and open source models changed the rules of the software game. Can we not try to change the rules of the game this time around? Why didn't we invent Zoom technology or Virtualisation? Thus far, India's brand of innovation has been identified with the IT industry, but is it truly innovative. Is it really game changing? Ironically, you can now look to the old smokestack industries for inspiration.
A few weeks ago, an Indian car company made a game-changing move. Maybe the Nano will ultimately not retail for a hundred thousand rupees. Maybe it won't have great margins, or replace as many motorcycles as it would like to, but it was a game changing move; it fired a shot that was heard around the world. Can the IT world make any such claim?
There was an old saying, apparently adopted by the IT industry, that the secret of success is to jump every time opportunity knocks. And how do you know when opportunity knocks? You don't, you just keep jumping!
So when are we going to stop simply jumping every time a client seems to sneeze, and actually create products and IP that become their own opportunities?
Let's look at new areas where India may have natural advantage. I remember C.K Prahlad telling us that we didn't realize how important it was to leverage emerging innovation ecosystems in our country. He gave us the example of how, due to a fortunate coincidence, India's IT and automotive industries were situated in roughly the same geographic clusters. So why wasn't, according to Michael Porter's competitive theories, a world beating automotive telematics industry taking shape here.
Why aren't IT companies using the massive potential of India's soft power, the film and TV business to exploit technological dominance of what Telco's call the 'last mile' but is actually the 'first mile' in the brave new interactive world?
Secondly, why don't we try to focus on a vertical industry (e.g., telecom) or horizontal domain (e.g., supply chain management) selecting the key dimensions of competitive differentiation – product vs. service, breadth vs. depth, speed of delivery, customer service responsiveness, fixed or outcome-based pricing, proprietary technology or intellectual property, and so on.
And let's be prepared to make hard decisions along the way – change people who don't fit, walk away from businesses that doesn't fit.
It's essential, while attempting this, however, to recognize that focus, differentiation and brand building require time and investment. Selling value or doing business differently than the norm tends to elongate sales cycles, which tends to put pressure on cash flow and we need to resist the temptation to broaden our offerings or slash prices just to win the business and keep people busy.
Along with re-invention, during the course of reinventing himself, Vishnu figured out the loopholes in the boon, and regrouped his physical and mental aspects to take advantage of these loopholes. That's something the IT industry can do as well. Its often been pointed out that in the Chinese word for crisis is also the Chinese word for opportunity I love that mindset. I truly believe that the adverse rate of the dollar can be viewed as the glass half empty or the glass half full. Sure it affects margins. But it's also a chance to take advantage of the loophole and buy yourselves what you don't have, so that you can regroup your structure to meet the challenge.
To me the fact that our currency is more valuable and our price earnings ratios are still higher than average, means that we can acquire the front-ends and the large IT businesses that we never thought we could before. And the bigger the better. If people are egging us on to leapfrog, then they should also cheer as you bid for companies that seem bigger fish than you. It's happening all the time today in the manufacturing sector—Tata Corus being the stellar example—and we at Mahindra, while starting from scratch, have inorganically compiled together a portfolio of acquisitions that make us the fourth largest steel forging company in the world today.
This is not without historical precedent. If you look at Japan and South Korea, both of them went through a phase of enduring the worlds' skepticism, then painstakingly building strong and competent domestic businesses, and then on the back of global liquidity support and strong price earnings ratios, compressing time by acquiring global firms and their customer credibility.
In effect, by acquiring the strengths and skill sets you need, you will regroup your profile and create a new entity, which can vanquish your challenges as effectively as Vishnu vanquished Hiranyakashyap.
And finally, while reinventing yourselves, you will have to bring in some of the aspects of the third element of the Trimurti – that of Shiva the destroyer.
Destroy for example the premise that cost arbitrage is the way to go. Recognize that the low cost, high volume offshore outsourcing battle has already been fought and won. Often, when strategic frames grow rigid, companies, like countries, tend to keep fighting the LAST war. If you are not already on the winners list, you need to think of other ways to compete on value and differentiation, rather than price and scale.
Destroy the premise that success comes only from size, and desist from comparisons with other Indian companies. There are still many IT companies in India who define success as "we want to be one of the top ten Indian IT companies". Why not, for example, "we want to be the world's #1 banking back office solutions provider"?
And lastly, perhaps the time has come to destroy the notion that the world may be your oyster but India is not. There is a huge domestic market in middle class and corporate India that has not been plumbed. Even selling to the bottom of the pyramid is profitable today. But it needs a creative destruction of the current mindset and a re-think on many of the assumptions we hold dear.
So, in conclusion, perhaps there really isn't that much distance between avatars in the mythological sense and avatars in the technology sense. Perhaps they are both symbolic expressions of the same reality. In their different ways, they both underline the same message – that it is necessary in any situation to reinvent, regroup and re-think our way out of whatever challenges confront us.
I'd like to close with one of my favourite quotes—such a favourite, that I can't even remember where I first read it:
My father thought the world would be same;
My children, however, wake up EVERY day thinking the world will be different.
Let's begin emulating our children. Time to wake up and make the world different.
( Anand Mahindra's speech at Nasscom Leadership Summit on February 13th , 2008 )
Serendipity
'tis from a while ago. 'tis about Pollyanna - a book I first read when I was 9 and have read many times since. 'tis a really, really beautiful book. If you haven't read it, please, please do.
I found you
on a tired bookshelf.
You were nestled comfortably, quietly
between the covers of a gold-lettered Chekov
and an unexpectedly-painted Saki.
I know, because the Saki had tilted over
ever so slightly to lean uneasily on the Chekov
while the others stood unflinching, unmoved.
Somebody had pulled you out
of your secret hiding place, in idle curiosity
and not returned you to your rightful place,
had placed you face down, instead
atop the Saki, Chekov,
Joyce and Woolf combine.
What were they thinking?
That you would lie in peace
on a bed of thorns?
That you would try valiantly, to laugh
while trying to understand complexities
in our lives that don't exist?
I picked you up,
couldn't put you back
because you caught the sunbeams in the prism
in your story and twinkled
at me: simple, hopeful, cheery, honest
reflecting the life I'm most happy living.
I hope to find you
Again. And again.
I found you
on a tired bookshelf.
You were nestled comfortably, quietly
between the covers of a gold-lettered Chekov
and an unexpectedly-painted Saki.
I know, because the Saki had tilted over
ever so slightly to lean uneasily on the Chekov
while the others stood unflinching, unmoved.
Somebody had pulled you out
of your secret hiding place, in idle curiosity
and not returned you to your rightful place,
had placed you face down, instead
atop the Saki, Chekov,
Joyce and Woolf combine.
What were they thinking?
That you would lie in peace
on a bed of thorns?
That you would try valiantly, to laugh
while trying to understand complexities
in our lives that don't exist?
I picked you up,
couldn't put you back
because you caught the sunbeams in the prism
in your story and twinkled
at me: simple, hopeful, cheery, honest
reflecting the life I'm most happy living.
I hope to find you
Again. And again.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
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