CONTRIBUTION Vs. SACRIFICE

Contribution and Sacrifice are two words which are often used interchangeably by people.  There is a big difference between Sacrifice and Contribution.  We use the word Sacrifice when it is actually contribution and vice versa.

A mother sacrifices her sleep and looks after the baby throughout the day and the night and that is a Sacrifice.  A husband helps his wife by cutting vegetables and doing dish washing once in a while and that is a contribution made towards the household chores.

We contribute a lot in the work place, at home, in the society as it is the collective contribution of all people involved in the work place or home or society that helps in the overall development.  We have to continue to contribute in whatever way possible and make the requisite efforts for the same.  Thus contribution is a continuous process and requires effort.  It is a disciplined approach which will help in making continuous contribution in whatever we pursue.  Contribution is made as part of the requirements or with an expectation in return.

Sacrifice calls for a very big heart and selflessness.  Sacrifice sometimes leads to suffering but the suffering is only for one person through which there is benefit for several others.  Sacrifice takes us to the highest level in life and helps us to realise ourselves and takes us closer to God.  There are thousands of soldiers who are guarding the Country all the time and are willing to sacrifice their sleep, timely food and sometimes they sacrifice their lives for the nation.

Contribution is made by all of us but Sacrifice is made only by a few.  Contribution entirely depends on the ability and availability but Sacrifice is a result of a mental composure which very few people are able to achieve.

I have contributed a lot in life and hope to achieve the mental composure to do some sacrifices in life.

Seasons' Greetings and my best wishes for a very happy and prosperous New Year to all my readers.

T.P.Anand
Dubai, U.A.E.
26th December 2012

12.12.12 RAJNIKANT SPECIAL

Today is 12.12.12 and this will be the last of such number date sequence for this century.  From 2001 onwards we have seen the sequence numbers each year for 12 years as there are only 12 months in our calendar.

People who are born within the last twenty years would probably be there to see the number date sequence but I will not be there for sure to see the next number date sequence as I am already approaching 50.

It is such a special number and also numerology wise very powerful number that there are several hundred mothers who have delayed the delivery of their baby as they want the baby to be born on 12.12.12.  There are also several thousand couples who have been waiting for this date to get officially married.  In the USA about 7,500 couples are getting married today as it is considered a very auspicious date.

Super Star Rajnikant is celebrating his birthday today - 12th December as he has turned 62.  There are celebrations all over the world by his fans on his birthday.  While there are lot of punch dialogues and jokes about Rajnikant that do the circles, there was an interesting mail that came to me which read "Wishing all Birthdays a Very Happy Rajnikanth".  Such is is greatness and popularity.  The crowning glory is one mail which I received a few months back which read " we all have email account in gmail but if gmail wants to have an email then it will be gmail@rajnikant.com.

Someone has thought of a novel idea of capturing the whole world in one day.  They have shot glimpses of various parts of the world on one day, i.e., 12.12.12 which is quite interesting to watch:



Vijay Antony, Music Director has done a special number for the Birthday of Rajnikant.  One of the greatest hits of Rajnikant which I keep singing very often is from Netrikan - Raamanin Moganam:



Long Live Rajnikant.

T.P.Anand
Dubai, U.A.E.
12th December 2012

MY BIGGEST ASPIRATION (MBA)

In the mid 80's the most sought after qualification was MBA.  Those who had the MBA degree were offered the best jobs in town.  As a student of CA (Chartered Accountancy) I also had the aspiration of becoming MBA but gave it up as the entry norms were quite stringent.  There used to be lot of comparison between CA and MBA in those days and they used to say that MBA is better than CA as they can present themselves very well.  I never participated in those debates as I felt there is no comparison between the two as they are totally different streams of education and training.

As I grew up, I did not like the comparison between CA and MBA and continued to avoid the debate.  However deep in my mind I still had the aspiration of getting into a B-School.  In 2011 I started looking around for MBA programmes offered by various institutions in Dubai.  I wanted to get a proper grounding on the Business Management through a B-School particularly attracted by the Case Study Approach.  I did the search for a long time and also visited a few of the institutions.  I also spoke to a few people who have done the MBA programmes with various institutions and got an insight into the same.  Finally I decided that at this stage and age in life I did not have to go through the full grinding of MBA and it is better to get a feel of it through short programme.

I selected the General Management Programme (GMP) of Indian Institute of Management (Ahmedabad) which is a course offered over eight months in Dubai and Ahmedabad.  I could not sign up for October 2011 batch as I was travelling to USA on holiday and so I finally ended up joining the course in April 2012.  The last eight months have been the most intellectually stimulating and highly enjoyable journey.

The programme emphasizes the problem-solving approach with active exchange of ideas and group discussions.  The Programme was delivered over 10 modules and was covered in 20 full days of intense learning.  The first 14 days were in Dubai over the weekends and the culmination of the learning was at IIMA campus for the last six days.  It was really a different experience for me as all the six days were filled with reading, discussions, learning and debating.  During that week in Ahmedabad there was hardly any time for sleeping (I managed about 3-4 hours of sleep on each day).  I returned to Dubai on 2nd December and it took me a good four days to get back to my normal routine.

During the course of these eight months we have gone through 44 Case Studies covering so many industries and a variety of issues in almost all the functional areas of a business.  Each Case study was supported by reading material and explanation to various concepts by the Professors.  We had very lively and interesting group discussions both in Dubai as well as in Ahmedabad on these 44 case studies which was a great learning.

When I stood at the "Harvard Steps" in the main entrance of IIMA it gave me a great sense of pride and satisfaction.  I felt as though I have achieved something big in life.

The facilities are top class in IIM A and the vibration in the 100 Acre campus is so good and pristine that one would end up only reading and learning all the time.  During that one week in the campus I never switched on the Television and never read the newspapers.  I hardly had time for anything other than learning.  My Biggest Aspiration of life has come true with my completion of the GMP at IIMA.  Though I am not an MBA I feel really happy and there is a sense of fulfillment and joy in mind on having gone through the GMP over the last eight months.

On 1st December 2012 I received the Certificate of Participation from Prof.Ajay Pandey, Dean of IIM A thus fulfilling My Biggest Aspiration in life.

There is still so much more to learn and as they say "learning stops only at the grave".  I shall continue to strive hard to learn more and more as there is a constant urge in me for furtherance of knowledge.

T.P.Anand
Dubai, U.A.E.
9th December 2012

A JOURNEY OF PENCIL

We live in digital world where everything is done through digital devices.  However the use of Pencils and Pens cannot be replaced by digital devices.  My old friend Renganathan runs a company, Pointec in Bangalore which makes writing instruments.  I met him in Dubai a year ago and he told me that his company produces around 2.5 Million writing instruments a day.  When I heard this from him I could not comprehend what he said.  I asked him is it 2.5 million per day or per month.  He said "illa da it is daily production".

His company is doing a great service by producing these writing instruments by employing physically challenged people.  It is indeed a great gesture to employ such people and give them a comfortable life.  You would learn more about this initiative in the video below:



When I saw this video my eyes were filled with tears.  "Equal opportunity to all" coupled with "Social Responsibility" is demonstrated live on a daily basis by Pointec.  A sharp pencil is required to get a good handwriting and a sharp concerned mind is required to give good living and equal opportunities for physically challenged individuals in the society.

Renga, this is a great service to the society and you should continue this for ever in the future.   You have scripted the future direction of your company very well and written in nicely with a "Pointec Pencil".  I wish you all the very best and keep up the good work.  God bless you and I wish your company all the very best and a prosperous future.

T.P.Anand
Dubai, U.A.E.
3rd December 2012