Category Archives: Motivation

In Other Words by Jhumpa Lahiri #bookreview

In_other_words

 

BOOK DETAILS
Publisher Penguin Books Ltd
ISBN-10 0670088897
Imprint Hamish Hamilton
Number of Pages 224 Pages
Publication Year 2016
Language English
ISBN-13 9780670088898
Binding Hardcover

A translation by Ann Goldstein of the original Italian work by Jhumpa Lahiri.

One of the most personal relationship books I have ever come across, simply the best since it outlines the way the relationship is taken forward, quite a few times it looks as if this is the way love works, may be courtship too.

It’s the growing of the bonds between the seeker and the one which is sought perhaps, here its the language which is being learnt by the author, the language is Italian!

It is quite a revelation at a very personal level for the author the way Italian language grasps her attention and how she wants to live the language like no other. It becomes all the more interesting that Italian has never been a part of her upbringing in a way as to experience this kind of approach to language.

Over the years she feels an intimate connection as if this was the call the soul has been waiting for. The way she takes it up learning and the travails and travels in literary world is an nice journey that she takes the readers with.

And when you know this is a translated masterpiece, it makes it all the more alluring and when you read the explanation I think she has put the right perspective. And when we complete the book we know what she meant and she meant every word of it. Probably that is the relationship that she has been nurturing with the language.

There is an air of romance in the way the language is treated as a person, trying to know him or her, the fulfilment of having achieved the goal of possessing the other person or seeing yourself in the other.

Kudos to the translator, we can feel that the justice has been done the way the book progresses in short but sure steps, sometimes looking back to stories that will augment the theory that she holds forth, and sometimes stop to listen to the inner rumblings and sometimes to the practical difficulty in getting to know the perfect grammar and the translator has the pulse and does an excellent job of giving us the feel.

Its a nice book and well its a non fiction and that makes it a must read title. If you are interested in literature this will surely give you an idea of how language can be looked at as an extension of you.

Pick it up in case you see it at the book store or click here.

This was a part of Flipkart Book Review Program! Thanks Flipkart for the book.

Senthilkumar R

Stone or Statue

A stone lay there on the roadside,
None would care to look,
Nor was there any sculptor who took;
It to his imagined world aside.

It lay still for days unseen,
A burden for the earth it had been.
For all who saw it black and hard,
Had never tried to become a bard.

Time did pass, till one day a man;
Saw this large stone as everyone can.
But he saw something more in,
That into his dream world he took the stone in.

Then day and night he worked on,
Till he felt tired and torn.
And for days did he toil,
Like a farmer who does for his soil.

He carved and carved till,
It did his picture fill.
Then, one fine day when he finished-
The people gathered there were astonished.

All gazed and gazed, yet one
Curious, and worthy of none,
Asked the sculptor how he had been,
Able to see the form in the rock hardly seen.

Answered the humble sculptor “I see,
Also the Almighty Lord in thee”.

Senthilkumar R

(Based on stories – Circa 1993)

The Future and the #SmartTrucking phenomena

Mahindra-Navistar-Trucks-Features-and-Price-in-India

Indian roads have come of age and ever since the Golden Quadrilateral took shape the highways have had it the best of times and that meant the automobile drivers had easy task at hand and could deliver better vehicles and concentrate on making it more driver friendly.

The look and feel of the trucks got a makeover and today they are as customer savvy as much as they sell cars. We have seen the likes of many a brand and even the Mercedes, Man Trucks, and  Benz making their presence felt here.

The race to be the best had begun and there is no stopping them now. Mahindra with its #SmartTrucking concept has now started delivering some of the best in class truck options for the sauve consumer.

Some of the features that get a hands up includes great fuel economy, mileage, lesser breakdowns, service guarantee at breakdown point etc. Well technically there is this unique modular cylinders for engines that is responsible for low maintenance and repair cost.

The very thought of the truck is that ‘long drive’ perhaps getting things to people from one part of the country to another. The truck perhaps is a brand ambassador in quite a few places and when we discuss long drives, it has to be without any breakdowns at all, forget lesser break downs.

The long drives make for such an adventure, and when you know you have help at hand you get more confident and enjoy the driving across the terrain of the national highways. The drives have become more picturesque these days and the drivers have become more responsible in a way, and the #SmartTruck is one of the reason, they feel pampered. So #SmartTrucking has you covered when it comes to delivering goods which in turn is delivering happiness, delivering responsibly and delivering trust. And a break down is not just an incident, but reflects on the overall scheme of things and that when you have help at hand. #SmartTrucking doesn’t have break down points but then when there is the most unfortunate thing which happens inspite of you being a responsible driver, well that’s when you appreciate the lesser breakdown and help at hand!

The #SmartTrucking is a travel that is akin to our life journey that we have on this earth. There are places to stop, to reduce the speed, enjoy the road while it lasts and yeah keep looking into the mirror only when needed and yes bring on the better roads as we keep going ahead.

We will love the drive and the way the roads converge and how they look inspiring to lead the way to our destination. The long drives have always have had the philosophical bent of mind.

One of the basic aspects of being inside a truck is the ability to see things far and near. You get to have a view of things in your own style. #SmartTrucking today symbolises the most wonderful way to help those who help us by driving some of the biggest trucks.

Kudos to Mahindra for changing the way Trucks are see, built and deliver.

“I’m writing this blog post for the MTBD #SmartTrucking activity at BlogAdda.”

Senthilkumar

 

#madeofgreat Narain Karthikeyan and my boss

nk

There comes a time in your life when you would say yes without looking at any rational things like how far will it hold and will this help you in your career, etc. That moment was when I was offered to join Narain Karthikeyan as his Manager way back in 2004.

Those people who noticed the Formula 1 calendar were considered a bit elitist. This was a sport which is one of super human endurance to say the least. I remember the ode by a Hindu columnist when Narain started his first race at Melbourne Australia. You get to see the bit of the eyes thorough the visor, his head nodding through the corners as if he is enjoying a song on the car at speeds that you can only imagine but cant live in reality.

But this is not about the Narain that we know once he started racing in F1 circa 2005. But well it about those traits that made him scale that peak of being the first F1 driver ever from a billion Indians, truly #madeofgreat.

There is a saying that some are born great and some make themselves great, quite a rarity that these two go together. Born in a family of noble men / dewans if you know there are no titles these days, Narain comes from a family which has a legacy of textile mills, an education conglomerate and ofcourse a champion rally driver as dad. As if these were not enough Coimbatore was also the motorsports capital of the country.

The road to the legacy or history was not an easy one. There is a saying that an overnight success is a result of years of hardwork and dedication to the goal that one is attached to.

Coming back to my learnings, there were many aspects but I will restrict it to few awesome qualities that will hold us to greatness.

Focus

There is a story in Mahabharatha. The guru Dronacharya is among his pupils, he has set a target for his wards in archery. So he asks everyone to take an aim. One by one the students take aim and when Drona asks them what do they see, he gets different answers, like there is a tree, there is a branch, there is a parrot and it is green in colour and the like. It was the turn of Arjuna, when asked what did he see, he answered ‘Gruruji, the eyes of the parrot.’

That was knowing what you are upto, being precise and I have seen this focus on mission mode in Narain, the lifetime ambition burning bright, to be in Formula 1. I saw it clear and loud, whenever someone asked him what is he upto. Probably no one had an iota of belief that it would be possible at some time in the distant future. He knew he wanted to be there and as specific as to be in the Formula 1 where his role models Ayrton Senna and Micheal Schumacher raced. The best part he was happy to be racing alongside Micheal Schumacher that year when he made the debut. The icing was Schumi was in his rear view mirror when Narain made the best of the rain hit qualifying and well if you know Narain was always a master racer in the rain. No rain could stop Narain!

Self Confidence

Quite often in life, its with the measure of what others say that we decide our lives, not with what we are or what we could be. I learnt this lesson straight from him. Well there is a a borderline difference about self confidence and over confidence though. It more about not letting others let influence you on your path of success. If you were to be led by others in the country then I am sure we would not have had the first F1 driver in India. You know what you are doing and that’s the most important part of your life. Be very clear on that and well you are confidence personified. The best part is that you cannot put on confidence, and that will show badly. So every time when people almost wrote off he would bounce back with a show of best results to be on podium in the racing series he was on. Never allow any one to affect your self confidence. It has to be intact and it has to be boosted with every step that gets you back.

And when you are confident I am sure the world will conspire to get it done and make it happen. It was the confidence in Narain that saw him go through all the years of hardwork from testing with Jaguar, Honda and Minardi and landing up at Midland F1. It was quite a long way literally if you know he tested for Jaguar in 2001 its so long ago in F1 terms.

Excellence

Excellence is never an accident and it holds true to the way Narain made it happen. You know you need to be the best in the trade you are at. If you yearned to be a racer you got be racing at the pinnacle of motorsport F1. Nothing less would do. And its an art of fine tuning oneself to reach the goal. Its nearly impossible for Bolt to do what he does on the Olympic arena coming out of bed. It was all hard work and sheer tenacity that holds you there. So too was Narain’s path loaded with hard work and keeping him fit and not losing sight of what he wants to do and where he wants to go. One of those things that surely will #makeyougreat.

Perseverance

As you might be aware this sport of F1 is exacting one when it comes to physical fitness. And I have seen him in action when he had his own national racing teams his affinity to physical fitness was there for all to see. You need to be at the gym / workout everyday. You can skip a day or take time off. Your dream or vision needs to be like that. You know if there is a drop the average of your performance take a hit so much so that you need to work twice that effort to make it average your result.

Never let it go, I have never seen him miss his gym session and when people ask me why is he not stopping from racing some series or other, it helps you be in the thick or thin, except the format is different but you need to be fit in the rightest way if I may put it. Keep doing it till we achieve the result, making it worthwhile.

Humility

There is a saying that the moment you think you are humble it gone for a six, well the last part going for six is my contribution, its gone thats it. Be humble at all times I don’t have to narrate any incident because he is one, whatever the achievement, it was like that equilibrium of that lotus leaves that waves cannot override.

I know I can write on many of the traits of Narain say charity and the like, but these have had me in good stead and helped me overcome my personal challenges quite often. That everlasting impact is what I have been able to pass it on to those who I have come in contact, so the life becomes better for the future.

It been a nice way of looking back and thanks so much to this hashtag #madeofgreat. Do check out more here http://madeofgreat.tatamotors.com/

I leave you with this video too!

Senthilkumar

PS: its no sheer coincidence that TATA Motors was his principal sponsor that day when he made over 1.2 billion Indians proud, probably only TATA Motors could identify someone #madeofgreat.

The Thirteenth Day by Aditya Iyengar – a book review

the-thirteenth-day-400x400

Publisher Rupa Publications India
ISBN-10 8129134756
Number of Pages 260 Pages
Publication Year 2015 June
Language English
ISBN-13 9788129134752
Binding Paperback

Mahabharatha – the epic unparalled has be retold umpteen number of times and we have this coming up by authors who give it a perspective that’s new and sometimes create a story in a story. Here Aditya in his foreword very clearly says its an attempt to see a modern era description that was set in the Mahabharatha days. May be this war happened and it still is happening in a different way.

The Kurukshetra war was going nowhere, and the reason was both sides were doing well for themselves. The story opens on 10th day when Bhishma is laid to a bed of arrows by his favourite grandson Arjuna with Shikandi propping up as a shield in front.

This narrative is by three characters, Yudhishtra, Radheya – Karna as we know and Abhimanyu, son of Arjuna. Aditya weaves a wonderful narration taking us through the minds of Yudhishtra, Radheya and Abhimanyu. A stark contrast in terms of their mental makeup and how they look at the war from their positions makes for an interesting read.

A fast paced story of the three days at war that actually changes the course of the result makes for a nice gripping read. The authors authority on the subject comes through the descriptions of the war field the people and the special ways they have been celebrated.

The author shows a mirror in terms of the characters trying to assert themselves even in the face of immoral and ambitious search for glory. Sometimes as they say its not the means but the end. Goaded by that there is a lot of unethical war room strategies and execution that are there, like the way Abhimanyu is killed by everyone you can think of on the Kaurava side.

The best is how the mental make up of all the three characters show up in times of crisis and how they react to the same situation and well everyone had an agenda of their own as much as we do it today.

A nice read and well presented with first person account makes it easy to go with the flow. At times you are in the battle field, at the council hall meetings and walking alongside the characters. Loved the simple and effective prose which actually makes you feel like you are being with the characters.

A classic retelling without losing the charm of the characters, riding with their ambitions, anxieties, fear and sometimes with a hope for the war to be over. Things could have gone either way and this 13th day sets the course for the next 5 days when the war is completed. If you are fond of mythology and its retelling, you will need to read this book.

Buy the book here on Flipkart http://www.flipkart.com/thirteenth-day-story-kurukshetra-war-english/p/itme7cenauf5zxg3?pid=9788129134752

Senthil

Big Magic – Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert #bookreview

big-magic-creative-living-beyond-fear-400x400

 

Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing (IN)
ISBN-10 9384898996
Imprint Bloomsbury India
Language English
ISBN-13 9789384898991
Binding Hardcover

This is a beautiful book which makes you relevant for what you are. Quite a engrossing read, and contrary to make you feel flamboyant, it makes you confident about who you are and how you can be yourself create a magic in your life and then spread it out.

This book is classical read, making you better at what you are good at. Though the book has been divided into parts, its an easy read from any page and you will have a match of frequency if may call that when you read. You will feel the words for what they are especially because they are true and infact workable things unlike being sold off as aspirational in a way.

The books is divided into parts – Courage, Enchantment, Permission, Persistence, Trust, Divinity. In each of these parts, the author takes us through personal experiences and stories of the well known and some of those who didn’t want to be well known and gives us a picture of what lie in us, its not that fame or coveted status that the inner urge is looking for. It could be the overcoming of the fear and persist with courage on doing what you want to do without any fear and enjoy doing that.

A very engaging read and you can take time to enjoy the stories and go back to the book at your pace. I think that is an essential trait for a self development or a motivational book. If they can achieve that sense in you that you want to re-read and grasp it for the better the book has achieved its objective. And who doesnt love stories, and for those from the land of story telling, its just a bonus.

Filled with inspirational anecdotes and slice of life incidents it makes you sit up and think afterall it could be possible, well that would be the first step to shedding the fears what ever that could be.

I am sure you will enjoy the read and I must mention that this is the first time I am reading Elizabeth Gilbert and I can see how the other titles must have impacted a lot of people.

I will be failing in my duty if  I dont thank Flipkart for the book and in case you want to check out on a copy for yourself please click here: Big Magic

Senthilkumar

The GOQii The coaching fitness band

new_bands

There are wearables and there are wearables with a human touch and a human connect. We are afterall human beings and have this tendency to be in touch, irrespective of all the tech jargons thrown at us.

I was thrilled when I got a chance to be a part of the review program for GOQii. I have always had Vishal Gondal as an inspiration for what he has been to the Indian startup ecosystem.

Having been a part of his timeline, I have always wondered how GOQii was setting the standard as a fitness wearable in the worlds of other wannabes including tidfit and the like.

So when the mail came I was all pumped up and then there was another thing happening in Coimbatore. The city was hosting its signature marathon – Coimbatore Marathon on Oct 4th and this was a best way to use the stuff review and then enjoy the three month subscription period for free.

So whats special with GOQii you ask. The appearance of the health band is a visual delight, the black core ensemble inside a red black band.

The digital band has all the features which appear at the touch of your finger. Ofcourse you cannot work on the core independently. You got to do everything when connected to the GOQii app in your smart phone. With every touch on the core you get the time, steps taken, distance covered, calories burnt and the karma points added that day. This can also track your sleep.

The installation and conection is easy, this one band came with a 3 months subscription to a personal coach. You get to choose who you want to work with according to your goals and fitness regime that you want to take.

This is the USP of GOQii that unlike other fitness wearable this comes with a personal touch of a coach who monitors you and yeah keeps in touch with you on mail, chat or a skype if you want. The best part is that it can actually get you to be like an offline stuff being at the gym watched  by the personal gym instructor to an extent.

Have a look at the ecosystem of the GOQii in here. Did I tell you that you can get all the karma points for all the actions that you do and then  you can transfer or donate for free.

 

ecos_img

Now to the usage, the food and water component of your daily activities need to be added manually, I think this can be from a already existing stuff because its very predictable. And Water intake could be a question format to click on how many liters we drank with a median in there.

GOQii can connect to all the app except that we need separate accounts to each of those apps to sign in and get it there.

The personal coach take their work seriously and that makes us to really get on with what we want. There’s someone watching you and that gives you a reason to be on the road, hit the road and run literally.

You need to connect to the Bluetooth everyday and update and this sends your info to the personal coach.

The battery lasts for over 3 days in my case a starter perhaps, and it needs to be in the adapter to be charged say may an hour or so.

Overall a nice experience compared to the other ones that have features but here it makes it up with a personal touch. May be this will come with the better features on the other aspects of health and fitness and will be a force to reckon with.

#BeTheForce

A president who set a precedent! (A day with Dr. Kalam)

abdul_kalam

Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, these words are an inspiration as far as the younger lot is concerned. The name evokes a certain enigma which defies conventional apathy to politicians and the attitude people have come to expect of people in high places. This man is really supernatural.

One thing unseemingly, Mulayam Singh Yadav did was propose his name and make him the First citizen of this country. Of all things I like about politicians (though I hate them as a class they are,) this was the best thing they did to their country. Making Dr. APJ aka Kalam the president of the country.

This man is really a superhuman being. We are just out of the euphoria of having had him at our city for a full day. Literally, the president spent his full day talking to all the cross sections of the society and most importantly the children – on whom he has great faith that they will make the country the superpower he intends it to be.

(I have had the opportunity of watching him in close quarters years back because of my responsibility for the press. it was before he became the first citizen. he was the principal scientific adviser and donned himself the mantle of touring the country and meeting the children and talk with them. it is said if you have an agenda with children then you can easily get dr. Kalam to visit you. if it happened to be an academic institution, he would make it more easy.

The crowd was overflowing to see the man, who had already become an icon. He started talking in English and then when he wanted to quote Bharathiar, the Tamil poet he was all eloquence, and it flowed out of him so easily and it was form the heart. Earlier when he started the speech, one of the press corps friends of mine said, I think he is going to repeat what he did today morning (our event was slated for the evening) and he did start that way but he did make a real presentation. He had statistics with him he operates with a PowerPoint presentation. The more he wants to express the deeper the sincerity and warmth of expression. When he burst into pure classical Tamil, there was a round of applause to see him so easily recite the Kural and the Gita with elan, that everybody would be inspired to make something out of his/ her career.)

Not many would have tread a path Dr. Kalam chose, even with his career and they way he manages science and technology even today, I think it means a lot of hope for the scientific community at large. Watch him at SHAR and then watch him at a concert, this man is real god.

His presidency was something which gave every young Indian a dream to think about his country.

Now to the city visit.

The whole day he made it a point to be busy. We doubt if any political leader his age would really give appointments like Dr. Kalam does. Starting the day with an academic institution and ending the day with one of course he had time for one of his former classmates. How often do you think people in high places can make time for friends, and when you are a president? Lucky Mr. Sampath Kumar.

Everywhere people throng to meet him – have a glimpse of their idol.

“He has a soft corner for our city I suppose he has been regular” said one of the onlookers.

“It is just sheer inspiration watching him drives by.”

“I will tell my classmates that I saw the President.” of course who else a class 6 student.

Lot of reactions like this from the onlookers who are mostly students and youngsters in colleges.

He travelled almost 140 km inside our city limits that’s too much to ask of a nations’ president. I travel just 40 km in two instances of 20 each and I know how tough it is but only Dr. Kalam can make it, he is no ordinary man.

Our city limits can extend to maximum say 22 kms and talk of 140 km inside city limits.

He launches a Village resource centre under the auspices of the Amrita Deemed University, and a joint venture with ISRO of his yesteryears. He makes an impact with students out there and makes them pledge they will work and they will dream.

He even wanted them to repeat, when that wasn’t loud enough he asked if they all had their breakfast sending peals of laughter. (You need to laugh and it makes your day and others too) and no reading the paper business, though he comes prepared with one.

“For preparing the future generations for a knowledge based society, that lies ahead of them educational institutions should focus on capacity building, with a view to equip students with creativity and innovative skills, which would be relevant to the society.” he said.

Then he travels down to another far end of the city to inaugurate an international industrial exhibition. The best part is he knows what they are taking about be it engineering or technology. The man is full of ears to listen and to assimilate so that he can include in his vision.

He didn’t disappoint because he gave them a mission to accomplish:
• design and develop products for the world markets
• design is crucial for cost effectiveness
• focus on textile and healthcare
• be self reliant in critical technologies
• revive small scale industries
• buy component form local cottage industries

Then he is there back with student at another college. Interaction is the key and our president simply loves talking to students.

He meets up with an NGO Green Valley revolution and wishes them all the best when he is back at the circuit house for lunch.

He meets with the talk of the town NGO Siruthuli which has changed the ecological map of Coimbatore. It has also been a case study for corporate social responsibility.

He wanted this siruthuli to become a flood (Siruthuli in Tamil means a drop of water)

At 3.45 pm he hits the road this time at a hospital Ramakrishna Hospital. He dedicates the oncology institute to the nation with a resolve to network cancer hospitals across the country. Only this man can have a vision and mission so sacred.

4.45 pm he is at convocation at the centennial celebrating Tamil Nadu Agri University. His own playground i.e., convocation ceremonies, I mean.

The mantra for the second green revolution:

He outlined “soil to seed; seed to grain; grain to food and food to marketing” also stressing integrated development of agriculture.

Sure he is gone one up than Philip Kotler.

He crosses time barriers and then goes to another university. This one is named after his favourite poet Bharathiar.

Here he inaugurates the centre for Life sciences a joint venture by DRDO and the university.

All the while wherever he traveled the road is filled with the common man trying to have a glimpse of their people’ president.
Would you believe those people who hate waiting to see the politicians go by actually waited hours together in the night to have a glimpse of him? It happened when he went to see his friend. Though cordoned off they didn’t lose heart he perched on every inch of space to get a glimpse of their role model. Over 5000 people in a single colony road.

He didn’t disappoint either. He walked a few yards to greet everybody. Left to himself he would sign autograph. Maybe he would have thought let me join everybody, but he can’t since the protocols don’t allow him. still he does that quite often – breaking protocols, calls children and hugs them on stage and slows his car to wave his hands… and lot of other things to add.

Last news, he left the city at almost 10.00 pm. the schedule was at 7.25 pm

We love you Dr. Kalam. It has been a great day at Coimbatore.

We hope we will rise to your expectations and we are eager to see you around the next earliest opportunity.

We salute you Dr. Kalam. A son of the great land and a true citizen living a sainthood life.

One of a man kind, one in a billion, you are of course, our people’s President, who sets a precedent….

(PS: I wrote this on July 08, 2005 during his trip to Coimbatore. )

Capturing Wildlife Moments in India by Ashok Mahindra – a book review

Image3

‘A fascinating and insightful read’ is an understatement by any yardstick given the book is full of pictures that tell stories that are beyond our reach in literal sense. Every photograph is worth its weight in gold in Capturing Wild Life Moments in India by Ashok Mahinda.

It sets free the traveller in every reader and also shows the importance of the marvels that nature has produced. It’s those wonderful and invaluable sights that have been frozen for eternity that will make us sit up and question ourselves. Especially if you can read ENDANGERED printed alongside.

A question that pops up on my mind is this: how much we take our species for granted so much that we don’t care for any other which has been an integral  part of nature, the eyes pop up when we see some of even the Asiatic Elephants have been marked endangered.

Some of the pictures were really very engaging in terms of the angle and they have a nice way of emoting and look as if they are talking to us.

Ashok Mahindra with his work has done a great service to those wonderful creatures who otherwise would not be able to express themselves. Some of the night shots are really classy and I wonder how the author had been waiting to watch and catch them on his camera.

The work is a reflection of dedication and painstaking effort of the author photographer  in being at home to capture those versatile beings at their momentous best. It provides a window of opportunity for us to realise the significance of their shelter and appreciate efforts to sustain their survival.

I would be not flattering if I say you will have had a roundtrip to some of the most amazing hideouts of those magnificent animals and am sure you would want to make your own trip sometime.

Somethings are so glaring for example the National animal of our country is an endangered species so much for our sense of nationalism. It pricks your conscience and surely the author has a winning edge in making us sit up. I think that when an author wins.

All the images in the book has its own story and some facts.  Sample this excerpt:

Elephants are herbivorous and move in herds led and dominated by a mature female elephant. Theirs is a matriarchal system and the herd is made up of mothers, daughters, sisters, and aunts, with all decisions usually taken by the oldest adult female. Males leave the herd early and only return in order to mate with the females.

Image4

Absolutely beautiful book and is a great testimony to a social activist / photographers way to showcase some things that we always took for granted – Freedom to be (here for the animals)

Here is one more pic:

Image 2

All pictures are copyright and cannot be used without the explicit permission of the author/photographer.

About the Book

“Capturing Wildlife Moments in India” contains 120 photographs of animals and birds of India, photographed from visits to over 30 parks,sanctuaries and other locations.

It is being published by Oxford University Press(OUP) & Bombay Natural History Society(BNHS).The book will be available at most of the major retail outlets across India and also through online retail sites like Amazon, Flipkart etc.It will also be available for sale through the BNHS website and is priced at Rs.1450″

This post is a part of the book review program of at Saevus Wildlife India in association with The Hemchand Mahindra Foundation for the book “ 

Senthilkumar

PS: I feel myself lucky to have had the first glimpse of such an awesome work and that little photographer in me is surely excited at the inspiration that this book is able to ignite.

Coca Cola International Day of Happiness

rsenthilkumar.com

There is a very simple way to happiness, the easiest way is to not depend on anything to be happy but is that really practically possible. Yes in a way making ourselves happy because these will be steps that will take me through the day and week together.

So here goes some of the things that bring happiness:

On a crowded day after work, getting into the bus and finding a seat vacant is happiness, and being able to vacate that for much deserved elder person is then the happiness doubles.

My bike ride is one of happiness, never has given me a problem and more so I can rely on and the kick to start is a sign of happiness. Been on long rides and short ones, but its a nirvana riding the bike.

Rain makes me happy. When heavens open up its a big smile for me. Love to watch the rain. Love to ride my bike on the road happy and unfettered, and sometimes take a walk. Like the feeling of the rain drops on me that’s absolute happiness

Chai – the tea is another one of my happiness moments, It has the ability to make you just get up and make it happen, something like Coca Cola, which is the cold equivalent of tea for me. Never a time to turn down, I driven long and walks distances to get some chai.

Books make me  happy, the smell of the new print is a happiness moment. Time to read and time to sleep are things that go together. They say books are friends who don’t speak back but yeah they do all the speaking in a way.

Getting on the road to a green corridor in my city is a happiness moment, in one of the arterial roads, you get to drive clearly across the traffic lights if you clear the first one on green and you could go all the way some 7 km straight at an average speed of 60kmph.

Well there are things online which make me happy some likes on the FB post not really behind the likes for all the posts, some RTs from the followers. Sometimes a mention from a celebrity or a RT will be a happy moment.

Some times the messages from friends and loved ones on the text  messengers or the whatapp sometimes. the most valued ones are those when they deposit money into your account. Well that’s always there.  There are more occasions when I see someone make great strides makes me happy. Things that way are an inspiration in more ways than one.

Sometimes when you are congratulated for your role which you deserve are some of the other moments when I am happy and this is most of the times in my career!

 

Now tell me what makes you happy?

Senthilkumar