Cheer up

Some people make you laugh & some make you cry. When you have the heart to forget the people who made you laugh, why can't you forget the people who made you cry?

 

Life is strange indeed!!!

Attitude

IF

         A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 

Equals

 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

Then, 

 

H+A+R+D+W+O+R+K= 8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98% only

 

K+N+O+W+L+E+D+G+E = 11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+5 = 96% only 

 

L+U+C+K = 12+21+3+11= 47%

(though most of us think this is most important??) 

 

Then what makes 100% Is it Money? ........... Leadership? ........... Health?.......... NO !!!

Every problem has a solution, only if we perhaps change our attitude. To get to the top, to that 100% what we really need to go further... a bit more.... 

 

A+T+T+I+T+U+D+E = 1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5 = 100 % 

 

So there we discovered it: It is OUR Attitude towards Life and Work that make OUR Life 100%. So, as we do lets choose our attitude to get 100% of life.

Proud Indian

A first grade teacher explains to her class that she is an American.
She asks her students to raise their hands if they were American too.
Not really knowing why but wanting to be like their teacher, their hands explode into the air like flashy fireworks.
There is, however, one exception.
A girl named Gita has not gone along with the crowd.
The teacher asks her why she has decided to be different.
"Because I am not an American." replied Gita.
"Then", asks the teacher, "What are you?"
"I'm a proud Indian," boasts the little girl.
The teacher is a little perturbed now, her face slightly red. She asks Gita why she is an Indian.
"Well", my mom and dad are Indians, "so I'm an Indian too."
The teacher is now angry. "That's no reason", she says loudly "if your mom was an idiot, and your dad was an idiot, what you would be then?"
A pause and a smile.
"Then" says Gita, "I'd be an American."

The Mayonnaise Jar

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full? They agreed that it was. So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was. The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with an unanimous "yes." The professor then produced two cans of beer from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand.

The students laughed. "Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things-your family, your health, your children, your friends, your favorite passions-things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. "The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, your car. The sand is everything else-the small stuff. If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house, and fix the garbage disposal. "Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the beer represented. The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of beers."

She is beautiful 'coz you love her.

The passengers on the bus watched sympathetically as the attractive young woman with the white cane made her way carefully up the steps. She paid the driver and, using her hands to feel the location of the seats, walked down the aisle and found the seat he'd told her was empty. Then she's settled in, placed her briefcase on her lap and rested her cane
against her leg. It had been a year since Susan became blind. Due to a medical misdiagnosis she had been rendered sightless, and she was suddenly thrown into a world of darkness, anger, frustration and self-pity. 'How could this have happened to me?' she would plead, her heart knotted with anger. But no matter how much she cried or ranted or
prayed, she knew the painful truth, her sight was never going to return. A cloud of depression hung over Susan's once optimistic spirit. All she had to cling to was her husband Mark.

Mark was an Air Force officer and he loved Susan with all his heart. When she first lost her sight, he watched her sink into despair and was determined to help his wife gain the strength she needed to become independent again.

Finally, Susan felt ready to return to her job, but how would she get there? She used to take the bus, but was now too frightened to get around the city by herself. Mark volunteered to drive her to work each day, even though they worked at opposite ends of the city. At first, this comforted Susan and fulfilled Mark's need to protect his sightless wife who was so insecure about performing the slightest task. Soon, however Mark realized that this arrangement wasn't working - it was hectic, and costly.

Susan is going to have to start taking the bus again, he admitted to himself. But just the thought of mentioning it to her made him cringe. She was still so fragile, so angry. How would she react? Just as Mark predicted, Susan was horrified at the idea of taking the bus again. "I'm blind!" she responded bitterly. "How am I supposed to know where I'm
going? I feel like you're abandoning me."

Mark's heart broke but he knew what had to be done. He promised Susan that each day he would ride the bus with her until she got the hang of it.

And that is exactly what happened. For two solid weeks, Mark, military uniform and all, accompanied Susan to and from work each day. He taught her how to rely on her other senses to determine where she was and how to adapt to her new environment. He helped her befriend the bus drivers who could watch out for her, and save her a seat. Each morning they made the journey together, and Mark would take a cab back to his office.

Although this routine was even more costly and exhausting than the previous one, Mark knew it was only a matter of time before Susan would be able to ride the bus on her own. Finally, Susan decided that she was ready to try the trip on her own. Monday morning arrived, and before she left, she threw her arms around Mark, her temporary bus riding
companion, her husband, and her best friend. Her eyes filled with tears of gratitude for his loyalty, his patience, his love. She said good-bye, and for the first time, they went their separate ways. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday.... Each day on her own went perfectly, and Susan had never felt better.

On Friday morning, Susan took the bus to work as usual. As she was paying for her fare to exit the bus, the driver said, "Boy, I sure envy you." Susan wasn't sure if the driver was speaking to her or not. After all, who on earth would ever envy a blind woman who had struggled just to find the courage to live for the past year? "Why do you envy me?"
The driver responded, "It must feel so good to be taken care of and protected like you are." Susan had no idea what the driver was talking about, "What do you mean?" The driver said, "You know, every morning for the past week, a fine looking gentleman in a military uniform has been standing across the corner watching you when you get off the bus. He
makes sure you cross the street safely and he watches you until you enter your office building. Then he blows you a kiss, gives you a little salute and walks away. You are one lucky lady."

Tears of happiness poured down Susan's cheeks. For although she couldn't see him, she had always felt Mark's presence. She was blessed, so blessed, for he had given her a gift more powerful than sight, a gift she didn't need to see to believe - the gift of love that can bring light where there had been darkness.

"You don't love a woman because she is beautiful,she is beautiful because you love her..."

Single Bedroom Flat

Author - Anonymous

As the dream of most parents I had acquired a degree in software Engineering and joined a company based in USA, the land of braves and opportunity.

When I arrived in the USA, it was as if a dream had come true.Hereat last I was in the place where I wanted to be. I decided I would be staying in this country for about Five years in which time I would have earned enough money to settle down in India.

My father was a government employee and after his retirement,the only asset he could acquire was a decent one bedroom flat.I wanted to do some thing more than him. I started feeling homesick and lonely as the time passed. I used to call home and speak to my parents every week using cheap international phone cards.

Two years passed, two years of Burgers at McDonald's and pizzas and discos and 2 years watching the foreign exchange rate getting happy whenever the Rupee value went down. Finally I decided to get married.Told my parents that I have only 10 days of holidays and everything must be done within these 10 days.

I got my ticket booked in the cheapest flight. Was jubilant and was actually enjoying shopping for gifts for all my relatives and friends back home.If I miss anyone then there will be talks. After reaching home I spent home one week going through all the photographs of girls and as the time was getting shorter I was forced to select one candidate. In-laws told me, to my surprise, that I would have to get married in 2-3 days, as I will not get anymore holidays soon and they cannot wait for long.

After the marriage, it was time to return to USA, after giving somemoney to my parents and telling the neighbors to look after them,  we (I was lucky and managed to get the visa of my wife early) returned to USA.

My wife enjoyed this country for about two months and then she started feeling lonely. The frequency of calling India increased to twice in a week sometimes 3 times a week as she also has to call her parents. Our savings started diminishing.After two more years we started to have kids.Two lovely kids, a boy and a girl, were gifted to us by the almighty. Every time I spoke to my parents, they asked me to come to India so that they can see their grand-children.Every year I decide to go to India.But part work, part monetary conditions prevented it. Years went by and visiting India was a distant dream.
Then suddenly one day I got a message that my parents were seriously sick.I tried but I couldn't get any holidays and was stuck up in the procedures and thus could not go to India. The next message I got was my parents were passed away and as there was no one to do the last rites the society members had done whatever they could. I was depressed. My parents passed away without seeing their grand children.

After couple more years passed away, much to my children's dislike and my wife's joy we returned to India to settle down.

I started to look for a suitable property, but to my dismay my savings were short and the property prices had gone up during all these years. I had to return to the USA. My wife refused to come back with me and my children refused to stay in India. My 2 children and I returned to USA after promising my wife I would be back for good after two years.

Time passed by, my daughter decided to get married to an American and my son was happy living in USA. I decided that enough is enough and wound-up every thing and returned to India. I had just enough money to buy a decent Two-be droom flat in a well-developed locality. Now i am 60 years old and the only time I go out of the flat is for the routine visit to the nearby place of worship. My faithful wife has also left me and gone to the holy abode.

Sometimes I wondered was it worth all this? My father, even after staying in India, had a house to his name and I too have the same, nothing more.

I lost my parents and children for just ONE EXTRA BEDROOM. Looking out from the window I see a lot of children dancing.This damned cable TV has spoiled our new generation and these children are losing their values and culture because of it.I get occasional cards from my children asking I am alright.Well at least they remember me.

Now perhaps after I die it will be the neighbors again who will be performing my last rites,God Bless them.

But the question still remains 'was all this worth it?'

I am still searching for an answer................ 

Appro Jeh

Author Description: Sudha Murthy is a widely published writer and chairperson of the Infosys Foundationinvolved in a number of social development initiatives. Infosys chairman NarayanaMurthy is her husband.

Courtesy: Lasting Legacies (Tata Review- Special Commemorative Issue2004), brought out by the house of Tatas to commemorate the 100th birth anniversaryof JRD Tata on July 29, 2004

Now, read on ...


It was probably the April of 1974. Bangalore was getting warm and gulmohars wereblooming at the IISc campus. I was the only girl in my postgraduate department andwas staying at the ladies' hostel. Other girls were pursuing research in differentdepartments of Science.

I was looking forward to going abroad to complete a doctorate in computer science. Ihad been offered scholarships from Universities in the US. I had not thought oftaking up a job in India.

One day, while on the way to my hostel from our lecture-hall complex, I saw anadvertisement on the notice board. It was a standard job-requirement notice from thefamous automobile company Telco (now Tata Motors). It stated that the companyrequired young, bright engineers, hardworking and with an excellent academicbackground, etc.

At the bottom was a small line: "Lady candidates need not apply."

I read it and was very upset. For the first time in my life I was up against genderdiscrimination.

Though I was not keen on taking up the job, I saw it as a challenge. I had doneextremely well in academics, better than most of my male peers. Little did I knowthen that in real life academic excellence is not enough to be successful.

After reading the notice I went fuming to my room. I decided to inform the topmostperson in Telco's management about the injustice the company was perpetrating. I gota postcard and started to write, but there was a problem: I did not know who headedTelco.

I thought it must be one of the Tatas. I knew JRD Tata was the head of the TataGroup; I had seen his pictures in newspapers (actually, Sumant Moolgaokar was thecompany's chairman then). I took the card, addressed it to JRD and started writing.To this day I remember clearly what I wrote.

"The great Tatas have always been pioneers. They are the people who started thebasic infrastructure industries in India, such as iron and steel, chemicals,textiles and locomotives. They have cared for higher education in India since 1900and they were responsible for the establishment of the Indian Institute of Science.Fortunately, I study there. But I am surprised how a company such as Telco isdiscriminating on the basis of gender."

I posted the letter and forgot about it. Less than 10 days later, I received atelegram stating that I had to appear for an interview at Telco's Pune facility atthe company's expense. I was taken aback by the telegram. My hostel mate told me Ishould use the opportunity to go to Pune free of cost and buy them the famous Punesaris for cheap! I collected Rs 30 each from everyone who wanted a sari. When I lookback, I feel like laughing at the reasons for my going, but back then they seemedgood enough to make the trip.

It was my first visit to Pune and I immediately fell in love with the city.

To this day it remains dear to me. I feel as much at home in Pune as I do in Hubli,my hometown. The place changed my life in so many ways. As directed, I went toTelco's Pimpri office for the interview.

There were six people on the panel and I realised then that this was serious business.

"This is the girl who wrote to JRD," I heard somebody whisper as soon as I enteredthe room. By then I knew for sure that I would not get the job. The realisationabolished all fear from my mind, so I was rather cool while the interview was beingconducted.

Even before the interview started, I reckoned the panel was biased, so I told them,rather impolitely, "I hope this is only a technical interview."

They were taken aback by my rudeness, and even today I am ashamed about my attitude.The panel asked me technical questions and I answered all of them.

Then an elderly gentleman with an affectionate voice told me, "Do you know why wesaid lady candidates need not apply? The reason is that we have never employed anyladies on the shop floor. This is not a co-ed college; this is a factory. When itcomes to academics, you are a first ranker throughout. We appreciate that, butpeople like you should work in research laboratories. "

I was a young girl from small-town Hubli. My world had been a limited place.

I did not know the ways of large corporate houses and their difficulties, so Ianswered, "But you must start somewhere, otherwise no woman will ever be able towork in your factories."

Finally, after a long interview, I was told I had been successful. So this was whatthe future had in store for me. Never had I thought I would take up a job in Pune. Imet a shy young man from Karnataka there, we became good friends and we got married.

It was only after joining Telco that I realized who JRD was: the uncrowned king ofIndian industry. Now I was scared, but I did not get to meet him till I wastransferred to Bombay. One day I had to show some reports to Mr Moolgaokar, ourchairman, who we all knew as SM. I was in his office on the first floor of BombayHouse (the Tata headquarters) when, suddenly JRD walked in. That was the first timeI saw "appro JRD". Appro means "our" in Gujarati. This was the affectionate term bywhich people at Bombay House called him.

I was feeling very nervous, remembering my postcard episode. SM introduced menicely, "Jeh (that's what his close associates called him), this young woman is anengineer and that too a postgraduate.

She is the first woman to work on the Telco shop floor." JRD looked at me. I waspraying he would not ask me any questions about my interview (or the postcard thatpreceded it).

Thankfully, he didn't. Instead, he remarked. "It is nice that girls are getting intoengineering in our country. By the way, what is your name?"

"When I joined Telco I was Sudha Kulkarni, Sir," I replied. "Now I am Sudha Murthy."He smiled and kindly smile and started a discussion with SM. As for me, I almost ranout of the room.

After that I used to see JRD on and off. He was the Tata Group chairman and I wasmerely an engineer. There was nothing that we had in common. I was in awe of him.

One day I was waiting for Murthy, my husband, to pick me up after office hours. Tomy surprise I saw JRD standing next to me. I did not know how to react. Yet again Istarted worrying about that postcard. Looking back, I realise JRD had forgottenabout it. It must have been a small incident for him, but not so for me.

"Young lady, why are you here?" he asked. "Office time is over." I said, "Sir, I'mwaiting for my husband to come and pick me up." JRD said, "It is getting dark andthere's no one in the corridor.

I'll wait with you till your husband comes."

I was quite used to waiting for Murthy, but having JRD waiting alongside made meextremely uncomfortable.

I was nervous. Out of the corner of my eye I looked at him. He wore a simple whitepant and shirt. He was old, yet his face was glowing. There wasn't any air ofsuperiority about him. I was thinking, "Look at this person. He is a chairman, awell-respected man in our country and he is waiting for the sake of an ordinaryemployee."

Then I saw Murthy and I rushed out. JRD called and said, "Young lady, tell yourhusband never to make his wife wait again." In 1982 I had to resign from my job atTelco. I was reluctant to go, but I really did not have a choice. I was coming downthe steps of Bombay House after wrapping up my final settlement when I saw JRDcoming up. He was absorbed in thought. I wanted to say goodbye to him, so I stopped.He saw me and paused.

Gently, he said, "So what are you doing, Mrs Kulkarni?" (That was the way he alwaysaddressed me.) "Sir, I am leaving Telco."

"Where are you going?" he asked. "Pune, Sir. My husband is starting a company calledInfosys and I'm shifting to Pune."

"Oh! And what will you do when you are successful."

"Sir, I don't know whether we will be successful." "Never start with diffidence," headvised me. "Always start with confidence. When you are successful you must giveback to society. Society gives us so much; we must reciprocate. I wish you all thebest."

Then JRD continued walking up the stairs. I stood there for what seemed like amillennium. That was the last time I saw him alive. Many years later I met RatanTata in the same Bombay House, occupying the chair JRD once did. I told him of mymany sweet memories of working with Telco. Later, he wrote to me, "It was nicehearing about Jeh from you. The sad part is that he's not alive to see you today."

I consider JRD a great man because, despite being an extremely busy person, hevalued one postcard written by a young girl seeking justice. He must have receivedthousands of letters everyday. He could have thrown mine away, but he didn't dothat. He respected the intentions of that unknown girl, who had neither influencenor money, and gave her an opportunity in his company. He did not merely give her ajob; he changed her life and mindset forever.

Close to 50 per cent of the students in today's engineering colleges are girls. Andthere are women on the shop floor in many industry segments. I see these changes andI think of JRD. If at all time stops and asks me what I want from life, I would sayI wish JRD were alive today to see how the company we started has grown. He wouldhave enjoyed it wholeheartedly.

My love and respect for the House of Tata remains undiminished by the passage oftime. I always looked up to JRD. I saw him as a role model for his simplicity, hisgenerosity, his kindness and the care he took of his employees. Those blue eyesalways reminded me of the sky; they had the same vastness and magnificence.