We at IIHMR..........

Disclaimers First. This is not a funny video, this is quite a serious video. But the fun element inherent here is only going to increase in the years to come.

The story is simple - Three of my students, Khushboo, Janhavi and Sakshi made their Summer Internship Project presentation. Hard work done by them for about three months in the company and here they stand to present their work before their faculty. A Chinese research student from John Hopkins University, who was visiting IIHMR during that time, also asked for my permission to stand through the presentation. So we also have a guest there. She seems very interested in the beginning but towards the end she looks tired and bored, may be a little sympathetic towards my students.

The reason for her sympathy is that the project done by my students is ripped apart by me and my faculty colleague. I refuse to accept it, saying it was more of a data collection and less of research. Well, a usual B School routine!! My students are visibly shaken. They give interesting expressions. I am nothing less than a cruel master, almost ready to slaughter a prey, but then that's what I am.

The story ended like this - They had to revise the project, which meant getting some more data from the company, doing some in depth analysis, putting to use all that they learn in Research Methodology class, and submitting the revised project back to me.

This was a few months back. All three of them are placed now and would soon leave us, to join the corporate world. They will make it big I hope in the years to come. I wish them all the best in their career and in life too. But this video(recorded discreetly, without my permission, of course) remains a testimonial to this joy of learning, we want them to experience.

Today only, Sakshi came to me with a box of sweets, announcing that she got placed, and describing in an animated voice how 90% of her placement interview with Technopak was all about her internship project.

The fun in teaching, the joy of learning.....

Ghazal Ka Saaz Uthao, Badi Udaas Hai Raat....

A deep sadness sets in. Jagjit Singh is no more. Last time when I met him in a concert I told him that he merely sang popular ghazals in concerts and someone like me looked for more....he laughed and said, next time! The next time will not come. The one who was singing has closed his eyes. The loss is just so unbearable.

I discovered Jagjit Singh when probably I was eleven or twelve. The first of his ghazals that I heard was Kaagaz ki Kashti.. and the music, the voice and the poetry deeply touched me. It was a time when my own 'bachpan' had barely left me, yet the pain associated with that loss was so poignantly expressed through his music that it lasted with me, with in the layers of my own emotional fabric, forever.

Such was the magic Jagjit Singh created. His music remained with you forever and thus it was a close companion through my own journey through life. Poetry, use of a unique orchestra and his velvety voice gave expression to human emotions and created such a depth to it that it was impossible not to be touched by it. His music instantly struck a chord, with young and old, as easily as the touch of a wind, or the feel of the rain.

I just loved the image that he created with 'jhuki jhuki si nazar', or the way he streched 'darichon se tum mujh ko..', to create that impact, the way he sang, 'katl ki jab usne di dhamki humen, keh diya maine bhi dekha jayega', made me play that same 'sher' over and over again.I can go on and on.......

Jagjit Singh's music inspired me to paint, whenever I sprayed my colours on canvas, his music was a companion. I learnt to appreciate poetry through his music, at a later stage, I created my own poetry at times to his music, my own creative journey happened alongside, as at various stages of life, I happened to appreciate various forms of his music.

There is so much that is abstract about human existence, the feelings, the emotions, the thoughts, sensibilities..., the non physical form of our existence finds its expression in music and poetry and colours. Is it true that the physical existence is transient, but the non physical existence is intransient, it remains much after the transient self changes its form...? If it is, then it becomes axiomatically established that Jagjit Singh's music is immortal too. It will remain much after he is gone or we are gone too.

Music has an immortal existence, and with that, a kind of intransience is rendered to, our emotions, feelings of joy and despair, hope and despondence, hurt and pain, love and in a way to life itself ....

Kabhi khamosh baithoge , Kabhi Kuch gungunaoge, mein itna yaad aaonuga, Muje jitna bhulaoge....unforgettable JAGJIT SINGH...

The Cow stands in front of the school............

This is actually a very old joke. But I got reminded of it today, rather abruptly.

When we had to write an essay in school, we prepared an essay on 'The Cow'. but as most of the examinations in life come as a surprise, we were asked to write an essay on 'The School'. In such circumstances, one need not to give up so we managed the situation something like this -

The Cow stands in front of the school.
The Cow is white in colour.
The Cow gives milk, near the school.
The Cow eats grass around the school.
The Cow is called our mother in school as well.
The Cow has one calf, which plays in school.

And so on........

I had to sit through GDs for selecting management students. The topic given for the GD was - 'Working mothers make better mothers than housewives.'

The GD starts ...........

....my friends I would like to tell you that a working mother can better know what is corruption in the society. She can better teach her children how to tackle corruption. She goes out of the house and she finds that in order to get the work done, one has to pay money, she can actually teach her children how to take a stance against such a situation by not paying the money. Corruption in this country would end only if all mothers teach their children that they have to stand against it. Each one of us has to take a stance, only then corruption would end in this country. A working mother who knows better what corruption is, because she has to deal with it on a day to day basis can contribute to a nation also better by preparing her children to join the crusade against corruption. One Anna Hazare cannot do much, each one of us has to join the movement and I think working mother makes a better mother when she understands the realities of the world and imparts the right education to her children.............

How often do we take examinations in life with this kind of an approach? Fixed ideas, prejudices, incomplete information, restricted vision.........no wonder that we fail often.

M.F.Hussain's paintings on celluloid!

A creative genius forced me to return to the blog after a long hiatus. M.F. Hussain is no more, the news came, the newspapers are filled up with stories on the great artist. In one such stories there was a mention of the songs from his movies - some inspiration, and I decided to explore them. The songs forced me to write about a breathtakingly beautiful world that this great artist has created………
I would like to share four of the most beautiful songs from M.F.Husain’s movies. They are paintings on celluloid, accompanied with some very beautiful compositions and a kaleidoscope of colours. Every frame in these videos is beautiful. You can watch them over and over again.

The first song that I want to share is yeh rishtaa kya kehlata hai………………! This song has been shot in Rajasthan and it picks up all the vibrant colours from the palette, to create a lively, lovely painting. I am actually thinking of converting that still, in which Tabbu is swinging, wearing a beautiful yellow lehenga………..into a painting.



The second song is ‘meri payal bole chaam chaam’…..! A background of pastel colours, offset by a striking black dress worn by Madhuri, the ‘kardhani’ around her waist, the various mudras of classical dance shown by her………..



The third song is ‘Gaja Gamini, tu hai man mohini………….! When did I last saw such a beautiful use of red and yellow colours? The song speaks about various roles of a woman, the enchanting voice of Bhupen Hazarika………



The fourth song is ‘do sadiyan……! It shows Madhuri as Monalisa, a canvas filled up with blue, red, white and gray….., vibrant and has some of the most beautiful lines ……
Ek sadi ki shyaam jahan par ek sadi ka vahi savera
Samay na daale kahin bhi deraa……….

Neele rang ke is daavan mein kitne sukun bhare lamhe hain
Neele neele rang mein rooh ke saare geet ghule hain……….



It’s a breathtakingly beautiful world, a wonderful experience…………….Enjoy!