Celebration of the power of Womeness at Office

Pink, Green, Red, Purple, Orange colors all around… well the office looked very much like heaven, with the presence of the beautiful lovely ladies dressed up in ethnic wear “Saree”. It was all for the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day being celebrated at Teleca office on March 8, 2011.
The event kicked off with the inauguration of “Femme De Teleca” a networking forum for all the Teleca India Women’s. The main objective was to create a platform where women’s could share information, new ideas, and latest trends in business, fashion, lifestyle etc, a podium to express concerns, issues and suggestions.

But engineering business is basically a men’s world and Teleca India head Santosh Xavier begged to differ. He shared his thoughts on all his attempts to change this myth and encourage more women contribution in Teleca’s growth. Later followed a quiz making everyone recognize all women – past heroines, today's leaders and tomorrow's champions for what they have achieved and what is to come.

Women at times gets compliments for her beauty, looks, intelligence and always for here humbles and scarifies she makes, but this time it was awards given away to women’s for being well dressed, congenial, bold and gracious. Other set of awards were given to the ladies for exemplary performers at Teleca. Health, skin care and weight are major concerns for any women and thus a doctor was invited to talk on women related health issues and share key mantras to stay happy and gorges forever.

Later games, music, dance, song performance filled the atmosphere with lots of fun, joy and gave everyone a moment where she felt proud of being “A Women”. The message was “Bring in the difference, believe in yourself and the gift of being women!! Make everyday Women's Day. Do your bit to ensure that the future for girls is bright, equal, safe and rewarding.”

Experiment: iPad a learning tool to special kids

SAP Labs tied up with Spastics Society for a social cause, the cause was to spread computer education to the mentally challenged and to kids with learning disabilities.

It was an initative by the SAP to bring in some difference in the society by conducting various computer workshops. As iPad brought in the revolution in the education domain, they wanted to experiment in a workshop where the volunteers train the parents of these special gifted kids to use it as a tool for educating them.

iPad was introduced in the simplest form:
“It a device which has within it the Sound+CPU+Display+mouce+keyboard packaged into one slimmest electronic gadget”.

Proud of participating as a volunteer and all thanks to my iPad for making be eligible for getting into this workshop inspite of being a non-SAP employee.
We had the following apps for the workshop categories in the respective category:
Learning: Dot to Dot Number Whiz, ABC , Kids Match, FirstWords sampler
Communicate: TapToTalk , BDayBragbook, Photo Animals
Fun: Virtuoso Piano, Eensy Harp ,Talking Tom

I was there to educate the kids and their parents on and about iPad, but the fact is, in those 5 hours I learnt many lessons of life:

Parent’s said: Life is not the same for all. It takes time to realize the fact that God had blessed us with a special child and gain courage to give the best life to our kid. We are proud of them for whatever they do with their disabilities. Every day is full of challenges and life gets more exciting when we face them and see our kid making all things possible and breaking his own boundaries and surprises us with his achievements and learning’s.

A mother of a one such kid said “I cry every day but with the happiness that god choose me to be the mother of such a kid, because he knew I can make a difference. I thank my son for bringing in the purpose for my living.”

Teachers: We provide intervention services to kids with Cerebral Palsy, Autism, Mental Retardation, Multiple Disabilities and Learning Disabilities. Every kid is so different and highly talented. It’s a challenge to understand them but we grow everyday with them.

Kids: These lovely innocent kids couldn’t talk to me but yes they communicated with me via their hand movements, eye contact and hugs.
Mayank’s eyes said, “I want to learn more as much as I can. Can do everything like you’ll. I have less time and want to say hello to the whole world”
Vishnu’s hand said, “Thanks for being my friend, be with me forever”
Sonu’s voice said, “I am the dude and I know what I wish to have at the age of 21”
Smrithi’s hug said, “I loved learning and playing with the iPad, Thank you!”

These kids are so cute and innocent, “Living life as it comes, with no complaints to God, always smiling, bestowing faith on all and enjoying every movement without the fear of future”

"The best things in life are free; I realized that it is in giving that you receive. I realize that I have gained 10 times more than what I have contributed. "
View Pics at : http://bit.ly/hxBMnT

Why do I dance?

I remember when I was 8 yrs old my dad dreamt of making me a successful classical dancer.

He got me admitted to Bharatanatyam dance classes, which were during the evening time. To be very frank I hated dancing and found it funny. So here comes my big confession, I used to bunk my dance classes and play cricket with my apartment guys. Teacher went up complaining to my parents and that was when my dad’s dream broke into pieces.

I used to fail to understand why I was always pulled up in the school dance competitions by my teachers, just so that they give me good marks I used to join the dance rehearsals and perform. This went on and finally the day came: We were doing the candle dance, and my partners candle slight burnt my hand and I screamed out loud. The dance teacher without any knowledge hit me on my back hard via a wooden stick. I shouted back and threw my candles and stepped out of the rehearsal stage. That was an official goodbye to dance.

College days and parties invitations, hmmm
Friends B’day parties and they all loved music and dance. As usual I was standing out of the dance floor; all of sudden the D’j announced the best dancer gets a mobile phone… (this was 2002 where mobile phone were a luxury). Me and my friends (gr8 dancers) decided to win it at any cost. I got motivated and there was Bhavis making a comeback in dancing.
I don’t know how but I just remember that my name was announced as a winner. Gosh that evening was a turning point of my life. So now… I am happy…. I dance
I am upset…. I dance
I am angry…. I dance
I am tired…. I dance
I am crying… I still dance

I dance because I can express my feelings only though dance…

I don’t dance for a show
I don’t dance in parties
I don’t dance to win
I don’t dance to impress
I don’t dance to showoff

I dance only for myself; because I get to know myself better through dance.
(A room in my flat has got dedicated as the dance floor)

It’s all a curse…

It’s a curse to be young
It’s a curse to be humble
It’s a curse to be sacrificing
It’s a curse to have fans
It’s a curse to be mentored by the best
It’s a curse to be having many well-wishers around
It’s a curse to have a perfect family
It’s a curse to have caring and non-selfish friends
It’s a curse to be beautiful
It’s a curse to be adored
It’s a curse to be lucky
It’s a curse to be blessed with all the freedom
It’s a curse to be a gracious dancer
It’s a curse to be well learned
It’s a curse to be an emotional writer
It’s a curse to be an exception
It’s a curse to be loved so much....

Believe me when I say, “It’s never too good to be so much blessed by God”.

Nokia + Microsoft look promising

Everyone has a say on this, so let me take this opportunity to blog on why I have a positive view towards the partnership between Nokia and Microsoft.
As Nokia announced Microsoft’s new Windows Phone 7 (WP7) to be its “primary” smartphone operating system moving forward; many felt betrayed, while I was seeing some positive sides here:

Positive key points out of this engagement:
* Microsoft back in game, positioned as “third mobile ecosystem” challenger to Apple’s iOS and Android
* Nokia handset fans will be looking forward for the first Nokia WP7
* Developers have once more option, to look out innovation and also earn money (get some free phones)
* With good Nokia hardware and Microsoft supporting the device with good enterprise capabilities with amazing UX, for-sure can win the minds and hearts of those Billion users with lower price featured phones
* Learning from the mistakes and weakness of Apple and Google they for sure have a long game to play in the Mobile Wireless market.
* Nokia will be targeting various price tiers with its WP7 range (not just the high-end) as it goes after mass market high volumes. A potential to significantly disrupt the current smartphone ecosystem.
* RIM under pressure as a “fourth” mobile ecosystem, while Intel must
* Merger of services assets, a good strategic fit as each firm has strengths in different areas; notably Nokia in mapping and Microsoft in search and advertising.
* Consumers the King; More competition, more innovation, more business opportunity, more devices and more fun in learning and sharing.

My Message:
“Agreed that Android 3.0 is flooding the market and hers coming the iPad 2 killer, with some bad history I still think that this partnership built on huge risk will have something big to offer to the Consumers & developers if they play the game smartly and quickly”.

Few things that they need to do is:
• Build up the infrastructure for the develop community to come and build good applications
• Get on with forming a partnership community asking partners to contribute to the platform and drive innovation quickly
• Get the Nokia WinMob7 featured phone ASAP in to the market
• Evangelize and make people aware about the platform architected
• Openness is the key here with perfect blend of security control and freedom for anyone who wants to contribute to the platform for making it better and best.
• Indentify the market where they want to make a difference and rule.
• Believing in the policy “Your success is mine”.
• Build smart phones which my Grandma can use with ease.