Recently I saw a funny video describing the latest in IT technology. It is hilarious to hear the interviewee explain cloud computing, cell phone technology, etc.

This seems so relevant to share because years ago I had to explain to my family members what a computer virus is, and why we cannot catch a computer virus (because it is does not affects human).

Now, these funny cartoons tell the same story of how common people perceive technology !

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The Rail Ticket

It is said that the best way to travel in India is to travel by train and not an airplane. The marvelous view offered in a train travel cannot match the view at 30,000 feet's above the ground. The first thing this reminds me of is Richard Attenborough's Gandhi, and the scene of travelling India on train (an on the roof top of trains). The hustle bustle at a railway station cannot match the sophisticated crowd at the Airports (though this does not mean that our railway station should not try to become like Airports, they desperately need to).

In September 2009, I got the chance to visit the National Rail Museum in New Delhi and was astonished to see the different Rail engines and coaches. The best part was the story of Railway ticket.

Today we have many options to book a railway ticket (the preferred way for most techies being logging on to http://www.irctc.co.in/). But in gold old days, when there was no concept of printed ticket, a book was maintained with the name, addresses and destination of passengers. The guard of the train was handed the list of passengers with their details before the beginning of the journey.

To improvise this process of handwritten tickets, Thomas Edmondson, a station master from Britain in 1836, made cardboard ticket prepared from wooden press blocks. However there was still the need to write the date with ink. To improvise this he used an improved assembly with inked ribbon similar to that of typewriter. This is how ticket issuing machine were invented. Once British bought Railway to India, they bought this technology here. Till computerised tickets were introduced, this was the method of issuing tickets in India.

When you are in Love!

Every night I look at the moon,
it reminds me of You,
I feel sad !!

I can see the moon,
but I can not see You...!

But I know that we will meet soon...
Till then, I will hold your memories in my heart :-*

Bihari Boli

There is something very interesting about language in India... every 50 kms or so the way a language is spoken, changes! So, even if Hindi is the official language of India, the way it is spoken in various parts - North, East, West and South is pretty different.

Hindi is my mother tongue. And being from Bihar, I am putting a list of some words which are typically Bihari Hindi words... these words enriched Bihari and come from other dialects spoken in the region and may not be found elsewhere.

There's no particular order I have put these words in,

1. Albalana = to stammer
2. Andheriya = dark
3. Bhittar = Inside
4. Bhidkana = to shut (door/window)
5. Bhanbhor = This to refer to a state that you are in when u have been bitten all night by an army of mosquitos!
6. Budbak = Idiot
7. Baklol = Idiot
8. Bhujhaya = Did you understand
9. Bhotar = Blunt
10. Bisrana = Become dirty (about things)
11. Beng = Frog
12. Belmund = shaved head
13. Bhakosna = To gobble
14. Bhakkuana = getting shocked
15. Bariyaar = Strong
16. Ego / Ek tho = Give One
17. Dugo / Du tho = Give Two
18. Teengo / Teen tho = Give Three
19. Eeho = this as well /this too
20. Ooho = that as well /that too
21. Tuho = you as well /you too
22. Humhu= me as well /me too
23. Le bilayiya = Ohmigosh !
24. Saatna = to stick
25. Satkana = To shut
26. Chaahad naa (versus chad-na) = To climb
27. Kudak na (versus kud-na) = to jump
28. Maatiyana = to ignore some work willingly
29. Tani-mani = little bit
30. Loor = Expertise
31. Lichchad = scoundrel
32. Thethar = stubborn
33. Rangdaar = goon
34. Pheech na = To wash
35. Ragda dena = To chase away
36. Sugga = Parrot (also the affectionate one)
37. Singhada (versus Samosa) = a kind of snack
38. Jeena = Staircase
39. Kotha = terrace
40. Neemman = nice
41. Peedha = A low stool

Asian Heros

Asia is the largest continent, area as well as population wise. It has got the largest democracy (India) and the largest dictatorship (China). It has got emerging economic superpowers of today.

Despite this, when it comes to talk about famous and influential personalities of the world, most of the time we hear only about "Heros" from Europe or USA.

Asia, with its rich history, society and politics have produced many heros. Here's a nicely put article from the Time Magazine about Heros of Asia from different fields of life.

When will we change

I have heard a lot about how foreigners (even Indians who return from abroad) are treated at the Indian international airports. The solution may lie in giving some part of the work to private sector (Public-Private partnership maybe).

Here's an interesting article on the same in The Financial Express.

Though for the day

Insaan paise bana sakta hai, par iska ulta sahi nahi hai...

The Fast and the Furious

Nahi nahi... yeh Dhoom 2 ki kahani nahi hai... yeh blog post hai Hyderabad ke Autos (ya auto rickshaw) ke upar. Main Bharat ke kuch sharon jaise ki Delhi, Poona, Patna, Bangalore, Mysore ke autos me ghooma hun. Magar Hyderabad ke autos ki baat hi kuch aur hai...

Paheli baat to Dakshin Bharat ke autos ka rang poori tarah peela hota hai. Bharat ke doosri jagahon par yeh kaala-peela hota hai. Par yeh kewal rang hi nahi hai jo isse alag karta hai, yahan driver auto me bahut khoobsoorti se design banwate hai aur apne auto ko bahut sajate sawarte hai. Aapne woh film to dekhi hi hogi... Hero Heeralal... bilkul waise hi autos hote hai yahan!

Aur shayad jitni tej autos yahan chalaate hai waise doosri jagah nahi chalaate. Yahan auto aise chalate hai ki agar usme ek Jet Engine laga ho to woh X Prize foundation ke crore dollar ke space price ko jeet le. Yahan tak ki auto ka meter bhi utna hi tej hai jitna ki auto ki raftar!!!

To agli baar jab aap Hyderabad aaye to auto ka majaa jaoor uthayen.

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Did you know: A Tuk-Tuk is a South East Asian version of Auto Rickshaw (remember the Pierce Brosnan ad for Visa)

How would India fare up in the Future

Thomas Friedman ka "The World is Flat" pada kuch dino pahele. Tom ne Globalisation aur Outsourcing ka itihaas bahut acche se bataya hai is kitab mein.

Aaj Pramod Bhasin (President & CEO, Genpact) ke townhall hua office me. Outsourcing par badi badi baaten hui. Bade log hai to badi badi baaten karenge hi. Batein jaise ki kaise hum apne customers ko reduced cost aur increased efficiency ka fayada de sakte hai. Aur abhi tak to humne Outsourcing ka "tip of iceberg" dekha hai, hume aage aur bahut kuch karna hai.

Ek baat to hai ki Outsourcing se teesri duniya, poorvi Europe aur Latin America ke deshon ko bahut fayada hua hai. Yaha bahut saare logon ki jindagi sudhar aaya hai. Aur yeh log naujawan hai jo apne deshon ki arthvyavstha me Demand ko badhava de rahe hai, jisse arthvyavstha me sudhar ho raha hai.

Par kya ye samridhi US aur UK ke logon ki naukriyan cheen kar aayi hai... shayad nahi... US aur UK me agar Outsourcing nahi hota to wahan ki arthvyavstha ko jyada nuksaan hota. Outsourcing se wahan ki arthvyavstha me sudhar aur vridhi ki utni hi sambhavana hai jitni ki yahan hai.

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Thomas Baba kahin: Ab bhavishya me India me log gaali denge to "Go to Hell" nahi kahenge, woh bolenge "Go to America"...