Gen Y Blues…!

Dear Youngistan,
You are spoiled by the ‘India growth story’, low on supply of “real talent”;

Translation: you kids have it good – and not because you’re any good but because you’re lucky.

My first issue is that most prospective employees – do not speak or write fluent English.
However the counter arguments is : If English isn’t a problem for China, why should it matter in India? Isn’t this just another example of our colonial hangover?

Yes, well, given that our knowledge of English has been a major asset in attracting foreign companies – especially vis-a-vis the more efficient Chinese – we can’t now pretend it doesn’t matter. I am not asking for Shakespearean flair, but the ability to clearly communicate in a business environment – which is also critical in a country where it remains the sole shared language of the educated classes (Sorry, Hindi). Just imagine the kind of memos and presentations that kid will spew in the future!

The reality is that our English skills are indeed declining with each passing generation. A senior colleague of mine once predicted that we will be the last Indian generation to produce high literature in the English language. And not however sure if I’m inclined to agree with him.

This new generation has not embraced a modern global work culture or mindset. Few young hires are terrible “at problem solving, thinking outside the box, seeking new ways of doing things” – blaming this on our rote-intensive educational system. They also don’t “ask questions, engage deeply and question hierarchy.” And young people do not “take responsibility for your career and for your learning and invest in new skills.”

Counter argument: Almost no one denies that the Indian education system squelches creativity and independent thinking. But as many point out, so do the employers, especially in big corporate environments. Junior hires end up doing all the grunt work, and following orders from bosses who are every bit as determined to stay safely within the box. Similarly, bosses today continue to reward yes-men and women who do what they are told. The hierarchical mindset of Indians remains a societal problem, and cannot be blamed on any one generation.

So the bigger picture is this: our work culture has not sufficiently evolved despite two decades of liberalisation. Corporate environments – with exceptions that prove the rule – tend to resemble somewhat improved versions of their socialist era predecessors. The emphasis is still on playing safe, and doing what has worked before – from the very top to the bottom.

I am skeptical about the prospect of radical transformation – and trading inter-generational accusations doesn’t help. My guess is that the work culture is evolving but in start-ups, small firms and more offshorings of big corporate empires that have more freedom to define their environment.

But for the most part, I don’t see any prospect for change in bigger workplaces until the price of stifling independent thinking and creativity starts to hurt the bottomline. If darker days are indeed around the corner, they may have one silver lining: they will force companies and their employees to find more creative paths to success. It will have to come to this: Change or die.

The mantra holds true for the employees, as well, young or old. It seems absurd that anyone today will turn their back on learning new skills.I can only say this: anyone who thinks learning is not an ongoing lifelong process in the globalised workplace is going to fail, sooner or later, irrespective of age. Keep up or lose out.

My last point is that new employees are not “professional and ethical.” mainly: incessant job hopping, demanding unreasonable raises, shopping around offer letters, simply not showing up on the first day, dodging long hours, and fudging travel and expense receipts.

Counter argument: Many argue that to complain about job hopping or shopping is absurd in a free market economy.

And so it is. But if the economy continues to slow down, all this hopping and shopping will be soon be a distant memory.

India’s First Ever Case of Tax Evasion.

This is what some one told me as India’s first case of tax evasion or probably world’s.

Long -long time back there was a merchant who fell seriously ailing, in spite of all his money and attempts made by all the doctors he was not recovering.

It is then that he decided that and pledged to Godess Kali that if he gets well he will sell his “Cow “and donate all the recovery from selling to the nearby Kali temple, with Lord Kali’s grace and with doctors medicines he eventually recovered from his infirmity.

Now was the time for him to respect his pledged, it is then he thought of evading this self imposed tax.

He held a hoarding outside his house telling that “Cow” is available for sale for "Rs 1" only, very soon a long queue of buyers was lined up outside his house, only to discover that merchant is ready to sell his “Cow” at Rs.1 only if some one is also ready to buy his Parrot along with the cow at “Rs. 4000".

Well he managed to beg one buyer who was ready to purchase the both.

And Merchant gladly donated the Rs.1, as recovered from the sale of cow in the nearby Kali temple.

So this was the oldest and classic case of Tax (though self imposed) by any one !!

Apple counting...!!!

A teacher teaching Maths to seven-year-old Arnav asked him, "If I give you one apple and one apple and one apple, how many apples will you have?" Within a few seconds Arnav replied confidently, "Four!"

The dismayed teacher was expecting an effortless correct answer (three).
She was disappointed. "Maybe the child did not listen properly," she thought. She repeated, "Arnav, listen carefully.
If I give you one apple and one apple and one apple, how many apples will you have?"

Arnav had seen the disappointment on his teacher's face. He calculated again on his fingers. But within him he was also searching for the answer that will make the teacher happy.
His search for the answer was not for the correct one, but the one that will make his teacher happy. This time hesitatingly he replied, "Four..."

The disappointment stayed on the teacher's face. She remembered that Arnav liked strawberries. She thought maybe he doesn't like apples and that is making him loose focus. This time with an exaggerated excitement and twinkling in her eyes she asked, "If I give you one strawberry and one strawberry and one strawberry, then how many you will have?"

Seeing the teacher happy, young Arnav calculated on his fingers again. There was no pressure on him, but a little on the teacher. She wanted her new approach to succeed. With a hesitating smile young Arnav enquired, "Three?"

The teacher now had a victorious smile. Her approach had succeeded. She wanted to congratulate herself. But one last thing remained. Once again she asked him, "Now if I give you one apple and one apple and one more apple how many will you have?"

Promptly Arnav answered, "Four!"
The teacher was aghast. "How Arnav, how?" she demanded in a little stern and irritated voice.

In a voice that was low and hesitating young Arnav replied, "Because I already have one apple in my bag."

Moral :
"When someone gives you an answer that is different from what you expected, don't think they are wrong. There may be an angle that you have not understood at all. You will have to listen and understand, but never listen with a predetermined notion."

Math Trick

Here is an unbelievable math trick , first grab yourself a calculator. (you won't be able to do this one in your head)

• Key in the first six digits of your mobile number


• Multiply by 80


• Add 1


• Multiply by 250


• Add the last 4 digits of your phone number


• Add the last 4 digits of your phone number again.


• Subtract 2509. Divide number by 2

Now do you recognize the answer...?

Tryst with Destiny

Tryst with Destiny was a speech made by Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of independent India. The speech was made to the Indian Constituent Assembly, on the eve of India's independence, towards midnight on August 14, 1947

“Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom.”

India was de novo celebrating it’s Independence day on the 15th of August this year (Sixty Second this time) ………but now somehow for many of us it was just another holiday or bestir of a long awaited ……..long weekend.

On the dawn of our 61st independence day I was conceiving my mail box and mobile phone inbox would have been flooded with advance posts or otherwise messages of friends, relatives and associates with fine wishes had it been a “Diwali, “Holi”, “Christmas”, “First day of the new year” or even a “Friendship day”, messages sent a day before would have landed the destination a day later for congestion in the network due to heavy traffic (and anticipating the same messages would already have been embedded with apologies for the same) but no message, neither advance on the eve before independence day nor any note saluting the same on the morning of independence day.

I and all of us have heard narratives of advanced, not so advanced and developing countries celebrating their Independence days with gravid conceit and respect, and it’s not that we India celebrate it anyway lesser than others but may be the cord between Indian national pride, honour and gist and Indian commoner is missing………may be and may be not………may be I am right or may be ……I am off beam.

Well I better prefer to be mistaken …..grossly mistaken !!!