Plastic Ban in India - Gaining momentum !

In the last few months, plastic ban in India is gaining momentum. Government has taken a number of measures to promote environment awareness and friendliness among people.

I visited Vandulur Zoo after nearly 3 years. I was pleasantly surprised when I noticed that the government was strictly enforcing Plastic Ban in Vandalur Zoo. The officials had setup a booth at the entrance of the park. All the visitor's bags are checked and their plastic covers/bags are taken out and trashed. Visitors were not allowed to carry plastic bags inside. You cannot even carry a unopened biscuit pack. They provide you with newspapers (free of cost) and cloth bags (for Rs.5 I guess!). You have to remove the wrappers of the biscuit pack and use newspapers to pack them. If you are carrying a plastic bag, you've to switch to a cloth bag. I'm sure this exercise will improve the awareness of plastic ban among our citizens. In addition, this exercise will also educate them about the harmful effects of using plastic in a zoo (including the death of rare/precious wild animals).

(Also read: Vandalur Zoo - Infrastructure is world class but people's behavior is still local class)

In addition, the government has setup a number of warning signs inside the Vandalur Zoo that educate the users about the plastic ban.

Despite all of the hard (& smart) work of our officials, I noticed some plastic covers/bottles inside the Vandalur Zoo. The restaurants set up inside the park sell snacks/cool drinks in plastic bags/containers, respectively. Our people just throw the plastic bags/containers on the road, after use - though there were a number of trash cans, dustbins available inside the park.

(Also read: 15 things that I liked about Vandalur Zoo)

Plastic ban is quite visible in our day to day life also.

• Chennai Metro is experimenting source segregation of wastes. You can separate plastics from other wastes and they'll be collected separately by the person who picks-up your trash.
• Shops are banned from using "low quality" plastic bags which cannot be recycled  Several premium shops have switched over to "cloth" bags. 
• Customers are encouraged to bring bags from their home. This will help in either re-using existing plastic bags/containers or in promoting the use of cloth bags. 
• Customers have to pay the shop to get a plastic bag. It is not free of cost anymore.

Personally, I have done my best to bring down the use of plastic in our home. In fact, we started doing all of these things several years ago ! I told my parents that the use of plastic will result in "Cancer". That is the easiest way for me to enforce plastic ban at home :)

(Also read: A ban on spitting in public places - who enforces it?)

We did the following simple things:

• Switched from plastic water containers to a stainless steel water storage dispenser
• Installed a water purifying system at home, instead of buying can water
• Stopped using plastic plates, cups and bowls. Switched to glass or stainless steel utensils
• Switched from plastic water bottles to aluminium / stainless steel water bottles
• To the extent possible, we try to re-use/recycle plastic bags. We carry cloth bags to shops

Minimizing the use of plastic will not only help in saving the environment, but also helps in keeping the city clean. Whenever you go outside of your house, you can see lots of plastic bags/containers floating in the air and in the streets. When you get rid of plastics, you can also maintain a clean environment.

(Also read: If I don't care, who'll care)

My BIG THUMBS UP for plastic ban !

Vandalur Zoo - Infrastructure is world class but people's behavior is still local class

I visited Vandalur Zoo last week with my family. Vandalur Zoo is one of the BEST and well maintained zoological parks that I've seen in the WORLD. Our Tamilnadu government has done a fantastic job of keeping the place clean. I had several interesting experiences and observations during my recent visit and I thought I would share it with others.

(Also read: 15 things that I liked about Vandalur Zoo) 

We spent the entire day going around the zoo and having fun. In the evening, we visited the children's park in Vandalur Zoo. There were a number of play structures for kids - including swings, monkey bars, sliding structures, horizontal merry-go-rounds, and climbing structures. Kids were having lots of fun. While kids living in USA get access to these kind of structures almost in every street, good public play areas for kids is still not a common thing in India. You can see them only in newly built private communities. Government has been trying best to improve the conditions of existing parks and some of the parks are maintained really well.

While I was admiring the well maintained play structures at Vandalur zoo  I was shocked to see certain things happening inside the park. I saw a number of adults / youngsters playing on the play structures that were meant for kid. when I see someone doing harm to government properties, my adrenalin gushes; my nerves bulge (people who have watched the Tamil movie Ratchagan can understand what I'm talking about).

I made an effort to tell the adults who were using the play structures, to stop using them. Almost everybody listened to me and nobody "protested". However, I did get some interesting responses/remarks from some of them:

• "I have seen a number of adults using these structures and nobody stopped them at that time. When I start to play on these structures, you are complaining"
• "If I stop playing on these structures, will the people who are going to come tomorrow won't do the same thing?"
• "Ask government to build some play structures for adults too"
• "No kid is using this swing right now and hence, I'm using it"

(Also read: Skywalks in train stations - what are they for?)

Thankfully enough, I didn't get the usual responses that I've gotten in other parks (where I've tried to do the same thing!). They are:

• "Who are you to ask?!"
• "I'm also paying tax like you. I have EQUAL RIGHTS"
• "There is no sign board that says - adults should not use these play structures"
• "Where is the sign board that says - only kids should use these play structures"

There were a group of youngsters (college students!) who are trying to use the swings. I told them the reasons why adults shouldn't be playing with the play structures:

• Government has spent lots of money in building this play area. However, they don't allocate enough funds to maintain them. Once broken, it will take a number of weeks and even months for government to fix them
• We keep complaining that "Government does not create good infrastructure" for us. However, when they do create good infrastructure for us, we don't use them wisely
• The play structures are meant for kids. They aren't sturdy enough for adults to use. If the swing lasts for a few 1000 swings if a kid uses it, it will last only for a few 100 swings if adults use it
• It is OUR responsibility to maintain the structures well. Government cannot supervise each and every thing.

(Also read: A ban on spitting in public places - who enforces it?)

In fact, I encouraged all of them to STOP other adults who may be using the structures. The guys nodded their heads and I thought they won't use it again.

A few minutes later, I left the kids play area. I noticed that the youngsters started using the swings immediately after I left.

The first thing that came to my mind was - "Oh! My God?! How am I going to persuade these youngsters". This time, my adrenalin gush brought me anger. I ran to the park and on seeing me coming, the guys got out of the swings. I asked, "Will you follow the instructions only when you are given a SLAP on your face. Didn't I patiently explain to you why we shouldn't be using the swings meant for kids. Can't you understand? I really don't know how I can explain this to you guys. Do let me know if there are better ways by which I can persuade you. See... I cannot police this 24x7. You guys are future citizens of India. You are the Government. If you guys are not taking care of this in a responsible way, who else will do it?". They said, "We are very sorry Sir! We won't do it again".

I'm not sure whether those guys kept the promise or not. But, one thing kept ringing in my ears for the whole evening "You cannot maintain a world class facility if people continue to behave like local class".

I think our government should consider placing "clear sign boards" that warn adults from using kids' play structures. I have seen in other countries, where they have a scale for kids to measure their height. Only if you are within the maximum height limits, you can use the play structures meant for kids. We should consider installing this in places like Vandalur zoo,  Anna Tower Park, and Semmozhi Poonga Park. I have noticed adults/youngsters using the play structures meant for kids in all these places and I have tried my best to stop them. In fact, I complained to the administrative officials in Semmozhi Poong Park and they said "they'll look into it". In the worst case, they should have a watchman there policing the adults who use kids' play structures.

It is so sad to see that our people are not good at maintaining public property well. It will be hard for Government to manage these facilities if citizens do not take ownership. How can you maintain a world class facility if your people continue to behave like local class?

(Also read: A ban on spitting in public places - who enforces it?)

1 year as Division Governor (Tamilnadu) for Toastmasters International

Imagine that you are in the beach, admiring the beauty of the sea and enjoying the waves that come to the shore, to drench your feet. Suddenly, you were thrown into the water and that too into the middle of the sea. You don't know how to swim. You are beginning to sink. The fear of death urges you to flap your hands and legs very fast. You notice that you are starting to come to the top of the water. Within moments, you realize that you are beginning to float. You try harder and start flapping your hands and legs faster, with a little focus. You realize that you are able to swim. You begin to advance to the shore with every wave that pops up from the middle of the sea. In no time, you come to the shore. Wow! That is unbelievable. There was a bigger surprise waiting for you at the shore. You see an army of people gathered at the shore, cheering you ... and congratulating you for the record that you've set in crossing the sea. This is exactly what happened in the last 1 year.

I was not thrown into the waters. But, I took up a major leadership role in Toastmasters International. I was literally thrown into the role and I learned to live as a leader of a large organization. I enjoyed everybit of the role. A role that taught me several leadership lessons, which ... even my MBA degree didn't teach. I served as the Division G Governor for all the toastmasters clubs in Tamilnadu from July 2011 to June 2012.

Looking back, I couldn't believe what I accomplished, together with my team of toastmasters, in the last 1 year. The following are some highlights of my term as the Division Governor of the toastmasters clubs in Tamilnadu:

1. Division G was the best performing division in the whole of District 82 (which includes all the clubs in South India and Srilanka)
2. We grew the number of clubs in Tamilnadu from just 21 to 35 (60% growth in a year)
3. We increased the membership from nearly 600 toastmasters to 900+ toastmasters (50% growth in a year)
4. We started a Gavel's club in Sri Sankara Senior Secondary School (for toastmasters under age 18)
5. We conducted 2 Youth Leadership Programs (YLP) for training young students in school on communication & leadership
6. We conducted 2 division conferences which was attended by record number of 275 toastmasters
7. We created a 650+ members strong Facebook community for Tamilnadu toastmasters
8. 7 out of the top 10 clubs in District 82 are from Tamilnadu (based on educational awards/membership)
9. 25% of the educational awards in District 82 were produced by Division G (District 82 had 9 different divisions)
10. We set new records in membership, educational awards, and new clubs creation thereby achieving the #1 status in the whole of District 82

Now you can imagine what I was doing during my weekends and at times, during my weekday evenings. When somebody says, "I don't have time, it means that they haven't prioritized a particular activity. They might've had time, but they would've used it for something else". I wasn't able to write even a single blog post in the last 1 year, because I didn't have time :) I was spending most of my spare time for toastmasters activities.

I got a unique opportunity to meet 1000s of people and deliver speeches in front of audience of varying sizes / age groups. The skills that I developed in a year couldn't be acquired even if I spend a million dollar in academic institutions. Thanks to Toastmasters International for offering me a platform to develop my skills and thanks to my fellow toastmasters for helping me in my leadership journey.

Now, I'm back to my good old days, doing my good old favorite activity - blogging ! You can expect to see regular blog posts from me on subjects related to R2I and my experience in India.

Christmas, Christians & Christianity in India

Christmas and Christianity is becoming popular in India. There was once a time, when only a few houses in an entire area, that hang "Christmas stars" outside. Today, there are few houses in every street, with glittering "Christmas stars" hung outside.

Christmas is getting celebrated in a big way, in India. Since it is a government holiday, many party halls and restaurants are filled with people. It isn't just common man who is celebrating Christmas, in India. Even commercial establishments and eateries make Christmas, a big event. They announce a lot of sweet deals and offers around Christmas. News papers are filled with Christmas related advertisements.

Santa Claus is getting popular in schools, these days. My daughter in KG, came home with a small toy car and some candy. She said "Santa Claus came to our school today to give gifts to everyone !!". She was very cheerful on getting a gift from Santa Claus. 

My uncle is a Christian for several decades now. A couple of my relatives converted to Christianity, recently. Though I'm not a strong believer of one particular religion, I'm quite surprised by the conversion rate. I learned that Christian missionaries help folks who are in "need". In fact, one of my
relatives got an aid to set up a petty shop. Needless to say that he became a Christian.Christian missionaries run several schools in Chennai - many of them provide free education to the needy and to the bright students. One of my neighbors died unexpectedly and the Christian school in which his sons studied, took care of the kids' educational expenses.

There is a church in every other street, now. When I say church, don't imagine a Roman style church. Folks have rented out or converted large halls into churches for their regular prayers. Just take a morning walk, you would notice a number of people attending early morning prayers/mass in the churches.

Sundays are very special. You can see a number of Christians, well dressed up and with a bible in their hand, visiting churches. People of different age groups, different gender, different race, different economical status attend the mass on Sundays. It is nice to see people getting disciplined. Christians do organize processions on special days such as Christmas. Of course, when there is crowd, there are beggars. Beggars gather outside the church, eagerly waiting for the mass to be over, to get alms.

I did some Internet search to find numbers to substantiate my observations, on the growth of Christianity. However, I could find none. Christians constitute only 2.34% of the overall Indian population (based on census data published in 2004). The growth rate of Christianity in 2004 was 23% (when compared to 21% in 1991). The numbers don't add-up to justify my observations. I'm very curious to see the results of the census data being gathered now, in India.

Raw Vegetarian Diet - Experiment scaled down

I started experimenting "raw vegetarian diet", a few months ago. I liked the idea of eating uncooked vegetables and they really tasted good. However, I couldn't sustain my experiment for more than couple of months. There were several challenges that I faced during the experiment:

(Also read: Why am I a Vegan?)

• Vegetables that we get in the market/shop aren't "fresh" most of the times
• It takes lot of time to eat raw vegetables
• It also takes a lot of time for us to "digest" raw vegetables
• Raw vegetables generate lot of gas and stomach is always 'heavy'
• The craving for 'cooked' food is hard to control :-)

To add to all the above issues, I faced a severe indigestion problem for a few days and I decided to scale down my experiment significantly. Instead of trying to become a 100% raw vegetarian, I started to include more raw vegetables/fruits in my diet. Now, I'm getting the best of both the worlds - cooked as well as raw food. For the last several months, I'm able to sustain this diet model without any issues.

Also read:

A journey from non-vegetarian to raw-vegetarian
Why am I a Vegan?
Sunday - a day of mass murders in India

Getting two wheeler driving license in India - My Experience

What does it take to get a two-wheeler driving license? How much fees do we have to pay? How long does it take to get a two-wheeler driving license? What should you practice to clear the driving test? The thought of even going to an RTO office would make people nervous - Hours of waiting under hot sun, inefficient processes, lousy work flow, lethargic employees, and the driving inspectors who think they are GOD. Each one of us, holding an Indian driving license, would definitely have a story to share. Here is mine. I'm going to share with you, my experience at the RTO office in Virugambakkam, Chennai.

I went to a nearby driving school (Anish Driving School) to apply for my two wheeler driving license. They charged me Rs.850. They asked me to show up on a Tuesday at the RTO office to get a Learners License Registration permit (also called as LLR). You need to show your identity/address proof to get the learners license. I spent nearly 3+ hours at the RTO office to just get an LLR.

I got my new Honda Aviator in August (3 months after I got my LLR). I started to learn driving with that. I have been using my scooter mostly for my daily commute to work. I wouldn't consider myself as an expert driver - but, I drive decent enough to maneuver through the Indian roads. I decided to take the driving test before my LLR expires. So, I scheduled my driving test for this week. I was asked to show up at the driving school by 8.45 am.

I went to the driving school, sharp by 8.45 am. However, the folks at the driving school were busy processing some last minute application forms. So, we left the driving school to the RTO office only by 9.30 am. I had to wait nearly for an hour outside the RTO office, under the hot sun. There is no shelter or place to sit outside the RTO office in Virugambakkam, Chennai. It is such a busy area with lots of shops & the road was crowded. Around 10.30 am, the driving school master came out of the RTO office, with a bunch of application forms, after paying the fees. He then asked us to assemble behind the Koyambedu Market for the driving test.

Two wheeler driving is typically self-learned. No body teaches for you. For the first time ever, my driving school master told us the rules of the driving test & asked us to go and practice for a while. We all rushed to the place behind the Koyambedu market, where the driving test was supposed to happen. Folks were lining up for their practice session, with lots of excitement & nervousness. It had rained in the morning. So, the area was exorbitantly sticky with vegetable wastes from the market. Some of the scooters even skidded, when the students were practicing there. All of us were seriously practicing to do an "8", with the two wheeler. It was like doing last minute preparations outside the exam hall. I had spent some significant time practicing over the weekend and today morning. So, I was confident enough.

The RTO inspector came to the spot at about 11.30 am. All of us parked our vehicles and watched him seriously. I have heard horror stories about RTO inspectors. They normally shout at people and some of them even throw the application forms on to your face. But the RTO inspector who came to the spot today treated us with some respect. He was patiently explaining the rules. Surprisingly, I didn't have much nervousness and there was no adrenaline rush. I did my "8" without any issues and I couldn't believe that I've CLEARED the driving test. I had to wait till all the other 20 folks completed their "8"s and some 10 folks to complete their car driving test. At 12.15 pm, we were asked to go back to the RTO office, for the photo shoot. We waited there for nearly an hour. Our driving school master came up with the application forms and asked us to stand in line for the photo shoot. All of us took photo shots and waited for another 30 minutes. We got our driving license (without lamination) and we had to stand in another queue to submit the same after verification. By the time the whole process was over, it was 1.45 pm.

We spent nearly 5 hours to get the driving license - though our presence was ACTUALLY needed only for 5 minutes (2 minutes to take the driving test + 2 minutes to appear for the photo shoot + 1 minute to verify the license). It looks like none of the processes/work flow has been automated. There is lots of places to fill/sign in the application.They collected nearly 5 passport size photos (3 during the LLR & 2 before the driving test). There is still bodies with ledgers, behind the counters. I saw computers only in the room where they took photo shots.

On an average, I believe at least 100 folks visit the RTO office in a given day. If each of them have to spend 5 hours (instead of 5 minutes), we are nearly wasting 20 man days everyday in a RTO office. If there are 10 such offices in Chennai, then we are wasting nearly 200 man days, everyday in just Chennai alone. Imagine how much time is wasted in waiting in RTO offices throughout India on a given day. Moreover, waiting in the RTO office really creates frustration. Since visiting RTO office is not an everyday affair, people & the government are not caring about it much. However, in countries like USA, the whole process will be completed in just 30 minutes. Getting a driving license in India isn't painful, but waiting in the queues really is. I wish government does something to minimize the waiting time in RTO offices. [Also read: Corruption free Chennai West RTO office]

I had taken some videos of the driving tests from my mobile. This should give an idea of what is expected from people during a two-wheeler driving test. 

Also read:  

Driving on Indian roads - Pleasure or Pain?    

Two Wheeler Service Experience

Heavy Rain made Chennai into Venice

How to reduce the impact of climate change & global warming?

Global warming, climate changes and their impact are talked about in lengths, in all forms of media - TV, Radio, Newspapers & Internet. "Going Green" is the new buzz word. What should we do, to reduce the impact of climate change and global warming? Do we have to go back to the ancient world and live in forests, eating just fruits and vegetables? Do we have to sacrifice the pleasures of modern day life, to save this earth? How can we preserve the world we know, for our grand kids and our grand kids' grand kids?

(Also read: A Journey from Non-Vegetarian to Raw-Vegetarian)

A friend of mine forwarded me a "Youtube" video which prompted me to write this blog. This is the video of a young girl who addressed a UN meeting on the issue of environment.

What are some simple changes that you can bring in your life to reduce the impact of climate change & global warming? Here are 5 things you can do to reduce the impact of climate change & global warming.

1) Planting trees around your home or in some of the empty lands that you own. Think about the number of trees that we have to bring down during our life time. Just look around ... identify the number of wooden items around you - house/office structures, tables, chairs, cabinets, papers/books/notepads, paper towels, all the way to tiny little match sticks. All these things are made out of wood. So, how many trees have we planted since we were born to compensate for this?

2) Saying NO to paper/plastic bags during shopping. Carrying "cloth bags" to shops (and re-using plastic bags several times) reduces the carbon foot print. Since some forms of plastic cannot be recylced easily, the use of plastic creates a huge problem. Moreover, the cost involved to recycle a plastic bag is more than the cost involved to manufacture one. So, the manufacturers don't show interest in recycling plastic bags. A weekly shopping trip results in at least 10 - 15 plastic bags. In a year, we would've used nearly 800 bags. Imagine how much plastic use we can reduce if we just start to carry "cloth bags" to shop.

3) Wisely using water - Not wasting water and properly using it (during our showers, mouth wash, hand wash, watering lawns etc.,). Even a state like California declared drought last year because of the lack of rains. Water saved is water produced.

4) Avoiding/Minimizing the consumption of animal food. It takes more resources (land/water/fodder etc.,) to produce animal food than what is required to produce grains/vegetables. "There's nothing so pervasively damaging to our environment - and to world hunger - than eating animal products". This article gives you lots of facts regarding how animal food impacts the environment.

A friend of mine asked me "If everyone becomes a vegetarian, what happens to the ecosystem? Who'll maintain the food pyramid/chain?". My response to him was simple. "Today, do you think humans are letting these poor creatures to breed at their normal pace? We (humans) are growing thousands & thousands of cattle/birds (& forcing them to breed in an abnormal way) just to satisfy our appetite. If we let them to breed on their 'normal pace', then I believe the 'layers' underneath humans in the food pyramid/chain, will help to ensure the balance in the ecosystem".

Also read: Sunday - a day of mass murders in India,   Why am I a Vegan?

5) Drive your motor vehicle only when it is absolutely required. This is easier said than done. However, we can bring small changes to our lifestyle such as combining multiple trips into one, taking a walk to nearby places, using public transportation, car pooling, and biking.

Start to educate the people you know about climate change/global warming and their impact. You might have heard this several times during your life - "You'll learn a lot only when you start to teach". When you begin to teach others about global warming/climate change, you tend to learn more about it. This will motivate you to strictly adhere to your 'environmental friendly' life style.

Many a times, we don't realize the seriousness of the climate change. We may not see the end of the world during our life time. However, think of our grand kids or our grand kids' grand kids. They are going to live in a world that is completely torn apart by the global warming. Some of the small islands like Maldives will vanish out of the map because of increasing sea levels (due to the melting of glaciers).

Changing our life style to be 'environmental friendly' is definitely tough. But, if we are conscious about the impacts of environmental change/global warming, we can easily bring small changes into our life style. We all know that 'small droplets can form an ocean'. Why not make our small contribution towards making this world greener? 

Let us preserve the world we love/live for our grand kids & our grand kids' grand kids. 

Two wheeler service - Can't escape from those long lines and hours of waiting

I spent nearly 2+ hours this week to get my new Honda Aviator serviced (Note: This is just the drop-off & pick-up time. Doesn't include the time taken to service the vehicle). I've read from forums that Honda Service in India, is pretty bad. I went through that experience for the first time. Here is how the story goes.

This week, my Honda Aviator said it is ready for its first service. I called JSP Honda on Saturday and they recommended me to bring the vehicle on a week day. I decided to take my vehicle on Monday morning right when they open, so that, I can avoid a long queue. I reached the service station sharp at 7.30 am. To my surprise, there were about 30 other folks, waiting with their 2 wheelers, already. Also, the place in which the customers were asked to line up with their vehicles was very untidy and unhygienic. There were broken bottles, piles of trash including worn out sleeping mats, and some smell of urine. I don't know why nobody whined about the pathetic condition of that place.

The service engineers(?), came with their notepads at about 7.45 am. They started taking down details related to the vehicle and the service requirements, from the waiting customers. By the time my turn came, it was about 8.15 am. I finished the formalities and handed over my vehicle key to the service engineer. I wanted to complain regarding the untidy state of the location in which the customers have to wait, to handover their vehicles. Unfortunately, none of the administrative staff were available that early in the morning. So, I came out and took a share auto to work. I spent about 1 hour to just leave my vehicle for service.

In the evening, I got a call from a lady rep saying that my vehicle was ready for pick-up. I went to the service center by 5.30 pm. I was told that my 'paper work' is not ready and I was asked to wait. While I was waiting, I met the Service Center Manager and complained to him regarding the unhygienic condition of the location where the vehicles are 'received' from the customer. I also filled a formal 'complaint' form and handed it over to him. He appreciated the feedback and told that necessary action will be taken. I'm hoping that the facility will be clean when I go for my next service. It took another 30 minutes for my paper work to be available. I was charged Rs.150 for the first service (though it is technically free, but they charge for oil and other things). I had reported about 3 issues in the morning. I asked the person in the counter regarding the status of the 3 issues that I reported. The response was "most likely the issues would've been fixed, Sir! Otherwise, they would've made a note in the report". It took me an hour to get my vehicle and leave.

I hadn't owned any vehicle previously, in India. So, I was quite surprised with the amount of time someone has to spend in the service center just to drop the vehicle & pick it up from service. Hopefully, somebody will minimize the waiting time in the service centers with a magic wand.

Also read:

Got the two wheeler driving license - after hours of waiting

Swimming pool in Brownstone Apartments - Highly Recommended

 It is nearly 6 months since I returned from US. Since the day I landed in Chennai, my daughter has been asking me to take out for swimming. Swimming pools are very common in US. Almost, every other apartment/community in US, has a swimming pool. However, swimming pools are not very common yet, in India. Only a very few residential communities have swimming pools. I used to take my daughter to a pool at least once a month before. However, since landing in Chennai, I've deprived her from that experience. I learned about the wonderful swimming pool run by V.V. International School of Swimming, in Brownstone apartments, in Mahalingapuram (near to Loyola College). I called them today morning to find out some details.

We went to Brownstone Apartments at about noon. They charged Rs.70 each, for my daughter & me, for a 1 hour swimming session (It looks like the yearly membership costs Rs.5,500. They also conduct swimming lessons). The swimming pool was maintained well. The water was clean and there were not any dirt or debris, floating. There were at least 2 administrative folks to help the visitors. We went there by Saturday noon and the pool wasn't crowded at all. My daughter was initially hesitant (actually, scared!) to enter the pool. But, later she started liking the experience. I made her sit on an air-filled tube and she enjoyed the floating experience. We had a wonderful time there. It was very refreshing. We spent the full hour in the pool and came back extremely relaxed.

If you are in the Nungambakkam/Choolaimedu area and looking for a swimming pool/class, you should definitely consider V.V International School of Swimming, in Brownstone apartments.

Also read:

Smell of fresh air - rejuvenating
Chennai Marina Beach - Free Recreation

Metro water in Chennai - breeding red worms

Are you living in Chennai? Do you see Red Worms in drinking water? You aren't alone. Here is my side of the story.

My wife have been complaining about worms in the Metro water, for a while. I was ignoring her claims initially. But, when I looked at our overhead tank, it was full of worms. A single mug of water had nearly 10 - 15 worms. They were small, thin and in red color - glittering in the sun light. We had cleaned our water tank only a month back - paying someone Rs.400. I was surprised to see, so many worms in the tank. I decided to clean the water tank, myself. I spent nearly 2 hours cleaning the tank, with proper chemicals. In the next 2 days, we again saw worms in the water.

All along, I have been thinking that Metro Water would be of good quality. So, I didn't suspect that the Metro Water would have worms. Coincidentally, I saw a news article in "Thinathanthi" paper which talked about "Red Worms in Metro Water". The article said that the Metro Water authorities know about this issue and it is due to 'low chlorine levels in the drinking water'. The article also said that these "Worms are harmless" & if we just filter/heat the water it can be used for drinking and cooking purposes. I started doing some research on the Internet. I saw several outdated (3 years ago) articles that talked about worms in Metro Water. I didn't see any recent news articles. However, there were some user forums where people complained about "Red Worms in drinking water".

I thought this issue is 'confined' to very few areas in Chennai. But, in the recent days, I see many areas affected these Red Worms. There is also a speculation that drinking water is getting mixed with sewage due to leaks. However, Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) authorities have been denying the existence of these worms.

Worms crawl out of taps in Saligramam - Chennai

Water with worms in Anna Nagar west 

Metro water is supposed to be used only for drinking/cooking purposes. But people store the water in sumps and start to use it for everything except for drinking (Yes! Many folks buy bottled/can water for drinking. Several other folks have costly water filtering systems in place). I'm not surprised why Metro Water authorities aren't taking a quick action. But, the folks who get affected the most are the poor folks who cannot afford to buy bottled/can water or costly water filters. If you are affected with the red worms, you should file a complaint now. You can do it online at Metro Water website. Hope Metro Water authorities solve this problem once for all - if not for the folks who 'misuse' the drinking water, but for the folks who really use the Metro Water for drinking/cooking only.

Note:  Metro Water website gives a lot of tips regarding the usage of water and maintenance of tanks/sumps. The wesbite also has lots of other useful information such as rainwater harvesting, online complaints, cash counters etc.,

Lavish birthday party's cost = A poor child's education cost for 12 years

All of us love our kids, so much. In fact, they are our world. We would do anything for them. Our kids' birthdays are very special to us. Birthdays are definitely important milestones to celebrate. First of all, we want the birthday to be very memorable for our kids. Second of all, it is the right time for us to pat ourselves for our excellent work of managing them, another year.

Parents spend a lot of money to celebrate their kid's birthdays. We invite friends/relatives for an evening get together. We order food, cake & mementos. An average birthday party costs anywhere from $600 - $1000 (in US) & at least Rs.25,000 (in India). We all rejoice that evening. The kids definitely have lots of fun. They feel so special. Now, fast forward 25 years. Will our kid remember the 'grand birthday party' that we organized, 25 years ago (without us showing him/her the birthday photographs?). Will our friends/relatives remember all the birthday parties they attended?

So, what is my point, here? Am, I asking you NOT to celebrate birthdays? Am I asking you NOT to throw birthday parties? Am I trying to say that the money spent on birthday parties is a WASTE?

No... No... No...

As I said earlier, birthday celebrations are very important for kids. Some kids do remember whether you celebrated their birthdays or not. But, what they DON'T REMEMBER or what they DON'T CARE is 'How grand the celebration was'.

Do you know what difference you can make in the life of some people, if you are able to scale-down the magnitude of such birthday parties? With $600 you can sponsor a child's education up to +2 level (i.e., 14 years of education). With Rs.10,000 you can take care of all the expenses of a child for 1 year (including education). Imagine the difference you can make on the life of these kids. Your friends may forget the birthday parties in a year or so. But, these kids who are receiving your sponsorship will remember you forever. If you start to sponsor a child's education, up to +2, every year, by the time your kid turns 20, you would've changed the life of 20 kids. Imagine the satisfaction that you'll get by performing such a noble deed.

You may think, "Why should I cut-down on my kid's birthday party spending? I'll organize a big birthday bash & I'll also donate some money to support poor kids". The "conservative" in me, still feels that the money spent on the big birthday bash can help another poor kid. But, if you can help support a kid every year, that itself is wonderful. You'll be remembered very much for that noble deed. The famous motivational speaker Zig Ziglar said, "You can have everything you want, if you will just help enough other people get what they want!”

If you are interested, you can donate to Udavum Karangal. Donating to Udavum Karangal is very easy. You can do it from their web site, with your credit card. You'll get regular progress reports for the child you are sponsoring. 

(Note: I'm not associated with Udavum Karangal. But, I have been to their facilities in the past. They really do a good job of taking care of the kids & needy people. They really put your hard earned money to good use)

Sunday - a day of mass murders in India

It is 4th of Oct, 2009. 2 days after the world celebrated Mahatma Gandhi's birthday. I stepped out of my house for my early morning walk. There is a meat shop near my house. The shop had a few skinned & decapitated goats hanging in the front. A huge truck was unloading carts of chicken into the shop. Each cart (of 5 ft x 5 ft size) carried about 10 chicken. There were about 15 carts. The chicken were closely packed and some of them were already half dead.There were flies buzzing all around the shop. Anyone who crosses the shop couldn't avoid staring at the dirty look of the shop and the bad small that comes out of it. Despite all of this, the shop was very crowded - with people who are buying chicken/mutton for their Sunday meal. This is a very common scene in India, on Sundays. Sunday is a day of mass murdering of goats/chicken in India.

The workers in the meat shop are not educated about cruelty to animals. Chicken are kept in small carts until their D-day arrives. Those poor creatures hardly find space to even stand comfortably inside those carts. Finally, the workers kill them by twisting their neck or by chopping-off their head. Even a prisoner with death sentence is treated properly in this world. Doctors ensure that the prisoner is in good health before being sentenced. However, these little creatures aren't treated properly. They haven't committed any crimes. They haven't done harm to others. But, they are killed in large volumes to satisfy the appetite of humans, who are higher-up in the food chain.

People also don't care about hygiene. The place in which these little creatures are kept is so untidy and unpleasant. There is always flies & crows surrounding them. The meat shop owners even preserve some of the unsold meat to sell in the next day. Buyers cannot ensure that the meat is of high quality. It is quite easy for people to get sick by consuming such meat. Also, this unhygienic environment is not good for the workers in the meat shop. Look at the short Youtube video below, to see the things in action:



The nation praises Gandhiji for his acts. But, somehow, the nation fails to recognize the importance of adopting vegetarian diet. Becoming a vegetarian is not tough, at all. I've successfully adopted vegetarian diet for nearly 10 years, now. I'm very active & healthy. I can proudly say that I haven't had any major illness/disease.

If you want to lead a healthy life... If you are against cruelty to animals... BE A VEGETARIAN !!!

Related post:

Why am I a Vegan?

Unnai Pol Oruvan - Short 'n sweet

I happened to watch this movie during my trip to Tuticorin. I watched this movie in Raja Complex theatre. They were selling Rs. 12.50 tickets for Rs. 70 at the ticket counter itself. The theatre was also in a pathetic condition. Fortunately, I had gotten tickets for the 'box' which had A/C. I don't know if the movie is really worth the Rs. 70 that I spent. But, the movie is good.

I think they would've shot the whole movie in just a week's time. There are hardly 20 or 25 different locations in the entire movie. Kamal's role in this movie is very small. Mohan Lal's role is also very small. The new entrants Ganesh Venkatram and one more police officer have good roles in the movie. I think they also acted very well. They didn't appear to be 'junior' actors on the screen.

This is a very short movie (just 2 hours). Kuddos to the screen play writer. The movie retains its pace till the end. The story moves very fast. People would've guessed towards the end 'What Kamal was trying to do'. So, the last 30 minutes were a bit 'dragging'. There are no songs (or the theatre in which I watched the movie, stripped off all the songs). I didn't miss the songs, anyway. Also, there is no comedy track.

I believe this is a very low budget movie. May be, they would've spent the most money for paying, Kamal & Mohan Lal. Any ticket that you buy for more than Rs.50/- is not worth it. I would in fact, recommend watching the movie in a DVD. Coincidentally, this is the first movie that my daughter watched in a theatre.

Is it a good movie? Yes! Is it an 'entertainer'? Definitely NOT!

100th blog - first milestone

 It is approximately 2 years since I launched this blog. It started out as a diary ... but today, it has much more valuable information. On an average, I spend about 30 minutes to write a blog (concept -> writing -> formatting -> posting). I've spent nearly 2 full days of my life (50 hours) developing these 100 blog posts. I'm happy that I got an opportunity to explore & learn a lot of things, along the way. Blogging has become a habit, these days. I enjoy the process of assimilating my thoughts and presenting them in a short blog. My most happiest moments of blogging are when I hear from folks that "they find some of these posts, very useful".

I've tried to cover a diverse set of topics - ranging from my US travel experiences, to Stock trading strategies to R2I/Post R2I life experiences. There is growing interest in the community for the R2I blogs. Thanks to Google Analytics - I can keep track of what people like & what people don't like.
You get instant (actually not instant, but in a week or so) feedback.

Blogging is definitely fun. If you have spare time, I would definitely encourage you to start blogging. Google has made it very simple for enthusiasts to kick start a blog. It takes only minutes to launch your blog. Blogging helps you to polish your writing skills. You'll feel good when you look at some of your old blog entries.

I've enjoyed the ride so far. I'm hoping that my life will be filled with interesting things, that I can cherish and share with others. I'm continuing my blogging journey. See you at the next milestone. Until then, have fun reading my blogs. Don't forget to leave your comments. I definitely value them.

NO NO Samy - Kandasamy

[Kandasamy movie review]

It is nearly 2 years since I went to a theatre to watch a movie. The last movie that I saw in theatre was Sivaji (2007). An office friend was selling Kandasamy movie tickets for a fund raiser (Aruwe, Social Welfare Organization). The show timing was 8:30 am, saturday morning. I thought 8.30 am is very early to watch a movie - but then, I decided to try it. I was surprised when I visited the theatre (Abirami Multiplex) at around 8.15 am. It was fully crowded with girls & boys (mostly IT folks, I guess). We had great expectations when entering the theatre.

I liked the concept. But, the screenplay writer didn't do a good job. I think they tried to convey 'too much' in 3 hours. Pieces of the movie was well done & I admire the super-hero costume of Kandasamy. The intro sequence didn't create the 'punch'. By the time the intro is over, audience should be curiously expecting what is going to happen. But, the stage setting wasn't done very well.

Vikram has really done well in the movie & this movie will help him to maintain his brand. He has proved again that he can trim his body to fit the role. He looks very smart.

Shreya wasn't utilized properly in the movie. Her costumes are catchy. But, such costumes will only be good for photos & not for movies. The choice for Shreya's background voice also wasn't very good.

This movie doesn't require a separate comedy piece. However, they tried to insert the comedy track with Vadivelu. It didn't make the mark.

I liked all the songs before going to the movie. In fact, I liked the teasers of song sequence from Youtube. But, none of the songs in the movie 'fit the flow'. I was eagerly waiting when the songs would end.

There was a 30 minutes segment in Mexico. That could've been avoided. It was dragging the movie as well as it was a bit confusing.

In movies like this, the director should create a feeling of 'connection' in the audience. But, from beginning to end audience couldn't relate themselves to the storyline. One thing that stands out very well, is the amount of money that they spent for the movie. I know the crew would've put in a lot of hard work too. But, they failed to think from an audience' point. They've tried to do their best by keeping the sequences very realistic. However, that doesn't add much value.

I personally felt that it is a waste of my 4 hours watching this movie (3 hrs movie + 1 hr commute/wait).

Overall, I would say NO NO to Kandasamy. Sorry Vikram !! Good luck next time.

Swine Flu - Spreading fast?

Is this 'Swine Flu' week in India? The first page of daily news papers is filled with news about 'swine flu'. It is so pathetic to see people of different ages die just within a week of diagnosis. Chennai witnessed its first swine flue death yesterday. Many schools announced holiday, today. The virus can spread fast in India and consume lots of lives. First of all, the concentration of people is very high. Crowded schools, buses, trains, and hospitals. It is easy for the virus to jump from one person to another. Secondly, our medical support system is very weak. By the time a person is diagnosed to be A(H1N1) positive, his/her condition becomes very critical. They are then moved to Government Hospital or another hospital for treatment, where they eventually die. I see the same pattern in all the swine-flu deaths. Government has stepped up its measures and trying to be very aggressive. Hopefully, this will improve the prevailing situation and prevent the 'swine flu' deaths.

I took the road less traveled by ...

"I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference"

- Robert Frost

It was Oct, 2001. That was my first visit to US (& the first visit to any country outside India). US was recovering from the great tragedy of terrorist attacks. I went to US on a business trip and I stayed there for about 6 weeks. At the end of the trip, I told my friends "I don't want to come to US on a long term assignment. I don't think I would do that even in my dreams". Exactly 1 year since my visit to US, I got my H1B visa stamped and I was ready to go to US to work.

It was July, 2002. I decided to quit HCL Technologies because of the lack of proper recognition. My best friend was working in US, for a startup company. He told me that they have an opening in their company. I never dreamt about moving to US. So, I wasn't very excited about the opportunity. I thought about my options, for a while - "There were not many good companies in Chennai. If at all, I have to quit HCL, I have to find a job in Bangalore - which means, I have to stay away from my family. If I have to stay away from my home/family, why shouldn't I move to US?" It took me very less time to make the decision. In the following week, I attended interview over the phone and got selected. I don't think I had any relevant work experience but I showed lots of interest, enthusiasm and willingness to learn. I got an offer in August, 2002. I told my employer (HCL) right away that I'm quitting. I applied for my visa stamping.

2002 was a bad year to move to US. Only a handful of people would've gone to US on a H1B visa. Some of my friends (out of good intentions), told me that I'm making a wrong move. There were signs of war looming between Saddam & US. Economy was going through its worst period. The company that I got an offer from had hardly a few months of runway (Yes. They were about to run out of their funds). My dad was questioning me, "Why should I quit HCL & why should I go to US when I'm getting paid well in HCL". But, I blindly followed my intuitions. My best friend assured me, "Common buddy. We can manage it".

My future was completely dark - it looked as-if my future was covered by thick fog. I know that I was leaving the green pasture to explore the unknown lands. The curiosity got me excited. I know that there was still some 'cheese' left out to eat, in my current place. But, I started my journey to explore and find new 'cheese' mountains.

It is nearly 7 years since I made my decision to move to US. I now have answers to all the questions/unknowns that I had in 2002.

Did I make the right decision?

Yes, I did !

Did I get a better exposure?

Yes, I did !

Did I become a better person?

Yes, I did !

Had I known the answers to all these questions in 2002, the ride wouldn't have been joyful. The ride was joyful because there were unknowns & sudden twists/turns.

Now, I'm back in India cherishing my 7 years of memories/experiences. I've to continue my journey. Looking down, I see green pasture. Looking ahead, I see darkness covered by thick fog. Looking around, I see some lingering 'cheese'. But, I want to explore and find those hiding 'cheese' mountains. Am I making the right decision? Will I get a better exposure? Will I become a better person? Who knows... But, I'm sure the ride is going to be exciting. I'm looking forward to that.

Also read:

Stages of immigrant life in USA
Back from a short business trip to US

Thinking of Homeopathy treatment - Check this out

What did I learn this weekend? Well, there are hospitals that are ready to milk you like a cow. Don't become a prey. I want to share with you my experience at Dr. Batra's Homeopathy Clinic in Kilpauk, Chennai.

In the last 7 months since my wife landed in India, she has had stomach pain/upset
4 or 5 times. A visit to a local physician solves the problem most of the times. The doctors suspected that she may have excess acidity and suggested to do an endoscopy test. My wife was scared to take an endoscopy test. So, she wanted to take homeopathy treatment. After some googling, I took my wife to Dr. Batra's homeopathy clinic in Kilpauk, Chennai. It was a descent clinic. The reception had two young men in full formals (including tie, nicely polished shoes etc.,) buried into their computers. The whole hospital was airconditioned and it was chill like an early morning in Ooty. We were given an application form. There was something that said "Type of plan" and I asked "What that means". The receptionist said, the doctor will suggest it and we don't have to worry about it now. We filled the form and waited for some time.

We were then called to see the doctor. We knocked the door and entered the doctor's office. The doctor was a charming young female in her late 20s. She asked a series of questions methodologically to diagonise the problem. I think she was trying to relate the symptoms to a 'common problem/disease'. But, she couldn't do that successfully. We told her that the doctors we visited suspected that it could be due to acidity. She said, "I'll put you on a 1 year 'plan'. I'll suggest some medication and see how your body reacts to it. If there are improvements, we can continue the course or else I'll suggest additional tests & appropriate medicine". She asked us to go and meet the receptionist. We went to the lobby and met the receptionist.

The receptionist asked us to pay Rs.8600 for a one year plan. My eyeballs popped out. It works out to be ~ Rs.720 for every visit. He wanted me to pay the whole Rs.8600 in advance. I just pinched myself to find out if this is dream or real. I told him that I don't have enough cash right now. He said "Sir! You can pay by Credit Card also. You can also give us 3 cheques, 2 of them post dated". I told him I don't have Credit Card or cheque with me right now. He said, "Sir! I can send someone to your home with you. You can give the money to him". In frustration, I told him "Look! I've reservations in paying the full amount right away. I'm OK with paying Rs.720 every visit. But, I don't want to pay the full amount now". I told him that I'll come back after checking with other homeopathy clinics.

It was an interesting experience. This is the first of its kind, to me. I have heard people saying that hospitals care more about the money than the patients. But, this weekend I saw it happening in front of my eyes. I should've done proper background checks before visiting this kind of hospital. May be they provide outstanding treatment to their patients - but, this hospital is not for me/my family.

Also read:  

Chikungunya - Deadly !

Find doctors and hospital ratings and reviews 

Where am I in Maslow's hierarchy of needs?

The need for more money never ends

Years ago, we were small kids. Our needs were very simple. All that we had wanted is something to eat and something to play with. Our parents did a good job of taking care of all our needs. Occasionally, we used to get some pocket money. Even 5 Rupees is a lot. But, we always liked things that cannot be bought with just 5 Rupees. At times, we do some household work to get more pocket money to quench our desires.

Time went on ... we grew up, and did our schooling. Our pocket money grew with us to 50 Rupees. But, our needs continued to outgrow the money that we had. We then went to college. Our parents started giving Rs.500 as pocket money. Our needs didn't give up the race. They continued to outgrow the money that we had. Even things like a simple college tour costs a few thousand Rupees and we had to borrow money from our friends. We used to think "When I get a job and start to work, I'll earn a handful and I should be able to enjoy all that I'm missing today".

Time went on ... we completed your college studies and landed in a job. We started earning lots of money. Now we think, "Oh! I cannot be using this public transportation. It is always crowded and doesn't come on time. I definitely need a 2 wheeler". Our monthly salary isn't enough to buy a 2 wheeler. So, we apply for a loan to buy the 2 wheeler.

Time went on ... we got married and had kids. Our needs started exploding all of a sudden. We want to buy a car now, to travel with the family. We want to buy a home now, to live comfortably. But, our salary isn't enough to buy all of those. We apply for loans to meet our new desires.

Life goes on... but, our needs never end. Irrespective of whatever lump sum that we earn, we always get into debt. We may think, "Well! My boss or my company CEO should have lots of money. He shouldn't be having the money problems that I have". But, the reality is "They're also in debt. Their debt will be bigger than yours - proportionate to what they earn".

Everyone is on a leaking boat like yours. The moment you fix one hole, the other one pops out. We end up spending most of the time in our life, fixing those leaks. One fine day, our journey will end and we have to step out of the leaking boat. Until then, OUR NEEDS NEVER END and so is the NEED FOR MORE MONEY.

Also read:  

How much money do you need to R2I?
US to India Money Transfer Strategies