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Category: Excerpts

Office Secrets: 7 Habits of Very Happy Managers

Posted on by prathod

Imagine a world where managers not only excel at their jobs but also radiate happiness in the workplace. In Office Secrets by Harish Bhat, we uncover seven simple habits that can bring a smile to any manager’s face. From relishing a hearty lunch and planning fun weekends, to keeping presentations brief and even engaging in healthy gossip, these habits offer a refreshing yet practical approach to finding joy and success in the office.

Get ready to discover the secrets that will completely transform your work life, as revealed in this excerpt from Office Secrets.

 

Office Secrets
Office Secrets || Harish Bhat

***

Seven Habits of Very Happy Managers

Short presentations, saying no to multitasking and making weekend plans—here are some ways to keep a smile on your face.

 

Stephen Covey, one of the most admired management gurus of modern times, passed away a few years ago. Most of us have read
his bestseller, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Thousands of people have claimed that this book has changed their lives and careers forever.

Here, I pay a simple but irreverent tribute to this influential thinker, on behalf of all office goers. I believe it is important for managers to be both happy and effective. Since Covey has already revealed how we can be highly effective, I tell you what it takes to be very happy at work. Just follow the seven simple habits described below, and you will smile every day.

 

First Things First, Eat a Good Lunch

As Covey says, we must put first things first. Therefore, a good and relaxed lunch in office takes the highest priority. Without it, you can never really be happy. If you hurry through this essential meal or skip it, you are likely to find yourself in a grumpy mood throughout the afternoon and evening. Your stomach may begin grumbling and you may end up eating too many fat-laden cookies during the rest of the day, which is not good for your waistline or your heartline. On the other hand, a delicious and healthy lunch, had with colleagues, with a good measure of talk and laughter, is a recipe for good cheer

 

Begin with the Weekend in Mind

Covey’s book advises us to always begin with the end in mind. We modify this advice slightly, and urge you to begin with the weekend in mind. The weekend is an enduring source of happiness, and therefore deserves a lot of attention and planning. Have you made a booking at that Thai spa? Have you decided where to party hard, and with whom? What about dinner with your glamorous ex-girlfriend, who has hinted that she wants to get back in touch with you? If your boss is in a generous mood, could you request him for an off day either on Friday or Monday, thereby creating an extra happy and long weekend? These are just a few of the many complex weekend choices we
are faced with, so clearly we have to begin preparations in earnest by Monday morning.

 

Keep Your Presentations Brief

We must recognize that no one, not even the chairperson, wants to attend a long and serious PowerPoint presentation these days, when there are many other interesting office pastimes to pursue. So, if you have to think win-win, your presentations must never exceed five slides and must conclude in ten minutes flat. You will find that most things can be summarized within that length and time. Also, your boss will be so happy with the quick ending that he is likely to approve your budgets immediately. If you want to deliver true happiness, begin and end your presentation with an appropriate comic strip visual which makes people smile. That will leave just three slides for the serious stuff, which is just about perfect.

 

Silence Is Really Golden

Managers love talking at meetings, and this is what gets them into deep trouble in the first place. So, you are likely to be the happiest if you keep as silent as possible, unless you have dramatic views that can potentially change the course of your company’s history. Let others in the room argue and fight among each other, while you remain, like the Buddha, calm and composed amid the gathering storm. Take copious notes, but don’t speak. Once in a while, look up, smile and nod enigmatically at the people who are doing the talking. They will regard these gestures as signs of deep wisdom and understanding.

 

Engage in Healthy Gossip

Scientific studies have consistently revealed that cubicle gossip is a great source of happiness. If you are a creative individual, you can actually be the source of some gossip. Otherwise you can choose to merely be a conduit for the grapevine. Either way, you are adding to the HQ (happiness quotient) of your office, which is so important in these stressful times. The conference room, email, water cooler, lift, office loo—they are all perfect locations for such talk. There is a caveat to be borne in mind, though. Healthy gossip has boundaries which need to be respected.

 

Don’t Multitask

Many managers think they must display their professional manhood by engaging in several activities at the same time. They believe multitasking is essential, given the multiple demands at the modern workplace. They also feel good that they are intellectually competent enough to do many things at once. Don’t believe in such rubbish. Multitasking is a recipe for being short of breath throughout the day, which, as we know, leads to hypertension and all its attendant ailments. In addition, it ensures that none of the jobs you are doing ever receive your full attention, leading to a state of niggling unhappiness at all times. To be really happy at the workplace, address one job at
a time, and do it really well. By doing this, you may complete fewer tasks during the day, but you will leave the office with a spring in your step

 

Refresh and Renew Yourself

Covey speaks about the need for reflection and for renewing yourself, the last of the seven habits he prescribes. This habit is as important for happiness as it for effectiveness. Unless you give yourself time every day to think and relax, you will never really be happy with yourself. There are many practical methods to achieve this. Define daily digital blackout periods, when you will not go anywhere near a computer or a mobile phone. Pursue a creative passion outside the workplace—this could range from painting (which is generally safe) to music (which may be dangerous if you are a bad singer and sing in public). Take time out to run or play tennis or work out in the gym, and use this time to blank out your busy mind. Finally, don’t meet or speak to your boss for at least two days each week, and see for yourself how completely this relaxes your entire being

 

I think the eighth and most important habit of very happy managers is our ability to laugh at ourselves, which is the first step to having great fun at work.

***

Get your copy of Office Secrets by Harish Bhat from your nearest bookstore or on Amazon.

What Makes Madam President a Great Leader?

Posted on by prathod

In the book, Madam President by Sandeep Sahu, we explore the life of Droupadi Murmu and take a look at her formative years, where she honed her leadership skills amidst numerous challenges and her unwavering pursuit for excellence that would later shape her into a trailblazing leader. From her unyielding passion for education to active participation in cultural activities, Droupadi Murmu’s talents shone brightly even in her youth.

Read this fascinating account to catch a glimpse of the leadership qualities that marked her journey from the village to the historic role of Madam President.

Madam President
Madam President || Sandeep Sahu

 

***

After completing her high school education, Murmu went back to her village. She wanted to pursue higher studies. But given the poor state of communication those days, she did not get to know about the commencement of the admission process. By the time she did, the last date for admission had already passed. As a result, she lost a year after school. She spent the year doing household chores and teaching younger girls in the village. But determined as she was to be a graduate, she took no chances the next year and duly took admission in the Ramadevi Women’s College, the premier women’s college in Bhubaneswar which now is a full-fledged university. However, since
the hostel for ST and SC students in the college was not yet ready, she continued boarding in her old school hostel for some more time.

 

Her former classmates and contemporaries remember her as a quiet, disciplined girl who denied herself the ordinary pleasures that her batchmates indulged in. She was not exactly an outstanding student but was extremely attentive in classes, never participating in the pranks other students were up to. She would borrow books and notes from her seniors and ask them to help her out with a subject if she had a problem understanding something. ‘She consulted me and other seniors on what subjects to choose for the undergraduate and graduate classes,’ says Delha Soren, her senior in college, in an interview with this author.

 

There was great camaraderie among the boarders in the hostel, who came from similar sociocultural milieu. ‘There were five girls in every room. If someone was busy with something when the dining bell was sounded, others would keep her meal ready. If it suddenly started raining, whoever was present would collect the dresses of everyone, not just her own, hung outside for drying,’ shares Delha.

 

With the pittance she got as monthly allowance from her father, there was no scope for indulgences in college for Murmu. In her four years at Ramadevi, she did not go to the college canteen even once, rarely went to the market and watched just one movie, an Odia film called Gapa Hele Bi Sata at the now defunct Ravi Talkies. She would mostly hang out with girls from Mayurbhanj. But she would come into her own whenever there was a sports meet or a cultural function in the college. ‘She excelled in sports and often ended up on the podium,’ recalls retired Prof. Anima Kar, who taught her at Ramadevi, while talking to this writer. ‘I remember because I used to do the running commentary,’ she adds

 

‘She was most sought after whenever there was a cultural event in the college or the hostel because not only did she sing very well, she also played the percussion instruments to perfection,’ remembers Gayamani Besra, her senior in college and a lifelong friend. ‘During annual functions in the college, we would organize an adivasi dance item and sing and play the tunda, which is a tribal musical instrument. She was so good at what she did. Everybody appreciated her skills as a singer and musician. She was a happy-go-lucky girl but was always respectful towards seniors.’ Besra is among those specially invited by Murmu for the swearing-in ceremony. She adds, ‘She would invariably be part of the choir that sang the opening song at every cultural function in the college.’

 

Once, the girls of the hostel staged a play in which Murmu played the ‘hero’. ‘It was such a huge success that there was an invitation from a cultural group in Baripada, the headquarters of Murmu’s home district of Mayurbhanj, to stage the drama there. Murmu and the troupe travelled to Baripada and performed the play there to thunderous applause,’ recalls Delha.

 

Murmu was a quiet girl alright, but she was never shy of speaking up when she felt something wasn’t fair. ‘She never contested any election in college, not even for a class representative. But her leadership qualities were evident even in those early years. I remember an occasion when there was an issue about the quality of food served in the hostel. She led a delegation of students that met the principal and got the issue sorted,’ says Surama Padhi, senior BJP leader and a former minister in the Odisha government who was her senior in college, in an interview with this author.

 

Beneath her shy exterior lay nerves of steel. Once, she was on her way to the hostel from the bus stand on a rickshaw with her senior Delha when they realized a boy was following them on a bicycle. Without panicking one bit, Murmu took out a bundle of twigs she had brought from home to be used as toothbrush (no one in the hostel used toothbrush in those days) and waved it at the street Romeo, who panicked and stopped following them.

***

Get your copy of Madam President by Sandeep Sahu from Amazon today.

Behind the Digital Curtain: An Excerpt from ‘Cyber Encounters’

Posted on by prathod
In this age of rapid technological advancements, our lives are intricately intertwined with the digital world. From online purchases to virtual education and personal communication to financial transactions, all of it is now possible at the click of a button and facilitated by deeply interconnected networks. With such pleasing convenience, however, comes the imminent presence of Cyber threats that can disrupt and compromise our online activities and endanger our privacy, paving the way for Cybercrimes around the world.
In this riveting book, Cyber Encounters, authors Ashok Kumar and O.P.Manocha dive into the notorious Cyberspace and bring forth tales of cybercrime based on real events.
Read this exclusive excerpt to catch a glimpse of one such story.
Cyber Encounter
Cyber Encounter || Ashok Kumar and O.P Manocha
***
The Republic of Cameroon is a small country in West Central Africa, bordered by the Republic of Congo and Nigeria. It has a population of 25 million (2.5 crore) and is popularly known as “Africa in Miniature” due to its geographical, linguistic, and cultural diversity. But what not many people know about this remote country is that many cybercrimes originate here.
It was a car accident that killed Dy Commandant Ajay. He was returning from a pilgrimage to Pauri, Uttarakhand, with his wife Madhu and two beautiful daughters, Diya and Sakshi. Madhu, her daughters and the driver of the car escaped unhurt. One month had passed since the accident and Madhu was still shocked and emotionally unstable. Diya, who was 15 years old, was Madhu’s elder daughter and a student of Class 9. After the death of her father, she had become very quiet. She neither watched television nor played online games like her classmates. Her only friend was her sister Sakshi, who was two years younger than her.
The Covid-19 pandemic had resulted in them all being forced to stay home, with classes also being held online. There was fear all around and people were dying. Even children were suffering from depression. “Mom, I don’t have any friends and no place to go. Whom shall I play with?” Diya asked Madhu. “Pihu has such an adorable beagle, why don’t you get me a dog too?”
Madhu had always been apprehensive about getting a dog. Her elder sister, Sanvi, had a three-year old female beagle, Daisy, who kept her and her daughter Pihu on their toes, and Madhu had seen her plight. Sanvi had to give Daisy a bath every week, get her groomed and make frequent visits to the vet during the monsoon, when Daisy got persistent fungal infections on her paws as she could not help playing in the garden and came back wet. And the most arduous job was to walk the dog three times a day without fail! Madhu, who was also grief-stricken due to her husband’s recent death, thought it would be a real nuisance to have a dog. Who would take care of it? So she kept procrastinating and did not pay much heed to Diya’s demand to get a dog.
One day, Madhu was sitting on the balcony with Diya when she got a call from her friend, Neha, who lived in the same society, that their neighbour’s 12-year-old daughter had died due to Covid. this was shocking. Madhu ended the call and looked at Diya with gloomy eyes. Diya asked her what was wrong, so Madhu told her about the girl. though Diya did not know her, she went quiet, her face drawn with fear. She hugged her mother and said, “Mom, are we also going to die?” this brought tears to Madhu’s eyes. She held Diya tight in her arms and said, “No, my dear, God is not so unkind.”
This one moment changed Madhu’s mind. Diya’s 15th birthday was in a fortnight. She would be going to Class 10 and would be giving the board exams next year. Diya was already under great stress and the boards would definitely add to it, Madhu thought. It was now that Madhu decided that she would give Diya a dog on her birthday.
Madhu looked up to Sanvi for advice on every little thing. She called her up and told her about her idea of buying a pup for Diya. Sanvi advised her to go in for a smaller breed as Madhu stayed in a flat and big dogs need a lot of space to move around. She suggested that she buy a cocker spaniel, which is quite a playful and loving breed. So Madhu began her search for a cocker spaniel. She sent a message on the WhatsApp groups she was a part of, asking if any cocker spaniel pup was available for sale. She also searched on Google and came across a few dog sellers whose contacts were listed on a local search engine website.
Madhu always believed that whatever information there was on the internet was authentic. The first listing on the website displayed a picture of a cute cocker spaniel. Madhu had struck gold! Little did she know that she was going to be trapped on a dummy website that offered the sale and purchase of various household goods, and even animals.
The seller had managed to get a good rating through paid reviews and had posted eye-catching pictures of the pup to secure a top position in the listings. The next day was a Sunday. Madhu was sweating as she finished preparing breakfast for the family. She switched on the air conditioner and sat down on the sofa to contact the seller on the number she had obtained from the website the previous night. she preferred contacting the seller on WhatsApp rather than calling as it provided a record of any conversation for future reference. She sent a message asking for details of the pup. She promptly got a reply from the seller, who introduced herself as Shweta.
She sent some cute pictures of the pup to Madhu, who was mesmerised. She immediately responded to Shweta, asking her to send details, including the price and availability, of the pup. Shweta told her that the pup was a purebred. Its registration with the Kennel Club of India (KCI) would be done shortly. It would cost Madhu Rs 15,000 and she would have to pay Rs 5,000 as an advance and the rest upon receiving the pup. Madhu immediately made her a payment of Rs 5,000 on GPay. Booking done, she told Diya about the pup. The girl’s happiness knew no bounds.
Two days later, on June 22, Madhu got an email with a bill of Rs 1,03,300 and the details of an SBI account into which to transfer the money. The charges included the price of the pup, COVID-handling charges, vaccination fees, feeding charges, and transport expenditure.
The mail stated that this amount would be refunded to her once the puppy was transported to Dehradun and the entire cost would be borne by the seller except for the price of the puppy. Madhu sent Shweta an enquiry about the mail and once she was convinced, she registered the account number as a beneficiary and transferred the required amount. She took a screenshot of the transaction and sent it through WhatsApp to Shweta. she got a message that the insurance process would be initiated the next day and the pup would be hers soon.
***
Get your copy of Cyber Encounters from Amazon today.

‘Bond’ with Nature: All-Time Favourite Nature Stories

Posted on by prathod

Dive into the enchanting world of Ruskin Bond, one of India’s most beloved authors, as he takes us on a literary journey through his latest book, All-Time Favourite Nature Stories. With tales that touch the heart and soul, Bond reminds us of the importance of connecting with nature and finding comfort in its earthy embrace. Whether you are a long-time admirer of Bond’s work or have just been introduced to his artistry, let these stories whisk you away into the nostalgia and timeless beauty that surrounds us all.

Read this excerpt from the All-Time Favourite Nature Stories to catch a glimpse.

All-Time Favourite Nature Stories
All-Time Favourite Nature Stories || Ruskin Bond

***

The Window

I came in the spring and took the room on the roof. It was a long, low building which housed several families; the roof was flat, except for my room and a chimney. I don’t know whose room owned the chimney, but my room owned the roof. And from the window of my room, I owned the world.

But only from the window.

The Window

The banyan tree, just opposite, was mine, and its inhabitants were my subjects. They were two squirrels, a few mynah, a crow and at night, a pair of flying foxes. The squirrels were busy in the afternoons, the birds in the mornings and evenings, and the foxes at night. I wasn’t very busy that year—not as busy as the inhabitants of the banyan tree.

 

There was also a mango tree, but that came later, in the summer, when I met Koki and the mangoes were ripe.

 

At first, I was lonely in my room. But then I discovered the power of my window. I looked out on the banyan tree, on the garden, on the broad path that ran beside the building, and out over the roofs of other houses, over roads and fields, as far as the horizon. The path was not particularly busy, but it was full of variety—an ayah pushing a baby in a pram; the postman, an event in himself; the fruit and toy sellers, calling their wares in high-pitched familiar cries; the rent collector; a posse of cyclists; a long chain of schoolgirls; a lame beggar . . . all passed my way, the way of my window.

 

In the early summer, a tonga came rattling and jingling down the path and stopped in front of the house. A girl and an elderly lady climbed down, and a servant unloaded their baggage. They went into the house and the tonga moved off, the horse snorting a little.

 

The next morning, the girl looked up from the garden and saw me at my window.

 

She had long, black hair that fell to her waist, tied with a single red ribbon. Her eyes were black like her hair and just as shiny. She must have been about ten or eleven years old.

 

‘Hello,’ I said with a friendly smile.

 

She looked suspiciously at me. ‘Who are you?’ she said.

 

‘I’m a ghost.’

 

She laughed, and her laugh had a gay, mocking quality. ‘You look like one!’

 

I didn’t think her remark was particularly flattering, but I had asked for it. I stopped smiling anyway. Most children don’t like adults smiling at them all the time.

 

‘What have you got up there?’ she asked. ‘Magic,’ I said.

 

She laughed again, but this time without mockery.

 

‘I don’t believe you,’ she said.

 

‘Why don’t you come up and see for yourself?’ She hesitated a little but came around to the steps and began climbing them, slowly and cautiously. And when she entered the room, she brought a magic of her own.

 

‘Where’s your magic?’ she asked, looking me in the eye.

 

‘Come here,’ I said, and I took her to the window and showed her the world.

 

She said nothing but stared out of the window, first uncomprehendingly and then with increasing interest. And after some time, she turned around and smiled at me, and we became friends.

 

I only knew her name was Koki and that she had come to the hills with her aunt for the summer; I didn’t need to know anything else about her, and she didn’t need to know anything about me except that I wasn’t really a ghost—at least not the frightening kind. She came up my steps nearly every day and joined me at the window. There was a lot of excitement to be had in our world, especially when the rains broke.

 

At the first rumblings, women would rush outside to retrieve the washing from the clothes line and if there was a breeze, to chase a few garments across the compound. When the rains came, they came with a vengeance, making a bog of the garden and a river of the path. A cyclist would come riding furiously down the path, an elderly gentleman would be having difficulty with an umbrella and naked children would be frisking about in the rain. Sometimes Koki would run out to the roof and shout and dance in the rain.

 

And the rain would come through the open door and window of the room, flooding the floor and making an island of the bed.

 

But the window was more fun than anything else. It gave us the power of detachment: we were deeply interested in the life around us, but not involved in it.

 

‘It is like a cinema,’ said Koki. ‘The window is the screen and the world is the picture.’

***

Get your copy of Ruskin Bond’s All-Time Favourite Nature Stories from Amazon now.

From Crisis to Opportunity: Aakash Ranison’s ‘I’m a Climate Optimist’

Posted on by prathod

In a world where the effects of climate change are becoming increasingly evident, Aakash Ranison brings a refreshing and detailed perspective that empowers individuals to make a positive impact. As an environmentalist, nomadic traveler, filmmaker, and advocate for sustainability, Ranison continues to raise awareness about environmental issues and encourage sustainable practices.

Whether you are an environmental enthusiast, or a concerned citizen looking for actionable steps to contribute to a greener future, I’m a Climate Optimist is a call to action that enables readers to view climate change not just as a crisis but as an opportunity for growth and change. And we must change, NOW!

Here’s an excerpt from the book with valuable insights and guidance to navigate the climate crisis and create a better world for ourselves and generations to come.

I'M a Climate Optimist
I’M a Climate Optimist || Aakash Ranison

***

The Blind Leading the Blind: A Lack of Vision

What we tend to forget while discussing climate change is the simple fact that our planet doesn’t need our help. Our planet doesn’t need us at all, and would probably prefer to be left alone.

The natural world is no stranger to extinction-level events. From the meteors that destroyed the dinosaurs to ice ages that lasted over 1,00,000 years, our planet has seen many species emerge, thrive, and become lost to the immense power of nature.

Humankind has lived through the longest summer ever recorded on our planet, but just like the dinosaurs and all those who came and went after, there is no guarantee of survival in the future.

While our planet will survive the next extinction level event, and the ones to come after, we very likely will not.

Most of us today are content to go about our lives, droning on through the mundane motions of schooling, building careers, finding a suitable mate, raising a family and dying in our sleep, all while exploiting our natural world and driving the knife deeper into its wounds, barely sparing a sideways glance at the destruction as we do so.

As we die, we leave the world a little worse for us having been there. With every birth, the cycle repeats itself. This is because our generation, like the generations before us, suffers from a lack of vision.

We live in a world of instant gratification—instant deliveries, instant messaging, instant noodles and even instant banking. We have lost our ability to be patient, work hard and see results and invest today in a future that will come to pass tomorrow.

But there are no quick fixes to climate change and global warming.

You see, it’s not about eradicating carbon dioxide, methane or nitrous oxide—these are the ingredients that make life possible. The greenhouse effect is not a force for evil, but it is what makes our atmosphere hospitable for life. It is a state of imbalance that can turn these life-giving forces against us.

But there are no quick fixes to attaining balance, either. We need to realize that even if every person on the planet began fixing their ways now, there would still be a period of transition as our natural world corrects itself.

Think of our consumption patterns as a credit card—if your credit limit is a lakh, and you spend it but replenish it with a lakh of your money, your spending is balanced, and you are free from the danger of debt. However, if you spend two lakh, and do not have the money to pay the bank to offset the debt you have accumulated, you are in for a world of trouble and will have to work to pay it off.

In much the same way, we must offset our debts to our planet, and give back what we have taken from our natural world to keep it from turning against us. But how do we do this?

To save ourselves, we must invest in the future. We must take advantage of the power of knowledge as it can instill trust in our individual choices. We must choose to think bigger, envision sustainable futures and work towards them patiently.

***

Get your copy of I’m a Climate Optimist by Aakash Ranison on Amazon.

Exprovement: Achieving Success with a New Perspective

Posted on by Kavya Wahi
The clean slate is NOT about beginning from scratch.
It is about beginning with a NEW PERSPECTIVE.

 

Through the real-life examples covered in Exprovement, the reader will begin to understand that this new perspective—the perspective of exprovement that allows companies to start on a new footing—can be gained by looking for parallels outside of one’s industry. Here’s an excerpt from the book with important tools and key takeaways:

Exprovement
Exprovement || Hersh Haladker, RA Mashelkar

*

THE DELTA GRAPH
While the delta graph in the first chapter helped us understand the difference between improvement and exprovement and which part of the organization they happen in vis-à-vis the important factors of an organization’s current position, its goals, the feasibility of achieving those goals and the demographic, political, technological and environmental conditions prevailing at the time, it also brought into focus the following key points:


The importance of clearly defining your ‘what could be’

In Chapter 9, we saw how Chef Ferran Adrià, imbibing the ‘creating is not copying’ mantra, was very clear from the beginning that his ‘what could be’ had to be something that he created, not a new version of something that had been done before. He might not have had a clear picture of what it would eventually turn out to be, but he knew he wanted it to be something that hadn’t been done before. All his experiments with food were based on this principle, which eventually led to some of the most ground-breaking gastronomical exprovements. On the other hand, had he adopted an improvement mindset, he would likely have developed better or different versions of what the master chefs who came before him had developed—but they would still be considered ‘food’ as we generally know it, as opposed to completely changing our concept of what food is, like he did. 


Exproving and improving take you down very different paths

Exprovements are primarily strategic in nature and the operations of a business follow from the strategies so set. Improvements, on the other hand, are generally born out of keeping the users’ needs in mind and are more operational in nature. As a result, exprovements take much more time, effort, persistence and resources to come to fruition than improvements. Chef Adrià’s vision called for him to take drastic and investment-heavy measures—such as shutting down his restaurant for half the year and building a lab for food experiments—in order to bring his exprovement to life.


ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS
Along with clearly defining the ‘what could be’, once one has chosen the path of exprovement, asking the right questions at every point becomes important. We have already covered this in detail in Chapter 1, but here are a few points that are worth re-emphasizing.


Ask questions that make the team ponder

As shown in the Sony Walkman example in Chapter 1, it is important that the team working on the exprovement be given clear guidelines but be allowed the freedom to be creative at the same time. By asking his team to make a device of a particular size, but leaving everything else up to them, without micromanaging or setting too many constraints, Nobutoshi Kihara was able to get the best out of his team.

 

Frame questions based on the desired outcome

Goals and strategy need to be framed depending on whether one is choosing to improve or exprove. For example, in Chapter 4, Mick Pearce would have achieved an incremental improvement if his question was something like, ‘What are all the ways we could cut energy consumption in a commercial building?’ He would have worked within the boundaries of what was already being done in architecture. But since his question was more on the lines of, ‘How would termites build this commercial complex?’ he was able to come up with
something that had never been achieved before.

 

DRAWING PARALLELS
The exciting thing about drawing parallels is that it opens up endless possibilities, without constraints. A parallel can be drawn with almost anything—from an ant to the milky way—if one is able to see how things are similar, rather than how they differ.


Vastly dissimilar parallels have a higher potential for exprovement

If we consider the Formula One example in Chapter 5, we can see that when parallels are drawn with ER room protocol, auditing and advisory services or sustainable refrigeration—all vastly different contexts—the potential for exprovement is high, i.e., causing radical improvement in those industries. In the context of drawing a parallel between Formula One and mass production cars, though—a similar context—the potential for exprovement decreases, while the potential for improvement greatly increases.


A single exprovement can lead to diverse parallel applications

Almost every chapter has shown us that once an exprovement has been developed, it can find further parallel applications in a variety of diverse industries. For example, in Chapter 6, we have seen how an exprovement in mountain agriculture has found parallel applications in disaster management, wastewater management, water desalination and tourism,
and in Chapter 16 we have seen how the exprovement of time banking has found applications in eldercare management, disaster management, repairs and maintenance, business development and potentially the creation of a parallel economy in the future.

**

Intrigued to dive deeper? Pick up your copy of Exprovement now!

Representation on the Page: Addition of a Diverse Voice

Posted on by Kavya Wahi

‘Diverse voice’ in literature is more than just a buzzword. It is a movement that aims to break down the barriers of representation and give voice to marginalized groups that have been historically underrepresented. Reading books with a diverse voice, those written by authors from different backgrounds and perspectives is essential in broadening our understanding of the world and ourselves. So, here’s an excerpt from Yogesh Maitreya’s Water in a Broken Pot which will be a great addition to your TBR.

Water in a Broken Pot
Water in a Broken Pot || Yogesh Maitreya

**

I did not make friends in the class. At the most, they were acquaintances, some of them sensible. A friendship develops in equal spaces, where your share in ‘giving’ and ‘taking’ is equal, or where you are fully accepted with your historical self, where you are accepted with equal respect and the pride with which people perceive themselves, isn’t it? Not that there were no students in TISS who did not share my history or past. There were many Dalit students here; they had come after so much struggle, crossing social barriers and acquiring admission purely on the basis of their merit and talent. But I suspected that they were becoming institutionalized. The way they wrote, articulated themselves or started perceiving the world indicated the increasing impact of TISS’s pedagogical language on their thought processes. It was not their fault. Institutions are created to institutionalize a person. Be it school, universities or prison.

 

In India, institutions dominated by Brahminical communities are meant to Brahminize a person. What kept me vigilant about this was my engagement with poetry and my growing conviction that it was through poetry that I could seek clarity about myself and the world around me. So when students were asked and encouraged to read ‘scientific’ research papers, I read them quickly just to copy their style of writing and know their methods, but for the clarity of the subject and to assert myself, I always relied on fiction and poetry in Dalit literature.

*

To write an assignment, or to explore the academic world, a laptop was becoming a growing necessity. I could not dare to ask my parents for money to buy a laptop. It was simply beyond their financial capacity. So the only option was an education loan. Many Dalit–Bahujan students who did not have the financial capacity to survive here chose this option. But without any guarantee for substantial employment after the completion of the course, it was a risk. Besides, no one asked whether students would want to work in order to repay the loan. To adjust to the demands here, students simply ran out of choices. For example, when I availed the education loan, I knew that it would take years of my life to repay it, which meant I had to work—even if I wanted to study further—just to repay the loan. But needs are created and capitalist provisions are there to fulfil those needs. This was a trap,
I understood later.


When I got the loan of Rs 84,000 for the laptop and my expenditure for two years, I went with Saira and bought the laptop and books. The remaining money was spent within a couple of months before the end of the first semester. There was no guiding figure to ask the students what they would like to do in the future, and there was simply no mechanism in place to encourage them in their intellectual endeavours. In India, institutes contradict their own philosophies. The problem of Dalit students is that they continue to walk with this dilemma only to realize that many of their dreams, which they once nurtured, are now completely buried in the process of institutionalization. They are in it. But they are not an essential part of it. They are in the institution to serve it in many unknown ways.

**

Be sure to add this diverse voice to your reading list this month!

The Chief of Defence Staff who inherited dignity

Posted on by kgoba

People who serve in the army are revered by us all. They fight for our security and uphold the country’s peace by staying away from their families, living in tough conditions and often, even by sacrificing their lives for the nation. But there are a few men who are remembered through generations for the decisions they made, the work they did and the way they interacted with people around them. And one such man is Bipin Rawat.

Rawat is famously known to be the Army Chief who decided India would retaliate immediately and openly to every act of cross-border terrorism. But, he’s also known as the man who was once the Major with a leg in plaster who was carried up to his company post on the Pakistan border because he insisted on joining his men for Dusshera celebrations under direct enemy observation.

Here’s an excerpt from the extraordinary life of Bipin Rawat who was happiest dancing the jhamre with this Gorkha Troops. Here, author Rachna Bisht interviews General Sharma, who reveals how Bipin Rawat received a priceless dignity from his parents.

Bipin: The Man Behind the Uniformby Rachna Bisht Rawat
Bipin: The Man Behind the Uniform || Rachna Bisht Rawat

‘Gen. Laxman Rawat was a great man,’ he says. ‘Both he and Mrs Sushila Rawat had great honour and integrity, and were almost saintly in their attitude towards life. I have served with many Generals but never felt anyone coming close to them in my entire career.’

Gen. Sharma says he never saw Gen. Rawat lose his temper. ‘He was calm, collected, focused, dedicated to his work and had an uprightness that had passed down to Bipin as well. Bipin had imbibed the culture of his parents. He displayed exactly the same moral character as his father.’

Gen. Sharma says that in the following years, when he worked closely with Bipin Rawat, he often saw reflections of the father in the son. ‘In matters of honour and integrity, Bipin was the same as his parents. They would treat anyone who approached them with respect and so would Bipin. Even when he was Vice Chief and later Chief, with a dozen important issues playing on his mind, there was never an instance of anyone having to wait for taking an appointment with him. If someone wanted to meet him, he was always available. We never heard from his office, “Chief busy hain.”’

In fact, on what was to be the last day of their lives, Gen. and Mrs Rawat were leaving their house for the airport when the recently retired Subedar Major of 5/11 GR dropped by to meet them. Despite being in a hurry, the couple stopped to talk to the SM and his wife, and took out time for a photograph as well. That remains the last picture of the couple.

Just like his father, Bipin also genuinely cared about people. ‘There were instances when Bipin would be crossing a Defence Security Corps soldier on duty and would just stop by for a moment to ask, “Haan, kya haal hai bacche? Sab theek hai (Yes, how are you, kid? Everything all right)?” A soldier limping by would catch his attention. “Kya ho gaya, langda ke kyun chal raha hai (What happened? Why are you limping)?” he would ask, genuinely concerned about the welfare of the men serving with him.

 

He also did not make any unnecessary demands on anyone. He would never want to disturb a senior officer on his visits, always insisting that even a soldier or a youngster could be detailed to brief him or accompany him on official assignments. He firmly believed in being accessible and letting everyone have an opportunity to speak and interact with him. He was as much a soldier’s Chief as he was an officer’s. These were the qualities he had learnt from his parents, both of whom were extremely grounded people,’ says Gen. Sharma.

 

Intrigued to read more? Get a copy of Rachna Bisht Rawat’s Bipin: The Man Behind The Uniform.

Exclusive excerpt from the trilogy’s finale

Posted on by kgoba

If you’re someone who shops from the mythological fiction aisle, you must’ve heard about the next big trilogy in the reading world, i.e. The Hidden Hindu series by author Akshat Gupta. Readers have been raving with reviews and waiting for the finale of the trilogy to be released and we’re pleased to inform you that it’s here! 

So, we decided to bring you an exclusive excerpt from the book. We promise you, once you start reading it, you wouldn’t be able to stop.

The Hidden Hindu by Akshat Gupta
The Hidden Hindu || Akshat Gupta

Hearing about Dr Batra’s lonely death, unheeded struggles, and how mercilessly he was thrown out of the submarine and into the unforgiving sea without a proper funeral broke Mrs Batra to the core. The last thread of hope of seeing her husband again was all she was clinging on to, but now, even that had snapped. Utterly devastated by the realisation, Mrs Batra asked Prithvi to leave and left the door open. Prithvi could feel her pain and knew that he could no way soothe her acute agony. He started to make his way out. 

‘Don’t you want to know what happened to those people who killed your beloved husband and why he was killed?’ asked Prithvi before stepping outside. 

Mrs Batra stood there for a silent moment, looking at Prithvi. She shut the door and Prithvi walked back to take his seat. She knew what her heart longed for, so she took her spot on the couch to hear how it all ended. Sensing that she was yearning to know more about Dr Batra’s assassins, Prithvi began narrating from where he had left. 

In the month of Jyeshth (May), when the whole world had come to a standstill due to Covid-19 and the death count was on a hike, stories of losses were painted all over social media, newspapers, and news channels. Optimism seemed to be dissipating as dark clouds of uncertainty fogged people’s lives. While the death toll from Covid-19 had crossed all estimations, headlines of other catastrophes began to make their rounds; the glorious and tranquil Mansarovar being overpowered by Rakshastaal; the destruction of Roopkund–the lake of skeletons; the Taj Mahal, one of the seven wonders of the world, suddenly turning black; and the overnight seize of the ghost village of Kuldhara. This series of unbelievable events was, connecting the dots automatically as the news read, ‘Mysterious phenomena clutching India adding to the miseries of Corona. Are these signs of Doom’s Day closing in?’  

A worried Ashwatthama sat in Gyanganj at Mount Kailash with his wounds still healing. He looked at Parshurama and Kripacharya’s still bodies as they remained trapped in Om’s subconscious mind. Next to them was Om lying unconscious after the battle of Kuldhara. When Ashwatthama asked Vedvyasa about Vrishkapi, he received another painful answer.  

‘Vrishkapi is on his deathbed. It’s just a matter of few hours before he gives up the fight for survival and leaves his body.’ 

‘I don’t know what to do. I don’t know if we have lost or won. I don’t know what I should be feeling right now,’ said Ashwatthama, consumed by his thoughts. 

Vedvyasa was about to say something but to their surprise, Kripacharya and Parshurama returned to their bodies from their astral state and stood up as normal as ever. Ashwatthama shot up to greet them.  

‘You’re back! How did you open that door?’ 

‘We didn’t have to. Something suddenly changed within Om and after that, there was no retaliation, no more tussle to trap us, and there wasn’t a door holding us back anymore,’ Parshurama replied, still wondering about the whys and hows.  

A confused Ashwatthama thought out loud, ‘But how could that be? Where’s the door gone?’ 

‘I destroyed it,’ came a voice from behind him. Ashwatthama turned in wonder, though he already knew who it was. It was Om who had also sat up but with a distant gaze. ‘There’s no barrier. No bridge. No door between me and my hidden past. Not anymore. I remember who I am,’ said Om, glancing at all four of them.  

‘Who are you?’ Kripacharya asked. 

Everybody’s intrigued stare was glued on Om. 

Om closed his eyes and took a deep breath, ‘I am Devdhwaja.’ 

‘But that can’t be! We checked and you don’t have the birthmark! How’s that even possible!’ Kripacharya said, trying to piece everything together around the new revelation. 

‘Hold on! I am confused. The birthmark of Devdhwaja that the immortals saw in Om’s memories was there on Nagendra’s foot and Om claimed to be Devdhwaja himself. So, who out of the two is Devdhwaja?’ asked Mrs Batra of Prithvi. 

Prithvi replied, ‘Both of them.’ 

‘You mean twins?’ asked Mrs Batra. 

‘No, they were not twins. They were the same person.’ 

 

***

 

Intrigued to read more? Get your copy of The Hidden Hindu 3. 

Why is Sachin Tendulkar the World’s Greatest Batsman?

Posted on by Kavya Wahi

Imagine a young boy with a dream, a passion for cricket, and an unwavering determination to excel. That boy, hailing from the bustling streets of Mumbai, would go on to become a legend in the world of cricket, capturing the hearts of millions around the globe with his unmatched talent and sheer love for the game. With a career spanning over two decades, he has broken records and left an indelible mark on the sport’s history. He is the “God of Cricket” – a name that resonates with cricket aficionados and inspires awe in the hearts of fans worldwide. He is Sachin Tendulkar.

 

Gulu Ezekiel’s book Sachin: The Story of the World’s Greatest Batsman traces the life and achievements of Sachin Tendulkar. He has made more than 33,000 runs in international cricket, which is the highest number of runs to be scored by any cricketer. Dive into this excerpt and find out another reason that makes him the greatest batsman.

Sachin: The Story of the World's Greatest Batsman
Sachin: The Story of the World’s Greatest Batsman || Gulu Ezekiel

 *

A lot happened between March 2012 and November 2013 in the life and times of Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar.

First came his much-awaited 100th international century (Tests and ODIs combined) in the Asia Cup against Bangladesh at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur, Dhaka on March 16. That was followed 20 months later by his final match in India colours, the second and final Test versus West Indies at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.

It was the 200th Test match of his career, a landmark that had never been achieved before. But there was plenty of action and drama in between as well. This included being a member of the Mumbai Indians squad under the captaincy of Rohit Sharma that won the IPL title for the first time in May 2013.

But back to March 2012…it was just over a year since his previous international century which had come in Nagpur against South Africa in the World Cup. The lean trot ended after 33 innings without a ton and a hugely relieved Tendulkar said after his century: “Dreams do come true. We won the World Cup after 28 years last year.”

The media and public were seemingly hanging on to his every inning and run as the team Down Under slid from one massive defeat to another in 2011-12 as the New Year unfolded.

By the end of the fourth and final Test at Adelaide, the rout was complete. India was whitewashed 4-0 just as they had been in the summer of 2011 in England. Eight overseas Test defeats in a row—Indian cricket had sunk to a new low and the fans were livid.

But the 100th century helped erase all that as the nation and the cricket world celebrated.

Tendulkar’s 51st Test century had come in the third Test against South Africa at Cape Town in January 2011. It would be the last Test 100 of his career. By the start of his final Test in November 2013 against West Indies in Mumbai he had gone 39 innings without another hundred.

The penultimate Test was at Kolkata. It was over in just three days, India winning by an innings with Tendulkar out for 10.

The circus moved onto its final leg in Mumbai. The whole city was agog and there was a mad rush for tickets. Finally, the day dawned, November 14, 2013. West Indies were asked to bat and collapsed for a measly 182. The crowd was buzzing. Would they get a chance to see their hero bat on the first day itself?

The moment arrived at the fall of the second wicket. At precisely 3.35 pm all eyes in the stadium turned to watch Tendulkar exit the dressing room to come out to bat in what would be his final time.

By stumps on the first day, India reached 157 for two, Tendulkar on 38 from 73 balls.

Overnight the frenzy built up to fever pitch. Could Tendulkar bow out in style with a century? There was massive anticipation and excitement on the second morning as he reached his fifty.

But it was too good to last. The first over after the drinks break marked one hour of play and Tendulkar was gone for 74, caught Darren Sammy bowled Narsingh Deonarine. The dream was over…unless India and The Hero batted a second time.

That was not to be. India piled up 495, a massive lead of 313 runs. West Indies’ second innings was only marginally better, 187 all out and the Test was done and dusted by the third day.

As the last wicket fell, Tendulkar threw up his arms in joy, grabbed a souvenir stump and hugged everyone including the umpires. The Indian team gave him a running guard of honour as he left the field of play for the final time in India colours. The West Indians came onto the field to shake his hand. Fireworks were set off and the presentation ceremony was set up. Once the tedious formalities were completed, the chants of ‘Sachin Sachin’ which echoed around grounds worldwide for over two decades reached a crescendo. It was time for the farewell speech.

With him was a list of people to thank. No one was forgotten. Watching on wife Anjali and children Sara and Arjun were in tears. In fact, there was not a dry eye in the house.

It was announced the government was conferring the nation’s highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna on Tendulkar, the first sportsperson to receive it. And while he keeps himself busy with his charitable foundation and sports management agency, perhaps nothing could have given him more joy than seeing his son Arjun score a century on his first-class debut for Goa versus Rajasthan in the Ranji Trophy at Porvorim on December 14, 2022, thereby emulating his proud father.

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Become a fan of Sachin Tendulkar by getting a copy of Sachin: The Story of the World’s Greatest Batsman from Amazon.

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