Friends

Last week me and my better half Shashi were packed for a surprise vacation to Bali, Indonesia. The packaging was done by our wonderful daughters Nikita and Hitisha who along with their other cousins planned a short trip of 5 days & 4 Nights. The visit was very well planned in which every small factor was properly taken care of by them. I can't express my feelings for this wonderful gift to us in words but feel so much proud about their capabilities, dedication and decisions. As students they had planned this since last two years and had saved from pocket money so they can send their parents for a vacation . It is really matter of great satisfaction and proud for me as a parent of such wonderful kids.

Bali is a good tourist place in South Asia which dominated by Hindus . A well maintained tourism spots, points and good people. People of Bali are aware that tourism is major source of their revenue and hence tourist shall be given the best.

CP

Friends

In politics any thing is possible and there is no friends nor foes. Recently the BJP and SS fought elections jointly in Lok Sabha and immediately thereafter parted after 25 Years' of association. The reason is quite simple- it is business and every one is fighting for survival and growth. Hence every one is associated with each other but no one permanently attached. The decisions of joining and parting are taken on the basis of various factors . No one is obliging others rather everyone is serious about their self interests. Strategies are made on basis of informations and situations. Some times the decision get wrong and it becomes very difficult to rectify. The rectification it self is very painful and quite time consuming . SS got wrong in negotiating with BJP while allocating the seats and then while joining the BJP government at centre and state.

I am closely watching this situation and feel that in business also we can use the same tactics while dealing with the clients and vendors. Negotiation is a very powerful quality and can be sharpened with experience. I found that one has to be ruthless in dealing with other side, full of information , positive attitude and good strategy. Whenever opportunity comes it should be given due respect and try to make it a success.

I am not concerned what SS or BJP wd do in future but one can learn a lot from this and use the same tools in business to grow further.

CP

Have Faith in Yourself

Friends

Many times we hit the Wall in business and social life. In social life, we loose many friends, relatives, kins and so on... And then we feel a vacuum. It is like hitting the wall, in a dark tunnel which we do not know how to come out. Similarly, in business also we experience such vaccum when we unknowingly enter into the dark tunnel and suddenly hit the wall. That moment every thing goes blank and every actions prove wrong or mis hits. In my view this happens with every one and in every field. Things never move as per our wish and we ride roller coaster without any idea about the future. 

Socially it happens when the relations are not in continuity, bonding is bit weak and views are different. In current situation, we all are running to make our dreams come true and by the time dreams are about to be true, you end up with social isolation  or agony. At this juncture, a person feels blank and gets disheartened. The situations can go worse or get better depending on the means used to resolve. 

In case of business or professional life, the challenges are too much and too frequent. The products, markets, competition and so on .....change the environment every day . Despite the best efforts no one can guarantee the continuous success and has to face the tough time,. There may be challenges for many sides forcing to rethink on the business strategies and plans. Sometimes it virtually breaks you to an extent that you feel blank with no light at the end of the tunnel . In fact this is very painful situation for any body. Past memories and hope from the future are only tools to find the rays of hope. In my view the belief in yourself and patience are the most effective tools to come out of this situation.

Whatever be the situation whether social or professional, noting is incurable . The blankness is the sign of something new and better opportunities which are just about to happen. Patience, belief in yourself, hope and learning from the past are the most effective tools to handle such moments.

CP

Wish you All Happy Diwali & Prosperous New Year

Friends

It is bit late to wish for Happy Diwali and New year but still better than not to wish. Diwali has just passed and people are almost now out of this festive mood. In Gujarat it is celebrated for almost a week i.e. From Dhan Teras to Labh Panchami. Most of the people utilise this long festival vacation for Some out station trips. In Gujarat, it is also new year and hence people wish for Happy and Prosperous New Year too.  I had the opportunity to go to my native at Jaipur and then to Kota before returning to Ahmedabad after 6 days vacation. Jaipur has always been an intimate location which provide us a chance to be with parents and many other close relatives. It also gives me a golden opportunity to visit my Nani ( Mother's Mother). The trip also game me a chance to visit Khatu Shyamji and My village Sidhara.

This time this trip had one more feather of visiting Kota. I had a very pleasant stay with my in-laws where the  hospitality was of highest standard. The love and affection showered by them was tremendous. Sometimes I feel, do we really deserve this kind of affection and respect. This level of hospitality flattens and gives strength to move forward with utmost humbleness. Some people are big and respectable not  by richness but by the quality of behaviour, listening and utmost humbleness.

Diwali festival brings in lot of gifts for every one. Children get new clothes, sweets and chance to fire crackers, elders get chance to get together, this festival brings some thing good for every body in different form. In addition to sweets, clothes and lot of other material gifts, it brings some wonderful invisible gifts like:

i. An opportunity to meet the nears and dears which bonds the relationship further;
ii. Blessings of the elders;
iii. A chance to understand people, their activities and way of living life;
iv. Knowing people and building up relationships.

These are very valuable gifts in the life which can not be earned without these festivals. I once again wish to all of you a very happy, prosperous and purposeful new year. 

C P

MAN-A stage full of Challenges

Friends

A kid always dreams of growing older and become a Boy. The dream does not end here, he further dreams to be a MAN at the earliest. A Man in my view is one who is bit matured, married  and have growing kids. These kids soon become grown up kids and by this time, the Man either loses his hairs or their color changes to almost white. He becomes more and more tense day by day fearing about the safety, career and future life of the grown kids. By this time this Man shapes his personality as irritative, arrogant and suspicious about the things around him. This Man unsuccessfully tries to control the things beyond his control and troubles every one. He starts getting possessive about his kids, their safety, comfort and future life become key issues in his mind. This is the stage when a Man is worried about the family, business and finance.

This Man is too much burdened by the pressure from the parents, peers, wife and many other friends and relatives to start worrying about the kids. Gradually, this Man becomes a confused persona unknown about his own existence. I have seen this stage almost of every Man passing through such stage which puts him in a fix. In fact at this stage the life becomes full of challenges which he is unable to sort out. However, it is the stage when a Man gets lot of satisfaction towards grown up kids, their accomplishments and maturity.

Thus a MAN is burdened with lot of challenges which automatically solves during the  course of time. By the time these challenges get solved, he becomes an old man ready to face some bigger challenges of life.

CP

Story of Eagle

Friends

Recently, I came across to some very interesting facts about an Eagle . An eagle can live life upto 70 years, but after 40 years of age it has to go through a very painful process. By the age of 40 years, eagle's beak gets bend and its' sharpness to hit prey gets almost ineffective. Also it's chest accumulates lot of furs which adversely affects its strength to fly and lastly its claws also gets bit bend which affects its power to catch the prey. So, if the eagle wish to live the life of another 30-35 years, it has to pass through a very painful process. Eagle will have to go to highest point may be some mountain where no one can reach. It has to break the beak by hitting the stones. It is not only painful but time consuming too. After loosing the beak, it takes about 2-3 months to get the new sharp beak. 

Meanwhile it has to remove the turns from chest by this new beak only . Simultaneously, the claws have to be sharpened by rubbing to the stones. During this process of 2-3 months, the eagle has to survive on minimum food or may be wintout food. But after 3 months of this painful process, the eagle comes out with all new deadly tools and ready to live life for another 30 years. The eagle is now ready with very sharp beak, chest without the extra furs and claws much sharper.

We as professionals also pass through such situations where the existing expertise, activity or the areas of operation may not continue to give the same satisfaction and hence we need to review periodically. Sometimes, even the highly remunerative segment has to be left to move away for better prospectus. Professionals of my age with around 30 years' experience in the field are like Eagles which need to immediately break the old beaks and acquire new beaks to continue to excel in life. We should be ready to rejuvenate ourselves with more focus and expertise but after painful process of coming out from the existing comfort zone. It is very painful and time consuming to restart again but ultimately, the fruits are immense. There is no short cut in life and nothing is free in the world. Those who do it continue to strive for the success and those who don't, are bound to be extinct sooner or later.

Just after 10-15 minutes, the day will change and it would be 14 th October , which is of immense importance for us as it is the birth day of my wifee Shashi. I wish her a very happy birthday and pray to God for her good health and long life ahead.

CP

100 Days of NaMo Sarkaar

Friends

Recently NaMo Sarkaar completed 100 days. Though it is quite short period to judge performance of any party but still indications can be analysed and directions can be judged. New govt. was quite fast in taking certain decisions right from the day it was declared that BJP with NDA has won elections and soon new government is coming into power. NaMo had started taking interest in the government workings, meeting bureaucrates , meeting foreign dignitaries and so on.. It was clear that no more dullness in the government and soon we wd see active government. Soon the ministry was put into place and parliament sessions were convened. Oath ceremony saw all the saarc member countries heads indicating that the vibrancy in government is reviving. In last 100 days NaMo Sarkaar has successfully handled many international and domestic issues. GDP growth was highest in last quarter, Sensex and nifty touched new heights, industrial production is getting better day by day , people feel more safe now and transparency  in the government working is quite apparent. However, NaMo Sarkaar could have done better in certain segments particularly in reviving the economy and boosting the investments. Many schemes of the government were almost copy of the previous government. NaMo visited Bhutan, Nepal and Japan in last 3 months and heads of countries like Australia visited India. In my view NaMo Sarkaar should look into following issues ASAP :

1. Ministry of finance and defence should have full fledged cabinet minsters for better focus and performance. Some other crucial ministries be made independent . Many politicians of ruling BJP are quite capable and intelligent with vast experience and hence shall be accommodated for better performance of the NaMo Sarkaar. 

2. Certain bureaucrates continuing from previous government should be reshuffled as their thought process is unchanged. They may come on time now but that is not the guarantee of better performance or new thinking. 

3. Situation in UP, J&K and West Bengal is not yet improved and hence special attention should be given to improve the life of public in these states.

4. In present economic situation small and medium businessmen/ industrialists are seen as scamsters and hence better atmosphere is needed. Lot of rules and regulations framed by previous government like NPA, Sarfaesi, new loans etc. should be made flexible. The approach should be to help the businessmen to revive the units which is giving employment to lot of people of the country and generating forex revenues for the country. In every economy 10-15% may be cheaters but this does not mean all the businesses are surviving on illegal methods. Business environment should be good for better economy. 

5. Gujarat development is the major reason for the success of this government and hence the growth of Gujarat should be ensured even after NaMo has moved to delhi. 

CP