Peppy Yoga Classes at Our Office!

21st June of the last year it was the first International Day of Yoga - IDY. The day our respected Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi announced Yoga classes will be compulsory at every school, colleges and Indian Government offices. So our boss becomes very active on that commencement and we were fortunate to attend peppy Yoga classes for two weeks at our office.

First two days we had 70 employees who attended the yoga class. In the third day, It was surprisingly decreased and only 41 people were there. When we back to our desk after 1-hour class they said, you are still young and we are older now. They got pains in every limbs and bone joints. I told them I found the similar issue too but I never quite a program that once I start. 

In the next one week our number became 27 people and in the next week, it was 20 members who successfully completed the 12 days Yoga program. I am thankful to my boss who had this great vision to introduce us with the peppy yoga program. We also lucky that we met Mr. Govind as our yoga guru, who is a mystic and spiritual guide to us. 

The closing day of the yoga class Mr. Govind invited all the 70 employees for an inspirational speech. Almost all my colleagues were present at that day. Mr. Govind in his notable voice explained the whole truth about his experience with Yoga. He is one of the top contestants in the National Yoga Championship for several times. He never won the medals but he never lost his hope in yoga. Even he mentioned that how yoga helped him winning over his will power. He also told us that body pain in a primary issue in yoga because body pain does not stay for regular practicing. 

Once we start doing yoga it helps us reducing our mental complexity and focus the spiritual existence. Every yoga includes proper breathing practice and rest before starting a new exercise. The lesson we learned was eye-opening. We went through many issues regularly in our everyday life but the darkness we create to our health is poisonous. We should take care of our health first, the proverb says it quite right "Health is wealth". This is not only a peppy lesson but it's a good habit and we should follow. I promised in my heart, no matter what I will practice yoga every day as a routine. 

Seven months past still I am trying to practice yoga regularly. To be honest because of few individual issues, trips, and festivals I cannot able to keep my word. But whenever I get time I make it happen. Even sometimes I think of taking yoga as my primary interest in life and see if I can make a difference in living. 

This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.

Useful Navigation App Can Help Us Find Unknown Places!

I am not a tech smart person, I know how to search google or write my blogs which one of my friends guided me. Navigation apps are one my favourite apps, which help me reach unknown places. It was my driver Somu Pandey, a young man of 22 he was the first person in my knowledge who I saw every time he connects to the Google Maps Navigation app in his smartphone.

One day I asked, "Somu, what is that? You should not look at your mobile phone while driving!!"

Somu, said, "Babu, you don't know about Google Maps it's a helpful navigation tool."

I was surprised and asked him to show me what exactly he is talking about. We almost at home. I asked him to show me the app once reach home. Somu stopped the car at our parking garage and showed his phone to me. He selected 3G data and a Google developed application name "Maps".

I said, "Ok it's a map of our city. Very good Somu, you are a skilled educated driver. You can read maps as well." I smiled and was just going to leave.

Somu said, "Wait Babu, let me show you how it works!" He was desperate to show what more he knows about this app.

I smiled and told him, "I am busy now. I have important works to do. Thanks Somu, you go and take some rest."

Somu indeed a good driver, he said "Namaste" and left that evening.

The same night after dinner I was going to bed and thought about that Navigation app. I took my phone and downloaded the app. I wanted to see what else Somu was trying to show me in that app.

Once the download completed I opened the app and connected internet phone data. I found it showing my phone's position in the map. I said, "Wow". Then I searched some other locations like, Airport, Rail Station, Hospital, Bank and Office. All the places the app was shown exact the same I knew those places.

Next day when I was in the car, I was looking at my meeting schedules. Suddenly I remember Maps app. I searched the address I was going. To my great surprise, the app started navigating me each and every direction to the address. I was laughing very loud with a big surprising smile in my bald face.

Somu was driving, "What happened Babu?"

I said, "Somu you are brilliant, I downloaded the Navigation app you showed me last time and now I understand why you always use this app." Somu was very happy listening to that. Then I reached the place and went for the meeting. It was a good day.

Evening when I was coming back, I asked Somu, "Somu, what is your education?" Somu said, "Babu, I passed high school." I told him, "Let me see, you deserve better."

It was an eye-opening to me that maybe I am not seeing how the technology is changing our world. Thanks Somu for the lesson. If I can do something better for you I will be glad.

This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.

Book Review: The Bestseller She Wrote by Ravi Subramanian

Finally, I got my hands on the latest novel "The Bestseller She Wrote" by Ravi Subramanian. To my utter surprise, the book is better than I thought. As a self-published writer, I want to say, "Subramanian, you got guts... to write something very honest modern city culture in this novel." 

Last Friday evening when I came back to home and found the book at my desk. 'Tis the first look, I found it's heavy and I cut the seal and turned the last page, my god 392 pages!!! "When I'll read this?" I am a slow reader but if I find interest... then I read as fast as a jet. So I started reading the first chapter. Then till night 2:30 AM and today (Sunday) I finished the book. 

First of all to the readers who do not know who is Ravi Subramanian? I just want to share you a glance, Ravi was an IIM Bangalore student and he is from Ludhiana, Punjab. He himself a banker and wrote the award-winning trilogy The Incredible Banker, The Bankster and Bankerupt. 

It is my very personal opinion about this novel...  no matter what Subramanian could not escape his banking boundary in all his novels. Possibly I am wrong but I found, "Subramanian wrote an erotic fantasy which maybe the food for the thought of his own." 

In short synopsis, Aditya, who is a bestseller writer and a bank employee found interest in Shreya, a young girl with ambition. Aditya is a family guy and he loves his wife Maya. But Aditya found his secret vigorous interest in Shreya. He recruited her in the bank and started date. He came to know Shreya wants to be a bestseller writer like Aditya. He promised to help her in her book. As the story developed further to realize a part of the novel by substance Shreya asked Aditya to have adulterous love with her. And the climax began here when Aditya found his double role hiding the facts in front of his wife Maya and little son Aryan.

The moral of the story, how Shreya played the relationship game, used Aditya's talent and then kicked his ass. 'Tis a selfish love story of disloyalty and betrayal.  

 First-page photo captured in my handset

Front cover photo captured in my handset

The first part of the novel I actually enjoyed reading. It was indeed amusing and the way Shreya and Aditya met and found their interest in each other that is truly exceptional. Then Maya's suffering from rare disease, she came to know the secret love between Aditya and Shreya and as a typical Indian wife, her role quite justified. Then the weakness in love affair found in Aditya's character, he found helpless at the end. He was so lost in his world of fantasy. But then the real person behind all this had been found. You need to read the full novel to know who made Aditya's life miserable, this is the suspense. Even the side characters like Sanjay, Diana, Melwinare etc. portrayed very carefully by the writer. A nice novel worth reading.

I am reviewing ‘The Bestseller She Wrote’ by Ravi Subramanian as a part of the biggest Book Review Program for Indian Bloggers. Participate now to get free books!

Last time I saw Lucky Ali Live at HRC Bangalore

My Experience at Amity University - Lucknow Campus.

In 2008, I cleared my CAT exam I was looking for a PGDM degree and I was not sure where to get admission. In Amity, I took my admission.

In Amity Lucknow campus every candidate got selected based on CAT and Internal exam conducted by Amity itself. After that, the merit list they prepare and accordingly they call candidates for the f2f interview.

I had Communication Development, Behaviour Science, Research Methodology, and German Language apart from my regular MBA subjects.  The course is designed as per the professional standard.

The faculty was professional. They help in understanding each subject carefully. They help in developing presentation skills, and sometimes they give good reference to get internships.

I had my internship in Sahara India Pariwar, Corporate Communication Department as a Market Researcher. They paid 7.5K at the end of eight weeks internship with certification.

I passed out in 2009-10 and it was the time when in the private sector was suffering from financial recession crisis moment which was affected campus placement. But in that time Amity did a wonderful job, they brought 4 industrial giants like Accenture, Wipro, Times Now, Hindustan Times for the placement.

In every winter season, a cultural festival organised in Amity Lucknow Malhore Campus by the management. The festival name is SAMANVAY meaning "Something which is equally applicable to all."

This stage gave endless opportunity to showcase cultural activity to all students.

In my course, there were no labs. I had weekly presentations at the stage in our classroom. Our exam system was semester based. Papers were split into two parts. Internal assessment and external assessment. Each paper 60 marks for external and 40 for internal, both papers to clear to clear a subject and get the score.

Fee structure in Amity is expensive than government MBA colleges. In my course, I had four semesters and each semester costs 96K. Apart from that, there were other fees like the security deposit and hostel fees.

Hostel facility was very good. They provided me a shared room with a partner. Each room member gets a table, chair, cupboard, bed, and mattress. 24/7 room cleaning service, purified water, generator back up and separate toilet for every six students.

Mess food was good and hygienic. Pure 100% veg meals every day. Mess fees are not included in hostel fee. So you need to pay every month to get the mess food.

I did not have any scholarship availed from Amity University. I am not sure about it.

Education loan facility offered by most of the banks. I had loans from PNB.

Friendship starts at Amity. Fun moments in hostel parties every weekend. There were the gym, table tennis, volleyball, cricket tournaments, dance, debate and singing competition too.

I never got any reference from my alumni network and senior students of Amity. But interaction opportunities are there and many time they helped junior students in getting placed or searching internship.

Amity Lucknow Campus was in construction at the time when I was there. The main issue I found that between Amity Noida and Lucknow campus there is a sky and earth difference in getting interview opportunities in good companies after the course end. But hope one day Amity Lucknow campus become better.


Website: http://amity.edu/Lucknow/