About Me

Friday 22 March 2013

White!


As a kid, I always loved gems & their colours …
Especially the colours excited me a lot! So vibrant, so full of life!
Even then though, there was something about “white” that fascinated me.
Was it the serenity? Or the positivity it reflected with maintaining its calmness around?

As I grew up I was amazed to find resemblance in the gems their colours with my friends & their personalities.
I was still perplexed with the significance of white. Till I did the prism experiment in 7th standard.
Remember the one when light passes through the prism to give all the colours?
It was an Aha moment for me…

Interestingly, as I grew up through adolescence into adulthood, I came across different personalities & people. All very unique!
Yet one thing seemed very similar, we all differentiate & distinguish.

By religions, by languages, by gender, by age. If not anything else by profession or intellect …
Most of the times, all this for a personal advantage.
Is it to satisfy our personal egos, or achieve our personal dreams & ambitions?
I never could fathom, but we all do differentiate & distinguish …only to divide.

I now realize, that’s why the fascination with “White”, I just love it!
So pure, so sacred …. It integrates the beauty of all the colours yet maintains its own elegance.

I wonder! What if we all could stand up & build our character like “White”
Yes, we all need our own existence & want to be the colour we wish to be.
At the same time, would it be possible for us - to align, integrate & elevate everyone around us? (Just like white does for the beauty of all the colours)  

Stand up for white! Stand up for peace, for purity of thoughts & intentions!

Let’s eliminate the differences, let’s build on their beauty & integrate them to harmonize the world.

Isn’t that the only way we all can contribute to making this world a better place to live in, than when we found it…..

Wednesday 11 April 2012

Mom

Confidence & Faith is you, Being Me is you
Being Loved & Cared for is you
The calming influence in hardships & struggles is you
The method & reason for living in a mad world is you
Every thought in a still mind is you
Every tear of joy or sorrow is an achievement or pain of you
Every time I fail or fall the person who gives me strength is you
A silent prayer or wish every morning & every night is you
Someone for whom I can trade-off any of my wish is you
I know I can’t say or express enough what you mean to me “Mom”
But every time I hear the word “Love” I know it’s you!

Friday 2 September 2011

Corruption Free India – Reality v/s Idealism

- Every Opportunity we have to use the current situation/circumstance to our individual advantage by bypassing law/rule speaks of our corrupt character. Corruption is not in the act, it is in the thought behind the act. Corruption is a “Reality” & a corruption free Individual or National Character “Idealism”

- So next time we have an opportunity to bribe for skipping a signal, getting passports earlier than the allotted time, admission to schools/colleges for our children, getting that distinguished job/post or make that so called cut which pays for our bills or buy bigger houses & cars, would we opt to give in to “Reality” or stick out our neck in favor of “Idealism”

- Easier said than done, right? So is building an individual or National corrupt free character. It wouldn’t just happen with marches or supports; it will have to be backed with acts or& deeds in the wake of reality & against the tide of time as also situations or circumstances.

- That day my friend, we don’t have to wish for a "Corruption Free India”! We will have one!

- A Corruption free "India" is possible only when we start to have a Corruption free "I, Me, We & Us"

Tuesday 22 March 2011

Explore Yourself!

Fears hold us back from moving out of our comfort zones.
The key is to “Let Go”! To see through your fears & into the light!
Human mind has immense power, more than the sails of a ship or wings of a bird, liberate it & explore yourself!

You are created, not to be tied to the harbors or to be restricted by the lands.
But to explore, the vast expanse of the oceans, just the way ships do & the breadth of the skies just the way birds do!
You will know you can reach far beyond!

Let go yourself, my friend - Unearth your talents & Unplug your passion to see where you reach.
Not me, not this world, that day, shall be able to stop you from reaching where you ought to reach & being what you ought to be!
That day my friend, I shall salute you, for giving up your fears, exploring & achieving! For being the real you, the way I imagined you!

Wednesday 9 March 2011

“ZenSar Cricket Team An Epitome of Spirit and Character - For others it’s just a game, for us it is Life!”

I walk down the memory lane 4 years back, when I joined a bunch of exciting, exuberant and spirited guys full of zeal and character. All ruthless and fearless; a team, who any one if dared to have a go, would give back everything they had and united - something even the Spartans would be proud of. They were IT geeks in office but on the field, warriors they were to the hilt. I had played 10 yrs of professional cricket but had not come across a team like this. This was unique – a moment, an experience and an unforgettable journey. I wanted to be a part of this.

First year coming into a side with G Nathan as captain and stalwarts such as Vinayak Behere, Nrupal Desai, Saurabh Ganguly and Sanjay Gawai was tough. We had promising youngsters such as Pramod K P and Anurag Singh Chauhan for whom the word “impossible” never existed. We had experienced cricketers in Sumeet Kale and Venkatesh Venkatraman, street smart and crafty cricketers such as Nilesh Gulhane, Ashutosh Rai and Neeti Raj Rawat, but I managed to sneak in. We created history that year by winning the HDFC Cup beating Infosys in the finals.

Next year with most of our senior and experienced guys moving out, I was asked to lead and from then for 3 years – It has been a prestige and an honour on one hand and living up to the expectations of 4000 odd people on the other. There were moments of glory and few of shame, feeling of joy and some of pain, but the experience – HUH! Awesome!

IT Companies or Non IT, Products or services, small or big, all of them feared the name “ZenSar” and we always ensured they continued to. I still remember teams like Infy, CTS coming with 25-30 players, but at the back of our minds we know – We are good enough for them and believe me, we really are!

It is tough to work in A/C offices for 5 days for long hours without exercise or fitness regime and come out and give your best in extreme cold conditions on one day and searing hot weather on the next. It is tough crawling to office on Monday after back to back matches on weekends – tired and exhausted. It is tough to hear people criticize you when you lose, especially when they have never made an effort to turn up and see the passion and effort that we put in. It is tough when senior players take time off from their families and youngsters don’t go home just to ensure they don’t let the team down and so as to not miss any matches. Its tough to put every thing at stake – lose, get over it and say – “Let’s have a go one more time.” It’s really tough! But we have lived up to it. We have gone down one day only to fight back with vigil on the other and for me that is the hallmark of great individuals and a great team.

Sometimes we won and sometimes we lost. But glory isn’t only in winning; it is in participating and playing to your best and we always did. Times may have changed, but not us – the ZenSar Cricket Team and the way we have played. So what if we didn’t have the form sometimes or the opponents were stronger than us; so what if the conditions were tough or we were without our best players – yet we have delivered. We have kept the ZenSar flag flying high – Always! Something I as an individual and we as a team are truly proud of! I am sure, every ZenSarian who reads this too would be!

When I look back now – It has been an extraordinary journey, which would be etched in my mind forever. I just can’t miss and forget the action. For others cricket might just be a game and the ZenSar cricket team a medium to allow associates to enjoy; but for us it is Life and every game is a war! Above all this we represent a brand “ZenSar” which has grown ever year as the team comes out stronger and harder every time we walk out.

It was an honour to lead a side with excellent cricketers such as Parag Dahiwal, Emmanuel David, Dinesh Shanmugham and Hrishikesh Matsye. Classy players such as Venugopal R, Hemant Sengar, Vishal Pusalkar, Deepak Golani, Rajesh Paradker and Amit Chavan. Gritty guys such as Vikram Singh, Dnyanesh Mahajan, Abhay Jadhav, Mahesh Mundhare and Sailesh Athreyaa. Senior Players such as Ravi Kadam and Sanjeev Tomar and how can I forget the influx of young turks every year who breathed a fresh life in all of us - Amit Jadhav, Amol Behere, Robin George, Aadarsh Vyas, Aniket Kulkarni, Yashvir Singh, Jerrin Jacob, Santosh Sahoo, Ajit Nair and Harshad Poogalia. I know the list is long, but let me mention all of them – because without them ZenSar cricket team would be incomplete and this legacy would have been over long back when people wrote us off 3 years ago.

As I pass on the baton, the mood for me is of nostalgia and reminiscence. The feeling sinks in; but the mind and heart really can’t take itself away from a team that is the quintessence of spirit and character, grit and determination! A legacy that continues and for me, simply put the best team ever I played for. Best wishes and signing off….

- Ashish Dabholkar

Thursday 1 July 2010

Whats your mark? Your Legacy?

I lost my grandfather on 1st Feb 2010. He was pretty old (94) & we all expected it, but a loss is a loss. There are no words to describe it.
People who console & say “we know what you are going through” don’t really do, unless they have gone through it, god forbid! I haven’t seen my father so low or helpless ever & I never thought I would, for someone as strong as him!

It was my 1st visit to a crematorium, especially where I was involved in performing a few final rites. On the 2nd day as a ritual, you collect the ashes & bones & carry it all the way to a holy place where you immerse it in water where they eventually settle down & mix with the soil. It has by far been the most humbling/moving experience of my life.

Here’s a gist of what I took back that day, forever across my life -

- Whoever you boast you are – ultimately you are down to ashes & bones.
- Whichever heights you soar – ultimately you immerse in water & blend with the soil.
- Whatever riches you achieve – ultimately you go back with empty hands & bare body.
- What you give back to this world, that ultimately is what you take with you.

As I sat back that evening, I knew for sure - I was no ego, no position, no status in society. I was all down to the ashes & bones which at the end left no mark as they immersed in water & became one with the soil.

With a deep feeling of void & solitude, I was just left with 3 questions which I pass on to you my dear friend -

- Who would eventually turn up for your funeral & your final rites?
- What would your obituary look like? What would the people have to say about you?
- What was the mark you left? What is it that you take from this world? What is the legacy you leave behind?

Else ultimately its all down to bones & ashes....

Friday 8 January 2010

The 5 ‘Miss’es in every man’s life!

THE FIRST CRUSH – Just as you walk into the class first day, she is sitting on the very first bench. The one you saw entering the gate & followed hoping for a longer glimpse, just to be greeted with a pleasant surprise that she is in your class. Simple smile, dimple cheeked, glowing eyes, curly hair. The seat next to her is vacant & you just don’t gather enough courage to sit next to her. Then on, you always sit somewhere on the back benches admiring her, hoping some day she speaks to you. Not for the class work, but as the monitor who checks the home work. The day she does eventually walk up, you get to know she came to meet the guy sitting next to you, her best friend.

THE NEIGHBOUR NEXT DOOR – The cute little daughter of your neighbours who plays badminton with friends the very same time to you play cricket with friends. That “hi”, a shy smile & wave of the hand when you accidentally meet in the lift always leaving you with a feeling, could have spoken a little longer. Couldn’t the lift have stopped working for a short while? Which School is she in? What time? Is May be same route? What subjects? Ahh, can I borrow a book from her? Not a bad idea. You don’t see her for a while & the day you finally made up your mind to ask for the book, you get to know the neighbours just shifted.

SISTER’S BEST PAL – She comes one day to study with your sister, only to sweep you off your studies. She is mature, energetic, bubbly, sharp & witty. As exams near in, she stays back to cover up the syllabus & clear her doubts with your sister. You wait for the vacations; she comes & prepares your most favorite dish as her friend’s darling brother & you catch up for a one-off movie with your sister in between, hoping it was just the 2 of you. The next year, you find out your sister has a new friend who isn’t that great. “Didi – where is …….?” is the last you spoke about her only to find that she & your sister went to different classes this year due to different grades.

FAVOURITE TEACHER – She is your favorite teacher, just because you are her favorite student. She thinks you are intelligent & with some efforts can make good grades & have a great future though no other teacher feels so. She guides you in studies & encourages you for extra-curricular activities for holistic development. You devote extra study time for her subject, just for her – else who the hell would be interested in Geography. She is the one who is all over the moon when you are the top scorer & doesn’t punish you but rather takes you to her room, explains why you shouldn’t have done it & let’s you go with a kiss! The next day, she suddenly looks gorgeous; as though she never looked that way. Oh no, this one never left you. In fact you were the one who left school & meet her when you visit school as an alumni & reminiscence the good old days. Anyways, it was a shore you could have never reached

FIRST LOVE – Divine intervention! Just what god ordered to move your never happening, non-glittery life. She sparkles it as if all festivities came together. She is the most beautiful girl in the world. Her walk makes your heart skip a beat, her look just about perfect as you dreamt & when she let’s her hair loose man you stumble all over. When you start spending most of your time in front of the mirror in the house, fashion suddenly becomes the in-thing & you begin thinking hairstyles kind of improved face value. When Dad’s perfume & the expensive jeans you did not buy last year when mom wanted to present it to you for a Diwali gift suddenly become prized possessions. You correct the previous mistakes & quickly get introduced to her. You get to know her well & ask her out. That first date, the movie with pop corn, followed with Ice-cream & a long walk to drop her before you headed home. One night as you try sleeping you realize, its love – This really is! You discuss topics ranging from Education to Politics, Cricket to Bollywood, People & Relationships & about Careers/Life!


Just as you propose to her she says “I never thought of you like that, we are just friends” or “Love is one thing & marriage is other” or “Thoughts & Feelings are fine, but Life together is serious business” or “Careers are important & we are still too young” or “We are compatible, but families may not be”You may have missed any or all of them! But the best is the one you will have in your life! The one because of whom you can remember, smile & say – so kiddish of me!