There are two photographs that hang on my office wall. Everyday when I enter my office, I look at them before starting my day. They are pictures of two old people. One is of a gentleman in a blue suit and the other is a black and white image of a man with dreamy eyes and a white beard. People have often asked me if the people in the photographs are related to me. Some have even asked me, "Is this black and white photo that of a Sufi saint or a religious Guru?" I smile and reply "No, nor are they related to me. These people made an impact on my life. I am grateful to them." "Who are they?" "The man in the blue suit is Bharat Ratna JRD Tata and the black and white photo is of Jamsetji Tata." "But why do you have them in your office?" "You can call it gratitude." Then, invariably, I have to tell the person the following story. It was a long time ago. I was young and bright, bold and idealistic. I was in the final year of my Master's course in Computer Science at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bangalore, then known as the Tata Institute. Life was full of fun and joy. I did not know what helplessness or injustice meant. It was probably the April of 1974. Bangalore was getting warm and gulmohars were blooming at the IISc campus. I was the only girl in my postgraduate department and was staying at the ladies' hostel. Other girls were pursuing research in different departments of Science. I was looking forward to going abroad to complete a doctorate in computer science. I had been offered scholarships from Universities in the US. I had not thought of taking up a job in India. One day, while on the way to my hostel from our lecture-hall complex, I saw an advertisement on the notice board. It was a standard job-requirement notice from the famous automobile company Telco (now Tata Motors). It stated that the company required young, bright engineers, hardworking and with an excellent academic background, etc. At the bottom was a small line: "Lady Candidates need not apply." I read it and was very upset. For the first time in my life, I was up against gender discrimination. Though I was not keen on taking up the job, I saw it as a challenge. I had done extremely well in academics, better than most of my male peers. Little did I know then that in real life academic excellence is not enough to be successful. After reading the notice I went fuming to my room. I decided to inform the top most person in Telco's management about the injustice the company was perpetrating. I got a postcard and started to write, but there was a problem: I did not know who headed Telco. I thought it must be one of the Tatas. I knew JRD Tata was the head of the Tata Group; I had seen his pictures in newspapers (actually, Sumant Moolgaokar was the company's chairman then).

I took the card, addressed it to JRD and started writing. To this day I remember clearly what I wrote. "The great Tatas have always been pioneers. They are the people who started the basic infrastructure industries in India, such as iron and steel, chemicals, textiles and locomotives. They have cared for higher education in India since 1900 and they were responsible for the establishment of the Indian Institute of Science. Fortunately, I study there. But I am surprised how a company such as Telco is discriminating on the basis of gender."

I posted the letter and forgot about it. Less than 10 days later, I received a telegram stating that I had to appear for an interview at Telco's Pune facility at the company's expense. I was taken aback by the telegram. My hostel mate told me I should use the opportunity to go to Pune free of cost and buy them the famous Pune saris for cheap! I collected Rs 30 each from everyone who wanted a sari. When I look back, I feel like laughing at the reasons for my going, but back then they seemed good enough to make the trip.

It was my first visit to Pune and I immediately fell in love with the city. To this day it remains dear to me. I feel as much at home in Pune as I do in Hubli, my hometown. The place changed my life in so many ways. As directed, I went to Telco's Pimpri office for the interview. There were six people on the panel and I realized then that this was serious business.

"This is the girl who wrote to JRD," I heard somebody whisper as soon as I entered the room. By then I knew for sure that I would not get the job. The realization abolished all fear from my mind, so I was rather cool while the interview was being conducted. Even before the interview started, I reckoned the panel was biased, so I told them, rather impolitely, "I hope this is only a technical interview." They were taken aback by my rudeness, and even today I am ashamed about my attitude.

The panel asked me technical questions and I answered all of them. Then an elderly gentleman with an affectionate voice told me, "Do you know why we said lady candidates need not apply? The reason is that we have never employed any ladies on the shop floor. This is not a co-ed college; this is a factory. When it comes to academics, you are a first ranker throughout. We appreciate that, but people like you should work in research laboratories." I was a young girl from small-town Hubli. My world had been a limited place. I did not know the ways of large corporate houses and their difficulties, so I answered, "But you must start somewhere, otherwise no woman will ever be able to work in your factories."

Finally, after a long interview, I was told I had been successful. So this was what the future had in store for me. Never had I thought I would take up a job in Pune. I met a shy young man from Karnataka there, we became good friends and we got married.

It was only after joining Telco that I realized who JRD was: the uncrowned king of Indian industry. Now I was scared, but I did not get to meet him till I was transferred to Bombay. One day I had to show some reports to Mr. Moolgaokar, our chairman who we all knew as SM. I was in his office on the first floor of Bombay House (the Tata headquarters) when, suddenly JRD walked in. That was the first time I saw "appro JRD". Appro means "our" in Gujarati. This was the affectionate term by which people at Bombay House called him.

I was feeling very nervous, remembering my postcard episode. SM introduced me nicely, "Jeh (that's what his close associates called him), this young woman is an engineer and that too a postgraduate. She is the first woman to work on the Telco shop floor." JRD looked at me. I was praying he would not ask me any questions about my interview (or the postcard that preceded it). Thankfully, he didn't. Instead, he remarked. "It is nice that girls are getting into engineering in our country. By the way, what is your name?" I replied "I am Sudha" He smiled a kindly smile and started a discussion with SM. As for me, I almost ran out of the room.

After that I used to see JRD on and off. He was the Tata Group chairman and I was merely an engineer. There was nothing that we had in common. I was in awe of him. One day I was waiting for Murthy, my husband, to pick me up after office hours. To my surprise I saw JRD standing next to me. I did not know how to react. Yet again I started worrying about that postcard. Looking back, I realize JRD had forgotten about it. It must have been a small incident for him, but not so for me.

"Young lady, why are you here?" he asked. "Office time is over." I said, "Sir, I'm waiting for my husband to come and pick me up." JRD said, "It is getting dark and there's no one in the corridor. I'll wait with you till your husband comes." I was quite used to waiting for Murthy, but having JRD waiting alongside made me extremely uncomfortable. I was nervous. Out of the corner of my eye I looked at him. He wore a simple white pant and shirt. He was old, yet his face was glowing. There wasn't any air of superiority about him. I was thinking, "Look at this person. He is a chairman, a well-respected man in our country and he is waiting for the sake of an ordinary employee." Then I saw Murthy and I rushed out. JRD called and said, "Young lady, tell your husband never to make his wife wait again."

In 1982, I had to resign from my job at Telco. I was reluctant to go, but I really did not have a choice. I was coming down the steps of Bombay House after wrapping up my final settlement when I saw JRD coming up. He was absorbed in thought. I wanted to say goodbye to him, so I stopped. He saw me and paused. Gently, he said, "So what are you doing, Mrs. Kulkarni?" (That was the way he always addressed me.) "Sir, I am leaving Telco." "Where are you going?" he asked. "Pune, Sir. My husband is starting a company called Infosys and I'm shifting to Pune." "Oh! And what will you do when you are successful." "Sir, I don't know whether we will be successful." "Never start with diffidence," he advised me. "Always start with confidence. When you are successful you must give back to society. Society gives us so much; we must reciprocate. I wish you all the best."

Then JRD continued walking up the stairs. I stood there for what seemed like a millennium. That was the last time I saw him alive. Many years later I met Ratan Tata in the same Bombay House, occupying the chair JRD once did. I told him of my many sweet memories of working with Telco. Later, he wrote to me, "It was nice hearing about Jeh from you. The sad part is that he's not alive to see you today."

I consider JRD a great man because, despite being an extremely busy person, he valued one postcard written by a young girl seeking justice. He must have received thousands of letters everyday. He could have thrown mine away, but he didn't do that. He respected the intentions of that unknown girl, who had neither influence nor money, and gave her an opportunity in his company. He did not merely give her a job; he changed her life and mindset forever.

Close to 50 per cent of the students in today's engineering colleges are girls. And there are women on the shop floor in many industry segments. I see these changes and I think of JRD. If at all time stops and asks me what I want from life, I would say I wish JRD were alive today to see how the company we started has grown. He would have enjoyed it wholeheartedly.

My love and respect for the House of Tata remains undiminished by the passage of time. I always looked up to JRD. I saw him as a role model for his simplicity, his generosity, his kindness and the care he took of his employees. Those blue eyes always reminded me of the sky; they had the same vastness and magnificence.

* Sudha Murthy is a widely published writer and chairperson of the Infosys Foundation involved in a number of social development initiatives. Infosys chairman Narayan Murthy is her husband.
Sourced from The Net.

When you love someone so deep inside,
It seems like it's so easy to hide.
You've loved him for so very long,
You would think he could do no wrong.

Every day you would hope and pray,
That he would always stay this way.
He treated you like you should be treated,
You thought your life was finally completed.

You thought your love was growing true,
And then one day it was all so blue.
He started putting you down and it hurt,
You thought all you were to him was dirt.

He started ignoring you and you wondered why,
All you wanted to do was curl up and die.
You thought your relationship would never end,
But that was all so fake and pretend.

One night he was so sweet to you,
You thought all those things were maybe untrue,
Two days later he was back the same,
You thought you were the one to blame.

He thought the relationship was getting too serious
And that you had become a little too curious.
By this time you knew it wouldn't last,
All the nice things he said were in the past.

You thought that you would marry him some day,
But this time God wanted to get his way.
You wanted things back how they were before,
But you knew this couldn't happen anymore.

It was a Saturday night about ten o'clock,
You heard the news and it wasn't a shock.
You knew this was going to happen soon,
As you laid there and cried in the pale lit moon.

Dear Mommy and (Papa),

I am in Heaven now, sitting on God' lap. He loves me and cries with me; for my heart has been broken. I so wanted to be your little girl.

I don't quite understand what has happened. I was so excited when I began realizing my existence. I was in a dark, yet comfortable place.

I saw I had fingers and toes. I was pretty far along in my developing, yet not near ready to leave my surroundings. I spent most of my time thinking or sleeping.

Even from my earliest days, I felt a special bonding between you and me. Sometimes I heard you crying and I cried with you. Sometimes you would yell or scream, then cry. I heard Daddy yelling back. I was sad, and hoped you would be better soon. I wondered why you cried so much.

One day you cried almost all of the day. I hurt for you. I couldn't imagine why you were so unhappy. That same day, the most horrible thing happened. A very mean monster came into that warm, comfortable place I was in.

I was so scared, I began screaming, but you never once tried to help me. Maybe you never heard me. The monster got closer and closer as I was screaming and screaming, " Mommy, Mommy, help me please; Mommy, help me."

Complete terror is all I felt. I screamed and screamed until I thought I couldn't anymore.Then the monster started ripping my arm off. It hurt so bad; the pain I can never explain. Itdidn't stop. Oh, how I begged it to stop. I screamed in horror as it ripped my leg off.

Though I was in such complete pain, I was dying. I knew I would never see your face or hear you say how much you love me.

I wanted to make all your tears go away. I had so many plans to make you happy. Now I couldn't; all my dreams were shattered. Though I was in utter pain and horror, I felt the pain of my heart breaking, above all.

I wanted more than anything to be your daughter. No use now, for I was dying a painful death. I could only imagine the terrible things that they had done to you.

I wanted to tell you that I love you before I was gone, but I didn't know the words you could understand. And soon, I no longer had the breath to say them; I was dead.I felt myself rising.

I was being carried by a huge angel into a big beautiful place. I was still crying, but the physical pain was gone.

The angel took me to God and set me on His lap. He said He loved me, and He was my Father. Then I was happy. I asked Him what the thing was that killed me.

He answered, "Abortion. I am sorry, my child; for I know how it feels." I don't know what abortion is; I guess that's the name of the monster.

I'm writing to say that I love you and to tell you how much I wanted to be your little girl. I tried very hard to live. I wanted to live. I had the will, but I couldn't; the monster was too powerful. It sucked my arm and legs off and finally got all of me. It was impossible to live. I just wanted you to know I tried to stay with you. I didn't want to die.

Also, Mommy, please watch out for that abortion monster.

Mommy, I love you and I would hate for you to go through the kind of pain I did. Please be careful.

Love,

Your Baby Girl

Till the age of seven, a child is like a sponge. Anything that the child is exposed to, the child absorbs. Its mind and body grows at an amazing rate. In this phase, the child is in the visualisation phase. Whatever the child sees is imprinted and embedded into its unconscious. The embedded memories start replaying as the child grows into an adult. These embedded memories drive adult decisions.  
 
Between the age of eight and 14, the growing child is in the verbalisation mode. The child starts learning languages and verbal imprints, not merely visual images, start getting embedded. Using words like happiness, suffering, etc., instantly evoke appropriate pictures and therefore emotions.  
 
During this entire period, the child is controlled by its parents or parent substitutes. Most of what is embedded in their unconscious comes from the elders close to them, mainly parents. So, children imitate their parents.  
 
People ask, do we inherit the sins of our parents? Do their karma become ours? No, don’t worry; you do not inherit the sins and karma of your parents. But, unfortunately you do inherit something that is equally powerful; something that can either be very positive or very negative.  
 
You do inherit the mindset of your parents. You inherit the way they think and act. You inherit their values and beliefs. You get conditioned by them. You inherit the mindset to commit the same sins, to inherit the same karma.  
So, I say again and again, be careful as parents in how you bring your children up.  
 
If the mother always complains, whether of a headache or the husband or the neighbour, the child learns the words and the behaviour. If the father coming home flops down on the sofa at seven in the evening saying he is tired, the connection between seven in the evening and tiredness becomes hardwired in the child’s mind. If a father comes home and displays keen interest in playing with the child that behaviour too is imprinted.  
 
Why is it that you rarely see an ugly child? Why is it that you rarely see a beautiful adult? If a child is being natural and playfully rowdy, we cannot tolerate such behaviour as an adult and we must control ourselfs from not restraining him/ her.  
 
We have to make the child as insipid as we are, as ugly as we are. Let them be natural. Let them grow into beautiful adults.

It is in your hands to do that.

( This week is really special to me, my elder sister got a cute little baby girl for herself... she will the first baby girl in my family after so many years..... dont have to tell you, she will be favourite of each and everyone of us...)

We become what we think. Yad bhaavam tat bhavati, is what our scriptures say. Whatever we think and feel again and again is what we become. What we think we verbalise, what we verbalise we visualise and what we visualise happens.  
Wisconsin University carried out an interesting research.  
 
There are societies and cultures in our world where the language spoken is very refined and without negativities. For instance, if you notice, people from the Lucknow area, whether Hindu or Muslim, would use the respectful term for ‘you’, even to their children. Politeness and etiquette are bred into them.  
 
On such communities Wisconsin University carried out research and found that people in such communities rarely suffered from depression and such similar ailments. They found that if the words people use are refined and without negativity, mind is not adversely affected. They do not get stressed, they do not get worried and they do not get depressed. They lead a relatively happier life.  
 
Worry is nothing but the constant inner chatter within us, the constant negative inner chatter. I am asked again and again, ‘To what extent are we responsible for our thoughts?’  
 
If we are not responsible for our thoughts, who else can then be responsible for them? Our thoughts arise from within us, not from or through someone else! Is it possible for someone to come between us and our minds? Certainly not!  
 
Brahma havit brahmaiva bhavati, say our scriptures. He who focuses on the Brahman, the Ultimate, becomes the Brahman, the Ultimate himself. What we focus our mind on, what we think, what we feel is what we become. There is no doubt about this.  
 
How can we stop worrying? How can we streamline our thoughts without negativity? This is what everyone wants to know.  
 
The solution is simple. You need to be aware of what you think. Constantly be aware of what your thoughts are and straighten them out. You need not stop doing anything you are engaged in to do this.  
 
You can be driving, you can be in conversation, you can be cooking and still you are thinking. Constantly thoughts arise. Most of the time, you do not even watch your thoughts. You let your thoughts guide you into fantasies.  
 
For a change, watch your thoughts. As soon as there is a negative thought, change it into a more positive thought. You may say it is too simple.

Yes, it is that simple, try it!!!!

Dark and starry new moon night,
Garland of bones and skulls,
shining sword and dark surprised deity,
reminds me of Kali Puja on this Diwali evening,

Flickering little earthen lamps,
no match to decorative electric lights,
eliminate darkness from the night and hearts,
arouses feeling of hope for the future in the world of darkness.

Colorful paper streamers, and sky lanterns,
homes shining with fresh paint in vibrant colors,
the beauty and charm of decorations,
makes the eyes and mind go wild with vivid imaginations.

Sparklers, rockets, spinners and fireworks,
brings excitement and adventure in the minds of young at hearts,
The appetite for Laddoo and sweets offered in Ganesh and Laxmi Puja,
starts a sweet happy new year to most of us..

Sandhya(Darkness) and Prakash(Light) make up the legendary love story,
Sandhya bids farewell to Prakash every evening with dusky eyes,
Prakash awakens Sandhya every morning with the bright and happy sunrise,
However on the Diwali night, Prakash beams with happiness from every little lamp,
Sandhya feels the warmth of the everlasting love and joy in her heart.

Happy Diwali to All !

हर खुशी है लोगों के दामन में,
पर एक हँसी के लिए वक्त नही.
दिन रात दौड़ती दुनिया में,
ज़िंदगी के लिए ही वक्त नही.

माँ की लोरी का एहसास तो है,
पर माँ को माँ कहने का वक्त नही.
सारे रिश्तों को तो हम मार चुके,
अब उन्हें दफनाने का भी वक्त नही.

सारे नाम मोबाइल में हैं,
पर दोस्ती के लिये वक्त नही.
गैरों की क्या बात करें,
जब अपनों के लिए ही वक्त नही.

आंखों मे है नींद बड़ी,
पर सोने का वक्त नही.
दिल है ग़मों से भरा हुआ,
पर रोने का भी वक्त नही.

पैसों की दौड़ मे ऐसे दौडे,
की थकने का भी वक्त नही.
पराये एहसासों की क्या कद्र करें,
जब अपने सपनो के लिए ही वक्त नही.

तू ही बता ऐ ज़िंदगी,
इस ज़िंदगी का क्या होगा,
की हर पल मरने वालों को,
जीने के लिए भी वक्त नही.......

I have lots to give you;
But one is equal to all;
And that is…………..

Your being near brings charm to me;
That’s why my eyes cry for you to see;
My heart says,” Where is she?”
So, what shall I do?
I only can give you something;
And that is……………….

It is all the words which I give you;
It is all the devotion that I give to my God;
It is all the air which I breathe in;
And It is…………………

It is the shine of your face;
It is the laughter of your heart;
It is important than a life’s head-start;
So, I have chosen you as a person;
To whom I shall give;
And that is nothing else…

………but my LOVE to you.

The woman in your life...very well expressed...

Here is a girl, who is as much educated as you are;

Who is earning almost as much as you do;

One, who has dreams and aspirations just as you have because she is as
human as you are;

One, who has never entered the kitchen in her life just like you or your
Sister haven't, as she was busy in studies and competing in a system that
gives no special concession to girls for their culinary achievements

One, who has lived and loved her parents & brothers & sisters, almost as
much as you do for 20-25 years of her life;

One, who has bravely agreed to leave behind all that, her home, people who
love her, to adopt your home, your family, your ways and even your family
name

One, who is somehow expected to be a master-chef from day #1, while you
sleep oblivious to her predicament in her new circumstances, environment
and that kitchen

One, who is expected to make the tea, first thing in the morning and cook
food at the end of the day, even if she is as tired as you are, maybe
more, and yet never ever expected to complain; to be a servant, a cook, a
mother, a wife, even if she doesn't want to; and is learning just like you
are as to what you want from her; and is clumsy and sloppy at times and
knows that you won't like it if she is too demanding, or if she learns
faster than you;

One, who has her own set of friends, and that includes boys and even men
at her workplace too, those, who she knows from school days and yet is
willing to put all that on the back-burners to avoid your irrational
jealousy, unnecessary competition and your inherent insecurities;

Yes, she can drink and dance just as well as you can, but won't, simply
because you won't like it, even though you say otherwise

One, who can be late from work once in a while when deadlines, just like
yours, are to be met;

One, who is doing her level best and wants to make this most important
relationship in her entire life a grand success, if you just help her some
and trust her;

One, who just wants one thing from you, as you are the only one she knows
in your entire house - your unstinted support, your sensitivities and most
importantly - your understanding, or love, if you may call it.

But heartbreaking fact is, not many guys understand this...