rajeshvora’s blog

Looking at the picture along side, many of you guys must be looking forward to a racy blog on women's lingerie. (And women folk might just about manage to hit me) Lols. But am sorry to disappoint you on that front. Its not that one can't/shouldn't write a blog on it, but I guess I am using the tactics of modern day mass media communication businesses to garner more eyeballs. Lols.

This blog is about another pink slip ' the one used by the HR guys ' to kick the bums of hapless people. In other words expel them from the job.

In the event of a volatile and ever changing business scenario all over the world, attrition rate is at an all time high. Businesses hire people by droves when they bag huge orders and drive out the staff when the work is over. Whether the people joining the organization know it at that time or not, I am not sure, but this has become a reality of the times. This is more pronounced in the US and the Europe, where competitiveness is high, shareholders are a demanding lot and most of the companies go to any lengths to deliver high profits.

Every person dreads the pink slip and lives under constant stress and fear of being laid off by his employers. In this matter, self employed people are better off. This one fact gives me immense pleasure. That I am self employed (actually self employed is also an euphemism for unemployed too.. lols) and that the rights of throwing me out of my job reside solely with ME and no one else in this world. Don't label me insensitive or cynical for that matter. Nothing is permanent in this world. It had to happen one day. I was given the onerous task of kicking my own back. And Yes, I finally did it. I fired myself. Lols. Now you people tell me, should I be happy or should I be sad? I am confused. And please, I am not suffering from split personality either. (One part of me happy that I fired someone and the other part sulking that he got fired. )

One thing I am immensely happy and proud of is that I have gems of friends in few of the iLanders. They were always with me during my period of transition and change. I feel blessed to have them as my friends and it's a great reassuring feeling. Jissy, Tamilini, Sur, Meena akka, VT, Prachi ' all my friends from iLand have in their own different ways made a lot of difference to me ' when I was standing in the crossroads of life. Thank you so much friends. Am looking forward to dig my teeth in my new place and work.

But then, its not as if my other iLand friends have not been there for me at different points of time either. Deepa, Moe, Myna, Tina, Raghu, Indigo Iris, CV akka, Meera have all been a great sense of motivation. Monu, Shweta and Monalisa too are being remembered for different reasons. This is not an exhaustive list of friends who have been by my side all through. Just a few who have popped in my mind. If I have not mentioned anybody's name here, please don't mistake me. Each friend here on iLand for me is unique and as much a treasure for me. All ye friends rock high time.

I have learnt quite a few lessons for life along the way. And that I guess will keep me going into this thing called future.

(P.S.: I will be away from iLand/net for the next fortnight or maybe a month too. I will try to catch up with all you lovely people's blogs if possible. Excuse me if I don't. My sms' will continue as usual to those who are connected to me thro it.)

or this?

Great, aint it?

This photo has been taken exactly from my desk from my mobile cam.
This structure is atleast 500 years old and bang opposite my office front door. And we can view the entire structre from my 3rd floor terrace. Lots of foreigners come to take a look at this man made marvel.






Note:
I have not been able to log on to iLand since quite some time.
I have not even gone thro my friends blogs either.
I have not commented on my friends posts.
I have not replied to gb entries or comments either.
I am sorry for all this friends. I was quite caught up with work and promise to read all of you pretty soon. Please give me some time to do so. I know some people eagerly wait for my comments too.

to read the first part of this blog : Click Here

“Saab, aap itney trim aur fit kaisey hain?”, was my question to him, pun intended. I asked this question to one of my new suppliers. We were sitting in my office after finishing off our work and engaged in small casual talk. I asked him, with the intention of pulling his legs. But what he told me blew me off totally.

 ”Saab, main har teen mahiney main blood donate karta hoon.”, said he. I think some of my friends won't be able to follow in hindi, so I am continuing in English from here, though I would have loved to write it in Hindi. The last line translated means; I donate blood every three months. I don’t donate anywhere, but only in the Govt. Hospital. I have been donating blood for more than 10 years now. Not only does my body stay in shape, my mind too gets rejuvenated. You should also donate blood regularly sir. You know, our body has the ability to produce the blood pretty fast. Contrary to popular misconceptions in people, I don’t feel tired, fatigued or weak in spite of donating blood this frequently.

I was all ears by then. I knew I was on to something great. I could have been a darned journalist too, I guess. He continued ' I used to donate since the last several years. In fact, the Govt. Hospital maintains a list of people who donate regularly and they call me when ever an emergency arises. And people like me are given a donors card, with which we are given priority for being given blood in case a need arises for us to receive it, either for us or for someone to whom we wish to give, like say for eg., our family members or relatives etc. Also if i forget to go there in three months, they remind me too.

 Hey that’s a good job I told. But that still doesn’t explain how your mind and soul get rejuvenated, I exclaimed. He continued in his humble demeanor, I have been donating blood only in the Govt Hospital. I never go to private blood banks or other organizations. When ever I go to the Govt. Hospital, I see thousands of people there. Behind each and every person present there, there is a long story of pain, suffering and sorrow. Some people would have lost their limbs. Some would be suffering from some painful disease. Some would be terminally ill. Each and every person paints a picture of pain and sorrow. When I see that, my heart just goes out to them. I have made it my mission only to give blood to these needy people. They are mostly poor and they cant afford the medi care of the private hospitals. That time, I thank god for having providing me all that he has till now. I feel the happiest person in the whole world. All my wants and desires vanish. I feel contended and obliged. I thank the almighty for what ever I have.

A couple of years back, when I went to donate, I was prevented from doing so. It is an usual practice to measure the BP of the person who is donating. My BP was more than normal and thus the doctor told me that I should seek immediate medical attention and refused to accept my blood. I was shattered that day, he continued his talk. Once a person takes medicines for BP, then more often than not, it becomes almost like his staple diet and he has to continue to take them for the rest of his life. And also the person can never donate blood - ever.

I made a resolve that very day. That I will strive my very best to treat BP without having to take drugs for it. I started knowing more and gathering more information about it. I enrolled into Yoga. I modified my diet a lot. I cut down on a lot of food stuffs that I liked very much but which were harmful for me and particularly this BP. Slowly but steadily I moved away from this silent disease. After about 6 months, I went for a check up and was elated to know that my BP was under normal. I had achieved in my endeavor and now I will be able to donate blood once again. I thanked god and was very happy again. I started donating blood once again.

I was spell bound as he was narrating the entire sequence of events. His hopes, desires, wishes, thoughts, compassion ' touched a chord that was difficult to fathom.

I wish I possess at least 5% of his qualities. What started as a pun left a deep mark on my soul. Meeting two such great people in the same week. I couldn't have asked god for more. He manifests himself in many ways. This time he manifested himself in the form of these two wonderful gentlemen, who I was fortunate to meet.

I came across two great people last week. Am sharing the incidents with you in two separate blogs. The first one in this blog.

You need not be a top notch bureaucrat or a high flying politician or a multi billionaire business man or a sought after social activist to become great. Small acts of helpfulness can also do, like how it happened with me. Read on.

My Dad got a call from his friend in Chennai that there was a family (a friend of his)  traveling from Kanyakumari to Chennai in the KK Express. That train travels thro my city.  And that one lady in that group was suffering from some severe abdomen pain. That train was about to reach here in an hour. He asked my dad to go to the railway station with a doctor in tow to give them preliminary and immediate medication. The scheduled arrival time here was 9.30pm and it halts for five minutes. The time of the call was 8.55pm. Dad called me immediately and informed me about the situation. I was in office that time and it hardly takes 5-7 minutes for me to reach the railway station. So reaching in time was not a problem. But where to find a doctor, that too one who would accompany me to the station? Knowing how most of them are, a tough job i thought to myself.

Even as I was pondering as to what to do, I got a second call from my dad. He said that a doctor was arranged for by the railway authorities themselves and I just had to go there to oversee and coordinate. So I went to the station. The time was 9.15pm. I approached the enquiry section and asked to see the station-in-charge. I had to know whether the doctor had arrived and update them about who I was and why I had come. I was directed to meet a person nearby. He was a genial person with a friendly demeanor. He asked me to be on the platform just near to the coach in which they were travelling (along with the information that the train will be arriving soon). He was Mr. Williams (i dont know his designation), which i came to know after i asked him when leaving the railway station after the entire episode was over.

And just like he said, the train did come and so was the doctor ready with an assistant in tow and also with necessary medicines. We went up to the lady in question immediately. The lady doctor went about her business with the initial questions so as to diagnose the problem. After a couple of minutes of questions and answers, the doctor also could not pinpoint the problem. So she advised the family to alight at Madurai and go for immediate attention in some proper hospital. She also said that she can give some pain killers, but then the better option would be to get immediate medical attention.

All the while, Mr. Williams was with us. He was in touch with the control room, the guard and the engine driver thro wireless handsets. He asked me to take a decision within 3 minutes - to decided whether we wanted to carry on with the journey or alight there. He said, he can't hold on the train any further. So after consultation with that family, i informed him that they were alighting there.

He took note of the same, communicated it to the TTE on board the train. Simultaneously he also kept the security personnel updated of the turn of events. Immediately he ordered a wheel chair to be brought to the coach. He went out of his way when he accompanied us till the exit at the station and arranged for a taxi. There was this sense of urgency visible in his actions. He very well understood the patient’s pain and did everything that he could to alleviate it, though not directly, but atleast indirectly. He even cautioned the taxi driver to drive slowly and to report back to him after dropping them at the station.

I followed him back to his office. He just smiled at me when I asked him what formalities are to be completed and what charges / payments are to be made by me (on behalf of the travelling group). He just asked me to go and take care of the patient. He just asked me my card and contact number. Thats all. No payments whatsoever.

I was just too stunned at that moment to take it all. That the person who had done so much. I have never experienced such a receptive and friendly behaviour esp, in a government or such a large public organization. There may be such people. But they are too few and far in between. Only if there were more Mr. Williams, not only this country, but the whole world will be a much better place to live in.

Thank you Mr. Williams.

You have shown that ultimately everything boils down to the individual. Size of the organization does not matter at all. Nor, does the fact that most of the people around us tend to be lethargic. We can make a difference with our actions. We need not think that the system sucks.