Charlie Chaplin As shared

Charlie Chaplin told the audience a wonderful joke and all the people started laughing... Charlie repeated the same joke and only few people laughed..????He again repeated the same joke but this time no one laughed...??????Then he said these beautiful lines...;" when you cannot laugh on the same joke again and again...then why do you cry again and again on the same worry"So enjoy your every moment of life..!!Life is beautiful!Today is Charlie Chaplin's 125th birthday - a good day to recollect his 3 heart-touching statements:-(1) Nothing is permanent in this world, not even our troubles.(2) I like walking in the rain, because nobody can see my tears.(3) The most wasted day in life is the day in which we have not laughed.Keep smiling and pass this message to everyone whom you would like to see smiling...

Demonetization as Shared

Anyway, one of my ambitions as a Bhakt is to write the questions for the NaMo app. He has said that January 1 will be a new day in many ways and it is not that far off. Not much time to ingratiate oneself with the beloved. So I am sending this in the hope that it is carried by Dear Leader. I think it captures the spirit of the national debate. What do you think? Don’t tell me! Just vote. Here goes: Homepage access Did you vote for NaMo? a) Yes? Please continue b) No? Exit immediately 1: Please rate demonetisation move on scale of 1 to 10 a) 10 b) 11 c) Infinity! d) 10 2: NaMo is the greatest leader since: a) Nehru b) Gandhi c) Yudhisthir d) NOTA* *None Of The Above (are in his league) 3: Demonetisation execution in your opinion is: a) Perfect b) More than perfect c) Far from imperfect d) Amazing 4: What do you think of the opposition’s vile moves against it? a) Horrible b) Anti-national c) Pro-Pakistan d) Pappugiri 5: Who has the demonetisation hurt most? a) Terrorists b) Anti-nationals c) Libtards d) ‘Them’ 6: Were you at all inconvenienced by demonetisation? a) No, used card b) No, used ewallet c) No, did FB, twitter in queue! d) What queue!? 7: Who is NaMo answerable to? a) The People (through NaMo app) b) The People (through twitter) c) The People (through Coldplay) d) Only to God 8: What will happen on Jan 1, after 50 days are over? a) India will become Singapore b) Amdavad will become Amsterdam c) Ram Rajya d) Achche Din

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Life is like a river. Sometimes muddy water fills the river, sometimes clear water fills it; sometimes all the leaves of the fall float in the river and sometimes logs float, but the river never stops. A river has something to teach us, and that is — just move on. That’s it. - Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

BELIEF, FAITH and MIRACLES

Thyroid Cancer

Thyroid Cancer On Wednesday, Dr. Oz had a show on the fastest growing cancer in women, Thyroid cancer. It was a very interesting program and he mentioned that The increase could possibly be related to the use of dental x-rays and mammograms. He demonstrated that on the apron the dentist puts on you for Your dental x-rays there is a little flap that can be lifted up and wrapped Around your neck. Many dentists don't bother to use it. Also, there is Something called a "thyroid guard" for use during mammograms. By coincidence, I had my yearly mammogram yesterday. I felt a little Silly, but I asked about the guard for the thyroid guard and sure enough, the technician had one In a drawer. I asked why it wasn't routinely used. Answer: "I don't know. You have to ask for it." Well, if I hadn't seen the show, how would I have known to ask? We need to pass this on to our daughters, nieces, mothers and all our Female friends and husbands tell your wives. Please remember to ask for "Thyroid Guard" when you go for Dental X-ray or Mammogram. Someone was nice enough to forward this to me. I hope you pass this on To your friends and family.

insurance in Railways

Often we love to believe we don't need insurance (any Form of insurance.. including term insurance).. Worse we argue at times it's waste of money...!! *Look at this Out of 695 passengers reserved seats in recent Indore-Patna Express rail accident, only 128 had opted for Travel Insurance of Railway,* which costs them 92 PAISE. *Indian Railway’s Rs.10 Lakh Travel Insurance costs 92 paise.* Yes.. It looks silly mistake on those people's part, who did not opt for insurance. More often we too commit similar mistakes when it comes to especially Life insurance, health insurance or personal accidental covers. *Never ignore the importance of insurance..or you will regret later

Demonetization- 2 As shared

*Truly Truly Truly Loved This Message* *GOD'S ALARM TO EVERY ONE OF US..* *Time to make our karmic accounts also white:* This is a message not only for India but an alarm for the whole world included . Today everyone all over India  is trying to make their money white ! *but no-one is trying to make their karmic account white*.. A karmic account which is full of criticism , judgement , pain , hurt , holding the past grudges, negativity, fear , hatred.. Its high time now before God does a surgical strike on us like Modi God is warning us. Make ur karmic A/C white by, from now stop judging complaining hating etc.. And rather being grateful for everything, loving accepting everyone as they are.. Do more and more seva.. And connecting to GODS bank and recharge our karmic A/C with love peace and positivity.. So that a new world develops which is full of love peace happiness.. Lets create satyug.. And flush out all negativity from inside.. Its much more important then making ur money white.. *Becoz money will not go with you but ur karmic account will go with u and decide ur destiny*.. So pls WAKE UP NOW before it becomes too late.. Listen to GODS alarm... Sabka waqt aata hei par waqt par aata hei.. So *WAKE up clean ur account* .. Stay Blessed & Happy always

Demonetizing- As shared

Its amazing how the sense of contentment has settled in suddenly after the initial chaos and reactivity.... My Shop-o-holic mind has suddenly tuned to no shopping mode !! No excesses !!!! Clothes n shoes seem unimportant but saving legal tenders for basic needs has taken the forefront. The quiet seems so peaceful in all its simplicity !! Yes ... we as a country are REBOOTING n I am actually enjoying being the part of this revolutionary change. Today when my dear friend was here, we spent time together chatting over coffee at home, just bonding n relaxing. Most often, with money, there is a run to go loiter in markets buying things we don't need. Some how my psyche is off the hoarding mode .... The much needed evolving at the human level has been done at one go !! We as a nation have learnt overnight how to deal with a sudden cash crunch. This is similar to a poor mans life almost everyday n it is a humbling experience. The lines outside banks are long but mostly peaceful n matter of fact. If we stay positive we will be charged spiritually. Stay away from negativity n sharing negative messages n videos from the whiners n complainers. Let us remember the real reason why it is done. Reach out to as many as you can n help in anyway possible. It is up to us to deal with the situation with the right attitude !! Imagine .... Someday when a book is written about a transformed India, due to this revolutionary phase, we will all be characters who lived through it.

Inspirational Story by H. H. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

աiֆɖօⓂSţoŗies-ֆʀɨ ֆʀɨ *BLESSED NIGHT* A very inspirational story! By GURUDEV SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR Once Krishna and Arjuna were walking towards a village. Arjuna was pestering Krishna, asking him why Karna should be considered an unparallelled Donor & not me? Krishna turned two mountains into gold! Then said "Arjuna, distribute these two Gold mountains among villagers, But you must donate every bit of it." Arjuna went into the village and proclaimed he was going to donate gold to every villager, and asked them to gather near the mountain. The villagers sang his praises and Arjuna walked towards the mountain with a huffed up chest! For two days and two nights, Arjuna shovelled gold from the mountain and donated to each villager. The mountains did not diminish in their slightest! Most villagers came back and stood in queue within minutes. Now Arjuna was exhausted but not ready to let go of Ego & told Krishna that he couldn't go on any longer without rest. Here Krishna called Karna (कर्ण) and told him to donate every bit of two Gold mountains. Karna (कर्ण) called two villagers and said "Those two Gold mountains are yours !" and walked away. Arjuna sat dumbfounded. Why hadn't this thought occurred to him? Krishna smiled mischievously and told him "Arjuna, subconsciously, you were attracted to the gold, you regretfully gave it away to each villager, giving them what you thought was a generous amount. Thus the size of your donation to each villager depended only on your imagination. Karna holds no such reservations. Look at him walking away after giving away a fortune, he doesn't expect people to sing his praises, he doesn't even care if people talk good or bad about him behind his back. That is the sign of a man already on the path of enlightenment!" " Give without expecting anything in return " Story Shared By H.H.Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

The Holy Cow

“ Cow is just an animal like a hen or goat. Then why is it revered and why one should not kill and eat it?”  Cow is also an animal, but... a cow has many specialties that no other animal (not even human beings) has in this world. This is the reason that Hindus consider cow as ‘mother’ after their own mother, and pray to the cow with respect calling it “Go-Matha”. These are some truths about go-matha. · If a cow eats something poisonous by mistake, and we drink its milk, will we fall ill? To find out, one cow was regularly fed a particular quantity of a poison every day. After 24 hours, its blood, urine, dung and milk were tested in a lab to check where the poison could be found. In this way, the tests were done not for 1 or 2 days, but continuously for 90 days in All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) New Delhi. The researcher did not find any trace of poison in milk, blood, urine or dung of that cow. Then where did this poison fed for 90 days go? Just like Lord Shiva held poison in his throat, the go-matha hid the entire poison in her throat. This is a special quality that no other animal has. · This is the only creature that inhales oxygen and also exhales oxygen. · Cow milk has the quality of countering poison. · There are diseases that medical science has not yet understood; urine of Go-matha has the power to cure them. · If cow-ghee and rice are cooked together, two powerful gases called ethylene-oxide, propylene-oxide are released. Propylene-oxide is the best gas used for creating artificial rain. ·  Cow-urine is the world’s best killer of microbes · With medicines made using cow dung and cow urine, stomach-related ailments can be cured. · We can save ourselves from radio-waves by plastering the home floors and area outside home with cow-dung. · Cow-dung has the power to destroy the microbes causing cholera. · If 10 grams of cow-ghee is put in fire (yagnya), 1 ton of oxygen is generated.  If you feel it useful, pls share it with your contacts...

Charismatic Leaders

Mahatma Gandhi, Netaji Bose , Sardar Patel and Jawahar Lal Nehru among others    were the products of the freedom struggle  who were extremely charismatic leaders. Similarly in the western world, Margaret Thatcher, Ronald  Reagan, Nelson Mandela , Ted Turner, Barbara Jordan and Jesse Jackson are described as  genuinely charismatic, enthusiastic and courageous leaders.  They were leaders who possessed robust minds and were extremely mettlesome and audacious in their approach.   And all of them were willing to make personal sacrifices and thereby  fired the imagination of followers through positive thought process.

Students of organisational behavior would say that there are as many definitions of leadership as there are persons who have attempted to define the concept. Strictly speaking leadership can  be defined as the ability to influence a group towards achievement of goals and objectives laid down by the organisation.  Leadership can be both formal and informal.

For instance Mahatma Gandhi, LokNayak Jaiprakash  never held any formal position in the organisation  yet they  were able  to connect seamlessly with the masses and guided them to the desired goals and targets.  This was because of their pristine character and the implicit trust people reposed in them.

John Kotter an  expert in organisational behavior argues that management  needs to be differentiated from leadership.  Management is all about managing complexities, contradictions , inconsistencies in an  undertaking  while leadership galvanizes people and organisations to undertake path breaking changes. Leaders are visionaries  and think about the future. They inspire  their followers to think ahead , develop strategies to overcome hurdles and cross the Rubicon.   They are potential risk takers and through their acts create something new and bold.  It is quite interesting to appreciate that not all leaders are managers nor are all managers leaders.

There are both  democratic  and autocratic leaders.  Jack Croushore of the Steel industry was a real tough guy who doled out disciplinary slips and chits on the  erring employees. But over a period of time he learned that situational factors influence leadership effectiveness. He adapted himself and improved his relationship with employees by altering his autocratic leadership to a more participative approach. ‘ Usually when I get into a situation , I think about how I would feel and how I would want to be treated if I were in that person’s place.’ said Jack Croushore.

Effective leaders  design , leader- member relations, the task structure of the organisation and the power position in the system. This enables them to grasp evolving situations and accordingly  roll out plans.  An effective leader should not be stubborn or obdurate but possess the mind to differentiate chaff from the grain and keep  constantly evolving  to the ever changing situation.

Dynamic leaders  have their ears to the ground and are in readiness to execute changes. These leaders tell their ideas, sell the concepts, engage  employees by making them participate and inherently believe in delegation of tasks.

It is quite possible that followers may be unable or unwilling to take up responsibility, they may lack in the necessary skill sets to execute the job , plainly unwilling to follow the leader, or may be highly  motivated and willing to perform the work order. Therefore through persuasion, motivational techniques leaders have to inspire their dedicated band of followers to accomplish the task on hand.

Charismatic leaders are blessed with confidence, efficacious thought process, self confidence, a vision for the future , the remarkable ability and gift to articulate the vision , possess deep conviction in their dreams and vision, by  becoming  agents of change and are sensitive to the constantly changing environment.

These charming and fascinating leaders do not focus on only short term goals , but have a grand design at the back of their minds to  trigger the imagination of the organisation and the followers to adapt to radical ideas.

‘ The goal of Chrysler is getting a little bit better every single day – that makes a real leader’ said  Robert J Eaton  upon taking up the responsibility of Chrysler Corporation.

This is the characteristic of a charismatic leader.

Daily Writing Tips- As shared

In this exercise you need to pick the sentence version that correctly uses parallel syntactical structure in providing a list:

1.
a) The resulting story was creative, engaging, and used dialogue effectively.
b) The resulting story was creative and engaging and used dialogue effectively.

2.
a) He had droopy eyelids, watery, bloodshot eyes, and his breath smelled strongly of alcohol, according to the report.
b) He had droopy eyelids, his eyes were watery and bloodshot, and his breath smelled strongly of alcohol, according to the report.

3.
a) It’s quick, it’s easy, and it helps people choose items that are right for them.
b) It’s quick, and it’s easy, and it helps people choose items that are right for them.

4.
a) The essay was well written and thoughtful and demonstrated a sophisticated understanding of the difference between a religion and a belief system.
b) The essay was well written, thoughtful, and demonstrated a sophisticated understanding of the difference between a religion and a belief system.

5.
a) The atmosphere of Mars consists of about 95 percent carbon dioxide, 3 percent nitrogen, and 1.6 percent argon and contains traces of oxygen and water.
b) The atmosphere of Mars consists of about 95 percent carbon dioxide, 3 percent nitrogen, 1.6 percent argon and contains traces of oxygen and water.

Answers and Explanations

The general rule about multiple items in a list within a sentence is that they must either share a verb or must each have a unique verb (and, sometimes, a unique noun or pronoun).

1.
b) The resulting story was creative and engaging and used dialogue effectively.

Here, creative and engaging are combined into one item with the addition of a conjunction and the deletion of the comma following engaging.

2.
b) He had droopy eyelids, his eyes were watery and bloodshot, and his breath smelled strongly of alcohol, according to the report.

Eyelids, eyes, and breath should be more clearly identified as distinct elements.

3.
a) It’s quick, it’s easy, and it helps people choose items that are right for them.

(Another possibility: “It’s quick and easy, and it helps people choose items that are right for them.”)

4.
a) The essay was well written and thoughtful and demonstrated a sophisticated understanding of the difference between a religion and a belief system.

This revision uses the same solution as the one applied for the first example.

5.
a) The atmosphere of Mars consists of about 95 percent carbon dioxide, 3 percent nitrogen, and 1.6 percent argon and contains traces of oxygen and water.

Here, the quantifiable references to atmospheric elements and the information about trace elements are treated as two distinct components.

DEMONETIZATION AS SHARED

MIND BLOWING RESPONSE FROM INTERNATIONAL MEDIA TO DEMONETIZATION! IT WILL SHUT THE MOUTH OF OPPOSITION! This is how international media responded to india’s currency ban which shows the impact of this historic decision over world economy and how it is going to stop corruption and black money in india! IMF, European Union, World Bank and every reputed international organisations supported this move, World bank president even said, I am a big fan of Modi! This is how international media responded to india’s currency ban which shows the impact of this historic decision over world economy and how it is going to stop corruption and black money in india! IMF, European Union, World Bank and every reputed international organisations supported this move, World bank president even said, I am a big fan of Modi! Forbes: Five days after the decision, Forbes has published an article titled “India’s Great Bank Note Switch Appears To Be Working – $30 Billion In Rs Deposited In Banks.” The article notes that a move of this magnitude would result in “obvious chaos”, but points that “so far at least it looks as if it is working.” The article goes on to call the scheme “rather well done, a clever plan.” New York Times: A New York Times quoted an expert saying it was a wise move. “The plan, top secret until Mr. Modi’s announcement, was hailed by financial analysts as bold and potentially transformational for India. It is also a high-stakes experiment,” the article said. Washington Post: It called PM Narendra Modi’s initiative as ‘ambitious’ and in keeping with his election time vow to initiate a crackdown against black money. The Post said black money in India ‘is estimated to total from $400 billion to more than $1 trillion’. The Independent: This Singapore-based paper published a glowing article on the move titled “Modi does a Lee Kuan Yew to stamp out corruption in India.” Lee Kuan Yew was the Singaporean Prime Minister for several decades and is considered the architect of modern Singapore. “Government leaders feel that the sudden move by the Indian Prime Minister has brought new respect for him. Bloomberg: In an article published in leading American financial journal Bloomberg, Swiss global financial services company UBS Group AG said that Australia should follow India’s lead and scrap its biggest bank notes. “Removing large denomination notes in Australia would be good for the economy and good for the banks,” UBS analysts led by Jonathan Mott said in a note to clients on Monday. Benefits would include reduced crime and welfare fraud, increased tax revenue and a “spike” in bank deposits. A senior Indian government official even equated Mr Modi to Singapore’s first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew. From making up his mind to rolling it out on 8 Nov, a new Lee Kuan Yew is born in India. It will be reflected in the legacy of this Prime Minister,”. OUR HUMBLE REQUEST TO READERS- PLEASE SHARE THIS NEWS WITH OUR COUNTRY MEN, LET PEOPLE KNOW THE REALITY AND HOW WORLD SEES THIS DECISION!

Art of Listening

Chambers in the Human Mind

Demonetisation- As shared

MIND BLOWING RESPONSE FROM INTERNATIONAL MEDIA TO DEMONETIZATION! IT WILL SHUT THE MOUTH OF OPPOSITION! This is how international media responded to india’s currency ban which shows the impact of this historic decision over world economy and how it is going to stop corruption and black money in india! IMF, European Union, World Bank and every reputed international organisations supported this move, World bank president even said, I am a big fan of Modi! This is how international media responded to india’s currency ban which shows the impact of this historic decision over world economy and how it is going to stop corruption and black money in india! IMF, European Union, World Bank and every reputed international organisations supported this move, World bank president even said, I am a big fan of Modi! Forbes: Five days after the decision, Forbes has published an article titled “India’s Great Bank Note Switch Appears To Be Working – $30 Billion In Rs Deposited In Banks.” The article notes that a move of this magnitude would result in “obvious chaos”, but points that “so far at least it looks as if it is working.” The article goes on to call the scheme “rather well done, a clever plan.” New York Times: A New York Times quoted an expert saying it was a wise move. “The plan, top secret until Mr. Modi’s announcement, was hailed by financial analysts as bold and potentially transformational for India. It is also a high-stakes experiment,” the article said. Washington Post: It called PM Narendra Modi’s initiative as ‘ambitious’ and in keeping with his election time vow to initiate a crackdown against black money. The Post said black money in India ‘is estimated to total from $400 billion to more than $1 trillion’. The Independent: This Singapore-based paper published a glowing article on the move titled “Modi does a Lee Kuan Yew to stamp out corruption in India.” Lee Kuan Yew was the Singaporean Prime Minister for several decades and is considered the architect of modern Singapore. “Government leaders feel that the sudden move by the Indian Prime Minister has brought new respect for him. Bloomberg: In an article published in leading American financial journal Bloomberg, Swiss global financial services company UBS Group AG said that Australia should follow India’s lead and scrap its biggest bank notes. “Removing large denomination notes in Australia would be good for the economy and good for the banks,” UBS analysts led by Jonathan Mott said in a note to clients on Monday. Benefits would include reduced crime and welfare fraud, increased tax revenue and a “spike” in bank deposits. A senior Indian government official even equated Mr Modi to Singapore’s first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew. From making up his mind to rolling it out on 8 Nov, a new Lee Kuan Yew is born in India. It will be reflected in the legacy of this Prime Minister,”. OUR HUMBLE REQUEST TO READERS- PLEASE SHARE THIS NEWS WITH OUR COUNTRY MEN, LET PEOPLE KNOW THE REALITY AND HOW WORLD SEES THIS D

Common Man- shared

Kindly do not worry of inconvenience to common man...we can bear it... We have seen enough of Bandhs and hurdles during... River issues... Some Leaders assassination.. Actors death... Mandal commission... Bundle commission... Bogus commitments Etc..etc.....etc We have stood in Q since Independence for.. Ration. Kerosene. Hospital treatment. School admission.. College admission. Books. Medicines. Train tickets. Bus passes and Ticket. LPG connection.. To pay electricity bills. Water bills. Municipality tax. Sales tax. Income Tax.. Fertilizer. Birth certificate Death certificate. Darshans at Religious places.. Aah also for Voting.............. None of these you or your family members have ever done in the past 70 years. We don't mind to stand in the Bank Queue to prove our Honesty....!!! Please don't make it a joke. DON'T TRY TO MAKE HAY WHILE SUN SHINES.

#DeMonetisation Compiled !- shared

#DeMonetisation Compiled ! 1.Maoists hit 2.No stone-pelting in J&K 3. Burning schools stopped in J&K 4.Corrupts burning cash 5.Arhar dal crashes to Rs.80/kg in UP 6. Kirana shops/Panwalas installing debit card machines 7.Municipalities making record recoveries of house tax 8.Bijli companies making huge record recoveries of past arrears 9.Medicine shops making big sales 10. Delhi Metro smart cards sales increase 11.Many businessmen recovering past dues as old as 4 years and getting advance for new orders 12.Huge opportunities for mobile wallets 13. Banks plush with funds.Rs.3 lakh crore banked in 4 days!!! Cost of funds reduced for banks 14. Labourers paid Dihadi for standing in queues 15. All property deals involving black money in jeopardy.Bayana in jeopardy 16. Property prices come down by 25% 17.Democracy deepened. All castes/creeds standing in same queue. 18.Fake currency rackets hit 19.Political parties spends in Punjab/UP hit 21. Rs.2000 notes will cut currency printing costs for Govt 22.Notes burnt by corrupts will reduce fiscal deficit as liability cancelled 21. ATMs to be reprogrammed. Business opportunities for software firms 21. Drug peddlers in Punjab hit 22.IT raids unerathing black money 23.Cops detecting /unearthing hug cash in nakabandi 27. Public not wasting time on faaltu test matches and watching faaltu bollywood movies. Facing real life !!! 28. Havala has come to a stand-still 29. Betting , Satta industry hit badly 30. Great precedent set-political leader takes hard decision benefitting nation not bothering about his political costs 31.People realise there can be a selfless politician. 32.People willing to bear short-term pains for long-term gains 33.Demands in other countries (Pakistan/Australia) to emulate India's step. India again on way to regaining #Vishwaguru 34. Message sent to the world that despite being a large diversified democracy India can take tough decisions and same well-received by ppl 35. Case study in strategic decision-making. Dont tinker. Aim big. One stone, many birds. Complied from tweets by GoodGovernance Twitter

How does the Government plan to remove black money from India ?- Shared

How does the Government plan to remove black money from India ? Step 1 : Demonetise Rs.500 and Rs.1000. get Rs.1420000 crores out of the market. Step 2 : Print Rs.2000 and Rs.500 and Rs.100 in the replacement market. Step 3 : Dismantle the cash economy by not allowing any cash transaction above Rs.10000 without PAN or Aadhar. Step 4 : All salaries and business expenses required to be made in cheque or RTGS only to claim expenses in Income Tax. All cash transactions to be disallowed. Step 5 : A Cash Limitation order will be issued that will allow only maximum cash allowance of total Rs.50000 per person. Step 6 : As the cash economy is destroyed after a few months, the Rs.2000 note will be demonetised with a limited notice. With very limited cash available in the market, the cash economy will be strangled to death. Step 7 : As some of the cash economy will try to shift to Gold, Gold coins manufacturing and imports will be banned. Step 8 : A Gold and Precious Jewellery control order will be issued which will allow only 500 gram of Gold per person and a certain value of other jewellery. Relaxation will be given for existing jewellery if declared to authorities as per format. After a certain date, all undeclared Gold and jewellery will be liable to be taken over by the state. Step 9 : A Property and Asset Declaration order will be issued where all property (Land, Buildings and Flats) and shares will have to be declared to the authorities in a particular format. After a certain date, all undeclared property or shares will be liable to be taken over by the state. That will complete the removal of black money from India.

Nusli Wadia- As shared

It is perhaps in Nusli Wadia’s genes to put up a fierce fight when it
comes to the crunch. After all, that is how his maternal grandfather,
Muhammad Ali Jinnah, carved out a whole new country, Pakistan, in
1947. It could also stem from the fact that the chairman of the
Mumbai-based $2.5-billion Wadia group hates being wronged.
Once described as “the epitome of South Bombay’s old money and genteel
respectability,” Wadia today lords over an empire that includes
textile company Bombay Dyeing, consumer goods maker Britannia, and
airline company GoAir.
And today, at 72, this samurai of corporate India is once again
bracing for battle, this time positioned against his childhood friend
Ratan Tata and India’s largest conglomerate, the 148-year-old Tata
Group.

It all began last week when, as an independent director with a number
of Tata Group companies, Wadia extended his support to Cyrus Mistry,
the deposed chairman of the conglomerate. Mistry was booted out a few
weeks ago due to numerous reasons, including his alleged inability to
generate adequate profits and his “devious” plan to wrest control of
the group from Tata Sons, its holding company.
Since then, the Tata Group and Mistry have been engaged in bitter
mudslinging. Mistry has refused to relinquish the chairmanship of many
group companies and has found support from several independent
directors, including Wadia. The Tatas have moved legally and are now
looking to oust both Wadia and Mistry.
As the drama unfolds further, there will be much at stake for Wadia:
his personal relationship with Ratan Tata, whom he has helped over the
past two decades—Tata was on the board of Bombay Dyeing for 33
years—and his relationship with the $103-billion Tata Group whose
former chairman, JRD Tata, was his godfather.
Corporate samurai

Wadia started out fighting his own father, Neville Wadia.

Set up in 1879, the famed Bombay Dyeing is one of India’s oldest
textile-makers and became a household name by the 1970s. In 1971,
Wadia senior decided to settle abroad and sell the company to
Kolkata-based businessman, RP Goenka, owner of the prominent tyre
company CEAT Limited. This decision was taken in concurrence with
Cyrus Mistry’s father Pallonji Mistry who then held a 7% stake in the
Wadia company.
The younger Wadia would have none of it, though. “I don’t want to be a
second-class citizen in some European country. I am going to live in
India. And I am going to run Bombay Dyeing,” he is reported to have
told his father. Wadia’s lawyers had also told him that his father
didn’t have the right to unilaterally sell the family’s stake.
Educated at Rugby School in England, a 19-year-old Wadia returned to
India in the mid-1960s after spending 11 years abroad. He joined
Bombay Dyeing as an apprentice on a monthly salary of Rs180 before
undergoing its executive training course. He became the joint managing
director in 1970.
Wadia managed to acquire 11% of the company’s shares. In this, he was
helped by his mother—Jinnah’s daughter Dina married Neville in spite
of her father’s disapproval and remained in India even after he
founded Pakistan—and JRD Tata, the then chairman of Tata Group.
The childless JRD had taken a particular liking to Wadia. On his part,
the young man considered JRD his mentor. Such was the warmth between
them that Wadia even named his younger son Jeh, after the Tata Group
patriarch. Evidently, this warmth was missing between JRD and Pallonji
Mistry who held an 18% stake in the Tata Group, too. This helped
Wadia’s cause.
Meanwhile, Wadia had persuaded the company’s employees, too, to pitch
in with their savings.
With Bombay Dyeing in his kitty, Wadia was now ready for more battles.
These included those against tycoons such as Reliance Industries’
(RIL) Dhirubhai Ambani and the Britannia group’s Rajan Pillai, among
others.
The decades-long war with Ambani

Wadia’s clash with Ambani to control the country’s textile industry
was one of the most ferocious in the history of corporate India. It
was widely perceived as one between an ancient regime and the nouveau
riche.
The Wadias, after all, were one of India’s wealthiest and most
established business families of the time. The group started out in
1736 when Lovji Nusserwanjee Wadia, a Surat-based businessman widely
considered as the father of the Indian shipping industry, set up a
marine construction company that built 355 ships, including the first
one built for the British navy outside England.
By the late 1970s and early 1980s, however, Bombay Dyeing had come
under serious threat from RIL, led by Ambani, then a young and
upcoming textile baron.
Wadia had the licence to import dimethyl-terephthalate (DMT) to make
polyester while Ambani had one for purified terephthalic acid (PTA).
DMT and PTA are key ingredients in the production of polyester. Ambani
emerged victorious by allegedly persuading the government to hike
duties on chemicals used to make DMT. A badly-hit Bombay Dyeing had to
shut down its plant in 1986.
Not willing to give up, Wadia allegedly used his newspaper-baron
friend Ramnath Goenka’s publication to accuse Ambani of manipulating
government policies.
“To some extent, yes (I did miss the bus), but that’s because I chose
not to manipulate the system… I want to live by a set of values that
is integral to anything that we do,” Wadia said in 2012. “All the
policies related to polyester and the polyester chain during the 80s
were manipulated. You had to manage the system for all licences.”
The war continues

In the early 1990s, Wadia was called upon by JRD to be his
heir-apparent at the Tata Group, which Nusli refused. Instead, he
helped Ratan ease into his new role. Together, the duo ensured the
ouster of the Tata Group old guard that was revolting against Tata’s
appointment. “I was helping someone who has been my friend from the
age of three,” Wadia reportedly said back then.
Around this time, another front was opening up for what is today the
jewel in his group’s crown: biscuit-maker Britannia Industries.
Set up in 1892 in Kolkata, Britannia sold biscuits to the British army
even during the World War. By 1993, Kerala-based cashew businessman
Rajan Pillai owned a 38%-stake in it. Pillai later brought in a French
partner, Danone.
However, Danone turned wary of Pillai, suspecting that it was being
betrayed. With Wadia’s help, Pillai was forced to give up control;
Pillai then fled to Singapore following allegations of defrauding
Britannia. In 2009, Danone, too, sold its stake after Wadia dragged
the company to court for allegedly violating a non-compete clause.
Britannia also accused Danone of intellectual property violation over
the Tiger brand of biscuits.
But that’s not all.
In 2000, Wadia thwarted an attempt at a hostile takeover of Bombay
Dyeing by Kolkata-based jute businessman, Arun Bajoria. He is also
fighting Mumbai-based real estate firm Raheja group over a
Rs24,000-crore property in the city.
Today, as he heads for another clash, Wadia must apply all the skills
of the corporate samurai that he is. The war may not be anything like
before. But if there is anything that these years have taught him, it
will be that he isn’t going to accept anything that would challenge
his destiny.
We welcome your comments at ideas.india@qz.com.

ALPRAX AND FLUDAC - An Impatient and Restless Mind

ALPRAX AND FLUDAC - An Impatient and Restless Mind

Human mind is perpetually screaming from within and without. It seldom pauses to watch the rainbow in the sky, wafting clouds or a brood of hens crossing across the road. We fail to notice a cow regurgitating, a cat meowing or a kite soaring into the sky.  

Do we observe the antics and pranks of the animals in a zoo, deer in their park or a sanctuary with mindfulness?  Or do we exhibit our narcissistic tendencies by taking selfies with the estimable gizmos at our disposal. Instead of admiring and appreciating the pranks of the playful cubs of the lion in zoo, our mind meanders to some event which occurred in the past or prospective plans for the future. The mind swings like a pendulum between the past and the future and is seldom in the present.

During an overseas trip at the dinner table, a family of four gathered to carouse and partake a gourmet meal. They hardly ate mindfully, gobbling down as if it was the last supper. Parents in unison berated children for the purported clumsiness at the table and ungainly behaviour.

Years ago, the head of the family was working in a prominent company which marketed tobacco and other associated products. He got hooked on to cigarettes which took a severe toll of his health. He developed hypertension and suffered from myocardia infraction. The restless and distressed mind became prone to anxiety attacks. Doctors treating the youngster were compelled to administer Alprax and Fludac . It was a disturbing sight for his wife to arrange for the daily dosage of anti-depressants and Prozac.

Upon recovery, the impatient and   fidgety mind once again began smoking and drinking, till the habits became quotidian. This became deleterious for the self, his wife and family.  However, he could rally around through the prayers of his wife, the fellowship of Alcoholic Anonymous and practising the rhythmic of Sudarshan Kriya as taught in the Art of Living.

The couple would find solace and commiseration listening to the haunting tunes of Simon and Garfunkel, especially the soulful number Sounds of Silence-

‘Hello darkness my old friend

Ive come to talk with you again

Because the vision softly creeping

Left its seeds while I was sleeping

And the vision that was planted in my brain

Still remains

Within the Sounds of Silence’

Tears welled up in their eyes and they were suffused with efficacious thoughts as they listened to the number. The mind was less agitated and they could meditate and cogitate on the pearls of wisdom of the lyrics.

But the mind of the head of the family could achieve only partial normalcy, peace and relaxation were once again ensnared by the Scylla and Charybdis of avarice and desires and sucked in the cesspool of antipathetic thoughts.  Mara always lurks in the corner to unleash his arsenal of demonic thoughts whenever humans attempt to establish equanimity, equipoise and equilibrium in their life.  This is the Chitta / nature of the mind. It keeps on wavering constantly.

Once two Buddhist tutees in a monastery looked at a flag fluttering in the gush of winds. The senior surmised the flag was moving from north to south, while the junior felt it fluttered from the west to east. They squabbled incessantly with not arriving at any plausible conclusion. Soon the Zen Master arrived at the scene of disputation, and concluded that neither the wind nor the flag moves; it is the mind that moves.  And this quintessential truth could be appreciated only by a robust and mettlesome mind.

 He read this Zen story in a magazine and suddenly realisation dawned upon the head of the family like a flash that though he had embarked upon a spiritual path he still possessed an impatient and a restless mind as he did not surrender his EGO to the DIVINE in totality.  In his pursuit of false aggrandisement, he had become a victim of false glass ceilings, which had no aperture to the ultimate truth.

That afternoon a Buddhist Monk spoke at the hotel and expatiated the eternal truths revealed to the world by the enlightened one-

a)     Observe the body (Kayaana Paschana)

b)    Observe the sensations (Vedananu Paschana)

c)     Observe the flow of mind (Chittanu Paschana)

d)    Observe your true nature (Dhammanu Paschana)

The propertied couple attended the discourse and realised that though they had taken steps to assuage the mind, these were only baby steps. The human mind continued to be both the source of sound /noise and with no silence. While they heard the mellifluous rendition by Simon and Garfunkel, they never truly appreciated the import of the lyrics.

Upon returning home, the wife headed for a course in Pranic healing to delve deeper into her inner self   and the husband repeated the Art of Living course and followed it with a ten-day silence course to harness the true reservoir of energy/ prana / chi in their lives.

 They are happy today and sport a smile and not a scowl. Both had their reasons, the husband eschewed dependency on Alprax and Fludac completely and the wife was happy for him. The impatient and restless mind was now reasonably quiet in an attempt to live in the present moment.

This left Mara squirming. 

Demonetization- As shared

Many people say that this move by Modi government is affecting the common man more than the one who has hoarded black money. They say, this should have been done without affecting the common man. But the common man is part of the system that created black money. 1. Common man is the one who goes and gets his groceries from a retail shop for cheaper price, knowing that the retail shop hardly pays any tax at all. 2. Common man is the one who prepares fake rental agreements and shows it as proof for HRA. 3. Common man is the one who pays bribe (through black money) to a government official, just to make out work easier. 4. Common man is the one who accepted Rs. 500/1000 (Black money) from both political parties that are contesting elections. 5. Common man is the one who purchases a product without bill, to save money (thereby creating black money) 6. Common man is the one gives maamool (black money) to the police for keeping their illegal shops 7. Common man is the one who offers bribe (black money) to the police for drunk and drive, not wearing a helmet, etc. instead of paying heavy fines at the court. Same way police collects cash "Hafta" from all hawkers traders etc. Municipal staff, rail staff and many others collect bribes all cash. 8. Common man is the one who saves money little by little and purchases property and registers for under market value to save money (thereby creating black money) 9. Common man is the one who gives donation (Black money) to a private school who won't give a bill 10. Common man is the one who doesn't even understand that he is entitled to far more privileges than he/she is currently receiving, which is drastically reduced to corruption/black money 11. Common man is the one who complains about the corrupt system but doesn't take any steps to correct the system, but instead keeps on playing the blame game. 12. Common man is the one who is complaining now that this Bold step is causing inconvenience to them. 13. Common man is the one who justifies all these acts saying politicians are corrupt, so we can be corrupt too. So I am asking how can one cleanup a system that you and me (Common Man) are an integral part of? So to the common man of India, my message is "Bear the pain now and reap the gain in the future!" Jai Hind (This is for every responsible citizen of this country!) Please spread this message to all those who are crying that common man is suffering because of the demonetisation, specially to the follower of Arvind Kejriwal