Search differently, Please !

It is always disheartening to hear about the loss of innocent lives , whatever be the reasons, whatever be the beliefs and whatever be the compulsions.

The result is only the same ..."loss of life which you and I cannot create, at will"

Be it at Paris or India or anywhere in world.. this act has no place ; this path has no meaning and this loss will never be condoned.

Taking potshots at people who are not equally equipped with knowledge and equipments , can only be described as acts of cowardice and not one of bravery or sacrifice.

Be it 9/11 or 26/11 or 14/11 ... every single piece of such act needs to be condemned.

There is no room , no justification in the name of caste, creed, religion or faith.

The world is yet to hear of one religion which preaches violence and so let us not misuse this revered path.

Neither can violence achieve tangible relief or permanent solution to any issue.

An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind.

Let us pray that the powers that be work positively towards resolution of issues in a peaceful manner.

Let us pray that those who fight for their rights, beliefs and possessions through such means realize this folly early.

Peace and solutions cannot be searched through the path of guns and bombs.

Let us believe they search differently and leave the innocents alone.

It hurts, to hear about so much of violence, increased violence and increasing violence , from this land where lived the great apostle of non violence

Let us also pray for the departed souls by abstaining from and distancing from this bloodied path !

'Engineering' prosperity

During my college days in 1970s there were only a handful of institutions imparting education culminating in production of quality engineers , Guindy Engineering college (currently Anna University) being one amongst them. I am aware of the difficulties in getting admitted into them and it is no wonder that people graduated from such institutions are doing exceedingly well not only in life but also turning out to be qualitative professional engineers. Those were the days, when Engineers stuck to their profession with pride and will not budge even to the lure of the Administrative services, as is being done in the later years.

Later in the 1990s and around the turn of the century, this whole lot of professionals started assuming a different role in revolutionizing not only the profession but also the life style of the country. With the Y2K heralding the exodus, the mythical bubble soon burst only to stabilize and in my opinion, no other country would have used the computerization better than India.

While the customers and the users of the Airlines, Railways and the Banking sector were to derive the immediate benefit of computerization, the architects of this revolution viz., the Engineers were being delivered in herds from the mushrooming institutions  across the length and breadth of the country. There were colleges which lacked the basic infra, at some places sufficiently skilled teachers and in some colleges even connectivity, an essential entity for effective Engineering education. But, these impediments never deterred our youth and they withstood the onslaught of political and monetary muzzle in not only getting into such institutions but also came out successfully graduating out of them !

The folks that came from the non-metropolis and more specifically the 'undeveloped and under developed' areas of the state  were the hardest hit. Hampered by communication skills, awed by the challenges posed by the evolving industry and trampled by the dog-eating-dog competition but driven only by the burning desire to win and succeed, they held on. I have personally encountered many such candidates in interview boards and as part of my own team to realize that with a little push, encouragement and guidance, they turn out to be damn good professionals. Not sure how many outside realize their sweat and toil at the office but are viewed jealously more for the income they churn out. The jealous part has gone such a distance that of late, such unsung heroes are being portrayed as deserting the motherland and supporting the brain drain and the Engineers has become such a harassed lot even in the public eye !

Fortunately these are the guys who cling on with determination and the will to make it big, learn things the hard way, ignore undesirable elements and insults to climb their way through the professional ladder, with the only intention of uplifting their life. It is heartening to see many such guys occupying prestigious positions across the globe, earning a handful and more importantly pull their  family back home in the villages out of poverty. Only few days back at an international airport, when I saw a group our guys from India roaming around, I was proudly thinking that , computers are the sole reason for such guys to spread out and be on a foreign soil. These are the guys who have embarked on the vehicle of 'Engineering' to speed drive out of their shackles, poverty and impediments to conquer the improbable and come out successfully. It is such engineers , who have made it and brought not only themselves but their kith and kin, out of the poverty and herald a new culture in their home town , that I would like to salute proudly, on this 'Engineers Day' . 

Its only fair, that such 'unsung heroes' are recognized atleast once a year and what better way to wish them on the "Engineers Day'

Keep moving, folks.  You not only herald a new revolution but also Engineer a new positive culture for your near and dear ones. You are the future and hope of this Nation and your family!!  

- 15-Sep-2015

Five years of Blogging

With the 23rd of May this year, my attempts at blogging exploits complete a full five year term.

What started as a canvas of a scratch pad has grown over this period to not only hundreds of posts but also emboldened me to branch off to other blogs also exclusively to practice my penchant for the mother tongue and also to address specific issues related to banking.

 http://kapalicanvas.blogspot.in/ started on 23-May-2010, has in its fold now 140 published posts and 40+ in different stages of draft.

http://chinthikkiren.blogspot.in/   an avenue created to express through my mother tongue Tamil, started on 23-Jun-2012,  has clocked 67 posts and around 18 are in draft stage. I am truly delighted that blogs in different lingo have opened up  paths for me to walk through these spaces, wherever I was confident of expressing myself.

The Banking blog http://bankerkapali.blogspot.in/  , started on 26-Nov-2012, has under its deposit folder 17 posts with 6 in drafts

The photo blog , http://kapalipics.blogspot.in/  started more recently on 20-Jul-2014 is growing rapidly.

Under the suggestion of some of my learned friends I have also developed my website www.kapaleeswaran.com , a single platform through which these blogs could be traversed across , in addition to some other points of my interest. Though, this is still under testing stage, I am confident of making this operational soon.

There have been numerous feedback on the various posts I have been making through these blogs and I am truly blessed to receive them. While there have been many appreciations which I obviously revel at, I am equally thankful to the various suggestions and directives. Though I am happy at the positive feedback, I value the suggestions more , as they guide me towards better writing.

I am grateful to one and all for your responses and to those who could not respond too, but queried when my posts dried up. I truly believe that I am at the nascent stage of writing and am sure with such encouragement , I can bloom into a more tolerable level of writing , the credit of which will truly be to my friends like you. I urge you to continue to read and send in your responses towards my posts.

Thanks again and Good Day ! 

Pursuer and the pursued

It all started by the latter half of 1999 when the Airlines started worrying about the safe passage of their flight and the bankers world over were concerned about the smooth changeover of date on that feared night of Dec 31st , heralding the new millennium. As the heat and panic peaked, the training institutes started making money out of a new entity -'fear'. Anyone with some knowledge of Java and more importantly a certificate started getting their passports stamped. There were also pieces of program codes floating around as an instant fix for Y2K and what was until then a distant dream achievable only by the select few became a buzzword in many household - working in U.S!

When the year rolled over, with little glitch belying all fears, the west started shedding the 'no more' wanted Y2K 'specialists' and there were few benches that were not warmed by these as they hovered around, little realizing that you cannot even spend a day there when you and your skills are no longer required.

With the return of the valiant, the importance of computer knowledge continued to gain popularity and the mushrooming Engineering colleges made the best advantage of the craze and need. After a 15 year ride of high and low, the circle seems to have come full, with the reported laying off of thousands from some of the industry's heavyweights, once considered as safe havens!

Such were the opportunities in this sector that anyone serious of making an impact was given a chance and the focused ones made the grade. Those with better perseverance and attitude climbed further and hopped across to vantage positions making ultimate use of the desperation of the emerging sector.

With opportunities came the misuses by people jumping for meager increases without any ethical care and those skillfully placed on contract reversed their gun to demand their pound of flesh and threatened otherwise to look for the better and buttered side of the bread.

When the industry hit the feared low, some wily organizations used them to weed the chaff along with the cats on the wall and this cat and mouse game went on for quite some time, despite the industry picking up.

The industry was more at the receiving end of this 'unforced attrition' born more out of avariciousness than career progress measures but they were able to survive with the ever flowing resources from the uncontrolled emergence of engineering colleges. While the smaller ones were playing with the 'hire and fire' policies there were some industry majors who stood like a rock silently absorbing the mass and strategically waiting for the turnaround. When one such 'majordomo' of the industry, considered as safe and secure, started taking a different route from its traditional and expected path, the panic set in. Thus when the cats stopped and turned back to look at the pursuing mob, the rats got into a huddle, and the pursuers became the pursued.

In my opinion, both were using and misusing the rules of 'notice and performance' to their own ends and faulting either in this race is uncharitable. Being in a matured industry that calls for the highest skills requiring constant skill updates and making one's presence felt, one is also expected to be prepared for the axe while looking for greener pastures.

 To compare the IT industry and its working conditions to other organized and settled sectors like Banks and Insurance is immature and the debate could at best serve the purpose of hogging the headlines for few days with improved TRP for some prime time channels. One is security oriented and the other rests on skill, performance and need. Banking like industries are also burdened with looking for business to keep the 'securely placed workforce' occupied whereas the IT is more on the need based side.

I feel in course of time,  the trade unionism too will creep in, with the support of pressure groups, just to make their presence felt, . But to expect them to have the same stranglehold as in other industries, one must be dreaming, given the expectations and performance levels at the former!


The need of the hour is planning- preserve the grain for the rainy days and await the sun to peep out. The organizations normally plan better, factor-in some attrition and manage to keep their head above the tide. It is the individuals who are unprepared and caught unawares that are likely to cry louder and hoarse!

'You are not matured until you expect the unexpected' - the adage seem to fit this dream industry more than any other. It is for the potential and perceived 'victims' at the industry to be more prepared, expect the unexpected and rise above the mundane to ward off such periodical threats to their career and lifestyle.

The young ones could be faulted to go overboard with a dream pay packet right out of the college. But such rude but timely wake-up call will sure spur the colts to be better equipped.

The experienced lot will need to plan better mentally and keep reminding themselves that there are no comfort zones in this field. I am sure the lessons are already felt, taken and will be handled. I believe and feel that this too shall pass.

After some initial rhetoric and stage managed shows to suit the required ends, the industry and its actors will soon settle down better-prepared to handle mutual pressures. In my opinion, this mid-course correction is the need of the hour and will remind  the Malthusian theory of demography of - 'survival of the fittest' again to the fore, even into this unrelated area .

Knocking at the door

After a near decade, it was a different experience when I decided to do an early renewal of my visa. Last time, it was my official travel desk that did all the odd job of running around, filling forms and making payments. Since there is no office desk now, the onus came down on me helped admirably by the younger guns at home.

All the activities of filling up forms electronically, making payments and downloading of account statements without a bank visit etc., were done sitting from home, thanks to the Internet era. The websites galore offer tonnes of suggestions and sermons some of which could be grabbed for guidance and others trashed.

The whole process consisted of two parts of collecting your personal identification inputs and a tete-a-tete to round up. To be fair, the official website has done a reasonably good job in guiding the aspirants and that could be safely considered the single source of reference. In addition, any query raised through social networking site is also responded with appreciable speed.

It is to distressing to observe some applicants despite reading all the instructions act opposite and carry exactly those items that are prohibited- be it a mobile phone or a pen drive or a back pack. The security is professional in firmly showing the door to such educated morons.

The activities at the personal id collection center are professional in that there is good guidance, firm adherence to rules and expectations with least wastage of time. If the aspirant understands, complies and co-operates, he could finish this in a matter of ten minutes.

The personal appearance understandably starts with more security driven exercises and after a complete body and baggage search, your are led to the visa consultation room. The rotating support staff are seen everywhere guiding the visitors, expediting interviews for the old and people with infants and are a source of comfort to the tense visa seekers. The pace at which the interviews are conducted is praiseworthy in that the official is extremely polite, gives an impression that he is more inclined to facilitate your visit to their country and at the same time deftly extracts the information that is required.

It is the well oiled process machinery that runs the show with almost near perfection and a honest aspirant need not have any apprehension. People need to adhere to the basic rules of presenting only the truthful information, avoid hidden agenda and more importantly understand their line of questioning. If one could anticipate and briefly live in their shoes, the entire process will be a breeze. It is a question of anticipation and preparedness, which many lack, is turning to be their Achilles' heel. If one is clear about their intentions, aspirations and stay away from incorrect and suspicious statements with all the documents available to support the claim, one could consider the whole exercise as a valuable experience with such understanding and supporting official machinery of the country you are aspiring to visit.

As for me , more than the activities around I was tense about the pregnant cloud hovering over threatening to deliver at any time. While over the years there has been appreciable improvements in the process facilitating the visitors, the authorities could do well to protect them from rain and shine and perhaps borrow the Indian tradition of entertaining the guests of honor with some basic comforts. After all, it is only those who have asked for your appointment,  are at your doorsteps at the mutually agreed time to interact with you. As the visitors prepare to adapt themselves to the culture and practice of the country they plan to visit, the authorities could also play a better host in adhering to the culture of our country which accords highest importance to honor any visitor with such courtesies.

While a majority of the visitors ultimately emerge  happy with their visa obtained, they could be spared of the initial tension of being exposed to the vagaries of weather and a slight discomfort of waiting at the gates, by providing a cover over the head and more preferably a wait that is away from the public glare. With such wonderful improvements seen, one is confident that this minor but self impacting hurdle is removed so that the whole exercise is made more pleasurable and done with honor.

Retire, before you tire?

During a chat at a marriage reception few hours back, a close friend of my wife was saying "who has time for health checkups. When the health protests, we will look into that". Though my wife put up a worried face as the friend was in her early fifties that demands regular attention, she did agree that it requires multiple visits to the hospital and consultation , which should really be challenging when you are still at work.

On a recent tour, there were occasions to climb some small hills with steep and irregular steps to reach out to some prominent places of visit. An accompanying friend said had it been some years earlier, he would have done it with ease and rued his decision to wait for his official chores to complete before turning this way!

My relative couple who were both in a mad man's working world until recently, eased out to focus on their only daughter's marriage and also performed it with all grandeur. The lady haunted by the daughter's separation after her marriage was wondering whether she should have quit her job early and spent more time with her daughter. It was pathetic to hear her lamenting "when she was here, we didn't have time and when we are free, she is not around"and the regret was palpable.

During our periodic meet, my friend who is in a very senior position in a flourishing industry said he was ready to hang the boot but was only wondering what to do with the time, as he felt that there is 'enough steam left in him to chug along' for a couple of more years !

Last of the above words seemed to suggest a solution to the dilemma of 'when to hang the boot' !

It is when you are 'still left with energy' to chug along.

When one is officially expected to work putting in his best foot forward and with full energy until the stipulated age, it is well known that care is taken to maintain these resources well for optimum usage  at least until that milestone.

By hanging the boots a couple of years early, one could not only use those officially available energy but also use that to recoup the lost energy to extend the fitness levels for some years ahead ! When you are in the zone of 'expected working of around ten hours a day', tasks such as long travel or climbing small hillocks should not be a big ask. The renewed energy could enable one to focus more on the forgotten priorities like more family time, planning for family events and travel round the country which would have so far remained only as desires. And more importantly to concentrate on your own health-  which so far is the most sacrificed item on one's agenda and is always a candidate for the place at the sacrificial altar for any other priorities. This is a serious neglect as one could pay with a fat purse and more nerves, should the tiring body choose to revolt at the sunset of your life, when you are planning to put your feet up and enjoy life.

As for post retiral activities, believe me there are any number and yours truly is reasonably qualified to dwell on the same. Given the demands of the prevailing challenges of industries, it is not unfair to expect any person to slow down at least, if not stop working, by his mid-50s. So, it is imperative to start the planning exercise around by forties and a very small monthly savings through your occupational years could see one through these rainy days of early retirement !

Before you choose to retire do remember to list down the things you have been wanting to do or get involved but could not as your work was felt to be the stumbling block. It could be more quality time with family, periodic family outings, places to visit, small treks, music, reading or exploring any other hidden talent in you that could be easily converted as hobby, in the later years.

One can afford and allowed to enjoy unplanned hours in the early days of retirement, but not for long. Plan your day, if not on the same rigorous lines of official days but on a reasonable measure, as an extended unplanned period could easily invite ennui to set in , which is not the purpose of early retirement. If one desires, it is within everyone's reach to wake up some of  the sleeping talents within you, that will be your companion towards the retired sector of your life circle.

The catch is planning, timing and enjoying, when you are still left with the steam and things are on your side ! Its more important to hang the gloves, before a gentle reminder is given, so that you could enjoy an unrestricted field before you, to kick around .

 " There are many breeds of dog that just needs to be working, and useful or have a job of some kind, in order to be happy. Otherwise, they are neurotically barking, scratching or tearing up the sofa".

Its no wonder , everyone's wish is not to end up with a dog's life !!

Fraud out of Greed !

Today's THE HINDU has reported an incident as 'Vishing' wherein a woman has been defrauded by promising to send an expensive gift, as her phone number was selected in a lucky draw.  After she  sent   Rs 2000/- as courier charges, the 'gift'  received contained  not an iPhone but just few hundred rupees worth of cheap cosmetic items. The cyber crime police investigating this has said  ' there are many such complaints 

 received with similar modus operandi'  !

This is an age old trick and despite the communication and media channels available, its a pity that people are still falling for it.

Though it certainly falls under the category of a fraud, can we do anything to refrain from becoming a 'Victim'? The answer is certainly a big 'Yes'.

Has one not heard about the Nigerian and other scams promising jobs and luring the potential victims to send only the postal charges?

Realistically, can you think of any organisation awarding you with a very expensive gift, for nothing? 

If the org was going to give such an expensive gift, won't they also bear the accompanying courier charges? 

There are many such instances of Emails, short messages and phone calls luring people to part with their personal details such as address, phone numbers and IDs, only to make money out of them rather than parting with any gift. 

In my opinion, such frauds are happening only with the involuntary connivance of the victim! Yes, though the victim has not directly contributed, his/her greed has made the victim also an accomplice.

Let us remember that all those blinking advertisements in the websites you visit, 'click here for a pot of gold' like messages are all meant to lure the gullible.

Understand that not only the innocents are targeted but also the tech-savvy, who in a momentary lapse of mind and act of foolery or more out of persistent annoyance of emails or advertisement, could press that fatal link. 

I am reminded of a huge hoarding outside an erstwhile finance company in Royapettah (Chennai) which proclaimed " Nothing in this world is for free;  the worm at the end of the rod is, after all, a bait and not food for the fish" !!

That the said company also went bust with depositors' money is of course a different story !!