IT-Parents!

By R K Patil

Does the title sounds strange? May be, many of you might say 'yes'. While we are all aware of the much hyped "IT-professionals" or "IT-people" or ‘software engineers” I wanted to highlight some of the under currents in our society. The reason to write about this to expose a social evil that is driving the middle class and the upper-middle class folks crazy.

If one were to attend any social gatherings, functions, marriages, birthday parties etc I am sure you will come across lot of parents who want to boast that their daughter/son is working for one of those big IT/software names at places most likely to be Bangalore, Poona, Hyderabad, Noida etc.

If you stick to the party conversation a bit long I am sure they will tell how their children make frequent trips abroad, how cosmopolitan she/he is in their behavior. If the listening party also happens to be a proud parent of IT-Kid then you can imagine how the conversation steers.

So it is a kind of playing one-up-man ship in social strata for the folks. However there is another part of the story that one will come to know, if the conversation ends up in a friendship and one gets to share more information about their "IT-kids". This time the story revels how the parents are missing their kid’s presence at home or during festive season. If the It-parents happen to be nearing 60 years of age then there is a chance to hear how even grand-children company is also missed. Some of them will complain about how their kids are staying away from family traditions, how their daughter-in law enjoy the new-found freedom at the expense of being an obedient "ghar-ki-bahu". In most cases parents end up complaining more than what they have at present. One can sense somewhere the hollowness in spite of having everything!

If one were to sit back and analyze, it is these same parents who encouraged their sons/daughters to take an IT job and nothing else. The sole reason being one gets paid like nobody's business and of course they can have lots of stories to share in their social gatherings! These very parents made sure that their daughter/son's natural likings (for career) are systematically sacrificed and set him/her for an always-winning-shining world. By the way I am not against a materialistic world however a balanced life is always cherished.

I come across a lot of budding engineers who happen to be influenced and continue to be guided by their parents dictates for their career choice. In many cases parents go to an extent as to which company their child should work for! It is a story that many a times these very own parents are really IT-illiterate (I am not joking... You can test this out). The parents do not know anything about what their ward is doing in their profession. They simply happen to see the name of the firm/company for which their ward works in a paper advertisement or might have heard in their social gathering or some of them happen to own few shares of the company J

The result is we have youngsters hopping jobs even for paltry salary hike of one thousand rupees or for a short visit (read it as on site project) to a customer who is in Thailand! While this kangaroo hop of jobs continues for few years (by the time they have achieved some maturity in their career) one realizes that they have gained no real knowledge of their domain. Sooner one becomes a victim of global recessions as markets are never known to be kind to non-skilled IT-people!

I do come across a lot of IT-folks who have dared to challenge the dictates of their parents and opting for a sensible career path... but alas it is very difficult to sustain a social pressure to look for greener pastures when the parents and fellow team mates are busy in counting rupees/dollars and shopping in malls.

If only the “IT-PARENTS” look at reality and try to help their sons/daughters to make a sensible choice without being over-bearing parents then we can see some bright spots in the IT-generation coming of age.

The author RK Patil, CEO of Vayavya Labs has over 17 years of industry experience in the domain of Telecom, Embedded software and Semiconductors. For the last eight years he was co-founder of two starts ups in the technology domain where he has held various positions in engineering, marketing and management.

Gen J J Singh, Governor Arunachal Pradesh has called on Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College to extend specialized health care services to people of Arunachal. He suggested that cardiologists come to Arunachal Pradesh and carry out free camps.

The Governor said this during the annual convocation of the Institution in which 125 students received their graduation certificates.

Responding to the request of the Governor, Chancellor KLE University Prashakar Kore agreed to conduct free camps in the State. Touched by the appeal of Gen Singh, Kore further informed that they are ready to provide free heart surgeries for poor patients of the Arunachal Pradesh and any serious heart case of the State may be referred in the institution.

Attending as the chief guest of the annual convocation of the Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Belgaum under KLE University, Gen Singh urged upon the doctors to come to Arunachal Pradesh and conduct free health camps. Pointing that there is acute shortage of doctors in rural areas, he called upon the young doctors to devote some years of their professional lives to work in rural areas.

Governor further said that there is an acute shortage of doctors in rural areas. He urged young doctors of the country to devote some years of their professional lives to working in rural areas by responding positively to the call of the Government to take up rural postings. Undoubtedly, all of you have certain career goals which are important. At the same time you also have social responsibilities and a duty towards nation building, he said. By serving in rural areas not only would you be doing good work for the nation, but the stint will be a valuable addition to your professional experience. It would also be an opportunity to get to know your country more closely, he stressed. Never missing an opportunity to plead for denizens of the State, he offered open invitation to any specialized medical practitioner to Arunachal Pradesh, whom he said would be treated like a State Guest if they come for social service.

Earlier, in the day, Gen Singh, who is also an Honorary Colonel of the Maratha Light Infantry, visited its centre, which is located at Belgaum. He was given ceremonial guard on his arrival at the regimental centre. As tradition, Gen Singh paid homage to martyrs. The former chief of Indian Army donated twenty medals, which were awarded to him during his illustrated service in army. He also donated the golden trophy won for golf in Srinagar to the centre.

What are those numbers of ? In Tarun Bharat these numbers appear every day on the last page or last but one. But there is nothing mentioned about those numbers as what are they off.

Any Guesses?

BREAKING NEWS at 10.15AM
The St.Mary’s school received a call saying there was bomb, but the call was a hoax again. This is the second time such call has been made to the school. Last year also similar call was made.

The recent virus attacks that made the CAT (Common Administration Test 2009) online exams a dud has prompted the VTU (Visvesvaraya Technological University) of rethinking on its online entrance exams for MBA & MTech courses.

In fact VTU was the first university to start online exams in 2006, but after the present debacle it feels the written paper is better.

Offering online exams is an excellent notion but one can never say who will come up dig up and all the lines go down. Recently all lines in the university were down after dig up for road widening.

Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) who conducts the CET which had planned for a online test has also scrapped the plan.
Source: DNA

The lovers of the drop in Belgaum must be feeling like its Diwali time as they have to spend more to get the same peg they got earlier.

After the opening of MSIL liquor store in the city other wine shops which were charging more than the MRP are now selling at MRP.

The city based wine shops which used to charge Rs.15 to Rs.20 extra are now charging the original MRP.

The lovers of the drop said its time to feast and government’s intervention by opening the MSIL outlet has made the local dealers to also sell at MRP.

The govt. can intervene in here why can’t in intervene in the price rise of essential commodities and also start stores which will sell commodities at reasonable prices. Isn’t it the duty of the govt. to look after the welfare of all its citizens, or is it that the BJP led govt. is biased towards the lovers of the drop.

Belgaum Leadership Academy is currently conducting a Management Marathon on campus for its MBA students. 50 students on campus will be exposed to an industry first flagship management program where in they will undergo rigorous management training for 48 hours non stop.

The program commenced on 5th December at 09:00 hrs and will conclude on 7th December at 09:00 hrs. As part of this fervent management exercise students of Belgaum Leadership Academy will be exposed to a serious of events and programs conducted by industry experts.

The concept of this event was planned, conceived and executed by Dr. Aadil Bandukwala of Talent Onions Recruitment Consulting and Prof. Vishal Kalasannavar of Belgaum Leadership Academy.

Mrs. Sadhna Pote – Employment Officer of Belgaum commenced the proceedings of this exercise on the 5th of December by training students on Stress Management and Health Hazards. It was a two -ay participative session where in students for the first time were exposed to common myths and truths of day to day health and the importance of organizing one’s life to maintain decorum and release occasional stress.

Prof. Vishal Kalasannavar – Managing Director, Belgaum LeadershipAcademy took the students through an exciting round of management debates and explained to the students the relevance of body kinesics.

Prof. Sameer Majali facilitated a gamut of students that participated in an intensive yet intellectual round of group discussion where in themes like management education vis a vis technical education and cyber policing were discussed.

Mrs. & Mr. Vijay Majali - Founders of Kaivalya Yog Mandir interacted with the students on the importance and relevance of Yoga and undertook a live session spanning 60 minutes on Yoga.

Dr. Aadil Bandukwala – Chief Executive of Talent Onions Recruitment Consulting, kept the students awake all night by taking them through a series of online management games and business simulation exercises followed by management concepts and international tweening.

Mr. Vijay A G – Manager HRIS & Capability Building at Titan Industries Ltd., Bangalore held an exhaustive session where in the students had to dabble with functional case studies in Human Resource Management, Marketing Management and Financial Management, Bangalore

Dr. Madan – Honorary Special Police Officer of Belgaum was an active part of this management marathon and enthusiastically interacted with the students of BLA.

Important dignitaries like Deputy General Manager of BSNL, Belgaum, Joint Director of District Industries Centre along with a couple of reputed businessmen, industrialists and practicing managers also participated and engaged the students as part of this program.

The students are being trained to operate by sleeping minimally as part of this program. Sleeping zones in the form of six tents have been created and on a timely basis students are allotted sleeping / rest hours.

Prior to this management marathon of 48 hours, a week back, BLA did a pilot test by organizing a beta program of 24 hours non stop so as to successfully prepare the students of be ready for this management grandeur.

A management event of such magnitude and student involvement has been an industry first for this part of the country. The event was conceived and designed with the thought of giving the students a reality check in the world of management education and training. Setting the students aspirations right, the importance of achievement orientation and knowledge enhancement were key elements of this management marathon.

Belgaum Leadership Academy believes that one can be instrumental in contributing to National Development through the empowerment of individuals. It is by building on the human resource that one can realize the dream of being ‘World Class Leaders’ in every sense of the term.

Belgaum Leadership Academy
Kalasannavar Farms, Teachers Colony, Khasbag, Belgaum.

The MSIL liquor shop recently opened in Belgaum city is the talk of the town amongst drinkers and teetotalers as well.

MSIL shop will sell IMFL (Indian Made Foreign Liquor) at MRP rates which are a HIT for Drinkers but at the same time its HITing the business of other liquor sellers in city who sell more than the MRP.

The logic behind the local sellers for above MRP is simple, they need to pay bribes to authorities even if they sell at MRP or above that, hence they charge price above MRP. It is not possible to pay bribes and sell at MRP a local liquor seller said. Around Rs.2000 per month is paid to the authorities by each shop it is said.

A bottle of Beer in a wine shop is sold for Rs.90 against the MRP of Rs.76. 180 ml whisky is sold at Rs.120 against MRP of Rs.97.

So this is a HIT for some and HIT in business for a few. MSIL plans to open a few more shops in the city and the women have already complained to the district authorities in a memorandum not to open more liquor shops. But the govt. will not step behind as it will get more income and the govt. will not want to stop its income flow, let the society go to hell.

The MSIL store on opening day yesterday made sales worth 30 thousand, sources told this blog. In fact as an opening day bonanza one quarter was given for every two and there was queue to buy. Today morning as well even before the shop opened at 10 people were seen around to buy.

The authorities said that the shop was opened so that the public is benefited by the sale of liquor at reasonable prices.

The govt. cares to sell liquor at reasonable prices but does not care about Onions at Rs.20/kg, Sugar at Rs.36/kg.

Does the govt. want al should drink liquor and fill the exchequer, isn’t this promotion of drinking.

Belgaum has never seen this kind of a road widening spree in its history. The last time the road widening was done on such a scale must have been the Congress road widening many years back.

At this moment there are 5 roads being planned to be widened.

RPD college road to Patwardhan layout (under 100 crore special grant)

Mahatma Fule road to Old PB road (under 100 crore special grant)

APMC road (under 100 crore special grant)

Khanapur Road (Sanchayani circle to Suryakant Park) (Cantonment Board)

Govaves to 3^rd Gate (PWD)

Old PB road upto bus stand

Work at RPD college road to Patwardhan layout has not begun still and matter is in court.

Mahatma Fule road to Old PB road work has begun. A school building is being demolished which was at the corner of Fule road and Khade Bazar. The school has been shifted to Shastri Nagar. The JCB has been used to dig the mud out on the road till the Managal karlaya. This road will be a link road to the NH4 and will join the Old PB road.

Yesterday APMC road was surveyed and markings made for its widening as well. But some residents opposed the manner in which the survey and markings were done. Residents said that the marking was done in a wrong manner which was suitable to the big fishes.

Khanapur Road (Sanchayani circle to Suryakant Park) - work has not begun still but there are chances it will in the near future. As this comes under the Cantonment, it might just take a while before it starts.

PWD department has done a survey of the Govaves to 3^rd gate for widening of the said road. The 2 km stretch will be widened in days to come.

The old PB road (Dharwad Road) is also being widened to 60 feet. The work is in progress on this road as well. But the major demand for a railway over bridge has not been heeded to, only the road will be widened.

The corporation commissioner also visited Pangul Galli yesterday and met the locals with the local representatives for the proposed road widening. The present road is 18 to 30 feet wide which according to map should be 40 feet. Commissioner said that if all the locals gave their consent they can go ahead with the road widening.

After the launch of E stamping it was felt by a citizen that their woes of waiting for hours for stamp paper will end but that is not the truth.

E stamping facility is available at the club road office of SHCIL where there is only one computer and operator for the same which is causing a lot of hardships. It takes about 5 hours to get a paper stamped.

To add to the woes there is no much space to stand as well. The office is on the first floor and standing in queue makes it thorny for all. Senior citizens, school going children all were seen waiting for their turn to come and waiting for 5 hours was too much all complained.

People there demanded that the govt. should make suitable arrangements so that it becomes easy for people to get stamp papers.

Karnataka State Cricket Association Affiliated Belgaum Primer League T-20 Cricket tournament has taken a grip and the process of choosing bidding took place at union Gymkhana.

Following are the top 8 successful Franchisees.