Monday, June 29, 2009

UID - Unique Identification Number

Mr.Nanden Nilekani will lead the special team for creation of UID. I know Mr.Nilekani would have hardly heard about our KEIS.That was my dream project from 1st year in college,which my friends helped me realize in my final year. Its a biometric, finger print recognition based security system for vehicles. That was the just the starting point.

The plan was to create an application that would act as the single, all-encompassing ID like the SSN number in USA, with which the entire citizenship details of a person can be ascertained within moments.It was also aimed to help the Police department as the finger prints from the ID cards will act as a Repository, which could help them in indentification of criminals or in case of an untoward incident, inform a victim's family. We also decided to add the personal medical details to the ID card system so that it could help every hospital to diagonise a person's status without referring to lengthy medical procedures incase of emergencies.

Innova Lab in my company was audience to a lengthy demo from myself and promised to look into possibilities with in. But that was 3 years back. A start up, by IIT-M students, have requested time to analyse the product,so that they could incorporate the code into their own products.

And I ran for a year, from pillar to post to file a patent for it.I couldn't get it done. The talks of UID has revived my interests again. Hope for an audience with Mr.Nilekani!

I am Imagining my India.

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Pictures from my trip to Kerala

1. A beautiful mansion that caught my eye.

2.Not the over crowded Mumbai local.. but a real calm morning shot:


3.The sprawling lake, ever present coconut trees and dark clouds, impressive scenery from my train seat!

Friday, June 26, 2009

Moonwalked


Very few of us have the distinction of being able to Moonwalk on Earth. If there was one person who did it with elan, it was Michael Jackson. The legendary pop sensation, the king of dance and the ultimate entertainer is no more. The world is sad and music lovers are shattered. The iconic man might have been a mix of class and crass.. but his legacy lives on. I have benefitted immensely from his videos. Nihal and I, my schoolmate, have seen most of his dance videos at an age when we hardly knew english. We were so proud to be able to do the moonwalk on numerous festivals. MJ's used to be the opening song for all our dance performances.


The scandals and allegations not withstanding, MJ has been on top. We dont really care about them, Mikey!!! Who is not at fault, eh?
May you now entertain the heaven with your dance!
R.I.P


Monday, June 22, 2009

Night Flight of Icarus

Spice Jet from Mumbai to Chennai on 16th June. Was on a literal countdown for it. Hastened to the airport and finally boarded the fligh delayed by a good half an hour. The take off was uneventful but we did pass through "turbulent weather" as the captain's voice echoed inside the cabin. Cluster of lightening going off every where near us was a such a delight to watch. Nevertheless, the Air France tragedy flashed through our minds.

As the sun sets over the horizon
A young guy stands on the deck
As the ground cools to the lovely night
A lightning shatters the still

His eyes are ablaze
See the child in his gaze

Fly on your way like an eagle
Fly as high as the sky
On your wings like an eagle
Fly and touch the light(ening)


Now the crew panic and pray for all
Eyes meet to tell the news
All's well when it passes through
As the news of Airfrance flashes through

My eyes seemed so tensed
As we fly over the light
Now I know wat it would have been
For all those on that AF flight

Felt good back on ground
That seldom shakes beneath
Scary flight behind us
time to catch up with love and friends.

Flew down to mother earth
Happier than never before.

Was an awesome flight... seeing lightening from above it was spellbinding! Unfortunately I couldnt retrieve my camera for pics. But it will remain etched forever in my memory.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

7 Up!!!

Yeah!! 7 up! Fido dido is as past as a dodo. Its 7 up in a special way for us. :) Us? Thats me and Harini. On June 4th, 2002, we felt that it be perfect for us to be together for the rest of our life. And 7 years later, we will be entering wedlock, with the consent of our parents and family elders.


Thanks to all my friends, my sis Swapna and my close relatives for making this happen.
Dad&Mom, what can I say? You are simply the best!

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

The Eternal Search for the Other side

The light warmth of early morning sun gracefully touches me when I get up in the morning.The mobile buzzes the morning alarm, set for 6:30 everyday. Rarely do I get up at that hour.7:30 AM is the average time to start the drill for the day.Rushing to brush,excreate bowel and bath, time flies fast.Not a second to think about anything else.A quick stop for the morning tea and a brisk walk to the bus stop is all I have got. Sitting on the double decker, which charges along like an angry red bull,red signal lights serving as flares, I finally reach the station after a 17 minute mad drive. The rush has just begun.
Andheri station is a swarm of activity. Thats a trivial comparison. Its more like the migratory bisons across the vast expanse of the Sahara. One slip and most probably, you are history. The queue to catch a bus back to the place where I boarded, extends all the way to the overhead walkbridge.From a bird's eyeview, its like a gargantuan swathe picking up people from one place and depositing them in another, in a mechanised way.
If reaching the station is trouble, then reaching the platform to board train is a race. A nerve wracking race at that. More so, when trains going towards Borivalli and another towards Churchgate reach the adjacent platforms simultaneously. There are no words to describe the people's onslaught right after getting down the slowing local.In a flash, the entire foot over bridge is swarmed with people rushing to be a part of the ever-elongating bus queue. You barely get enough space to put your foot down the stairs. A troubled race to reach the platform pales in comparison to the war that is waged to get into the seriously overcrowded trains. As per the latest statistics, an average of 4100 people commute on a single 12 car local train. Thats about 341.6 people per compartment. A normal compartment can seat 78 people and an equal number of standees. But this figure is just double the permissible limit. Add to it the sweltering summer heat and the copious sweat, I end up reaching the station like a cloth wrung out dry. The heat and crowd is so very energy sapping that even 3-5 litres of liquid leaves me thirsty for more.
A small swig of lime juice from the shop at the station entrance is sufficient to help me dash to the waiting taxis which zoom away with its precious load of passengers to our work places at Cuffe Parade. The adventure is still not complete. The final frontier is the ascent to my 11th floor office, wriggling my way through a metre long queue for the lift. All this is for what? An inner voice says, "never mind, there is something better in store for you".
The same thing is repeated in reverse when going back home.
On the way to work and back,the only thought that goes on over and over again is that something good, something better awaits us. The very soul of Mumbai is in its ability to squeeze more minutes out of the available 24 hours a day.People dangle dangerously from the train roof tops, just to be in time for their work/college. Mumbai is hungry for more, the hunger to succeed, to earn and more importantly, somehow find the blissful other side of life.
I too trudge along, hoping that one day, the golden gates to the other side will be thrown wide open.
As people believe, Grass is always green on the Other Side.