Facts about India ...

Surprise! Today I was browsing through the books in the nearest book store here in Milpitas, CA, USA and came across a book which looked interesting and I grabbed the book; mainly because of its low price and eye-catching title. The title of the book goes as "WHY we want YOU to be RICH". Back to my hotel room, when I flipped through the book, I rested on page-57 and on one line which read as, "India is important to our future" ! I was surprised to see that line in a book written by DONALD TRUMP and ROBERT KIYOSAKI. Being curious, when I just glanced on the previous page, it listed few facts about India and I am proud to list those points here for the readers of this post:

1. India is the world's largest, oldest continuous civilization.
2. In the last 10,000 years, India has never invaded any country.
3. India is the world's largest democracy.
4. India is one of the few countries in the world that gained independence without violence.
5. The art of navigation was born in the river Sindh 6,000 years ago.
6. Sanskrit is the mother of all the European languages.
7. India was the richest country on earth until the 17th Century, when the British invaded.
8. Chess was invented in India.
9. India invented the number system. Albert Einstein said, "We owe a lot to the Indians, who taught us how to count, without which no worthwhile scientific discovery could have been made."
10. Algebra, trigonometry and calculus originated in India.
11. The value of "pi" was first calculated by the mathematician Budhayana, and he explained the concept of what is known as the Phythorean Theorem. He discovered it in the 6th Century, which was long before European mathematicians.
12. India is the largest English-speaking nation in the world.

Now, are you proud to be an Indian? I do... [:)]

LOVE is a Cycle !

Who will cry when you die ?

"When you were born, you cried while the world rejoiced. Live your life in such a way that when you die the world cries while you rejoice."

1. Discover Your Calling
2. Every Day, Be Kind to a Stranger
3. Maintain Your Perspective
4. Practice Tough Love
5. Keep a Journal
6. Develop an Honesty Philosophy
7. Honor Your Past
8. Start Your Day Well
9. Learn to Say No Gracefully
10. Take a Weekly Sabbatical
11. Talk to Yourself
12. Schedule Worry Breaks
13. Model a Child
14. Remember, Genius Is 99 Percent Inspiration
15. Care for the Temple
16. Learn to Be Silent
17. Think About Your Ideal Neighborhood
18. Get Up Early
19. See Your Troubles as Blessings
20. Laugh More
21. Spend a Day Without Your Watch
22. Take More Risks
23. Live a Life
24. Learn from a Good Movie
25. Bless Your Money
26. Focus on the Worthy
27. Write Thank-You Notes
28. Always Carry a Book with You
29. Create a Love Account
30. Get Behind People’s Eyeballs
31. List Your Problems
32. Practice the Action Habit
33. See Your Children as Gifts
34. Enjoy the Path, Not Just the Reward
35. Remember That Awareness Precedes Change
36. Read Tuesdays With Morrie
37. Master Your Time
38. Keep Your Cool
39. Recruit a Board of Directors
40. Cure Your Monkey Mind
41. Get Good at Asking
42. Look for the Higher Meaning of Your Work
43. Build a Library of Heroic Books
44. Develop Your Talents
45. Connect with Nature
46. Use Your Commute Time
47. Go on a News Fast
48. Get Serious About Setting Goals
49. Remember the Rule of 21
50. Practice Forgiveness
51. Drink Fresh Fruit Juice
52. Create a Pure Environment
53. Walk in the Woods
54. Get a Coach
55. Take a Mini-Vacation
56. Become a Volunteer
57. Find Your Six Degrees of Separation
58. Listen to Music Daily
59. Write a Legacy Statement
60. Find Three Great Friends
61. Read The Artist’s Way
62. Learn to Meditate
63. Have a Living Funeral
64. Stop Complaining and Start Living
65. Increase Your Value
66. Be a Better Parent
67. Be Unorthodox
68. Carry a Goal Card
69. Be More than Your Moods
70. Savor the Simple Stuff
71. Stop Condemning
72. See Your Day as Your Life
73. Create a MasterMind Alliance
74. Create a Daily Code of Conduct
75. Imagine a Richer Reality
76. Become the CEO of Your Life
77. Be Humble
78. Don’t Finish Every Book You Start
79. Don’t Be So Hard on Yourself
80. Make a Vow of Silence
81. Don’t Pick Up the Phone Every Time It Rings
82. Remember That Recreation Must Involve Re-creation
83. Choose Worthy Opponents
84. Sleep Less
85. Have a Family Mealtime
86. Become an Imposter
87. Take a Public Speaking Course
88. Stop Thinking Tiny Thoughts
89. Don’t Worry About Things You Can’t Change
90. Learn How to Walk
91. Rewrite Your Life Story
92. Plant a Tree
93. Find Your Place of Peace
94. Take More Pictures
95. Be an Adventurer
96. Decompress Before You Go Home
97. Respect Your Instincts
98. Collect Quotes That Inspire You
99. Love Your Work
100. Selflessly Serve
101. Live Fully so You Can Die Happy

5 years completion @ KT

The day was of 4^th May 2010, 3 PM. All my teammates joined together to celebrate my 5 years completion at KLA-Tencor India. Actually Ranjith too had joined on the same day when I had joined, that was back in 5 years, on 2^nd May 2005. So this meeting became a joint celebration for both Ranjith and me.

As a customary celebration, everybody (Or, most of the team) says a word or two about the person who has completed 5 years, the experience that they share with the person. The person, too, briefs his experience in his last 5 years. Though, none of this sharing experience is compulsory, people usually get one or two words (Sometimes funny, sometimes directly from heart, sometimes some hidden revenge, so on, so forth) to express before the team.

Usually, in earlier occasions of 5 years of completion, it so happened that the meeting started with the person who completed 5 years sharing his experience and that was followed by the team sharing their few words. But things were different that day. People jumped in sharing their words before we (Ranjith and I) sharing our experience and concluding the meeting.

Here are the comments that I got from the team:

Harikishan V:

The good thing about Chinmaya is that he never binds himself to any domain. He takes opportunity in whatever comes in the way, works in various domains that is really good. Also, his interactions with new-joinees were wonderful. He helped them grew. All the new-joinees personally appreciated his efforts in terms on the training that he gave and regular help in their daily activities.

Vamsee R:

We share a bond beyond language; we usually speak in Hindi language, where we both are good at. And when we talk in Hindi, lot more things come out, both on the personal front as well as professional. He is a real software engineer. Many a times, he just writes a piece of code and says, “It got to work” and it works. I really appreciate his confidence level. Also, he is a good blogger and a voracious reader. He has shared with me lots of books that he reads. Because of him, I could read lots of interesting books. Thanks Chinmaya for this.

Anbarasu S:

Chinmaya was the one who took my interview. By that time, I had already attended 5 interview sessions, and it was the last technical interview that he took. It was good. He helped me a lot in trainings. When Hari was not around, he made sure that I undergo all the trainings scheduled. In all my technical discussions, I go directly to him and he helps me in all those directions. Thanks Chinmaya for this. Also, he reads a lot of books. After seeing him, I too got inspiration to read books and I am trying for that.

Vishnu J:

Chinmaya is a one amongst the few who have knowledge in all domains. I think, we should properly utilize his talent.

Rajeev C:

Many of you guys may not know that he has started writing a book. I was the first reviewer of his book. It was good.

Ranjith C:

He is a cool guy. He also has shared his writing with me, but have not got chance to read that. Also, we have an agreement that I do not want to disclose here. He is a man with smile, please keep up the smile. He is technically very good, helping and surely has ability to move to next level. Keep up the good work Chinmaya.

Aditya B:

Chinmaya is very intelligent. He is good in software and mathematics. When I joined here, he helped me a lot in understanding the domain and various other work areas. I used to go to him for any doubt I had. Even today, if I have any doubt, I go to him.

Muthukumar K:

Chinmaya would have eaten his nails, or fingers by now, always he keeps himself busy biting nails. I have told many a times, not to do so, but still he continues to do so. In his blog, some of the posts are copied and pasted. When I told him about that, the good thing is that, he took it positively and said, “I liked those articles good and informative enough that I put in my blog”. He is a very helping guy; always with a smiling face. If you need solution with smile, go to Chinmaya.

Ranga S:

Apart from all of the qualities he has one more quality. Many of you guys may not know that, he is a good singer.

Hema N:

I have not directly worked with Chinmaya, so I cannot comment much on his technical abilities. But when we were cube-mates, I was surprised to see the number of books that he used to read. That is a very good quality in him, I feel.

Veera G:

I have worked in 3 different companies so far, but I have not seen a person like him. He is very good in technical side and as a person too. He is master in Diagnostic domain. He helps a lot to others and he knows how to talk to people. When he talks to a fresher, he behaves as a fresher and explains in very detail; and when he talks to an experienced person, he behaves so.

Dhruba M:

Chinmaya is “Darling of KTI”. He is a great mathematician; he has a small calculator in his brain. After joining KLA-Tencor, the greatest achievement in my life is “Getting Chinu as a friend.”

Surya T:

A good trainer. Whenever I have any hardware related doubt, I approach him.

Varadha M:

He has a small gang with Anil, Ravi. I always treat him as a kid.

Senguttuvan S:

He always smiles. If we have any frustration, we just need to go to him and talk for 2-3 minutes, we will feel relaxed.

Jagan S:

Chinmaya is one among the few who have impressed me in very short span of time. When he was in US and was delivering the first feature, we had a meeting with GSS. As usual, GSS wanted some feature in the final review and I was not happy. I asked Chinmaya to come up with the design, estimation and the plan. But, at the end of the day, when I again met him, he was done with the feature; he had coded and updated the design document too. I was impressed.

When I ask people about NGS architecture, many of them say that it is too complex and difficult to understand. But, Chinmaya, on the other hand, took it as an opportunity, he said, that we have lots of things to learn out of NGS and that really shows his positive attitude.

Also, he is a good architect (painter).

Alex C:

Chinmaya was onsite when I was managing NGS 5.3 project; that time APPs were testing NGS and there were lots of problem with KLARF. I was on fire and I took Chinmaya help in resolving problems. He was real fast in finding the problems and solving those problems one after another. Actually, it was a rare combination of those 2 qualities; finding problems and fixing them too in that tough situation. Thanks Chinmaya for your support and I wish many more years in KT.

Anilkumar J:

It’s been five years working with Chinmaya. He is the only person who does not differentiate between testing and development; that is a very good thing. One thing I got after joining KLA-Tencor is a friend like him.

Swaminathan A:

I agree to all the points being told. All the best for your future.

Mahesh S:

Chinmaya has helped me a lot when I had joined here. Thanks Chinmaya for this.

Hari R:

Well, lots of things told about Chinmaya and it is a good quality to have all of them. What I feel is everything that people told correlates to his software activity. If you are a good painter, you can design good UI; if you are a good mathematician, you can put better logic and algorithm.

Apart of that, I think, Chinmaya can work across tools, SP2, SP3. It is really a good thing. Thanks Chinmaya, keep up the good work.

Have you stirred your coffee well?

Sometimes we struggle with a tasteless coffee till the last sip, then we find sugar lying at the bottom.. THAT IS LIFE, Sweetened, but not stirred well...

OOPS - I Fell In Love...

OOPS - I Fell In Love... is yet another Indian novel penned down by Harsh Snehanshu ... A good humorous love story to spend time with, it will keep you bounded till the last page, when you realize that it is not the end of the story, but just the beginning of the love story...

People say that love is pure, love is blind, love is fair, love is unfair, love enhances oneself or love spoils oneself; but I haven’t experienced anything! My feelings have not been changed nor am I. I am still the same guy who cries watching any romantic movie, who abuses the Indian bowlers if they are struck for boundaries, who spends useless hours on net just refreshing his scrapbook… but there is something that ensures an immense contentment inside me. I am not mad in love, but I love somebody madly.

It’s not that I am never sad or negativities don’t shoot me because I am in love… It’s not that I don’t give a damn to this world because I am in love… It’s not that I am not affected by the jeers of this world… but it’s just that I have a very very special person on this planet, after talking to whom all my pains are sublimated, I become abnormally rejuvenated and satisfied. My life has been touched to the core, and there is a big difference in me which only I can realize.

I am in love; ‘I’ am in love and ‘I’ love to be in love!

-- Harsh Snehanshu

Discover the Diamond in you ...

The 9 P’s of SUCCESS

1. PASSION – There is nothing more powerful than a human soul on fire. Nothing in life defines us more than how passionately we go about doing what we believe in. Follow your passion and everything will follow.

2. POSITIVE ENERGY – The higher the positive energy, the more our chances of achieving success. All your passion can go waste, if it is not backed up by a tremendous amount of positive energy.

3. PERFORMANCE – Insanity is continuing the same behaviour and expecting a different result. If you want things around you to change, you need to be that change agent. You have got to do something more than what you’ve always been doing. SUSTAINED SINCERITY: The two most important words that make an achiever!

4. PERSEVERANCE – “The only people who never fail are those who never try!” Success teaches us very little – it is failure that makes you think and work harder. Be prepared to fail, but have the perseverance to try again and again. Success will not be far behind.

5. PERSONALITY – LAW of personality stands for Looks, Actions and Words. In a leader, personality is more important than technical expertise. He has to have this ability to create an aura of dynamism around him and bring in so much good cheer and positive energy that it sets the right tone for the entire organization and has a strong, positive impact on group performance.

6. PEOPLE SKILLS – “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.” You need to have the ability and knack of building a great team. The most important job of a leader is to find his replacement. Only then he can grow in life.

7. PERSPECTIVE – If you know where you are travelling to and what you want in life, everything else becomes clear, and your journey reaps the maximum rewards. The unfortunate reality in our lives is that often, because we lack perspective, we chose that path which gives us short-term returns, but it is harmful in the long run.

8. PRINCIPLES – Let there never be any doubt about what you stand for. Principles and ethics make a man stand tall in the long run.

9. PATRIOTISM – Patriotism makes your success live forever – it is the love for your country and for human beings anywhere in the world that makes a human diamond perfect!

The Greatness Guide 2

Another book from Robin Sharma on "Greatness". Name of the book is "The Greatness Guide 2 - 101 ways to reach the next level".

Following are the 101 points that he talks about:

1. Be the Best You - There will never be a better time to be the best you than today.

2. Invisible Fences - As we grow up, we adopt negative beliefs and false assumptions and sabotaging fears from the world around us. These become our Invisible Fences.

3. The Power of Simple – Success will come from simplicity.

4. Be So Good They Can’t Ignore you – Life is always fair in the end. Trust it.

5. The Success Expansion Principle – On the other side of every fear door lie gorgeous gifts.

6. Wear Shiny Shoes – The way you do little things says a lot about the way you will do the big things.

7. Listen Carefully – Every person you meet knows at least one thing you don’t; don’t let them leave without learning it.

8. Dream like David (Mejia) – You can curse the darkness, or you can light a candle and show up as a leader.

9. Do It Now – Why delay having a remarkably good time until you are old?

10. JBN (Just Be Nice) – Nice is what builds enduring businesses.

11. There Are No Mistakes – Everything that has happened to you in your life, the good and the difficult, was necessary to help you become the person you are now.

12. The Blank Slate of Tomorrow – It’s better to die standing than live your whole life on your knees.

13. Get Great at Gratitude – What you value in your life increases its value.

14. Take Charge Fast – Leadership occurs in moments of challenge, not during moments of ease.

15. Ideas Are Worthless if? – The world of ours is full of great thinkers who never realized their greatness. Nothing happens until you move.

16. Open Your Eyes – It’s easy to get caught up in the rush of busyness and the call of our routines that we forget the imperative of being aware of the very things we are doing.

17. Symbols of Glory – What tokens of excellence can you find that will quickly help you get back to your priorities when the crush of daily events clamors for your attention?

18. Be Unreasonable – The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Critics have always laughed at the visions of bold thinkers and remarkable visionaries. Ignore them.

19. Not All Leaders Are the Same – Everyone can show leadership behavior but that doesn’t mean everyone will lead the organization. Everyone really can be a leader and have a profound impact by standing for excellence within the area of their responsibility. But not everyone is the same.

20. I Learn from My Mistakes (Sometimes) – If you don’t try, you’ll never know.

21. Ask Powerful Questions – In business, remarkable performers are dazzlingly good at getting to the right question, the one that speeds them to the place they need to reach.

22. Be Breathtakingly Humble – Humility. An essential element in the creation of a beautiful legacy.

23. Be a Cool Brand – What would it take for you to become a cool brand, so that when people think of you, words like innovative or world class or unique infuse their minds.

24. Cherish Conflict – Conflict is nothing more than an opportunity for greater growth and a deeper connection.

25. The Responsibility Meter – Life is all about balance. And one of the most vital of all balance points is the one involving freedom and responsibility.

26. A Lust for Growth – Growth is the only evidence of life. We are here only because of that.

27. Credit Doesn’t Matter – You can accomplish anything in life, provided that you don’t mind who gets the credit.

28. The Brilliance of Acceptance – We all get hard days and mean seasons, from time to time. But days do get better and seasons always change.

29. Be a Beautiful Thinker – Commit to making each of your thoughts a thing of beauty.

30. Opinions Doesn’t Matter – Success isn’t a popularity contest.

31. Are You Jokeable? – When was the last time you allowed someone to make you laugh so hard tears streamed down your cheeks?

32. How to Get Power – The only way to truly get power is to give it away.

33. Habits Are Hip – What separates the best from the rest comes down to habits.

34. Find Perfect Moments – Life could always be better, but happiness is all about gaining a sense of promotion and perspective.

35. The Paradox of Praise – Giving praise to all those around you, when they most deserve it, makes you look like more. It elevates you. It makes you look like a hero.

36. Luck Versus Law – Good things happen to people who do good things. Do the right things and you cannot help but see the right results.

37. Camel’s Back Syndrome – Sustained failure happens as the consequence of small, daily acts of neglect that stacks up over time to lead to a blowup, and a breakdown.

38. Burn the Extra 1 Percent – The last 1 percent most people keep in reserve is the extra percent champions have the courage to burn.

39. Remember Reciprocity – It’s only human nature to want to help those who’ve helped us. Each of us has a deep-seated hunger to do unto others as they’ve done unto us.

40. Say What You Mean – It’s the people we love most that we take most for granted.

41. Richard Branson and Outrageous Optimism – Being the most optimistic person in the room will help you transcend the rest.

42. Beware of Victimspeak – No matter what life sends us, we are responsible for the way we respond.

43. I’m Stretching Too – Never let anyone tell you that your dreams can’t come true. Eventually someone’s going to do what you dream of doing. Why not you then?

44. Stop Trying So Hard – Life will always lead you to a place that’s better.

45. The Mirror Test – Ask yourself, “What one thing could I do today that if I did it, my professional and personal life would get to its NLG: Next Level of Greatness?”

46. Find Uncomfortable Friends – Why spend time with people at work who play at mediocre? Why have friends in your personal life who resign themselves to being ordinary?

47. Improve Where You Are – To get world class, it is absolutely essential to become an excellent innovator.

48. Pride In Parenting – Money us not the most important form of wealth.

49. The Hidden Machinery – Masters make everything look so simple. The most brilliant of the best do their craft with effortless ease and exceptional grace, or at least, make it look that way to you and me.

50. Don’t Wait for Change – Sometimes, when everyone else is waiting for someone else to take the first step, you need to be the one to drive the change.

51. First Principles for Great Relationships – Never miss an opportunity to celebrate and elevate another person.

52. Worry Versus Reflection – Isn’t there something good about going back and delighting in the delicious moments of journey so far and in learning from all we’ve experienced?

53. Believe in Others – Leadership is all about believing in others (and yourself) when no one else does.

54. The Best Practice is Practice – Brilliant results don’t just show up by chance. The finest things in life take patience, focus and sacrifice.

55. Pain Servers You Well – Perhaps the things that break our hearts are the very things that serve to open them.

56. Your Team’s Only as Good as You – You set the standard to which you all can rise. Each finger affects the strength of the hand.

57. Music Makes Life Better – Music will help a lot. It will make every moment better. It is the soundtrack to a brilliant life.

58. Don’t Fight for your Excuses – No great life was ever built on a foundation of excuses. So stop making them.

59. ABC (Always Be Connecting) – Find ways to connect, with the people you work with, with the loved ones you live with, and with the strangers with whom you share this journey called life.

60. What Separates You? – Know what separates you from everyone else. Because if you don’t know what makes your business special, how can you tell everyone else?

61. Time Passes Too Fast – Go the extra mile in all you do. Speak truthfully. Live with honor. And have some fun. Because one day, your time will run out.

62. What Happened to Quiet? – Too much noise gets in the way of dreaming and good conversations and time to just be.

63. A Stainless Character – We always have a choice. We can always choose between right and wrong.

64. Set People Free – People want to be a part of an organization that lets them bring their gifts to work and be fully alive.

65. A Day of Listening – Everyone has a voice. And each of us craves to have ours recognized.

66. Smart Companies Compete for Emotion – The main competition is not for “share of wallet”. No. It’s for share of your customers’ hearts.

67. You’ll Know When You Know – Do your best and let life do the rest.

68. Be a Hero – Greatness inhabits each one of us irrespective of who we are and where we are.

69. Why Plan? – Start writing about the work and home you desire to create.

70. Ask to Get – The most brilliant of the best, those who live glorious lives that matter, ask like crazy.

71. Do New Things -

72. On Personal Mastery – Life offers you daily opportunities to shine, to polish your gifts, to release your chains, to achieve personal mastery.

73. Be Unpopular – Business that try to be all things to all people end up being nothing to anyone.

74. Own Your Greatness – People appreciate being reminded that they are meant to play at great. That there are no extra people on the planet. That every life has a purpose.

75. Be Like Coldplay – Create fans, then delight them and do whatever it takes to get them coming back for more.

76. Stop Sleeping So Much -

77. Go Perpendicular – It is not possible to discover new oceans unless one is willing to lose sight of the shore.

78. Do Your Life – An excellent life grows out of an authentic one.

79. Give to Get – You need to give to get. Giving does begin the receiving process.

80. Be Like J.K. (Rowling) – Visionaries see an opportunity that most around them just don’t get.

81. Whatever Happened to Commitment? – Nothing comes for free. The best things in life require sacrifice and devotion.

82. Get Excited or Get Upset – Each day we have the opportunity to make choices and the way we choose shapes our destiny.

83. Build Bridges, Not Fences – We all crave to belong, to know we are part of a larger whole.

84. Fail Faster – There can be no success without failure. It’s just part of the process. You need to fail to win.

85. Angels in Your Evolution – Everyone who is causing you stress, struggle and challenge in your life just might be an angel of sorts… carrying the lessons you most need to learn.

86. Lead By Example – The greatest sermon on life is the one you see.

87. Be an Idea Factory – One big idea could revolutionize your life and even the world around you. All it takes is that single genius thought to change the whole game.

88. Speak Your Truth – One of the things that separates leaders from followers is that those who lead speak openly, honestly and courageously.

89. Leadership Begins at Home – The fruit never falls far from the tree, and your children will become a lot more like you than you may believe.

90. Respect Rules – Making your teammates feel special is job number one.

91. Learn from Michael J. Fox – Every life is terminal. No matter how long we get to live, we are all headed for the same end.

92. The Journey’s as Good as the End – Climb offers you far more value and as many rewards as getting to your mountaintop.

93. What Is Success? – Success is all about being in the process of joyfully creating a life that reflects your highest values, your deepest beliefs and your greatest dreams.

94. Your Highest Freedom – Everything can be taken from a man but one thing, the last of the human freedoms to choose one’s attitude to a given set of circumstances, to choose one’s way.

95. Go Hollywood – Many of our professional and personal desires really can come true, if we write the script.

96. On the Burden of Greatness – At the end of our lives, the only thing that endures is who we became, the difference we made and the love we gave.

97. Live an Intense Life – Do it all with rare passion, with bravery and with a sparkle in your eye. Do it all with intensity.

98. Make Your Mark – If you don’t use each day to do even one thing to make your mark and to advance your vision and to become your brilliance, you may muss what truly counts.

99. Create Your Body of Work – Greatness comes when you create something with your life that is not only bigger than you but outlasts you.

100. Big Like Mandela – Nelson Mandela is an amazing example of the heights to which human beings can rise.

101. Will You Be Great Today? – Get to the truth: You are meant to play big with your life.

Doubt & Faith ...

Doubt is a pain too lonely to know that Faith is his twin brother...

Doubt does make you feel lonely, as if no one else knows what you are feeling or going through. Whether you doubt yourself, or someone else, or a situation happening, it is a very lonely place to be. But, if you have faith, and know who you are and what you want, then the strength comes with those feelings.