I miss Sankars

This year has seen me at the Bangalore airport five times in the last 3 weeks - almost every weekend.

This is after a break of a few months – and the last visit was in a hurry, when I mde it just in time to board.

The biggest disappointment [or shock?] for me was that there is no decent bookstore at the airport anymore.

The information desk pointed me to the store that, to me, is more like a street corner convenience store. They sell fridge magnets, miscellaneous traveler gadgets, chocolates, snacks.. and.. yes, some newspaper and one pathetic rack of books!

Time was, even with very little time at the old Bangalore airport [i must admit that the airport was much smaller and with fewer flights, about 25 years ago], one could drop in at Sankars.

Though the area was quite small, the variety of books carried and the change in stock every time I visited, even when it was quite frequent, was very good.

Not to mention the friendly, personalized service and recommendations that added to the experience.

While I see Sankars in other places – such as Rangashankara, I miss you at the airport!

Startup thoughts from Yennappa

It has now become very fashionable to talk about startups.

Thanks to the Startup India mission, everyone wants to have a share of the Startup pie!

Starting up is not easy. Most startups that get talked about have gone through phases of struggle, hard lessons they learnt along the way etc.

I have been trying to understand the startup ecosystem and contribute in my little ways through some small time activities in the last couple of years.

So, when the Starup India action plan was announced, I was curious and went through the 40 page, slickly produced document.

The biggest question was related to the definition of a startup.

Other than being a new company – less than 5 years old and beign a small company – less than 25 Crores turnover per year, the plan said:

A business is covered under the definition if it aims to develop and
commercialize
• a new product or service or process; or
• a significantly improved existing product or service or process,
that will create or add value for customers or workflow.

I was trying to visualize how this could lead to a lot of innovative ideas. Particularly since entrepreneurs would like to be creative and fine opportunities between the lines.

Just then, my good friend Yennappa walked in and saw the confused look on my face.

Hallo.,. what are you thinknig about today, he asked. When I explained my confusion, he said in his usual style, “Saar, please  read the full definition”. The rest of trhe definition went:

The mere act of developing
• products or services or processes which do not have potential for
commercialization; or
• undifferentiated products or services or processes; or
• products or services or processes with no or limited incremental
value for customers or workflow
would not be covered under this definition.

And, he continued, the company cannot be formed out of an existing company, should generate employment etc etc etc

When I said that it would be very difficult to have a startup meeting all these criteria – he said.. “Just think!” and continued

“I was having a conversation with a Paanwalla on my way here. He is also excited about the new policy, as he has been hearing of this onthe radio, TV, magazines etc etc etc and how so many millionaires have been made by startups [I thought that it should be the other way around]”

How would a paanwalla benefit, I asked.

“Aha! that is where you have to be creative. Let me tell you what I told him..”

First, you need to be small – less than 25 Crore turnover.

Check. he qualified

Second, you should have a unique product.

He thought for a while and said that I will create a unique paan that will be made from the Geo-tagged Banarasi Paan or the Thanjavur Betel leaf, with a special filling to meet the tastes of all ages. From Chocolate to Chai, Pizza  I will hire a team of specialist nutritionists and chefs to create options to make teh Paan the main course and have some starters as well as desserts to follow. So far, Paan is considered only as a digestive.

My product will not only reposition the Paan, but also expand the market by taking it to newer segments of people who have never tasted Paan before!

I will have this unique combination, so that all paanwallas have opportunities to cross and up-sell and expand their business. I can look at franchising my model and technology.

That is not all, I will patent a Quick Paan Process, that can nake a paan in less than 28 seconds. That will then help me make and sell paan at traffic junctions, while people wait for the signal to turn green.

Just imagine the social benefit of this. People are more likely to switch off their engines and save the nation valuable fuel. And, more importantly, witih paan in their mouths, swearing and abuse due to road rage – just because the person ahead is a little slow to start – will be a thing of the past.

And wait, I have another idea – before you ask – what will heppen to our roads if all the paan consumed is likely to be spit on the roads.

I will have another startup that will make quickspit bags or a cleanup service at all traffic lights, so that you can spit out in special containers at the next light! Imagine how much more cleaner our roads will be. My little contribution to the Swachch Bharat mission.

And, that is not all, I need to come up with new versions of the product at regular intervals, My R&D team will tie up with leading institutions like CFTRI to some up with dissolving paan, to eliminate any side effects of pollution.

You see, I can already see many agencies waiting to fund me. My plans for the next 5 years is all done. By the time the 5 year window is over, I would be thinking of the next projects.

Hmm. I said – never thought of it like that. Now that you have an idea of how staryups can really change the thinking in India, are you also excited?

By the way, would you like to be an angel investor? I can use my friendship with Yennappa and get you some preferntial terms.

But, please hurry..

 

 

Picture of paan leaf from our garden

Living in a wired world

As the world moves towards wireless connectivity, we still cannot wish away wires in our midst.

Cellphone towers are said to be a major cause for the vanishing sparrows from our urban landscape. In Bangalore, the only place where I find sparrows – or rather, used to find – was the airport. Nowadays, that population is also reducing – not sure if it is just that they are not able to enter the main airport food court area or have moved out of the area..

While in school and college, one of my hobbies was listening to shotwave radio. In order to improve reception of far off and weal stations, I had created a mesh of wires on the terrace – different shapes, orientations etc, in the hope that the signals would be received clearly. The hobby was called DXing or SWLing.

Then we started going miniature and wireless. Transistor radios, walkman etc still needed some chords for power or the headphones.

Then came the bluetooth headsets and connections to car audio or the music system, so that we can stream media across the room.

Even with all the planning, I recently noticed that we cannot avoid wires! Our building, though 15+ years old, had planned to have concealed wiring from the basement to all individual flats.

Not only the power lines, with backup generator, but also wires for cable TV and phone lines were all laid out and termination points created in the basement.

But then, with multiple phone and internet service providers and most of them either not understanding the wiring already done or just not wanting to take the extra effort to draw wired through existing conduits.

I was a little surprised to note the other day that there were more than a dozen wires hanging exposed in one section of the building.

I am sure that there would be at lease a dozen more elsewhere..

Talking of wires laid indiscriminnately, I see that many contractors laying conduits / cables for the optical fibres in the storm water drains. That only clogs and also acts as mini dams for other debris thrown in the drains..

The question is: even wuth all this, are wires less harmful for the environment?

Maybe we will see the sparrows back, if we reduced the wireless radiations and move to a more wired world..

New year thoughts - 2016

2015 was wonderful.
had its ups and downs.
both personal and in the word around.

here's hoping for an even more wonderful year
for me, for you and everyone else

while it is good to wish for more, my prayers are for many things less..
less pollution
less hatred
less fear
less poverty
less illnesses
and less time on the net

and some things more..
more active lifestyles, so that we have healthier living
more freedom and independence, so that everyone can be their natural best
more prosperity, so that the basic needs of living are taken care of for all
more time with people, so that we can talk and discuss points like these..

Have a happy, healthy and wealthy year ahead!

Root causes how Bengaluru was rated the cleanest state capital in India

First - a disclaimer: this is a post out of disbelief!
and meant to be based on a lighter look at the world around.

Yesterday, I was at a party.
In Bengaluru.
Usually, one sure fire topic to get everyone passionately involved is - traffic!
But, yesterday was different.
It was about the news item that Bengaluru was the cleanest capital city in India.
For those of us who have been living in Bengaluru - felt that as part of the attempt to trifurcate the city's governing body, the areas we usually are in must have been out of the map.

How else could the filth lying around been missed?

Maybe there is something obvious that we all missed!

We decided to reach out to Yennappa, a long time resident of Bangalore, who has an answer to everything in the world and beyond.

It is very simple Saar.
You should read the report carefully. It says one of the parameters is public urination.
How is that possible in Bengaluru? Tell me, tell me!

First - we do not retain any extra fluids in our body.
We just spit - whenever and where ever.
So the need to relieve ourselves urgently is reduced!

But.. we interrupted - does that not make the city dirty?
No Saar, that is not a parameter for the study.

Also Saar, look at the roads - so many potholes.. and stagnant water.
I don't have the guts to pollute the puddles, that I will have to step into!

Ok, we got it!
Thanks Yennappa.

No No Saar, you are missing another important reason why it is almost impossible to do this on most roads.
That is the Bengaluru style of driving.
Tell me Saar, on which road do you feel safe to just stand on the footpath, without the fear of a two wheeler knocking you down!
We love to ride on the footpath..
Those extra few seconds we save will let us leave office a few seconds early also!!

With complete clarity on the root causes that are Bengaluru's secret to keep the city clean we got back to our party wondering how the rest of the country - and even the world - can learn from Bengaluru.

What do you think?

Barefoot on the western ghats

On a recent trip to Trivandrum,  wanted to explore some new, not very touristy place.
so, thought of going to Ponmudi,

A glimpse of Ponmudi, under a heavy cloud cover

which was recommended as a good spot to trek from.
due to heavey overnight rain and a landslide, the Trivandrum central station was closed and all trains were delayed.

so, by the time we were ready to leave the hotel, it was already past 1.45 PM.

so, we thought of visiting the meenmutty falls, which has an organized trek with a guide, arranged by the forest department.

but, that was closed for some reason and we chose to take up another small trek - that we had not heard of earlier, but proved to be a good choice.

the trek was through a thickly wooded path - we also crossed a small adivasi dwelling - and the climb in places was quite steep.

with the rains, sections were also wet

That, of course, meant leeches!

though there was a semblance of a path, most of the was was more like this:

and then we got the first close look at the river [kallar]

even as we said wow!, the guide said that this is only a teaser and that we should be going further.

we saw some uniquely shaped mushrooms - that looked like diyas -

the guide wanted us to take off our footwear, to get a better grip [some of the rocks were mossy] and we crossed the river twice.

first to get to the other side where it was easier to walk along and then back to continue to walk towards the first of the two cascades.

it was getting dark - at least inside the forest and we wanted to get back.
but our guide insisted that we go further to get even better views and only after we got near the waterfall and took some pictures, was  he satisfied.

Overall, i would recommend this spot - and i suppose there are may more such spots along the way to Ponmudi, that you would enjoy if you are interested in getting a closer feel for the rich natural environment.

Now even I can skip!

 

I had written about being unplugged from the net, technology etc earlier.

the digital lords seem to have a comprehensive plan to surround us with technology and make it impossible to be without them.. complete submission to the devious designs of the digital dons.

time was when miniaturization was seen as cool! from valve radios to transistors. and then the radios becoming part of the music players, phones etc – making them even smaller.

similarly, I remember that during my initial visits to the US, had to get very long cords to connect the phone, so that I could walk around the apartment, while talking on the phone. though messy and potentially a pain to be stay untangled, it met the need to be mobile while talking on the phone [for hours!].

mobile phones had the ‘hands free’ accessories , that were just earpieces and mouthpieces wired to one’s ears an the phone.

then came Bluetooth. which eliminated the need to have wires, to be connected to the phone.

then it is now wireless everything, including a wi-fi connection to the internet.

One main reason for my hesitation to use the jump rope [or skipping rope], is that my movements are hardly graceful. add to that the fear that I will make a fool of myself, by being clumsy and possibly trip myself over the rope.

when I saw this ad in an airline sales catalog – which, by the way, is one of the interesting publications that I like to go through in details, particularly on the long, boring flights.. – and felt that I – like the famous French chef in the movie ratatouille said that anyone can cook – anyone can now skip.

my experience with skipping has so far been skipping my exercises, skipping my medicines etc.

but with this ad, it looked that it was the ideal solution to help me tick off one more ‘to learn’ items in my bucket list, for skipping

a digital, cordless skipping rope!

what will they think of next?