tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-231190002012-02-17T15:41:10.742+05:30Opinions on anything and everything... flavored with passion, intelligence an a bit of humor.Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.comBlogger1831100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-20770471259001020682012-02-16T03:11:00.000+05:302012-02-16T11:52:29.218+05:30

Recently, we've witnessed an interesting battle between the two 'big' newspapers of India - on TV and in social media like Facebook. In fact, as I write this - the battle is still ongoing and seems likely to heat up further. I will not recap the events here - you can look it up on Google or FB (although if you don't know what I'm talking about, you're most likely not someone who reads Indian

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-69396002780147762942012-01-20T19:41:00.001+05:302012-01-21T10:10:04.990+05:30

As someone who comes from an Army family and grew up with the Army all around, it is surely natural that I am following the Gen VK Singh age row with keen interest, and have decided to write about it today. At the outset, let me say that I did not start with a bias in favor of Gen Singh. On the contrary, I was dismayed when I first heard about this controversy and its escalation. The Indian Army

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-14257395546124580262012-01-04T14:49:00.000+05:302012-01-04T21:27:47.865+05:30

While the issue is not new, this particular post was motivated by this article and the following discussion in TOI, and an earlier argument I had on a web forum about restrictions on nightlife in Bangalore. The TOI article reported the views of the woman who was the HoD for women studies (whatever that encompasses), and who currently is the head of the committee against sexual harassment in the

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-87443408807244418382011-12-15T19:37:00.002+05:302011-12-15T20:54:41.449+05:30

It is estimated that nearly 100 million people died due to hunger & malnutrition across the world in the last decade. Approx 24,000 people people still die everyday for the same reasons. These are huge numbers. To put them in perspective, think about this - about 23 people will die by the time you finish reading this post (~90 sec). The vast majority of the victims of this problem are children

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-76149868800904178482011-12-09T18:01:00.001+05:302011-12-10T03:08:04.025+05:30

Prologue Earlier this year, my friend Gokul and I were watching the Final match of the 2011 Cricket World Cup together at my place. During the innings break, we rushed to the ATM in our apartment complex, as neither of us had enough cash to pay for the dinner that we were going to order in. Unfortunately, a lot of people had the same idea and there was a long queue at the ATM. When we were

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-78591845291033937652011-11-29T17:10:00.001+05:302011-11-29T18:50:37.437+05:30

I often get quite irritated by things and people that don't make sense, but am usually too lazy to pen down a blog post about them. As regular readers would know, my posts are usually long, and I put a lot of effort into them. Most of the times, the irritants simply don't seem worth the time and effort. A great case in point is Sonu Nigam (don't know how many u's, i's, g's, a's, m's etc. he uses

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-11037945188583918992011-11-01T12:23:00.001+05:302011-11-01T14:19:12.033+05:30

First up, I'm really happy that India now hosts our own F1 race, and that the event went off quite smoothly - one canine intervention aside. F1 is still pretty much a first-world sport involving big money and cutting-edge technology, and hosting a race weekend is a sign that India is arriving on the big stage. I'm happy and proud of this, but I'm sure enough and more has been said about this in

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-9023762630082199912011-10-29T02:24:00.002+05:302011-10-29T02:34:02.319+05:30

It seems to be the season of idiotic statements. There's been a steady stream from the likes of Digvijay Singh and Kiran Bedi, but as someone who only writes occasionally, I can't even try to keep up with them. I did offer my two bits about NRN's statements about IIT-ians, and am now writing again about something that I care a lot about, and which hopefully will NOT become an endless debate. PT

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-21078810664129175752011-10-21T22:17:00.000+05:302011-10-22T00:04:59.671+05:30

For the past few days, there's been a lot of hype in the media about Bangalore's new 'Namma Metro'. It's been covered on national TV, and the local newspapers have gone ballitsic. TOI carried a 32-page special supplement yesterday, and had another 10 pages of reports and related ads in the main newspaper and Bangalore Times. These included interviews with people who had used the NY Subway and

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-14012799242505837422011-10-08T10:19:00.001+05:302011-10-13T03:09:05.917+05:30

Receiving criticism isn't new at all to IITs and their alumni. Is it a coincidence that such criticism almost always comes from people who did not go to IITs themselves? I think not. Anyway, when someone as eminent as Mr. Narayana Murthy speaks on a subject like this, people pay attention. To be fair, he did raise a few valid points. However, most of what he said was BS, and it is simply

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-64415344284834644152011-09-12T21:34:00.001+05:302011-09-12T21:37:10.391+05:30

In a couple of my earlier posts, I have mentioned my appreciation for Dr Subramanian Swamy & Janata Party - their agenda, and some of the good work they've done. Not surprisingly, some people found this outrageous, since Swamy - like the BJP - is considered 'communalist' and therefore unacceptable to the majority of the Indian intelligentsia. I consider this very unfortunate, because the

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-46852007080751745602011-08-25T03:07:00.004+05:302011-08-25T13:39:58.587+05:30

Wed, Aug 24, Special correspondents all over the place: South Indian, Indian, Global, Universal Superstar Rajinikanth had yesterday offered his support for Anna Hazare and the Jan Lokpal Bill. As is usually the case with Rajini, the move had far-reaching repercussions that we summarize in this special report today. Public reaction Masses supporting the Jan Lokpal Bill erupted in celebration,

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-44189768431245421632011-08-19T02:49:00.002+05:302011-10-14T13:01:01.114+05:30

A lot of people have reacted to my last post where I presented my views on the Anna Hazare situation, and implored them to think twice about what they do. I have seen a few common themes among the negative responses that I shall address here. 1. 'Anna was denied the right of effective protest', 'How can govt dictate where and when he protests', 'The restrictions were unreasonable'... Sorry to

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-19558432454601314122011-08-17T15:44:00.007+05:302011-10-14T13:01:01.101+05:30

Over the last couple of days, it seems like everyone has decided to 'support Anna Hazare'. I find myself in a very small minority who do not want to support Anna Hazare. Let me explain why, and hope you will think this through as well. What exactly is happening here? Anna wants his version of the Jan Lokpal Bill to be implemented. No problem so far. Anna wants to fast unto death in New Delhi if

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com80tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-82593619519007165692011-08-11T21:59:00.007+05:302011-08-12T15:54:11.267+05:30

Act 1 22 April, 1998. It's a hot summer afternoon in Sector 15, Chandigarh - at a relative's place where I'm spending my summer holidays. Everyone's settling down around the TV. Being Punjabi, the uncles are making the customary jokes about the new Sardar kid called Harbhajan Singh. India are about to take on the mighty Aussies in Sharjah. They must play well to qualify for the finals - either a

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-56612780126738910182011-05-26T20:32:00.009+05:302011-05-29T14:34:24.674+05:30

I've missed Lalit Modi.Yes, you read that right. And no, I'm not high. I guess an explanation is in order. I do NOT miss Modi's annoying lisp. I do not miss his Lalaji personality. And I certainly do not miss his long unnecessary speeches (only the anticipation of an exciting T20 game to follow could keep one awake thru one of those). The reason I've missed Lalit Modi is that he had a special

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-73198213639733348092011-03-20T12:09:00.003+05:302011-03-20T13:26:55.094+05:30

So, fellow and I have been watching all World Cup matches. Coupla days back, we witnessed a thrilling contest between Windies and England. Fellow wanted the Poms to lose - his reasons being a combination of a general anti-colonial hangover and a cricket-specific provocation. I wanted Englad to win for 3 reasons: I generally like everything British, thought England had done more to liven up the

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-49838750559278011302011-01-15T00:38:00.007+05:302011-05-20T13:20:24.083+05:30

Yesterday, I left Marketics/WNS. 4 years, 7 months, 2 weeks. That is the longest I've EVER been in a single place. Also, the general pace of life - both professionally, and personally - had been quite high till early 2010. On the work front, I joined a small company, which had started up just a couple of years back, and wasn't fully settled - and saw it grow rapidly, get acquired by, and

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-14024428410924729652010-12-24T19:54:00.013+05:302010-12-24T21:32:37.713+05:30

To those who didn't know me when I was an active programmer, some of the stuff in this post - including its basic premise - will seem incredible, obnoxious, or both. But those who did know me back then, know it's completely honest.I saw the movie 'the social network' last night. It was quite good. As I often do these days, I looked up Mark Zuckerberg on wikipedia to find out some more about him

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-37914394466561577022009-11-09T22:36:00.004+05:302011-10-14T13:05:40.545+05:30

Meenakshi was stunned. In their 5 years together, he had never put his arm around her with people around, or held her hand, or done anything that could be described as a 'public' display of affection - no matter how lenient you were with the definition of PDA. And now... Of all times - now?'That's a first', she said after recovering her wits.'What?''This', she said turning her head to indicate

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-72604419994617801732009-11-09T22:35:00.000+05:302009-11-09T22:36:22.380+05:30

... to bring life back to this space, don't you think?Coming soon.

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-8158671166874543102009-09-26T03:44:00.004+05:302009-09-26T04:44:23.222+05:30

Friend of mine said a few things on facebook, which I feel obliged to react to, but since facebook limits the length and format of comments, I'm continuing the discussion here."The deal is there is NO big deal about Hamilton. He benefits and loses just like the rest of them... He does not in any shape, form or spirit embody any kind of genius, excellence, or commitment. He is NOT in the league of

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-66515715615701475402009-07-13T22:41:00.005+05:302009-07-14T22:28:37.900+05:30

It's commonplace for people to visit Thailand, for a variety of reasons. One visitor in 1982 was Dietrich Mateschitz, a European toothpaste marketing chap. He found that a local potion called Krating Daeng - most likely found lying in the mini-bar in his room, it's purpose probably explained by the person at the hotel's reception desk - was very effective in curing his jet-lag. He decided to take

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-8301883752464688642009-07-08T22:29:00.004+05:302009-07-08T23:10:39.405+05:30

... is set. It is the Lamborghini Gallardo. This is what it looks like:This is what it's about:Engine: 5200 cc, V100-100 kmph: 3.7 secTop speed: 325 kmphIt costs upward of US$ 200,000.Clearly, there are some barriers:1. I'll NEVER be able to buy it if my salary is INR-denominated. It's gonna be a challenge even with mid-range USD, EURO or GBP salaries.2. A car with top-speed of 325 kmph, and 0-

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-76371872914151432802009-07-04T12:53:00.008+05:302009-07-04T14:27:49.023+05:30

Every now and then I hear about some clash between a pair of communities, or some random groups of people with causes that conflict with each other. Violence is not uncommon in these incidents. And no matter how commonplace these clashes become, I canot help being enveloped by a feeling of absolute despondency and frustration every time I hear such news. In stead of getting used to it, and

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-38899831449841045752009-06-23T20:14:00.008+05:302009-06-25T03:32:50.882+05:30

Night out by the Thames with a couple of good friends, Turkish doner kebab and a lotta lager.Peeing by the roadside in London.Visiting a gentleman's club. Witnessing my friend getting rid of oncoming babe by saying 'Honey, I'm not your type' (clear gay implications!)Watching and T20 World Cup India game live at Trent Bridge.Traveling on the day's last train to London with Sunil Gavaskar.Standing

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-80995376166896164632009-06-07T23:34:00.004+05:302009-06-08T00:40:56.394+05:30

I am quite a gadget person. Not quite a gadget freak who'd know the firmware version of his cellphone OS, but I own quite a few and take a keen interest in buying anything really useful. I usually buy the best and latest models, before they become mainstream, and don't mind paying a premium for the 'edge'. I also perform a lot of research before selecting models, and generally make an effort to

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-84269719982175000992009-04-03T00:24:00.005+05:302009-04-03T00:52:22.732+05:30

First, they demoted Trulli to 12th, which was unfair. Then, they changed their mind and disqualified Lewis. Do these people have any accountability? They regularly impose harsh penalties on drivers and teams (with the exception of Ferrari) just because they can. WTF?!Let's understand what happened in Melbourne. Trulli went off-track. Lewis overtook him, and this was legitimate. But McLaren

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-82275578792273049142009-03-22T22:14:00.003+05:302011-10-14T13:01:01.120+05:30

I had resolved to put down my views on this a long, long time back - even before I started blogging here. (see last post titled 'To-do' on linked page). It's time to deliver.I should warn you - the ideas in this post are going to be rather radical, and anything BUT politically correct. You may feel outraged. If you aren't sure you can handle that in a mature manner, don't read it.Based on all

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-21150378456702348512009-03-22T21:11:00.002+05:302009-03-22T22:11:08.354+05:30

... there's no better way to build anticipation, than to watch the Brazilian GP video put up by Formula1.com folks here. (Note: The video linked above, and the rest of this post are only for serious F1 fans. Others shouldn't waste their time - you just won't get it.) It might take some time to load, but you MUST watch this video as it is absolutely brilliant. It's more dramatic than most movies

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-41874027644448005472009-03-14T18:32:00.000+05:302009-03-14T18:33:34.023+05:30

WTF?!(Yes, that's it.)

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-62018657892936428132009-03-02T22:15:00.004+05:302011-10-14T13:01:36.177+05:30

Youtube rocks!Ok, so you probably knew that. But I'm posting this coz I found a few old gems this weekend, songs and videos I'd thought I'd never see/hear again. Kripya checkout kariye:1. 'Maar daala' by Nirmal Pandey. Nirmal Pandey sings, and behaves like - well - Nirmal Pandey. He surely realized he couldn't pull off anything romantic or serious, and he deserves credit for that. Highlight: the

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-56415003977867243152009-02-26T21:18:00.006+05:302009-02-26T22:57:49.896+05:30

My manager at P&G once said, "We all spend 9 hours, 5 days a week, in office. That is most of the time we are awake. We deserve to be happy during this time. As do all of our technicians" (the audience comprised of managers, and all techs reported to us). While my relationship with him turned very sour, very soon, this statement got etched in my head.As a manager, I believe I have some

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-53280876902004125952009-02-22T21:31:00.006+05:302009-02-22T23:09:29.365+05:30

So, I got 'tagged' by both Daddy-san and his wife on this one. It's doing the rounds on Facebook, and the rules force you to write 25 random things about yourself (that's a lot, even for me!), and to tag 25 (unfortunate) people who then have to do the same thing. It's damn annoying. I didn't have the patience to fully read others' notes, let alone writing one such note myself. But I've decided to

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-8379461088118282492009-02-17T00:28:00.004+05:302011-10-14T12:56:41.639+05:30

The last post got me thinking - why haven't I ever blogged about restaurants and food?! So, after devoting one post to Yellow Chilli, I'm writing another one. This is a list of some of my favorite restaurants, and in most cases - favorite dishes there, too.(This is not a ranking, just writing about them as I remember)1. Stuffed crabs @ Britto's, Goa. Twice I went to Britto's. Twice we ordered the

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-8793650613020863022009-02-14T18:53:00.004+05:302011-10-14T12:57:30.331+05:30

I eat out a lot. Lunch has been at a restaurant almost everyday for the past 3 years, and even before that, I wasn't a fan of mess food in college. And I've visited restaurants in most cities of India, and tried a variety of stuff abroad as well. While I've enjoyed all of that, I don't remember ever blogging about a restaurant. So, when I say Sanjeev Kapoor's Yellow Chilli is exceptionally good,

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-42490922908134697342009-01-04T20:31:00.002+05:302009-01-04T20:35:32.519+05:30

... Hypermetropia. It was good (well, early on, at least - some posts in the first month were really funny, covered a variety of subjects, and were written in different styles)It's been dead for a while. I wanna give it another shot. Any volunteers to help?

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-9315213604478498652008-12-23T19:51:00.006+05:302008-12-26T02:14:00.697+05:30

If you are new to this story, do not start here. Go to the Index and Introduction page.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------'I'd like to make an offer to you - to join our franchise as a player for one season'Warney was shocked. This was beyond his dreams, and he didn't know how to react. 'Thank you,  sir. That's very flattering, but I'm not sure

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-34983095663786617712008-12-21T15:54:00.007+05:302008-12-23T21:25:13.534+05:30

If you are new to this story, do not start here. Go to the Index and Introduction page.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Preeti wrote about Deep in her diary that night: '...He seems like the answer to my prayers - someone who understands and appreciates me the way I am. We sit and talk about everything, and I look forward to sharing my dreams

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-36407003115802980702008-12-09T21:48:00.007+05:302008-12-21T19:00:56.175+05:30

If you are new to this story, do not start here. Go to the Index and Introduction page.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------'So... Warney...', began Preeti in a mischievous tone. When she started with 'Warney', it was a sure sign she was about to pull his leg.'How was your date with the dream-girl yesterday?'Warney gave an awkward smile, and paused

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-61507472673262957312008-12-09T01:52:00.005+05:302011-10-14T12:57:49.846+05:30

I have, several times in the past, been completely flummoxed by the voting patterns seen in various elections in this country. When the NDA Central government fell in 2004, my reaction bordered on disbelief. When BSP romped home in UP last time around, my indignant reaction was 'the electorate there deserves no better, if this is the choice they've made'. And there's the running joke called

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-38630320792757226842008-12-08T00:26:00.008+05:302008-12-23T21:24:03.269+05:30

Index:Episode 1NEEpisode 2WOEpisode THR3EEpisode 4OUREpisode 5IVEEpisode 6IXEpisode SE7ENEpisode EI8HTEpisode 9I9EEpisode 10-ENEpisode E11VENEpisode TWE12EEpisode THIR13ENAbout the story:This story has the same basic idea as YashRaj's 'Rab ne...' - For every ordinary jodi, there is an extraordinary love story! Cheesy, I know, and not the kind of stuff I usually put up on this blog. But I really

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-31304558646205577152008-12-07T21:18:00.007+05:302008-12-10T01:59:34.558+05:30

If you are new to this story, do not start here. Go to the Index and Introduction page.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Warney reached Mahesh Lunch Home 10 minutes before the agreed time of 1 pm. He got an sms from Prabha-with-a-vee, informing him that she will be about 45 min late, and would have to leave soon coz she had 'a million small jobs

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-32108248141916263292008-12-02T19:46:00.005+05:302008-12-10T01:59:53.654+05:30

If you are new to this story, do not start here. Go to the Index and Introduction page.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Preeti unlocked the door and walked in. Her flatmate, Kritika, a.k.a. K, was sitting on the carpet with scissors in hand, and a top she'd recently purchased. Kritika liked to re-design the designer clothes she bought.'

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-25462851830202810002008-11-28T21:05:00.007+05:302008-11-29T15:06:13.148+05:30

Part 1Last night, I was watching a discussion on Times Now. Though I do not think much of the Times Group's capabilities when it comes to serious news-reporting, and think even less of their Chief Editor Arnab Goswami, some of the guests they pulled in yesterday were quite interesting. In this particular discussion, they had a former ISI chief, a British journo, and some bureaucrat from

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-56701267270878535402008-11-25T23:40:00.003+05:302008-11-26T00:00:36.824+05:30

In the last couple of months, the readership of this blog has increased from near-zero to statistically significantly non-zero on a consistent basis. While that pleases me no end, I've been irked lately by several people complaining about various posts not living up to their expectations. 'What was the point?', 'Why was it so long?', 'This post didn't have your usual depth and emotion'... the

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-89972539421282442802008-11-20T21:31:00.002+05:302008-11-20T21:36:06.637+05:30

Hota hai. Chalta hai. Duniya hai.I can do MUCH better than this.Remember, remember The Sixteenth of NovemberThe efforts put inOn premises so thinLearn your lessonsA better future beckons

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-45582884850341732952008-11-19T21:26:00.010+05:302008-11-24T01:35:46.060+05:30

I don't wanna ruffle any feathers and get into unnecessary arguments, so here's a bunch of caveats:1. This is just ONE argument. A good decision requires all relevant arguments to be taken into consideration and weighed against each other. So, this argument alone does not conclusively answer the marriage question.2. There are a lot of tacit assumptions in the philosophy proposed, and they may not

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-59476756304576173202008-11-18T23:40:00.005+05:302008-11-19T01:00:36.603+05:30

I've been to Mumbai several times in the past, and had a very low opinion of the city - bordering on disdain. Before I'd ever been there, I'd heard monikers such as 'Maximum City', 'City of Dreams' etc., and everyone who'd been there for a bit, seemed to hold a firm belief that the city was 'unbeatable' within India. So, there was the weight of expectation - I expected to see fantastic things I'd

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-61458477845825380022008-11-09T22:49:00.004+05:302011-11-25T19:53:06.714+05:30

There was a time I used to blog frequently about relationships, love and marriage. In fact, this post was (and probably still is) considered by some (strong female skew) to be the best on this blog. Even though I don't personally consider it my best work, it was the only post that made somebody cry, and some strangers reach out to me for advice! A lot of water has passed under the bridge, and

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-69231496848060139802008-11-05T21:26:00.004+05:302011-10-14T13:02:13.590+05:30

I'd posted this sometime last year, and told readers to 'watch this space'. It's time for an update!Episode 1: Don CapturedI was wrong about this one. Don ko pakadna sach-much namunkin hai. He somehow managed to escape everytime his capture looked 'fully arranged'. An effort is still on, and he's relented to a large extent (he's even written poems. really!) But having learnt our lesson, let's not

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-60259412725731078662008-11-03T21:06:00.003+05:302008-11-03T22:08:53.969+05:30

Watching sport, you often hear some cliches done to death: 'this is going down to the wire', 'it isn't over till the fat lady sings (or 'the last ball', or 'the chequered flag', or 'the final whistle' - depending), 'he needs a miracle', 'it'll boil down to who holds their nerve'...If you watched what went down yesterday, you'd know what all these phrases really mean. A championship spanning 18

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-89873981634792928792008-11-03T12:10:00.003+05:302011-10-14T13:00:11.573+05:30

Yeah, cheesy image, I know. But it is such a perfect symbol for the whole Lewis Hamilton she-bang (pun intended!)And this is Lewis with his bro, dad, stepmum and Nicole. His mum, who was also at the race, is not in the frame. (Is it just me, or is that a weird bunch to have in such a snap!)Detailed review of this race, and the whole season, will be up later today on this blog. I can't wait

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-65059683715220039172008-10-29T20:34:00.005+05:302008-12-10T02:00:13.314+05:30

If you are new to this story, do not start here. Go to the Index and Introduction page.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------'Listen', Warney was assuming charge. 'I'm sure Muthu, and maybe even some others, will try to hit on you in there. Junta are drunk, and you are more popular than you think.''Really?', Preeti had been a little reluctant to get

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-6031575609062512102008-10-23T20:25:00.005+05:302008-12-10T02:00:37.976+05:30

If you are new to this story, do not start here. Go to the Index and Introduction page.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Preeti had met Arjun at IIM, Bangalore. They were in the same class, but didn't interact in term 1. Preeti, for understandable reasons, was very popular on campus and had made a large group of friends. Arjun was a serious,

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-62634991191227475802008-10-20T19:48:00.011+05:302008-12-10T02:00:53.471+05:30

If you are new to this story, do not start here. Go to the Index and Introduction page.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------They arrived in Goa on Friday morning, exhausted from the long bus journey. Nobody had managed a good night's sleep, and this was after four tough days at work. There wasn't going to be much respite, as they had to attend '

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-40743438236091330692008-10-19T22:49:00.008+05:302008-12-10T02:01:26.885+05:30

If you are new to this story, do not start here. Go to the Index and Introduction page.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------'Lucky bugger, da', snorted Muthu. He, Neil and Deep were having lunch in the Cafeteria on Monday afternoon. The two girls were busy, and would probably grab a bite at the Coffee shop later.'Big shit, man. She's my colleague.

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-38313994217589464512008-10-13T21:06:00.007+05:302008-12-10T02:01:57.702+05:30

If you are new to this story, do not start here. Go to the Index and Introduction page.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------'What? Neil and Muthu also ditched?''Looks like it. So you are gotta have dinner with me, rather than your boyfriend. Sorry about that', joked Warney.'There's no boyfriend! And I'm ok with just the two of us here. Unless

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-85423980053984797612008-10-12T22:25:00.007+05:302008-12-10T02:02:15.550+05:30

If you are new to this story, do not start here. Go to the Index and Introduction page.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------'Oh, I'd love to. But i've already made plans with some batchmates of mine.  I've just come to Mumbai, and last weekend I was busy setting up my house. I have to meet them today''Arre, no issues. We're anyway here nearly all

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-57035814676104149802008-10-09T15:47:00.007+05:302008-12-10T02:02:28.279+05:30

If you are new to this story, do not start here. Go to the Index and Introduction page.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------'Shubham Dutto, then', she said, tilting her head sideways and raising both eyebrows to emphasize the o in Dutto. She was smiling. Warney was trying hard to supress a goofy ear-to-ear grin.'Over there, third room from the left

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-13137312280297297732008-10-07T20:46:00.006+05:302008-12-10T02:03:07.133+05:30

If you are new to this story, you may want to start with the Index and Introduction page.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------"Kingfisher Airlines announces the departure of flight IT 203 to Mumbai..."Deepesh hugged his mom, and then dad and finally his little sis. Everyone's eyes were moist, including his. He bit his lip, waved at them, and walked

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-16319447771788311552008-10-05T20:51:00.004+05:302011-10-14T13:03:02.290+05:30

Till I was 25, I didn't understand this phenomenon. Having grown up among men who were willing to lay their lives down to defend their country (some even did), I mildly despised those who fled the country for personal comforts and gains. I formed the argument more clearly in my head, when I was at IIT/IIM - the government subsidises the higher education of a few, using tax-payers' money, so that

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-60879461842625699282008-10-04T22:56:00.005+05:302008-10-05T20:50:49.643+05:30

Scene 1Year: 2000. Age: 18. Location: IIT Madras. Life-stage: vela, 'fighter' college freshman.There are only 2 'status symbols' at IIT Madras - a 9-point-plus CGPA, or a girlfriend. Since relative grading ensures no more than 10% can have the former, everyone wants the latter.The month is Jan. Saarang is on. The air is thick with rumors of hotties from the local Stella Maris College and the '

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-81507495720678664882008-10-03T20:40:00.002+05:302008-10-03T20:46:25.057+05:30

Just d/l-ed the soundtrack of the upcoming movie - Golmaal Returns. The main track has lyrics that go thus:Lag ja gale se mere thaa kar ke,Haan thaa kar ke, haan thaa kar keSaari duniya se ishq bayaan kar keHaan haan kar ke, na na kar ke...Sounds terribly silly, i know, but somehow its very very catchy. Check it out! I tip this one to become a chart-topper, and extremely popular at 'bollywood

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-18188617344916946582008-10-03T15:41:00.008+05:302011-10-14T13:02:39.303+05:30

Yep. I was there. The first-ever F1 night-race at Singapore. Everytime I purchased anything (tickets, water bottles...), the organizers "thanked me for being a part of history being created"The experience was truly awesome. With the incredible noise and blurred images of Formula 1 cars (see below), the backdrop of the Mandarian Oriental Hotel, the Bay Waterfront and the Singapore CBD skyline by

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-15847017734352132382008-09-16T01:57:00.002+05:302008-09-16T02:10:51.168+05:30

I was going through some of my old posts, and am pleasantly surprised by how many of them seem even more relevant today! I've thought about writing about some of these subjects recently, and now I realize that I already wrote about them like 2 years back, and the same still holds. Check it out!Un-Jihad is about terrorism, communal disharmony, and the need for a shake-up.Judicial Joke is about our

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-33634625144895873972008-09-16T00:20:00.004+05:302008-09-16T01:46:16.270+05:30

After the last couple of races (ya, this is primarily an F1 post), some people have called Lewis Hamilton 'unsporting' and a 'cheat'. I understand how they feel, and agree that Lewis may have crossed a few grey lines, but I have another point to make. True Champions - the ones that go down in history as the greats - always have a ruthless, somewhat-unsporting edge. This is what enables them to

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-80971089695460177432008-09-09T21:33:00.006+05:302008-09-09T22:56:39.312+05:30

As a kid, I was told one's aim in life should be to gain skills and knowledge. To develop an all-round personality with depth, objectivity, compassion, ambition etc. etc. Great treasures were promised at the end of the toil - high-flying career, comfortable life, general respect from people...There was, of course, fine print which we missed. That effort would be required all the time to maintain

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-55944621945915623492008-09-07T22:29:00.002+05:302008-09-16T01:49:56.570+05:30

Finally, any F1 fan who missed the Belgian GP today, lost out bigtime! It was one of the greatest contests seen on track in recent years - with the top 3 being within 10 seconds of each other all the way! There were brilliant overtaking moves pulled off by Kimi and later by Hamilton, the little bit of pit-strategy drama, and a good amount of wheel-to-wheel racing. All this against the very

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-43379728434978506612008-09-07T21:10:00.005+05:302008-09-07T22:36:41.900+05:30

There was a lot of engaging stuff to watch this weekend - on the TV as well as the big screen. (Those who  know me a bit - probably know I'm gonna write about Sports and movies, and offer several biased opinions on the way :) )It started with 'a Wednesday', which I had seen the trailers of and not thought much of, till the reviews came in. The movie received extremely favorable reviews, and I

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-45321631953592660182008-09-05T00:45:00.007+05:302008-09-05T21:06:37.334+05:30

... isn't very simple. Because it spans not one isolated aspect of life, but nearly all.I grew up in an 'army' environment. My dad got transferred after every couple of years, and I, obviously, had to shift too. New cities. New schools. New people. New challenges. And new possibilities. Life was never stagnant at any one place for a long time. It was an exciting journey.Cut to mid-2008. I'm in

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-61244902352492039092008-09-05T00:39:00.003+05:302008-09-05T00:44:34.457+05:30

There comes a point when you know you've hit rock-bottom. Things can't possibly get worse than they are. Nobody can disappoint you more than someone already has. You can't stoop any lower. You can't be treated worse. The only upside is... everything can only get better. You deserve better. It's important to remember that. And more important to work at making things better for you. Just think

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-86787725614525591142008-08-26T01:33:00.002+05:302008-08-26T01:41:50.133+05:30

There's a discussion at praja.inYour truly has been waging a somewhat lonely battle against those who erroneously believe they occupy the moral high ground. If you have the time, and you care, please read the thread. I entered the discussion here, and have posted 4 comments so far (the last 3 were retorts to others' comments). And if you have an opinion on this, please post in the comments

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-51885322065129190072008-08-08T00:12:00.002+05:302011-10-14T13:03:41.371+05:30

(Some of the few readers of this blog had yelled 'Show me the FUNNY!' after my last few posts. Well, here you go. Why T-pain? I'll explain a bit later)(Explanation added later: Ok, some of you would be wondering 'Who the f is t-pain? What's happened to Smoochy?!' Well, T-Pain has been the butt of many jokes within a small circle of friends. His appearance and performances have entertained us on

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-78913949083079923852008-07-27T23:20:00.013+05:302008-07-28T01:57:43.835+05:30

(The last post was about some cultural/moral questions faced by the urban young affluent (UYA) people today. This one raises some economic and social questions. Some of you found the last one 'interesting', though no one expressed their own opinions. I hope this one also catches some 'interest')Silo lives in Bangalore. He typically spends about 1,000 rupees on dinner-n-drinks on a single weekend

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-28454915321964803612008-06-30T20:37:00.007+05:302011-10-14T13:03:57.076+05:30

(Caveat: Long back, I had published here, some chapters of the love story of a guy called Silo. The content was deemed inappropriate by some people. I realized my mistake and removed it soon thereafter, though it was already too late. Some bridges broke, and all attempts to re-build them have failed miserably. I'm not sure I should be doing this, but I'm now gonna write a lil more about Silo.

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-38947537011678250452008-06-29T19:30:00.004+05:302008-06-29T20:19:33.937+05:30

I've been to nearly all major, and several not-so-major cities in India. I've also been to Singapore, Hong Kong, Bangkok and Phuket, outside the country. But all that became irrelevant when I visited London. You can travel to hundreds of places - but you haven't truly 'seen the world' till you see it's greatest city - London, England!You know you are in London when:Your aircraft has to wait 20

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-51849765961746626082008-06-11T02:02:00.002+05:302008-06-11T02:12:12.331+05:30

Came across an interesting piece here. In the Dude's opinion,List of things a MAN should finish by the age of 30:Be accomplished and known in his field - respected by his peers and have a career that gives financial stability.Learn to play one music instrument well. 'Well' - meaning - should be able to perform in a cafe or at a house function/party.Learn to speak one foreign language as fluently

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-53106174225116709472008-03-17T01:01:00.008+05:302008-09-16T01:49:56.570+05:30

OK, that was one hell of a wonderful weekend.Friday night - we headed off to Taika. The first time we've gone dancing in a while. Most of that evening was spent having good food, checking out a cute woman at the next table, chatting, and dancing towards the end.Saturday, I spent cooking what was to be a lunch for 10 people on Sunday, to follow the F1  race. But it also Tushar's b'day, and since

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-42722166285845870042008-01-28T00:23:00.000+05:302008-01-28T00:30:35.565+05:30

I'd written nearly 1.5 years back that some things never change. Lotsa water has passed under the bridge. Let's see if the claim is true!I still hate alarm clocks. And Mondays. No ChangeI still drive my bike to work. And I love biking fast. Some Change. Cars rock and i drive mine to work, but i still love biking and i still drive fastWork still gets done at breakneck speed as the deadline

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-87381731199924261542008-01-23T22:57:00.000+05:302008-01-23T23:55:34.353+05:30

An opinion I have been hearing a lot recently - especially from the socialists and women among people I know - is that it is our duty to give back to weaker sections of society. Let's blast this thought, starting with one of the easier variants."You come to Bangalore uninvited. Take a lot from this place, and antagonize the natives who have no wealth. You have a moral responsibiliy to reduce the

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-32762860662375086282008-01-22T20:34:00.000+05:302008-01-22T20:51:41.032+05:30

I signed up at Facebook last week, and have loved it. Earlier, when my rommie was getting all excited about Facebook, i'd admonish him 'Dude, another social networking site? Grow up!'. But now i'm ready to eat my words. Facebook is not just a site to keep in touch with ppl, it has a whole lot of fun apps. Besides being a good pastime, they also allow you to know and understand the people in your

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-56465632594758094802008-01-21T00:24:00.000+05:302008-01-21T01:46:54.960+05:30

Note to self. In the rare incident that you are reading this blog and you are not the author, please skip the rest of this little post.Another succession of little heart-breaks. But I'm stronger now. This too shall pass. Worse times have, so what if they were professional.

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-15549690367090796302007-12-23T00:32:00.000+05:302007-12-23T00:40:22.223+05:30

1. Came across this blog - Destination Infinity. Only 3-4 posts, so read the whole thing in one sitting. Its a refreshingly different an interesting read. Take a look.2. Saw 'Jab we met'. Nice movie. Almost-believable story, good music, good acting, and good punjabi touches ;) No one could have done the good-boy role better than Shahid. No one could have done the loud-gal better than Kareena.

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-15506220451018086072007-12-19T20:31:00.000+05:302007-12-19T21:00:30.761+05:30

If you are one of the types who work long stressful hours all the time, and sleep away half of your weekends, it is a good idea to get away from it all once in a while and recharge. Live a simpler life for a couple of days, in a simpler town, leaving your usual world far behind. It works much better than anything you do on a holiday in the same city where you work.Last year, I'd gone to Goa and

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-91282820615781051942007-12-02T00:06:00.000+05:302007-12-19T20:57:43.939+05:30

I always believed that one of major causes, if not the root cause, of our relatively poor infrastructure and low standard of living (compared to cities in more developed countries) is our population. 'Itne logon ko kaise manage kiya ja sakta hai? Problem to honi hi hai.'But this misbelief was shattered on my recent trip to Hong Kong. All the buildings there seemed at least 20-storeys-high, and

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-6652194109622380972007-12-01T22:33:00.000+05:302007-12-01T22:58:29.606+05:30

Just finished reading the book by Pandu and his friend. If you've studied at one of the B-schools where 24 hours in a day just didn't seem like enough, the book is a great route to re-visit those days and refresh enjoyable memories. And if you are considering going to an IIM or such-like for an MBA, or generally curious about what goes on there, the book paints a remarkably accurate picture.It is

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-35236753687402905602007-11-08T01:10:00.000+05:302007-11-08T01:15:56.572+05:30

Imagine all of these events co-inciding:1. You return home after midnight - after a long, bad day at work2. Your flat-mate is out of town3. You've lost your house key!4. No one has a duplicate key5. No doors or windows are openSheesh! What a mother-freakin day. (In case you are wondering how I'm blogging with all this going on... I got the building security guy to break into my house with a wire,

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-90033925248369019592007-10-16T12:34:00.000+05:302007-10-16T14:59:48.240+05:30

First up, the ranking:1. Foster's2. Kingfisher3. Royal Challenge4. BudweiserOK, now some random explanatory notes:Consideration set: The Bud and Fosters included here are brewed and bottled in India, and probably aren't identical to what you would get outside India. Secondly, they sell at the same price as other Indian beers. So, they qualify for comparison with Indian beers.Castle Lager and

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-17153315011817711412007-10-08T00:50:00.000+05:302007-10-08T01:07:22.524+05:30

Too tired to sort my thoughts out, or to bother about writing style. Just noting some random things i wanted to write about:1. Politics. First, some sad behen-ji was elected as President of the country. Now the JD(S) and Gowda renege on their power-sharing pact with the BJP. It's just disgusting. With options like these, it's best to never bother voting.2. F1. Though I support Ferrari, I have

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-44338099544716398012007-08-16T00:27:00.000+05:302007-08-16T02:07:46.150+05:30

In recent times, the high salaries drawn by CEOs in India have been questioned by some. Even the PM has suggested that they should be lowered. This post presents a counter-opinion, and a lot of other thoughts.First of all, let us correctly identify the problem. The situation is that a few people in this country are earning a lot, while many continue to live below the poverty line. Let us, for the

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-36153844566828916112007-08-12T16:57:00.000+05:302007-08-12T17:11:29.036+05:30

This post refers to this Test match. India bowled England out, and had a lead of 319 at the end of the first innings. By enforcing the follow-on, India would have absolutely eliminated the possibility of losing this match (and allowing England to tie the series). This would also be the best strategy for actually winning the match.In stead, Dravid chose NOT to enforce the follow on. The problem

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-20319071606856427772007-08-12T05:21:00.000+05:302007-08-12T06:24:31.336+05:30

I had to shift to a new apartment a short while back. Unable to find a decent place on my own, I decided to use the services of a broker. During and after the search, I realized just how dishonest these people are. Consider these cases:My first broker (liar no 1) had told me any house i selected would be finished (woodwork, elec fittings etc.) within a week. However, owner-chappie was honest

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-12311950748888251342007-07-10T19:00:00.000+05:302007-07-10T20:14:08.426+05:30

I'd said I'd write more about the Bungee jumping experience 'soon', but as usual, its taken a while for me to get off my lazy ass and actually write about it (before I forgot what it was like!)Before the details, here are some key numbers:Free fall - 3 secondsTotal time suspended upside down - 35 secondsTotal time spent waiting for my turn - 8 hours, 30 minutesNothing, not even an amazingly fun

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-60895836982868698832007-06-26T14:15:00.001+05:302007-06-26T14:18:28.563+05:30

Details... coming soon!

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-26424343547258859482007-05-24T19:31:00.000+05:302007-05-24T20:03:20.850+05:30

I've recently read some books about people I admire - Branson, Semler, Dhirubhai... I was hoping to learn something from their experiences.If you expect these people to have written about decision-making, finances, deals and learn some 'rules' about successfully running a business, you will be disappointed. I was surprised to find that many of their major decisions had been based on gut feeling

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-32307560557179345882007-05-24T19:01:00.000+05:302007-05-24T20:08:21.796+05:30

Well, I've bought a new car. Why don't I sound thrilled? You see, I have a bit of a maverick image, and buying the most common and popular car doesn't quite go with it. A Santro is too commonplace. Anyway, as i didnt originally want a Santro, i set about selecting a car. What bothered me in this whole process of car selection, was the mind-boggling choices. In the glorious days not so long ago,

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-37147290785605246442007-04-22T23:41:00.000+05:302008-09-16T01:49:56.571+05:30

I'd mentioned in an earlier post that this F1 season may see a good contest between Kimi and Alonso, so much so that Schumi's absence may not hurt so much.However' I'd not expected such a thrilling start. In most of the recent seasons, 1 driver has sat on 30 points after the first three races, though others have mounted a challenge later in the season. This time, we've actually had 3 different

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-70776149303945503852007-04-06T03:02:00.000+05:302007-04-06T03:39:22.498+05:30

Here's something to think about...There was a time India used to beat Sri Lanka convincingly even with a half-ass team. In 1996, they beat India twice, the second defeat ending India's campaign. And they ended India's campaign again this time.Till very recently, India would beat Bangladesh 9 times out of 10. The two teams' meeting at this World cup wasn't expected to be a real contest. It wasn't

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119000.post-56144900548958584082007-03-26T12:41:00.000+05:302007-03-26T14:04:32.885+05:30

I'd expected to write some posts analyzing India's performances in the World Cup, how the others were doing, and so on, as I'd done with Italy (my favorites in that tournament) during the Football World Cup last year. The past week I was busy with work, and before I could start writing, India's campaign has prematurely ended!So here goes a series of posts about what went wrong, and maybe one or

Nikunj Vohrahttps://profiles.google.com/115185911684455684657noreply@blogger.com0