Lal Silk Cheddi (LSC) - Review 11.56/183.47 Rating

Importing fashions is not new to Indian garments industry. But this is officially imported which is thirty-year-old fashion. Cheddi concept is not Indian, we have our very own 'Longota' or 'Kaupinam'. 

With lot of western influence due to the British rule, Indians adopted the Cheddi as our inner wear. What is special about this Lal Silk Cheddi? There's plenty of resistance to this fashion and #boycottlsc is trending like anything with this import of LSC fashion. 

The LSC fashion is all about considering silk as material for Cheddi to get a feeling like feather touch and choosing red color (Lal) for inner wear. The people understood the designer's concept of feather touch but couldn't digest the red color (Lal). 

The fashion is too old, boring design and red colour (Lal) are the main culprits for LSC's failure to catch the trend of the current generation. The seasoned models presentation and catwalk also could not win the hearts of the public. Out of 183.47 points I can give only 11.56 points for my review. If you want to know for yourself, wear it to feel it.   

Adapt new technologies .... Future will follow you !

Few days back, when I was in 1st B.Tech Engineering Drawing class, I was interrupted by my office staff that one visitor wants to meet me. I asked him to wait till my class ends. 

After my class, I invited him to my chamber, He introduced himself as Dr Ravi Vikranth, Principal and founder of a Pvt Industrial Training Institute (ITI) in Visakhapatnam. He requested me to display a poster related to National Level Internet of Things (IoT) Challenge contest conducted at their ITI in association with IIT Bombay.

I was shocked multiple times: 

1. A PhD heading (owning) an ITI

2. A Pvt ITI organizing a National Level Contest with IIT Bombay

3. An ITI organizing latest technology event, IoT

He further humbly told that all his students are being trained in latest technologies (CNC, Robotics, Coding etc) whether these topics are in syllabus or not. And his students are in much demand by major MNCs after completion of course. 100% placement ! He is preparing his students as per industry requirement not just following syllabus.

Final Surprising shock:

He finally told me "Sir, I was your student at GITAM during 1992-96 Mechanical Engineering" 

Several Things We can learn from this story:

1. What ever you study and hold big or small positions, Do your Best in all your activities...Success will follow you

2. Be Humble, have Patience...Results will follow you

3. Adapt new technologies .... Future will follow you !

Sab Ka Malik Ek (One God Governs All)

Sab Ka Malik Ek (One God Governs All)

Day One: 14-06-15

We never thought that, we can fulfil the desire to visit ‘Shirdi-Shani Shingnapur-Nashik- Trimbakeshwar’ the spiritual golden triangle so early, peacefully and comfortably. Along with the divine touch we had explored the rural backdrop of typical Maharashtra Western Ghats and sugarcane fields.

We have to thank specially the service rendered by SVR Travels, Hyderabad for their safe and comfortable Volvo Buses, Sai Hotels, Local (free) transport and gourmet Andhra food, all with in the budget.

The Volvo bus took us directly to the ‘Sai Paradise Hotel’ around 6.30AM. After refreshing we reached Baba temple and had a darshan comfortably, peacefully, we actually felt the divine touch when we moved around the temple. When were about to leave the temple premises we were caught (?) inside due to heavy rain. We all felt some great relief and relaxation when we were coming out of the temple after the heavy downpour.

After lunch at hotel, the same travel operator arranged a vehicle to Shani Shingnapur. We had wonderful drive covering the lush green sugarcane fields of Western Ghats. On the way we observed many sugarcane juice vendors who are extracting the juice by age old traditional wooden crushers (Fig.1) which are environment friendly (not machines with motors) run by bullocks. Throughout the way, we haven’t found even a single crushing machine run by motor. We have to appreciate the local people and the government for their concern towards environment. 

Fig.1

We asked the driver to stop at a village named ‘Rahuri’ which comes on the way to Shani Shingnapur. The village has got a unique distinction, where there is a temple for Shani with Rahu and Ketu, which I read in an article in Eenadu Sunday Edition. After visiting that temple we reached the world famous Shani temple at Shingnapur. This time we observed so many changes like allowing ladies in to the temple complex, no need to change your dress to ‘saffron robes’ (for males). There is a high-tech pumping machine where the devotees can pour the ‘sesame’ oil, which reaches directly on to the deity stone sculpture for ‘tilabhishek’ for shanidosha. Previously anyone can reach the deity and pour the oil directly.

We returned back before expected time and had gourmet Andhra dishes for the dinner in the ‘Sai Paradise’ vegetarian restaurant.

Day Two: 15-06-15

Next day early morning 5.00AM we left the hotel by a bigger car, again arranged by the same travels as planned to cover Nasik and Trimbakeshwar Temple. The road passes through the rural lush green fertile lands of Maharashtra. On the way we found many Dhabas, Resorts and Farmhouses to attract the tourists. Fed up with Andhra food, we all wanted to taste the real Maratha style breakfast. Our driver took us to a resort cum theme park. After enquiry and suggestion by driver we all ordered ‘Misal Pav’ (Fig.2) which everyone agreed as fantastic preparation with a great taste which we can’t find even in metro cities.

Fig.2

After having a fine breakfast, we reached Nasik first and saw five temples all were near by but car was not allowed. We had to book an autoricksha who will show one by one through narrow lanes. We also saw the praparatory arrangements for the Maha Kumbhamela of Godavari (Which we call here in A.P and Telangana as Maha Puskaralu). Then we reached Trimbakeshwar temple which was flooded with many people. The darshan of one of the famous twelve Jyotirlingas almost took three hours.

Fully hungry by the odd time, we requested the driver to take us to a good hotel for lunch. All our hungry eyes got struck up with one hoarding on the road side (Fig.3). Surprised to see ‘telugu’ hoarding and that too it says ‘Andhra food served by telugu speaking staff’. We could’t resist our hunger and we all (including the driver) had a nice Andhra lunch. 

Fig.3

In the return journey we all were in a drowsy state due to the heavy lunch and tiredness. Observing this the driver started the LCD player which was fixed to the roof top of the car, which we never observed during our onward journey. My son and daughter (who are sitting on both rear window seats while my wife sat in between, of course I am sitting beside the driver) tried their best to get the control of the remote and finally my daughter got the control. 

To our surprise the CD is of dance ‘item songs’. First ‘Sunny Leone’ came, my wife took the remote and forwarded, and then ‘Karina’ then ‘Katrina’ then ‘Bipasha’ then CD changed! Next the driver gave ‘Hindi comedy scenes’ CD. This time my son took the remote, forwarded, forwarded, and CD changed! After a series of ‘bilateral discussions’ with my wife’s mediation, they agreed to play only MP3 songs not videos. The driver patiently gave all his favorite Hindi hits CDs. Once again Indo-Pak war started. This continued for another 30-45 minutes. 

This time the driver took the control of the remote and said ‘I got a wonderful CD, which everyone will agree to listen and no one will forward a single song’. We all agreed and surprisingly all of us without a single word reached the hotel after two hours of listening to the tunes. Just before leaving the car, curiously I found the cover sheet of the CD as ‘Sab ka Malik Ek’ !

Sugar Free Views

I am thinking of writing this article whenever I come across incidents related to sugar (read diabetic) and ‘sugar free’. These are all my personal and practical encounters on diabetes. Resemblance is pure coincidence. I used to joke on myself with respect to sugar.

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Sweet News: ‘Why are you closing your ears when I am going to tell sweet news?’ roared my better half after seeing me closing my ears with hands. ‘You know I am diabetic, anything sweet is not good for health’ I replied.

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Android and Diabetics: In my view Android is the sweetest OS (Fig.1) on earth and all diabetics must avoid using it. I practically observed increase of sugar levels while using Android versions. Even after knowing this, I could not avoid Android devices, since I am addicted to their sweetness. Now I am seriously thinking to switch over to Apple IOS (doctors are allowing diabetics in controlled consumption of apples)

Fig.1

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Candy Crush: Whenever I open my Facebook, I see lots of requests/invitations from my students and colleagues to play ‘Candy Crush’ game. Once my student asked directly ‘Sir, why you are not responding to my request to play ‘Candy Crush’?’ I politely replied ‘I am a diabetic you know; playing candy crush may increase my sugar level, that’s why I am not responding’.

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Sugar Free: I used to play pranks in big shopping malls. I am a regular customer to a big shopping mall. The staff recognizes me while billing. Once I asked to add that ‘free sugar’ to the Karachi biscuit packet (Fig.2). The staff tried to explain me ‘Sir that is sugar free biscuit pack, not sugar free’. Then I told him then it should be ‘sugar less’ not ‘sugar free’ ‘Anyway you have to give some sugar free with that biscuit packet’ I stressed. Somehow he added few eclairs to my shopping bag simply to satisfy me.

Fig.2

Bahubali Preview (9th June 2015)

'Bahubali' Preview (9th June 2015)

I am neither a film critic nor an expert reviewer of films. I am the most common film enthusiast like many fellow Indians. I am just following the updates of Bahubali (thanks to social media) and the super hype surrounding it.

Just few days back we all saw the much awaited ‘theatrical trailer’ (again on social media). Somehow I didn’t feel the thrill as expected! You all might have experienced the same, but we can’t say loudly because we fear for ‘others’, just like the citizens of the kingdom where the ‘King’ wore ‘heavenly’ clothes! I am like the child in the story!

Let me explain why I didn’t get that excitement!

• My (our) expectations are beyond the limits. We are all carried away by the ‘super hype’ built up for last three years! No one can satisfy that expectations!
• Average viewer can also sense the feeling of ‘Graphics’. Once we know that ‘Graphics’ feeling, we can never feel the thrill.
• Easily predictable storyline, somewhere it reminds us ‘The Lion King’ story! Of course what we can expect from ‘Chandamama Story’.
• Even in the trailer, I saw ‘Krishh’ in ‘Prabhas’ (the way he walks in the green fields, waterfalls)
• Carrying the 'infant' though river (Lord Krishna through yamuna)

It is injustice to predict everything in two minute trailer… but somewhere some ‘sixth sense’ tells us… This is all because of too much hype.

Let’s examine what happened in the past history with too much hype.

• Recent example Shankar’s ‘I’, Rajini’s ‘Linga’,
• Pavan’s ‘Jhonny’
• NTR’s ‘Viswamitra’
• Rajini’s ‘Baba’
• Krishna’s ‘Devadas’ & ‘Kurukshetra’

Some more examples from other fields.

• ‘Nano’ Car
• ‘LML’ Vespa Scooter (in 80’s)
• Indian Cricket Team in 1987 world cup

If the expectations go beyond the limit, even an excellent film may suffer!

The ‘Bahubali’ will be definitely going to be a good film (there is no doubt about it) and may ‘break’ all the ‘records’ but not as expected!

I am confident, ‘Raja Mouli’ will not let down our expectations on 10^th July!  

Jai Andhra! Jai Telangana!!

25^th May 2014: A Page from My Diary      

Oh! It’s already 9.00pm the last bus might have gone! That is the only bus to reach my place of work (and stay) from the place which is in the outskirts of Hyderabad. Afterwards you have only two options to ‘go on foot’ or to go by ‘sharing autos’ which rarely ply by that time. Sometimes you can go by ‘requesting a lift’ by risking yourself. There are some people like me in the bus stop with question marks on their faces. I don’t know anyone here. Even it’s not possible to go back to city. Some youths are trying their luck by asking lift by two-wheelers which are also rarely seen. Time is running fast and dark clouds and sometimes thunders making me more panic.  I cursed myself for 100^th time.

I am very new to this city and its environment. I recently joined in a reputed engineering college at higher level. I came from Visakhapatnam! Yes, it’s my decision to take any risk to do my best, reach higher levels and serve more. I must obey my inner conscious and go forward by following lord Krishna’s Gita. Even my better half (she is from Hyderabad) stunned after hearing my decision to relocate to Hyderabad! ‘At a time, all will start returning from Hyderabad, you want to go against the current?’ She questioned me with a sense of anxiety in her voice. I cajoled her (myself also) that the bifurcation of state has nothing to do with the kind of job I am doing. Somehow convinced all kith and kin, near and dear, I landed first and staying in the campus for the time being till the whole family shifts to city. Till then I must face these types of problems. Now it’s started drizzling. Some where I too feel scared and waiting for any miracle!

9.45pm! The people are seriously discussing about Telangana and its new government about to take place on 2^nd June. I somehow feared to take part in the discussion to avoid unnecessary questions about my new job and my background. At the same time, I felt that, if don’t mingle with them, I may not get any support in reaching my college at that odd hour. During that hesitation, I saw some headlights of a van approaching us. I thought its lord Krishna himself came to save all of us! It’s Maruti Omni, but not a transport vehicle! The driver calling loudly ‘Only ten rupees’ (It’s very less compared to sharing autos). It may be a returning vehicle and the driver may be expecting some extra money.  I am running like an athlete from bus stop, but surprisingly no one is following me from bus stop! Once I reached Omni, I saw no one in the vehicle except the driver. The people at bus stop saying something and signalling me to come back! Again, I must take a decision! Like this how many risky decisions I have to take. The ‘Leo’ inside me forced to go further neglecting the people’s advice. What’s the problem in boarding a vehicle which is going in the same way and the driver is expecting some money, I convinced myself.

To my shock, the sliding door already opened, and the driver asked me to sit behind. Once I adjusted myself in the seat, I tried to close the door but failed. The driver with a muscular body and harsh voice looked back and told me to leave it. Then the door was tied not to close! Then I saw behind, there are no seats, I found so many plastic drums filled with oils and chemicals. Some thick pungent smells along with stinking diesel kind of smell are coming from them. Then I sensed another smell… cheap liquor mixed with Zarda pan! I felt chilling sensation in my backbone! Then the driver started his questionnaire in a humble way. It’s around 10.30pm. We are almost halfway to college. I am in a dilemma to tell the truth or not. What he will do, if he knows that I am from Andhra and doing job in Hyderabad. These are unnecessary fears, but the timing (the bifurcation and dark mid night in that horrible van) created turmoil in my mind. I am answering all his questions mechanically. I am still trying to analyse why the people did not join me, even though it’s quite cheap. Moreover, they signalled me not to go! What this person will do?

After hearing one of my answers that I am working in an engineering college near to his village, he became so curious and informed me that, his daughter wrote the EAMCET and expecting a good rank. He is serious to admit her in our college and asked whether his daughter will get admission in our college. I said that I am also new to this college, and it can be verified by seeing past admission lists and rankings. He said he will meet me the next day and asked me how to and where to meet me? I told my name and designation. He simply stopped the van and asked me to get down!

‘Sir your college came’ with folded hands he turned back to me. When I am giving him Rs.10/- note, he politely rejected and told me that ‘I and my van are honored to have a passenger like you sir’ and started the van. I am running behind his van! The ten-rupee note is laughing loudly at me! I was shrugged like a dwarf.

Oh My God! We will and can think anything, anyway; we can colour anyone like Andhra, Telangana, Tamil, Bengali, North Indian, and South Indian without hesitation. Why can’t we think normal? Why can’t we think/behave like human beings? All these tags are for politicians and the poor common man doesn’t bother about these things. Do we belong to this cadre? 

How ‘Smart’ is your ‘Network’?

‘Smart’ is the new buzz word in these days. Smart phone to smart cities, smart kid to smart guy! Our lives have become smart even without our intentions or efforts. Now the question is How smart are we and our network? Our smartness depends on our intelligence and the way we tackle the day to day challenges in an efficient way. It’s a born gift and can be improved with surrounding society and proper education. Not everyone who holds a smart phone is smart. Sometimes your smartness depends on your smart network.

The evolution of Smart Phone: This year ‘Nokia’ which is the first one to develop the GSM technology is celebrating 150 years of its existence, which also continued the dominance in handset manufacturing till recent years. Though India entered late in to the cellular technology, it adopted very fast and now it is one of the biggest markets after China globally. Our generation also grew with the technology. I still remember my first cell phone a bulky Nokia 3110 (see figure) with which we can only talk and text messages (Rs.8/- for outgoing call and Rs.4/- for incoming call!). Later on handsets/SIMs/networks changed (see figures) so quickly due to the rapid development of technology and changing tastes of consumers. Then came the ‘Smart Phone’ with which you can do all your office/personal/entertainment works along with normal functions of phone smoothly, effortlessly and effectively that it almost replaced PCs/Laptops. Some of the high end smart phones are having configurations better than CAD workstations with which we worked 10 years ago!

Smart Network: What is smart network? Don’t Google, where you will get varieties of definitions. My concept of smart network is different. After thorough study (research?) of different kinds of people and their networks, I found that our individual or personal smart network depends on our contacts (read phone numbers) and their smartness. Very simple! If you consider me, a professor who’s majority of contacts are fellow colleagues (past and present), students, and their parents apart from relatives, friends and neighbours. Let’s consider a ‘Techie’ who’s major contacts will be various clients, colleagues (past and present). Similarly if you consider a doctor/surgeon, whose major contacts are patients, fellow doctors/surgeons, pharmacists etc. You can extend the same to a home maker, student, plumber, painter, contractor, retailer etc etc. Now our smart network comprises of the number of contacts having smart phones (let’s say smart contacts) out of our total contacts in our smart phone.

How to quantify our smart network: To find out whether any contact in our phone is having a smart phone or not, ‘Whatsapp’ app is one of the best sources available in smart phone. The number of Whatsapp users surpassed even the ‘Face book’ users. Last few years the number of Whatsapp users increased exponentially. Also it is the easiest way to find how many number of our contacts using Whatsapp a.k.a our smart network. The following are the simple steps which anyone can find using their mobile smart phones

Step 1: Open the Whatsapp and in ‘chats’ mode click on the + button on top right side as shown in the figure below.

Step 2: Once you click the + button, you will find a screen as given below, from which you can find the number contacts having Whatsapp app which confirms they are using a smart phone. In my smart phone the number is 684 contacts.

Step 3: Now find the total number of contacts in your phone as shown below.

Step 4: Calculate the percentage of your smart network as given below.

That means approximately 70% of my contacts are using smart phones. Still some of my contacts using smart phones and may not have installed Whatsapp. The chances are very rare. This is one observation to find the penetration of smart phones. The percentage depends on type of person and his/her profession. I would like to study further ‘on what factors the percentage depends’ like the profession, age, region, and gender.

Interesting? Find your ‘smart network’ percentage and revert back along with your profession, age, area and gender! Watch this space for more!!