Thursday 10 October 2024

Ratan Tata Who Walked The Talk

Ever seen the doyen of an industrial empire like the Tatas do the following:

  1. Use a van for commuting to the Club instead of a limousine?
  2. Sit in the front seat with the driver instead of the rear seat in the van?
  3. Take his dog for a walk everyday himself?
  4. Greet the other walkers with a smile?
I was fortunate to have seen Mr Ratan Tata first hand do all of the above almost everyday at the United Services Club, Bombay (now Mumbai) in 1991 or so. By then he had taken over as the Chairperson of Tata Group. I was then in the Navy and posted in Bombay.


He used to walk his dog around the golf course in the evening after sunset. By then the golfers were done for the day. But many times, the last fourball would still be on the fairway when Mr Tata would arrive in the van and get down with his dog and start walking in the Club. Some of us who were finishing the golf round, were fortunate to meet and greet Mr Tata on the golf course. Not once but several times. A humble and shy person that he was, he would avoid the stream of walkers on the promenade by the sea. Instead he chose the quieter solitude of the fairways in the fading light. Such was his persona.
The above routine went on till 2005 and many members of the Club would have seen him walking his dog. Thereafter he discontinued coming to the Club and members may not have had the opportunity to see him there.

Since his demise yesterday, tributes have been pouring in. After seeing him multiple times in the Club,  I would like to add that he was an embodiment of simplicity, grace, humility, empathy, care, nation-first and many such values. He inspired us with his down to earth personality. Unlike many other business and political leaders, he walked the talk. Truly.

Today we salute him for what he and the Tata Group have done for India over last 130 years or so. Mr Ratan Tata was a great son of the soil who took pride in being an Indian and always put 'Nation-first' in his thinking and practice.

Jai Hind.

   - Harsh-the-Ghumakkad/ Secunderabad/ 10th October 2024

#ratantata #sonofthesoil #nationfirst #proudtobeanindian #walkthetalk #employeesmatter #businessadventurer #nationbuilding #ghumakkadhb #ghumakkadharsh



Tuesday 1 October 2024

We Will Miss You Forever

Ring ring. 

"Is that Harsh Bhargava? Attender of Neeta Bhargava?"

"Yes, speaking. "

"Doctor from the ICU will speak to you". (You dread a call like this in the dead of the night. It was 3.30AM or so)

"Good morning Doctor."

As I mentioned last night, her condition is critical. The acid and CO2 levels in her body continue to be high. We started the dialysis but had to stop because of falling BP. We will have to put her on ventilator support. We need your consent and presence here.

"Yes, Doctor go ahead.  Am sure you all are doing your best. Am on my way."

Conversation like this - hope never happens with you.

But when it does, it seems a rug has been pulled out from under your feet.

You gather your wits.

Take out the car.

Start driving.

Pull up to inform your children.


Keep driving to the hospital.

Your mouth goes dry.

Take a swig of water.

More water.

Focus on the oncoming traffic at 3.55am in the morning.


In the ICU, you see her with so many tubes. You don't like it. She never liked it. When her mother at 94 was gradually sinking, she made sure she went away without any tubes, pipes and needles. But alas, we could not ensure it for her.

Wish you could help relieve her condition.


When did she last speak to us?

When did I last hold her hand? All through in the ambulance yesterday and in the ER till the tubes were inserted.

Despite the life support systems, she could not survive. We lost her on 20th September at 1418 hrs.


When you have been married for nearly 48 years, you become one another. And when your life partner goes away at 70, you have to learn to live on. Learn to derive strength form the memories.

Neeta was full of compassion not only for fellow human beings but also the animals, birds, plants, trees and the Environment. She touched so many lives. Condolences poured cutting across generations from around the globe. Sharing below some of the eulogies:

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हँसता हुआ नूरानी चेहरा......

   - संध्या उल्लाल , मुंबई 

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20.9.24  is  the  fateful  day, 

When,  to  the  gates  of  Heaven  Neeta  found  her  way .

     Aunty  was  there  to  receive  her  with  open  arms, 

     And  they  firmly  bonded  with  fastened  palms.


Neeta  awaited  the children's arrival  to  breathe  her  last, 

According  to  the traditions of  the  past. 


     On  Earth  Neeta  lived  a  wonderful life, 

     With  a  Husband  who  always  cared  for  his wife. 


Her  Children  and  family  were  a  fortunate  lot,

Because  they  never  had  to  yell : " forget  me  not! "


     Her  pickles  and  gifts  were  always  there, 

     As  an  expression  of  her  loving  care. 


With  family  and  friends  it  was  always  fun,  

The  joys  of  which  were  parallel  to  none. 


     Now  she  will  be  missed  by  all, 

     With  fond  memories  of  her  standing  tall.

  - Air Commodore Adip Mukherjee, Shaurya Chakra

----------- 

"Dear Harsh aka Ghummakkad- It is absolutely shocking and most unexpected that a lightning has struck your home and taken away the jewel of your life. Sitting miles away we are/were not aware of her ill health, if any, or that cropped up suddenly, and were happy to see you both doing miles and clicking away to glory. God has been unkind to you by snatching her away at an age when you were just enjoying every moment together."

   - Capt TM Subramanium Navy Veteran in USA

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मेरी श्रद्धांजलि 

बिना बताये, बिना मिले, चुपचाप जो चले जाते हैं,

याद बहुत आते हैं। 


ऐसा तो नहीं था कि हम रोज मिला करते थे,

पर चार-छै महीनों में जब भी मिलना होता था,

उसमे अपनापन तो ज़रूर होता था। 


क्या कहूँ शब्द नहीं हैं ,

तुमने क्यों फैसला कर लिया इतनी जल्दी जाने का,

कुछ साल और गुज़ार लेती हम सब के साथ तो बहुत ख़ुशी होती

लेकिन अब बहुत अफ़सोस और दुःख हो रहा है तुम्हारे जाने का।

क्यों कि बिना बताये, बिना मिले जो चले जाते हैं याद बहुत वो आते हैं। 


आज से तक़रीबन २५-२७ साल पहले मैंने तुम्हें देखा था,

हरे सूट में लम्बे लम्बे बाल खोले खड़ी थीं तुम ,

बेइन्तहा शांत, सादी और प्यारी सी लगी थीं ,

उस के बाद से एक दोस्ताना सा हो गया था। 

जो आज तक चल रहा था बिना किसी शर्त या एग्रीमेंट के। 

पर फिर भी कहूँगी ,

बिना बताये, बिना मिले जो चले जाते हैं याद बहुत वो आते हैं।


मन में अब इक ग़ुबार है 

जो गाहे-बगाहे तंग कर रहा है 

काश मैं तुमसे मिल पाती 

कुछ बातें कर पाती,

इक सहेली जो हमेशा 

Navy Foundation Meeting में 

Beating the Retreat में 

Veterans के मिलाप में 

हमेशा मुझे ढूंढती और इंतज़ार करती थीं 

अब लाऊंगी कहाँ से 

क्यों कि तुम तो बिना मिले, बिना बताये, चुप चाप ही चली गईं। 

पर याद बहुत आओगी, पर याद बहुत आओगी, पर याद बहुत आओगी। 

  - प्रेम गिरी 

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"I have admired and loved your togetherness in everyway- be it raising the kids, looking after mother, connecting with family, sharing each other's feeling and ambitions, with love and admiration, and creating a beautiful world that was open to be shared with any one seeking"

   - Savita Bhargava (86 y-o aunt in Bangalore )

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"Uncle, Roli has lost her foster mother"

   - Capt Rajveer Singh Navy Veteran

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"So sorry to hear this. My mind flashed back through all the wonderful times we have had together and the lovely person she was, amazing at all times, tough and fun."

    - Sushmita Ganguly, Principal Cathedral School Mumbai

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नीता जीजी, तुम कहाँ निकल पड़ीं 

ऐसा भी क्या, कुछ कहे बिना चली गयीं 

अभी की ही तो बात है कहा वीडियो कॉल करोगी 

हम सबसे फ़ोन पे बात करोगी।

पर बड़ी थीं, करनी थी मनमानी 

पर बड़ी थीं, करनी थी मनमानी 

निकल पड़ीं एक डगर अनजानी। 


बचपन की यादें सोशल मीडिया की कायल नहीं 

दिल में बस्ती हैं होती कभी वायरल नहीं 

वो काम को लेकर आपस में बहस करना 

घर का काम तुम्हारा बाहर का मेरा होना 

राखी बंधवाने तक भूखा रखना 

वो लहंगा पहनने के लिए ज़िद्द करना 

वो मोती बाग़ में जब तक पहुँच जाना 

अपनी पसंद का खाना बनवाना 

तो हम भाइयों के बीच तुम्हारा अकेले का रुतबा रहता 

मैं तो तुमको बहन और मित्र दोनों ही मानता 

बचपन से ही छोटी मोटी बातें मनवाता रहता 

और सही गलत छेड़ छाड़ भी करता रहता। 


नीता जीजी को अर्पित है हम सब की पुष्पांजलि 

पूरे परिवार की ओर से भावभीनी श्रद्धांजलि। 


     - संजय भार्गव , छोटा भाई  (ग़ाज़ियाबाद )

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"It is going to be hard Harsh but we all will have to live with her fond memories."

    - Suchitra Chaudhuri, Secunderabad

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"We're grieving with you as we miss our friend and sister Neeta so much -  her loving, warm and vibrant personality, her infectious, ringing laugh, her caring nature and listening ear,  her  well-known  hospitality."

    - Trixie Asirvatham, Bangalore

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"Bhabhiji was like चँद्रमा की चाँदनी as described by Mythili Sharan Gupt in his classical lines:

चारु चंद्र की चंचल किरणें 

खेल रहीं थी जल - थल में ।

स्वच्छ चांदनी बिछी हुई थी 

अवनि और अंबर तल में ।"

     - Sarita Bhargava (Neeta's देवरानी in Jaipur)

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"Dearest Aunty was too precious to me, had so many happy memories with her. We used to laugh so much together!"

   - Anita Rengaraj, USA

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"I still remember Aunty as a mother figure who was always around in my growing years. She will always be remembered"

    - Aseem Jain, Singapore

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" I have very sweet memories with her. She was our only Mausi we were so close to"

    - Smita Bhargava, Pune

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"Dear Harsh uncle, 

To me, her warmth and reassuring embrace of my mother, Devila Anand, each time that they met, equated Neeta aunty to be a mother-like figure to me as I saw that unity of love, care, ideals and support in their association. My memories of Neeta aunty supporting my Mom during her illness and showering Ajita and I with her kindness and unconditional love and support, will stay with us forever and inspire us to do good and be good to fellow beings, just like her."

   - Aditya Anand, Gurgaon

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"Will always remember Aunty in her lovely sarees and big smile. She will always hold a special place in my heart."

   - Gagan Bal, USA

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"Harsh, yours & Neeta’s friendship means  a lot to us. It’s not just the caring she had for all, but the utmost love & dedication she had for family! "

   - Lalita Aisola, USA

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"Bhua was such a beautiful soul, filled with warmth and kindness. I will always cherish the times spent with her."

    - Avantika, Secunderabad

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"I have always seen her as an epitome of grace and as an ever smiling elder. She has left a void even for people like us. We will always have fond memories of her warm smile."

    - Sona Bhatia, Hyderabad

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"She was unforgettable and will always remain that way"

     - Harsh Singh, Bengaluru

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"Her love and kindness will live on"

    - Prameela Konduru, USA

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By God's grace, Neeta provided the perfect balance in my life. Re-sharing what I wrote on her 69th birthday in May-2023. You may click the link below to browse the picture story.

Balancing Weight of Ghumakkad's Life


Going back another six years, here is another story wishing Neeta a happy 63rd birthday. Click the link below to browse the full story.

Spouse's Birthday Is Always Special


They say that the Sun never sets. But this Sun has set for me.

Adieu Neeta.

Keep smiling wherever you are.

- Neeta, Beigs (short for Begum), Motee (Hindi for fatso! Not really,  she had lost 15 kgs in last three weeks) to me,

- Mom to both the children and their spouses, 

- Dadi and Nani to all four grandchildren, 

- Bhabhi, Jiji, Bhua, Mausi to so many relatives,

- Simply Neeta to loving friends and elders,

- Madam to all her staff at home

#GoneForever #lifePartner #OneAnother #LosingTheLifePartner #Memories #DerivingStrength #NeetaBhargava #Ghumakkadhb #ghumakkadharsh #FullOfCompassion #Grandmothernomore #LifeWithoutWife



Wednesday 4 September 2024

Teachers Who Give Up Everything - Teacher's Day 2024

Teachers teach. They also:

Inspire

Mould

Instill values

Share their wisdom

Make us better human beings!

We have heard it all before. 

But do teachers give up their most prized possession for their pupils?

This is the story of one such teacher, my athletics coach at BITS Pilani.

The year 1968. One month before the National Games of India at Madras. I was selected to represent Rajasthan in my age group.

Our Director of Physical Education at BITS,  Capt Richpal Singh Shekhawat who was my coach, came down with pleurisy a kind of severe lung infection with fluids inside the lungs. He was advised bed rest and not allowed to come to the sports ground. What about my coaching in the crucial month before the Nationals?

My coach found a solution. 

He got his nicely manicured lawn with the home garden dug up and levelled. He created a run up and a landing pit for me to practice broad jump in front of him in his yard every day. Despite his severe illness, he continued to coach and prepare me for the Nationals.

With his selfless dedication, he motivated me to give off my best. I won the Gold medal in Broad Jump at the National Games of India. It was followed by many more golds at national level in successive years, thanks to him. I was also selected for the Asian Games Probables Camp for the Teheran Games 1974. By then I had already been commissioned into Indian Navy. That's another story for some other day.

How many will dig up a flourishing lawn and garden in their house to create a long jump pit for their trainee? Those who have seen the faculty bungalows in Pilani Campus, will understand it better. Is it a big deal to willingly destroy your lawn and garden? Ask all home gardeners. They won't even part with a potted plant leave aside destroying a manicured lawn. They are so possessive of their plants and the garden. My athletics coach did not hesitate even for a minute and gave up his prized possession for his trainee. A possession having more worth than any materialistic asset. He was a living example of 'Teachers who give up everything!'

On this Teacher's Day, I bow my head in gratitude to Capt RS Shekhawat also known as Guruji by all of us at BITS Pilani. Am sharing a picture of him receiving the Champion Athlete trophy from the then Prime Minister Pt Jawahar Lal Nehru. Guruji passed away few years ago in Jaipur. But his values live on in our hearts and minds.

Thank you Guruji for making me what I am today.

Teacher's Day

Teacher's Day is celebrated in all schools and colleges in India to commemorate the birth anniversary of Dr S Radhakrishnan former President of India and a great teacher and scholar. It is also a day for teachers like me for introspection and reflection. Sharing below some of the earlier stories posted by Ghumakkad on Teacher's Day.

Teachers Other Than Teachers - Can Nature, trees, birds, pets, sickness, bereavement also be our teachers? What do we learn from them? Sample it below.

Teacher

Learnings

Nature

Patience, Steadfastness, Managing Change, Team work

Children

Inquisitiveness, Energy and enthusiasm, Love, Trust, Honesty

Parents

Discipline, Love, Compassion, Care, Respect

Friends

Relationships, Team work, Emotional Stability, Trust

Pets

Loyalty, Trust, Love

Births

Joy, Happiness

Sickness

Patience, Emotional strength, Financial planning, Gratitude

Bereavement

Fortitude, Emotional strength

Successes

Happiness, Fulfilment

Failures

Emotional balance and strength

Covid Pandemic

Patience, Self-discipline, Concern for others

Adventure Sports

Spirit of adventure, Risk taking, Self-confidence, Physical and emotional strength

Painting, Music, Dance, Writing

Introspection, Creativity, Self-confidence, Visualisation

Team Sports

Team work, Conflict resolution, Discipline, Physical and emotional strength


Do Teachers Get Bored? - far from it! There is always action all around. Click the link to browse an outdoor activity with MBA students and lessons from a forest!


Covid Couldn't Deter The Teachers - how teachers in a B-school fought the Covid pandemic


A Teacher Keeps Learning - that is the best part! A teacher learns more from the students.


Who Inspires A Teacher - Teachers plant seeds of knowledge


Learning From Students - who keep the teachers on their toes! Specially if you are teaching post grad students.


Harsh@IBS - Journey of a different kind. Browse this story for multiple activities which Ghumakkad did along with his students and faculty colleagues at IBS Hyderabad.


This Teacher's Day, Ghumakkad thanks all his former teachers, students and former students for enriching his life. Picture below shows the confident and beaming faces of the PGDM cohort of 2026 at VVISM Hyderabad. They are the future of India!

Happy Teacher's Day to all the teachers, parents, students out there!

Thanks for browsing

  Harsh-the-Ghumakkad/ 5th Sep 2024/ Secunderabad

#teachersday #teacher #learner #students #nature #learningneverends #joyoflearning #ghumakkadhb #ghumakkadharsh #teachersotherthanteachers #learning #teaching #gratitude



Friday 23 August 2024

Implementing NEP-2020

Drafting and promulgating a policy like National Education Policy (NEP-2020 or NEP in short) is one thing, but implementing it is quite another. This story takes a quick look at NEP-2020 and highlights the practical implementation by a leading university in India. NEP deals with both school and higher education. However, we have restricted our story to higher education.

Key features of NEP for higher education are listed below:

  • Broad based and multi-disciplinary
  • Flexible curricula, creative combinations of subjects
  • Integration of vocational education
  • Multiple entry and exit points with appropriate certification
  • Innovation and entrepreneurship
  • Learner-centric education

Although NEP was announced in 2020, few institutions had been practicing many of the features of NEP since long. Institutions like IIT Kanpur, BITS Pilani, IIT Madras and IIT Bombay come to my mind. Some of the features implemented by these institutions even before NEP came into existence are listed below. The list is by no means exhaustive. It so happens that Ghumakkad has been closely associated with these institutions either as an alumni or otherwise during his 52 years of work life in Indian Navy and thereafter.
  • IIT Kanpur: Flexible curricula, Multi-disciplinary courses and Centres like Material Science etc
  • IIT Madras: Innovation and entrepreneurship through IITM Research Park, RTBI etc
  • IIT Bombay: Research and entrepreneurship having multi-disciplinary, faculty-driven and relevance to societal needs
  • BITS Pilani: Flexible curricula, Dual degree programs, Integration of vocational education through Practice School, WILP and industry partnerships, Multi-disciplinary, Entrepreneurship, Learner-centricity etc.
As we can see, BITS Pilani, my alma-mater takes the lead in implementing NEP-2020. In fact many of the features of NEP-20 had been implemented by BITS from 1969 onwards much before the policy was conceived and announced. We are not saying so because we belong to BITS but we wish to share and propagate the ways of implementing the policy. 

Apart from the above features implemented by BITS Pilani, we have many more initiatives courtesy Prof V Ramgopal Rao Group Vice Chancellor of BITS Pilani Group of Institutions. He has summarised some of the recent efforts of BITS in making education and research more relevant to the needs of the society. We share below his recent post on LinkedIn which highlights the need for 'deeptech' startups in India. Readers may browse the corresponding link for details of each of the initiatives listed.

"Spoke at the Conquest, BITS Pilani event in Bangalore, which is arguably Asia's first and the largest student run hashtagstartup hashtagaccelerator in India.

Image preview
Spoke of the need for creating a hashtagdeeptech startup ecosystem in the country and how BITS Pilani is playing a key role in these efforts. We have launched at least 10 new hashtaginitiatives in the last one hashtagyear alone to strengthen the deeptech startup ecosystem in the institute campuses and the country.
1. hashtagSPARKLE: Student Program for Advancing Research, KnowLedge, and Entrepreneurship
Link: https://lnkd.in/gvj6_efk
2. hashtagSOLVE: Innovation Program for Solving Societal and Business Problems
Link: https://lnkd.in/gCiUWFN5
3. PhD hashtagDRIVE: PhD Deep-tech Research, Innovation, Value generation & Entrepreneurship
Link: https://lnkd.in/gXUnnEbA
4. Creation of a School for Interdisciplinary Research and Entrepreneurship (hashtagSIRE)
Link: https://lnkd.in/gy3zaPaC
5. Cross-disciplinary Research Framework scheme (hashtagCDRF) for faculty with funding support for undertaking problems of societal relevance
Link: https://lnkd.in/gr5tm_Eq
6. Policy for hashtagFaculty hashtagEntrepreneurship
Link: https://lnkd.in/gB5yZrAt
7. PhD hashtagIMPACT (Industry Mentored PhD in Advanced and Cutting-edge Technologies)
Link: https://lnkd.in/gzWRBuxp
8. Launch of hashtagRakeshKapoor Innovation hashtagCenter
Link: https://lnkd.in/ghZMZ2JP
9. A completely revamped and hashtagintegrated hashtagIncubation system in all campuses:
Link: https://lnkd.in/gjFd_AfM
10. Multiple new startup initiatives under the BITS hashtagBiocyTIH Foundation & SATHI Initiatives
Link: https://biocytih.co.in/
11. Streamlined the processes for filing of hashtagpatents which has resulted in a 300% increase in patent filings in 2023-24.
Link: https://lnkd.in/gPq54eAV
12. USD100 Million dollar hashtagEndowment Fund to be launched by BITS Pilani soon with a major chunk of it to support deep-tech startups.
13. New Centers of hashtagExcellence for deeptech hashtagresearch and entrepreneurship activities such as hashtagCREST, hashtagCRENS, hashtagAPPCAIR etc...
Links: https://lnkd.in/gBYSHgnR , https://lnkd.in/gAZhSXgg , https://appcair.com/
14. Recruitment of multiple hashtagProfessors of hashtagPractice
Link: https://lnkd.in/gACsXEXZ & many more.

If you are a hashtagdeeptech hashtagentrepreneur, hashtagangel investor, hashtagVC or an hashtagindustry keen to support hashtagentrepreneurship activities in India, come and join hands with us. hashtagBITS Pilani is an Institution of Eminence as per the Govt of India IoE scheme."

We are grateful to Prof V Ramgopal Rao for his permission to reproduce the above post.

We conclude with a quote by Mahatma Gandhi who said "Education is the basic tool for the development of consciousness and the reconstitution of the society."

If you are a faculty and wish to share your experience of implementing NEP, do mail us at hbindia@gmail.com . We would be happy to append it here with due credits.

Let us together take India to global leadership position in higher education. Education which is not only theoretical but which meets the needs of the society at large.

Thanks for browsing
   -Harsh-the-Ghumakkad/Secunderabad/23rd Aug 2024

#Deeptech #Startups #Entrepreneurship #Innovation #HigherEducation #NationalEducationPolicy2020 #NEP #Multi-disciplinary #IITs #BITSPilani #Implementation #research #flexibleeducation #dualdegree #vocationaleducation #practiceschool