Seeds of Golden Trumpet: KBG-15 Winners

Which tree was it in KBG-15?
Where is it grown?
Where did you find the seeds?
Who won the contest KBG-15?

The answer to Contest No. 15 of Kaun Banega Ghumakkad (KBG) कौन बनेगा घुमक्कड़ is here!
It was the Golden Trumpet tree. Scientific name being Tabebuia Aurea or Tabebuia Argentea.

It is grown in India, South America and many other regions. Other answers given by on-line contestants were Silk Cotton, Alsomitra Macrocarpa, Semal, Albizia, Meranti, Shorea, Saal, Teak, and Mulbery.

Why this name? Because it gives golden flowers around Holi होली in India (generally in March) which are in the shape of trumpets. During the flowering season which lasts for about two weeks, the tree sheds all its leaves. And then its a riot of golden colour seen from a distance. See the picture below.

Where did I find the seeds? 
Ghumakkad found the seeds on 18th fairway of a golf course in Secunderabad India. The same place where the above picture was taken. The fairway was littered with thousands of seeds with white 'feathery' wings which caught my eye. You may like to browse the story 'Why I Love Golfing?' for more pictures.

Similar Looking Seeds
Many readers got confused with Alsomitra macrocarpa which grows widely in Indonesia and many other regions of the world. But these readers did not see our 2nd clue which showed the tree and a bean shedding the seeds. In comparison, Alsomitra fruit is football sized.

The Winners
Once again, the contest was keenly fought on-line with more than 300 contestants. The first correct answer came in less than 5 minutes! However, we received only two correct answers. Therefore, there is no third winner unlike previous contests. We congratulate the winners who come from different backgrounds and professions.

1. Wing Commander Yella Prakash Rao (Retd), Helicopter Pilot, Bird Watcher and Golfer
2. Prof Praneetha Mudholkar, Marketing and Soft Skills Faculty and Nature Lover

Once again, we thank all the readers for their active support in keeping the KBG Contest going! Our aim of generating awareness about the Environment, Nature and Heritage through this contest has been appreciated by many readers. In some way KBG Contest is like a seed we have sown in each one of you. Recalling RL Stevenson's line “Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.”

Thanks are due to Dr Chitra Shanker without whose expert guidance we would have made no headway.

KBG-16 will arrive soon. But before that Ghumakkad will take you to North East India to continue where we had left.

Stay connected

  - Harsh-the-Ghumakkad with Dr Chitra Shanker/ 29th April 2019

#kbg #kaunbanegaghumakkad #contest15 #goldentrumpet #trees #seeds #nature #funwithnature #tabebuiaaurea #ghumakkadharsh #ghumakkadhb

Seeds to Flowers KBG-15

"Which Seed?"

"How do I know, I am not a botanist!"

But surely you love mother Nature, trees and gardens.

In the month of April most flowering trees shed their beans containing the seeds. Most gardens and in some cases even the foot paths- are splattered with seeds. Courtesy strong winds, the seeds can be found far away from the tree.

15th edition of KBG Kaun Banega Ghumaakd is here.

Identify the seed- which flower or tree? And you could be the winner!

More clues follow.

 The final clue!

Thanks are due to Dr Chitra Shanker for the idea and Ms Ramya Sriram for the Contest logo.

We close with RL Stevenson's famous words “Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.”

Happy hunting!

  -Harsh-the-Ghumakkad/ 25th April 2019

#kbg #kaunbanegaghumakkad #trees #seeds #flowers #nature #rlstevenson #ghumakkadharsh #ghumakkadhb #contest15 #kbg15

Real Life to 'Real-Time' Cases

Is it a typo? 'Real-Time' Cases?

Haven't heard it before!

If you felt the same way, then you need to read further.

Real-life cases always generate more discussion in an MBA class. But many times such cases get outdated very fast. Subsequent corporate events which unfold after the case was written and it gets discussed in the class, make it less relevant and impactful.

What can the faculty do in such situations?

The key is to move from real-life to real-time. Yes, real-time as in the case of military combat systems. Tracking a target in real time, engaging with your weapons in real time and assessing the impact- all in real time! Sounds cool?

But, how can this concept of ‘real-time’ be introduced in case-based teaching?

Can real-time cases be used across all management subjects?

How to design such real time cases?

What is the lead time to prepare such cases?

From where can we source such real-time cases?

Has this methodology been tried out somewhere?

What is the impact of such real-time case methodology on learning by management students?

Ghumakkad a.k.a. Harsh Bhargava will answer these and many more queries in a Workshop-cum-Master Class this week. It will introduce the faculties to ‘real-time cases’ through some ‘real-time’ cases in a recursive way!

Take your call because today's generation is media-driven, tech-savvy and hates reading long notes, handouts or cases.

Happy learning.

Reach me for further details

     

   -Harsh-the-Ghumakkad/23rd April 2019/ hbindia@gmail.com 

#learning #experientiallearning #mba #casemethod #pedagogy #reallifecases #realtimecases #learningforlife

When vehicle breaks down in a Tiger Reserve

"What is Manas?"
Name of a river in Assam in India named after the serpent Goddess Manasa.
"Then what is this Manas National Park?"
It is a UNESCO Natural Wold Heritage Site. Famous for rich bio-diversity and flora and fauna.
"OK. Which animals are endemic in Manas i.e. found only in Manas?"
The Assam roofed turtle, hispid hare, golden langur 
and pygmy hog.
"Did you sight any of these?"
Yes, the golden langur!
"Manas is also known for Tigers. Did you see any?"
No. But our vehicle broke down in the Tiger Reserve.
"What? Are you serious?"

This conversation occurred many times after we returned from our visit to Manas National Park (MNP) in Assam. Sighting of animals in a forest unlike in a zoo, is never certain. Therefore, one should not be disappointed if tiger or rhino sighting does not occur. Of course, if your safari vehicle breaks down in a Tiger Reserve, that's another story! We will come back to it.

We were a team of 20 Navy veterans and spouses all in their late 60s. We bring you a set of stories based on our visit to MNP in November 2018, which should be read together. Quick links are given below:

1. Who were the travellers?
2. Guwahati the Gateway to North East India
3. Driving through the Bamboo land
4. MNP- What is so great? (this story)
5. MNP- Where crickets sing like Temple Bells
6. Bodo Village- Living with Nature
7. Where to Stay in Manas
8. Deepor Beel A Ramsar Site

Assam has many wildlife sanctuaries and national parks. See the map below.

Location of MNP

Manas National Park
As shown in the map below, two-thirds of Manas Park is located in Bhutan where it is called Royal Manas National Park.

The Safari

Here is a short video clip of these majestic elephants.

The travellers are all set to enter the Park.

Fallen trees also have a role to play in a forest.

According to Wikipedia, the combination of Sub-Himalayan Bhabar Terai formation along with the riverine succession continuing up to Sub-Himalayan mountain forest make it one of the richest areas of biodiversity in the world. The park is 950 sq km in area and is situated at a height of 61m to 110m above mean sea level.

Vehicle break down in a Tiger Reserve and ladies seem unperturbed! Because we had four vehicles and only one broke down. And we were stranded near a forest beat camp which had wireless connectivity. So, help was arranged quickly. But Ghumakkad had been stranded earlier in Ranthambor National Park also. Golden rules for such situations are:

1. Do not panic.
2. Do not leave your vehicle.
3. Do not make noise.
4. Stay calm.
5. Help will arrive since entry/exit of all safari vehicles is tracked.

See the video clip of our vehicle breakdown in middle of the forest.

Here is a panoramic view of the Park from the anti-poaching tower:

Hurray the relief vehicle arrives and the Safari resumes!

Instead, we should feel the forest, its smell, the sounds, the trees, insects, birds and everything! Taking pictures is just a small aspect but quite often it becomes the main distraction. We then miss the big picture!

We end with a quotation about unknown things in life, which kind of summed up our experience that morning.

We will take you to Mathanguri the northern boundary of the Park in our next story.

Thanks for browsing.

      -  Harsh-the-Ghumakkad/ 23rd Apr 2019
#manasnationalpark #assam #india #wildlife #tiger #goldenlangur #bansbari #mathanguri #junglesafari #ghumakkadharsh #ghumakkadhb #elephants