Obama's Car

President Obama

Riding the unprecedented popularity and expectation, Obama takes over the post of the most powerful position on earth. With the WE CAN campaign, he stirred the nation into action.
He has challenged the status quo. He defied the prediction of several experts to reach to this level. A high decibel campaign, innovative vehicles such as e-channels to reach out, getting a cross section of celebrities to endorse, a relevant punch-line ( We Can!)...

Hats off to America....

Often we reach a point to make a choice: Personal preference Vs Common Good. We come across such situations in our personal, professional and social roles. Every choice has an impact, in short/medium/long term. Needless to add, our motto should be common good, which over a period of time should become a habit. We should always place the society/nation/others/
company/institution/group ahead of ourselves.

Americans had the guts to place the nation ahead of personal preference by voting to office a Black American. History would judge this as one of the defining moments of America. Americans, through this choice, showed why they are indeed a great nation.

Obama has generated himalayan expectations. Let us pray for his success so that he is able to live up to the expectations he and his campaign have created. America and World badly needs such a Great Leadership!

Death of a relative

In one of my earlier postings, I mentioned about the declining condition of a close relative. He merged with the Divine, last evening.

Last few weeks were painful for him and also his family. A former soldier and then a banker. He was a foodie, also a smoker. He had a passion for walking... he would walk long distances, chanting mantras. Perhaps, being a former soldier, he never came across as a religious guy. The image of him was that of a perpetually happy person! As the first to leave among his fellow-siblings, three elder to him and four younger, he 'moves on', leaving behind many grieving relatives.

Personally it was a shock to hear that cancer is the disease. I was more concerned, over the last few months/weeks and then days/hours, when his visits to hospital became frequent and his suffering became unbearable. ( He admitted to my mother, it was getting extremely painful and 'scary' - unthinkable for us, who looked at this uncle as the true hero, strong and joyful). Thus it is also an end to his pain and suffering, also fear. Wonder, what was the 'fear'!

He moves on the Journey to Divine. This happened when India celebrated Pongal/Sankranti...It happened yesterday, when the holiest Makara Jyoti makes the annual appears at the Sabarimala, giving bliss to millions. Indeed he was a precious jyoti within the extended family...

Leaving Microsoft to Change the World

Thanks to the magazine, FRIDAY, read a great feature on John Wood.


A chance meeting with Pashupathi, at Nepal... A visit to one of the local schools and the library with virtually ' no books'! It was the beginning of a beautiful journey...
He quit his high flying job with Microsoft and got into philanthrophy, big time! From donating books and helping communities to build schools, his ROOM TO READ has its presence in India, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, South Africa, etc.

• True to Microsoft style, John brought his corporate mindset into his Room to Read also : THINK BIG. (I always wondered why people start off with small activities when it comes to Seva/philanthrophy and be easily satisfied. John Wood is a definite exception.)
• He was inspired by biographies of Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela....
• His father was a great inspiration, who instilled the value system of working very hard. And made him read lots of books.... when he was a child that is:)
• He thinks three things children should get are: Immunisation, Clean Water and Education. (Of course, I would add, bread)
• Check out : www.roomtoread.org and http://www.leavingmicrosoftbook.com/

Grab an opportunity to make a difference. John Wood did that... truly inspiring!