Verdict-Good, Rating-3/5
A good attempt by Karan Bajaj.
The Novel is an adventure novel and is a combination of James Bond meets Phileas Fogg meets Manmohan Desai.
The Novel traces the life of its Protagonist an Indian MIT student-Nick,who keeps stumbling from one mishap to another across different troubled spots on earth.
Nick who is on a vacation with his chum in Cambodia finds himself accidentally hurtled through the clutches of the Khmer rouge.He survives this and lands in a Monastery in Bangkok.He seems to discover a vision of life here.
He moves to the Rio branch of the monastery to indulge in evangelization to find himself trapped in the vicinities of the Rio underworld.
He himself becomes the gang-lord and eventually move to the las vegas through another whirlwind of circumstances.He develops an online gaming software worth billions when he returns to India to become a bait in an indian satta version of Russian Roulette.
This is when he realizes the whirlwind his life has taken and tries to sort out things.The author attempts a surreal psychedelic view on life.
The book is a good entertainer and opens the floodgates for an indianized version of James Hadley chase.
Some of the instances seems cliched and resembles bollywood potboilers of the 1970's,especially the last minute reunion with his college chum.
The book is a good one time read,could have been a little more down to earth.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Save the tiger
"Tiger tiger burning bright in the forests of the night" wrote William Blake,
But time seems to be running out.
In these days of mega-cities,holiday resorts and commercial farming-Wild life conservation seems to have taken the back seat.With powerful commercial interests pitted against conservation efforts,the conservationists seem to be on the back foot.
Wish their were more people like Valmik thapar around.
We need to save our forests and their ecosystems to save the tigers.
It is a complex symbiotic web.We need to build a national people's environment movement like the chipko movement.Just preaching and cribbing will not do.
Wish something happens like in Michael Jackson's earth song.
All the uprooted forests and killed wildlife spring back to life with a prophet like Michael restoring them.Miss you Michael Jackson.
You were a visionary entertainer.
But time seems to be running out.
In these days of mega-cities,holiday resorts and commercial farming-Wild life conservation seems to have taken the back seat.With powerful commercial interests pitted against conservation efforts,the conservationists seem to be on the back foot.
Wish their were more people like Valmik thapar around.
We need to save our forests and their ecosystems to save the tigers.
It is a complex symbiotic web.We need to build a national people's environment movement like the chipko movement.Just preaching and cribbing will not do.
Wish something happens like in Michael Jackson's earth song.
All the uprooted forests and killed wildlife spring back to life with a prophet like Michael restoring them.Miss you Michael Jackson.
You were a visionary entertainer.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Bhopal Gas Tragedy-A Leviathan tragedy
The Bhopal gas tragedy has been in the news nowadays.
It has been one of the greatest industrial disasters ever to take place anywhere.
The tragedy has been compounded many times by the inaction and lack of proper settlement for the victims.
The fact that the victims got such a paltry sum for such a gigantic industrial disaster thrust at them by the callousness of a global MNC shows how far judicial activism has to go in our country.
The fact that the key player Warren Anderson was allowed to leave the country without making Dow chemicals pay its dues for the leviathan tragedy it thrust on the innocent Bhopal people is pitiable.
The case has been stretching on endlessly in courts without the hapless victims getting adequate relief and succor from the protagonists of the industrial disaster.
THIS RIGHTLY JUSTIFIES THE ADAGE-"TOO LATE IS BAD"-"JUSTICE DELAYED IS JUSTICE DENIED".
It has been one of the greatest industrial disasters ever to take place anywhere.
The tragedy has been compounded many times by the inaction and lack of proper settlement for the victims.
The fact that the victims got such a paltry sum for such a gigantic industrial disaster thrust at them by the callousness of a global MNC shows how far judicial activism has to go in our country.
The fact that the key player Warren Anderson was allowed to leave the country without making Dow chemicals pay its dues for the leviathan tragedy it thrust on the innocent Bhopal people is pitiable.
The case has been stretching on endlessly in courts without the hapless victims getting adequate relief and succor from the protagonists of the industrial disaster.
THIS RIGHTLY JUSTIFIES THE ADAGE-"TOO LATE IS BAD"-"JUSTICE DELAYED IS JUSTICE DENIED".
Thursday, June 17, 2010
The Leader who had no title-Book Review- Verdict-Good
This is Robin Sharma,s latest book on personal development.
I have been a great fan of Robin Sharma one of the best author
of self development books.
The book is a fictionalized account of a Man in search of his destiny in life.
He meets a stranger who has known his father and agrees to mentor the protagonist.
He is introduced to four different people who show him how to lead life.
The four people are four extraordinary people who have accomplished much
even within rather dimunitive work profiles.
The four people lead the protagonist through their life and ultimately
make him discover four golden truths which would lead the protagonist
to discover the meaning of life and ultimately see through life's intricacies
in depth.
The book is a pretty good self development fable and ultimately delivers on its premise.It is a good one time read.
But the book seems to be based on utopian circumstances and utopian people
and hence sounds a bit ultra-glamourous.
Would want Robin to bring more down-to earth people characters in his
future works.
The world is in a great paucity of genuine leadership and hence this work is right on the dot.A world with more responsible people donning leadership mantles in the need of the day.
Anyways my final take would be -A great one-time read which makes readers evaluate their principles in life-Go for it.
I have been a great fan of Robin Sharma one of the best author
of self development books.
The book is a fictionalized account of a Man in search of his destiny in life.
He meets a stranger who has known his father and agrees to mentor the protagonist.
He is introduced to four different people who show him how to lead life.
The four people are four extraordinary people who have accomplished much
even within rather dimunitive work profiles.
The four people lead the protagonist through their life and ultimately
make him discover four golden truths which would lead the protagonist
to discover the meaning of life and ultimately see through life's intricacies
in depth.
The book is a pretty good self development fable and ultimately delivers on its premise.It is a good one time read.
But the book seems to be based on utopian circumstances and utopian people
and hence sounds a bit ultra-glamourous.
Would want Robin to bring more down-to earth people characters in his
future works.
The world is in a great paucity of genuine leadership and hence this work is right on the dot.A world with more responsible people donning leadership mantles in the need of the day.
Anyways my final take would be -A great one-time read which makes readers evaluate their principles in life-Go for it.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Book Review-Zero Percentile-Missed IIT Kissed Russia
A good effort by debutant writer Neeraj Chibba.
The book traces the journey and struggles of an Indian student
in Volgograd Russia,the struggles and finally the learnings through it.
The writer gives an authentic firsthand account of life in the
erstwhile Soviet Union and the tough life for overseas students there.
The humour is subtle and realistic.The narrations about his romantic
interludes with a teacher in his institute is interesting and the
book progresses to a interesting climax.
The situation reminds one of Raj-Kapoor's Mera Naam Joker.
The book is narrated in a fashion similar to travel writers like RK Narayan and
Graham Greene.
A commendable debut effort by Neeraj Chibba.
The book traces the journey and struggles of an Indian student
in Volgograd Russia,the struggles and finally the learnings through it.
The writer gives an authentic firsthand account of life in the
erstwhile Soviet Union and the tough life for overseas students there.
The humour is subtle and realistic.The narrations about his romantic
interludes with a teacher in his institute is interesting and the
book progresses to a interesting climax.
The situation reminds one of Raj-Kapoor's Mera Naam Joker.
The book is narrated in a fashion similar to travel writers like RK Narayan and
Graham Greene.
A commendable debut effort by Neeraj Chibba.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Devil in Pinstripes-Book Review
Ravi Subramaniam has hit the bulls eye this time.
His new novel is an brilliant drama which offers an insight into the dark world of corporate politics,boardroom intricacies and the high profile world of international MNC banks.
The Novel is through the eyes of its lead protagonist who has to deal with the wiles of an established banking honcho whose entity has been merged with the global bank.
The novel starts with a slow pace and gradually meanders towards an intense buildup as the protagonist's better half joins the same organization and is caught in the crossfire between the two heavyweights.
How the protagonist diplomatically tackles the challenges faced by him with panache and through flank attacks to move up the corporate ladder forms the rest of the intense drama.
But the crescendo of the novel is the gripping climax,where the cliched phrase "the survival of the fittest" holds true with the advantage falling on the protagonist with the most skills rather than the most connections.
With this novel Ravi has heralded himself to be India's answer to John Grisham!!
Eagerly waiting for the next work from ravi's quiver.
His new novel is an brilliant drama which offers an insight into the dark world of corporate politics,boardroom intricacies and the high profile world of international MNC banks.
The Novel is through the eyes of its lead protagonist who has to deal with the wiles of an established banking honcho whose entity has been merged with the global bank.
The novel starts with a slow pace and gradually meanders towards an intense buildup as the protagonist's better half joins the same organization and is caught in the crossfire between the two heavyweights.
How the protagonist diplomatically tackles the challenges faced by him with panache and through flank attacks to move up the corporate ladder forms the rest of the intense drama.
But the crescendo of the novel is the gripping climax,where the cliched phrase "the survival of the fittest" holds true with the advantage falling on the protagonist with the most skills rather than the most connections.
With this novel Ravi has heralded himself to be India's answer to John Grisham!!
Eagerly waiting for the next work from ravi's quiver.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
IIM Eligibility Criterion
Recently the IIM board has decided to bring in some additional criteria for IIM entrants:-The Probable entrants should have scored 70% throughout their schooling.
This is other than the 99% cutoff.I suggest that some more criteria be brought in to
find the "Perfect Managers".
1.The CAT aspirant should be able to run a 10km marathon race.
2.He should be fluent in atleast two indian languages and should know one foreign language other than English.
3.He should be knowledgeable in Indian epics like the mahabharata,ramayana and the arthashastra.
4.He should have climbed a mountain peak above 5000 mts tall.
5.The aspirant should have participated in some adventure sports like bungee jumping or white water rafting.
hmmm..i will think of some more criteria to find the perfect manager...lol
This is other than the 99% cutoff.I suggest that some more criteria be brought in to
find the "Perfect Managers".
1.The CAT aspirant should be able to run a 10km marathon race.
2.He should be fluent in atleast two indian languages and should know one foreign language other than English.
3.He should be knowledgeable in Indian epics like the mahabharata,ramayana and the arthashastra.
4.He should have climbed a mountain peak above 5000 mts tall.
5.The aspirant should have participated in some adventure sports like bungee jumping or white water rafting.
hmmm..i will think of some more criteria to find the perfect manager...lol
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