Speech at IDCA on Nagpur First and other Insights

Yesterday on Jan 30th I made a speech at monthly meeting of IDCA (India Development Coalition of America), a platform organization for all organizations working for sustainable development programs for India. They had asked me to share the story of Nagpur First. The speech was well received from the reaction of the audience and what they said to me after wards. Here is another blog by a Nagpur First member on the same.

My insights while preparing for and delivering thiEvery thing in life is how you take it as's speech are:

- If you are dedicated and committed, preparation happens as things fall in place automatically.

- You need not worry, be anxious and fret about things, rather let them just happen with focus and perseverance.

- Keep the overall intention and purpose of the task clear and let what you are speaking on flow thru than how you are going to say it or how you would look etc.

- Moderate the speed of the delivery based on the time, but maintain clarity of delivering the words.

- Lastly let the contents flow from your heart and do not think about being right.

Also yesterday was quite a busy and happy day. Right since early morning I kept getting good news or did what I liked.

- First had some nice and loving moments with Shubhra and Aagam.

- Then a call with Ma, where in she talked with confidence and explained me the temporariness of our existence on this planet, which made me quite emotional and I cried with her.

- Further had calls with Jai bhai-sab and Neelu didi, who gave good news of finalizing Adi's marriage. It was long talk with so many other news and information, mostly good.

- Then discussed a business opportunity with Brijesh and realized that it could be simple yet value add to customer and fund adding to Aagami.

- This followed by a long conversation with Amit Badiyani who gave good news of another project from UK client. With Amit I also prepared for the speech on Nagpur First at IDCA.

- Then got ready to go to IDCA event, during this time my dear son, Aagam, washed the car without any fuss and also caringly.

- After the event the car GPS brought me back from new and nice roads with lot of great sights and while driving back had great long coversation with my dear daughter, Aayami.

- The day wrapped up with a call with Ashu and two Jason Bourne movies with Shubhra and later Aagam.

Now some more of personal Insights to end today's blog:

- Requesting people without expecting any thing in return makes things happen.

- Asking people lovingly makes seemingly adverse people work for you.

- Providing people a total freedom of being around you is MOST important in relationship

EVERY THING IN LIFE IS, HOW YOU TAKE IT AS, and is fundamentally neither good nor bad, it just is.

2010's first and reminiscence of last month

Here I am on 24th day of 2010 writing my first of this year. Well this winter holidays we decided to take the much awaited road trip to southern USA. Hence we rented a 15 seater and went with another friend's family and went for North-South-North US trip.

The route was Naperville (Chicago area) - Saint Louis, Memphis, Jacksonville, New Orleans, Mobile, Montgomery, Atlanta, Chattanooga, Nashville, Cave City (Mammoth Caves) Indianapolis and Naperville. Although we saw most places en route, but really toured Memphis (1 day), New Orleans (2 days), Montgomery (1 day), Atlanta (3 days) and Mammoth Caves (1 day). It took us thru 9 states over 2600 miles.

The other highlight was that is was incident free trip of 9 days. We did not face any road or vehicle difficulty; nor had any incident of personal nature despite of 8 people on the road for 9 days in one vehicle. Most importantly it was thoroughly enjoyable as each member of our family had good company of same age in the other family.

Also our new year moment happened in Atlanta down town where we saw the 'Peach Drop' at 00:00 hours on 01/01/2010. It was lot of fun and we let loose our kids to have fun like mock bungee jumping in near by fun place. But it was pretty cold too, in mid 30s with winds. So all in all new year 2010 began with having fun with family and friends. I am looking forward to a similar fun and joy filled year ahead.

After coming back on Saturday Jan 2nd night, I wanted to rest, but Jan 3rd was the first Sunday and hence Jainism and Hindi classes were to be conducted at the Jain Center. While going there I had a minor accident where in my ring finger of right hand got pinched in between two flaps of garage door, which was in manual mode. Shubhra and kids supported me to the fullest and I could not go for religious teaching, but made it to Hindi class as Shubhra drove me to temple.

The first week of 2010 at work went quite busy, preparing for a J P Morgan meeting in San Francisco, which went like a breeze with 25 odd meetings in 3 days from 11th to 13th. On Jan 14th and 15th I had more meetings in Bay area and also met some family and friends there.

Last whole week went in catching up with follow ups, in which I had extra ordinary support of Ed Steinhardt. He is such a dedicated and committed young man, who truly belives in me and the possibility of success of Aagami. It is flattering but does make me scared some times.

This weekend also went really well. Aayami came home Saturday evening and since Shubhra and Aagam were gone in the morning I got a lot of phone calls done. Later in the evening we planned to see a wonderful Hindi movie '3 Idiots' by Rajkumar Hirani in a cinema theater in Naperville. This Director has amazing gift of story telling. I believe he is also the director of the 2 Munnabhai movies, which have been quite popular and trend setters socially. This movie has broken all time records in the history of Hindi (Indian) cinema to become the largest grosser of all times; it has beaten Sholay's records.

The movie is unbelievable good and made me very emotional at places. I recommend the movie to every one, who cares to have some fun and joy along with learning few HARD Truths about life.

Any ways I have said enough for today; that too after watching another classic 'Forrest Gump' on the TV with family. So have had too much fun, laughter, achievement and 'fundas' in this week end and last 24 days of 2010.