Random Thoughts

TED Talk on Coursera .

 I think it all began with MIT Open Course(MIT OCW). MIT  had made the class materials available online for free. With this simple initiative, thousands of students benefited across the world, however there was one drawback with MIT OCW , the class room experience was missing. There was no interaction with the professors and the education was rather of incomplete- it did not replicate the class room experience-peer sharing and learning was missing.  Last year Stanford started a new experiment and offered three courses online-      Machine Learning ,  Introduction to Artificial Intelligence  and  Introduction to Databases . Lecture videos were posted by the professors and students had to submit assignments and take quizzes. People who completed the minimum requirement were awarded a "Pass" certificate. Thousands of people participated in this experiment and thus began the new era of education. Coinci...

As the new batches join various B School campuses, I think it is apt time to share some gyan about the various clubs, committees and fests. Most of this gyan is based on my experiences and the experiences of my friends in various other campuses. During the first few weeks the students in the new batch are wooed by the seniors from various clubs and committees. Let me give you a sneek peak into what the different clubs and committees have in store and how useful they are on your CV and for overall personal learning and development. Placement Committee Let’s face it guys. Most of the students join B School for placements. Placement Committee is one of the most coveted committee on the B School campuses. Those who get in this committee not only have great visibility about the various opportunities but also hone skills such as managing expectations, negotiation and networking. The potential recruiter insight that you get as a placement committee member helps you make better career cho...

United States of America is really a great country. It is a place where people get the opportunity to bring out the best in them and pursue the American dream. Am sure you would be wondering what has triggered these lines and awhat is this all about? Well currently am reading The Art of Choosing written by Prof. Sheena Iyengar . The book is very interesting and gives us an insight on how we choose to do things, why do we make the choices that we make  and so on and so forth. But what is really brilliant and inspiring is that Prof. Iyengar is almost blind right from her childhood and  that despite of her physical set back, she has achieved so much in life. Well am not saying that she was not capable of but what I am really implying is that perhaps this is what America is all about. It empowers you and brings the best out of you. Frankly, I haven't heard of any Indian with a similar physical disability who has achieved something a great as Prof. Iyengar...

Caution: Readers' discretion is advised. The views expressed here are completely personal and the point of view expressed here will vary from individual to individual in the same batch. I am not responsible for any fall out arising out of your reading this post on this blog. Someone asked me on my views on whether a new student should join IIM Indore given the batch size. Well, I will try to cover certain aspects that will throw some light for future applicants. Having spent two years here and more so because I am part of the first graduating batch of size 450, I have developed an understanding of things that work and that do not work at Planet-I. I believe that these views are more pertinent for people with 3 or more than 3 years of work exp but nonetheless these views are universal as well. Although, I believe that freshers have very little at stake in studying at an IIM, be it L,I K ,S or any of the new IIMs. As far as the size of the batch is concerned, yes 450 is a huge...

Facebook is abuzz with new campaign videos of The Times of India (ToI) and The Hindu . While the ToI started the battle, it seems to me that The Hindu had the last laugh. The Hindu's video captures the essence of the spirit of the ToI, write and publish what sells (read Sex and Hollywood). In my opinion, there is no newspaper that has the same journalistic analysis and rigor that the Hindu has, perhaps the Indian Express comes a distant second. 27/01/2012 Well, let me decipher the marketing elements of the campaign. Times of India goes for a 'Frontal attack', wherein the ad/video has a Tamil tune, post its launch in Chennai. The Hindu retaliates and uses 'Attribute' based product attack.  The dumb people and the 1,2,4, 5.. pages ad just pick the key associations that readers have with ToI and the Hindu puts up a brilliant attack. This campaign which was started by the Times of India uses the principles of Integrated Marketing Communication, i.e. controversy f...

Blogger's new interface is really cool. It gives a feeling of luxury and grandeur. You feel like writing more and more. In brick and mortar space in a retail outlet is the prerequisite for the feeling of luxury. In the digital world its the UI. Rich UI can become a point of difference, at least it is a hygiene factor. 

Is technology making us less human? Perhaps yes, so it seems to me. Today we have 1000 friends on Facebook but how many are we really friends with? Do you get the urge to login into FB and check what your friend has posted? Who went where? Who's dating whom? Perhaps its the curiosity to know about others lives that keeps us hooked onto the Wall. But is there a way out? Oh ya, there is always a way out..get a hobby,play some sports, talk to real people, get a life..

Such is the pace of life, it changes in moments. Sometimes for the good sometimes for the worse. Things happen, people come and go, its all like a flash, by the time you recover from the gaze and look around, things would have changed. Remember that last time you avoided an accident and a split second later you wondered how the hell are you alive? Remember when you were so unsure and confused on where you are headed next and then suddenly a mail or a news pops up and you are on top of the world, suddenly you know where you are headed, you have a direction, that is the pace of life. But accepting the change or transition can be difficult at times.My point is accept the change and move on, maybe this is how it was supposed to be, maybe there is something better at the next turn, maybe its time to introspect and learn from your mistakes. Remember after every Summer there is always an Autumn. "For the times they are a-changin" - Bob Dylan

"Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It's a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing "

Watch out the tips on career from Shumeet Banerjee . Shumeet is an alumnus of St. Stephens and FMS Delhi. He did his Phd from Kellogg School of Management. Before joining Booz he taught at the Chicago Booth School.

As the clock struck at the midnight hour on Friday,23rd May, history was created as Namma Bengaluru's International Airport finally took wings . It was a dream come true for the Bangaloreans already suffering from ailing infrastructure. While many people were happy about it and celebrated as Bangalore got its on World Class Airport, i had my own reasons to celebrate and mourn. On Saturday, when i got up in the morning the first thing i did was to go to my apartment's rooftop. Standing from there i had bade 'tata' to innumerable flights with their engines making deafening noise, and that Saturday morning the only sound that i could hear was the 'Sound of Silence'.The runway looked like a widow who till yesterday was reining in the admirations for her beauty and today by virtue of fate was mourning the loss and the vacuum created by the sudden loss. I decided to take a ride to the now 'Old Airport'. What i saw at the 'Departures' terminal was sho...

As I write this article the Indian Premier League is mid way, however I could not contain my self to wait till the end of the League to write this article. Cricket in the shorter form has gained immense popularity. The T20 World Cup in South Africa in 2007, which was won by India , had set the stage for the new ‘Club’ concept in the game. The IPL conceived on the lines of EPL in football has proved to be the next big thing in the world of cricket. Seven city teams battle in the ‘Karamyudh’. The IPL brought in the new concept of bidding for players which saw the likes of Dhoni, Symonds and Pathan collecting big dollars checks. IPL with its high adrenalin and charged up environment has provided exceptional entertainment to the audience. Be it the mega opening ceremonies, the big sixes, the spectacular fours, the closely fought matches, the ‘City’ fan following, the Bollywood glitter of the Khans and the Zintas, the Cheer Leaders, IPL has really proved to be ‘Manoranjan ka Baap’. How...