The trip started as a plan to attend Raghu's Wedding. While he got hitched toShridevi, we also had the chance to see some breathtaking places and temples.
Thursday, May 29, 2014
Raghu's wedding and a Mangalore Weekend Trip
Over the weekend, we went to Mangalore, Udupi with family. Here are the pictures: Weekend Mangalore Trip
The trip started as a plan to attend Raghu's Wedding. While he got hitched toShridevi, we also had the chance to see some breathtaking places and temples.
The trip started as a plan to attend Raghu's Wedding. While he got hitched toShridevi, we also had the chance to see some breathtaking places and temples.
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Friday, March 28, 2014
Happy belated Women's Day!!
“Woman is the companion of man, gifted with equal mental capacity...
If by strength is meant moral power, then woman is immeasurably man's superior...
If non-violence is the law of our being, the future is with women...”
- Mahatma Gandhi
A very strong and sensitive message by a great thought leader, thinking ahead of his time. While I am no Mahatma Gandhi, I do believe in what he said and have been blessed to witness several such women who have been an inspiration to me, and to many others around me. And these are just a few drops in the ocean. There are several others out there whom I have not even met. So of all the great women I have met and have had the privilege to learn from, I will talk about three who really stand out in my memory.
I will begin with my mother, Ivaturi Madhuri Rao. A house maker and a dedicated school teacher, whose “can do” attitude has helped her achieve many a milestone and has inspired me as I grew up. Born in a lower middle class family and brought up in Bihar, she was the fourth among her seven siblings. As was (or rather, is) customary in most traditional conservative Indian families, she was married off just as she began her undergraduate education. She had to give up her education and move across states to live with my father and his parents in Karnataka. However, the urge to learn and progress did not deter her. While extended family did not encourage her, my father encouraged her, and she went back to pursuing her Bachelor’s degree and completed it duly. It helped her self-confidence and she took up teaching as a profession. While she took a break from teaching soon after I was born, but the urge to learn more did not die. A few years later she completed Bachelor in Education (B.Ed) and then a Masters in Arts (M.A.) – all this, by traveling to a different city every week, and still taking care of the household. A small side note, her courage led her to even contest the local body elections to do good for the city that she lived in. While she did not win, what I truly appreciate is her thought and unyielding spirit. Three decades ago, when income levels were low and people around her were not supportive, to have the courage and the persistence to go after one’s dreams was highly inspirational. My mother has not looked back since then, and has been in the teaching profession even today continuing to shape the future of kids wherever she has worked. Her courage, perseverance and commitment are qualities that ignite the fire in me.
In India, the dropout rates for women from higher education are very high. Considering that “career vs. family” is a big topic for debate in many households, I was impressed by all the women who crossed several hurdles to get in to a tier 1 business school. The next is therefore a story of two classmates of mine at B-school who amazed me. One of them, during the admissions process, was pregnant. She was being wheeled in to the labor room, and she clung on to her laptop and typed her application away furiously. While it may sound dramatic, she asked the nurses to hold on a little longer in order to complete her application process and only then did she deliver the child. What really amazed me was her resilience and unwavering focus and determination, despite the situation. How she managed her time in school with an infant daughter with her in school is a chapter for another time. The second classmate, was pregnant when she joined the school. A lot of our classmates wondered how she would cope with the pressures of a highly demanding program despite her personal situation. Some students were unwilling to take her in their study groups fearing she may not contribute. However, she proved all critics wrong. She delivered a baby midway through the course and was back on campus shortly afterwards. Hats off to her determination and will power, she not only contributed to her study groups, she put a lot of others to shame by featuring among the top 1% of the academically excellent students on the campus.
The third, is a story of a person, who inspires me every single day. Meera Girija, my wife, is an amazing woman who has stood like a rock through many situations in life. Girija, was born into a lower middle class family in a small town in Andhra Pradesh. With limited means, her parents were able to provide her a decent education and were intent on getting her married while she was pursuing her undergraduate degree in Architecture. She, however, had (and still has) big dreams for herself, and therefore reasoned with her parents. She wanted to pursue a Masters degree in Architecture from Chicago, and start her career journey. When she was presented with that opportunity, with support from immediate and extended family, she was able to buy a one way ticket to Chicago, and had $250 in her pocket. Those who have lived in the US, know that $250 is not enough to cover one’s expenses beyond the first week, or two. However, Girija being herself, took a huge gamble and got on the plane to Chicago. Without any financial aid from the school, Girija had to work odd jobs across coffee shops, gas stations and newspaper stores round the clock to make ends meet and to pay her school fee. She would sometimes be delayed in paying her fee as her odd jobs were not sufficient to keep her afloat. But that did not deter her. If at all, she only came back stronger and harder. Amidst such a demanding schedule, she also had time for her friends. In the end, her hard work and persistence paid back. She not only completed her Masters, but went on to work for some reputed firms thereafter and put those troubled days behind her. I was privileged to witness her resilience, unwavering self-confidence, and an indomitable courage in the face of adversity from close quarters as I was on an assignment those days in Chicago. My admiration for her grew day by day, and these traits of her bowled me over. What began as an acquaintance, turned into love, and finally into a lifelong knot called “marriage”. We have been married close to seven years now, and till date, I see the same qualities in her and feel blessed. I seek inspiration from her when the chips are down and she complements me in a way, only a wife can.
Through each of these stories, I only see resilience, courage, and a lot of determination. It is sufficient to keep me inspired for a lifetime. And the Mahatma’s words will echo in my ears forever …
Happy Women's Day!
If by strength is meant moral power, then woman is immeasurably man's superior...
If non-violence is the law of our being, the future is with women...”
- Mahatma Gandhi
A very strong and sensitive message by a great thought leader, thinking ahead of his time. While I am no Mahatma Gandhi, I do believe in what he said and have been blessed to witness several such women who have been an inspiration to me, and to many others around me. And these are just a few drops in the ocean. There are several others out there whom I have not even met. So of all the great women I have met and have had the privilege to learn from, I will talk about three who really stand out in my memory.
I will begin with my mother, Ivaturi Madhuri Rao. A house maker and a dedicated school teacher, whose “can do” attitude has helped her achieve many a milestone and has inspired me as I grew up. Born in a lower middle class family and brought up in Bihar, she was the fourth among her seven siblings. As was (or rather, is) customary in most traditional conservative Indian families, she was married off just as she began her undergraduate education. She had to give up her education and move across states to live with my father and his parents in Karnataka. However, the urge to learn and progress did not deter her. While extended family did not encourage her, my father encouraged her, and she went back to pursuing her Bachelor’s degree and completed it duly. It helped her self-confidence and she took up teaching as a profession. While she took a break from teaching soon after I was born, but the urge to learn more did not die. A few years later she completed Bachelor in Education (B.Ed) and then a Masters in Arts (M.A.) – all this, by traveling to a different city every week, and still taking care of the household. A small side note, her courage led her to even contest the local body elections to do good for the city that she lived in. While she did not win, what I truly appreciate is her thought and unyielding spirit. Three decades ago, when income levels were low and people around her were not supportive, to have the courage and the persistence to go after one’s dreams was highly inspirational. My mother has not looked back since then, and has been in the teaching profession even today continuing to shape the future of kids wherever she has worked. Her courage, perseverance and commitment are qualities that ignite the fire in me.
In India, the dropout rates for women from higher education are very high. Considering that “career vs. family” is a big topic for debate in many households, I was impressed by all the women who crossed several hurdles to get in to a tier 1 business school. The next is therefore a story of two classmates of mine at B-school who amazed me. One of them, during the admissions process, was pregnant. She was being wheeled in to the labor room, and she clung on to her laptop and typed her application away furiously. While it may sound dramatic, she asked the nurses to hold on a little longer in order to complete her application process and only then did she deliver the child. What really amazed me was her resilience and unwavering focus and determination, despite the situation. How she managed her time in school with an infant daughter with her in school is a chapter for another time. The second classmate, was pregnant when she joined the school. A lot of our classmates wondered how she would cope with the pressures of a highly demanding program despite her personal situation. Some students were unwilling to take her in their study groups fearing she may not contribute. However, she proved all critics wrong. She delivered a baby midway through the course and was back on campus shortly afterwards. Hats off to her determination and will power, she not only contributed to her study groups, she put a lot of others to shame by featuring among the top 1% of the academically excellent students on the campus.
The third, is a story of a person, who inspires me every single day. Meera Girija, my wife, is an amazing woman who has stood like a rock through many situations in life. Girija, was born into a lower middle class family in a small town in Andhra Pradesh. With limited means, her parents were able to provide her a decent education and were intent on getting her married while she was pursuing her undergraduate degree in Architecture. She, however, had (and still has) big dreams for herself, and therefore reasoned with her parents. She wanted to pursue a Masters degree in Architecture from Chicago, and start her career journey. When she was presented with that opportunity, with support from immediate and extended family, she was able to buy a one way ticket to Chicago, and had $250 in her pocket. Those who have lived in the US, know that $250 is not enough to cover one’s expenses beyond the first week, or two. However, Girija being herself, took a huge gamble and got on the plane to Chicago. Without any financial aid from the school, Girija had to work odd jobs across coffee shops, gas stations and newspaper stores round the clock to make ends meet and to pay her school fee. She would sometimes be delayed in paying her fee as her odd jobs were not sufficient to keep her afloat. But that did not deter her. If at all, she only came back stronger and harder. Amidst such a demanding schedule, she also had time for her friends. In the end, her hard work and persistence paid back. She not only completed her Masters, but went on to work for some reputed firms thereafter and put those troubled days behind her. I was privileged to witness her resilience, unwavering self-confidence, and an indomitable courage in the face of adversity from close quarters as I was on an assignment those days in Chicago. My admiration for her grew day by day, and these traits of her bowled me over. What began as an acquaintance, turned into love, and finally into a lifelong knot called “marriage”. We have been married close to seven years now, and till date, I see the same qualities in her and feel blessed. I seek inspiration from her when the chips are down and she complements me in a way, only a wife can.
Through each of these stories, I only see resilience, courage, and a lot of determination. It is sufficient to keep me inspired for a lifetime. And the Mahatma’s words will echo in my ears forever …
Happy Women's Day!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Digital Schooling in the age of #21daysoflockdown
The country came to a grinding halt since March 25th. Since the older folk and young kids were more prone to the #Coronavirus , it made sens...
