A load of crap from an idle brain

Some good news for the students and the city of Hyderabad.

In what could propel Hyderabad into a premier educational hub of the country, the AP government and Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, have informally agreed to set up a ‘seamless’ campus of IIM-A on the outskirts of Hyderabad.

“The decision to set up IIM-A campus in Hyderabad was taken at a meeting between the board of governors of the institute and state government officials in Ahmedabad recently. The top management institution has now set up a committee to work out further modalities,” state government sources told STOI. Dons in IIM-A confirmed the development to STOI.

The move is said to be highly symbiotic. The 110-acre IIM-A campus is virtually saturated and there is no scope of any further expansion. “The AP government has offered nearly 150 acres of land virtually free of cost or at a nominal amount of Rs one per acre as well as a grant of Rs 100 crore. The seamless campus at Hyderabad would be bigger than the Ahmedabad location and have ultra-modern facilities,” the official said.

According to sources, IIM-A can benefit immensely by having an extension in Hyderabad. “The PGDM — commonly called MBA-course is the brand-building one, but not revenue earning. The institute can generate money only through short-term executive courses and the IT, biotechnology and infrastructure hub that Hyderabad is would attract many to join up,” sources said.

According to sources, reputed faculty from abroad are keen to join the institute and would be motivated by the access that the Hyderabad international airport would provide for them. “IIM-A is the top management institution in the country and Hyderabad is the hub of the emerging economy. Both will tremendously benefit with the setting up of the seamless campus,” officials said.

The YSR Reddy government thought of the seamless IIM-A campus after the Centre made it clear that a new IIM cannot be granted for Hyderabad since it already has an IIT. “And there is no provision for an IIM for Andhra Pradesh in the 12th Five-Year Plan (2013-18) as well. A seamless IIM-A campus would be an extension of the one at Ahmedabad and not another new campus. This way, the Union HRD ministry will also have no objection as it need not give any financial assistance,” said sources.

According to the sources, the IIM-A board of governors were highly appreciative of the facilities that were being offered by the state government for the growth and expansion of the institution. “Their efforts in the last few years to grow including opening a campus in Mumbai came a cropper. Besides, former HRD minister Arjun Singh shot down all the expansion plans of the IIMs. Therefore, the offer from the AP government was welcomed with open arms by IIM-A authorities,” officials said.

Apart from the flagship PGDM course, the seamless campus in Hyderabad would offer a slew of new ones as well as optional courses that the student from Ahmedabad can enlist for a short-term, the sources said.

“In short, the seamless campus in Hyderabad can further cement the grip of IIM-A as the topmost management institute in the country,” the sources added.

The committee set up by the IIM-A authorities is expected to submit its proposals shortly to the board of governors after which the institute will seek a formal approval from the Union HRD ministry.

Above news source: TimesofIndia

Above pictures of campus source: IIM Ahmedabad

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A small tea shop somewhere on East Coast Road

Travelled on this bus from Chennai to Velankanni

Masala Dosa anyone?

The bus station at Velankanni

The main church at Velankanni

Shrines at opposite ends of the street

Back side of the church

Shrines at opposite ends of the street

A small chapel at St Thomas Mount, Chennai.  Its believed that St Thomas, a disciple of Jesus Christ who came to India to spread Christianity was martyred here.

A cross at St Thomas mount.  A lovely small chapel at the top of a small hill.  A great view of the Chennai city as well as the Chennai airport’s runway is visible from here

A statue of Jesus after crucifixion

Some engraving at the entrance of the church at St Thomas mount.  I guess the language could be Latin.  Anyone can confirm?

An extension of the above engraving

A 150 year old banyan tree in the courtyard of the church at St Thomas mount

A wind chime swaying in the wind at my home in Hyderabad

A flowering plant at home

The new Hyderabad airport

McDonalds at the new Hyderabad airport

A view of the airport village from the departure level at the new Hyderabad airport

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First a trip to smelly and dirty Chennai, then a trip to equally smelly and extremely dirty pilgrim town called Velankanni (with the famous shrine of Mary) and finally to an extremely clean, cold and windy Hyderabad.

Chennai was sweltering hot, i sweated buckets.  Coupled with that the scarcity of water and a city that is used by its citizens as a garbage dump.  You wonder where the municipal workers of the city are?  If at all they are doing the work.  Whether you are the middle of the city or at the outskirts, one thing that defines Chennai is the consistent crappy smell in the air.  The air stinks in Chennai and uniformly so.  Dont know why and how.  This is in addition to the dirt and filth all around.  Wonder which moron decided to name it a metro.

Velankanni was equally dirty.  For a piligrim town with such a potential for tourism, there are hardly any good lodge/hotels.  The only good ones are the dorms run by the church, but they too offer you rooms for the next day only.  And if you are the ones (like me) who just drop into the town with no reservations, hoping to stay at some hotel, be disappointed with the kinds of rooms you get there.  As for the restaurants, stay away if you dont want to come down with some extreme case of food poisoning or diarrhea.

If you have any plans of going to Velankanni, stay at Nagapattinam, a town near Velankanni.  Take a bus in the morning to Velankanni, see around and come back to Nagapattinam.  This was advised by my friends after i did my trip much to my exasperation.

Took a train from Chennai to Hyderabad.  Was travelling by the Indian Railways after more than 11 years and loved the experience.  Reached Hyderabad early morning around 6am on the 14th (our 1st wedding anniversary).   Was amazed at how clean the city of Hyderabad was at 6 in the morning.   Either the roads were swept clean or at some places the cleaners were hard at work.  Kudos to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and the people who work for them for keeping the city reasonably clean.

It was drizzling all through and there was a nice cool breeze.  Loved it. Since we were tired, we preferred to rest.  There was not much celebration for the anniversary as all plans were for wifey’s birthday which was 2 days later on the 16th.  Had a get together at home for friends and family for wifey’s birthday.

Later on in the week, went to the new mall in town, GVK-1.  Good place to hang out, but there was something lacking in the place.  I prefer Hyderabad Central or City Center.  Also the mall is pretty new and the shops are only coming up.  Maybe it will be good once it fills up.

Saw the movie New York.  Not bad i thought.  Better than the crap that Yash Raj is famous for churning out. Saw the movie at the new INOX multiplex at GVK-1.  The seating is good and so is the sound system.

Travelled back to Singapore via Chennai again.  From the superb airport of Hyderabad to a garbage can called Chennai Airport is a perfect example of what the private sector can do to our economy while at the same time, the Chennai airport run by the inefficient babus of Airports Authority of India have really screwed it up.

There were no seats at the international departure.  They simply disappeared.  For someone who’se flight is yet to start check-in, they simply have to stand there waiting for the counters to open.  Can you believe that?  What about the elderly and the people who need to rest?  Have the airport authorities ever thought about their comfort?

And the cafe’s selling stuff in Chennai airport are nothing but daylight robbery.  Tea is sold for Rs 30.  A samosa / aloo bonda costs Rs 60.  Whereas you get a good Cafe Coffee Day coffee at the Hyderabad airport for just Rs 15.

I can go on and on about the pathetic situation at Chennai airport, but its a waste of time.  Its a perfect example of why the airport needs to be handed over to a private player so that they can do a better job of the same.  Anyone with doubts can look at Hyderabad, Bangalore, Delhi and Bombay airports and compare them to the ones run by AAI.  There is simply no comparison.

Back at office and a mountain of work stares me in the face.  Time to get going.

Chennai picture courtesy: I’m seeing green ;  Hyderabad tank bund and NTR gardens picture courtesy: Hyderabad

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Doesnt feel like it, but a year has passed since i got married.  Its been a blessing enjoying the fruits of companionship and love of my beloved wife.

Am home, with family and friends, enjoying this special day.  Just cant express how happy Iam

Above pictures source: Flowersdubai & Englishcardsabroad

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Will be traveling to…

Chennai

and then….

Velankanni

and finally…

Hyderabad

This trip is gonna be a bit hectic so don’t think i will be online.  Will be back in Singapore on 21st July. Adios and be good

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French President Nicolas Sarkozy believes that Burqa (the veil worn by muslim women worldwide) “is not a symbol of religion, but a sign of subservience for women“.

Iam a great believer in democracy and freedom of choice.  If a woman wants to wear a burqa, she should be free to wear it and if she doesn’t want to, she shouldn’t be forced to,  even though her religion or elders in her family / society want her to wear it.

But then, how do you decide if the woman who has been indoctrinated all her life that the burqa is essential for her to project her religious identity wears the same even after she grows up?

Was reading the debate in CNN-IBN where Asaduddin Owaisi, the leader of MIM party of Hyderabad, India defended the burqa on the same lines as the Christian nuns who cover their heads and the Jewish men who wear a skull cap.

Most importantly, what i simply cant understand is to why only women have to wear it?  Why dont the men also wear the burqa if indeed the women are forced to wear it to protect their modesty?  Do men have no modesty? Or is it that the woman’s modesty is more precious that the man’s?  If yes, who decided that?

What do you think?  Do you agree with Sarkozy’s comment that “women behind the burqa are cut off from social life and deprived of identity?”

PS: Comment moderation has been enabled as there is a chance of this discussion going out of hand.  If all that you want to comment is something hateful, you may as well forget it as i will never approve that comment.  Put your point forth sensibly and it will be posted.

Above picture courtesy: The Muslim Woman

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Stayed up till 2:30 in the morning to watch the match as Deccan Chargers, the winners of the wooden spoon in the competition last year scored a thrilling 6 run victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore to emerge the champions of Indian Premier League – 2009.

What an awesome month this has been.  The chaddi gang routed in the elections.  Deccan Chargers coming out of nowhere to win this year’s IPL.  Twenty-20 world cup coming up in another 10 odd days. Yay.

Missing the sleep was worth it.  Tonight, i will have a contented sleep

It was a double whammy for Vijay Mallya yesterday.  His Formula 1 team, Force India just missed out on the points table and his cricket team, Bangalore Royal Challengers just missed out in the finals.

Pictures courtesy: IBNLive & Rediff

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Who will win the Indian Premier League -2009?  Will Gilly and his boys do the trick for the Deccan Chargers or will the old wily fox, Kumble pull one final trick and win it for the Bangalore Royal Challengers ?

The war begins in approximate 4 hours.

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