HAPPY NEW YEAR '2010'

My Dear Friends,and Readers,

i heartfully wish you a peaceful and prosperous 'NEW YEAR'

Also wish you....

What ever dream and wish you may have let it come true in this new year - '2010'

LOVE LIFE

The only way to love life is to create more life,

is to make life morebeautiful, more fruitful, more juicy.

Don't leave this earth unless you have made it

a little better than you found it when you where born

-this is the only religion that I know of.

I teach you the religion of creativity.

And by creating more life,

you will be tranformed because one who can create life has already become

part of God, of Godliness.

OSHO

WHAT TO CHOOSE AND WHOM TO CHOOSE?

famous poem by Robert Frost -

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveller, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could.

To where it bent in the undergrowth,

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear,

Though as for that, the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I

--I took the one less travelled by,

And that has made all the difference.

Robert Frost

Why to raise the 'FINANCIAL INTELIGENCE' ?

MONEY SAVED IS MONEY YARNED

'Money Saved is Money Yarned' is very simple truth.here i would like to share my wisdom that i have learned over years after spending too much and realised recently what a fool i was...

In all my workshops, i used insist my participant only one thing , i.e.-Raise the Individual's 'Financial Quotient'-FQ.
.
Why to raise the 'FINANCIAL INTELIGENCE' ?
if the individuals are aware about this they can be free from all debt that burdens the family and their society or the nation.
.
The recession and other major financial debt burden that shook the world recently can be simply eradicated, if we all take/initiate an effort to educate the FQ among every individual including children. In my personal view, our educational system must incorporat the financial intelligence as part of the curriculam.

Our children/students need to learn this,that will enhance a better society which is free from the debt burden/recession and finacial crisis in micro and macro level.Educate your child as much as you can about FQ. So that, it will make them to minimise their expanses and they also realise the hardwork involved behind that money.
for e.g -

• if your child ask New Pencil often... Do not simply buy an give it- Ask the old pencil,even it is very small and un-usable no problem , just collect the old one and give a new pencil.This will make your child not only financially inteligent but also as a responsible person.
• Do not encourage them to eat more chocolates,kurekure and of that kind.it may spoil your child health and memory.

Lack of FQ Will make the individual and society sick.if one is weak financially just by his/her own inefficiency that is not only going affect that individual/person , it will affect the family and the overall society as well . (I Remember the frog storey)...
.
Why socialism in our world that failed was also because of the lacked financial intelligence of individuals during those time.These individuals who were part and collectively made a society that failed. Here 'The rich will become poorer; and the poorer become more poorer' Logically it is incorect.if the society need to be raised/uplifted,it is very much indeed to raise the 'FQ' among every individuals who is going make the society as whole ' rich and wealthy' . if this is achived than the situation is like - 'The rich will become more Richer and the poor will become Richer' it is logically a correct solution.
.
wealth can be created if one is aware and keen in attaining it.Your passion to be rich will make you rich. This is what my policy is.

' Do not catch and feed the fish to sombody;
instead teach some one HOW TO CATCH THE FISH ON THEIR OWN'

Here are the few steps , that nourishes your financial intelligence.

a. At first, Define your 'NEEDS and WANTS' . Spend within your limits.'Your expenditure must be less than your income'.[Thumb Rule]

b. Avoid Overspending and 'Pay yourself first' Atleast every month save little money of your yarnings for your ownself. e.g.- 5% to 10% of your income.

c. Carry a pocket notebook with you every where. just write down all your out flow money when ever possible.At night, spend few minutes to look out your spending...do a total spending of that particular day.Now, just make a strike mark of the unwanted spend-OUT's as per your heart and total the unwanted. just notice and be aware. ' Each penny counts '

d.Identify your money out-flow that is going for no use. for e.g.- i used to drink more tea as and when i wanted 'even i used to take tea after a meal ' which is not necessary,not only that it spoil my health. 'Underline your your unwanted-wants! '

e.when you are going out with friends be watchful about your un-necessary spending . i did'nt mean to be stingy .You can always 'spend for the need'.
e.g. - When we go to hotel we simply order many items in the menu.Afterwards... unable to consume the whole food and simply waste it. [ Do not waste food.Many people in the world die out of hunger]

f.Always save money for the future needs and for your children educational needs and medical attention.Always keep some money for emergency for the unexpected.(if you have more children have more money for emergency) 'Safety first'

g.Have a finacial forecast for daily,monthly and yearly basis. ' forsee the future '

h.Do not make any hurry burry decision as far as your money is concerned. 'Be Affirmative unto your self ' be in your balance in all situations that may insist you to make wrong financial decisions. e.g.- Investing money for unusual intrest in private fund agency or such..

i.Do not invest money ever in a single source.spilit it up your investments in fixed deposit,gold, land,stocks,etc. 'Personal portfolio is the best'

j.Avoid credit cards, if you don't know how to use it for your favour. ' Check your own credibility ' .

k.Avoid / Do not encourage friends to ask money as a loan. 'Learn how to say NO'

l.Do not avail loan for your wants, just because it is easily available. ' Un-Burden youself and be free from Debt '

m.Invest your money wisely,i mean your investments must make an additional source of income on monthly basis.'MONEY MAKES MONEY'

n.if you are using car/bike plan your travel properly.Do not go round and around,have route map to attain your destiny point as shortly as possible,that save fuel.Go by walk when you are going to near by shoping. 'Save Time and energy '

o.Have your own garden and do vegitation. if you have enough land around the house. 'Go green,support corbon credit'

p.SAVE - Water and Electricity as much as you can.
e.g.- ' SWITCH OFF ' The Monitor/Fan/Light When your are moving out of the room even for 10 minutes.You can save electricity by not using the electric heater for heating the water for bathing during summer time. ' Consume less energy Resources' .

q.Avoid Drinking/Smoking etc... to save money as well as to keep yourself healthy.'HEALTH IS WEALTH' .

r.Save money and also spend money for lifting the under-priviliged. Do charity and always be socially responsible.When you spend money for the good cause that for your society that will motivate you to make more money. 'MONEY SPEND IS MONEY YARNED' .

Note-*The Bold and Italic quotes within the 'Quotation' will be explained in detail latter on.*

To Learn more on ' FINANCIAL INTELIGENCE- go to my other blog -http://wealthtrainer.blogspot.com/

THOUGHTS

Beautiful moments of the Past that Enrich us today and ever,as we recall.

Life's Beautiful moments that drew great people briefly..

It was probably the April of 1974. Bangalore was getting warm and Gulmohars were blooming at the IISc campus. I was the only girl in my postgraduate department and was staying at the ladies’ hostel. Other girls were pursuing research in different departments of Science.I was looking forward to going abroad to complete a doctorate in Computer science. I had been offered scholarships from Universities in the US . I had not thought of taking up a job in India .One day, while on the way to my hostel from our lecture-hall complex, I Saw an advertisement on the notice board. It was a standard job-requirement notice from the famous automobile company Telco (now Tata Motors). It stated that the company required young, bright engineers, hardworking and with an excellent academic background, etc.At the bottom was a small line: “Lady candidates need not apply.”I read it and was very upset. For the first time in my life I was up against gender discrimination.Though I was not keen on taking up the job, I saw it as a challenge. I Had done extremely well in academics, better than most of my male peers. Little did I know then that in real life academic excellence is not enough to be successful.After reading the notice I went fuming to my room. I decided to inform The topmost person in Telco’s management about the injustice the company was perpetrating. I got a postcard and started to write, but there was a problem: I did not know who headed Telco.I thought it must be one of the Tatas. I knew JRD Tata was the head of The Tata Group; I had seen his pictures in newspapers actually, Sumant Moolgaokar was the company’s chairman then). I took the card, addressed It to JRD and started writing. To this day I remember clearly what I wrote.“The great Tatas have always been pioneers. They are the people who Started the basic infrastructure industries in India , such as iron and steel, chemicals, textiles and locomotives. They have cared for higher Education in India since 1900 and they were responsible for the establishment of the Indian Institute of Science. Fortunately, I study there. But I am surprised how a company such as Telco is discriminating on the basis of gender.”I posted the letter and forgot about it. Less than 10 days later, I received a telegram stating that I had to appear for an interview at Telco’s Pune facility at the company’s expense. I was taken aback by the telegram. My hostel mate told me I should use the opportunity to go to Pune free of cost and buy them the famous Pune saris for cheap! I collected Rs 30 each from everyone who wanted a sari. When I look back, I feel like laughing at the reasons for my going, but back then they seemed good enough to make the trip.It was my first visit to Pune and I immediately fell in love with the city.

To this day it remains dear to me. I feel as much at home in Pune as I do in Hubli, my hometown. The place changed my life in so many ways. As directed, I went to Telco’s Pimpri office for the interview.There were six people on the panel and I realised then that this was serious business.“This is the girl who wrote to JRD,” I heard somebody whisper as soon as I entered the room. By then I knew for sure that I would not get the job.The realisation abolished all fear from my mind, so I was rather cool while The interview was being conducted.Even before the interview started, I reckoned the panel was biased, so I told them, rather impolitely, “I hope this is only a technical interview.”They were taken aback by my rudeness, and even today I am ashamed about My attitude. The panel asked me technical questions and I answered all of them.Then an elderly gentleman with an affectionate voice told me, “Do you Know why we said lady candidates need not apply? The reason is that we have never employed any ladies on the shop floor. This is not a co-ed college; this is a factory. When it comes to academics, you are a first ranker throughout. We appreciate that, but people like you should work in research laboratories. “I was a young girl from small-town Hubli. My world had been a limited place. I did not know the ways of large corporate houses and their difficulties, so I answered, “But you must start somewhere, otherwise no woman will ever be able to work in your factories.”Finally, after a long interview, I was told I had been successful. So This was what the future had in store for me. Never had I thought I would Take up a job in Pune. I met a shy young man from Karnataka there, we became good friends and we got married. It was only after joining Telco that I realized who JRD was: the Uncrowned king of Indian industry. Now I was scared, but I did not get to meet him till I was transferred to Bombay .

One day I had to show some reports to Mr Moolgaokar, our chairman, who we all knew as SM. I was in his office on The first floor of Bombay House (the Tata headquarters) when, suddenly JRD walked in. That was the first time I saw “appro JRD”. Appro means “our” in Gujarati. This was the affectionate term by which people at Bombay House called him.I was feeling very nervous, remembering my postcard episode. SM Introduced me nicely, “Jeh (that’s what his close associates called him), this Young woman is an engineer and that too a postgraduate.She is the first woman to work on the Telco shop floor.” JRD looked at me . I was praying he would not ask me any questions about my interview (or the postcard that preceded it).Thankfully, he didn’t. Instead, he remarked. “It is nice that girls are getting into engineering in our country. By the way, what is your name?”“When I joined Telco I was Sudha Kulkarni, Sir,” I replied. “Now I am Sudha Murthy.” He smiled a kindly smile and started a discussion with SM. As for me, I almost ran out of the room.

After that I used to see JRD on and off. He was the Tata Group chairman And I was merely an engineer. There was nothing that we had in common. I was In awe of him.One day I was waiting for Murthy, my husband, to pick me up after office hours. To my surprise I saw JRD standing next to me. I did not know how to react. Yet again I started worrying about that postcard. Looking back, I realise JRD had forgotten about it. It must have been a small incident for him, but not so for me.“Young lady, why are you here?” he asked. “Office time is over.” I said, “Sir, I’m waiting for my husband to come and pick me up.” JRD said, “It Is getting dark and there’s no one in the corridor.I’ll wait with you till your husband comes.”I was quite used to waiting for Murthy, but having JRD waiting alongside made me extremely uncomfortable.I was nervous. Out of the corner of my eye I looked at him. He wore a simple white pant and shirt. He was old, yet his face was glowing. There wasn’t any air of superiority about him. I was thinking, “Look at this person. He is a chairman, a well-respected man in our country and he is waiting for the sake of an ordinary employee.” Then I saw Murthy and I rushed out. JRD called and said, “Young lady, Tell your husband never to make his wife wait again.” In 1982 I had to resign from my job at Telco. I was reluctant to go, but I really did not have a choice. I was coming down the steps of Bombay House after wrapping up my final settlement when I saw JRD coming up. He was absorbed in thought. I wanted to say goodbye to him, so I stopped. He saw me and paused. Gently, he said, “So what are you doing, Mrs Kulkarni?” (That was the Way he always addressed me.) “Sir, I am leaving Telco.” “Where are you going?” he asked. “Pune, Sir. My husband is starting a company called Infosys and I’m shifting to Pune.”“Oh! And what will you do when you are successful.”“Sir, I don’t know whether we will be successful.”“Never start with diffidence,” he advised me. “Always start with confidence. When you are successful you must give back to society. Society gives us so much; we must reciprocate. I wish you all the best.”Then JRD continued walking up the stairs. I stood there for what seemed like a millennium. That was the last time I saw him alive. Many years later I met Ratan Tata in the same Bombay House, occupying the chair JRD once did. I told him of my many sweet memories of working with Telco. Later, he wrote to me, “It was nice hearing about Jeh from you. The sad part is that he’s not alive to see you today.”I consider JRD a great man because, despite being an extremely busy person, he valued one postcard written by a young girl seeking justice. He must have received thousands of letters everyday. He could have thrown mine away, but he didn’t do that. He respected the intentions of that unknown girl, who had neither influence nor money, and gave her an opportunity in his company. He did not merely give her a job; he changed her life and mindset forever.Close to 50 per cent of the students in today’s engineering colleges are girls. And there are women on the shop floor in many industry segments. I see these changes and I think of JRD. If at all time stops and asks me What I want from life, I would say I wish JRD were alive today to see how the company we started has grown. He would have enjoyed it wholeheartedly.My love and respect for the House of Tata remains undiminished by the passage of time. I always looked up to JRD. I saw him as a role model for his simplicity, his generosity, his kindness and the care he took of his employees. Those blue eyes always reminded me of the sky; they had the same vastness and magnificence.(Sudha Murthy is a widely published writer and chairperson of the Infosys Foundation involved in a number of social development initiatives. Infosys chairman Narayana Murthy is her husband.)(On JRD's death on Nov 29, 1993, the parliament, in an unusual gesture for a private citizen, was adjourned in his memory and Maharashtra declared three days of mourning.)Article sourced from: Lasting Legacies (Tata Review- SpecialCommemorative Issue 2004), brought out by the house of Tatas tocommemorate the 100th birth anniversary of JRD Tata on July 29, 2004.]