Friday, July 23, 2010

Inception for Dummies!


Christopher Nolan has done it again...after a string of hits, he’s come up with another fist thumping block-buster movie.


Made on the scale of his previous movie “The Dark Knight”, “Inception” has been shot in 8 cities dotting the globe from Tokyo, Los Angeles, Paris and even relatively unheard Kenya’s second largest city Mombasa. The movie might not have an as taut and gripping plot as the director’s other movie “Momento” but it has his signature style storytelling that makes you jostle your brains to predict the next move or scene.

The plot is simple. You ask a “dream stealer” to reverse his act. Instead of stealing gold nuggets from a bank vault, you pay the thief to plant counterfeit money into the vault. Only here the vault is a person’s mind and the fake gold is a dream – an idea, an idea that is external to a person’s mind and an idea that could prove to be self destructive to the person in question!

Hmmm... The best way to enjoy a movie is to immerse yourself into it completely for two hours and imagine that you are the movie’s protagonist – the “hero”. In our case the lead actor is Leonardo DiCaprio who plays Cobb the dream stealer. Leo’s team, in other words, my team, comprises of Autur – my man friday, Ariadne – the young and Brilliant “dreams landscape” architect , Saito – the money monger , Eames – the impersonator and Yusuf - the chemist. Ellen Page plays Ariadne while Marion Cotillad plays Mal, a “projection” of Leo’s wife in the dream world.

Ellen’s job as an architect, is not easy. Designing landscapes in the “dream world” residing inside a person’s head involves architecting places that donot follow the laws of physics. Entire cities can fold over themselves as shown in the poster, with no calamities occurring what-so-ever. Staircases could be made to appear infinite in the dream world with the staircase neither having a beginning nor an ending.

However, “Time” does follow the constraints of physics though. Dreaming within a dream could prove to be a great time stretching act. It follows the pattern of an inverted pyramid where in five minutes of reality could seem to be a 10 hours long drive for the dreamer in the first “level” of the dream world. And if the dreamer begins to further dream within his dream, his 10 hr long dream in level one could stretch out to be six years in his higher dream level, level two. In short a person who thinks he is “living” a span of 50 yrs in his dream world level five could only be in the state of deep ( err, very deep in our case) sleep in the real world for about 5 minutes.

Uh I got distracted by the director’s slightly skewed logic …we were talking about the movie characters right? Characters! Speaking of characters, Ellen the architect is supposedly better than Leo himself according to Leo’s mentor. She proves this to the audience at a later stage.

As for my dear Marion Cotillad, who played such a lively character in “Jeux d'enfants” , she is reduced to a mere sleep walking demented character who cannot differentiate between the dream world and the real world. This is even more dangerous considering that in a dream , if you try to kill yourself , the worst that could happen is that you wake up – not so in reality!

Now consider the task on my hand – oops , the hero’s hand. I need to traverse from one dream level to the next higher dream level of certain person’s mind, and be able to come out of it by falling through each level.Failing at any stage would imply that the person would enter the state of “limbo” – a state similar to which my wife Marion Cotillad is in … ( Marion – my wife – ah – this dream feels so good! )

Ken is the character who wants to implant a self destructive dream/idea into his competitor business tycoon’s son’s head. He goes to great lengths to do so. As the quote goes:


Cobb: For this to work, we'd have to buy off the pilots...
Arthur: And we'd have to buy off the flight attendants...
Saito: I bought the airline.
[Everybody turns and stares at him. Saito just shrugs]
Saito: It seemed neater.

And another crucial member of the team is Eames – the forgery expert. Watch out for hilarious consequences as he sets out to impersonate characters inside someone else’s dream!

In all this madness of mine, I have my dear totem to hold on to ( see pic ) – which deserves the spot of a movie character in itself. If the totem spins wobbles and falls, I am in the real world .However, if it continues to spin endlessly, I am – you guessed it right – in a dream world.

Then there is the dangerous incursion into your memory areas while designing a dream. Watch the movie to know why the collision of memory area and the dream world could lead to disastrous results. The movie plot is exciting in the sense that you are in someone else’s mind and anything that you could possibly think could go wrong might go wrong! So what happens when a person in the 2nd dream level is interacting with a person in his 3rd dream level? In other words, how would it feel to interact with a same age friend who appears 50 yrs older to you in the dream world? How do you know whose dream are you in? As Ellen Page says at one point “is it his dream or her dream world that we are entering?” ( or something similar to that effect )

How do you make a person “fall down” and inturn wake him up from inside a dream if you cannot rely on non-existent gravity of the dream world?( to dimwits who watched the movie and can’t follow what I am saying - I am referring to the “lift” scene in the movie)

The highlights of the movie include the quick and quite convincingly logical transitioning from one dream level to another; the parallels drawn between a person’s real world and a dream word wherein water splashing on the lead actor’s face in the real world percolates to heavy rain in the dream world; liberal doses of CGI graphics blending seamlessly with real world locations and last but not the least, a well budgeted cinematography.

The part that I didn’t follow was how even after the billionaire’s son dies in the third dream level, he could continue on to accomplishing his mission. Ellen page explains this but apparently she and her thinking is beyond my league. The second half of the movie set in snow capped mountains turns out to be quite a drag at times.

Supposedly even a few of the movie actors didn’t understand the plot .However, pay close attention to the beginning and end of the movie. For, as in “Memento”, this movie’s end too is a jigsaw puzzle solution. It leaves your mind still tethered to your theater seat, even after you walk out of the movie hall.

Inception, the movie – one would either like it or hate it. I loved it! ( I played the lead character remember? )

-Sandeep Belure

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Barish ki Boondein......

बादलों में निकलो, घटाओं में नहाकर तो देखो..
दोस्तों, ज़िन्दगी क्या है छतरी हटाकर तो देखो!

[Walk under the clouds, drench in the rain..
throw away your umbrella, feel the life!]

-Ravi Goyal

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

San Antonio Trip!

I had an amazing time with my friends on July 4 - The American Independence Day!! We were a group of 6 people and after lots of fancy plans, we decided to go to San Antonio!! A dream vacation spot with the most picturesque Riverwalk I have ever seen.

We arrived in San Antonio at 11am and the whole city was festive and colorful. I instantly fell in love with that place. It had the old European architecture with street lamps from Harry Potter movies and baskets of flowers hanging on each lamp post. Flowers blooming everywhere, narrow roads with lots of people walking on the streets in colorful summer dresses, buggy rides with flower decorated carriages, lush green trees and a cool breeze made this place a treat for the eyes & soul. The weather was perfect too for this wonderful day!


We headed first for the Alamo fort which is significant in the battle of Independence for Texas. It was in the middle of a park with a wishing fountain and a band playing patriotic music. There were people who were dressed as soldiers from the 19th century when the war took place. They made us sit on benches there and narrated the story of the Battle of Alamo. We next went to the museum which contained the weapons (bowie knife, rifles, pistols, cannon balls etc) used in the battle. The museum itself was in the fort, so it had raw granite walls and flooring. The striking part was that the list of the names of all the soldiers who participated in the battle was put up there.

We walked to the Riverwalk at 1pm and on the way, we saw the Ripley’s Believe It or Not Odditorium with all kinds of weird stuff and the Magic Mirror on the street which made u look like Johny Bravo - big body n short legs..hehe.. 

 
 
Atlast, The RIVERWALK!! yippiee..it was beautiful like Venice and a perfectly romantic place. The river flowed slowly in the middle with lots of restaurants, small stores and colorful umbrellas adorning the sides, arched stone bridges to cross sides, tall green trees, sunlight peeking through the leaves, colorful flowers on the sides, playful ducks in the river, small boats taking people on tours... oooooo.. so so perfect!

We clicked lots of photos and walked around a bit absorbing the beauty of the place. Soon we were hungry, ravishingly hunggry!!. So we headed to a Mexican restaurant and had a hearty meal of enchiladas, quesidilas etc. I loved the ambiance which was totally Mexican with the ceiling decorated with pinatas and paper lanterns. 

After the heavy meal, we hurried up to see the Tower of Americas, a 750ft tall tower with an observation deck at the top from where you can see the whole city. We reached the tower, which had lots of water falls and fountains at the entrance. So we had a photo shoot again. We finally entered the tower and an elevator with glass on one side took us to the top. There was a restaurant at the top and the observation deck was beyond that. Gosh! It was open from the sides after a 6ft tall glass covering. The city was beautiful from the top. It was very windy at the top but it was not scary because we couldn’t see vertically down. We came down from the observation deck and watched a 4D movie about Texas and its attractions. It  was superb. There was a scene of a snake coming near our faces and spitting on us with real water sprayed on us. Then it disappeared from the screen and we could feel something moving near our legs and we screamed.
 


We headed back home after this short & sweet trip. The drive was exotic, as if we had come in the middle of a forest. Tall pine tree forests on both sides of the road with patches of vast green grasslands and ranches, horses and cows grazing peacefully in the setting evening sun reminded us of the beauty of the simple village life. I dozed off in the back seat dreaming about this wonderful day spent with my buddies!!


-Rajatha

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Things to do in Glorious Summer!

Summer is here!! Yippiieee!! The heat and humidity ensures that you stay indoors for the entire day and venture out in the evenings. Lazy laid back days can hamper your thinking process & creativity and by the end of summer you will be one dumb bloke.

So kick-start your systems and have an active, productive summer.

1. Join a class -
Not the boring academic classes which is the only thing which pops up in a graduate student's mind. I'm talking about dance, music, aerobics or even workshops like Skillport for software classes (Photoshop, Dreamweaver etc.)
Look out for free classes, there are plenty offered on campus and in apartment complexes.

2. Become healthy -
Get a nice trendy dress for yourself and begin working out at the gym for the sake of looking great in that dress. This will provide a nice motivation specially for girls. The guys can hang out with their buddies and play a sport - tennis, football, cricket, swimming (please ask the girls to join too!!).
After sweating it out, make sure that you also eat healthy. Eat a colorful dinner - a portion of rice or roti, a generous helping of daal, sambar, curry or lentils, an egg or omelet, a bowl full of fresh fruits & veggies (grapes, strawberries, apples, oranges, baby carrots, tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce etc) topped with yogurt (add sum sugar for a delightful fruit dessert).

3. Be Creative -
A typical trait of Indians is shyness to experiment. But since we are living in America, shed your inhibitions and get creative. Go Stylish with your clothes, wear bright cool colors and mix & match them, try on new accessories!! Get a brand new hairstyle and let friends figure out who you are! (LOL)
Coming to food, try out exotic dishes - Italian, Mexican, Lebanese, Chinese - Houston offers world cuisine at an affordable price. Better still, try cooking them at home and involve your roommates. Its time to bond!

4. Attend parks and theaters -
There are plenty of parks across Houston - I would recommend Hermann park on any evening. It has a calming effect on you specially at the lake side. The Miller theater at Hermann park hosts lots of musical & dance shows for free during weekends (http://milleroutdoortheater.com/default.asp?id=1). Spend an evening there with close friends or a special person.

5. Visit Museums & Zoo -
Houston boasts of the Museum district which houses museums for every taste - Science, Arts, History etc. The Natural Science Museum has a free entry on Tuesdays from 2-8pm. (http://www.hmns.org/). It is truly marvelous with holographic displays and touchscreens for each exhibit. You will be fascinated by the wealth of knowledge you will accumulate about the world around you.
The Houston Zoo (http://www.houstonzoo.org/) offers to bring you close to a wide variety of Animals (rare ones like Red Panda too) in their natural habitat. And the Asian Elephant Shanthi recently gave birth to a playful little Baby Baylor. Check out the video here http://www.houstonzoo.org/baby-elephant-baylor/. If you are an animal lover like me, you will absolutely fall in love with this place.

6. Go Adventurous -
American culture involves a lot of outdoor activities. Camping or Hiking in the picturesque northern states will give you a respite from the heat and give you some quality time to explore Nature and enjoy with your buddies.

7. Plan your weekends -
Tired of working the whole week and wasting your weekend thinking what you can do?? Devote a small time before going to sleep during weekdays to plan for the weekend. This will also ensure you have nice dreams and keep you energetic for the next morning too.

8. Do Community Service -
Helping others brings in a sense of joy & satisfaction. Get some blessings by helping people. Search for children homes, old age homes or even cuddle up with the Abandoned pets.

9. Discover the City -

There are many nooks & corners in the city which you can visit. Try catching a bus which you have never boarded before and explore the places where it goes. Here are some free things to do in Houston - http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1966360/25_free_things_to_do_in_houston_texas.html?cat=16

10. Develop your personality -
Okay this is a tough one!! To get out of the geeky, boring personality and becoming a charming, attractive person is not a overnight journey. It takes determination, efforts and a constant urge to sculpt yourself into a better person. Find a person you always wanted to be and try to integrate your personality with some of theirs. This blend will bring out a new flavor in you. Goodluck with that journey!

Hope you guys have an action-packed summer. If nothing works for you, don't worry, have a yummy cup of chocolate ice-cream topped with nuts and caramel sauce and Chill Out!!

-Rajatha

Yummmy Peanut Chutney

Perfect with Dosa, Idly or simply Licking it off from the bowl!!! This is a 5min mouth-watering Andhra recipe and you will end up wanting more and more! (Thanks to my roommate Tripura for this delicious receipe)

Ingredients
1/2 cup of Peanuts
3-4 Dry red chillies
2 Teaspoon of Tamarind paste
A pinch of Salt and Sugar
1 teaspoon oil
A pinch of Mustard seeds & Jeera

(All ingredients are readily available in Hillcroft grocery stores)

Method
Dry roast the peanuts and red chillies (5-8min) until the skin of the peanuts turn dark brown. Allow it to cool down a bit. Remove the dry skin of the peanuts by rubbing them with your hands. Now you have white peanuts and dry red chillies.

Put them in the mixer and grind. To this powder, add the tamarind paste, salt & sugar. Grind again until it forms a smooth paste. Add some water if it is too thick.

Pour out the paste in a bowl. Heat oil in a small bowl and add mustard and jeera seeds. When the mustard seeds crackle, pour it onto the paste. The Chutney is ready!!

Ready-to-pour dosa batter is available at Hillcroft. Invite your friends for a round of dosa & chutney and receive their compliments. Enjoy your summer with some native cooking and spruce up your creativity.

-Rajatha

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Graduation!

There is something very surreal about graduation - one day you are a student at the University and the next day you step out into the big corporate world. People tend to believe they will stay the same but this one day changes a lot of lives.

This year, I attended the Graduation Ceremony for my friends and trust me, it is one of the finest ceremonies I have attended. The stadium which housed the event was elegantly decorated and the moment you enter the hall, a feeling of pride surges inside you. The band from the Music School plays the most wonderful tunes for the occasion, giving the event the regalia it deserves. The event itself is conducted by a strict code of protocol which gives it an almost military style atmosphere of honoring the graduates.

The event started with all the graduate students taking a walk around the hall and being seated at their designated seats. Then the President of UH - Dr. Renu Khator and the Deans of the colleges, all dressed in the graduation attires lined with golden silk marched around the hall and took their places on the stage. Their attires reminded me of the cloaks worn by the professors in the Harry Potter movies. This followed by a brief speech by the President and other honorary dignitaries to open the ceremony.

Then began the actual process of hooding the graduates on stage and honoring them. It was a beautiful sight to watch with all friends & family members of the graduates cheering them up!! Its like a dream come true for them specially for parents who adore you the most. I could clearly see the twinkle in their eyes and a sense of pride, a sense of achievement that their son/daughter finally graduated.

I was dreaming about the day when I would graduate too..hehe..
Lots of pictures were taken to cherish this big day and when we joined our friends after the ceremony, it was one big joyful party!! I wish them good luck for their future endeavors and pray they make it big in their lives!

-Rajatha

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

MAITRI 2010.. The excitement begins!!!


Gear up for the biggest Indian cultural extravaganza - MAITRI 2010 organized by the Graduate Indian Student Organization at University of Houston. Join us for an evening of fun and frolic!!  Bring along your friends and family to witness a colorful blend of Melodious Songs, Soulful Music, Exotic Dances, a Trendy Fashion Show & lots of other surprises in store, and end the evening with a delicious Indian dinner!! Come and enjoy the incredible performances of some of the finest talents in University of Houston!!

The Counselor General of India - Mr. Sanjeev Arora will be heading the proceedings of the event as the Chief Guest for the evening.

Also enjoy the Arts & Crafts Exhibition at the entrance of the event.

Date:     Saturday, April 10
Time:     5.30pm onwards
Venue:  Cullen Performance Hall
             University of Houston
Ticket:   $8   (Online)        
             $10 (Box Office)

Hurry!! Follow this link & buy your online ticket today!!
http://www.tickets2events.com/maitri2010.asp

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Earth Hour 2010

Its time to switch off you lights on Saturday March 27, 2010 and show your support for a better Earth!!

Climate change is the biggest cause of concern for the modern world. Please make your small contributions in saving Planet Earth!

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Little Things..

Chatting endlessly with friends helps you realize stuff, and then, of course like it were planned, we return to the routine we whine about. A routine in itself one might say.

Kartik was struggling to find a topic the other day for one of his articles. Of course, I am of no help, but did criticize him for writing something, for lack of a better word, oh so serious. Toyota recall something something it was.

Frankly, I am so tired of reading these things (sorry TK). We are so consumed by all of this, its plain ridiculous. Death here, corruption there. Recall here, bonus there. Granted these are important things. Granted these are things that are part of that happiness we all yearn for. But would it kill someone to write something, happy? Like how they spent the day on the porch drinking coffee, reading a book and enjoying that down time. I am sure the editor wouldn't like something like this, but you get the feel of it. I can't think good thoughts anymore, for fear of them being crumpled by future bad incidents. Must be prepared for anything, and thus ruin that little peace . Anil, was to say the least, frustrated with this line of thinking- "Can't you be happy for once- happy for no reason to add onto that?" I paused for a moment, in shock to add to that, cause I never thought that I was doing something wrong. It was natural, it was the way one should think. That what if was already in my line.

We are so consumed by these, at least I know I am, that we work towards avoiding something that might happen, versus working towards that simplicity we've been cribbing about since lord knows when.

Yours truly, will go back to the routine within a couple of time units(unspecified cause I don't want to give you false hope). But here's to at least trying....


-Shreyasee Das

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Facebook

Simpler times - University of Houston was on the waiting list of schools to get access to Facebook. And when it did, we had to strictly use UH email. Imagine the number of people flocking to the IT dept to start using their UH email. Good times..

I used to be one of those fanatics who made sure they could tell everyone what was going on, finding every one of my friends on there, following them (no not stalking them). I liked facebook.

And then .... it got complicated. It became this myriad of quizzes, of farmville, of fishville (god give extra time to these people, since they know not that they have sinned), of mafiawars, of craziness. And I began to detest it. It is an addiction - an inelastic demand that I am trying to turn into an elastic one, if only that were possible, considering I am in grad school.

Facebook has A.D.D.- what happened to it being a social network place- now its so ANNOYING, to say the least. Everyday its layout changes. Everyday its privacy stuff changes. Everyday its new. Everyday I check it I go I miss the old facebook.

I really do. I used to hope for a better interface, and look what I got. Please Mark Zuckerberg , please don't make any more changes. Please. I am tired of hiding friends, and hiding quizzes and random smiles I get from people.

Please please please - pretty please

- Shreyasee Das

Saturday, February 27, 2010

All is Well

There is something very powerful in this phrase which has caught on with Indians like wildfire, thanks to movie- 3 Idiots. The very thought that "sab theek hojayega" gives you a sense of reassurance and a confidence that at the end of the day, no matter how messed up you are, there is always a good plan in store for you! So, if you feel miserable with your situation, just be patient, don't lose hope and say All is Well!! Trust me, it really works..

The movie also provides a hilarious but thought-provoking insights into discovering your true passions and pursuing them. The sense of satisfaction which comes from doing what you love, makes your work a playtime. Very few of us are lucky to pursue their dreams, most of us are satisfied with a job that gives you a name tag and a paycheck. A good example would be the life of Chetan Bhagat who gave up his hefty paying job to start off as a writer and he still ended up being a millionaire. Its all about being true to yourself which matters rather than agreeing to people around you. Don't be afraid to follow a different path. When you have the capability of pursuing that one goal, success automatically pursues you.

All said and done, I do believe that miracles happen in real life. When you truly want something, God shows you the path in his own silent ways. So never give up on your hope. Begin each day with a prayer to thank God for the wonderful life he has given you so far and a bright smile to let the world know that you are the best!! And meanwhile, don't forget to keep your true friends close to you. They are your support wherever you go, whatever you do, so make sure you always make them feel special! Be there for them when they need you, give them the love and care they deserve and you'll find that All is Well!!

Friday, January 29, 2010

Could a class be so much fun ?

It was Fall 09 that I enrolled myself into a course called Engineering Administration taught by Dr.Zerda. The first day I entered the class, I saw this well dressed lady commanding enormous respect and exuding confidence. She has a very positive aura. She detailed us on coursework and plan for rest of the semester. I liked having one of my courses to be non-technical and value-adding in nature. This class delivered that and more. Have you felt that you don't want to miss the class not because you will not understand it later, but because you will miss out on learning, miss the wisdom sharing and most importantly miss out fun?

I looked forward every Monday and Wednesday to be there at the discussion. Time flew by and we hardly knew. Dr.Z never stopped anyone from speaking and never reacted to occasional class chatter. It was such an adult environment, she would encourage views from every single person plus she would treat everyone with respect and demonstrated professionalism in her interactions. That's a rare find in any school setting, rare especially for someone like me who comes from a country where teacher student relationship is sometimes more master-slave type even into graduate school years.

One of the important events in the course was to get Mr.Jonathan Moody to speak to us and share his experiences as Engineering-Manager. It was one of the kind experiences. Mr.Moody gave us an impromptu talk about his career and life. He talked about his subordinates, people he had interacted with and companies he worked for. For the first time after coming to this country I felt how similar all of us are, operating with similar needs, emotions, fears, expectations, insecurities and hopes. Also I saw how unbiased and welcoming Americans could be.

Another significant memory from the course was the book ' Leadership and Self Deception'. When it comes to books, unless it's a fiction, some of us need increased impetus to finish the book. Dr.Z planned a quiz in order to make us finish the book. This book transforms you. I learned lessons for life.

Further the Game Simulation simulating business environment was an experience which makes me look business news in CNBC in a more informed manner. I can finally understand terms and appreciate how businesses are built. The class coincided with CNBC's great shows like Executive Vision, Biographies, Stories of Walmart, Google, Interviews with Warren Buffet etc.

The final business presentation was a hit for our team. I got to work with wonderful team-mates with inspiring work ethics.To wind it all up nicely, Dr.Z planned a dinner potluck at her residence and most of us were there. Dr.Z was a warm host. She is young at heart and very active for someone of her age.

This class would be one of my important classes in my program and I would recommend it to anybody from any background. At personal level, EA would stay in my memories for days to come.

-Shrividya

Elephants and Dragons

For me holidays mean resting, relaxing, reading and learning. I recently borrowed an audio book( audio books work best with me these days, given my 10 month old who would tear books to pieces. At our home the digital version of anything is more invincible than paper.) by Robyn Meredith called 'The elephant and the dragon. This was long overdue given that the book came out in 2006. It has been by far a very popular book in " India China Economy" domain.

I have just read 3 chapters amounting to 2 CDs in a set of 8 and loved it completely.
Ms.Meredith is a foreign correspondent for Forbes in India and China. She has managed to paint a realistic ( in my view) picture of what's happening to India and China and what it means to the world. This book is an absolute read for all Asians, Indians and Americans as well.

Since she is a news correspondent, through an audio book, she has taken us to the roads, airports and cities in India and I could also completely visualize her descriptions about Beijing, Shanghai and many other Chinese towns. You can relate the audio book to NPR broadcasts if you ever heard the public broadcasting station at 87.7 FM.

The verbiage excellently captures the actual feelings of post-globalization citizens and benefactors. Interestingly you do not get bogged down by statistics and appreciate what's happening in the East comprehensively and clearly. As a 20 or 30 something you may not have witnessed the reforms that were executed in both the countries ( 1978 - China 1991 - India) and how it changed the way things were done forever.

As a Easterner living in the West, this book led me to imagine the amount of opportunities these countries have in future and to sustain a 8% plus GDP growth given the enormous investments, labor and other resources going into the system.

A part of book tells why it has been easier in China to implement the infrastructure and not in India. Politician Kamalnath has attributed this to the Authoritarian rule in China where things happen at snap of the finger, as opposed to India where the government is decided by the people (Democracy) and thrown out of control if reforms are seen as some threat. Additionally corruption and red tapism slows down the process, making India an Elephant and not a tiger. Atleast it's progressing steadily like a druken man as the book quotes. China is ahead of the two and the Infrastructure is extremely modern and fast growing with newer technologies. A trip to China from India is like a trip to Singapore - a treat to eyes as I can conceive from Meredith's viewpoint.


Also this book is in sync with "my dreams for my country". Better roads, better facilities, better planning, less waiting and an Internet based living. Sitting in 2010 one can imagine more realistically about how India is going to change. A change that is inevitable, given that people are starting to believe in open competition, hence making voting decisions and older generations that are bein g replaced by better salaried young people who are receptive to new ways of living, giving rise to a less conservative and more modern culture.


A farmer's son is no more a farmer, he is sitting in air conditioned rooms with coffee machines and other amenities beside him at work. This boy wants to build a bigger life for his parents, wants to buy a microwave, AC or Flat screen TV, things unimaginable in his father's days.
Or take a girl, who if she was out of college ( provided she even made it to college) looking for jobs before 1990 would have landed on a clerical post, irrespective of her skills, but now is capable of supporting a whole family because she is a part of 2010 India. This has happened within my family.


Elephants and dragons were created when the east opened it's doors to the prosperous westerners. Suddenly East is a fertile land for young, energetic entrepreneurs.

Undoubtedly there is more to happen, newer challenges with free market, but it's all exciting and promising ! !

-Shrividya