You are a Master Piece

Note: This article is not written by me. I have just copied from the mail I received from one of my friends. I was pretty much impressed by the narration in sweet and simple manner, so, I took the risk of plagiarism as it is worth copying.

A plum once said, just because a banana lover came by, I converted myself into a banana. Unfortunately, his taste changed after a few months and so I became an orange. When he said I was bitter I became an apple, but he went in search of grapes. Yielding to the opinions of so many people, I have changed so many times that I no more know who I am. How I wish I had remained a plum and waited for a plum lover.

Just because a group of people do not accept you as you are, there is no necessity for you to strip yourself of your originality. You need to think good of yourself, for the world takes you at your own estimate. Never stop down in order to gain recognition. Never let go of your true self to win a relationship. In the long run, you will regret that you traded your greatest glory - your uniqueness, for momentary validation. Even Gandhi was not accepted by many people. The group that does not accept you the way you are, is not your world.

There is a world for each one of you, where you shall reign as king / queen by just being yourself. Find that world... in fact, that world will find you.

What water can do, gasoline cannot and what copper can, gold cannot. The fragility of the ant enables it to move and the rigidity of the tree enables it to stay rooted. Everything and everybody has been designed with a proportion of uniqueness to serve a purpose that we can fulfill only by being our unique self. You as you alone can serve your purpose and I as I alone can serve my purpose. You are here to be you... just you.

There was a time in this world when a Krishna was required and he was sent; a time when a Christ was required and he was sent; a time when a Mahatma was required and he was sent; There came a time when you were required on this planet and hence you were sent. Let us be the best we can be. Don't miss yourself and let the world not miss you.

In the history of the universe, there has been nobody like you and to the infinite of time to come, there will be no one like you. Existence should have loved you so much that it broke the mould after making you, so that another of your kind will never get repeated. You are original. You are rare. You are unique. You are a wonder. You are a masterpiece... your Master's piece. Celebrate your Uniqueness.

"When an Opportunity Knocks your Door.."

I don’t know the pessimist who quoted the proverb which says, “An opportunity knocks the door only once but misfortune keeps knocking the door until you open it.” It is the opportunity which treats all humans equally as Indian Judiciary does (All are equal before Law). Though it is same for all, only some people utilize it in a proper manner. This happens because no two persons are alike. According to me, the world is classified into only two categories viz., the wise and the fools.
For a fool, an opportunity is like a bitter gourd and if he/she finds that the life has handed him/her a bitter gourd, he/she gives up and say, “I’m beaten. It’s my fate, I haven’t got a chance.” Then he/she proceeds to rail against the world and indulge in an orgy of self-pity. But, when the same bitter gourd is handed to a wise man/woman, he/she says, “What lesson can I learn from this misfortune? How can I improve my situation? How can I turn this bitter gourd to a sweet dish?”
The bitter gourd is same for both wise and fool. But, it is the psychology of humans which differs. (“The block of granite which is an obstacle in the pathway of the weak becomes a stepping-stone in the pathway of the strong.”) One of my friends always complains about his parents who are not happy with his lecturer job. Though he is happy with his career, due to societal fears he’s getting discouraged. He used to say that, if he had had worked hard when at education, he would have been having a better career graph than now. He asked me, “How could I overcome this situation?”
I answered, “Two men looked seating on a park bench--one saw the mud and the other saw the stars”. It is the observation that matters, I said. He looked quite convincing, then I added, if you’re already looking at the stars then don’t bother about what others are saying/thinking about you. We are not here to imitate others or to follow and/or live on the conditions/principles that others try to set for us, so, let’s be ourselves and let’s find ourselves. Yes, it does seriously matter when we are looking at the mud. In this case, we should not neglect what others are saying/thinking about us. We must change if we really need to change. But it would be foolish to feel utterly wretched and terribly beaten. It is a wonder-filled characteristic of every human being to turn a minus into a plus. If you are looking at the mud, may be you can turn that also into an opportunity to make a craft from the same. For doing so, one must develop a strategy of working hard with a greater positive attitude to attain what ever one wants.
After some days, he phoned me and told how he had had changed his way of thinking and said that he had also shared a real life incident with his colleagues which I had narrated him that day. It is about a girl of Andhra Pradesh State. I don’t remember her name, but read about her in the newspaper and also watched her on television. She had completed her graduation and was about to fly to US the next day when she met with a fatal accident and she was completely paralyzed. She said to the interviewer that, she raged and rebelled and also fumed about her fate. But, as the days passed on, she found that her rebellion wasn’t getting her anything except bitterness. “I finally realized” she said that, “the people were kind and courteous to me. So the least I could do was to be kind and courteous to them.”
When Interviewers asked if she still felt, after all these time, that this accident had been a terrible misfortune, and she promptly said, “No”. She said, “I’m almost glad now that it happened.” She told them that, she got once the shock and resentment, she began to live in a different world.
She began to listen to good music and she was thrilled by great music that would have bored her before. But the biggest change was that she had time to think. “For the first time in my life”, she said, “I was able to look at the world and get a real sense of values. I began to realize the most of the things I had been striving before weren’t worthwhile at all.” She showed the courage to setup a small scale industry at her home and employed nearly about 25 members (status at present date) to help her in business. She manufactures pillow covers and stuff and now her business had expanded to overseas not just because of the sympathy but due to their honest efforts and the quality they maintain.
The more I’ve studied the careers of men of achievement; I have been convinced that surprisingly a large number of them succeeded because they started out with handicaps that spurred them on to great endeavor and great rewards. Yes, it is highly probable that, Helen Keller’s brilliant career was inspired and made possible because of her blindness. Mahatma Gandhi’s freedom struggle is an outcome of the suppression he had had undergone at South Africa. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s Constitution of India is also an outcome of the tortures and suppression he had undergone in the name of caste. I feel, if Dr. Ambedkar had reared in an aristocratic family and hailed from a different community or say caste and had a happy youth, he would probably never have found in the depth of his heart to draft the highly appreciated Constitution of India.
From the above paragraph, I never meant that only handicaps or suppressed people gets succeeded in their life but at the same time, it is also a true fact that, “As the gold gets its true shine only after been burnt in heavy flames so is the human being gets the achievement after a hard struggle.” The classic examples are Late Dhirubhai Ambani of Reliance, Azeem Premji of Wipro, Rajinikanth, Shahrukh Khan, from Film Industry etc., who started from the scratch are now reaping the unimaginable profits. Opportunity will always be there, it is only in our hands to utilize it properly. One can easily turn a minus into a plus. Instead, sitting idle and complaining, one must work the ways to utilize the opportunities. Thomas Alva Edison says, “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” It is in the human psychology itself to miss the opportunity and then sit back and simply cry.
Therefore, in my conclusion I would like to say though, “Opportunity knocks the door only once”, one has to build up the courage to go after it and ask why it has not waited for him/her until he/she have opened the door. Or else, one has to welcome the misfortune and try to turn it into good luck. Both are possible only when people show courage to work.

Thanks and Regards,
Srikanth Chintakindi.

Role of Youth in Nation's Building

Instead complaining on the topic, “Why India is Still an Underdeveloped Nation?” I thought it would be better to discuss the role of youth in nation’s building. According to me, “Youth is that spark which needs no ignition”. Youth is that clay which can be molded in either shape one wants. In my belief, this is the sole reason for both exploitation and utilization of youth in the destruction and construction of any nation respectively.
It is a fact that, the nation’s building is highly dependent on youth. Youth is that powerful resource, which can either construct or destruct the whole nation as already said. According to everyone, youth should step forward to take up on the responsibility in developing the nation. Yes, I agree that, youth is not given a proper chance to prove their potentials in countries like ours, but, “The young” , according to Pearl S. Buck, (a Nobel Laureate in literature) “do not know enough to be prudent, and therefore they attempt the impossible, and achieve it, generation after generation”.
Isn’t this single quotation of her is sufficient to motivate the whole nation? Or do we still need motivational quotes like the one above to recall our own potentials to attempt the impossible and achieve the success? It seems highly surprising that, we, the youth fail to display the same enthusiasm in nation’s building which we often display for getting ahead in traffic? Have we really forgotten our responsibility towards our nation or that we are knowingly skipping the tasks to achieve development? It is observed that, the youth who always fight for enjoying their rights, never wish to take up the pains of responsibility.
According to me, Indian youth is socially responsible and moreover is working dedicatedly to see India attain the developed status. Many educated youth had already realized the necessity of utilizing their skills for the betterment of the society but at the same time, the youth is also misguided to a larger extent by some evil sources making them irresponsible towards the society they live in. It is pathetic but true that, due to many –a-problems that exists in today’s world, youth is highly attracted and/or fancied towards evil sources. As a result, a huge destruction is occurring all over. It is true that, youth is highly amendable, but one must show the guts to take up the challenge to guide the youth to a correct path as Swami Vivekananda and other eminent persons did in the past. But, speaking frankly, one must never wait for any as it damages the power of self-confidence and courage.
Luxuries, evil habits and societal commitments also gain youth’s attraction to a greater extent. In search of the above three, the youth is losing its identity and goals in no time as said by one of my friends. I already stated that, I am not against self-prosperity, and I always feel happy for the youth who is self-reliant in nature. (In my article, “How to Achieve Personal Freedom”, I stressed the necessity of self-reliance.) And of course, I am completely aware of the Indian Society and Culture, where more number of parents doesn’t wish to see their children working, as they think that, at least their children must not suffer. It is one point of view, where parents think of their children’s growth in every aspect and on the other hand, the youth (to a greater extent in India), which is dependant on their parents, will never wish not to work towards attaining self-reliance. It not only showcases the laziness of the youth but also the irresponsible behavior towards their country.
It always hurts me, when I see some youth taking wrong steps and/or directions to attain luxuries viz., by corruption, dowry, all kinds of malpractices like treachery, plagiarism, etc., It sounds true, as said by my friend’s grand father that, “Modern Education ruins Moral Education.” People, at the present date are completely neglecting the ethical values and ruining the moral education they had had learned in their childhood. This may be the reason why, people (World has 6.66 billion population among which 27% constitutes youth) are residing mostly in many-an-old age homes, orphanages, homes for the destitute, juvenile homes, individual families, and jails. Youth must take necessary steps and find new methods or revive old methods to avoid the above problems.
Evil habits, is a hip in today’s world. It is impossible for anyone to escape from these until and unless they are self-confident to control themselves. Self-Controllability is the only measure to save oneself from evil habits. Drugs, Alcohol, Smoking, undesirable sexual activities etc., also hinder nation’s building. If the youth gets addicted to any of these activities, one can easily predict that, the destruction has started not only as the person but also harms the nation which needs young blood to run and/or construct it. One has to realize the necessity of being healthy in almost every aspect of life.
The statistics prove that, India stands second in the most populous nations, third in corruption, fifth in unemployment, twelfth in poverty, etc., It seems funny but true that, even after sixty years of independence, the country has a tremendous growth only in the population and not in all aspects and/or sectors to an expected level. Isn’t that making us feel ashamed of? What should be done in order to attain the development is a million rupee question (which has no answer, try to find it). Please don’t start listing that, the government must be changed, there are no good leaders etc., as said by Aparichit, first of all, we must try to be good citizens and question oneself that, what I have had given to my own country? One has no right to criticize who has not taken up the responsibility of nation’s building.
Youth in order to make his/her country developed, has to sacrifice not only their lives by protecting their country at the borders but also has to protect from internal threats, and make the society a healthy place to live. It is possible only, if the youth realize to stay healthy by sacrificing selfishness, laziness, evilness etc., and by thinking dedicatedly for the growth of nation. In my conclusion, as an Indian youth, who is proud of its rich and varied heritage, take an oath whole-heartedly that, I will strive for the development of my country and my people and in their well being and prosperity alone, lies my happiness. I will be happy if every youth who loves his/her country take a similar oath and strive hard to keep up the promise till the last breathe.

Jai Hind!! Jai Bhaarat!!

Thanks and Regards,
Srikanth Chintakindi.

Why India is Still an Underdeveloped Nation?

Have you ever questioned yourself why India is lagging behind in attaining developed status? Does one have to telecast the reasons like hero Vikram did in the movie Aparchit (where he telecasts the comparisons between our nation and fast growing countries viz., Japan and Singapore)? Do I have to mention again that, overpopulation, illiteracy, poverty, unemployment in addition to nepotism, corruption, caste system, religion, regionalism and irresponsible citizens etc., are the major hindrances in country’s growth?
I would say that, it’s foolish to dig deep into the past, blaming the Moguls and the British rulers, who though had looted us to a greater extent (as the governments especially the politicians do at present date) but were unsuccessful to last longer? Have you ever raised your voice against the present administration system which is betraying us in almost every possible manner?
Or isn’t a period of sixty years sufficient enough to shed out the past and strikeout on an independent path? It’s piteous but truth that, though we are democratically independent are still more or less dependent on other countries for various sources. Please do not mistake me, for I am not discussing anything related to collaborations here.
Caste System in India is one of the major drawbacks. Although, Indian Constitution facilitates the right to equality, it hurts me always when I see people segregating co-humans in the name of caste. I felt surprised when I heard that, in some remote villages untouchability and ill-treating is still in practice. I had witnessed the people who tore the posters of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar with rage, pasted on my own department walls. I feel sorry for all those who are ignorant about the facts that, the Indian Constitution just doesn't discuss only about reservations to scheduled castes/tribes but it is a highly appreciated draft around the globe with a powerful agenda that focuses various issues/measures for the benefit and uplifting of whole nation. It is really pathetic to state that, even today some people are still into this evil practice and the others after encashment by playing tricks with the emotions and sentiments of the above listed castes/tribes. (Example: Grouping the Scheduled Castes into A, B, C, D Categories).
Secondly, I had witnessed the victims of nepotism and also was one among them to suffer. The very sukoon-2008 in my own university, where the title of Mr.Sukoon-08 had been awarded to a person who had some kind of political and/or say social influence. The judges of the whole event itself were unjust and it made me laugh when I heard one of the judges (who himself had a pathetic English) saying that, the participants are not competent enough in English. Another classic example for nepotism is the present Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.
Corruption, an evil from which God also cannot save. Even Bharateeyudu (a popular movie again) cannot help as he is just fictitious because, corruption has rooted itself so deeper that, it is a highly impossible task to eradicate as it starts from registration of birth and never ends even after death. But, the new generation should step forward to eradicate corruption.
Irresponsible behavior of the citizens (lets pray for an Aparichit to rescue us) also damages the country’s destiny. There are many an educated youth who are not willing to take up on the responsibility to construct the nation and give it new dimensions. I already quoted Vivekananda in my last article, "Why Specialization?" about the necessity of the realization that one educated youth must undergo to make his/her nation attain development, but everyone is after his/her own prosperity. It is no harm to think about one’s own prosperity, but it is highly inappreciable if he/she doesn’t giveback something to their country. And in my view, it is not the unemployment that is responsible, but it is the constraints that the youth had imposed on themselves to some horizons which they never wish to cross. It frightens me, when I think about the nation as a whole because in the jurisdiction of Hyderabad itself, I had found many chaps gossiping around just sitting idle at Irani cafés since morning till evening as a part of their daily routine.
Sympathy also destroys the nation’s building to a wider range. After assassination of Mrs. Indira Gandhi, her son Mr. Rajiv Gandhi became the prime minister of India due to sympathy veil. In his regime, the country was in financial crisis, and the situation existed such that presidential rule had to be imposed compulsorily in the name of Financial Emergency. But,the then Prime Minister, Mr. P. V. N. Rao, had saved the country from the crisis with the three golden a.k.a. Chanakya rules viz., privatization, globalization and liberalization, (which are been followed by every government till date formed after his).
Terrorism, an outcome of religion, poverty, illiteracy and unemployment etc., also hinders the development. I had always felt sorry about the terrorists, who utilize the technology for destructive purposes. I always wished that they might utilize the technology they possess in a right manner to achieve peace in the world. But, it never happened. Though, there might be many a reasons behind terrorism or naxalism viz., social inequalities, injustice etc., but it would be more better, as said by Naresh and Sarvanand (in the movie Gamyam) instead playing hide and seek from jungles, fight openly from the public by representing them and their problems in a peaceful manner. To instantiate, Gandhian Principles are ideal to attain peace and success.
Regionalism is a new source of hindrance to the nation’s growth. Political Parties are after dividing the States. Again, the foul play with the emotions and sentiments of the people in order to attain power, the representatives (MLA’s and/or MP’s) who are after acquiring huge wealth are deceiving us. Telangaana in Andhra Pradesh is just an instance. The selfless revolution of the farmers against Razakars and/or Deshmukhs who raped the lands of the farmers and molested innocent women is being insulted and also is highly misused today. Without any knowledge of the past that had witnessed the heavy bloodshed and tears of the warriors (of both women and men), every political party is promising to separate the state into two, seems really ironic.
The list goes on continuing, and I fear it would make many endless volumes. To conclude, I would like to request all the youth to think for the betterment of society and try hard to attain it. It’s we the youth, who are similar to bricks according to Sri C. Raja Gopala Chary, who can construct the Nation only if we are good at character viz., good bricks. Every one has to realize the fact that, one must repay what ever had had learnt/acquired for the benefit of the nation. India, needs selfless people like Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, many unsung freedom fighters and Telangaana warriors etc., who had sacrificed their worldly pleasures for the sake of country and gave their best to the Nation. We must follow their noble ideas in order to attain development & peace.

Thanks and Regards,
Srikanth Chintakindi

Why Specialization?

**Note: This article is strictly not meant for people with B.C.A/M.C.A background and Graduates/Engineers with CS/IT. Still, everyone has the right to read this article and to comment/criticize.

Swami Vivekananda says, “In India, there are millions of people below the poverty line. Indians are striving hard to fill their stomachs. It is the educated youth who should find a way to eradicate the poverty lines and make the country self-sufficient. But, it’s a pure deceit.” It was quoted some where in early 20th century, but today the situation is still worse.

Don’t you know why it is worse? Is that India needs only software engineers or call center executives? It is really pathetic but one has to digest the fact that, a vast number of engineering graduates irrespective of their specialization are moving towards IT industry and ITES. It is tragic that, even specializations viz., Chemical Engineering, Metallurgy, B.com, B.Sc, etc., are also given a chance to make it into these industry. Imagine, what a chemical engineer would do in software? My own sister is a classic example. Please do not mistake me as I am not criticizing the so called IT industry or ITES but, yes it is true that, I am criticizing all those who had done their specialization in some subject and working again for so called IT industry and ITES. I am also not an exception for this case but I’ve realized my mistake, that’s why I would like to share my views with you.

When I was working with Electronic based company in Hyderabad, I was paid relatively a less salary. I was happy not for being paid a less salary but for I am working for a company which is relatively closer to my graduate degree in engineering. I know that the letter “M” which stands for Money is vital in every aspect of life, but job satisfaction is also something that does matter. So, I was happy and not my family. Like every father, my dad had also asked me to join in some IT related course in order to see me as a so called software engineer. I take it pride to announce that I am a failure to fulfill the dreams of my father. It is not that, I can’t make it or I am not fit for software industry but I’ve realized what specialization does mean and especially what do I really need from life.

I am aware that, Engineering students are not facilitated with good laboratories and great faculties but still a student can excel if he/she undergoes self-realization and self-study. It is sad to state that, even IIT’s had not produced engineers who look forward to develop our nation in every aspect through their specializations and make our country self-sufficient. Some IITians who joined politics in Tamilnadu, some who joined Indian Industries and Civil Services etc., are exception for this case and I do salute them whole-heartedly, but, at the same time, I feel pity for all those highly educated who had flew to other nations. Please stop curtaining on these flew (flu) birds (in the name of foreign exchange reserves) who, gave first preference to their own comforts and not thought about the country. Patriotism does not necessarily means sacrificing life for the sake of country, but it does mean sacrificing self-comforts and thinking for the well-being of the nation.

As a soldier on the border who strives day and night to protect the nation in the spine chilling conditions from all external invasions or threats, so we the people should also take upon the responsibility to make our country self-sufficient by eradicating internal disturbances and threats. It is possible only when, highly educated youth, as said by swami Vivekananda, respond whole-heartedly. Mohan Bhargav, a character played by Shah Rukh Khan in the movie ‘Swades’ is just an instance. Unfortunately, I’ve not found any such Mohan Bhargav in reality, till date.

Golden were those days when patriotism itself was like flowing blood in the body of every human being, but today, we have completely forgotten all our unsung heroes? We remember Gandhiji because he is printed on the currency notes, it seems to be an irony but it’s a truth? They were all motivated and selfless people who had fought with existing internal disturbances and threats to attain self-sufficiency, but, it is a shame that, we had ruined and still are ruining it to a greater extent.

I also agree the fact that, IT/ITES industry is the only potential employer today but, what about the vacancies in other industries and government jobs? Aren’t we really competent to get those jobs? Or are we are afraid of the competition itself? It has been observed that, applicants are becoming extinct for other jobs, especially in the case of government undertakings whether state or central. To my belief, Government undertakings/PSU is the only place where one can justify his/her specialization. Please do not blindly blame that getting those kinds of jobs is pretty hard because money in the form of bribes is involved. To your knowledge, two of my friends had already joined them, one in HAL and the other in DRDO quitting their M.Tech without paying a single rupee as bribe. When they can make it why can’t we? I think it is no harm to pay bribe to get settled in a government job when compared with paying money to IT industry people for back door entries. Let me state that, the former job gives you peace of mind and security and the latter job, huh! God only knows.

My friends discourage me when I say them that I am applying for these kinds of jobs. Undoubtedly, they are well-wishers of mine, but, I don’t wish to be one in that herd of software sheep. This statement would make my friends angry but I am happy that, I had planned well to lead a life which I had had dreamt of. May be it also possible that, I may be one among them with changing times and situations but, I promise that, I will try my best to lead the life the way I like it.

By now, they all must have understood that, they have failed to convince me with the greed of worldly pleasures in the veil of pain. Buddies tell me frankly, have you ever tried convincing yourself? Just for god’s sake or say for your own sake, try to question yourself. Trust me, you will definitely find an answer, if you feel that you are really happy with your work then, I’ve no queries just go ahead and keep continuing and excelling in your own fields, but if you’re not, then I must remind that, still you have many possibilities and opportunities waiting at your own doorstep, go grab it. For this what you have to do is just sit back, rethink and try to justify or discover your own self first.

In my conclusion, I would like to appeal all the educated youth not to fling you into troubles by making a wrong option as it is a matter of whole career and life. Better, sit back for a while and plan for a suitable career related to your specialization and discover the ways to serve your nation. To me, “Serving one’s own Nation itself is totally equal to sacrificing life in the warfront.”

Thanks and Regards,
Srikanth Chintakindi.