Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Sir'CAR' in INDIA

Of all the inventions in the world, the invention of wheel has changed many things around the globe. Since the invention of wheel in 4000 BC, man's journey to find an automated machine to replace the labor of bullocks and horses has begun. First, a steam driven tractor was invented and soon vehicles powered by internal combustion engine came into picture which gave a platform to the invention of petrol engines. Invention of a petrol engine has made car a practical and safe proposition.
During these times, from the unique rhythm of the bullock carts, India has traveled a long way to the jet-age. It was in 1898, when Indian roads have seen the first motorcar and after that around 4000 cars were directly imported to India from foreign manufacturers. The Hindustan Motors (HM) was setup in 1942, and Premier Autobackmobile Limited (PAL) was established in India in 1944. However, it was PAL who produced the first car in India in 1946, and since then there was no looking back. After a short period of time, Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) started manufacturing sturdier utility vehicles.
In the 50's, the government of India granted approval to only 7 dealers to operate in India. The protectionist policies continued to remain the same in 60's and 70's also though the 2/3 wheeler industry started in 60's. Since 80's Indian car industry has witnessed a major change with the opening up of the doors to foreign manufacturers and collaborators. The period of 90's has become the turning point where the end consumer is king with many options available to make a decision in regards to the purchase of a car. These days the competition between the banks has fetched a lot in terms of easy availability of car loans which are processed easily and quickly with the 'customer service' factor. Now, one has to decide upon the model of car that he/she wants to buy and with in no time everything will be arranged. With the presence of companies like Mercedes, BMW, Honda, Tata, Maruti, the roads in India are seeing change. With car comes the passion of speed and now companies like Volkswagen, Porsche, Bentley, Magna are speeding up to enter the the Indian market which has a huge potential. From people who think of car as a status symbol to people who see car as a mode of transport, there is a demand for car in all dimensions. The manufacturers of cars are wooing the consumer with latest models and specifications, the ultimate promise of safety & luxury, which are important to boost the sales of cars with an unbeatable speed.
Most of the high profile citizens own a luxurious car which is elegant enough to add to their style. The logo of the car adds to the status of the owner. Soon, most of the brands available elsewhere in the world will be found on the Indian roads. Many young Indians are keen to observe the logo of the car which passes by, this explains the craze for foreign cars in India.






With this being a constant trend in the society, an average Indian is also looking to own a car, be it a simple one. The demand for the cars is growing along with the population of India, and the manufacturers are experimenting continuously to give something new and exciting to those who are ready to drive everyone crazy. Get Set Go !!!

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Do not 'PRESS' the 'STRESS' button

In today's fast track lifestyle, we are constantly being bombarded with stress & high level of anxiety. I think that this is quite dangerous and has adverse effects if not controlled in time. When we talk about stress, it can be anything, physical, mental or environmental. These stresses place huge strain on our physical and mental health.
Most of us know that excessive stress can affect our ability to think properly which in turn affects our capability of handling complex jobs. It is said that whenever a stressful situation arises, there will be a knock on the effect. I've heard that stress will first limit the blood supply to the stomach which hampers the digestive system and slowly the immune system will get affected. If we are overwhelmed with stress for an extended period we may experience fatigue and exhaustion.
Although it is not possible to avoid these day to day stress factors in our life, we can help reduce the effect of stress. These days there are so many stress management techniques available, i personally feel music as one of the best options to switch to in order to reduce the impact of stress on our health.
Maintaining food habits, avoiding junk food, doing yoga, walking, exercising, these may help you stay fit but all these are very boring for me, instead of doing all these i prefer relaxing my soul by listening to good music. I love to laugh, sleep as much as possible. When i say laughter, i do not mean the laughter therapy, i mean the fun which we all have with our family and friends, laugh the stress out buddy.
Proper sleep is essential to deal with the day to day stress, especially for people who work in unusual shifts. If you do not take enough time to sleep, your body will not have enough energy to beat out the stress. Many ambitious people of today's generation are running around with no second thought to achieve their goals, i don't deny the fact that one should be ambitious and should work hard to achieve one's goal, all that I want to say is you should also take care of your health. If you are not healthy, where will you get the energy from to run for your ambition. Proper rest is always important, Sleep tight to dream and to wake up with all the energy to make your dreams come true. May your dreams come true!!!

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Fly Over, Slips Over!!!

On a fine Sunday, when everyone is in a mood of chilling out with friends and family a flyover comes down crashing to change the mood. Who is responsible for this, why did the flyover crash? A fly over which is under construction in the busiest spot of Hyderabad has left the city in shock. This incident is a question to the capabilities of the authorities responsible for the execution of such humongous projects.
As soon as you try to understand the reasons behind the happening or as soon as you try to find out with the people who are linked to the project, the blame game starts and you will be juggled well before you give up. The municipality blames the contractors, contractors blame the traffic dept for not cordoning off the area, traffic police say that they do not have orders to do so and blame the 'higher authorities', engineers blame the sewage board for digging up the soil, who will come forward to tell that it is their fault, when it claimed lives of innocent people. The emphasis of quality is what is laking in these projects, one of the reasons being the greed of the middlemen, who are linked to the execution of the projects. Will these people realize that they might me under the flyover at some other time, if you do not compromise on quality for your greed and do the job properly, everything might just go hand in hand ensuring the safety of the citizens. Most of us are in a constant state of worry until you see your family members back home.
People of Hyderabad are now wondering if the worst is over or yet to come, with the series of events in the past, threats of bomb blasts & terrorism. With the impact of these incidents hovering on us, can we dare come out of home? Yes!!! That's the spirit of Hyderabad.

Wednesday, September 05, 2007

Master Stroke

As we celebrate Teacher's Day today as a tribute to the legendary S Radhakrishnan, it's a good time to remember all the other teachers who played a vital role in transforming students over the period of time. I say, on life's empty canvass, teachers paint bold strokes that help students come out in flying colours.
The first person who comes to my mind when we talk about teacher is my mother, I truly believe that mothers are the first inspiration & also the first source of learning for a child. The lifestyle and the habits that a child develops eventually depend a lot upon the interest of a mother. Hence, mother is the first teacher who has all the capacity to transform a child into a responsible individual. On this day I thank my mom for all the support she extended towards me & remember all the things that were taught by her which influenced me throughout. I know you will also agree, so thank your mom.
The teacher whom I'd remember the most on this day is Dr.S. RamaMohan Rao, who was the principal of Ushodaya Jr. College, Vizag, the college where I studied my intermediate course(+2). I am glad that he was an ultimate source of inspiration, it was he who made me understand the true meaning of responsibility. He is a perfectionist by himself and always tried to help me understand the importance of perfection in any given aspect. I express my sincere gratitude to him on the ocassion of Teacher's Day.
As we keep moving ahead in life, we might meet many people who impact our decisions and might also change the direction of the path in which we are moving. I refer all such individuals to great teachers. Teachers can turn leaders, but not all leaders can be good teachers. A teacher need not be a person that you see in your college or school, it can be anyone around you. The guidance of a teacher is as important as your goal, because it is that piece of guidance that gives you confidence to strive hard towards achieving your goal. Never miss out on thanking those individuals who are teachers for your life who made a difference in the way you look and learn things. Keep going!!!

Tuesday, September 04, 2007

Brand Fascination


Why do people get fascinated about brands? Hey, I am one among those who get fascinated by brands, especially international brands, my favourite brand being the Levi Strauss & Co, I love this brand and i am very comfortable with the products of Levi's. Now if we try to analyze what is the big deal with branded products, we should keep it in mind that branded products are first class products. We should also understand the difference between a label & a brand, labels of fashion designers on the product, sometimes referred to as "limited edition", "signature edition" may take the price of the product to the skies, whereas branded products will be priced based on specific protocols depending upon the product. The comfort and elegance with which the branded product suits one's personality is the prime factor which causes one to get fascinated about that particular brand, there are several other reasons why we should consider brands before buying a product. Most of us feel that branded products are priced unusually high, now if compare a second grade product to a first class product (branded products) in terms of quality, durability, appeal, we cannot deny the fact that a branded product takes edge over a second grade product. Now, many of us think that in terms of pricing the second grade product is far better than the branded product convincing us in such a way that we tend to neglect the other aspects(such as quality, appeal...) . I've heard the argument many times, but the conclusion is you cannot afford to go any other way. Certainly, in the long run, going first class actually costs you less than going second class.
I strongly believe in the fact that it is always better to have fewer things and have quality than to have many things and to have junk. For example, it is better to have one really good pair of shoes than to have three pairs of second grade shoes which might cause problems every now & then.

The idea of going first class should be observed or implemented in all the aspects of life, it doesn't necessarily be a product which you use, it can also be a service that you wish to have. Remember people rate you for quality, often subconsciously perhaps. I'd like to tell you that you will be more confident when you go first class or use a branded product. So, what are you waiting for?