Tag: COVID19

The sip of future

by ICBlogs1 Comment on The sip of future

What happened in 2020 is known to all. Markets tumbled, retail stores were shut, migrants returning, and unemployment rising across income segments. 1 out of 6 had ‘open to work’ tag on their FB, LinkedIn profile, and Job offers were being rescinded.

This took me 12 years down the memory lane. It was first week of February 2008 and a batch of 100 students were celebrating the successful placement season at a well-known institute of rural management in western part of India. While another 100 in the junior batch were also quite happy with the hiring trends as it led to sizeable shift in the average salaries and number of job offers and presence of companies from almost all the sectors of the economy. ICICI group emerged a largest recruiter, hiring almost 25% of the batch across Banking and Insurance domains.

While everything went well next couple of months, one fine day the cover page of all daily newspapers published news of Lehman Brothers’ fall with the bear photo. The charts with blood red colored trend lines were constant in daily editions, with names of many foreign and domestic banks also facing the heat of the meltdown. The economics and finance wizards of the batch used to be glued to Economic Times. Some of us were in marketing and weren’t much concerned about it at that point of time. However the drying number of project offers for internship segment started giving us indications about the upcoming placement season.

Many batch mates were more worried as they had left a job or job offer prior to joining the program and now staring at the bleak job market.

However one amongst 100 of us wasn’t worried with all this. Once I found him near cafeteria and could not stop myself from asking him about this, Dada does all this market condition not bother you? You are always calm and silently finish your cup of tea and go back to your room. How do you do manage so much of stress?

What he said at that point of time has kept me moving since last 13 years. He replied, dear friend, if “tomorrow” worries you, don’t let it spoil today. No matter how much you try to avoid it or think of wrong decisions you made which led you to this, you will have to live it at some point of time in future. While passing a cup of tea he said, let’s prepare ourselves for a tomorrow that may be different than what we may anticipate, it may need different skills than what many around us may suggest. The only constant would be you and this sip of future (tea) hence keep preparing yourself for the unknown and embrace the change.

All this sounded merely Gyan at that point of time, but every year in my professional career I found myself in similar situation where one or other person closer to me sounded as if it’s end of the World. One may feel down, depressed, frustrated and the reasons may be many i.e. not able to appear for board exam, not able to give their best in entrance, not getting a job or job of choice, not able to meet targets, not liking our job or boss, being jobless or someone having unreasonable expectations from you etc.

Do what Dada said back in 2008, have a sip of future and keep preparing yourself for tomorrow so that when you take off, nothing stops you. Every failure or setback would teach you how not to fail in next attempt.

As someone said, life is not sprint, its marathon, so prepare for marathon.

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Games/Activities for Kiddos: Working from Home

by ICBlogs / Did You Know?1 Comment on Games/Activities for Kiddos: Working from Home

What’s happening around us due to Covid 19 is kinda unthinkable for our generation. While we’ve seen this lock down and kind of stuff in the movies but in real life it’s different and real different. The difference is in terms of working at home and that with your our kids around.

This is just 5th day of lock down and managing kids at home is a real challenge particularly if you have to work from home. The kids are full of energy and if they don’t go out to play, definitely we as a parent need to find a way to channelize this high energy in a positive manner.

I’ve been trying to engage my child in many games/activities in last couple of days and have been able to do channelize my daughter’s energy in a positive manner. So here are some ideas/games which one may try while being at home. These will not only engage and help in mental development of your kid but also remind parents of their childhood times for sure:

Ludo/Snake & Ladder

One of the most famous and basic game which can keep your kids engaged for the whole day. If you don’t have it at home you can download one from android/apple app store. The game made by Gametion is one of the most popular and engaging as well.

I am locked down in the game as well 🙁

For those staying alone the option of playing online with relatives is also available.

Chess

You can take this opportunity to teach your kid how chess is played. This game can be very engaging for long time and even introduce your kid to the world of strategy making.

You may say you don’t have it at home and can’t even buy from market or e-comm sites amid lock down. Don’t worry this is simple to make at home and a fun activity for the kids too. Just see how Maithili made it using her study table and a permanent marker:

Block Game (Jenga)

A game which can definitely be learnt with minimum efforts by the kids and help in understanding the concept of center of gravity to the kids.

Jenga/Block Game

Tic Tac Toe

A game which can be played with most basic requirement of pen/pencil/chalk and paper/black board.

Tic Tac Toe

Painting/Drawing: We can try giving colors/papers to the kids and let their imagination flow and let them draw whatever they feel like.

Drawing/Painting can be super engaging and allows the child to be creative and experimental

Story: Every day at night one can tell a short story to the kids and believe me this is not very difficult. We all have been cooking up stories from our childhood whether in fron tof techer, our parents or our spouse. Ain’t we?

Kids form an opinion basis what they see around them, listen from people, watch on the channel. I was shocked when my daughter asked me, Papa how can Kiran Bedi be a Police? she is a girl. Another question from her was on Sajeev Kapoor as how can he be chef? he is a boy. I could not believe that my daughter may also have such narrative of work that can be done by a male or a female.

This is the time which we can use to focus on their overall development. We should recite stories of male/female achievers in different fields. One of the book that I have been reading for my daughter is “Good Night stories of Rebel Girls” for last couple of months. The book has short stories of the girls which broke free of social boundaries and stigmas and became achievers in their life.

Story/Knowledge books for Kids

Have you considered gifting books to kids on birthdays?Maithili enjoys reading books gifted by my elder brother and my friends.

Carom Board: While for this game you need to have a board, Carom Men & Stricker at home. The game is super engaging and kids can actually learn how to aim, sense of direction, force etc.

Carom board of latest designs are also available now a days

Game of Kauri (Cawrie shells): To play this game you need 4 cowrie shells.The game can be played with minimum 2 or more players sitting in a circle. The game is usually played by people of 7-8 years and above. I remember playing this game with my mother when we used to go to village. While there are many variants of the game that even I may not be aware of but you can check the same on you tube. With changing times this game is now an endangered game. Last I’ve seen cowrie shells being used in a games played between newly married couple as a ritual once bride goes to groom’s place.

  • Kauri/Cawrie Shell
  • Pick any 5 of any shape, color

Gutte

This is quite a very simple game and only 5 small sized stones (see image above) are required to play this. Even if you don’t have it at home it’s not difficult to find stones near by as India is an under construction country. You need to spin 1 stone in the air and pick remaining from the ground and catch the one in the air without dropping it. The first level can be done with picking 1 stone at a time from ground, then 2, 3 and 4. There other levels/varients as well which can be easily found on the web. Though the game is quite loved by girls, I used to play with my elder sister a lot. In Rajasthan, Guajarat, UP, Haryana & Punjab this game is quite popular.

So guys here are the games that can be comfortably played with minimum efforts and with maximum engagement. All the best. Stay at home and stay safe.

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Fighting COVID 19: Doing it MODI way

by ICBlogsLeave a Comment on Fighting COVID 19: Doing it MODI way

“Janata Curfew” has become a buzz word after India’s Prime Minister announced it as a public initiated moment to curb the spread of Corona virus which has taken 20,000+ lives till 25th March 2020.

Almost every residents in India, officials of global agencies involved in managing the pandemic and many global leader are lauding the way social distancing being initiated in India. While the world is yet to see the way situation unfolds in India and how we tackle it, some of the biggest challenge in India is 2nd largest population in the world and not having the best of healthcare infrastructure.

We live in a country which is home to people from all religions, belief, culture, eating habits. Everyone has their own opinion and not to forget a very strong one. We are also have one the largest smartphone and internet user base in India. You can just make any video and send it to few people on Watsapp. In few days this becomes a reality for people.  People don’t even bother to check the facts of the messages received. In our country implementing a simple decision for good of people is criticized, opposed or not followed just because of different political party’s affiliation or belief system of people. In such scenario without involvement of people nothings can be done.

Human behavior is very unpredictable, if choices are imposed upon, people tend to not like it however if they choose anything willingly, however bad it may be, we are happy with it.

“Janata Curfew” the effort of PM in stoking national feeling in enforcing unofficial lock down by requesting people to stay at home that too without issuing a Govt order has been innovative. PM has also requested all the residents to clap or use a gesture to thank all the people who are away from their family, trying to service us in the best manner possible and helping us in fighting with the deadly virus. While doing it not only me but many of you would have realized that this activity boosts morale of all the people away from their home to ensure that we are all safe.  Everyone clapping or making sound using plates/spoon has given feeling of being united as one in fighting against COVID 19.

This is not the first time when Modi has done this for most of the societal changes i.e. Swatcha Bharat, Beti Padhao, Fit India, Khelo India and Giving up subsidy have been similar examples he has set in the past. These movements have been definitely some the largest public movement around the world with minimal involvement of Government. The most critical aspect has been change in behavior of people, involving common man and motivating them to be a part of movement. Fit India has also made Yoga globally accepted fitness exercise, Swatcha Bharat has ensured that streets of India are not only clean but hygienic as well.

The biggest success was seen in giving up cooking gas subsidy by people of India who don’t need it. Historically this subsidy has been available to every person in the country. The Government announced ‘Ujjawala Scheme’ under which cooking gas was provided to rural population without any cost. There were questions w.r.t. this expense damaging exchequer in big way. This to was also managed by Modi by just asking people to give up subsidy who can afford it otherwise as well. People not only in urban but in semi-urban/rural area gave up subsidy so that those who can not afford get it for free from Govt. This is the strength of PM’s appeal. This is a lesson to most of the global leaders that one needs to connect with it’s people if they want to be a true leader.

While our Prime Minister Modi has been able to involve citizens in taking this first step of this genomic war against Covid 19 virus, the time will only tell how it unfolds in coming days.

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