How to identify a gentleman?

Source:  quoteaddicts.com

Dictionary defines the word 'Gentleman' as a chivalrous, courteous or an honourable man.  Though the word relates more to a male, the topic we are going to discuss applies equally to females.   There are many articles floating on the internet about what qualities should a gentleman have. This post is not a listing of such qualities.  I would like to describe one real-life incident which depicts how observing a person's behaviour in a particular situation can help you in identifying whether he is a gentleman or not.

The car parking space at our office is at premium.  Hence it is necessary that the cars are parked in proper position to ensure that maximum cars get the benefit. To ensure that, we have few security guards which assist us in parking the car in a correct way.

When I arrived at the car park,  I saw a guard helping one of the employees to park his car.  However, ignoring the guard's advice, the employee parked the car in a manner he preferred the best.  When the employee got out of the car, guard was explaining to him that there is still some space towards the left where the car can be moved so that more cars can also be parked adjoining to that.

However the employee was not in a mood to listen.  The expression on his face was like 'who are you to tell me how to park the car?  You are just a security guard and I know it better.'  Instead of a constructive discussion about who is correct in this, the argument was between a 'white-collar' employee and a security guard.  I am sure, if instead of a security guard, that person was one of his colleagues or his boss, his behavior would have been different, more respectful.

How we treat the people whom we do not know, who are of income or social strata lower to us defines our character.  This is one of the important quality of a gentleman - to treat all with respect and courteously, irrespective of their position.

Observing minute details of a person helps us in identifying this. How he refers to an auto or a taxi driver?  Is it 'bhaiya / bhaisahab, side mein rukao' or is it an arrogant way of 'sunna nahi kya, left lena tha'.  Is the waiter being called / shoo away with a whistle / gestures or with respect?  Whether there is an expression of gratitude and respect while conversing with such people or it is of pride and arrogance.

To extend the principle further, how a person treats another, irrespective of his strata, his position, whether he is a stranger or not, in a situation which is not favourable,  when he is in a bad mood depicts important qualities of that person.

For me this is one of the most important and easily noticeable quality of a person.  What do you think?  Do you also observe such a behaviour in a person?  Which one as per you is the most important quality of a gentleman?  What else do you look at? Comments are welcomed.

Best Movies of 2014 (Part 2)

Movies are made to entertain, make one ponder and to leave behind a mark as we come out of the cinema halls.  There are few movies which evolves over a period of time, the more you watch that movie the more you start liking it.

Continuing with our series of best movies of 2014, here is the second and the last part.

Read: Best Movies of 2014 (Part 1)

6. HAIDER

Shahid Kapoor in 'Haider'

Vishal Bhardwaj's movies are always different from the lot and has its own following.  Without going into the debate of whether Haider is a correct adaptation of Shakespeare's Hamlet or whether it captures the actual story of the army's role in Kashmir, Haider stands out for its splendid performances, soulful music, cinematography and direction.

7. Bey Yaar

Poster of gujarati movie 'Bey Yaar'

One always co-relates Gujarati films with garbas, dandiyas and village backdrop.  But films like Bey Yaar dismantles these beliefs.  After a promising start with his first movie, Kevi Rite Jaish,  director Abhishek Jain comes back with an even stronger Gujarati entertainer in Bey Yaar.  Featuring performances, songs, music comparable to a good bollywood movie, Bey Yaar is story about two friends who put their morals at stake to earn a quick buck.  The fast pace movie (especially in the second half) keeps you glued to your seat till the end.  It is heartening to know that Gujarati film industry has evolved from its past and it needs more directors like Abhishek.

8. Metro Manila

Still from 'Metro Manila'

Filipino movie which got rave reviews globally, Metro Manila is about a poor family seeking brighter future in the megacity Manila and the plights they face fulfilling their dreams.  This can fit any other stereo type Bollywood movies but what set it apart is its execution.

9. The Grand Budapest Hotel

A still from 'The Grand Budapest Hotel'

Wes Anderson's movies are always different from the rest and same goes for The Grand Budapest Hotel.  On the backdrop of superb sound track,  characters from the movie leave their impression on the viewers.  Add Wes Anderson's direction and screenplay, this movie is a joy to watch.

Best Movies of 2014 (Part 1)

Year 2014 saw few good movies.  Here is the listing of some the best movies I have seen.

Now that the most anticipated film of 2014 has released yesterday and none in pipeline for last few days of this year,  it is a good time to look back and list down the best movies I have seen in 2014.  Kindly note that the listing below is from the movies I have watched during this year.  There might be instances a movie may be very good but I am yet to watch it or movie got released before 2014, but was watched this year.  Further I am not a big fan of Sci-Fi, Lords-of-the-Rings type and Superhero type movies.  The list needs to be viewed from these perspectives.

1. QUEEN

Still of Kangana Ranaut from 'Queen'

Undoubtedly the best movie of 2014, Queen makes you laugh, cry, aspire, dream, achieve and conquer. This is a movie which will pep you up no matter how low you are feeling in your life.  Stunning performances, strong script, excellent production and electrifying soundtrack.  This film is a complete package on how the movie should be made.  There are many memorable scenes / characters in the film -  Lisa Haydon as Vijayalakshmi, Marco Canadea as Marcello, Mish Boyko as Oleksander, Jefferey Chee Eng Ho as Taka.  Even Sabeeka Imam as Rroxette leaves an impression in her short on-screen presence.  Add Kangana Ranaut's best performance till date to this.  Indisputably Queen is the queen (king) of 2014.

2. SNOWPIERCER

A still from Snowpiercer

Film by Korean directory Bong Joon-Ho, you know you are about to experience a gripping, hair-raising experience right from the word go.  Released last year, this film is set in 2031, when the entire world is frozen except for those abroad the Snowpiercer.  The train has its own class systems and economy.  An adaption from a French novel, Le Transperceneige, this film celebrates the cinema.
P.S.:  Not for faint hearted.

3. HER

Joaquin Phoenix and Amy Adams in 'Her'

Imagine you falling in love with your OS (Operating System)!! By love, I mean real love.  Theodore, played by Joaquin Phoenix and a man about to get divorce, falls in love with a newly purchased artificially intelligent operating system. OS becomes part and parcel of his daily life and he starts sharing his joys and sorrows with it.  Scarlett Johansson's voice as Samantha is mesmerising.  Though you can't see her throughout the movie, you can feel her emotions and instantly fall in love with her.  It would be unfair to the film if I don't quote few lines from the movie here.

The past is just a story we tell ourselves.

We are only here briefly, and in this moment I want to allow myself joy.

I feel like I can be anything with you.

I'm yours, and I'm not yours.

It's like I'm reading a book... and it's a book I deeply love. But I'm reading it slowly now. So the words are really far apart and the spaces between the words are almost infinite. I can still feel you... and the words of our story... but it's in this endless space between the words that I'm finding myself now. It's a place that's not of the physical world. It's where everything else is that I didn't even know existed. I love you so much. But this is where I am now. And this is who I am now. And I need you to let me go. As much as I want to, I can't live in your book any more. 

4. HIGHWAY

Alia Bhatt as Veera Tripathi in 'Highway'

2014 has seen few of the best movies ever directed in Bollywood.  These films are different, set themselves apart from the mainstream cinema and leaves you pondering at the end.  Highway, directed by Imtiaz Ali, is one such film.  Alia Bhatt (as Veera Tripathi) proves that she can even act in films which are not the usual masala types.  It is a journey of two people, burdened by their past, experiencing life and freedom.  Gorgeous cinematography by Anil Mehta and soulful music by A.R. Rahman makes this movie unforgettable.

5. HASEE TOH PHASEE

Sidharth Malhotra and Parineeti Chopra in 'Hasee Toh Phasee'

Hasee Toh Phasee is at fifth position on account of strong performance by Parineeti Chopra. Bittersweet romcom triangle makes it an easy watch.  Besides the main lead, the supporting cast also add muscle to movie and makes its entertaining.

(to be continued...)

Check out Part 2 of Best Movies of 2014

Friendship, Trust and Respect

Trust is hallmark of all relations.  One factor which can withstand all other negatives in a relationship is trust.  If this trust is broken,  it has a significant effect on the relationship and can ruin  it.

How does friendship begins?

One can't be friend with all and sundry.  For a friendship,  it is necessary to have same wave length.  It is based on mutual respect.  You admire the person who is your friend,  feel proud of him and envy him for certain qualities which you don't have. And very rarely you find such person.

And what happens if after finding such a wonderful person, you break his trust. You do act which belittles you in front of him.  You lose his respect and friendship. It is nothing but a disaster for you.

Once this happens,  it is very difficult to regain it.  And even if regained, sometimes its never the same.

But if you have made a mistake,  broke a friend's trust,  lost his respect,  you can apologise, honestly and sincerely and hope that he shall return to accept you as your friend.

And if he doesn't, its your loss for the deed you do and only you are responsible for that!!

Suits, Deals, Oxford, et. al.

Have you ever watched Suits - an intriguing, fast paced drama depicting daily life of high profile lawyers in a partnership firm?

Imagine yourself as being one amongst them solving intricate cases and negotiating on behalf of your clients.  Though this is just a television serial and that the real life is very much different from reel life, imagine the job satisfaction after negotiating a key merger deal for your client or finalizing legal structure to enable corporate to minimize its tax pay-outs and maximize its profits.

Does looking at boring and long documents, mulling over interpretations of complex laws and not calling off a day until you have finalize the clauses of the agreement interest you?  For me, it's an adrenaline pumping work and makes me excited.

Law being my first choice of subject, the place which comes to my mind to pursue legal studies is Oxford.  Considered as mecca for law studies, it is a dream for every individual to spend few years of his / her life at Oxford and learn law.  

Oxford is rated as the best place to learn law and offers various courses and alternatives for students inspiring to pursue career in law.  One of the post graduate courses which I found interesting is Masters in Law and Finance (MLF). 

MLF has been recently launched in October 2010 and is jointly taught with the Said Business School.  It offers legal students an opportunity to integrate study of finance with advanced legal study.

Having studied law and finance in India and worked mostly on the related deals, MLF is the obvious choice for me.  It has 45 seats available in each batch and it's a challenge to get in with probability of getting the admission less than 20%.  The batch size of 45, 10 months duration, 29 years average age of its students, optimum background of work and study amongst the student fits well with my criteria.  The course also provides varied electives such as economics, taxation and competition.

MLF is surely my best bet for further studies in legal field in a country which is rich in knowledge, heritage and culture.

Source: 

1. Oxford: http://www.law.ox.ac.uk/

2. MLF: http://mlf-2.oxford-law.dev3.oneltd.eu/

3. British Council: http://knowledgeisgreat.in/

Disclaimer: This post is part of Indiblogger's Knowledge is Great contest wherein Indibloggers were invited to blog about any subject of their choice which they would like to study in UK.  There are some prizes to be won in this contest based on pre-selected criteria.  To that extent, this post may be considered as a paid post.

Making India Read

How much does childhood impacts the person you become?

How much impact the books you read while going to school make once you step out in the world?

How much influence such books have on your thoughts, beliefs and actions?

I am sure almost all of you shall agree that the books we read during our school days have a long lasting impact on how we grow up as an individual.  Books are the medium through which we see the world around us.  Irrespective of whether it is a novel, comic strip, biography, short story or mythology; all this plays a significant part in our upbringing.

Now imagine a scene where you as a child do not have any book to read.  There is no one with whom you can discuss about the stories you read last night before going to sleep.  This is where Pratham Books, a not-for-profit initiative by Pratham, started in 2004 with an objective of book in every child's hand, decided to make a difference.

Rohini Nilekani, who is the founding member of Pratham Books and the chairperson, spoke last year in TEDxGateaway held at Mumbai about the efforts taken by Pratham Books to achieve its objective.  Franklin Templeton Investments partnered the TEDxGateway Mumbai in December 2012.

There are children which goes to school but do not have anyone in their family who can help them in reading.  To ensure that their school education is not wasted, it is necessary that they have resources to practice how to read.  Pratham Books decided to provide this resource to such children.

Books published by Pratham are available at very low cost at various places / schools / library in remote areas.  Pratham Books partnered with willing authors, readers, teachers to expand their presence and offerings.  Over the last 9 years, Pratham Books have published 1573 books in 11 languages and distributed 10.3 million books all over India.

Last year, they also carried out a special initiative on International Literacy Day, wherein across 28 states of India 419 school teachers read their books to approx 20,000 children.

This is a great initiative undertaken by Pratham Books having a long term positive impact on the future generation.

PS:  I recollect receiving tweets from Pratham Books last year about their initiative on International Literacy Day and inviting me to contribute by reading for children in my locality.  I was not aware about the work Pratham does in this field and use to ignore those tweets.  Now since I know the noble cause for which they are contributing, I shall surely try to contribute to the extent possible and I feel we all should do that.

Disclaimer: This post is part of Indiblogger's The Idea Caravan contest wherein Indibloggers were invited to view the videos of TEDxGateway Mumbai held last year and blog about the various ideas presented in those videos which are destructive and path breaking and can lead to positive future impact on the society.  There are some gifts to be given to all bloggers whose post gets selected and prizes to be won in a contest.  To that extent, this post may be considered as a paid post.

Indiblogger - Reliance Digital Experience @ R Mall Mulund

Indiblogger invited its members to visit the Reliance Digital Store across Mumbai and share the experience on the blog.

There is a newly opened Reliance Digital Store at R Mall, Mulund West, quite near to where I stay and I seize the opportunity to visit the store and feel the experience.  While I am a regular visitor to the R Mall, I never got an opportunity to visit any Reliance Digital Store before this.

The store is located in quite a busy area and in one of the oldest malls in Central suburbs.  The store as such is not big, but has a good variety of products under one roof.

I visited the store on Sunday morning.  I was promptly taken to the store manager who took my indiblogger invite printout and told me to have a 'Reliance Digital Experience'.

The crowd had not yet started and I had the pleasure of roaming around the store leisurely taking pictures.  The store seems adequately staffed, always eager to help you out in choosing the products.

Shoppers having a look at product displays

Wide variety of Windows 8 laptops on display

LED Screens inviting attention

There were wide range of LED / Plasma screens to choose from.  There was also a large Sony 3D television in display which was quite popular amongst shoppers for 3D experience.  There was a separate home theater experience section, but was closed at that point of time.

One product which made me curious to fiddle around was the Sony Internet and video player.

Awesome player - I wanna have one!

There were no keys and buttons, just a touch screen on the right bottom with couple of options.  The instrument was glossy and very attractive.

The latest models of Samsung Galaxy Mega phones - 5.8" and 6.3" were also on display.

The latest smart phone

Other mobile phone options such a new touchscreen Blackberry Z10 and iPhone 5 were also an interesting experience.

Overall experience of the store was good.  Nice layout and arrangement of various products, helpful staff and prime locality.  I did not purchased any thing on that day and hence can not comment on the ease of billing and payment.  However, I did noticed that the payment counters are at the other side of the store far away from exit, which seemed strange to me.

Disclaimer:  This entry is part of Indiblogger Store Experience, wherein Indibloggers were invited to visit the store and share the experience on their blog.  There are some goodies / gifts to be given to all who blog about the experience and prizes to be won in a contest.  To that extent, this post may be considered as a paid post.