Redefining Horizons

Pancake Collapse “A classic Pancake – Collapse” declared the expert on Television. ‘Pancake – collapse’, the horror that befell ‘Tarique Gardens’, a five storied building in Mahad, is considered the worst collapse a multi-storeyed building can suffer because each floor crashes over the one below telescoping groundward trapping everything underneath. Rescue becomes difficult and painfully slow because debris has to be cleared layer by layer from the top. Pancake collapse happens when columns of the structure are woefully weak. Even an infinitesimal increase in load beyond the threshold can trigger a collapse, waiting to happen anytime. This catastrophe happens not due to omissions but through criminal indulgence. The two key issues that determine structural longevity are inherent strength and tolerance . Collapse - Organisations and Individuals Pancake – collapse is not confined to lifeless concrete structures alone. It happens with organisations and worse with individuals too. Why ...

  Jo Bole, So Kunda Khole The chief executive sat at the high table in his office and the heads of different verticals, sat in straight chairs facing him. Compared to the formal ones he chaired in the imposing conference hall with individual mics, plush chairs and crystal bowls of assorted chocolates, boss seemed to like his free-flowing ‘office meetings’. Everything was formal about ‘office meetings’, yet there was a touch of informality.   In one such meeting though the agenda was done but our cups had not yet run out of tea and we had time to be around, he asked for ideas. The silent serenity that suddenly descended notwithstanding, I came up with one, nowhere connected to my official charter. The boss smiled and said “ Jo Bole, So Kunda Khole”. He assigned me the responsibility [1] . Everyone laughed.  I tried. Tough I still have problem with assigning gender to nouns, I am at home in Hindi and due to my association with Sikhs can understand Punjabi. It took m...