Redefining Horizons

An Undefined Emotion Hysterical crowds at a rock concert and the ones swaying to the chants at a guru’s discourse have one thing in common. They all are in search of happiness. In fact, human beings, even with minimal aspirations, are all perpetually in pursuit of some sort of happiness. Happiness is amongst the most extensively researched subjects related to human well-being. Scholars have delved into innumerable aspects of happiness to declare what they think were convincing proofs, means and methods of securing happiness. Proven or not, we know beyond doubt that happiness is one of the most important ingredients of well-being and consequently influences everything an individual does. A universally accepted definition still eludes happiness despite extensive research in everything connected to it. However, universally people believe that happiness comes from within.  Happiness remains as subjective and vague an entity as it was, ever since it was first humanly experienced. ...

H ealthy balance between work and personal life is a challenge most professionals have willingly given up on, happily or otherwise. Distinction between the two, has all but vanished, as work-related activities have pervasively invaded personal and family time. For many, home has become nothing more than a place for ‘homemade food’, wash, change and a nap on one’s own bed. Spending most of the twenty-four hours at workplace or at work, even though physically present at home, is now considered an indispensable ingredient for upward mobility on the coveted corporate ladder. Being expected to stay in office beyond working hours or regularly required to carry work home, is considered synonymous with one’s arrival amongst the ‘ reckonable ’ and ‘ indispensables . It signals one’s proximity to the fountainhead of power. After all, for the coveted ‘Ferrari’ one needs to embrace monkhood of work. Reckonable Performance Indicator Being present mostly at work place or seen engaged ...

“ W hat I really meant was … ”, or “ I didn’t mean it that way …” are sentences, frequently heard at work places amongst professionals and between individuals trying to clear the air. This happens normally during discussions defending an utterance or gesture that was not appreciated.   For each such confessional or explanatory declaration and occasion that led to it, there could be innumerable occasions where possibility of such a declaration never arose and the parties concerned continue to hold positions that eventually turn detrimental to interpersonal and intra-organisational relationships, creating a working environment unnecessarily vitiated. While ‘communication’, is one of the most discussed and focussed  aspects of management, miscommunication remains rampant. Despite innumerable seminars or workshops on effective communication and countless books, on the subject, available to managers and managed alike, miscommunication and communication gaps continue...

Bofors – End of a Glorious Innings? Existence of Bofors in contemporary Indian military history is much like that of Karna in Mahabharata. While both irrefutably strengthened the side they were on, the ones who brought them forth were conspicuous through disassociation. The controversy that trailed the gun and doesn’t seem to abate even after decades of its existence and eventual extinction, resulted in two significant events. Firstly, the manufacturer of the howitzer was blacklisted, prohibiting Army from sourcing spares from it. Second, the priceless Transfer of Technology (TOT) accompanying the deal was left to languish denying India an opportunity to indigenously produce the state-of-the-art gun system. It is the unbelievable robustness of the weapon and ingenuity of Indian Soldiers, that helped it continue booming in the wind-swept icy heights of Kargil, despite a chocked supply chain. Numerous instances of sublime...