Three Things to Remember

Three things in life that, once gone, never come back - Time, Words & Opportunity
Three things in life that may never be lost - Peace, Hope & Honesty
Three things in life that are most valuable - Love, Faith & Prayer
Three things in life that are never certain - Dreams, Success & Fortune
Three things that make a man - Hard work, Sincerity & Commitment
Three things in life that can destroy a man - Lust, Pride & Anger

Look for the Stars

A newly married woman insisted on going to the California desert so she could be near her soldier husband. The only place the couple could find to live was a rundown shack near an Indian village. The daytime heat was unbearable-105 degrees in the shade. The dry wind blew constantly, covering everything with dust. None of the Indians spoke English. The young wife was miserable.

Then she learned that her husband was going deeper into the desert for 2 weeks. So she wrote her mother and asked if she could come home. In her mother's reply were these words: "Two men looked through prison bars; one saw mud, the other saw stars." As the woman read those lines over and over, she decided to change. She would look for the stars.

She set out to make friends with the Indians. When they saw her genuine interest, they taught her weaving and pottery. She learned their culture. Then she began to study the desert itself-its cacti, Joshua trees, and seashells left behind by the sands of an ocean floor. Not only did she survive, she became known as an expert on the area and later published a book about it.

Are you in an unbearable, inescapable situation? Do you have a negative attitude? Like Joseph or this wife, you can change.

Look at the situation positively and make the best of it with the help of God. Who knows? You might end up writing a book.

India is Really Shining

Better to be a Lion in India than a Monkey Abroad

In a poor zoo of India, a lion was frustrated as he was offered not more than 1 kg of meat a day.
The lion thought its prayers were answered when one US Zoo Manager visited the zoo and requested the zoo management to shift the lion to the US Zoo.
The lion was so happy and started thinking of a central A/c environment, a goat or two every day and a US Green Card also.
On its first day after arrival, the lion was offered a big bag, sealed very nicely for breakfast. The lion opened it quickly but was shocked to see that it contained few bananas. The lion thought that may be they cared too much for him as they were worried about his stomach as he had recently shifted from India.
The next day the same thing happened. On the third day again the same food bag of bananas was delivered.
The lion was so furious, it stopped the delivery boy and blasted at him, 'Don't you know I am the lion...king of the Jungle..., what's wrong with your management?, what nonsense is this?, why are you delivering bananas to me?'
The delivery boy politely said, 'Sir, I know you are the king of the jungle .. but .. you have been brought here on a monkey's visa !!! '

Better to be a Lion in India than a Monkey elsewhere..

Lungar Gupp IX

Hi Folks,

Its been a long time since I have posted anything under this caption. Well, let it not be said that this aspect of my blog is being neglected. So here goes :

1. It is believed that a whole lot of youngsters in our cadre (those who joined the Bank just 3 years back) have represented for transfers - which of course is not being taken too kindly in the Central Office. A few really deserving cases might also be put on the backburner owing to the deluge of requests. Transfers in less than 5 years of service (initially) are generally frowned upon by the powers that be. So 'Good Luck' to those who get their choice postings !!

2. One of our colleagues from Guwahati is all set to go to Thiruvananthapuram (from one end to the other), another from Chennai is all set for Bhopal whereas an old 'horse' (having run too many promotion races-like me) is going from Mumbai to Chennai. In the case of the first guy (someone who is more sinned against than sinning) it is pure BAD LUCK !!!(which seems to be dogging him all the time) and in case of the other two (smooth operators) they seem to have pulled the right strings (or struck the right chord in someone who matters).

If the above sounds like a puzzle - keep scratching your heads guys !!

Facing the Storms

Hi Guys,

I thought I must share this mail forward with you all !!

A little boy walked to and from school daily. On one particular morning, the weather was questionable as clouds were forming and the sky was gray but the little boy made his daily trek to the elementary school anyway. As the afternoon progressed, the winds whipped up and the thunder and lightning began to roll. The little boy's mother was concerned that her son would be frightened as he walked home from school and feared that the electrical storm might harm her child. Following a roar of thunder, lightning would cut through the sky like a flaming sword!Worried, the mother got into her car and drove along the route to her child's school. On finding her son, she noticed her little boy was walking along just fine, but at each flash of lightning, the child would stop, look up and smile. More lightning followed and with each one the little boy would look at the flash of light and smile. The mother approached him in her car, lowered the window and asked him, "What are you doing?" The child answered, "I am trying to look nice, God keeps taking my picture!"

May God bless you as you face the storms that come your way.

Ringing in the New Year

Hi Guys,
I am not talking about the "New" calendar year. Today happens to be my birthday - the real one. People often take my birthday to be on 10 October which is the "official" one (I have my late parents to thank for this gaffe - though they did it in good faith - as insurance against possible failures in early schooling. Of course the move backfired because not only did I "not fail" but in one instance cleared two classes in one year. Such cases were called double promotions - a term unheard of now. Such were the trends in those days.) Well what is special is that I have completed 50 years on this earth today. How time flies !!! I sure dont feel like a 50 year old !!! Early in the morning getting a call from my friend Balli was a pleasant surprise as well as a good start to the DAY.

Guidelines - Protecting against Terrorism

Security Service releases top ten security guidelines for Protecting Against Terrorism ( courtesy Securitypark)

The Security Service, in partnership with Home Office and Cabinet Office, have updated existing protective security guidance for organisations with a duty of care for others. This guidance, entitled 'Protecting Against Terrorism' has been published in response to requests from businesses to have a hard copy version of the guidance on the website. The following top ten protective security points summarise the guidance given in this booklet. Whether you are creating, reviewing, or updating your security plans, keep these key points in mind:

1 Carry out a risk assessment to decide on the threats you might be facing and their likelihood. Identify your vulnerabilities.

2 If acquiring or extending premises, consider security at the planning stage. It will be cheaper and more effective than adding measures later.

3 Make security awareness part of your organisation’s culture and ensure security is represented at a senior level.

4 Ensure good basic housekeeping throughout your premises. Keep public areas tidy and well-lit, remove unnecessary furniture and keep garden areas clear.

5 Keep access points to a minimum and issue staff and visitors with passes. Where possible, do not allow unauthorised vehicles close to your building.

6 Install appropriate physical measures such as locks, alarms, CCTV surveillance and lighting.

7 Examine your mail-handling procedures, consider establishing a mailroom away from your main premises.

8 When recruiting staff or hiring contractors, check identities and follow up references.

9 Consider how best to protect your information and take proper IT security precautions. Examine your methods for disposing of confidential waste.

10 Plan and test your business continuity plans, ensuring that you can continue to function without access to your main premises and IT systems.

Welcoming the publication of Protecting Against Terrorism, Home Office Minister Hazel Blears said: "Government and business need to work in partnership to ensure that emergencies are avoided, and when they do happen we are well prepared to deal with the consequences. We know that protective security works. It is important for all businesses and organisations to plan for unforeseen events in order to deter potential attackers and mitigate the effects of attacks when they happen. This includes having an up to date business continuity plan that should ensure that staff are prepared and that the essential functions of business can survive a terrorist incident, natural disaster, or other disruption."

Congrats to Guys of the Silver Jubilee Course

Hi Guys,

People from SS 25 Course have completed 28 years of service today. Heartiest congrats to all the guys from the silver jubilee course of OTS (now OTA). In the Bank too we have a few gentlemen from this course viz : Capt Sharad Sharma, Capt Tapan Chakravorty, Capt Sudarshan Kumar, Capt B.S.Jaswal, Capt Rajeev Kumar , Capt Devinder Sharma, Capt Rajaram P. and of course yours truly. A grand get-together has been organised today at New Delhi by Colonel K.S.Rana who is commanding the 124 TA Bn at the National Stadium. A lot of our course mates are serving as Brigadiers. Those who are not in the Army are also doing very well ( I am not sure whether we fall into this category or not !!). Silver shorties have their own website too ; www.ots25.com Well here's wishing more glory to all of them.

Joining Report

Hi Folks,

I reported back for duty on 13th March after a month long sojourn at the "Queen of Hills"- Mussoorie. The journey from cool climes to the heat and dust of Delhi and then to the temperate atmosphere at Bangalore was marred by another nightmarish experience courtesy "Air Dhakkan" (yet again). The flight which was scheduled to take off at 1840 hrs on 12th March kept getting delayed (in instalments !!) and ultimately took off at 2345 hrs. Consequently I was stuck at the airport for more than six hours and reached Bangalore at the ungodly hour of 0300 hrs on 13th March. Never again am I going anywhere near the CHEAPEST airline (in every sense of the word) in future. Since joining back on duty - the tail has been on fire thus the delay. Sorry guys !!!