Thank you, Mr. Ratan Tata.

I don't see too many Tata Nanos on the road. People tell me the deliveries haven't really started yet. I hope so. When this topic of discussion comes up, I am the only one saying that the Nano is sure to be a success. I am vehemently opposed by everyone present. "No chance", they say. "Its like an auto rickshaw", they saw. "It sounds like a scooter"... "Who would want to be seen in that"... "People would rather save some more and buy a 3.5 lac car entry-level hatchback".

Maybe. But maybe the Nano wasn't made for people who wanted to be seen in a car. Maybe it was never aimed at being a status symbol. Maybe it was meant to just provide the safety and security that a car offers. Maybe in a country with one billion people, there is a family of three somewhere, who still travels on a two wheeler. Where the four year old son sits tightly between the father and the mother. Or sometimes just behind his father or mother, with his face exposed to the pollution and wind around him. Maybe he could pick up a respiratory illness, possibly even pneumonia...

He would then need to be operated and as a result become so weak, that he would have to learn walking all over again. And develop asthma as a post-op complication. Maybe his whole life would change after that. He would have to carry a 4-inch inhaler with him. Always. No mater where he went, no matter what clothes he wore. He would feel unsafe without it. He would have to take a dose before sleeping everyday, and on 300 days in a year, he would wake up feeling short of breath. He would need it more often during weather fluctuations.He would never be able to take aspirin and ibuprofen, the most common pain killers in the world.

That kind of family would then be forced to buy a new Maruti 800, even if they couldn't afford it. Take a loan, even pawn some wedding jewelery. Maybe the Nano is made for such families.

I guess if the Nano had been available in 1986 for about Rs.15000, I wouldn't have a two inch scar on my chest.

Nevertheless, thank you Mr. Ratan Tata. A promise is indeed,a promise.

Super-Me !

Ive always been fascinated by superheroes and the amazing things they can do. And I have always struggled with this scenario: 'If given a choice, of getting one superpower, which one would it be?

Every time I go on a 'JD style' imaginary journey, which somehow ends with me regretting the choice I make. I mean there are so many kickers to every superpower. Does that superpower let me maintain my present identity? How long will it last for? Is it reversible?

Ive been tempted to opt for the power to fly. But since I do not have any other power, will I really be able to take the extreme temperatures? What about flying out of the earths atmosphere. That would mean a very messy end to my short super-powered life.

I always wanted to be invisible. But then , would I be able to pass though things and also be able to touch them at will (a la Ghost)) ? would I be heard? Would I have to wear clothes? Questions, questions.

How about the ability to control metal? Nah. Unless I want to be a crack architect, I couldn't really have too much fun this one.

The ability to spin webs? Uuugh. I wonder how Spidey keeps his chin up.

The ability to heal my wounds? Sure, but Id have to join the army to be of any real use and that would be that for my secret identity.

The power to heal someone else's wounds? As a doctor Id be the toast of the entire world. But... errrrrr.. Something's missing.

The power to control weather? Naaah, I love the unpredictability pg the Pune weather too much. Besides, I want to know how the whole global warming theory pans out.

Super-sight? Super-hearing? So. So.

Shape-shifting? Tele-kinesis ? Hmmmm.

The power to absorb other superheroes' powers like Peter Petrelli of Heroes? That would be dumb, as I would have to keep searching for them.

The power to understand how anything works like Sylar in Heroes? Messy, as then Id get an uncontrollable urge to kill other superheroes and understand how they use their abilities.

Then I realize, that in this world, with no other super heroes and no super villains, choosing any one power from the list above, would rather complicate my life.

Sad as my choice is, Id rather prefer to stay as I am, rather than risk the tremendous frustration that would no doubt befall me once I realize that I have chosen the wrong superpower.



On the other hand, if GOD allows me to put down certain conditions, this is what Id choose:

The power of time travel, with unlimited rewind-forward ability and the safeguard that none of my actions would ever threaten my own existence.

Wow ! That would be awesome. I'm off on my imaginary trip again. And this time it wont end in regret. And even if if does, ill simply go back in time !

Two tips to try...

All of us make mistakes in life. I have made my share too. We can either forget them, try to push them away from our memories, hoping that someday we completely forget about them.

But sometimes the best way to learn from your mistakes is to carry them with you. So that every time you have a chance of making the same one again, you just have to look over your shoulder and be reminded of it. It helps if you have a good memory. This might sound like a pessimistic way of dealing with mistakes, but its not.

Try it.

On another note, my teacher once told me an interesting way to deal with anger. Anger indirectly raises your own blood pressure he said. Instead, be cool, and make the person who made you angry, angrier. To paraphrase, “Don’t get mad, get even”. We deal with inefficiency every day. Casual attitudes, broken promises, lies, traffic, road-rage, weather, clumsy spills, noisy distractions, annoying people. So many things that make us angry. The trick, he said, is to consciously keep a cool head, and use whatever power/authority you have to intelligently turn the tables around on the situation at hand.



He explained further, “Say your students bunk a lecture. Don’t shout and scream and rant at them, simply declare the topic as over. Students bunk a test. Set a tougher paper the next time! “

I have felt incredibly empowered ever since. I try to use this theory whenever I can. Sometimes after getting mad, I realize I forgot the rule: To remain cool and get even. Sometimes, I succeed. The worst part is when I get angry about forgetting not to get angry. Yes, its complicated. But imagine if everybody were to successfully implement this, we have a lot less shouting. We would see a sharp drop in anti-hypertensive medication. We would end up using more than 1% of our brains. The possibilities are endless.

Try this too.

Oh and yes, of course, the ‘getting even’ part of this trick is not recommended in case of traffic/road-rage.