MY TRYST WITH NIIT

In 1991 or so I used to be a student of  NIIT for nearly one year which was a life changing experience. I used to work as a electrical maintenance engineer in Graphite India durinng this time.There were many computer training institutes around the country from 1980 to 2000 ,according to me the sole reason for the vibrancy of the Indian economy because these institutes retailed education to the advantage of many sections and sectors of the populace.

NIIT read NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY was one of the earliest in this feild followed by many others thereafter. NIIT used to run news-paper ads almost every day attracting scores of students across the length and breadth of the country.

I decided to respond to one such ad and strayed into the NIIT center in Richmond road one evening on my way back from work and was given a test. Swarna Mohan a product of BITS Pilani was one of the counsellors and I decided to do a course in Cobol. The fee was Rs.6000/- in all and I must record that my mother was more than enthusiastic to provide the finances.Anything pertaining to learning and education my mother used to be pro-active at funding it. For all practical purposes I was a student at NIIT for one year ..the classes were three hours duration I think thrice a week. Ajith Sowdas used to be the course co-ordinator.

NIIT did one good thing for me.It converted me from a Electrical Engineer who used to work in dusty shop-floors of factories to a different domain of air-conditioned rooms. I headed the Information Science department of a MBA college for more than a year thanks to the experience at NIIT. Swarna  Mohan my counsellor of these times later was the HR head of NIIT. There used to a cultural fest of NIIT every year held at St. Josephs European school.

Why am I so enthusiastic of recording this experience. We in India must create more of such retail educational courses at relatively low fees which would be a big game-changer for people. The entry requirements must be made bare minimum to the extent of an interview. Basic computer science, the english language, advanced computing subjects , finance and a host of related domains  can be served through the retail sector from relatively congested out-fits of all cities where in a professional way education could flow and dissipate unbounded and unfettered  to the strategic advantage of all stake-holders.

DR, HANUMANTHU CHILD SPECIALIST AT ITI HOSPITAL

During the 1970's and 1980's the child specialist at ITI hospital used to be Dr.Hanumanthu. Iam not able to forget this person for some reason. Any child getting into the hospital would be directed to him. Very often there used to be a large queue of children waiting outside his office to see him so-much-so that they had to give him a larger consulting room up-stairs.

He was basically a tamilian and used to speak both tamil and english. He used to get annoyed sometimes seeing a large queue outside his office ,but went about his chores well.Seeing me as a kid he had predicted I would grow tall which I eventually did. He used to often give a pill periactin to children.

Somewhere I got to remember this person and thought of making a record of the same.

KOLKATACITY: THE RESIDENCE OF SUBASH CHANDRA BOSE

More than five years ago I had paid a visit to Kolkata for professional reasons and had to meet a real-estate firm near Rabindra Sadan metro station in Kolkata.I was given to understand that the house of SUBASH CHANDRA BOSE who is celebrated as a hero is round the corner and I prompltly decided to pay a visit.

It is a tourist destination now maintained by the Govt. They take a small fee from the tourist.It is a fairly large house even by modern standards standing on could be half an acre of land with large rooms and stairs and corridors.The Austin-Martin car used by SUBASHJI which Iam told is still in working condition is parked at the entrance. He used to travel long distances in this car I was told.

In every room some display and murals of various kinds can be seen and this place is worth visiting once for the rare reverence it portrays. Get down at the RABINDRASADAN metro station and this place is walkable.

The Govt. here must be praised for preserving this site because here lived a man who out of Principle and idealism brought vision and leadership and adventure during his times.

leg bye cartoon

 

THE MOULDING MACHINES AT BPL

BPL  had an inhouse Moulding Factory in Whitefeild more precisely few kilometers before Hope-Farm which made TV cabinets.There were two large moulding machines that used to work round-the-clock using granules of PolyButyl Terrra Pthalate. Some of these moulding tools were imported from Taiwan.The TV cabinets were later painted in the painting shop.

The DGM at this plant used to be Mr.Valsakumar who worked at BEL earlier. BPL had three key BEL people join them ,Mr.Mathew, Mr.Ramasubbu who used to handle purchase  and Mr. Valsakumar.Mr. Mathew was later GM of BPL. BPL was in many ways an extraordinary institution and had competent people of various  skills.

Technology has changed so fast that the DOME technology TV does not exist any longer with FST technology taking over.

POOJA CHIDANAND FROM DUBLIN

On the way back from IIM Ahmedabad I was on a VRL bus to Bangalore and happened to meet a very enthusiastic and dynamic Architect,Pooja, who had high involvement with her profession and worked in many places including Dublin.

It is nice that we in India produce such high calibre professionals. They must also get opportunities to work and show-case their talent. We had discussed the possibility of building few sky-scrapers in Bangalore using Bamboo technology.

The city of Bangalore Bengaluru needs six sky scrapers at some vantage points largely around the out-skirts to add to the glory of the city.

PALANGHAT LEGAL AGENCY PLA.COM

PLA PALANGHAT LEGAL AGENCY is a Bangalore based legal institution involved in the deliberation, development synchronization and application of law and legal practices on a national and international domain largely focussing on constitutional and derivational  issues in the areas of legal application  and  jurisprudence.

It operates from various of its offices around the country mainly from Bengaluru, Mumbai and New Delhi.