Life. Style. Lifestyle. (and Teacher's Day)

Without discovering it, we become a part of it. Without realising it, we start accepting it as fact. Somethimes, some of us devote our entire lives to it. I am talking about "Lifestyles" (the term as is used in modern popular literature and media.)

Some of us live. Some of us possess style. And some of us strive for "Lifestyles". Essentially, a product of the post-capitalistic consumerist society, this whole concept of a "Lifestyle" driven life is almost alien to India. What is it? It is an affluent's striving for (largely) a self-centred, nuclear existence with the best material comforts the world has on offer. It presupposes certain givens - you don't need too many relatives for your emotional or physical well-being, your intellectual prowess alone will pull you through, you deserve the best (cool!), life is all about "today", you have provided for your parents and seniors, and that you have to adopt everything that's mandated by popular media (cars, soaps, fairness creams, holidays, branded goggles) if life is to be felt to have been lived.

So it comes as a HUGE CONTRAST when you hear about someone who breaks the mould. Someone who says a big no to everything that modern life mandates. Someone who is so different that you can only wonder at his audacity. Like those Western kids who are trying to propagate the seemingly crazy idea of a cashless society (where services are the only exchangeables), this gentleman - by the sheer dint of his consistent iconoclasm - is a true example of contrarian success. He breezes through a Mumbai month with not more than Five Hundred rupees!

Click here to know whom I am talking about.
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I am sure you were shocked to read that!

Now some regular stuff- We celebrated the Teachers' Day with gaiety across the PT network on 5th of September. What always strikes me the most about these celebrations is

• there is tremendous respect students in India possess naturally for teachers
• if channelised properly, this sentiment can work wonders
• most teachers are extremely sensible, and alive to their task
• it is touching to see old students remember you after many years!
• the talent of young students is boundless, and just needs some right nudge & push
• event management must be learnt by doing it
• before any event is conducted, a printed "Process Chart" must be prepared
• traditions must be integrated into the "Process Charts" - so if there is the national anthem and the Honour Code that is to be recited at the end of any event, it must be made a part of the Process Chart itself
• nothing brings the Teaching Fraternity together like a sentiment-driven event on Teachers' Day - I felt that with hundreds of my colleagues yesterday

We also carried out a felicitation ceremony for teachers in general. More than 500 teachers in Ahmedabad and Indore (teachers who are not directly a part of the PT universe community) were felicitated by our students. We gifted a certificate, a beautiful book by Narayana Murthy, and a rose. Several teachers emailed to me expressing happiness over the gesture. I felt so happy that a gift like a book is being appreciated so much.

My colleague (the COO) did a wonderful job procuring 550 copies of this book from the Publisher directly. He insisted on it being a hard-bound version. I now realise why. It feels so much better!

{ I must also mention that not everyone values this day. Some of my teacher colleagues (across PT network in India) did not reciprocate the greetings we sent across - that's quite typically Indian at times. Not reciprocating, not saying "thank you", not valuing what came without asking. I guess we need to improve. I personally make it a point to say "Thanks" to every greeting (or sms) I get. Many others just do not do it! It finally all boils down to the 'sanskars' you were brought up with, values that taught you to value certain gestures. }

The pictures (slideshow) of one of our beautiful Celebration events can be viewed here! Enjoy

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