Wanted to write this post from yesterday night. But didnt know what to write.  26/11 was just one of those incidents which got world (media) attention but I see one such happening every day.  I go through various  emotions every time I read about such violence.

This post is not only for remembering 26/11 heroes but all those great souls which have fought against the violence from the beginning. I salute you all.

To all others

ಓಂ ಅಸತೋಮ ಸದ್ಗಮಯ,
ತಮಸೋಮಾ ಜ್ಯೋತಿರ್ಗಮಯ,
ಮೃತ್ಯೋರ್ಮಾ ಅಮೃತಂಗಮಯ
ಓಂ ಶಾಂತಿ, ಶಾಂತಿ ಶಾಂತಿಃ

om asathoma sadgamaya
tamasoma jyothirgamaya
mruthyorma amrutangamaya
om shanthi shanthi shanthi hi

Rough translation:
From false to truth
From darkness to light
From death to immortality
O kindly light..let there be peace

Recently I completed seven years in IT industry. My career started with Siemens and as of now I am working with Infy. Along with Infy and Siemens, my professional life has been greatly influenced by people whom I met at various events, online and open source communities. This is a small note where I want to share what I learnt in this seven years. There are many things to write about, I just wanted to use number seven.

1. You can’t learn programming in 7 years
   Yes, Plain and simple. Read Teach Yourself Programming in Ten Years by Peter Norvig
2. Care about people than process
   Most of you would have heard “People are the center of every problem” quoted mainly by managers, HRs etc. But for me, People are the center of every solution. None of the **greatest** process can solve any problem with out right people. In fact all great projects/events in the history of the world are remembered, by remembering the people who were involved rather than process they followed. So give importance to people, break the process but don’t break a human.
3. Be the worst team member
   At the risk of sounding very controversial, Yes, you should be the worst team member in your team. I believe in learning from team members. You have better chance to learn when everybody is better than you. Where you can learn from every contact, every conversation and every minute. Its good to lead a team. You might get promoted if you lead a team. But you should realize that you are losing on learning. Its very important to be lead by a leader/thinker early in your career and also to work with a great team. Remember: Its good to lead but its best to be lead by a good leader. They also make you better future leaders.
4. Have personal projects
   Many would have written about it. If your employer supports your personal project then nothing like it. If not make sure to have some personal project. You can start from writing simple tools/scripting. Once you feel better try to contribute to a open source project. Later you can have your own big project. There is nothing like self learning, your personal projects will give you a chance to learn what you want. It also gives a chance to escape from **ordinary regular work**. Updated: You should read Scott Berkun’s post on 20% time.
5. Use tools or use Unix
   Few days back, my friend was wanted to know why I am not interested in solving sudoku. According to him, its the most famous games amongst geeks just like rubik’s cube. For me I want to solve the problem for ever (I know how stupid I sound). I would probably write a program to solve the sudoku/cube than solving it manual. Now coming back to the point, use tools at work. Even if it is a very boring manual work. Try to automate it, make it a programming problem. Learn different tools. (I met this guy who was working on excel sheet to make some reports. Now it sounded like a very boring stuff. But actually he could have programmed in vb script to completely automate the reporting. Now it sounds better right?) While learning tools..Learn the mother of all tools: Unix commands.
6. Attend conferences and meet people
   I cant stress enough on this. Every time I talk to somebody at office who comes for advice, this is what I give them. None of the communities in the world is as disjoint as Indian IT (developers) community. Please do go out, attend meets, conferences. You will learn as well as your professional circle gets bigger. Even volunteering at conferences like foss.in or barcamp will give you a great opportunity to learn.
7. You don’t have to learn to knot a tie
   You know what I mean. Sometimes you need to follow the rules but programmers have their own way of satisfying their own ego! No. I don’t know how to knot a tie and I am not willing to learn in near future.

I hope it helps to somebody at least.

Picture Credit: Wikipedia and FOSS.in

Quoting TOI “With IT firms buffeted by today’s turbulent times, the government has reached out a helping hand. Reciprocating their needs, it has exempted IT/ITES and software establishments from the provisions of Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act 1946 (Central Act 20 of 1946)”

I am not sure what is the rational behind suspending a rule. Labor laws are “rights of working class” (all of us). Suspending rights for any amount of period means we are in the state of emergency.

The rules are suspended only for IT/ITES and software establishments to help them sustain during recession. Why suspend laws to help fight recession? No other country in the world has suspended laws to help industry to fight the recession? Who took this decision? Who were part of this decision making? Did they have discussion before taking this step? If yes, did it include all the concerned parties and people? Who represented us^*, people who actually are effected by this suspension?

According to me, you cant suspend a law by the request of a sector of Industry with out public discussion. If you need any labor rule reforms. It should be done after full public discussion and by the recommendation of a committee which represents all the concerned parties. The present decision is completely irrational. Not sure what do you think. I, personally feel my^* rights have been violated.

I also see that none of the mainstream media wrote anything *big* on this, not very surprising.

^*Me and Us as in middle class IT engineer.

Around 400 hundred Indian soldiers of Maratha Light Infantry led the march yesterday in Paris. I was reading the history of them on wikipedia and then the words “bol Shri Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj ki Jai’ caught my interest. Its the war cry of MLI. Here is the list of other war cries from India.

• Maratha Light Infantry – Bol Shri Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj ki Jai! (“Cry Victory to King Shivaji!”)
• Punjab Regiment, Sikh Regiment and Sikh Light Infantry – Bole So Nihal, Sat Sri Akal (Blessed is the one who proclaims the Truth of God)
• Naga Regiment – Jai Durga Naga (Hail Durga Naga)
• The Madras Regiment- Veera Madrassi, Adi Kollu , Adi Kollu(Brave Madrassi, Hit and Kill, Hit and Kill!)
• Brigade of the Guards – Garud Ka Hun Bol Pyare (I am from the Guards, Say O my friend)
• Mechanised Infantry Regiment – Bol Bharat Mata Ki Jai (Victory to Mother India)
• The Grenadiers – Sarvada Shaktishali !
• Rajputana Rifles – Raja Ram Chandra Ki Jai (Victory to Raja Ram Chandra)
• Rajput Regiment – Bol Bajrang Bali Ki Jai (Victory to Lord Hanuman)
• Dogra Regiment – Jawala Mata Ki Jai (Victory to Goddess Jawala)
• The Garhwal Rifles – Badri Vishal Lal Ki Jai (Victory to the Great Lord Badri Nath)
• Kumaon Regiment – Kalika Mata Ki Jai (Victory to the Great Goddess Kali) Bajrang Bali Ki Jai (Victory to Bajrang Bali) Dada Kishan Ki Jai (Victory to Dada Kishan) Jai Durge Naga
• Assam – Rhino Charge
• Bihar Regiment – Jai Bajrang Bali (Victory to Bajrang Bali) Birsa Munda Ki Jai (Victory to Birsa Munda)
• Jat – Jat Balwan, Jai Bhagwan (The Jat is powerful, Victory to god!)
• Ayo Gorkhali (The Gorkhas are here)

Some of them are really powerful and will make anybody stand and fight for their regiment

If you know any others please log below.

PS: Added later

• Kittur chennamma and other north Karnataka rulers : Parvati Pateyah Har Har Mahadev (Victory to the Supreme God, The Lord of Parvati)
• Moghuls : “Allahu Akbar” “God is great”

Well, what should I say? Farewell function was long and very senti. It looked like whole of @infy had gathered to catch a glimpse of Nandan. I am cursing myself for not carrying a camera on such a big occasion. Here are some pics from my mobile.

Nandan has been with Infy for almost thirty years. It is not easy for Nandan or Infy, not to miss each other. He is a great executor and brand ambassador. I am sure he will do well in his new role as chairman of the new Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). All the very best Nandan. Read the rest of this entry »