"Hey! You look nice. This dress looks good on you...", said my manager's manager. She is a nice lady. Little did she know that I had an accident and I fell off my bike while coming to the party. Yes, I was injured, but that was the least of my concerns. My new jeans had skid marks while my shirt got a few small cuts here and there. Though no one would notice at the first look, but they were not invisible. No matter how good actually the clothes really were, in the whole party, I was trying to hide those cuts in the shirt and marks on my jeans. She was smiling. "She noticed, didn't she?" I thought. I wasn't sure. It was awkward.
That was when I was working in Microsoft, Hyderabad (India). Now I work in Microsoft, Redmond (USA). In addition to developing and learning new technical skills, what I really love about working here is meeting with different kinds of people. People from different countries, different cultures, traditions, ideas. Sometimes you are part of team with people from countries you would never expect. For instance, I share my office room with a Pakistani, (who is a really cool person) and my team members are Chinese and Russian! Looking from a different angle, one can call it a Geo-political nightmare. But, the truth is, we all get along really well, tease, have fun and of course, work together. There are also people from Armenia. If they are to believe, 3 million people live in Armenia while 8 million Armenians live out of the country.
My Armenian friend and I, both are very fond of our countries. We both talk a lot about them and share knowledge about our culture, traditions, festivals, food, politics, sports and what not. There is a lot about India to tell someone. In comparison, this Armenian friend of mine knew almost nothing about India. He doesn't know what is that game we play with a bat and ball where a person throws a ball while others just stand and watch. He had never tasted Indian food before. He thought the language "Indian" must be very difficult because he is not able to figure out where one sentence ends and other starts. Now when I told him that India has 22 languages recognized by the constitution along with 122 major and about 1600 regional languages, he thinks that every Indian has a language of his own!
The three things that he knew about India were -
1. Mahatma Gandhi
2. SRK - Aishwarya Rai - Bollywood songs in general. His father is a big fan of Bollywood songs. In fact "Jimmy Jimmy Jimmy" from Disco Dancer is his father's favorite song!
And
3. The Delhi rape case.
I was shocked and froze when he told me that he knows about Delhi rape case. Since that day, whenever I talk to him about India, some uncanny feeling creeps in. No matter how good the clothes are, in the whole party, I feel like I am trying to hide the cuts in the shirt and marks on my jeans!
The only respite was that he knew what happened next and how it impacted Indians. The protests, the war cry for decisive actions. But I am afraid he doesn't know that very little has changed since then.
But then, there were major developments on other fronts. India flexed its democratic muscles and showed that we are here for good and we mean business. We want things done. Never before the democracy was so vocal anywhere in the world. Once again my Armenian friend was surprised to know how electoral machinery works in India. That there exist a place where people have so much power! India is a living definition and working model of democracy.
I started to believe its time for change of clothes.
Today, March 06, 2015, I woke up with the news of Red Alert in Assam flashing on the live tile of my phone. I browsed more, it bruised more. The video of people smiling, laughing, marching ahead as a victory procession, clicking pics of their trophy. I couldn't help but see the irony that the region and people who have been fighting against AF(SP)A for decades now, did exactly what they have have been fighting against. Enter any premise in order to arrest anyone without warrant who has committed or suspected to have committed an offense. There will be no trial, no prosecution of the arrested. MOB(SP)A.
I see posts from some people hailing the mob for showing how justice is served. The main complain is that our judicial machinery is snail slow. The one who commit crime shamelessly aren't afraid of the law. When Lady Justice is feeling careless, you show her how to hold the balance of Dike. I agree. I think anyone in the area and adjoining few states will now think twice before feeling "invited". The provocative clothes and the increasing digits before PM on clock won't force a crime from the innocents. Congratulations to the mob on that. The mob can overpower law and do what they deem is right. That this is a place where people have so much power!
I again can't help but see the irony here. It is justified to stop being afraid of the law and commit a crime because the criminals have stopped being afraid of law. If the mob can overpower the law, who can protect someone from what the mob deem fit? After all, mob is always right. Good luck with that!
I know I have good clothes and no one would see the cuts in the first look. But they are not invisible. I am afraid I will have so many cuts that I cannot hide. I'll be naked one day.
That was when I was working in Microsoft, Hyderabad (India). Now I work in Microsoft, Redmond (USA). In addition to developing and learning new technical skills, what I really love about working here is meeting with different kinds of people. People from different countries, different cultures, traditions, ideas. Sometimes you are part of team with people from countries you would never expect. For instance, I share my office room with a Pakistani, (who is a really cool person) and my team members are Chinese and Russian! Looking from a different angle, one can call it a Geo-political nightmare. But, the truth is, we all get along really well, tease, have fun and of course, work together. There are also people from Armenia. If they are to believe, 3 million people live in Armenia while 8 million Armenians live out of the country.
My Armenian friend and I, both are very fond of our countries. We both talk a lot about them and share knowledge about our culture, traditions, festivals, food, politics, sports and what not. There is a lot about India to tell someone. In comparison, this Armenian friend of mine knew almost nothing about India. He doesn't know what is that game we play with a bat and ball where a person throws a ball while others just stand and watch. He had never tasted Indian food before. He thought the language "Indian" must be very difficult because he is not able to figure out where one sentence ends and other starts. Now when I told him that India has 22 languages recognized by the constitution along with 122 major and about 1600 regional languages, he thinks that every Indian has a language of his own!
The three things that he knew about India were -
1. Mahatma Gandhi
2. SRK - Aishwarya Rai - Bollywood songs in general. His father is a big fan of Bollywood songs. In fact "Jimmy Jimmy Jimmy" from Disco Dancer is his father's favorite song!
And
3. The Delhi rape case.
I was shocked and froze when he told me that he knows about Delhi rape case. Since that day, whenever I talk to him about India, some uncanny feeling creeps in. No matter how good the clothes are, in the whole party, I feel like I am trying to hide the cuts in the shirt and marks on my jeans!
The only respite was that he knew what happened next and how it impacted Indians. The protests, the war cry for decisive actions. But I am afraid he doesn't know that very little has changed since then.
But then, there were major developments on other fronts. India flexed its democratic muscles and showed that we are here for good and we mean business. We want things done. Never before the democracy was so vocal anywhere in the world. Once again my Armenian friend was surprised to know how electoral machinery works in India. That there exist a place where people have so much power! India is a living definition and working model of democracy.
I started to believe its time for change of clothes.
Today, March 06, 2015, I woke up with the news of Red Alert in Assam flashing on the live tile of my phone. I browsed more, it bruised more. The video of people smiling, laughing, marching ahead as a victory procession, clicking pics of their trophy. I couldn't help but see the irony that the region and people who have been fighting against AF(SP)A for decades now, did exactly what they have have been fighting against. Enter any premise in order to arrest anyone without warrant who has committed or suspected to have committed an offense. There will be no trial, no prosecution of the arrested. MOB(SP)A.
I see posts from some people hailing the mob for showing how justice is served. The main complain is that our judicial machinery is snail slow. The one who commit crime shamelessly aren't afraid of the law. When Lady Justice is feeling careless, you show her how to hold the balance of Dike. I agree. I think anyone in the area and adjoining few states will now think twice before feeling "invited". The provocative clothes and the increasing digits before PM on clock won't force a crime from the innocents. Congratulations to the mob on that. The mob can overpower law and do what they deem is right. That this is a place where people have so much power!
I again can't help but see the irony here. It is justified to stop being afraid of the law and commit a crime because the criminals have stopped being afraid of law. If the mob can overpower the law, who can protect someone from what the mob deem fit? After all, mob is always right. Good luck with that!
I know I have good clothes and no one would see the cuts in the first look. But they are not invisible. I am afraid I will have so many cuts that I cannot hide. I'll be naked one day.
