tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73993579854618570512024-02-18T23:15:51.394-08:00A Clown's WorldAvinash Gopinathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11134862626013806505noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399357985461857051.post-1898679445640966982014-12-30T10:18:00.004-08:002017-08-22T11:21:26.627-07:00My Ice-Breaker Speech at LatentView "Leader's Voice" Programme <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The scene was set in 1988. On August 15th that year, India was celebrating its 41st Independence Day. That afternoon, when the city of Bangalore had finished the jubilation, at 1545hrs, a young mother, in the labour ward of a hospital, gave birth to her first child. A healthy, chubby baby boy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">At 1630hrs, a close relative rushed to the father and said "Gopi, I have the perfect name for your son. To celebrate the day and occasion, you should call him Swathanthr Kumar".</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To this very day, I am thankful that my parents chose not to.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Good evening all, I am Avinash Gopinathan and am here today to share a few memories of my humble, beautiful and adventurous life in timelines that I believe were my milestones.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I was born to middle class parents and have had a happy story growing up. Back then, we lived in a colony of 13 houses where I was the youngest. Pampered with love and care, I learnt some important lessons very early which have influenced my personality in a big way.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Fast forward to the year 2000.</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I was in 8th standard, a juncture where I had to decide what I wanted to be. I had three choices.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1) I just finished four years of learning Carnatic Music and had given my first Thyagaraja Aradhana Concert.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2) I had cleared an entrance test for IITJEE foundation course at Visakhapatnam's best institute.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">3) I was selected for District under 15 Basketball team summer camp,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My father chose IITJEE - Safe and Secure. "Mera Beta Engineer Banega"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Fast forward to the year 2006.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">11th and 12th standard in Andhra Pradesh are a special experience. 7hrs of continuous classes that start at 5:30 am followed by 7hrs of study sessions. Endless tests. Countless problems. My idols at that stage were the HC Vermas, the RS Aggarwals and the Irodoves. My blood pumped physics, my heart beat chemistry and my mind only processed math.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">After 2 years of this relentless ordeal, the results were out.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">IITJEE Rank 20,000+</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">AIEEE Rank 20,000+</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">VIT Rank 20,000+</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My teachers were shocked, my parents were speechless. They couldn't believe it and neither could I.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Then, like a ray of hope BITS-Pilani happened.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I was excited and overjoyed. Surprisingly my relatives very not. They were held back and skeptical about the location of my campus. The location that I now call my second home. The location that would change the rest of my life for the rest. Goa.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Goa.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">5 years of college stories, experiences, highs and lows that I cannot summarise in 6 or 60 or even 600 minutes. Goa has been my biggest pilgrimage yet. It turned my 12th standard idols from HC Verma to Metallica, from RS Aggarwal to George Carlin and from Irodov to Johnny Walker.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It was the best preparation that I could have asked for as it gave and taught me everything and beyond.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Fast forward to the year 2012.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">6 months after I passed out of college, LatentView happened. I would honestly admit that I didn't choose Analytics, Analytics chose me. LatentView in many ways has been my college after college. The learnings are different but the best part is the personality of the people are the same. This part of my journey is open and continuous. I wish to keep building bigger and better stories here.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Looking back on all these years and moments, I am happy at where I am. I made my fair share of mistakes and have cherished my share of victories. I am optimistic about my road ahead.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">From Swathanthr Kumar to Coaching Classes, from Goa Beaches to LatentView Analytics, I wish to continue to add, not moments I breathe but memories that take my breath away. Thank you.</span></div>
Avinash Gopinathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11134862626013806505noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399357985461857051.post-69309422901834907692014-02-17T07:21:00.000-08:002014-02-17T08:10:24.943-08:00A Innocent Smile- Really?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Every since I clicked this picture (months ago), I have not been able to get this kid's smile from my head. I keep going to back to it on my computer and almost instantly, all the thoughts racing in my head come to a halt. I feel my cheek muscles involuntarily smile back at this kid. I wonder will I ever be able to smile like he is?</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicIfLdry63PH2uWFAs3Nkn7psw-hLo1VsC4xGZ8JdXThviDzx5eIs3o8SSrtUidlMysA2aWmXRk-rutmtb7mHwyAEddROH-xVI0khgFGGZ5NJDrJDX5CG3LvIGVf0nuleWI6emrvZUgRhe/s1600/DSC_0829.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicIfLdry63PH2uWFAs3Nkn7psw-hLo1VsC4xGZ8JdXThviDzx5eIs3o8SSrtUidlMysA2aWmXRk-rutmtb7mHwyAEddROH-xVI0khgFGGZ5NJDrJDX5CG3LvIGVf0nuleWI6emrvZUgRhe/s1600/DSC_0829.JPG" height="263" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">You see it all the time, be it from your loved ones or your close friends or your neighbor(whom you hardly talk to or even see) or your colleagues or just some stranger on the street, every day there is at least one if not many smiles that greet you. Most times, it is like a passing cloud, goes by unnoticed . At other times, when you can pause for a second and process that smile- the interpretation could be endless.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The Loved Ones- </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Well, I guess this is the easiest of them lot. You can bet your life that you know exactly what that smile meant. You know it has no hidden agenda, they give it to you because they care and love you. Unless you have been talking out of your line and they smile because they understand. That is a 'hold-on-son' or a 'take-your-time-dear' smile.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The Close Friend- </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This is a slightly more tricky lot but with the best intention for you. Often it is a 'good-going-mate' or a 'happy-for-you' kinda smile. But if you could take that second or two and watch closely, it could also mean 'are-you-sure-about-that-my-friend' or a 'I-know-you-will-comeback-to-me-crying-about-this-choice'. You can be assured though that he/she only means for your good.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The Neighbor-</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ahh! The only neighbor smiles I have got are those that meant 'awake-so-early-are-you' or 'these-crazy-bachelors-and-their-midnight-music' or 'do-they-ever-think-this-is-a-residential-place' or in worst cases 'the-guy-whose-house-smells'.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The Colleague- </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">For obvious reasons, I would not comment on this one on a public forum <wink><wink>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The Stranger- </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Well, now this is a gold mine. The interpretations are limitless. From the lady at the bus-stop with her 'oh-my-god-please-stop-starring' smile, to the random barber's 'do-you-ever-bathe', the auto-driver's 'jackpot-he-is-non-local' smirk, the restaurant waiter's 'this-lousy-tipper-again', the branded clothes shop attendant's 'aapke-pocket-ki-aukaat-mein-nahin-hein', the tailor's 'how-did-you-manage-to-tear-at-this-place', the pizza delivery guy's secret 'lift-nahi-hein-kya<angry smile>' (since, I live on the fourth floor), the second hand fur</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">niture guy's 'haha!-what-a-fool', your friend's 'dude-click-the-pic-man-my-cheeks-are-hurting'smile. The list can go on and on. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Well, the best smile for me, apart from a loved one's smile, is the one that kid in the picture is sporting. An innocent one. He had no agenda folks. He smiled for the sake of smiling. And that is the rarest kind and I was lucky to get that. That is the kind of smile that would be infectious and will not let go of you until you give one back.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The next time you have been lucky enough to get a smile from someone- take a pause, smile back, and think. It can mean so much more.!!</span></div>
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Avinash Gopinathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11134862626013806505noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399357985461857051.post-10710551696347389992014-02-15T23:40:00.000-08:002014-02-15T23:59:55.270-08:00Midnight Verses-Part 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The best words come out at the most unexpected times and here are a few that managed to get jotted down during one of the 'friday night- sessions'.</span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The credits of these words should go to the thoughts that race in the head of two middle working class, male, engineer-turned-consultancy service providing bachelors over a cup of <let's say> coffee.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Disclaimer- When the going gets tough, the tough get lazy and drunk<again, let's say on coffee>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Verse 1:<hindi mein joh baatein hoti hein, dil koh bade pyaar se choothi hein></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Chotti si ummar hein ,</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Dil me joh junnoon hein,</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Ankho ne joh sapne dekein,</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Mann mein kayin nayein ummeedko jagayein.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Ki choole chaand sitaroon ko tum,</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Ki udthe jaoon badhaloon se bhi upar tum,</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Ek pal bhi ab khone ko na raha,</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Har kadham peh aaghe badna hein meri jaan.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Verse 2:- <switching to Angrez></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>I was high and I looked up the sky....</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>You saw me laughing but I wondered why....</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>I cherished every moment, as the times flew by...</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Is this love or hate, I shed a tear and cry...</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Verse 3:- <this was the last one of the night(4am)></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Neither love nor friendship ..nor all the hatred..</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Made you ever doubt that sanctity of the life sacred..</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>You chose to believe in the purity of love..</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>And like everybody else, simply trusted that there was a God above.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">--AKD </span></div>
Avinash Gopinathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11134862626013806505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399357985461857051.post-45423903313556316972012-04-27T03:13:00.004-07:002012-06-10T02:03:43.086-07:00On a crowded bus one day<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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This is about three simple people I met one day on a crowded
bus.</div>
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I take a 30 min bus ride to reach work everyday and most of
the times I manage to get a seat and then I read a novel or am occupied with
‘good morning’ texts which keep me away from everything happening around me
until I have to get off at the bus stop next to my office.</div>
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But today, the bus was unusually crowded. And so no seat, no
novel and no' texting'. My eyes were catching everything in their way and my ears
were absorbing every bit of the honking vehicles, the rickety engine of the
bus, the chitchatting of with passengers, the loud FM Radio of a few of my
fellow passengers (who I think felt that it was there responsibility to be the
'RJ' for the morning crowded bus). </div>
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The loudest of them all was the bus conductor, who kept on
shouting at everyone to make space for others <span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: border-box; background-image: none; background-origin: padding-box; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat repeat; background-size: auto;">getting in</span> .He yelled at the people standing at
the foot board to get into the bus and kept shouting for people to collect their
tickets.</div>
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At first I felt that he was just being mean and irritating,
then as I stood there with my hands holding onto one of the bus poles ,tight
enough to avoid the sudden breaks,( which for sometime I presumed was the
driver having his fun but was so wrong about it) pondering whether the
conductor was just being cautious. He looked like a man in his fifties. Had he
witnessed some tragic accident of someone traveling carelessly on the
footboard? Had this trauma caused him to be protective of all of his
passengers? Here was a person who went the extra step of ensuring that people
in his bus traveled safely and yet everyone around him(including myself) were
displeased at him because he was LOUD??</div>
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The second was a woman. A mother or a nanny or a grandmother
of a girl who was mentally challenged and needed the help from this woman to
carry her to school. The girl was easily twice the size of the mother. She
climbed into the bus carrying her child, her school bag and her lunch box ,all
at once. Some kind person had made way for the child to sit and the mother was
standing there, holding the bag under her arm while trying to hold onto the
railing of the bus and the other arm over her child protecting her from the
sudden brakes in the morning traffic.</div>
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When I looked at her face, her eyes, there was not even the
slightest expression of sadness or regret or anything. She did not complain that life was being
unfair to her. She did not complain why God had targeted only her and her
child. And she lived with her life, carrying her child, giving her the best she
could and more.</div>
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What was the mother doing here? Would we call this a
sacrifice or was she doing her duty?</div>
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It immediately reminded me of my parents.</div>
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The third was again a woman. The first thing that my eyes
noticed was her Smile. She wore her smile on her face throughout the journey. Everyone
around her were cursing at the driver for his driving or the fellow passengers
for leaning too far forward onto themselves in the bus but she simply smiled
away any nudge or push that someone gave her. She seemed to understand that it
was never intentional…</div>
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When I saw her face, it gave a strange feeling. It felt as
though she was able to understand the limitations of traveling on a crowded
bus more that anyone one around her. </div>
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And then at a bus stop a whole lot of people got down. A few
seats were now available, but she didn’t move from where she was standing. Then
a lady called out to her and asked her to come and sit beside her. It was only
then did I realize that she was blind. I literally went blank in my head of second
or two.</div>
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How is it that she saw so much more from the world with her
eyes closed that I did with my eyes open?How did she do that? Did her
disability make her more grateful and understanding about the simple and small
pleasures of life which I many a time choose to ignore? </div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">The entire day that day, I was left with one thought. “Yes,
She was blind. And she smiled </span>….”</div>
</div>Avinash Gopinathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11134862626013806505noreply@blogger.com2