Days @ ISB

Driving on Indian streets must be tougher than winning the Tour De France. First of all, every single vehicle on the city roads use high beam. I don’t quite understand the need to do that, as the streets are quite well lit. It makes life extremely difficult with oncoming traffic blinding you and the rear view mirror doing its own bit by reflecting the lights of the car behind you. And there isn’t enough margin for error, as you are inches away from the other vehicles sharing the road. One wrong move and you can be in lot of trouble. Then suddenly some vehicle would be coming right at you using the wrong side of the road. A cyclist would turn towards your car unannounced at the last minute, and a motorcyclist would be almost a centimeter away from your car’s other side, preventing you from making any sudden movements. Then there would be a big pothole right in front that you would be at pains to avoid. The car behind and beside you would be constantly honking for apparently no reason. An unattended child would be playing around on the street. Twenty pedestrians would have abandoned the sidewalks and would be walking almost in the middle of the street, as if the streets are meant for them and the sidewalks for cars. Cars that have to turn from the left-most lane would be on the right-most lane, making their way to the left only after they have reached the lights. If the road is wide enough to have two lanes, which is a rarity, most cars would be traveling right in the middle of the road, occupying both lanes. If you hear a siren and make way for the vehicle to pass thinking it is an ambulance or the cops, you’ll find that it is actually some politician who thinks his time is more important than everyone else’s. Anyway, you can only go as fast as the cycle rickshaw in front of you blocking the way. And all the utility work like cutting roadside bushes or picking up garbage would be done only at peak office time so that everyone realizes their importance. The whole traffic situation would make any driver go nuts. I feel like I should get a medal, but then so should everyone else maneuvering these roads!

Was watching a program on TV about moon landing. I was almost convinced into believing that man never landed on the moon. But just speculating will not prove it beyond doubt. Clarifications from NASA would really help.

Starbucks is looking at entering India. Looking at the long lines outside a newly opened KFC in Calcutta, I can imagine how highly successful Starbucks would be.

I have been involved in recruiting MBAs. While talking to them I get reminded of my time in b-school. It seems like many years ago that I was in ISB. Things do move fast after graduation.