Sunday, March 15, 2009
Dear Mr. Chetan Bhagat
Uoloaded 6th Oct @ Campusjunkie
Yes, you did it again. And Oh No, I did it again too! I will tell you what my mistake was. Your “3 mistakes of my life”
Let’s start from the starting. I have read all your books, like many of us have. Not because you are a phenomenal writer or anything, but because your books don’t leave me with any after-effects. I don’t have to bother my brain cells at all, because there is nothing to think about. Precisely, the reason why your books are popular is “the universal phenomenon of limited usage of the head.”
But no, then I realize that you are so smart that all I can do is sit back and appreciate. You sell big-time! But not because your “writing skills” are polished, because they clearly are not. This is because your “marketing skills” are refined.
They say you are “different”; now that is an absolutely unheard line. Ha ha! I want to ask what is different about you.
- The campus feel? We have been reading Nancy Drew since we were kids. And Judy blume is so much better a read.
- The ‘only’ Indian writer to have sold abroad? Kavya Vishwanathan, Arundhati Roy, Vikram Seth are American.
- You have done a brave attempt of covering riots? The read through those pages left me angry (on you) and later on realization, I had tears in my eyes, of laughing.
- Your books are cheap? Oh that they are, both monetarily and creatively. But still, I would prefer to hover on blogger-world and read the absolutely brilliant attempts to story-writing. And these folks could do with a little bit of encouragement. And that is not even for 95 bucks, it is for free.
- People “relate” to your books? Obviously, you write in the language we speak. But where is the depth sir?
- The characters are “realistic”? err...
- You are a best-seller? So I should read you?
What I fail to understand is, as a writer, how can you write the same thing over and over again? How can Rupa & co, as a publishing house, publish it in 3 different colored covers? How can you awaken before the release of your books and perform a publicity stunt by going to various colleges around the country and arrange ‘book signing sessions’? For you women are just “cute, pretty, well-dressed, long-nailed, chatter-boxes with white skinny hands for your heroes to grab”? You are an IIT/IIM-A graduate, very good sir, very pleased to meet you. Every-one wants to be you. But then why are you wasting your popularity and talents that could be used in the formulating methods of distance learning for Indian youth by over-rating an already over-hyped concept of sex? What a brilliant example to set……
But then I forget that you are here for the business. Thus, Hearty congratulations, your business has bloomed. Your haphazard hard-work has finally bore fruits Yes, India is shining and you are the rising star.
And yes, some suggestions that you always keep asking us “youth” for. Why don’t you share your skills by becoming a visiting faculty of any business school? If that is too difficult to manage, become a script writer for our fultu-filmy Bollywood, atleast you will do good justice to your work.
Never-the-less, Hail the drama king. *bows*
Signing off,
Shatabdi
Deep Insight
Some recent events unfolded in the past week that have made me see through and appreciate life for the way it is.
Meanwhile,
Our life is not just ours, our world is inter-laced with so many others that even if one thread breaks, the entire network crumbles like a castle of cards. We always imagine certain people to be instrumental in making us the way we are. Even if they are not physically present at all times, they affect us deeply.


You are always going to be loved Buru didi. My relationship with you will never change.
I have made grave mistakes in the past. Now it is time to correct them, because it is never too late to start. My blog shall not die a slow death. I shall not let that happen.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Break :-P
I have been everywhere but on blogger. Now writing much, not commenting much, just reading a little.
I have done two guest post recently and both for absolutely brilliant blogs and both, stories.
Here they are,
The Journey of a woman for Ki's blog
and
Toothy Tales for Shrutilaya's.
And because I have quit campusjunkie and my Disoriented Neurons has been sadly dead, I shall upload my old articles on weekends.
Here's wishing love and luck to all students appearing for exams :-)
and thanking any-one else who bothers to read.
Signing off,
Shatabdi aka express.
Friday, February 20, 2009
The urgent call for MOTIVATION
So I’ve always been a smart-ass; or at-least I’ve always been told that I was one. The problem was reciprocating that “smartness” in mark sheets. And I now know what the actual issue with me is.
I am too lazy to write the answers down in the answer book!
We have a lot of 4-6 mark questions and which ever I choose to attempt, I start well into that [1-1 n ½ page essay type] and then get bored halfway. I am all in the mode, I can go with the flow, but no; I want to write my favorite answers first, Even if they belong to different sections!
So I leave that page, promise myself that “this shall be taken care of in the half hour” and move onto the next answer and do the same thing to that! Finally I am left with too many half answers [almost half the paper] for the bloody last half hour, getting into the frame of mind for the new question takes time, hello; AND I am already too bored to write! So what? Scribble some points and leave it that way, draw some rough diagrams, at-least I will get 2 on 4 attitude sets in and soooo many 2s on 4s n 6s leaves me with actually not too many marks…
I presume too many things;
*~*The teacher knows that I know.
*~*The diagram carries max weight-age. So draw color-full diagrams taking whole 10 minutes allotted for that question.
*~*4 points will get me 2 marks.
*~*Difference between, examples not necessary,
*~*Who ‘reads’ our answers?
*~*Why sit for the whole THREE hours?
*~*No-one must’ve studied enough.
*~*Whole knowledge is important, marks are just some numbers.
*~*Attempted 70 on 100 is okayish
Arrgghhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!
After 3 years of slogging and punching myself after each exams, I have come to one consensus.
Graduation study is not about the knowledge. It is about remembering the mountainous portion, studying it and writing the whole shit down in that much time!
I don’t mess up the exams involving objective questions! My gut feel helps me there because *one of the given answers is the RIGHT answer*.
Subjective ones Kill me.
I don’t do enough justification to myself.
And the most important subjective sets of exams for the entire career in science are in 1 month’s time, April 2nd week.
Dates got out a few days ago and they’ve hit me hard because I am done studying like the 15% of the portion, mark you, only my favorite chapters!
All these years it was okay. Doing 3 chapters among 10 was fine. But in the university level they set kinda tough question papers; so we need to be through with at-least the portion and out of portion questions can be left in option. But with me the case is poles apart. I read books and don’t pay attention to teacher’s notes, complete knowledge is important you see; so I usually have a rough idea about the out of portion stuff and go to write that and by which usually mess up major.
I know that I should study, but I some-how don’t.
When there are so many better things to do, who will? Amazing friends on the phone; gmail chat, iPod, camera, paints, cell phone games, facebook applications and the likes; Plus, I am bored, tired, bored, hungry, bored, sleepy; most of the day!
BUT
THIS IS NO EXCUSE.
Only I can save/prove myself.
So people, pump in the impetus, get me going towards the final exams. Study tips, wishes, black-mailing [even abusing], tried and tested formulae; Come up with anything that can help me in the long run. Make me realize of my wrong-doings now than sympathizing with my grief later.
P.S. Engineers! And as I see too many of them on my blog-roll; last minute study tips please; 4 weeks 42 chapters; not humanly impossible I know, but I should keep sitting on that study table of mine. Needless-to-say, I should get back right now!
Saturday, February 14, 2009
The Most important People in My life.
I am here for another dedication post! This time on valentine’s day :-)
What I used to think of love last year is here. [which was also my claim to fame on blogger-world :-D]. But well, I’ve come a long way.
Dedicated to the 55 most important and influencing people in 19 years of my life
Important because they supported me when I could see no friendly face around;
Important because I can’t imagine my life without them
Important because I care about them, in the same way that they care about me.
Important because I love them and I know I don’t say it enough.
So here they are; the most influential and imperative set of people to me.
Aditi Gupta: The intersection of the web and real worlds for me. Ruia college would be different if you were not around. Keep in touch.
Aishwarya Shevade: One of my pune PG room-mates and one friend I wanna treasure for life. You made the schedule in Pune easy, Thank-you.
Akshay Pai: One of the sweetest guys I know. You are a gr8 friend, please stay the same way.
Alisha Iyer: :-) I don’t have enough words, but yea, you do come in this list :-) Thanks for being there when I needed you.
Alok Meshram: One of my very good friends and definitely one person I am proud of. I am sorry if I have ever hurt you. You mean a lot to me, always remember that.
Alpana Mallick: I miss you when I see pairs of girls on the roads of sec-17. You will always remain my favorite company for mini-sea-shore. Always.
Amruta Bhate: The beginning of our friendship was an edventure by itself and well, it has been an absolute delight knowing you :-). [Yea, you are not the only one who can lie well :-P]
Anindita Debnath: You are the best, you know that. I just regret one thing; not hugging you when we met.
Annsu Joseph: Please forgive me for not keeping in touch. Losing a friend like you would break my heart. Thinking of you will always bring a smile to my face.
Anurag Chatterjee: Yea, you. Take good care and the next time you annoy me, I ll take your case, again :-P
Apurva Shinde: JC would have been hell without people like you around. Be a good doc man and yea, don’t let Priyanka take the same specialization as you; we need variety in the family :-P
Ashish Mehta: You rock! And we as a pair rock! We killed in antakshari finally! Thanks gal, for giving me that joy and a wonderful final year college festival.
Bhagyashree Kaduskar: Thanks to you I had a great time in Pakhnikar’s. You stuck to me as your bench partner despite my weirdness and I value that.
Bhai with Chai: I remember how our posts used to collide and how we used to be the first people to comment. Kyu gayab ho jati ho? Kyu? :-(
Bhaiya: :-) I hated you, loved you, missed you, idolized you, learnt so much from you. The blood bond did work for us, no? I am glad that I am a sister of a guy like you.
Buru Didi: Oh, you got married :-( But still you are my elder sister whom I look up to :-) Your Mumbai trip was such an amazing experience that I want you to come back with Jiju, again :-)
Dhvani Desai: Ma’am, I miss you. You are so far away but the amino acids always remind us of you. We always talk of you and how FY was so much fun with you. Please take care ma’am.
Divya Rao: Diu: I think of you and my heart sinks. Diu, baby, you are so sweet that I couldn’t help but learn so many things from you. You are the only person whom I said the love words in the first meet and well, I still mean it.
Ishaan Kumar: My guide through metal music and someone who continues to remind me that I have a long way to go in your kinda music :-P Me still the female version? Eh?
Jay Unni: You are mentally retarded. But you give good advice at midnight.
Jyotsna Nambiar: Joey: You are a gr8 friend gal. I fondly remember all the fun times I had with you. I hope you feel the same way about me, tc!
Ketki Deshpande: Yea, Happy Valentine’s Day sweetheart! If not in school, after school you are one of the people I fondly remember of childhood days.
Kirti Aparajita Kumar: I ve prolly not said too many time, but yes, you matter to me. We have not spent ages together, thanks to the final year, but I value our friendship.
Komal Pawar: I hope you read this and thus I hope you know that I consider you as a friend that I value. May you reach all heights and may our friendship blossom.
Krutika Phalnikar: Kuku: You are one of the friendliest people I have come across till date. I love your spirit gal. Plus you taught me so much about animals and birds that I can’t stop myself from trying to recognize them and check it on the net next :-P
Ma: I am the worst daughter there is. But I am proud of the way you are. I love you ma, Happy Valentine’s Day.
Madhura Rane: All the advices and all the chatting; I miss you as one of the first friends I made in Ruia. You are cute, and I like you just the way you are. No matter what, stay the same.
Maity Kaku: The person who makes me realize that we are sent to the world to appreciate others, not hurt. Your survival instinct makes me fight back, always.
Manik: The cutest cranky kid ever. I am glad we made friends and you messages and missed calls mean so much to me, that words don’t do enough justice to describe the bond we share. Don’t be surprised if I cry on the farewell [with you].
Manjari Madanan: :-) We meet at the most unexpected places and ‘that’ is the special bond. Manj, you are a true rockstar. I have learnt so much from you that the testimonial I wrote is just not enough.
Mansi Gandhi: You are one person I wanna hold onto all my life for pep-talks. You always manage to show me sense in a directionless path and that makes you special. I have never felt of you as a senior, will never.
Munu: Rohini Chatterjee: My kid sis! My baby sista! I love you soo much! Don’t follow my footsteps, carve your own path and then, I shall be proud of you :-)
Navjyot Bandiwadekar: Navvy: You matter, you know. One of the people who chooses to be with me when others are invisible. You comfort me, reassure me that this is no end and my dear, if what I call, ‘a true friend’.
Papa: You are my favorite person in the world; nuff said. I love you!
Pooja Gudibanda: Our friendship has last so long that I have now begun to feel its magnificence. 14 years? Eh? Thanks for being around gal, your friendship has been a sheer delight!
Poorva Chavan: My golu polu baby! My partner in all the ups and downs in tunga! Without you, ‘that disastrous internship’ would have cost me with my life. You made it fun for me!
Prerna Chawla: The first friend I made in college and definitely the person who continues to understand me the best. You know what I want, you know what I should want :-P The chairperson of My advisory board. A friend I have for life.
Priya Titus: Talking to you calms me down. I love you because you are proud of the way you are. A gem of a friend, definitely!
Raghunath Prabhu: The only guy whom I felt like making my brother in the very first meet and well, that tastings meet is one of my fondest memories in Chembur. Keep in touch man and yea, you know the job setting :-D
Richa Palekar: You comment, I like it; just coz I know that you genuinely care. I hope it remains the same way, always :-)
Ridhiman Banerjee: Is my list of top 50 important people complete without you? I don’t think so.
Rucha Kamath: You are the coolest senior I know. I am glad you were mine! :-D
Sachi Mahajan: Okay, barring the last 1 month, shes always been around in the brightest and the darkest days. And which younger sister is never mad at her elder? Yes, that’s our bond. If you din already know, I love you like I would love my sister. Koi shak?
Sanyal Jethu: His words penetrate me like arrows, his encouragement actually makes me feel as if I can fly. He has been a constant source of motivation since god knows how many years and I value that.
Savita Pakhnikar: Influencial? Ofcourse. My course instructor and philosopher n guide. I take this opportunity 2 thank you ma’am, for constantly pumping in the required energy in all of us.
Sayali Churi: My best friend. As confused and directionless as me. But prolly the most lively and cute person on the face of the earth.
Shabarni Gupta: My identical in all respects twin.
Shubho dada: My favorite cousin brother, always. Support system and is like the magnetic pointer. I somehow know that I am gonna end up like him :-P
Sneha G: I know we don’t talk much now a days, but there was a phase when I used to wait all day to talk to you in the afternoon. I don’t know how much it made a difference to you, but on me, it had a very different kind of impact. You are a special friend sneha, yes, my rock guru :-P
Sneha Sansare: You made pune tolerable. Thanks for all the laughter and kidding.
Surabhi Rao: Now, You are one of the first people to know if I am upto anything. Don’t you think that means something? :-P Whatever anyone might say, I can trust you with my life. Period.
Surekha Rao: I have never looked at you as my friend’s sister. You have been a friend, cute and smart little friend dear. Hope it stays that way. :-)
Tejas Mukadam: Don’t be surprised if I ask you for advice even after I pass out :-P and yea, for record, you are gonna pay for the bike ride and ice-cream when I decide to suicide. I think of you and I am reminded of Mahabaleshwar. Thanks for the best vacation of my life man.
Trinaa: All the other kidding is fine, but I am glad that we are such special kind of friends. Superpoke mein kuch bacha hai toh who bhi kar de :-P
Vishal Ramrakhyani: I remember how you used to meet me everytime you dropped by Ruia. I am proud by the decisions you took in your life and really hope that it works for you :-)
I can never include every-one who matters, but then these are the ones who are like life-support systems to me.
Happy Valentine's Day everyone.