My Inspiration(s)..

We all have role models (at least most of us do..), the people who inspire us, the ones we want to follow and the ones we want to be. I'm thinking who inspires me the most and from childhood till now, there have been so many people.. I wouldn't do justice if I just wrote about one person. so am gonna think write about a few people who inspired me from time to time, I'll write about teachers, friends, relatives, actor and so on...

Class 4 - I joined a new school since we moved into a new home, nothing registered well until our exams, Quarterly exams ended, the day we were going to get our papers our principal, Mr. N. Vijayan was addressing all of us during our assembly, he first appreciated the ones who did well, then gave a pep talk for the ones who want to top in their classes and then he came to people like me. The BQ! (Bottom Quartile) lol.. He said the ones who have not passed need not take this as a disaster, remember.. "Failures are the stepping stones to success". I didn't really know that I was going to hear this dialogue twice a year for the next 5-6 years but yes, after 2 years, I'd say this dialogue even before he would. After years, I figured the impact it had created. It made us more optimistic, I don't know about other but it mattered at least to me!! so our first person is Mr. N. Vijayan.

Class 5 (I guess) - Back in the I think it was late 80's or early 90's, I was a very passive student (I mean, I was just the opposite of active). Computers were just getting added into our syllabus when a young guy in his early 20's joined school, computer sir!! The school bought a few computers (IBM) and there was separate room with a thermocol ceiling, A/C and so on.. This computer sir, Anand was calm, composed and tech savvy! I still remember the way he used to handle his computer, learning Keyboard shortcuts started with him and it's still continuing. I admired Anand because computers were so freakin new and he already knew how to use it and also trouble shoot! Awesome!! Deep down, I decided, when I grow up, I want to be like him and guess what Dell happened to me when I grew up and I was exactly what I wanted to be. So Anand was my 2nd inspiration... He's now a big brother to me!

Schooling ended at class 10, I was (hehe I'm still) hopeless when it came to Math, So I decided to do something that had nothing to do with Maths! and Hotel Management was a craze back then.. I went to this college, a guy (Andrew Kurien) pitched for this course and I was in complete awe! I came back with only one feeling "This is it, this is where I want to be" so I joined Hotel Management.

Days passed.. people would ask me, "so you are going to be a cook ah?!?"
I'd say... "It's called a Chef"
Then "Yedho Samaiyal Kaaran dhaaney" (Untimately you're a freaking cook right)
It would leave me fuming.. he he!

Andrew was our Vice Principal, a man of class, a well spoken and one hell of a practical man! He'd teach us everything about service, Food, beverage, Wine! You name it! and he'd have that class.. Something not many of them would notice, I'd see what exactly he does and copy it. He liked me for it. I learnt Event Management from him. He was amazing..

College ended, sat home for a few months, then worked at a few places I don't feel like naming... and then I joined Bay Leaf, the owner Arijith Purkoyostho. He was a leather business man who owned a delivery and take away outlet called "Wish a Dish" now he had just started "Bay Leaf". Arijith was a hardcore business man and a nice boss.. It's from him, I learnt how to oversee operations of an outlet, how to react and how not to.. Sometimes he'd walk in quietly, order his food, eat and leave. Next day, he'd call us for a meeting and tell what he did right and what we didn't do right. Extremely sharp observing skill... that's what I learnt from Ari and Vidhu, his better half.

While I was working at Bay Leaf, my sister introduced me to her friend (yes, yes, her BOY FRIEND! and then husband...) Vimal Kumar. Vimal was a Management Graduate, Smart, Talented, Well Read, Tactical, A Good listener and a amazing human being... For the next 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 years, I didn't need to look outside for an inspiration, I admired him as a Financial Planning Advisor at Aviva where he went to become a Sales Manager in just a year or so... and then at Dell as a Team Manager. His strategies were clear, his team loved him, some worshipped him... I still do. His role as a husband was the most challenging and he did a pretty good job... and his role as a dad, It's from him, I learnt how to nurture a baby, he would take care of Aishu better than my sister.. much much better! He'd cook better than anyone I know.. He was flawless (almost)

God took him away from us last year coz he felt he needed Vimal up there as he was such an amazing person, he left behind a lot of amazing memories and lessons which I will never forget..(My eyes are wet, never knew how much I loved him until he was gone)

A few freinds who have inspired me.. Ben, he's smart, quick, analytical and extremely dedicated to his work.. and now also to Dimple!

Hubs, my favorite seller. Hubert is more like a big brother to me. He's charming, well dressed, and is the best balance of mass and class. (only a few will know what am talkin about).

Dinesh, my favorite cousin. Dinesh is one of the most finest executioners, he is street smart, caring and an awesome friend.

Jagz, Jagdish.. A friend, brother and a book of new ideas.. I love his optimism (something we both have in common.. I guess!)

Everytime I ask Jagz how he is and I know his response,
God's been kind brother and he'd smile.
I'd be like WTF, you have so many problems and how could you say it..
and then he'd say Life would be so boring without problems, so it's nice to face difficulties, they make us better people. (to me it was oh-so-philosophical, but he's right..)

Dayal Chithappa, he is now more a friend than a relative but yet another fine administrator. He always liked to be in control. Very dedicated to what he does.. Movies!!

Shashi, I just realized that I've not written about a single lady, no!! no!! no!! don't call me a MCP yet.. there are so many people and here is one fine boss, Shashi was my boss at Dell, she was more a nightmare back then, she was brilliant, analytical, problem solving, attentive and patient (Most of the time).. I learnt "Effectiveness" from Shashi..

Another person, whose name I don't want to mention but was my biggest strength without whom, I'd not exist today. She was caring, patient, concerned, cute, adorable {no marks for guessing that I was (was??) in love with her.. hehe} and selfless (mostly), I learnt how to support one's family from her! She was marvellous..

My blog mates Divya & Rach, they tempt me to write something most of the time. (Rach made me write this one) they are such wonderful souls! we keep gossiping, sharing ideas, read each other's blogs, find faults (most of the time I'm the fault finder, ya am such a ***** he he)

Rajnikanth - Oh am a huge fan of him, I like his movie plots! After Annamalai, every movie had almost a similar screenplay. He is rich, then he loses everything and then he gets everything back. Sanwich Principle? hehe.. but his songs, dialogues, action blocs are awesome. You could only admire his presence on the silver screen and more importantly his simplicity. I thought it was all a publicity gimmick until I saw his wife recently, she uses an Ambassador (Car) too!

Movies - If I write even a 4 liner about each movie that inspired me, I'd end up writing a book! :)

Dad, I saved the best for last.. Dad worked with the railways for 33 years, got out of service now working with NGOs. He writes ( he's written 7 books) ! He sings (1 music album)! He serves (Tsunami relief, free ambulance service, environmental awareness campaigns, you name it! He Inspires!! Love him and respect all the others I've mentioned above!

Cheers! (I learnt to sign off with cheers from Shashi..)

So that's a long essay! but everyone I've written about deserve more than this... I swear!