My kind of new year celebration. Anybody wanna join?
Recruitment rates don't seem to be inversely related to GDP. Seems more like a recruiter preference for hill state folks. Would be interesting to also see how many people apply per capita per state - this is data of people accepted.
Burrrrrn
So when South Asian people move to the UK and become British, do they also become responsible for all the stolen stuff that Britain still holds on to. Or all the murder and plunder that they've never apologised for.
When the kids had Kinder Joy after eight years
More Sahayadri goodness
We went splashing in the Sanvordem waterfall today. Much fun, jumping into the cold water, and being chased by fishies trying to get a nibble at us. The trek was quite strenuous and one of our friends got hurt 😐
Speaking of the Mapusa Municipal Market, this gentleman owns a tools stall there. Doesn't have a lot of stock like the big shops, but he had one each of every conceivable tool. A man's man.
Merry Christmas 🎄🎁 🎊
(Pic because y'all Liberals are suckers for mofussil Muslim men getting involved in non Muslim festivals. As if anything in India can move without everybody getting involved 🤷🏽♂️)
(Pic because y'all Liberals are suckers for mofussil Muslim men getting involved in non Muslim festivals. As if anything in India can move without everybody getting involved 🤷🏽♂️)
For those of you in Goa:
We are booking a cruise + swimming in the river + kayaking activity on the 31st. Let me know if any of you would like to join. The yacht has space for 5 more passengers.
"A trip on our Yachts Stoa or Red Mangrove along a Goan river, or the Arabian sea. Kayaking and/or SUP activities on the river (including jungle), or the sea. Welcome drink, snacks, beers (limited) and cold drinks."
We are also booking an outdoor activity with The Local Beat, and a stay at Nature's Nest Nature Resort . Let me know if you'd like to join us.
For the next few days, including today, we are at Silver Sands Shack in Morjim, surfing. Join us if you can. Some days we might also be a Dunes in Mandrem - depending on how the waves are.
Update: Here is what we are doing with the Local Beat on Friday. Join us if you like.
"For Fri 24th of Dec '21. Leave North Goa by 8am. 1.5 hour's drive later, your Local Beat guardians will be waiting on their bike (contact and location pin will be shared post making the payment) and driving another 25 minutes thru forests.
Park and proceed for a 25 minute mild trek to a water spot for a forest swim.
Your Local Beat guardians will serve toca boca (bites and refreshments) en route.
Swim as long as you want and then head back a short distance for a traditional lunch in veg and non veg (country chicken and fish) over feni cocktails at a reserved space at an eatery.
Hop back into your vehicle for the drive back home by around 3.
Wear in swim clothes that lets you slip into the waters. Wear closed/ strapped shoes (no open slippers at any cost). Carry towels, if you must.
We are a mindful-tourism co that works with locals and apart for retaining a service fee, rest of the poixe goes towards fees to locals, food and social impact initiatives that we undertake.
Pl ensure that you are masked."
We are booking a cruise + swimming in the river + kayaking activity on the 31st. Let me know if any of you would like to join. The yacht has space for 5 more passengers.
"A trip on our Yachts Stoa or Red Mangrove along a Goan river, or the Arabian sea. Kayaking and/or SUP activities on the river (including jungle), or the sea. Welcome drink, snacks, beers (limited) and cold drinks."
We are also booking an outdoor activity with The Local Beat, and a stay at Nature's Nest Nature Resort . Let me know if you'd like to join us.
For the next few days, including today, we are at Silver Sands Shack in Morjim, surfing. Join us if you can. Some days we might also be a Dunes in Mandrem - depending on how the waves are.
Update: Here is what we are doing with the Local Beat on Friday. Join us if you like.
"For Fri 24th of Dec '21. Leave North Goa by 8am. 1.5 hour's drive later, your Local Beat guardians will be waiting on their bike (contact and location pin will be shared post making the payment) and driving another 25 minutes thru forests.
Park and proceed for a 25 minute mild trek to a water spot for a forest swim.
Your Local Beat guardians will serve toca boca (bites and refreshments) en route.
Swim as long as you want and then head back a short distance for a traditional lunch in veg and non veg (country chicken and fish) over feni cocktails at a reserved space at an eatery.
Hop back into your vehicle for the drive back home by around 3.
Wear in swim clothes that lets you slip into the waters. Wear closed/ strapped shoes (no open slippers at any cost). Carry towels, if you must.
We are a mindful-tourism co that works with locals and apart for retaining a service fee, rest of the poixe goes towards fees to locals, food and social impact initiatives that we undertake.
Pl ensure that you are masked."
We have a visitor
Right now all of y'all from Delhi NCR and Bangalore are coming down on Dabolim like the Japs came down on Pearly Harbour. Which is great for the Goan economy. It would have been nice if you spread your visits over the year, and stayed longer. But it's been a shit year for tourism, some please come when you can.
There is a lot more to Goa than hanging out at Baga beach, partying into the night at Tito's or Purple Martini, casinos, drinking excessively, and drunk driving rental scooters into canals.
Goa has great natural beauty and a mind boggling syncretic culture. The natural beauty extends well beyond its beaches. I have an evolving document here https://docs.google.com/document/d/1roVO0eY2tDe4hGidgHk4hxe-lfTtVRisSWSTnSzf2dk/ that you can take from and contribute to.
Here is a summary:
- Visit the Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary early in the morning, and take a guided boat tour. It is right next to Panjim, on the Mandovi River. Fantastic for kids, super cheap.
- @[142351203011834:274:Soul.travelling] does fantastic guided tours. Fontainhas, Saligao, Chandor, Divar, Chorao - they cover the entire landscape of Goa's history and culture.
- @[1720133658283410:274:The Local Beat] does these fabulous curated nature trips. If you are a water baby, if you like swimming, jumping, waddling in fresh water bodies, these are the guys.
- @[1670391443204877:274:CyclingZens] rent bicycles and do guided tours of Goa. They are expensive, but so was your flight ticket. Requires some physical endurance.
- @[515695505117306:274:Konkan Explorers] does absolutely thrilling must-have experience that combines sailing, swimming in a fast moving river, and kayaking to an island that disappears with the tide. Do it. You cannot regret doing this. This is peak season, so they'll probably charge you your first born, but still do it.
- Learn to surf. Really. You can do it. Three early mornings and you will be surfing. @[100064040290264:2048:Salty Soul surf shack] is in Mandrem and Swapnil will do a great job irrespective of age, gender and your physical fitness.
- Visit a Manos. Aldona's Tin Manos is super nice. Ask your local cab guy what this means. Just hanging at a manos in the evening, doing nothing at all, will staring into the water, will teach you what susegad really means.
Now, stay options. Finding a good place to stay is hard in peak season. But I was at Arambol yesterday and some shacks have space. If you're adventurous like me, just show up in the morning and walk around, you'll find a place by the afternoon.
Which area to stay in? If you are into EDM and late night partying, stay in Morjim. If you love beautiful natural views, Mandrem is the place. I strongly recommend Junos Waddo. It has great budget options like Ketan's Place and Dunes. If you want to do fun stuff like drum circles, dancing on the beach, TT and chess tournaments, and are into vega food and yoga, then Arambol is the only place to be. I recommend staying at @[1375930536039591:274:Jungle Dance] and renting a scooter, but I don't know if @[1174755906:2048:Lucie] has any space left.
Cabs are very hard to find right now so I recommend renting a car or scooter as soon as you land and holding on to it till you head out of Goa. If you are stuck somewhere, message me and I will send you Keshav's number. He seems capable of conjuring cabs even on Christmas Eve.
Party scene: I only know of places along the Chapora river. @[1142154689146954:274:Thalassa] is nice for intense dancing to Bollywood music. Chapora Main Street has Darling's Bar and Paulo's Bar - good food, good music at both places. Nestled in between is secluded C'est la vie.
There is a lot more to Goa than hanging out at Baga beach, partying into the night at Tito's or Purple Martini, casinos, drinking excessively, and drunk driving rental scooters into canals.
Goa has great natural beauty and a mind boggling syncretic culture. The natural beauty extends well beyond its beaches. I have an evolving document here https://docs.google.com/document/d/1roVO0eY2tDe4hGidgHk4hxe-lfTtVRisSWSTnSzf2dk/ that you can take from and contribute to.
Here is a summary:
- Visit the Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary early in the morning, and take a guided boat tour. It is right next to Panjim, on the Mandovi River. Fantastic for kids, super cheap.
- @[142351203011834:274:Soul.travelling] does fantastic guided tours. Fontainhas, Saligao, Chandor, Divar, Chorao - they cover the entire landscape of Goa's history and culture.
- @[1720133658283410:274:The Local Beat] does these fabulous curated nature trips. If you are a water baby, if you like swimming, jumping, waddling in fresh water bodies, these are the guys.
- @[1670391443204877:274:CyclingZens] rent bicycles and do guided tours of Goa. They are expensive, but so was your flight ticket. Requires some physical endurance.
- @[515695505117306:274:Konkan Explorers] does absolutely thrilling must-have experience that combines sailing, swimming in a fast moving river, and kayaking to an island that disappears with the tide. Do it. You cannot regret doing this. This is peak season, so they'll probably charge you your first born, but still do it.
- Learn to surf. Really. You can do it. Three early mornings and you will be surfing. @[100064040290264:2048:Salty Soul surf shack] is in Mandrem and Swapnil will do a great job irrespective of age, gender and your physical fitness.
- Visit a Manos. Aldona's Tin Manos is super nice. Ask your local cab guy what this means. Just hanging at a manos in the evening, doing nothing at all, will staring into the water, will teach you what susegad really means.
Now, stay options. Finding a good place to stay is hard in peak season. But I was at Arambol yesterday and some shacks have space. If you're adventurous like me, just show up in the morning and walk around, you'll find a place by the afternoon.
Which area to stay in? If you are into EDM and late night partying, stay in Morjim. If you love beautiful natural views, Mandrem is the place. I strongly recommend Junos Waddo. It has great budget options like Ketan's Place and Dunes. If you want to do fun stuff like drum circles, dancing on the beach, TT and chess tournaments, and are into vega food and yoga, then Arambol is the only place to be. I recommend staying at @[1375930536039591:274:Jungle Dance] and renting a scooter, but I don't know if @[1174755906:2048:Lucie] has any space left.
Cabs are very hard to find right now so I recommend renting a car or scooter as soon as you land and holding on to it till you head out of Goa. If you are stuck somewhere, message me and I will send you Keshav's number. He seems capable of conjuring cabs even on Christmas Eve.
Party scene: I only know of places along the Chapora river. @[1142154689146954:274:Thalassa] is nice for intense dancing to Bollywood music. Chapora Main Street has Darling's Bar and Paulo's Bar - good food, good music at both places. Nestled in between is secluded C'est la vie.
Another pic of the #temple eaten up by the #jungle, 'coz y'all apparently like this sort of thing
All over rural Maharashtra, tea is served in these tiny shot glasses. Why?
The jungle reclaims a temple in a relocated village.
And the not-so-rolling rock, has gathered moss and some more
The road less traveled... has grown a mohawk
Our forest guide told us that the forest is walking into what were earlier farms. It is slowly reclaiming land at its edges. The forest department is not planting trees.
Meeting spot
Once manus leave...
#river #water
Jungle
Always a sucker for electrical engineering
#windmill #windmills #sugarcane #maharashtra #sahayadri #caravan
#windmill #windmills #sugarcane #maharashtra #sahayadri #caravan
The caravan is back in action after many months, traversing the Sahayadris
This. Reading Ambedkar and Periyar has ruined me. In a good way.
There is something that I and Aniket can't seem to agree upon.
Conventionally, a large part of the cost of RCC or load bearing wall construction, goes into preparing the foundation. So it would make sense thar anyone preparing a foundation would make full use of it by building two or more floors on top.
Why then do people build just one floor in Goa so frequently? Is it a preference or luxury? Is the cost of foundation much cheaper because of the rocky terrain? Is there something about laterite brick walls that I do not understand?
Perhaps people from Karnataka would know. Very similar terrain in Mangalore etc also.
Conventionally, a large part of the cost of RCC or load bearing wall construction, goes into preparing the foundation. So it would make sense thar anyone preparing a foundation would make full use of it by building two or more floors on top.
Why then do people build just one floor in Goa so frequently? Is it a preference or luxury? Is the cost of foundation much cheaper because of the rocky terrain? Is there something about laterite brick walls that I do not understand?
Perhaps people from Karnataka would know. Very similar terrain in Mangalore etc also.
Has anyone heard from Piyush Bhaiji?
Or, rather, when was the last time you spoke to him.
Is anyone from the Campion School Bhopal batch of 1997 in touch with him? What about the IITM EE batch of 2002.
I've just come to know that he struggled with depression in the last year of college. I'd heard rumours about that in 2003 in Bangalore, but in those days we understood so little about mental health.
If he is OK, that is all I need to know. If he isn't connecting with people, that's just fine.
Or, rather, when was the last time you spoke to him.
Is anyone from the Campion School Bhopal batch of 1997 in touch with him? What about the IITM EE batch of 2002.
I've just come to know that he struggled with depression in the last year of college. I'd heard rumours about that in 2003 in Bangalore, but in those days we understood so little about mental health.
If he is OK, that is all I need to know. If he isn't connecting with people, that's just fine.
I'm going through some emotional turmoil. No idea why I'm sharing it here. Perhaps because it said "What's on your mind, Saurabh?" on the text box.
As a single parent I need to have a lot of time available for my kids. And being available is just that - being available. I don't necessarily need to spend all the available time with them. As they get older they have their own things going on. But they like to come up to me a few times a day and speak and share. And when they are sharing I need to be present - not just physically, but also mentally and emotionally.
I have decent work life balance. Most months I am able to have a lot of time for the kids. And myself, of course. But our work has seasonality. Our government and corporate customers make all their capital goods purchases between Diwali and Holi. Things start getting really busy by December. Thankfully I have very capable team that takes care of most of the madness.
But this month things have really peaked. Apart from the usual busy season, there is the fundraise that I am working on. For bureaucratic reasons, it has dragged on, as we jump through hoops to pick up equity money. I am responsible for setting up operations in Goa, and things are way behind plan. We are hiring. We are launching a consumer product for rural India, and there is a lot of marketing work involved - work that I am not adept with. A whole bunch of people in the Gurgaon office have been sick; they think it is the weather but I know it is the pollution.
And then there are the conversations with investors. It is these conversations that have put me off of a fundraise for 14 years now. A few years after we started up, Sequoia and other such funds would just cold call us. And then when you start talking, they always find a reason to put you down. Right now I have a sheet in front of me with the list of confirmed investors. Those are the shortest conversations I have had. Some of them didn't even talk to me. They were just like, here, take my money.
The longest conversations are with people who don't end up investing. And it is OK for people to ask a lot of questions, and to not want to put money - startup investing is high risk. But there is this tendency among Indians, to insist on elaborating over all the issues they find with your business. Even Indian VCs in the US do that.
People need to stop for a minute and think. This is my work. This is my life. I've put 14 years into it. Do you really think you know better, because you calculated some ratios and they do not meet industry norms. If we've taken 14 sweet years to sort out the business before raising money, would we not have scrutinised every relevant aspect of the business by now?
The whole point of the first few rounds of investing is that you are betting on the passion of the founder(s), and on the potential for those ratios to change dramatically, because the entrepreneur believes in something or understands something that the world at large does not. If every idea and dream was computable at inception then the large corporates would just gobble up every idea, right? Why would you need the upstarts?
But perhaps the turmoil was triggered not by all this, but by the creation and my subsequent addition to a WhatsApp group of my college classmates. I do not last in family or school groups, but this group has intelligent people who might not bring up politics. The subject of reunions is something that Hollywood has discussed ad nauseam. Here in India, we do not think about it it as much.
Reunions are a mental health disaster. They take you back to a time when you had a lot less worries, and a lot more dreams. You are reunited with people, some of whom you had carefully avoided for a long time. Folks who had not been nice to you. Folks that you had been unfair to, because twenty years ago you did not know better. But most of all, it is the whole "grass is greener on the other side" aspect.
I (re)introduced myself in the only way we humans seem to know - by putting my best foot forward. Shared pictures of my kids, talked about my life in Goa, talked about my work. My life is great.
And I created a certain wistfulness.
That was not my intent. These are people who I spent 4-5 years with. I have no intention of making them feel that their life is not as glorious as mine. Because my life isn't great. It is OK. It is not bad. It could be a lot better. If you just look at my health, then yes, I am a lot better now than when I was earlier, but I still need to meet a pulmonologist and an ophthalmologist and an orthopaedic as soon as I can.
And then other people made me wistful. I wish my kids were still cute and small like the other kids. I wish my kids had a pet. And then, the real kicker. I wish I had a corporate job. I remember the time I was at Intel and found it hard to fill the eight working hours in my day. And yet, here I am solving PCB fabrication and metal forming and myriad other problems.
So what is this state called? This dissonance. I am simultaneously delighted that I have real engineering problems to solve, and disheartened that I am not a small cog in a large corporate machine with no real responsibilities. I am happy that I have no assets to maintain other than my startup, and wishful that I had also invested in property and built a nice big apartment somewhere.
Am I Cypher from The Matrix? Should I fall back into the comforting cushion of lies that megacorps lay out for us? Most days, I know the answer. Today is not that day.
As a single parent I need to have a lot of time available for my kids. And being available is just that - being available. I don't necessarily need to spend all the available time with them. As they get older they have their own things going on. But they like to come up to me a few times a day and speak and share. And when they are sharing I need to be present - not just physically, but also mentally and emotionally.
I have decent work life balance. Most months I am able to have a lot of time for the kids. And myself, of course. But our work has seasonality. Our government and corporate customers make all their capital goods purchases between Diwali and Holi. Things start getting really busy by December. Thankfully I have very capable team that takes care of most of the madness.
But this month things have really peaked. Apart from the usual busy season, there is the fundraise that I am working on. For bureaucratic reasons, it has dragged on, as we jump through hoops to pick up equity money. I am responsible for setting up operations in Goa, and things are way behind plan. We are hiring. We are launching a consumer product for rural India, and there is a lot of marketing work involved - work that I am not adept with. A whole bunch of people in the Gurgaon office have been sick; they think it is the weather but I know it is the pollution.
And then there are the conversations with investors. It is these conversations that have put me off of a fundraise for 14 years now. A few years after we started up, Sequoia and other such funds would just cold call us. And then when you start talking, they always find a reason to put you down. Right now I have a sheet in front of me with the list of confirmed investors. Those are the shortest conversations I have had. Some of them didn't even talk to me. They were just like, here, take my money.
The longest conversations are with people who don't end up investing. And it is OK for people to ask a lot of questions, and to not want to put money - startup investing is high risk. But there is this tendency among Indians, to insist on elaborating over all the issues they find with your business. Even Indian VCs in the US do that.
People need to stop for a minute and think. This is my work. This is my life. I've put 14 years into it. Do you really think you know better, because you calculated some ratios and they do not meet industry norms. If we've taken 14 sweet years to sort out the business before raising money, would we not have scrutinised every relevant aspect of the business by now?
The whole point of the first few rounds of investing is that you are betting on the passion of the founder(s), and on the potential for those ratios to change dramatically, because the entrepreneur believes in something or understands something that the world at large does not. If every idea and dream was computable at inception then the large corporates would just gobble up every idea, right? Why would you need the upstarts?
But perhaps the turmoil was triggered not by all this, but by the creation and my subsequent addition to a WhatsApp group of my college classmates. I do not last in family or school groups, but this group has intelligent people who might not bring up politics. The subject of reunions is something that Hollywood has discussed ad nauseam. Here in India, we do not think about it it as much.
Reunions are a mental health disaster. They take you back to a time when you had a lot less worries, and a lot more dreams. You are reunited with people, some of whom you had carefully avoided for a long time. Folks who had not been nice to you. Folks that you had been unfair to, because twenty years ago you did not know better. But most of all, it is the whole "grass is greener on the other side" aspect.
I (re)introduced myself in the only way we humans seem to know - by putting my best foot forward. Shared pictures of my kids, talked about my life in Goa, talked about my work. My life is great.
And I created a certain wistfulness.
That was not my intent. These are people who I spent 4-5 years with. I have no intention of making them feel that their life is not as glorious as mine. Because my life isn't great. It is OK. It is not bad. It could be a lot better. If you just look at my health, then yes, I am a lot better now than when I was earlier, but I still need to meet a pulmonologist and an ophthalmologist and an orthopaedic as soon as I can.
And then other people made me wistful. I wish my kids were still cute and small like the other kids. I wish my kids had a pet. And then, the real kicker. I wish I had a corporate job. I remember the time I was at Intel and found it hard to fill the eight working hours in my day. And yet, here I am solving PCB fabrication and metal forming and myriad other problems.
So what is this state called? This dissonance. I am simultaneously delighted that I have real engineering problems to solve, and disheartened that I am not a small cog in a large corporate machine with no real responsibilities. I am happy that I have no assets to maintain other than my startup, and wishful that I had also invested in property and built a nice big apartment somewhere.
Am I Cypher from The Matrix? Should I fall back into the comforting cushion of lies that megacorps lay out for us? Most days, I know the answer. Today is not that day.
Goa में सारा विकास election के ठीक पहले होगा।
By inconveniencing all commuters right up to the election with diversions, what exactly is the BJP expecting at the voting booths?
By inconveniencing all commuters right up to the election with diversions, what exactly is the BJP expecting at the voting booths?
Utorda Beach has this obstacle course over a natural river. Just, randomly. One of those things I love about Goa.
What is wrong with our plants? We see ants everywhere. Are ants eating our plants?
Someone gave Nilay a bottle of orange liquid made from citrus peels, a couple of months ago. Is that organic pesticide? How do we use it?
In Gurgaon my dad had a bottle of pesticide. The gardener would spray it occasionally. Foul smelling stuff. Do I get some pesticide? Which one? Can I buy organic pesticide from somewhere? Please don't ask me to start eating oranges and making enzyme; I've got my hands full rearing kids.
The plants that are in deep ground are completely unaffected. They are super healthy. Its only plants in pots, and those in shallow mud (two-three inches of soil over concrete) that are suffering. So my cook says it isn't an infection, it's just lack of soil and sunlight.
Rather distraught. Send pesticide. Or send wine.
Someone gave Nilay a bottle of orange liquid made from citrus peels, a couple of months ago. Is that organic pesticide? How do we use it?
In Gurgaon my dad had a bottle of pesticide. The gardener would spray it occasionally. Foul smelling stuff. Do I get some pesticide? Which one? Can I buy organic pesticide from somewhere? Please don't ask me to start eating oranges and making enzyme; I've got my hands full rearing kids.
The plants that are in deep ground are completely unaffected. They are super healthy. Its only plants in pots, and those in shallow mud (two-three inches of soil over concrete) that are suffering. So my cook says it isn't an infection, it's just lack of soil and sunlight.
Rather distraught. Send pesticide. Or send wine.
Looks like we are still decades away from artificial lenses accurately capturing the beauty of the night sea. Another half assed attempt at depicting the moon reflecting off the sea.
The moon and the earth, paint pictures for us
Bleddy loser.
That's the problem with inheritance. Some people are just not cut our to be leaders or politicians.
Samajhne waale samajh gaye hain :-D
That's the problem with inheritance. Some people are just not cut our to be leaders or politicians.
Samajhne waale samajh gaye hain :-D
S discovers pressure washing, and is rather overjoyed.
(I had to eventually request her to give the machine some rest.)
(I had to eventually request her to give the machine some rest.)
People who were appointed through the collegium system of nomination are being asked if the collegium should be replaced with an examination. The response is as expected.
Kavin: Remember in the US we went sliding on hula hoops.
Me: What 😮
Kavin: On inflated donuts. Down icy slopes.
Me: Snow tubing. We went snow tubing.
Hula hoops it seems.
Me: What 😮
Kavin: On inflated donuts. Down icy slopes.
Me: Snow tubing. We went snow tubing.
Hula hoops it seems.
Edible art, that tastes good too.
That's a nice poster
'Morning
Things you meet when out for a walk
May these enlightened words translate into decisive action in the EWS reservation case.
Do not use GoDaddy.
For anything. Ever. Do not.
They are incompetent. And thieves. Migrating away from GoDaddy DNS is a huge pain (which means I've made good money doing it for their victims).
It's a rookie mistake. Billionaires have made it. You should not. Think of them as the AmWay of the internet.
(And oh, did you know that 99% of Americans who become MLM agents lose money. Its a fact. But 100% of GoDaddy subscribers lose peace of mind.)
For anything. Ever. Do not.
They are incompetent. And thieves. Migrating away from GoDaddy DNS is a huge pain (which means I've made good money doing it for their victims).
It's a rookie mistake. Billionaires have made it. You should not. Think of them as the AmWay of the internet.
(And oh, did you know that 99% of Americans who become MLM agents lose money. Its a fact. But 100% of GoDaddy subscribers lose peace of mind.)
Hey folks. Thinvent needs help in hiring. See if you can refer us some motivated candidates.
The plan: After successfully figuring out the B2B space, we are expanding in the D2C space. A majority of the children in Indian schools have never used a computer. They may know how to use the Internet through a smartphone, but they do not know how to create documents and presentations. To address the digital divide, we are launching a ₹10,000 (plus taxes and shipping) desktop computer (PC, monitor, keyboard, mouse and UPS). Later in 2022, we will launch an all-in-one computer which costs ₹10,000 including taxes and shipping.
The need: We need a team of people to communicate the value proposition of this computer to decision makers. We do not believe in endlessly burning money on ads. We have already impacted the lives of hundreds of children in a positive way, and we want folks to capture and narrate these stories in text and video. Then, we want folks who can drive social media conversation on the digital divide.
We are looking for people who can work magic with words and videos. Who can engage people in digital media conversations. Content writers, video makers, social media marketers, technical writers, inbound chat and call reps, e-commerce marketers, technical tele-support technicians, and salespersons.
We are also hiring embedded engineers, Python-Flask programmers and devops engineers.
Location: Either Gurgaon or Goa (Remote work available for some roles)
Please message me if you know the right people, or email me on saurabh@thinvent.in.
[ 1. Our customer base lives in villages or small cities. It is not affluent. It largely does not speak English. Naturally, our employees are also more successful with customers when they themselves are from similar backgrounds, and are fluent in a couple of Indian languages other than English. 2. We do not consider educational qualifications, and definitely do not consider marks, when hiring. ]
The plan: After successfully figuring out the B2B space, we are expanding in the D2C space. A majority of the children in Indian schools have never used a computer. They may know how to use the Internet through a smartphone, but they do not know how to create documents and presentations. To address the digital divide, we are launching a ₹10,000 (plus taxes and shipping) desktop computer (PC, monitor, keyboard, mouse and UPS). Later in 2022, we will launch an all-in-one computer which costs ₹10,000 including taxes and shipping.
The need: We need a team of people to communicate the value proposition of this computer to decision makers. We do not believe in endlessly burning money on ads. We have already impacted the lives of hundreds of children in a positive way, and we want folks to capture and narrate these stories in text and video. Then, we want folks who can drive social media conversation on the digital divide.
We are looking for people who can work magic with words and videos. Who can engage people in digital media conversations. Content writers, video makers, social media marketers, technical writers, inbound chat and call reps, e-commerce marketers, technical tele-support technicians, and salespersons.
We are also hiring embedded engineers, Python-Flask programmers and devops engineers.
Location: Either Gurgaon or Goa (Remote work available for some roles)
Please message me if you know the right people, or email me on saurabh@thinvent.in.
[ 1. Our customer base lives in villages or small cities. It is not affluent. It largely does not speak English. Naturally, our employees are also more successful with customers when they themselves are from similar backgrounds, and are fluent in a couple of Indian languages other than English. 2. We do not consider educational qualifications, and definitely do not consider marks, when hiring. ]
Hello wellwishers. An updated on our (first ever) investment round.
We spent the last three months getting our balance sheet for 2020-21 audited, getting an approved valuer to value the company, and get some paperwork in order. (We were initially told this will all take a month). We learn a lot in this process, and also had some very enlightening conversations (some of you had asked pointless questions and gave bad advice, but I'll let that slide 😅). We are now even more bullish about our business than we were in August. We also had a bank come and give us a loan on very good terms, because of which we have halved the amount of money we are raising through equity.
We are now at the stage where we are taking formal confirmations from our investors and then sending over some paperwork. One investor has had to back out due to a potential conflict of interest. Therefore space has opened up for more investors. If you or your friends would like to participate, please connect with me over phone or email. DM me if you don't have my contact details.
We spent the last three months getting our balance sheet for 2020-21 audited, getting an approved valuer to value the company, and get some paperwork in order. (We were initially told this will all take a month). We learn a lot in this process, and also had some very enlightening conversations (some of you had asked pointless questions and gave bad advice, but I'll let that slide 😅). We are now even more bullish about our business than we were in August. We also had a bank come and give us a loan on very good terms, because of which we have halved the amount of money we are raising through equity.
We are now at the stage where we are taking formal confirmations from our investors and then sending over some paperwork. One investor has had to back out due to a potential conflict of interest. Therefore space has opened up for more investors. If you or your friends would like to participate, please connect with me over phone or email. DM me if you don't have my contact details.
It's a good day to be out at the beach. There's a cool breeze blowing, and the sun is behind the clouds. We are surfing at S2 in Morjim, in case you're in Goa and would like to join us at the beach.
I was hearing Sumeet Samos on a podcast the other day. And he had some very eye-opening observations to make about savarna kids.
"Savarna kids don't know what they want to do in life. But they are doing everything. They want to do everything."
What he probably didn't realise is that his observation is more about savarna parenting. And we have learnt it from (rich/successful) white people. We are always trying to give our children "exposure", so they can "find their passion". Horse riding, piano, badminton, watercolours - anything and everything. And when they are older we are sending them for internships, so they are exposed to everything from activism to marketing.
Sumeet's statement was both a relief and a revelation for me. I am forever feeling guilty that my children aren't doing enough co-curricular classes. That they aren't honing their talents. The truth is that we are living in the future. In the future the child will need a varied resume for college admissions. So today we must not let the child be a child. Instead we cram their day so they can cram their resumes.
[ We need to get our kids off their devices, of course. We can't let them be addicted to screens, just like they can't be addicted to smoking or drugs. But cramming their day with classes isn't the only way to keep them engaged. Now, at least with Nilay, he just goes on his cycle to some friend's place. Most of the time he and his friends are also just sitting together on their respective devices, I am sure. But when even we as adults have forgotten how to just be at leisure without a device in our noses, how do we expect much more from our children? So yeah, I don't know. I don't know how to help my children just be children, doing children things for a few hours a day, without studies, classes or devices. ]
"Savarna kids don't know what they want to do in life. But they are doing everything. They want to do everything."
What he probably didn't realise is that his observation is more about savarna parenting. And we have learnt it from (rich/successful) white people. We are always trying to give our children "exposure", so they can "find their passion". Horse riding, piano, badminton, watercolours - anything and everything. And when they are older we are sending them for internships, so they are exposed to everything from activism to marketing.
Sumeet's statement was both a relief and a revelation for me. I am forever feeling guilty that my children aren't doing enough co-curricular classes. That they aren't honing their talents. The truth is that we are living in the future. In the future the child will need a varied resume for college admissions. So today we must not let the child be a child. Instead we cram their day so they can cram their resumes.
[ We need to get our kids off their devices, of course. We can't let them be addicted to screens, just like they can't be addicted to smoking or drugs. But cramming their day with classes isn't the only way to keep them engaged. Now, at least with Nilay, he just goes on his cycle to some friend's place. Most of the time he and his friends are also just sitting together on their respective devices, I am sure. But when even we as adults have forgotten how to just be at leisure without a device in our noses, how do we expect much more from our children? So yeah, I don't know. I don't know how to help my children just be children, doing children things for a few hours a day, without studies, classes or devices. ]
Nilay has a Russian friend from school. Russian+Kazakh. K and his younger brother L stayed over last night.
My kids can do things around the house. They can cook, change a tyre, fix a bunch of different things. But these boys are a class apart.
We planted grass yesterday, and although we'd dug up and fixed the level for drainage, it wasn't perfect. So I told Kavin to add more soil under some patches. He was just standing there, wondering how to do the task without getting his hands soiled (it had rained overnight and everything was a mush). Along comes little L and digs right in, his hands all chocolatey with mud. He knew exactly what to do.
There is this thing about boys/men who know how to work with their hands. For instance, they know what stance to take when lifting a heavy slab - they neither injure themselves nor drop the slab. And the only thing that can give you this confidence and this body language when doing handiwork, is to have regularly done it before.
(It is a pity that a majority of the people I've known in my life - people working desk jobs in offices or going to university - wouldn't even know how to fix a lightbulb.)
K cycles all over Goa on his non-electric cycle, up and down slopes all day. He is sometimes out cycling well into the night. Nilay was cycling late last night and I was trailing him in a car. I suppose I have to learn to let go... just like Russian parents.
My kids can do things around the house. They can cook, change a tyre, fix a bunch of different things. But these boys are a class apart.
We planted grass yesterday, and although we'd dug up and fixed the level for drainage, it wasn't perfect. So I told Kavin to add more soil under some patches. He was just standing there, wondering how to do the task without getting his hands soiled (it had rained overnight and everything was a mush). Along comes little L and digs right in, his hands all chocolatey with mud. He knew exactly what to do.
There is this thing about boys/men who know how to work with their hands. For instance, they know what stance to take when lifting a heavy slab - they neither injure themselves nor drop the slab. And the only thing that can give you this confidence and this body language when doing handiwork, is to have regularly done it before.
(It is a pity that a majority of the people I've known in my life - people working desk jobs in offices or going to university - wouldn't even know how to fix a lightbulb.)
K cycles all over Goa on his non-electric cycle, up and down slopes all day. He is sometimes out cycling well into the night. Nilay was cycling late last night and I was trailing him in a car. I suppose I have to learn to let go... just like Russian parents.
Men wanna watch... other men do work.
Obligatory Seinfeld https://youtu.be/cbPqWI90maA
Obligatory Seinfeld https://youtu.be/cbPqWI90maA
I wish to know, just for my general knowledge, what really constitutes blasphemy. I'm one of those always-shooting-my-mouth atheist types, and I don't wanna end up on the wrong side of a marauding South Asian mob.
Not that I'm going out of my way to enter a religious place or touch a religious book. But sometimes I have to show guests around churches and cemeteries, for example. What if touching isn't required and religious nutters are triggered just by words. What words must one not say in order to stay safe from blasphemy charges?
Not that I'm going out of my way to enter a religious place or touch a religious book. But sometimes I have to show guests around churches and cemeteries, for example. What if touching isn't required and religious nutters are triggered just by words. What words must one not say in order to stay safe from blasphemy charges?
Vikaaaaaas
घनघोर विकास भाइयों और बहनों। भयंकर विकास।
घनघोर विकास भाइयों और बहनों। भयंकर विकास।
बड़ा होकर मैं भी ऐसी तस्वीरें खेंचूँगा
I just realised that I have friends called Gauri, Gouri and Gowri. यह लोग तो Agarwal से भी आगे हैं.
For dessert, Kavin has whipped up custard with cubes of jelly. A combination of his two favourite dishes.
Two girls came by last evening to give this to us. Teenagers, perhaps still in school, walking about in the dark during a power cut.
I told them to go tell the idiot to not do this idiocy in Goa. They laughed merrily. We all agreed that there is much more to do in Goa than send people on pilgrimages.
Kavin promptly used Google Maps to figure out what tourist attractions there might be around Velankanni or Shirdi. Free tickets, why not.
I told them to go tell the idiot to not do this idiocy in Goa. They laughed merrily. We all agreed that there is much more to do in Goa than send people on pilgrimages.
Kavin promptly used Google Maps to figure out what tourist attractions there might be around Velankanni or Shirdi. Free tickets, why not.
My dream house. I pass by it often on my morning walks. या यूँ कहिये कि I route my morning walks in a way that I pass by it frequently. Notice the tiny flamingoes in the lawn.
😭
https://www.google.com/amp/s/indianexpress.com/article/india/madhya-pradesh-minister-statement-upper-caste-women-cm-warning-7646226/lite/
Is this man being penalised for calling out patriarchy among the savarnas? For a change someone in BJP was speaking the truth...
Is this man being penalised for calling out patriarchy among the savarnas? For a change someone in BJP was speaking the truth...
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CWvccd0Lwhv/
First of all, how this boy so happy. I need that kind of happiness and joy in my life.
First of all, how this boy so happy. I need that kind of happiness and joy in my life.
मैं तो जा नहीं पाउंगा, आप ही चले जाइए