Bloggers blocked - a temporory solution

Hi ! If you are accessing the internet using one of the Indian ISPs, the chances are that you cannot see this and any other blog on the blogger.com

It seems that a selective ban on some blogs has enveloped the entire domain as the story here explains.

Till then you can use www.pkblogs.com to access any of the blogs (you will need to remember the name of the blog for that however).

For example to access this blog
1. just type in the browers addres field www.pkblogs.com/cool-discussions
{{I know it is foolish to publish a URL on a site which will need the same URL to acess but........ uhem ...... May be you are not in India and may be you will pass on the url to someone who wants to access it in India)}}
2. You can also subscribe to this blog by entering your email address in the box on the right column under the head subscribe t
3. You can also use www.bloglines.com to subscribe to any blog and keep track of new posts on the blog. If you find emails to your inbox intrusive this could be the solution.
4. As for my blog - you can also access its replica at wordpress the url is http://aks1208.wordpress.com/

One hopes that this horrible ban is removed soon enough - as of now it seems to be an error.

Happy Freedom of Expression to all fellow humans.

Bollywood in B-Schools

Bollywood has been an attraction to the young budding business managers at India's best B-Schools for years now. One fondly remembers a couple of special shows of Govinda flicks that the entire institute was treated to, as a part of fresher welcome ritual at the IIM Lucknow. The singing and dancing with Govinda in the Balcony of theatres was immensely charged and hugely funny.

However, oflate even the professor's at the IIMs seem to get inspirations from the movies. Prof. Prashant Salwan of IIM-Indore is writing a case study on krissh which he intends use in teaching International business and Marketing. Earlier the Amir Khan hit and oscar nominee from India Lagaan was used by Prof. Patnayak at IIM Indore as a case study.

While prof. patnayak used the content of the movie as a case to demonstrate leadership and team skills, Prof. Salwan seems to be more interested in the professional-commercials aspects of movies production, marketing and profitability.

Three things come to mind
1. The idea of using bollywood movies as case studies itself is a great marketing idea. Immediately media attention is available to such an unlikely marriage as entertainment and B-Schools. IIM-Indore has used the idea to get prominent and visible coverage in the media. This is positively a great brnading exercise for a budding IIM in its journey to become a matured and well entranched name in the minds of the target market.

2. I am not sure, but may be this idea could also find another utility - to get the B-School students interested in the class room discussions again. Increasingly I get a feeling talking to students on cmpus that they felt detached with the classrooms. Whats better then an idea that without doubt will appeal to students across the board.

3. Last these are sure signs of the Bollywood organising, operating and succeeding with a mindset of a professional industry. Beware Hollywood - here's your biggest challenge shaping itself up for the task.

Picture courtsey http://www.indiafm.com/news/2006/07/13/7436/

Why oh!! Why

Last night was a a very difficult one. Sitting in Indore, watching frame by frame coverage of the gory act of terror that unleashed in Mumbai and Srinagar was a traumatic and moving experience. Everyone was visibly shocked - benumbed. What could one say or react to when something so irrational happens.

Who is making a point and to whom by killing those who were killed last night??

If actually there is someone for whom this message was actually - Will it reach them??

What does India do? My angry suggestion - teach them a lesson. Its time we responded - may be in a George Bush - manner, wrong/irrational it may be but some action is needed that will deter the next generation of terrorists from attacking an Indian traget.

My suggestion seems to be something coming from the minds of the likes of Thackery, Togadia or Modi. But no, I am no fan of any of them. This is a cold blooded thought. We need to demonstrate that we will not be silent spectators to such dastardly crimes. If there is no action now - it can only encourage more such crimes and more importantly there remains a danger of Indians feeling. So prime minister (your home minister is not even someone who can respond to this) - don't sit back till the time you have hounded the brains behind this act. Identify them, chase them, book them, kill them if needed. Lead from he front - backdoor negotiations are all right - its time for some affirmative action.