Reservation policy in India

There is quite a few protests in India against the reservation policy.
http://us.rediff.com/news/quota06.html

I don't blindly support or oppose this reservation based on caste. Rather I would call for people to use it judiciously; Or the reservation could be revised to be based on family financial situation.

The reservation policy was aimed at the upbringing of backward people who did not have the means to venture out colleges and studies that were only known and accessible to higher caste (I am talking probably 1960s). Since then the backward people have considerably utilized this reservation policy and improved their status. The guys are now probably higher government officials, doctors or lawyers. I only oppose the kids of these guys to (mis)use this reservation policy. They should honestly not specify themselves as backward or tribe in the forms - because they are not. On the other hand, for a guy from mountain village - Obviously Yes.

Let me give an example. I knew a school mate who was the richest kid, nephew of the local MP, comes to school in car, and belonged to MBC category. Then there was also this lady who was a cleaner in our school, whose son was also sponsored to study with us, and belonged to OC. Ideally, the latter should be able to use the reservation policy and not the former.

But, hey, there is no such positive thinking in the impulsive Politics. There is an election to be won, pride to be maintained and money to be made; politicians will do any gimmicks to get the vote - allow reservation, give television, free rice, chips and DVDs, free clothes, money -- rice will even come to home, one says. Actually, they don't really want you to work. Their ideal Utopian world does not include an Indian making international business; it envisions an Indian wearing the free dhoti, eating free rice, that came free to his home and watching the free tv, in his freely build home - he just has to manage enough money for the almost free liquor.

De Niro vs Al Pacino

What kind of films do I like? Comedy; more than Comedy I like underworld/thugs kind of movies. The list goes - God father 1 & 3, The untouchables, Scarface, Good fellas, Casino, Donnie Brasco, Heat, Taxi Driver, etc. Seems I feel great

Did you notice the commonality? Knowingly or unknowingly I have followed movies of Al Pacino and Robert De Niro. Whom would I rate more - Al Pacino or De Niro? Quite a dilemma.

Al Pacino was great for his God father role. He was a cold hearted silent killer. And who could forget Scarface - his black and white pictures sold like crazy. And in Donnie Brasco, he underplayed well. He played the best blind man in Scent of a Woman. Oflate, I saw his latest movie 'Simone'. That is when he went down ten to 4 in my acting scale. I felt he was overacting and too loud; I was not convinced Simone is an apt movie he should even choose to act.

[Here is a clip from Any given sunday - an inspirational speech http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWoPEU3RwPw)

On the other hand, De Niro, was a great actor right from taxi Driver. The top angle scene in Untouchables, where he hits a spy with base ball bat. It will stay in memory for a few years. Casino and Good Fellas only made him the best conman ever. Taxi Driver and Raging bull adds the much lacked variety. He was kinda average all along. But when I saw Analyze this and Anlayze that - two movies where he played gangster with a touch of comedy - he went upp rising in the chart. De Niro is my only star.

Verdict: If I had to pick one great actor, it would be De Niro.

Oxford.. My life saver

At last.... I got into Oxford Said Business School for the 2006- 2007 Class MBA - ranked 9th in the world.

There has been a pinch of self doubt in the last few days. Am I wasting my time with this MBA thing runing parallel to my heavy work load? Could you only excel in one? Should I pick work and stay on ground like the hundred others.

I had applied to CMU (ding!), ISB (WL), Oxford (Got thru) and was planning to apply to UCLA PT (now I wont).

Atlast God said, I have other plans. "You are better suited for MBA and go for it". Thanks god, I even doubted you.. :)

Whats in a name?

Thinking back, I wanted to enroll into gmatclub.com and I felt it more interesting to make people guess who I am. and not expose my original name (which is kinda hard to pronounce by non-indians, anyway).
It is not like I hate my name, anyways. I love it and I even explain the sankrit meaning of my name to the american clients I meet daily. Sampath basically means "Wealth" - wealth in health, money, knowledge, maturity... you name it. Isn't that cool my parents kept a thoughtful name?

I started with a hardworker, just because I was aware I was not a smart man, but I work more hard to compensate for my 'unsmartness' - but 'hardworker' was registered and seemed like "hardworker_indian" was the way to go. It is kinda long to type, but I dont type t often. MS Win XP stores it in its memory anyway..

I am not good (actualy very bad) at memory - thats the reason I end up carry a mini notepad all the time in my pouch. Most of my little success can only be attributed to that 'extra' hardwork I do.

Thats the story how I got hardworker_indian. Not many of my friends know I actually write this column, except for a few close ones...