Speaking at the Digital India session on Digital Skills & Workforce

Here is a video on the session Digital Skills & Workforce at the ICT ACT Bridge – Digital India conference held in Chennai sometime back, wherein I had the privilege of being a speaker.



I start speaking around the 19th minute and also feature in the Q&A at the end.

Hope you like it and value your feedback ……


Its Your Choice



  • No doubt womanhood should be celebrated.
  • No doubt it’s your body, your mind, your choice.
  • No doubt, to be a size zero or size 15, is your choice.
  • No doubt, to marry or not to marry, is your choice.
  • No doubt, to love a man, or a woman, or both is again your choice.
  • But having sex before marriage or outside of marriage?!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • To carry a baby or not? Is it solely your choice? !!!!!!!!

Come to think of it, how can two genders be so different that what is considered infidelity and sexism for one, becomes “choice” and empowerment for the other? When did adultery become feminism? And if a Girl has a right to exercise her choice, why crib when Male exercise their choice…..

Its fashionable to make such statements to garner eyeballs & publicity- but do people realize the consequences of such actions / behaviors. How many mothers, how many parents will appreciate this. How many girls themselves agree with this. In the name of womanhood, diversity these self proclaimed woman activists are misleading young minds & influencing vulnerable young minds. No doubt the Divorce rate in India is zooming & very soon will be the highest rate of divorce in the world.
Take a look behind the scenes of these celebrities and the so called activists – history has shown how they lead their lives behind those glamorous looks & behind the camera’s in their real lives (private life). How many of them can truthfully say that they are leading a happy life & have no regrets for their behaviors.
If every body behaves as per his/her choice imagine what will happen to this world. 
At the same time, there is a raging debate about diversity in organisations & the society.In the name of Diversity organisations and the society is going frenzy without realizing the consequences of it.
Organisations are going overboard promoting Diversity like never before. Promoting for the sake of it and in many cases being forced to, by law in India (Mandatory to have Women Directors on the Board). On most occasions its being enforced at the cost of the other gender and at the cost of meritocracy akin to the issue of pseudo secularism being practiced by political parties – promoting one & denouncing / neglecting the other.
The issue of Diversity is a deep malaise, deep rooted in the society at large and reflects the culture of the society and is a culmination of centuries of practices & tradition. It cannot be undone overnight or by denouncing other genders. History & Research has proved that reservations or forced quota systems work on the contrary and further divides the society and defeats the very purpose of neutrality that it aims to achieve. It also demeans the achievements & esteem of successful women. 

It has to be tackled at the grass root level  and not scratching at the surface. It needs to be addressed at the society, at homes, in schools & colleges before being enforced at in organisations. Look at the way woman are portrayed in movies, tele-serials, advertisements, newspapers etc. Unless we strike at the root of the problem no amount of actions at the surface level will rid the society of this gender in-equality.
Extensive research shows that diversity alone is damaging for individuals and organizations: research links difference alone to lower revenue, performance, employee morale and wellbeing, along with slower decision making, increased conflict, absenteeism, missed opportunities and more (expensive) discrimination cases.
Diversity is not just about gender but its about diversity in thinking, geographies, gender, ethnicity, religion, age etc. It cannot be achieved at the cost of the other and requires an approach which is inclusive. But when coupled with an inclusive culture, diversity delivers higher performance, less absenteeism, more customer satisfaction and greater innovation. Inclusion requires individuals to alter their innate beliefs and behaviors, which is why it is more difficult to realize and so powerful when that happens.
Isn’t feminism about breaking even with both the genders rather than pulling one down? Isn’t it about meting out equal treatments to both the sexes than being anti-men . Yes, a certain section of men who are intolerant to women or behaving in a perverted way need to be shamed, but does feminism endorse inflicting pain on men in general to drive home the point of neutrality. Because women felt that they were oppressed / suppressed in the past, does it justify suppressing men in the present. Isn’t it tantamount to intolerant behavior – that men were accused off in the past.  Isn’t it turning out into becoming a pseudo pleasure?  
The term feminism is as much for men as it is for women because men too struggle with gender stereotypes.
There is a very fine line between freedom and absolute choice, and that absolute choice can have multiple connotations, good, bad or ugly.

We must be cautious before aping the west or falling into this frenzy trap. Off-course its your choice whether to fall into it or not ………....

Poetry in Motion – An amazing acrobatic show

Amazing acrobatic show. Look at the trust that exists between the two , besides the chemistry. She has laid her life in his hands and trusts him fully. Offcourse its Poetry in motion at its best and also balance between grace, dexterity, poise of the women & the sheer strength of the man.

Posted by Afsar Russell on Monday, July 11, 2011

RAJU REMEMBRE- ” Our Journey to the New World, a medley of Travelogue by Raju & Manna”.

We had organised a program “RAJU REMEMBRE” in Feb 2009, in fond remembrance of my late Parents Dr. K Rajagopal and Mrs. Manoranjini Rajagopal at Bangalore and had invited all our relatives, near and dear ones. People from across the world had come to the program. We had relatives and friends recalling their fond association with Raju and Manna as they were fondly called.
We also had a reason to organise this program. My parents had visited the United States of America in 1989 courtesy the kind sponsorship of my uncle Late Dr CK Prahalad. They embarked on a 3 month trip to the US, Canada and UK. My father had jotted down his experiences on the trip in a tour diary and I stumbled upon it.


Hence I took upon the task of reconstructing it and publishing a book ” Our Journey to the New World, a medley of Travelogue by Raju & Manna”. We released the book on this occassion and had the privilege of having late Dr. CK Prahalad and my aunty Mrs. Gayatri Prahalad attending this program and agreeing to launch this book.

We also utilised this occassion to honour & felicitate Late. Dr Prahalad for being conferred the Padma Bhushan by the Government of India – the 3rd highest civilian honour in the country.

The program was well attended and we thoroughly enjoyed the warmth and love that our near and dear ones showered on my late parents and to all of us. 


We had presented some photo shows & videos of my Parents visit to the US, pictures of my Parents and other relatives from our album and also a slide show on Dr. CK Prahalad.

Many of them spoke on the occassion viz. Sahana’s aunt Mrs. Vanmala, Mrs. CSS Rao, my late cousin Venari uncle, SK Srinivasa Rao, Mrs.Shree Seshadri, Mrs. Sharda bai, Mrs. Gayatri Prahalad, my uncles CK Madvesh, Late Mr. Vasanth Madhav Rao and the finale was the felicitation of Dr. CK Prahalad and his address.

I sincerely thank all of them for having graced this function and also for having spoken so kindly about my parents and will certainly carry fond memories of this program till eternity. 

Whatever the Ranjan’s are today, its but for the kind benevolence of this noble couple “Raju and Manna” and we are deeply indebted to them.

Here is a video that captures all the action at the program.


Copies of the book were distributed to all the attendees. A soft copy of the book is reproduced below 

Our Journey to the New World, a medley of Travelogue by Raju & Manna (The Book – Read here)

Amazing death defying bike ride

It does not even occur in his mind that a small slip will mean a sure death but the way he does it, he makes it look so easy and safe ! Unable to fathom what motivates him to risk his life – is it the sheer thrill of defying death or pushing oneself beyond limits or a fool hardy seeking attention. 

Whatever is the motivation to the rider,  I was getting goosebumps watching this guy biking on the mountain rocks ! Amazing !