Interview with Koushik Sivasubramaniyam!

Interviewing someone is always fascinating since it is the best way to learn the premier points for your life from theirs. It can teach you more than a printed autobiography or a Bollywood biopic.

Doing something for the first time is always special and at the same time we need to take care of our nerves. I didn’t feel any sort of nervousness since I know this guy from kinder garden and his name is Koushik Sivasubramaniyam. An automobile engineer living his dream in Germany working as a Race car data & Performance engineer for Kfzteile24 APR Motor Sport has shared his interesting views for my questions.

Born and brought up in Ellapalayam (a village in Coimbatore) by a middle class family, this guy has shown people that hard work and commitment to your dream can take you anywhere you wish to be. He made me believe that luck favours for those who try and never give up.

I know him for the past two decades. Out of two sentences he speaks, at least one word will be there related to his passion THE CARS. He stood apart from everyone during his school days. To illustrate I can uncover some of my childhood memories.

Drawing competition for class 6 & 7 I guess. When every participant chose to draw on the classical topics like Nature and Mickey Mouse, this kid will be drawing a stylish car with the dark borders on the chart.

When we were standing in bus stop fighting for our favourite actor’s strength and weakness, this young champ was observing the Volkswagens which flew on the road.

When we were baffling ourselves to answer when asked about our ambitions, this guy stay focused on his target saying that he want to become an automobile engineer and he did.

Now when we are mocking at the education system blaming that it produces unemployed engineers every street, this guy has proved everyone wrong!

Here we go, my first interview with my childhood friend.

1. Where did you get inspired to become an automobile engineer?

It all started from toy cars in childhood. Over years I found that I have an intense obsession for cars. I grew up reading Business Standard Motoring and Top Gear Magazines at a very early age when I was doing my sixth grade. Then in my high school I was good in Physics, I loved the subject and was fascinated by mechanics. It was then I decided that I must become an automotive engineer.

2. Did your school education helped you in any way when it comes to cars and races?

Of course a lot. Though I cannot afford to study in a Top rated school in the urban area where pupils had a lot of exposure to a variety of events, I did my entire schooling from a Rural Area school and I made the best use of what I had. Some of the teachers were absolute gold. Knowing my passion, the school indeed supported me once to attend an auto expo in Chennai where Audi A4 was unveiled for the first time in Tamil Nadu. It was 10 years ago I guess. The encouragement they gave me was incredible. Since I did my entire 14 years of schooling from a single school without any switching, most of the teachers knew me very well. They were like second parents. They moulded a kid into a boy and into a man. They taught me basic manners, how to speak with people, how to respect people, how to do math, how to tackle adolescent phase and what not! They are the basic building blocks of my career.

3. Is it necessary for one to have the national identity or its better to globalise everything and live as a human?

There is only one race and it is the Human Race. Humans are humans everywhere, the only difference is their culture in which they were brought up. It is actually interesting to live and work in a multicultural environment. It brings all people together and makes living a better experience. Humans are the most fascinating lot on planet earth. But at the same time, it is essential to carry one's national identity by heart. Share happiness and love everyone.

4. Did you worry about not getting selected in campus recruitment?

Not at all. Because I very well knew where I wanted to go and I was preparing myself for that. In 2015, I got some offers from small commercial vehicle industries, but I knew that it is not my cup of coffee. I was actually brewing my own flavour back at home by burning the midnight oil. Spending even few minutes at the wrong work place is a potential waste of energy and resources both to the employer and the employee.

5. What you will change in Indian education system if given a chance. Say the best two changes you wish to do.

Indian Education System is absolutely well designed. A bunch of old women and men in their early fifties and sixties launches 20 satellites in a single launch vehicle and reaches moon and mars at ease. Do you think we have a problem in our education system? Absolutely NOT.

The problem lies somewhere else and everyone knows where it is.

But the changes I would wish to see are

1. I would like to see people thinking on a broader perspective.

2. I would like to see government providing all facilities for every stream of education without any bias and without reservation.

3. I would like to see government taking appropriate action against institutions that are absolute educational parasites.

6. One major difference between Indians and Germans when it comes to career and livelihood?

From what I have experienced so far, German parents do not make life decisions of what his / her child would want to become in future or whom his/her child should marry !

They have a very good Work - Life Balance but however I see a lack of family bonding and values.

But apart from these I see the same human beings I saw 8000 Kms away.

7. Split up the percentage for hard work and luck.

99 % Hard work, 1 % Felix Felicis

8. Pick one. Friends or Relatives?

It makes no difference for me.

9. Role model:

Leena Gade, First Female Race Engineer to win 24 Hrs. of Le Mans.

10. Advice you wish to give to the school and college going students.

I am not the experienced or enlightened to advice for others as I have a lot left to learn for myself.

I am just another brother, who follows his passion. Life will be happy when you follow your dreams.

11. How your family helped you during the preparation times?

Biggest support ever. Whatever I am today, it is because of them. I am privileged to have born as their child. When I explained my parents about race cars and I told them this is what I want, they just asked me to go for it and told that they are there always to pat me from the back, no matter what. Their love made me strong. Trying to become a motorsport engineer from a country where motorsport is not even officially recognised as a sport. It was quite an uphill task. To enter this sport, as an engineer, mechanic or driver. One needs immense amount of mental strength to face defeats while taking the first step. My family was there behind me all the time.

Thanks for your splendid responses macha! You rock.  The way you responded for my interview questions and the words you said to me after that showed how humble you are.

I didn’t expect this blog to be this much great. Thanks and best wishes for your future endeavours.

Stay vibrant and keep inspiring people especially us (Indians).

The unsettling dream of "Getting settled".

Time to read : 4 Minutes (Approx.)

“I will do this thing once I get settled.”

This is how we cheat ourselves and the society which expects contribution from everyone. This exists predominantly in the thoughts of middle class Indians right from the birth.

Career. This 21^st century invention is creating a drastic impact over the cultural and humanitarian values of people. We are forgetting the fact that humans did existed before this and most importantly there were many who lived happily throughout. I didn’t say that not to climb the ladder in profession but do that remembering the infinite length of the ladder.

If life is like a journey on road, there will be no definite milestone called “Settlement reached”. You need to build your own milestones and enjoy those little successes. If you wish to do something good for the society, start now irrespective of the kilometers you covered.

I know everyone has a list of problems to solve in their own vehicle but think of the fellows who don’t even own one. Think of others welfare too in this journey. Not all can help in terms of INR or USD but definitely everyone can spend something called TIME. Though we can’t freeze it and save, we can spend it as per our wish.

If you want to sponsor a kid’s education in future, do it now starting a network of liked minds. Just the denomination of amount will vary depending upon your team strength. If you want an Indian to compete Usain Bolt or other Jamaicans in next Olympics, build a training academy and nurture the talented lads. Stop blaming the government and think about the Olympics medallists who came from refugee camps and much more poor background.

With the modern technology, you can even teach a kid in Africa or make someone do that without getting out from your room in California or Coimbatore. Or you can state the reasons as follows.

I will do after getting settled, I am doing MS right now.

I will do after getting settled, I am a fresher in a MNC which provides business solutions and you know how the stress level will be.

I will do after getting settled, I am just newly married.

I will do after getting settled, I have 2 cute kids and the responsibility is high now.

I will do after my children get settled.

I will do after, sorry I can’t since I am too old to do that.

You will never do what you wished to do. Then we will start blaming the system and government without realizing that we are the creators of so called system. So if the system is wrong then it means there is something wrong in us that needs to be changed.

Even if you can’t do anything for the betterment of the human species, stop judging about the people who does something. Do you think they are blessed to have more leisure time to do something for others? No, they just know how to value and manage the time.

Do you think they don’t have any personal problems like you? No, life doesn’t show any special mercy to them. They get hit, they fell down and they are fighting back. They never give up this fighting spirit. They know that the vehicle has to run till the engine holds some calories to burn providing energy to do great stuffs.

This is a journey to live, love and spread happiness to our co-passengers but unfortunately we are not caring about the fellow mates since we are focused on the hypothetical scenario called “getting settled.”

Dream to do great stuffs and start doing. Remember, there is no particular scale for greatness.

Not all can create a foundation like Reliance to impact many but everyone can do something great with what they have. For me even if you make an under-privileged kid smile by gifting a loaf of your bread, you are already great compared to the billions.  Dream and do it as soon as possible.

Cheers and appreciations for spending your valuable time to read this. Keep inspiring others remembering that you are great already and you don’t have to care about the society’s definition of getting settled. Yes you are GREAT, so keep that wide smile on your face always.

School and the Society.

Childhood days were the interesting and happiest phase of human lives. That’s the time when we had big hearts though we were small in size. Some grew as HUMANS and others just grew in size.

 Everything we complain in our life has the direct link with the school and the higher education that follows. Our anger on the member of the legislative assembly for not doing the development works or our defective knowledge on traditions and culture or our careless attitude towards the elders and kids. Everything is due to deficiency in education.

90s Generation:

We were forced to do something called ‘studying’ in schools and most of our parents being illiterate followed the rough instructions provided by the school management. They simply hoped for their kids’ bright future. Many scored good marks but only few came out educated. Fortunately at least 50 percent of nineties’ kids belong to the latter category. Thanks to those selfless teachers who made this possible. They knew the importance of morality and other qualities that make the human life prosper.

Image source: Google.

Equality in structure:

When we speak about equality, the foremost thing to be unified is the schools. Every kid should be taught the same basics. Einstein’s energy mass equivalence will remain the same whether you are in Punjab or Kerala. It remains the same for a CBSE and a state board student. What differs is the teaching methodology and the atmosphere. More importantly the manner in which the student perceives the concept. They should be taught about the velocity of light before equating it with the energy. Unfortunately this won’t happen if the velocity of light doesn’t have any MARKS.

So the culprit here is marks. I still couldn’t accept the fact that it’s possible to get centum in language papers. Definitely there will be a space for essays or poems. How you are grading these arts? What sounds royal to you might sound silly to the other. Moreover how good the writing be, there will be a certain scope for further enhancement. If you award a kid cent percent, you are stopping the growth of a creative student indirectly.

Public examinations and the never ending hype:

 The couple of standards in which the schools invest a lot for their business development. We can’t blame them for their intellectual minds. When you are into a business, you need to find ways for improving the profit. Let them do it.

We, the general society have to think about it. Getting state or national ranks is just a pleasure and not the pure joy. What if I said that most of the state rank holders are currently working for software developing companies just for earning BIG in dollars?  Where their aims of becoming doctors and Administrative officers to serve the society which they said during their success interviews did gone? They were faded away just for the sake of the society and the lust for money.

What primary schools should do?

The schools should be structured in such a way that the passion of each kid is identified before they reach the standard 9. There should be tests to determine their field of interest after teaching them the basics in almost every existing fields. Lessons on morality, patriotism, freedom fighters, ancient culture, Indian Army, adolescent age physical and mental changes, respect for elders & women, self-defensive techniques should be taught with utmost care. Then in high school, teach them the subjects they prefer and grade them.

Understanding reality:

Dhoni promotes McDowell’s No: 1 but he doesn’t like to drink alcohol. Kids should be mentored to realise that they should do things on their own interest and not because someone they like endorses it. If next gen kids able to understand this, most product manufacturers will definitely start focusing on the quality rather than marketing.

How great it will be if the kids were taught to understand that cinema is just a form of an entertainment to get rid of your boring hours and not an element which requires your sacrifice of precious early morning sleep.  

What parents can do?

Appreciate little things. Don’t force anything on your kids just for improving your social status. Unless otherwise your son/daughter want to become Hindi pundit, don’t torture them to learn Hindi. Just a spoken Hindi course will help for the survival in states of North India. Instead teach them swimming, Karate or any other outdoor sport, so that they stay healthy and fit. 

Support them during examinations and don’t fix their target marks. Just say them the range of score which comes under your “good mark” category. Know their friends and interact with them often. IMO, better make them study in a same school so that they have a good chance of creating lifelong friends circle. And also make sure that your kid’s class comprises of students from all economical background and not only the royal ones. This gives more probability for your kid to witness the toughness of a lower class fellow to buy a fountain pen and luxury of a royal one who fights for an iPhone with his dad.

It’s better to have the school with in 5 Km radius. They need your guidance at this age for everything. They need your parents to narrate some vital stories with great affection and care. May be send them abroad or anywhere for post-graduation. They will have a reliable base to carry on their journey.

Ensure that they value people more than the things. Teach them to have patience. Delay in gifting them a mobile but urge in giving them a book to read. Make them watch Mahabharata. Let them understand the importance of having a friend like Karna and a mentor like Krishna. If they say that it has some illogical scenes, link those situations with current technology, so that they accept the possibility of those happenings.

Guide them to learn good qualities from everyone. Not only superstar, even the power star has some lessons for life.

Spread the love. 

Jallikattu is indispensable!

Before starting, I want to thank Hip Hop Tamizha for “Takkaru takkaru” video that has inspired a million.

Jallikattu is an event held in Tamil Nadu during the Pongal festival.  Believe me, this has been practiced even during the Sangakalam. (3^rd century BC to 4^th century AD). Count the years with a calculator to know its prominent history.

Whatever our Tamil ancestors did during their life time had some vital reasons behind it. Though science has reached its maximum potential now, we are yet to identify the real reason behind certain practices. The miserable part is that we are losing the identities even knowing that they are indispensable. Jallikattu is one among them.

If you watch “Takkaru takkaru” video, you will understand how the bulls are treated in Tamil villages. Then read the views of animal activists and PETA to have some serious laugh.

The bulls are like farmers kids. We feed, love, respect and live with them. Having bulls and cows in home is a bliss. You have to feel that to understand. You can’t understand that by promoting nakedness.

What will happen if there is no Jallikattu?

Farmers will stop rearing the native bulls- Our cows will be injected artificially to reproduce – Native breed will be eradicated slowly - Foreign breed will be introduced with some costly rules and norms – Farmers will become the employees of MNC who sell milk – unhygienic since those breeds can’t withstand our environment conditions – No natural manure- More Chemicals and fertilizers on farming land- infected crops- More diseases for consumers – More sales for pharmaceutical industry- Tamizhan forgets his culture – loses his identity. (This is just hypothetical and it will never happen.)

Nothing hurts more than losing our identity. Always feel proud that we belong to one of the ancient civilizations and it’s our duty to pass on our intellectual achievements to the next gen. I am sure we will. Make sure that our addiction towards Cricket and cinema doesn’t impact our culture. Admire cricketers’ aggressiveness in the gentleman’s game and enjoy item numbers of Bollywood heroines but never ever allow them to take decisions on our illustrious culture and lives.

Happy to hear that Indian government has planned to adopt some new rules and allow Jallikattu to happen this time. Get ready to celebrate our culture.

Dear animal activists, this is not a campaign like “to go naked than wear fur”.  You have just triggered the valiant people to unite and shield their wonderful culture. Thanks a lot for that!

Tamizhan da!

Memes and their Brahmas!

It’s a Sunday morning. I woke up, ate, and started swiping down my mobile screen searching for nothing. Say cheers, if you have done the same. I know you will.

I did find some interesting topics to read but the pictures overlapped by some writings ruled my news feed. Memes, memes everywhere!

Meme is an image or post which brings humour when the reader links a famous scene or situation with another existing real life situation. Credits to the meme Brahmas, the creators who provide the perfect sync of both scenarios.

People now-a-days are in need of humour in order to get rid of their stress filled lives. Memes are their find for their ultimate search. It makes them laugh and even THINK sometimes. There are many socially responsible youngsters who have posted their memes in order to help a campaign or cause. And there are some who have made movies flop with their negative posts.

When it comes to social media, people believe the most popular posts as such. They don’t judge the truthfulness of the post or the one who posts. So these meme Brahmas who entertain people also have the huge social responsibility in their hands.

You guys can make people learn a new fact, bring back some good memories, realise their mistakes in relationship, create peace, advice, appreciate, criticize and the salient thing is that you can make people LAUGH. Nothing equals this.

 It’s always a great pleasure to see someone smile because of you. At the same time make sure that no one feels miserable.

Thanks for making us laugh. Keep entertaining us and make this society a better place to live in through your fun filled facts and appreciations.

I hope meme creators after reading this post will feel like,

In Thalaivar slang, MEME Creators daww : )

Happy Birthday Dear Captain!

To all the Thala fans out there, hope you are doing well. Seven days to go for July 7.

I am one among the million ardent fans of the captain cool who is trying to learn some points of life from him, the proud Indian. Observe him and you will get your personality molded in an awesome manner.

Not many can climb the ladder easily from examining the passengers’ train tickets to leading the country’s greatest sport. You gain popularity and at the same time, you will be hearing the irritating barks of haters.

I learnt and admire,

His respect towards seniors, when he handed over the captaincy to Sourav in his ultimate test match.

His focus, when he tries to stop the ball behind the stumps when no slips are placed for a spinner.

His spontaneity, when he thrashes the stump biles at lightning speed.

His patriotism, when he gave second priority to the little princess Ziva.

His innovation, when the helicopter flies over the roof of the stadium.

His psychological play, when he places the leg slip at irregular position.

His humbleness, when he hands the winning trophy to the youngsters.

His loyalty, when he talked about CSK and its fans in the Rising Pune Super Giants press meet.

His leadership quality, when he takes the blame for a losing match.

His calmness, in the pressure situations. (Leading a billion people favourite sport team is itself an immense pressure)

His language, when he speaks in the post-match presentations.

His patience, when answering the immature journalists.

His decision making, when he promoted himself watching Sachin’s dismissal in Wankhede-2011.

His little cute plans for future when he collects the winning match stumps.

His fitness which holds the key.

His belief in luck.

His love towards the Indian army.

His passion towards bikes.

His eyes which give hope to the billion watching the game.

His ‘fight till the end’ attitude, when he takes the game to the final over.

His Smile which remains a constant irrespective of the match result.

His THUG life, when he dashed Mustafizur Rehman for blocking his run.

His THUG life, when he trolled Pollard in long on taking the quick second run.

His THUG life, when he made the reporter answer his own question about his retirement.

His THUG life…

See His THUG life never ends.  

Happy Birthday Thala!

The Kohli's feel!

The hot summer has ended giving an anti climax for the Royal Challengers. Sun risers Hyderabad has proved that the bowlers can still do wonders in the batsmen ruling shorter format of the game.

If you ask a genuine cricket follower to pick a dream eleven, I am cent percent sure that the top 4 of RCB batting line up will be there in his list. No one will leave Gayle, AB Devilliers, Virat Kohli and Watson for any cost.

Sometimes, the game reminds us that Cricket is still a team sport. You need both the tyres of a bike with the correct air proportion in order to have a smooth ride on the road. Unfortunately bowling tyre of Kohli's bike was stabbed with many hard nails. Though Chahal filled some air holes, he couldn't fill all the gaps.

I don't know when the supreme power will bless the 360 degree batsman to celebrate a tournament win. He fought hard for the Proteas and RCB in all his games. Though you have many MoM trophies, the winning trophy is always special.

Kohli, the King! the centuries and fifties he scored this season is greater than the most of the cricketers' whole career stats. His consistency and passion deserved the trophy but the luck factor is yet to fall in his cap.

You will feel bad if you lose. You will get hurt if you lose in final. You will feel "The Kohli's feel" if you lose the finals after scoring an approx 1000 runs in a month that too in a single digit run difference in a chasing match.

The game slapped him hard after he scored many for the Men in Blue in the last WC and made him cry in the semi-finals.  He came back strong again and scored for the RCB. Now the game has wounded this strong man again making him lose in the finals.

If the game can't make De villiers and Kohli happy who entertain a billion people, then it proves that life is unfair.

If this continues then people will start to believe more on the luck factor than the skill and hard work. I have started to believe this already, you need SOMETHING to make you feel complete and that SOMETHING is not in your control.

Dear luck, stop hurting this passionate young man who is loved by most of my country girls. Let him taste the champagne after victory in the next tournament. And don't forget AB Devilliers and Allan Donald. 

I guess only fault the latter made was not running that single having Klusener in the other end against the  Australians and the game is still punishing him for that. 

Does friendship needs a farewell?

"Yelae yelae dosth da..therumunayil adithukondom siridhum valikavillai, marunodiyil siri pirivu vandal anda vali tan thangavillai.."

I don't know the person who penned the above lyrics but surely this person should have sailed a hard boat in the journey of friendship. Thanks to him/her for sharing us the wonderful words which my friend sung in our college farewell and that added a color to this song in my heart.

Everybody who have gone for a College will definitely miss something or someone when they leave that wonderful place which most of the alumni will call HEAVEN on earth.

The sadness is we are not interested and matured enough to take along that heavenly people all along with our life. We may throw the blame on situation, job, family and anything. But inside the little organ on the middle left of your body, you will know how badly you miss those golden moments which passed like colorful a spark in the sky.

Think about the farewell, you will know how the tears will taste. Read that slam notebooks, you will understand how unique you are and how differently you were viewed by different people.

There would have been people who would have eagerly awaited for your simple waving gesture, some for your eye response, some for your smile. They would have penned down all those silly super awesome fun filled lovely moments which they lived or dreamt to live with you!

Yes life is unfair, in couple of years, things might not be the same. There are people who got married, went other countries just for studying and most like me sitting before a machine typing or coding something all five days just because I get money to do that. I know am doing it wrong and very soon I will change that.

Everyone of us will be busy making our lives, illegally blaming the time for not allowing us to meet the friends.

Just for a second, sit in your room and think about those luxurious four years you lived in the classes ,seminar halls, machine labs and the hostels. Those walls knew the loads of happiness which you loved and lived.

After that what ever you do will be for the sake of money or for the ever criticizing society which is eager to make a meme for  every minute errors.

You might have visited hundreds of places ,boarded your first flight, made some awesome clients for your business. But somewhere in the bottom of the heart you will have the itch to meet a good friend.

I know it will be tough. But make some time. Remember time is one of the human inventions. You can add or modify it accommodating your ten minute phone talk with your lovely old good friend without any ego.

And you know what, you might have made him or her smile after days or months. Those little moments matters in life!

Get your silly smartphone, dial the numbers, say a hello!  Ask them about their parents, family and new colleagues.

Ask them how many friends they have made after their college days.

I bet it will not be more than two or three. Colleagues and friends may look alike sometimes, but your mind and heart will know the exact reason why they can't be kept at the same place.

So speak to them atleast once in couple of days, weeks or months. You will feel the difference. You will have some positive vibes through your cherished memories.

Open those fun filled photos and have a look. Don't be like me who didn't collect any of those lovely snaps.

Say thanks to everyone who made those four years a beautiful part in the journey of life.

Yes, I miss my days @BIT

கல்லூரி நாட்கள் என்றும் இனிது தான்.

கண்கள் வியர்த்திருந்தால் மன்னிக்கவும் ;)

With loads of love,
Barathiraja