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Saturday, September 27, 2008

Realization

Some how I am feeling a little dull today - reason being end of 18 long months of my PGCBM course. One way I am relieved that I don’t have to keep running for classes (Saturday and Sunday), no more assignments, no more online exams, no more night outs but still I feel a big vacuum surrounding me.....some how I do need to realize that - "Every good thing comes to an end sooner or later but with that end comes another start too!”

Friday, September 19, 2008

Relinquish

Often - I see myself getting attached to people (which I say is quite a good feeling) but at the same time loosing a dear one is what I am scared of – for that matter, we all are scared of loosing our close acquaintances who can be any one – be it parents, sibling, a close pal or may be our pet. We generally tend to fall in our own web of emotions hence inadvertently keep ourselves involved with miseries of life. I don’t realize why people keep enduring their feelings. Why can’t we let our feelings and thoughts go...?

To let go our feelings is not to forget or to ignore them. It doesn't leave feelings of anger or regret. Letting go isn't about winning, losing, giving in or giving up. It isn't about loss or defeat. To let go is to cherish the memories and to overcome and move on and have that confidence in future. Letting go is learning and experiencing. To let go is to be thankful for the experience that made us laugh, made us cry and made us grow. It's about all that we have, all that we had, and all that we will have. To let go is to open a door and to clear a path to set us free.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

First Principles for Great Relationships

The quality of your life comes down to the quality of your relationships. With your customers, with your suppliers, with your loved ones, with your self (big idea there). Commit to insanely great relationships (Steve Jobs coined the "insanely great" standard BTW- I adore it) and you'll have an insanely great life. And being a great human connector is pretty easy stuff. Remember, success is all about a precise consistency around fundamentals.The following First Principles are profoundly simple and yet simply profound (and isn't that the case for all great truths?):

Be the first one to say hello (or namaste / Shalom/ Hola etc) when you encounter another human. In other words, be kind first (takes courage because we're all scared of rejection, not being liked etc). Smile a lot. One of the best ways to have someone open up to you. Remember, we make lasting impressions of people within the first few minutes of meeting them. Start with a smile.

Get devoted to using people's names. Really important. Shows that you care. A mark of respect. Look people in the eye when you speak to them. A mark of respect. Become a world-class listener. Get this one right and you'll own the title of "Relationship Superstar". Most people don't listen. Most people are so self-focused they fail to ask good questions when they meet another person. Listening and asking questions shows humility. It shows you are interested. Demonstrates that you are engaged - and not in love with yourself. Most people's idea of listening is waiting until the other person has finished speaking.

Offer sincere compliments. Praise is free. Never miss an opportunity to celebrate and elevate another person, whether at work or at home. You'll connect with the best within them. And then they'll give you their best. Leave people better than you found them.

Treat everyone (and I do mean EVERYONE) like royalty. Behave as if you'll never see them again.

Sure the above ideas are simple. Master these First Principles and you'll get to your mountaintop quicker than you can imagine. The best practice mastery around the fundamentals. Keep it simple. You'll win. And have fun.

Friday, September 12, 2008

Demat details and benefits

In India, a demat account refers to dematerialised account.Just as you have to open an account with a bank if you want to save your money or make cheque payments etc, in the similar manner, you need to open a demat account if you want to buy or sell stocks. So, demat account is just like a bank account where actual money is replaced by shares. The dematerialised account is used to avoid holding physical shares: the shares are bought and sold through a stock broker.

Let's say your portfolio of shares looks like this: 40 of Infosys, 25 of Wipro, 45 of HLL and 100 of ACC. All these will show in your demat account. So you don't have to possess any physical certificates showing that you own these shares. They are all held electronically in your account. As you buy and sell the shares, they are adjusted in your account. It should be noted demat account is a must for trading and investing.

The benefits
A safe and convenient way to hold securities
Immediate transfer of securities
No stamp duty on transfer of securities
Elimination of risks associated with physical certificates such as bad delivery, fake securities, delays, thefts etc
Reduction in paperwork involved in transfer of securities
Reduction in transaction cost
No odd lot problem, even one share can be sold
Nomination facility
Automatic credit into demat account of shares, arising out of bonus/split/consolidation/merger etc.
Holding investments in equity and debt instruments in a single account

Procedure
A depository is a place where the stocks of investors are held in electronic form. The depository has agents who are called depository participants (DPs).

Think of it like a bank. The head office where all the technology rests and details of all accounts held is like the depository. And the DPs are the branches that cater to individuals. There are only two depositories in India - the National Securities Depository Ltd (NSDL) and the Central Depository Services Ltd (CDSL). There are over a 100 DPs.The extent of documentation required to open a demat account may vary according to your relationship with the institution. If you plan to open a demat account with a bank, a savings, current and, or other account for which the holder have been issued a check book, such holder has an edge over the non-account holder. In fact, banks usually offer additional incentives to customers who open a demat account with them. Along with the application form, your photographs (with co-applicants) and proof of identity/residence/date of birth have to be submitted. The DPs also ask for a DP-client agreement to be executed on non-judicial stamp paper. Here is a broad list:

A canceled check, preferably MICR
Proof of Identification
Proof of Address
Proof of Pan card (mandatory)
Recent photographs, one and, or more

For proof of identification and, or address self-attested facsimile copies of PAN card, Voter’s ID, Passport, Ration card, Driver’s license, Photo credit card, Employee ID card, Bank attestation, latest IT returns and, or latest Electricity/Land line phone bill are sufficient. While they only ask for photocopies of the documents, they will need the originals for verification.

Important Points
A demat account can be opened with no balance of shares. And there is no minimum balance to be maintained either. You can have a zero balance in your account.
The charges for account opening, annual account maintenance fees and transaction charges vary between DPs.
You can nominate whoever you like by filling up the nomination details in the account opening form. This is to enable the nominee to receive the securities after the death of the holder of the demat account.
When you open an account, the DP will allot a unique BO ID (Beneficial Owner Identification) Number- which you need to quote for all future transactions.
If you want to sell your shares, you need to place an order with your broker and give a 'Delivery Instruction' to your DP. The DP will debit your account with the number of shares sold. You will receive the payment from your broker. If you want to buy shares, inform your broker about your 'Depository Account Number', so that the shares bought are credited into your account. (Source – goggle)

Sunday, September 7, 2008

Mere ghar ke guests :)

Koyal ke beche....:)

Mum having a look at the guests.

Saturday, September 6, 2008

Feelings - Discourse by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

"Head-to-head communication is through thoughts and words, while heart-to-heart communication is through feelings. People, throughout the ages, have felt that they cannot communicate their feelings. If we could communicate all our feelings through words, then we would be leading very shallow lives. Life is rich because feelings cannot be captured in words! So we use all these gestures - we hug, so that hearts come closer, we give flowers so that feelings are conveyed....

We put all our efforts into expressing our feelings......and still, feelings remain unexpressed."