Startup Founder(Giri)

Q. Do you regret being a startup founder?

A. Yes and No! I tried my hand at a self-funded startup between 2004–2006 full time.

Background

At the time I had worked in the US for 4 years from 1996–97 before moving back in 2001. I found a job in India. The pay was much lower than what I used to make in USA. There was also extreme boredom in the job, though I used to still travel to the US on the job (short term). I thought I should do something in Data Mining (cutting edge technology at the time) and started out bravely quitting my job while trying to build a Software Product in the Telecom (fraud) space.

Mistakes

1. Talent: While I had 7–8 years of IT experience, I took plenty of missteps in the nascent product development space and learnt from each of them. The first was relying on Fresh Graduates to do the high end technical work. Though very few did make the grade, most fared poorly and stuff was often behind schedule or needed my intervention/coding to complete . Clearly the promise of easy money riding the IT bandwagon fuelled by reservation had created fresh grads who cared little about technology and wanted to get out of college quick and “Make hay while the sun shines”. A large change had taken place in the quality of education since 1995. It has gotten even worse since!
2. Funding: I did have a couple of unreasonable funding offers and decided that I would rather do without such vulture capitalists. I burned my own cash for the two years.
3. Management Team: I had none. Partnerships usually are doomed, so this was not a mistake, but often times I wished I had 48 hours in the day or could context switch more often.
4. Choice of Product + Client: Telecom fraud was a complex problem at the time and even though I did manage to get the National Carrier interested in using Data Mining for Fraud Detection, we ended up doing piecemeal work for them instead and lost focus quickly. They tended to constantly have other pressing problems before them. Also there were no more than 4–5 companies in this space, so there was no other option but to hang on to our late paying, non-decision making, tender floating client. A good, well-paying first client is a MUST for any startup to succeed financially and otherwise.

Regrets:

1. Not pursuing a Masters Degree/PhD at the time.
2. Wasted time. Left me unhappy as I was not aligned with what I had to do day in and day out.
3. Not being able to do much hands on techie work, instead getting drawn into BD/Admin etc work, hence sacrificing my own technical career to some extent.

Take Aways:

1. Left with survival skills which were extremely useful in the real world, but most employers considered useless as “experience”
2. Most important: Discovered what I really wanted to do (learn and create) and not do (entrepreneurship, chasing money+power) in life.
3. Check marked “Running a startup” from my bucket list of things to do before I die

Panchatantra ~The Book of Wisdom {On Security}

Watch "The Plot to Assassinate PM Modi" here: (Republic World)

https://youtu.be/npEOYczOKbk


"The Panchatantra" is a Timeless Ancient Hindu Sanskrit Text that embodies Wisdom, and the Art of Living in the true sense of the world. Its sheer brilliance has impressed many a learned Westerner as it has a majority of Indians. Interestingly, it was perhaps the FIRST book to be ever printed by the Germans (1480 AD) who invented printing technology. There are a multitude of translations of this ancient Sanskrit work in almost every language of the world!

I present to you one of the English Translations by Arthur W Ryder pondering on the news of the day

Panchatantra Verbatim

In houses where no snakes are found.
One sleeps; or where the snakes are bound:
But perfect rest is hard to win
With serpents bobbing out and in.

The mere negative foundation of security requires a considerable exercise of intelligence, since the world swarms with rascals, and no sensible man can imagine them capable of reformation.

Caress a rascal as you will.
He was and is a rascal still:
All salve- and sweating-treatments fail
To take the kink from doggy's tail.

Yet roguery can be defeated; for by its nature it is stupid.

Since scamp and sneak and snake
So often undertake
A plan that does not thrive,
The world wags on, alive.

Having made provision for security, in the realization that

A man to thrive
Must keep alive!

Credits

Credits for English translation: Arthur W. Ryder

Full text of the English translation of the Panchatantra:

https://archive.org/details/Panchatantra_Arthur_W_Ryder

#UrbanNaxals
#ModiAssassinationPlot

Bharat Mata Ki Jai! Jai Hind! 

~Milind Thombre

Pokhran II (Operation Shakti) - Parmanu Movie Review

Parmanu Movie Review

Parmanu is true stunner of a movie starring John Abraham amongst others! The plot revolves around the planning for the hugely successful 11th May 1998 nuclear tests, also known as Operation Shakti. 

In reality, Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee his principle secretary and a handful of people, including APJ Abdul Kalam, Scientific Advisor to PMO and head DRDO. (who was later elected  President of India)  Dr R Chidambaram of IAC, Dr Anil Kakodkar-BARC, and few other prominent scientists of the time knew about the tests. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pokhran-II

In the Movie Plot, the small but extremely effective team works diligently donning Archaeological Survey of India ID's initially and Military uniforms later, dodging spies on the ground, CIA operatives and ISI agents roaming freely in and around the Pokhran Fort. And most importantly the extremely powerful eyes in the sky of the CIA, Lacrosse satellites navigating  above the Pokhran range on a daily basis. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lacrosse_(satellite)

The plot shows how the scientists working diligently, and Army personnel providing logistics, and others in the intelligence as well as establishment dodge many a difficulty and plan immaculately to bring about the conception of a new Nuclear State: India! There are many moments in the plot where the plan is almost abandoned. Utmost secrecy is required to be maintained, even the family members of the participants are kept in the dark, leading to many a hiccup in the personal lives of the participants.

The "White" House"

The movie ends with the N-Bombs going off in unison. 3 of the bomb shafts (code named the White House, Taj Mahal and Kumbhakaran) are highlighted in the movie. The Thermonuclear device (fusion device)  is placed in the shaft codenamed the "White House" and after a suspense-filled wait, the device is set off to a massive explosion that nearly destroys the test range completely! This moment is a golden moment in the History of Modern India!

The coded wire to the Principal Secretary from the site after the massive blast says "The White House has collapsed!" Indeed, this massive explosion did end the nuclear apartheid of the "White Boys Frat-House Club" of nations as India forced itself forward to Superpower status.

I have already written about my rather personal experience about the tests in another post: http://thombrem.blogspot.com/2018/05/parmanu-movie.html  At the time (1998), I used to work as a software engineer at GE Aircraft Engines, where I threw a largish office party to celebrate , much to the chagrin of the management. In fact I also remember some Indians (pussies) who went about saying they were in principle opposed to nuclear weapons, this would lead to an arms race, mutually assured destruction(MAD). I was asked the reason for the party, rather sternly by the General Manager after he learnt of the "Indian party" in the cafeteria. So I told him "1/2 of the party is for India's nuclear explosions and the other 1/2 of the party is to celebrate my 25th Birthday, take your pick". The GM did attend, and so did every American on the floor, many congratulated India on the success. However, notably, a very small percentage Indians kept on ranting about violation of Gandhian Principles and did NOT attend. I told them later that they are unworthy friends to any human being (Indian and American alike) as they are dishonest to the core, for they secretly felt happy on the inside, but are too scared to stand up for what they feel inside and which is indeed right. Not to mention the complete lack of Patriotism in this small minority! I also asked our Americans friends a pertinent question: "If a person cannot be loyal to the country they are born and raised in, their own motherland, do you expect this bunch of people to be loyal to the USA after they get citizenship?" I'm sure this provoked thought!

Some patriotic Americans drank 1/2 a glass of coke only and told me that  this was to symbolically celebrate my 25th birthday but they refused to drink the whole coke as the other 1/2 was for the successful tests! I salute their Patriotism just as they do mine!

Bharat Mata Ki.....Jai!

And now a vote of thanks is due to John Abraham, who in real life is Jewish (a great community whose undying friendship with India is legendary), and true blue Indian to the core, for his stellar performance in Parmanu! Every Motherland loving Indian should (and hopefully will) have tears of happiness in his eyes at the end! I did! And I hope you do too!

Thank you Atal Bihari Vajpayee!

Bharat Mata ki Jai!

Jai Hind!
Milind K Thombre
(Comments Welcome)

Parmanu (Movie)

Parmanu, The Movie, starring John Abhram is on my "Surely watch" list for many reasons. 

I lived and worked in Cincinnati at the time of the tests.The Pokhran test took place on 11th May 1998(They missed the deadline by one day or it would have been on my 25th birthday ;) ) 

I also threw a large office party at GE Aircraft Engines at the time to celebrate, much to the chagrin of a few and to the good wishes for India of many! The news of Pokhran tests spread like wildfire amongst the Indian American community. 

Another incident I recall happened at an Indian friends office in Detroit (Ford). My Indian friend was chatting with his white American boss the morning after and congratulating India for the feat, the boss was also agreeing to most of the things he was saying when a Pakistani working in the same office interrupted them and said "This sucks, Arms Race, South Asia in crisis etc". 

So my friend turned to him and retorted "Hey you! Don't interrupt when two superpowers are discussing important things!"😂😂😂

Salute to Atal Bihari Vajpayee, APJ, Indian Army, BARC and others who made this possible!

A Plethora of Ideas about the Future of Work in India

Hello folks,

Today's blog is a Fictional Satire set in the Indian context of the Future of Work, especially to answer the currently hypothetical but futuristically real question :

"What will happen to jobs after near or total Automation?"

I present to you solutions by different political and entrepreneur groups:

1. Congress: Let us all Spin the Charkha! Bapuji told us long time ago, he was a true visionary who saw this day was coming a century ago! Mahatma Gandhi ki Jai! Also, in the background we will play Gandhiji's favourite bhajan while we spin the charkha and do a kadi ninda of all the technologists who made us see this day! On second thoughts, lets not "play" the bhajan, let us sing and clap our hands, that way we will not have to use any of this Evil Technology.

All our past leaders have always opposed technology for this very reason! We strongly condemn this wave of automation technology in particular and technology in general which has cost us our jobs and unemployment is now at 100%. This country is now doomed under the present leadership of XYZ. Down with XYZ and Long Live Our Dynasty, oops we meant Party!

2. BJP (Tech Entrepreneurs): What If we put a generator on each and every charkha and feed the electricity back to the grid? We would solve the employment problem and the electricity generation problem in one stroke! We'll pay 1 Rupee per hour of work on the charkha, hard work will be rewarded and harder work will be rewarded harder!

Also, since this will become commoditized service and there will be growing demand for such charkhas by unemployed folks the supply of workers will keep rising and as the demand of electricity will remain constant rates are projected to eventually fall to 10 paise/hour. Cheap and clean power to the people!

3. Software Services Moguls: Let's put out an advertisement for 300,000 jobs tomorrow! Lets Buy land in Hinjewadi, set up a Charkha Centre with 300,000 charkhas! We will pocket the 1 Rupee/Hour given by the electricity company and payout 35 paise/Hour rate per employee for their highly valued and passionately provided services! And rates are projected to fall eventually, so let us have a clearly defined Exit Policy as well (Oops! For non performers we meant) Let us also start an industry body called CHARKHACOM to lobby (bully) the government agencies to agree to our demands. After all we are generating much needed employment for the youth of this country and we deserve our share of the pie (pound of flesh). Let us also start an open to all forum where some of our senior leaders mentor youth on Entrepreneurship and Leadership in Technology(????)!

"Technology" is the solution to our problems and India will become the next Technology Superpower within exactly 25 years! ~Official Release by CHARKHACOM!

Now for the list of demands:

1. We will need a fully automated train from Hinjewadi to the city.
2. Tax sops!
3. Padma Bhushan Awards for Our beloved Industry Pioneers!
4. etc. (we'll make this up as we go along)

4. Rashtrawadi:
Did someone just say LAND? Saathiyon Rath Nikalo, Hinjewadi me nayi___________ aayi hai!!!

5. Left Front:
Bhookh Hartal! (Actually, at this point they steal a line from a BJP PM) "Na hum khud khayenge na hum kisi ko khaane denge!"

Hamari mange puri karo, warna kursi khali karo! Down with Automation! Down with Technology! (Sound of charkhas crashing and burning in the background and a sight of hands waving red flags....manually)

Jo humse takrayega, woh mitti me mil jayega (veiled warning to dissenting non-union employees and contractors who report to work)

6. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)
( In a squeaky voice) Sab mile hue hai jee! Mere paas sab saboot hai! Bijli ka bill maine hi kam karwaya hai! Muze vote de do mai ek ek ko theek karke rakh doonga!

7. Parents of (now unemployed) Youth:
We told you to choose Medicine instead of Engineering, but you did not heed our advice!

Thanks for laughing readers! As for for those who cried after reading this sordid view of the future in this country, my vote goes to you!

~Milind K. Thombre
(An Idle Man In a Workers Paradise)