generation ‘lost’?

A while back, I met Kavita, a 19 year old from Lucknow, pursuing her graduation from a top college in the metropolis of Delhi. Dressed in a branded sleeveless top and close-cropped jeans, she looked every inch a Delhi-ite. As a market researcher, I was meeting her to understand her as the youth of India. Over the next hour or so, she had a lot to share about herself. Some of her comments stood out:

“I study in St. Stephens College. I arrived in Delhi two years ago, after my graduation, much to my parent’s apprehensions. They said that I would not be able to survive in Delhi, I told them I would show it to them that I could survive. And I have done that! I speak my mind all the time and frankly I am quite a bitch, I don’t care.
Friends, masti, trying new things is what we are all about at this stage. Today, there are many possibilities, unlike our parents who did not have many options. In fact, my mother was not even allowed to pursue a job when she had just got married. But we (as youth) dream big…it is in the mentality of most of us that we can and will do anything that we like.
We want more and more and we move on fast. My parents used to say how they had to save carefully to buy something new, even new clothes. I have changed 3 mobile phones in the last 2 years. We have to be in with the times.
It is always about the outcome. Today, it’s about Jugaad. I may bunk many classes but as long as I top my class or become class rep, who cares! I can enjoy my moment now and still be out there winning in the future.”

“What about your parents?” I ask in between.

this Milkha can bhaag!

At the outset, let me state that this is no movie review. I do not hold enough of expertise to comment on the technicalities of a movie and movie-making in general. This is more of my experience and feelings of having watched a movie in a movie hall, an event that I thought would be extinct in my life, given my current status of motherhood. It was certainly a moment of celebration that this event occurred (all thanks to the presence of my in-laws and the nanny), and a double whoopee! for the movie that made every second worthwhile. Bhaag Milkha Bhaag! (BMB)

random observation: modern day tennis

English: Court No. 1 at All England Lawn Tennis Club (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Speaking of machismo, what’s with all the Power Play that is doing the tennis circuit these days? I have been following Wimbledon daily since Round 1 this year and although it is common knowledge that the sport of tennis has changed, with advanced technology, heavy duty racquets and superb fitness levels of players these days; frankly all this baseline slugging is purely boring!

random observation: change, change, change

Sitting in an auto, rain pouring from all sides, a sudden thought struck me. The Mumbai autowallahs don’t visibly cringe or take offense to being called ‘bhaiyya’ anymore. When I first arrived at Mumbai with my North Indian education and outlook, the term bhaiyya was used as term of respect. Imagine my surprise when I first used the term at a cab driver here, and he glared and grunted at me, before driving off. Rapidly, I learnt that bhaiyya was a no-no and zipping off without an answer meant an emphatic NO!