Freezing Thoughts

Legolas, our cool and smart autonomous rescue robot. This mobile robot is designed to explore an unknown environment and rescue victims. Golf balls simulate victims and green cylinders simulate bombs (which should be avoided). Each victim has a priority which is specified by the number of black stripes adjacent to the victim. In this video, Legolas explores an unknown maze, makes a map as it explores, finds victims, reads the priority, picks them up in ascending order of priority and exits the maze.

Teacher's Day (5th September, the birthday of Dr. S. Radhakrishnan) is a gala time in Kendriya Vidyalayas all over India. The 12th standard students stand-in as teachers that one day and its fun time all day! Looking back at those days, I realize how important the tradition was in making us understand the importance of teachers and appreciate their efforts. They are there right through the important phases of a kid's life; the character shaping primary school, unstable teenage times of secondary school and life defining final years. Teachers guide us safely through all these phases and make sure we become someone in life. Apart from teachers, we learn something or the other from almost everyone we interact with. The books we read, movies we watch and the music we listen to, they all teach us a lot. Learning is one continuous process that goes hand-in-hand with growing as a person and becoming a better human being. Robin Sharma said, ' There are no mistakes in life...

Greenery greenery and more greenery… That is all what I see out of the window. As I type this, the train I am in is halfway between Pune and Mumbai . My flight to Stockholm is from Mumbai , on 15 th August. That’s right, its Independence Day, folks ! Dunno why I always travel around Independence day or Republic day. (Guess I am cursed to get extra jabs with the metal detector in the hands of airport security !) This is the first time I am travelling this West coast route by train. I was stupid enough to pack my camera deep into the big suitcase am carrying. Too much work unlocking and unpacking to retrieve it.  The yellowish tinge of the train window and the perfectly overcast skies enhance the magical effect of South-West monsoon on these parts. The fully grown trees, beautiful hills, valleys, lush green carpet of undergrowth that covers the whole place, open fields, lakes, small boats, age old bridges, some not-so-famous forts (or maybe I don’t know about them !), low hanging clo...

Paul the Octopus continues his 100% prediction record. Guess all major sporting events from now on are going to be predicted by this seer. But considering the fact that he has only a few months to live, we have to find another clairvoyant animal soon. (Am sure BCCI is working on that, the cricket world cup is coming soon !!) Here are some possible changes that Paul might effect in our lives: * Instead of using parrots, roadside astrologers in India can now have a pet octopus. Will work well for another few months. * Restaurants can advertise that eating their new octopus dish will make a person clairvoyant. * In Hindi movie, hero's pet octopus can be fooled to choose between two boxes, both having options favoring the hero. (Inspiration drawn from Amitab's fake coin in 'Sholay' !!) * Vijaykanth's punch dialogue in his new movie 'Balu': 'Paul வார்த்த மாறினாலும், இந்த பாலு வார்த்த மாறாது !' Any more ideas ? Leave them as a comment. :) PS: I was thinkin...

'Expecto Patronum', (The Patronus charm) is a spell used in J.K.Rowling's wizard world. This spell is a focused positive energy, obtained from happy memories a person possesses. It is used to drive away Dementors, foul creatures that torment human beings with despair and negative thoughts. In our real world, we don't have inimical creatures to trouble us with negative energy. We are capable of tormenting ourselves with despairing negative thoughts, which range from 'I am useless and pathetic...' to 'I am doomed for eternity, whats the point of living anymore?'. Each time, an internal or external factor sets things right and we manage to come out of the negative mindset and continue with our life. What is this 'internal or external factor'? Isn't it a Patronus charm of our own, that gives us hope, makes us believe that things will be alright and assures us that it is possible to attain the happiness that seemed a lost cause earlier? Think abou...

There are phases in life when you feel so useless and so good-for-nothing, its times when you have nothing to do or nothing exciting is happening around you. Not now though, we have the knockout stage of FIFA World Cup, Wimbledon's exciting 4th round (as I type this, Maria Sharapova Vs Serena Williams match is going on !!), Natwest series ODIs going on in England and for ardent cricket fans, South Africa Vs West Indies Test series in West Indies. India has reason to cheer as well; Asia Cup victory after 15 years, Saina Nehwal's hat-trick victory and a Test series coming up in Lanka. The most important thing is the excitement and the 'Wow' moments these events have in store. Roger Federer almost losing in Wimbledon first round, India-Pakistan ODI in Asia Cup and England's nail biting victory in the third ODI against Australia, were all instances where the element of uncertainty was gripping and one couldn't help admiring the beautiful cruelty of life, where a sma...

Finally, I've got rid of writer's block !! (I can hear many of you murmuring 'Eww, you think you are a writer, please !'. But people, please, let me have this one small pleasure !) And what helped me to write(or type!) again ? India's nail biting victory against Pakistan in Asia Cup, an innocent status message I put in Facebook and a friend's encouraging comment for that ("...u better become a cricket reporter or commentator....", was what he said ! Thanks Vasanth !). After humiliating defeats in Zimbabwe and traveling to Sri Lanka (again!) without Tendulkar and Yuvraj, its great to know that we are through to the finals (against Sri Lanka again !). It was important to identify the right squad combination and thanks to some sensible and bold selection, the team looks well balanced. That's all folks, I am just slowly overcoming 'writer's block'. Hope Indian team overcomes 'finalists block' and win the title. Good luck guys. (For ...