7 Lessons i learnt from TEDxSonaCollege

Lessons I learnt from TEDxSonaCollege that I would like to share with other TEDsters:
      1. Plan well in advance: If you have the idea of organizing a TEDx event, its better you plan the event months in advance. 4 months would be a good time. Make a plan of even the smallest details. Never leave anything for the end. Get things done as fast as possible. This will reduce a lot of confusion and tension as you approach the event day.

             2. Approach speakers early and have backup speakers: Make a list of speakers you think you can approach. Do this after finalizing the theme of your event. From the list first approach a set of speakers. Wait for their reply for a maximum of two weeks and then approach the remaining speakers if needed. It is always advisable to get a confirmation from speakers and also have a set of speakers whom you think will accept your request as back up. No matter how much confirmation you get, never rule out the possibility of speakers backing out at the last minute. Two of them ditched us at the last minute. Luckily we could cover up for one of them.
        3. Advertise and publicize your event from atleast 45 days before the event day: Many people are unaware of TED and TEDx. They think it’s similar to a normal college symposium. So advertise your event well. Put up posters at important places. Use newspaper as a medium for promoting your event. But if you are getting a lot of demand for tickets, then have a procedure of registration in place and sell tickets only to those who think deserve it. Make people aware of TEDx through your fb page, website, twitter etc. by posting amazing videos and providing more info.     
      4.  Have a good set of people as organizers and be a strong leader: Only include those people in the organizing team who you think will bring some value. Team selection is crucial. You don’t want a bunch of people who will promise things and not deliver. Be a strong leader. Be ready to get harsh if needed. Your priority should be to get the work done in time. So always a good idea to have a dedicated set of people.
         5.Approach sponsors well in advance: Once you are ready with a rough draft pf your event, start looking for sponsors. Its going to be really difficult to get sponsors keeping in mind the stringent rules of TEDx. So approach whoever you can. Explain about the event and their profit clearly. Even small amounts received can help you a great deal. If you have contacts, use them. That will be the best way of getting some funding. Also try to get in-kind sponsorship like food, hotel rooms, travel etc.
        6. Videography: Go and meet your videographer a few days prior to the event. Show him a few TED videos and explain to him how you want the video to be recorded. The last thing you want is your TEDx videos getting screwed. I just hope my event videos come out in proper quality. Fingers crossed!
        7. Hospitality: You are not paying your speakers here. So take good care of speakers’ needs. Make sure the hospitality is excellent. Provide them with good stay and travel. Also it would be really sweet to give them some gift or mementos after the event.

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The event that changed my life....

What is it that we feel when we achieve something that we dreamt of or really wished with all our heart? Is it a sense of achievement? Happiness? Or a feeling to show off and tell the people who were against you at some point of time to **** off? Or is it just calmness and peace? Well I have felt all these feelings at different points of time.  When a team that I support wins, I feel like showing off and shouting out to the world. Sometimes, its happiness which passes away very quickly.

But after the success of TEDxSonaCollege, of which I was the licensee and curator, all I felt was peace after a long time. This was an event I had put all my effort and time into. I had put my heart and soul into it. It was an event I dreamt of making successful. I wanted it to be the best event the college had seen. I wanted to provide a quality TEDx event. The event was successful in many ways. But it wasn’t joy or the feeling to jump in the air that I felt. But it was just content and calmness within that I felt. Difficult to explain the feeling. It’s true that God rewards hard work if you have put in your best and I can vouch that it’s true after the TEDx experience.
I had always been a big follower of TED talks. When I was in my second year in college, TED India was held at Mysore in 2009. I so badly wanted to attend it, but the membership fees was too high for a normal person’s pocket. Then came TEDxSalem which was conducted in college by my seniors, but I couldn’t attend it again. It was a small scale event but a successful one. This year a few final year students from my batch decided to apply for the license of TEDxSonaCollege. This was a group of perhaps the best students in my final year batch. We applied for the license in February in my name. The licensing process took a while and we had given up hopes of holding the event since our exams were in April. We finally got our license granted in April. Time was a big constraint for us. We had to do all preparations for the event between our exams. We held an organizers meeting and I realized that the zeal and enthusiasm that these people showed in the beginning was missing. But anyhow, I wasn’t letting this opportunity pass. I decided to go ahead with the event plans, come what may. Three people who made this event possible –Mr. Balachandar, our staff-co-ordinator; Maitri, an organizer and me ofcourse. We literally planned the whole event and did 80% of the work.  Got to thank the other organizers for the remaining 20%.

Then our final exams started and people got busy. Assigned work was not getting completed on time. I realized that I did not want to get into the good books of people or be sweet. I had to be a little harsh and rude. So I did become and people started hating me. My only goal was holding a quality event with quality speakers. We contacted a few potential speakers and in a few days got replies from them. My excitement had no bounds when we got a confirmation from all the speakers we contacted for the event. The first hurdle was crossed.
Then came the big headache of garnering money for the event from sponsors. Getting sponsors in a small city like Salem where people are not so aware of TEDx was a challenge in itself. But in the end we were able to collect more money than expected through sponsorship. Thanks to Maitri again. I realized how important it was to have contacts.
We made arrangements for the speakers’ travel and accommodation. We ordered mementoes for the speakers. We wanted to make sure the speakers loved our event and felt happy for being there. TED auditions at Bangalore came up a few days before the event. We met organizers of other TEDx events in India. This turned out to be crucial. We were able to get help from some of these people and we also got a couple of people who were interested in being a part of our event.
Preparations were in full flow and my sleepless nights continued. The amount of stress and anticipation I had during this time was unparalleled. I could not devote my full concentration to my exams and as a result my exams did not go the way they should have. But that did not bother me much. All I wanted was the event to be a landmark in the history of the college. And it did.
In the week leading to the event, we had new problems cropping up everyday. Two speakers cancelled their availability at the last minute, gifts for the attendees would reach only on the morning of the event, the stage and venue was in a mess and tickets were not getting sold. In spite of all this we were able to overcome these hurdles.
The event went out smoothly. Audience was happy. Speakers were happy. Management was happy. What more could I have asked for? Sure things could have been better. But this was a success to be cherished. I could finally sleep peacefully at night. Thank GOD!!!

Every boy and girl in love or in a relationship must read the next 2 posts in my blog....
Happy reading...

LIVE AND LET LIVE – How to Stop Obsessing Over Your Boyfriend!

Girls, how many times does it happen, that you find yourself in depression and blame your boyfriend for it? If the number is a 2-digit one, it’s time you woke up and realize that it’s actually you who is pushing yourself into depression for no reason. If you feel like “the more I try to make it better, the worse it gets,” here’s what you’re doing wrong:

(1) YOU’RE SMOTHERING HIM
Make him an important part of your life, yes, but don’t make him your life. There is no bigger turn off for a guy, than a clingy girlfriend.

(2) YOU’RE TOO PARANOID
If he doesn’t talk to you for a whole day, it doesn’t mean that he has forgotten all about you. It also doesn’t mean that he was run over by a truck. Let him work in peace.

(3) WHY SO SILENT?
If you give him the silent treatment, chance are—instead of missing you terribly, like you intended—he might not even notice anything wrong! If he did something bad, TELL HIM. Silence doesn’t work.

(4) YOU’RE EXPECTING TOO MUCH
If you hate when he replies to your super-long, super-emotional mails with a monosyllable, STOP SENDING HIM THOSE. He is a guy. He finds it uncool to be so madly in love with someone.

(5) YOU’RE DERPIVING HIM OF “FUN”
If he spares a few seconds at that hot chick that just entered the club, it does not mean that he doesn’t find you attractive anymore. It’s just a reflex. To him, you’ll always be the prettiest. So, chill out.

(6) YOU’RE BEING STUPID
Expecting him to remember what you wore on your first date is downright unfair to him. He won’t remember. Neither will he notice your nail colour.

(7) YOU’RE NOT RESPECTING HIS BRO-CODE
If he has fifteen guy friends, it might be that each of them is more important to him than you. Bitter truth. Live with it. You don’t own every free second of his life. Let him hang out with his guy friends.

(8) YOU’RE IMPOSING ON HIS GAME TIME
It is very hard to accept, but you will never, ever, ever be a priority over his PlayStation. Dancing nude in front of him when he’s in the middle of God of War will stir nothing other than sheer irritation.

All said and done, it’s true that girls want their guys to be crazy about them. But today, there is a difference between love and relationship. The guy who truly loves you will not feel smothered when you pay too much attention to him, he’ll not be irritated if you call him in work-time—he’ll feel wanted, your silent treatments would kill him, your long mails would be cherished, he’ll lose all appetite to look at other girls, he’ll remember the exact shade of green you wore on your first date, you’ll be a priority to him over every other friend.

Who am I kidding? 99 per cent guys are not like that. And that’s because they are . . . well—guys! Accept that and cherish your relationship, just like the way it is.

P.S. Love or relationship, PlayStation is still more important.

Courtesy Miss Malini's blog

Durjoy Datta – MAKE HER LOVE YOU MORE: 10 Reasons Why She Will Brag About You to Her Friends!

Guys! It is time you realized that it is not ”gay” to make your girl feel special. You know she loves you, right? And you love her back. But why do you still find her cribbing sometimes, about things you did not even realize you were doing wrong? That’s because it’s those small, seemingly insignificant gestures that make all the difference. It’s not too much of an effort, and if you get it right, she’ll find no reason to not love you totally and completely!

Here are a few cheat tips:

1. Don’t text on a date. BBM can wait. You are supposed to look at her. Why else do you think she got all dolled up? Stare at her. Make her blush.

2. Don’t mention PMS-ing, ever. There’s nothing more irritating to a girl than, “someone’s on her periods.” Seriously.

3. Your ex is a bad person. Always. Never make the mistake of comparing your girl with one of your exes, especially when the ex is better in the given context.

4. When she frets about stupid things, she does not want your, “Chill. It’s no big deal.” Listen to her, hold her, and let her know that you are there with her.

5. She cares about what her friends think about you. Make a good impression. Also, you’re not allowed to be extra friendly with her girlfriends.

6. If you have got time, leave her a sweet text message. Or better yet, give her that short thinking-about-you phone call. She’ll be taken.

7. Don’t always walk ahead of her. She doesn’t always feel like jogging after you to catch up. Getting the doors for her might not be such a bad idea either.

8. She’s NOT fat, NOT too skinny either. Yes, you are a gym freak and know all about body types, but don’t treat hers as an object. It’s a person. It’s your girl.

9. She is extra sensitive when it comes to you. She ONLY cares about your opinion, no one else’s. Your reaction can either make her love you or hate you. It’ll always be extreme.

10. Don’t take her for granted. Cherish what you have, and make her feel loved. Or one day, you’ll look back and realize what you have lost. It won’t be a good feeling.

Courtesy: Miss Malini's blog

Legends never really die... That's why they are 'LEGENDS'...

It is strange that how some people can impact your lives, minds and philosophy without even meeting you. 

I have always looked up to Steve Jobs for inspiration based on whatever I read about him. To be honest I became a fan of Steve Jobs only after reading the transcript of his famous commencement address in Stanford, and who wouldn’t after hearing the awe inspiring stories of connecting the dots and staying hungry and staying foolish. If you haven’t heard or read this address you are missing something in life. 

Some of my favourtie quotes from Steve Jobs which would I have inspired me time and again -

“Sometimes when you innovate, you make mistakes. It is best to admit them quickly, and get on with improving your other innovations.”

“Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected.”

“You can’t just ask customers what they want and then try to give that to them. By the time you get it built, they’ll want something new.” – Inc. Magazine

“Why join the navy if you can be a pirate?”

“Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.”

“And we’ve all chosen to do this with our lives. So it better be damn good. It better be worth it.”

“Almost everything–all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure–these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.”

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.”

“I’m the only person I know that’s lost a quarter of a billion dollars in one year…. It’s very character-building.”

“Innovation has nothing to do with how many R&D dollars you have. When Apple came up with the Mac, IBM was spending at least 100 times more on R&D. It’s not about money. It’s about the people you have, how you’re led, and how much you get it.” – Fortune, Nov. 9, 1998

“If I were running Apple, I would milk the Macintosh for all it’s worth — and get busy on the next great thing. The PC wars are over. Done. Microsoft won a long time ago.”

Virat Kohli's nine ODI hundreds - The makings of a champion batsman!!!

“Well, I have seen Sachin and Rahul also play some great innings at the Test level at this age. Virat has also got it all” – Sunil Gavaskar

The dazzling century by Virat Kohli at Hobart had the world watching in awe and rubbing its eyes in disbelief. His heroics may have resurrected India from the dead and secured an imperative bonus point against all odds, but his onslaught on Laisth Malinga- the most feared bowler in limited-overs cricket - is something that would be etched in memory for years. Such was the brilliance of Kohli’s display that the legendary Sunil Gavaskar compared him to Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid’s exploits at a similar age.

While Kohli has just kicked off his Test career, he is a proven force in One-Day Internationals (ODIs). He has scored nine hundreds in 82 ODIs, six of which have come in successful run-chases. Time and again, he plays a knock that rallies the team and takes them through to victory - the win at Hobart being the latest example. Without doubt, this knock is a defining moment as it signifies his value to this Indian line-up.

Therefore, it would be fitting to revisit his previous eight tons - each of which have been special and brought a new dimension to his game. 

Here are his ODI centuries:
 

1.  107 vs Sri Lanka at Kolkata, 2009

The iconic Eden Gardens witnessed Kohli announcing his arrival on the international stage. Chasing a formidable 316 under lights, India were dented early as they lost both Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag inside four overs. Kohli joined Gautam Gambhir at the crease to resurrect India. The Delhi duo sustained their pressure on the Lankan bowlers by good running between the wickets and hitting the boundaries whenever the opportunity presented. Kohli’s mature approach coupled with Gambhir’s experience put India on course to a comfortable win. By the time Kohli was dismissed with the score on 247, Indiawere way past the initial wobble. This game marked the beginning of the successful Gambhir-Kohli partnership which has flourished since then.

2. 102 not out vs Bangladesh at Mirpur, 2010

The hundred at Eden Gardens had raised everybody’s expectations of Kohli and he didn’t disappoint as India travelled toBangladesh after the Lanka series. It was the last league game of the tri-series featuring Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh withIndia ensured of a place in the final. Nevertheless, a win was imperative, albeit against Bangladesh. The openers had got Indiaoff to a good start in pursuit of 248. Kohli walked in at No 3 and played a very sensible knock to see India through without major hiccups. His 102 came at better than a run-a-ball and nullified the Bangladeshi challenge. This performance affirmed the belief that he could be a consistent performer at the highest level and can be relied upon to anchor a run-chase.

3. 118 vs Australia at Visakhapatnam, 2010

A huge target of 290 started looking mountainous as India lost two early wickets during their run-chase. Batting at three, Kohli initiated damage-control in the company of Yuvraj Singh. Without taking many chances, the two milked the Australian bowling and made scoring look very easy. Kohli, in particular, was a delight to watch as he stuck to his basics and placed the ball in the gaps. The harsh conditions took their toll on him as he started cramping during the latter stages of the innings, but he maintained the flow. As the target neared, he decided to take his chances and cut loose. This Indian team didn’t feature the likes of Sehwag, Tendulkar and Gambhir - a fact that makes Kohli’s effort truly meritorious. Furthermore, it came after an indifferent run of form and he admitted to have felt the heat. His coach, Rajkumar Sharma rated this as his ward’s best knock. But of course, this was before the Hobart dazzler. 

4. 105 vs New Zealand at Guwahati, 2010

If one felt that the knock at Visakhapatnam was a jail-breaking act, they couldn’t be more wrong as Kohli smashed his second consecutive hundred in ODIs to convince the critics that he was here to stay. His maiden hundred batting first set the tone for an easy win. As the other batsmen wielded their willow by playing aggressive strokes, Kohli was relatively sedate in his approach and focused on timing the ball. He anchored the run-chase and accelerated as the slog overs approached.

5. 100 not out vs Bangladesh at Dhaka, ICC Cricket World Cup 2011

It was Kohli’s first exposure to the biggest stage and his efforts helped India kick-start their dream run in style. Traditionally,India have been slow starters at the World Cup and the horrors of the defeat to Bangladesh in the 2007 edition would have been there at the back of the players’ minds. Sehwag’s brutality was matched by Kohli’s class as he eased into his first World Cup. The cover-drives and the shots down the ground were a feature during this knock. A lot of the attention was hogged by Sehwag’s display, but one cannot take anything away from Kohli’s effort. It is very easy to get overawed during a World Cup debut or get carried away by looking at Sehwag bludgeoning the ball to all parts of the ground and attempt something similar. However, Kohli’s temperament was the winner which conquered those distractions and allowed him to play his natural game. 

6. 107 vs England at Cardiff, 2011

The last game of the horrendous tour of England heralded a new era for Kohli. Keeping the team’s failures aside, he was under pressure due to his personal form as he had run into a lean patch. The spotlight was on Rahul Dravid, who was playing his last ODI. Hailed as the next Dravid in some corners of the cricketing fraternity, Kohli started off like the original “Wall” by playing himself in and then opening up. He kept rotating strike and avoided doing anything silly. The best part about his innings was the way he chose his big shots. It was almost as if he had a map of the field in his mind and could place the ball with geometric precision. Even though some of the strokes were hit in the air, there wasn’t any risk involved as they were played in the safe areas. One can say that this hundred signalled a coming of age and symbolically, Dravid passed on the baton to Kohli. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to secure a win and it remains Kohli’s only ton in a losing cause.

7. 112 not out vs England at Delhi, 2011

A very familiar task lay before Kohli as two early wickets had stuttered India’s pursuit of 238. India were looking to crush the demons and avenge humiliation of the England tour and were already 1-0 up in the series. Gambhir and Kohli were in the act yet again as they strolled towards the target on their home ground. The fluency with which Kohli scored was a sight for the sore eyes as he outstripped his partner on the scoreboard after being level for sometime. Both were unbeaten as the win was achieved with nonchalant ease. This knock is special because it was his first hundred at his home ground - a momentous occasion for any cricketer. 

8. 117 vs West Indies at Visakhapatnam, 2011

A run-chase, two early wickets - isn’t a Kohli ton the most likely eventuality! Ravi Rampaul’s late hitting took West Indies to 269 and the early dismissals of Parthiv Patel and Gambhir threatened to take the game away from India. However, Kohli walked into his comfort zone and went about the script in a familiar manner in the company of Rohit Sharma. Kohli fell with India on the brink, but had yet gain set-up a comfortable win after initial worries. 

9. 133 not out vs Sri Lanka at Hobart, CB series, 29-02-2012

Going into this game, India had to win with a bonus point and their uninspiring form prompted Sunil Gavaskar to say“despite mathematical chance, don't think India can make it to the final.” 

When Sri Lanka piled 320, staying alive in the tournament looked a mountainous task as they had to overhaul the target inside 40 overs. Tendulkar and Sehwag got India off to a brisk start. Once they fell, the dependable firm of Gambhir and Kohli were in business. Compared to their previous heroics, this task looked even more enormous. 

Kohli punched his first ball through mid wicket for a boundary, but was struggling with his timing for a while. As the innings progressed, he regained his fluency and played handsome strokes to keep up with the asking rate. The moment of the day came when India required 42 off 36 balls and Malinga was introduced into the attack. That is when the game unexpectedly swung completely in India’s favour. Kohli took two of the first to get his hundred, but his best was yet to come. In the next five deliveries, he hit 6,4,4,4,4 to crush the aura surrounding Malinga.India achieved the target in 36.4 overs, leaving their qualifying chances to fate