J.P. Morgan Corporate Challenge - 2009

I would like to share you all my experience running the JP morgan corporate challenge - 2009 on 16th April 2009, thursday evening 6:00 pm. The J.P. Morgan Corporate Challenge (Marathon) is all about creating an environment where companies can come together, engage in healthy competition, and feel pride in their place of work and their community. The theme is "Teaming up for a Greener tomorrow" - This is to ensure that every human on this planet is responsible for the environment to ensure a Green earth for tomorrow - knowing how to keep our environment clean and green, so that our planet's atmosphere is healthy and we present the greener and non-polluted earth to our next generation.

Event : J.P. Morgan Corporate Challenge - 2009

Date : 16-April-2009

Time : 6:00 pm

Venue : Start point : Esplanade Drive; Finish point : F1 pit, singapore

We assembled near Esplanade drive, singapore around 5.45 pm. Priya also accompanied me till the start point as a spectator, She was accompanied throughout the evening by Renuka, My friend - tukaram's wife. They both joined the cheering spectators for this great event along with thousands of other family members.

Sharp 6:00 pm , we started our run. With no practise for this run, I could able to run only for the first 2 km non-stop. then walked for the next 1 km and again ran till completing the 5.6 km. I reached the finish point at 6:48 pm with the great joy.

To add fun to this event, there was a T-shirt design contest. wherein many corporate companies who participated in this great event designed their own T-shirts with the Greener concept. Each one of them have their own colors, designs, wordings and logos. My company - Perot systems also participated and was shortlisted in the t-shirt design competition and won a prize. Our logo in t-shirts is - Front side with wording - "Preventing and sustaining the environment" and backside with wording - "Running towards a greener tomorrow" (the one which I am wearing).

Its a great feel being part of a huge crowd - all with positive energy and joy together at one place. Seeing them all itself a great enrichment to mind and soul. I was not a sportsman until few years back, however, this is the third marathon, which i participated in the last 2 years. Feeling proud of myself :)

Eager to participate more events like this in future !

Woodball

Hello friends,

Those who doesnt know - about - Jolly Walkers / our Saturday meeting, let me give them a quick intro. Few of my colleagues meet every Saturday morning, just to walk together and talk something apart from official stuff (a day to think - we are not just colleagues , but friends), A good experience to inhale fresh and chilled oxygen, a day to think we are not lazy but health consious........you may feel these are symptoms of getting old, but not - its a transformation of our inner soul expanding its experience in life.

This week when we meet at Pasir Ris Beach for a cycle ride, I noticed few senior citizens happily shouting and playing some game on a lawn. Their enthusiasm at this age made me to stop and watch what they are busy with. They were getting ready for a second game, slowly I started talking to one of the gentlemen to know - what the game is. He said , "This is 'WoodBall' - like your Indian Cricket and a substitute for Golf", he added - this is poor man's Golf and started laughing... (ha ha ha !!!! ). he continued.. we old people come here and pool in 2 dollars each, play this game, then have breakfast or tea and then leave... its good time pass". Hmm this is a nice inspiration - i thought to myself. that what we do now at 30's should continue even at and after 60's. You all might have noticed that whatever, if we do in a group with complete involvement will always multiple the joy within us.

Then I stood there for a while and watched their game and took few pics in my friend's mobile camera. After returning home, the curiosity towards the game made me to search Google for this woodball and found few things about this. It's interesting.

These items are the gadgets/materials for this game.

MALLET: This is something like a Bat, they do the same stroke like GOLF.

GATE: This is something like a Golf pit. It comprises of Two bottle shaped tower - to be anchored on ground and one inverted wooden cup hanging in-between in a metal rod, which swings 360 degrees when hit by the ball.
BALL: Here comes the main man of the game. A wooden ball similar to the cricket ball.

Rules of the game can be viewed here - http://www.woodball.net/

Guys - If anyone interested we can play this a day :)

Standard Chartered Marathon - 2008

On december 07th 2008 , Standard chartered Singapore Marathon held in singapore.

Malaysia Trip

Last weekend , we were on malaysia (Dad, mom, wife and brother) - a nice trip of 3 days. This was a package tour 3 days / 2 nights booked from Serangoon Travels. Friday 31st Oct '08 we started our tour from Singpaore - malaysia Bus Terminal, Queens Street, Rocher Road. We were picked at 6.45 am (friday) by 707 C0achline travels in a 26 seater bus to Genting Highlands. The bus dropped us at Genting Highlands at around 2 pm and we chcked in at Hotel First World.

First World Hotel - Genting.

First World Hotel is the second largest hotel in the world by rooms. It comprises Tower 1 and Tower 2, each with 23 floors, and has a total of 6,118 rooms. First World Hotel is a standard 3-star hotel at most of its rooms. Below the hotel is a 500,000 square feet (46,000 m2) plaza called First World Plaza, housing shopping malls, arcades, food outlets, Starworld casino, The Pavilion and the Genting indoor theme park. It has a stage for weekly performances (such as magic and music shows) at the area called Time Square, surrounded by a replica of the Statue of Liberty and an Oscar statue. Other facilities including Watersplash Pool (an indoor water theme park for children), Genting Sky Venture (Asia's first free fall simulator) and a cineplex.
First World Hotel main entrance forms the lush and grand tropical rainforest and a spacious Spanish courtyard at its lobby.

The Legend Hotel, Kaula Lumpur

The next day , we were picked from the hotel by the same tour bus to Kuala Lumpur and dropped us at The Legend Hotel, KL. This is a 5 star property in Peninsular Malaysia and is beautifully designed with a breathtaking view of the magnificent Kuala Lumpur’s city skyline. Famous landmarks surrounding the Legend Hotel Kuala Lumpur in Peninsular Malaysia include the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC), The Mall shopping centre, historic commercial and government buildings and many other that is just close proximity with the Legend Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

ABOUT KUALA LUMPUR - Kuala Lumpur is the capital of Malaysia. From its centralised position which spans 243.6 sq. kilometres, this ultra-modern nerve centre of Malaysia expands outwards to embrace the world.
Discovering KL (as locals affectionately call it) is like travelling through a time tunnel. Here, vivid traces of history continue to influence and inspire a country set on becoming a fully industrialised nation by the year 2020. You will see ultra-modern skysrapers standing magnificently next to rows and rows of quaint old shophouses. Haute cuisine beside hawker stalls.
To the avid shopper KL, is paradise. From world-renowned designer labels and brands to exquisite made-in-Malaysia items, the highly competitive environment that exists among traders is a blessing in disguise to shoppers. While department retail establishments or at any one of KL's famous night markets. KL will enthrall you. It will capture your heart and mind in a way no other city will.
Kuala Lumpur had its origin as a shanty mining outpost for the tin trade in the 1800s at the confluence of the Gombak and Klang River. Today, KL as it is popularly known, is a bustling metropolis, the federal capital of Malaysia and the principal centre of commerce, politic, entertainment and international activities.
The city skyline is rapidly changing and presently boast the world's tallest building, the magnificient Petronas Twin Tower at 452 meters. Another architectural wonder is the world's forth tallest communication tower, the Menara Kuala Lumpur. Despite all the urbanization process actively dominating the city, Kuala Lumpur has managed to still retain its old world charm depicted in the majestic buildings of the colonial era and the quaint pre-war shophouses.

Places of Interest:

1 ASEAN Sculpture Garden
2 Bird Park
3 Bukit Nanas
4 Butterfly Park
5 Chinatown
6 Dayabumi Complex
7 Deer Park
8 Experimental Theatre
9 Hibiscus Garden
10 Istana Negara
11 Jade Museum
12 Masjid Jamek
13 Menara Kuala Lumpur
14 Merdeka Square
15 National Library
16 National Monument
17 National Mosque
18 National Theater (Istana Budaya)
19 Orchid Garden
20 Panggung Anniversari
21 Petronas Twin Towers
22 Planetarium Negara
23 Rumah Penghulu Abu Seman
24 Selangor Club
25 Stadium Merdeka
26 Stadium Negara
27 Sultan Abdul Samad Building

CHANDRAYAAN-1

The launch of Chandrayaan 1, India’s unmanned spacecraft to the moon was perfect, said the Indian Space Research Organisation minutes after lift-off from Sriharikota on Wednesday 22nd October 2008.
"It is a historic moment as far as India is concerned. We have started our journey for the moon and the first leg of the journey has gone perfectly well," said ISRO Chairperson G Madhavan Nair.
"It is a remarkable performance by the launch (vehicle). It is a perfect launch. Now it will be orbiting the earth, he said. "What we have started is a remarkable journey for the Indian spacecraft to go to the moon and try to unravel the mysteries of the moon.”
"We have been fighting against all odds," the scientist said explaining that heavy rains and cloudy skies over the last four days had led to a lot of worries about the launch.
"Fortunately, we had clear skies today (Wednesday) and we would be completing the remaining part of the journey within 15 days," Nair said.
George Koshy, Mission Director said: "It was like that the moon was coming and peeping how we worked..."

THANK YOU - these words are not enough

After schooling , college, Job hunt, first job, second job, third job..... marriage - wife , family... the struggle and passion to move forward (or) struggle to survive in the current state may make our past memories fade a little (......sometimes). Even my memory never brings all those occassions , people in my mind everytime. But got a chance to recollect most of them a few days back, when I sat down for meditation after a very long decade. I meditate during my college days regularly and was addicted to it due to the pleasant experience...(can only experience).. Ok coming back to point - during that period of nearly 20 minutes , I was struggling to concenterate not to think about anything.. but things happened the other way. I started recollecting from my L.K.G days :) so many happenings - Ups and downs, shine and rainy.. when i think about my rainy days .. I remember my friends , family members who were supporting me on their shoulders and helped me crossing those days to reach here.

My Father and Mother - have sacrificed many things for me - My heartiest Thanks to both of them (this single word is not enough).

Apart from both of them I would like to recollect few other good human beings in my life.

Firstly - my younger brother Ramprasadh - who shared his shoulder for me financially to complete my GNIIT course and gave me a life when i missed my Engineering seat after twelth. till date he share his unspoken love to me and always with me. A simple Thanks is not enough for his sacrifices.

Secondly - my uncle Mr. Velappan - who inspired me in a lot of ways as a mentor , I saw this world through his eyes in 2000-2001 when i completed my GNIIT course and was severely in search of a job to survive. His words to me on those days are still green in my heart , everytime when i face problems , difficulties in my mind soothing me and helping me to overcome from it. A simple Thanks is not enough for his guidance.

Next - RamGopal - a very good friend of mine (currently working in Infosys, Bangalore) who advised me to do a course in IT in 1998, which turned my career, when i was left alone in dark searching for a direction to move. A simple thanks is not enough for his help on that deed. The only repay is to be a good friend to him for my life time.

Here comes next - Franklin Anto - my friend, who lend his hand to pull me up and showed me that the world is more BIG and Sky is our limit. Lived with him and shared all moments of life with him. Cant measure the love , affection and possessiveness we had on each other. I know how much he missed me when I left him alone in bangalore and travelled to singapore. We took that changes in life in inevitable and for progress, which need few sacrifices like this. More than a friend and sharing things , i have learned so much from him. He has been a Role model in many aspects of my life. A simple thanks is not enough to him, because he wont accept this thanks and he never expect anything. May GOD bless you my friend.

Subagar - how can i describe his friendship. We know each other from L.K.G (if i am not wrong), Either I follw him or he follow me everywhere. There is something between us , which made me to think that GOD or eternal force is true because, without any preplanned effect, this life made us to be together for nearly 25 years. He comes to me at times - do some good for me and then leaves me for some time. Again he comes into my life for some reason and do some sort of good to me (have made me to think if he is a GOD's messenger for me ??), whatever - the words THANK YOU - is not enough for him.

( I might have left many many people untold here. but i never forget them all , they have mixed in my life and words are not enough to honour them in this blog. they remain fresh and green in my heart always .. will write more about others in the upcoming posts )

Inline Skating

I am not a sports man, but when I saw boys and girls above age 5 flying on wheels in ECP and Pasir Ris beach sides, made me to do this like them. Inspired too much of their alertness, style and speed i bought a pair of inline skating shoes, helmet and knee/elbow guards. My friend taught me the basics of skating - how to wear this shoes, how to getup, V - shape standing position, leg movement, usage of brake, precautions etc...

After 3-4 training sessions with the help of my wife, i am now able to skate alone without any help with a very limited speed. I discovered the Fun within this sport and is a good exercise for backbone and legs. Trying to pull my friends too in this sport to add more fun. Our group of Jolly walkers is now doing Jolly swimming every week (saturday). Slowly we will move to Jolly Skaters... in the near future.

Will write more on this fun event in upcoming blogs.